Monday, February 14, 2011
Reading: John 7:1-13
Reflection: OK all...sorry this posting is late. I couldn't get on my computer this morning, and I have been on the run since early morning. As I read this passage, several things jumped out at me. First, isn't it interesting that the Jews hated Jesus so much that already they are seeking to kill him. Seems it is always easier to get rid of those one disagrees with than it is to hear them out and seek to understand. It's also interesting that not even Jesus' brothers believed in him. We know this changes after Jesus rises from the dead, but while he was alive and doing ministry His brothers refused to believe. Then again, I suppose I'd hate it to if my brother was perfect and I was not.
However, what really got me thinking was the last verse where it says that "no one spoke openly of him (Jesus)" because they were afraid of the Jews. It would seem this fear is well-founded. After all, if they were seeking to kill Jesus then surely they would be willing to kill anyone who believed in Him. So, while it seems they were willing to talk privately about Jesus, in public they remained silent. In essence, their fear of rejection, loss and death was greater than their desire to publicly identify with Jesus. I wonder if we suffer the same problem with even less of a threat. After all, if we start speaking out for Jesus people might not like us. They might not invite us to their party and perhaps may even fire us from our job. But kill us...not likely. And yet, many Christians are silent in the public square because they are afraid of ridicule and rejection. Maybe we need to hear these words of Jesus again: "...but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven." Maybe I should be more afraid of him who has power over the soul than the person who might not invite me to supper. Just a thought.
I find it interesting that James makes a similar statement in his letter (4:13-17) about arrogantly pursuing our own plans. It makes me think that this encounter with Jesus was a point of conviction for James.
ReplyDeleteI know we also tend to think of the religious leaders of Jesus' day as dark lords, but in some ways their fears were understandable. They were trying to hold on to their way of life in the midst of Roman rule, and Jesus invoked language that put the Romans on edge. He also made statements that put him at the same level as God. In hindsight, we know Jesus is God because of the resurrection, but being the skeptic I am, I bet my first reaction to his statements would be that he was a blasphemer. According to Deut. 13, one who acts like a prophet but leads people to worship other Gods must be killed. Unless I personally knew Lazarus, witnessed his death (which hadn't happened yet), and then saw him raised 3 days later, I don't think I would have been convinced by the other miracles.