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Introduction:
Lately I’ve observed a couple of events that have given
me time and opportunity to consider violence. I’m going
to talk about how I’ve observed these acts and how I’ve
felt about them, but first let’s talk about violence itself.
Q:
What is violence and where does it come from?
Violence comes, of course, from the root word “violate”.
It means to “infringe on someone else’s basic rights”,
or “to breach the barriers of legal standards”
The results of violence are many, but the violator generally feels
powerful or dominating; while the one violated feels conquered
and shamed.
Obviously, there are varying degrees of violence. There is all
out war where thousands of people are engaged in lengthy violence.
There is criminal violence such as robbery, vandalism, rape, murder,
etc. And there are personal acts of violence such as bullying,
insults and anger; where one individual tries to dominate or belittle
another person. These are all examples of violence... we are violating
another human beings basic rights.
How do we tend to react to violence done to us or by us?
Violence Done To Us: (Justice)
Obviously, violence done to us stirs in our human nature a desire
for justice. We inherently want things to be fair. If someone
is violent to us we naturally want them to have to pay for their
actions. “Eye for eye, tooth for tooth!”
Jesus said in Matt 5:38-39 "You have heard that it was said,
'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, Do not resist
an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn
to him the other also.” Did Jesus mean that we should literally
do this, or was this just a mindset he was trying to encourage?
Did Jesus follow his own advice?
Violence Done By Us: (Justify)
When we are the ones who are performing the violent act, when
we are the ones attempting to dominate someone else or belittle
them, we also have a tendency which most often arises... justification.
We either claim that we have just cause for our violence (it’s
my parent’s fault I’m like this, or I have a medical
condition which makes me this way, etc) or we claim that it was
not violence at all (they’re just making a big deal out
of nothing, or I was only joking). We attempt to absolve ourselves
of responsibility by claiming that the action really wasn’t
that bad at all. Or we claim that the other person violated us
first and deserves what we are giving them.
In either
case, whether seeking justice for violence done to us, or justifying
ourselves for our own violent acts; we have another tendency which
can easily get out of hand ...we want revenge. Revenge goes beyond
justice, it seeks harm for the person who instigated the original
act of harm... that, of course, only escalates into greater revenge
on that person’s part as they justify themselves in their
own eyes and see the victim’s retaliation as violence directed
at them.
Revenge is never the answer ... but in an atmosphere where justice
is not being brought to victims, vengeance often takes over.
That, of course, leads me to my first example of violence that
I want to refer to.
(Put on Canucks jersey)
Todd
Bertuzzi
Did anyone here see the Todd Bertuzzi replays this week as one
of my favorite Vancouver Canucks hit Steve Moore, from the Colorado
Avalanche, with a sucker punch to the side of the head? Moore
was knocked to the ice unconscious and several team mates and
opponents dogpiled on top of him. He suffered 2 cracked vertebras
in his neck, a concussion and lacerations to his head.
I saw the replay several times and it looked like violence to
me.
Let’s rewind the clock a few weeks and replay the incident
that led up to the Bertuzzi punch.
Nobody disputes that Bertuzzi’s actions were precipitated
from a hit 2 weeks previous that Moore delivered on Canuck superstar
and best friend of Todd Bertuzzi, Markus Naslund. Naslund suffered
a concussion and missed several games because of Moore’s
hit. Some say that the Moore hit was a legal check, some (like
the Canucks) think the hit was a dirty elbow delivered to injure
Naslund.
I’m not here to tell you which category Moore’s hit
should be placed in, I’m simply interested in the anatomy
of violence which led to the Bertuzzi hit on Moore 2 weeks later.
Firstly, from
the Canuck’s perspective, the original hit on Naslund was
a violation of the rules... in particular, Markus Naslund was
violated ... in hockey, they call it a penalty. Depending on the
severity of the violation, he should have been penalized 2 minutes,
or 5 minutes, or the rest of the game, or if the referee thought
it was Moore’s intention to injure Naslund, he should have
received a match penalty and the league would review the incident
and issue a further suspension or fine.
No penalty was called because the officials did not think the
check was an elbowing violation.
But from the Canuck’s perspective, Naslund (and the Canuck
team in general) was being violated ... and no penalty was called.
Justice, from their perspective was not being administered. So
vengeance took over. When it is perceived that violence is not
being brought to justice, vengeance breeds in the heart of man
and we tend to think ourselves judge and jury... we take matters
of retribution into our own hands.
Secondly,
as you can tell from my example, those in authority do not always
agree whether there even was a violation. So violence is sometimes
a matter of perspective.
Violence is even a matter of perspective when it comes to the
game of hockey itself... or any aggressive sport for that matter.
Some people, more non-hockey individuals, claim that hockey is
a violent sport. From my perspective, most of what people call
violence in hockey is actually just hard physical sport. When
one player rams another into the boards, it may be painful, it
may even be injurious, but if it is done within the rules of the
game which both players understand and knowingly subject themselves
to, then there has been no violation ... and if there has been
no violation, then the action is not violence.
So perspective has an enormous part to play in our assessment
of violence. One person, viewing the same act as another person,
may come to a different conclusion as to whether that act was
a violation of another person or not... from the Canucks perspective,
they thought Moore’s hit on Naslund was a violation, the
referees perspective disagreed and did not administer a penalty,
and vengeance was born.
Thirdly, the
degree to which we avenge ourselves depends upon the severity
of the violation, and the extent to which we regard the justice
as insufficient.
There is a proper process to seeking justice. Society, and even
the Bible itself does not advise that we take justice into our
own hands. Rather, we are to appeal to those in authority to administer
justice as objective third parties.
Finally, ss
I said before, if no justice is done or if insufficient justice
is done, from our perspective as a victim, vengeance is birthed
in our hearts... and we tend to want to make up the deficit of
justice ourselves.
The
Passion of the Christ
There is another incident of violence which I was witness to in
a way; the movie the Passion of the Christ.
In case you haven’t heard about it, this is a movie depicting
the final 11 hours of Jesus life ... from the betrayal in the
Garden of Gethsemane to his crucifixion at Calvary. It includes
90 minutes of betrayal and very real life violence.
We can also look at this movie, and it’s portrayal of a
Biblical event, through the same anatomy of violence which we
just discussed. Let’s look at how violence unravels in the
heart of man. Let’s read the Biblical account of this horrific
event.
As we read, notice the differences in perceptions that we talked
about. How the Jews thought Jesus was violating their law but
presented it to Pilate as Jesus was in violation of Roman law.
Notice that Pilate did not think the violation deserved the same
penalty that the crowd was asking for. And notice that when the
crowd perceived that sufficient justice was not being served they
became more and more vengeful ... that is the anatomy of violence.
Luke
22:47-23:49
47 While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man
who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He
approached Jesus to kiss him, 48 but Jesus asked him, "Judas,
are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"
49 When Jesus' followers saw what was going to happen, they
said, "Lord, should we strike with our swords?" 50
And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting
off his right ear.
51 But Jesus answered, "No more of this!" And he touched
the man's ear and healed him.
52 Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the
temple guard, and the elders, who had come for him, "Am
I leading a rebellion, that you have come with swords and clubs?
53 Every day I was with you in the temple courts, and you did
not lay a hand on me. But this is your hour-when darkness reigns."
54 Then seizing him, they led him away and took him into the
house of the high priest. ...
63 The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating
him. 64 They blindfolded him and demanded, "Prophesy! Who
hit you?" 65 And they said many other insulting things
to him.
66 At daybreak the council of the elders of the people, both
the chief priests and teachers of the law, met together, and
Jesus was led before them. 67 "If you are the Christ,"
they said, "tell us."
Jesus answered, "If I tell you, you will not believe me,
68 and if I asked you, you would not answer. 69 But from now
on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty
God."
70 They all asked, "Are you then the Son of God?"
He replied, "You are right in saying I am."
71 Then they said, "Why do we need any more testimony?
We have heard it from his own lips."
Luke
23
23:1 Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate.
2 And they began to accuse him, saying, "We have found
this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes
to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king."
3 So Pilate asked Jesus, "Are you the king of the Jews?"
"Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied.
4 Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd,
"I find no basis for a charge against this man."
5 But they insisted, "He stirs up the people all over Judea
by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the
way here."
6 On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. 7
When he learned that Jesus was under Herod's jurisdiction, he
sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.
8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for
a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had
heard about him, he hoped to see him perform some miracle. 9
He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer.
10 The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing
there, vehemently accusing him. 11 Then Herod and his soldiers
ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe, they
sent him back to Pilate. 12 That day Herod and Pilate became
friends-before this they had been enemies.
13 Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and
the people, 14 and said to them, "You brought me this man
as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined
him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges
against him. 15 Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us;
as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. 16 Therefore,
I will punish him and then release him."
18 With one voice they cried out, "Away with this man!
Release Barabbas to us!" 19(Barabbas had been thrown into
prison for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)
20 Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again.
21 But they kept shouting, "Crucify him! Crucify him!"
22 For the third time he spoke to them: "Why? What crime
has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the
death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release
him."
23 But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be
crucified, and their shouts prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided
to grant their demand. 25 He released the man who had been thrown
into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked
for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.
...
32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him
to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull,
there they crucified him, along with the criminals-one on his
right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, "Father, forgive
them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they
divided up his clothes by casting lots.
35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at
him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself
if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One."
36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him
wine vinegar 37 and said, "If you are the king of the Jews,
save yourself."
38 There was a written notice above him, which read: THIS IS
THE KING OF THE JEWS.
39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him:
"Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
40 But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear
God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence?
41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds
deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into
your kingdom."
43 Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you
will be with me in paradise."
44 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the
whole land until the ninth hour, 45 for the sun stopped shining.
And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus called
out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit
my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.
47 The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and
said, "Surely this was a righteous man." 48 When all
the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took
place, they beat their breasts and went away. 49 But all those
who knew him, including the women who had followed him from
Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
It is easy to see the anatomy of violence taking place here.
Firstly, the Jews saw Jesus in violation of their Law ... claiming
to be the Son of God and the king of the Jews.
Secondly, their were several differences in perspective ... The
Jews saw Jesus as clearly violating their law, Pilate saw no cause
for punishment and was unwilling to punish him beyond a beating
(hoping to appease the Jews’ desire for justice), and of
course, the followers of Jesus who knew that his claims of being
the Son of God were not a violation of the Jewish Law but a fulfillment
of that Law.
Thirdly, the degree of Pilates punishment was insufficient to
satisfy the Jews’ demands for justice and their vengeful
voice intensified. So much so, that the offer to release a prisoner
to them met with cries to release Barabbas ... now, in case you
missed the irony of this point, Barabbas was in prison for insurrection
and murder. The accusation that the Jews were bringing to Pilate
regarding Jesus was that he was inciting the people towards an
insurrection.
So, they were asking for a man convicted of insurrection and murder
to be released and a man suspected of insurrection to be crucified.
This is what vengeance does, it goes overboard. It doesn’t
stop at justice, it gives the appearance of justice but it is
really just another act of violence.
Conclusion
The important factor in all of this is really not how the crowd
was incited to vengeance but how Jesus, when faced with the violence
of the crowd, even though he was completely innocent and just,
did NOT respond in vengeance himself.
He took his own advice and turned the other cheek. He knew what
God wants of us,
Rom 12:19-21 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for
God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I
will repay," says the Lord.
On the contrary:
"If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give
him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head."
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
We are going
to celebrate communion this morning ... one of the hallmarks that
we should remember as we celebrate communion, is that this celebration
is not a celebration of our noble heart. Rather, it is an admission
of our inability to tame this vengeful appetite. Let’s face
it, left to our own devices if Jesus would have waited 2000 years
and come to Saskatchewan in 2004, we too would have had him crucified.
But his resolve to turn the other cheek and suffer injustice at
our hands became the very source of justice for us. Rom 5:9-11
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall
we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were
God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of
his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved
through his life!
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