ICHABOD, THE GLORY HAS DEPARTED - explores the Age of Apostasy, predicted in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, to attack Objective Faithless Justification, Church Growth Clowns, and their ringmasters. The antidote to these poisons is trusting the efficacious Word in the Means of Grace. John 16:8. Isaiah 55:8ff. Romans 10. Most readers are WELS, LCMS, ELS, or ELCA. This blog also covers the Roman Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, and the Left-wing, National Council of Churches denominations.
6. The second kind of confession is that made to our neighbor, and is called the confession springing from love, as the other is called the confession springing from faith. Concerning this kind of confession we read in James 5, 16: “Confess therefore your sins one to another.” In this confession, whenever we have wronged our neighbor, we are to acknowledge our fault to him, as Christ declares in Matthew 5:23-25: “If therefore thou art offering thy gift at the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art with him in the way etc.” God here requires of both parties that he who hath offended the other ask forgiveness, and that he who is asked grant it. This kind of confession, like the former, is necessary and commanded; for God will be merciful to no one, nor forgive his sins, unless he also forgive his neighbor. In like manner, faith cannot be true unless it produce this fruit, that you forgive your neighbor, and that you ask for forgiveness; otherwise a man dare not appear before God. If this fruit is absent, faith and the first kind of confession are not honest.
I started with the idea of putting a Luther quote in the masthead. Lutheran Librarian Alec Satin asked for the quote being in the main blog because of RSV software giving him Internet feeds.
The masthead quote became cumbersome because that section only accepts code, Google's pet version of HTML code.
To speed up the quote generation and leave the masthead alone, I linked the daily Luther sermon quotation at the top of the left column - the "sticky posts" suggested long ago by a reader.
I am a Luther's Sermons quotation addict. I first collected my favorites from the first four volumes of Lenker (out of 8 at the time). I used IBM's ProFile software. Christina thought that was enough quoting.
Later, when the gang published all 8 volumes - in color, black and white, Word, PDF, and Kindle - it was easy to post an entire sermon on the blog for the upcoming Sunday. Christina was all for the publishing. Everyone involved got a rush from participating. Norma A. Boeckler provided a wealth of graphics on Luther and his work, cover art and volumes as well. Virginia Roberts enjoyed editing and finding the strangest and funniest typos in the original Lenker edition.
I appreciate the daily Luther quotation because I learn something every day from it.
First of all we know that the Scriptures speak of three kinds of confession.
The first is that which is made to God, of which the prophet David speaks in Psalm 32:5: “I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and my iniquity did I not hide: I said, I will confess my transgressions unto Jehovah; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.” Likewise, in the preceding third verse David says: “When I kept silence, my bones wasted away as with the drought of summer ;” that is, before God no one is able to stand unless he come with this confession, as Psalm 130:4 declares: “But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared ;” that is, whoever would deal with thee must deal so that this confession proceeds from his heart, which says: Lord, if thou be not merciful all is lost, no matter how pious I may be. Every saint must make this confession, as again we read in the Psalm mentioned, verse 6, “For this let everyone that is godly pray unto thee.” Therefore, this kind of confession teaches us that we are all alike wicked and sinners, as the saying is, If one of us is good, all of us are good. If anyone have special grace, let him thank God and refrain from boasting.
Medical treatment - Kermit Way, Pastor Jim Shrader and Chris, Callie.
Pray for our country as major trials continue.
I AM the Gate. KJV John 10:1-10
KJV John 10:1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
The Good Shepherd part of this passage starts at verse 11 and is part of the Easter Sundays. This analogy is from the well known (at that time) method of fashioning a pen so multiple flocks could be protected by one shepherd who positioned himself at the gate, a narrow opening or door. Thieves would look for a way to climb over the wall of the pen rather than mix it up with the shepherd. Jesus is saying there is only one way to salvation, which is through Him alone. This is another way of pointing out faith in Him as the only way of forgiveness and everlasting life.
2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
Jesus is the door (the way) and also the shepherd of the sheep. Far from becoming confusing, this is a picture easy to grasp and told in simple words and grammar. As editor Virginia Roberts said, "God doubtless made John's Gospel the simplest in language so anyone could follow it." It is also the most profound. The Shepherd has no trouble going to the entrance, because He is welcome and loved by the sheep, just as He loves them.
3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
The guard shepherd (notice how shepherd dogs - German Shepherds, Australian Shepherd, Malenois, Cattle Dogs, and other similar dogs have the same attitude in protecting their owners and animals!) The name and the voice are very important. "Every Christian soul has a name." Believers know the voice of Christ and find comfort and delight in that voice. Jesus knows His flock and protects it.
4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
When the shepherd takes out his sheep for food and water, He walks before them. The sheep follow His voice because He gives them safety.
5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
When we had three dogs at once, I called them "Girls!" and they came inside together. Not knowing this, the daughters of friends, who were swimming there, all got out of the pool to come in. Believers do not follow strangers, who may promise a lot but are false. Millions have been misled by false shepherds who only wanted to fleece their flocks, not feed them.
6 This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them.
Jesus taught this parable so it would be preserved by John and the Apostles. The fake scholars scoff at it and tell people it had no historical contact with the Apostle John, who took care of Mary the mother of Jesus, after His crucifixion and resurrection.
7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
Some though Judas Maccabeus was the Messiah. Other messiahs came after Jesus, plus many false prophets. There is only one way, one door, one Shepherd.
10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
There is an enormous gap between the thieves (false teachers) who steal, kill, and destroy. As Luther wrote, God uses false teachers to punish the people who had the truth but followed falsehood to please themselves and reject Christ.
At St. Olaf College, he is the: Associate Professor of Religion; Department Chair of Race, Ethnic, Gender and Sexuality Studies; and Director of Race and Ethnic Studies.
Anthony Bateza is a specialist in Martin Luther, moral theology and Christian ethics. Luther’s political theology is his primary area of resarch, focusing on the reformer's understanding of human agency and his relationship with the virtue tradition and Augustinian thought. He is also personally and professionally invested in questions of race, identity, and social justice. He has written on Black liberation theology and connections between Lutheran teaching and confronting racism in the United States.
Dr. Bateza has earned degrees from Iowa State University (B.S, 2002), the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (M.Div., 2006), and Princeton Theological Seminary (Ph.D., 2017). He is an ordained pastor in the Lutheran Church (ELCA) and frequently speaks in congregational settings and at church events.
Dr. Bateza lives in Northfield with his wife, Cynthia, their two children, Austen and Magdalene, and their loveable dog Charlie. In his free time he enjoys cycling, board games, comic books and cooking.
Someone created this Luther Activated graphic, which illustrates the obvious but forgotten efficacy of the Word taught throughout the Bible and older theological volumes. Efficacy in Greek transliterates - letter by letter - as energy. The Word of God always has the energy and power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 10 and Isaiah 55:8ff are the classic passages, too clear to miss, but they mean nothing to the Unstuck, the Church Growth, the Management by Objectives, and the Marketing mobs.
What believers must do is shunned and excoriated by the Lutheran leaders of today - convey Christ the Son of God and His teaching.
Everyone promotes grace - at least they say they do. Amazing that they do not grasp the key doctrine - faith in Jesus Christ the Savior is access to God's grace.
KJV Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
The confessional, Biblical, orthodoxical Lutherans - pause to laugh or cry or both - reject this passage from their own Book of Concord -
"Moreover, the declaration, John 6:44, that no one can come to Christ except the Father draw him, is right and true. However, the Father will not do this without means, but has ordained for this purpose His Word and Sacraments as ordinary means and instruments; and it is the will neither of the Father nor of the Son that a man should not hear or should despise the preaching of His Word, and wait for the drawing of the Father without the Word and Sacraments. For the Father draws indeed by the power of His Holy Ghost, however, according to His usual order [the order decreed and instituted by Himself], by the hearing of His holy, divine Word, as with a net, by which the elect are plucked from the jaws of the devil. Every poor sinner should therefore repair thereto [to holy preaching], hear it attentively, and not doubt the drawing of the Father. For the Holy Ghost will be with His Word in His power, and work by it...." Solid Declaration, Article XI., Election, #76‑77, Formula of Concord, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 1089. Tappert, p. 629. John 6:44. [Cites A. L. Graebner, Doctrinal Theology]
The Evangelical Review was edited by William M Reynolds, Professor in Pennsylvania College and assisted by John G Morris, H I Schmidt, Charles W Schaeffer, and Emanuel Greenwald. Many faithful and prominent Lutheran scholars and ministers are featured in the magazine. The first issue was published in 1849 in Gettysburg.
This is one of the special collections of the Lutheran Library. Here are listed all available volumes of The Evangelical Review. You can also review the master index.
The top three Thrivent salespeople do all they can to promote irrevocable charitable trusts that benefit themselves while robbing widows and orphans. These executives laugh because they are very good at one thing - feathering their own nests. Ask Mirthless Mark Schroeder why Planned Giving Counselors need to have insurance licenses for their Spirit-infused jobs.
It is all about the numbers, so only the Big Three abusive Lutheran sects are included in this - ELCA, WELS, and LCMS.
Romans 10 - Warning - KJV in Use,
Wear Safety Goggles
KJV Romans 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.
Romans 10 teaches the Means of Grace in a few words. Faith in Jesus Christ comes from
Teaching and preaching the Two Natures of Christ (human and divine) - the invisible Means;
Baptism and Communion - the visible Means.
The only question needed is - How do we use the Means of Grace?
Parking lots?
Pot-bellied balding Boomers trying to recapture their youth in rock bands?
Using career coaches who never stop grinning and only know the Law, their law?
Merging failed congregations into smaller numbers to hide their accelerating losses?
Holding national conferences led by aging Church Growth drones?
Buying expensive clergy costumes modeled by Roman Catholic and Episcopal priests and notables?
Picking the right incense?
Dumping the pipe organ and replacing it with electronic noise-makers?
Avoiding classic hymns that focus on the the Messiah instead of "me"?
Using corrupted and badly paraphrased "Bibles" instead of the Apostolic traditional text and translation?
Sadly, these highly paid snake-oil salescritters have no grasp of the Means of Grace, the Gospel instruments for bringing Jesus Christ to the world.
When we were young - painful, expensive and ineffective medicines were far from our minds. I remember hearing countless vague words like - "Try this."
I went without medical insurance years ago because the industry had jacked up prices too high. The Blue Cross B.S. plan went up to a $5,000 deductible price before coverage began.
Now I am in Medicare plus B, which is no bargain. It covered only part of eye surgery, but I covered the deductible that Medicare did not pay - no problem. My eyedrops are $0 per month.
Many problems of the heart and lungs can be fixed with the best medicine of all - eliminating processed junk food and returning to what the farmers used to eat for low-cost meals - vegetables and fruit. Weight loss and good food go a long way in preventing high blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, and the pitfalls of digestion.
The Lord of Creation engineered the human body to have a liver that could handle almost anything, because that is the key to using combinations of food to build and repair our bodies. The digestion complex includes many different ways of using our customized chemical labs. I am just starting to learn how our insulin works - and believe me - insulin does NOT cure diabetes.
People hammer their liver and pancreas organs with tobacco (an insecticide) and alcohol in abundance, leading to fatty malfunctioning livers, blood sugar problems often ignored.
People drink "energy" drinks that harm the body without immediate consequences. A local teen came into the doctor's office with a 300 blood pressure from "energy" drinks. He did not feel it, but it went well over double the normal figure.
Most of the "good food supplements" are combinations of milk, sugars, fats, and whack-a-doodle vitamins/minerals. Profits soar, weight does too.
Epigram of the year - "We are the only mammals that drink the nursing food of another mammal - the cow - a food created only for baby cows."
The Green Four
Fun fact - the cheapest, most satisfying, and nutritious foods in the grocery store are right off the farm:
Fresh or frozen vegetables
Greens (spinach, kale, collards)
Fresh fruits
Nuts and some seeds (flax, sesame).
When the Green Four dominate the grocery list and diet, weight goes down, the body mends itself, and the drooling lust for fast foods, desserts, and candy goes away (albeit slowly).
I am not a vegan or vegetarian, and I eat chicken several times each week - not to mention a little ice cream. I find really good bread far more tempting than ice cream and they are very good at wrecking Green Four's progress.
The best sources are the books by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. I have about five Fuhrman titles. I often go over them because they are loaded with sound information that checks out with other experts. I also reseach facts about food on the Net. Before I picked up Eat To Live, I knew nothing about nutrition, and what I imagined knowing was bogus.
My mother untangled the dessert-desert problem with ease. She told her classes, "You eat two desserts if you can get away with it - ss, but with a desert, one s is enough."
Last night I cut three thick slices of pineapple, which I trimmed by cutting off the outer rind alone. I eat the fibrous parts. The scraps were piled on the recycle barrel, including the bottom slice, which is mostly rind. If I kept the leftovers inside, the tiny ants would be swarming, as they did when an apple core fell on the floor. I picked up the apple core, thinking it discolored fast. It was covered by thousands and thousands of ants!
I save fruit remnants for the birds, squirrels, and Possum Pete. I cut up a few leftover tangerines which had grown old and wrinkled in the fridge. I tossed them on the ground for Pete and his squirrel friends. The next day I saw a bunch of neatly cleaned out skins.
It looks like Darth Vader's Castle, but it is the ELCA Lutheran School of Theology, sold for $18.5 million.
A sinking boatload of campuses are selling off their properties, built and remodeled just in time to switch over to online facilities - home. WELS and LCMS spent a lot of Marvin Schwan's indulgence money to beautify their seminaries. He bought the copper top ELS seminary, too. Ah, guilt is so efficacious when the synods need money.
Notice how many other schools of higher learning are bailing out of their facilities, due to online alternatives. I could have told them all, 20 years ago, when I began teaching online, "This is ideal for people who need to work full-time and earn a degree."
Hiking higher education charges, which rose faster than the cost of living meant the old country club feel of the 20th century college would no longer work. I enjoyed meeting my future wife the first day of college, taking classes with her, and graduating early with her. My initial first-year tuition cost of $1,000, was covered with an Illinois State Scholarship each year. Seminary was $150 tuition. Yale and Notre Dame together were almost no tuition.
The Preface p. 24 The Sanctus p. 26 The Lord's Prayer p. 27 The Words of Institution The Agnus Dei p. 28 The Nunc Dimittis p. 29 The Benediction p. 31 The Hymn #410Jesus Lead Thou On
Prayers and Announcements
Dr. Kermit Way, Pastor and Mrs. Jim Shrader, Callie.
KJV Hebrews 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; 12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
KJV John 8:46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? 47 He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God. 48 Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? 49 Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me. 50 And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth. 51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death. 52 Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. 53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself? 54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: 55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. 57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM. 59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
KJV Exodus 3:2And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.
6 Moreover he said, I AM the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.
13 And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?
14 And God said unto Moses, I Am That I Am: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AMhath sent me unto you.
KJV Genesis 15:6And he [Abraham] believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
Prayer
O Lord Jesus Christ, we thank Thee, that of Thine infinite mercy Thou hast instituted this Thy sacrament, in which we eat Thy body and drink Thy blood: Grant us, we beseech Thee, by Thy Holy Spirit, that we may not receive this gift unworthily, but that we may confess our sins, remember Thine agony and death, believe the forgiveness of sin, and day by day grow in faith and love, until we obtain eternal salvation through Thee, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.
The Word We Have
KJV John 8:46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?
This shows the union of
the divinity of Jesus Christ and
His miracles.
The two belong together, which confronts the apostates as well as the blasphemers. They want a Messiah who is only human, not divine. Philosophy majors delight in ignoring Jesus as the Son of God, and that has a great impact on everything they say and do. The truth is - Jesus performed many miracles far beyond the expectations of the doubters, so they were left with no argument about His claims about truth. Even today there is truth as debated by us humans and the divine truth that never changes. The daffodils will grow at the right time, no matter what we think, so we must subordinate our opinions to the revelation of the truth.
His miracles prove the eternal truth of everything He says, and that is still true today. The lack of belief comes from the opponents who dare not accept the Word of Jesus Christ, much like today. Every day I can pick up news articles on the collapse of the denominations, which once were vibrant and healthy, but now are diseased and conflicted - working against their own charters so they can undermine the Word of God.
47 He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.
Individuals either belong to God or not. Belonging to God means listening to His powerful, always effective Word. Hardened hearts hear the words but oppose them, and the effect of opposition is to worsen the hardening effect. People get confused because the effect of God's Word is in the Scriptures but seldom taught. Many assume a neutral position that only needs the addition of faith, or "making a decision." But Jesus is speaking of the divine Word, the eternal truth, that necessarily removes the falsehoods that accumulate. No deals can be made - it is all or nothing.
48 Then answered the Jews, and said unto him, Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? 49 Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, and ye do dishonour me. 50 And I seek not mine own glory: there is one that seeketh and judgeth.
This is a doubly insulting attack, first accusing that Jesus is really a Samaritan in spirit and even a devil. The attacks show the fury of opponents. Those who follow their Father Below are quick to show their holy outrage. They point from the pulpit as false ministers, or do the same to ministers as faithless laity.
51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep [GJ - guard] my saying, he shall never see death.
The verb keep is used for guarding a treasure or an item locked up. We do that all the time with objects - important documents, keys, credit cards, cash, children's keepsake items, like the tiny palm print from kindergarten. Divine truth is what we guard to keep the ways of the world from oppressing us. Today's sermon from Luther is very good at that. All the wisdom of this world is nothing compared to the power God gives us in trusting His Word.
52 Then said the Jews unto him, Now we know that thou hast a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and thou sayest, If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death. 53 Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets are dead: whom makest thou thyself?
People need to remember that the Gospel was not foreign to the Jews at this time. They were well aware of the signs - the Star of Bethlehem 30 years before, the preaching of John the Baptist directly quoting Isaiah 40, the miracles of Jesus. Two leaders of Judaism helped in the burial of Jesus, risking their lives. Did Jesus visit the Temple and have no effect?
The purpose of the Talmud is to enclose the Word of God (center, just a few Biblical words), "to build a fence," - their object - using many layers to obscure the Word. For modern examples, see Concordia Publishing House, Northwestern Publishing, and Fortress Augsburg Press.
Fears of the fossilized leaders caused them to start up the Talmud, much like what we have today in Lutherdom. Why is something so? They have layer upon layer of "experts" from the past who all agree on their false doctrine, and these hardened, blind leaders force this on the rest, using the money of laity to promote anti-Christian doctrine (Unitarianism, Universalism, Calvinism, evolution, Marxism, and crimes against the family, along with associations of Lutherans who are even worse).
The opponents in this passage are using their own history to prove that Jesus is evil and crazy, and they cite the evidence to Jesus who was not that old at the time.
54 Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing: it is my Father that honoureth me; of whom ye say, that he is your God: 55 Yet ye have not known him; but I know him: and if I should say, I know him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know him, and keep his saying.
Did these Jewish leaders know the Trinity - which is all over the Old Testament. This is clearly a case of the Son declaring His relationship with the Father and the Holy Spirit conveying this truth to us through the Apostle John. We still have nominal Christians (often the professors and clergy too) who do not comprehend the Trinity or openly oppose it. Do not be shocked - I sat with a Calvinist minister on the plane who was indifferent about the Apostolic KJV New Testament and could recite the worst examples of passages removed - but did not care. However, he said, "We must reach the next generation." I thought - "We"? I responded by saying, "You only need to preach and teach the Word of God. That is the only necessity. God works through His Word alone."
56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad.
This reveals that Jesus was revealed to Abraham, long before Moses, Genesis 15:6. At the same time, the Son has always existed, just as the Holy Trinity has. We are finite - God is infinite.
57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was,I AM.
This is only confusing if we assume or imagine Jesus was human alone and not divine. As Luther would say, that old harlot Human Reason, is always fooling us with anti-Biblical notions.
We can look at it another way - where everyone agrees that Jesus was gentle, kindly, loving, and gracious. Why would anyone want to execute Him? Roman and Jewish authorities agreed on doing this heinous deed and cooperated with each other in doing it. This horrible penalty can only be explained by both parties being terrified of His divine power, the proof in the raising of Lazarus just a few miles away, everyone knowing about it and seeing him with Jesus.
I AM is God's Name and the present tense, rather than "I was" reveals to us that the Son of God is eternal, so the tenses we use as humans are far below the meaning we find in the Triune God.
59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
This is another example of His divine nature not being hindered by His human nature. The appearance in the locked room twice (the doors blocked) are two more examples, plus the time the crowd wanted to throw Him off the cliff. Luke 4:28-29. "His himself" can be interpreted as not making Himself seen - He certainly did not need to "hide."
Therefore we can see that revealing His divine power also enraged those who feared and hated it. Thus the final episodes in Holy Week teach us the difference between faith and opposition.
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