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Do we have to justify or earn our right to exist through extreme testing,
struggle or burden bearing, OR do we just need to start believing the best
about God and ourselves? What does "Come unto me, all you that are
heavily burdened, and I will give you rest" mean?
Cross: Obligatory Burden or Tethering Stake?
Updated:
07/14/2020
The Religious Hold on Us
What is the
primary thing that a man will hold dearer than life?
Does anyone know anybody that will lay down his life to save a car instead? Probably
not. Some men will trade their physical lives to save a wife or
children. But, untold numbers of men have sacrificed their lives to
save their belief system. Just try to get a man to release hold on
his religious paradigm through application of logic and reason! Does that EVER happen?
Some of us HAVE to a greater or lesser yet significant degree let go of our birth-given
religion, at least some of the major dogmas and doctrines. This has usually
been done under duress with great anxiety, even pain, and then usually only
haltingly, reluctantly and
slowly. However, given that the various belief systems aren't working to
deliver what we ultimately want and need, why is it such another thing altogether to proactively
challenge our belief system and to be willing and anxious to change it where
needed? Does that EVER happen?
The False Call to Suffering
Below are the two passages that are traditionally translated, "take up his cross and
follow me". This translation rather consistently takes us into the
mindset that Jesus is asking us to share his burden, become willing
to suffer the slings and arrows of being a follower. You know,
those vicissitudes that God in his infinite wisdom allows or even
visits upon us to build our character and refine our faith in the
crucible of tribulation. However, the translation of the Greek word
"stauros" as cross is a somewhat artificial or forced one, because
the much more general meaning of the word is stake or peg meant to
be driven into the ground to tether a goat or the corner of a tent.
Matthew 10:34-39 "Do not think that I have come to cast peace on the
earth; I came not to cast peace, but a sword. For I came to dissever
a man from his father, and a daughter from her mother, and a
daughter-in-law from her mother-in-law; a man's <spiritual> enemies
can be those of his own household. The one loving father or mother
above me is not worthy of me; and the one loving son or daughter
more than me is not worthy of me; he who does not pull up his
tethering stake and follow ME is not worthy of me. He
clutching his life <psyche, meaning the normal or usual pattern of
life> will lose it, but he losing the pattern of his life on my account will find
it."
Commentary: We should readily be able to understand that Jesus did not come to
disrupt loving relationships. Indeed, he set the pattern for
acceptance and loving of people that did not appreciate him or
understand him and his mission. He honored Peter's relationship with
his mother and even at Peter's request bestowed upon her a healing
miracle. Can we not see that Jesus is speaking somewhat
metaphorically here, where the family members stand for the old
paradigm, belief system and religion? And yes, the dissevering often
becomes literal, but it is the family members and friends that break
the relationship; we are never obligated to do this.
Matthew 16:24-28 Mk 8:34-9:1 Lk 9:23-27 Then calling the crowd near
with his disciples, Jesus told them, "If any man would follow after
me, let him deny himself and pull up his tethering stake daily and
follow me. For whoever may desire to hold on to his life <psyche,
meaning usual lifestyle, pattern or agenda> will lose it, but
whoever may lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, this one
will find and save it. For what will it profit a man, if he gains
the whole world and damage his life <psyche> or forfeit his life or lose
his self-identity? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his
psyche? For whoever may be ashamed of me and of my words in this
adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man also will be
ashamed of him when he comes into his glory with the Father and the
holy angels (doctrines or messages?). For the Son of man is about to come into the glory
of his Father with his doctrines, and then he will reward to each
according to his works. Truly, I say to you{pl}, there are some
standing here who will in no way taste death before they see the
kingship of God having come with power and the Son of man come into
his kingship."
Commentary: The
crucial two words in the above passage are "deny himself". Can we
not hear this passage in the context of "serving God and mammon"?
Can we not hear this passage in the context of caring more about
what God thinks than what our friends and family think? Other than
the comfort of staying in line, going along with the crowd, being
one of the ninety nine sheep, to what did Jesus refer when saying "deny
himself"? It cannot be that he is asking us to deny the
sustenance and fulfillment of our lives, because we are to "have
life, and have it more abundantly!"
Part of what is being suggested above is that we need to challenge what
we are hearing Jesus say or mean. Take for example the statement he made, "Be ye perfect
<mature> even as your father in heaven is perfect." The temptation is to
hear this as a requirement, and a heavy or impossible one, but this is a
pure assumption, and hearing it this way would be really discouraging.
However, Jesus made it clear that we are NOT to worry about our own
spiritual growth, and that his "yoke is pleasant" and his "burden is light".
Given this, we should hear this as a benediction or a promise, not a
requirement from God for attention to us.
By the way, Jesus, the Father, and the holy doctrines or "messages"
all came into their glory at the cross. When we see the passion play as not
one of sacrifice but as one of a demonstration of VALUE–and trust–in his
creation, then we will understand the glory. |