John 8:51–59
Jesus said, “Very truly, I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets; yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’ Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets also died. Who do you claim to be?” Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, he of whom you say, ‘He is our God,’ though you do not know him. But I know him; if I would say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him and I keep his word. Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day; he saw it and was glad.” Then the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
REFLECTIONS:
It would have been and still is heresy for anyone to claim they are God. Our creeds and confessions claim that Jesus was “fully human.” For us to say otherwise is heretical. We have embraced the paradox of Jesus being the human through whom we have heard and experienced God most clearly. That faith statement comes directly from God about Jesus. It is not from Jesus. Jesus is the one through whom we experience the divine because of what God has done. Please don’t ask me to clarify this or explain it again. Peace to you, Keith
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