July 21
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GOD’S WORD KEEPS YOU AWAY FROM DEATH
48 The Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?” 49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. 50 But I do not seek My glory; there is One who seeks and judges. 51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death.” 52 The Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets also; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word, he will never taste of death.’ -John 8:48-52
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In this account in John’s gospel, we clearly see how the Jews were relentless in their pursuit to find something about Jesus that they could use to stop Him from saying truth. They don’t want to hear anything true because that would mean that they will have to give up their reputation. Jesus was exposing them and they know that Jesus sees through their schemes and plots. So, they try their best to avoid knowing the truth so they could dwell on their love for power and prestige from the public.
Aren’t many of us this way: we reject the truth that will set us free because we want to stay in bondage? We have been slaves of sin for so long that righteousness is something that is naturally unattractive. The flesh wants to cater to its instinctive desire to serve and please the “self.” It wants to protect the image that ensures that people see the image they are trying to project, even though deep inside, they know that they are counterfeits.
There is a very strong reproach and a promise that Jesus is telling them in this account. In verse 49, Jesus reveals to them that He Himself, honors and respects His own Father. He confronts the Jews how they dishonor Him. Of course, this sounded like an insult to these legalistic Jews because they think highly of themselves and who does this Jesus think He is to tell them that they don’t honor God. In verse 50, Jesus exposes their idols: their own selves. He said that He doesn’t seek His own glory, but God’s. On the other hand, they are only concerned to give themselves the glory. The promise he offers to them is that if they keep and follow God’s word, they will never taste or experience death. Jesus was talking here of the importance of Scriptures. Without it, we will perish. The Jews once again didn’t get this. They use Scriptures as a means of bringing honor to themselves. They fail to see that God’s word will free them and give them life.
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REFLECTION
• How can feeding, meditating and following Scriptures keep you away from death?