OUR FATHER WHO SENT HIS SON TO MAKE EVERLASTING LIFE POSSIBLE FOR MEN

The book of John chapter 12 verses 42 - 50 captures the tension that had formed around Jesus because many of the leaders of Israel were pursuaded that He was the awaited Messiah but because the chief priests and pharisees were campaigning against Him, they kept quiet so as not to be ostracized by the establishment.

42 Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

44 Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. 45 And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. 46 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. 47 And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. 49 For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. 50 And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”

The case that Jesus made to them was that He, though standing before them as a man, was actually the exact representation of the Father and that the  appropriate reponse to His words was to believe them because if they refused to believe, those words would serve as a witness against them on the last day of judgement.

He implored them to understand the stakes involved. The mission that Jesus was on was one of offering eternal life to men and it is because of what was being pursued by the Father that Jesus completely subjected Himself the commands of the Father in order for the intention of providing everlasting life to be realized.

This was the last entreaty that Jesus made that was recorded by the apostle John before the final countdown to His arrest by the authorities.

Holy is the Lord.

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