Part of me sympathizes with the religious leaders. Perhaps they want to protect the people from a theological madman. Whenever I see someone claiming to be God, part of me wonders if they are not only mentally ill but potentially dangerous. And I've done what they've done. I've felt so completely committed to my understanding of God's will that, in my zeal, I hurt people. It's uncomfortable to realize that we can be "spiritual" enough to defend God, yet dead enough to want to kill him. But Jesus looks at the people plotting his death and doesn't retreat. He claims to see exactly what God is doing and do the same things himself. He claims power over life and death as the final Judge, and says he's worthy of the worship that belongs to God. Then, he does something shocking. He offers his enemies eternal life. It's urgent. He says the hour is now, and eternal life can begin immediately. Verse 24 says, "Anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life." He doesn't say, "If you believe in me, you will get eternal life later." No, he says, once you believe in me, you have passed from death to life. To believe is to be resurrected into a new life. Eternal life doesn't start when we die, but the moment we believe. It gives us the power to love our enemies now, trusting his promise to make all things new. We are so dead that we would kill the Author of Life. But Jesus loves us enough to raise us from the dead.