P A R A D O X 

"A paradox, a paradox, a most ingenious pa - ra - dox!"

In Gilbert and Sullivan’s well-known Operetta, “The Pirates of Penzance,” when the youth, Frederic, apprenticed to be trained as a pirate until the age of twenty-one years, reached the required age and so thought himself free from his indenture and able to marry Mabel, the Major General’s daughter, it was discovered that he was not free at all. The contract of his indenture had provided that his apprenticeship was to continue until his twenty-first birthday. Since he had been born on February 29th, he had celebrated only five birthdays! So, “the little boy of five” sang with his friends the unhappy ditty, “A paradox, a paradox, a most ingenious pa-ra-dox!”

Whether or not the contrived problem was a true paradox we shall let the grammarians and the logicians decide. But there was a period in the earthly career of Jesus so filled with paradoxical events, actions, and words of the Lord that we can almost say that the last twenty-four hours of His life constituted one grand Paradox in itself.
We seldom see this situation in its total apparent absurdity. But that is because we tend to focus our attention almost exclusively on Jesus Himself, and everything He did and said seems so Right, Proper, and Sensible that we tend to overlook the paradox.
Let us instead focus our attention upon the disciples. Let us see and study their fears, their amazement, their bafflement, and their obtuseness. Our own sudden appreciation of the paradoxes should help us to see in bold relief the greater depth of meaning in all that Jesus did and said.

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In point of fact, the whole long earthly career of Jesus was filled with a succession of paradoxes. Let us name but two of them.
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, God made certain that all the world might know that a Saviour had come bearing divine redemption. An heaven-sent choir of angels was dispatched to herald the event. Yet He was born into a family situation so poor that Mary and Joseph did not have money enough to buy the lamb for His dedication in the temple. Instead, they had to resort to the poor-man’s offering: “two pigeons.” (See Luke 2:22-24; see in addition Leviticus 12:6-8.) Heaven’s bounty; earth’s poverty: paradox indeed.
Again, thirty years later, when John the Baptist was preaching and baptizing toward “repentance unto remission of sins,” (Luke 3:3), Jesus Himself went to see John and requested baptism by the Baptist. No wonder John protested for a reversal of their roles: for surely the Sinless One needed not such a baptism. Yet Jesus insisted, declaring that His own baptism would be to “fulfill all righteousness.” (Matthew 3:13-15.) -- Another paradox indeed!
And the entire earthly ministry of Jesus was so filled with the paradoxical that His enemies were confounded, the multitudes were amazed, and the disciples were given lesson upon lesson upon the ways of Divinity.
Now we could go on and on, citing situation after situation, and manifesting paradox after paradox. But the point has been established, and paradox and Jesus had their lives entwined together. So we shall skip ahead, and consider the place of paradox in the last days and especially the last hours before Jesus died, hours spent in fellowship with His disciples.

I. The Paradox of calm in the midst of danger.
The tension, which had been building up for days, was casting its pall of apprehension on the disciples. The evening was pregnant with their growing and unexplainable dread.
Only a week or so before, when Jesus had announced His intention to visit the entombed Lazarus, Thomas expressed the concern of his companions by declaring, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.” (John 11:16.)
And the Evangelist Mark pointed out their fear, saying, “And they were on the way, going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus was going before them: and they were amazed; and they that followed were afraid.” (Mark 10:32.)
Somehow, there was a look on the face of Jesus which caught their eye. There was a new purposefulness in His demeanor. He showed all the evidence of a Man striding forth to meet His destiny. His very decisiveness spoke of danger, and His resolve awakened their fear.
And then there were rumors afoot. Rumors of plots to arrest, to destroy, to kill Jesus. Whispers. Evidence of strange comings-and-goings by members of the Sanhedrin, the ruling body of the Jews. Expressions of hatred by the officials. An overarching sense of tension, which communicated itself even to the twelve disciples.
And through it all there was the attitude and conduct of Jesus. Calm was He, genial and courteous to all, patient with their questions, fearless in His conduct, seemingly always in command.
None of this contradiction, this calmness in an atmosphere of danger, explained itself to the disciples of Jesus, and their inner agitation increased. His peaceful attitude was paradoxical to His followers, and fed their inner turmoil.

II. Early words and actions of Jesus at the paschal meal.
As Jesus and the twelve disciples gathered to celebrate the Passover meal, the tension, apprehension, and sense of foreboding by the disciples was augmented by the first words, and then actions, of Jesus Himself.
(We must needs be looking at this scene from the point of view of the disciples. We are considering their thoughts and their feelings. It is easy for us, in retrospect, and knowing the outcome of all these matters, to gloss over the actual situation. It will help us here to focus on the attitudes, thoughts and feelings as the disciples knew them.)
First of all, and probably as they all were first seating themselves for the meal, Jesus expressed His great desire to share this meal with them. (Luke 22:14-16.) Jesus had partaken of Passover meals before in other years: why the sudden overwhelming desire for this particular meal? Did this indicate some latent problem? Had Jesus been praying about the matter, so that adequate peaceful time be allotted to Him? Why should this particular Passover be so special? These words of Jesus probably caused some apprehension on the part of the disciples.
But the disciples were wrangling over their “pecking order.” Who was greatest among them, and who should have the best and most desirable seats at the meal table? So Jesus had to step in and (mildly) rebuke them. (Luke 22:24-30.) He spoke of the Kingdom as being other-worldly, with rank and order being the reverse of worldly standards, and of future new heavenly rankings. He spoke of his own position as that of a servant; and then, in full awareness of His own divinity, He proceeded to wash their feet! God Himself is thus a servant! (John 13:1-17.) Paradox indeed!
All of this must have been very disconcerting to the disciples. It probably did not make sense to them at all. The initial refusal of Peter to have his feet washed by Jesus probably betokened all their total misunderstanding of Jesus. -- None of this was conducive to quieting their spirits.

(Let us keep looking at the thoughts and feelings of the disciples.)

Then Jesus openly predicted that one of their number would betray Him. This clearly upset the disciples. (See Matthew 26:22; Mark 14:19; Luke 22:23; John 13:22.) Furthermore, it would seem that they did not realize that it would be Judas Iscariot, for when that one was about to depart, Jesus told him to hurry, and the disciples thought he was leaving on a deed of charity. (John 13:27-30.) Probably the disciples did not conceive of one of their number deliberately playing traitor. They probably thought of an inadvertent act by any one of themselves, as when people in hiding are betrayed when one inadvertently sneezes or coughs. So the prediction of Jesus was troubling to them.
Again, when Peter protested his own loyalty to Jesus, the Lord first told of Satan’s desire, not only to control Peter but also all the disciples. Jesus told Peter and them all, “Simon, Simon,” (note the use of Peter’s old name, his “fleshly” name) “behold, Satan asked to have you” (this “you” is plural, thus including all the disciples) “that he might sift you” (again plural) “as wheat.” (Luke 22:31.) More upset for the minds of the disciples! And with that, Jesus predicted the later three-fold denial by Peter.
Finally, Jesus told the disciples they needed to buy a sword! And when they declared they already had two swords, He said, “It is enough.”
(Luke 22:35-38.) More troublesome speech by Jesus!
Forgotten by the disciples, Jesus had previously taught them that when on trial for their faith, they should not plan a defense, but allow the Holy Spirit to speak through them. (Matthew 10:19-20). It is divinely-uttered speech (“rhema theou”) which is “the sword of the Spirit.” (See Ephesians 6:17, and see this writer’s interpretation in his “Lesson Ten” of “Exploring Ephesians.”) The disciples, not yet having properly learned this, would naturally be troubled by these words of Jesus. Another paradox!
So, with all these actions and words of Jesus, the agitation and apprehension of the disciples was undoubtedly growing and expanding.

III. The institution of the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper.
We are told very little – almost nothing – about how the twelve ate the Passover meal. Dr. Alfred Edersheim (“The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah,” Volume II, Page 496) suggests that the meal probably began with a glass of wine, over which the host (in this case, Jesus) uttered the customary word of thanksgiving, “Blessed art Thou, Jehovah our God, Who hast created the fruit of the Vine.”
Then we are told that in answer to the query of John, Jesus said He would give a “sop” (“psomion”, John 13:26) to His betrayer, whereupon He gave a small portion of the food to Judas Iscariot . So the Passover meal had evidently started at this point.
At a later date, the Apostle Paul wrote of the so-called “Last Supper” by speaking of the wine as “the cup of blessing”; Dr. Edershim (op. cit., page 511) seems to suggest that it was the final cup of wine drunk at the close of the Passover meal. If this be correct, then perhaps we may presume that it was at the end of the meal that Jesus instituted what we call the elements of the “Last Supper.”
So it was up to this point in the meal that, all things finally proceeding according to the age-old ritual of the Jewish Passover, the disciples might be beginning to relax. But then Jesus brought forth a new paradox to startle them.
The breaking of bread by Jesus, and giving to the disciples, as He said, “Take, eat; this is my body,” (Matthew 26:26; see also Mark 14:22; Luke 22:19), was not so strange for the disciples: for Jesus had long since taught them about eating His body (see John 6:51.) But when Jesus passed the cup of wine, and He said, “Drink ye-all of it; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is shed for many unto remission of sins,” (Matthew 26:27-28; see also Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20), would this not have caused a tremendous shock to the disciples, loyal Jews as they were?
Not only was it commanded in the Law as given through Moses that never should they eat blood (See, e.g., Leviticus 3:17); but this prohibition was antecedent not only to Moses, but Abraham as well. We go back to the time of the Flood, when God, permitting mankind to eat the flesh of various animals, (Genesis 9:3), at the same time forbade the partaking of blood (Genesis 9:4). So the eating (or drinking) of blood was forbidden to all mankind in a perpetual covenant made by God to Noah (Genesis 9:1-17.)
And not only so, but when Gentiles, having put their faith in Jesus, were being introduced into the Christian movement previously all-Jewish, the prohibition was extended to them also: no idolatry; no fornication; no blood; no strangled animal, with the blood left in it (See Acts 15:19.)
The disciples, being Jews, were thus well-trained.
And now, here was Jesus, saying to them, “Drink ye-all of it; for this is My blood of the covenant”! What a shock! What a paradox!
But several hours later that day, the paradox would be interpreted for them, when Jesus on the cross would have His body broken and shed His blood for them, of which the broken bread and the wine were but the symbols.
(The reader should note that although we today consider the new day to start at midnight; the Jewish day began at sunset. Therefore, in the mind of the disciples, the Last Supper took place on the same day that Jesus died, not the day before.)

IV. The great paradox of an ongoing belief.
Finally, the supper being ended, the Communion service having been instituted, Jesus began to talk. He began by uttering words of reassurance. But he spoke not words of soft comfort, but words of command. “Stop letting your hearts be all agitated.”
(To help interpret the foregoing order of Jesus: in the original language, the form of the verb “agitated” or “troubled” is a “present imperative” which is a tense of ongoing action. When coupled with a negative, “let not” or “stop”, the force of the command is to cease doing what one is already going on doing.)
Like ships on a stormy sea, they were to sail into the safe harbour of serenity.

But it is not enough to give a negative command. A positive antidote must be provided. So Jesus went on to say, “Go on believing in God!” (Note again the “present imperative”: “go on doing what you are doing.” Of course, for is not God always in control?
Ah, yes, God is always in control. But He is up there in heaven, and we are down here in the midst of the storm.
So Jesus went on to interpret more precisely. “Yes, go on believing in Me!” Again a present imperative.
(Note: Some wish to interpret one or both of the two words for “believe” to be not imperative but indicative. But because the first command, “let not be troubled” is clearly imperative, the writer believes that all three verbs are to be interpreted as present imperatives.)
None of us know the future. We do not know the day of our death. We may be arrested, tried, and condemned to die by firing squad at twelve o’clock noon tomorrow. But we do not know, cannot know, whether perchance there may be a last-minute reprieve, and we may live.
But Jesus knew His destiny. He knew. He knew that in less than twenty-four hours He would not only be dead but in His grave. He knew! On another occasion He said, “No man taketh My life from Me; I lay it down of Myself.” (John 10:18.)
Jesus, knowing He was about to die, told His troubled disciples, “Go on believing in Me.”
Paradox supreme!
Note the effect on the disciples. When someone close to us dies, it somehow seems that the world as we know it is coming to an end. We may know death is coming, we may remain near the dying one days, or weeks, if necessary. But when the end does arrive, there is a sudden hole, a gap, in our lives and family. The mortality of us all makes its impact upon us.
It is at a time like that when we look for someone strong and healthy, who can speak words of reassurance, someone on whom we can lean. So Jesus said to His disciples, “Lean on Me! Go on believing in Me.” And He would soon be gone. And He knew it. Believe in Him: believe in the strength of His paradox!
So He offered an explanation. He was going away to “prepare a place ….. in the Father’s house.” Not by going to heaven Himself to tidy up a nice suite for each of us in the heavenly palace; but rather by going to the Cross so that by His death it might be possible for us to get to heaven.
But the explanations Jesus offered only raised more questions in the minds of the disciples. And the more He explained, the more they questioned. It was all a grand paradox to them. His words were only “dark sayings,” “proverbs” (John 16:25.)
When finally Jesus said, “I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again I leave the world, and go to the Father,” (John 16:28), the disciples said, “Lo, now speakest Thou plainly, and speaketh no proverb. …. By this we believe …. ” (John 16:29-30.) But Jesus in essence replied, “you may say you believe, but in the crisis, you will desert Me.” (See John 16:31-32.)
Did they really believe? It would take the Resurrection, the Ascension, and the arrival of the Holy Spirit for them really to believe.

* * * * *
But the Great Paradox, “Go on believing in Me,” was not only the Great Paradox for the disciples: it is in fact the Great Paradox for us all.
It is the Great Paradox of our salvation. It is the Paradoxical condition of John 3:16. It is the Paradoxical condition of Romans 10:9.
It is the Great Paradox of believing in Him, in Jesus. It is not believing in a creed; it is not believing in a set of facts, of doctrines, although they are included in all that Jesus was, and did, and all that He is and will be.
Rather, it is belief in Himself. It is belief in Him though He die; though He rise again; though He leave to go to heaven (in the ascension); though He come again. It is not just belief in these events: it is belief in Himself.
It is belief, to “go on believing” in Him, although we cannot see. It is belief in Him when the road seems obscure, it is belief in Him when the storm clouds of life buffet us, it is belief in Him when we are overwhelmed, when we stumble, when we sin and fall: it is still “go on believing” in Him.

Faith is not an ethereal vapour or a cloudless mist. It is not even that it has substance. It is substance. Nor even does it carry evidence, but rather that it is evidence itself. Faith itself is substance and it is evidence.

Faith is substance: "substance of things hoped for."

Faith is evidence: "evidence of things not seen." (See Hebrews 11:1.)

Faith is itself a paradox, a grand paradox.

This was the ongoing faith of Abraham. He did not believe just in what God said: He believed IN God, and became known as "the father of all them that believe." (Romans 4:11.) Yet even Abraham's faith was not enough, not enough for us to emulate.

For Jesus is “the Author and Finisher of (our) faith” (Hebrews 12:2), and He said, not only to the disciples, but to us as well: “STOP letting your heart be agitated: Go on believing in God; yes, Go on believing in Me.” (John 14:1.)

This is the Great Paradox: of our faith, and of our Salvation.

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