Episode121-A Contrast of "Trials" - John 18:25-27

John 18:25   Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” 26 One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” 27 Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed.

I had initially intended to cover a more extensive section of scripture in this episode. However, as I reflected upon this brief account of the last two of Peter’s three denials that he was a disciple of Jesus, I thought there was plenty here for it to stand on its own. Recall that at their dinner, Peter had asserted that he would “lay down his life” for Jesus. But, Jesus responded that Peter would deny Jesus “three times . . .before the rooster crowed.” (John 13:37-38). 

Peter had taken out a knife/sword in the garden and assaulted a member of the crowd that came to arrest Jesus. He had shown a measure of boldness at that moment. However, John had already revealed that Peter quickly denied that he was a disciple of Jesus when he was questioned upon entering the courtyard. (John 18:17)

At that point, our author does not continue with the account of the others who question Peter concerning his relationship with Jesus. Instead, he turns the attention to Annas’  interrogation of Jesus. Why does John do this? For one reason, it is good storytelling to help the reader understand the things that are happening in two places at the same time. When Peter enters the grounds, he is questioned and he then approaches the fire to keep warm while trying to find out what is going to happen to Jesus. Meanwhile, Jesus was nearby being questioned by Annas. In these concurring events, I think John wants us to see something else.

Back in John 5:30-46, Jesus had argued that his teaching and the miracles he was performing were from God. He wasn’t some lone “prophet” bringing new or novel teaching. He appealed to the Law, which spoke of the requirement of “two or three witnesses” in order to substantiate the facts of a matter. He offered the “witnesses” that verified the source of his teaching and miracles.

Deut. 19:15   “A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.”

Now, notice what is happening in this “trial” of Jesus before Annas. Are there any witnesses? No. Annas just questions Jesus about his teachings and his disciples. So, Jesus responded that there are plenty of witnesses to what he taught because he taught openly and often even at the temple itself. Jesus indirectly told Annas (the high priest) that Annas was violating the Jewish Law by not having witnesses to any accusations against Jesus. Annas was attempting to get Jesus to incriminate himself, and Jesus was not falling for that. He did nothing wrong. That’s when (and probably why) Annas decided to send Jesus to Caiaphas. 

Before John followed Jesus to Caiaphas, he returned to the scene of Peter and others around the fire. Peter had already denied Jesus once. In verse 25,“others” are also thinking that Peter is one of Jesus’ disciples and they question him. For the second time. Peter denied that he was a disciple of Jesus. Finally, one person from the arresting party, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, suggested that he saw Peter in the garden with Jesus. Peter denied a third time that he was with Jesus. The accusation that Peter was a disciple of Jesus not only intensified, but got more specific. Most importantly, John is showing us that the requirement of “two or three witnesses” has been fulfilled in this informal “trial” of Peter. The evidence reveals that he is “guilty” of being a disciple of Jesus and, furthermore, is guilty of denying Jesus. In doing so, Peter fulfilled Jesus’ prophecy that Peter would deny Him three times before the rooster crowed.

John added that “immediately” after his third denial, the rooster crowed. (v. 27) Jesus’ prophecy to Peter was exact. 

It appears to me that John is juxtaposing the innocence of Jesus with the guilt of Peter.  Jesus’ faithfulness to the Law and his mission as well as the integrity of his word is evident through the fact that there are no witnesses to accuse him. Peter’s tragic unfaithfulness, as one of Jesus’s closest friends and breach of integrity to his word, stands in stark contrast. It makes me wonder how often my faithfulness to the Lord and his mission have been compromised. 

As we will soon see, Peter’s failures do not negate God’s mercy to him and Gods’ plan to use him for His mission. This is an important lesson for us all to learn. The Lord knows our frailties and he knows when we might even deny him through our words and actions. He is willing to lead us back to where we need to be and to strengthen us for what He has in store for us. His mercy and grace are abundant.

Episode 120 - "I have taught openly" - John 18:19-24

John 18:19   The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. 20 Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. 21 Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.” 22 When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?” 24 Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

From this account, we observe that this context supports what we suggested about the crowd taking Jesus to Annas first. Even though Rome had technically deposed Annas as the high priest, the officer who hit Jesus (v. 22) referred to Annas as the high priest. Many Jews still considered him the high priest. 

Yet, it doesn’t appear that Annas wanted to “deal with” Jesus after Jesus’ responses backed Annas into a corner. Jesus had spoken and taught openly. Jesus clearly and strongly asserted that he was speaking nothing from his own, but only what he had seen and heard from the Father. Furthermore, Jesus tells them to reveal anything “wrong” in what he had said. There are some important lessons in this. 

Occasionally in our current day and culture, people with charismatic personalities are able to persuade others that they have a special or more accurate truth about God. Some even claim to be a god or prophet. But, these people often do not speak in a venue where they can be questioned, challenged, and rebuffed by sound doctrine that has consistently been held within the Christian faith since its beginnings. These groups are cults. 

There are many denominations that vary in some beliefs from other Christian denominations and that is understandable. But, these differences are often respectfully understood and accepted. But, few would accuse the other denomination of being a cult. Besides significant doctrinal differences such as the nature of Jesus and the sources of revelation considered to be a divine origin, cults have secretive practices. Jesus is turning the table on his accusers by saying, “I’ve done everything in the open. Layout the evidence that shows I’m a false teacher.” (My interpretation/paraphrase)

The bottom line from that is we should not follow people who are not accountable and are secretive or not willing to be questioned about their teaching and we should be observant that those around us are not led into such deception.

Perhaps another lesson we can learn from this is to follow Jesus’ example. We can teach others things we are learning in God’s word. It’s ok to have opinions on some things. But, where the Scriptures and the common beliefs of the Christian faith speak, we should not have anything “new” or “novel.” We should not try to create our own fan club around our ideas and convictions. If our teaching is consistent with the Scriptures and someone is challenging specific teaching, invite them to explain how they read the Scripture. I’ve changed my mind about a few things over the years when I realized that some idea I had was not consistent with what was being revealed in what I believe is God’s word. 

I think Annas realized he didn’t have a leg to stand on and handed him off to Caiaphas who had already made up his mind what he wanted to do with Jesus. May we all humbly listen to God’s word to learn and discern. May the Lord lead us to believe and share with others what has been faithfully handed down over time concerning the revelation of God in the Holy Scriptures.

Episode 119 - Jesus' "trial" begins - John 18:12-18

John 18:12   So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him. 13 First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14 It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people.

John 18:15   Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, 16 but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. 17 The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” 18 Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.

Perhaps you are wondering why John records that this group took Jesus to Annas, the father-in-law of the high priest. The reason is that Annas had been the high priest until the Roman government removed Annas from that position. Regardless of what the Romans said, it is likely many people still considered Annas to be the rightful high priest. At the very least, they respected his opinions and word. So, they started with him. John then qualified that it was Caiaphas, the current high priest, who had suggested that it was better for one man to die than for the whole nation to perish. (John 11:50) It was his way of saying, “We need to get rid of this guy Jesus before he creates a stir among the Romans and we are all punished for it. Yet, his words also rang prophetically true. It was better for one man to die, the God-man Jesus Christ, rather than the whole nation and world to perish in their sins.

Jesus is taken to Annas and Peter and “another disciple” follow along. Since it is commonly understood that the Apostle John is often with Peter and references to this “other disciple” is understood to be John, I’m surmising that this “another” or “other” disciple must likely be John. It would account for the fact that our author has such lucid detail regarding what transpired because he was there. Also, as the author of the book, he seems to downplay his own significance to not come across as making himself the hero. Whoever it is of the disciples that is with Peter following Jesus likely provided the testimony of what transpired during this “trial.” The other disciple has a connection that allows him or her into the courtyard and is able to gain entrance for Peter. It is hard to know exactly where everyone is standing with respect to Annas and Jesus. But, it would seem that Peter is keeping a “safe distance” knowing that he had recently cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant. But, the girl at the door recognizes something about Peter and states that he is also a disciple of Jesus. Peter outright denies that he is a disciple of Jesus. If this seems familiar, it is because Jesus told Peter that he would deny that he knew Jesus three times before the rooster crowed (before sun up the next morning). 

John 13:37-38  “Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.”

This is the beginning of the fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy concerning Peter’s denial. 

Peter often gets singled out for his failures. Yet, is that fair? After all, Peter was the one to pull out the knife in the crowd that came to arrest Jesus and cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant. Peter is even brave enough to follow along and remain relatively close to Jesus when other disciples had dispersed. Yet, when attention is called to him in this hostile environment, he denies being one of Jesus’ disciples. 

I wonder if I would have had any more nerve than Peter did. I’m sure there were plenty of times in my life where I had no more courage to identify with Jesus than Peter did at that moment. Why does John even record Peter’s denial here? Is it just to show that Jesus was correct? As we continue through this story, we’ll see how that works out. I think it’s to show us Peter’s “humanness.” Soon we’ll see that Jesus doesn’t disown Peter for this lapse in courage and faithfulness. Jesus will show patience, forgiveness, compassion, and restoration to a purpose God has for Peter. God is patient and compassionate with us as well as he leads us through our walk of faith and into a life of service for his purposes. 

Episode 118 - "Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?" John 18:7-11

7 So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” 9 This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.” 10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) 11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”

John’s account of Jesus’ arrest includes Jesus twice asking those of the crowd who came to arrest him, “Whom do you seek?” When they replied, “Jesus of Nazareth” the first time, John reported the crowd fell back to the ground when Jesus answered them, “I am.” In the last episode, I indicated that I believe this was an important detail to John, suggesting that this was an appropriate response to hearing the divine name invoked by Jesus. The crowd likely neither understood nor intended that type of response. Otherwise, they would not be arresting him. 

It would appear in verse 7 that perhaps they were still on the ground when Jesus asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” Why does Jesus ask them this question twice? I don’t believe that he did not hear them the first time. It seems to me that John has emphasized throughout this book that people were “seeking” Jesus for different reasons. In John chapter one, a few of John the Baptist’s disciples followed after Jesus when John pointed to Jesus as the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:35–39). Later, the crowd that had been miraculously fed went “seeking” Jesus. (John 6:24). But, both groups had different motivations. John’s disciples became Jesus’ disciples. But, the group that experienced the miracle and even suggested that he was the Prophet like Moses to come, ultimately rejected Jesus. The point is that Jesus has made himself known. He has not hidden his identity. The real question is what people do with Jesus. Do they decide to follow him and learn from him or do they want to leave him or even try to stop the message of Jesus?

The text that follows in verse eight reveals the clearest and immediate purpose for Jesus asking this question twice. He was making them be specific as to who they were really after in order to protect his disciples from becoming victims of a mob mentality. He told the crowd after they had twice said they were seeking “Jesus of Nazareth” they should let the others go because they had found the one they were looking for. John himself explains that this was a fulfillment of Jesus’ own words back in John 17:12. 

It is at this point that Peter takes out a knife (not a full-blown sword that we might imagine a soldier carrying) and cuts off the right ear of the servant to the high priest. Many commentators have suggested that Peter was likely aiming for his head and not actually trying to cut off the man’s ear. Regardless of exactly Peter’s level of skill with the knife, Peter is trying to avert Jesus’ arrest. His actions are met with reproof from Jesus who told him, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” (v. 11) Why is this important?

This is a chaotic scene. The mob appears in the garden where Jesus and his disciples are located. The mob drew back and fell down at Jesus’ invocation of the divine name for himself. There is some measure of risk that they were about to arrest as many as they could have laid hands on. Then, Peter wields his knife and attacks the high priest’s servant. Did you notice that the only one who appeared to be in control was Jesus? He is the one whom they are seeking and he knows that it is to not only arrest him but to kill him. Yet, he is in control because it is the Father’s will and he is in complete cooperation with that. 

I wonder how often we plan and scheme to either accomplish something that we believe is in our best interest. Maybe we frantically seek to avoid things that we do not desire to the point it brings chaos into our lives and we feel things are out of control. Perhaps this is the time that we take all these things about Jesus that have been revealed and we prayerfully trust the Lord to handle things according to His perfect will. It doesn’t mean we’ll understand it. Peter and the others certainly did not understand this yet. But, we cannot simply decide to walk away from Jesus when his will is not pleasing to our own. We must be like Peter and the others who realized that Jesus alone had the words of eternal life. (John 6:68)

Episode 117 - "Whom do you seek?" John 18:1–6

John 18:1   When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. 2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4 Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5 They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6 When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

In John 18, the events that Jesus has foretold concerning him going away begin to happen quickly. Judas is following through on his betrayal of Jesus by leading his antagonists and the arresting party straight to Jesus.  John does not include Jesus’ prayer in the garden of Gethsemane. It is almost sure that the garden referred to here is Gethsemane, but John does not record its name for us. It is very clear from Matthew’s account in Matthew 26:36-46 that Jesus knows exactly what is going to happen and when because in verse 46 he says, “Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.” At that point, Matthew records that Judas approached him and kissed him as a means to signify who they were to arrest. (Matthew 26:47-56) John simply indicates that Judas knew where he would likely go and led the arresting party to Jesus. 

The group came prepared for resistance. There were enough people to arrest Jesus and his followers, and they were well-armed. But, as we will see, it was utterly inadequate and completely unnecessary. Let us first look at how it was inadequate.

First, notice that John says in verse 4 that Jesus knew all that would happen to him. The point is that Jesus is in control here and not Judas, the High Priests, or the Roman soldiers. There were multiple instances in Jesus’ ministry when people wanted to arrest or kill him, and they could not because it was not his hour. But, now his hour has come, and Jesus approached them when they appeared. He accepts what is about to happen to him because he knows it is the Father’s will.

Another indication revealing the authority and control Jesus has in this situation is what happened when he approached this group and asked them directly, “Whom do you seek?” (v. 4). He already knows they are seeking him. So, why does he bother to ask this question? It seems to me that he asks it for the benefit of his disciples and particularly John because John makes a connection with what transpires and Jesus’ identity.

When Jesus asks them who they are seeking, they reply, “Jesus of Nazareth.” The ESV records Jesus’ response to them as “I am he.” (v. 5) But, his response isn’t simply explaining to them that they have found their man. His answer is better translated as “I am.” Does that sound familiar? It is Jesus identifying with the divine name that God gave to Moses in Exodus 3:14, and which John recorded multiple occasions that Jesus invoked the divine for himself. (“I am the Good Shepherd, I am the way, the truth, and the life, . . .)

This account reveals John’s thoughts as he points out that when he said “I am” they “drew back and fell to the ground.” (v. 6). I don’t think these people had any great comprehension regarding Jesus’ reply. But, I believe John understood this to be the will of God, causing the appropriate response to Jesus’ claiming to be “I am.” Therefore, no significant number of soldiers or weaponry could have taken Jesus if it were not the Father’s will. The inadequacy of mens’ efforts to stop him is evident through their repeated failures of stopping him up to the point where the Father determines it is time for His Son to go to the cross.  It is also unnecessary in that at the divine time, Jesus gave himself over to this crowd.

Jesus is the “I AM.”  He is our Creator, Redeemer, and Judge, among other things. Jesus is God. Let this truth confront our pride and inform our worship of Him.

Episode 116 - That they may be one - John 17:20-26

John 17:20   “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

The message in this part of the prayer has hit me more profoundly recently than it has any other time I’ve been through this. But, there is a sense in which it feels like Jesus keeps saying the same thing. If we are not careful, we might miss something profound.

Did you notice who Jesus is praying for? It’s you and I. We are the people who believe in Jesus through the testimony of these people close to Jesus. That is the point of verse 20. So what is Jesus’ request of the Father on our behalf? He prayed that all of us who believe in Jesus would be one. That means that at the very heart of Jesus is his desire for all people who follow him to be in harmony with other followers of Jesus. That is the explanation in verse 21. How is that possible? Certainly, he cannot expect us to agree on every little thing all the time. Fortunately, he doesn’t stop there. He explains the purpose or objective of unity among his followers. That objective of Christian harmony is expressed in two statements. The first is at the end of verse 21 where he says, “so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” The second statement in verse 23 echos that objective and adds more. “So that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.” (v. 23) 

Jesus prayed to the Father that we Christians would be unified and harmonious so that “the world” would believe the Father sent Jesus AND that the Father loves the world. That message echoes John 3:16 doesn’t it? “For God so loved the world . . .” God decided to love the world even though the world does not love God. In fact, Jesus points out in verse 25 that the world does not know God. Jesus is helping us understand an important point of sharing the Good News of Jesus in this prayer. It is critical that those who claim to follow Christ demonstrate love and strive for harmonious relationships with fellow believers. It reveals God’s love to the world and will draw people to Jesus.

Jesus’ prayer for his followers adds the request, “that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them. (v. 26) The love that is to lead us to harmony is not from within ourselves and our own capacity. It is the love of Christ that he has shown to us that should, in turn, make a statement to the world that God’s love is available to them. We are going to have our differences. But, the love of Christ should be the primary consideration to keep us from dividing instead of being “one.”

Let us think about Christ’s love for us and pray that the Lord will help it be evident to others that the world may see it and want to receive God’s love toward them. 

Episode 115 - Sanctify them in your truth - John 17:12-19

12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

Does anything sound familiar in the first few words here? “I have kept them . . .I have guarded them.” Earlier in this chapter, Jesus says, “They have kept your word.” The word “kept” is from the Greek word “tereo” which means to keep or guard. A secondary meaning is “to cause a state, condition, or activity to continue, keep, hold, reserve, preserve someone or someth” (BDAG). I suggested that it showed the importance of keeping or guarding Jesus. If this secondary meaning is more the intended nuance, then it’s speaking of the importance of continuing to follow Jesus. In verse 12, the same word is used to speak of Jesus continuing to keep them in “your name” (speaking of the Father). 

But, then Jesus adds in verse 12, “I have guarded them.” Isn’t this the same thing? What is Jesus saying? The word in Greek translated “guarded” is “phulasso” meaning, “to protect by taking careful measures, guard, protect.” (BDAG) This is different, isn’t it? The disciples have continued to follow Jesus and keep him and the message he has given them. Jesus has also continued with the disciples. He did not give up on them when they had a lapse in their faith. Neither will he give them up when, in a short amount of time, they will abandon him during his darkest hour. But, the word “phulasso” seems to indicate that Jesus’ guarding was providing protection over his disciples. My suspicion is they have no clue as to the measure that Jesus is guarding them; not just physically, but spiritually. 

Jesus then adds that he has not lost any of these disciples the Father has given him except “the son of destruction.” Who is this? Does this indicate that Jesus’ failed to guard this one? First, it would seem that the most obvious candidate is Judas Iscariot. Back in John 6:70, Jesus told the disciples that he had chosen them and yet one of them was a devil. Time revealed that Judas was looking out for himself. He was not keeping Jesus’ words. It’s also that same verse that helps us understand that Jesus knew one of them would betray him. He even knew who it was because he revealed the identity of that one to John prior to Judas going out to betray Jesus. Jesus did not fail with Judas. Jesus said of this one who was lost, “that the Scripture might be fulfilled.” (v. 12) In other words, Jesus is saying there was prophecy, probably Psalm 109, in which David speaks of a treachery against him and cries out to the Lord. As a Messianic figure, David’s words are considered prophetic. After Jesus’ ascension, the apostles decided to replace the position Judas had held as an apostle and interpreted Psalm 109:8 as prophecy that they should fill this position held by the treacherous Judas Iscariot. In summarizing, God knew Judas would betray Jesus and it was foretold and then fulfilled. 

Jesus makes a few requests on behalf of his disciples. First, he wants their joy to be fulfilled. Second, he wants the Father to keep them from the evil one while they remain in the world. Finally, he requests that they are “sanctified” (set apart for a purpose) in God’s truth. 

One of the great questions of life is “Why am I here?” Another way of expressing this is “Is there a purpose for my life?” If Jesus’ prayer for his disciples applies to us as it did them, which I believe it does, we need to understand that our identity is in Christ and not of this world. Yet, Christ has sent us into the world, set apart in God’s truth for the mission of proclaiming the Good News of Jesus to the world. We can trust that while the world will hate us for this, we are ultimately under the Father’s sovereign will and care. Nothing can happen to us apart from God’s will. In following this mission will our joy be fulfilled. 

A GREEK - ENGLISH LEXICON of the NEW TESTAMENT and other EARLY CHRISTIAN LITERATURE

— THIRD EDITION —

(BDAG)

revised and edited by

Frederick William Danker

based on

WALTER BAUER’S

Griechisch-deutsches Wörterbuch zu den Schriften des Neuen Testaments und der frühchristlichen Literatur, sixth edition, ed. Kurt Aland and Barbara Aland, with Viktor Reichmann and on previous English editions by W. F. Arndt, F. W. Gingrich, and F. W. Danker

THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PRESS | CHICAGO AND LONDON

Episode 114 - "That they may be one, as we are one" - John 17:9-11

John 17:9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.

As we continue to walk through this prayer of Jesus, I am going to point out four simple, but profound things from these three verses.

First, in verse 9, the people Jesus is praying for are his disciples; those who’ve received the words from the Father that he has spoken to them and believed in Jesus. He is very specific here that he is NOT praying for the world. Has Jesus given up on the world? Has he abandoned it? No. John makes it clear that God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son . . . (John 3:16) Jesus came into the world to fulfill everything the Father gave him to do and that was to involve laying down his life for the sins of the world. But, it is only those who “believe in him” that appropriate the benefit of that sacrifice for their sin. Only those who have true faith in Jesus “shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” (3:16) The point of Jesus praying only for his followers becomes evident in the context of what follows.

Second, Jesus’ followers belong equally to the Father and the Son, and Jesus is glorified in those believers. Have you ever considered that? If you trust in Jesus, you bring him glory. Here is an action point from this principle. Make it a point to pray and ask the Lord to help you bring Jesus glory each day.

Third, Jesus is leaving the world soon when he returns to heaven with the Father. But, the disciples will still be in the world. The point is that as followers of Jesus, they will face persecution and difficulties because of their faith. Jesus is acknowledging that and this is one of the reasons he is specifying that he is praying for his followers alone. Jesus prays that the Father will keep these followers of Jesus “in your name, which you have given me.” (v. 11) I take this to mean that Jesus is praying that his followers will be divinely protected in their identity to Jesus and the Father and that these followers will boldly understand and value their relationship to Jesus and the Father.

Finally, Jesus’ prayer for his disciples is “that they may be one, even as we are one.” (v. 11b) Wow! As I think about how fractured the church has become over politics and many other social issues, it seems to me that we, as followers of Jesus, are not glorying Jesus when we can become so divisive amongst ourselves with these kinds of issues. It suggests that we have lost our focus upon our common identity in Jesus. In light of this prayer of Jesus, we must reprioritize our unity with our brothers and sisters in Christ that we may best glorify Jesus.

Episode 113 - Keep God's "Word" - John 17:6-8

John 17:6   “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.

Here are three verses packed with theological significance. If you’ve read Exodus, it begins with the Hebrew nation enslaved in Egypt. God sent Moses to Egypt to deliver the Hebrews out of bondage to the land that God had promised their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. One of Moses’ first questions to God was “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” (Ex. 3:13) The Egyptians worshipped multiple gods. The Hebrews are going to want to know which god this is? The response to Moses was, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.” (v. 14) Just like Moses was used by God to reveal God’s name and therefore, His identity, to the people in generations past, Jesus did the same thing among the Hebrew nation of his day.

Jesus adds that these people were given to him by the Father and “they have kept your word.” Do you remember the very first verse of this book? “In the beginning was the Word . . .” (John 1:1) The word for “Word” in the Greek language is “logos.” There is another Greek word for “word” and that “rhema.” Here in John 17:6 Jesus says, “they have kept your word (from logos).  Jesus is saying that those the Father has given to him have kept or guarded Jesus. He is the “logos” of God. In verse eight Jesus says, “I have given them the words (from “rhema”)  that you gave me, and they have received them . . .” We’ve seen throughout this book that Jesus only spoke and did what he received from the Father. The words (rhema) that he spoke were received by them. But, they guarded (valued and kept) God’s “logos” Jesus. 

Not always comprehending the full meaning of what Jesus said, Peter confessed, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68) The author of the New Testament letter Hebrews begins his letter, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

I think that is a valuable lesson for us. We believe that the Bible contains the words from God. It’s important to read the Scriptures and strive to understand them. But, unless we value and keep Jesus, we are missing the point. Like Peter, we don’t understand everything. But, we can and should resort to simply say, “But, I trust in Jesus. All things are in his hands and he is the most complete expression of God revealed to humankind.

Episode 112 - "The hour has come" - John 17:1-5

John 17:1   When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

One of the running themes throughout this book is the imminent “hour” for Jesus’ to be glorified.  We first encountered this at his first miracle where he turned the water into wine. When his mother informed him the wedding hosts had run out of wine halfway through the wedding, his response was, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” (John 2:4) Later in chapter seven, his antagonists could not arrest him “because his hour had not yet come.” (John 7:30) In John 12:23 Jesus says, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified” whenever he is informed there were Greeks seeking him. He understood that “the world” seeking him was an indication his “hour” had come. He begins this prayer by acknowledging this truth to his Father. 

It might be easy for someone to think that Jesus was being self-centered by his first request to be glorified. But while leaders and kings are glorified by being lifted in fame, prestige, and power, Jesus’ glorification is being lifted up on a cross to suffer and die. The context further reveals that Jesus knows the Father will be glorified through Him being glorified. This has been Jesus’ attitude and dominant thought throughout his earthly ministry; to glorify the Father. He has glorified the Father by perfect obedience and that obedience will be completed by his sacrificial death on the cross.

He recognized the Father has given him the authority “over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.” (John 17:2) This expression by Jesus is consistent with Jesus’ claim to be the Son of Man. In Daniel 7:13-14, “one like a son of man” was given an “everlasting kingdom” and the authority of all people. Jesus has already demonstrated that power by raising Lazarus from the dead and performing miracles never heard of before.

Jesus then explains that eternal life is accessible by knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ whom God sent. (v. 3) This is perhaps the most important thing we need to understand. Jesus is making it clear that knowing “the only true God” not a god is the way to eternal life. Again, we have a consistent message and repeated message in this book. Jesus had previously said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)

Jesus then says that he has glorified the Father by doing everything the Father has given him to do on earth. (v. 4) So, he is requesting to return to the position of glory that he had in the presence of the Father “before the world existed.” Sound familiar? Do you remember how the author began this book? “In the beginning, was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1) John continues in his prologue by telling his audience more about the Word until it becomes evident that the Word is Jesus Christ. (John 1:17) Before John gets into his narrative about the ministry of Jesus, he prepares us by saying that Jesus was eternally pre-existing with the Father and was involved in the Creation. Now, Jesus himself is supporting that with his own words. 

There will be other wonderful things we will learn in this intercessory prayer of Jesus. But, the priority here is that the Father and Son are glorified. Do we have that as a priority in our life? Do we begin our prayers asking for what we want or asking that God is glorified through whatever He does?

Episode 111 - Joy and Peace in Jesus - John 16:22-33

22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. 23 In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

25   “I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”

29   His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! 30 Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.” 31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32 Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. 33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

In the last episode, we covered verse 22, in which Jesus speaks of his disciples’ sorrow turned to joy which no one could take from them. I suggested that this experience begins at the resurrection of Jesus. Jesus’ words in verse 23 make so much sense in light of the joy they would experience after the depths of sorrow they would experience at his death. Jesus said, “In that day, you will ask nothing of me.” Why? Because their whole sense of belonging and purpose they had following Jesus is about to be crushed, then astonishingly restored beyond their imagination. Think about it. If you had a sense of joy that was so great and fulfilling that you could not think straight because it was overwhelming, what else could you possibly want? I believe this is what Jesus is telling them will happen.

Jesus also understands the ministry to which he will send them, and he understands that they will have needs. He assures them that whatever they ask in his name, the Father will give it to them. I don’t know about you. But, this promise is difficult for me to believe. I think to myself, “If I ask for a Tesla or some other luxury item, surely I won’t receive that.” I’m doubtful that saying “In Jesus’ name” is some kind of magic that gets me whatever I want. What is Jesus promising his disciples?

I believe that Jesus’ promise is true. However, Jesus’ words to his disciples reveal that he knows exactly what is going to happen to them. He knows what they will need and how the Holy Spirit will minister to them and lead them in faith and obedience to the mission Jesus is giving them. When they ask for something “in Jesus’ name,” their requests will be with the understanding of Jesus’ identity and the mission to which he has assigned them. Their requests will neither be arbitrary nor selfish. 

If that weren’t enough, notice that in verses 25-28, Jesus explains to them that the Father is not going to give it to them because Jesus asks the Father on their behalf. Jesus explains to them that the Father himself loves them, and the Father understands that they have followed and believed in Jesus. 

Despite the faith these disciples have had in Jesus, Jesus confronts their self-confidence by explaining that an hour is coming when they will all scatter and leave Jesus alone (v. 32). Does the Father not know this? Of course, He does. Yet, He still loves Jesus’ disciples despite their failures. Jesus explains they will have tribulation in this world, but they can have peace in the midst of that because Jesus has overcome the world. He has overcome the “darkness” and death. Jesus’ disciples can have peace knowing that ultimately we will no longer have to experience the darkness of this world and death. 

What does it mean to you that Jesus conquered death and his assurance that the Father loves you? Does it give you joy?

Episode 110 - "No one will be able to take your joy from you" - John 16:16-22

John 16:16   “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” 17 So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” 18 So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” 19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. 21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.

I don’t know about you. But, this is one of those passages in Scripture that make me laugh. Jesus’ statement that in a little while they won’t see him and again in a little while they will see him evokes the response, “What is he talking about?” The funny thing is that I know the rest of the story, but the disciples did not understand. I can relate to that response. I still have a bit of that response, even though I know what he is talking about. 

In verse 19, we start to get the picture that Jesus knew what they were thinking and what they wanted to know. He wanted them to want to know what was going to happen. They didn’t just need to understand what Jesus was talking about, and they needed a compelling desire to understand what Jesus was saying. Jesus evoked that in them with these sayings.

That’s true for us as well, isn’t it? We learn best when there is a pressing need or question we desperately want to be answered. For Jesus to set them up like this with these words is preparing them for what the Spirit will teach them and cause them to remember what Jesus taught them. It will change their lives. I believe the Lord does that with us today. Notice that Jesus tells them what is about to happen. 

First, they will be filled with sorrow, and the world will be filled with joy. Second, their sorrow will be turned into joy. That is a dramatic shift. What is it that would cause these things to happen? Jesus’ will be crucified and be put to death on the cross. Understandably, his friends and disciples would be filled with sorrow at this tragic loss. But, the world which has remained in the darkness of their sin and rejection of Jesus will rejoice thinking that they have overcome the true Light that came into the world. 

Imagine being in the position of Jesus’ disciples during and after this has happened. They had invested the last three years of their lives following this man and coming to believe that he was God’s Messiah. They had seen the miracles with their own eyes. They were amazed at his teaching as well as his patience and grace to them. Now it was all over . . . or so they thought.

If you can imagine the depth of grief they must have experienced, imagine what was going on in their minds when he appeared to them alive a few days after he had died and been buried. Their extreme sorrow would be turned to extreme joy and no one would be able to  take their joy from them. (v.22)  That is the third thing he told them would happen.

The effect of these events unfolding precisely as Jesus foretold would create in them a whole new level of understanding and confidence in Jesus.  Who would imagine that the one who had raised someone else from the dead could raise himself from the dead? If Jesus proved that he had power over his own death, how much more does he have the power to raise us from the dead and give eternal life to our own bodies?

By Jesus’ leading them to have these questions and needs, he could teach them more as the events unfolded and it would form a foundation for their confidence in his promises. In turn, it would drive their passion for proclaiming the Good News to the world. 

May the Lord instill in us such rich confidence and trust in him that we would be driven to share it with others and faithfully serve him as we look forward to his return.

Episode 109 - "The Spirit of Truth" John 16:12-15

John 16:12   “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

There are few things as central to the historic Christian faith and yet so mysterious as the doctrine of the Trinity. Contrary to the skeptical accusations of some, the doctrine of the Trinity is not a later invention of the Church. There is no evidence that the word “trinity” was used by the Apostles and our earliest evidence of its use, I believe, is in the late second century. But, the earliest Christians understood Jesus to have a divine nature as I’ve already pointed out in the text of this gospel. Yet, there is no evidence that these Christians believed there were multiple gods. They were monotheists. 

Notice what Jesus is saying here about the Holy Spirit. Already he has spoken of the Holy Spirit as the paracletos, the Advocate or Helper, and has described what the Holy Spirit will do for the disciples. Now he gives us more information about the Spirit. 

The Holy Spirit is the “Spirit of truth.” In John 1, we read that absolutely nothing was created (Greek - ginomai) apart from the Logos (Word who was with God and was God). The expands the identity of “the Word”  in verse 17 where John reveals  “grace and truth came through (ginomai) Jesus Christ.” This ties up the loose ends that the Word who was with God and was God is Jesus Christ. He is the source of truth. Now in John 16:13 Jesus calls the Holy Spirit, the “Spirit of truth.” What does that say about the nature of the Holy Spirit? To me, it speaks of the divine nature of the Spirit. But, he doesn’t stop with that.

Jesus adds, “for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.” (v. 13b) Does that sound familiar? It sounds consistent with Jesus’ description of himself. (See John 5:19 and following.) Even though Jesus shares in the divine essence, he only says and does what the Father gives him to say and do. 

In verse 14, Jesus says of the Spirit, “He will glorify me.” So, we see the Son glorifying the Father, the Spirit glorying Jesus, and the Father will glorify the Son. Here lies a principle that moves me: the persons within the divine Godhead are fully committed to the glory of each other. This is further clarified in the rest of verse 14 and 15 where all that belongs to the Father also belongs to Jesus and the Holy Spirit will declare it all to Jesus’ disciples. If only we creatures made in God’s image would do the same, what a different world this would be.

There is perfect harmony and otherliness within the divine Godhead and this triune God is sharing it with his human creatures. Does that not blow your mind?

May our prayers reflect our desire for God’s love to affect our attitudes and actions toward others and inspire thankfulness of God’s unsurpassed generosity towards us.

Episode 108 - The Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgement - John 16:4b-11

(4b) “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

In John 13:36, Peter asks Jesus, “Where are you going?” and in John 14:5, Thomas says to Jesus, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” So, it seems odd that Jesus would now say, “. . . none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’” What could he mean by this when in fact, a few of them had asked where he was going?

I think the clues to that answer lie in the context of the disciples’ earlier questions of where he was going and the context of Jesus’ indictment in this text. When Peter asks where Jesus was going, Jesus’ response addresses Peter’s expectation that he would follow Jesus anywhere. Jesus said, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” (John 13:36) I interpret that response as, I am going to the cross, the grave, and the Father, and I have a job for you before you can follow me to these three destinations. (My interpretive paraphrase) Shortly after, Thomas pipes up and expresses that they don’t know where he is going even though Jesus had just told them that he was going to his Father’s house to prepare a place for them. So when we get to this text, I notice that the verb translated “asks” is in the present active indicative. This means the translation could read “No one is asking me  (at the present). . .” In other words, Jesus’ accusation is suggesting their thoughts are on the wrong thing. 

The point is that Jesus has continued to make it clear that he will soon no longer be with them physically. Furthermore, they can expect to be persecuted and put to death. How would you likely be feeling if you were in their position? They are sad and despairing, and Jesus is saying their sorrow is consuming them. They should focus on where Jesus is going and what that means for them. When Jesus goes to the Father, he will send the Holy Spirit to them. That explanation should give them joy and hope.

Jesus explained that the Holy Spirit would convict the world of three things: sin, righteousness, and judgment.  The most significant sin the world makes is not believing who Jesus is and why he came to earth. (v.9) Jesus’ explanation of how the world will be convicted concerning righteousness through his return to the Father. (v. 10) I believe this means that God has not been unrighteous by overlooking sin or allowing death, the consequence of sin, to go unchecked. On the contrary, God demonstrated that He is righteous, providing the perfect solution to humanity’s sin through His righteous Son taking on the just punishment for the world’s sin and then conquering death and ascending back to the Father. Paul explains this in Romans 8:3-4, “For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” 

Finally, the Holy Spirit will convict the world concerning judgment “because the ruler of this world is judged.” (v. 11) That is the devil himself. 

I see the initial fulfillment of what Jesus says here concerning the Holy Spirit when the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost as revealed in Acts 2. Read this on your own time and notice how boldly Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, indicts “the world” of their sin of not believing Jesus and for crucifying him. Look at their response in Acts 2:37. The Holy Spirit convicted them. 

The take-away from this lesson is the joy and hope we have knowing that Jesus is risen and is at the right hand of the Father. He has given us the Holy Spirit. We can follow the leading of the Spirit and speak the truth of Jesus, trusting that the Holy Spirit will convict them accordingly and bring people to faith.

Episode 107 - "Whoever kills you . . .will think he is offering service to God" - John 16:1-4

John 16:1 “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. 3 And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4 But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.

The opening words of this section should cause us to go back and read Jesus’ words leading up to this warning. Jesus is not trying to scare them. He is preparing them. Everything that Jesus has been telling them about the importance of them abiding in him and his words abiding in them is to help them remain steadfast in their faith WHEN (not if) they are persecuted. Jesus repeatedly promised that he would ask the Father to send them the Holy Spirit who would help them remember and understand what Jesus taught them. Furthermore, the Spirit would advocate for their needs to the Father. Jesus encouraged them with a promise that prayers asked in his name would be answered. Finally, he promised them that they would be with him and the Father for eternity. That would mean they would be resurrected sometime after they had died. These promises would serve to encourage them during such a crisis of persecution for their faith in Jesus. 

Jesus explained that he told them all this to keep them from falling away. Through Jesus’ ministry, there were people who initially were following after Jesus. But, John helps us understand these are people who want what they want. The people who had been miraculously fed in the wilderness recognized the significance of the miracle they watched him perform and received the benefit. Yet, when they followed Jesus and he told them they needed to drink his blood and eat his flesh, they didn’t want what Jesus was offering. They wanted Jesus on their own terms. They “fell away.” 

These disciples of Jesus’ have already witnessed the persecution of the man born blind who received his sight by Jesus, was cast out by the Pharisees for his pronouncement that Jesus was from God, and still worshipped Jesus when Jesus revealed his identity to him. These disciples would receive this kind of treatment and worse. Jesus is preparing them for it.

It’s easy to imagine that maybe non-religious and/or atheistic people might persecute these disciples of Jesus. But, Jesus explains to them that it’s religious people. He says in verse 2 that such persecutors will persecute them thinking they are doing God a favor. But, then he explains in verse 3 that these people don’t truly know God. 

How often have we heard about terrible things being done in the name of God or Jesus? But, their words and actions are in utter contradiction to the teachings of Jesus. 

If I were  told that a time is coming soon when people would beat me up, throw me in prison, and kill me for my faith, I imagine the anxiety and stress that might create would be significant. Like these disciples, I hope that the promises of Jesus would keep me steady in my faith and ministry. Jesus did tell his disciples these things would happen to them just as he told them that they would be his witnesses. The disciples had a purpose and mission from God to tell others about Jesus regardless of the consequences. That mission and purpose is for us today. Perhaps we will experience persecution of some manner for our witness. 

We know that that this promised persecution of the disciples happened soon after Jesus’ ascension to heaven. You can read about these in the book of Acts. That is one more indication that Jesus’ promises are true. If that promise is true, then we can also trust that his promises about answered prayer, the Holy Spirit advocating for us and a future resurrection and eternal life with God are also true.

Let us think about these things in order that the Holy Spirit will encourage us with Jesus’ promises.

Episode 106 - Our Advocate, the Holy Spirit - John 15:26-27

John 15:26   “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.

In the previous chapter of this book, Jesus made two promises of sending the “parakletos” which is translated in the English Standard Version as “Helper.” Jesus explained in John 14:17 that this is the “Spirit of Truth.” Shortly after in John 14:26 and following he qualifies this “Helper” as the Holy Spirit; the third person of the Trinity. I had also noted that the Greek word “parakletos” could be translated as “Advocate.” I argued that this word better communicates the role of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus explains that the Advocate will always be with Jesus’ disciples. 

I don’t know about you, but I like being with the people I love and who love me. To me, Jesus’ assurance the Holy Spirit would always be with us reminds us that God’s love is always with us. Because of that love, we can understand why he advocates for us. 

Jesus also says in 14:26 that this Advocate “will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” It’s important to understand this promise within its context. One has no grounds to argue that we do not need to study the Bible because the Holy Spirit will teach us everything we need to know. If this were the case, why would Jesus have called these disciples to live and hang out with him for a few years? Why didn’t He just send the Holy Spirit upon them if everything they needed to know would just be put into them by the Holy Spirit? The answer lies in the second part of that promise. Jesus told them the Holy Spirit would remind them of what Jesus had taught them. 

In this brief section in view today, Jesus repeats that this Advocate is the Spirit of truth. I love that Jesus repeats this. In this world of not knowing who to believe for anything, we can trust that God wants to reveal His truth to us by the Spirit of truth who will always be with us. Jesus explains that the first and most important truth the Advocate will communicate is concerning Jesus; “he will bear witness about me.” (v. 26) Then he adds, “And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.” (v. 27) This is why Jesus called these first disciples to follow him and be with him for a few years. In following Jesus, they got to hear his teaching and watch him work the miracles he performed. Whenever the Spirit came, He would take all of that teaching and experience they had with Jesus and teach them by helping them understand the significance of Jesus’ words and works. It was God’s will for them to witness Jesus and learn his teaching (which came from the Father) but for the Holy Spirit to form the deeper understanding and significance of it all. The first and foremost thing I believe they grasped was that this Jesus, this amazing guy they had been following the past few years, was truly God. 

As a side note, I believe it was this awareness that led John the Apostle to not directly name himself in this book and to also magnify the work of John the Baptist who said of Jesus, “He must increase. But, I must decrease.” I think John the Apostle spent the rest of his life in wonder and awe of Jesus, pondering why Jesus chose him.  John does not want to highlight himself in his own account of Jesus’ ministry. So, he speaks of himself simply as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” 

The fulfillment of Jesus’ promise that the Holy Spirit would bear witness concerning him and that the disciples would also bear witness first came in Acts 2 at the Feast of Pentecost. Read that and ask yourself if these people seem different than they did less than two months earlier when they were running away from Jesus and denying him.

The important lesson I believe we can learn is that while we do not get the privilege of seeing Jesus with our physical eyes and listen to him speak with our ears, we do get the privilege of “listening” and “observing”  him through the Scriptures. We also have the witnesses that were with him. So,  the Spirit of truth, our Advocate who is always with us, can illumine our understanding of Jesus’ words and actions so that it will help us have the same kind of wonder and awe that God has chosen us to be with Him. Then, we should bear witness to others so they can believe.

Do you know what the Bible calls this? Faith.

Episode 105 - "The world will hate you" - John 15:18-25

John 15:18   “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’

I don’t know about you, but I enjoy building relationships and getting to know people, and I do not want conflict with anyone. Realistically, I know that people who live in destructive and violent ways will be offensive to me, and my inclination is to avoid them. 

But Jesus is revealing to his disciples a principle that applies to us as well, and that is Jesus’ disciples will be hated by those who hate him. These people may be religious, and they may believe in a god or gods. They may share some of the same views that we do and, from an outward perspective, appear to be “good people,” meaning that they may not be violent toward their spouse or children, and they do things that we acknowledge are “good.” These people’s lifestyles and actions do not naturally push us away from engaging them in a relationship. These are the people we do not want to hate us. But, this warning from Jesus informs us that at least some of them will. 

Why is that? Jesus said, “I chose you out of this world.” (v. 19) I spoke of this briefly in the last episode because, in verse 16, Jesus told his disciples that they did not choose him, but he chose them for bearing fruit. The vital thing to consider is that God knows who you are and intentionally calls you to faith because He has a specific purpose for your life. The essential purpose is to be the voice of that message of Jesus and God’s love for the world that others might come to faith and enjoy the privilege of God’s purpose for their life. 

The problem and conflict with this is that “men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil.” (John 3:19) Even though Jesus as God’s true Light came into the world to expose humankind’s problem with evil, some people don’t want to go out of that darkness and into the Light of Jesus. Suppose we have responded to God’s Light and acknowledged that we are identifying and following that Light, trusting that God alone addresses our darkness problem. In that case, those who want to remain in the darkness will do everything they can to avoid or extinguish any glimmer of that Light that approaches them. They perceive the Light as a threat to their life and desires, and they oppose it. They hate it. The concept that Jesus could be the only source of Light from God attacks their pride, and they refuse to let that go. 

An example of this is the religious leaders who cast out the man born blind but given his sight by Jesus. They were upset with the fact that Jesus worked this miracle. But, when the man’s spiritual sight caused him to recognize that Jesus was from God, they had to get rid of him because it threatened their pride and self-righteousness. 

Twice in this section (vv. 22 and 24) Jesus says, “They would not have been guilty of sin.” I’m probably splitting hairs on the translation of this, and I may be wrong. But the Greek text says, “Sin they would not have.” I’m highlighting this because I think some clarification is in order. I do not believe Jesus is saying that there were sinless people until Jesus came and worked his miracles. This book has already made it evident that the people in this world are in darkness. Darkness is the metaphor describing the sinful, evil state into which we are born because this condition began with Adam and Eve’s rebellion and continues to this day. We need Jesus to “choose us out of this world” (of darkness) into his Kingdom of Light (Truth). 

The Law made it clear what was right and wrong, and people violated that Law. They were guilty of sin. But, the most evident truth of God came into the world when the Son of God, Jesus the Christ was born.  He spoke the words of God and performed the miracles of God.  He also took upon himself the penalty of the sins of the world by dying on the cross, and then conquering death itself. His resurrection gives hope to those who have turned in faith in Jesus for eternal life with God. Rejecting that Truth and Light is the sin that is unpardonable and people who commit that sin will not be forgiven. 

It’s easy for some to read that and see it in a negative light. But, if you stop and think about it, God has not left humanity to “figure it out on his own.” God has patiently and continuously revealed His grace and mercy and truth throughout time to testify to humankind that He wants to be in a relationship with humanity. Still, they need to trust Him by faith. The most powerful and perfect way of doing this was by coming into this earth Himself and revealing His grace, mercy, goodness, and truth through Jesus.

When we see it this way, is there any reason we would not be obsessed with abiding in Jesus, staying close as possible to the True Vine by giving him thanks and seeking to follow his words, and accepting that those who want to remain in darkness will hate us?

Episode 104 - "Love one another" - John 15:12-17

John 15:12   “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant, does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

In the preceding text covered in the last episode, Jesus spoke of himself as the “True Vine.” He is contrasting himself with the nation of Israel that, as God’s vine, repeatedly failed to produce the fruit it was intended to bear. God the Father is the “vinedresser;” the person who looks after the vine to prune it and do whatever is necessary to make it healthy and produce the most and best fruit possible. Jesus’ disciples then are the branches that are to abide in the vine and bear much fruit as God tends to us for that purpose. 

The way we are to abide or stay connected to Jesus is by being ever-dependent upon him; keeping his words and teaching in our minds and hearts and allowing them to guide our thoughts, values, and actions. Obeying his commands is not burdensome. It’s not about keeping a checklist of good works. It’s about accepting and receiving his love for us and sharing that with others. In doing so, we receive the full experience of joy.  

In John 13:34 Jesus told his disciples, “I give you a new commandment - to love one another.” Jesus repeats this command in John 15:12. At the beginning of this study almost two years ago, I spoke about repetition and how it shows that something is being emphasized when it is repeated. Jesus repeats things often as shown in the book and the author repeats things to emphasize his perspective on Jesus’ life and ministry. Clearly, Jesus’ priority for his disciples is for them to love one another. 

Jesus explains that this kind of love of which he is speaking is not a romantic kind of love that we think about in our day and culture. This is a love that is a self-sacrificing kind of love. Jesus is about to demonstrate that kind of love for his disciples and for us. 

Jesus tells his disciples that his relationship with them is transitioning from one of a teacher-to-disciple type of relationship, which was very similar to master/servant, to him now calling them friends. He explains that in the former kind of relationship, the servant is given a job to do without any explanations of why. But, Jesus has shown them and taught them what he was given by the Father. They are to continue on the work he has begun. But, this work given to Jesus’ disciples is not simply tasks done out of obligation, fear, and complete ignorance of its purpose, but out of a close, personal relationship and performed out of love and joy that he gives us. 

Jesus then reminds them that he chose them for this privilege of “bearing fruit that remains.” (v. 16) Has it occurred to you that the Son of God, Jesus has chosen you for an assignment in which he has equipped and empowered us, given us the Holy Spirit, and made us his friends and that whatever we need in this mission we can ask in His name and the Father will give it to us?  It makes sense that getting on board with this should bring us such joy. 

Now, in case you missed it earlier, we must love one another. (v. 17)

Episode 103 - "Abide in me and I in you" - John 15:1-11

John 15:1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

In over 100 plus episodes of this podcast, I do not believe there is one that I have struggled over more than this one. One of the reasons for this is that this teaching of Jesus is one that people frequently debate and argue over its meaning. I think the primary point of contention is whether this text addresses the question of “eternal security.” In other words, “Is Jesus teaching here that a person who has truly trusted in him and is ‘saved,’ able to lose their salvation?”

Allow me to say from the beginning, that my position on that question is that I believe in eternal security; if a person has truly believed in the Good News of Jesus Christ, they cannot do anything to “undo” that. In short, my view is that God accomplished that work in bringing me to that faith in the first place. Therefore, I don’t believe He left it in my hands to mess it up. The cost of bringing this great salvation to humanity was the Son of God coming into the world and laying down his life on the cross to suffice the just penalty for our sin. So, it is difficult for me to believe that God’s work through that amazing sacrificial love would be left so vulnerable as for me and everyone else to undo the effect of that work. My objective in this blog and podcast is not to defend that argument or use this text to defend my view. My objective is simply to ask and attempt to answer, “What is Jesus’ point in saying these words to his disciples?”

In calling himself the “True Vine,” Jesus claims to be fulfilling what Israel was supposed to do. They were supposed to be a vine planted by God to bear fruit; that is an extension and conduit of God’s holiness and blessing to other nations. As they trusted and obeyed God, the idea is that they would draw others to worship their God. This promise from God to Abram is first indicated in God’s charge to Abram (Abraham) to leave his home and go to the place that God would show him and that God would bless him and through him, all the “families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Gen. 12:1-3)

Unfortunately, Israel had a history of abandoning the Lord. Various Old Testament passages speak of Israel as a vine is not producing as it should or that God’s “shepherds” (leaders) have brought ruin to the “vine.” (Isaiah 5:1-7, Jeremiah 2:21; 12:10-11, and others) In Ezekiel 15:1-5, the question of whether the wood of the vine has any value if it’s not producing its fruit, and the answer is “no.” It’s altogether useless. 

It seems to me that Jesus is speaking with the knowledge that his disciples will understand his purpose in claiming to be the “True Vine.” They know what the Scriptures reveal about Israel’s failure in its role as God’s “vine.” They know that corrupt prophets and leaders have brought ruin to God’s vineyard. 

By Jesus claiming to be the “True Vine,” he says that God will achieve the results He intends through him. If nothing else, we should understand Jesus to be saying, God will produce fruit, and it will be through His True Vine, Jesus. 

Jesus says that his Father is the vinedresser. The vinedresser is the one who tends the vine and does everything possible to make sure everything is optimal for bringing fruit. When we lived in Arizona, we had some citrus trees in our backyard. We learned to cut off certain branches because they would not bear fruit and would only serve to draw vital nutrients away from the branches that would bear fruit. Jesus’ point about the branches that don’t bear fruit is that they are useless and need to be removed. Jesus’ disciples must have understood this not only from the literal sense of how someone might care for their vineyard but also how Israel’s times of disobedience led God to remove them from their land in discipline. In the context of Jesus’ ministry, of which these disciples have been a part, these fruitless branches are people like those who came to hear Jesus teach and see a miracle but then refuse to believe him when he said something they didn’t like. Perhaps Judas Iscariot would be such a fruitless branch. 

But, that is not all the Father does as the vinedresser. The Father also prunes the branches in the vine that do bear fruit for them to bear more fruit. In a short time after Jesus teaches his disciples this lesson, Peter will deny three times that he knows Jesus, and the rest of his disciples will scatter. Indeed, that is not evidence of fruit-bearing. Will they be cut off? Interestingly, before that even happens, Jesus tells them they are “clean.” Jesus is revealing that they are branches which the Father has been tending for bearing fruit. Like a vinedresser is patient and observant, expecting the future harvest, so is God with us.

The next critical point of this teaching is Jesus’ emphasis for his disciples to “Abide in me, and I in you.” (v. 4 and following) Not only is Jesus saying that God will bring fruit through the True Vine Jesus, but he is also saying that God plans to bring much fruit (v. 5). This result can ONLY happen when Jesus’ followers abide in him and he in us. What does that mean? It means that our minds, values, desires, words, and actions are consistently brought to Christ. It’s reading the Scriptures and learning about and from Jesus. It is asking him, in his name, to help form our values, thoughts, and actions to ones that are consistent with his and will bring forth the fruit that God desires. 

We are unable to accomplish this apart from an ongoing “connection” or abiding with Christ.  If we start living as Israel did at those times of rebellion and disobedience to God, we are useless to His purposes and will not be useful. We will not bear fruit and suffer the consequences of being a useless branch that is only good for firewood.

Finally, abiding in Christ, which will lead the Father to bring much fruit through us, will bring glory to the Father and result in us having joy.

Let us desire that joy and abide in Christ that we may bear much fruit.

Episode 102 - "Peace I leave with you" John 14:27-31

27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, 31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.

There are three things in this short text that I think need attention. The first is Jesus’ statement in verse 27 to his disciples. “Peace I leave with you . . . not as the world gives . . .” This is in the context of his communication to them that he is leaving them to return to the Father. He has repeatedly assured them that he will request the Father to send the Holy Spirit who will be their advocate or helper. Furthermore, he will be able to hear their requests and respond to whatever they need. Given what he has been telling them, it’s understandable they are disturbed and Jesus is fully aware of it. In fact, he is probably more aware than they are of what they will be going through and the events of his imminent arrest and crucifixion unfold. As we will see, it will be immensely stressful and fear inducing. So he is emphasizing that he will leave his peace with them. He qualifies what he means by this by saying, “Not as the world gives do I give to you.” What does he mean by that? Ask yourself how the world gives. Can the world give something that is eternal? Think of how many peace treaties between enemy countries have broken down over time. Does the world typically give without expecting something in return? Not usually. I think Jesus' promise to give them peace is an unconditional promise. He’s not saying that they won’t experience strife and concern and worry at times. But, I think his promise to give them his peace is something that will come upon them at times. They will sense it and they won’t be able to reason it away that they somehow overcame the emotions on their own. They would just be at peace and they would know it was Jesus who was looking after them and comforting them. Think of a child that is scared of a strong storm and the parent embraces them and tells them everything is going to be ok. It doesn’t immediately quiet them and cause them to not think of the storm. But, they feel safe in their parent’s embrace and assurance. This is how the peace that comes from Jesus works with us.

The next thing I want to address is Jesus’ statement in verse 28 that  “the Father is greater than I.” What? Is this Jesus’ own claim that he is not really God or equal with the Father? People who don’t want to believe that Jesus is divine will point to this verse to make that argument. But, why would John record this when he has gone to great lengths to assert the deity of Christ beginning in the first verse of this book. Scholars address this in different ways. But, I think what is happening is similar to a request that comes to me at work and I believe that it is the responsibility of my supervisor or even of someone above him, I might say, “You need to speak to someone greater than I.” That doesn’t mean I believe myself to be less capable of making the decision, less valuable, less intelligent, or less human. It speaks of the difference in our roles. It also doesn’t mean that I cannot be granted different responsibilities or authority either. Throughout this book and Jesus’ ministry he has affirmed that he does nothing on his own, but only what he sees and hears from the Father. Jesus has consistently affirmed that he is submitting to the Father’s will and this statement is just consistent with his message all along.

Finally, Jesus says in verse 30, “the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me.” Who is that, Caesar? Nope. This is Satan. Jesus is telling them that Satan has a role in the events that are about to unfold. But, he is not in control. He has no say. He is not omniscient, knowing everything. He is not all powerful. He is not the equal, but opposite of God. 

Do you understand why that is important? If Jesus is promising to leave his peace with his disciples, send the Holy Spirit to be with us, listen and answer our prayers, and asserting that the “ruler of this world . . .has no claim on” him, then we can experience Jesus’ peace that no amount of evil in this world can have it’s ultimate claim on us.

Jesus is going to return to us as he promised his first disciples and will take us to be with him and the Father.