And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch. Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long do you make us to doubt? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and you believed not: the works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me. But you believe not, because you are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, who gave them to me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one.
Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I showed you from my Father; for which of those works do you stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone you not; but for blasphemy; and because that you, being a man, make yourself God. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, You are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; Say you of him, whom the Father has sanctified, and sent into the world, You blaspheme; because I said, I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though you believe not me, believe the works: that you may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him. Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand,
For those exploring the cost of the kingdom, it comes up often. They ask, "How can I know for sure that this Jesus is indeed the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the Living God?" We must take this in two steps:
- Did he ever claim such a thing?
- If he did, is there any evidence to support it?
In this short passage, Jesus makes three specific statements which indicate that he and God the Father are one in the same.
"No one can snatch them out of my hand," he says—and then echoes that thought with his Father's hand. He is equating himself with the Father.
He gives his sheep eternal life. But who has the power of eternal life—except the eternal God?
Finally, he makes it explicit: "I and the Father are one."
Some smiling heathens will tell you that Jesus never claimed to be God. Don't you believe it; even his enemies understood this claim.
The evidence
Claiming to be God (besides being blasphemy) could be a sign of insanity. Is there any evidence to support this claim? Jesus gives us here three categories of evidence for his claim:
- The evidence of the Scripture. Over and again we find reference to the Scriptures prophesying the Christ.
- The evidence of the miracles. How does a man who is a lunatic or liar do such things?
- The evidence of family likeness. Search the Scriptures. Find out what God the Father is like; then see if this Jesus is not the living character likeness of Him.
If you are a Christian, then you believe that this Jesus is the Son of God. But do you act like you believe it? Are you indeed one of his sheep? Do you hear his voice and follow, obeying his commands? Do you tell others of his call to salvation? Do you show his care for the sick, the poor and the weary?
Jesus, the friend of sinners, is also the God omnipotent and omniscient. Do you honor him both as friend and God?
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