VOLCANOES: "ACTS OF GOD"?

 The La Soufrière volcano on St. Vincent, which first erupted in explosive fashion on April 09, continues to spew ash and smoke high into the atmosphere in seemingly relentless eruptions. Weather satellites have captured dozens of eruptions since the volcano first blew its top. Volcanic ash has spread hundreds of miles eastward, even obscuring the sun in Barbados.

 

The Associated Press reported that “damage was extensive in the island’s Northeast region,” based on an account from St. Vincent Deputy Prime Minister Montgomery Daniel. “Forests and farms were wiped out, with coconut, breadfruit, mango and sour-sop trees destroyed, as well as plantain and banana crops.”

 

The compassionate response to this tragedy has been tremendous. From military manpower to tons of foodstuff have been arriving from many countries. Even cruise ships have offered temporary housing to persons affected. The support is overwhelming, and I can only pray that this display of kindness would not be subjected to abuse. I am also grateful for the intellectual support that enabled Vincentians to be aware of the pending eruption of La Soufrière. The adequate warnings saved thousands of lives.

 

In legal usage throughout the English-speaking world, what happened in St Vincent was an act of God. An act of God is a natural hazard, outside human control, for which no person can be held responsible. An act of God may amount to an exception to liability in contracts or it may be an "insured peril" in an insurance policy.

 

However, I contend, volcanoes are not mere liabilities. Like other acts of nature, volcanoes serve a purpose.

 

1. Atmospheric cooling

Volcanoes explode ash and sulfur gas into the stratosphere. “The sulphur gas combines with water in the atmosphere, creating microscopic droplets that can stay in the atmosphere for years.” It is believed that the effect of those aerosol droplets is cooling the lowest level of the atmosphere, which is the level in which we live and breathe. I understand volcanoes cool the atmosphere about ½ a degree Celsius. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but when we’re talking about anthropogenic global climate change, volcanoes have actually helped to keep the world about 2 to 3 degrees cooler than it otherwise may be.

 

2. Land formation

All of the land in the Hawaiian Islands was created because of volcanic eruptions. As recent as December 2020, we witnessed eruptions with Kilauea, as lava was poured into the ocean and created new land. Kilauea is an active shield volcano in the Hawaiian Islands. Historically, it is the most active of the five volcanoes that together form the Big Island of Hawaii.

 

3. Fertile land

Fertile soil is another advantage of volcanic activity. In places like Japan, Indonesia, Philippines and Hawaii, volcanic material mixed-in with the soil provides a lot of important nutrients. Volcanoes also provide a good environment for the formation of new habitats for animals, plants and insects.

 

4. Geothermal energy

Hot springs and geothermal energy are additional benefits. People use geothermal energy in places like New Zealand and Iceland. The most active geothermal resources are normally found along major plate boundaries where volcanoes and earthquakes typically occur.

 

5. Raw materials

Sulfur, copper and gold are produced from volcanic activity. Diamonds are also brought up to the surface from a rare kind of magma (molten rock formed in the interior of the earth), also known as kimberlite.

 

Volcanic material can be made into blocks, and a lot of the materials are mined, especially in places like Indonesia. Volcanic materials can also be ground-down to help make cement and finer products.

 

Agreed, when harnessed properly, volcanic materials can produce remarkable items of value. However, volcanic eruptions are destructive. Such destruction provide opportunities for mankind to rise to incredible heights. Many of those heights are being achieved today as many respond to the destructive impact in St Vincent.

 

Whereas good can emerge from volcanic tragedy, it is also true that human tragedy often emerges from human good. I am referring to the goodwill shown to relieve the victims of tragedy. Accolades to persons who are determined to relieve pain, and shame on those who are determined to exploit that kindness.

 

Volcanoes are acts of God. Acts that provide opportunities for nature and humans. This is when we can display creativity, innovation, compassion and resilience. Also remember that our beautiful Caribbean beaches, fauna, flora, waterfalls and natural beauty, are also acts of God.

 

 

DID JESUS GO TO HELL?

 Film director Mel Gibson is planning to return with a sequel to the highly successful movie, Passion of the Christ. One possible aspect of this upcoming film will show what Jesus did in an otherworldly realm during those three days, before he returned from the dead. Jim Caviezel, who played the role of Jesus in the Passion of the Christ, believes the upcoming film on the resurrection of Jesus, is "going to be the biggest film in world history."

 

Brief releases of the film suggest that in focusing on “what Jesus did in an otherworldly realm during those three days”, would rely heavily on the Apostles’ Creed. After affirming that Jesus was crucified, died, and was buried, the Creed contended that Jesus “descended into hell. The third day He arose again from the dead”.

 

The Apostles' Creed is a good summary of Christian doctrine. However, there is a primary concern regarding the phrase “He descended into hell.” This view is expressed in the Catholic Catechism and held among many Protestants as well. However, I do not believe that the New Testament teaches that Jesus went to hell between his crucifixion and his resurrection.

 

The key New Testament passage that is often cited in the discussion is 1 Peter 3:18-19. ¹⁸ For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. ¹⁹ After being made alive, he went and made proclamation to the imprisoned spirits. The words “alive in the Spirit refers to the Spirit of Jesus. The contrast is between the fleshly body of Jesus and His Spirit. His body was in the tomb, but His spirit, having departed at His death was elsewhere for three days. (“And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit” Matthew 27:50).

 

According to Peter, sometime between Jesus’ death and His resurrection, He made a special proclamation to some imprisoned spirits. Who were these imprisoned spirits to whom Jesus spoke? Peter states that they were “those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built” (1 Peter 3:20).

 

In order to understand what Peter is saying here, it is necessary to carefully examine the context from which he was writing. In chapter one of his letter, he argued that prophets, including Noah, “spoke of the grace that was to come…trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing…” (1 Peter 1:10-12). In other words, while the prophets were speaking, they were inspired by the Spirit of Christ, to say things they did not understand. Christ was speaking through the prophets by means of His Spirit.

 

2 Peter 1:21 tells the same story: “For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit”. From this understanding, one can conclude that Peter was indicating that Noah was inspired to actually preach in the Spirit of Christ. He was not contending that Jesus actually or physically spoke to people in the days of Noah.

 

However, the Bible teaches that Jesus “made a proclamation to imprisoned spirits”. Where and when did this meeting take place? This meeting of the spirits would have taken place during those three days, between his crucifixion and his resurrection. That meeting would have taken place in the realm of the dead. The New Testament refers to this place as Hades (Sheol in the Old Testament). The word simply means “the place of departed souls/spirits”. Whereas the place of the dead is temporary, hell is permanent. Revelation 20:14 teaches that hades was thrown into the lake of fire or hell – that is the second death. Jesus did not go to hell, He went to hades.

 

The Bible is not very clear regarding what exactly happened during those three days between the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus. However, whatever happened could be described as outcomes of the crucifixion. These would have included Jesus leading a host of captives (Ephesians 4:8). Interestingly, all post-crucifixion references connote scenes of victory. These victories apply to the entire scope of human history. From “the seed of the woman who would crush the head of Satan” in Genesis, to the restoration of the Garden of Eden in Revelation.

 

For these reasons, I would delete the words, “he descended into hell” from the Apostles’ Creed. For these reasons, I would also celebrate the impact of the crucifixion of Jesus. The crucifixion of Jesus touches all of human history and even creation, “which groans as in the pains of childbirth” (Romans 8:22-25).

 

 

HISTORY AND MYSTERY

 In my Easter Sunday sermon, I contended that the death of Jesus and the appearances of Jesus following his death, can be established as historical events. However, in order for both events to be historical events, someone would need to explain what happened between the events. Simply put, the first event told of Jesus’ death. The second, told of appearances following his death.

Everyone knows that following death, there is the decomposition of the body of the deceased. Christians agree, but contend that in the case of Jesus, there was no decomposition. Instead, Jesus was seen for forty days by hundreds of eyewitnesses. Some critics contend, it is impossible for both events to have taken place. To which Christians would argue, that with Jesus, his postmortem appearances were unnatural, but not impossible.

In the first place, one must establish the credibility of the New Testament record that Jesus died. No one else died for him. Neither did he faint on the cross. Medical science will indicate that the blood and water that flowed from his side confirmed his death. Giving his lifeless body to Joseph of Arimathea for burial was either as a result of death or, a dereliction of duty by the Romans.

Credible non-canonical New Testament writings further confirm the New Testament records that Jesus died. These will include works by Justyn Martyr and Roman Senator Tacitus. Josephus, the first-century Jewish historian (ca 93-94 CE), wrote that “there was a wise man called Jesus... Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die.” Even Christian-turned-atheist Professor Bart Ehrman, admits that “the crucifixion of Jesus by the Romans is one of the most secure facts we have about his life.” 

Evidence is equally convincing about the postmortem appearances of Jesus. What else could have transformed the disciples from fearful to be forthright in their witness? Or, what could have caused the rapid growth of the Jesus movement?

In his volume on The Jewish Messiahs, Jewish Professor Harris Lenowitz, makes the point: “Since the success of a messiah cult depends, ultimately, on the victory of the messiah, and since the messiah must eventually die, the cult must fail, either upon the messiah’s death or whenever it can no longer maintain its hope in his triumphant reappearance.” Unfortunately, following this statement, Lenowitz, the Jew, argued that Christianity grew because it moved in a direction totally different from its dead leader.

Professor Lenowitz, the evidence is clear - following the death of Jesus, his followers-maintained loyalty to a living Saviour. Their choice to worship on the first day of the week was consistent with his resurrection. So too were their baptismal creed and form of greeting after church services.

Since it is unnatural for someone to be clinically dead and reappear to his followers, how could Christians contend that that was exactly what happened with Jesus? A number of theories have been advanced to explain this phenomenon, and Christians have opted for the most plausible.

Upon discovering that the body of Jesus was missing, the Jewish authorities devised a plan. They instructed the soldiers to say, “his disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep” (Matthew 28:13). But what would fearful disciples do with a battered dead body? Remember now, they were from the Galilean region, some eighty miles north. This is a dishonest theory.

Another theory expressed in Islamic literature, is that Allah took Jesus to heaven, sparing him from crucifixion on the cross. There is no credible historical support for this theory. Agreed, the theory alleges that Jesus is alive today. However, to suggest that he did not die on the cross, removes the need for resurrection, questions the veracity of Jesus’ postmortem appearances, challenges the credibility of the New Testament and undermines the foundation of Christianity. Totally untenable.

Some Christians advance the view that what happened after the death of Jesus was spiritual resurrection. In other words, it was the positive memories of Jesus that inspired the fearful disciples to become brave. This branch of Christianity is devoid of anything miraculous. In addition, these believers ignore texts which clearly state that Jesus was raised from the dead – that is physical death.

The best explanation as to what happened following Jesus’ death on the cross, is physical resurrection. Agreed, that view is not natural, it is supernatural. It is illogical to believe that it is natural or humanly possible for someone to die and be resurrected. The New Testament refers to this as an act of God. Almost every reference to resurrection states, it was “… God who raised Jesus from the dead…”.

For Christians, the resurrection of Jesus affirms our salvation (Romans 10:9). Resurrection also consolidates our faith as believers (1 Corinthians 15:17) and affirms our hope, in that after death, we too will rise again like our Risen Lord (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14).

That is the Easter story, not myths about bunnies, eggs and rabbits.

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHO KILLED JESUS?

 No trial or execution in history has had such crucial outcome as that of the trial of Jesus. For instance, when Mel Gibson’s film, The Passion of the Christ, was released in 2004, it was feared that it would instigate world-wide antisemitism, because the film suggested that the Jews killed Jesus.

The impact of the film was also felt among Muslims. The film was banned in Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain. They believed in the Koranic teaching that Jesus did not die, as portrayed in the New Testament.

Although almost 2,000 years have gone, the death of Jesus continues to arouse attention. This ongoing interest is what prompted the BBC to update an archived article entitled, Who Killed Jesus? The article suggested that three sources shared responsibility for the death of Jesus.

The first source was Jewish. The Jews arrested Jesus as a Jew. They saw him as a threat to the religious establishment. Jesus assumed messianic authority when he raided the Temple, the heart of Jewish religion, and attacked moneychangers for defiling a holy place.

The Temple apparatus brought in huge revenues for simple matters like purification and the forgiveness of sins. Archaeologists have discovered about 150 ritual baths, which Jews used to purify themselves before any act of worship. Jewish people could only enter the Temple if they were ritually pure, and almost everyone arriving in Jerusalem for Passover was deemed ritually unclean. They had to use a ritual bath before they could fulfil their religious obligations. The priests controlled these baths and charged people to use them. There were so many regulations requiring ritual purification that control of the baths became a way of making money.

Jesus stormed into the Temple and accused the moneychangers and sacrificial dove sellers of extortion and of turning the Temple into a den of thieves. This is how John described Jesus’ reaction: “So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the Temple area, both sheep and cattle; He scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, ‘Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market’” (John 2:15-16).

To assume that authority was to assume divinity. In many other situations Jesus assumed divinity, and that was tantamount to blasphemy – assuming to be God. Such a charge was punishable by death. However, as a colony of the Roman Empire, the Jews had no authority to invoke capital punishment. In addition, the Romans were not interested in conducting a religious trial.  

 

Because the Jews were so determined to have Jesus killed, they referred the matter to the Romans, accusing him instead of treason. They contended, Jesus claimed to be a king. In essence, he is guilty of insurrection and would eventually become a threat to the Romans. Caiaphas and Pilate, both Roman representatives,  conducted sham trials and did not find any reason to sentence Jesus.

 

They both tried to release themselves from the trial. Pilate offered the murderer Barabbas as an alternative, worthy of death. The Jews objected and publicly expressed their dissatisfaction. In order to avoid public revolt, Pilate capitulated. So, Jesus was crucified by the Romans, at the insistence of the Jews.  

 

The BBC article to which I referred earlier, contended that if the Jews nor the Romans could be held responsible, then Jesus may have been responsible for his own death. Jesus, it was felt, conducted himself in a way to warrant his trial, which resulted in his death.

 

I would agree that Jesus could have extricated himself from capital punishment. On previous occasions he miraculously walked away from death traps. In addition, he rebuked Peter when he attempted to defend him in the Garden of Gethsemane. He informed Peter that he could have called some 10,000 angels to his defense. Then, why didn’t Jesus utilize the resources available to him to avoid crucifixion?

 

The New Testament strongly advances the view that the death of Jesus was no accident. In announcing his birth, the Angel said to Joseph, “Mary will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). The name Jesus is the Greek form of Joshua, which means the Lord saves.

 

At Jesus’ dedication, Simeon the priest mentioned to Mary his mother, “… and a sword will pierce your own soul too” (Luke 2:35). In addition, at the launch of Jesus’ ministry, John the Baptist introduced him as “the Lamb of God”. In brief, Jesus predicted his death. He knew a tragic death was expected of the Messiah.

 

Following his resurrection, Jesus said to his disciples, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day…” (Luke 24:46). Jesus was referring to Scriptures from the Hebrew Bible, written some 700 years earlier.

 

The proper question should not be, who killed Jesus? Rather, the question should really be, why did Jesus die? Among others, Paul answers that question in one of his letters: “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance; that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures…” (1 Corinthians 15:3).

 

And, that is the story of Easter – Jesus Christ died for our sins.