Jump Start # 805

John 8:48 “The Jews answered and said to Him, ‘Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?”

Our passage finds Jesus in a heated discussion with the Jews. These Jews were resisting what Jesus was saying. Their thoughts turned to killing Jesus. He was aware of this. He accused them of being of the Devil. If they were of God they would accept Jesus, because the Father sent Him.

In this back and forth exchange, comes our verse. The Jews declared that Jesus was a Samaritan and had a demon. We know those words are not true. We know that some will say anything to shift an argument off of them. We know that some have closed ears and hearts. In the first century world, those accusations from the Jews were racial, prejudicial and full of hate.

Calling Jesus a Samaritan was extremely racial. The Jews had nothing to do with the Samaritans. The Samaritans were not true Jews. They were Jews who had intermarried other nations. The Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans. They would not even travel through Samaritan land. The story of the good Samaritan, the one thankful leper, being a Samaritan all stuck a finger in the eyes of the Jews. Now, they were calling Jesus a Samaritan. That meant, first of all, you are not one of us. You do not belong. You have no right being in the Temple and you have no right telling us anything. You are a Samaritan. Worse, it meant that Jesus could not be the Messiah. The Messiah is a descendent of Abraham and from the tribe of Judah. Being a Samaritan would mean Jesus was a fake, an imposter.

They also claimed that Jesus had a demon. Those possessed with demons were controlled by the demon and did unusual things, such as the boy who fell into the fire and fell into water. His parents had to watch him constantly. Or the man from Mark 5, who dwelled among the tombs, was naked and screamed at night. Equating Jesus with the possessed meant He doesn’t know what He is talking about. Ignore Him. He’s possessed.

Hurtful words. Accusations intended to discredit a message. Instead of having to deal with the arguments of the message, the Jews shot down the messenger. ‘We don’t have to listen to him, he’s a Samaritan. Don’t pay any attention to him, he has a demon!’

The tactics of these Jews has been used in every generation. Instead of dealing with a thought, an idea, an argument, a sermon, a message, the messenger is discredited. Politically, the expressions, “Liberal,” or, “Right winged,” is all that is necessary to turn the message off. Religiously, the terms, “Progressive,” “Conservative,” “Liberal,” “Anti” do the same. We feel compelled to put these tags on people and in so doing, we color and sway the outcome in our favor. Deal with what is said. Truth is truth, no matter who says it. A new idea can be shot to pieces by simply throwing one of these labels on it. Instead of digging through the new idea and giving it thought, it’s tossed out the window because it sounds like it came from one of those Samaritan ideas. ‘It sounds like a demon—I’ll have nothing to do with it.’

Brand names—titles—labels—they often do more than identify, they discredit and prejudice the minds of others. I knew a preacher who wanted me to guess how much his suit cost. I hate those situations. I never know what to say. He insisted. He was having fun with me. I took what I thought was a safe guess and said, “about $150.” Sounds fair for a suit. He laughed and laughed. He told me he bought his suit for $15 at a garage sale. He was proud. It was actually a fine looking suit. I don’t shop garage sales for suits. The image of garage sale merchandise isn’t too good in my mind. Image. Impression. Colored vision.

Some can have that same concept when it comes to the Bible. Mention the word, “Bible,” and some will just roll their eyes. They are thinking, “Samaritan.” Refer to Jesus in a conversation, and you’ll find some who are acting as if you have a demon. In a discussion about origins, refer to the Bible’s account of creation, and many will give you that response. In a conversation about divorce, or same sex marriage any reference to what God says will make people think, ‘What a dumb Samaritan.’ Talk about worship music, what a church does with it’s money, who ought to preach or a sundry of similar topics and those who want to simply follow the Bible pattern are viewed as demon possessed Samaritans.

Name calling, shouting, finger pointing—all these are attempts to deflect from serious discussion and reason. It’s easier to call someone a Samaritan than it is to answer his arguments. It is easier to discredit the messenger than it is the message.

It’s easy to think that I’d never do that, but do I? When I’m in a corner, do I try to wiggle out? Do I play spiritual dodge ball with the preacher? No one likes to be in the hot seat. No one likes to be wrong. No one likes to feel guilty. No one likes to think that they ought to change. So, saying he’s a Samaritan works. Later, these Jews found out that calling Jesus names was not effective. They would eventually nail Jesus to the cross. Kill the messenger, that will silence him. It didn’t.

There are times we must look in our heart and realize what is being said could be right. Examine it. Look at it. Compare it to God’s word. Search. See. Study. Don’t throw something out, simply because it means I have to change or it’s different, or I don’t like it.

Stop name calling and start listening! Good thoughts for all of us. Had those Jews done that, they would have become disciples instead of enemies of Jesus.

Roger