Author: Theresa Fronius

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John 1:1-5 In the Beginning

  • Book: Gospel of John
  • Author: John, a disciple of Jesus
  • Date written: approx 85-95 A.D.
  • Purpose: To show that Jesus is the Son of God and that all who believe in Him will receive eternal life.

 

 

John 1:1-5  1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  2He was in the beginning with God.  3All things came into being by Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  5And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. (NAS)

Observations 

v1-3   At first glance, John  seems to describe the “Word” as an object, but as he continues, the “Word” expands to include personhood when John adds the  pronoun “He”.  For a fuller understanding of what John means by “Word”, it helps to look at the Greek.  The Greek word used here for “word” is logos and means universal or divine reason.  To a Greek philosopher, logos meant the divine reason or essence which gives order and meaning to the universe.  The Jews had a similar concept. Word (dabar) was often referred to as an agent of creation (Gen 1:3, Ps 33:6), but also as God’s message through the prophets to Israel, and as God’s perfect and holy standard (Ps 18:30, Ps 119:9,11,130). John (God) chose the word logos, which contains this idea of divinity that both Greeks and Jews alike would understand.

John begins to describe who this “Word” is.  In verse 1, he uses location and person – “the Word was with God in the beginning and the Word was God”. John equates the “Word” with God, and the “Word” immediately takes on identity or personhood. In verse 3, the “Word” broadens even further to include Creator. Anything that has ever been made was created by God.

We can reasonably deduce the following from verses 1-3:

  • The Word/God existed before any thing was created
  • There seems to be 2 entities,  when John says “the Word was with God”
  • Both entities are called God
  • God created everything that exists
  • God is not a created thing (self-existing)

Throughout scripture, God reveals that He is eternal. God has no beginning and no end. God is infinite–a difficult concept to fully wrap one’s mind around.   In Exodus 3, God told Moses that His name is “I AM WHO I AM”. This phrase translated in Hebrew, ehyeh asher ehyeh, and is the first person common singular of the verb to be. In essence, God is saying that He simply is, containing past, present and future, similar to Revelation 4:8 when God  is referred to as the Almighty, the One who is, who was, and who is to come. 

v4,5  John continues to describe the Word, saying that in Him was life. Since God is eternal, He is the source of eternal life.  John then equates “life” with “light” of men.  What is this “light of men”?  The Greek word for light is phōs and means light, but also means truth, knowledge,  reason, power of understanding, especially as it relates to moral and spiritual truth.  Therefore, God is the source of all truth and imparts this truth to mankind.   We will see later, in verse 14, that the Word is God in human flesh, Jesus Christ.

What does John mean when he says that this light shined in the darkness but the darkness did not comprehend it? We know that Jesus referred to Himself as “the Truth”, that He came to earth to bring moral and spiritual truth and was rejected. The Jews could not accept or understand that Jesus was the Messiah.  Those that lack understanding are said to be in darkness.   The Greek word used in this verse for darkness is skotia, meaning a lack of moral and spiritual clarity or understanding.  Therefore, those who reject Jesus, reject God’s eternal life and eternal truth, remaining in a state of moral and spiritual darkness.

NOTE:  When John wrote this gospel, gnosticism was prevalent.  Gnosticism was a system of thought that held all matter is evil, all that is non-material or spiritual is good, and that God is unknowable. The fact that God created all material things would have been shocking and unthinkable to a gnostic as well as to a Greek.  To a Jew, it would have been blasphemous for a human to call Himself God.  It was startling and offensive to many cultures and people of this time period…and still today.

Application

1.) One of the most incredible things about the bible is that not only does it teach us how to live, but the bible teaches us who we are.  These verses tell us that we, and all things, have been created by God.    If this is so, He is a being of great power, intellect and beauty.  Psalm 19:1 tells us, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.”  Just as the heavens reflect who God is, we also reflect our Creator.  Our gifts of music, intellect, mathematics, philosophy, art, etc. all contain the fingerprints of God. This should immediately shrink our pride, for everything that we are has been given to us.  What we do with it, is our gift to Him.

2.) If God created the entire universe, then nothing is too difficult for him, including all of our questions, doubts, complexities, and trials.  He is far bigger than any problem we face.  2,000+ years ago He came to show us what the truth is and the pathway to eternal life.  His desire then is the same now.  He wants to know you, to impart truth to you, and to give you eternal life.  

3.) The metaphor of Jesus being light is a beautiful one.  To anyone who has ever planted a garden, knows light is essential for life.  Without light, there is no life, no growth, only death. Jesus brings life and light (truth) into our lives.  One of light’s characteristics is revelation.  Light reveals what is really there.  When you walk through a darkened room, you do not walk with confidence and trip over unseen obstacles.  But when light floods the room, you walk with confidence avoiding the obstacles.  So it is with Jesus.  When we know and follow Jesus, his truth is like a light that shines ahead of us, helping us find our way.

4.) When Jesus’ light penetrates the darkness in our hearts,  it reveals who we really are.  We are sinners.  But He doesn’t want us to remain there. He then beckons us to turn from the darkness to Him.  He wants to give us a relationship with Himself.  He points us to the truth, which will set us free.  What is the truth?  That we are sinners,  in need of a savior.  We cannot pay the debt we owe to God.  But Jesus came to die on a cross, thereby paying our debt in full.  That is what He meant by His last words, “It is finished.”  The debt has been paid.  

If you have specific questions or wish to further research topics related to the eternal nature of God, creation, the Trinity, etc., please feel free to contact me and/or visit the website, www.gotquestions.org.  This site is an excellent resource for questions and further research.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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John 1:6-13 John the Baptist

6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  7He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.  8He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. 9The true light which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.  10He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him.   11He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him.  12But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, 13who were born, not of blood or the will of the flesh,  or of the will of man, but of God.

Observations

To understand this passage, it helps to understand the time period into which John the Baptist arrived.  Directly before the arrival of John, was 400 years of silence, during which God did not speak to the Jewish people.  This silence began with a warning from the prophet Malachi and ended with the arrival of John the Baptist.

John the Baptist’s  arrival must certainly have been punctuated by this silence.  His message was all the more convicting and convincing for the crowds who flocked to hear his message.  The bible is very clear that John the Baptist is called “Elijah” because he came in the “spirit and power of Elijah” (see Luke 1:17), not Elijah in the literal sense.

6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  7He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.  8He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.     According to John, John the Baptist clearly knew what his mission and purpose was (verse 7). Luke 3:2 tells us the Holy Spirit led John the Baptist from the time he was in his mother’s womb to when he was called out of the wilderness to begin preaching near the Jordan (Luke 3:2).  John knew his main purpose was to prepare the people for the coming of Jesus, so that people would believe in Jesus.  John always knew He was not the light, but his mission was to announce or prepare the people for the arrival of Jesus.

John uses the Greek word phōs for light – which means light or brightness but also truth/knowledge, power of understanding;  light=truth=Jesus

How did John the Baptist come to know his purpose so clearly?  The birth of John was miraculous.   Scripture reveals the following details about John the Baptist:

  • His father was Zechariah, a priest who served in the Temple (Luke 1:1)
  • His mother was Elizabeth, a relative of Mary, Jesus’ mother (Luke 1:36)
  •  Zechariah and Elizabeth were never able to conceive (Luke 1:7)
  • John’s conception was prophesied by an angel. When Zechariah was performing his priestly duties in the Temple, he was visited by an angel.  The angel announced that Elizabeth would conceive and  his name would be John (Luke 1:11-16).  The angel told John’s parents that John was to drink no wine or liquor.
  • He would be filled with the Holy Spirit even in his mother’s womb. (Luke 1: 15)
  • He lived in the wilderness and preaching that all should turn from their sin and be baptized (Mark 1:4)
  • His clothes were a camel hair tunic with a leather belt, and his food was locusts and wild honey (Mark 1:6)
  • He would go as a forerunner before Him (Jesus), to make ready a people prepared for the Lord (Luke 1:16-17).

Application Point

John the Baptist shows us that it is very possible to both know and accomplish your purpose .  John knew that his mission was to point people to Jesus.  John reflected the light of Jesus, similar to how the moon reflects the sun’s light.  In the great commission Jesus asks us to do the same when He says, “Go and make disciples” Matthew 28:19-20.

As followers of Christ, we need to reflect the light, Jesus, to an unbelieving world.  When all is said and done, what can be more important than telling others about Christ?  What each person decides about Christ, will have direct impact on their eternity.  When you have Christ, you have power to live abundantly now and you also receive eternal life with God.  Without Christ, lives are impoverished and eternal futures will end in utter darkness, separated forever from God.  Telling others about Jesus truly is a life or death matter.

9The true light that enlightens [enlightens=phótizó=to reveal] everyone, was coming into the world.  10He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him.   11He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him.   

The Greek word for enlighten is phótizó and means to make evident, to reveal.  Therefore, Jesus was the light that came to reveal very important truths.  It will become evident, as we read through the gospel of John, that Jesus came to reveal truth about God, about ourselves, about life now and eternally. 

John summarizes the life of Jesus is just two verses (10-11).  Jesus came into the world that He Himself had created to bring truth to mankind, and was rejected – killed.  This should make us tremble.

Application Point

  1. This rejection of Christ by the Jewish people, should remind us of the wanderings in the desert (Exodus). While leading the Israelites out of Egypt and through the desert, God Himself appeared as a pillar of fire at night, and a pillar of cloud by day.  God gave them manna EVERY day (minus the Sabbath day) for FORTY YEARS and they still refused to obey, believe, trust and follow.  The rejection of Jesus shows us that human nature has not changed much since the Exodus, since the coming of Jesus.  Even today, many will reject God, reject Christ, and the truth that His Word reveals.
  2. Why should we be surprised by the rejection of truth by the Jews?  Who hasn’t rejected the wisdom and truth of their parents?  A parent can dream big dreams for their children by providing encouragement, education and financing and all that is necessary to help the plan take shape.  But then, in the end, the child can reject these plans and forge his own way.  Which one of us has not done this in some way, shape or form?  We are all guilty of this and on some level, we are just like the Jews. We have rejected truth and gone our own way, many times.

 11He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him.  12But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or the will of the flesh,  or of the will of man, but of God.The Jews were God’s chosen people. This is what John is referring to when he says “his own”.  If anyone should have recognized Him, it should have been the Jews.  But scripture tells us that many did not accept Him.  However, verse 12 tells us that some did receive Him.  What does it mean to receive Jesus?  Verse 12 provides the answer.  To receive Jesus means to believe in Him.

But what exactly does it mean to believe in Jesus?  It certainly is more than just believing that God came to earth in the flesh as Jesus.  Even the demons believe this.  So there must be more.  Scripture reveals that believing in Jesus means:

  • to believe and agree with Jesus about ourselves – that we are sinners
  • to turn from our sin (repent)
  • to agree that Jesus is indeed God in the flesh
  • to believe that God offers us the gift of forgiveness and eternal life, through the sacrifice of Jesus and to accept this gift
  • to transfer trust from self to Christ alone

v12 But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or the will of the flesh,  or of the will of man, but of God.  Lastly, we are told that some did receive Him and believed Him.  And to those people God gave them the power to become His children.  When you have become children of God, you have become what Jesus calls ‘born again’.  This scripture infers that the power of God is necessary to be born again.  It is not entirely within the power of a human to believe in God.  There appears to be a component of God’s power to believe, that enables our hearts and wills to believe.  We will see this truth become more evident as we work our way through the gospel of John.

Summary Points

  1. God has a purpose – It is comforting to see that God the Father has a concrete purpose for all of mankind.  We see an intimate bending of God towards humanity through the sending of John the Baptist and Jesus.  God desires relationship with us. It is both amazing and beautiful that John the Baptist followed his calling to prepare hearts to receive Jesus, and also that Jesus came to earth to show us what God is like in human form.  God’s main purpose: that we would believe.
  2. Your life has purpose – John the Baptist also shows us that it’s quite possible to be confident of your calling in life.  Scripture tells us that John the Baptist was given the Holy Spirit while he was still in his mother’s womb and was guided by the Holy Spirit.  If you are a believer, you too have the Holy Spirit within you.  Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal your purposes and to provide guidance.  He desires to lead and teach us.  For a more thorough background of John the Baptist,      https://www.gotquestions.org/life-John-Baptist.html   
  3. Our mission- in part, is to reflect the light of Jesus to an unbelieving world.        
  4. God understands you – If you ever wonder if God knows how you feel, remember that Jesus Himself, the God of the universe, was rejected by the very people that he created.  Jesus experienced rejection firsthand.  This truth should comfort us, should provide us with reassurance that Jesus understands the feelings and loneliness that comes from rejection.  He understands our pain.
  5. God gives us power to believe – Verse 12 reveals that there is an element of belief that comes from God Himself.  He provides the power that is necessary for us to believe, to become His child.  If you are struggling to believe, ask God to help you believe and to reveal His truth to you.  He desires a relationship with you and He desires that you become one of His children.  This is what it means to be ‘born again’. He will not reject you if you come to Him in earnest.

For more discussion on belief in Jesus and what it means to be born again, please visit https://www.gotquestions.org/born-again.html

 

 

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John 1:14-18 The Word Became Flesh

John 1:14-18   

14And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me [c]has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’” 16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. 17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth [f]were realized through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

Observations

14And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory [glory=doxa=divine qualities; manifestations of God], glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. According to John,  the “Word” (Jesus) came to earth to live with us as a human – in the flesh.  Let that sink in for a moment.  The God who created the universe, matter, space, time -everything, decided to become a human, so that He could live with us.  He was  divine as well as human.  Jesus is the only God-man that ever walked the earth.  That He would draw close to us, sinners, is amazingly beautiful and sobering at the same time.  We needed saving.  He willingly came to save us.  Sobering.

While Jesus was on Earth, in the flesh, we were able to get a glimpse of what God is like.  We were able to see His glory, His splendor.  The Greek word for glory is doxa.  Doxa means an especially divine quality, a manifestation of God, or splendor.  By watching what Jesus did, and listening to what He said, we get a direct revelation of what God is really like.  Hebrews 1 puts it beautifully, “He [Jesus] is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. ”  In other words, Jesus is the exact mirror image of God Himself.

(John refers to Jesus as “the only begotten”. The Greek word  for only begotten is monogenés and means ‘one-and-only’ of its kind or in simpler terms – unique.  John is saying there was only one man on earth that was also God; this one of a kind God-man, is Jesus.)

John’s description of Jesus says that He was overflowing with grace and truth.  What does this mean? To say that someone is filled with grace means they exude kindness, blessing, and favor. In regards to the Greek word for truth, alethia, means truth, but not merely truth as spoken, but of reality, as it relates to truth in the moral sphere, straightforwardness. So in effect, Jesus is the source of eternal truth, as it relates to all spheres – physical and spiritual truth.

15 John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me [c]has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’”The gospels tell us that John was born approximately 6 months before Jesus, so John is older than Jesus at this time.  When John says that Jesus existed before him, John is making a claim that Jesus is divine, that Jesus existed from long ago.  John understood, or it was revealed to him through the Holy Spirit, that Jesus is God.

16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. 

What does John mean when he says that have received ‘fullness’ and ‘grace upon grace’?  The Greek word for fullness is plērōmatos, meaning a full complement, filling or completion.  Therefore, Jesus gives us all that we need, all that is necessary.

17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.

In the Old Testament, God gave the law (10 commandments, law of grain offerings, law of peace offerings, sacrificial laws, etc see Leviticus.)   through Moses to the people of Israel.  The purpose of the law was:

  • to reveal what God was like, to reveal His holy standard
  • to reveal the justice of God-they could not draw near unless an animal died in the place of the sinner
  • to reveal the inability of humankind to follow God’s laws
  • to ultimately reveal their need for a Messiah, for a Savior

The law revealed one main aspect of God’s nature ====justice.  The atonement of Christ revealed another aspect of God’s nature===grace and truth (love, mercy, forgiveness)

Therefore, the New Testament does not mean that God has changed from being a more stern judge, rather, the New Testament adds another facet of who God is, in totality.  He never changes.  The Old Testament simply reflects different aspects of God’s nature than the New Testament.  But both Old and New Testaments are required for a more complete understanding of who God is.

When we look at the cross – we see both of these aspects above.  We see God’s justice – that sin requires death; and we also see the love of God – that He provided the sacrifice that was needed for the atonement of sin.  The cross should make us pause.  Sin is serious to a holy God.  But God, in His great love for us, paid the debt that we owed.  This is incredible.

18 No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

John uses the Greek word heōraken, which means not only the physical act of seeing, but also involves a mental discernment of what is seen.  So what John is saying is that no one has seen and totally understood God.  Even when Jesus came to earth, that although the bible says He is the exact imprint of God, the bible tells us that Jesus emptied Himself of his glory when He came to earth. What we see are the forms that represent God.

In the Old Testament during the Exodus, God revealed Himself as a pillar of fire at night, and a cloud during the day, to the Israelites.  When they arrived at the base of Mount Sinai and God came down to meet with the people and with Moses, the people were absolutely terrified.  Smoke, lightning, earthquake and darkness veiled the Almighty.  The people begged Moses to meet with God.  They wanted no part in experiencing God face to face.

No one can see God face to face, for His very presence would consume mere humans.  Therefore, God, in His mercy, veils Himself so that we can see a form of Him and survive the experience.  God is similar to a huge diamond containing many facets.  We are allowed to see only a fraction of those facets, and therefore have an incomplete understanding of God.  God gets to choose which of those facets He will reveal and how He reveals them to us.  Right now, we know Him only in part.  Jesus Christ gave allowed us to glimpse many more facets of this beautiful diamond.  Now that Jesus Christ has come to earth and revealed Himself, we have a better understanding of what God is like….but we still do not know Him fully.  Only when we die and meet Him face to face, will we have our the fullest understanding of who God really is.

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John 1:19-28 John the Baptist Questioned

John 1:19-28  The Testimony of John

19 This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”22 Then they said to him, “Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.” 24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25 They asked him, and said to him, “Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them saying, “I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know. 27 It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Observations

19 This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”  Whenever John uses the term, “the Jews”, he is referring to the Jewish leaders (Pharisees and/or Saducees) who are in opposition.  John the Baptist was the son of Zechariah (a priest),  a descendant of Aaron and was therefore from the tribe of Levi.  Because he remained in the wilderness until he was called by the Holy Spirit to begin preaching, it is doubtful that he followed in his father’s priestly footsteps.  John’s preaching drew many followers.  His popularity among the Jewish people and the fact that he was baptizing aroused the suspicions of the Jewish leaders. Jealousy also may have played a part in their interest in John.

From a Jew’s perspective, there were only 4 possibilities for the identity of John:  1) the Messiah, 2) the Prophet mentioned in Deuteronomy 18:15, 3) Elijah (Malachi 4:5), 4) a false prophet.

20 And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”   The question of whether John was the Messiah was foremost in their minds.  The Jews had been long expecting and looking for a Messiah.  But John quickly denies that he is the Messiah.  They then question whether he is Elijah.  Why Elijah? They believed that Malachi prophesied that Elijah would return before the  Messiah came.  Malachi 4:5-6 reads: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” Based on this scripture and the fact that Elijah never died, but was taken up into heaven, there was a prevailing belief that Elijah would be brought down to earth again when the Messiah returned.  But John denies this claim also.

The Jews then ask John whether he is the Prophet.  Who is this “Prophet” they speak of.  The Pharisees knew the Old Testament extremely well and Deuteronomy 18:15 would have been in their minds. It reads:

15“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— 16 just as you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ 17 And the Lord said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.

God says in this passage that “you shall listen to him”. In the New Testament,  God says of Jesus, “This is my Son.  Listen to Him.” (see Luke 9:35, Matthew 17:5, Mark 9:7).   Jesus’ lineage was Jewish, from the tribe of Judah, also in agreement with the above scripture.  It certainly seems rational and reasonable for the Jews to wonder if indeed this is the Prophet that is spoken of in this passage.

Application Point

The Jewish traditions and culture  kept the Jewish people focused on the coming Messiah.  Their traditions helped to keep their focus on the coming of a Savior.  What do we focus on?  Do we keep the things of God in the forefront of our minds and souls?  It is so easy to become enmeshed in the materialism of the United States,  to become anxious about our health and our access to healthcare.  Technology and life schedules demands that we develop an ability to balance our time carefully else we lose sight of the things that are truly important.   Make no mistake, how we spend our time, determines what we become.  If we spend inordinate amounts of time pursuing the next vacation, our appearance, material things, sexual pleasures….then we become enmeshed in the lower stories, in temporal things, drifting into a life void of meaning and purpose, putting ourselves at risk of losing our salvation.  Keeping an eternal focus can be difficult but it is infinitely valuable to the quality of the life we live now and the life to come.

 He said, “I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.” 24 Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. Finally John tells them who he is by referencing a scripture from Isaiah 40:3.   A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.”  This scripture

Albert Barnes, in his 1851 commentary on Isaiah, “The idea is taken from the practice of Eastern monarchs, who, whenever they entered on a journey or an expedition, especially through a barren and unfrequented or inhospitable country, sent harbingers [forerunners] or heralds before them to prepare the way. To do this, it was necessary for them to provide supplies, and make bridges, or find fording places over the streams; to level hills, and construct causeways over valleys, or fill them up; and to make a way through the forest which might lie in their intended line of march. “

The voice prophesied in this verse is John the Baptist (see Malachi 3:1; Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:2-3; Luke 3:4; and John 1:23).  As an Eastern monarch or king sends out people to physically smooth the roads and valleys, so God, our king, sent John the Baptist to smooth the spiritual roads and valleys, the hearts, of the Jewish people, to prepare the coming of Jesus.

Application Point

It should be a source of comfort that God’s plan of redemption started way before the coming of Jesus to earth.  From the beginning of creation, God had a plan to redeem mankind.  This plan is revealed and woven throughout the Old and New Testament scriptures, culminating in the crucifixion of Jesus.  This plan of God Almighty shows his incredible power and love in securing our salvation so that we can live with Him forever.  God is not required to save anyone, but He chose to do so, at His own expense. 

John clearly knew his purpose, to announce the Messiah and prepare the people’s hearts to receive Him.  John served us well through his obedience to  the Holy Spirit.  John’s main message to repent and be baptized leads to salvation.    

Typically only Gentiles were baptized when they converted to Judaism.  The Jewish leaders took offense at John, who was using a rite saved for Gentiles, on the Jewish people.  This was offensive.  John used the rite of baptism as a symbol of repentance.

Application Point

We talk excitedly about the things that matter to us and the things we are fired up about.  Do we talk about the truths of the bible to others?  We, as believers, have knowledge about who Jesus is and about the wrath that is to come for those who do not trust in Jesus.  We have been set free from the law.  We know that we cannot possibly earn our way into God’s favor.  This truth has set us free!!!  Does this reality compel us to share this truth with others?  Whether we realize it or not, Christ asked us to blaze a trail in the lives of those around us, by pointing them to Jesus.   How do we point them to Christ?  We get to know them, love them and talk about spiritual matters-the things that really matter. 

In the great commission Jesus commands us to “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Matthew 28:19.  Of our role in being a forerunner for others, Mike Ford says it beautifully, “Our words and deeds could well pave the way for any of them [unbelievers]to answer God’s call at another time. Each of us has opportunities to set an example that will affect their lives, hopefully in a positive way. ” [1]

26 John answered them saying, “I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know. 27 It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.   One of the things that is so refreshing about John the Baptist is his humility.  He knew his position, his mission and purpose.  He was not the Messiah.  Not even close.  He realized the beauty, reality and the purpose of the Messiah.  He realized his place, that he was created by Christ, not the Creator. He was content with this knowledge and obeyed the call.  John is a great example of obedience and servanthood.

Application Point

Where are we in regards to our humility? Do we tend to seek our own  happiness, acting as though the world revolves around us?   How often does serving others occupy our time?  How much of our purpose, thoughts, actions contain an eternal perspective?  Asking these types of questions helps us take inventory of our hearts and minds.  Jesus, who is God in the flesh, came to serve us.  How are we doing in our service to those around us?

For more information on the questioning of John the Baptist by the Pharisees, see https://www.gotquestions.org/life-John-Baptist.html

https://www.theberean.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Home.showBerean/BereanID/8588/Isaiah-40-3-5.htm

1-Mike Ford; Blazing a Trail Through the Wilderness, Forerunner, Ready Answer – May/June 2011

by Mike Ford
Forerunner, “Ready Answer,” May-June 2011

[Note: The Sanhedrin was a judicial council or court, made up of 71 rabbis and was located close to the Temple.  They passed laws and decrees for the entire Jewish nation, controlled holy sites and the courtyard of the Temple, appointed judges to lesser courts, had authority over cases involving crimes committed by the high priest, crimes committed by lower priests, tribes or cities.]

 

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John 1:29-34 Lamb of God Proclamation

29 The next day he *saw Jesus coming to him and *said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ 31 I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.” 32 John testified saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. 33 I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.”

Observations

This is day 2 of Jesus’ ministry.  John sees Jesus coming towards him and uses the phrase “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” for the first time.  This concept would have been earth shattering to a Jew.  The concept of an animal absorbing sin in place of man was quite familiar to the Jews.  John’s statement now introduces the concept of God being the sacrifice for the sin of the entire world -not just for the Jewish nation.  This is utterly unthinkable and incredibly shocking on two accounts: That instead of a lamb for sacrifice, it would be God Himself and That the sacrifice would atone for all of mankind, not just for the Jews.  This would have been earth shattering and probably offensive to the Jews.

John would have been quite familiar with the Jewish sacrificial system since he was the son of a priest (Zechariah).  Every morning and evening a lamb was sacrificed at the temple for the sins of the people.  This was a practice that had to be done repeatedly.  John the Baptist confidently looks at Jesus and gives Jesus the title He so rightly deserves, regardless of who might be offended.  John points others to Jesus with this proclamation, especially his own disciples.

Application Point

  1. The fact that God Himself, Jesus in the flesh, would willingly come down to die for our sins, instead of an animal sacrifice, is sobering.  How often do we realize this when we are in the midst of temptation or sin itself?  Do we realize that the inappropriate images we thoughtlessly watch, the songs we happily sing, the crude language that we sometimes use….do we realize that Jesus’ death was required for every single one of those sins?
  2. The next obvious implication is that sin is serious to a holy God.  And sin requires death as payment.  So often we do not consciously understand this, that every sin committed against another person, is really committed against God.  His holiness reveals and determines the standard by which every word spoken, every action, every thought, is measured.  This is sobering and should lead us  concern regarding our actions and thoughts.

31 I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.” 32 John testified saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. 33 I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.”

John states twice in these verses, that He did not know Jesus.  We know from the other gospels that Jesus and John are cousins so they knew one another, or at the very least knew of one another.  So if John is not speaking physically, then what is he saying?  John is saying that what he knows now about Jesus is different than what he knew previously.  This new depth of knowing Jesus directly comes from the revelation from God that John received.  John tells us that God told John the Spirit would descend upon Jesus and that is exactly what John witnessed.   This occurrence convinced John the Baptist that Jesus was the Messiah, the Lamb of God and that God was trustworthy.

Application Point

God knew exactly what was needed in order for John the Baptist to be convinced that Jesus was who He claimed to be.  There is reason and purpose for God telling John beforehand what to watch for.  And then God brings His words to pass, resulting in John’s belief.  God alone is faithful and His words can be trusted.

God does this for each of us, maybe not in the same way as He did for John the Baptist, but God is working to reveal Himself to you.  God loves us so much that He sent His Son to die for us.  So why would He withhold the ways and means to help you understand this?  As He provided revelations for John the Baptist, He will provide revelations for you and the primary way He does this is through the Bible.   But His ways can extend far beyond the Bible.  Ask God to reveal Himself to you and then be vigilant in watching for revelation.

33 … but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’

John makes a point of noting the difference in the way in which he and Jesus baptize.  John baptized with water (symbolizing repentance and cleansing of sin) while Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit.  What does “baptizing with the Holy Spirit mean? When the Holy Spirit came upon prophets in the Old Testament, He brought truth, power and courage to proclaim God’s message boldly.  When John said that Jesus would baptize in the Holy Spirit, he means that Jesus would place God’s spirit, His power, and His truth directly into our lives.  With the Holy Spirit infused into our souls, we are enlightened, strengthened and cleansed.

The baptism that John brought, one of cleansing for the forgiveness of sin was a very helpful prerequisite for understanding the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which Jesus would soon bring.  This is a brilliant progression of thought and understanding so necessary to understanding this concept, for both the Jew and us.

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John 1:35-42 First Disciples Follow Jesus

35 Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 And Jesus turned and saw them following, and said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), where are You staying?” 39 He *said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they came and saw where He was staying; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the]tenth hour. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He found first his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).

Observations

35 Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!” 37 The two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 And Jesus turned and saw them following, and said to them, “What do you seek?” 

This is day three of Jesus’ ministry.  John again proclaims the “Lamb of God” title to two of his disciples, one is Andrew (Simon Peter’s brother) and the other is believed to be John, the writer of this gospel.  John the Baptist, shows great humility and purpose, when he continues to point his own disciples to Jesus.  John is fulfilling his purpose.

And then a remarkable thing happens.  Jesus turns to face and initiates a conversation with the two disciples.  This shows us God’s heart.  He does not leave us to search and search on our own, but He is there helping us all along the way, even in the seeking itself.  God is like the prodigal’s father. He is One who is always standing vigilant, waiting for us, wanting us to turn to Him.

Jesus doesn’t bother with any introductions, for He knows the disciples and that they know of Him.  So Jesus gets to the point immediately, and asks them what they are looking for.  This is an interesting question; one that we need to ask ourselves.

Application Point

To read through this scripture and neglect personal introspection, would be a tragedy.  Personal reflection causes you to slow down, to take stock, and observe what motives might be revealed through your actions.  Ask yourself: “What am I searching for?”  “What do I want from Jesus”

Security – Security and safety in themselves are not bad things, however, the truth is that real security in the things of this world is not possible.  Life is constantly changing and with those changes come the good, the bad, the challenging and the stressful.   Security in Christ, His power and His promises are the only things that can bring true, lasting, eternal security.

Power/Prestige-The most common way of obtaining power and/or prestige is through a career.  Using the gifts and talents that God has given us for the benefit of ourselves, our families and communities is a good thing.  However, if our motives are to build our own kingdom, amass personal wealth, gain control over others, then our aim is self centered and eventually destructive physically and spiritually.  Only when we have an other-centered, eternally driven perspective does it more closely intersect with God’s will.

Comfort – Living in the United States, in the land of great opportunity and freedom, to pursue goals and dreams, it is quite easy to be distracted by those things that cause us to look inward instead of outward.  Desiring comfort instead of sacrifice is a battle we must all face.  Keeping an eternal focus helps us to prioritize the things that really matter.  Pursuing goals that are important to God is not only wise eternally but beneficial for lives right now.  Be on guard and mediate on how you spend your time, your money, your energy.

39 He said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they came and saw where He was staying; and they stayed with Him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 

Jesus responds with a phrase common to Rabbis of that day.  The Rabbis used this phrase to encourage discussion with their students. It was invitation to talk about important ideas and beliefs in order to be enlightened to gain knowledge and learn truth.  The truths that Jesus was going to share would rock their spiritual foundations to the core.

The note regarding the exact hour of the day leads most bible scholars to believe that John is the disciple that first approached Jesus with Andrew.

 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother. 41 He found first his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).

What Andrew learned from spending time with Jesus that day, was enough to convince him of Jesus’ authority and identity.  Andrew consistently brings people to meet Jesus throughout the gospel of John.  Andrew is a great example of what we should be doing each day.

Application Point

At the beginning of each day, instead of asking ourselves “What shall I do today”, we might ask  “Who needs to hear about Jesus today?”

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John 1:43-51 Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael

43 The next day He purposed to go into Galilee, and He found Philip. And Jesus said to him, “Follow Me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip *said to him, “Come and see.” 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and *said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael *said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.” 50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And He *said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Observations

We don’t know a lot about Philip. I details about Philip. We know that he came from Bethsaida, as did Andrew and Peter.  When we read about the feeding of the five thousand (John 6), it appears as if Philip may have been in charge of food or supplies for the disciples.  He seems to be a very practical, down to earth, black and white kind of man.

Regarding Nathanael, he is from Cana in Galilee (John 21:2) and is mentioned alongside Philip frequently, as a “friend of Philip” in the gospel of John.  The other gospels refer to him as Bartholomew.  Nathanael is also one of the disciples to whom Jesus appears to after the resurrection.  He is not the same Nathanael mentioned in Acts.

43 The next day He purposed to go into Galilee, and He found Philip. And Jesus said to him, “Follow Me.” 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, of the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” 46 Nathanael said to him, “Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?” Philip *said to him, “Come and see.” 

Men are curious about Jesus and they begin to follow Him.  So far, the men who are following Jesus are Andrew, John, Peter, Philip, and now Nathanael.  Philip tells his friend Nathanael about Jesus and they go to Jesus to investigate.  They believe that Jesus is the Prophet mentioned in Deuteronomy 18:15.  Keep in mind that the Jews knew the Old Testament quite well and were always watching for the Messiah.  In fact, the birth of a baby boy always brought great joy and celebration, for there was always the chance that he could be the Messiah.  However, the birth of a girl was not a joyous occasion, indicative of their constant, vigilant thoughts of a coming Messiah.

Nazareth was a very small, inconspicuous town.  While it is possible that towns may have had rivalry between them, it is more probable that Nazareth was looked down upon because a Roman garrison planted there.

47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and *said of him, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!” 48 Nathanael *said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” 49 Nathanael answered Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.” 

When Jesus calls Nathanael “an Israelite in whom there is no deceit”, we can reasonably assume that Nathanael’s thoughts, prayers or actions while under the fig tree were of high regard either morally and/or spiritually.  Nathanael is amazed that Jesus knew his thoughts.  Jesus’ omniscience convinces Nathanael that Jesus is indeed the Son of God.

Application Point

It would serve us quite well to remember that Jesus knows our deepest thoughts and actions.  This can either comfort us or cause us fear.  If we truly understand that faith alone in Jesus’s death and resurrection brings us into a relationship with God, then our response should be relief and gratitude.  However, if your first reaction to Jesus’ omniscience is fear, you may be operating on a works mentality.  If you have been born again, Jesus does not look on you with disdain, but showers you with forgiveness, love, and mercy.  Confession should be a continued practice, not because you fear, but because you love God and desire a close relationship with Him.

One realization of God is this: God is a God of justice, however it would be unjust for God to punish us when Jesus already took the punishment of the whole world upon Himself at the cross.  If we believers, we do not have to fear punishment any longer. When bad things happen to us, they may be God’s discipline meant for our good, or it is simply a byproduct of a sinful world, due to the entrance of sin into the world during the fall.  But at the very least, we know that whatever happens to us passes through God’s fingers first, and that we are not being punished by God.

50 Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” 51 And He *said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” Jesus responds to Nathanael ’s statement of faith with a prophecy that Nathanael will see angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man.  What does this mean reference to Jacob’s ladder in Genesis 28 mean?  Instead of the ladder connecting earth and heaven, it will be Jesus, God in the flesh, that is the final connection between God and mankind.

 

 

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John 2:1-11 Jesus Changes Water to Wine

John 2: 1On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; 2 and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus *said to Him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus *said to her, “Woman, [a]what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother *said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” 6 Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing [b]twenty or thirty gallons each. 7 Jesus *said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim. 8 And He *said to them, “Draw some out now and take it to the [c]headwaiter.” So they took it to him. 9 When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter *called the bridegroom, 10 and *said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have [d]drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 This beginning of His [e]signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.

Observations

(Side notes: It is interesting that John notes that this took place on the third day.  So many events in the bible occur on the third day or month (Jesus’ resurrection, the congregation in Exodus 19:10-11, Philip and Nathanael called to follow 3 days after Christ’s baptism, garments had to be washed in Revelation 3:5, etc.)  In Jewish weddings, a virgin marries on a Wednesday.

1On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; 2 and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus *said to Him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother *said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” 

Two things indicate that Mary was involved in the wedding arrangements. She know they had run out of wine and she is giving orders to the servants.  So there is a high probability that Mary was related to the bride or groom.

Joseph is not mentioned in any of the events surrounding Jesus’ baptism and ministry, so scholars assume that Joseph is no longer living.

When Jesus calls his mother “Woman”, the Greek word is gunai, which is the same word Jesus used when he was on the cross and left her in the care of John (John 19:26). This was a term of respect, not insult or impatience.

6 Now there were six stone waterpots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing [b]twenty or thirty gallons each. 7 Jesus *said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim. 8 And He *said to them, “Draw some out now and take it to the [c]headwaiter.” So they took it to him. 9 When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridgegroom 10 and *said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have [d]drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 This beginning of His [e]signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.

The jars that Jesus chose were jars that were typically used in ceremonial cleansing or purification.  Jesus does everything with purpose.  His choosing the ceremonial jars may point to Himself being our ultimate means of purification for sin.

Application Points

Jesus was social and involved Himself in the cares and life events of people.  We too need to reach out to others, caring for them and sharing in the joys of every day life.  In America, people get so busy and neglect getting to know one another, our neighbors, even our relatives.  Taking time out to celebrate is a good use of our time.

It is also interesting to note that Jesus’ first miracle was an act of kindness and prevented social embarrassment of the families of the bridge and bridegroom.  Jesus’ not only point to His glory, but they also express care and concern for His creation.

Jesus shows His desire to redeem (make new) creation whenever He performs a miracle.  Healing the lame, giving site to the blind, raising the dead, casting out demons, calming the seas…..all this points to what the redeemed creation will look like at the end of time, when God’s kingdom comes and stand upon the new earth.

Jesus created approximately 150 gallons of excellent wine.  That is ALOT of wine.  This is a reminder that Jesus’ provision and grace is super abundant.  We cannot exhaust God’s grace.

 

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John 2:13-23 Jesus Cleanses The Temple

13 The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money changers sitting there. 15 And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. 16 And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

18 So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.  

23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. 24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.

Observations

Jewish males were required to travel to Jerusalem for the three pilgrim festivals (Passover, Shavuot/Pentecost and Succoth (aka Tabernacles, Booths, Tents).  Jesus made the trip at least 3 times during His ministry.  This was his first.

There were two groups of people that Jesus was angry with: the money changers and the merchants selling sacrificial animals.  It was against Jewish law to accept coins containing other gods or emperors, so the money changers would exchange foreign coins from visitors at an exorbitant profit.

Many Jews and visitors did not bring sacrificial animals on their journey and therefore needed to purchase animals at the temple. Merchants selling the sacrificial animals would sell “approved” animals at very high prices or claim the worshiper’s animal unfit, thereby forcing the worshiper to purchase.  Jesus was angered by those in the temple taking advantage of the poor and foreigners.  This was strictly forbidden in the Mosaic law (see Exodus 22:21 and Leviticus 19:34).

Jewish historian Josephus estimated that 3,000,000 people on average, attended Passover.  Conservatively, if there were 12 people per family,  there would be 250,000 lambs sacrificed during Passover.  This is big business for the temple. Jesus caused quite a stir, by removing the unscrupulous merchants and money changers profiting from the worshipers.

Application

1) Jesus’ reverence for the Father, the temple, and the worshipers produced righteous anger toward those who were profiting financially from the worship of God.  Jesus’ example of righteous anger should cause us to pause and reflect on those things that anger us.

What situations make us angry?  Bad drivers, traffic jams, unkind people, children that misbehave, an overbearing boss, demanding parents, a critical spouse or friend?  All of these things, while valid, matter little compared to our brothers and sisters worshiping and praying in secret, those persecuted for simply being a Christian, for the millions that are starved by dictatorships, the many babies aborted each year, the multitude of people groups who have never heard the name of Jesus?  Do these things cause us righteous anger?   Matters of eternal significance involving His kingdom should loom large over our earthly concerns.

2)  By driving out the money changers and merchants, Jesus purified the temple.  When we become believers, the Holy Spirit enters our bodies, and begins to cleanse us.  He lives in us and begins to transform us into the image of Christ.  He is not content with leaving us as we are.  He is interested in turning our worry into trust, our materialism into generosity, our critical nature into an encouraging spirits.

What does it look like to be a willing participant in this transformation?  We humbly agree with God about our sin instead of clinging to the justifications or excuses for our sin.  We invite the Holy Spirit to help us, to strengthen us against giving in to temptation, we confess our sin, we pray, we turn to the Word, memorizing and studying scripture, which empowers and strengthens us.  The Holy Spirit is in charge of this purification.  But we can either fight against it or humble ourselves.

18 So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”  21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.

Of course the temple priests, the merchants, and the money changers were outraged.  They demanded a sign to prove Jesus’ authority.  Jesus’ response is incredible and understandable only to us who are on this side of the resurrection.  Jesus is saying that the sign that would prove His authority would be His resurrection.  When Jesus rose from the dead,  this would prove that He had was the Messiah, God in the flesh.  Everyone, including his disciples, thought Jesus was speaking literally about the physical temple.  But Jesus was speaking spiritually and it was only after Jesus had risen, they finally understood what Jesus meant.

Application

Jesus’ resurrection shows that Jesus has the utmost authority given to Him by God.  The fact that Jesus rose from the dead proved His miracles were real and that He is who He claimed to be: God in the flesh.  Praise be to God!  Jesus rose from the dead, to live forevermore and He gives us the gift of eternal life as well.  Do not let another day go by without seeking to know Him and to love Him.  He alone is worthy.  Keep these truths in the foreground of your daily thought life, knowing that the power that rose Jesus from the dead lies within you. (Romans 8:11)

23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. 24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.

The signs that Jesus performed while He was in Jerusalem for Passover must have been spectacular, convincing.  John tells us that many believed in His name.

Throughout the gospel of John, Jesus consistently acts in ways which glorify the Father.  The many miracles that Jesus performed pointed people to the Father and backed up His claim that He was the Messiah, God in the flesh.  It is one thing for someone to preach powerfully, but then, if  his words are backed up by powerful miracles, these miracles add authority to his message.  This was the case with Jesus.

Because of these miraculous signs, many did put their believe in Jesus, as the Messiah.  But these verses punctuate an important truth about Jesus.  Jesus knew how fickle man’s faith could be.  Some of the very people that were putting their faith in Jesus this day, would eventually cry “Crucify him!” later.  But these people whose hearts were evil, are the very ones He came to die for.

Application

Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things
and desperately sick; who can understand it?”  The truth is Jesus understands our human hearts.  He did not place trust in humans because He knows our faith waivers and that we are weak.  Instead, Jesus always looked to and trusted in the Father.

It is comforting to know that Jesus came to earth to save wretched sinners like us.  He knew before He came to earth what type of creatures He was coming to save.  He did not come to save the healthy and strong.  He came to save sinners.  We have done NOTHING to deserve His love.  But He lavishes us with it anyway, offering us eternal life if we believe in Him.  We need to preach this to ourselves every day.

 

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John 2:23-25 Jesus Knows What We Are Like

23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. 24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.

Throughout the gospel of John, Jesus consistently acts in ways which glorify the Father.  The many miracles that Jesus performed pointed people to the Father and backed up His claim that He was the Messiah, God in the flesh.  It is one thing for someone to preach powerfully, but then, if  his words are backed up by powerful miracles, these miracles add authority to his message.  This was the case with Jesus.

Because of these miraculous signs, many did put their believe in Jesus, as the Messiah.  But these verses punctuate an important truth about Jesus.  Jesus knew how fickle man’s faith could be.  Some of the very people that were putting their faith in Jesus this day, would eventually cry “Crucify him!” later.  But these people whose hearts were evil, are the very ones He came to die for.

Application

Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things
and desperately sick; who can understand it?”  The truth is Jesus understands our human hearts.  He knows our  faith waivers from day to day, week to week, month to month.  He also knows how it can swell and blossom.  He is in charge of how He grows our faith.  We can either be willing partners in the faith building process or we can short circuit the process by placing our trust and desires in ungodly things.

It is comforting to know that Jesus came to earth to save wretched sinners like us.  Praise God that He has given us the Holy Spirit to change our evil and desperate hearts into the image of Himself.  The Holy Spirit is not content to leave us as we are, but instead begin the incredible transformation of our lives into beautiful creations which mirror the Savior.

Do you hate your sin?  Or do you hold fast to your sinful desires, far more interested in

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