Lesson 304: "Was He Laughing?"
Recently pictures of Jesus were circulated across the web and email.He had His head thrown back and was laughing with great pleasure.Captions beneath the pictures stated that Jesus was a happy, smiling, loving man here on earth.Loving?Yes!Laughing His way to the Cross?I don’t think so!Skipping along the sea-shore playing tag with the fishermen as He chose His disciples?Not likely!The Son of God came on a mission; walked with purpose and determination and; “must be about My Father’s business” (Luke 2:49 KJV) with only 3 ½ short years to complete the plan.The sureness of His steps drew the disciples to this stranger with a simple; “follow me” (John 1:43).
We are told nothing about Jesus after He was born except that He “grew and became strong; He was filled with wisdom and the grace of God was upon Him” (Luke 2:40).We know He went with His parents to Jerusalem for the Passover when He was 12 years old but stayed behind when they began their journey homeward.When they found Him missing among the travelers they returned to Jerusalem finding their young son, not playing stick ball in the streets with other boys, but in the temple courts sitting among the teachers, listening and asking questions.When His parents reprimanded Him for treating them with disrespect, He answered; “didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house” (Luke 2:49)?Sounds like a serious young man to me.
We hear nothing more about Him until He was about 30 years old when He began His ministry (Luke 3:23).John the Baptist said; “the powerful One” was coming with His winnowing fork in His hand to clear His threshing floor and to gather the wheat into His barn; BUT He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Luke 3:16-17).I am most certain this job brought no pleasure or laughter to our Lord and Savior.Some use the “wedding” to say that Jesus laughed, danced and drank wine.Nothing in scripture says Jesus drank the wine.Yes, He and His disciples were invited to the wedding and yes, Jesus changed the water into wine.However, the changing of the water into wine, the first of Jesus’ miraculous signs performed at Cana, was to reveal His glory (John 2:11).Water to wine was a “hint”, a “shadow” of His power to come.This wedding was in His path; a path that had been planned eons before the bride and groom were even conceived.He stated as much when He said; “dear woman why have you involved me?My time has not yet come” (John 2:4).
In this passage, John used the word “signs” seeking to draw attention away from the miracles as such and to point up their significance.Miracles were signs, wonders and “dynamis” (power)!The term “why do you involve me” was a common expression in Greek that referred to a difference in realms of relations.Not much humor in the fact that His own mother and disciples had not yet understood His mission; the meaning behind His miracle at the wedding.
He was very serious and angry when He cleared the temple (John 2:14-16).A gentle smile may have crossed His lips when He spoke John 3:16; “for God so loved the world”; but surely faded in verse 18; “whoever does not believe stands condemned already”.He showed disappointment with Nicodemus; “you are Israel’s teacher and you do not understand” (John 3:7-11); frustration; “do you want to get well?Get up!Pick up your mat and walk” (John 5:6-8).“Why is my language not clear to you” (John 8:43)?How sad He must have been to see people lining up behind Satan.What pain He must have felt when the Jews picked up stones to stone Him (John 10:31).When word came that Lazarus had died, Jesus wept (John 11:35) but His tears were not for His friend but because the people still did not believe He was THE Resurrection and THE Life (John 11:25-26).He did not pick up the little child to tickle him/her under the chin in a playful jester; the child was a representation of Israel, His child that He called out of Egypt (Hosea 11:1-2); the child was a representation of all the lost that God draws to Himself (John 6:44); the child is Jerusalem whom God has posted a watchman over (Isa. 62:6); He was protecting those within the walls of Jerusalem (Ps. 122:6-9).
Jesus had compassion, love and patience but His Words were; “I MUST preach the good news of the Kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent” (Luke 4:43)!God wanted everyone to be saved (1 Tim. 2:1) so He sent His Son, for salvation is found in no one else (Acts. 4:12).“Now my heart is troubled and what shall I say, ‘Father, save me from this hour’?No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour” (John 12:27).An awesome responsibility to try and save the then known world in such a short time but He went out fighting for you and for me; “Father forgive them” (Luke 23:34)!He conquered the tomb for you and for me (Luke 24:6)!“During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death” (Heb. 5:7), and now that He is seated at the right hand of God, He offers up prayers and petitions for you and for me to the One who can save us (Rom. 8:34).Rejoice that your names are written in heaven (Luke 10:20b), but the joy of following Christ must always be accompanied by the sorrow of knowing there are some still perishing.Weep with Paul for those who live as enemies of the Cross (Phil. 3:18).