Some people will never have enough evidence to believe that Jesus is God in the flesh, even if everything is presented to them. That was the problem here. When you are not really seeking the truth, you won’t really find it.
And then there are those who say Jesus never proclaimed to be God. This section ends that debate (for the honest).
“Is you are the Christ, tell us plainly,” they said.
Jesus did. He had. But they still did not believe.
What had Jesus told them? Well, he had given them multiple I AM statements. These were clear references to deity according to Exodus 3:14-15.
But what does he tell them here?
- “The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me” (v. 25)
- If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me” (v. 37)
- “believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father” v. 38
And as pertaining to his deity, he said the following
- “give them eternal life” (v. 28)
- “I and the Father are one” (v.30)
When Jesus said these things, they tried to kill him. Why?
“The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God” (v. 33).
They were fine to have the Messiah. Especially one who did great miracles. They WANTED that.
Yet Jesus did not fit into their conceptual box. One thing the could not believe was that the Messiah was also God in the flesh. That was blasphemy according to them and worthy of death.
They had forgotten the Scriptures. Scriptures like Daniel 7:13-14 where it says the Son of Man would come and be worshiped.
and behold, with the clouds of heaven
there came one like a son of man,
and he came to the Ancient of Days
and was presented before him.
And to him was given dominion
and glory and a kingdom,
that all peoples, nations, and languages
should serve him;
his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
which shall not pass away,
and his kingdom one
that shall not be destroyed.
They had not remembered the verse where the Mighty God would come as a child as we read in Isaiah
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).
They probably reasoned that these were figurative or for his time or for something else. It was right there in front of them, but they just could not believe.
But it was pretty staggering. That God would come in the flesh. And be embodied in a man.
Yet they could not pin on him a single sin or crime. Only that he claimed to be God.
The challenge was the miracles. Jesus could perform miracles at will. And such miracles defied the law of all that they knew as normal. How could a man heal the blind, the sick and the lame and even raise the dead?
If they had even a shred of humility, they would at least have paused in their trying to kill him. They were walking on dangerous ground.
They tried to seize him. But he escaped. It wasn’t. yet his time.
The most important question we have is what do we do with Jesus? Is he a crazy man or is he God? Jesus’ response is to look at his life. Look at his works, And look at his miracles.
Who do you say that Jesus is?
22 At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. 24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me,
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
31 The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? 35 If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken— 36 do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; 38 but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” 39 Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.
40 He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained. 41 And many came to him. And they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” 42 And many believed in him there.