WITH GOD DAILY by Skye Jethani
WITH GOD DAILY by Skye Jethani
Reliving the Wonder
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Reliving the Wonder

As modern people, we tend to approach the Bible—and particularly its narratives—with the goal of remembering past events. Reading history for us is little more than an act of recollection, but the ancient Israelites had a different view. For them remembering wasn't merely recollection, but an act of reliving. E. Claude Gardner, writing about Jesus’ command to “Do this in remembrance of me” at the Last Supper, says, “To a Hebrew, to remember meant to re-experience in the present the power and effect of a past event.” To the Bible's original audience, remembering was a way to become participants in the story.

More evidence for this immersive and experiential approach to the Bible comes from the Gospel writers themselves. Although our English translations employ the past tense (“The disciples saw Jesus walking on the water...”), the original Greek text often uses the present tense (“The disciples see Jesus walking on the water...”). Scholars say Greek writers often did this “for the sake of heightened vividness, thereby transporting their readers in imagination to the actual scene at the time of occurrence.” In other words, the Gospel writers intended for us to imagine ourselves in the stories with Jesus.

This literary strategy has dramatic implications for how we read and apply the stories of Jesus' miracles. It means the gospel writers weren't simply reporting what Jesus had done in the past, but were inviting their readers to trust that the same power he displayed and the wonders he performed were still with them in the present. Theologically, this is grounded in the fact that the gospel writers believed Jesus himself was still with his followers, through the presence of the Holy Spirit, and would remain with them until the end of the age.

I'm focused on this immersive, imaginative way of engaging the Bible because, as we draw near the end of our series about Jesus' miracles, we'll be looking at two stories that capture many of the themes and lessons we've been exploring. And rather than reading these scenes merely as a record of what happened in the past, I would like you to employ your imagination and enter the stories as a witness or participant. In 1890, Vincent van Gogh painted The Raising of Lazarus based on the story in John 11. Rather than a literal interpretation of the scene, however, he took liberties with his imagination. For example, Lazarus is painted with Vincent’s own face complete with his red whiskers and gaunt cheeks. Van Gogh often inserted himself into his paintings—especially biblical scenes. This may seem egocentric, but the artist was actually following the ancient practice of the Hebrews and the intent of the gospel writers. Van Gogh put himself into the scenes with Jesus, and perhaps he did this hoping to experience the same power of those past events himself.

As we turn our attention this week to John 11 and the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, I encourage you to put yourself in the place of the disciples, then Mary, and Martha, the mourners, and even Lazarus. Imagine their doubts, fears, questions, grief, joy, or surprise. As you read or listen to the chapter each day, imagine the words of Jesus, the scene, and the actions from a first-person point of view. Then, invite the same Jesus in John 11 to be present with you in whatever you are feeling today.

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John 11:1-44 (NIV)

Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) 3 So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”

4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, 7 and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”

8 “But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?”

9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. 10 It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.”

11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.”

12 His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” 13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.

14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

16 Then Thomas (also known as Didymus) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.

21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

28 After she had said this, she went back and called her sister Mary aside. “The Teacher is here,” she said, “and is asking for you.” 29 When Mary heard this, she got up quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet entered the village, but was still at the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who had been with Mary in the house, comforting her, noticed how quickly she got up and went out, they followed her, supposing she was going to the tomb to mourn there.

32 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked.

“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.

35 Jesus wept.

36 Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!”

37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?”

38 Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. 39 “Take away the stone,” he said.

“But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.”

40 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.”

43 When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” 44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.

Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.”


from John of the Cross (1542 - 1591)

Dear Lord, give me the truths which are veiled by the doctrines and articles of faith, which are masked by the pious words of sermons and books. Let my eyes penetrate the veil, and tear off the mask, that I can see your truth face to face.

Amen.