Bible Study Leftover
This week the Gospel we discussed came from John, Chapter 1 (verses 35-42). In my previous ‘Leftover’ based on the same readings, I drew on the First Reading, from 1 Samuel 3.
They said to him, “Rabbi” — which translated means Teacher —,
“where are you staying?”
He said to them, “Come, and you will see.”
I get a sense of incompleteness reading these verses, as though they meant something originally which doesn’t come across in translation, perhaps something tied to the ancient customs of Jesus’ time. I have heard from time to time that hospitality carried great weight among the ancient Jewish people (cf. the visit of three angels to Abraham). Are the men going to visit Jesus’ abode and make a judgment about whether his hospitality and living quarters are acceptable or of outstanding quality?
Or is it based on an understanding that by visiting a person’s abode one can form a trustworthy impression of the type of person he might be? -or similarly, by visiting and conversing for a while with the person?
Or is “where are you staying” equivalent to “where do you stand on important issues?”
Or is it just an initial expression of a desire to get better acquainted with Jesus, not stated directly, but rather more or less veiled as a conversation opener?
It seems there must be some extra levels to be grasped to do justice to the passage.
