A Christocentric reading of biblical Scripture reads the Old Testament through New Testament lenses grounded in the conviction that the former testifies to Jesus Christ (Shepherd 2018). The disobedience of a unified humanity at Babel we have explored in this series underscores the theological and historical significance of the ministry of Jesus of Nazareth (6-4 BCE–c. 30 CE), the “Christ” (Matt. 1:16), who would die on a Roman cross for the salvation of all humanity.

Part 1: Introduction to the Tower of Babel
Part 5: The Tower of Babel–Human Pride and Disobedience
Part 7: The Tower of Babel–Theological Conundrums (forthcoming)

An appropriate Christocentric reading requires that essential scriptural truths be understood, which, in particular, is that all humanity has transgressed and rebelled against God (Deut. 9:7; Josh. 1:18; 1 John 3:4). In this state, unsaved and sinful humans face eternal death (Rom. 6:23; Rev. 20:11-15). Without personally accepting Christ’s atoning death on the Cross and His resurrection for the purposes of one’s own salvation, one remains in rebellion against God and is therefore without hope of redemption. Eternal separation is the unrepentant’s destiny. For Christians, the New Testament has these spiritual truths at its heart, presenting “us with the fact that we are flawed humans, and we cannot reach heaven on our own by means of any physical structure we build” (Perrings 2007, 9). The pithy Old Testament story of the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11:1–9) describes a disobedient and rebellious humanity, who had opposed God.

Yet, Christ’s sacrificial death on the Cross and resurrection provide ultimate hope for the sinful and disobedient. These bridge the untraversable chasm separating sinful humanity from an infinitely holy God who revealed Himself in Scripture (Rom. 3:22–23). Only in Christ do “we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Eph. 1:7). Faith in Christ saves (Rom. 10:9–10; 1 Cor. 15:3–4), and “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Humanity’s rebellion against and separation from God are vividly portrayed at Babel. There, humans decided to settle in the plains of Shinar, southern Mesopotamia, thereby disobeying God’s command for humanity to be fruitful and multiply (Gen. 9:1). Prideful, the people intended to make a “name” for themselves (Gen. 11:4) and also build a tower reaching into the heavens, thereby omitting God in their work and failing to consider Him in their plans. Despite God having previously destroyed humanity through a cataclysmic flood because of its wickedness (Gen. 6–9), humans again slip into sin and rebellion. God had previously promised to never again flood the world in response to wickedness (Gen. 8:21; 9:5). But He never promised not to confuse human language, which He did as a punishment for the people at Babel for their disobedience.

Not unlike the people at Babel, Christians today, who have placed their faith in Christ, fall into sin and rebel against God (1 John 1:8–9). Like the Apostle Paul, Christians battle sin (Romans 7:21–23). Even though faithful Christians are redeemed, a “new creation” in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17), it remains impossible for them to be completely free from sin (Rom. 3:10; Ecc. 7:10). Because of sin, all people, including the faithful, continue to fall short of God’s glory (Rom. 3:23). All Christians will inevitably find themselves in wrongful relations with God, disobeying Him, and will need to “embrace a kind of exilic experience in order to come into right relationship [again] with God…” (Perrings 2007, 9).

Like God did with the people of Babel by scattering them, He can send His disobedient children “into the [metaphorical] wilderness in a type of exile experience in order to remind them to rely on him” (Perrings 2007, 9). In these moments, the faithful Christians must endure their challenges: “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?” (Heb. 12:7).

A Christocentric reading of Scripture should also lead us to acknowledge the actions of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Christ had promised His followers the Holy Spirit before His ascension into heaven (Acts 1:8). Pentecost shows a striking reversal of God’s confusion of the singular speech of the people at Babel into the competing languages of the world. At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit dramatically reunited the speakers of various tongues (Acts 2:1–13).

Fifty days after the death and resurrection of Christ, the apostles gathered and preached to an assembly of people from many nations (Acts 2). They were suddenly “all filled with the holy ghost, and began to speak with other tongues as the spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4). The assembly was amazed as the people each “heard their own language being spoken” by a group of Galileans (Acts 2:6).

This event was accompanied by grand signs, which included the sound of a violent wind (Acts 2:2) and the presence of fire (Acts 2:3). These images have powerful theological significance throughout Scripture. God demonstrates power via His control over wind and fire, both awesome, fearsome natural forces (Ex. 3:2; 13:21–22; 24:17; Isa. 10:17). Scripturally, fire also symbolizes holiness (Ps. 97:3; Mal. 3:2) and God’s presence (Heb. 12:29). It is identified with Christ in the Book of Revelation (1:14; 19:12).

From a theological point of view, this reversal underscores the universality of the Christian faith, stressing the fact that faith in Christ and the salvation He purchased via His death on the cross are not limited to a particular People. Rather, Christ set an example for his followers and the faithful across the ages to follow by sending out his disciples, instructing them to make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19-20). Although the “body of Christ” is one (Romans 12:5; 1 Cor. 10:17; Eph. 4:12; Heb. 13:3), it is also universal with many, many parts (1 Cor. 12:12-27). As a reversal of Babel, Christ’s teachings are communicable and expressible in any language.

References

Laura Perrings. 2007. “The Tower of Babel.” Denison Journal of Religion 7(2):1–11.

Shepherd, Jerry. 2018. “When a Christocentric Reading Is not Really Christocentric.” The Gospel Coalition. Available.