Matt Mings on No Enemies
I’ve come to a realization: Jesus didn’t look at anyone as an enemy. While reading and meditating on the Gospel lectionary reading for this past Sunday (Luke 13:1-9) I was astounded to discover that this familiar parable is more about Christ’s practice of forgiveness than anything.
I’m imagining Jesus as the gardener and Judas as the tree-not-bearing-fruit on the night before Christ’s crucifixion. Seated around the table were 12 friends who would all disown Jesus in some form in the following hours. Jesus — knowing what would happen and who would betray him — got up from the table, placed a towel around his waist, took a pitcher and basin, knelt down, and washed their feet.
More than that, Jesus broke bread — a sign of covenant – with Judas. The one who certainly should be viewed as an enemy was instead granted the judgment of grace. When Jesus instructs us to love our enemies, it seems he knows there are those who set themselves against us as enemies, but we are not to view them as enemies. This is a practice I’m just getting my brain around … but I can see some amazing implications for Christian ethic.
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Category: Sacramental Living, Serving Others, The Church Comment »