Theological Time Zones
This week the readings for our devotionals will be the gospel reading for Morning Prayer each day, which means we'll be taking a close look at John 5-6.
In John 5:1-18 we see Jesus heal a man by the pool at Bethesda, the man had been unable to walk for 38 years. He waited at the pool because it was a place of significant healing for Jewish people, people would wait there until the waters moved and then the first person into the water would be healed. It's a place of potential and possibility, but for the man it lacks all potential and possibility. Along comes Jesus and he brings new life to the man. He's later criticized for healing on the Sabbath:
So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. In his defence Jesus said to them, 'My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.' John 5:16-17 [NIV]
Tom Wright describes this as Jesus and the Jewish authorities being in different theological time zones – for the Jewish authorities it is time to rest, but for Jesus it is the time to work, to bring new life and the new creation.
The Collect of the day:
Almighty God,
whose Son Jesus Christ fasted forty days in the wilderness,
and was tempted as we are, yet without sin:
give us grace to discipline ourselves in obedience to your Spirit;
and, as you know our weakness,
so may we know your power to save;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.
Emma Higgins
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