Blog #79: Reading the Bible for the Love of It

This will be my last blog for awhile. I have another project that I want to concentrate on, a self-imposed deadline of December 31. So I need to paddle my boat down a different stream for awhile. But I’ll leave you with a few more thoughts.

It’s nearly impossible to read the Bible without imposing on it our Western 21st century way of thinking. Looking through Lazarus’ eyes has helped me approach the scriptures asking how ancient, first-century Jews, highly influenced by Greek and Roman thought, perceived the person of Jesus, what He taught, and what He did. I think it’s helpful to read the entire New Testament thinking about who its immediate readers/listeners were. They were the ones to whom the writers were intent on communicating. Of course, we are not able to get into their mindset completely, but the effort opens our own understanding so that perhaps we will be less inclined to proclaim that we have total understanding of every scripture.

Of course, Truth is timeless, so if the Bible proclaims Truth, which I believe it does, then anyone of any century should be able to find Truth there. The key is: Truth is Who, not what. Abraham had no Bible, but he knew Truth. Ditto for Isaac, Jacob, Joseph. Even today, if all Bibles disappeared, Truth would not disappear. So as we read the Bible, we see God, who is Truth, glorifying Himself, showing Who He is and what He does – or, in the expanded definition of glory: Who He is and what He does in all His life-giving love. For in essence, Who is God? What is His character, His reputation, His name? “I Am,” said God (Exodus 3:14). He is. He exists. He is Life. Love. Grace. Mercy. As we read the life of Jesus – Emmanuel, “God with us” – this is what God shows us. Over and over again.

True, God gave His ancient followers laws through Moses. But while those laws could govern a nation and direct actions in a way that showed respect to others and to God, they could not control hearts and minds. Jesus came raising the bar, pointing out, “It’s your heart. It’s your heart. It’s your heart.”

I think the apostle Paul wrestled with this until he at last understood. After Jesus startled him on the road to Damascus, Paul told no one about it (Galatians 1:16-2:1). Instead, he went into Arabia for several years, during which time he obviously turned His law-training inside out and upside down trying to figure out what he believed. One of his questions may have been: What good is the law, if Jesus trumped it with grace and mercy? What good is the law, the Jewish nation’s center of existence, if God accepts Gentiles simply on the basis of their belief? And somewhere, during that time, Paul got it. “The law,” he said, “was a pedagogue.” A pedagogue was a slave who escorted children to school. The word can also mean teacher, trainer, or schoolmaster. “A pedagogue meant to bring us to Christ,” says Paul.

Law was never meant to reign supreme. Law, in fact, showed itself to be inadequate. Law became bondage. The principles of Law were meant to bring life. But they brought accusation and condemnation, because no one could successfully live up to the standard. The eye-for-eye system (which even now is the world’s modus operandi) emerges in the fabric of humanity in many forms from pride (I live an exemplary life) to despair (why can’t I ever do anything right?), from pity to smug disdain, from finger-wagging and accusation to violent vengeance. But in whatever way it works itself out, it always holds people up to scrutiny, measures them evaluates and assesses them. And eventually condemns them. Law could not permeate hearts and minds, nor could it forgive. So, Paul says, “The law of the Spirit of life in Christ has set me free from the law of sin and death.” What is the law of the Spirit of life in Christ? Love. “A new command I give you,” said Jesus. The new command? “That you love one another as I loved you” (John 13:34).

So I suggest that we not only read the Bible with an awareness of the ancient culture in which these books were written, but that we also use love as our method of interpretation (our “hermeneutic” if you want the scholarly word). As we ask what the writers meant, what God intended, what Jesus was saying or doing, we would do well to also ask how God expressed His love on those occasions. Ask what the particular scripture means when viewed through the lens of grace and mercy. If there is a choice in how to interpret something (and there’s always a choice), ask which choice glorifies God. Which choice shows His beauty, His grace, His mercy? Which shows Who He is in all His life-giving love?

So I leave you for awhile with those few thoughts. When I start blogging again, I’ll let you know on my website. Thanks again for joining me on the journey. I hope you have a great autumn and wonderful holidays.

And keep thinking!

Karyn

© Karyn Henley. All rights reserved.

Blog #78: The “Alls” in My Pocket

This blog is a postscript to the previous blogs in which we went through the book of John as seen through the eyes of Lazarus. If you joined us in that trek, you’ll remember that when we came to some significant places where Lazarus used the Greek word panta, which means all, I did not stop to make further comment on the passage. Instead, I suggested we collect these “alls” in our pockets as we worked our way through the book. Now is the time to empty our pockets and see what we’ve got.

“All things through him (Jesus) came into being.” (John 1:3)
“. . . that all humans might believe through him.” (1:7)
“. . . the true light which enlightens every human was coming into the world.” (1:9)
“. . . of his fullness we all have received, grace upon grace.” (1:16)
“. . . he (Jesus) knew all people . . . knew what was in humans.” (2:25)
“The Son of Man must be lifted up that everyone believing in him may have eternal life.” (3:15)
“The one coming from above is over all.” (3:31, said twice in this one verse)
“The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand.” (3:35)
“An hour comes in which all in the tombs will hear His voice . . .” (5:28)
“All whom the Father has given to me will come, and I will by no means cast them out.” (6:37)
“And this is the will of the one who sent me, that all whom he has given me I shall not lose, but shall raise up in the last day.” (6:39)
“The will of my Father is that everyone who beholds and believes in the Son may have life eternal, and I will raise them in the last day.” (6:40)
“And they shall all be taught of God . . .” (6:45)
“. . . everyone hearing from the Father and learning comes to me.” (6:45)
“When the (good shepherd) leads all forth, He goes in front of them . . .” (10:4)
“My Father, who has given all to me is greater, and no one can seize out of His hand.” (10:29)
“(Jesus), knowing that the Father gave Him all things . . . rose from supper . . .” (13:3)
“By this all people will know you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (13:35)
“All things my Father has are mine.” (16:15)
“Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you, as you gave Him authority over all flesh, so that He may give eternal life to all you have given Him.” (17:2, Jesus’ prayer)
“All mine are yours and all yours are mine.” (17:10, Jesus’ prayer)
“I request . . . that all may be one as you are in me and I in you . . .” (17:21, Jesus’ prayer)
“Everyone who belongs to truth hears my voice.” (18:37)

Reading all this, I would say it looks like God made it all, wants it all, entrusted it all to Jesus, and owns it all forever – on His own terms. I don’t think there ever was or ever will be a time when God’s creation does not totally belong to Him. Nor do I think anyone or anything can usurp His place or steal His creation or thwart His plans. And I don’t think God ever intended for the majority of the world to go to hell in a handbasket. (Do God’s intentions count?)

I believe that God is supreme. What God wants, God gets. Any goal God sets for Himself is a goal He has the power and ability to reach. From what I can see, His goal is that all will know and be included in His love. “For God so loved the cosmos that He gave His only Son, that everyone believing in Him may not perish but may have life eternal. For God did not send the Son into the cosmos to judge (separate) the cosmos, but to save the cosmos through him” (3:16, 17). God’s purpose? To save the cosmos Himself. “For the Father does not judge anyone, but has given all judgment (all separation between right and wrong) to the Son, that all humans may honor the Son as they honor the Father” (5:22, 23). In other words, the Son is now the standard by whom everyone is measured.

That Standard, that perfect love, ended up on the cross, dying for all of us. God’s desire and goal, His point in coming to live as a human with us for a few years is to show all of us the fullness of His love for us. This means, as a friend pointed out to me, that if one person is lost, then God has failed. But God does not fail. He died once, for all (Romans 6:10). His love covers all. And He never says death closes the door to choice or that death is the end of the opportunity to turn to Him.

On the contrary, “I am God; there is no other. I have sworn by my own name, I will never go back on my word: Every knee will bow to me, and every tongue will confess allegiance to my name” (Isaiah 45:23, also quoted in Romans 14:11). Is that because people have been tortured into bowing and confessing? I don’t think so. Every knee bows and every tongue confesses because they realize the grandeur of who God is and what He has done for them. And when knees bow and tongues confess, then what? God says it’s too late, they’re consigned to fiery pits of torture forever and ever? Does that sound like good news? Is that what Jesus gave His life for? Is that the signature ending of the plan of the love of God? Does God lose in the end? I don’t think so.

Does the concept of all eventually being saved set you free, or does it upset your apple cart? Does it bring a sigh of relief and a smile to your face, or does it enrage you? Jesus once told a story about a landowner who hired day workers for his vineyard. He hired some at 9 am, negotiating a fair wage for the day. At noon he hired more workers, as he did at 3 pm and 5 pm. At the end of the day, the landowner paid all the workers the same, regardless of what time he hired them. When the workers hired at 9 am complained, the landowner said, “Didn’t I pay you the wage we agreed on? It’s my money; can’t I pay these others what I want? Or are you upset because I’m being good to them?” (Matthew 20:1-15). Jesus never said there was a cut-off time at which this landowner would stop being good and generous. The landowner was revealing his character, his pattern, his modus operandi. The implication is that if he had hired workers at midnight or 2 am, he could pay them generously as well. If God is generous, why complain?

Jesus came to fulfill the eye-for-eye law for humanity. To live perfectly as a human for us, as our stand-in. Not so we can throw off any limits on our behavior and on our hearts’ choices, but so that when we aim for perfect love and miss the bull’s eye, we know we are not condemned. Our stand-in has set us free from the cycle of accusation and condemnation.

Jesus’ death frees us. But maybe more important, it frees God. From the human viewpoint, in order for justice to be served, people who treat us in non-loving ways should pay the price and get what they deserve. The problem is that, as they taught us in grade school, when you point your finger to accuse someone, you have three fingers pointing back at yourself. Who can say they’ve loved perfectly? I can’t. Humans can no more live up to the standard of perfect love (God) than we can stop the sunrise. To set Himself free from having to condemn us all, God paid the price. Jesus took the condemnation.

That doesn’t mean there are no limits, no consequences for our behavior and our hearts’ choices. There are. It’s just that now God is free to have total mercy when it comes to our relationship with Him and the unknown future. When we fail, we can stand up and try again, uncondemned and unafraid. Jesus died to end accusation (Satan means accuser) and condemnation. Jesus came to save all. He did not fail. All are saved. “There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). The word “condemnation” is not on our lips, not even in our hearts. We can look at people wherever we go and know they are saved – they may not know it yet, but God has paid the price. Jesus fulfilled the law for all of us. It’s only a matter of realizing it. As soon as the knee bows and the tongue confesses, the relationship is sealed.

Knees do not gladly, willingly bow to a tyrant, a condemner, a wrathful torturer. It’s interesting to note that nowhere do we find Jesus or His followers threatening an afterlife of torture in order to get people to confess. That type of afterlife is what the Pharisees threatened people with in Jesus’ time, and Jesus often turned it back in their faces, saying in essence, “Apply your own teaching to yourself.” But the apostle Paul understood. He says, “The kindness of God leads you to repentance” (Romans 2:4). “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free” (Galatians 5:1). “There is now no condemnation” (Romans 8:1). Good news? The best. Nothing can compare. Jesus came to save us all. And He did. I can’t give you any better news than that. It may take some time, but God’s got forever. Someday every knee will bow and every tongue confess. Willingly. Because it all belongs to Him, and He is love. That’s good news.

Stay tuned for more thoughts,
Karyn

© Karyn Henley. All rights reserved.

Blog #77: Last Thoughts About This Book

The Book of John Through the Eyes of Lazarus

If you are joining us for the first time, you need to know:
1) We are looking at the book of John as though Lazarus wrote it. (To learn why I suspect Lazarus was the author, go to blog #1.)
2) I quote the scriptures from a Greek translation, which is why they might sound a bit strange.

If you have stuck with me through this entire year of blogs, you have watched me write the rough draft of a book. Books, of course, are not so much written as rewritten. So I have a lot of work ahead of me. But the rough is done, and that’s a good feeling. I’m glad you were along for the ride – or the write, in this case.

A few years ago, I read a comic strip that showed Snoopy sitting on his doghouse working “doggedly” at his typewriter. When Charlie Brown asks Snoopy what he’s writing, Snoopy answers that he’s writing a book of theology. The title is: “Has It Ever Occurred to You That You Might Be Wrong?” I get the impression sometimes that it has never occurred to some of us that we might be wrong. Yet knowing that none of us is God, I suspect that all of us are wrong about several things.

So I am completely aware that I may be wrong about what I suspect or suppose about this book we call John. On the other hand, I wrote this series of blogs because it occurred to me that I might be wrong to assume that the apostle John wrote the book. As I pointed out in the first blog, no one really knows for certain who wrote it. And it seems to me that there are some very compelling reasons to suspect that Lazarus was the writer. Some scholars believe so. Even if you don’t agree, I hope you have found that pondering old scriptures from a fresh viewpoint has been enriching and refreshing. I myself have found it deeply inspiring.

In this book we call John, we’ve seen themes of glory, life, Jesus’ divinity, and light vs. darkness – all of which would be important themes to someone Jesus raised from the dead. Let’s look at what we did NOT see in this book. The Transfiguration. The raising of Jairus’ daughter. Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane. These were events in which only Peter, James, and John (the three often called the “inner circle”) were chosen by Jesus to accompany Him. Why are these important events witnessed by John not recorded in this book? Because, I suggest, it’s not John’s memoir; it’s Lazarus’.

What else is missing? The mention of James, John’s own brother, who was one of the three. Also missing are many of the Galilee events at which John was present. In the other gospels, any time John is mentioned, he is usually paired with James and often with Peter as well. James and John were the ones who asked Jesus to allow them to sit at places of honor beside Him in His kingdom (Mark 10:35-37). James and John asked Jesus whether they should call down fire from heaven to destroy a Samaritan village that didn’t welcome Jesus (Luke 9:54). Hmmm. Does that sound like the writer of the book we call John? If that John wrote this book, why does he never even mention his own brother? I suggest that the book was written by Lazarus, who indeed writes about his sisters and spends a great deal of time in the account of events surrounding their response to his own death.

Another point of interest is that Matthew, Mark, and Luke write about God’s forgiveness or mercy, but rarely use the word “love” in connection with God. The book we call John is all about love. That may be due to the fact that it was written many years after the other gospels. Lazarus may have spent those years reflecting on his time with Jesus and discovering that love was at the center of it. Or maybe the fact that Jesus raised Lazarus from death gave Lazarus the deep sense and certain knowledge that love is the crux of life. His sisters first use the description “the one Jesus loves,” so it seems their family recognized Jesus’ love for Lazarus early on. Maybe the fact that Lazarus has two sisters (who obviously love him, perhaps to the point of doting) makes him more alert to the subject of love and less hesitant to write about it. Anyway, love becomes a central theme of his memoir.

We usually think of Jesus’ death and resurrection as the ultimate proof of God’s love. Without negating or diminishing the importance of His death and resurrection, I want to circle back to the beginning of Lazarus’ book and suggest that it was the incarnation that ultimately proved God’s love. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” “God so loved that He sent His only Son.” Without the incarnation, the death and resurrection would not have been possible. Jesus’ death was God’s ultimate embrace of humanity and the human condition. Betrayal, mockery, abandonment, cruel torture. He placed Himself in the worst of situations that humans ever have to face, and He went through it. No one can ever tell God, “You have no idea what it’s like to be human.” He knows. He knows every dirty, stinging taunt, every burning grief, every pounding ache, every insidious pain. He said, “I will be one of you.” And He was.

God was one of us. About 2000 years ago. Too bad it happened so long ago. Or did it? With His Holy Spirit, “I in you and you in me,” it happens every day. He knows the humanity of each of us. Experiences our birth. Feels our sorrows, joys, frustrations, excitement. Walks us through death. And for what purpose? For love. For the pure love of it. We are His story. In the way a parent delights in the uniqueness of each child, He delights in each of us. In the way parents hope children will mature, He hopes we will mature. He wants us to learn and practice love no matter what our circumstance. That is our task. And because He knows we are not God, He knows we will not be perfect at the task of love. Yet embedded in our task is the provision for our failure. Uncondemned, we are free to try again. No one is beyond His grace and love. Love is the universal language. Everyone recognizes love lived-out.

Speaking of everyone, we need to deal with all the ALL’s that we’ve been putting into our pockets over the course of this year in blogs. But that’s a subject for next time.

See you then,
Karyn

© Karyn Henley. All rights reserved.

Blog #76: A Rumor Starts

The Book of John Through the Eyes of Lazarus

If you are joining us for the first time, you need to know:
1) We are looking at the book of John as though Lazarus wrote it. (To learn why I suspect Lazarus was the author, go to blog #1.)
2) I quote the scriptures from a Greek translation, which is why they might sound a bit strange.

John 21:15-25
When therefore they breakfasted, says to Simon Peter Jesus: Simon son of John, lovest thou me more than these? He says to him: Yes, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He says to him: Feed the lambs of me. He says to him again secondly: Simon son of John, lovest thou me? He says to him: Yes, Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. He says to him: Shepherd the little sheep of me. He says to him the third time: Simon son of John lovest thou me? Was grieved Peter that he said to him the third time: Lovest thou me? and said to him: Lord, all things thou knowest, thou knowest that I love thee; says to him Jesus: Feed the little sheep of me. Truly truly I tell thee, when thou wast younger, thou girdedst thyself and walkedst where thou wishedst; but when thou growest old, thou wilt stretch out the hands of thee, and another will gird thee and will carry where thou wishest not. And this he said signifying by what death he will glorify God. And this saying he tells him: Follow me. Turning Peter sees the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also leaned at the supper on the breast of him and said: Lord, who is the one betraying thee? Peter therefore seeing this one says to Jesus: Lord, and this one what? Says to him Jesus: If I wish him to remain until I come, what to thee? follow thou me. Went forth therefore this word to the brothers that this disciple does not die; but Jesus said not to him that he does not die, but: If I wish him to remain until I come, what to thee?

This is the disciple witnessing concerning these things and having written these things, and we know that true of him the witness is. And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were written singly, I think the world itself not to contain the rolls being written.

Some scholars believe that this book originally ended with the last verse of chapter 20 and that the writer added this last chapter in order to deal with a rumor that was making the rounds – which was that he would not die. He very pointedly refutes that rumor.

Jesus spoke Aramaic, maybe with a Greek word thrown in here or there. But Lazarus writes his memoir in Greek (as do the other gospel writers) and obviously chooses his words carefully. Much has been made of the fact that the first two times Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him, Jesus uses the word “agape” – “Do you agape me?” Peter always answers with “phileo” – “Yes, I phileo you.” Both are Greek words for love. In ancient times, agape implied preference, choosing. According to Kittel, agape seems to have a warmer, deeper meaning; however agape and phileo were almost synonymous. Even Lazarus uses them interchangeably: “The Father loves (agapa) the Son” (3:35) and “The Father (philei) the Son” (5:20). But there is one nuance that may be worth considering: Since agape referred to choosing freely the object of its honor, it was especially appropriate to use in reference to “the love of a higher for a lower” (Kittel). So when Peter answers, “I love (phileo) you,” it may be that he is taking the lower position, confessing that Jesus is the greater one in the relationship. But the third time Jesus asks, He Himself uses phileo, maybe as a way, once again, to identify with humanity; to come close to Peter; to say, “We’re in this together.”

It’s interesting that Jesus asks the question three times. Peter obviously grows more uncomfortable each time. By the third time, he is grieved. He (and Lazarus) can hardly fail to understand what Jesus is getting at: Three times Peter denied he knew Jesus. Now Jesus gives Peter what we might call “do-overs,” a chance to erase his three denials by declaring his love three times – not for Jesus’ sake, but for Peter’s sake.

The question Jesus asks Peter is actually, “Peter, do you love me more than these?” Lazarus doesn’t say what these are. Maybe Jesus means, “Do you love me more than you love anyone else here?” Or “Do you love me more than my other friends do?” Or even, “Do you love me more than you love fishing?” That makes a lot of sense, especially if Peter is thinking of going back to his old family business. Jesus seems to take the conversation that direction, giving Peter a new career: “Feed my lambs, shepherd my little sheep, feed my little sheep.” What’s more, Jesus tells Peter that the end result of this career choice will not be especially pleasant. At least not in this world. Lazarus says Jesus was hinting at the type of death with which Peter will glorify God. Lazarus, having been raised from death, views death differently than most other people. To him, death is a way to glorify God, to show who God is in all His life-giving love.

Peter sees Lazarus (11:3) tagging along and asks, “What about him?” – probably verbalizing what he and the other disciples have wondered for some time. In fact, Lazarus himself may have wondered: Having been raised from the dead, will Lazarus ever die again? Jesus says, “What if I want him to stay alive until I come again? What does that have to do with you?” So the rumor spreads that Lazarus won’t die – which may be the reason he adds this chapter to his memoir. He is very careful to explain that Jesus said if: “If I want him to stay alive. . .”

The last paragraph of Lazarus’ memoir includes an addendum by someone other than Lazarus, an affirmation from some group that Lazarus’ witness is true. In fact, the entire paragraph may have been written by a scribe for this group, maybe by the collector(s) of Lazarus’ notes. Maybe even by a man named John. So we’ve reached the end of Lazarus’ memoir. Join me for one more blog in this series as we wrap up this book called John as seen through the eyes of Lazarus.

Until then, be blessed!
Karyn

© Karyn Henley. All rights reserved.

Blog #75: “It’s the Lord.”

The Book of John Through the Eyes of Lazarus

If you are joining us for the first time, you need to know:
1) We are looking at the book of John as though Lazarus wrote it. (To learn why I suspect Lazarus was the author, go to blog #1.)
2) I quote the scriptures from a Greek translation, which is why they might sound a bit strange.

John 21:1-14
After these things Jesus manifested himself again to the disciples on the sea of Tiberias; and he manifested himself thus. There were together Simon Peter and Thomas being called Twin and Nathanael from Cana of Galilee and the sons of Zebedee and two others of the disciples of him. Says to them Simon Peter: I am going to fish. They say to him: We are coming also with thee. They went forth and embarked in the boat, and in that night they caught nothing. But when it became early morning Jesus stood on the shore; not however knew the disciples that Jesus it was. Says therefore to them Jesus: Children, have ye not any fish? They answered him: No. So he said to them: Cast the net in the right parts of the boat, and ye will find. They cast therefore, and no longer were they able to drag it from the multitude of the fishes. Says therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved to Peter: The Lord it is. Therefore Simon Peter, hearing that the Lord it was girded himself with the coat for he was naked, and threw himself into the sea; but the other disciples came in the little boat, for they were not far from the land but about from two hundred cubits dragging the net of the fishes. When therefore they disembarked onto the land, they see a coal fire lying and a fish lying on and bread. Says to them Jesus: Bring from the fishes which ye caught now. Went up Simon Peter and dragged the net to the land full fishes of great a hundred fifty three; and so many being, the net was not torn. Says to them Jesus: Come breakfast ye. No one dared of the disciples to question him: who art thou? knowing that the Lord it was. Comes Jesus and takes the bread and gives to them, and the fish likewise. This was now the third time that Jesus, raised from the dead, was manifested to the disciples.

Jesus has told the disciples he will meet them in Galilee (Matthew 28:7, Mark 16:7). We don’t know how many disciples go to Galilee, probably a large group, many of them already going home to Galilee after celebrating the Passover in Jerusalem. Jesus’ mother, Mary, probably goes, maybe to get some of her belongings. Lazarus has agreed at the cross to care for her, so he goes along; his sisters probably go, too. Besides, they probably don’t want to miss the chance to be with Jesus again. Anyway, a group of them are together one evening when Peter decides to go fishing. Lazarus names the men in the group: Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, the sons of Zebedee (James and John), and two others – one of them “the disciple Jesus loved” (21:7), which as we’ve seen is Lazarus (11:3). They all decide to go with Peter.

For many of the disciples, Galilee is home. For Lazarus, it’s not. But he has visited the region before and is willing to join Peter on this adventure. The night of Peter’s betrayal at the high priest’s house seems to have solidified the friendship between Peter and Lazarus. As for Peter, maybe his family has encouraged him to join their fishing business again, since Jesus is no longer there to keep His band of followers together. Or maybe Peter expects to see Jesus any day, but decides to pass the time doing something he feels comfortable with, something he knows he can do successfully (after having botched his goal of supporting Jesus to the death). Or maybe Peter decides he can use some income until it’s clear what he’s going to do next. At any rate, Peter takes his friends fishing. For Peter, it may feel as if nothing has changed and he’s back to square one.

We don’t know exactly what these disciples do that night in their boat. Watch the stars. Talk. Doze. Check on the nets. We know what they don’t do. They don’t catch fish.

As the first light of day begins to fade the stars and bathe the world in muted color, a voice rings out across the water: “Have you caught anything?” On the shore stands a figure, indistinct in the dim of dawn, awaiting their answer. “Nothing,” they call back. Then everything circles around to another morning when Peter had fished all night and caught nothing (Luke 5:4-7). Jesus calls, “Throw your net out on the right side of the boat. You’ll find fish there.” Lazarus did not experience that first occasion and did not write about it. But he has surely heard about it, and this dawn, as the nets fill with fish, he says to Peter, “It’s the Lord.” Peter slips on his tunic, jumps into the water, and heads for shore. If anyone thought Peter would return to the fishing business, that moment told them otherwise. In fact, that moment may have shown Peter where his own heart lay.

One interesting thing about Lake Galilee is that it doesn’t have any natural harbors. In the time of Jesus, the people built breakwaters and jetties out of large stones. Jesus may have set up His campfire on the shore near one of these jetties. He has fish and bread ready for the men when they get to the shore.

Maybe because the group did not recognize Jesus’ voice when He first called, Lazarus wants to make sure his readers understand that none of the men in that group thought the man on shore was an imposter or some sort of strangely deified version of Jesus. No, He was the One they had traveled with, the One they had worked alongside, the One they had shared bread and fish with so many times before. They had no doubts. They were so certain He was Jesus, they didn’t even ask.

In hopes that you, too, are certain,
Karyn

© Karyn Henley. All rights reserved.

Blog #74: Unless I See

If you are joining us for the first time, you need to know:
1) We are looking at the book of John as though Lazarus wrote it. (To learn why I suspect Lazarus was the author, go to blog #1.)
2) I quote the scriptures from a Greek translation, which is why they might sound a bit strange.

John 20:19-31
Therefore when it was early evening on that the first of the week, and the doors having been shut where were the disciples because of the fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and says to them: Peace to you. And this saying he showed both his hands and his side to them. Rejoiced therefore the disciples seeing the Lord. Said therefore to them Jesus again: Peace to you; as has sent me the Father, I also send you. And this saying he breathed in and says to them: Receive ye Spirit Holy. Of whomever ye forgive the sins, they have been forgiven to them; of whomever ye hold, they have been held.

But Thomas one of the twelve, being called Twin, was not with them when came Jesus. Said therefore to him the other disciples: We have seen the Lord. But he said to them: Unless I see in the hands of him the mark of the nails and put the finger of me into the place of the nails and put of me the hand into the side of him, by no means will I believe. And after eight days the disciples of him again were within, and Thomas with them. Comes Jesus the doors having been shut, and stood in the midst and said: Peace to you. Then he says to Thomas: Bring the finger of thee here and see the hands of me, and bring the hand of thee and put into the side of me, and be not faithless but faithful. Answered Thomas and said to him: The Lord of me and the God of me. Says to him Jesus: Because thou hast seen me, hast thou believed? blessed the ones not seeing and believing.

Many therefore and other signs did Jesus before the disiples, which are not having been written in roll this; but these have been written that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God, and that believing life ye may have in the name of him.

We know that when Lazarus says “the disciples” are gathered, he does not mean the Twelve, although it seems ten of them are there. But others are there as well. Luke says two who live in Emmaeus are with the group – one is Cleopas, the other may be Luke himself. Women disciples may be there and maybe Nicodemus, maybe Joseph of Arimathea. And Lazarus. Perhaps they are meeting in Jerusalem, perhaps in Bethany at the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. At any rate, few people have actually seen Jesus alive; there are lots of doubts about what’s going on. (Doubt is not unbelief; it’s “not being sure,” not knowing whether you believe or not.) But as they talk about the sightings of Jesus, they realize He is standing there among them. He greets them with the common, “Peace to you.”

Luke writes that the disciples are afraid. They think this is Jesus’ ghost. Even after Jesus shows them His hands and feet, they still doubt. So He graciously gives them proof by asking for something to eat. According to Luke, after Jesus eats, they understand that He’s truly alive, an in-the-flesh human. Far from being estranged from Him, they are again sharing the familiar dinner table with Him. (Luke 37-43) Why doesn’t Lazarus write about the disciples’ doubt? Because he doesn’t doubt. He himself had been raised – so what’s to doubt? Instead, from Lazarus’ point of view, the occasion is one of rejoicing, and that’s what he emphasizes.

Then Lazarus says Jesus “breathed in” – which again is proof that Jesus is a living human. But the Greek word Lazarus uses actually means “breathing on.” No other writer of the New Testament ever uses that word, and only three times does the Old Testament refer to this kind of breathing: in Genesis when God breathes life into man, in Psalm 104 as a reference to creation, and in Ezekiel 37 in the vision of God bringing dead bones to life. Maybe Jesus actually breathed on the disciples, but that seems strange and out of character. It may be that He simply breathed in deeply (and of course breathed out again), and Lazarus intentionally chose to describe it with a word that connects God’s breath to the act of creation, which circles around to the beginning of his memoir: “In the beginning was the Word . . . all things came into being through Him.” The word choice implies that new life is being created here, a new way of living, a life in the Spirit.

And what does Jesus connect with the Spirit? Grace. Forgiveness of sins. That’s the essence of life in the Spirit. He says, “If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven.” The emphasis is on the forgiver. He continues, “If you hold onto anyone’s sins, they have been held,” emphasizing the holder. These are simply facts: You feel forgiveness in yourself. You hold unforgiveness in yourself. That’s where grace frees or bitterness festers. Maybe Jesus is thinking about the anger the disciples probably hold toward Judas, Pilate, the Jewish leaders – and even themselves. Maybe He was saying, “I’ve not come back to get revenge. It’s forgiveness that brings freedom.”

But Thomas is not there. He declares, “Unless I see the nail marks, I won’t believe.” We call him “doubting Thomas.” But how many of Jesus’ friends doubted? All of them. They had to see Jesus eat before they believed. So they had no reason to feel they were any better than Thomas. They did not kick him out of the group; he did not stop meeting with them; Jesus did not disown him. Instead, Jesus graciously offered proof to Thomas and said, “be not faithless but faithful.” Jesus was saying, “Trust me. This is real.” And Thomas knew it was.

As this memoir nears its end, it says many other things could have been written. Maybe Lazarus himself selected what to include. Maybe others later collected Lazarus’ writings and made the choice. Maybe the collector – or the publisher – was a man named John.

More later,
Karyn

© Karyn Henley. All rights reserved.

Blog #73: Why Weep?

If you are joining us for the first time, you need to know:
1) We are looking at the book of John as though Lazarus wrote it. (To learn why I suspect Lazarus was the author, go to blog #1.)
2) I quote the scriptures from a Greek translation, which is why they might sound a bit strange.

John 20:1-18
Now on the first day of the week Mary the Magdalene comes early while it was yet dark being to the tomb, and sees the stone having been taken out of the tomb. She runs therefore and comes to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved and says to them: They took the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they put him. Went forth therefore Peter and the other disciple, and came to the tomb. And ran the two together; and the other disciple ran before more quickly than Peter and came first to the tomb, and stooping sees the sheets lying, however he entered not. Comes therefore also Simon Peter following him, and entered into the tomb; and he beholds the sheet lying , and the kerchief, which was on the head of him, not with the sheets lying, but apart having been wrapped up in one place. Then therefore entered also the other disciple having come first to the tomb, and he saw and believed; for not yet they knew the scripture that it behoves him from the dead to rise again. The disciples went away therefore again to themselves. But Mary stood at the tomb outside weeping. As therefore she was weeping, she stooped into the tomb, and beholds two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where lay the body of Jesus. And say to her those: Woman, why weepest thou? She says to them, They took the Lord of me, and I know not where they put him. These things saying she turned back and beholds Jesus standing, and knew not that Jesus it was. Says to her Jesus: Woman why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? That one thinking that the gardener it was says to him: Sir, if thou didst carry him, tell me where thou didst put him, and I will take him. Says to her Jesus: Mary. Turning that one says to him in Hebrew: Rabboni (which is said Teacher). Says to her Jesus: Not me touch, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go thou to the brothers of me and tell them: I ascend to the Father of me and Father of you and God of me and God of you. Comes Mary the Magdalene announcing to the disciples I have seen the Lord, and these things he said to her.

We’ve seen that “the disciple whom Jesus loved” is Lazarus (11:3). Only a few evenings prior to this first day of the week, Lazarus witnessed Peter’s denial of Jesus. He may have followed Peter as he dashed out of the high priest’s courtyard into the night. Now here he is with Peter again. At this point, the two of them seem to be the most assertive of the men who followed Jesus.

The accounts of this morning vary according to who tells about it, but that’s not unusual. Memoir writers in our own century frequently discuss –with amusement or dismay – the way members of their own families remember and tell events of the past differently. Each of us remmbers the details that stood out as important to us. Some of us were impressed by particulars that others completely overlooked. We all have different points of view. The gospel writers are no different. Matthew writes from his point of view. Mark writes from what Peter told him. Luke writes from notes he took when interviewing the people involved. None of them disagree on the essentials. The way Lazarus remembers it, he is with Peter (and probably several other disciples) when Mary comes in, out of breath. She claims someone has stolen Jesus’ body.

The first ones out the door are Lazarus and Peter. Lazarus knows exactly where the tomb is, because he was there just a few days ago. Besides, the streets of Jerusalem are completely familiar to Lazarus; he knows the way better than Peter. What’s more, this announcement has to shake Lazarus to the core. It wasn’t so long ago that his own tomb was opened. With every footfall, his mind is probably asking, what if . . . what if . . . what if? It’s no wonder he gets to the tomb before Peter. As he catches his breath, he stoops to look in and sees the grave sheets lying there. His heart is in his throat now. The what ifs are exploding as reality dawns on him. Still, he’s hesitant to enter the tomb – maybe because the memory of being inside his own tomb is so fresh in his mind. Could he be feeling a bit claustrophobic?

But here comes Peter. He doesn’t slow down at all. He just tromps right in. Then Lazarus follows. It’s no longer “what if.” There is no question in his mind. Lazarus knows he himself came back to life. Now he knows Jesus is alive. Lazarus believes. He tells us that he has not yet connected this with scriptures that predicted it. But he doesn’t have to connect it with scripture to believe. He knows that he knows.

Lazarus and Peter now go back to the other disciples. So how does Lazarus discover what happens with Mary Magdalene after he leaves? He says Jesus told Mary to tell the disciples. She obviously did. So this account comes from what she told Lazarus. Who knows – maybe Jesus’ mother and Lazarus’ sisters, Mary and Martha, were there to hear it too. In any case, Mary most likely told her story over and over again.

One of the most stunning lines in Mary’s account is Jesus saying, “I ascend to the Father of me and the Father of you, the God of me and the God of you.” Most of the disciples ran and hid after Jesus’ arrest. They keep their distance and separate themselves from Jesus. His death must deepen their feeling of separation. No doubt many of the disciples now question where they stand in relationship to God. But when Jesus talks to Mary, He answers that question completely: “We’re all in this together now. My Father is your Father. My God is your God. My death is your death. My life is your life.”

His answer for us is the same.
Karyn

© Karyn Henley. All rights reserved.

Blog #72: Now What?

If you are joining us for the first time, you need to know:
1) We are looking at the book of John as though Lazarus wrote it. (To learn why I suspect Lazarus was the author, go to blog #1.)
2) I quote the scriptures from a Greek translation, which is why they might sound a bit strange.

John 19:31-42
The Jews therefore since preparation it was, that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath, for was great the day of that sabbath, they asked Pilate that might be broken of them the legs and they might be taken. Came therefore the soldiers, and of the first broke the legs and of the other crucified with him; but coming on Jesus, when they saw him already to have died, they did not break of him the legs, but one of the soldiers with a lance the side of him pricked and there came out immediately blood and water. And the one having seen has witnessed and true of him is the witness, and that one knows that truly he says, that also ye may believe. For happened these things that the scripture might be fulfilled: A bone shall not be broken of him. And again another scripture says: They shall look at him whom they pierced. Now after these things Joseph from Arimathaea being a disciple of Jesus but having been hidden because of the fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take the body of Jesus; and allowed Pilate. He came therefore and took the body of him. And came also Nicodemus, the one having come to him by night at first, bearing a mixture of myrrh and aloes about a hundred litras. They took therefore the body of Jesus and bound it in sheets with the spices, to bury as custom is with the Jews. Now there was in the place where he was crucified a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which never yet anyone was having been put; therefore because of the preparation of the Jews, because near was the tomb, they put Jesus there.

Lazarus, as usual, keeps his ear to the talk among the leaders, not only for himself now, but also for the sake of Jesus’ mother and the other disciples. The upcoming sabbath is more important than usual, for it coincides with the Passover, making it a doubly special day, so everyone is probably wondering what the leaders are going to do about the men on the crosses, two of whom are not even dead yet. Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea, two of the leaders who secretly believe in Jesus, may be keeping Lazarus informed. At any rate, Lazarus learns that the Jewish leaders have asked Pilate to take the bodies off the cross for the sabbath, and Pilate has agreed to their wishes.

At this point, Lazarus probably considers asking Pilate for Jesus’ body. His own family tombs (one of which he recently vacated) are in Bethany, but with the Passover sabbath soon to begin, travel will be restricted, so will carrying a load. Bethany is obviously too far to carry a dead body. Maybe Lazarus discusses the problem with Joseph and Nicodemus. Or maybe he heads to Pilate’s to ask for the body and discovers that Joseph asked first. Anyway, these disciples – Nicodemus, Joseph, and Lazarus – are at the cross when the soldiers spear Jesus’ body and take Him down. As Lazarus writes his memoir, he makes it clear that he was a witness of the event and confirms that he knows it’s true: Jesus was dead when his body was taken off the cross and laid in the tomb.

Being the law student, Lazarus connects these happenings with scriptures. He quotes Psalm 34:20 about no bones being broken and part of Zechariah 12:10, “They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died.” It’s easy to imagine Lazarus after Jesus has ascended, poring over scrolls of scripture to see how Jesus’ life and death was foretold. Then as he compiles his memoir, he tells the reader exactly his purpose for making his notes public: so you may believe. This memoir is Lazarus’ apologetic. A defense of his faith. His way of showing why he believes.

Lazarus probably helps Joseph and Nicodemus take Jesus’ body to the tomb. Most likely they carry Him on a stretcher and lay Him on a bench cut in the rock. Luke tells us that the women, too, are still at the cross when Jesus’ body is taken down (23:55ff). They follow the men to the tomb, see where it’s located, then return to where they are staying to prepare embalming spices and ointments. But by then, the sabbath is upon them. The scribal interpretation of the law says they may not walk farther than half a mile or carry anything heavier than two dried figs. So the women stay put.

Meanwhile, Lazarus helps Joseph and Nicodemus wrap the body with cloth. Nicodemus has brought 75 pounds of aloe and myrrh, a very expensive gift, very fragrant, and probably gummy. It helps stick the strips of cloth together as they are wrapped around the body. No doubt Lazarus is thinking about the time he himself wore grave clothes and had to be unwrapped. Now here he is, helping to wrap the One who raised him, placing His body on the ledge cut in the rock. Lazarus must feel strange as he helps roll the huge stone along the groove in the ground to block the entrance so wild animals won’t prowl in and get the body. He knows personally Jesus’ power over death. But this time, it’s Jesus inside the tomb.

Lazarus, Joseph, and Nicodemus probably get back home just in time for the sabbath to start. Then they, too, have to sit tight and wait and wrestle with “if-only’s.” No doubt each of them ponders the events again and again, wondering if they could have said or done anything to keep Jesus alive. They – and all the disciples – are probably asking themselves, “Now what?”

Blessings!
Karyn

© Karyn Henley. All rights reserved.

Blog #71: It is Finished

If you are joining us for the first time, you need to know:
1) We are looking at the book of John as though Lazarus wrote it. (To learn why I suspect Lazarus was the author, go to blog #1.)
2) I quote the scriptures from a Greek translation, which is why they might sound a bit strange.

John 19:17-30
They took therefore Jesus; and carrying the cross to himself he went forth to the place being called of a skull, which is called in Hebrew Golgotha, where they crucified him, and with him two others on this side and on that, and in the middle Jesus. And Pilate wrote also a title and put it on the cross and it was having been written: Jesus the Nazarene the King of the Jews. This title therefore many of the Jews read because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was having been written in Hebrew, in Latin, in Greek. Said therefore to Pilate the chief priests of the Jews: Write not: The king of the Jews, but that that man said: King I am of the Jews. Answered Pilate: what I have written, I have written. Therefore the soldiers, when they crucified Jesus, took the garments of him and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and the tunic. Now was the tunic seamless, from the top woven throughout. They said therefore to one another: Let us not tear it, but let us cast lots about it of whom it shall be; that the scripture might be fulfilled: They parted the garments of me to themselves and over the raiment of me they cast a lot. These things therefore the soldiers did. But there stood by the cross of Jesus the mother of him and the sister of the mother of him, Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary the Magdalene. Jesus therefore seeing his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing by, says to his mother: Woman, behold the son of thee. Then he says to the disciple: Behold, the mother of thee. And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. After this knowing Jesus that now all things have been finished, that might be fulfilled the scripture, says: I thirst. A vessel was set of vinegar full; therefore putting a sponge full of the vinegar round a hyssop they brought it to the mouth of him. When therefore Jesus took the vinegar he said: It has been finished, and inclining his head delivered up his spirit.

If Jesus’ crucifixion followed the usual procedure, He was led through the streets carrying His cross beam, surrounded by four soldiers. Another soldier walked ahead with a sign announcing the prisoner’s crime, in this case “King of the Jews.” They took the long way through the streets to let as many people as possible view the accused as a warning not to do what he had done. Lazarus says the chief priests complain about Jesus’ sign. They obviously don’t want Jesus proclaimed as King in every street, nor do they want such a sign read by everyone walking down the road past the cross. But Pilate gets the last word. Jesus dies proclaimed King of the Jews.

Lazarus’ description of the crucifixion is surprisingly brief. He has taken such care to relate other events in great detail (for example, Jesus’ discussions with the Pharisees, events surrounding Lazarus’ own death, the time Jesus spends with His disciples the night of His arrest). Why would his account of the crucifixion be so slight? Probably because Lazarus witnesses only parts of what happened. He seems to have left the praetorium after hearing about the death sentence, maybe after the chief priests protest Pilate’s orders to write “King of the Jews” on the sign for Jesus’ cross. Lazarus probably goes straight from Pilate’s quarters to tell some of the disciples – perhaps all women, including his sisters, and maybe at Bethany – that Jesus is to be crucified. Soon. Four of them insist on seeing Jesus: one is Mary, Jesus’ mother. Her sister and the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene want to go as well. They probably hope to have some last words with Jesus. But events are moving too fast. By the time they reach Him, the crucifixion is underway. They watch the soldiers divide Jesus’ clothes, throwing lots for the woven tunic. If Lazarus witnesses any other details, he does not tell us. His focus is on protecting and consoling these women; other details fall into the background.

Jesus now sees his mother standing beside “the disciple he loved,” who is Lazarus (see 11:3). Jesus asks Lazarus to take care of Mary, and Lazarus writes that he did so, from that hour. (No doubt Lazarus lived with or near his sisters, Mary and Martha, so Jesus’ mother will be well taken care of.) Actually, from that hour, Lazarus may take Jesus’ mother back to Bethany to leave her in the care of Mary and Martha. That makes sense, because crucifixions were typically agonizingly slow, and they have no idea how long it will take for Jesus to die. The other women stay at Skull Hill, but some distance away from the cross (according to Matthew and Mark, who do not record Jesus’ mother being with the women at that point). Lazarus returns to Golgotha in time to hear Jesus say He is thirsty and to see Him taste the sour wine. Then Jesus says, “It is finished,” gives up His spirit, and dies.

Lazarus has been through death himself. He doesn’t know the torture of crucifixion, but he has struggled with impending death and has yielded to it. What is he thinking now? Is he baffled that the One who raised him from the dead is now Himself dying? Does he have an inkling of what’s coming next? Trained in Jerusalem at the feet of the teachers there, Lazarus connects the events of Jesus death with scriptures He has learned. Do these scriptures occur to Him at Golgotha, or does he notice them later and include them here? He refers to Psalm 22:18, which talks about dividing the garments and Psalm 69:21, which mentions being offered sour wine. We can only wonder if Lazarus begins to connect the dots even as he stands there at the cross.

And when Jesus says, “It is finished,” does Lazarus think of Jesus at the well in Samaria telling His disciples, “My food is doing the will of the One who sent me and finishing His work”? (4:34) What work? Raising the bar. Elevating grace over law. Jesus’ death was God’s wrath, the result of impersonal law, which can be twisted and used to condemn even the innocent. Jesus’ death was a vivid demonstration of how inadequate law is. Law can only condemn. But Love can forgive – which is exactly what happened at the cross.

All the best,
Karyn

© Karyn Henley. All rights reserved.

Blog #70: Crucify!

If you are joining us for the first time, you need to know:
1) We are looking at the book of John as though Lazarus wrote it. (To learn why I suspect Lazarus was the author, go to blog #1.)
2) I quote the scriptures from a Greek translation, which is why they might sound a bit strange.

John 19:1-16
Then therefore Pilate took Jesus and scourged him. And the soldiers having plaited a wreath out of thorns put it on the head of him, and threw round him a purple garment, and came to him and said: Hail, king of the Jews; and they gave him blows. And went forth again outside Pilate and says to them: Behold I bring him out to you, that ye may know that no crime I find in him. Came forth therefore Jesus outside, wearing the thorny wreath and the purple garment. And he says to them: Behold, the man. When therefore saw him the chief priests and the attendants, they shouted saying: Crucify, crucify. Says to them Pilate: Take ye him and crucify; for I find not in him crime. Answered him the Jews: We have a law, and according to the law he ought to die, because Son of God himself he made. When therefore heard Pilate this word, more he was afraid, and entered into the praetorium again and says to Jesus: Whence art thou? But Jesus answer did not give him. Says therefore to him Pilate: To me speakest thou not? knowest thou not that authority I have to release thee and authority I have to crucify thee? Answered Jesus: Thou hadst not any authority against me unless it was having been given thee from above; therefore the one having delivered me to thee a greater sin has. From this Pilate sought to release him; but the Jews shouted saying: If this man thou releasest, thou art not a friend of Caesar; everyone a king himself making speaks against Caesar. Therefore Pilate hearing words these brought outside Jesus and sat on a tribunal in a place being called Pavement, but in Hebrew Gabbatha. Now it was preparation of the Passover, hour it was about sixth; and he says to the Jews; Behold the king of you. Shouted therefore those: Take, take, crucify him. Says to them Pilate: The king of you shall I crucify? Answered the chief priests: We have not a king except Caesar. Then therefore he delivered him to them that he should be crucified.

How does Lazarus know what’s going on between Jesus and Pilate? Lazarus may have accompanied Jesus and heard the discussion firsthand. Or maybe Jesus told Lazarus later, after He had risen – maybe Lazarus and the disciples sat around the campfire or dinner table and asked Jesus, “What went on in there with Pilate?” Or maybe Lazarus heard it from palace servants – no doubt the back-and-forth between Pilate and Jesus was well reported through the grapevine. Lazarus, Nicodemus, and others surely kept their ears open for reports circulating as they watched at a discreet distance. In fact, as we will see later, Lazarus was probably one who relayed reports of what was happening. From the time of Jesus’ arrest to His burial, Lazarus probably ran here and there, taking familiar shortcuts through the streets, perhaps trying to garner support for Jesus from Nicodemus and others, always keeping up with where Jesus had been taken, and how it looked for Him. The way Lazarus so intently followed Jesus’ discussions with the Pharisees, he might have been formulating the argument he would have used to try to get Jesus released – if only he had been in a position to do so. But he was not.

Pilate seems to think that if he has Jesus scourged and humiliated, His accusers will be pacified and stop pressing for His death. Pilate may also think that if Jesus is truly a rebel, the scourging may get Him to confess. Even if He’s not a rebel, He may confess to crimes to get out of the torture, which would give Pilate a solid reason to assess the death penalty. But Jesus does not talk. When Pilate presents Him, “Behold the man,” it’s obvious the man has been subdued and is no threat to anyone. Still, they cry, “Crucify!” “Do it yourselves,” says Pilate, “I find no crime in him.” “By our law He has to die,” they shout, “because He says He’s God’s Son.”

That chills Pilate. He has already seen that Jesus does not respond like the usual criminal – nor even like the usual innocent man. The man may have been subdued, but the God within Him was totally in control. And Pilate wants off the hook: “Speak! Don’t you know I have authority to release or crucify you?” Jesus calmly points out, “You have authority only because it was given from above.” I don’t think Jesus means “from God.” Jesus is reminding Pilate that he holds his post because, at the moment, he is in favor with Caesar – but that favor is fragile; Caesar can turn it into a death sentence at a whim. Jesus goes on, “The one who delivered me to you has a greater sin.” In other words, “You are just following orders, Pilate. My accusers are the ones going beyond their authority.” These are truths Pilate knows, and he can’t argue with Jesus.

As Pilate tries to wiggle both himself and Jesus out of the grasp of the Jewish leaders, he continues to call Jesus their king, which he knows infuriates them. But they know how to get to Pilate: “Anyone who says he is a king opposes Caesar, so if you release Him, you’re no friend of Caesar’s.” They are threatening to complain to Rome. Jesus has already pointed out how tenuous Pilate’s position is. Still, Pilate gives one last try. “Are you sure you want me to crucify your king?” Paired with the bloodied non-defiant man held in the background, the question is surely meant to spotlight how ridiculous their accusations are. But they yell, “We have no king but Caesar.” They have accused Jesus of blasphemy. And now they themselves blaspheme. They judge themselves, the verdict is “guilty,” and the gavel comes down.

Life went downhill for Pilate after he sent Jesus to His death. Six years later, a “prophet” in Samaria claimed he knew where Moses’ tabernacle and its holy vessels were buried. When he led a crowd up Mount Gerazim to dig them up, Pilate sent Roman soldiers to break up the crowd and send them back home. Instead, the soldiers massacred the people. Because of that incident, the emperor took Pilate out of office and banished him to Gaul. There Pilate killed himself.

More next time –
Karyn

© Karyn Henley. All rights reserved.