FIRST SUNDAY IN LENT – March 9, 2014

 So far this Lent we have read and meditated on who Jesus is according to St. John the Apostle’s biblically-based metaphysical explanation revealed by the Holy Spirit.  We have also read what St. John the Apostle related about John the Baptist’s witness to the eternal identity of Jesus of Nazareth, Messiah. 

On this first Sunday of Lent, a scripture passage from Chapter Twelve of St. John’s Gospel quotes Jesus proclamation of who He is:

^“Then Jesus cried aloud:  ‘Whoever believes in me believes not in me but in him who sent me. ⁴⁵ And whoever sees me sees him who sent me.  I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness.  I do not judge anyone who hears my words and does not keep them, for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.  The one who rejects me and does not receive my word has a judge; on the last day the word that I have spoken will serve as judge, for I have not spoken on my own, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment about what to say and what to speak.  And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I speak, therefore, I speak just as the Father has told me.’”  [John 12:44-50 (NRSV)]

Jesus reiterates what John has written.  He is light.  He is the savior of the world.  He is the Son of God.  And He has come to represent His Father, to speak and act in obedience to God.  What He speaks and how He acts is not just in accordance with the Law of God.  Jesus only speaks and acts as God commands Him. 

These are bold statements.

Jesus says that he has not come to judge, but to save.  He says that on the last day, the Day of Judgment, the LOGOS (word) will serve as the judge.  How do you interpret that?

The consequence of rejecting Jesus and refusing to do what He says rests with the person who has heard Him but refuses to do as He commands.  Anyone who receives Jesus and believes what He says demonstrates that by how he or she acts.

Jesus says that the His father’s commandment is eternal life.  Elsewhere He says, “This is eternal life – to know the Father and to know the One He sent.”  (John 17:3)

So we have another chance to answer the question:  “Who is Jesus?”