Week 24—Saturday Matthew 16:21-23
Matthew 16:21-23
SAVED FROM, OR SAVED THROUGH?
We continue yesterday’s meditation. The issue: Shall it be Athens—the Word become word—or Jerusalem—the Word become flesh? Shall I go to Athens and live long and teach, or shall I go to Jerusalem and live briefly and sow myself upon a hill and die to redeem?
No wonder Jesus said, “My soul is now disquieted.” And no wonder he asked, “What am I to say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’?” (Moffatt). For the most part Christendom has said just that—“Save from,” not, “Save through.” For Christendom has said Athens instead of Jerusalem. The Christian faith has been turned into something to be taught, something to be preached from pulpits—the Word become word—a philosophy, a moralism. Not the Word become flesh—something to be embodied, acted on, died for. We have asked that the Kingdom come through, us, not as us.
So we have turned the gospel into a verbalism—something to be mentally accepted, instead of a vitalism—something to be embodied and died for in our Jerusalem. And because we have taken the verbal instead of the vital, we are not able to say, “Now is this world to be judged; now is the Prince of this world expelled.” We lack moral and spiritual authority, for our authority is verbal, as our gospel is verbal. And the prince of this world sits tight at the center of world authority.
And our gospel lacks not only expelling power—it also lacks compelling power. “But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.” Athens without a cross is Athens, a final ruin—a museum piece. But this man on his cross is the magnet drawing all people to himself—the center of Power. But we, choosing Athens, are centers of powwow.
O Lord Jesus, every day is a day of decision between the easy Athens way or the hard Jerusalem way. Save us from asking that we be saved from. Help us to ask that we be matched against this hour. In your dear name. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: In every decision there is hidden this issue: the broad, easy way, or the straight and narrow way.