Friday 02 May 2008
"'And the one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what is pleasing to him.' As he was saying these things, many believed in him". (v.29-30)
Background
This is a complex passage, difficult to make sense of inisolation. Jesus is speaking about himself, revealing hisunderstanding of his place in the cosmos and his part in thejourney towards God for his followers.
Jesus makes it clear that his departure - when he will be 'above'with the Father - will be a moment of consequence. A moment whenhis relationship with the Father and the things of 'above' will bea crucial matter of faith and a vital moment in realising what therelationship with the Father is about - "When you have lifted upthe Son of Man … you will realise…"
The ideas here may seem dense and rich, clearly distilled over theyears since Jesus spoke about these things, but at the end of thediscourse, many of the people who listened believed. Interestinglyin the next verse Jesus tells them straight away that obeying histeaching is the only way to really be his disciples.
To Ponder
A physical, three-decker universe (heaven, earth,hell) lies behind some of the imagery here. Does that make sensefor you 2000 years later? If not, in what way is Jesus 'from above'while we are 'from this world'?
What things in our lives might we describe asbeing 'of above' or of a higher order?