“While you can look without beholding — you can look at Jesus and not really see him — you can’t behold without first looking.”- Jared C. Wilson
“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”- John 1:29
In Chapter 3 (“Staring at the Glory until You See It”) of The Imperfect Disciple, Jared Wilson contrasts looking with beholding. As Jared observes, we don’t study the familiar or really look at things we think we already know. In fact, familiarity tends to stifle any impulse to study those things.
Therefore, Jared cautions, this leads to a subtle danger of the way many Christians live out their discipleship. As the author explains, many Christians look at Jesus, yet never really see Him.
Yes, Jared knows, behold and look and see are essentially synonyms. However, the author explains why the word behold best conveys John’s meaning in the above verse from his gospel. Jared states:
“John does in fact mean that his hearers should see the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, but behold tells what kind of seeing we ought to be doing. In other words, he’s not merely saying ‘look at him.’ He’s telling us to look with consideration, with appreciation, with fixation and transfixion. To behold something is to ‘hold’ something in our vision, to let the weight of it rest on your mind and heart.”
And as you behold the glory of Jesus, He enters your personal space. Jesus overcomes your discomfort of sharing your personal space and initiates a conversation with you. In the next blog, Jared applies these thoughts to John’s account of the woman visiting Jacob’s well (John 4).
Today’s question: What Bible verses help with beholding Jesus? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “A generally decreased capacity for bigness”
