It hit me a couple years ago at a National Youth Specialties conference while listening to Rob Bell talk about Jesus as one who "taught with authority". One facet of this verse is the technical meaning of "authority" during Jesus' time (and even now). It's from rabbinic Judaism and translated to Hebrew is "s'mikah". The tradition is found among rabbi's today and dates back to the time of Moses and the giving of "authority" to the seventy elders. Brilliant light from this facet struck me and revealed my blindness. I had eyes but wasn't seeing. Jesus was Jewish and I had absolutely no idea what that meant. No wonder he seemed so strange and distant and other worldly. Could I dare to admit that I believed in someone whom I barely understood? For me, this illumination on my ignorance of Jesus' Jewishness is incredibly urgent. And so, these are my steps as I learn to "walk as Jesus did".
2 comments:
First of all, James, I think this is excellent! I appreciate so much your insights, and to have them available online to share is wonderful!
Second, I am blessed to also share in the genesis of this journey at the NYWC in 2000. I didn't really know about Jesus being Jewish, didn't understand, and up until that point, honestly, didn't care. For me, I couldn't "admit to following someone whom I barely understood" because I didn't even recognize my own ignorance. There was nothing to admit.
But fortunately, God, in His grace, will not allow us to stagnate in ignorance. A new window has been opened to me...to us, and we not only want to peer, we want to jump in and make new discoveries, and more importantly, be different people. I am thankful for people like you, James, whose passion to walk as Jesus did exhorts me to take yet another step.
Kevin, the first commentator! Thanks! Was it really 2000, or possibly 2001? Either way seems like ages ago. I'm looking forward to us discussing this new (or maybe old) "window" and facet to viewing the Text (the Bible). For me, it's been like reading it all for the first time, a sense of wonder and amazement that has been missing for awhile or maybe was never there. Bless God!
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