Good News?

“I’ve got good news and bad news. Which do you what first?”

How many times have you made this claim, or had it made to you? Too many times to count probably. Have you ever considered that the evaluation of good/bad is on the person giving the news? We rely on their, or our, interpretation of what is deemed to be good/bad to and for us.

I recall a time at work when someone came to me with this statement. I said, which I often do, give me the good news first. Their response was, “I don’t have to be here tomorrow.” Now to me, this was not good news because I would then have pick up their load, along with mine, for the day. Begrudgingly I then asked what the bad news was, from which they responded, “I’ve been fired!” At this precise moment I had to make a very important decision: Rejoice that this nut-case was finally out of my life or act solemn in the misery this person was feeling. Perspectives on good/bad news have many twists.

The Gospels, we are told, are the good news of Jesus’s life and death. Okay, I can see the life part being good for him, the disciples and his followers, but for the religious folks who felt threatened by his work, they possibly viewed this as bad news whenever Jesus showed up.

Conversely, the death of Jesus can be registered as bad news for him, the disciples and his followers, while the religious folks rejoiced at squelching a potential rebellion which would exact a terrible toll on their relationship with the Roman government.

However, the resurrection of Jesus from the bounds of death is good news to the disciples and his followers, while it would be bad news for the religious and governing folks who now face the real possibility of being exposed, defamed and publicly accused for the death of an innocent man. This is a real first where the man confirmed to be dead is alive to confronts those who killed him!

Yet, the forgiveness which Jesus displays by not vindicating himself before the religious and governing folks is good news to them since they won’t have to endure any public repercussions for their actions, while it will make it difficult to the disciples and his followers to rightfully standup to attempts to keep them from telling everyone what occurred.

This scenario of good news/bad news can keep playing on and on without ever ending simply because there will always be at least two sides to the narrative which can be told and affect someone’s sense of morality. Duality does that, always.

Over the course of two millennium the church has had to redefine the good news of Jesus to meet the expectations of empire and doctrine. We, the church, still might not have it exact, but maybe we’re not suppose to. Paul claimed that this entire production is a mystery which must be revealed. Generations have had to look into what’s so good about the singular execution of a Hebrew teacher in the midst of a Roman occupation. It certainly confounds the mind, but isn’t that the manner all mysteries follow?

The next time you seek to divulge the Good News from rote, take the time for a moment to consider from whose perspective this news is being told and received. And in this moment also seek to instill the sense of mystery which draws people to inquire for further insight rather than just dismiss the whole thing as an outlandish myth, which makes it bad news in a world already bereft with an abundance of bad news.