Breaking the Word

The Jews again picked up rocks to stone him. Jesus answered them, "I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of these are you trying to stone me?" The Jews answered him, "We are not stoning you for a good work but for blasphemy. You, a man, are making yourself God." Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, "You are gods"'? If it calls them gods to whom the word of God came, and scripture cannot be set aside, can you say that the one whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world blasphemes because I said, 'I am the Son of God'? If I do not perform my Father's works, do not believe me; but if I perform them, even if you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may realize (and understand) that the Father is in me and I am in the Father." (Then) they tried again to arrest him; but he escaped from their power. He went back across the Jordan to the place where John first baptized, and there he remained. Many came to him and said, "John performed no sign, but everything John said about this man was true." And many there began to believe in him.  (Jn 10:31-42)

Jews picked stones to throw at Jesus. They tried earlier and now again. Jews threw stones and killed people as a punishment for blasphemy. Identifying oneself with God was the worst type of sin. God was one and there was no another. “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD” (Deut 6:4). When compared with the other religions (in Ancient Near Eastern religions) Jewish religion was unique in its belief in one God. Anyone who tried to deny this or propose another was committing a very serious sin.

When Jesus said ‘You are gods’ he quotes from Psalms. “I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.” (Ps 86:2). We also see a similar idea in Ex 21: 6 (then his master shall bring him before God. He shall be brought to the door or the doorpost; and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him for life) where a Judge is considered to be God for the works he does. Humans are considered Gods for the work they render or they are children of the most high.

Jesus presents himself as the son of God because he performs the works of God. People have seen the works of Jesus and they consider the works as good but to believe that he is the son of God demands faith from the part of the people. People do not have the faith to accept Jesus as the son of the Father.

 Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death." (So) the Jews said to him, "Now we are sure that you are possessed. Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, 'Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.' Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? Or the prophets, who died? Who do you make yourself out to be?" Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, 'He is our God.' You do not know him, but I know him. And if I should say that I do not know him, I would be like you a liar. But I do know him and I keep his word. Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad. So the Jews said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?" Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM." So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area. (Jn 8:51-59)

Words of Jesus are again, another context for reflection. Fulfilling the words of Jesus helps a man to receive eternal life. Here life and death are put in opposition. People do not understand what Jesus speaks. Jesus speaks in the context of the next world. He speaks of eternal life and eternal death (in the context of the next world). But the people understand in the worldly context.

Abraham and the prophets died like anyone. They faced death and their tombs are among them. So what Jesus speaks are out context and speaks like a possessed man. That is to say that he is unrealistic. People have proof for their views and they think on this earthy context. They are not able to pull themselves up to the context in which Jesus is and Jesus speaks from.

Jesus further confirms that he speaks from the Father who is God. All what he says is from God and only what God has revealed. He goes on to affirm that he is and he was with the Father and hence he is before Abraham and the other prophets. This was a total blasphemy. The Jews wanted to stone Jesus to death for this.