Brian Hamilton-Vise

Walter Wink and Jesus’ (Non)Resistance II

Part of today’s lectionary passage, Isaiah 50:5–9a, which has quite obvious parallels to Matthew 5:38ff.:

bq.. I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; My face I did not shield from buffets and spitting.

The Lord GOD is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame. He is near who upholds my right; if anyone wishes to oppose me, let us appear together. Who disputes my right? Let him confront me. See, the Lord GOD is my help; who will prove me wrong?

p. Again, with almost perfect clarity, the point is patient, self-giving, self-confident suffering in the knowledge that God will vindicate us–not a subtle method of resistance. I’m not trying to do the work here to map this onto social ethics, and I’m certainly not trying to disaffirm nonviolent political resistance. These are key passages, though: passages that show most clearly the basic categories for Jesus’ social ethic. I’m trying to say that, in the Sermon on the Mount and this passage which it echoes, in these particular passages, giving is more basic than resistance. Where the implications of this leads, I’ll leave for someone else.

4 April 2007 | Comments (0)
Tags: Isaiah, Peace