Whenever I travel and meet new people, one of the first questions we ask each other is "Where are you from?" Knowing where someone is from helps us get to know the other person. It gives us some context for further conversation. Of course, it can also lead to snap judgements, like "the Ugly American," or "damn Yankee," or "Left Coaster."
Jesus is known to many of the people in the crowd, and many others who don't know him personally know of him.
Yet we know where this man comes from; but when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from. (7:27)Because they know he is from Nazareth, they "know" he is not the Messiah. Jesus refutes this immediately, and some in the crowd believe him. However, how many simply repeat Nathanael's question:
Can anything good come out of Nazareth? (1:46)We know where he is from, therefore we know everything we need to know about him.
The geographical "shorthand" is helpful in learning about someone, but it does not let us know the whole person. How many times have we assumed all sorts of things because someone
- Graduated from Episcopal Divinity School
- Graduated from Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry
- Is a priest in the Diocese of Newark
- Is a priest in the Diocese of Fort Worth
- Is a member of a parish in San Francisco
- Is a member of a parish in Albany
Peace,
Jeffri
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