Layered Meanings<\/strong><\/a>\nThursday, April 18, 2019<\/strong>\nHoly Thursday<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n<p><em>Two theologians I deeply respect, Marcus Borg (1942-2015) and John Dominic Crossan (b. 1934), offer important historical and symbolic context for the crucifixion. The theory of \u201cpenal substitutionary atonement\u201d only became dominant in recent centuries. [1] Over the next two days, consider their advanced perspective on Jesus\u2019 death on the cross:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This common Christian understanding goes far beyond what the New Testament says. Of course, sacrificial imagery is used there, but the language of sacrifice is only one of several different ways that the authors of the New Testament articulate the meaning of Jesus\u2019s execution. They also see it as the domination system\u2019s \u201cno\u201d to Jesus (and God), as the defeat of the powers that rule this world by disclosing their moral bankruptcy, as revelation of the path of transformation [dying and rising], and as disclosure of the depth of God\u2019s love for us. . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Though Mark provides the earliest story of Good Friday . . . Mark\u2019s narrative combines retrospective interpretation with history remembered. . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mark tells us that Jesus was crucified between two \u201cbandits.\u201d The Greek word translated \u201cbandits\u201d is commonly used for guerilla fighters against Rome, who were either \u201cterrorists\u201d or \u201cfreedom fighters,\u201d depending upon one\u2019s point of view. Their presence in the story reminds us that crucifixion was used specifically for people who systematically refused to accept Roman imperial authority. Ordinary criminals were not crucified. Jesus is executed as a rebel against Rome between two other rebels against Rome. . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[When Jesus died,] \u201cthe curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom\u201d (Mark 15:38). As with the darkness from noon to 3 PM, this event is best understood symbolically and not as history remembered. . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To say. . . that the curtain was torn in two has a twofold meaning. On the one hand, it is a judgment upon the temple and the temple authorities . . . who colluded with imperial Rome to condemn Jesus to death. On the other hand, . . . [it] is to affirm that the execution of Jesus means that access to God is now open. This affirmation underlines Mark\u2019s presentation of Jesus earlier in the gospel: Jesus mediated access to God apart from the temple and the domination system that it had come to represent in the first century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then Mark narrates a second event contemporaneous with Jesus\u2019s death. The imperial centurion in command of the soldiers who had crucified Jesus exclaims, \u201cTruly this man was God\u2019s Son\u201d (15:30). . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That this exclamation comes from a centurion is very significant. According to Roman imperial theology, the emperor was \u201cSon of God\u201d\u2014the revelation of God\u2019s power and will for the earth. According to the same theology, the emperor was Lord, Savior, and the one who had brought peace on earth. But now a representative of Rome affirms that this man, Jesus, executed by the empire, is the Son of God. Thus the emperor is not.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Jesus\u2019 Death Layered Meanings Thursday, April 18, 2019 Holy Thursday Two theologians I deeply respect, Marcus Borg (1942-2015) and John Dominic Crossan (b. 1934), offer important historical and symbolic context for the crucifixion. The theory of \u201cpenal substitutionary atonement\u201d only became dominant in recent centuries. [1] Over the next two days, consider their advanced perspective […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17966"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17966"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17966\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17967,"href":"http:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17966\/revisions\/17967"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=17966"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=17966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
<\/iframe><\/p>\n\n\n<p><em>Two theologians I deeply respect, Marcus Borg (1942-2015) and John Dominic Crossan (b. 1934), offer important historical and symbolic context for the crucifixion. The theory of \u201cpenal substitutionary atonement\u201d only became dominant in recent centuries. [1] Over the next two days, consider their advanced perspective on Jesus\u2019 death on the cross:<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This common Christian understanding goes far beyond what the New Testament says. Of course, sacrificial imagery is used there, but the language of sacrifice is only one of several different ways that the authors of the New Testament articulate the meaning of Jesus\u2019s execution. They also see it as the domination system\u2019s \u201cno\u201d to Jesus (and God), as the defeat of the powers that rule this world by disclosing their moral bankruptcy, as revelation of the path of transformation [dying and rising], and as disclosure of the depth of God\u2019s love for us. . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Though Mark provides the earliest story of Good Friday . . . Mark\u2019s narrative combines retrospective interpretation with history remembered. . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mark tells us that Jesus was crucified between two \u201cbandits.\u201d The Greek word translated \u201cbandits\u201d is commonly used for guerilla fighters against Rome, who were either \u201cterrorists\u201d or \u201cfreedom fighters,\u201d depending upon one\u2019s point of view. Their presence in the story reminds us that crucifixion was used specifically for people who systematically refused to accept Roman imperial authority. Ordinary criminals were not crucified. Jesus is executed as a rebel against Rome between two other rebels against Rome. . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[When Jesus died,] \u201cthe curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom\u201d (Mark 15:38). As with the darkness from noon to 3 PM, this event is best understood symbolically and not as history remembered. . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To say. . . that the curtain was torn in two has a twofold meaning. On the one hand, it is a judgment upon the temple and the temple authorities . . . who colluded with imperial Rome to condemn Jesus to death. On the other hand, . . . [it] is to affirm that the execution of Jesus means that access to God is now open. This affirmation underlines Mark\u2019s presentation of Jesus earlier in the gospel: Jesus mediated access to God apart from the temple and the domination system that it had come to represent in the first century.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then Mark narrates a second event contemporaneous with Jesus\u2019s death. The imperial centurion in command of the soldiers who had crucified Jesus exclaims, \u201cTruly this man was God\u2019s Son\u201d (15:30). . . .<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That this exclamation comes from a centurion is very significant. According to Roman imperial theology, the emperor was \u201cSon of God\u201d\u2014the revelation of God\u2019s power and will for the earth. According to the same theology, the emperor was Lord, Savior, and the one who had brought peace on earth. But now a representative of Rome affirms that this man, Jesus, executed by the empire, is the Son of God. Thus the emperor is not.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Jesus\u2019 Death Layered Meanings Thursday, April 18, 2019 Holy Thursday Two theologians I deeply respect, Marcus Borg (1942-2015) and John Dominic Crossan (b. 1934), offer important historical and symbolic context for the crucifixion. The theory of \u201cpenal substitutionary atonement\u201d only became dominant in recent centuries. [1] Over the next two days, consider their advanced perspective […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17966"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=17966"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17966\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17967,"href":"http:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17966\/revisions\/17967"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=17966"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=17966"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/co2mannatoday.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=17966"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}