John
10:34-39 (NIV) Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, 'I
have said you are gods'? 35 If he called
them 'gods,' to whom the word of God came — and the Scripture cannot be broken—
36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into
the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, 'I am God's
Son'? 37 Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does. 38 But if I do it,
even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and
understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father." 39 Again they tried to seize him, but he
escaped their grasp.
NOTE: Verse 34 can
actually be interpreted "judges" or "God" and verse 35
references the special commission given to the judges of Israel, that in their
sentences they are representing God, for only God can truly judge. Jesus'
argument seems to be that if God allowed the title to be used for certain men,
why do they judge him for using the title as well? But of course, Jesus' use of
the term here puts himself on equal footing with the Father, and not only that,
he claims the miracles as proof of his position. Israel's judges were appointed
among men without any special power. Jesus claims to have come directly from
God and can use that term because of his power and special relationship to the
Father.
There is no argument
to justify calling oneself God's son outside of truth. The statement is true or
it is blasphemy. And because the leaders assume blasphemy, they immediately
tried to seize him, but once more he escapes the grasp of the leaders. Even with
the miracles, it would have been hard to believe that God's actual son was on
earth, or that God had a son, or that humanity could hold him in a body. But
the miracles are so amazing and they are so good to people (which contradicts
the argument of Satan's power). No, this is an amazing conundrum. If only they
would have done what Nicodemus did, swallowed their pride and met and talked
with Jesus at a personal level. I think Nicodemus' one-on-one meeting was about
the only thing that could have worked, for if he had met in a group, he might
have been tempted to put up a façade or to act for the crowd, but Nicodemus met
him where nothing could interfere, one-on-one in quiet. Ultimately, that is the
only way anyone of us can meet Jesus, one-on-one and alone.
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