Monday 17 July 2023

Background

In John’s Gospel, Jesus is described as a Jew only once (4:9) and his followers not at all. In John’s Gospel (including in today’s passage), ‘the Jews’ are those who oppose Jesus and are seeking to kill him (v. 1). For this reason, John’s Gospel has been accused of antisemitism, and its words have sadly been used to justify hateful actions and attitudes. It’s possible that the description of Jesus’ enemies as ‘the Jews’ (rather than, say, ‘the religious leaders’) reflects tensions that developed after Jesus’ death between the Johannine community from which this gospel emerged and its Jewish neighbours.    

Nevertheless, the pattern of Jesus’ life in John’s Gospel is shaped by his Jewish faith and culture, and not least by the Jewish festivals. In today’s passage, fierce debate about whether Jesus is a good man or a false prophet takes place against the backdrop of the Jewish festival of Sukkot, also known as the festival of Booths or Tabernacles.This festival commemorates the Israelites’ journey to the Promised Land and the ways in which God sheltered and protected them in the wilderness. Leviticus 23:42 says "You shall live in booths for seven days; all that are citizens in Israel shall live in booths." So Jewish families build flimsy, temporary structures with roofs made of branches and leaves that, for seven days, serve as a reminder (in the words of Lord Jonathan Sacks) of "how vulnerable life is’" but also "that above us and around us are the sheltering arms of the divine presence."

John’s Jesus does not draw any particular meaning from the festival in his teaching – but it is interesting to note that the word translated as ‘tabernacle’ appears in John 1:14 – the Word became flesh and ‘tabernacled’ (pitched a tent) among us. Jesus’ human body was the flimsy, vulnerable structure in which, somehow, the fullness of God was pleased to dwell.  

To Ponder:

• Why do you think Jesus went to the festival ‘in secret’? 
• How do you think it felt for Jesus to know that his own brothers did not believe in him? 
• What other examples can you think of where Jesus engages with Jewish festivals and patterns of worship? 

Prayer

All-powerful God, as we watch the news and as we navigate our daily life, we are often painfully aware of our frailty and vulnerability. Remind us once again that, in the midst of it all, we are held in your sheltering arms. May we feel your comforting presence surrounding us today. Amen.