Disappearing Jesus

DISAPPEARING JESUS

In John’s gospel Jesus keeps disappearing. He does so whenever he is in danger of being ‘caught.’ Here is the way John clearly shows us this truth—ten times in his story.

1. John 5.13

Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had disappeared in the crowd that was there.

The danger here is oblique. After healing a man on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders are stirred up because the holy day observance has been broken. Jesus told the man to take up his mat and go. And he did. But carrying a mat on the Sabbath is unlawful. The healed man is asked who the healer is, but the man doesn’t know his name; and Jesus has disappeared, remaining unnamed for the moment. Verse 16 says that the leaders ‘started making a lot of trouble for Jesus’ (CEV) because of this.

2. John 6.15

When Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, he withdrew again to the mountain by himself.

Jesus has fed the 5000. Although not campaigning for office, the people are so impressed with his ability to provide for their needs, that they want to declare him King. Not wanting his Messiahship to be defined by a materialistic measure, Jesus takes off toward an isolated place.

3. John 7.10

But after his brothers had gone to the festival, then he also went, not publicly but as it were in secret.

Jesus has left Judea because the leaders want to kill him (7.1). Now, at the time of the Festival of Booths, Jesus urges his brothers to go to Judea without him. After they have left, Jesus decides that he will go too, but he will go in secret. The authorities were looking for him during the Festival (7.11); arguments about him were breaking out about his identity. Jesus purposefully stays out of sight until he is ready to show up on his own terms. He will not be manipulated.

4. John 7.34

 You will search for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.

While the Festival was still going on, temple police were sent to arrest Jesus. When the police arrive Jesus tells them that they will not be able to lay a hand on him because no matter how hard they search, they will not find him. And no arrest takes place.

5. John 7.44

Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.

This scene is still during the Festival of Booths. After Jesus speaks publicly about his offer of the Holy Spirit some people proclaim him Messiah. But others thought he was just a trouble-maker and an imposter. They want him arrested. But Jesus is not arrested. No one even grabs hold of him. It appears that the desire to arrest Jesus is itself somehow mysteriously arrested.

(continued in next post)