Is it not written in your law, 'I said, "You are gods."'?

Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, "Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?" The Jews answered Him, saying, 'For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because 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, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'? If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do, though you do not believe 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 seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand. And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed. Then many came to Him and said, "John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true." And many believed in Him there.

- John 10:31-42

Jesus is at the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem at the temple: it is winter, and this is the festival of lights (or Hannukkah). In yesterday's reading, Jesus once again began a dialogue and confrontation with the leadership of the temple (referred to in the Gospel as "the Jews"). Finally, Jesus states clearly: "I and My Father are one." Today's reading continues from there.

Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. Jesus answered them, "Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?" The Jews answered Him, saying, 'For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God." In yesterday's reading, I quoted from a note in my study bible that was relevant to the statement "I and My Father are one" and these first few verses of today's reading. I will restate here: "Responding to their question (v. 24). Jesus reveals Himself as fully God: one means one in nature. He was God before the Incarnation, and He remains fully God after that union of God and man in His one Person. The verb are indicates the Father and the Son are two Persons. They are always distinct, but united in essence, will and action. Jesus' bold claim causes a violent reaction: they attempt to stone Him, accusing Him of blasphemy." Jesus' claim is simply unacceptable; it is beyond the conception of the people (the leadership in the temple) who are quizzing Him. But, we will see from the Gospel, there is more to it than that. His presence - and His stated identity - are a threat to their authority and position, their "praise of men."

Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, "You are gods."'? If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?" My study bible notes here: Jesus' question comes in response to the Pharisees' charge of blasphemy (v. 33). What the Lord is saying, according to St. John Chrysostom, is this: 'If those who have received this honor by grace are not found with fault for calling themselves gods, how can He who has this by nature deserve to be rebuked!'" The quotation Jesus cites here is from Psalm 82 (verse 6). It's quite interesting, because if we read the psalm we are also given an understanding of man's relationship to God. My study bible notes on this verse in the psalm: "Verse 6 is quoted by Christ in John 10:34 and is God's promise to supply us, by grace, with what He is by nature." This process, in the Eastern church, is called theosis or deification. It is an understanding that by grace, we can become "like God;" that is, we partake of God's strength, righteousness, love -- and the process of faith makes this a deepening journey through life. The psalm itself interestingly speaks of the great assembly of "gods" -- and its practice of injustice, its failure to live up to its potential (or even do its duty) as sons of the Most High.

"If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him." Jesus is quite a skillful defender of Himself, if we look closely at this text. First of all, He cites Scripture as a precedent, in the quotation from Psalm 82 (as noted in the paragraph above). And then He goes on to elaborate. How is He "like God" - like His Father? With Jesus, it is not just a simple question of sharing in the nature of God by grace, but it is a powerful testimony that He "does the works of My Father." If they don't believe what He says, then they can believe the works of the Father that He does -- which testify to this nature in Him. The signs (six so far in John's Gospel), such as the healing of the blind man, are evidence of a deeper reality at work, and they point to Christ's identity in union with the Father.

Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand. And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed. Then many came to Him and said, "John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true." And many believed in Him there. Away from the temple authorities, there is another witness: John the Baptist himself. Many people believed in John and his ministry; he was a very popular prophetic figure among the people. John's followers reason among themselves, and choose to follow Christ.

It's interesting that Jesus appeals to the temple authorities even with the evidence of their own sonship that they should not condemn Him for blasphemy for stating that He and His Father are one. In some sense, we could say that He seeks to "appeal to their better natures." Better nature, indeed, and yet the psalm itself speaks of the injustice in the assembly, while God Himself presides and watches on, wondering when justice will be done:

"How long will you defend the unjust
and show partiality to the wicked?
. . .

"They know nothing, they understand nothing.
They walk about in darkness;
all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

"I said, 'You are "gods";
you are all sons of the Most High.'

But you will die like mere men;
you will fall like every other ruler."

Jesus is calling them to awaken to their own nature, or at least to see in His works what is there. But "they know nothing, they understand nothing. They walk about in darkness." Jesus is at the festival of lights, and He has called Himself the light of the world. In this assembly where there is so little righteousness nor justice, let us consider what it is to be a "son of the Most High" and the great gift we possess of grace. Shall we hold it as dear as it is - with its offer of an everlasting relationship? Or shall we waste it with injustice and unrighteousness, selfish and self-centered, unmerciful behavior? The psalm makes it clear, we have a choice. It always was clear, to the Psalmist, and here through the words of Christ. What will we choose now? Our righteousness is tied to our capacity to perceive light, and the very nature which we are asked to learn for ourselves through the depth of relationship in faith.

THIS IS JESUS - THE KING OF THE JEWS

Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear his cross. And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull, they gave him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when he had tasted it, he would not drink. Then they crucified him, and divided his garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet:

"They divided my garments among them,

And for my clothing they cast lots."

Sitting down, they kept watch over him there. And they put up over his head the accusation written against him:

THIS IS JESUS

THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and another on the left. And those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads and saying, "You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross." Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, "He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he is the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God, let Him deliver him now if He will have him, for he said, 'I am the Son of God.'" Even the robbers who were crucified with him reviled him with the same thing.

- Matthew 27:32-44

In yesterday's reading, we read of many choices; of Pilate's choice to try to wash his hands of the decision, of the crowd's choice to try to take Jesus' blood upon their hands and their children's, of the soldiers who gathered the whole garrison to humiliate Jesus before crucifixion. And today, we read of the crucifixion itself.

Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear his cross. And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, that is to say, Place of a Skull, they gave him sour wine mingled with gall to drink. But when he had tasted it, he would not drink. Then they crucified him, and divided his garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: "They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots." As written in Mark's gospel, Simon of Cyrene will come to be known as the father of two sons who will later be members of the early church, Rufus and Alexander. At the Last Supper, when Jesus instituted the Eucharist, his covenant, he told his disciples, "But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." He is true to his word; he does not drink the wine offered to him. The quotation ("They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots") is from Psalm 22:18.

Sitting down, they kept watch over him there. And they put up over his head the accusation written against him: THIS IS JESUS - KING OF THE JEWS. For Jesus, the mockery and humiliation are complete. He is derided, degraded. He is the model of a scapegoat, in earthly terms.

My study bible has a note on our entire reading for today, which I will insert here: "Jesus endures the weakness of our body in his own body on the Cross to take upon himself our sufferings. This he does by the reality of the union of his divine nature and human nature in the One Son of God. His humanity is indeed our very humanity. He endures pain, is struck, tortured and crucified: He is wounded on account of our sins (Is. 53:5). And though he has no sin, he himself was made to be sin for us, that through his flesh he might condemn sin in the flesh (Rom. 8:3; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 2:9)."

Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and another on the left. And those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads and saying, "You who destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross." Likewise the chief priests also, mocking with the scribes and elders, said, "He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he is the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God, let Him deliver him now if He will have him, for he said, 'I am the Son of God.'" Even the robbers who were crucified with him reviled him with the same thing. This scene reflects much in scripture of the "Man of Sorrows" (see the icon from yesterday's commentary). We can read in Psalm 22, verse 8: "He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him!" Even Jesus' mockery is prefigured in scripture. And we will see in tomorrow's reading, how Psalm 22 reflects so much of what is happening here. Isaiah 53:9 & 12 is also reflected, here and in the readings that will follow. Jesus is utterly despised. We are told that even the robbers crucified with him look down on him and revile him. He is the lowest of the low, in earthly terms.

So, once again, as in the past few readings, we must ask ourselves, what are we looking upon here? What is this picture we see before us in this reading? The King of Kings and Lord of Lords is mocked, spat upon, the lowest of the low. He is crucified in a pitiless, helpless way as the whole world seems to look on and look down upon this scene. What do we do with this awful, unbearable picture of truth upside down? In this hour of crucifixion, what should we see? What do we think about?

One thing we know for certain is the truth of the words of Isaiah 53:9: "Because He had done no violence, Nor was there any deceit in His mouth." Jesus has been truthful, true to himself, to his word, to his teachings and his identity all throughout this trial and crucifixion. That is one thing we can see. But what else is true about this scene? Contempt for Christ is something we all have to face at some point, if you ask me. His weakness, his lack of earthly power, what does it all mean here? We must face within ourselves the reality of the world that would create this scene. It may be hidden well in our lives. It may not ever appear in some stark and clear way. But there is a place in the world where it comes up, in contempt for truth, in contempt for the weak and powerless, in contempt for those upon whom we can falsely place somebody else's (or perhaps our own) guilt. In its contempt for anything beyond the worldly, for spiritual truth of the heart, that takes spiritual eyes and ears to see. This scene teaches us about something we have to guard against, and understand in order to know how we must make choices, and what we sometime must take a stand against in our own lives.

What do you see in the world that is upside down? That can bring terrible cruelty to those who don't deserve it? Let us ask ourselves for whom did Jesus die? Why is he on that cross? We know that it is for you and me. How does he teach us to be like him here? Can we share his burden, as did Simon?

Whose Son is He?

While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, "What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?" They said to him, "The Son of David." He said to them, "How then does David in the Spirit call Him 'Lord,' saying:

'The Lord said to my Lord,

"Sit at My right hand,

Till I make Your enemies Your footstool" '?

"If David then calls Him 'Lord,' how is He his Son?"

And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question him anymore.

- Matthew 22:41-46

As we are in preparation for Ascension Day tomorrow, the lectionary takes us to different parts of the gospel of Matthew in celebration of this day. Today's reading focuses on Jesus' dispute with the Pharisees about interpretation of scripture - most specifically the understanding from scripture about the nature of the Christ, or the Messiah.

While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, "What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?" They said to him, "The Son of David." My study bible notes that "Jesus takes the offensive against the Pharisees, further exposing them as pseudo-scholars who do not understand the bible. They suppose the Messiah to be a mere man, and therefore reply Son of David to Jesus' question." At this point in Matthew's gospel, Jesus has been repeatedly challenged by the leadership in the temple. In today's passage, Jesus clearly takes the offensive. And, of course, when speaking of "the Christ," we know that he is, in fact, declaring himself - speaking of himself.

He said to them, "How then does David in the Spirit call Him 'Lord,' saying: 'The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool" '? If David then calls Him 'Lord,' how is He his Son?" The passage Jesus quotes here is from Psalm 110:1, a psalm of David. My study bible notes: "David, as king of Israel, would not address anyone as 'my Lord' except God Himself. Therefore, this psalm verse describes God talking to God -- the Father to the Son -- which contradicts the Pharisees' view of God as one Person, and introduces the doctrine of the Holy Trinity." Jesus refers to David, authoring the psalm, "in the Spirit." So, in effect, this is another occasion on which the Trinity is introduced through the Gospel: The Father speaks to the Son - "the Lord said to my Lord" - which David receives "in the Spirit." Speaking for myself, the psalms of David remain the beautiful and timeless prayers they do because of this aspect of David himself - "in the Spirit" - a king with the soul of a great mystic. It is the nature of scripture such as this that it is timeless, and transcends our immediate needs and awareness so that it addresses a need for depth that is always with us. As we have skipped around the gospel for a particular occasion, tomorrow's Ascension Day celebration, we have had a chance to review several ideas linked with one another through the gospels. Here, Jesus ties in David's beautiful psalm verse with his own teachings in confrontation with the interpretation of the Pharisees. In the past few readings, we have had an opportunity to review the parable of the Sower (see Why do you speak to them in parables? and Therefore hear the parable of the sower) in light of our recent reading of the Sermon on the Mount and all of its teachings (see readings and commentary from Monday, April 26th through Saturday, May 8th, 2010 -- beginning with The Beatitudes and ending with The Narrow Gate). We have understood from doing so the importance of "spiritual eyes and ears" - the ability to see and hear spiritually, to understand, and to go further into our faith by bearing the fruit of this understanding - by going more deeply and growing in that understanding. Here, Jesus illustrates the same point at a much later part of the gospel. As my study bible notes, Jesus here illustrates - through confrontation - the Pharisees' lack of understanding.

In telling his disciples the explanation of his use of parables, Jesus quoted from the Prophet Isaiah, saying, " And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: 'Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive; for the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.' But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear." Here in this passage today, Jesus is illustrating the same point with the Pharisees. He is therefore, at once, referring to himself and his nature in the Person of the Christ, and also as the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy. The meanings and timelessness of scripture link - and the fruitfulness Jesus desires is our deeper understanding of them, as exemplified in the fullness of his teachings and his own enlightening words about the various parts of scripture he expands upon from the Old Testament. Indeed, the entire Sermon on the Mount focuses on the expansion of what is already understood through scripture. We are to have spiritual eyes and ears open to this understanding, and growth in that awareness. All of his teachings that we have reviewed in the Sermon on the Mount, and through the parable of the Sower have told us that.

"And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day on did anyone dare question him anymore." Clearly, the gospel is teaching us, the Pharisees have understood precisely what has been illustrated. Jesus has more insight into the scriptures than they do - he who is without credential, and yet who always "speaks as one with authority." The break is complete, and Isaiah's prophecy is fulfilled.

As we prepare for Ascension Day (I believe that this year it is universally on the same day in all denominations), let us consider again the importance of having eyes and ears that see and hear spiritually. All of our readings - from all parts of Matthew's gospel - have focused on this in the past few weeks. Jesus wants followers with these eyes and ears, and hearts open to spiritual meaning and knowledge. It is more than just an intellectual grasp. What we pray "to our Father in the secret place" is meant to be a communion, relationship, dialogue. We ask for the word - as seed - to take root and growth within us, in our hearts. We prepare today for tomorrow's feast - the Ascension into heaven on the fortieth day. And this Ascension in turn prepares us for Pentecost. All prepare us for a deeper awakening of our own nature, and the dimensions of the spiritual life that Christ is here to awaken in us - for our salvation, "lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them." This is a mystical reality, a spiritual relationship that ties to that part of us that is capable of understanding it and receiving. Through this mystical reality we transcend and are transformed. It is this dimension within ourselves that Christ calls out to - to awaken that which had been separated from its communion with God, so that we are reconciled and healed -- as in the words of Isaiah that Jesus has quoted in his explanation for his use of parables. Tomorrow we all celebrate the day of Christ's Ascension - his human nature restored to heaven, so that we are restored with him as well, in preparation for the universal bestowal of the Spirit. Let us ponder what it is to keep eyes, ears and hearts open to that Spirit, today, as we receive the mysteries of the kingdom, as we are still, and remain, his disciples.