Readings: Daniel 3:14-20,91-92,95; Psalm: Daniel 3:52,53,54,55,56; John 8:31-42
What is shocking in today’s lesson from John is that it is those who had believed in Jesus that were trying to kill him. Why is that? I think it is because they grew accustomed to the idea of being God’s faithful people. In a sense they petrified their religious life and practice and so, unlike Abraham, they failed to accept God’s refreshing word, God’s truth (John 8:40).The truth they refuse to accept is the divine plan of salvation. It is made manifest to them in the person of Christ: he preaches the word and teaches in synagogues, he heals the sick and raises the dead.
Jesus says to his listeners: ‘if you continue in my word you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free’ (John 8:31-32).
I think that there is a temptation for all human beings and especially for faithful, religious people that once we reach certain truths, we want to relax comfortably. We want to possess truth, tame it, give it a tag and have it nicely categorised and shelved in the storeroom. We want to fence it round with laws and rules, so that what we’ve already found is protected. Very often, however, those rules and laws become our centre of focus. It is no longer truth that we strive for, but what seems to be our security. That becomes our ‘golden idol’ and we expect everybody to bow down and worship it, just as king Nebuchadnezzar wanted all his subjects to worship the golden image.
But to continue in Christ’s word is to be a disciple, never to cease from searching for truth, to find it ever fresh and ever new.
Wonderful post - I love the metaphor of rules and laws as our golden idols. To what degree is our own sense of piety, reputation, our idols? I am finishing the Odyssey and I was thinking as I read your post that we should all pursue our desire to reach God with the same fervor and effort Odysseus use to reach home. Our 'nostos' is with Christ, not here.
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