Observation: Jesus refuses to answer any and every false charge or twisting of his words, but he answers the one question that reveals the truth ... he states he is the Messiah. This truth is the charge for which the Sanhedrin "condemned him [Jesus] as deserving death". However, despite the fact that the law of Moses prescribed how the Jews can and should execute such judgment, the Sanhedrin ... doesn't do it. They instead will take Jesus to the Roman authorities. Yes, he will be crucified, but his death will not be carried out by the Jews.
In other words, the Jewish authorities are zealous in their compliance with the law, to the point that they declare a death sentence upon the Messiah himself, yet they then ... fail to comply with the law. They do both of these acts out of misplaced fear. They fear human authority - in the form of Roman rule - and thus will not act as prescribed by the law due to the fact they yield to the idea that only Roman authority may carry out an execution. However, they do not fear the Lord's authority - in the form of the law and the prophets - and thus ignore the fact that Jesus has fulfilled all Messianic prophesy, has rightly shown himself to be the very son of God, and even when they don't believe it they are willing to ignore SEVERAL laws about charges (to be in writing), trials (to occur only during daytime), and punishment (to be a public act of the Jewish community) ... just to name the ones I know off the top of my head.
Application: This idea of misplaced fear - explicitly, fearing 'the world' above fearing God - is at the heart of so much anxiety for most people, including myself. If I truly placed my values only in the things of God, then there would be so little I would actually get stressed out about in life. I would only worry about how to make God pleased, and to keep my thoughts and deeds aligned to his good instructions. I would never worry about work, societal conflicts, politics, or all the other matters that completely permeate American life and culture today.
I am getting better. I am less concerned with status than I used to be. I am less worried about many earthly ideas of value. I do still wish for stability around earthly work, though in my heart I do trust in the Lord in that matter. Perhaps how I 'fear' worldly constructs has diminished, but it is time to elevate my 'fear' of the Lord.
Prayer: Lord, while I trust in you for my earthly needs, may I also elevate my faith and fear of you when it comes to defining my earthly activities and thoughts. I do desire to live the great life you would teach me to live. May I fear you more every day. Amen.
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