Sárospataki Füzetek 20. (2016)
2016 / 2. szám - MISCELLANEOUS / SONSTIGES - Rob van Houwelingen: Follow int he Steps of Christ
Rob van Houwelingen A trail of blood In the story of Christ’s suffering, Peter recognizes the image of the suffering Servant of Isaiah 53. He was flogged till he bled, and carried the wooden cross on his back to Golgotha. Imagine that, keep that image before your eyes! Anyone who follows behind him will see his torn back, and all the stripes of his flogging. When you suffer undeserved punishment, think of him. That is Peter’s advice for Christian slaves, Peter’s first readers. But it also counts for us, later readers, with everything that we must suffer because of being Christians. Jesus’ stripes are our salvation, because he bore our sins on the cross. In this way, he carried the blows of his followers and healed their wounds. He gave his life for us. The footsteps of Jesus are the trail of blood that leads us to his kingdom. Two renowned theologians on the following of Christ: Thomas a Kempis (ca. 1380-1471) From: The imitation of Christ (1441), “Whoever follows me, walks not in darkness, says the Lord. By these words of Christ we are advised to imitate his life and habits, if we wish to be truly enlightened andfree from all blindness ofheart. Let our chiefeffort, therefore, be to study the life of Jesus Christ. The teaching of Christ is more excellent than all the advice of the saints, and he who has his spirit will find in it a hidden manna. Now, there are many who hear the Gospel often but care little for it because they have not the spirit of Christ. Yet whoever wishes to understand fully the words of Christ must try to pattern his whole life on that of Christ”. Tr Harry Plantinga Comment: Thomas begins with a quotation from the gospel of John, in which Jesus calls himself‘the light of the world’ (John 8:12). The ‘hidden manna’ is a direct reference to Revelation 2:17, and an indirect reference to John 6:48-51, where Jesus calls himself‘the bread of life’. Thomas lists three pathways by which we may follow Christ: to meditate on his life (as described in the Gospel); to live in the spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9; Galatians 5:25); to conform all of one’s life to the life of Christ (Romans 8:29; Philippians 3:10,21. Note: conformed is not the same as identical!) 98 Sárospataki Füzetek 20. évfolyam 2016-2
