When our children were very young we had a difficult time explaining family relations to them. They had trouble understanding that I was their father, but also their uncle’s brother and their grandmother’s son. They could not accept the fact that I could be more than one person – in a sense – other than who I was to them.
A similar attitude can come up with our perception of Jesus. Each of us may see him as one person and have difficulty accepting that Jesus can be described in other terms as well. For the next few weeks we will be in pursuit of who Jesus really is.
In today’s passage Jesus is offering comfort to his disciples, explaining that he will be going away but there is no need for them to be distressed. He is indicating that he will soon be crucified, but the resurrection will follow.
What does Jesus claim the disciples know? What does Thomas claim? How does Jesus describe himself? What does Jesus say about himself and God, the Father?
The question of who Jesus is, is answered by Jesus himself. One aspect of Christ is that he is the way – the way we are able to gain eternal life. He is the truth. Through Jesus we can know what is right and holy and good. And Jesus is the life. Through him we can experience a rich and wonderful life.
Jesus makes it plain that there is no other way to inherit eternal life except through our belief in him. We must accept Jesus as Christ and Savior to be welcomed into the everlasting presence of God.
But we also learn that Jesus is the image of God. If we know Jesus then we know what God is like. Through the life and teaching of Christ we can see that God, the Father, is loving, compassionate, and merciful, and we can see that God desires us to be in relationship with him.
As we pursue who Jesus truly is we can see that he is the same as God, the Father. Through Jesus we can see our heavenly Father more clearly.
DAILY CHALLENGE: How would you describe Jesus?
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