Word to the Wise
Tuesday, April 4, 2017 - 5th Week of Lent - Tues
[Num 21:4-9 and John 8:21-30]TUESDAY, APRIL 4, 2017 TUESDAY IN THE FIFTH WEEK OF LENT [Numbers 21:4-9 and John 8:21-30] "For if you do not believe that I AM, you will die in your sins.....When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I AM, and that I do nothing of my own, but I say only what the Father taught me." [John] Today's gospel scripture from the Gospel According to John is part of the "discourse" that follows the story of the Woman Caught in Adultery. It contains two instances of an important feature of Jesus' teaching in this gospel. Twice he uses the expression, "I AM." [The New American Bible capitalizes this to call it to our attention."]. Why is this expression important? One must go back to the Book of Exodus and God's voice in the Burning Bush in which God tells Moses to say to Pharaoh: "I AM has sent me to you." [Exodus 3:14]. Jesus identifies himself with that name. He further identified himself with another incident involving Moses, the one mentioned in the Book of Numbers today in the first scripture. Earlier in the gospel, in the encounter with Nicodemus, Jesus says, "And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life." [John 3:14-15]. This is repeated in today's gospel, "When you lift up the Son of Man..." The expression "lifted up" includes the crucifixion but goes beyond it to meaning Jesus' glorification in the sight of all people through his death and the sending of the Spirit. In the Gospel According to John, sin is the failure to believe in Jesus. The discourse passage today places him squarely in front of his adversaries to challenge them with their disbelief. On Good Friday, we will celebrate Jesus being "lifted up" and on Holy Saturday, his triumph over death. This is our faith. This is eternal life. The passages from the Gospel According to John are leading us toward this celebration. AMEN