For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45)
The author of Mark’s gospel concludes the quarrel between the disciples with Christology, which take place following the one-sided demand of James and John. Jesus Christ did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Jesus might not have spoken about the ransom death, but it was a religious confession of the early Christians who confessed Jesus as the Christ. In this way, the author of Mark’s gospel connected the incident that had happened in Jesus’ public life to Christological confession that was established later on.
The doctrine of Jesus’ death as a ransom for mankind is closely related to the tradition of Judaism. Judaism insists on the necessity of blood for forgiveness of sin. They sprinkle the blood of animals in their offering instead of human blood. So a high priest, the representative of Jewish religious duty sprinkled the blood of ransom sacrifice on the altar in the settled season. Early Christians regarded Jesus’ death as a ransom sacrifice. They believed that Jesus’ blood shed on the cross has nullified the necessity of repeated past sacrifice offering of the Jews.
We can ask why does forgiveness of sin demands blood. Furthermore, we may raise a question on how a person’s death has the power to forgive other’s sin. We may again ask whether our God is the same as gods of the Middle-East who enjoy bloody incidents happening. It would be better wrap up this topic here for such questions would take us to a complicated discussion.
We believe and accept that Jesus is Christ and his cross as the way of salvation though we are living in different poles of times- from the age of the Bible when it was written and the present time. We also believe that our sin is forgiven once and for all through his death and as a result offering of sacrifice is no longer required.
20081230
A deacon (4)
“…and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.”(Mark 10:44)
Verse 43 and 44 are of the same content. The only difference between verse 43 and 44 is that the word “Diakonos(διάκονος)” in verse 43 is replaced by the word “Doulos(δοῦλος)” in verse 44. In Greek, the word “Doulos” means a slave and its nuance itself gives stronger meaning of serving than Diakonos. It means a deacon as a worker of a church should work like a slave.
Apostle Paul used to call himself as “a servant of Christ Jesus”. (Rom 1:1) It means he is completely subjected to Jesus Christ. The character of a slave is to completely give up his own will. Instead he should follow his master and the custom of the master’s household. The more a salve yields himself to the will of the master, the greater will be his value as a faithful slave. On the contrary, when he tries to reveal his will, then his existing value disappears.
On the other hand, it is not everything for us to live as a slave in church community. It can even escalate an insistence to keep silence even in the face of church’s fault. If a church goes in this way, all renovation movement will lose its reasonability. A slave in today’s content doesn’t mean that. It raises an objection to the way of approaching to a duty in a church not as a service level but a religious power.
It is important for us to take a position as a slave in church community. On one hand, we obey to the gospel of Jesus Christ. On the other hand, we obey to the bodies of church. A true service cannot easily be evaluated outwardly. Though people act and speak as a slave his heart can be filled with wielding power. The Holy Spirit who knows better than us may take the right judgment. And a person self too knows it to a certain extent. Bounding soul might be the evidence of it.
Verse 43 and 44 are of the same content. The only difference between verse 43 and 44 is that the word “Diakonos(διάκονος)” in verse 43 is replaced by the word “Doulos(δοῦλος)” in verse 44. In Greek, the word “Doulos” means a slave and its nuance itself gives stronger meaning of serving than Diakonos. It means a deacon as a worker of a church should work like a slave.
Apostle Paul used to call himself as “a servant of Christ Jesus”. (Rom 1:1) It means he is completely subjected to Jesus Christ. The character of a slave is to completely give up his own will. Instead he should follow his master and the custom of the master’s household. The more a salve yields himself to the will of the master, the greater will be his value as a faithful slave. On the contrary, when he tries to reveal his will, then his existing value disappears.
On the other hand, it is not everything for us to live as a slave in church community. It can even escalate an insistence to keep silence even in the face of church’s fault. If a church goes in this way, all renovation movement will lose its reasonability. A slave in today’s content doesn’t mean that. It raises an objection to the way of approaching to a duty in a church not as a service level but a religious power.
It is important for us to take a position as a slave in church community. On one hand, we obey to the gospel of Jesus Christ. On the other hand, we obey to the bodies of church. A true service cannot easily be evaluated outwardly. Though people act and speak as a slave his heart can be filled with wielding power. The Holy Spirit who knows better than us may take the right judgment. And a person self too knows it to a certain extent. Bounding soul might be the evidence of it.
20081229
The Temptation for Jesus(4)
and he was in the desert for forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.(1:13)
The second temptation Jesus got from Satan was a request like this: “The devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. 'If you are the Son of God,' he said, 'throw yourself down. For it is written "He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift your up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone'"(Mt. 4:5,6) If Jesus fell down from the top of the temple, what could it happen? Since Jesus did not learn how to support his body in the sky, he might hurt himself a lot or kill him just like us if he fell down from the high point. What is the reason that Satan used to ask such a silly question that everybody already knew the answer.
This question indicates what kind of attention human beings might have. That attention could mean the human nature in which people want to get special treatment from others. People sometimes show their anticipation of being so exceptional, even though anybody could be killed or hurt if they fall down from the highest point, or they hide that kind of anticipation deep down in their unconsiousness. As an example, there is almost zero possibility to win the lottery, but people imagine they could be lucky enough to get the winning ticket, so they used to buy them again and again. Maybe this kind of a speculative spirit might keep up their lives these days.
Especially to us Christians it seems to be very prevalent that God provide with special guidance for us. Of course this kind of thinking is not totally wrong. But despite all the other people are struggling in the hard conditions, if they think it could never happen to them, it must be symptoms of a mental disease. Christians always ask so much to God. Even there are some special early morning prayer meetings or all night prayer meetings for the high school seniors' college entrance prep test. How could church, which is an eschalogical community waiting for a new heaven and earth, pray for this kind of nonsense? If they are faithful Christians, they should pray for neighbors' children, who are under hard conditions, to get good scores for the test. Christian way of life should yield the better position in this world to the people of the world.
Jesus answered to Satan like this. “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”(Mt. 4:7) Yes. The thought to get a special treatment is an act like putting God to the test. The idea that only Christians must receive blessings does not give glory to God, but hide His glory. You'd better not to put God in embarassment. Let us not ask God, who gives the sunlight and rain to everybody in the world, to give the sunlight and rain only to ourselves. Let us not ask only Christians' business being prospeous. It is impossible, and also it is to put God into a test.
And then what could be the reason to believe in Jesus some people could ask. Faith could be already an event itself. ‘'Faith' means a cosmological event of salvation, so it does not need anything else. Think about it. Resurrection of life which happened to Jesus is guaranteed to us, so whatelse do we need? . Nothing else. The things you might get in this world are just small fragments. With clinging into this kind of small fragments, if you lose the foundation of faith or make an object of relativity, it could mean you put God into a test.
Lord, we don't want to test your love, but want to live with a dignity whatever happens. Amen.
A deacon (3)
Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, (Mark 10:43)
I earlier have explained several times that diakonos is a waiter in a restaurant. It is not a mere religious rhetorical device to a church’s duty but a very practical statement. Let us find out the reason.
It is the most important fact that a diakonos should not command attention. Suppose you enter into an excellent restaurant. There is a waiter helping the guests. If the waiter tries to do his best to reveal his serving technique, then the restaurant will be immediately closed down. The workers of the church should also similarly try to minimize themselves in order to help church members concentrate on worship service.
Diakonos also is human being and he also may have a desire to be recognized. However, real recognition is granted by Jesus only. Same is the case that a waiter is recognized by his master if he is sincere to his duty. If someone is not ready to be satisfied with the relationship with Jesus, then he should not be a diakonos.
The need of a ‘diakonos to concentrate on the relationship with Jesus is the necessity to be engrossed in the spirituality of serving. In order to enter into the ontological level of serving, self or self-achievement should be reduced to nothingness. Jesus’ popular teaching which says, “He must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” is a fitting statement to this.
Of course, it is not a simple one. We can never escape from our desire to show ourselves till the last breath. So we should not entrust such matter to personal spirituality only and a reasonable system has to support it. However, the important thing is the personal spirituality through which only we can minimize and hide ourselves and have the freedom.
I earlier have explained several times that diakonos is a waiter in a restaurant. It is not a mere religious rhetorical device to a church’s duty but a very practical statement. Let us find out the reason.
It is the most important fact that a diakonos should not command attention. Suppose you enter into an excellent restaurant. There is a waiter helping the guests. If the waiter tries to do his best to reveal his serving technique, then the restaurant will be immediately closed down. The workers of the church should also similarly try to minimize themselves in order to help church members concentrate on worship service.
Diakonos also is human being and he also may have a desire to be recognized. However, real recognition is granted by Jesus only. Same is the case that a waiter is recognized by his master if he is sincere to his duty. If someone is not ready to be satisfied with the relationship with Jesus, then he should not be a diakonos.
The need of a ‘diakonos to concentrate on the relationship with Jesus is the necessity to be engrossed in the spirituality of serving. In order to enter into the ontological level of serving, self or self-achievement should be reduced to nothingness. Jesus’ popular teaching which says, “He must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” is a fitting statement to this.
Of course, it is not a simple one. We can never escape from our desire to show ourselves till the last breath. So we should not entrust such matter to personal spirituality only and a reasonable system has to support it. However, the important thing is the personal spirituality through which only we can minimize and hide ourselves and have the freedom.
A deacon (2)
Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, (Mark 10:43)
According to the system of Korean church, there are a deputy deacon (Seori Jibsa) and an ordained deacon (Ansu Jibsa) in the church. Though they are of the same position of deacon, a deputy deacon should be reappointed for another period of one year but an ordained deacon usually remains in his seat the till the end of his life unless and until he commits a serious mistake. So, post of an ordained deacon is called a lifelong duty.
I do not know the detail system of the ordination of a deacon in a church. In general point of view, looking at the ability of the deacon candidate whose capability ostensibly stands between a deputy deacon and an elder, is inducted in the office. The system might be settled because the ability of deacon candidate stands in the middle of a deputy deacon and an elder. Or the system has settled with an intention to fill the vacant post in the church for the number of elders keep rising almost equal to the number of baptized Christians. In this critical point of view, it might be a good idea to increase loyalty to the church through competition by making such order.
Of course such system could be made according to the necessity rises in the church. However, it is hard to understand to divide it into two, a deputy and an ordained, which has practically not much differentiation. From what I heard, it becomes an unwritten rule that someone should give a certain amount as an offering to be an ordained deacon. Outwardly it is taken voluntarily but practically it is done almost by force. Someone was selected as an ordained deacon but he resigned it because he was not pleased with the traditional custom.
Not only the pastors who utilize the system at the pastoral level but the church members who blindly follow the pastors are also responsible for utilizing the system as an ecclesiastical authority in the church. As an ordinary Christian, though I do not have any experience neither exactly know their feelings I wonder why Christians are excessively holding on to the church duty. The duty is nothing but the work of a waiter in a restaurant.
According to the system of Korean church, there are a deputy deacon (Seori Jibsa) and an ordained deacon (Ansu Jibsa) in the church. Though they are of the same position of deacon, a deputy deacon should be reappointed for another period of one year but an ordained deacon usually remains in his seat the till the end of his life unless and until he commits a serious mistake. So, post of an ordained deacon is called a lifelong duty.
I do not know the detail system of the ordination of a deacon in a church. In general point of view, looking at the ability of the deacon candidate whose capability ostensibly stands between a deputy deacon and an elder, is inducted in the office. The system might be settled because the ability of deacon candidate stands in the middle of a deputy deacon and an elder. Or the system has settled with an intention to fill the vacant post in the church for the number of elders keep rising almost equal to the number of baptized Christians. In this critical point of view, it might be a good idea to increase loyalty to the church through competition by making such order.
Of course such system could be made according to the necessity rises in the church. However, it is hard to understand to divide it into two, a deputy and an ordained, which has practically not much differentiation. From what I heard, it becomes an unwritten rule that someone should give a certain amount as an offering to be an ordained deacon. Outwardly it is taken voluntarily but practically it is done almost by force. Someone was selected as an ordained deacon but he resigned it because he was not pleased with the traditional custom.
Not only the pastors who utilize the system at the pastoral level but the church members who blindly follow the pastors are also responsible for utilizing the system as an ecclesiastical authority in the church. As an ordinary Christian, though I do not have any experience neither exactly know their feelings I wonder why Christians are excessively holding on to the church duty. The duty is nothing but the work of a waiter in a restaurant.
20081228
A deacon (1)
Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, (Mark 10:43)
The phrase ‘Your servant’ is a translation from the Greek word “diakonos (διάκονος’) from which the English word ‘deacon’ is derived. A deacon does not mean a person who would exercise a certain power but a mere waiter at a table. The author of Mark might have a proper reason for using this particular term here.
Firstly, pay attention to ‘Not so with you’. The previous verse 42 mentioned about the rulers’ wielding of their power. The reader of Mark’s gospel might have experienced the power of Emperor Nero. They might know very well how much wielding of power would completely destroy the community for they had directly experienced the tyranny of the rulers. Here the phrase ‘Not so with you’ means that such thing could not be happened among the gospel community. Or there would be a certain possibility to happen such things in their community.
Among Christians there is no room for ecclesiastical authority. The reason is that the essence of faith itself does not have any relationship with the ecclesiastical authority. Precisely speaking, to give up one’s power is rightly the essence of faith. So the author of Mark could say, “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant.” How could a waiter at the table give order to a guest? He can only maintain his identity by serving the guests and providing whatever they want.
It is not easy to practice such a humble attitude. However, it is not the matter of impossibility. See young mothers. They are inexperienced in many part but very sensitive and perfect to serve their own child. The mother does not think of exercising her power over her baby. She finds her real essence of serving as she serves her child. A person doing such job in a church is exactly what we call diakonos, or a deacon.
To wield authority
Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. (Mark 10:42)
Jesus called the disciples who became indignant with James and John and pointed out the nature of power of rulers of the Gentiles. They pressurize others by using their authority. Those who are bound by such mechanism are unable to see in person. The power becomes everything and they lord over other’s soul.
Such nature of power orientation is very strong for people. Basically there is difference between lower post and higher post in matter of the nature of exercising their power. Even a small post makes people show authoritative attitude. In German there is a term called Bürokratie translated as bureaucratism. It means the doctrine of administration convenience that is seen in a bureaucracy. The officers of tax office, police station and a down-block office ignore the citizens while they are concentrating on increasing the efficiency of administration.
It is my experience while I was staying in Germany for a while. I went to the police to register my residence. The officer in-charge was an old woman. She responded me hysterically for I did not write the owner’s name properly. I asked her, “Sind Sie müde?” which meant “Are you tired?” Then her attitude completely softened. The bereaucratism exercise its power to the weak and it often softens before the stronger.
In the same way, such things can be happened among the people working in the church. We can see it from pastors too. Church itself functions with a sort of power. Such things had happened to the Europe in medieval century, and are even happening to Korean church in 21 century. For example, church pressurizes its members with the weapon of the post of a deacon or an elder of church. Christians reluctantly follow such demand for retainment in order to remain the church organization. Tomorrow is Christmas. A manger is the lowest place in the world. It is the right post of a church.
Jesus called the disciples who became indignant with James and John and pointed out the nature of power of rulers of the Gentiles. They pressurize others by using their authority. Those who are bound by such mechanism are unable to see in person. The power becomes everything and they lord over other’s soul.
Such nature of power orientation is very strong for people. Basically there is difference between lower post and higher post in matter of the nature of exercising their power. Even a small post makes people show authoritative attitude. In German there is a term called Bürokratie translated as bureaucratism. It means the doctrine of administration convenience that is seen in a bureaucracy. The officers of tax office, police station and a down-block office ignore the citizens while they are concentrating on increasing the efficiency of administration.
It is my experience while I was staying in Germany for a while. I went to the police to register my residence. The officer in-charge was an old woman. She responded me hysterically for I did not write the owner’s name properly. I asked her, “Sind Sie müde?” which meant “Are you tired?” Then her attitude completely softened. The bereaucratism exercise its power to the weak and it often softens before the stronger.
In the same way, such things can be happened among the people working in the church. We can see it from pastors too. Church itself functions with a sort of power. Such things had happened to the Europe in medieval century, and are even happening to Korean church in 21 century. For example, church pressurizes its members with the weapon of the post of a deacon or an elder of church. Christians reluctantly follow such demand for retainment in order to remain the church organization. Tomorrow is Christmas. A manger is the lowest place in the world. It is the right post of a church.
The disciples’ anger
When the ten heard about this, they became indignant with James and John. (Mark 10:41)
The disciples were indignant with the behavior of James and John. It was possible for the disciples to get anger with the two brothers in two reasons. First fact was that the two brothers tried to get a special treatment from Jesus despite they were suffering together. The other fact was that, it was not the right time for Jesus to consider the posts of his disciples as Jesus was going toward Jerusalem. The way toward Jerusalem was the way of crucifixion.
Despite this condition at this stage, the way in which the ten disciples became indignant with James and John was rather ridiculous. It was a sort of struggle for position among the ascetics. The author might have revealed this incident though he could have hidden it because such position struggle occurred not only in the disciples’ community but also was in the Mark’s community.
Do Christians of today get angry with each other? It is silly question. Of course it is happening. Nowadays one church in Seoul is being focused by a Christian mass media. The church is one of the top intellectual Korean churches consisting over 90% of graduated Christians. They are dog biting with each other between pro-pastor party and the anti-pastor party. Such things are happening in many churches though the intensity of the acrimony defers form one to the other.
Seceding from the real essence of the church which is supposed to be called a peach community is the reason for getting involved in such frank fighting Here we do not need to theologically talk about high-sounding essence. If a church becomes at least sincere in the essence as the serving community, then all the noisy argument in the church will gradually subside. The serving relationship should be established between Christians and at the same time the church has to establish a serving relationship with society too. There is ground of becoming indignant with others if a church keeps its identity as serving community in a society.
The disciples were indignant with the behavior of James and John. It was possible for the disciples to get anger with the two brothers in two reasons. First fact was that the two brothers tried to get a special treatment from Jesus despite they were suffering together. The other fact was that, it was not the right time for Jesus to consider the posts of his disciples as Jesus was going toward Jerusalem. The way toward Jerusalem was the way of crucifixion.
Despite this condition at this stage, the way in which the ten disciples became indignant with James and John was rather ridiculous. It was a sort of struggle for position among the ascetics. The author might have revealed this incident though he could have hidden it because such position struggle occurred not only in the disciples’ community but also was in the Mark’s community.
Do Christians of today get angry with each other? It is silly question. Of course it is happening. Nowadays one church in Seoul is being focused by a Christian mass media. The church is one of the top intellectual Korean churches consisting over 90% of graduated Christians. They are dog biting with each other between pro-pastor party and the anti-pastor party. Such things are happening in many churches though the intensity of the acrimony defers form one to the other.
Seceding from the real essence of the church which is supposed to be called a peach community is the reason for getting involved in such frank fighting Here we do not need to theologically talk about high-sounding essence. If a church becomes at least sincere in the essence as the serving community, then all the noisy argument in the church will gradually subside. The serving relationship should be established between Christians and at the same time the church has to establish a serving relationship with society too. There is ground of becoming indignant with others if a church keeps its identity as serving community in a society.
The mystery of Christmas
“…but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared." (Mark 10:40)
Jesus told James and John that he did not have any authority to grant them the seats to sit either his right or his left. It was a little suspicious that Jesus who had an equal spiritual power with God had said such word. If we precisely read this sentence we come to know that it does not mean he does not have such authority but it rather means that the seats have already been decided. Or the seats will be given to the right person. However, the fact is that Jesus limited himself saying, “not for me to grant”.
This part is very important in our Christian faith. Jesus whom we believe as the son of God came down to this world by giving up his glory in heaven. He gave up his transcendental power and lived in this world with a helpless limited human body. The crucifixion simply revealed his absolute helplessness. He is the very savior of ours, the Lord of second coming and God.
In his the masterpiece “The crucified God” Moltmann theologically explains this fact. The crucifixion of Jesus is, in other words, the crucifixion of God. Jesus’ helplessness indicates God’s helplessness. God is sitting at the same humble place where Jesus is sitting. This is Christian faith to know the secret of history that the lowest place has become the highest place and the helplessness has become the most powerful being through Jesus Christ.
Christmas is just near at the door. Christmas is the right day to unfold the secret of incarnation that comes in this world. A manger is the place to reveal the failure in the cross and the victory of resurrection. This paradox is a real power in our Christian life. I pray that the mystery of Christmas may be with you all.
Jesus told James and John that he did not have any authority to grant them the seats to sit either his right or his left. It was a little suspicious that Jesus who had an equal spiritual power with God had said such word. If we precisely read this sentence we come to know that it does not mean he does not have such authority but it rather means that the seats have already been decided. Or the seats will be given to the right person. However, the fact is that Jesus limited himself saying, “not for me to grant”.
This part is very important in our Christian faith. Jesus whom we believe as the son of God came down to this world by giving up his glory in heaven. He gave up his transcendental power and lived in this world with a helpless limited human body. The crucifixion simply revealed his absolute helplessness. He is the very savior of ours, the Lord of second coming and God.
In his the masterpiece “The crucified God” Moltmann theologically explains this fact. The crucifixion of Jesus is, in other words, the crucifixion of God. Jesus’ helplessness indicates God’s helplessness. God is sitting at the same humble place where Jesus is sitting. This is Christian faith to know the secret of history that the lowest place has become the highest place and the helplessness has become the most powerful being through Jesus Christ.
Christmas is just near at the door. Christmas is the right day to unfold the secret of incarnation that comes in this world. A manger is the place to reveal the failure in the cross and the victory of resurrection. This paradox is a real power in our Christian life. I pray that the mystery of Christmas may be with you all.
The Temptation for Jesus (3)
and he was in the desert for forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.(1:13)
The first temptation that Jesus got from Satan was a request like this: "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."(Matthew 4:3) Satan's requests sound very interesting. He put the preposition "If you are." Jesus might receive this kind of requests lots of time from others. And also he could ask himself too, couldn't he? He could have liked to prove "if he is the Son of God or not" in any methods. One of them could be to change stones into bread.
First of all, let's ask like this. Could Jesus change stones into bread? Many Christians might think like this: of course, he could, but he did not, because he did not want to be led into temptation. Well, it might be possible. But it is meaningless to ask if Jesus has this kind of power or not. Those questions belong to the heavens of curiosity, not to the spiritual realm. These questions are ones that Satan might pay attention to.
These days when people have attentions only to reinvestment are for Satan. Modern people whose interests are just in the price of apartments, stocks, expense for education are friends of Satan's. Satan's requests to mock Jesus 2000 years ago happen to us these days over and over again. Roughly speaking, neodemocracy is Satan's ideology, what to change stones into bread is the most valuable thing to do. How do we Christians overcome this kind environment of today? What is worse, we might provide with some tests to Jesus to change stones into bread, having shoulder to shoulder with Satan?
If we are true disciples of Lord Jesus, we should be able to change Satan's request into spiritual one. And then we should ask like this. "Lord, what is a true bread to revive us?" In this sense, Christian spirituality might be an ability to differentiate worldly questions from spiritual ones. It is an ability to differentiate what kind of question could be to revive mankind and ecosystem from what could kill them.
Jesus answered like this to the request of Satan: "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God"(Matthew 4:4) This teaching means that we need bread as well as the words of God to live a life? On the surface, it may sound like he emphasizes both bread and the words, but actually he does not. To live on bread people do without learning from anybody. Jesus does not mean we need both bread and the words. Jesus' answer focuses on the words of God only.
Yes, it is true. If people understand the words of God in proper way, they could share bread with others. Church should pay attention to only teaching properly the words of God. Church should be able to say to the world that this much of bread is enough. That is a short cut to revive mankind.
Lord, we like to live with attention only to the words through the mouth of God rather than an economical magic power to change stones into bread. Amen.
20081227
The destiny of the disciples
"We can," they answered. Jesus said to them, "You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, (Mark 10:39)
The sentence with ‘the cup and the baptism’ continues here. James and John answered that they could drink the cup Jesus drinks and be baptized with the baptism Jesus would be baptized with. Agreed with their answer, Jesus said, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with.”
Just prior to this, Jesus said that James and John did not know what they were asking for. Then now he accepted their answer as it was. Is there not a contradiction between his former word and the present one? It is not. James and John surely did not know what the meaning of Jesus’ life was. However, eventually they went the way of the disciples. They were finally martyred.
Though other disciples were also ordinary people like James and John who did not know what they were asking for, later they became great people of destiny drawn into vortex of a certain powerful history. The answer to drink Jesus’ cup was an empty words but unknowingly it became a reality in their destiny.
Isn’t it a mystery of history that an insignificant incident changes into a great incident which man cannot perceive it before hand? It means history is proceeding not by a mechanical development but by an intervention of accident. An eventuality is God’s power. The destiny of a personal, nation and even of a species called human can be framed by such power.
How will our destiny be? Will it be going well according to our plan? How shall be our destiny after death? What do we anticipate and plan for this? There is no other choice except entrusting our destiny on Jesus. Lord, have mercy on me.
The sentence with ‘the cup and the baptism’ continues here. James and John answered that they could drink the cup Jesus drinks and be baptized with the baptism Jesus would be baptized with. Agreed with their answer, Jesus said, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with.”
Just prior to this, Jesus said that James and John did not know what they were asking for. Then now he accepted their answer as it was. Is there not a contradiction between his former word and the present one? It is not. James and John surely did not know what the meaning of Jesus’ life was. However, eventually they went the way of the disciples. They were finally martyred.
Though other disciples were also ordinary people like James and John who did not know what they were asking for, later they became great people of destiny drawn into vortex of a certain powerful history. The answer to drink Jesus’ cup was an empty words but unknowingly it became a reality in their destiny.
Isn’t it a mystery of history that an insignificant incident changes into a great incident which man cannot perceive it before hand? It means history is proceeding not by a mechanical development but by an intervention of accident. An eventuality is God’s power. The destiny of a personal, nation and even of a species called human can be framed by such power.
How will our destiny be? Will it be going well according to our plan? How shall be our destiny after death? What do we anticipate and plan for this? There is no other choice except entrusting our destiny on Jesus. Lord, have mercy on me.
The cup and the baptism
"You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?"(Mark 10:38)
Jesus asked James and John, "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?" All of sudden the atmosphere became serious. This question contained the Passion of Christ. The cup and the baptism are a symbol of the suffering.
It is known that Jesus prayed in the mount of Gethsemane at the night before crucifixion following, "Abba, Father, everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” (Mark 14:36) He expressed his destiny of impending crucifixion as the cup to drink. His destiny was the conclusion of complete failure of his life.
People don’t think seriously why Jesus’ crucifixion is the result of complete failure of his life. Look at this. The crucifixion means death, a cursed death. Death means the termination of one’s life. The meaning of Jesus’ crucifixion is his life was terminated. So he prayed God to take this cup from him.
Doesn’t it mean to believe Jesus and to be his disciple is ready for such destiny? If there is someone to dream successful life by having faith in Jesus, doesn’t it mean that he know nothing about Jesus’ destiny yet?
You may ask isn’t there resurrection. Yes. Jesus has resurrected after three days among the dead. We hope the resurrection. However, the resurrected life is not the life of present. It is a promise, a hope and so it is the object of eschatological waiting. Here and now the crucifixion is only the end. Can we drink such cup? It is a dreadful thing.
The limitation of cognition
"You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?"(Mark 10:38)
In reply to James and John who demanded Jesus for seats at his glory, Jesus said, “You don’t know what you are asking.” James and John did not have any moral problem. They were full of religious passion. Their only problem was the hunger for cognition. The cognition signifies a religious knowledge or a religious understanding.
Understanding about Christian faith is very important. It means Christian should learn the exact identification of Christianity. Some people may think they are studying well as they may say so as learn a lot from various Bible study, QT and disciple making program. The acquisition of such knowledge is possible but in my point of view such studies have limitations. I will tell you one of them.
Such kind of Bible studies follow traditional practice in Korean Church which is concentrating not on the object of faith but the subject. It is not for God but man that becomes a center of the studies. We can confirm it from a slogan, “Gathers pray and departs preach.” This style of Bible study does not pay much attention on knowing the true meaning of prayer and preaching but interests in learning of its necessity and methodology. According to Rudolph Boren a German homiletic, modern sermon does not preach the word of God. It means church’s study consists of nothing but anthropology. In such pathetic status of Christian maturity, real religious awareness would not be possible.
According to today’s text, James and John were not able to understand Jesus though they followed him with a certain religious passion which level we do not exactly know. They even did not know what they were asking for. How about to us today? Are all our religious passions not similar to theirs? Faith without having proper knowledge and blindly working so hard is the most dangerous thing in religious life.
In reply to James and John who demanded Jesus for seats at his glory, Jesus said, “You don’t know what you are asking.” James and John did not have any moral problem. They were full of religious passion. Their only problem was the hunger for cognition. The cognition signifies a religious knowledge or a religious understanding.
Understanding about Christian faith is very important. It means Christian should learn the exact identification of Christianity. Some people may think they are studying well as they may say so as learn a lot from various Bible study, QT and disciple making program. The acquisition of such knowledge is possible but in my point of view such studies have limitations. I will tell you one of them.
Such kind of Bible studies follow traditional practice in Korean Church which is concentrating not on the object of faith but the subject. It is not for God but man that becomes a center of the studies. We can confirm it from a slogan, “Gathers pray and departs preach.” This style of Bible study does not pay much attention on knowing the true meaning of prayer and preaching but interests in learning of its necessity and methodology. According to Rudolph Boren a German homiletic, modern sermon does not preach the word of God. It means church’s study consists of nothing but anthropology. In such pathetic status of Christian maturity, real religious awareness would not be possible.
According to today’s text, James and John were not able to understand Jesus though they followed him with a certain religious passion which level we do not exactly know. They even did not know what they were asking for. How about to us today? Are all our religious passions not similar to theirs? Faith without having proper knowledge and blindly working so hard is the most dangerous thing in religious life.
The Temptation for Jesus(2)
"…and he was in the desert for forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.” (Mark 1:13)
I don't remember it was when I was in the seminary or working as a pastor, but long time ago I was very interested in reading Nikos Kazantzakis' "The Last Temptation of Jesus". I don't remember much of "Zorba the Greek" written by the same author, but regarding that I remembered a lot of this "The Last” in a big frame, it must be touching my youthful sensibility.
This book starts with a cry of a Jewish woman whose son was executed on the cross because of having an independence movement with guns. This woman came to Jesus to condemn him. My son died on the cross you made. You would be executed on the cross too. . Since Jesus was a carpenter just like his father, Joseph, he could not avoid making crosses to sell according to Roman official's demand for execution of antigovernment criminals. Jesus was a little more sensitive and thoughtful than other kids from he was young, but he was not that special kid. When he was an adolescent, he attracted some girls when he went to the festival. Martha and Mary had special interests in him. Maybe Jesus himself had some curiosity too. But it was just a puppy love. After he became a young adult, Jesus had some serious spiritual talk with Baptist John. Sometime under the stars, they used to talk to each other, focusing on the will of God. And John went out of home first, and then Jesus followed. Just like the story in the Gospels, Jesus was killed on the cross. Just like that curse of a Jewish woman toward the person who made the cross, because of her son's death, Jesus was executed on the cross. At the moment he was losing his mind, Jesus descended from the cross and then on the white horse he was riding to go to Bethany and married Martha and Mary sisters. At those days this system of marriage did not look strange at all. Jesus lived happily with wives and son and daughter. One day the door was open, and some group of people rushed in. They were Peter, Andrew, James and John who used to be his disciples. Peter was grabbing his neck and shouted. “Such a traitor. Because you ran away from the cross, we failed in the world. Be responsible for that.” Other disciples began to do some violence to Jesus, and Jesus fell down to the earth by them. They kicked Jesus who felt down to the earth. To his stomach, neck, head and they trapped him on. Jesus was murmuring with a big headache. “I am not a traitor. I didn't run away. I am not a coward.” On the earth he threw himself down and started losing his spirit. With a big sigh he was getting his spirit again and found out he was still groaning on the cross.
Nikos Kazantzakis was describing dramatically with full imagination of a writer what the last temptation could be for Jesus being executed on the cross. His answer was that Jesus wished to live just like an ordinary Jewish young man, but is it close to the truth? Nobody knows. It might be possible or not. And that's not that important. We read a novel for the sake of novels. That's enough.
"The Last Temptation" took a great role to correct the image of Jesus for me little by little when I was young. From serious to friendly, from almighty of helpless, from the object to believe to companion for life, it changed. Through this kind of process, I could recognize Jesus as Messiah much realistically. Maybe some of you have the similar experiences like mine. But some people in Korean church, mostly the group which belong to the Christian Council of Korea would wave their hands for "The Last Temptation." I don't understand why they do not have such confidence about their own faith.
It is very fortunate for Jesus to have temptations. Beloved readers, we are not just getting temptations. The Bible is telling us Jesus got temptation under the same circumstances just like us. At the moment we face with temptation, Jesus might be in the same spot with the same kind of temptation. Let's be courageous
Lord, help us not to fear temptation. Amen
20081223
The Temptation for Jesus (01)
“…and he was in the desert for forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.” (Mark 1:13)
The author of Mark's Gospel explains that Jesus was tempted by Satan when he was in the desert for 40 days. It is not a pleasing story that he was tempted by Satan even before he started his official life to proclaim God's kingdom. The Gospel of Mark reports this event very simply but the authors of other Gospels explain these temptations in details. I will put off those three temptations like "rock to become bread, to descend from the temple, to bow down to me" for the later time, but today I like to follow the reports in Mark's Gospel and focus on the fact that Jesus was tempted by Satan.
First of all, it sounds very strange for the son of God to get temptation from Satan to us. Because it seems to be very unreasonable that the word temptation could be possible for Jesus who knows everything and has power to subdue everything. On the premise that in the Old Testament there is none of description that Yahweh God gets temptations from Satan, we even could wonder if Jesus might be in a little lower level than God. But we Christians believe Jesus has the same intrinsic nature (homosius), so we cannot take this kind of difference in quality.
And then what does it mean that the person who is the same as God got some temptations, which never occurred to God?
Temptations might happen only in case we have body. Jesus could not help these temptations because he has a body just like us, even though he is the same as God in essence. The authors of Gospels did not mention much in details, but we can assume that Jesus might have temptations all through the 3 years of his official life, not just in the 40 days in the desert before his official life. It might be possible to assume until he was clothed in resurrected body. Before the event of crucifixion, he prayed to take away the cup from him if possible, and on the cross he cried out, "God, do you forsake me?" It seems to mean that until he died Jesus was anxious about his physical limited ability, his commission, and also God's power. Or course ultimately he died on the cross with a perfect trust on God.
We, having body and soul, could not help temptations. Big or small temptations follow us just like a shadow. What we get temptations proves that we are alive in good health in the world. Just on that moment we don't have any ability to judge what's right or what's wrong, or the time to die, we finally could get away from temptations. Temptations are very fatal so that's why Jesus was teaching his disciples "not into temptation" through the Lord's Prayer, and "watch and pray so that you will not to fall into temptation" at Gethsemane. Apostle Paul's teaching like "wake up and pray always" came from the assumption that Christians face with temptations.
Nobody could live a life without any temptations, but it is evident that some people could win over temptations or the other could lose. It is not that simple to win over temptations. Satan is much wiser and more powerful than us. But those Satan's activities are valid only under sovereignty of God. If we could trust God honestly, there are no any temptations that we cannot overcome.
Lord, we are praying for a neighbor who is trapped in temptation. We pray that he could have total trust for God, who is the foundation of much more power than Satan, who is the owner of temptations.
A Cloth made of camel's hair
John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. (Mark 1:6)
According to Mark’s explanation, John wore clothing made of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He was a handsome guy clothing a high qualified fur coat! If the animal fanciers read this verse they may demonstrate in the desert where John was working. You may know who the first passion designer was. He was God. The Lord God clothed Adam and Eve with ‘leather garment’ when they hid themselves among trees in the garden after eating the fruit of the tree of knowing good and evil. (Gen. 3:21). The first cloth in the Bible also was a leather garment. Did God kill an animal and cut it up? And what animal’s skin was that? This is the Bible Quiz of today.
The cloth made of camel’s hair of John the Baptist was not a symbol of beauty and wealth. The cloth on the one hand made the spiritual charisma of John the Baptist who preached with burning passion look better and the other side it was the symbol that revealed his non-possession life. A camel is a mandatory animal to cross over the desert. A camel has a water hump that enables a camel to stay long in the desert without drinking water. Some who emphasized a prayer life examples a camel’s knee. In any case a camel clearly is an animal of patience. Isn’t John’s cloth made of a camel’s hair emphasizing his strong spiritual patience?
However, when we see his cloth made of camels’ hair it is clear that John didn’t inherit his father’s job despite he was a son of priest. Some of well-to-do pastors in Korea inherit a duty of the head of assembly to their son or son-in-law. However, Zachariah the father of John the Baptist might not to be such influential father. John didn’t wear a priest’s cloth nor wore a noble’s. He wore clothing made of camel’s hair and preached the word of God lonely in the desert.
I’m not sure but John might spend his entire life with a pair of cloth made of camel’s hair. Indeed his entire life was short. He was Jesus’ contemporary. If he left his home at the age of twenty for preaching then his life in the desert might maximum 5-10 years. However, the important point here is not the matter of short or long period of wearing a camel’s cloth. To John who absolutely put aside his own concern but concentrated on the future of his nation and God’s presence, other cloth was not required at all. For him a cloth was nothing but taking a role of protecting his body.
John the Baptist had lived with a pair of cloth made of camel’s hair only but we have too much clothes today. Though the same religious leader, compare to the pastors in Protestantism the priests in Roman Catholic and the monks in Buddhism wear very simple cloth. Especially, a Zen priest lives in one or two pairs of cloth in his life time. If it is worn out and then patching it up and again and again till it becomes the rags.
It is safe to be bet that what can be a big issue to have a cloth or ten that only covers our body. Everything for us should be adjusted in according to situations. In some cases in modern society we have to consume a certain level of cloth so that the workers in making cloth also can be survived. It is not easy to find out a certain level of consumption that satisfies in both activating human community and maintaining the ecosystem of the earth.
The cloth of heart is important indeed. Those who are proud of self are the same person who is dispossessed by cloth. The meaning of clothing made of camel’s hair for John the Baptist might be simplifying his heart toward God only. Such simplicity is the very spirituality to make his soul free. We also need a cloth of soul made of camel’s hair which is fitted to each of us.
Lord, please lead us to minimize our concern on ourselves so that we may concentrate on you only. May you grant us to distinguish what is the cloth of soul made of camel’s hair that needs for us. Amen.
The Jordan River (2)
The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. (Mark 1:5)
Though today’s content explains that all the people of Jerusalem went out to him and were baptized by John the Baptist, originally Jews didn’t require baptism. For them once a baby is born, in case of baby boy, they performed circumcision and purity ceremony and it was more than enough. However they partially baptized the converted Gentiles. John the Baptist might be the first person to baptize the entire Jews which was till that time only for the converted gentiles. It may say that he has a step upgraded the meaning of baptism.
Why then he performed baptism in the Jordan River. As we baptizing in a church, an amount of dish water can be enough. It seems a little inefficient to go to the Jordan River. However, in those days baptism wasn’t performed informally as of today. Though they don’t go to the Jordan River they needed enough water to immerse the entire body. They might believe that they could be changed into a complete people of God on the condition that washing the entire body with water. Even today some sects including the Baptist perform the way of immersing not pouring a little water on the head. However, the main reason that John the Baptist performed baptism in the Jordan River was that he could easily get water from the River in the desert where he worked. There would be no better place than the Jordan River to baptize to the huge gathering crowd.
The rivers were the place where original spirituality of man was revealed. In Greek myth a river took an important role and Buddha also got enlighten from the river according to Hermann Hesse’s ‘Siddhartha’. Not only this, most of ancient human civilization began from the river basin. The Yellow River, the Ganges, the Euphrates and Tigris and the Nile are such river. Even today most of cities are backed by rivers. Seoul of the Han River, Daegu of the Nakdong, Koln of the Rhine, Paris of Seine, London of the Thames, Prague of the Bultaba and etc, most of big or small cities locate at a riverside holding it as a source of life.
One of my learning points from my Europe journey that the European were living very closed to the rivers. They always go for a walk on the riverbank, jogging, riding a boat and breathing with the rivers. It signifies they feel the river in such familiar way. Many are gathering in the Ganges to receive their last moment of life at the riverside. On the contrary, our life is cut by the river. Nowadays the government arranges sport fertilities or esplanade on the riverbank. However, the river is still far from the ordinary people. It might be due to a fear for flood or the awe that we cannot control the river, the nature.
The Jordan River where John the Baptist baptized was a boundary to divide this world and the other world in spiritual level. As Israel people have to cross over the Jordan River in order to enter into Canaan from the desert, we have to cross over a spiritual Jordan River in order to cross over from the present life to the future. What is this? As the baptism means dying and living together with Jesus, a spiritual Jordan River might be the very place and time of dying the old and living totally differently. As a larva cast-off skin to be a butterfly, that place might be the place of a spiritual ecdysis. Had we have had such spiritual Jordan River?
Though today’s content explains that all the people of Jerusalem went out to him and were baptized by John the Baptist, originally Jews didn’t require baptism. For them once a baby is born, in case of baby boy, they performed circumcision and purity ceremony and it was more than enough. However they partially baptized the converted Gentiles. John the Baptist might be the first person to baptize the entire Jews which was till that time only for the converted gentiles. It may say that he has a step upgraded the meaning of baptism.
Why then he performed baptism in the Jordan River. As we baptizing in a church, an amount of dish water can be enough. It seems a little inefficient to go to the Jordan River. However, in those days baptism wasn’t performed informally as of today. Though they don’t go to the Jordan River they needed enough water to immerse the entire body. They might believe that they could be changed into a complete people of God on the condition that washing the entire body with water. Even today some sects including the Baptist perform the way of immersing not pouring a little water on the head. However, the main reason that John the Baptist performed baptism in the Jordan River was that he could easily get water from the River in the desert where he worked. There would be no better place than the Jordan River to baptize to the huge gathering crowd.
The rivers were the place where original spirituality of man was revealed. In Greek myth a river took an important role and Buddha also got enlighten from the river according to Hermann Hesse’s ‘Siddhartha’. Not only this, most of ancient human civilization began from the river basin. The Yellow River, the Ganges, the Euphrates and Tigris and the Nile are such river. Even today most of cities are backed by rivers. Seoul of the Han River, Daegu of the Nakdong, Koln of the Rhine, Paris of Seine, London of the Thames, Prague of the Bultaba and etc, most of big or small cities locate at a riverside holding it as a source of life.
One of my learning points from my Europe journey that the European were living very closed to the rivers. They always go for a walk on the riverbank, jogging, riding a boat and breathing with the rivers. It signifies they feel the river in such familiar way. Many are gathering in the Ganges to receive their last moment of life at the riverside. On the contrary, our life is cut by the river. Nowadays the government arranges sport fertilities or esplanade on the riverbank. However, the river is still far from the ordinary people. It might be due to a fear for flood or the awe that we cannot control the river, the nature.
The Jordan River where John the Baptist baptized was a boundary to divide this world and the other world in spiritual level. As Israel people have to cross over the Jordan River in order to enter into Canaan from the desert, we have to cross over a spiritual Jordan River in order to cross over from the present life to the future. What is this? As the baptism means dying and living together with Jesus, a spiritual Jordan River might be the very place and time of dying the old and living totally differently. As a larva cast-off skin to be a butterfly, that place might be the place of a spiritual ecdysis. Had we have had such spiritual Jordan River?
20081219
A post (4)
They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory." (Mark 10:37)
There is one thing many Christians are misunderstanding. They feel they have a duty to do something for the Lord. So they are indulging in church activities by putting up with any disadvantage. It’s fine if they can get joy through this but they may feel uncomfortable while they try to fulfill their duty to God. What is more, they may feel emptiness. Despite empty feeling they feel uneasiness if they stop to work. It is a vicious circle.
Jesus says, “"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28) Here ‘burden’ is religious thing. It points the Law in the concrete. The Law was a heavy burden for the people in those days like us today. Jesus would like to give people rest. Yes. Faith means basically rest, that is, repose.
We should not misunderstand that we are working for the Lord. We cannot work for the Lord. We are unable to do anything for the Lord. Keeping still is the best way for us. The Lord is working for us. The work that Jesus is giving us is a true rest.
Does the above explanation sound ideally? Or does the Bible verses to work hard for the Lord recur in your mind? I cannot deal this topic any longer in this short meditation. I just summarize the matter with Doctrine of Justification.
What need to Christian now is faith. Through faith we are made justice. This indicates two things. First, man is not able to do righteous activity. Second, faith is courage to be. Apostle Paul’s statement, “If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing” also precisely indicates this fact. Do concentrate on looking at God’s salvation rule.
★ ‘courage to be’: ‘to be’ here means not a character of existing a person but indicates ‘being’ itself. According to the idea of Lao-tzu and Chuang-tzu in China, it may say ‘Tao’(way or path). It means that man can be justified by God not through doing something for God but concentrating on keeping relationship with God. It makes people uneasy. They can get self-satisfaction only through doing something. True courage is required to get over such uneasiness. ‘courage to be’ is understood in this sense.
20081218
A post (3)
They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory." (Mark 10:37)
I told you yesterday the believers were dead tired from serving heavy work in the church. The third party cannot say anything for doing hard work with strong desire but it is very clear that such attitude results to damage their own spirituality. Some of you may think why does it to render devoted services with joy of salvation become a damage of spirituality? It is misunderstanding. People are broken in such way. Those who have entered in the center of spirituality, knows the testy of it. They minimize their works as much as they can. They don’t have much room beside concentrating on God’s salvation rule and waiting on it. A Man basically cannot do two important things at the same time.
A fatal decease of pastors in Korean church is a work toxicosis. If there is a term called ‘workolic’ it is exactly fit to them. There are many people who only are satisfied with indulging church work even till to get ill. A pastor published a book named ‘Laziness’. He says in his book that laziness is sin. In my point of view he is saying directly opposite to Christian spirituality. I don’t have any word to say for such book became a bestseller. A pastor addicts himself to work and the believers force a pastor to do like that. They censure their pastor for his laziness if he is reading, meditating and having his hobby life. So the pastors pose as a hard worker in the church works.
The most urgent work in the Korean church is to minimize the works of the entire church members both believers and pastors. Including the mission association of man and woman, all organization should be minimized. Church program also should be reduced. Instead doing all these work, invest your life into the world. The place you have to do your best is not a church but the world. A church is a mere place to give religious motivation to the believers to do their best in the world. Then there will be no chance to be hurt in a church due to ‘a post’.
I told you yesterday the believers were dead tired from serving heavy work in the church. The third party cannot say anything for doing hard work with strong desire but it is very clear that such attitude results to damage their own spirituality. Some of you may think why does it to render devoted services with joy of salvation become a damage of spirituality? It is misunderstanding. People are broken in such way. Those who have entered in the center of spirituality, knows the testy of it. They minimize their works as much as they can. They don’t have much room beside concentrating on God’s salvation rule and waiting on it. A Man basically cannot do two important things at the same time.
A fatal decease of pastors in Korean church is a work toxicosis. If there is a term called ‘workolic’ it is exactly fit to them. There are many people who only are satisfied with indulging church work even till to get ill. A pastor published a book named ‘Laziness’. He says in his book that laziness is sin. In my point of view he is saying directly opposite to Christian spirituality. I don’t have any word to say for such book became a bestseller. A pastor addicts himself to work and the believers force a pastor to do like that. They censure their pastor for his laziness if he is reading, meditating and having his hobby life. So the pastors pose as a hard worker in the church works.
The most urgent work in the Korean church is to minimize the works of the entire church members both believers and pastors. Including the mission association of man and woman, all organization should be minimized. Church program also should be reduced. Instead doing all these work, invest your life into the world. The place you have to do your best is not a church but the world. A church is a mere place to give religious motivation to the believers to do their best in the world. Then there will be no chance to be hurt in a church due to ‘a post’.
20081217
The Driving Power, the Holy Spirit
“At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert.” (1:12)
The author of Mark's Gospel explains that the Holy Spirit sent Jesus out into the desert after his baptism. That Holy Spirit must be the same spirit descended from heaven when Jesus got baptized. Generally speaking, we regard the Pentecost as the time for appearance of the Holy Spirit, but Jesus' activities were done under influence of the Holy Spirit, so it is not a precise explanation if you mention the Pentecost. If you really want to justify the Pentecostal events of the Holy Spirit, we could say that the Holy Spirit had embodied at the time of Pentecost, who was been working with Jesus, but this kind of explanation lacks a little bit. This kind of explanation should be mentioned not in the Gospels, but it should be in Luke's community, which was background of the Acts.
Now let's stop to talk about it, and then we should know exactly who the Holy Spirit is, if we like to understand the text "the Spirit sent him out to the desert". Greek Bible describes the Holy Spirit 'pneuma'. The word 'pneuma" has many different meanings like spirit, mind, wind, power etc. Why don't you change the sentence above into like “The wind sent Jesus out to the desert"? Or "The power sent Jesus out to the desert”. These expressions might sound a little bit blasphemous to you. But what shall I do because that is the original meaning of the word? We cannot deny that under pressure, can we? The word "the Holy Spirit" is used in such a narrow sense to us. I mean that pneuma must be a spirit which is working just in the boundary of Christian community. But think about it. Does wind blow just for the Christians? Does power exist just inside of the church? That's not it. The Greek word "pneuma" used in the New Testament is a spirit, breath, wind, and power being full in the whole world. That pneuma is a spirit of life, being full in the whole world. In today's text, when we see the Holy Spirit sent him out into the desert, we could see pneuma was working as power.
Let's put off the topic why the ancient people regard wind as pneuma to the next time.
What is that pneuma or who is it, who sent Jesus out into the desert in details? How could we experience that pneuma these days? This is really a complicated question. Because Greek word 'pneuma' just like 'ruach' in Hebrews, it is God's spirit that we cannot define in our words. So the author of John's Gospel said we don't know where pneuma comes from and goes to just like wind. It is saying that pneuma is not in our range of understanding.
And then does it mean we cannot understand or experience that pneuma these days? No, it doesn't mean that. The Old and New Testament already have explained a lot about this. And the 2000 years of Christian history is some kind of trace to explain this. Now we must listen to the Bible, too. We should explain what it was, that he breathed into human beings, when he created them and what that power was, which gave Israelites the victory of wars, and ultimately what kind of spirit it was to invoke the event of Jesus' resurrection. The explanation is not completed. The Bible and Christian confession of faith are still provisional, but I am sure that they show the river of truth. Do not ask in haste how it could be proved? Let's get in progress slowly.
Until now I could not say anything about physical phenomena of pneuma which had sent him out into the desert. I did not put it off on purpose, but I could say basically it is beyond my ability. Only I could say Jesus was filled with the spirit of life like wind. That spirit is God himself. Jesus who is in accord with this spirit is a person who exposed God's will perfectly. In this sense, Jesus is God Himself.
Lord, I like to live with a wind of life in my whole being. I like to live in that power, in that spirit, and in that wind, which can make this whole world alive.
The author of Mark's Gospel explains that the Holy Spirit sent Jesus out into the desert after his baptism. That Holy Spirit must be the same spirit descended from heaven when Jesus got baptized. Generally speaking, we regard the Pentecost as the time for appearance of the Holy Spirit, but Jesus' activities were done under influence of the Holy Spirit, so it is not a precise explanation if you mention the Pentecost. If you really want to justify the Pentecostal events of the Holy Spirit, we could say that the Holy Spirit had embodied at the time of Pentecost, who was been working with Jesus, but this kind of explanation lacks a little bit. This kind of explanation should be mentioned not in the Gospels, but it should be in Luke's community, which was background of the Acts.
Now let's stop to talk about it, and then we should know exactly who the Holy Spirit is, if we like to understand the text "the Spirit sent him out to the desert". Greek Bible describes the Holy Spirit 'pneuma'. The word 'pneuma" has many different meanings like spirit, mind, wind, power etc. Why don't you change the sentence above into like “The wind sent Jesus out to the desert"? Or "The power sent Jesus out to the desert”. These expressions might sound a little bit blasphemous to you. But what shall I do because that is the original meaning of the word? We cannot deny that under pressure, can we? The word "the Holy Spirit" is used in such a narrow sense to us. I mean that pneuma must be a spirit which is working just in the boundary of Christian community. But think about it. Does wind blow just for the Christians? Does power exist just inside of the church? That's not it. The Greek word "pneuma" used in the New Testament is a spirit, breath, wind, and power being full in the whole world. That pneuma is a spirit of life, being full in the whole world. In today's text, when we see the Holy Spirit sent him out into the desert, we could see pneuma was working as power.
Let's put off the topic why the ancient people regard wind as pneuma to the next time.
What is that pneuma or who is it, who sent Jesus out into the desert in details? How could we experience that pneuma these days? This is really a complicated question. Because Greek word 'pneuma' just like 'ruach' in Hebrews, it is God's spirit that we cannot define in our words. So the author of John's Gospel said we don't know where pneuma comes from and goes to just like wind. It is saying that pneuma is not in our range of understanding.
And then does it mean we cannot understand or experience that pneuma these days? No, it doesn't mean that. The Old and New Testament already have explained a lot about this. And the 2000 years of Christian history is some kind of trace to explain this. Now we must listen to the Bible, too. We should explain what it was, that he breathed into human beings, when he created them and what that power was, which gave Israelites the victory of wars, and ultimately what kind of spirit it was to invoke the event of Jesus' resurrection. The explanation is not completed. The Bible and Christian confession of faith are still provisional, but I am sure that they show the river of truth. Do not ask in haste how it could be proved? Let's get in progress slowly.
Until now I could not say anything about physical phenomena of pneuma which had sent him out into the desert. I did not put it off on purpose, but I could say basically it is beyond my ability. Only I could say Jesus was filled with the spirit of life like wind. That spirit is God himself. Jesus who is in accord with this spirit is a person who exposed God's will perfectly. In this sense, Jesus is God Himself.
Lord, I like to live with a wind of life in my whole being. I like to live in that power, in that spirit, and in that wind, which can make this whole world alive.
A post (2)
They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory." (Mark 10:37)
Considering the last paragraph of yesterday’s meditation regarding handing over a post to others for the purpose of spiritual discipline, some might think that it is too ideal and unrealistic. Despite the importance of religious discipline, they may insist that with the advancement of age, holding a suitable post in a church is necessary to maintain one’s honor. Such idea usually invites a dogfight in a church as they try to get a position of elder of the church. It is abnormal. What the Korean churches is where abnormal takes the place of normal?
The above reality is caused by ignorance of the centre of Christian faith and inexperience about this. If a church is a friendly society then such discord can be arisen. However, the church is not a friendly society. A church is purely an eschatological Messianic community. In other word, it is a community to enter into the mystery of the cross. To take a post means to take up a bigger cross and greater spiritual responsibility. Then does it have a sense to compete with others in taking greater cross?
If I am a lay Christian then I will do my best effort to live in a piety life not taking any role in a church if possible. I will regularly attend a traditional liturgical worship service and read the Bible or theological books at fixed hours. What more else is needed to me? I will define a church activity at a minimum. I do not want to spend my time doing unimportant matters.
Today the believers of Korean church are dedicating their entire life to the church activity almost mechanically. They are handled by the church activity. It is obviously a self-torment. Despite doing this they do not recognize the seriousness of the situation. Can their lingering desire for the position in a church be brought to an equal footing with the idea that such vigorous activity in a church is the manifestation of a faithful life?
Considering the last paragraph of yesterday’s meditation regarding handing over a post to others for the purpose of spiritual discipline, some might think that it is too ideal and unrealistic. Despite the importance of religious discipline, they may insist that with the advancement of age, holding a suitable post in a church is necessary to maintain one’s honor. Such idea usually invites a dogfight in a church as they try to get a position of elder of the church. It is abnormal. What the Korean churches is where abnormal takes the place of normal?
The above reality is caused by ignorance of the centre of Christian faith and inexperience about this. If a church is a friendly society then such discord can be arisen. However, the church is not a friendly society. A church is purely an eschatological Messianic community. In other word, it is a community to enter into the mystery of the cross. To take a post means to take up a bigger cross and greater spiritual responsibility. Then does it have a sense to compete with others in taking greater cross?
If I am a lay Christian then I will do my best effort to live in a piety life not taking any role in a church if possible. I will regularly attend a traditional liturgical worship service and read the Bible or theological books at fixed hours. What more else is needed to me? I will define a church activity at a minimum. I do not want to spend my time doing unimportant matters.
Today the believers of Korean church are dedicating their entire life to the church activity almost mechanically. They are handled by the church activity. It is obviously a self-torment. Despite doing this they do not recognize the seriousness of the situation. Can their lingering desire for the position in a church be brought to an equal footing with the idea that such vigorous activity in a church is the manifestation of a faithful life?
20081216
The Jordan River(1)
The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. (Mark 1:5)
According to verse 4, John the Baptist baptized in the desert region and preached a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And according to verse 5, the place he baptized was the Jordan River. Geographical point of view, the Jordan River is a watercourse that begins from the Galilee Lake located at the northern part of Palestine and flows to the Dead Sea of southern part of Palestine. I haven’t seen the Jordan River yet but I can guess its scale and shape by photo. At the sight of us who are living with big rivers like the Han River or Nakdong River the Jordan River looks like a little big size of creek. Even then it might be connected to several small brooks where people can cross over without touching water on their feet.
The fact “The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem” were baptized at the Jordan River implies that John the Baptist might work near region to Jerusalem. That area is quite different from the surrounding area of the Galilee Lake, Jesus main sphere of activity. Judging by this fact John worked around the Jordan River and Jesus the Galilee Lake. John belonged to the main stream that centered in Jerusalem as the son of the priest while Jesus as the son of carpenter belonged to the non-mainstream that centered in Galilee a remote area. John was a man of desert and Jesus the man of market. Such comparison is not the précised but mere outline. However, we are focusing on the Jordan River where John baptized the gathering people.
We need much time to analyze the story of Bible related to the Jordan River. A book even may not enough to keep all its contents. As we can say the history of Israel has been with the Jordan River, the Bible contains numerous traditions about the Jordan River. The myth of patriarch, the process of Canaan conquering, big and small stories related to the kings and the prophets and furthermore the story related to gentiles also take a quite countable volumes. These all are related to the Jordan River. Laying aside other parts just think about a lyric of a hymn that we used to sing on the funeral ceremony, “We shall meet on that beautiful shore”. Here shore signifies the other side of the Jordan River. Then what does it mean to meet on that beautiful shore? The lyric is related to two texts in the Bible.
One of them is a vision for ‘new heaven and new earth’ in Revelation. Christian is living in not this world where having perfect contentment is by no means impossible but with expectation for new heaven and new earth that begins with perfect satisfied eternal life. We have a hope to go there.
The other is, as written in the book of Joshua, the Canaan entry of Israel people who finished the desert life. At the entry to Canaan God divided the Jordan River for Israel. As the Red Sea was divided at the time of Exodus now at the moment the beginning of Canaan life after Exodus the Jordan River again was divided. Likewise the lyric “We shall meet on that beautiful shore” is singing that we Christian should cross over the Jordan River to enter into the world of eternal life.
The Jordan River was the very place where John the Baptist baptized others. Then at the spiritual point of view couldn’t the baptism be a ferryboat to crossover the Jordan River? If the baptism is given in the name of Jesus Christ then is Jesus the very spiritual ferryboat? Yes. We are crossing over the Jordan River riding on the ferryboat named Jesus through the baptism.
The fact “The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem” were baptized at the Jordan River implies that John the Baptist might work near region to Jerusalem. That area is quite different from the surrounding area of the Galilee Lake, Jesus main sphere of activity. Judging by this fact John worked around the Jordan River and Jesus the Galilee Lake. John belonged to the main stream that centered in Jerusalem as the son of the priest while Jesus as the son of carpenter belonged to the non-mainstream that centered in Galilee a remote area. John was a man of desert and Jesus the man of market. Such comparison is not the précised but mere outline. However, we are focusing on the Jordan River where John baptized the gathering people.
We need much time to analyze the story of Bible related to the Jordan River. A book even may not enough to keep all its contents. As we can say the history of Israel has been with the Jordan River, the Bible contains numerous traditions about the Jordan River. The myth of patriarch, the process of Canaan conquering, big and small stories related to the kings and the prophets and furthermore the story related to gentiles also take a quite countable volumes. These all are related to the Jordan River. Laying aside other parts just think about a lyric of a hymn that we used to sing on the funeral ceremony, “We shall meet on that beautiful shore”. Here shore signifies the other side of the Jordan River. Then what does it mean to meet on that beautiful shore? The lyric is related to two texts in the Bible.
One of them is a vision for ‘new heaven and new earth’ in Revelation. Christian is living in not this world where having perfect contentment is by no means impossible but with expectation for new heaven and new earth that begins with perfect satisfied eternal life. We have a hope to go there.
The other is, as written in the book of Joshua, the Canaan entry of Israel people who finished the desert life. At the entry to Canaan God divided the Jordan River for Israel. As the Red Sea was divided at the time of Exodus now at the moment the beginning of Canaan life after Exodus the Jordan River again was divided. Likewise the lyric “We shall meet on that beautiful shore” is singing that we Christian should cross over the Jordan River to enter into the world of eternal life.
The Jordan River was the very place where John the Baptist baptized others. Then at the spiritual point of view couldn’t the baptism be a ferryboat to crossover the Jordan River? If the baptism is given in the name of Jesus Christ then is Jesus the very spiritual ferryboat? Yes. We are crossing over the Jordan River riding on the ferryboat named Jesus through the baptism.
A post(1)
They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory."(Mark 10:37)
James and John asked Jesus plainly, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” What will be the reaction of other disciples if the important posts were occupied by them? We can assume that the news of the brothers’ request would inflame the anger of the other disciples. The root cause of the tussle was the scrambling for a post.
People normally give high level of concern to a post for they regard it something that determines the position of a person. So the lower posted people try to their best to take a higher post. Once a person occupies a high post tries to retain it by any means. Those who are not reluctant to give up their positions are really the matured people. All these facts reveal how hard it is to give up one’s position.
However, the matter of post should be considered meaningless in the community faith. In several occasions quarrel erupt in the church due to the scramble for a post. How can we deal with this matter wisely? There can be two spheres. One side is a sphere of understanding and the other system.
The sphere of understanding means that all the contents of religious life should be concentrated on a spiritual identification with Jesus only. The sphere of system means that an individual should not monopolize the posts.
I would like to give an additional explanation on sphere of understanding. If we are true believers and followers of Jesus we do not try to take any post as much as we can. Taking a post means to stand in the position of helper so that others may concentrate on Jesus. It may naturally cause damage to the spirituality of post holders. In matter of spirituality and faith, we need not be too selfish. Let us hand over such uncomfortable ‘posts’ to others.
James and John asked Jesus plainly, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” What will be the reaction of other disciples if the important posts were occupied by them? We can assume that the news of the brothers’ request would inflame the anger of the other disciples. The root cause of the tussle was the scrambling for a post.
People normally give high level of concern to a post for they regard it something that determines the position of a person. So the lower posted people try to their best to take a higher post. Once a person occupies a high post tries to retain it by any means. Those who are not reluctant to give up their positions are really the matured people. All these facts reveal how hard it is to give up one’s position.
However, the matter of post should be considered meaningless in the community faith. In several occasions quarrel erupt in the church due to the scramble for a post. How can we deal with this matter wisely? There can be two spheres. One side is a sphere of understanding and the other system.
The sphere of understanding means that all the contents of religious life should be concentrated on a spiritual identification with Jesus only. The sphere of system means that an individual should not monopolize the posts.
I would like to give an additional explanation on sphere of understanding. If we are true believers and followers of Jesus we do not try to take any post as much as we can. Taking a post means to stand in the position of helper so that others may concentrate on Jesus. It may naturally cause damage to the spirituality of post holders. In matter of spirituality and faith, we need not be too selfish. Let us hand over such uncomfortable ‘posts’ to others.
20081215
What do you want?
"What do you want me to do for you?" he asked. (Mark 10:36)
As pointed out earlier, the way and attitude in which James and John demanded Jesus showed a clear sign of their immaturity. They asked Jesus ‘whatever we ask’. They really behaved like a mere child. Should we call it as a persistent prayer?
Among Jesus’ parables and stories that he had narrated, we can find out a few persistent prayers. A story of a widow who visited an unrighteous judge asking, “Grant me justice against my adversary” was one of them. And also there was another story of Syrian Phoenician woman who persistently asked Jesus saying, ‘even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs’ when she was treated like a dog. We have to carefully observe the kernel of these stories. Those who appeared to Jesus with their problems did not have any other choice but only Jesus to solve their problems. It was their natural faith with their might to bring about a unique possibility in the face of all odds.
Different from them, our persistent prayer today may be a manifestation of our desire. To hold on to Jesus in order to manifest our own life plan is nothing different from the attitude of James and John. Jesus asked them, “What do you want me to do for you?” He might have said this after reading their mind. Jesus’ question would mean, “You want to get something without even knowing what exactly you are asking for. What do you want?”
We also always receive this question from the Lord. Such question is a spiritual challenge. This question can destroy us. If we demand a silly thing means it would mean we do not understand the root of our question.
We do not need to ask the Lord anything in detail. It is enough for us to be with him. For those who are connected to the source of life, each moment of their life is an affluent one. Despite this do you still want some more?
As pointed out earlier, the way and attitude in which James and John demanded Jesus showed a clear sign of their immaturity. They asked Jesus ‘whatever we ask’. They really behaved like a mere child. Should we call it as a persistent prayer?
Among Jesus’ parables and stories that he had narrated, we can find out a few persistent prayers. A story of a widow who visited an unrighteous judge asking, “Grant me justice against my adversary” was one of them. And also there was another story of Syrian Phoenician woman who persistently asked Jesus saying, ‘even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs’ when she was treated like a dog. We have to carefully observe the kernel of these stories. Those who appeared to Jesus with their problems did not have any other choice but only Jesus to solve their problems. It was their natural faith with their might to bring about a unique possibility in the face of all odds.
Different from them, our persistent prayer today may be a manifestation of our desire. To hold on to Jesus in order to manifest our own life plan is nothing different from the attitude of James and John. Jesus asked them, “What do you want me to do for you?” He might have said this after reading their mind. Jesus’ question would mean, “You want to get something without even knowing what exactly you are asking for. What do you want?”
We also always receive this question from the Lord. Such question is a spiritual challenge. This question can destroy us. If we demand a silly thing means it would mean we do not understand the root of our question.
We do not need to ask the Lord anything in detail. It is enough for us to be with him. For those who are connected to the source of life, each moment of their life is an affluent one. Despite this do you still want some more?
20081214
The baptism of repentance
And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (Mark 1:4)
In most of John’s name ‘the Baptist’ follows. It means John is the Baptist. It is a similar phenomenon to Jesus that a common noun Christ used for him as a proper noun. The most basic reason that John got a nick name ‘Baptist’ was due to his main work, baptizing. Even Jesus was baptized by him and through this we can assume wideness of baptism performance and universal acceptance of his baptism.
The performance to immerse a person and pull out of it is a sort of religious ceremony. As a birthday ceremony focusing on the fellowship of gathered people rather than candles, song and a hero/heroin of birthday, in baptism also a certain spiritual incident is a core of it rather than water and a word, “I baptize you.” The incident is no other than repentance. So Mark explained it in today’s content, John was preaching a baptism of repentance.
As we are going to deal with the word ‘repentance’ repeatedly throughout this meditation, I feel better to stop here today. The reason that I try to mention the conception of repentance is not only its importance in Christian faith but also its ample misunderstanding. In fact not only a word repentance, other words that takes a position of the center of faith has multiple layers in its meaning and huge possibility of misunderstanding. Salvation, God, faith and love are few of them.
Shall we simply observe how the meaning of repentance is getting dull of its sense or being misunderstood? We have a tendency to think the word, repentance as regretting past disobedient to our parent, lying to others and compensating cheating. The most important example for such tendency is the story of Zacchaeus. As we know he decided to pay back four times the amount if he had cheated anybody out of anything and gave half of his possessions to the poor with repentance after meeting Jesus. The core of this story is not Zacchaeus’ moral change but God’s sovereignty that allows salvation even in such sinner’s house. Sometimes there are preachers to force the public to repent in such way in a revival service or special meeting. What is worse they demand the people to write their sin’s list on paper. Probably sensible people may be greatly impressed by such performance. However, the phenomenon impressed by someone or something is quite different from the phenomenon captured by God’s favor. If we consider such religious impression only, pseudo-cults are much more powerful than us.
The Greek ‘Metanoia’ translated into repentance means a fundamental change of one’s life direction. It is not the thing like a problematic student goes to a teacher to write a reflection report but changes the foundation of ultimate concern from the things on the earth to the things in the heaven. That is not the level of changing one’s behavior like a gangster to an exemplary student but the level of existence that is shifting one’s concern from this world to the other world. If we understand it as humanistic term repentance is called as ‘paradigm shift’. It doesn’t mean practical changing of one’s behavior is meaningless in Christian faith. To those who are repented may follow practical changes in their life. However, the Bible asks us much deeper and fundamental change.
Is really such fundamental changes has happened to us? Does our soul direct to heaven, the hidden world of life? Have our soul began to move toward the world of life in heaven that only can be opened when we entirely put down everything related to us. Is such passion working as a driving power of our life today?
James and John
Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask."(Mark 10:35)
In verses 35-45, a comparatively long content, the author continued with the story of James and John. They asked, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”
In a parallel phrase, Matthew 20:20-28, their mother requested the same demand. There are many reasons for our inability to explain why different subjects appear in the same story. One of them was to acquire their honor. In anybody’s point of view, the demand of James and John was rather childish. So if the Bible said that the disciples directly did it then their dignity might be damaged. The author of Matthew considering their dignity put their mother on it instead.
The authors of gospels could exercise such discretionary power in the process of writhing. The way of writing in the ancient time also had a share in it. Despite such differences within the parallel phrase, the spiritual authority of gospel is not at all affected. The authors of the gospel were only interested in the incidents happened to Jesus, that is, elucidation of kerygma (preaching).
One of the reasons of the demand of James and John exclusively lies on the fact that Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. Jesus’ way to Jerusalem involved a series of his Passion and the subsequent crucifixion. The author of Mark had already pointed out this earlier. It was really an egregious step to make their future security amid such risky and vulnerable situation.
It is not merely the matter of James and John. Most of the time, human naturally acts that way. We all the time think only of oneself. We try to catch up our own fortune at the cost of other’s misfortune. We do not try to eradicate a secular thought while we are doing something sacred. We are the very James and John.
In verses 35-45, a comparatively long content, the author continued with the story of James and John. They asked, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”
In a parallel phrase, Matthew 20:20-28, their mother requested the same demand. There are many reasons for our inability to explain why different subjects appear in the same story. One of them was to acquire their honor. In anybody’s point of view, the demand of James and John was rather childish. So if the Bible said that the disciples directly did it then their dignity might be damaged. The author of Matthew considering their dignity put their mother on it instead.
The authors of gospels could exercise such discretionary power in the process of writhing. The way of writing in the ancient time also had a share in it. Despite such differences within the parallel phrase, the spiritual authority of gospel is not at all affected. The authors of the gospel were only interested in the incidents happened to Jesus, that is, elucidation of kerygma (preaching).
One of the reasons of the demand of James and John exclusively lies on the fact that Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. Jesus’ way to Jerusalem involved a series of his Passion and the subsequent crucifixion. The author of Mark had already pointed out this earlier. It was really an egregious step to make their future security amid such risky and vulnerable situation.
It is not merely the matter of James and John. Most of the time, human naturally acts that way. We all the time think only of oneself. We try to catch up our own fortune at the cost of other’s misfortune. We do not try to eradicate a secular thought while we are doing something sacred. We are the very James and John.
20081213
Joy of God
And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."(1:11)
There were two voices from heaven. One is "You are my Son" and the other is "with you I am well pleased." The first voice we meditated yesterday. Today we like to pay attention to the second one. What did the writer of Mark's Gospel like to say through the text "God is pleased with"?
The biggest problem for the Christians who have some kind of history for their faith is that they used to approch to the Bible texts only through the prefixed frame. They do not have time to think seriously to look through the Bible. Maybe there is no need to do that. They seemed to have such attitude to know everything through the repetitive Bible studies and preachings. Just like elementary students who copy their teachers to read a book. Under these circumstances the Bible does not open up in a fresh way to us. Let's read today's text to know why?
When you read the phrase that "I am pleased with you", what do you think? Maybe most Christians could think God is pleased with Jesus' baptism or with Jesus' starting his public life. Or God could be pleased with all of Jesus' personality or his fate. I am not saying that these are totally wrong ideas. But before to think like that, we should think the phrase "God is pleased" sounds very strange. Does it mean God has all emotions of joy, anger, sorrow and pleasure like humanbeings? Of course the Old Testament describes God as God of anger, and sometimes we see the description that he is laughing at.
In the age of Noah's flood, he was so angry because of serious sins of the humankinds that he wanted to destroy this world totally. And also God loves a person who he should love, and hates a person who he should hate one-sidedly. Is "Joy of God" for today's text similar to this?
The Greek mythological gods show much more humanly emotions than God in the Bible straightforwardly. What is worse, they did not stop fighting each other because of an amorous passion. Could we say that God in the Bible as well as Greek gods does act according to this kind of humanly emotions? Probably I might touch the problem that I could not solve. The contents of this theme are too broad for me to write in this short message. Now that I had started this topic, I like to point out some guidance for directions. It could be two directions. One is passive and the other is active.
In a passive way, it is evident that doctrine of Christology is not anthropomophism. I am telling you that God is not an absolute being, who has most extreme power with humanly emotions. He is not a God who gives more blessings when you listen to him, more punishments to the people who don't obey, as ususaally known to us. If you think God is a kind of the problem solver or a superman that must be definitely wrong image about God in Christology.
Positively speaking, God is not a person who is pleased, but joys itself. How could God, who is the ultimate foundation of everything, be differentiated from joy or peace? If we like to differentiate God like this way, it means we measure God by our ruler. It's like saying that mission for the whole world or buillding up the church is a joy of God. God and joy are ontologically in accord. Just like God and love are ontologically in accord with each other, God and his Sovereignty are of one accord. If we say joy could be God's soverignty, joy must be God's ontology.
Probably you might not be satisfied with theological explanation as above. I should make a little bit graceful conclusion. The fact that Jesus' baptism and his incident as well as his fate might be the pleasure for God means that Jesus Christ is in accordance with God himself. And it was described as His son or His joy. Therefore, today we should explain to the people in the world why the incidents of Jesus could be God's pleasure, and then we have responsibility to live on that level.
Lord, you are the joy itself. Worldly or religious achievements cannot be the ultimate joy, but your existence itself is. We like to participate in this kind of joy.
There were two voices from heaven. One is "You are my Son" and the other is "with you I am well pleased." The first voice we meditated yesterday. Today we like to pay attention to the second one. What did the writer of Mark's Gospel like to say through the text "God is pleased with"?
The biggest problem for the Christians who have some kind of history for their faith is that they used to approch to the Bible texts only through the prefixed frame. They do not have time to think seriously to look through the Bible. Maybe there is no need to do that. They seemed to have such attitude to know everything through the repetitive Bible studies and preachings. Just like elementary students who copy their teachers to read a book. Under these circumstances the Bible does not open up in a fresh way to us. Let's read today's text to know why?
When you read the phrase that "I am pleased with you", what do you think? Maybe most Christians could think God is pleased with Jesus' baptism or with Jesus' starting his public life. Or God could be pleased with all of Jesus' personality or his fate. I am not saying that these are totally wrong ideas. But before to think like that, we should think the phrase "God is pleased" sounds very strange. Does it mean God has all emotions of joy, anger, sorrow and pleasure like humanbeings? Of course the Old Testament describes God as God of anger, and sometimes we see the description that he is laughing at.
In the age of Noah's flood, he was so angry because of serious sins of the humankinds that he wanted to destroy this world totally. And also God loves a person who he should love, and hates a person who he should hate one-sidedly. Is "Joy of God" for today's text similar to this?
The Greek mythological gods show much more humanly emotions than God in the Bible straightforwardly. What is worse, they did not stop fighting each other because of an amorous passion. Could we say that God in the Bible as well as Greek gods does act according to this kind of humanly emotions? Probably I might touch the problem that I could not solve. The contents of this theme are too broad for me to write in this short message. Now that I had started this topic, I like to point out some guidance for directions. It could be two directions. One is passive and the other is active.
In a passive way, it is evident that doctrine of Christology is not anthropomophism. I am telling you that God is not an absolute being, who has most extreme power with humanly emotions. He is not a God who gives more blessings when you listen to him, more punishments to the people who don't obey, as ususaally known to us. If you think God is a kind of the problem solver or a superman that must be definitely wrong image about God in Christology.
Positively speaking, God is not a person who is pleased, but joys itself. How could God, who is the ultimate foundation of everything, be differentiated from joy or peace? If we like to differentiate God like this way, it means we measure God by our ruler. It's like saying that mission for the whole world or buillding up the church is a joy of God. God and joy are ontologically in accord. Just like God and love are ontologically in accord with each other, God and his Sovereignty are of one accord. If we say joy could be God's soverignty, joy must be God's ontology.
Probably you might not be satisfied with theological explanation as above. I should make a little bit graceful conclusion. The fact that Jesus' baptism and his incident as well as his fate might be the pleasure for God means that Jesus Christ is in accordance with God himself. And it was described as His son or His joy. Therefore, today we should explain to the people in the world why the incidents of Jesus could be God's pleasure, and then we have responsibility to live on that level.
Lord, you are the joy itself. Worldly or religious achievements cannot be the ultimate joy, but your existence itself is. We like to participate in this kind of joy.
Toward Jerusalem (3)
“who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise." (Mark 10:34)
The intensity of unpleasant words in describing the Passion was escalating from mocking, to spitting upon and then from flogging to killing. Though it was spoken by Jesus himself, the structure of the sentence was framed not in the first person but in the third person. The declaration about his resurrection is even more remarkable. He says, “Three days later he will rise.” It signifies that the events of Passion, death and resurrection were the fundamental faith of early Christians.
Some argue that the historical background of Jesus is not included in the Apostle Creed because its contents directly jump from the Virgin to Pilate. The history of Jesus signifies his entire work such as calling his disciples near Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee, mingling with sinners and tax collectors and declaring the kingdom of God. Compared to such lengthy description of Jesus activities, the content of Apostle Creed is just a part of his prolific work.
If they intend to correct the error of faith that denies the humanness of Jesus by focusing only on his deity, then they are right in a way. Not only them but the Church Fathers have also already struggled persistently with Gnosticism. Early Christians never gave up the understanding of humanness of Jesus.
However if they denounce the Apostle Creed for lack of statement about Jesus’ historical activity in it then their attitude reveals their partial knowledge about Christianity. We confess Jesus as our Christ and the Messiah not merely because he is an incarnation of moral and altruistic, humanism but solely because he has saved mankind from their sins and will accomplish complete salvation in the eschatological reality.
His way toward Jerusalem was the way of salvation of mankind through his Passion, death and resurrection. Besides this, we have no other important reasons for believing Jesus.
The intensity of unpleasant words in describing the Passion was escalating from mocking, to spitting upon and then from flogging to killing. Though it was spoken by Jesus himself, the structure of the sentence was framed not in the first person but in the third person. The declaration about his resurrection is even more remarkable. He says, “Three days later he will rise.” It signifies that the events of Passion, death and resurrection were the fundamental faith of early Christians.
Some argue that the historical background of Jesus is not included in the Apostle Creed because its contents directly jump from the Virgin to Pilate. The history of Jesus signifies his entire work such as calling his disciples near Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee, mingling with sinners and tax collectors and declaring the kingdom of God. Compared to such lengthy description of Jesus activities, the content of Apostle Creed is just a part of his prolific work.
If they intend to correct the error of faith that denies the humanness of Jesus by focusing only on his deity, then they are right in a way. Not only them but the Church Fathers have also already struggled persistently with Gnosticism. Early Christians never gave up the understanding of humanness of Jesus.
However if they denounce the Apostle Creed for lack of statement about Jesus’ historical activity in it then their attitude reveals their partial knowledge about Christianity. We confess Jesus as our Christ and the Messiah not merely because he is an incarnation of moral and altruistic, humanism but solely because he has saved mankind from their sins and will accomplish complete salvation in the eschatological reality.
His way toward Jerusalem was the way of salvation of mankind through his Passion, death and resurrection. Besides this, we have no other important reasons for believing Jesus.
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