JOHN 4:43-46a FOES, FANS AND TRUE BELIEVERS

43 After the two days he left for Galilee. 44 (Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.) 45 When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, for they also had been there.

46 Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine.

Jesus had left the hostility of the Pharisees in Judea, experienced the acceptance of the Samaritans in Sychar, and now was welcomed into Galilee by the Jewish inhabitants. The other Gospels use the proverb about a prophet not being honored as applying to Nazareth in Galilee, but here St. John is speaking of Israel. The frame of reference when it comes to honoring Jesus is the episode in Sychar. One honors Jesus by recognizing who he is rather than what he does. The authorities in Judea rejected him because he did not do what they expected of the Messiah, and what he did do disrupted their customs. Mean while, the welcome of the Galileans dishonored Jesus because they too focused on what he did in Jerusalem. Whether the stories were about miraculous signs or regional pride (“Our boy showed those city-slickers a thing or two.”), the Galileans were unaware of Jesus’ identity. In stark contrast, the Samaritans experienced no signs and were not repulsed by Jesus’ nationality. The people of Sychar listened to Jesus and came to know who he was, “the Savior of the world.”

We show our respect for another by investing in him through listening. We demonstrate our distain for our neighbor when we categorize her using stereotypes or dismiss her with ad hominine arguments. Through listening to people in order to know them we value them, thereby gaining a true picture of who they are and building a relationship with them. Then it is that we honor them by testifying to their true identity as persons.

Jesus’ true identity as the Son of God is given to us by revelation. Until we get past our second-hand knowledge, cultural stereotypes (secular and sacred) and fixation on what Jesus did we will not be able to fully honor Jesus for who he is. The kingdom grows not by marketing what Jesus can do for us, but by our recognition that he is the King…our Lord and our Savior.

In this consumer “paradise” in which I live, I need your Spirit, Lord, in order to take my eyes off what you can do for me and focus on who you are. Give me the discipline to listen to you as you reveal yourself to me in worship, prayer and study of the Bible. Grow me in my relationship with and understanding of you so that I may honor you as God with my life. Amen.