When most of us read the scriptures we read the Bible from
the viewpoint of the 21st-century human. That means we read it from a perspective and
understand being born to freedoms of some type.
Now I know, some will point out that parts of the world still are
oppressive and slavery still exists.
All true, but the majority of the world people have some level of
freedom. Reading the Bible this way is
a mistake. You have to place yourself in
the Middle East, the Holy Land in Jesus' time.
Jesus was not born free. He was
born into an occupied territory. He was
born into a type of captivity. He was born into oppression, slavery, and
captivity. These factors cannot be
changed just because your master and oppressors give you some freedoms of
movement and leeways in some practices to include your religion. You are still under their thumb and control.
So let us put ourselves in that mindset and remember that
there is a lot unsaid. Think of the
sermon on the Mount. Jesus did not spend
time telling those gathered of their plight, of their oppression, of the fact
they were Jews and hate and looked down upon by the Romans that were their
masters. He did not have to. It was just understood. Think of coming into the middle of a movie
with no idea of the story arc. That is
what we have in the Bible. I know some
of the modern Bibles add footnotes to explain as much as they can, but the
original authors were not writing for the century’s they were writing for the
now. The audience already knew what was not said. We do not.
This has led to centuries of assumptions. This has led to centuries of possible
misunderstanding of what is said and meant.
Take the time to reread your favorite passages, clear your
mind of your perspective of now and of your preconceived assumptions. Instead, read it with thoughts of the situation
that Jesus lived in and realize that most of the statements he makes are
answers to questions not yet asked but needed an answer. I have
a feeling that you will find a deep appreciation for the brilliance and the genius
of Jesus of Nazareth before he became Jesus the Christ. A true
genius in Philosophy, strategy, and tactics to turn the tables on the masters
that oppressed his people. He set in
motion a truly beautiful thing once you understand his motives and his plan.
