The Destiny of the Righteous

A short reflection by Noble Knight.

Today I attended the Thursday Bible Study at the University Chaplaincy Office, run by the University Anglican Society, of which Noble Knight is a member. Today we examined the text of John's Gospel, chapter 15, "Jesus the True Vine". I was struck by verse 18, "If the world hates you, be aware that it hated me before it hated you". I have read this Gospel many times in the past, indeed the language of an almost poetic nature in John's writings has always appealed to me. Yet today, when we as a group read chapter 15, I could not help but be moved by this verse, for it truly sums up the destiny of the righteous man. For as Christ says the righteous man will be hated.

In the book, "The Wisdom of Solomon", chapter 2 v12-, gives an all to accurate description of what people think of the righteous man and what shall be his fate-

"Let us lie in wait for the righteous man, because he is inconvenient to us and opposes our actions; he reproaches us for sins against the law, and accuses us against our training. He professes to have knowledge of God, and calls himself a child of the Lord. He became to us a reproof of our thoughts" 

"Let us test him with insult and torture, so that we may find out how gentle he is, and make trial of his forbearance. Let us condemn him to a shameful death"

Even in the Hellenistic world Plato writes of the fate of the "Just Man" in The Republic that the people set about to have him impaled. For such is the fate of the just in the world. This Lent I have been thinking about the goodness of Christ, the man who went about healing the sick, raising the dead, and restoring sight, for such was the man that lived. He was received by the people, but humanity abused this good man and impaled him with nails on the criminals cross.

As Christians we must, at this time in particular, remember the journey to the Cross, what happened before the passion. Christ on earth, what he did and how we humans rejected him, never again will we have such a self revelation of what we as creatures are inherently like.

Therefore, let us reflect on Christ's time on earth during this season of Lent, let us follow his example, as the liturgy says, let us deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow him.