in the front seat

“ I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. ” (RSV-CE Jn. 14: 6-7) This is the last of the seven self-identifying statements in John’s Gospel.  Chapter 15 is still part of the “Farewell Discourse”.  In this Jesus recalls Old Testament imagery that describes the relationship between Israel the vine and God the vineyard owner who planted, prunes, and nurtures the vine.  "Let me sing for my beloved a love song concerning his vineyard: My beloved had a vineyard on a...

“ I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,  and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. ” (RSV-CE Jn. 11:25-26) Some context and background is necessary to unpack the meaning behind this self-identifying statement.  First, Mary and Martha, longtime friends and supporters of Jesus believe in the then contemporary teaching of a final resurrection of the dead.  The common teaching was that the resurrection was God’s final victory, His vindication of the righteous.  Second, ancient Jewish burial custom required that the family keeps vigil at home for the first seven days after a person was laid to rest.  The spirit of the deceased person was thought to have left the body after three days.  Lazarus was in the tomb for four days.  This meant that he was really dead.    When Jesus tells Martha that her brother Lazarus will rise, he was originally speaking of the fin...

“ I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also; henceforth you know him and have seen him. ” (RSV-CE Jn. 14: 6-7) The setting of this self-identifying statement is extremely important.  Jesus is dining with His disciples at the “Last Supper”.  He and they are well aware of His impending death.  The second part of this passage is central to the one of John’s themes, Jesus and the Father are one.  To know Jesus is to know the Father and know the Father one must know Jesus.  It is fitting those scholars count this chapter part of the “Farewell Discourse”.  Jesus is reassuring his closest followers that death is not the end, death is a path to the Father.  More importantly, Jesus is quite clear that He is the one way to the Father.  Without Jesus humanity would be cut off from the Father.  Instead, Jesus reveals the way, and that w...

“I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers; but the sheep did not heed them. I am the door; if any one enters by me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture… I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep... I am the good shepherd; I know my own and my own know me, as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.” (RSV-CE Jn. 10:7,9,11,14) Chapter 10 begins what is known as the “Shepherd Discourse”.  John does not transition into this, instead he abruptly begins.  In John’s Gospel, this discourse marks a transition.  The conspiracy and planned violence against Jesus intensifies.  In this post I will address two self-naming statements of Jesus, “I am the Gatekeeper” and “I am the Good Shepherd”.  Unlike the previous statements, these two appear in the same chapter and are directly related.  In this discourse the meaning is...

Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. "  (John 8:12) Light is a powerful symbol and practical necessity.  Without it, we wouldn’t have night time events.  In chapter 8, Jesus is teaching in Jerusalem during the feast of Tabernacles.  Large lamp stands were placed in the Temple Court to illuminate the way for pilgrims.  Light takes on a symbolic and theological image in this context as well.  We understand light as a reference to the darkness of sin, “ In him was life, and the life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it .” (1:4-5)  Looking further into chapter 9, we see that light is more appropriately juxtaposed with blindness.  Those who are confident in their own “light” (idea that they possess the wisdom to turn from darkness” are blind.  Jesus is the light...

I am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.  (RSV-CE Jn. 6:35) This is the first of seven self-identifying statements by Jesus in the Gospel of John.  In each of these statements Jesus reveals something about Himself.  As “the Bread of Life”, Jesus is a gift from the Father and spiritual nourishment .  In John 6:27, God’s Word, the Law, the Torah is described in terms food.  “ Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of man will give to you; for on him has God the Father set his seal." ’  We can see similar references in Old Testament passages.  “How sweet are thy words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Ps. 119:103)  Wisdom is portrayed as a woman setting a great feast.  “ Wisdom has built her house, she has set up her seven pillars.  She has slaughtered her beasts, she has mixed...