Tuesday, August 23, 2022

John 5:30-38

John 5:30-38 

  If I were to tell you that I was the Son of God, you'd likely look at me with some skepticism.  The first century Jews were no different.  If anything, they were probably less likely to believe that someone was the son of God, for they had a firm belief in the separation between humanity and God.  The holiness of God was such that God's name wasn't even pronounced!  The elaborate system of ritual offerings was a constant reminder of the gulf separating us from God.
  So if someone was going to claim to be the Son of God, they better be able to support that claim.  They'd need to fit with historical prophecies.  They'd need to demonstrate power through miracles.  They'd need to have God affirm their identity.  
  Jesus had all these things.  Jesus fulfilled prophecies that were made hundreds of years before his birth.  Jesus performed many miracles, from turning water into wine to raising the dead.  At his baptism, and again at the Transfiguration, God confirms Jesus' identity publicly.  
  Jesus leaned on far more than just his own word -- his identity was confirmed in numerous ways for the world to see and hear.

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