Sino si Grace? Grace in the Flesh!

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ ”) From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
Scripture Reading
John 1:14-16 (NRSVUE)

God’s favor through loving kindness: what is Grace?

It is a free gift from God out of God’s love for us.

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we may walk in them.

Ephesians 2:8-10

It is like an ocean, it is inexhaustible. No one can claim absolute ownership or control over God’s grace.

It is like water that will always seek the lowliest places (Richard Rohr)

For us to understand and appreciate GRACE in a new and different way, we have to know about its context and development.

Paul “saw” in Jesus the fullness of God’s grace – loving kindness – for all humanity within a world that was ungracious: a world that has very little love or kindness.

Theologically, what we know and articulate as GRACE was a theological development of Paul, a learned jewish individual, probably a scholar, interpreting the life and words of Jesus that he himself received from the other Apostles and Disciples after he became a Christian.

It was totally counter cultural, counter religious, and counter political to proclaim the Lordship, and Messiahship, and Resurrection of peasant Jew from Nazareth who preached love and compassion but was defeated, tortured, and nailed to the cross; that the peasant Jew was the Son of God and has the fullness of God’s favor in him.

Χάρις (Charis)

Noun and considered feminine
Translated into english as grace.
Favor, kindness, blessing.
Derived from the Greek verb χαίρω (chairō), meaning “to rejoice” or “to be glad.”
The Hebrew equivalent often associated with “charis” is חֵן (chen), Strong’s Hebrew 2580, which means favor or grace.

Cultural and Historical Background: In the Greco-Roman world, “charis” was commonly understood as a favor or gift given without expectation of return, often to cement social bonds or express goodwill. In the New Testament, this concept is deepened & transformed to express the profound and unconditional* love of God towards humanity, which is not based on human merit but on God’s own character and purpose.

Source: https://biblehub.com/greek/5485.htm

חַנּוּן channuwn (adj)

חֵן Chen (Noun)

In hebrew chen is in the male form.

Word Origin: Derived from the root חָנַן (chanan), which means “to be gracious” or “to show favor.”

Usage: The Hebrew word “chen” primarily denotes grace or favor. It is often used to describe the unmerited favor or kindness that one receives from another, particularly from God. In the Old Testament, “chen” is frequently associated with God’s graciousness towards humanity, as well as the favor that individuals find in the eyes of others.

Source: https://biblehub.com/hebrew/2580.htm

Cultural and Historical Background: In ancient Hebrew culture, “chen” was a significant concept that underscored the relational aspect of God’s covenant with His people. It was understood as a divine attribute that was not earned but given freely. The idea of grace was central to the (ancient) Israelites’ understanding of their relationship with God, who chose them as His people not because of their merit but because of His gracious love.

Cultural and Historical Background: In the ancient Near Eastern context, gods were often seen as distant and capricious. However, the God of (ansicent) Israel is depicted as intimately involved with His creation, characterized by grace and mercy. This understanding of God as “channun” set the Israelites’ faith apart, emphasizing a personal relationship with a compassionate deity who cares for His people and responds to their needs.

Source: https://biblehub.com/hebrew

Grace in the Context of Community & Relationship

Paul became a Jewish Christian around around 35 or 38CE, approximately 3, 5 or 8 years after Jesus death on the cross. During that time the first Christian communities were mostly peasant Jews born and living in Judea which the Romans called and mapped as Palestine. There were a few greek Jews such as Philip and few merchant or artisan class members. A few gentiles were joining but they had to become Jewish first by circumcision and following Jewish way of life.

Grace in the Context of Temple and Empire

Greco-Roman Empire, Occupation, and normalcy of slavery. Slavery was part of the social order in many ancient empires.
Patriarchal and Hierarchical. Social stratification based on race and gender.
Grace – Favor – is based on the capricious and unpredictable behavior of Emperors or other socially superior persons.
Living conditions to some degree are based on race. Greeks and Romans were the superior race.
During the time of Jesus, the 1% owned and controlled the land and practically everything else. Half of the population was slowly starving to death. Life expectancy was 28 years.
For the Jews, they are the chosen of the One True God and therefore, generally speaking, the perspective was, they have exclusive access to grace through the Law, the Priesthood, and the Temple in Jerusalem (Temple Theology).
Despite references to justice, equality, and compassion in the Law and prophetic writings, there was still corruption even within the Jewish religious and political system that added to the suffering of the people on top of the Roman occupation and oppression.
But there were of course many Pharisees and other Jews who tried their best to bring reform in the temples and synagogues, and address corruption and injustice. There were motivated by justice passages of the Torah (Law) and the prophetic writings. There were some pharisees who were part of the Jewish nationalist resistance. Roman violence was the source of peace and favor throughout the occupied lands. Pay heavy taxes or whatever little you have will still be confiscated. Do not question. Do not resist. You will be crucified. Your people will be massacred.

Systemically, there was no or very little GRACE under the Roman Empire – under Pax Romana.

Paul’s interpretation and theological views of Jesus was in response to the Greco-Roman culture, to Jewish theology and some strict religious customs and practices, and within the specific contexts of Christian communities wrestling with everything around them and within them.

Grace in the Context of Community & Relationship

The first Christian Communities for the first 50 to 100 years were trying to make sense of the life, meaning, & identity of Jesus of Nazareth whom they proclaim as the Christ. Paul’s letters & the gospels were written during this 100 years period. With the inspiration of the Holy Spirit they were writing their reflection who Jesus is & who they are as Christians in their living reality of the Roman oppression, the destruction of the temple in 70CE, and their internal community struggles.

Grace in the Context of Community, Temple, and Empire

If we first understand the contextual underpinnings of GRACE during the time of Jesus and as first articulated by Paul and the gospel writers, then we have a much clearer appreciation and richer theological reflection about grace in our current lived reality and present context.

A Gracious Community Living In A Cruel World

The first Christians followers experienced in Jesus the inclusive, equal, and unconditional graciousness of God and a better way, truth, and life. If there was a God it can only be the One who made itself known through this Jesus of Nazareth.

From oral tradition, the gospel writers wrote about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth together with his teachings and commandments.

Jesus in the gospels tell us that Loving kindness (Grace) is loving our neighbor – our kapwa – as we love ourselves, especially those we consider as enemies – the samaritans(Lk 10:25-37), syro phoenicians (Mk 7:24-29), and even Romans (Mtt 8:5-13).

Jesus in the gospels tell us that Loving kindness (Grace) is feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, welcoming the stranger, giving drink to the thirsty, take care of the sick, and visiting those in prison. (Mtt 25:31-40)

Grace is never ignoring the poor around us. (Lk 16:19-31)

Jesus in the gospels tell us that Loving kindness (Grace) is taking the side of the poor and oppressed by proclaiming good news to them, giving sight to the blind, releasing the captives, cancelling all predatory loans, returning land to farmers and indigenous peoples, all of which declares the Jubilee of the Lord. (Lk 4:17-21)

Jesus in the gospels tell us that Loving kindness (Grace) is loving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us (Mtt 5:43-45 & Lk 6:27-36) NOT to perpetuate injustice but end cycles of violence and hatred.

Jesus in the gospels tell us that Loving kindness (Grace) is forgiveness for those who have hurt us as much as we ask for forgiveness and understanding when we are the ones who have done wrong. (Mtt 6:14)

Jesus in the gospels tell us that Loving kindness (Grace) is becoming the light of the world that burns and gets consumed for others to see. Grace is also when we become salt to be dissolved so that others will be nourished or preserved. (Mtt 5:13-16)

Jesus in the gospels tell us that Loving kindness (Grace) when we do not serve greed (mammon) (Mtt 6:24-26) over the lives of people and we give what God requires – justice, kindness, and humility. (Micah 6:8).

Jesus in the gospels tell us that Loving kindness (Grace) is when we protect, love, and care for ALL children and the vulnerable, God’s precious ones. And we ourselves reclaim our spiritual childhood in God. (Lk 18:15-17 & Mk 10:13-15)

Jesus in the gospels tell us that Loving kindness (Grace) is when we remain in his love by loving one another as he has loved us, and like him offering our lives for our one another. (John 15:9-12)

God’s loving kindness (Grace) according to the book of Acts is when we live together in community with genuine care for one another sharing everything in common and generously serving and giving according to each one’s needs. (Acts 2:43-47 & Acts 4:32-37)

Paul interpreting the life and words of Jesus tells us that grace is a free gift from God through Jesus, therefore no one in the church community may boast. (Ephesians 2:8 & Romans 3:24-25)

Paul interpreting the life and words of Jesus tells us that grace as the gifts of the Holy Spirit has been given to each one and every gift is necessary in the church community, the body of Christ. (1 Corinthians the whole chapter 12)

Paul interpreting the life and words of Jesus tells us that grace is no longer based on race, gender, or socio-economic class for their is no longer gentile or jew, woman or man, slave or free – all are one in Christ. (Galatians 3:28-29)

Paul interpreting the life and words of Jesus tells us that grace is loving because love is the fulfilment of the Law – Gracious love…

is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable; it keeps no record of wrongs; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)

Paul interpreting the life and words of Jesus tells us that grace is joy and hope in the Lord. We need not fear nor despair with the cruelty that is around us because there is good, there is grace, there is a positive force that resist and pushback the evils of these world. (Philippians 4:4-7)

And everything that is an opposite of what Jesus and Paul tells us are those that offend God’s grace: Dominance, greed, selfishness, apathy, intolerance, hatred, violence, religious self-righteousness and rigidity, oppressive hierarchies within the church community and preferential treatment, indifference to the poor and the hungry, privilege and self-preservation at the expense of others, arrogance, boasting, carelessness, abuse of children and the vulnerable, and abusing of faith and grace.

How is our time and context today similar and different with context of Jesus, Paul, the gospel writers, and their communities?

Understanding grace in the context of Jesus, Paul, and the early Christians, what is GRACE in our time today?

How can we live, grow, and continue to be transformed by God’s grace today? What are the ways we can express God’s grace in our lives, relationships, and society in today’s world still struggling with cruelty.

Sino si Grace? Jesus of Nazareth – a peasant Jew who preached and lived a radical and counter-cultural love rejected by religious leaders and executed by the Romans – is God’s grace in the flesh as testified by word, community, and martyrdom of first century Christians 2000 years ago.

John 1:14-16 (NRSVue): And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’ ”) From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

Listen to what the Holy Spirit is telling us today.

May what has been preached inspire us, comfort us, and transform us. Thanks be to God!