Luke 7:18-35

     Christians sometimes think of “disciples” as a word belonging directly to the followers of Jesus, although we know it is a word simply designating a follower, adherent, student, etc. John the Baptist also had disciples. In fact, scholars tell us that after the deaths of Jesus and John, there was rivalry between the groups. Adding fuel to it must have been the fact that all the gospel writers report that Jesus went to John for baptism. This may have been used by John’s followers to declare that John was more important than Jesus.
     As a side note to this, we can respect and admire the honesty of the gospel writers. They could have denied Jesus was baptized or simply left out the story. But they all report it. We hear that John himself was uncomfortable about baptizing Jesus, and Jesus only told him it was proper in this way to fulfill all righteousness—a statement over which we still puzzle, for John was baptizing for repentance and it is generally supposed that Jesus had nothing to repent. From a human point of view it might make sense. Jesus had mostly lived a private life until that point. That life must have been enjoyable, filled with good work, friends and family. At his baptism, he was embarking on a public life in which he would be constantly moving from town to town, importuned at every moment by those who needed his teaching, healings and guidance. It was a life which as an intelligent man, he knew would lead to his death. In theological terms, repentance means to be sorry for sins and resolved to change a direction. For Jesus, could John’s baptism be a ritualistic passage, leaving behind his previous life and embracing the rigors of his ministry? We don’t know. Jesus never explained it, or at least none of the gospel writers report it if he did.
     Matthew and Luke both tell the story of John sending word by his disciples to ask whether Jesus was the one to come or should they keep waiting. It has been questioned why he did so? After all he’d baptized Jesus. Some of the gospel writers tell that John recognized something remarkable had happened at the baptism. Why would he need to ask anything more?
     Understanding things from a human point of view, we would remember that John was in prison at the time, which for a man used to living in the wilderness must have been a particular burden. He can be excused for human uncertainties and the need for confirmation.
     The response of Jesus was interesting. He didn’t make a simple “yes” answer. He told them to report what they had seen and heard about the healing and the teaching he had done. It is as if he is affirming John’s ability to decide for himself about who Jesus is. Are God’s purposes being accomplished? Who do you think Jesus is? Doesn’t this remain the question every one of his followers have had to decide for themselves ever since?
     Once John’s disciples had left, Jesus challenged the rest of the crowd. Obviously he knew they had also gone to see John when he was preaching in the wilderness. What had they gone to see? What had they expected? Jesus affirmed that John was not only a prophet, but had gone ahead to prepare the way for him. Jesus lifted up the greatness of John, but typically, turned that around to challenge the people to spiritual growth in their own lives, saying that even the least in the kingdom was greater than John.
     The listeners decided his words were just and that the Pharisees and lawyers who had refused John’s baptism had been rejecting God’s purposes for them. Luke’s wording here makes it sound as though the Pharisees and lawyers had, en masse, rejected John. In truth, this seems unlikely. But by the time the gospels were written, these groups seem to have gained symbolic status for certain attitudes of opposition. We know, for example, that some Pharisees were in support of Jesus while others were not, though the gospels sometimes sound as though the Pharisees were entirely opposed. In fact, it has been suggested by some scholars that Jesus might have been considered a Pharisee at one point. Their frequent opposition could have risen because it was one of their own who was publicizing their hypocrisies.
      Jesus went on to make an interesting, perhaps humorously ironic observations. His generation was like children who want to play a game and call to others to join in (playing at funeral procession, which may seem a strange game to us, but children often imitate grown-up events in play). But the others won’t come and join in the game. John had come in austerity and the serious grown-ups dismissed him with the excuse he had a demon. Jesus had come eating and drinking and they called him a glutton and drunkard, a friend of sinners. Still, Jesus said, wisdom would be vindicated by her children.
      How easily, it seems, did some people reject spiritual enlightenment. They couldn’t respect John because of his self-deprivation and oddities. They couldn’t respect for the opposite reasons- he actually ate and drank.
     Although no stories indicate that Jesus actually ever became drunk or and overindulged, the fact that he was accused of it shows that he did enjoy the pleasures of life, including food and drink. He could fast as well, as he did for 40 days in the desert. But all indications are that he enjoyed the world and didn’t expect others not to enjoy it. He simply had a healthy understanding that life is more than bread or physical belongings and he kept them in their proper priority. In the end, much as he enjoyed life, he was willing to give it up for the sake of others.

     In his comment about wisdom , could it be that Jesus was also challenging other people to make up their minds about him? Should they look at the fruits of his ministry?
What does it mean to know that Jesus enjoyed the pleasures of life the same as we do?
In what ways might we be like the “Pharisees” refusing to join in the “game,” that Jesus invites us to play.