Holding before Us in Worship the Faithful Witness of Jesus, the Slaughtered Lamb

This gentle cynic distinguishes the error of the church conceiving Jesus as a warrior king who through his church mingled with nation (America) snuffs out evil. On the contrary, Luke’s gospel makes clear that it was necessary that Jesus should suffer and then enter His glory (Lk 24.26). He is the kingly entity that rode into Jerusalem peaceably on a donkey (Lk. 19.35-38) and then laid His life down a ransom for all (Mk 10.45; 1Tim 2.6). The history of Judaism and Christianity have depicted Messiah (Jesus) with various terms that describe Him as a conquering divine agent; yet when He appears in Revelation in the throne scene, His true aspect is “a Lamb standing as if it had been slaughtered” (Rev. 5.6, 12; 13.8). Richard Hayes’ response is fitting, ‘The shock of this reversal discloses the central mystery of the Apocalypse: God overcomes the world not through a show of force but through the suffering and death of Jesus, “the faithful witness [Greek martys]” (1.5).’

Not only is this vision to be held as accurate concerning Jesus Christ, but also accurate in how the church is sent out into the world as His faithful witnesses. Furthermore, the conquering image is more largely reversed through the revealing of His royal clothing and weaponry. The royal clothing is dipped or stained in His own blood (19.13); and the weapon that strikes the nations proceeds from His mouth, which is the Word of God (19.15). Our liturgy must place the Lamb at the center of our worship, and we must push out what this means now and in the end, i.e., our response in light of this great reversal—“Jesus stands as the faithful witness who conquers through suffering."

Quotations from Richard Hayes in The Moral Vision of the New Testament. New York: Harper Collins, 1996, 173-175.

Discerning the Real Identity of Jesus

In light of misleading gospels in our Western Culture (e.g., a fixation on health and prosperity—i.e, “be happy” and positive thinking; “new spirituality” or this-worldly monism [see Linda Woodhead, “Sophia of Gnosis? Christianity and New Age Spirituality” in Where Shall Wisdom Be Found, Ed. Stephen C. Barton. Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1999] this gentle cynic finds it essential to reflect on one of the most basic and crucial truths, the identity of Jesus Christ.

Much of Mark’s Gospel works around a pivotal question Jesus asked His disciples, “But who do you say that I am?” (8.29) As odd as it may seem, on several occasions, Jesus told His disciples and others not to tell anyone how they viewed His identity. For Jesus realized they did not understand who He really was, only partially; and in their Jewish imagination, they had lost touch with the Biblical narrative (Old Testament) and its full portrayal of the coming Messiah (Luke’s gospel touches on this in a big way). The few who did seem to really discern who Jesus was were a few Gentles and demons.

Many had no problem seeing the visible part of his identity, viz., “a prophet mighty in word and deed” (Lk 24.19). What they did not see was the reality that followed and sent His disciples scattered in denial, viz., the Suffering Servant. If we are to confess Jesus as the Centurion did, “this was the Son of God” (15.39; also 1.11; 9.7); then we must also discern the good news of His being the suffering Son of Man. Why is this discernment necessary? For to be Jesus’ disciple means to allow one’s own identity to be stamped by the identity of the one who dies forsaken on the cross (cruciformity). Thus, discerning Jesus’ identity means discerning one's own identity; and it will help one to properly define the gospel which the gospel writers, Paul, and the cloud of faithful witnesses before us were willing to die for.