Jesus Hides

Jesus said to the Jews: "Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever keeps my word will never see death." So the Jews said to him, "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.' Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? Or the prophets, who died? Who do you make yourself out to be?"

Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, 'He is our God.' You do not know him, but I know him. And if I should say that I do not know him, I would be like you a liar. But I do know him and I keep his word. Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad."

So the Jews said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old and you have seen Abraham?" Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham came to be, I AM." So they picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area. (John 8:51-59)

“Abraham your father rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad." Gut punch!  Abraham was Jesus’ father too because Jesus was a Jew.  John attempted to convince followers of Jesus as their Messiah that if Abraham rejoiced about Jesus, then the Jews should as well meaning they should accept Jesus as their Messiah who has come.

But John appeared not to resist another opportunity to throw stones at those who would not follow Jesus by saying: “So they [the Jews] picked up stones to throw at him; but Jesus hid and went out of the temple area.”  

Do we throw stones at those of other faiths who do not believe in Jesus as the Christ?  Through words and actions many of us do including religious officials in high places.  Perhaps we feel threatened by those who worship differently.  Perhaps propagandists against other faiths have our ears and we follow in their herds.  Perhaps we are incapable of independent thought and critical thinking.  Perhaps it’s just too darn hard to be accepting of other religious concepts and thinking.  

Consider what goes on in our Church with conservative versus progressive Catholics stoning each other on the air and in print. We had better be careful else Jesus will hide and go out of our church areas. 

Deacon David Pierce