Who's Your Daddy?

My post today is on an epic fight about fathers; it's appropriate for the day after Father's Day, I think!

Jesus is teaching in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put. He liked to teach  near the offering boxes and watch people as they put their offerings in. Incidentally, these boxes were located in the court of women. This is significant because it means that Jesus liked to be where everyone could hear, even the women, though they were considered "less important."

He'd just told the people, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." And of course, the Pharisees were there to challenge him.

He engaged.

He told them that he knew who He was, where He came from and that He wasn't alone. "...I stand with the Father, who sent me." John 8:16

Then they verbally sparred. "Where is your father?"

"You do not know me or my Father." Jesus replied. "If you knew me, you would know my Father also."

He kept talking and confused them.

          He told them that they were from below and He was from above.
                They were of this world and He was not.

They were confused because those who don't belong to God, can't hear his voice. They didn't understand what he was saying because they were listening to the voice of their father, the devil. They only "heard" what they wanted to believe about themselves.

But the Bible says: Even as he spoke, many believed in him. Some of them received clarity and he explained who God's true children really were and the effect his teaching would have on them...

"If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:31-32

If you want to go deeper, you can read all about it in John 8:12-58

So now I ask you...Who's your daddy?