Thoughts on the Gospel of John , Day 35, Lent 2013

Maybe ten years ago I remember myself saying out loud that I couldn't stand John's gospel. It was too obtuse. I didn't get it. Now it is my favorite. Today's Lenten reading included all of John's gospel. I listened to most of it as I was working in the lab today.

John leaves golden eggs of the deity of Jesus throughout his gospel. He leaves them in every chapter. As I listened to chapter 5, I noticed something new to me. It's a minor assertion overshadowed by the mountains of theology all around it, but it's still important, especially when chatting with the Jehovah's Witnesses who come by, denying the deity of Jesus.

John 5:22-23 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.

My question is can there be a way to honor God the Father that does not include worship? And isn't the only worship allowed by God is the kind directed towards Him? Later on in chapter 14, the apostle Philip asks to see God. Jesus tells him, "you're looking at him." Read it for yourself.

John 14:8-11 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”  Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?  Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.  Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.

The Mormon missionaries who come to my door believe in tri-theism, three gods, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The secret to the orthodox understanding of the trinity is three persons, but one substance, or three who's and one what. The three are God, not gods, but they are distinct persons. There are no good analogies. It's unique to the universe, just like God.

This gospel has my favorite verse of the entire Bible in it, John 17:3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.It's my favorite because eternal life and knowledge are intertwined. I like learning. I'm old enough now to know that I'll need eternity to learn everything.