We have moved to www.theprognosis.org

That’s right, Jesus died in his forties, at least that’s what one of the early church leaders, Irenaeus, of the second century taught. Here’s his reasoning:

“For He came to save all through means of Himself—all, I say, who through Him are born again to God — infants, and children, and boys, and youths, and old men. He therefore passed through every age, becoming an infant for infants, thus sanctifying infants; a child for children, thus sanctifying those who are of this age, being at the same time made to them an example of piety, righteousness, and submission; a youth for youths, becoming an example to youths, and thus sanctifying them for the Lord. So likewise He was an old man for old men, that He might be a perfect Master for all, not merely as respects the setting forth of the truth, but also as regards age, sanctifying at the same time the aged also, and becoming an example to them likewise. Then, at last, He came on to death itself…” (Against Heresies, Book 2, Chapter 22)

Irenaeus was known for his allegorical interpretations of things. In order for Jesus to save people of a particular age then he had to be a particular age. Irenaeus divided the ages into infants, children, boys, youths and old men. So in order for Jesus to save old men, he argues, Jesus must have become an old man. (And by the way, Irenaeus defines old men as over 40, not me!)

What about biblical support of this argument?

“You are not yet fifty years old, the Jews said to him, and you have seen Abraham!” (John 8:57)

Irenaeus argues that if Jesus was 30-33 years old when the Pharisees said this to him then they would have said “You are not yet forty years old…”

It made me wonder, all those times when I say that Jesus ministered for three years or that he died when he was about 33 years of age, how do I know that it’s right. I’m just going by what people have told me. Does the bible tell us how old Jesus was when he died?

Well first of all, we know that Jesus was baptised and therefore began his ministry when he was about 30 years old as it tells us in Luke 3:23, “Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry.” So how do we know that Jesus ministered for about three years. John in his gospel records three Passovers through Jesus ministry and as Passover happens once a year surely that shows that Jesus ministered for three years.

But when you get stuck into studying the gospels, you soon realise that they’re not supposed to be completely chronological as they’re not just biographies. Particularly with John, he uses Passovers to signify something in particular. So if Jesus was, as Irenaeus says, in his forties when he died, then John could’ve just picked out three out of the possibly 20 Passovers in Jesus’ ministry to signify something particular. So the three Passovers in John’s gospel don’t necessarily equate to three years.

My conclusion (at the moment) is that we don’t definitely know. I’d love for someone to point out how we can be certain, but I certainly haven’t come across anything. Jesus certainly didn’t reach his late forties as Pilate only governed until 36AD ad Herod who died in Acts 12 ruled until 44AD and so if Jesus was born around 5BC then the oldest Jesus could’ve been when he died is 41. And I certainly don’t think Jesus had to be an old man to save old men. So has Irenaeus got it wrong? Has tradition got it wrong? There’s only one way to find out… Fight!

It may seem suprising, but there is meaning behind this seemingly odd title. There is a profound link between truth and melons.

In the last blog, John mentioned the Truth of God reaching his mind and the heart, something deeper than merely knowing or understanding. That’s what the melon is all about; truth that isn’t merely cerebral, belief that is based in the heart, ideas that are more than abstract theories but are grasped with faith and in real hope.

Confused?

The second century church leader, Irenaeus, had a bit of a problem with people who loved ideas. People who were crazy about leaping from one exciting and gargantuan theory to the next, consistency and integrity were nothing, all that mattered was philosophy and intellectualism: people whose minds were buzzing but whose hearts were silent. What was his response? Well, naturally he made up a story about melons, gourds and cucumbers!

There exists a power which I term a Gourd; and along with this Gourd there exists a power which again I term Utter-Emptiness. This Gourd and Emptiness, since they are one, produced (and yet did not simply produce, so as to be apart from themselves) a fruit, everywhere visible, eatable, and delicious, which fruit-language calls a Cucumber. Along with this Cucumber exists a power of the same essence, which again I call a Melon. These powers, the Gourd, Utter-Emptiness, the Cucumber, and the Melon, brought forth the remaining multitude of the delirious melons of Valentinus.

This was his attempt, brimming with irony, to show that to live by changeable ideas and theories is entirely subjective. His point was that truth that is made up is not truth, any meaningful truth that can be gained about God, must come from God!

We live in a world that loves to speculate, it loves the unknowable and the mysterious. Irenaeus’ melon set out to show that speculation is pointless, God can neither be known by mysterious speculation nor by scientific research. The melon was an attempt to reveal some eternal truth about God and his self revelation, in a relevant and comprehensible way.

There is an important lesson to learn here. The truth about God was never meant to find its resting place in our minds, it was never meant to stop there. Christians, students, Sunday school teachers, parents, lecturers, pastors…the truth is intended for the heart not merely the mind! If it is left in the mind alone then it will become at best forgotten, and at worst, theorised, rationalised and critiqued.

The truth God has revealed about himself in the Bible, is an eternal, glorious and powerful thing. How are we getting this across in a way that does not solely encourage its dissection in the mind? How are we encouraging others to grasp this truth in their hearts? And how are we putting it across so that it can be understood? I guess it comes down to that old chestnut again – eternal truth for a contemporary world; the progressive practice of the one unchanging truth.

So where do melons fit into your way of thinking? What are you doing to make the revealed truth of God known in a way that goes beyond intellectualism? Clearly I am not against rational thought, discussion and theorising, but surely our greatest need in relation to God’s truth, is to embrace it, grasp it firmly by faith and live by it in our hearts.