Was Christ a Revolutionary?

[Paidion]

Was Christ a rebel against the Mosaic law, the religious position of the Jews, etc.? Dr. Bob Wilson gave me permission to share his article with you. What do you think?

JESUS’ PROVOCATIONS in the eyes of Those Most Devoted to God’s Word!

Jesus says prostitutes rate ahead of those most committed to the righteous religion of God Himself! He abusively calls God’s chosen: blind sons of the devil, snakes, yeast, and those headed for hell (Jn. 8:44; Mt. 21:31,43; 23:1-39; 12:34; 16:6; Lk. 11:39-52; 12:1,10; 18:9-14; 20:46f). He says we teach rules taught by men (Isa. 29:13), but He regularly attacks the Bible’s own terms for Israel’s covenant with God. Such blasphemy fosters divisive disorder that threatens a safe relationship with the government. Thus he must be rejected and eliminated (Lk. 12:51; 23:1-5,14; Mk. 10:34-36)!

1. The Bible clearly requires us to avoid foods (or unwashed hands and bodies) that make us unclean.
(Lev. 11, esp. 47; 20:25; Dt. 14:3-21; Gen.7:2; 2 Chr. 30:17f; on washing: Lev. 7:21; 14:8f, 15:7f, 13; 17:15f; 22:4-6)
But Jesus tells people nothing outside them can make them unclean, plainly urging them to treat it all as clean. (Mark 7:1-23, esp. 18,19; Mt. 15:1-20; cf. Lk. 11:38-45; Jn. 3:25; cf. Acts 10:15)

2. The Bible demands that we not touch those who are “unclean” (diseased, deformed, dead, an issue of
blood, eunuchs, or sinful), and offer cleansing sacrifices if we do. (Num. 5:1f; Lev. 5:2,3,6; 10:10; 12-15 esp 13:45f; 21:16-21; Deut. 23:1; Cf. Acts 8:38; Isa. 56:3-5)
Again, Jesus freely violates such requirements. Following him as our example will encourage people to be reckless with God’s Law.(Luke 5:13; 7:14; 8:53f: 14:13)

3. God Law warns us not to embrace uncircumcised foreigners, and to separate from sinners. (Deut 23:2-6; Ex. 12:43,48; Ezek. 44:7; Jer. 51:6,45; Isa. 52:11; Neh. 9:2; 10:28)
Jesus says God’s prophets reached out to foreigners, and he welcomes both pagans (Gentiles) and sinners with no marks of righteousness. He ignores God’s call for holy separation from sinners. (Lk. 4:25-29; 5:27-32; 7:9,34,39; 13:29; 15:1-2; 17:18; Mt. 15:21-28; 25:32-40; Jn. 4:1-26,39f; Acts 10:28)

4. The Bible regularly commands us to swear with an honest oath. (Deut. 5:11; 10:20; 23:21,23; Num. 30:2-4; Lev. 19:12; Ecc. 5:4)
Jesus puts himself above Scripture, telling us to never swear an oath. (Mt. 5:33-37; cf. 23:16-22; Jas. 5:12)

5. The Bible repeatedly requires that no work be done on the Sabbath. Saturday is to honor God, who executes those who take care of a need on the Sabbath!
(Deut. 5:12-15; Ex. 20:8-11; 16:23-30; 23:12; 31:12-17; 34:21; 35:2f; Num. 15:32-36; Isa. 56:2; 58:13)
But Jesus claims authority to assert that the Sabbath is made for man, and repeatedly encourages people to use it for tasks that plainly could wait. He endangers Israel!
(Mt. 12:1-14; cf. Lev. 24:9, 1 Sam. 21:1-6, Is. 58:6f; Lk. 6:1-11; 13:10-17; 14:1-6; Jn. 5:10f,16-18; 7:23f; 9:16)

6. Moses provided for accepting divorce if a displeasing wife does something indecent. (Deut. 24:1-4) But Jesus argues that this was not God’s original plan and urges that we not follow this Law of Moses!
(Luke 16:18; Mk. 10:2-12; Mt. 5:31f, 19:1-12; cf. Mal. 2:16; Gen. 1:27; 2:24; 5:2)
(Scripture allows for polygamy too, and God gave concubines and more wives to beloved David: 2 Sam. 5:13, 12:8; 1 Kgs. 11:3; 2 Chr. 11:21; SS 6:8. But Jesus argued marriage is one man/one woman! Cf. Titus 1:6; 1 Tim. 3:2,12; Dt. 17:17)

7. The Bible assures: God blesses the obedient with riches (and health), while the unrighteous suffer lack. (Pro. 13:21; 10:4; 8:18; 3:2; 16:20; 22:4; Dt 6:3,24; 4:1f; 5:32f; 8:1,18; 11:8f,22-25; 30:1-10; Jos 1:7f)
Jesus confuses people by repeatedly saying God’s blessing is toward the poor, and that the rich are in danger of God’s judgment. (Lk. 6:20f, 24f; 8:14; 12:16-21, 33f; 16:14f, 19-31; 18:21-25)

(Plainly, only the One God can forgive sins: Isa. 43:25,10; 44:6; 1 Chr. 17:20; Dt. 6:4; 32:39; Ps. 18:31.
But the man Jesus blasphemously steals God’s prerogative: Lk 5:17-26; 7:48f. He brazenly takes His place as God’s Son, King, and final standard of divine judgment: Lk. 11:29-32; 20:17f; 22:69-23:5,14; Mk. 14:62f; Mt. 10:32f; 27:11; 12:39-42; Jn. 19:7,12; 18:37; 19:12; 11:48; 10:32f; cf 5:46, 6:50, 7:38, 8:58, 10:9, 11:25, 14:6ff)

8. God’s Law requires the Temple and its’ sacrificial system for receiving God’s forgiveness of sins. (Lev. 1:4, 4:26,31; 42:6; Ex. 30:15f, 32:30)
Jesus directly disrupted the distribution of sacrificial animals in the Temple courts, insisting God made it a place of prayer for the Gentiles. (Mk. 11:15-18; Jn. 2:14-17; Cf. Isa. 56:7) He repeatedly says God does not want sacrifices or sin offerings, but mercy. He threatens the Temple and says our awaited “Son of Man” will crush Jerusalem and God’s Temple. He’s dangerous! (Mt. 9:13; 12:7: Mk 12:33; Lk 19:37-46; 21:5.6, 20-27, 32; 17:30-37; 13:34f; 20:16; Cf. Dan. 7:13f; Hos. 6:6; Isa. 1:11-14; Ps. 40:6-8; Heb. 10:5-8, 8:7-13)

9. The Bible instructs us to practice “eye for an eye” justice. (Lev. 24:19f; Dt. 19:21; Ex. 21:24f)
But Jesus claims authority to brazenly declare that it is wrong! (Mt. 5:38,39)

10. The Bible commands that we execute adulterers caught in the act by eye-witnesses (as well as disobedient children, etc). (Lev. 20:9-13; Deut. 22:22-24)
But when these demands are met, Jesus refuses to uphold God’s Law or holiness. (John 8:1-11)

11. God’s Messiah will be the son of David, clearly a military figure. His Word regularly endorses fatal violence toward our enemies, and assassination of those who oppose our belief system!
(Deut. 13:16-18; 7:1f; 2:34f; 3:6f; 17:2-7; 18:20; 20:10-18; 23:6; 2 Chr. 15:13; 1 Sam. 15:3; Jos. 2:10; 6:17,21; 8:2, 22-29; 10:28-40; 11:11-14,20f; Ex. 22:20, 21:20f; Lev. 27:29; 2 Kgs 2:23f; 23:20; Ps. 137:8f; 139:21f, etc.)
But Jesus demands mercy (not repayment) even toward enemies. He claims those who draw the sword die by it. Enemies must be loved! (Mt. 5:43-48; 26:52; Lk. 6:27-38; 9:51-56; 11:4; 22:50f; 19:41-44; 1:79)

12. Scripture tells us to be separate from pagan sinners, and describes the ‘neighbor’ to whom we are obligated, as our fellow Jew. (Lev. 19:17f equates “neighbor” with “your people” and “brother” Jew.)

Jesus finds this one saying about loving neighbors (Lev. 19: 17-21, 27), hidden among clear rules that he ignores, such as not mixing fabrics or crops, haircuts, food laws, vows, slaves, etc., and insists all the Law and Prophets hang on that one command! (Mt. 22:36-40; 7:12; 23:23; Mk. 12:28-31; Cf. Gal. 5:14; Rom. 13:8-10; Jas. 2:8; 1 Pet. 4:8; 1 Jn. 2:7, 3:11-4:21) Then He presses us to define our neighbor as anyone, and to love everyone. This presses people to compromise with evil! (Lk. 10:25-37; Cf. Mt. 5:43f)

What Conclusions should we draw? I sense that Jesus’ progressive “new wine” is bound to rip the old approach (Lk. 5:36-39). He finds hidden truths (Lk. 20:27-38; Cf. 24:27; Jn. 5:29f), and reverses the apparent meaning of some verses. His selective use of texts, and His interpretations, challenge our certainties about handling Scripture itself. We are not able to systematize or harmonize every Bible verse with all the others. Most vital, Jesus denies it’s all equally important or binding, and calls us to weigh Scripture under his divine authority to interpret it, which tips the scale heavily in favor of love (see #11, 12, etc). Determining what encourages love for God and others appears to be the key guideline in discerning Scripture, and Jesus’ voice in our own life. (Jn. 8:47; 10:3-5; 14:26; Cf. 2 Cor. 3:6)

Bob Wilson: graceforyoutoo@hotmail.com; P.O. Box 846 Chino, CA 91708

[JMTC]

I prefer to call Him a revolutionary but He may fit the description of a rebel. He constantly pointed out the hypocracy of man's influence towards the law and how the Jewish leaders claimed to live by the law, but practiced it to their advantage.

Moses came down from the mountain with ten commandments which could easily be summed up in two, Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and Love your neighbor as you would love yourself, yet there were perhaps hundreds of laws that were created from those original commandments that lacked love or discipline.

Jesus, our new and everlasting covenant, simply pointed out the flaws in human behavior mostly through its leadership and if that made Him a rebel or a revolutionary He's still my hero.

[kaufmannphillips]

JMTC wrote:
Moses came down from the mountain with ten commandments which could easily be summed up in two ... yet there were perhaps hundreds of laws that were created from those original commandments that lacked love or discipline.

Hi, Darrin - are you referring here to other commandments in the Hebrew bible; or to the verdicts of Jewish leaders, including Pharisees and/or scribes and/or synagogue officials?

[Singalphile]

I think he was Lord (even of the Sabbath), the Son of Man (Daniel 7:13-27), and one with the Father who spoke on behalf of His Father, for starters.

If I knew my boss was going going to someday hand things over to his beloved son, and then the son comes in and says that that day is at hand and issues new commands with his dad's blessing, I wouldn't call him a rebel or condemn him. I'd do what he says (or get myself fired) because he has all the authority. I also wouldn't decide that if he can do it, then I can do it. Jesus alone had/has that authority.

I would like to read through all those verses in the article more carefully when I have time. It will be interesting, I'm sure.

[Paidion]

Perhaps I was unfair in the title I gave to this thread and thereby suggesting that Dr. Wilson considers Christ to be a rebel. I have no reason to think that he does.

[kaufmannphillips]

Singalphile wrote:
I think he was Lord (even of the Sabbath), the Son of Man (Daniel 7:13-27), and one with the Father who spoke on behalf of His Father, for starters.

Read the whole of Daniel 7 for context, and give careful attention to verses 18 and 27. The "son of man" is an icon for the saints of G-d.

[Singalphile]

k-s, then you can replace Son of Man with Messiah or King in my previous post, if you like. Jesus and the Jews in
His day used the terms interchangeably. Yes, Jesus too says that His saints will inherit His kingdom ("...when the Son of Man comes in His glory...the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you....'" Matthew 25:31-34).

Paidion, I did note that the the Dr. Wilson's article itself doesn't use the word "rebel". Still haven't had a chance to read through all verses.

[Candlepower]

Was Jesus a rebel against the Jewish religious establishment that had perverted God's law? I don't think so. I don't think Jesus' life and ministry had to do with rebellion against the corrupt establishment, as if he were like some antinomian juvenile delinquent or ill-mannered avant-garde beatnik.

I think radical is a better label than rebel. Radical has to do with roots, origins, and the fundamentals of things. It was the religious leaders and system of Jesus' time (as well as of our time, quite often) who were the rebels against Jesus, the radical.

Here is the first definition of radical: of or going to the root or origin; fundamental.

[kaufmannphillips]

Singalphile wrote:
k-s, then you can replace Son of Man with Messiah or King in my previous post, if you like. Jesus and the Jews in His day used the terms interchangeably.

Please identify where "the Jews in [Jesus'] day" used "son of man" and "messiah" or "king" interchangeably.

Singalphile wrote:
Yes, Jesus too says that His saints will inherit His kingdom ("...when the Son of Man comes in His glory...the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you....'" Matthew 25:31-34).

This passage is part of Matthean special material. It might not preserve Jesus' own teaching in pure form; in part or in whole, it might reflect the theological development of the later church. We are left with the question of whether Jesus' own use of "son of man" was self-referential, individually; or whether it was - in line with the explicit construal within Daniel 7 - referring to an aggregate "saints of the Most High."

[Singalphile]

The verses that I was aware of when I wrote my previous post are Matthew 25:31-34, John 12:34, and Mark 14:61-64. There might be others. I'm not aware of any other old sources that confirm or deny how most of the Jews generally viewed the "Son of Man" title at that time. I'm sure that would be interesting.

My point is that Jesus the Messiah is uniquely authorized to give new commands or priorities (like the boss's son in my analogy). I don't think we should think we have the same authority. So I might disagree a little bit with Dr. Bob Wilson's conclusion, or at least his wording. I'm not sure where he's coming from on that. Also I have yet to read all the references.