Many who saw what Jesus did “began to believe in him” as the Messiah. They saw redemption. But the Pharisees and the chief priests (the Sanhedrin) saw otherwise. They saw danger and destruction.
As the Jews started to plot the death of Jesus, they said it was to save the nation but actually it was to save their own skin. John, the evangelist, understood that Jesus “will gather into one the dispersed children of God” in his impending death.
Why the difference? They were seeing different things.
Today‘s gospel story gives credence to the saying: “We do not see things as they are. We see things as we are.” Maybe it is high time that we take a closer look at our hearts that we, too, may see correctly and understand.
