Breaking the Word

Jesus cried out and said, "Whoever believes in me believes not only in me but also in the one who sent me, and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me. I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness. And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I do not condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world. Whoever rejects me and does not accept my words has something to judge him: the word that I spoke, it will condemn him on the last day, because I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. So what I say, I say as the Father told me." (Jn 12:44-50)

Regarding the followers, Jesus speaks of those who believe in him and those who see him and those who hear him. Jesus wants his disciples to believe in him and the belief is that Jesus is sent by the father. In this, belief in Jesus is equal to belief in the Father. The disciples do see Jesus and hear him but all do not see the Father in Jesus. Seeing and hearing the Father in Jesus is what the belief is.

Rejecting Jesus and not accepting Jesus are those who are condemned. They are not condemned by Jesus but by his words. Because, his words are from the Father. Jesus has not spoken anything on his own. All what he speaks  are from the Father. Jesus has spoken only what he has heard from the Father or commanded to speak by the Father.

All these arguments are given by the author to show that Jesus is from the Father and all what Jesus speaks are from the Father and in fact Jesus and the Father are one. Eternal life is in Jesus because Jesus speaks what he has heard from the Father. 

The feast of the Dedication was then taking place in Jerusalem. It was winter. And Jesus walked about in the temple area on the Portico of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, "How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly." Jesus answered them, "I told you and you do not believe. The works I do in my Father's name testify to me. But you do not believe, because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father's hand. The Father and I are one." (Jn 10:22-30)

The people who do not belong to the fold of Jesus are they that suspect him and question him. They do not believe either. The people see all the activities of Jesus and they listen to his preaching and they are the spectators when Jesus does mighty works. Yet they doubt about his identity and suspect and question about his whereabouts etc.

The people who belong to Jesus are they that listen to him gladly, they follow him and they believe in him. There is a sense of belonging in them which in turns keeps them close to Jesus and Jesus himself protects them and no one can take them away from Jesus. They are rewarded with eternal life which is equal to saying that they share the inner life of Jesus here on earth which will continue for ever.

Jesus does all these things because he is from the father and the father has commissioned him for this work and it is to him that Jesus belongs. Jesus belonging to the father is so much that they both become one. There is such a belief among the on each other and openness and sharing and following of one another that they become one. The disciples of Jesus should be so with Jesus.