Summary: We are looking at what Jesus "really meant" and in doing so I hope that at this point you have come to at least consider that what you were taught about Christ Jesus, His claims, attitudes, actions warrant a reasoned second look.

Part 15

It’s All about "religion"

I was walking across a bridge one day, and I saw a man standing on the edge, about to jump off. So I ran over and said 'Stop! don't do it!' 'Why shouldn't I?' he said. I said, 'Well, there's so much to live for!' He said, 'Like what?' I said, 'Well...are you religious or atheist?' He said, 'Religious.' I said, 'Me too! Are you Christian or Buddhist?' He said, 'Christian.' I said, 'Me too! Are you Catholic or Protestant?' He said, 'Protestant.' I said, 'Me too! Are you Episcopalian or Baptist?' He said, 'Baptist!' I said, 'Wow! Me too! Are you Baptist church of god or Baptist church of the lord?' He said, 'Baptist church of god!' I said, 'Me too! Are you original Baptist church of god, or are you reformed Baptist church of god?' He said, 'Reformed Baptist church of god!' I said, 'Me too! Are you reformed Baptist church of god, reformation of 1879, or reformed Baptist church of god, reformation of 1915?' He said, 'Reformed Baptist church of god, reformation of 1915!' I said, 'Die, heretic scum,' and pushed him off. --Emo Phillips

Dear Saints,

Now we come to the interesting part of our series, that part where I either totally incense some of or make enemies or receive hate emails from those who think global warming in the same terms as the earth is flat group. We are looking at what Jesus "really meant" and in doing so I hope that at this point you have come to at least consider that what you were taught about Christ Jesus, His claims, attitudes, actions warrant a reasoned second look. I could go on for several more sermons about what your Bible, the Book of Books, has to say about the Words of God and the Word of God. But for your weary heads sake I won’t, instead we will finish with one last point. What Jesus "really thought about religion" which is different than what most people think it is. In simplest terms "Religion" is mans attempt to reach to that Being outside himself. Religion, broadly speaking, means the voluntary subjection of oneself to God. In its strictest sense, religion on its subjective side is the disposition to acknowledge our dependence on God.., and on the objective side it is the voluntary acknowledgment of that dependence through acts of homage. It calls into play not simply the will, but the intellect, the .imagination, and the emotions. Without the conception of personal deity, religion would not exist. Judaism was the first tradition to teach monotheism, the belief that there's only one God. As Judaism evolved, the idea of God evolved, too, focusing on One unknowable, universal, image-less Being, Who, because the universe is framed in Love, requires justice of human beings.

Judaism tends to focus more on the way in which you practice and live in the world than it does on analyzing the nature of God. In fact, biblical monotheism is usually called "ethical monotheism" because of the very strong linkage of right acts to the belief in one God. While some religious traditions consider belief alone to be adequate, Judaism isn't one of them; to Jews, belief is most significant in light of the actions motivated by that belief.

What is unique, perhaps, to Judaism is the notion of arguing with God. For example, in the Bible, Abraham argued with God for the sake of the righteous citizens in Sodom and Gomorrah. He didn't just say, "Whatever you say, God" — he bargained! It's like the whole stage was set for a particular kind of exchange with the Divine. Jews are even called the "Children of Israel" because of the Biblical story of Jacob who wrestled with an angel and got his name changed to Israel, which means "one who wrestles with God."

While the idea of a complete surrender to faith, a surrender to God, is harmonious with many Christian and Muslim faiths, it's much less comfortable for most Jews, who are traditionally taught to question in order to learn more deeply. Judaism tends to encourage individuals to explore their own personal relationship with God. For those people who are comfortable with the idea of surrender, God-wrestling is not an easy concept. So when Jesus came on the scene, those who had set up a hierarchy of power in the realm of "religion" were aghast at what he said ( It is my personal opinion that He could have gone along with "those in charge" but he didn’t).

However the most striking, resented and dangerous of Jesus’ activities was His opposition to "religion" as it was understood in His time. This is what led to His death! Religion killed Him, better said another way Religion and politics killed Him. Jesus opposed all formalism in worship-ritual purification, sacrifice, external prayer and fasting norms, the Sabbath and eating codes, priest hoods, the Temple, and the rules of the Sadducees, Pharisees, and Scribes. He called authentic only the religion of the heart, the inner purity and union with the Father that He had and was able to share with His followers. And when thou prayest. thou shalt not be like the hypocrites, who are fond of standing up in the synagogues and at the corners of streets to pray, so that they may be seen by people. Verily I say to you, they have gotten their reward. But thou, when thou prayest enter into thy closet and close the door, and pray to thy Father who is in secret; and thy Father, who seeth in secret, will reward thee openly. And when ye pray, be not garrulous like the heathen; for they expect to be heard for their abundance of words. Therefore, be not like them; for your Father knoweth what is needful for you, before ye ask him. (Matthew 6:5- 8 )

This inner "religion" is not less demanding of the worshiper, but more demanding. It calls for a radical cleansing of the heart not to be achieved by externals: Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt not commit adultery. But I say to you, That whoever gazeth on a woman with concupiscence, at once committeth adultery with her in his heart. If therefore thy right eye make thee offend, pluck it out, and cast it from thee; because it is better for thee that thy one member perish, than that thy whole body fall into hell And if thy right hand make thee offend, cut it off, and cast it from thee; because it is better for thee that one of thy members perish, than that thy whole body fall into hell. (Matthew 5:27-30)

As with His other teachings, His followers could not understand Jesus on this matter of inner purity. Even as He neared death, when He tried to set the pattern of menial service as the mark of His life, Peter was obtuse. When Jesus did observe the ablution before meals, Peter said that Jesus could not stoop so low as to wash His followers’ feet [Note: Judaism traditionally traces this requirement to the Torah:

And Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat; when they go into the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to cause an offering made by fire to smoke unto the LORD ( Exodus 30:19) ]

In his typically peremptory tone, Peter informs Jesus:

Peter said to Him, "You shall never wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me." (John 13:8 ) But when Jesus insisted, Peter flip-flopped to the other extreme: Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!"

(John 13:9) Jesus tells him (Peter) that he is missing the lesson - that the intention, the inner state of service being signaled, is what matters not the external ritual: So when He had washed their feet, and had taken His garments, He reclined again, and said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say correctly, for so I am. Therefore if I, your Lord and your Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I gave you an example, that just as I did to you, you also should do. Most assuredly I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor a messenger greater than he who sent him. (John 13:12-16)

So gentle saints you can see what God is really like, not pleased with sacrifice and, what I call, phony baloney Christianity of today which one sees in American church today and passes itself off as "Christianity".

Consider the following: But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." (Matthew 9:13) Where Jesus refers to 1 Samuel 15: And Samuel said, Hath Jehovah as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. (1 Samuel 15:22)

For I desire goodness, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt-offerings. (Hosea 6:6)

That is, the one rather than the other, as the next clause explains it. Sacrifices were of early use, even before the law of Moses; they were of divine appointment, and were approved and accepted of by the Lord; they were types of Christ, and led to him, and were continued unto his death; but in comparison of moral duties, which respect love to God, and to our neighbors, the Lord did not will them, desire them, and delight in them; or he had more regard for the former than the latter.

And Psalm 51:16-17 says For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. (Psalms 51:16-17)

What kind of religion did Jesus oppose? Any religion that is proud of its virtue, like the boastful Pharisees. Any that is self-righteous, quick to judge and condemn, ready to impose burdens rather than share or lift them. Any that exalts its own officers, proud of its trappings, building expensive monuments to itself. Any that neglects the poor and cultivates the rich, any that scorns the outcasts and flatters the rulers of this world.

Now gentle saints if that sounds like just about every form of religion we know, then we can see just how far off from religion Jesus stood. Read for yourself His attitude about the parable of the "good Samaritan" and the fact the Leviticus code said that touching a dead man made one unclean. That is why the text uses a rare double compound verb to say that the observant Jews "went-past-far-off" (antiparelthon) the injured man-they were avoiding contamination. While the story is told simply to show the goodness of the heart in the rescuer. It also shows the inhuman effects of the purity code of the Jewish priesthood. The story is a powerful attack on the formalisms of "religion" by Jesus.

So what about "religion" saints? Did Jesus come to start a new "religion" or simply adjust an old one?

Our last study in this series will tackle the age old question what did Jesus mean when He said " And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:1 8 )

To be continued . . .