During grad school in New England I took a class with Tom Wright at Harvard Divinity School in which he explained how certain titles commonly used of Jesus, such as “Lord,” “Son of God,” “Savior of the world,” etc., were first used of the Roman Emperor. Later that same week, in my exegesis of Revelation class, Greg Beale made the same point. It was then the light bulb went on: “This would make a great book! Line up the titles for Caesar and his empire, show how those conventions are relevant today, and explain how the kingdom of Christ directly subverts them.”
Years have passed since that eureka moment and I have not thought much about the concept since them, that is, until today when I picked up a copy of the new book by Trevin Wax titled Holy Subversion: Allegiance to Christ in an Age of Rivals. Trevin beat me to it, and I’m so glad he did because he has done a marvelous job.
In eight chapters Trevin explains how Jesus subverts self, success, money, leisure, sex, power, and a brilliant chapter called “subversive evangelism” in which he confronts the problems that emerge from tolerance and consumerism.
I can’t adequately express how excited I am about this book. It’s well written, substantive, and prophetic in its application. If you’re looking for a clear, readable text on discipleship, one that will help you to search and destroy the idols in your soul, look no further.
