There is no small irony here that Jesus is being prepared for burial by Mary while people crowd around to get a look at Lazarus. How often does the side show religious stuff keep us from what matters? I don't mean that Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead was in itself a side-show, it was a miracle and a wonder to be sure, but the people came "not only for Jesus' sake, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom he raised from the dead."
I'm struck by all the layers of drama and confusion in the few short verses of the John text:
- Mary loves and is anxious to honor Jesus.
- Judas is spoiled by greed and thinking only about getting hold of the money already... and always I suspect, he can't get past the money and greed shaping his heart.
- Jesus is looking toward and foreshadowing his coming death... which no one seems to hear in the hustle and bustle around the moment.
- The Jewish people are just trying to figure this rabbi out.
- The Jewish religious leaders are just trying to shut this rabbi up! They're willing even to commit murder ("but the chief priests took counsel that they might put Lazarus to death also") in order to put a stop to this guy.
- The Jewish leadership is intent on keeping leadership and cannot bear to see that "many of the Jews are going away and believing in Jesus."
Is everyone missing the point at the moment except Jesus for whom the cross looms large?
I guess I'm not much different from the crowds really. I want to honor Christ, but am pulled every which way from the pressures of my day to day existence. Pulled by the pressure of having the money to meet the obligations of clothing, housing, feeding, educating, and transporting three busy boys through life - maybe not falling into abject greed... but not immune from the pull of the dollar, anxious to "see God at work" in amazing ways and probably missing Him at work in a million ways; missing Jesus in the midst of serving Him; concerned about my own place in the world to the point that I sometimes begrudge others their place; being pulled at times to do what I shouldn't do to get what I probably don't need...
Come near Lord Jesus, and draw me to yourself.
2 comments:
John,
I think the thing that stood out to me was that Martha was still running around serving people. What change had gone on since the last time Jesus was in the house? Is she still bickering that Marry was doing nothing while she did everything? So often we come to the Lord with a complaint, he turns it back on us, and we go away unchanged. Is it pride that does this to us? Do we think he's a liar or confused? Our theology and orthodoxy would tell us no, Jesus knows exactly what's going on. But our faith lived out so often says otherwise.
Chris, I actually had the same immediate thought about Mary. "There she is keeping busy." What gave me pause in that track of thinking is the interchange between Jesus and Judas... Jesus affirms what Mary is doing. Your observation, however, is right on the money... "we go away unchanged." Here is another thought I had... just how much does Mary, or any of the others even get what's going on in this setting? They are seemingly unaware of what's actually happening. I wonder how many flashbacks to events occured in the minds of those close to Jesus once the death, burial, and resurrection had occured?
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