John’s Gospel makes very big claims for Jesus. He is not just a good teacher, or even just God’s Messiah, who could have been another prophet. According to John, Jesus is God himself, present on earth. Jesus says to some religious leaders “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8.58), echoing the words God spoke to Moses out of the burning bush (Exodus 3.14) Moses wanted to know God’s name; the gods of Egypt, where he grew up, all had names, after all, and knowing their names was important. But the only answer this God will give is a word which means, roughly “I am who I am”. The Greek word he uses, “logos”, was used by Greek philosophers to mean “the organising principle of the universe.” God, the Word, is Being itself, and John claims Jesus is this Word too. He doesn’t spell out how this can be, and it has kept theologians busy (and arguing!) ever since, but John is clear that Jesus is God’s perfect expression of himself. However we understand this, it reminds us of the supreme importance of Jesus to Christian faith. Those who met Jesus felt they were meeting God, and even when he was no longer with them physically, they felt his presence through his Holy Spirit, and in one another.
REFLECTION POINTS
• What do you think of this passage?
• Who do you think Jesus was and is?
• What has shaped your view of Jesus? Has it changed over time?
ALL AGE IDEA
• Look at some pictures of Jesus (there are some here) What do you think of them? How would you draw Jesus?
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