Affronts

Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning.

“I have told you this so that you may not fall away. They will expel you from the synagogues; in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God. They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me. I have told you this so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you.” (John 15:26-16:4)

John and his disciples were expelled from the synagogue because they thought Jesus was the Messiah who had come.  Most Jews we still waiting; therefore, those followers of Jesus were shown the door, so to speak.  

Made sense, but not to those expelled.  They were angry, and the Gospel of John, as a result, portrays “the Jews” in a very bad light.  “The Jews” killed Jesus, as stated in the Passion according to John. Not true, but the expelled got their revenge by casting “the Jews” as villains.  

The rest is history evidenced by persecution and killing of Jewish people by later Christians – a persecution that still exists today, especially in far-right political and religious circles.  Anti-Semitism is on the rise as is white supremacy – the tragedy of our times and a direct affront to Jesus and his commandments.

Deacon David Pierce