Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Sunday, February 9, 2014 Read John 5:30-47 The theological reflection begun in yesterday’s reading continues in today’s reading. And once again we have the blending of words of Jesus spoken to the religious leaders who have not believed in him and in fact have sought to kill him because of the healing of the man at the Pool of Bethzatha and words about Jesus. At times Jesus is addressing the religious leaders and at times the author is reflecting about Jesus. Two things are at stake here. One is the testimony that supports Jesus and the other is the place of the scripture and of Moses in the witness to Jesus. Who has testified in support of Jesus? We are reminded of John the Baptist whose main role in John’s gospel is to be a witness for Jesus that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. John the Baptist was faithful in that witness. It is significant that John tells us John the Baptist was a shining lamp. But he was no more than a lamp. Jesus will be identified as the light of the world. The importance here is the witness of John the Baptist for Jesus. But there is something greater that is also testifying in support of Jesus. Jesus works testify in support of his claims. And the work of Jesus is the work that God has given him to do – the reason that God has sent him into the world. Readers are reminded of John’s reflection in the third chapter where he proclaims that God so loved the world that he sent his only Son. The work of Jesus is the work of God. And his works bear witness in support of the belief that Jesus is the Son of God – in fact, God the Son. We have already heard from John that Jesus is superior to Moses. Once again that is the theme here. John makes the claim that in fact Moses bears witness in support of Jesus. The religious leaders want to fall back on the scripture and claim it as their own. But Jesus will have none of that – the scripture, if they truly listened to it, bears witness to Jesus. Readers are reminded of the claim that Jesus is “the prophet” like Moses who would come at the end of time. John the Baptist had assured his hearers that he was not “the prophet.” He and others have witnessed that Jesus is that prophet. We have seen how a narrative describing an event has morphed into a theological statement by and about Jesus. This is a pattern John will repeat. Often his theological reflections are difficult to read, but they are powerful in their proclamation about Jesus. Clearly John wants his readers to know that in Jesus, the very presence of God has come into the world. Jesus is God the Son.