Skip to content

Commentaries
English
John
  
37"If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me,38but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father."39Again they tried to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.


"This means," explained Jesus, "You must believe in me, as I do what God does, works of mercy. Sovereignty would not be mine if I did not represent his compassion. Since His love is incarnate in me, I have the authority to fulfill God’s works, for they are truly the Father’s work."
"It may be your minds failed to grasp deity in humanity. Nevertheless, examine my works, who can raise the dead by his word, and open blind eyes, or still the storm, or feed 5.000 famished folk with five loaves and two fishes? Do you long for the Holy Spirit to open your minds and hear His voice, so that you may know that God Himself is in me? When you are filled with the Holy Spirit you will abide in this essential knowledge, and realize that the fullness of deity is in me bodily."
Here and before the milling crowds, Jesus uttered the mighty words, that he was in the Father, and as the branch abides in the vine, and receives strength from the roots, so also Christ proceeds from the Father and abides in Him. The two are indivisible, in perfect harmony and unity. Thus we can say, the Son is hidden in the Father, to reveal his Father and honor Him. So the most famous of prayers begins, "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name."
Whoever delves deeply in the testimony of Jesus on his deity, in prayer and adoration, will realize it is the decisive proof against superficial understanding about the Holy Trinity. Not three gods apart from one another, but perfect unity in the Holy Trinity, so with joy we testify that God is One.
When the Jews heard Jesus’ repeated testimony on his perfect union with the Father, they drew back from stoning him. Yet they wished to arrest him and bring him to the High Council, there to discover his views. Jesus slipped away from them. No man can harm one of God’s children, so long as their Father’s will protects them. Jesus said, "No one can pluck them out of my Father’s hand."

Prayer
Father and Lamb of God, we see full unity in your love. Our minds cannot grasp deity in your humanity. Your Spirit has illumined us, to realize that great love and your saving deeds. You made us your children. Help us to hallow your name in our motives, words and acts. Sanctify us as you are holy.
Question
How did Jesus proclaim his divinity?