Trying to See Jesus
Read Luke 9.
There is an interesting little interlude tucked in the midst of this chapter, a chapter that seems to be all about who Jesus is, his identity. (Remember, though, that chapters and verses were added much later than the original text.) Herod—Tetrach Herod, not the King Herod who was alive at Jesus' birth, this is a descendant...Herod: The Next Generation—wants to see Jesus. He's hearing reports about this miracle-worker, and it's confusing to him. People are saying that Jesus is actually John the Baptizer risen from the dead (what do you know—social media and internet conspiracy theories existed then too!), but Herod knows he got rid of John. So who is this? Then Luke drops this in: "And he [Herod] tried to see him [Jesus]."
That's amusing to me, especially since the very next story Luke tells involves Jesus appearing before 5,000 men (plus women and children). Jesus wasn't hard to find. He wasn't hiding. He wasn't in seclusion on some mountaintop somewhere. He was out in the open, feeding people, speaking to them, healing them, even talking somewhat openly about what awaits him in Jerusalem. Jesus wasn't hard to find. But Herod would have had to go looking for him.
Jesus still isn't hard to find. When people say, "I just don't know how to find him," they're making an excuse. He is not far from each of us, as Paul told his listeners in Athens. Jesus wants to be found; he is not playing hide and seek with us. But we have to make the first move. He will not force his way into our lives, but once we turn toward him, make even the smallest effort, he will meet us. He will be found.
Are you looking?
There is an interesting little interlude tucked in the midst of this chapter, a chapter that seems to be all about who Jesus is, his identity. (Remember, though, that chapters and verses were added much later than the original text.) Herod—Tetrach Herod, not the King Herod who was alive at Jesus' birth, this is a descendant...Herod: The Next Generation—wants to see Jesus. He's hearing reports about this miracle-worker, and it's confusing to him. People are saying that Jesus is actually John the Baptizer risen from the dead (what do you know—social media and internet conspiracy theories existed then too!), but Herod knows he got rid of John. So who is this? Then Luke drops this in: "And he [Herod] tried to see him [Jesus]."
That's amusing to me, especially since the very next story Luke tells involves Jesus appearing before 5,000 men (plus women and children). Jesus wasn't hard to find. He wasn't hiding. He wasn't in seclusion on some mountaintop somewhere. He was out in the open, feeding people, speaking to them, healing them, even talking somewhat openly about what awaits him in Jerusalem. Jesus wasn't hard to find. But Herod would have had to go looking for him.
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| Tabgha, traditional location for the feeding of the 5,000 (1995) |
Are you looking?
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