Scripture Notes: Kept for Christ (Jude 1)

The Letter of Jude is short and often overlooked, but it offers a great deal of theological depth and beauty, even in its opening line. Jude begins by identifying himself as a doulos of Christ, a servant or, better, a slave. This one little word tells us that Jude has given himself completely to Jesus; he belongs to Him, not to himself. Jude also identifies himself as the brother of James. While scholars debate Jude’s and James’ identity, they are likely the kinsmen of Jesus, those who refused to believe Him at first (and even thought He was crazy) but over time realized the truth about Who Jesus is and immersed themselves in the life and leadership of the Church. 

Jude writes to those who are called. This should make us think about Who is doing the calling. Jesus calls us. He has chosen us first. We must respond to Him. Jude also identifies his audience as those who are beloved in God the Father. The word for beloved is the perfect passive participle of the verb agapaō, which refers to divine love and to our share in divine love. The perfect tense is the red flag tense in Greek. It stands out and demands our attention, for it refers to something that happened in the past but has critical ramifications for the present. So God has loved us, and His love affects us here and now in a major way. His divine love surrounds us; we are in Him, sharing in that love and in His very life. 

Jude adds one more designation. His audience is kept for Jesus Christ. The participle in this case is also in the perfect tense and comes from the verb tēreō, which can mean everything from guard and watch over to preserve and hold. Jesus guards us, protects, preserves us, holds us close to Him. We are kept for Him, preserved and protected for eternal life in, with, and through Him. We are safe in Him.

Just look at the depth of this first verse of the Letter of Jude. It only contains Greek seventeen words, but there is enough here for us to pray and reflect on for a long, long time.

Scripture Notes: The Angel Sits (Matthew 28)

As the women approach Jesus’ tomb early on Easter morning, they meet with a surprise. They mean to mourn, perhaps to see if they can get into the tomb to further care for Jesus’ body, just to be there beside Him. But instead the ground shakes under them, and an angel descends and rolls back the huge stone that would have required several men to move in front of the tomb’s entrance. The angel pushes it aside as though it were merely a pebble, and then he sits on it.

We often overlook that little detail, but just like everything else in Scripture, it is important; it has meaning. The angel seats himself on the stone because it is a symbol of death, of separation. It has been an obstacle in the way of a connection between Jesus and His disciples. It has been blocking the way. Yet what once seemed insurmountable, permanent, impossible, is now out of the way. The angel sits on the stone like it is nothing at all, and to him, as well as to Jesus, it is nothing at all. Jesus is no longer in the tomb. Jesus is no longer dead. And since the angel moves the stone away, Jesus must have exited the tomb by going right through it. No wonder the guards are lying senseless on the ground!

By sitting on the stone, the angel indicates that a divine victory has taken place. The obstacle has been surmounted. Death has been conquered. The stone is rolled away, no longer to stand between Jesus and the whole world. Jesus is risen! Alleluia!

Scripture Notes: Hail (John 19)

One of the most horribly ironic lines in Sacred Scripture is spoken by the soldiers mocking Jesus as they crown Him with thorns. They proclaim, “Hail, King of the Jews!” as they strike Him. The word translated here as “Hail” is chaire in Greek. It is a common greeting, and “hail” is the usual translation, but deeper down, the word actually means “Rejoice!” So the soldiers are literally telling Jesus to rejoice as they crown Him with thorns and strike Him and mock Him. Yet little do they know, there is indeed cause to rejoice, not at the suffering of Jesus but at what He is accomplishing through that suffering, what He is showing us through that suffering: our salvation and His infinite love.

The soldiers address Jesus as King of the Jews, but they have no idea that they are actually speaking to the King of the whole universe, to the Creator and Ruler of the whole universe. The irony is thick and heavy. Jesus could literally annihilate them right then and there if He so chooses. He has full divine power over life and death and everything else. But He does not act or even speak. This King remains silent. He takes the abuse, and He loves the abusers. This King willingly chooses to hand Himself over, to give Himself fully, to suffer in the extreme, and all so that we might live in His kingdom. Now there is a reason to rejoice!