A Spiritual Re-Awakening? Day 10: Lenten Reflections through John’s Gospel

Day 10 – (March 16, 2019)

Read

John 5:19-24

19 Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise. 20 The Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing; and he will show him greater works than these, so that you will be astonished. 21 Indeed, just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whomever he wishes. 22 The Father judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 24 Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life.

Reflect

How difficult it is to cast our prejudices aside when considering the statements of others or current events. This was very true for the Jewish leaders and their response to Jesus’ words, “My Father is still working, and I also am working” (John 5:17). They correctly concluded that he was claiming to be divine. Yet in their minds his words were not only breathtaking, but blasphemous. In John’s account, Jesus had already performed three signs that pointed to his unique power, a power that could only be described as divine. But like so many today, the Jewish leaders were not prepared to look beyond their personal prejudice to come to a different conclusion.

Now in 5:19-24, he begins to set out how the relationship between God the Father and God the Son works. Nowhere else in the Gospels do we find this stated so clearly. Both God the Father and God the Son are equally and eternally divine, but the Son chooses to do the will of the Father; so much so that in verse 19 Jesus says he does nothing apart from God the Father. He and the Father work together. This is truly significant. It means that everything Jesus said and did perfectly revealed the mind, the words and the actions of God the Father. To see Jesus’ actions, to hear his words is to see God. Later John records Jesus’ words: “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). To know Jesus is to know God. How can we be so sure? Well, John is saying to us, ‘Look at what he did’.

Prayer

O God, who by the leading of a star revealed your beloved Son to the Gentiles, mercifully grant that we, who know you now by faith, may after this life enjoy the splendor of your glorious presence; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (BCP, Epiphany – adapted)

Daily Reading Plan

 Read John 5:19-47