John and the Jews

This coming Sunday's Gospel lesson comes from John.  He often places events in the life and ministry of Jesus differently than the Synoptic authors - Mark, Matthew, Luke.  This week is a fine example.  While the Synoptic Gospels place Jesus rant in the Temple during his final days, John has it early in his ministry.  They also speak of the Chief priests and scribes.  John writes of 'the Jews.' Uh huh.  Bit of a broadbrush there, no?  I can try to explain this away with a recourse to polemical strategies and tensions in the world of Judaism in the first and second century.  But that doesn't do away with the problem John has with Jews.

Nobody in the early first millennium knew what anti-Semitism was but Jew hatred existed nonetheless and we see it in our own holy texts.  Should we expurgate them?  I don't think so.   We see the dangers today of editing history to address modern sensitivities.  We should instead educate, counter, and know what was going on when the text was written.  Then we should engage in some serious, challenging theology to see how even the Apostles could go too far.  I honestly don't think God wants us hating people, especially those with whom he struck his first covenant.

John is a beautiful Gospel, filled with lyrical poetry and moving imagery.  One of favorite texts is John 1.  But this book has its dark moments, and we should acknowledge them and resolve not to fall prey to similar temptations.

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