Thoughts on July 4th

BOTH PIERCED HANDS of JESUS

Every July I try to write an article for Zion’s newsletter related to our country in connection to July 4^th. I think that’s what makes an American – celebration of July 4^th, Thanksgiving Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Veteran’s Day etc. Days when we remember what it took to create the United States.

One can’t be a global Christian. God gave us a country to take care of and beautify. Going from the very beginning the New World was populated by people who wanted to enjoy the freedom of confession of Christ. We are citizens of the Church – one, holy, Christian (or lit. world-wide), and Apostolic church. At the same time, we are the citizens of the United States of America. That’s why the Lutheran doctrine differentiates between the kingdom of the right hand and the kingdom of the left hand. Kingdom of the right is the kingdom of grace, forgiveness, and reconciliation with God for the sake of Jesus. His sacrifice brought us back into the family and the kingdom of God. Kingdom of the left hand represents the earthly authorities and provisions – parents for raising children, different vocations (bakers, doctors, technicians) for our needs, instructors for students, government for peace and quietness of our lives (1 Tim. 2:2).

I often talk about the vertical pole and the horizontal beam of the Calvary cross. Today I want to direct your attention to the hands or arms of Jesus on the cross. Thinking about the Two Kingdoms we can’t but notice that both hands were pierced. Romans knew how to torture people. They nailed Jesus to the cross making sure to inflict the maximum pain. They couldn’t care less for the Biblical or doctrinal convictions of the Christian theologians. Yet, sometimes it is the most profound statement of faith made by the adversaries of the community of believers. My favorite one is “it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” What a beautiful confession of substitutionary atonement! Made by… Caiaphas (John 11:49-50) – the High priest who secured the sentence of Jesus to the cross.

Both hands of Jesus were pierced symbolically reminding us of the brokenness of this world, in all its aspects – relationship with the Creator in kingdom of the right hand should be paid for and relationship in the kingdom of the left hand with the earthly should be restored too. The rebellion in the Garden impacted everything – Adam disobeyed God, but he also threw his wife under the bus of God’s wrath…

Both hands of Jesus were pierced that we can live in His kingdom. As a children’s song states it: this is my Father’s world. God through the sacrifice of Jesus reconciled us to Himself (2 Cor. 5:19). And now we can use this power of forgiveness to advance the Gospel that the petition of the Lord’s prayer “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” will come true. As Dr. Luther put it in the Small Catechism “we pray in this petition that it may be done among us also.” This “among us” is not advanced by a rebellion against the earthly authorities because our heritage is the Reformation not a revolution. As the citizens of both kingdoms, we act lawfully, we pray for the government and the authorities, and we present the reasons for the hope that is in us (1 Pet. 3:15).

picture: fragment of the altar stain glass from Lutheran church of St. George, Koltushi (Russia). 

Philemon

 Letter of St. Paul to Philemon   

Title: The title is given based on the main recipient of the epistle. Philemon come from Greek Philéo (to love, to show signs of love [Mt. 26:48]). The name can be translated as “the affectionate one” or “the one who kisses”.                         

Date of writing: The epistle should precede or have the same date as the Letter to Colossians (cp. 1:10 and Col.4:9). It depends on our understanding of the “negotiations” between St. Paul and Philemon – either apostle settles the matter before sending Onesimus or sends him hoping for/relying on the godliness of his addressee (1:21).

Also, having Timothy and Demas in one letter temporal conundrum (cp. 2 Tim. 4:9-10). This challenge can be solved through assumed repentance and return of Demas to “team Paul”. This proposition of later date (after 2 Tim.) can give an explanation to a better mood in comparison to 2 Tim. – St. Paul asks Philemon to prepare a room for him (1:22) for he is ready to be released and travel again.                           

Structure:

a. 1:1-3, Greetings

 b. 1:4-7, Example of Philemon’s love and faith

  c. 1:8-12, I, Paul, appeal

   d. 1:13-14, he served me/on your [possible] consent.

  c’. 1:15-19, I, Paul, write.    

 b’. 1:20-22, Philemon’s [expected] obedience.

a’. 1:23-25, final greetings (a+a’=10 people total)  

 

Main themes: The main theme is a complex understanding of slavery in Ancient World and theology of St. Paul. There is a need to reconcile Gal. 3:28 and 1 Cor. 7:21-22. We do not know the final status of Onesimus in the household of Philemon and can rely only on Paul’s encouragement in 1:16.

The theme of father-son and brotherly relationship instituted via sacrament of the Holy baptism. The apostle sends Onesimus as his son which he begot through the conversion (and assumed baptism) of the latter. He also writes to the congregation in Colossae that from now on Onesimus is their brother (Col. 4:9).

Taking into consideration the timely matters (see Date of Writing) one needs to pay attention to the theme of repentance and acceptance back into a ministerial collegiate of failed fellow workers. Both Demas (2 Tim. 4:9-10) and Mark (Acts. 12:25; 13:13; 15:37-40) ended up being reunited with the Apostle.             

Main Characters: St. Paul to Philemon

Co-signers	Receivers
Timothy Epaphras, Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke	Apphia (most likely Philemon’s wife), Archippus, Church in Philemon’s house

        

Reflection in other parts of the Bible: The epistle can be seen as a NT commentary on the progression we see first in Torah (Ex. 22:20; Deut. 23:15-16). From “no murdering of a slave” and “no ill treatment to a foreigner” (Ex. 21:20-21; 22:21) through “no ill treatment to a slave” (Deut. 23:16) to receive him “as a beloved brother” (Phil. 1:16).

Family-based relationship within the Church also presented in Gal. 4:19 where St. Paul presents himself as a woman in the pains of child-baring (cp. Gen 3:16; Num.11:11-12; Lk. 13:34).

The theme of hospitality is an important part of Pauline epistles within the Canon of Scriptures (cp. Rom. 12:13; 1 Tim. 3:2; Tit. 1:8; Heb. 13:2 and Gen. 18; Ex. 2:15b-22; 1 Kg. 17:8-24; 2 Kg. 4:1-7, 8-37).          

Lutheran teaching: Book of Concord has only one reference to the Epistle as an illustration on obedience to God’s will (FC SD IV: 17).

Lutheran hymnody: LSB 845 – Where Charity and Love Prevail

Relevancy of the Book: In our world of social distress the Epistle to Philemon gives us the paradigm for the reconciliation between different groups: masters and servants, leaders and the flock, colleagues. The unity given to the people in Christ is the perfect unity of sinful people around forgiving God. As a result, we have an example of encouragement to share the faith not only through the preaching the Word (which is very important), but also by means of social actions.                

Memory verses: 1:6 and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective for the full knowledge of every good thing that is in us for the sake of Christ.