The very stones of the Temple heard his words and we thought that they would tremble and shatter under the impact of them. We were the people responsible for the purity of our Lord’s dwelling place and we glanced at each other fearfully.
Why did he dare to say that his ‘Father’ had sent him? We had asked him to declare who he was but he only replied with ever more mysterious words. I watched, I was shocked, but his eyes were clear and calm. In honesty, I saw no trace of demonic possession in him, nor madness. He gave his answers candidly with the dignity of one who was unaware, or more likely unafraid, of the danger of his situation. Did he not know that the men before him had murder seething in their hearts? I knew that he did indeed know.
Rage
Then he began to speak of the Father who sent him. I felt the hot rage bubbling up in my brothers hearts and took a step away from them. The Teacher turned towards me, saying, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
‘Am I not free then?’ I wondered, and one of my brothers interjected ‘We are descendants of Abraham and have never been slaves to anyone.’ It seemed a hollow boast to me and I lowered my eyes to the ground, moving a step closer to him. I knew I was not free in the way he meant. I was not pure, I was a sinful man and the sin prowled around my heart ever ready to devour me.
The Lord’s face shone bright as he spoke of a household, with God as the Father and he the Son, the heir to that house, speaking with the authority of his Father. Standing on that holy ground, my one time brothers reminded the teacher that they were children of Abraham. I blushed for shame. The hatred they displayed towards this good man had nothing of Abraham, or the children of Abraham, in it. He told them, their murderous intentions were not those of the children of Abraham, or the children of God.
Son of the Father
What he said next should have made the stones of the Temple fall around us. “If God were your Father, you would love me.’ I saw the Son of the Father then. I perceived the sin crouching at my door shrink away into the distance. I walked across and stood beside him. I seemed to hear my heart pounding and I longed to be His true disciple, to continue in His word and to have the freedom of a son. Then he stated his nature and his relation to God to all of us quite clearly, ‘for I came from God and now I am here. I did not come on my own, but he sent me.’
And so I saw that God had sent His Son for all of us. And the stones of the Temple, dwelling place of the Most High, seemed to sing about the Son, Beloved of the Father. I am truly His disciple now.
