Jean-Marc Berthoud
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The Official Publication of the Chalcedon Foundation ® • May/June 2018 Proclaiming the Authority of God’s Word Over Every Area of Life and Thought Faith for All of Life May/June 2018 Publisher & Chalcedon President Editorials Rev. Mark R. Rushdoony 2 From the President Chalcedon Vice-President Martin Selbrede Kingdom Leadership 5 From the Editor Editor Jean-Marc Berthoud’s In Defense of God’s Law Martin Selbrede Features Managing Editor Susan Burns 9 A Modern Swiss Reformer: The Life of Jean-Marc Berthoud Didier Erne Contributing Editor Lee Duigon 13 Jean-Marc Berthoud: Magisterial Christian Scholar in Our Time of Need Chalcedon Founder Rev. R. J. Rushdoony Douglas F. Kelly (1916-2001) 15 Jean-Marc Berthoud and Creation was the founder of Chalcedon Gerald Pech and a leading theologian, church/ 23 Product Catalog (Save 15% on Orders of $50/More) state expert, and author of numerous works on the applica- tion of Biblical Law to society. Faith for All of Life, published bi-monthly by Chalcedon, a tax-exempt Christian foundation, is sent to all who request it. All editorial correspondence should be sent to the managing editor, P.O. Box 569, Cedar Bluff, VA 24609-0569. Laser-print hard copy and electronic disk submissions firmly encouraged. All submissions subject to editorial revision. Email: [email protected]. The editors are not responsible for the return of unsolicited manu- scripts which become the property of Chalcedon unless other arrangements are made. Opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the views of Chalcedon. It provides a forum for views in accord with a relevant, active, historic Christianity, though those views may on occasion differ somewhat from Chalcedon’s and from each other. Chalcedon depends on the contributions of its readers, and all gifts to Chalcedon are tax-deductible. ©2018 Chalcedon. All rights reserved. Permission to reprint granted on written request only. Editorial Board: Rev. Mark R. Rushdoony, President/Editor-in-Chief; Martin Selbrede, Editor; Susan Burns, Managing Editor and Executive Assistant. Chalcedon, P.O. Box 158, Vallecito, CA 95251, Telephone Circulation (9:00a.m. - 5:00p.m., Pacific): (209) 736-4365 or Fax (209) 736-0536; email: [email protected]; www.chalcedon.edu; Circulation: Rebecca Rouse. From the President Kingdom Leadership By Mark R. Rushdoony ach of the synoptic 18:11–13), indicating the legitimacy of included a system of rank in the Egospels (Matthew, the question. Kingdom, which is not hard to under- Mark, and Luke) re- stand given the elevation of religious A “Good Question”? cords a private exchange orders over the common people. Alfred Why might the disciples bring up between Jesus and the Edersheim noted that one rabbinical the issue of greatness or leadership in disciples. It began with example compared God’s favorites to the Kingdom? Assuming pride and self- a question for which the disciples have spoiled children who could get anything exaltation was the motive neglects the often been criticized. In Matthew 18:1 they wanted from Him merely by ask- context that Matthew himself gives: Je- the disciples asked Jesus, “Who is the ing. Another rabbinical story Edersheim sus had just spoken of His death (Matt. greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” relates concerned a rabbi who prayed 17:22–23). Previously, He had Himself Part of the problem we have in for the sick child of another rabbi. spoken of the greatness of those in the understanding Scripture is that we read When the child revived, the father of Kingdom (Matt. 11:11) and noted there and discuss it in small snippets, often the healed child told his wife not to would be those who were both great in dividing a single discourse or account consider the praying rabbi as any greater it as well as least based on their regard into multiple parts. Each part is then than he, because the praying rabbi was for His law (Matt. 5:19). treated as a distinct morality tale. In like a servant of God whose immediate The disciples could not ignore order to create separate, single-themed access gave him more opportunities to Christ’s reference to His death. It was moral lessons, it is often necessary to ask, whereas he was, as a lord, without not prideful to wonder how they were not only over-simplify the Word itself, such opportunity.1 to operate without the Lord, and Jesus but to characterize the context in order If it was not the rabbinical views never reprimanded them for the ques- to match the presumed moral lesson. that were their frame of reference, then tion. The disciples did not understand One of the ways this is done is to read the analogy of a Kingdom itself con- something important and asked the motives into the story which we can veyed a structure and chain of com- Lord. The exact nature of the Kingdom then condemn as sinful. If that ascribed mand. Without Jesus, how would that was not clear; they probably assumed a motive is incorrect, however, we have leadership, even among the disciples, civil manifestation, with some form of a missed the point of the account alto- look? It was an obvious question, and political structure. If Jesus was not going gether. the answer about service and servant- to be there as the king, it was logical to The word for great in Matthew 18:1 hood did speak to the nature of leader- ask: “Who will be in charge? If it is us, can imply a literal or figurative mean- ship (different than the religious leader- what will the organizational flow chart ing. It can refer to size but here it likely ship they knew). look like?” refers to age, figuratively then, an elder, Mark adds a detail of interest. This or leader. Many commentators see Rabbinical Views of the Kingdom question was discussed by the disciples this question as prideful. It is notewor- It is important to remember that all as they traveled (Matt. 9:33ff.). Again, thy that Jesus never reprimanded the Jews believed in a messianic Kingdom. they were not reprimanded, as if their disciples for the question. If pride was The rabbinical writings had speculated conversation had been inappropriate in the motive for the question, then we on the nature of that Kingdom. They any way. Mark says that Jesus sat down can understand the teaching on hu- often focused on the material blessings and called the twelve around Him, then mility, but Jesus specifically addresses and prosperity of a revived Jewish state, explained, “If any man desire to be first, the question of both greatness in the but the certainty of a Kingdom was not the same shall be last of all, and servant Kingdom (Matt. 18:4) and leadership questioned. of all.” (by the analogy of the shepherd in Matt. The rabbinical teachings also All three of the synoptic gospels 2 Faith for All of Life | May/June 2018 www.chalcedon.edu Faith for All of Life record what Jesus then did. He set a All the examples of religious an easy target for predators; it can die small child amongst their small group. leadership then known from the panic of finding itself alone. Matthew then quotes Jesus as saying, in represented an ostentatious Failure to go help a wayward member part, formality, an expectation of of the flock was to abandon it to a likely Verily I say unto you, Except ye death. deference. All the religious My father witnessed the contempt be converted, and become as little orders dressed distinctively, children, ye shall not enter into the of cattlemen for both sheep and sheep- kingdom of heaven. Whosoever they were known to all from herding while living in a remote area therefore shall humble himself as a distance. Jesus was telling of Nevada in the 1940s and 50s. The this little child, the same is greatest the disciples to change their Indians took to cattle ranching because in the kingdom of heaven. (Matt. thinking about leadership. it involved herding cows by horse. The 18:3–4) cattleman was aloof from the herd, could leave it when necessary, and mere- The conversion here spoken of is not ly had to move the herd mounted on a millstone were hanged around his that religious conversion for which we horse as needed. The shepherd worked neck, and that he were drowned use the term, but rather the core mean- on foot and had to live very close to his in the depth of the sea. (Matt. ing of conversion, which is a turning sheep, often handling them to doctor 18:5–6) around, a reversal. Jesus was saying they or birth them. It was a round-the-clock had to completely change their thinking To receive meant literally to “take job; the sheep were wholly dependent about the Kingdom itself. And, regard- by the hand,” which implies a helpful- on the work ethic of the shepherd. The ing “greatness,” or eldership, a humbling ness in any number of ways. To offend lanolin in the wool attracted dirt, so was necessary. The humbling was not can mean to cause to sin or fall away or the shepherd was covered in a greasy primarily contrasted to a demeanor of to distrust those they should be able to film not unlike that which accumulates pride Jesus saw in the disciples, however, trust. This refers to children, of course, on a stove top or hood. The shepherd but from the existing example of reli- but includes all the “little ones” in the smelled like his sheep and was held in gious leadership to that of a new model ecclesia, all who are part of the King- contempt by the cattlemen.