Lack of affronted dignity- 7:31

Back in the region of the Decapolis. It was here Jesus healed a creepy tomb wandering man, who was so strong he broke chains and couldn't be contained. Jesus wouldn't allow him to follow him, but told him to go back into the villages of the Decapolis and tell the people what the Lord had done for him. And unlike some people who ignored Jesus instructions after they had been healed, this man did it- 'and everyone was amazed'. By this stage the people of the Decapolis would have heard different reports about Jesus from a number of sources. Nearly the whole of Palestine must have known by Jesus now- the rumours meeting Herod's ears, the reports circulating back to the Sanhedrin, the mass of people who had heard and seen Jesus in action. In a world with no mass media, it doesn't get much bigger than this on a provincial national scale. And along with these different lines of communication is added the testimony of the man who once called himself 'legion'. For some he may have acted a bit like a fore runner.

It doesn't seem to take long after Jesus arrives in the region for a crowd to form, and for people to bring a deaf man who spoke with difficulty and was almost deaf (Z &G). Jesus takes him away from the crowd and heals him.

At this point he seems to have a bad day teacher moment- 'Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it.' There's something slightly reassuring about this. I have had many situations in teaching or looking after kids, where I've had these sort of situations. It's good to know Jesus in his togetherness (no one else comes close to a proper togetherness), has shamozzles like this in his experience. On the flip side, its not something I like; giving directions and having them ignored, and there's a part of that where that's fair enough- it is necessary for students to obey a teacher, otherwise its not going to work- but there's another part where I take it as a personal affront, and I suspect more than I need to- a bit touchy about my own dignity. Jesus gives many amazing displays of not being touchy about his own dignity- though he is the God of the universe, the promised Messiah, the embodiment of God's love for Israel. His 'do you know who I am' type moments, are never given in that affronted dignity way. -If you knew who I am, you'd ask for living water... But who do you say that I am?.... You would have no power over me if it had not been given to you from above... Father forgive them they know not what they do...

Slightly different vibe- but still not affronted dignity,
I tell you that one greater than the temple is here...
and now one greater than Jonah is here..
and now one greater than Solomon is here...

Isaiah 9

9
But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
The people walked in darkness
have seen a great light
those who lived in a land of deep darkness-
on them light has shined.
You have multiplied the nation,
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as people exult when dividing plunder.
For the yoke of their burden,
and the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.
For all the boots of the tramping warriors
and all the garments rolled in blood
shall be burned as fuel for the fire.
For a child has been born for us,
a son give to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders;
and he is named Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His authority shall grow continually,
and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time onward and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

Forseen incarnation

Who could have forseen the incarnation?
Isaiah did. Is this part of what he is talking about when he quotes Yahweh, “From this time forward I make you hear new things, hidden things that you have not known. They are created now, not long ago' before today, you have never heard of them, so that you could not say, “I already knew them.” You have never heard, you have never known, from of old your ear has not been opened....

A whole lot more, then, -And now the Lord God has sent me and his spirit. Although before it talks about performing his purpose on Babylon and his arm being against the Chaldeans.

My sister can't be God, for we have shared an unearthly burp together

Here, the disciples and Jesus family (and also the people he grew up with), have an advantage. They got to share life with him, to see unguarded moments, to share in the talk of the table, or wherever they were eating that night. -To see him in a more balanced way than many of the crowd. It is an incredibly hard idea to get your head around, to be both human and divine. Not many try to claim it- and virtually none on the scale Jesus did; not just divine, but the Almighty God who created the universe. Those that come close, such as the Roman Emperors, people in mental institutions and perhaps Hindu gurus, usually have a massive credibility gap. People who have lost their minds can be ruled out straightaway- the other two groups (Empire divinity, and religious belief divinity) have some humility in their arrogance, and do not claim to be the God of all. They are gods, among other gods. They are usually proved all too human- the Roman Emperors with their sordid excesses, the son of the Hindu guru's testimony in Sadhu Singh's book. If you spend enough time (a few days or less would usually do it), rubbing shoulders with them, seeing them in unguarded moments, you'd have damning evidence against their case for divinity.

Jesus mother and his brother's and sister's come to believe he is the Yahweh who has been interacting with their people Israel for 2000 years. -Not without a struggle, as evidenced by their coming to take him in hand when his popularity first exploded. And this is not surprising- it is such a big idea. If you apply it to your own family you know it can't work. For a start, there's the primary relationship; no that can't be, because you are my sister or brother. Then there's the massive fact of their humaness, built up of all the shared life you have spent. In particular, this fact precludes divinity. How many examples could I give of Kylie's and Ainslie's falleness (I suspect they could find more for me- but I am older). But even all those sweet moments you share- the family joke, the unearthly burp somewhere past Albury, being there after kids come into the world- sit there as this strong testimony against the other being divine- it has been such a joy to be human together.

So, whereas many people in the story at this point are struggling to get a grip on Jesus because of all the miracles, his family are coming from the opposite direction, struggling to reconcile the brother or the son they know and grew up with, with these wonders and crowds. It was probably playing with the disciples heads as well- or perhaps starting to. Jesus was so human.

The murky place between man and God- 7:31-37

They make it down to the region of the Decapolis- I don't think it was a particularly Jewish area- still lying low... And some concerned friends or family members of a deaf and almost mute man (interesting the little detail that he could hardly talk), bring him to Jesus and beg him to place his hand on him. Jesus doesn't want a scene and takes the man away from the crowd. After he had healed him, he commands 'them' not to tell anyone- which is one area where Jesus authority doesn't hold very well. Many of the healings seem to have a similar sort of feel. People know that he has this amazing power, so they bring either loved ones or themselves and ask him to heal them. He does not particularly seem to go looking for people to heal. And he tries to do it as discreetly as possible- although some situations prevent this- the man with the withered hand and through the ceiling man. It looks like Jesus did not want the healings to become a circus- which drowned out everything else. Interesting that in Josephus he is described as a wonder worker, or something like that. Indeed, in John especially, he has some strong things to say about signs, and the way people run after them. The word sign 'semeion' that John uses for miracles, shows how John thinks they should be thought of- pointers to something else, to something beyond. And this was a very real problem for Jesus, or more accurately many people. Many, did not treat him as a real person. He was an 'attraction' something to flock to. He did everything well and people loved to go and see him in action. In the end they struggled with precisely the same issue many do today with Jesus- by holding him in this category between 'man' and 'God'. He did amazing things- the people loved that- He was saying dangerous things- the pharisees didn't like that- and because of the wonders he was seen as a real threat. So they crucified him for acting more than a mere man, and claiming to be God.

Out of Israel- 7:31

Again specifically states the 'vicinity' or 'region' of Tyre- which he leaves and goes further north 'through' the city of Sidon. Perhaps 30 km at a rough guess from a smallish map. It does look like a 'breathing space' trip. Sidon was another port city of Phoenicia- it was renown as a centre of Philosophical learning (New bible Dictionary)- a largely greek population. And Jesus just passes through. The geographical focus certainly is on Israel. The few times he is out of Israel (Egypt, Tyre, Sidon and Samaria) are all significant. I imagine Egypt with Tommo's Jesus enacting Israel or the OT idea “out of Egypt I called my son' (perhaps I should say Matthew's idea), Phoenicia for the answer Jesus didn't mean, and the action he did, and Samaria for a robust reversal of the good Samaritan story.

He possibly went through Caesarea Phillipi on the way down to Galilee and the area of the Decapolis. Looks like there was a major road that came across from the coast. This looks like it would be a fair journey on foot- at least 5 days? I wonder what this journey was like? Wonder what the disciples were feeling? Opposition from powerful forces are increasing- it looks like they could be on the run for awhile. There's a fair bit of time they have together on the road- also time for just getting on with the walking and space to be alone in that- and think. I wonder if an underlying tension is rising in the group.

New things- 7:24-30

From Isaiah 49,

“It is too small a thing for you to be my servant
to restore the tribes of Jacob
and bring back those of Israel I have kept.
I will also make you a light for the Gentiles,
that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth.”


Back in 48 Isaiah writes for Yahweh,
“From now on I will tell you of new things,
of hidden things unknown to you.
They are created now and not long ago;
you have not heard of them before today.
So you cannot say,
'Yes, I knew of them.'
You have neither heard nor understood;
from of old your ear has not being open.


I'm not sure, but the 'servant note' seems to be the new thing. -An added layer to the Messiah chord. Certainly there were not many Jews who had truly 'heard' of Jesus when he turned up. For many he did key into many things in their tradition- but for most it was not in the way they expected. And in particular this seems to be the unexpected part- Peter pulling Jesus aside to rebuke him when he speaks of his death. - the picture that seems to be in James and John's head when they ask for the places of honour beside Jesus in his 'glory'.
And you capture something of the flavour of these verses in Jesus frustration that people (in particular the disciples), just don't get it. -Do you still not understand?, are you so dull? O unbelieving generation, how long shall I put up with you?

I imagine you can't really understand these verses or the weight of Jesus frustration without realising he is tapping into a long history of Yahweh's frustration with a people with a 'neck with sinews of iron, and a forehead of bronze'. (Is 48)