The Name Game (Part 1)

At the creation, God called out the Day, Night, Heaven, Earth, Seas (Gen. 1), and finally Man (Gen. 5:2). His naming was a natural and reasonable function of his role as the Creator. So when he created man, in his own image, man was also one who would naturally and creatively name all the creatures as a function of his God-given dominion (Gen 2:19-20). Down through history parents’ naming of their children would be an almost sacred function of creativity and dominion.

Often the naming seemed to rise to the level of the prophecy as parents would call out all the possibility and purpose that their faith in God might work in their children. We see this frequently in the Bible. Sadly, sin marred this sacred naming process and in many cases it became less about a God-given dominion and blessing and more about domination and a mocking control of others…whom we have no right to name.

I grew up knowing what it was to be called names—some good, some bad. On the playground kids always seem to show their oppressive creativity in devising the most unpleasant nicknames. Trust me I know…probably you do as well. At home, even my Dad’s affectionate nicknames for me were words that might be hard for some to swallow such as “Knucklehead”, “Twerp”, and “Dummy.” It could have been much worse. While my dad meant better than the kids on the playground, his naming left much to be desired.

Much has been written in recent years about the oppressor’s practice of naming the oppressed. However this practice is an ancient one. You can read Daniel 1:1-7 as four young Jewish youths who were taken from Jerusalem as part-hostage and part-culture changers are renamed in especially insensitive ways by their Babylonian captors. How many of them can you name by their real names? (Three of their oppressor-given names are more familiar to us than their original names. Try to answer before looking below.)

  

Original Name	Meaning	Captive Names	Meanings
Daniel	God is my Judge	Belteshazzer	O Lady [wife of the god Bel], protect the king
Hananiah	Yahweh is gracious	Shadrach	“I am very fearful”; or “Command of Aku” [moon god]
Mishael	Who is what God is?	Meshach	“Who is like Aku?”; or “I am of little account”
Azariah	Yahweh is a helper	Abednego	Servant of Nebo (the shining one) sun

Contemporary understanding of justice emphasizes the right of a person to “name his own universe.” But why is this important? So how should we respond when we are named by others? In what ways will their naming of us affect our lives?

As a case study, let’s consider these four Hebrews. How did Daniel and his friends react to their re-naming? (In addition to Daniel 1:1-7, you may want to consider 4:7-9; 5:11-13; and 10:1-2.)

How does this biblical example inform our own situations?

I probably have at least two more posts I could write on this subject, but would like to get a dialog started here instead of preemptively putting my opinion out there. Will you join me?

He Took The Fall (Mark 14:53-65)

And they led Jesus to the high priest. And all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together. And Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he was sitting with the guards and warming himself at the fire. Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none. For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree. And some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying, “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.’” Yet even about this their testimony did not agree. And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need? You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as deserving death. And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards received him with blows. (Mark 14:53-65)

Where they likely kept score in the "Kings Game"
as they beat Christ. It was carved into the pavement stones... 
which can be seen in the basement of the Sisters of Zion Convent.

Today on my devotional blog we were reading the last section of Mark 14 (v. 53-65) and in lieu of commentary I posted a magazine article I wrote for the newly evangelical Plain Truth magazine back in 2002 that was entitled, “He Took the Fall.”  I include it here as an appropriate way to begin the Lenten season.

He Took the Fall

“He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench; He will bring forth justice for truth.” (Isaiah 42:2-3, NKJ)

"But He kept silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, 'Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?' Jesus said, 'I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.' " (Mark 14:61-62 NKJ)

Though I have read it many times, the story of Jesus of Nazareth being arrested and dragged into a hostile court in the middle of the night still amazes me. He was mishandled, abused, and falsely accused, yet He made no answer, offered no protest, and mounted no defense. I wonder, could Jesus have been shielding someone by His silence? Was He taking the rap, the fall, the heat, out of love for someone else?

I've watched enough lunch-time Perry Mason re-runs to know when the accused is trying to protect someone by not telling all they know. Jesus could have gotten Himself off the hook, but He didn't. I am forced to ask, “So why didn’t He?” I believe He kept quiet because, He was deliberately taking the blame for someone He loved. But there was a problem with Jesus' plan—just one…His accusers couldn't find any grounds to convict Him, even with a multitude of lying witnesses.

The judge wanted to condemn Him. The jury wanted to convict Him. The witnesses wanted to frame Him. But they couldn't find a reason. Amazing! There was no dirt in His past, no skeleton in His closet, nothing. They tried to twist His teachings by misquoting and misapplying them, but even then they couldn't get their stories to agree. Imagine, the conviction that must have come upon their souls as they tried to frame the only truly innocent man. Jesus kept silent, not speaking in His own defense, and Scripture was fulfilled.

He didn't sit there, before His accusers, in an angry, hostile, sullen silence. He was not pouting, sulking, or hating. He was silent because He knew that this was the moment for which He had come into the world. How wonderful His example is—He didn't trust in His rights, but in His Heavenly Father. As it is written, "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain . . . Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.” “Then a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.’ " (John 12:23-28 NKJ)

Finally, it seems that Jesus had to help the prosecution—they were getting nowhere. The Lord Jesus Christ, in His love for the one He was protecting, answered one question—a simple name-rank-and-serial-number type of question. While He neither defended Himself—He kept silent; nor spoke out in justified condemnation of His accusers and their arguments—He...answered nothing.  He did, however, speak to make His identity clear—I AM. And for that they killed Him.

It is no surprise that Jesus was protecting someone by His silence—but it was who He was protecting that was so unique. He was protecting the High Priest who envied, the Pharisees who scorned, the false witnesses who spitefully lied and twisted His life-work, and the guards who abused Him. For them He remained silent. He did it for the thieves who deserved death. He did it for Barabbas the violent revolutionary. He did it for Peter who stood outside vehemently denying that he even knew "this man Jesus!" He did it for the soldiers who crowned Him with thorns and nailed His hands and feet to the cross. It was for Saul who would brutally persecute His followers. It was even for those who would manipulate His teachings and deceive many. It was out of an infinite love for men and women throughout the ages who were at war with God—lost people doing lost things—that Jesus remained silent. It was for me. It was for you.

Jesus, the Lamb of God, was no martyr, forced to die for the cause. He planned to save us, long before we were created, and when the hour came took our place willingly as the supreme act of love. As Paul writes, “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:13-14 NKJ) His plan worked, and I will be forever grateful.

       Jesus Christ, the Second Adam, took the Fall!

© 1995 Greg K. Dueker