Nielsen’s Nook

By way of personal confession, a place that I find myself struggling to be consistent with the Law of Love (i.e., the character of Christ being formed in me) is in demonstrating such compassion to those who are religiously quick to the kill, very narrow in their approach to their version of Christianity, and who tend to look down on others in bold judgment for not articulating their faith in an identical way. Some might call these kinds of people fundamentalists, describing more of a disposition than a movement. They do not kill with bombs and bullets but with rending words and icy stares. In my opinion, quite different than the Christ presented to us in the Scriptures.

Recently, what I found to be quite humbling is that we seem to find two prominent Apostles, the sons of Zebedee, James and John, being initially given the nickname “Boanerges” (Gk. transliteration = βοανεργες).¹ Lawrence Farley, in a commentary on Mark that I am going through for devotional purposes, suggested that perhaps the nickname “Sons of Thunder” refers to their “ability to thunder and react forcibly”. This may be exemplified in the Boanerges’ suggestion to Jesus to rain down fire from heaven on the Samaritans by whom they felt insulted (cf. Luke 9:52-54).²

Of course Jesus does not command such fire. The fire that had come from heaven, that which was Jesus’ baptism, was not first for the Samaritans out of judgment, but for the Apostles — even the Boanerges — as the promised baptism of the Holy Spirit, that comes convincing and converting sinners and building them up in holiness and comfort unto salvation in Christ. The fire from heaven is rooted first in the compassion of God for His lost sheep.

So why did this strike me so today? First, as I mentioned above, I am convicted at my own lack of compassion for those who may be the modern day derivative of the Boanerges, i.e., those in the Church who are themselves quick to call down fire on others. I am at once pierced to see that I have laid down my duty as a brother to lovingly encourage those who might need growth in grace in this manner of quickness towards Christ. I have neglected the obligation that I have, being united to these with whom I struggle because we are together united to the One Christ Jesus. I have put this aside to take up the desire to see fire called down from heaven because they do not love as I think they should, and perhaps as they ought as those professing the Name of Jesus.

The bitter irony is that while I sincerely believe my concern is correct in this case, I am reduced to the very thing that I despise. And so I am forced once again to confess my utter poverty before Christ and cry out for His magnitude to be shown forth in both myself and my adversaries. Forgive me brothers and sisters for my small, mundane capacity to love as Christ loves.

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¹ Boanerges is very difficult to translate because it is originally an Aramaic colloquial term, which has not been passed down clearly to us in the present day. The Bible interprets “Boanerges” as “Sons of Thunder”, which is sufficient for us, because we are interested in the teaching of the Bible.
² Farley, Lawrence. The Gospel of Mark : The Suffering Servant The Orthodox Bible Study Companion Series. (Ben Lomond, Calif.: Conciliar Press, 2004) p. 54.