Understanding and misunderstanding
The parable of the unforgiving servant
Matthew 18:21-35
Jesus’ unbelieving brothers
John 7:1-9
Jesus at the Feast of Tabernacles
John 7:10-13
He teaches at the Temple
John 7:14-31
Guards sent to arrest him
John 7:32-36
The water of life
John 7:37-39
The dispute
John 7:40-53
The woman caught in adultery
John 8:1-11
The light of the world
John 8:12-20
Jesus’ family don’t understand what he is up to. They urge him to go to Jerusalem, put himself about, get seen. That’s how to get famous, isn’t it? No celebrity avoids publicity, because there’s no such thing as bad publicity. They are ignoring, or just not appreciating, the danger Jesus would be in if he went to Jerusalem. The authorities have made their minds up about him now. They think he’s dangerous, and they want him removed. They’re not yet prepared to come and get him in Galilee, but if he came to Jerusalem, they would act.
Nevertheless Jesus does travel to Jerusalem, but he goes up late, not with the main company of pilgrims. He appears in the Temple courts and boldly begins teaching the people, arguing with those who think he is a sabbath-breaker. He seems to be leading a charmed life - the authorities can’t lay a hand on him. Jesus calmly says “My time has not yet come.” It seems that God is protecting him until the moment when he will be handed over into his enemies’ power.
He even launches a demonstration at the climax of the festival, interrupting (or at least rivalling) the main act of worship. The guards can’t really explain why they didn’t arrest him, except to say that they were impressed: “No one ever spoke the way this man does” (46).
Jesus acts against the unforgiving spirit that makes people obey the letter of the law not its spirit, as he refuses to condemn a woman caught in adultery. This is a question that politicians get asked time and again today, “Do you condemn so and so for an act of violence?” and they are forced to say yes, even when they might have some sympathy with their position. In this country, when the government wanted to begin talks with the IRA to end the troubles in Northern Ireland, they had to do in secret, while publicly saying they would never negotiate with terrorists. Being quick to condemn is a dead end policy, but still attractive today. Jesus claims to be bringing true light to the world, to dispel such stumbling in the dark.
The parable of the unforgiving servant
Matthew 18:21-35
Jesus’ unbelieving brothers
John 7:1-9
Jesus at the Feast of Tabernacles
John 7:10-13
He teaches at the Temple
John 7:14-31
Guards sent to arrest him
John 7:32-36
The water of life
John 7:37-39
The dispute
John 7:40-53
The woman caught in adultery
John 8:1-11
The light of the world
John 8:12-20
Jesus’ family don’t understand what he is up to. They urge him to go to Jerusalem, put himself about, get seen. That’s how to get famous, isn’t it? No celebrity avoids publicity, because there’s no such thing as bad publicity. They are ignoring, or just not appreciating, the danger Jesus would be in if he went to Jerusalem. The authorities have made their minds up about him now. They think he’s dangerous, and they want him removed. They’re not yet prepared to come and get him in Galilee, but if he came to Jerusalem, they would act.
Nevertheless Jesus does travel to Jerusalem, but he goes up late, not with the main company of pilgrims. He appears in the Temple courts and boldly begins teaching the people, arguing with those who think he is a sabbath-breaker. He seems to be leading a charmed life - the authorities can’t lay a hand on him. Jesus calmly says “My time has not yet come.” It seems that God is protecting him until the moment when he will be handed over into his enemies’ power.
He even launches a demonstration at the climax of the festival, interrupting (or at least rivalling) the main act of worship. The guards can’t really explain why they didn’t arrest him, except to say that they were impressed: “No one ever spoke the way this man does” (46).
Jesus acts against the unforgiving spirit that makes people obey the letter of the law not its spirit, as he refuses to condemn a woman caught in adultery. This is a question that politicians get asked time and again today, “Do you condemn so and so for an act of violence?” and they are forced to say yes, even when they might have some sympathy with their position. In this country, when the government wanted to begin talks with the IRA to end the troubles in Northern Ireland, they had to do in secret, while publicly saying they would never negotiate with terrorists. Being quick to condemn is a dead end policy, but still attractive today. Jesus claims to be bringing true light to the world, to dispel such stumbling in the dark.
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