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Past Ponderings

Friday, August 8, 2014

PONDERING... John 10:30-42

John 10:30-42  I and the Father are one."  31  The Jews picked up stones again to stone him.  32  Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?"  33  The Jews answered him, "It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God."  34  Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, 'I said, you are gods'?  35  If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken—  36  do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?  37  If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me;  38  but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father."  39  Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.  40  He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained.  41  And many came to him. And they said, "John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true."  42  And many believed in him there.

The setting here is crucial. Jesus has just explained His sheep vs non-sheep metaphor making it abundantly clear that He is claiming to be God. The Jews, taking this as blasphemy (calling yourself God, if you are not, is the highest offense), are preparing to stone Him. This isn't metaphorical, or mental. They have rocks in their hands! Because of Jesus' disposition, and due to the distanced way we tend to read the Bible, it is easy to miss this vital point. This entire discourse is happening while stones are raised to be thrown. This scene is intense and deadly. Let's not miss that!

I. Why do they want to kill Him? 
30 I and the Father are one."  31  The Jews picked up stones again to stone him
1. He is God.
I think, as Christians, we have become so comfortable with the truth of Jesus as God, or at least I hope it is truth to you and not merely a notion, that we sometimes forget how controversial this is. To claim to be God is huge. If you're not God and you claim this, you're crazy. If you are God and you claim this, I better be listening. These Jews had been waiting for a Messiah, one that would ride in and save their people physically...a warrior. They were not expecting Jesus. They did have a healthy respect for God. Unfortunately, they had transplanted truths about God with teaching made by men. So, they missed Him. When Jesus shows up claiming to be God, they are deeply offended. This is blasphemy...a capital crime.

II. How did Jesus respond?
1. Points to what He's doing.
32  Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?"  33  The Jews answered him, "It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God."
Now remember, rocks are being held here. I've heard it taught that this whole discourse is a sort of distraction to buy Jesus some time. That could be, but it is nonetheless purposeful. He calls into question their motivations first while pointing them back to Himself. He asks them which one of the miraculous signs they are stoning Him for. They, of course, say it is not the signs, but His blasphemous words. Interestingly, they do not deny the signs.

2. Points out why He, above all others, can be called God.
34  Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, 'I said, you are gods'?  35  If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken—  36  do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'? 
In the next staments, we see Jesus' view of the Bible...that is cannot be broken; it is completely true (we have discussed this at length before). Then, Jesus makes this statement that could be really confusing. He says that in the Bible, God, big G, calls people gods, little g. Now, first there is a semantic difference between a "god" and the God. Fake vs Real. But, what is a Jesus talking about here?

He's quoting Psalm 82. This Psalm addresses the rulers of Israel who had not been ruling justly. They were thus called "because of their authority and power; and because they do, in some sort, represent the divine majesty, in the government of nations and kingdoms"- Gill. 

He's pointing out that the word god had been used to speak of people who were definitely not God. In fact, people who had not even done their jobs well. Why, then, is it wrong to call the only one "whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world(vs 36)" God?

3. Appeals again that they believe.
37  If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me;  38  but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father."  
Then, we see more Amazing Grace. These people are trying to kill Him, and He asks them to believe. He appeals to them. 'If you won't hear my words, consider the signs. So, by them you may then realize the truth.' In the face of death, He hasn't stopped loving them.

4. Leaves.
39  Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.  40  He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained.  
Let's not miss the miraculous here. How did Jesus manage to escape the mob? It was not yet His hour!

III. What happened when He left?
41  And many came to him. And they said, "John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true."  42  And many believed in him there.
1. He still preached
First, let's note what He didn't do. He didn't, as I may have been tempted, just give up. He went to back to this place not to just "chill", but He continued to teach. How do we know this? Because many believed. Believed what? If He wasn't teaching, what were they believing?

2. And there was a difference
a. Signs vs Preaching
All we know this second group was exposed to was John's and Jesus' teaching. They may have witnessed a miraculous sign, but we don't know that for sure. All we know is that they heard from John (though they saw no sign from him), recognized in Jesus the fulfillment of what they heard, and believed in Him!

The Jewish leaders had seen and heard, but would not believe.

b. Person vs Society
In my English classes, we talk about different types of conflicts in literature. One of the popular conflicts that has gotten a lot of lime-light of late is Person vs Society. Here, your character or characters fight against the, usually repressive, status quo. It's man against the world! Odds are overcome, and the world becomes a better place...etc. These stories, especially in our incredibly safe society, are really enjoyable to read. We root for the underdog without really having any sense of his struggle. We can't. For us, it is just a fun read.

The people who accepted Christ here were opposing their society head on. The Jewish rulers had rejected Him as a blasphemous heretic. To align yourself with Jesus was to have your life ruined. Remember the blind man's parents in chapter 9? They were afraid of falling out of favor with the Jewish leaders. This decision was drastic.

IV. Final Thoughts
1. Do you believe Jesus is God? Does that register?
2. Are you willing to be rejected for His sake?
3. Are you willing to tell others about Him, even when they reject you?

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