1

Andrew K. Wong

John

Who was John? John was a Jew. He was a contemporary of Jesus. He lived in Galilee. We know three members of his family: there was John, his older brother James, his father Zebedee, and his mother Mary. He’s the youngest of the Twelve Apostles. When we first meet John, he is (perhaps) in his late teens or early twenties. For a moment, fast forward three years to the Last Supper—the night before Jesus was arrested. They are eating the Passover meal and John is sitting next to Jesus. [21:20] He leans back and puts his head on the Lord’s shoulder. A 30 year old man would not do that. But, a teenager or a man in his early twenties, would. Out of the Twelve Apostles, there were three who were closest to the Lord: John, James, and Peter. To understand John, it’s helpful to consider him in context with James and Peter—especially Peter. These three were close: John and James were brothers, and John and Peter were best friends. And when you consider that Peter had a brother named Andrew, who was also an Apostle, these four formed a tight-knit circle within the circle of Twelve. It’s natural (when you think about it) because they had a lot in common. They were brothers and fellow Disciples. They were solidly middle-class. John and James and Peter and Andrew were partners in the same fishing business. They operated out of Capernaum, on the north shore of Sea of Galilee. They had several employees and fishing boats. John and James worked alongside their father, Zebedee. Peter lived in Capernaum, and John and James probably did, as well. They were good Jewish men with a soft spot for the women in their lives. Peter was married, he lived with his mother-in-law, and he traveled with his wife when he went on his missionary journeys. John and James loved their mother, Mary. Mary was an important part of the Lord’s ministry. She traveled with her sons when they traveled with Jesus. She was one of several women who supported Jesus financially during his three year public ministry.

2

Andrew K. Wong

Mary was with the Lord from the beginning to the end—through thick and thin. She was there at the foot of Cross; she watched Jesus breath His last; she watched as He was laid in the tomb; she was there at the empty tomb; and she told the Disciples what happened. You wonder how John and James were such faithful companions of Jesus. Well, they got it from their mother. Later, there would be a second Mary in John’s life. At the foot of the Cross, John is standing there with Mary, the Lord’s mother. Joseph has died; Jesus’ brothers and sisters have abandoned Him. Only Mary is there. Jesus looks down from the Cross at John and says to him, “Here is your mother.” I need you to look after her when I am gone. John does what he’s asked to do. Mary moves in with him in Ephesus until she dies. Certainly, the Lord wouldn’t have entrusted His mother to anyone else besides John. Peter, James and John were active men. They work full-time as fishermen. They work part-time as Disciples of the Lord. Over time, we see the two jobs merge into one. They become fishers of men. Being a Disciple of Jesus was an adventure. They take it all in stride—everything Jesus says and does, everything Jesus throws at them. For these three—because they were closer to the Jesus than the other nine—they experienced the most. The miracles; the demons screaming as Jesus cast them out; the violent storms on the Sea of Galilee; handing out food to 15,000 people; raising the dead. Handling the crowds who wanted a piece of Jesus; kicking out the crowds when Jesus raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead. The running arguments with the Pharisees; the arguments with Jesus about their expectations of Messiah; the occasional rebuke from Him. Learning how to teach, preach and heal; the close conversations with Him on the Mount of Olives about the future of Jerusalem and the future of the world; being with the Lord when He was in agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. But the experience these three remembered the most was the Transfiguration on Mount Hermon. A special reward for being Jesus’ most trusted companions.

3

Andrew K. Wong

For doing the tough jobs the Lord asked of them; for always being there for Him. On Mount Hermon, they see Jesus wrapped in a cloud. They see Moses and Elijah speaking with Jesus. They hear the voice of God: “This is my son, whom I love. Listen to Him.” They listen. In fact, they spend the rest of their lives listening to Him. John, most of all. Near the end of his life, the Roman Emperor is Titus Flavius Domitian. Domitian hated Christians, and he persecuted the church. Domitian orders John to be deported from Ephesus to the island of Patmos, off the coast of modern day Turkey. So, John is in exile on this island. It’s in the 90s A.D.—sixty years after the Resurrection—and he has a vision. He writes it down. John writes in Revelation 1:10, “On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet. I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone “like a son of man,” dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: ‘Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.” John spends his entire life listening to Jesus. Listening to His human voice, and then His voice as the risen and glorified son of man. And when we (finally) study Revelation, it is John’s words that close out the canon of Scripture. But all of that is in the future. For the moment, we consider John as a young man and part of the Three Musketeers. All three were brash and headstrong. In fact, John and his brothers James had a nickname: the Sons of Thunder. They were hotheads. When Jesus passed by a Samaritan village and they refused to welcome him, John and James wanted to call down fire from heaven to burn the village to ashes. Jesus says no. John and James, in particular, were just a little cocky.

4

Andrew K. Wong

Both of them have the nerve to say to Jesus: “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” [Mk 10:37] Jesus says, “Can you drink the cup [of suffering] that I will drink?” They say, “We sure can.” Jesus replies, “You sure will.” When the other Disciples hear of this, it ticks them off. We’ll come back to this shortly. But Peter, John and James—despite their hotheadedness—had the capacity to grow. That is the most important requirement for being a disciple. It’s true today. They grew because they were intellectually and spiritually curious. If they lived today, they would be college graduates and probably have their master’s degrees, too. Like any good Jew, John and Peter spoke Aramaic and understood Hebrew. Both of them also read and wrote Greek. Maybe their Greek was not the most elegant Greek—like Paul or Luke’s Greek— but they still knew Greek. Between John and Peter, these two would write seven of the twenty-seven Books of the New Testament—in Greek. John writes five and Peter writes two. And when you count the Gospel of Mark—which is basically a compilation of Peter’s sermons when he was the senior pastor of the church in Rome—you have eight Books. Shining the spotlight on John and Peter. Both of them were present when Jesus began His ministry. But before they met Jesus, they were looking for Him. They were anticipating the coming of Messiah. Many Jews were doing the same. Israel had been waiting for Messiah for over 400 years. The last Book of the Hebrew Scriptures is Malachi. Malachi was written 430 years before the birth of Christ. Malachi is a short Book and only has four chapters. In chapter 4, Malachi prophesies that before Messiah comes, God will send a prophet. (See Mal 4:5-6.) Elijah comes. His name is John the Baptist. [Mt 11:14] John is a prophet in the spirit of Elijah. Massive crowds come to hear him preach and to be baptized.

5

Andrew K. Wong

John develops a following of his own—men who become his disciples. John is a strict taskmaster. If you wanted to be his disciple, you had to make sacrifices. You had to fast and pray—a lot. [Mt 9:14] John spoke the truth and expected you to do the same—even if it meant you suffered for it. [Jn 3:25] John preached that Messiah would come after him. So, you lived in anticipation for Messiah. [Mt 11:2] John becomes a disciple of John the Baptist. He is a devoted disciple. One day, John the Baptist sees Jesus walking by. [Jn 1:35] John the Baptist was the greatest, yet humblest of prophets. And he makes a point to point Jesus out to John. John sees Jesus, and turns to follow Him. He spends the day with Him. And from day on, he becomes a disciple of the Lord. After the Resurrection, John is a pillar of the early church. [Gal 2:9] Others (like Paul) preach to the Gentiles. John preaches to the Jews. [Gal 2:10] In this ministry, John continues his close association with Peter. Together, they perform miracles. [Acts 3:1-11] They preach. [Acts 3:11-4:1] They’re persecuted, side by side. [Acts 4:2-22] But the church grows. More and more Jews are coming to the Lord. When they were Disciples of Jesus, Jesus always saved the toughest jobs for Peter and John. Now, after the Resurrection and with the church in Jerusalem growing by leaps and bounds, Peter and John get another tough job. In Acts 8, the Holy Spirit is moving in Samaria. The Samaritans are the arch-enemies of the Jews, but the Samaritans are coming to the Lord. The church in Jerusalem decides to send Peter and John to Samaria. They get there; they pray; and the Samaritans receive the Holy Spirit. Then Peter and John do what Jesus would have done—they travel among the villages in Samaria preaching the Gospel. That’s remarkable, because John has come so far. It was a short time ago when Jesus was passing by a Samaritan village and the Samaritans refused to welcome Him.

6

Andrew K. Wong

John and James—being hotheads—wanted to call down fire from heaven to burn them all to ashes. Now, John is welcoming Samaritans into the Kingdom of Heaven. According to tradition, John serves as a leader in the church in Jerusalem for a long time. He then moves to Ephesus (on the western shore of modern day Turkey). He brings Mary with him. Then he is exiled on the island of Patmos. After the Emperor Domitian dies, John goes back to Ephesus. He is the leader of the church in Ephesus.1 Ephesus was the church that Paul founded. By this time, Paul is dead, and John assumes leadership of the church. John was a busy man. In addition to his preaching duties, he made the circuit of visiting the smaller churches in the areas outside of Ephesus. He would appoint bishops; organize the churches; if the churches didn’t have a leader, he would choose one; he served a mentor;2 he opposed false teachers.3 On occasion, he performed miracles. He once raised a man from the dead.4 John is the only Apostle to live to a ripe old age. Remember when John and James ask Jesus to sit at His right and His left in heaven? Jesus says, “Can you drink the cup [of suffering] that I will drink?” They say, “We sure can.” Jesus replies, “You sure will.” Lo and behold, they do. In Acts 12, King Herod arrests James (John’s brother) and kills him. James is the first of the Twelve to be martyred. Then the others start dying off. During the great wave of persecution in the 60s A.D., Peter is martyred— according to tradition, crucified upside down. Peter was John’s best friend. The Apostle Paul is caught in the dragnet; Paul is beheaded. And according to tradition, every other Apostle dies a violent death. It started with Judas Iscariot committing suicide.

1 Eusebius, Hist. Eccl., 3.23. 2 Eusebius, Hist. Eccl., 3.23. 3 Irenaeus, Haer., 3.3.4. 4 Eusebius, Hist. Eccl., 5:18.

7

Andrew K. Wong

Then James (John’s brother) being martyred. And on down the line until John is the last man standing. Even Mary (the mother of Jesus) has died. John had been taking care of her in Ephesus. That was what the Lord asked him to do while John was at the foot of the Cross. [19:26-27] You wonder which of the Disciples suffered the most. Was it the ones who were martyred? Or was it John? The one who has seen everyone else die—his friends and his family? In the late 80s A.D., John writes his Gospel. He’s an old man now. If he was 20 when Jesus was crucified in A.D. 32, then now he is in his 70s. The other three Gospels have been written. John knows about Matthew, Mark and Luke. He’s living in Ephesus, where he’s been taking care of Mary. He will be the last, living Apostle. And so, it’s fitting John writes the last Gospel. How do we know that the Gospel of John was written by John? In the Gospel, John never identifies himself. He didn’t sign off at the end; nothing in the Gospel says that John wrote it. But, the early Church fathers were unanimous that John wrote it.5 There is another clue that the Gospel was John’s. God’s love is a big theme in the Gospel. (Jn 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”) (Jn 13:34, “‘Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.’”) From time to time, the Gospel mentions an unnamed disciple by calling him, “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” [13:23, 19:26, 20:2, 21:7, 21:20] Whenever this disciple is mentioned, it’s at some significant event in the life of Jesus: the Last Supper; the Crucifixion; the empty tomb. Also, Peter is usually standing next to this disciple. Who is this “disciple whom Jesus loved”? John.

5 Eusebius, Hist. Eccl., 3:24. “While the four Canonical Gospels could afford to be published anonymously, the apocryphal Gospels claimed (falsely) to be written by apostles or other persons closely associated with the Lord.” F. F. Bruce, The Gospel of John: Introduction, Exposition and Notes. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans (1983), 1.

8

Andrew K. Wong

There is a story about John in Ephesus, when he was very old and frail. They carried him to a worship service and asked if he would preach. He said, yes. The room grew very quiet. And he said, “Little children, love one another.” End of sermon.6 Why did John write his Gospel? Especially when Mark, Matthew and Luke had already written theirs? According to tradition, John always preached without notes.7 Everything that Jesus said and did was embedded in John’s memory. And the only reason why John wrote his Gospel was this. Copies of the other three Gospels were circulating around the churches. John read them, he confirmed they were accurate, and he was delighted that Mark, Matthew and Luke wrote them. The only comment John had was that these three Gospels didn’t say what Jesus did at the beginning of His public ministry. The three Synoptic Gospels focus on Jesus’ ministry after John the Baptist was arrested. (Mt 4:12, “When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he returned to Galilee.”) (Mk 1:14, “After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.”) (Lk 3:19-20, “But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the other evil things he had done, Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.”) Each of the three Synoptic Gospels begins after John is put into prison. So, when people heard John’s comment, they asked him to write his own Gospel and write down what Jesus did before John the Baptist was arrested. John was reluctant, at first. He asked some of his fellow disciples and pastors to fast and pray with him for three days and listen to the Holy Spirit. Andrew (Peter’s brother and one of the Twelve) was with John. That first night of prayer and fasting, the Holy Spirit spoke to Andrew and told him that John should write down his Gospel. And after he wrote it down, the others should review it.8 This is exactly what happened. (Jn 21:24, “This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.”)

6 Jerome, Commentary on Galatians, 6.10. 7 Eusebius, Hist. Eccl., 3:24. 8 Muratorian Canon.

9

Andrew K. Wong

And, John fills in the critical gap of what Jesus did before John the Baptist was arrested. For example, it’s from John that we know the very first miracle Jesus ever did. What was it? Turning the water into wine at the wedding at Cana. (Jn 2:11, “This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.”) What kind of Gospel is John’s? John chooses a different approach than the other three Gospels. He writes a personal, intimate Gospel filled with details. Details about people—John has an artist’s flair for portraying people so that they come to life. People like the Samaritan woman (chapter 4), the man born blind (chapter 9), Mary Magdalene. Especially, details about the Lord. He assumes that we know the three Synoptic Gospels—Matthew, Mark and Luke. So, John tells us something more about the Lord. In his Gospel, we hear Jesus’ voice, we are privy to His thoughts. This Gospel has the longest conversations, the most detailed speeches, and most intense debates out of the four Gospels. The profound metaphors we’ve come to know come from John: I am the living water; I am the bread of life; I am the light of the world; I am the good shepherd. In the Gospel, we hear Jesus pray for us. He is the way, the truth, and the life. He is preparing a place for us in heaven. The Holy Spirit will be with us forever. Remain in Him, and He will remain in us. John’s is the Fourth Gospel, so he has the luxury of pinpoint storytelling. John doesn’t need to tell us the genealogy of Jesus—Matthew and Luke already did that. John does need to tell us how Jesus was born—Matthew and Luke do that. John doesn’t need to tell us the OT prophecies about Jesus—Mark does that. John gets right to the point: Jesus is divine; Jesus is God. (Jn 1:1.) “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John’s being the fourth and last Gospel is like saving the best for last—the icing on the cake. John’s is a highly selective Gospel. John cannot and does not tell us everything about the Lord. At the very end of the Gospel, John writes, “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” But how John opens his Gospel is extraordinary.

10

Andrew K. Wong

It’s unlike any other work of literature. It’s unlike the other three Gospels. Matthew begins with a genealogy; Mark reads like a historical thriller; Luke begins with a preamble. John chapter 1 opens with a Prologue. It’s 18 verses. These 18 verses are a masterpiece in literature. You won’t find anything else in all the books of the world as profound as these 18 verses. They draw you into the Gospel—like walking through the courtyard before you enter a mansion.9 The Prologue introduces all the themes that run through the Gospel. It’s not just an introduction; it’s a summary; it’s the Gospel condensed into 18 verses. How does the Prologue begin? At the very beginning of time. We should note that John will later write the Book of Revelation, which talks about the end of time. But let’s start with John’s first work. 1:1 “In the beginning”: (Gk) “en arche.” Cognate of the English “archaeology.” What was in the beginning? Where else does the Bible describe what was in the beginning? (See Ge 1:1.) 1:1 “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth”: Genesis tells us that in the beginning, there was God. “was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God”: John adds to Genesis chapter 1. John tells us that in the beginning, Jesus was there with God. In fact, Jesus is God. How is that so? 1:3 “the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters”: So, the first three verses of Genesis tell us that in the beginning, God the Father was there, and the Holy Spirit was there. Now, we turning back to John, we read John 1:2.

9 ”The Prologue is a foyer to the rest of the Fourth Gospel.” (D.A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, in The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans (1991), 111.)

11

Andrew K. Wong

1:2 John adds to Moses’ account of creation. God the Father, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus the Son were there in the beginning. God in three persons—the Trinity. Since we’re talking about the beginning, we might as well talk about the end. (See Rev 21:13, 21.) Jesus is also there in eternity. 1:1 Since we’ve spoken about the Trinity, go back to verse 1. “and the Word was God”: These five words are the most concise and profound statement of the Trinity in the Bible. The literal Greek translation is: “and God was the Word.” A few observations. First, the word order in the Greek is important. “God” is emphasized—God is mentioned first. That’s the way it should be. God the Father is the first person of the Trinity. Then, Jesus the Son and then the Holy Spirit. Second, Jesus has all the divine attributes that God has, but Jesus is not God the Father. To illustrate, our English text says, “and the Word was God.” It doesn’t say, “and the Word was the God”: that would mean Jesus the Son is God the Father. It doesn’t say, “and the Word was a god”: that would mean Jesus and God are separate gods. The text says (in Greek), “and God was the Word,” or (in English), “the Word was God.” Jesus has all the divine attributes God has, but Jesus and God are different persons of the Trinity. 1:3 This theme is picked up by other New Testament writers. (Col 1:16, “For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.”) (Heb 1:2, “he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.”) 1:4 Think back to Genesis 1. (See Ge 1:2-3.) 1:2 The earth was empty, dark and barren.

12

Andrew K. Wong

It waits for God to bring light and life. 1:3 The light of the sun breaks through the primeval darkness. Light is God’s blessing. We were born into sin and we lived in darkness. The Lord Jesus shatters the darkness with light. Light is salvation. 1:5 These verses evoke so many images throughout the Old Testament. Here’s one that illustrates this verse. In Exodus 14, the Israelites are leaving Egypt. Pharaoh’s army is chasing after them. (See Ex 14:9ff.) 14:9 The Egyptian army catches up to the Israelites before the Israelites can cross the Red Sea. 14:10 The Israelites are trapped with the Red Sea against their backs and Pharaoh’s army in front. In verse 9, note that the Egyptians had chariots. Chariots were the predecessors of the modern tank. They were deadly things on the battlefield. With their cavalry and chariots, it would have been mass murder of 2 million Israelites. [jump to] 14:19 “the angel of God”: This is no ordinary angel. Note the definite article, “the”—The angel of God. Here is a better translation of this verse: “Then the angel of God, who was traveling in front of Israel’s army, moved and went behind them, so that the pillar of cloud moved from their front to their back. This means the angel of God is the pillar of cloud. “the angel of God?”: (Heb) “angel” = messenger. Who is the messenger of God? The pre-incarnate Lord Jesus Christ. In case you were wondering what Jesus was doing before He came to earth . . . well, He was busy. 14:19-22 When the pre-incarnate Lord Jesus Christ (in the pillar of cloud) covered the Israelites’ rearguard, there was light for the Israelites and darkness for Pharaoh’s army. 1:5 Today, the risen and glorified Lord Jesus Christ shines in the darkness. The light is salvation; the darkness is sin and judgment.

13

Andrew K. Wong

“but the darkness has not understood it”: (Gk) overtake, grasp, own. Being children of light means that the darkness will never own you. 1:8 (See Lk 7:28.) 7:28 Jesus calls John the greatest prophet who ever lived. Does that mean that John was more spiritual or better than all the other Old Testament prophets? No. The OT prophets were pretty rugged servants of God. John was the greatest prophet because his job description was to prepare the way for Messiah. The other prophets prophesied about other things—judgment against Israel; judgment against the nations; future events. Sometimes, they also prophesied about Messiah, but they spoke hundreds of years before Messiah came. Unlike these other prophets, the only message John spoke was about Jesus Christ. For a prophet, that’s the best job assignment. “least in the kingdom . . . is greater than he”: This is not metaphor. How is it that we can be greater than John? Two things. First, John lived and died on the other side of the Cross—before the Lord’s Crucifixion and Resurrection. We stand on this side of the Cross; we enjoy the spiritual blessings bought by the blood of Christ. Second, we are greater than John when we are witnesses to the light. 1:9 Note that John was a witness to the Lord, who “was coming into the world.” As we will see, John certainly does that. John points out Jesus for the world to see. But John dies before Jesus finished the work at the Cross. On the other hand, we are witnesses to the Resurrection. We see, we’ve experienced, and we testify to the finished work of Christ. When we shine the light of the Gospel to the world, we are greater than John. 1:10 “did not recognize him”: In the Greek, there are two words for knowledge. The first is “oida.” “Oida” is intellectual knowledge.

14

Andrew K. Wong

Like cramming for a test the next day and memorizing the facts you need to know for the test. The second is “ginosko.” “Ginosko” is a deep, experiential knowledge. The way you know your spouse, or the way you know God. “did not recognize him”: “ginosko”—the world did not acknowledge, or take the trouble to have that deep, relational knowledge of Christ. The world rejected Him and nailed Him to the cross. 1:11 “his own”: The Jews rejected Jesus. 1:14 “The Word became flesh”: (Gk) “logos.” We’ve seen “logos” several times in this chapter. What does it mean? The first-century reader of this knew exactly what it meant. “Logos” is God’s transcendent wisdom. God’s wisdom gives the universe order and purpose. The wisdom of creation, revelation and salvation. The wisdom that guides us. But it’s something that is above us, far away from us. It’s spirit. God’s wisdom can’t be touched by mere mortals. Or can it? “The Word became flesh”: Flesh is human skin and bone. Flesh is the earthly sphere of human decisions, emotions, frailty and sin. God became man. This is the Gospel. All of God’s revelation and wisdom is in the person of the Lord Jesus. It is incomprehensible; it is unique to Christianity; it is scandalous to the world. The mystery and power of God is wrapped up in these four words. Why did God become flesh? 1:12 Go back to verse 12. The Word became flesh so that we could become children of God. Spirit becomes flesh so that our flesh might one day become spirit with God. We become eternal, just as the Word is eternal. 1:13 God wants us to be His children. It’s His will.

15

Andrew K. Wong

It’s why He created the world, in the first place, and why He created the world through the Word (Jesus Christ), because we become children of God through Christ. These two verses are the thematic center of the Prologue.10 The center of these 18 verses is in verses 12 and 13. Verses 12 and 13 are about God’s purpose for us to be His own. The rest of the Gospel explains how God does it. 1:14 “made his dwelling among us”: (Gk) pitched his tent. This word is like opening the valve on a fire hydrant. All the history and symbolism of the Old Testament gushes out. What tent is this referring to? When is the only time when God lived in a tent on earth? The Tabernacle in the wilderness—during the time of Moses— Exodus to Deuteronomy, 3,400 years ago. God was in the Shekinah Glory (the pillar of cloud and fire) that rested on top of the Ark of the Covenant inside the Holy of Holies—the innermost chamber of the Tabernacle. God dwelt with the Israelites. But did God become flesh? No. In fact, if you were not a Levite and you approached the Tabernacle, the Levites had standing orders to kill you. [Nu 1:51] If you were not the High Priest and you entered into the Holy of Holies, God would kill you Himself. God dwelt among the Israelites, but He could not be touched or even approached.

10 The Prologue is chiastic. A The Word’s activity in creation (1:1-5) B John’s witness concerning the light (1:6-8) C The incarnation of the Word and the privilege of becoming God’s children (1:9-14) B’ John’s witness concerning the Word’s preeminence (1:15) A’ The final revelation brought by Jesus Christ (1:16-18) Andreas J. Köstenberger, John, in Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. R. Yarbrough & R.H. Stein, eds, Grand Rapids: Baker Academic (2004), 21.

16

Andrew K. Wong

But when the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, we can approach Him, we can touch Him, and He wants us to touch Him. “We have seen his glory”: (Gk) to see and become aware of His glory. Seeing Jesus in human form, and then seeing Him in glory. John experienced this. During the three years John spent with Jesus, he saw Him in glory three times. The first time was the Transfiguration. (See Mt 17:1-3.) The second time was right after the Resurrection. (See Lk 24:36-40.) The third time, John hasn’t seen yet. It will come later when he is on the island of Patmos, and it will drive him to write the Book of Revelation. “full of grace and truth”: The word order is important: grace comes before truth. Without accepting God’s grace, our minds cannot accept the truth. The truth is God’s Word. [Jn 17:17] The truth sets us free. [Jn 8:32] But it is God’s grace that allows us to accept the truth. Throughout the Gospels (and especially in John), Jesus says over and over again: “I tell you the truth.” But even though Jesus says “I tell you the truth,” people could not accept the truth because they did not believe in Him. Paul later writes about this. (See 2Co 4:4.) One cannot accept the gospel of truth without accepting God’s grace. It is a common fallacy to think that one can find truth by himself or herself. One cannot. The “god of this age” is Satan. And later on in John’s Gospel, Satan is called the father of lies. [Jn 8:44] The father of lies will keep you in falsehood until you accept God’s grace. 1:16 Once we accept God’s grace, His blessings will overflow. 1:17 The Jewish rabbis say that the Mosaic Law is the greatest gift God has given to people. But that’s not quite true. If God didn’t give us His Son, then (yes) the Law is the greatest gift. But God gave us His Son, and the Lord Jesus is the greatest gift. The Law does not bring grace and truth; the Law only tells us how far we fall short. Paul writes about this, too. (See 2Co 3:14-16.) Paul was once the most fanatical of Jews who persecuted the Church.

17

Andrew K. Wong

He was converted on the Road to Damascus. He understands this perfectly. 1:18 “No one has ever seen God”: That’s true and there’s a good reason for it. (Ex 33:20.) God told Moses, “You cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” But, we know God through the Lord Jesus Christ. (Jn 14:9.) Later, Jesus will say, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” Not only that. It’s through the Lord Jesus that we have eternal life. One day, we will be in heaven. And then, we shall see God face to face. [Rev 22:4] 1:1-18 These eighteen verses form the prologue to John’s Gospel. This prologue is one of the mountaintops of Scripture. It is also one of the finest pieces of literature ever written.11 It’s been said that no human being could have written John’s Prologue—clearly, the Holy Spirit was guiding John’s hand. Over the years, the Church Fathers chose the eagle to symbolize John, because these 18 verses are like flying through the heavens.12 What do these 18 verses mean for us? What is the point of the Word becoming flesh? The Word becoming flesh means that God has not abandoned us.13 He became flesh so He could touch us and we could Him. Because He touches us, He can feel our pain, our misery, and our sin. Whenever we feel worthless and weak, He feels that, too. He became flesh so that He could embrace flesh.

11 The first half of the Prologue (1:1-12) has linking words that “lend deliberate pacing and dignity to the text.” For example, in 1:1-2, “In the beginning . . . Word . . . Word . . . God . . . God . . . Word . . . in the beginning . . . God.” In 1:3, “were made . . . were made.” In 1:4-5, “life . . . life . . . darkness . . . darkness.” In 1:7-9, “as a witness [testimony] . . . to testify concerning that light . . . not the light . . . as a witness [testimony] to the light . . . true light that gives light.” In 1:10-12, “the world . . . the world . . . the world . . . that which was his own . . . his own . . . did not receive him . . . received him.” (Carson at 112.) 12 Raymond E. Brown, The Gospel According to John (I-XII), in The Anchor Bible. New York: Doubleday (1966), 18. 13 Gary M. Burge, in William D. Mounce, Basics of Biblical Greek: Grammar. Grand Rapids: Zondervan (1993), 71.

18

Andrew K. Wong

And God embraces our weaknesses and tells you that He loves you.

1:19ff Now, we begin the narrative proper. The Gospel of John is built around three Jewish pilgrimage festivals: Passover (in the springtime); Pentecost (50 days after Passover); Tabernacles (in the fall). Passover commemorates the Exodus; Pentecost, God giving the Law on Mount Sinai; Tabernacles, the 40 years wandering in the wilderness. All Jews celebrated the festivals in Jerusalem. The city’s normal population was about 100,000. During the festivals, it exceeded 1,000,000. The Gospel has a sequence of three festival cycles: Passover—Pentecost— Tabernacles. Repeated three times. That’s how we know Jesus had a three year ministry. When we begin reading verse 19, it’s festival season. Oddly, Jerusalem is depopulated. The Jews are supposed to be celebrating in Jerusalem, but they’re not. They are 17.3 miles away in Jericho, listening to a man called John the Baptist. 1:19 “The Jews”: John is a Jew, Jesus is a Jew. But this term refers only to the Jewish leaders who oppose Jesus. “sent priests and Levites”: To find out what in the world is going on at Jericho. Why are people not celebrating the festival in Jerusalem? “to ask him who he was”: The Greek translation makes clear they did ask John who he was, and their question was, “You are who?” Emphasis on the “You.” Who in the world are you?! When we teach in the Temple courts, we get (maybe) 15 people listening to us. But you—you have tens of thousands listening to you, and we don’t even know who you are. And you’re baptizing, too. Who are you? 1:20 Note the brevity of John’s reply: 5 words (“I am not the Christ”). 1:21 Why would they ask him if he was Elijah? The Jews are a people of the Book and they know the Scriptures very well. Daniel 9 dates Messiah’s coming to A.D. 32. That’s just three years away. So, there is tremendous Messianic expectation.

19

Andrew K. Wong

The Book of Malachi heightens this expectation. (See Mal 4:5-6.) Malachi is the last book of Hebrew Scriptures. It says Elijah will come, the Book ends, and then . . . nothing. Silence. For 430 years. God doesn’t send another prophet after Malachi—until now. So, John comes prophesying in power (like Elijah). John has the look of Elijah and lives the spartan lifestyle Elijah did. [Mt 3:4; 2Ki 1:8] So, people wonder if John is the incarnation of Elijah who’s supposed to come. “I am not”: Note that John’s replies are getting shorter. The first one was five words long; this is three words. “‘Are you the Prophet?’”: Who is the Prophet? Moses. (Dt 18:15.) “‘No’”: John has gone from five words, to three, to one. John doesn’t like being interrogated by the Jews (and neither will Jesus, later on). 1:22 We have a religious festival in Jerusalem. But people are coming down to see you here. Please. Tell us who you are? 1:23 “‘calling in the desert’”: How did John end up in the desert? After John’s miraculous birth, he grows up in the desert until he begins preaching and baptizing. (Lk 1:80.) That’s all we know about John’s youth from Luke 1. There is a theory that John became an orphan early on. Remember that Zechariah and Elizabeth were elderly when Elizabeth became pregnant with John. After they died, John lived in the desert with the Essene community. The Essenes were monastics who lived in the desert. Because they renounced marriage, they added to their community by adopting children—maybe John was one of them. They lived simply, they prayed, they studied (they were ones who compiled the Dead Sea Scrolls), and they baptized. They are similarities between Essenes and John. But whether John was an Essene or not, he grew up in the desert. And that’s not so bad (when you think about it). In fact, it’s a blessing.

20

Andrew K. Wong

God uses the desert to train His leaders: the Israelites in the wilderness; Moses; Paul; John; even the Lord Jesus will spend time in the desert. In the desert, you can hear the voice of God.14 “‘Make straight the way for the Lord’”: John’s job description is straight from the Book of Isaiah. (See Isa 40:3.) What does it mean to “make straight a highway for our God?” Think of it as preparing a road by clearing away the obstacles: rocks, debris. Our job is similar to John’s. We clear away the obstacles that keep people from coming to the Lord. 1:24 The leadership in Jerusalem sent a large contingent to investigate John: priests, Levites and Pharisees. 1:26-27 John looks over the crowds and he sees a familiar face. Way in the back, standing on a rock for a better view, smiling at him. His cousin, Jesus. Now, if the Jewish leadership is keeping such a close watch on John, then they’ll be keeping a closer watch on Jesus, when He starts His ministry. 1:28 This Bethany is not the village outside of Jerusalem. This is a different Bethany on the east side of the Jordan River.15 1:29 “The next day”: A time marker. John is very careful about tracking time. And we will note the change in time as we go along. “‘the Lamb of God’”: This is a strange thing to blurt out. John is walking in Jerusalem with his disciples when he says this. Lambs are animals used in sacrifices.

14 This Bible study grew out of my time in a metaphorical wilderness. If I had not spent time in the wilderness, I would never be teaching God’s Word. The wilderness was an invaluable, indispensable time in my life. If you find yourself in a harsh environment where God is closing all other doors except for the ones leading to Him, then consider that God is training you for a task He has in mind. Embrace it, because God is molding you to be useful to the Kingdom. 15 This “Bethany” is probably a variant spelling of “Batanea,” which is a region in the northeast (in the OT, “Bashan”). If so, it serves John’s literary purpose in John the Baptist confessing Jesus as “God’s lamb” at Bethany (Batanea) and Jesus being crucified near Bethany, the village outside Jerusalem. (Köstenberger at 65; Carson at 147.)

21

Andrew K. Wong

The Book of Leviticus tells you to bring a lamb to the Temple as an offering. You put your hands on the lamb’s head. You identify with it. The priests help you hold the lamb down. You take the knife and you slit its throat so that it bleeds out. That’s what John is referring to about Jesus. 1:30 This is who I was talking about yesterday down at the Jordan River. 1:31-34 Remember when the Jews and the Pharisees asked John who he was. (1:19, 24.) John’s answers were very terse. He could have told them what he’s telling his disciples now, but he doesn’t trust them. What does John mean by this? In verse 31, John says, “I myself did not know him.” But John grew up with Jesus. Not in the same town, because John lived the hills of Judea with his parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth, and Jesus lived in Nazareth with Joseph and Mary. But Jesus and His parents would go see them at least once a year, when they celebrated Passover in Jerusalem. [Lk 2:41] In verse 34, John realizes that Jesus is the Son of God. So, when he was growing up, did John know that Jesus was the Son of God? Certainly their mothers talked. Mary spent time with Elizabeth when both were pregnant. But what exactly did Elizabeth and Zechariah tell John about Jesus? Did they tell him Jesus was the Son of God? Or did they tell him that Jesus was “special”? The clue is in verse 31: “I myself did not know him.” “Know”: (Gk) [oida] to have information about, to know someone or about someone. So, when we connect verse 31 to verse 34, John is saying, “I didn’t have any information that Jesus was the Son of God.” Sure, He was my cousin growing up, and I knew He was special, but I didn’t know He was the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. When did John realize that Jesus was the Son of God? 1:32 When did John see the Holy Spirit come down on Jesus? (See Mt 3:13-17.)

22

Andrew K. Wong

3:13-14 At this point, John doesn’t know Jesus is the Son of God. But, he knows that Jesus is spiritually superior so that he shouldn’t be the one baptizing Jesus. 3:15 Okay, if you say so. But I don’t understand why. By the way, we know why Jesus had to be baptized. Baptism is for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus never sinned, but to be the sacrifice for us, He has to take on our sin and identify with our humanity. That’s why Jesus has to be baptized—for us. 3:16-17 Consider this from John’s perspective. He lowers Jesus into the water and raises Him up. The moment Jesus stands up, three things happen at once. The heavens open; the Holy Spirit comes down into Him; and God speaks. For a moment, focus on what God says. God says, “This is my Son, whom I love, with him I am well pleased.” This is also in Mark and Luke. But that’s not all God says to John. John the Baptist hears something more. 1:33 “‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down”: This is a private message for John the Baptist from God. When did God say this? Some time after Jesus came out of the water. 1:34 Now, John knows for sure that Jesus is the Son of God. 1:35 “The next day”: Another time marker. Day 3. 1:36 “When he saw Jesus”: (Gk) a long, intense look; staring at. He was staring at Jesus, walking by. “Look, the Lamb of God!”: Baptizing Jesus was the highlight of John’s (short) life. The heavens opening and the Spirit coming down and hearing God’s voice was validation that John was doing his job right. John didn’t expect that. By the way, he’s heard the voice of God before. All that time he spent in the wilderness, preparing for the moment when he would begin preaching and baptizing and preparing the way for the Lord. In the wilderness, it’s so quiet that you can hear the voice of God.

23

Andrew K. Wong

That’s why many people (besides John) spent time in the Judean wilderness. Because God is there. But this was an epiphany—beyond anything John could have imagined. The heavens opening and the Holy Spirit coming down and God speaking—all of that was not for Jesus. All of it was for John’s benefit. A private reward for a job well done. And the memory of it will sustain him in dark times ahead. So, John has been ecstatic ever since. He sees Jesus again and can’t help telling everyone Jesus is the Lamb of God. 1:37 John doesn’t even mind losing two of his disciples to Jesus. 1:38 By the way, who are these two disciples? John and Andrew. We’ll find out it’s Andrew in verse 40. But we know it’s John because it’s implied in the text. “Jesus saw them following”: This is a word that shows Jesus as fully divine. (Gk) To take in, to behold, to be impressed with. This is the first time Jesus has met John and Andrew. But when He sees them, He knows exactly who they are, what they want, what they’re made of, and what they will become. It’s the look Jesus would give us if we met Him, face to face. He would see everything that you are and everything you would become. He would be impressed by your faith. He would kindle your inner fire to be His Disciple. And off you would go, following Jesus. In fact, this happened the moment you entered that relationship with God. 1:39 Jesus has a room at the Olive Tree Hotel in Jerusalem, and the three of them spend time together. “the tenth hour”: This is an eyewitness detail that tells us John was the other disciple with Andrew. The tenth hour is 10:00 AM. We should note one issue that has caused needless confusion over the centuries. John’s timekeeping is different than the three Synoptic Gospels. People say that shows there is a discrepancy within the Four Gospels. But there’s an easy solution.

24

Andrew K. Wong

Matthew, Mark and Luke use Jewish time references. The Jewish day begins at sundown and ends at the next sundown. Why? (See Ge 1:5.) But if you’re keeping time, the first hour is 6 AM, because that’s when the sun comes up. Matthew, Mark and Luke use Jewish timekeeping because all three Gospels were written before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. After 70 A.D., there was no Jewish state. John writes his Gospel in the 90s A.D. He’s writing from Ephesus, in Asia Minor (modern day Turkey), for a Gentile audience. He uses Gentile timekeeping—what we use today. The first hour begins at midnight. So, John and Andrew join Jesus at 10:00 AM, and they spend the rest of the day with Him. 1:41 What did Jesus talk about with John and Andrew in the hotel room all day yesterday? We’ll have a better idea of their conversation shortly. Whatever it was, Andrew ran out of there fully convinced that Jesus was Messiah. 1:42 This is the first time Jesus has met Peter, but one look says it all. “Jesus looked at him”: (Gk) This is a long, intense stare. (1:36.) What went on in Jesus’ mind when He saw Peter? We have a clue: Jesus renames Simon, Cephas. “Cephas” is an Aramaic word that means “rock.” In parentheses, John explains for his Greek audience that “Cephas” is translated in Greek as “Peter.” “Peter” also means rock. So, what did Jesus see in Peter with this first impression? Everything. Everything that Peter was, is and will become. Jesus sees that Peter will become the rock upon which the church is built. That will happen in about three years. And Peter has no clue what Jesus is thinking and no inkling of what will happen. But that’s part of the fun of being a child of God. Like Peter, we say “yes” to the Lord.

25

Andrew K. Wong

And the Lord looks at us with His eyes and sees things about us and that will happen to us that we could never imagine. All we need to do is go along for the ride. 1:43 “The next day”: Another time marker. Day 4. “leave for Galilee”: From the Synoptic Gospels, we know that Jesus’ hometown is Nazareth. [BLR] Nazareth is southwest of the Sea of Galilee, along the main road (the Via Maris). “Finding Philip”: Jesus met Philip before He met John and Andrew. Jesus and Philip made arrangements to leave Jerusalem together. There is some urgency in Jesus wanting to go back home to Galilee. We’re going to find out why in chapter 2. It turns out He has a social engagement on His calendar. 1:44 Philip agrees to leave with Jesus because Philip is going that way anyway. [BLR] Bethsaida is on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee. It’s part of the network of fishing towns along the north shore. The north and west shores of the Sea of Galilee is warmer water. That’s where the fish congregate and where fishermen ply their trade. “Bethsaida” = (Heb) “House of Fishes” (Fishtown). Of the four characters we’ve met, all of them are from Galilee. Peter, Andrew and Philip are from Bethsaida. John (as we’ll find out) lives either in Capernaum or close to Capernaum. And Jesus is from Nazareth. 1:45 Philip has a friend called Nathanael. “‘the one Moses wrote about’”: What were Jesus and Philip talking about that convinced Philip that Jesus was the Messiah? For that matter, what did Jesus say to John and Andrew that convinced them? Here it is. Jesus talked about the Scriptures. The Mosaic Law: Genesis through Deuteronomy. The prophets: everything else in the Old Testament. The Scriptures speak about the Lord Jesus Christ. Every word points to Jesus. 1:46 Before we talk about how bad Nazareth is, where is Nathanael from? (21:2.) Nathanael is from Cana. [BLR] Cana is also in Galilee, it’s very close to Nazareth, and there seems to be some sort of crosstown rivalry between the two cities.

26

Andrew K. Wong

What’s so bad about Nazareth? Looking at the map helps us understand. [BLR] Nazareth is built on a hill, overlooking the Jezreel Valley. The Jezreel Valley is a fertile plain for agriculture that makes it the breadbasket for Israel. But notice that Nazareth is not in the Jezreel Valley, but above it. Nazareth is not a farming city and does not have any revenue derived from farming. Notice the orange line that runs along the south and east sides of the town. That is the Via Maris (Latin: Way of the Sea), the international highway that links Africa with Europe and Asia. It comes up from Egypt, through the Sinai Peninsula, up through Israel, through Damascus. Nazareth has always been a small town. At the time of Jesus, it only had one water source, and a few hundred families —-2,000 people max. 100 to 150 It’s a town where you sit on the Nazareth Ridge—the brow of the hill overlooking the Via Maris—and watch the traffic pass you by.

1:47 This is an odd thing to say when you meet someone for the first time. “there is nothing false”: (Gk) guile, deceit, cunning, treachery. 1:48 “‘How do you know me?”: (Gk) “ginosko.” Remember, there are two Greek words for knowledge. The first is “oida.” “Oida” is intellectual knowledge. Like cramming facts for a test the next day. The second is “ginosko.” “Ginosko” is a deep, experiential knowledge. The way you know your spouse or God. It’s the second word (ginosko) that Nathanael uses. Nathanael is asking, “How did you know what I was thinking? How do you already know (“ginosko”) me? We’ve haven’t even met before!” Jesus says something even more extraordinary: “‘I saw you under the fig tree.’” This is a Hebrew idiom that means, “I saw you reading.”16

16 John Gill, Exposition of the Whole Bible, at John 1:48. (Available online).

27

Andrew K. Wong

On a hot day, reading under the shade of a fig tree was a popular thing to do. Like reading or studying with a cup of coffee at Starbucks. Nathanael was waiting for Philip, sitting under a fig tree, engrossed in reading a book (or scroll). Is it possible to know exactly what he was reading? Hang on to that thought for a minute. 1:49 What just happened here? Jesus says, “I saw you reading under the fig tree.” Then Nathanael calls Jesus the Son of God. This is the fastest conversion in history. Jesus says two sentences and Nathanael is convinced Jesus is Messiah. Let’s backtrack for some context. 1:47 What was the first thing Jesus said to Nathanael? “‘Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false.” Concentrate on two words: “true” and “false.” We’ve mentioned that the better translation of “false” is guile, deceit, cunning, treachery. Whatever Nathanael was reading had something to do with the tension between truth and falsity—between honesty and deceit. Let’s assume Nathanael was reading the Scriptures. Is there a major character in the Old Testament who struggled with honesty and deceit?

“Christ knew what an account Philip had given of him, and what objection Nathanael had made; and what an invitation Philip had given him to go along with him to Christ, and judge for himself; which is here meant by calling him, and with which he complied: and the other is, that he saw him under the fig tree before that: he was sitting under it, as men in those countries used to do; see Micah 4:4, where he might be reading the Scriptures, and meditating upon them.” “It was usual with the doctors to read, and study in the law, under fig trees, and sometimes, though rarely, to pray there. It is said, ‘R. Jacob, and his companions, were “sitting,” studying in the law [citations] ‘under a certain fig tree.’” (See also Köstenberger at 83 (citing Midr. Qoh. 5.11 §2); Carson at 161; Brown at 83.) Later, Augustine experienced his conversion while sitting and praying under a fig tree. (Augustine, Confessions, 8.29.)

28

Andrew K. Wong

Consider a third key word: “Israelite.” Is there a person in the OT who struggled with honesty and deceit, and had a key role in what it meant to be an “Israelite.” Is there anyone whose name meant, “Israel”? [Ask] Who was the person Nathanael was reading about? (See Ge 32:22-32.) 32:23 Jacob is facing the test of his life—actually, more like his worst nightmare. He is about to face his older brother Esau. Years ago, he had tricked Esau into selling him Esau’s birthright. Esau swore to kill Jacob; Jacob fled to his uncle Laban. Now, Jacob is coming home and Esau is coming to meet him—with 400 men. 32:24 Jacob is worried sick; he can’t sleep. He’s outside his tent, pacing back and forth, wondering if he will survive the next day. Suddenly, Jacob is in a wrestling match with a mysterious adversary. It’s nighttime, it’s dark, and Jacob is fighting for his life. Forget Esau. Jacob seems to have a lot of enemies in this world. 32:22 “the Jabbok”: [BLR] You can see where Jacob is having this wrestling match. It’s most likely where the King’s Highway meets Wadi Jabbok. The geography of this place matches the identity crisis Jacob is having. The Jabbok river is in a deep gorge. There are high cliffs on both sides because the river has cut through the rock over time. Jacob is trapped in that gorge. He can’t scale the cliffs and this man has pinned him to the ground. It’s symbolic. Jacob is a cheat and a liar. He’s lied to everyone for the past 20 years—his father, his brother, his uncle. He ran from his brother; now, he’s running from his uncle. There comes a time when you can’t run from your lies any more. They catch up to you.

29

Andrew K. Wong

You have to stand up and take responsibility for your actions. 32:24 “a man wrestled”: the Hebrew is picturesque—“to get dusty.” This man is getting Jacob dusty, dirty, bloody and sweaty. Who is this man? An angel. [Hos 12:3-4] “till daybreak”: They’ve been wrestling all night. Wrestling is a contact sport. There’s always some part of you holding onto your opponent. Jacob is holding on to the angel, struggling with Him. 32:25 “touched” = (Heb) “strike.” The angel wrenches Jacob’s hip. This is a permanent injury. Jacob will never run again. And when he walks, it will hurt with every step. 32:26 Jacob has lost this wrestling match. But he’s not going to let this man walk away. He hangs on tight. He hangs on for so long that the sun is coming up. 32:27 What does “Jacob” mean? “Deceiver.” [Ge 27:36] If he was alive today, Jacob would either be a Wall Street guy, a politician, a con man, or all three. 32:28 “Israel” = “He struggles with God.” From now on, there will be no more deception or lies. If Jacob wants to go one way and God wants him to go the other, he’s going to resolve that issue by hashing it out with God. “and have overcome”: How do you struggle with God and prevail? We have all wrestled with God in our lives. It happens when we’re going off the railroad tracks. God whispers in our ear; we brush Him off. God speaks to us; we ignore Him. God shouts at us; we walk away. Finally, God wrestles with us and pins us to the ground. We try and wriggle out. God wrenches our hip so that we can’t move. What do we do then? Lean into it and take the pain. Don’t fight anymore.

30

Andrew K. Wong

Lean into it until we learn everything God wants us to. That’s how you wrestle with God and prevail. By the way, because Jacob wrestled with an angel of God and lived to tell about it, chances are good that he will survive the meeting with Esau.

1:47 Back to Nathanael. What was he mulling over as he was reading about Jacob? Jacob is a lying cheat. Why would God make someone like Jacob the father of the Twelve Tribes of Israel? Why name Israel after this guy? God can do better than founding a nation after a con man, right? How about choosing someone who’s honest? Like me? Then, as Nathanael is walking toward Jesus, the first thing Jesus says is, “You know what, Nathanael? You’re right. You are a true Israelite, in whom there is no deceit. You are a much better man than Jacob was.” 1:48-49 Nathanael is in shock: “How in the world did you know that?! If you can watch me reading and know exactly what I was thinking, then you must be the Son of God.” How are we sure that Nathanael was reading about Jacob? Here’s the clincher. 1:51 Does this image ring a bell? Jacob’s ladder. (See Ge 28:10-17.) 28:10 Jacob has just stolen the birthright from Esau and Esau is angry. Esau has been muttering out loud that he is going to kill Jacob. Jacob is running as far away from Esau as he can—550 miles to his uncle in Haran. Haran is in modern day Turkey. 28:12-17 This is a remarkable dream. In verse 12, the Hebrew text captures Jacob’s amazement. Here’s a literal translation:

“And he had a dream in which—behold!—he saw a ladder resting on the earth, with its top reaching to the heavens and—behold!—the angels of God going up and going down on it. And—behold!—God was standing above it.” This is Jacob’s ladder. The Hebrew word for “angels” means messengers.

31

Andrew K. Wong

The messengers of God going up from earth to heaven and coming down from heaven to earth and over and over again. God gives the angels an assignment on earth; the angels come down from heaven to do it; they go back up to heaven to report to God; God gives them a new assignment; and back down they come. The ladder is a portal from heaven to earth. There is perpetual celestial activity on this ladder. It’s a stairway to heaven. Jacob sees this vision about 1,800 years before Christ. But Jacob doesn’t see the full picture. There’s one detail that’s missing. Notice, in verse 13, that God is at the top of the ladder. What’s at the bottom? The text doesn’t say. Jacob didn’t see anything at the bottom of the ladder. 1:49 Back to Jesus and Nathanael. Nathanael immediately confesses that Jesus is the Son of God. Nathanael is a man of keen intelligence and great faith. 1:50 Jesus says: “Nathanael, you have great faith. And, you will be rewarded for that.” 1:51 Remember that Jacob’s dream was incomplete. God was at the top of the ladder, but nothing was at the bottom. Here’s the missing piece: “‘and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” The Lord Jesus Christ is at the bottom of the ladder. The ladder is the only way to get from earth to heaven. The only way to get on the ladder is through the Lord Jesus Christ. (14:6.) Later, Jesus will say, “‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” This is what Nathanael will see. This is the reward for his faith. Jesus told Nathanael that, “You are a true Israelite, in whom there is no deceit. Nathanael, you are a much better man than Jacob was.” “In fact, you’re going to see the complete vision that Jacob saw only a part of. You’ll see me at the bottom of the ladder.”

32

Andrew K. Wong

Verse 51 ends with understatement. You can be sure that Nathanael’s jaw drops and he’s speechless for a long time. But that’s not all. John, Andrew, Peter and Philip must have been silent for a while, as should we when we read this verse, because Jesus is speaking to all of us—not just Nathanael. Jesus says that all of us will see this ladder. “‘I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open”: (Gk) “You” second person plural—all of you. Jesus is speaking to everyone. He says that all of us will see Jacob’s Ladder. Personally, I haven’t seen Jacob’s Ladder yet (and neither has my wife, last time I checked). But if the Lord Jesus says that we will, then we will. But all of us can see just a glimpse of it, right now. We mentioned earlier that the Prologue is one of the finest works of literature ever. Part of the beauty of John’s Gospel is that it is easy to understand— whether you read it in English or Greek. But it is so profound. Chapter 1 ends with Jacob’s Ladder. Actually, it also begins with a faint shadow of Jacob’s Ladder. It’s more like an hor d’oeuvre or a cocktail. The first two verses are chiastic. Think of the Greek letter “Chi” (which is an “X”) or a staircase. [Handout]17 A In the beginning B was C the Word D and the Word E was F with God F’ and God

17 Köstenberger, at 20; Keener at 364 (Craig S. Keener, The Gospel of John: A Commentary. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic (2003).)

33

Andrew K. Wong

E’ was D’ the Word C’ He B’ was A’ with God in the beginning At the center is God, and from the beginning, God had a plan to send the Word to make you a child of His. 2:1 “The next day”: Another time marker. We’ll come back to this in a minute. “Cana in Galilee”: In a straight line, Cana is about 66 miles away from Jerusalem. [BLR] But, that’s not the way Jesus gets there. They have to take a detour around because Jews avoid traveling through Samaria. (We’ll come across this again later in the Gospel.) To get there, they travel northeast to Jericho; cross the Jordan River; head east, turn north. When you arrive at Pella, turn west and cross the Jordan to Scythopolis. Go northwest to the Via Maris; exit at Cana. This journey is about 90 miles, and we see why Jesus was in a hurry to leave Jerusalem. (1:43.) Walking 90 miles is a three day journey. The average male in the NT could walk 30 miles per day. This includes Jesus, His Disciples, Paul, Paul’s companions. They had a different level of fitness than we do today—being sedentary people. The Romans built military installations 30 miles apart. A fully equipped Roman legion was expected to cover 30 miles a day. For context, a marathon is 26.2 miles. I used to run the marathon, but the first one I ever did, I walked. I injured my knee a few weeks before the marathon, but I decided to suck it up and walk it. It took 7.5 hours, and it took two weeks to get over the soreness. Jesus and these first Disciples could do three marathons in three days. That gives us an idea about how fit they were. This is the first snapshot we have of Jesus’ physicality. He’s in great cardiovascular shape, strong legs, strong calves, hamstrings, quads, hip flexors. There will be another snapshot of Jesus’ physicality later in this chapter.

34

Andrew K. Wong

“a wedding”: This wedding is the reference point for all the time markers in chapter 1.18 According to Rabbinic law, marriage with a maiden was celebrated on a Wednesday afternoon. (Marriage with widows happened on Thursday afternoons.) If the wedding in Cana happened on Wednesday, then we have the following timeline: 1:19-28, Thursday; 1:29, Friday; 1:35, Saturday (the Sabbath). On the Sabbath, you can’t do work or go out. So, John and Andrew got to spend the whole day with Jesus, getting to know Him. 1:43, Sunday, Jesus meets Nathanael and converts him by preaching His first sermon. His first sermon was four sentences. 2:1, Wednesday, the wedding at Cana. “Jesus’ mother was there”: One last point about Cana. Jesus and Mary were from Nazareth. How did they know people from Cana? [BLR] Nazareth to Cana is 7 miles. Sepphoris is in between the two, and the three cities form a triangle. Sepphoris is a city on a hill overlooking the plain, 4 miles away from Nazareth. It would get the sea breeze from the Mediterranean. Sepphoris was being built up as a Roman resort town for Roman officials and wealthy Jews. It was a beautiful city. Josephus called it, “the ornament of Galilee.” [Ant. 18.27] Being a Roman town meant Sepphoris had Roman architecture: a wall that surrounded the city; a theater (holding 5,000 people); a palace; marketplace; synagogues; Main Street with colonnades; big houses; two aqueducts for water.19 Think about what Jesus did for a living: Jesus and Joseph were construction workers—not just carpenters. They worked in wood and stone and every other building material.

18 Alfred Edersheim, Sketches of Jewish Social Life: Updated Edition. Peabody: Hendrickson (2003), 139-140. 19 LaMoine F. DeVries, Cities of the Biblical World. Peabody: Hendrickson (1997), 318-324.

35

Andrew K. Wong

Every day, they walked the 4 miles to Sepphoris and back, with their hard hats, tool belts and lunch boxes. How do we know that? Joseph was from Bethlehem, outside of Jerusalem. Why would Joseph move from Bethlehem to Nazareth? That’s like moving from Brentwood to Fontana. For work. There were plenty of construction jobs in Sepphoris. Besides, the cost of living is cheaper. For the price of an apartment in Bethlehem, you can buy a pretty decent house in Nazareth. When Joseph moves to Bethlehem, he’s still single. Jewish tradition says that Mary’s parents lived in Sepphoris. Their names were Joachim and Anna. So, Mary grows up in Sepphoris. How did she meet Joseph? Well, let’s use our imaginations a bit. Maybe she had part time in high school working as a waitress at the local diner. And Joseph comes in for Friday lunch with his co-workers. He notices the cute waitress serving them. He leaves her a big tip. He makes sure to sit at that table every Friday. The feeling is mutual. One day, when she’s bringing Joseph the check, she writes her telephone number on a napkin. And the rest is history. God chose Joseph and Mary to be the parents of the Lord. God wouldn’t have picked a home that was devoid of romance and love. We can be sure that Joseph and Mary had a grade “A” marriage. Back to our original question about how Jesus and Mary knew people from Cana. The link between Cana and Nazareth is Sepphoris. People from Cana also worked in Sepphoris. So, if one of your co-workers who lives in Cana is getting married, you attend the wedding in Cana even though you live in Nazareth. 2:3 Either this newly married couple was on a budget or too many people crashed the party and drank all the wine. Running out of wine is a major faux pas—especially in a culture that values hospitality so much.

36

Andrew K. Wong

Wedding celebrations lasted 7 days, and you were supposed to have enough wine throughout the week. If the guests are bringing you gifts, then you make sure they have enough food and wine. It’s a mistake that will stick with the couple forever—like all the neighbors remembering how many times your wife called the police on you. This verse also says something about Mary—and let’s focus on her for a few minutes. We don’t hear much from Mary in the Four Gospels. We know from the Annunciation in Luke that Mary is an extraordinary woman— godly, faithful, courageous. But then she disappears, and the next time we get a good look at her is at the foot of the cross. At this wedding, Mary is probably a close friend or relative of the wedding party. That’s why she cares when they run out of wine. She feels somewhat responsible for the wine shortage because the guest list includes Jesus and all of His “friends” He just met in Jerusalem. They helped drink up all the wine. So, Mary does something about it—she asks Jesus to do something. If you’re a woman, Mary is the best girlfriend you could have. 2:4 The short answer from Jesus: “Yeah, so what? My time hasn’t come yet.”20 This seems abrupt, coming from son to mother. But from now on, Jesus will be putting distance between Mary and Himself. From now on, Mary will need to relate to Him as Lord instead of as her son. Mary needs to relate to Jesus in the same way we relate to Jesus. Focusing on Mary again. What did she want from Jesus? What was she expecting Jesus to do? A miracle? No. We’re going to find out later that Jesus had never performed any miracles before the wedding at Cana—no miracles when He was a little boy, no miracles when He was teenager or in His twenties. Mary was leaning on Jesus because He was the ideal oldest son. In verses 1 and 2, who is conspicuously missing from the guest list? [Ask] Joseph.

20 Why was Jesus reluctant to perform a miracle? His time hasn’t come yet. Jesus “does not want to forced to a public manifestation of his identity on another’s terms.” Later, Jesus rejects His brother’s suggestion to do the same. (7:6, 8.) Also, the Jews cannot arrest Jesus before the proper time. (7:30, 8:20.) (Köstenberger at 95.)

37

Andrew K. Wong

Why isn’t Joseph there? [Ask] By now, he’s probably dead. He was probably considerably older than Mary when they married. The last we hear of Joseph was when Jesus was 12 years old and Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem while everyone was going back to Nazareth. [Lk 2:41-52] Also, later in Jesus’ public ministry, Jesus is known as “the carpenter” [Mk 6:3] and not “the carpenter’s son” [cf. Mt 13:55]. So, Jesus has been supporting the family. Working hard, putting His construction worker’s pay into the family budget, making sure Mary and brothers and sisters have enough food on the table. He is always there for His mother. 2:5 There is a gap between this verse and verses 3 and 4. In verse 3, Mary hints that Jesus should do something about no more wine. In verse 4, Jesus says, “No way. Don’t bother me.” In verse 5, Jesus has changed His mind. What’s going on here? Between verse 4 and verse 5, something happened to change Jesus’ mind. What was it? The text doesn’t say, but we can guess what it was. Mary gave Jesus “the look.” The “look” says, “God may be your father, but I’m your mother. Do something, please.” In these two chapters, we’ve seen Jesus (1) submit Himself to baptism (even though He had no sin) and (2) submit Himself to His mother. He’s the perfect Son of God and the perfect Son of Mary. 2:9 The master of the banquet is the caterer. He knows where every nickel and dime went. All of sudden, 180 gallons of wine show up, and it’s not on the invoice. 2:10 “have had too much to drink”: (Gk) have become intoxicated. When you’re drunk, you don’t care how good the wine is. “the best till now”: 180 gallons of the best Cabernet Sauvignon appeared out of nowhere. [BLR] The valley between Cana and Nazareth is the Napa Valley of Israel. The folks at the wedding were already drinking the best stuff. Now, Jesus produces stuff that’s better than the best.

38

Andrew K. Wong

2:11 (See 2:4, “my time has not yet come.”) The text implies that only a few people knew about this miracle: only Mary, His five Disciples, the servants, the master of the banquet, and the bridegroom (maybe) knew. The wedding guests didn’t seem to know. (They were too drunk to notice that the best wine came last.) So, this is a private miracle. Jesus did it because His mother asked Him to. Otherwise, He wouldn’t have done anything to draw attention to Himself.21 “the first of his miraculous signs”: (Gk) “arche” = the beginning. Turning water into wine was the beginning of His miracles. (See 1:1.) Chapter 1 described Jesus being there at the beginning—the Word was with God. Then, we see the beginning of Jesus’ core of Disciples. Now, we see the beginning of Jesus’ miracles. This verse also answers a question. Jesus is 30 years old. Did Jesus perform any miracles before He turned 30?22 When He was a boy, did he mold clay sparrows and bring them to life? Feed a village from one kernel of wheat? Resurrect a little boy who fell from a roof and was killed? This verse says no. “his disciples put their faith in him”: Peter, Andrew, John, Philip and Nathanael meet Jesus in Jerusalem, on either Saturday or Sunday. They spend the day with Him. When Jesus leaves Jerusalem for Cana, they spend three whole days hiking, camping out, and eating with the Lord. They get to know Him. When they get to Cana, they see the miracle of turning water into wine. Then, they put their faith in Him.

21 In performing this miracle, Jesus revealed His glory. (1:14, 18.) His glory was not revealed “in a spectacular display of power, but in a quiet, behind-the-scenes work that remained largely unnoticed and impacted only a select few.” (Köstenberger at 99.) That’s important for us to realize. Our metric for success is not publicity or maximum exposure, but in revealing God’s glory—no matter how many or how few see it. 22 See The Infancy Story of Thomas, in New Testament Apocrypha, Volume One: Gospels and Related Writings, Wilhelm Schneemelcher, ed. Louisville: Westminster John Knox (2003), 444-449.

39

Andrew K. Wong

It took time. Putting our faith in Jesus Christ is not an instantaneous thing. We need knowledge, belief and trust. These things take time. It’s not blind faith; it’s not superstition. Faith is a reasoned response to God’s self-revelation. 2:12 After the wedding, there are more people traveling with Jesus: Mary; His four brothers (James, Joseph, Simon, Judas [Mt 13:55]); and the five Disciples. “went down to Capernaum”: This is literally true. [BLR] Cana is in the hill country (as is Nazareth). Capernaum is on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee, 686 feet below sea level. To get to Capernaum from Cana, it’s just a walk through the valley to the Via Maris, which brings you around the north shore of the Sea. Let’s step back for a few minutes and talk about time. (See Mk 1:9-13.) 1:9-13 Mark says that after Jesus was baptized, He was tempted in the desert. The Gospel of John says nothing about the temptation of Jesus. What do we make of this? We’ve mentioned before that John wrote his Gospel with a different purpose than Matthew, Mark and Luke. John doesn’t include many things the other three Gospel writers do, and John includes many things the others don’t. One of John’s most important contributions is giving us a timeline. This Gospel is linked through four Passover festivals. Passover is held in the spring, every year. (See 2:13.) This is the second Passover. (See 6:4.) This is the third. (See 11:55.) This is the fourth. Jesus is crucified on the fourth Passover. Where is the first Passover? It’s implied—the passage we read in Mark 1 gives us a reference point. Jesus was baptized on the first Passover, goes into the desert for 40 days to be tempted, at the end of 40 days, He is walking around in Jerusalem in John 1 because 50 days after the Passover is the feast of Pentecost, which Jews celebrate in Jerusalem.

40

Andrew K. Wong

From that first Passover, Jesus’ first year of ministry ends at 2:13; His second year at 6:4; and His third at 11:55. These four Passovers give us the three year timeline of Jesus’ ministry. 2:12 By the time we see Jesus and His first Disciples in Capernaum, a year has gone by. During this first year, Jesus has been baptized, tempted in the desert, the wedding at Cana, and we know from the other Gospels that Jesus has been teaching, preaching and healing out of Capernaum. 2:13 “the Jewish Passover”: Here is the time marker for the second Passover and the end of Jesus’ first year of ministry. 2:14 According to Josephus, all of this takes place in the outer court of the Temple. 2:15-16 Jesus is a one man wrecking crew.23 Singlehandedly, He drives out all the animal sellers, the money changers, and all the sheep and cattle with that whip of cords. He was in such a fury that no one could stop Him. And keep in mind that the Temple has armed security guards. Here is the second snapshot of Jesus’ physicality. We already saw He could walk three marathons in three days. That’s all legs, hips and lower back. Now, see His upper body strength—snapping that whip of cords back and forth, driving out animals and men from the Temple’s outer court. It’s all core, abdominals, upper back, shoulders, arms and wrists. Indiana Jones cracking his whip was nothing compared to the Lord Jesus Christ at the Temple.

23 Why was Jesus so angry? Because the Jews prevented Gentiles from worshiping at the Temple. The animal sellers and money changers were parked in the Court of the Gentiles, which is the outer court of the Temple. This was the only part of the Temple open to Gentiles, upon pain of death. King Solomon’s vision was the Temple being a place of worship, for Jews and Gentiles alike. (1Kg 8:41-43.) In Isaiah, God wanted the Temple to be a “‘a house of prayer for all nations.’” (Isa 56:7.) It wasn’t the animal selling and money changing that offended Jesus, per se. Both were necessary to accommodate pilgrims. But the animal sellers and money changers used to be near the Temple instead of within its walls. They used to be on the slopes of the Mount of Olives, across the Kidron Valley. Jesus’ cleansing the Temple fulfills Malachi’s prophecy. (Mal 3:1, 3.) It also foreshadows the day when “there will no longer be a merchant in the house of the Lord Almighty.” (Zec 14:21.) (Köstenberger at 103, 106-107.)

41

Andrew K. Wong

Isaiah 53:2 says that Jesus was not a handsome man. “He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.” That verse must be talking only about Jesus’ face, because the rest of Him was hard and muscular and fit. For the guys here, let that be your motivation to exercise and take care of our bodies. It’s Christ-like to be fit and strong. 2:17 This quote comes from Psalm 69:9. King David composed Psalm 69. In many ways, Psalm 69 is a Messianic Psalm—what David feels is similar to what the Lord Jesus feels. But the larger point is that Jesus’ Disciples remember Psalm 69 as they watch Jesus clear the Temple. Here is a man they’ve known for a year. They are convinced He is the Messiah. They’ve been hearing Him teach and preach in the towns and villages around Galilee. They see Him do countless miracles—the miracle at Cana was just the first of many. And they see how Jesus loves His Father—how He is willing to risk His neck for God’s name. The more we read the Bible, the more we know the Lord, until we can hear His voice and see His miracles and watch how the Son of God obeys the Father. Then (like the Disciples), we will go out and do the same. 2:18 This question is not well taken. We know from Matthew, Mark and Luke that Jesus has been doing countless miracles every day. That’s why people believe Jesus is Messiah. 2:20 “forty-six years to build the temple”: Actually, the Temple still wasn’t finished. It would take another 34 years (in A.D. 64) until it was done. “and you are going to raise it in three days?”: (Gk) “you” is emphasized. Hear the sarcasm in these voices. 2:23 If the Jews want miracles, here they are. The miracles are Jesus’ credentials as Messiah. 2:24-25 Compare the response between the crowds and the Disciples. The crowds see the miracles, and they believe (sort of). The Disciples got to know Jesus before He turned the water into wine at Cana.

42

Andrew K. Wong

Then they see His first miracle, and they’ll spend more time with Him. Which faith is deeper? It’s like being infatuated after the first date versus being married for 10 years. Faith requires knowledge, belief and trust. Faith only comes with time. One last point before we leave chapter 2. All four Gospels talk about Jesus cleansing the Temple. But the timing is different. The three Synoptic Gospels place the cleansing of the Temple at the end, before Jesus is crucified. John puts it during the first year of Jesus’ ministry. Many scholars believe that John is mistaken. That he remembers the cleansing of the Temple, but has forgotten that it came near the end instead of at the beginning. There is a more plausible explanation: Jesus cleansed the Temple twice. Once before the first Passover and the second time before He was crucified. This fits with John’s purpose in writing the Gospel: to give us details that the other three Gospels don’t. John knows that Matthew, Mark and Luke tell us about the cleansing before the Crucifixion. He wants us to know that it already happened once before. And, if you compare the two cleansing of the Temple accounts of John versus the Synoptic Gospels, the accounts are different. Besides, it makes sense that Jesus cleared the Temple twice. The Temple made a lot of money off pilgrims by selling animals and changing money. They weren’t going to stop just because Jesus cleared the outer court once. The next day, it was business as usual. So, two years later, Jesus comes and clears the Temple again. Big deal. The Temple would be in business until 70 A.D., when the Roman Army laid siege to Jerusalem. 3:1 “Now there was a man”: (Gk) “But.” An adversative, to draw a contrast. The chapter divisions are arbitrary. John intended this to be a seamless narrative. At the end of chapter 2, Jesus was talking about people who believed only because of His miracles. By contrast, Nicodemus has deeper faith than they do.

43

Andrew K. Wong

“a man of the Pharisees”: (See 2:25, “for he knew what was in a man.”) Jesus knows the hearts of men: He knew what was in Nathanael’s heart in chapter 1; He knows what is in Nicodemus’ heart. “a member of the Jewish ruling council”: The entire Jewish ruling council has been watching Jesus closely. Ever since John the Baptist pointed Jesus out, they’ve heard Jesus teach, preach, seen Him perform miracles, but they don’t trust Him. They have the same wariness about Jesus that they did about John. And when Jesus clears the Temple, they are wary and angry. Jesus is a threat to the political establishment. 3:2 “at night”: Nicodemus didn’t come to Jesus at night because he was afraid of being seen with Jesus. Later, we’ll see that Nicodemus is very courageous. Nicodemus wanted a private chat with Jesus.24 During the daytime, the crowds stuck to Jesus like glue. Jesus never had any privacy. And if you wanted to speak to Jesus, you didn’t have any privacy, either. At night, Jesus would go to two places: He would stay at Bethany (which was a village outside Jerusalem) for the night, and He would spend time on the Mount of Olives before going to Bethany. (The Garden of Gethsemane is on the slope of the Mount of Olives.) Jesus is at the Mount of Olives. Nicodemus knew exactly where to find Jesus, which means Nicodemus has been watching Jesus. “‘Rabbi’”: Coming from Nicodemus, this shows great respect. Jesus is younger than Nicodemus; He wasn’t educated; He didn’t graduate from any school of sacred learning. Nicodemus did. But Nicodemus recognizes that Jesus’ learning is superior to his. What does Nicodemus want? “‘you are a teacher who has come from God’”: Are you the Teacher who comes from God? Are you the Messiah? 3:3 Jesus can read minds.

24 Jon Paulien, “Nicodemus,” in The Anchor Bible Dictionary, Vol. 4. New York: Doubleday (1992), 1105.

44

Andrew K. Wong

Remember in chapter 1 how Jesus read Nathanael’s mind. What does Nicodemus want from Jesus? To teach him how to see the kingdom of God. 3:4 Nicodemus is not a dummy. His point is that we are the sum of our experiences. To enter the kingdom of God, do we really need to start all over again? Nicodemus is an older man, a brilliant man, a member of the Sanhedrin, an expert in the Law, and religion is his life. What else does he need to do? But Jesus tells him, to enter the kingdom of God, you have to start over. Nicodemus is saying, how can I take everything that I am, throw it away, and start over? Doing that is as difficult as entering into my mother’s womb again. Especially because you’re telling me that I have to start over again even though I am an Israelite, and God is supposed to let Israelites into His kingdom. 3:5 It’s helpful to track the pronouns. “‘I tell you the truth’”: (Gk) 2nd person singular. “I’m telling you (Nicodemus) the truth.” This isn’t the first time Jesus has said something like this. (Mk 10:15, “Anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”) “‘born of water and the Spirit’”: This refers to baptism. (1:32.) When John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River, John saw the Holy Spirit coming down from heaven as a dove into Jesus. The same thing happened to us when we were baptized (although you probably don’t remember a bird landing on you). The same thing needs to happen to Nicodemus. 3:7 “‘You should not be surprised’”: Nicodemus has a shocked look on his face, because everything Jesus is saying is new to him. “‘You should not be surprised’”: (Gk) 2nd person singular. “Nicodemus, you should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You—all of you (2nd person plural)—all of you must be born again.’” 3:8 “The wind blows”: Jesus uses wordplay. The words for “wind” in the Hebrew and Greek are the same words for “Spirit.”

45

Andrew K. Wong

Jesus was just talking about the Holy Spirit. Now He talks about the wind, as an illustration. The Mount of Olives catches the breeze every afternoon and night. As Jesus is speaking, a gust of wind rustles the trees.25 3:9 Nicodemus isn’t saying, “You’ve got to be kidding me!” He’s saying, “How do I become born of the Spirit?” 3:10 “‘You are Israel’s teacher’”: (Gk) The way this is phrased in the Greek is important. “You are the teacher of Israel, and you do not understand these things?” Jesus calls Nicodemus “the” teacher, not “a” teacher. This means Nicodemus was (perhaps) the outstanding teacher out of the entire Sanhedrin. The person who understood the Law the best. With that in mind, verse 10 is a combination of a pat on the back and a kick in the butt. Jesus is saying: Nicodemus, you need to understand salvation—not only for your sake but for the sake of the Jews, because you are the best they’ve got. 3:11 “you people do not accept”: (Gk) 2nd person plural. Nicodemus is starting to come around, but the rest of the Jews aren’t. 3:12 All of the “you’s” in verse 12 are plural. Jesus is speaking about the Jewish leadership, in general. 3:13 “the Son of Man”: Here is the answer to Nicodemus’ question in verse 2: are you the Messiah? The “Son of Man” is a direct reference to Daniel 7. The Son of Man is Messiah. 3:14 “lifted up”: (Gk) Lifted up on the cross. That’s one meaning of the word. 3:14-15 In verse 9, Nicodemus asked, “How do I become born of the Spirit?” Here is the answer. Note the timing of what Jesus says: there are three steps. To have eternal life, the Son of Man must be crucified, first. “Lifted up” on the cross.

25 Accord, Merrill C. Tenney, John, in “The Expositor’s Bible Commentary with the New International Version.” Frank E. Gaebelein, ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan (1981), 48.

46

Andrew K. Wong

Second, the Son of Man must be “lifted up” in heaven—the resurrection.26 Third, we must believe in the Resurrected Lord Jesus Christ. You can’t believe in a dead Messiah. This is end of Nicomedus’ conversation with Jesus. Nicomedus came to Jesus, at night, in private, on the slope of the Mount of Olives (probably in the Garden of Gethsemane), with questions about life. Questions about eternal life. He got his answer. He probably didn’t like what he heard—at first. But over time, he mulls it over. Thinks long and hard about it for the next three years. It’s hard accepting what Jesus says—personally. In Greek, the name “Nicodemus” means “Conquerer of the People.” From birth, Nicodemus’ mother had grand ambitions for her son. Nicodemus grew up in privilege, went to the best schools, he’s very wealthy. [Jn 19:39] He’s politically ambitious. He’s one of the 70 members of the Sanhedrin. That’s like being a member of the United States Senate. Jesus tells Nicodemus that none of this counts. To enter the Kingdom of Heaven, you have to start all over again. Greatness is the kingdom of God is different than greatness on earth. That’s hard enough. What makes this doubly difficult is that no one else among the Sanhedrin believes Jesus. Of the Jewish ruling council of seventy members, only one (Nicodemus) believes. That’s like you being a the only Christian in your workplace. It’s not the most comfortable feeling in the world, especially if your colleagues are hostile to Christianity. But for Nicodemus, it must have been very lonely, because his co-workers were much more hostile to Jesus than our co-workers are. The next three years, Nicodemus has to drown out all the noise he hears about Jesus: the gossip, the slander, the lies, and the jokes and snide comments. And He has to focus tightly on the person and work of Jesus, and hold on to the truth. Does Nicodemus persevere in the faith? Yes, he does. And we will see him again in this Gospel.

26 Jn 8:28, 12:32. See BDAG at 1045-1046.

47

Andrew K. Wong

At the Crucifixion, Nicodemus will be there. He sees the Son of Man being lifted up on the cross. He will help take Jesus’ body down from the cross and bury it. The Son of Man will be lifted up to heaven, and Nicodemus certainly believes.27 3:16-21 In our English translations, there are quotation marks that bracket verses 16 to 21. In some of your Bibles, these words might even be in red font, indicating that these are the words of Jesus. But in the Greek, there are no quotation marks and no red font. These verses are most likely the words of John—not Jesus. They are John’s commentary about Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus. Notice that the style is the same as the Prologue (1:1-18.) 3:16 We’ve seen that John’s writing is elegant, profound and concise. This verse summarizes everything Jesus told Nicodemus about the Kingdom of God. It summarizes the entire Gospel: this is salvation in one sentence. “eternal life”: “Eternal” refers not only to duration, but quality of life.28 Life on earth without God is futile, empty and desperate. Eternal life with God is deep and full of growth and fulfillment. 3:17 God doesn’t like it when people go to Hell. That’s why He sent His Son. 3:18 The world passes judgment on Jesus by looking Him up and down and saying, “I don’t want anything to do with a crucified Messiah.” But that’s not the way it works. Think of it this way. You go to a museum—say, the Louvre in Paris. You see rooms and hallways with paintings stacked up to the ceiling. It’s not the works of art that are on trial, but the visitors (like you) who are. These paintings are already masterpieces.

27 The apocryphal Gospel of Nicodemus (Acts of Pilate) states (in relevant part) the following about Nicodemus: (1) after the Crucifixion, Nicodemus recorded (in Hebrew) “the conduct of the chief priests and the rest of the Jews”; (2) during Jesus’ trial before Pilate, Nicodemus spoke up and defended Jesus [V]; (3) whereupon the Jews accused Nicodemus that, “You became his disciple and speak on his behalf”; (4) the Jews reproached Nicodemus for being an accomplice of Jesus [XII]. (New Testament Apocrypha, Vol. 1, 505-521.) 28 Tenney at 50.

48

Andrew K. Wong

Our reactions to these masterpieces reveal our level of artistic culture, or lack of it. If we go to the room where the Mona Lisa is; we look it over; then we post on Facebook, “The Mona Lisa is such a piece of crap,” that’s not saying something about the Mona Lisa, but it says something about us.29 When the world despises the Lord, they pass judgment on themselves, and not God. God doesn’t need to judge non-Christians because non-Christians have already judged themselves.

3:19 Note the imagery of light and darkness. We saw that in the Prologue as well. 3:20 Hell has always been a choice. God doesn’t send people to Hell; people choose Hell. C.S. Lewis said that Hell is locked from the inside. 3:21 “But whoever lives by the truth”: (Gk) “the one doing the truth.” We live the truth by doing the truth. 3:23 “Aenon near Salim”: [BLR] The most probable location is the Jordan River just 8 miles south of Scythopolis. We’ve seen John baptizing a lot by now. John baptizes people by immersion. When John baptized Jesus, he lowered Jesus into the water and raised Him up. That foreshadows Jesus dying, being buried, and being raised to life. That takes some physical strength to do—lowering someone into the water and raising them up. The text tells us that John was constantly baptizing people day after day. So, even if his disciples were helping him, John had to be in peak physical condition with a strong core and abdominal muscles. I know that from personal experience, because when I led a group to Israel in February 2017, several people wanted to be baptized in the Jordan River and it was a privilege to baptize them. (I had a helper.) I learned something from that experience that made me realize how physically robust John was. We were baptizing at Yardenit. [BLR] Yardenit is at the southern tip of the Sea of Galilee. John was baptizing just south of Scythopolis, which is not far away from Yardenit.

29 Bruce at 91.

49

Andrew K. Wong

We were in the Jordan River in February, in winter. John was baptizing around Passover, which is in the spring. The water in winter and springtime in that area is freezing cold. I baptized a handful of people and it took about 30 minutes. My legs were already numb from the cold water. It took half a day for my legs to thaw out. John was doing this all day long, day after day. There is another point to draw from this reference to “Aenon near Salim.” [BLR] This location (just south of Scythopolis) was in Samaria. Samaritans hate the Jews and vice versa. Yet, John is baptizing in Samaria. Keep this in the back of your minds as we approach chapter 4. 3:24 All three Synoptic Gospels start Jesus’ ministry after John the Baptist was imprisoned. Only John’s Gospel tells us what Jesus was doing before John the Baptist was arrested. 3:25 Baptism is unique to the New Testament. Baptism: (Gk) to plunge or dip into water. The Old Testament precedent is ritual washing and cleansing, which we learn from the Book of Leviticus. 3:26 As we will see, Jesus didn’t personally baptize anyone, but His disciples did under His supervision. (4:2.) John’s disciples are worried that John now has competition from Jesus. 3:27-29 John makes two points here. First, John isn’t the Messiah, so “competition” from Jesus doesn’t bother him. John uses the analogy of the best man attending to the groom at a wedding. The best man is happy for the groom. Second, each of us has an allotted gift and ministry from God. Each of us is responsible to fulfill that. John worked hard at fulfilling 100% of his commission from heaven, and we must do that as well. 3:30 (Lk 7:28.) Jesus will say that “among those born of women there is no one greater than John.” John is a model for all Christians to emulate because John understood humility.

50

Andrew K. Wong

“‘He must become greater; I must become less’”: (Gk) Both words have to do with sunlight. Jesus is the light of the world. [8:12] Jesus’ light must become more brilliant and our light must diminish. We are doing our jobs if we are completely transparent. When we are transparent, there is nothing that hinders the light of the world shining through us. When we are more interesting in being the light—being the center of attention— then we become opaque. The light of Jesus becomes filtered and obstructed because of us. 3:31-36 These verses are John the Gospel writer’s commentary and not the words of John the Baptist. We saw John’s commentary in verses 16 to 21 on the words of Jesus. Now, it’s his commentary on the words of John the Baptist. 3:32 What has Jesus “seen and heard”? The Prologue tells us that Jesus was the Word, and the Word was with God from the beginning. No one has ever seen God except Jesus. Jesus testifies about God. The way we know God is by knowing Jesus. [14:6] 3:33 When you accepted Christ and entered that saving relationship, you certified that God is truth—or else you wouldn’t commit your soul to Him. 3:34 God has sent many prophets into the world—the last being John the Baptist. Each prophet received only a measure of the Holy Spirit. Enough of the Holy Spirit to do the job. But Jesus has the Holy Spirit in full. [Isa 11:2, 42:1, 61:1] (1:33.) That’s why Jesus is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. 4:1-3 Jesus didn’t want to do anything that would overshadow John’s ministry. John was the one who said: “Jesus must become greater; I must become less.” But John’s ministry was invaluable in pointing to Jesus. So, Jesus goes back to Galilee. When John is arrested by Herod, Jesus will take center stage. 4:4 “he had to go through”: (Gk) It was necessary for Jesus to. But Jesus didn’t have to go through Samaria if He didn’t want to. Like every other Jew, Jesus could have taken the following route: [BLR] From Jericho; cross to the east side of the Jordan (which is preferable to traveling along the west side because there are more fresh

51

Andrew K. Wong

water wells and mountain springs); go north; ford the Jordan at Scythopolis; go north; around the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum. This is a roundabout route that avoids cutting through Samaria. Why go through Samaria? Jews and Samaritans hated each other. [BLR Timeline]

It all started with civil war. The Twelve Tribes of Israel were once united under one king: David, then Solomon. Solomon dies in 930 B.C. His son Rehoboam is heir to the throne. (See 1 Kg 12:1ff.) 12:1 Rehoboam is Solomon's son. He is the rightful king of Israel. But not everyone was happy under Solomon's reign. Twelve Tribes of Israel: the two southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin are naturally loyal to Rehoboam, but the ten northern tribes have some grievances to air. 12:2 Jeroboam is the spokesperson for the ten northern tribes. 12:4 Solomon was a great King, but he built his kingdom on the backs of his people: (1) conscripted labor; and (2) heavy taxes. 12:5 Let me think about it and I'll get back to you. 12:7 Your Majesty, if you show your love to the people by stopping conscripted labor and lowering taxes, they will always love you. 12:8 Rehoboam thinks: Screw that. That's stupid advice. What am I? Chopped liver? I'm the King! "the young men who had grown up with him": his drinking buddies who drove around town in their Ferraris and partied on his private yacht and kissed every part of his rear end. 12:10-11 You think my father, Solomon, was tough? Wait 'til you get a load of me. 12:16-17 The Twelve Tribes of Israel split apart: the ten northern tribes of Israel versus the two southern tribes of Judah. Rehoboam is king of the two southern tribes; Jeroboam is appointed king of the ten northern tribes.

52

Andrew K. Wong

[jump to] 12:25 [BLR] Jeroboam makes Shechem his capital. Shechem is in Samaria. 12:26-27 It's a matter of political survival. God commanded the Israelites to worship Him in Jerusalem. [Dt 12:5-6] Three times a year, every devout Jew goes to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles. So, if the Jews in the Northern Kingdom keep doing this, they won't be loyal to Jeroboam, but will be loyal to Rehoboam, because Rehoboam is still King of Jerusalem. 12:28-29 "golden calves": Does the golden calf ring a bell? [Exodus 32] Everyone, I have an announcement. You don't have to worship in Jerusalem any more. We'll make our own religion, and you can worship in either one of two places: Bethel or Dan. [BLR] Bethel is south of Shechem, still in Samaria. Bethel is the southern limit of Samaria. Dan is at the foot of Mount Hermon. Dan is the northern limit of Israel. 12:30 People started worshiping the golden calves. This is idolatry. 12:31-33 Instead of worshipping God in Jerusalem and in the way God wants to be worshipped, Jeroboam has invented this fake religion with fake shrines, fake priests, and fake festivals. This all happens in Samaria. The people practicing this idolatry are called "Samaritans." The Jews in the southern kingdom of Judah (under Rehoboam) don't consider the Jews living in Samaria Jews at all. And both sides develop a mutual hatred of each other. Israel used to be one nation. Now, they are divided into the kingdoms of Israel (the Northern Kingdom) and Judah (the Southern Kingdom) and they are fighting a civil war. Civil war weakens both kingdoms. Other nations are watching and waiting for the right time to take advantage. In 721 B.C., the Assyrian Empire invades Samaria and the 10 Northern Tribes of Israel.

53

Andrew K. Wong

The Assyrians were so cruel and feared that when the Assyrian army was on the warpath, town and villages along the route would flee or commit suicide en masse rather than endure the cruelties of the Assyrians. The Assyrians conquered the 10 Northern Tribes. The ones they didn't kill, they captured and sent them off as slaves back to Assyria. And for the small remnant of Jews that remained in the land, the Assyrians wanted to make sure they wouldn't ever cause trouble again. So, the Assyrians brought foreigners in from other places to resettle the land. These foreigners that resettle the land don't know God. Samaria is now full of Gentiles.

(See 2 Kg 17:24ff.) 17:24 These cities were in modern day Syria and Iraq. The king of Assyria is repopulating Samaria with Gentiles. 17:27 When in Rome, do as the Romans do. 17:29, 32-33 Hey, it doesn't matter what you believe, as long as you are "spiritual." 17:34-41 These are the ancestors of the Samaritans. 17:40-41 These verses were written by a Jew. In these verses, you can hear the disdain the Jews have for the Samaritans. Samaria is full of half-breed Jews who God has forsaken. So, Jesus didn’t have to go through Samaria at all. In fact, His Disciples are wondering why He’s taking this route. 4:6 “Jacob’s well”: The well is still there today. It lies near the crypt of an unfinished Orthodox church. “tired as he was”: Cutting through Samaria is a hike along the central mountain range. “the journey”: (Gk) A walking journey. This was a straight hike from Judea to Galilee. “sixth hour”: John uses Roman timekeeping. The Roman day begins at midnight, so the sixth hour is 6 AM. Why is Jesus traveling through the mountains at zero dark thirty? Because it’s cooler than traveling during the heat of the day.

54

Andrew K. Wong

4:7 At 6 AM, no one else is there at the well except this Samaritan woman. Why not? (See Ge 24:11.)30 24:11 The time to draw water from the well is in the evening. Note that it’s the women who do this and not the men. Drawing water is hard, physical labor. There’s a well, it’s deep, the water is at the bottom of the well. Jacob’s well is still there today, and the well is over 100 feet deep. You attach a bucket to a rope, you lower the bucket down, you fill it with water, and then you pull it all the way back up—100 feet at a time. Your family of four, five, six or more needs more than one bucketful of water. So, you keep filling that bucket until all your jars of water are full. Women know how to make the best of things. Drawing water in the evening becomes the social event of the day. You chat, exchange news and gossip, your kids are playing with the other kids. 4:7 Back to this lone Samaritan woman at the well. She’s not drawing her water in the evening, when all the other women come to the well. That’s unusual. Of course, she’s not drawing water at noon, when the day it hottest. So, the only time for her to draw water—if she wants to avoid all the other women —is in the early morning. Why does she want to avoid all the other women? “‘Will you give me a drink?’”: (Gk) “Give me a drink.” Jesus doesn’t ask; it’s an order. It’s almost as if Jesus is pressing this woman’s buttons to get a reaction out of her.

30 Many scholars argue that the Samaritan woman was at the well at noon. (See 4:6, “the sixth hour.”) The difference (again) is whether John reckons time according to Jewish time (when the day begins at 6:00 AM) versus Roman time (from midnight). The same scholars argue that there were two times of day that women drew water from wells: either in the early morning or in the evening. Thus, the Samaritan woman had to draw water at noon because she wanted to avoid the other women drawing water in the early morning or evening. But Genesis 24:11 says there is only one time of day when women drew water—in the early evening. So, it would not make sense for this woman to draw water at noon, during the heat of the day. She would draw water in the cool of the early morning. This lends support to John reckoning time according to Roman timekeeping.

55

Andrew K. Wong

4:9 “The Samaritan woman”: (Gk) “The woman, the Samaritan.” Why does John emphasizes that she’s a woman and a Samaritan woman? The woman provides the answer. “‘You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman’”: Jewish men did not talk to women in public, and they certainly did not talk to Samaritans, period. Samaritan women felt the same way about Jewish men. This is a more accurate Greek translation: “How can you being a Jew ask me for a drink?” “How dare you ask me for water?! I’m not going to let some unclean Jewish guy drink from my water bottle.” Jews and Samaritans felt the same aversion to eating to sharing food and drink from each other. The Jews considered eating with Samaritans the same as eating pork. 4:10 We’ve seen Jesus speak to people already knowing what they’re thinking. In chapter 1, Nathanael. In chapter 3, Nicodemus. Now, here’s the third person. “‘living water’”: Apparently, the Samaritan woman was thinking about water. 4:11 “‘Sir’”: The word she uses is polite, but not her tone. She must have been laughing and rolling her eyes when Jesus mentioned “living water.” She’s thinking, “there’s no way this man could have known that I was thinking about living water.” She laughs it off. “‘you have nothing to draw with’”: (Gk) “You have no bucket to draw with.” “‘and the well is deep’”: Drawing water from the well was really hard work. You only have a bucket, the well is deep, and it’s hard work lowering and raising the bucket each time, and each bucketful is not that much water. 4:12 “‘Are you greater than’”: (Gk) More disrespectful. “Surely, you are not greater . . .” Emphasis on the “you.” Hear her sarcasm. You Jews think you’re special because you come from Abraham. Well, Abraham’s grandson (Jacob) gave us Samaritans this well. So, there. 4:14 Why is Jesus talking about eternal life? Because that’s what the Samaritan woman was thinking about.

56

Andrew K. Wong

The water she draws from the well is a metaphor for her life. She’s unhappy about something. Her life is as unsatisfactory as the small amount of water she gets from each bucketful from the well. (Gk) “‘a spring of water bubbling into eternal life’”: Jesus is talking about the Holy Spirit in our lives; it bubbles up within us so that we are always satisfied. In contrast to the water at the bottom of the well that you need to draw bit by bit with a small bucket. 4:15 “‘Sir’”: The Samaritan woman still calls Jesus, “Sir.” But she has a growing respect for Jesus because she knows He knows what she needs. She needs God. God is love. She is thirsty for God’s love and she doesn’t know where to find it. 4:16 Jesus saying this makes her heart skip a beat. Just as in chapter 1, when Nathanael’s heart skipped a beat when Jesus said, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false.” [1:47] 4:17 “‘I have no husband’”: There was something in the way she said, “husband,” that betrays her. “‘You are right when you say you have no husband’”: Jesus picks up on that right away. In the Greek, “husband” is emphasized. 4:18 You’re living with a boyfriend—not a husband. Now we know why she is at the well, all alone in the early morning. The women of the town ostracize her because of her love life. She’s not welcome when the rest of them draw water in the evening. Add to the mix that she is probably beautiful.31 Because if she wasn’t, then there wouldn’t be a conga line of guys waiting to sleep with her. Now, we get a full sense of why the women reject her (and why the men accept her). 4:19 There is probably a long pause before verses 18 and 19. And when she finally speaks, there are probably tears in her eyes. 4:20 “on this mountain”: This “mountain” refers to Mount Gerizim. [BLR] This is close to where Jesus and the woman are now.

31 Keener at 607 & fn. 245.

57

Andrew K. Wong

The probably location of Sychar is at the foot of Mount Ebal, within view of Mount Gerizim. During the reign of Alexander the Great, there was a Samaritan temple built on Mount Gerizim as a rival to the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. But the Jews destroyed it a hundred years before Jesus. Why is the Samaritan woman talking about where to worship? She’s not changing the subject because Jesus called her out about her five husbands. She really wants to know where to worship God. Drawing water every morning from a deep well using a small bucket is a metaphor of her love life. She’s been looking for love in all the wrong places. She doesn’t need affection from men; she needs God’s love. And every time she finds a new husband, it’s lowering and raising that bucket for a little bit of water. It’s more effort than it’s worth. So, she yearns for a lover that will always love her. She yearns for the living water of God’s love. 4:21 “‘you will worship’”: If you want to find God, you’re almost there. “neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem”: The Samaritan temple on Mount Gerizim was destroyed in 129 B.C. by the Jews; the Temple in Jerusalem will be destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D. So, a time is coming when you won’t have these places to worship God. 4:21-23 Let’s focus on God. Let’s put religious differences aside. Forget about doctrinal disparities between Samaritans and Jews; Orthodox and Catholics; Catholics and Protestants. Forget about the history of violence in religious wars over the centuries. Forget about rehashing old wounds and settling old scores. God wants worshipers in spirit and truth. 4:24 The way Jesus counsels sinners is exactly the way we should counsel each other when we fail. Jesus doesn’t tell the woman, “You’re a bad girl. You need to dump that boyfriend right away.” No. All Jesus says is, “God wants His people to worship in spirit and in truth.” She’s not stupid; she gets it.

58

Andrew K. Wong

4:26 “‘I who speak to you am he’”: (Gk) “I am.” Every Jew and Samaritan knows what “I am” means. Whose name is “I am”? (See Ex 3:13-14.) 4:27 “were surprised”: (Gk) Astonished, and not in a good way. 1. Jewish men were not supposed to talk to women in public. But Jesus talks to women all the time. The Disciples know that. In fact, many of Jesus’ disciples are women. 2. The Disciples didn’t expect a woman to be a the well at 6:00 AM. They’re thinking, “What is she doing here.” And if she’s here, she’s not the kind of woman you should be talking to. 4:28-30 It must be 7:00 AM now and people in the town are starting to stir. 4:31 Jesus, it wasn’t easy for twelve Jewish guys to find food in a Samaritan town. 4:32-34 Doing God’s will is just as important as food. That’s the most satisfying thing for Jesus. (4:4, “Now he had to go through Samaria.”) Jesus cannot do without bringing people to God. Doing God’s will should be as important to us as food and drink. 4:35 “‘ripe for the harvest’”: The mob of townspeople coming toward Jesus is as open to salvation as they will ever be. 4:38 The OT prophets laid the groundwork—many of them died because they spoke the Word of God. John the Baptist came and preached baptism for the forgiveness of sin. The Holy Spirit is at work. All we have to do is pick the ripe grain. 4:39 The most powerful evidence of the Holy Spirit’s work is changed lives. A sinner who repents is a miracle in itself and is the best testimony about the Gospel. 4:40 A Jew staying in a Samaritan town is unheard of. But the Gospel is for Jew and Gentile, and Jesus takes the opportunity to preach and teach. People are ready to hear the Gospel, no matter what race they are or where they live.

59

Andrew K. Wong

4:42 (2:23-25.) Jesus elicits different reactions in people. The Jewish leadership distrusts Him. Others believe in Him because He does miracles. But Jesus wants people to believe in spirit and in truth. These Samaritan are true believers. At the beginning of chapter 4, we asked the question why Jesus had to go through Samaria to get to Galilee. (4:4.) He didn’t. He could have taken the longer route around Samaria like every other Jew. But why did He insist on traveling through this town? To meet this Samaritan woman. He hiked through the central mountain range to the foot of Mount Gerizim to meet her. He went out of His way to bring her into the Kingdom. (And the text doesn’t say He ever got that drink of water.) Jesus was the first man the Samaritan woman met who loved her for who she was. He went out of His way to meet each one of us where we were, to engage with us, knowing every question that was on our minds, and speak truth into our hearts. Jesus is the lover of our souls.

4:44 Notice that on the way to Galilee, the text skips over Jesus stopping at Nazareth. The Gospel of Luke says that Jesus went back to His hometown. (Lk 4:16ff.) But the people of Nazareth refused to accept Jesus. They couldn’t believe that the snot-nosed kid with the bowl haircut had grown up into the Messiah. So, they rejected Him. In fact, they tried to kill Jesus by throwing Him off of a cliff. As a parting shot, Jesus tells them that “no prophet is accepted in his hometown.” [Lk 4:24] That’s what this verse refers to. 4:45 The people in Galilee are a little different than the people in Nazareth. [BLR] From Mount Gerizim, Jesus would take the linking roads until He reached the Via Maris to pass through Nazareth. The Via Maris takes Jesus almost to Capernaum. The Galileans live around the Sea of Galilee.

60

Andrew K. Wong

For Passover, all Jews go to Jerusalem to celebrate, including the ones living in Galilee. 4:46 [BLR] Along the way, Jesus takes a left turn off the main highway to Cana. “royal official”: This is most likely a Jewish (not a Roman) royal official, working for Herod Antipas, the tetrarch of Galilee. 4:47 Jesus already has a reputation in Cana, because the very first miracle He performed was turning the water into wine. “begged”: (Gk) Imperfect tense. The royal official kept begging and begging Jesus to come. 4:48 (4:23-24.) Just like Jesus told the Samaritan woman, He wants people who worship in spirit and truth. God doesn’t want thrill seekers, like teenagers riding the roller coasters at Six Flag Magic Mountain. 4:49 “my child”: (Gk) “my little boy.” Hear the pain and tenderness in the royal official’s voice. 4:50 This man passed some sort of test. As we’ve seen with Nathanael (chapter 1), Nicodemus (chapter 3), and the Samaritan woman (chapter 4), there is subtext beneath the text. There are words, and then there are thoughts underlying the words. Jesus knows the hearts of men. [2:24-25] People talk to Jesus; He reads their minds; they’re shocked; and then they believe. No miracle needed at all. Worshipers in truth and spirit don’t need miracles to believe. (Although, miracles happen after you take that first step.) So, what is the text and subtext here with the royal official? Royal official: “Jesus, heal my dying son. I know you can.” Jesus: “Yes, I know I can, too. But what if I choose not to heal your son. Will you still believe that I am the Messiah? How deep is your faith? Will you have faith even though life is hard? Will you have faith even though you have a child born with a disability; or you don’t get that promotion; or you are diagnosed with cancer?” Royal official: “Lord, come down before my child dies . . . please.

61

Andrew K. Wong

I don’t know if you are the Messiah or not—I think you are. But I know you can heal my son. At the moment, my faith is shallow and I have doubts. I want to grow in faith, I want to grow in knowledge. But right now, the only thing I can think of is my dying son. So, help me grow. If you heal my son, it will help me grow in faith.” “‘You may go’”: (Gk) “Go, your son lives.” It’s a command (“go”) and reassurance (“your son lives”). “The man took Jesus at his word”: (Gk) to have faith in, to believe, to trust. This man doesn’t have the faith to believe that Jesus is Messiah—yet. But when Jesus tells him to “go,” he obeys. And when Jesus tells him that his son lives, he trusts in that—even though he’s in Cana and his son is 17 miles away in Capernaum. Jesus asks the same thing of us: belief without seeing. (20:29, “blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”) 4:51 “‘fever left him yesterday’”: Cana is not that far away from Capernaum, and the royal official could certainly have pushed it and gotten to Capernaum before nightfall. Why did he take his time going back home? Because there was no need to hurry any more. Jesus said his son would be healed, and this man had faith. 4:52-53 “the seventh hour”: 7:00 AM. This royal official was begging Jesus from sunrise to 7:00 AM. He got wind that Jesus was coming and was the first to meet Him as Jesus walked into Cana. “believed”: (Gk) The same word in verse 50. This man and his family put their faith in Christ. This man trusted in Jesus’ words that his son would be healed; he discovered these words were true; and he put his faith in the Lord. When we get to heaven, one of the great things is that God will reward us for our faith. All those things we held on to while we were on earth, we’ll find out were true. All the things we hoped for—stubbornly, against all hope—will turn out to be true. All of the coincidences and accidents in our lives will turn out to have been the hand of God directing our paths. The loose threads of our lives will be woven into a beautiful tapestry.

62

Andrew K. Wong

The Disciples had the advantage of seeing Jesus in the flesh and seeing all the miracles He did. They believed because they saw. But we have the advantage of having a deeper faith—the faith Jesus wants. We believe even though we have not seen Him. That’s the faith that brings the most rewards. (20:29.) Blessed are you because you have not seen, yet you believe. Our journey to heaven will be like the royal official’s journey from Cana to Capernaum. There is happiness, joy, blessing and fulfillment at the end of the road. 4:54 “second miraculous sign”: This is the second miracle Jesus performed in Cana. The first water turning water into wine in chapter 2. Jesus has been doing other miracles elsewhere. (2:23.) 5:1 If Jesus went back to Galilee after Passover, then this “feast” is either Pentecost or Tabernacles. Pentecost is 50 days after Passover and Tabernacles is in the fall. The Gospel is structured around festivals in Jerusalem. 5:2 The Pool of Bethesda's location is under St. Anne's Monastery in Jerusalem. When our group traveled to Israel in 2017, St. Anne’s Monastery was one of our stops. (Our website has a description and photos of the site.) There were two pools, surrounded by four porticoes, and one portico down the middle separating the pools. The system of worship was centered around the Temple, and it required a lot of water—for ritual purification and cleaning out all the blood from the animal sacrifices. Herod the Great built an aqueduct system to increase the water supply in Jerusalem. [BLR] All the water in Israel comes from Mount Hermon. During the winter, snow falls on Mount Hermon; during the springtime, it melts and runs off into streams. These streams connect and form the headwaters of the Jordan River. The Jordan flows into the Sea of Galilee. It empties south of the Sea and flows all the way to the Dead Sea. There is no outlet for the Dead Sea, so the water just sits there and evaporates. The moisture condenses into clouds; the clouds rain over Mount Hermon in the fall and winter; and this water cycle repeats itself. Jerusalem is a city on a hill, and its water comes from underground springs. The springs supply some water, but not enough for a city.

63

Andrew K. Wong

So, King Herod built aqueducts to bring more water into the city. The water came through the aqueducts and pooled into reservoirs. The Pools of Bethesda were one of these reservoirs. 5:3 Why are all these people are laying around the pool? It was believed that when the underground springs fed water into the pool, the first person to jump in would be healed of whatever disease or infirmity he or she had. Keep in mind that this water was used for Temple worship. So, people believed that it was holy water. Just like in Catholic churches, the water in the basin outside the sanctuary is believed to be holy because the priests blesses it. 5:4 In my NIV translation, verse 4 is missing. Some manuscripts have a verse 4–although not the most reliable manuscripts. If your translation has a verse 4, this is what it reads: "From time to time, an angel of the Lord would come down and stir the waters. The first one into the pool after such disturbance would be cured of whatever disease he had." 5:5 The Greek text implies that that this man had been an invalid for 38 years, and for 38 years, he waited at the Pool of Bethesda. An "invalid": The text doesn't say exactly what type of infirmity this man had. But he would probably be a wheelchair case today. 5:6 “When Jesus saw him lying there”: (Gk) “This man Jesus seeing lying there.” First, Jesus sees the man. Then, Jesus sees the man’s illness. He sees what should have been, instead of what already is. He loved the man for who he was. And that's why He frees the man from this illness. It's a good model for us to follow: to see people as they should be and work and pray for their healing. “and learned”: (Gk) knew. Not one had to tell Jesus anything; Jesus knew this man’s plight. Just like Jesus knew Nathanael in chapter 1; He knew Nicodemus in chapter 3; He knew the Samaritan woman in chapter 4; and He knows everything about you, today. Jesus’ foreknowledge of people is a theme in this Gospel.

64

Andrew K. Wong

“this condition for a long time”: This man can only lie there because he cannot use his legs. Think about that for a minute: he can't use his legs. There are lots of other people around him who are just dying to jump into the pool the second the water stirs from the underground spring. What chance does this man have of making it into the water first? With no legs? 5:7 His chances are zero. For 38 years, he's never been first in the water. And he's tried every day for 38 years. Lest we think that he's not a bright fellow, there must have been some people who were healed when they jumped in the water first, or else all these people wouldn't be waiting around every day for the water to stir. 5:6 “‘Do you want to get well?’”: Of course, he wants to get well! 5:7 But the man's reply is revealing. He is fixated on the water and getting into the water first. He probably doesn’t even look up at Jesus when Jesus asks him the question. He’s thinking, if this man standing over me wants to help me to get well, then he’ll move me to the edge of the pool and help me into the water when it stirs. 5:8 A moment passes before the man finally does look at Jesus. Jesus says, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." 5:9 Just like that, he's healed. You have to admire this invalid. He was incredibly persistent and had great faith. But his faith was in the water: if he could just get into that water, he would be healed. But his faith was misplaced. The water couldn't heal him; only Jesus could. The minute he looked at Jesus, Jesus healed him. Nicodemus trusted in Judaism, but when he turned his eyes to the Lord Jesus Christ, he was saved. The Samaritan woman trusted in Samaritan theology; the royal official trusted in his social status and power; this invalid trusted in jumping into the water first. But when they looked to Jesus, they were healed. This is a lesson for all of us to center our faith in the Lord Jesus.

65

Andrew K. Wong

Whatever trials and tribulations we go through, it is only Jesus who heals us. 5:10 “‘It is the Sabbath’”: (Gk) emphasis on the “Sabbath.” The Jews are obsessed with their regulations about the Sabbath. “‘the law forbids you to carry your mat’”: This isn’t in the Bible, but it how the Jews interpreted the Fourth Commandment about not doing any work on the Sabbath. The Jews distinguished 39 categories of “work.” The 39th category was carrying a load from one dwelling to another. [Cf. Jer 17:21-22] This man was carrying his mat back home. So, the Jews said that was doing “work” on the Sabbath. (And you thought getting a traffic ticket for running a red light was bad.) 5:12 The Jews care more about their man-made regulations than the miraculous healing of man crippled for 38 years. 5:13 This man doesn’t know who Jesus is, but the Jews have a pretty good idea that it was Jesus. 5:14 “‘well again’”: When was the last time this man could walk? 38 years ago? Does this man even remember what it was like to walk? I’m 45 years old, and I have only a vague memory of what life was like when I was 7 years old. Being able to walk should have been a joyful experience for this man. But he’s been crippled for so long that being healed is completely foreign experience, and he’s not taking it well. “‘Stop sinning’”: What sin is this man committing? 5:15 “told the Jews”: This word is usually neutral, but this context has a negative connotation. (Gk) To report, inform. But in this case, it means “to inform on.” To snitch on. This man snitched on Jesus. He should have been thankful. And when Jesus warned him not to sin, he should have listened. Instead, he is scared of the Jews and he turns Jesus on. He could have just walked away and kept his mouth shut. 5:16 Now, it’s much harder for Jesus to do His work because this man snitched on Him.

66

Andrew K. Wong

5:17 “‘always at his work to this very day’”: This is one of those words we need to talk about, because this word gives us a window into God’s character. (Gk) a participle—continuing action. The word means: to be busy, to be active, to work with your hands (as in doing manual labor), to conduct business, to accomplish things. God isn’t lazy; He’s always working for His people—for you and I. He’s working at this very moment. God doesn’t sit there on His throne and expect other people to work for Him or do His work for Him. If God had an office and you walked by His door, you’d never see God with His feet propped up on His desk, on the phone, surfing the Internet, playing Solitaire, browbeating His angels and telling them to work harder while He makes lunch plans at the country club. This is what you would see: a flurry of activity; perpetual motion; a blur of God’s hands and feet moving; intensity and concentration; heaven and earth moving. If you stayed late at the office one day and you’re about to turn off your computer because the building turns off the lights after 7:00 PM. Then you noticed that there was still light from God’s corner office. You walk toward the light, and you hear something: a buzz of activity coming from inside—a whirl of movement; pure action; no breaks. You don’t want to disturb God—He’s busy—so you go back to your desk to turn the computer off. You’re about to log off your email account when you notice a new email in your inbox. It’s from God. It has two attachments. The first is His edits on the draft report you sent Him. His first comment is, “Well done, good and faithful servant!” Then He has some constructive criticism for you. The second attachment is a copy of a letter to His angels, directing them to resolve an issue you brought to God’s attention two days ago. You’re copied on the letter, which says the issue will be taken care of by the time you come back to work tomorrow. You notice the time God sent the email: 7:05 PM. That’s what time it was when you were peeking into His office. God is always working—working on our behalf; for the world; for His people. He never stops.

67

Andrew K. Wong

“‘and I, too, am working’”: God the Father is always working, so Jesus the Son is always working. We are God’s children, so we should always be working for the Kingdom. 5:18 This will be the point of contention between the Jews and Jesus until the Crucifixion. It’s not that Jesus is breaking the Sabbath, it’s that He is making Himself equal with God. In Jewish law, that’s blasphemy. 5:19ff Jesus gives the Jews a five point answer. (1) The Son is dependent upon the Father. (5:19.) (2) The Son is loved by the Father. (5:20.) (3) The Son is empowered by the Father. (5:21.) (4) The Son is entrusted with judgment by the Father. (5:22.) (5) The Son is the arbiter of destiny. (5:24.) 5:28-29 These two verses are intriguing. We all know that salvation is a choice: you hear the Gospel; if you accept it, you have eternal life; if you reject it, you don’t. What if a person dies without ever hearing the Gospel? You and I have no excuse. But what if a person lived and died before Jesus came to the earth? Or, today, what if a person lives and dies in a remote area where the Gospel has never been preached? Does that person go straight to hell just because he or she never had the chance to hear and respond to the Gospel? These two verses give us the answer. If you’ve never heard the Gospel, then eternal life depends on what you did in life. If you’ve done good, then you have eternal life. If you’ve done evil, then you don’t. F.F. Bruce put it this way.32 We are all judged by our response to as much light as was available to us. Those who were exposed only to partial light, but accepted that partial light will receive eternal life because they would have accepted perfect light if they were exposed to perfect light.

32 Bruce at 92.

68

Andrew K. Wong

Those who were exposed to partial light, but rejected it will not receive eternal life because they have rejected perfect light. 5:31-32 You don’t believe me when I tell you that I am the Son. But you don’t need to take my word for it. 5:33 (See 1:19-20, 26-27.) 1:19 Jerusalem sent Jews to investigate John. 1:26-27 John told the Jews plainly that Jesus was going to be special. 5:34 “‘that you may be saved’”: As much as the Jews hated Jesus, Jesus still wants them to be saved. 5:35 “a lamp that burned and gave light”: John is only a lamp; he is not the light. A lamp must be lit by another source to give light. Jesus is the light. We are lamps that Jesus lights with light. And our job is to make sure that there is enough wick for the lamp to burn and that the glass is clean from dust so that the light can shine brightly. “you chose . . . to enjoy his light”: He’s telling them, Look, you were fascinated by John. You went down to the Jordan to hear him preach. His words convicted you. [Mt 5:3-7; Jn 3:23] But John was speaking about me. So, if you “enjoyed” the light John shone on you, that light spoke of me. Why don’t you accept me if you accepted John? I am the way to salvation—not John. And he told you that. 5:36 (3:2.) Nicodemus told Jesus, “we know you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.” 5:37 (1:33.) When John baptized Jesus, God told John the Baptist exactly who Jesus was. 5:39-40 Knowledge, alone, is not enough. We need knowledge and faith to be saved. 5:43 “‘you will accept him’”: Throughout the OT and NT, the Jews had a weakness of embracing false prophets. Someone who is charismatic comes along, tells people what they want to hear, and pretends to be Messiah, and people fall all over him. [Ac 5:36-37]

69

Andrew K. Wong

But when the true Messiah comes, the Jews don’t listen. 5:44 Why is it that the Jews listen to false prophets? In general, why is it that people are seduced by false Messiahs? Because false prophets and false Messiahs are highly skilled at flattery. Praising you is the easiest way to seduce you. (5:14.) This also sheds some light about the man who was healed by the Pools of Bethesda. What was his sin? Not wanting praise from God and wanting praise from men. 5:45-47 Did Moses ever speak about the Lord Jesus? Not in those words. (See Lk 24:44-45.) But everything in the Old Testament speaks of Jesus. The Jews can’t see that because they’ve missed the forest for the trees. But there were Jews who correctly interpreted the Scriptures. For example, one of Jesus’ Disciples: Philip. (See 1:44-45.) Knowledge is very important for faith. And that’s why we spend so much time studying the Scriptures so that our knowledge and faith will be deeper. 6:1 “far shore”: [BLR] The east side of the Sea of Galilee. The “Sea of Tiberias” is an alternate name for the Sea of Galilee, because Tiberias is the largest city in that area. It still is. During our 2017 Israel Trip, all the hotels for tourists are in Tiberias. 6:2 Make a mental note of this: Jesus never trusts the large crowds that follow Him because all they want to see are miracles. 6:4 Here is another time marker. This is another Passover that John mentions. Jesus has been in public ministry for two years already, and now He is beginning His third year. 6:5 “said to Philip”: This is a geographical clue. Why does Jesus ask Philip where to buy food? Because Philip knows the area.

70

Andrew K. Wong

Where is Philip from? (See 1:44.) Bethsaida. [BLR] Notice that Bethsaida is a little out of the way from the other towns. 6:6 The miracle that is about to happen is mentioned in all four Gospels. But, none of the three Synoptic Gospels mention that Jesus was testing Philip. That’s why John mentions this miracle again, to fill in some detail that only he can provide. 6:7 Philip was being honest, but he flunked the test. 6:8 Andrew (like Philip) is also a native of Bethsaida. Andrew is on the right track. 6:9 Andrew knows Bethsaida and he knows there is no way this crowd can be fed. So, he works the crowd and finds one person with food: this little boy whose mother packed a lunch for him. As a lunch, it’s not much. But the people of this area aren’t well-to-do—they’re either farmers or fishermen. “small barley loaves”: About the cheapest type of bread you can find. “two small fish”: Don’t think tilapia or salmon; think sardines. The Greek word means fish to accompany the bread and not bread to accompany the fish. Today, this would just be an appetizer at your local Mediterranean restaurant. “‘but how far will they go among so many?’”: Good question. Humanly speaking, it’s impossible to feed so many people on so little. 6:10 “‘sit down’”: (Gk) recline. People didn’t sit down for a meal; they reclined on cushions. “plenty of grass”: (Gk) the green grass of a meadow. An idyllic picture. Here, you have a mob of 15,000 hungry people. But Jesus is the Good Shepherd who makes His sheep lay down on the green grass, where they will be fed and happy. The green grass is also a time marker. (6:4.) It’s Passover, and Passover is always in the springtime. Around the hills overlooking the Sea of Galilee, springtime is when there is green grass.

71

Andrew K. Wong

“five thousand of them”: If there are 5,000 men, then there are about 5,000 women and 5,000 children. About 15,000 people in this crowd sounds right. 6:11 The Lord Jesus takes this small appetizer of five loaves are two fish, gives thanks for it, distributes it, and it is more than enough for 15,000 people. There is a lesson in this. We do not have the resources to meet the world’s needs. But if we give the few resources that we have and commit them to the Lord, He will make our gifts more than enough. 6:12 “had enough to eat”: (Gk) Everyone was not only full, but they thoroughly enjoyed the food. Jesus somehow turned a dull meal of barley loaves and small fish into a gourmet dinner. Only John gives us this detail. (2:10.) We saw this before at the wedding in Cana. Jesus turned water into vintage wine. “‘Let nothing be wasted’”: Jesus is abundant in His blessings and gifts. When He gives, there is always something leftover. There’s a lesson, in that, for us. When we give, we will never get poorer. Instead, we get richer. (Pr 11:24.) 6:14 “‘the Prophet’”: Who is the Prophet? (See 1:21.) They asked John the Baptist if he was the Prophet. John isn’t. (See Dt 18:15.) Yes, Jesus is the Prophet that Moses foretold 1,400 years ago. What else does Deuteronomy 18:15 say? “You must listen to him.” 6:15 Do the people listen to Jesus? No. They want to grab hold of Jesus, carry Him on their shoulders all the way to Jerusalem, storm the Temple Mount and make Him king. When you think about it, if we were in their shoes, we’d do the same. Jesus just fed 15,000 people from five loaves and two fish. Think about what else He could do. Eradicate poverty; eradicate homelessness; zero out our national debt; balance the budget; restore all trade imbalances with foreign nations; resolve the issue of immigration to everyone’s satisfaction; provide universal health care; jobs; find a cure for cancer. The list goes on and on—Jesus can do it all.

72

Andrew K. Wong

If Jesus was a candidate for POTUS, wouldn’t we vote Him into office? 6:16 They spent the afternoon on one of the hills on the east side of the Sea of Galilee. [BLR] That area is the Golan Heights. On your map, you can see that the Golan Heights is desolate compared to the west side of the Sea of Galilee. The water on the west side is warmer, and that’s where all the fish are. All the towns around the west side are fishing towns. 6:17 Jesus and the Disciples are some distance away from Bethsaida now, because they had to get away from the crowds. [BLR] From the east side, they need to sail west to Capernaum. This is harder to do than it sounds. [BLR] In the late afternoon and into the evening, the wind comes the Mediterranean to the west. It goes around Mount Carmel; sweeps across the Jezreel Valley, under the Nazareth Ridge; bisects Mount Tabor and Mount Arbel for a clear shot to the Sea of Galilee; and sweeps across the Sea of Galilee from 9:00 to 2:00 (about Magdala to Gergesa). The Disciples are sailing from about Gergesa to Capernaum. They are tacking into the wind at a 45 degree angle. When you tack into the wind, you can’t sail directly into the wind, or else your boat won’t move. You have to zig zag, which takes more time to get from Point A to Point B. 6:18 “waters grew rough”: (Gk) waters grew aroused—like waking up someone up. You’re snoring in bed, you don’t hear the alarm, you wake up with a start and realize you’re late for work, and then you’re rushing around the house to get ready. Or like a cup of water you heat in the microwave and it starts boiling after two minutes. John, the author of this Gospel, was a fisherman who sailed the Sea of Galilee every day. He uses a very picturesque image in describing the rough waters. 6:19 “three and a half miles”: [BLR] At its widest point, the Sea of Galilee is 8.1 miles wide. That’s from Magdala to Gergesa. But from between Bethsaida and Gergesa to Capernaum isn’t that far—5 miles should get you there.

73

Andrew K. Wong

But tacking into the wind and running a zig zag course, the Disciples are still far from shore. “they saw Jesus approaching”: The timing is crucial to understanding the context. (6:4.) It’s almost Passover. Passover (like Easter) is linked to the lunar cycle: Passover begins on the Friday, Easter is on the following Sunday. Easter is the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox. Which means in verse 19, there is a full moon or close to a full moon. “they were terrified”: It’s night time, it’s dark, and Jesus is walking on the water. In the moonlight, the Disciples see a silhouette of Jesus. The moonlight reflects off the water around Jesus, but Jesus is cast in the shadows. Jesus looks like a ghost. Of course, the Disciples are terrified. (Mt 14:26, “‘It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.”) 6:20 “‘It is I’”: At the moment, the Disciples are terrified. But when they recall this moment later, they realize Jesus said something very significant. (Gk) “I am.” Does this ring a bell? (See Ex 3:13-14.) God’s name is “I am.” 6:22 Jesus walking on the water is the only miracle He does for Himself. Why did Jesus walk on the water? To get away from the crowd. The Disciples took the only boat, the crowd is camped out along the water’s edge, and Jesus wanted to go home. (Mk 6:48, “He was about to pass them by.”) Jesus wanted to get back to Capernaum so badly that He wasn’t even going to help the Disciples get home, first. 6:25 They find Jesus, but now they’re going to get more than they bargained for. 6:26 The crowd is divided into three groups. 1. People who want to hear Jesus preach about the Kingdom of God. These people are comparatively few and these are the people Jesus wants. 2. People who want to see or experience miracles. More people fall into this category, but Jesus wants them to believe in His words and not just in the miracles. [4:48] 3. People who care nothing about the miracles, but who just want to be fed.

74

Andrew K. Wong

The majority of the people are these: the ones without faith and who just want handouts. 6:27 Jesus is always pushing people to care about spiritual things. 6:28 You can’t do anything to get into heaven. 6:29 The only way to get to heaven is through faith: believing and not doing. Good works comes after faith. 6:30 This is the trouble with people like this: it’s “what have you done for me, lately?” Jesus has done a lot of miracles. And, just yesterday, He fed this crowd of 15,000 from five loaves and two fish. 6:31 The crowd is saying to Jesus, “If you really are the Son of Man, then you’ll do better than Moses. Moses gave us manna from heaven, so you’ve got to do better than that. Show us what you’ve got.” 6:32-33 The manna spoke of Christ. Manna gave life in the desert, where there should have been death. It began in Exodus 16 and ended at Joshua 5:10. That’s 40 years that God provided bread from heaven for His people—every morning (except on the Sabbath). It provided all the nutrients they needed. They never got scurvy or any nutritional deficiency. 6:34 “‘from now on give us this bread’”: (Gk) “Always.” “Always give us this bread.” The day before, this crowd enjoyed the a gourmet meal of all the bread and fish they could eat. These are not rich people—they’re farmers and fishermen. This was probably one of the rare times they could eat all they wanted. They’re saying to Jesus: Look, pal. You want us to believe that you are the Son of Man. We don’t believe that you are the Son of Man. But you did feed 15,000 of us yesterday. That’s a good start. Show us more. Like Moses in the wilderness. Moses gave our forefathers bread from heaven every day for 40 years. So, if you say that you’re greater than Moses, then why don’t you give us bread every day just like Moses did? 6:35 “‘I am the bread of life’”: Jesus says, “Okay, you want bread for life. I’ll give you bread for life because I am the bread of life.” This is the first of the “I am” declarations.

75

Andrew K. Wong

Jesus will make other six other “I am” declarations later, for example, “I am the light of the world,” “I am the good shepherd.” [8:12; 10:7, 9; 10:11; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1, 5] “‘go hungry . . . be thirsty’”: Hunger and thirst are metaphors for the human need to know God. That’s what manna in the desert teaches. The only way to satisfy our hunger and thirst is the Lord Jesus Christ. 6:37 “‘I will never drive away’”: Once you’ve made that decision to come to Christ, your salvation is secure—forever. You cannot lose your salvation. Once saved, always saved. 6:39 Once saved, always saved. (10:11.) Later, Jesus will say, “I am the good shepherd.” The Good Shepherd goes out with 100 sheep and comes back with all 100 sheep. 6:41-42 Jesus can’t win, no matter what He does. The day before, He fed 15,000. The Jews say, “Well, that was just one day. Try feeding us every day for 40 years (like Moses), and then we might believe you.” Jesus says, “I am the bread of life.” The Jews say, “No way. You’re the son of Joseph and Mary. We know you. You didn’t come from heaven.” 6:49-51 The manna was bread from heaven, but it wasn’t Jesus. You ate it and it sustained you for one day. But manna pointed to the bread of life. Jesus is the bread of life who gives eternal life. The greatest need of humanity isn’t physical food—it’s Jesus. 6:51 “‘This bread is my flesh’”: (1:14.) The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. 6:54 The images here will be fulfilled in violence. At the Cross, His body was broken and His blood poured out for us. 6:56 This language is figurative. His flesh and blood are spiritual food for us that gives us eternal life. 6:57 One God can give eternal life. God the Father gives us eternal life through Jesus the Son. Otherwise, there is no other way to live forever.

76

Andrew K. Wong

6:58 Everything in the OT spoke of Jesus. The manna spoke of Jesus: manna was bread from heaven; Jesus is the bread of life. 6:60 Jesus had many disciples besides the Twelve. Even they have trouble digesting this. “‘a hard teaching’”: (Gk) scandalous; a stumbling block; a deal breaker. There is no two ways about this: either Jesus is the Messiah or a lunatic. And if the Jews accept that Jesus is Messiah, then the Jews have to accept a couple of other things: (1) You can’t get to heaven just because you’re Jewish; (2) Moses can’t get you into heaven—which means you have to unlearn a lot of what you’ve been taught in the synagogues; (3) This fellow Jesus says He’s greater than Moses; (4) Jesus implies that there will be some violence done to Him—so if you’re into making Him an earthly king, you might be disappointed; (5) In the Book of Leviticus [17:10-14], God told the people not to eat an animal’s blood because the life of the creature is in the blood. Now, Jesus says that unless you eat His flesh and drink His blood, you do not have eternal life. But that’s what we do as Christians. The manna from heaven sustained the people for 40 years until they got to the Promised Land. The body and blood of Christ sustain us in our pilgrimage until we reach the Promised Land of heaven. 6:62 This will happen in Acts 1. 6:63 (1:1.) Jesus was the Word and the Word was God. 6:64 This is a veiled reference to Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve who will betray Jesus. 6:65-66 Question: Would it have been easier to believe in Jesus if we lived in the 1st century A.D. and got to hear Him preach and see His miracles? It would have been such a privilege to follow Him around the Sea of Galilee and watch Him perform miracles, wouldn’t it? And even be on the receiving end of His healing and eating our full of the loaves and fish on the hillside near Bethsaida, right? This verse says no. Incredibly, signs and miracles don’t build up your faith if you don’t believe what Jesus says.

77

Andrew K. Wong

All the miracles in the world cannot pierce a hard heart. Jesus starts to lose many disciples right here in Capernaum, even though these people have seen it all. Only God can take a heart of stone and turn it into a heart of flesh. God reaches out to us; we either respond in kind or we reject Him; but if we respond, God will give us the faith to believe. 6:67 This is a tough moment. Jesus is a wonder worker, the Master Teacher, the Incarnate Son of God, and people are getting up and leaving because they don’t like His preaching. The pews are emptying until it’s only the Twelve who are left. (This should encourage every pastor of a small church—it’s not because of you that your church is small—it’s them.) “‘You do not want to leave too, do you?’”: In the Greek, the way Jesus phrases this question assumes that the answer will be “no.” He knows the Twelve won’t leave Him, but He wants them to show commitment. 6:68-69 Peter speaks with a passion that’s clear in the Greek but not in our English translations. The words “You” and “We” are emphasized. “You have the words of life and we believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” Peter and the Twelve don’t understand everything Jesus said. Their theology isn’t perfect; they have questions and doubts. But that’s okay. They know Jesus is eternal life. 6:70-71 It’s John’s Gospel that gives us the dynamic between Jesus and Judas. The Disciples don’t know who Jesus is talking about (yet), but they will later. Question: Jesus has finished two years of public ministry and He has one more year to go. Judas won’t betray Jesus until after the Last Supper. But in the synagogue of Capernaum, Jesus stares at Judas and calls him out. Why do you think Jesus does this? [Ask] Perhaps, to give Judas time to repent. Judas will have a whole year to ponder Jesus’ words and the path that he is taking.

Clearly, John doesn’t like Judas, but giving us detail about when Judas starts to go bad is illuminating.

78

Andrew K. Wong

When Jesus chose the Twelve, every single one of them was worthy of being called a Disciple. In Luke 6, Jesus spends one whole night praying on a mountain about who the Twelve should be. In the morning, God gives Jesus the answer. Judas makes the cut. That means Judas was Disciple-worthy—just as worthy as Peter, Andrew, James and John. When we get to the end of John 6, Judas has already turned bad. Two years into Jesus’ three year ministry, something has happened to Judas. He’s not beyond the point of no return (yet), or else Jesus would not be trying to warn him off. But Judas is getting there. What happened? How did it start? We won’t answer that question now. But suffice to say that sin has taken solid root in Judas. Sin is a slippery slope of small sins. In Judas’ case, it’s greed—we will learn that in chapter 12. You commit a small sin—no one notices, no harm done. That makes it easier to commit the next small sin. It becomes a habit—Satan’s got his foot in the door to your heart. Then you commit a big sin. And another one. Until Satan is sleeping in the guest room in your heart. 7:1 Being that far north in Galilee gives Jesus time and space to build His ministry. It would have been much different if Jesus was based His ministry out of Jerusalem. 7:2 This is another time marker. The Feast of Tabernacles is always in the fall—between late September to late October. So, Jesus is now 2 years and about 6 months into His 3 years ministry. He has 6 more months to go. 7:3 “Jesus’ brothers”: (See Mk 6:3.) Jesus has four brothers: James, Joseph, Judas and Simon. 7:3-4 What kind of advice is this? There is disrespect in their voices. This is more like a taunt. Remember that Jesus lost many disciples at the end of chapter 6. “Hey, superstar! We noticed that you lost a couple of disciples.

79

Andrew K. Wong

Why don’t you go to Jerusalem do your miracles in front of the crowds at the Feast of Tabernacles so that you improve your reputation?” 7:5 Jesus never performed any miracles when He was growing up. His first miracle of turning water into wine happened when He was 30 years old. [Lk 3:23] Before that, Jesus grew up as any other blue collar construction worker in Nazareth. His four brothers find His sudden celebrity hard to take.33 7:6 “‘The right time for me has not yet come’”: Jesus has said something like this before. (See 2:4.) He said it to His mother and now He says it to His brothers. 7:7 “‘The world cannot hate you’”: His brothers don’t believe in Him, so there is no reason for the world to hate them. 7:10 His brothers leave; Jesus thinks about it; and then decides to go to Jerusalem. We’ve seen Jesus change His mind before.34 (2:4.) At the wedding in Cana, Jesus said to His mother, “My time has not yet come.” He says the same thing, here in verse 8: “the right time has not yet come.” Jesus leaves Galilee for Jerusalem, and He will not come back until after the Resurrection. 7:11 This is why Jesus was hesitant about going to Jerusalem. (7:1.) The Jews were watching for Jesus because they wanted to kill Him.35 They are also paranoid because the last time Jesus came for the Passover, He threw out the money changers and animal sellers. [2:13-16]

33 After the Resurrection, all four brothers become believers. (Ac 1:14.) 34 Some have criticized Jesus for being irresolute. For example, the third century Neoplatonist Porphyry (who wrote a fifteen volume work entitled, Against the Christians) said it was a mark of irresoluteness for Jesus to stay in Galilee and then change His mind to go to Jerusalem. But John’s point is that Jesus was determined to do the will of God. Jesus was resolved “not to run before the Father’s guidance nor yet to lag behind it.” (Bruce at 173.) 35 The Jews in Jerusalem did not have authority to arrest Jesus in Galilee. Galilee was under the tetrarch Herod Antipas’ jurisdiction. Jerusalem was under the Sanhedrin’s jurisdiction, subject to the Roman governor. (Bruce at 173.)

80

Andrew K. Wong

“Where is that guy who always comes here during a Festival and preaches and stirs up trouble?” 7:12-13 The people have to keep their voices down because the Jewish leadership is powerful. It’s much like you and your co-workers with your management. It’s much easier to whisper about your managers rather than say something you might get in trouble for. 7:14 The Feast of Passover lasts one week. 7:15 Jesus never studied with the great rabbis. For example, Paul studied with Gamaliel. Back then, the Jewish educational system provided basic, universal literacy for all boys and most girls. To be a people of the Book, you must know how to read. Everyone attended elementary school. That taught you how to read and write—basic literacy. One out of one hundred would go one to learn to read the Scriptures and rabbinical writings. That was their version of high school. “High school” took place at the feet of the local rabbi. One of these one hundred would travel to study with a more famous rabbi. That was their version of college. One of these one hundred would study with the most famous rabbis. That was their version of doctoral studies. Paul did that. He traveled from Tarsus to Jerusalem to study with Gamaliel. Jesus attended elementary school, but didn’t even go to “high school.” He never studied with the local rabbi or a famous rabbi. But His teaching surpasses anything the Jew have ever heard. And people are shocked. 7:16 Even the Lord Jesus doesn’t take credit for teaching—all glory goes to God. 7:19 “‘Why are you trying to kill me?’”: Moses gave the Law. The Ten Commandments are part of the Law. The Sixth Commandment is, “You shall not murder.”

81

Andrew K. Wong

Jesus sees the expressions on people’s faces; He hears their muttering about Him; He can see the Jewish leadership interspersed through the crowd, waiting for an opportunity to arrest Him. (7:8.) This is why Jesus hesitated in going to Jerusalem. It’s the fall, A.D. 31. Jesus will be crucified six months later in the springtime, on Passover, A.D. 32. Still, it’s worth preaching to the crowds, once again, so that some will come to faith in Him. 7:20 This same crowd will have no hesitation in killing Jesus in six months. 7:21 “I did one miracle, and all of you are in a tizzy.” I healed one lame man at the Pools of Bethesda, and you are up in arms because I broke the Sabbath.” 7:22 “(though actually it did not come from Moses)”: This is a technicality, but one that the Jews have forgotten. Circumcision started with Abraham, not Moses. (Ge 17.) But Moses was the one who codified circumcision in Leviticus. [Lev 12] 7:23 When a Jewish baby boy is 8 days old, circumcision is injuring the poor boy by cutting off his foreskin. Yet, the Jews criticize Jesus for healing on the Sabbath. 7:24 This rift about healing on the Sabbath began in chapter 5. All three Synoptic Gospels track the conflict between the Jews and Jesus about the interpretation of the Sabbath. The Jews have their tradition, with all their regulations about what you can and can’t do on the Sabbath. Jesus heals people on the Sabbath, like the lame man at the Pool of Bethesda in chapter 5. But this really isn’t about the Sabbath; it’s about power. The power to tell you how to run your life; how to run your business; how to run your family life on Saturdays. And if you don’t fall in line, the Jews will exclude you from the community. Who do you follow? The Jews (like everyone else)? Or Jesus? 7:26 The Jewish leadership will not be able to kill Jesus until Jesus lets them. Jesus isn’t ready to die yet. 7:27 “‘But we know where this man is from’”: Well, they think they know, but they don’t know. They think Jesus is from Nazareth, but He’s not.

82

Andrew K. Wong

“‘no one will know where he is from’”: Really? Where does the Bible say that Messiah will come from? (Mic 5:2.) Bethlehem. 7:28 “‘Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from’”: There is anger and sarcasm in Jesus’ voice. These people don’t know a thing about Jesus.36 “‘You do not know him’”: If you really knew God, you would know me, because you can’t come to the Father except through me. 7:30 “his time had not yet come”: Jesus will die when He is good and ready to die. That will be in six months, but not now. Otherwise, no one can touch Jesus until He lets them. 7:31 “‘When the Christ comes, will he do more miraculous’”: (Gk) This question anticipates that the answer is “no.” “When the Christ comes, he can’t do more miraculous signs than this man, right?” So, Jesus has to be the Christ because He’s doing miracles than no one else can do. The miracles are His credentials as Messiah. (Isa 35:5-6.) Making the blind to see; the deaf to hear; the lame to walk; the mute to speak. Yes, Jesus cares about the blind, the deaf, the lame, the mute. But, the primary reason He does miracles is to show His credentials as Messiah. 7:32 (7:30.) Back in verse 30, it was the Jewish leadership that surrounded Jesus and wanted to grab Jesus. But they couldn’t do it—Jesus has the crowd on His side. Remember that after Jesus fed the 15,000 from five loaves and two fish, the crowd want to make Jesus king by force. (6:15.) The Synoptic Gospels say that the Jews were afraid to arrest Jesus because, if they did, the people would riot. [Mt 26:5; Mk 14:2] Now, the Jewish leadership hears the crowd whispering that Jesus is the Messiah, and that’s too much for them. They send in the temple guards (LAPD) to put Jesus in handcuffs. Jesus sees them coming with the guns and badges and handcuffs. He looks straight at them and starts preaching again.

36 Some English translations place a question mark after the sentence: “You know me and you know where I am from?”

83

Andrew K. Wong

7:33 “‘a short time’”: Six more months, and then Jesus will be crucified. 7:34 After Jesus is crucified, He will be resurrected, He will appear to His Disciples and to many other people, and then He will ascend into heaven. 7:35 [BLR Chronology] Over 600 years ago—586 B.C., to be precise—King Nebuchadnezzar of the Babylonian Empire captured Jerusalem and destroyed it. The Jews who survived were either taken hostage to Babylon or they fled to distant lands. In 331 B.C., Alexander the Great conquers this land. Alexander was a shrewd, benevolent conqueror. He let you manage your own affairs in exchange for you learning Greek language and culture. Hellenism spreads quickly. The Jews who fled to distant lands and the Jews who stayed, know Greek. The New Testament is proof of that, because it’s written in Greek. Paul and Luke write the best Greek. Even the Twelve Disciples wrote Greek. Peter knew Greek—not outstanding Greek, but good enough to write 1 and 2 Peter. Matthew’s Gospel is in Greek. John wrote five books of the NT in Greek, including this Gospel. 7:36 While the Jews are arguing amongst themselves, Jesus turns around and walks away. (7:32.) Why didn’t the temple guards arrest Him? Hold on to that thought. 7:37 “On the last . . . day”: Jesus comes back. “‘If anyone is thirsty’”: Jesus has spoken about living water before, but why does He do it now? The Feast of Tabernacles lasts eight days. On the last day, the priests circle the altar seven times and then pour out water. Then they sing Psalms and recite the Scriptures. One passage they recite is Zechariah 14. (See Zec 14:8.) Jesus waits for the priests to pour out the water and read Zechariah 14:8, and then He speaks. 7:39 The Holy Spirit will come in Acts 2.

84

Andrew K. Wong

7:40 Here are the reactions to Jesus. “the Prophet”: (Dt 18:15.) 7:43 People are right about Messiah coming from Bethlehem, but Jesus’ origins are shrouded in mystery. They think they know Jesus, but they really don’t. 7:44 Again, why is it that the temple guards are afraid to arrest Jesus? 7:45 “Finally, the temple guards went back”: The temple guards have the handcuffs ready, and they wait, and wait, and wait. And then they can’t pull the trigger. They turn around and head back to their offices. 7:46 Why didn’t they arrest Jesus? Because they were fascinated by His preaching—they were utterly captivated. They were hanging on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. These guards provided security at the Temple every day. They’ve heard lots of rabbis teaching in the Temple courts. But Jesus isn’t like anyone else. Verse 46 reads, literally: “Never spoke like this a man.” No human being ever spoke like Jesus. With authority, power, passion. (1:1.) Jesus is the Word. This is also why Jesus was so popular with the crowds: they loved His preaching. Back then, they didn’t have movies or television or iPads or the Internet. For entertainment, people went out to listen to good public speakers. A good speaker not only entertained you, but educated you. Think of it like us watching the news every night. 7:49 “‘No!’”: Actually, they’re wrong. There is a ruler who is a member of the Sanhedrin who believes in Jesus. We saw him in chapter 3 and we’ll see him in the next verse. “‘there is a curse on them’”: This verse is a window into the dynamic between the crowds and the Jewish leadership. The leaders need the people to support them. But they also despise the crowds because didn’t observe the Mosaic Law as strictly as they do. And anyone who doesn’t do as the leaders do is unclean and cursed because they are unclean.

85

Andrew K. Wong

7:50-51 Nicodemus speaks up and the Pharisees turn on him like a pack of wolves. In chapter 3, we read about Nicodemus coming to Jesus at night time to have a chat. The question has always been: Why did Nicodemus see Jesus at night? Was it because Nicodemus was afraid of the Jews? Or did he just want some privacy? Here, we see that Nicodemus is not a coward. So, it seems that Nicodemus spoke to Jesus at night because he wanted privacy. 7:52 “‘Are you from Galilee, too?’”: Nicodemus, you’re not an ignorant country bumpkin like the rest of Jesus’ followers, are you? “‘a prophet does not come from Galilee’”: Wrong again. Jonah, the OT prophet who was swallowed by the big fish, was from Galilee. (2Ki 14:25.) Nahum was from Capernaum (Kafar-Nahum = “Nahum’s village”). Hosea. Maybe, even Elijah, Elisha and Amos.

7:53-8:11 In many of our Bibles, these verses are marked with brackets. There is a question whether this pericope was originally part of John’s Gospel. Most scholars believe that this was inserted later after John died. I’m not so sure—I think that John wrote this (but we’ll talk about that later). There are three reasons why scholars don’t believe John wrote this.37 First, the pericope is not in many of the oldest, most reliable manuscripts. The manuscripts that include this pericope mark it with asterisks, indicating that the scribes had some doubt that it belonged in the Gospel. Second, none of the early Church Fathers mentions this pericope. Third, the writing style and vocabulary of this pericope is different from the rest of John’s Gospel. So, why is this pericope in our Bibles? One reason: it has the ring of truth. It is consistent with what Jesus would say and do. This pericope was a piece of oral tradition that circulated among the churches and was added to the Gospel.

37 Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament, 2nd edition. Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft (1994), 187-189.

86

Andrew K. Wong

So, whether we believe this pericope was originally part of John’s Gospel or not, we see Jesus in these verses. 8:1 The Feast of Tabernacles is over. After Jesus speaks to the crowds, he goes to his favorite place in Jerusalem, the Mount of Olives, which is a place of prayer and meditation for Him. [BLR] 8:2 “he sat down to teach them”: We’re going to track Jesus’ body motions in this story. 8:3 “a woman caught in adultery”: (Gk) The word could mean “woman,” or a “married woman,” or a “newly married woman”—a bride fresh off the altar. Keep these nuances in mind as we go along. “They made her stand before the group”: The crowd listening to Jesus is standing; the woman is standing in front of them; and Jesus is sitting behind her. 8:5 “‘Now what do you say?’”: (Gk) “You” is emphasized. Moses said to stone her to death. But, you—you who claim to be from God—what do you say? Let’s stop here for a second, because there are some irregularities about this scenario. First, it takes two to tango. So, if this married woman was caught in bed with another man, where is the man? Why didn’t the Pharisees also bring the man who was caught in adultery? Second, Mosaic Law demands that both the adulterer and the adulteress be stoned to death. [Lev 20:10; Dt 22:22] Again, where is the man? If the Pharisees are going to stone this woman to death, they should also stone the man to death. Third, if this woman was married (or newly married), why isn’t her husband there—whether he supports or condemns her? Or is he complicit in what will happen? 8:6 This is the real reason why the Pharisees are doing this: they’re not concerned about justice; they just want to make Jesus look bad. Jesus can’t win. If He says, “Let her go,” then He is not obeying Mosaic Law. If He says, “Stone her to death,” then the crowd will think that Jesus is cruel.

87

Andrew K. Wong

The setting of this scene is also unusual. The crowd is gathered all around; Jesus is sitting down in front of them; the woman is standing in between. And, what is she wearing (by the way)? (8:2.) It’s just after dawn. Which means, the Jews were staking out this woman as she was in bed with another man; they barge into the bedroom in a dawn raid; drag her out and she’s probably still wrapped in the bedsheet. The Feast of Tabernacles is always in the fall; Jerusalem is a city on hill—2,474 feet above sea level; it’s cold at that altitude and time of day and year. So, the woman’s probably half-naked, disheveled, and shivering in the cold—all in front of this crowd of strangers. The men in the crowd are ogling her. The Pharisees have humiliated her just to get at Jesus. “But Jesus bent down”: Jesus was sitting and looking at the Jews and this woman. Now, He leans forward so that He is looking at the ground. “started to write on the ground”: What was He writing? Who knows? Whatever it was, it’s not important, because this is what’s happening. Everyone in the crowd was staring at the woman. She’s half-undressed, disheveled, crying, miserable. Now, everyone is bending forward, trying to see what Jesus is writing on the ground. Jesus has taken their eyes off the woman and put them on Him. 8:7 “kept on questioning him”: (Gk) Imperfect tense, which is continuing action. They wouldn’t stop questioning Jesus. They kept asking Him, “Moses said this. What do you say? Are you going contradict Mosaic Law?” “he straightened up”: Notice how Jesus milks the moment. He lets them barrage Him with questions for a while, and then He stands up. Why does He do that? So that all their attention is directly fully on Him and not on the woman. They were focused on His finger writing on the ground. Their gaze was directed below the woman. Now, when Jesus stands up, they are still focused on Him. Their gaze is directed behind the woman at Jesus.

88

Andrew K. Wong

She must have been relieved that everyone is now staring at Jesus instead of at her. 8:8 Now, two things are happening. First, their attention is still focused on Jesus (and not on the woman). Second, their attention is being directed toward themselves. They were staring at the woman; then they were staring at Jesus; and now they are staring into their own souls. 8:9 And when they stare into their souls, they don’t like what they see. “the older ones first, until only Jesus was left”: Jesus doesn’t look up to see them leave. He’s looking down at the ground and writing. 8:10 “straightened up”: Jesus stands up and looks at the woman. “‘Woman, where are they?’”: Jesus never looked up to see where they went. He has to ask her where they went. 8:11 She is forgiven, but she must turn her life around. “‘leave your life of sin’”: This affair had been going on for awhile and it was public knowledge. That’s how the Jews caught her in the act. They knew when and where it would happen. But this was also a setup. The Jews used her as bait to trap Jesus. Where was the man she was sleeping with? Why didn’t the Jews bring him to Jesus, like they brought her? Maybe he was part of this conspiracy. Whatever the case may be, her sin is laid bare before Jesus. He forces her to confront it. Their sin is also laid bare before Him. He confronts them with their hypocrisy and they must acknowledge that they are sinners, too, just like she is. We said earlier that many scholars don’t believe John wrote these verses. I disagree—I think that John did. I think that John’s fingerprints are all over the text. The simple, clear, powerful storytelling. The subtlety. The narrative tension. All of these are hallmarks of John’s writing.

89

Andrew K. Wong

Still, whether you think John wrote it or someone else after John wrote it, we see why these verses are here. We see Jesus. Jesus jumps out of the pages and stands before us. We see Him sitting down, teaching. When we sin, when we falter yet again, when we are covered in shame and guilt, when the eyes of Satan and our accusers are fixated on us, we turn around and we see Jesus calmly sit behind us, bend down, and write with His finger. We feel the eyes of our enemies being averted from us and onto Jesus. That gives us space to breath, to relax. We can’t see Jesus, but we feel His presence behind us, supporting us. The voices of our accusers now accuse Jesus instead of us. That creates space for us to recover our sanity and our dignity. We begin to understand how profound it is that Jesus took our sin upon Himself. And then Jesus silences the crowd; they walk away; and we are alone with Him. He looks at us and says, “I took your sins and placed them on me. Go, and sin no more.” And we walk away clean and restored—with hope and a second chance to make things right. That’s what it means to be a child of God. Jesus stooped down below us to take our sins away. When He rose from the dead, He met us face to face, standing up, at eye-level, meeting our gaze. Now, He sits at the right hand of God in heaven. Every time we fall, He holds out His hand to pull us back up. And one day, we will take His hand and join Him in heaven forever. 8:12 Here is the second “I am” statement: “I am the light of the world.” The first was 6:35, “I am the bread of life.” The context is important. During the Feast of Tabernacles, candles lit up Jerusalem at night, especially on the Temple Mount. People would be dancing in the streets with torches in hand. This light festival was one of the highlights of the Feast. Jesus takes that imagery and says, “I am the light—not only to Jerusalem—but to the entire world.” (See 1:4, 9.) 8:13 The Pharisees are referring to Mosaic Law.

90

Andrew K. Wong

Moses said that two witnesses are required to convict a man in court. [Dt 19:15] 8:14 Jesus is the Word, and the Word was with God. So, whatever Jesus says is the truth. 8:15 Jesus comes from heaven to earth twice. The first time, He came to save the world—not judge it. The second time He comes, it will be to judge. 8:18 The teachers of the law and the Pharisees miss the forest for the trees. Yes, Moses said that two witnesses are required. But Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law; the Mosaic Law speaks of Jesus. So, if you want two witnesses, there’s God the Father and Jesus the Son. Jesus is the Word, and the Word was with God. 8:19 “‘Where is your father?’”: This question is not as innocent as it seems. Remember who is asking the question: the teachers of the law. [8:3] Lawyers are sneaky yesterday, today and forever. Are they asking about Joseph? No. By this time, Joseph is probably dead because we don’t hear about him after Luke 2, when Jesus was 12 years old. So, what are the Jews talking about? Go back 32 years to Nazareth. Imagine that you are a reporter for The Nazareth Enquirer. Your job is to dig dirt on everyone, and in a small town like Nazareth, everyone knows everyone’s dirt. You interview the people of Nazareth. They swear that Mary was pregnant even before she and Joseph were married. They say that Mary was already showing when they got married and then Jesus popped out six months after the wedding. [Lk 1:56] They say that Joseph wasn’t the father of Jesus. Who knows who the father is? Maybe a Jewish guy; maybe a Roman soldier. You duly write the story and it’s on page five of the Nazareth Enquirer. As the years go by, you’ve forgotten you even wrote the article. But then, 30 years later, Jesus becomes a celebrity. And when people Google the name “Jesus” and they scroll down to the tenth page on their web browsers, they find the article you wrote. Now, that article is getting a lot of views.

91

Andrew K. Wong

So, when Jesus starts talking about His “Father,” who sent Him into the world, people are wondering who that “Father” is. Because it wasn’t Joseph, right? These rumors about Jesus’ birth will show up later in the chapter. “‘You do not know me or my Father’”: Jesus says, “I have news for you. I’m not who you think I am. So drop the snide remarks.” 8:20 “his time had not yet come”: This is the fourth time we’ve read this phrase. (2:4, 7:6, 7:30.) Jesus is driving the events. No one can touch Him unless He says so. 8:24 “‘you will indeed die in your sins’”: Jesus has said this twice already. The context is important. The Jewish leadership is there; the scribes; the teachers of the law. And Jesus is telling them, “You’re going to hell in a handcart.” That’s like telling your pastors, priests and seminary professors that they are going to hell. Imagine the reaction from those listening. 8:25 “‘Who are you?’”: The tone of this question is hostile. (Gk) “You” is emphasized. And you are who? Who are you to tell us that we’re going to hell? 8:26 “‘I have much to say in judgment of you’”: Jesus says this in the hope that the Jews will repent. That’s why He’s putting up with this abuse, so that some might be saved. The first time Jesus comes into the world is to save it. The next time He comes will be in judgment. 8:28 “‘lifted up the Son of Man’”: (3:14.) This is Jesus being lifted up on the cross to be crucified. 8:30 Jesus is in a heated argument with the religious leaders. But in the crowd, people are listening and believing in Him. 8:32 This is a famous verse. Does anyone know which United States government office has this verse inscribed into the wall of the lobby inside the entrance? The CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia. 8:33 Notice that in verse 31, Jesus is talking to the Jews who believe He is the Messiah. But the other Jews who don’t believe in Jesus argue with Him.

92

Andrew K. Wong

“‘never been slaves of anyone’”: Not true. The Jews were slaves in Egypt before the Exodus; they were slaves in Babylon. They don’t know who Jesus is, and they don’t really know themselves. 8:34 For all of us, we were once slaves to sin. 8:36 We put our faith in God. We move from slavery to freedom. God gives us rights as His children. 8:37 “‘you are Abraham’s descendants”: Yes, the Jews are literally descendants of Abraham. But Abraham is not their father. For the Jews who don’t believe in Christ, someone else is their father. 8:38 Believers have God as their father, but unbelievers have Satan as their father. 8:39 “‘Abraham is our father’”: Not true. 8:40 “‘Abraham did not do such things’”: Abraham never harmed a soul. Abraham was the one who entertained the three mysterious visitors in Genesis 18–one of whom happened to be God. So, there’s a big difference between the Jews and Abraham. 8:41 “‘your own father does’”: Satan is their father. “‘We are not illegitimate children’”: Here it is again—the attack on Jesus’ mysterious birth. (8:19.) The way this is phrased in Greek is insulting. (Gk) “We” is emphasized. The verse reads, literally: “We have not been born of fornication.” We—in contrast to you, Jesus—were not born of fornication. This is slinging mud. John is the only Gospel writer who records this. John was the last living Apostle. Maybe, that’s one of the reasons why Jesus gives Mary to John. At the foot of the cross, before He dies, Jesus tells John to take care of Mary. [Jn 19:26-27] Mary stays with John in Ephesus until she dies. During that time, John gets to know Mary very well. One of the things Mary told John about was the gossip about her virgin birth of Jesus. She had to deal with that for the rest of her life.

93

Andrew K. Wong

So, John weaves this into His Gospel. “‘The only Father we have is God himself’”: The Jews have that backwards. Only Jesus can say that His only Father is God.

8:44 Jesus is very clear: if God isn’t our Father, then our father is Satan. 8:48 “‘you are a Samaritan’”: This is another form of slander against Jesus. For two-and-a-half years, the Jews have dogged His every step, keeping a book on Him. His mysterious birth; His lack of education; the way He deceives the people by performing these miracles—which are just smoke and mirrors, really. Now, they say He is a Samaritan. He’s not Jewish—He’s a half-breed with the unclean, heathen Samaritans to the north. Where did they come up with this one? (See 4:4-10.) Word got around that Jesus spent two days with Samaritans. No good Jew does that. And, Jesus spoke intimately with a Samaritan woman. No good Jewish male does that. The only logical explanation is that Jesus must be half-Samaritan, Himself. Maybe Mary was with a Samaritan guy before Joseph married her. 8:56 Question: Abraham lived 1,900 years before Jesus. Did Abraham know anything about Jesus? In this verse, Jesus says that he did. Paul says the same thing. (See Gal 3:8.) When did God announce the Gospel to Abraham? (See Ge 22:1ff.) It’s been a while since we studied Genesis 22. When we did, it was with a different group. So, it’s worthwhile to take another look at Genesis 22, because it is one of the most important chapters in the Bible. 22:2 “‘your only son, Isaac, whom you love”: Note that. “‘Sacrifice him as a burnt offering’”: In the ANE, human sacrifice was common. But isn’t God different from all the other Canaanite gods?

94

Andrew K. Wong

God doesn’t demand human sacrifice, does He? And what about the covenant God made with Abraham? (12:2-3.) “I will make you into a great nation.” How is Abraham supposed to be a great nation if he kills Isaac? But Abraham is stuck; God has given him a direct order. 22:3 “early the next morning”: Abraham probably doesn’t get a wink of sleep. He’s been tossing and turning all night, and he dares not tell Sarah what God said to him. But Abraham gets up and prepares to obey God. “When he had cut enough wood”: Imagine the scene. It’s early morning. Abraham isn’t in the mood to eat breakfast. He’s out there chopping wood himself. He’s an old man now. He could have had one of his servants do it. But he does it himself. Need at least a cord of wood to build a fire big enough to roast a human being. 128 cubic feet. Maybe a pile of wood 4x4x8. He cuts all the wood himself; doesn’t want any help and it takes a while. And Isaac and the others have got to be wondering: what’s up with Dad this morning? And Abraham is not saying anything to anyone. Just the sound of the axe chopping into the wood. 22:4 From verse 3 to verse 4, not a word is spoken. Abraham doesn’t speak to Isaac or to the servants. Not even at night when they make camp. Isaac is thinking: something is really wrong with Dad. 22:5 “said to his servants”: Finally, after three days, Abraham says something. He chooses his words carefully. “‘We will come back to you”: Really? “We,” as in Abraham and Isaac? Isn’t Isaac supposed to die? 22:6 “placed it on his son Isaac”: Here’s the first clue we have about how old Isaac is. He’s not a child or a teenager. He’s strong enough to carry the entire cord of wood.

95

Andrew K. Wong

Which means he’s a grown man in the prime of his physical strength. How old is Isaac? Think about that and we’ll come back to it. 22:8 In the Hebrew, the grammar is ambiguous. You can’t tell if the sentence supposed to read: (1) “God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son”; or (2) “God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, which is my son.” 22:9 “the place God had told him about”: That place is Mount Moriah. It’s the highest point in Jerusalem (today), at 2,474 feet above sea level. King Solomon will later build the Temple on Mount Moriah—right over the spot where God told Abraham to kill Isaac. 22:11 “The angel of the Lord”: Who is this? The pre-incarnate Lord Jesus Christ. Note this conversation between the pre-incarnate LJC and Abraham. 22:12 “‘your only son’”: Note that. 22:14 (22:8.) Abraham said that God would provide a “lamb.” God provides a ram instead of a lamb. But, at the cross, God will provide a lamb as the sacrifice. 22:16 “‘your only son’”: Note that, again. 22:19 During this episode, when did God announce the Gospel to Abraham? First, let’s note the similarities between Isaac and Jesus. (1) Isaac and Jesus are the only sons of their fathers. (2) Both births were promised. Isaac: Gen 12:2; Jesus: Isa 7:14 (3) Long interval between the promise and the birth. Isaac: 25 years; Jesus: >600 years. (4) The promise of both births was incredible. Sarah laughed; Mary: “how can this be?” (5) Both were named before their births. Isaac: “laughter”; Jesus: the angel Gabriel tells Mary to call the baby Jesus. (6) Both were born at the time God chose. (7) Both births were miraculous. Sarah: 90 years old; Mary: a virgin. (8) Both were great joys to their fathers. Abraham: named Isaac “he laughs.” God: “this is my Son, in whom I am well pleased” (9) Both sons were obedient.

96

Andrew K. Wong

Jesus until death. Isaac almost until death. (10) Both carried the wood on their shoulders. Isaac carried the cord of word for the burnt offering. Jesus carried the cross. (11) In light of the similarities between Isaac and Jesus, so far, how old do you think Isaac in Genesis 22? 33 years old—the same age as Jesus was when He was crucified. (12) Both experienced resurrection. Jesus: after three days. Isaac: (see Heb 11:1-2, 8-12, 17-19.) 11:1-2 Notice that the challenge of faith is the same for Abraham and us. 11:8 Abraham traveled from Ur of the Chaldeans in modern day Iraq to the land of Canaan—that’s over 1,000 miles. 11:9 Abraham wasn’t always a Bedouin. He gave up a nice big house in Ur to live in tents in Canaan because God wanted him to. 11:12 There it is again. Through Isaac, Abraham will be a great nation. 11:17-19 How was Abraham able to obey God? Abraham is wrestling with two contradictory commands from God. a) Through Isaac will come your offspring. b) Kill Isaac. Abraham thinks about it: “I know God. I know God always does what He promises. I know God said all humanity will be blessed through Isaac. God also said, ‘sacrifice Isaac.’ So, the only way this can happen is by resurrection. If Isaac has to die, God will resurrect Isaac. Jesus had to die, and God raised Him from the dead. Our original question was: when did God reveal the Gospel to Abraham? Those three days traveling from Beersheba to Mount Moriah. Abraham prayed every step of the way. He’s having a crisis of faith. But, he commits this crisis into God’s hands. And God—slowly but surely—reveals the Gospel.

97

Andrew K. Wong

Abraham has worked it out in his head. If God says salvation will come through Isaac, then it will. Some way, some how, it will—even if it means Isaac will be resurrected from the dead. And after the angel of the Lord stays Abraham’s hand from killing Isaac, Abraham understands how God will save the world. But unlike Abraham, God will not save His Son. 8:56 So, when did Abraham rejoice at the thought of seeing Jesus’ day? In Genesis 22, when the pre-incarnate Lord Jesus Christ stayed Abraham’s hand just as Abraham was about to kill Isaac and when God revealed the Gospel to Abraham. 8:57 Jesus not only saw Abraham, but spoke to him, too. 8:58 Jesus says, “I’m going to tell you a little secret. 1,900 years ago, I saw Abraham on Mount Moriah when he was about to kill Isaac. And I spoke to him, too. But before that, I was the Word and the Word was with God and I was with God in the beginning.” If Jesus said these exact words, that would have been bad enough. But Jesus says something even more provocative than that. What did Jesus say? “I am.” That’s what truly ticks them off. Just two words. What’s so bad about, “I am”? (See Ex 3:11-15.) 3:14 God’s name is, “I am.” That’s what Jesus called Himself—“I am.” He’s calling Himself God. 9:1 Jesus leaves the Temple area. But just outside the Temple grounds is a blind beggar. And what better place is there to beg than near the Temple with its heavy traffic? 9:2 It’s common to think that when you suffer tragedy, God is punishing you for something. But this man was born blind. Whose fault is that? 9:3 “‘Neither . . . sinned’”: It’s no one’s fault. In a fallen world, bad things happen.

98

Andrew K. Wong

Besides, in the Bible, God says that each person is accountable for their own sin. You are never punished for someone else’s sin. [Dt 24:16; Ezk 18:20; Jer 31:30; Mt 16:27] “‘displayed in his life’”: Bad things may happen, but they are an opportunity for God to show His hand. 9:5 “‘I am the light of the world’”: This is the second time Jesus says this. [8:12] This man born blind has never seen light before. 9:6 “and put it on the man’e eyes”: It’s not as gross as it sounds. (Gk) Anoint. What was the purpose of mixing mud with saliva? And then rubbing on the man's eyes? Hang on to that thought for a minute. 9:7 Question: why mud and saliva? Think about that for a few minutes. On our Israel tour in 2017, the Pool of Siloam was on our itinerary. The water for the Pool of Siloam was channeled through Hezekiah's tunnel from the Gihon Spring. “Siloam” is a Hebrew word that means “to send.” Think of it as the water being “sent” by the spring through the channel into the pool. The Pool of Siloam was similar to the Pool of Bethesda (in chapter 5). The water in both was used for sacred purposes (baptizing Jewish converts, for the Feast of Tabernacles). Notice that Jesus "sends" the man to the Pool of Siloam. It’s a play on words. And this man has to walk to the Pool of Siloam. We don't know how far it was. But whatever the distance, it was a journey of faith, because he couldn't see yet. And Jesus didn’t tell him what would happen after he washed. Jesus just says, “Go and wash in the Pool.” That's harder then it seems. This man probably was not privy to the conversation Jesus and the Disciples were having about him being blind. But now, he has a choice: do what Jesus says or don't do it. There’s no reason why; it’s an order.

99

Andrew K. Wong

He takes that leap of faith and is rewarded for it. Back to the question I asked: why mud and saliva?

I have a theory. Mud is dirty. Mud is water and dirt mixed together. Saliva is unclean. Saliva is a bodily fluid. Jesus is using the two dirtiest things He can find to make this man clean. Isn't this all about making good things come out of bad things? Turning unclean to clean; weakness to strength. God likes doing that. Another theory (one posited by some of the church Fathers) is that this alludes to Genesis 2:7, when God created Adam from the dust of the ground. 9:8 Everyone knew this man, because beggars works the same spots on the street. 9:11 STEP ONE: “The man they call Jesus.” This is the beginning of the man’s journey of faith in Christ. There are four steps in his journey, and this is the first. He says, “the man they call Jesus.” This man was blind from birth. All he’s ever known was pitch black darkness. Now, Jesus is about to light up his world. At one time, we were blind, too. All we ever knew was the darkness of sin. 9:12 “‘I don’t know’”: The key word in this chapter is “know.” Let’s see how this plays out. 9:16 “So they were divided”: The world has always been confused about Jesus. Sin has corrupted the world’s capacity to reason Without faith, it is impossible to come to Him. 9:17 “‘He is a prophet’”: STEP TWO. He recognizes that Jesus is extraordinary and divine. By the way, he is the second person to call Jesus a prophet. The first was the Samaritan woman. (4:19.) 9:20 “‘we know he was born blind’”: Before God comes into our lives, the only thing we know is darkness.

100

Andrew K. Wong

9:20-23 At some point in our lives, we have to make a decision for Christ. It can’t come from our parents, or culture, or background. Often, the decision is made against resistance from the world. The world despises Jesus and encourages us to do the same. But Jesus demands that we choose either the world or Him. 9:24 “‘We know this man is a sinner’”: The Jews know the Law, they know the Scriptures. But all that knowledge doesn’t do them any good if they conclude that Jesus is a sinner. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law. [Lk 24:27, 44] So, what do the Jews really know? 9:25 “‘Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know’”: You know what? I don’t have all the theological training and fancy degrees you all have. “‘One thing I do know’”: But I know this—Jesus healed me. God isn’t a concept; God is real. God does things for us. 9:27 “‘Do you want to become his disciples, too?’”: The man isn’t inviting the Jews to be Jesus’ disciples—this question is sarcastic. In the Greek, the question presupposes that the answer will be “no.” So: “I take it you’re not going to be His disciples, right?” This man knows that Jesus is divine. No matter what anyone says, he knows Jesus is right. And, frankly, he’s getting annoyed by these Jews. When the world forces us to take sides, we choose Jesus because we know Jesus is God. 9:29 “‘we don’t even know where he comes from’”: The Jews know the Mosaic Law; they know the prophets; they have the traditions of the elders. But they don’t know Jesus. Even though the Law and the prophets speak of Jesus, they don’t see Him. 9:30 In the Greek, this is also sarcastic. The former beggar is as exasperated with the Jews as they are with him. Now, he lectures them even though he’s outnumbered and outgunned. A more accurate translation: “Now, isn’t that remarkable. You don’t (quote on quote) ‘know where he comes from,’ yet he opened my eyes. What do you have to say about that?”

101

Andrew K. Wong

9:31 “‘We know that God does not listen to sinners’”: We’ve been tracking the word “know” throughout this chapter. Who is it that knows God? The man born blind. Who is it that doesn’t know God? The ones who see and are supposed to know. The man born blind puts his faith in something he could not see. But the ones who could see, have no faith. (Pr 1:7.) The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. 9:33 STEP THREE: “If this man were not from God, he could do nothing” Why does this man believe Jesus? Because Jesus did things from him than no human can do. Why did we put our faith in Jesus? Same reason. 9:34 “‘steeped in sin at birth’”: (9:2.) The Disciples had asked Jesus who sinned, “this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus said, “Neither.” Compare that with the Jews: the Jews blame the man that he was born blind. “threw him out”: (Gk) The word implies actual, physical violence. They take this former beggar—who’s probably frail and skinny—and toss him out. 9:35 “and when he found him”: Because of the man’s faith, Jesus went looking for him until he found him. God always meets us more than half way. We take those small steps of faith; we think we’re alone; we think God doesn’t notice; and then the next thing we realize is that God is standing in front of us; arms outstretched to embrace us. (2Ch 16:9, “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.”) “‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’”: (Gk) “You” is emphasized. The Jews don’t believe me, but what about you? 9:36 The man is asking because he thinks Jesus might have only been a messenger of this “Son of Man.” 9:37 One of these days, when we step out into eternity, one of our rewards will be seeing Jesus, face to face, and speaking with Him. (20:29.) “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” 9:38 STEP FOUR: “Lord, I believe.”

102

Andrew K. Wong

(9:5.) Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.” Jesus stepped into this man’s darkness and gave him light. As we consider each of the four steps this man took, the light became clearer with each step. (9:11.) STEP ONE: “The man they call Jesus.” (9:17.) STEP TWO: “He is a prophet.” (9:33.) STEP THREE: “If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” (9:38.) STEP FOUR: “Lord, I believe.” 9:39 Salvation is a choice. If we admit we are blind and we need the light, we will see. If we think we can see and don’t need the light of the world, then we remain in our blindness. 10:1 “‘I tell you the truth’”: This is the sixth time Jesus has said this. (14:6.) Jesus will say, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” “a robber”: A shepherd brings the sheep into the pen and then locks the gate. Anyone else who tries to climb in is a thief. 10:3-4 It has been said that shepherds have names for each of their sheep. And, individual sheep recognize its own name and responds to it. 10:5 The religious leaders had a number of issues with Jesus. Jesus didn’t follow their rules; He healed on the Sabbath. But their biggest complaint against Jesus was this: He was much more popular than they could ever be. People were obsessed with Jesus; they followed Him everywhere; they hung on every word He spoke. The religious leaders could never be like Jesus. They are the “strangers” who the sheep run away from. 10:7 “‘I am the gate for the sheep’”: Here is third “I am” statement. Jesus has said: “I am the bread of life” [6:35]; “I am the light of the world” [8:12, 9:5]. “‘I am the gate for the sheep’”: At night, a shepherd will herd his flock of sheep into a sheep pen. It’s a place that has rock walls on all four sides, shaped like a square. But in the one of the walls in an opening through which the sheep come in and go out. There is no door to the opening. At night, the shepherd will sleep by laying down across the opening.

103

Andrew K. Wong

That way, no sheep can come out and no wolf can get in. The shepherd is the gate for the sheep. 10:9 “‘whoever enters through me will be saved’”: (14:6.) And, because Jesus is the gate for the sheep, He won’t let any of the sheep come out—meaning, none of us will lose our salvation. 10:10 This is a criticism against the religious leaders. In the OT, God is the shepherd of Israel.38 But God chooses human beings to help tend His flock. The religious leaders are also supposed to be shepherds of Israel. [Eze 34] But leaders who are unfaithful and abusive are the thieves who destroy the flock. (Jer 23:1-2, “‘Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!’”) 10:11 “‘I am the good shepherd’”: In chapter 9, the man born blind looked to the religious leaders to be his shepherds. But they kicked him out because he told the truth about Jesus. What kind of a shepherd kicks out the sheep from the sheep pen? Jesus is the good shepherd. Jesus found the blind man and cared for him, as a shepherd cares for his sheep. “‘lays his life down for the sheep’”: When the wolf or the thief comes to take the sheep, the good shepherd will fight—if necessary, fight to the death—to protect the sheep. That’s what Jesus did for us. 10:13 Without the good shepherd, the sheep will be eaten by wolves, stolen by thieves, or fall off the cliffside. The good shepherd stands in the gap between death and His sheep. Jesus did that for us. No one else can or will do what Jesus did. No one else cares. 10:14 “‘I know my sheep and my sheep know me’”: There are two words for “to know” in the Greek. (1) “oida”: intellectual knowledge or familiarity. The way you memorize facts for a test or the way you are familiar with acquaintances. (2) “ginosko”: a deep, experiential knowledge.

38 Ge 48:15, 49:24; Ps 23:1, 28:9, 77:20, 78:71; Isa 40:11; Eze 34:11-31.

104

Andrew K. Wong

The way you know your spouse, your children. It’s the way God knows you. Before the earth was created, God chose you to be His. (Eph 1:4.) Before you were even in your mother’s womb, God knew you. (Jer 1:5.) God created our inmost being; He knit you together in your mother’s womb. All the days ordained for you were written in His book before you came to be. (Ps 139:13-16.) God knows your thoughts, He knows what you will say before you say it, He is with us when we are alone. (Ps 139:2-4.) And, God knows your future—His plans to give you hope and success. (Jer 29:11.) That’s they way the good shepherd knows His sheep. 10:15 “‘just as the Father knows me’”: The God of the Universe knows the Son and the Son knows us. 10:16 “‘I must bring them also’”: Who are the other sheep? Jesus is in Jerusalem, speaking to the Jews, offering them salvation. Paul will later write that salvation is, first, for the Jew, and then for the Gentiles. (Ro 1:16.) The other sheep are Gentiles—us. “‘one flock and one shepherd’”: (See Gal 3:28-29.) We are all one in Christ. 10:17 Jesus will be crucified and then resurrected. To impart resurrection to us, He must be resurrected, first. 10:18 “‘of my own accord’”: The only reason Jesus will die is that He lets Himself die. No one can force Jesus to die. “‘I have authority’”: Jesus calls the shots. Jesus lets Himself suffer and die, and Jesus lets Himself be resurrected. The corollary to this is His authority over our lives. If we suffer or die, it’s because He lets us suffer or die. But when we suffer, Jesus makes us stronger. When bad things happen, Jesus turns for the good. When we die, Jesus gives us resurrection into eternal life. All these things are not optional for Jesus; God commands Jesus to do this for us. There will never be a time in our lives when evil triumphs over good, because Jesus has authority over our lives.

105

Andrew K. Wong

10:22 “Feast of Dedication”: Hanukkah, or the Festival of Lights. This is near our Christmas time. Hanukkah is described in the Books of First and Second Maccabees. Maccabees in not included in Protestant Bibles, but they are in Catholic Bibles. In 331 B.C., Alexander of Macedon conquers this area. After Alexander dies, his generals divide his empire, so that Greek rule continues in Judea until 63 B.C., when Pompey conquers the land for the Romans. The Greeks knew to leave well enough alone. They respected Jewish culture and gave them religious autonomy. That all changed when Antiochus IV (Epiphanes) became king in 175 B.C.39 Antiochus was power hungry. He invaded Egypt and succeeded. To celebrate, he decided to go to Jerusalem. He hated the Jews, and to show them who was boss, he went into the Temple and took everything of value: the menorah, the sacred utensils, all the gold and silver.40 Antiochus started persecuting the Jews. From now on, all Jews had to be Greek. The Jews couldn’t practice Judaism; offer sacrifices to God; observe the Sabbath; observe Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles; circumcise their sons.41 All of this was now against the law. If you persisted, the penalty was death. For example, if you circumcised your baby boy, they killed the entire family in retaliation—father, mother, children. Then they took the baby boys that were circumcised and hung them around their mothers’ necks.42 In 167 B.C., Antiochus ordered a pig to be sacrificed on the altar inside the Temple—just for fun.43

39 1 Macc 1:10. 40 1 Macc 1:20-24. 41 1 Macc 1:41-50. 42 1 Macc 1:60-61. 43 1 Macc 1:54.

106

Andrew K. Wong

The Jews had enough and fought back. At first, their chances were slim: the Jews were ill-trained, ill-equipped going up against a large, professional Greek army with infantry, cavalry and even elephants. But the Jews learned how to fight as guerrillas. They used the terrain, surprise attacks and ambushes to defeat the Greeks. In 164 B.C., the Jews recaptured the Temple in Jerusalem. They built a new altar and restored the interior. They wanted to light the Menorah again, but could find only one small jug of pure olive oil that had been preserved by a seal. There was only enough oil to last for a day. But miraculously, the Menorah burned for eight days straight.44 Hanukkah commemorates this lighting of the Menorah. 10:24 “gathered around him”: (Gk) surround, with hostile intent. [BLR] The setting is important. Solomon’s Colonnade is on the east side of the Temple Mount, in front of the Mount of Olives on your maps. It’s a long series of columns that’s covered with a ceiling. The east side is enclosed by eastern wall of the Temple Mount. But the west side opens up to the Court of the Gentiles. The Greek text says that Jesus is walking “in” Solomon’s Colonnade, which means He is walking behind the columns, under the ceiling, against the east wall. It’s winter time. The Jews are wearing their long, thick robes. They approach Jesus en masse and surround Him from the west side. Jesus is hemmed in by the eastern wall and the Jews from the west. He can’t get away. 10:25 “‘but you do not believe’”: (See 8:58.) Jesus couldn’t have been clearer. “‘The miracles I do’”: If you don’t believe what I say, they look at what I do. The miracles are my credentials as Messiah. 10:28-29 Salvation is permanent. Once you are saved, God the Father will not let you go and neither will Jesus the Son. 10:30 This is plain as it can be—Jesus is the Messiah.

44 Chaim Herzog & Mordechai Gichon, Battles of the Bible. London: Greenhill (1997), 284-285.

107

Andrew K. Wong

10:31 (8:58.) This is the second time the Jews want to stone Jesus. 10:34 This is a reference to Psalm 82:6. Jesus knows Scripture so well that He can recite it at will and pose theological questions that stump the religious leaders. 10:36 In Psalm 82:6, the Israelite rulers of the Old Testament are called “gods” because they are God’s agents. If human beings can be God’s agents, how can it be blasphemy for Jesus to call Himself God’s Son? 10:38 Jesus doesn’t ask that we just take His word for it; His miracles speak for themselves. 10:39 Jesus elbows and shoves His way out of there. No harm can come to Jesus until He allows it. 10:40 Jesus has to leave Jerusalem. [BLR] Jesus leaves by way of the Jericho Road. He goes down 17 miles into the Judean Wilderness and crosses the Jordan River to the east side where John used to baptize. 10:42 In chapter 1, John was very clear about his job. He wasn’t the Messiah, but his job was the prepare the way for Messiah. John has been dead for some time now. But his ministry is still bearing fruit because he spoke the truth about Jesus. 11:1 [BLR] Behind the Mount of Olives is Bethany, about 1.5 miles away. It’s a quiet suburb. It’s where Jesus stayed whenever He came to Jerusalem for the festivals. The population in Jerusalem was over 100,000. But during the festivals, the population exceeded 1,000,000. If you’re a visitor, you need reservations in advance or someone to stay with. 11:2 “who poured perfume on the Lord”: This is a plot spoiler. This happens in chapter 12. When we get to chapter 12, we’ll take a detailed look at who Mary, Martha and Lazarus are. 11:3 (Gk): “‘Lord, look, the one who you are fond of is sick.’” “look”: (Gk) See, notice, visit. It’s stronger than, “Oh, by the way, Lazarus is sick.” They are asking Jesus to come see Lazarus, right away. Jesus is in the Jordan River valley, at least 20 miles away from Bethany.

108

Andrew K. Wong

“‘the one who you are fond of is sick’”: (Gk) “phileo” = friendship type of love. In the Greek, there are three types of love. (1) At the lowest level is “eros,” which is erotic love. That’s not relevant here. (2) The next type is “phileo,” which is a friendship type of love. That’s all human beings are capable of, unless our love is rooted in God. (3) The highest type of love is “agape,” which is an unconditional, sacrificial love. It’s the love that God has for us. Because God loves us with agape love, He expects us to love each other with agape love. Martha knows that Jesus loves them, but her characterization of Jesus’ love is not quite correct. Hold on to that thought for a minute. 11:4 “‘This sickness will not end in death’”: That will be true for Lazarus and that will be true for all of us. 11:5 “loved”: (Gk) agape—the deepest, unconditional, sacrificial love. In verse 3, Martha mischaracterized Jesus’ love as “phileo”—friendship type of love. But Jesus loves her, Mary and Lazarus much deeper than “phileo” love. As with all of us, we don’t realize how much God loves us. 11:6 Now, here’s an odd thing: if Jesus loved Lazarus that much, why did He stay put for two days after receiving word that Lazarus was sick? 11:8 Here’s the answer to why Jesus tarried for two days: the Jews want Him dead. Jesus has to juggle a lot of responsibilities all at once. So does God in heaven. The next time God doesn’t answer our prayers as fast as we would like, it would be helpful for us to remember that God’s timing is best. All the chess pieces have to be in position before there is checkmate. 11:9-10 Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.” His ministry was very short: only three years. And while He is still here, there is plenty of work to do. 11:11 So, even though Jerusalem is a dangerous place for Jesus, Jesus has to go back there to raise Lazarus from the dead. That’s part of His job description as Messiah—to raise the dead. 11:11-15 Jesus has made it clear that he will raise Lazarus from the dead.

109

Andrew K. Wong

In the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus has raised two other people from the dead: The widow’s son at Nain (Lk 7:11-17); Jairus’ daughter (Mt 9:18-26). Raising the dead is a rare miracle. It’s the hardest miracle Jesus performs. It happens, but not nearly as often as Jesus healing the sick, making the blind to see and the lame to walk and the deaf to hear. Now, we know why Jesus didn’t go to Lazarus right away. For three reasons: (1) In Judea, the Jews are trying to kill Him; (2) Raising Lazarus from the dead is a greater witness to the world than healing Lazarus from sickness. Jesus will do the harder miracle “so that [the world] may believe.” When we are struggling and God doesn’t answer our prayers right away, we should remember these two things: (1) God is arranging the chess pieces so that everything is in place; (2) Sometimes, He does the harder work through us so that it will be a more powerful witness to the world. What God will do is always better than we think He could have done. As I mentioned, there is a third reason why Jesus didn’t go to Lazarus right away, and we’ll talk about it later. 11:16 Here’s a lighter moment to break up all this seriousness. “Didymus”: This word means two things in Greek. (1) “Twin”: apparently, Thomas has a twin brother. (2) The Septuagint is the earliest Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. It took some time for the work to be finished, but it was written 200 to 250 years before Jesus. Because Alexander the Great conquered this part of the world and enforced Greek language and culture, it was only a matter of time that Jews who spoke Greek wanted the Old Testament translated into Greek. This word “Didymus” also appears in the Septuagint. (See Dt 25:11-12.) 25:11 “private parts”: (Gk) “Didymus.” So, you could say that Thomas’ nickname is “balls” or “ballsy.” I was a little puzzled by this until I mentioned it to my wife. Jeany cleared it up.

110

Andrew K. Wong

John 11:16 says that Thomas (“ballsy”) said, “Let us also go, that we may die with Jesus.” Jeany said that, of course, Thomas would be called “ballsy,” because Thomas isn’t afraid to die with Jesus. 11:17 “for four days”: This clarifies the chronology. Day 1: (11:3.) Martha and Mary send word to Jesus that Lazarus is sick. They didn’t have cell phones and email back then, so the only way to send word to Jesus is by messenger. [BLR] The messenger starts from Bethany, 1.5 miles away from Jerusalem, behind the Mount of Olives; go down the Jericho Road to the east side of the Jordan River (at least 17.3 miles; then the messenger has to find Jesus. All of this takes one whole day. Days 2-3: (11:6.) Jesus stays put for two days. Day 4: (11:15.) Jesus and His Disciples go back. It takes a whole day to travel the 17.3 miles uphill on the Jericho Road. In verse 17, Lazarus was already in the tomb for four days. Which means he died on Day 1, just after the messenger took off to find Jesus. When the messenger finds Jesus, Jesus already knew that Lazarus was dead. That’s why Jesus waits for two days. Jesus did not wait for Lazarus to die so that He could resurrect Him. Lazarus was already dead, so there’s no hurry to go to Jerusalem. 11:19 “many Jews had come”: The three of them were well-known and beloved. This is a clue to who Martha, Mary and Lazarus are. Make a note of this. 11:20 We see the different personalities of the two sisters. Martha is the more direct and confrontational. Mary is the quiet and shy. 11:21 “‘my brother would not have died’”: Remember the timeline. While the messenger was en route to Jesus, Lazarus already died. Martha seems to think that Jesus could have prevented Lazarus from dying. Maybe she’s right. But that’s the hard part about faith.

111

Andrew K. Wong

Why does God let bad things happen to us?45 11:22 Here’s the answer: because God can do whatever He wants to show His glory. Martha is grieving over her brother. Here’s Jesus, who has raised dead people to life—at least twice before. Martha is asking, “Jesus, you can raise my brother from the dead, can’t you?” 11:23 Jesus holds her by her shoulders and looks right into her eyes. 11:24 “‘at the last day’”: Martha won’t allow herself to believe the impossible. So she says, “I know Lazarus will rise, eventually.” 11:25 “‘I am the resurrection and the life’”: Here is the fourth “I am” statement. The other three were: “I am the bread of life” [6:35]; “I am the light of the world” [8:12, 9:5]”; “I am the good shepherd” [10:11]. 11:26 Jesus presses the point home with Martha: I will raise Lazarus from the dead—in this lifetime. 11:27 This is an absolute confession of faith. In the Greek, it’s more emphatic: “Yes, indeed, Lord. I believe that you are the Christ.” 11:28 After this dialogue with Jesus, Martha is satisfied. It remains to be seen whether Jesus will resurrect Lazarus, but Martha is at peace. Many times in our spiritual journeys, we reach a low point. We know God can do the impossible, but He hasn’t done it yet. Or, we’re not sure that God will do it. But the point God wants to bring us to is worship. We bask in His love; we feel His embrace; we rest easy knowing that He has our best interests in mind; we are at peace because God is in control of every detail. That is enough; we don’t need to be in the driver’s seat. “‘The Teacher’”: Also notice what Martha calls Jesus. This is a window into His relationship with the two sisters. Jesus taught them. Back then, Jewish rabbis refused to teach women.

45 Martha shows us exactly how to deal with disappointment with God. The first is to acknowledge our frustration. The second is to reaffirm that God can do anything. The third is to ask God to do the impossible.

112

Andrew K. Wong

11:31 Mary has been holed up inside the house, grieving for the past four days. So, when she suddenly gets up and leaves, the Jews know that something unusual has happened. 11:32 Notice that Mary says the same thing to Jesus as her sister did. But their reactions to Jesus are different. Martha runs out to meet Him, but Mary falls at His feet. Mary is spiritually sensitive and operates on the same wavelength as Jesus. 11:33 “saw her weeping”: Martha isn’t weeping, but Mary is. And it’s the wailing, anguished weeping customary in the Middle East. “deeply moved in spirit and troubled”: (Gk) Inwardly angry or disgusted. What is Jesus angry at? Not at Martha or Mary. But at what? 11:35 (Gk): Jesus burst into tears. A violent sobbing. This is the shortest verse in the Bible, but it’s also one of the most profound. Jesus’ friend has died and He will be crucified soon. How does the Lord Jesus see death? In the Garden of Eden, there was no death. Death is a by-product of Original Sin. Put it this way: how does Satan see death? As entertainment. The media is saturated with violence and celebrates killing. As no big deal; it happens. Every time there is mass shooting, Satan laughs. How does God see death? We see Jesus weeping. Mary is weeping and so is everyone else. Death is an obscenity. It’s tragic, disgusting, and evil. It isn’t what God intended, because God is life. And when Jesus sees the effect death has on His friends, it makes His blood boil. He’s angry and disgusted at the sequence of events leading back to Genesis 3. 11:37 Many people ask this question of God whenever tragedy strikes home. 11:38 “once more deeply moved”: (Gk) Deeply angry and disgusted. Same word as in verse 33.

113

Andrew K. Wong

Jesus hears the people complaining that He should have kept Lazarus from dying. And it makes Him angry. He’s angry at how death has driven a wedge between human beings and God. People blame God for death and it drives them away from Him. That’s what Satan wanted in the Garden of Eden and that’s what he wants today. “a cave with a stone”: Note that Lazarus has a tomb in a cave. Only the wealthy could afford tombs in a cave. Most people were buried in the ground. 11:39 “‘Take away the stone’”: Everyone hears Jesus say this—Martha, Mary, all the Jews who came to mourn Lazarus. Crowds and crowds of people. “‘there is a bad odor’”: (11:55.) We will find out that it is almost Passover. Passover is in the spring, and that means warmer weather. 11:41 “took away the stone”: No mention of a bad odor wafting from inside the cave. 11:44 Bethany is filled with people watching this happen. There is no way to deny this miracle. It wasn’t some trick because Lazarus died four days ago. Back at verse 37, people were still talking about how Jesus made the man born blind see. And now, they see Jesus raise Lazarus from death. Everyone knows what the prophet Isaiah wrote. (See Isa 35:4-6.) 35:4-6 Isaiah prophecies what Messiah will do. But there’s one thing that Jesus did that Isaiah doesn’t mention: raising the dead. Jesus outperforms even what Isaiah said that Messiah will do. 11:45 No one has ever resurrected the dead. (11:15.) Jesus told the Disciples the reason He raises Lazarus is so that people will believe He is the Messiah. Only God can give life and only God can give life back after death. Original Sin brought death; Messiah reverses that, so that death leads back to life. We are reading this (as Gentiles), and we are impressed. But if you’re Jewish, Lazarus being resurrected was even more impressive.

114

Andrew K. Wong

The Jews believed that when you died, your spirit would detach from your corpse and then hover around your corpse for three days—hoping to be reunited with your corpse in some way. But on the fourth day, your spirit would see that your corpse started to decompose, and it would give up hope and leave forever. On the fourth day, there was no hope of resurrection. What day did Jesus resurrect Lazarus? On the fourth day. 11:46 Believing in miracles does not equate to believing in God. You can believe in the supernatural, but still reject God. These Jews know that Jesus raised the dead, but they don’t accept Him. Neither does Satan, and Satan knows Jesus is the Son of God. 11:47 The chief priests and Pharisees know, without a doubt, that Jesus raised the dead. Yet, they reject Jesus. 11:47-48 The Jewish leadership is thinking: What are we going to do with Jesus? People think He’s the Messiah. He makes the blind to see, and now He even raises the dead. He is dead set against us; the crowds love Him; He’s setting them against us. If we let Jesus have His way, He’s going to turn this whole land against us. They will make Jesus king. 11:49 “spoke up”: Caiaphas wasn’t supposed to the High Priest. The real High Priest was Ananias. But Ananias didn’t get along with the Romans, so the Romans chose Caiaphas because he played politics and got along. In fact, Caiaphas got along so well with the Romans that his tenure as High Priest was the longest of any other High Priest in the 1st century—eighteen years (A.D. 18-36.) By comparison, the three High Priests before Caiaphas only served for one year each, and his successor only served also for one year. “‘You know nothing at all!’”: Who cares about theology? It’s politics that matter. 11:50 “‘be better for you’”: Caiaphas is very practical and Machiavellian. He doesn’t care about spiritual things at all, as a High Priest should. “‘than the whole nation perish’”: Our nation is at stake. If Jesus proclaims Himself King, the crowds will follow Him, and that’s treason under Roman law. The crowds will riot and Roman troops will occupy the city.

115

Andrew K. Wong

Is that what you want? You want to destroy our nation? Jesus must die! 11:51-52 Caiaphas doesn’t care about God. But this prophecy will turn out to be true in ways he could never imagine. And if the Jews took a step back to think about this objectively, then their plan to kill Jesus wouldn’t work, ultimately. Lazarus was dead. Jesus resurrected Lazarus from the dead. So, if you kill Jesus, will Jesus stay dead? 11:54 It’s not time for Jesus to die yet, so He stays off the beaten path. Ephraim is 15 miles north of Jerusalem in the central mountain range. 11:55 “almost time for the Jewish Passover”: Here’s another time marker. This will be the fourth Passover, which means that Jesus is almost finished with His three year ministry. 11:56-57 There’s an arrest warrant out for Jesus. Will Jesus come to Jerusalem? Or will He stay away because the Jews want to arrest Him? But everyone knows that Jesus always comes to Jerusalem for Passover. He’s never missed one. And everyone knows that Jesus always makes trouble when He comes. The narrative tension is coming to a climax. Before we move on to chapter 12, we should say a few words about Martha, Mary and Lazarus, because John’s Gospel is the last time they are mentioned. We began chapter 11 with Lazarus being raised from the dead. And we saw how close this family was to Jesus. Every Passover, they hosted Jesus. So, who are they? One of the first clues is where they live. Martha, Mary and Lazarus live in Bethany. [BLR] Bethany is 1.5 miles away from Jerusalem, behind the Mount of Olives. The mountain shields Bethany from the hustle and bustle of Jerusalem, so it’s a quiet and secluded place. Think of it as a suburb. Bethany was a place where the poor and the sick were taken care of.

116

Andrew K. Wong

One of the Dead Sea Scrolls mentions that there were three places east of Jerusalem designated for the care of the sick, including those who had leprosy. Bethany was one of them. Think of it as ancient city planning. (See Mt 26:6.) 26:6 This is the parallel account of what we will read in John chapter 12. Jesus was in the house of a man named “Simon the Leper.” Simon had leprosy and he must be cured from it, or else he couldn’t entertain Jesus and the Disciples. Leprosy was terminal back then, so the only way Simon was cured was by Jesus. Lepers were to sent to live in Bethany because wealthy Jews from Jerusalem built housing for them. Even King Herod the Great got into the act, because he liked to support for charitable causes. It was good press. Like the Mayor and City Council supporting funding to end homelessness. Bethany wasn’t just a leper colony. It was also the last stopping point for pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. [BLR] The Jericho Road approaches Jerusalem from the east, through Bethany. Housing and hotels in Jerusalem are expensive. Tourists need affordable lodging. Bethany was a good place for that. Bethany had poorhouses for the sick and hotels for travelers. It was smart city planning. Like putting Cedars Sinai Medical Center and Kaiser Permanente Hospital together, and then the Hilton, Doubletree and Radisson Hotels clustered around. 26:7 Who was this woman with the expensive perfume? 26:8-13 The woman is unnamed in Matthew’s Gospel. But when we turn back to John 12, we know who it is. 12:1-3 It’s Mary. By the way, what do Martha, Mary and Lazarus do for a living? Especially Martha and Mary? Any guesses? [Ask]

117

Andrew K. Wong

There is no hard evidence, but there is a lot of circumstantial evidence. 1. They’re busy and single. They seem to be on the young side, in their 20s. 2. They are well known and beloved by many. 3. They are wealthy. Remember that Lazarus was buried in a tomb that was a cave. Only the wealthy could afford that. Everyone else was buried in the ground. Mary has some expensive things, like this pint of pure nard. In verse 5, we learn that it costs 300 days’ wages. In modern currency, how much does Mary’s perfume cost? Let’s do the math. Minimum wage is $15.00 / hour. MW = $15.00 x 8 x 300 = $36,000. Here are four of the top five most expensive perfumes in the world: #5 Caron’s Poivre, $1,000 / oz. = $16,000 per pint. #4 Clive Christian No. 1, $2,150 / oz. = $34,400 per pint #3 Chanel Grand Extract, $4,200 / oz. = $67,200 per pint. #1 is Clive Christian perfume, $215,000 for a pint. So Mary’s pint of pure nard would take the #4 spot in the world today. This family does alright for themselves. But what do the three of them do that earns them such a comfortable living? I worked in a hospital setting throughout college. The young doctors, fresh out of medical school, don’t have time for anything else except medicine. They graduate from med school, study for the boards; get their residencies, and they work really long hours, they’re always on call (so the cell phones are always going off); after their residencies, they get their fellowships. And when they finally establish their own practice, they see patients round the clock. And do paperwork until late at night. And, finally, when they’re in their 30s, maybe they can settle down and have a family. It seems Martha, Mary and Lazarus fit this picture. They seem to be doctors. In the Bible, there are several references to doctors. Back then, medicine amongst the Jews was very advanced.

118

Andrew K. Wong

Each town was required to have at least one physician who was also qualified to perform surgery. If the physician couldn’t do surgery, then the town had to have at least one physician and one surgeon. Every physician had to be licensed to practice medicine. And there is evidence that surgeons back then were skilled enough to operate on cataracts. When you think about it, that’s probably one reason why there is an affinity between Jesus and Martha, Mary and Lazarus. Their hearts are for healing the sick and serving others. Now that we know who they are, let’s go back to the beginning of chapter 12. 12:1 “Six days before the Passover”: Jesus has less than a week to live. John is focusing us on Passion Week. 12:2 “a dinner . . . in Jesus’ honor”: We know from Matthew that Simon the Leper hosted the party. This is the last dinner party Jesus will attend on earth. There is a certain nostalgia in the way John writes this. John writes this in the 90s A.D.—60 years after the Crucifixion. All the people at this dinner party are now dead and watching him from heaven. John is living in Ephesus. He’s the last living eyewitness to this final dinner celebration. Let’s pay attention to the details as we go along. “Martha served”: The dinner party was at Simon the Leper’s house. But there were so many people there that the neighbors had to help out. Martha volunteers. Martha is always serving other people, whether she’s in the kitchen at home or by the bedside of the sick. That’s the type of person she was. Of the two sisters, the text doesn’t say who was older, but it’s clear that Martha is because she was a take charge type person. “Lazarus was among those reclining”: There’s Lazarus, who was dead just four days ago, now enjoying himself, stunned to be alive, happy to be in the land of the living. Everyone is having a great time. The food is superb and the wine is vintage, fit for a king.

119

Andrew K. Wong

12:3 “a pint of pure nard”: Then, in the midst of the merriment, something unusual happens. Nard is an oil extracted from the root of the nard plant, which is grown in the mountains of northern India. It takes a lot of plants to extract very little nard. That’s why nard is so expensive. “poured it on Jesus’ feet”: We know from Matthew that Mary poured some of the perfume on Jesus’ head. And now, she pours the rest on His feet. John remembers this scene just as if were yesterday. It was so sudden—everyone eating and laughing, Jesus the center of attention. And then out of the blue, Mary comes to Jesus as He is reclining. She goes behind Him and pours the nard on His head. Then, she goes around Him to His feet and pours the nard on His feet. All the dinner conversation stops. People stop chewing with their mouths still full, just watching this. “wiped his feet with her hair”: This is a shockingly intimate thing to do. Women only let their hair down for their husbands, and then only in private. Again, this suggests that Mary is single, because there is no mention that she has a husband. “the house was filled with the fragrance”: Mary poured a pint of nard on Jesus. A pint is a lot. A pint is one of those large glasses of beer. Think about perfume (or cologne). You spray once or twice, the fragrance is just right. You spray four or five times, people can smell you from across the room. This was a pint; Mary poured the whole jar on Jesus. The whole house is filled with the most wonderful fragrance. John can practically smell it again, 60 years later as he writes this. By the way, you want to know what it smelled like? [Bring the spikenard] 12:4 This touching scene is shattered by Judas. Remember that Matthew didn’t identify who berated Mary, but John does. “who was later to betray him”: Judas’ heart is already in the wrong place. 12:5 “‘given to the poor’”: Hear the hypocrisy in Judas’ voice.

120

Andrew K. Wong

Judas says, “I’m shocked! With all these poor, sick people around us in Bethany, should a good girl like you have sold this perfume to help these people? You could have given me the perfume and I would have distributed the proceeds for you.” 12:6 Judas will betray Jesus. The question is, how did Judas become a traitor? (See Lk 6:12-16.) 6:12 This is early in Jesus’ ministry. “spent the night praying to God”: What did Jesus pray about? 6:13 Jesus prayed all night about which Disciples He should choose. 6:16 Matthew notes that Judas “became” a traitor—later. But when Jesus prayed all night and called Judas to be a Disciple, Judas was as deserving as each of the other eleven. Judas was a different person back then. He was a good man. What happened during the next three years that changed him into the one who betrayed Christ? 12:6 In John 12:6, we have the answer. Judas was keeper of the money bag. “to what was put into it”: (Gk) contributions to Jesus’ ministry. Jesus stopped earning a living as a construction worker when He turned 30. After He begins His public ministry, other people provide financial support. Jesus stays at Peter’s house in Capernaum. (Lk 8:3.) Women were an essential part of Jesus’ ministry because many women supported Jesus and the Twelve out of their own funds. Jesus wasn’t paid a salary, but His costs were covered. Now, back to Judas’ money bag. To support 13 men (Jesus + Twelve) day after day for three years, three meals a day plus room and board and necessities—that adds up. And over time, Judas started stealing from the group’s funds. Maybe it started out innocently enough. You borrow $10 for lunch, and you make a mental note to pay it back. You borrow another $20 for dinner, and you make a mental note to pay it back.

121

Andrew K. Wong

But then, you realize that no one seems to notice that they money is gone. As long as the bills for hotels and food and necessities are paid, no one notices. And there’s always money coming in from donors. Judas is the accountant, so if he says there’s $10,000 in the bag, then no one would question that. Judas starts increasing his withdrawals. $100 here, $200 there. When there’s a large contribution, $500 off the top. After a while, two things happen: (1) you think you won’t get caught; (2) you think you’re smarter than everyone else. That’s how sin acts: it starts small and then spirals out of control. After three years of this slippery slope, Judas cares nothing about Jesus, the other eleven Disciples, or the people Jesus is ministering to. And when the opportunity is there to betray Christ, Judas is ready. 12:7 “‘Leave her alone’”: Jesus won’t have any of this from Judas. “this perfume for the day of my burial”: This pure nard will be the nicest thing done for Jesus before He dies. No one else, except for Mary, does anything this nice for Jesus before He dies.46 12:8 “‘but you will not always have me’”: Mary is the only person who understands this. She doesn’t know that Jesus will be crucified, but she knows that He will die. Mary is the one person who is on the same wavelength as Jesus. She understands His heart and His emotions like no other. 12:9 This crowd has been looking for Jesus for the past several days. (See 11:55-56.) This crowd started in Jerusalem, because Jesus always shows up in Jerusalem for the festivals. Now, the crowd finds Him with the bonus of seeing Lazarus risen from the dead. (See 12:17.) After they confirm that Lazarus is alive, news spreads like wildfire. 12:11 This is exactly what the Jewish leadership was afraid of. 12:12 The moment Jesus leaves from Bethany, the crowd starts following Him. 12:13 “‘the king of Israel’”: This is what the Jews fear will provoke the Romans.

46 WIIFM: Every time we sacrifice something to Christ out of love, we break “some box of fragrant spikenard upon His feet, and gladdening His heart.” (G. Campbell Morgan, The Gospel According to John. Eugene: Wipf & Stock (2004), 167.)

122

Andrew K. Wong

There is no king but the Emperor. Not only that, but the crowd is waving palm branches. There’s nothing unique about palm branches—you get them from date palm trees, and there are plenty of them around Jerusalem, and especially at Jericho. But, during the Jewish wars of independence against the Greeks (in the second century B.C.) and later against the Romans (A.D. 66-70, 132-135), the palm branch is a symbol of Jewish nationalism. 12:15 “‘your king is coming’”: Indeed, Jesus is King. But what type of king is He? (See 1Ki 1:38.) When he is inaugurated as king, Solomon rides into Jerusalem on a mule—a donkey. Jesus is riding into Jerusalem also on a donkey. So, there is no mistake that Jesus is proclaiming Himself King. But what type of king? The donkey is an animal of peace. The warhorse (or a stallion) is animal of war. Jesus will be a king of peace. In the crowd’s fervor, this subtlety is missed. 12:16 These things only made sense after the Resurrection and before the Ascension. (See Lk 24:44-45.) 12:19 “‘the whole world’”: The population of Jerusalem swells to over 1 million people for Passover, with Jews coming from all over the world. All of these people are hearing about how Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. 12:20 Passover is such a famous religious holiday that Gentiles come to celebrate it. These are Greeks who believe in one God and who admire Judaism. They are allowed on the Temple Mount and they may approach the Temple, but only as far as the Court of the Gentiles. [BLR, Ritmeyer Diagram] Gentiles may not go past the “fence,” upon pain of death. 12:23 “‘The hour has come’”: (Cf. 2:4, 7:6, 7:30, 8:20, “my time has not yet come.”) Now, it is Jesus’ time to die. The conspiracy against Him is well organized. The crowds are at a fever pitch. All that’s needed is a spark to ignite the tinder, and that will come in chapter 18.

123

Andrew K. Wong

12:24 “‘many seeds”: (Gk) much fruit. The Greeks want to see Jesus, enjoy His company and learn from Him. But all of that is moot, because in just a few days, Jesus will be crucified. After He is resurrected, these Greeks will be able to enjoy salvation and eternal life as brothers and sisters of Christ. 12:25-26 These are life verses to live by. Once we enter that saving relationship with God, our eternal life is secure. But we should live each day of our lives with the right attitude. (See Isa 58:6-14.) As Christians, what is our job description? Here it is. 12:26 “‘My Father will honor the one who serves me’”: And what will happen if we do the things written in Isaiah 58? If you serve Christ the Son, God the Father will honor you. If we share in His sufferings, then we will share in His glory.47 12:27 “‘my heart’”: (Gk) psyche, soul. 12:28 “‘and will glorify it again’”: God has glorified His name through Jesus’ ministry and will glorify it again through Jesus’ death and resurrection. 12:29 God’s voice booms out of heaven with a roar like thunder. 12:30 Back in chapter 8, the Jews accused Jesus of being insane because Jesus said He was from God. (8:54.) Jesus answered by saying, “God is the one who glorifies me.” Now, God speaks from heaven. Jesus asked God to glorify Himself; God speaks. The crowd’s reaction is the same reaction of the world to God today. You can dismiss God’s glory as natural phenomena—“thunder.” You can acknowledge that God’s glory is supernatural—like an angel speaking. Or, you can hear the voice of God clearly and believe and have eternal life.

47 WIIFM: How do we achieve glory? By glorifying God. God the Father glorifies Jesus the Son because Jesus refuses to seek His own glory. (8:50, 54.) Instead, Jesus “is willing to be utterly expended that God’s purpose may be fulfilled, to disappear from sight as completely as the grain of wheat when the earth covers it over, to die in order that new life may spring up.” (Bruce at 264.) We would do well to remember this when God gives us seemingly thankless tasks, or too much to do (as it seems), or nobody seems to notice the good deeds we do. The way to glory is to die to the world.

124

Andrew K. Wong

12:31 “‘the prince of this world’”: Satan is about to lose his job. Satan has been prince of the world since Genesis 3. He’s held that position for thousands of years, but God will fire him, effective Passover A.D. 32. 12:32 “‘lifted up’”: (See 3:14.) Jesus said the same thing to Nicodemus. 12:36 This ends Jesus’ public ministry in the Gospel of John. The rest of chapter 12 is John’s commentary about Jesus’ ministry. We saw the same thing at the end of chapter 3. [3:16-21, 31-36] 12:37 Note that the narrative perspective changes. “would not believe in him”: Even raising Lazarus has no effect. 12:40 This verse from Isaiah is easy to misinterpret. It is not saying that God hides the truth from people. The context in Isaiah is that the people already rejected God, so God lets them continue in darkness. If people refuse to see, then they will lose their ability to see. If people refuse to believe, then their hearts will grow hard. 12:41 Isaiah is the prophet that writes the most about Jesus Christ. The most beautiful, profound prophecies. Isaiah 9: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given . . . He will be called the Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 35: What Messiah will do: make the blind see, make the deaf hear, make the lame walk. Isaiah 52, 53: The Suffering Servant. “He was despised and rejected . . . a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.” If your heart is open to God, you’ll see Jesus, even if you were living 700 before Christ as Isaiah was. 12:42-43 The Old Testament was crystal clear about Jesus coming—even down to the exact date. Isaiah prophesied about Christ. Daniel 9 dates Messiah coming to Jerusalem at Passover, A.D. 32. There is one who has taken a stand, and that’s Nicodemus, as we’ll see later. 12:47 The first time Jesus came, He came to save the world. The second time He comes, He will judge the world.

125

Andrew K. Wong

In chapter 13, Jesus withdraws from public ministry to spend time with the Disciples. He will reappear to the public to be tried and crucified. Chapters 13 to 21 are mountaintop chapters. Jesus has only a few hours remaining. His Disciples were beloved: He chose them; they left their jobs to follow Him; they traveled together; ate together; they absorbed His teaching. They experienced the fullness of His love. After the Resurrection, He sends them out into the world and all of them (except for two) will die martyrs’ deaths. During these last hours of Jesus’ life, we are allowed to listen in on His private conversation with them. 13:1 “to leave this world”: The physical aspect of the crucifixion was awful enough. But that’s only half the burden Jesus bears. The other half is taking all the sin of the world upon Himself—every sin from Genesis to Revelation committed by every person who ever lived. Think back to the last century of murder, war, genocide. Multiply that by all the years until the first murderer, who was Cain. Jesus takes all that evil and places it on Himself. “the full extent of his love”: As heinous as our sins are, the love of Christ covers them all. 13:2 “prompted Judas”: (Gk) “ballo” = to throw, throw out, cast out. A violent, forceful motion—like throwing a baseball as hard as you can. Another sense of the word is like a police officer throwing or laying his hands on someone to arrest them. Imposing your will on someone, by force. Satan didn’t just go to Judas and put the offer to betray Jesus on the table, and Judas thinks about it, and then decides to do it. No. Satan is grabbing Judas’ heart with one hand.48 With the other hand, Satan is about to shove the urge to betray Jesus right into Judas’ heart. We’ll see that consummated later on.

48 The Greek reads: “the devil already having put into the heart that should betray him Judas.” But whose heart? Judas? Or Satan’s? The more difficult (and preferred) reading is Satan’s heart. That is, Satan made up his mind that Judas should betray Jesus. (Bruce at 279.)

126

Andrew K. Wong

But at this point, Judas has little choice left; he’s too far gone to resist. Many people think that they can ignore God and live their own lives—do whatever they want as an amoral being. That’s free will, right? Be your own person. What they don’t realize is that we either serve God or we serve Satan. There is no in-between. Satan will tempt you; string you along for the ride. When we are far, far away from God, Satan will grab our hearts and force us to do what he wants—just like he did with Judas. We either surrender our free will to God, or we surrender it to Satan. 13:3 When Jesus dies on the cross, He does it willingly. He is not the victim. No one is forcing Him to do this. He will die when He is ready, and no sooner or later. 13:4-5 This is a servant’s job. Back then, you had a servant wash your guests’ feet after they came into your house. Your servant washed the dirt and sweat from their feet and gave them some fragrant oil for their heads—like perfume or cologne. If you’re going to be crowded around a low table, reclining while eating dinner, with your bare feet out, having dirty, smelly feet and body odor isn’t cool. This is one of the most profound, powerful lessons in the Bible. Verse 3 says that God already put all things under Jesus’ power. Yet, Jesus gets on His knees, uses His hands to scrub the dirt and sweat from His Disciples’ feet, and then dries them with a towel. Full service feet washing—the only thing that’s missing is a foot massage. Like Father, like Son. God is power and humility. The form of God is revealed in the form of a servant. That should always make us reassess what power really is and what humility really is. In this world, power and humility are mutually exclusive. But with God, power and humility go hand in hand. 13:6 There is an edge to Peter’s voice. “‘You’” is emphasized in the Greek. “Lord, you are going to wash my feet?! No way!”

127

Andrew K. Wong

13:6-8 Like all of us, Peter finds this shocking. The seating arrangement of the Disciples around the table will be the key to understanding this chapter. What is probably happening is this. Jesus started washing the least of the Disciples, first. (So, Judas got his feet washed, first.) Then Jesus worked His way to the greatest Disciple, last—and that’s Peter. In the etiquette of the times, the guest of honor sits to the host’s right; the second guest of honor to the host’s left; and to the right of the guest of honor are positions of importance in descending order. So, Peter is watching all the other eleven Disciples getting their feet washed. Getting more and more frustrated. Finally, when Jesus gets to him, he can’t stand it anymore. 13:9 Peter sticks his big hands and big head in Jesus’ face. Traditionally, Peter is a big guy. He’s fished the Sea of Galilee since he was boy and can row a boat 7 miles across the Sea against the wind. He’s got thick legs, a hard core, muscled arms and strong hands. Now, he sticks his arms and hands in Jesus’ face, asking for a bath. 13:10 “‘his whole body is clean’”: Peter, I saw you take a shower before dinner tonight, so you’re already clean. “‘thought not every one of you’”: Jesus turns and give Judas a look. Judas looks down at the table. 13:15 Leadership starts from the top. Jesus washed their feet. Now, He expects that they will wash the feet of others. Those others are expected to wash the feet of others. That’s how the church learns to be a servant. None of us are too good to wash feet—especially those in ministry. You want to gauge your leader’s servant heart? Watch to see if they serve others. And we should note one very important thing Jesus did: He washed Judas’ feet. Judas is His enemy, yet Jesus washed his feet. 13:16 We are to wash each others’ feet for two reasons.

128

Andrew K. Wong

The first is because Jesus did and He expects us to do likewise. 13:17 The second reason is He has our best interests in mind: we will be blessed. 13:18 “‘I know those I have chosen’”: Make no mistake, Jesus chose Judas to be one of the Twelve. But Jesus also knows the heart of each Disciple. “‘He who shares my bread . . .’”: They are eating big pieces of pita bread. You take one, tear off a piece, hand it to whoever wants some. Jesus says, “‘He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me’”: They’ve all been eating from the same pile of pita bread in the basket. He turns to His left to look at Judas, sitting at the left hand corner of the table. Judas looks at Jesus, and their eyes meet. Jesus has known all along what Judas will do. In fact, Judas has already arranged to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Now, seeing the look in Jesus’ eyes, Judas knows that Jesus knows. The rest of the Eleven are confused. 13:21 Jesus turns to look at Judas, who is sitting at the left corner of the table. John’s version of the Last Supper has the most detail out of the Four Gospels. Matthew, Mark and Luke have been circulating for many years now, so John decides to give us an intimate view of this last meal together. 13:22 The Eleven are perplexed. Judas is looking down at the table. Everyone is looking at each other. 13:23 “the disciple whom Jesus loved”: This is John’s signature in his Gospel. Whenever this phrase is used, it’s John referring to himself in the narrative.49 So now, there is some clarity about who is sitting where at the table. Peter is to Jesus’ right. John is to His left. “was reclining next to him”: (Gk) “was on the bosom of Jesus.” John was resting his head on Jesus’ chest. This detail helps us understand who John is. He’s very close to Jesus, because Jesus lets him rest his head on His chest while they are eating.

49 See also 19:26, 20:2, 21:20 and 21:24.

129

Andrew K. Wong

John is young man, probably in his late teens—considering that this is A.D. 32, and John will write his Gospel sixty years later in the 90s A.D. His relationship to Jesus is marked by affection. That’s why he calls himself, “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” Out of all the Disciples, this brotherly love resonates the most with John. It infuses this Gospel and John’s three letters to the church. 13:24 “Simon Peter motioned to this disciple”: (Gk) nods. Peter signals to John by nodding his head. Peter is sitting on Jesus’ right. The way for Peter to do this is to lean behind Jesus, nod to get John’s attention (John is sitting on Jesus’ left), and whisper to John, “Ask him who it is.” The other Disciples didn’t hear Peter say this, which is why this detail is only in John’s Gospel. 13:25 “Leaning back against Jesus”: John leans forward and rests his head again on Jesus’ chest. 13:26 “‘when I have dipped it in the dish’”: Jesus says this to John in private. This statement is only in John’s Gospel. “he gave it to Judas”: That means Judas had to be sitting within arm’s reach of Jesus. Again, the guest of honor sits to the host’s right—that’s Peter. The second guest of honor sits to the host’s left—that’s John. Sitting to the right of Peter is everyone else, in descending order of importance around the table. When you work your way down the list, the guest of least importance will be sitting next to John. Judas is sitting at the left corner, next to John. Jesus takes the bread, leans forward, reaches around John, and hands the bread to Judas. 13:27 The Lord Jesus is gazing into Judas’ eyes. Satan has one hand wrapped around Judas’ heart and, with the other hand, is pounding on the door. Judas has traveled too far down the road to turn back. But, he still has one last chance to redeem himself. Will he take the bread from Jesus?

130

Andrew K. Wong

When Jesus chose Judas to be one of the Twelve, Judas had at much faith and potential as the other eleven. For three years, he knew Jesus intimately. He heard all the teaching, he saw all the miracles. He saw Jesus calm the Sea, heal the sick, make the blind see and the deaf hear and the lame walk. When he was at Caesarea Philippi and Peter made his confession of faith (“You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God”), Judas wholeheartedly agreed. So, why does Judas betray Jesus? Judas is a complex character—perhaps the most complex of the Twelve. Judas was politically conservative; he was a Zealot. Zealots are fervent Jewish nationalists. They want their own nation and to be free from Roman rule. Judea has been under foreign military occupation since 721 B.C.—that’s almost three-quarters of a millennium. It was the Assyrians, and then the Babylonians, the Persians, the Greeks, and now the Romans. The Zealots are ready to fight for independence. They will rebel against Rome in 66 A.D. until they make a last stand at Masada in 73 A.D. Judas doesn’t seem prone to violence, but he has his own agenda. He knows Jesus is the Messiah. Judas has seen all the miracles; Jesus has supernatural powers. But like many Jews, Judas expects that Jesus will use those powers to overthrow the Romans. By that metric, Jesus has been a severe disappointment. Jesus hasn’t mentioned independence; He hasn’t gathered the Jewish people against their oppressors. In fact, He’s picking fights with the Jewish leadership. Wrong enemy—they’re the good guys. The Romans are the bad guys. Every contact Jesus has with the Pharisees, the teachers of the law, the Sanhedrin (the Jewish ruling council), is a disaster. Judas starts to think. If only I could get Jesus in the same room with our leaders and they talk out their differences. Forget healing on the Sabbath and Jesus not obeying the traditions of the elders.

131

Andrew K. Wong

That’s theology—that’s not important. Let’s steer the conversation to politics—that’s what we care about and that’s what Jesus should care about. Let’s help Him understand. Judas knows that Jesus will never have a sit down with the Sanhedrin. So, Judas makes a deal—to turn Jesus over to the Jews. I mean, what can they do to Him? Hurt Him? Kill Him? No, I don’t think so! Jesus is the one who calms storms and raises the dead. There’s nothing they can do to Jesus. By the way, what was Judas’ fee for betraying Jesus to the Jews? 30 shekels of silver. [Mt 26:15] 4 months’ wages. If minimum wage is $15 per hour, then 30 pieces of silver is worth $9,600 today. $9,600 won't even buy you a car today. It'll pay for some bills and cruise aboard Royal Caribbean for two. That’s it. (Ex 21:32.) 30 shekels of silver is the fine paid to the owner of a slave gored by an ox. A dead slave is worth 30 shekels. However you do the math, Judas didn’t get rich off this deal. Money wasn’t his object. When he approached the Sanhedrin about turning Jesus is, Judas could have asked for the sun and the moon and the stars, and they would have given them to him. Consider this. When it all goes wrong, Judas is grief-stricken. He sees Jesus arrested, beaten up, crucified, killed. Judas is filled with such despair that he throws the 30 shekels of silver into the Temple and then commits suicide. It wasn’t the money; he had his own agenda. And that was the problem. Christianity is not about us—it’s about God. Judas wanted to use the Lord Jesus for his own ends.

132

Andrew K. Wong

(See 13:18.) 13:18 “‘lifted up his heel against me’”: (Gk) to tread on someone. Stepping on someone to get where you want to go—at that person’s expense. (See Ps 41:9.) That will never do because God can’t be used. 13:26 Jesus is looking Judas straight in the eye. Will Judas take the bread from Jesus? That will seal his fate. 13:27 “Satan entered into him”: Judas thinks for a moment and then takes the bread. He rejects the Lord Jesus and chooses Satan. Note that Satan enters Judas only after he accepts the bread. “‘do quickly’”: Jesus says, “Get out. Do what you need to do, and I’ll do what I need to do.” 13:28 The eleven Disciples don’t hear the whispered conversations at the end of the table—maybe only bits and pieces, if they were paying attention. 13:30 “And it was night”: This is, perhaps, the most devastating line in Scripture. Judas has chosen eternal night. 13:31 Note that Jesus reveals Himself only after Judas leaves. 13:33 “‘My children’”: (Gk) my little children. The eleven Disciples are grown men. But we can see Jesus’ heart come through. “‘you cannot come’”: Jesus is the only acceptable sacrifice—the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 13:34 “‘Love one another’”: (Gk) agape. Christ laid down His life for us; we must do likewise. 13:36 Peter is on the verge of tears. Years later, he will always remember what Jesus said. (See 1Pe 4:7-8.) Peter remembers what Jesus said in 13:34-35. “‘but you will follow later’”: This is the first time Jesus hints at how Peter will die. Peter will be martyred by crucifixion in A.D. 68.

133

Andrew K. Wong

13:37 “‘I will lay down my life for you’”: This is not false bravado. Later, in the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter will come to Jesus’ defense by attacking one of the members of party arresting Jesus. They would have killed Peter if Jesus didn’t intervene. 13:38 This is a shocker. This leaves everyone speechless. “‘before the rooster crows’”: Sometime halfway between midnight and dawn, Peter will deny Jesus. 14:1 When Jesus tells the Disciples that He would go away from them, they are devastated. Now, Jesus comforts them. 14:2 “‘rooms’”: (Gk) living spaces; abodes. Much larger than what we think of as rooms. 14:1-4 In verse 1, Jesus tells us to trust in Him and trust in God. If He is preparing a place for us in heaven, then it will a beautiful place where we will want to be. 14:6 “‘I am’”: Here is the sixth “I am” statement. There are seven total. Jesus is many things. “I am the bread of life” [6:35]; “I am the light of the world” [8:12, 9:5]”; “I am the gate for the sheep” [10:7]; “I am the good shepherd” [10:11]; “I am the resurrection and the life” [11:25] Now, Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” This is one of the most profound theological statements in the Bible, so it’s worth spending a few moments unpacking this verse. First, note the definite article (“the”) before the three nouns. Jesus is the way and the truth and the life. There is no way, truth or life other than Jesus. “‘the way’”: Jesus isn’t just a teacher of morals or a spiritual leader. He is the only way to salvation. (10:9.) “‘I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.’” And, at the end of the verse, Jesus says, “‘No one comes to the Father except through me.’”

134

Andrew K. Wong

Salvation is only through the Lord Jesus Christ. God the Father reveals Himself through Jesus the Son, so Jesus is the only way to the Father. “‘the truth’”: God is truth. (1:18.) No one has ever seen God except Jesus. (8:38.) But Jesus tells us what He sees in God’s presence. (18:37.) Later, Jesus will say that He came into the world to testify to the truth— to testify about God. “‘the life’”: That’s why Jesus came to us. (5:26.) God the Father is life, and He’s given that life to Jesus the Son. (10:10.) “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (10:28.) Jesus gives His sheep eternal life. After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, He says to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live.” (11:25.) So, we see logical continuity in this verse. Jesus is the only way because He is the truth and the life. Life comes through truth. Jesus is the truth because the Father is the truth. Whoever believes in the truth will receive eternal life. [5:24, 6:63] 14:7 Every branch of philosophy strives to know ultimate truth. How do we know the God of the Universe? By knowing His Son. 14:8 This is a very common desire among Christians. Moses wanted to see God’s glory. (Ex 33:18.) Philip does and we do. 14:9 Jesus is God. In the Lord Jesus Christ, God put on a face that we might see, touch and embrace. 14:12 “‘greater things than these’”: How can we possibly do greater things than Jesus? Jesus’ three year ministry was geographically circumscribed. [BLR] (Mt 4:23.) Jesus went through Galilee preaching and teaching. According to Josephus, there were 204 cities and villages in Galilee.50 Jesus went through the Decapolis (the Golan Heights, today). But Jesus never went north of Sidon and Mount Hermon. Jesus went through Samaria; He preached in Jerusalem and in Judea.

50 Josephus, Life 235

135

Andrew K. Wong

But Jesus never sailed across the Mediterranean, or traveled east of the King’s Highway, or south of the Negev. Modern day Israel is a small country—the size of New Jersey. Jesus preached to crowds of thousands on the hillsides in Galilee, but today’s televangelists reach audiences of millions across the world. The late Billy Graham began his ministry in 1947 until he retired in 2005. The Billy Graham Crusade preached the Gospel to 210 million people in 185 countries. Our ministries today build on Jesus’ three year ministry. Jesus left us that example to follow. 14:13-14 Jesus gives us the guidelines for God answering our prayers. If we want God to answer our prayers, whatever we ask for needs to “bring glory” to Him. If we want glory for ourselves, God may or may not answer that prayer. But God will answer us when we ask for things that further His Kingdom. 14:15 In the Greek, the word order is important. “If you love me, my commands you will obey.” (1) Love; (2) His commands; (3) obey. It has to be in that order. If our emphasis is simply obeying God, then it’s blind obedience or obedience based on fear. That’s not what God wants. If we fixate on God’s commandments, then it’s legalism—the same trap the Pharisees and teachers of the law fell into. We are to focus on God’s love. We love Him in return, and that motivates us to obey Him. That’s what God wants. “‘what I command’”: In the Pentateuch, Moses wrote down 613 commands. But what did Jesus command us? Two things. (1) Love one another as I have loved you. (13:34-35.) (2) Make disciples of all nations. (Mt 28:19-20.) (1Jn 1:6.) Later on, John will write that if we say we love God, but don’t obey Him, then we are liars. 14:16 Each of us has the Holy Spirit with us.

136

Andrew K. Wong

Jesus calls the Holy Spirit the “Counselor”—think of it as your own personal adviser that you call on 24/7. “Counselor”: (Gk) “Paraklete.” “para” = alongside “klete” = to call alongside of God has assigned the Holy Spirit to be by your side at all times. In fact, the Holy Spirit is in you. (1Co 3:16.) The Holy Spirit will never leave you; it is your passport to heaven. (Eph 1:13-14.) “‘another Counselor’”: We are blessed because we have two counselors. Who is the other Counselor besides the Holy Spirit? The Lord Jesus Christ, who sits at the right hand of God and intercedes for us. The Lord Jesus helps us in heaven and the Holy Spirit helps us on earth. All of our bases are covered. 14:17 “‘nor knows him’”: God isn’t interested in the world accepting the Holy Spirit because the Holy Spirit’s job is to confront the world with sin and not to be accepted. [16:8-11] “‘lives with you and will be in you’”: This is an accurate translation from the Greek. Certainly, the Holy Spirit lives in us and is with us. But for the Disciples, the Holy Spirit isn’t with them yet. After Jesus is resurrected and ascends to heaven, then the Holy Spirit will come. That’s Acts 2. 14:18 My 21 month old Joshua’s biggest fear is to be left alone. For him, hell is being in the house alone without his parents there. For us, we are children of God. God makes His presence known to us by the Holy Spirit. Even better, the Holy Spirit lives within us. (1Co 3:16.) 14:22 “Judas”: Among the Twelve, there are two Judases. Judas son of James and Judas Iscariot. [Lk 6:16.] “‘and not to the world?’”: The Disciples are still thinking of Jesus being the Messiah that frees the Jews from the Romans. 14:23 “‘he will obey my teaching’”: Love and obedience go hand in hand. It’s like inhaling and exhaling. If we love God, we will want to do what He says.

137

Andrew K. Wong

“‘make our home with him’”: God the Father and Jesus the Son are in us through the Holy Spirit. 14:25-26 For three years, the Disciples heard every sermon, story, and conversation Jesus spoke. That is a rare privilege to hear the sound of Jesus’ voice. For three years, the Disciples had the most intense spiritual training any person ever had. But even then, their knowledge was limited by their lack of understanding. Their knowledge was complete only when the Holy Spirit comes in Acts 2. We don’t have the privilege of knowing what Jesus’ voice sounds like. But we do have the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit teaches us all things and reminds us of everything Jesus said through the Word. We suffer no disadvantage from being born after the Resurrection. 14:27 This is not the kind of peace that the world wants. The world wants peace without conflict. Jesus gives us peace that transcends conflict; it’s a peace that gives us courage. “‘Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid’”: This is a command. (14:1.) Jesus already said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” After Jesus told the Disciples He was going away, they are agitated. He can see the fear in their eyes and on their faces. The peace God gives us will dispel any fear. 14:29 Jesus is driving the events. Nothing will happen to Him that He doesn’t allow. 14:30 “‘prince of the world is coming’”: Jesus is the Prince of Peace, but Satan is the prince of the world. Satan has entered Judas’ heart, and Judas knows exactly where to find Jesus when he betrays Him. 14:31 “‘what my Father has commanded me’”: Jesus tells us that if we love Him, we will do what He says. Then, He goes and set the example. God wants Jesus to go to the Cross, and that’s what Jesus does. “‘let us leave’”: [BLR] The traditional location of the Upper Room is in Jerusalem, on Mount Zion. You can’t see it on the Ritmeyer Diagram, but it is off the lower right hand corner.

138

Andrew K. Wong

Jesus is heading for the Mount of Olives. The fastest way to get there is to go through the Old City and up the Temple Mount. They exit out the east side of the Temple Mount, facing the Mount Olives, through the Golden Gate. (You can’t see the Golden Gate from the Ritmeyer Diagram.) They go out the Golden Gate, down the Kidron Valley, up the Mount of Olives. Later, this route will be important. As they as about to exit the Golden Gate, they turn back and look at the Temple. (On the Ritmeyer Diagram, the Temple is labeled as number 20.) The Temple had very high doors, gold-plated. The gold was carved into vines with clusters of grapes as tall as a man’s height.51 What’s the symbolism of the vine? (Ps 80:8.) God refers to Israel as a vine that God brought out of Egypt and planted in the ground. (Isa 5:7.) Israel, as a nation, is compared to a vineyard. As the vine grows, God expects that it will produce fruit. The grapes symbolize fruit. The vine is Israel’s national emblem. 15:1 “‘I am the true vine’”: They pass by the Temple doors and Jesus points to the vines carved into the doors, glinting in the moonlight. Passover would be the next day, and always begins when there is a full moon. Here is the seventh of seven “I am” statements. “I am the bread of life” [6:35]; “I am the light of the world” [8:12, 9:5]”; “I am the gate for the sheep” [10:7]; “I am the good shepherd” [10:11]; “I am the resurrection and the life” [11:25] 15:2 “‘prunes’”: (Gk) think of a gardener pruning a branch; cleaning it; removing all the dead, damaged and diseased tissue. Another sense of this word is a spiritual meaning: to purify the soul. Notice that God will only do this if you bear fruit. If you’re not bearing fruit, there’s nothing to bother with. Think of it as management training.

51 Josephus, Wars, 5.5.4.

139

Andrew K. Wong

You decide you want to live a life of significance for God; to do good works; to advance His Kingdom. God will gladly oblige you, and that’s when He gets to work on you. To smooth out your rough edges, to root out deep-seated issues, to make you better. 15:3 It’s hearing the Word that cleanses us. Of the five senses, God reaches us through our sense of hearing. Not even seeing is believing. (2Co 5:7, “We live by faith, and not by sight.”) 15:4 Two points to make here. First, God expects us to bear fruit. A vine exists to produce fruit—grapes. Otherwise, it’s good for nothing except fuel for the fire. [Eze 15:1-8] If people don’t bear fruit, you have to wonder if they part of the vine. (15:2, “He cuts off every branch that bears no fruit.”) Second, Jesus says we must “remain in the vine.” We must be part of a spiritual community. Bearing fruit is intertwined with belonging to the church. We need the church; the church needs us. It’s impossible to bear fruit if the only worship you’re part of is listening to Christian music on the way to the beach on Sunday. Third, can a non-Christian bear fruit for God? No. The only way to bear fruit is to be part of the vine. We all know non-Christians who do good works. Some of them do so much that they put even Christians to shame. In God’s eyes, do these good works count? No. Good works must always find their context in God. 15:6 “‘withers’”: Old branches wither. Instead of becoming big and thick, with branches growing from them, they dry up and die. We should note that Jesus is not talking about Christians. Christians cannot lose their salvation—although we can learn from the metaphor of branches being fruitful (and more on that in a second).

140

Andrew K. Wong

Jesus is talking about the Jews. The vine symbolizes Israel. And the Jews who reject Jesus will come to the end Jesus describes. As Christians, we can’t lose our salvation, but what can we take away from this metaphor? How do branches wither? They get cut off from water. The more we lose touch with the Living Water—the Lord Jesus Christ— the greater danger there is that we wither away. 15:7-8 Jesus said the same thing in chapter 14. (14:13-14.) There are two keys to God answering our prayers: (1) His Word remains in us; (2) whatever we ask for is for God’s glory. In fact, if we pray that God makes us more fruitful, that’s a prayer He will answer. We being obedient brings God glory. 15:9 It must nice being Jesus the Son—being loved by God the Father. But Jesus loves us as much as God loves Him. 15:10 Love and obedience go hand in hand. Like inhaling and exhaling. We obey God because we love Him and not because we fear Him. What goes unsaid is that obeying God brings us great joy. (Ps 19:8.) “The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes.” We find joy, peace, and purpose when we obey God. It’s the best feeling in the world. If you ever want to be and feel one with the Universe, obey God. 15:11 Before we go on, we should mention the basic outline of chapter 15. There are three sections. 15:1-11 Our relationship to Christ 15:12-17 Our relationship to each other 15:18-27 Our relationship to the world. So, Jesus has talked about our relationship to Him. Now, He talks about our relationship to each other. 15:12 Jesus said this before. (13:34-35.) “‘love’”: (Gk) Agape. The deep, unconditional, sacrificial love that God shows us.

141

Andrew K. Wong

We are to show the same love for each other. [1Jn 3:16] That’s the only way we will move the Kingdom of God on earth, because there will be unity instead of rivalry, trust instead of suspicion, love instead of self- centeredness. 15:13 This is exactly what Jesus will do for us. 15:15 “‘I no longer call you servants’”: (Gk) slaves. It is not for slaves to reason why; it is for them to do it. “‘I have called you friends’”: This is the first time Jesus has called the Disciples His “friends.” Disciples aren’t friends—they’re students. Students are less than friends. There is an equality between friends. Friends know each other’s business. Friends don’t keep secrets. Friends act in the best interests of each other. Being a friend of God is a tremendous privilege. In the Old Testament, there were only two persons who were called “friends of God.” Abraham and Moses. Now, all of us get that privilege. Let us obey God as friends and not as slaves. 15:16 “‘I chose you’”: The really mind boggling thing about this is that Jesus chooses each one of us to be His friend. He chose each of the Disciples and He chooses each one of us. John’s Gospel is unique because John describes the call to discipleship in detail. We see that the call to discipleship is a series of events that happened over time. It’s the same process for them and for us. (See 1:39.) There’s the initial interview. No strings attached: we can ask Him anything and He will spend as much time with us as we want. By the way, Jesus will pick up the tab for lunch. (See 1:42.) There’s the promise of a promotion and a raise if we take the job. (See 1:43.) Here the firm offer.

142

Andrew K. Wong

(See 2:11.) When we observe the person and work of the Lord Jesus, we put our trust in Him; He is the real deal. We realize that our boss walks the walk and talks the talk. He’s special; He leads by example; He’s worthy of our respect and trust and devotion. (See 6:66-67.) When there is pressure and uncertainty, He encourages us to stay the course. He knows how to inspire and motivate us. (See 6:70.) He reiterates His belief in us—that’s why He hired us in the first place. (See 10:27.) He tells us that we’re special; He treats us as His own. (See 10:28.) We are His forever. He will never fire you. And neither will He let you quit—over His dead body, in fact. (See 14:13-14.) He will give us whatever we need to do our jobs. All we need to do is ask. No need to fill out forms or go up the chain of command. (See 14:26.) When He is out of the office on business, He sends the Holy Spirit so that we are not alone. This interim supervisor gives us the proper guidance, while making sure we don’t goof off while the boss is gone. (See 15:16.) Jesus tells us He is accepting a promotion to be God’s right hand in heaven—God’s chief of staff. And, of course, Jesus’s new office will be at corporate headquarters in heaven. That means each of us get promotions. Now, we need to be self-starters, to work well independently, to take the initiative and accept responsibility for producing fruit in this world. We need to do our jobs so well that when the world sees us, they see Jesus. We are His field representatives; we are His agents. “‘fruit that will last’”: Now, here’s something that not one of your earthly bosses has ever told you: Jesus says that even the smallest fruit you produce will never be forgotten. Every little thing you do counts. Even the smallest result is noted in our personnel files. That’s how much God cares about you and what you do for Him. Everything matters.

143

Andrew K. Wong

“‘the Father will give you whatever you ask’”: Don’t forget that you have the boss’ cell phone number and expense account. Any time you need to check out car from the Motor Pool, the trip authorization card is already signed. 15:17 Last, but not least. One of the expectations on this team is that we love each other as God loved us. No sucking up to the boss and while stepping on each other. No politics or in-fighting. We are to love our boss and our team, equally. 15:18 Here is the third and last section of chapter 15: our relationship to the world. If we love God and love each other, the world will hate us. Jesus came to the world in love, but the world responds in hate. In a few hours, Jesus will bear the full brunt of this hate on the Cross. “‘hated me first’”: (Gk) the perfect tense. The perfect tense means something that happens which is permanent and has permanent effect. For example, salvation is usually written in the perfect tense. When God “saves” us, salvation is permanent—no one can undo your salvation. [Ro 8:38-39] Salvation has permanent effect—you will have eternal life in heaven. In verse 18, this word for “hated” is in the perfect tense. The world hates Jesus, and that will never change. The world will always hate Jesus because Satan is prince of the world, and Satan is the father of hate. That means that the world will always hate us. We need to get used to that. We must never compromise with the world. We must never water down our witness for Christ. We must never hope that things will get better or that people will come to their senses or that a new administration will restore religious liberty. The world’s hatred for God and us is fixed—perfect tense. 15:19 “‘it would love you as its own’”: (Gk) “phileo”—friendship. It’s a different type of love than God’s love. God’s love is “agape” love. The world’s love is “phileo”; friendship—not even love.

144

Andrew K. Wong

The world cannot offer us anything more than friendship. But it’s a friendship that demands something in return. You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours. It’s conditional, shallow and unsatisfying. If we want to be accepted by the world, then the world expects your time, money, your affections, your soul. Satan is the prince of this world, and he demands nothing less. In return for your soul, Satan offers you the illusion of love. The mirage of happiness and popularity and fulfillment. When you reach that mirage, you discover there is no water, because only Jesus is the Living Water. “the world hates you’”: Again, the world’s hatred of God is fixed. The world hates it when we love each other with “agape” love. 15:21 “‘they do not know the One who sent me’”: Rejecting God has profound implications. On an intellectual level, all knowledge comes from God. (Pr 2:6.) The Lord gives wisdom and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. (Col 2:3.) In Christ is hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. (Da 2:28.) There is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. God is the fount of knowledge. So, rejecting God results in ignorance—intellectual blindness. On a spiritual level, rejecting God leads to a depraved spirit. (Ro 1:28.) Rejecting God results in a depraved mind. “‘They will treat you this way’”: It’s never personal when the world hates us. Understanding that makes it easier to bear persecution, even when the world thinks it’s doing God’s work by persecuting you. Here are a few thoughts about persecution. First, whenever we are persecuted, the Lord Jesus is persecuted with us. He takes it personally; our pain is His. On the Road to Damascus, Saul of Tarsus had an encounter with the Lord Jesus. Jesus said to Saul, “why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:4.) Second, being persecuted is a sign that we belong to Jesus. Not only that, we will be blessed for enduring persecution.

145

Andrew K. Wong

(Mt 5:11-12.) “Blessed are you when people persecute you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Third, we are at our best when we are persecuted. The Church burns with a bright blue flame when it is tested. Otherwise, the Church becomes soft, lazy and ineffective. Ignatius of Antioch (bishop of Antioch and Peter’s successor who was martyred in A.D. 107) said: “Christianity is not a matter of persuasiveness but of true greatness when it is hated by the world.” Fourth, God will bring judgment on our persecutors. (Php 1:28.) Persecution is a sign that they will be destroyed, but we will be saved. (2Th 1:6.) God will pay back trouble to those who trouble you. Yes, we are to pray for our enemies. But God will punish our enemies for the way they treat us. 15:23 Truth is an uncomfortable thing. Jesus shines the light of truth on the world’s depravity and hypocrisy. The world reacts violently to the light. 15:24 And those who hate us, hate the Son, and hate the Father. 15:22-25 With great privilege comes great responsibility. This generation had the unique privilege of seeing Jesus in the flesh. They heard His teaching; they saw His miracles; in many cases, they were the recipients of His miracles. But many of Jesus’ contemporaries despised Him. They rejected His teaching; they ignored His miracles. By rejecting the Son, they rejected the Father. 15:26 “‘Counselor’”: The Holy Spirit. (14:16.) 15:27 The Disciples will do exactly that in the Book of Acts. We are to do the same. It’s the Holy Spirit—the Counselor—who enables us to witness with boldness. (Mt 10:19.) We are not to worry about what we should say when we testify about God. The Holy Spirit will speak through us.

146

Andrew K. Wong

Our witness is also the Holy Spirit’s. (1Jn 5:6.) It is the Spirit who witnesses, because the Spirit is the truth. The world hates God. Against this hatred, we are to show the love and grace of Christ. 16:1 We are not to be discouraged or mad at God when people hate us and don’t listen to the Gospel. 16:2 “‘put you out of the synagogue’”: (Gk) To excommunicate and put under a curse. 16:4 We will talk more about persecution shortly. But here is an appetizer. Like all bad things in life, persecution evokes one of two responses. (1) Either it destroys our faith; or (2) It strengthenS our faith. In verse 1, Jesus warned us not to let persecution lead us astray. We go astray because we forget that God is with us and we don’t care that Jesus also endured persecution. Our eyes are fixed on us, and we let persecution destroy our faith. In verse 4, Jesus reminds us that He is in control. He’s warned us that persecution will happen. And later on, He will explain the great reward in store for us if we endure persecution. Our eyes are fixed on God, and that will strengthen our faith and bring unimaginable rewards later. We will discuss this further. 16:6 The Disciples have been distraught since chapter 13, in the Upper Room, when Jesus first told them He was going away from them. 16:7 “‘for your good’”: For all of us who wished we lived back then so that we could see and hear and touch the Lord Jesus, this comes as a surprise. Jesus is saying that it is better to live today, than to have lived back then. Why? “‘the Counselor’”: Because the Holy Spirit will be with us. If we lived back then, we wouldn’t have the Holy Spirit. Jesus started talking about the “Counselor” in the Upper Room, during the Last Supper.

147

Andrew K. Wong

Jesus tells the Disciples that He will be going away. The Disciples are shocked and saddened. Jesus says, “Not to worry. I will send you the Counselor. When I’m gone, you will have the Holy Spirit with you.” This is the fourth mention of the “Counselor.” Each time, we learn something about the Holy Spirit. (See 14:16.) The Holy Spirit comes to us from God and will be with us forever. The Greek word is “parakletos” = Paraclete. It’s a masculine noun. So, the Holy Spirit is not an “it” or a “she,” but a “he.” He will be with us on earth and then will escort us into heaven. The Counselor is the Spirit of truth. What will the Holy Spirit do for us? (See 14:26.) He will teach us all things and will remind us of the Word. He is your private tutor. What will the Holy Spirit do with us? (See 15:26.) He will testify to the world about the truth. How does He do that? Through us. He will testify through us; He will give us the courage and the words to stand up for Christ. What will the Holy Spirit say to the world—and to Satan? 16:8 He will speak of sin, righteousness and judgment. “‘convict’”: (Gk) Expose; to point out. But note that even though the Holy Spirit will convict the world of these things, not everyone will believe. Everyone has their free will. The Holy Spirit may not be able to convince everyone to repent, but it will convince everyone that they need to repent. 16:9 The greatest sin is unbelief. God can deal with every other sin, except for unbelief. 16:10 Jesus won’t be here to babysit us. But the Holy Spirit will motivate us to obey God, even though we don’t see Jesus yet.

148

Andrew K. Wong

And when we live obedient lives, we also convict the world of its need for righteousness. 16:11 The minute Jesus dies on the Cross, it’s game over for Satan. From then on, the Holy Spirit goes through the world reminding people that Satan is defeated. And, if they follow Satan, they will also be defeated. 16:12 This is a hard moment for the Disciples—and it will get harder during the next two-and-a-half days. It’s not the best time to teach them new things. 16:13 The timeline is this: Jesus will die, be buried, and be resurrected. After the Resurrection, Jesus will spend 40 days with the Disciples teaching them. [Ac 1:3] After 40 days, Jesus ascends into heaven, and on Pentecost in Acts 2, the Holy Spirit comes. The Holy Spirit will do seven things. (1) guide us into all truth (2) will not speak on his own (3) will speak only what he hears (4) will tell us what is yet to come (5) will bring glory to Jesus (16:14) (6) by taking from what is the Lord’s (7) and making it known to us. 16:15 Here’s a point that I don’t want to belabor, but that we should still discuss. “‘the Spirit will take from what is mine . . .’”: What is the relationship of the Holy Spirit to the Son? First, all of God’s revelation is in the Son. [1:18, 5:19-20] The Holy Spirit’s revelation comes only from the Son’s. So, the Holy Spirit will never lead us into new territory, new doctrine, or new activity that Jesus never did or spoke about. The Holy Spirit will help us understand and apply Jesus’ teaching to our situations today. But the Holy Spirit won’t do anything new that wasn’t revealed in the person or work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

149

Andrew K. Wong

And it’s a mistake for some Christians to fixate on the Holy Spirit and imagine that it will do things for us that Jesus never spoke about. Second, Jesus is the Word. [1:1-14] The Word is God’s definitive self-disclosure. God has revealed Himself in the Word, and the Word is the Lord Jesus. The Word is not the Holy Spirit. Any time you have Christians fixating on the Holy Spirit, but ignoring the Word, then that church is built on sand instead of rock. The minute we sever the Spirit from the Word, the door is open to all sorts of craziness and false teaching.52 16:16 It’s Thursday night. Jesus is crucified on Friday and dies at 3:00 PM. He’s buried in the evening. The Disciples won’t see him from Friday evening, to Saturday, to Sunday morning. After Sunday morning, Jesus starts appearing to the Disciples in His resurrected body—first, to Peter. 16:20 “‘but your grief will turn to joy’”: Let’s circle back to the theme of persecution. We are the lucky few who live in a wealthy city in the wealthiest country in the world. If you have a job with tenure, benefits, and if you have a car and a house, count yourself in the top 5% of the world’s wealthiest people. However, it’s a mistake to conflate the American Dream with Christianity. It’s a mistake to assume that our lives on earth should be happy and we will be happy. That happiness will take from Point A to Point B on earth, and then when we die, it will be replaced by joy in heaven. Jesus says very clearly that grief precedes joy. And He has said that persecution precedes rewards. What does that mean for us? What if we’re not feeling any grief or persecution? What if our lives are comfortable? Then it would help to get in touch with the suffering of others. Come alongside them, pray for them, pray with them, love them as our brothers and sisters in Christ.

52 Köstenberger at 474; Carson at 539-540.

150

Andrew K. Wong

To experience the joy of being God’s child, we have to be in touch with the world’s suffering. When we isolate ourselves from the suffering of others, we miss out on a lot of joy. 16:21 Every woman who’s given birth understands this verse. Jeany threw up every day during the first trimester and coughed out mucus when she wasn’t throwing up. Went through two C-sections giving birth to our son and daughter. But the joy of seeing our beautiful two children, every day, far outweighs the pain of pregnancy. It’s no comparison; they are precious gifts. 16:22 “‘no one will take away your joy’”: Easter is not an isolated event to celebrate in one day. It is the dawning of a new era, of new creation, of our fellowship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 16:23 “‘I tell you the truth’”: Jesus promises us that God will absolutely give us whatever we ask in His name. After the Resurrection, we can call God on His cell phone. 16:25 “‘speaking figuratively’”: Throughout the Gospel, Jesus has been using a lot of metaphors. “I am the bread of life”; “I am the light of the world”; “I am the gate for the sheep”; etc. 16:26 Again, we have free access to the Father. The Son doesn’t need to be the go-between any more. Jesus doesn’t need to persuade God to listen to our prayers or to turn His wrath away from us. Why? Because we are now part of a unique circle of friends. God the Father, Jesus the Son, the Holy Spirit—they are our friends. 16:27 “‘Father himself loves you’”: This circle of friends is based on God’s love. Remember that John talks about two kinds of love. Agape and phileo. This is one of the few times that John uses “phileo” love to describe the love God has for us. Does God love us with “agape” love? Of course. That’s why He gave us His Son. Does God love us with “phileo” love? Yes, because God loves us as His friends.

151

Andrew K. Wong

We can’t overstate how profound God’s friendship is. (See 15:15.) God loves us as friends who know His business. We aren’t slaves or servants—even though we should be. The God of the Universe sees you as a peer. Think about that. 16:28 Jesus came to the world to bring us into fellowship with Him; He leaves the world to bring us into Fellowship with God. 16:30 You are Messiah because you know what we’re thinking, you know the questions we have, and you answer our questions even before we ask them. 16:31 “‘You believe at last!”: (Gk) This is phrased as a question and not an exclamation. “Now, do you believe? Really?” This response is sarcastic. In a matter of hours, they will all desert Him and have a crisis of faith. And, they will have a lot of learning to do even after the Resurrection and before the Ascension. 16:33 “‘you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble’”: If the world is going to give us trouble because of our faith, how are we to have peace? But that’s precisely the point. God will give us peace, especially when we are persecuted by the world. And, tribulation is always the precursor to triumph. God doesn’t let us suffer just to make us tougher. There is always victory over the horizon. And there will be judgment for our oppressors. They are working towards their own defeat. “‘take heart! I have overcome the world’”: This statement will be a hard one to swallow in the coming days. When Jesus is crucified, it will seem that the world has overcome Jesus. But after the Resurrection, it is crystal clear that Jesus has overcome the world, Satan, sin and death. Later, John has a lot more to say about this. (See 1Jn 5:4-5.) 5:4ff John writes five Books of the New Testament: Gospel of John; 1, 2, 3 John; Revelation.

152

Andrew K. Wong

The timeline is speculative, but the best approximation is this. John writes the Gospel while he is in Ephesus (in modern day Turkey). John is exiled to the island of Patmos by the Emperor Domitian. On Patmos, John writes Revelation. After Domitian dies, John comes back to Ephesus, where he writes 1, 2 and 3 John to the church at large. 5:4-5 Jesus has overcome the world. But that’s not all. We have also overcome the world. We overcome the world through our faith in Jesus. How else do we overcome the world? (See 1Jn 2:12-14.) 2:14 How do we overcome Satan? By keeping God’s Word in us. One last tip from John about how to overcome the world. (See 1Jn 4:4.) 4:4 Who is the “one who is in us”? The Gospel of John tells us that it’s the Counselor—the Holy Spirit. God has given us all the tools we need: faith, the Word, and the Holy Spirit. 17:1ff Chapter 17 is a mountaintop in the Bible. In this chapter, Jesus prays. It is His longest recorded prayer in the Gospels. It is an intimate conversation between the Son and the Father. To put it into context, think about this. Our bosses talk about us all the time. Are we invited to listen in? Of course not. It happens behind closed doors. Our bosses’ bosses sometimes talk about us. Who knows what they say about us. We hope they say good things; we hope they have our best interests in mind; we hope that their demeanor to us is consistent with what is said in private. We hope they don’t gossip and spread lies about us. To a large extent, our perception of how our bosses treat us determines our happiness at work.

153

Andrew K. Wong

All we ask is that they are fair to us. It would nice if they liked us, too. If they are unfair and don’t like us, then it’s a miserable workplace. Albert Einstein took this to the next level. He said that the most important question in life is: “Is the universe a friendly place or not?” The universe is run by God. God relies on His right arm (Jesus Christ) and His left arm (the Holy Spirit). What do God and Jesus say about you, behind closed doors? Have you ever wondered about that? If God and Jesus were like your earthly bosses, you’d never know, because your earthly bosses would never tell you what they said about you behind your back. But God is your Heavenly Father. He wants you to know what Jesus says about you. In fact, we can read about it in chapter 17. Chapter 17 is Jesus’ last discourse before going to the Cross. It’s divided into three sections. (1) 17:1-5, Jesus prays for Himself. (2) 17:6-19, Jesus prays for His Disciples. (3) 17:20-26, Jesus prays for us. When we read what Jesus prays for us, it is privileged stuff. If only our earthly bosses would say the things our heavenly bosses say about us. The confidence God the Father and Jesus the Son have in us. The job they want us to do. The training they will give us. The rewards for being God’s children. The future they envision for us. The confidence God the and Jesus the Son have in us. At the end of chapter 16, Jesus says that He has overcome the world. This is a prayer that enables us to overcome the world through Him, and it will change you when you read it. Einstein was right: the most important question in the universe is whether it’s a friendly place or not. And, the universe is not only friendly, but it’s run by a God who loves us to send His Son to die for us. 17:1 “‘Father’”: This is the most intimate way to address God.

154

Andrew K. Wong

In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught us to pray, “Our Father in heaven.” But Jesus doesn’t say that here—He calls God just, “Father.” So, should we. “‘Father, the time has come’”: Now is the time for Jesus to die. Thus far, Jesus has been protected from physical harm. When the Jews wanted to arrest Jesus, they couldn’t, because His time had not yet come. (7:6, 7:30, 8:20.) “‘Glorify your Son’”: In this prayer are hope and fear. Before there is glory, there is grief. (16:20.) Jesus is praying for the strength and courage to die. Jesus was fully divine and fully human. That means He felt every fear that we would feel if we were about to be crucified. Every Jew knew what crucifixion meant. They had seen it once or twice in their lifetimes. Jesus knew what was in store for Him. He also knew that before the crucifixion, He would be tried, flogged almost to death, and then mocked by the entire city. This is fear that chills the bone and paralyzes the soul. The Gospel of Luke tells us that later, in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was praying so intensely that His sweat was falling to the ground like drops of blood. (Lk 22:44.) 17:3 Eternal life is a relationship with God through His Son. No amount of knowledge can get us there. It is experiential. You can have it now. [5:24] Jesus has the authority to give eternal life. 17:4 Jesus’ every thought, word and deed on earth glorified God. By the way, has Jesus completed all of His work yet? No. He still must go to the Cross. That process will start this very night. But He anticipates that He will persevere to the end. That should be our attitude, as well. 17:5 It’s time for Jesus to come back home to heaven, and He longs for that. But He knows that He will return to heaven in greater glory because He was obedient to death.

155

Andrew K. Wong

17:6ff Now until verse 18, Jesus prays for His Disciples. Notice that His prayer for them is longer than His prayer for Himself. And when He prays for us, His prayer is longer than His prayer for Himself. 17:8 The Disciples have come a long way. They heard the Word of God; they accepted it. They saw all the miracles, heard all the teaching. They are convinced that Jesus is the Messiah—not just a prophet or miracle- worker, but the Son of God. 17:9 God will answer this prayer. The Eleven will be the rock upon which the Church is built. They will travel to distant lands, preaching the Gospel, planting churches, making disciples, and then die for the Lord—everyone except John. 17:10 “‘glory has come to me through them’”: Their lives and witness brings glory to the Son and glory to the Father. 17:11 Jesus’ ministry was three years. That time was filled with opposition and persecution. After the Ascension, the Disciples will continue where Jesus left off. And their ministries will be much longer. One by one, they become martyrs, beginning 30 years after the Resurrection and beyond. They will need more protection over more time than Jesus received from God for three years. 17:12 “‘doomed to destruction’”: [Ask for other variant translations] This phrase has caused needless confusion and anxiety among Christians. Because this phrase seems to mean that Judas didn’t have a choice about betraying Jesus. That it was his destiny; he was doomed to hell when he was born. I still remember one of my friends in church, when were in the high school youth group, reading this and being so distraught because she felt sorry for Judas. That’s not what this phrase means at all. In fact, it’s a mistranslation of the Greek. (Gk) “The son of destruction.” Focus on the word “destruction” in the Greek. There are two meanings wrapped up into one. The first is causing destruction or waste.

156

Andrew K. Wong

So, a “son of destruction” is someone who causes destruction or waste. The second meaning is the destruction or ruin that one experiences. Each time the word is used in the NT, it refers to the destruction one experiences because they rejected God. It’s used to describe sinners who don’t repent; false teachers who spread heresy in the church; and the Anti-Christ. All these people make a choice to reject God and salvation. You put these two meanings together, and “son of destruction” means someone who has deliberately rejected God and who will take the consequences of that choice. It does not mean that Judas was doomed to hell even before he was born. It means Judas is going to hell because he deliberately rejected Christ. “‘that Scripture would be fulfilled’”: This phrase adds to the confusion. If we didn’t study what “doomed to destruction” meant in the Greek, it would really seem that Judas was predestined to betray Jesus. Two points to make about this. First, there is no direct prophesy in Scripture saying that Judas would betray Christ. Second, this is an example of predestination versus foreknowledge. Predestination is having no choice in the matter—you’re predestined to do something. It’s fate. Foreknowledge is absolutely having a choice in the matter. You’ve done something, but God knew you were going to do it. It’s your choice and God knowing you would make that choice. Did Judas make a choice to betray Christ? Yes. He didn’t have to accept the 30 pieces of silver. He could have turned his back on the Jews and followed Jesus. Did God know what Judas would do beforehand? Yes. God knows everything. He’s smarter than us, He’s 1,000,000 steps ahead of us, He knows us. Actually, we have foreknowledge of many things. Take my 2 year old son Joshua. Joshua is addicted to electronic devises. We don’t let him play with our iPads or smartphones, but this boy will grab our devices whenever we’re not looking.

157

Andrew K. Wong

Even when he was 18 months old, he figured out the unlock patterns on our phones. He figured out how to swipe the pattern. I can’t figure out how he did it because we never showed him how to do it. He hasn’t figured out how to call people, but he will take plenty of photos with the camera. So, sometimes there will be 20 extra photos in my photo gallery, all of the floor or the couch, and then one or two telltale photos with his legs and feet in the bottom of the photo. Joshua knows he’s not allowed to play with our devises. We take it away from him every time and he screams bloody murder. But does that stop him? No. If I leave my smartphone next to him and go the next room, I know with certainty that he will grab it and play with it. Joshua has free will like everyone else. My knowing with certainty that he will take my phone isn’t predestination; it’s foreknowledge, because I know my boy. It’s the same with God. God never makes us do anything, but He knows what we will do. We are His children, and what father doesn’t know what their children will do? 17:13 “‘full measure of my joy’”: While we are on this earth, how do we enjoy the full measure of Christ’s joy? (See 13:1.) By knowing the full extent of His love. 17:15 There are two aspects of this verse. First, let’s talk about how this verse applies to us. God doesn’t want His children to hide from the world. How will we defeat Satan if we run from him? Where is the fun in letting Satan go without giving him a bloody nose? God wants us to be conquerors, not refugees. Second, how does this verse apply to the Disciples? During Jesus’ three year ministry, there were never more demons infesting the earth than at that time. The Synoptic Gospels give more detail. In Matthew, Mark and Luke, the moment Jesus reveals Himself, demonic opposition increases dramatically. The Gospel of Mark is filled with Jesus casting out demons. Why were there so many demons?

158

Andrew K. Wong

In Genesis 3, right after Satan tempts Adam and Eve, God tells Satan that Messiah is coming to crush his head. [Ge 3:15] Satan has been waiting. He just doesn’t know exactly when. Jesus is fully revealed to Satan when He is baptized. As Jesus comes up out of the water, God says, “This is my Son, whom I love.” Satan watches and says to God, “Oh, is this Your Son? Tell your boy to meet me in the desert in an hour. I’d love to get to know him.” And, immediately, the Holy Spirit drives Jesus out into the desert to be tempted 40 days by Satan. Satan fails, but from then on, he and his minions will attack Jesus and the Disciples at every opportunity. 17:16-18 The Disciples will go into the world with the same job description Jesus had: To preach, teach and heal. How are they supposed to succeed? Especially against violent opposition from Satan and demons? Sanctification. Holiness lets God’s power come through. 17:19 Jesus sanctifies Himself for two things. One, being the sacrifice for our sins. The other, for us, whom the sacrifice is offered. He is both priest and the sacrificial victim. 17:20 Here is Jesus’ prayer for us. “‘believe in me through their message’”: We have a job to do, too. Jesus wants others to believe in Him through our message. Which means we need to send the message to the world, in the first place. The message gets out through preaching, teaching, sharing, living the Gospel— any way that the Holy Spirit urges you to use your gifts, talents and abilities. 17:21-22 Jesus wants two things for us: unity and light. We are to be united as the Father and the Son are one. We are to reflect the glory of God into this dark world. God’s glory is like a spotlight shining on us, and we are to reflect that light in every direction. (2Co 5:20.) Paul writes that we are Christ’s ambassadors, as though God is making His appeal through us to the world.

159

Andrew K. Wong

Unfortunately, the opposite is true. When we are not united, God’s glory does not shine through us. 17:23 “‘complete unity’”: Unity does not mean conformity. Think of it as being part of a symphony orchestra, playing the same piece under God’s baton. It is a unity that transcends cultures, traditions, and politics. God the Father loves us in precisely the same manner as He loves the Son. God loves us that much. 17:24 Here are the two greatest rewards. First, to be with Jesus. When we are with Jesus in heaven, there is pure joy. People search for that type of joy today—professionally, materially, in relationships, and in all the things under the sun. But Jesus is not of this world, so that joy will always be elusive. True joy, happiness and rest are found only in Christ. Second, to see His glory. That’s the end of the rainbow—the highest occupation to fill our souls and minds and hearts. Jesus’ glory is pure light, knowledge, wisdom, and riches. It fills the holes and the yearnings of our souls and intellects. The theory of the universe is in the Lord Jesus. He was there in the beginning, before the beginning of time, before the universe was created, before all creation, and He is life. (1:1-5.) There are also subparts to this glory. Being one with the Father, the Son and the Spirit. We can’t possibly feel alone when we are one with the Trinity. Being loved by the Father, the Son and the Spirit. Knowing this, we can’t possibly feel unloved. And if we feel unloved, we’re looking for love in the wrong places. Doing extraordinary things through the Holy Spirit for the Kingdom. Jesus promised us that we will do what He did. (14:12.) If our lives seem to be stuck in the mundane, then we need to refocus on doing things that advance the Kingdom.

160

Andrew K. Wong

Receiving honor in the present. God honors us when we serve Him. (12:26.) God’s honor fulfills all of our cravings for recognition and fame. Receiving glory in the future. The future is everything. (17:24.) Our future in heaven is filled with unimaginable things. It’s impossible to feel bored, knowing what is in store for us. 17:26 Jesus’ ministry started with just a handful of men and women. He entrusted His mission to them. Over the centuries, that job is now ours. We are to continue making Jesus known to the world. 18:1 “an olive grove”: Up the Mount of Olives facing the Temple Mount is a grove of olive trees. It’s called “Gethsemane.” Specifically, Gethsemane means “olive press” because olive oil was produced there for use in the Temple. How do you illuminate the Temple? By burning pure olive oil. Pure olive oil does not create smoke. 18:2 Gethsemane is one of the Lord’s favorite places. [Lk 22:39] Sometimes, Jesus spent the night in the Garden. He never spent the night in the city. Gethsemane is right across from the Beautiful Gate, 320 yards away. 18:3 “soldiers”: These are not Roman soldiers; these are Jewish Temple guards. They must arrest Jesus at night because the people are wildly supportive of Jesus and would riot if Jesus was arrested during daytime. 18:4 The detachment comes out the Beautiful Gate, down the Kidron Valley, up the other side and up the Mount of Olives. Jesus sees them coming. 18:5 John dislikes Judas intensely. 60 years later, John remembers Judas standing there like it was yesterday. 18:6 “‘I am he’”: (Gk) “I am.” (See 8:58.) Jesus said the same thing before. Remember that “I am” is God’s name. (Ex 3:14.) Jesus says “I am” so forcefully, with such authority that it intimidates them.

161

Andrew K. Wong

They fall back. 18:9 Jesus is in control. His voice and presence intimidates them. He has to force them to arrest Him. 18:10 “Then Simon Peter”: The Synoptic Gospels don’t name Peter as the culprit. Peter was still alive when the other Gospels were written. By the time John writes his Gospel, Peter has been dead for 30 years. There is no fear of embarrassment any more about naming who cut off the servant’s ear. “Malchus”: Malchus’ name is mentioned only in John’s Gospel. Malchus is “the” High Priest’s servant. Note the definite article. Malchus is probably the high priests’ chief deputy and in charge of this detachment to arrest Jesus. We’re going to find out that John knows the High Priest and his staff. 18:11 In the Synoptic Gospels, the guards try to arrest the Disciples after Jesus intervenes, but the Disciples flee the scene. Peter has shown himself to be a man of his word—at least for now. Remember, he said that he would lay down his life for Jesus. (13:37.) Peter was going to take on the whole detachment by himself. If Jesus hadn’t intervened, they would have killed Peter. (Lk 22:51.) Luke tells that Jesus healed the servant’s ear after Peter cut it off. Luke, being a physician, has an interest in recording Jesus’ healing miracles. But what part of the servant’s body was Peter really aiming for? Not the ear; the head. Peter was trying to decapitate the man, and the servant ducked. 18:13 Annas is Caiaphas’ father-in-law. Annas is the rightful high priest. The high priest holds his job for life. Why is Caiaphas the high priest instead of Annas? Because Annas couldn’t get along with the Romans. Caiaphas did and knew how to play the game. The Romans appointed Caiaphas as high priest and kept Annas as the figurehead. 18:14 “good”: (Gk) expedient.

162

Andrew K. Wong

Caiaphas said this in 11:49-50. 18:15 When you combine all four Gospels, there is a sequence of events leading to Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane.53 (1) Judas brings the detachment of soldiers and officials to the Garden. (2) Judas has planned the prearranged signal that he will greet and kiss Jesus. (3) Judas kisses Jesus to identify Jesus as the person they should arrest. (4) They grab Jesus. (5) Peter cuts off Malchus’ ear. (6) Jesus rebukes Peter and heals Malchus. (7) The Disciples flee. (8) They arrest Jesus. But after the Disciples flee, Peter and John circle back. They are Jesus’ closest friends. They keep their distance, they watch where Jesus is brought, and then they tag along. When the detachment arrives at Caiaphas’ house; the servants open the gate; they lead Jesus in. John slips in as the last of the group enters, but they refuse Peter entrance. 18:16 John intervenes for Peter. John’s interaction with the servants brings up a larger point. In verse 15, Caiaphas knows John and his staff knows John. The Disciples were not poor, simple, uneducated men. Peter, Andrew, James and John owned a fishing business in Galilee. It was a very profitable. They had several boats and employees. [Mk 1:16-20; Mt 4:18-22] Peter owns a house right along the waterfront. Matthew used to be a tax collector, which made him very wealthy. There were firmly middle class, if not upper middle class. Caiaphas, the high priest, would not deign to consort with poor, uneducated fishermen. 18:17 Here is Peter’s first denial. 18:18 “a fire”: (Gk) a charcoal fire. Peter is trying to blend in.

53 Mt 26:47-56; Mk 14:43-52; Lk 22:47-53; Jn 18:2-12.

163

Andrew K. Wong

In Jerusalem, there is a tourist attraction called the Burnt House Museum. When we went to Israel in 2017, I wanted our group to see it, but our tour guide and I didn’t include it on our itinerary because we had too much else to see. It’s an excavated house from the Second Temple period that’s six meters below the current street level in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City. It was destroyed by fire during the Siege of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

It could have been the house of Caiaphas, the high priest. We will never know. But if the house didn’t belong to Caiaphas, then his house was probably similar in layout. There is a gateway that leads to an open area (the atrium). The atrium is square in area. Behind the atrium is the doorway into the main house. In verse 18, Peter and the guards are in the atrium, warming themselves by the fire. It’s cold because Passover is in the early spring and Jerusalem is 2,474 feet above sea level. Everyone else is inside, figuring out what to do with Jesus. But standing around the fire are those who were part of the detachment sent to arrest Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. And Peter looks suspiciously like the guy who cut off Malchus’ ear. Maybe, Malchus is standing there around the fire, too. 18:19 The scene cuts to inside the house. Annas is trying to break Jesus down. “I want answers. Who are your Disciples? I want their names. And tell me what you’ve been teaching. And we won’t leave here until I get answers.” This is flat out illegal. In Jewish law, the accused was entitled to a fair trial, in public. 18:20 “‘I have spoken openly to the world’”: (Gk) the “I” is emphasized. I have spoken openly; I always taught in synagogues; I said nothing in secret. In contrast to all of you—holding this sham trial in secret, in the dark of night. 18:22 Annas allows them to hit Jesus. There is something cowardly about Annas. Remember that he’s the figurehead with no power. And he’s desperate to prove he still has some authority. So, he takes it out on Jesus.

164

Andrew K. Wong

Annas is a survivor. He was high priest from A.D. 6 to 15, for ten years. The Romans deposed him when he was 36 years old. Think about that. When you’re in your mid-thirties to late forties, you are in the prime of your professional life. You’re hungry for power and willing to put in the hours. You get that brass ring and you expect to live out your life as the political and spiritual leader of Judea. Then, all of a sudden, it’s gone. The new Roman procurator, Valerius Gratus, hates you and deposes you. That Roman pig. But what can you do? Other men might have retired into a life of leisure and respectability. Or, if you still want to keep working and exercise some influence, then you can be the president of the Sanhedrin (the Jewish ruling council) or an assistant to the new high priest. But that’s not Annas. He wants it all. He had it all. And it was that Gentile dog Valerius Gratus who ruined everything. And Annas decides to lay low before making his next move. He watches Gratus for a while. And in a short time, Annas senses an opportunity. Valerius Gratus served as procurator from 15 to 26 A.D. under the Emperor Tiberius. Gratus’ successor was Pontius Pilate, and the two men could not have been any more different. Pilate was cruel, vindictive and violent. Gratus was . . . nothing much. He wasn’t famous for anything, good or bad. In fact, the only thing noteworthy in his tenure was that he kept changing the Jewish high priest. Today, he would be the man in the empty suit, sitting behind his desk, doing nothing, collecting a paycheck, and rearranging his office furniture. One thing about deadweight like him is that you can figure out how to make him work for you.

165

Andrew K. Wong

Annas figures it out.54 So, when Gratus deposed Annas, he replaced Annas with a guy called Ismael. But Ismael didn’t last long. Gratus is searching for the next high priest, and Annas puts forth one of his own sons as a candidate. Annas has five sons. This son is called Eleazar. And you know what? It works. Gratus picks Eleazar to be high priest. Victory! Or so it seems. But remember that Gratus doesn’t have anything else to do all day except change the high priest. After just one year, Gratus deposes Eleazar and gives it to some guy called Simon. But Annas doesn’t panic, because he knows that Simon will probably be gone soon. And Annas has five sons and one son-in-law. Sure enough, Simon is gone after one year. Who does Annas put forth as the next candidate for high priest? His son-in-law, Caiaphas. Caiaphas turns out to the right fit. He will be high priest for 18 years. Even Gratus knows that. After Gratus appoints Caiaphas, Gratus retires and goes back to Rome. Annas wins. He is the last man standing. He is a survivor—as ruthless, desperate and Machiavellian as they come. He is also intimidated by Jesus. Jesus has power and authority and celebrity without even trying. The people proclaim Jesus as Messiah. Jesus is a threat to Annas and all the years he’s spent consolidating his authority. Annas has been working hard to stop Jesus. (See 11:43ff.) 11:47 Who is at this meeting?

54 Josephus, Ant. 18.2.1-2.

166

Andrew K. Wong

The Sanhedrin, the Pharisees, the chief priests, the high priest (Caiaphas), and (of course) Annas—the former high priest; the man who pulls all the strings. 11:49 Caiaphas isn’t supposed to be high priest. But he married the daughter of the high priest. And when Annas was deposed, he found a way to convince Valerius Gratus to pick his son-in-law, Caiaphas, as the high priest. 11:52 Caiaphas didn’t “say this on his own” because he’s not that bright. This bright idea was planted by others—probably by his father-in-law, Annas. 11:53 This conspiracy to kill Jesus is ratified by Annas. If he didn’t buy into the plan, then the plan wouldn’t have legs. This conspiracy is already evil, but it becomes positively diabolical later on. (See 12:9-11.) 12:9 The resurrected Lazarus is proof that Jesus is Messiah. Right now, Lazarus is more threatening than Jesus is. 12:11 Who wants to kill Lazarus? The chief priests. Who controls the priesthood? Annas. 18:23 So, here we are in chapter 18. Annas and Jesus are standing face to face. Jesus has power and authority; Annas wishes he had that kind of power. Jesus preaches boldly in daytime; Annas operates secretly at nighttime. Jesus is 33, in the prime of His physical strength; Annas is an elderly man who will die in a few years. And Jesus won’t buckle under pressure. In fact, Jesus has the last word and Annas is speechless. 18:24 John doesn’t record Caiaphas interrogating Jesus. Matthew, Mark and Luke do. Jesus says hardly a word while Caiaphas struggles to put on evidence against Jesus.

167

Andrew K. Wong

18:25 The scene cuts back outside in the atrium. 18:27 Matthew, Mark and Luke round out the details here. (Lk 22:54-65.) At the same time Peter denies Jesus the third time, the rooster crows and door opens. (Mt 26:74-75; Mk 14:71.) Peter calls down curses on himself. As the curses are still echoing in the air, Jesus turns around and looks straight at Peter. They both lock eyes. Peter then runs outside the gate and weeps bitterly. And that’s the last we see of Peter for a while. 18:28 In the Synoptic Gospels, the Jews find Jesus guilty of blasphemy. But the Jews don’t have the right to capital punishment. Only the Romans can carry out the death penalty. “palace of the Roman governor”: Pontius Pilate was the successor to Valerius Gratus. Pilate was a wealthy, proud man. He had two palaces: one at Caesarea Maritima, along the coast where the Roman garrison was stationed; the other in Jerusalem, which was Herod the Great’s, but which the Roman governors used. Pilate was in Jerusalem at least three times at year because there were three pilgrimage festivals—Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles—when Jews would swarm into the city to celebrate. It was during those times that there was the most political unrest. Roman troops kept an eye and a lid on things during the festivals. Historically, Pilate hated his job. He wanted badly to climb the political ladder and be governor. But he was unlikeable and had few connections. So, the Emperor gave him the governorship that no one wanted: the province of Judea. And when he became governor, he hated the Jews and the Jews hated him. “early morning”: This doesn’t sound as bad as it seems. Roman officials started their day at dawn. They would work until noon, and then call it a day. Romans only slept in if they were hungover from drinking too much the night before.

168

Andrew K. Wong

Pilate traveled to Jerusalem only on special occasions. When he did, there were usually hundreds of cases to hear each morning. “did not enter the palace”: Governors are used to being treated with respect— people coming to them. First of all, Pilate’s staff wakes him up early in the morning. He has to make himself presentable, he’s grumpy. When he’s ready, he says to an aide, “Have them come in.” The aide comes back in and says, “They refuse to come in.” Pilate: “What do you mean? Bring them in here.” Aide: “Sir, they won’t. They say you are unclean.” Pilate: (cuss words) So, Pilate has to go out to meet them. 18:29 What charges are you bringing against this man such that you wake me up at zero dark thirty. 18:30 Forget about due process and a fair trial for Jesus. 18:31 “‘judge him by your own law’”: Get out of my face, all of you. 18:32 Pilate sighs and says to himself, “So, that’s why they’re bothering me. They want me to kill him because they can’t do it themselves.” 18:33 Jesus is brought in. He’s bound, bloody, beaten up. The Jews were hitting Him in the face, all night long. [Mt 26:67; Mk 14:65] Black eyes, broken nose, swollen lips, bruises. Pilate looks Jesus up and down. They told him that Jesus claimed to be the King of the Jews. Pilate can’t believe it and says, “You are the king of the Jews?” (Gk): emphasis on “you.” “You’ve got to be kidding me! Look at you. If you’re the king of the Jews, then us Romans have nothing to worry about.” 18:34 Despite His condition, Jesus doesn’t back down an inch. 18:35 “‘Am I a Jew?”: I don’t like Jews and they don’t like me. “‘What is it you have done?’”: What did you do to make them ask me to kill you? 18:37 Pilate is rolling his eyes.

169

Andrew K. Wong

18:38 “‘What is truth?’”: That’s a cynical, rhetorical question. Pilate isn’t interested in the truth. “‘I find no basis for a charge’”: You wanted me to believe that Jesus is a rebel— an insurrectionist against Rome who deserves the death penalty. Well, He’s not. He’s a lunatic, but He’s not a rebel. 18:40 Barabbas was an insurrectionist. He and two others tried to incite a riot by murdering a Roman soldier. For that, all three of them face the death penalty. 19:1 This is a weak man buckling under pressure. (18:38.) Didn’t Pilate just say he found no basis for a charge against Jesus? So, why does he have Jesus flogged? He’s throwing the Jews a bone. Maybe flogging Jesus will satisfy the Jews. But the problem is that a Roman flogging usually killed the man. When a man was flogged under Jewish law, you could only flog him with 39 lashes. Anything beyond 39 lashes was humiliating and potentially lethal. The Romans didn’t observe such niceties. When Roman soldiers flogged you, they didn’t care if you died—and many did. The Romans used a cat o’ nine tails: a leather whip that branches off into nine cords. Each cord was embedded with lead shot. One swing of the whip leaves nine separate wounds. The lead shot digs into your back. It rips apart skin, muscle, and sometimes breaks the rib cage. Sometimes, you see the man’s internal organs through the ripped flesh. It wasn’t just the Romans who used the cat o’ nine tails. The British Navy used to, and the procedure for a flogging was the same. They stripped Jesus naked from the waist up, exposing His shoulders and back. They tied His hands around a post. Then the biggest, strongest Roman soldier would flog you as hard as he could. If he got tired, another guy with take his turn. The flogging ended in one of two ways: you died, or it wasn’t fun for the soldiers any more. Many men died; Jesus didn’t.

170

Andrew K. Wong

What does that say about Jesus? Jesus was physically strong, in excellent condition. We’ve noted His strength and conditioning a few times. He was a construction worker, by trade. In the area of Sepphoris where Jesus grew up and worked, construction was of wood and stone. After He began His public ministry, He walked through all 204 cities and villages in Galilee, preaching the Gospel. He kept a killing schedule: up early in the morning; teaching, preaching; healing thousands every day—morning, afternoon, evening—laying hands on each person; spending the night in pray; finally getting some sleep. Day after day. Only the most robust constitution can handle that workload. There are other examples of His strength. He survived 40 days in the wilderness of Judea, being tempted by the Devil, without eating for over a month. When the people of Nazareth were offended by His preaching and tried to throw Him off the brow of the cliff. Jesus wouldn’t let them—He pushed and shoved His way through the crowd. When Jesus went to the Temple and drove out the money changers and animal sellers. He turned over their tables and flailed at them with a whip of cords until there was a stampede of men and animals rushing out of there. No one could stop Him. And, as we will see later in this chapter, Jesus could carry His cross part of the way up the hill to Golgotha after being beaten and flogged. 19:2 “put it on His head”: The soldiers smashed it down on His head so that the thorns dug into His scalp. Blood is flowing down His face. 19:3 They play hot hands with Jesus. They put the prisoner in the middle, blindfold him, spin him around, stop him, punch him in the face, and then say, “Who hit you?” They only stop when it’s not fun anymore. But by then, Jesus’ face is like hamburger meat. 19:4 Pilate thinks: “Alright, this should satisfy them.”

171

Andrew K. Wong

19:5 “‘Here is the man!’”: (Lat) “Ecce homo!” 19:6 It’s not enough that Jesus has been beaten all night by the Jews, beaten all morning by the Romans, stabbed by the crown of thorns and flogged. “‘I find no basis for a charge’”: Pilate is disgusted with the whole thing, including his role in this. “You crucify him. I don’t want any part of this.” 19:7 You’re wrong, Pilate. You must crucify him because we can’t. 19:9 Pilate realizes that he has stepped into the middle of something he doesn’t understand and can’t control. “‘Where are you from?’”: There is more to this question than just wanting to know where Jesus lives or where He was born. More about this in a minute. 19:10 And what really unnerves Pilate is Jesus. Historically, Pilate was a weak, insecure man. He didn’t get along well with others—even Romans. He had a tendency to rub everyone the wrong way. He became governor only because of his patron, the Emperor Tiberius’ deputy, Aelius Sejanus. He also took after Sejanus. Sejanus was cunning, ruthless and anti-Semitic. Pilate was the same. His early governorship was characterized by disdain, violence and cruelty toward the Jews. But in chapter 19, Pilate seems much more conciliatory toward the Jews than earlier in his career. He even seems afraid of them. Why the change? For a long time, Sejanus had his eyes on the throne. And Emperor Tiberius was in semi-retirement and let Sejanus do all the work of running the Empire. Sejanus secretly built up his network of supporters and starting getting rid of all of his enemies and potential enemies. Pilate was one of his supporters. The Emperor got wind of this before it was too late. Sejanus was arrested and executed the same day: October 18, A.D. 31.

172

Andrew K. Wong

When Jesus and Pilate meet face to face, it’s Passover, A.D. 32. Sejanus has been dead for only five months. But for Pilate, five months changes everything. Now, Emperor Tiberius wants to clean house. Anyone who was a friend of Sejanus is suspect. Tiberius had many of them tortured and killed. Pilate is one of the lucky ones. He escapes Tiberius’ wrath, but he’s on thin ice and a short leash. Tiberius also countermands Sejanus’ policies. Remember that Sejanus was anti-Semitic. Tiberius reverses that: the new marching orders are to leave the Jews alone. Pilate now must restrain his hatred of the Jews and has to work with them. Worse, Pilate wants to leave the Jews alone, but the Jews won’t leave Pilate alone. So, Pilate is forced to confront Jesus one on one. Jesus is on trial and Pilate is judge, jury and executioner. Jesus is bloody and disfigured from being beaten and flogged. Yet, Jesus is unbowed and unintimidated by Pilate. He has a presence that Pilate will never have. If Jesus chooses to speak, He will speak. If Jesus chooses not to speak, He will not speak. And there is nothing Pilate can make Him do. Pilate recognizes that Jesus is the better man—someone Pilate could never be. 19:11 “‘if it were not given to you from above’”: Pilate, it wasn’t the Emperor Tiberius who gave you the governorship. It wasn’t Sejanus, either. It was God. So, I’m not afraid of you. “‘the one who handed me over to you’”: Caiaphas is the one who handed me to over to you. Pilate, you’re just a pawn in this game of chess. I don’t hate you nor do I hold you responsible for what will happen to me. 19:12 “Pilate tried to set Jesus free”: Jesus makes Pilate uncomfortable. Pilate, being Roman, might also have something to do with this. Romans were superstitious. They believed in many gods, and that sometimes the gods came down and appeared in human likeness. [Cf. Ac 14:11] Remember that Pilate asked Jesus where he was from. (19:9.) If Jesus was a god, then Pilate would be in big trouble in the afterlife for having Jesus flogged.

173

Andrew K. Wong

“‘you are no friend of Caesar’”: The Jews knows exactly what buttons to press. Pilate, not so fast. Didn’t Caesar—Emperor Tiberius—order you to give us what we want? If you don’t crucify Jesus, then all we need to do is write a letter to the Emperor, and that will be the end of you. 19:13 “the judge’s seat”: A judge’s chair on a dais with stairs leading up to it. Most likely, Jesus can’t stand any more out of pure exhaustion, so He sits. The Gospel of John is full of irony. Here is another example. Pilate has Jesus sit on the judgment seat. No one watching this has any idea how prophetic this is. One day, when we step out into eternity, we will all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. (2Co 5:10.) We will all receive what is due us for the things we’ve done. Pilate sits Jesus down on the judgment seat. One of these days, Pilate and everyone who sees this, will see Jesus on the judgment seat one more time. 19:14 “Day of Preparation”: Friday. 19:16 Pilate has had enough. 19:17 “Carrying his own cross”: This is the horizontal beam. The vertical beam is waiting for Jesus up the hill. It’s amazing that Jesus can carry His own cross. He’s been beaten all night by the Jews; beaten and flogged by the Romans in the morning; He suffered severe blood loss; yet, His body is not in shock. Many men would have already died. This is another example of Jesus’ excellent physical condition. During the crucifixion, we see the intersection of several things: faith; obedience; perseverance; and a first-rate physical constitution. The finest example of manhood—ever—is on display. 19:18 Who were these two others who were crucified? They were Barabbas’ friends. Barabbas and his two friends were insurrectionists—rebels against Rome who had committed murder during an uprising. [Mk 15:7; Lk 23:19; Ac 3:14] Why is Jesus crucified in the middle of these two?

174

Andrew K. Wong

The middle cross was for Barabbas. Barabbas was supposed to be crucified, but Pilate let him go. Barabbas was the leader of this trio of insurrectionists. 19:20 “Aramaic”: (Gk) Hebrew. The sign is written in Hebrew, not Aramaic—although Hebrew and Aramaic are closely related. 19:19-21 What’s the big deal about the sign over Jesus’ head? Why does are the Jews going ballistic over the sign? There is stunning irony in what the sign says. (See 19:19.) “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” In Hebrew, this is how the sentence is translated: “Jesus” = “Yeshua.” Begins with a “Y.” “of Nazareth” = “Hanazarei.” Begins with an “H.” “King” = “and king” = “Wmelech.” Begins with a “W.” “of the Jews” = “Hayehudim.” Begins with an “H.” Look at the first letters of each word: YHWH. What is YHWH in Hebrew? [Ask] The Tetragrammaton—the sacred name of God, “Yahweh.” That’s why the Jews are going ballistic. The four letters, YHWH, are so sacred that they are not pronounced by Jews. In the OT Hebrew text, when Jews come across the word YHWH, they substitute another name for God so that they don’t have to pronounce YHWH. They substitute it with “Adonai” (Lord), “HaShem” (The Name), or “HaKadosh baruch hu” (The Holy One, Blessed be He). Now, Pilate (this Gentile dog) has written YHWH above Jesus. The Jews arrested Jesus for claiming to be God. They succeed in convincing Pilate to crucify Jesus. Now, even while Jesus is dying, the damn sign above His head says He’s YHWH. 19:22 Deal with it. I’m done with all of you. 19:23 “into four shares”: This is how we know there were four soldiers who carried out the execution.

175

Andrew K. Wong

The soldiers took all of Jesus’ clothes. Jesus hung on the cross naked. 19:25 There are four women standing at the foot of the cross. Three of them are family members: (1) Mary (His mother); (2) His aunt on His mother’s side and (3) Mary the wife of Clopas, who is His aunt on Joseph’s side. According to church tradition, Clopas was Joseph’s brother.55 We don’t call Joseph Jesus’ father, because God is His Father. But Joseph was Jesus’ legal guardian on earth. 19:26 “the disciple whom he loved”: Out of all the Disciples, only John is with the Lord at the foot of the cross. The others have scattered to the wind. 19:27 Isn’t that just like Jesus? Always thinking of others first. Even while He is in excruciating pain. Even when He is naked and a spectacle to the world. The greatest example of manhood is Jesus on the cross. Jesus somehow gets past all the pain. He looks down from the cross. He sees the woman who knows him most intimately—Mary. He is Mary’s oldest son—the one who takes care of his mother. He sees the Disciple who probably knew Him best out of the Twelve—that’s John. He says to John, “You take care of my mother, now.” And according to tradition, John did. Mary lived with John in Ephesus until she died. The last time we saw Mary was in chapter 2. That was a long time ago, literally and figuratively. In three years, a lot has happened. Never in Mary’s worst nightmare did she ever imagine this would happen to her Son. The resurrection is a plot spoiler that only we are privileged to know. Everyone standing at the foot of the cross thinks that this is the end. Mary is thinking, “How can this be? How can it end like this?” (See Lk 1:26ff.)

55 Eusebius, Hist. Eccl. 3.11.

176

Andrew K. Wong

1:26-33 This is the Annunciation. The angel Gabriel bears a special message for Mary. 1:34 Mary says, “I’m a virgin. I’m going to stay a virgin. So, tell me exactly how I’m going to be pregnant?” 1:37 At the end of this verse is a pause. After Gabriel says this, there is silence. Who knows how long—maybe 10 seconds, maybe a few minutes. Why is there a pause? Because Mary has to make a choice. Her response is not automatic. She could say “no.” All the angels in heaven are watching. All of them are holding their breath. If Mary says no, then cancel Christmas and Easter. 1:38 Mary is the first person to say “yes” to Jesus. The very first person to put her faith in Christ. As the mother of God, no other human being will know Christ so intimately. Can you imagine how she must feel? Every Jewish girl has known that Messiah will come into the world. Every Jewish girl has read Isaiah 9:6. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given . . . and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Every Jewish girl has wondered if she will be the one who bears Messiah. Mary is the lucky one. Imagine her joy—her ecstasy. You can read about it in Mary’s Song in Luke 1:46–what’s called The Magnificat. But the first inkling that this journey of blessing has bumps in the road comes when Jesus is born. Where was He born? In a manger. A manger is a feeding trough for animals. Mary must have been thinking, “Is this how Messiah is supposed to come into the world? Being born in a barn?”

177

Andrew K. Wong

The second inkling is more disturbing. (See Lk 2:21ff.) 2:21-32 Great news. A tremendous prophecy. This is what Mary expected to hear about her Son. 2:33 Now, Simon has a personal message for Mary. 2:35 “‘many hearts will be revealed’”: After he says, he peers into Mary’s eyes. “‘And a sword will pierce your own soul too’”: What does that mean? What sword is this? And when will this happen? 19:27 And for 33 years, Mary has been wondering what this means and when it will happen. Now, she stands at the foot of the cross and sees her Son, bloody and disfigured and naked and pierced. The sword has pierced her soul. It is the worst moment of her life. 19:28 “‘I am thirsty’”: This is absolutely true. The last time Jesus drank something was during the Passover meal on Friday night. Now, it’s almost Saturday evening. Through the ordeal of the trial and being beaten up by the Jews at night; then being beaten up and flogged by the Romans in the morning; then carrying His cross up the hill to Golgotha; then being nailed to the cross for six hours . . . Jesus hasn’t had anything to drink for almost 24 hours. What was the last thing Jesus drank? Matthew’s and Mark’s Gospels tell us that, during the Passover meal, Jesus and His Disciples drank three cups of wine. They’re supposed to drink four cups. After you drink the fourth cup, you raise your cup and toast everyone, “Next year in Jerusalem!” You leave the door open and a seat at the table for the prophet Elijah to come back. But they didn’t drink the fourth cup. Now, Jesus asks for the fourth cup. What is this fourth cup? It’s not just wine—it is the cup of suffering. It’s the cup of suffering and the cup of Passover mixed into one. Jesus is the Passover lamb that is sacrificed for the sin of the world.

178

Andrew K. Wong

This Passover ends when Jesus drinks this fourth cup. 19:30 “when he had received the drink”: Jesus drinks the fourth cup of Passover. In the OT, Passover foreshadows the Crucifixion. In the Gospels, the symbolism of Passover infuses the Crucifixion. During Passover, the Israelites slaughter a lamb. On the Cross, Jesus is the Passover lamb—the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. During Passover, the Angel of Death passed through and struck down the firstborn sons of the Egyptians. On the Cross, the only begotten Son of God gave His life for us. During Passover, the blood of the Passover lamb was smeared on the doorpost. On the Cross, the blood of Christ was smeared on the wood of the cross. “‘It is finished’”: (Gk) accomplished; to complete; to bring to perfection. In Greek, the verb is in the perfect tense. The perfect tense means that an action is completed—fully completed—and now has present-day consequences. The completed action has ongoing effects, forever. Jesus came to fulfill God’s Plan of Salvation. When He dies, He finishes the task. But His death has present-day consequences for us and for everyone who believes. His death in the past means we have eternal life in the future. His death in the past—with continuing, present-day consequences—means we can never lose our salvation. We are guaranteed to be in heaven. Jesus saying, “It is finished,” is the most important sentence in the Bible. It is a three word summary of everything from Genesis to Revelation. “he bowed his head and gave up his spirit”: He bowed his head and he gave up his spirit. Jesus has always driven the events. He dies because He lets Himself be killed. He dies when He chooses to die. 19:31 “day of Preparation”: It’s Friday, when everything has to be prepared for the Sabbath.56

56 Mark 15:42 agrees with John that Jesus died on Friday, the day before the Sabbath. The day begins at sunset on Thursday and ends at sunset on Friday. So, the Last

179

Andrew K. Wong

“the legs broken”: Crucifixion victims died slow, agonizing, horrible deaths. They had to push up with their legs and outstretched arms to take a breath of air. It was typical for victims to live for days. The way to ensure that they died was to break their legs with an iron club so that they couldn’t push up to breathe any more. 19:32 Barabbas’s two friends were still alive. 19:33-34 These Roman soldiers on execution duty have seen hundreds of people die. They come to Jesus, and they know a dead man when they see one. One of them wants to make sure Jesus is dead. He takes a spear and shoves it into Jesus’ side. The thrust is at an upward angle, slips through the rib cage, punctures the pericardium into the heart. The pericardium is the sac that surrounds and protects the heart. It contains a watery fluid. 19:35 John is standing at the foot of the cross and he sees the blood and water. He sees that Jesus is dead. Jesus didn’t faint; He didn’t play dead; He is dead. The soldier has just shoved his spear into Jesus’ heart. 19:37 Jesus did the job He was supposed to do. He finished every last detail, dotted each “i” and crossed each “t.” He left nothing undone. He fulfilled every prophecy. His work product is perfection. 19:38 “for the body of Jesus”: If Joseph hadn’t asked for Jesus’ body, then the soldiers would have flung His body into a common pit along with Barabbas’ two companions. Joseph of Arimathea is one of the Sanhedrin. [Mk 15:43] Note that he was a disciple of Jesus in secret, but not any more. Once he asks for Jesus’ body, he has made a public declaration of his faith. Also note that Joseph is a disciple, but spelled with a lower case “d.” Jesus had many disciples—men and women. But He limited His inner circle to Twelve.

Supper must have been on Thursday night. Thursday night was part of Passover because the Jewish day begins in the evening.

180

Andrew K. Wong

Why did Pilate give the body to Joseph? We don’t know for sure. But in the apocryphal Gospel of Peter,57 Joseph is mentioned as a personal friend of Pilate. Even before Jesus was crucified, Joseph already asked Pilate for the body of Jesus when Jesus died. That way, he could give Jesus a proper burial. 19:39 “the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night”: Here’s Nicodemus, again. Nicodemus is also a member of Sanhedrin (the Jewish ruling council of 70). He’s been an admirer of Jesus for a long time. (See 3:1ff.) 3:2 “at night”: Over the centuries, scholars have debated the reason why Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night. Was it because Nicodemus was afraid of being seen with Jesus? Or was it because he wanted a private chat with Jesus, and the only time Jesus was free was at night? 3:5 Nicodemus deeply wants to find the truth, and Jesus obliges. The two of them have a deep (and famous) theological discussion about salvation. But remember the question: Did Nicodemus come to Jesus at night because he was afraid? Or was it because he wanted privacy? (See 7:32ff.) 7:32 The temple guards are not going to be able to arrest Jesus. Watch what happens.

57 New Testament Apocrypha: Gospel of Peter, 2.3-5. Volume One: Gospels and Related Writings, revised edition. Wilhelm Schneemelcher, ed. R. McL. Wilson, trans. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press (2003), 223. A few of the early Church Fathers mentioned the Gospel of Peter, but never cited directly from the text. This was because they had only heard of the work's mention, but never saw a copy. Eusebius mentioned it while noting that it was never recognized as canonical within the Church. (Eusebius, History of the Church, 3.3, 25.) The only existing copy of the Gospel of Peter is a parchment manuscript of the 8th-9th century unearthed in the grave of a monk at Akhmim in Upper Egypt in the winter of 1886-1887.

181

Andrew K. Wong

7:36 The temple guards were ordered to arrest Jesus, but they are enraptured by what Jesus says and they’re caught up in this debate about what He means. 7:44 “Some wanted to seize him”: But not the temple guards. Watch. 7:45 They were so impressed by Jesus that He was untouchable. 7:47 Jesus has that effect on people, you know? 7:48 Yes, as a matter of fact. We’ll find out who it is. 7:52 Nicodemus has acted with considerable courage. He spoke up against the Jewish leadership. He’s alone. He’s not a coward. When he visited Jesus at night, it wasn’t because he was afraid. He just wanted a private chat. 19:39 Here’s Nicodemus again—in another act of considerable courage. In caring for Jesus’ body, he is making a public declaration of faith. He and Joseph of Arimathea are showing more courage than the Eleven Disciples. “seventy-five pounds”: Nicodemus also shows Jesus his love. 75 pounds is a lot because spices were imported and expensive. Myrrh is a gum found on trees in Arabia. And, it was one of the gifts the Magi brought to Jesus. (Mt 2:11.) 19:40 The myrrh is an embalming material and the aloes are perfumes. They take His body, and spread the 75 pounds of myrrh and aloes over it. They spread it on His hands, between the fingers. They wrap the hands with linen. They alternate spreading the myrrh and aloes and wrapping the body parts until the whole body is wrapped. The head is prepared differently. [20:7] There is a separate headpiece. The myrrh and aloes go in the eyes and ears and the other orifices. If Jesus had really fainted (as some claim), then Joseph and Nicodemus would have woken Jesus up with all the stuff they embalmed Him in. 19:41 Joseph of Arimathea was a wealthy man. Only the wealthy could afford their own private tomb.

182

Andrew K. Wong

19:42 It was shocking that Jesus is really dead. No one thought that would happen (even though Jesus told them He would die). Imagine how Mary (His mother) feels. Imagine how the Eleven Disciples feel. They are in utter despair. Their faith is in crisis. The worst moment in history is between Friday night to Sunday morning. 20:1 “while it was still dark”: Way before sunlight. “Mary saw”: (Gk) “blepo” = ordinary, visual perception. “the stone”: The stone is not just a large boulder. It’s large enough to cover the entrance to the cave. Twelve inches thick, shaped like a disc, and it rolls like a wheel. It’s very heavy. At the cave entrance, a ramp is cut into the ground so the stone can roll over in place and seal the entrance. 20:2 In Mary’s mind, this is the ultimate indignity. Jesus has been beaten, flogged, crucified, jeered at, and killed. Now, someone has stolen His body. Was Mary alone when she saw the empty tomb? No. She said to the Disciples, “‘we don’t know where they have put him!’” John doesn’t identify who the other women were. But Mark says that Mary, the mother of James, and Salome were with Mary Magdalene. [Mk 16:1] 20:4 All three characters are running everywhere. Mary was running. Now, John and Peter are running. “outran”: (Gk) To sprint far ahead of. This is so like John. John had to tell us that he smoked Peter in a foot race. 20:5 “looked in”: (Gk) “blepo” = ordinary visual perception. 20:6 “arrived”: Here comes Peter, huffing and puffing. “saw”: (Gk) “theoreo” = to see critically; to analyze.

183

Andrew K. Wong

20:7 “folded up by itself”: Whoever did this was very tidy and paid attention to detail. The linen and head cloth being left behind also means that Jesus’ body was not stolen. If someone stole His body, then he would have kept the body wrapped in the linens and taken the linens, too. 20:8 “who had reached the tomb first”: John has to tell us—for the third time—that he runs faster than Peter. “He saw and believed”: (Gk) “eidos” = intelligent apprehension, understanding and conviction. (“Now, I see!”) In this chapter, there is a progression of “seeing.” Mary saw the empty tomb. John looked in and saw the strips of linen. Peter saw, critically, the linen and wondered what happened. John looks again, sees with understanding, and believes. Now, they understand. Jesus told them three times that He would die, be buried and rise again. Everyone heard it, but no one understood. The progression is from seeing; to understanding; to fully comprehending. 20:11 “outside the tomb crying”: Mary was the first one there and the last one to leave. She’s going to be rewarded for that. 20:12 “in white”: (Gk) This is almost an undefinable term. It definitely means white, but a bright, shining, gleaming, radiant white. It’s as if Mary sees the angels, but whatever they look like presses the limits of human perception. They are too brilliant to look at. Too celestial, too magnificent for the human senses and brain to process the image. 20:13 “‘Woman’”: (Gk) A tender, endearing term. (2:4.) It’s how Jesus addressed His own mother. 20:14 This is very intriguing. Mary has spent a lot of time with Jesus, but she doesn’t recognize Him. 20:15 “‘Woman’”: Here is that tender, endearing term again.

184

Andrew K. Wong

“Think he was the gardener”: But Mary still doesn’t recognize His appearance or His voice. 20:16 “‘Mary’”: Now, she finally stares into His eyes and recognizes Him. 20:17 “‘Do not hold on to me’”: (Gk) Cling to. Mary is clinging on to Him and won’t let Him go. “‘to my brothers”: Jesus didn’t say, “Go to my Disciples.” No. Jesus has a personal message for His brothers—or (more accurately) His half- brothers. How many half-brothers did Jesus have? Four. (Mt 13:55; Mk 6:3.) James, Joseph, Simon and Judas. Two of them become prominent leaders in the church and write Books of the New Testament. The Epistle of James and the Epistle of Jude. James will die a martyr in A.D. 62. But that’s all in the future. Why does Jesus have to send them a personal message through Mary Magdalene? [Ask] Because they didn’t believe in Him. [7:5] James’ and Jude’s conversions are fascinating in of themselves, and we’ll revisit this later. “‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God’”: Here’s the message from Jesus. In the Greek, the emphases are on “your.” Your Father; your God. Now is the time to believe. The family of God must start, first, with Jesus’ immediate family on earth. 20:18 “told them”: (Gk) to announce. Mary was the first to announce the Resurrection to the world. She was the first human being to announce the Gospel. She was the first one there at the tomb; she was the last to leave; and it is fitting that she is the first to see the Risen and Glorified Lord Jesus Christ. “he had said these things to her”: Now, the Disciples don’t really believe her. (Maybe John is the only one who does.)

185

Andrew K. Wong

It’s hard to say why. This is just speculation, but one reason could be this was a patriarchal society, and Jewish men didn’t think that a woman’s testimony was reliable. For example, a woman couldn’t testify in court. Another reason is that they can’t wrap their minds around the resurrection. (20:9.) But another reason is Scripture. (See Isa 52:14.) Jesus was beaten and tortured so severely that He didn’t look human any more. So, when Mary tells them that Jesus is alive and looking well, how could that be? Before we move on, let’s tie up a loose end. Why didn’t Mary recognize Jesus, at first? (1Co 15.) We will all have new, resurrection bodies. But what will these bodies look like? We have a clue: the resurrected Jesus is the prototype. He is the first resurrected person, ever. Everyone else who has awakened from the dead before Jesus was resuscitated, but not resurrected. That includes Jonah, Lazarus, Jairus’ daughter, the son of the widow at Nain. They were dead, but were revived in their old bodies. Jesus was resurrected in a new body. The bodies we have are perfectly suited for this environment. Nothing is by accident. (Ps 139:13.) When you were two cells in our mother’s womb, God was knitting you together, cell by cell. He didn’t give us four legs or wings or gills. Our eyes are on our faces and not on the sides of our heads. And we have the most advanced brains of all creatures. Because of this, homo sapiens are the masters of the earth. Heaven will be a different environment. When we get there, it will be a perfect spiritual body for heaven. [1Co 15:44] Will it look the same as our earthly bodies? Yes and no. It took Mary a while to recognize Jesus—but eventually, she did. What else is different about our spiritual bodies? Let’s find out. 20:19 The spiritual body isn’t bound by physical constraints. Jesus appears in the room even though the doors are locked.

186

Andrew K. Wong

(And probably scared the living daylights out of them.) 20:20 “when they saw”: (Gk) “eidos” = intelligent apprehension, understanding and conviction. Now, they understand—just like John was the first to in verse 8. 20:21 “‘Peace be with you!’”: We can have peace only because Jesus was resurrected. 20:22 “he breathed on them”: (LXX) In Genesis 2:7, God breathed into Adam’s face the breath of life, and then man became a living soul. The Disciples don’t need the breath of life, but they need the Holy Spirit. This is a private gifting of the Holy Spirit. Only eleven Disciples receive this gift; the Spirit has not been given to the church yet. When does the Holy Spirit come upon the church? (See Ac 2:1ff.) 2:1 “Pentecost”: Jesus was crucified on Passover. Pentecost is 50 days after Passover—50 days after Jesus was crucified. 2:2 “a violent wind”: Passover is in late spring; Pentecost is on the edge of summer. So, this violent wind can’t be a natural phenomenon. 2:4 The Holy Spirit comes again. But this time, the Holy Spirit has a different purpose. 2:12 The Holy Spirit comes in power and for all the world to see. Where we left off in John 20, the Holy Spirit came in private—just for the eleven Disciples. (See Lk 24:36ff.) 24:36 Luke records the same incident as we read in John 20. 24:39 Our spiritual body will have flesh and bones (maybe). 24:43 Our spiritual bodies can also eat, though it doesn’t need to. 24:45 Luke and John say the same thing. John describes it as Jesus breathing the Holy Spirit on them. Without the Holy Spirit, it is impossible to understand Scripture. The Holy Spirit is the master teacher of Scripture.

187

Andrew K. Wong

20:23 For Catholics, this is the basis for confession and absolution. But we should clarify something: it is God who forgives or doesn’t forgive sin. Christians can call out sin, but we have no authority to forgive or hold sin against someone. What this verse is saying is that we are to go out and preach the Gospel. If people accept it, God forgives their sin. If people reject it, God will not forgive their sin. 20:24-26 Thomas has a week to mull this over. We don’t know a lot about Thomas. He seems to be a twin, but his twin brother is not a Disciple. [11:16, 20:24, 21:2] That already says something about Thomas, in that he is a man who isn’t afraid to go his own way. Thomas is also brave. (11:16.) When Jesus was telling His Disciples that He would have to go to Jerusalem to die, Thomas volunteers to die with Him. It wasn’t bravado—Thomas was speaking his mind. As we will see, Thomas wasn’t kidding. Thomas is also a bit of a loner—in a good way. People deal with grief differently. Some people like to commiserate with others. In verse 19, the ten other Disciples were commiserating with each other in a locked room. But not Thomas. Thomas was grieving by himself. He missed the first time when Jesus appeared to the other ten. Thomas only joins the Disciples when they tell him that Jesus has risen. As we will see, being a loner is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it is a prerequisite for some types of ministries. (Bible teachers tend to be loners.) Thomas seems to be a man who makes up his mind slowly. He’s skeptical; he mulls over things. But when he’s convinced, he acts resolutely. He doesn’t need any help. The only way to stop him is to kill him. That literally happened when he was martyred for preaching the Gospel in India. Tradition says that Thomas was flayed alive.

188

Andrew K. Wong

And when you think about it, Thomas traveled the second furthest to preach the Gospel. Only Andrew beats him out: Andrew went to Scotland, 6,400 miles away from Jerusalem; Thomas went to India, 2,500 miles away. That’s perseverance. And those were days before planes, trains and automobiles. Imagine Thomas on his trek to India. Traveling all alone for 2,500 miles, yet resolute and unstoppable. And, the church Thomas founded still survives. The Saint Thomas Christians, based in Kerala, India, numbers about 4.6 million believers today. 20:28 This is the clearest profession of faith in the Gospel of John. Thomas may have doubted, but his profession of faith is the climax of the Gospel. 20:29 This is a special blessing to you from the Lord. Jesus commends your faith because you believe even though you have not seen. (Ro 10:17.) Faith comes from hearing the Gospel, and the Gospel is heard through the word of Christ. Think about it from God’s perspective. God cherishes your faith more than the faith of the Disciples. The Disciples believed because they saw the resurrected Jesus. We have none of that: we don’t see Jesus; we don’t hear His voice; we don’t get to touch Him. Yet, we believe and give ourselves to God. If you were God, who has more faith? Don’t forget how precious your faith is to God. It means a lot to Him. 20:30 John knows that the church already has Matthew, Mark and Luke. So, there is no need to repeat what they have written. John writes his Gospel to give us additional details and stories. 20:31 Here is John’s purpose in writing the Gospel. 21:1 “Sea of Tiberias”: This is another name for the Sea of Galilee. [BLR] This alternate name is for the largest city on the shore, which is Tiberias. Tiberias was the headquarters of Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee.

189

Andrew K. Wong

Jesus makes another appearance to some of the Disciples. Why? Chapter 21 ties up a loose end. What’s the loose end? Peter. The last we saw of Peter was an unflattering moment. He had just denied the Lord three times. All three Synoptic Gospels mention Peter denying Jesus. But they don’t say what happened to Peter after the Resurrection. John’s Gospel fills the void. John is Peter’s best friend. John wants to tell us how Peter went from the man who denied Christ three times to the rock upon which the church is built. It seems so unfair. Peter was the undisputed leader of the Twelve Disciples. He had the closest bond with Jesus. Everyone else saw Jesus during the daytime. But Peter had Jesus with him 24/7. Jesus stayed in a guest room in Peter’s house for 3 years. Then, when Peter voiced the obvious—that he would lay down his life for Christ —Jesus turned the tables on Peter and predicted that Peter would deny Him three times. We should note that Peter meant what he said. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Peter took his sword, stood between Jesus and the mob sent to arrest Him, and tried to kill the high priest’s chief deputy. He was the only Disciple who had the courage to act. Peter flees the scene with the rest of the Disciples. But—admirably—Peter summons his courage again. He and John follow Jesus in the distance. When Jesus is led into the house of the high priest, Peter and John make it as far as the courtyard. No one questions John, but it seems that Peter has a target on his back. Peter is in an enclosed area, surrounded by enemies, he tries to blend in, but he can’t. When he denies Jesus, you wonder if anyone else could have succeeded where Peter failed. And, of course, the answer is no. Peter represents the limit of human courage. Satan chose to test Peter at his weakest moment.

190

Andrew K. Wong

It’s not that Satan has anything against Peter, per se. It’s Satan’s way at getting at Jesus in Jesus’ moment of greatest need. So, what does Peter do now? Can we even imagine the despair and humiliation he feels? Can we imagine the accusations Satan is now whispering in Peter’s ears? Peter, you’re worthless. You’re nothing. Jesus deserves better than you. Actually, there is someone who understands exactly how Peter feels. Probably even worse. At the moment, Judas Iscariot is going through his own private hell. Judas betrayed Jesus—yes—but Judas never thought Jesus could die. Matthew and Luke tell us that Judas was filled with remorse. So much so that Judas committed suicide by hanging himself. [Mt 27:5; Ac 1:18] That’s one way out of despair. You can be sure that Satan would be overjoyed if Peter did the same thing as Judas did. Peter, you’re no good to the Lord. You’re a failure. Why don’t you just end it all now? If I were you and did the same thing, I’d kill myself. Take the honorable way out—just like your friend, Judas did. The question for Peter is this: is there another way out of this private hell? How deep is God’s forgiveness? Does it cover apostasy? When you deny the Lord with your own lips, can you take it back? And if you can’t take it back, what then? (See Lk 22:31.) Since the Last Supper, Peter has been mulling over something Jesus said. 22:31 “‘sift you as wheat’”: In the Bible, Satan asked to test the children of God only twice. The first time was in the Book of Job. Poor Job—consider how much he suffered at Satan’s hand. The second time is now. “‘sift you as wheat’”: (Gk) “you” plural—not singular. Yes, Satan wants to test Peter. But Satan wants to test every other Disciple, as well—not just Peter.

191

Andrew K. Wong

22:32 “‘But I have prayed for you’”: So, there’s some consolation. Satan may want to take us on, but we won’t have to do it alone. “‘prayed for you’”: (Gk) singular. Jesus has specifically prayed for Peter. “‘that your faith may not fail’”: If the Lord Jesus prays that Peter’s faith may not fail, then we can be sure that Peter’s faith did not fail. So, what went wrong? Peter’s courage failed—not his faith. “‘And when you have turned back’”: The result of this skirmish is predictable—Satan will win. But there is some comfort in knowing that Jesus knows our weakness beforehand. It can’t get any worse than this, right? It can only get better; onward and upward. “‘strengthen your brothers’”: The silver lining is that Jesus will turn defeat into victory. Peter has a specific lesson to learn from this failure. Every other Disciple will also fail. And Jesus expects Peter to be the example of resilience. Peter is tossing this back and forth in his head—from Friday night, all day Saturday, and into early Sunday morning. (See Jn 20:1ff.) 20:1-7 Mary reports to John and Peter that the tomb is empty. Peter sees the empty tomb and the linen strips and head cloth. But he says nothing. The last time we heard him speak was when he denied Jesus three times. (See 20:19.) 20:19 “On the evening of that first day”: Jesus appears to ten of the Disciples, minus Thomas. 20:20 Peter is there, but he doesn’t say anything. He’s probably in the back of the room, watching the other Disciples hug Jesus and cheer. (See 20:26.)

192

Andrew K. Wong

20:26 One week later, Jesus appears to the Disciples again. Peter is there, but he doesn’t say anything. He has been conspicuously silent. It’s so out of character for him. It’s even more unusual because Jesus and Peter had a private meeting before Jesus appeared to the other Disciples. (See 1Co 15:1ff [Lk 24:34].) 15:3 “of first importance”: What Paul is about to recite is a creed of the early Church. This creed was embedded into the liturgy of first Christians, just as some of you recite the Nicene Creed every Sunday during Mass. 15:4 “raised on the third day”: Jesus was raised on Sunday. 15:5 Jesus and Peter had a private meeting before Jesus appeared to the other Disciples. We know from John 20:19 that Jesus first appeared to the Disciples on Sunday evening. And we know that on Sunday morning, Peter ran to the empty tomb, but didn’t see Jesus. Which means Jesus appeared to Peter sometime between morning and evening that Sunday. But what did Jesus say when they met? We can use our imaginations to fill in the gap. Peter is in despair—he’s pinned down by an overwhelming sense of failure. Jesus holds Peter by his shoulders and looks him in the eye. “Peter, I forgive you. I know you were afraid. I told you that you would deny me. But all that is in the past. Move on.” Jesus has forgiven Peter. But that’s not the problem. The problem is Peter forgiving Peter, and he can’t do it. So, when Jesus appears to the Disciples a week later, Peter is still mum. Standing at the back, staring at his shoelaces, hands in his pockets. This needs to stop because it can’t go on forever. 21:1-2 Some time has passed. This bunch of Disciples has traveled from Jerusalem to the Sea of Galilee— probably Capernaum, Peter’s home town. That’s an 85 mile journey.

193

Andrew K. Wong

21:2 Note the group here.58 It’s Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, James and John (the sons of Zebedee) and two others. Three of them are fishermen, by profession: Peter, James and John. The other four, we don’t know what they do for a living, but they’ve never been associated with fishing in all four Gospels. 21:3 “‘I’m going out to fish’”: These are the first words we’ve heard from Peter since he denied Jesus. “‘We’ll go with you’”: The four non-fisherman decide to go with Peter. Do they want to fish? No. They just want to make sure Peter’s okay. Does Peter want to fish? Or does he just want to be out on the water and stare at the big full moon after Passover? We will find out. “they caught nothing”: Because they weren’t fishing very hard. Peter is out there to sulk; the others are there to make sure Peter’s okay. 21:4 The sun is just barely peeking over the horizon, and it’s too dark to make out Jesus a football field away on the shore. [21:8] 21:5 “‘Friends’”: More affectionate in the Greek. (Gk) = children. 21:6 They dropped the net right on top of a school of fish. 21:7 “‘It is the Lord!’”: They still can’t see Jesus in the darkness, so how does John know it’s Jesus? This is déjà vu. (See Lk 5:1ff.) 5:3 Jesus will call twelve men to be His Disciples in Luke chapter 6. In Luke chapter 5, the men are still getting to know Jesus. They haven’t made a commitment yet. Faith requires knowledge, belief and trust. They have to get to know Jesus, believe what He says, and trust in Him. Only then are they ready to be Disciples.

58 The Disciples are in Galilee because Jesus told them He would wait for them there. (Mk 14:28, 16:7.)

194

Andrew K. Wong

5:4 “‘let down the nets for a catch’”: This sounds vaguely familiar, doesn’t it? That’s just what Jesus asked Peter to do in John 21. 5:5 They’ve fished through the night; they haven’t caught anything. Just like in John 21. 5:6 The large catch of fish is the same thing that happens in John 21. 5:8 The first step in discipleship is acknowledging our sin and God’s holiness. Jesus calls us into a life of obedience. 5:11 The large catch of fish was Jesus’ calling card to Peter. Peter was a fisherman. Jesus met Peter in Peter’s world and on Peter’s terms. Peter accepts the call and makes a commitment to follow Jesus. This large catch of fish was a private moment to touch Peter’s soul. 21:7 “As soon as Simon Peter heard him say”: Jesus leaves a calling card for Peter again. A whole night spent without catching fish; sin that needs to be confessed; Jesus offering forgiveness; Jesus calling Peter into a life of discipleship. Peter’s soul is kindled for the second time. This is redemption. “(for he had taken it off)”: When Jesus told them to throw their net, Peter worked up a sweat dragging in all the fish. 21:8 “the boat”: (Gk) Small boat; skiff. Peter and Andrew, James and John own larger fishing boats. [Mk 4:38] This small boat isn’t one of them. So, Peter didn’t really go out on the water to fish. He just needed to be alone, and the other Disciples invited themselves along. 21:9 In the Gospels, we’ve seen Jesus do everything. He heals the sick, washes the Disciples feet, and now He even starts a fire and makes breakfast. (Guys, take note of that.) 21:11 “Simon Peter climbed aboard”: Let’s pause for a second and consider Peter’s movements. In verse 7, as soon as he recognizes Jesus, Peter jumps into the water. In verse 8, the other disciples follow Peter in the boat—which means Peter is ahead of the boat, wading through the water toward Jesus on the shore. In verse 9, the other disciples disembark from the boat after dragging all the fish

195

Andrew K. Wong

to shore. Presumably, Peter got to shore, first. And then . . . what did he do? The text doesn’t say he said anything to Jesus, or that Jesus said anything to him. So, what did he do? Did he look at Jesus? Did he just stare at the sand and wiggle his toes? Whatever direction Peter is looking, there’s an awkward silence between him and Jesus. In verse 10, Jesus asks the Disciples to bring some of the fish from the boat. Yay! Peter now has something to do besides stand there with his hands in his pocket. In verse 11, Peter gets to work. “dragged the net ashore”: In Christian tradition, Peter was a big, strong guy. Paintings through the ages reflect this conception. This verse is where it comes from. Picture the scene: Peter is in the water, and he is dragging the net full of fish all by himself. The text doesn’t say that any of the other Disciples helped Peter. And how many fish were there? 153 large fish. That takes some muscle to haul them through the water. “large fish, 153”: This is a detail that only an eyewitness could provide. John was there, John saw it all happen, John helped count all the fish. 21:13 This is déjà vu: the Disciples have seen Jesus do this before. When Jesus was feeding the five thousand. (6:11.) The other Disciples are eating. Peter probably just nibbles at the food. 21:14 This was the third time Jesus appeared to the Disciples, but the fourth time He appeared to Peter. (1Co 15:5 [Lk 24:34]; Jn 20:19, 20:26, 21:1ff.) After breakfast, Jesus says, “Peter, let’s take a walk.” [21:20] 21:15 “said to Simon Peter”: [BLR] Jesus and Peter are walking along north shore of the Sea of Galilee, toward the east.

196

Andrew K. Wong

They’re not heading west, because the western shore has all the cities and towns. They need some privacy. “‘love me more than these?’”: Jesus points to the rest of the Disciples. “Peter, do you really love me more than everyone else loves me?” Because that’s what you said. You said, “‘Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.’” (Mt 26:33.) “‘Even if all fall away, I will not.’” (Mk 14:29.) “‘Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.’” (Mk 14:31.) “‘you know that I love you’”: Finally, Peter speaks. There is a subtle meeting of the minds here that is not apparent from our English translations. To appreciate this, let’s talk about the Greek word for “love.” Agape: unconditional, sacrificial love; the way God loves us; the deepest and purest kind of love. Phileo: brotherly, affectionate love; the love between friends; fondness. Eros: selfish, self-gratifying love; erotic love; lust. God isn’t capable of eros love because He can only love us with agape and phileo love. But human beings are capable of all three because we are steeped in sin. What exactly did Jesus ask Peter? “‘do you truly love me more than these?’”: (Gk) agape. Peter, do you love me with that unconditional, sacrificial love that I love you with? How does Peter respond? “‘you know that I love you’”: (Gk) phileo. Lord, you know that I don’t love you with agape love. I denied you. I failed. I’m sorry. But I love you as a brother and a friend. I had told you that I loved you more than the other Disciples. I was wrong. 21:16 “‘do you truly love me?’”: (Gk) agape (again). Peter, do you love me unconditionally, sacrificially? “‘you know that I love you’”: phileo (again). Lord, you know that I am fond of you. I told you once already. Don’t ask me again if I love you sacrificially. I don’t. But I am your friend. 21:17 “The third time”: Why does Jesus ask three times. [Ask] Because Peter denied Jesus three times and needs to be reinstated.

197

Andrew K. Wong

In the courthouse of Caiaphas the high priest, Peter denied the Lord while sitting around the fire built by the Lord’s enemies. Now, Peter has to be reinstated near the charcoal fire Jesus made. “‘do you love me?’”: (Gk) phileo. Peter, do you love me even as a brother? Do you love me even as a friend? “Peter was hurt”: Of course, Peter is hurt. Jesus is questioning whether Peter is even His friend. Jesus is meeting Peter on Peter’s terms, and even that may be lacking. “‘you know all things . . .’”: Jesus, I’ve been with you for three years. You stayed in my house in Capernaum for three years. Yes, I am your friend. 21:19 Peter, you denied me because your courage failed. But you will get your second chance, and you will make good on it. You’ve always wanted to be worthy of dying for me. Well, you will be. So, let’s start with friendship. I know you love me as a friend. That’s okay. Because you will grow to love me unconditionally, sacrificially. And then you will give your life for me. 21:20 How do we know that this conversation occurred between Jesus and Peter? Because John was following them and eavesdropping. 21:21 What about John? Is he going to die, too? 21:22 Don’t worry about John. We’re just talking about you, right now. “‘You must follow me’”: The Greek is emphasized. You follow me. 21:23 What was the issue with Peter? When Jesus died on the cross, He died for all of our sins—including Peter’s. Of course, Jesus forgave Peter. But the problem was that Peter couldn’t forgive Peter. And Peter would always be in a funk until Jesus snapped him out of it. Jesus brings Peter to square one: Peter, are you my friend? That was painful for both of them to do, but absolutely necessary for Peter. We recognize where we fall short, and only then can we move forward. Does Peter learn from this? He certainly does. (See 1Pe 4:7ff.)

198

Andrew K. Wong

4:7 “The end of all things is near”: Peter will die soon. 4:8 “love”: (Gk) agape. The agape love of Jesus covered Peter’s sins. And, now, Peter has learned to agape love everyone else—just as Jesus said he would. In 68 A.D., Peter will be martyred for the Lord—crucified upside down. 21:24 “We know that his testimony is true”: Who is “we”? To answer that, we need to look outside the Bible. The oldest known list of the Books of the New Testament is called the Muratorian Canon. It’s really a fragment of a few pages that contains 85 lines of text. It’s written in Latin. It comes from a codex dating to the 7th or 8th century A.D. It was found in an Abbey in the town of Bobbio in northern Italy. The library at Bobbio Abbey happened to the one of the greatest libraries in the Middle Ages. Even though the text is Latin and dates about 700 years after Christ, it seems to be a translation from a Greek original written about 170 A.D. The Muratorian Canon is a list of the New Testament books which the church accepted as canonical. It’s the earliest list we have. What makes it fascinating is that it is an annotated list. Which means that the author tells us which Books were canonical and gives us an explanation why. About the Gospel of John, the author of the Muratorian Canon has this to say: “John, one of the Disciples, wrote the Fourth Gospel. When his fellow disciples and the bishops urged him to do so, he said, ‘Join me in fasting for three days, and then let us relate to one another what shall be revealed to each.’ The same night it was revealed to Andrew (one of the apostles) that John should write down everything in his own name, and that they should all revise it.” That last phrase—“and that they should all revise it”—is consistent with verse 24. Verse 24: “We know that this testimony is true.” John wrote the Gospel, the other Apostles reviewed it and made suggestions or corrections, and the final product was a collaborative effort.

199

Andrew K. Wong

This Gospel is “true” because it’s an eyewitness account and been thoroughly vetted for accuracy by the other eyewitnesses. 21:25 Why do we have just four Gospels? Because that’s more than enough. Even if the whole world was filled with books about Jesus, there will still be those who do not believe.