Word to the Wise
Tuesday, March 24, 2015 - 5th Week of Lent - Tues
[Num 21:4-9 and John 8:21-30]You belong to what is below. I belong to what is above. You belong to this world, but I do not belong to this world. That is why I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins. [John]
The Gospel of John reflects a tremendous amount of development in Christian understanding of Jesus' identity because it was composed and received its final form more than 60 years after Jesus' death and resurrection. The approach of the evangelist is very different from that of the "synoptic" evangelists Matthew, Mark and Luke. Today we are given a sample of the difference. It is a challenge to think in a contrasting way.
First of all, there is the contrast between "above" and "below" and between "belonging to this world" and "not belonging to this world." The Gospel of John has Jesus using contrasts of this kind. Light and darkness, faith and judgment, above and below, sight and blindness - all of these are images in which Jesus is presented for belief or not. Another important word is "the world." This is a word that characterizes those who believe and how they live in contrast to those who do not believe and how they live. "Sin" in the Gospel of John may include evil conduct, but more importantly it refers to a refusal to believe in Jesus.
Finally, the words "I AM" are a reference to the great moment when God speaks to Moses from the burning bush. [Exodus 3:14] When Jesus speaks those words, he is identifying himself with that voice, which would be blasphemy to a pious Jew of the time. The challenge for us is to examine these contrasts and our own faith in the light of Jesus' words. We are not just dealing with abstractions but with a profound knowledge of the Son of God who, in the Gospel of John, says that those who believe in him have eternal life. AMEN