Spirit-Driven Care
I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove,
and it remained on him.
I myself did not know him,
but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me,
He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain,
this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’
(John 1:32-33)
By Stephen W. Hiemstra
The particular form of John the Baptist’s testimony about Jesus and the Holy Spirit is seldom noted. A peculiar phrase is cited twice: descend (καταβαίνω) and remain (μένω). This phrase appears peculiar because of its arbitrary and serendipitous nature. It is like God told the baptist to keep careful watch because the spirit could descend and remain on anyone.
This statement is particularly odd because Jesus was John’s cousin—How could he not have known who it would be? After Jesus’ appearance, the Gospel of John records a number of divine encounters between Jesus and individuals not recorded in the other Gospels.
Wedding at Cana
The serendipitous nature of the wedding at Cana pericope starts with the introduction: “On the third day” (John 2:1). You might ask: What happened on the first and second days? We are not told. The text comments on four previous “next days” making it impossible to tell what is meant. This suggests that perhaps the phrase—third day—is itself important, perhaps as an allusion to the creation account when lightness and darkness are separated (Gen 1:14-15).
Too vague for you? Serendipitous.
In an off-the-cuff way, we are told that Jesus’ mother attended this wedding and Jesus is also there with his disciples. Suddenly, Jesus’ mother turns to him and says: “They have no wine.” (John 2:3) Jesus is annoyed. “Woman, what does this have to do with me?” (John 2:4) Jesus may be annoyed, but he provides the wine.
Descend and remain. What do you do when the spirit moves?
Nicodemus
Nicodemus had every right to be confused. He began a conversation with Jesus and Jesus immediately changes the subject. Jesus responded: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)
The key phrase here is: Born again. Literally, the Greek says: Born from above (ἄνωθεν). From above is the preferred translation because it paraphrases and alludes to the earlier statement: Descend and remain.
In case you missed it, the Apostle John employs a Hebrew doublet in the next phrase: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” (John 3:5) The phrase differs, substituting “born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter” for “born again he cannot see.” What you cannot see, you cannot enter. “Of water and spirit” likewise substitutes for “again” (from above).
Serendipity raises its head then in Jesus’ summary statement:
“The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:8)
The following sentences, such as John 3:16, are famous but leave us with no clue when Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus ends. Verse 22 is a head scratcher—“After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside” (John 3:22)—because Jesus met with Nicodemus at night. Did they slip out of town in the middle of the night or did Nicodemus spend the night? We are not told.
Woman at the Well
Three observations suggest that Jesus’ meeting with the woman at the well is not accidental. First, Sychar is in Samaria, which most Jews avoided. Second, Sychar was where Dineh, daughter of Jacob, was raped by Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite (Gen 34:2). Jacob’s well was dug at Sychar after Simeon and Levi tricked Shechem and all the men of his city into being circumsized, presumably to marry Dinah, and killed them all while they convalesced. Because of this evil act (and Reuben’s), Jacob later blessed Judah to lead the family (Gen 49:1-10). Third, Rehoboam planned to coronated at Shechem, but because of poor judgment ends up provoking the Northern Kingdom to revolt.
Jesus’ meeting with the woman at the well is according serves as a mirror image of the story of Dineh. Instead of an unrighteous man raping an innocent woman, a righteous man heals an unrighteous woman. The importance of this symbolic act is perhaps why Jesus revealed his messiahship (John 4:25-26) and the nature of true worship to the woman:
“But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:23-24)
It is extremely ironic that the first evangelist would be a woman of Samaria (John 4:29).
Jesus’ primary mission: “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” (Matt 15:24) While many viewed Israel as consisting only of the old nation of Judah, the united kingdom of Israel under King David and his, Solomon, consisted of both the Northern (Samaria, formerly Israel) and Southern kingdoms (Judah). King Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, planned to be coronated at Shechem (1 Kgs 12:1), but because of an unwise decision about taxation the Northern Kingdom revolted under leadership of Jeroboam.
Jeroboam worried that, if the people continued traveling to Jerusalem to worship, they would return to King Rehoboam so he had two golden calves made. He placed one in Bethel and the other in Dan (1 Kgs 12:27-29). This act was later referred to as the Sin of Jeroboam. The Samaritan religion he founded continues to exist today.
In healing the woman at the well, Jesus effectively exorcized two curses: The rape of Dineh and the division of Israel. For us, these stories appear as a template for pastoral care under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Spirit-Driven Care
Also see:
The Face of God in the Parables
The Who Question
Preface to a Life in Tension
Other ways to engage online:
Author site: http://www.StephenWHiemstra.net
Publisher site: http://www.T2Pneuma.com
Newsletter at: https://bit.ly/Thanks_Nov2023 , Signup
The post Spirit-Driven Care appeared first on T2Pneuma.net.
