23 Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. 24 But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people 25 and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.
These days, there is no shortage of interest in superheroes. Comi-Con is a convention that is specially devoted to the praise and proliferation of comics, especially the ones involving super-heroism. Thousands gather at these events to know the latest trends and stories, and this group is growing in number. On television, some of the highest rated shows depict the fictional lives of superheroes and their foes. Many people love the idea of super-powered good guys saving the world. The stories that depict them are alluring, but the powers they have are also just as fascinating.
It is evident, in this passage, that Jesus has extraordinary powers. He performed remarkable signs, such as exorcising demons and healing the sick. He also knows what people are thinking. It appears that Jesus was the quintessential superhero.
Jesus, however, was not just showing off his ability to heal or display acts of telepathy for the sake of these things alone. In point of fact, his power was much more grander than it appeared. By healing, he was giving a glimpse of the greater healing he would do on the cross to save us from our sins. By exorcising demons, he was foreshadowing the greater exorcism he would do on the cross by defeating Satan. Jesus was not merely telepathic, he was omniscient. He was more than just a superhero. He is God.
The point of these miracles was to reveal the hero so that people could worship him. Jesus’ power is not to be worshipped. Christians do not gather at conventions to praise God’s acts, his acts are penultimate to himself. We worship God.
Many believed in what Jesus was doing, not in who he was. And Jesus knew that. That is why he did not “entrust” himself to them; he was not duped by their inadequate faith. This truth is both challenging and comforting. The challenge to us is to check our faith and believe in Jesus without being deceptive. God knows all people and knows what is in men and women. In Acts 5:1-10, Ananias and Sapphira tried to outwit God by lying about their finances, giving less than they were called to give. As a result, both of them immediately died.
On the other hand, we can take comfort in God’s knowledge of us when our faith is not driven by deception or misappropriation. If our faith is genuine, what have we to fear? Jesus suffered on the cross to bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18). In other words, God entrusts himself to us because our faith is made adequate through Jesus. He points us from God’s acts to God himself. And now we can worship him without trepidation.
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