Day 29: Before Abraham Was, I Am

I have a confession to make:  The Gospel of John used to be my favorite gospel.  In fact, in my early college fervor, I did nightly devotions, reading and journaling my impressions of the Gospel of John.  (I sure wish I had those writings now!)

I still like John, but reading and studying have made me appreciate other gospels (perhaps the ones I did not appreciate before).  I think that I used to like the ethereal Jesus in John, the many, many memorable Bible verses found there, the deep spirituality (in John, a healing is never "just" a healing).  Now, I'm looking at tiny details, and you know what I like? 

I like that the gospel of John pays attention to a few other disciples.  It's not all Peter, all the time.  Philip and Andrew and Thomas and even Nathanael get to play a part.  I like that.

So there is more than enough spiritual depth in these three chapters of John, but I noticed that it is Philip that Jesus asks to figure out how to feed 5,000 people, and it is Andrew who finds the little boy who has the fish (a detail mentioned only in John.

Later (after Jesus walks on water, by the way), Jesus will spend many verses helping us to know that the feeding of five thousand people isn't just about feeding people, but has a deep spiritual meaning.  But at the beginning, I really enjoyed how different disciples are involved in the story.  And at the end of John 6, disciples are already beginning to desert Jesus, because they already can't get into what he is saying about being the bread of life.

And Jesus says, "well? Are you going to leave me too?"  And Peter (yes, it's Peter this time) says, "Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life."

Jesus goes to Jerusalem (again), although notice he tries to go secretly.  Even now, he realizes that he is not safe in Jerusalem.  As in the other gospels, when he teaches, he's accused of having a demon.  His answer is slightly different:  he simply says that he only teaches what he hears from the Father, and he only does what he is told by the Father.

Chapter 7 has the wonderful verse, "Rivers of living waters will flow out from within him (Jesus)". 

You notice that the very familiar  story of the woman caught in adultery is not considered by some to be authentic.   But there are so many wonderful details in the story:  Jesus writing in the sand, the men ready to throw stones.  What do you think Jesus could have been writing? 

There's extended conversation with Jesus and the religious leaders regarding Abraham.  Who has more authority, Jesus or Abraham?  Jesus contests their authority and questions whether they are really followers of Abraham.  Do they really know the Word that they say that they follow? 

"If you continue in my word, you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

At the end of this chapter, Jesus gives his most explosive "I AM" statement yet; he says, "Before Abraham was, I AM."

There seems to be no doubt about what he is claiming.