09/08/2021
Forgotten Insights from John # 5. John 4:43-54
A careful reading of this passage yields several key understandings. First, we get a look into some ways that Jesus interacted with his listeners. Second, we catch a glimpse of Jesus' long game.
On the interactions: For one thing, Jesus understood that his audiences were not always the most perceptive. They could fall into typical ways of responding to leaders who achieve some kind of stature. You might have had the experience of growing up near a person who has become famous. But in your hometown he or she is more likely to be seen as nothing all that special. The saying Jesus uses in verse 43 reflects this phenomenon. Likely, it was a saying circulating in Jewish communities, a piece of homespun wisdom. Jesus uses it to explain why he is respected elsewhere, but not where he grew up.
In verse 44, a second dimension of his interactions. John chapter 2 has an account of Jesus' confrontational and controversial actions in the Jerusalem Temple. Take a quick look at it. Now, here in Galilee, were present some eyewitnesses to what he had done. They had been in Jerusalem for the Jewish festival during which Jesus had intrigued and offended many.
It seems that the Galilean spectators were sympathetic to Jesus' challenging the temple authorities. Galilee was known as a region not of great sophistication, but of strong faith – likely, a brand of Jewish faith that was suspicious of the "high-fallutin" ways of the aristocratic priesthood and leadership in Jerusalem. You can get a sense of this by looking at the ways Galilee, Nazareth, and Galileans are spoken about by non-Galileans in the New Testament.
Next, in the following story, a hint of the long game Jesus is playing. The official mentioned here is a person representing the Roman government – an occupation government. Jesus at first seems to try to put him off by suggesting that he, the official, and others, will only trust him if he accompanies his teachings with impressive miracles. There was definitely truth to that. But the official won't be put off by Jesus' observation. He insists on stating his case.
By the way, or maybe not so much "by the way," we often see this kind of thing in the Old Testament. The prayers of the Psalms, the conversations Moses and Abraham have with God, and the story (a parable I think) of Job, are rich with people stating their cases before God, sometimes having to insist on being heard. I suspect that here we see the same thing happening. That is why, I think, Jesus acquiesces to the insistence of the official.
But also, note, the official almost for sure is not Jewish. So we get a glimpse of what Jesus' longer game is. Through him God is drawing people together, people who are serious about engaging him - whether they are from Galilee or Jerusalem whether they are Jews or non-Jews. Jesus is preparing a movement of renewed people who will not only call upon the Lord themselves, but persuade their households, families and friends to put their trust in Jesus.
