The “father of Black Liberation Theology,” the late Reverend Albert B. Cleage Jr., argues that Christianity is of African origins. The three main pillars of that argument are: 1. geographic witness (where the Bible story took place), 2. chronological/historical witness (when the Bible story took place) and 3. Biblical witness (what does the Bible have to say in direct and indirect ways about the ancient Hebrews).
But rather than get all theologically technical, I’ll share a few of the Bible’s Blackest moments. Feel free to share with me any I may have overlooked.
10. Jesus turning water into wine – Nothing says “Black” more than a BYOB affair. Your boy Jesus, seeing that the spirits were light at the wedding, looked over the barrels of water and said, “Let’s get this party started right!” And as the water turned to wine, his Disciples responded, “Let’s get this party started quickly. Right!”
9. Hebrews crying to go back into slavery – If you’ve ever worked with “The Blacks,” you already know the pain and frustration of knowing that the very same people you’re investing your time and energy to help are the same folk who complain the loudest and cuss you out up and down, coming and going. This is exactly what happened to Moses. Here he is, putting his neck on the line to confront Pharaoh and lead his people, the Hebrews, out of bondage in Egypt and on the road to freedom in the Promised Land. And at the first sign of challenge or trouble, they were ready to turn on him. They started talking about how good they had it back in slavery, and that they should head back to Egypt. And even though they were the ones crying to God for freedom, when they were on the banks of the Red Sea, with Pharaoh’s army coming at them from behind, and mountains to the left and right of them, blocking their escape, these Negroes blamed Moses for “putting that silly idea of freedom in their heads.” Anyone, and I mean anyone who has ever dedicated time, energy and effort to working for and with “The Blacks” can feel Moses’ pain in that moment … Because you’ve been there, yourself.
8. Hebrews complaining as soon as they successfully crossed the Red Sea – But if that Red Sea complaining moment wasn’t Black enough for you, check out what the Hebrews did once they crossed the Red Sea. After breaking out in song and doing the Electric Slide, they immediately started complaining to Moses about being hungry. If that doesn’t sound like Blackfolk, I don’t know what does. They just experienced a miracle that saved their lives and their future prospects. But after a few seconds of partying, they start looking for a Popeye’s, Timmie Chans or Mickey Ds. And when they didn’t see one, they got indignant. Guess they didn’t realize freedom ain’t free. It requires you to figure out your own stuff, and rely on self and each other. And yes, as a people, we’ve done those things. But if we’re honest, we have also, too often, suffered from the dependency sickness that comes with generations of oppression — with “massa” providing all the parameters of our lives (when to wake up, when to go to sleep, what job to work, where we can live, what we can eat, etc.)
7. Disciples arguing about who is the greatest – Whether it’s a Michael Jordan vs. Lebron James GOAT debate, a barbershop conversation about who’s the finest soul sister of all time, voting vs. not voting, did Blackfolk have it better before integration, and a trillion other topics, Blackfolk will argue. And it can be about the most serious issues amid a holiday gathering or some of the most trivial stuff while in the midst of a crisis. Either way, we arguin’. Just like in the Gospel of Luke when them Disciples were arguing about “Who is the greatest among us?” If that doesn’t sound like some bruhs battling behind some beats on the ones and twos…
6. Disciples going to sleep on Jesus – Y’all know, the Blacks will fall asleep on you. If we get too much food and/or beverage in us, the “Itis” will “come by here, Lord.” If we’re in college studying for a big exam, never mind the fact that we can stay up for 24 hours on them video games, but 30 minutes into studying, and we’re slobbering on our book or laptop, deep into dreamland. So, it’s no surprise to us as we’re in Bible class learning about how Jesus asked his Disciples for one thing — to stay awake with him while he prayed in his hour of need. But just like after Thanksgiving dinner at your mama & nem’s house, the Disciples’ flesh may have been willing, but … You know the rest. Hell; you’re about to go to sleep now!
5. Man by the pool – So, according to scripture, bruhman was laying by this pool for 38 years, sick and infirmed. As rumor had it, when the angel came and troubled the water, the first person in the pool would receive the healing they needed. But dude could never find anyone willing or able to put him in the pool first after those angelic visitations. Jesus sees homey and asks the only real question that need be asked: “Yo, playa, do you wanna be made whole? Do you wanna be healed? Or are you addicted to feeling helpless?” Every time I think about this story, I hear in my head the Last Poets’ song, “The White Man’s Got a God Complex” where they say “Silent ni**as scream for help ‘Aah!! Help me! Help me!’ Ni**a, make your own help, sh*t, you need it.” That’s literally what Jesus told the brother when he said “Pick up your bed and walk.” And dude walked. He didn’t even have to get in the pool. “Ni**a, make your own help, sh*t, you need it.” That’s pretty Black.
4. Moses mistaken as Egyptian – Moses, known in some circles as the “Greatest Hebrew,” was mistaken no less than three times in his life as an Egyptian. And if you can’t name those three times, I’m calling your pastor! And FYI, for those who come with that “The Egyptians weren’t Black” nonsense, the Egyptians themselves said their “people” originally came from down south… i.e. Nubia… i.e. modern-day Sudan… i.e. home of the planet’s tallest and darkest human beings. Not only that, check out the Egyptian selfies — the artwork they created to show themselves.
3. All the ancestor shout-outs – One of the Bible’s most common themes is the ancestor shout-out… kinda like in the movie “Black Panther” where folk are introduced or introduce themselves via their connection with at least one of their ancestors: “I am Zuri, son of Badu.” “This is Prince T’Challa, son of King T’Chaka.” The writers of scripture said these same words throughout, whether via all the “begets” (Abraham beget Isaac, etc.) or straightforward saying “Black Panther-style”: “This person is the son of so-and-so, daughter of so-and-so, whose grandfather, ‘such-and-such’ was a great man.” Ancestor veneration can be found all throughout the Bible, as can many other African rituals.
2. Cain’s response to God’s punishment – Maybe the Blackest moment in the Bible comes early on in the Book of Genesis. Cain has just killed his brother Abel. Wait. Y’all know the story. Let me skip ahead. So, here comes the Lord, to check up on his peeps. And he asks Cain, “Yo, where’s your brother Abel?” And long before Nino Brown and crew asked the question, Cain responds, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Y’all do know the correct answer is “Yes,” right? Well, as the tale goes, the Great I Am confronts Cain with his crime and then punishes him by banishing him from his people. Do you remember Cain’s response? He basically said, “Lord, I’d rather you just kill me. For, this punishment is more than I can bear.” It literally doesn’t get any Blacker than that. Why? Because for African people, community and connection were everything. Banishment in African cultures was considered a fate worse than death. In euro-lands, solitude and individualism were preferred states of being. Cain, representing the first peoples of the planet, responded in a way that the actual first peoples of the planet would have responded.
1. Cover-to-Cover – But the absolute Blackest Biblical moment is what happens cover-to-cover. Because it’s all a Black thang! From the Messiah being described as one with hair like lamb’s wool and skin like burnt brass, to Joseph and Mary taking the baby Jesus to Egypt (if I need to explain the Blackness of Egypt, I’m in the wrong place), a place where they could blend into the crowd and hide from the authorities. And especially the commitment to God and their people to fight against oppression — to offer resistance to those who sought to reduce them to second-class citizens. Resistance is in our DNA, and has been part of the Pan-African story since forever. And resistance is all throughout the Bible.
