Thursday of the Fourth Week of Lent
(Exodus 32:7-15; John 5:31-47)
In the Passion of John’s gospel there is no Jewish trial of
Jesus. Here the fourth gospel seems to
differ from the first three. Yet a close
reading of the gospel notes that Jesus is continually being tried by the
Jews. In the segment of the trial
related in today’s gospel the point of issue is whether Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus marshals evidence showing that indeed
he is.
Jesus calls as his first witness John the Baptist. John testified at the beginning of the gospel
that he saw the Spirit descending upon Jesus.
As a second proof that he is who he says, Jesus points out that he has
performed prodigious deeds like curing the paralytic at the Temple pool. Then Jesus provides additional proof by noting
how God has prepared for him in the Scriptures.
Today’s first reading hints at what he means. As God decides not to punish His people for
their idolatry so Jesus has not come to judge the world but to save it. Finally, Moses is brought forward as a
witness. In a famous passage of
Deuteronomy Moses speaks of a prophet in Israel in whose mouth God will put His
word (Deuteronomy 18:18).
All the evidence that Jesus presents is circumstantial. That is, it only indicates that Jesus is the
Son of God. We can deny it as
inconclusive. However, such a denial not
only defies the process of inductive reasoning.
It also rejects the prospect of our eternal life in him.
