What images come to your mind when you hear the phrase "God's glory?" Power, might, majesty? Maybe it's more literal: brightness, shining, blinding light?
John 13:31-32 records Jesus' words:
31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once." (ESV)
This is the prelude to Jesus giving the command to his disciples -- gathered in the Upper Room -- to love one another, and by doing so to reveal to the world that they are his disciples. From this a conclusion can be inferred that God's glory and love are somehow related. The narrative surrounding these verses provide the rest of the context that we need to determine "God's glory" of which Jesus speaks here.
First I find the double occurrence of the phrase "truly, truly" within this section to function as sort of bookends: one at the beginning and one at the end. The first text deals with Jesus' knowledge of Judas. The latter text, with Jesus' knowledge of Peter. The first is betrayal, the second is denial; but for the purposes of this text, the actions should be seen as equivalent -- a failure to keep trust in Jesus' way of doing things.
The reader of the story, of course, would only find this out about Peter at the end of the narrative. In the first part of the Upper Room story, Jesus loves and serves Peter. In the second part, Jesus loves and serves Judas. Both will turn their backs on him, and he knows it, but that knowledge doesn't change his attitude nor actions toward them.
In verse 27 we find the words, "Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him." Judas takes Communion. He takes the Bread of Life. But in him this morsel has a different effect than is expected. Instead of giving life, it ultimately takes life. What are we to do with this text?
First, it speaks out against ritual having any kind of saving grace. If participation conferred any kind of salvation, receiving bread directly from Jesus' hand ought to have been it. But we are clearly told that was not the case. Rather, it had the exact opposite effect.
That brings us to the second point to consider. The gospel writer of John speaks quite a bit about judgment, but does not spell out exactly what that looks like. Readers are left to their own preconceived ideas, perhaps based on other parts of the Bible. I believe verse 27 illustrates that kind of judgment that is spoken of in John. It is not about Jesus or God coming down in might, power and authority to condemn and punish, but rather, judgment is about a decision for or against the "way of love" that Jesus trail-blazed. For Judas, taking in (a metaphorical consumption of the bread) Jesus' acts of love in the Upper Room resulted in his rendering judgment against Jesus. Thus the gospel author writes, "So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night" (verse 30). Jesus did not cast Judas out into the night. Jesus did not judge. Judas cast himself out. Judas judged himself.
It is after Judas leave the room that Jesus speaks of his glory. The Jews, including the disciples, expected the power and might kind of glory. It's the kind of glory that people today often want to see from God. We want a God who will use force to overcome evil, to forcibly bring about righteousness and justice. This picture of God infects how we relate to others socially, religiously, and politically.
The message of Jesus in the Upper Room remains just as undesired and unheard today as it was then. God's glory, made flesh in Jesus, is not about power, might, force, coercion, but about a kind of love that is "weak" according to the world's standards. Jesus tries to redefine "glory" for his disciples. He tells them that God's glory is found in self-sacrifice, in serving one's enemies, and in treating even the very ones who would murder you as human beings worthy of respect. God's glory is found in the kind of love that sees the good in every being, in hoping for redemption of even those that might appear beyond redemption, and acting in ways that will bring about redemption. God's glory is found in the kind of love that respects the freedom of all to reject love.
Jesus tells his disciples that "they cannot come" (verse 33). This is often interpreted as pointing to Jesus' ascension and the inability for his disciples to go to heaven with Jesus at the present time. But I believe it is pointing to the "way of love". I think this is the better interpretation because of 13:7 where we find, "Afterward you will understand", and 13:36, "You will follow afterward." In the washing of feet Jesus was attempting to demonstrate the way of love. In his explanation immediately afterwards, he was trying to explain love. In this current part of the chapter, Jesus explicitly instructs on the way of love. I also believe this is the basis for 14:6, "I am the way." It is not Jesus, the historical person, who is the way, but his nature that is "the way." After declaring, "I am the way," Jesus explains his oneness with the Father as the way. Then Philip asks to be shown the Father. In response Jesus points to his actions as revealing the Father.
It is at this point that Jesus gives his disciples the roadmap to his kingdom.
34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another."
Jesus continues,
35 "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
I think we need to read this in conjunction with verse 20,
"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me."
Taken together verses 20 and 35 speak of how Jesus' authority will be manifest in his disciples. It is not about power or might, or about force and coercion. Jesus' authority is found in how his disciples look after one another, how they handle differences, in how they respond to difficulties, trials, and even betrayals.
At the end of the Upper Room narrative Peter once more takes center stage.
36 Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus answered him, "Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward."
This has usually been taken to mean that Peter cannot follow Jesus to the cross at this time, but he will end his life in that manner. That works, but Jesus has been speaking metaphorically throughout this story. Why suddenly switch to historical literalism now? I think Jesus' statement can be seen as saying to Peter (though he doesn't understand it), "You don't yet understand the path of self-sacrificing love. You will even reject it for the moment. But (unlike Judas) you will discover that the glory of God is found in this path, and you will come to embrace it."
Peter is thinking in literal terms and objects to Jesus' statement.
37 Peter said to him, "Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you." 38 Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times."
Why can't Peter follow now? Because he doesn't yet get that Jesus' glory is about self-sacrificing love. Peter's concept of "glory" is the same as Judas' - power that will forcibly work its purposes. There is no doubt Peter is willing to die for Jesus (c.f., 18:10). As long as it appears Jesus will be victorious as Peter imagines it, Peter will stick with Jesus to the end. But as soon as Jesus makes it clear that his way is not the way of forcible strength, Peter loses faith in Jesus' mission and loses his motivation to die for Jesus. The twist of this chapter is that all throughout, Peter has been depicted as zealous and strong for Jesus, but in the end it is revealed Jesus knows Peter will respond much like Judas, to the readers' surprise.
If God fails to meet your expectations and desires of Jesus as a conquering king, will you still trust and follow him?
No comments:
Post a Comment