Calling Bible Things By Bible Names
Posted by Brian September 23, 2006
Last night, I was bored with the program on TV at David’s apartment (Celebrity Duets), and picked up a book to read instead.
The book was The Rapture Exposed: The Message of Hope in the Book of Revelation, by Barbara Rossing. I know this book is old news by now, but if you’re ever tempted to read those Left Behind books and take them seriously, then I recommend reading this instead.
Rossing writes about how a major theme in Revelation is Victory - “Nike” in Greek. The Romans worshipped Nike as a goddess. In Revelation, John asserts that the Romans are not the true Victors, Jesus is. But Jesus’ victory comes about not by imperial might and domination through war. Instead, Jesus conquers (”nike” can also mean “conquer”) by his own blood, shed in self-giving love on the Cross. Jesus is pictured in Revelation not as Lion, as John first leads us to believe, but rather as a vulnerable Lamb.
Interesting, but I didn’t decide to post about it until I remembered something else.
A few months ago, St. Michael’s was moving the furniture around, trying out new arrangements. Around that time, I guess somebody found an old altar vestment in a closet somewhere, and placed it on the altar. It had the letters “IC XC NI KA” all over it. Sadly, nobody really knew what that inscription meant. My rusty Greek was still good enough that I knew it was about Jesus and victory. I looked up further details.
The traditional translation of the phrase is “Jesus Christ conquers.” But here’s the interesting part (to me, at least): Orthodox Christians stamp this phrase on the top of the bread which they consecrate during Holy Communion. There is actually other bread which is also used during an Orthodox service, but the bread which will be consecrated as the Body of Christ is special. It gets this stamp, and it also has a special name: It is called The Lamb.
Remembering this in the context of the rich imagery in the book of Revelation, I was struck by the beauty of it all: the Victorious Lamb, who Conquers by the giving of his Body and Blood for the life of the world.
Our Church of Christ brothers and sisters sometimes like to talk about “calling Bible things by Bible names.” I think our Orthodox brothers and sisters are pretty good at that.
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, singing,
‘To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honour and glory and might for ever and ever!’
i want a jesus christ is nike stamp.
seriously though, i also have been happily surprised by how much of good catholic christianity is a better actualization of what i grew up with in the restoration movment.