Smoodock's Blog

We are presently very near to the conclusion of N.T. Wright’s book, Simply Jesus, and the “Jesus” we find in Dr. Wright’s book is the subject of our present study.[1] In our previous study, we came to understand the importance of worship in the demonstration of our witness that Jesus is King over Heaven and Earth. This understanding of Jesus’ authority is often misunderstood and opposed (Revelation 11:15, 18). Even those of us who love and desire to follow Christ, sometimes get it wrong, vis-à-vis N.T. Wright’s Andy, Billy, Chris and Davie (see previous recent studies). Nevertheless, we are who we are, and Jesus being who he is, how does he rule this Earth through the folks he is given?

If the Table of the Lord (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) is somehow connected to the methods of the rulers of this world, who define the air of the age, which energizes the children of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2), how does Jesus, as King of the Earth, bring this raw and demonstrably wicked behavior to a good conclusion (Romans 8:28)? Consider for a moment that the Lord’s Table (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) is prepared for and consumed by all, but the Lord prepares the table in a manner that benefits his people, and this is done in the presence of our enemies (Psalm 23:5; cp. Romans 8:28). While it is true that we all partake of the Lord’s Table, “…the race isn’t to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happens to them all” (Ecclesiastes 9:11). All things are brought to a conclusion that agrees with the will of the Lord (Ephesians 1:11) and demonstrates to the world that his will is for his people not against us (Romans 8:31).

In Eden, we discover the Table of the Lord is his Garden, concerning which the fruit of every tree was fair to eat except for one tree (Genesis 2:16-17), and that tree symbolized rebellion, vis-à-vis seeking independence from God (Genesis 3; cp. Romans 8:28). In the course of time, God caused the man to come under a deep sleep (Genesis 2:21). At that time, God took something out of the man and with it formed the woman (Genesis 2:22), who became the man’s helper through the thing he took out of the man (cp. Genesis 2:18, 20). If we say that Jesus is the second or “last Adam” (1Corinthians 15:46), what are we saying? First of all, we are saying that God, in Jesus, has begun a new creation (Colossians 1:15). The deep sleep (Genesis 2:21), which Christ had to undergo was his crucifixion and three days and nights in the grave. His resurrection was his awakening to receive his bride, who was created from the something that was taken out from him (Genesis 2:22). In the new creation this answers to the Spirit of Christ, which was taken out of him and given to us (Romans 8:9; cp. Acts 2:1-4).

Secondly, as the firstborn of the new creation, Christ has become the “head” over all things to the Church, who is his bride or helper (Colossians 1:18; cp. Genesis 2:22), and as the man and the woman, together, were made “one flesh” (Genesis 2:24), Christ and the Church, together, have become one Spirit (Acts 2:1-4; 1Corinthians 6:17).

Finally, we, who have the Spirit of Christ, have become the Body of Christ (1Corinthians 12:27), and we bring Christ to the world, as we are empowered by him, who is our Head (Ephesians 5:23; 1Corinthians 12:29). It is through us that “Jesus now exercises his rule in the world.” Christ commissioned the first century Church to preach the Gospel to the world (Matthew 28:19-20). However, this was not the end of the matter. Through the Church, Christ continually makes known his will for mankind to men of every generation, but especially to the rulers of this world (Ephesians 3:9-10), and those among them who define the air of each generation that energizes the children who are in rebellion against God (Ephesians 2:2). We are called, therefore, to speak the Truth (John 14:6) to power, vis-à-vis the wisdom of Christ to the authorities of this world (Ephesians 3:10) in an effort to tear down all strongholds of men’s imaginations that are exalted above the knowledge of God, bringing every thought of mankind into obedience to Christ (2Corinthians 10:4-5; cp. 2Corinthians 5:20).

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[1] Once more, I believe my study aligns with N.T. Wright’s thoughts as seen in Simply Jesus, but I’ve interpreted them by pointing to scripture locations he doesn’t use, and may not agree with my interpretation. Nevertheless, in my own mind, I believe we are in agreement.