52 At this the Jews exclaimed, "Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that if anyone keeps your word, he will never taste death. 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?"
In our verses for today we read harsh, cruel, unbelieving and blasphemous words – dripping with untruth and arrogance - shot like arrows from the crowd intending to discredit and dishonor our Lord. Wounding words pierce the skin like sharp shards of glass aiming to hurt the heart in lieu of the flesh. Jesus’ path had allowed Him to be “privy” to plenty of these “lovely” outbursts – even from His closest relations which certainly must have stung all the greateris closest kin. We find His family stating the following:
20 Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. 21 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, "He is out of his mind." Mark 3:20-21 (NIV)
Ironically and interestingly, Scripture tells us it was demons who spoke the truth regarding the identity of our Lord rather than the religious elite of His day albeit He always silenced them:
31 Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath began to teach the people. 32 They were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority. 33 In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an evil spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, 34 "Ha! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!" 35 "Be quiet!" Jesus said sternly. "Come out of him!" Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him. Luke 4:31-35 (NIV)
32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed.
33 The whole town gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. Mark 1:32-34 (NIV)
The enemy knows full well who our Lord is and spends much of his time seeking to blind us of the Truth of His identity lest we follow Him and live for Him. Contrary to the name calling from the Jewish crowd in the verses today, Paul paints for us in Colossians an accurate and vivid description of Jesus which rightly exalts our Savior. Here he lists our Lord’s unique characteristics certainly qualifying Him as the supreme Sovereign of the universe:
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. 21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation-- 23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. Col 1:15-23 (NIV)
These Jews thought they knew who Jesus was, in fact, they were pretty certain He was simply a man gone mad. Indeed, they took offense at Him. Sadly, since they would not understand they could not understand – “ever hearing but never understanding; ever seeing but never perceiving”. This is an important question for us to ponder as well – Who do we say Jesus is? Asking His disciples this exact query, Peter hits the bull’s eye with his appropriate and correct response:
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" 14 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." 15 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" 16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 17 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. Matt 16:13-17 (NIV)
“We shall never find happiness by looking at our prayers, our doings, or our feelings; it is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the soul. If we would at once overcome Satan and have peace with God, it must be by ‘looking unto Jesus’. Keep thine eye simply on Him; let His death, His sufferings, His merits, His glories, His intercession, be fresh upon thy mind; when thou wakest in the morning look to Him; when thou liest down at night look to Him. Oh! Let not thy hopes or fears come between thee and Jesus; follow hard after Him, and He will never fail thee.” C. H. Spurgeon