This past Sunday was Pentecost, a church holiday (holy day) we barely notice in my circles. Many of us were more focused on chaos and injustice the world over after the tragic passing of a brother in Christ a few days earlier.
His death highlights a lesson from that Pentecost day almost two millennia ago on which the church was born.
In Christ, barriers between us have been broken.
If you’re interested in reading about the Christian character of ‘Big Floyd’, as the brother who died last week was affectionately known, check out this article: https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2020/may/george-floyd-ministry-houston-third-ward-church.html
Gender discrimination no more
Women were lifted into significance in the early church through Jesus’ ministry. In the Jewish culture of the day, women were not allowed into the inner courts of the temple; they were restricted to the ‘women’s court’. Women were not permitted to be priests, though there were several female prophets honoured in Israel’s history. Women did not count amongst the twelve disciples closest to Jesus either, but they were not far out from his inner circle. Dr Luke records their presence in his record:
After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.
Luke 8:1 – 3 NIV
Women not only followed Jesus throughout his ministry, but women followed Jesus to the cross. Jesus took time to address women on the road to Gethsemane as well as to look out for his mother from the cross itself. A woman was the first person to whom Christ revealed himself after his resurrection. Women were treated with dignity and respect by our Lord.
Come the Pentecost Day on which the church was born, women were right there with the twelve. Dr Luke records how Jesus’ followers spent their time between Jesus’ ascension and the coming of the Spirit:
They (Jesus’ disciples) all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
(Acts 1:14 NIV)
Equal though different
Relax. I’m not about to get into a debate about complementarianism versus egalitarianism. That sensitive discussion relates to the role of women in churches. I’m not going there right now.
Some of us are created with high emotional intelligence but we can’t fix blocked toilets in our church buildings. Others of us are gifted at keeping the books but we are lousy in putting words together in an easy-to-listen-to manner. Some of us are evangelists. Others are teachers. Still others are gifted in hospitality.
We have different gifts but we are part of one body … Jesus’ body. We have different personalities but we are indwelt with the one spirit … Jesus’ spirit.
Some of us have black skin. Others have white skin. The luckiest of us have skin that is neither too dark nor too light, but just right.
None of that affects our value in God’s eyes. Though it just might in the eyes of one another.
Prophecy
It was very important that the women were there with the men when the Spirit of God descended on the group that Pentecost Day. When the apostle Peter explained to astonished onlookers what was happening, he referred to a prophecy given by a prophet named Joel.
I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
Joel 2:28-29, Acts 2:17-18 NIV
Back in the Middle East in the first century, women were second class citizens. But not in Jesus’ eyes. And at Pentecost, his spirit was given to both men and women.
Peter made sure the onlookers knew it. Breaking gender barriers was a powerful statement about the work of Jesus. As was breaking linguistic barriers.
Broken barriers
Racism would also become an issue in the early church in the years to come, but perhaps not in the way that we understand it now. Back then, people of other races could convert to Judaism so long as they took on Jewish ways of life.
There were Jews from all over the empire gathered in Jerusalem that first Pentecost. Some were born Jews, while others had converted (see Acts 2:11). Amazingly all of them could hear those followers of Jesus … men and women … declaring God’s wonders in their own languages.
The issue of whether those who would believe in Jesus had to become culturally Jewish was going to become a big deal in the years to come. But on that first Pentecost following Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension, the message that came through loud and clear was this:
Jesus had broken the barriers of gender and language.
Simeon called Niger
Some years after the Holy Spirit was spectacularly given to God’s people that Pentecost Day, the leaders of a Christian community in Antioch would fast and pray and commission the prophet to the Gentiles, Paul. Actually, the church leadership team was made up of five men, two of whom were sent by the church to take the gospel to those who had never heard – they were Barnabas and Saul (Paul). Of the other three, as best we can tell, one was black. Simeon, called Niger, was his name (see Acts 13:1).
Dr Luke, the author of the book of Acts, has done it again … he has piqued my interest but left me hanging. Who, pray tell, was ‘Simeon, called Niger’? Bible scholars tell us that the Latin name, Niger, did indeed mean black. What was Simeon’s heritage? Was he a convert to Judaism first then a Christian later? (Just as an aside, Antioch was where followers of Christ were first called Christians.) Was he circumcised? Did he follow Jewish food laws?
There is a lot we don’t know. But one thing we do know is that one of the senior leaders in Paul’s sending church was Simeon, called Niger.
Thanks, Dr Luke, for pointing that out.
Paul’s empassioned plea
Some years after Simeon, called Niger, and his team had sent the apostle Paul and his companion on their first missionary journey, racism reared its ugly head.
It wasn’t about the colour of one’s skin, but more about the lifestyle one led. Young Christians in Galatia, a church established by that very same missionary outreach sent from the church in Antioch, had been convinced that following Jewish ways were necessary for salvation.
Paul wrote to correct this heresy. He was rather rude, actually. “You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you?” he wrote. “Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard. Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?” (Galatians 3:1-3) And on and on and on he ranted.
Along the way, in his rant, he pronounced this truth: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)
All one.
Neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female.
Neither black nor white, illiterate nor well-educated, rich nor poor.
As members of God’s kingdom, we are all one in Christ Jesus.
Pentecost 2020
The prophet Joel spoke of a day when God’s Spirit would be given to all God’s people, regardless of gender or age. The apostle Peter and his group, comprised of both men and women, demonstrated that God’s Spirit would be given to all who called on the name of the Lord. The apostle Paul wrote that, in Christ, all barriers between us are broken down.
Pentecost 2020 is time for us, Spirit-led people of God, to speak up. I am in no way condoning violence and destruction, nor suggesting we participate in even peaceful public protests during a pandemic. I am, however, aware that injustice is perpetrated over and over again. In as much as we have influence or authority to speak, act or even just ‘be’, as children of God, let us portray kingdom values.
Politics is complicated. Modern media reports don’t help with various biases and sensationalism needed to grab attention and make money. One thing, though, is clear:
In Christ there is no black and white.
Though I still envy people whose skin colour is just right.