THE ROBERT W. WHITAKER ARCHIVE

DO YOU LAUGH OR DO YOU CRY? | 2005-06-15

When Jesus walked the earth, He was asked over and over how he could be the Messiah if He was not going to make Israel independent of the Roman Empire.

His answer was, "My kingdom is not of this world."

In case that is not a broad enough hint, they asked him specifically if Israelis should pay Roman taxes. He said, "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's." This was not exactly a HINT.

But practically every preacher who claims to take the Bible literally stands there and tells us that a true Christian must fight for the POLITICAL independence of what he calls The Holy Land.

He is saying that Christ was not a true Christian. Christ had no interest in the political independence of the State of Israel and said so.

I think I'll ignore the so-called Christians and go with Christ.

COMMENTS (6)

#1 H.S. | 2005-06-15 22:27

<blockquote>And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came to him a [Roman] centurion, begging him,

And saying, Lord, my servant lies at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.

And Jesus said to him, I will come and heal him.

The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof: but <b>speak the word</b> only, and my servant shall be healed.

For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goes; and to another, Come, and he comes; and to my servant, Do this, and he does it.

When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Truly I say to you, <b>I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.</b>

And I say to you, That many shall come from the east and west [geographical turf], and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the Kingdom of Heaven.

But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

And Jesus said to the centurion, Go your way; and as you have believed, so be it done to thee.

And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

-- Jesus (Matt 8:5-13)</blockquote>

I have been told that chronologically, this is the first recorded indication and explanation of salvation faith in His ministry. A non-Israelite. Peter did not make his confession until later.

I'll stick with Jesus, and His word, as much as I can plainly see it. So did the other nobodies he saved.

#2 Elizabeth | 2005-06-16 13:06

And then there's an exchange between Jesus and His apostles just after the above. I can summarize this as: "This man tells his people what to do and they do it. They don't backtalk. They don't argue. They do it." Pause. "Why can't y'all be like that?"

This is my favorite incident from Jesus' life.

#3 Bob | 2005-06-16 13:12

HS:

Yes, I'd rather end up a former nobody Up There than a former bishop in The Other Place.

#4 Richard L. Hardison | 2005-06-16 20:05

But, Bob, you ARE a Bishop. Your book was written in opposition of the greatest heresy of our country. Opposing heresy was one of the most important functions of a Bishop.

#5 Peter | 2005-06-17 01:28

I believe in the Holy Land.

I believe in it because Lord Christ walked its ways and kicked some Judaic booty. More than that, it was there that He was murdered and thereby saved my soul. I would love to visit some of those ancient Christian churches there before the Christ-haters kill the last Palestinian Christian.

#6 Peter | 2005-06-18 18:54

HS:

Fantastic use of Scripture! So the non-Israelite Magi were the first to worship Him, and the Roman Centurion to receive salvation by faith.

(Was Jesus an anti-Semite?)

Bob: Has your faith increased to 2% yet?