Monday, January 17, 2011

Letter To Laodicea (part 85)

One could almost get the sense that equality was of such paramount importance to the church at Rome, and that they were attempting to stand at such a distance from the competitive system of honor, shame, benefaction, and patronage, that the members were actually refraining from exercising obvious spiritual gifts, so as not to accidentally create stratifications within the church.  Read in this sense, it is almost as if Paul is attempting to cajole them into the exercise of gifts, and to do so that they “may test and approve what is the will of God---what is good and well-pleasing and perfect” (12:2b).  It is almost as if Paul understands their concerns and their desire to not construct artificial, subjective, and oppressive hierarchies such as that which they see all around them in Rome.  Owing to that sense (and this is by no means dogmatic---the larger issue is the unity of the body and the meal table), Paul goes on to insist that it is the conscientious love that will be on display, as they present their “bodies as a sacrifice---alive, holy, and pleasing to God” (12:1b), that will win the day and render their legitimate and honorable concerns moot. 

It seems that it is in this light that Paul continues, providing this church with a way to know if their service is honorable, and that they have safeguarded their table and their testimony.  To this end, Paul writes “Love must be without hypocrisy” (12:9a).  If they found themselves play-acting---putting on masks---then they would know that their service was not pleasing to God, and that it could lead to problems.  To this he adds “Abhor what is evil, cling to what is good.  Be devoted to one another with mutual love, showing eagerness in honoring one another” (12:9-10).  Oh how very crucial!  In a world in which the pursuit of honor was nearly all that mattered, and in which ones station in the world was determined by how much honor one had gathered for oneself, Paul insists that a mutual check against self-interest and the oppressive behavior that accompanies it, could be guarded against by an eagerness in showing honor to one another.  Indeed, if we are engaged in seeking and showing honor to others, we will find little time to actively attempt to gain honor for ourselves.  Ideally, this serves to advance the interests of the kingdom of God---for ultimately it is His honor that we seek. 

Paul goes on to write “Do not lag in zeal, be enthusiastic in spirit, serve the Lord.  Rejoice in hope, endure in suffering, persist in prayer.  Contribute to the needs of the saints, pursue hospitality” (12:11-13).  As he continues writing to a church that existed in the very heart of the Roman empire---to a church that made a bold and subversive claim that there was a King that was not Caesar, and that there was an empire greater than that of Rome, Paul gives an instruction to “Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse” (12:14).  How easy it is for those of us that live comfortable lives in lands in which we do not undergo real persecution to realize how much love it would take to bless and not to curse.  Additionally, as we read the instruction to “bless,” or as we place ourselves among the hearers of the letter so as to hear the words to “bless,” the Abrahamic covenant comes clearly into play, reminding the people of God of their responsibility to be a light to the nations, exemplifying divine blessings.  How can we do this?  One way, quite obviously, since Paul speaks of blessing in the midst of persecution, is to endure suffering, as did our Lord, who indeed suffered persecution without cursing.  Jesus, of course, prayed for His persecutors.  As always, Paul has the story of Israel and the example of Jesus in sight, as he instructed believers as to how they were to go about being the living, breathing examples of the manifestation of the kingdom of God. 

Returning to the exhortation, we go on to hear “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep” (12:15), as the church is called to enter into the sufferings of Christ on behalf of the world.  Together with that, the vexing and always pressing issues of creeping societal conformity and its pressure to divide and create distinctions and hierarchy and perversions of authority will always be at hand, so Paul reminds the church to “Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly.  Do not be conceited” (12:16).  This, even if what may be perceived as an accumulation of shame is what results. 

In the wake of that, in what could appear to be an homage to what would have certainly been the well-known teaching of Jesus that we call the “Sermon On the Mount,” through which Jesus lays out His revolutionary plan for the establishment of the just kingdom of God, in which one does not respond to oppression with violent retaliation, presents the other cheek when back-handed with a slap across the face, offers the undergarment along with the cloak when demanded, and goes the second mile when requisitioned by a Roman soldier (all of which were counter-intuitive to then-current notions of how to throw off the oppressive yoke of Rome, force God’s hand, and usher in His kingdom---all of which involved a shaming of those that would oppress and shame, rather than simply pacifism or a model for service), Paul writes “Do not repay anyone evil for evil; consider what is good before all people.  If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all people.  Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath (the in-breaking of the kingdom of God against evil powers)… Rather, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head” (12:17-19a,20)---not to mention doing so as if you were doing it to Jesus, which also has the added benefit of following His example of blessing instead of cursing.  Yes, the kingdom of God breaks in upon the world when His people are not “overcome by evil,” but instead, “overcome evil with good” (12:21).        

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