The Gospel of Division

The Gospel of division.  In Matthew's Gospel Jesus states: "Do not think that I have come to bring peace, but a sword.  For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's foes will be those of his own household." (10:34-36)  What does Jesus mean by this paradoxical statement made by the one whom we call "Prince of Peace?"

We witness it over and over in Jesus' ministry when he confronts the powers of this world, his teaching and his actions cause conflict and division.  Why?  Does he not preach love and forgiveness?   Doesn't he admonish us not to judge others?  Jesus reveals the inner workings of the human heart and culture which relies upon the proven method of people displacing their conflicts by pointing the finger at the one who is the cause of the disharmony being experienced within one's own life and in the larger culture.  Remember the judgment of the high priest, Caiaphas, who said it is necessary that one man die than the whole people be destroyed (John 11:50).  This is the founding principle of culture.  It is also the driving principle of social media: to distinguish ourselves from others, to proclaim the significance of our perspective, and to cast the stone of blame on others for the social discord we see taking place all around us. 

 

Of course, we don't see this within ourselves, we are pure and innocent, it is the others who are guilty.  This is precisely what Jesus reveals and what leads to division.  The focus of our attention is not on the object to be desired, but rather our conflict with another who desire matches ours.  We all have the experience of arguing simply to win the argument - the object of the argument drops out as we focus on the triumphing over our opponent.

How do we comprehend this?  Isn't Jesus the innocent victim of those who are seeking to blame him?  Was it not the envy of the religious leaders which led them to point the accusing finger at Jesus?  They are able to rally the fervent religious who have gathered for the sacrificial festival which commemorates God's rescue of the people through the sacrifice of the first born of their enemies.  The same voices that called out, "Save us", a short time before Jesus entered Jerusalem, now cry out, "Crucify."  How easily we are manipulated by the voices of those around us!  How fickle is the human heart!

No matter what you believe about the candidates running for President of our great nation, they are mirroring each other by seeking to gather support which will cast out the other in order to save us all.  Structurally, it is the same as the 1st century (and every other century and culture for that matter).  As the election draws closer, we see that the candidates are focused on each other and the issues recede into the background as their rivalry intensifies.  We are subtly led into the same logic as that which resulted in the blaming, convicting, and crucifying Jesus.  However, the difference is we live in the light of the Gospel.  We can no longer be united by casting out the one whom we perceive to be the cause of the disharmony.  Jesus reveals this in his witness to the religious and political leaders who accuse, convict, and sentence him to death.  His triumphant resurrection from the dead sets in motion the the victory of God against which the powers of hell cannot prevail.  

This is why their will be division, blame, separation, and the accusations of guilt.  We can no longer be united, even within a family.  This explains why we witness the tragic disruption of family life today.  The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus has apocalyptic consequences for culture, especially for the culture which is global in reach through social media.  As the American author Flannery O'Connor writes in her apocalyptic vision of ordinary life, "Jesus thrown everything off balance."  The philosopher Nietzsche condemns the Christian faith for introducing empathy for others, weakening the will to power by the strong.  We no longer have the ability to unite ourselves by displacing our conflicts upon a sacred victim.  Instead, we are left with our futile attempts to blame the other and the deflect attention from ourselves, now with the click of a mouse or posting a message.

As believers, we are called to reveal the Gospel, offering love, forgiveness, reconciliation and redemption to the world which is revealed in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ which is received by faith and promises the future renewal of all creation.  That is the only antidote to the envy, rivalry, conflict, hatred, scapegoating, violence and murder which is is foundational to all human cultures.  As the Great Roman Empire experienced it's final gasps of life, St. Augustine sought to reassure his fellow citizens who witnessed the fall of the "Eternal City" of Rome that there are two cities - the City of Man and the City of God.  One will dash the hopes of all who place their trust in it and the other will endure with transcendent glory.