John 7:52

Nicodemus’ colleagues do not take his words sitting down. “What goes, Nicodemus?” They bite back. “Are you a closet Galilean? Look it up, man! There is no such thing as a Galilean prophet!” John 7:52 EFP 

The line of demarcation is drawn. Nicodemus is on the wrong side of this temple tussle. I am not sure if his colleagues are surprised or chagrined, but they do not mince words. First they goad him, at best, by calling him a Galilean. That is not a compliment. Secondly, they question his intelligence or, at best, his understanding of Scripture.  If he truly knew the Law and the Prophets he would know that no prophet is identified with Galilee. Half mocking, half derision. 

That antagonism is coming from the spiritual ones. This is not an attack from non-believers or people set against religion of any type. These are the “good guys.” This makes the attack so nefarious. What happened to these men that transformed them into narrow-minded, myopic, and hard-hearted? Am I in danger of falling prey to this mindset? Can I cling to a position so strongly I prevent any new concept from ever penetrating the hard shell that protects me? How do I know what to cling to and what to let go?

Paul says, “Test all things; hold fast what is good.” (I Thessalonians 5:21) That’s a start.