John 15
For me, the rubber hits the road in this chapter.
As I look back over my thoughts and impressions of Jesus,
quite often I tend to see him as a perfect man
who lived a perfect life.
When those around him are astounded
He gives the credit to God.
He tells us point-blank that without God he is powerless
so
its easy to see him
as (merely) a human who got it right
Maybe I am picking and choosing
to stress a concept
that was only a small part of his message;
but honestly,
if I look back at how I've reacted to him
it is quite often as an admittedly weak person
looking up at a true leader
who chose the finest course
who did the best work a man can do
a real teacher,
a most excellent role model
but a man.
a man who never strayed from the true path
who maintained his communication/commmunion with God
more perfectly than anyone before or since
a shining example of the highest a man can aspire to.
a man willing to die for what he believed in.
and I still believe all that.
but...
from this perspective
it seems like only small step to one side
to lock in on the frame of mind
that Jesus was JUST a man.
Is that okay?
So far,
thinking of him as a perfect man has been enough for me.
If he did the best a man can do,
and held the truth of God in his heart,
and spent his life sharing the Good News,
and showed examples of God's power working through a life,
and taught more than I could ever comprehend,
everything from "how to pray"
to "how the world will end",
What else do I need?
I can follow that example regardless, right?
When I read this verse in the last chapter
John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him,
I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Can this verse be interpreted two different ways?
I can interpet this as a man talking to other men,
saying
"I've shown you the way
I've told you the truth
and my life is a good example
A man can find God by living in a similar way"
even though it is commonly interpreted as
Jesus saying
"I am between you and God,
and your only connection to him is through me,
therefore
I am something more than a mere mortal,
I connect men to God"
Whether he was
Role-Model-Man with a God-centered Life
or
More-Than-Man linking Men to God,
(I might not be able to determine which)
I can still believe that he was
ultimately good
and
profoundly true.
(so far)
but
as I move from chapter 14 into chapter 15
I realize that I'm trapped by the scripture
into a more defined black or white situation
with no wiggle room for gray
John 15:1
I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.
John 15:2
Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit,
He takes away.
And every one that bears fruit,
He prunes it so that it may bring forth more fruit.
and again
John 15:5
I am the Vine, you are the branches.
He who abides in Me, and I in him,
the same brings forth much fruit;
for without Me you can do nothing.
Now my Role-Model-Man interpretation doesn't make sense!
With those last two verses,
he is using a very simple elegant analogy
that,
if true,
forces me into the More-Than-Man interpretation.
He is implying that his role is crucial
to my personal fruitfulness
no wiggle room.
And I love how he distinguishes
between the vine and the vinedresser.
As the vine is to branches,
Jesus is to us.
That analogy puts himself in the same world as us.
A physical part of what we are.
The vinedresser is not part of the vine or the branches
and remains outside the physical time/space/matter matrix
it kinda fits.
but if Jesus really said this,
he places himself in a unique relationship with us.
He claims to be more than a prophet or teacher.
He positions himself as the actual source of our fruits.
peace & hope & joy
no gray area there...
-=-=-=-
I have never heard this verse in my life,
but I like it:
15:11
These things have I spoken unto you,
that my joy might remain in you,
and that your joy might be full.
.
As I look back over my thoughts and impressions of Jesus,
quite often I tend to see him as a perfect man
who lived a perfect life.
When those around him are astounded
He gives the credit to God.
He tells us point-blank that without God he is powerless
so
its easy to see him
as (merely) a human who got it right
Maybe I am picking and choosing
to stress a concept
that was only a small part of his message;
but honestly,
if I look back at how I've reacted to him
it is quite often as an admittedly weak person
looking up at a true leader
who chose the finest course
who did the best work a man can do
a real teacher,
a most excellent role model
but a man.
a man who never strayed from the true path
who maintained his communication/commmunion with God
more perfectly than anyone before or since
a shining example of the highest a man can aspire to.
a man willing to die for what he believed in.
and I still believe all that.
but...
from this perspective
it seems like only small step to one side
to lock in on the frame of mind
that Jesus was JUST a man.
Is that okay?
So far,
thinking of him as a perfect man has been enough for me.
If he did the best a man can do,
and held the truth of God in his heart,
and spent his life sharing the Good News,
and showed examples of God's power working through a life,
and taught more than I could ever comprehend,
everything from "how to pray"
to "how the world will end",
What else do I need?
I can follow that example regardless, right?
When I read this verse in the last chapter
John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him,
I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Can this verse be interpreted two different ways?
I can interpet this as a man talking to other men,
saying
"I've shown you the way
I've told you the truth
and my life is a good example
A man can find God by living in a similar way"
even though it is commonly interpreted as
Jesus saying
"I am between you and God,
and your only connection to him is through me,
therefore
I am something more than a mere mortal,
I connect men to God"
Whether he was
Role-Model-Man with a God-centered Life
or
More-Than-Man linking Men to God,
(I might not be able to determine which)
I can still believe that he was
ultimately good
and
profoundly true.
(so far)
but
as I move from chapter 14 into chapter 15
I realize that I'm trapped by the scripture
into a more defined black or white situation
with no wiggle room for gray
John 15:1
I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.
John 15:2
Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit,
He takes away.
And every one that bears fruit,
He prunes it so that it may bring forth more fruit.
and again
John 15:5
I am the Vine, you are the branches.
He who abides in Me, and I in him,
the same brings forth much fruit;
for without Me you can do nothing.
Now my Role-Model-Man interpretation doesn't make sense!
With those last two verses,
he is using a very simple elegant analogy
that,
if true,
forces me into the More-Than-Man interpretation.
He is implying that his role is crucial
to my personal fruitfulness
no wiggle room.
And I love how he distinguishes
between the vine and the vinedresser.
As the vine is to branches,
Jesus is to us.
That analogy puts himself in the same world as us.
A physical part of what we are.
The vinedresser is not part of the vine or the branches
and remains outside the physical time/space/matter matrix
it kinda fits.
but if Jesus really said this,
he places himself in a unique relationship with us.
He claims to be more than a prophet or teacher.
He positions himself as the actual source of our fruits.
peace & hope & joy
no gray area there...
-=-=-=-
I have never heard this verse in my life,
but I like it:
15:11
These things have I spoken unto you,
that my joy might remain in you,
and that your joy might be full.
.