Snapshots - Jesus through the Lens of History

Apocalypse Now?

Prophecy?  Policy?  . . .should I prepare?

Not too long ago the Mayan calendar came to a screeching halt. Newscasters, to TV comedians, to end day survivalists were ready respectively with comments, jokes and plenty of stored water and food. Along with the dried food and automatic weapons was the grim determination that the end of the world would go out with a cosmic fireworks display.  Only those who were prepared with supplies and/or great faith would survive.

Most think the idea of an end day’s apocalypse came with the message of Jesus and the New Testament. Well, actually this concept was well entrenched hundreds of years before Jesus was even born. Jews were looking for an end to those pesky oppressors who kept invading their country and interfering with their religion. They wanted and demanded from God a political activist both verbal and violent to lead the war effort and remove all invaders. Enter the Zealots. They wanted and were ready for war, a traditional but explosively successful war.

Let’s take our cameras into the fray and like all good war journalists not just follow the action, but capture the story in the faces around us.

       Over there we find a strident prophet, or possibly even a Pharisee or Sadducee, revving up the already high pitched energy of groups of young men just itching for a fight and to kick some Roman and gentile butt. Groups like this are filled with that righteous sense of revenge and the need to destroy. Their vision of the apocalypse is political, religious, violent, and includes complete annihilation of the enemy. The good (read that their own sectarian group of Jews) would be backed by God and prevail over everyone else, and they meant everyone else. The end days of political and religious oppression would bring back a golden age.

       But, then, over here are other groups. They are philosophically and emotionally different. One of them, the Essenes, has recorded their view of the end times in the Dead Sea Scrolls, specifically the War Scroll. Summarized it says God will send his angels to help the Sons of Light (only the Essenes) destroy the Sons of Darkness (everyone else in the world). The Essenes just have to sit back and watch. The scroll also adds that the dead will be resurrected and God’s kingdom will reign on earth and heaven. When looking at our snapshots, John the Baptist, we notice, was an apocalyptic prophet expecting the violence of war and proclaiming the need for a clean mind and body before God’s imminent end days. Was he an Essene, or a political revolutionary? Or was he, perhaps, a little of both. 

       Still missing from our album, however, are the snapshots of Jesus and the viewpoint he would express. Be patient. He will spin off in a totally new direction and become a different and unforgettable prophet.  Be prepared, he will soon appear for a photo shoot . . .but not just yet. There are a few more snapshots to take of the first century. Our album is still unfolding.