The
John
(NIV)
By
Syd Cleveland
(©
1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2006)
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IN THE BEGINNING = The Greek "en arche" (Strong’s
#G746) means “the first cause, what existed before the
beginning.” At the very first
moment of time the "Word" (Christ) was already in existence.
THE WORD = The Greek is "Logos." This is not an object but a Person (notice
John 1:2 refers to the Word as "He;" John 1:3-4 says "Him"
). This term for Christ
("Logos") is only found in the Gospel of John and in Revelation (see Revelation
THE WORD WAS WITH GOD = See note on John 1:2.
THE WORD WAS GOD = This is a primary text proving Christ's Divine
nature. However, in the NWT Jehovah
Witnesses' Bible this is changed to "the Word was a god." By reducing Jesus Christ to "a
god," the Watchtower includes Him among the "many 'gods' and many
'lords'" of 1 Corinthians 8:5 and places Him on the same level as Satan,
"the god of this system of things" (2 Corinthians 4:4, NWT). However none of the JW translators of their
bible was expert in Hebrew, Greek, or Aramaic.
Thus for many years JWs turned to Johannes Greber's 1937 translation of
the New Testament for support since Greber also translated John 1:1 "a
god." Later JWs discovered Greber
was a spiritist who claimed that spirits showed him what words to use in his
translation: "As indicated in a foreword to the 1980 edition of The New
Testament by Johannes Greber, this translator relied on 'God's Spirit World' to
clarify for him how he should translate difficult passages. It is stated: 'His wife, a medium of God's
Spirit world was often instrumental in conveying the correct answers from God's
Messengers to Pastor Greber.' The
Watchtower has deemed it improper to make use of a translation that has such a
close rapport with spiritism" (The Watchtower,
John 1:2
HE WAS WITH GOD IN THE BEGINNING = There never was a time when the
"Word" (Jesus) did not exit.
Even at the "beginning" both "God" and the
"Word" already existed (Colossians
John 1:3
THROUGH HIM ALL THINGS WERE MADE = See Colossians
John 1:4
IN HIM WAS LIFE = This "life" is both spiritual and
physical (see John
THE LIGHT OF MEN = Jesus is not only the "life," He is
also the "true light" (see John 1:9).
False lights lead to darkness, but the "True Light" leads to
everlasting life.
John 1:5
LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS = Here John symbolizes Christ's
involvement in the Creation of the earth.
The analogy of light being created on the first day (Genesis 1:3) is
alluded to in the spiritual sense of Christ "shining" out upon the
darkness of Judaism (John 1:4).
John 1:6
HIS NAME WAS JOHN = This was John the Baptist (see John
John 1:7
THE LIGHT = Jesus Christ (see John 1:4).
John 1:10
THE WORLD WAS MADE THROUGH HIM = Jesus Christ was the Creator of
the world (see John 1:3).
DID NOT RECOGNIZE = The Greek "ginosko" (Strongs #G1097)
means "to know fully" and thus by extension to acknowledge Christ as
Savior and Lord.
John 1:11
HIS OWN DID NOT RECEIVE HIM = This is the fulfillment of the
Messianic prophecy found in Isaiah 53:3.
John 1:12
ALL WHO RECEIVED HIM = Defined as "those who believed in his
name." Does not include those who
rejected him.
THOSE WHO BELIEVED = A prerequisite for becoming a child of
God. Belief is a personal choice and
response to evidence and invitation.
CHILDREN OF GOD = The Greek "tekna Theou" means
"children of God." This term
is applied to believers, but never to Jesus Christ, for He is "The Son of
God" (see Matthew 26:63-64).
John 1:13
CHILDREN = Defined as not literal children but spiritual children.
HUMAN DECISION = This is not referring to our decision to respond
to God's call, but to a human decision (a husband's will) to have literal children.
John 1:14
WORD BECAME FLESH = Jesus existed as "The Word" before
His Incarnation. The Greek
“ginomai” (Strongs #G1096) means “to begin to be, to come
into existence, to have existence.”
At His Incarnation, Jesus became (came into being as) a man. See commentary on Philippians 2:6-7.
HIS GLORY = See Hebrews 1:3.
THE ONE AND ONLY = The Greek "monogenes" (Strongs #G3439)
means "unique, one of a kind, the one and only." It does not mean "begotten" in the
sense that Christ's existence begin with His birth as some cults teach. Christianity is clear that as Divinity,
Christ is the immortal pre-existent Son of God who has no beginning nor end.
John 1:15
AFTER ME = John's mother Elizabeth was six months pregnant with him
before Mary became pregnant (Luke
HE WAS BEFORE ME = John the Baptist, a cousin of Christ was born
before Christ. Thus his inspired
statement here is a clear reference to Christ's pre-existence prior to the
Incarnation (John 1:1-2).
John 1:18
NO ONE HAS EVER SEEN GOD = See 1 Timothy
GOD THE ONE AND ONLY = The Greek "monogenes" (Strongs
#G3439) means "unique, one of a kind, the one and only." Here Jesus' divinity is affirmed: He is
"God" (Greek "Theos" [Strongs #G2316]). He is the only divine being who, through the
Incarnation, became the God-man.
WHO IS AT THE FATHER'S SIDE = The resurrected Christ is not lying
in a grave, but has ascended to the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary
(Hebrews 8:1;
HAS MADE HIM KNOWN = See notes on Hebrews 1:3.
John 1:21
THE PROPHET = In Deuteronomy
John 1:23
ISAIAH THE PROPHET = Isaiah 40:3.
John 1:24
SOME PHARISEES = See note on Matthew 23:2.
John 1:25
WHY THEN DO YOU BAPTIZE = This question is partially answered in
John
THE PROPHET = See note on John
John 1:29
THE LAMB = This name is a messianic title which is only found in
the Gospel of John and in Revelation (see John
LAMB ... WHO TAKES AWAY THE SIN = A reference to the Scapegoat of
Leviticus 16:8. Remember, the
"lamb" slain at Passover was not a sacrificial lamb for sin. Nowhere in the Old Testament do we find a
lamb bearing/carrying people's sins.
John 1:33
ON WHOM YOU SEE THE SPIRIT COME DOWN = The descent of the Holy
Spirit upon Christ was visible at least to John, and a direct sign that Jesus is
"The Son of God."
SPIRIT ... HOLY SPIRIT = Contrary to the Jehovah Witnesses' belief
that the Holy Spirit is just an "active force" like electricity,
"the idea of 'spirit' excludes not only the idea of material substance,
but also that of inanimate substance. It
implies that God (or in this case, the Holy Spirit) is alive." -- Lectures
in Systematic Theology, by Henry C. Thiessen, Eerdmans, p. 76.
John 1:35
TWO OF HIS DISCIPLES = According to John
John 1:36
THE LAMB OF GOD = This name is a messianic title which is only
found in the Gospel of John and in Revelation (see John
John 1:39
THE TENTH HOUR =
John 1:41
WE HAVE FOUND THE MESSIAH = Here Jesus Christ fulfilled the
Messianic prophecy of Daniel
John 1:45
PHILIP FOUND NATHANAEL = Jesus met Philip in
THE ONE MOSES WROTE ABOUT IN THE LAW = The Greek word
“nomos” (Strongs #G3551) means “law, statutes,
ordinances.” In the New Testament
it is “The Law” and always refers to the Mosaic code –
specifically the five books of Moses known as the “Pentateuch.” Here, as in many other places in the New
Testament, “the Law” does not refer to the Ten Commandments (which
do not mention Jesus at all). However,
the first reference to Jesus is recorded in Genesis 3:15 where He is referred
to prophetically as “the Offspring/Seed” of “the woman”
who will “crush” the serpent’s “head.”
ABOUT WHOM THE PROPHETS ALSO WROTE = Prophecies about Jesus Christ
are found throughout the Old Testament (for example see: Micah 5:2; Isaiah
7:14; Jeremiah 31:15; Hosea 11:1; Malachi 3:1; Zecharaiah 9:9; Psalm 118:22 et
cetera).
John 1:48
I SAW YOU … UNDER THE FIG TREE BEFORE PHILIP CALLED YOU =
Humanly speaking, Jesus could not have known Nathanael was under the fig tree,
a three-hour’s journey away (see commentary note on John 1:45). Philip did not reveal this fact to Jesus,
because Jesus spoke to Nathanael as both men were approaching – thus
neither had communicated anything to Jesus at that time. Thus this is an example of Christ’s
divine omniscience. By revealing His
omniscience to Nathanael, Jesus convinced Nathanael that He is indeed the
prophesied Son of God, the long expected Messiah.
John 1:51
I TELL YOU THE TRUTH = In Greek this phrase is literally
"amen, amen." To the Jews and Greeks the word "amen" was
the equivalent of "so help me God."
The word "amen" was included in a statement to guarantee the
truthfulness of what was said.
YOU … YOU SHALL SEE = The Greek is in the plural (i.e.
“you-all”), thus Jesus is speaking to all the disciples assembled
there, not just to Nathanael.
SEE HEAVEN OPEN = This event was prophesied in Jacob’s dream
of the ladder (Genesis 28:12). In
context Jesus was not speaking about a literal event, but rather the spiritual
event which occurred when, as a result of the Cross, Jesus became Mediator
between God and human beings -- thus opening the way to heaven (see 1 Timothy
2:5; 2 Corinthians 5:19; Hebrews 9:15).
John 2:7
FILL THE JARS = Refers to the six stone water jars which held a
total of 120-180 gallons (John 2:6).
This is the amount of water that Jesus turned into wine (John 2:9). No doubt the left over wine was sold and the
income made a nice gift from Jesus to the newlyweds! For a similar example from the Old Testament
see 2 Kings 4:1-7.
John 2:11
THE FIRST OF HIS MIRACULOUS SIGNS = See John
John 2:13
PASSOVER, JESUS WENT UP TO JERUSALEM = This was to fulfill the
requirement that the Passover was to be eaten in
John 2:14
HE FOUND MEN SELLING = If this cleansing of the temple came at the
beginning of Christ's ministry we do not have a specific date. However, if this cleansing came at the end of
Christ's ministry it occurred on Monday of Passion week. The Jews had two weekly market days: Mondays
and Thursdays. Thus we see that buying
and selling had entered right into the Temple courts.
"In the
Synoptics the cleansing of the temple occurs during the last week of Jesus'
ministry; in John it takes place during the first few months (John
2:12-16). Two explanations are possible:
1. There were two cleansings, one at the beginning and the other at the end of
Jesus' public ministry. 2. There was
only one cleansing, which took place during Passion Week but which John placed
at the beginning of his account for theological reasons -- to show that God's
judgment was operative through the Messiah from the outset of His
ministry. However, different details are
present in the two accounts (the selling of cattle and sheep in John 2:14, the
whip in John 2:15, and the statements of Jesus in Matthew 21:13; John
2:16). From Matthew's and Luke's
accounts we might assume that the cleansing of the temple took place on Sunday,
following the so-called Triumphal Entry (Matthew 21:1-11). But Mark (11:15-19) clearly indicates that it
was on Monday. Matthew often compressed
narratives." -- NIV Study Bible Note, Zondervan (Matthew 21:12-17).
John 2:15
HE MADE A WHIP OF CORDS = Since Jesus used a "whip" there
is the possibility of a question about "uncontrolled" anger. Do you think Jesus was "angry" when
He overturned the tables and commanded the people to leave? Remember the basic premise: "anger"
is selfish. I become angry because
someone hurt me, or wounded me, or cheated me.
Anger is all about "me" thus human anger can be violently
uncontrolled. On the other hand, a basic
premise of "righteous" anger is what we see in Jesus: He was jealous
for God's honor. Righteous anger is a
principled, controlled anger, used to the glory of God. John 2:17 tells us, as the disciples watched
Jesus driving the people out of the temple, they were reminded of a verse in
Psalm 69:9 which says: "zeal for your house consumes Me, and the insults
of those who insult You fall on Me."
It is clear Jesus was not "angry" like we are
"angry," but that He was filled with a controlled "righteous"
anger because God's glory and honor had been trampled.
John 2:16
GET THESE OUT OF HERE = This incident occurred near the beginning
of Christ's earthly ministry. He
returned to cleanse the temple again at the end of His ministry (see Mark
11:15).
John 2:18
WHAT MIRACULOUS SIGN CAN YOU SHOW = Jesus had already performed
many "miraculous signs" for the people (John 2:8-11). The fact that the people ran from Him was
proof that He had "authority" to drive them out of the temple. The ultimate "sign" Jesus provided
for the Israelites was His resurrection from the dead (John 2:19, 21).
John 2:19
IN THREE DAYS = See note on Matthew 12:40.
TEMPLE = A specific reference to His bodily resurrection. See John 2:21.
John 2:20
FORTY-SIX YEARS = "Roman history shows that Herod became king
of Judea in 37 B.C. Josephus says that
the Jews began to refurbish the second temple in the eighteenth year of Herod's
reign, or in 19-20 B.C. (37 B.C. minus 18).
When Jesus was in Jerusalem for the Passover, people told Him that the
reconstruction was in its forty-sixth year.
This would place Jesus' first visit in A.D. 26-27. We assume that He had already begun His
ministry when He visited Jerusalem, so He would have begun his work sometime in
the fall of A.D. 26 or spring of A.D. 27.
IN THREE DAYS = See note on Matthew 12:40.
TEMPLE = A specific reference to His bodily resurrection. See John 2:21.
John 2:21
TEMPLE ... BODY = There is no doubt that Jesus' body was raised
from the dead. The JWs are wrong in insisting
that Jesus was only raised in spirit form.
A MAN OF THE PHARISEES = See note on Matthew 23:2.
John 3:2
AT NIGHT = Because the Jews had decreed that anyone who acknowledge
Jesus as the Christ would be excommunicated from the synagogue (John
WE KNOW = Nicodemus includes others on the Sanhedrin who were in
agreement with him regarding Christ's Divine inspiration. Possibly Joseph of Arimathea who was a
disciple of Jesus and a member of the Sanhedrin (Matthew 27:57; Mark 15:43; Luke
23:50, 51; John 19:38-40).
A TEACHER = Nicodemus did not state Jesus was the
"Christ" for the above reason.
John 3:3
I TELL YOU THE TRUTH = The Greek is literally "amen,
amen." To the Jews and Greeks the
word "amen" was the equivalent of "so help me God." The word "amen" was included in a
statement to guarantee the truthfulness of what was said.
BORN AGAIN =
"Born" (“gennao” [Strongs #G1080]) also see
Matthew 1:16, 18. "Again"
(“anothen” [Strongs #G509]) means
"from above." (See note
on Luke 1:3). This new birth is a
requirement for "see(ing) the kingdom of God," and "enter(ing)
the kingdom of God (verses 3, 5); is a spiritual experience involving the Holy
Spirit (verses 6, 7); and is a fact in the life of every saved Christian
through the "living and enduring word of God" (1 Peter 1:23). To be "born again" involves
joyfully receiving the free gift of grace that God offers and abandoning every
attempt to become righteous through good works.
This experience is like physical birth in that it is an emerging from
darkness into light; a time when the sin-restricted and confined person is set
free. Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe
they must be born again even though these words appear in their own bible. JWs say: "That doesn't apply to me. It's only for the 144,000 anointed ones. I belong to the 'great crowd' who will live
on the earth under Kingdom rule."
See John 10:16 and Revelation 7:4, 9 for information about their beliefs
on the 144,000, and the "great crowd" of "other
sheep." The Watchtower specifically
teaches them: "The 'other sheep' do not need any such rebirth, for their
goal is life everlasting in the restored earthly paradise as subjects of the
kingdom" (The Watchtower, 2/15/86, page 14). First, ask the JW to read what even their own
bible actually says about being born again in John 3:3-15. Emphasize that Jesus did not permit any
exceptions when he said "UNLESS ANYONE is born again, he cannot see the
kingdom of God" (John 3:3). Second,
turn to 1 John 5:1 in the NWT and ask the JW whether the expression
"everyone believing" leaves anyone out. Third. have the JW read Galatians 4:5,
6. Ask him if he has been adopted as a
child of God by personally receiving the Spirit of the Son of God, Jesus
Christ, into his heart, as described there.
In harmony with Watchtower doctrine he will answer, "No." Fourth, have the JW read Romans 8:14-16. Show him this chapter is discussing the same
subject: receiving the "spirit adoption" and crying out "Abba,
Father," which the JW says does not apply to him. Fifth, go back and read Romans 8:1-7 and
comment on the contrast between walking in the "flesh" and walking
"in the spirit." Sixth, now
drive home the crucial point of Romans 8:8, 9 "if anyone does not have
Christ's spirit, this one does not belong to him" (NWT). Remind the JW he has admitted that he has not
received Christ's Spirit, therefore he cannot please God and he does not belong
to Christ.
John 3:4
HOW CAN A MAN BE BORN = Nicodemus interprets Jesus' words to mean
physical birth.
John 3:5
I TELL YOU THE TRUTH = In Greek this phrase is literally
"amen, amen." To the Jews and Greeks the word "amen" was
the equivalent of "so help me God."
The word "amen" was included in a statement to guarantee the
truthfulness of what was said.
JESUS ... GOD ... SPIRIT = These are the three members of the
Trinity. The three members of the
Trinity are mentioned in Isaiah 42:1; Matthew 3:16; Matthew 28:19; Luke 1:35;
Luke 10:21; John 3:5; Acts 7:55; Acts 10:38; Romans 1:4; Romans 15:16, 30; 1
Corinthians 6:11; 1 Corinthians 12:3; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Galatians 4:6;
Ephesians 1:17; Philippians 3:3; Hebrews 10:29; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 John 4:2.
NO ONE CAN ENTER ... UNLESS = The New Birth, not personal
righteousness through legalism, is mandatory for entrance into God's
kingdom. Also see note on John 3:3.
BORN OF WATER = Just as the physical fetus is immersed in
"water," so the spiritual new birth involves immersion in water
through baptism.
John 3:6
FLESH ... SPIRIT = Jesus makes a clear distinction between physical
birth and the spiritual "new birth."
This is also a statement that our physical, carnal hearts can never
regenerate themselves or produce the required new birth. Only the Holy Spirit can generate the New
Birth within us. The "Spirit birth"
Jesus is speaking about occurs when a person accepts Him as Savior and Lord
(John
John 3:7
YOU (PLURAL) = Refers back to John 3:2 where Nicodemus uses the
plural "we know," and includes every person who ever hoped to enter
the
SURPRISED = This spiritual truth should not have surprised
Nicodemus as one of the spiritual leaders of his people.
BORN AGAIN = This phrase is defined in the note on John 3:3.
John 3:8
WIND ... SOUND ... CANNOT TELL = The Greek word used here for
"wind" is "pneuma" (Strongs #G4151). There are many things even in the physical
world which are beyond our comprehension, nevertheless they are undeniably
real.
SO IT IS ... SPIRIT = The Greek word used here for
"Spirit" is the same root as the word used for "wind"
(Strongs #G4151). Thus, in Greek, there
is a play on words that is not evident in English. The point Jesus makes is: if we cannot always
comprehend our physical world, then we should not be surprised that there are
things in the spiritual world which are also beyond our comprehension. The Spiritual birth is every bit as real as
the physical birth. Jesus is not saying
that everyone born of the Spirit is like the wind -- rather that while the new
birth experience is just as mysterious as the origin of the wind, it is still
just as real.
John 3:9
HOW = Nicodemus was surrounded by legalism. To see those who worked so hard at
righteousness fail, and be told that righteousness is attained through the
activity of the Holy Spirit, was beyond Nicodemus' comprehension.
John 3:10
YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND = Nicodemus' study of the Scriptures should
have taught him that God not only can give us a new heart and put a new spirit
within us, but that He has promised to do so (Ezekiel 36:25-27).
John 3:11
I TELL YOU THE TRUTH = In Greek this phrase is literally
"amen, amen." To the Jews and Greeks the word "amen" was
the equivalent of "so help me God."
The word "amen" was included in a statement to guarantee the
truthfulness of what was said.
WE SPEAK OF WHAT WE KNOW AND WE TESTIFY TO WHAT WE HAVE SEEN =
This is a key phrase to understanding Christ's comment in John
3:13. Only those who have
personally experienced something are truly able to teach it to
someone else.
WE SPEAK ... WE TESTIFY ... WE HAVE SEEN ... OUR TESTIMONY = The
plural "we" and "our" is in contrast to "you
people." Here is a reference to the
Godhead, for Jesus is including the Holy Spirit in the "we" and
"our." He is not including
Nicodemus, for Nicodemus is one of the "you people" who "do not
accept our testimony."
KNOW ... SEEN = The New Birth cannot be understood by those who
have not experienced it, and therefore must be accepted by faith. The fact Nicodemus knew nothing about being
born again is evidence he had not experienced the new birth.
John 3:12
EARTHLY THINGS = Refers back to Jesus' illustration of the wind in
verse 8.
HOW THEN = This is a reference back to Christ's comment in John
we know." Since Nicodemus does not "know" heavenly
things he is not qualified to speak about
them.
HEAVENLY THINGS = Refers to Jesus comments about the New Birth and
the activity of the Holy Spirit. Since
both the earthly things and heavenly things are beyond Nicodemus'
comprehension, he must take Jesus' teachings on both by faith.
John 3:13
NO ONE = Greek "oudeis" (Strongs #G3762) means "not
one, no one, nobody, none, nothing."
This term is all-encompassing and includes animals, people, and
inanimate objects. Nothing is
excluded. This is a typical Aramaicism
such as is found in Matthew
HAS EVER GONE INTO HEAVEN EXCEPT ... THE SON OF MAN = This is a
loose quotation of Proverbs 30:4.
To understand
Jesus' words we must read them in the context of John 3:11-12 (i.e. "if,
as a human teacher, you don't even understand earthly things, how can you
possibly understand heavenly things since none of you has ever gone there to
learn them?")
Jesus is not
literally teaching that no one as ever gone into heaven besides Himself, for
that would contradict Scripture. Even
Jesus Himself had not yet ascended to heaven when He spoke these words (John
This same Greek
word is used when referring to other things or people which were taken to
heaven at a later time: Acts 11:10; Revelation 11:12. There is no doubt from either the grammar or
the linguistics that many people, angels, and things really did travel to
heaven prior to Christ's incarnation. It
is not possible that Jesus would have contradicted these Scriptures, and that
if He had, that Nicodemus would have let Him get away with it.
When taken in the
context of John 3:5-16, Christ is not saying that He is the only one who ever
went into heaven. Instead Jesus is
saying that, as the Son of God and the Son of
Man, only He is qualified to teach Nicodemus about heavenly things because,
of the two of them, only Jesus had personally experienced heaven (Proverbs
30:4, 5). Thus Christ's divine
pre-existence and incarnation makes Him the great Author and Teacher of
heavenly/spiritual truths. In contrast,
Nicodemus and his fellow rabbis do not even understand earthly things, such as
the weather (John 3:8), therefore how can they possible explain heavenly
things?
In using the words
"gone into heaven" Jesus is loosely paraphrasing Deuteronomy 30:12-15
which Paul uses in Romans 10:6-9. Thus
Jesus is encouraging Nicodemus to listen to Him as the only one who can
accurately explain the "heavenly things" of John 3:12, not that Jesus
is the only one who ever went to heaven (also see note on 2 Kings 2:11).
John 3:14
SNAKE IN THE DESERT = Refers back to Numbers 21:5-9. By looking up at the snake the people lived. By taking our sins to himself on the cross,
Jesus is represented as the loathsome snakes/sins which destroyed God's people
(c.f. John
John 3:15
BELIEVES ... ETERNAL LIFE = Just as the Israelites were saved by
looking up to the bronze snake (verse 14), so Nicodemus (and everyone else) can
be saved (experience the New Birth) by believing in Christ.
John 3:16
GOD SO LOVED = The Greek "agapao" (Strongs #G25) is the
highest form of love, a love based upon will rather than emotions.
"The love of God
is unconditional, but His favor and blessing are not." -- Intercessory
Prayer, Dutch Sheets, page 80.
WORLD = The Greek "kosmos" (Strongs #G2889) includes
every person who has ever lived and who will ever live. No one is excluded whether saint or sinner
(Romans
ONE AND ONLY = The Greek "monogenes" (Strongs #G3439)
means "unique, one of a kind, the one and only." Only Jesus shares both the essence of
divinity, and at the same time, through the Incarnation, the essence of
humanity. There is no one else to whom
we can compare Him.
WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH = The Greek word
"apollumi" (Strongs #G622) here means "to be deprived of eternal
life." It can mean "to be
destroyed," or "put to death," but it never means "to cease
to exist," or to be
"annihilated."
"In all these
instances the verb must not be thought of as indicating extinction, but only
change from one state of being to another.
Nothing actually becomes extinct, but everything changes." -- AMG
Complete WordStudy Dictionary, Zodhiates.
Hell is a place
of such terrible punishment that God
sent His only Son to dies in our place and save us from hell's torment. If hell's punishment was only a brief flash,
like a moth flying into a candle flame, then there was no need for Christ to
die such an agonizing death. Christ's
merciless beatings and agonizing crucifixion demonstrates the painful torment
that awaits the lost in hell.
BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE = Nicodemus is told that the New
Birth/Salvation is offered to everyone and not just a select/chosen few. However, it is crucial for everyone to
understand that death seals our eternal destiny, there is no second chance
after death to be saved, and that salvation is only for believers in the Lord
Jesus Christ: Acts 4:12; John 3:36; Hebrews 9:27; 1 Timothy 5:24; 2 Peter 3:7.
John 3:17
CONDEMN = The Greek "krino" (Strongs #G2919) means
"to judge, separate, distinguish between good and evil,
condemn." The idea of condemnation
occurs in the sense that the judging implies punishment.
SAVE = The Greek "sozo" (Strongs #G4982) means "to
deliver, heal, save from danger or from loss or from destruction." It is used when referring to both physical
salvation and spiritual salvation.
John 3:18
DOES NOT BELIEVE STANDS CONDEMNED ALREADY = The day of judgment
only concerns wicked people who deliberately reject Jesus Christ. Judgment has already occurred for a saved
Christian -- he is already judged saved, thus there is no place or fear for him
in the final judgment (see note on 1 Timothy
ONE AND ONLY = The Greek "monogenes" (Strongs #G3439)
means "unique, one of a kind, the one and only." Only Jesus shares both the essence of divinity,
and at the same time, through the Incarnation, the essence of humanity. There is no one else to whom we can compare
Him.
John 3:22
JESUS ... BAPTIZED = Apparently this indicates that Jesus baptized
his disciples, but then his disciples baptized the crowds as John did (see John
4:1, 2).
John 3:26
HE IS BAPTIZING = Not Jesus himself, but his disciples were
baptizing in his name and under his authority (see John
John 3:31
FROM ABOVE = The Greek "anothen" (Strongs #G509) means
"from above, a higher place, heaven" (see Luke 1:3).
John 3:34
GOD HAS SENT = The Greek "apostello" (Strongs #G649)
means "one who is commissioned or sent on a mission."
John 3:36
HAS ETERNAL LIFE = "Has" is present tense. We have full assurance now that we have
eternal life through Jesus Christ.
GOD'S WRATH = The original Greek word is "orgay" (Strongs
#G3709). - It's where we get our English word "orgy" from. Here the Greek word "orgay" means
"desire mixed with grief."
Linguists tell us that here, "wrath" refers to God's
"utter abhorrence of sin mixed with grief and longing for unrepentant
sinners." In other places it also
refers to "God's divine judgments
that will be inflicted upon unrepentant sinners" (Zodhiates)
Scripture teaches
us several things about God's wrath:
1. God's wrath
falls upon those who reject His Son (John
2. A stubborn,
unrepentant heart merits God's wrath (Romans 2:5).
3. God's wrath
comes on those who are disobedient (Ephesians 5:6).
4. Rather than
seeking personal vengeance, Christians are to wait until God pours out His
wrath on their enemies (Romans
5. God's wrath is
poured out through the seven last plagues (Revelation 15:1; 16:1).
It is crucial for
everyone to understand that death seals our eternal destiny, there is no second
chance after death to be saved, and that salvation is only for believers in the
Lord Jesus Christ: Acts 4:12; John 3:16; Hebrews 9:27; 1 Timothy 5:24; 2 Peter
3:7.
THE PHARISEES = See note on Matthew 23:2.
JESUS WAS ... BAPTIZING = Not personally, but his disciples were
baptizing in his name and under his authority (see John
John 4:2
NOT JESUS WHO BAPTIZED = This is a clarification of John
John 4:6
SIXTH HOUR =
John 4:10
THE GIFT OF GOD AND WHO IT IS = Here Jesus refers to Himself as the
"Gift of God" (see John
LIVING WATER = This is an Old Testament symbol for God (Jeremiah
John 4:14
NEVER THIRST = Our eternal life in Christ is secure (see John
John 4:17
HAVE NO HUSBAND = See note on John
John 4:18
THE MAN YOU NOW HAVE IS NOT YOUR HUSBAND = Roman Catholic doctrine
wrongly teaches that a man and woman become husband and wife when sexual
intercourse occurs. If Catholicism is
correct then Jesus was wrong when He said "the man you now have is not
your husband," and Protestant ministers are lying when they says during
the marriage ceremony: "I pronounce you husband and wife." The Bible is clear that sexual intercourse,
while a part of marriage, does not "consummate," or create, the
marriage. Marriage occurs when vows are
exchanged "before God and these witnesses" during the marriage
ceremony. Marriage is a covenant
relationship, it is created by covenant promises, and can be broken by
renouncing or violating the covenant.
John 4:21
NEITHER ... IN
THIS MOUNTAIN =
John 4:22
SALVATION IS FROM THE JEWS = The woman understood this to mean that
the Messiah would be a Jew (verse 25), not that one had to become a Jew to have
salvation.
John 4:23
IS COMING ... NOW COME = Alludes to Malachi's prophecy in Malachi
WORSHIP THE FATHER = Jehovah's Witnesses use this text to trap a
Christian into saying he worships "the Lord," or
"Jesus." The JW will then read
this text and say "You are not a true worshiper because you are worshiping
the Son. The Bible says here that true
worshipers will worship 'the Father.'"
After agreeing that the Father should be worshiped, ask the JW if he
respects the Father's wishes in other matters as well. The JW will answer, "Yes." Then direct him to read John 5:23 in his own
Bible where the Father requires all to honor the Son just as they honor the
Father. If the JW does not give
worshipful honor to the Son, then his worship of the Father is in vain. Also see Genesis 18:1, 2; Exodus 3:14; Psalm
110:1; Isaiah 9:6; Daniel 10:13; Daniel 10:21; and Hebrews 1:6.
John 4:24
GOD IS SPIRIT = The Greek "pneuma" (Strongs #G4151) is
related to "pneo" (Strongs #G4154) which means "breath, breeze,
air." "Pneuma" means
"ghost, life, spirit, mind."
"Pneo," or "wind" is not "alive," but
"pneuma," or "spirit," is "alive." God has nothing material in His nature, thus
the highest form of worship is that which deals with the spiritual and not the
physical or material.
Because the Greek
has no article (i.e. "a" Spirit), the phrase "God is
Spirit" defines God's nature as spiritual rather than material.
IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH = Not with outward physical ceremonies, but
with the sanctified inner spiritual man.
John 4:25
MESSIAH (CALLED CHRIST) IS COMING = This is the fulfillment of the
Messianic prophecy found in Daniel
John 4:26
I ... AM HE = Here Jesus plainly declares He is the Messiah, and
thus fulfills the prophecy of Daniel
John 4:28
LEAVING HER WATER JAR = The sinful, tainted "water" we
provide ourselves must be left at the feet of Jesus if we are to successfully
witness for Him (Matthew 11:29-30; John 4:13-14).
John 4:34
TO FINISH HIS WORK = The Greek word "teleioo" (Strongs
#5048) means "to finish, to fulfill, to make perfect, to
complete." Thus Christ's work of
atonement was finished on the cross (John
God's
"work" is to sustain life, reward good and punish evil and reclaim
sinners. Christ was sent to
"finish" God's work, which He did when He died on the cross.
John 4:45
PASSOVER FEAST, FOR THEY ALSO HAD BEEN THERE = They had gone to
John 4:52
SEVENTH HOUR =
John 5:18
BREAKING THE SABBATH = Jesus frequently broke man-made regulations
purporting to safe-guard the Sabbath (see John
HIS OWN FATHER = To Jesus, God was not a Father as he is to
us. Jesus never spoke of God as the
common Father of Jesus and all believers.
Instead, Jesus' relationship to God was one of eternal equality until
the Incarnation. Only in Christ's
humanity was God his "Father."
This led to his careful distinction between "my Father" and
"your Father" in John 20:17.
MAKING HIMSELF EQUAL WITH GOD = Jesus admits the accuracy of this
charge in John
John 5:19
WHATEVER THE FATHER DOES THE SON ALSO DOES = Christ's proclamation
of His equality with God as charged in John
John 5:25
HAS NOW COME = 3Per Sing Pres Act
"Physical
death is not to be confused with spiritual or eternal death. Spiritual death is that spiritual state in
which one finds oneself before salvation.
It is spoken of as being 'dead' in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1,
5). ... Thus, a person is considered spiritually dead before he comes alive in
Christ at salvation. ... Spiritual death and eternal life relate to the soul;
physical death has to do with the body." -- Lectures in Systematic
Theology, by Henry C. Thiessen, Eerdmans, p. 337
DEAD WILL HEAR = 3Per Pl Fut Act
THE VOICE OF THE SON OF GOD = Notice carefully: Jesus did not say
the dead would hear the voice of the archangel as many believe when reading
about Christ's second coming in 1 Thessalonians 4:16. Also see John 5:28.
DEAD ... WILL LIVE = 3Per Pl Fut Act
John 5:28
A TIME IS COMING = This "time" was still future in
Christ's day, whereas the "time" in John
WHEN ALL WHO ARE IN THEIR
WILL HEAR HIS VOICE = This is "the voice of the Son of
God" according to John
John 5:29
WILL RISE TO LIVE = This concept of the "first
resurrection" is amplified in Revelation 20:5.
John 5:36
HAS GIVEN ME TO FINISH = The Greek word "teleioo"
(Strongs #5048) means "to finish, to fulfill, to make perfect, to
complete." Thus Christ's work of
atonement was finished on the cross (John
John 5:43
IN HIS OWN NAME = A reference to the great Rabbis held in highest
esteem by the Jews.
John 6:11
TOOK THE LOAVES ... DISTRIBUTED IT = See 2 Kings
DID THE SAME WITH THE FISH = See commentary note on Mark 8:7.
John 6:14
SURELY THIS IS THE PROPHET = See note on John 1:21
John 6:19
WALKING ON THE WATER = The synoptic accounts of this incident
appear in Matthew 14:29 and Mark 6:48.
John 6:21
AND IMMEDIATELY = The Greek word "eutheos" (Strongs
#G2112) means "immediately, instantly." Thus there were two miracles: Jesus walking
on the water (John 6:19), and rescuing His disciples from the rough seas by
transporting their boat instantly to shore.
John 6:29
THE WORK OF GOD IS ... TO BELIEVE = Faith, not works, is what saves
us. Christ rewards us for our faith not
our works (Revelation 22:12-14).
IN THE ONE HE HAS SENT = There was no doubt in the minds of the
crowd that Jesus was referring to Himself as the One sent by God (see John
6:30).
John 6:39
RAISE THEM UP AT THE LAST DAY = Jesus does not expect the dead to
rise until the "last day."
(Compare with John 6:40 and 1 Thessalonians 4:14).
John 6:53
UNLESS YOU EAT ... DRINK ... YOU HAVE NO LIFE = Jehovah's Witnesses
have been taught not only to reject communion but also to reject the new life
that comes through faith in Christ's shed blood and crucified body. Thus they exclude themselves from the New
Covenant ratified by the blood of Christ.
See Matthew 26:27 and Revelation 7:9.
John 6:57
I LIVE BECAUSE OF THE FATHER = Here Christ sets the example for us
-- He's Christian life is alive because God the Father gives Him life. In the same way, if we "feed" on
Christ, He will nourish us and give us life.
John 6:62
SEE THE SON OF MAN ASCEND = This prediction was fulfilled when the
disciples saw Jesus ascend to heaven a short time later (Acts 1:9-10).
John 6:65
THE FATHER HAS ENABLED HIM = This "enabling" is done
through Christ (Luke 1:67-74).
John 6:70
IS A DEVIL = The Greek "diabolos" (Strongs #G1228) means
"to accuse, a slanderer, the devil."
John 7:17
HE WILL FIND OUT = See notes on Romans 12:1-2.
John 7:19
YET NOT ONE OF YOU KEEPS THE LAW = Sabbatarians, such as
Seventh-day Adventists, make much noise about keeping the fourth commandment (which
they neglect to mention was only given to the Israelites under the Old Covenant
and only designed to last until Christ: Deuteronomy 4:13; Exodus 34:28;
Deuteronomy 5:2-4; Deuteronomy 4:8, 13; Galatians 3:16-19; Hebrews 8:8-9, 13). They, like the Jews of old, have made such an
idol of the Sabbath, that they are ready to hold their own beliefs and
traditions above the teaching of the Lord in Scripture. But, when the facts are fully examined, it is
very evident that modern Sabbatarians do not "keep the law" according
to the Biblical requirements!
John 7:22
GAVE YOU CIRCUMCISION = Abraham was the first to practice
circumcision in obedience to God's command (Genesis 17:9-14). God repeated the requirement in the Old
Covenant laws He gave the Israelites (Exodus 12:1, 44, 48; Leviticus 12:3).
YOU CIRCUMCISE = Circumcision was performed on the eighth day even
if that day fell upon the Sabbath. Jesus
was not saying the Sabbath should be abolished before His death on the cross,
but that the Jews did not understand the true meaning of the Sabbath. According to Christ, not only could some
types of work be done on the Sabbath under the Old Covenant, but they were
required to be done on the Sabbath.
Humanitarian work fell into this category (Luke 13:14-16; 14:5) as well
as religious work (Matthew 12:5).
John 7:32
THE PHARISEES = See note on Matthew 23:2.
John 7:34
YOU CANNOT COME = This was addressed to the unbelieving Jews. Because of their unbelief in Christ they
could not enter the place He would go (heaven).
On the other hand, Jesus told His believing disciples that He would
return to take them with Him so they would be where He is (John 14:1-4).
John 7:35
SCATTERED AMONG THE GREEKS = A reference to the Diaspora.
John 7:38
HOWEVER BELIEVES IN ME = This is synonymous with accepting Christ
as Savior and Lord and thus receiving eternal life (John 3:16).
STREAMS OF LIVING WATER = Here the term refers to the Holy Spirit
(see John 7:39) which is synonymous with receiving eternal life (Revelation 22:17).
John 7:45
PHARISEES = See note on Matthew 23:2.
John 7:47
THE PHARISEES = See note on Matthew 23:2.
John 7:48
THE PHARISEES = See note on Matthew 23:2.
John 8:3
TEACHERS OF THE LAW = See note on Matthew 23:2.
THE PHARISEES = See note on Matthew 23:2.
ADULTERY = Greek "moicheia" (Strongs #G3430) means
"adultery, adulterer."
THEY MADE HER STAND BEFORE THE GROUP = The woman had not come on
her on volition to seek forgiveness; she was a pawn in the war between the
Pharisees and Christ. The Pharisees were
using her simply to trap Jesus into saying or doing something they could use
against Him (see John 8:6). The brought
her before Jesus in the temple courts "where all the people had gathered
around Him" (John 8:2).
John 8:4
ADULTERY = Greek "moicheuo" (Strongs #G3431) meaning
"adultery, adulterer." The
verb case is present middle participle, nominative singular feminine meaning
“at the very moment.”
John 8:6
TRAP = These religious leaders were not interested in the woman's
soul or salvation -- they were using her to trap Jesus. This is the common approach of legalists --
they depart from the work of the Gospel which God has committed to them in
order to do Satan's work of accusation and intrigue.
WRITE ON THE GROUND WITH HIS FINGER = Since these hypocrites had
referred to the seventh commandment written by the finger of God in stone
(Exodus 31:18), Jesus wrote their sins in the dust on the temple floor (John
8:2) with his finger. The Old Covenant that condemns was written in stone, but
through the mercy of Christ, under the New Covenant, our sins are written in
the dust to be blown away into oblivion. The dusty record of our sins lasts
just long enough to bring us face to face with God's justice so we will turn to
Jesus Christ and cling to God's mercy. For it is in God's merciful forgiveness
that our sins are forever wiped out. As
the Old Covenant, the Ten Commandments were only given to the Israelites at Mt.
Sinai, only intended to last until Christ came, and expired at the cross:
Deuteronomy 4:13; Exodus 34:28; Deuteronomy 5:2-4; Deuteronomy 4:8, 13;
Galatians 3:16-19; Hebrews 8:8-9, 13.
See commentary on Galatians 3:16-19,
John 8:7
IF ANY ONE OF YOU IS WITHOUT SIN = The primary teaching Jesus
presented that day is: we are all sinners (Proverbs 20:9; Isaiah 64:6; John
8:7; Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8; Jeremiah 2:35), therefore we must be gracious in
dealing with the sins of others. Only
Jesus Christ is sinless (John 8:46; Hebrews 4:15). These men who were so eager to condemn were
themselves full of sin. Thus by these
words Jesus warned them that they were about to face the record of their own
sins.
John 8:8
AND WROTE ON THE GROUND = The temple courts, where this incident took
place (John 8:2), were paved with large stones.
Thus Jesus wrote in the dust that had blown in onto the pavement. Jesus knew every secret of these men's
hearts. He held the full and unerring
record of their sins up for all to see -- not because He was being vindictive,
but to turn these men from their evil.
Had they prevailed, the woman would have been stoned to death in
accordance with Jewish law.
John 8:9
BEGAN TO GO AWAY = As Jesus wrote the list of their own sins in the
dust of the ground, the woman's accusers began to "go away." It is important to understand that these men
who had made the woman's sins public, now reaped what they had sown: Jesus made
their sins public.
John 8:10
WHERE ARE THEY = Jesus came to the rescue of the sinner and put her
sanctimonious accusers to flight.
CONDEMNED YOU = The men who brought the woman to Jesus brought her
to be condemned. They were not
interested in saving her from her sin, they were only interested in accusations
and condemnation.
John 8:11
NEITHER DO I CONDEMN YOU = This is in harmony with Christ's work of
saving sinners (see John 3:17).
LEAVE YOUR LIFE OF SIN = Jesus always turned people away from sin.
Notice the woman was encouraged to leave her life of sin, not because of some
threatened punishment, but because she had received mercy. God's loving mercy
is the greatest motivator of a changed life.
John 8:12
WHEN JESUS SPOKE AGAIN TO THE PEOPLE = This was very early in the
morning at dawn in the temple courts (John 8:2). After the interruption of the
Pharisees bringing the woman caught in adultery, Jesus then continued to speak
to the people (John 8:20).
I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD = The Greek word "phos"
(Strongs #G5457) means "to shine, light." This word is used figuratively here to teach
that Jesus is the author and dispenser of moral and spiritual
"light." Through the Gospel,
Jesus brought life and immortality to light (2 Timothy 1:10). Since this discussion occurred at dawn (John
8:2), Jesus' words were especially appropriate as the sun rose and illuminated
the darkness of the previous night.
"His claim to
be the "light" of the world is the second of the great "I
am's" of Jesus (see comment on John 6:34-36) and recalls John 1:4-5.
Perhaps Jesus drew his illustration from the Menorah that burned during the
Feast. Jesus professes to be not only the inexhaustible source of spiritual
nourishment, but also the genuine light by which truth and falsehood can be
distinguished and by which direction can be established." -- NIV Bible Commentary,
Zondervan
John 8:13
THE PHARISEES = See note on Matthew 23:2.
John 8:21
YOU WILL DIE IN YOUR SIN = Probation for the Jews as a nation
closed when Jesus died on the cross ("I am going away ... where I go you
cannot come"). There are only two
options in life: (1) either we believe in Jesus Christ and are saved from our
sins and receive eternal life (Matthew 1:21; 1 John 1:9) or (2) we reject Jesus
Christ, die in our sins and are forever lost.
"Jesus begins
by telling His opponents that He is going away; and that, after He is gone,
they will realize what they have missed, and will search for Him and not find
Him. This is the true prophetic
note. It reminds us of three things: (1)
There are certain opportunities which come and which do not return. To every man is given the opportunity to
accept Christ as Savior and Lord; but that opportunity can be refused and
lost. (2) Implicit in this argument is
the truth that life and time are limited.
It is within an allotted span that we must make our decision for
Christ. The time we have to make that
decision is limited -- and none of us knows what his limit is. There is therefore every reason for making it
now. (3) Just because there is
opportunity in life there is also judgment.
The greater the opportunity, the more clearly it beckons, the oftener it
comes, the greater the judgment if it is refused or missed. This passage brings us face to face with the
glory of our opportunity, and the limitation of time in which to seize
it." -- DSB, "The Gospel of John," vol. 2, William Barclay, p.
16.
YOU CANNOT COME = Similar to Jesus' statement in John 7:33,
34. This was addressed to unbelieving
Jews (see John 8:22-24) who would not believe in Christ as their Savior. In contrast to this, Jesus told His believing
disciples that He would indeed take them to be with Him in heaven (John
14:1-4).
John 8:24
DIE IN YOUR SINS = This phrase is only used twice in
Scripture. See comment on John 8:21.
IF YOU DO NOT BELIEVE = Jesus had repeatedly presented evidence to
the Jews that He was the Messiah. In
view of this evidence Jesus stated "you will indeed die in your sins"
(i.e. be forever lost) "if you do not believe" that I am the Messiah.
John 8:28
LIFTED UP THE SON OF MAN = A euphemism for crucifixion. Jesus, as the great Sin Offering, was
teaching in the temple courts "near the place where the offerings were
put" (John 8:20). Thus, if the
people did not accept Him as their Sin Offering, they would "die in their
sins" (John 8:24).
John 8:31
JEWS WHO HAD BELIEVED HIM = The Greek "pepisteukotas" is
a perfect active participle in the accusative case. It comes from the root word
"pisteuo" (Strongs #G4100) meaning "to believe, to commit to, to
put trust in." Grammatically,
because it is a perfect active participle, this belief occurred in the past and
continues into the present. Thus not
only had these Jews believed in Christ previously, but they continued to
believe and grow in Him.
"It is likely
that the 'believers' had reached the stage of professing faith, but the
following discourse shows they had not yet developed into full believers."
-- New Bible Commentary, Wenham, Motyer, Carson, France, page 1043.
IF YOU HOLD = Greek "meno" (Strongs #G3306) meaning
"to remain steadfast, to persevere."
Those who do not "hold" to Christ's teachings are blown by
every wind of doctrine. The purpose of
cults is to distort, confuse, and misrepresent the teachings of Christ and thus
draw weak disciples from the truth of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:14; James 1:6).
TO MY TEACHING = The Greek is literally, "if you continue in
my word." "Christ's word is
indistinguishable from Christ Himself.
He is the Word. To continue in
His word is therefore to abide in Him, to be always within earshot of His
voice; and when a believer abides in Christ, Christ abides in him, and Christ's
life invigorates and sustains the believer's life. This is genuine discipleship" --Tyndale
New Testament Commentaries, vol. 4, p. 117.
John 8:32
THEN YOU WILL KNOW THE TRUTH = "Knowing the truth" is
dependent upon "holding to My teaching" (John 8:31). There is a type of person who is "always
learning but never able to acknowledge the truth" (2 Timothy 3:7).
AND THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE = In John 8:36 Jesus implies that
"the truth" is really "the Son" of God. Compare this with Jesus' teaching in John
14:6.
John 8:33
WE ARE ABRAHAM'S DESCENDANTS = Here the Jews express their belief
that Abraham's righteousness will be credited to them because they are in his
family line. Their idea is completely
contrary to Scripture (see Ezekiel 18:20).
WE ... HAVE NEVER BEEN SLAVES OF ANYONE = Physically the Jews were
even then under the harsh rule of their Roman masters. Previously they had been taken captive to
Babylon. Before that they were slaves of the Egyptians. Now, spiritually, they were slaves of Satan
(John 8:39-45). Thus their bold statement was completely false.
HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT WE SHALL BE SET FREE? = Only those who recognize
their sin can be saved from their sin.
The legalist and the cultist do not recognize they are sinners and thus
steeped in sin's slavery.
John 8:34
EVERYONE WHO SINS = The Greek is literally: "everyone who sins
continually." The action here is
linear, not punctiliar. It is not that
everyone who commits one sin is a slave to sin, but everyone who habitually
sins is a slave to sin.
John 8:35
A SLAVE HAS NO PERMANENT PLACE = Slaves and servants serve at the
whim of the master. All employees are
temporary and can be dismissed at any time.
A SON BELONGS TO IT FOREVER = Here Jesus uses the argument of the
Jews (that they are sons of Abraham) against them. If they were truly spiritual sons of Abraham
they would not depart from his character.
By virtue of sonship, a son belongs to his family forever.
John 8:36
THE SON = A clear reference to Jesus Christ. Here "the Son" is equated with
"the truth" (John 8:32).
SETS YOU FREE = Christ's mission was: "to preach good news to
the poor, ... proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the
blind, to release the oppressed, (and) to proclaim the year of the Lord's
favor" (Luke 4:18-19).
YOU WILL BE FREE INDEED = True freedom requires the acknowledgement
of our need of Jesus Christ. If we do
not acknowledge Him, and follow His leading, He cannot free us. Missing the opportunity to be truly free in
Christ mean we truly remain in slavery.
John 8:41
WE ARE NOT ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN = A back-handed slap at Jesus'
lineage (see Luke 2:5).
John 8:43
YOU ARE UNABLE TO HEAR WHAT I SAY = Our preconceived ideas, what we
have been taught, combined with open rebellion against God makes it difficult
to "hear"/understand Christ's messages to us.
John 8:44
HE WAS A MURDERER FROM THE BEGINNING = Here Christ is speaking
about "the devil." As
"the devil," Satan "was a murderer from the
beginning." Jesus did not say Satan
was a murderer from his "creation."
Thus Jesus is only referring to that point in time when Satan became
"the devil," and does not mean that from the moment God created him
he was a murderer. God did not create
evil -- evil is the result of personal choice gone astray. Satan literally murders through his
emissaries, and he murders spiritually by deceiving his victims into choosing
hell over heaven.
John 8:46
PROVE ME GUILTY OF SIN = In this statement Jesus made it clear that
He is the sinless lamb of God (Hebrews 4:15).
John 8:51
NEVER SEE DEATH = If Jesus was speaking about the first/natural death,
then He lied since Christians have been dying ever since Adam sinned. Paul is specific that "death came to
all" as a result of Adam's sin (Romans 5:12; 1 Corinthians 15:21). The Jews pointed out this fact to Jesus in
the next two verses (John 8:52-53). One
cannot believe in an "eternal soul" without negating the promise of
Romans 6:23 ("the wages of sin is death") and making His words in
John 11:25 senseless. If Jesus was
speaking about the second/eternal death, then He told the truth.
John 8:56
ABRAHAM ... HE SAW IT = The Greek "eido" (Strongs #G1492)
means to "literally see with one's own eyes." It is the opposite of "blepo"
(Strongs #G991) which means "to see with one's mind, in a
vision." This is a clear statement
that Abraham literally "saw" Christ's "day" even though he
died 2,000 years before Christ was born -- irrefutable evidence that there is
life after death.
John 8:58
I AM = The name God gave Himself in Exodus 3:13-15. This is another clear reference to Christ
claiming the Divine name for Himself.
The Jews understood Jesus was applying this Divine Name to Himself and
tried to stone him (John 8:59). Also see
Luke 22:70. Jehovah's Witnesses change
this text to read "I have been," in order to deny the deity of
Christ. For further information on the
deity of Christ see Genesis 18:1, 2; Exodus 3:14, 15; Psalm 110:1; Isaiah 9:6;
Isaiah 43:10, 11; Isaiah 44:8; Daniel 10:13, 21; John 1:1; John 8:57, 58; John
20:28; Hebrews 1:6; and Revelation 1:7, 8.
John 9:13
THE PHARISEES = See note on Matthew 23:2.
John 9:15
THE PHARISEES = See note on Matthew 23:2.
John 9:16
THE PHARISEES = See note on Matthew 23:2.
HE DOES NOT KEEP THE SABBATH = Both Jesus and His disciples were
accused of breaking the Sabbath rest (Matthew 12:2; John 5:18; John 9:16). These Pharisees set themselves up as Jesus'
judges, condemned the Lord of the Sabbath (Luke 6:2-5), and put Him to
death. Like many modern "Sabbath
keepers" they excommunicated Him from God's blessings simply because,
under the Old Covenant, Jesus did not keep the Sabbath according to their
traditions.
John 9:39
FOR JUDGMENT = The Greek word "krima" (Strongs #G2917)
means "judgment, to sentence, the act of judging."
This judgment was
"in order that the righteous may be approved and the wicked condemned, as
is figuratively said in the next clause (also see 1 Peter 4:17)." -- The
Complete WordStudy Dictionary, New Testament, Zodhiates, AMG, p. 888
Those who accepted
Jesus as their Messiah had their eyes opened to God's great work for them. Those who rejected Him became blind to God's
working in their lives, and led others astray.
THOSE WHO SEE WILL BECOME BLIND = The Pharisees knew this applied
to them, therefore their question in verse 40.
Also see John 9:41 and Matthew 15:12-14.
John 9:40
SOME PHARISEES = See note on Matthew 23:2.
John 9:41
NOT BE GUILTY = Sin is a conscious disobedience of God's Law. In God's court we are not guilty of what we
honestly do not know to be sin.
YOUR GUILT REMAINS = And thus by extension, because the "guilt
remains," so does the punishment for sin remain (see John 15:22, 24; 1
John 1:9).
GATE = Jesus states in John 10:7 that he is the gate. Thus anyone who enters ("climbs
in") the "sheep pen" apart from Christ is a "thief and a
robber." Strong words condemning
salvation by works (see John 10:9)!
John 10:3
LEADS THEM OUT = Notice the direction Jesus is leading His sheep is
"out" of the "sheep pen."
This is a clear rebuke of denominationalism which often sees itself as
the true "sheep pen." Jesus
did not start a new denomination when He founded Christianity, He established a
new religion. Humans broke Christianity
apart and created their own denominations -- which often increase schisms rather
than brotherhood. Also see Galatians
5:19-20 and John 10:4.
John 10:4
BROUGHT OUT ALL = Jesus is taking all His sheep "out" of
the sheep pen. There is no attempt here
to bring the sheep into the sheep pen.
This is a rebuke of denominationalism which sees itself as the
"sheep pen." Also see John
10:4.
John 10:7
GATE = Whichever direction the sheep travel on their spiritual
journey, they must pass through Christ if they are to be His sheep.
John 10:9
COME IN AND GO OUT, AND FIND PASTURE = Jesus leads His sheep out of
the pen in order for them to find pasture.
Must be pretty slim eating back there in the sheep pen of
denominationalism! Also see John 10:3,
4.
John 10:10
THE THIEF COMES ONLY TO STEAL AND KILL AND DESTROY = Satan is the
"thief" Jesus is speaking about.
Nowhere is this statement more true that in the area of pornography and
immorality. Satan presents his
temptations in the best possible light, but in truth they only steal from us,
kill us and destroy us.
I HAVE COME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE = Christ is the antithesis of
Satan. Everything that Satan does,
Christ undoes. Everything that Christ
does is designed to give us life "to the full."
John 10:16
OTHER SHEEP = It is commonly understood that Jesus was referring to
the future Gentile believers as His "other sheep." He was telling His Jewish disciples that His
flock would include believers from all nationalities. But Jehovah's Witnesses attach a different
meaning to this text. They contrast the
"other sheep" here with the "little flock" mentioned in
Luke 12:32. JWs say the "little
flock" are the 144,000 spirit-anointed believers who make up the body of
Christ and who will go to heaven, while the "other sheep" include all
other believers who receive everlasting life here on earth. JWs teach that the opportunity to become part
of the "little flock" ended back in the year 1935, so more than 99
percent of JWs today consider themselves in the "other sheep"
class. To refute the doctrine that
Christians are divided into heavenly and earthly classes, see Revelation 7:4
(about the "little flock" of the 144,000), and Revelation 7:9 (about
the "great crowd" of "other sheep"). In addition, JWs teach that all pre-Christian
believers are in the "other sheep" class, thus Abraham, Isaac, Jacob,
the prophets, and so on, do not go to heaven.
The best response is to read Hebrews 11:1-40 with a special emphasis on
Hebrews 11:13, 16 showing they desired a "heavenly" country and a
"city." Hebrews 12:22
indicates this is the heavenly Jerusalem.
Paul contrasts the enemies of Christ as those who have their "minds
on earthly things" while the Christian has his "citizenship in
heaven" (Philippians 3:19, 20).
Also see related JW texts in Psalm 37:9, 11; Psalm 37:29; Psalm 115:16;
Luke 23:43; and Revelation 7:9.
ONE FLOCK = One flock, not one sheep pen. Denominationalism is not part of God's plan
for His people.
John 10:17
LAY IT DOWN ... TAKE IT UP = Jesus died at the precisely
predetermined moment and at the bidding of His own will. No one took Jesus' life from Him (see note on
Luke 23:46).
John 10:27
THEY FOLLOW ME = Our salvation is conditional upon our choice to
"follow" the Shepherd (also see 1 John 2:24-25; 2 Peter 3:17).
John 10:28
I GIVE THEM ETERNAL LIFE = Here is a proof of Christ’s
eternity (John 1:1-3; John 17:5; 1 Corinthians 2:7; Ephesians 3:11) – by
the very definition of the word “eternal” (i.e. without beginning
or end), a created being could not give eternal life to anyone, for a created
being has a beginning and end and thus does not innately possess eternal
life. Only an eternal being –
Father, Son, or Holy Spirit -- can give eternal life (Hebrews 5:9; 1 John
1:2-3; 1 John
NO ONE CAN SNATCH = For the reason why see note on Isaiah 49:16 and
John 14:20. Heaven's rewards are given
to those who persevere to completion (1 Corinthians 9:26-27). Those who fall away before crossing the
finish line forfeit their reward (not their salvation). Every church must teach
its members to persevere in Christ.
Examples of those who lost their place in the kingdom and were replaced
by others include: Esau who lost his place to Jacob (Genesis 25:34; 27:36);
Reuben, unstable as water, lost his place to Judah (Genesis 49:4, 8); Saul lost
his place to David (1 Samuel 16:1, 13); Shebna lost his place to Eliakim
(Isaiah 22:15-25); Joab and Abner lost their places to Benaiah and Zadok (1
Kings 2:25). Judas lost his place to
Matthias (Acts 1:25-26); The Jews lost their place to the Gentiles (Matthew
21:43; Romans 11:11). Why? Because these people chose to go their own
way rather than follow Christ (Isaiah 59:2-3, 7-8).
John 10:29
NO ONE CAN SNATCH = See notes on John 10:28; Isaiah 49:16 and John
14:20.
John 10:30
ARE ONE = The Greek "hen" (Strongs #G1520) means
"one."
In this text,
"the neuter gender (of "hen") rules out any thought of meaning
'one Person'. This is not a comment on
the nature of the Godhead. Rather,
having spoken of the sheep's security in both Himself and the Father (John 10:25-30),
Jesus underlines what He has said by indicating that in action the Father and
He can be regarded as a single entity, because their wills are one." --
The International Bible Commentary, F. F. Bruce, Zondervan, page. 1249
John 10:33
STONING YOU = Even under the Roman occupation the Jews had the
power to stone religious enemies to death.
Later when the Sanhedrin decided to put Jesus to death, they handed Him
over to the Romans -- not because they themselves could not stone Him to death
-- but because they wanted His execution
to be perceived as the official execution of a convicted criminal . We must not miss the fact that the Jewish
leaders frequently stoned their enemies with complete impunity.
CLAIM TO BE GOD = The Jews clearly understood Christ's claim that
He was "God." See John 10:38 for
Jesus' affirmation of their charge.
John 10:35
WORD OF GOD = This phrase
("word of God") is used
throughout Scripture to mean:
(1) a prophecy or
directive from God to a prophet (1 Chronicles 17:3-4; Luke 3:2);
(2) the entire
cannon of Scripture (Proverbs 30:5; Matthew 15:6);
(3) the spoken
word/preaching (Acts 4:31; 6:2-4);
(4) the
"sword of the Spirit" (Ephesians 6:17);
(5) "Christ
in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:25-27);
(6) literally the
word from God (1 Thessalonians 2:13).
(7) In John 10:35,
"the word of God" is synonymous with "the Scripture."
(8) In Acts 6:7;
8:14, "the word of God" is synonymous with Christianity.
(9) In Revelation
19:13 "the Word of God" is a title for Jesus Christ.
John 10:38
FATHER IS IN ME, AND I IN THE FATHER = Another clear statement in
which Christ claims to be one with the Father -- thus supporting the Jews
charge in John 10:33 that Jesus claims to be God.
John 10:40
WHERE JOHN HAD BEEN BAPTIZING IN THE EARLY DAYS = Possibly this was
the Bethany located across the Jordan (John 1:28) where John had baptized
Jesus. This Bethany was approximately 25 miles from the second
Bethany which was the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus located two miles from
Jerusalem (John 11:18). Since it took Jesus
at least two days to walk from the place "John had been baptizing in the
early days" (John 11:6, 17), it is also possible this location was some
thirty miles away at "Aenon" near "Salim," (probably West
of Jordan and Northeast of Nablus) (John 3:23).
John 11:4
THIS SICKNESS = Greek "hautay hay astheneia" (Strongs
#G769) meaning "this ailment, sickness, disease."
WILL NOT END = Greek "ouk estin pros" meaning "is
not unto [death]."
IN DEATH = Greek "thanatou" (Strongs #G2288) is the common
word for "death." Jesus was
not diagnosing Lazarus' illness -- He was not saying the illness was so
insignificant that Lazarus would not die from it (see John 11:11-14). Instead, Jesus saw Lazarus' mortal illness as
an opportunity to demonstrate God's glory and to be glorified Himself. Thus Jesus knew even before Lazarus died that
He would raise Lazarus from the dead and by doing so, both God and Jesus would
be glorified. That is why Jesus referred
to "death" as simply falling "asleep" (John 11:11). In this conversation Jesus makes two
distinctions: (1) the natural, or "first" death, is simply
"falling asleep." (2) the
second death (Revelation 20:6, 14) is not "sleep" but destruction in
the fires of hell. Thus when Jesus said
Lazarus' "sickness will not end in death" He meant the second death.
John 11:6
HE STAYED WHERE HE WAS TWO MORE DAYS = The context indicates Jesus
purposely delayed His journey to Lazarus' home.
In view of His statement in John 11:4, it is evident that Jesus was
waiting for Lazarus to die.
John 11:9
TWELVE HOURS OF DAYLIGHT = At that latitude the sun generally rises
and sets at 6 o'clock. The twelve hours
symbolically represent the time allotted for Christ's earthly ministry. He, as the "light of the world,"
had only a limited time to accomplish His mission. During that time of "light" neither
Jesus nor His disciples would "stumble" or fall. Also see note on Acts 3:1.
John 11:10
NIGHT ... STUMBLES = When darkness falls God's protection is
removed and Christ experiences the hours of the cross (John 9:4, 5; 13:30; Luke
23:44, 45).
John 11:11
FALLEN ASLEEP = Greek "kekoimaytai" (Strongs #G2837)
literally meaning "to lie down, go to sleep." Figuratively used as the "sleep of
death." Here Jesus refers to
Lazarus' death as a "sleep" (see note on John 11:4 and Psalm 13:3).
WAKE HIM UP = Here Jesus continues His description of death be a
"sleep."
John 11:12
IF HE SLEEPS HE WILL GET BETTER = The disciples' optimism was based
upon their wrong belief that Jesus had diagnosed Lazarus' illness as not being
serious.
John 11:13
DEATH = Greek "thanatou" (Strongs #G2288) the common word
for death.
SLEEP = Greek "hupnos" (Strongs #G5258) the common word
for natural sleep.
John 11:14
DEAD = Greek "apothnesko" (Strongs #G599) is the intense
word for death meaning "to die off."
John 11:15
I AM GLAD I WAS NOT THERE = Because Lazarus' death was necessary
for the resurrection that was about to occur (John 11:21). In the resurrection of Lazarus, both Jesus and
God the Father would be glorified (John 11:4).
THAT YOU MAY BELIEVE = Christ's demonstration that he is able to
raise one man from the dead enables belief in His ability to raise all the dead
(1 Thessalonians 4:16).
LET US GO TO HIM = The use of the pronoun "him" does not
indicate that Lazarus was alive, for Jesus had just said "Lazarus is
dead" (John 11:14). Thus, with
Lazarus lying dead in the grave, Jesus used "him" in the context of
raising Lazarus from the dead, for God is not the God of the dead, but the God
of the living (Luke 20:38).
John 11:16
WE MAY DIE WITH HIM = Thomas recognized the extreme danger Jesus
faced from His enemies in Judea (John 11:7, 8).
John 11:17
FOUR DAYS = See note on John 10:40.
John 11:21
IF YOU HAD BEEN HERE MY BROTHER WOULD NOT HAVE DIED = That is why
Jesus stayed away during Lazarus' illness (John 11:15). Both Mary and Martha knew that Lazarus could
not have died if Jesus had been present (John 11:32).
John 11:23
WILL RISE AGAIN = Christ's promise is one every believer must
accept by faith.
John 11:24
HE WILL RISE AGAIN IN THE RESURRECTION = "He" means the
entire person is indicated here, not just a "body" apart from an
immortal soul. Martha believed in a
resurrection (1 Thessalonians 4:15, 16) when the soul would be reunited with
the body.
John 11:25
RESURRECTION = Resurrection is the only antidote for the death of
the body. By raising Lazarus from the
dead Jesus proved that He is indeed "the resurrection and the life."
BELIEVES ... WILL LIVE, EVEN THOUGH HE DIES = The Greek translated
"will live" is “zasetai” (Strongs #G2198) and is in the 3rd
person singular, future middle indicative case, indicating that the life of the
soul continues uninterrupted through the future. Here Jesus tells us that the death of the
body is very real and that the answer to death is resurrection ("I am the
resurrection and the life").
Throughout history the great majority of believers have died, but even
though they really died and their bodies were buried in the ground, there is a
future time when they (their body) will be raised to life and will live
again. This resurrection occurs at
Christ's second coming (1 Thessalonians 4:15-18). Verses 25 and 26 can be diagramed as follows:
of the righteous -->
everlasting life
/
belief -->
death --> resurrection
\
of the
wicked --> everlasting death
Consider the following commentators:
“Every man who has believed or shall believe in Me, though
his believing shall not prevent him from dying a natural death, yet his body
shall be re-animated, and he shall live with Me in an eternal glory. And every
one who is now dead, dead to God, dead in trespasses and sins, if he believe in
Me, trust on Me as his sole Savior, he shall live, shall be quickened by My
Spirit, and live a life of faith, working by love.” – Adam
Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible
“Man consists of body and soul, and provision is made for the
happiness of both.
“(a.) For the body; here is the promise of a blessed
resurrection. Though the body be dead because of sin (there is no remedy
but it will die), yet it shall live again. All the difficulties that
attend the state of the dead are here overlooked, and made nothing of. Though
the sentence of death was just, though the effects of death be dismal, though
the bands of death be strong, though he be dead and buried, dead and putrefied,
though the scattered dust be so mixed with common dust that no art of man can
distinguish, much less separate them, put the case as strongly as you will on
that side, yet we are sure that he shall live again: the body shall be
raised a glorious body.
“(b.) For the soul; here is the promise of a blessed
immortality. He that liveth and believeth, who, being united to
Christ by faith, lives spiritually by virtue of that union, he shall never
die. That spiritual life shall never be extinguished, but perfected in
eternal life. As the soul, being in its nature spiritual, is therefore
immortal; so if by faith it live a spiritual life, consonant to its nature, its
felicity shall be immortal too. It shall never die, shall never be
otherwise than easy and happy, and there is not any intermission or
interruption of its life, as there is of the life of the body. The mortality
of the body shall at length be swallowed up of life; but the life of the
soul, the believing soul, shall be immediately at death swallowed up of
immortality. He shall not die, eis ton aiona, for ever - Non
morietur in aeternum; so Cyprian quotes it. The body shall not be for
ever dead in the grave; it dies (like the two witnesses) but for a time,
times, and the dividing of time; and when time shall be no more, and all
the divisions of it shall be numbered and finished, a spirit of life from
God shall enter into it. But this is not all; the souls shall not die that
death which is for ever, shall not die eternally, Blessed and holy,
that is, blessed and happy, is he that by faith has part in the first
resurrection, has part in Christ, who is that resurrection; for on such the
second death, which is a death for ever, shall have no power; see
John 6:40. Christ asks her, “Believest
thou this? Canst thou assent to it with application? Canst thou take
my word for it?” Note, When we have read or heard the word of Christ,
concerning the great things of the other world, we should seriously put it to
ourselves, “Do we believe this, this truth in particular, this
which is attended with so many difficulties, this which is suited to my
case? Does my belief of it realize it to me, and give my soul an assurance of
it, so that I can say not only this I believe, but thus I believe
it?” Martha was doting upon her brother's being raised in this world;
before Christ gave her hopes of this, He directed her thoughts to another life,
another world.” – Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole
Bible
“Believers
in Christ die as well as others, though death is not a penal evil to them; its
curse is removed, its sting is taken away, being satisfied for by Christ, and
so becomes a blessing and privilege to them, and is desirable by them; but
though they die they shall live again; their dust is under the peculiar care of
Christ; and they shall rise by virtue of union to Him, and shall rise first in
the morning of the resurrection.” – John Gill’s Exposition of
the Entire Bible.
John 11:26
WHOEVER LIVES = The context allows two meanings: (1) "whoever
is raised to life in the resurrection of believers will never die;" or (2)
"any believer who does not die before the second coming of Christ will
remain alive and never die."
Because of the context of the previous verse (John 11:25), it is more
likely Jesus was saying that those who are raised to life at the resurrection
"will never die."
NEVER DIE = This entire discussion revolved around the resurrection
of Lazarus, a believer who died and was raised back to life. See verse 25 for a diagram of Jesus'
words. None of the saved who are
resurrected at Jesus' second coming will ever die again. Also see note on John 8:51.
“Though
believers die a corporeal death as others do, yet their souls live, and live in
happiness, whilst their bodies are under the power of death; nor shall they
always continue so, but being raised, shall become immortal, and die no more.
So living believers in Christ shall never die more a spiritual death; they are
passed from death to life, and shall never return to death more; their
spiritual life cannot be lost; grace in them is an immortal seed, a well of
living water springing up into everlasting life: grace may be very low in its
exercise, and may seem to be ready to die; they may be in lifeless frames, and
without the comforts of a spiritual life, and be under the hidings of God's
face, which is as death unto them, and may reckon themselves as free among the
dead; yet the principle of life will never be extinct in them; nor shall they
die the second death, which lies in an eternal separation from God, and in an
everlasting sense of his wrath.” – John Gill’s Exposition of
the Entire Bible”
John 11:32
IF YOU HAD BEEN HERE = Both Mary and Martha knew that death could
not triumph over the Author of Life (John 11:21).
John 11:33
HE WAS DEEPLY MOVED = See Hebrews 4:15. The Greek term is "embrimayomai"
(Strongs #G1690) meaning "to roar, storm with anger, be
enraged." While Jesus sympathized
with Mary and Martha's grief, he proceeded to the tomb enraged at the enemy
"death" (1 Corinthians 15:26).
In the resurrection of Lazarus is demonstrated Christ's conquest of
death.
IN SPIRIT = Some claim this demonstrates a person's
"spirit" has emotions after death.
However, notice the "spirit" referred to here is Christ's, and
Jesus was not dead. Therefore this text
says nothing about the "spirit" of a dead person.
John 11:37
KEPT THIS MAN FROM DYING = This statement was a criticism, but it
expressed the truth: if Jesus had been there, Lazarus would not have died.
John 11:39
BAD ODOR ... FOUR DAYS = These are statements of the certainty that
Lazarus had died rather than sunk into a coma.
The family knew beyond doubt that Lazarus was dead and that the open the
grave would emit the odor of a decaying body.
John 11:40
IF YOU BELIEVED = Jesus reprimands Martha for her objection to
removing the stone. Belief which enables
us to "see the glory of God" is an obedient belief. We must do what Jesus says if God's glory is
to be revealed.
John 11:43
LAZARUS COME OUT = Similar to the commands which brought forth the
earth (Genesis 1:3, 6, 9 et cetera).
John 11:44
DEAD MAN = Greek "the one having died" i.e. Lazarus. Here even the dead man is more obedient to
Christ's command then many of those standing around observing the miracle (John
11:45, 46; Luke 19:39, 40).
John 11:45
MANY ... PUT THEIR FAITH IN HIM = As is frequently demonstrated in
the Gospels, Jesus' miracles divided the audience into two camps: some believed
in Him and some did not believe and worked to silence Him.
John 11:46
BUT SOME OF THEM = These are the unbelievers who were enraged by
Jesus' miracle and tried to get Him silenced (see John 11:45).
THE PHARISEES = See note on Matthew 23:2.
John 11:47
THE PHARISEES = See note on Matthew 23:2.
MANY MIRACULOUS SIGNS = Here the highest leaders in Israel
recognized that Christ's miracles were on-going and genuine.
John 11:48
PLACE = Probably meant the temple, but it could also mean
Jerusalem. What these leaders feared
would happen if Jesus continued to teach was exactly what happened after they
crucified Him: the Romans came and destroyed their temple and their nation.
John 11:49
CAIAPHAS = Was high priest from A.D. 18-36. He was the son-in-law of Annas (John 18:13),
who had been deposed by the Romans in A.D. 15.
"YOU KNOW NOTHING AT ALL!" = Caiaphas was a
Sadducee. The Sadducees were known for
their rudeness.
John 11:50
BETTER FOR YOU = Caiaphas was not concerned about Christ's
innocence, he was concerned about politics.
He believed that it was better for one innocent man to perish than for
the entire nation to perish and the leaders of the country lose their power.
John 11:51
ON HIS OWN = Caiaphas' prophecy was not made on his own initiative,
but was inspired by God. His prophecy
was genuine because it came true. But
knowing his own prophecy should have been a warning to Caiaphas. His knowledge of the Old Testament services
should have opened his eyes to the fact that Jesus was the Lamb of God.
JESUS WOULD DIE FOR THE JEWISH NATION = Not to remove political
trouble, but, as their Savior, to remove their sins. The effect of Jesus' death would not only
affect the nation of Israel, but was for "the scattered children of
God" (John 11:52).
John 11:52
NOT ONLY FOR THAT NATION = The death of Christ was for all, not
just for the Jews.
SCATTERED = Greek "diaskorpizo" (Strongs #G1287) meaning
dispersed or scattered.
CHILDREN OF GOD = Greek "tekna Theou" (Strongs #G5043 +
#G2316). This term is applied to
believers, but never to Jesus Christ.
John 11:57
PHARISEES = See note on Matthew 23:2.
LAZARUS ... WHOM JESUS HAD RAISED FROM THE DEAD = Entire person is
indicated here, not just a "body" apart from an "eternal"
soul.
"Not once in
all of Scripture is the word 'raised' or 'resurrection' used of the soul or
spirit. It always strictly refers to the
resurrection of the body." -- Death and the Afterlife, Dr. Robert A.
Morey, Bethany House, p. 115.
The implications
of this are very important: the human physical body dies and must be
resurrected, however the human
"spirit/soul" which returns to God, does not die and thus is
able to return to the physical body without requiring a resurrection of itself.
John 12:3
MARY = This Mary is the sister of Lazarus and Martha (John 11:2).
John 12:9
LAZARUS, WHO HE HAD RAISED FROM THE DEAD = Entire person is
indicated here, not just a "body" apart from an "eternal"
soul. -- However, even though Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead, the chief
priests still were not convinced Jesus was the Messiah and plotted to kill both
him and Lazarus (John 12:10). Thus the
words of Christ's parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man came true (Luke
16:19-31).
"Not once in
all of Scripture is the word 'raised' or 'resurrection' used of the soul or
spirit. It always strictly refers to the
resurrection of the body." -- Death and the Afterlife, Dr. Robert A.
Morey, Bethany House, p. 115.
The implications
of this are very important: the human physical body dies and must be
resurrected, however the human
"spirit/soul" which returns to God, does not die and thus is
able to return to the physical body without requiring a resurrection of itself.
John 12:10
PLANS TO KILL LAZARUS AS WELL = Here Christ's parable about Lazarus
and the Rich Man is fulfilled (Luke 16:31). Originally the Sanhedrin had met
and decided to kill Jesus (John 11:53).
John 12:17
RAISED HIM = "Not once in all of Scripture is the word
'raised' or 'resurrection' used of the soul or spirit. It always strictly refers to the resurrection
of the body." -- Death and the Afterlife, Dr. Robert A. Morey, Bethany
House, p. 115.
The implications
of this are very important: the human physical body dies and must be
resurrected, however the human
"spirit/soul" which returns to God, does not die and thus is
able to return to the physical body without requiring a resurrection of itself.
John 12:19
THE PHARISEES = See note on Matthew 23:2.
John 12:31
NOW IS THE TIME FOR JUDGMENT = This judgment was current in
Christ's day (see note on Luke 10:18).
His victory on the cross (John 12:32) drove out "the prince of this
world." The concept of Satan being
driven out, or "cast" out, is amplified in Revelation 12:9, 13.
John 12:32
WHEN I AM LIFTED UP = Refers to Jesus' crucifixion as John 12:33
plainly states.
John 12:34
THE SON OF MAN = "That this name ("Son of Man") was
regarded by the Jews as referring to the Messiah is evident from the fact that
the high priest rent his garment when Christ applied this prophecy in Daniel to
himself (Matthew 26:64 ff.). The Jews
understood this phrase to mean the Messiah (John 12:34), and to call Christ the
Son of Man was equivalent to calling Him the Son of God (Luke 22:69 ff.) The expression implies not only that He is
truly human, but also that He is the representative of all humanity (cf.
Hebrews 2:6-9)." - Lectures in Systematic Theology, by Henry C. Thiessen,
Eerdmans, p. 221
John 12:41
ISAIAH ... SAW JESUS' GLORY = See Isaiah 6:1.
John 12:42
THE PHARISEES = See note on Matthew 23:2.
THEY WOULD BE PUT OUT OF THE SYNAGOGUE = The Pharisees had great
power and control within Judaism.
John 12:43
THEY LOVED PRAISE = See Jesus' description of the Pharisees in
Matthew 23:5-39.
JUST BEFORE THE PASSOVER FEAST = Thursday, Nisan 14, April 6, 30
A.D. In these days, just as today, there
was a disagreement as to whether to eat the Passover on the 14th of Nissan or
the 15th of Nissan. This came about
because of the custom of the Pharisees counting a day from sunset to sunset,
and the Sadducees counting a day from sunrise to sunrise. Thus, in 30 AD, some of the Jews ate the
Passover on Thursday evening, Nissan 14 (April 6), others ate on Friday
evening, Nissan 15 (April 7). Jesus ate
the Passover on Thursday evening the 14th of Nissan (April 6) which was
"just before" the official Passover feast (see John 13:1). Perhaps this was because He obviously could
not eat it on Friday evening after His crucifixion.
LEAVE THIS WORLD = Does not refer to Jesus death (He did not ascend
to the Father until after His resurrection according to John 20:17). Nor does it primarily refer to His ascension
on Sunday. The primary reference is to
His ascension 40 days later (Acts 1:2-11).
FULL EXTENT OF HIS LOVE = Not that He became their servant, but
that as their Savior He even paid the penalty for, and washes away,
post-baptismal sins.
John 13:5
BEGAN TO WASH HIS DISCIPLES' FEET = All of the gospel writers
record the Lord's Supper, but only John records Jesus washing His disciples'
feet. If this was a literal requirement
for the Christian church, as the Lord's Supper is, it is very strange that (a)
the other gospel writers did not write about it; (b) there is no New Testament
record of the disciples or other Christians
ever washing one another's feet again as a religious act tied to the
Lord's Supper or to a worship service.
This was an OT concept that Jesus utilized to teach a specific lesson (1
Samuel 25:41).
John 13:7
DO NOT REALIZE NOW ... LATER YOU WILL UNDERSTAND = The lesson was
not just washing feet, rather foot washing was only symbolic of what Jesus
wanted His disciples to learn. Jesus
explained the lesson beginning in John 13:12.
John 13:8
UNLESS ... YOU HAVE NO PART WITH ME = The lesson Jesus was teaching
was the need for a selfless spirit which bowed to the authority of Christ. By refusing Christ's ministry to him, Peter
was placing himself outside of Christ's authority. Jesus was not saying that a disciple must
have his feet washed by Jesus in order to be saved, for Jesus only washed the
feet of His twelve disciples -- and at that, on only one occasion. Thus, the washing Jesus was referring to was
first of all, the washing away of our sins (Acts 22:16; 1 Corinthians 6:11;
Ephesians 5:26; Titus 3:5; ); and
second, submitting to His washing of their feet as a symbolic act. Also see notes on John 13:13-14.
John 13:10
NEEDS ONLY TO WASH HIS FEET = Not, "needs only to have his
feet washed at church."
CLEAN = A spiritual concept, not a physical cleansing (see John
13:11).
John 13:11
NOT EVERY ONE WAS CLEAN = This is a clear indication that
foot-washing was a spiritual experience, not a literal experience.
John 13:12
DO YOU UNDERSTAND = This refers back to the statement Jesus made in
John 13:7. Here Jesus begins to explain
His one time act of foot washing contained a lesson that went far beyond the
physical.
John 13:13
'TEACHER' AND 'LORD' = Jesus pointed out that by calling Him
"teacher" and "Lord" the disciples were elevating Christ
above themselves and submitting to His authority. This is the beginning of His explanation of
the act of His washing their feet (John 13:12-13).
John 13:14
NOW THAT I, YOUR LORD AND TEACHER = In other words, if I can stoop
this low to serve you, then certainly you can do the same for others (see Luke
7:44; John 13:15-16; Mark 9:35).
YOU SHOULD WASH ONE ANOTHER'S FEET = Washing of feet was a
necessary courtesy performed by a servant in Christ's time. Here Christ demonstrated the selfless spirit
which is willing to do any menial task which will bring comfort and refreshment
to another person (1 Timothy 5:10; Hebrews 9:10; 10:22-24). It is this selfless spirit that Christ commends
to His followers (John 13:15-17). Foot
washing is only symbolic of meeting another person's basic needs for physical
comfort and spiritual refreshment (James 4:8-10).
John 13:15
I HAVE SET YOU AN EXAMPLE = The example was not foot washing in
itself, but the wider sphere of selfless service for others in the absence of
political hierarchy (see John 13:16).
YOU SHOULD DO AS I HAVE DONE FOR YOU = See note on John 13:14.
John 13:16
NO SERVANT IS GREATER THAN HIS MASTER = This is the first concept
Jesus taught by washing His disciples' feet: He was their Master, they were His
servants, but out of His love for them He was willing to stoop to do even the
most menial task that would bring them a blessing. Thus, in view of the fact that Jesus was
"greater" then they, then they were obligated to follow His example
of selfless service.
NOR IS A MESSENGER GREATER THAN THE ONE WHO SENT HIM = The term
"messenger" is "apostolos" (apostle) in Greek. This is the second concept Jesus taught His
disciples by washing their feet: as the One God had sent to the human race with
the message of peace and reconciliation (Luke 4:43; John 17:3), even Jesus
bowed to God's will and did whatever God asked of Him (John 6:38). Thus the disciples should be doubly certain
they followed Jesus' example of selfless service.
John 13:17
KNOW THESE THINGS ... DO THEM = "These things" (plural)
refers back to the two great lessons Jesus taught in John 13:16, not to the
single specific act of ceremonially washing another believer's feet.
Thus the issue was not that they literally wash one another's feet, but that they serve
one another in true humility (see 1 Samuel 25:41, 42).
John 13:18
MY BREAD = Here Jesus was not referring to the Passover bread
(which was called the "bread of affliction" [Deuteronomy 16:3] and
represented the Israelite's hasty departure from Egypt), rather He called it
"my bread" in harmony with His statements in Matthew 26:26; Mark
14:22; Luke 22:19 indicating the bread of the Lord's Supper represented His
body.
John 13:23
WHOM JESUS LOVED = Four times John refers to himself in this
manner: John 13:23; 20:2; 21:7; 21:20.
John 13:26
THE PIECE OF BREAD = The Greek "posomion" (Strongs
#G5596) means "sop, morsel of bread."
"Table
utensils were not used among the Hebrews.
The sop was a piece of bread used to dip in the soup or broth which sat
in the center of the table. The master
of the feast might dip a sop and give it to a guest. Jesus gave a sop to Judas (John 13:26),
indicating that he was the one who was to betray Jesus." -- "The
Bible Almanac," Packer, Tenny, White, p. 468
John 13:27
AS SOON AS JUDAS TOOK THE BREAD = This points out the seriousness
of examining oneself before taking the bread and cup of the Lord's supper (see
notes on 1 Corinthians 11:27, 29).
SATAN ENTERED INTO HIM = Notice this demonic possession occurred
"as soon as Judas took the bread" of the Lord's supper. Also see Luke 22:3.
"Scholars
have offered several theories about the reason for Judas' betrayal. Some think that he was reacting to Jesus'
rebuke when he criticized the woman with the ointment. Others think that Judas acted out of greed
for the money that Jesus' enemies offered him. ... In most modern works, Judas
is portrayed as a zealot or extreme patriot who was disappointed at Jesus'
failure to lead a mass movement or rebellion against Rome. There is, as yet, little evidence for this
viewpoint. ... Luke and John simply say that Satan inspired Judas' actions
(Luke 22:3; John 13:27)." -- The Bible Almanac, Packer, Tenny, White, p.
529.
DO QUICKLY = Because "Satan (had) entered into him" Jesus
wanted Judas to quickly leave the company of disciples. At this point there was no turning back, for
Judas was completely under Satan's control.
John 13:33
WHERE I AM GOING = Explained as to His heavenly Father (John 14:6,
28; 16:28; 17:11, 13, 24; 20:17); and to His "Father's house" (John
14:2). Christ's promise is that His
disciples will "follow later" (see commentary on John 13:36).
John 13:34
A NEW COMMAND = Greek "kainos" (Strongs #G2537) meaning
"newly introduced, fresh, nobler, loftier." The old command to love our
"neighbor" was given 1,500 years earlier to the Israelites (Leviticus
19:18). Here Christ reintroduced the old
command and made it the defining characteristic of Christianity.
I GIVE YOU = To become one of Christ's disciples requires accepting
Him as both Savior and Lord. As Lord,
Christ is the source of all commands given to His disciples. Commands that do not originate with Christ
are not authoritative for believers.
LOVE ONE ANOTHER = Greek "agapay" (Strongs #G25) meaning
"the highest form of Christ-like self-sacrificing principled
love." Here "lov(ing) one
another" is accomplished on the basis of principle and not on the basis of
our feelings: "you must love one another" whether or not you feel
like it.
AS I HAVE LOVED YOU = Christ is both the Divine Source of the
command and the Divine Example of how to apply His command. More than this, He is the Divine Enabler
given to us
so we would be empowered to fulfill His command (Luke 1:67-74).
YOU MUST LOVE ONE ANOTHER = The Greek "agapatay" is a 2d
person plural, present active imperative meaning "you must love and keep
on loving one another." There is
never a time when we are free to stop loving one another.
John 13:35
BY THIS = By "lov(ing) one another as I (Jesus) have loved you
(John 13:34).
ALL MEN WILL KNOW THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES = The evidence of
Christian discipleship is a Christ-like love for one another. This love is such an obvious result of being
with Christ that "all men" are able to recognize it as the basis of
Christian discipleship.
IF YOU = The word "if" does not indicate that loving one
another is optional. Rather Christ is
saying our witness to "all men" is dependent upon our "lov(ing)
one another." A lack of love
results in a lack of witness.
LOVE ONE ANOTHER = Greek "agapay" meaning
"self-sacrificing love, Christ-like love."
John 13:36
WHERE I AM GOING = Jesus went to heaven to His heavenly Father
(John 14:2, 6, 28; 16:28; 17:11, 13, 24; 20:17).
YOU CANNOT FOLLOW NOW = Jesus' ascension to heaven would not
include His disciples at this time (see commentary on verse 33).
BUT YOU WILL FOLLOW LATER = Assurance that His disciples would
follow Him to heaven at a later date.
Jesus amplifies this comment in John 14:1-3.
John 13:37
WHY = Peter's question was "Aren't we loyal enough to be
included in Your journey?"
LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR YOU = Not so he could enter death with Christ,
but so Christ would know the absolute depth of Peter's loyalty to Him. See John 14:5 to understand that the
disciples were not clear as to where Jesus was going. In John 14:28 Jesus plainly tells them that
He is "going to the Father" i.e. "heaven."
John 13:38
WILL YOU REALLY = Jesus points out that Peter is not loyal enough
to lay down his life for Him. Since the
way to heaven is not through laying down one's life (works), but through faith
(John 14:1), in Christ (John 14:6); therefore their hearts are not to be
"troubled" (John 14:1).
YOUR HEARTS = The Greek "kardia" (Strongs #G2588) means
"heart." It is used
figuratively for the mind. A
"troubled" mind lacks faith and trust.
BE TROUBLED = The Greek "tarasso" (Strongs #G5015) means
"to stir up, to agitate, to be disturbed, to be troubled with questions or
doubts."
The careful Bible
student must not divorce this statement from it's context -- context is always
supreme. Therefore, in the context of the previous few verses, it is clear that
Jesus was seeking to assure His disciples that His last hours were transpiring
according to God's plan for Him (see commentary on John 13:37-38). They were to "trust in God" and
trust in Jesus, even though they did not clearly understand and would be
tempted to be troubled and agitated as they saw Him arrested and
crucified. An allusion to this mental
agitation is seen in Christ's comment to Peter that "Satan has asked to
sift you as wheat" (Luke 22:31). Compare with Luke 22:61-62.
TRUST = The Greek "pisteuo" (Strongs #G4100) means
"to be firmly persuaded, to believe, to have trust and full confidence, to
not waver, to have faith." Trusting
God is the basis our relationship with Christ, of our eternal salvation, and of
our Christian religion.
IN GOD ... ALSO IN ME = This is an indication that Christ and God
are equal in authority and in trustworthiness (see John 10:30).
John 14:2
FATHER'S HOUSE = The Greek "oikia” (Strongs #G3614)
means "a building, house, dwelling."
As used in the NT,
the term "my Father's house" has several meanings: it can mean a
human father's house (Luke 16:27; Acts 7:20); it can mean the temple at
Jerusalem as God's house (Luke 2:49; John 2:16); it can mean God's heavenly
dwelling as Jesus said here (see 1 Kings 8:30 and Philippians 3:20).
"The word
'oikia’ can also be used figuratively, as in John 8:35, as a reference to
the kingdom of God. The term 'oikia’ does not refer to a ruling house,
but simply to a family. In John 14:2, which states that, 'in my Fathers house ("oikia”)
are many mansions ("monai” is the plural of "mone"
[Strongs #G3438] meaning "resting places").' This may have reference to individual places
for families even as they lived on earth." -- AMG Complete Word Study
Dictionary, New Testament, Zodhiates
Possibly supporting
Zodhiates' suggestion of families living together in the afterlife is Isaiah
65:21-23. However, see commentary notes
on Matthew 22:30, Luke 20:35; Mark 12:25 for a discussion of the wrong idea
that there is no marriage in the afterlife.
ARE = The Greek "eisi" (Strongs #G1526) is a 3rd person
present indicative meaning "they exist now, they are now." Jesus didn't go to heaven to build houses and
rooms for us, they were already built -- they already existed -- when He spoke
these words to His disciples in 30 A.D.!
MANY ROOMS = The Greek "mone" (Strongs #G3438) means
"a place where one stays or lives, a dwelling, a mansion."
If this is an
idiomatic phrase, it possibly means "a kingdom for all races and peoples
(G. Lamsa)." On the other hand, if
it is literal, heaven is filled with many homes -- in addition to the city
called the New Jerusalem (see Revelation 3:12; Revelation 21:2).
I AM GOING THERE = The context is that Jesus is promising to go to
His Father's heavenly house (see John 20:17 and 1 Peter 3:22).
TO PREPARE = The Greek "hetoimazo" (Strongs #G2090) means
"to make ready, to prepare."
It is used when setting a table in preparation for a meal (Matthew
22:4). It is used of soldiers cleaning
and repairing their equipment for battle (Acts 23:23). It is used of heralds preparing the way for a
king to journey from one location to another (Revelation 16:12). Here it is used by Jesus to tell us He is
preparing a "place" for us.
Grammatically, "hetoimazo" is a Greek aorist infinitive active
verb, meaning the "preparation" is punctiliar (the action occurred at
one moment in time, it is not on-going.
Christ's project was completed 25 years later in 55 A.D. according to 1
Corinthians 2:9 and Matthew 25:34 (see notes).
Some wrongly contradict
this Scripture by claiming Jesus is preparing us ("a people") for
heaven, and that is why the "preparations" are taking so long. However, this text clearly states Jesus is
preparing a "place" ("topos") not "a people"
("laos" [Strongs #G2992]). Other texts may state that God is
preparing a people (see Luke 1:17), but that is not the subject of our text
here. Again, the careful Bible student
must remain true to both the context and the grammar of every text.
A PLACE = The Greek "topos" (Strongs #G5117) means
"a particular place, a specific location." This "place" is in "My
Father's house." Jesus states it is
a real place, and not just a figment of our imaginations.
John 14:3
AND IF I GO = This phrase is a contractual guarantee that if one thing
occurs ("if" Jesus goes to heaven) His disciples can fully depend on
the fact that He "will come back and take you to be with Me." In other words, the fact that Jesus literally
returned to His Father's house in heaven (Acts 1:9) is our assurance that He
will literally return to earth again (Acts 1:10-11). Thus, in John 14:2, we not only have Christ's
promise that "I am going there," but we have three verifications that
His contract with us is guaranteed and in full effect:
1. It is
guaranteed by virtue of the fact that He did indeed go up to heaven (Acts 1:9).
2. It is
guaranteed by virtue of the fact that heavenly angels also promised He would
return in fulfillment of His contract (Acts 1:10-11).
3. It is
guaranteed by virtue of the fact that inspired Scripture states Jesus went up
to heaven (1 Peter 3:22).
PREPARE A PLACE = See notes on John 14:2. Here the Greek verb "hetoimazo"
(Strongs #G2090) is an aorist subjunctive active which again indicates the
action is punctiliar and not drawn out over a long period of time (see note on
John 14:2, "prepare").
I WILL COME BACK = The sequence is as follows: 1. Christ's
resurrection and ascension to heaven (this occurred in 30 A.D.: Acts 1:9-11);
2. Christ preparing a "place" for us (this had occurred by 55 A.D.
according to 1 Corinthians 2:9 and Matthew 25:34); 3. Christ's return to take
us to the place He has prepared for us (this is has not yet occurred). Thus there is a "gap" of unknown
duration between the completion of the "place" Christ has prepared
for us, and His second coming.
However,
Christ’s word’s “I will come back and take you to be with
Me” do not necessarily apply exclusively to His second coming. When Stephen was being martyred, he saw
“heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God”
(Acts 7:56). At death, Paul expected to
“depart and be with Christ” (Philippians 1:23). And Scripture states at Christ’s second coming He brings
“with” Him “those who have fallen asleep in Him” (1
Thessalonians 4:14). Thus it is possible
that Christ accompanies the departed souls of the saved to heaven when their
body dies. Consider the following
commentary on 1 Thessalonians 4:14:
“(‘God will bring
with Jesus’) This does not mean that God will bring
them with Him from heaven when the Saviour comes - though it will be true that
their spirits will descend with the Saviour; but it means that He will bring
them from their graves, and will conduct them with Him to glory, to be with
Him. … If, however, it means, as Prof. Bush (Anastasis, pp. 266,
267) supposes, that they will be brought with Him from heaven, or will
accompany Him down, it does not prove that there must have been a previous
resurrection, for the full force of the language would be met by the
supposition that their spirits had ascended to heaven, and would be brought
with Him to be united to their bodies when raised. If this be the correct
interpretation, then there is probably an allusion to such passages as the
following, representing the coming of the Lord accompanied by his saints.
‘The Lord my God will come, and all the holy ones (saints) with
Him’ (Zechariah 14:5). ‘And Enoch, the seventh from Adam,
prophesied about these men: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon
thousands of His holy ones” (Jude 1:14). ‘Who, says President
Dwight (Serm. 164), ‘are those whom God will bring with Him at this time?
Certainly not the bodies of his saints ... The only answer is, he will bring
with him “the spirits of just men made perfect” (Hebrews
12:23).’” – Albert Barnes Notes’ on the Bible, 1
Thessalonians 4:14.
TAKE YOU TO BE WITH ME = The Greek "paralambano" (Strongs
#G3880) means "to take with, take to oneself, receive to
oneself." There is no hint in the
grammar of a "secret rapture" in this verse (also see note on 1
Thessalonians 4:17).
Not "leave
you" on earth (Matthew 25:34 states "come, take your inheritance, the
kingdom"). The context is that
Jesus is now in heaven preparing a place for us and will come again to take us
to where He is now (in heaven with the Father, see John 14:6). This is reinforced by John 13:36 where Jesus
assures Peter and the disciples that they cannot follow Him there now, but
certainly "will follow later" (either in death or at Christ’s
second coming). In addition see
Colossians 3:4 (we will "appear with Him in glory"); Luke 24:26
(Christ's return to heaven was "entering His glory"). In Philippians 3:19, 20 Paul contrasts the
enemies of Christ who have their minds on "earthly things," God's
people who have their citizenship in heaven.
And in Hebrews 11:13, 16 and Hebrews 12:22 it is clear that God's
faithful of all ages will participate in the heavenly city of Jerusalem. We have Jesus' promise on this and it is
dependable. Also see the commentary
notes on 2 Thessalonians 2:1-2.
YOU ALSO MAY BE WHERE I AM = John explained this location in John
13:3 as being where God is in heaven.
Paul expected to go to heaven with Christ: "God has called me
heavenward in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14); and "the Lord will
rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly
kingdom" (2 Timothy 4:18).
Furthermore, Philippians 3:20 specifically states that even our
"citizenship is in heaven," not on this earth! Other's who have preceded us into heaven are:
Enoch (Genesis 5:24 c.f. Hebrews 11:5); Elijah (2 Kings 2:1, 3, 5, 11). Moses died, but then was taken bodily to
heaven (Deuteronomy 32:48-50; 34:5, 6; Jude 1:9), and both he and Elijah
appeared with Jesus at the transfiguration (Matthew 17:3). The Psalmist is clear that the resurrected
saints will be taken to heaven (Psalm 49:13-15; 73:24, 25). And the martyr Stephen saw Jesus in heaven
(Acts 7:55), thus Jesus' statement "where I am" refers to His
location in heaven.
John 14:4
YOU KNOW THE WAY = Addressed to Christ's believing disciples and
amplified in John 14:6. This is in
contrast to the unbelieving Jews whom Jesus said could not go to be with Him
(John 7:33-34).
THE PLACE WHERE I AM GOING = In the context of John 14:2 this
refers to "my Father's house" (heaven).
John 14:5
WE DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING = Jesus clears up all
misunderstanding, stating clearly that He is going to His heavenly Father in
John 14:6, 28; 16:28).
John 14:6
I AM THE WAY = Also see Matthew 7:13-14; Luke 13:23-24.
COMES TO THE FATHER = The whole discussion in the preceding five
verses has centered around Christ returning to the Father and preparing a place
for us. The only way we will inherit
that place is for us to enter through Jesus Christ.
John 14:9
SEEN ME HAS SEEN THE FATHER = Jesus is not telling us that He is
the exact physical likeness of God, for in that case God would be a 30-year-old
Jew with all the physical characteristics of a Jew. We know this is not correct, because the
Jewish race did not exist until after
Abraham (2000 B.C.), but God has existed forever. Instead, Jesus is telling us He is another
way for us to experience God. John
places Jesus on the same level as God (John 1:1). But Jesus is also the "Word become
flesh" (John 1:14). Jesus is God in
human form and so is able to be seen, experienced and touched. Thus the disciples did not see God directly
when they saw Jesus. But they saw Jesus,
whose character, work, and behavior are the same as those of the Father. By experiencing Jesus the disciples were
"seeing" God.
John 14:13
ASK IN MY NAME = See note on Matthew 21:9.
John 14:14
ASK ME FOR ANYTHING = See notes on 1 John 5:14-15.
IN MY NAME = This text has often been misunderstood to mean that
anything we ask Jesus will be given to us as long as we conclude our prayer
with the phrase "in Jesus' name."
However, "in Bible times a person's name represented him and his
characteristics." -- The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament
edition, by Walvoord & Zook, on Acts 3:16.
In addition, Jesus
had commissioned His disciples as His ambassadors and had empowered them to do
miracles (see Mark 3:14-15; ). By using
the phrase "in the name of Jesus Christ" (Acts 3:16), the disciples
made it clear that they were acting in the power and authority of their risen
Lord. Modern Christians also reference
Christ's powerful authority when they conclude their prayers with "in
Jesus' name, Amen."
Thus Jesus makes
two points here:
1. Our requests
are to be in harmony with Christ's selfless, God-glorifying character.
2. As Christ's
ambassadors, we are to act with His authority and in harmony with His
direction. The inclusion of the phrase "in Jesus' name" reminds us
and others that we are His ambassadors.
John 14:15
IF YOU LOVE ME YOU WILL OBEY = The reverse is also true (John
14:24). Obedience must always spring
from our love for Christ, not our fear of Christ (Exodus 20:6; 1 John 4:18).
John 14:16
ANOTHER COUNSELOR = There are two words in the Greek language which
are translated as "another" in English. The first one ("heteros" [Strongs
#G2087) means "another of a different kind." The second, ("allos" [Strongs
#G243]) means "another of the same kind." It is this second word, "allos,"
that Jesus used here when He spoke of "another Counselor. Therefore Jesus said He would ask the Father
to send another Helper of the same kind as Himself -- that is, another Person
of equal quality, Divinity, and Personhood -- i.e. the Holy Spirit is like
Christ and the Father.
John 14:20
I AM IN MY FATHER ... YOU ARE IN ME ... I AM IN YOU = As Divinity
Christ totally immerses Himself in His Father.
Together they totally immerse us in them and totally fill us. This is why no one can snatch us out of their
hands (John 10:28, 29). This is what it
means to be "in Christ" (Ephesians 1:11-14). Also see note on Colossians 1:27.
John 14:22
JUDAS (NOT JUDAS ISCARIOT) = Scripture does not say more about this
disciple other than to give us his name as "Judas son of James" (see
Luke 6:16; Acts 1:13). Differences in
the lists of Christ's disciples makes it possible that this "Judas"
was also known as "Thaddaeus" (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18).
John 14:23
MAKE OUR HOME WITH HIM = See Revelation 3:20 and the commentary
note on Colossians 1:27.
John 14:24
DOES NOT LOVE ... WILL NOT OBEY = The reverse is also true (John
14:15).
John 14:26
THE COUNSELOR ... THE HOLY SPIRIT = Here the Holy Spirit is called
"the Counselor," who will "teach you all things and will remind
you of everything" Jesus said. This
demonstrates the personhood of the Holy Spirit, for only a Person can
"counsel," "teach," and "remind" another
person. Contrary to the Jehovah
Witnesses' belief that the Holy Spirit is just an "active force" like
electricity, "the idea of 'spirit' excludes not only the idea of material
substance, but also that of inanimate substance. It implies that God (or in this case, the
Holy Spirit) is alive." -- Lectures in Systematic Theology, by Henry C.
Thiessen, Eerdmans, p. 76.
WILL TEACH YOU ALL THINGS = See Luke 12:11-12.
John 14:27
PEACE = The Greek "eirene" (Strongs #G1515) means
"peace, harmony, quietness, prosperity." In one sense, "peace" is the
opposite of war, stress and strife, however a Christian can have God's peace in
the midst of stress and strife. When one
says "peace to you," the idea is that the person wants every good
thing for you. The New Testament
"eirene" is the equivalent of the Old Testament "shalom"
(Strongs #H7965) meaning "well-being, wholeness, prosperity, the absence
of strife and war."
The great purpose
of the Gospel is to being us to the state of being where we are at peace with
God (Romans 5:1). It is through Christ
that we have peace with God through the forgiveness of our sins. It is a peace which "guards our hearts
and minds" (Philippians 4:7).
I LEAVE WITH YOU = Greek "aphiemi" (Strongs #G863) means
"to send forth or send away, to let go."
MY PEACE I GIVE YOU = Jesus' peace would enable His disciples to
have peace with God (Romans 5:1) because their sins were forgiven. In addition, the "peace of God"
would guard their lives (Philippians 4:7).
I DO NOT GIVE (PEACE) TO YOU AS THE WORLD GIVES = The world cannot
give the kind of peace that Jesus gives.
Jesus' peace removes our fear of death and thus our fear of the future
(Hebrews 2:14-15).
"Cursed is
that peace which is maintained in a way of sin.
Two sorts of peace are more to be dreaded than all the troubles in the
world: peace with sin, and peace in sin." -- An Alarm to Unconverted
Sinners, by Joseph Alleine, page 64.
DO NOT LET YOUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED = Because we have Jesus'
peace. The Greek word for
"troubled" is "tarasso" meaning "to be agitated,
stirred up, confused;" all of which result from fear, tumult, or
excitement.
DO NOT BE AFRAID = Because we have Jesus' peace. The Greek word for "afraid" is
"dailiao" (Strongs #G1168) meaning "fearful, timid."
John 14:28
THE FATHER IS GREATER THAN I = This is a favorite verse for
Jehovah's Witnesses arguing against the deity of Christ. They quote the
Athanasian Creed that in the Trinity none is greater or less than another. Then the JW will read this text saying the
Father is greater than the Son. Answer
the JW by reminding him that Jesus was speaking at a time when He had voluntarily
left His heavenly glory and stooped to take on humanity (Philippians
2:6-7). Naturally, in His humanity,
Christ would speak of the Father as being "greater than I," for the
Son had become "lower than the angels" in order to become our Savior
(Hebrews 2:9). However, Philippians 2:9
states that God has now exalted Christ to the "highest place and given Him
a name that is above every name."
There are no exceptions to Christ's pre-eminence here. But what is spoken about here is not the
nature of Christ, but the work of Christ.
In their natures there is no member of the Trinity that is superior to
another. But in their work, there is
clearly a difference which can continually shift for their work is shared by
all three.
John 15:2
PRUNES = The Greek "kathairo" (Strongs #G2508) is a
derivative of "katharos" (Strongs #2513) which appears in the next
verse.
John 15:3
CLEAN = The Greek "katharos" (Strongs #G2513) generally
means "clean, cleansed, pure," however in this present context it implies
"pruned" (its derivative "kathairo" [Strongs #G2508]
appears in the preceding verse as "prune"). Thus Jesus almost has a play on words:
"kathairo" ... "katharos" here emphasizing that His
disciples have been cleaned/pruned by "the word I have spoken to
you." Therefore not only do we
receive nourishment from the "vine," we are also
"cleansed/pruned" by the word which the True Vine speaks.
John 15:5
BEAR MUCH FRUIT = "Fruit" is a gift from God, and it
comes through suffering (see Romans 5:3-5).
John 15:6
THROWN INTO THE FIRE AND BURNED = Christ is using symbolism to get
His point across, thus we must not take the symbols too literally. Jesus is teaching that an abundant Christian
life result from being “connected” to Christ. A broken
“connection” (as in the case of Peter’s denials of
Christ) does not mean a person goes to “hell,” but rather that his
prayers will not be answered (John 15:17).
John 15:7
ASK WHATEVER YOU WISH = See notes on 1 John 5:14-15.
AND IT WILL BE GIVEN YOU = Jesus clearly states there are three
conditions to this promise:
1. "remain in
Me",
2. "My words
remain in You",
3.
"Ask."
By fulfilling these three conditions, "whatever you wish"
(i.e. whatever we ask for) will be in total harmony with God's overall purposes
for our lives and the lives of others.
John 15:8
BEAR MUCH FRUIT = "Fruit" is a gift from God, and it
comes through suffering (see Romans 5:3-5).
John 15:10
OBEY MY COMMANDMENTS = Defined in John 15:12-14.
John 15:12
MY COMMAND IS THIS: LOVE = See note on John 15:17.
John 15:13
LAY DOWN HIS LIFE = In a literal sense Jesus literally laid down
His life for us on the Cross. In a
figurative sense, we are to love our friends enough to help them in their time
of need (see note on John 15:16).
John 15:14
YOU ARE MY FRIENDS = The Greek "philos" (Strongs #G5384)
means "one who is loved, a very dear friend."
IF YOU DO = Here the Greek "poieo" (Strongs #G4160) is a
present active subjunctive meaning "doing something continually,
unwaveringly." The obligation for
us to "do" for the Lord results from the fact that He has already
"done" (laid down His life) for us (John 15:13).
WHAT I COMMAND = The Greek "entellomai" (Strongs #G1781)
means "to order, command, enjoin."
What Jesus "commanded" was to "love each other"
(John 15:12, 17) as He has loved us.
John 15:15
A SERVANT DOES NOT KNOW HIS MASTER'S BUSINESS = Jesus tells His
friends what we need to know to do His business. In the same way, Christians are to
communicate their needs and problems to one another so that we may help one
another.
John 15:16
CHOOSE ME ... CHOSE YOU = The Greek "eklego" (Strongs
#G1586) is the normal word for "choose, select."
APPOINTED YOU = The Greek is "tithemi" (Strongs #G5087)
meaning "to set or put in place."
BEAR FRUIT = The Greek is "phero" (Strongs #G5342)
meaning "to bring, carry, to bear" -- in this case, Christ's
disciples are to yield fruit or bear fruit as trees bear fruit. The "fruit" Jesus speaks of is
"lov(ing) each other" (compare John 15:17 with Galatians 5:22).
THEN THE FATHER WILL GIVE YOU = The Father does not give because of
the presence of fruit, but because Christ has chosen us. The primary gift the Father gives is the
power to bear fruit. In context this is saying that when we love our friend
enough to sacrifice of ourselves for them, we can ask God in behalf of their
needs and God will supply whatever our friends need.
ASK IN MY NAME = See note on Matthew 21:9.
John 15:17
MY COMMAND = See note on John 15:14.
LOVE = Greek "agapao" meaning "self-sacrificing
love, principled love, love as an act of the will." Here "love" is in the present
tense, meaning our love is to be continuous.
John 15:20
NO SERVANT IS GREATER = See Matthew 10:24.
John 15:22
IF I HAD NOT COME AND SPOKEN TO THEM = The only "excuse"
for sin is ignorance. But once a person
has been informed as to what is sin, there is no longer any "excuse"
for sin (James 4:17). Jesus clearly
presented Himself as God's anointed Messiah.
As a result, the Israelites were without excuse for participating in the
sin of rejecting Christ. In a personal application, we Christians also are
without excuse when we sin.
John 15:25
THEY HATED ME WITHOUT REASON = This is the fulfillment of the
Messianic prophecy found in Psalm 36:19.
John 15:26
WHO GOES OUT FROM THE FATHER = Some, particularly Jehovah’s
Witnesses, carelessly believe that since the Holy Spirit "goes out from
the Father," He cannot be a Person, but rather must be an
"it". Of course this overlooks
the fact that in this verse Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit as
"He." And that in John 16:7-13
Jesus makes it very clear that Holy Spirit is not only a divine Person (by
again using the personal pronouns "Him" and "He"), but that
He is a prosecuting attorney who prosecutes and convicts the "world"
of sin. No impersonal "force"
can do these things -- the nature of this Counselor as well as the nature of
the work He performs requires the Holy Spirit to be a divine Person just as
Jesus and the Father are both divine Persons.
HE WILL TESTIFY ABOUT ME = The purpose of the Holy Spirit and Holy
Bible is to testify about Jesus Christ (John 5:39).
John 16:2
PUT YOU OUT OF THE SYNAGOGUE = This was initially fulfilled by
Paul's persecution of Christians (Acts 9:1-2).
John 16:7
COUNSELOR = Another term for the Holy Spirit. Here the Greek "paraklaytos"
(Strongs #G3875) is masculine in form.
SEND HIM TO YOU = Masculine form is used to correspond to the
masculine noun "the Counselor."
See John 16:8.
John 16:8
WHEN HE COMES = Greek "ekeinos" (Strongs #G2064) is a
masculine pronoun here referring back to "him" (the Comforter/Holy
Spirit) in John 16:7.
CONVICT = The Greek "elegcho" (Strongs #G1651) means
"to convict, rebuke, reprove."
"The English
word 'conviction' is commonly used in three ways:
(1) As in the
phrase 'a strong conviction,' meaning a personal belief, or perhaps better, an
'assured' personal belief.
(2) As in the
phrase 'under conviction,' meaning an uncomfortable sense of guilt before God
or others. Used this way, the word
usually implies that one has not yet repented of his sin and changed his wrong
attitudes or behavior (though of course he may presently do so).
(3) As in the
sentence, 'He was convicted of a crime.'
Here the word has an objective, legal force." -- How to Help People
Change, by Jay E. Adams, page 111.
SIN = The Greek "hamartia" (Strongs #G266) means
"sin, offence." In the final
analysis, all sin is against God and produces guilt in the sinner (Psalm 51:4).
RIGHTEOUSNESS = The Greek "dikiaosune" (Strongs #G1343)
means "justice, justification, righteousness." Righteousness means that God's claims have
been fulfilled in that the one declared righteous now stands in conformity to
God's requirements. This can be an
actual fact, or a legal declaration.
JUDGMENT = The Greek "krisis" (Strongs #G2920) means
"accusation, condemnation, damnation, judgment." It is used when expressing an official
decision or judgment. Judgment involves
the making of a decision, and then the enforcement of that decision.
John 16:11
NOW STANDS CONDEMNED = Satan was condemned by Christ's life and
"driven out" by His death: John 12:31.
Satan's followers
"follow a defeated leader (and are) subjects of a falling kingdom."
-- How to Help People Change, by Jay E. Adams, page 118.
John 16:12
MORE THAN YOU CAN NOW BEAR = Opens the door to the concept of
further revelation and teaching through the presence of the Holy Spirit (see
John 16:13, 14 and 1 Corinthians 3:2). This
is evidenced in the vast doctrinal reservoir contained in the New Testament --
all of which was written after Christ's death and resurrection.
John 16:13
HE, THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH = Here personal pronouns are applied to the
Holy Spirit, indicating that "He" is a person. These third person singular masculine
pronouns appear in the Greek. Jehovah's
Witnesses deny both the deity and the personality of the Holy Spirit, claiming
"it" is simply an impersonal "active force." But here Jesus clearly refers to the Holy
Spirit as a personal being "He," and describes Him as "speaking,
hearing, and telling" -- all activities of a personal being. For other JW texts used to refute the
personality of the Holy Spirit see Genesis 1:1-2; Matthew 3:11; Acts 2:4; Acts
5:3-4; and 1 Corinthians 6:19. For more
information demonstrating the deity and personality of the Holy Spirit see
Romans 8:26-27.
John 16:14
HE = The Greek "ekeinos" (Strongs #G1565) is a nominative
singular masculine demonstrative pronoun which indicates the Holy Spirit is a
Person, not a "thing."
John 16:16
YOU WILL SEE ME NO MORE = A reference to Christ's soon-coming
crucifixion and death.
AFTER A LITTLE WHILE YOU WILL SEE ME = A reference to Christ's
post-resurrection appearances.
John 16:20
YOU WILL WEEP AND MOURN = A reference to Christ's soon-coming
crucifixion.
WHILE THE WORLD REJOICES = The powers of darkness rejoiced at
Christ's death (Luke 23:35-37).
BUT YOUR GRIEF WILL TURN TO JOY = A reference to Christ's
resurrection three days after His crucifixion.
John 16:22
NOW IS YOUR TIME OF GRIEF = A reference to Christ's crucifixion
just a few short hours from then.
I WILL SEE YOU AGAIN = A reference to Christ's post-resurrection
appearances.
John 16:23
IN THAT DAY = The day of rejoicing after Christ's resurrection
(John 16:22).
ASK IN MY NAME = See note on Matthew 21:9.
John 16:26
ASK IN MY NAME = See note on Matthew 21:9.
John 17:3
YOU, THE ONLY TRUE GOD = Jehovah's Witnesses use this text to deny the
deity of Christ. They say "Here
Jesus called the Father 'the only true God.'
Thus Jesus Christ cannot be 'God.'
Answer the JW by saying: If Jesus' reference to the Father as "the
only true God" was meant to exclude Christ from deity, then the same principle
of interpretation would have to apply to Jude 4 where Jesus is called "our
only Sovereign and Lord." Does Jude
4 mean that the Father cannot be our 'Sovereign and Lord' since Jesus is our
'only Sovereign and Lord?" The JWs
will not accept that logic because they speak of the Father as "the Lord
Jehovah." Also remind them that 1
John 5:20 calls both Jesus and the Father "true God." And Acts 7:59 calls Jesus "Lord"
while 2 Corinthians 3:17 calls the Holy Spirit "Lord." Therefore none of those texts use the word
"only" to exclude another member of the Godhead. When Jesus is called our "only"
Lord, it does not rule out the Lordship of the Father and the Holy Spirit. And when the Bible calls the Father the
"only" true God, it does not rule out the Son and the Holy Spirit
from also being "God." In
Matthew 4:6, 7 Jesus refers to Himself as "the Lord your God." What these texts are teaching is the contrast
between our true God and the false gods which have been created by humans. In the Godhead we find "true"
divinity, while in paganism we find false divinity. Also see Genesis 18:1, 2; Exodus 3:14; Psalm
110:1; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1; John 20:28; and Revelation 1:7, 8.
John 17:11
THEY MAY BE ONE AS WE ARE = The context makes it clear that just as
Christ's disciples were twelve distinct individuals, so, in the Trinity, Jesus
and the Father are distinct individuals (or "persons"). Their "oneness" is a composite
oneness which results from the unity they share through their loving
relationship with each other. Also see
John 17:22; 1 Corinthians 10:17, et cetera..
"Union can be
perfectly expressed by a loving relationship (cf. John 5:42 f.; John 14:9-15)
and is a reflection of that eternal union enjoyed by the three Persons within
one substance, the Trinity." -- The International Bible Commentary, F. F.
Bruce, Zondervan, page 1258
John 17:12
NONE HAS BEEN LOST EXCEPT THE ONE = Here Jesus is speaking Judas
Iscariot. Jesus clearly states eleven of
His disciples are saved (not "lost"), but Judas is "lost." Being "lost" means he is
"doomed to destruction" in the second death.
DOOMED TO DESTRUCTION = The Greek "apoleia" (Strongs
#G684) means "perdition, ruin, full destruction." Also see John 17:12; Philippians 1:28; 2
Thessalonians 2:3; 1 Timothy 6:9; Hebrews 10:39; 2 Peter 3:7; Revelation 17:8,
11.
"In the New
Testament, 'apoleia' refers to the state after death wherein exclusion from
salvation is a realized fact, wherein man, instead of becoming what he might
have been, is lost and ruined. ... (It is) the second death which is eternal
exclusion from Christ's kingdom. (It applies to ) one determined to remain
spiritually lost. ... 'Apoleia' and the verb 'apollumi (Strongs #G622),
(meaning) to destroy, lose, perish, must never be construed as meaning extinction. One dies physically when his spirit and his
body separate. Neither the body becomes
extinct, nor the spirit. The body
decomposes and ceases to exist in the form it was. Its constituent parts, however, continue to
exist in a noncohesive form. The spirit
takes a new existence, separate from its previous existence joined with the
body." -- The Complete WordStudy Dictionary, New Testament, by Zodhiates,
p. 246
Here the reference
is to Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed Jesus Christ with a kiss.
John 17:15
NOT ... TAKE THEM OUT OF THE WORLD = Jesus did pray for His Father
to take His disciples out of this world at the time He returned to heaven (John
17:11). Rather He prayed they would
remain in this world, be protected from the world, to finish the work He had
begun. When He returns again, the second
time, He will take His people to be in heaven with Him (John 14:1-3).
John 17:17
SANCTIFY THEM = The Greek word "hagiazo" means to
"sanctify, to make holy, to consecrate, to hallow." Thus "the truth" is to consecrate
us by setting us apart for God's will.
YOUR WORD IS TRUTH = Regardless of whether the inspiration came
verbally (2 Chronicles 11:2-4), or was the result of a vision (Micah 1:1), or written
by God's own finger (Exodus 20:1-17; 31:18), or was the result of inspired
thoughts (1 Corinthians 7:12), the
entire Bible is inspired by the Holy Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21),
and, according to Jesus, is absolute "truth" (John 17:17). The Bible further affirms it's inerrancy as
"the Word of the Lord" through the following texts: Deuteronomy 5:5;
18:18-19; 1 Samuel 15:10; 2 Samuel 7:4; 2 Samuel 22:31; 1 Kings 13:9; 2 Kings
7:1; 1 Chronicles 22:8; 28:19; 2 Chronicles 11:2-4; 12:7; Psalm 18:30; Proverbs
30:5-6; Jeremiah 1:11, 13; 19:3; 36:27, 28; Ezekiel 20:47; Zechariah 4:6; Titus
1:2.
This "is not
simply saying that the Word is accurate but that it is truth itself. God is truth, and His Word is therefore the
ultimate standard of truth. All
assertions of truth, for Christians, must be tested against God's written
Word. All assertions that conform to
Scripture are true, while those that violate Scripture are false. Scripture is not exhaustive on every subject
of interest to the human mind, but God has given us a mind created in His own
image, and even though fallen we are able to discover truth about God's created
order so long as we play by His rules.
For the Christian, there is the fundamental promise that God is truth
and cannot be contradicted. Therefore,
there are two rules for the discovery of truth:
"1. the use
of the authentic scientific method, and
"2. the
testing of all discoveries and inventions against Scripture.
"God is truth
and cannot be contradicted. Rigorous,
honest scientific inquiry has never discovered and will never discover any fact
about God's creation that will contradict His Word." -- How Christian is
Christian Counseling, Gary L. Almy, M.D., Crossway Books, pages 234-235
John 17:19
SANCTIFIED = Sanctification is the process of making something or
someone holy. It involves being set
apart from what is common or secular.
"The most
common understanding of sanctification is the growth in holiness that should
follow conversion. ... In justification, God, at the beginning of Christian
life, declares us acquitted. In
sanctification, God accomplishes His will in us as Christian life
proceeds. Sanctification never replaces
justification. Sanctification is of the
Spirit, and is the outflow of an overflowing life within the soul, the 'fruit'
of the Spirit. How far does
sanctification go? The Greek root
'telei' does not mean 'sinless,' 'incapable of sinning, but 'fulfilling its
appointed end, complete, mature.' Such
maturity is clearly part of the Christian's goal. Paul's denial that he is already 'perfect,'
and his exhortations to ongoing sanctification, show that he does not think a
final, complete sanctification can be claimed in this life." -- The
Concise Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Walter A. Elwell, editor, page 446.
John 17:22
THEY MAY BE ONE AS WE ARE ONE = See note on John 17:11.
John 17:24
WHERE I AM = A distinct reference back to John 17:13 and Jesus'
ascension to heaven. Jesus is speaking
through faith in His accomplished work, even though His death on the cross and
His ascension to heaven is still hours away.
JESUS LEFT = Thursday evening, Nisan 14, April 6, 30 A.D.
John 18:3
PHARISEES = See note on Matthew 23:2.
John 18:9
NOT LOST = Loose quotation of Jeremiah 23:4.
John 18:13
BROUGHT HIM FIRST TO ANNAS = Jesus' trial before the Sanhedrin was
composed of three parts. This was the
first part. See note on Matthew 26:57.
John 18:15
THIS DISCIPLE = i.e. the disciple who wrote this narrative (John).
John 18:19
MEANWHILE = Jesus' trial before the Sanhedrin was composed of three
parts. See note on Matthew 26:57.
John 18:27
ROOSTER BEGAN TO CROW = Friday morning, Nisan 14, April 7, 30 A.D.
John 18:28
EARLY MORNING = Friday morning, Nisan 14, April 7, 30 A.D.
BE ABLE TO EAT THE PASSOVER = This was Nisan 14 which began at
sunset on Thursday, April 6, A.D. 30. In
those days, just as today, there was a disagreement as to whether to eat the
Passover on the 14th of Nissan or the 15th of Nissan. This came about because of the custom of the
Pharisees counting a day from sunset to sunset, and the Sadducees counting a
day from sunrise to sunrise. Thus, in 30
AD, some of the Jews ate the Passover after sunset on Thursday (April 6)
evening, Nissan 14, others ate it after sunset on Friday (April 7) evening,
Nissan 15. Jesus ate the Passover on
Thursday (April 6) evening the 14th of Nissan which was "just before"
the official Passover feast (see John 13:1).
Perhaps this was because He obviously could not eat it on Friday (April
7) evening (Nissan 15) after His crucifixion.
After daybreak on Friday (April 7), these Jews were still looking
forward to eating the Passover that evening.
John 18:36
NOT OF THIS WORLD = In other words, it is an earthly kingdom but it
does not originate from earthly kingdoms, nor does it operate like earthly
kingdoms. See note on Daniel 2:44 for a
fuller treatment of God's kingdom.
John 18:40
BARABBAS HAD TAKEN PART IN A REBELLION = See Mark 15:7.
John 19:11
FROM ABOVE = Greek "anothen." See note on Luke 1:3.
John 19:12
PILATE TRIED TO SET JESUS FREE = See Acts 3:13.
John 19:14
DAY OF PREPARATION OF PASSOVER WEEK = Not the day before Passover,
but the Preparation Day (Friday, the day which preceded the weekly Sabbath) of Passover
week (see John 19:31). The common name
for Friday was “Preparation Day” – because it proceeded the
weekly Sabbath day.
SIXTH HOUR = Six a.m. (Roman time) Friday, April 7, A.D. 30 (Nissan 15 according to
Jewish Pharisees' reckoning, Nissan 14 according to Jewish Sadducees'
reckoning). Nissan 15 began at Friday
sundown twelve hours later according to the Sadducees and began at sunrise on
Friday according to the Pharisees.
John 19:16
HANDED HIM OVER TO THEM = "Them" is the Jews and chief
priests (John 19:14-15). Thus these men
were responsible for Christ's execution -- the Roman soldiers were merely doing
their duty as Roman executioners.
John 19:19
JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS = Variations of this appear
in the Gospels as follows:
Matthew 27:37 -
This is Jesus, the King of the Jews (Aramaic version)
Mark 15:26 - The
King of the Jews (Latin version)
Luke 23:38 - This
is the King of the Jews (shortened Aramaic version)
John 19:19 - Jesus
of Nazareth, the King of the Jews (Greek version)
All four Gospels precisely repeat the phrase: "the King of the
Jews," however because they vary on the rest of the wording, some have
believed these variations to be examples of "contradictions" in the
Bible. This assumption is simply
wrong.
John 19:20
indicates that Pilate had the inscription written in three different languages:
Aramaic, Latin and Greek, thus we would expect to see variations as the phrase
was translated from one language to another.
In addition, because these three languages were spoken by specific
groups of people residing in various geographical areas it is very likely that
these variations were intentionally introduced to meet the needs of each
language group.
For example, we
would expect that Pilate himself wrote out the shortest version in Latin as it
appears in Mark 15:26. This would be the
official court version written in the official language of the Roman
empire. Then, because the majority of
Jews spoke Aramaic, and because Jesus was one of their own, the Aramaic version
would include the name "Jesus" as it appears in Matthew 27:37. Finally the inscription was translated into
Greek as it appears in John 19:19. Greek
was widely spoken across the Mediterranean as a universal language. The Greek inscription would provide
additional information regarding Jesus to inform the millions of pilgrims
visiting Jerusalem during Passover. Thus
there is no "contradiction" regarding the evangelists' record
regarding variations of the inscription
placed on the cross.
John 19:20
WRITTEN IN ARAMAIC, LATIN AND GREEK = It is important to recognize
that Palestine was a multi-cultural protectorate of Rome. Thus the need in the early Church for the
Holy Spirit to enable Christians to speak in other languages in order to
communicate the gospel (see Acts 2:6-11; 1 Corinthians 14:26-28).
John 19:23
FOUR SHARES, ONE FOR EACH OF THEM = There were four soldiers at the
foot of the cross. When a man was
sentenced to be crucified the judge would pronounce: "Ibis ad
crucem," "You will go to the cross." The condemned man would then be placed in the
center of a "quaternion," a squad of four Roman soldiers. They would place the cross on the shoulders
of the condemned.
THIS GARMENT WAS SEAMLESS = This led to the soldiers' decision not
to tear it, but rather to "cast lots" for it (John 19:24).
John 19:24
THAT THE SCRIPTURE MIGHT BE FULFILLED = See Psalm 22:18.
John 19:25
HIS MOTHER = Mary.
HIS MOTHER'S SISTER = She would be Jesus' aunt. Mark 15:40 and Matthew 27:56 make it clear that
she was Salome, the mother of James and John (who were Jesus' cousins).
John 19:26
THE DISCIPLE WHOM HE LOVED = Refers to the Apostle John (see John
13:23).
John 19:27
TOOK HER INTO HIS HOME = Church historians indicate that she lived
in John's home in Ephesus.
John 19:28
ALL WAS NOW COMPLETED = The Greek word is "tetelestai"
(Strongs #G5055) means "finished, paid in full, completed, accomplished,
brought to perfection or brought to the desired goal." This is the basis on which Christ could utter
the words "It is finished" (John 19:30). What was completed?
(1) Jesus
completed His responsibility to His mother by placing her in John's care (John
19:26-27). Through this He instituted
Christian fellowship which unites us to one another on the basis of a new
spiritual relationship. Christian
fellowship is cemented at the cross. It
is a fellowship which is totally different from all secular human fellowship
based on birth, mutual sympathy, or common desires. Christian fellowship springs from the
realization that we are all brothers and sisters in Christ, saved by His grace
and united by our common love/loyalty to Him.
(2) Jesus
completed His fulfillment of Bible prophecy by His sacrificial death:
Carried
his own "wood" [Genesis 22:1-6 cf. John 19:17-18]
Taken
outside of the camp/city [Hebrews 13:11-13 cf. Mark 15:20-22]
Crucified
with transgressors [Isaiah 53:12 cf. Mark 15:27-28]
Hands
pierced [Zechariah 12:10 cf. John 20:27]
Mocked
[Psalm 22:7-8 cf. Luke 23:35]
Clothing
divided [Psalm 22:18 cf. John 19:24]
Given
vinegar and gall [Psalm 69:21 cf. Mathew 27:34]
Prayed
for His enemies [Psalm 109:4 cf. Luke 23:34]
Bones
were not broken [Psalm 34:20 cf. John 19:32-33, 36]
Side
was pierced [Zechariah 12:10 cf. John 19:34]
(3) Jesus
completed His work of atonement (John 19:30).
SO THAT THE SCRIPTURE WOULD BE FULFILLED = Jesus said "I am
thirsty" in order to fulfill Scripture: Psalm 42:1-2; 63:1; 69:21. Thus we see He was very familiar with the Word
of God and with the part He was playing in the redemption of mankind.
John 19:29
JAR OF WINE VINEGAR = This was a cheap wine which soldiers
drank. They had brought it to the cross
to refresh themselves while they waited some three hours for the men to die.
John 19:30
WHEN HE HAD RECEIVED THE DRINK = The Greek "lambano"
(Strongs #G2983) here means "to receive, to obtain, to actively take, to
take in whatever manner, to drink or eat something." This word is used in various Scriptures to
mean that a person has drunk or eaten something (see Mark 15:23; John 19:30;
Acts 9:19 et cetera).
IT IS FINISHED = The Greek word is "tetelestai" (Strongs
#G5055) means "finished, paid in full, completed, accomplished, brought to
perfection or brought to the desired goal." Compare this statement from the Cross,
"it is finished," with Jesus' words in John 4:34 and John 5:36. The same word is also used in John 19:28. Archaeologists have uncovered papyri receipts
for taxes with the word "tetelestai" written across them to indicate
the taxes had been "paid in full."
Here Jesus meant His redemptive work was completed (brought to
perfection). Thus the Seventh-day Adventist teaching that Christ's atonement
was not finished on the cross, and was held over until the Investigative
Judgment which supposedly began on October 22, 1844, is completely false.
Through Christ's sacrificial deal all who believe in him will be saved (John
3:16).
GAVE UP = Greek "paradidomi." Also see Matthew 27:50 and Luke 23:46. Proof that His "spirit" was not
alive and did not go to heaven is found in John 20:17.
John 19:31
DAY OF PREPARATION = Friday, Nisan 14, April 7, A.D. 30. Under the Old Covenant, this was the day Jews
used to prepare for the Sabbath. (See
note on John 19:14).
NEXT DAY = Saturday, April 8, A.D. 30.
WAS TO BE A SPECIAL SABBATH = Under the Old Covenant, Passover was
an Annual Sabbath. It is never called
"a special Sabbath." The
Sabbath day (Saturday) was called a "special Sabbath" whenever an
Annual Sabbath occurred on Saturday (the seventh day of the week). The evidence is conclusive that "the Day
of Preparation" was Friday, and "the next day (which) was to be a
special Sabbath" was Saturday. In
30 AD Passover (the 15th of Nissan) occurred on Saturday, April 8, making it a
"special Sabbath." Also see
note on John 18:28.
THE SABBATH = "The Sabbath" (Saturday, April 8, 30 AD)
"was to be a special Sabbath" because Passover was celebrated on that
Saturday (by Jewish reckoning the Sabbath was Friday evening through Saturday
evening). Throughout Scripture the term
"the Sabbath(s)" refers to the seventh day of the week,
Saturday. Here "the Sabbath"
refers to the weekly Sabbath (Saturday) which Scripture distinguishes from the
annual sabbaths calculated by the phase of the moon ("New Moons") and
which are called "feasts" and "festivals." In the Bible, Annual Sabbaths are never
called "the Sabbath." Also see
2 Chronicles 31:3; Nehemiah 10:33; Ezekiel 45:17; Ezekiel 46:3; Amos 8:5;
Matthew 28:1; Mark 15:42; Mark 16:1; Luke 23:54; John 19:31; John 19:42.
John 19:33
THE DID NOT BREAK HIS LEGS = This fulfilled the Messianic prophecy
found in Psalm 34:20.
John 19:34
PIERCED JESUS' SIDE = This fulfills the Messianic prophecy found in
Zechariah 12:10.
"The soldier
was a Roman: he would be well trained, proficient, and would know his
duty. He would know which part of the
body to pierce in order that he might obtain a speedily fatal result or ensure
that the victim was undeniably dead.
"He would
thrust through the left side of the chest a little below the center. Here he would penetrate the heart and the
great blood vessels at their origin, and also the lung on the side. The soldier, standing below our crucified
Lord as He hung on the cross, would thrust upwards under the left ribs. The broad, clean cutting, two-edged spearhead
would enter the left side of the upper abdomen, would open the greatly
distended stomach, would pierce the diaphragm, would cut wide open, the heart
and great blood vessels, arteries and veins now fully distended with blood, a
considerable proportion of all the blood in the body, and would lacerate the
lung. The wound would be large enough to
permit the open hand to be thrust into it.
Blood from the greatly engorged veins, pulmonary vessel and dilated
stomach, would flow forth in abundance.
The whole event, as described by St. John must, indeed, have happened,
for no writer could have presented in such coherent detail so recognizable an
event, unless he or someone had actually witnessed its occurrence." -- How
our Lord Died, by John Lyle Cameron, M.D., 1947 quoted in Tyndale New Testament
Commentaries, vol. 4, p. 213.
John 19:36
THE SCRIPTURE WOULD BE FULFILLED = The following quotation is taken
from Psalm 34:20.
John 19:37
THEY HAVE PIERCED = This quotation is from Zechariah 12:10.
John 19:42
DAY OF PREPARATION = Friday, Nisan 14, April 7, 30 AD. See commentary on John 19:31. Notice the "day of Preparation"
precedes "the Sabbath," Saturday (John 19:31), which is followed by
"the first day of the week," Sunday (John 20:1). Thus there is no question that under the Old
Covenant, Saturday was the Bible Sabbath, the seventh day of the week -- just
as there is no question that Sunday is the first day of the week (John 20:1).
EARLY = Greek "proi" (Strongs #G4404) means "early
in the morning, the early morning watch which ushers in the dawn." This is the opposite of the Greek word
"opse" Strongs #G3798) which means "late in the day,
evening." When Luke wrote Acts 28:23
telling us that Paul preached "from morning ("proi") until
evening ("hespera" [Strongs #G2073]) he used this same word
("proi") to indicate "morning/dawn/when the sun rises." This is the same word Mark used to state
Jesus rose early on Sunday morning (Mark 16:9).
See notes on Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2; Mark 16:9; Luke 24:1; Luke 24:22;
John 20:1.
ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK = Sunday, Nisan 16, April 9, A.D.
30. The specific Greek phrase is
"mia tone sabbatone" which literally means "one of the sabbaths." This idiomatic phrase was the common way of
designating the first day of the week (i.e. "first day after the
Sabbath"), and is used to specify the day Jesus rose from the dead
(Sunday): Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2, 9; Luke 24:1; John 20:19; Acts 20:7. It is also used to specify the day (Sunday)
when individuals were to figure up and set aside their charitable gifts: 1
Corinthians 16:2. Also see Arndt &
Gingrich, p. 746. It is commonly known
as the “Lord’s Day” – the day Christians set apart for
worshipping the Lord of All.
John 20:2
THE OTHER DISCIPLE = John, the disciple who wrote this account.
THE ONE JESUS LOVED = Four times John refers to himself in this
manner: John 13:23; 20:2; 21:7; 21:20.
John 20:6
SAW THE STRIPS OF LINEN LYING THERE = The Greek indicates that the
linen strips were not unwound as one would expect, but rather were still wound
together as they had been when they encased Christ's body. The scene indicates that Jesus' resurrected
body passed through the winding strips without unwrapping them. Also see John 20:7.
John 20:7
CLOTH WAS FOLDED UP BY ITSELF = Had the angels unwound the strips
of linen from Christ's body one would assume they would have tossed the head
cloth onto the strips of linen. Instead,
the "cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen." John took careful notice of this fact because in indicated Christ's
resurrection body passed right through the cloths without being unwrapped. See John 20:6.
John 20:9
JESUS HAD TO RISE FROM THE DEAD = This does not mean Peter and John
denied Christ's resurrection, for they saw the evidence and
"believed" (John 20:8).
However they did not understand the prophecies predicting that Jesus
"had to rise from the dead."
John 20:11
MARY = This is Mary Magdalene (John 20:1, 18).
John 20:16
CRIED OUT IN ARAMAIC = See note on John 19:20.
RABBONI = See note on Matthew 23:7.
John 20:17
DO NOT HOLD ON TO ME = Grammatically the Greek "haptou"
(Strongs #G680) is 2Per Sing Pres Mid Imp which literally means: "Do not
keep holding on to me."
NOT YET RETURNED = The Greek "anabaino" (Strongs #G305)
means "to go up." Here we have
Christ's own word that He did not ascend bodily to heaven when He died. Rather He ascended bodily on Sunday morning
after His resurrection (also see John 14:1-3 and Philippians 3:20). This does not in any way deny that Jesus went
to "paradise" with the repentant thief on Friday after their death
(see commentary on Luke 23:43).
MY BROTHERS = In the context of verse 18 and 1 Corinthians 15:6,
"brothers" could include all of Christ's disciples. However, it is
possible that Jesus had in mind his half-brothers (who did not then believe in
Him [John 7:5]). It would be perfectly natural for Mary to communicate Christ's
message to the eleven disciples even if Jesus had intended it primarily for His
own half-brothers. Some time between
Christ's resurrection and Pentecost He appeared to His half-brother James (1
Corinthians 15:7), and as a result His half-brothers were converted to
Christianity (Acts 1:14).
MY FATHER AND YOUR FATHER = To Jesus, God was not a Father as He is
to us. Jesus never spoke of God as the
common Father of Jesus and all believers.
Instead, Jesus' relationship to God was one of eternal equality until
the Incarnation. Only in Christ's
humanity was God His "Father."
This led to His careful distinction here between "my Father"
and "your Father." The same
distinction is seen in the next phrase: "my God" and "your
God."
MY GOD AND YOUR GOD = Here Jesus refers to the Father as "my
God." In putting on humanity,
through the Incarnation, Christ set the example by worshiping the Father as
"God." Jehovah's Witnesses
twist this text to prove that Jesus is not Divine. However in Hebrews 1:9, 10 the Father calls
Jesus "Lord," but that does not take away from the fact that the
Father is also "Lord" (Mark 12:29, 30). See John 17:3 for more information on this
subject.
John 20:19
ON THE EVENING = The Bible indicates that the "evening"
is the end of the day (Mark 1:32; Luke 21:37; 24:29). Thus the "evening of that first day of
the week" would be Sunday evening, Nisan 16, April 9, 30 AD.
OF THAT FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK = The specific Greek phrase is
"tay mia sabbatone" which literally means "one of the sabbaths." This idiomatic phrase was the common way of
designating the first day of the week (i.e. "first day after the
Sabbath"), and is used to specify the day Jesus rose from the dead
(Sunday): Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2, 9; Luke 24:1; John 20:1; Acts 20:7. It is also used to specify the day (Sunday)
when individuals were to figure up and set aside their charitable gifts: 1
Corinthians 16:2. It became known as the
“Lord’s Day” – the day Christians set aside to worship
the Lord of All. Also see Arndt &
Gingrich, p. 746.
TOGETHER, WITH THE DOORS LOCKED FOR FEAR OF THE JEWS = The purpose of this meeting was not to hold a church service. Rather, they were gathered together for mutual protection because they "fear(ed) the Jews" would put them to death. Their fear was legitimate because they had almost been arrested with Jesus and the Jews had crucified Him.