Daily Catholic Lectio. Thu, 10 April ’25. Abraham and Jesus

Daily Catholic Lectio

Thu, 10 April ‘25

Fifth Week of Lent – Thursday

Genesis 17:3–9. John 8:51–59.

Abraham and Jesus

Many of the confrontations between Jesus and His opponents were rooted in questions of religion and religious identity. In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks of His relationship with Abraham, and this becomes a point of deep conflict.

When Jesus says, “Before Abraham was, I AM,” His contemporaries stumble, understanding Him to be equating Himself with Yahweh, the divine name in the Old Testament. This bold statement shocks and offends them.

Abraham’s Son and the Son of God

The Gospel of Matthew begins with: “The genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.” (Matthew 1:1) In this context, “son of Abraham” can be understood as a descendant by lineage. In Jesus’ human nature, He comes after Abraham, as a descendant.

But in His divine nature, He exists before Abraham, eternally.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus speaks from the standpoint of His divinity, while His opponents respond from the lens of His humanity—and thus cannot accept His claim. They call Him demon-possessed and pick up stones to throw at Him. But Jesus hides Himself and walks away.

On the other hand, according to the Bible, Abraham’s son is Isaac. There are several similarities between Isaac and Jesus. Isaac carries the wood for the sacrifice and climbs up Mount Moriah. Jesus carries the cross and ascends Mount Calvary. Isaac obeys his father Abraham. Jesus obeys His heavenly Father. Isaac does not return from the mountain—in the text, only Abraham is mentioned as returning (see Genesis 22:19). Jesus, too, does not return from Calvary. Both offer themselves as a sacrifice—according to the rabbinic understanding, Isaac is sacrificed on the mountain.

They would later realize that Jesus was prophetically revealing that He had come as one like Isaac, the son of Abraham.

Covenant with Abraham

In the First Reading (Genesis 17), we see God making a covenant with Abram, renaming him Abraham. This is a divine initiative, an unconditional promise, and an everlasting covenant. Abraham is accepted by God because of his faith.

But those who now call themselves “children of Abraham,” especially the Pharisees, fail to accept Jesus—who is not only a descendant of Abraham in the flesh but the fulfilment of Abraham’s hope.

This is the central irony of today’s Gospel.

Misunderstanding Jesus

They say: “You are not yet fifty years old, and you have seen Abraham?” They judge Jesus only by appearance, refusing to see who He truly is. They expect Jesus to fit into their limited image, and are unable to embrace His divine identity.

Hardened Hearts and False Assumptions

A heart that is closed cannot accept God. Jesus’ contemporaries believed their religious identity as “descendants of Abraham” would automatically bring them salvation. But Jesus reveals that external identity alone does not save. What brings salvation is accepting Jesus. This is why their rejection of Jesus, despite claiming Abraham as their father, is a contradiction.

What does this say to us today?

• Like Jesus’ opponents, we too may be tempted to rely on names, titles, or religious identity as guarantees of grace or salvation.
• But Jesus reminds us that what truly matters is an open heart that recognizes and accepts who He is.
• The closer we move toward Jesus, the more we participate in the eternal life He offers.
• Let us not allow hardened hearts to keep us far from God.

Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi

Archdiocese of Madurai

Missionary of Mercy