Religion: Reflections on Jesus

The parables, sayings and teachings of Jesus are moving and penetrating, but if it were not for the way that Jesus died we would probably not be still reading these stories today. There were many wisdom teachers wandering about the Middle East in his day. Much of his sayings and teaching can be found in other sources. He was also not unique in being a wisdom teacher with a band of followers, though the manner in which he put the old stories together and presented them was obviously forceful. He was also a healer though even in this he was not unique. Many healers plied the land, for organized medical services were rare then and people had to rely on itinerant healers when they passed by.

How he died was scandalous. Few things are more ignominious than being crucified, scantily clothed and suffering unto death in full public view. No doubt his small band of followers experienced a group trauma at the time of his death. And yet the story did not end there. Soon incredibly they were being scattered throughout the region, all together insisting that he was still alive. Nothing could be more ridiculous than this little group of followers insisting on the resurrection of their master and teacher. Somehow out of their group trauma they came together in the mad and insistent hope that he, Jesus was still with them. He was still alive in their midst!

So what does this have to do with us now? I have spent some time with the violated women of east Congo, and with the women whose task it is to take care of them. Jeanne is a big, strong woman who sometimes reveals a saddened face, and at other times bursts forth in joy. She coordinates the work of treating raped women for all the Protestant churches in north Kivu, based in Goma. The work of these church groups is to take care of the many thousands of violently raped women in the region. When I was in Goma, I asked Jeanne how she could keep going on, day in and day out. She looked at me and spoke of Jesus. She spoke of his suffering on the cross and said, “We in Congo know about his suffering, for we here suffer terribly every day”. But she did not stop there. Then her face lightened up and she spoke of the resurrection promise. “But we also know that Jesus went through that suffering and conquered it – and by his power we will get through this and conquer this evil, with our hope in him!”

It seemed clear that a mere word of philosophy would not meet Jeanne’s need. A message much deeper was needed – and the gospel storey was the message that met her need. We know that the gospel story has been twisted by knaves and used by others as a means of domination, yet under it all, the message of resurrection hope lives on!