Justice and Forgiveness in the New Testament - Essay Example

In the New Testament, there are twenty-seven books; however, arguably, the Gospels are recognized as being the most important because they speak directly about the words and works of Jesus Christ.1 Walt Russell argues that, “because the Gospels are narratives, we should emphasize the broader context when reading,” which further takes the historic nature of these narratives into account, and situates these histories into the genre of the lives of famous persons.2 In this regard, it is imperative to review the passage chosen within the larger context of the narrative so as to ascertain the importance of the meaning within the limited context of the passage, and within the broader context of the story. In addition, correctly interpreting the meanings also requires an understanding of the culture, background, and values of the writers and the followers of that time because certain key elements, such as punishments, justice, honor, and righteousness, may have a different meaning or a different level of importance in the first and second centuries than it does during modern times.3 Another concern when reading the Bible is that, in focusing on Jesus’ words and works, we will learn more about ourselves; therefore, it is important to focus our attention on Jesus, rather than diverting attention away from Jesus and putting it on ourselves. This focus leads into the fact that followers must recognize that Jesus is a divine messenger or intermediary between people and God, and not God himself; this emphasis is particularly strong in the Gospel of John, in which John continues to assert that Jesus is the dutiful son of the father, and not the father himself. Finally, reading the Gospels requires an understanding of salvation and the kingdom of heaven which, through Jesus’ sacrifice, is granted to all those followers who live in faith and love of Jesus’ words, as embodied through the Gospels.4 Recognizing these strategies for reading the Gospels will enable the follower to fully internalize the truthful words of Jesus in a fashion that Jesus intended, rather than through a skewed understanding of his message. Although it is difficult to pinpoint the exact date when the Gospels were written, New Testament scholars argue that the literature in the Book were written at the end of the first and the beginning of the second century, during the Hellinistic period, when the Christian church was under persecution.5 At this time, three central events affected the writing and compilation of the New Testament, which included the following: the spread of Christianity, the effect of the fall of Jerusalem on Christianity, and the obsessive focus on the destruction of the world (that never came).6 Therefore, this period was characterized by brutal conquests and social turmoil, which is evident in the apocalyptic tone of the writing in the books in the New Testament. In addition, speaking authoritatively on the authorship of the works is particularly difficult because these contributions were not written by eyewitnesses in Jesus’ ministry; “it has to be understood that in the ancient world it was quite common to attach important names to anonymous works, or to write in the name of some teacher or famous person from the past”.7 However, there is a higher level of certainty that these writers were, in fact, known by Jesus directly, or known by men who were close to Jesus; for example, Peter, Matthew, and John were recognized as being among the original group of Jesus’ followers. Although the apostles were in close proximity to Jesus, there is a great range of diversity between the synoptic Gospels and the fourth Gospel, as well as between the Acts and letters because the Book “contains a variety of books, written in a variety of lengths and styles, and attributed to a variety of authors… [coming] from diverse times and places.”8 In this regard, the vast majority of the literature spoke of and about Jesus Christ, but did so in a varied fashion that reflects different circumstances, concerns and purposes, and religious viewpoints. Although the passage chosen comes from the Gospel of John, it is important to make a brief comparison between the first three Gospels and the fourth Gospel, especially because they are quite different in style and purpose. The first three Gospels, written by Matthew, Mark, and Luke, are referred to as the synoptic Gospels because they share similar details, and when compared side by side, the stories consistently deliver a similar message. Matthew, Mark, and Luke write in a fashion that draws the reader into the narrative, demanding that they take the role of active participant, and it is evident from the language in which they write, these Gospels were directed to be easily consumed by the ordinary follower.9 Arguably, to draw in the common reader, the synoptic writers used simple, descriptive, and popular imagery that was easy to comprehend, and required little interpretation. In contrast, the apostle John is defined as a “writer who spiritually moulds the raw material and makes it serve his purpose, [especially when referring to] his desire to give theological depth to the picture of Jesus Christ.”10 Unlike the synoptic writers who focused on tradition, rituals, and symbols, John focused on the familial relations between God and Jesus in the father-son metaphor, and between Jesus and his followers, in the Sheppard-lost sheep metaphor. In addition, John pays particularly close attention to the notion of judgment and salvation, which is frequently depicted through stark binaries between “light and darkness, truth and falsehood, above and below, freedom and slavery.”11 Through his works, John frequently refers to Jesus as the light, the truth, and the savior of humanity. In addition to these fundamental dualisms, the fourth Gospel also tends to focus on the miracles performed by Jesus, and how witnessing these miracles inspired unquestionable faith in the viewer (the disciples, followers, etc.). Unlike the other three apostles, John focuses more so on the miraculous “signs” of Jesus’ divinity, as described through his actions of turning water to wine (2: 1-12), healing the paralyzed and blind (5: 1-47; 9:1-41), and resurrecting Lazarus (11: 1-44). This focus most strongly emphasizes John’s understanding of Jesus’ role as the salvation for all people, as long as these people exhibit unfailing faith in the awesomeness of Jesus (as brother, protector, mediator, and Messiah) and in the one true God (the father).12 In addition to the emphasis on miracles, John tends to describe Jesus as a true friend to all people, and as the Son of the Father. In the Christian community, the theme of friendship among followers is particularly poignant. This friendship motif may have arisen from the way in which Jesus is characterized by John as a true friend, based on his willingness to sacrifice his own life for his followers, as well as his dedication to preserve an honest dialogue between himself and all who listen to him speak.13 In the first regard, John perceives the ultimate act of friendship as willingly giving up your life to save another; and, in the case of Jesus, he professes that he will give his life, he willingly allows himself to be arrested and persecuted, and he accepts death as a fulfillment of his promise to his believers. In the second regard, John argues that a true friend speaks honestly and frankly, and continues to speak honestly and frankly even in the face of punishment.14 In addition, honest speech is also carried into the concept of freedom of speech, in which John presents Jesus as speaking openly, in the synagogues, and allowing his followers to openly discuss their concerns, as well as initiating an open dialogue with God without the intermediary of Jesus or the apostles. These differences are important because John is more focused on showing us who God really is and how to establish a relationship with God, in the father-child context. Although Jesus is a central component in John’s works, John always depicts Jesus as the intermediary who does God’s work on God’s behalf, through which we can know about God.15 The idea of Jesus as the friend of humankind and as the Son and messenger of God who saves through miracles is particularly important to the passage, A Woman Caught in Adultery (7: 53 – 8: 11). In this passage, a woman is brought before Jesus by the Pharisees who, first, assume that Jesus will comply with the conventional punishment of stoning the adulterous woman, and second, are looking for something to charge Jesus with, so as to depose him. However, Jesus does not follow convention; he challenges convention by stating that the person who is truly guiltless of any crime may throw the first stone, which results in having the crowd disperse after recognizing their own faults. In this regard, Jesus’ words of wisdom miraculously saved the condemned woman. Secondly, although Jesus is the only person entitled to throw a stone (for he is without sin), he chooses to show compassion and spare the woman, thus being a friend and guide to her. The importance of this passage also reflects the uncertainty of the time period, in which authority between rulers was shifting, and the unfavorable position of women in a society that blamed them solely for adultery. Jesus is challenging the status quo of the time by refusing to allow a woman to die at the hands of an imperfect crowd who, by the virtue of their own sins, has no right to wield any weapon against her. Although the passage was written two centuries ago, the meaning of justice and equality is as applicable now (in terms of racial profiling, racism, honor killings, gender inequality) as it was then. The passage is also particularly significant in that it transcends time; the passage was applicable for the Pharisees and commoners of Jesus’ time, it is applicable for the followers of today, and its message will remain applicable for generations of followers to come. Its meaning is universal; judgment should only be rendered by those who are truly righteous, and as Jesus and God are the only truly righteous beings, they choose to judge with compassion and forgiveness rather than through fear and punishment. In the historic context of the passage, there are three groups of people who are considered the audience: first, we have the Pharisees, who are presented as self-righteous and deceptive; second, we have the Elders and the common people, who after hearing Jesus’ words, recognize their own fault; and third, we have the guilty party, the adulteress, who represents all people who have sinned and who need salvation. The Pharisees and the Elders expect Jesus to uphold Moses’ law (8:5); however, he chooses a path of justice based on compassion rather than on punishment by arguing against the stoning in such a way so as to make the rowdy crowd choose to abandon their spots and leave the woman unharmed. Jesus does not force the crowd away; rather, he proposes an argument on the character of all people, and believes that the people will choose the just course of action. This scenario is particularly fitting of the time, in which successions and conquest witnessed the transitioning of laws; therefore, Jesus’ refutation of Moses’ law suggest that, although some laws may have been reasonable in the past, they must be reexamined to ensure that they remain just in the present and future. In addition, Jesus allows the people to choose an alternative course of action rather than forcing it upon them, which emphasizes the shift from a dictatorial rule of the father to a collaborative and democratic association between friends or between a righteous teacher and his followers. Although the passage may not have been received well during the first and second centuries, the current centrality of liberal democracy in modern society echoes Jesus’ emphasis on open dialogue, free and friendly association among members, and the need for compassion in justice. Furthermore, this lesson can be applied to a multitude of fields in the present, most specifically government policies and the education system. Governments who force rigid adherence to rules by certain groups often face revolt by those groups against them because of the hypocrisy of the laws and the ways in which these laws are enforced. Examples of such protests are being seen in countries like Iran and North Korea, in which the citizenry are demanding a leader who is willing to act as a teacher, friend, and father, rather than a brutal dictator. In addition, the education system is also following such lessons, in that the period of punitive punishment and rote memorization are being replaced with critical thought and collaborative learning between students and between instructors and students. A closer reading of the text draws out the two central lessons of the passage: first, no person is without sin and, thus, cannot and should not judge others; and second, the only persons free of sin, namely God and Jesus, have the right to judge and punish, but choose to use compassion in their administration of justice as a tool to help the guilty party become a more righteous person. In the second lesson, it is obvious that Jesus does not want to force people towards the path of goodness; rather, he wants to give his people important lessons that will equip those willing to hear and follow his message with the ability to move past the darkness into the light of salvation. In the Gospel of John, the issue of freedom of choice is central because, unless a follower chooses the right action through faith, they will not understand the true meaning of God.16 As New Testament scholars argue that “it is common knowledge that among all the scripture, even those of the New Testament, the Gospels have a special preeminence, and rightly so, for they are the principle witness for the life and teaching of the incarnate word, our savior,” it puts even more credence on the words spoken by Jesus about judgment, justice, righteousness, and forgiveness. In addition, although the message is monumental in that it challenges convention and conveys a compassionate sense of justice over punitive justice, John delivers this message in a surprisingly simple fashion, so that all followers, regardless of their level or status, will be able to fully comprehend the meaning. This simplicity is imperative when considering the audience of the past, present and future; framing the central messages in easily accessible language serves to transcend historic specificity, which allows each successive generation of followers to internalize the message and attempt to live by its principles. Although the New Testament is divided into twenty-seven books, I have always been particularly drawn to the Gospel of John because of its unique style and message of compassionate friendship and familial (father-son; Sheppard-lost sheep) love. In addition, I feel that this passage is particularly useful for my personal life, as well as the current concerns of the global community. As more families become transnational, and communities are exposed to a great influx of individuals from different parts of the world, cultural understanding and compassion are necessary in order to quell disputes and promote the notion of the global family. In this regard, John’s portrayal of compassionate justice is essential for dealing with the conflicts, the tragedies, and the challenges that we face on a daily basis in our encounters with individuals and philosophies that have different values and beliefs. Therefore, like the Elders who turned away from stoning the woman upon recognizing their own guilt, it is important for us to realize that our culture, our way of thinking, and our beliefs are not the best and only way of existence; it is important to also recognize that we cannot judge others as “bad” or “wrong” upon first meeting without truly trying to invite these new people into an open and safe dialogue. This dialogue will provide a space for further understanding of the “other”, and the recognition that we are all the same people who need compassion and forgiveness when we falter, and not being literally or metaphorically stoned for our mistakes by a crowd of people who are as guilty as we are. In the end, this passage speaks also of forgiveness, and how compassionate judgment and forgiveness will contribute positively to changing the follower into a more righteous person. In conclusion, the passage was particularly challenging because it forced me to reconceptualize my understanding of justice and forgiveness. I am a highly judgmental person, which is a fault I desperately need to change in order to create bonds of friendship, and to live rightly through Jesus’ words. At the end of this assignment, I walked away with the following belief: who am I to judge you, when I am no better than you? I hope I can apply this realization to my daily life, while knowing that, even though I may make mistakes, Jesus and God are willing to forgive me rather than punish me for my transgressions. Because of this knowledge, it is imperative that I also apply this understanding to other people who have wronged me or who have committed acts that I may not agree with. I am in no position to act as the judge and jury of their behavior; a true follower knows that they must employ forgiveness and have faith in the fact that Jesus will judge the guilty in a fashion that is inline with his perfect understanding of what we need. In the end, John employs us to simply have faith in the glory and righteousness of Jesus’ words and actions. WORKS CITED The New American Bible. Holy Bible. Wichita, Kansas: Catholic Bible Publishers, 1986. ODay, Gail R. "Jesus as Friend in the Gospel of John." Interpretation 58, no. 2 (2004): 144+. Database on-line. Available from Questia, http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5037672094. Internet. Accessed 27 January 2011. Perrin, Norman, and Dennis C. Duling. The New Testament, an Introduction: Proclamation and Parenesis, Myth and History. 2nd ed. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1982. Russell, Walt. Playing with Fire. NavPress Publishing Group, 2000. Thompson, Marianne Meye. The God of the Gospel of John. Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans, 2001. Wikenhauser, Alfred. New Testament Introduction. Translated by Cunningham, Joseph. New York: Herder and Herder, 1958. Read More