The wicked said among themselves, thinking not aright: "Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us; he sets himself against our doings, reproaches us for transgressions of the law and charges us with violations of our training. He professes to have knowledge of God and styles himself a child of the LORD.
To us he is the censure of our thoughts; merely to see him is a hardship for us, because his life is not like that of others, and different are his ways. He judges us debased; he holds aloof from our paths as from things impure. He calls blest the destiny of the just and boasts that God is his Father.
Let us see whether his words be true; let us find out what will happen to him. For if the just one be the son of God, he will defend him and deliver him from the hand of his foes. With revilement and torture let us put him to the test that we may have proof of his gentleness and try his patience. Let us condemn him to a shameful death; for according to his own words, God will take care of him."
These were their thoughts, but they erred; for their wickedness blinded them, and they knew not the hidden counsels of God; neither did they count on a recompense of holiness nor discern the innocent souls' reward. (Wisdom 2:1, 12-22)
Gospel Reading
Jesus moved about within Galilee; he did not wish to travel in Judea, because the Jews were trying to kill him. But the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was near. But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, he himself also went up, not openly but as it were in secret.
Some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said, "Is he not the one they are trying to kill? And look, he is speaking openly and they say nothing to him. Could the authorities have realized that he is the Christ? But we know where he is from. When the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from."
So Jesus cried out in the temple area as he was teaching and said, "You know me and also know where I am from. Yet I did not come on my own, but the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me." So they tried to arrest him, but no one laid a hand upon him, because his hour had not yet come. (John 7:1-2, 10, 25-30)
I admit I very seldom read these sections from Wisdom and John. Why? They are weekday readings. Unless we study the entire Gospel according to John – or attend daily Mass – we will miss a lot. Who among us reads and studies the entire Gospel? Likely very few of us to our disadvantage. It’s much easier to pay attention to and be guided by just the Sunday readings and Gospel. They are familiar to us and not very challenging for those of us having heard them for many, many years through cycles A, B, and C. Writing blogs every day this Lent, has helped me better understand what I preach.
Our reading from Wisdom seems to speak of Jesus: “For if the just one be the son of God, he will defend him and deliver him from the hand of his foes. With revilement and torture let us put him to the test that we may have proof of his gentleness and try his patience. Let us condemn him to a shameful death; for according to his own words, God will take care of him." But this cannot be the case.
The Book of Wisdom was written about fifty years before Jesus. Its author was probably a member of the Jewish community at Alexandria, in Egypt. The first ten chapters in particular provide background for the teaching of Jesus and for some New Testament theology about Jesus. Many passages from this section of the book, notably 3:1-8, are used by the church in the liturgy. This Wisdom reading is used by John as part of his template for his Christ theology from which we Christians have greatly benefited.
“…the Jews were trying to kill him…Is he not the one they are trying to kill?...and So they tried to arrest him…” provide more condemnation of “the Jews.” If we adopt the same misguided and dangerous attitude then we are the “wicked thinking not aright and we beset the just one, making him obnoxious to us.” In other words, “we don’t know Jesus and also don’t know where he is from.”
Deacon David Pierce
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