I am so looking forward to Nicole getting back home from Florida in the morning. This is the last trip she'll take for Carlson Wagonlit Travel. I'll let her write about that on our other blog. Meanwhile, I'm posting more on the Kingdom of God, but more broadly than just from the book of Acts. It's more from Jesus' perspective as witnessed in the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John).
My premise is that: To understand what Jesus meant by “Kingdom of God” we need to understand to at least some extent the audience that Jesus addressed.
Different Jewish people interpreted their scriptures differently with regard to what it meant for God to be Sovereign/King. They tended to see differently how Israel would be God's Elect people for the sake of the world (“light to the nations”). For Jews there were three clear faith-based “Kingdom” options in Jesus’ day:
Option 1, “Quietists”: Separate yourselves from the wicked world and wait for God to do whatever it is he is going to do. Say your prayers and keep holy. Write letters to people still serving in the contaminated religious body in Jerusalem trying to persuade them to come out to the desert. (e.g., Qumran, where the “Dead Sea Scroll community” lived)
Option 2, “Compromisers”: Play the world’s games in the world’s own way. Go with the flow; compromise so that things will work out best for you. Build fortresses for your rulers. You scratch their back and they’ll scratch yours. Hope that God will work something out as you practice friendship with the Empire. Build a military fort, Masada, for the Roman army, your peacekeepers. (The Herods, the chief priests, etc.)
Option 3, “Zealots, Freedom Fighters”: Say your prayers; keep holy; but also sharpen your swords. Make yourselves holy to fight a holy war. Then God will give you the military victory, which will also be the theological victory of good over evil. Take over Masada from the Romans in the Roman-Jewish War A.D. 66-70. (Maccabees brothers; maybe Simon Peter?)
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What happens when you put Jesus into the midst of those three “Kingdom” options?
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He was not a quietist.
He was not a compromiser.
He was not a freedom fighter.
Rather, out of his deep awareness through loving faith and prayer to whom he called “Abba, Father” . . . Jesus went back to Israel’s scriptures and found there a different “Kingdom” model. “The Kingdom of God is at hand,” he said. Essentially, he said, “God is unveiling his age-old plan. He is bringing his sovereignty to bear on Israel and the world as he had always intended. He is bringing justice and mercy to Israel and the world. And he’s doing it, apparently, through me. But it doesn’t look like what people have been expecting.”
I got most of the above phrasing from a recorded lecture by "Tom Wright". I personally have seen evidence from primary sources (including the Bible, inscriptions, and Qumran writings) that support what Wright says about “Kingdom” expectations in Jesus’ day. But he knows this stuff a lot better than me. You should listen to this lecture and put your comments on here. Or just comment without listening. It's your option. ;-)
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5 comments:
We must guard against making the Bible relative to history, culture, and interpretation. Also, we must be careful not to think of the Bible, or what the Spirit says through it, as a static text of "things said" to a "people" or "group"... (past tense). It is alive and active, and He is (present tense) addressing US.
N&C, you're right on. But what Jason is talking about is helpful not only for understanding Jesus' message, but also for looking more critically at where WE place our hope. Those three categories fit us all too well. The quietists would include groups like the Amish and the Quakers, but also a large part of Church of Christ pacifist history (e.g. Lipscomb and his legacy). The term "compromiser" hurts too much to talk about at length, because that's where the majority of us are in relation to the world's games, and specifically America's games. And then the Zealots, also known as the large chunk of the evangelical right wing that are eager to win a military victory in Israel for what purpose? For the "Kingdom" of God. Things haven't changed that much in 2000 years. So if Jesus didn't fit their boxes, maybe we need to rethink our boxes too...
Wow, I've got some good thinkers commenting on my blog. This is great! Thanks Noel and Danny. I wonder what some others are thinking or wondering.
Danny,
You said what I was thinking. Those three groups still exist today. I see the Quietists as those who want to build a monestary type community and dwell in the "Christian ghetto." They have no friends or aquaintences outside of their church fellowship. They watch only Christian movies, listen only to Christian music, and do not place themselves where they can influence others toward Christ.
The compromiser is one who is willing to compromise their views and beliefs to get ahead in the world and in society. They could also be a well-intentioned Christian who wants to take becoming all things to all men to the extreme and compromises his integrity.
The freedom fighter seems like those who stand on the street and scream out their views. They are militant for a "Kingdom" that seeks to place them at the top.
Thanks for the good conversation.
Thanks, Daniel! I'm definitely tempted toward the kingdoms that place me at the top. I want to welcome God's Kingdom instead, though, because I know we'll all be in better hands if he is at the top instead of us.
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