Brexit. If you listen or watch the broadcast media these days you will have heard from UK politicians on Brexit issues that “we’ve made this very clear”.
That’s not new. Take a look at the extract in bold above from John’s first century eye-witness biography of Jesus. Note, first, that it was well known that “in Judea ... the Jews (Judeans) were seeking to kill him”. Galilee is about 90 miles north of Judea but Jesus’ brothers there knew about this plan.
“So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” Could they have said, about their real plan: “we’ve made this very clear”? John’s biography continues like this…
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“But after his brothers had gone up to the Feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private. The Jews were looking for him at the Feast, and saying, “Where is he?” And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No, he is leading the people astray.” Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him.”
When the Jews were looking for him at the Feast (“saying, “Where is he?”), did they “make this very clear” - why they were looking? The people didn’t know why because some of the people “said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No, he is leading the people astray.” Do any of us know what the authorities truly think about Jesus? About Brexit? The biography continues…
“About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching. The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied? Yes, they marveled. But what about the hints in their actual words? Have they now “made this very clear” - their true views about Jesus? John continues….
“So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood. Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?” The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?””
By this Jesus made clear three things. First, given that they have expressed surprise at his teaching, he teaches that neither his teaching nor his authority comes from him but belongs to the one “who sent me”. Second, he teaches that, in all that he does, he isn’t seeking any glory, any praise, whatsoever, for himself. Others who repeatedly say “we’ve made this very clear” don't make clear what they really desire by way of authority and glory.
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Third, Jesus deals with religion –the religion of those who, at that time, were the loudest claimants of religious righteousness. Because these religious people were seeking their own authority and glory Jesus brought to light the truth of what was really happening. It was this.
Their religion – through one of their greatest ancestors (Moses) – prohibited murder. But they are intent on murdering him. “Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?” Do religious people ever “make this very clear” – their intentions?
The crowd replies, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?” Do we think Jesus doesn’t know, when “we’ve made this very clear” – their very own true intentions regarding him?
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