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Who Sits on Jesus’ Right and Left in His Glory?

April 19, 2012 — 4 Comments

Have you ever wondered who will sit on Jesus right and left in his glory?

In Mark 10:40, Jesus responds to James and John

To sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.

The answer has been in front of us all along.

The Request

In Mark 10:33, Jesus, nearing Jerusalem, gives the most detailed description of his impending death.

Behold we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered to the chief priests and the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death and will hand Him over to the Gentiles. They will mock Him and spit on Him, and scourge Him and kill Him, and three days later He will rise again.

James and John approach Jesus.

Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.

Jesus responds,

You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?

They reply,

we are able.

Jesus affirms that they will be able but as for his right and left this he cannot grant because they have been granted to others.

Jesus’ Glory

The only place we find anyone on Jesus right and left is in the crucifixion.

They crucified two robbers with him, one on his right and one on his left. (15:27)

And what’s interesting is that the detail comes at the culmination of a list of coronation elements.

At the Praetorium (read Ceasar’s guard),
the soldiers put a purple robe on him (15:16)
They put a crown on his head (15:17)
They said, “hail, king of the Jews (15:18)
They fell on their knees and paid homage to him (15:19)
They post a sign above him: “king of the Jews.” (15:26)
They place men on his right and his left (15:27)

Jesus’ glory is not something past the horror’s of the crucifixion. In an ironic twist those who mocked and crucified Jesus because of his claim to the throne placed him on the throne.

The Disciples Misunderstanding

Jesus tells James and John,

You don’t know what you are asking.

The disciples all appear to have believed that Jesus was heading for His coronation in Jerusalem. From the moment Peter declared Jesus to be “the Christ,” they had thoughts of earthly glory.

Three times Jesus banishes all these thoughts, telling them he’s going to suffer, die and be raised again (8:31, 9:30-31, 10:32-34). But the disciples just don’t get it. Peter rebukes Jesus. The disciples argue about which one of them is the greatest. And here James and John have the audacity to request to sit on his right and left in his glory.

You don’t know what you are asking.

He is the Christ, the King, but he’s not the king of the disciples expectations.

Nor ours.

If you desire share in Jesus’ glory remember such places are prepared only for those who die with Him.

What do you think?

In Bible, Easter, Gospels, Jesus

The Reason Jesus Entered Jerusalem on a Donkey

April 3, 2012 — 6 Comments

There’s more to Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey then a fulfillment of Zachariah 9:9. Jesus’ actions replay a crucial moment in Israel’s monarchy, the day Solomon, the son of David, was crowned king of Israel.

Solomon’s Coronation

1 Kings 1 records the important events surronding Solomon’s coronation.

When David was old his eldest son, Adonijah, took advantage of his father’s weakness and united publically with the king’s men. And thus declared his intentions to the throne.

But a few were troubled by his plans. Bathsheba, for one, went to David and reminded him of the promise he made to her and her son.

The king then took an oath: “as surely as the Lord lives who has delivered me out of every trouble, I will surely carry out today what I swore to you by the Lord, the God of Israel: Solomon your son shall be king after me and he will sit on my throne in my place.”

He instructed them.

set Solomon my son on my own mule and take him down to the Gihon. There have Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel. Blow the trumpet and shout, ‘Long live King Solomon!’

And they did as he said.

Then they sounded the trumpet and all the people shouted, “Long live King Solomon. And all the people went up after him, playing flutes and rejoicing greatly, so that the ground shook with the sound.

But of course the news didn’t make everyone glad. Adonijah and his supporters fled from their feast in fear.

The Significance of the Coronation.

The fact that the elements of the coronation are repeated three times in 1 Kings 1(1:32-35; 38-40; 43-48) indicates that they are very important. This is the first dynastic transfer of power in Israel’s history. An event the nation could not easily forget. And while I do not know for certain, it would not surprise me to discover that these elements, including the entry into Jerusalem on a mule, became standard practice for all subsequent davidic coronations. Zechariah 9:9 may hint at the continuation of this practice.

Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Jesus’ Coronation

Certainly the people present at Jesus’ entry that day understood his actions. There interpretation of the events is evident from their cries recorded in each of the four gospels. In Matthew they shout,

Hosanna to the Son of David!

Mark records them saying,

Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!

In Luke we hear them say,

Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!

And in John they cry,

Blessed is the King of Israel.

That the public recognizes Jesus’ claim to the throne is significant because no where in the gospels does Jesus openly declare himself king. Peter’s confession in Matthew 16:13-19, Mark 8:27-30 and Luke9:18-21 is met by Jesus with a blessing as well as a command for them not to repeat this to anyone. (Matthew 16:13-20). While it may be likely that some in the crowd remembered this small passage in Zachariah, Its more likely that they looked upon Jesus’ actions with one eye on the past and remembered how the first ‘son of David’ was crowned king in Jerusalem.

Jesus actions that day were symbolic. By riding a donkey into Jerusalem, Jesus declared his right to throne.

In Bible, Easter, Jesus

Will Some Who Have Never Known Jesus Enter His Kingdom?

March 22, 2012 — 48 Comments

According to Jesus’ parable of the Sheep and the Goats the answer is no and yet also surprisingly yes.

The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats

You’ve heard this parable right? Pastors often share it when imploring followers of Jesus to help their fellow man. In Matthew 25:31-46, we read

When the Son of Man comes… All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

To those on his right he says,

‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.

The righteous are shocked. They ask,

Lord, when did we see you…

He answers,

I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.

The King then turns to those on his left and pronounces the opposite judgement with a similar pattern. They are cursed and sent away to the eternal fire because when they did not do it for them they did not do it for him.

So what is the meaning of the parable? All sorts of explanations have been offered but the most common interprets the sheep and the goats as true and false Christians and the brothers of Jesus as the needy of this world. The point of the parable is therefore to encourage believers to lend a helping hand because in doing so they unknowingly lend a hand to Jesus.

Its a great application. But is it really what the parables about?

Who are Jesus’ brothers?

The parables’ interpretation hinges on the identity of Jesus’ brothers. While it is true that at least some of these “brothers” are in need, their need does not define them. The need simply identifies them as the “least.” Jesus, in Matthew 12:48, has already made known the identity of his “brothers.”

Who are my mother and my brothers?” Then pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.

His brothers are His followers.

Who are the Sheep and the Goats?

It doesn’t make sense than to say that the sheep and the goats are likewise Christians, followers of Jesus. You would think at least the sheep as “true believers” would recognize their Lord in helping those who likewise followed Him. They’ve heard this parable right? But its significant that neither the sheep nor the goats recognize the Son of Man.

The parable identifies the sheep and goats as the gathered nations or gentiles. And in Matthew 18:17 gentiles means outsiders.

If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

Thus it appears that the sheep and the goats collectively represent all those who in the days prior to the kingdom did not knowingly follow Jesus. The nations are all those who have not recognized the Son of Man.

The Inclusive Jesus

The message of the parable thus appears to be the exact opposite of the one we’ve grown accustomed to. Here, Christians are not blessed for serving the needy of the world. Instead non-Christians are blessed for serving needy Christians.

Its a comforting message that should not be carried too far. Salvation is still found only in Jesus. But the parable likewise indicates that its possible in some sense to unknowingly serve Jesus. Because He loves His family, He loves those who have loved them. The promise given to Abraham is now extended to Christ’s followers.

I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse…

Such a message should comfort all those who have seen loved ones die without explicitly acknowledging Jesus. The parable teaches that in the end Jesus will be good to those who have been good to his people.

What do you think?

In Bible, Jesus, Life

A Case for Luke and Atonement

March 15, 2012 — 2 Comments

Luke’s view of Christ’s death is controversial today. Though there is little doubt that Luke finds significance in the crucifixion, a question arises in weather or not he teaches that it satisfies God’s punishment for sin.

The issue becomes clearest when comparing Luke and Mark. Luke follows Mark’s gospel with near verbatim agreement but at 22:27 he declines to follow Mark 10:45 in saying that Jesus came to “give his life as a ransom for many.” This has led some to read another meaning than the vicarious atonement found elsewhere in the New Testament.

It is not my intention to rehash all the issues here (You can find excellent overviews here and here). Instead I want to suggest an entirely overlooked way through the maze. Jesus as a victorious Adam.

Luke Presents Jesus as a New Adam

This is beyond a doubt the intention of Luke’s genealogy. Instead of beginning with Abraham and working forward to Jesus as Matthew’s does, Luke begins with Jesus and works backwards to Adam. The net effect makes Luke’s genealogy a list of sons rather than a list of fathers and emphasizes Adam rather than Jesus. Of course Luke’s intention is not to diminish Jesus. Instead he reveals how Adam, like Jesus, is also “the son of God.”

Luke’s seemingly odd placement of the family tree outside the nativity lends weight to this comparison. The list is bookended by statements concerning Jesus’ sonship. In the baptism God declares Jesus to be His son, and in the temptations Satan challenges “if you are the Son of God…” Both Jesus and Adam are God’s son.

Luke Depicts Jesus Tempted Like Adam

Jesus temptation follows after Adam’s name. If Luke intends to present Jesus as the second “son of God” as I have suggested, then the temptations could not have been better placed. But Jesus’ success here is merely the beginning of a battle that will continue in the later part of Luke. Luke tells us that the devil left him until an “opportune time.” Satan finds such opportunity at the beginning of the crucifixion plot, entering into Judas Iscariot (Luke 22:3).

This suggests that the events surrounding the crucifixion are themselves a continuation of the temptation. Certainly there are echoes of the devil’s challenge at the trial when they ask “Are you the Son of God…” It’s Jesus bold affirmative to this question which becomes the hinge on which His condemnation comes. As with the other gospels Jesus confession is juxtaposed with Peter’s denial. If Peter’s denial is due as Luke tells us to the sifting of Satan (22:31-32) then there is little doubt that Satan is here present in this challenge to Jesus.

Luke Portrays Jesus Undoing the Curse of Adam

Much has been made about Luke’s version of the centurions confession. In Mark the centurion declares “Truly this man was the Son of God!” but in Luke he says “Surely this man was innocent!” Owing to the fact that Luke has already declared Jesus to be the Son of God, it is doubtful that Luke is here shying away from this fact. Instead it appears that the verdict of innocence is indeed what Luke emphasizes.

For Luke, however, this verdict of innocence is more than a reference to the crime for which Jesus has been charged. It is Jesus victory over all temptation which is more likely in mind. What Christ has done in this victory is reopen the way closed by Adam. Jesus final words to the thief on the Christ are connected to Luke’s Adam motif. Jesus says, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” It this word that the Septuagint and the book of Revelation use in reference to the garden of Eden.

Several of these points have been noted by others (here and here) but no one that I’ve found looks to Luke’s Adam motif as the key to understanding Christ’s death on the cross. Does Luke teach that the crucifixion of Jesus satisfies God’s punishment for sin? Absolutely. Jesus is the victorious Son of God who’s innocent death reverses the curse of Adam.