Tuesday, April 22, 2014

John 10:31-39

John 10:31-39
Again the Jews picked up stones in order that they should stone Him.  Jesus answered to them, “I demonstrated many good works to you all out of the Father.  Because of which of these works do you stone me?” The Jews answered to Him, “We do not stone you regarding a good work but regarding blasphemy.  And because you – while being a man – make yourself a God.”  And Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law that, ‘I said you all are gods?’  If it called those ones gods, to whom the Word of God came – and scripture is not possible to be broken – do you all say of whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world that, ‘You blaspheme,’ because I said, ‘I am a Son of God?’  If I am not doing the works of the Father, do not believe me!  But if I do them – and if you should not believe me – believe the works in order that you should know and you should understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”  Therefore they were again desiring to seize Him and He departed out of their hands.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

In this passage we find a very interesting call back to a very deep spiritual thought.  What does it mean to believe?  Many people like to think that believing is an internal thought process.  We think that we can say, “I believe in Jesus and God,” even if our actions do not demonstrate it.  However, the Greek word for believe means “believe,” “belief,” “faith,” and “faithfulness.”  Dietrich Bonheoffer, a German Lutheran who wrote the Cost of Discipleship, says it best that “Only those who believe obey; and only those who obey believe.”  Bonhoeffer understands what Jesus is getting at.  Believing in God is a mixture of faith and obedience.  Jesus reminds us of this very fact in this passage.  When the Jews come at Him with stones, Jesus points them not just to the teaching but to the works through His hands.  How do you know God’s disciple?  God’s disciples do the work of the Father.

Is faith and obedience mixed in your life?  Do you believe in God?  How does God demonstrate this reality through you?

Second Thought:

 Jesus then makes an interesting argument.  Jesus reminds the Hebrew people that their scriptures actually speak of people as gods.  Psalm 82:6 is the most glaring example, and this is the one that Jesus quotes.  Here the Psalm is telling us that those who follow God and who show justice and mercy to the oppressed are sons of God!  Therefore, Jesus extrapolates this phenomenal point.  If sinners like the ancient Hebrew people can be sons of God in those moments that they are obedient to God, then why wouldn’t that same title apply to someone like Jesus – through whom God’s power was always on display!

Are you a son (or daughter) of God?  How does that designation strike you when applied to yourself?  How do you know you are a child of God?

Third Thought:

What is sad about this passage is that the Jewish people do not even accept their own Law.  Jesus isn’t using a logical argument out of human reasoning.  Jesus uses a Psalm written in God’s own perspective to make His point.  The Jewish people were not willing to listen even to scripture.  Their focus was on arresting Him and doing away with Him.  When human beings determine to not listen and have their own way, we are remarkable creatures with respect to ignoring truth.

When have you ignored truth?  What was your reason for doing so?  How can you prevent a posture of ignoring the truth in the future?


Passage for Tomorrow: John 10:40-42

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