Before Abraham was, I am

'Whoever is from God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear them is that you are not from God.’

The Jews answered him, ‘Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?’ Jesus answered, ‘I do not have a demon; but I honour my Father, and you dishonour me. Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is one who seeks it and he is the judge. Very truly, I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.’ The Jews said to him, ‘Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets; yet you say, “Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.” Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets also died. Who do you claim to be?’ Jesus answered, ‘If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, he of whom you say, “He is our God”, though you do not know him. But I know him; if I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him and I keep his word. Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day; he saw it and was glad.’ Then the Jews said to him, ‘You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.’ So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

- John 8:47-59

Jesus continues speaking at the temple to the crowds, and to those who wish to arrest him. This is at the end of the Feast of Tabernacles (or Booths). See the past week's readings for the full text of this teaching and preaching, and notes on its relevance to the festival: My time has not yet fully come; The glory of God; Let anyone who is thirsty come to me; Go your way; I am the light of the world; You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free; and If the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

'Whoever is from God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear them is that you are not from God.' Throughout his talk in this past week's readings, Jesus has been emphasizing relationship, and how it works through his words. His words come from the Father, he says, therefore those who love the Father will hear his words. It's like a light that penetrates through all things and all people, into our hearts, as in the statement he has used, "I am the light of the world."

The Jews answered him, ‘Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?’ My study bible notes here that Samaritans were viewed as demon-possessed heretics. We recall that the use of the term "the Jews" in this gospel is meant to indicate the leadership that rejects him, and seeks to find grounds on which to arrest him. Jewish spirituality and its heritage is always upheld in Jesus' preaching throughout all the gospels as that which he has come to fulfill and embody - and enlighten with new meaning and fullness.

Jesus answered, ‘I do not have a demon; but I honour my Father, and you dishonour me. Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is one who seeks it and he is the judge. Very truly, I tell you, whoever keeps my word will never see death.’ Again, relationship is the key to understanding what he is saying here. It is the words and works from the Father that Jesus does, because he glorifies the Father, not himself. In their rejection, they are rejecting these words and works; and therefore, he says, judgment comes of the Father. "Whoever keeps my word will never see death" is an indication of that depth of relationship; those who have ears to hear are reaching toward the Father and the promise of life in that kingdom in an eternal reality of the Father. He is talking to those who are the keepers of the Scriptures and spiritual heritage; for Jesus, I conclude, these men are responsible for what they reject in him.

The Jews said to him, ‘Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and so did the prophets; yet you say, “Whoever keeps my word will never taste death.” Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets also died. Who do you claim to be?’ Jesus answered, ‘If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, he of whom you say, “He is our God”, though you do not know him. But I know him; if I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him and I keep his word. Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day; he saw it and was glad.' Repeatedly, Jesus emphasizes intention and will and relationship: what he seeks to glorify, he says, is not himself but the Father. "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me." Jesus tells them they do not know the One Whom they claim to worship -- and that Jesus would be lying if he himself said he did not know the Father. In the poetic eloquence of the gospels, Jesus calls them liars as they question him and seek to frame him, while he himself is telling the truth that is astounding, astonishing, impossible - it seems - to take in. And then an even deeper note comes into the conversation: "Your ancestor Abraham rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad." In a similar statement in Luke's gospel, Jesus has preached that "many prophets and kings have desired to see what you see, and have not seen it, and to hear what you hear, and have not heard it" (Luke 10:23, 24). He is telling them that Abraham awaited this revelation, but they do not follow the one whom they call their father, Abraham.

Then the Jews said to him, ‘You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?’ Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.’ So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. Jesus has now fully united himself with the Lord of the Old Testament Scriptures. "I AM" is a name of God in the Old Testament, first revealed to Moses at the burning bush (Ex. 3:13-15; Is. 43:10). My study bibles notes as follows: "To the Jews this pronouncement was a direct, explicit, and unmistakable claim to perfect equality with God. John places special emphasis on the use of the expression for the purpose of revealing Christ as God. In context, this statement illuminates what He began saying in v. 51, that those who keep His word will neither see nor taste death. Only God has power over death, and Jesus is claiming such power." Another note reads: "The Jews regarded Jesus' claim to be one with God (v. 58) as the most abominable form of blasphemy. They took up stones because death by stoning was the penalty for blasphemy required by the Mosaic Law. But Jesus departs from their midst by divine power without being harmed." Despite the fact that the leadership has frequently - and throughout this time of teaching in the temple - sought to bring charges against Jesus and have him arrested, this is yet another failure to apprehend him (in this case, to stone him for ultimate blasphemy). So, what are we to think? Is this an outrageous claim? Is he a liar or truthful? Possessed by a demon, a heretic - or Son as he claims, and equal with God? It is up to us to choose how we believe, and to think about these things in our hearts, and what they mean to us today.

We don't stand in Jesus' immediate presence as teacher, we are not witnesses to his healing and miracles nor to his preaching. We are told in these readings of this week that many did believe him; even the temple police could not arrest him after hearing one sermon. Again, we go back to relationship. Further on in John's gospel, we will read that "blessed are those who have not seen, yet believe."