Building Tensions

(One Perfect Life Chapters 96-99) In this portion of the Gospel we see tension building between Jesus and His detractors. He is going to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles. All Jewish men were required to go to Jerusalem for this feast which commemorated the time spent living in wilderness. It reminded the people of their dependence on God and God’s provision for the people. Our ultimate need is for a Savior and God’s provision for that need is Jesus.

In John 7:2-10 we see the tension between Jesus and his half-brothers. They ridicule Him about going to the Temple so he can perform miracles publically and increase His fame. Jesus calmly states His purpose is not to bring attention to Himself. He does not want to be put on display because that will draw out those that want to kill and His “time has not yet come.”

As Jesus was going to Jerusalem He passed through Samaria where the tension between the Jews and Samaritans was on display. He had trouble finding a place to stay as they journeyed because the Samaritans knew He was Jewish and on His way to Jerusalem. The disciples wanted His to call down fire from heaven and destroy them. He reminded them He had come “not to destroy men’s lives but to save them” (Luke 9:56).

Just as His physical journey to Jerusalem was disrupted, the journey of His followers to the Kingdom of God was disrupted. We hear of three men who came professing to want to follow His but they are distracted by the ways of this world. The fact that Jesus had no physical destination in Israel, the desire to not lose inheritance or alienate family were stumbling blocks to fully committing to Jesus (Luke 9:57-62). Living for our Savior and His Kingdom must be the single focus of our hearts and lives.

The greatest tensions are displayed when Jesus interacts with the religious leaders (John 7:11-36). He reminds them that He is teaching what God the Father is directing Him to teach. It is God’s doctrine He is proclaiming and not His own. It is for God’s glory that He performs miracles. He uses the healing of men on the Sabbath as an example of how they misunderstand fulfilling the letter of the law (to not work on the Sabbath) with fulfilling the spirit of the law. If they viewed His actions with “righteous judgement” they would understand He was not violating the law by healing on the Sabbath.

Finally Jesus offers to provide men with drink that will result in “rivers of living water” flowing from their lives. This is a metaphor for the Holy Spirit working in and through them. The leaders reject Him as Messiah and His teaching. They are confused about who He was (son of Joseph vs. Son of God) and from where He came (Galilee vs. heaven).

These tension will reach their conclusion when Jesus returns for Passover as the “lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.”