Compartmentalised

Laura Digan March 27, 2024 4 2

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John 7: 45-52 (NRSVA)

45 Then the temple police went back to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, ‘Why did you not arrest him?’ 46 The police answered, ‘Never has anyone spoken like this!’ 47 Then the Pharisees replied, ‘Surely you have not been deceived too, have you? 48 Has any one of the authorities or of the Pharisees believed in him? 49 But this crowd, which does not know the law—they are accursed.’ 50 Nicodemus, who had gone to Jesus before, and who was one of them, asked, 51 ‘Our law does not judge people without first giving them a hearing to find out what they are doing, does it?’ 52 They replied, ‘Surely you are not also from Galilee, are you? Search and you will see that no prophet is to arise from Galilee.’

Nicodemus speaks again:

“The people were talking and whisperings about Jesus were getting louder.  The rumours were spiralling about Jesus, was he a prophet, was he the Messiah? The religious leaders were infuriated. 

Then when Jesus healed a man on the Sabbath their fury escalated and he was a marked man. The religious leaders were out to get him. It didn’t help his case when he repeatedly said he was teaching with God’s authority. The religious leaders wanted him dealt with and swiftly. My brothers wanted the temple guards to arrest him but they would not do it incase they inflamed the people. So many, like me, believed in Jesus. Though unlike me, they expressed their belief.

I couldn’t stay silent. I had to say something to defend Jesus. I thought I could use the law to defend Jesus. All I was met with was ridicule, ‘Are you from Galilee, too?’ they said, ‘Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.’

Later we would know that Jesus wasn’t born in Galilee, that he was born in Bethlehem, like the prophets foretold. Later we would know he was the Messiah, just not the type of Messiah we expected. Later we would know he was indeed who he said he was, the Son of God. But for now I bowed down to the mockery. For now, I kept silent, preserving my position and status. 

For now, I was a hypocrite saying one thing with my words while believing something different with my heart.

I believed but for now no one needed to know

For now, I was a coward.”

Prayer:

Lord Jesus,

Forgive me when I see injustice and fail to act.

Forgive me when I fail to speak your truth.

Forgive me when I hide behind a religious spirit. 

Fill me with your radical love

And give me the courage to move into action.

Amen