Vol III: #56 Luke 2, Part II
I am grateful to have the Bible, both the Old and New Testaments. And when I read Luke 2, I was reminded that Jesus, all the priests, and scribes only read the Old Testaments. So it astounds me to know Jesus read the Psalms written by David and told us to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” This commandment is not a prominent part of the Old Testament. A handful of verses in the Torah and Proverbs speak to specific acts of kindness toward an enemy, but stacked against the endless Psalms calling for violent justice, those versus are few and spread thin. Overall, the Old Testament is focused on one tribe’s relationship with God, and outsiders are generally belittled.
In a similar way, Jesus referred to God as Father. Here again, several OT scriptures refer to Yaweh as a Father, but it’s impersonal and distant. These verses see God as Father of the Law who performed acts of fatherhood and nothing more. Jesus experienced the Lord as a true Father, present and active and relational. He set the tone for what is possible for us.
To know Jesus read the same scripture I do and was empowered to love the way He did, it’s an encouragement to me. And at the same time, breaks my heart when I see Christians referring to Old Testament scriptures on how to respond to attacks. Without Love, we are no greater than those trying to destroy us. Without a sense of who our Father is and how present He is, we are anxious orphans fumbling through life. Thankfully, we have more than a set of duties and sacrifices. And I’m grateful Jesus set the record straight regarding our Father and the importance of Love.
