The glory of God

About the middle of the festival Jesus went up into the temple and began to teach. The Jews were astonished at it, saying, ‘How does this man have such learning, when he has never been taught?’ Then Jesus answered them, ‘My teaching is not mine but his who sent me. Anyone who resolves to do the will of God will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own. Those who speak on their own seek their own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and there is nothing false in him.

‘Did not Moses give you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why are you looking for an opportunity to kill me?’ The crowd answered, ‘You have a demon! Who is trying to kill you?’ Jesus answered them, ‘I performed one work, and all of you are astonished. Moses gave you circumcision (it is, of course, not from Moses, but from the patriarchs), and you circumcise a man on the sabbath. If a man receives circumcision on the sabbath in order that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because I healed a man’s whole body on the sabbath? Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgement.’

Now some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, ‘Is not this the man whom they are trying to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, but they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Messiah? Yet we know where this man is from; but when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.’ Then Jesus cried out as he was teaching in the temple, ‘You know me, and you know where I am from. I have not come on my own. But the one who sent me is true, and you do not know him. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.’ Then they tried to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him, because his hour had not yet come. Yet many in the crowd believed in him and were saying, ‘When the Messiah comes, will he do more signs than this man has done?’

The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering such things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent temple police to arrest him. Jesus then said, ‘I will be with you a little while longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. You will search for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.’ The Jews said to one another, ‘Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? What does he mean by saying, “You will search for me and you will not find me” and, “Where I am, you cannot come”?’

- John 7:14-36

Jesus has gone up to the autumn festival of Succoth, the Festival of Tabernacles (or Booths), which commemorated the time when Israel lived in tents, wandering in the wilderness of Sinai. (See yesterday's reading in which his unbelieving brothers challenged him.) This is the final year of his life. He has become a scandal. Some wish to kill him, others in the crowd debate about who he is, if he is the Messiah. All are afraid to speak openly because of the leadership who wishes to be rid of him.

Jesus begins to teach in the temple. The Jews were astonished at it, saying, "How does this man have such learning, when he has never been taught?" The leadership questions his authority, his credentials. Then Jesus answered them, "My teaching is not mine but his who sent me. Anyone who resolves to do the will of God will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own. Those who speak on their own seek their own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and there is nothing false in him." What Jesus knows, he knows of himself and of the Father who has sent him. This is a very important statement here about the nature of human reality that Jesus is teaching us. Do we seek our own glory, to give glory to one another, or the glory of God? The intention is all. The desire for the glory of God gives one a sense of purpose and truth that illuminates the truth of God, wherever it may be found. With this intention and understanding, it is possible to find that truth and give it proper recognition. But otherwise, if self-importance or "praise of men" is what we seek, then we are unable to truly see and recognize what is good and true. Otherwise, envy, anger and hatred get in the way of such recognition. This has also applied to those who wish to glorify their own teachers, credentials, schools. It is at heart a statement about relationship and what we value most, where our treasure is. Thus, intention will define our search for truth and value and our capability of its recognition. Jesus has not come to this festival as his brothers challenged him to do in yesterday's reading, as an open declaration of Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem (as at Passion Week), but rather on his own terms and to do the Father's will. It is not a question of "personal glory" for him.

"Did not Moses give you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why are you looking for an opportunity to kill me? The crowd answered, "You have a demon! Who is trying to kill you?" Jesus answered them, "I performed one work, and all of you are astonished. Moses gave you circumcision (it is, of course, not from Moses, but from the patriarchs), and you circumcise a man on the sabbath. If a man receives circumcision on the sabbath in order that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me because I healed a man’s whole body on the sabbath? Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgement." Those who wish to be rid of him declare him to be possessed. But there's a deeper reality here, a question of which will is supreme. If it is blessed to circumcise on the sabbath, then why not to heal? Jesus is referring to the healing of the paralytic, which enraged the authorities of the law. The deeper desire for truth, for God's will, must make us able to see the good and the true. Every other "god" we cling to will get in the way, and be the source of envy, anger, and hatred. Do we seek the glory of God or the praise of men, to glorify ourselves or one another? Is it God's will we wish above all? We are to judge not by appearance, but by "righteous judgment" - which can only be received through right relatedness, right intention and devotion, what we treasure the most. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Now some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, "Is not this the man whom they are trying to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, but they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Messiah? Yet we know where this man is from; but when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from." Then Jesus cried out as he was teaching in the temple, "You know me, and you know where I am from. I have not come on my own. But the one who sent me is true, and you do not know him. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me." We are reminded that we have been told (John 4:44) that Jesus has said a prophet is not honored in his own country. They are unable to recognize his origin and the origin of his words and teachings. In yesterday's reading, we read that his own brothers are unbelievers. Again, we go to intention, to the reality of the inner life and identity, and to relationship. Then they tried to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him, because his hour had not yet come. Yet many in the crowd believed in him and were saying, "When the Messiah comes, will he do more signs than this man has done?" His hour had not yet come" refers to his death, his passion, the Cross. My study bible points out that Jesus is Lord of time. Everything he does - including this appearance in Jerusalem - is on the terms appointed by the Father and in accordance with the Father's will. This extends to Jesus' own nature and will. But we can learn from this devotion for ourselves.

The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering such things about him, and the chief priests and Pharisees sent temple police to arrest him. Jesus then said, "I will be with you a little while longer, and then I am going to him who sent me. You will search for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come." The Jews said to one another, "Where does this man intend to go that we will not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? What does he mean by saying, 'You will search for me and you will not find me' and, 'Where I am, you cannot come'?" The irony of this passage, my study bible points out, is that at the time this gospel was written - in Greek - the community of Christian believers had spread "among the Greeks." (That is, among the Gentile world.) This phrase refers to the Jewish dispersion among the Gentiles. There were communities of Jews throughout the Mediterranean world at the time in which the story of Jesus' life is set, especially in Syria, Asia Minor, Greece and Egypt. As is the case in John's gospel, Jesus' literal words convey deeper meanings, that his listeners cannot hear. We are always drawn to deeper hidden meanings, to try to tease out his message, to hear with spiritual eyes and ears, just as Jesus' own immediate audience was. We are given a taste, through John's gospel, of Jesus' own teaching style - his way to reach those who truly wished to hear and to know his truth, just as is related in this passage in Jesus' teaching about our greatest desire and our capacity for recognition of truth. It all depends on what we put first, where our greatest treasure is.

There's an important lesson here about crowds, appearances, reflections. What do we believe? How do we know what to believe? The answer, Jesus points out, is in our hearts. To what do we ally ourselves? Where do we put our greatest faith and our first intention, our deepest love and relatedness? This in turn will illumine what we take for truth, where we put the greatest emphasis, and what we can recognize. Can we really see what's before us? Is it conveyed through appearance, through the surface, through reflection - or is there a deeper place from which to perceive that is defined by our own internal allegiance and alliance with something greater than ourselves? What do you love?