Who is Jesus?

Imagine walking down the street ‘minding your own business’ and a stranger approaches you. Something has drawn them to you. It may have been how you behaved. It may have been how you spoke. They ask, “Who is Jesus?” Do you know how you would answer?

In today’s Gospel lesson we hear the crowd approach Jesus, “Who is this Son of Man?” He had told them who He was. He had told them what to expect. He had stood in front of them, but they didn’t recognize Him. It was only after His Resurrection that the crowd understood.

At that time, the Pharisees took counsel against Jesus and said to one another, “You see that you can do nothing; look, the world has gone after him.” Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew went with Philip and they told Jesus. And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If any one serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there shall my servant be also; if any one serves me, the Father will honor him. “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour?’ No, for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd standing by heard it and said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgment of this world, now shall the ruler of this world be cast out; and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.” He said this to show by what death he was to die. The crowd answered him, “We have heard from the law that the Christ remains for ever. How can you say that the Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of man?” Jesus said to them, “The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, lest the darkness overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”

John 12.19-36

That was two thousand years ago but not much has changed. The Church has been telling the world who Jesus is since the first Holy Week. Even we live as if we don’t fully believe what the Church teaches about Him. We continue to ask, “Who is Jesus?”

We might not ask in words, but our actions betray our wondering. It is as if we say to God, “IF you are God, then give me what I demand today.” The crowd believed in God. They didn’t believe He was standing in front of them because He didn’t fit their idea of God.

So, who is Jesus? He is God. He is the Only Begotten Son of the Father. He is One in essence with Father and is worshipped with the Father and the Holy Spirit. The ‘long answer’ to this question is the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed that we recite at every Divine Liturgy.

The Creed answers what we know to be true about God, but we know God through Holy Communion. Who is Jesus? When we are baptized and chrismated into the Church we are eternally united to Him. We become one with Him. To quote Him, we “becomes sons of light.”

Jesus is the Light. He is the Way. He is the Life. He is the Truth. He is love, but you can’t know Who is just be reading. You must live in communion with Him to know Him. That is why the Jews didn’t recognize Him. He didn’t fit their narrative. God isn’t a narrative. God is God.

If you want to know God, then you must go to Him. He is waiting for you in the Orthodox Church, just as He promised Moses. “Also, you shall make Me a sanctuary, and I will appear among you.” (Exodus 25.8) God is INSIDE every Orthodox Christian Church. Go to Him.