Official Response, Reflection on John 1:24-28

When we read the term "Jews" in this gospel, we need to remember when John was writing, what was going on in his world, what the controversies were, and who his immediate audience was.

When the Fourth Gospel uses the term "the Jews" to indicate opposition to Jesus, it does so to name the people on the wrong side of a christological debate, namely, those who do not accept (a) that Jesus is the Messiah and (b) the Fourth Gospel's understanding of what his messiahship means. The conflict here is between two sides of a late first-century argument, not a conflict that tells us anything about Jesus' (or the Baptist's) relations with Jews about the year 30 (Preaching the Gospel, Allen & Williamson).

Nor does it tell us anything about Christian-Jewish relations in the early 21st century; although, it can illustrate intra-religion differences and disputes.

Lectio Divina: Psalm 126