Tuesday 26th September
Read John 7:1-5
“After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him. 2 But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near, 3 Jesus’ brothers said to him, ‘Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. 4 No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.’ 5 For even his own brothers did not believe in him.” (NIVUK)
Many of us are unwilling to speak unashamedly about our Lord and what He has done for us. There may be any number of reasons for this. Fear of losing face. Secret shame that we are one of ‘those people’ who believe in sin and the need for salvation. Fear of losing our position and influence if we identified with Jesus. Lack of confidence in what we might say if we were challenged to defend our loyalty to Jesus. It may also simply be cowardice.
For those in countries where the death penalty is meted out to believers’ circumspection in identifying publicly with Jesus could considered simple discretion. As we begin to ponder Jesus’ words and actions at the Feast of Tabernacles, we should reflect on the first two words – ‘After this’ (v1). For at least six months after the feeding of the five thousand and Jesus’ teaching on the bread of life, when many disciples turned away from Him and unbelief is increasingly in view (John 6:60-71), Jesus hung around in Galilee. John wants us to know that this was not out of disillusion with the failure of His ministry and the unbelief of many disciples. It was because His life was in danger should He travel to the source of the rising hostility. Given how strongly John links ‘unbelief’ with adopting the values of the ‘world’ it is interesting that Judea and Jerusalem are associated with the ‘world’ – those who reject Him.
It is worth pondering that of the many reasons available to us to not identify with Jesus, concerns with the beliefs and values of the world often lie at their heart. Discretion or cowardice is the question we ask of Jesus in this passage, but it must equally be asked of us.
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.” (Romans 1:16) (NIVUK)
