Christ died and resurrected. Great. But what about Christians? First generation of those who believed in Resurrected and His Second Coming Soon? They began to die, and those who didn’t raised a question: where is Second Coming? Where is God with His Kingdom At Hand?
Mark gave a brilliant answer in his sermon which is known as Gospel according to Mark. (I think that Mark was the first and all other gospel, including John, are only variations on his text.)
Mark compared Christ with Moses and Christians with Jews in the desert. God decided that none of the Jews born in Egypt will enter the Holy Land. All participants of Exodus were doomed to die outside Promised Land, Moses included.
The Christ Way is similar to the Moses Way. (Mind, that «way», «Derek» meant in ancient Hebrew «teaching» like «Dao» in Mandarin.)
The Way of Christ begins with a river. Moses was found in Nile, Jesus appeared as the Son of God during baptism in Jordan (Jesus is more like a son of Pharaoh who was adopted by a Jewish girl). Second follows a ten miracles, healings and omens—Moses also made miracles, ten plagues of Egypt to overcome Pharaoh’s magicians (miracles of Jesus are a positive ones.) Third, there are people following Jesus. Fourth, there is Exodus—miraculous walking on the waters. Fourth, there is miracle of saturation with Heavenly Bread, manna/Jesus Himself. Fifth, there is Transfiguration similar to Moses on Sinai (and Moses literally appears on the mount during Transfiguration.) Fifth and the last is the Cross: «And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up».
Cross is not a random incident. Every follower of Christ must imitate Him in bearing the cross and suffering. This suffering heals people around us like legendary image of serpent healed Jews in the wilderness.
Why the Cross? Why I cannot be taken alive to the Paradise?
Because I’ve sinned.
I’ve sinned thinking that salvation can be reached without everyone, that salvation is an exclusive process. I must stay here to help others like Jews in the wilderness died but they helped their sons and daughters enter the Promised Land.
How can I help? By living here and now in the Kingdom of God, according to its norms, which are contrary to the norms of this world. My love must show itself not in dominance but through humility like God’s love was shown in the humility of Lord Jesus Christ.
Cross for me is as important as resurrection to Jesus. Where is God when I suffer? The proper question is where am I when I make others suffer. I must heal other through my tolerance, my love, even through my death. Resurrection must wait, love is not waiting.
19 august 2023