Jesus of Nazareth, without money and arms, conquered more millions than Alexander the Great, Caesar, Mohammed, and Napoleon; without science and learning, he shed more light on things human and divine than all philosophers and scholars combined; without the eloquence of school, he spoke such words of life as were never spoken before or since, and produced effects which lie beyond the reach of orator or poet; without writing a single line, he set more pens in motion, and furnished themes for more sermons, orations, discussions, learned volumes, works of art, and songs of praise than the whole army of great men of ancient and modern times. –Philip Schaff
Dear Friends,
This week we watch the NT Wright and Mike Bird video presentation for chapter 10 of “The New Testament In Its World.” We have been viewing portions of this video the past two weeks, but with Spring travel, as well as the depth and breadth of the topic, we took a straw poll and decided to watch it again. This presentation, along with the one for Easter, as the longest in the series and I believe are well worth the extra time. Wright and Bird have been building to this discussion through the previous chapters, and drawing together many themes that we have already covered.
My own journey has not been overly preoccupied with wondering about how Jesus understood himself, and I find myself on some fresh ground as I recall all of the introspection and self analysis that I have both given and received through the years. It is rare to find any field of modern, Western, life that has not been touched by the arts of psychology, psychiatry, counseling, therapy, life-coaching, personal growth, etc. And I find myself wondering WWJD – What Would Jesus Do if he found himself in a counseling session? WWJD if he found himself in a “power of positive thinking” seminar, or a Dale Carnegie course? WWJD if after a psychiatric evaluation, he left with a recommendation to begin a course of medication?
Given that I have benefited greatly from counseling, positive thinking, and spiritual direction: and given that people I know and love have benefitted greatly from courses of psychiatric medication, I trust through the mediations of the Incarnation that Christ is “in the midst” of all human endeavor; whatever shape or form in which it might appear. Through the years I also find myself borrowing a point that was made by a church historian some time ago that many of those we consider saints, or holy people, would most likely be committed to an asylum in the modern world if we were to meet them on the street in transparency of their original and most authentic persona; her point is that there is often a tinge of what some might call “madness,” or of being “touched,” in the lives and behavior of the holy and the gifted.
So WWJD? So, who did Jesus think that he was? Who really knows? Our chapter does not seek to close all the fire escapes of possibility in pursuit of a possible answer. Wright and Bird simply see to give some informed and reasonable shape to what I believe is a reasonable question; however, in this case, it is about a 45 minute answer.
See you Sunday in the Garden Room at St Marks at 9.30 for the whole video.
Blessings and Godspeed,
Alston
The Carpenter's Nail 