The Third Sunday of Lent: The Foolishness of Christ
Most of this Gospel passage is pretty straightforward narrative- until the last two verses take a bit of an unsettling turn, into the mind of Christ. What is it exactly that Jesus understands well about human nature, that he would not entrust himself to these “many” who began to believe? Why such emphasis on it?
Reading back, it becomes apparent that it has to do with the “signs” that have now been referenced several times in our New Testament readings. “...Many began to believe in his name when they saw the signs he was doing.” Jesus could not trust their belief that was based on signs. Their faith perhaps had no substance, but arose from the euphoric awe of witnessing something extraordinary. It reminds me immediately of the seeds that fell on rocky soil in the parable of the sower: “...they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away” (Matt. 13). Jesus later explains, “this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet such a person has no root, but endures only for a while, and when trouble or persecution arises on account of the word, that person immediately falls away.”
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| JESUS MAFA. The parable of the sower, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. |
I think it’s easy for us to slip into looking for “signs” within the Christian walk, too. Though we’re not usually looking for miraculous healings or water turning to wine, we often ask God for some indication that we are moving in the right direction. We hope that God will open the right door and close all others-- that the way he wants us to go will be obvious and easy, presenting little resistance. Or alternatively, we wonder if it’s a sign we are doing the wrong thing when we encounter hindrance or suffering. Though many of us know better, it does seem that this is how the world should work, if God really is all-powerful and in control.
Turning to the Old Testament readings, we see them in a new light. They contrast this shallow faith based on signs with the richness of the Law. God has communicated how we are to live, and in a long-suffering faith in his Law, the psalmist finds refreshment and clarity. He is persuaded and assured by something that is much more stable and perfect than a miraculous moment and his own enraptured response to it: “The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever” (Ps. 19:10a). This is a foreshadowing of the alternative to shallow faith that Christ offers.
In our passage in John, Jesus responds to demands for a sign by pointing to the cross. Christ crucified is “a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles” (I Cor. 1:22-24)-- it does not satisfy any of our desire for something that is strong or awe-inspiring or logical, something that we might consider proof. It is a call to faithfulness in our daily lives. He has revealed to us his Law, which tells us how to live, whether or not there is resistance or suffering. We glory in tribulations, because they produce patience, then experience, then hope, which does not disappoint us (Romans 5). Christ invites us to follow in his way of suffering; what we do not realize immediately is that faithfulness to him over time and through tribulation brings a joy and assurance that is richer and stronger than the momentary joy of witnessing a miracle.
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