The Dealers

It’s often forgotten that the artists we know and love owe their prominence not just to their talent but to the art dealers who spotted that talent and promoted their art. Monet once remarked that had not the great champion of the Impressionists, Paul Durant-Ruel, promoted their art they all would have starved.

Not all the art dealers were as scrupulous as Durant-Ruel. Gaugin was among the artists who fell prey to Ambroise Vollard’s business acumen. In 1895 the dealer refused to buy Gaugin’s paintings of Tahiti, enraging the artist. Then Vollard went on to buy up major works by Gaugin that were on the market at record breaking prices. Having effectively made the Post Impressionist famous, Vollard sent the artist a modest stipend when he made sales of Gaugin’s art – a small price to pay, considering the money the Paris gallery was raking in.

Ambroise Volllard, however is credited with ‘discovering’ Picasso, Cezanne, Rouault and many others. Picasso, whose 1910 portrait of the dealer is one of the most famous images of him, once said that “The most beautiful woman who ever lived never had her portrait painted, drawn or engraved any more often than Vollard.

Peter the deal maker

We can understand Peter's attempt to promote Jesus in much the same way. In effect he was offering to manage the ‘Jesus campaign’. When Jesus speaks of suffering and rejection, and death he suggests a better way of saving mankind!

“Get behind me Satan” Mark 8:33. There's no doubt that Peter thought he was putting into words a common-sense counsel of prudence, but he has blurted out what Satan has been whispering to Jesus all along.

Jesus has on every occasion sent Satan away. Here he turns his back definitively on not just the shallow suggestion of Peter, but the diabolical idea that Satan could have any part in the salvation of mankind.

Yet we are Sometimes presented with the gospel story as if it was a deal done with Satan for the lives of mankind! The idea goes something like this:

Man has sinned so comes under the judgement of God’s holy will that demands justice and righteousness.

Satan demands that mankind is delivered into eternal condemnation and everlasting death but God in His love for mankind sees a way to save sinful mankind.

Jesus' holy life makes him the perfect sacrifice for sin and in offering his life for the sake of mankind he satisfies the demands of justice and righteousness.

Sounds good doesn’t it, but it cannot be a true account of Christ’s offering and sacrificial death for so many reasons.

God doesn’t strike deals with Satan.

Satan is the one who is always on the attack, always eager to undermine the work of God, always ready to lead people into sin and guilt so there will be more to accuse them of. Jesus turns his back on Satan, just as he turns his back on Peter so that he can see into the loving face of His Father God. In deed we see into the heart of God Himself in this exchange for ‘God is love’.

On the cross the condemnation and the weight of sin and guilt enters into the very Godhead himself. Jesus takes the full weight of sin and evil so that people can be free from Satan’s accusations and given life in all its fullness.

The cross is the means by which Jesus will rescue mankind but we must not turn this good news into the ‘Death cult’ of Islamic extremists who preach salvation by martyrdom. Any suggestion that sacrifice is a payment for something will obscure the true meaning of the sacrifice of Christ. Christ gives himself as a gift of love not a payment for salvation.

Jesus' challenge to ‘Take up our cross daily’ cannot, then possibly mean seeking martyrdom each day.

It is instead a challenge to service, meaning to live as Christ did each day in offering our lives to others in obedience to God’s holy will.

So whether we understand Jesus’ words ‘Get behind me Satan as being addressed to Peter, or Satan himself, Peter’s common sense suggestions exactly coincide with the satanic suggestion that Jesus should compromise God’s saving love, a love in which God in Jesus is the sacrifice.

As Jesus turned his face to Jerusalem and all that would await him there, he once more heard those words of divine affirmation. “This is my Son whom I love”. We too will know that loving presence as we pick up our cross and follow him.

A prayer for peace in the Holy land.

O God of all justice and peace we cry out to you in the midst of the pain and trauma
of violence and fear which prevails in the Holy Land.
Be with those who need you in these days of suffering; we pray for people of all faiths – Jews, Muslims and Christians and for all people of the land.
While we pray to you, O Lord, for an end to violence and the establishment of peace,
we also call for you to bring justice and equity to the peoples.
Guide us into your kingdom where all people are treated with dignity and honour as your children for, to all of us, you are our Heavenly Father.
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. 

Rev. Simon Brignall