Today’s Scripture Readings

Gospel Reading

NRSV

The Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus replied, ‘I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone me?’ The Jews answered, ‘It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you, but for blasphemy, because you, though only a human being, are making yourself God.’ Jesus answered, ‘Is it not written in your law, “I said, you are gods”? If those to whom the word of God came were called “gods”—and the scripture cannot be annulled— can you say that the one whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world is blaspheming because I said, “I am God’s Son”? If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me. But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.’ Then they tried to arrest him again, but he escaped from their hands. He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing earlier, and he remained there. Many came to him, and they were saying, ‘John performed no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.’ And many believed in him there.

An important question in ancient Israel was: How can we tell if a prophet is true or false? To whom should they listen? Early on, it was thought that one sign of a false prophet was persecution, since God (it was thought) wouldn’t allow a true prophet to be persecuted or rejected, as Jeremiah was. So, because he was persecuted and rejected, Jeremiah was regarded as a false prophet. But in time, they came to see he was a great and true prophet; and they recognised that suffering, even unto death, was one of the signs of a true prophet.

This became important for St Paul in interpreting his own experience of suffering. It was not a sign that the Lord had abandoned him, but a sign that the Lord was with him. It also became important for the Gospels in interpreting the suffering
and death of Jesus. He goes to his death not swept away by forces he couldn’t control, but freely choosing to go to the Cross as one who was in control of his own destiny, and who could escape the murderous plots until the right moment came.