When I think of Roman soldiers, I often think of treacherous villains who used their power to suppress and abuse those under them. I think of their role in the crucifixion of Christ and of how they were portrayed in the popular movie “Spartacus.”
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As I read the Bible, however, I do not necessarily see a group of people that are any worse than others. Just as we have good cops and bad cops today, there were godly and ungodly Roman soldiers in Christ’s day. In fact, Roman soldiers are portrayed in a positive manner in the Bible. For example, in Luke 3:14, we find soldiers asking John the Baptist for spiritual guidance.
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Not only do we read of common soldiers in the Scripture, but we also read of military officers. They are most commonly referred to as Centurions and may have been leaders over 100 men, but that number could have been lower or even as high as 1000. Regardless, they were men of rank, with power and authority.
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When Christ was crucified, a Centurion who was there, testified that Jesus was righteous and that He was the Son of God. In Acts 10, we read of the first non Jewish convert to Christianity and he is a Centurion named Cornelius. Later as the Apostle Paul is facing persecution for his Christian faith, he appeals to a Centurion for defense.
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Even before the cross, during Christ’s ministry in Capernaum, we find another Centurion. It appears that this man had financial means in addition to his military authority, since we find out that he had built a synagogue in Capernaum for the Jewish people to worship God (Luke 7:5). It was likely that this was the very same synagogue where Jesus had earlier cast our a demon (Luke 4:35).
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This Centurion also has a servant and this servant is sick. He cares about the servant and the servant is about to die, so he sends a message to Christ asking for help (Luke 7:2-3). As the Centurion communicates with Jesus Christ through his messengers, he explains that he understands what it is like to have authority over others and to be able to tell people what to do and to expect that it will get done. Remember this Centurion is a Roman military officer who has soldiers at his disposal to make sure that his commands are obeyed.
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Jesus had no visible military here on earth, yet this Centurion recognized that Christ had even more power and authority than he had. He also understands that Jesus even has the power over the sickness of the servant. "Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. "For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it." (Luke 7:7-8 NKJV).
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The Centurion recognizes that others are under his authority, but he also sees that there are those who also have authority over him. He understands that not only does the Roman emperor have authority over him, but so does Jesus Christ.
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Jesus commends him for his faith and heals his servant, but I also want us to notice that in understanding Jesus’ authority, the Centurion- who would often be able to demand what he wanted from others- asks Jesus for help rather than demanding it.
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As we go to Jesus for help, let us follow the Centurion’s example of believing Jesus can do whatever we ask, but still praying that God’s will be done, rather than demanding that our will be done. We must recognize that God has the authority, not us. Just as the Centurion would not tell Caesar what to do, we should not tell God what to do.
Saturday, February 21, 2015
Saturday, February 7, 2015
Applying the Golden Rule
We try to teach our little boys to share, but sometimes the demand to share can turn into a selfish demand that negates the whole principle of sharing. For example, if one of the boys wants a favorite toy, should he always get it simply by telling his brothers that they have to share? The issue of sharing can end up being just as complicated for adults- even for Christians.
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Consider Luke 6:29-30: "Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. "Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.” (NASB)
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Does this mean that if I steal your coat from you, that you are to give me your shirt too? Does this mean that if I ask you for your car, that you should give me your wife’s car as well? Does this mean that if I steal you wallet, that you should just let me keep it if you know that I did it?
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Of course stealing is wrong. “Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.” (Ephesians 4:28 NKJV)
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So how do we reconcile these two passages. First let us look at the parallel passage to Luke 6:29 found in Matthew 5:40: "If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.” (NKJV) There is a big difference between giving something away because it is has been stolen, and having to give something away because a court of law says that you owe it to another individual as restitution.
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Let us remember that Jesus was ministering to a mostly Hebrew people who were living under Roman law. Regardless of what the Roman law said should happen in a lawsuit, the Hebrew law calls for more than just equal restitution. "If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and slaughters it or sells it, he shall pay five oxen for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.” (Exodus 22:1 NASB). Not only did the Hebrew law prohibit stealing, but it required that more be paid back that what was stolen.
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The point Jesus was making in Luke 6, was that if you had wronged someone, then you should make restitution over and above what the person had lost. No wonder He next said, "And just as you want people to treat you, treat them in the same way.” (Luke 6:31 NASB)
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The statement about allowing your face to be hit again makes much more sense in this context as well. This does not mean that if some random person assaults you, that you are not to defend yourself, rather it is the idea that if you have insulted a person to the extent that they are justified in in slapping you across the cheek, that you ought to show your remorse for the insult to such an extent that you let them hit you again.
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Just as there needs to be restitution in a lawsuit, Luke 6:29 allows the person you insulted to have restitution as well. At the same time, we are to treat others like we would like to be treated. I would hope that if I insulted someone, that they would not hit me at all, therefore I will not demand to slap either cheek. Realize as well that our culture and our laws do not allow slapping for insults, while other cultures do.
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Let us follow Christ’s example of humility and follow the golden rule that treats others like we would like to be treated.
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Consider Luke 6:29-30: "Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either. "Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back.” (NASB)
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Does this mean that if I steal your coat from you, that you are to give me your shirt too? Does this mean that if I ask you for your car, that you should give me your wife’s car as well? Does this mean that if I steal you wallet, that you should just let me keep it if you know that I did it?
-
Of course stealing is wrong. “Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.” (Ephesians 4:28 NKJV)
-
So how do we reconcile these two passages. First let us look at the parallel passage to Luke 6:29 found in Matthew 5:40: "If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also.” (NKJV) There is a big difference between giving something away because it is has been stolen, and having to give something away because a court of law says that you owe it to another individual as restitution.
-
Let us remember that Jesus was ministering to a mostly Hebrew people who were living under Roman law. Regardless of what the Roman law said should happen in a lawsuit, the Hebrew law calls for more than just equal restitution. "If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and slaughters it or sells it, he shall pay five oxen for the ox and four sheep for the sheep.” (Exodus 22:1 NASB). Not only did the Hebrew law prohibit stealing, but it required that more be paid back that what was stolen.
-
The point Jesus was making in Luke 6, was that if you had wronged someone, then you should make restitution over and above what the person had lost. No wonder He next said, "And just as you want people to treat you, treat them in the same way.” (Luke 6:31 NASB)
-
The statement about allowing your face to be hit again makes much more sense in this context as well. This does not mean that if some random person assaults you, that you are not to defend yourself, rather it is the idea that if you have insulted a person to the extent that they are justified in in slapping you across the cheek, that you ought to show your remorse for the insult to such an extent that you let them hit you again.
-
Just as there needs to be restitution in a lawsuit, Luke 6:29 allows the person you insulted to have restitution as well. At the same time, we are to treat others like we would like to be treated. I would hope that if I insulted someone, that they would not hit me at all, therefore I will not demand to slap either cheek. Realize as well that our culture and our laws do not allow slapping for insults, while other cultures do.
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Let us follow Christ’s example of humility and follow the golden rule that treats others like we would like to be treated.
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