It’s still a revolutionary way of thinking
That Christianity actually got off the ground, and that it spread through the Roman empire, is one of the most remarkable things that ever happened in history.
How could a wandering preacher with an utterly outlandish message have attracted even a handful of followers? And how did they absorb one massive challenge after another to society’s normal way of thinking?
Wealth was recognised by all as a sign of God’s favour. Then Jesus came along and said it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the well-off to be saved. He was proposing a whole new way of looking at economics.
If someone harmed you, you might forgive him once, with a warning. Forgive him a second time and he would think he could walk all over you. But the followers of Jesus were expected to forgive 70 times and more. Pure stupidity.
Everyone recognised that the powerful had to do whatever was necessary to show they were in charge and beyond challenge. That often included dirty tricks and ruthless violence.
But Jesus, going around as if he hadn’t tuppence to his name, claimed that the way to greatness was through service, and actually washed his followers’ feet. Tell that to Caesar Augustus. No wonder Peter was having none of it.
Both Jews and Romans viewed marriage as only a temporary arrangement, that a man couldn’t be expected to limit himself to one woman for life. Especially if a younger, prettier, wealthier offer came along later.
So it was a massive shock when Jesus said that marriage was, in fact, for life. And that leaving your wife or husband for someone else was adultery, and it put your salvation in jeopardy. He was clearly siding with women on this one.
Then he talked about a worker stumbling across hidden gold in a field and selling everything to raise the money to buy the field and its buried treasure.
That was a smart move until you realised that he was claiming that he himself was the treasure. That he wanted complete and total dedication from his followers. Even slave-owners didn’t expect that. Was he a head-banger?
In fact, who the heck was he? He was giving all kinds of hints that there was a lot more, to him than met the eye. He seemed at times to be even putting himself on a level with God. How could anyone stomach that?
He was also a very dangerous guy to be around. The religious authorities clearly hated his guts and were getting ever more threatening. And the Romans would hit hard at the slightest threat to their rule.
But instead of backing off he began telling his followers that they needed to be ready for crucifixion too. Cool he might be, but this was not courage, this was madness.
When it seemed things could get no worse, he started talking about rising from the dead, whatever that might mean. And eternal happiness. He would raise his buddies too.
And perhaps the biggest joke of all. He expected his uneducated followers, after what he called his resurrection, to proclaim his “good news” through the whole empire, and even beyond it.
They were to tell the world’s pagans that they had got it wrong with their worship of the gods. That the greatest power on earth, the most brilliant thinkers had all got it wrong. Only this little bunch of weirdos got it right.
And what about ourselves – how much of all this do we accept? Without our noticing it, drab Secularism has pervaded our way of thinking. We have refashioned the Gospel to suit our own desires and comforts.
Maybe we need to re-examine ourselves to find out just how committed we are to Jesus, just how willing we are to shape our thinking and our actions by his Gospel and his Church’s teaching.
How could a wandering preacher with an utterly outlandish message have attracted even a handful of followers? And how did they absorb one massive challenge after another to society’s normal way of thinking?
Wealth was recognised by all as a sign of God’s favour. Then Jesus came along and said it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for the well-off to be saved. He was proposing a whole new way of looking at economics.
If someone harmed you, you might forgive him once, with a warning. Forgive him a second time and he would think he could walk all over you. But the followers of Jesus were expected to forgive 70 times and more. Pure stupidity.
Everyone recognised that the powerful had to do whatever was necessary to show they were in charge and beyond challenge. That often included dirty tricks and ruthless violence.
But Jesus, going around as if he hadn’t tuppence to his name, claimed that the way to greatness was through service, and actually washed his followers’ feet. Tell that to Caesar Augustus. No wonder Peter was having none of it.
Both Jews and Romans viewed marriage as only a temporary arrangement, that a man couldn’t be expected to limit himself to one woman for life. Especially if a younger, prettier, wealthier offer came along later.
So it was a massive shock when Jesus said that marriage was, in fact, for life. And that leaving your wife or husband for someone else was adultery, and it put your salvation in jeopardy. He was clearly siding with women on this one.
Then he talked about a worker stumbling across hidden gold in a field and selling everything to raise the money to buy the field and its buried treasure.
That was a smart move until you realised that he was claiming that he himself was the treasure. That he wanted complete and total dedication from his followers. Even slave-owners didn’t expect that. Was he a head-banger?
In fact, who the heck was he? He was giving all kinds of hints that there was a lot more, to him than met the eye. He seemed at times to be even putting himself on a level with God. How could anyone stomach that?
He was also a very dangerous guy to be around. The religious authorities clearly hated his guts and were getting ever more threatening. And the Romans would hit hard at the slightest threat to their rule.
But instead of backing off he began telling his followers that they needed to be ready for crucifixion too. Cool he might be, but this was not courage, this was madness.
When it seemed things could get no worse, he started talking about rising from the dead, whatever that might mean. And eternal happiness. He would raise his buddies too.
And perhaps the biggest joke of all. He expected his uneducated followers, after what he called his resurrection, to proclaim his “good news” through the whole empire, and even beyond it.
They were to tell the world’s pagans that they had got it wrong with their worship of the gods. That the greatest power on earth, the most brilliant thinkers had all got it wrong. Only this little bunch of weirdos got it right.
And what about ourselves – how much of all this do we accept? Without our noticing it, drab Secularism has pervaded our way of thinking. We have refashioned the Gospel to suit our own desires and comforts.
Maybe we need to re-examine ourselves to find out just how committed we are to Jesus, just how willing we are to shape our thinking and our actions by his Gospel and his Church’s teaching.
