Luke 13:31-35

03122022 – Luke 13. 31-35

This is like THE “perfect Lenten gospel” for week two. It “sets the stage” for EVERYTHING “that is to follow.” It is uniquely Luke. Everything BUILDS on this.

It gives us CONCRETE DIRECTION.

“It gets us” – (EVENTUALLY) to where we want to go.

The appearance of some “UNNAMED Pharisees” is a bit of surprise, tho! They seemingly come out of NOWHERE.

The Pharisees were NOT a friend to Jesus. As  matter of fact, with the Scribes and the Sadducees, they had PLOTTED TOGETHER about “WHAT TO DO with this itinerant rabbi from Galilee.”

Apparently, this is a “FRIENDLY WARNING.”

It is not some kind of a “TRICK.” Their warning is in the “best interest of Jesus.” But it needs to be UNDERSTOOD that the Pharisees were known for their TRICKERY, their DECEITFULNESS, their USE of OTHERS for their own desires.

It has been SUGGESTED that Herod might have SENT the Pharisees to Jesus in order to encourage the “troublesome Rabbi” to FLEE HIS TERRITORY. But that seems to be highly unlikely.

We know that Herod was “enarmored with Jesus.” He was PUZZLED by him. He called him a “miracle-worker.” He was “curious.” He WANTED to MEET him. He even went so far as to THINK that Jesus was John the Baptizer BACK FROM THE DEAD.

The Pharisees come to tell Jesus it is in his BEST INTEREST to journey ELSEWHERE. It is time to LEAVE Galilee.

Galilee is the REALM and the JURISDICTION of Herod, after all. And the claim is made, that Herod wants to KILL Jesus.

So there is MOUNTING TENSION.  There is mounting INTRIGUE and SUSPENSE. There is PLOTTING and NEGOTIATION ALL behind the scenes.

You can NO LONGER TELL – WHO is on WHAT side. The lines are BLURRED. It is UNSAFE. It is TIMELY. It is a WARNING.

There is NO REASON to think that these Pharisees are anything but SINCERELY CONCERNED for Jesus’ WELL-BEING.

I know, I know, they have NOT ALWAYS had the BEST of relationships!

They may NOT BELIEVE Jesus is the long awaited and sought after MESSIAH, but that doesn’t mean they want to see the Rabbi’s DEMISE at the hands of “Old Herod.”

In the opinion of the Pharisees, Jesus paid LITTLE ATTENTION to the law…while THEIR MAIN FOCUS was to keep the law as FULLY AS POSSIBLE.

Pharisees had INVITED Jesus to a meal, but that was TO SEE what made him TICK. When he HEALED a PARALYTIC, they were FURIOUS. When he healed the man with a WITHERED HAND ON THE Sabbath day, they were PULLING OUT THEIR HAIR.

But he was no PUBLIC ENEMY number one…

You have heard the old saying, “Anyone who is an enemy of my enemy-is my friend.”

Herod was THE COLOBORATOR with Rome. He was THE REAL ENEMY. He was the TRAITOR of his people. So Jesus, was merely an enemy of their enemy, which made him a FRIEND, of sorts, well, kind of…

Jesus actually LAID INTO THEM at one point telling THE CROWDS of people, the Pharisees were more concerned with the RULE OF LAW, then they were with PEOPLE…with individuals…

But here THEY WERE…

SO, given Jesus’ “troubled history with the Pharisees” and the fact that they WOULD BE THE ONES behind his eventual Crucifixion, why be concerned for his safety NOW?

Jesus was use to “wolves in sheep’s clothing.” They were “everywhere.” But NONE OF THAT MATTERED. NOT NOW! NOT YET…

Jesus WAS on a mission. He wasn’t scared of any Pharisees and certainly, of NO TETRARCH!

He will not be DISSUADED from his course. Herod is clever, but was a POMPOUS SECOND-RATE POLITICIAN. He was little more than “BACKGROUND NOISE” Nothing more than a “MINOR DISTRACTION” along the way. The “old fox” MATTERED LITTLE in “the scheme of things.”

Sometimes you have to know WHAT IS…AND WHAT IS NOT IMPORTANT.

SOMETIMES you have to look at the “bigger picture.” The “Goal.” Your “purpose.” Your “direction.” Keep your eye on the prize and not be deterred.

Herod was NOT important. He was a BLIP on the RADAR…a two-bit ruler. And the Pharisees were JUST MISGUIDED.

Jesus continued through the towns and villages OF GALILEE, teaching as he went, always pressing on toward Jerusalem…because that was “the goal.”  That is where he “NEEDED TO BE.” NOTHING ELSE MATTERED!

And he would get there when the TIME was right…and not A MINUTE before. And NOTHING or NO ONE would or could stand in his way.  He was RESOLUTE!

To get to Jerusalem, you have to LEAVE Galilee behind.

You have to VENTURE into Judah.

And he would GET THERE eventually.

But first, he still had some work to do in GALILEE. The time was NOT YET RIGHT!

Amen.