I had been writing several articles about Baptist Faith and practices in Nagaland. I thought, I had done enough and was sufficient so decided to go into hibernation. But the inner voice goes on telling me to write more. I know this article will be like putting salt on a raw wound but I cannot help doing it. Many people will consider me as a heretic. However, I am least bothered by what other people call me. My only concern is my intimate relationship with God. Any name given in this world will vanish in no time but the day of reckoning will come one day and whatever result comes out at that moment will be eternal.
Naga Christians are very fond of celebrating jubilees. I am not condemning it as such. We must understand its true meaning and its significance. Our motives for such celebrations may be many but they must be put under the acid test of the Word of God. The word Jubilee is derived from the Hebrew word “Yovel” (Ram, or Rams horn). For the Hebrew people, the jubilee year began on Rosh-Ha-Shanah by blowing the shafar (ram’s horn) on the day of atonement of that year. It is to “proclaim a release (liberty) through out the land to all its inhabitants. (Levi.25:9-10) It was to be a year for each Jew to begin life again on equal basis. The rules to be followed are enumerated clearly and mentioned in the verses that follow verse 10. The purpose of the law is for Social equality. It is something like the Indian Socialistic pattern of Society of equal rights and equal opportunities as enshrined in the Constitution of India. The principle behind this is to ensure that no individual should amass excessive wealth and no Jew should remain in perpetual poverty and servitude. It is to be remembered that the Jews who returned to Palestine did not observe these laws after their Babylonian Exile.
For many centuries, the chosen race, Israel did not observe the statutes of the law. The Apostles and their immediate followers also did not remember to celebrate Jubilees. In the New Testament, we do not see any mention of jubilees. The Church did not see the importance till Boniface VIII occupied the Papal throne in the late 13th century. The revival of jubilee celebration started in this way. In the year 1291, the last military station, Acre, held by the Christians in Palestine, fell into the hands of the Turks. They were in possession of the Sepulcher of Jesus Christ and all other holy places and objects of pilgrimages. So Christians had no where to go for pilgrimage. Palestine was lost irrecoverably. The Cross and the holy Sepulcher were in the hands of the Saracens but the tombs of St. Peter and St. Paul’s were in the city of Rome. So Christian pilgrims can go to Rome instead of Jerusalem. Without going to pilgrimage there was no way of replenishing the already dwindling Papal treasury. The Pope wanted money and the people wanted their sins to be forgiven and were willing to pay for any price. The whole teaching of the Church at that time was man made practices that could wash away the sins of men.
By the 4th century of Christian history, the practice of Mariology (worship of Mary) had already been instituted. Rosary, a series of prayers on a string of beads by which they were to be counted that ended by larger bead for Gloria Patria had been introduced. Some historians believe that saint worship is coeval with that of Mary worship.
A great and most influential system arose out of these practices slowly. Pilgrimages with the atonement money and free will offerings occupied the surest way of replenishing the Papal treasury. How could it be done now since pilgrimages to the Holy Land is not possible. Pope Boniface VIII, on 22 Feb, 1299, a bull was issued promising indulgences extra ordinary fullness to all whom within the following year should with due penitence and devotion; visit the tombs of St. Peter and St. Paul in Rome. The bull was immediately promulgated through out christiandom. Multitudes hastened to Rome from all parts of the World. Through out the year, the roads in the remotest part of Germany, Hungary, France and Britain were crowded with pilgrims. We are told that there were incidences of stampede where many lives were lost. The indulgences and offerings were enormous. We are told that two priests with rakes in their hands, day and night raking the heaps of gold and silver that were laid on the tombs of St. Peter and St. Paul in Rome. It was more than what was expected. In 1350 AD, Clement VI ascended the Papal throne and on the day of his taking office, a jubilee was celebrated which was to be repeated every 50 years. In 1389 AD, Pope Urban VI reduced the interval to 33 years, supposed to be the length of time our Lord Jesus was on Earth. Finally, Pope Paul II decreed that the jubilee should be celebrated every 25 years and this has become the common practice ever since. The whole motive was wealth and a name that one has participated on jubilee celebration.
According to the Word of God, a jubilee is to be the year following seven sabbatical years. It is to be a celebration of festivity and an opportunity for everyone to start life a fresh. It is not so much to expect extraordinary blessing of God but a time to praise God for His blessings that had already been given to us. It is to be an expression of our gratitude to God for His bounty already showered upon us. It is also an obligation on our part. It is not enough to say verbally, praise the Lord and thank you Lord. In order to express our gratitude, we must do something. God is working on His Mission to redeem man and His Creation. 67% of the World population does not have the chance to hear the good news of what God had done in Jesus Christ. It is our duty to join Him in His Mission. He is inviting us to cooperate with Him in His Mission. Only if we go and tell, they can hear. Unless we go and tell them they cannot hear. This is our paramount task. In response to our celebration of jubilee let us not simply say, thank you Lord but take up the challenge to go and tell them the good news. Millions are perishing without hearing the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Jubilee year recorded in the Bible is the 50th year. All the others are man made in order to suit their own motives. Centennial is secular terminology. For us Christians, it is a second jubilee. Nagas are easily carried away by anything new. When the first Christian jubilee was celebrated in Nagalnd by the Ao Arogo Mungdang in 1946, Mr. Suplee, the Head Master of Govt. High School, Kohima and a missionary passed through Wokha on his way to Impur. He was driving that small, second World War miracle motor vehicle called Willys Jeep. It was so small that he had to bend his knee in such away that the knee was protruding outside the vehicle. His wife sat on the front right and Bob his youngest son sitting at the back. The jeep was a left hand drive. He played his trombone and Bob his trumpet The occasion was a dream come true. He preached from Lev.25:10. He repeatedly reminded the audience that it is the third book of the Bible. In those days people were not so familiar with the Old Testament. The Aos called the Celebration as Hon Jubilee. Several songs were composed for the occasion.
Like the Popes in the 14th Century, everybody wants their names appeared in the Church history booklets. So instead of Biblical Jubilee, silver, diamond or Platinum jubilees have come into being in Nagaland. Let us try to understand the purpose of the 50th year for the Jews and let us comprehend the principle of jubilee. What the Word of God tells us is more important than what people tell us to practice which are not really true. They are just for personal agrandiosment and for publicity only. My prayer is that our Ecclesiastical leaders may meditate on this subject very diligently.
Dr. L.M.Murry
Chairman, Okotsoe Mission Society
