Today's article was originally written as a reflection paper for my Christian Social Ethics course. Just like the article on Stanley Hauerwas, I submitted this paper in the same semester.

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This time the book is The Moral Vision of the New Testament by Richard. B. Hays. However, our focus is the fifth chapter.

Introduction: The Journey of Commitment and Faith

The Christian life is a demanding journey of commitment and dedication. One commitment is to refresh oneself with the Bible, as it is not a mere book that is read a specific number of times; instead, it is read regularly, and more so, daily. Reading this chapter and the passages from Luke and Acts reminded me of this commitment, which is one of the foundations of every Christian. As I occupied myself with the accounts of Jesus birth, teachings, miracles, and death, I learned that the two-part structure of Luke-Acts is a brilliant addition because it provides a necessary sequel to what happened next after the events of Jesus.

In order to explore the themes, values, and analysis of Richard Hays in this chapter, I engaged myself in a rereading of both the gospel of Luke and its sequel, the Acts of the Holy Spirit. In this paper, I will provide several themes I have learned and reflected on.

Themes and Reflections from Luke-Acts

Luke's Christology

One theme of this chapter is Luke’s Christology, which provides several accounts of Jesus identity. Jesus is the Messiah, the servant of God. He is also the prophet like Moses, who guides his people on a journey. And lastly, He is also the righteous martyr seen in the wisdom of Solomon, who died for the sins of the world. In a way, this chapter made me trust more in God’s plan, similar to how Luke wrote an orderly account for Theopilus to trust more in the "orderliness" of this two-part narrative.

Concern for the Poor and Needy

Another important theme in this chapter is Luke’s emphasis on the poor and needy. Luke highlights Jesus' concern for the marginalized, economically disadvantaged, and socially outcast individuals in society. This emphasis on social justice and care for the poor is more pronounced in Luke compared to the other Gospels. There are several instances that show proof of Luke’s Jesus concern for the poor, like The Magnificat, Jesus ministry to the poor, parables and stories, and social reversals.

The Early Church Under Tyranny

Lastly, this theme made me ponder the emergence of the church inside an authoritative or even tyrannical state. Indeed, this was most impactful as Christian, for Richard Hays’ tackles how the first churches came into existence with the disciple’s empowerment through the Holy Spirit while living in turbulent times, in contrast to the freer state we have today. They found themselves in an environment that is hostile towards their confession and even views them as a political threat. They were branded as drunkards, insurrectionists, atheists, or even as cannibals.

Despite all this, the Lord reminds them that persecution is also a means to grow their faith. What I understood from this is that we Christians will naturally be treated like how the world treated Christ; they will be zealously hostile to us.

Moreover, Christianity is not a practice of seclusion, nor is it a secretive association; Jesus is meant to be proclaimed!

Furthermore, we are also commanded to respect and obey the rightful authorities, but that does not mean we are to turn a blind eye against injustices, even in the face of persecution or even the threat of death.

Moral Challenges in the Modern World

Surely, reading this has been timely and relevant. I had several insights:

First, several issues in the west, like the legalization of same-sex marriage and gender identity recognition, and issues here in our country, like corruption and abuse of power, are all due to a decline in moral standards.

Second, a lot of my fellow countrymen nowadays believe that change, progress, and the advancement or betterment of life could be achieved if only we voted for the right politicians. So did the Germans, and so did the Russians. There is no empire that is from this world that will exist for long. All of them will fall. Just like the Roman and Mongolian Empires.

Third, there must exist an alternative—that Christ is the only true antidote amidst this turmoil, and we proclaim this amidst silent hostility. We are to show the world that the church is different and that Christ is different from these earthly leaders! So that the world may see that no authority is independent of the authority that Christ has. All dominion over earth has passed to the Son.

Application: Advancing God’s Kingdom Today

In summary, this reading of Richard Hays and the book of Luke-Acts sheds light on the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, the emergence of various Christian communities, and the moral dilemmas that the early disciples of Jesus encountered. Hays explores the concepts of justice, community, and mission that served as the compass for these early Christians so that readers consider the importance of moral values that are needed in today's world.

We are to continue our journey of faith and moral growth. I find encouragement to embrace God's call to disciple and be discipled, embodying the moral vision presented in these texts in our pursuit of justice, compassion, and liberation of the poor, the transformation of community, with all the idea that we, through the continuous help of the Holy Spirit, advance God's kingdom in our world today.