Mysteries of Christianity: Was Jesus a Victim?
"Look what they did to him." That is the type of thing one might say of any victim. Was Jesus a victim?
What does it mean to be a victim? It means that someone else does something bad to someone. The victim does not have control. Does that sound like Jesus?
If someone knows in advance that something bad is going to happen and walks into it knowingly, we might normally call that foolish or brave. What's the difference?
"Foolishness" we might define as including an ignorance of reality—either blindness or an active ignoring of the situation. "Ignorance of reality" might be one way to describe "delusion."
Bravery, on the other hand, is full knowledge of reality and the consequences, but bearing the risks so as to help others. The only difference between such bravery and suicide is in the motivation. The hero would not normally want to take such a risk, but has the reason of helping others. They are unselfish. The suicide victim, on the other hand, wants the risk and its consequences for purely personal (selfish) reasons.
Strength that Transcends the Weakness of Flesh
Is a hero a victim? The two concepts seem completely incompatible. But why? Other people, nature or circumstances threaten great harm upon the hero. And if the hero dies, it was their decision to put themselves into harm's way. Again, this is no suicide victim, because they are unselfish and perhaps because they take full responsibility for their actions.
The suicide victim is all about what "they did to him or her," or what circumstances "did to them." This is zero responsibility. This is an individual full of resentment and creating the greatest separation between self and the rest of the universe.
The hero embraces humanity; the suicide victim shuns humanity.
The hero possesses one other prime quality—that of humility. If someone does something good for someone else, but goes around bragging about it, that immediately tarnishes their badge of heroism. The true hero wants no part of ego.
So, Jesus had awareness of the situation and its risks, he walked into those risks knowing the consequences, but only because his friends needed his help. Jesus took full responsibility for what his enemies did to him. And how else could anyone ever forgive?
When anyone ever truly forgives, one ceases to be a victim. This is because the hero takes full responsibility for what happens to them, even after the fact.
So, was Jesus a victim? Not even for a moment.
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© 2011 Rod Martin Jr
