Click here to read today's passage on Bible Gateway.
Unbelief
Today we have an uncommon occurrence in the Gospels. Did you notice what's different about the beginning of today's reading? John first tells us that they crowds did not believe, but then goes into an "aside", where rather than telling about Jesus or quoting anyone, John provides his own thoughts on the people rejecting Jesus. Very important thoughts that tie a lot of things together too.
"John 12:37–38 is a watershed in the theology of the Gospel of John. Jesus’ public work is completed; his signs have been displayed in the world; his discourses have been delivered. And yet, the signs have been rejected. His own people have failed to believe the messenger sent by God. We were warned that this would happen in John’s opening prologue, “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him” (1:11). How does John explain this? How can the Christians in John’s church (many years later) interpret the story of Jesus’ life that leads to rejection? Has God failed? Has unbelief triumphed? Is John 1:5 wrong; that is, has the darkness won the victory over the light?
John echoes the thinking of other New Testament writers when he leads us first to Isaiah 53:1. Isaiah 53 provided the earliest Christians with a poignant description of the Suffering Servant, whose image helped interpret the anguish and suffering of Jesus. And Isaiah 53:1 sums up the Servant’s rejection: Neither his words (“our message”) nor his deeds (“the arm of the Lord”) has found any reception in Israel. John then takes us to Isaiah 6:10, which became the classic New Testament explanation for Israel’s rejection of Jesus. Paul cites it in his final speech in Acts (Acts 28:26–27), and the Synoptic Gospels use it to explain why the people cannot comprehend the parables of Jesus (Matt. 13:13–15; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10).
The theological message of John 12:38–40 is thus anchored to Isaiah’s experience. God called Isaiah to speak to Israel but forewarned him that his words would find no acceptance. People would hear, but fail to understand; they would see, but fail to comprehend. Therefore Isaiah did not fail; rather, he fulfilled God’s purposes. Likewise, Jesus did not fail in his ministry, but he was continuing the prophetic experience of Isaiah; he was simply filling up or completing what Isaiah described in his own time. The Jews should therefore hear John’s words and see them as an exhortation to repent of their disbelief and turn to the messenger who can save them." [1]
A couple of thoughts: First of all, even Jesus Himself wasn't what we would call "fruitful" in His earthly ministry. Whether or not someone believes or rejects God does not depend on us. Our role is to proclaim the Good News of Jesus faithfully - the decision is up to those to hear. Second, Jesus is certainly effected by this unbelief. Our recent post on John 11 showed that, as well as the accounts of Jesus weeping over Jerusalem. Jesus is not a machine; rejection effects Him profoundly and emotionally. Third, this rejection is part of God's plan. We'll get to this more in Romans, but it is BECAUSE of Israel's unbelief and rejection of the Messiah that we, non-Jews, receive the promise of the Messiah and are "grafted in" to that promise and salvation. Deep things and hard thoughts in this passage today. As I said, we'll get into some of this more later on in the year. Thankful for God's perfect plan, which is based upon the suffering and rejection of His own Son. A high cost for God, free salvation for us. Who can know the mind of the Lord?
Unbelief
Today we have an uncommon occurrence in the Gospels. Did you notice what's different about the beginning of today's reading? John first tells us that they crowds did not believe, but then goes into an "aside", where rather than telling about Jesus or quoting anyone, John provides his own thoughts on the people rejecting Jesus. Very important thoughts that tie a lot of things together too.
"John 12:37–38 is a watershed in the theology of the Gospel of John. Jesus’ public work is completed; his signs have been displayed in the world; his discourses have been delivered. And yet, the signs have been rejected. His own people have failed to believe the messenger sent by God. We were warned that this would happen in John’s opening prologue, “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him” (1:11). How does John explain this? How can the Christians in John’s church (many years later) interpret the story of Jesus’ life that leads to rejection? Has God failed? Has unbelief triumphed? Is John 1:5 wrong; that is, has the darkness won the victory over the light?
John echoes the thinking of other New Testament writers when he leads us first to Isaiah 53:1. Isaiah 53 provided the earliest Christians with a poignant description of the Suffering Servant, whose image helped interpret the anguish and suffering of Jesus. And Isaiah 53:1 sums up the Servant’s rejection: Neither his words (“our message”) nor his deeds (“the arm of the Lord”) has found any reception in Israel. John then takes us to Isaiah 6:10, which became the classic New Testament explanation for Israel’s rejection of Jesus. Paul cites it in his final speech in Acts (Acts 28:26–27), and the Synoptic Gospels use it to explain why the people cannot comprehend the parables of Jesus (Matt. 13:13–15; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10).
The theological message of John 12:38–40 is thus anchored to Isaiah’s experience. God called Isaiah to speak to Israel but forewarned him that his words would find no acceptance. People would hear, but fail to understand; they would see, but fail to comprehend. Therefore Isaiah did not fail; rather, he fulfilled God’s purposes. Likewise, Jesus did not fail in his ministry, but he was continuing the prophetic experience of Isaiah; he was simply filling up or completing what Isaiah described in his own time. The Jews should therefore hear John’s words and see them as an exhortation to repent of their disbelief and turn to the messenger who can save them." [1]
A couple of thoughts: First of all, even Jesus Himself wasn't what we would call "fruitful" in His earthly ministry. Whether or not someone believes or rejects God does not depend on us. Our role is to proclaim the Good News of Jesus faithfully - the decision is up to those to hear. Second, Jesus is certainly effected by this unbelief. Our recent post on John 11 showed that, as well as the accounts of Jesus weeping over Jerusalem. Jesus is not a machine; rejection effects Him profoundly and emotionally. Third, this rejection is part of God's plan. We'll get to this more in Romans, but it is BECAUSE of Israel's unbelief and rejection of the Messiah that we, non-Jews, receive the promise of the Messiah and are "grafted in" to that promise and salvation. Deep things and hard thoughts in this passage today. As I said, we'll get into some of this more later on in the year. Thankful for God's perfect plan, which is based upon the suffering and rejection of His own Son. A high cost for God, free salvation for us. Who can know the mind of the Lord?
[1] Gary M. Burge, NIV Application Commentary: John (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 2000), 347-48.
RSS Feed
