Currently I am working on a book project in which I discuss the
ancient patterns of power based on military might and then explore Mark’s
Gospel from that perspective. The ancient world was premised on warrior rulers
who dominated by the spear and sword, a world of swirling empires. Israel was a
part of this with its expectations of a military intervention of God directly or
his agent (e.g. Messiah, Prophet, Son of Man, Elect One, etc). They dreamed
that God would come and establish his global “Empire” in Jerusalem and the
world would be subjugated to him. They had no notion of this without force even
though their Scriptures, albeit cryptically and hidden amidst visions of carnage,
foretold one who would come as a Servant who would die on behalf of the world
(Ps 22; Isa 53). Israel’s actual experience was one of being buffeted by a
series of contending powerful dynastic empires whether Egypt, the Philistines,
Assyria, Babylon, the Medo-Persians, the Greeks, and at the time of Christ, the
Romans. Aside from a brief respite in the Maccabean era, which eventually
included their own quickly corrupted Hasmonean dynasty, they were subjected to
such forces.
Now we have the Ukrainian situation going on. In one
corner we have the Europeans supported by the circling eagle (a key symbol
of Rome), the USA, and others like the Aussies and little old NZ. I can’t help
laughing as I see our own John Key working the room and pressing the
flesh with the big guns and making public proclamations against the
Russians. Seriously John, you crack me up. At best we are a pimple on the rump of
the western plutocracy! In the other corner, there the Russians, led by
Vlad Putin, desperate to demonstrate his power and for Russia to regain former “glories.”
In the middle is the Ukraine.
For the west the situation is simple, Putin is a despot. He has
broken international law invading a sovereign state. He is a criminal. They can’t
do anything much about it though, cause Vlad is armed to the hilt and a war
with Russia could mean nuclear holocaust. He also has some powerful friends or
potential friends who will give him a hand if it gets dicey, like the Chinese,
the North Vietnamese, and the Iranians. Further, his rich Oligarch mates, are
important to western economies so we can’t do more than a limp slap on the hand
or they will pull their money. And then our empire will start to fall!
For the Russians, what has happened is great. After all, Crimea is
mainly Russian (thanks to Stahlin etc), and should be part of Russia. As with
Georgia, he is merely taking back what was “always” Russia. And he did it almost
without bloodshed, simply sending in troops, a non-violent take over! And doesn’t
the west supposedly like non-violent take overs (woops, forgot about
Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt, Libya, the list goes on). His coup de grâce is getting
the parliament and then the population of Crimea to “democratically” choose to
go with Russia. Go Vlad they might say. Russia is rising again, praise God (!).
And all the while messing with pan-western notions of non-violent democracy. I
don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
In reality the whole thing is a political mess and not at all
black and white. For years Ukraine, like Palestine/Israel past and present, has
been swept up in political tug o’ war in WWII, its aftermath, the Cold War, and
now. Since it became a “democratic” sovereign state in 1990 its internal
politics have been heavily influenced by both the west and Russians with rigged
elections, presidents deposed, and “sides” vying for Ukrainian support.
Whatever the rights and lefts of the situation, we have here
a classic example of a world of colliding empires. This continues the human
story since time immemorial. After all, last century we saw two World Wars, the
rise and “fall” of Communism, Pol Pot, Idi Amin, Mugabe, and more. This century,
it goes on. I am baffled by those who, still living in our own “pax-Augusta” the
after-glow of Colonialism (“pax-Colonia”), are surprised that this is happening
“in the 21st century.” Really? This has happened since humans
arrived on the scene, or before in our evolutionary past. We only live like in
our nice sweet societies cause we plundered a whole lot of indigenous peoples
leading to such lovely societies. It goes on. It is the quest for power. Ironically,
the only thing seemingly holding back devastation is the fear of
WMDs. Or is it God? Mmmm. Anyway, it is only a matter of time before someone
pushes the boundaries and we see carnage as we have never seen it before.
Jesus came to end all this futility. Expected to storm
Jerusalem, he entered as a king and died as a slave humiliated on a cross. He
died at the hands of despotic violence. He did it to end violence. He did it to
show what true humanity and true divinity looks like. It looks like service and
love. It is possible when we yield to him. Without him, it is just a matter of
time. Sadly, we are forgetting this story in the west. Where we remember
this story, we often corrupt it with false notions of power and dominion. That’s
why we should be wary at looking to the church as it stands to “get it.” Look
to Jesus. Look to the story. We all, Christian or otherwise, need to get back
to basics, re-read the story and grasp it at its deepest point. The “deep magic”
of the universe is non-violent service, humble love, mercy and compassion,
finding the other way. That magic is released when we yield to the One who
showed us that way, humble Jesus of Nazareth who is really Israel’s king, the
Christ, and the World’s King, Lord Almighty, God the Son. And we need to live
that yielded life every moment of every day and seeking the path of peace in
our marriages, families, communities, governments, nations, and even if we
encounter extra-terrestrials. Can we do it? Mmmmm...
Comments
Very insightful post though. It begs the question: is history repeating itself yet again?