The Servant's Path

Satan offered Jesus unlimited political power for his Messianic mission if only he would accept the Devil as his overlord. Institutional Christianity has a long sordid history of mixing Church and State. The temptation to use political power to impose “right” beliefs and sociopolitical agendas is too great even though advancing “Christianity” through the political mechanisms of this world necessitates resorting to the coercive power of the State.

This corrosive mixture inevitably corrupts the Church and perverts its testimony before the world. Moreover, the marriage of Church and State is contrary to the teachings and example of Jesus.

[Photo by Timeo Buehrer on Unsplash]

Rather than the Imperial Throne, the Nazarene chose the path of the ‘Servant of the Yahweh’ that led to the Roman Cross. When tempted by Satan with power over “the kingdoms of the world,” he refused the offer, choosing instead to embrace “obedience unto death.”

The most startling detail of the Temptation Story as recorded in Matthew is that the Messiah of Israel did not dispute the Devil’s claim to have jurisdiction over the governments of this fallen age.

Satan took Jesus to a high mountain and showed him all the “kingdoms of the world (‘kosmos’ - κοσμος) and their splendor.” The Tempter offered far more than just sovereignty over the Jewish nation and effectively, the very thing the Son of God came to inaugurate, namely, the Kingdom of God. After all, the God of Israel promised to give His Anointed Son “the nations for your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession.”

In Luke’s version, the Devil boasted that he could give Jesus “all this authority” if only he would acknowledge Satan’s overlordship. “It has been delivered to me, and to whomsoever I will, I give it.” To acquire unlimited political power, Jesus only needed to “give obeisance” to the Devil and acknowledge him as his sovereign.

Jesus was the Messiah appointed by God to reign over the Earth, yet how could he subdue the rebellious nations without the military and economic might of the State? Satan offered a shortcut, a way for him to avoid suffering and death while still acquiring political power over humanity – (Psalm 2:6-8).

Imagine all the good Jesus could accomplish if he sat on Caesar’s Throne! With Rome’s power at his command, would not righteousness soon prevail across the Empire? Surely, if ever there was justification for resorting to State power, this was it. Who was better qualified to wield the might of the World Empire than the Prince of Peace?

HIS WAY

Rather than yield to temptation, Jesus submitted to the path of the ‘Suffering Servant.’ True victory would be achieved through self-denial and his sacrificial death. “Greatness” in God’s Kingdom was measured by acts of mercy, especially to enemies. Contrary to popular expectations, Jesus chose to “take on the form of a slave” and become “obedient unto death, even death upon a cross.”

Because of his choice, God exalted him to reign over the Cosmos, and He gave him the “name, which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.” However, the Cross preceded his ascension to the Davidic Throne.

Christ summoned his disciples to adopt this same self-denying mind and to walk the same path of self-sacrificial service. “Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus.” God exalted Jesus and gave him the “name above every name,” not because of any divine attributes he may or may not have once possessed, but because “he poured out his life unto death, even death upon a cross” – (Philippians 2:5-11).

The true followers of the Nazarene must become “complete as their Father in heaven.” They do so by loving and doing good to their enemies, not by destroying them. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” seeks “mercy, not sacrifice.” God’s Kingdom can never be achieved through the sinful ways and corrupt political systems of this evil age - (Matthew 5:43-48, Philippians 2:6-11).

We must take seriously the Scriptural portrayal of political power as being under Satan’s management. If he works behind the political scenes, and if the possession of political power necessitates giving allegiance to him, and since Jesus refused to do so, should we not likewise eschew the political mechanism of this age and instead choose the Servant’s path? How do we reconcile the use of political power with his sacrificial death on the Cross?

The choice before us is whether to embrace the teachings and example of Jesus, the Crucified Christ, and to give our absolute allegiance to him, or to emulate the ways of this world and become vassals of the Devil.

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SEE ALSO:

• True Power - (The power of God is revealed in the proclamation of a Messiah who was crucified by the world on Calvary)

• Salvation for the Nations - (The Gospel of the Kingdom announced by Jesus of Nazareth offers salvation and life to men and women of every nation and people)

• The True Emperor - (Messianic promises from the Psalms are applied to the present reign of Jesus who possesses all authority in Heaven and on Earth)