Have you ever 'people-watched' before? You know sat and just observed the people around you. Sounds a little sketchy and stalker-ish I know. But you can seriously learn a lot about the world just by sitting in a park or a shopping mall or a coffee shop watching people (but just don't wink!). One of the things you'll notice almost immediately is that people who hang out together usually look similar. I mean it's rare to find a leathered up biker dude with tatts and a bushy ZZ Top beard having coffee with a decked out businessman who has a close shave and a bluetooth headset. Why? Most people enjoy being around other people who are just like themselves. People who dress the same, have similar interests, have a similar standard of living, believe the same things politically, and come from a similar culture (or subculture).
This sounds harmless doesn't it? But this can pose a problem when it comes to FOLLOWING JESUS. Why? Jesus hung out with a motley crew of people (tax collectors, prostitutes, lepers, and rich young rulers). This means that FOLLOWING HIM requires that we do the same. If we don't, then we can't 'fulfill' His mission and purposes. Why? Let's find out...
JESUS, A NEW TYPE OF ABRAHAM
So far we've learned that Jesus came to FREE people from an EVIL kingdom (just like Moses) and bring them into a GOOD kingdom that He RULES (just like David). But who did Jesus come to FREE and RULE? ALL people. How do I know this? Matthew's genealogy of Jesus communicates to us that Jesus came to bless ALL people (just like Abraham).
Notice that Matthew emphasizes Jesus' connection to ABRAHAM by beginning his genealogy with the title, "The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David and the son of ABRAHAM." But then he does something sneaky. He includes FOUR references to WOMEN in his genealogy: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Uriah's wife (Bathsheba). Usually WOMEN were not included in genealogies because the family lineage was traced through the male. And so this is a little suspicious!
So why are these WOMEN included in the genealogy? Matthew gives us a hint by referencing Bathsheba as "the wife of Uriah." Uriah was NOT an Israelite! He was a Hittite! But what about the other WOMEN? Ruth was a Moabite. Rahab was from Jericho. Tamar was from Er. All of the women were GENTILES (that is, non-Jews) or considered GENTILE because of their association with them!
So what is Matthew trying to communicate by including these WOMEN in the genealogy? God-fearing GENTILES have always been BLESSED by God. In other words, there is a history of God including GENTILES in His plan of salvation! And so by extension, Jesus didn't come just to FREE and RULE the Israelites. NO. He came to FREE and RULE ALL people (including the GENTILES)! In other words, Jesus came to BLESS ALL people!
GENTILES RECEIVE JESUS
The interesting thing is that the GENTILES were more willing to receive the BLESSING of Jesus than the JEWS. For according to Matthew, the GENTILES welcome and worship Jesus while the prominent JEWISH people in Jerusalem are threatened by Him. Matthew emphasizes this fact by contrasting the FAITH of the Gentiles with the FAITH of the JEWISH people. It begins with the contrast between the GENTILE Magi who worship Jesus (2:1-12) and the JEWISH Jerusalem leaders who are 'troubled' by Jesus.
This contrast continues with the twelve JEWISH disciples who can't heal or perform miracles because of their lack of FAITH (14:22-33; 16:5-12; 17:14-20) while the OUTCASTS and GENTILES are healed because of their FAITH (8:5-13; 9:1-8; 9:18-26; 9:27-31; 15:21-28; 17:14-20). In a similar vein, the JEWISH religious leaders are rejected because of their lack of FAITH but the GENTILES are accepted because of their FAITH (more on this in the next blog!). What does this tell us? FAITH is what matters and NOT a person's race or background! JESUS is an equal opportunity Savior. And so JESUS FOLLOWERS need to reach out and build into people based on their FAITH (and openness to Jesus) and NOT their status, race or background! But this will be UNCOMFORTABLE!
But Jesus was willing to GO to earth and be UNCOMFORTABLE for the sake of BLESSING ALL the WORLD. The same was true with Abraham. Remember that God called Abraham to leave His pagan culture and "GO from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you...I will bless those who bless you and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." God called Abraham to forsake his family in order to follow God. Does that sound like something Jesus said (Matthew 10:37)? And God told Abraham to GO. Does that sound like something Jesus said (Matthew 28:19)? And God told Abraham to bless ALL the families of the EARTH. Does that sound like something Jesus said (Matthew 28:19)? Jesus' life revived and jumpstarted the Abrahamic Covenant and God's mission (something that had been lost by the Jewish leaders who were focused on good behavior and Sabbath synagogue attendance).
THE BOTTOM LINE
And now Jesus is calling YOU and ME to GO and be UNCOMFORTABLE for the sake of BLESSING the WORLD. God called Abraham to GO and be UNCOMFORTABLE for the sake of BLESSING the WORLD. God called Jesus to GO to earth and be UNCOMFORTABLE for the sake of BLESSING the WORLD. We need to do the same! If we aren't willing to GO and reach ALL people then we can't 'fulfill' Jesus' mission. Are you willing to GO and be UNCOMFORTABLE for the sake of Jesus' MISSION or are you satisfied just being a well behaved person and a faithful church attender?
Those who are most unlike us are also often our enemies. Thus Jesus' command to love enemies also fits into his fulfillment of the covenant with Abraham. While the covenant with Moses was with the kingdom of Israel, Jesus' new covenant is for an international kingdom of disciples (Jews and Gentiles).
ReplyDeleteThe N.T. writers, especially Paul, later deal with Judaizers, who say Gentiles must keep the Mosaic law. Jesus' new covenant welcomes Gentiles, like us, who do not keep most of the law of Moses; and the Mosaic law included passages like Lev. 26:7, where Israel is to chase her enemies, who will fall before them by the sword. Israel was to wipe out the Canaanites in the promised land, as part of that covenant. But now that Jesus' new kingdom includes former enemies (from every nation), his new command to love (all) enemies (all the time) is important for a new fellowship composed of former enemies.
Thanks for your insight! Apart from how one understands Jesus’ words in Matthew 5, much of a person’s conclusion on the role of the Mosaic covenant/Law in the life of the Christian will depend on how they see the various covenants (Abrahamic, Mosaic, Davidic, and New) in relation to each other. Where is there continuity between the various covenants and where is there discontinuity? Dispensationalist Theologians will answer this question very differently from Covenantal Theologians (and then there are all sorts of other views outside of these two camps). As the Counterpoints book LAW AND GOSPEL edited by Stanley Gundry indicates there are smart evangelicals who reach many different conclusions. I have great respect for each of the authors in that book all of whom are much smarter that me!
ReplyDeleteI understand where you are coming from with Leviticus 26:7. The NIV makes it sound like this verse is a command (“You SHALL chase”). But I interpret this verse as a PROMISE and not a COMMAND in light of the fact that the verb (“You will chase” ESV) is a qal PERFECT and not a qal IMPERATIVE. Also, in that section I understand God as promising protection and peace to Israel when they are in the land if they remain obedient. In other words, the sword will NOT pass through their land (vs. 6) BUT if other nations do attack, Israel will successfully overcome their enemies (vs. 7). And so I don’t see this verse as a command that gives Israel license to hate their enemies. But I might be wrong!
In all of this, I appreciate the fact that you recognize the tension that exists between God’s command to Israel in the Old Testament to completely destroy evil nations in Canaan (Deuteronomy 20 etc.) and his command to love the sojourner and resident alien as themselves (Leviticus 19:33-34). People who I greatly respect have resolved this tension differently than me and have reached a different conclusion from my own. But I am glad that we all agree that we are called to supernaturally love our enemies and to love like Jesus did!
Thanks again for your insight friend! I appreciate you!