Jesus… Not Quite a Superhero

Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)—remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Ephesians 2:11-13

When I was young, I loved superheroes. Okay, I still do. I’ll admit it. Once, my favorites were Superman and Batman. Though I still have a boyish admiration for them, these days, I’m most excited about Wonder Woman and Black Panther.

Most superhero movies have more or less the same storyline: something really bad happens; things are desperately wrong and hopeless; then, a superhero shows up to save the day.

A similar narrative appears in Ephesians 2, twice, in fact. In the first half of the chapter, we are dead in our sins, in bondage to sinful desires and the devil, and deserving God’s judgment. But God intervenes, giving us new life and freedom through Christ. The second half of Ephesians 2 begins in like manner. Here, we Gentiles are separated from God’s people (Israel) and their blessings (the Messiah, covenants of promise, hope, God). But God does not abandon us. We read, “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (2:13).

The bad news for us Gentiles is that we were once “far away” from God and all of God’s blessings. The good news is that we “have been brought near by the blood of Christ” (2:13). We have been gathered into the people of God, a people, as we shall soon see, that includes both Jews and Gentiles. Also, we have been brought near to God because of what Christ has done for us. The story that begins with our separation from God and his people ends with a unity forged by Jesus Christ through his death.

Notice that Jesus isn’t a superhero in the ordinary sense, one who saves us by his superior powers. Rather, he does so by giving his life for our sake, sacrificing himself, not only so that we might be saved as individuals, but also so that broken and separated humanity might be reconciled.

Something to Think About:

What are some of your favorite stories?

Do they include a basic storyline similar to that of Superman and Ephesians 2?

Have you experienced being brought near to God and his people through Christ?

Something to Do:

You might find the following exercise fun, especially if you like superheroes. Make a list of ways in which your favorite superhero is both like and unlike Jesus. What do the similarities and differences show you? (Bit of trivia: Superman’s real, Kryptonian name is Kal-El, which, in Hebrew, means “voice of God.” Hmmm.)

Prayer:

Gracious God, thank you for not abandoning me when I was far away from you. Thank you for reaching out to me with your love, for drawing me near to you in Christ. Thank you for making me a member of your people, so that I might receive the blessings of fellowship with them as well as with you. May I live today in this fellowship, with gratitude and joy. Amen.

Explore more at The High Calling archive, hosted by the Theology of Work Project:
Best of Daily Reflections: Should We Act Like Superheroes?