Theologian and teacher N. T. Wright continues to enlighten my reading of scripture. In a recent online course, he exposited that Galatians is Paul’s Angry Letter. As he worked his way through it and read it with an angry tone, whole sections that previously were nonsensical to me suddenly made perfect sense. I gained a whole new overall reaction to what Paul was saying throughout.
About the same time, another teacher implored us to engage all five senses as we read Genesis 27:14-33, since we have a general tendency to read things dominated by seeing what is occurring or hearing it. Rarely do we smell the setting or feel the texture of what is being presented. It is a truly gifted writer that gets us to taste what s/he puts before us.
The combination of these two insights has me reading familiar sections of the Bible with an expanded perspective and heightened senses.
And so it was recently with the section of John above. Jesus has triumphantly entered Jerusalem for the last time. He told the masses what is about to occur, yet they don’t understand. Then John interjects Isaiah writing about the people being unable to see or understand. After which, Jesus launches into the passionate discourse found in verses 44-50.
Read the passage again for yourself. Note that it opens, “Jesus cried out.” Jesus cries out pleading with the people to understand what is happening before them to turn to the light. I sense an urgency undergirding the emphasis with which he speaks. . . until I read it again this week. This time I heard an angry Jesus. Anger rooted in desperation. He knows just how immediate the events are and knows this to be the last chance to be heard.
In this context, I hear Jesus crying out something like:
You are missing the point! Don’t believe in me from what you see and hear! What you’re seeing and heangr is from God! Believe in him! When you see me, you are seeing God.
I came into the world to bring hope, to show you that there is a path to all that is good and light. I don’t want you to live without hope in a state of despair.
Maybe you’re hearing me and don’t get it or can’t live it. I don’t judge you for that. I’m not here to judge, I’m here to bring you hope and to deliver you from the mess you’re in. Those who reject the message are the ones God will judge, not those that don’t understand. Those are the ones that are at risk of condemnation.
LISTEN!!!! I do not speak on my own. I bring you the commands of God, who sent me here. None of this is from me – it’s all from him!!
PEOPLE!! This is the way out. This is where your loving father wants you to follow. Listen, believe and follow!!!
I remind you once again that this site is entitled Musings for a reason. I am not asserting that this an accurate portrayal of what occurred or what John was trying to communicate.
I do know this was not just another sermon or teaching. There was passion and urgency. I just don’t know what the underlying emotion was. I will further speculate that the urgency with which this passage is delivered has only intensified to the current day.
Surely there are areas of Jesus’ teachings that you don’t understand. Read, ask, study. Some will remain beyond your comprehension, others will come clear.
Surely there are areas where you understand but have not quite gotten around to implementing them in your life, or have worked at it but not succeeded. Heed Jesus’ urgency and go to work on these efforts.
Embrace the urgency!
Gotta go now – I have questions to ask, study to undertake and action to initiate.
With a renewed sense of urgency and commitment,
Robert
Mcburnett's Musings 