NT – Luke 4:1-30
If you were a Roman or a Greek who lived during Luke’s day, you would hear all sorts of myths and legends about Hercules, Zeus, Apollo and all the other great ones. The great ones were all tested but came out on top, usually unscathed. Glorified, put into epic poems and carvings, we still read about their exploits today.
By comparison, all Jesus had to do was go hungry and tell the devil no three times. Which he did as a result of his power and fullness of the Holy Spirit given at baptism (thanks, Kim!). But his reward? Epic poems? A large marble bust in the Nazareth courtyard?
No, they ran him out of the town, intending to toss him over the cliff. Fortunately, he had the means to walk thru the crowd unimpeded and escape.
The positioning of these two stories about Jesus, when he could have had it all and when his own hometown shoved him out, back to back and at the beginning of his public ministry makes clear that Jesus did not come as a Super Hero.
Matthew Henry’s commentary makes much out of the fact that while the devil took him to the desert, and to the top of the highest point in Jerusalem, Jesus had to get himself down. He apparently can fly. He apparently either has an invisibility cloak or can perform the Jedi mind trick “these are not the Jesus you are looking for” as he passes through crowds undetected. While much is made of his healings, it is the ‘other’ powers that Jesus has that set him firmly in the Hero seat. He just doesn’t use them often and hops right back out.
So, you are this relatively well-educated Greek in Tyre in 90 CE and you hear about this Jesus dude setting the devil on his butt. This is going to pull me in?
You are a teen in the techno age with all sorts of electronic wizardry that can levitate cars, send messages wirelessly around the world, and you hear about this Jesus dude setting the devil on his butt. This is going to pull me in?
What makes this a compelling story?
Why is this Luke’s jumping off point for Jesus public ministry?
What makes Jesus human? God?
Psalm 63
Which makes me grateful that this psalm was with the above reading. Quiet. Unimposing. But full of the confidence that God is God and he is wonderful. Always there. Always great. He doesn’t need the 12 Labors to shine out his power. He is.
OT – Numbers 30:1-31:54
This is Rashi’s basis for saying that Balaam caused the sexual immorality of the Israelites. I should have known better than to quarrel with an 11th century rabbi with no cell phone distractions.
The harshness of God towards the Midianites is hard for me. Right now, I am just suspending my judgment until I have more information and can process the whole destroy everyone except the virgins idea. I guess the Midianites should have let the Israelites pass through on the road…
Have a wonderful day and keep in The Word.
I think you are on the right track when you talk about comparing the story of the Jesus to the myths and legends of the Greeks and Romans. I have slightly different take though (No one who has been reading your blog will be surprised by that)
ReplyDeleteHeroes were easy to find in those days. Hercules, Jason and like were all over the place. Heroes are easy to find today.
My daughter is on crutches with a hurt ankle right now. Everyone who holds the door for her or carries her book bag between classes is a hero, My mother in law is in recovery facility after a stroke. The people who feed her and bathe her and take her to the bathroom are definitely heroes.
In the right circumstances, almost all of us can be heroes. But the truth is that for most of us on most days we dont need a hero. We get along just fine all by ourselves. The educated Greek in Tyre probably didn't need a hero. The teens of today don't think that they need parents much less heroes. So if most of don't really need heroes and any of us can be heroes, heroes are fun for entertainment but not really necessary.
I think that Luke is going out of his way to prove that Jesus is not just your run of the mill Super Hero but something far more important -- A Savior.
All of us need a Savior but none of us can be a Savior! The Greek in Tyre needs a Savior, the techno teen needs a Savior, I need a Savior and You need a Savior.
This is what draws us in.