Today's Scripture Reading (October 24, 2025): Psalm 147
Recently, I have come to
question the myth regarding the rise to power of Constantine the Great.
According to the myth, Constantine's rise to power began in 306 C.E. at the
death of his father, Constantius Chlorus. Constantius had ruled during a period
of divided rule for the Roman Empire. The idea was that rule over the Empire
was too much for one man. As a result, control was given to two leaders, a
senior leader and a junior one. The Senior leader would be given the title "Augustus,"
and the Junior leader would bear the title "Caesar." For most of his
time at the helm of the Roman Empire, Constantius was the Caesar. It was only
the last year of his life that Constantius was able to bear the Title Augustus.
And for that final year, Severus II was Caesar of the Roman Empire.
At the death of Constantius,
the Roman military immediately proclaimed Constantine as Emperor. According to
the law, Constantine could have been elected as Caesar, with Severus becoming
Augustus. However, two things happened. First, the Empire was split into four
parts, and a civil war began between the combined forces of Constantine and
Severus against Maxentius. Following the death of Severus, the son of
Constantius wanted it all; he wanted to be Augustus, but even more than that,
he desired to return the Empire to the administration of a single Emperor.
The civil war was fought in
the Empire for (almost) the next two decades. In 324, Constantine received a
vision from God; the vision came in the form of a cross in the sky, and the
message Constantine received was "In this sign, conquer." The
question that is often raised is, did this really happen? For some, the
automatic answer is no because they discount any story based on a miracle or
spiritual elements. But that is not my problem. I have no problem with God
reaching out to send Constantine a message. However, for me, the message doesn't
make sense.
When Jesus entered Jerusalem
on Palm Sunday, it was on a donkey. Despite all of the emotions present in the
city, Jesus decided to enter riding a donkey, which symbolized peace. He could
have arrived on a horse, symbolizing a conqueror, but he didn't. Over and over,
the Bible emphasizes a God who supports the weak and the humble, not the
conquering hero. And when a conquering hero gets the attention of God, such as
David, it is often during moments of humility and weakness.
And so, the Psalmist reminds
us that God sustains the humble. I am not sure that God is the one who would
put a cross in the sky and say, "In this sign, conquer." It seems
more likely that God would put a cross in the sky and say, "In this sign,
serve. In this sign, take care of those who are weak and hungry, the stranger
and the fatherless in your midst. Because this is why I have lifted you up, and
it is there that you can make a difference."
Tomorrow's Scripture Reading:
Psalm 148
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