Saturday 20 June 2026

Psalm 80:1-7

Background
The thrust of John's Gospel is to underpin its opening verses (John 1:1-18) which say that Jesus is God the author of creation who becomes human and enters our experience.

We read there that "He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God." (1: 11-13)

Here, in today's reading, that sense of divided response is with us again. There’s a curiosity and tentative belief because Jesus is working miracles as he teaches but it’s half-hearted and, we are told, Jesus know that.

John’s Jesus is divinely aware of people's hearts and doesn’t get carried away by his popularity. Because it was Passover, there were crowds in Jerusalem and it seems "many believed"(v. 23) but not wholeheartedly.

The prophet Jeremiah had previously said: "O Lord of hosts, you test the righteous, you see the heart and the mind" (20:12) and here is confirmation. We are not seeing a sceptical Jesus: he "knew all people" (v. 24) so his divine nature discerned when people were with him for their own gratification or not.

It’s telling that the next chapters of John bring encounters with Nicodemus (3:1-21) and the Samaritan woman at the well (4:1-42); both moments when people’s hearts were exposed for the genuineness or otherwise of their faith.

Those stories serve to underpin this passage: they are examples of the confused state of those who have seen Jesus at work but can’t work out where to place him.

Jesus cannot entrust himself and God’s great redemption plan to these half-hearted believers.

To Ponder:

• Is it better to have people following Jesus who have some kind of faith, even if it’s based on witnessing remarkable miracles, or does that get in the way of what God is doing through Jesus?
• How can we help people who have a limited faith to grasp the full extent of God's grace for themselves?

Prayer
God of our faith, you test every heart. Help us to be honest about our doubts and uncertainties. Amen.

Bible notes author: The Revd Gareth Hill
Gareth is a supernumerary minister in the Gwent Hills and Vales Circuit in South Wales. He is a former national Head of Mission & Advocacy in the Connexional Team and was previously a newspaper editor and lecturer in journalism. Gareth preaches regularly and publishes a weekly sermon online. He is a published hymnwriter and retains a strong interest in pioneer ministry after founding the Tubestation Surf Church in Polzeath, Cornwall.