Tuesday, June 12, 2007

The Jesus Way

The plain intent of the Prophet's gospel as he forms it in the conjunction of "your God" and "my servant," and then preaches it with such exuberance by the Messenger on the mountains as beautiful, is that there can be no violence or propaganda on the way of the Lord. Life on the way is never violent. Sin is not rejected it is borne, carried in an act of intercession. We enter the world of Isaiah 53 and take our stand with Jesus alongside the sinner, the other, the outsider. We in some impossible-to-define way become surety for others. But no coercion of ant kind in practicing the commands or following in the steps of the Master. No invective, no denunciation, no threats. Every raised voice, every curl of a sneering lip, every impatient dismissal is banished from the way.
Eugene H. Peterson, The Jesus Way

2 comments:

Richard said...

I often think about some of Our Lord's "harsher" phrases (unless you repent you shall perish, you have made my father's house a den of robbers, surely no prophet can die outside of Jerusalem, because you say you see your sin remains) and two possibilities come to mind.

1. He spoke with a very different tone than I would use if I were to use those words.

2. Our politically correct definition of harsh, invective, denunciation, threats needs rework.

Dave King said...

Notice most of those statements were aimed at people who were religious insiders, that's not the thrust of of what Peterson is talking about.

You really should read the series it's quite good.

- Peace