Jesus’ surprising words

Many people know some of Jesus’ parables or his one-liners that are often quoted. But there is an unstudied wealth of extraordinary statements that Jesus made which deserve our serious reflection. Think about these, for example, taken from the Gospel of John with references in brackets:

“When you pray, say, ‘Our Father who is in heaven…’” (yes, you probably knew that one!) But how about: “I and the Father are one” (10.30)?

“My Father [is he] of whom you say, ‘He is our God’” (8.54)

“The Father is in me, and I in the Father” (10.38)

“Whoever has seen me has seen the Father” (14.9)

Slow down a bit; these verses are weighty and should be pondered. What kind of man says the things Jesus says here?

“I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me” (7.29)

“My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me” (7.16)

“All that I have heard from my Father, I have made known to you” (15.15)

“The word you hear is not mine, but his who sent me” (14.24)

“What I say, I say as the Father has told me” (14.50)

Is not Jesus affirming that he brings God’s words, God’s truth, into our world? God is Jesus’ Father; Jesus is God’s Son. His words are God’s words! Isn’t this the missing key to enlighten our darkness – the means of finding absolute truth that we can build our lives upon?

Then think of where Jesus came from, to be able to say such things:

“I came down from heaven” (6.38) 

“I came from the Father and have come into the world” (16.28)

“I have come into the world as a light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness” (12.46).

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (8.12)

As philosophy and science have given no certain answers to the big questions of our existence, might it not be wise for us to check out if, after all, Jesus may have been sent from God to give us those necessary answers?

If Jesus was with God his Father prior to his incarnation, he must be the divine Son of God! He claimed to be the Messiah predicted by the prophets of God in the Jewish Bible (what we call the Old Testament): “A woman said to Jesus, I know that Messiah is coming, he that is called the Christ. Jesus said to her, ‘I who speak to you am he’” (4.25-26)

Jesus lives in close relationship with the Father:

“I am in the Father and the Father is in me” (14.11)

“I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father” (14.31)

“The Father who dwells in me does his works” (14.10)

“I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love” (15.10)

Jesus offers new, abundant life:

“I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (10.10)

“This is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him should have eternal life” (6.40)

“Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life” (5.24)

How can we know all this is true? Pay close attention to these words of Jesus:

“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (8.31-32)

Clive Every-Clayton