Wednesday of the Second Week of Easter

Lectionary: 269

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned,

Christians often use this very popular verse (John 3:16) as both an invitation and a bludgeon. It was probably intended that way, but it helps to read it in context.

The Gospel of Saint John is a gospel of crisis. Jesus demands of his disciples and opponents acceptance on his own terms. He is what he says he is and blessed are those who take him at his word.

The great American scripture scholar, Father Ray Brown, believed the gospel was produced by an oppressed Christian church, possibly in Nicea. It was a large, stable group and sufficiently wealthy to produce such a masterpiece, but the Jewish synagogue was larger and stronger. They made life miserable for Christians by ostracism and economic discrimination. They might have refused to sell to Christians or buy from Christians. Families were irreparably divided by their allegiances.

It was no longer possible to belong to both the Church and the Synagogue. In the face of such challenges, many Jews would not come over to the Christian religion despite their personal convictions, and many Christians might have returned to their families and synagogue.

The Gospel of Saint John reflects that struggle. The Church takes its stand with Jesus; he appears in the text as uncompromising and demanding. He offers his healings and teachings as signs, not as proofs of his power. The signs indicate Almighty God's authorization to those who are willing to see it. Because there is no middle ground in such a polarized community the opponents of the Christian Church are not indifferent; they have chosen to be hostile and to bring condemnation upon themselves. Even those who do not personally engage in the violence stand convicted.

That was then; this is now. There are many ways to read our present situation but it is certainly not identical to that in Saint John's Nicea. Christians are not an oppressed minority; we enjoy enormous respectability, so much so that we are frequently mocked in the media. Nor do we stand together as a power bloc. There are Christians and Catholics in liberal and conservative camps, and in every major and minor political party. The secular news media often try to describe our internal, divisive struggles, and usually presume to favor one side or the other.

Unlike the Christians in Nicea, we have no need to condemn anyone who disagrees with our religious, moral or philosophical convictions. We have no need to fear controversies among us. Even as we strive to be faithful to the Gospel we realize we are deeply enmeshed in the world and our insight is sorely limited. We can afford to listen respectfully to atheists and pro-abortionists. We can honor the hopes, aspirations and beliefs of all religious persuasions.

The Judgment Day appears in the Gospel of Saint John not as Saint Matthew’s Great Roundup of the sheep and goats, but as the Day Jesus sits upon Pilate’s Seat of Judgment and is condemned. Pilate demands, "Behold the man!" and the crowd judges him! 

Anyone can condemn; it takes no courage, intelligence or integrity to do that. Judging and condemning are not signs of Christ or the Christian. Rather, "as you judge other, so shall you be judged." 

Seeing the suffering of Christ in our fellow human beings, and most especially in those who are filled with hate and bitterness, we Behold the Man and feel compassion.