Equip: Reformation - Jan Hus

The Reformation was fueled by a series of leaders who were motivated, not by selfish ambition, but by the pursuit of Godly principle. Each of these men faced catastrophic personal consequences; loss of prestige and position, excommunication, torture and even death by horrific means. They responded with an uncompromised commitment to principles born of the Spirit and of God’s word. It is astonishing to realize how the words of Luther at the Diet of Worms could be equally attributed to the dozens of Reformers who were also used by God to purify and strengthen the church for centuries to come:

I stand (convinced) by the Scriptures to which I have appealed, and my conscience is taken captive by God's word, I cannot and will not recant anything, for to act against our conscience is neither safe for us, nor open to us. On this I take my stand. I can do no other. God help me.

Their incredible commitment provided to us the gift of the Church we cherish today. 

Jan Hus

The subject of last week’s blog post was the Morning Star of the Reformation, John Wycliffe. He was so called because his principled positions, his writings and intellectual argumentation in opposition to the Roman church and in favor of Sola Scriptura inspired many of the Reformers who were to follow. One of those influenced was, Jan Hus.  Although Hus, who’s last name is Czech for goose, was only 12 years old and lived in Bohemia when Wycliffe died, his writings would have a profound impact on his life. 

He was born into a poor family but Hus’ easy intellect provided all he needed to attend and graduate from Prague University where he eventually received his Master’s degree and became a professor. Through his studies he discovered the writings of Wycliffe and they changed his view of the church and clergy. 

As with Wycliffe before him, he was repulsed by the greed and wealth of the church and this led him to question its authority. From his pulpit at the influential Bethlehem Chapel in Prague he railed against leadership that looked less like the images of Christ painted on the walls of his church and more like the princes of this earth. This did not sit well with those whose power and comfort his teachings were threatening. 

Because he challenged the teachings of the church, eventually they put him on trial. When he was given the opportunity recant under threat of death by fire he responded by appealing to Christ himself and said; 

"O God and Lord, now the Council condemns even thine own act and thine own law as heresy, since thou thyself didst lay thy cause before thy Father as the just judge, as an example for us, whenever we are sorely oppressed. There I lay my cause.” 

This only increased the cries of heretic and he was sentenced to be burned at the stake. Under heavy guard was led to his execution. The executioners undressed Hus and tied his hands behind his back with ropes, and his neck with a chain to a stake around which wood and straw had been piled up so that it covered, him to the neck. Still at the last moment the imperial marshal, in the presence of the Count Palatine, asked him to save his life by a recantation, but Hus declined with the words "God is my witness that I have never taught that of which I have been accused by false witnesses. In the truth of the Gospel which I have written, taught, and preached I will die today with gladness."

Thereupon the fire was kindled. With uplifted voice Hus sang, "Christ, thou Son of the living God, have mercy upon me." And before he succumbed to the smoke and flame with his last breath he prophesied that although now they would “cook this goose”, "there will come a swan in a hundred years that you will not reach."

100 years later enters Martin Luther, whose family crest contained a swan. 

Where Wolves I: Who Are The Wolves

Pastor’s conferences are kinda weird. Over my years of ministry I have been to a lot of these conferences and I have noticed an odd dynamic.  Quite often these events consist of pastors telling pastors how pastors are really important or how pastors are underappreciated or how pastors need to be respected or how pastors have a hard job. The whole thing, at times, can seem self serving. Don’t get me wrong, I understand there are unique challenges to a pastor’s life and spending time talking, sharing and even, on occasion, commiserating can be deeply beneficial but at times this exercise can move from being supportive and affirming to misguided and destructive. (If you’re not a pastor keep reading, this is ultimately about church-goers not pastors)

On more than one occasion I have seen this conversation move to the issue of “wolf hunting.”  I’m not talking about hunting real wolves, (I wouldn’t have an issue with that ‘cause that sounds cool) I’m talking about the metaphorical process of identifying, confronting and eradicating “wolves in sheep clothing” in your church. Usually this conversation begins with some story about some church member that created “dissention” or was “rebellious” or, worst of all, didn’t submit to the “vision of the senior pastor” and it ends with an encouragement to be courageous and “protect the flock” from these threats. 

While the basic elements of this admonition match biblical metaphors I fear that the dynamic at play amongst pastors leads to a mis-application of the concept in the life of the church. If you really want to step into the role of wolf killer (a role I believe pastors are charged with in the bible) you have to understand who a wolf is, what characteristics identify a wolf and how wolves are eliminated according to God’s word.  You can’t simply apply that title to anyone you want because ultimately you end up shooting sheep and protecting wolves.  

So first, who are the wolves?

As I stated earlier, one of the ideas that is expressed often is that you have to beware of “wolves in sheep’s clothing” and this phrase  is drawn directly from the words of Christ: 

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” (Matt 7:15)

Although this is a direct quote from the Gospel of Matthew and are the words of Jesus, you have to understand the context if you are going to use this passage as a starting point to find wolves.

Whenever Christ uses the analogy of sheep it is always with the understanding that He is the Shepherd.  It is in this context that He uses it when He paints a picture of the end time judgement and the separating of goats and sheep (Matt 25), it’s in this context that he quotes the prophecy from Zachariah 13 about the shepherd being struck and the sheep scattered (Matt 26, Mark 14), and it’s in this context when he speaks of the Good Shepherd in John 10. Every sheep analogy implies the followers of Christ are sheep and HE is the Shepherd.  This is important because when pastors co-opt Jesus’ terminology “ravenous wolves” in “sheep’s clothing” we are creating a subtle but profound shift from Christ’s intent. Pastors are assuming the role of shepherd in this description and the members of their congregation as the false sheep.  It is implying, that if we are going to “go on a wolf hunt” we, as the overseers of the flock, have to look in the sheep pen.  The problem with this is Christ is putting us, the pastors, in the sheep pen. He is saying there are those amongst the sheep that purport to be leaders, teachers, prophets who are false, who are the wolves. 

Christ begins the proper identification of wolves not pretending to be simply members of Christ’s fold but leaders among Christ’s fold. And this identification is consistent with the other occasion in scripture where we are warned against the threat of wolves in Acts 20.

Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Therefore be alert… 

When you look at the story behind this declaration it provides significant insight into the identification of wolves. Paul has just called together the elders from the church of Ephesus. This will be the last time he meets with them and gives them instruction. As you read this it is so important to remember that Paul started this church, spent years with this church and he appointed the elders in this church.  He knows them, he loves them and he has raised them up.  And he warns them to look out for wolves who will arise from among your own selves. The indication seems to be that Paul is warning the elders/pastors of Ephesus to look at themselves first when beginning their “wolf hunt.” In Calvin’s commentary on Acts he explains this passage like this:

This amplifieth the grievousness of the evil, because there be some wolves within, and so hiding themselves under the title of pastors (elders), [which] do wait for some opportunity wherein they may do hurt. Also, he declareth what danger these wolves do threaten, to wit, the scattering abroad of the flock, when the Church is drawn away from the unity of faith, and is divided into sects. Neither are all those wolves who do not their duty as they ought, but there be oftentimes hirelings, a kind of men not so hurtful as the other.   

Paul is saying the ravenous wolves that pretend to be Christ’s sheep are the people who are leading the flock. That we pastors, when looking for wolves, should first look in the mirror.  It’s easy to see this is true when you realize that many of the most dire warnings in scripture about threats to the church revolve around false teachers, false leaders, false prophets. (2 Peter 2:1-3, Romans 17:17, 1 John 4:1-4, 2 John 1:7-11, 1 Timothy 4:1-5, 2 Timothy 4:3). It is NOT about bad sheep, it’s about bad (under)shepherds. 

Yes, there are trouble makers in the pews. Yes, there are those who don’t follow well. Yes, there are those who make the jobs of pastors more difficult. But this is what sheep do. They bite each other. They wander away. They resist the leading of the shepherd. But the answer isn’t to shoot them or to throw them into the woods where they might starve or be devoured simply because that would make the shepherds job easier. Unruly sheep need to be shepherded not shot. They need to be cared for and pastored. They need to be nurtured and developed.  It’s not fun, it’s not easy, it’s not glamorous, it’s not macho but it is the work of the Gospel to which pastors are called.   

In fact, the truth is, when we begin to treat the sheep as threats to OUR roles as shepherd we begin to display the traits of the wolf which we are called to eliminate. 

Next: Identifying the Wolf