The “we” (above – through their spokesman, Simon Peter), back there in AD 30, were the twelve disciples of Jesus. They were sure about this man, this “bread of life”. “We have trusted, and have known, that you yourself are the Holy One of God.”
Easter AD 2025 is upon us. What kind of people, today, are also sure?
Jesus answered them, “Did I myself not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devilish one.” In fact he was speaking of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, because this one, one of the twelve, was about to betray him.
Amongst his twelve closest pupils, Jesus had earlier chosen Judas who now “was about to betray him”. What persuaded Judas to do that?
And after these things, Jesus went about in Galilee. He did not wish to go about in Judea, because the Judeans were seeking to destroy him.
Judas wasn’t the only one so opposed to Jesus. The Judean authorities wanted completely to eliminate him. Today, we’d call it a high-level conspiracy. But why did they have such a strong collective determination?
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In fact the feast of the Jews - Booth - was at hand. So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and depart to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” For not even his brothers believed in him.
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John the biographer mentions the fact that “the feast - Booth - was at hand”. The word “Booth” is a translation of the Greek skenopegia - used only once by John, here, and in the singular. Skeno means a temporary dwelling place. Pegia means to tie down, to fix. Together they mean something like a single established but temporary home.
Back in the 14th Century BC the Israelites, having been released from slavery in Egypt, had to dwell in temporary structures for a period of 40 years until they reached their “promised land” of Israel. But, always with them, they had a main “Booth” – in which dwelt the presence of the Lord God. This led, accompanied, and followed them on their journey.
In the preface to his biography of Jesus, John uses the verb skenoo – with regard to Jesus himself, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt [skenoo – fixed his temporary dwelling] among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
What about Jesus’ brothers? They were encouraging him to go to Judea, to Jerusalem, where “the Judeans were seeking to destroy him”. Sibling envy? Sibling envy – even to death? They didn’t want Jesus to dwell with them anymore. What was their problem?
Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come.”
Jesus responded to the recommendations of his brothers with “truth” about the world they dwelt in.
Jesus could not go into Judea because the Judeans wanted to destroy him. Judas was ready to betray him. His brothers concealed their own desires. Some months later, on the first Good Friday, he did go. The Judeans destroyed him. Judas betrayed him. His brothers did nothing.
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His time – then – did “fully come” - the time of his crucifixion and death – totally devoted to the blessing of others. Simon Peter said, “You have the words of eternal life, and we have trusted, and have known, that you yourself are the Holy One of God.”
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After saying this, he remained in Galilee.
There in Galilee, though hated, he welcomed the poor, the sick, the needy, the evil. And blessed them in every possible way.
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