13 February 2010
Psalm 87, 90; Gen. 29:1-20; Rom. 14:1-23; John 8:47-59

The story of the love between Jacob and Rachel sounds very much like the story of Abraham’s servant finding a wife for Isaac. The difference is that Jacob gets to choose his own wife and Isaac had no wariness of sending his son to do the work on his own. Abraham knew better but Isaac has no idea of the dangers. Whereas the servant returned immediately with Rebekah, Jacob is enticed to stay for a long season of time in order to get his wife. His desire for Rachel is like that of a new home buyer who makes the mistake of telling the owner how much he loves the house and has to have it. Now is the time to make a deal.

Jesus continues to dispute with the Jews. The things He is saying to them here are incredibly difficult to imagine hearing without arguing with Him. They believe themselves to be children of Abraham and heirs to the promises made to Abraham by virtue of two basic things, circumcision and the worship of the temple. Jesus is telling them what He told the Samaritan woman, this is about worship offered in spirit and truth, it is about knowing the Father, a term the prophets used again and again in rebuking the people who were offering worship but only by keeping the rules, not with the heart. His final answer here to their objections of his being older than Abraham is truly offensive to them, “Before Abraham was, I am.” In those final two words He has used the name of God given to Moses and used it to refer to Himself. No wonder they picked up stones. He didn’t leave them the option so many today avail themselves of, that He was a great teacher.

This passage can be used in a passive-aggressive way by those who abstain from something to force others to their way of life. I have seen those who do not drink alcohol and vegetarians attempt to impose their will on others and yet that is not what this passage says. Paul is encouraging the community to focus on the majors, those things that truly matter to salvation and not to make those peripheral things the mark of the community. Whatever we do let it be from the conviction that there is no sin in the thing. Legalism comes in many forms, worship style, worship music, eating and drinking, dancing, sleeve length, hem length, make up, piercings, tatooings, etc. All these can be bad things certainly but whether they are bad or not is a heart matter not a legal matter. Those kinds of things are what caused the Jews of Jesus’ day to make wrong judgments about Him.

Before the mountains were brought forth,
or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
Let your work be shown to your servants,
and your glorious power to their children.
Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
and establish the work of our hands upon us;
yes, establish the work of our hands!