Tuesday, April 30, 2024
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Peace I leave with you
The crowds, won over by Jews from out of town, stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing he was dead.
A mob. Mob with a mob mentality, not to worship or shout Hallelujah as the crowd did on Palm Sunday, but to pursue and beat and stone their victim. They killed Stephen that way, while Saul watched. Now Saul, using his Greek name Paul, is the beaten one. He spoke clearly and well, sharing the truth of Jesus the Messiah. But those out-of-towners got there first, and filled up all the talking space. No debate. Just a mob, ready for violence.
Sometimes the violence might seem justified. The Jews preaching against Paul tried to make it so. Look how this Paul has taken away the faith of your fathers. Remember what he used to preach when he claimed his rights as Pharisee? Why would he change? Surely he has something evil in mind.
Walter Wink, speaking of violence that is supposedly deserved or violence that will supposedly bring peace, says that “the myth of redemptive violence is the simplest, laziest, most exciting, uncomplicated, irrational, and primitive depiction of evil the world has even known.”
Wink goes on:
By making violence pleasurable, fascinating, and entertaining, the Powers are able to delude people into compliance with a system that is cheating them of their very lives. Once children have been indoctrinated into the expectations of a dominator society, they may never outgrow the need to locate all evil outside themselves. Even as adults they tend to scapegoat others for all that is wrong in the world. They continue to depend on group identification and the upholding of social norms for a sense of well-being.
How did Paul’s disciples respond to the beating of their leader? Redemptive violence would be discussed. Violence that carries a sense of justice and repayment (or revenge) fills the early books of the Bible. Creation myths generally involve some sort of violence which resolves into something new. Jesus overturned tables in the temple. Peter cut off an ear. Saul presided over executions. Let’s get those guys as soon as their backs are turned! Wait until dark, and we’ll turn the tables then.
Nope.
When the disciples gathered around him, he got up and entered the city. On the following day Paul left with Barnabas for Derbe, proclaimed the good news and made a considerable number of disciples.
Near the end of his life, after so many experiences like this, Paul wrote priceless words about violence and peace in Romans 12:
In view of God’s mercy, offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, this is your true and proper worship. Hate what is evil, cling to what is good. Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse. Be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not repay anyone (ANYONE!) evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Professor Wink points out that the myth of redemptive violence, “one of the oldest continuously repeated stories in the world, enshrines the belief that violence saves, that war brings peace, that might makes right.” Movies, cartoons, action figures, and games on the playground keep the story alive and well.
When someone in our family has been victimized, persecuted, or abused the temptation to strike back is overwhelming. God does not leave us alone. Paul quotes Deuteronomy and Proverbs when he says:
Leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay.” On the contrary, “If your enemy is hungry feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.”
Paul gives us something to do other than stew about what’s happened. Our emotions will calm down. And perhaps the persecutor will even feel embarrassment if he is given food and drink rather than the point of a knife.
In doing this you will heap burning coals on his head.
I realize this discussion of violence lends itself to passivity, both good and bad. Passive resistance and conscientious objection is not the same as tolerating physical or verbal or emotional or spiritual abuse. But taking revenge, might makes right, doesn’t get anywhere either. Since evil doesn’t bow down to good when we snap our fingers, once again we have the opportunity to follow God and trust him. That is part of our good and proper worship.
 (Acts 14, Psalm 145, Luke 24, John 14)
(posted at www.davesandel.net)
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