Politics & Faith (david's comments on John 11:45-57)

We like to imagine that the spiritual is above the political. But it isn't. The spiritual calls us to integrity of belief and action and guides us in how we will live with others. These are areas ruled by politics.

In this passage the Jews are not presented as dullards or as willfully antagonistic in the way they have been thus far:

'Here is this man working all these signs,' they said, 'and what action are we taking? If we let him go on in this way everybody will believe in him, and the Romans will come and suppress the Holy Place and our nation.'

This is real fear being expressed. Someone in the Sanhedrin has listened to what Jesus has to say and concluded that if enough people believe then the Romans will have no other choice but to send troops into Jerusalem and start killing people.

What is it in Jesus' message that would prompt such an action on the part of the Romans?

His claims that he and the Father are one. His claims of messiah. If he is the True Shepherd then the Jewish collaborators with Roman occupation are the hireling shepherds and Rome is the thief who does not come in through the gate -- and only to murder and steal.

We want to interpret the raising of Lazarus as spiritual -- personal transformation. But the allegory stated in an occupied nation -- the allegory can also be read politically.

And the conclusions this Jewish council reaches?

One of them, Caiaphas, the high priest that year, said, 'You do not seem to have grasped the situation at all; you fail to see that it is to your advantage that one man should die for the people, rather than that the whole nation should perish.'

Kill him before its too late. A not unreasonable conclusion under the circumstances. Frightening in its implications. But nevertheless one that sincere people have felt forced into from time to time.

There was considerable support for George Bush's attack on Iraq from Christian leaders. Despite the unjust execution of Jesus -- the majority of professing Christians historically have been in favour of capital punishment. Dietrich Bonhoeffer participated in a plot to assassinate Hitler.

What do we do with this? We can try to remain true to our vision of God's ways. But when pushed into a corner -- what we would we do?