Subtle Assertion

The gospel is subversive. Not overtly so, and not in a political sense, but subversive nonetheless. Gathering for church every week is perhaps the most subversive thing we do. In so gathering apart from the world, we are declaring to the world that we are citizens of a different kingdom, and our allegiance is to a different King: Jesus. There’s a sense in which it’s subtly seditious.

Jeffrey Barr points out that subtle sedition refers to certain encounters in the gospels that would not have directly opposed Rome and its authority but would have nevertheless communicated a political message to the Jews. That is not to say that Jesus is a political king. He plainly declared His kingdom is not of this world (Jn. 18:36). But Jesus does have authority over all things and asserts that reality both in bold and subtle ways. I actually prefer the term subtle assertion to subtle sedition. Jesus was not seditious or in rebellion against Rome. He was asserting His authority as Barr points out. With that subtle but significant shift I mind, let’s look at four examples.

Not Bread and Circuses

First, the Roman satirist Juvenal lamented the fact that Roman emperors maintained order, among other ways, by providing wheat and circus spectacles, i.e., “bread and circuses.” Revelation tells us that the dragon (Satan) is the power behind human government (Nero and the Roman Empire). When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness for forty days, in addition to the primary meaning of the text, Barr points out at one level, with stones to bread and the spectacle of diving off the pinnacle of the temple, Satan tempted Jesus to be a Messiah of bread and circuses. Satan then tempted Jesus to bow down to him in order to rule the world. The Jews would have recognized the reference to the Roman Empire in these temptations. Jesus rejects Satan and that earthly power. He’s not like them. Moreover, He alone is Lord, not Satan or Rome. Here is an example of subtle assertion.

Treading on Caesar’s Sea

Second, in Matthew 14, Jesus feeds the 5000, then walks on the Sea of Galilee, and calms a storm. The Romans referred to the Sea of Galilee as the Sea of Tiberias after the infamous emperor. Barr notes that Jesus treads upon the emperor’s seas and demonstrates that even the emperor’s waters have no dominion over Him. Jesus is Lord, not Caesar.

Authority Over Rome

Third, when Jesus encounters the Gerasene demoniac in Mark 5, the demon says, “Legion is my name. There are many of us.” Jesus casts them into a herd of swine who are then driven into the sea and drowned. A Roman legion was about 6,000 soldiers. The demon Legion was a veiled reference to Rome, swine were unclean under Jewish law, and the symbol of the Roman legion was a boar. The Jews would have certainly made the connection between the event and Jesus asserting His authority over the occupiers of Judea.

Render Unto God

Fourth, in Luke 20, Jesus is in the temple when Jewish religious leaders seek to trap Him and turn Him over to Rome that He might be executed. They ask Him whether He pays taxes. He turns the tables on them by asking them to present a denarius. They did. The coin bears the image of Caesar and refers to him as the son of the gods. They should not have had the coin; it was idolatry and a violation of the second commandment. They should not have profaned the temple by bringing it in. Jesus asks them who’s inscription is on the coin. They reply, “Caesar’s.” That’s when Jesus tells them to “render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and the things that are God’s unto God.” He’s not telling them that some things belong to Caesar, and some things belong to God. Such a meaning would not have shut their mouths and shot them through like His meaning actually did. He was saying that all things belong to God, and they were already sold out to Caesar. Again, He's asserting His authority over all things including Caesar.

Freedom and Citizenship

One of the points the New Testament makes is that the sons of God are ultimately free from earthly rulers (Matt. 17:26; 1 Pet. 2:16). Further, we’re to be concerned with reflecting God’s character and the good of others. We’re to be concerned for our witness. We’re to be good citizens so that when we’re accused by the world of doing evil, we’re actually being accused of being Christians and not breaking Caesar’s laws (1 Peter 2). It glorifies God and preserves our witness if we suffer for doing what’s right. There are times we may flee persecution (Matt. 10:23; Acts 9:23-25). If we’re born into slavery, we’re not to worry about it, but if we can be free, then we’re to use it for God’s glory (1 Cor. 7:2-23). The point is that we’re free, but we’re not to use our liberty for vice (1 Pet. 2:16). And, we’re good citizens unless that good citizenship conflicts with glorifying God.

Our Subtle Assertion

What might subtle assertion look like for us? Or what might the balance between being good citizens of heaven and being good citizens here look like? If going to church is subtle sedition, so is proclaiming and advancing God’s kingdom as the ultimate authority. Further, I stand for the national anthem out of respect for those around me, but I won’t put my hand over my heart even when asked to do so, nor will I pledge allegiance to the flag. If I’m asked to pray in public, even at a government function, I pray to Christ and not the benign, unknown god. I’m employed by the state as a high school swim coach. I do my job well. At the same time, I seek to point my swimmers to Jesus. What I’m doing in each of these cases is asserting Christ’s lordship.

Daniel was a good citizen: one of the best. But when Darias issued the decree that no one could pray to any god but him, Daniel prayed three times per day at his open window. Why did he pray out in the open? Why not simply pray in private? He was making a statement that Darias is not God. He was asserting God’s lordship. And God found him innocent of sin (Daniel 6).

Here’s something personal. I jaywalk on purpose. And whenever I do, I’m making a statement whether anyone gets it or not. On the one hand, the state will not come down on me for such a minor infraction, nor do people think I’m a troublemaker. My status as a good citizen remains intact (1 Peter 2). At the same time, in my heart, I’m treading on Caesar’s streets with impunity, because they really don’t belong to Caesar. They belong to God. It may not be walking on water, but it’s close enough.

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