Jesus and the Constructive “No” of Grace (Andrew Sung Park)

Jesus and the Constructive “No” of Grace (Andrew Sung Park) June 8, 2015

The following is an excerpt from Andrew Sung Park’s book, Triune Atonement. The section is titled, “Jesus’ Cross as the Symbol of Challenge”:

Jesus’ death is the complete expression of his challenge to religious oppression, social injustice, economic

Jesus Mafa
Jesus Mafa

exploitation, violence, and killing. Matthew 23 shows how visceral Jesus was toward the Pharisees’ and scribes’ religious legalism and economic exploitation. Jesus emphatically denounced the fact that they tithed mint, dill, and cumin but neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith (23:23). He warned the scribes not to devour widows’ houses (Mark 12:40). Because of his ministry of social justice and confrontation, the religious leaders sought to get rid of him.

His life was a series of challenges to religious legalism, social custom, economic injustice, and political tyranny. His saying no to these reverberates from Galilee to every valley of the shadow of unequal treatment of human beings, domination, violence, and death. Such a voice of reistance continues in Martin Luther’s Nein to the Roman Catholic hierarchy, Martin Niemoller’s Nein to the Nazi regime, and Rosa Park’s no to the unjust rule of segregation.

Saying no may require risking one’s life. Jesus’ death showed the ultimate courage in throwing injustice out from the world. Jesus stuck out his neck to advance the reign of God by saying no to the injustices of the religious and political establishments. In this sense, Jesus crucifixion stands by our side when we say no to injustice.

There are two kinds of no. One is the cynical no that tears down one’s opponent, and is based on hatred. The other is the constructive no that tries to change the wrong of one’s opponent, and is based on care. Jesus’ confrontation is the symbol of the constructive no of grace. (46).

 


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