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January 31, 2006
What did Jesus really mean?
I was reading this morning in John 14, and I had forgotten how some of the statements here puzzle me. The chapter is a part of Jesus’ final teaching to his followers, still in the upper room on the eve of his arrest. In this teaching, Jesus makes some astounding statements. Some of them are very difficult for me to understand, and I don’t know if the reason is because of the apparent implications of what He is saying, or because I am think-headed, or what. But it is certain that He said these things, and they cannot be disregarded. Here are portions from verses 6-26.
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. 7 "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him." 8 Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." 9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father '? 10 "Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. 11 "Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.
This passage is the first one that intrigues me, but it’s actually fairly straightforward. First is Jesus’ claim that there is only one way to God, and that is through him. That creates a problem for those who hold that there are “many paths to God.” Apparently, according to these words from Jesus himself, that just isn’t so.
But the question arises, what about those who have never heard – had no opportunity to hear – the name of Jesus. What about “the native in deepest Africa,” or an indian in the remotest jungles of the Amazon, for example. If they have never heard of Jesus, and have never had the opportunity to accept or reject him, are they condemned out of hand for a lack that is not of their causing? Many say yes. They say that unless a person consciously “accepts Jesus as his savior,” he is lost.
How do we reconcile that with a God who tells us that He is loving, and even more, that He is a God of justice?
Perhaps what Jesus had in mind was not that his name would become a sort of “magic word” that opened the gates of heaven, but rather that it is only by the death and resurrection of Jesus that we have entrance to the Father. Perhaps the truth of God is that He will turn away no one who sincerely cries out to him, marking down the blood of Jesus next to their name on the rolls of heaven.
I suspect we will be surprised at who will be – and perhaps not be – in heaven.
12 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. 13 "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.
This is a biggie for me. What can Jesus mean when He said that those who believe in him – that included me, and perhaps you – will do greater works than He did? This is mind blowing. It’s a simple straightforward statement, and it doesn’t seem like it should be some sort of theological mystery. Does it mean that we will reach more people than He did? That seems a possibility. After all, Jesus only reached a few thousand people in his fairly short and local ministry. So does He refer to numbers? Perhaps. What if He is talking about a qualitative comparison, and not a numerical one? Could He be saying that we will do the kinds of things – works, He called them – that He did, but that we will do many more of them, because there will be many more of us doing them?
Jesus healed scores of people – it was a central part of his ministry – and set people free from demon influenced. He raised the dead, and He demonstrated in a variety of ways his authority over the physical world. Are we expected to do those kinds of things, too? If that’s his intent, it seems to me that we have missed the boat, big time.
Posted by Larry Baden at January 31, 2006 09:41 AM
Comments
This parable is related to the miracal of the sermon on the mount.The people were tired and hungry.So the deciples ask Jesus to feed them.Jesus turns to them, and say's you feed them.Jesus came to feed the spirit of man,not the cravings of the flesh.When the people heard Jesus they were refreshed the spirit woken up.Thier spirit knew this was God, and no longer hungered for him.Jesus is saying I have fed them.He knows his deciples dont understand.Put all your money together and it still will come up short. Because man,(Flesh) canot feed what God (Spirit) can.Out of the five loaves of bread,(the fulfillment of the frist five book old test)The bread, (Jesus).The two fish,I send you out in pairs.So the two fish equal Mat, Mark,Luke,John.When the bread was broken,(the body of christ) it feed the thousands, who first heard the words right from Jesus lips.The Holy spirit came upon all that hungered for God.The deciples are told to feed the rest of the world.And they do.Four books are written and added to the five.The holy Bible.He tells them to go collect.the left over pieces.The heeping baskets are the harvest. The collected soals from all the ages of the world, who who believed Jesus was God.Let me explain it like this.Lets say Jesus is the frist dandylion flower on earth.In its glory we can see its beauty.It swears its going to spread its beauty all over earth.We say how can it be.One little flower spreading all its beauty over all the earth.They all walk in disbelief.The flower dies, and wind spreads its seed all over earth.While the flower lived its seed is still inside.And only when dies is it able to spread its seed. The wind is the holy spirit.Spring arrives and look at all the dandylions.They die, spring comes over and over.
Posted by: George in MA at February 5, 2006 12:24 PM
I believe that the answer your looking for lys in Matthew 24:14.It is up to us teach those who havent heard about the wonders of Jesus.The scripture cleary states that until everyone has had a chance to accept or reject Jesus,the end is not near.And for those who insist that there are "many paths to God, well I suggest that they do a little more research. Or better yet, how about we reach out and tell them of the news. And I'm being very sincere!!
Posted by: Ray Elliott at February 7, 2006 11:37 PM
I just ask one thing. What is the greater of the two miracles, the physical part where he feed everyones bellies, and that keep then filled for a few hours?Or the spiritual part that feed and continues to feed, not just hundreds or thousands but,billions.
Posted by: George in MA at February 8, 2006 06:08 PM
When talking about the commandments Jesus said the the 1st and foremost commandment is "To love thy GOD with all your heart and your soul, and love thy neighbour as thyselves".
I believe that this is the way to THE FATHER througfh JESUS by the reciprocal love of one another.
Therefore it stands to reason that those who have not heared of Jesus or profess other religions, as long as they love their GOD with heart and soul the GOD they have been raised to belive in and love their neighbours as themselves are all legible candidates to see THE FATHER in the next life.
Posted by: Martin Borg at March 3, 2006 12:22 PM
All other ways to reach God or heaven from human rationale is futility,as evidenced by many forms of idolatries(religions).And idolatry is a carricature of the limitation of religious instinct in man.Jesus is the only way to the Father because that is the only way God has chosing to reach down to man.Man's mind is limited to comprehend an infinite 'Uncaused cause'-God. Therefore any attempt to reach God besides the provision in Christ is bound to be a fiasco.GENESIS 11.
Posted by: Yep Emmanuel at March 7, 2006 06:01 AM
We must always think big. Everytime Jesus said something to His apostles either in parable forms or in a direct manner, we have to consider that He is also talking to His people, irregardless of denominations. Now that we are in the Y2K, that we are in multitudes and we are all here in the other "ends of the Earth", as what Isaiah prohesized, the things He said about "no one should go to the Father except through me", may also mean that He is referring these to those who don't believe in Him and His Father especially the atheists and other religions such as the Muslims that are now here in the US. In a larger scale, is it possible that the Church that Jesus built is the US? You will all think of the extreme lefties in this country and other non-Christians that are here also in the US? It's because of Jesus words itself when he said to Peter that upon this "rock", I will build my Church that the "gates of hell or Hades" shall not prevail. Meaning in Jesus' Church, the "gates" are also here, are they not? Is this not to fulfill the prophecy. Note also that in the Revelation, (which no one revealed yet?) there are "7" Churches mentioned. Out of the Seven Churches, could it be possible that the one mention is the Church that Jesus built? How would you know? Is it possible by computation? What do you think is the formula? The formula is the link below.
http://www.lulu.com/content/235154
Posted by: Son Of Man at March 11, 2006 10:24 PM
Good questions all.
My own view as to what Jesus meant in John 14:12 goes back to the fact that Jesus was sent ONLY to the Jewish people. He never went to a Gentile, tho Gentiles and the Samaritan woman came to him. I think he is referring to the fact that the disciples would be sent into the world and would not be confined to just the Jews.
Posted by: BH at March 18, 2006 07:06 PM
As far as what happens to those who never had the opportunity to hear the gospel...didn't Paul address that issue himself?
Posted by: BH at March 18, 2006 07:07 PM
BH,
You are correct that Jesus never went to the gentiles, though we might note that he also never turned away those gentiles who came to him.
Regarding Paul's adressing of the issue of those who never heard the gospel, what, specifically are you thinking of?
Posted by: Larry Baden at March 18, 2006 07:29 PM
I have just read the fathers Love letter! amazing stuff and i have met with God through it.
I have be baptised and am only now coming to relise that as i accept and believe in him and he is the only way that that statement and decleration i make means that i can do anything, i just have to ask for anything and it will be given to me that the desires of my heart will be fullfilled beacause God has placed them desires within me.
It blows my mind that the person who calms the storms calls me a friend, that the person i call father is also the almighty God.
one amoung the many things that hit me and impacted me in the fathres love letter was that God says im not a mistake and everyday has something writtern on it. What an amzing message!
My mind is racing with all these things that God is saying to me and the simple thing like ask and ill give it to you seems like it has a catch on it or something but it is.
read the fathers love letter and i hope you feel that intamacy with my father like i do now!
Posted by: Emily at June 21, 2006 06:42 PM
I still find myself agonizing over what Jesus really meant by the statements made in John 14.Realizing that Jesus was a man of great humility, this statement seems almost arrogant in the present context. Is it possible that Jesus was presenting himself as a picture of how we should live our lives and stating that we should try to live the way he lived in order to please the Father? Living any other way just won't do it.
Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists all believe in a higher power, a God figure. Are they really condemned for lack of belief in Christ?
Posted by: Will R. at February 6, 2007 11:23 PM
