Listen to Jesus only

By Devon Dick

TOMORROW IS Good Friday, when we pause and reflect on the significance of the death of Jesus the Christ, for our lives. Some do not dispute that Jesus' death was a historic fact. However, it means nothing to them personally or communally. Additionally, even Christians do not make a complete surrender to Jesus only.

At the transfiguration of Jesus, Peter wanted to build booths for Moses, Elijah, and Jesus. Jesus did not take up the offer. And instead, for the second time in Matthew, a voice from heaven states, "This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased. Listen to Him!" (17: 5). That God the Father encourages the audience to listen to His only Son implies that His Son ought to be the authoritative voice in the Church.

This verse answers the question of whose voice should be the final authority in matters of faith and practice. Is it Moses who represents the Law or is it Elijah who represents the Prophets or should it be Jesus? Divisions in the church are not new because in the early Church some were claiming allegiance to Apollos, Paul and Jesus.

When Pope Benedict resigned, he encouraged the Christians as he said, "And now, let us entrust the Holy Church to the care of Our Supreme Pastor, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and implore His holy Mother Mary, so that she may assist the Cardinal Fathers with her maternal solicitude, in electing a new Supreme Pontiff". However, Jesus is the only Son. Moses, Mahatma Gandhi, Paul Bogle, Mary, the mother of Jesus, are not on the same level with Jesus. Jesus is not just the best among many, but he is unique.

We are encouraged to listen to Jesus because He is the Light of Scripture. The Old Testament (Law and Prophets) needs to be read through the lens of Jesus' life, death and resurrection. Jesus defines and outlines God very well. Persons have witnessed manifestations of God, as when God appeared to Moses, Joshua and the prophets, but no one has perceived the essence of God. The revelation of Jesus is above that of any previous dispensation. Jesus had an intimate knowledge of God which neither Moses nor any of the ancient prophets had possessed. This gave him the authority to speak that to which we ought to listen.

Take for example in Mark 7:19, "Are you so dull?" he asked. "Don't you see that nothing that enters a person from the outside can defile them? For it doesn't go into their heart, but into their stomach, and then out of the body". (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods clean). Jesus declaring all foods clean, means that the entire food legislation of the Old Testament ceased to be normative for the Church. Jesus gave commands new interpretation, new meaning and deeper understanding. Matt 5:43-44, states, "You have heard that it has been said, you shall love your neighbour, and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which spitefully use you and persecute you."

Jesus is the new Law. Jesus is the true prophet of God. Jesus' new community, the early Church, had no canon. But they followed what was passed on to them by oral tradition and pieces of paper. When a matter is not expressly stated in Scriptures, then we have to listen to the voice of Jesus as revealed through the Holy Spirit. It is all about what would Jesus say and do!

This Good Friday, let us commit to listening to the voice of Jesus only, because he is the head of the Church.His is the only voice that makes a difference.

Rev Devon Dick, PhD, is pastor of the Boulevard Baptist Church in St Andrew. He is author of From Rebellion to Riot and The Cross and Machete. Send comments to columns@gleanerjm.com