John 6-7 and duties for host and guests

Our series on hospitality in the Gospel of John is challenging us to understand how much we are loved, and how much we are trusted to show God’s love to the world. On Sunday we learned about the ancient Mediterranean practices of hospitality.

 What were the rules for being a good host? (3 “P”s = Provision, Protection, and Patronage)

Hosts provided a good welcome that said, “I am honored to be with you.” Hosts protected their guests: This played a key role in many hospitality stories in the ancient Mediterranean world, especially as people fled from bandits or other dangers. Hosts provided room to relax and sleep, and meals shared with the host. Hosts offered their reputations and served as patrons. They were responsible to use their influence to help their guests integrate into the culture and find success in their work.

 What were the rules for being a good guest? Guests were to graciously receive whatever was provided. They should not embarrass their hosts by finding fault with what they provided or with the success of their patronage. Guests should not overstay their welcome (3 days; John 4:40 = 2 days)

 How did the rules change if host and guest began as strangers? The duty of patronage intensified for hosts as they introduced a stranger within their sphere of influence. The need for guests to respect their hosts’ provision and patronage was acute. They needed to discern and find their fit. Here is what was at stake: When they parted, it was as friends (with a good fit) or enemies, because they embarrassed their host without finding a good fit in the culture.

 In John 6, Jesus serves as host and feeds more than 5,000 with five loaves and two fish. The crowd loves the miracle and wants to force him to be their king and future “bread machine.” In terms of ancient custom, they are planning on abusing their host!

 Jesus challenged them to look past the physical bread to his Father’s true provision: “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” He challenged them to trust him and all that he showed them of the Father (John 1:18). The need was extreme, because God would use Jesus’ disciples to share life with the world (John 20:21-23). Of course Jesus’ disciples would not be left on their own to serve the world. Having received the Holy Spirit, “rivers of living water will flow from within them” (John 7:37-39).

 God’s call to us is to continue to learn about how God hosts the world! Celebrate God with Psalm 145. And let us learn to love, not in word only, but in “deed and in truth.”

  Let's talk about this: Early Christians changed their world. (See Emperor Julian’s complaints below!!!) Christians became famous for hospitality as they established hospitals and hostels and invited strangers into their homes and lives. How is God using us? Where else is he calling us?

 Here is one of my favorite questions: How is my serve?

 I love this quote from Fredrick Buechner: “The place God calls you to is the place where your deepest gladness and the world's deepest hunger meet.” See Fredrick Buechner, Wishful Thinking: A Theological ABC (New York: Harper & Row, 1973), 95.

A Letter from Emperor Julian (the Apostate) To Arsacius, High-priest of Galatia (about 362) The Hellenic religion does not yet prosper as I desire, and it is the fault of those who profess it; for the worship of the gods is on a splendid and magnificent scale, surpassing every prayer and every hope. May Adrasteia [another name for the goddess “Nemesis”] pardon my words, for indeed no one, a little while ago, would have ventured even to pray for a change of such a sort or so complete within so short a time. Why, then, do we think that this is enough, why do we not observe that it is their benevolence to strangers, their care for the graves of the dead and the pretended holiness of their lives that have done most to increase atheism? [Christianity for Julian = Atheism] I believe that we ought really and truly to practice every one of these virtues. And it is not enough for you alone to practice them, but so must all the priests in Galatia, without exception. Either shame or persuade them into righteousness or else remove them from their priestly office, if they do not, together with their wives, children and servants, attend the worship of the gods but allow their servants or sons or wives to show impiety towards the gods and honour atheism more than piety. In the second place, admonish them that no priest may enter a theatre or drink in a tavern or control any craft or trade that is base and not respectable. Honour those who obey you, but those who disobey, expel from office. In every city establish frequent hostels in order that strangers may profit by our benevolence; I do not mean for our own people only, but for others also who are in need of money. I have but now made a plan by which you may be well provided for this; for I have given directions that 30,000 modii of corn shall be assigned every year for the whole of Galatia, and 60,000 pints of wine. I order that one-fifth of this be used for the poor who serve the priests, and the remainder be distributed by us to strangers and beggars. For it is disgraceful that, when no Jew ever has to beg, and the impious Galileans support not only their own poor but ours as well, all men see that our people lack aid from us. Teach those of the Hellenic faith to contribute to public service of this sort, and the Hellenic villages to offer their first fruits to the gods; and accustom those who love the Hellenic religion to these good works by teaching them that this was our practice of old. At any rate Homer makes Eumaeus say: "Stranger, it is not lawful for me, not even though a baser man than you should come, to dishonour a stranger. For from Zeus come all strangers and beggars. And a gift, though small, is precious." Then let us not, by allowing others to outdo us in good works, disgrace by such remissness, or rather, utterly abandon, the reverence due to the gods. If I hear that you are carrying out these orders I shall be filled with joy.

As for the government officials, do not interview them often at their homes, but write to them frequently. And when they enter the city no priest must go to meet them, but only meet them within the vestibule when they visit the temples of the gods. Let no soldier march before them into the temple, but any who will may follow them; for the moment that one of them passes over the threshold of the sacred precinct he becomes a private citizen. For you yourself, as you are aware, have authority over what is within, since this is the bidding of the divine ordinance. Those who obey it are in very truth god-fearing, while those who oppose it with arrogance are vainglorious and empty-headed.

I am ready to assist Pessinus if her people succeed in winning the favour of the Mother of the Gods. But, if they neglect her, they are not only not free from blame, but, not to speak harshly, let them beware of reaping my enmity also. "For it is not lawful for me to cherish or to pity men who are the enemies of the immortal gods." Therefore persuade them, if they claim my patronage, that the whole community must become suppliants of the Mother of the Gods.

 This letter is numbered as 22 on this website, and is numbered as 49 in other records of Julian’s works. (see www.tertullian.org/fathers/julian_apostate_letters_1_trans.htm)