The Politics of Incarnation
Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom [God's] favor rests.
- Luke 2:14
Funny thing about this verse. It is quoted in Christmas cards and in Christmas carols. Its words are imprinted on all manner of Christmas-related stuff: ornaments, banners, trees, plates - you name it. The phrase "peace on Earth" is probably the most widely recognized biblical saying relating to Christmas. It epitomizes the warm, sentimental holiday buzz that we all like to get about this time of year.
And yet...
The tidings of peace that were announced to the shepherds on that day have yet to be fully realized. God, it seems, offered peace for our world - but we have flatly rejected it. Jesus would later say something quite the opposite of the angelic greeting that coincided with his own birth:
Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. (Mt. 10:34).
The following verses make it clear: Jesus will be a dividing force in the world, ripping apart even the most intimate of family relationships. And an upheaval of violence is expected to follow the arrival of his Kingdom.
It seems that we have been given a choice. We can choose our own way (that is, the way of our own "little kingdoms") or we can choose the way of peace (that is, the way of the Kingdom of God). The two can't coexist. They are like matter and antimatter, two Betta fish in the same tank, or - to be more biblical - light and darkness. Where they meet, violence follows.
To be sure, violence was exactly what followed Christ's birth. The violence of a thousand male babies, butchered and silenced. The violence of the mob that tortured and crucified Jesus. The violence of the stoning of Stephen, and the repeated attacks on the apostles who brought the "good news" of God's kindgom into a wider world. The violence that martyred Peter and Paul and sent Christians to the lions den or which burned them alive to light up Rome during the night.
In that sense, the incarnation of Jesus was the most revolutionary political event in human history. It announced the beginning of a different way. A way that says "we're all in this together" rather than "I'm on top, and you're not." A way that seeks to serve rather than conquer - to love rather than use and abuse.
And it wasn't welcomed.
When faced with the prospect of the beginning of God's kingdom of peace and justice and, hence, the end of their own, the Kings, Emperors, Dictators, Prime Ministers, yes, and even the democracies of the world can still react as Herod, the Sanhedrin, and (later) Rome did many years ago: use the sword (or any other "weapon" - the pen or the law or economic influence) in a vain attempt to destroy the kingdom of Peace.
But it never, ever works. And history, it seems continues to inexhorably plow toward the day that the powerful instinctively dread:
Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?" (Rev. 6:15-17)
Peace may be the promise, waiting at the end of the story. But until then, the revolution of the Kingdom of God can expect draw all of hell to itself.
Far from a pleasant, fuzzy, etherial event that immediately changed the world, the incarnation of Jesus was unabashedly and unapologetically political in nature: challenging the authority of every Kingdom that men had (and were yet to) establish on the earth.
Our calling, then, is not so much to bask in the warm, sentimental glow of the holidays - assured that God wants peace in the earth. The implications of the incarnation reach much, much farther than that.
How much farther? Stay tuned.
Next: Why Jesus' ascention was only the beginning of incarnational life on earth.
Technorati Tags: incarnation, Christmas, peace on earth
- Luke 2:14
Funny thing about this verse. It is quoted in Christmas cards and in Christmas carols. Its words are imprinted on all manner of Christmas-related stuff: ornaments, banners, trees, plates - you name it. The phrase "peace on Earth" is probably the most widely recognized biblical saying relating to Christmas. It epitomizes the warm, sentimental holiday buzz that we all like to get about this time of year.
And yet...
The tidings of peace that were announced to the shepherds on that day have yet to be fully realized. God, it seems, offered peace for our world - but we have flatly rejected it. Jesus would later say something quite the opposite of the angelic greeting that coincided with his own birth:
Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. (Mt. 10:34).
The following verses make it clear: Jesus will be a dividing force in the world, ripping apart even the most intimate of family relationships. And an upheaval of violence is expected to follow the arrival of his Kingdom.
It seems that we have been given a choice. We can choose our own way (that is, the way of our own "little kingdoms") or we can choose the way of peace (that is, the way of the Kingdom of God). The two can't coexist. They are like matter and antimatter, two Betta fish in the same tank, or - to be more biblical - light and darkness. Where they meet, violence follows.
To be sure, violence was exactly what followed Christ's birth. The violence of a thousand male babies, butchered and silenced. The violence of the mob that tortured and crucified Jesus. The violence of the stoning of Stephen, and the repeated attacks on the apostles who brought the "good news" of God's kindgom into a wider world. The violence that martyred Peter and Paul and sent Christians to the lions den or which burned them alive to light up Rome during the night.
In that sense, the incarnation of Jesus was the most revolutionary political event in human history. It announced the beginning of a different way. A way that says "we're all in this together" rather than "I'm on top, and you're not." A way that seeks to serve rather than conquer - to love rather than use and abuse.
And it wasn't welcomed.
When faced with the prospect of the beginning of God's kingdom of peace and justice and, hence, the end of their own, the Kings, Emperors, Dictators, Prime Ministers, yes, and even the democracies of the world can still react as Herod, the Sanhedrin, and (later) Rome did many years ago: use the sword (or any other "weapon" - the pen or the law or economic influence) in a vain attempt to destroy the kingdom of Peace.
But it never, ever works. And history, it seems continues to inexhorably plow toward the day that the powerful instinctively dread:
Then the kings of the earth, the princes, the generals, the rich, the mighty, and every slave and every free man hid in caves and among the rocks of the mountains. They called to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?" (Rev. 6:15-17)
Peace may be the promise, waiting at the end of the story. But until then, the revolution of the Kingdom of God can expect draw all of hell to itself.
Far from a pleasant, fuzzy, etherial event that immediately changed the world, the incarnation of Jesus was unabashedly and unapologetically political in nature: challenging the authority of every Kingdom that men had (and were yet to) establish on the earth.
Our calling, then, is not so much to bask in the warm, sentimental glow of the holidays - assured that God wants peace in the earth. The implications of the incarnation reach much, much farther than that.
How much farther? Stay tuned.
Next: Why Jesus' ascention was only the beginning of incarnational life on earth.
Technorati Tags: incarnation, Christmas, peace on earth
posted by Matt at Wednesday, December 21, 2005
3 Comments:
Wow, Matt! This is very interesting to me...I can't wait to read the rest of it!
Tracy
Matt, I do believe that that proclamation was about the ability to actually experience peace. I believe that it is the very same peace that Paul says passes all human understanding. It is the peace that provides comfort in prison and perpective in the cancer ward and calm in the storm. The "good news of great joy" was that of a Savior. Knowing that we have a Savior makes all the difference. I believe that conviction is what the heavenly choir sang about when they said, "Peace on Earth to men on whom God's favor rests." God's favor is God's grace. God's grace is Jesus. The original language tells us that the angel litterally says, "today I EVANGELIZE you with good news of great joy."
I believe that part of the reason that peace on earth hasn't been realized by the world is due to the nature of the choice that you describe so well. I also believe that part of the problem lies with our (Christ-followers)failure to follow the example of the simple shepherds. They saw the Savior and then they spoke of the Savior. All that heard the message of the shepherds were amazed. Note that it doesn't mention anyone rejecting it. Perhaps the problem lies with our conviction that it really happens and that it really makes a difference?
As usual, great post brother. I love your blog!
Joel and Tracy-
Thanks for your comments.
I've changed the sentence that talks about the promise of peace not being "realized" to state that the promise hasn't been "fully realized." I think Joel made a great point - the Kingdom of Peace is accessible to anyone in the here and now who wants to accept it - even in cancer wards and amidst storms.
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