I argued before that public condemnation, scourging, and crucifixion at the hands of the Jewish and Roman religio-political powers was the only possible – though not the fated – end for Jesus’ career. Given what it was he was attempting to do, no other death would have been fitting. Given that, I want to attempt to explain how it is that this death really undid the evil and stripped the powers of their (pseudo)sovereignty.
Jesus’ death came at the hands of all the powers, religious, political, socio-cutural, economic, etc. They were all equally and fully arrayed against him – and he against them.
Further, his death destroyed the powers because it simultaneously confronted and equally condemned all of them. Jesus’ died not as religious martyr or as a political revolutionary seeking to establish a new socio-economic order. He did not die as a Jew or for them as a people (though of course he was and remains a Jew). Because of this, his death had no worldly significance or religio-political purchasing power. Jesus’ death was utterly unexploitable, so all of the powers were defeated at once.
It is important to remember that his death dispelled his followers and proved his opponents to have been right all along. No one – and this point has to be stressed – found his death meaningful or inspiring. More than that, they did not at first even find his resurrection meaningful or inspiring! They were simply bewildered by it all.
Of course, Jesus’ death is salvific not only because of the way he died, but also because of the fact that it was him who did the dying. I’m arguing (1) that only he could die this way, and (2) that only a death of this kind – a death that is equally unavailable to all the powers for exploitation – could have accomplished God’s victory over the evil that had corrupted creation.
It’s been hard to keep up with you this week, Chris. Prolific, indeed.
This last post sums up the series well. I’m often hesitant to speak in such radical terms, but I think you’re on to something here (and if I’ve read Wright right, I think he alludes in JVG to the kind of death you describe in number 2). It all highlights well the inbreaking of God’s future into the present.
Chris,
Good to hear from you and I’m happy to hear you’re reading! And you’ve read Wright rightly- or we both of us have read him wrongly! I’m indebted to him of course for much of what I say here.
Hope to hear from you again soon
Chris,
Absolutely! I think this helps me understand Colossians 1:15-20 and Philippians 2:6-11 which I have posted for reference.
Jesus’ death was utterly unexploitable, so all of the powers were defeated at once. However, I think it is unfortunate that Christians have exploited the death of Jesus by attributing inappropriate forms of power to Him. For example, we evoke the name of Jesus to bless our wars and give us more “things” and because of this we are often blinded to the true power of Jesus, the power live in weakness, suffering, and love for all of creation.
Colossians 1: 15-20
15He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Philippians 2:6-11
6Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
If I follow, it is in His triumph over the “principalities and powers” that Jesus makes the world truly secular. Man, previously victimized by worldly powers claiming divinity, is now allowed to live, move, be in a world depopulated of controlling spirits and demons, a world that is truly secularized. We are allowed then, in this “faith preserved secularity” to enter relationship as son to Father, through faith, not through a world system. Since the world can no longer provide for us ultimate meaning, it can no longer make such a claim of us.
Yes, yes, yes!!! To both of you! God has given the world back to us in Christ, a truly secular world – or, to put it another way, a truly sacred world. For those of us who know the truth as Christ, we know that the world has no ultimate power, and so it can be to us and for us what God intended all along.
And as you say, Stephen, we do take God’s name in vain whenever we exploit Christ for our gain. Any presentation of the gospel that makes God useful, that makes God a kind of benefit I can add to my life for its betterment is anathema!
Stephen just quoted the entire New Testament.
Friedrich Gogarten in “Reality of Faith” writes at length and in similar manner, and tone, about this subject.
Though he would not say as you Chris that the world becomes truly sacred. Of ultimate importance to him is the idea of the world being freed from man’s-temptation-as he would say- to make it sacred.
but then you did us the little “s” not the “S” capped one.