118. Tell Us Plainly Who You Are

It was the Feast of the Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in Solomon’s porch in the temple. The Jews came around him and said, “How long will you hold us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

Jesus answered, “I already told you, and you don’t believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me. You don’t believe because you are not of my sheep, as I told you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

The Jews took up stones again to kill him. Jesus said, “I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of those works do you stone me?”

They answered him, “We don’t stone you for a good work, but for blasphemy: because you, being a man, make yourself God.”

Jesus answered, “Isn’t it written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods?’ If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and Scripture can’t be broken), do you say of the one the Father sent into the world, ‘You blaspheme,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God?’ If I don’t do the works of my Father, don’t believe me. But if I do them, even though you don’t believe me, believe the works. That way you can know and believe the Father is in me, and I am in the Father.”

They sought again to seize him, and he escaped from them. 

He went away again beyond the Jordan into the place where John had first baptized, and stayed there. Many came to him, saying, “John did no signs, but everything John said about this man is true.” Many believed in him there.

Reflection

When Jesus spoke clearly, the Jewish leaders recoiled in horror that anyone should dare speak such blasphemy. Some enter into dialogue honestly; others only listen to find ways to trip up their opponent. Are you more likely to dialogue with others or argue with them? How open are you to hearing what others think? 

Prayer: Calm me down, Lord, when what others say brings out the worst in me.