Responses to Jesus

 In this post we are going to consider how different individuals and groups of people responded to Jesus.

In a previous post we saw how the Pharisees and Sadducees denied that Jesus was who he claimed to be and believed that his power came from Satan. They did not want to acknowledge that he was the Messiah that the Jews were waiting for because that would mean giving up the power and authority that they had in their community.

In contrast to this we can first look at the story of Herod Antipas and his response to John the Baptist that we find in Matthew 14:1-12. Herod was king and therefore had power and authority. Now Herod had married Herodias, the former wife of his brother Philip. Despite Herod being the king: “John kept telling Herod, ‘It is illegal for you to marry her.’ Herod would have executed John, but was afraid of a riot, because all the people believed John was a prophet” (Matthew 14:4-5).

 However, Herod’s hand was forced to kill John. At a banquet Herodias’s daughter had performed a dance that greatly pleased him and he made an oath before everyone that he would give her anything she asked for. Herodias persuaded her daughter to ask for the head of John the Baptist on a tray. Herod was reluctant but did not want to lose face by backing down; and so gave the order for this to happen.

At a later stage when Herod heard about Jesus and the miracles he was doing he thought that he was John the Baptist risen from the grave. He believed that only a prophet such as John could do these things. Looking at this scenario it is clear that Herod recognized that both John and Jesus shared an extraordinary power and authority. John had the courage to confront him, the king, face to face and tell him that what he was doing was wrong and contrary to the will of God. John answered to a higher authority than the king. He was under the authority of the True King, who was the ruler of the Kingdom of Heaven. All earthly power and authority was subject to the rule of this King.

Jesus came down to earth as God in human form to usher in the Kingdom of God (Heaven). He too was a man under authority; the same authority that John was under. Jesus and John were cousins; and shared kinship by blood. But the more important kinship they shared was that they were both son’s of God. They both derived their status, power and authority from that reality.

John was a social non-conformist who operated according to a different script than that of the other members of his social group. He did not live by their norms or rules; but danced to the tune he heard played by a flute that the other people could not hear. He was tuned in to a different frequency besides the one that they could hear. He chose to listen to the wonderful music he heard on this frequency rather than to the discordant, harsh sounds that his compatriots responded to. This inevitably led to confrontation and censure.

In any society not obeying the rules of the game led to social sanctions being applied to foster social control. Operating outside of the accepted norms and rules created social upheaval, which needed to be suppressed, at all cost. These sanctions ranged in severity depending on the perceived threat to the status quo. John’s head therefore ended up on a platter. Exactly the same happened to Jesus. He too was a social non-conformist; even more so than John. Therefore it was almost inevitable that he would share the same fate.

Although John and Jesus were similar, there was an important difference. The Pharisees and Sadducees got it wrong when they ascribed the power Jesus had to the work of Satan. Herod also got it wrong by believing that Jesus was a prophet. Jesus was God come in human form. There was a vast difference between Jesus and John, which John clearly recognized. He said that he was not fit to tie the sandals of Jesus.

Although the response of Herod and the Pharisees and Sadducees was different the central issue in both cases was common. This central issue was the exercise of power and authority. The ultimate question is always: “Who is in control?” That is at the heart of the reality of the Kingdom of God. Two thousand years later very much has changed, but that central issue still remains the same. The issue of control cuts across every aspect of our human existence.  

I have to constantly ask myself: “Who is in control of my life?” This is firstly at a personal inner level, but also radiates out in concentric circles to the wider social reality I find myself in. I have chosen to live in the Kingdom of God and that has enormous implications. Am I tuned into and listening to the music of the flute played by Spirit of God; and dancing to it in freedom? Or am I marching to the warlike drum of my society; and operating out of anxiety, fear and hatred?

Unfortunately, given what we have seen, there are inevitable implications if I listen to and dance to the music of the flute. I too am now kin to John and Jesus; and am an adopted son of their Father. To the degree that I choose to listen to and dance to this music I can anticipate and expect a social backlash. It is sobering to reflect on the fact that if this is not the case, am I really hearing and dancing to this celestial music from the heavenly realm?

Questions for reflection:

·         Who is in control of your life?

·         Can you hear the music played by the Spirit of God?

·         What does it feel like when you dance to this tune?