Medea vs. Jesus: Social Commentaries in Dramatic Fiction and in Gospel Narratives
Both Euripides' ancient Greek tragedy "Medea" and the chronicled gospel "Sermon on the Mount of Jesus" in "The Gospel According to St. Matthew" give the perspectives of outsiders critiquing the morals of their respective societies. Medea is a strange, witch of a woman, brought from a strange and alien land to marry Jason. Her alienation for Euripides becomes proof that people should not mingle with one another, across different city-states in Greece. Thus, although the play is sympathetic to Medea's plight to some degree, ultimately it acts as a validation of common Greek social values. In contrast, Jesus' social commentary instead validates the words of the speaker, rather than critiques them. The play is written from a sympathetic chronicler of Jesus' social mission and validates Jesus' words and Jesus' critique of common societal wisdom on the subjects of suffering, adultery, materialism, murder -- subjects Medea also addresses, but in a more conventional fashion.
Suffering
Jesus validates suffering in a positive fashion. In the section of the "Sermon on the Mount" known as the "Beatitudes," Jesus states "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted." The most famous phrase of the Sermon on the Mount is "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." This suggests that those individuals society may reject are not necessarily bad -- in fact, quite the opposite. The world's decision to give favor to some and not give favor to others is not a moral judgment for all time, merely an expression of an incorrect societal moral norm. Thus, Jesus says, in God's eyes: "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. (5:2-6) Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall...
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