Location, Location, Location

Geography is an important part of biblical studies and, for many of us, it can open up surprising new insights. Some biblical scholars feel it is so important that they refer to the land of Palestine as “the fifth Gospel.”

I highlighted earlier the fact that Palestine in Jesus’ time was approximately 50 miles wide and 150 miles long, roughly equivalent to the size of the state of Connecticut. The vast majority of the Biblical story takes place in this small area. Palestine has often been referred to as “a land in-between.” It forms a land bridge between three continents, is the homeland of three monotheistic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), and is a territory where the sea and the desert come together.

For a small territory, it has amazing diversity in climate, plant and animal life. Mount Hermon is 9,200 feet high – higher than Mount St. Helens, while the Dead Sea is 1,300 feet below sea level – the lowest spot on earth. There are coastal plains, low lying hills, a central mountain ridge, and the impressive Jordan rift valley.

Knowing where Jesus traveled and who he talked with in these regions helps in understanding his message. I often challenge the participants in my adult education classes to pay attention to where Jesus was when a certain event occurred. This can often help us understand what he did and said.

Jesus’ home base was located in Galilee and three times during his short three-year public ministry he traveled in-and-out of this region; all of these journeys are described in the Gospel of Mark. Jesus also traveled to Perea, which is east of the Jordan River, but only Luke records this facet of his ministry. Jesus’ time in Judea is carefully documented in the Gospel of John and John’s chronology is often linked to various religious festivals.

Many of the insights I will be sharing with you in the weeks ahead come from my three trips to Israel in 1986, 1988 and 1980. Dr. James Fleming and Dr. James Martin were the biblical scholars who lead these study trips and they opened my eyes to the significance of the land and how understanding the geographical and cultural context of Jesus’ life and ministry provides important insights in the content of his teaching and deeds.

I still remember the thrill of walking on land where Jesus walked and visiting the area around the Sea of Galilee where Jesus spent so much time. I also have a clear memory of standing outside Jerusalem and looking toward the Herodian, one of Herod the Great’s mountain fortresses. It was from a location like this that Jesus told his disciples that if they had the faith to move mountains, it could be done. To the disciples, who knew that Herod the Great had actually forced Jewish workers to literally move the top of one mountain to its neighboring peak in order to build this fortress, Jesus’ observation hit home!

This experience was an eye-opener to me because it showed the important connection between location – the geographical context -- and Jesus’ teachings. The connections between the words of Scripture and the land itself provided a deepened understanding of the Biblical message, the gospel of peace (shalom), and I have been blessed ever since. I will share these insights with you in the weeks ahead.

So What? 

• Do any examples come to mind of important experiences in your life where the location of the experience was a key to what occurred? 

• Here’s a helpful key when reading the Bible: First, what did God say and do then and there? Second, what does it mean for us here and now? Addressing both questions is important as we read God’s Word. 

Helpful Resources

• If you want to learn more about the land of Palestine during Jesus’ time – and I would encourage you to do this, take advantage of the excellent resources of the Preserving Bible Times. Their web site is www.preservingbibletimes.org. In particular, explore their “Above Israel” and “The Bible and the Land” DVDs as well as two very helpful books – A Visual Guide to Bible Events and A Visual Guide to Gospel Events. 

• Doug Greenwold, the Executive Director of Preserving Bible Times, leads a trip to Israel each year and the web site noted above will provide details if you are interested in joining him for this remarkable Holy Land experience.

What Timing!

Have you ever wondered why God sent his son into the world when he did? The Apostle Paul wrote, “When the time had fully come, God sent his son” (Galatians 4:4, NIV) – other translations say, “In the fullness of time.” Why does the Old Testament end and then we find a 400-year gap before the birth of Jesus? I studied this question and gained some fascinating insights about the context of Jesus’ life.

It’s an election year here in the States, so let’s start with politics. The Mediterranean region was dominated by a single political power, the Roman Empire, and that Roman rule meant peace and stability in the region. A commercial system had been created by the Romans that expedited freedom of travel and the shipment of goods. While the political system was Roman, the dominant cultural influence was Greek and the language of the empire was Greek, because the Romans took over the empire created by Alexander the Great and the powerful influence of Greek culture was absorbed by the new rulers.

The Romans were prodigious road builders and they spent 500 years completing a road system that reached every corner of their empire. It is estimated that Roman roads covered a distance equal to ten times the circumference of the earth at the equator! This road system had 50,000 miles of first class highways (15-20 feet wide) and 200,000 miles of secondary roads (5-6 feet wide). I have been amazed to see sections of Roman roads still in reasonable condition in Europe and in Israel.

Actually the significance of the timing of Jesus’ birth has more to do with what happened after his death and resurrection than during his life. For his disciples, it would not have been possible to share the “good news” if this region was full of conflict and warring states and if travel was inhibited by poor roads. It would not have been possible if the region had been broken up into different tribal areas with languages unknown to others. Palestine in Jesus’ time was an area about 50 miles wide and 150 miles long, roughly equivalent in size to the state of Connecticut. As far as we know from Scripture, Jesus never traveled outside this area and avoided many of the major cities built in this region that Romans used as military and political bases.

While Jesus lived and traveled in only a small, outlying part of the Roman empire, he certainly could not escape the Roman authorities and their claim that there is “no god, but Caesar.” In fact, the Romans ultimately executed him.

Why did God decide to send his son into the world at this time and in this place? Why decide to have his son born to a poor Jewish girl in an obscure, insignificant town far from the capital of the Roman Empire? Why did God choose the Jews as his people and not the Romans? We will explore these questions in the posts that follow. Stay connected.

So What?

• When I study the life and times of Jesus, I am continually amazed at how God works in history. I have to remind myself of God’s declaration -- “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways” (Isaiah 55:8, NIV). God is a God of surprises and I have learned this in my life. Have you?

• Have you thought much about the context of Jesus’ birth and life? What questions come to your mind when you think about this? Feel free to share your observations with me and, if I have anything to offer in response, I will.

A Model of Leadership

As I look back over my life, there are a small number of key mentors who helped to shape me – mentors who were models that I wanted to emulate because I saw that their lives were lived in obedience to Jesus’ teachings. They were examples to me of what it meant to live a life as a peacemaker, a follower of Jesus who brought healing and reconciliation to our hurting world. I saw their lives and decided I wanted to follow their example. Dr. John R. Dellenback was one of these people.

Introducing John Dellenback 

I first met John Dellenback when I began the American Studies Program (ASP) on Capitol Hill in the fall of 1976, a work-study program sponsored by the Christian College Consortium and Coalition (CCC/C). I had heard his name through friends in the National Prayer Breakfast and was excited to meet him. John had been elected to the Oregon State Legislature in 1960 and then to the U. S. House of Representatives in 1966, where he served until 1974. Following his defeat in the election of 1974, a defeat largely attributed to the anti-Republican backlash in the wake of the Watergate scandal, he was appointed Director of the Peace Corps by President Gerald Ford and served in this capacity from 1975 to 1977.

I have clear memories of bringing our ASP students to his office right across the street from the White House and talking with him about his leadership of that agency and how, as a Christian, he understood his role as a public servant. He was always so gracious to our students and such a great example of a man who was serving God with distinction in high public office.

Although I admired him as a Congressional leader and Peace Corps Director, when I learned he had been chosen to serve as the next president of the Christian College Consortium and Coalition in 1977, I remember thinking this was a mistake. What did he know about Christian colleges and universities? He had never attended one, and now he was going to become my boss. Was I ever wrong!

Dr. Dellenback served as President of the CCC for eleven years (1977-1988) and I had the privilege of working closely with him for all that time. Dr. Karen Longman and I were his vice presidents and the three of us formed a bond that profoundly shaped my life. He became a mentor and, by his example, I learned so much about biblical leadership by his words and deeds.

Lessons Learned As I look back on my eleven years of working with John Dellenback, the following lessons stand out:

• Marriage cheerleaders. John’s relationship with his wife, Mary Jane, was such a powerful example for Marge and me. These two loved each other and served as cheerleaders for each other. Both did everything they could to encourage the development of the other and to accentuate the other’s gifts. What a powerful model – especially in power circles in Washington, D.C., where marriages were easily broken and unfaithfulness seemed to be the norm. Marge and I saw their example and decided to try to live like this. 
• Not a respecter of persons. For a boy from Cicero, Illinois, to meet and work with a former Congressman and Peace Corps Director was heady stuff. It was exciting to go to meetings with John Dellenback and meet representatives and senators from the U. S. Congress who knew John and respected him. But he did not defer to these powerful leaders, but always treated everyone with dignity, including elevator operators in the U. S. Capitol and the Capitol Hill police. All of these people were of equal value in John’s sight and I was so impressed by his quiet obedience to Jesus’ commandments about treating everyone as a person created in the image of God and not deferring to the “big shots.” 
• Fearless. I remember some difficult challenges we faced in the CCC and how John never put his finger in the air to see which way the wind was blowing, like many political leaders. We would talk through the issues, get all the available information out on the table, and then he would make a decision. He was fearlessly committed to doing the right thing, regardless of potential opposition or threats. 
• Not afraid of confrontation. I will never forget when John met with a group of Christian college presidents and told them to stop competing with each other and to start finding ways to cooperate. Their petty conflicts were impeding the development of Christian higher education and he wanted them to get the message. They did and, under John’s leadership, the CCC grew from 13 colleges and universities to over 75 schools by the time he left the presidency. 
• “To tell you the truth.” When our staff used sayings, such as, “To tell you the truth” or “To be perfectly honest with you,” he would always interrupt you and say “I assume you are always honest with me.” Even if you just started to say these words and then remembered and stopped, you still got his standard response. There was no escape. I have adopted the same approach with my staff. 

John was soft-spoken and warm, a model of generosity, with a great sense of humor. He loved and respected people and treated everyone with dignity. John was a gift of God to me and a model of a life of a shalom-maker.

* If you are interested in learning more about this remarkable Christian leader, see the video entitled “Oregon Legends: The John Dellenback Story,” a 28-minute video available at www.soptv.org/oregon-legends-john-dellenback-story/. The focus of this video is on John’s leadership in Oregon and later in Washington, D.C., but also follows him on his trips to developing countries as Peace Corps Director and Chairman of the Board of World Vision. He had a heart for the world and especially for the poor in developing countries and America’s urban centers. John died in 2002 and his memorial service will be an event I will never forget.

Justice and Peace: The Kiss

"Shalom" in Hebrew

During my first day at Calvin College (Grand Rapids, Michigan), I remember stopping in a restroom, meeting a young guy who said, “Hello,” and when he found out I was new to the campus, welcomed me.  I found out later that this young man was Dr. Nicholas Wolterstorff, a professor of philosophy at the college – not a student, as I supposed since he looked so young.  Wolterstorff taught for years at Calvin College and later moved to a former Christian college, Yale University, but I continue to learn from him through his books and lectures.  He has been an important mentor and some of what you read in this Shalom blog are based on insights I gained from him.

Of his many books, Until Peace and Justice Embrace has been one I have read through repeatedly and upon which I built my own “Shalom lectures” while teaching at the American Studies Program on Capitol Hill and the Russian-American Institute in Moscow.  In a short chapter, “For Justice in Shalom,” Wolterstorff writes about the need for a comprehensive vision that will guide our lives and keep us from losing our way.

With this brief introduction, he offers “the vision of shalom – peace – first articulated in the Old Testament poetic and prophetic literature but then coming to expression in the New Testament as well.”  He then goes on to explain that shalom is intertwined with justice and that there is no shalom without justice, but shalom goes beyond justice.

It was Wolterstorff who first introduced me to the four dimensions of shalom when he wrote, “Shalom is the human being dwelling at peace in all his or her relationships: with God, with self, with fellows, with nature.”  He emphasized that shalom is not merely the absence of hostility, but “at its highest is the enjoyment in one’s relationships.”

The title of Wolterstorff’s book is taken from Psalm 85:10: “.  .  . justice and peace have kissed (or embraced)” – what a magnificent depiction of the close link between  justice and peace!  While I am not a bumper sticker guy, I do like the bumper stickers that read “No Justice, No Peace; Know Justice, Know Peace.”

In the conclusion of this chapter, Wolterstorff presents a challenge that profoundly impacted my life: “Can the conclusion be avoided that not only is shalom God’s cause in the world but that all who believe in Jesus will, along with him, engage the works of shalom?  Shalom is both God’s cause in the world and our human calling.”

So What?

• Who have been mentors in your life?  Have you thanked them?

• What have you learned about shalom from this blog that has helped you to see it as a part of your “human calling”?

• Can you see how Biblical shalom involves enjoying relationships and flourishing in your work and in your community?  Living a life of shalom results in being more fully human, according to God’s design.  It’s a good reason for sharing this truth with others.

Bright Lights

For the Apostle Paul, to be a follower of Jesus means “living in the light.”  This theme is powerfully articulated in these verses from Ephesians:

“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.  .  .  .  For you were once in darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.  Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord” (Ephesians 5:1-2 and 8-10, NIV).

In the verses that surround this passage in Ephesians, Paul gives many practical instructions about how to live out the gospel of peace.  Here’s a quick list of these practical guidelines:

• Tell the truth
• Control your anger
• Remain sexually pure
• Don’t steal
• Work hard
• Avoid disruptive behavior
• Build others up
• Be compassionate

The call to be a peacemaker and a reconciler is a theme woven throughout the whole fabric of Scripture.  The words of the wise man recorded in Proverbs to “walk the path of peace,” the counsel of the Psalmist to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and to pursue peace, the advice of the prophets Jeremiah and Habakkuk to “seek the peace of the city” and rejoice despite the circumstances – all of these serve as helpful guidelines for living a life of faith.

These Old Testament injunctions are reiterated by Jesus and his disciples, as well as by the Apostle Paul.  The Good News from the Prince of Peace is that those who believe that Jesus is Lord and Savior are “born again.”  They are redeemed and recreated into “children of light.”  They are empowered by the Holy Spirit to be agents of the Kingdom of God, agents of peace and reconciliation.  

No citizen of the Kingdom of God will ever be unemployed.  Everyone has been given a job to do – showing both the love of God and our love for God.

So What?

• I really love this word picture of followers of Jesus living as “children of light.”  I have been in some dark places in my life and it has been reassuring to me to know that my little “light” can make a real difference when it is all dark where I am standing.  Have you ever experienced that?  Even a little light can make an impression and that’s all we are called to be – lights or reflectors of God’s light.

• The book of Ephesians is such great reading because it weaves together theological insights with practical guidelines for living as Jesus calls us to live.  Do other passages in the Bible come to mind that offer similar insights?

• Do you ever feel “unemployed” or “underemployed” as a follower of Jesus?  Do you ever struggle with your current situation in life and wonder if this is “all there is”?  This passage from Ephesians is telling all of that if we just live as “children of the light” we are making a difference in our world!

Two for One

As we have seen in previous essays, God has given us the strength and ability through the enabling power of the Holy Spirit to be his agents of peace in our broken world.  We also need to be reminded that Jesus’ commands on the subject of living out the “gospel of peace” are clear: Go and Do!  The Bible has many practical instructions about what it means to live as a peacemaker and we will highlight some of these in the next few weeks.  This week we will reflect on the amazing promise of Jesus to his disciples on the night of his betrayal.
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The celebration of Easter week with the momentous events leading up to Jesus’ betrayal, trial, crucifixion, and resurrection are a highlight in the year for me and for many of you.  I have always been so moved by the conversion that takes place in the Upper Room on the night of Jesus’ betrayal by Judas.  Jesus pours out his heart to his disciples, his closest friends, knowing that they will not fully understand what he is telling them until after his resurrection.

In John 15: 1-17, which I encourage you to read, Jesus explains to his disciples the unfolding of God’s plan.  He tells his followers that the Holy Spirit will come and be their “Counselor.”  He also gives his disciples the gift of peace, a peace the world can not give.  Jesus, knowing the traumatic events that they will face beginning that same evening with his arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane, says to them: “Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).

After sharing these thoughts, Jesus declares himself “the true vine,” a word picture often used in the Old Testament as a symbol of Israel.  For the disciples who live in an agrarian society where vineyards are commonplace, this is a graphic illustration.  The central theme is this: if the disciples believe in Jesus, they will bear fruit; if they separate from Jesus, they will not.  Being productive is directly related to one’s relationship to Jesus. 

This profound statement is exactly the opposite of the way many of us often think.  We use the results of our Kingdom work to measure the quality of our relationship to Jesus. I know I struggle with this. But God’s ruler is different than ours. What we should be doing is trusting Jesus’ promise that we will be fruitful – despite how things may look to us – if we follow him. 

Having just given the disciples the gift of peace, Jesus then tells them that they will be successful peacemakers, successful fruit-bearers, if they are faithful to his commands.  Jesus also told them that their fruit-bearing would bring glory to his Father. In other words, there will be both earthly and heavenly results – two for one!

In the emotion-filled closing moments of this last gathering before his death, Jesus calls his followers “friends” and explains “everything” he has learned from his Father.  He reminds his disciples that God chose them and commissioned them to bear fruit – “fruit that will last” (v. 16).  The strategy of the God of love is now revealed: those who believe in Jesus as Lord and who follow his commands will bear fruit as agents of his reconciling love.  We can practice peacemaking in the confidence that our labors are not in vain.

So What?

• The peace that “the world can not give”: Have you experienced this at troubling times in your life?  What do you remember about it?  Are there lessons to take away from these times?
• While we don’t totally understand God’s “ruler,” can you think of something in your life or in the life of a friend where, using our “measuring stick,”  we might see it as negative, but over time we look back and see positive results?  Can this be helpful at times when we see nothing good in a situation?
• How can Jesus’ promise about fruit-bearing encourage you?

P Squared

As we have seen in previous essays, God has given us the strength and ability through the enabling power of the Holy Spirit to be his agents of peace in our broken world.  We also need to be reminded that Jesus’ commands on the subject of living out the “gospel of peace” are clear: Go and Do!  The Bible has many practical instructions about what it means to live as a peacemaker and we will highlight some of these in the next few weeks.  This week we will discuss two practical biblical injunctions for followers of Jesus.

Psalm 122 is a hymn that was sung by the Jews in biblical times as they made their pilgrimage to Jerusalem to attend annual religious festivals.  Biblical scholars refer to these pilgrim hymns as “songs of ascent,” because the elevated location of Jerusalem meant the weary travelers would sing the songs as they climbed the steep ridges to get to their sacred city.

If you read this chapter – and I encourage you to do so -- you will find this passage: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May those who love you be secure.  May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.’  For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will say, “Peace be within you.’” (Psalm 122:6-8, NIV).  Here’s some real practical advice: Pray for peace.  In fact, the first action step for any peacemaker should be prayer.

The words of this hymn beautifully weave together the various dimensions of shalom: peace involves physical security, prosperity which means having what one needs for a full life, and a “right relationship” with God.  Praying for shalom means praying for all these aspects of a wholesome life grounded in the Lord God. 

Ordinary followers of Jesus – like us – are called by God to be prayer warriors.  Like the Jews journeying to Jerusalem, we are to pray for our “Jerusalem” – our neighborhood, our city, our nation, our world.  In my experience, when we pray for something in earnest, action usually follows.  But it should begin with prayer.

A second practical instruction for peacemakers also comes from the Psalms, this time from Psalm 34, composed by King David.  Again, I encourage you to read this powerful message, especially verses 8-14.  David tells his followers to “fear the Lord” if they loved life and desired “good days.”  He also instructs his people to “seek peace and pursue it.”  The words of David called for action: avoid evil, do good, and seek shalom. 

Peacemaking requires a commitment to shalom that is more than just an intellectual consent to an abstract concept.  If a person truly loves someone, they are not content to merely think about that love, but actively desire to be with and do things for that person they care so deeply about.  The same is true with peace.  Scripture instructs Christians to pursue it – an active, initiating posture.

Shalom, as we have seen, is much more than an absence of conflict or a period of calm between wars.  Biblical shalom is a positive, constructive word that involves wholesome, harmonious relationships between our Creator, humanity and the world.  The Bible offers us helpful practical advice: pray for peace and then pursue it.  P squared – pray and pursue! 

So what?

• Have you had the experience of praying about something or someone and then, over time, realizing that you needed to do something about this prayer concern?  Prayer does that, doesn’t it?   It gets us focused on an issue of concern and then often leads to action on our part.  It doesn’t lead to immobility and passivity.  “P squared” can be a good reminder!
• Praying for our “Jerusalem” requires a wide-angle lense.  When we pray for the peace, prosperity and security of our city, we are lead to focus not only on our family and close friends, but on the community in which we live and on people who are struggling to survive.  Have you developed a prayer life that involves a broad view of your “Jerusalem”?