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Slay Yourself!

In a world where everything revolves around self—protect yourself, promote yourself, preserve yourself, entertain yourself, comfort yourself, take care of yourself—Jesus said, “Slay yourself.” And that’s exactly what happened. According to the Bible and tradition, these four fishermen paid a steep price for following Jesus : Peter was crucified upside down, Andrew was crucified in Greece, James was beheaded, and John was exiled.

DAVID PLATT
Is it just me or is it not the case that in the Bible the more closer people were to Jesus the more literal the taking up the cross became?

It also seems to be the case that those who were closest to Yahweh also appears to have have become more literal in taking up the cross. I think of Isaiah who was apparently was cut in half, extra biblical sources tell us. And what of Samson who was only victorious against the Philistines in death (a shocking literal depiction of the future death of the Messiah Yeshua)? I have always thought Hosea got worse than all of them. It must have been impossible being with Gomer. What a cross to carry!

But even more worrying is that it seems to be the case in early church history. We think of the case of 16 year old lady Blandina. And what of John Chrysostom who died on forced exile in the Taurus mountains because he spoke out boldly against the sins of Constantinople?

It does make you wonder, doesn't it?

Slay yourself.

Copyright © Chola Mukanga 2013
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