Fourth Sunday of Easter
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Readings: Ezekiel 34: 11-16 and John 10: 22-30
One of the features of our age seems to be the endless quizzing of politicians or other public figures on the same questions. If we don’t think we’ve got the right answer, or indeed any answer, we’ll ask the question again, or in another way. If we think the question has been avoided, we’ll ask it again, or we’ll repeat the question in an attempt to get a different answer from last time and thus catch the person out.
Sometimes politicians cannot give answers for good reasons, perhaps when asked about issues of security or personal identity. We had a classic example this week, with the Home Office Minister Dan Jarvis being quizzed in the Commons about the arrest of five Iranian men on suspected terrorist charges. The same questions came at him phrased in different ways, but he gave nothing away. In the modern age, people are expected to give 15-second soundbite answers, whereas many issues can’t be adequately covered in that way.
We come across the Jews questioning Jesus in today’s reading from John’s gospel. “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” The problem was, as Jesus answered, “I have told you, and you do not believe.”
This is all part of the escalating conflict between Jesus and ‘the Jews’ in John’s gospel. We could say much about that phrase ‘the Jews’. Was Jesus not a Jew himself? The gospel-writer wants to identify the Jewish religious authorities, in particular, as those who did not, or were not willing, to see Jesus as the Messiah.
In the previous chapters ‘the Jews’ witness Jesus’ miracles; hear his teachings, and question those he has healed, but they still can’t make up their minds. Those minds aren’t so completely closed that they dismiss Jesus entirely, but for them to admit that he was the expected – the Messiah – would just be too much.
In fact, Jesus was laying a choice before them. He does the same with us today. Jane Williams says “Most religious people, then as now, manage to tame their God to the point where he doesn’t make too much difference to their lives and their choices. They pay him lip-service and carry on regardless. But Jesus won’t let people do that. He is God’s presence, standing face-to-face with people, and making them (us) decide.” In the gospel, the mystery of who Jesus is seems to be disclosed only to those who ‘believe’, that is to say, to those who commit themselves to him.
The fact that some people choose not to believe runs throughout John’s gospel, and it is often those who should know Jesus best. Therein lies a warning for us. What barriers do we put in the way to stop Jesus truly getting to us?
Now the conversation between Jesus and ‘the Jews’ was taking place at Hanukkah, sometimes called the Festival of Lights. This was the feast of the Dedication, celebrating the victory of Judas Maccabaeus over the Syrians, and his cleansing and re-dedication of the Temple. It was kept on the 25th day of the month Chislev, corresponding to our December. The text tells us that the incident took place in winter.
Jesus had already described himself as the Good Shepherd in the verses before today’s passage. ‘Shepherd’ is a regular biblical image for ‘king’ – so anyone talking about themselves as the true shepherd, especially at that festival time, was really claiming to be God’s anointed.
That idea of shepherd was a powerful one in the Old Testament once David – the shepherd boy – became king. Through that image seen in the passage from the prophet Ezekiel this morning we see that the king’s strength lies in the deep care for each of his subjects. “I will seek out my sheep, and rescue them; I will bring them into their own land and feed them…I will seek the lost, bind up the injured, and strengthen the weak.” But even so, this shepherd will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep, resulting in the strong and greedy taking what they want. Those sheep, the text says, he will destroy.
Jesus’ example of the shepherd-king was most unlike what ‘the Jews’ had in mind, but more like the model we read in Ezekiel. It’s notable that in the very first words of Pope Leo’s address on Thursday after the announcement of his appointment, he spoke of ‘Christ, the good shepherd, who gave his life for the flock of God.’ The image of the good shepherd is as popular now as ever.
Jesus didn’t just describe himself as the good shepherd, but also as the gate for the sheep. The conscientious shepherd would lie down across the gateway to the fold to stop any marauding animals coming in. So Jesus laid down his life for us – the sacrificial lamb becomes the shepherd. This shepherd is basing his kingdom on nothing less than self-giving love. He says he comes to give his sheep eternal life, but the Jews do not accept that, because they don’t believe and therefore ‘do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.’ Jesus’ sheep are therefore those who hear and receive his message of a different kingdom. It does seem to be true that sheep know the voice of their shepherds, and will respond.
It’s easy to get stuck on the comforting image of shepherd and sheep, hearing it in the bible as much as we do. The scriptural image retains its timeless appeal, but we should beware of likening ourselves to the sheep of Jesus’ flock in every respect. In fact, it could be said that the attributes most desirable in a sheep are least desirable in a disciple. We shouldn’t stay in a relationship of over-dependence on the shepherd without thinking that we have to do anything for ourselves. Maybe it is better to think of ourselves as children of the Lord rather than sheep in his flock. Actually, writing in Church Times this week, Cally Hammond notes that sheep at this time of the year, particularly young sheep, are not merely rather dull grass-eating machines, but playful, energetic, funny creatures, full of the joy of being alive.” If children are ever to grow up, they sometimes need to pose questions and to ask why; to challenge authority and not always do as they are told. It’s not comfortable for the parent, but it’s the way children learn about personal responsibility.
Church ministers and their congregations have long been described as ‘shepherd’ and ‘flock’. Bishops carry a pastoral staff shaped like a shepherd’s crook. But there are difficulties with this image of ministers and congregations being likened to sheep and shepherds, as pastors have got themselves a bad name in various ways over the Christian centuries, and no more so than now. One of the reasons has been the explosion of cases of sexual scandal concerning clergy and even bishops that have come into the open in so many countries. People have felt betrayed, hurt and disillusioned. So it is no longer credible to speak in simplistic terms of following the lead of the pastor, or of expecting the pastor’s protection as Jesus speaks of caring for his flock. The shepherd’s behaviour and teaching no longer goes unquestioned, nor are politicians and national leaders people looked-up to in admiration as once was perhaps the case. There is a need for all pastors to admit that they belong to the ‘school of sinners’ as much as their congregations. When shepherds admit that they are not just guiding pastors but also erring sheep, they do not lose trust, but gain it. Would that some politicians would also learn this lesson.
There is some straight talking about all this in the passage from Ezekiel this morning as well. God says he will distinguish between the weak and the strong sheep, destroying the fat and strong, but feeding them all with justice. There is an indictment of leaders in these verses, but the sheep can’t blame everything on them; their own personal responsibility remains. I’m not sure whether sheep have any kind of moral code within the flock or whether they look after each other in any way, but we should.
Jesus says he comes to give the sheep eternal life. In first-century Jewish thought, that phrase really meant ‘the life of the coming age’ – that new age when wrongs would be righted, sins forgiven and God would be all in all. So, the way to eternal life starts now to those who would follow Jesus. ‘No one will snatch them out of my hand’, he says.
But what about those who seem to have chosen not to believe? Jesus appears to be making a clear distinction between the sheep who know him and those who don’t. What about those who don’t hear his voice? Is there eternal life for them? It’s hardly a question that can be covered in two minutes at the end of an address. But I found a helpful thought from another writer in Church Times: “There is no suggestion that God has rejected those who have chosen not to believe. Their choice also remains contained within the divine will, which the gospel consistently presents as directed to the saving, rather than the rejection, of human beings.”
As for you and me, I close with a prayer often used at the end of funeral services. “May we live as those who believe in the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, and the resurrection to eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”