The next chapter in Velvet Elvis is entitled Dust. It refers to the dust stirred up by the rabbi as he walks with his disciples. Rob Bell provides a great deal of background information on the religious instruction of Israel’s youth in Jesus’ day. He talks about how someone becomes a rabbi, and a disciple. It is the conclusions that he draws that shocked me.
Before we get there, there was one other surprising statement. I bring this up because he did not rightly divide the Word in this instance by neglecting some important information. This has to do with Matthew 16, and Jesus’ discussion with his disciples in Caesarea Philippi. He talks about their worship of Pan- the goat god-, and the natural rock formation called the Gates of Hell.
“He tells them at Caesarea Philippi that upon this rock he is going to build his new witnessing community, and the Gates of Hell won’t be able to stop it. He is essentially saying that those kinds of people- the ones with the goats- are going to join the Jesus movement and it will be unstoppable. How would you as a disciple even begin to process this statement?”
Rob never stops to lay out what Jesus means by rock. The rock, in historical Protestantism, is the confession that “Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God.” Earlier, Rob treats the divinity of Jesus as something that gained steam after Jesus’ death. Peter seemed to think He was the Son of God (which God, not flesh and blood, revealed to him). This is the rock upon which Jesus will build His church. Obviously many worshippers of false gods will turn from their idols to embrace the Jesus who is Messiah, the Son of the Living God. I guess I just can’t believe he wouldn’t make a point of this pivotal statement, Peter’s confession, in his discussion of this event.
That is not a serious error, but on the next page I find a bigger problem. Again, Peter is interacting with Jesus. This time, he is walking on the water to join Jesus. He becomes afraid due to the storm and begins to sink. Jesus says, “You of little faith, why did you doubt? (Matthew 14)” Now, they all worshipped Jesus saying “Truly you are the Son of God (vs. 33).”
Rob doesn’t mention that- Jesus as the object of their faith and worship. Here’s where he goes:
“Who does Peter lose faith in? Not Jesus; Jesus is doing fine. Peter loses faith in himself. Peter loses faith that he can do what his rabbi is doing.”
That’s a big leap, not substantiated by the text. Peter doubted that Jesus would enable him to walk on the water in the midst of the storm. He did not go out there on his own initiative. Jesus is to be the object of our faith, not ourselves. But there is more.
“God has an incredibly high view of people. God believes that people are capable of amazing things. I have been told that I need to believe in Jesus. Which is a good thing. But what I am learning is that Jesus believes in me. I have been told that I need to have faith in God. Which is a good thing. But what I am learning is that God has faith in me.”
Jesus was often exasperated by His disciples, and the evil and perverse generation around him. Jesus knows we are sinners- He died because there was no other way to save us. The whole theme of Scripture is not how great we are, but how great God is. It is the work of His Spirit that accomplishes great things in and through us. We see this in the Book of Acts and the numerous letters to the churches (in particular see Ephesians and Philippians).
Rob’s statements appeal to the flesh, and the American notion that all people are basically good. But it is contrary to the gospel, and the overwhelming message of Scripture. Jesus did not entrust Himself to the people because He knew what was in their hearts (John 2:24).
Rob repaints the object of faith from Jesus => Jesus and yourself. And I can’t go there with him.
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