It is a simple principle that is being
applied here: ‘humble yourselves and God will exalt you.’ Start
from the bottom, start from below. Start with nothing but open hands and open
minds and open hearts. Start from the cross.
The personal character of wisdom is crucial
for understanding the Fourth Gospel’s frame of reference. It says that
in this human being, life is lived as God would live life if God were present.
It acknowledges that the Rabbi from Nazareth was saying something about the
character of the Covenant Creator that can be found in the stream of a prophetic
reading of the Hebrew Scriptures. It asserts furthermore that we too can become
‘persons’ only as we are in a positive relationship to this wisdom,
to Jesus. The Fourth Gospel develops what Girard would call ‘inter-dividuality.’
It can be seen most clearly in that the disciples relationship to Jesus and
thus to God are of the same structure as his is to the heavenly ‘abba.’
There is no distinction, and here it is the mimesis of love which rules.
For many in the last hundred years, the
Fourth Gospel has been seen as an anti-Semitic document. Much has been written
both for and against this perspective. Before embarking on a reading of the
Bread of Life discourse in John 6 this issue must be fairly faced head on. We
have said over and over again that we cannot read the New Testament documents
with an anti-Semitic mindset or we will neither understand them nor shall we
know the God revealed therein. Lest we non-Jewish readers of the New Testament
forget, God made the covenant with the Jewish people, a covenant renewed in
the Jew Jesus.
Furthermore, as far we are concerned,
there is scant evidence for Gentile authorship of any New Testament document
(Luke-Acts having the best chance); the New Testament is a collection of literature
written by Jews for both Jews and non-Jews. This is readily apparent in the
letters of Paul or the Gospel of Matthew but has not been quite so visible
for scholars with the Fourth Gospel. We have followed those who see in this
Gospel a very Jewish hand and thus have little or no need to place the Fourth
Gospel into a Hellenistic context.
Some clergy have acquaintance with modern
Judaism. The Shoah (the Holocaust) has taught us Christian clergy to be very
careful with what we say about Judaism and also how we say it. Unfortunately,
clergy tend not to have such a solid understanding of the life and times of
ancient Judaism, often utilizing resources that are anti-Semitic. We must,
if we are to do ecumenical theology, do theology that not only embraces the
heart of the Christian faith but also respectfully acknowledges the place
and role of other human religions and faith traditions. This is nowhere more
true than Judaism. Christianity is either rooted and grounded in Jewish faith
or it is not Christianity at all.
What do we mean? Are we saying that Christians
should become Jews? No. We have read Paul’s letter to the Galatians.
What we are saying is that Christianity which does not do right by Judaism
but sets Judaism apart as a renegade or false religion is itself both renegade
and false. It has foresworn the covenant God made with both Abraham and Jesus.
That is to say: The Creator of heaven
and earth has a specific people, the Jewish people, with whom God has covenanted
and it is through these people, their history and their literature that we
can begin to understand our own Christian literature. We must always be mindful
of the fact that Jesus was not a Christian, he was a Jew, he thought like
a Jew and his teaching is thoroughly Jewish. Anything other than this and
we will not be able to preach real peace for we will have scapegoated Jews
and Judaism. And as we have been reminded by Karl Barth, “anti-Semitism
is the sin against the Holy Spirit.”
This necessary preamble to our reading
today reflects our major concern as we read John 6. For in John 6 there is
a contrast between the sign that Jesus does with the feeding of the Israelites
in the desert when God ‘rained manna from heaven.’ If, at this
point we think super-secessionistically as though Christianity replaced Judaism
as a way of faith we will have missed a good part of what our author is saying.
What hermeneutic then shall we apply?
The New Testament in general and the
Fourth Gospel in particular do not reject the faith of the Jewish people.
Instead, when comparing the revelation in Jesus Christ with God’s revealing
activity in Judaism, there is always implicit (if not explicit) the theme
of fulfillment of the promises made by this gracious covenanting God. In Jesus,
something has occurred that has been pointed to over and over again in the
history and literature of Judaism that we call the Hebrew Scriptures (the
Old Testament). This something is a fulfillment, a completion of all God has
been trying to say and do. Fulfillment is quite different than replacement.
We must say No to Marcion once and for all.
Now let us acknowledge this: The history
of Christianity does not lend itself to a positive interpretation. If Christianity
is better than Judaism or replaces Judaism, then we must say it has utterly
failed in its task for Christian history continues in the same vein as that
found in the prophets when the prophets chastised the unrighteous and unruly
people and leaders, particularly for their continued participation in victimage
on all levels (political, religious, economic, etc). The Church as an institution
is replete with sin. If we have not yet learned anything from the 20th century
let us learn this: the chasm that exists between Jesus and the life of the
Church is substantial. Thus, when we read this text unless we see ourselves
from the perspective of the crowds and the disciples we shall not begin to
either understand or experience the reality of the text. Unless and until
we Christians acknowledge we are indeed those who prefer ‘other bread’
than that given in Jesus we cannot take the first step and follow Jesus. We
are not invited to come at this text from Jesus’ perspective, from the
viewpoint of revelation. We are those who clamor for miracles and proofs that
are ultimately self-serving. Or as we might say in terms of mimetic theory,
we must interpret our text ‘from below’, from the perspective
of those who do not get it. Only then will we have earned the right to see
Jesus’ perspective. And after all, isn’t this the theology of
the cross we have seen over and over again in the Fourth Gospel?
We presuppose Borgen’s thesis (Bread
From Heaven) in our comments today.
The author of the Fourth Gospel has reflected
on a piece of haggadic tradition complete with texts which are exegeted. This
tradition has its place in teaching and preaching in the synagogues. Rabbi’s
shared a common tradition much like preachers today might use websites like
textweek.com. The author of the Fourth Gospel has chosen to reflect on that
tradition in the light of Jesus feeding of the 5,000.
Breaking up this contiguous Johannine
homily over four weeks makes it difficult to make any Historical remarks other
than to ask the reader to read both Borgen and Dodd (Historical
Tradition). The real rub of the narrative comes next week and the temptation
for clergy this week will be to prove christological superiority over Mosaic
tradition. If we follow the lectionary, we might find ourselves hermeneutically
inclined to discern what ‘the bread’ is. Or we might focus on
the incomprehension of the disciples and the modern church. Or we might just
find ourselves asking what kind of a God is it that feeds his people as they
wander together in the wilderness? What kind of God is revealed in Jesus?
“The one who does not have the Son does not have the Creator abba.”
As we noted last week, we do not feel compelled to engage in any source or
redaction analysis. Peder Borgen has persuaded us that the homily found in
John 6:25-59 is a whole unit. Therefore we will treat it as such, only breaking
off our remarks as we stick with the lectionary. (Sadly, the lectionary does
not utilize verses 36-40, but we encourage preachers to include them.)
One of the merits of Borgen’s thesis
is that he is able to demonstrate that in the Philonic and Palestinian midrashim,
the manna tradition is to be connected with the heavenly wisdom (sophia).
Thus it should not surprise us to find the same thing occurring in the Fourth
Gospel. This ‘wisdom’ is simply personified in the character of
Jesus. We recall that the Moses/Torah tradition in Judaism found a home in
the wisdom tradition of Judaism (Proverbs 8, Wisdom of Solomon). There, Torah
is equated with Sophia who comes among the Jewish people to dwell with them
and to teach them. The author of the Fourth Gospel is simply asserting that
this Wisdom has found personal expression in Jesus.
Either this page has not yet been completed, or we have not found any significant textual issues in the lectionary texts for this Sunday.
Introductory Articles
We will add articles as we are able,
or as users of the site request them, so if you have suggestions for additional
pieces, please write to us!
"Introduction
to Mimetic Theory"
"Mimesis"
"The
Scapegoat"
"The
Pillars of Culture"
"Jesus"
"The
Four Gospels"
A Brief Introduction
to Luke
What's New: (Hover your mouse over to pause cycling)
2 Sm 11:26-12:13a or * Ex 16:2-4,9-5
Ps 51:1-12 * Ps 78:23-29
Eph 4:1-16
Jn 6:24-35
(2 Samuel 11:26-27)
When the wife of Uriah heard that her husband was dead, she made lamentation
for him. When the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house,
and she became his wife, and bore him a son. But the thing that David had
done displeased the LORD,
(2 Samuel 12:1-13a)
and the LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, "There
were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich
man had very many flocks and herds; but the poor man had nothing but one little
ewe lamb, which he had bought. He brought it up, and it grew up with him and
with his children; it used to eat of his meager fare, and drink from his cup,
and lie in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a
traveler to the rich man, and he was loath to take one of his own flock or
herd to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him, but he took the poor
man's lamb, and prepared that for the guest who had come to him." Then
David's anger was greatly kindled against the man. He said to Nathan, "As
the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die; he shall
restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no
pity." Nathan said to David, "You are the man! Thus says the LORD,
the God of Israel: I anointed you king over Israel, and I rescued you from
the hand of Saul; I gave you your master's house, and your master's wives
into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that
had been too little, I would have added as much more. Why have you despised
the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down
Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife,
and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now therefore the sword
shall never depart from your house, for you have despised me, and have taken
the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife. Thus says the LORD: I will
raise up trouble against you from within your own house; and I will take your
wives before your eyes, and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with
your wives in the sight of this very sun. For you did it secretly; but I will
do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun." David said to Nathan,
"I have sinned against the LORD."
* (Exodus 16:2-4)
The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron
in the wilderness. The Israelites said to them, "If only we had died
by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots
and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness
to kill this whole assembly with hunger." Then the LORD said to Moses,
"I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people
shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them,
whether they will follow my instruction or not.
* (Exodus 16:9-15)
Then Moses said to Aaron, "Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites,
'Draw near to the LORD, for he has heard your complaining. '" And as
Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked toward
the wilderness, and the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud. The LORD
spoke to Moses and said, "I have heard the complaining of the Israelites;
say to them, 'At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall
have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the LORD your God.'"
In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there
was a layer of dew around the camp. When the layer of dew lifted, there on
the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost
on the ground. When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another,
"What is it?" For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them,
"It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat.
(Ephesians 4:1-16)
I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the
calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with
patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain
the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit,
just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith,
one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and
in all. But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ's
gift. Therefore it is said, "When he ascended on high he made captivity
itself a captive; he gave gifts to his people." (When it says, "He
ascended," what does it mean but that he had also descended into the
lower parts of the earth? He who descended is the same one who ascended far
above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.) The gifts he gave
were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors
and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up
the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of
the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature
of Christ. We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about
by every wind of doctrine, by people's trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful
scheming. But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into
him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit
together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working
properly, promotes the body's growth in building itself up in love.
(John 6:24-35)
So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they
themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus. When
they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi,
when did you come here?" Jesus answered them, "Very truly, I tell
you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate
your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the
food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For
it is on him that God the Father has set his seal." Then they said to
him, "What must we do to perform the works of God?" Jesus answered
them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."
So they said to him, "What sign are you going to give us then, so that
we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors
ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from
heaven to eat.'" Then Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you,
it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who
gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes
down from heaven and gives life to the world." They said to him, "Sir,
give us this bread always." Jesus said to them, "I am the bread
of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in
me will never be thirsty.
Occasional Articles
As with the Introductory Articles, we
will add other articles as time permits or as our readers request. If you
have a suggestion for anything, please let us know.
Michael Hardin
Is the Apocalypse Inevitable?: Native American Prophecy and the Mimetic Theory presented to the Colloquium on Violence and Religion 2008
Michael's Essay for a Celebration Volume honoring Rene Girard
Michael's Response to Willard Swartley's Covenent of Peace at the November Colloquium and Violence Meeting
Does
Peace Make A Difference? - Michael's essay in response to Rick
Warren's P.E.A.C.E. plan (which somehow never mentions peace).
An Analysis of Rick Warren - Michael's response to "The Purpose Driven Life."
"The
God of Pat Robertson" - a response to Pat Robertson's words
to the people of Dover, PA.
"A
response to Charles Stanley's "A Nation at War"
"Must
God be violent? A Diagnosis and Prescription for Modern Christianity"
The
Scapegoat: Christologies in Conflict - A Study in Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Biblical
Testaments as a Marriage of Convenience: Rene Girard and Biblical Interpretation
Finding
Our Way Home: A Brief Note On The Authority and Interpretation of Scripture
"Does
The Passion of the Christ Preach the Gospel?"
A
sermon for the holiday devoted to Dr. Martin Luther King. (requires
Adobe Acrobat Reader.)
GRASPING
GOD: Philippians 2: 1-11 in the Light of Mimetic Theory
Rene Girard and the Recovery of Early Christian Perspectives (Brethren Life and Thought)
The Dynamics of Violence and the Imitation of Christ in Maximus Confessor (St. Vladimir's Theological Quarterly)
"EcoSpirituality"
Or What Happens When You Sit Down With A French Literary Critic
Jeff Krantz
Mighty
One or Crucified Messiah? Competing Christologies and the Chiastic
Structure of Mark's Gospel
There's
No Such Thing as the Rapture - A sermon preached at the Church
of the Advent, Westbury (requires Acrobat Reader)
Holy
Scripture and the Consecration of Gene Robinson - a response
to the request of the Windsor Report for a Scriptural rationale. (requires
Adobe's Acrobat Reader)
Worship - The Redemption of Desire by Jeff Krantz
Myth
and Film - a piece written for the City of Angels Film Festival
The Stations of the Cross - Rewritten by Jeff Krantz
A Dramatic Presentation of the Stations of the Cross for Youth by Barb Fabijan-Waddell
Escaping
the Power of "My" - A NonViolent Approach to Stewardship
Preaching
Peace in Hollywood: The Theologies of Terminator, Lord of the Rings, and the
Matrix
V
for Vendetta - The Name Says It All A review of the movie.
Essays, Sermons and Liturgical Pieces by Friends of Preaching Peace
"Jesus and the Gibeonites: Reading the Bible from the Perspective of the Hidden Victim" by James Warren.
Mark Heim's "No More of This" - A hymn on Nonviolent Atonement
Kate Layzer's "No More of This" - A hymn on Nonviolent Atonement (and inspiration for Mark Heim's hymn!)
Alan Cork, "Transformation" in L'Arche: A Mimetic Account presented to the Colloquium on Violence and Religion 2008
"The Wisdom of God's Peace" a sermon by Jim Amstutz, co-pastor of Michael's church.
Girard's Christology - Per Bjornar Grande
Violence, Anarchy and Scripture: Jacques Ellul and Rene Girard - Matthew Patillo
Comparing
Plato's Understanding of Mimesis to Girard's - Per Bjorner Grande
C. Frank Terhune, an Easter Sermon: "God's Big But" (no kidding!)
Gerald Biesecker-Mast's paper from Theologia Pacis on Pacifist Gospel Epstimology.
An essay by the Rev. John Hill on Mimetic Theory and Catechesis
