After this Jesus went about in Galilee; he would not go about in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him. Now the Jews' feast of Tabernacles was at hand. So his brothers said to him, "Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples may see the works you are doing. For no man works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world." For even his brothers did not believe in him. Jesus said to them, "My time has not yet come, but your time is always here. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify of it that its works are evil. Go to the feast yourselves; I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come." So saying, he remained in Galilee. But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private. The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, "Where is he?" And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, "He is a good man," others said, "No, he is leading the people astray." Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him. (John 7:1-13 RSV)
One of the great truths about Jesus that St John went out of his way to reveal to us, is that Jesus is controversial. Everywhere He seems to go, He starts tongues wagging and brings division. Some defend Jesus and others accuse Him of all sorts of things. But rarely is anyone neutral toward Jesus. Whenever Jesus is involved you get drawn into the controversy. You have to take sides. Light versus darkness. Life versus death. You don't get to sit on the sidelines and just watch. Jesus isn't a spectator sport. You have get involved. Every day, every hour we might do well to ask. 'which side am I on, now?'
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