ERT (2019) 43:2, 126-137 Release from ’s Grip: A Biblical Approach to Ruwatan from the Perspective of Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians Pancha W. Yahya

Ruwatan is a ritual that has been Ruwatan is derived from a Hindu practiced by the (the - largest ethnic group in ) for cation or liberation of gods who had centuries.1 The word ruwatan comes traditionbeen cursed and for is makingrelated mistakesto the purifi and from ruwat, which means ‘to free’ or changed into other beings (either hu- ‘to liberate’. Ruwatan is ‘a ritual to lib- mans or animals). erate certain people because it is be- Because of the widespread practice lieved that they will experience bad of ruwatan, a biblical perspective on luck.’2 These people are considered - donesian Christians, especially those Batara Kala, an evil god of gigantic thisfrom ritual a Javanese would cultural be beneficial background. to In uncleanproportions and firmlyin Javanese under mythology.the grip of Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians pro- The ritual is practised by every stra- vides such a perspective, as it directly tum of the Javanese society—wealthy addresses the evil powers and their and poor, educated and illiterate.3 ability to bind people.4 Ephesus was known as the centre of magic in the Graeco-Roman world.5 1 - I will begin by describing the prac- tral and East Java and also the Yogyakar- tice and implicit worldview of ruwa- ta special The Javanese region, live all onin thethe provincesisland of Java, of Cen In- tan. I will then consider this practice donesia. According to the 2010 census, there from the perspective of Ephesians.5 are 95.2 million Javanese, which is 40 per- cent of the total of Indonesia’s population. See Hendri Akhsin Naim, Sensus Penduduk 2010 (2010 Population Census) (Jakarta: (Symbolism and Mysticism of : A Badan Pusat Statistik, 2010). Philosophical Review) (Jakarta: Gunung 2 Ruwatan: Tinjauan Agung, 1979), 33. Alkitabiah’ (Ruwatan: A Biblical Review), 4 Powers of Dark- Studia A. Philosophica Hari Kustono, et ‘Theologica 6, no. 1 ness: Principalities and Powers in Paul’s Let- (March 2006): 71. ters See(Downers Clinton Grove, E. Arnold, IL: InterVarsity Press, 3 Simbolisme dan Mistikisme 1992), 115. dalam Wayang: Sebuah Tinjauan Filosofis 5 Sri Mulyono, Pancha W. Yahya (MTh in Systematic Theology and Missiology, Bruce Southeast M. Metzger Asia hasBible pointed Seminary, out, Indonesia; ‘Of all MTh in New Testament, Calvin Theological Seminary) is a New Testament lecturer at Bible Seminary, Indonesia. Currently, he is completing PhD studies in New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, USA. Release from Batara Kala’s Grip 127

I. Ruwatan and Its way to heaven. Batari Uma rejected his advances because she thought Foundational Worldview that it was not a proper time or place Ruwatan consists of three primary 6 to make love. Nonetheless, Batara elements: a shadow puppet play en- could not control his sexual titled Murwakala (from the words for desire for his wife. In his lust, Bata- ‘ancient time’), which recounts the ra Guru ejaculated, and some of his story of the origins of the god Batara sperm went down into the ocean and Kala; the sukerta people who are be- created the gigantic Batara Kala, who lieved to be unclean; and the need to subsequently created chaos by eating be freed from bondage via the cer- emony of ruwatan, which is accompa- another god, Batara Gangga, asked nied by ritual offerings. all the fish in the ocean. In response, Batara Kala himself had been derived 1. The Origin of Batara Kala7 fromBatara the Kala ocean. not 7to eat those fish, since The myth of the origin of Batara Kala Batara Kala then asked Batara begins with the epic story of for permission to eat all the Guru, the supreme god in Javanese creatures living on the land. Batara mythology. One afternoon, Batara Guru permitted him to eat certain Guru wanted to have sexual inter- people who were deemed sukerta course with his wife, the beautiful (unclean). But because Batara Narada goddess Batari Uma, while they were (yet another god) feared that Batara riding an ox 6named Andini on their Kala would devour far too many peo- ple, Batara Guru sent Batara Narada together with two colleagues, Batara ancient Graeco-Roman cities, Ephesus, the Wisnu and Batara , to free the third largest city in the Empire, was by far sukerta from his grip. the most hospitable to magicians, sorcerers, There are different opinions in and charlatans of all sorts’ (‘St. Paul and the Javanese tradition as to who quali- Magicians’, Princeton Seminary Bulletin 38 Various listings iden- (June 1994): 27. Some commentators have sukerta. argued that Ephesians was a circular letter tify twenty, sixty, 136, or 147 kinds of sent to multiple churches in southern Asia peoplefies as who are considered unclean, Minor, but if so, the church at Ephesus was but basically there are two general was the communication and transportation hubstill probablyof Asia Minor.the first See recipient Clinton since E. Arnold,the city pets), wayang karucil (made of wood but in Power and Magic: The Concept of Power in thin pieces and used as shadow puppets), Ephesians (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1997), 13. and wayang beber (scroll-painted presen- 6 tations of the stories being told). Among puppet play is called wayang kulit (pup- these kinds of wayang, wayang kulit is the pet Inskin) the because Javanese the tradition, puppet is this made shadow from most popular form. The tradition of wayang goat skin and supported by carefully shaped originated among the Javanese people in the buffalo horn handles and control rods. At tenth century AD and the stories are taken least four additional forms of wayang can from well-known Hindu epics, namely Rama- be found in Javanese culture: wayang orang yana and the Mahabharata. (human wayang; actually this is not a pup- 7 pet play but a dance theatrical performance), summarized from Mulyono, Simbolisme dan wayang golek (made of wooden dolls/pup- Mistikisme The story, 43–46. of the origin of Batara Kala is 128 Pancha W. Yahya

- pans and spoons; (4) animals such tain family conditions such as being as cows, buffalos, geese, ducks and categories.an only child, The a twin, first a containschild born cer at chickens; (5) fabric; (6) sheets, pil- dawn or dusk, or an albino child. The lows and bolsters; and (7) food. second category consists of people After the procession, the dalang who have done inappropriate things (a person who performs as the nar- from the perspective of the Javanese rator, puppeteer and leader of the worldview: sleeping on a mattress ritual) 9 receives the sukerta and be- without a sheet, standing in the mid- shadow puppet play. Once the pup- without throwing away all the waste, petgins play the has first ended, act of the Murwakala, dalang reads the dlesleeping of a doorway,at dawn, sweeping midday theor dusk,floor magical spells to liberate the sukerta dropping the rice cooker when boil- from Batara Kala’s grip. Afterwards, ing rice, breaking a gandik (a cooking the dalang cuts some strands of each tool made from stone and used in pre- sukerta’s hair. Then the second act of paring jamu, or traditional Javanese Murwakala is performed. To conclude herbal medicine), and cooking rice in the ritual of ruwatan, the dalang cer- a location other than one’s home. emonially washes the sukerta with water taken from seven springs and 2. The Practice of Ruwatan The ritual of ruwatan can be divided with flowers. into seven sequential events. First, 3. The Worldview Underlying the sukerta people show respect to Ruwatan their parents by kneeling and press- For the Javanese people, wayang rep- ing their faces to their parents’ knees resents the depth of their worldview. (sungkem) to ask their blessing so According to Eka Darmaputera, ‘Wa- that the ritual may be successful. Sec- yang can be stated to be the one thing ond, a procession occurs as the suker- that conveys to the Javanese people ta along with their parents and other an understanding about “the real- family members bring their offerings. ity behind all realities”, about them- The purpose of giving offerings is to selves, both as an individuals and as worship the Creator, ancestor spir- a society, and their ensuing place in its and local spirits (in their houses, the universe.’10 Wayang communi- villages and country) and to ask for 8 cates many Javanese myths includ- their protection, peace and salvation. ing Murwakala, the story of Batara There are seven main types of ritual Kala’s desire to devour the sukerta. As offerings: (1) agricultural products such as rice, corn, coconuts, water- melons, and cassavas; (2) agricultural 9 dalang, see George Otis Jr., The devices such as a farmer’s cap and Twilight Labyrinth: Why Does Spiritual Dark- crowbars; (3) utensils such as pots, ness On Linger the Where It Does? (Grand Rapids: Chosen Books, 1997), 169–70. 10 Pancasila: Identitas 8 Ruwa- dan Modernitas Tinjauan Etis dan Budaya tan Murwakala: Sebuah Pedoman (Ruwatan (Pancasila: Eka Darmaputera, Identity and Modernity, An Ethi- Murwakala: H. Karkono Guidance) Kamajaya (Yogyakarta: et al., eds., Duta cal and Cultural Review) (Jakarta: Gunung Wacana University Press, 1992), 5, 48. Mulia, 1991), 66. Release from Batara Kala’s Grip 129

Paul Ricoeur asserts, myths ‘are not regarded as being a vast network fables but a particular way in which of interrelated spiritual forces in man places himself in relation to the which every being and everything fundamental reality’.11 The myth of is related to every other spiritual Batara Kala and the ritual of ruwatan force. The good life is the life that reveal important features of the Java- is lived in harmony with the moral nese worldview.12 order of reality. To offend against that order is to bring calamity not a) Harmony as the Primary only upon oneself, but also upon Purpose of the Javanese People the whole community. The evil forces of reality must be restrained One prominent characteristic of the and rendered impotent, and the Javanese worldview is harmony as - it relates to their purpose of life. We ed and kept well disposed toward can see this underlying reality found beneficentthe community. forces mustThe bemeans support by within the myth of Batara Kala, which which this may be accomplished is began with harmony that quickly religious ritual.13 turned to chaos when Batara Guru be- The Javanese people believe that came lustful. This lust resulted in the the ultimate aim of human beings is birth of Batara Kala, who caused cha- to create and maintain harmony with os both within the ocean and upon the God, their neighbours, the spirits and land because of his desire to devour the universe. They also believe that sukerta. Further- they are an emanation of God and more, the sukerta, either because of should eventually be united with him. theboth manner the fish inand which the they were born For them, meditation, solitude and or due to their inappropriate conduct, learning from a spiritual teacher who are also considered contrary to estab- is endowed with supernatural power lished harmony. In response to this are among the ways to become united chaotic situation, Batara Guru took again with God.14 the initiative to send Batara Wisnu, Furthermore, to establish har- Batara Narada and Batara Brahma mony with the spirits, the Javanese to the earth to conduct ruwatan and people usually practise several tra- restore harmony. As Russell L. Staples ditional forms such as (a points out: ceremonial meal to which they invite [In a monistic worldview] reality is their neighbours),15 the giving of of-

11 The 13 Pauline Concept of Supernatural Powers: A and the Primal World-View’, International Reading Quoted from the in KabiroAfrican Worldview wa Gatumu, (Milton Bulletin Russell of Missionary L. Staples, Research ‘Western 6, no. Medicine 2 (April Keynes, UK and Colorado Springs, CO: Pater- 1982): 71. noster, 2008), 175. 14 Etika Jawa: Se- 12 buah Analisa Falsafi tentang Kebijaksanaan myths and rituals, Gatumu (The Pauline Hidup Frans Jawa (Javanese Magnis-Suseno, Ethics: A Philosophical Concept With, 176) regard observes, to the relationship ‘It seems then between that Analysis of Javanese Life Wisdom) (Jakarta: people and all religions operate in a mythical Gramedia, 1985), 114–16. framework, tell sacred stories and express 15 aspects or meanings of the myth in rituals.’ slametan during the following events: the The Javanese people usually conduct 130 Pancha W. Yahya ferings (e.g. at roadway intersections other stories performed in wayang as and at cemeteries), the practice of well. For the Javanese people, how- rituals (e.g. before planting rice and ever, evil is not the antithesis of good after harvesting it), and performing since it is viewed as ‘being in bondage the shadow puppet play.16 To main- to a curse or punishment after mak- tain harmony with their neighbours, ing a mistake’.19 They understand a - mistake as the result of ignorance or ling their emotions and not express- immaturity; it has nothing to do with ingthey disagreements try to avoid conflict even though by control they breaking God’s law or opposing God.20 may not agree with others’ opinions. In addition, they show great respect ‘less good’.21 Thus, evil and good are for the elderly.17 Rather,not contradictory evil is ‘the flaw but of complementhe good’ or- With regard to the universe, the Ja- tary. vanese people try to obey traditional Moreover, the Javanese understand astrology by conduct certain cultural evil as an attitude that is inappropri- practices such as determining the ap- ate for someone’s status and that re- propriate time to get married, move sults in damaging harmony and the into a new house, or perform sla- peaceful order.22 Therefore, both gods metan. For them, maintaining har- and human beings should behave ap- mony with God, neighbours, spirits propriately according to their own and the universe is a way to solve and status so as to maintain harmony overcome chaos. and a peaceful order. When harmony and peaceful order are threatened or b) Evil in the Javanese Worldview evaporate, evil comes. In the story of Batara Kala, Batara Guru, the su- The myth of Batara Kala teaches about preme god, was supposed to control the origin of evil within the Javanese his lust. When he could not control cosmogony.18 In this myth, a gigantic his sexual desire for Batari Uma, evil god, Batara Kala, serves as the rep- ran rampant and chaos resulted. resentation of evil. Ogres appear in seventh month of pregnancy, after deliver- II. Evil Powers and Their ing a baby, when a child becomes a teenager, Influences according to getting a promotion at work, moving into a new house, after harvest time, and after Ephesians one member of the family dies (on the third, In the epistle to the Ephesians, the hundredth and thousandth day). The ritual evil powers are understood as per- is aimed at gaining harmony with both the spirits and neighbours. 16 Sri and Christ: A 19 Study of the Indigenous Church in East Java Javanese mythology, the evil gigantic gods (London: Philip Lutterworth, Van Akkeren, 1970), 26; cf. Mulyo- normally Riyanto, are ‘Lolosgods that dari have Terkaman’, been cursed 15. In no, Simbolisme dan Mistikisme, 183. due to making mistakes. Eventually, they are 17 Etika Jawa, 38–69. changed back into regular gods after they are 18 liberated. Betara Magnis-Suseno, Kala’ (Release from Betara Kala’s 20 Etika Jawa, 210. Grip), Armada Studia Philosophica Riyanto, ‘Lolos et Theologica dari Terkaman 6/1 21 (March 2006): 2. 22 Magnis-Suseno, Etika Jawa, 162, 165. Riyanto, ‘Lolos dari Terkaman’, 25. Magnis-Suseno, Release from Batara Kala’s Grip 131 taining to three distinct dimensions: fear and need for security.’26 For ex- individual, structural-systemic and ample, in the Babylonian Enuma El- spiritual. Their personal, systemic and demonic nature is evident in chaos monster, a primordial goddess Ephesians 2:1–3.23 The personal di- ish,of the chaos ocean, is personifiedwhereas in asMesoameri Tiamat, a- mension occurs in verse 2c: ‘the spirit can culture, chaos is represented by a that is now at work in the sons of diso- monster that has many mouths.27 bedience’. The demonic force appears From a Christian perspective, the in verse 2b, ‘following the prince of purpose of spreading terror is that the power of the air’, and the systemic when people become fearful, the dev- element also appears there: ‘follow- - 28 ing the course of this world.’ nius and a fearful terminator, comes These elements of evil are insepa- il,with whom a solution. Otis defines The asintended a creative result ge rable. Mariano Avila states, ‘These are is that people will worship the devil highly powerful forces that enslave in exchange for protection. This strat- human beings and make their life miserable and full of suffering. And Ephesians 6:11: ‘Put on the whole ar- these forces or powers act upon hu- egymour confirms of God, so Paul’s that you instruction may be able in mans in a concerted way. Any diagno- sis that attempts to remedy or solve (methodeia) of the devil.’ In Paul’s the human condition without taking today, stand methodeia firm againstconcerned the treating schemes a seriously the biblical cosmovision matter methodically or according to (world and life view) will be reduc- a plan, such as in the orderly collec- tion of taxes.29 In the context of war, tionist and a failure.’24 the word referred to a careful strat- In ruwatan, this threefold form egy in order to win a battle.30 In this of the evil powers is both evident case, the devil manipulates the Java- and actively involved. First, here the demonic power has spread terror among the Javanese people, causing 26 them to believe that some of them live Tiénou, Understanding Folk Religion: A Chris- perpetually within a framework of tian ResponsePaul G. Hiebert, to Popular R. Daniel Beliefs Shaw and Practices and Tite - (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1999), 58. nold’s observation that the ‘fear of the 27 Understand- demonicbad luck. realmThis situation was a very confirms important Ar ing Folk Religion, 81. Hiebert, Shaw and Tiénou, factor in the use of magic.’25 Indeed, 28 The Twilight Labyrinth, 80. most cultures have a myth pertaining 29 methodeia’, in Theological Dictionary Otis, of the New Testament, ed. Gerhard Kittel, W. Geoffrey Michaelis, William ‘ Bromiley and Ger- that runs through nearly all folk reli- hard Friedrich, vol. 5 (Grand Rapids: Eerd- giousto chaos, belief and systems ‘A final worldview is near constant theme mans, 1964), 102–3. 30 Continuous Renewal of Our Life (Ephesians 23 Powers of Darkness, 124–25, 4:17–5:2)’ Mariano (Calvin Avila, ‘MeaningTheological of ‘Metanoia:Seminary, 152. Grand Rapids, 27 March 2013). Michaelis, 24 Arnold, - ‘Methodeia’, 103 demonstrates that the word outs’ (Calvin Theological Seminary, Grand can mean ‘machinations’ (‘a complicated and Rapids, Mariano Fall 2013), Avila, 56. ‘Ephesians: Class Hand secret plan to get power or control’, or ‘an at- 25 Power and Magic, 18. tack against which one must be armed’).

Arnold, 132 Pancha W. Yahya nese people’s fear of bad luck to make nese people’s everyday life. them follow his own manipulative will. As Jesus noted, the devil is the father of lies (Jn 8:44), and Paul simi- III. The War Is Real larly stated that Satan masquerades Unlike the Javanese worldview, which as an angel of light (2 Cor 11:14). holds that good and evil are comple- With regard to the systemic ele- mentary, Paul places great empha- ment, Walter Wink argues that this sis on the sharp opposition between dimension includes an evil power good and evil, using the imagery that is ‘invested in institutions, laws, of light and darkness in Ephesians traditions and rituals as well, for it is 5:3–20.34 In this passage, Paul regards the cumulative, totalizing effect of all vices as darkness and virtues as light. these taken together that creates the Furthermore, Christians are urged sense of bondage to a “dominion of to ‘live as children of light’ (5:8) and 31 darkness”.’ If so, we may say that the ‘expose darkness’ (5:11) because they are imitators of God (5:1), the ruwatan so that the Javanese people Light (cf. 1 John 1:5). As Marcus Barth evilare subjectedpower has to influenced the powers the ofritual dark of- points out, ‘Light and darkness deter- - by the individual dimension of the fore they are names for describing ness. This evil influence is worsened- goodmine or conflicting evil conduct. ways They of life; call there for a al evil power as ‘the inner drive of radical decision and do not permit evilpeople powers. to act Arnoldin ways defines deviant person to the 35 32 neutrality.’ Evil is not merely igno- standard of God’s righteousness’. rance and the absence of good, as the In Ephesians 2:1, Paul explains that Javanese worldview posits;36 it is op- before their conversion, Christians were ‘dead through their trespasses and sins’. Wink states that they were 34 dead because they were born in a darkness is the realm in which the evil pow- world-system that is in conspiracy ers reside.In Ephesians In using 6:12, this Paul light-darkness points out thatlan- against God, such that we breathe its guage, Paul is probably alluding to Isaiah: deadly vapours; ‘We become its car- ‘The people who walked in darkness have riers, passing it into our institutions, seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land structures, and systems.’33 This notion of deep darkness, on them has light shined’ (Is 9:2); ‘Arise, shine; for your light has come, is evident in the practice of ruwatan, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon since the rituals have become a key you. For behold, darkness shall cover the part of the Javanese culture, a struc- earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but tural reality that controls the Java- the LORD will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you’ (Is 60:1–2). See Clin- ton E. Arnold, Ephesians, Zondervan Exegeti- 31 Naming the Powers: The cal Commentary (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, Language of Power in the New Testament 2010), 328. Arnold lists images of warfare (Philadelphia: Walter Wink, Fortress Press, 1984), 85; cf. and struggle throughout the New Testament Clinton E. Arnold, Three Crucial Questions in Three Crucial Questions about Spiritual about Spiritual Warfare (Grand Rapids: Bak- Warfare, 22–23. er, 1997), 34. 35 Ephesians 4–6 (Garden 32 Powers of Darkness, 125. City, NY: Doubleday, 1974), 600. 33 Naming the Powers, 83. 36 Markus Barth, Arnold, Wink, Although Paul uses the word ‘ignorance’ Release from Batara Kala’s Grip 133 posite to God and a manifested rebel- combat with an opponent.39 This ob- lion against God’s authority. In Ephe- servation strengthens the notion that sians 2:2–3, Paul calls unbelievers the the war between good and evil is real. ‘sons of disobedience’ and ‘children of wrath’. In addition, in Ephesians, sin is regarded as a destructive entity IV. Ultimate Victory in Christ threatening the harmony between In the Javanese culture, the way to people and their neighbours (cf. 4:25– 32). In other words, sin destroys the Kala is to perform ruwatan, which harmony that exists between us and includesfind release giving from offerings the grip to ofthe Batara spir- God as well as among people. its and speaking magical spells. Like- In Ephesians 6:12, Paul continues, ‘For our struggle is not against en- century conducted similar rituals to invokewise, the protection Ephesian by people deities. of40 the On first the the rulers, against the authorities, other hand, Paul insists that Chris- againstemies of the flesh cosmic and powersblood, but of this against pre- tians can defeat the evil powers only sent darkness, against the spiritual by depending upon the Lord’s power. forces of evil in the heavenly places.’ In Ephesians 6:10, he urges his read- Interestingly, in this verse Paul does ers to ‘be strong in the Lord and in the not use the typical vocabulary of war strength of his might’.41 This instruc- or battle, such as machē (‘struggle, tion is in accord with Paul’s prayer strateia (‘warfare, for his recipients in 3:16, ‘that he may battle’; 2 Cor 10:4) or polemos (‘war, grant you to be strengthened with fight’; 2 Cor 7:5),37 battle’; Lk 14:31). Instead, he choos- might through his Spirit in the inner es palē, a hapax legomenon in the NT and the LXX, which refers to ‘a wres- tling match’.38 In Paul’s time, soldiers 39 Ephesians 4–6, 763; Ernest Best, were trained as wrestlers to equip A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on them for hand-to-hand combat. Ac- Ephesians Barth, (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1998), cordingly, his use of palē is probably 593. Other possible reasons are that (1) Paul wants to attract his readers’ attention by re- intended to signify that our spiritual ferring to a popular sport in his day (O’Brien, The Letter to the Ephesians, 465), or (2) Paul tiring, as one would expect from close chooses palē because in Ephesus some wres- warfare will be intense, difficult and tlers put Ephesia grammata on their ankles as written amulets to help them win the (agnoia) as a reference to unbelievers’ life competition. In the latter case, Paul would in Ephesians 4:18, this ignorance cannot be be telling the believing Ephesians not to use viewed as the equivalent of that in the Java- magical amulets, as they did before they be- nese worldview because it is due to ‘hard- came Christians, but to depend on the Lord’s ness of heart’. mighty power (Arnold, Ephesians, 446). 37 The Letter to the Ephesians, 465; 40 Ephesians, 447–48. Arnold, Ephesians, 446. 41 kurios (‘Lord’) 38 O’Brien, should Arnold, be read as referring to Christ rather Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the than Into thisGod, verse,since of the the word twenty-four occur- New FrederickTestament W. andDanker, Other William Early ArndtChristian and rences of kurios in Ephesians that refer to Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago the divine title, nine obviously refer to Christ Press, 2000), 752. (1:2, 3, 15, 17; 3:11; 4:5; 5:20; 6:23, 24). 134 Pancha W. Yahya man’ (cf. Phil 4:13; 2 Cor 12:9).42 This the guarantee of victory is available to command is an inalienable aspect of believers because God has raised and the ethical dimension of the Christian seated Christ at his right hand45 and life, and it is in sharp contrast to ritu- has given him power over all things, alistic practices. In this passage con- including the rulers and powers cerning spiritual warfare (Eph 6:10– against whom the believers are strug- 20), Paul exhorts his readers to put gling (1:20–23). on (verse 11) and take up (verse 13) The Javanese worldview solves the whole armour of God so that they the problem of chaos by perform- ing ruwatan. In contrast, as clearly ‘put on’ here corresponds to the same expressed in Ephesians, the Bible expressioncan stand firm in 4:24in the by battle. which The Paul use ex of- teaches that chaos is under God’s horts believers to put on their new control. The victory of God over cha- humanity in Christ. In fact, all the dis- tinct pieces of the armour of God that Paul describes in verses 14–17 are as- osin whichcan be Yahweh seen in creates five instances. the universe The sociated with the virtues that Chris- firstfrom instance ṯōhū wå̄ḇōhū is the (Gen story 1:2; of Jercreation, 4:23), tians should display as new creations which to the ancient Israelites meant in Christ. Some of them identify God’s chaotic and destructive power.46 How- characteristics—truth and righteous- ness—that believers should imitate as the children of light (cf. 5:1).43 tions on Ephesians 6:10–20’, Catholic Bibli- The reason for needing to depend cal Quarterly 46, no. 2 (April 1984): 287; Snodgrass, Ephesians, 338. Paul probably on the Lord and his power is that the alludes to the similar phrase that occurs in battle is not against human beings but Isaiah 40:26 LXX: en kratei ischuos. In this against the threefold elements of the passage, Yahweh contrasts himself with evil powers as explained above (6:12). the idols (40:18–20) and shows that he is Furthermore, in 6:10, Paul employs incomparable with them. Therefore, Israel two words with similar meanings: ‘be should wait for the everlasting and powerful strong in the Lord and in the strength Yahweh who will ‘renew their strength; they (kratei) of his might (ischuos)’. The shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk use of a pair of words that both mean and not faint’ (Is 40:31). ‘power, might or strength’ empha- 45 sizes Christ’s extraordinary power LORD says to my lord: “Sit at my right hand, 44 to strengthen believers. In addition, till I makePaul probably your enemies echoes your Psalm footstool” 110:1: ’ ‘The(Ar- nold, Ephesians, 111). 46 Creation and the Per- 42 The Letter to the Ephesians, 461. sistence of Evil: The Jewish Drama of Divine 43 Omnipotence John D. Levenson, (Princeton: Princeton Uni- God O’Brien,that Paul mentions in 6:14–17 have also versity Press, 1988), xx. In the Old Testa- appeared Interestingly, in the previous all pieces chapters: of the armour truth inof ment, chaos is depicted as the raging sea (Ps 1:13; 4:21, 24, 25; 5:9; righteousness in 4:24; 89:9–10) and təhōm (the deeps) (Gen 1:2; Ex 5:9; the gospel in 1:13; 3:6; faith in 1:15; 2:8; 15:5, 8; Ps 33:7; 71:20) in which the mon- 3:12, 17; 4:5, 13; salvation in 1:13; the Spirit strous creature lived. That creature is called in 1:13; 3:5; 4:4; and the word of God in 5:26. Leviathan or a dragon (Ps 74:13–14; Is 27:1) 44 A Greek- or Rahab (Job 26:12; Is 51:9). See Bernhard English Lexicon, 565, 484; Robert A. Wild, W. Anderson, ‘Water’, in The Interpreter’s Dic- See Danker, Arndt and Bauer, - tionary of The Bible: An Illustrated Encyclope-

‘The Warrior and the Prisoner: Some Reflec Release from Batara Kala’s Grip 135 ever, Yahweh defeated the power of hard and great and strong sword will chaos when he created the universe, as stated in Psalm 74:12–15: ‘Yet God Leviathan the twisting serpent, and my King is from of old, working sal- hepunish will Leviathanslay the dragon the fleeing that isserpent, in the vation in the midst of the earth. You sea’ (27:1, ESV). divided the sea by your might; you broke the heads of the sea monsters that evil and good are in an uneven on the waters. You crushed the heads opposition,These biblical as the evil instances powers confirmare un- of Leviathan; you gave him as food der God’s control. This view departs for the creatures of the wilderness. markedly from the Javanese world- You split open springs and brooks; view, in which Batara Guru and other gods, as the representation of the (ESV).47 good power, seem not to have had full youSecond, dried Yahweh up ever-flowing crushed chaos streams’ in control over Batara Kala, since they the exodus story. Isaiah 51:9–10 al- permitted him to eat certain people in ludes to the crossing of the red sea: order to prevent him from eating the ‘Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm oceanic creatures. of the LORD; awake, as in days of old, the generations of long ago. Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces, who V. True Harmony in Christ pierced the dragon? Was it not you As discussed above, the Javanese who dried up the sea, the waters of worldview places great emphasis on the great deep, who made the depths pursuing harmony with God, the spir- of the sea a way for the redeemed its, their neighbours and the universe. to pass over?’ (ESV) (cf. Ex 15:8; Ps In contrast, Paul insists that true har- 114:3–6). mony can be achieved only in Christ Third, Yahweh defeated the cha- because God ‘has made known to us os caused by the raging nations (Is in all wisdom and insight the mys- 17:12–14). Fourth, Jesus overcame tery of his will, according to his pur- the power of chaos in the follow- pose which he set forth in Christ as a ing events: (1) his temptation by the plan for the fulness of time, to unite devil; (2) exorcism; (3) the miracle of all things in him, things in heaven and calming the storm; (4) his death and things on earth’ (1:9–10). Concerning resurrection. Fifth, in the end times, these verses, Frank Thielman points the dragon will be defeated com- out, ‘Through the resurrection and pletely (Rev 12:7–9) as prophesied by the ascension of Christ, God has con- Isaiah: ‘In that day the LORD with his quered all powers inimical to his pur- poses and placed them, vanquished, at Christ’s feet (1:20–22a).’48 In other dia, ed. George A. Buttrick, vol. 4 (Nashville, TN: Abingdon, 1962), 806–10; John N. Day, words, Christ has turned chaos, the ‘God and Leviathan in Isaiah 27:1’, Biblio- opponent of peace and order, into theca Sacra 155, no. 620 (1 October 1998): shalom. 423–36; John N. Day, God’s Conflict with the By the power of his death, resur- Dragon and the Sea: Echoes of a Canaanite Myth in the Old Testament (Cambridge; MA: Cambridge University Press, 1985). 48 Ephesians (Grand Rap- 47 ids: Baker Academic, 2010), 67. Frank Thielman, Cf. Job 26:12; Psalm 29; 89:10–16. 136 Pancha W. Yahya rection and ascension, Christ has rec- Kala is the embodiment of evil, but he onciled the believers, who were under himself is the product of Batara Gu- God’s wrath, to God (1:5; cf. 2:17–18) ru’s lustful desire, which is regarded and with himself. Arnold has pointed as the antithesis of the family harmo- out that in Ephesians 2:5–6, the no- ny that the Javanese should demon- tion of the union of the believers strate. Riyanto says, ‘This point of the with Christ can be clearly found in myth of Batara Kala more or less con- the threefold use of the word ‘with’ in veys the message of the importance of the following events: new life (‘God … the harmonious life in a family.’50 made us alive with Christ even when In daily life, the Javanese always we were dead in transgression’), res- urrection (‘God raised us up with rukun, which means ‘to feel oneself Christ’) and exaltation (‘God … seated seekin the to state avoid of conflict harmony, and calm maintain and us with him in the heavenly realms in peaceful, without quarrel or dispute’, Christ Jesus’).49 and ‘united in purpose for mutual In addition to uniting believers help’.51 Every Javanese person is ex- with God and Christ, Christ has rec- pected to pursue peaceful interaction onciled the Gentiles and the Jews with each other and avoid any hostile into his body, of which he is the head messages or attitudes so as to main- (2:11–22). Without the work and the tain harmony. The Javanese ‘avoid, power of Christ, this reconciliation at all costs, signs of disorder, disso- would have been impossible, since nance, dissidence, loud disputes, and the Jews saw the Gentiles as both sin- any disturbance of peace or of social ners and unclean. Nonetheless, Christ equilibrium’.52 Interestingly, they are has made the Gentiles who were generally willing to put aside their ‘foreigners and aliens’ into citizens personal interests, if necessary, to and members of God’s household, 53 ‘a dwelling in which God lives by his In addition, a person who obtains Spirit’ (verses 19, 22). avoid conflicts. share it with the community, as is great financial gain is expected to VI. Towards a Community ‘When there is a scarcity, it is shared; of Shalom: An Insight from reflectedwhen there in theis abundance, Javanese proverb,it also Ruwatan shared.’54 Similarly, in decision mak- Ruwatan is based on the Javanese ing, instead of voting, the Javanese worldview that seeks to help humans practise musyawarah, or an effort to attain harmony with each other, the accommodate everyone’s concerns: creator, and the universe. As previ- Ideally, musyawarah is a procedure ously discussed, the Javanese view in which all voices and opinions an evil deed not as a transgression are heard. All these are considered against God’s law but as improper conduct that disturbs the harmony of life. In the story of Murwakala, Batara 50 51 Etika Jawa, 39. 52 Riyanto, ‘Lolos dariEtika Terkaman’, Jawa, 47. 15. Magnis-Suseno, 49 Three Crucial Questions about 53 Etika Jawa, 39. Spiritual Warfare, 40. 54 Magnis-Suseno, Etika Jawa, 50. Arnold, Magnis-Suseno, Magnis-Suseno, Release from Batara Kala’s Grip 137

to be equally true and to contrib- resists all our tendencies to divi- ute to the solution sought. Musya- sion, hostility, fear, drivenness, and warah tries to establish the kebula- misery’.58 However, sin has destroyed tan kehendak, or kebulatan pikiran, the peaceful harmony that existed that can roughly be translated as between human beings and between the totality or completeness of the humans and God. God sent his Son wishes and opinions of the par- to die on the cross and rise from the ticipants. This completeness is a dead so that he might reconcile the guarantee for truth and right deci- world to himself and bring shalom sion-making, because the truth is among humans. contained in the harmonious unity In Ephesians, Paul states that of the deliberating group.55 the believers who have been saved The Javanese philosophy of har- through the death and resurrection mony offers a valuable perspective on of Christ are called to practise good the more individualistic way of life ex- works that God has prepared before- hibited by Westerners, which may in hand (Eph 2:10). Ephesians 2 goes on some cases hinder Christian believers to explain that one part of these good in their efforts to practise the way of works involved enabling the people life prescribed in the Bible.56 Because of God—both Jews and Gentiles in both Westerners and non-Westerners Paul’s original context—to live in love are inescapably situated in their own and harmony, since Christ, through cultures, both groups can come to un- his death and resurrection, has de- derstand the Bible more thoroughly stroyed the dividing wall of hostility through listening to each other. Be- (Eph 2:14). Paul enjoins the Ephesian hind the ritual of ruwatan, we see a Christians (and us as well), as part philosophy of harmony that echoes of putting off our old life and putting the notion of shalom, which Craig L. on the new humanity (4:22–24), to Nessan has found to be more overtly remove all our bitterness, anger and evoked in African and Asian cultures hostility and to forgive, edify and sup- than in the West.57 port one another in the body of Christ Scripture tells us that when God (4:29–32). created the world, he intended to es- God wants his people to act as tablish shalom among his creatures. agents of shalom in this chaotic world. As Walter Brueggemann points out, For the church to function properly as shalom is ‘the dream of God that demonstrate shalom internally by re- movingan instrument division, of hostility, shalom, fearit must and first en- 55 Mysticism and Everyday mity within the body of Christ. In doing Life in Contemporary Java (Singapore: Singa- pore Niels University Mulder, Press, 1978), 40. so, every believer should be willing to 56 J. O’Brien, Misreading Scripture with Western and self-interest, just as Christ emp- Eyes: See Removing E. Randolph Cultural Richards Blinders and To Brandon Better tiedput asidehimself, his soor thather selfishwe may ambitions become Understand the Bible (Downers Grove, IL: In- one in Christ (Phil 2:1–11). terVarsity Press, 2012), 95–112. 57 Shalom Church: The Body of Christ as Ministering Community (Minne- 58 Peace (St. Louis, apolis, Craig MN: L. Fortress,Nessan, 2010), 10. MO: Chalice, 2001), 14. Walter Brueggemann,