A Simple Good Friday Observation
What follows is my summary of an observation from a Chinese student just beginning to explore the Bible. Having studied the Biblical narrative together, reading the Passover story from Exodus in January and reading the Passover story in Matthew 26 last week, he drew a distinction between eastern religions and Jesus:
In Buddhism and other eastern religions one’s goal is to discipline himself to the point of mastery so that one can, in essence, become a god. Everything depends on our own pursuits and our own abilities. This is evident also by the way we live our lives - we live self-serving lives because our efforts are the most important thing and our goal is to be a god. Jesus, who was God, came to be a sacrificial lamb and to wash the feet of his followers. He was God, yet he became a servant. He then tells his followers to become like him, to also become servants. This is very different from our (eastern) way of thinking. People in the west are selfish also but if we follow Jesus’ example and teachings then this should be very different from how everyone else lives.
How simple is this gospel of Jesus. How radical the way of Life. How glorious when practiced.
In Buddhism and other eastern religions one’s goal is to discipline himself to the point of mastery so that one can, in essence, become a god. Everything depends on our own pursuits and our own abilities. This is evident also by the way we live our lives - we live self-serving lives because our efforts are the most important thing and our goal is to be a god. Jesus, who was God, came to be a sacrificial lamb and to wash the feet of his followers. He was God, yet he became a servant. He then tells his followers to become like him, to also become servants. This is very different from our (eastern) way of thinking. People in the west are selfish also but if we follow Jesus’ example and teachings then this should be very different from how everyone else lives.
How simple is this gospel of Jesus. How radical the way of Life. How glorious when practiced.
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