John 5:23

Jesus continues. “He gives me all judgment so that the entire world will honor his Son just like they honor the Father.  If you do not honor the Son, you do not honor his Father either, because He is the one who sent him.”  John 5:23 EFP

Try to hear these words through the ears of some very devout Jewish leaders.  This is blatant blasphemy to them.  They must have been caught somewhere between sheer angst and boiling vitriol.  Jesus claims YHWH has bestowed all judgment to him!  He could just as easily said, “YHWH is not the judge anymore, I am!  He assigned that responsibility to me.”  That’s crazy!  That is beyond bold! 

To this claim he adds that the purpose of this inconceivable divine act is to bring the entire world to the point of honor to the Son of His Father YHWH, mainly him.  “If you do not honor me, you do not honor YHWH who sent me.”  Does that sound like a reconciliatory statement?  Not at all!  It is either claim of a megalomaniac or it is true.  There is no middle ground.  There is no room for ambivalence.  You either believe his claim or do what the religious leaders did—find a way to snuff out any remnant of the pretender, his message, and his followers.

It sort of leaves me in the same place.  Making the claim of being a believer in Christ carries a pretty high price.  For one it requires I believe and accept the claim of Christ on me.  I calls me to place him in a place of special honor, merited only by one who is not only the Son of God, but one with God.  I either accept it or dedicate my life to destroying that unacceptable reality.  I have chosen to believe.  I discover daily the meaning and cost of that choice and the never-ending battle for my allegiance.