JesusHWCrossResMar2013AllSaints,Pasadena,3/18/13 MarcusBorg

ThePassionofJesus: HolyWeek,GoodFridayandEaster Prologue:TwoMeaningsofthePhrasethePassionofJesus 1.Aswhathewaspassionateabout:GodandGodspassion *Godwasthecentralrealityinhislife *Godspassion:theKingdomofGod(seepreviouslecture) 2.Ashissufferinganddeath:hispassionforGodandGodskingdomledtohisdeath I.HolyWeekLeadingtoGoodFridayandEaster *Sunday:theantiimperialentryintoJerusalem. *Monday:theantitempleact(templehadbecomecenterofcollaboration, exploitation,andoppression) *Tuesday:verbalpublicconflictswithrepresentativesofauthorities *Wednesday:anointingforburialandbetrayaltoauthorities *Thursday:finalmealandarrest II.GoodFriday:TheDeathofJesus 1.*ANegativePrologue:thedeathofJesusisnotaboutsubstitutionarysacrifice, notaboutsubstitutionaryatonement,eventhoughcommonChristianityhas oftenthoughtso.ManyofusgrewupwiththemessagethatJesuspaidforoursins bydyinginourplace(andthusasasubstitute)sothatwecanbeforgiven. *Butthisnotionisnotfoundinthefirst1000yearsofChristianity.Itwasfirst articulatedaround1100(byAnselmofCanterbury). *WhatitsaysaboutthedeathofJesus:ithadtohappenpartofGodsplan *WhatitsaysaboutGod:Goddemandsthatthepricebepaid,orelse. *Thereisnoprecedent,nofoundation,forthisintheBible.IntheBible,sacrificeis neveraboutpaymentforsin.Mostgenerally,animalsacrificewasaboutofferinga gifttoGod(andofteninvolvedameal).Sacrificeshadanumberofpurposes: thanksgiving,petition,purification,reconciliation.Nonewereaboutpayment 2.WhatHappenedHistorically:AnExecution.Aremarkablefact:Christianityis theonlymajorreligionwhosecentralfigurewasexecutedbyestablishedauthority. HewasexecutedbyRomanimperialauthorityincollaborationwithhighpriestly templeauthority.Why:becausehewasaradicalcriticofthedominationsystem andhewasbeginningtoattractafollowing.Hewaskilledbecauseofhispassionfor thekingdomofGod.Crucifixionwasaverypublic,painfulandprolongedformof execution.Itsentaclearwarning:thisiswhatRomedidtothosewhochallenged imperialauthority.

3.HisDeathasSacrifice:AsGivingHisLifeBecauseofHisLoveforOthersYes butnotassubstitution/payment *Recalltheancientmeaningofsacrifice:tomakesomethingsacredbyofferingitup toGoditsetymologyinLatinistomakesacred.DidJesusofferhislifeupto God?YesbutnotaspaymentorassomethingrequiredbyGod. *Sacrificeasdyingforothersnotinsteadofothers,butbecauseofloveforothers. Toillustrate:three20thcenturyChristianmartyrssacrificedtheirlivesbecauseof theirloveforothers:DietrichBonhoeffer,MartinLutherKing,ArchbishopOscar Romero.Allwerekilledbecauseofthesinsoftheirpeople.Allsacrificedtheirlives, diedforothers,butnotassubstitutesortopayforthesinsoftheirpeopl 4.Deathandresurrection,andsacrifice,ascentralNTmetaphorsfor transformation *BeingcrucifiedwithChrist,dyingandrisingwithChrist,beingbornagain. *Paul:presentyourselvesaslivingsacrifices.Donotbeconformedtothis world,butbetransformed(Rom12.2) III.Easter:TheResurrectionofJesus 1.WithincommonChristianity:itintrinsicallyinvolvesphysicality.Something miraculoushappenedtothecorpseofJesusandthetombwasreallyempty. *Helpfultoaskinstead:WhatdidEastermeanforthefollowersofJesus? *TwointrinsicallyconnectedmeaningsintheNewTestament (1)Jesuscontinuedtobeexperiencedafterhisdeath.Hewas/isafigureofthe present,notjustofthepast.Inshorthand:Jesuslives. (2)Hisfollowersexperiencedhimnotjustasalive,notjustasaghostlyfigurefrom thepast,butasdivine,asLord,onewithGod,raisedtoGodsrighthand.Thomass exclamation:MyLordandmyGod.Inshorthand,JesusisLord.Godhasvindicated Jesus,saidyestoJesus,andnotothepowersthatkilledhim. 2.HearingtheEasterstoriesasparablesoftheresurrection *Parablesareaboutmeaning.Theyaremeaningfilledandtruthfilled,andtheir meaning,theirtruthfulness,doesnotdependupontheliteralfactualityofthestory. *Illustration:hearingthestoryoftheemptytombasparable(Mk16.18,parallelsin MathewandLuke).Itsmeaningsasparable:youwontfindJesusinthelandofthe dead.Imperialexecutionandarichmanstombcouldntholdhim,couldntstophim. Heslooseintheworld,stillaround,outthere,stillrecruitingforthekingdomof God. ConcludingComment:ThedifferencebetweenbelievinginthepassionofJesus, believinginhisdeathandresurrection,ontheonehand;andparticipatinginhis passion,participatinginhisdeathandresurrection,ontheotherhand.They virtuallyproducetwodifferentChristianities WearecalledtoparticipateinwhatweseeinJesus:toparticipateinhis passionforGodandtheKingdomofGod,toparticipateindeathand resurrection.ThisiswhatfollowingJesusmeans.