We don’t really know how long these two men
followed Jesus or what distance they kept from him as they shadowed the Master. I sense Jesus knows they are there and he may
have walked quite a while just to see how determined they were to shadow him. But after leading John’s disciples around for
a while he finally turns to acknowledge his new found companions. Maybe it’s just me, but I kind of expected
some great pronouncement from The Word of God, the promised Messiah, The Light
of the World—something like “I am the Way, follow me and you will never wander
again.” In any case I did not expect his
first question to these seekers to be the one he asked.
“What do you want?” is how the NIV translates
the text. Others interpret the words as
“What do you seek?” (NAS), “What are you looking for?” (BBE), or “What are you
after?” (MSG). In any case it does not
seem like a particularly welcoming question.
Even a “May I help you?” would have seemed more inviting. I don’t know what Jesus is expecting as an
appropriate answer to his question. I
sense the question they ask in response to his question seems more like
something contrived for lack of something coherent to say. Perhaps they were waiting for a profound
theological question and they had already prepared a response. Who knows?
The fact is he asks, “What’s up? And they answer, “Where are you
staying?” which doesn’t even seem to be an answer to his question!
I guess it doesn’t really matter what Jesus
asks, he is just trying to start a conversation. That’s pretty awesome. He just wants to know what’s on my mind. Anything will suffice. Do I have a headache? Did I have a tough day
at work? Am I failing miserably in my
walk with God? That’s fair game—he wants me to let him know (he already knows,
just like he already knew why the young men were following him). Any answer
will lead to a response from the One whose mission is to seek and save the
lost—of which I am at the front of the line!
Do you get a sense Jesus just wants to talk—sometimes he has to cut to
the chase to get past the formalities.
Just open up—ask anything. You
will be surprised with the answer.
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