God the Son: The Scapegoat
M. A. Rizzotti
A logical sequence to the essay
God the Father brings us to the
person of Jesus Christ although the concept of the Incarnation is not present
in the Old Testament since any image of God is forbidden. As we have said, in
Judaism the name of Yahweh is so sacred that it is not even uttered. And even
though the Old and the New Testaments appear incompatible in view of this
conflicting and fundamental issue, the Gospels advocate and describe a
transition between the old tradition and a new one. The New Testament
inaugurates an-other religious reality: that of the Son of God, the Word
Incarnate.
The word Gospel is a derivative of
godspel, meaning "good
tidings". The original word in Greek meant "the good news"
translated from the Hebrew word bissar, meaning
"herald of good tidings" or "to bring the good news of
salvation".1
None of the authors of the Gospels knew or met Jesus. Their
personal account of the life of Jesus is nonetheless a revelation of their own
faith in Christ. Unlike the Pentateuch, each Gospel is written by a single
author. They were in all likelihood written between 70 and 90 ad.
The core of the narratives that relates the life of Jesus is
made up of the three synoptic Gospels. These accounts are called synoptic because
they share a common perspective; they are the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and
Luke. The fourth one, the Gospel of John, does not share the same chronology of
Jesus' life.2 Matthew and Luke have a richer material than Mark, and
although they complement each other, they also differ in many important facts.
We will not debate here the synoptic problem of the
parallels and incongruities between the texts. Instead we will focus on the
fundamental themes and chronology of Jesus' life.
In accordance with tradition, the Gospel of Matthew begins
with the genealogy of Joseph, Jesus' legal father. This most important theme of
the Bible is carefully perpetuated in the first narrative. From Adam, to
"the generations of Adam", to Noah, to Shem, and to Abraham, etc...3
The evangelist establishes Joseph as the legal heir to the Fathers.
Notwithstanding that Jesus is not Joseph's biological son but his legal one.
Among the ancestors enumerated in the genealogy are the
names of four women: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathshebah (Uriah's wife). One
explanation for their presence in a patriarchal lineage is perhaps to make a
connection between Mary's unusual "virginal" conception and the
irregular nature of the union of these women with their own partners.4
For instance, Tamar took the initiative in her scandalous union with Judah. Rahab
had been a prostitute but she nevertheless made it
possible for Israel to enter the promised land. Ruth
was responsible for an irregular union with Boaz without which there may not
have been a Davidic line. And finally Uriah's wife, Bethshebah, had an affair with David that resulted in the
birth of Solomon.
In post-biblical Jewish piety, the circumstances surrounding
these unconventional events were seen as the work of the Spirit of God. All
these examples show the unfathomable and intriguing nature of God's
intervention in human affairs as a way to influence the course of history.
*
In Matthew, the dreams of Joseph are paralleled with Joseph
(in Genesis) whose ability to read dreams brought his people into Egypt and saved them from famine. Joseph,
in the New Testament, also has dreams where God tells him to flee to Egypt in order to save Jesus from the
murderous hands of Herod. By bringing Jesus to Egypt, he providentially relives the experience
of the people of Israel.5
Biblical
typology
Old Testament
sequence:
Joseph's dreams
bring his people to Egypt and save
them
from famine
Moses escapes from
the wicked hands of the Pharaoh.
Moses delivers his
people out of Egypt to the
promised land.
Moses wanders forty
years in the desert.
New Testament
sequence:
Joseph's dreams
bring his family to Egypt and save
his
child from Herod
Jesus escapes from
the hands of the wicked Herod
Joseph leaves Egypt and comes back to Galilee
Jesus fasts forty
days in the desert
As soon as the Pharaoh dies, Moses is able to return safely
to Egypt. Likewise, Jesus is able to return
to Nazareth as soon as Herod dies. Upon Jesus'
return from Egypt, he relives the Exodus and the
coming to the promised land.
Moses' untimely death unable him to see the promised land and the journey is completed by Joshua. The
name Jesus is a nickname of Joshua. The analogy and symbolism underlined by the
typologies are insightful.
The Evangelists describe the link between the Old tradition
and the New. Moses didn't live to see the promised land,
Joshua did. Therefore, when the Virgin Mary is told to call her son Jesus
-Joshua- a new quest for the promised land has begun.
In the beginning of his journey Jesus is first led away from
Bethlehem, the city of David, the King of Jews, and brought back
to Galilee, the land of the Gentiles. He takes
up residence in Nazareth where he begins his mission and
becomes known as Jesus the Nazarean. Here the Gospels
have taken up the difficult task of reconciling the Old tradition with the New
in announcing the "good news" to all the people, Jews and Gentiles
alike.
Yahweh vs Father
Moses
vs Jesus
God
of the Fathers vs Abba; dad
1st commandment vs the Son of God
jealous
God vs loving God
Israel vs all the people
Jesus' identity is best related to in terms of his
relationship with his God and the world. He described himself as a spiritual
physician, a shepherd to his people, a divinely authorized prophet. Foremost,
Jesus calls himself the "Son of man". This latter epithet may have
been used by Jesus as a way to describe himself simply as "someone"
in the quality of "a human being". He also described his God simply
as abba or
"dear father", or dad. In this sense the relationship between him and
his Father is a very personal and intimate one.
*
During Pompey's conquest of Jerusalem in 63 BC, the priests ruled Israel. It was under the control of the
Roman emperors Anthony and Octavian that the reign of Herod the Great began
(37-4 BC). Herod was known to be tyrannical yet competent. He was subservient
to Rome but harsh and violent with his
people. At his death he divided his kingdom among his three sons. Rome, however, did not confer upon them
the title of king. The kingdom of
Judaea and the title of ethnarch was bestowed to Archelaus. The kingdom of Galilee and Perea
was given to Antipas, also known as Herod the tetrarch whom Jesus called
"that fox": the one who executed John the Baptist. And finally, the
north-eastern territory of the Sea of Galilee, was given to Philip with the title
of tetrarch also. Of all the three sons, Archelaus
was most like his father, except that he was more violent and less competent.
For that reason, representatives of the Jewish aristocracy went to Rome to complain about the despotic
ruler hoping that Rome would allow them to reinstate a Jewish theocracy.
Augustus recognized their plea and banished Archelaus
from his office but put
Judaea under the status of a third-class province governed by a
procurator appointed by Rome.
At that time, the territory of
Judaea, especially Jerusalem, was the center of Jewish worship. Jerusalem, more precisely its temple, was
believed to be the heart of true Judaism. The territory outside it was
considered to be unclean and impure. This was particularly the case of
neighboring Galilee which was made up of a Jewish and
non-Jewish population of Syrians and Greeks, still heavily influenced by
Hellenism.6
The change in the political status of
Judaea also meant that it had to pay its
taxes directly to Rome. This enraged a number of Jewish people because it
was considered sacrilegious to pay tribute directly to a foreign and heathen
ruler. To appease the Jews, and as a gesture of good will, Augustus decreed
that synagogues were inviolable and Jews were to be exempt from appearing in
court on their Sabbath.7
It was because of the foreign collection of these taxes that
Judas the Galilean led a Jewish revolt against Rome in 6
AD.
Although the uprising was firmly suppressed, the seeds of discontent were
rooted among the radicals of the land. Rebellious ideals were further fomented
by a group of Zealots that kept the spirit of revolt alive for the next two
generations.
The peaceful coexistence between the procurators and the
high priests went on more or less smoothly inasmuch as the high priests
continued to pay the Roman representatives bribes to keep their office. It was
a practice that accommodated the priests and enriched the procurators. It is
not surprising that under these circumstances the high-priesthood had lost the
respect of the population. Only the richest priestly families were able to
retain their sacred office. Such was the case of Joseph Caiaphas
(18-36 ad) who managed to keep his office despite the
nomination of Poncius Pilate (26-36 AD). These
arrangements, however, did not guarantee a good relationship between Rome and
Judaea.
It turned out that Poncius Pilate
had an uncanny ability to offend Jewish susceptibility. On one occasion, in an
act of deliberate spite, he had put a dedication to the Emperor on Herod's
palace. The Jewish elite was greatly insulted by it.
They soon sent a deputation to Tiberius to complain about the emblem. They
argued that the procurator had not put his name on the Jerusalem's palace to honor him but simply to
annoy them. Tiberius in a gesture of good will ordered the shields to be taken
down.
Although Rome was firmly in control of
Judaea, it shared some of its power with
the clerical elite as a peaceful accommodation. The Pharisees, the Sadducees,
and the Essenes, were among the priestly schools of
thought ─haeresis─
which began to flourish during the Hasmonean
resistance (167-164 BC).
The Pharisees believed in the written laws of Moses, but
contrary to the Sadducees and the Essenes, they also
believed in the oral laws handed down to them by the Fathers. They believed in
the resurrection of the body for the good soul, and eternal damnation for the
wicked. The name Pharisees is derived from the Greek translation of the Hebrew
perushim meaning
separatists, deviants, or heretics. They were called so because these people
were so scrupulous about the laws and rituals that they separated themselves
from the less observant masses, the 'ammei ha-arets.8
The Sadducees were the other major group of priests that
flourished in Jerusalem during Jesus’ life. They claimed to
be the direct descendants of Zadok, the high priest
in Solomon's temple. They were called tseduquim. Contrary to the Pharisees, they believed that
only the written laws were to be observed. This brought the Pharisees and the
Sadducees in bitter conflict. In addition, the Sadducees did not share the
Pharisees' belief in the immortality of the soul nor did they believe in the
resurrection of the body. Despite all their differences, they managed to
coexist and the two groups shared their priestly duties in the temple. The most
notorious Sadducee is Caiaphas, the high priest who
took part in Jesus' trial.
The Pharisees had come to formulate a doctrine of the two
realms: render unto Caesar what is Caesar's and unto God what is God's. In
accordance to this doctrine the Pharisees tolerated that the people paid their
taxes to Rome. It permitted a compromise in matters regarding the state,
as long as it did not interfere with their religious affairs.
But the compromise was seen by the more radical groups as an
act of treason. A group of these revolutionaries, called the Fourth Philosophy,
gave the Romans and Jewish collaborators a hard time until they all committed
suicide in the fortress of
Masada in 73 AD.
Among the many priestly characteristics that are severely
criticized by Jesus in the narrative is their scrupulous and hypocritical
application of the law. The overwhelming preoccupation with purity and reward
supplanted a simple and unadorned piety. The conscientious concern with legal
requirements mostly void of any inward religious feelings transformed the
ethical into the judicial: the moral and religious were replaced by the legal
and formal. In other words, the Spirit of the law was replaced by the letter of
the law and by endless litigation.
Pharisees/scribes
sacred/law vs profane/common
pietists vs masses
pure vs impure
clean vs unclean
Every single aspect of the historical, political,
economical, social, and religious context in which Jesus Christ lived and died
is important. Every one of these factors help to
understand the development of events that led to the culmination of Jesus
Christ.
As we will see, the miracles are the clearest signs of
Jesus' earthly activity. They delineate whom Jesus privileged with his
presence. The miracles are the signs that separate those who were metamorphosed
by his message and those who opposed it. Among his opponents were the priests
and the religious elite of Jerusalem.
The Gospels recount Jesus' mission among the people, who for
the most part were outcasts. The narratives show that he directed the attention
on them by performing his miracles. The narratives describe these miracles as
signs.9 The narratives also use the words
"mighty deeds", and "manifestations of power". The term
power here should be understood in the sense of Jesus' active presence among
the outcasts who have no rank or standing among the "principalities and
powers" of this world. The miracles are meant to point out the significant
social condition in which the outcasts live. In this context the miracles are a
banner that circumscribe Jesus' ministry.
In the Old Testament the sign is used as the invisible
active power of God. The book of Genesis shows how numerous symbols of nature
are used to emphasize the sacred events in history. Similarly, in Genesis the
sun and the moon are signs -symbols- for seasons, days and years, the
circumcision, "a sign of the covenant" (Gen. 17:10), and the sign of
blood on the door in Exodus heralds the "pass over" (Ex. 12:13). God
uses signs as symbols to indicate his will to the "hearer".
Isa. 7:13 And he said ,
"Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that
you weary my God also? Therefore the lord himself will give you a sign. Behold,
a young woman (or virgin) shall conceive and bear a son and shall call his name
Imman'u-el."10
*
The first miracle related in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke
is the virginal conception. The quote of Isaiah above is an important parallel
that links the virginal birth of Jesus to the Old Testament. Throughout the
narratives the Evangelists take a great deal of care in legitimizing Jesus as
the Messiah prophesied in the Bible. The reason for such a concern becomes
clearer as Jesus is confronted by accusations from the religious elite about
his origins and authority. Not only does Jesus come from Galilee, the land of the aliens and
heathens, but he arrogantly questions the honesty of the priesthood. They, in
return, challenge the origin of his power to perform miracles since only God
can perform miracles.11
We have talked about the miracles as signs that circumscribe
Jesus' message of faith. The physical account of the cures, the exorcisms, the
raising of the dead, the multiplication of the breads, all point to a violation
of the laws of nature. Since all four Evangelists, each in their own way,
confirm the reality of the physical aspect of the miracles in the narrative, it
is impossible to fully elucidate their reality. Although the mystery involving
their physical nature and origin may not be explained, these "signs"
point to the whole purpose of Jesus' ministry rather than the mysterious origin
of his powers. In this sense, he uses the miracles to direct the attention
toward a certain category of people, who for the most part, are segregated by
society. His aim is to circumscribe the alien and al side of the
religious reality.
types of miracles
1) the healings: sick, lepers, handicapped
2) exorcisms: casting out demon and evil spirits
3) feeding the hungry and poor
4) raising the dead
5) calming the storm, changing the
water into wine
who benefits from the miracles
1) the forgotten: the sick, the poor, and the hungry
2) the outcasts: the lepers, the possessed
3) the helpless: the handicapped, the dead
4) the foreigners: Romans, strangers, pagans
5) the outsiders: the women, the children
If we take a close look a the list
above, we can illustrate beneficiaries as the powerless: the ignored and the
forgotten of society.
On the opposite side, those who reject the miracles and
condemn Jesus:
Jesus'
adversaries
1) the Pharisees, the scribes, the Sadducees, the high priest
Caiaphas
2) the elders, the lawyers (Lk. 11:52)
3) the crowds, and the cities (Mt. 8:34, 11:20-24)
4) the merchants in the temple
5) the Roman procurator
This list characterizes the powerful. If we look into this
classification more closely, we can detect the whole spectrum of power and
hierarchy in society:
the spiritual: the high priest, Sadducees, the
Pharisees
the intellectual: the Pharisees, the scribes, the
lawyers
the economical: the high priest, the merchants
the political: the Roman procurator, the high
priest, the crowd, the Zealots.
Hence the antagonism appears as follows:
the powerful vs the powerless
*
From the beginning, Jesus' religious authority is questioned
by the skeptics, setting "apart" those who
believe and those who reject Jesus Christ. Drawing the boundaries of his
Kingdom of God, Jesus' realm is set up against the worldly powers. The
antagonism becomes even more evident as it culminates with his crucifixion. The
progression of events that leads to Jesus' death unfolds quickly. On the cross,
except for a few loyal followers, he is abandoned by all, even God.
As the drama unfolds, Jesus gathers numerous followers. At
the same time he is confronted by an increasing number of foes. The dividing
line between them becomes clearer. His message of love widens the gap between
those who believe him and those who reject him. With the Sermon on the Mount,
Jesus inaugurates a new law in which love is the only requisite. This new law
transcends the old one, which further antagonizes the religious elite of Jerusalem.12
Although the Evangelists take great care in legitimizing Jesus
as the Messiah, the priests of Jerusalem question his authority because of his
Galilean origin. From the outset Jesus is opposed by the religious authority of
the priests and scribes. They are offended by Jesus' interpretation of the law.
Furthermore, he performs miracles freely on the Sabbath, breaking the law. To
that effect he answers them: "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for
the Sabbath...".13
But the priests also object to him because the Old Testament
warns that only God can perform miracles. Hence, if a prophet performs
"signs and wonders" he shall be put to death because the lord is
testing the people to see if they are faithful to him.14
But a greater blasphemy than ignoring the Sabbath is the
identity of Jesus himself. He declares himself the Son of God, "I and the
Father are one".15 Not only does Jesus challenge the first
commandment of an imageless God but he declares himself to be that God. This is
how he justifies his identity:
Jn. 8:58 Jesus said to them,
"Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am."
10:34 "Is it not written in your
law, `I said, you are gods'?"
Because of this, they want to stone him. Just like they
wanted to stone the adulteress that Jesus saved from their hands. They also
accuse him of being a "demon" and a "Samaritan". In other
words, they associate him with the outcasts, women/prostitutes, the foreigners,
and the possessed.
Jesus is
accused of being:
blasphemous
possessed by a demon
a Samaritan, a Nazarene, a
foreigner
The blasphemies seem to confirm the religious elite's fears
about Jesus. It also justifies their schemes to plot his death. Slowly, behind
the scenes, a mischievous consensus is fomenting against him. Like Job, Jesus
becomes the target of the political and religious authorities.
Mk. 3:6 The Pharisees went out, and immediately held counsel
with the Hero'di-ans against him, how to destroy him.
16
*
He is not only rejected by the elite but by society as a
whole.
During his passage in Gadarenes,
Jesus is met by two wild demoniacs who ask him to cast their devils out and
send them away among the herd of swine that could be seen close by. Jesus
complies. As soon as he does, the whole herd is taken by a
frenzy and jumps from a cliff into the sea to perish in the water below.
With great consternation the herdsmen go to the city to report the event they
just witnessed.
Mt.
8:34 And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus; and when they
saw him, they begged him to leave their neighborhood.
Not surprised by this Christ warns his disciple about
society and hierarchy.
Jn. 15:18 If the world hates you, know that
it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would
love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the
world, therefore the world hates you.
Did the crowd chase him away because he destroyed the herd,
threatening their livelihood? Apparently, the city was not ready to pay the
price with their livelihood to save two poor demoniacs.
Even Jerusalem, of all cities, is typified as an
example:
Mt. 23:37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the
prophets and stoning those who are sent to you!"
Several other cities like Nazareth are mentioned by Jesus as being
blind to his message:
Mk. 6:4 "A prophet is not without honor, except in his
own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house."
He goes even further by saying that he has seen more faith
in a Roman centurion than in anybody else in Israel.
17
But this, it seems, is only a prelude to what is going to
happen later when the whole vengeful crowd in Jerusalem rallies against him and demands his
death. The collectivity is seen as having a power of its own, obeying its own
laws of inertia. As it turns out, the mob gathered at his trial will be Jesus'
final and fatal foe.
*
The word "messiah" means the anointed one or the
one who is consecrated by anointing for a special function among the people of
God. It originally was used to describe the consecration of a king. This ritual
was widespread among the cultures of the ancient Near East.18 In Judaism this function is typified by Samuel's anointing
of Saul and later of David as the king of Judah and Israel. Kingship occupied an important
place in the theology of Israel. The Davidic era is the golden age
of Israel. It is the time when Israel lived
at the epitome of its political and religious integrity; when it had complete
control over its destiny.
The peace and prosperity of the kingdom of David came to an end with the Assyrian
wars (745-721 BC). The loss of the golden era inspired among its people a
longing for a another Messiah. They sought for
redeemer, an heir of David, who would bring an end to the misery of foreign
conquest. It would enable the people to return from their exile.19
At the root of messianism is the religious and political
quest for liberation. In times of great despair, the messianic expectations
increase. Messianism became the expression of spiritual consolation for a
paradise lost and the hope for the return of past glory.
The pursuit of freedom from foreign influence is at the root
of the messianic promise of salvation. Results of recent ethnological studies
show that various forms of messianism evolve from a disastrous repercussion of foreign
domination and colonialism. The ambiguous feelings of
seduction and revulsion toward foreign culture is always coupled by a
radical polarization. It imprints ambivalent feelings of lord-victim.
The crisis, propelled by the presence of a foreign culture,
threatens the structure of belief from without. Messianism is linked to a
perceived threat to the indigenous culture. A fear of loss of
religious integrity and collective identity. As a result, the movement
revives hopes of messianic salvation that rekindle an idealized past. It
instigates a return to these original ideals in their purest form in order to
bolster a strong sense of identity. The anxiety provoked by acculturation
encourages the radical belief of messianic redemption, often by revolutionary
means, which triggers a radical antagonism to the domination of foreign
cultures. The rebellion is usually instigated by the elite who perceive the
threat as an immediate danger to their own survival. Messianic movements
typically nourish mythical expressions of hope. They revert to powerful images
of salvation that capture the "spirit" of the people. The threat of
assimilation by the people is then perceived as a personal threat to their own
identity and survival.20
The circumstances under which Christ -the Greek equivalent
for the word messiah- makes his appearance in Jerusalem are singular. The
narratives describe that Jesus accepts the triumphant procession in Jerusalem
riding on a donkey like the "son of David" on Palm Sunday. As we know,
his role is not a political one, but that of a spiritual Messiah announcing a
kingdom that is not of this world.21
*
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus is determined not to be
manipulated by any group. He stands firm on his own unique identity. He refuses
to comply to the rules set by the priests. He declines
to take up the cause of the nationalist Zealots. As he said, his mission is not
of this world. He rejects Satan's offer to indulge in the riches of the world.
And he spurns the idea to exploit his powerful charisma for his personal
economic or political gain. He stands firm on his grounds. He declares himself
to be the Son of man and the Son of God.
He applies the same determination to his fate. He knows
about his oncoming death. But he will not try to change the course of destiny,
though he could at any time.
At his arrest, one after the other, his disciples abandon
him to his captors. Apparently, they thought Jesus to be someone else:
Lk. 24:21 ...we had hoped that he was
the one to redeem Israel.
When Jesus is betrayed by Judas, he is brought in front of
the Sanhedrin where he is finally confronted by his adversaries.22
Caiaphas, the Sadducee
high priest, is present among the crowd of Pharisees and scribes who have
already decided on Jesus' death. But they have a problem: they must find a way
to inculpate him. At his interrogation, Jesus is questioned about his identity.
He is asked if he is the Son of God, he replies that he is. He also answers
them that he is the Son of man who will be at the right hand of the Power.
Upon his reply, they accuse him of blasphemy and condemn him
to death. Shortly after, Jesus is sent to the procurator Pilate, in whose hands rests the political and legal authority over these
matters. He states to Jesus that he is being accused by the religious elite of
fomenting a revolt against Rome by telling the people not to pay their taxes.
He is also accused of proclaiming himself Christ, a king. To his questions
Jesus replies:
Jn. 18:36 "My kingship is not of
this world; if my kingship were of this world, my servants would fight, that I
might not be handed over to the Jews; but my kingship is not from the
world." Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?" Jesus answered,
"You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I have come
into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Every one who is of the truth
hears my voice." Pilate said to him, "What is truth?"
Seeing nothing wrong with Jesus, Pilate turns to the crowd
and he asks them if they want to release Jesus, since it is a custom to free a
prisoner during the Passover. Yet the mob demands that Barabbas,
a known thief and probably a revolutionary, be released instead.
Here the parallel between Christ's judgment and the
sacrificial ritual in Leviticus 16 is compelling. The
Old Testament text describes the directives for the Mosaic ritual of the Day of
Atonement; to take among the flocks belonging to the people, two male goats.
One to be chosen to be sacrificed as a sin-offering to Yahweh, the other as an
atonement for Israel's sins and to be set free in the wilderness as an offering
to Azazel, the sins of the people having been
symbolically laid upon it. Azazel is the name given
to a being who opposes Yahweh. The Vulgate version of the Bible rendered the
word Azazel into caper
emissarius.23 Later, Luther translated
the word into lediger bock meaning literally free-goat.
Finally, the word was rendered into English as scapegoat: a victim who is
innocently blamed or punished for the sins of others.24
The parallel suggests that Jesus is depicted as a human
offering to Yahweh. While Barabbas
-the name means "son of the father"- who is symbolized as carrying
the sins of
Israel, is set free to
the foreign lands.
The crowds that chased him away are now gathered in
Jerusalem to demand his death. They choose Barabbas
rather than Christ. Jesus who promises the kingdom of God to the powerless is a
danger to the established order of society. And Caiaphas,
as its spokesman, explains why Christ should die:
Jn. 11:50 "You know nothing at
all; you do not understand that it is expedient for you that one man should die
for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish."
It is better to sacrifice one person for the sake of the
whole society. They perpetuate the false belief that a scapegoat will solve all
their problems. Jesus becomes a pharmakos, the individual kept by the Greek community as a
scapegoat to sacrifice in times of social crisis. But history shows that
violence begets violence. The words spoken by Caiaphas
are empty words since the temple and Jerusalem will finally be destroyed in 70 ad anyhow. Yet another reason why they seek his death stems
from the power of his word. They think he is fomenting political and religious
upheaval. They fear he is seeking to abrogate their power.
But Jesus' prophetic words echo an ultimate truth when he
adds:
Lk. 23:34 "Father, forgive them;
for they know not what they do."
Jesus' crucifixion underlines the illusion of violence. Sacrifice and love are the only ways for
human salvation.25
Although Jesus may be innocent of the crimes he is accused
of, he is certainly not a victim. He freely agrees to his fate. He knows and
understands the full extent of his decision. His consent is a crucial act of
free will. He like Job, as an individual, is left alone against all the
prejudice and powers of this world. He knows that the powers invested in the
political, the social, the economical, and the religious, are present like a
dark cloud over him. Jesus knows he has to endure his death so that his absence
could be effective. So that his meaningful presence on earth
may be resurrected by faith. Only then, can he be of benefit to all.
Consequently, he tells his apostles that he must leave in order for his message
to be fully understood:
Jn. 16:7 Nevertheless
I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away.
Only then will they understand that he is the message of
hope for the powerless as the beneficiaries of his kingdom, and not those who
already control the powers in their own world.
Mt. 22:16 "Teacher, we know that you are true, and
teach the way of God truthfully, and care for no man; for you do not regard the
position of men."
They know that the power of the word of God is stronger than
any human institution. But Jesus clearly did not entice political and
economical upheaval. He took great care to share the urgency of the message of
love. He introduced a new law to replace the old. He inaugurated a kingdom
where women, children, the poor, the sick, the outcasts, the handicapped, the
estranged, the mentally disturbed, the alien, the stranger, and the slave, all
have equal access to his kingdom.
*
Jesus Christ's death might appear as an obstacle to his
ongoing mission. A timely and tragic obstruction. Far from the truth. His death is precursory to an even
greater medium for his message. While on earth he communicated the word of God
to the people around him, after his death Jesus embodies a new role in his
resurrected body. The risen Christ becomes the ultimate and eternal medium for
his message, a personal image to which all have access.
Doctrines about death and resurrection have evolved and
changed in the Old Testament. According to the Bible, "man" is not a
being composed of a body and a soul but of a soul with the vitality of the
flesh. There is no duality between body and soul. "Man" becomes a
soul when he is born, and when he dies he is a dead soul. His soul comes
directly from God.26 The word soul in Hebrew means literally a
living being, an animated body. Consequently, the dead in Sheol
are not the soul of the dead but shadows of beings. Accordingly, they are
considered powerless and weak.27 They could
not come back to life.
Job 7:9 ...he who goes down to Sheol
does not come up;
Eccles. 3:19 For the
fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same; as one dies, so
dies the other.
The concept evolved and became closely associated with the
idea of the restoration of Israel. Particularly in times of
historical distress. In Ezechiel, the
resurrection of the "dead bones" did not imply a return from Sheol, but a return of the nation from the "dead condition"
of exile.28
Further development of the concept occurred during the
period of the Maccabeans where the belief in the
resurrection is clearly expressed:
Dan. 12:2 And many of those who
sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some
to shame and everlasting contempt.
Later, the chief proponents of the resurrection were the
Pharisees. The resurrection was applicable only to a select few like Moses,
David, and to the more pious elite of their congregation.
In Christianity, the resurrection of the body became the
cornerstone of its faith.
*
The Gospels share basically the same material in respect to
the discovery of the empty tomb by a group of women.29 In all of the accounts, the central figure is a woman called
Mary Magdalene. She is Jesus' loved one. She is the first person who sees the
resurrected body of Christ.
Her name is revealing. Mary was from Magdala
-hence Magdalene- a city situated on the west bank of the Sea of Galilee, about
20 km north of Nazareth. The word also means fortress.30
But what is most peculiar is the time at which she appears
in the Gospels. The narrative suddenly acknowledges the presence of this group
of women who have been following Jesus during the greater part of his public
life but who have been overshadowed by the more predominant group of male
disciples. Only here, and at a very crucial moment, are the women finally
recognized as followers in the same manner as their male counterparts.31
If Peter is the metaphorical rock on which Jesus built his
"Church", then Mary is its fortress.
The account also refers to the angels that appear to both
male and female apostles. The apparition is also paralleled to the
annunciation. Jesus' birth in Mary's womb is the counterpart to Mary's presence
in front of the empty tomb. Birth and death are privileged symbols of life and
regeneration. Here, they become kindred to the resurrection of Christ.
Christ's death also signifies the sudden emptiness in the
followers' lives. The physical absence of their Master leaves them powerless
and lost. Yet as soon as the news of the empty tomb reaches them, they are
filled with hope.
The message from the angels fulfills the prediction about
his return:
Hos. 6:2 After
two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may
live before him.
Jesus is the bodily proof that God is accessible to us as a
person. It is as a person that he was able to establish relationships with his
followers. He became the Word in order to communicate his will directly to the
world.
With his resurrected body Jesus becomes the medium par
excellence. His death is no longer an obstacle to his ongoing message. With his
risen body Christ's message is not limited by the boundaries of time or space.
Although his death abruptly ends his physical presence on earth, the heavenly
body is eternally present, accessible to all at all times.
the medium
historical ______ eternal
Jesus ______
Christ
Judea ______ all the nations
disciples ______
to all the believers
miracles ______
the resurrection
physical body
______
the resurrected body
Jesus' resurrected body, however, is not the restoration of
a previous condition in the flesh, but a transformation of a radical kind. Not
to be confused with the decaying nature of the physical body. Christ's
resurrection is not a return to a former condition, but the passage to a
totally new one. With his new condition he is given the title of Lord.
Paul in 1 Corinthians distinguishes the physical body from
the spiritual body. The first is a body and mortal, the second has a body but
is spiritual. He also correlates the body to the idea of image. Both are
related to the identifiable essence of Jesus Christ.
1 Cor 15:49 Just as we have borne the image of
the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.
The "image" of this identifiable body is no longer
indistinguishable among the crowd but lives above us, in heaven. His
resurrected body becomes the mark of a new spiritual identity. And through his
Ascension Jesus Christ, in his heavenly body, rises to the full view of all. It
becomes the ultimate miracle, the greatest of all visible signs.
That he has "risen from the dead" is a victory
over the state of remaining in the shadow of nothingness. Therefore, the former
condition of the dead, described as the meaningless state of the shadows of the
powerless, is transcended with the resurrection.
The presence of the angel standing outside the tomb is
further evidence of the good news about Christ's heavenly condition. The
angels, from the Hebrew mal'akh
which means messenger, are an additional link to the Old Testament. The angels
were messengers of the lord to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses.32
Similarly, the angel becomes the medium of Christ the lord to his followers.
*
Like Job, he was abandoned by all, even God. Defender of the
outcasts, he dies like one himself. Both typify the innocent servant who
suffers for the sake of truth. Job's suffering enables him to see God, while
Jesus dies to be God.
Jesus Christ is the prototype of a new humanity.
Like Job, he is a scapegoat singled out by society. This
isolation enables Job to have a vision of God he could not conceive before. On
the other hand, Jesus is God because he gave his life for that truth. Love and
knowledge about God is now accessible through him. His resurrected body is a
visible sign, the door to his realm. It enables the powerless to have access to
the power of God despite the entrenched powers of the world.
Although Jesus is loved by many, his adversaries are plenty.
At the end, they overcome him. Even though he chastised the hypocrisy of the
Pharisees, he did not condemn their religion. As much as he opposed the
merchants in the temple, he did not oppose commerce. He complained about the
unfaithfulness of the cities, but he did not repudiate social order. He simply
proclaimed that the powers of this world have no jurisdiction over his realm.
His people obey a
different set of laws and are governed by the power of love.
Jn. 13:13 You call
me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and
Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For
I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Truly,
truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is
sent greater than he who sent him.
The real purpose of the miracle of the resurrection lies on
the responsibility that Christ gave to his followers. Herein lies the cost of
discipleship.33
Mt. 28:18 And Jesus came and said to them, "All
authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the
Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded
you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age."
_______________
1 Isa. 40:9; 52:7; 61:1; etc.
2 Paul Feine,
Johannes Behm, and reedited by Werner Georg Kummel, Introduction to the New Testament, New York, Abington Press,
1966.
3 Mt. 1:1-16; Gen. 5:1-31; 10:1-32; 11:10-31.
4 The second explanation, made popular by Luther, interprets
the inclusion of these four women as the symbolic presence of foreigners
-Gentiles or persons associated with Gentiles in Bethshibah's
case- in God's plan.
5 Raymond E. Brown, The Birth of
the Messiah, New York, Images Books, 1979.
6 Emil Schurer, A
History of the Jewish People in the Time of Jesus, New York, Schocken
Books, 1971.
7 F. F. Bruce, Israel And The
Nations, Grand Rapids, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
Co., 1963.
8 In the New Testament the Pharisees are also identified as
the scribes and the sages; Mat. 2:4;
21:15; 23:15. See Ellis Rivkin,
What Crucified Jesus?, London, SCM Press Ltd, 1986.
9 J. T. Maertens,
La Structure des Récits de Miracles dans les Synoptiques, in, Sciences
Religieuses/ Religious Studies,
6/3, (1976-77), 253-266.
10 The young woman can also be rendered into
"virgin".
11 Deut.
13:1-11.
12 Mt. 5:1-48; Lk. 6:20-49.
13 Mk.
2:27.
