Luke 6 and the cross

While discussing Luke chapter 6 this week with a group of elderly people, I was taken aback by how ridiculous this would be as a strategy for bringing about a kingdom. We have been trying to read Luke with question before us, "What is the kingdom of God, what does it look like?" With this lense, the first three chapters seem to be "Jesus' Qualifications to be King" chapter 4 "What sort of King will Jesus be" chapter 5, "Miracles/Signs of the Kingdom" which leads into Luke's account of the sermon on the mount "Life in the Kingdom." All of these of course are a bit loose, but I think perhaps helpful. Given this framework, our tendancy it would seem to me would be to want to force the issues of Jesus' kingdom. Instead of this, Jesus tells his followers:

27 “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic [2] either. 30 Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. 31 And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.

32 “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. 33 And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. 34 And if you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to get back the same amount. 35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

The craziness of these commands are sort of what makes us want to spiritualize or principalize them. This week I was reminded why we must not spiritualize these commands, and the answer lies in the cross. The parrallels between what Jesus commands here, and what He himself does on the cross is striking. His loving of enemies, loving sinners, forgiving those who persecute, blessing those who curse, being kind to the ungrateful and the evil. John Howard Yoder has said, "The cross is not simply the means to the Kingdom, it is the Kingdom come." Jesus not only commands his followers, he creates them.