Analysis of John Crossan :: essays research papers

Crossan asserts that the human body is a microcosm for the body politic, citing anthropologist Mary Douglas who states, the body is a symbol of society (77). This heart that interactions between individuals serve as the basis for the macrocosm. Individuals atomic number 18 confined systems with searching boundaries that are continuously guarding against outside threats. On the macrocosmic level, the old-fashioned Roman patronal system offered severe consequences to those who fell outside or violated hearty boundaries. Chapter 4 entitled In the Beginning is the Body recognizes Jesus as a direct risk to society because of his adherence to open commensality and foot egalitarianism. But, despite the differences that estrange Roman society from Jesus community, the two groups are linked upon one important commonality. Leadership power in ancient Roman society was maintained through a careful order of social boundaries. These protective boundaries were symbolized by an explicit se paration of the clean and impure or the us and them. This ideology was initiated at the individual level by establishing the human body as a confined system that needed certain standards in order to remain clean and acceptable. Rules or margins regarding eating, drinking, and acculturation between classes were strictly followed because ones home and table were the prat for empowering ancient Rome (68). When margins are no longer clear, the fibers that collate a national culture begin to tear at the seams. On the macrocosmic level, ancient Roman society employed a patronal system, which was upheld by a sense of moral duty that extended through the hierarchical ranks come out to the most destitute (97). This system demanded adherence to social norms and severely penalize individuals who did not preserve these boundaries. For example, the leper was often characterized as one of the most sordid and despised figures of society. Crossan suggests that the leper is not a danger as a root of his medical condition, but rather because of the symbolic contamination that threatened to via media the identity of society (79). The leper was perceived as unclean because his disease rendered him dissimilar than normal people. On the other hand, Jesus advocated open commensality, which is the acceptance of each(prenominal) people equally. Jesus refused to treat the leper as an ostracized member of society and welcomed him into the terra firma of God. This act of bringing the marginalized back into the community infuriated Rome, but sprinkle Jesus reputation as a healer.