Imagine that you are living in Israel at the time of Christ. You have been taught that a Messiah will come to save His people. You have probably imagined what He will be like. But you didn't imagine He would be an itinerant preacher who had no army, displayed no military power, and preached a law of love rather than revolution and conquest.
The person of Jesus was an affront to the rabbinical establishment and to the Pharisees in particular. He spoke with the crowds; he ate with sinners; he seemed to side with the Roman occupation.
In this passage, the Jews are gathered around Jesus asking Him point blank if He is the Messiah. Jesus said "I've told you before." But He tells them again. And yet again, they try to stone Him.
Jesus is even more direct in speaking with the disciples. He tells them point blank that He and the Father are One.
These passages are anathema to those who try to say Jesus was a great teacher, but He was not God. If a teacher speaks other than the truth, he is not a great teacher. If he is a great teacher, one must believe what he says. You can't have it both ways.
Lets put it in the form of a syllogism: Great teachers speak the truth; Jesus was a great teacher, therefore Jesus speaks the truth. In fact He says he is the truth.
We need to drop our preconceived notions and hear what He has to say.
Father, God,
Open our eyes to the truth. Tune our ears to hear Your voice over the din of this world. Keep us safely in Your fold as the sheep of Your pasture. We want to hear clearly so that we may do Your will.
In Jesus' most precious name.
Amen.
Amen.
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