Friday of the Fifth Week of Lent
Standing up for what we believe in, for who we believe in, can bolster our faith.
This passage in the Gospel of John takes place on a winter day in Jerusalem during Hannukah (the festival of the Dedication).
Jesus strolls along the eastern portico of the Temple when a group of Jews (most likely synagogue leaders) “gathered around him” (John 10:24).
The scene escalates quickly. A few verses later, Jesus asserts his unity with God to his skeptical crowd: “The Father and I are one” (v. 30).
Today’s reading begins just after Jesus speaks these words. The Jews then pick up stones to render the appropriate punishment for blasphemy.
The remainder of the scene depicts Jesus defending his unity with the Father. Ultimately, the Jews neither punish nor apprehend him. It is not time for that just yet.
Place yourself in this scene. You accompany Jesus during this confrontation. You are at his side. You stand up for him amid the accusatory crowd. Deep down, you know that Jesus has all the wisdom and skill required to defend himself. Yet, you are his friend. You love him. What words would you choose to argue for Jesus’s oneness with the Father? How does what you say align with Jesus’s own response to the Jews in this passage? How does your act of boldness reinforce your faith?
Later, after you and Jesus escape the scene, what does he say to you?
The Gospel of John was written so that its readers may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah despite experiencing heavy persecution (20:31). How has this passage encouraged your faith today?
—Rachael Griggs