John 10:36 What about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why do you accuse me of blasphemy because I say, ‘I am God’s Son’?
In past generations there was a catch phrase that captured the thinking of advertisers and retail establishments. “The Customer is always right.” This customer focus helped to create the economic boom that followed World War II here in the United States.
But there is another principle above this outward focused principle. “When we serve our customers, we make more profit!” This is because companies do exist to serve customers, but even more importantly, they exist to make a profit for those who have invested their capital in the company. These investors want a return on their investment.
And there is yet a third level that comes into play. We have inventors and owners. They may be investors, but they have even more skin in the game. It is their ideas that got the ball rolling. It was their blood, sweat and tears that drives the train. They often risked everything to make their dream a reality.
So who has the most investment, the customer or inventor/owner? Who knows more about the product, the customer or the inventor?
Jesus has made the claim that He is God. And now his opponents have jumped on that claim and are trying to undermine Jesus’ authority to say and do the things He is saying and doing.
So Jesus makes the argument that the receivers of God’s revelation were called ‘gods’ (also could be translated as ‘rulers’), so why shouldn’t He be called God. Think customer level here.
But Jesus goes two steps further. The Father set Jesus apart for a specific mission. (Think inventor.) Then Jesus was sent into the world.. (Think investor.) If the customer can be called a ‘god’ what about the inventor and the investor! They have more right to the claim than the customer. They have more rights than the customer.
The reason this is important is that sometimes those who oppose the Gospel will throw passages like this in the face of a young Christian as an attempt to sidetrack their faith. Their claim is that Jesus is just saying that He is equal to every other human in saying that He is ‘god’.
But that isn’t what Jesus says. He is overqualified as a human. He is more than a customer. He is the creator and unique message-bearer to a hurting and dying world. He has more right to the name ‘god’ than other human beings. He can claim “God” all day long, and have it not be gaseous grandstanding.
The Gospel of John shares more of these claims that Jesus made than the other Gospels. John’s purpose is more focused toward emphasizing the person of Jesus. Jesus’ own claims about Himself become a front and center element in the Gospel as a whole. He is driving toward helping people to believe that Jesus is God.
And this makes a difference these days of “all roads lead to god” popular theology. All but one lead to separation from God. Only one leads to God.
The Arnold Journey 