So much about Jesus deity in John: he has the power to lay down his life and the power and authority to take it up again. We may be able to lay down our lives for our friends but no one can take his life back up again once he has laid it down. But Jesus can.
Then he says, "I and the Father are one" (10:30) "... the Father is in me, and I am in the Father." (v38). It's as if v38 is to clarify the reality of the oneness of v30. Not just a composite oneness, not just a "Royal 'We'", but oneness of essence, each being in the other.
John 12:10 and the Jews were also considering killing Lazarus. Too many were leaving the fold. The instant legend of the resurrection of Lazarus needed to be turned into a myth, so that the Jews could say, "Yes, we heard it too, but see, he is dead. They only 'thought' he was raised. It was all a trick; smoke and mirrors stuff."
Here Jesus offers so much, and we, being more like the Pharisees than we are prepared to admit, cling tightly to what we have rather than give it up for something way better. It's just that in the giving up, we may have to give up power, prestige, position and so on, which isn't easy the older you get.
[Memories of Pakistan -- Friday, 17 January 2003 9:59:16 AM]
© Copyright Bruce M. Axtens, 2006
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