Lenten Musings - 28

John 12

In John 12:44-50 are Jesus' last public words. These must be important words for us to listen to. I like the word pictures that Jesus uses. “The one who believes in me does not believe in me, but in the one who sent me, and the one who sees me sees the one who sent me. I have come as a light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in darkness." The picture I get is that Jesus' presence reveals the presence of the Father. It's as though we are standing in the same room as God, but we can't see Him because it is filled with darkness. Jesus appears and sheds light on the room, allowing us to finally see the Father.

"If anyone hears my words and does not obey them, I do not judge him. For I have not come to judge the world, but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not accept my words has a judge; the word I have spoken will judge him at the last day. For I have not spoken from my own authority, but the Father himself who sent me has commanded me what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. Thus the things I say, I say just as the Father has told me.” It's a similar picture here. Jesus is not judging those who do not obey His words, but He has made known that which they are judged by. Just as He has revealed the Father, pointing to Him and making Him known, so has He revealed that which the Father desires of, or rather commands, us to do.

With His final words, Jesus isn't telling people anything new, nor is He really summing up what He has taught. It seems as though what He is doing is letting people know they it is OK for them to believe in Him. Many were believing in Him at this point, but it was a bit of a departure from their roots; so much so that the pharisees and leaders were trying really hard to quash this whole thing. There was a lot of turmoil over Jesus, and many of those who believed likely shared in this turmoil. "You want to know the Father, and His will?", says Jesus, "Well, I have shown it to you. Believe in me and you will be saved."