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Paradoxes of Christ
Paradoxes of Christ
A paradox is a statement which seems to contradict itself or defy common sense, and yet may thereby communicate truth. For example, “He is my big little brother.” The speaker means his brother is younger, but that he looks up to him like an older brother (maybe in stature, or maybe for mature guidance). Paradoxes grab our attention and cause us to examine the statement more closely.
On a number of occasions in the gospels, Jesus presented truth in the form of paradox. A simple one is found in Matthew 13:13, “While seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear.” Wait ... what? How can this be true? Jesus means that there are many who absorb the sound waves of His teaching into their ears, but choose to disregard the message in their hearts. It’s the difference between hearing and actually listening, seeing and actually comprehending. Spiritually-speaking, they have made themselves blind and deaf.
Another simple paradox is found in Acts 20:35 (Paul here records Jesus’ words) “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Common sense, especially if you are a teenager, suggests that it is much more fun to unwrap and receive gifts than to think of, buy, wrap, and give gifts. It’s much more enjoyable to receive a backrub than to painfully cramp your fingers giving a backrub. But if we meditate upon the statement, we realize that the long-lasting inner joy of helping another person far outweighs and outlasts the materialistic pleasure of opening a gift. And such service circulates around the whole body of Christ, strengthening it. “At this present time your abundance being a supply for their need, so that their abundance also may become a supply for your need, so that there may be equality” (2 Cor. 8:14). Plus, sincere selfless service has eternal rewards, when “your toil is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Cor. 15:58). Jesus advises,
When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you in return and that will be your repayment. But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous (Luke 14:12-14).
Another paradox is, “The last shall be first, and the first last” (Matthew 20:16). This has never worked for me when waiting to board a roller coaster. More often than not, the one who gets in line last at a potluck dinner is the one who misses out on all the tastiest dishes. But Jesus means that throughout life, the ones willing to humble themselves and serve others will be exalted by God at the last day. Those who scratch and claw their way to the top of the heap in this life might enjoy a few moments of victory, but in the end they will be cast down. “God is opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5). Finally, here’s the most challenging paradox of all, “Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 16:25). How can it be that one who loses his life can actually save it? How can it be that one who works to save his life will actually endanger it? Does Jesus mean that if I eat healthy food and drive safely, I am headed for trouble? No, that’s not what Jesus means at all. In John 12:24-25 Jesus presents it the paradox with an illustration to help us understand it.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal.”
There is a great difference between physical life and spiritual life. One can enjoy vibrant physical life and not possess spiritual life. Sin causes spiritual death, for “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). Jesus means that as human beings, we have no spiritual life apart from God. We are dead. So long as we continue to pursue the lusts of the flesh, we will remain spiritually dead. Paul says, “you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world” (Eph. 2:1-2). It is ironic that when some people say, “I’m living it up!” they are actually dying all the more. The more selfishly one behaves, and the more jealously he guards the things he counts his own, the further he strays from God. “She who gives herself to wanton pleasure is dead even while she lives” (1 Timothy 5:6).
A seed above ground remains a seed. But we know it has potential waiting to be unlocked through burial. A sinful human being has great potential, too, if he is willing to undergo a burial. Baptism is surely part of this theme (see Romans 6:3-7) but Jesus’ illustration encompasses a lot more. Dying to self means putting one’s own possessions and desires last and putting God’s kingdom first. The selfish ego must disappear and be replaced by striving to serve God. He who wants the eternal must surrender the temporal. God provided eternal life through the death of His Son, and one who wishes to claim it must die as well.
Learn to “deny yourself and take up your cross daily and follow Jesus” (Luke 9:23). If you are not ready to die to self, to relinquish all that you hold important, you are not ready to receive the life that God wants to bountifully give!
–John Guzzetta
