Monday, November 22, 2010

Refocused Revolution

Jesus' first interaction with the Gentiles (non-Jews) was a failure. He was walking in a town that was a part of the Roman Decapolis, a hot bed of Greek and Roman culture at the eastern edge of the empire, when he came upon some extremely troubled characters - two demoniacs. 

According to Matthew 8:28ff, these two men were raising so much cain that people couldn't even use the road that traveled through the area where they lived. So Jesus, rather ingeniously, but in the end insensitively, sends the demons into a herd of pigs who then proceed to stampede to their demise, down a mountain into the Sea of Galilee.

The citizens of the town, seeing the events and fearing the upcoming bacon inflation, are infuriated. The entire town rushes out to Jesus and begs him to leave. Jesus has robbed the people of their livelihood and this, coupled with their fear of the days strange events, leaves them wanting nothing to do with him.

After this not so pleasant interaction with Gentiles, Jesus, instructing his disciples on how to carryout their teaching and healing mission, tells them "not to go to the Gentiles...go rather to the lost in Israel" (Mt 10.5-6).

The difficulties for Jesus continue: his own family member and predecessor doubts him (11.3), he is distanced from his family (12.47ff), rejected in his hometown (13.54ff), finds out John the Baptist has been murdered (14.12) and is just stepping away to be by himself and process this tragic news, when 5,000 plus people show up calling on him for help (14.13ff).

A rough time to say the least! Jesus then decides to head back into Gentile territory, possibly hoping to escape from the masses for a while. No sooner does he enter the Gentile region that a woman comes asking him to heal her daughter (Mt 15.21ff).

Jesus, keeping with his recent stance on the Gentiles, rejects the woman's request, saying, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." This woman, from a wealthy port city, was wealthy herself and had no doubt achieved or maintained her wealth by abusing the peasants of Jesus' hometown. He does not want to help her.

But she persists, as any good mother would, "Lord help me!" To which Jesus insultingly replies, "How can I toss the children's bread to the dogs? That's not right." The ministry of Jesus is bringing life to the most destitute people in the region - the peasant "children" of Israel - who are oppressed by the "dogs" like this woman. How could she even ask him for help?

Her reply at this point is incredible and culturally astounding, "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from the table." That's all it takes. Jesus, astounded by her humility and faith, immediately heals her daughter from a distance. She shelved her wealth, entitled status, nationality, and even religion and Jesus honored her request.

Word must have spread, because immediately 4,000 Gentiles come to Jesus bringing him the "lame, maimed, blind, and mute" to be healed.  And when they grow hungry, he feeds all of them; the second feeding of the multitudes, mirroring the two feedings of the Israelites in the wilderness (Ex 16; Num 11).

Matthew tells us, they all "praised the God of Israel."

These are the events that transitioned a small Jewish-peasant uprising, into a revolution that would encompass the entire world.

No comments: