Tuesday 13 April 2010

Background

In this passage Jesus is in conversation with Nicodemus, who isdescribed as a "teacher of Israel". Their discussion included arange of abstract images connected to the idea of being "born ofthe Spirit" before Jesus focused the conversation on a particularimage from Israel's history that Nicodemus would have knownwell.

The account of the serpent "lifted up ... in the wilderness" isfound in the Old Testament in Numbers 21:4-9. Moses had led the people of Godout of slavery in Egypt but life was not easy for the people in thewilderness. They complained that they had no food or water and thenarrator tells the reader that "The Lord sent poisonous serpentsamong the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelitesdied". The people repented of their complaining and so, in responseto God's command, Moses made a bronze serpent and set it upon apole. Those who had been bitten by the serpents could look at thebronze serpent and live.

There are a number of complex questions in this narrative,including the fact that although God provided a means for theirhealing, it was God who had sent the poisonous serpents in thefirst place. It may well be that we cannot take all of the detailsof the Old Testament account and relate them exactly to the meaningof the words of Jesus here. Perhaps we should simply focus on theidea of being 'lifted up' as a link between the healing work of thebronze serpent and the healing work of Jesus who would later be'lifted up' on the Cross.

One clear link between the two accounts is the need to 'look'. Theserpent-bitten Israelites needed to look at the bronze serpent onthe pole to find their healing. Those who seek forgiveness andhealing today are invited to look at Jesus - lifted up on theCross.

To Ponder

Is it ever right for us to be like the Israelitesin the wilderness and 'speak against God'? If so, when?

Reflect on the image of Jesus 'lifted up' on theCross as being the way that God has provided for you to be madewhole.