After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.” vs. 22
John 2:17-22
John tells us that the disciples didn’t understand what was going on when he wreaked havoc in the temple–it was only much later, after his resurrection that his words made sense to them. That was probably the case with much of what Jesus said and did during his ministry. In fact, what we have in the gospels is not so much a “play-by-play” of Jesus’ words and deeds, as a compilation of his disciples’ memories, things that they remembered as the Risen Christ came to them some years later. Not only does this account for some of the differences in the gospel record, it’s a fair account of how the Spirit of God works in each of our lives. We don’t always know the significance of things as they are happening–it’s only at a later date that our memories kick in and give meaning to what our parents and teachers may have said. That’s certainly the way it is with faith. Sometimes it takes years to figure out what we’d seen and heard in the days of our youth. Bible stories that seemed childish when first told to us become in later years the foundation of our faith. The things we re-member, even when we get details mixed up, are what keep us on track in a constantly changing world.
Thought for the Day: What old memories have centered my faith?
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