JESUS AND THE FOX
By Doug Krieger
During this political season here in the USA—as well as elsewhere around the globe—we have witnessed a near assassination of the Republican candidate for President; the resignation of the Democrat Party candidate; and general confusion we haven’t seen for decades. Rapid and disquieting changes find us in uncertain waters and wondering: What next, when will the hammer drop? “Wars and rumors of wars” abound—“but the end is not yet!”
We hear that we’ve got to “tone down the rhetoric” – however, it seems we’re addicted to bombastic slurs which only further the animosity between various factions of the population. And, in the midst of it all, what should be the posture or God’s people as political leaders continue to pour fuel on this raging inferno? Name-calling has become a distorted art form of sorts; normally, God’s people justify such bombast with: “Well, it’s the truth . . . we may as well call it what he, she, it is and if the shoe fits, wear it!” Notwithstanding, we sense “render unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar and unto God what belongs to God” . . . just might mitigate our categorizations?
Recently, in a local fellowship among about 30 men, we found ourselves in some interesting “political territory” during Jesus’ ministry where He set His face as a flint to journey from Galilee to Jerusalem. “Luke’s travel narrative” commences in Luke 9:51 and brings Him to Jerusalem in Luke 19:47. Along the way there are scores of parables, healings, exorcisms, and commissions by Jesus to His disciples to preach the gospel. Just prior to the announcement “when the time had come for Him (Jesus) to be received up” (His crucifixion and resurrection and ascension—Luke 9:51), Jesus was about healing and casting out of demons around Galilee (Luke 8-9) . . . Jesus had sent out the 12 who “went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere” (Luke 9:6). Jesus was on His mission . . . His time was almost up!
It is here we find the infamous Herod Antipas or Herod the Tetrarch, son of Herod the Great (the killer of babies), who held political jurisdiction over a “quarter” of the area around Galilee and a small area to the east of the Jordan River below Galilee. Herod Antipas (Antipas meaning “equal to his father”) initially appears in Luke 3:1, 19 in reference to John the Baptist’s rebuke of Herod Antipas’ divorce from his first wife, Phasaelis, and marriage to Herodias, the wife of his brother Herod Phillip I—eventually, the Baptist’s head was offered up as a reward when Herodias’ daughter, Salome (wife now of Herod Antipas), performed a sensual dance in front of the Herod Antipas (who probably was drunk and promised her anything she wanted—which was the head of the imprisoned John the Baptist).
When the Tetrarch “heard of all that was done by Him (Jesus) . . . he was perplexed, because it was said by some that John had risen from the dead, and by some that Elijah had appeared, and by others that one of the old prophets had risen again. Herod said, ‘John I have beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things?’ So he sought to see Him” (Luke 9:7-9).
Well, we finally read in Luke that Herod Antipas finally saw Jesus during a visit in Jerusalem when Pontius Pilate found out that Jesus was under the political jurisdiction of Herod Antipas . . .
“Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him, and he hoped to see some miracle done by Him” . . . the rest of Herod’s disappointment and antics against Jesus can be found in Luke 23:6-12.
However, while Jesus was up in Herod’s jurisdiction where Jesus was performing all these miracles, some Pharisees warned Jesus to leave the region because “On that very day some Pharisees came, saying to Him, ‘Get out and depart from here, for Herod wants to kill You.’” (Luke 13:31). Whether these guys were sincerely caring for Jesus’ physical wellbeing or not, the reply of Jesus to them was amazing because rarely, if ever, did Jesus address political leaders in such a way:
“And He said to them, ‘Go, tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected (“resurrected”)’ Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following; for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem.’” (Luke 13:32).
Then, from this pericope (a segment of Scripture) – and out of nowhere, completely out of chronological order because Jesus was in Galilee when this happened, we hear this:
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’” (Luke 13:34-35).
Luke places these pericopes side-by-side because they are intrinsically connected. Matthew’s gospel places “Jesus’ Laments over Jerusalem” after His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem (Matt. 23:37-39) and just prior to His Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24-25)—but, obviously, this was spoken in Jerusalem just prior to His crucifixion. So what’s going on here?
Is this how Jesus handles politicians like Herod Antipas? I mean, these Pharisees, whatever their motive, had plenty of persuasion that Herod had already chopped off John the Baptist’s head and could readily be accused of plotting to do the same to Jesus if he could catch him—regardless of Herod’s desire to witness some miracles performed by Jesus.
I can imagine the shocked look on the faces of these religious Pharisees. “Jesus just called Herod Antipas a wily fox! He’ll have to clear out of Galilee lest that sneaky fox kills Him too.”
But look how Jesus takes their lemons and turns them into lemonade by declaring His resurrection “after three days” . . . “Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected (lit. “arrive at my goal” or “resurrected”) . . . Nevertheless I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following . . . for it cannot be that a prophet should perish outside of Jerusalem” (Luke 13:32-33).
The ministry of Jesus will NOT be interrupted by “political interference or distraction” – in essence Jesus is saying that whatever the intentions of the politicians may be, I’m focused on casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow and (by the way) on the third day I shall be perfected – reach My goal, be resurrected – because I am heading to Jerusalem to die for the sins of the world and nothing will stop Me, not even that fox, Herod Antipas, because I’ve set My face as a flint to be received up and that shall be in Jerusalem! (Luke 9:51).
He didn’t focus on the politicians – He dismissed the fox (and there are plenty of them, incidentally) – He focused on His mission, His ministry of defeating the demonic forces of darkness, casting them out and on healing everyone! He centered on His three-days from His crucifixion in fulfillment of Jonah the prophet which He spoke of in Luke 11:29:
“This is an evil generation. It seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.” And again in Matthew 12:40 – “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
Let me be brutally frank. Where’s OUR FOCUS—is it upon the foxes out there and their intentions either to harm or charm us? Just what did Jesus mean when even at 12 years of age He said: “I must be about my Father’s business”? And, what is that business? Herod Antipas was never allowed by Jesus to see any of His miracles but we certainly know that Jesus told those Pharisees to tell Herod that He couldn’t be bothered by that fox because He had no intention of being killed by him in Galilee but He would offer Himself up in Jerusalem like all the other prophets to be killed and be raised to perfection on the third day!
Immediately, after Jesus’ words about His ministry and ultimate resurrection on the third day—and, I might add, the persistence of His ministry being “I must journey today, tomorrow, and the day following” (vs. 33)— Luke then goes to his next pericope where Jesus, prior to His Olivet Discourse, laments over Jerusalem’s history and the persecution of scores of prophets sent to this “religious/political” center. Yes, He would gather them under His wings like a hen gathers her chicks—“but you were not willing!” (vs. 34). Then did Jesus prophesy of Jerusalem’s demise in 70 A.D. by the Romans. And, yes, both His Triumphal Entry and latter-day Second Coming in glory were a double prophecy where Jerusalem’s eyes would be opened and all would declare: “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!” (vs. 35).
The goal of Jesus’ ministry is to gather together in one all His children as the Beloved John records in John 11:51-52: “He (Caiaphas, being high priest that year) did not say this on his own, but as high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the Jewish nation, and not only for that nation but also for the scattered children of God, to bring them together and make them one” (NIV).
Allow me, shortly after Herod’s account of being perplexed (Luke 9:7-9) and, obviously, after the “fox pericope” of Luke 13:31-33 (i.e., of the use of the “three days”) Jesus set His face as a flint to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51-52). So, as He was traveling to Jerusalem from Galilee to fulfill His “three days” via Samaria . . . we read this:
“Now John answered and said, ‘Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side” (Luke 9:49-50).
Then we hear of the “Samaritan incident”:
“Now it came to pass, when the time had come for Him to be received up, that He steadfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, and He sent messengers before His face . . . and as they went, they entered a village of the Samaritans, to prepare for Him. But they did not receive Him, because His face was set for the journey to Jerusalem. And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, ‘Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did?’ But He turned and rebuked them, and said, ‘You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them” (Luke 9:51-56).
These two pericopes in Luke’s gospel demonstrate Jesus’ unifying passion and compassion. Sectarianism and the attitudes which foster it (e.g., calling down fire upon the Samaritans) has no part in the building of the Kingdom of God. Hardly the attitude we see in today’s acerbic political-religious climate. How often we would condemn the ministry of so-and-so because they do not acknowledge our ministry! If they are not totally one with our ministry—then they are against us? Imagine that! If these folks—especially this mixed multitude of Samaritans—don’t welcome us, then we’ll just cut them off . . . we’ll even call fire down upon them!
Brethren, the heart of the Savior on His way to the cross was this: “He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them” (2 Cor. 5:15—NLT). What is it about “everyone” we don’t get? Everyone but those who don’t give us credit? Everyone but those Samaritans who reject us? No—HE DIED FOR ALL.
The “Samaritan issue” is all the more complicated in that they may be looked upon as “Ephraim swallowed up of the nations” (Hosea – a sort of “half-breed” and most assuredly estranged from Judah (the Jewish nation). Yet, the promise of reciliation was, is, and shall be His goal – “today, tomorrow, and the day following”:
“And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, Who shall stand as a banner to the people; for the Gentiles (Nations) shall seek Him, and His resting place shall be glorious. It shall come to pass in that day that the Lord shall set His hand again the second time to recover the remnant of His people who are left, from Assyria and Egypt, from Pathros and Cush, from Elam and Shinar, from Hamath and the islands of the sea. He will set up a banner for the nations, and will assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. Also the envy of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off; Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not harass Ephraim . . . There will be a highway for the remnant of His people who will be left from Assyria” (Isaiah 13:10-13, 16).
Assyria was the place of deportation for Israel’s Ten Northern Tribes (cir. 745-712 BCE). Even during the days of King Solomon there had been this animosity between Judah and the Ten Northern Tribes which eventually erupted in the “Breach of Jeroboam” when the division between Judah and Ephraim became “official” – from thence the hatred, animosity, envy and jealousy intensified. But the days have come and will intensify when no longer shall Ephraim envy Judah and no longer will there be jealousy between Judah and Ephraim.
The age of “us versus them” will be over! The time of calling down fire will be over! Instead the cry will arise: “Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the Lord!” Is not this the Ekklesia Yeshua said He would build! Selah.
Like
Comment
Share
Comments