Leadingchurch.com

The Question

The question is always heard in a context.

Why ask Jesus this Question?

The unidentified person who asked Jesus this question asked it to Jesus for a reason. People were wondering about Jesus.

• He had exhibited power in miracle working and casting out demons.
• He was controversial because he didn’t quite fit into the categories of their culture war
• He made claims to be not just a prophet, but more than one. There were rumors he might be sent special by God to rescue Israel suffering under imperial occupation and oppression.
• There was enough of a chance that he might have insider information about what was happening in the heavens, behind the curtain. Everyone knew that matters on earth were controlled in the heavens. That’s why Romans and nearly everyone else looked to astrology to see what was about to happen, just like Californians look to the storm fronts over the Pacific to see if they will get rain enough to break the drought. It is certainly worth a question. But even if he answer the question will the asker believe the answer or just take it as just another tidbit in his murky process of analysis?

What Did the Question Mean to the Asker?

The Jewish people, both scattered through the empire and those still living in the tatters of the promised land, continued to debate the future with respect to their God, Yhwh.

• Some I’m sure had given up waiting for him and were trying to make their life work as more spiritual and less religious, looking for wisdom or spiritual strings to pull or loopholes to fit through.
• Some were holding to the tried and true, that Yhwh would return to restore the fortunes of Israel through a leader. Jesus was just the latest leader they would speculate upon. He showed promise, but as always opinions were divided. In any case such a leader would rescue ALL Israel, the ones separated by the proper rites of circumcision.
• Others were debating where the bar was for being a REAL Jew in good standing. Some had fled into the desert to remove themselves from the contamination of Greeks and Romans in their midst. Others, like the Pharisees asserted you could remain true Israel in the general population as long as you vigorously observe the law and oppose the corruption of God’s people. Unfortunately the various groups who would assert that circumcision and a few basic rights weren’t enough could not agree specifically on all that would be required to be saved.

The asker of the question probably wanted Jesus to weigh in on this theological point. Jesus will, however, deflect in a surprising way that will likely fail to offer the asker the definitive proof or evidence the asker was seeking. More on that later.

What Does he mean by “saved”?  Continue reading →