Fifth Sunday of Lent – morning
Sunday 18th March 2018
Lent 5 – Passion Sunday – morning
Jeremiah 31.31-34
John 12. 20-33
Revd Preb Maureen Hobbs
“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.”
I can remember being puzzled by this passage from John’s Gospel when I was younger…. maybe you are too?
What was it about this bunch of strangers turning up, wanting to meet with Jesus, that was so significant? We don’t even know for certain that Jesus did meet them, or what he said to them!
Well I suppose it was that they were Greek speaking, rather than talking in the vernacular that Jesus and the disciples would have used – Aramaic… an ancient language that has more in common today with Syrian I believe than Hebrew…
But then remember that Jesus came from Galilee – which is Northern Israel. He was a northerner and presumably could be identified as such from his speech… Certainly Peter could – do you remember how he was identified as a Galilean when huddling beside the fire in the courtyard of the High Priest’s House while Jesus was being tried by the Sanhedrin inside? When he was so frightened that he even denied knowing his friend? That doesn’t seem like a very glorious moment does it?… but we will hear more about that next week on Palm Sunday.
There is always a tension I suppose with most religions, about whether they are for the benefit of those inside, or outside the faith? And Judaism was really rather an inward looking religion. You had to be born a Jew, and raised a Jew, to really understand. They did not go looking for converts among the Gentiles on the whole.
Oh there were people among the gentiles who were attracted to this strange little Middle-Eastern faith – women, especially wealthy aristocratic Roman women, seemed particularly attracted by Judaism – perhaps because of the strong place of women in holding and teaching the faith – at least in the home. But on the whole, the religious hierarchy were not keen on too many people converting. They made much of the need for the men to be circumcised (which seemed to put off quite a few!) and above all, they sought to keep the delicate relationship with Rome – the occupying power – in balance. They did not want trouble-makers coming along to disturb the status quo. For as long as the Romans could collect their taxes and there was civil order, and the Emperor’s laws were respected, they were largely content to allow local populations to continue with their own local customs and religions.
But Jesus was different. Jesus had begun thinking he was sent only to the tribes of Israel – a reforming spirit if you will, leading a reformation of Judaism; hoping to do away with the excesses and the corruptions that he saw had crept into Temple worship over the centuries. But as his ministry progressed it became apparent that there were others from outside his faith, that were fascinated by what he was saying and the signs of his miracles. So he came to understand that God was asking him to be much more outward facing and be prepared to spread the Gospel to those who showed interest from the Gentile world too. God welcomes all nations to come and eat at his table, to share his banquet.
And now, with this deputation of “Greeks” who came looking for Jesus in Jerusalem at a time of major festival, he is realising that things are really taking off for him. – The hour has arrived for the Son of Man to be glorified – not just by the people of Israel but by people from around the Empire.
(The expression “Greeks” may be shorthand for people from all sorts of different countries who came speaking Greek, which was the common language spoken by all sorts of nationalities in the Roman Empire at this time. It might not just mean a group of people from the country that we today identify as Greece)
So far, so good. But Jesus also recognises that in order for his glory to be fully apparent, it will also involve his death and resurrection – which is a much harder message for him to get across to his followers, who really did not want to think about such a difficult future for their friend and Master.
Death and burial is always difficult for us to think of. But this passage gives us the key to the way Jesus turns this too on its head. Thanks to him, and to this example of what happens when a seed is planted, we too can be comforted and try to have a different attitude when someone we love dies, and their mortal remains are returned to the earth.
Now of course, tears will be shed at most funerals – and I am not arguing against that – it is usually good, or at least healthy, to express our emotions. But when we weep – we realise that it is for ourselves. For the sorrow we have that we can no longer see the beloved, – we will miss their words of advice and the warmth of their affection. But we can have joy too for them – knowing that they are going on to a new and happy life in a dimension beyond the restrictions of time and space that hold on to us and limit our understanding. But in the fullness of time, we know too that we shall be reunited in some wonderful mysterious way with them – with all whom we have loved. And so we can be brave, dry our tears and rejoice for their sake. And that is the new covenant, the new testament, the new joy that Jesus brings to us. He shares with us the reality of our death so that we may share with him, the reality of resurrection and the nearer presence of God. Amen.