To The other Side

After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon. Simon’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever, and they interceded with him about her. He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and waited on them.

At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases brought them to him. He laid his hands on each of them and cured them. And demons also came out from many, shouting, “You are the Son of God.” But he rebuked them and did not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Christ.

At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place. The crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him, they tried to prevent him from leaving them. But he said to them, “To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent.” And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea. (Luke 4:38-44)

Luke describes Jesus as having saved people from death, in this case, Simon’s mother-in-law and people sick with various diseases. I contrast this healing and saving with Greek mythology’s Charon, also known as Kharon. 

(begin) Charon was the ferryman of Hades whose responsibility was to row the souls of the dead across the rivers Styx and Acheron into the Underworld. Different myths at different times claimed that the entrance to the Underworld was through either the River Acheron, a swampy river connected to the realm of the living, or the corrosive River Styx. This ferryman required a tax or toll to ship the dead to the Underworld, so ancient Greeks developed the tradition of placing coins in the mouth of the dead.

The Underworld, also known as Hades after its ruler, was the realm of the Greek afterlife. Some Christians today believe that the dead may be sent to different afterlives depending on how they conducted themselves in life. The ancient Greeks, on the other hand, believed that all of the dead were brought to the Underworld, perhaps by the god Hermes. (end)

When Jesus gets into our boats, that may be storm-tossed, he stills the waters and steers us to the other side, that is, to quieter waters. He requires no payment or toll. He provides the ticket to eternity.  We only need to accept and ride with him. Jesus is our own personal ferryman.

Deacon David Pierce