Lent III- For Him or Against Him? Luke 9:50; Luke 11:23

The Gospel for the Third Sunday in Lent is from Luke 11:14-28 and contains a variety of sayings. A striking verse is Luke 11: 23a "He that is not with me is against me." Taken in isolation, this saying may seem to contradict an earlier saying from Luke 9:50b "for he that is not against us is for us." Of course, orthodox Christians do not think that Christ really contradicts Himself. He is truth personified. So we look at the Scriptural context to understand the two sayings.

In Luke 9, the context is about "unofficial" disciples. Someone who is not part of the band of disciples is doing good things in Jesus' name. Although John and the other apostles are zealous to protect Christ's reputation, the Master warns them not to go too far. Anyone who is really trying to follow Jesus and bring healing in His name is not an enemy.

In Luke 11, the context is very different. Opposition to the person and ministry of Jesus is becoming more intense. Some in the crowds have doubts, some blasphemously accuse Him of being in league with the devil, and some cynically and hypocritically want to test Him and show Him up. In such circumstances, neutrality and mild admiration are no longer options. In this context, people face a radical choice: one is either for Jesus Christ or against Him.

We can see these two sayings of our Lord within the development of Jesus' earthly ministry. In the earlier days of His work, the lines between support or opposition tended to be more fluid. However, as evil forces and people became more determined to destroy Jesus Christ, the choices became more drastic.

The same sort of development continues to take place in our time. Sometimes, there are sincere followers of Jesus who may not have the best instruction or credentials. Such people may still serve Christ and not be against Him. On the other hand, we are surrounded by a "post-Christian" culture where opposition to Christ has taken on a new fury. In such a context, we must make clear spiritual and moral choices in order to be for Jesus Christ. Let us pray for grace and wisdom to distinguish such contexts and make good choices! Guided by His Word and His Spirit, may we always be for Him!