John
4:46-54
Today,
we encounter another “sign” in John’s Gospel…and a sign always point to
something about God we need to see and understand. While the themes of this
reading are many and meaningful, today we focus on Jesus’ response to an enemy.
At
first glance, we may not think the “royal official” an enemy, but when we take
apart the social world of 1st Century Judea, we discover that a
“royal official” of any sort reports directly to one of the sovereigns placed
and sustained in power by the Roman occupiers of the day. This particular royal
official probably reports to Herod Antipas, and he and all this court stand in
the way of the dreams and hopes of all Jews—self-rule, freedom from Rome,
relief from the onerous burden of taxes. If there are any Zealots in Jesus’
following on this day, they want only to kill this traitor.
But,
Jesus moves beyond the labels and politics when he speak to this fellow. We
discover that he is a father…and he’s the father of a child who is dying. Jesus
knows who this fellow is…yet, he is able see beyond the surface to the simple
and beloved humanity beneath. And, as God does, so does Jesus—he responds to
the real human need of the moment. He heals the official’s son.
What about our enemies? How do we respond to our enemies? I know how we want to respond. We want to get even. We want to dish out what we’ve been served. We want very much to embrace the reigning response of our culture—“an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.”
But, Scripture calls us in a different direction.
Paul in his letter to the Romans reminds his readers: “‘If your enemy is
hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this,
you will heap burning coals on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but
overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:20-21). And, Jesus himself tells us
straight up: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and
hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who
persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven”
(Matthew 5:43-45a).
In
this passage, Jesus lives exactly what he preaches and teaches—he shows this
enemy of the people, this traitor, loving kindness…he heals his son. The impact
of that act of grace is profound because we learn that “he and his whole
household believed” (John 4:53b).
Now,
we must determine to live as Jesus lived and as he calls us to live, to respond
to our enemies in kind. While we are not guaranteed that everything will turn
around because of our actions, we do know that we are called to be faithful no
matter what. Can we trust God to take care of revenge and vengeance issues as
Scripture promises? Can we trust that Jesus is showing us the right way to live
and respond? If we are followers of Jesus, we must live this way. Now, how will
you respond to your enemies?
Sunday, February 8, 2026
Breaking the Rules: Enemies
Watch/Listen: HERE
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