"Just what I have been claiming all along. I have much to say in judgment of you. But He Who sent me is reliable, and what I have heard from Him I tell the world." (John 8:25-26)
Who was Jesus referring to as 'reliable'?
Jesus is responding to the following question from the Pharisees:“Who are you?” (John 8:25)In answer, Jesus refers to the Supreme Being as "reliable." This should settle any dispute or question about who Jesus was. Jesus is very clear. Jesus is not claiming to be God as many have proposed. Jesus is clearly stating that God sent him.
Jesus says very clearly that he is God’s messenger. He was sent by God to teach:
“But He who sent me is reliable and what I have heard from Him I tell the world.”This is the definition of a messenger. Someone who is dispatched by someone to send a message to others is a messenger. They are passing the message on to others.
Yet hey have no idea Who Jesus is referring to when he says "He Who sent me."
This is also confirmed in John, as it says that the Pharisees did not know who Jesus was referring to:
They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. (John 8:27)This, in fact, is precisely the problem among not only those institutional temple Pharisees of Jesus' day but among today's ecclesiastical sectarian teachers: They do not know the Supreme Being.
They may profess so many things about Jesus and may spout off so many scriptural verses, and they may hold great titles for their elected positions (elected by councils of men) such as priest, cardinal, pope, bishop, reverend, minister, rabbi, and other such titles. But they do not know just Who Jesus is referring to when he says "He" or "my Father."
And how does a person come to know the Supreme Being? We can be introduced to God by God's messenger. This is illustrated by Jesus as he explains that the Supreme Being is "reliable."
Just consider what a person typically does when they introduce their friend to us. They will typically mention how trustworthy and reliable their friend is because they trust them, and trust is the foundation of a relationship. This is precisely what Jesus is doing with the Supreme Being - he is introducing God to those around him.
God has been sending His messengers and loving servants to the physical world to introduce us to Him since the beginning of time. Abraham, Moses, Jacob, Jeremiah, Joshua, David, Solomon, Samuel, Eli, Zechariah, Peter and so many others of different cultures - including Jesus - have been sent by the Supreme Being. And God has continued to send His representatives. Why? To bring us back to Him. God wants us back.
In order to return to the Supreme Being, however, we have to first want to return to Him. We have to be serious about re-developing our relationship with Him. Should we sincerely desire to re-establish our lost relationship with the Supreme Being, then God will guide us and show us His representative.
There is no need to join any sect or religion. God is a Person, and He utilizes a personal process to come to know Him. This is what Jesus was trying to teach those around him.
Is Jesus introducing us to the Supreme Being?
Knowing the Supreme Being is the foundation for spiritual life. It is the very crux of all the activities and teachings contained in scripture. Knowing God is the prerequisite for loving and serving God because we cannot love someone we do not know.And how does a person come to know the Supreme Being? We can be introduced to God by God's messenger. This is illustrated by Jesus as he explains that the Supreme Being is "reliable."
Just consider what a person typically does when they introduce their friend to us. They will typically mention how trustworthy and reliable their friend is because they trust them, and trust is the foundation of a relationship. This is precisely what Jesus is doing with the Supreme Being - he is introducing God to those around him.
Has God sent others to introduce us to Him?
The texts of the Bible indicate clearly that God has not just sent Jesus to introduce us to Him. Do we think that God - the Controller of the universe - can only send one person? Is the Supreme Being so limited?God has been sending His messengers and loving servants to the physical world to introduce us to Him since the beginning of time. Abraham, Moses, Jacob, Jeremiah, Joshua, David, Solomon, Samuel, Eli, Zechariah, Peter and so many others of different cultures - including Jesus - have been sent by the Supreme Being. And God has continued to send His representatives. Why? To bring us back to Him. God wants us back.
In order to return to the Supreme Being, however, we have to first want to return to Him. We have to be serious about re-developing our relationship with Him. Should we sincerely desire to re-establish our lost relationship with the Supreme Being, then God will guide us and show us His representative.
There is no need to join any sect or religion. God is a Person, and He utilizes a personal process to come to know Him. This is what Jesus was trying to teach those around him.
*Here is the translation of Jesus' statement according to the Lost Gospels of Jesus:
“What have I been telling you from the beginning? I have many opinions I could say about you, but He who sent me is real; and the things I have heard from Him are the things I speak to the world.” (John 8:25-26)
