This series on Dr. King began as a four-part examination into the spiritual nature of his life’s work; however, in order to preserve the succinct nature of the series, I have added a fifth article that will look at the threat that Dr. King posed to the ruling class. It will be published on Wednesday, January 19th.If we examine the death of Jesus from a purely social context; not considering its spiritual basis, we will see something very significant in his ministry, as well as the ministry/works of great men who succeeded him as social activists. Jesus had amassed such a large following that he had become a threat to the aristocracy and to the social pecking order that they had established; consequently, the decision was made at the highest level of national government to assassinate him. Jesus was singular in His purpose and certainly understood the infamous nature of His leadership to the ruling class. This is why some of His most profound moments were concealed from the public until after his death.
In the 17th chapter of Matthew we see the transfiguration of Christ, where, according to the Western theologian, Jesus demonstrated the harmony of Grace, the law and the prophets. However, Matthew chapter 17 is much, much deeper than a demonstration of the harmony between the messages of Jesus, Moses and Elijah (see note at the end of this article). Let us examine it for a minute, because this passage of Scripture gives us some insight into the inherent danger that all great men face who speak out against injustice.
The proper place to begin examining the Transfiguration is after the event has concluded and Jesus is headed back down the mountain with his three disciples. He says something very peculiar: And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead (Matthew 17:9). Why would Jesus want to conceal one of the great miracles of Scripture from the rest of His followers? The key to this answer is to understand what had taken place, because in the tradition of the Western theologian, he does not want you to know what you have just seen. Consequently, the best he will offer you is the “Transfiguration,” which is correct, but not complete.
Jesus has just performed what can be argued to be the greatest miracle of the Scripture: He reached back nearly 1,500 years and raised Moses from the dead, and although he did not reach back as far, he also raised Elijah from the dead. To say that this is profound!!! is an understatement. Just consider the global reaction if you or I reached back just 48 years and raised former U.S. President John Kennedy from the dead. It would be, on one hand, surreal, and on the other hand it would set in motion an international effort to understand the unusual powers that were demonstrated.
Now watch Peter’s reaction to what he has just witnessed: Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias (Matthew 17:4). He has fallen into the trap of many of Jesus’ detractors. Peter believes that He came to establish His Kingdom on earth, and in an unbelievable moment of apparent triumph over evil, Peter is gazing upon the men who he believes will make it happen. While looking at perhaps the three greatest men to ever live, he offers the suggestion of building three tabernacles – one for Jesus, one for Moses and one for Elijah, but what he is thinking is, “We can take over the world with the leadership of these three great men!” As the rest of this drama is unfolding, the voice came from Heaven telling Peter and others to pay attention to Jesus, because they (or at least Peter) were missing the point. However, what is not so clear is why Jesus cautioned them to keep this matter confidential until after his resurrection.
Let’s go back to my example of raising John F. Kennedy from the grave. Once this phenomenon could be verified as factual, the FBI, the CIA, the NSA, Naval Intelligence, the Mossad, the MI6, and many other alphabet agencies would be looking to apprehend me to place me on a rack, demanding that I give them the secret of my ability. Jesus understood the controversial nature of His leadership and, unlike the televangelists of today; He did not seek to add to His celebrity status or notoriety, depending on your view of him, by ministering in the limelight. He knew to do such would place Him in the crosshairs of the political leadership. Jesus stayed so far underground that when it was time for His apprehension, the men who came looking for Him had no idea what He looked like:
4.Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon Him, went forth, and said unto them, Whom seek ye? 5.They answered Him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am He. And Judas also, which betrayed Him, stood with them. 6.As soon then as He had said unto them, I am He, they went backward, and fell to the ground. 7.Then asked He them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. 8.Jesus answered, I have told you that I am He: if therefore ye seek Me, let these go their way (John 18:4-8).
Great spiritual men shun the spotlight, because they understand how fame can distract them from their objectives. It is not lost on me that although Jesus was a carpenter, He never built a church for worship services. His ministry was in the streets, to those who were downtrodden and in despair. In the tradition of Jesus, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was in the middle of the Poor People’s Campaign just prior to his assassination. Despite the demands that were made on him during that period, he took time out from his effort to bring recognition to the suffering of the poor in America in order to assist the sanitation workers in Memphis during their strike to improve their conditions of employment. A. Philip Randolph called King “the moral leader of our nation,” and as such, King brought a very powerful voice to the plight of the men who were at the bottom of the social ladder. And for his unselfish leadership, he is recognized as one of the great voices in American history.
King, though misunderstood by many, including some in his own movement, rose above the controversial nature of his efforts to slay Jim Crow, and had a level of social success that is rarely found in the archives of human history. As we recognize his work today, I ask that you take a moment of silent prayer to ask God that America will never revert back to the discarded and discredited racial policies of the past. There is a proverb that says, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
May the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. be a constant reminder that the forces of good will always triumph over the forces of evil.
Long live the Dream!
…to be continued
Note: I am working on a book titled, Climbing Jacob’s Ladder, the Story of the Greatest Miracle in the Scripture, that will be published later this year, so I will not give it away here.
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