For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God

 

 "While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light."  These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.

But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke:

"Lord, who has believed our report?

And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?"

Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:

"He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts,

Lest they should see with their eyes,

Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,

So that I should heal them."

These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.

Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

 

- John 12:36b–43 

 

Yesterday, we read that Jesus said, "Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say?  'Father, save Me from this hour'?  But for this purpose I came to this hour.  Father, glorify Your name."  Then a voice came from heaven, saying, "I have both glorified it and will glorify it again."  Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered.  Others said, "An angel has spoken to Him."  Jesus answered and said, "This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake.  Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.  And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself."  This He said, signifying by what death He would die.  The people answered Him, "We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up'?  Who is this Son of Man?"  Then Jesus said to them, "A little while longer the light is with you.  Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.  While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light."  These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.

 

 "While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light."  These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.  Jesus emphasizes once again in John's Gospel that He is the light; He is advising the religious leaders that He will be with them only a little while longer.  For we who read this text now, it's a reminder that our lives are relatively short, and this is the choice we have to make.  Also, my study bible says, it works on a third level to remind us that the second coming of Christ is but a little while when compared to eternity.

But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke:  "Lord, who has believed our report?  And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?"  Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:  "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they should see with their eyes, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them."  These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.   The text quotes from Isaiah 53:1 and 6:10.   According to the commentary of St. John Chrysostom, my study bible reports, Isaiah's prophecy doesn't mean that God causes spiritual blindness in those who would otherwise be faithful.  It's a figure of speech which is common to Scripture that reveals God as giving people up to their own devices (as, for example, in Romans 1:24, 26).   When it is written He has blinded it means that God has permitted the self-chosen blindness of these people (compare Exodus 8:15, 32 with Exodus 10:20, 27).  They didn't become blind because God spoke through Isaiah; rather Isaiah spoke as he foresaw their blindness.   This is the function of prophecy.  My study bible reminds us that Isaiah . . . saw His [Christ's] glory in about 700 BC (Isaiah 6:1), and spoke of Him in many places in his lengthy prophecy.

Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.  My study bible once again cites the commentary of St. John Chrysostom, who writes that these rulers are in reality the worst of slaves, as they are enslaved by the opinions of men.  This is a failure, as it keeps them from leading as God would have them lead.

How many times do we fall for the "praise of men" over the "praise of God"?  Are there times when you feel that God is leading you one way, but social pressure takes you another?  These are important things to consider, because the texts reveal to us common human elements of struggle and psychological and spiritual conflict.  How often are we caught up in what the opinions of others would be about us, and how often does that influence our own personal conduct?  In this case in the Gospel, these religious leaders bear a tremendous responsibility.  They are meant to lead the people in the right spiritual path, to bear the fruit and promise of the whole history of Jewish spirituality.  The whole of the people are attuned to the coming of the Messiah, and the expectations associated with that time.  The Messiah was expected not only to be a leader and king, but a deliverer of Israel, one who would bring salvation especially in the form of release from the ruling hand of the Roman Empire.  Christ has been welcomed into Jerusalem, but His salvation and deliverance is of a different kind than is expected.  He creates a crisis in which people must make new choices; as He has said Himself, He brings a sword (Matthew 10:34-39).   But it is John's insistence on our understanding of the difference between seeking the praise of men rather than the praise of God that really brings home the effects of this time, one that works like a crucible on the people.   The religious leaders are meant to make a choice -- always -- for God.  But their fear of doing so comes from a deeper reverence for the opinions of others, and their places in the social order.  So, even those who believe that Christ is the Messiah are afraid to say so, for fear of being put out of the synagogue.   This is also part of the picture of the Cross:  there will likely be times in our own lives when we need to make choices like this.  There will be those like the Pharisee Nicodemus, who will later boldly proclaim their faith.  But once again, we are to remember that our faith takes us on a journey, and it is a journey of choices.  These are choices that require our prayer and discernment, and as the Gospels repeatedly point out to us in failures like this one of the religious leaders who believe in Christ and yet care more for public opinion, in St. Peter's denial of Christ, in the failings of the disciples to understand Christ, if we are wise, we must accept that we need to understand our own failings and vulnerabilities.  Sometimes the Cross will take us on a journey specifically so that we learn these things about ourselves; such a failing is painful but inevitably invaluable.  We are not to shrink away from acknowledging our own vulnerability, the things that prey upon us on the inside, especially our fears.  A wise follower of Christ is always to seek to know oneself better.  Indeed, this was the original intent of confession, which was designed not to be a simple list of our sins and failings, but rather a way to know ourselves better.  It is the early and ancient form of psychotherapy, but it includes and recognizes the need for spiritual direction for the health and well-being of soul and spirit, which in turn nurture our body.  Where are we vulnerable and how are we vulnerable?  Our lives are not lived in a vacuum, but always susceptible to the things we inherit from the world around us, the pressures we feel, the desires we nurture, even those which are nominally good.  But Christ is here to lead us with His light, so that we may walk with His guidance on our way to a deeper faith and union with Him.