2023/10/02

111. Successors of the Apostles, part 6

As discussed in the previous issue, the causes of the transgressions committed by the 'man' and the 'woman' at the beginning of Genesis were of an entirely different nature from each other. Accordingly, God's response to them was also different. When the 'woman' confessed before him that she had been deceived by the 'serpent' and had disobeyed God's command, God redeemed her fault by 'the enmity that God had placed' on the spot. For this reason, the 'woman' bore the burden of delivering a child in pain, but she and her descendants, the women, were spared the work of atonement. On the other hand, for the double transgression committed by Adam, God imposed on him the atonement work, eating bread "In the sweat of your face," which extended to the male descendants (cf. Genesis 5:28-29). 

Jesus aimed the new covenant in his blood by which that work of atonement would be completed and the sins of many would be forgiven. Therefore, there are similarities between the scene where Peter the Apostle said the words revealed by his heavenly Father, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16), and that of Martha of Bethania, who, being led by Jesus, confessed, "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world" (John 11:27). First, on both cases, their responses convinced Jesus, who at the time had the theme of 'resurrection' as a sign of God's work, of the timeliness of taking action. Secondly, Jesus used the occasion to lead them to discern human's accidental information, which was likened to "the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the Devil and Satan" (Revelation 20:2). 

When Peter rebuked Jesus for beginning to confide in his disciples about his passion, death and resurrection, Jesus gave him a stern word: "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men" (Matthew 16:23). That is because Peter, a male and an Apostle, who had said the words revealed by the Father in heaven, was the very one who was to inherit the new covenant that Jesus would make and the redemptive work of God. Peter must distinguish between the 'human knowledge,' which took in human's accidental information within himself, and the 'divine knowledge.' 

Similarly, in bringing Lazarus back to life, Jesus reproved Martha for telling him, "Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days," when Jesus commanded her, "Take away the stone" (John 11:39), saying, "Did I not tell you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?" (John 11:40). Like the 'woman' at the beginning of Genesis, women, who were created so that they may carry another person in their bodies, have a strong sensibility of sensing human's accidental information that entered their brain as the other being. However, women must be conscious of it and discern it as human's accidental information, unlike the 'woman' who was deceived by calling it a 'serpent' because of its looks. 

The words that the heavenly Father revealed to Peter, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God," are the foundation of these understandings and the rock on which the Church is built. They are words that should be central to the liturgy of the Mass. Hence, Jesus said, "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the powers of death shall not prevail against it" (Matthew 16:18). 

To be continued.

Maria K. M.