Identity is behind a question Jesus poses to disciples in this Sunday’s Gospel, “Who do you say that I am?” Is Jesus divine or human? Divinity can suggests a celestial being worthy of worship with priests conducting that worship. Jesus was human and very much of this earth. Yet Jesus evoked divinity for Peter, who answered, “You are the Son of the Living God.” However, Jesus did not then respond with talk of worship and its ministers. Instead, Jesus identified the ministers of divinity as being his killers, “The Son of Man must suffer greatly and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed.” Jesus was inverting the image of divinity – away from worship minded killers whom we exalt and toward the people they kill – people who are lowly and suffer at their hands, “If anyone wishes to come after me, they must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”
Institutional Christianity does not affirm Jesus’ inversion of divinity. It has reverted back to a worshipped god with priests and other ministers to evoke the old image. But hierarchical priests and ministers cannot have it both ways. It is not possible to accept Jesus’ teachings that the priesthood rejects, persecutes, and kills him on the cross, and then, also accept priests’ teachings that Christians are supposed to obey them. Believers in atonement theology cannot have it both ways either. It is not possible to accept Jesus’ teachings about disciples not nailing people to a cross but instead following Him to it, and then, also accept their teaching that Jesus saves us by taking our place on the cross and suffering on it for our sins. As well, Christian just war traditionalists cannot have it both ways. It is not possible to be true to Jesus’ consistent witness on the need to bear persecution, even to the cross, and then also accept their teaching that it is Christian to respond to violence or its threats with more violence and threats.
Who are these ministers of divinity, these hierarchs, atonement theologians, and just war traditionalist who invert Jesus’ teachings about so many things, especially the cross? Are they disciples? If so, how would they answer His question; “Who do you say that I am?” Would hierarchs admit he was a commoner? Would atonement theologians admit he loved people, sinners especially and didn’t make them suffer? Would just war traditionalists admit he was a peaceful healer and didn’t wage war? Who am I? How would I answer the question? Would my answer identify me as one of their followers or one of Jesus’?
Prayer: Dear Jesus, free me to never set a cross on someone else’s shoulders.
Question: Who do I say Jesus is?
June 23, 2013 – Gospel Luke 9:18-24 Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time