“After this, Jesus traveled around Galilee. He wanted to stay out of Judea, where the Jewish leaders were plotting his death. But soon it was time for the Jewish Festival of Shelters, and Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, where your followers can see your miracles! You can’t become famous if you hide like this! If you can do such wonderful things, show yourself to the world!” For even his brothers didn’t believe in him.”
John 7:1-5 NLT
It is said that we can choose our friends but not our family. Jesus’ brothers, we are told, didn’t believe in Him, a sad situation, because we would have expected Him to have some family support. Jesus must have felt very alone, because, apart from a select few of His closest disciples, He was generally rejected. And that in spite of all His miracles and His Words of eternal life. Sarcastically, Jesus’ brothers suggested that He went to Judaea and “show [Himself] to the world”. That is, they said, “If [He] can do such wonderful things”.
The Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was one of the three most important events in the Jewish calendar, and one in which all the males were commanded to go to celebrate the release of the Jewish slaves from Egypt. It took place in Jerusalem, and lasted for seven days, with everyone living in tents. Jerusalem would have been heaving with so many people and, to His sarcastic brothers, this would have been the ideal time where Jesus would have achieved the maximum audience to hear His message. Some theologians think that Jesus was born about the time of this Feast, which took place somewhere around the end of September or beginning of October, and not the December date we use to celebrate His birth. Other theologians claim that Jesus’ Second Coming will happen during the Feast of Tabernacles. But in it all the Feast of Tabernacles was important to the Jewish faith.
But, in deciding not to attend the Feast, Jesus was prioritising His mission and ministry over expectations voiced by others. There was, for Him, a real risk in attending Jerusalem at that time, because the Jewish leaders were looking out for Him, potentially to do Him harm, even, as John recorded, that they were “plotting His death”.
I’m sure that we pilgrims have experienced animosity, ridicule and even persecution from those nearest and dearest in our families, and particularly when we first made a decision to follow Jesus. But there is only one way into Heaven. Speaking to His disciple Thomas, ”Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). We pilgrims take the long view, caring more about where we will spend eternity than the sensitivities of our friends and families. Of course, we pray for our brothers and sisters and others in our families, hoping that they too will come to believe in Jesus. But it is a hard place, finding ourselves in a lonely place in our families, ostracised for our belief in Jesus. But in our distress, we find comfort from our loving Heavenly Father. Every time we pray, there are at least three others present – God, the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Who can ever want for me?
Dear Father God. We know that in You we are never alone. You are always by our sides, just a thought and prayer away. Thank You. Amen.
Being a Pilgrim 