Blasphemy or Truth?

So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” ²⁵Jesus answered, “I have told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name testify to me; ²⁶but you do not believe, because you do not belong to my sheep. ²⁷My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. ³⁰The Father and I are one.” ³¹The Jews took up stones again to stone him. ³²Jesus replied, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone me?” ³³The Jews answered, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you, but for blasphemy, because you, though only a human being, are making yourself God.” John 10:24-33

A central tenet of the Jewish faith is the belief that God is transcendent and holy. God is so powerful that no human being could stand face-to-face with God and live. When God chooses to communicate to humans it is always through an intermediary. In the Old Testament, we see God communicate through a burning bush, clouds of fire, angels, prophets but never directly. God is totally holy and inaccessible. For this reason, many in the Jewish faith will not use God's proper name (YHWH) in speech or writing, but instead use LORD or Elohim as placeholders for God's name. This is why there was such a strong reaction to Jesus' words about himself: "the Father and I are one." On its face, this statement is blasphemy, but it is also true.


I do not blame the religious leaders of Jesus' day for being skeptical about someone claiming to be the messiah or one with God. We should all take these types of claims with a grain of salt, and there were many who falsely claimed to be the messiah. That being said, if the theological foundation of any religion claims to know what God can and cannot do this is the real blasphemy. God is God and we are not. God can do anything God pleases and there are no restrictions. So while it is true, prior to Jesus, God interacted with humanity through intermediaries this does not mean God cannot communicate directly or in person. The closed and narrow-mindedness of the Jewish leaders kept them from seeing God was doing a new thing in Jesus. God was entering into the world in the flesh. God was showing the world love, mercy and grace. Jesus demonstrates this through a series of "signs" and ultimately on the cross. Jesus does not blaspheme God, rather he speaks a truth that had not previously been revealed.


The truth is God continues to work in our world and in our lives. This can be recognized if we have eyes of faith, but is often overlooked or disregarded. Jesus' challenge to the Jewish people of his time is the same challenge for us: remaining open to what God is doing. We must look for God's work in our lives and be ready for God to do something new. God is not distant from our lives. In Christ, we understand God to be "Immanuel" or "God with us." God is with us and showing us the truth. If we remain open and faithful, God's truth will transform our lives.


Prayer: Lord, help me to remain open to the ways you are working in my life. Help me to see with eyes of faith and be prepared to see something new from you, in Jesus' name, AMEN.