Thursday, March 19, 2009

Day 20: Blood from A to Z

God did not forget about Abel. Abel's memory lives on well into the New Testament. In Matthew 23 and Luke 11, Jesus brings him up as he is denouncing the religious leaders of his community. It is a very stern rebuke and reveals the depth of anger that God holds against people that use "holiness" to exclude people, or gain honor, or put a load of tasks on people, or collect tithes and so on.

But why does he say this? Luke 11: 50-51: "so that this generation may be charged with the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be charged against this generation."

What has this generation done to get charged with all the blood of prophets from A-Z?
How does that figure? It was their ancestors that killed most of the prophets! Is Jesus exaggerating, trying to make a point, or is something going to happen during his lifetime that will satisfy the cries for Vengeance from Abel's blood and Zechariah's?

No comments: