I’m finding it hard to read John looking for clues as to how Jesus SAW people … and then I am reminded that Jesus was so in tune with teh Father, that He only did what He saw the Father doing, and only said what He heard the Father saying – it was a natural overflow from father to son (the same relationship you and I are called to have)
When I remind myself of this the whole task becomes a whole lot easier!
I no longer wonder about the tone of Jesus’
But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going (Jn 8:14b)
It becomes clear.
He’s not saying it (as I might) as a loaded statement, with the intent of goading the other. No. I see it as being given as a factual statement. ‘You don’t know …. That grieves me’
Jesus goes on to say
I pass judgment on no one.
Again this is not loaded statement. It is not said to provoke. Though it is said to challenge.
Jesus is painstakingly trying to explain.
He takes time to describe the indescribable a relationship that is unlike any that they have ever known, heard about. The God the Jews (the pharisees and saducees) had worshipped, the one true God they were devoted to serving, was indeed true. But He was so much more than they had understood and more than they could understand. At this point the same applied to the disciples of course. They didn’t know, they couldn’t work it out (yet) because it hadn’t been revealed to them. They were simply ordinary men who were compelled by the Spirit to follow Jesus – but who on the surface did it because they saw something different in Jesus, something holy, that they just longed deep within to have. Jesus had a relationship with Father God that spilt out into his everyday life. It enabled Him to see with eyes of love.
He sees the people as lost and therefore speaks not only with patience rather than frustration, but is patient. That makes all the difference.