Jesus and Prejudice: The "No Thanks" Type?

Many people, as soon as they hear the name "Jesus," feel a kind of reflexive annoyance. A bit like when someone offers you a food you're not exactly drawn to: "No thanks." Often, it's not so much Jesus Himself that bothers us, but the distorted image we've received of Him over time: one of imposed religion, negative experiences, or simply a certain "stiff" and out-of-touch image.

That's why this biblical plan begins precisely here: with prejudices.

Today's verse tells us of a dialogue between two men. Philip has met Jesus and is enthusiastic about Him. But Nathanael, upon hearing that Jesus comes from Nazareth, reacts with skepticism. At that time, Nazareth wasn't exactly synonymous with prestige. His question is poignant: "Can anything good come from there?" It's a pure prejudice, but Philip responds in the most disarming way possible: "Come and see."

This is the invitation of this reading plan. Not to convert, not to change your mind on the fly, but simply to look, to step beyond the filter of opinions, past experiences, and clichés.

The truth is that Jesus has often been misunderstood. Both in the past and today. Accused of being a revolutionary, then a moralist, then a guru...but the Bible presents Him as a profoundly different person: accessible, authentic, surprisingly human.

This reflection doesn't pretend to convince you by force, but rather invites you, as Philip did, to take a look. Jesus may not be the "no thanks" type you imagined. He may be much more interesting than you've ever been told.