Day Sixty

If you have 5 minutes!

Read Acts 12:24-25 & the quote by William Hazlitt

24 But the word of God continued to spread and flourish. 25 When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark.

“Man is the only animal who laughs and weeps; for he is the only animal that is struck by the different between what things are and what they ought to be.” (William Hazlitt)

Humour indicates a higher and alternate reality.[1] We laugh when a cake goes wrong because we know what a good cake should look like. We laugh when someone falls through the bottom of a chair (as long as they don’t hurt themselves!) because we know that this is not normally what chairs do! On a deeper level, comedy reveals dysfunctions within the world as we know it indicating that, on some kind of intuitive level at least, we know it should be better.

A comedy, in its traditional definition, is the opposite of a tragedy. In other words something that ends well.

Within these definitions the entire biblical story is, in many ways, humourous and a comedy.

It is humourous in that it constantly highlights the discrepancy between the world as it is and the world as God wanted it to be. Throughout the Bible we are painfully aware that God made the world fuller, more whole, less broken… and that God made people to be more loving, less destructive… At times, this discrepancy is portrayed in deliberately humourous language (e.g. God’s rant against idolatry in Isaiah 44 and his reply to Job). At times the presentation is more sober.

However it is also a divine comedy in that the whole story of the Bible looks forward to a happy ending. There may be ups and downs but ultimately God will triumph. His plans for the earth will one day come fully into fruition.

This ultimate victory is foreshadowed here. The whole chapter has a comical twist. It starts with a fervent attack by someone who, in human terms, has all the power. By the end, however, the powerful antagonist is dead and the seemingly powerless church continues to grow.

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[1] Peter Burger, “Redeeming Laughter,” pg. 208. (Thanks to Jen Hewett and Barney Pimentell for their dissertations’ help in this!)

Day Fifty-Nine

If you have 5 minutes!

Read Acts 12:20-24 & Isaiah 14:9-15

Then Herod went from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there. 20 He had been quarreling with the people of Tyre and Sidon; they now joined together and sought an audience with him. After securing the support of Blastus, a trusted personal servant of the king, they asked for peace, because they depended on the king’s country for their food supply. 21 On the appointed day Herod, wearing his royal robes, sat on his throne and delivered a public address to the people. 22 They shouted, “This is the voice of a god, not of a man.” 23 Immediately, because Herod did not give praise to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.

A Taunt to the King of Babylon: The realm of the dead below is all astir to meet you at your coming; it rouses the spirits of the departed to greet you—all those who were leaders in the world; it makes them rise from their thrones—all those who were kings over the nations. 10 They will all respond, they will say to you, “You also have become weak, as we are; you have become like us.” 11 All your pomp has been brought down to the grave, along with the noise of your harps; maggots are spread out beneath you and worms cover you. 12 How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! 13 You said in your heart, “I will ascend to the heavens; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of Mount Zaphon. 14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” 15 But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit.

The humour continues – albeit in an ironic black comedy kind of way – as Herod reaches the pinnacle of earthly glory only to be reduced to a pile of worms. It echoes with the taunt against the King of Babylon in Isaiah 14, written when Babylon was in the height of her power and Israel was suffering under her oppression.

• Why do you think God did this? Do you agree that this account is humorous in a slightly morbid kind of way? If so, what is the significance of this?

If you have a bit longer :-)

It has been said that tyranny can deal with anything except ridicule.

• Do you agree with this?
• If so, do you think humour could be better employed to combat ruthless tyrannical behaviour today?
• In this vein, have you heard of/seen the film “The Dictator” by Sachan Baron Cohen? If so do you think this is a good example of how to use humour subversively? If not why not? (I haven’t seen it so can’t comment. Generally, however, I am not the hugest fan of other stuff he has made. I feel like in principle he is onto something, I’m just not totally sure I like how he does it. What do other people think?)

Day Fifty-Eight

If you have 5 minutes!

Read Acts 12:12-19

12 When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. 13 Peter knocked at the outer entrance, and a servant named Rhoda came to answer the door. 14 When she recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!” 15 “You’re out of your mind,” they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.” 16 But Peter kept on knocking, and when they opened the door and saw him, they were astonished. 17 Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James and the other brothers and sisters about this,” he said, and then he left for another place. 18 In the morning, there was no small commotion among the soldiers as to what had become of Peter. 19 After Herod had a thorough search made for him and did not find him, he cross-examined the guards and ordered that they be executed.

“Knock knock”

“Who’s there?”

“Peter”

“Peter who?”

“Peter you’ve just be praying for”

“Okay, very funny! Who is it really?”

“No really it’s Peter!”

“Yes Yes I get the joke! Who is it?”

“It’s Peter!”

“Peter?! Is that you?”

“Yes I just told you it was!”

“Wait there I’ll get the others.”

“Can’t you let me in firs…Oh you’ve gone. Fine I’ll wait.”

“Hey everyone it’s Peter.”

“Yes we know it’s Peter who has been arrested we’ve been praying for him all night. Haven’t you been listening?”

“No I know that, but I mean it’s Peter outside! He’s been knocking on the door.”

“Don’t be so ridiculous. Weren’t you listening. We just told you. Peter’s in prison. That’s why we’ve been praying (turns to Mary and whispers) seriously Mary you need to get a new maid, this one’s not all…”

“No it is Peter. I heard him speak. He’s outside the door knocking. Listen can’t you hear him he’s still knocking!”

“Look I know you’re upset. You probably just thought it was Peter.”

“No it was Peter. I mean it is Peter, he’s still there. Listen he’s still knocking.”

“Oh no! Oh no! Ooohhh nooooo!”

“What’s wrong Mary?”

“They must have killed him already. I bet you’ve just seen his ghost.”

“No it’s not his ghost it really is him…”

Aside from the tragedy at the start, the whole of this chapter is funny. This section in particular is brilliantly funny. Loads of the early Christians are in Mary’s house praying for what? Presumably Peter’s release! And yet when Peter is released they don’t believe it. The prison gate is opened before him but he ends up stranded outside the locked door of those most eager to welcome him home!

So what do we make of this humour? Is there anything we learn from it?

I recently watched an episode of a drama series based on the life of a top barrister. Within this episode she was defending a man with a vague alibi. She was not too concerned about this, however, as she noted that innocent people generally do have vague alibis. Who remembers where they were on, say, the 5^th of May at 4:43pm unless – of course – they were committing a crime?! If someone’s alibi is too perfect, then you have good reason to be suspicious.

In a similar way the humour, idiosyncrasies and honesty of the Bible is one of the strongest arguments for its authenticity. If it were too perfect, it would be much harder to believe. For example, if you were making up a story like this – a dramatic prison break of one of your main characters – who would think to add this randomly hilarious story in? Surely you would have the church filled with faith, looking out of the window waiting for Peter’s return, confident that the God who had achieved so many miracles in their presence would come good again? You wouldn’t have them doubting. You wouldn’t have them leaving Peter outside. You definitely wouldn’t have them suggest it was his ghost! Life is often stranger than fiction thus, perhaps conversely, the slight oddities of Scripture support its credibility.

If you have a bit longer :-)

• What is humour and is it important? If so, why?
• God made us in his image. The fact that humans have a sense of humour therefore tells us that God does too. Do you think of God as having a sense of humour? If so, how does this affect your relationship with him? 

Day Fifty-Seven

If you have 10 minutes!

Read Acts 12:5-11 & the quote by John Stott

5 So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. 6 The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. 7 Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists. 8 Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. 9 Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. 10 They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him. 11 Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.”

Here then are two communities, the world and the church, arrayed against one anothers, each wielding an appropriate weapon. On the one side was the authority of Herod, the power of the sword and the security of the prison. On the other side, the church turned to prayer, which is the only power which the powerless possess.[1] (BUT WHAT POWER!)

“That’s not fair!” This was the first time the children I look after three-days-a-week had accused me of such a thing. I cannot remember what it was over, probably something like whose turn it was to choose the Peppa Pig episode to watch. However, although I felt I was treating them equally, the perception of unfairness jarred with me as – like most people working with children – I try hard to be fair since I appreciate how hurtful it must be for a child if someone is favoured over them.

 However it is not just children; we all like things to be fair and it throws us when it is not. “Why did this happen to me? What have I done to deserve it?” We can find ourselves exclaiming. Or conversely, “Why have I had such an easy life when others have all sorts of heartache to deal with?” Time and time again though the well-worn parent refrain “Life isn’t fair” is proved correct. We live in an unfair world.

To add to our frustrations, often God too seems unfair. At times our prayers are answered before they are uttered; at other times we pray for years and God apparently does nothing! While one person in church goes through a time of prosperity another is bankrupt. While some enjoy great health others fall sick…

Even in this chapter of Acts, God seems unfair! Why does he save Peter but not James? Why is Herod struck down at the end of the chapter rather than at the start, before he can unleash any damage? Further, if God is willing to kill Herod why not other destructive despots who have plagued the earth before and since?

Luke does not proffer any reason why James was killed but Peter walks free, nor does he seem perturbed by the inconsistency. Indeed there are echoes of Acts 5-7 where the release of Peter and the apostles from prison precedes Stephen’s death at the hands of a mob. God’s apparent inconsistency would perhaps be better explained were Peter to continue as his main agent. However, other than a brief appearance in chapter 15, Peter is not mentioned again.

What jarred me most about the children's protestation was the implication that I could not be trusted. That rather than doing my best to love both equally I favoured one above the other. This challenge to my trustworthiness is sometimes expressed in other ways; when I forbid something dangerous and am regarded a killjoy. None of this is unusual and I’m building it up to make a point!  However when trying to explain to a two-year old the logic of not giving her a hot cup of tea to carry or allowing her to just eat cake or climb on the TV… and your patient clear well-grounded-in-rational-thought arguments are met with cries of despair, it can be a genuinely frustrating experience.

It was during one of these experiences – as I was lamenting the cognitive gap between my highly rational explanations and a two-year old's inability to grasp their astonishing logic – that it suddenly occurred to me that the gap in knowledge and understanding between myself and a two-year old was infinitely smaller than the gap between myself and God! You see at the time I was, if I am honest, annoyed with God because a number of things had not panned out as I had hoped. I felt let down by him and could not understand why he was not answering my prayers more immediately and directly. In that moment I began to picture myself as the two-year old and God as me. There I was railing against the apparent unfairness I perceived in God totally oblivious to, and unable to grasp, his infinite wisdom and the work he was doing in my life.

Perhaps Luke grasped better than I how vast the gap between our knowledge and God’s really is?

Perhaps he had the faith to not understand but still trust?

Perhaps we can learn from him?

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[1] John Stott, “Acts,” pg. 208-209.

Day Fifty-Six

If you have 5 minutes!

Read Acts 12:1-4

1 It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them. 2 He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. 3 When he saw that this met with approval among the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Festival of Unleavened Bread. 4 After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.

The relationship between the Jews and the Roman Empire they lived within is not entirely straightforward! On the whole, until around AD 66-70 when things went badly downhill, the Jewish faith was tolerated within the Empire – albeit seen as odd. In 37 BC the Romans even appointed a half-Jewish leader over Judea (and surrounding regions) in the hope that the Jews would be more compliant with his leadership. This was Herod the Great, the diplomatically brilliant but personally insane Herod of the nativity story.[1] Following his death, the region was split into three areas and his three sons ruled one each. The son who ruled Judea, where Jerusalem was, didn’t last long and was replaced by Roman governors including Pontius Pilate of Jesus’ crucifixion account. The second son – Antipas – ruled over the northern part, including Galilee, and was the Herod who had John the Baptist killed. He was then involved in Jesus’ trial.[2] A third son, Philip, was the most humane.

The Herod we meet here is Herod Agrippa I, in contrast to Herod Agrippa II who we meet in chapters 25 and 26. He is the grandson of Herod the Great and the son of Aristobulus, who was a half-brother of Herod Antipas.[3]

The Herod family was trusted by the Roman Empire but disliked by the Jews due to their Roman upbringing. They were charged with keeping the peace. These two factors explain, in part, Herod’s behaviour here. In killing James he is able to both lend himself to his Jewish critics and demonstrate to his Roman leaders his intolerance of those threatening the status quo.[4] Killing James first perhaps demonstrates a reticence to go straight to the top. Spurred on by “the Jews” approval, however, he arrests Peter and places him in jail…

• Luke is such a brilliantly concise reader that, in his brevity, it is easy to gloss over the devastating impact James’ death must have had on the church community. Reread these verses and try to imagine how you would have felt if you had been part of the church at that time. How do you think you would have responded?

If you have a bit longer :-)

History repeats itself and sadly today there are many leaders as ruthless as the Herod family. Spend some time praying for those you know of and the people who suffer under their rule. In particular, please pray into the situations in…

• North Korea, where Kim Jong-un is the current leader having taken over after the death of his father Kim Jong-il. Open Doors estimates that over 25% of Christians in North Korea are languishing in labour camps due to their refusal to worship the founder Kim Il-Sung’s cult.[5]
• Syria, where Bashar al-Assad is the current ruler having succeeded his oppressive father in 2000. Bashar started his rule with an agenda of reform and openness. Those around him, however, reacted badly to this and recently he has led a violent oppression against those protesting his rule. It is currently a complex situation in Syria – which Jimmy helpfully shed some light on at a recent International Prayer Breakfast (just one reason why you should think about coming along!). What is clear, however, is that the situation needs prayer.
• Burma, here is an update from Open Doors: “Burma transitioned to a new, semi-civilian government in March, stirring hopes for significant change, including the re-admission of Aung San Suu Kyi into the political arena. A new Human Rights Commission was established in September, with minorities represented on it. It remains to be seen how independently it will operate. However, pressure on Christians from society and the military appears unchanged. There were several reports of the army harassing Christians of the Kachin tribe. In November a bomb killed 7 children and 3 Kachin people at an orphanage run by Christians.”[6]

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[1] John Drane, “Introducing the New Testament,” pg. 32.

[2] John Drane, “Introducing the New Testament,” pg. 34.

[3] Tom Wright, “Acts,” pg. 182.

[4] Tom Wright, “Acts,” pg. 182.

[5] http://www.opendoorsuk.org/resources/persecution.php?country=north_korea

[6] http://www.opendoorsuk.org/resources/persecution.php?country=burma_myanmar