Parallels
Even then the people were divided.
After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He did not wish to go about in Judea because the Jews were looking for an opportunity to kill him. Now the Jewish festival of Booths was near. So his brothers said to him, ‘Leave here and go to Judea so that your disciples also may see the works you are doing; for no one who wants to be widely known acts in secret. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.’ (For not even his brothers believed in him.) Jesus said to them, ‘My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify against it that its works are evil. Go to the festival yourselves. I am not going to this festival, for my time has not yet fully come.’ After saying this, he remained in Galilee. But after his brothers had gone to the festival, then he also went, not publicly but as it were in secret. The Jews were looking for him at the festival and saying, ‘Where is he?’ And there was considerable complaining about him among the crowds. While some were saying, ‘He is a good man’, others were saying, ‘No, he is deceiving the crowd.’ Yet no one would speak openly about him for fear of the Jews. - John 7:1-13
Some were for him and some were against him. And they all had strong opinions.
As strange as it may sound, I can't help but see parallels to what is happening today in our political arena. Both sides are dug in, and nothing will change anyone's mind. I am sure that was the way it was back then.
Those who didn't want him as their leader wanted him dead.
It isn't easy to be able to see it through opposing lenses, but that is exactly what John forces us to do. We see that Jesus views the world as evil, while his opponents see him that way.
He is a problem for them. He won't play by the rules and he calls them out, accusing the leaders of hypocrisy.
For most of us Christians, it is hard to understand the position the Pharisees and scribes took against Jesus.
I know some will find it reprehensible that I would dare to draw a comparison between the anger toward Jesus and the political discord in our country today. But when we pull back the layers and look closely at the underlying feelings and emotions, we can't help but see similarities.
The more emotional a situation is, the less likely we are to be able to understand the opposing view. It just isn't valid for us. And so we dismiss it completely.
The more difficult it is to see the world through the eyes of those we disagree with, the less likely we will ever be able to love our enemy, as Jesus commanded.
Even though he knew some wanted to kill him, he went in secret to see and hear for himself. Would we be willing to do that?
Could we sit among the opposition and just listen?
I pray we could. As hard as that might be, I think we need it now.
More to come...