John 12:31-32 Now it is time for the world to be judged. Now the ruler ofthis world will be thrown down. I will be lifted up from the earth. And when this happens, I will draw all people to me.
This is poetry. It has meanings on many levels.
His death really did draw all people (men) to him. I believe this is truer than we often think. His death and resurrection was not a secret event attended only by a few disciples. It was a major news item, scandal if you will, that all Jerusalem buzzed about. Everyone was forced to have a reaction to decide what they thought.
I believe that after his death and resurrection many Jews did come to believe that he was the promised Messiah. The common belief was that the Messiah would come and free them from the Romans. But the disciples told them it was to free their hearts, that was more important. This freedom was eternal.
However the leaders stamped it. They made it very costly to continue to believe in Jesus. So the vast majority fell away. No one could remain a Jew and still accept Jesus as the fulfillment of the great promise. One would lose his patrimony and be liable for stoning. So they gave it up. Jesus rightly prophesied about them in John 8 and in other places. They were not willing to give up their lives for him. So they would be judged. The world was judged by his death and resurrection. All who were not willing to believe and live it out were judged.
Believe seemed easy to those Jews Jesus addressed in John 8. He showed them it was really hard. It involved a commitment. Their response was to want to stone him.
Sadly it is easy to understand their position. Most of us love our comfort and are willing to go with the flow rather than suffer indignities. We love peace bought by compromise better than truth. It is always a struggle to stay intentional and believe with our whole life.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment