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By: Kev. Merlin Shorb
Rappahannock Methodist Charge
Flint Hillt Sperryville and Willis Chapel
VIOLENCE: VICTIM OR VICTOR?
From a purely human perspective the man Jesus was an innocent victim of violence. Just as his disciple Peter declared, "You killed the Author of Life..."(Acts 3:15) Yes, it was a Roman execution, but Jesus' death was also a murder by those who delivered-him up on false charges. How is it possible then for the victim of a violent act to emerge the victor, especially when the deed is terminal? At the very least one could only hope to be vindicated in the next life, and even then only at the Judgment.
First of all, if Jesus was the impeccable character the New Testament witnesses claimed him to be, not only was he innocent of the specific charges, he was also innocent of all wrongdoing. Unlike the rest of us Jesus never sinned because he was not sinful, as we are. Because of our sinfulness, the tendency to play god, we deserve death. Death is primarily separation from God the source of life. Physical death is the perrenial symptom of the disease of sin, involving the whole person. For Jesus none of this applied. His rapport with God was unbroken and uncompromised.
But not only was Jesus slain by the human element. A spirit world was also in rebellion. These "elemental spirits" are alluded to often enough by the authors. When these disavowed conspirators killed Jesus, they killed the only one in human history who didn't deserve to die. In this they overstepped themselves. Death originally entered our world through our sin. (Rom. 5:12) But on the sinless Jesus death could make no claim. (Acts 2:24) So, when they killed the Righteous One, they only succeeded in separating him from his physical body long enough to descend to the netherworld to defeat the terrorists and release their hostages. (Eph. 4:8-10)
The innocent victim exposed the rebellious authorities (Col. 2:15) by showing all the world what they would do to anyone who refused to join their rebellion against God. They were impelled by the innocent life to show their true colors. But these evil powers were not only exposed; they were "disarmed." The stranglehold of death was finally relaxed at the cross of Jesus. (Rom. 8:1-2) The symptoms go on for now, but the isolation (death) is no longer necessary. Jesus, the truly innocent victim, has bridged the gap between God and humanity. However, it all came to light only in Jesus' own release from the dead. As Simon Peter had said, "You killed the Author of Life, but God raised him from the dead." The truly innocent victim emerged as victor on the first Easter.
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