Lenten Daily Devotional 2021
Sunday, March 7, 2021
Day 19: Jesus is God
“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered,
“before Abraham was born, I am!”
John 8:58 (NIV)
“before Abraham was born, I am!”
John 8:58 (NIV)
“Jesus is God.”
This is a sentence I have heard my 5 year old daughter say multiple times with lots of joy, like she knows something special and exciting about Jesus. [I hope her parents have had some influence on her understanding Jesus’ deity (i.e. Jesus is God) but I have to give some credit to her Centenary Sunday School teachers and Big Valley Preschool teachers, too. Thank you Jesus for Sunday School teachers!]
In today’s passage, we see a very different reaction to Jesus declaring his deity: “At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.” (vs.59)
But let’s look at the passage, how did Jesus declare his deity?
Hughes & Laney, New Testament scholars share what the context of “before Abraham was born, I am!” in vs. 58 would mean to the Jews listening to Jesus, "Jesus laid claim to the great Old Testament revelation of God’s personal name, the One who eternally exists (cf. Exod. 3:14, ‘I am’). Jesus claimed to be the Old Testament God. There was no doubt in the mind of the Jews that this was claim of deity (8:59)."
Today’s passage is a reminder that Jesus was much more than a good man or a moral teacher. He is God.
--Lindy Collins
This is a sentence I have heard my 5 year old daughter say multiple times with lots of joy, like she knows something special and exciting about Jesus. [I hope her parents have had some influence on her understanding Jesus’ deity (i.e. Jesus is God) but I have to give some credit to her Centenary Sunday School teachers and Big Valley Preschool teachers, too. Thank you Jesus for Sunday School teachers!]
In today’s passage, we see a very different reaction to Jesus declaring his deity: “At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.” (vs.59)
But let’s look at the passage, how did Jesus declare his deity?
Hughes & Laney, New Testament scholars share what the context of “before Abraham was born, I am!” in vs. 58 would mean to the Jews listening to Jesus, "Jesus laid claim to the great Old Testament revelation of God’s personal name, the One who eternally exists (cf. Exod. 3:14, ‘I am’). Jesus claimed to be the Old Testament God. There was no doubt in the mind of the Jews that this was claim of deity (8:59)."
Today’s passage is a reminder that Jesus was much more than a good man or a moral teacher. He is God.
--Lindy Collins
Prayer Focus: For the ministry of Porch de Salomon in Guatemala.
Thought or comment to share?
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