The New Testament Problem (Jesus)

Jesus’ teachings in the Bible about what I’ve called “life-giving living” merit constant attention.

Key to Christianity’s life-giving offering to the world is salvation. While this is often thought of as “God sent Jesus to die for our sins, so we are saved” (the sort of atonement theology I find incompatible with my image of God as loving and full of grace…not that religion is about God as much as it is about us), the story of Zaccheus suggests otherwise.

After Jesus eats with the un-admired and presumably heretofore unrepentant tax collector (that short man with curiosity and tree-climbing skills in his favor), Zaccheus pledges to share his wealth with the poor and to right his past wrongs (if, he says, he’s made any). That’s when Jesus, who hasn’t yet been put to death on the cross, says, “Today salvation has come to this household.”

In other words, Zaccheus’s salvation is his turning from corruption to sharing and treating everyone right.

Jesus presents some foundational ideas about life-giving living in the Sermon on the Mount, too. Note that the beatitudes seem to be meant for daily life manifestation:

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

How these tenets–and the salvation experienced by Zaccheus–play out in today’s everyday life is a bit majorly problematic, as Jesus seems to exact a steep price on the status quo.