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Living the Metaphor Part II: The Eschaton Continues
3rd Sunday in Eastertide
Acts 9:1-20: Psalm 30; Revelation 5:11-14; John 21:1-19
The orthodox interpretation for this week’s readings begins with Revelation. The mighty chorus from Part II of Handel’s Messiah rings in our minds: “Worthy is the Lamb the was slain, and has redeemed us to God by his blood to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. Blessing and honor, glory and power be unto him who sits on the throne and unto the Lamb forever and ever.” Mightier, perhaps, than the famous Hallelujah Chorus, because it lays out the entire 1,800-year theology of the Christian world of Handel’s time, and little has changed in the last 200 years. The rest of the readings are heard in that context. A violent God has violently intervened to redeem sinners with the blood of the purest, unblemished sacrifice – the son of God himself – and thereby, all humanity receives power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. To the victor go the spoils. Onward Christian soldiers. Oh yeah. “Blessing and honor, glory and power be unto HIM” as well, forever and ever.” But no riches, wisdom, or strength. Those are human needs. The Christ is devoid of humanity (kenosis).
Likewise Saul of Tarsus is struck down by the risen Jesus, and remains blinded for three days, after which he is healed by a disciple (Ananais) in Damascus, and ordained – commissioned – by that disciple to take Jesus’ message to the gentiles. Saul replicates the death and resurrection of Jesus, and Jesus himself tells Ananais that “I myself will show him [Saul] how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” More violence, this time from and for the message of Jesus.
The appearance story in John’s Gospel is a favorite. Peter and the guys are fishing, and not having much luck. A man onshore calls out to them and tells them to put their nets on the right side of the boat. Immediately, there are so many fish that their nets will scarcely hold them. Peter (the impetuous one) puts his clothes back on (a curiously puritanical or pious act), jumps into the water, and swims to shore to greet Jesus. So that there is no mistake as to the identity of the magician on the shore, Jesus breaks bread, blesses the fish, and distributes the meal. Then three times Jesus demands that Peter acknowledge that he loves Jesus, and is commanded to “feed my sheep.” Having made up for denying Jesus three times on the night he was arrested by the Romans, Peter learns that he will die a violent death – but we already knew that, because Paul got the same bad news.
The possibilities for literal mayhem in these stories are infinite:
1. The sacraments (conferring exclusivity): Baptism: Saul receives the Holy Spirit from Ananais and is baptized once his sight is restored; Peter jumps into the water (immersion). Ordination: Ananais lays hands on Saul and commissions him at Jesus’ command; Peter is commissioned three times to tend the sheep left behind by Jesus himself. Communion: Saul takes some food after his baptism; Peter and the others receive bread and fish from Jesus’ own hands.
2. Martyrdom (the violence accompanying Jesus’ message): Both Peter and Saul are shown that their lives will end violently in the service of Jesus’ message.
3. Atonement (the violence of God): ransom or substitution.
4. Miraculous deliverance (from sin): Jesus tells the fishermen to lower their nets on the right side – the correct side? The politically expedient side? Why not the left?
Keeping in mind the questions for this season, is there any meaning to these stories that is a non-violent, inclusive, commitment to justice-compassion, and liberation from injustice?
Again, the Psalm choice provides some balance. Psalm 30 is a psalm of praise for recovery from illness. Illness may be metaphorically understood as an indication of being estranged from God. The psalmist sings of going from security and prosperity to near death, and being delivered by God. The Psalmist says that when “I cried to you for help, . . . you have healed me . . . you have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.” Suppose this Psalm, possibly dating to 164 B.C.E., is really closer to the historical Jesus’ understanding of the non-violent nature of God and God’s Kingdom than to the interpreters of Jesus’ story, writing from 90 to 125 years after Jesus’ death. Using Psalm 30 as the grounding theology instead of Revelation can transform the meaning of these stories into hope for deliverance as the followers of Jesus prepare to take his message of covenant, non-violence, justice, and peace into the dangerous 1st and 2nd Century Roman world. Twenty centuries later, the eschaton continues, and the choices remain:
1) What is the nature of God? Violent or non-violent?
2) What is the nature of Jesus’ message? Inclusive or exclusive?
3) What is faith? Suspension of disbelief or commitment to the great work of justice-compassion?
4) What is deliverance? Salvation from hell or liberation from injustice?