“It is we who
are crucified with him and who die with him…Jesus thus brings humanity not only
into death with him, but also into the resurrection” (page 196).
“How then do we
come to participate in this body of Christ who did all this for us? For this
much is certain: there is no community with Jesus Christ other than the
community with his body!” (page 196).
Bonhoeffer then
writes that we share in the koinonia of the Body of Christ through the
sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and makes the statement that, “Sacraments
exist only because there is a Body of Christ” (page 197). Baptism brings us
into the Body and the communion table keeps us in relationship with the Body.
I want to again
caution us to be patient with Bonhoeffer, for until we have traversed the
ground on which he is taking us, we are not likely to begin to understand what
he is saying, his vision is farther and deeper and broader than most of us have
experienced. If we have a nonsacramental view of baptism and communion, it is
just possible that we have much to learn. If we have a sacramental view of
communion and baptism, it is also possible that we have much to learn. In both
instances our cut and dried positions may be our prisons. I think I can say
with assurance that if we think we see the entire picture regarding baptism and
communion that we have a lot to learn; I doubt that it is possible to see the
entire picture of either one, for to see the entire picture is to see the
entire Christ. We can swim in this ocean, but we cannot comprehend this ocean.
If we will read
the Bible passages that Bonhoeffer quotes and references, if we will read all
of the passages in context that reference and allude to baptism and the Lord’s
Table (and I think we have the opportunity to continually discover these texts
on this pilgrimage), then I think we will see…if we are honest…that there is
indeed great mystery in Christ in these sacraments, paradigms, dimensions of koinonia.
For sure this honesty will create heartburn in those who insist on neat and
tidy propositional and doctrinal statements that are limiting rather than
liberating (and doctrine should be liberating!), but we can trust Christ and
His Spriit to care for us on this pilgrimage. Yes? I think so.
Bonhoeffer wants
us to understand that as we “receive the community of the body of Christ” (page
197) that the terms “with Christ,” “in Christ,” and “Christ in us,” will have
clear meaning for us. I would add that these terms and the reality within them
become our Way of Life in Christ Jesus and with one another.
The life, death,
and resurrection of Jesus Christ are seen as events which “involve all human
beings (Rom. 5:18ff; 1 Cor. 15:22; 2 Cor. 5:14)” (page 197).
Here is a list
of passages that Bonhoeffer quotes and lists on the bottom of page 197 and the
top of 198:
Rom. 6:8; Col.
2:20; Rom. 6:6; Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12; Rom. 6:5; Rom. 6:8; Eph. 2:5; Col. 2:12
(again); 2 Tim. 2:11; 2 Cor. 7:3; Rom. 2:12; 3:19; 7:5; 8:3, 8, 9; 2 Cor. 10:3;
1 Cor. 15:22.
He writes of
those who know Christ, “With their entire existence and throughout all
expressions of their life they are henceforth “in Christ”” (page 198).
I hope we see
that Bonhoeffer is grounding his message in the Bible. As foreign as what he
writes may be to us, he is not saying anything that isn’t grounded in the Word
of God. Note that he is viewing Scripture as a whole, he is not basing his
message on a verse here or there, but rather on an integrated vision of Jesus
Christ and His Body as seen through many facets of the Bible.
Bonhoeffer shows
us the forest first, and then the trees. He shows us how the patterns of trees
and groups of trees make up the forest. Let us not be so foolish as to think
our patches of woodland are all there is; the Body is expansive, transcendent,
and ever growing up into Him.
“Everything we
have said thus far may be summed up in the phrase: Christ is “for us” (page
198). This is what Bonhoeffer wants us to know, that Jesus Christ came for us,
lived for us, died for us – bearing not only our sins, but ourselves, bearing
us as individuals and us as humanity – that he died for us, was buried for us,
and that He rose and ascended for us – and that we were with Him in all of
this.
Is this not what
Paul writes in Romans 8:31? “What then shall we say to these things? If God is
for us, who is against us?”
“Paul can describe
the miracle of Christ’s incarnation in an almost infinite variety of
perspectives” (page 198).
As I read this
statement, I want to emblazon it in the mind of every Christian, print it in
every small group booklet, and paste it on every pulpit. One difference between
an infant in Christ and an adult is that an adult realizes the truth of Bonhoeffer’s statement, while an infant or adolescent is convinced that its parochial
perspective is all there is to know, and most certainly all there is to believe,
teach, and preach.
Not only is
there an almost infinite variety of Biblical perspectives on the incarnation,
but when we understand the comprehensiveness of the Incarnation, the same is
true of the Cross, the Atonement, the Resurrection, the Ascension, the coming
of the Holy Spirit, and the Church of Jesus Christ. Now for sure, all of these
perspectives radiate from Jesus Christ, display Jesus Christ, and glorify Jesus
Christ; they are all from, through, and to Jesus Christ.
If Jesus Christ
is God, which He is, and if God is infinite, then knowing Him and growing in
Him, as individuals and as His People, is never-ending. The nature of the Bible
is divinely infinite. The Bible displays Jesus Christ in unending dimensions,
showing forth His beauty, drawing us deeper into Him – as individuals and as
His People – if we will look for Him, seek Him, and allow Him.
Jesus says that what
the Father has is His, and that the Holy Spirit will disclose to us what the
Father has given Him. What the Father has belongs to Jesus, what Jesus has
belongs to us (John 16:12 – 15), we are heirs of God and joint heirs with
Christ (Rom. 8:17, 32). Surely this is a never-ending experience.
Bonhoeffer is
illustrating, with his many Biblical references, what he means when he writes
of Paul’s “almost infinite variety of perspectives.” This can be uncomfortable
for those of us who are accustomed to narrow views and rote statements on the
Incarnation and Atonement.
I would love to
ask a small group, “Please share some facets of the Incarnation. Please share
some dimensions of the Cross and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. How do you
participate in the Incarnation on a daily basis? How do you participate in the
death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as a way of life?” (You might
want to mediate on Galatians 2:20 and 6:14).
If our people can’t
respond to these questions, what does that say?
What is my
answer to these questions?
What is your
answer?
How would our
congregations respond to these questions?
Editorial Note:
If you are carefully reading Bonhoeffer, I will mention that there are some
things I do not quite see as Bonhoeffer does, however I very much agree with
his central thrust, vision, and message. I would love to chat with him about a
statement or two to better understand what he means, but alas he isn’t
available. Any quotes are statements I endorse, unless I make qualifying
comments. I have chosen not to draw attention, as a rule, to the occasional point
on which we may differ in order not to distract from the beauty of Bonhoeffer’s
message of Christ and the Body, the Church, the Bride, the Temple. After all,
the material is dense enough without me adding tangents.