There are two facts about the mark of Cain: first, he was an
angry murderer of his own brother; and second, he received mercy to live the
life his brother deserved. And there, at the very start, is the offensive
justice of the kingdom of heaven. See Genesis 4.
Jesus said that anyone who is angry with his brother is guilty of murder. Then He taught that the Father of heaven knows we’re all evil, and so we should ask whatever we want, because He always gives good gifts to His wicked children, so that we also may have undeserved life like Cain. See Matthew 5-7.
In fact, He gave us His own life—He became our Abel. The Lord's Prayer is the plea for a life we don't deserve in the kingdom of heaven: the Heavenly Father, the hallowed name, the accomplished will, the meeting of kingdoms, the daily bread, the forgiveness of sin, the forgiveness of enemies, the escape from temptation. And all these things are given to us in Jesus's own life. In Jesus Himself, these requests for undeserved life are answered. Jesus Himself is our Abel, whose life we don't deserve and yet receive. See Matthew 6.
We all have on us the mark of Cain: radical guilt and radical mercy. And, like Cain, whose brother's blood cried out against him, we also receive the scandalous justice of grace in the kingdom of heaven. We all have on us the mark of Cain: but even louder than the blood of Abel cried, Jesus's blood shouts to God on our behalf. We have "come to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel." See Hebrews 12:22-24.
Jesus said that anyone who is angry with his brother is guilty of murder. Then He taught that the Father of heaven knows we’re all evil, and so we should ask whatever we want, because He always gives good gifts to His wicked children, so that we also may have undeserved life like Cain. See Matthew 5-7.
In fact, He gave us His own life—He became our Abel. The Lord's Prayer is the plea for a life we don't deserve in the kingdom of heaven: the Heavenly Father, the hallowed name, the accomplished will, the meeting of kingdoms, the daily bread, the forgiveness of sin, the forgiveness of enemies, the escape from temptation. And all these things are given to us in Jesus's own life. In Jesus Himself, these requests for undeserved life are answered. Jesus Himself is our Abel, whose life we don't deserve and yet receive. See Matthew 6.
We all have on us the mark of Cain: radical guilt and radical mercy. And, like Cain, whose brother's blood cried out against him, we also receive the scandalous justice of grace in the kingdom of heaven. We all have on us the mark of Cain: but even louder than the blood of Abel cried, Jesus's blood shouts to God on our behalf. We have "come to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel." See Hebrews 12:22-24.
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