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Is That Your Own Idea?

October 9th, 2007 · 2 Comments · 83 views

This is part of our e-journey through the gospel of John. This week’s from John 18.

Dealing with “Theoretical Jesus” is easy. It’s God in the Box, the “let’s strand together some pithy sayings and that’s what Jesus would do and say” method of life. Jesus would be kind and compassionate and loving. Pretty safe statements that have no context and no real meaning at all. Dealing with “Real Jesus” is a whole other matter. It’s like comparing the experience of petting a wolf in a zoo compared to running up on one in the wild.

That’s what is going on here in John 18.

A commander with a detachment of soldiers walks up on Jesus (why did he think he would need a detachment of soldiers, I’ll never figure out) and in the face of the “Real Jesus” they fall on their face. Brave Peter starts swinging a sword, but I notice he’s not swinging it at an armed soldier but an unarmed servant of the High Priest. Standing up for and with the Real Jesus gets a bit more complicated around the campfires that night. A former high priest who is used to bullying people, can’t deal with the Real Jesus either so he sends him off for someone else to deal with.

Pilate gets in on the fun - “Are you the King of the Jews?” he asks.

And that’s when Jesus says it - “Is that your own idea or did others talk to you about me?”

In other words - you’re not exempt either Pilate. Every person will have to make a decision as to what to do with me. There will be no excuses or passing of the buck. You’ll have to make your own decisions and stand by them.

Is that your own idea?

Pilate starts the process but he either lacks the courage or the compassion to continue it. He gets so close - blatantly asking the question “What is truth?” but walks away from it because it was either not easy, not convenient, or not what was expected. Instead, a rush to “fix” the issue led to the crucifixion of a holy man, and the release of a guilty one.

The crowd had to answer the same question - what are you going to do with this Real Jesus. Not the one that you thought he should have been or understood him to be but the real Jesus standing in front of you, whom you have heard teach and seen lived out in front of you.

Kill him.

The Real Jesus is nothing like the Theoretical Jesus and we’ll have to one day deal with the Real one.

Tag:

Tags: weekly evos

2 responses so far ↓

  • 1 Big Tom // Oct 10, 2007 at 4:57 am

    Great insight into the details. Question for Pilate was one I had not considered. Great reminder that nothing God recorded was insignificant!

  • 2 MikeS // Oct 10, 2007 at 8:11 am

    It seems that we are, in some form or another, like Pilate in that we don’t necessarily want to deal with the Real Jesus. Either it’s not easy, not convenient, or not what we expected. So, in turn, we rush to fix a situation.

    I fear that in a rush to fix the situation we create theoretical Jesus - one that we can make up and use to make us feel happy and comfortable and one that is at our disposal.

    Then again, was Jesus’ death a rush to “fix” the situation or God’s plan to provide a Savior Redeemer? Doesn’t remove the issue of dealing with the Real Jesus, though it does provide for God’s sovereignty.

    Thanks for the insights. Makes me think.

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