Readings for today: Matthew 21:1-22, 26:6-13, Mark 11:1-26, 14:3-9, Luke 19:28-48, John 2:13-25, 11:55-57, 12:1-36
“What has Athens got to do with Jerusalem?” So spoke an early church father by the name of Tertullian. The point he was trying to make is what relationship and/or influence should the world have on our faith? Athens represented the best of pagan philosophy. Jerusalem represented divine revelation. While there is always cultural pressure to conform to the ways of this world, Christians must resist such temptations and instead remember they have been transformed in their thinking and acting by the Holy Spirit. This sets us apart in the world. It makes us different. For our primary citizenship is in the kingdom of heaven, not any earthly kingdom, and our primary allegiance is given to Jesus, not any earthly king. This isn’t an easy line to walk, of course. Many Christians throughout history and even in contemporary society today blur the distinctions between the two. They believe our calling is to align with one political party over another and they try to co-opt Jesus for their own partisan ends.
Remarkably, Jesus and the early Christians didn’t have much to say about the politicians of their day. You never hear a word criticizing Caesar or Pontius Pilate. You barely hear a peep about Herod himself. Certainly each of these men were brutal and corrupt tyrants. They were violent and vengeful and used their authority to enrich and indulge themselves in every way possible. So why doesn’t Jesus speak up? Speak out? Lead a protest movement against them? Jesus seems to save his ire for the religious leaders of his day. He calls them out to be sure but at the same time, he eats with them in their homes. He engages them over and over again in dialogue. He gives them plenty of opportunity to respond to His message. Yes, Jesus does turn over tables in the Temple courts. But that’s not a political act so much as a religious one. The Bible is clear about Jesus’ motivations. The Temple should be a place of prayer not exploitative commerce.
So what do we learn from Jesus’ example? Should we just withdraw from the world? No longer engage in civic discourse, debate, or exercise our responsibility to vote? Some Christians have made that argument. Should we go the opposite direction and engage as fully as possible with the hope we can gain control of the levers of political and cultural power and enforce a Christian worldview on the nation? Some Christians have made that argument. I believe the answer lies not in a “middle way” or a “third way” but a completely different way altogether. I believe what Jesus proposes is the only way. “The one who loves his life will lose it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (John 12:25 CSB) To put it another way, we must live in this world but not be of this world. We must pray for this world but not place our trust in this world. We must serve this world but not fall into the trap of believing we can transform this world. It is Jesus who will bring about the new heavens and the new earth, not us. It is Jesus who will bring the New Jerusalem to earth, not us. It is Jesus who will bring about a reign of righteousness and peace, not us. We must pray. We must preach. We must serve. We must love. And hopefully the world takes notice and listens but we must always remember our world lives under the tyranny of sin and it’s only hope is Jesus.
Readings for tomorrow: Matthew 21:23-46, 22:1-14, Mark 11:27-33, 12:1-12, Luke 20:1-18, John 12:37-50