I’ve always been a bit confused by the fact that the disciples weren’t expecting Jesus to come back to life after his brutal death on the cross. At the same time, it’s no surprise because the disciples quite consistent don’t understand what Jesus teaches them. He gets frustrated with them so often. Certainly he loved them, as his death testifies, but it certainly wasn’t because they were good students. They were BAD students. They regularly disappointed him. They even betrayed him.
This point in and of itself is a bit surprising being that Jesus is, well, Jesus. He’s the best teacher that’s ever been! He taught by example, using parables, discourse, and even miracles. Even with his excellent teaching, they still didn’t get it.
This is a moment, however, when everything finally clicks for the disciples, and it is the moment of Pentecost. It is when the Holy Spirit is poured out upon them that they finally understand.
This helps me to understand that Jesus’ time on earth teaching his disciples was a time of shaping the vessel in order to prepare it to hold new wine. He formed them so that they could be filled by the Holy Spirit.
This is confirmed by the pattern that emerges from a literary reading of the creation account in Genesis 1. It (the literary reading of Genesis 1) goes something like this:
In the six days of creation, days 1–3 correspond to days 4–6. Days 1–3 are the days of forming and 4–6 the days of filling.
You’ll notice that the forming days are the days in which God creates the space, or the place of habitation. Days 4 to 6, then, are the “inhabitants” of that space.
|
Forming |
Filling |
||
| Day 1 | Light | Day 4 | Sun, moon and stars |
| Day 2 | Sky and sea (waters above and waters below) | Day 5 | Birds and fish |
| Day 3 | Dry land | Day 6 | Animals and humanity |
The is a pattern through Scripture: God forms so that he can then fill.
We encounter this same concept in Genesis 2 when God creates Adam. He first forms Adam from the dust of the ground (which is quite literally what “Adam” means) then fills him with the divine breath which brings life to the form.
God is always forming, but only to fill. Not only this, but God also wishes to fill is with his very presence, like water in a vase.
This reminds me of the story of the wedding at Cana (John 2). Mary calls to Jesus to do something about the fact that the host has run out of wine. A bit reluctantly, Jesus responds and instructs his disciples to fill the six stone jars used for Jewish ceremonial washing with water. They come back with the stone jars and upon their arrival the water turns to wine.
It’s by no accident that these are stone jars used for ceremonial washing. What was intended to hold water for cleansing is now used to hold liquid for consumption. The message is clear: drink of this wine and you will be cleaned internally.
This interpretation is validated through the story that immediately follows the wedding at Cana—the cleansing of the temple. Jesus cleans the temple, then is asked by the priests, “Where do you get authority to do such a thing?” Jesus response, “Destroy this temple and in three days raise it again”. The narrator tells us that he’s talking about his body. The body is the temple under the new covenant. This teaching is confirmed by Paul in 1 Corinthians 6:19–20.
What’s the point? God has formed us to fill us. Not only fill us, but also to fill us with his holy, sanctifying presence via the Holy Spirit. His desire is not only to fill our lives, but to fill our lives in such an intimate way that he can transform us internally—He can remake us, regenerate us, re-create us with a new breath of life.
This is not unlike a jar filled to the brim with water. A jar carries water not as a permanent dwelling place for the water. No, water that is placed in a jar is intended to be poured out. In much the same way, God intends that his very sanctifying presence in our lives be poured out for a thirsty and dying world.
Consider these today:
—Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ — John 7:38
—But whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.—John 4:14
—With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation — Isaiah 12:3
—Then will the lame leap like deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert. — Isaiah 35:6
—For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants — Isaiah 44:3
—Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no mont, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and mild without money and without cost. — Isaiah 55:1
—The LORD will guid you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.—Isaiah 58:11
