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.

 

117. A Matter of Fairness

“The kingdom of God is like a master of a household, who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. When he had agreed with the laborers for a day’s wage, he sent them out to work. He went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and whatever is right I will pay you.’ So they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. About the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle. He said to them, ‘Why do you stand here all day without working?’

“They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’

“He said to them, ‘You also go into the vineyard, and you will be paid what is right.’ When evening had come, the lord of the vineyard said to his manager, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning from the last to the first.’

“When those who were hired at about the eleventh hour came, they each received a full day’s wage. When the first came, they supposed that they would receive more, but they received the same. They murmured against the master of the household, saying, ‘These last have spent one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat!’

“But he answered them, ‘Friends, I am doing you no wrong. Didn’t you agree with me for a day’s wage? Take that which is yours, and go your way. It is my desire to give to these just as much as to you. Isn’t it lawful for me to do what I want to with what I own? Or is your eye evil because I am good?’ So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Reflection

The grace of God is not an easy matter for us to grasp. Those who rejoice at being loved unconditionally themselves often become angry when others are shown grace. People who heard this story in Jesus’ day probably didn’t like it any better than people today. How do you react when some are given better than they deserve? Do you find it difficult to show grace to others? 

Prayer: Show me a gracious way to celebrate the blessings of others, Lord, whenever I become envious.