Here in the US, we are deeply in a debate about racism and reverse discrimination. I want to share moments from the life of Jesus that involves these issues.
While Mary was pregnant, she traveled to visit her cousin who was pregnant with John the Baptist. Elizabeth was too old to have children but God made it possible. Here is what she said when she met with Mary.
“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.”(Luke 1: 42-45, NIV)
This must have gladdened the heart of Mary.
“And Mary said,
“My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me,and holy is his name.And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” (Luke 1:46-55, NIV)
Mary recognizes that God cares about the humble and poor. I want to be clear here. The rich and famous can be faithful believers but I think having lots of money will make some temptations much stronger than they are for some of us with less means.
“When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord” and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.” (Luke 2:22-24, NIV)
Here is that law in Leviticus. “`When the days of her purification for a son or daughter are over, she is to bring to the priest at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting a year-old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a dove for a sin offering. He shall offer them before the LORD to make atonement for her, and then she will be ceremonially clean from her flow of blood. These are the regulations for the woman who gives birth to a boy or a girl. If she cannot afford a lamb, she is to bring two doves or two young pigeons, one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering. In this way the priest will make atonement for her, and she will be clean (Leviticus 12: 6-8).'”
We see here that Joseph and Mary couldn’t afford a one year old lamb. So, God chose to have His Son born to a poor couple.
After Jesus was born, the wise men came looking for him. When King Herod heard of this, he ordered the soldiers to kill all the young boys under two years old. There is no mention of this in history. So, scholars have debated whether it happened and why it was never mentioned in the history if it did happen.
“When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”
So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”(matthew 2:13-15, NIV)
Now, we see the family become refugees. Just as many people are fleeing to the US and the European Union, Joseph, Mary and Jesus fled to Egypt. I suspect that Mary and Joseph told Jesus of their fleeing for his life. He probably remembered some of what it was like to live in Egypt as a refugee until King Herod died. There is very little known about his time in Egypt. The next part of his life is his three years of ministry.
I believe that the parable of the Good Samaritan is a rebuke of racism by Jesus. The Samaritans were a people who interrelated with people who were shipped into Israel after it was conquered. So, Jews saw the Samaritans as half breeds and pagans. Jews would travel around Samaritan cities in order to avoid them. Yet, Jesus traveled through and into Samaritan cities in order to save individuals who lived there.
One day, someone asked Jesus “Who is my neighbor?” This question came up because Jesus teaches us to love our neighbors as ourselves. So, Jesus told a story.
“On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”
Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise. (Luke 10:25-37)”
This story is the equivalent of Jesus commanding us to love members of whatever group we hate most as our neighbors. That is a challenge for everyone of us. I try to be aware of any suspicions that I might have towards other people that are based on the race or culture of the person.
