Road to Emmaus Fourth Sunday of Lent

Mar 18, 2009

First Reading – 2 Chron. 36:14-16, 19-23

Responsorial Psalm – Ps. 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6

Second Reading – Eph. 2:4-10

Gospel Reading – Jn. 3:14-21

Jesus is lifted up

The Gospel reading for the Fourth Sunday of Lent is taken from John, where he recounts part of Jesus’ interaction with Nicodemus the Pharisee.

This reading from John begins with Jesus saying, "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life" (3:14-15).

This is one of three occasions in the Gospel of John where Jesus speaks of being "lifted up." We will look at second of these reference, John 8:28, below. The third reference, John 12:21-33, we will see in the Gospel reading for the Fifth Sunday of Lent next week.

Within the various contexts of these passages, however, we understand that Jesus’ being lifted up is a reference to when he will be lifted up on the cross, out of the grave and into heaven. So he is referencing his forthcoming death, Resurrection and Ascension.

However, the first time he mentions being lifted up he references an event involving Moses. Let’s look at that event.

The bronze serpent

The event Jesus alludes to is found in the book of Numbers. Numbers gives Israel’s history as they are about to depart from Mount Sinai and their subsequent forty years of wandering in the wilderness.

Numbers tells us, "The people spoke against God and against Moses, ‘Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food.’ Then the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many sons of Israel died. And the people came to Moses, and said, ‘We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us.’ So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Make a fiery serpent, and set it up as a sign; and every one who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live’" (21:5-8).

This event is near the end of the forty years of wandering. However, this complaining is nothing new. While they were traveling to Sinai from Egypt the people were complaining to God and Moses about the very same things. (cf. Ex. 15:22-25; 16-17). This continues right after they leave Sinai (cf. Num. 11), and continues as they wander (Num. 20). They just never seem to learn their lesson. This is why the Lord refers to them as a stiff-necked people. (cf. Ex. 32:9).

However, it is not only the complaining that is the problem. They continue to accuse God and Moses of murderous intent by bringing them into the desert."Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?" (Num. 21:5). In the instance from Numbers 21 they also reject the miraculous provision of manna God has been giving them by saying, "we loathe this worthless food" (Num. 21:5). Of course this is right after the claim that they had no food. This is why they are punished.

But God, even with this, still provides a remedy for their affliction, namely the bronze serpent. If they look upon it, which means to have faith, they will live.

Interestingly, there is reference to this event in the book of Wisdom where it says, "For when the terrible rage of wild beasts came upon your people and they were being destroyed by the bites of writhing serpents, your wrath did not continue to the end; they were troubled for a little while as a warning, and received a token of deliverance to remind them of your law’s command. For he who turned toward it was saved, not by what he saw, but by you, the Savior of all" (16:5-7).

(Column continues below)

Jesus and Nicodemus

Nicodemus, a Pharisee, would have had the entire context of these Old Testament references come to mind.

Jesus is saying to Nicodemus that he in fact is "the Savior of all" spoken of in Wisdom. (Remember, Jesus’ name means "Yahweh’s salvation").

Jesus is also saying that he is going to bring about salvation by being lifted up in his death, Resurrection and Ascension. However, the consequences of what Christ will do go far beyond what happened in Moses’ day. If they looked upon the fiery serpent then they would live, thus being saved from death. If we believe in Christ then we will not just have our natural life, being saved from natural death, but we will have eternal life, being saved from eternal death.

Jesus is trying to illicit a response of faith from Nicodemus in what he said to him earlier. "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot enter the kingdom of God…Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God" (Jn. 3:3, 5).

John 8:28

Further on in John’s Gospel Jesus speaks of being lifted up a second time. In this context Jesus is alluding to his death, and emphasizing belief once again, when speaking to some Jews. He says, "I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he" (Jn. 8:24). Here again Jesus speaks of eternal death. That is what it means to "die in your sins." They will die in their sins unless they believe. Believe what? Literally, he says, "believe that I AM." This is the covenant name of God revealed to Moses at the burning bush (cf. Ex. 3:14). Jesus is Yahweh.

However, the Jews don’t really seem to get the picture. They ask, "Who are you?" right after he has just told them who he is.

Jesus goes on to says, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he [I AM], and that I do nothing on my own authority but speak thus as the Father taught me. And he who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him" (Jn. 8:28-29).

Jesus then says to those who believe what he is saying, "If you continue in my word, you are my true disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free…if the Son of Man makes you free, you will be free indeed" (Jn. 8:31, 36). Free from what? Free from your sins, and thus no longer slaves to sin, which leads to dying in your sins, i.e. eternal death.

What about Nicodemus?

Let’s take a step back to this Sunday’s Gospel reading.

It is interesting that we are told earlier in the narrative that Nicodemus "came to Jesus by night" (Jn. 3:2). Jesus will go on to say to Nicodemus, "And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does what is true comes to the light, that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been wrought in God" (Jn. 8:19-21).

Will Nicodemus come to believe? Would he come to the light, instead of coming to Jesus by night?

Further on in John’s Gospel the Pharisees send officers to arrest Jesus, but they come back without him. The Pharisees then ask, "Why did you not bring him?" (Jn. 7:45). Nicodemus then come to the defense of Jesus: "Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?" (Jn. 7:51). For his efforts Nicodemus received the response, "Are you from Galilee too? Search and you will see that no prophet is to rise from Galilee" (Jn. 7:52).

We then encounter the one to whom Jesus first said, "so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life," one more time. After the humiliating death of Jesus on the cross, when he is lifted up, John recounts, "After this Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus…asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him leave. So he came and took the body away. Nicodemus also, who had at first come to him by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds weight" (Jn. 19:38-39).

Nicodemus first came in darkness, now he comes to the light. He looked upon him who was lifted up so as to gain eternal life.