Subversive parade

Daniel B. Clendenin leads me to wonder if our form of Christianity would raise any eyebrows at all.

The Journey with Jesus Foundation: " Given that the Roman state always made a show of force during the Jewish Passover when pilgrims thronged to Jerusalem to celebrate their political liberation from Egypt centuries earlier, Borg and Crossan imagine not one but two political processions entering Jerusalem that Friday morning in the spring of AD 30. In a blatant parody of imperial politics, king Jesus descended the Mount of Olives into Jerusalem from the east in fulfillment of Zechariah's ancient prophecy: 'Look, your king is coming to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey' (Matthew 21:5 = Zechariah 9:9). From the west, the Roman governor Pilate entered Jerusalem with all the pomp of state power. Pilate's brigades showcased Rome's military might, power and glory. Jesus's triumphal entry, by stark contrast, was an anti-imperial and anti-triumphal 'counter-procession' of peasants that proclaimed an alternate and subversive social vision called 'the kingdom of God.'

People today argue about who's 'subverting our nation.' A friend in Florida forwarded me an email that blamed Muslims in America for our problems. Others attack evangelicals as 'Christian fascists.' For a long time now others have taken aim at 'secular humanists' and liberal Democrats. On his nationally televised program Jerry Falwell blamed the wickedness of pagans, abortionists, feminists, gays, lesbians, the ACLU, and People for the American Way for the 9-11 disaster, which he construed as God's judgment. Pat Robertson, a guest on the show, nodded in agreement, “well, I totally concur.” The greed of corporate executives and the sleaze of Hollywood movies also make easy targets. But I never recall anyone blaming Jesus, that Jesus is the one who's "subverting our nation." But that was the allegation that sent Jesus to Golgotha...

...On Palm Sunday Jesus invites us to join his subversive counter-procession into all the world. But he calls us not to just any subversion, subversion for its own sake, or to some new and improved political agenda. Rather, Christian subversion takes as its model Jesus himself, "who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross." Dying to self and the many demons of egoism, and living to serve others, will prove itself as sufficiently and radically subversive. And so Paul instructs us in his epistle for this week: "have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5–11).¹"

In his reflection section he points to a description of ancient Christians living their lives subversive to the kingdom of the world. Can it describe us?

"For the Christians are distinguished from other people neither by country, nor language, nor the customs which they observe. For they neither inhabit cities of their own, nor employ a peculiar form of speech, nor lead a life which is marked out by any singularity. The course of conduct which they follow has not been devised by any speculation or deliberation of inquisitive people; nor do they, like some, proclaim themselves the advocates of any merely human doctrines. But, inhabiting Greek as well as barbarian cities, according as the lot of each of them has determined, and following the customs of the natives in respect to clothing, food, and the rest of their ordinary conduct, they display to us their wonderful and confessedly striking method of life. They dwell in their own countries, but simply as sojourners [or resident aliens]. As citizens, they share in all things with others, and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is to them as their native country, and every land of their birth as a land of strangers. They marry, as do all [others]; they beget children; but they do not destroy their offspring. They have a common table, but not a common bed. They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the laws by their lives. They love all people, and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned; they are put to death, and restored to life. They are poor, yet make many rich; they are in lack of all things, and yet abound in all; they are dishonored, and yet in their very dishonor are glorified. They are evil spoken of, and yet are justified; they are reviled, and bless; they are insulted, and repay the insult with honor; they do good, yet are punished as evil-doers. When punished, they rejoice as if quickened into life; they are assailed by the Jews as foreigners, and are persecuted by the Greeks; yet those who hate them are unable to assign any reason for their hatred."

A way in the wilderness

Etymology

prodigal

c.1450, back-formation from prodigiality (1340), from O.Fr. prodigalite (13c.), from L.L. prodigalitatem (nom. prodigalitas) "wastefulness," from L. prodigus "wasteful," from prodigere "drive away, waste," from pro- "forth" + agere "to drive" (see act). First ref. is to prodigial son, from Vulgate L. filius prodigus (Luke xv.11-32).

Mind map of text interactions Lent 3C

Lenten Progression

Lent begins with the temptation of Jesus. It serves as an invitation to join him for forty days in the wilderness. Our victory in the temptation comes through confession and the Word. We are also invited to look across the wilderness to the promised land of Easter.

We progress with movement to the cross. Jesus laments over Jerusalem displaying the heart of God. We are invited to put our trust in him and take our victory in Jesus.

Repentance in the face of destruction, in the third week we are invited to seek God in our times of testing, and turn to him while he may be found.

In the forth week, we are assured of forgiveness, the shame is rolled away, the old become new.

Finally we are again reminded of the cross as Jesus is anointed at Bethany. We have seen the reason for the cross and promise of new life. Now we see something new is on the horizon, an inversion. The anticipation is palpable, Easter brings a new world.

Transfiguration

What was Jesus praying about on the mountain when he was transfigured? Was he interceding for his disciples and the world like he did in John 17? Was he pleading with his father? Was he communing with him in mystical union like he did before coming to earth? Was he chatting with the Father and the cloud of witnesses about what was to come? Is that why Elijah and Moses appeared? What was it that kept him up sleepless night after night (for he seems to often go off and pray the night away)?

The disciples he took with him couldn’t pray like that. They dozed off… but hey, dozing off in the presence of Christ and waking to a wonderful communion of the kingdom you are learning to enter is indeed a sweet thing. Still, Peter must have felt a little awkward waking up to this fantastic sight; a little guilty he couldn’t keep praying. What are we here for anyway?

“Master its good we’re here we can build three booths for you and Moses and Elijah.” His idea has echoes of the feast of tabernacles and in its eschatological expectation isn’t far fetched. But God himself tells them why they are there. Not to build booths, but to listen to the shiny one-his one and only Son. Superior to the law and the prophets, the new kingdom turns them on their head with a long expected, yet unexpected fulfillment.

What do we do when we find Jesus in his glory? Or do we ever? Do we ever bother to ascend the mountain with him? Are we too afraid that our falling asleep will disappoint him and the Saints we find with him?

Beatitudes in context of the other readings

Jeremiah gives the curses and blessedness of trust. If we trust in our hearts and mortal flesh we are miserable, but if we trust in God we are happy. They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit.

The psalmist echoes that strain while extolling the blessedness of delighting in the law.

Paul also tells us not to trust the flesh, but rather tells us that we are blessed because Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.

If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

If we fail to see Christ as risen, or trust the flesh that perishes, we are of all men most miserable. But Christ has been raised and we are counted among the men most blessed.

Dallas Willard suggests that unlike the if then formulation of the blessings and curses that formed prophetic covenants, Jesus is simply stating that those in front of him are blessed because the kingdom of heaven is at hand. He contends that the beatitudes are not prescriptions, but descriptions. See this excerpt.