In our Wednesday evening studies we have been reminded that John's theological gospel is largely ahistorical, reflecting community issues and in particular offering up hateful anti-Semitic material that is fictitious to the same extent as its ludicrous exculpatory portrayal of the monster Pontius Pilate. Bottom line is that Jesus was killed by Rome for opposing both its religion and its value system. That's called treason and it brought him to the horrible capital sentence of crucifixion.
The Jesus Movement was clearly anti-imperial and counter-cultural. Familiar titles given to the Emperor -- Son of God, Saviour, Prince of Peace, Lord -- were appropriated to Jesus. If Jesus is Lord, Caesar is not. If Jesus by radical non-violent resistance is Prince of Peace, then Caesar by strength-through-military-might is not. If Jesus is truly Son of God, the Emperor cannot claim it.
Jesus taught us to oppose violence, even in self-defence, to oppose the accumulation of wealth in overclass, to oppose slavery and systemic oppression of the poor and vulnerable in society. These were cornerstone imperial values for Rome, condoned by the religion, and to be opposed at great peril. Ironically, much of Christianity in our own time would make Jesus a cheerleader for these very values that he died fighting.
When we look at Christ on the cross, we see the natural consequence of a life totally in tune with God's will, a life poured out in absolute love. Even dying Jesus respects and forgives all without condition -- "Father, forgive them; they don't know what they're doing." Seeing the Divine shine forth from that cross, how can we not turn from sin? How can we not then reject the Dark Side to embrace the new, full, abundant life that living Christ's way brings to human experience?
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