9 August 2010
Psalm 89:1-18; Judges 12:1-7; Acts 5:12-26; John 3:1-21

Jephthah is obliged to wage a civil war against the Ephraimites. This is the same tribe that was angry with Gideon for failing to involve them early in his campaign against Midian and had to be soothed by his words concerning their important role in the conquest. Here, Jephthah provides no assurance to them, instead criticism that they failed to respond to a plea to help. For eighteen years the Gileadites had suffered at the hands of the Ammonites and Ephraim had not lifted a finger to help their brothers and now they came to confront them. In the ensuing civil war the Ephraimites lose 42,000 men, some in response to their failure to pass an interesting test regarding their linguistic deficiency. This is a sad chapter in the history of the people of God that two brother tribes are warring against one another and destroying each other.

Nicodemus comes to Jesus to try and figure him out and leaves completely confused. He starts well, “Teacher, we know you are a teacher come from God…” Jesus immediately seizes the initiative in Nicodemus’ words and begins to speak about the kingdom of God and being born from above. It is the work of the Spirit working in a person for them to recognize truly that the works they are seeing are “of God.” Nicodemus has acknowledged that Jesus is indeed a teacher but Jesus questions whether Nicodemus can be a teacher considering he can’t understand Jesus’ words here. In this conversation Jesus first uses the reference to being lifted up. Clearly it relates to the situation with the fiery serpents sent by God in Numbers 21 due to the people’s unbelief and murmuring, but how it related to that must have truly puzzled Nicodemus. In this passage we get the wonderful Good News of the Gospel that all that believe in Jesus will have eternal life. All who believed in God that gazing upon the bronze serpent would heal them and protect them from the fiery serpents lived through that episode, all who believe in Jesus will persevere to life eternal.

God has worked a miracle of releasing the disciples from prison but we aren’t told how that happens. The police find the prison doors locked and the guards don’t seem to know how the prisoners got out. The disciples continue their ministry in the temple precincts, healing and preaching. The chief priests are jealous of their influence and favor with the people and have them arrested. It is interesting that the “leaders” of the people never seem to be among the people, they are always separate and send their police to arrest both Jesus and the disciples to bring them to the leaders for questioning apart from the people. At the same time they are jealous of the people’s affections and attention. The final verse of the reading tells the truth, they were afraid of the people, they didn’t want their love, only their respect and fear. They do their work apart and in secret. Do we love the world enough to be part of the world as Jesus did?

Happy are the people who know the festal shout,
who walk, O Lord, in the light of your countenance;
they exult in your name all day long,
and extol your righteousness.
For you are the glory of their strength;
by your favour our horn is exalted.