Ugliness

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

UGLINESS

John 18:12-14

12 Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him 13 and brought him first to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. 14 Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it would be good if one man died for the people.

NIV

We are not sure who Annas is other than the Father-in-law of Caiaphas who in a little while we will see he sends him to Caiaphas who is the high priest at the time, yet way back earlier in the time of Jesus public ministry both Annas and Caiaphas were called high priest. Yet Annas must have still been a very important person among the people to be the first person to bring an arrested Jesus to. This was no ordinary event in the life of the Jews and their relationship with the Roman occupiers. This was the important Jews showing the Romans they wanted to keep things the way they are. This Jesus was upsetting the balance of power, especially that day he came in on the donkey and the colt of the donkey, being hailed as a king. Jesus always upsets the balance of lives he comes in contact with. We also see the Romans did not take this lightly either as this commander, by the original word's definition, was in charge of one thousand men. He was not just a leader of a small detachment, but he was a main commander. Everyone wanted to keep the situation status quo. But it was not going to be. We also have the prophetic words of Caiaphas here about one man died for the people. This is so very true, Jesus would do exactly that. We can only imagine how Jesus must have felt; knowing what was going to happen. Although he is God and knew he would come back from the dead, and ascend back into heaven and prepare a place for us, he was also human, with the emotions, the feelings, and the physical ability to experience pain. What we have as a life application here is a view into the ugliness that can reside within humans. The need to retain our own desires , our own position in life, our own life itself can make some people respond in some very ugly ways. We have to make sure we do not resist the call of Jesus in our lives. Although we are believers, we are still capable of some sort of ugliness, wanting to live how we want rather than how Jesus wants. We contrive to interpret the scriptures in context of our culture, and only complying with those truths that fit our desired lifestyle. We desire a status quo and get a bit out of sorts when faced with the truth that Jesus brings to us. Sure we accept salvation, and we have our lists of do’s and don’ts yet there are many truths we somehow ignore because they would upset the balance of our lives. We might even get a little ugly arguing that scripture does not say that, that others have interpreted it incorrectly. We get defensive, divisive and some leave the church, some start their own, some simply profess there is no need to church, they can believe at home, some cause dissension within the church all in the name of self, because Jesus has upset their lives. We cannot afford to allow this ugliness within to exist; it must be removed, allowing Jesus full access to our lives. When we accept Jesus, there is no room for ugliness.