Jesus declares in today’s Gospel: “Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.” The way to eternal life is through not only hearing Jesus’ words but putting them into practice. Some of the Jews hearing these words think Jesus is crazy or even possessed: “Now we are sure that you are possessed. Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, ‘Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.’” They question Jesus: “Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? Or the prophets, who died? Who do you make yourself out to be?” What Jesus is saying appears to them as utter nonsense and on first hearing is utter nonsense.
Jesus continues to lead them and us to the full truth of who he is. He is a prophet and yet greater than a prophet. He is even greater than our ancestor Abraham. Jesus fully reveals himself with the solemn proclamation: “Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM.” Jesus speaks like God in this solemn proclamation. He reveals himself with the same words God revealed himself to Moses from the Burning Bush.
“God replied to Moses: ‘I am who I am…. This is what you will tell the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.” (Exodus 3:14).
This is very hard for some Jews to accept. They have been raised on a strict monotheism. There is only one God. This belief is reinforced twice a day as they recite a pray called the Shema: “Hear (shema), O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone! Therefore, you shall love the LORD, your God, with your whole heart, and with your whole being, and with your whole strength.” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5). Understandably some of the Jews heard Jesus’ words as blasphemy: “So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area.” (John 8:59)
During this season of Lent, we are called to turn to God and put our faith and trust in God. We are called to turn to Jesus and to see in Jesus the one true God. Jesus challenged the first disciples and he challenges each one of us with these words: “Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”
Image: “Jesus Collecting Disciples” by Travis S. is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.