Incarnation

God loved, but he did not really understand love.

The powerful, even the Greatest Power,
Can never grasp the weakness of the weak
Until they become weak.

Until the Lord of Heaven and Earth
Creator of Worlds and Words
Whose every Command was carried out
Became a single, helpless infant
He never truly understood weakness.

Before that moment, he felt that command would rule.
Until he was in a place where command was meaningless.

He could command his body
He could create with his mind
He could form atoms and call up mountains
But he could not control his arm without practice.

It would take months before he could walk.
Years before a single word was clear enough to be understood without interpreted.

It was not until the weakness of a body
Limited the Supreme of Supremes

That the kingdom truly belonged to the poor.

At that moment, Love wasn’t just an idea
It was reality.

Jesus Godzilla

If your Jesus is untouched by lust or anger or fear, then your Jesus is too big.

If your Jesus cannot bear to be insulted or wrongly thought of, then your Jesus is too big.

If your Jesus dwells in a spiritual dimension and despises the physical, then your Jesus is too big.

If your Jesus is the controlling entity over all the world, and all events in it, good or bad, then your Jesus is too big.

If your Jesus is too powerful or holy to be imitated, then your Jesus is too big.

If you cannot walk on water or heal the sick or love your enemy, then your Jesus is too big.

If your Jesus is the same god who commanded nations and their children to be burned, then your Jesus is too big.

If your Jesus can support war and hated and prejudice, then your Jesus is too big.

Why Do We Have To Believe In Jesus?

A response to this video:

Tough Questions for Christians #2

There are some decent challenges to Christian theology out there. We shouldn't just put our fingers in our ears and hope they go away. Instead, we should consider these challenges, ask if they make logical sense and then answer them, if we can. And if we can't we need to admit that.

Here, the challenge is pretty simple: "If Jesus died for the whole world to pay for our sins, then why should I have to do anything-- believe in Jesus or anything else? If a debt is paid, then it is simply paid, right?"

There are a lot of answers one could give to this. Some would say that Jesus didn't technically die for the whole world, only for believers. However, Scripture seems to refute this: "Jesus died for sins, the just for the unjust." I Pet. 3:18; "Jesus died for sins, once for all" Romans 6:10.

The passages seem to be indicating the sufficiency of Jesus' death, not necessarily their universality. In other words, Jesus' death is sufficient for all, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it is a covering for all humanity.

However, Christians often miscommunicate how Jesus' death takes care of sin. We are in a sinful lineage, of a sinful race, of a sinful nation, of a sinful society. God will punish us all for simply participating in the society that forces us to sin-- to act in opposition to God's love. Scripture says that Jesus' death is for this purpose: "For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living." Romans 14:9. Jesus' death established a new kingdom, one in which everyone has a new beginning, with Jesus at the head.

Thus, Jesus' death isn't a simple payment, it is rather an opportunity. It is a chance for everyone--without exception-- to immigrate to Jesus' kingdom. Everyone has the opportunity to change nationalities, change lineages, change societies to be a part of Jesus' kingdom. But to enter that kingdom, one must accept Jesus as one's Lord and King. That seems pretty simple, huh? We have to have faith in Jesus in order to enter His kingdom.

Thus, if Jesus' death is to have any effectiveness, we need to accept Him.

A Kingdom of Justice

Jesus’ death provides justice by establishing a kingdom of justice.

This kingdom is not the “church”, which is the institutions of the church established over centuries. Rather, Jesus’ kingdom of justice is made up of those who act in accord with His atonement—people taking up their cross, sacrificing themselves to display the injustice of humanity and to do good for one’s fellow human. Those who surrender themselves for the sake of the poor, and will stand up for God while allowing themselves to be destroyed for it.

This is not a matter of works, or our own effort, but the work of God within us, that we agree with and abide by.

Jesus and Justice

My favorite passage about the justice of the Messiah is Isaiah 11:1-10

Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, And a branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. And He will delight in the fear of the LORD, And He will not judge by what His eyes see, Nor make a decision by what His ears hear; But with righteousness He will judge the poor, And decide with fairness for the afflicted of the earth; And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, And with the breath of His lips He will slay the wicked. Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins, And faithfulness the belt about His waist. And the wolf will dwell with the lamb, And the leopard will lie down with the young goat, And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little boy will lead them. Also the cow and the bear will graze, Their young will lie down together, And the lion will eat straw like the ox. The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra, And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper's den. They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD As the waters cover the sea. Then in that day The nations will resort to the root of Jesse, Who will stand as a signal for the peoples; And His resting place will be glorious.

Jesus will come with justice and he will grant justice to everyone, and the poor will finally get what they need and be treated fairly. Those who oppressed the poor will get what they deserve. There will be peace everywhere, and even the animals will be at peace because their needs are met. And all nations will acknowledge Yahweh as God and Lord.

Law and Grace

The “law” is any ethic or principle of rule that is “required” for salvation apart from the life and teachings of Jesus. Should anyone call the life or teaching of Jesus a “law” apart from “grace” is a heretic and rejects the true life.

The Seven-Fold Spirit

At the end of the Tree of Life, Bonaventure has a beautiful prayer based upon Isaiah 11:2:

“We, therefore, pray to the most kind Father through you, his only-begotten Son, who for us became man, was crucified and glorified that he send us out of his treasures the Spirit of sevenfold grace who rested upon you in all fullness:
The Spirit, I say, of wisdom, that we may taste the life giving flavors of the fruit of the tree of life, which you truly are;
The gift also of understanding, by which the intentions of our mind are illumined;
The gift of counsel, by which we may follow in your footsteps on the right paths;
The gift of fortitude, by which we may be able to weaken the violence of our enemies’ attacks;
The gift of knowledge, by which we may be willed with the brilliant light of your sacred teaching to distinguish good and evil;
The gift of piety, by which we may acquire a merciful heart;
The gift of fear, by which we may draw away from all evil and be set at peace by submitting in awe to your eternal majesty.”

On the one hand, I might disagree with the seven-fold spirit being used for our personal gain. For Isaiah 11 is speaking of a community of justice, established when the one true king comes to rule over Israel as the great just empire, in which the perfect law of God would be done and all people within would rest in peace and security and plenty.

On the other hand, the way Bonaventure uses it is by asking for the seven-fold spirit to come upon us through the life and teachings of Jesus, recognizing that it is only Jesus that we can receive true knowledge and true piety—which Bonaventure calls compassion—and true counsel. There is much truth here, and we should pray this prayer and understand it fully.

Being Like Jesus: A Scriptural Guide

I John 2:6
By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.

I Corinthians 11:1
Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.

II Thessalonians 3:5
May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.

Matthew 20:26-28
It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.

Philippians 2:3-8
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Matthew 10:24-25
A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household!

Luke 9:22-24
The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised up on the third day. If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.

I Peter 2:19-23
God is pleased, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps— he who committed no sin and no deceit was found in his mouth; and while being reviled, he did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously.

Romans 8:16-17
The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

I Timothy 1:16
Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.

John 20:21
Jesus said to them, "Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”

John 14:12-13
Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

John 15:7
If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

Revelation 3:21
He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.


Revelation 2:26-27
He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations—and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces— as I also have received authority from My Father

John 17:22-23
The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.

John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you.

John 15:11
These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.

Some Thoughts on Jesus' Life

Well, I'm overnight at the church with folks who need to not freeze to death, so I don't have Bonaventure to consult. But since I only have one section to go, Bonaventure's conclusion, I thought I would offer some concluding thoughts on Jesus' life.

It says in Paul that those who have faith are saved. But it is interesting that in the Greek he does not say that those who have faith "in" Christ will be saved, but rather those who have the faith "of" Christ. I know most translations say "in", but the Greek doesn't support that, as Richard Hays radically proclaimed in his monograph on Galatians.

What does that mean? What I get from that is that it is those who follow the model of Jesus' faith are those who are saved, not necessarily those who sign a statement of doctrine. Jesus' life is one to have as a model of Christian life. Not just sometimes, but exclusively.

This does not mean, however, that we should follow Jesus' every action literally. We don't need to speak Aramaic, wander through Galilee or preach to crowds. In the New Testament, they saw Jesus' life as having principles of the life of the one who will enter into God's kingdom.

For instance, we should live sacrificially for others, giving up our well-being, even perhaps our very lives for the sake of others.

We should live a life of meeting other's needs.

We should be drawing people to God in word and deed.

We should be kind to others, even if that means saying some harsh things.

We should be ready to change our lives for God's sake.

We should be pure, innocent, but ready to be crafty for God's will to be done.

Of course, it is difficult, actually impossible, to live this way. This is why we need, as humans, Jesus' teaching as well as his life. Jesus taught us to repent, to confess and to turn away from sin. This is a process, not a one time event.

We are to follow Jesus. This means living like Him, living in his footsteps. But if we make a misstep, then we turn back. The Christian life is direction, not perfection.

Descent to Hell

Why did Jesus go to hell?

(One thing, however, it was not “hell” or simply a place of punishment, but Sheol, which had both hades and a place of paradise)

Scripturally, there are two answers.

First, in order to preach the gospel to those captive to death. Jesus is the first to explain to the masses already dead why they are where they are. People who lived lives that were as good as anyone else had it explained to them that they needed to repent to be a part of God’s kingdom. And to those who were without bodies, but righteous in God’s eyes, Jesus explains that they will receive new bodies and that through Him, they can not access God and make requests.

Secondly, Jesus “took captivity captive”—he took those who had repented in their lives, and had faith in God, and he brought them into the presence of God, as a part of his kingdom.

Bonaventure has Jesus going to hell after his ascension. That… doesn’t make sense to me. He’d go to Sheol after he died and gets exalted some in his resurrection and then he is exalted the rest of the way in his ascension.

The Ascension

Why did Jesus ascend? It would be so much better if he were here, with us. Then we wouldn’t be so divided because he would be guiding us. No one could say, “Jesus isn’t like you say” because there he’d be, in front of us. No one could deny the power of God. It wouldn’t be in secret—we’d be living for him, in his presence.

So why does he hide? Because he knows where the power of the universe is. He is invited to be at the center of the universe, where the greatest work can be done. He left us with the task of doing what needs to be done, by His power.

Free-Will Christendom

Bonaventure quotes passages of Jesus sending the disciples out to all the world to preach the gospel, and he names it “Jesus given dominion over all the earth.” Well, I do believe that Jesus was given dominion, but is his sending the disciples out a sign of that dominion. He is sending them out as ambassadors, not as rulers.

Rather, the disciples are giving out an invitation to be a part of a spiritual kingdom. Everyone may, if they so choose, abandon their citizenship to this world, to these nations, to all the systems corrupted by Satan, and become a citizen of Jesus’ kingdom, of the just law and the just ruler, where the poor are cared for. But this is not dominion, for every person must make their own choice as to whether they accept citizenship in this kingdom. No one is born to it, everyone must accept it, willingly.

So Jesus, in a sense, does have dominion, but only over those who willingly surrender themselves to him and his kingdom.

Why The Resurrection?

Jesus was resurrected because he had offered himself like a sacrifice.

“My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities. Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the booty with the strong; because He poured out Himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors.” Isaiah 53:11-12

It is the law of reversals—that which you grant for the sake of others’ will be granted to you on the last day. But as a hint of what is to come, and to grant us the Kingdom to live in now, Jesus was resurrected from the dead. And this offer is not just for Him, but for all of us who choose to live a righteous life before God and to sacrifice themselves for the sake of others.

The Battle

“Now that the combat of the passion was over, and the bloody dragon and raging lion thought that he had secured a victory by killing the Lamb, the power of the divinity began to shine forth in his soul as it descended into hell.” -Bonaventure

I love the battle imagery that Bonaventure uses here. It is so true, it was a battle. And just as the witch thought that the battle was one-sided and that Aslan was defeated, the evil one was mistaken in the outcome of the war. For his greatest defeat was yet to come.

The Burial of Jesus

God bless Joseph and Nicodemus! They may have been cowards, but they were there for Jesus when they could truly offer him assistance.

Torn Veil

Why was the temple veil torn in two? Because it was the priests that killed Jesus.

Yes, technically, they had the Romans do the dirty work, but Pilate had declared him innocent, it was the priests who manipulated the political situation to have Jesus killed. It was the priests who declared him guilty and worthy of death. It was the priests who arranged to have him arrested, who had judged him before he even went on trial. The priests— those who were the rulers of the Jewish people throughout the world, who were charged with the upholding of God’s law, who were the mediators of God’s grace and covenant— they took the most righteous man and declared him guilty and killed him. They took the one that best represented God’s will and they put him in shame outside the city of God.

Because of this, the cult, the very temple/priest system itself was no longer worthy of God’s glory. The glory that filled the Holy of Holies from the beginning of the temple, the presence of God that was represented by the lights on Hanukah—that glory departed from the temple, leaving destruction in its wake. All of the spiritual power that the Temple represented, it was gone. The priests didn’t know this—they weren’t aware of God’s presence for a while. So for them the veil ripping was a problem they had to take care of, possibly a form of vandalism. But for God is was the decisive moment—no longer would the presence of God be found in the Temple. Rather, it would be found in the person of Jesus and His people.

Anawim's Deliverance Psalm 22, Part 2

In the first part of Psalm 22, we read about a man who was in dire circumstances. He was accused of being evil by the people of God, and so he was attacked and judged. They began to tear him to pieces, to torture him, to strip him naked and to mock him. Then they began to close in… But the psalmist’s cry was wondering where is God in all this? He was innocent—was God going to deliver him? Shouldn’t God deliver him? Or did God agree with his attackers—that he was evil and accursed by God?

But You O Yahweh, be not distant.
My strength, hasten to my aid.
Deliver my life from the sword
My only life from the dogs power.
Save me from the lion's mouth,
From the horns of the wild oxen deliver me.
The psalmist now, in the most dire of circumstances, cries out to God. Up until this point in the psalm, the psalmist has not actually asked God for help. He complained to God that God hadn’t saved him yet, but he has not asked for help. Now the psalmist is direct in his request. He knows that no one can save him but God. God is his knight on shining armor, his Dudley Doright, coming to save him in the last minute. Before in the psalm, the psalmists enemies are describes as dogs—because they are encircling him—as a lion—because they attack with intent to kill—and as bulls—because of their mauling him. Now he is asking God to deliver him from these three creatures.

I will proclaim Your name to my brothers;
In the midst of the assembly, I will praise you.
You who fear Yahweh, praise Him!
All you descendents of Jacob, honor Him!
And stand in awe of Him, all you descendents of Israel.
For He has not spurn or abhor the plight of the anawim
He did not hide His face from him
When he cried out to Him for help, He listened.
From you comes my praise in the great assembly;
I shall pay my vows before those who fear Him.
If God delivers him, the psalmist makes a promise—he will glorify God before his people. Obviously, it is not all of God’s people attacking the psalmist. Perhaps only a select group of leaders. But God always leaves a remnant of people who truly love him and worship him. This remnant is whom the psalmist is really family with—the anawim. The anawim are those who have faced terrible troubles, but still trusted in God through them. Perhaps his own family rejected him, but God has given him one who really love and serve God. And among these people, the anawim will declare his deliverance. They will not be left in the midst of these enemies—delivered to death and torture. No, they will be delivered by God, and able to proclaim God’s true nature.
God is not the God of forsaking—He is the God of deliverance. God pays attention to the innocent and abused, the anawim. He does not leave them alone. Sure, it may seem that God has left the anawim alone for a period of time, but in the end God will save them and punish the ones who destroy his innocent people. The anawim cry out to God, and expect his deliverance. And so, when the deliverance comes, they give praise to God’s name, who acted for them!

The anawim will eat and be satisfied;
Those who seek Him will praise Yahweh
May your hearts live forever!
These anawim are the true people of God. Yes, they all go through terrible circumstances at times. They are persecuted, they suffer, they are hated, they are torn apart—but God delivers them. And after that deliverance, God gives abundance. They have abundant food, and they are able to praise God. Only those who have experienced deliverance can praise. Only those who gain their hearts desire express joy. And this joy isn’t just for a period of time—it is eternal. The people of God—those who are destroyed by the evil, but stick with God throughout the ordeal—will be kept alive by God forever, secure and safe.
This is the promise of Jesus. Not eternal life for everyone who claims Jesus or who loves God. Rather, eternal life for those who suffer and stick with God (Mark 8:34-37; Mark 13:13). God will resurrect those who died suffering for Him. And they will have joy in place of suffering, communion instead of hatred, exaltation instead of humiliation.

All the ends of the earth take note and turn to Yahweh;
The clans of the nations bow down to You.
For the kingdom is Yahweh's
And he rules over the nations.
Not only is this promise for those among Israel, but it is for all who love God, no matter what nation they are of. All peoples will have an opportunity to love God, serve him, and receive of his salvation. They, too, were abused by God’s people and so they will be delivered, if only they trust in Him. And God will give the opportunity.
Jesus, through his suffering, opened up the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is not just for those born in the nation of Israel. Many immigrants, many hopeless of all the nations, will be welcomed into God’s people and given an opportunity to live for Him.

All who wallow in the ashes of the earth will eat and bow down;
All who go down to the dust will kneel before Him;
Even he who cannot keep his life alive.
The anawim, however—those who were humiliated and abused because they stayed with God—they are God’s special people. They cannot help themselves, so God will help them. God is there for them and will keep them alive for all time because they worshipped Him in their terror, their destruction, their death. God loves them and keeps them forever.


Their descendents will serve Him;
It will be told of Yahweh to future generations.
And they will come and declare his righteousness
To a people not yet born that He does act.
Not only do these whom God love, the anawim, have a special place before God, but so do their children. The descendents of the anawim will make a new people. This new people will go from generation to generation, praising God for what He has done for their forefathers. They will all remember God’s deliverance, praise him for it, and God’s name will be declared to all the world for the sake of His deliverance.

So, although Psalm 22 begins as a complaint, it ends as a hymn in praise of God’s deliverance. Because God is the God of the anawim, God is the God of deliverance. God is always ready to act, the psalmist declares, and even in the face of death, he proclaims God’s power and love. This is why Jesus quoted Psalm 22 on the cross. Not because he was declaring God’s rejection of him. Just the opposite. He was proclaiming his unity with the anawim, and their resurrection and the beginning of God’s kingdom. Although he only stated a line—as much as he could state during his time of oxygen deprivation—he was referring to the whole. Not just the complaint of the anawim, but the promise of deliverance due to the suffering for the sake of God.

Judas' Betrayal

Why did Judas do what he did? Because, as Bonaventure says, he is “hardened”. Judas is usually painted as just some evil person. This is not to say that what he did wasn’t evil—he betrayed his teacher, which was horrible. But at the same time, he knew his teacher was speaking about the destruction of the temple and the overthrow of the priesthood. Which Judas could say was a betrayal of their God-given leaders. The main reason, I think, that Judas betrayed the Savior of the world is because he felt he needed to submit to his government.

Bonaventure wants to emphasize Jesus’ kindness to Judas despite Judas’ betrayal, but I think he goes too far. Jesus didn’t have particularly kind things to say to Judas, just permission to do what he must. Nor did he kiss Judas in the garden, he just allowed Judas to kiss him. All throughout the passion, Jesus is mostly passive, allowing people to do their evil, neither encouraging nor belaying them in their acts of shaming and destroying an innocent, nay, even a man full of good deeds.

“Woe to the man who does not return to the fountain of mercy out of hope of forgiveness but, terrified by the enormity of his crime, despaired!” -Bonaventure

Washing Feet

“The marvelous example of his humility shone forth when, girt with a towel, the King of Glory diligently washed the feet of the fishermen and even of his betrayer.”

Jesus was less concerned about granting blessings and grace to those who “don’t deserve it” than we. We are always careful to make sure that cheaters don’t gain benefit and that the lazy get what they deserve. Jesus gave his grace to all, deserving or not. Honestly, it takes less energy that way.

The washing of feet represents two rituals: one, a ritual of regular purity, granted by Jesus. This is probably confession of sin.

Secondly, it is a ritual granted to each other, where the one serves the other. This is hospitality, the granting of charity and welcome from one disciple to another. This is how we show that we love each other.

The Lord's Supper

The Lord’s Supper was presented twice—once at the last supper and once, in John, at the feeding of the 5000. One is indicated as a fulfillment of the Passover, the other a fulfillment of the feeding of Israel in the wilderness. It is the Last Supper liturgy that got passed to the majority of the church, as shown in Paul’s recitation of it (I Corinthians 11). Nevertheless, the Lord’s Supper is not just restricted to that specific liturgy in the NT, for Paul is seen fulfilling it in the middle of a storm at sea. The Lord’s Supper isn’t just for church, but for wherever it is needed.

The elements of the Lord’s Supper wasn’t just symbolic food, or a small portion for each. It was a meal. A decent amount of bread and wine for everyone to partake and be full from.

The protestant church divided on the point of the substance of the elements. Allow it to be a mystery, and all divisions cease. Luther was such a stubborn mule.