(Gospel of John 12:27 - 12:36)
Some Greeks who came to Jerusalem to attend the Passover festivities paid a visit to the disciple Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and expressed a desire to see Jesus. Philip told Andrew about it and they in turn informed Jesus.
To these Greeks Jesus said the following: "The time has come when the Son of Man will achieve his glory. I tell you truly that unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains but a single kernel, but if it does die, it then produces more kernels, an abundance of wheat. Those who crave the life of this world will lose that life, but those who care nothing for it will keep their life -- forever. Whoever wishes to serve me must follow me, for where I am, there also should be my servant. And whoever serves me, the Father will honor.
"At present my mind is deeply troubled. Should I pray to my Father and beg him, "Spare me from this moment!" But it was for this very moment that I have come into the world. Father, may your name be glorified!"
And then from the sky a voice spoke. It said, "I have already glorified it and will do so again." The crowd below heard this. Some, though, thought it was only thunder, while others concluded that some heavenly being had spoken to Jesus. Jesus told them, "It was for your sake, not mine that the voice spoke. Now the punishment of this world is at hand; now the ruler of this world will be cast out! And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will then draw all the people to me." (He mentioned this to suggest the means by which he would die.)
The Greeks questioned him. "It is our understanding of the Scriptures that the Messiah will live forever. What do you mean when you say the Son of Man will be 'lifted up'? And who is this 'Son of Man'?"
"The light will remain for you just a little longer," he told them. "Walk while you still have the light, for soon the darkness will overtake you. And when you walk in the darkness, you will not be able to see where you are going. While the light is still with you, believe in it, so you may become children of the light."
After he had finished speaking, Jesus departed and went into seclusion so they could not find him.
Notes
1. The apostle Andrew was from Bethsaida, as was Philip. He was, as the reader might recall, the brother of Simon-Peter.
2. Andrew and Philip tell Jesus about the Greeks who want to see him. The narrative does not say if he grants their request. At first it seems that Jesus is speaking only to his disciples, but then it becomes clear his audience is a crowd, who are, one presumes, the aforementioned Greeks, perhaps augmented by crowds of curious persons.
3. Jesus is aware that he will be crucified and, as a man, he understandably dreads that painful destiny. He admits to being troubled, conflicted, which one might interpret as his divine spirit at odds with his carnal human body. A great deal of the dramatic tension of the Passion narrative would be removed if Jesus experienced no fear or weakness which he must overcome.
4. Jesus often refers to his death as being "lifted up" or "exalted." This is meant not only in a physical way, being raised on a cross in crucifixion, but is to be interpreted metaphorically, a spiritual raising or exaltation. The symbolism is often lost on his audience.
5. At Jesus' request the voice of the Father speaks down to the crowd from the sky. As is common with spirit manifestations, both visual and aural, what is perceived by those who experience them will vary from individual to individual. A good example of this are the manifestations at Fatima, where some saw a second sun dancing in the sky, some felt something numinous, while others saw or felt nothing. In this instance, some hear the celestial sound as a voice speaking, while others think it is just thunder. This leads one to believe that the voice of the Father was not a physical sound, but something akin to an auditory hallucination that those without sufficient psychical sensitivity could not properly hear. Again we have a miracle compelling enough to reassure believers, but not compelling enough to convince unbelievers. It is reminiscent of controversial fields of study, such as such ghosts, UFOs, Bigfoot, etc., where the evidence presented is persuasive, but never constitutes the kind of proof that can win over skeptics.
6. Jesus tells his audience that the world will be punished and its ruler driven out. (Most translations use the word "judgment," but should be taken in the archaic sense of inflicting punishment and not merely assessing guilt.) Modern readers see this as the prediction of the End of Days and identify the ruler of the world as Satan. The Greek word used is archon, which means “ruler” in a fairly generic sense. In both Jewish and Christian theology the “prince of the world” is invariably Satan, the Devil. This may have been the meaning intended by Jesus, but it certainly would have been interpreted differently by most of his audience. For them the ruler of the world would be the Roman emperor; Jesus is obviously prophesying the destruction of that empire. Jesus is also prophesying that his death by crucifixion will draw all the people to him, that is, the Hebrew people, and they will, at his death, rally to overthrow the rule of Rome. This is why the priesthood, who had a vested interest in the status quo and were resigned to rule by Rome, saw Jesus as such a threat, a dangerous incitement to civil unrest. (Since Christians had a desire to live peaceably within the Roman Empire, it is very likely that gospel writers may have softened or censored any remarks Jesus may have made that seemed anti-Roman. First-Century Roman converts to Christianity may have been offended by any specific attacks on Rome and may have wished to squelch remarks that would invite persecution -- or recast them in a spiritual context)
7. Jesus again makes the analogy of light and darkness, spiritual enlightenment and ignorance. He is, of course, the light and he urges people to appreciate him while he is still with them. What he does not say is significant. He does not say that he will bring the people an enlightenment that will remain with them after he is gone. His followers will be children of the light, but the only thing demanded of them seems to be belief, belief in him. Nothing is said about following specific teachings or even being a good person (defining goodness as something more than mere belief in Jesus).
8. The Greeks ask of Jesus some reasonable questions, but as is customary, Jesus does not directly answer them, but, rather like a modern politician, keeps on message and sticks to his talking points. After saying his piece and dodging the questions the Greeks put to him, Jesus went into hiding. Did he wish to avoid interrogation? He is like the politician who loves to give speeches to adoring audiences, but is uncomfortable at press conferences where real questions are put to him and answers demanded.
Thursday, December 25, 2014
Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
(Gospel of John 12:12 - 12:26)
On the following day, the masses that had come to Jerusalem for the festival of Passover heard that Jesus would be coming there. Many went out to meet him bearing palm branches and shouting "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of Jehovah. Blessed be the King of Israel!"
Jesus found a young donkey and rode it, fulfilling the prophecy that said, "Fear not, daughter of Zion. Behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey colt."
At that time, the disciples did not understand the significance of these things, but later, after Jesus' resurrection, they realized that what had happened to Jesus had been written of in the Scriptures.
The people who had been with Jesus when he called Lazarus from his tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word of what he had done. Many who heard about this miracle thus came out to meet him. The Pharisees said to each other, "All we've done has been in vain. Look, the whole world is flocking to him!"
Notes
1. Despite, or rather because of the threat to his life, Jesus ends up going to the Passover celebration in Jerusalem, ending speculation about whether or not he would do so. Word of his latest miracle, raising Lazarus from the dead, has increased the buzz surrounding him. Crowds come out to meet him, this time bearing palm branches instead of stones. This is alarming to the Pharisees; they are forced to acknowledge that their efforts to discredit him have, if anything, been counterproductive.
2. Commemoration of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem is celebrated by Christian churches as Palm Sunday, observed a week before Easter Sunday. Palm branches or fronds are naturally used in the celebrations, but in regions where palm trees are hard to come by, yew branches or pussy willows have been used as substitutes.
3. Jesus is aware of acting so as to seem to fulfill biblical prophecy. This is necessary so that those who believe literally in Old Testament Scripture will accept him as the Messiah he claims to be. Also, one may credit the gospel writers with interpreting the events in Jesus' life so as to conform to every obscure biblical passage that might suggest the coming of a Messiah.
4. By riding on a donkey Jesus shows that he is of humble origins and a man of peace. The donkey, though lacking any kind of heroic mystique, does not have the martial and aristocratic connotations of the horse. Still, the fact that Jesus would ride a donkey is unremarkable and not unexpected and the prophecy (from Zechariah), a rather easy one to fulfill. If, in conformance with Scripture, he had come into Jerusalem riding on an ostrich or an elephant, one might have been more impressed.
5. Palm fronds or branches were used to welcome dignitaries, rather like rolling out the red carpet. The palm here would be the Judean date palm, an iconic symbol of Judea, if not the whole region. Its branches are quite narrow (unlike the luxuriant fronds of the familiar coconut palm) and they would be easy to carry. The palm was also symbolic of victory and gracefulness.
6. "Hosanna" literally means "save," and while it was an interjection expressing an appeal for deliverance, it was also used to convey praise or adoration.
On the following day, the masses that had come to Jerusalem for the festival of Passover heard that Jesus would be coming there. Many went out to meet him bearing palm branches and shouting "Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of Jehovah. Blessed be the King of Israel!"
Jesus found a young donkey and rode it, fulfilling the prophecy that said, "Fear not, daughter of Zion. Behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey colt."
At that time, the disciples did not understand the significance of these things, but later, after Jesus' resurrection, they realized that what had happened to Jesus had been written of in the Scriptures.
The people who had been with Jesus when he called Lazarus from his tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word of what he had done. Many who heard about this miracle thus came out to meet him. The Pharisees said to each other, "All we've done has been in vain. Look, the whole world is flocking to him!"
Notes
1. Despite, or rather because of the threat to his life, Jesus ends up going to the Passover celebration in Jerusalem, ending speculation about whether or not he would do so. Word of his latest miracle, raising Lazarus from the dead, has increased the buzz surrounding him. Crowds come out to meet him, this time bearing palm branches instead of stones. This is alarming to the Pharisees; they are forced to acknowledge that their efforts to discredit him have, if anything, been counterproductive.
2. Commemoration of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem is celebrated by Christian churches as Palm Sunday, observed a week before Easter Sunday. Palm branches or fronds are naturally used in the celebrations, but in regions where palm trees are hard to come by, yew branches or pussy willows have been used as substitutes.
3. Jesus is aware of acting so as to seem to fulfill biblical prophecy. This is necessary so that those who believe literally in Old Testament Scripture will accept him as the Messiah he claims to be. Also, one may credit the gospel writers with interpreting the events in Jesus' life so as to conform to every obscure biblical passage that might suggest the coming of a Messiah.
4. By riding on a donkey Jesus shows that he is of humble origins and a man of peace. The donkey, though lacking any kind of heroic mystique, does not have the martial and aristocratic connotations of the horse. Still, the fact that Jesus would ride a donkey is unremarkable and not unexpected and the prophecy (from Zechariah), a rather easy one to fulfill. If, in conformance with Scripture, he had come into Jerusalem riding on an ostrich or an elephant, one might have been more impressed.
5. Palm fronds or branches were used to welcome dignitaries, rather like rolling out the red carpet. The palm here would be the Judean date palm, an iconic symbol of Judea, if not the whole region. Its branches are quite narrow (unlike the luxuriant fronds of the familiar coconut palm) and they would be easy to carry. The palm was also symbolic of victory and gracefulness.
6. "Hosanna" literally means "save," and while it was an interjection expressing an appeal for deliverance, it was also used to convey praise or adoration.
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Dinner at the House of Lazarus
(Gospel of John 12:1 - 12:11)
Six days before the beginning of Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where lived Lazarus, the man Jesus had risen from the dead. A dinner was given in Jesus' honor. Martha served, and Lazarus was among the guests who reclined at the table with Jesus. Mary took a litron of very expensive aromatic oil made from pure nard, and with it she anointed the feet of Jesus, wiping them dry with her own hair. The fragrance of perfume filled the house!
Judas Iscariot, one of the disciples -- the one who would betray him -- protested, “Such oil could have been sold for 300 denarii and the money given to the poor." He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. (He had custody of the disciples’ common purse and frequently stole from it.)
"Let her be!” Jesus responded. "She was saving it to use preparing my body for burial on the day of my funeral. You'll always have the poor among you, but you won't always have me!"
Finding out that Jesus was there, a large crowd of Judeans gathered outside of Lazarus' house, not only to see Jesus, but to get a glimpse of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. Consequently, the chief priests were convinced that they must seek the death of Lazarus as well, for it was on his account that so many Judeans were deserting them to believe in Jesus.
Notes
1. A litron, a Greek measurement, was equal to 11 ounces, almost a pound. The oil would have probably been about a pint in volume.
2. A denarius was a silver coin, minted by Rome since the 3rd century BC. Three hundred denarii would be a great deal of money. A laborer might make only a denarius for a day's work.
3. Nard, or spikenard, is a plant of the Valerian family that produces an amber-colored oil used in perfumes, incenses, and medicines.
4. Although not all translations use the word, the guests at the dinner are described as reclining before the table. While we often think of people sitting in chairs before the dinner table, the ancient Greeks and Romans always ate reclining on couches before low tables. Perhaps the Judeans, at least wealthy ones like Lazarus, did so as well. Indeed, many Hebrews, especially those in the upper classes, had become quite Romanized. (In light of this, Leonardo's Last Supper is a totally inaccurate depiction.)
5. It's gratifying to learn that Jesus was rewarded for bringing Lazarus back to life: a dinner was the least that could be done for him, one would think. As a signal honor to their guest, Mary anoints Jesus' feet with a large amount of very expensive aromatic oil -- not perfume per se as many translations misleadingly render it. (Nobody splashes a whole pint of costly perfume on someone’s, even a Messiah’s feet!) Jesus' attitude is one of "if they want to do this thing for me, well, let them do it." He would have been an inconsiderate and ungrateful guest if he objected and a ruder one if he had shown up his hosts, as Judas had done, for being uncharitable to the poor. Still, Judas had a point. Why squander wealth on personal vanity when it can be used to help the poor? It seems that the Jesus depicted in other Gospels would have asked that question and been less willing to honor the indulgences of the wealthy than he does in this incident. Here, Jesus' statement of explanation, "You'll always have the poor among you, but you won't always have me!" suggests conceit and contempt for the poor. One wonders why he felt the need to say such a thing, save that, like many of his pronouncements, it foreshadows his imminent death.
6. Judas Iscariot is portrayed here, flat out, as a thief. He wants to have money to dispense to the poor so that he can take some of it himself. He takes care of the finances of Jesus and the disciples, but habitually dips into the till. Did the other disciples know this at the time? Certainly Jesus must have known it. Therefore, why did he select a thief to be his group's treasurer? It seems an inexcusable oversight, an insult as well as an injury to the disciples who followed him. Why does Jesus let someone steal their money? And why, in the first place, does he allow such a disreputable character to be one of his disciples? While there is a rotten apple in every barrel, Jesus had the unique ability to recognize a rotten apple when he saw one. One explanation is that Judas has been unjustly demonized by history and the Gospel writers; because he betrayed Jesus, his previous conduct and character was retrospectively viewed in a jaundiced light, that, once perceived as a villain, he must be guilty of other sins.
7. Since Lazarus has been raised from the dead, people want to see him and crowds of curiosity seekers gather outside his house. He has become a celebrity. How modern!
Six days before the beginning of Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where lived Lazarus, the man Jesus had risen from the dead. A dinner was given in Jesus' honor. Martha served, and Lazarus was among the guests who reclined at the table with Jesus. Mary took a litron of very expensive aromatic oil made from pure nard, and with it she anointed the feet of Jesus, wiping them dry with her own hair. The fragrance of perfume filled the house!
Judas Iscariot, one of the disciples -- the one who would betray him -- protested, “Such oil could have been sold for 300 denarii and the money given to the poor." He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief. (He had custody of the disciples’ common purse and frequently stole from it.)
"Let her be!” Jesus responded. "She was saving it to use preparing my body for burial on the day of my funeral. You'll always have the poor among you, but you won't always have me!"
Finding out that Jesus was there, a large crowd of Judeans gathered outside of Lazarus' house, not only to see Jesus, but to get a glimpse of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. Consequently, the chief priests were convinced that they must seek the death of Lazarus as well, for it was on his account that so many Judeans were deserting them to believe in Jesus.
Notes
1. A litron, a Greek measurement, was equal to 11 ounces, almost a pound. The oil would have probably been about a pint in volume.
2. A denarius was a silver coin, minted by Rome since the 3rd century BC. Three hundred denarii would be a great deal of money. A laborer might make only a denarius for a day's work.
3. Nard, or spikenard, is a plant of the Valerian family that produces an amber-colored oil used in perfumes, incenses, and medicines.
4. Although not all translations use the word, the guests at the dinner are described as reclining before the table. While we often think of people sitting in chairs before the dinner table, the ancient Greeks and Romans always ate reclining on couches before low tables. Perhaps the Judeans, at least wealthy ones like Lazarus, did so as well. Indeed, many Hebrews, especially those in the upper classes, had become quite Romanized. (In light of this, Leonardo's Last Supper is a totally inaccurate depiction.)
5. It's gratifying to learn that Jesus was rewarded for bringing Lazarus back to life: a dinner was the least that could be done for him, one would think. As a signal honor to their guest, Mary anoints Jesus' feet with a large amount of very expensive aromatic oil -- not perfume per se as many translations misleadingly render it. (Nobody splashes a whole pint of costly perfume on someone’s, even a Messiah’s feet!) Jesus' attitude is one of "if they want to do this thing for me, well, let them do it." He would have been an inconsiderate and ungrateful guest if he objected and a ruder one if he had shown up his hosts, as Judas had done, for being uncharitable to the poor. Still, Judas had a point. Why squander wealth on personal vanity when it can be used to help the poor? It seems that the Jesus depicted in other Gospels would have asked that question and been less willing to honor the indulgences of the wealthy than he does in this incident. Here, Jesus' statement of explanation, "You'll always have the poor among you, but you won't always have me!" suggests conceit and contempt for the poor. One wonders why he felt the need to say such a thing, save that, like many of his pronouncements, it foreshadows his imminent death.
6. Judas Iscariot is portrayed here, flat out, as a thief. He wants to have money to dispense to the poor so that he can take some of it himself. He takes care of the finances of Jesus and the disciples, but habitually dips into the till. Did the other disciples know this at the time? Certainly Jesus must have known it. Therefore, why did he select a thief to be his group's treasurer? It seems an inexcusable oversight, an insult as well as an injury to the disciples who followed him. Why does Jesus let someone steal their money? And why, in the first place, does he allow such a disreputable character to be one of his disciples? While there is a rotten apple in every barrel, Jesus had the unique ability to recognize a rotten apple when he saw one. One explanation is that Judas has been unjustly demonized by history and the Gospel writers; because he betrayed Jesus, his previous conduct and character was retrospectively viewed in a jaundiced light, that, once perceived as a villain, he must be guilty of other sins.
7. Since Lazarus has been raised from the dead, people want to see him and crowds of curiosity seekers gather outside his house. He has become a celebrity. How modern!
The Priest's Conspiracy Against Jesus
(Gospel of John 11:45 - 11:57)
Many of the Judeans who had been visiting Mary came to believe in Jesus when they witnessed what had happened. Some, though, went to the Pharisees to report to them what Jesus had done. As a result, the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin, the religious council. "What are we going to do?" they asked each other. "This man is performing a lot of miracles. If we let him continue, everyone will believe in him. Then the Romans will come and destroy not only our Temple, but our nation as well."
One of the priests, Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year, disagreed, "You know nothing at all about it! Can't you see, it's better that one man may die, than the whole nation destroyed." He did not mention it, but upon becoming high priest, Caiaphas prophesied that Jesus would die not only for the sake of the nation, but for the sake of bringing together the scattered followers of the Hebrew god and uniting them in solidarity. Therefore, from that time on they conspired to bring about Jesus' death.
Because of this, Jesus no longer appeared in public among the Judeans, but exiled himself to the village of Ephraim near the desert and remained there with his disciples.
As the time for the celebration of the Hebrew Passover drew near, many people from all parts the country came to Jerusalem to undergo purification rituals prior to the Passover. Those who gathered in the Temple courtyard kept looking for Jesus and asked themselves, "What do you think? Will he come here for the Passover or not?" The chief priests and Pharisees ordered that anyone learning the whereabouts of Jesus report it, so he could be arrested.
Notes
1. The religious establishment, who are already threatened by Jesus and his beliefs, are fearful that if the populace accepts Jesus, it will have dire political consequences. These do not seem obvious. But one assumes this scenario: If the Judean people hail Jesus as the Messiah, they may regard him not only as a spiritual leader, but as a temporal one, one who will lead them against the Roman governor in a war of independence. Rome will respond to any act of rebellion by crushing it militarily, destroying the Temple, denying the people the religious freedom they now enjoy, perhaps even obliterating the political identity of the Hebrew people. Such would be the fear of the priesthood, who had considerable power under Roman authority and had a vested interest in preserving the status quo. And the writers of the Gospels would know this as a reality, for a Jewish rebellion did occur and the Temple destroyed by 70 AD, only a few decades after Jesus’ time.
2. The high priest Caiaphas puts down the other priests and tells them how stupid they are, yet, oddly, in his remarks, he seems to agree with them. Claiming that Jesus must be sacrificed for the well-being of the country, he presents himself as a patriot, rather than a priest merely defending his authority and striving to preserve the orthodox creed.
3. Before he became high priest, Caiaphas prophesied that Jesus would not only save his country, but more: his death would somehow encourage a return of emigrants of Hebrew extraction who had left Palestine to settle elsewhere, and perhaps achieve greater comity between the Hebrew people who live in Galilee, Samaria, and Judea. He wants to use Jesus and the passion he has engendered in his followers to further his own political agenda, greater unity among Hebrew peoples, either in a political or religious sense -- goals which are by no means ignoble.
4. His life threatened, Jesus has gone to ground, but people are still talking about him and wondering when he will make his next public appearance. The impression is given all through the Gospels that Jesus was a significant national figure. However, save for the Gospels, which are, of course, religious propaganda and written more than a generation after his death, historical sources are silent about him and give no credit even to his existence.
5. The impression is given here that those who held the office of high priest were selected or appointed yearly. This is inaccurate and makes one suspect the author’s common knowledge of Judaic affairs. Caiaphas, or, more properly Joseph ben Caiaphas, mentioned by the historian Flavius Josephus, served continuously as high priest for almost two decades. He was appointed high priest by the Roman governor of Iudea, Valerius Gratus, in 18 AD. He was retained by his successor, Pontius Pilate, but was removed by the governor of Roman Syria Lucius Vitellius in 37 AD. Members of his family also served in the office and he was a son-in-law of the high priest Annas, who may have exercised considerable power even while Caiaphas was officially high priest. He was obviously of the wealthy Judean elite and must have maintained a congenial working relationship with the Roman government.
6. The Sanhedrin, a council and a court, actually met every day. It would not have been convened merely to discuss the fate of the troublesome evangelist Jesus. This particularly Sanhedrin had 23 members. The high priest would not have served as its chairman, a post held by an independent officer known as a nasi. However, the Gospels give an opposite impression.
7. It is not certain where the town of Ephraim was or its precise identification. At the edge of the desert, it was probably no farther than 15 east of Jerusalem.
Many of the Judeans who had been visiting Mary came to believe in Jesus when they witnessed what had happened. Some, though, went to the Pharisees to report to them what Jesus had done. As a result, the chief priests and the Pharisees convened the Sanhedrin, the religious council. "What are we going to do?" they asked each other. "This man is performing a lot of miracles. If we let him continue, everyone will believe in him. Then the Romans will come and destroy not only our Temple, but our nation as well."
One of the priests, Caiaphas, who was the high priest that year, disagreed, "You know nothing at all about it! Can't you see, it's better that one man may die, than the whole nation destroyed." He did not mention it, but upon becoming high priest, Caiaphas prophesied that Jesus would die not only for the sake of the nation, but for the sake of bringing together the scattered followers of the Hebrew god and uniting them in solidarity. Therefore, from that time on they conspired to bring about Jesus' death.
Because of this, Jesus no longer appeared in public among the Judeans, but exiled himself to the village of Ephraim near the desert and remained there with his disciples.
As the time for the celebration of the Hebrew Passover drew near, many people from all parts the country came to Jerusalem to undergo purification rituals prior to the Passover. Those who gathered in the Temple courtyard kept looking for Jesus and asked themselves, "What do you think? Will he come here for the Passover or not?" The chief priests and Pharisees ordered that anyone learning the whereabouts of Jesus report it, so he could be arrested.
Notes
1. The religious establishment, who are already threatened by Jesus and his beliefs, are fearful that if the populace accepts Jesus, it will have dire political consequences. These do not seem obvious. But one assumes this scenario: If the Judean people hail Jesus as the Messiah, they may regard him not only as a spiritual leader, but as a temporal one, one who will lead them against the Roman governor in a war of independence. Rome will respond to any act of rebellion by crushing it militarily, destroying the Temple, denying the people the religious freedom they now enjoy, perhaps even obliterating the political identity of the Hebrew people. Such would be the fear of the priesthood, who had considerable power under Roman authority and had a vested interest in preserving the status quo. And the writers of the Gospels would know this as a reality, for a Jewish rebellion did occur and the Temple destroyed by 70 AD, only a few decades after Jesus’ time.
2. The high priest Caiaphas puts down the other priests and tells them how stupid they are, yet, oddly, in his remarks, he seems to agree with them. Claiming that Jesus must be sacrificed for the well-being of the country, he presents himself as a patriot, rather than a priest merely defending his authority and striving to preserve the orthodox creed.
3. Before he became high priest, Caiaphas prophesied that Jesus would not only save his country, but more: his death would somehow encourage a return of emigrants of Hebrew extraction who had left Palestine to settle elsewhere, and perhaps achieve greater comity between the Hebrew people who live in Galilee, Samaria, and Judea. He wants to use Jesus and the passion he has engendered in his followers to further his own political agenda, greater unity among Hebrew peoples, either in a political or religious sense -- goals which are by no means ignoble.
4. His life threatened, Jesus has gone to ground, but people are still talking about him and wondering when he will make his next public appearance. The impression is given all through the Gospels that Jesus was a significant national figure. However, save for the Gospels, which are, of course, religious propaganda and written more than a generation after his death, historical sources are silent about him and give no credit even to his existence.
5. The impression is given here that those who held the office of high priest were selected or appointed yearly. This is inaccurate and makes one suspect the author’s common knowledge of Judaic affairs. Caiaphas, or, more properly Joseph ben Caiaphas, mentioned by the historian Flavius Josephus, served continuously as high priest for almost two decades. He was appointed high priest by the Roman governor of Iudea, Valerius Gratus, in 18 AD. He was retained by his successor, Pontius Pilate, but was removed by the governor of Roman Syria Lucius Vitellius in 37 AD. Members of his family also served in the office and he was a son-in-law of the high priest Annas, who may have exercised considerable power even while Caiaphas was officially high priest. He was obviously of the wealthy Judean elite and must have maintained a congenial working relationship with the Roman government.
6. The Sanhedrin, a council and a court, actually met every day. It would not have been convened merely to discuss the fate of the troublesome evangelist Jesus. This particularly Sanhedrin had 23 members. The high priest would not have served as its chairman, a post held by an independent officer known as a nasi. However, the Gospels give an opposite impression.
7. It is not certain where the town of Ephraim was or its precise identification. At the edge of the desert, it was probably no farther than 15 east of Jerusalem.
The Raising of Lazarus
(Gospel of John 11:1 - 11:44)
A man named Lazarus lay ill at Bethany, the town where his sisters Mary and Martha lived. (Mary was the one who would pour expensive aromatic oil on Jesus' feet and wipe them with her hair.) As their brother was sick, the two sisters sent this word to Jesus: "Sir, your dear friend is gravely ill."
However, when Jesus received the message, he declared, "This illness will not result in death; its purpose is to reveal the glory of God and to bring glory to the Son of God." So even though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, he remained where he was for two days after he had received word of Lazarus' illness. After that time, though, he said to his disciples, "Let’s return to Judea."
But his disciples protested, "Rabbi, it was only a little while ago that the Judeans were trying to stone you. And now you're going back there?"
Jesus responded, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who go abroad during the day do not stumble because there is light in the world by which to see. But, at night, they are apt to stumble, because there is no light." He then told his disciples, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him."
His disciples remarked, "If he sleeps, Master, then he will get better." (They assumed that Jesus was referring to natural sleep when, in fact, he was speaking of Lazarus' death.)
Jesus finally told his disciples bluntly, "Lazarus is dead. For your sakes, I'm glad I wasn't there, so that you see and believe for yourselves. Let's go to him."
Thomas, who was known as the Twin, said to the other disciples, "Let’s go, too, so we can die with Jesus."
By the time Jesus had arrived, Lazarus had been in his tomb for 4 days. As Bethany was near Jerusalem, only about 15 stadia away, many Judeans had visited Martha and Mary to console them in the loss of their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him while Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, "Oh, sir, if you had only been with him, he would not have died. But even now I know that God will grant to you whatever you may ask of him."
"You brother will rise again!" Jesus proclaimed to her.
"Yes, I know," she answered. "He will rise again during the resurrection of the Last Day."
Jesus told her, "I am the means of resurrection to life everlasting. Those who believe in me will live again after they have died. And those now living who believe in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
"Yes, Master," she replied. "I believe you are the Messiah, the Son of God who has come into the world." After she had made this declaration, she returned home and taking her sister Mary aside, confided to her, "The Rabbi's here and he's asking for you." Hearing this, Mary rose quickly and went out to him. Jesus had not yet entered the village but was still at the place where he had stopped to talk to Martha. The Judeans who had been with Mary in the house consoling her noticed how hastily she got up and went out, so they followed her, thinking she was going to the burial place to mourn.
When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet. "Master, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died," she said. When Jesus saw her weeping and saw that the Judeans who had followed her also wept, he was disturbed and deeply moved.
"Where have you interred him?" he demanded of them.
"Master, come and see," they said. And Jesus began to weep.
At this, some of the Judeans observed, "See how much Jesus loved him," but others carped, "You'd think that someone who had cured a blind man could have kept this man from dying."
Jesus, who was again overcome with emotion, arrived at the tomb, which was a cave sealed by a large stone. "Roll away the stone," he bid them.
Martha, the sister of the deceased, warned him, "But, Master, he has been dead for four days; by this time there will be a terrible stench."
Jesus reassured her, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would witness the glory of God?" The stone was rolled aside. Jesus looked up to the sky and said, "Thank you, Father, for hearing me. Of course you always hear me, but I have spoken aloud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they may believe that you have sent me."
Jesus then called out in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!”
The dead man, his hands and feet still bound by linen strips and his face wrapped in a headcloth, did emerge.
“Unwrap his grave clothes and let him go on his way," Jesus told them.
Notes
1. Bethany was a small town near Jerusalem, specifically 15 stadia, or about two miles away. It is to the east of Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives. It should be noted that this is a different place from the Bethany (also called Bethabara), situated on the other side of the River Jordan, where John the Baptist was earlier interrogated by the Pharisees.
2. Jesus, unlike his disciples, seems unconcerned that he is risking his life by returning to Judea, on the other side of the River Jordan. One of them, Thomas, accompanies Jesus with the belief that he will be killed and the disciples with him.
3. Lazarus is apparently a close friend of Jesus, but when he is deathly ill and his sisters send word for Jesus to come to him, Jesus tarries for two days. Why does he do this? He does not hurry to Bethany, where he lies ill, to heal him. It is in his interest to let Lazarus die. He has preternatural knowledge of Lazarus' death and seems to want Lazarus well in his tomb before he arrives. Everything seems a set up for a miracle. This is an opportunity for Jesus to really show off his stuff. Jesus wants his friend dead so he can raise him. And he wants him already moldering in his grave so that there is no doubt about his death. It seems that other people, even friends, are mere tools to promote Jesus' status as a divine healer. Jesus doesn't care if others suffer as long as he can use them in one of his miracles. In fact, he seems callously unconcerned that he arrived too late to heal his friend Lazarus and is moved to emotion only when he is brought to the tomb and sees how others are mourning for his friend.
4. In referring to her brother, Martha states what was probably a prevalent belief among her people, that the dead are to be resurrected on the Last Day. This would contradict any belief that, upon death, the good go to Heaven and the bad go to Hell.
5. Jesus not only claims that those who are dead, and had believe in him, will be raised from the dead and live again, he says that those who are alive and believe won’t die at all. The first claim cannot be disproven, but the second was obviously not fulfilled. Most translations muddle the meaning of this passage. The King James Version’s “he that liveth and believeth in me” incorrectly suggests belief in him and adherence to his teaching, not what it really says. It is common that biblical passages that are patently false are purposely made obscure by translators so as not to discomfit unquestioning believers.
6. The resurrection of Lazarus is, from a dramatic standpoint, really lame. A stone is rolled away from the cave. Jesus calls upon his Father. The Father doesn't answer so that anyone can hear him. Jesus calls to Lazarus to come out of the cave and he does so, still wrapped in burial clothes. That's it! The emergence would make a good scene for a horror film, but is emotionally unsatisfying. What is the reaction of those viewing this? What is Lazarus' physical and mental condition? Why doesn't he say something? Why doesn't Jesus say something? Why don't the sisters run to embrace him?
7. In past miracles, Jesus seems to accomplish them on his own, but for this one, involving the raising of the dead, he needs to ask directly for his Father's help. This would lead one to believe that the powers of the Son of God were limited. He could only do so much on his own. For the really big things, like the resurrection of the dead, he would need the Father’s personal assistance.
A man named Lazarus lay ill at Bethany, the town where his sisters Mary and Martha lived. (Mary was the one who would pour expensive aromatic oil on Jesus' feet and wipe them with her hair.) As their brother was sick, the two sisters sent this word to Jesus: "Sir, your dear friend is gravely ill."
However, when Jesus received the message, he declared, "This illness will not result in death; its purpose is to reveal the glory of God and to bring glory to the Son of God." So even though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus, he remained where he was for two days after he had received word of Lazarus' illness. After that time, though, he said to his disciples, "Let’s return to Judea."
But his disciples protested, "Rabbi, it was only a little while ago that the Judeans were trying to stone you. And now you're going back there?"
Jesus responded, "Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Those who go abroad during the day do not stumble because there is light in the world by which to see. But, at night, they are apt to stumble, because there is no light." He then told his disciples, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to awaken him."
His disciples remarked, "If he sleeps, Master, then he will get better." (They assumed that Jesus was referring to natural sleep when, in fact, he was speaking of Lazarus' death.)
Jesus finally told his disciples bluntly, "Lazarus is dead. For your sakes, I'm glad I wasn't there, so that you see and believe for yourselves. Let's go to him."
Thomas, who was known as the Twin, said to the other disciples, "Let’s go, too, so we can die with Jesus."
By the time Jesus had arrived, Lazarus had been in his tomb for 4 days. As Bethany was near Jerusalem, only about 15 stadia away, many Judeans had visited Martha and Mary to console them in the loss of their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him while Mary stayed at home. Martha said to Jesus, "Oh, sir, if you had only been with him, he would not have died. But even now I know that God will grant to you whatever you may ask of him."
"You brother will rise again!" Jesus proclaimed to her.
"Yes, I know," she answered. "He will rise again during the resurrection of the Last Day."
Jesus told her, "I am the means of resurrection to life everlasting. Those who believe in me will live again after they have died. And those now living who believe in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
"Yes, Master," she replied. "I believe you are the Messiah, the Son of God who has come into the world." After she had made this declaration, she returned home and taking her sister Mary aside, confided to her, "The Rabbi's here and he's asking for you." Hearing this, Mary rose quickly and went out to him. Jesus had not yet entered the village but was still at the place where he had stopped to talk to Martha. The Judeans who had been with Mary in the house consoling her noticed how hastily she got up and went out, so they followed her, thinking she was going to the burial place to mourn.
When Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet. "Master, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died," she said. When Jesus saw her weeping and saw that the Judeans who had followed her also wept, he was disturbed and deeply moved.
"Where have you interred him?" he demanded of them.
"Master, come and see," they said. And Jesus began to weep.
At this, some of the Judeans observed, "See how much Jesus loved him," but others carped, "You'd think that someone who had cured a blind man could have kept this man from dying."
Jesus, who was again overcome with emotion, arrived at the tomb, which was a cave sealed by a large stone. "Roll away the stone," he bid them.
Martha, the sister of the deceased, warned him, "But, Master, he has been dead for four days; by this time there will be a terrible stench."
Jesus reassured her, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would witness the glory of God?" The stone was rolled aside. Jesus looked up to the sky and said, "Thank you, Father, for hearing me. Of course you always hear me, but I have spoken aloud for the sake of all these people standing here, so that they may believe that you have sent me."
Jesus then called out in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!”
The dead man, his hands and feet still bound by linen strips and his face wrapped in a headcloth, did emerge.
“Unwrap his grave clothes and let him go on his way," Jesus told them.
Notes
1. Bethany was a small town near Jerusalem, specifically 15 stadia, or about two miles away. It is to the east of Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives. It should be noted that this is a different place from the Bethany (also called Bethabara), situated on the other side of the River Jordan, where John the Baptist was earlier interrogated by the Pharisees.
2. Jesus, unlike his disciples, seems unconcerned that he is risking his life by returning to Judea, on the other side of the River Jordan. One of them, Thomas, accompanies Jesus with the belief that he will be killed and the disciples with him.
3. Lazarus is apparently a close friend of Jesus, but when he is deathly ill and his sisters send word for Jesus to come to him, Jesus tarries for two days. Why does he do this? He does not hurry to Bethany, where he lies ill, to heal him. It is in his interest to let Lazarus die. He has preternatural knowledge of Lazarus' death and seems to want Lazarus well in his tomb before he arrives. Everything seems a set up for a miracle. This is an opportunity for Jesus to really show off his stuff. Jesus wants his friend dead so he can raise him. And he wants him already moldering in his grave so that there is no doubt about his death. It seems that other people, even friends, are mere tools to promote Jesus' status as a divine healer. Jesus doesn't care if others suffer as long as he can use them in one of his miracles. In fact, he seems callously unconcerned that he arrived too late to heal his friend Lazarus and is moved to emotion only when he is brought to the tomb and sees how others are mourning for his friend.
4. In referring to her brother, Martha states what was probably a prevalent belief among her people, that the dead are to be resurrected on the Last Day. This would contradict any belief that, upon death, the good go to Heaven and the bad go to Hell.
5. Jesus not only claims that those who are dead, and had believe in him, will be raised from the dead and live again, he says that those who are alive and believe won’t die at all. The first claim cannot be disproven, but the second was obviously not fulfilled. Most translations muddle the meaning of this passage. The King James Version’s “he that liveth and believeth in me” incorrectly suggests belief in him and adherence to his teaching, not what it really says. It is common that biblical passages that are patently false are purposely made obscure by translators so as not to discomfit unquestioning believers.
6. The resurrection of Lazarus is, from a dramatic standpoint, really lame. A stone is rolled away from the cave. Jesus calls upon his Father. The Father doesn't answer so that anyone can hear him. Jesus calls to Lazarus to come out of the cave and he does so, still wrapped in burial clothes. That's it! The emergence would make a good scene for a horror film, but is emotionally unsatisfying. What is the reaction of those viewing this? What is Lazarus' physical and mental condition? Why doesn't he say something? Why doesn't Jesus say something? Why don't the sisters run to embrace him?
7. In past miracles, Jesus seems to accomplish them on his own, but for this one, involving the raising of the dead, he needs to ask directly for his Father's help. This would lead one to believe that the powers of the Son of God were limited. He could only do so much on his own. For the really big things, like the resurrection of the dead, he would need the Father’s personal assistance.
Rejection of Jesus' Claims of Divinity
(Gospel of John 10:22 - 10:42)
In winter, at the time of Hannukah, the Festival of Dedication of the Temple, Jesus was in Jerusalem walking in the courtyard of the Temple under the Portico of Solomon. The people gathered around him and demanded, "How long are you going to keep us in suspense. If you are the Messiah, tell us straight out!"
"I have already told you," Jesus replied. "but you won't believe me. The miracles I perform in my father's name is my proof, but you do not believe me because you are not sheep of my flock. My sheep listen to my voice. I know them. And they follow me. I will give to them everlasting life so they may never die. No one will snatch them from me, for they were delivered to me by my Father. Since he is superior to all, no one can snatch them from the hands of my Father. And the Father and I are one."
The people picked up stones to throw at him, at which Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many good works of the Father. For which of these are you stoning me?"
"We are not stoning you for any of your good works," the mob responded, "but for blasphemy! You are only a man and yet you claim to be a god."
Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in the Law that, 'I have said that you are gods'? If those who were divinely inspired were called 'gods,' -- and the Scripture cannot be challenged -- then how can the one whom God has sanctified as his very own and sent into the world be blaspheming when he says, 'I am God's Son'? If I am not doing the works of the Father, then don't believe in me. But, if I am, then believe in them even if you disbelieve in me, so that you may then see and believe that the Father is in me and I am in the Father."
Once again they tried to arrest him, but he slipped away from them and escaped. He returned to the other side of the River Jordan where John had earlier been baptizing. Jesus remained there. Many people came to see him, saying, "John didn't perform any miracles, but all he said about this man is true." And many people there believed in Jesus.
Notes
1. Solomon’s portico (a roof supported by a row of columns) was on the eastern courtyard of the Temple. In the Temple of Solomon (whose construction was completed in 827 BC), it was the area where the king passed judgments. The huge retaining wall (600 feet high!) on which it rested extended to the valley below and was the only part of the original Solomonic Temple that was not destroyed by the Chaldeans in 586 BC. The area, containing cloisters housing the Levite priests, was large, about 75 by 35 feet.
2. Hanukkah (or Chanukah), also known as the Festival Of Lights, celebrates the re-dedication of the Second Temple. This occurred after the Maccabean Revolt that, in 160 BC, secured religious freedom for the Hebrews and semi-autonomy from the Seleucid Empire for much of Palestine. The Second Temple had been completed in 516 BC during the reign of the Persian king Darius the Great after the Persians, destroying the Chaldean Empire and establishing suzerainty over its territories, allowed the Hebrews to return from exile and re-establish religious practices. Around 20 BC, it was renovated by Herod the Great, the King of Judea, which was at that time an autonomous nation, but a client state of Rome. It became known as Herod’s Temple and was the Temple Jesus knew. It, however, was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD during the First Jewish-Roman War.
3. Jesus must again justify his claim to divinity. The miracles that he has performed are his major proof. He is not challenged on that. No one presents the argument that the miracles could be the work of the Devil or that Jesus might be inspired or aided by some powerful spirit being who is not God. (Fourteen-hundred years later such arguments would employed against the self-proclaimed Daughter of God, Joan of Arc, when she was tried, albeit by a sophisticated group of clerics.)
4. Jesus dismisses those who don't believe him as not being his sheep and, therefore, incapable and unworthy of believing. The logic is circular. It is rather like telling someone that if he accepts my argument, he is wise and good; if he rejects my argument, it's no wonder, because he is stupid and evil.
5. The crowd listening to Jesus at the Temple are about to stone him for the blasphemy of declaring that he is a god. Jesus explains that those who are divinely inspired have always been called "gods" in Scripture. This is beside the point, because he does not claim to be merely a prophet. He asserts that it is correct that he call himself the "Son of God" for the simple reason that he is. By accepting the undeniable authenticity of his miracles they will then realize the truth of his claim. Still, Jesus offers no other proof than the miracles he has performed. Although one would think he would have the power to do, the Son of God does nothing to impress his doubters. The Father does not speak from the sky or hurl a thunderbolt at the doubters. Jesus does not do anything really spectacular like making himself invisible, changing shape, or flying about -- things that would be truly convincing. Instead, Jesus, with few exceptions, relies upon minor miracles that can be dismissed as conjuring tricks or traditional faith healing.
6. Jesus, in passing, mentions that the Scriptures cannot be challenged. This is, of course, an essential tenet of the Judaic religion, that the works of what we know as the Old Testament are infallible and absolute truth; its history is accurate, its laws are to be observed, its rituals followed, its prophecies fulfilled. Jesus must work within that traditional framework so that he will be seen to be true to the old religion and not a heretic. He is obliged to use Scripture to justify himself and what he says and does.
7. Jesus, escaping from those who would stone or arrest him, goes to the other side of the River Jordan, where he is more appreciated, mostly by the followers of John the Baptist. We may know little of Jesus' physical appearance, but he was apparently ordinary-looking enough to avoid detection in a crowd and agile and nimble enough to affect these numerous escapes.
In winter, at the time of Hannukah, the Festival of Dedication of the Temple, Jesus was in Jerusalem walking in the courtyard of the Temple under the Portico of Solomon. The people gathered around him and demanded, "How long are you going to keep us in suspense. If you are the Messiah, tell us straight out!"
"I have already told you," Jesus replied. "but you won't believe me. The miracles I perform in my father's name is my proof, but you do not believe me because you are not sheep of my flock. My sheep listen to my voice. I know them. And they follow me. I will give to them everlasting life so they may never die. No one will snatch them from me, for they were delivered to me by my Father. Since he is superior to all, no one can snatch them from the hands of my Father. And the Father and I are one."
The people picked up stones to throw at him, at which Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many good works of the Father. For which of these are you stoning me?"
"We are not stoning you for any of your good works," the mob responded, "but for blasphemy! You are only a man and yet you claim to be a god."
Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in the Law that, 'I have said that you are gods'? If those who were divinely inspired were called 'gods,' -- and the Scripture cannot be challenged -- then how can the one whom God has sanctified as his very own and sent into the world be blaspheming when he says, 'I am God's Son'? If I am not doing the works of the Father, then don't believe in me. But, if I am, then believe in them even if you disbelieve in me, so that you may then see and believe that the Father is in me and I am in the Father."
Once again they tried to arrest him, but he slipped away from them and escaped. He returned to the other side of the River Jordan where John had earlier been baptizing. Jesus remained there. Many people came to see him, saying, "John didn't perform any miracles, but all he said about this man is true." And many people there believed in Jesus.
Notes
1. Solomon’s portico (a roof supported by a row of columns) was on the eastern courtyard of the Temple. In the Temple of Solomon (whose construction was completed in 827 BC), it was the area where the king passed judgments. The huge retaining wall (600 feet high!) on which it rested extended to the valley below and was the only part of the original Solomonic Temple that was not destroyed by the Chaldeans in 586 BC. The area, containing cloisters housing the Levite priests, was large, about 75 by 35 feet.
2. Hanukkah (or Chanukah), also known as the Festival Of Lights, celebrates the re-dedication of the Second Temple. This occurred after the Maccabean Revolt that, in 160 BC, secured religious freedom for the Hebrews and semi-autonomy from the Seleucid Empire for much of Palestine. The Second Temple had been completed in 516 BC during the reign of the Persian king Darius the Great after the Persians, destroying the Chaldean Empire and establishing suzerainty over its territories, allowed the Hebrews to return from exile and re-establish religious practices. Around 20 BC, it was renovated by Herod the Great, the King of Judea, which was at that time an autonomous nation, but a client state of Rome. It became known as Herod’s Temple and was the Temple Jesus knew. It, however, was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD during the First Jewish-Roman War.
3. Jesus must again justify his claim to divinity. The miracles that he has performed are his major proof. He is not challenged on that. No one presents the argument that the miracles could be the work of the Devil or that Jesus might be inspired or aided by some powerful spirit being who is not God. (Fourteen-hundred years later such arguments would employed against the self-proclaimed Daughter of God, Joan of Arc, when she was tried, albeit by a sophisticated group of clerics.)
4. Jesus dismisses those who don't believe him as not being his sheep and, therefore, incapable and unworthy of believing. The logic is circular. It is rather like telling someone that if he accepts my argument, he is wise and good; if he rejects my argument, it's no wonder, because he is stupid and evil.
5. The crowd listening to Jesus at the Temple are about to stone him for the blasphemy of declaring that he is a god. Jesus explains that those who are divinely inspired have always been called "gods" in Scripture. This is beside the point, because he does not claim to be merely a prophet. He asserts that it is correct that he call himself the "Son of God" for the simple reason that he is. By accepting the undeniable authenticity of his miracles they will then realize the truth of his claim. Still, Jesus offers no other proof than the miracles he has performed. Although one would think he would have the power to do, the Son of God does nothing to impress his doubters. The Father does not speak from the sky or hurl a thunderbolt at the doubters. Jesus does not do anything really spectacular like making himself invisible, changing shape, or flying about -- things that would be truly convincing. Instead, Jesus, with few exceptions, relies upon minor miracles that can be dismissed as conjuring tricks or traditional faith healing.
6. Jesus, in passing, mentions that the Scriptures cannot be challenged. This is, of course, an essential tenet of the Judaic religion, that the works of what we know as the Old Testament are infallible and absolute truth; its history is accurate, its laws are to be observed, its rituals followed, its prophecies fulfilled. Jesus must work within that traditional framework so that he will be seen to be true to the old religion and not a heretic. He is obliged to use Scripture to justify himself and what he says and does.
7. Jesus, escaping from those who would stone or arrest him, goes to the other side of the River Jordan, where he is more appreciated, mostly by the followers of John the Baptist. We may know little of Jesus' physical appearance, but he was apparently ordinary-looking enough to avoid detection in a crowd and agile and nimble enough to affect these numerous escapes.
The Good Shepherd
(Gospel of John 10:1 - 10:21)
"Truly I tell you, anyone enters the sheep pen not by the gate, but by surreptitious means is a thief and a rustler. He who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep respond to his voice. He summons his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has gathered all the sheep belonging to his flock, he walks ahead and leads them. They follow because they recognize the sound of his voice. They can’t be led by a stranger. They will run away from him because they won't heed his voice."
Jesus used this analogy in his preaching, but his listeners didn't know what he was talking about. Therefore, he explained furthered, "Truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All those who came before me were thieves and robbers, and the sheep never listened to them. I am the gate: those who enter by me will find safety. They may come and go and find good pasturage. The thief comes to steal, to kill and destroy. I come so that they may live and prosper."
"I am the Good Shepherd. He is one who will sacrifice himself for his sheep. A hired hand will run away when he sees a wolf. He'll abandon the sheep, for the sheep don't belong to him and he isn't their shepherd. The wolf will then attack and scatter the flock. The hired hand flees because he has no personal interest in the sheep he tends.
"I am the Good Shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. I will sacrifice myself for my sheep. And I have other sheep who are not of this flock. I will bring them along as well. They will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd.
"The reason my Father loves me is because I am willing to sacrifice my life -- only to reclaim it. No one can take my life from me; I will give it voluntarily. I have the authority to sacrifice my own life and reclaim it when I wish. This is what the Father has commanded me to do.
The people who heard these things were divided in their reaction to them. Some declared, "He's possessed by a demon and raving mad. Why listen to him?" But others opined, "These aren't the words of someone possessed by a demon. Can a demon cure a blind man?"
Notes
1. In an analogy, Jesus identifies himself as the gate of the sheep pen, as the true shepherd, and as the Good Shepherd. Although Jesus makes more than one identification and more than one analogy here, the people being the sheep and the preacher/prophet/Messiah being the shepherd is a simple and obvious analogy, one famously used in the familiar 23rd Psalm. Yet, his allegorically challenged audience of oh-so-literal simpletons don't seem to catch the meaning and he has to elaborate.
2. Others who have preached to the Hebrew people, who have perhaps claimed to be a prophet or the Messiah are dismissed by Jesus as frauds, those who intend to steal the sheep, that is, steal the people's trust and lead them astray.
3. The hired hands who, unlike the Good Shepherd, run away when a wolf appears are probably meant to represent the religious leaders of the time who lacked a total commitment to their flock and placed their own interests above that of their congregation.
4. Jesus makes an intriguing reference to gathering other flocks that will be eventually merged to a larger flock with him as shepherd. Does he simply mean converts from other cities and regions, from Gentile nations, or something more?
5. Again Jesus alludes to his death and crucifixion. He clearly states that that will occur only because he wishes it, that he will give his life willingly; no one will take his life, or be able to take his life, except in accordance with his will, and that he has been given the authority from God the Father to choose when he will die -- also that his death will not be permanent, but that he will regain his life, be reborn, be resurrected.
"Truly I tell you, anyone enters the sheep pen not by the gate, but by surreptitious means is a thief and a rustler. He who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep respond to his voice. He summons his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has gathered all the sheep belonging to his flock, he walks ahead and leads them. They follow because they recognize the sound of his voice. They can’t be led by a stranger. They will run away from him because they won't heed his voice."
Jesus used this analogy in his preaching, but his listeners didn't know what he was talking about. Therefore, he explained furthered, "Truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All those who came before me were thieves and robbers, and the sheep never listened to them. I am the gate: those who enter by me will find safety. They may come and go and find good pasturage. The thief comes to steal, to kill and destroy. I come so that they may live and prosper."
"I am the Good Shepherd. He is one who will sacrifice himself for his sheep. A hired hand will run away when he sees a wolf. He'll abandon the sheep, for the sheep don't belong to him and he isn't their shepherd. The wolf will then attack and scatter the flock. The hired hand flees because he has no personal interest in the sheep he tends.
"I am the Good Shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. I will sacrifice myself for my sheep. And I have other sheep who are not of this flock. I will bring them along as well. They will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock and one shepherd.
"The reason my Father loves me is because I am willing to sacrifice my life -- only to reclaim it. No one can take my life from me; I will give it voluntarily. I have the authority to sacrifice my own life and reclaim it when I wish. This is what the Father has commanded me to do.
The people who heard these things were divided in their reaction to them. Some declared, "He's possessed by a demon and raving mad. Why listen to him?" But others opined, "These aren't the words of someone possessed by a demon. Can a demon cure a blind man?"
Notes
1. In an analogy, Jesus identifies himself as the gate of the sheep pen, as the true shepherd, and as the Good Shepherd. Although Jesus makes more than one identification and more than one analogy here, the people being the sheep and the preacher/prophet/Messiah being the shepherd is a simple and obvious analogy, one famously used in the familiar 23rd Psalm. Yet, his allegorically challenged audience of oh-so-literal simpletons don't seem to catch the meaning and he has to elaborate.
2. Others who have preached to the Hebrew people, who have perhaps claimed to be a prophet or the Messiah are dismissed by Jesus as frauds, those who intend to steal the sheep, that is, steal the people's trust and lead them astray.
3. The hired hands who, unlike the Good Shepherd, run away when a wolf appears are probably meant to represent the religious leaders of the time who lacked a total commitment to their flock and placed their own interests above that of their congregation.
4. Jesus makes an intriguing reference to gathering other flocks that will be eventually merged to a larger flock with him as shepherd. Does he simply mean converts from other cities and regions, from Gentile nations, or something more?
5. Again Jesus alludes to his death and crucifixion. He clearly states that that will occur only because he wishes it, that he will give his life willingly; no one will take his life, or be able to take his life, except in accordance with his will, and that he has been given the authority from God the Father to choose when he will die -- also that his death will not be permanent, but that he will regain his life, be reborn, be resurrected.
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