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John 14:13 – "Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."

Welcome back, readers! I hope you had an enjoyable Christmas holiday.

In last week's post we examined the statement of Jesus that his followers would perform 'greater works' then he did.  As we studied this verse, we concluded that he was referring to expanding the kingdom of heaven by bringing lost souls to Christ.

That particular promise was given to the apostles to help comfort them because their hearts were heavy with thoughts of losing the bodily presence of Jesus. 

Here in verse 13, Jesus provides yet another statement/guarantee of victory and comfort to the eleven – whatever help they previously obtained by the fleshly presence of Jesus on earth, they will now obtain by their prayers. 

Specifically, Jesus says that he will do whatever we ask in his name.  How are we to understand this statement?  Is it a 'blank check' that we can use for the things of this world, like a new car, a luxury boat or a mansion?

I suspect that over the years there have been Christians and Christian leaders who interpreted the verse in this manner.  While it is true that Jesus wants his children to be blessed, he has not guaranteed any of us unlimited access to the things of this world for our own pleasure.

As always, we must interpret the statement of Jesus in the context of the larger passage, which again, is speaking of expanding the kingdom of heaven and bringing lost sinners to repentance/salvation.  Let's take a closer look at the promise.

First of all, we can't help but notice that the promise contains a qualification: we must pray in Christ's name.  In other words, we must pray in obedience to God's commands, for things in accordance with his will and with the intent to glorify him before men.  This was the exact way that Jesus lived his life, and we can be sure that all of his prayers were answered!

When we pray in the name of Jesus, it isn't simply ending the prayer with the words, 'in Jesus' name, amen'. 

It means that we pray with the understanding/acknowledgement that with his own blood Jesus has purchased our right (privilege is probably a better word) to approach the throne of God with our requests.  This idea is supported by the writer of Hebrews:

Hebrews 4:14, 16 - Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Without Jesus as our high priest, making atonement for our sin, we would instantly die if we ever came into the presence of God.  So praying in his name is a way of humbling ourselves while honoring/acknowledging him for reconnecting us with the Father.

Secondly, praying in the name of Jesus implies that we pray in his strength, with his authority and by the assistance of Holy Spirit.  Just before Jesus sends his disciples out to spread the gospel message, he assures them that all power in heaven and earth has been given to him:

Matthew 28:18 - And Jesus came and spoke unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.  

This means that whatever we ask for on earth, Jesus obtains for us in heaven.  Notice that Jesus does not say 'the Father will do' what we ask, but that he himself, by his own power and authority, through his Spirit, will honor/answer the requests we make of him.

Finally, praying in Jesus' name is actually asking that our prayers NOT be answered unless they are in accordance with the divine will.  Jesus gives us a good example of this when he prays in the Garden of Gethsemane:

Matthew 26:39 - And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as you will.

Jesus is praying/asking that he be spared from having the sin of the world heaped upon him.  But he is also praying for his Father's will to be done.  And as we know, he accepted the burden of that sin.  As we pray in Jesus' name, we are doing the same thing – asking that our petitions be rejected if they are not in accordance with God's will.

We can conclude that praying in the name of Jesus gives all his followers (the disciples, you and I, and the church collectively) the assurance that when we pray, he hears us and provides whatever is in accordance with his will especially regarding the salvation of people. 

One additional comment should be made here.  While it is not specifically emphasized in this text, faith also plays a significant role in answered prayer (Matthew 21:21).  We won't study this specifically because it is not in the text, but readers are invited to look at past posts on the gospel of Matthew, chapters 17 and 21.

John 14:14 – "If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it."

Jesus repeats the promise once again, to emphasize his point.  If Jesus says something once, we can rely on it; if he repeats himself we had better take note of the truth of his statement!

Essentially, anything that is needed by individual believers or the church collectively in the fight to expand the kingdom of heaven and bring the lost to Christ will be granted by Jesus.

John 14:15 – "If you love me, you will keep my commandments."

There can be no doubt that the disciples love Jesus and they are greatly troubled at the prospect of being without him in bodily form.  I am sure they expressed this sorrow verbally, just as we would have.   

Jesus responds to their words with some amazing wisdom.  He says that love should be demonstrated by action, not by mere words alone, because mere profession is not proof of love.

Our love for Christ should be demonstrated by taking up our cross and following him, by loving one another, by denying our flesh and by obeying his commands.  This is true evidence that we love him.

In fact, love and obedience go hand-in-hand.  If we obey without love for God, then our service is nothing more than drudgery and slavery.  On the other hand, if we claim to love without obeying, then we are merely pretending; our love is nothing more than empty lip service. 

We recognize this to be true in our everyday lives.  For example, if a person constantly states that they want to lose weight, but they never change their eating habits, or increase their level of activity, we would conclude that they don't really want to lose weight.  They like the idea of it, but they are not committed to making it happen. 

Or, we might find a person who says they don't care about money, but they hoard the money they have and sacrifice time with family in order to work/earn even more.  Essentially in these cases the words that are spoken are meaningless because the actions of the person don't back them up.

The old adage holds true: Actions speak louder than words. 

So the best and surest evidence we can have of our love for our Lord Jesus is a humble, cheerful and persistent obedience to all that he commands us through his word and by his Holy Spirit (Deuteronomy 5:8-10).  This is confirmed by the statement of Jesus after he rose from the dead and appeared to the apostles: 

John 21:16 – He [Jesus] said to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, do you love me? He said unto him, Yea, Lord; you know that I love you. He said unto him, Feed my sheep. 

Notice that in this passage Jesus again equates obedience to his commands (go into all the world and spread the gospel) with love for him. 

This should give each one of us pause.  What has God called us to do?  Are we actively and purposefully involved in doing it to the best of our ability?  Do we seek the council of Holy Spirit in how to accomplish the tasks set before us? 

If obedience is the measure of our love for Christ, can we prove that we love him?

John 14:16 – "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,"

The promise of another Helper/Comforter is the greatest promise in the New Testament, just as the Messiah was the greatest promise under the Old Testament.  The Helper – Holy Spirit – was given to aid every single New Testament believer in his/her walk of faith.

'I will ask the Father' – This reflects the intercessory role of Jesus in our lives.  We know that he went back to the Father and that from that position he intercedes for us constantly (Romans 8:34).  When Jesus declares that he will 'ask the Father' (pray), it does NOT – I repeat, it does NOT - indicate that Father God is unwilling to send the gift of the Spirit upon us, or that he must be convinced to do it contrary to his will. 

Let me say it one more time:  Jesus prays for the Father to give us the Spirit, but NOT because the Father is unwilling to do so.  This situation merely reflects that the gift of the Spirit is a benefit obtained by the mediation of Christ; it was purchased by his blood and it is given through his intercession.  It is God's will for you to have this gift.  If you ask for it in Jesus' name, you can be certain of receiving it.

Luke 11:13 - If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

'He will give you another helper' – Ever since Jesus called the twelve to himself, he has been their counselor, friend, teacher and guide.  He has comforted and upheld them in difficult times.  But it was never the plan for him to remain on earth forever.  If Jesus remained in bodily form on earth, it would be physically impossible for him to fulfill this role for every believer around the globe.  Obviously, God already knew this, so he planned to send another helper to assist his followers.  

This helper is none other than Holy Spirit, the most precious gift God has given us next to our salvation.  The first point we want to make here is that Holy Spirit is a divine person, not a divine 'quality' or 'power'.  He is a member of the Godhead, equal to the Father and Son in every way. 

Because he is a person, we can personally know him, just as we know Jesus.  He lives within our hearts and seals us for the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30, II Corinthians 1:22).  He is here on earth to empower, assist, lead and guide every single Christian in their earthly walk.  He comforts us, teaches us, gives us boldness and sustains us until we leave this planet.  Because he is a Spirit, he is available to assist and dwell in every single believer around the globe.

And truthfully, unless God sent a divine agent into the world to help us, the message and work of salvation would have perished long ago because the work cannot be completed in our own strength. 

In this we also see the unity (yet distinctness) in the Trinity:  Father God commissioned and sent the Son, the Son made atonement for sin and continues in the role of intercession while the Spirit applies the work/message of salvation to the hearts and minds of mankind.   

'To be with you forever' – The blessing of Holy Spirit is stable and permanent.  He is our constant companion and guide.  Whether we walk through temptation, victory, affliction or blessing he is right there offering us comfort and guidance until death releases us from this life. 

John 14:17 – "…even the Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him.  You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you."

'The Spirit of truth' – Why is Holy Spirit referred to as the Spirit of truth? 

First of all, he is indeed a spirit, not flesh and blood like Jesus was during his incarnation.  Holy Spirit will do his work in a spiritual way/manner working on men's hearts, minds and spirits in an inward and invisible way.

Holy Spirit is the one who will enlighten the minds of believers with knowledge of the truth.  The understanding of the Gentiles was darkened by their idolatries.  The understanding of the Jews was darkened by their traditions.  In both cases, Holy Spirit is present to reveal the truth and depth of the gospel to all those who trust in Christ.

In addition, Holy Spirit was the one who would keep the apostles from teaching erroneous doctrines regarding the gospel message.  He would call the teachings of Jesus to their remembrance, and give them a clear understanding of what those doctrines meant and how they should be interpreted.  Thus, the message the apostles communicated to others was always true, whether it was delivered by teaching, preaching or writing.  This is one of the reasons we can have confidence in the written word of God (II Peter 1:21).

'Whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him' – The disciples (all believers) are members of the kingdom/family of God.  As such, they can receive Holy Spirit into their hearts/lives, because, as we have already noted, the gift of Holy Spirit was purchased by the blood of Christ and it is given to us by his intercession.

On the other hand, 'world' refers to all those who are not Christians.  They are members of the kingdom of darkness and Satan is their father.  He is the father of lies:

John 8:44 - You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Unbelievers literally cannot receive Holy Spirit because the spirit of this world and the Spirit of God are contrary to one another.  

1 Corinthians 2:12 - Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.   

Because they are members of the kingdom of this world, they can only understand and perceive the things of this world, which are known to them through the senses of the flesh (seeing, hearing, etc).  They lack spiritual perception (seeing/hearing).  Since spiritual things are foolishness to them, they cannot understand or receive them (I Corinthians 2:14) and the devil works hard to keep it that way.  He wants to keep them blinded to the truth of the gospel.

The good news is that those who are willing to listen to the words of life (the gospel) can be transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light, where they too can receive the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, just like you and I.  In fact, it is through the influence/conviction of Holy Spirit that sinners turn to Christ for forgiveness.  

We 'know him for he dwells with you/in you' – Holy Spirit dwells in the life of every believer; he is the seal of our redemption (Ephesians 1:13, 4:30).  We value him and welcome him into our lives; we are involved in an intimate relationship with him, which will never end.  He is a true gift that consoles, sustains and empowers us while we are absent from Christ our Redeemer.

John 14:18 – "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."

At the beginning of his discourse with the eleven, Jesus referred to them as his children (John 13:33).  In the natural realm, children who have lost their father are known as orphans.  They lose all of the support a father normally gives – financial support, physical provision and protection, emotional support, guidance in growing up, etc.  They lose the comfort and stability of knowing that their dad is always there to help and guide them through life.  They are exposed to dangers such as injustice and fraud; many will look to mistreat and abuse them.

Spiritually speaking, the disciples were going to be orphans in a matter of hours and they were worried about it. 

But Jesus reassures his followers that although they would be without him for a very short time, it was a temporary situation.  He will come to them again on the day of Pentecost in the person of Holy Spirit (Acts chapter 1).

John 14:19 – "Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me.  Because I live, you also will live."

Jesus tells the disciples that once he has disappeared from the view of the world, they would still see him. 

This was true in a literal sense.  Jesus never appeared to the Jewish nation as a whole after his resurrection.  To them, the grave was the closing argument in the case for Christ.  Because they saw him no more, they considered him dead.

However, his own followers saw him many times.  Mary Magdalene saw him first (Mark 16:9), and subsequently he appeared to the disciples and others on various occasions before his ascension to heaven (Mark 16:14, John 20:25-28, etc). 

More importantly, the statement of Jesus was also true in a spiritual sense.  The next time the world will see Jesus is on the coming Day of Judgment at the end of this age.  Until then, they know nothing of him because they are spiritually blind.

However, Christians of all times/ages will continue to 'see' Christ with their eyes of faith until the very day they die.  Each of us can continue to experience his power, might, guidance, etc through the working of Holy Spirit. 

Jesus now repeats a message he demonstrated earlier, at the time of the resurrection of Lazarus:  Because he lives, we also will live. 

Jesus is the first fruits of those who will rise from the dead.  His own resurrection is proof/surety that we too will one day rise from the grave and ascend to heaven to spend eternity with the Father, just as Jesus did. 

Romans 8:11 - But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also bring to life your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you.

But his promise includes much more than just physical resurrection.  It is an assurance of eternal life.  The God-head (Trinity) is the source of all divine spiritual life.  The true, divine life of Jesus was completely unaffected by the physical death he experienced.  Death can kill the body, but not the spirit.  In the same way, those who believe in Jesus will be spiritually unchanged by undergoing physical death.  We will pass directly from physical death to the presence of God.    

John 14:20 – "In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you."

What does 'that day' refers to? 

Some scholars believe Jesus speaks of the day of his resurrection.  Certainly, some of the questions the disciples had were answered on that day, but there is no clear evidence to suggest that they fully understood the spiritual relationship between Father God and his Son, or the Son and themselves.  The disciples remained essentially unchanged after the resurrection - they were weak, afraid and unsure of themselves (John 20:19).     

Others feel 'that day' refers to the Day of Pentecost, the time when the disciples would receive the gift of Holy Spirit.  After Holy Spirit came upon them they were transformed.  They became bold, fearless and unstoppable. 

Holy Spirit illuminated their minds (John 14:26), allowing them to fully understand the Old Testament scriptures which told of the death, resurrection and mission of the Messiah.  The gospel doctrines which they had heard from Jesus became crystal clear to them; they were able to preach with boldness and thousands came to believe in Jesus as the Messiah.

The Spirit continued to move and work in their lives, assisting them in writing the entire New Testament, which will use today (II Peter 1:21).

It seems clear that the Spirit assisted the disciples in understanding/realizing two things:   

First, they fully understood that Jesus is in the Father.  In other words, Jesus and the Father are completely united (John 10:30).  They are one in essence and one in purpose; they are in complete agreement with each other. 

Second, the disciples understood that Christ has not forsaken them.  He proved it by his resurrection, by appearing to them over a span of 40 days, by going to heaven to prepare and place for them and by giving them the gift of his indwelling Holy Spirit, who empowered them for successful ministry.

They knew beyond a shadow of doubt that Jesus was present with them, cooperating with them and empowering them through his Spirit.  They must have possessed the clearest conviction that Christ had not abandoned them, but that he was dwelling in them, just as they were dwelling in him.

Not long ago the disciples asked Jesus to show them the Father, but soon (on that day) that would not be necessary.  Holy Spirit would quicken their hearts and they would understand that they were in Christ, who was in the Father; therefore they were communing with (and seeing) Father God through Christ.  Holy Spirit would bear witness with their own spirits that they were the children of God (Romans 8:16).

Let me offer you some encouragement:

As we noted in today's post, Jesus promises to do anything we ask in his name.  Some Christians have misinterpreted this promise to mean that they can ask for everything this world has to offer, and Jesus must give it to them.  But that is not what Jesus meant. 

While it is true that God is well known for generously blessing his children, he prefers gives us something far better than the temporary riches of this world, which tend to corrupt us.

Ephesians 1:3 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:    

The blessings that are guaranteed to us are eternal/lasting and perfect.  They draw us closer to God, rather than separating us from him.  These blessings include true riches such as pardon, peace, adoption by God (and thus all the riches of his kingdom), joy, eternal life, gifts of the Spirit, treasure in heaven and much, much more.

Having said that, it is also true that in order to further the kingdom of God on earth Christians are going to need access to earthly money – and lots of it.  So if you need earthly finances to accomplish the heavenly tasks God has assigned to you, I strongly encourage you to ask for them.  I encourage you to seek Jesus first, before begging the public for money.  You can be assured he will direct you in the best manner to receive what you need.   

Let me offer you some relief:

You may have been taught that Holy Spirit no longer gives supernatural gifts to believers in this age.  (What a frightening thought!)  If so, let me give you some relief - despite what some denominations may teach, Holy Spirit is still very active in the lives of believers today! 

Look around and you will see people operating in these gifts, using them to expand the Kingdom of Heaven on earth.  I assure you, Holy Spirit wants to give you supernatural gifts as well.  Why not ask him for one? Why not receive all the assistance God has provided for you in this life?  Wouldn't it be a relief to know that you can depend on Holy Spirit to assist you in spreading the gospel?

Let me offer you some strength:

Holy Spirit is the one who convicts the heart of a sinner who hears the message of the gospel.  Without his work on the sinner's inward heart/mind, they will remain in darkness never perceiving the freedom from sin they can have in Christ.  His work is needed in the world now, more than ever.

But he can't do his part until you and I open our mouths and share the gospel. 

Sharing the gospel in a violent, mixed up world can seem like a daunting task.  But let me offer you some strength – you are not alone!  Holy Spirit is ready to work with you, giving you supernatural boldness and making you fearless just as he did for the twelve.  He has never stopped partnering with believers since he came to earth on the Day of Pentecost.  He is standing by right now, full of gifts and resources, ready to work with you. 

 

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John 14:7 – "If you had known me, you would have known my Father also.  From now on you do know him and have seen him."

Jesus is in the middle of a discourse with his disciples about where he is going (heaven) and how they can eventually be where he is.  He has plainly told them that he is the way, the truth and the life; the way to Father God is through faith/belief in him.

If you had known me:  They key word in this phrase is 'know'.  It means to have a full and accurate knowledge of something. 

While the disciples believed that Jesus was the Messiah, they were still clinging to the traditional Jewish notions of who the Messiah was, what he was going to do, and when he was going to do it.  Most unfortunately, Jewish tradition did not contain a fully accurate depiction of the Messiah and his work.

But if they could look past their own traditions, they would see the true character and designs of Jesus.  He exhibited goodness, justice, mercy and wisdom through his doctrine and miracles.  He lived a holy, sinless life.  He came to fulfill the law, which required a blood sacrifice to atone for the sins of the people. 

You would have known the Father also:  These attributes of Jesus are not unique to him; he is an exact representation of Father God (John 10:30).  This means that God can also accurately be described as good, merciful, wise, holy and full of justice.  Although God is invisible to the human eye, the disciples can know (have an accurate knowledge of) him because they know Jesus. 

Part of a full and accurate understanding of Jesus and the Father included the knowledge that only blood can atone for sin:

Leviticus 17:11 - For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes an atonement for the soul.   

Jesus had told the eleven numerous times that he was going to die.  This was his ultimate plan and purpose; it was the reason God sent him into the world.  If the disciples had an accurate understanding of God, they would have seen that this was the best and wisest course of action because there was no other way for man to be reconciled to God.

From now on you do know him and have seen him:  The hour had come for the death and resurrection of Jesus.  Only then would the disciples have a full understanding of the plans and counsels of God, because they would see them manifested in the life of Jesus. 

John 14:8 – Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us."

Philip hears the word 'seen' and immediately thinks of some visible revelation of the glory of God.  Perhaps he was thinking of the events that transpired on the Mount of Transfiguration witnessed by Peter, James and John (Matthew 17:1-6).  Or he may have been thinking of the time when God partially revealed his glory to Moses (Exodus 33:18-23). 

In any case, Philip seems to think that if some such manifestation would be made to the disciples, it would be sufficient to remove all of their doubts and satisfy their minds.

But Philip is still overlooking the fact that the Son is a perfect manifestation/revelation of the Father.  Since he is the Messiah, his word ought to be enough to convince them on this point.  Any remaining doubts should have been banished long ago by the miracles and teaching of Jesus. 

John 14:9 – Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip?  Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.  How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?"

Jesus rebukes Philip for not having eyes of faith.

At this point, Jesus has been with the disciples more than three years.  During their time together he healed the sick, cast out devils, confounded the logic of his enemies, supernaturally multiplied food, walked on water and even raised the dead.  No one could have done these great works if they had not come from God. 

During these years the disciples had ample opportunity to see his character and understand his mission from God.  After so many proofs of his divine mission, it was completely unnecessary for God to visibly manifest himself to them.  They could easily know the Father (have a full and accurate knowledge of his plans, purposes and character) because they had seen the works of Christ (Colossians 1:12-15).

John 14:10 – Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?  The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works."

Notice the way Jesus describes his relationship with the Father:  He is in the Father and the Father is in him.   

This is not the kind of union that could exist between a mere man and God.  If Jesus had been nothing more than an ordinary prophet, he would have said 'the Father who sent or commissioned me' does these works.  Instead, he describes God as dwelling/abiding within him. This denotes an intimate union and agreement; the Son and the Father are essentially one.  Therefore, the works which Jesus did might be said to have been done by the Father (John 5:17-27). 

Because the Father and Son are in complete agreement, the Son does not speak on his own authority.  He speaks only what the Father tells him (John 8:38).  All the words of Christ, uttered throughout his entire time on earth, were a collective revelation of the Father, who Philip was asking to see. 

John 14:11 – "Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves."

 It is imperative that the disciples believe in the unity between Jesus and the Father.  There are two grounds or foundations on which the disciples may believe. 

First, they could believe because of the testimony of Jesus.  This is the preferred foundation for belief.  Remember, Jesus is the fountain head of truth.  When he tells us something, we should believe it simply because he said it.  (This applies not only to this particular circumstance, but to ALL the words of Jesus.)  Therefore, if Jesus says he and the Father are one, then by faith we should believe they are. 

Secondly, the disciples could believe based on the works Jesus performed. Let's ask ourselves a question about the works/miracles of Jesus:  How are they different from miracles performed through ordinary men? 

For example, in II Kings 4:18-37 the prophet Elijah raised the Shunammite woman's son from the dead.  Was that different than Jesus raising the widow of Nain's son from the dead (Luke 7:11-15)?  If so, how was it different?

The difference is that ordinary men like Elijah could not raise the dead in their own name or by their own power.  When Elijah raised the child to life, he did it by praying to God; it was the power of God that responded and granted his request (II Kings 4:33).  Elijah was nothing more than a tool that God used to perform the miraculous.  We might say that he was a conduit for the power and blessing of God.  Likewise, the myriad of miracles performed by the apostles after the day of Pentecost ALWAYS occurred in the name of Jesus Christ, and by his power:

Acts 4:10 - Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him does this man stand here before you whole.

The disciples readily admitted that they had no power within themselves.  Like Elijah, they were simply tools or conduits for the mercy and power of God:

Acts 3:12, 16 - And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, You men of Israel, why marvel you at this?  Or why look you so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?  … faith in his name [Jesus] has made this man strong… and given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

But Jesus was different.  He is not just a conduit for God's power; he and the Father are one (John 10:30).  Therefore, when Jesus works a miracle it is not just by the power of God but by his own power and virtue as well.  Scripture confirms that the fullness and power of the Godhead (Father, Son and Spirit) dwelt in the body of Jesus:

Colossians 2:9 - For in him [Jesus] dwells all the fullness of the Deity bodily.

So, the miracles themselves were clear evidence that Jesus and the Father were one.   This includes the greatest miracle of all time – the redemption of mankind. 

John 14:12 – "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father."

Hmmm… what do you make of this verse? 

Is this a promise that we should take at face value?  If so, is it true in our own lives?  If not, why not? 

If this is not a verse that we should take at face value, then how should we interpret it? 

The first step is to clarify what Jesus meant by 'works'.  Scholars offer two possible answers.  One, 'works' refers to miracles.  Two, 'works' refers to achievements related to establishing the kingdom of God and bringing souls to repentance/salvation.

The second step is to clarify what Jesus meant by 'greater'.  Does 'greater' refer to the quantity of the works, or the scope/power/quality of the works?

The third step is to clarify what Jesus meant by 'whoever'.  Is he speaking only of the disciples, or is he also referring to you and me?  Or is he referring to the church, as opposed to an individual believer?   

 All of a sudden, this verse is looking rather complicated, isn't it?

Let's consider the first interpretation – works refers to miracles.  We know at least some of the miracles that Jesus performed. He healed the lame, restored sight to the blind, cured diseases, cast out demons, multiplied food, made nature (the wind and sea) obey him, confounded his enemies and raised the dead.

If we assume this is the correct interpretation of the verse then we should be able to show that someone (either the disciples or us or the church collectively) have done greater miracles.  Is that what we find?

John tells us that if the miracles of Jesus were all written down in books, they would fill the whole earth (John 21:25)!  So we can't be sure that the disciples performed a greater quantity of miracles than Jesus did.  Neither can we say that they performed miracles greater in scope/quality/power than Christ.  The greatest miracle is to raise a person from the dead.  Since Jesus and the disciples both did this, their miracles are equal in scope and power.    

If we believe that Jesus is speaking to you and me, the answer to the question (for most of us) is easily answered - NO.  We have not done more miracles than Jesus did; in fact most of us have never had God use us to perform even one miracle, much less raise the dead. 

If we believe that Jesus is speaking of the church as a whole, we find that we don't have enough information to verify the statement of Christ.  Just as we don't have a complete listing of the miracles of Jesus, neither do we have a complete listing of the miracles done by the church.

Let's switch gears and look at the second interpretation – works refer to achievements related to establishing the kingdom of God and bringing souls to repentance/salvation.  Obviously, Jesus is the foundation upon which the church is built:

1 Corinthians 3:11 - For no other foundation can a man lay than what is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

 In addition, he is also the head of the church he established:

Colossians 1:18 - And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

So Jesus is both the foundation and head of the church.  However, he ordained that his followers would be the ones to spread the gospel of the kingdom (Mark 16:15).   He sent his disciples out to preach the gospel and gave them authority to do the miraculous in order to confirm the gospel message and lead people to salvation:

Matthew 10:7-8 - And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.  Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons: freely you have received, freely give.

Furthermore, he gave all of us the keys to unlock his kingdom.  He has given us authority to bind and lose things on the earth (Matthew 16:19) and he promised that the gates of hell would not stand against his church (Matthew 16:18).

If this is the correct interpretation of 'works', then we should be able to show that someone (either the disciples or us or the church collectively) have added more souls to the kingdom of God than Jesus did when he walked the earth.  Is that what we find?

Yes, it is!  The preaching of Jesus was confined to the small geographic area of Judea. While he preached to many, it was a very, very small percentage of the world's population.  And remember, Jesus was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  In other words, it was not his priority to bring the Gentiles to salvation (Matthew 15:24, Matthew 10:6). 

But once Jesus empowered his disciples with Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, the church exploded.  On the very day they received this gift, Peter preached a spontaneous sermon and 3,000 people were saved!

Acts 2:41 - Then they [the Jews] that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

Not long after, Jesus opened the door of salvation to the Gentiles again through the preaching of Peter (Acts chapter 10).  Even in relatively modern times there have been individual men and women who have preached to more people and seen more souls added to the church than Jesus did.  What names can you think of?  How about Billy Graham, Charles Finney, Mario Murillo or Charles Spurgeon? 

And obviously, it is also true that the church as a whole has shepherded more souls into the kingdom of heaven than Jesus did.  The church has sent the gospel message into nearly every nation on earth.  Today, the good news is sent around the globe by missionaries, radio, TV, internet, podcasts, bibles in every language and potentially even this blog!

So what conclusions can we reach about this verse?

• Because Jesus left earth and went to the Father, he was able to pour out the gift of Holy Spirit upon all those who believe in him (John 16:7). 
• Through the power of Holy Spirit, we (the disciples, the church and you &me) are able to boldly share the life changing message of the gospel with those who are lost. 
• Many times Holy Spirit will confirm this message with signs and wonders, which convinces sinners to turn to Christ.

As previously mentioned, Jesus has also given us authority over demons and sickness.  He paid the price for these victories through the cross.  He has given us the authority (keys) to manifest and expand his kingdom here on earth.   

And as we will look at in our next post, he has promised to answer our prayers so that the Father will be glorified!

Let me offer you some encouragement and relief and strength:

 It is likely that Jesus is referring to the salvation of lost souls when he says we will do 'greater works' than he did. 

This should bring relief to anyone who is worried about not performing miracles like Christ did. 

But at the same time, it should light a burning fire and hunger down in your soul.  Jesus has set us up to do great and awesome things in his kingdom. 

• He has given us the living word of God. 
• He has empowered us with Holy Spirit, who in turn blesses us with spiritual gifts to assist us in our mission. 
• He has given us spiritual armor to fend off the attacks of the enemy. 
• He has given us 24-hour access to his throne. 
• God listens to every prayer we ever pray, and Jesus sits at his right hand making constant intercession for us. 
• He has given us every tool we need to succeed in expanding his kingdom. 
• He desires to set us on fire with his passion for the lost.       

In light of all this, what is our response to his call/commission?  Are we ignoring it because we are focused on the things of this world?  Or worse yet, are we lukewarm in our response to his call (Revelation 3:15-16)?

Might I suggest that we spend time in his presence this week, asking him to sharpen our focus for revival?  Dare we ask him to begin working through us to confirm his message with signs/wonders/miracles?  My guess is that we will need to make some changes in our lives in order for that to happen.  Are you willing to make the sacrifice and be one of those who does greater works?

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

This is the season of the year when we rejoice in God's most precious gift to mankind - his only begotten Son, Jesus the Christ!  I hope your holiday is safe and joyous; be blessed this Christmas Day!  

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John 14:1 –"Let not your hearts be troubled.  Believe in God; believe also in me."

It's been a very trying day for the disciples of Christ. They came to the Passover expecting a time of celebration, but things took an unexpected turn.  First, Jesus washed their feet and gave them a strong lesson in serving others.  Then Jesus revealed that one of them would betray him.  He once again asserts that the time of his death is very near; he is going away and they cannot follow him. 

In response, Peter rashly declares that he will follow Jesus until death.  But Jesus tells him it would not be so – Peter would deny him three times before sunrise.

It's no wonder that at the end of chapter 13 we find the disciples very troubled in heart. 

In chapters 14-16 we find Jesus having a heart-to-heart talk with his disciples before his suffering and death.  These chapters are often referred to as the 'farewell discourse' to the disciples; they are also sometimes called the 'heart' of the gospel of John.  Some of the most tender words Jesus ever spoke are found in these passages.  They have been comforting and encouraging believers ever since they were spoken.  I am sure you will find them comforting too.

However, there are also passages in these chapters that are difficult to understand and hard to explain.  We will look at these on a case-by-case basis as they arise within the text.  In the meantime, let's check in on the eleven. 

In general, there appear to be three main things bothering the disciples:

• They were troubled at the prospect of losing the bodily presence and leadership of Jesus.  The disciples, who had left all to follow Christ, were shortly to see him heaped with reproaches, beaten beyond belief and crucified as a criminal.  All of the hopes/dreams they had about the kingdom of the Messiah were going to be destroyed. 

• They feared that with the loss of Jesus they would also lose the spiritual influence he had been upon their lives.  If his light departed from the world, how would they cope with the darkness?

• They were facing the prospect of troubles and persecutions which were likely to fall upon them after Jesus' departure; they could not help feeling deserted and exposed. 

So Jesus begins to comfort his disciples by instructing them not to be troubled in heart.  He does not want them to feel unsettled or cast down.  They should not be anxious or perplexed.  Jesus wants them to be brave and courageous and not give in to fear.  They don't know it yet, but they are victorious through Christ!

The basis for their courage is faith or belief in both Jesus and his Father.  The disciples are to place their confidence in Father God and in Jesus as the mediator between God and man.  They could expect the utmost support from God, which would come through Jesus Christ.  Jesus was able to take care of all their concerns, both physical and spiritual.  For this reason, they could confidently commit themselves to Jesus.

John 14:2 – "In my Father's house are many rooms.  If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?"

One of the main causes of anxiety for the disciples was the loss of the bodily presence of Jesus.  So he comforts them by explaining that he will not be permanently separated from them.  He is going to return to the glory that was his before the world began but that place has room for all of Christ's followers.  If this was not the case, Jesus would have told them.  He would never have allowed them to trust in a vain hope concerning their spiritual/eternal lives.

So how did Jesus 'prepare' a place for us?  The book of Hebrews points out that Jesus is our high priest.

Hebrews 3:1 -Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

Under the old covenant, the high priest entered the Holy of Holies once a year to sprinkle blood on the mercy seat (located on the Ark of the Covenant).  This blood made atonement for the sins of the Israelites for one year.  It had to be repeated over and over, because the blood of animals cannot fully cleanse from sin.

Under the terms of the new covenant Jesus is our high priest.  He was about to shed his own blood, providing the only truly perfect, lasting atonement for sin.  Once he did that, he went into heaven and presented his own blood before the Father on our account.

By so doing, he 'prepared' a place/room for us by removing all the obstacles that prevented us from entering heaven.  This was exemplified when the temple veil (which prevented anyone from entering the presence of God) between the Holy place and the Holy of Holies was torn in two, from the top to the bottom.  Now, Jesus continuously sits at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for us at all times.

We could also think of it this way: Jesus was a forerunner – a messenger sent to give notice of the approach of others.  He went before us into the presence of the Father, to make atonement for us, that we might be able to enter the presence of God.

Interestingly, this concept was introduced back in the wilderness wandering:

Numbers 10:33 -And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days' journey: and the ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days' journey, to search out a resting place for them.

The Ark of the Covenant was synonymous with the presence of God.  In the book of Numbers we find that the presence of God went before Israel, to search out or provide a place of rest for them. 

In the same way, Jesus has gone before us into the presence of God to atone for our sin and prepare an eternal resting place for us.  The writer of Hebrews confirms this for us:

Hebrews 6:20 -Where the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. 

So the disciples should not fret at being deprived of the bodily presence of Christ; he is not abandoning them, he is going to do what is necessary for them to join him in heaven.

John 14:3 – "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also."

'If' is an unfortunate translation in our English Bible because it seems to indicate uncertainty.  It infers that Jesus may or may not go to prepare a place for his followers.  In reality, that is the exact opposite of the assurance that Jesus wants to convey.

It is 100% certain that Jesus is going to go away, 100% certain that he will prepare a place for his followers and 100% certain that he will come again to gather them to himself.  Therefore, a better translation would be 'after I have gone to prepare a place for you' or 'when I have gone to prepare a place for you'. 

This verse contains another difficulty as well.  When Jesus 'takes us to himself', does that occur at the same time as he 'comes again', or is there a span of time between those two events? 

The way you answer that question will in part be determined by your interpretation of the phrase 'I will come again'.  Scholars disagree on what Jesus meant by that phrase.  Here are some of the various interpretations:

• He was referring to his resurrection. 
• He was referring to the death of each individual believer. 
• He was referring to the presence of the Lord's Spirit in the church. 
• He was referring to his second coming at the end of the age. 

Although each interpretation has its interesting points, the most common understanding is that Jesus is making a reference to his second coming, as detailed in I Thessalonians:

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 - For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  Therefore comfort one another with these words.

So regardless of whether we die before he returns or whether we are alive when he comes, we can take comfort knowing that Jesus will be returning to gather us to himself, and we will remain with him forever!

John 14:4 – "And you know the way to where I am going."

Jesus has just reassured the disciples that his death is not destruction or annihilation, but simply a passage back to the Father.  In fact, he told them time after time that he was going to die, rise again and ascend to heaven (Matthew 16:21, Luke 9:22, Luke 18:31-33, etc).  There could be no doubt that they knew where he was going.

Likewise, they knew the way to heaven – having faith in Jesus, obeying his commands, imitating his example and following him in general (Mark 8:34).  This was their assignment for the time between the resurrection of Christ and his return to gather them to himself. 

Our assignment in this life is the same – we are to glorify God, spread the gospel message and disciple people.  This road is marked with both joy and suffering.  But in the end, disciples of every generation will wind up in the presence of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

John 14:5 – Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going.  How can we know the way?"

And now we hear from Thomas – the pessimist; the disciple dominated by 'common sense'.  He seems incapable of understanding anything outside the realm of his current experience.  His mind was sluggish and dim regarding these matters and he openly admits that he does not understand what Jesus is telling him.

But as we have already noted, Jesus had indeed told them numerous times what was shortly going to transpire.  So what is the problem?

The eleven heard Jesus speak of his death, and this fact registered in a dark seldom used part of their brain, but the thought never made it to the forefront of their thinking/understanding and it certainly had not yet reached their hearts. 

What kept this truth from taking real root in their understanding?  It was probably their preconceived ideas about the Messiah.  For example, they believed the Messiah was going to come to earth, immediately establish his kingdom, and bring Israel into a golden age of power and wealth.  That thought was so ingrained in their thinking, they interpreted everything else in light of that fact.  So when thoughts of a suffering savior came into their minds, they rejected/dismissed them as impossible.

Thomas still believed Jesus was speaking of going to some earthly place which is why he insisted he did not know where Jesus was going or how to get there.  

But if Thomas (or any of the others) had laid aside their own opinions and simply been willing to receive the truth in faith just as Jesus spoke it, they would have had no difficulty at all believing that Jesus was going to die a humiliating, painful death and then be resurrected on the third day.

Jesus goes on to tell them that the way into the eternal kingdom of heaven is through himself:

John 14:6 – Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me."

Jesus is the way – This means that people can only obtain access to God by obeying the instructions/commands of Jesus (Hebrews 5:9), imitating his example (I Peter 2:21-22) and depending on the merits of his shed blood (I John 1:7).  Jesus is not just A way to God, he is the ONLY way.  He is the highway spoken of by the prophet Isaiah:

Isaiah 35:8 -And a highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for others: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.

(Notice that anyone who desires to follow the highway of holiness in Christ will be able to do so; they will not 'err' in the way.)   

Jesus is the truth – Truth is the opposite of all falsehood and error; Jesus is the source or fountainhead of all truth.  While other false religions are full of deceit and lies, the doctrines of Jesus are true.  They alone will lead mankind into heaven and the presence of Father God.

Jesus is also the true fulfillment of all the shadows and pictures of God presented in the Old Testament.  Those pictures pointed to the truth that was now revealed in Christ.

Jesus is the life – Jesus himself is the resurrection and the life (John 11:25).  Only through his shed blood can we die to sin and be alive in the presence of God (Romans 6:11).  

No one comes to the Father except through me – God has appointed Jesus as the Messiah and mediator of the new covenant (I Timothy 2:5, Hebrews 9:15).  God has ordained that all blessings shall descend into this world through him.   There is NO other conduit for man to reach out to God, except through Jesus Christ.

Father God has appointed Jesus to dispense whatever we may need for our peace, pardon and salvation. 

Acts 5:31 –Him [Jesus] has God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

It is only through faith in Christ that we can stand in the presence of God, have our prayers answered and eventually enter into the kingdom of heaven.  Faith in Christ will lead us to the Father's house, where Jesus is going.    

Let me offer you some encouragement:

The disciples were very troubled when they considered the imminent death of Jesus.  One of the things that troubled them was the prospect of facing a life of trouble and persecution without the presence of the Savior.

We too walk through times of hardship, trouble and persecution.  We all experience difficult times in life when it seems like we walk alone.  But that is not the case!  Jesus has promised never to leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).  He has blessed us with his indwelling Holy Spirit who has come to comfort, teach, guide and sustain us through every trial of life. 

So even when things are rough, be encouraged.  Holy Spirit is right there with you, to help you navigate through the storms of life.

Let me offer you some relief:

Are you worried about making it through the pearly gates and into heaven?  Are you concerned that you might not be good enough to get there?  Well let me set the record straight – you are NOT (nor will you ever be) good enough to enter heaven on your own merits!

Only Jesus can prepare the way for you to get into heaven.  And that preparation is determined by his mercy and grace, not your works.  So don't worry.  Fully commit to Christ today and earnestly follow him.  If you do, you can be sure you will be with him in eternity.

Let me offer you some strength:

There was a point when the disciples had difficulty accepting Jesus as the suffering Savior.  This was due to their preconceived notions, which had been taught to them since birth.  These ideas hindered them from accepting the truth by faith.  It caused them to be troubled because their expectations did not match up with what was happening.

Are there concepts which you and I have been taught from an early age that are hindering us from a fuller Christian walk?  For instance, were you taught that God does not heal people today, or that communion can only be administered by a priest, or that Jesus no longer baptizes people with Holy Spirit and fire? 

As we continue looking through the gospel of John, we are likely to find things that Jesus says should be happening in our lives, but we don't see them in action.  In these cases, can we be strong enough to admit that the problem is ours, not God's?  Can we lay aside things we have been taught, if they are different than the truth of the word of God?  You might want to spend some time this week considering this scenario, so you can be ready when we examine these passages.

 

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John 11:46 - … but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.

As we noted at the end of our last post, many of the Jews who were present for the resurrection of Lazarus believed in Jesus as the Messiah.  In hindsight, Mary and Martha were able to see that their suffering was not in vain; it had a purpose. 

In fact, it had more purpose than either of them realized.  This resurrection was irrefutable proof that Jesus has the power to resurrect every person at the end of this age.  Thus, this incident has given reassurance and comfort to Christians throughout all the ages.

But inexplicably, there were other Jews present during the resurrection who hardened their hearts and still refused to believe in Jesus as the Messiah.  We can only assume that their hearts and minds were blinded by Satan, the god of this world:

2 Corinthians 4:4 - In whom the god of this age has blinded the minds of them who believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

In the midst of their rage and bitterness, these Jews went directly to the Pharisees to report the actions of Jesus as if he were some kind of criminal.  In turn, the equally blind Pharisees will testify at the Sanhedrin and urge the council to issue official orders for the death of Jesus. 

John 11:47 – So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, "What are we to do?  For this man performs many miracles."

What was the Sanhedrin and what was its purpose?

The Sanhedrin (literally "sitting together") or council was a group of 71 Jewish members, including chief priests, elders and scribes with the high priest being the president.   

It was the highest court of the Jews and its authority was extensive.  This court ruled in both judicial and ecclesiastical (pertaining to the church) matters.  However, during the time of Christ they did not have civil/government authority; the Romans did.  (They lost this authority when they went into captivity.  They did not gain it back until Israel was declared a nation in 1948).

The headquarters of the court were in Jerusalem.  The group normally met in a specific hall near the temple courts called Gazzith although scripture also indicates they sometimes met at the home of the chief priest (Matthew 26:3).  Once the temple was destroyed in 70 AD, the Sanhedrin ceased to exist. 

As you would expect, this council was intended for the public good.  It was to uphold/exercise both righteousness and justice, the foundations of God's own throne.

Psalm 97:2 - Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and justice are the habitation of his throne.

(See also Psalms 89:14 and Isaiah 9:7).  Unfortunately, the council had become corrupt in many ways.  The majority of its members had become full of pride, envy and greed.  They enjoyed their positions of power and they loved exercising authority over their fellow man.

But the worst thing about the council was that most of them were spiritually blind.  As the learned/educated spiritual men of that day, they should have recognized Jesus as the long awaited Messiah, and endorsed him as such.  They should have encouraged all the common Jews to embrace him as well. 

But they didn't.  In fact, they hated Jesus.  They denied his messianic claims and demanded that the common Jews reject him as well.  Instead of leading their people towards God, they were herding them away from him – straight to hell and destruction.

This was the council that the Pharisees convened for a special meeting to discuss the 'problem' of Jesus and how they were going to fight against it.  Their actions were predicted by the psalmist this hundreds of years before:

Psalm 2:2-3 - The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. 

Let me ask you this:  Have you ever been part of a group that was 'infected' by the anger or bitterness of one person?  I know I have.  The atmosphere in the room can be positive and healthy, but when that individual comes in and starts complaining, their discontentment spreads throughout the entire group like a disease.  The atmosphere changes into something toxic and pretty soon everyone is angry and unhappy. 

I imagine this council meeting was something like that.  A couple or a few Pharisees began to complain about Jesus.  No doubt, they rehearsed for the group all of the reasons why Jesus should be rejected.  Their frustration and anger infected all of the other members.  This was followed up with eye witness testimony about the most recent miracle, the resurrection of Lazarus.  By the time the testimony was finished, they were all seething with rage.

Incidentally, you and I have this same power.  We can go into a group of people and influence it for good or for evil, just with our words.  We should avoid allowing 'corrupt communication' to come from our mouths at all times (Ephesians 4:29).  If we are frustrated or angry over something, it is best to share it with God or the person who is frustrating us.  Otherwise, our words need to edify and build up those we are with.   

Did you notice that the religious leaders openly admit that Jesus performed multiple miracles?  When they are judged by God, no witnesses will be needed to condemn them; they condemn themselves with their own words by acknowledging Jesus' credentials but denying his commission.   

John 11:48 – "If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation."

"If we let him go on like this" – What a ridiculous statement!  Clearly, the religious leaders believe that they are capable of shutting down or stopping the work of Jesus if they just try hard enough.

To be fair, if Jesus was a false prophet, then it would be their duty/responsibility to stop him.  But clearly he is NOT a false prophet; they have already acknowledged his many miracles.  

"Everyone will believe in him" – If Jesus continues to work miracles like the last two (curing the blind beggar and raising Lazarus from the dead), he will be universally recognized as the Messiah and the people will proclaim him as king. 

"The Romans will come and take away both our place and nation" – The religious leaders mistakenly believe that the Messiah would immediately set up his earthly kingdom.  They also incorrectly assume that if Jesus attempted to do this, it would result in a war with Rome.  Sadly, the religious leaders didn't have much faith regarding the outcome of that conflict; they clearly believed that the Jews would be defeated and the Romans would overthrow and destroy both their nation and temple. 

But was that their true fear?  Probably not.  They are hiding their hatred and jealously of Christ under the pretence of public protection/good.  In reality, they were afraid that Jesus was going to destroy their way of life. 

At that time, the religious leaders claimed to be the only people who could correctly interpret the Law.  This resulted in a special prestige and authority.  In addition, they were the temple rulers; until Jesus showed up, no one dared to question what they did. 

But Jesus had already successfully challenged their authority over the Sabbath and many of their doctrines.  If the people followed Jesus, the religious leaders would lose their power, authority, wealth and prestige among the Jews.  This was the real reason they despised Jesus.

It should be noted that there were also just and devout men on the council who truly believed in Jesus as the Messiah.  This may have resulted in some actual discussion about what to do in the matter of Christ.  But as we shall see, the high priest silences any dissenting opinions.

This may be a good time to consider the final outcome of the Sanhedrin.  After the Jews actively participated in the conviction/crucifixion of Christ, all that they claimed to fear happened to them – they entered into a devastating war with Rome in which the temple was destroyed/desecrated and the Jews themselves were slaughtered in vast numbers.  At that point, the Sanhedrin simply ceased to exist. 

Conclusion:  Fighting against God is futile!     

John 11:49 – But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all."

When the office of high priest was instituted it was for life, unless the man did something that would disqualify him from service (I Kings 2:27).  But once Israel returned from captivity, those who ruled over the Jews claimed and exercised the right of changing the high priest at any time.  It appears that Caiaphas had recently been promoted to this position.

John 11:50 – "Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish."

Wow!  This is a shocking statement considering that it comes from the high priest – the most revered and (supposedly) wisest man among the Jews.  Caiaphas is plainly saying that it is better (literal translation: profitable) for Jesus to die whether he was guilty or not, than for the wrath of Rome to be stirred up against the Jews and their whole nation destroyed. 

His point is that the ends justify the means.  Evil is okay if it results in what he thinks is best.  Specifically, if the death of an innocent man (Jesus) would make the people safe from Roman retribution, then he was all for it.  His thinking/reasoning is utterly diabolical!  It is scary to think that he was in the highest office of the Jewish nation!  

But no matter how hard he tries, man can never thwart the purposes and plans of God.  Despite his fleshly motives, Caiaphas is going to speak spiritual truth.

John 11:51-2 – He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.

Doesn't this just make you rejoice at the power of God?  What the enemy meant for evil, God certainly used for good! 

Caiaphas was busy embracing evil – he was plotting the murder of an innocent man.  But in the midst of that, he was led by Holy Spirit to express his idea in such a way that it had a prophetic interpretation, which had an altogether different meaning from the one he intended to convey.  He actually delivered a most precious truth regarding the atonement of sin through the blood of Jesus!  Read his statement again, and you will see it for yourself!

Let's remind ourselves that God can do the same thing in our situations.  Wicked people may plot against the righteous, but God has a way of using those plans to accomplish his purposes. 

Joseph is a good example of this.  As you recall, he was the second-to-youngest son of his father Jacob.

Trivia Question: Who was the youngest son of Jacob? The answer is at the bottom of this post.

Joseph's brothers were jealous of him, so they plotted evil against him.  They wound up selling him as a slave, splashing blood on his coat-of-many-colors and telling their dad he was killed by a wild beast. 

But as we know, Joseph winds up being second in command in Egypt and God uses him to save the Hebrews (and countless others) from death during a severe famine.  When Joseph is reunited with his brothers they are worried about revenge.  But that was the furthest thing from Joseph's mind.  Look at what he says to his brothers:

Genesis 50:20 - But as for you, you thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save many people alive.

In both cases (Caiaphas and Joseph) God uses the words/actions of the wicked in a manner which they do not wish or intend. 

In this situation, we want to be clear that Caiaphas was NOT a true prophet. He was not conscious of, nor did he understand the truth he spoke about the atonement of Jesus.

If that is the case, why does God speak through him? 

The Jews always attached great importance to the opinion of the high priest because of the office he held.  The high priest was the official representative of God to the Jewish people and anyone in this office had the official capacity to convey God's truth.  So God made him do just that!  He unwittingly steered the Jews in the right direction (toward Christ), when all of his intentions were to do the opposite.

As for his actual words, he predicted that Jesus should die in the place of men - an atonement for sinners.  His atonement was for both Jews ('the nation') and Gentiles ('children of God scattered abroad') alike.        

John 11:53 – So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.

The council is interpreting the words of the high priest as he intended them.  The 'plans' mentioned here are specific ways/scenarios in which they could charge Jesus with the death penalty under Roman law.  As we know, they will eventually accuse him of being a king, which put him in opposition to Caesar and ensured he would be crucified for treason.

John 11:54 – Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples. 

'Walking openly' refers to going through the cities and villages of the Jews teaching, preaching and healing the sick. 

So once the Sanhedrin put Jesus on the 10 Most Wanted List (John 11:57), he and the disciples temporarily stopped traveling.  They withdrew into a quiet country place away from the open wrath of the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem. 

But of course, Jesus was not withdrawing because he was afraid of his enemies.  Nor was he withdrawing from his Father's will; he fully intended to surrender his life to the Jews at the appointed time.

John 11:55 – Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves.

When writing his gospel, why would John use phrases like 'Passover of the Jews'? Why mention the purification process that we already know took place?   

It shows that John was writing his gospel to include people who were not Jewish and not acquainted with Jewish customs. 

For example, Gentiles might not be aware that Jews were unable to celebrate Passover unless they were ceremonially clean.  Any number of things could make a person unclean (details can be found in Leviticus 22:1-6). 

For instance, touching or being in the presence of a tomb, dead body or human bones automatically made you ceremonially unclean.  In this particular case, the person needed seven days in order to undergo the purification process, take a bath and wash their clothes.  So there would always be Jews who came to the Passover early in order to be purified.

John 11:56 – They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, "What do you think?  That he will not come to the feast at all?"

We know that all Jewish males, including Jesus, were to appear before the Lord at Passover.  This was not optional, it was required.  So of course, Jesus would be there.  However, due to the hostility between Jesus and the Jewish leaders, some people wondered whether or not he would show up. 

The people asking this question are the Jews who came to the feast early, from far away.  This tells us that even the Jews from the outermost regions of Judea knew about Jesus, about his message and about his friction with the Jewish leaders.  Indeed, they had probably seen the order given by the council:

John 11:57 – Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him.

This proclamation falsely paints Jesus as a dangerous criminal/outlaw, who was a fugitive from justice.  It no doubt carried a considerable reward for those who were willing to help and stiff penalties for those caught harboring Jesus.   

Let me offer you some encouragement:

When Lazarus was resurrected, many people who were witnesses to the fact immediately acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah of the world.  Others did not.  In fact, they ran to the enemies of Christ to report the incident and stir up trouble.

But let me offer you some encouragement:  Even the bitterest of Christ's enemies can be touched with the gospel and have their lives transformed.  So if you are praying for a friend or loved one who continues to firmly reject the gospel, don't give up!  Continue to demonstrate the love, patience and goodness of God to them, and let Holy Spirit soften their hearts.   

Let me offer you some relief:

Jesus has sent all of his followers into the world to share the truth of the gospel (Mark 16:15).  Some of us fear to do that because we feel inadequate; we don't think we know enough about the scriptures to discuss them with someone else.

But let me offer you some relief – you don't have to know everything.  You can spread the gospel by talking about what you DO know – just share what Jesus has done for you!  Sharing your personal testimony is a very powerful way to witness to those who are desperate for hope.   

Let me offer you some strength:

Jesus had many bitter enemies during his time on earth.  His opponents included many influential and wealthy people, as well as many of the leaders at the time.  But as rich, famous and powerful as they were, they could never block the gospel message.  They could not win a fight against God.

The same is true today.  Many rich, famous and powerful people reject the gospel of Christ and mock those who embrace it.  They promote the ways of Satan whenever they get the chance.

But don't be swayed or embarrassed by them.  They are mere men; they will never over throw the kingdom of God.       

TRIVIA ANSWER: Jacob's youngest son was Benjamin, son of Rachel and brother of Joseph.

  

 

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John 9:28 – and they reviled him, saying, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses."

Jesus has just healed a blind beggar who was sitting outside the temple gates.  

You would think this was cause for celebration – it showed the Jews that God was in their midst.  But there were certain Pharisees who despised and rejected Jesus.  Instead of rejoicing at this miracle, they set out to discredit both Jesus and his work.

As we saw in our last post, their 'investigation' did nothing except confirm the validity of this miracle!  When the Pharisees realized they could not refute Jesus or disprove the miracle, they resorted to arguing with the beggar like spoiled little children.  This is typical of people who cannot win an argument with truth or reason.   

John tells us that the Pharisees 'reviled' the beggar.  The Greek word for 'revile' literally means 'a spear word'.  The meaning is that they spoke cutting, piercing, words which revealed the murderous intent of their hearts.  If the Pharisees had the same power with a literal sword as they did with their tongues, they would have killed the beggar!   

The Pharisees have basically drawn a line in the sand. 

On one side, they placed Moses, the law he gave to Israel, and all those who follow that law.  On the other side they placed Jesus, the gospel he was teaching and all those that believed he was the Messiah.

In their misguided and ignorant opinion, they believed that these two things (the Law of Moses and the teachings of Christ) were mutually exclusive.  In other words, the Pharisees believed that anyone who followed Christ was automatically an enemy of Moses and the Law.       

Matthew 5:17 - Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.

What they did not understand (because they chose to be spiritually blind) was that the law and grace both flowed from God.  They were not opposites of each other; they complimented each other.  Moses was a type or shadow of the Messiah that was to come (Jesus). Jesus, the true Messiah, was the fulfillment of the Mosaic Law. 

Therefore, it was entirely possible to be a disciple of Moses as well as a disciple of Jesus. 

John 9:29 – "We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from."

When the Pharisees say this, they are not referring to the place where Jesus was born.  They are referring to his commission or his prophetic office.

The scriptures show that Moses was commissioned by God.  He received his calling at the burning bush (Exodus chapter 3).  His calling/commission was confirmed to the Hebrews by the performance of miracles:

Exodus 4:1-3 - And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD has not appeared unto you.  And the LORD said unto him, What is that in your hand? And he said, A rod.  And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.

God gave Moses the ability to perform two other miracles (making his hand leprous and turning water into blood.  See Exodus chapter 4).  Notice the purpose of the miracles – to prove that God was speaking to them through Moses.

The Pharisees believed the word of Moses and accepted his doctrine based on the Old Testament record of these three simple miracles.  So why would they reject Jesus, when he had performed hundreds of miracles, many right in front of them?  The only answer is their stubborn refusal to listen to God. 

Do we ever refuse to listen to God?  Do we stick to a doctrine that claims God does not heal today, even though we have evidence to the contrary?  Do we stick to a doctrine that says speaking in heavenly languages (tongues) is not for today, even though millions of people are doing it right now?  Examine what you believe and make sure it lines up with the word of God.

John 9:30-31 – The man answered, "Why, this is an amazing thing!  You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes.  We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God, and does his will, God listens to him."

The beggar is getting a bit sassy with the religious leaders and I like it!  He boldly mocks their ludicrous claim that Jesus was not commissioned/sent by God.

He points out that God does not listen to any deceiver or false teacher; no such person could possibly work a miracle.  Since Jesus had just healed him, the only logical conclusion is that Jesus operates under the authority of God.  Therefore, his doctrine should be accepted. 

We find that this uneducated, poor and despised beggar is able to correctly judge spiritual matters, while the religious leaders stand by, dazed and confused.  How is that possible?  After all, it was the business of the religious leaders was to distinguish good from evil, or a true prophet from a false one.  Yet the Pharisees cannot correctly judge the clear case that is before them! 

The only answer is that God cured not just the beggar's physical blindness, but his spiritual blindness as well!   

John 9:32 – "Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind."

When the beggar made this statement, he was no doubt referring to the physical realm.  Blindness was (and for the most part still is) incurable.    

But interestingly, his statement is true in the spiritual realm as well.

Since the beginning of the world, no one has been able to open the spiritual eyes of a person afflicted/born in sin.  The understanding of mankind is blind because:

• Sin has affected our entire nature; it has cut us off from God and spiritual understanding. 

• Our natural pride and self-reliance strive against the message of the gospel, which says that out salvation is 100% a gift of God; we cannot earn it. 

• We try to judge spiritual things by the use of our senses.  This was a known problem of the religious leaders; Jesus instructed them to stop judging by appearance and judge righteously (John 7:2). 

Rhetoric, argument and reason are useless in the fight against sin/spiritual blindness.  Only the divinely inspired and Spirit-breathed word of God has the power to heal spiritual blindness and draw men to Christ.  Man remains blind until the Spirit says, 'Let there be light'.

For this reason, we need to fill our minds and hearts with the word of God.  Then, when we open our mouths and speak out of the abundance of our hearts (Luke 6:45), our words can bring life to those who hear them.  

John 9:33 – "If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."

The beggar correctly concludes that the work of Jesus is beyond the power of any ordinary man.  If Jesus did not have some special authority from God, he could not perform such miracles.  

Notice that the beggar still thinks of Jesus as a prophet; he stops just short of declaring Jesus to be divine.  He has not quite come to that revelation yet, but he soon will!

John 9:34 – They answered him, "You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?"  And they cast him out.

At this point, the Pharisees realized that they cannot accomplish their goal – they cannot refute this miracle of Jesus.  Their frustration manifests itself in angry retort directed at the beggar.

They resolutely declare that he was 'born in utter sin'.  This refers to a false belief that was common during that time.  Many people (including some Jews) were convinced that souls, after finishing one life, entered into new bodies where they suffered the punishment of their former crimes.  Since this man was born blind, they conclude that he was a vile sinner in his last life. 

Obviously, we know this is not the case.  But there is still a lesson to be learned here.  We should not pass judgment on those who are suffering.  As we noted in our previous posts, suffering can be punitive, redemptive or collateral.  God uses suffering to accomplish eternal good in us and others.  When we see someone suffering, we cannot possibly know the real reason for it, so we should not judge it.  

The judgment of the Pharisees had another unfortunate (and serious) side effect.  It caused them to distain the beggar, which in turn caused them to reject the sound spiritual warnings he gave to them.  Because of their pride and arrogance, they missed another chance to find grace. 

As a final insult, they excommunicate this man from the temple.

John 9:35-36 – Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"  He answered, "And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?"

The beggar has had quite an eventful day.  The day began as hopeless as any other.  But then he was healed, had a confrontation with the religious leaders, and was excommunicated from the synagogue.  As he was wandering outside, Jesus came to him with an important question – did he believe in the Messiah? 

We can't help but notice how Jesus leads this man along in his faith, much as he did with the woman at the well. 

At the beginning of this narrative, the beggar understood very little about the character of Jesus.  He certainly believed that Jesus had the power to heal him and from that he inferred that Jesus was a prophet (verse 17).  He testified as much to the religious leaders. 

But now Jesus stretches his faith.  Did the beggar believe that the Messiah had come?

We must keep in mind that the beggar had no idea that the man he now spoke with was the same one who had healed him.  This allows us to see the true motivation of his heart. 

The beggar's response indicates that he was prepared to acknowledge the Messiah when he saw him; he just didn't know who he was.  In fact, he wished that someone would point the man out to him, so he could both see and hear the Son of God.  

John 9:37-38 – Jesus said to him, "You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you."  He said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him.

The beggar is now fully convinced of the divinity of Jesus and glorifies him as Savior.  While his spiritual journey is far from over, he has made the transition into the kingdom of heaven.

It is likely that this ends John's narrative about the beggar.  Some amount of time passes between verses 38 and 39. 

John 9:39 – Jesus said, "For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind."

Again, at some later date, Jesus is teaching and some of the religious leaders are listening in as Jesus explains the effects of his appearance in the world. 

Every single person is born spiritually blind.  Now that Messiah has come into the world bringing the truth, men have a choice to make.

People who recognize and admit they are sinners can receive spiritual sight/understanding and accept the gift of salvation.  These people have passed from death to life.  They are no longer under God's condemnation:

John 5:24 - Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that hears my word, and believes on him that sent me, has everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

The life of the blind beggar was a physical example of this spiritual truth.   

People who refuse to admit that they are sinners (spiritually blind), will not be able to accept the gift of salvation, because they don't think they need it.  They will despise and reject the gospel message.  As a result, they remain in spiritual darkness or blindness, and they fall under condemnation. 

Matthew 23:27-28 - Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outwardly but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.  Even so you also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

The lives of some of the Pharisees presented a physical example of this truth.    

Scholars also see a bigger picture here as well.  They believe that the meaning of this verse goes beyond each individual and refers to the Jews and Gentiles.  It can be said that the gospel/salvation message was taken away from the Jews because they rejected it, and given to the Gentiles who received it with joy (Romans chapter 11).    

John 9:40-41 – Some of the Pharisees near him heard these things, and said to him, "Are we also blind?"  Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would have no guilt, but now that you say, 'We see', your guilt remains."

What is Jesus saying here? 

The context of his comment is still the blind beggar.  He was physically blind and he knew it.  In fact, he was acutely aware of it.  This knowledge caused him to seek a cure for his blindness.  Man could not help him, but eventually Jesus crossed his path and healed him.

On the other hand, no one else in this narrative (including the Pharisees) asked Jesus to heal their blindness, because they didn't have any.  They believed they could see perfectly. 

Spiritually speaking, sin is like blindness.  If you realize you have it, you can seek God.  You can ask him to heal/forgive/remove your sin, just as the beggar asked Jesus to heal his eyes.  Once you do, you are free from guilt/condemnation.

But if you refuse to believe that you have any blindness/sin, then naturally you will not seek God for a cure, because you falsely believe you are in perfect spiritual health.  Therefore, since you did not seek a remedy for your sin, it stays with you and your guilt before God remains.  This is the situation of many of the religious leaders of that day.       

Let me offer you some encouragement:

Jesus performed hundreds of miracles on earth, yet his miracle power is not diminished in the least.  Are you in need of a miracle today?  Don't let someone convince you that God is no longer in the miracle business. 

Remember, we receive the blessings of God by faith.  So take steps to build up your faith and ask God for whatever is on your heart.  He is a good Father, and he wants to bless you!  

Let me offer you some relief:

There are many good reasons why Jesus instructs us not to judge each other. 

For one thing, we cannot possibly understand the motivations of another person.  Only God can do that (Hebrews 4:12).  Therefore, only God can righteously judge their situation. 

Another reason we are not qualified to judge is because we too have sin in our lives.  Jesus tells us not to pull the splinter out of our brother's eye until we have removed the log from our own (Matthew 7:3-4)! 

Fortunately for us, Jesus instructs us not to judge others (Matthew 7:1).  Frankly, that is a relief – I don't want the responsibility of judging someone else! 

Let me offer you some strength:

The beggar provides an excellent example of strength that we can learn from: 

The Pharisees were wealthy, popular and educated. Very few Jews would disagree with them or confront them.  But the beggar wasn't afraid to stand up for the truth, even though he knew they would despise his opinion.

The Pharisees behaved like school bullies.  If any Jew failed to agree with them, they would use their authority to banish them from the temple.  But the beggar didn't bend to that kind of pressure.  His stand for the truth did eventually get him excommunicated from the temple, but in the long run it was worth it – he found Christ.

In this day and age, it takes a lot of strength to stand up to the wicked compromising world around us, but if we stay close to Christ, he will give us the strength we need to stand strong in our faith. 

  

 

  

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John 13:20 – "Truly truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me."

In our last post, Jesus was revealing to his disciples that one of them would be his betrayer.  Jesus told them about this betrayal before it happened, so that his true followers would not be caught off guard.  Because they knew in advance what to expect, their faith was actually strengthened when events unfolded exactly as Jesus predicted.

Nevertheless, Judas did an enormous disservice to the gospel message.  He opened the door for scandal; he gave unbelievers reason to dismiss the gospel message.  After all, if one of Jesus' apostles (who presumably knew him better than anyone) didn't believe in him, why should anyone else?  What did Judas know that the public had not discovered?  Was Jesus really a fake like the religious leaders had been proclaiming?  Would the world now hold the other 11 apostles in contempt because of the actions of Judas?

In order to reassure his true followers, Jesus gives them a truth to hold onto in the days and years to come.  A servant/messenger/ambassador is never greater than his master.  Because he and the master are in unity, he will be treated the same way the master is treated.  This is why Jesus says when someone receives the messenger he sends, it is the same thing as receiving Jesus himself.  And receiving Jesus is the same as receiving Father God, for he was sent by the Father.

The opposite is true too.  There will be unbelievers who reject those that share the gospel message with them.  When this occurs, we are not to be distraught; this is actually a rejection of Jesus and the one who sent him – Father God.

Furthermore, we would expect there to be some who bring treachery into the circle of believers, just as Judas did.  They will try to discredit the gospel message.  And sure enough, we have seen it in our day.  You can probably recall some of these public scandals yourself.      

But when that occurs, true Christians can rest assured that they are operating under divine orders to share the gospel message, and they will be successful at it.  Despite the influence of scoffers, betrayers and traitors, unbelievers will still hear and receive the life changing gospel message.  They will be sealed by Holy Spirit until the final day; they are safe within the fold of the kingdom of heaven.  

Although we will definitely experience profound sorrow and hurt, true believers are not to lose hope over this kind of behavior.  Satan was not able to destroy the gospel through Judas, and he will not be able to destroy it today, even if he finds traitors to the gospel cause.     

John 13:21 – After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, "Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me."

From the disciples' point of view, things are going from bad to worse. 

Passover should have been a joyous celebration of the nation's freedom from slavery.  They should have been enjoying this time with their master.  But things are not going as planned.  Jesus has just made them very uncomfortable by washing their feet and giving them some somber instruction regarding humble service. 

The atmosphere in the room is anything but joyous.  Their master is troubled.  Something isn't right.  Things get worse when Jesus reveals that he will be betrayed.  And as if that were not bad enough, now the disciples are stunned to find out that his betrayer will be one of their own circle!  

From Jesus' point of view, things are swiftly progressing towards ultimate victory.

Jesus knew that Passover was not simply a celebration of the freedom from Egyptian slavery.  It was symbolic of spiritual freedom from the slavery of sin, purchased by his  own blood.   

Jesus was troubled in his spirit, but not because of being betrayed.  His whole reason for coming to earth was to offer himself up as the fulfillment of the Passover sacrifice.  He was going to wind up on the cross, no matter what.  What difference would it make if he surrendered himself to the Jews or if Judas betrayed him?  The end result will be the same for Jesus, but not for Judas.

Much of the profound sorrow/pain that Jesus felt was for his beloved disciple. Judas had walked with Jesus for years.  He was a witness of his life and miracles. He had heard the words of truth from Jesus himself.  He had seen example after example of God's love.  He had multiple chances to repent of his sin. 

But Judas chose Satan over God.  He threw his salvation away for the false riches of this temporary world.  Jesus was grieved/troubled in his spirit for this lost lamb that stubbornly refused to be rescued and led into the fold of eternal peace and safety.

John 13:22 – The disciples looked at one another uncertain of whom he spoke.

The word 'uncertain' denotes the kind of anxiety that you feel when you are perplexed -  confronted with something complicated and difficult to understand; not knowing what to say or do.  This perfectly describes the reaction of the eleven. 

On one hand, it was utterly inconceivable that one of their own number would betray the master they loved.  But on the other hand, if Jesus said something, it was undoubtedly true.  What was going on? 

The other gospel writers help give us a more complete picture of this scene.  Try to picture the depth of emotion and confusion in the room at this time:   

• Matthew tells us the disciples were 'exceedingly sorrowful'; they were deeply hurt, shocked and troubled by the news that there was a traitor in their midst (Matthew 26:22).

• Luke tells us that the disciples began to 'inquire among themselves who had done this thing'.  Each one wondered if they had missed some obvious signs among their fellow apostles, which the others had picked up on.  In other words, they started questioning each other to try and find out who the culprit was (Luke 22:3).  

• Mark tells us that one by one they began to ask Jesus if they were the guilty party (Mark 14:19).   The eleven knew they were innocent as of that moment, but they were terrified at the possibility that at some point they could fall away from Jesus and betray him.  Naturally, each man's main concern is himself – could 'I' be the one to betray my master?   

Matthew also tells us that at this time, Jesus added:

Matthew 26:24 – "The Son of man goes as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born."

At that point, the eleven were probably sick with worry.  But what about Judas?  He was probably worried too – worried that his plans and intentions would be discovered by the others.  In order to keep suspicion from resting on himself, he too asked Jesus if he was the traitor (Matthew 26:25), which added further confusion to the situation. 

John 13:23-24 – One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at the table at Jesus' side, so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking.

The description 'the disciple whom Jesus loved' always refers to the apostle John, the writer of this gospel.  It is important to note that none of the other gospel writers mention that John enjoyed any special treatment from Jesus.  Nevertheless, John was particularly dear to the Savior.

Now, let's briefly review the concept of 'reclining at the table'.  Despite what Leonardo Da Vinci represented in his famous painting, we can be sure that at the last supper Jesus and the disciples did not eat sitting upright at the table.  In fact, none of the Jews did.  At the time of Christ, the custom was to recline on cushions or couches while eating.  In his commentary "Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible", Mr. Barnes gives us the following information:

The table was made by three tables, raised like ours, and placed so as to form a square, with a clear space in the midst, and one end quite open.  On the sides; of them were placed cushions, capable of containing three or-more persons.   On these the guests reclined, leaning on their left side with their feet extended from the table, and so lying that the head of one naturally reclined on the bosom of another.  To recline near to one in this manner denoted intimacy, and was what was meant by lying in the bosom of another. 

As the feet were extended from the table, and as they reclined instead of sitting, it was easy to approach the feet behind, even unperceived.  Thus in Luke 7:37-38  while Jesus reclined in this manner, a woman that had been a sinner came to his feet behind him, and washed them with her tears, and wiped with the hairs of her head.    

So our Savior washed the feet of his disciples as they reclined on a couch in this manner. Whenever we read in the New Testament of sitting at meals, it always means reclining in this manner, and never sitting as we do.  The chief seat, or the uppermost one, was the middle couch at the upper end of the table.  This the Pharisees loved, as a post of honor or distinction.

It appears that John was reclining next to Jesus at the table, as he normally did.  If he leaned back to speak to Jesus, his head would have been close to the chest of Jesus.  Since he was in that position, Peter signaled to him to ask Jesus the name of the one who was going to betray him.

While Peter certainly wanted to make sure it was not him, he was also the most likely one to single out the traitor and 'circle the wagons' around Jesus to try and protect him.      

John 13:25-26 – So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, "Lord, who is it?"  Jesus answered, "It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it."  So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.

It appears that John leaned back and quietly asked Jesus the identity of the traitor.  Likewise, Jesus quietly answered John without the others (including Judas) knowing what was said.

Interestingly, Jesus does not directly name Judas.  Instead he identifies the traitor as the one who eats the tasty morsel of bread that Jesus will serve him. 

Romans 12:20-21 - Therefore if your enemy hungers, feed him; if he thirsts, give him drink: for in so doing you shall heap coals of fire on his head.  Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Not only does this action fulfill the prophesy of Psalms 41:9, it shows that Jesus exhibited nothing but kindness and love to those who made themselves his enemy.  

John 13:27 – Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him.  Jesus said to him, "What you are going to do, do quickly."

At first glance, this verse makes it seem like Satan had no influence or power over Judas until this moment, however that is not the case.

Think of it this way: when you first believed the gospel message, you received it by faith.  But ever since that day, you have been increasing in faith, because you are filled with Holy Spirit, who continuously leads you into greater depths of understanding/belief/faith.   

In the same way, Judas had decided at some point in the past to listen to the voice of Satan.  Ever since that day, he has been increasing in wickedness and evil.  Because he has rejected the truth of God, the lies of Satan are all he has left.  Eventually, as he takes the morsel from Jesus, he reaches a point where he is filled with or fully committed to Satan.  We would describe him as having a reprobate mind (Romans 1:28).

It is important to understand that as Jesus gave the morsel to Judas, he was not giving Satan an opportunity to have Judas.  It was Judas who, having received the morsel, willingly gave himself up entirely to Satan and hardened his heart against God.

Although Jesus has given Judas numerous opportunities to repent, he has rejected them all.  Now that Judas has made his final choice and wholly sold himself to Satan, Jesus will no longer try to dissuade him from his course.  Therefore, Jesus admonishes him to immediately move forward with his plans; there is now no reason to delay.

John 13:28-29 – Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him.  Some thought that because Judas had the money bag Jesus was telling him, "Buy what we need for the feast", or that he should give something to the poor.

This statement confirms that Jesus had revealed the traitor only to John, not the entire company. 

The eleven were still unaware of what was transpiring.  They mistakenly thought that Jesus had instructed Judas to take the money bag and buy supplies for the rest of the feast, which would have lasted seven days.  But obviously, if they knew Jesus had called Judas out as a traitor, he would have no reason to then assign him a task which concerned the group (like buying supplies).

Let me offer you some encouragement:

In today's post, we found that the disciples experienced a brief time of uncertainty; they were anxious when confronted with a situation that was difficult to understand.  During this time, they did not know what to say or do.

At that time, John leaned back and asked Jesus who was going to betray him – and Jesus answered.

All of us experience times in our Christian walk where we are uncertain.  Perhaps we don't know how to properly react to a situation, or perhaps we are confronted with a decision with no obvious answer.  Regardless of the circumstances, we can follow the example of John.  We can just lean into Jesus through prayer, and ask him to reveal the unknown.  We can rely on him to give us the answer we need, or to lead us to the correct choices. 

If you are facing such a dilemma today, I strongly encourage you to seek the advice of Holy Spirit, not your friends and family.  Only he knows the future and heavenly plan for your life.

Let me offer your some relief:

Let's talk about betrayal for a moment.  One of the definitions of betrayal is to prove faithless or treacherous to someone.  Judas certainly fit that description when he betrayed Christ. 

The question is, are we any different?  All Christians at one time or another have been faithless to the commands of our Lord and Savior, even after he forgave us of our sin.  So in a sense, we have all committed spiritual betrayal.

Satan would love to keep you bound in guilt and shame.  He wants you to think that you are unworthy or unqualified to do anything for the kingdom of heaven, because of your past sins.  

But don't believe that lie!  If you have sinned, let Jesus wash your feet (that is really all you need) and restore you.  Cast those satanic thoughts of unworthiness away and 'get back in the game' of Christian service.    

Let me offer you some strength:

I am sure there were times when the disciples felt like evil was winning in the world.  This was especially true when they discovered their Master would not only be betrayed, but betrayed by one of their fellow apostles.

There are also times in our generation when it looks like evil will overcome good.  It sometimes looks like Satan is winning the battle for planet earth and the souls of men. 

But during those times, you can take strength knowing that no matter how thick the darkness is and no matter how impenetrable it seems, Jesus is the light of the world -  and the darkness cannot cover up or put out the light of the gospel message (John 1:1-5). 

God has called/commissioned us to spread the gospel to every nation.  Because of that, he will also give us the strength, opportunity, wealth and intelligence to make it happen.  In short, he will not allow us to fail in our mission, as long as we are faithful to him. 

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John 13:8 – Peter said to him, "You shall never wash my feet."  Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no share with me."

In our last post we began to look at the narrative of Jesus washing the feet of the disciples shortly before his crucifixion.  This was a shocking turn of events for the twelve, as Jesus was clearly their superior, and this menial task was always performed by servants. 

Peter, the most outspoken of the group, immediately protests.  His refusal is actually an expression of reverence for Jesus; he is reiterating how improper it is for Jesus to perform this task, since Peter is inferior to Jesus in every regard. 

However, as we studied in our last post, Jesus has already stated that there is a purpose behind his actions.  Therefore, if Peter refuses to allow this to happen, he is essentially rebelling against the will of God.  Peter should submit to Jesus, even if he does not fully understand what is happening or the purpose behind it. 

So what was the purpose?  Well, we know that Jesus often used natural things or events to illustrate spiritual principles.  For instance, in John chapter 10 he helped explain the kingdom of heaven by comparing himself to a shepherd and the kingdom to a sheep fold.    

In the present case, Jesus is using the filth on the physical feet of the disciples to illustrate the filth of sin which clings to their souls.  Because Jesus is literally the only one who can cleanse their sin, it is appropriate for him to wash their feet in this scenario.

It is not only appropriate but necessary that each one of us bow before Christ and implore him to wash us from our sin, so that we can 'have a share' with Christ or become one of the children of God.  If he does not cleanse us, we are not his.

John 13:9 – Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!" 

Peter probably still misunderstands the complete meaning of Jesus, but he does know one thing – he will give up anything and everything just to keep Jesus!  I can relate to that – how about you?   

If refusing to have his feet washed will separate him from Christ, then Peter will swing to the other extreme – now he wants Jesus to wash his entire body, from head to foot.

Peter's motivation was righteous - he was depending on Jesus for his spiritual well being.  He desires for his whole inner man to be spiritually cleansed:

1 Thessalonians 5:22-23 - Abstain from all appearance of evil.  And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 As true Christians, we too desire to have our intellects, wills, desires, actions, emotions and decisions all brought under the influence of Christ and consecrated unto God.

John 13:10 – Jesus said to him, "The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean.  And you are clean but not every one of you."

The act of bathing occurs at different intervals in different cultures.  Here in America, people bathe almost daily.  This was not the case back in the times of Christ; bathing was much less frequent.

Nevertheless, it was the custom of the Jews to bathe before partaking of the Passover meal.  Therefore, in the natural sense, they did not need another whole-body cleansing at dinner that day – they only needed to wash their feet, because they would have picked up some dust as they walked to the location of the Passover celebration.  This meant there were two separate cleansings or washings for them on that day (whole body and just the feet).  This is symbolic of what happens in the spiritual realm.

In a spiritual sense, every follower of Christ experiences two cleansings.  The first occurs at the commencement of your Christian life.  As you are washed in the blood of Christ, you are made 'completely clean'; Jesus absolves you from all of your sins.  You become a new creature in Christ.  You are sealed with Holy Spirit until the final day of redemption:

Ephesians 1:13 - In whom you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after you believed, you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise…

(See also Ephesians 4:30).  Like the whole-body washing of the disciples, this cleansing does not need to be repeated. 

However, because we live in a sinful body of flesh in the midst of a fallen world, we still need to be cleansed of the daily sins that touch our life.  This kind of cleansing is represented by the washing of the disciples' feet.  It is a cleansing that occurs often – as much as you need it.  We are told to ask for this cleansing/forgiveness every time we pray.  This is evident in the model prayer that Jesus gave his disciples while he was still on the earth:

Matthew 6:9, 12 - After this manner therefore pray: Our Father who is in heaven… forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

Imagine for a moment that you lived back in the time when Christ walked the earth.  Most people wore sandals and walked everywhere they went.  The arid climate created a lot of dust, which was kicked up with every step you took.  You wouldn't have to go far before you could feel the dirt and grit coating you from the knee down. 

Wouldn't it be refreshing to go into your house after a hard day, sit down and wash that grit off of yourself? 

Again, this reflects the spiritual realm.  As we go through our daily life here on earth, the dust and grit of sin clings to us, no matter where we go or what we do.  It weighs us down spiritually, mentally and emotionally.  It makes us feel awful.  But at the end of the day, we can turn to Jesus and ask him to cleanse us from that sin.  When he does, our soul once again becomes as light as a feather as Jesus washes away the burden of our sin.

Unfortunately, even though Jesus washed the feet of all twelve of the disciples, one of them was not clean.  Sadly, Judas remained in his sin because no amount of external washing can purify the soul.  In other words, he failed to receive the first cleansing; he was not a true believer in Christ.    

John 13:11 – For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, "Not all of you are clean."

This statement by Jesus is the first reference to his betrayal during the feast.  Jesus knew exactly who was going to betray him (John 6:64).  His statement is a kind of warning to Judas, spoken in love.  Perhaps the possibility for repentance still existed at that point.  If Judas had been open to receiving it, his life would have turned out much differently. 

John 13:12 – When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, "Do you understand what I have done to you?"

This question is asked, not to be answered, but to focus their attention on what Jesus had done.  He is about to explain to them why he washed their feet.

John 13:13-14 – "You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am.  If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet."

Teacher (your translation may say Master) - Jesus is our instructor in all the truths and commands of the gospel.  He is a prophet revealing to us the will of God and showing us the way to salvation.

Lord – Jesus is our ruler, our creator, our owner and our King.  He has authority over us in all ways.  As disciples of Christ, it is proper for us to acknowledge him as such not only in word but in deed/action.  There will be instances where our flesh does not want to receive or submit to the instruction/commands he gives us, but it is our duty to bring our flesh under control and obey his commands.

So what is Jesus teaching them?  One important lesson is that of humility.  The washing of their feet was a practical example they would never forget.  Jesus teaches them that they ought to condescend to the most humble actions/offices/positions for the benefit of others, just as he did for them.  They should regard themselves as servants of each other, instead of being proud or vain and having a high opinion of themselves.

Mark 10:42-43 - But Jesus called them to him, and said unto them, You know that they who are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their leaders exercise authority over them.  But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever would be great among you, shall be your servant…

This was a valuable lesson for the disciples, since they are soon to be venerated as the founders of the church.  They will be revered and honored by men and women everywhere, which would create a temptation for them to think they were more important than others.  Jesus wanted to give them this important lesson in humility and service before he was crucified. 

John 13:15 – For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.

What did Jesus mean by that?  Should we be washing each other's feet in church every Sunday?  If so, it might affect attendance!

Doubtless, the instruction of Christ should be taken figuratively, not literally.  Foot washing was not meant as an ordinance of the church like water baptism and communion.

Instead, we find four basic things that Jesus was showing us through this event.  We have mentioned some of these already, but a reminder never hurts!  

One, we must be humble.  We need to remind ourselves that we are sinners, saved by grace alone; we have no reason at all to boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).  In fact, we are to be meek and lowly in heart (Matthew 11:29).   We should not refuse to do anything that promotes the glory of God or the good of our brothers and sisters in Christ.  (II Samuel 6:20-22). 

Two, we must engage in service for others.  Back in the day, washing the feet of another person was the lowest/most base service you could perform for someone else.  This reflects the mission of Jesus who came to earth to serve, not to be served (even though that was what he deserved). 

We find the same example in the life of the apostle Paul.  He made himself the servant of all so that he could win as many people to Christ as possible. 

1 Corinthians 9:19 - For though I am free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.

The principle of service to others also requires that we allow others to serve/assist us.  In our culture, this is often very difficult because we want to do everything for ourselves.  We feel we can handle most things on our own; we don't need or want help from anyone else.  We often feel that accepting help from others makes us appear weak or inept.  But that is not the case.  Through acts of service, we build working relationships with other believers. 

These kinds of working relationships are vital to the kingdom.  Scripture tells us that one Christian puts a thousand enemies to flight, but two can scatter ten thousand (Deuteronomy 32:30)!  Those kinds of exponential results occur when we partner with each other.  

Three, we should help each other abstain from sin.  If a brother or sister in Christ has fallen into sin, it is our duty/delight to come along side them and help restore them to their proper place in the church (Galatians 6:1).  Obviously, only God can cleanse their sin, but we can assist them in recovery and reinstatement in the body of Christ. 

Or even better, if we see a brother or sister about to fall into sin, we need to have the courage to go to them with a loving warning (I Thessalonians 5:14).

Four, Jesus teaches us by example as well as doctrine.  His actions are always consistent with his commands.  We might say he 'practices what he preaches'.  We need to do the same thing, especially in our own families/homes.  We need to be godly examples for our children and the lost that surround us. 

Take a moment and examine your own household.  Ask yourself some of these questions:

Do you attend church regularly?  Do you bring your children with you?  Do you place importance/value on prayer and reading the bible?  Have you taught your children how to pray? 

Do you exemplify forgiveness, generosity, fairness, respect and love in your home?  If not, what are you teaching your children?  More importantly, what are you failing to teach your kids (1 John 2:6)?

John 13:16 – Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.

This lesson applied to the disciples in a peculiar way.  Remember, all Jews believed that the Messiah was going to appear on earth and immediately establish an earthly kingdom that would last forever.  No doubt, the twelve believed this as well. 

Furthermore, they had reason to believe that they would have a special place in this kingdom (Matthew 19:28, Luke 22:30).  For this reason, they may have felt that washing someone else's feet was beneath them.  If this was their thought process, Jesus immediately dispels that notion.

Instead, they are to remember that there is absolutely NO circumstance in which a servant, messenger or ambassador is greater than his master.  In fact, the servant is to represent or imitate the one he/she serves.  This means that the characteristics displayed by the master should be evident in the servant: 

• If the master is humble, they cannot exhibit pride. 
• If the master is generous, they cannot be stingy. 
• If the master is forgiving, they cannot hold a grudge. 
• If the master forbids sin, they cannot embrace it.

The corollary truth is this:  Because the servant/messenger/ambassador and the master are in complete unity, the servants cannot expect to be treated differently than the master they represent.  The implications for Christians are obvious.  If Jesus experienced rejection and persecution, it is entirely possible that his servants will experience the same thing.  If there are those who love and embrace the master, they will love and embrace his servants as well (John 15:20).

John 13:17 – If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

Jesus is revealing two things here.  One, we need to have a knowledge of his ways, commands and doctrines so that we might practice them.  Two, blessing comes as we practice or live out those commands in our everyday lives. 

So if you're not blessed, whose fault is it?  Yours or God's?  Instead of blaming our King, perhaps we should change our ways in order to place ourselves under the open windows of heaven (Deuteronomy 28:1-9 – pay special attention to the word 'if' in verse 9).     

John 13:18 – I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen.  But the Scripture will be fulfilled, 'He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.'

Back in verse 10, Jesus indicated that they were clean, but not all.  Now he goes on to again point out that he would be betrayed.  He assures his true followers that this was not happenstance; nor was it a surprise.  It was predicted hundreds of years before by God through his servant David (Psalms 41:9).

As with most prophesy, Psalms 41 had more than one fulfillment.  It was fulfilled during the time of King David, as his close friend and advisor Ahithophel betrayed him (see II Samuel chapter 15).  It was also fulfilled as Judas betrayed King Jesus. 

However, let me remind you that Judas was not doomed to betray Christ because of an ancient prophesy.  Judas had a free will choice of what to do; the scriptures simply foretold his decision.   

In both cases, the betrayer 'ate bread' with the one they claimed to love and follow.  Back in that day to eat with someone was proof of friendship.  In the case of Judas, it affirmed that he had been admitted to all of the privileges of friendship, unity and love that all 12 disciples enjoyed. 

Yet, Judas is described as 'lifting up his heel against me'.  This is a metaphorical expression that means to attack a person in an unexpected manner; to gain an advantage under the pretence of friendship when a person is not on their guard. 

You expect your enemies to try and harm or kill you, but not your friends.  To betray a friend is one of the most despicable actions a person can take.  Everyone knew that the Jews (for the most part) were the enemies of Christ.  Everyone knew they desired to kill him, so their persecution of Jesus was not a surprise.  But Judas was different.  He was considered a friend and companion of Christ.  So his betrayal greatly aggravated the suffering of Jesus. 

John 13:19 – I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he.

The upcoming crucifixion of Christ had the potential to crush the faith of the apostles.  Things would not turn out like they dreamed or expected, and one of their own was the catalyst for the death of their beloved Messiah.  Satan would definitely have tortured them with thoughts of hopelessness and fear. 

But Jesus protects and strengthens their faith by telling them in advance what was going to happen.  So when Judas betrays Christ and Jesus lays his life down on the cross, his followers could have confidence that everything was happening according to God's great plan.  Instead of losing faith, their faith would be increased and strengthened!

Let me offer you some encouragement, relief and strength:

Jesus says that if we know his commands and keep them, we will be blessed.  But what does that mean?  For some strange reason, many people associate the word 'blessed' with money. 

To be fair, 'bless' can mean to confer prosperity upon something or someone.  But that is only a very small portion of what the word means.

'Bless' also means to be pronounced holy or consecrated; to make happy or joyous, to grant divine favor on a person or thing; to invoke beneficial attributes on something (as on food); to praise, glorify or extol for excellence.

God is all about blessing his people:

• God is said to bless his people when he bestows upon them a temporal or spiritual gift (Genesis 1:22). 
• In the Old Testament the priests blessed the entire congregation of Israel (Numbers 6:2-27). 
• In the New Testament, the apostles often pronounced blessings upon believers in Christ (II Corinthians 13:14, Ephesians 6:2-24, Hebrews 13:20-21, etc) when they wrote letters to them.

But notice that these blessings were for grace, peace, the ability to maintain a successful Christian walk, etc. 

While God has (and will continue) to bless his people financially, let's not make the mistake of limiting God's blessings to the financial realm.  God blesses us with many, many, many things which no amount of money can buy – like peace, joy, love, good relationships, health, children, provision, his presence in our lives, etc. 

How have you been blessed by God?  

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John 13:1 – Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

Another Passover feast was at hand.  Passover itself had been observed for hundreds and hundreds of years beginning when the Jews first left Egypt.  Ever since that time great multitudes of Jews have participated in the ceremony in which an innocent, unblemished lamb was slain and its blood spread/sprinkled upon the brazen altar for the forgiveness of sin. 

But this particular Passover was going to be different.  In a sense, it would be the last one, because the ultimate purpose/fulfillment of the ritual was about occur – Jesus would die for the sins of the world.  From that moment forward, his blood has purchased atonement for the sin of every man, woman and child who trusts in him as Savior. 

Therefore, mankind no longer needs to participate or observe the Passover by slaying a lamb.  Instead, we can now celebrate each Passover with the utmost rejoicing and joy as we contemplate the new life we have in Christ Jesus.

Many times during his life on earth Jesus declared that his time to die had not yet come (John 2:4, John 7:6, John 17:26).  Now he knows with equal certainty that the appointed time for his great sacrifice was at hand; he would soon leave earth and sit down at the right hand of his Father:

Hebrews 12:2 - Looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.        

Yet, even on the very threshold of his suffering, Jesus was not thinking of himself.  He was concerned with the welfare of his followers after his death; this was going to be an extremely difficult time for them.  His concern came from the intense love which he had for them.

There can be no question that Jesus loved not only his disciples, but every person he ever created.  If he didn't, there wouldn't have been any reason for him to come to earth, show us God's love and then die for us.  So we know for a certainty that he loves us (I John 4:9).

But John goes even further.  He stresses that Jesus loved his disciples 'unto the end'.  This phrase is only used rarely in scripture and the general meaning is 'to the fullest degree' or 'up to the limit'. 

In other words, Jesus couldn't possibly love us any more than he already does!  He demonstrated that love by dying for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8).  He continues to love each one of his children completely and fully.  And since Jesus came to show us the Father, we can rest assured that God's love for us is just as intense and unwavering.  Nothing here on earth can compare with the love of God.

John 13:2 – During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him…

Use of the word 'already' confirms the details provided by the other gospel writers.  Specifically, Judas allowed Satan to enter his heart before the Passover meal.

Is it possible to surmise the hour in which temptation overcame Judas?  Obviously, we cannot know for sure.  However, it could have occurred shortly after the incident at the house of Simon the leper (in Bethany) when Mary anointed Jesus (see our discussion of John chapter 12).  As you recall, Judas was furious that the money for the ointment was not put in the community collection bag where he had the ability to steal it.  This was an ideal time for Satan to tempt him.

Let's talk about temptation for just a minute. 

We all have fallen natures; we are all born into sin.  But we are not all affected by it in the same way.  For instance, one person might be grievously tempted by lust, while the next person never bats an eye when confronted with sexual images/thoughts.  Another can be tempted with envy every single time they see something their neighbor owns, but they have absolutely no propensity towards lying at all.  My point is that each one of us has specific areas in which we are more likely to fall into temptation.  Satan knows what those areas are, and he will exploit your weaknesses every time he gets a chance. 

In the case of Judas, greed was one of his main weaknesses; he had an inordinate love for money.  We know that he was stealing from the ministry.  We also know that he felt Mary 'cheated' him out of a large sum of money when she anointed Jesus with her expensive oil.  We know he was angry enough about it to accuse her in front of everyone at dinner, and receive a rebuke from Jesus.  This probably angered him even further.

Now consider this for a minute: Satan is not stupid.  He is not going to bait you with a sin you aren't interested in; it would be a waste of his time and effort.  In this case, Satan was well aware of Judas' weakness in the area of greed.  Hence, as Judas left the house of Simon burning with anger over being 'cheated' out of some money, Satan saw his opportunity.  He baited/tempted Judas to indulge in his greed.  As an added bonus, Judas could be the tool Satan needed to kill the Son of God (or so he thought). 

He may have introduced thoughts like these into Judas' mind:

I am being treated so unfairly!  Who is Mary anyway?  She had no right to waste that oil.  I deserved to have that money; it should have been mine.  I wanted to use it for ___.  I'll show them.  I can get even.  I know the Pharisees will pay me good money just to find out where Jesus is.  I can probably name any price and they will pay it…

Here is something else to consider:  Judas can't control what Satan does.  He can't stop the evil one from tempting him by putting evil thoughts/pictures/ideas into his mind. 

But Judas CAN control himself.  He has a choice to make.  He can listen to the lies of Satan, which encourage him to indulge in the sin that already burns within his heart.  If he does, he will be hooked by Satan just like we would hook a fish: 

James 1:14 - But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.   

Or, Judas can decide to deny his lust for money, submit himself to God and resist the devil.  He can choose to reject his feelings of anger/injustice and concentrate on loving others just as Christ loved him.  He can choose to let go of his greed by reminding himself that God sent his Son into the world to give him a gift that no amount of money could ever buy – eternal life with God.  If Judas makes this choice, the devil will run away from him:

James 4:7 - Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

What can we learn from this?

• Be honest with yourself about your weaknesses.  I know the areas in which I am most likely to sin, and you know yours.  Do not mess around with these sins.  Don't make the mistake of thinking you can play with them, or keep them 'under control'.  You can't.  If you touch them, you will get burnt!

• Decide in advance how you will handle temptation.  As we mentioned, we cannot control what Satan does; he is going to tempt you.  You could be going about your daily life when all of a sudden a temptation comes out of nowhere and catches you off guard.  If you are prepared, you will be more likely to overcome the temptation.  For instance, you could memorize scriptures that deal with your temptation, and quote them as the need arises.   

• Avoid putting yourself in a vulnerable place.  For example, if you have a tendency toward lust, make sure you are not alone with a person of the opposite sex.  If you have a propensity to steal, don't to shopping alone; take a friend along with you.  If you can't stop gossiping, avoid associating with others who also have that problem.     

Remember, Satan is ready to destroy us through temptation, just as he did to Judas.

John 13:3-4 – Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, he rose from supper.  He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist.  

Jesus is coming to the end of his earthly race.  He is on schedule to complete the work of grace/redemption within the next few days. 

• He knew that he had come from God and that his Father had given him supreme authority over all things (Ephesians 1:22, Romans 14:11, Philippians 2:9-10, etc). 

• He knew that he was about to be honored by his Father. 

• He knew that he was returning to the splendor and glory that were his before the world was made. 

• He knew that all power in heaven and earth had been given to him (Matthew 28:18).

And yet, one of the very last things he did was an act of utter humility – he washed the feet of his disciples.  The one who deserved to be served was serving others.     

If we didn't know any better, we would be astonished that Jesus would engage in such an act of humility.  However, we are not surprised by this; scripture reveals that Jesus exemplified the heart of a servant during his entire time on earth.  He truly 'practiced what he preached'.    

Luke 22:27 - For who is greater, he that sits at table, or he that serves?  Is not he that sits at table?  But I [Jesus] am among you as he that serves.

As we just noted, Jesus is about to return to heaven and the unimaginable glory that is rightfully his.  So why would he abase himself by washing the dirty, stinking feet of these working class men?

For one thing, the action testifies to the love that he had for his disciples.  When you love someone and your entire heart belongs to them, you can endlessly give of yourself to them.  You can be tender, patient and forgiving even on the tenth or hundredth time they mess up. This describes the relationship Jesus had with the twelve.

The disciples made lots and lots of mistakes, but once Jesus called them into fellowship with himself, he always took care of them.  Because of his intense love for them, he never cast them aside, no matter what.  He patiently put up with their child-like thoughts and actions.  He corrected their mistakes and helped them grow in their faith.  He laughed with them, cried with them and scolded them when they needed it.  I like to think that Jesus pictured them as the perfect people he knew they would become in the next age. 

The intense and complete love that Jesus (and hence the Father) exemplified for the twelve did not stop there; God loves all of his true children (including you) in the same way.  We can rest assured that despite all of our failures and short comings, Jesus still loves us just as completely as he did the twelve.  In fact, Jeremiah assures us that his love for us is everlasting:

Jeremiah 31:3 - The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee.

In fact, the apostle Paul assures us that absolutely nothing can separate a believer from the love of God (Romans 8:35-39). 

John 13:5 – Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

Many scholars consider Jesus' washing of the disciples' feet to be a representation or picture of his whole mission on earth.  He was equal to God; all things were his.  But he rose from his table in glory, laid aside his robes of light, girded himself with our nature, took upon himself the form of a servant and ministered to us by pouring out his blood, which washes away our sin. 

Thus, we see the washing of the disciples' feet was not just an act of love, it was an example of humble service/ministry.  What about us?  Are we humble servants to others?  Do we minister to those we consider 'beneath' us?  Or just to those we think deserve it?

You don't have to read the Bible very much to realize that God hates pride.  That message is prevalent in both the Old and New Testaments (Proverbs 16:18).   If you still haven't conquered pride in your life, you need to consult Holy Spirit about this issue immediately. 

The truth is none of us have any reason/basis to be proud.  ALL of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God.  ALL of us are sinners saved by grace.  None of us have reached perfection.   In the light of Jesus' example of pure humility, how can we hold on to even a small amount of pride?

Remember, all twelve of the disciples were at dinner that day, including Judas Iscariot.  That's right – Jesus even served the one who betrayed him. 

If we are going to effectively share the gospel, we must be willing to meet and interact with people where they are at - spiritually, physically, socially and even politically.  This is going to require us to relate to people who don't think, look, or act like we do.  It requires us to rub shoulders with people actively steeped in sin, without passing judgment on them.  Can we humbly minister to them as lost souls without condemning them?  If not, how can we minister the love of Christ and/or the gospel message to them? 

John 13:6 – He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, do you wash my feet?"

According to our way of thinking, we would never expect a person of high rank to serve someone of a lower rank.  We consider it beneath their dignity and station in life to do so. 

In the relationship between Jesus and the disciples, Jesus was the person of high rank.  The disciples loved, respected and believed in him as their Messiah.  They acknowledged that he was the Son of God.  They considered Jesus their teacher and master.  They knew Jesus was sinless while they themselves were certainly not (Luke 5:8). 

Accordingly, it never even crossed their minds that it would be proper for Jesus to wash their feet.  The very thought was shocking and confusing to them, as confirmed by Peter's question. 

What Peter didn't know (but was about to find out), was that the act of foot washing was an earthly picture of spiritual washing/cleansing from sin.  Therefore, it was most proper for Jesus to wash their feet.  In fact, spiritually speaking, he was the only one that could!

John 13:7 – Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."

What are the implications of Jesus' reply to Peter?  Clearly, Jesus wants Peter to obey him, even though he does not fully understand what is happening.  Wow!  We could produce a whole series of lessons just on this concept alone!

Consider your own life.  Has there ever been a time that you did not understand the circumstances that God called you to walk through?  Or a time when you did not understand why you were subjected to a fiery trial?  Or a time when you did not see anything good result from your ordeal? 

In such cases, we must heed the command of Christ.  We must accept and submit to the will of God, even though we don't see the whole picture.  Remember, God knows all things; he knows how things will end before they even start:

Isaiah 46:9-10 - Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

Not only does God know all things, he is in control of all things.  As we discussed in our earlier posts, your suffering will have an eternal purpose.  God fully loves you.  He would not make you endure suffering unless there was a purpose behind it. 

Also, God will make absolutely certain that you make it through that trial because he will be right there with you in the midst of it!

Isaiah 43:1-2 - But now thus says the LORD that created you, O Jacob, and he that formed you, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name; you are mine.  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you: when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned; neither shall the flame scorch you.

If you stop and think for a moment, you will conclude that the Christian walk has always been a matter of faith, not sight.  For example, Abraham obeyed the command of God to leave his home land and wander around like a pilgrim, with no permanent dwelling place.  

Hebrews 11:8-9 - By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should later receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing where he went.  By faith he sojourned in the land of promise…

Although he did not understand it at the time, he was walking what would later be known as the Promised Land or the nation of Israel! 

At some point in your life, you will have to obey the voice of God even though you don't understand what he is doing in your life (just like Peter or Abraham).  The only thing I can tell you is that in the end, you will see what God accomplished through your obedience, and it will be something amazing!

Let me offer you some relief:

Our love for one another can wax or wane depending on how we feel at any given moment.  It can change depending on how someone else treats us.  Plus, the intensity of our love often varies when people don't meet our expectations.  Clearly, our love can be fickle and undependable.  

But let me offer you some relief - that is not the case with Jesus.  He loves his followers 'to the end' or to the fullest possible degree.  His love for you is not based on the kind of 'day' that he is having.  His love for you does not change if you fall into sin or fail him in some way.  So when you do mess up, run back to Jesus with confidence.  There is no sin he won't forgive.

Let me offer you some encouragement and strength:

There is a very common and vulgar saying in the world today: 'Life is a bxxxh, then you die'.  That may be a true saying for unbelievers but not for those of us in Christ. 

Yes, we will experience fiery trials and intense temptations.  Yes, we will walk through some difficult circumstances, which we may or may not fully understand.  But we can be encouraged and strengthened knowing that the end result of these difficulties is the most precious gift of all – salvation for ourselves and others (I Peter 1:1-9). 

 

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John 6:41 – So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven."

Jesus is in the midst of teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum.  He is teaching the crowd that he is the 'bread of life' or the 'bread from heaven'.

The main truth he is trying to impart to them is this: Just as earthly life depends upon earthly food, spiritual life depends on spiritual food.  The Messiah has come to provide spiritual food by fulfilling/completing the ceremonial law and replacing it with the gospel.  Through the plan set forth in the gospel message, the Messiah will become the spiritual bread which sustains eternal life.

Since Jesus is the true bread from heaven (as opposed to manna as they mistakenly believed), the Jews can be assured that Jesus has a divine commission from God the Father to bring them the gospel message.

But unlike the woman at the well, this group of Jews is rejecting the clear evidence that Jesus presents to them.  Jesus gives them a picture of the Messiah that is vastly different from what they had been expecting, and they don't want to accept it. 

That particular generation of Jews was not going to receive earthly blessings from the Messiah.  In reality, they were going to receive something far, far greater – spiritual blessings/benefits.  But again, because that was not what they were expecting, they were offended by the doctrine of Jesus.  They rejected what he longed to impart to them; they chose spiritual blindness.  

As we closed our post last week, I encouraged you to examine your own life.  When the next great move of God occurs (and it WILL happen), are you and I prepared to accept the new way in which God chooses to move?  Or will we become AWOL from God's army because he isn't moving the way we expect?  Are we prepared to change the way we worship, preach, and witness?  Are we prepared to accept new music in our churches, or conduct our services in different ways?  These are possibilities that we must be prepared for, or we run the risk of falling into the same trap as these ancient Jews.

John 6:42 – They said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know?  How does he now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?"

The response of the crowd shows how carnally minded most of them were.  They were completely focused on what was happening in the physical realm as evidenced by their reference to the birth and family of Jesus.

Capernaum was not far from Nazareth, the place where Jesus grew up with his mother Mary and his reputed father, Joseph.  There can be no doubt that the details surrounding his unusual birth had been published far and wide; this news had certainly reached the citizens of Capernaum. 

After all, it was absolutely scandalous for a woman to be pregnant before marriage at that time.  And to add to the juicy story, she claimed the child's conception was miraculous/divine.  Human nature being what it is, this birth was on the lips of every Jewish person on the planet, and probably some of the Gentiles as well!  

Joseph himself supported this claim.  He testified that an angel appeared to him, confirming that Mary's baby was the result of the work of Holy Spirit (Matthew 1:20).  

Based on their carnal point of view, the crowd's opinion of Jesus goes something like this:

Joseph is the father of Jesus, and he is nothing but a humble laborer.  The family of Jesus is not rich or politically influential like that of King David.  Therefore, Jesus can't be the descendent of David who will eventually sit on the throne of Israel.  Jesus has no military training and no army.  Therefore, he can't be the conquering Messiah who is to reign a thousand years.  Yes, he did feed five thousand men (plus women and children) in a single meal, but that was nothing compared to the manna our ancestors ate for 40 years.   

Once the Jews adopted a carnal view of the facts surrounding Jesus, it was easy to reject his claim as the one 'coming down from heaven' (Messiah).  This was the view that the majority of the Jews held.  And without the intervention of God (see verse 45), the Jews would have remained in spiritual darkness.    

John 6:43-44 – Jesus answered them, "Do not grumble among yourselves.  No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.  And I will raise him up on the last day."

Carnally minded men simply cannot understand the gospel.  Paul made this point abundantly clear to the church in Corinth:

1 Corinthians 2:14 – But the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

If this is true, then how can men accept the gospel and be saved? 

Just as God sent Jesus into the world to bring the truth, he sends Holy Spirit to reveal or teach that truth mankind.      

Holy Spirit interacts with the unbeliever, enlightening their understanding of spiritual things.  He causes them to become aware of their own sin, resulting in a need for repentance.  He imparts divine revelation to the sinner concerning Jesus and his atoning work.  Holy Spirit prepares people to believe/trust in Jesus as Redeemer. 

Then, if they will allow it, Holy Spirit will perform a divine work in their hearts enabling them to receive these newly revealed truths.  In turn, this produces faith in the life of the sinner.  Using that faith, the sinner comes to Christ and is made into a new creation.  Old things are passed away, and all things are become new.    

2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Those who have been 'taught' or enlightened by Holy Spirit are able to take a spiritual point of view, and their opinion of Jesus goes something like this:    

The unusual circumstances of the birth of Jesus point to a divine conception, making God his Father (not Joseph).  Jesus already said he came to grant us entrance into the kingdom of heaven; a kingdom that was spiritual and not earthly.  In this new kingdom, earthly riches, power and authority are inconsequential.  All those who believe in the doctrine of Christ are given 'bread from heaven' which results in everlasting life in the world to come.

For the Jews who adopted a spiritual view of the facts surrounding Jesus, it was easy to accept his claim as the one 'coming down from heaven' (Messiah). 

It then follows that all who accept Christ have eaten the bread from heaven which results in eternal life.  That person can rest assured that when time ends, regardless of what happened to them here on earth, their body will be raised to life once again and changed in the twinkling of an eye to an immortal body (I Corinthians 15:51-53). 

John 6:45 – "It is written in the Prophets, 'And they will all be taught by God.'  Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me,…"

The concept of God teaching people to embrace the Messiah and his work occurs in many places throughout the scriptures (Micah 4:1-4, Jeremiah 31:34), but Jesus was probably referencing the book of Isaiah here, as he specifically mentions the book of the prophets (Isaiah 54:13).

Those who are taught by God in the person of Holy Spirit receive ears to hear, eyes to see and a heart to understand the gospel message.  It is then up to them what they will do with that information.  They can choose to accept it and be changed, or they can reject it and remain in sin.

John 6:46 – "…not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father."

Jesus seems to add this last phrase to avoid any misunderstanding among the people.

In any ordinary earthly setting, students/pupils will see and hear their teacher.  But in this case, people do not have to physically see God or naturally hear his voice in order to be taught by him, as they do with natural teachers.  God teaches through his word by his Spirit. 

On the other hand, Jesus has seen Father God, because he was one with God and he came from heaven.  He is the only begotten Son (John 1:18), the express image of his Father (Hebrews 1:3).  The Jews have NOT seen God at any time, but they can still be taught/instructed by God through the work of Holy Spirit.

John 6:47 – "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life."

In order to receive eternal life, one must believe in Jesus as the Messiah; there is no other source.  In his teaching, Jesus has presented us with the steps that occur when someone arrives at eternal life:

• They are drawn by Father God.

• They hear his instruction/word.

• They accept the redemption offered to them.

• They are given to Christ, so they can be justified by faith.

• They are nourished by the bread of life.

• They continue in faith until their earthly race is over.

• They are raised up at the last day.

• They partake of eternal life.

Of course, we want to point out the essential role of Holy Spirit in this process.  He brings conviction upon the sinner as they hear the word, making it come alive in their hearts.  It is also Holy Spirit who continues to sanctify the believer throughout their earthly journey.

The promise of Jesus in this verse should produce a flood of joy and hope in our lives.  Regardless of the trials and difficulties we now face, we are assured of eternal life. 

In that life the believer is free from sorrow/tears, disease, fear, poverty, etc.  In short, sin and its effects are permanently removed from us as we enjoy eternity with God. 

John 6:48 – "I am the bread of life."

Here we have the final revelation of a spiritual principle/lesson that began the day before with the miracle of the loaves and fish. 

The miracle prompted people to seek Jesus, because they desired him to continue feeding them physical food, like the manna their ancestors ate.  But at that point, Jesus begins to compare the loaves/manna to spiritual food or the bread of life. 

Manna came down from heaven (the atmosphere) from God.  It was freely given by Father God to the people; they did nothing to earn or deserve it.  Furthermore, it was equally made available to anyone who took the time to collect it – rich, poor, old, young, etc.   When it first appeared, no one understood what it actually was; it was unknown.  But once discovered it provided physical life and health to all who partook of it.

Obviously, this mirrors what is happening in the spiritual realm.

Jesus came down from heaven (the dwelling place of God).  He was freely given by Father God to the human race; we did nothing to earn or deserve this gift of grace.  The atoning sacrifice of Christ is equally available to all people – rich, poor, old, young, Jew, Gentile, etc.  When Jesus first appeared, no one understood who or what he actually was; he was unknown.  But once he was revealed as Messiah, he provided spiritual/eternal life to all who partook of his atoning sacrifice. 

Jesus has now explained the simple yet profound principle of the gospel to the Jews.  He is the 'bread of life' or the bread which came down from heaven, bringing life to the world (John 6:33).  Jesus has now done exactly what the Jews requested – he has given them access to the bread of life (John 6:34).

John 6:49-50 – "Your fathers ate manna in the wilderness, and they died.  This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die."

The physical bread which these Jews were seeking would never result in eternal life physically or spiritually.  If it could, their ancestors would still be alive. 

Those who ate the manna were receiving food into their stomachs (physical body) for the sustenance of earthly life.  Those who receive Jesus into their hearts (spiritual body) are sustaining their eternal, spiritual life.

Have you ever noticed that Jesus often draws attention to a physical truth which mirrors a spiritual principle?  In this case, it was the manna that reflected Jesus as the bread of life.  Other examples include marriage, sowing and reaping, etc.  This is an excellent way of showing spiritual principles to your kids and other Christians who might be new in the faith. 

Let me offer you some encouragement:

What is the only thing better than a good meal?  Answer:  Sharing that meal with someone you know and love.  The same thing is true spiritually.  Once you have tasted the goodness of God, you will want to share it with all those you know and love.

So don't wait.  Reach out to those you know and love and offer them the gospel message just as you would offer bread to a starving man.  It will be the best meal they ever have!

Let me offer you some relief:

Often times we put a tremendous burden upon ourselves because we feel it is our responsibility to 'save' our loved ones.  Let me offer you some relief - this is not true.  We do not have the power to save anyone!  Our responsibility is to share the truth of the gospel in love.  Only Holy Spirit can take the truth of the gospel and produce faith in the life of a sinner.

Let me offer you some strength:

If I had to guess, I would say that all of us eat food every single day.  When it gets close to meal time, my stomach doesn't hesitate to let me know it wants to be fed!

In the same way, it is essential that we feed our spirits; if we are spiritually empty, we can't minister to those around us.  So feast on the word today.  Only then will you have the ability to strengthen others.   

   

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John 12:12 - The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem.

At the close of John chapter 11, we found many of the Jews wondering if Jesus was going to come to Jerusalem for the Passover or not.  On the one hand, it was a requirement of all Jewish males.  On the other hand, the religious leaders had put a BOLO (be on the lookout) alert for Jesus.  If anyone saw him, they were to report it immediately so that he could be arrested.  Those who failed to comply would be punished. 

So there was a general buzz or excitement on the minds of all the Jews.  Eventually, word spread that Jesus was definitely coming to Jerusalem. 

These events are recorded in all of the gospels (Matthew 21, Mark 11 and Luke 19).  The other gospel writers give specific details which John does not mention, so you might want to review all of the accounts to get a fuller picture of what actually occurred.

As he came into the city, Jesus was acknowledged by a great crowd of people.  Specifically, these were common people who 'had come to the feast', indicating they were country people who traveled from the more remote parts of the known world for the Passover.  Many of them heard Jesus teach/preach (and saw him work miracles) as he traveled throughout the towns and villages of the region.   These unbiased listeners were glad to see him again.  They were delighted to demonstrate their respect for him in Jerusalem.

This is the exact opposite of the religious rulers and Jerusalem Jews.  For the most part, they despised and rejected Christ. 

This is not surprising; scripture tells us that God has chosen the weak and foolish things of this world to confound those who think they are wise:

1 Corinthians 1:26-27 - For you see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;

God values the hearts/souls of men, not the titles or honors which society bestows upon them. 

John 12:13 – So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, "Hosanna!  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the king of Israel!"

We can't help but notice that the crowd didn't just casually wait for Jesus to appear at the temple – they went out of their way to seek him out.  Why do you suppose they went to meet him with palm branches?

Historically, palm branches/leaves were used in marches or processions as emblems of rejoicing and victory.  They were also used in ceremonies where kingly power was bestowed upon a person or on occasions where people rejoiced while receiving a new king. 

The crowd also shouted as they welcomed Jesus into the city.  They are actually quoting from Psalms 118, which is a Messianic psalm. 

Psalm 118:24-26 - This is the day which the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.  Save now, I beseech you, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech you, send now prosperity.  Blessed be he that comes in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.

This particular psalm was designed to produce a continual longing for the Messiah in the hearts of the Jewish people.  It speaks of a desire for the kingdom of Christ to flourish and prosper.  The Jews frequently used it as a prayer.  That being the case, they knew it by heart.

We should not be surprised that Holy Spirit put this psalm into the hearts and minds of his people on that day.  By shouting this out, the crowd acknowledges Jesus to be the Messiah, the long awaited source of redemption and salvation.  In fact, the word 'hosanna' is a Hebrew word meaning 'save, now, we pray'.  It is an exclamation of praise to the Lord as well as an invocation of blessings.

Now we understand what was happening in Jerusalem all those years ago.  The common Jews acted as heralds or messengers proclaiming the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, and asking that God would bless and prosper his kingdom.   

What does this mean for our generation? 

Do we long to see the kingdom of God flourish and prosper here on earth?  To 'long' means to earnestly and intently desire.  It means you can't think about anything else.  It means that you talk about it, all the time.  It means you would give up anything or do anything in order to achieve your desire.  So let me ask you again:  do you long for the kingdom of heaven to prosper here on earth?

If so, your prayer life should reflect it:

Matthew 6:10 - Your kingdom come. Your will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.    

Often times our prayers are very self centered and immature.  We pray only for our own comfort and prosperity.   But what about praying for God to manifest his kingdom here on earth?  What about praying for people to be healed, delivered and saved?  When those things happen, the kingdom of God is definitely being manifested on earth. 

I recently received a newsletter from the ministry founded by Brother Andrew, who smuggled bibles into foreign countries at the cost of life and limb.  He lived an extraordinary life trusting in God for miracles so that the kingdom of God might be spread throughout the world.  Here is a quote of his, as noted in the newsletter:  

"If we understood the potential power of our prayers, we would be on our knees a hundred times a day asking Him for things that would turn the world upside down".  

Brother Andrew prayed for the kingdom of God to be manifested here on earth.  What about us?   What are we praying and believing for? 

John 12:14-15 – And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, "Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt!"

This was a fulfillment of prophesy given hundreds of years before by the prophet Zechariah:

Zechariah 9:9 - Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, your King comes unto you: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon a donkey, and upon a colt the foal of a donkey.  

All Jews, including the religious leaders, agreed that this prophesy spoke of the coming Messiah. 

Zechariah prophesied to the Jews, particularly those in Jerusalem, that their spiritual King would shortly come to them, bringing salvation.  His kingdom was not physical, but spiritual.  This King would be very easy to recognize – he would come in a spirit of meekness, without pomp or accolades, sitting upon a donkey. 

His coming would be to their profit/advantage.  Once he arrived, there would be no more reason to fear; the yoke of bondage caused by sin would be broken and they would be truly free (John 8:36).  This news should give them reason for great rejoicing (hence the palm branches).

Let's talk about the donkey for a minute.  In ancient times, donkeys were ridden by men of great honor or authority (Judges 10:4, 12:14).  But during the reign of Solomon, horses were imported into Israel in great numbers.  After that, everyone rode horses except the poorest people.  However, donkeys were still used as beasts of burden, carrying heavy loads whenever needed.

Any natural/earthly king who was being presented to his subjects during this time period would never have ridden a donkey.  Therefore, Jesus riding on the donkey was not just a coincidence or an accident.  He did it on purpose; it was an obvious fulfillment of prophesy.  It was also appropriate - he would soon be bearing the full burden of sin for the human race. 

This should have been clear to the religious leaders, who were already very familiar with Old Testament prophesy, but they did not see it due to their self-induced spiritual blindness.

What about the people of God (the church) in this generation?  We too are told to rejoice and fear not, for our King has already defeated the enemy (Colossians 2:13-15) and broken the chains of sin and darkness.  We are encouraged to enforce the reign of Christ upon the earth, sharing peace and salvation with those who are still lost. 

We too have the assurance that our King is coming yet again!  The first time he came as a lamb, meek and lowly bringing salvation, but the next time he will come as the Lion of the tribe of Judah!  He will come as a mighty warrior defeating his enemies and bringing all things under subjection to himself.  He will reign upon this earth for a thousand years and every knee will bow to him.  This is great reason to rejoice!     

John 12:16 – His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him.

The Jews who were present on that day waving palm branches and shouting 'hosanna' were doing so because they were prompted by Holy Spirit.  The probably did not fully understand that prophesy was being fulfilled through them. 

Neither did the twelve understand what they were witnessing.  They heard the shouts of the multitude proclaiming Jesus as the Messiah, and they saw him riding on the donkey, but at the time they did not perceive the significance of these events.  

But later, after Jesus ascended to heaven and Holy Spirit came into the world, these things were made clear. 

John 14:26 - But the Comforter, who is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

Notice that two things were necessary for their understanding:

• They needed to know what Jesus said. 
• They needed Holy Spirit to illuminate their minds. 

We need those same two things.  We need to read the Bible, even if we don't fully understand everything we are reading.  Don't make the mistake that some Christians do by ignoring certain portions of scripture because they don't fully understand it (Isaiah? The minor prophets?), or they think it's boring (Leviticus?).  Paul tells us that ALL scripture is profitable to us (II Timothy 3:15). 

And, as we just pointed out, Holy Spirit is willing and able to bring you to a full understanding of the scripture, if you will pray and seek for the answer.   

John 12:17-18 – The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness.  The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign.

Meanwhile, as these events unfolded, Holy Spirit began to move upon the Jews who had witnessed the resurrection of Lazarus.  These were the Jews of Jerusalem.  Many of them were prominent, well respected citizens and/or men of distinction.  They had spent weeks bearing witness of the power of Christ to anyone who would listen. 

Now that Jesus was in town, they began to point him out, reminding people of his resurrection power.  As eyewitnesses, they were reliable sources of information.  Through them, any out-of-town Jews who had not heard of Jesus were being informed of his ministry.  Thus, God turned the minds of all Jerusalem toward Jesus just before his crucifixion. 

John 12:19 – So the Pharisees said to one another, "You see that you are gaining nothing.  Look, the world has gone after him."

It wasn't long before the Pharisees either saw or heard about Christ's public entry into Jerusalem.  When Jesus left the public eye several weeks earlier and retreated into the wilderness with his disciples, the Pharisees erroneously thought they had silenced their enemy.  They vainly hoped they had seen and heard the last of this rogue teacher. 

But they were sorely mistaken.  More and more and more Jews were turning to Jesus.  It seemed like every Jew in Jerusalem was following after him.  The Pharisees describe it as 'the world' turning to follow Christ.   

Of course, the phrase 'the world' is used not used in a literal sense.  It is a hyperbole used to denote a large number of people.  In the same way, we might say 'everyone' was at the football game when in reality everyone in town was not present.  The meaning is that there were a large number of people in attendance.

This show of support for Jesus enraged the religious leaders.  You can sense the bitterness in their words as they watched their enemy be acknowledged as the Messiah.    

Psalm 112:9-10 - He [the Messiah] has dispersed, he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his strength shall be exalted with honor.  The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.

Despite all of their plans, decrees and threats, more and more people were turning to Christ.  The religious leaders were utterly powerless to stop the spread of the gospel message.  

Their anger and vexation caused them to 'dig in their heels' and renew their commitment to bring about the death of Jesus sooner rather than later.

John 12:20 – Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks.

Who are the Greeks that John mentions in this verse?  There are several theories:

• They may have been Jews who lived in Greek or Hellenistic cities and therefore spoke Greek.  At this time, there were large groups of Jews scattered in several places throughout the known world including Asia Minor, Greece, Macedonia and Egypt just to name a few. 

• They may have been proselytes to the Jewish religion.  In other words, they were Gentiles who wanted to convert to Judaism, so they become circumcised and followed the Law. 

• They may have simply been Gentiles, who heard of the miracles of Jesus and came to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices to God and worship him according to the manner of the people of the land.

Although each theory has its own devoted followers, for the purposes of this lesson we are going to assume the Greeks were Gentiles.  Here is why:

1. It was very common for the Jews to use the term 'Greek' in place of 'Gentile':

Acts 19:10 - And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.   

Other examples are Acts 14:1, Acts 16:1, Romans 1:16, Galatians 3:28, etc. 

2. There is no reason to assume that John meant anything other than Gentile when he used the common term 'Greek'. 

3. It is clearly evident in scripture that many Greeks/Gentiles came to Jerusalem to worship God.  One example is the Ethiopian eunuch who had an encounter with Philip:

Acts 8:27 - And he arose and went: and, behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure, and had come to Jerusalem to worship,       

Other examples include Cornelius (Acts 10), and various groups of unnamed Gentiles (Acts 17:4). 

4. From the beginning, provision had been made for Gentiles to pray and worship at the temple, as evidenced by King Solomon's prayer of dedication for the temple:

1 Kings 8:41-43 - Moreover concerning a stranger, that is not of your people Israel, but comes out of a far country for your name's sake;  (For they shall hear of your great name, and of your strong hand, and of your outstretched arm;) when he shall come and pray toward this house; Hear you in heaven your dwelling place, and do according to all that the stranger calls to you for: that all people of the earth may know your name, to fear you, as do your people Israel; and that they may know that this house, which I have built, is called by your name.

 Notice that in his prayer King Solomon predicts that Gentiles will hear about the great name of the Lord and his miraculous deeds and turn towards him.  This is exactly what these Greeks/Gentiles are doing when they ask Philip to introduce them to Christ.

John 12:21-22 – So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."  Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus.

The people who came to Jerusalem for the Passover feast spent a lot of time in the temple, which was subdivided into different courts.  There was a court for Jewish men, a separate court for women, and a third court for Gentiles. 

The court of the Gentiles was divided from the inner square of the temple by a stone fence.  Scholars and historians (Josephus, Antiquities XV 11, 5) tell us that it had pillars placed at regular intervals which were inscribed with the following warning in both Greek and Latin:

'No alien must pass within the fence round the Temple and the court.  If anyone be caught doing so, he must blame himself for the death that will follow.'

Wow! How welcome do you think the Gentiles felt in the temple?

Jesus often taught in the temple on a daily basis, as he was doing this day.  So picture the scene – throngs of Gentiles diligently seeking spiritual truth, are forced to stay behind a stone retaining wall, straining to see and hear Jesus.   

It is very likely that these men came into contact with Philip as he passed through the Gentile court.  It is possible they knew him personally, as he was from Bethsaida, or they may simply have identified him as one of the disciples.  Either way, they stop him and ask for a chance to see the Lord.

Their request to 'see' Jesus probably meant that they wanted to interact with him one-on-one so they could ask him questions and fully understand the new doctrines he was teaching.  Their place in the temple did not give them this kind of opportunity.

John does not reveal to us if this meeting ever took place.  Some scholars believe it did, because Jesus never casts aside those who seek him. 

Others believe that Jesus knew what was in their hearts and addressed their questions in the following discourse.  

John 12:23 – And Jesus answered them, "The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. "

What did Jesus mean by this?

'Son of Man' – This is one of the many phrases used to describe Jesus.  It emphasizes his union with man.  As a man he had been humble, poor and despised, but he was now about to receive the appropriate honor due to him as the Messiah.

'The hour has come' - The word 'hour' is commonly used to denote a 60 minute block of time, but it has other definitions as well.  In this case, it is used to denote a fixed, definite or predetermined time.  Before the foundation of the world, God had appointed an exact time/hour for Jesus to be glorified and that time had now arrived.

'Glorified' – To be glorified is to be honored in an appropriate way.  Take a moment to review the context of this statement, and ask yourself this question:  What would be an appropriate way for Jesus to be honored, given this situation?

Answer – Up until this time, God had an exclusive covenant with the Jewish people.  He dealt with them, and they displayed the love and power of God to all of the other Gentile nations/people of the world.

However, God's ultimate plan was to bring ALL men into a personal relationship with him through the sacrifice of the Messiah.  As you recall, Jesus plainly told us this in the gospel of John:

John 10:15-16 - As the Father knows me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.   And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

Notice that Jesus specifically states to the Jews that he has 'other sheep' which he will bring into the fold so that there will be 'one fold and one shepherd'. The joining of the flock occurs after he 'lays down his life for the sheep'. 

In other words, Jesus would be appropriately honored by the conversion/salvation of the Gentiles (in addition to the Jews).  The first-fruits of this honor were standing before him in the person of the Greek believers. 

So was the stone dividing wall.

However, the hour/time has arrived for the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile to be removed/broken down and for people of every nation, tribe and tongue to come into the kingdom of heaven.

Ephesians 2:13-14 - But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off are made near by the blood of Christ.  For he is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of partition between us;   

And as Jesus will now explain, the wall of division between Jew and Gentile can only be removed by his own death and resurrection. 

John 12:24 – "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. "

Keep in mind the Jew are looking for the Messiah to come and immediately establish a temporal kingdom here on earth. 

Jesus assures his followers that his kingdom was about to be established, however, it would not occur with the power and splendor they were expecting.  Rather, it would come about through his suffering and death.  His followers were surprised.  They did not understand how this could be accomplished through his death.

Jesus explains it using the analogy of a seed. 

When a seed is planted in the ground, it actually begins to decompose.  During the decomposition phase, nutrients are released which bring life to the germ and sustain it until the sprout/plant can get its own support entirely from the soil.  Eventually, the plant will bring forth an abundant harvest, which would not have occurred unless the original seed died.

From our perspective, the spiritual application is clear.  Jesus could only establish his kingdom by dying, which provided salvation to mankind.  By his suffering and death (and resurrection), he produced an innumerable harvest of souls.  

Hebrews 2:9 - But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

Thus, we see that Jesus was glorified (honored in an appropriate way) through his death and resurrection, which provided salvation for all people, Jew and Gentile alike.

John 12:25 – "Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life."

This statement of Jesus was recorded by all four of the gospel writers (Matthew 10:39 and 16:25, Mark 8:35, Luke 9:24).  It further deals with the suffering that Christians may be called upon to endure.   

There is no comparison between the best of the physical life we have here on earth and the eternal spiritual life we will inherit if we follow Christ.  The best this world has to offer cannot even come close to the benefits we will have in the eternal kingdom of heaven (I Corinthians 2:9).

Therefore, as Christians, we need to be willing to sacrifice our earthly comforts for the kingdom.  We need to willingly endure suffering, if God calls upon us to do so.  By forsaking some of the comforts of this life, and embracing suffering for the sake of the gospel, we earn eternal rewards which will endure forever (Matthew 6:19-20).

This principle is noted in various ways all throughout the scriptures.  For example, it is illustrated in the parable of the pearl of great price:

Matthew 13:45-46 - Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking fine pearls:  Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.

In this parable, we are told that the kingdom of heaven/eternal life is so valuable, we should be willing to give up/sacrifice anything (and everything) in order to obtain it.  No price is too high to pay, up to and including our own physical lives.  

John 12:26 – "If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also.  If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him."

To follow Christ is to do what he does, to bear what he bears, to love what he loves.  Jesus is currently discoursing upon the topic of his own suffering and death; the implication is that we too must be willing to suffer or even die for the sake of the gospel.

John 15:20 - Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

Those who do are assured of being with Jesus in the heavenly realm.  This verse is designed to be a great comfort to all who follow Christ.  Though they may suffer for a short while, eventually the trial will pass and they will find reward in the kingdom of heaven:

Revelation 3:21 - To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father in his throne.

Thus, Jesus makes it plain to everyone that discipleship includes self-sacrifice on many different levels up to and including martyrdom.

Let me offer you some encouragement:

In this passage of scripture, the apostle John briefly mentions the triumphal entry of Christ.  We noted that the Jews who were present didn't just casually wait for Jesus to appear at the temple – they went out of their way to seek him out.  Then, they lavished him with adoration and honor.

I encourage you to follow their example.  Why not seek out an opportunity to lavish Jesus with honor today?  Pray for someone.  Give to further the gospel.  Help the poor.  Stand up for righteousness.  Encourage the saints.  Spend time in his presence giving him the worship he deserves.

Let me offer you some relief:

In this post we learned that a seed must die in order to produce a harvest.  Spiritually speaking, we must die in order to bring others into the kingdom of heaven.  Are you terrified by this prospect?  If so, let me offer you some relief.   

Dying does not necessarily mean loss of physical life.  It can also mean that we must die to the flesh, or to our own desires. 

For example, you might want to sleep in every Saturday morning.  But if you deny your desire and get up an hour earlier than normal to pray and intercede for the lost, then you are crucifying your flesh/desires for the kingdom of heaven.  If Holy Spirit lays something on your heart in the realm of crucifying your flesh, be sure your respond.   

Let me offer you some strength:

This portion of scripture highlights the gap that existed between the Jews and the Gentiles.  In the natural realm, there was absolutely no way for these two groups to come together into one 'fold'.  But God accomplished the impossible. 

Do you have a situation in your life that seems hopeless or impossible?  Is there a problem that you can't solve or a relationship that you feel can't be mended?  Take that issue before the throne of grace.  Appeal to heaven for what you want/need because God is still in the business of doing the impossible!