Editorial: Fasting from Blown Metaphors by Brad Jersak

I write this as a reflection on Eric Janzen’s “Prophetic Culture of the Kingdom” (part 4).

In pondering your well-thought, well-stated articles on the Kingdom of God, part 4 gave me pause to consider your admittedly biblical use of military and imperial metaphors.

I 

Military Metaphors

Re: military metaphors, you describe Christians as living ‘upon a spiritual battleground where a very real battle is underway.’ You continue,

The kingdom of heaven opposes the kingdom of darkness and opposes the powers of this world that do not worship Jesus as their lord, their savior, or their king...  We are the presence of the kingdom wherever we gather and we are to express that presence on the battleground.

All of this is familiar territory to Biblicists who read about spiritual battles, armies, and weapons in New Testament passages like Eph.6, 2 Tim. 2, Rev. 19, etc. And of course, you acknowledge that while this battle is ‘real,’ it is also ‘spiritual.’ The weapons of our warfare are not the literal weapons of the world (swords, scuds, and lawsuits); they are metaphors for the Christian practices of love (as you explained), forgiveness (Rom. 12), and prayer (2 Cor. 10). In other words, the military metaphors are not merely spiritual counterparts to the physical realities. They also function ironically. Christ did not simply talk about overpowering evil forces by means of more lethal, spiritual ammo. He calls his followers to disavow violence, harm, hatred, and force altogether. Our new weapons are upside down kingdom traits like meekness, mercy, and mourning. An entirely new set of actions is called for: turning the other cheek to the enemy that strikes you; blessing the enemy that curses you; praying for the enemy that abuses you. These aren’t just spiritual symbols … it’s irony, virtually sarcasm if we’re talking about ‘armor.’ The disciples eventually got that.

To cite Eugene Peterson from a Joe Beach's article, 

When James and John asked Jesus if they should call down fire from heaven on their enemies, Jesus simply rebuked them. No rhetoric. No argument. A simple ‘NO, There is to be no violence or hatred in the cause of God.’ 

… in the religious atmosphere of the day [killing] was the most natural thing in the world to do. Why didn’t they? The simple answer is that they were following the resurrected Jesus, and the Jesus who was now living in them wasn’t killing anyone. 

Here is my issue. WE DIDN’T GET IT. In missing the irony, the Church often missed the metaphor altogether, making hatred and even violence towards our enemies first allowable, then acceptable, then preferable in these stages:

1.    Initially, the Church understood that when Christ said, ‘Put down your sword,’ he meant it … literally, absolutely, universally. Violence was completely unacceptable for the follower of Jesus. Forgiving love and blessing prayers were the only firearms that Jesus sanctioned for warfare with one’s enemy.

1. Then we softened this to mean, love is the first and best option for overcoming evil. But when that fails, violence is allowable as a last resort.
2. Then we slipped further to mean, love is appropriate for certain circumstances and violence is acceptable / appropriate for other circumstances … such as dealing with anything we label evil.
3. Finally, we disavowed the Sermon on the Mount altogether with something like, ‘love is for idealists; violence is for realists.’ In the face of evil, violence is the practical and preferred response … the only real choice.

And thus we go, off to whatever crusade or war we deem necessary, with a Cross painted on our shields, our banners, and the noses of our bombers and missiles. It’s not enough that we justified the violence in our hearts, we actually sanctified it as part of our ‘very real battle’ against the forces of evil in this world. Islamic people become spiritual forces to be destroyed with literal worldly weapons as part of God’s mission to advance his kingdom (with its newfound accretions: ‘freedom,’ democracy, and capitalism).

What I am getting at is this: with our proven inability to perceive the military metaphors of the New Testament as spiritual realities and ironic reversals, I no longer see how we can justify using them, even on biblical grounds. In the most serious and violent ways, we just don’t get it. And thus, I propose the Church at large take a one century fast from using military metaphors until it can be said of us what Isaiah said of true kingdom people, ‘Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.’ It will be a wonder when this actually occurs for the nations, but for the Christian, the mandate was established 2000 years ago.

Oh, it’s easy to point the fingers at Americans who proclaim with conviction, ‘Two people have died for you. Jesus Christ died for your sins and the American G.I. died for your freedom.’ But here in Canada, I see images of WWI soldiers embedded in the stained glass of our cathedrals. I hear Christian street-evangelists describe premeditated violence as part of their ‘arsenal’ when faced with injustice in the ‘heat of the battle,’ all justified because it’s on behalf of third parties.

Until we comprehend these militaristic metaphors as Christ’s ironic subversion of fleshly violence, we probably shouldn’t use them.

II

Kingdom metaphors 

Re: King and Kingdom metaphors, I have an even greater difficulty because here we are dealing directly with the very words of Jesus. He described himself as the King of a Kingdom. In this case we do have a true counterpart for competing kingdoms, each demanding allegiance to very different lords. In one way, Christ is really and truly our King.

And yet … we must not fail to see that in Jesus day, he uses the political language of basilea that we would recognize now as ‘empire’—an empire or kingdom that Jesus claims (to Pilate) is decidedly not a kingdom of this world. Not the Holy Roman Empire, not the restored kingdom of Israel (including 1948), and not the globalized corporate empire of America. In truth, again Jesus is speaking ironically. His triumphant entry lampoons the military parades of the Roman Empire. His kingdom is a parody of every government’s claim to power and authority. It is citizened by peasants and slaves, by the disabled and by children. Our King (or more currently, our President) is so unlike any worldly king that He is the anti-king, consciously so.

When the soldiers crowned Christ with thorns and adorned Him with a bloodied royal robe, they were mocking Him. But Jesus played their charade as the great un-king who ascended to His cruciform throne where Colossians tells us “He disarmed the principalities, triumphing over them, making a public spectacle of them on the Cross.” The whole play is thrown on its head as He is cast outside the gates by the stewards of God’s Holy City (the ultimate irony).

But once again, WE DIDN’T GET IT!

Before long, we set up actual, literal human kings and parliaments as God’s chosen representatives to enact His kingship on earth … and in the most tyrannical forms. To those who espouse such theocracies, a friend of mine asks, ‘Do they read? When has that ever gone well for us?’

The irony of the subversive kingdom is dismissed as we anoint Christian soldiers for state-sponsored crusades; erect the abomination that causes desolation on the stages of our churches (the Imperial standard now replaced by the national flag); and marry faithfulness to God with patriotism to our country’s foreign and domestic policies (OR oppose them in the same spirit). When did we stop reading Rev. 17?

What I’m seeing is that we’ve exchanged Christ’s vision of an anti-kingdom (on earth as it is in heaven) for a spiritual super-kingdom that comes on earth like every other kingdom has—in greed and brutality—but with a plastic fish as the corporate logo.

But can we drop Christ’s own metaphor simply because we’re so thick? That won’t do for the Biblicists. It won’t do for the heresy hunters. Nor will it do for me. When we’re reading that Jesus came proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom in our New Testaments, we can’t just replace it … except that I think we already have. Not the words, but the meaning. In the most vulgar ways. We have completely reversed Christ’s own reversal. And I don’t know how to rectify that. 

Without solutions, I offer this up only as a meditation and a lament.

Comments

[Brad]

Someone who put THEIR money where MY mouth is:

This is from a pretty well-known worship leader, who decided to no longer perform/lead/sing a popular song of his because it has militaristic overtones. http://www.gungormusic.com/blog/?p=29

[jan]

Eric,
thank you for the rich and thought full answer, i heard no rambling.

yes... with you in inviting more clarity and discernment.

:)
blessings

[Eric H Janzen]

Dear Jan,
I am not opposed to what Brad is saying about fasting from metaphors that he and others may be fatigued by and identify with the negative issues within the Church today. Cleansing the palate is an excellent idea. I'm not at that place though. I know that God is a redeemer and for me the metaphors and language of the bible is rich and meaningful on a personal level...that is to say: I get it, it computes with my particular brain wiring. These are pictures and words that have helped me to understand the Gospel and who God is and what he is like, and what the spiritual reality around me is like. So on a personal level somewhere within me I don't want to admit any kind of defeat or give any ground to those who take away from the truth of the meaning of biblical language. I've been thinking a lot lately about the idea of a standard of truth...maybe i'll write an article on it soon, but my question is when did we lose that standard? If we believe in absolute truth, that all truth is rooted in the Father, then there really is a standard of truth that is unassailable. Methinks we are living in a time where some real, Jesus dependent, discernment is needed. One of the Church's most serious problems was buying into an element of world culture that said "Whatever you believe is fine...your truth is just as valid as the next person's"...it has allowed for too many blurry lines to emerge that leaves many Christians tossed about on confusing seas. The bible and the Holy Spirit are ready and are providing us with genuine solid truth that can be hoisted up the mast as a main sail that will keep us steady in the waters (to use a metaphor). Perhaps we need to hear that there is no need for apologizing for believing that there is a standard of Truth upon which to stand and live by.

Now I have rambled.
cheers,
Eric H Janzen

[jan]

to be clear, i know it is the Spirit who prepares, who leads, who guides, who reveals.
i am not sure what part our choice of words plays, but words do paint pictures, impart a handle to get a grip.

it is action, led by communication, born thru intimacy with the Father, that changes the world.
every person should do as they are led by our Abba to do.

[Jean hinsley]

Warfare: to be carnal minded is death the bible says. I guess we could translate the word carnal to meat head. thinking like the sin nature. instead of the freedom nature God has given us. through forgiveness on the cross. our weapons are not carnal they are mighty through (who) God himself. they are for pulling down the strong holds of who!!!! who or what the lies of the world!!! casting down every high thing that exults it self above Gods what!!! the very nature of what!!! love. these weapons are not to use on each other but to bring these very thoughts into the obedience of Christ.So I cast down every high thought and imagination that exults itself against the knowledge of God through you Jesus I bring my mind into obedience to your. knowledge Jesus of you Jesus amen.to be Spiritual minded is life. hope everyone does not mind I was really wanting preach yaaaahhh love In through Christ Jean

[jan]

Dear Eric,
i hear what you are saying, at least i think i do. i just wonder if, for some of the rest of us, a fast like this could cleanse the mental palate for a fresh taste of God's charater and goodness.
just wonder...
blessings!

[josh g.]

Sometimes it seems to me that the military metaphors are the only grip we have left on the bulk of the Old Testament.

Even more complicated is the fact that spiritual reality comes in military form, or at least military appearance, in many cases in the Old Testament. (Angels appearing with swords, speaking of battling with spiritual princely opposition, etc.)

If I had to put it to words, it kind of feels to me like the irony runs so deeply that it is the reality itself. The peace of God standing powerfully still, ripping apart the enemy like a rock separates wind.

[Eric H Janzen]

I hear what you are saying Brad. I've had lengthy conversations with like minded people who say we need 'new' language to communicate the Gospel because the language we have is just too corrupted by an inadequate Church with a disappointing history.

However, my grandmother who can't walk across a room without nearly having a heart attack has faithfully sewn hundreds of dresses for children living in poverty in Africa. Why? Because she loves Jesus, she knows that Jesus loves children, and she knows that she lives in a kingdom where caring for poor children is the Just and right thing to do. I think she understands as well that she is overcoming evil by doing good.

The Church is a complex entity. Yes there are vast parts of it, the public parts of it, that have made a horrible mess of the testimony of Jesus...departing so far from it that one might be justified in saying that they are not the Church but something other. But we should maybe remember that there are many faithful and true Christians that we simply do not see or hear from who truly embody the Gospel, the Spirit of the Kingdom, and who are the kind of soldiers that Jesus calls.

I don't want to give up the metaphors and language of God's word to the ignorant and unfaithful who have abused it...I feel kind of angry about it to be honest. They have polluted the Well, but I don't want to just cede the goodness of the words of the Spirit to them...i'd rather see the water purified. And I think by expressing the message of Jesus with the metaphors he used in the right way is one more way of exposing the misuse and abuse of what has been done. Part of the prophetic tradition is to stand up and say 'Hey! You need to turn around and head the other way: Stop misusing the Gospel. The truth of what Jesus taught is Love God with all you have and love your neighbor with all you have. That means Love, don't do ANY violence against another. If you do you are not disciples of Christ' I have no problem saying that. I expect someone who calls themselves a 'Christian' to understand these things and the fact that they don't means the onus is on them to open their eyes. These are not interpretive issues, it is blatant ignorance of what the Bible says. Frankly, if one does not want to listen to Jesus and the Bible then maybe they need to admit that they are not a believer, not a disciple and we the Church have every right to expose that. And if they are a believer but are not living according to the Way we have every right to call them on it and say so. Bring a brother along for a witness, Paul says, if they don't listen, visit again with another, if they don't listen, bring another along, if they still don't listen...well you know how the rest goes.

You shall always have morons with you, Jesus could have said, but my Spirit is greater than them...don't let them win.

That's where i'm landing today with perhaps a bit of an edge, but hey, i'm feeling edgy.

cheers,
eric

[markalowe]

great stuff Brad, stuck it on our antiochWILD blogsite, don't stop saying it as it is, Mark

[Deborah]

Thank you Brad.
We're not very 'bible-believing'are we.
God help us.