John 8:12-20
“Notice what you notice.” If I were a Pharisee in Jesus’ time I would probably be angry with Jesus for what I would perceive to be a high degree of arrogance. I would also be confused, in that those very words that seemed so arrogant were also consistent with the miraculous deeds that He was accomplishing. Knowing myself as I do, I might be astonished by what I was seeing, or I might suspect some sort of trickery behind those deeds – like He was working with someone who was faking blindness or being lame, then being healed. But soon we will see Jesus heal a man blind from birth and astonishment would again overwhelm me.
Still, His words are demanding to the ear! I could go along with His claim that “I am the light of the world” (v. 12), but His talk of His Father would be mind-boggling: …it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me; …the Father who sent me bears witness about me; If you knew me, you would know my Father also; (vv. 16, 18, 19, respectively). I would wonder, “Who is this Father of Whom He speaks? Isn’t this the man from Galilee whose father is Joseph?” He would leave me confused. Yet there is also hope in His words…! I would continue to follow at a distance!
Slava Bohu!
Apparently when he said he was the light of the world, he was standing in the temple area where candles always burned as an eternal reminder of God’s presence, protection and guidance. Yes he is the light, who is present through the Holy Spirit, who guides and protects us. Beautiful connection.
Thanks for sharing that, Debbie. And thanks for being really faithful in making these comments so regularly!
Lovely thought…