{"id":1103,"date":"2010-05-05T00:00:01","date_gmt":"2010-05-05T00:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/2010\/05\/the-national-day-of-prayer-controversy-what-would-jesus-think-part-3.html"},"modified":"2010-05-05T00:00:01","modified_gmt":"2010-05-05T00:00:01","slug":"the-national-day-of-prayer-controversy-what-would-jesus-think-part-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2010\/05\/the-national-day-of-prayer-controversy-what-would-jesus-think-part-3.html","title":{"rendered":"The National Day of Prayer Controversy: What Would Jesus Think? Part 3"},"content":{"rendered":"

In Monday’s post<\/a> I summarized a “religious case for church-state separation” found in Jon Meacham’s recent Newsweek<\/i> article<\/a>. Meacham believes that Jesus originated the idea of church-state separation. In support of this claim, he refers to two passages in the New Testament Gospels, one in which Jesus refused to be crowned as king, and one in which Jesus said that his kingdom “is not of this world.”<\/p>\n

Is Meacham correct in his answer to the WWJT question: What would Jesus think about the National Day of Prayer? Yesterday, I issued a warning<\/a> about any time people claim Jesus for their side of an issue. The tendency to make Jesus say exactly what we want him to say runs rampant. So, now that you’ve been duly warned, I’ll do my best to evaluate Meacham’s claims on the basis of a careful, contextual reading of the relevant New Testament texts.  <\/p>\n

Jesus Refused to Be Crowned as King<\/b><\/p>\n

In the Gospel of John of the New Testament we read the following:<\/p>\n

When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself. (6:15)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Sea<\/span>The context tells us something about the “they” who intended to crown Jesus. A large crowd of people had gathered around him near the Sea of Galilee because they were drawn to his miraculous healings (6:1-2). Jesus became concerned about the people because they lacked food (6:5). But all that was available was a boy’s sack lunch (five barley loaves and two fish; 6:8). So Jesus instructed the people to sit while he broke the loaves and fish and had them distributed to 5,000 people. After they finished eating, there was much to spare (6:13). The people were impressed, saying to each other, “This is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world.” But Jesus sensed that something else was afoot, that the people were going to try and make him their king. So “he withdrew again to the mountain by himself” (6:15). (Photo: The Sea of Galilee. “Image courtesy of www.HolyLandPhotos.org<\/a>.” If you’re looking for excellent photos of biblical sites, check out this great website.)<\/p>\n

Why Did the People Want to Crown Jesus as King?<\/b><\/p>\n

In the time of Jesus, it was not unusual for a charismatic figure to gather around himself a cadre of followers who acknowledged him as a leader, perhaps even as their ruler. These messianic figures would sometimes lead some minor revolt against Rome, only to be crushed under the thumb of Roman might. Galilee, the seedbed of Jesus’ ministry, seemed to be particularly fertile ground for this sort of behavior.<\/p>\n

For example, according to the ancient Jewish historian Josephus, several years before Jesus emerged on the scene, a Galilean named Judas “got no small multitude together, and broke open the place where the royal armor was laid up, and armed those about him, and attacked those that were so earnest to gain the dominion” (War 2.4.1, see also 2.8.1 and Acts 5:36-37). In John 6, it seems that the people who had been fed miraculously by Jesus associated him with rebels such as Judas. But why would they connect a miracle of food-creation with rebellion against Rome? Why might they consider a supernaturally-endowed prophet to be a royal figure, one who could confront and even defeat the power of Rome?<\/p>\n

Whereas we tend to see the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 as a religious event or a demonstration of Jesus’ compassion, those who were fed sensed a politically pregnant moment. They seem to have identified Jesus with the long-awaited “prophet like Moses” promised in Deuteronomy (18:15-18; 34:10-12). Moses, of course, was not just a religious lawgiver, but also a deliverer who set Israel free from political bondage. One of the major signs of his divine authority was the provision of food (manna) in the wilderness.<\/p>\n

Moreover, those who ate their fill of Jesus’ bread might have remembered prophecies in which God connected his future salvation with his provision of food for his flock. In Micah 5, for example, the ruler of Israel (who will be born in Bethlehem) “shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the Lord” (5:2-5). Similarly, Ezekiel 34 promises that when “David” comes to shepherd God’s flock, “he shall feed them” (34:13-23). So when Jesus fed people by divine power, they quite naturally supposed that he might be Israel’s king, the anointed one, the Messiah. <\/p>\n

This story in John 6 illustrates something we easily overlook: the inseparable connection in the minds of first-century Jews between religion and politics. When Jesus fed the multitudes, not only did they enjoy a free lunch as beneficiaries of God’s power, but also they assumed that this power should take political forms. Because Jesus worked wonders, he was not just the long-awaited prophet, but also the one through whom God’s actual kingdom would be reestablished in Israel. Given so many prophetic passages that spoke of God’s coming reign in plainly political terms, not to mention Jewish prayers that sought divine government in Jerusalem, Jews in the day of Jesus simply assumed that the kingdom of God would be a political one. It would involve kicking the Romans out of the land and reconstituting the government of Israel under the rule of God and, perhaps, his anointed king.<\/p>\n

The powerful works of Jesus seemed to guarantee his success as a political ruler. Furthermore, these works illustrated and undergirded Jesus’ central message: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news” (Mark 1:15). If he proclaimed the coming of the kingdom of God, and if he did works of power that revealed him to be a “prophet like Moses” and a shepherd in the line of David, then surely Jesus was the king of the Jews who would set them free from the Romans and establish God’s kingdom in Israel. Right?<\/p>\n

The Response of Jesus and Meacham’s “Case”<\/b><\/p>\n

Not exactly, according to Jesus. At least not according to the account of John 6. Here we are told simply that Jesus “withdrew again to the mountain by himself” rather than allowing the people to force him to become their king. Meacham’s claim that Jesus “withdrew and hid<\/i>” goes beyond the evidence of the text, but is well within the bounds of poetic license. For reasons not explained in John 6, Jesus did not claim political power when it was offered to him. Rather, he chose a different course.<\/p>\n

This text alone provides flimsy evidence for Jesus as the originator of the separation between church and state. But it offers even less support for those who would use the power of the state to advance the agenda of the church. So, Meacham may be onto something. But if his “religious case” for the separation of church and state is to be at all persuasive, it will need more support from the other Gospel passage cited by Meacham, where Jesus explains that his kingdom is “not of this world.” I’ll examine that text tomorrow. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In Monday’s post I summarized a “religious case for church-state separation” found in Jon Meacham’s recent Newsweek article. Meacham believes that Jesus originated the idea of church-state separation. In support of this claim, he refers to two passages in the New Testament Gospels, one in which Jesus refused to be crowned as king, and one…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":214,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[142,140],"tags":[248,145,132,144],"class_list":["post-1103","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-biblical-interpretation","category-jesus","tag-jesus","tag-john-6","tag-national-day-of-prayer","tag-politics"],"yoast_head":"\nThe National Day of Prayer Controversy: What Would Jesus Think? Part 3 - Mark D. 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Roberts","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","caption":"Mark D. Roberts"},"description":"The Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a pastor, author, retreat leader, speaker, and blogger. Since October 2007 he has been the Senior Director and Scholar-in-Residence for Laity Lodge, a multifaceted ministry in the Hill Country of Texas. Before coming to Laity Lodge, he was for sixteen years the Senior Pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church in Irvine, California (a city in Orange County about forty miles south of Los Angeles). Before his time at Irvine Pres, Mark served on the staff of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood as Associate Pastor of Education. (Thanks to Janel Pahl for taking the photo to the right.) Mark studied at Harvard University, receiving a B.A. in Philosophy, an M.A. in the Study of Religion, and a Ph.D. in New Testament and Christian Origins. He has taught classes in New Testament for Fuller Theological Seminary and San Francisco Theological Seminary. Mark has written several books, including No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer (WaterBrook, 2005), Dare to Be True (WaterBrook, 2003), Jesus Revealed (WaterBrook, 2002), After \"I Believe\" (Baker, 2002), and Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (Word, 1993). His most recent book is Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (Crossway, 2007). He is currently working on a commentary on Ephesians that will be published by Zondervan in 2014. Mark writes a devotional for The High Calling of Our Daily Work, a website associated with Laity Lodge. His \"Daily Reflections\" can be viewed online or sent as a daily email. If you wish to receive this email, just visit TheHighCalling.org and sign up. Mark serves on the editorial board of Worship Leader magazine, where he publishes articles and reviews, including his regular column \"Lyrical Poetry.\" Additionally, he has published dozens of articles in leading magazines and journals. He often speaks for churches and other Christian groups, and has been interviewed on over seventy-five radio programs nationwide. Mark is married to Linda, who is a Marriage and Family Therapist, a Spiritual Director, and a retreat speaker. They have two children, Nathan and Kara.For Publicity Photos and Bio Statements for Mark, please check here. Mark's Dossier Professional History: Senior Director and Scholar-in Residence, Laity Lodge, October 2007 to present. Senior Pastor Irvine Presbyterian Church, June 1991 to September 2007 Adjunct Assistant Professor Fuller Theological Seminary, 1994 to 2007. Courses: New Testament Theology and Exegesis. Adjunct Instructor San Francisco Theological Seminary, 1995 to 2001. Courses: New Testament Greek and Exegesis Associate Pastor of Education First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, 1987-1991 Teaching Fellow Harvard University, 1980-1983 Education: Ph.D. in the Study of Religion. Harvard University, 1992. Area: New Testament and Christian Origins M.A. in the Study of Religion Harvard University, 1984. A.B. magna cum laude in Philosophy Harvard University, 1979. Phi Beta Kappa; Danforth Fellowship Books: Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Crossway, 2007 No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer. WaterBrook, 2005 Dare to Be True: Living in the Freedom of Complete Honesty. WaterBrook, 2003. Jesus Revealed: Know Him Better to Love Him Better. WaterBrook, 2002. After \"I Believe\": Experiencing Authentic Christian Living. Baker, 2002. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther in the Communicator's Commentary Series. Word, 1993. Contacting Mark: You can reach Mark at: E-mail: mark@markdroberts.com mroberts@laitylodge.org Phone: Laity Lodge: (830) 792-1216 Address: Laity Lodge 719 Earl Garrett Kerrville, TX 78028","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/author\/mroberts"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1103","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/214"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1103"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1103\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1103"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1103"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1103"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}