Today we are given a look at what it is that becomes part of this scandal around Jesus.
The scandal is what prevents people from perceiving the unity of Jesus and the Father (John 6.62), and for John the flesh is precisely the human condition locked in scandal, while the spirit is what leads people beyond scandal into a belief in Jesus as revealing the Father, and the Father as he who sent Jesus into the world (vv. 63-65). Many of the disciples are caused to stumble, but Peter and the other eleven stay, having perceived that Jesus has words of eternal life: that is, they have overcome the scandal, at least to some extent. Even so, Jesus knows that on of them is a diabolos who will betray him (v.70). The word diabolos here is quite specifically not used to indicate a metaphysical entity, but a human person locked in scandal.
This way of God's Reign alive in Jesus is hard to take. It is hard to take because it reveals the very heart of God. That heart - is not our heart. And when our hearts are not taking the lead and not given the lead - we get pissed off. That is, a scandal develops. We therefore do whatever we can to make sure that that new life never takes place. We search for ways to go back into our old ways - the ways we know so well - the ways we have tricked ourselves into believing will save us or keep us safe. This unity of the Son and the Father is disturbing because it is not follow the patterns of life we so love - patterns we have mastered. So folks leave Jesus behind - leave the living Reign of God as an idea that is not quite as reasonable and practical and self-serving as the life we have claimed and support. Again, we must return to the Spirit and the power that makes ordinary, frightened, self-serving people dare to follow along the way of Jesus even as we see that it leads to the cross that comes among us in many shapes and forms. For cowards like me, that Spirit is the only way the truth is seen. Otherwise, I'm left on my own and with my own manufactured truth which is not truth at all.
Connection: Truth comes as we are dialogical. In my own mind, I have ideas and notions and scenarios that appear to me to be the truth. Ha! It is only within dialogue with other that the Spirit of God's Shalom opens up my mind and heart to see that my grand ways and ideas are flawed. Maybe good plans in the ways of the world - but greatly faulty within the Reigning life of our God. That is hard to take - but it is necessary. The conversations of life that are blown apart by God's Spirit enable us to look again at how we each so readily eat from the tree of knowledge of right and wrong only to walk away from the tree of life and truth and hope.
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