Biblical Shalom: Finding the Common Ground

As I have visited churches in different parts of the United States and in countries overseas, particularly in Europe, Eurasia and China, I am saddened by the lack of substantive teaching on Biblical shalom. In fact, many Christians I meet are unfamiliar with the word shalom and don’t know how to respond when I greet them with this Biblical word.

My study of shalom has convinced me that there is ample “common ground” for agreement among Christians on this topic and that a deepened understanding of shalom would greatly impact the ministry and influence of Christians if they knew more about Biblical teaching on this powerful, dynamic subject.

Biblical Shalom: Living Life with a Purpose

My study of shalom changed my life. I have been thinking about this lately, after a number of conversations with former students who have become life-long friends and who told me how their lives were impacted by my teaching on this subject, since they could see the impact on my life. Similar conversations with close friends have re-enforced this.

Three years ago, when I began this blog, I described some of the background to my discovery of this powerful Biblical teaching. I decided to share this again, but now in more detail.

When I was in graduate school at the University of Maryland pursing a Ph.D. in European and Russian history, I often thought about how my Christian faith related to my academic work. I knew God meant faith to be more than just a “private matter,” but I was unsure how to flush out the connections between my religious beliefs and what I was studying. My history profs at this state university were of no help, of course, and in fact their general approach was to ridicule religion and blame it for much of the violence and ignorance in European and Russian history.

After earning my degree, I spent four years in the State Department’s Historical Office, where I edited many volumes in the Foreign Relations of the United States series, particularly those focused on the early years of the Cold War. In an effort to offset these daytime hours chronicling conflict and war, I began an in-depth study of Biblical peace, with the hope of gaining some insights that I could integrate into my work in foreign policy.

I left the Department of State to become the founding director of the American Studies Program for the Christian College Coalition in 1976. This semester program was specifically designed to work alongside students as they wrestled with public policy issues through the eyes of faith; the study of biblical peace – shalom – was definitely part of the mix! I shared with the students what I was learning in my own study and together we tried to figure out the implications of what we were learning. What a great experience – teacher and students learning together!

The event that focused my studies in a more concentrated fashion came in May 1983, when I served on the executive committee that organized a national conference on “The Church and Peacemaking in a Nuclear Age.” I was asked to edit the conference proceedings that were subsequently published in a book entitled Perspectives on Peacemaking: Biblical Options in the Nuclear Age (Regal Books, 1984).

The insights I was gaining during this time were so profound, so revolutionary. I was seeing themes in Scripture that I never saw before. God brought mentors into my life who helped me in this pursuit – mentors like Vernon Grounds, Nicolas Wolterstorff and Rich Mouw. I became so inspired that I decided to write a 16-week devotional guide entitled “Shalom: God’s Intention and Our Response,” which I thoroughly enjoyed preparing because it combined the results of all of my study on this subject. The manuscript was never published – after 4-5 rejections from Christian publishers, I quit trying.

Let me add that I was born and raised in a Christian home and educated in quality Christian schools through college and what I learned and experienced during these years impacted my adult life in many valuable ways. Still, my multi-year study of biblical peace opened up new and refreshing insights from the Bible that I had never seen before. It gave me a vision for how my faith could and should shape the way I evaluate all that goes on around me, and then how I should respond in thought and in action.

This magnificent biblical word – shalom – is so rich in meaning that no word in English is sufficient to capture its essence. When I think about shalom, I can easily imagine a beautiful multi-faceted diamond, which refracts different shades of light and color when slowly turned. Shalom – peace with God, peace with ourselves, peace with others, and peace with God’s creation.

Beginning with the creation of the world, the Old Testament records God’s desire for a world that reflects his view for fullness, for well-being, for what it means to be truly human. Sin, of course, distorted God’s plan, but the God of grace and peace continued his relationship with humanity and eventually send his own Son to restore what was broken.

Jesus, the promised “Prince of Peace,” taught us to live as he did, to be agents of God’s shalom, following his example. He taught us that we have a calling – to be “agents of hope,” to be healers in a broken, sin-filled world. We have work to do – full-time jobs as shalom-makers. There is no unemployment for God’s Kingdom workers. Restoration – making whole what is torn apart – that’s a big job and we all can play a role in this exciting activity. It means living life with a purpose – never an easy path, but always a fulfilling one!

Biblical Shalom: What is it? 

“Shalom is the human being dwelling at peace in all his or her relationships: with God, with self, with fellows, with nature. . . . Shalom at its highest is enjoyment in one’s relationships.” (Nicholas Wolterstorff, Until Peace and Justice Embrace, p. 69.)

“This webbing together of God, humans, and all creation in justice, fulfillment, and delight is what the Hebrew prophets called shalom. We call it ‘peace,’ but it means far more than just peace of mind or cease-fire between enemies. In the Bible, shalom means universal flourishing, wholeness, and delight. . . . Shalom, in other words, is the way things are supposed to be.” (Cornelius Plantinga, Engaging God’s World, pp. 14-15.)

“’Shalom’ is usually translated ‘peace’ in English Bibles, but it means far more that what our English word conveys. It means complete reconciliation, a state of the fullest flourishing in every dimension – physical, emotional, social and spiritual – because all relationships are right, perfect and filled with joy.” (Timothy Keller, Generous Justice, pp. 173-174.)

“Biblical Shalom is so rich in meaning -- good health, right relationships with others and ourselves, security, closeness to God, care for God’s creation. Think of shalom as peace with God, peace with ourselves, peace with others, and peace with creation. It is, in fact, a way of summarizing the ‘good news’ (the Gospel).” (John A. Bernbaum, www.reflectionsonshalom.blogspot.com.)

Bring Them Here to Me

"Feeding the Multitudes,"
Bernardo Strozzi, c. 1600.

In my last post (June 10, 2013), I wrote about how Jesus gave his twelve disciples some “internship training,” sending them out two-by-two to “preach the Kingdom of God and heal the sick.” The next event recorded by the Gospel writers is when they come home and report to Jesus about their experiences. While I would love to know what they said to Jesus, the Bible doesn’t tell us. Apparently there are no major issues – at least according to the four Gospel writers.

The disciples are probably exhausted because the Gospel of Mark tells us that after Jesus hears their reports, he says to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest” (Mark 6:31). But in John’s Gospel, he notes that at this point Jesus is informed of the beheading of John the Baptist and, when Jesus is told about this execution by Herod Antipas, “he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place” (John 14:13). But neither Jesus nor the disciples can get away for some R&R (rest and relaxation).

When the crowds find out that Jesus and his disciples are leaving the area in boats and heading for another place on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, they follow on foot. As their boats come near the shore, Jesus sees the crowds and has “compassion on them” (Matthew 14:14) – which seems to be Jesus’ default position. He cares deeply about people, especially those in need, even when he is grieving himself over the death of his cousin.

All four Gospel writers describe what happens next – it is the only miracle recorded by all four of them, except for the resurrection. I encourage you to read about this miracle in the Gospel of John (6:1-13) or the Gospel of Mark (6:31-46). Why is the feeding of the 5,000 – actually closer to 10-15,000 – recorded by all four writers? Perhaps because it shows that Jesus cares deeply about both spiritual and physical needs. And he not only cares about hungry people, he does something about it!

The Gospel of John gives us a few important details not covered in the other reports of this event. When Jesus sees the size of the crowd, estimated at 5,000 men (if women and children are also counted the crowd was probably much larger), Jesus realizes that his desire for a retreat just turned into a large convention. The size of the crowd is important to note because the population of the nearest cities was only 2-3,000 people each, so this crowd came from some distance to be with Jesus.

Since it was getting late in the day and they were in an isolated area, Jesus speaks to his disciples about feeding the crowd. The disciples are surprisingly abrupt in their response to Jesus. They do not begin with an appropriate reference to him as “Lord,” as they often did, but simply tell him what he should do – “Send the crowds away” (Matthew 14:15).

Jesus’ patience with his disciples is as remarkable as his care for all these people. “Bring them here to me,” (Matthew 14:18) is Jesus’ response, and he instructs them to ask the people to sit down on the grass and organize themselves into groups of hundreds and fifties. Then, with the assistance of his disciple Andrew who finds a young boy with five loaves and two fish, he takes the boy’s food, offers a prayer of thanksgiving and divides up the loaves and fish. The Gospels record that everyone is fed and there are twelve baskets of bread and fish left over!

This last detail is interesting. Not only are all of these people fed by Jesus, the twelve disciples also each get their own picnic basket of food so their needs are lovingly met as well. What an amazing Lord!

But the story is not over yet, at least according to the Gospel of John – which is why it is helpful to read different Gospel records of the same event, since the writers often add insights not mentioned by the others. The Apostle John tells us that when the people see this miraculous feeding of the crowd, they want to “make him king by force” (6:14-15). Jesus, knowing their intentions, leaves them and goes off to be alone on a nearby mountain – finally!

So What?

• What strikes me about this story is the disciples’ response to the pressing problem of how to feed so many people, who are in such an isolated place. These are smart guys – they know they have a real problem, so they respond like I am inclined to respond in similar situations – “Send them away!” I can identify with these disciples. “We are tired, we have just finished demanding ‘internships,’ we don’t need this right now.” But what is Jesus’ response? “Bring them here to me.” There is a powerful lesson in this.

• The way in which Jesus meets both spiritual and physical needs is another important lesson from this story. He does not just pass out tracts or Gospel brochures to these hungry and sick people – he heals them and feeds them, thereby teaching all of us in the church to respond similarly. He also tells them about the Kingdom of God and how their spiritual needs can be met. Why do we often separate these two powerful responses to pressing human needs?

• The demonstration of Jesus’ power is also remarkable in this story. On the one hand, his power is evident as he takes five loaves and two fish and makes them into enough food to feed everyone; on the other, his power is also clear when he simply walks away from their efforts to make him king. This is not God’s plan and their desire make him a “celebrity,” a political force in Galilee, is not going to detract him. This is another “teaching moment” for his disciples – and for us.

You’ve Got a Job to Do

"The Sending of the Twelve,"
Duccio DiBuoninsegnaca, 14th c.

After spending about a year with Jesus, the disciples are given a new challenge by their teacher. Jesus gathers his twelve disciples together and tells them to do the type of preaching, teaching and healing that they have seen him do. Now it is their turn. The most detailed record of this new phase in Jesus’ ministry is found in the Gospel of Matthew (10:1-11:1), with shorter versions in Mark (6:7-13) and Luke (9:1-6).

The context for this “internship training” for Jesus’ disciples is his sense that he’ll soon be going to Jerusalem for his final visit and he wants to prepare his followers for what is to come. This is the third tour of Galilee by Jesus. On his first foray into Galilee, Jesus traveled with the four fishermen who he called to follow him; on his second journey through Galilee, he was accompanied by all twelve disciples. This time Jesus will travel to Galilee by himself after he sends out his disciples two-by-two.

Jesus’ charge to them is simple and straight-forward: preach the Kingdom of God and heal the sick. Sending them out two-by-two is striking to me, since he leaves them and goes out on his own. Why two-by-two? We don’t know for sure, but I suspect that Jesus knew they would encounter stiff resistance or possibly hostile opposition, so having a partner would provide mutual support during this time of training. It may also have been to bolster their credibility by having the testimony of more than one witness, a key factor in the Jewish legal context.

After Jesus’ death and resurrection, most of the missionary activity that resulted in the expansion of Christianity worldwide in the Roman Empire took place with teams of apostles and disciples, rarely with one person on his own. This is an important insight for us to remember in our own lives as disciples of Jesus.

In Matthew’s Gospel, we find the only detailed record of what Jesus said to his disciples before he sent them out and there are some hard teachings that are difficult for us to understand. For example, Jesus tells them, “All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved” (10:22). And similarly, “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but the sword” (10:34).

How do we square these statements with the Old Testament prophecies that Jesus is the promised Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) and the New Testament birth announcement that he brings “peace on earth” (Luke 2:14). As we have argued since we started this Shalom blog, God’s gift of shalom to his people includes peace with God, peace with ourselves, peace with others and peace with the natural world. Jesus indeed came to bring peace between his followers and God and peace between all people, regardless of race, gender or social status, but he knew that Satan would resist his efforts and cause animosity to arise. It is a struggle between light and darkness and this struggle sometimes occurs even within a family. Jesus wants them to know what to expect. Satan will put up a battle, but God’s plan will not be defeated. Temporary setbacks, yes, but defeat, never!

So What?

• As you read through Jesus’ instructions to his disciples in Matthew’s Gospel, did you notice that Jesus warns them that they will meet resistance from those who prefer to keep living as if there is no God. I think it is so interesting that Jesus does not tell his disciples to argue with those who disagree with them. Their job is to be a witness – just tell their story of how God has come into their lives and made a difference. If people didn’t want to hear about this, they were to shake the dust off their feet and move on.

• Jesus’ instructions to his disciples are helpful for us as well. While we may not have the same special healing powers that the disciples were given in Galilee, we are charged with the task of being his witnesses. What is important for us to understand is that God has chosen to use us as his witnesses, but he is not willing to use force to get people to follow him. He doesn’t come to impose peace on earth by force. God gives men and women the freedom to chose to follow him or not. No one is forcibly brought into the Kingdom of God – it is a voluntary decision to receive God’s gifts of grace and salvation.

• The two-by-two partnerships are also helpful reminders that no one is a “lone ranger” in God’s Kingdom. Working with partners is God’s choice for us, a choice that offers needed accountability and encouragement, when we stumble.

Jesus and Two Very Different Women (Part II)

"The Raising of Jairus' Daughter"
Edwin Long, 1889.

In my last post (May 13, 2013), we were following Jesus on his way to the home of Jairus, whose daughter was dying. Jairus, the leader of the Capernaum synagogue, had fallen at Jesus’ feet when he returned from his trip to “the other side” of the Sea of Galilee, and pleaded with him to heal his only child.

Jesus and Two Very Different Women (Part I)

Byzantine Mosaic,
Ravenna, Italy, 6th century

One of the most dramatic stories in the Gospels is Jesus’ encounter with two desperate people who are out to find him and two women, one young and one old, who have their lives changed by him. This story can be found in Luke 8:40-56 and Mark 5:21-43.

Battling a Legion

"The Swine Driven into the Sea,"
James Tissot, c. 1886.

When following Jesus’ ministry during its early stages, it is important to see how certain events are linked together in the Gospels. Sometimes when we read stories in the Bible, we focus on a single event and miss the connection to what proceeds or follows a certain encounter. This is the key to the miracle I will look at in this post.

In my last post, “Crossing Enemy Lines” (April 15, 2013), we saw how Jesus calmed a vicious storm on the Sea of Galilee and demonstrated his power over nature to his frightened disciples, many who were competent fishermen and knew this sea very well. I agree with Biblical scholars who see this event as an attack by Satan on Jesus.

What happens when Jesus and his disciples approach the shore on “the other side” of the lake is directly linked to the struggle with Satan during the storm. While three Gospel writers (Matthew, Mark and Luke) describe what happens next, I would encourage you to take a few minutes to read the fullest account in the Gospel of Mark (5:1-20).

You might remember from the first part of this story that the disciples would never have gone to this region, called the Decapolis (Ten Cities), because the Gentiles who lived there were engaged in all the things that observant Jews hated – idol worship, sexual promiscuity, forbidden foods, etc. -- yet their rabbi tells them to come with him, so they do.

Think about the setting. They’re approaching the shore, it is getting dark and they hear screams and see a naked man who lives in a cemetery coming toward their boat. They have been taught never to enter this territory, never to look at a naked man, and never to be around tombs in order to stay ritually pure.

Both Luke and Mark make it clear that Jesus is the only one to get out of the boat – not the disciples. I think we can identify with their reluctance. What are they doing here? Why did they come? What is he going to do?

The naked man, possessed by demons, approaches Jesus and falls down in front of him, but not as an act of worship. The demons that control him recognize that they are in the presence of someone who has superior power. In fact, the demons speak through the man who screams out, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High?” Mark tells us the demons are making it clear that they know who Jesus is (1:24).

When Jesus asks them their name, they respond, “Legion - for we are many.” It is interesting to note that nearby are pigs or boars – obviously this is not Kosher territory. Josephus, a first-century Jewish historian who worked for Rome, records that this area was occupied by the Roman Tenth Legion and their mascot was a boar. It would be stretching the story too much to say that Jesus was taking a prophetic action with strong political overtones by sending the demons into the boars who then ran into the sea and drowned, but it does make me wonder. By the way, some historians are convinced that boars are good swimmers, so the fact that 2,000 of them drowned would then be rather remarkable.

What is amazing about this story is that Jesus completely rescues and restores this man. Now the disciples have seen him win two amazing battles against evil, the second lesson they could easily see even from the boat that they refuse to leave! Mark tells us that after the boars run into the sea and people come running to see what had happened, they are frightened by Jesus’ presence. They see this wild man who lived in the tombs and who could break chains, sitting there by Jesus in his right mind and fully dressed. Where did he get his clothes? None of the Gospel writers tell us, but I would sure like to know!

After he is rescued and restored, the man asks Jesus if he can go along with him and his disciples, to leave this place where he had been so isolated and feared. But Jesus has another plan. He tells him to go back to his own people and “report to them how much God has done for you” (5: 19). He has been healed and now he has a mission, a purpose, a task to be done.

What many of us fail to notice is that when Jesus returns to this region several months later, thousands of people come out to see him (Mark 7:31-37). This man has become the first missionary of the New Testament to the Gentiles!

So What?

• One powerful lesson from this story that I learned: We may have someone who we have been praying for who needs to be rescued and restored by Jesus, yet it seems like nothing is ever going to change in their life. As Doug Greenwold (Senior Teaching Fellow, Preserving Bible Times) reminds us, remember this man with a “legion” of demons and be encouraged. Jesus can bring healing, but in his own timing, so don’t despair.

• A humorous footnote: When I learned about Josephus’ record of the Roman Tenth Legion having a pig or boar for a mascot, I thought what a choice – until I remembered that my graduate school (The University of Maryland) has a turtle for its mascot. Who am I to laugh at the Romans!

• My former pastor, Dr. Craig Barnes, commented on this passage as follows: “It seems that the guiding principle for Jesus’ decision about who should leave and who should stay is that he always sends us to the place where we are most dependent on a Savior. If your demon is the fear of change, that means you will be hitting the road more than you want. Yet if you are tormented more by the thought of settling into a difficult place, it means you will be staying right where you are. In either case, your hope will come not from where you are, but from whom you find mercy.”

Crossing Enemy Lines

“Often when we read the Bible, we see what we know but don’t know what we see.” The sentence quoted above from an anonymous source, brought to my attention by Doug Greenwold, the Senior Teaching Fellow of Preserving Bible Times, came to mind as I studied this fascinating episode that I will share with you in this post.

"Christ in the Storm,"
Rembrandt, 1633.

Three Gospel writers record the story of Jesus and his disciples caught in a storm on the Sea of Galilee and I would encourage you to read these accounts (Matthew 3:23-27; Mark 4: 35-41; Luke 8:22-25). The Gospel of Mark, for example, makes it clear that Jesus’ early ministry is meeting resistance from demonic forces and that everywhere he goes Jesus is confronted by people who are struggling with demons that try to disrupt him. He continually tells them to “Be muzzled” or, in my words, “Shut up.”

In the Gospels, two storms are recorded on the Sea of Galilee. The second one, described in Mark 6:45, is a strong wind that results in Jesus walking on the water to reach his exhausted disciples. The first one is a much different situation. First let’s set the context.

Jesus has been teaching in the area around the Sea of Galilee and his ministry has been very busy with crowds of people flocking to him and bringing their sick for his healing. As evening approaches, Jesus invites his disciples to join him in the boat from which he was teaching and tells them to head “to the other side” of the lake, perhaps to escape the crowd and get some rest.

The Sea of Galilee is a freshwater lake, 13 miles long and 8 miles wide, and on a clear day you can see the other side. It is one of the lowest points on the earth, seven hundred feet below sea level, so frequent and sudden storms happen periodically when cool air from the Mediterranean Sea is drawn down through narrow mountain passes and clashes with hot, humid air from the dessert to the east. The fisherman in Jesus’ group of disciples knew this body of water very well – they made their living on this sea. Traveling with Jesus by boat was not the issue – but going “to the other side” was!

Observant Jews who lived in the northwest region of the Sea of Galilee, for example near Capernaum or Bethsaida, were very careful to eat only certain foods prescribed in Jewish dietary laws and to avoid ritual impurity of any kind. Jews from this region wanted nothing to do with the pagans who lived “on the other side” of the Sea of Galilee, the southeast side that was called the Decapolis.

This region had cities that were built by the Greeks and then the Romans to be showplaces of their culture and their authority. The cities had multiple temples with Greek and Roman idols, bathhouses, theatres and sports stadiums. The forbidden food, the idol worship and the sexual promiscuity of these cities made this region clearly “enemy territory” for religious Jews. What a shock it must have been for Jesus to invite them to join him as he travels to this forbidden area. What a test for his new disciples!

I agree with Michael Card‘s commentary that this storm, which Matthew described as a “shaking” and Mark calls a “great wind,” has all the markings of a demonic attack. A fierce windstorm strikes this small group of boats, yet Jesus is so exhausted – here’s his humanity that the Gospel writers are highlighting -- he is “sleeping on a cushion” (Mark 4:38).

When the frightened disciples awaken Jesus, because they see that their boat is about to be swamped by the waves, Jesus gets up and rebukes the storm with the words “Quiet! Be still!” The wind dies down immediately and it becomes “completely calm,” as noted in all three Gospel accounts.

For the disciples, who had serious doubts about going “to the other side” in the first place, this storm may have seemed to be God’s judgment on them, but then their rabbi rebukes the storm and Satan’s attack on them – not God’s judgment -- is blocked. Again all three Gospel writers highlight that the disciples are “amazed” at what happened and say to each other, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him” (Luke 8:25).

So What?

• This event is the first time in the Gospel of Luke that Jesus exercises his miraculous power over natural forces. It is a “nature miracle” in which Jesus applies his power over a non-living object, rather than a person. It is an important event in the life of his disciples (and for us) because it shows that Jesus has authority over storms and seas, just as God demonstrated in the Exodus. It is an amazing God that we worship! He has proven his divine power, while demonstrating he is also human.

• Some Biblical scholars think this episode in the life of Jesus and his disciples is a parable for the church that sometimes get “lost at sea” and feels helpless in the face of so many challenges and threats. In these difficult times, we need to be reminded of Jesus’ question to his disciples, “Where is your faith?” Jesus has promised not to abandon us, even though it feels that way sometimes. Has this been your experience? It certainly has been mine at different times in my life.

• Going into “enemy territory” is often missed by Christians in the West who are not aware of the context of this event. Jesus is showing his disciples in a dramatic way that God’s Kingdom is not restricted to certain geographical areas or ethnic groups. The message is clear: Satan is no match for Jesus!

• The event in Jesus’ ministry that immediately follows this calming of the storm is directly linked to this struggle against Satan and his demonic forces. My next post will discuss the second part of this challenge. Stay tuned!

Come Along, Tax Man!

"The Calling of St. Matthew,"
Hendrick ter Brugghen, 1621.

Shortly after he calls his first four disciples, and while his popularity is very high in Galilee, Jesus does a remarkable thing: he invites a hated tax collector to join him as one of his disciples. I would encourage you to take time to read the three short reports on this event that appear in the Gospels (Matthew 9:9-13; Mark 2:13-17; Luke 5:27-32).

The context for this story is the growing popularity of Jesus, who makes Capernaum his home base and concentrates his early ministry in Galilee. According to Luke, Jesus heals a man with leprosy and then a paralytic and “everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, ‘We have seen remarkable things today’” (5:26).

As the word spreads about Jesus, the rabbi who brings healing to the sick, crowds begin to follow him and, like other rabbis of his day, he teaches his followers as he walks along. But the joy and excitement of his miracles are brought to a jolting halt when Jesus sees a tax collector by the name of Levi sitting in his tax booth near the Sea of Galilee. Jesus approaches Levi and says, “Follow me,” and to everyone’s surprise at both the invitation and the response, Levi “got up, left everything, and followed him” (Luke 5:27-28).

Levi, which is his given name, while Matthew is his apostolic name, is employed as a tax collector in Galilee under the authority of Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great and the governor of his region. He is not a “chief tax collector” like Zacchaeus, who Jesus will meet later, nor is it said that he is wealthy like Zacchaeus, but his position still makes him a hated man by those who do business near his toll booth. Tax collectors were viewed as agents of the repressive Roman regime and they were despised by the Jews as traitors and extortionists.

Levi’s toll booth was probably located on the road from Damascus to the Mediterranean coast that runs through Capernaum. I wonder if he knew the Jewish fishermen who were later to become fellow disciples, because their fishing businesses probably did some commerce on this important trading route.

We do not know why Levi responded to Jesus’ invitation. Had he heard Jesus teach the crowds that followed him and had he witnessed his miracles? Was he so desperate and lonely that Jesus’ offer was too hard to pass up. There was much at stake for Levi. Fishermen like Andrew, Peter, James and John could easily go back to fishing, if things did not work out with Jesus – and in fact they did after Jesus’ crucifixion -- but there was no possibility for Levi to return to his position once he renounced it by walking away.

The calling of Levi precipitates the second incident in a series of five encounters with religious leaders, as recorded in the Gospel of Mark. Following his invitation to Levi, Jesus attends a dinner at Levi’s home – a detail that Matthew leaves out of his Gospel when he tells the story of this event in his personal life. Levi may have viewed this as a farewell party, since he is leaving his home to travel with his new rabbi; or maybe he wants his friends to meet Jesus -- friends who might also want to make some changes in their lives.

Jesus loves banquets and parties – his ministry includes many dinners and celebrations. These were signs of his Kingdom. Banquets are joyful events and they hint at future Kingdom celebrations when God’s people from all over the world will attend banquets in heaven with Jesus as the host. By the way, did you notice that this party was not just for Jesus’ disciples, but also for “a large crowd of tax collectors and others [who] were eating with them” (Luke 5:29)?

You will see when you read the Gospel records of this party that this makes the Jewish religious leaders very unhappy; but instead of confronting Jesus directly, they complain to his disciples and ask why the disciples are eating with “tax collectors and sinners.” When this message is relayed to Jesus, he makes a profound statement: “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32; Matthew 9:13). Jesus is not implying that the Pharisees are “righteous” and therefore don’t need his message, but rather that the gospel of grace and forgiveness is for everyone, and repentance is needed before salvation can be received. Levi had decided to change his ways, but the Pharisees who are critical of him have not. Joy and repentance are linked together in this wonderful story!

So What? 

• There may be some readers who have wandered through life on their own, searching for meaning and significance, but only becoming more lost and confused. Perhaps this was the case with Levi. But when he accepted Jesus’ invitation, his life was changed and he threw a party to celebrate his exciting new life with Jesus. Levi, who is better known as the Apostle Matthew, went on to experience an amazing life with Jesus and in fact wrote one of the most important records of Jesus’ life in his Gospel. Is it time for you to make a similar decision to follow Jesus? 

• Some of us have made bad decisions in our lives and we are convinced that these mistakes can never be forgiven. That’s what Satan wants us to think. But Jesus offers forgiveness to those who are willing to repent of their wrongful choices and the harmful things they have done to others, as well as themselves. That’s one of the powerful “take-aways” from this story of Levi.

The First Big Catch

"The Calling of Peter and Andrew,"
Duccio di Buoninsegna, c. 1308.

After an early excursion to Jerusalem at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, which is only described in the Gospel of John, Jesus focuses his efforts in Galilee where he uses Capernaum as his home base. Here’s some context.

The province of Galilee, located in the northern part of 1st Century Palestine, is approximately 50 miles long and 25 miles wide. The eastern border of Galilee is marked by the Sea of Galilee, which is 14 miles long and 6 miles wide and is almost 700 feet below sea level. If you have ever been there, you know it is a beautiful lake and you can see the entire lake anywhere you stand on its shores.

Historians note that Galilee was one of the most densely populated provinces in the Middle East during Jesus’ time with a population of approximately 15,000. It was a strategic place for Jesus to begin his ministry.

Mark tells us in his Gospel (1:15) that Jesus’ first words were, ‘The time has come” – that’s when he announced the beginning of his Kingdom message. He has been baptized, he has faced the temptation in the wilderness, and now he is beginning his healing and preaching ministry. Jesus begins his preaching in Galilee before choosing his disciples, but it isn’t long before he starts recruiting his companions. John tells us of an early meeting between Jesus and some young men who would later become disciples, but that is just a “get-acquainted visit.”* In an area as small of Galilee, these young men (Andrew, Simon, Philip and Nathaniel) surely heard reports about Jesus and how the people are flocking to him, so he is known to them.

Both Matthew (4:18-22) and Mark (1:16-20) tell us about Jesus’ calling of his first four disciples. It is hard for us to understand this history-making event, because the concept of discipleship in our day bears little relationship to discipleship in 1st Century Galilee or Judea. The Gospel writers don’t tell us much. They record that Jesus is walking along the Sea of Galilee, sees Simon and Andrew fishing and says to them, “Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” They agree and follow him. Then Jesus walks further along the coastline, sees John and James mending their nets and calls them and they also agree and follow him. This is quite a “catch” – four apparently successful fishermen-recruits without any offer of a long-term contract, health care benefits or a retirement plan! What’s going on here?

In the 1st Century, young Jewish males could apply to a rabbi and request that the rabbi choose them as one of his disciples. It’s very serious business during this period of Jewish history because these disciples would only be accepted if they gave up everything and totally surrendered to the authority of their rabbi. In fact, for young disciples during this time, their goal was to emulate their rabbi and even copy his mannerisms and prejudices.

But Jesus chooses another way of gathering his disciples – he chooses them, they don’t choose him. He issues a call to four fisherman and later adds eight more, but they don’t apply to him – no entrance exams, no submission of CVs. It is a calling and these men know what it involves. They see something they want in Jesus - he is the leader they are desperately looking for.

The Gospel of Luke (5:1-11) adds more details to this event and I love his portrayal of what takes place. Luke tells us that crowds are pressing around Jesus “to hear God’s word” and Jesus sees Simon’s two boats, climbs into one of these boats and asks Simon to push the boat out into the water so he can sit down and teach the people without being pressured. Now Simon and Andrew see Jesus in action, they see Jesus announcing the good news of the Kingdom of God and the need for the people to repent. What a great move to use a boat for his pulpit, before asking these fishermen to join him!

Then, when the sermon is over, Jesus says to Simon and Andrew, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon quickly responds that they had been fishing all night and had caught nothing, but then he adds, “But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they let their nets down, their boats almost capsized because of the huge catch of fish – in fact, other fishermen have to come out and help them bring in their catch.

This miraculous event so impacted Simon, Andrew, James and John that all four of them “pulled their boats up on the shore, left everything and followed him.” How do you impress fishermen? Help them make a big catch! While they are amazed and frightened by what they just witnessed, Jesus tells them, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men” (Luke 5:10-11). By the way, this is one of the many times Jesus tells his disciples, “Don’t be afraid” – they are just beginning an amazing three-year companionship with the Prince of Peace.

This is the first of two miraculous catches of fish recorded in the Gospels, the second one is in the last chapter of John. In this one, Jesus casts the net and catches four men who will become his closest friends and key leaders in the early church. His request to them is a call, one that they can accept or reject. The same is true of us.

So What?

• It is so hard for us to imagine what it meant to become a disciple of a rabbi in the 1st Century – it involved total submission to your teacher; in fact many rabbis were considered more important to their students than their biological fathers. The question we have to answer is whether or not we are willing to also submit to Jesus as our Lord.
• Jesus’ statement, “Don’t be afraid” – a statement his followers heard many times -- should be a warning to us that following Jesus may also put us in situations where we will be frightened. Has this happened to you? _________________________________________________________________________________________________

NOTE: For my reflections on this earlier encounter with Jesus and some of these fishermen, see my post of January 21, 2013, “ Getting Acquainted with Jesus.”

Let's Drink Together!

"Jesus and the Samaritan Woman,"
Alonso Cano, c.1650.

In the early chapters of John’s Gospel, we are quickly introduced to Jesus’ first set of encounters in which he demonstrated both warm and gracious acts as well as confrontational ones. As noted in my previous posts, he turned water into wine at the wedding celebration in Cana and then went to Jerusalem and turned over tables and drove the livestock from the temple grounds. Jesus then shares the good news with Nicodemus that he can enter the Kingdom of God, but this proud religious man must start all over again by being “born again.”

The next event John records is one of my favorite stories in the New Testament. As I was preparing this post, I read through my research files and found notes from a sermon I was asked to preach a number of years ago. I realized as I read my notes how powerfully the encounter Jesus had with the Samaritan woman at the well in Sychar moved me. I commented on this meeting before, but have decided to reflect on it again.*

It is remarkable to me that Jesus engages this Samaritan woman after he sends off his disciples to get food from a nearby town. One Biblical scholar wondered why Jesus needed to send 12 disciples to get food, when a much smaller group of them could have done the job. John tells us that Jesus was tired and perhaps he was also weary of being with his disciples!

Read the story in John 4:4-42. By engaging the Samaritan woman and asking her for a drink and then drinking out of her cup, Jesus breaks through a racial barrier that separated Jews from hated Samaritans and a sexist barrier that forbade rabbis from speaking with women.

Then he goes even further: he makes clear to her that he knows all about her painful history of broken marriages. He understands her loneliness and isolation from other people in her village.

But then something takes place in their discussion that many fail to notice. As Jesus reaches out to her, after what seems to be a cruel act of exposing her past, he uses a name for God that was not used by 1st century Jews or Samaritans. It is the name “father” (v. 21 & 23). Jesus emphasizes that God desires an intimate relationship with her (and with us!) and he is indeed “our Father” – not some distant deity.

Part of the reason I love this story is the way in which Jesus is not willing to let cultural barriers or prejudices stop him from his ministry. He sees these walls of separation and shows his rejection of the status quo of his time – “It doesn’t have to be like this!” This is what Jesus is teaching his disciples.

During my twenty years with the American Studies Program, we used this example to teach our students that when we confront injustice or oppression in our society, we need to take a stand that “It doesn’t have to be like this!”

As our students studied both domestic and international issues and saw the brokenness and alienation in the public policy arena, we encouraged them to avoid becoming cynical – which is the default position in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere, and instead to respond like Jesus did -- “It doesn’t have to be like this.” I also love this story because of the way Jesus affirms the Samaritan woman for who she is as a person. Jesus takes her seriously and does not reject or ignore her as others did. And Jesus offers her the gift of eternal life – a drink of living water that they can share together. It’s the identical gift he offered to a distinguished leader of the Pharisees named Nicodemus and she is treated the same way.

Can you imagine what a shock this experience was for the disciples? Jesus has given them a greatly expanded view of his Kingdom in which all people are invited to enter, even those who pious Jews treated as enemies. What a remarkable start to their training program as followers of Jesus! Could they have ever imagined what they were about to experience with Jesus over the next three years?

So What?

• To help us relate to this encounter of Jesus with the Samaritan woman, what modern day parallel experience comes to mind?
• It has been my experience that following Jesus can lead to a life full of surprises, just like the disciples learned when Jesus called them. Sure, a life of discipleship can be risky; it doesn’t always mean you follow the safe path in life, but it sure can be an exciting one! 

* NOTE: For my earlier reflection on Jesus’ meeting with this Samaritan woman, see my post of May 16, 2011, “Asking for a Drink.”

Meeting at Night

"Christ and Nicodemus,"
Crijn Hendricksz, C. 1601

Following Jesus’ first miracle, where he turned water into wine at a wedding celebration in Cana, his “getting acquainted time” with five disciples, and his cleansing of the temple in Jerusalem during Passover – all of which were covered in recent posts, the Apostle John tells about an intriguing conversation held late at night. By the way, it is not clear that Nicodemus came to see Jesus at night because he was afraid or wanted to meet Jesus in secret. It is possible that he came to see Jesus at night because he knew he could have a more extensive conversation with him then without crowds of people clamoring for his attention.

In any case, this conversation is very interesting because it shows Jesus relating to an important Jewish religious leader. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin, the council of 70 men who were the religious leaders of Israel. It is estimated that there were approximately 7,000 Pharisees during the time of Jesus and they were an influential group in the 1st Century because of their knowledge of the law and Jewish traditions; they were also intellectuals with high ethical standards.

Pharisees play a prominent role in the New Testament – in large part because they are interested in the teachings of Jesus and Jesus takes them seriously. Unlike the Sadducees, who are collaborators with the Roman authorities, or the Zealots, who want to overthrow the Romans by force, or the Essenes, who separate themselves from society and retreat to isolated locations, the Pharisees were active and respected religious leaders.

Read the discussion between Jesus and Nicodemus recorded in John 3:1-21. Don’t let your familiarity with this story get in the way of a fresh encounter with Jesus.

Did you notice how Nicodemus addresses Jesus? “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.” Nicodemus knew about the miracles Jesus performed in the early stages of his public ministry and he wants to know more about him. He is courteous and there is no hostility evident in how he approaches the young rabbi.

Jesus’ reply to Nicodemus is short and cryptic. He tells Nicodemus that unless he is born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God. By the way, this is only time the Apostle John uses the word “Kingdom of God” is his entire Gospel – unlike the other three Gospels where this term is used frequently.

It is hard to follow this conversation because the contextual framework of 1st Century Jewish religious beliefs is unfamiliar to many of us. Here’s the bottom-line: Jesus says that getting into God’s Kingdom is not the right or prerogative of any particular race or culture and you don’t pass qualifying exams by any legalistic practices. Jesus shares a mystery with this powerful Jewish leader – entrance into God’s Kingdom is by a direct act of God. It’s a gift of God. Being a high-ranking ancestor of Abraham isn’t enough.

As the conversation continues, Jesus explains with great authority that he will be “lifted up” – a direct reference to his crucifixion – and this sacrifice will be a cure for sin. To be a follower of Jesus and a member of his Kingdom require that this gift be received by faith. Jesus offers this gift to Nicodemus and now it is up to Nicodemus to decide for himself.

We don’t know what happens to Nicodemus or what he decides about Jesus’ offer, although I suspect he became a follower of Jesus. He is mentioned two more times in John’s Gospel. During a debate among Jewish religious leaders, Nicodemus takes on his colleagues for condemning Jesus without “finding out what he is doing” (John 7:50-52). But more importantly, Nicodemus assists Joseph of Arimathea in removing Jesus’ body from the cross and preparing it for burial (John 19:38-42). Why would he do this, why run the risk of an attack from those who demanded Jesus’ crucifixion, if he is not a believer? I think he does accept the offer of salvation from Jesus.

So What?

• For some Christians, “born again” are special code words. It is so interesting to me that these words are only used here in Scripture and nowhere else. Have you ever had anyone ask you if you are “born again”? A positive response to this question doesn’t give you free access to the Kingdom of God. A life of faithful discipleship is much better proof!

• There is a powerful mystery in this conversation and it reminds me of what one Biblical scholar wrote: “Is any conversation with Jesus easy?” Jesus’ responses to Nicodemus are hard for him to understand, as they are for us today. Salvation is a gift of God, not something we earn by heredity or legalistic behaviors. It is offered to all of us as a gift, but we need to accept the gift. “Born again” is better translated “born from above” – born by an act of God. Our response needs to be one of acceptance and gratitude.

• How have you responded to this gift of God, this gift of salvation? If you haven’t yet or are uncertain about whether or not you have, this is a good opportunity to do so. There’s so much more to learn, but this is the important first step.

Cleaning House

“The first thing to notice about Jesus is the hardest thing for many Christians to notice about him. It helps if we back away for a moment from our Anglicized version of his name and call him Yeshua; better yet, Yeshua bar-Yosef, and do our best to envision him, a bronze-skinned young Middle Eastern man, lying down next to a low table to enjoy a meal with his friends. . . . He speaks Aramaic at home, a language we have never heard, and reads Biblical Hebrew in the synagogue. Even through layers of biography and translation (Aramaic to Greek to English) we can hear him say things we would never say and do things we would never do” (Andy Crouch, Culture Making, p. 134). 

"Casting Out Money Changers,"
Giotto di Bondone, 14th century

These words by Andy Crouch came to mind when I read the story of Jesus’ cleansing of the Temple at a very early point in his public ministry. I would encourage you to read about this event in John’s Gospel (2:12-17). I can’t imagine doing that myself, although I might think about it! For many of us, the picture of Jesus we have been taught is of a very gentle man, a teacher, someone who we would be drawn to because of his warm, caring attitude.

But charging into the Temple, knocking over the merchants’ tables, scattering their coins, and dispersing their livestock – this is a radical act! Would you do this? How do you think Jesus’ disciples felt about this, so soon after they joined him as their rabbi?

After the wedding in Cana, where Jesus turned water into wine, an act that surely impressed the disciples, John tells us that Jesus went to Jerusalem at the time of Passover with some of his disciples, entered the temple, and caused havoc by overturning tables, making a cord of rope, and driving out the animals that were for sale to pilgrims for their sacrifices.

The other three Gospels record a similar event during the last week of Jesus’ life, but this encounter was different. While Biblical scholars argue about whether it was one event or two, it seems likely to me that there were two separate occasions when Jesus did this.* The first time there was no response from the temple authorities, but the second time so enraged the Jewish leaders that they took drastic action.

Let’s set the context. Throughout the history of Israel, the temple in Jerusalem played a very significant role. Solomon had the temple built around 950 B.C., but it was destroyed approximately 360 years later by the Babylonian Empire. Seventy years after its destruction, it was rebuilt on a modest scale, but in 20 B.C. Herod the Great began a major rebuilding project of the temple that was even more extraordinary than Solomon’s structure. This rebuilding project by Herod was completed in 63 A.D., many years after his death.

Herod’s temple was not only magnificent, it was also a huge financial center controlled by the Sadduccees. One of its major businesses was operated by money exchange dealers in the Court of the Gentiles. Many Jews who came to Jerusalem for Passover had Roman or other foreign coins that were not accepted in the temple. The leaders demanded that worshippers use certain Tyrian half-skeckel coins to pay their annual temple tax. You can imagine what the exchange rate was like – just like at today’s airports when you travel to Western Europe and need to exchange dollars for euros. For poor villagers, this was a painful welcome to Jerusalem!

The second major industry concerned the animals brought for sacrifice. If temple inspectors found the animals were blemished, the visiting worshippers were forced to buy “unblemished animals” at above market rates. Between these two businesses, a great deal of money was being exchanged in the temple and visitors were being exploited to the benefit of the merchants and the hierarchy that shared in the profits.

The temple and its crowded courts were thoroughly corrupted by merchants and their sponsors in the temple leadership. We know from historical records from this time that the temple leadership was corrupt and that the ruling elites had worked out arrangements with the Romans that allowed them to conduct business in this way.

This helps us to understand why Jesus is so enraged by what he sees. What is striking to me is that there is no resistance to what Jesus did! The temple leaders don’t respond, nor did the merchants or other visitors to the temple. In fact, it is likely that the Pharisees approved of what Jesus did.

For his disciples, as John notes, the prophecy that the Messiah would have “zeal for your house [that will] consume [him]” came to mind. This is a clear link to Old Testament prophecy. But when Jesus is asked by bystanders with what authority he did this, his answer was very mysterious. He said, “Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days” (v. 19) – a response that neither they nor the disciples understood. This is a sign-post that Jesus deliberately puts in place to explain his mission, a sign-post that will only become understandable after his resurrection.

What a powerful story and what a dramatic beginning to Jesus’ public ministry! Is this the Jesus you know?

So What?

• Have you ever been in a church or cathedral where there are many commercial booths in operation, where the area around the sanctuary is a hub of business enterprises? I admit this action by Jesus has come to mind on occasion. I do worry about how commercial our churches and their “coffee times” have become and how this can detract from a worshipful environment. Has this ever occurred to you? • 

• For Jesus’ disciples, as well as for others, his teachings are sometimes difficult to understand and often not clear until years later. I think this is still true. There are times when I read teachings by Jesus in the Bible and simply don’t understand them at the time, but later they become clearer. Sometimes my uncertainty remains, but I still trust his words. There are times when Jesus doesn’t explain his teachings to his disciples until much later, when they have experiences that help them more fully understand what he said. I think this is still true today. Has this also been your experience? 

* NOTE: For my reflections on the second cleansing of the temple, see my post of June 6, 2011, “Get Out of This House!”

Getting Acquainted with Jesus

The way in which Jesus picked his disciples is such an interesting story, because he chose to find disciples who were to become not just his students, but also his closest friends. He was soon known as a rabbi, a teacher, because of his knowledge of Scripture, but he did things no other rabbi would do. Right from the start of his public ministry, he demonstrated that his mission was to announce the Kingdom of God and he chose followers who he was equipping for future roles that they never anticipated.

"The Calling of Peter and Andrew,"
Caravaggio, c. 1602

The Gospel of John (1:25-51) tells us the fascinating story of Jesus’ first disciples and how their early friendship was formed. Two disciples of John the Baptist, Andrew and John, heard him refer to Jesus as “the Lamb of God” and they decided to follow Jesus to check him out. By the way, the Apostle John does not identify himself as one of these first two, but we know that he was. He never refers to himself by name in his writings.

When Jesus sees these two men following him, he asks them what they want and they respond with a strange question about where he is staying. They called him “Rabbi” (teacher) and he gives them an encouraging response: “Come and you will see.” This first encounter is very casual and informal. John tells us that Jesus spent the whole day with them and probably stayed with them overnight. They were just getting acquainted.

The next day, Andrew, leaves to find his brother Simon, and tells him, “We have found the Messiah,” and he brings Simon to meet Jesus. It seems likely that Andrew’s assertion about Jesus was the result of their conversation from the previous day and his evaluation of Jesus’ character. Andrew was hoping that Jesus might be a national deliverer, which was a widespread expectation in the early years of the first century in Palestine.

The circle of three has now grown to four. When Jesus first meets Simon, he says to him, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas [Peter].” What a way to start a friendship! Jesus accepts him as he is, but promises that he will become a “rock.” Volatile, impulsive Simon, a “rock” – who would have imagined, but Jesus knew what was in store for him.

The next day Jesus heads toward Galilee, his home territory, and he meets Philip, who is from the town of Bethsaida and is probably also a fisherman, and Philip in turn quickly finds Nathaniel and excitedly tells him that he and his friends “. . . have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote – Jesus of Nazareth.”

Nathaniel’s first reaction is one of doubt and he exclaims, “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Let me add a personal footnote here: I immediately identified with this comment, since a number of people over the years have made comments to me about my hometown -- Cicero, Illinois. Can anything good come out of Cicero, Al Capone’s hometown?

It is so interesting to me that as Nathaniel approaches Jesus, Jesus says, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false.” I especially love this comment since I have a new grandson named Nathaniel and I pray that the same will be said about him!

Jesus’ group of friends quickly totaled five in number and their initial time together was just to get acquainted. At a later point, Jesus will ask them to follow him, to leave their fishing businesses behind, and to become his companions. Jesus’ initial time with these men is friendly and conversational and he even gives them nicknames. He spends the day with them and finds out who they are. This is the Jesus that we meet in John’s Gospel.

Unlike other rabbis who did not recruit their own disciples, but chose a select few from many applicants, which was the common practice in the first century, Jesus took the initiative with most of his disciples. He chose them. He issued the call – “Follow me.” In fact, these men might not have passed the qualifying tests for the best-known rabbis of that time.

These men will quickly learn that Jesus is not a typical rabbi, but truly an exception. They have expectations about him, based on John the Baptist’s testimony, but now they have to see if these expectations will be met. Is he in fact the Messiah, the one the prophets wrote about? The only way to find out is to follow him.

John’s Gospel tells us that one of the first experiences these new friends of Jesus have is going to a wedding with him in Cana. As noted in my previous post, Jesus’ first miracle – the changing of water into wine – was surely a shock to these fishermen and this was only the beginning. The next three years of their lives will involve experiences that they could never have even imagined!

So What?

• One of the powerful insights that I gained from this study was how Jesus accepted these men as they were, but knew they would become different people after spending time with him. Peter, the impulsive one, would become a “rock” upon which Jesus would build his church. Andrew, Peter’s brother, who introduce him to Jesus, would also become a great leader in the early church. Common laborers, good fishermen, but Jesus knew they would be transformed over time into Apostles who would change the world after his resurrection. Doesn’t this give you hope? We too can be changed into agents of God’s Kingdom if we commit our lives to him.

• Spending time with each other, investing in each other’s lives, is what Jesus did with his disciples. He was especially close to three of his disciples, but knew all twelve very well. For me, investing in the lives of others is a practical “take-away” from this story. For those of us who claim to be disciples of Jesus, this is something we need to do.

• Looking back over your life, can you think of changes in your character or your plans that took place once you decided to be a disciple of Jesus?

Jesus' Wedding Gift

"The Wedding Feast at Cana"
Julius S. von Carosfeld, 1819

Following his baptism in the Jordan River and his 40-day-and night struggle with Satan in the wilderness, the 30-year-old Jesus is now ready to begin his public ministry. But what a way to begin! Jesus surely did not consult with marketing experts on how to launch a campaign. This is not the kind of publicity blitz we are used to in the Nation’s Capital.

In John’s Gospel (2:1-11) we read about Jesus’ first miracle in the town of Cana, a city only mentioned in this story in the New Testament. Biblical scholars believe this small village was about nine miles north of Nazareth, so it was clearly not a major urban center. Why does Jesus perform his first miracle here? Once again it is clear that God’s ways are not our ways.

We know from historical studies of this time period that wedding feasts in the first century ordinarily lasted seven days. To help you imagine what the context was like, think of the wedding feast in “Fiddler on the Roof,” where the bridegroom and his wedding party make a gala procession to get the bride and her friends and then return with them to the house of the groom for a feast that could last for a full week with wine and food and lots of dancing. Weddings in small villages in Galilee brought lots of life to an otherwise drab existence for poor peasants.

"Fiddler on the Roof"
movie wedding, 1971

It is reasonable to assume that Jesus’ family knows the groom or bride since his mother is invited as well as Jesus and his disciples. The disciples would not be a part of this celebration if there were not some personal connection to the wedding party. The fact that Joseph is not mentioned after the family’s return from Egypt leads most Biblical scholars to believe he died earlier and Jesus may have been acting as the head of the family at this event.

It also occurred to me that for those disciples of Jesus who had previously been followers of John the Baptist, the contrast between John the Baptist and his desert diet and animal-skin clothes and this celebration would have been a remarkable change-of-pace.

As the wedding celebration continued, Jesus’ mother - who is not identified by name in this story, but neither is the bride or groom – informs him, “They have no wine” (v. 3). Why does Mary tell Jesus this? What does she expect him to do? It is hard to imagine what Jesus thinks after his mother tells him this. What if he choose not to respond? These are some of the many questions for which there are simply no answers.

What we do know is that Jesus decides to respond. Although he refused to turn stones into bread in the wilderness, as Satan requested, this time he orders the servants to fill the jars with water and this water turns into high-quality wine. This is not the last time that Jesus changed his plans to accommodate the wishes of someone else.

John makes clear in his Gospel that the wine comes from huge jugs, normally approximately 20-30 gallons in size, that are located near the front of the house and are used by observant Jews for ceremonial washing before they enter a home and eat a meal. Philip Yancey suggests that “Jesus, perhaps with a twinkle in his eye, transformed those jugs, ponderous symbols of the old way, into wineskins, harbingers of the new.” Jesus’ miraculous action is a powerful sign that the old religious practices are coming to an end and new Kingdom values are being revealed in Jesus. By the way, the wine Jesus made was excellent and the hosts and guests know it, although they do not know where it came from. It’s a great wedding present!

During the next year of his life, word will spread across the country about this new rabbi, this miracle-worker, and crowds will flock to him, but Jesus knows right from the start, witnessing miracles does not always result in faith. This miracle is a sign for his new disciples that Jesus has extraordinary power and John notes that “His disciples believed in him” (v. 11).

God is a “God of surprises” and we see this right from the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. This miracle of turning water into wine occurs in an obscure out-of-the-way town, not in Jerusalem where the powerbrokers could see his power and be impressed. This first miracle appears to be an act of mercy and the disciples are there to witness it. It will be the first of many.

So What?

• It is so striking to me that Jesus begins his ministry with such a humble act of mercy, without drawing attention to himself and what he has done. Only a few know who brought – or made - the new wine; not the host or the bride and bridegroom. Just the servants, his mother Mary and his new disciples. He is the promised Messiah, but one who is humble, compassionate, and merciful. There is no other religion that believes in a God like this!

• It takes imagination to be able to put yourself into this first century Palestinian context, but if you can envision this scene, it helps you understand the radical character of what Jesus did and how he did it. Can you picture a scene like this in our time? What would it be like?