When Martin Scorcese's "The Last Temptation of Christ" was released back in 1988, I remember there were a lot of Christians who protested the film, in particular for one controversial scene near the film's conclusion.
As Jesus (Willem Dafoe) hangs, dying on the cross, he has a daydream of sorts in which he is living as husband-and-wife with Mary Magdalene (Barbara Hershey), and the two are seen doing what human men and women do, including the act of procreation. Fundamentalists exaggerated the sexual content, condemned the film as pornographic and salacious, and even offered to buy the negative from Universal Studios so that they could burn it — before the film had opened. Scorcese later speculated that they objected to the idea of the film, rather than the film itself. After all, they hadn't seen it.
They missed the point of the film. Even many people who saw the film missed the point.
The last temptation of Christ was not hot ("Boxcar Bertha") Barbara Hershey. According to author Nikos Kazantzakis, Christ's last temptation was the temptation to live a normal life.
And that just blows my mind.
Imagine the Son of God, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords actually wanting to be one of us. To live like we live, to do what we do, to be with us, to stay here with us.
Of course, we don't know that's what was going through Jesus' mind as he was hanging on the cross. In fact, it likely wasn't. I believe he had loftier things on his mind. And I believe he knew how much better life is in heaven and how much pain and misery and sorrow are part of this world. But Kazantzakis, who wrote the novel in 1960 (originally in Greek), poses a scenario that has caused people to ruminate the idea for half a century.
If I'm completely honest with myself, I've faced this same "last temptation" for almost that same length of time.
I've coveted, desired, pursued and am daily tempted to lead a "normal life". And in some ways I have attained it. I have a wife, kids, house, lawn, respectable job, proper associations, etc., etc. Many of them, things I once thought were unattainable for me, so I wanted them even more. There was a time, particularly in my younger years, that I craved a normal life.
Yes, we say we want to be "special", to be different, to be unique and unusual and stand out in the crowd. But do we really? Really? Don't we all want to fit in, to belong to some group, some tribe? Even if the tribe we choose is on the fringes of society, we're still trying to fit in, to be "normal" to the people who accept us and surround us.
I mean, so many people sport tattoos these days, that it's oftentimes unique NOT to have a tattoo. Heck, at 49 years of age, I'm thinking about getting a tattoo myself because the idea has become so acceptable.
And the desire for a "normal life" isn't limited to the way we look or the way we act. It shows up in the way we spend our time. It's in the decisions we make and the paths we choose to follow. In fact, the last temptation of Christ may be our greatest temptation.
What does God say about how to live our lives?
"Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit's leading in every part of our lives." (Galatians 5:25)
"You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence." (Acts 2:27-29)
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)
"For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:3)
"...I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received." (Ephesians 4:1)
"As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God." (I Peter 4:2)
"Be holy, because I am holy." (I Peter 1:16, I Peter 1:15, Leviticus 11:44, Leviticus 11:45, Leviticus 19:12, Leviticus 20:26)
"Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord." (Hebrews 12:14)
"So why do you keep calling me 'Lord, Lord!' when you don't do what I say?" (Luke 6:46)
Now that doesn't sound like a normal life, does it?
Let's resist "the last temptation". Let's resist the temptation to lead a normal life.
Wish me luck as I lead the life God has in store for me.
Godspeed, as you make your way down the path he has set for you.
2 comments:
Amen. I saw the movie and I didn't get that point. I needed to read this. True humility is a good thing, but there's a kind of false humility that is really giving in to exactly this temptation you are talking about.
Thanks for this reminder, this encouragement.
Jay, this is so true. I was thinking somewhat related thoughts this morning while reading from Micah and reflecting on how fitting into the norms of society can completely lead us away from God and holiness. Which is really sobering, given that we live in a society in which various sectors praise God with their lips even when hearts are far from Him. We live in a time when people are even, in the name of God and faith, re-writing what scripture and church tradition have taught for ages.
Micah wrote "Therefore it shall be night to you, without vision..." and I was thinking how we really--how I really--can be lulled into fitting in, and before I know it, I'm not even seeing clearly anymore.
I don't think our society as a whole is seeing clearly anymore. I don't want to fit in to that kind of society.
We can think we are doing right and slowly, slowly end up doing wrong...or just doing nothing that matters...which is certainly not right.
I'm with you. Let's not be lulled.
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