Sunday, April 24, 2016

"worship the Father in spirit and in truth" - Shakespeare and Betrayal

Tokyo


Shakespeare and Betrayal

According to the Gospels, Christ Jesus was betrayed by one of His disciples: Judas Iscariot.  This story gave a great impact on people of later generations.  One of them was Shakespeare.

A man like Christ Jesus could be even betrayed by one of his followers.  Then any hero could be also betrayed by one of his followers or any inferior figure around him.

If such a situation was viewed from a psychological point of view, it could be a really appealing story.  Shakespeare applied the psychological aspect of the relationship between Christ Jesus and Judas to his dramas, though Christ Jesus was not so emotional as leading figures in Shakespeare's dramas.

Betrayal is one of the key issues for Shakespeare's dramas.  And, Shakespeare must have learnt the fact that any great man such as Christ Jesus could face betrayal by somebody close to Him.  And, it could be a theme for a really appealing drama.

However, it is unknown how much Shakespeare suffered this human tragedy in his real life.  Or it is unknown who Shakespeare betrayed.

Anyway dramas Shakespeare wrote which do not include a scenario of betrayal do not look so successful.

However, the Gospels might be interpreted as a warning to believers that they cannot get rid of betrayal in their lives as Christ Jesus had to face the betrayal by Judas.   Therefore, we have to be always awakened.

Shakespeare was a cautious man, so that he did not write documents other than plays.  Writing was his resource of wealth.  If he had written carelessly any other documents than his plays, somebody might have abused them to cause damage to his reputation.  He did not leave much written evidence about what a man he was, which constituted the mystery about him.

Christ Jesus did not write letters, either.  He might have been afraid that such documentation would have been abused, since possible betrayers were everywhere.



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Joh 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.