Reader’s Guide: “The Word for Today” Thursday, March 6, 2014 Read John 10:19-21 We have noticed many times earlier in John’s gospel that words and actions of Jesus cause a division among the people. Here John tells us that the division is among the Jews which led us to realize that the beautiful words in John 10:1-18 were not addresses only to insiders. Often times John’s use of the term “Jews” is prejudiced against them. The harshness is lessened here. But the division that the words and actions of Jesus cause is clear. Some think Jesus must be possessed by a demon. People in Mark’s gospel also came to that conclusion (Mark 3:22-39). This multiple reference to the belief on the part of the opponents of Jesus that he was possessed by a demon in both John and Mark points to the likelihood that such a charge was made. Others wonder how such a charge could be made about someone who opens the eyes of the blind – a clear reference that Jesus is speaking to the same people who were a part of that story in John 9 and more reason why we should connect John 10 more closely with what has come before. The point is simply that words and actions of Jesus bring about differing results. It is a wonder that some believe and others do not. That wonder is a part of our own experience too. John is dealing with this predicament. Where does faith come from? Why do some believe and other not? We have already heard Jesus say that one can only believe because God has drawn such a one to himself. We will need to ponder this further as we move through John’s gospel. The development of belief and the growth of unbelief is one of the themes that John is dealing with in his gospel.