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ENEMY (of God and other people)

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.  

(Romans 5:10)

The Apostle Paul summarises the first four chapters of the epistle to the Romans that demonstrated the adversarial relationship between humanity and God.  The doctrine of justification, the decision of God to restore the relationship on an individual basis unilaterally by faith, necessarily requires God to deal with each person as he finds them and the word Paul uses is echthros (ἐχθρός) meaning ‘enemy’.  From the verb echtho ‘to hate’, Paul is using the strongest term possible to describe the enmity that exists between creator and the blessed creature God made in his own image.  

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HATE (one’s family)

Hate (one’s family)

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.”
(Luke 14:26)

The chronology and sequence of events is not always obvious in Luke’s account of Jesus’ ministry; however, the gospel provides the context as here. Jesus is being followed by ‘great’ crowds – and John’s gospel (e.g. 6:26) records that the crowds often wanted Jesus to perform, whether it was producing food or a healing miracle. This was in danger of becoming a circus, and Jesus would have none of it.

Jesus words can be understood to rebuke those who trailed after him, and it was a deliberately shocking statement, intended to arrest people in their tracks – not least, because he seemed to contradict the fifth commandment, to honour your father and mother that Moses declared to Israel, and many would dwell upon the qualification, given the reality of Roman servitude.

‘Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.’ (Exodus 20:12)

Surely Jesus is not making a new commandment, not merely enhancing but challenging Moses’ authority? Perhaps he does not really mean ‘hate’?

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OVERCOME

‘Take heart; I have overcome the world.’ (John 16:33b)

Following the Passover Meal, Jesus prepares his disciples telling them he is about to leave them, but he will send the Paraclete in his place.  

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation… (ibid 16:33a)

He knows they will suffer the loss, not least, initially in their faith that the broken man on the cross was not the Messiah they hoped he was.  With the exception of John, performing the family duty of supporting his aunt, Mary, the disciples would scatter and return to Galilee.

But it easy to pass over his summary statement, that he has ‘overcome the world’, noting this is a completed action, in other words, he can surrender to death knowing he is sinless, and that is a victory. 

The Greek verb νικάω nikaó means to vanquish, conquer, prevail over and it derives from the Niké, the pagan goddess of victory.  So, Jesus saying that he has already won a victory even before passing test of obedience in Gethsemane, and rendering up his life and spirit to his Father.

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