The Spies

Jesus had seen them and their kind along the road to Jerusalem.   They were always out there on the edge of those following Him.  When He looked to hold their eyes, they quickly looked away as if they were not really looking at Him.  Whenever the crowd responded with loud acclamation, they whispered to the one or two who stayed constantly at their shoulders.  He knew they were listening to His every word, but they acted as if they were somehow not really interested and invisible.  Instead of following Him as a disciple, they seemed only to be following Him, watching His every move, and noting His every word.

 

But, in Jerusalem, these men who watched from the edge on the road became more brazen.  They came into the circle of those who stayed closer to Him and they sought out His eyes as a way of threatening Him.  Though the inner circle of Jesus still might not recognize them for the spies they were, Jesus knew who they were, why they had been on the road, and why they were still there with Him in the Temple.  Jesus knew these spies reported to the Pharisees and other religious authorities, but He also knew they belonged to the evil one whose presence was growing more powerfully around Him every day.

We still experience the influence of the evil one in our Jesus gatherings.  Whenever the community of faith becomes divided by self centered cliques and political caucus groups, the evil one's work can still be seen.  Whenever people of faith use man made guidelines for order and discipline to create chaos in the church instead of using the Word to create unity, the evil one's work can be seen.  When the church allows itself to become divided and people start choosing sides, the evil one must think that, maybe, just maybe, he will win this battle this time.  After all, anything is possible when both sides act and speak as those belonging to him.