Chapter 7 - Jesus the Teacher

Knowing Me, Knowing You - Ahaaaa! It might be a strange way to start a discussion about our Lord's teaching, but I think it fits. All about Jesus' parables, the seventh chapter of Drane's work does a nice job of showing that the many stories Christ shared with those around Him were focused on relationships - the relationships we have with God's Law, with God's kingdom, God's people, and with God Himself. The author reminds us that in Jesus, our relationship with God shifts, and He "can be addressed and known in the same intimate way that a human father might be addressed by a child."(p. 130) And so it's in relationships, it's Jesus teaching us that we can call God "Dad - Abba" that we can find the deeper meanings of the Lord's teachings.

What beautiful ways to reach out to the world the parables are. Christ, the master story teller, weaving images that the common woman or man could understand. Drawing us in, revealing to us the truth of the "significant aspects of God's own nature," (p. 128) Jesus desires that His children would come to know the character of God. He knows that as we come closer to God, we move further away from the ways of the world. In the parables we can see that God's sovereignty - He has authority over and is in control of everything. And we hear of God's love for us who don't really warrant His attention - and we see its unconditional nature. In God's grace, and in His compassion for a rebellious people, we see a God who is unending on His generosity in His provision for us.

But Jesus also taught us how to approach God in ways that pleasing to Him. He spoke of turning our lives around in repentance, "being prepared for a radical change in lifestyle...in order to become a member of God's kingdom." (p. 131) And maybe even more importantly, Jesus made it plain that God would accept no other way. God wants us all to come to Him...on His terms. Even as Jesus answered when asked about what was the most important law - He taught the same in His parables, showing that a proper relationship with God involves a living relationships with the communities in which we live.

One of the great things is that we can see that Jesus was the best teacher who ever was. Others had come before Him. "[Eager] students had sat at the feet of intellectual giants such as Plato or Socrates, hoping to discover the meaning of life." (p. 121) How amazing is it for us, that instead of sitting at His feet, we walk beside our Lord - having discovered life Himself.

Chapter 6 - What is God's Kingdom?

All but right away, Drane points out something that at times in history, the Church seems to have struggled with. He says that God's kingdom is contrary to the idea of "the establishment of a new state which, in contrast to the countries around [Jesus/Israel], would somehow be ruled by God in person." (p. 112) It is possible that maybe, if not maybe even just secretly, the Church would like God to call "times up?" But that points to the different eschatological views that the author discusses. Drane calls it nonsense, the notion of God's kingdom as a political state (p. 113), and surely he is absolutely right.

Jesus calls on us to live in a new way, because of His light within us. We who have been drawn to Him have witnessed the truth, and we are subjects to the real King, the One who reigns eternally. Rather than pledging allegiance to a flag, or swearing an oath, the reclaimed subjects of Christ's Kingdom are loyal to the throne in their concern for the "quality of human life, and nature of meaningful relationships, rejecting attitudes of power and control in favour of love, acceptance and mutual service." (p. 113) God's hand is on those who are called by His name, and He intends to bring glory to His name through us.

You wanna have a great discussion with something that might go in some directions you might think are really odd - pick eschatology! Now I'm not one to criticize someone else's beliefs (unless they're not mine ;-p) but I don't quite understand how people establish a view common to Schweitzer's futurist point of view. Schweitzer seems to strip Jesus of all divinity, and places on Him the mantel of failed prophet who then attempted to bring about His own unrealized prophecies. And yes, Dodd may have been closer to the mark in seeing the kingdom relaized in Christ, but Drane is right to point out that Jesus Himself, and other Scriptural authors, spoke of a later coming. I find the material surrounding the parousia is difficult to settle on. And I think maybe God intended that way. For now, the coming kingdom or the kingdom come gives God's people a chance to explore His word and keep in dialogue about Him and its meaning. Maybe it's not all that confusing after all.

Chapter 5 - The Resurrection

I think most of us would agree - without a belief in the historical event of Jesus' resurrection, there is NO REASON to be Christian. Our claim to have found (or better yet, been found by) the greatest revelation of God - in Jesus - is confirmed in His dominance over even the forces of death. Other religious movements may point to prophets or other divine men, but not one of them (and I'll jump on a wagon that Danny first showed me) is reliant in the current life of a man who was born of virgin and who rose from the dead, by His own will.

I appreciate Drane's observation about the disciples. Here was a band of "yeller, chicken-hearted fools" who had all jumped ship. Now, I write it like that for two reasons: 1) John Wayne movies are just awesome, and 2) I would have been hiding with them. For this "band on the run" to get it turned around in such a way that they "were prepared to stake their lives on the fact that Jesus was alive," (p. 105) just shouts out how convinced they were of two things: 1) Jesus had been dead, and 2) Jesus was now alive. The basis of their ability to move beyond their fears was the foundation of the church.

The earliest Christians were convinced, and Drane examines this briefly too. Surely he must be right when he says, "[there] can be no question that the earliest Christians were completely convinced that the resurrection event...was a real, historical happening that had taken place in their own world." (p. 98) I believe that we too, some 2000 years later, have an ability to rest as confident in our Savior's power to preserve life and grant it in everlasting fashion - just as the first christians did because of the resurrection.

Chapter 4 - Understanding Jesus' Death

Understanding Jesus' death - HA! Maybe one day, but not while I run the earth and watch the sky!

It's strange that a text book could take one through a set of emotions, but that's what Drane did with me in this chapter. Lately, the thoughts of Christ's betrayal, trial, and crucifixion have been leaving me feeling upset - maybe low, humble, or sad. I find my feelings hard to explain, but I can tell you that I feel bothered by the day Jesus paid a price I should have.

Drane excellently points out that all our knowledge still leaves us shy of the complete understanding of the events of Calvary. But I don't really agree with him that the best rationale we can achieve is that of figure, or allegory. Have you ever heard it said that the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed? Well - that's how I try and look at this time at the cross. I appreciate Drane examining New Testament writers as they wrestle with the crucifixion, but to avoid the Old Testament in this discussion, seems to avoid the point of Christ's work.

Now, I'm no OT scholar - so please don't expect a treatise on OT Christology, but I think I can at least begin a discussion about Jesus' sacrificial work on the cross. As I think of where to start, I remember that Jesus said He came to fulfill the Law and the prophets (Matt. 5:17). I don't know everything He meant in that, but surely He was pointing at what we call the Old Testament. And then I remember that Jesus knew the things that had to come (Mark 8:29-31; Mark 10:32-34; John 7:33-36; others). It just seems like Jesus knew what had been written of Him before, and why He had come.

Drane tries to partially explain away the sacrificial aspects of Jesus' crucifixion by saying that God would have to be a blood-thirsty despot with a "perverted sense of justice and moral responsibily," (p.86) and a "harsh and unbending demand for justice." (ibid.) But he does this by asking us to consider God's perfect Law and justice with our flawed and sinful understanding of those same aspects in human their human forms. That's where things get a little loose for me. I won't get too deep into this, but there are two OT verses/passages that have framed my thoughts on this subject for some time.

First - I don't really have to understand everything about God's version of justice, but I do know that He will not have sin in His presence. The prophet Habakkuk put it this way: "Your eyes are too pure to behold evil, and you cannot look on wrongdoing." (Habakkuk 1:13; NRSV) This tells me that unless there is something done to somehow cover or omit my sin, I cannot possible come into the presence of sin (never mind Leviticus 16).

The other passage from the prophets comes from Isaiah. To me, and I know to many others, it speaks of God's intention to relieve those who will come to Him of their burden. I won't put it all here, but the passage is sometimes referred to as the "Song of the Suffering Servant" (Isa. 52:13-53:12). I know there are other interpretations of what this passage means - but I think it points directly to Jesus and His work on the cross.

Before I hang up on this call - I just want to remind ye, while Isaiah is still fresh in your mind, that Jesus spake onto His disciples and said, "Therefore doth my Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have the power to lay it down, and I have the power to take it again. This commandment I received of My Father." (John 10:17-18; KJV)

Chapter 3 - Who was Jesus?

Last week Carolyn got to invoke the band Trooper. My turn - except with Paul McCartney and Wings. Sorry about this, but this is my "Blog on the Run."

All these titles for Christ, and the folks back then still didn't get it. Not even His closest friends really understood whose company they kept. One day He asked them, "Who do all the people out there say that I am?" Well everyone had something different to say. "But who do you say that I am," Jesus then asked them. I can just imagine the long pause that must have happened as the twelve looked around to figure out who was going to say something. Then Peter offered, "You are the Messiah."

You know, I wonder what Peter meant when he spoke those words - I'll bet he got the idea of a King. He probably wanted rescue from Roman rule as much as the next guy. But I have my doubts that he saw the Prophet and the High Priest standing before him as he uttered his words. Today, how deep do we allow the Christ to go with us. Are we prepared to see Him as our King, Prophet, High Priest - our Sacrifice?

Drane spends substantial time on discussing the Old Testament pointers to Christ as the Son of Man. Folks, I have trouble sometimes trouble with Daniel's prophesies sometimes; the voice can lead in many ways. But when Jesus claimed to be the Son of Man, I rejoice with great delight. No matter how you take understand what He meant by calling Himself that, it's hard to not take hope in His words: "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory." One day, I don't know when, Jesus, the Son of Man, is coming back with all the authority that is His.

At times, it still seems hard to imagine that the Son of God came to earth. The very essence of God, the co-eternal presence who carefully and craftily manufactured the entirety of creation, the one whose Spirit rides these days out with me today, came to earth just to save me, you, and everyone who will come to Him from ourselves and our sin. WOWWIE! God is glorious.

Today, there are probably even more names for Jesus than there ever have been. The world in which we live is a confused and wounded place. When I read Drane, and when I think about the time, effort, and energy poured into studying this material, and in preparing to teach it, I praise God that that He has gifted us all with His grace. The Messiah, the Son of Man, the Son of God walked the earth almost 2000 years ago, He walks the earth today through you and me, and He has promised to set His feet on earth again one day when He comes to claim His kin. Call Him what you like - that's the Lord who gave His life for us - that's my Jesus.