I am now able to read and access my posts, which I've not been able to do for many months. So let me follow up on yesterday's thoughts about Peter's emotional reaction in John 13 to the immanent departure of Christ.
Jesus recognizes that all of the disciples are disturbed. Jesus has predicted his own death and told the disciples they cannot follow him. He has also told Peter that rather than die heroically with Jesus, Peter in fact will deny Christ three times within the next 12 hours!
No wonder they are disturbed. Into their anxiety and sadness, Jesus speaks the comforting words that are often read at funerals (John 14:1 - 6). He begins to tell them where he is going and what he will do while he is away. He encourages them to keep trusting God and keep trusting Him. Jesus assures them that the Father's house has room enough for everyone and that He, Jesus is going to prepare for their coming. Then He provides the great promise that He will come back and take them home. Finally He assures them that they know the way.
At this point, we need to again feel the emotion, Thomas says, " but, but, but Lord, we don't know where and we don't know the way!" He is sad, confused maybe even a little frustrated. Is there a tone of defeat or of complaint? We can't know for sure. However Jesus knows that what the disciples are asking for is help because things don't feel right at all.
It is then Jesus provides the wonderful assurance: not "I will tell you about the way, give you the truth and explain how you should live." No, He says, "I am the way, the truth and the life." What a wonderful personal answer to Thomas' question.
"Thomas, you know me. Yes you do. And Thomas, I am the gate, remember; I am the door; I am the way to God and all that God offers. How can I be the way? Because I am God's truthful revelation and I am the life that is truly life. To know the Father and me is to know real life."
The answer is so personal, so relational. Jesus goes on to say "If you really knew me, you would know the Father as well."
One commentary I read a few days ago pointed out the difference between "knowing" to the Greek mind vs "knowing" to the Hebrew mind. This is to put it simplistically but it is an important distinction. In Greek thinking to know is "seeing with a view of grasping the nature of an object. Knowledge of God would be to contemplate divine nature and reality.
To the Hebrew mind, to know"is to have relationship, to experience something; to enter a relationship with God."
Jesus is speaking within the Jewish culture and he is calling his disciples to focus on relationship. It was too easy for them to think "spatially" - where and how do we get there. Jesus says it is about knowing the Son and the Father. We know them so that in the present and in the life to come, the assurance comes through relationship.
We don't need to worry about what comes after death. Why? Because we are going to the Father's house - and we know Him. And we will be going with Jesus (I will come back and take you to be with me), the One we know and love.
Jesus recognizes that all of the disciples are disturbed. Jesus has predicted his own death and told the disciples they cannot follow him. He has also told Peter that rather than die heroically with Jesus, Peter in fact will deny Christ three times within the next 12 hours!
No wonder they are disturbed. Into their anxiety and sadness, Jesus speaks the comforting words that are often read at funerals (John 14:1 - 6). He begins to tell them where he is going and what he will do while he is away. He encourages them to keep trusting God and keep trusting Him. Jesus assures them that the Father's house has room enough for everyone and that He, Jesus is going to prepare for their coming. Then He provides the great promise that He will come back and take them home. Finally He assures them that they know the way.
At this point, we need to again feel the emotion, Thomas says, " but, but, but Lord, we don't know where and we don't know the way!" He is sad, confused maybe even a little frustrated. Is there a tone of defeat or of complaint? We can't know for sure. However Jesus knows that what the disciples are asking for is help because things don't feel right at all.
It is then Jesus provides the wonderful assurance: not "I will tell you about the way, give you the truth and explain how you should live." No, He says, "I am the way, the truth and the life." What a wonderful personal answer to Thomas' question.
"Thomas, you know me. Yes you do. And Thomas, I am the gate, remember; I am the door; I am the way to God and all that God offers. How can I be the way? Because I am God's truthful revelation and I am the life that is truly life. To know the Father and me is to know real life."
The answer is so personal, so relational. Jesus goes on to say "If you really knew me, you would know the Father as well."
One commentary I read a few days ago pointed out the difference between "knowing" to the Greek mind vs "knowing" to the Hebrew mind. This is to put it simplistically but it is an important distinction. In Greek thinking to know is "seeing with a view of grasping the nature of an object. Knowledge of God would be to contemplate divine nature and reality.
To the Hebrew mind, to know"is to have relationship, to experience something; to enter a relationship with God."
Jesus is speaking within the Jewish culture and he is calling his disciples to focus on relationship. It was too easy for them to think "spatially" - where and how do we get there. Jesus says it is about knowing the Son and the Father. We know them so that in the present and in the life to come, the assurance comes through relationship.
We don't need to worry about what comes after death. Why? Because we are going to the Father's house - and we know Him. And we will be going with Jesus (I will come back and take you to be with me), the One we know and love.
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