Stubbornness and Anger

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Who is your father?  was our last devotional, today we consider the last few verses of John 8

48 The Jews answered him, “Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?” 49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50 Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” 52 The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?” 54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ 55 But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

Oh…the Pharisees have an answer to Jesus’ thoughts that they are not of God. 

WHAT?   Aren’t we right in saying you are a Samaritan and have a demon?

Jesus is so patient with them.  He has repeatedly told them who is Father is, and how he honours him, seeking only the glory of his father, the judge.   THEY are dishonouring him by not believing him.   He brings them back to the point that believing in him means eternal life but he phrases it differently.  Keep my words, and you will never die.

Those stubborn Pharisees eh?   DIE!!…YOU SAY WE WILL NEVER DIE?   Get real man!!!! (I so imagine then saying that).  EVERYONE dies.   You must be a demon to say such a thing!  I can almost see them snorting their derision of him.  Who does this Jesus think he is?

Jesus, of course, being Jesus told them. 

1. He doesn’t glorify himself, to do so is meaningless.
2. His Father glorifies him. 
3. This Father is the one they call God.
4. BUT they don’t know God, even though they say they do. 
5. If Jesus said he doesn’t know God, then he would be same as the Jewish leaders, A liar.
6. He reiterates that he knows God, and God knows him.
7. Then speaks to how Abraham rejoiced that “he would see my day”.  (hmm… not quite sure on the meaning of those words.  Abraham died long before Jesus was born… UNLESS Abraham knew he would live forever, and therefore knew he would see God’s promises fulfilled.  THAT might be the answer there.

The Jewish leaders were shocked at this.  Jesus was not even 50, how in the world could he have known Abraham?

Then Jesus used it.  The “I AM” statement.  “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” Total blasphemy in the eyes of the Pharisees so at once they wanted him stoned.

Didn’t happen of course as Jesus hid himself and left the temple.   

Their anger at the “I AM” statement?  Only God called himself the “I am”.  No Jewish person would ever take that title on.  To do so was calling yourself God. By using it, Jesus clearly told the Jews who and what he was.   THEY DIDN’T LIKE THAT!  (because they didn’t believe he came from God).  They simply couldn’t get that idea into their heads. Jesus’ bold statement did though…just unfortunately not in a good way. 

I leave this passage thinking… who am I more like?

Am I more like a person willing to believe Christ?  To know he is Lord, son of God?  Or am I more like the Pharisees, just not able to see the truth even when it’s told to me plainly?  Sometimes it’s a bit of both eh?   There are some truths in scripture that I find hard to wrap my head around, and then I feel like the Pharisees here…just fighting it, cause it just doesn’t make sense to me.  But then…there is truth that I hear as plainly as anything.  IT’s good to have that truth eh?  To know who he really is.  To know that truly he was the only one who could ever pay my debt and declare it null, void, no penalty to be paid as it was fully cleared. 

I do so wish I could be like that with all scriptural truth eh? I’m working towards it.  🙂  

Are you?