About four weeks ago, on the feast of Christ the King, the Gospel reading was John’s narrative of Jesus’ trial before Pontius Pilate.  At the time, I mentioned that the dialogue between Pontius Pilate and Jesus was intended by the Gospel author to be slightly humorous, even though it dealt with the very serious matter of Jesus’ eventual crucifixion. 

Pilate was profoundly interested in the political ramifications of Jesus’ preaching.  Jesus, on the other hand, had no political aspirations.  Pilate perceived Jesus to be a claimant to an earthly kingship, but Jesus’ allegiance was to no power on earth.  After failing to understand Jesus, Pilate asked, “What is truth?” He wasn’t asking a philosophical question about the nature of truth; rather, he was expressing exasperation over the difficulty of finding the truth of the situation that faced him.   

The conversation between Jesus and Pilate concludes with Pilate experiencing complete powerlessness and Jesus, the accused, being seen as the one with complete freedom.  Pilate’s predicament was laughable even though it led to Jesus’ unjust death. 

There are many such satirical conversations in John’s Gospel.  They were intended by the author to be humorous because they were part of an inside joke among the congregation for whom the Gospel was written. 

At the very beginning of the Gospel, the author tells us what the joke is about; the author wrote, “the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.” (Jn 1:5)  The word translated as “overcome” can also be translated as “understand” or “comprehend.”  The author used words with double meanings to speak about the inside joke with his congregation. 

The Gospel author was saying that the light of truth shines in the darkness, but darkness remains in the dark and fails to comprehend the truth.  Pilate was one of many examples of those who could not see the truth because they remained in the dark.  Like Pilate, those who don’t see the true nature of God’s only-begotten Son become the punchline of a joke about the difference between the ephemeral and the eternal. 

The humor of the Gospel author is an “inside joke” because those who don’t believe in the light of God manifest in Christ do so because they remain in the darkness.  They don’t get the joke because they will never get the joke as long as they fail to believe in the Incarnation of God’s Son as God’s promise of everlasting mercy. (Jn 3:36) 

Perhaps, you’re wondering if you are in the group that comprehends the inside joke or in the group that doesn’t comprehend it.  I don’t want to leave you in the dark, so I’ll tell you the inside joke. 

The truth, beauty, and goodness of this world are just like Christmas decorations: they’re very consoling, attractive, and enjoyable, but they last only a short time.  Soon, all the homey decorations and Christmas sentiment will disappear, and we’ll be back to normal, that is, facing the daily challenges of dealing with good things that pass away.   

The truth, beauty, and goodness revealed by God are of a sort very different from those found in the created world.  The truth, beauty, and goodness revealed by God never pass away because they are of eternal origin just as Jesus was of eternal origin.  Those who comprehend this live in the light because they see the conditional nature of created things and the unconditional nature of the eternal.  

The inside joke of John’s Gospel is two-fold.  First of all, the good things of this world cease to be truly good when one puts one’s faith in them because trusting in what passes away amounts to living in a fantasy world where disappointment reigns. Secondly, those who choose to live in fantasy, see this life as a brief inconvenience to be endured in order to gain an eternity filled with created pleasures.  This is the ultimate self-deception because no created thing lasts forever – neither pleasure nor suffering.  This isn’t sad news; it’s merely an accurate description of the finite reality from which God wishes to redeem us. 

If one chooses to believe in God’s Word, one lives in God’s presence now because the Incarnation of God’s Son is God’s promise of everlasting mercy, a mercy that begins now – in this life – or it doesn’t really begin at all.  Furthermore, having begun for us in this life, God’s mercy endures forever. 

The inside joke of John’s Gospel is humorous, but it deals with the serious issue of failing to perceive God’s offer of salvation.  Those who don’t get the joke remain in the dark.  Those who get the joke see life clearly: the temporary good of this world remains good as long as it helps one recognize the eternal good of God.  Seeing this truth, the temporary nature of created good is no longer a cause of disappointment.  Rather, it is the source of lasting joy because seeing the temporary nature of created things allows one to see the eternal goodness of God. 

Despite repetitive attempts to the contrary, the Christmas spirit fades away unavoidably every year.  Those who cling to what fades away experience unavoidable disappointment while those who do not cling to what is passing find lasting joy.  John’s Gospel invites all people to participate in the inside joke known to those who see the Eternal Good, present here and now, that never passes away.