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March 31, 2024 • 48min
Easter Message
The Martyr Made Podcast
This podcast episode explores the theme of scapegoating in mythology, religion, and human societies. The host examines how ancient myths and stories often feature innocent victims being blamed and sacrificed for a community's problems. He argues that the Gospels present a unique perspective by telling the story from the victim's point of view rather than the persecutors'. The episode delves into how Christianity frames Jesus as the ultimate innocent scapegoat whose sacrifice reveals the truth about scapegoating mechanisms in human cultures.
Easter Message
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Key Takeaways
- The podcast explores the concept of scapegoating in mythology, religion, and human societies throughout history
- Ancient myths and stories often feature innocent victims being blamed and sacrificed for a community's problems
- The Gospels present a unique perspective by telling the story from the victim's point of view rather than the persecutors'
- Jesus is portrayed as the ultimate innocent scapegoat whose sacrifice reveals the truth about scapegoating
- Christianity calls on followers to stand with victims against mob persecution, even at great personal cost
- Recognizing and resisting the impulse to scapegoat others is key to breaking cycles of violence and injustice
Introduction
This podcast episode explores the theme of scapegoating in mythology, religion, and human societies. The host examines how ancient myths and stories often feature innocent victims being blamed and sacrificed for a community's problems. He argues that the Gospels present a unique perspective by telling the story from the victim's point of view rather than the persecutors'. The episode delves into how Christianity frames Jesus as the ultimate innocent scapegoat whose sacrifice reveals the truth about scapegoating mechanisms in human cultures.
Topics Discussed
Scapegoating in Ancient Myths (00:46)
The host begins by recounting several ancient myths and stories that feature scapegoating:
- The story of Apollonius of Tyana, who ordered the stoning of a beggar to lift a plague from Ephesus
- The Greek myth of Oedipus, who is blamed for bringing a curse upon Thebes
- The biblical story of Jonah being thrown overboard to calm a storm
The host argues that these stories follow a common pattern where communities under stress blame and sacrifice an innocent victim for their problems. He notes that we easily recognize this as scapegoating when presented as myth, but often fail to see it happening in real historical events.
The Uniqueness of the Biblical Perspective (19:00)
The podcast explores how the Hebrew Bible and Christian Gospels present a unique perspective on victimization:
- The Hebrew Bible contains many passages lamenting persecution and crying out to God as a victim
- This reflects the Jewish historical experience of defeat, exile, and oppression
- The Gospels tell the story of Jesus' crucifixion from the perspective of the innocent victim rather than the persecutors
The host argues this victim-centered view is extremely rare in ancient literature, which typically glorifies conquerors. He suggests the Jewish experience prepared them to recognize the significance of Jesus' crucifixion as an innocent scapegoat.
Jesus as the Ultimate Scapegoat (31:04)
The episode examines how Christianity frames Jesus as the ultimate innocent scapegoat:
- Passages from Isaiah are interpreted as prefiguring Jesus as a suffering servant figure
- Jesus is portrayed as despised, rejected, and unjustly punished for others' transgressions
- His crucifixion is seen as exposing the scapegoating mechanism that underlies human violence
The host argues that by willingly becoming a scapegoat, Jesus reveals the innocence of all scapegoat victims and the injustice of mob violence against them.
The Holy Spirit as Advocate (38:05)
The podcast discusses how Christianity frames the Holy Spirit as a counterforce to scapegoating impulses:
- The Greek word "Paraclete" for Holy Spirit means "advocate" or defense attorney
- This is contrasted with Satan as "the accuser" who incites scapegoating
- The Holy Spirit is said to help resist the impulse to blame and persecute others
The host suggests this concept calls on Christians to stand with victims against mob persecution, even at great personal cost.
Martyrdom as Resisting Mob Violence (40:05)
The episode reframes the concept of Christian martyrdom:
- Argues that martyrdom is not simply dying for beliefs
- Defines a martyr as someone who refuses to join a mob in persecuting a victim
- Suggests early Christian martyrs spread the faith by exemplifying this stance
The host reflects on personal experiences of failing to stand up to bullying, emphasizing how difficult but morally necessary it is to resist mob mentality.
The Scapegoat as "Lamb of God" (42:05)
The podcast concludes by examining how Christianity reinterprets the scapegoat concept:
- Explains the origin of "scapegoat" in Levitical rituals of sin transference
- Shows how Jesus is portrayed as both scapegoat and "Lamb of God"
- Argues this reframes the scapegoat from guilty outcast to innocent beloved of God
The host suggests this radical reinterpretation calls on followers to recognize the innocence of scapegoated victims and stand with them against persecution.
Conclusion
The episode explores how scapegoating mechanisms have operated throughout human history and mythology. It argues that Christianity presents a unique perspective by telling the story from the victim's point of view and framing Jesus as the ultimate innocent scapegoat. This is said to reveal the truth about scapegoating and call followers to stand with victims against mob persecution. The host suggests that recognizing and resisting the impulse to scapegoat others is key to breaking cycles of violence and injustice in human societies.
The podcast concludes with the host acknowledging this is not a complete theological account, but rather his personal reflections on the meaning of Easter. He expresses gratitude to listeners for their support and patience.