John 4:43-54

This is a late update, on account of I had stuff to do this evening, to wit: introducing some people to the film Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, a Christmas classic delivering the unprecedented spectacle of Santa Claus single-handedly thwarting a Martian robot that's obviously a guy in a cardboard costume. This, of course, has but little to do with the Gospels, especially as the means used by Claus to conquer the Martians are materialism and areligious seasonal cheer.

Be that as it may, Jesus and His disciples were in Samaria when we left them last installment. But that is about to change.

3After the two days he left for Galilee. 44(Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) 45When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, for they also had been there.

This is interesting to me. After some four hundred years of the Bible being readily available in English, "a prophet hath no honour in his own country" has been firmly embedded in our language. And it is a true saying. The evidence of it may be seen in Jesus' own story, later on. More generally it holds true elsewhere. I have seen with my own eyes the proof of it in Cross Plains, Texas, home of the great Robert E. Howard (all due respect to Project Pride, who've done great things), but that is a matter for another time and probably another blog.

However, it says here that on arrival in Galilee Jesus was welcomed, by folks who were impressed by his various feats in Jerusalem.

A few minutes bopping from translation to translation on BibleGateway.com shews that most translations either have a full stop between "without honor in his own land" and "when he arrived in Galilee" breaking it into two separate thoughts, or else bridge the two sentences with either "yet" or "so." "A prophet is without honor in his own land, so the Galileans..." "A prophet is without honor in his own land, yet the Galileans..."

The one I like is the Message, which paraphrases it thusly:

43-45After the two days he left for Galilee. Now, Jesus knew well from experience that a prophet is not respected in the place where he grew up. So when he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, but only because they were impressed with what he had done in Jerusalem during the Passover Feast, not that they really had a clue about who he was or what he was up to.

There's actually quite a bit I like about this version. For starters, it bridges the two thoughts (prophets are without honor, Galileans welcomed) in a logical way. Jesus was welcomed because He could do impressive tricks. Second, I really like the phrase "what he was up to," which implies a certain sneakiness, or a hidden agenda. Finally, it makes the attitude of the Galileans explicit: they thought Jesus was impressive, but they certainly would not be happy if they knew what He was really all about.

Dare I say, how many of us today are the same way?

46Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. 47When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.

48"Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders," Jesus told him, "you will never believe."

49The royal official said, "Sir, come down before my child dies."

Here's how I read this: Jesus is riding a wave of popularity just at present on account of He can work wonders. Right there in Cana He had turned water into enough wine to intoxicate pretty much everyone in town. In Jerusalem, as these folks had either seen with their own eyes, or heard from people who saw with their own eyes, or maybe heard from people who heard about it, Jesus did far more than that. But all that, in the end, is unimportant. Jesus didn't want them to look at His miracles, He wanted them to believe what He taught. As I take it, His initial stern response is to get rid of anyone looking for more supernatural parlor tricks.

The man's answer shows he's not one of those. He's not there to see signs and wonders.

He just wants his son to live.

50Jesus replied, "You may go. Your son will live."
The man took Jesus at his word and departed.

Here's proof of it. The man took Jesus at His word and departed.

Took Him at His word.

And departed.

Consider, an' thou wilt, the kind of faith this nobleman had. No questions. No hesitation. No need to see Jesus draw mystic sigils in the dust or scribe letters of fire in the air or speak the hidden names of Hashem and in general work the kind of magical mojo that might be expected from someone bringing a sick boy back from the edge of death. Jesus doesn't even slick his hair into a giant pompadour, grab the kid's head and shove him forcefully backwards while intoning "in-a the name of almighty GOD-a!" Jesus says the thing's done, and that's good enough. Here's a man who is not after a miracle. He's after a healing.

51While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. 52When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, "The fever left him yesterday at the seventh hour."

53Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." So he and all his household believed.

54This was the second miraculous sign that Jesus performed, having come from Judea to Galilee.

John 4:27-42

It is at this point that the Disciples, Jesus’ not-too-bright Greek Chorus, make their appearance. It may or may not be a coincidence that the woman’s departure coincides with the arrival of a gang of uncouth blue-collar Galileans, some smelling like fish and all of them most likely ill-disposed towards Samaritans on general principle.

27Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, "What do you want?" or "Why are you talking with her?"

28Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29"Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?" 30They came out of the town and made their way toward him.

Having encountered Christ, the woman’s first instinct is to go and tell. Later on, this instinct will be adapted by Jesus into His final instructions. Having realized that she was thirsty, and having found the Water of Life, this woman wants to tell people about it. She’s excited. She is also, O my brothers, not being a jerk about it. Having met Him, she doesn’t go print up some tracts explaining why her neighbors are about to go to Hell. She does not pass out said tracts on the street corner in her Sunday best while giving the unwashed heathens passing by severe looks. This is more like a starving street dog, having found a dumpster full of steaks, letting up a howl so the rest of the starving pack can share the wealth. It’s the difference between “you look like you ought to be hungry. I run a soup kitchen,” and “I was starving! If you’re starving too, come see where I found food!”

Meanwhile, the Chorus are being their usual thick selves.

31Meanwhile his disciples urged him, "Rabbi, eat something."

32But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about."

33Then his disciples said to each other, "Could someone have brought him food?"

You’d think, after the fourth or fifth time, they’d start to figure out when Jesus was making one of His oblique shifts into metaphor. But then, if they got smart, they’d no longer serve their vital literary function of emphasizing Jesus’ metaphors. And this metaphor is a particularly good one.

34"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. 35Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. 36Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. 37Thus the saying 'One sows and another reaps' is true. 38I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor."

The harvest. Souls stand like wheat, ready to be gathered in. It’s a figure of speech that’s solidly taken hold, all the more so in times and places where talk of sowing and reaping isn’t just a figure of speech. Flip through a hymn book sometime, especially an older one, and you’ll most likely see the proof of it.

One sows and another reaps. And the reaping time is here. Now. And what happens to the grain that isn’t harvested?

39Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I ever did." 40So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41And because of his words many more became believers.

42They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world."

The visit to Samaria was a successful one. And it serves to illustrate the rather vital point that Jesus is interested in more than just Israel. And, who feels it knows it, He is the Savior.

john 4:1-26

Okay, check it out. From now on, I'll be updating this (or trying to) bi-weekly, Mondays and Thursdays.

I’ve put off trying to tackle this passage for a while, because it’s important and because there’s a whole lot of stuff to cover. This is the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s Well, and it’s where Jesus says a lot of seriously heavy stuff.

Jesus and his disciples have left Judea, apparently because the Pharisees were taking an interest in their activities there. They’re heading home to Galilee, a trip which takes them through Samaria. And Samaria was a region occupied by half-breeds who worshiped differently than the Jews, who therefore tried to avoid associating with them.

5Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.

6Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.

7There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.

8(For his disciples were gone away unto the city to buy meat.)

9Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.

Here’s the first lesson of the story. Jesus doesn’t care about status or cliques or other dividers. He deals with people just as people. This was the early Church’s greatest strength, its willingness to reach out to those forsaken by all others. It may be the modern Church’s great weakness, that we’ve lost sight of this.

10Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water.

11The woman saith unto him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?

12Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and drank thereof himself, and his children, and his cattle?

13Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:

14But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

Here we have another example of Jesus’ tendency to abruptly segue from temporal to spiritual matters in conversation. His interest is not in ordinary water.

Living water. This is a truly grand figure of speech. Cleansing, refreshing, purifying, life-giving. Never-ending, always flowing, a fountain springing up into eternal life. And here’s the second lesson of the story. This is what Jesus is offering: not just miraculous healing and moral teaching about being nice to each other. He’s here offering the cleansing and quenching we all need.

And presented with this idea, the woman forgets about ordinary water as well.

15The woman saith unto him, Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw.

16Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.

17The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:

18For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.

19The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.

And here, the third lesson: He knows. Behold and wonder at this: Jesus sees you, all of you, all you’ve done, all you keep hidden, all you’re ashamed of. He knows. And, even knowing all that, He still offers the Water of Life.

20Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

21Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

22Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

23But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

24God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Knowing herself now to be in the presence of a prophet, the woman inquires about the religious division between Jew and Samaritan. Where is the right place to worship, the Mountain, or the Temple? The answer is “none of the above.” The where isn’t important, it’s the how. In spirit, and truth. Ritual, empty liturgy, is insufficient whether in the Temple or out of it. And that is the fourth lesson.

And this is the fifth:

25The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.

26Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

Next up: the Samaritan Adventure continues!

John 3: 22-36

22After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He was spending time with them and baptizing.

23John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there; and people were coming and were being baptized--

24for John had not yet been thrown into prison.

I say this a lot, but I really am hugely impressed with John’s literary style. That line, “for John had not yet been thrown into prison” is genius. John the Baptist is a secondary character in this story, and about due to drop out of it altogether. John’s gospel doesn’t even tell the story of how the Baptist lost his head. But this offhand reference simultaneously tells you

1) John’s going to end up in prison.

2) But he’s not there just yet.

There’s a subtlety to it, telling John’s ending this way. It also adds a poignant weight to this passage, which the gospel-writer gives us as John’s last pronouncement.

25Therefore there arose a discussion on the part of John's disciples with a Jew about purification.

26And they came to John and said to him, " Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified, behold, He is baptizing and all are coming to Him."

The followers of John seem to be concerned. Concerned, specifically, with Jesus baptizing, and the fact that He was the one everyone was coming to. He was stealing John’s thunder.

So this is what John tells them:

27John answered and said, "A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.

28"You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but, 'I have been sent ahead of Him.'

29"He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice So this joy of mine has been made full.

30"He must increase, but I must decrease.

31" He who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth He who comes from heaven is above all.

32"What He has seen and heard, of that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony.

33"He who has received His testimony has set his seal to this, that God is true.

34"For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God; for He gives the Spirit without measure.

35" The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand.

36"He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."

There are a couple of points John makes.

It’s okay. Everything we have, God gives us. As such, of course, it makes little sense to complain when we lose it.

Jesus taking precedence, that’s the whole point. “He must increase, and I must decrease.” In other words, John is very aware that his job is done, his role performed. The man who heralded a new age, John’s destiny is not to be a part of it. There is a parallel here with Moses, who led Israel to the borders of Canaan, but never entered the Land himself.

More recently, Tolkien borrowed the emotional impact of this passage in The Lord of the Rings. The Elves, Gandalf and Frodo all fought the darkness, and ultimately triumphed. And, having saved the world, they found that there was no place for them in it, and so they passed into the West.

John the Baptist meets his final end at the hands of a cruel king and a spiteful girl, but even before then, he’s aware that he’s no longer part of the main story.