If you want to know exactly what God is like, look at Jesus.
Such has been the conclusion of church leaders and scholars down the centuries. For example, Archbishop Michael Ramsey famously declared: ‘God is Christlike, and in him is no un-Christlikeness at all.’
But this is not one of those statements that has been fathomed out by clever reasoning, or mature reflection on the text of scripture, important though those are. No, this central tenet of the faith comes directly from Jesus himself, most clearly in today’s passage: (v45) ‘The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me.’ In other words: If you want to know exactly what God is like, look at Jesus.
This profound revelation unfolds in two directions in our text for today. The first is a challenge; after the persistent unbelief of one group of people that we looked at yesterday, today we meet a different group: those who do believe in Jesus, but are afraid to acknowledge their faith openly (v42). John ascribes this reticence to fear of stigma and consequent loss of status: ‘fear they would be put out of the synagogue.’ He concludes: ‘they loved human praise more than praise from God.’ (v43)
If this sounds harsh, then what Jesus says makes it clear that such fear is missing the point. In seeing Jesus they are seeing Yahweh, their Lord, the very One they profess to worship and follow. How could they keep quiet about that?
Although it is easy to judge such attitudes, Jesus refuses to (v47). Candidly, frail as we are, it remains a temptation for any of us, too. If this is something we struggle with, or someone we know, let’s take heart from the other dimension to Jesus’ statement – a great encouragement: (v46) ‘I have come into the world as a light, so that no-one who believes in me should stay in darkness.’ God is light, and Jesus – the true and exact revelation of God – is the light that illumines all our paths. If we honour him in all circumstances, if we resist the temptation to hide our faith, Jesus’ light will shine brightly, showing us the way.
May the Lord grant us all grace to see Jesus as he really is, and may his light give us courage and direction, today and every day. Amen.