Seeing Jesus today

Much of the difficulty stems from the Gospel community's belief that the risen Jesus in their midst is more important than the historical Jesus, who lived several generations before.

The risen Jesus is the only Jesus they've actually experienced. Though taught about a carpenter from Galilee who went around the Holy Land teaching and doing good things, and who eventually was executed by the authorities, none of them ever came in contact with that individual. By the time the evangelists composed their Gospels (between 70 and 95), the question was no longer, "What did Jesus day?" Rather, it became "What is Jesus saying?"

Early question

The second reading (I Cor 15: 20-26) provides a classic response. Paul believes the risen Jesus is the first of a vast crowd of "those who have fallen asleep" who will come to life, the new Adam who brings life instead of death, the person who will reign until "all enemies are put under His feet," He who eventually will make certain that "God will be all in all."

Matthew provides a parallel reflection on the risen Jesus in the Gospel (Mt. 25: 31-46). But because he's an evangelist and not a letter-writer, he, like all Gospel writers, inserts his reflection in Jesus' words.

Matthew doesn't invent the image of God as a discerning shepherd, "judging between one sheep and another, between rams and goats." We know from the first reading (Ez 34: 11-12) that prophets employed similar metaphors for Yahweh centuries before Jesus' earthly ministry. But since Matthew shares Paul's belief that the risen Jesus will shepherd us to the pont where "God will be all in all," he gives a unique twist to this ancient concept.

Though no one doubts that the historical Jesus constantly encouraged His disciples to care for the helpless in their midst, most Scripture scholars question the historicity of His identifying with the helpless. That means the key statement -- "Whatever you did for one of these least brothers or sisters of mine, you did for me" -- most probably comes from Matthew's putting his theology into Jesus' mouth.

Looking for Jesus

And just as Matthew tells us that even the "righteous" didn't instantly recognize the risen Jesus in the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick and the imprisoned, so we also rarely experience Him until after we've given ourselves to the same people.

An ancient Jewish proverb states that it makes more sense to listen to a soldier's boasting while he takes off his armor rather than while he puts it on. In the same way, we should pay more attention to those who relay their experiences to us after they've surfaced Jesus among them, rather than to someone who simply tells us where we're supposed to find Him.

For Christians, results are always better than projections. (11-21-02) [[In-content Ad]]