Christ for the church
Commentary
Immediately after Easter, the church comes to the fore. One explanation appears in the gospel lesson. Though John began the story of the resurrection with Mary Magdalene, he continued with the gathered apostolic community. Whereas Mary illustrated a new day for the individual believer, the disciples represented the church.
This stylized presentation helps us understand an issue that received some publicity in the news media during the past year --the historicity of John's gospel. We may sense the problem when we read about Jesus bestowing the Holy Spirit on Easter evening. The contrast with the Pentecost story in Acts is troublesome.
The gospels demonstrate an interesting combination of historicity and theology, with some competition between the two. The three which report appearances of the resurrected Jesus, all tell of women as the first to see him, evidently indicating a historical account, although Paul does not include it in 1 Corinthians 15:5-8. Further appearances show greater divergence among the gospels. In John the explanation, at least in part, is the theological purpose to be served.
The question is not whether Jesus was a historical person, or even whether his career followed the basic outline apparent in the gospels, but rather, how much detail the gospel writers considered as important as the salvation gospel. Needless to say, they were not Bible history professors. As a result, their writing is less tedious and far more elevating.
The same gospel emphasis mocks those who try to define the nature of the resurrected body. All of the usual categories, such as physical, spiritual or psychical, fall short of explaining one of the resurrection incidents or another. The witnesses have succeeded in letting us know that the resurrection was an event like no other. This uniqueness was a part of the reason for their faith and for their writing.
The church as a community of the resurrection faith is presented in broadest panoply by the lessons this week. John shows the beginning of the church. In the lesson from Acts, the church is in encounter with the world. Revelation looks forward from an embattled present to the final triumph.
Throughout, the resurrected Church is not so much an object needing proof to satisfy our rational logic, but, as the Apostle Thomas learned, a living Lord showing such personal concern as to claim identification with us in our continuing struggles.
OUTLINE I
The gospel priority
Acts 5:12, 17-32
A. vv. 12, 17-26. The apostles continued the wonderful deeds and the teaching of Jesus. They also experienced a continuation of his persecution (cf. chapter 4). Since the center of their activity was the temple, the opposition was led by the priestly party (Sadducees); but events showed that God was on the side of the apostles.
B. vv. 27-29. A key principle for the apostles: "We must obey God rather than any human authority." Obviously, not all human authority is contrary to God's will and Christians would need to take care lest their disobedience to human authority would do such harm to others as to contradict God's will. Here the apostles insisted on the freedom to proclaim the gospel and were willing to endure any amount of suffering which would serve that cause.
C. vv. 30-31. The proclamation concentrated on God's mighty deeds in relation to Jesus. In other words, the authorities were wasting time in trying to restrain the spread of the gospel. Although the apostles held their opponents guilty, their message could help. The exalted Jesus was a Savior with repentance and forgiveness. The apostles even appealed to the traditions which they shared with their accusers and spoke of "our" ancestors.
D. v. 32. The apostles spoke of their distinctive authority which derived from (1) having been eye witnesses and (2) having received God's Holy Spirit.
OUTLINE II
Overpowering care
Revelation 1:4-8
A. vv. 1-2. God's greeting to the church. The author, in exile on the island of Patmos (v. 9), 10 miles offshore from Asia Minor, is writing to seven churches (v. 11), symbolic of the whole church universal. He writes on behalf of God, who is described as in Exodus 3:14, "I am who I will be." The reference to past, present and future does not emphasize the abstract unchangeableness of God, so much as it does divine consistency and dependability amid the changes in the world. Seven spirits indicate the particular divine care for each congregation. God sends greetings from the heavenly throne.
B. vv. 5-6. A description of Jesus Christ, who joins in sending the greeting, includes a sequence of three roles. "Witness" might better be translated "martyr," as a reference to his suffering and death. The obvious reference to his resurrection is followed by one to his exaltation, in terms of his power over the persecutors of the church. Another three actions emphasize Christ's care for the church, starting with love. Liberation from sin, as though it were an enslaving power, had to be bought. The slaves become priestly servants in the kingdom of the God who rules forever.
C. vv. 7-8. Deliverance from the suffering church comes with the return of Christ (cf. Daniel 7:13). God signs the letter with the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. To eternity is added unlimited power to show that the God who began history can end it. The ultimate glory is God's.
OUTLINE III
An Easter church
John 20:19-31
A. vv. 19-23. The resurrected Christ inaugurated the apostolic church. It was the evening of Easter Sunday. Before Christ arrived, the disciples were living in fear behind locked doors. Afterward they were glad, showing the effect of the resurrection on the church. Identified by his wounds, Jesus proceeded to bestow peace with God to make the apostles ready for the commissioning that followed. The church was to be the continuation of Christ's earthly ministry. For power, they needed the Holy Spirit. In reporting that Christ breathed on them, the same Greek word was used as in the Septuagint of Genesis 2:7, when God breathed life into Adam. Finally, the purpose of the mission was to spread God's forgiveness.
B. vv. 24-29. The alternatives of doubt and faith needed to be understood. Thomas had been absent. Pessimistic and questioning by nature (11:16; 14:5), he had trouble believing that the crucifixion was not the end. On the first Sunday after Easter, he was present and Jesus gave special attention to his doubts. Although he had wanted to touch the wounds as proof, there is no record that he did so. Like all others who met the resurrected Lord, Thomas was changed. His confession was the most exalted yet: "My Lord and My God."
C. vv. 30-31. Since the previous section concluded with the acknowledgment that people through the ages will need to believe without seeing Jesus, the apostles preserved the record to stimulate Christian faith and life.
This stylized presentation helps us understand an issue that received some publicity in the news media during the past year --the historicity of John's gospel. We may sense the problem when we read about Jesus bestowing the Holy Spirit on Easter evening. The contrast with the Pentecost story in Acts is troublesome.
The gospels demonstrate an interesting combination of historicity and theology, with some competition between the two. The three which report appearances of the resurrected Jesus, all tell of women as the first to see him, evidently indicating a historical account, although Paul does not include it in 1 Corinthians 15:5-8. Further appearances show greater divergence among the gospels. In John the explanation, at least in part, is the theological purpose to be served.
The question is not whether Jesus was a historical person, or even whether his career followed the basic outline apparent in the gospels, but rather, how much detail the gospel writers considered as important as the salvation gospel. Needless to say, they were not Bible history professors. As a result, their writing is less tedious and far more elevating.
The same gospel emphasis mocks those who try to define the nature of the resurrected body. All of the usual categories, such as physical, spiritual or psychical, fall short of explaining one of the resurrection incidents or another. The witnesses have succeeded in letting us know that the resurrection was an event like no other. This uniqueness was a part of the reason for their faith and for their writing.
The church as a community of the resurrection faith is presented in broadest panoply by the lessons this week. John shows the beginning of the church. In the lesson from Acts, the church is in encounter with the world. Revelation looks forward from an embattled present to the final triumph.
Throughout, the resurrected Church is not so much an object needing proof to satisfy our rational logic, but, as the Apostle Thomas learned, a living Lord showing such personal concern as to claim identification with us in our continuing struggles.
OUTLINE I
The gospel priority
Acts 5:12, 17-32
A. vv. 12, 17-26. The apostles continued the wonderful deeds and the teaching of Jesus. They also experienced a continuation of his persecution (cf. chapter 4). Since the center of their activity was the temple, the opposition was led by the priestly party (Sadducees); but events showed that God was on the side of the apostles.
B. vv. 27-29. A key principle for the apostles: "We must obey God rather than any human authority." Obviously, not all human authority is contrary to God's will and Christians would need to take care lest their disobedience to human authority would do such harm to others as to contradict God's will. Here the apostles insisted on the freedom to proclaim the gospel and were willing to endure any amount of suffering which would serve that cause.
C. vv. 30-31. The proclamation concentrated on God's mighty deeds in relation to Jesus. In other words, the authorities were wasting time in trying to restrain the spread of the gospel. Although the apostles held their opponents guilty, their message could help. The exalted Jesus was a Savior with repentance and forgiveness. The apostles even appealed to the traditions which they shared with their accusers and spoke of "our" ancestors.
D. v. 32. The apostles spoke of their distinctive authority which derived from (1) having been eye witnesses and (2) having received God's Holy Spirit.
OUTLINE II
Overpowering care
Revelation 1:4-8
A. vv. 1-2. God's greeting to the church. The author, in exile on the island of Patmos (v. 9), 10 miles offshore from Asia Minor, is writing to seven churches (v. 11), symbolic of the whole church universal. He writes on behalf of God, who is described as in Exodus 3:14, "I am who I will be." The reference to past, present and future does not emphasize the abstract unchangeableness of God, so much as it does divine consistency and dependability amid the changes in the world. Seven spirits indicate the particular divine care for each congregation. God sends greetings from the heavenly throne.
B. vv. 5-6. A description of Jesus Christ, who joins in sending the greeting, includes a sequence of three roles. "Witness" might better be translated "martyr," as a reference to his suffering and death. The obvious reference to his resurrection is followed by one to his exaltation, in terms of his power over the persecutors of the church. Another three actions emphasize Christ's care for the church, starting with love. Liberation from sin, as though it were an enslaving power, had to be bought. The slaves become priestly servants in the kingdom of the God who rules forever.
C. vv. 7-8. Deliverance from the suffering church comes with the return of Christ (cf. Daniel 7:13). God signs the letter with the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. To eternity is added unlimited power to show that the God who began history can end it. The ultimate glory is God's.
OUTLINE III
An Easter church
John 20:19-31
A. vv. 19-23. The resurrected Christ inaugurated the apostolic church. It was the evening of Easter Sunday. Before Christ arrived, the disciples were living in fear behind locked doors. Afterward they were glad, showing the effect of the resurrection on the church. Identified by his wounds, Jesus proceeded to bestow peace with God to make the apostles ready for the commissioning that followed. The church was to be the continuation of Christ's earthly ministry. For power, they needed the Holy Spirit. In reporting that Christ breathed on them, the same Greek word was used as in the Septuagint of Genesis 2:7, when God breathed life into Adam. Finally, the purpose of the mission was to spread God's forgiveness.
B. vv. 24-29. The alternatives of doubt and faith needed to be understood. Thomas had been absent. Pessimistic and questioning by nature (11:16; 14:5), he had trouble believing that the crucifixion was not the end. On the first Sunday after Easter, he was present and Jesus gave special attention to his doubts. Although he had wanted to touch the wounds as proof, there is no record that he did so. Like all others who met the resurrected Lord, Thomas was changed. His confession was the most exalted yet: "My Lord and My God."
C. vv. 30-31. Since the previous section concluded with the acknowledgment that people through the ages will need to believe without seeing Jesus, the apostles preserved the record to stimulate Christian faith and life.
