“What to make of it”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Friday, August 30, 2024
John 7: 37-52 (Forward, p. 32) CEV p. 1110
Oftentimes there are episodes that take place in the Scriptures that make little or no sense to us. One such episode occurs in today’s passage from the gospel of John. Here we find a crowd that is absolutely amazed at Jesus, causing them, among themselves, to immediately debate about His identity. Some bystanders allege that He is the Prophet, while others go even further and suggest that He is the Messiah.
So, the question immediately arises as to why they might have been thinking along these lines. What had Jesus done that might have got them thinking like this?
John specifies that this incident took place on the last and most important day of the Feast of Tabernacles. So, what is so special about this day? By tradition it became associated with the dedication of Solomon’s temple and God’s incredible manifestation during the same, when the Shekinah cloud God’s glory descended upon it. It was thought by the Jewish believers of Jesus’ time that on this particular day God’s glory might once again be seen at the Temple in Jerusalem.
And so, Jesus, simply by appearing in the Temple on that day might have been claiming to be showing forth the glory of God. What is more is that His words that day would have backed up this claim, “If you are thirsty, come to me and drink! Have faith in me, and you will have life-giving water flowing from deep inside you, just as the Scriptures say” (verses 37b-38). This too was rooted deep within Jewish history and tradition. It recalled God’s giving of water to the thirsty travellers in the Sinai wilderness and Zechariah’s prophecy of water flowing from the Temple.
Furthermore, it was enacted yearly throughout the Feast of Tabernacles by the High Priest by a specific water-pouring rite. Every day the High Priest would fill a golden flagon with water from the pool of Siloam (living water, no less, seeing as it was spring fed and therefore not stagnant) and carry it in procession back to the Temple where it was offered as part of the daily sacrifice.
Not only did this recall God’s provision of water in the Sinai wilderness, but also had two other connotations. Firstly, it was a kind of acted out prayer, a visual prayer, for the long-awaited rainfall needed to complete the fall harvest. And secondly, it picks up on the prevailing thought back then that God would pour out His Spirit in the Last Days. Thus, the pouring forth of water at the Feast of Tabernacles came to refer symbolically to ‘the messianic age in which a stream from the sacred rock would flow over the while earth.’
And so, as we can see, Jesus was making some very direct Messianic claims. No wonder the crowd was aroused, some taking His claims one way and some another. So, what are we as Christians to make of it? For one thing, we do know for certain that He is the long-awaited Messiah. And we do know, as well, that He bestows His Holy Spirit upon us, just as promised and predicted. And so there is a simple and straightforward question to follow, namely are we willing to let Him be our Messiah, our Lord, the Lord of our lives, and are we willing to let His Spirit dwell within us and be our strength and our guide? Jesus’ earliest witnesses were at a loss as to 'what to make of Him’, but surely we aren’t. But then there still remains the question of what we do with that knowledge, and with Him.
Forward notes: “Our law does not judge people without first giving them a hearing to find out what they are doing, does it?” (verse 51).
“Have you ever made up your mind about something before learning all the facts? This happens every day in the court of public opinion. People are routinely accused and defamed on social media, and news outlets are also to blame. I consume different news and editorial content than others, including my parents, which has caused friction.
“How do we save our relationships when opinions are so stark and divided? First, we appeal to God for guidance. We listen with open hearts and work toward mending relationships, not changing minds. I sent my mom a typed letter (not an email) laying out my views and invited her to respond in kind. People have always been judged and persecuted for their beliefs, which never ends well. Let us resolve to listen before we judge.”
Moving Forward: “What can you do to mend a relationship fractured by divided politics?”