Christ's Family in John's Gospel?

Discussion in 'Sacred Scripture' started by Toma, Jul 27, 2012.

  1. Toma

    Toma Well-Known Member Anglican

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    Did you ever notice... in John's Gospel, the Lord is somewhat aloof and solemn in His pronouncements, but after the Last Supper He changes in His manner toward those He had called. In John 15:15, He renounces the title of 'servant' for His beloved sheep... "I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you."

    The Lord Jesus calls "friends", those to whom the most intimate knowledge of His family is given. Only once He has eaten with them and washed their feet did He call them friends. It is a divine friendship which is extended to us out of pure love... and yet there was much more to come!

    Only after the most holy event in the history of the Universe, does Christ call us even more than Friends. John 20:17: "Go to my brethren and say unto them: I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God." Before the Victory, it is "my Father" - after the Triumph, it is "your Father" as well.

    Once He is raised incorruptible for our Redemption, He calls us brethren. Before uniting our humanity to triumph & victory, we could only be His friends ... but in the glory of the resurrection, we become adopted members of the very family that is the Holy, Divine & Blessed Trinity. First He made His Family known to us, and then assumed us into that very Family - for eternity!

    Have you ever contemplated this in your philosophy or in your theology, friend? Do you realise that the infinite God ALMIGHTY is not only your Lord and Master, but now your close friend ? - and not only your unfailing best friend, but your very familial brother?

    We're closer to each other in faith & baptism than a mother is to her own child. It's certainly something to meditate on, given the poor relationships we Christians tend to adopt between one another. :blush: