In any organization, succession of leaders can pose a problem. To minimize bloodshed and divisions, a procedure which everybody endorses must be designed. For example, in ancient time, the eldest prince would be accepted by all to be the legitimate inheritor of the throne. In real life politics where the state can mobilize most of the brute force in a country, the government will usually ignore public opinions, impose her election / appointment procedures on her subjects and expect to meet minimum opposition. Or they would overturn whatever election results that they dislike. After all, democracy is but only one form of government. It may not even be the best way to govern a people. What is happening in Myanmar stares all democracies in their faces. Yet, their hands are bound. Aung San Suu Kyi is still under house arrest. Western democracies cannot impose democracy from outside onto the Myanmar people. An imposed democracy is a contradiction. It is no democracy at all.
The Church gives people a conservative image. Its government is not democratic. The Pope is not popularly elected, though he is elected from the college of cardinals. You may describe it as a kind of representational democracy and it is far from being a full democracy. Yet, many church leaders champion full democracy in local governments. Laymen will naturally criticize the church as hypocritical. Here, the reasoning is flawed. I do not practise what I teach. That doesn't mean I cannot teach. I can still teach, though a bit unconvincingly.
The Acts records an incident, documenting the process through which the Church solved the problem of succession. Jesus had chosen the Twelve. He intended to build up the new Israel with 12 tribes headed by the Twelve apostles. Now, one of the Twelve had died. The Church needed to make the Twelve complete again. Obviously, this is a meaning, a symbolism read into Jesus' action. Jesus probably did not have this intention. Even Peter did not mention this in electing somebody to replace Judas.
When Peter stood before the 120 believers, he explained the necessity to fill the vacancy left by Judas as a fulfillment of prophecies. He did not say the Church needed to elect another head for one of the twelve tribes.
Brethren, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David, concerning Judas who was guide to those who arrested Jesus (Acts 1:16).
In the description of events relating to the death of Judas, it was totally different from that recorded in Matthew.
Now this man bought a field with the reward of his wickedness; and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out.
And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood (Acts 1:18-19).
There was only one thing in common --- the Field of Blood.
When Judas, his betrayer, saw that he was condemned, he repented and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders,
saying, "I have sinned in betraying innocent blood." They said, "What is that to us? See to it yourself."
And throwing down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed; and he went and hanged himself.
But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, "It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since they are blood money."
So they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in.
Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day (Matthew 27:3-8).
So, who bought the field, Judas (according to the Acts) or the chief priests (according to Matthew)? If Judas hanged himself and died, how did he fall headlong? If he fell headlong, how did he burst his belly?
Peter put forth a criterion so stringent that nobody would be qualified to replace James, the brother of John, whom Herod had later killed.
So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us,
beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us -- one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection (Acts 1:21-22).
Before Pentecost, two candidates were qualified --- Joseph and Matthias whose feastday the Catholic Church celebrates today. By the time James was killed, nobody would be qualified anymore. In deciding between the two, the 120 believers prayed and cast lots. They were wise not to cast ballots. That would immediately split them. The Church would be divided even before it was born! A disaster was averted.
Dear Lord, Your grace is always present to preserve Your people. May we, Your humble servants, continue cooperating with Your Spirit to bring salvation to all. St. Matthias, pray for us. Amen.
Appendix:
Let his habitation become desolate, and let there be no one to live in it
γενηθήτω ἡ ἔπαυλις αὐτοῦ ἔρημος καὶ μὴ ἔστω ὁ κατοικῶν ἐν αὐτῇ (Acts 1:20b)
γενηθήτω ἡ ἔπαυλις αὐτῶν ἠρημωμένη, καὶ ἐν τοῖς σκηνώμασιν αὐτῶν μὴ ἔστω ὁ κατοικῶν (Psalm 68:26 LXX, 69:26 MT)
His office let another take.
τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν αὐτοῦ λαβέτω ἕτερος (Acts 1:20c)
τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν αὐτοῦ λάβοι ἕτερος, (Psalm 108:8b LXX, 109:8b MT)
No comments:
Post a Comment