Читать книгу The Second Chance for God’s People - Timothy W. Seid - Страница 10

In times of crisis, we want to know who’s in charge. That’s what people in New Orleans were wondering after Hurricane Katrina blew threw and left such devastation: “Who’s in charge here?” When the levees collapsed and parts of the city began to flood, people sat on roof-tops or wherever they could find to be out of the water, and they waited for help to come. Their signs and their screams were asking, “Who’s in charge here?” As rescue workers began to gather and try to coordinate their tasks, they were asking, “Who’s in charge here?” A month later and two more hurricanes, Rita and Stan, and a devastating earthquake, people of Earth are wondering, “Who’s in charge here?”

Some scientists blame the increased hurricane activity on human action in the production of carbon gases that are thought to be raising the earth’s temperature. Some Christians want to insist that in spite of the terrible and evil things that happen in our world, God is in control, God is on the throne, and we have to accept what happens—at least those things beyond our control. But the New Testament repeatedly teaches that the world has not yet been brought under complete control.

The audience of the book of Hebrews includes people who have experienced subjection under the Roman empire. Each day brings another crisis, another upheaval in the order of life; another blow to their ability to cope with the rigors of work and the struggle to survive; another moment of exasperation when they ask themselves, “Is God really in control, is Jesus really reigning with God in heaven? Why is the world like this if Jesus is God’s Son, the appointed heir to rule with God, who has been exalted to the heavens beyond the angels.”

Who’s in charge? Scripture says it’s not the angels (2:5–8). In fact it doesn’t look like anyone is in charge right now (2:9), but it does look like Jesus is taking charge (2:9).

Scripture Says It’s Not The Angels Who Are In Charge (2:5–8)

The author of Hebrews has been comparing Jesus to the angels. They have not been appointed and exalted (1:2, 4); they are wisps of wind and fire (1:7, 14); they minister on behalf of God for the benefit of humans (1:14). The angels have had a significant role to play in God’s redemptive work in the world. They even took part in the greatest moment of Israelite history, when God gave them the instructions for civic and religious life of their new nation under God (2:1). Now God has done something even greater by appointing and exalting Jesus as God’s Son (1:2–4). We would be foolish to ignore this great thing God is doing, because with greater reward comes greater responsibility (2:1–3).

In the rest of chapter two, the author is drawing a connection a step at a time between the concept of Jesus as Son, who has a familial relationship with humans as a brother, to Jesus as High Priest, who performs that function well because of his empathy with humans. Although Jesus shares human experience for a time, he is ultimately exalted above them (2:9). Jesus functions as a pioneer of human experience and will bring sisters and brothers along with him in this victory over death (2:10–16). Because of his sharing in human experience, Jesus is able to serve as an effective high priest (2:17–18). In this way the rest of chapter two is a transition to the next comparison.

In verses 6–8a, the author quotes from Psalm 8. But he introduces the quotation as though he doesn’t know who said it or where: “someone has testified somewhere.” Perhaps the quotation was part of a collection of quotations from the Old Testament which describe the coming messiah. In any case, the quotation in Hebrews is nearly word for word what we find in the Greek Bible, except for the omission of the phrase “and you have set him over the works of your hands” (LXX Ps 8:7). In the Hebrew Bible, Psalm 8 describes the high status God accorded to humans. We could paraphrase the psalmist’s words in this way: “God, I can’t believe you would care about humans or the children of humans. You caused humans to be a little less than divinity by showing them such honor and giving them dominion over the world.” The Greek translation has allowed for a different way of interpreting the psalm. This messianic reading can be paraphrased in this way: “What is a human being that you are concerned about him, or the messianic “son of man,” that you take notice of him? You diminished him a little bit lower than the angels, you have crowned him as messiah with glory and honor, putting everything in subjection under his feet.”

For the author of Hebrews, the idiom “a little lower” does not mean “lower rank” but is understood in a temporal sense, “a little while.” Psalm 8 then indicates that the messiah is temporarily lower than angels but then crowned with glory and honor, enthroned with everything in subjection to him. Put succinctly, Hebrews concludes the angels are not in charge.

New forms of religion and spirituality come along as people continue to try to find who or what’s in charge. Some forms of feminist spirituality say that it’s the mother goddess, Gaia, who is in charge. Elizabeth Clare Prophet talks about Jesus as one of many Ascended Masters who come to guide humanity. Tom Cruise is a follower of Dianetics founded by L. Ron Hubbard. Wherever you go, you are sure to find people who are searching for who’s in charge. And then they will do whatever they can to influence that entity so that life will be well for them.

Christians act the same way sometimes. We treat prayer and religious observance as a talisman. We act with superstition when we say and do—or don’t say and do—particular things because we think unless we say and do—or don’t say and do—those things, God will not give us what we want or even punish us by bringing misfortune to us or our loved ones. The answer to the question, Who’s in charge?, is not answered by angelic beings, spirit guides, pagan deities, or even a God who is controlled by superstitious acts in the guise of Christian living.

Doesn’t Look Like Anyone is in Charge (2:9)

The author of Hebrews proceeds to comment on two aspects of the Psalm 8 quotation. He wants the audience to know that God did not leave out something. The problem of evil and calamity is not due to God forgetting something and allowing the world to be independent or unrestrained. The reality is, it’s too early to see everything being in subjection to Jesus. We just don’t see it yet.

We may complain every four years when we have to go through the whole process of electioneering and voting, but we really don’t have that much to complain about. Remember how kingdoms and empires used to be. Even if they were fortunate enough to have a clear successor to the throne, the king or queen could be embroiled in war for decades trying to get the various parts of the empire under subjection. The average people on the street may not even know who the current king was—or even if there were one. All they would know is the chaos and confusion that keeps life in constant turmoil. Imagine them saying, “I thought King John was on the throne. Why are there still bandits on the road, crooked tax collectors always increasing rates, and the quality of life spiraling down. Who’s in charge?” The answer comes back, “King John is on the throne, but it takes time to get everything under control. Just wait until he comes again, then he’ll set everything right.”

Granted, it’s now been awhile. For the author of Hebrews, it possibly had only been a few decades. Just give it time, he could say. Now it’s been several millennia and, as a pastor, I am obligated to tell you, just keep holding on. Not yet, but soon you will see everything under subjection. It may not look like anyone’s in charge, but you need to look a little closer.

But it does look like Jesus is taking charge (2:9)

We don’t see everything in subjection, but we do see Jesus crowned with glory and honor. For about thirty years he was lower than angels, but now he has been exalted. Why was he exalted? Because he suffered in death. It was by God’s grace that Jesus would taste death for the benefit of everyone.

Imagine in our make-believe kingdom that the soon-to-be-King John has discovered a plot to overthrow the kingdom. Let’s say it’s suspected that someone has poisoned all the wine to be used at the inaugural ceremony the following day. If the people are allowed to drink the wine, they might all die. In an act of selfless bravery, King John himself tastes the wine. The next day he rises from bed unharmed, the wine is safe, the people are saved. After the ceremony, a man is returning home and is stopped along the way. The question is asked, “Who’s in charge?” The traveler replies, “King John.”

“How do you know,” asks the townsperson.

“Because I saw him crowned,” he responds.

What makes the difference between Christians committed to God and people who are without spiritual and religious commitment? They question, they blame, and sometimes they seek revenge. Why are we able, they might ask us, to live in peace and tranquility, to have love in our hearts, to experience joy, to worship and honor Almighty God, when all around us is tragedy, violence, and loss of life? Three words make the difference for us—or at least they should: We see Jesus. The circumstances of life are the same for us. We too are stunned by the destruction and loss of life that comes from a tsunami, a hurricane, or an earthquake. We too are disgusted by the many who die each day in a war nearly half-way around the world. We too are brought to tears when we hear of the astounding numbers who are dying in areas of Africa. We are able to live in peace and tranquility, to have love in our hearts, to experience joy, to worship and honor Almighty God, because . . . we see Jesus. Jesus has come to the throne. We don’t see everything in subjection yet, but we will.

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Who’s in charge? Scripture says it’s not the angels, in fact it doesn’t look like anyone is in charge, but it does look like Jesus is taking charge. One of my favorite series of books of all time has been The Chronicles of Narnia. I love the way C. S. Lewis portrayed Jesus as the lion Aslan in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Under the rule of the white witch, it’s always winter and never spring. When her reign is broken and Aslan has come to power, the children first see Father Christmas. Then the snow begins to melt, the stream begins to flow again. The world begins to come alive. Aslan is coming!

How do you see the world? Do you see the world under the domination of evil? Or do you see the glimpses of life that bring hope? Do you see Jesus? Jesus on the throne at the right hand of God? Jesus crowned with glory and honor? The one who tasted death for you? It may not look like it at times, but God has set Jesus in charge and he is coming.