John's Story 8

I was listening to NPR the other day and the guest author proposed reinserting in our families in coming generations the notion of sin and imperfection as very real and very vital to understand and recognize. While he didn't claim a source for this brokenness he did note that without this concept (this Truth) then a free and democratic society cannot remain so.

If there is no such thing as sin then our human minds can't fathom freedom. So the very tangible freedoms we currently experience in our society will be lost and replaced with the very sins we ignore and deny...

Text / 7:59 - 8:11
At the end of the Feast (7:2) as everyone was leaving town a group of Jewish leaders legally/sexually trap and drag an adulterous women before Jesus hoping to legally/spiritually trap Him in His judgement of her.

'If anyone here is without a single sin, go ahead and throw the first stone at her.'

The problem here is one that Paul makes devastatingly clear in Romans 3 - EVERYONE has and will sin. Since there is no eternal escape from the guilt of sin outside of a relationship with Christ who alone mediates forgiveness, everyone standing around Jesus and that woman ought to have engaged in a serious stone throwing fight to the death!

Specifically this group was banking on Jesus' response to the law in Leviticus 20:10 regarding adultery. (Paul takes on extensive law about sexual sin in 1 Cor. 6 and quite honestly makes the case at just how it obscures our experience in Kingdom living.) But Jesus neither flippantly frees the woman thus denying Jewish law, nor does he condemn her to death and so disillusion his followers regarding His teaching on repentance, forgiveness and grace.

Instead he convicts every man and woman standing there and offers the same opportunity to acknowledge their sin, regardless it's context, believe in Him and 'leave your life of sin.'

Q. Current realities of a life lived in sin 8:34-36 and the Eternal Consequences of sin according to Jesus 8:24...Sin is real.
It's apparent even in the midst of the most beautiful of human relationships. It's apparent in the beauty and brokenness of nature, diseased crops and trees and animals. The question isn't do you sin, but how do you sin?

Q. Is it possible to discern sexual purity from sexual sin today in America according to the same divine standards Jesus?

Text / :12
'I am the light of the world.'

The 2nd I AM statement. He is the bread, now He is the light. This light reveals truth, it reveals the path to salvation, it reveals the fulfillment of true and ancient promises with the Father, it reveals the reality of sin, sin particularly hidden in the hearts of the very people of Israel, of God.

Read John 1:1-5 about the eternal nature of Jesus as the light.
Read John 8:58 - Jesus, the True light, truly is older than Moses.
Read Matthew 5:14-16 about our role as divine luminaries of Christ.

Why this analogy? Some historians believe that during the great Feasts of Israel several massive torches were built up and ignited on the temple-mount. Flames jetting upwards several stories with the glow revealing much of Jerusalem in the night sky.

Jesus is greater than this light.

He illumines the heart, mind and soul. He never burns out nor dims. His Truth never falters. His salvation never flickers. The tangible analogy would be easy enough to grasp. Just like His claim on the final day of the Feast (7:37-39), everyone was focused on the temporary and the tradition and the physical temple...Jesus wanted to arrest their focus on Him in the Glory of the Father.

Text / :31-32
'If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.'

Is Jesus, after all of His about simply believing in Him for salvation, now saying that in order to be saved a person must perfectly obey his teaching? No.

In fact, this isn't so much about salvation but about discipleship. Look back on :30, once again many people put their faith in Him, but we know that most people leave when His teachings get difficult or when the religious leaders make threats or when the Roman officials extinguish hope.

'Actual disciples, students, followers, family of Mine demonstrate our divine relationship through a lifestyle fully engaged with My teaching, my truth. It's in the midst of living alongside me throughout your life that you'll personally and intimately discern Truth and it's this very Truth sourced in Me that offers true freedom from a life chasing sinful desires, slaves to sin.'

Living sacrifices. Worshipping in Spirit and Truth. Renewal of the Mind. Conformation to Christlikeness. Testing and approving Gods perfect will.

The disciple demonstrates his or her discipleness to Christ through perseverance in Christ's very teachings. Salvation is demonstrated in the life of the disciple.

Not perfection. Not points. Not a guessing game. We can't compare the Apostle Paul to the thief on the cross. Both experienced salvation, one after minutes of belief, the other after decades. Yet both demonstrated obedience to Christ's truth.

We don't earn salvation. You don't earn discipleship to Christ. One may be more mature than the other but not more saved. Let's God discern who is forgiven. You and I engage Him in truth and life daily demonstrating Whose we are.

Challenge /
Jesus may have 'slipped away from the' crowd in order to fulfill His mission, but He is no longer in need of disappearing. He is here and He is now and He has told the Truth.

Are we, as the Body of Christ, actually and honestly and wholly demonstrating our salvation through lifestyles, life rhythms that proclaim Christ's Truth.

Are we living UP / IN / OUT lives founded on the truth of the Gospel? I have to ask this question daily. Am I adoring the Gospel? Am I wearing Truth not only on my sleeve but on my heart and on my soul and on my mouth? Am I still carrying the cross?

Are you?

John's Story 7

'Save us Adonai, prosper us, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, God is Adonai and has given us light!'

Trumpets blasting, people singing, waving 'lulavs' and chanting Psalms 113-118 (the Hallel). The Feast of Tabernacles was an absolutely awesome festival full of salvific meaning, the ruach ha-kodesh (spirit of God) and a symbol of religious joy for the Jewish people.

Text / 7:16-19 / His Credentials
'My teaching is not my own. It comes from Him who sent me.'

How many times has Jesus made this claim? Even in chapter 6 we hear from Jesus that God is the one who sent the True Bread (Jesus). In 14:10 we'll hear Jesus claim this reality again, that God is within and behind everything He is and does.

I want to point out to things that have jumped out to me in this section:

• :18 'he who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself' - Jesus is talking about directing all glory to God, He didn't come for to be glorified but to glorify God (though He rightly deserves all honor and glory). 
• What about you. How often are you seeking attention, adoration, self-righteous glory? Putting on display at work, at home, with neighbors or friends...the right look, your best qualities, traits, talents and abilities and awards? Are you out for your reputation OR are you out for Gods reputation?
• :24 'stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment' - Jesus is challenging the leaders to discern with true Spiritual discernment. To judge the work of the Messiah based on the character of God found in the Law and not on their own additions to the commands.
• How do you judge Christ's words and work? Are you filtering everything Christ has said, and has done through the lens of 2015 in the suburbs of America? OR are you engaging Christ on His eternal terms?

Text / 7:37-38 / The Message
'If anyone is thirsty let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.'

At the height of the Feast in the midst of the great procession of symbolic salvation where a pitcher of water is carried from one of the pools of Jerusalem to the Altar and poured out denoting cleansing, the coming of the Spirit and the joy of the Lord in the lives of the Jews, Jesus cried out.

Jesus rises at the Temple Court and shouts with everything He has, breaking through the song and cheer and rumbling of the multitudes.

This call is loaded with meaning both to the original audience and to you and I. Whoever hears His call anytime, anywhere. Let's break it down a bit:

• if anyone is thirsty: anyone / whoever (literally anyone seeking actual spiritual refreshment and life, Jew and Gentile alike). Thirsty - multitudes chasing down the symbolic pitcher of water, temporary refreshment until next years sin builds up and all joy in the Lord is lost...Jesus offers eternal refreshment by His Spirit and His Truth (4:10 w/ the woman at the well. Chapter 6 regarding food and drink for the crowds - food and drink found only in Christ!)
• come: 6:35
• and drink: 6:53, there is something about symbolically drinking the life of Christ that signifies an awesome unity with Him in Spirit and in Truth!
• believes in me: this theme of simple but utter belief for salvation is all over this book most recently and directly pointed out in 6:28-29.
• as Scripture teaches: A possible compilation of Exodus 17:3-7, Numbers 20:1. I love the last line in Ex. 17:7 'Is the Lord with us or not?' Jesus boldly proclaims the answer to this here and now!
• streams of living water will flow from within him: The very same living water promised to the woman at the well. John even clarifies by noting that this water is the Spirit (:39). It flows from within - Read 14:9-13, Jesus is in the Father and the Father is in Him and and Jesus is in us. This reality that God is both welling up within the believer and the believer is nestled within Gods heart is an all encompassing relationship.

This passage once again shows us how simply and fully is the salvation of Christ.

This ancient festival, a festival instituted to engage God directly and faithfully inevitably failed to do what it was designed to do - connect man with God the Creator and Savior. How can I possibly say this in light of the millions who still engage it for spiritual cleansing and joy? Simply, Jesus said so when He called the crowds to seek Him and not the glass of pool-water.

What's more, if it's joy they were seeking then Jesus offered that as well. 'Remain in my love...I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.' 15:9-11

Question /
Where is the source of your joy? Christ or symbols and celebrations about Christ?

What credentials of Jesus are you seeking? Where are you looking and with what intention? The Word will never change, it can't, God doesn't change. The Spirit enlightens us to the Truth in the context of the Scriptures and connects that Truth to our very life here and now. If you don't want to know Christ as He proclaims, on His terms - you won't find Him. So who and what are you seeking?

It also happens to be The Holy Week in the life of the Church. Are you hoping that your adherence to Lent, to Good Friday, to Resurrection Sunday will draw you back into God's presence? Are you seeking salvation through honoring these traditions? 

OR are you engaging Jesus directly, personally, honestly and with all the belief you have? Coming to Him as the only source of Living Water.

John's Story 6:25-33 / Part C

So we've made it. The final part of our Chapter 6 dissection. Since Part B I've taken some serious time off from posting. Maybe I got lazy, odds are good, or maybe I just needed to process some more chapters in John's Story before returning to finish it up.

This is gritty stuff. Belief in Christ really tugs on all strings. It puts pressure on all of life's compartments and challenges me to be both introspective and active. To examine my own belief, my belief system and then make changes where necessary and when necessary.

In all honesty, I hate how divisive my heart can be. My tendency is to sit on my understanding of belief and draw a line in the sand. While I don't need to question all elements of my faith, I can't help but engage Jesus' simple and profound call the 'believe in Him, period.' and not wrestle my version of this truth.

I hope you do the same.

THREE / 30-33

'Give us a sign, like the one Moses gave our ancestors...and then we'll believe you.'

Signs are a huge part of John's Gospel. He highlights key signs, key miracles, key divine interactions so that the reader, you and I, can catch a glimpse of a few of the wildly miraculous acts of Jesus and be amazed, convinced even that Jesus is who He claims to be.

YET Jesus never meant signs to be the defining factor in who would come to a saving trust in Him.

Here the audience demands a sign in order to accept Jesus' claim that 'belief' is the only work God desires from those who come to Him for salvation.

It's ironic that right after Jesus proclaims that belief: an internal, spiritual melding of the heart and mind and soul into a trusting response of Jesus' claims and actions - it's ironic that the crowd wants a physical act, an external sign to prove that internal reality He's teaching here.

Look back to :26b and it makes their demand for a sign a bit moot. They didn't seek out Jesus because of the miracle of the bread and the fish (:1-15) but because their physical needs were met and they want more!

This whole interaction is based on hunger, desire, physical needs mixed and confused with theological desires.

'Moses didn't give you bread, My Father sent you the true bread from heaven, that is, He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.'

There it is. Straight to the point.

The audience came for breakfast, 

then wanted religious confirmation of their historical traditions and expectations,

eventually wanted nothing to do with either breakfast or the Bread of Life.

First, what's this manna? See interaction SIX for a little more background.

I love the simple, contextual, spiritual response of Jesus - God sent bread that now gives eternal life to the world, the old has passed, the new has come, the temporary is played out, the eternal is here to stay.

TWO / 28-29

'What work does God want us to perform?'

• There's no vocation that earns anyone salvation, not even the role of pastor or priest!
• There is no calendar religious cycle that offers salvation
• There is no deed good enough
• No self-sacrificial lifestyle, social justice catalyzer, theology doctorates...
• There is no daily ritual
• No tangible activity...

'Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies sinners, his faith is credited to him as righteousness.' Romans 4:4-5

The Jews are going to point to Moses' work in producing miracles as a signs of Gods favor and salvation. But Jesus redirects them to God's work in faith, not Moses' response in obedience.

'Believe in the Sent One.'

Work? Oh, yeah...when the Holy Spirit opens your ears, heart and mind to the truth of Jesus' words, then you'll be in the midst of the act of belief...and that belief is the work you ought to be engaged in.

'Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness.' Genesis 15:6 (Rom 4:3)

Salvation First: Faith that Christ is The ONE.

Obedience Second: Faithful response actively displayed in the renewed rhythms and practices of a life devoted to Him.

If Christ hasn't overhauled our spirit, filled us with His Spirit, then works are nothing but a temporary and impersonal business transaction. Obedience is impossible to a God you don't actually trust. Trust first, become second.

ONE / 25-27

'When did you get here Teacher?'

This is the start of one the most studied, discussed and divisive passages in Scripture. This is the first question. Seriously? It's like meeting your hero and then asking them what kind of gas-mileage they got on the way over.

This first question does three things right off the bat:

1. They're aware of the possible miracle that took place in the night (:16-24).
2. They were in the midst of missing the point of this divine interaction with their Messiah.
3. This gives Jesus a conversational opportunity to get right to the heart of the matter.

Not so long ago this group tried to force Jesus to lead a Jewish rebellion. A king. Here He's still respected but downgraded to Rabbi...soon He'll be too hard to follow.

On a side note, think about the reality that Jesus refused to His death the role of rebel leader, revolutionary dictator. He didn't leave absolute perfection and beauty to (Philippians 2) to come and start a cultural riot. Jesus didn't come to trap, brainwash, demand, become a cult-leader, social leader, human rights activist against Rome etc. He didn't even come to be a mighty religious leader of the people.

Jesus came to reconcile anyone who will believe with His Father, Creator, King.

'You're not interested in the 'how' I got here, you want food. Listen, don't waste your time seeking food that rots, it's temporary. Work for food that lasts forever, that's eternal. Only I can give you this food. Come and get this food from the One Sealed with God's approval.'

Quite the paraphrase eh?

It's wild how this 'seal' of God set on Jesus during His ministry has been transferred to all believers. That the God of the Universe who approved of the life of Christ and set Him apart for His glory has now set this seal on those who also approve (believe) in the life of Christ and now get to engage in a life lived for His glory too!

Paul said, 'we don't write you anything you cannot read or understand...He anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.' 2 Cor 1:13, 21-22

Catch that? Not only are the letters in the Bible designed for all to read (without a mediator) and understand...but they teach us about the Source of the seal of God on our lives. Jesus. And that followers of Christ are set apart with an eternally-divine deposit of eternal life.

The Jews open this entire dialogue with a trivial question about travel.

Jesus ends it all with those who truly are faithful in traveling with Him, the Twelve.

Challenge /

I write a lot. I don't always get to the point right away and sometimes I never actually do. To be honest, I'm a bit lazy when it comes to quoting other authors and sources. I get technical only when I feel like it and this series of posts on Chapter 6 is proof of all of that. But it's a good chapter isn't it.

This dialogue is worth spending weeks on. It's worth punching out some thoughts. It's worth engaging directly and personally and technically and spiritually. I'm sure I benefit more than anyone with my pile of notes, stacks of books and time spent hitting these keys and posting these thoughts.

But that's part of the challenge of being a disciple isn't it? If I take the time to write out what the Lord is doing in my heart and mind regarding this Text, and then share it with you, whether you agree or disagree you may very well go and do the same in your own medium, your own context, your own rhythm and time and space.

So what do we do about all this? Well, since it's my blog I'll tell you. 

Do the work God requires: believe.

Stop. Seriously, just stop right now and spend some time in prayer. Ask the Lord to put Himself on display for you. Ask Him to place on your heart and in your mind the very sign of His Spirit at work in you. To seal you over for the Day of the Lord.

And to those who believe, obey. Read 8:31-32. Go and demonstrate your faith in Christ through faithfulness in a way that honors Him and fits your culture and season of life.

1. Are you believing more in the fruit of your works, actions and deeds than in the One who set you apart for works, deeds and faithful living?
2. With all this talk on belief, what good are works without this faith? Are they spiritually profitable according to Jesus? Why, why not?
3. More importantly, are your works and deeds the cause of salvation? The sustaining work for your salvation? Or the response of salvation gifted to you? Your answer means all the difference in engaging Jesus.

See you on the other side of Chapter 6.

John's Story 6:34-59 / Part B

Let's keep unpacking the 9 Interactions in John chapter 6. This is a long post but hey, no one's forcing you to read it. In our discussion on this chapter we dug into some great thoughts concerning everything from historical context, God's sovereignty, language type and the early Church fathers thoughts and traditions.

What I like about this section is the reality that if the audience had genuinely understood Jesus' point on 'belief in Him' without their human expectations...the rest of the chapter would never have taken place.


SIX / 52-59
The Jews began to argue saying, 'How can this guy give us his flesh to eat?'
This is where interpretation really gets divided up among the Church today. We know that the 12 sum up Jesus' teaching with 'belief in the Holy One' so let's keep that frame of reference.

If Jesus is talking figuratively he really gets gritty. By the time this passage wraps up He's said 'eat' some 13x. He stresses both eating and chewing (:57) on His flesh (:51). But he also says the words believe and life a bunch of times and the key phrase throughout is 'Truly truly, believe and receive eternal life'.

As we read think about this: is it more likely that Jesus is always talking about literally eating Him for salvation OR that eating Him is analogous to belief and salvation?  Keep this floating around as we unpack it all.

So how does Jesus respond to their argument over eating Him? He get's gritty.

'I tell you the truth (truly, truly)...' Another way of saying, 'Listen up, this is important' and he says this 4x in this passage. What He follows up with is a continuation of what he's said earlier, only building on the analogy intensely.

• 26 - you're motives are wrong, you should seek spiritual life.
• 32 - you give Moses credit for Gods spiritual work - true bread comes from Him, I am that bread.
• 47 - believe for eternal life (positive).
• 53 - unless you eat and drink me, you have no life (negative)

...again, what is Jesus addressing here? Their motives and understanding are wrong and He really, really wants them to get it. They don't get it when He is direct (:47), so He takes the analogy to the extreme (:53), and they still don't get it.

'...this is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever.'
He already said this in :35-36. Eating and drinking are analogous to 'come' and 'believe'. Come to Me to be spiritually satisfied Jesus says. Believe in me and be eternally quenched. Figurative language. He said this to Nicodemus. He said this to the woman at the well. He say's this to the crowds at the festival in chapter 7.

Typology: a form of prophecy where an OT image/action is expressive of a NT teaching - particularly fulfilled in Jesus.

Why is Jesus talking about manna and bread and eating? Well, we're not there yet but let's crack it open since this passage is all about eating Jesus.

The crowd challenges Jesus to display His true power by surpassing Moses' miracle of manna (Exodus 16:35). Manna was a picture or symbol or sign of a greater and more permanent source of sustenance to come. The manna in the desert was like the bronze snake (John 3:14-15), a tangible need met by a temporary salvation. People ate manna for 40 years in order to stay alive - just as people looked at the weird snake and were kept safe from the deadly vipers.

The literal manna was a prophetic picture (symbol) of the spiritual Bread of Life to come. And what does Jesus say? Read :33, 35. Jesus is the bread, come and believe in Him, sound familiar? This is for eternal life. The manna was great BUT, 'Your forefathers ate manna and died.' Not cool.

Jesus IS the greater fulfillment of the manna. He did not bring it. He was not preparing an eternal tangible food source. He IS the eternally spiritual source of life in faith. Totally surpassing their expectations of tangible sustenance.

Side Note: This passage is a historical source of division in the Church, particularly when this passage is assigned to Communion. Even more so when this passage is assigned to Salvation through Communion. However, what if the context isn't about communion? Then some of the confusion dissipates right. A couple of thoughts:

• 'Passover was near' 6:4 - in the synoptics Jesus' taught on the night of His arrest during the Passover feast. This is not that.
• In the synoptics Jesus used the analogy of the sacrificial lamb in Exodus. Here it's about manna.
• In the Communion meal Jesus was holding bread and wine, He was attaching His words to those symbols. Here there are no tangible symbols, He doesn't even appear to mention wine.
• 'teaching in a synagogue in Capernaum' 6:59 - not at the temple, not in a home for the meal, not in Jerusalem...Jesus is teaching on manna but like usual steering it towards true belief and life and the sovereignty of God the Father. Spiritual acts, not physical.

One final thought. Erwin Luther summed up the thought of a theologian noting the historical connect of this passage in connection with Communion I think is worth noting:

"no orthodox father of whom we have record declared the presence of the body and blood of Christ in the Eucharist to be only symbolic (though Clement and Origen came close...), nor were there any who specified that the elements were substantially changed (though Ignatius and Justin came close...). 'Within the limits of these two extremes'" we find spiritual connection to Christ in Communion.

FIVE / 41-51

The Jews began to grumble, 'We know Jesus' parents, how can be the divine bread from heaven?'
Whatever Jesus said before this did a couple of things:

• Revealed His divine origin and true Sonship to the Father.
• Furthered the analogy of Bread / Flesh / Belief.

Notice what they get hung up on though? It's not cannibalism, this isn't even on their radar. In fact, had they accepted Jesus' previous and simple teaching, the coming discussion wouldn't have been necessary. Jesus has already made His point. They get hung up on his origin. Bethlehem or Heaven?

Understand that their question on the authenticity of Jesus' origin isn't wrong. In fact this is important. The question isn't wrong. Their closed mind, false expectations, hard hearts are wrong. They focus on the wrong point that Jesus is making. I think we do to.

Again Jesus knows their hearts and hang-ups, so He addresses the real issue.
'No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.'
They want a miracle. They want a king. They want immediate and temporary satisfaction. Jesus wants to give them eternal life, life that only the Father can give and He gives to those He draws or pulls into Himself first.

Jesus is NOT toning down His teaching as they miss the point and complain. Instead He goes deeper towards offending them (:61). He goes on to say that they would believe Jesus if:

• they truly knew the Father (:45)
• if the Father wanted to reveal Himself to them (:65)

Think about it. The chosen people of God, Israel, and Jesus is telling this crowd (who only the night before wanted to initiate a coupe with Jesus as the Lead) that they don't truly know their Father and their Father must not have chosen them do to their profession of unbelief.

What does Jesus do next? He hits the same note again. Clearly and concisely, 'he who believes has everlasting life. I am the bread of life...I am the living bread from heaven. Eat this bread and live forever.'
He doesn't hand them bread to eat and confuse the analogy. In fact He clarifies the point, belief is Him is greater than eating food (manna, bread etc.).

Do you know how Jesus transitions to the next conversation?
'This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.'
He goes to the cross. He changes the analogy doesn't he. He bounces around with His concepts and symbols and pictures and truths.

Read 3:16, a passage always noted for it's picture of the cross. Jesus is tossing this in the mix. The flesh he gives on the cross as a sacrifice, is the same flesh we're to believe in for salvation. No eating at the moment, only looking to, only believing. This flesh is greater than our flesh (:63b).

'I tell you the truth, he who believes has eternal life.'

FOUR / 34-40
'Sir, keep giving us this bread!'
Ahhhh, before their unbelief takes root they think Jesus is going to tangibly feed them miraculously like He had the day before (:1-15). Their expectations are out of line. Jesus is speaking spiritually and they are eager to make Him king 'by force' (:15) and so if He just performs the way they expect the Messiah to perform then all is said and done, Israel will be back on top!

'I am the bread of life.'
The first of the I Am statements. Jesus is equating Himself with God the Father. In this context He's taking away all tangible symbols or expressions of 'bread' and simply saying, without misunderstanding that HE is the source of life. The crowd wants divine bread to eat forever and Jesus is giving them the opportunity to believe in Him instead.

'He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.'
Jesus clarifies His meaning of 'bread'. Come and Believe - this is the eating of the true manna that leads to eternal life.

Manna = tangible and temporary
Jesus = spiritual and eternal

It's not about eating is it? He's already said that He is the bread and that hunger is quenched in Him so why don't they begin grumbling about cannibalism in the FIFTH interaction above (:41-42)? Because they knew the point was Jesus' divine descension and unity in Him and they were beginning to doubt the technicalities of this claim (even after the miracle the day before).

Literal eating and drinking aren't the focus. His divinity is! Jesus's incarnation (putting on the flesh) was ironically about the fulfillment (thus canceling) of all tangible actions man could participate in to earn or maintain salvation. Jesus fulfilled the entire Law in this way. Now anything works related is simply a response to our love for and honoring of Christ.

'I have come down from Heaven' - Divine descension from heaven.
'And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that I shall lose none of all that He has given Me' - Divine sovereignty of God the Father.


CHALLENGE /
Alright. That's enough for now. We'll wrap up the chapter in the next post but here are a few questions to sit on.

1. What is it about the context of the passage that really helps us understand what Jesus is teaching about His role? What does the author want us to understand about Jesus' teaching here?
2. What does this challenge about your current view of the passage? Are there new ideas here? How is this different than your previous interpretations?
3. What are you going to do about it? Is there anything to change in how you engage Jesus? What might the Lord be opening your heart and mind to regarding Him and His work of belief and salvation?

Resources:
Lutzer, Doctrines that Divide #103

Johns Story 6:60-71 / Part A

It's pretty wild that the same mob of 'disciples' who attempted to propel Jesus into a coup by force are the ones who soon after abandon him.

The same mob who are convinced of His Prophethood after a miraculous meal are also the ones who find His teachings too hard to adhere to and abandon their coup d'etat. Abandon their discipleship.

This little ditty, this chapter, sums it up though doesn't it? This teaching tells us all we need to know about engaging Jesus on His terms. Good stuff.

Since you can find commentary on this passage anywhere these days I want to work through this passage a little differently. I want to roll through it in reverse (like that Seinfeld episode in Season 9). It seems to me that Jesus' sums up this passage at the beginning but by the time most of us reach the end we've already begun to interpret it in an entirely different context.

So let's work these 9 Interactions between Jesus and the disciples in reverse and see what we find at the beginning.

NINE / 68-71

'You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know you're the Holy One of God.'

That's it. After all that talk of eating and blood and flesh and bread and manna and works and hometowns and divine origins and decision and Spirit...Belief. (Read 8:23-24 - Jesus is wildly clear on this)

The 12 (minus Judas I.) get it. They cut through the symbolism, they cut through the figurative language, they go past the fringe prophetical concepts and get to the heart.

Belief in Jesus as the Christ for eternal salvation.

'I chose you, the 12'

Jesus has been reiterating the sovereignty of God in drawing people to Himself (5:19-21, 6:39, 44). Here Jesus has the last word - He (and the Father) are in control of it all.

EIGHT / 66-67

Disciples (crowds) stop following Jesus. What pushes them over the edge beyond belief?

Jesus responds in the negative to the 12. 'Are you also going to leave?' But they get it. They have the flavor of actual faith in them.

SEVEN / 60-65

'This is a hard teaching, who could accept it?'

In 1:11 John preempts this. He tells us that many won't receive or accept Jesus.

Jesus goes on to clarify His point. In fact, He builds on :29, the very foundation of this entire interaction.

'Spirit gives life...the words I have spoken are spirit and life. Yet some of you don't believe.'

Sound familiar? In 4:21-26 Jesus tells the woman that worshipping God is a truth filled-spiritual interaction that happens beyond any tangible attachments. This happens though Himself, the Christ.

Now Jesus is following up with His key point of 'belief' only in the negative. He knows this crowd won't believe and so He pushes them to their breaking point.

'flesh counts for nothing.'

Not His own flesh. Obviously His flesh is important, He gives it for the life of the world! (3:16-17, Philippians 2:5-11, Hebrews 10)

Our flesh, our bodies, actions, works can never achieve salvation. Read 1:13 again. Read 3:13-21, outside of belief we're condemned and a condemned person can do nothing on his own, no word or work, to earn freedom. Belief is stressed in this simple phrase.

'Does this offend you? What if I ascend to my home?'

Oh yeah, Jesus also calls out their unwarranted offense. He knows what they're really hung up on and so He nails it. It's not cannibalism - against the Law. It's not drinking His blood - against the Law. The crowd wouldn't have taken these ideas literally. So then, what was it?

They understood He was speaking of total unity with Him. They understood that total consumption of Jesus meant total unity, faith and adherence to Him and His teachings. What's worse, they knew this meant that He truly was claiming to come to from Heaven and they absolutely couldn't accept this idea that He was God's actual Son (:41-42). What's even worse is that Jesus went on to say that they never really knew the Father anyhow (:45-46, 65). They were spiritually blind and dead and groping the dark for tangible fulfillment, not spiritual (:27).

As for the 'ascension' point, some theologians who claim this passage is about the literal body and blood of Jesus use this as a proof text. How? Well, the idea is that if Jesus were talking figuratively the whole time about his body as flesh then why would He begin talking literally about His ascension. He wouldn't bounce between figurative and literal to prove His point. So if the ascension is literal, so must the talk of eating Him.

Well, I'm not sure that's what's happening here.

The ascension is literal, yes (Acts 1:10). So was His descension (:33). The crowds missed the point. They were still hung up on His claim of divinity (:41-42) and couldn't even fathom total unity and faith in Him. So Jesus calls it out and simply says, 'look, I came from heaven and you don't believe Me. Will you believe if I return from where I came? Probably not.'

On a technical note, bouncing between figurative and literal language isn't strange or out of place. Read 7:37-38, yes we literally must believe in Jesus for salvation, no we don't literally drink Him.

CHALLENGE /

Yeah, that's enough for now. We'll unpack a few more pieces of the conversation in another post. A couple thoughts:

1. How important is engaging Jesus in Spirit and belief? Why is He stressing this reality to this Jewish audience?
2. Why don't the 12 sum up Jesus' point with a tangible action, such as eating and drinking bread and wine? Did they miss the point? Again, how important is belief, faith, trust and spiritual-intangible-unity with Jesus for salvation?
3. In the previous chapters and in the following Jesus stresses simple belief (3:36, 5:24, 9:35-38, 14:6) - is there more to coming to a point of salvation? If so, what and why doesn't Jesus address it? If not then have put your faith / trust in Christ alone for your eternal rescue from sin and death?

Resources:Erwin Lutzer, The Doctrines That Divide
Brant Pitre, Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist
Elmer Towns, John (commentary)
Jewish NT Commentary

John's Story 5:16-30

Without changing keys Jesus is once again going to sing the same song of simple belief. Only this time, belief is tangled up in the midst of a dialogue Jesus having on His claim of equality with God.


In fact, let's note 5 of these claims right here. Jesus is equal with God in:

1. person  :17-18
2. works  :19-20
3. power and sovereignty  :21
4. judgement  :22
5. His honor  :23

Text /

Equal in Person  :17-18

As he's being persecuted by some of the Jewish leaders, instead of bowing down and resigning to their authority Jesus' claims of oneness with God the Father only become more clear and direct.

'My Father is always at work...and I, too, am working.'

Just as my own son is one with me in name, blood and lineage - Jesus, as God incarnate, is proclaiming is oneness in personhood with God in heaven. Remember, if we've seen Jesus, we've seen the Father.


Side Note: Persecution for Breaking the Sabbath.
Jesus was working on the Sabbath, a legal day of rest. Jesus' push back was multifaceted:

• Genesis 1 'bara' - create in sustained action, ongoing. So even the Lords instituted day of rest was an act on His part as well as the Colossians 1 reality that Jesus was continuously holding all things together - even on the Sabbath.
• Jesus stated 'My Father is always at work' - there it is. God is at work.
• Mark 2:27-28  Sabbath was designed for mans sake, not to be lorded over man, but offered to him.
• Matthew 15:1-9 'Why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition?' A different context to be sure, but the heart is the same. The Pharisees were glad to create rules for their sake ignoring the Lords very Word in the meantime.

Equal in Works  :19-20
Again, in the midst of an assassination plot against Him, Jesus continues on proclaiming his equality in divinity with God the Father regarding His works, signs and wonders.

'I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by Himself; He can do only what He sees His Father doing...'

Incredible. And even in this aspect of their relationship Love is yet at the core (:20). Isn't this a demonstration as well that the very character of God the Father is found in Jesus the Son? The two are so divinely united that the Fathers love for Jesus eternally overflows into the world (3:16-17).


Equal in Power & Sovereignty  :21
In the OT we see God at work as it pertains to life and death in pretty wild ways:

- Elijah 2 Kings 2
- The boy restored 2 Kings 4:32-35

Just as the Father has absolute sovereignty over life and death, Jesus does so as well. Just as the Father has authority over eternal life and death, Jesus does so as well.

'Just as the Father...even so the Son gives life to whom He is pleased to give it.'

In chapter 4 we read about the healing of the officials son, a physical saving. Before that in chapter 4 we read about the spiritual / eternal saving of the woman at the well. Jesus is sovereign in line with the Father over life and death.

Salvation is a gift entirely produced by the Lord. In chapter 6 we'll see just how gritty He is regarding His death on the cross and our belief in Him for life. However, here we simply catch the flavor that Jesus alone gives life, not of our own accord, not of the Law, not of a family tradition, not a parents will, not of series of works...Jesus gives - we receive.


Equal in Judgement  :22
So Jesus also sits on the throne of judgement. All judgement. Eternal judgement. That all will bow down before the Living God is true (Philippians 2) - but that all with be bowing before the Father and the Son is Jesus' point here. He and Father are one in authority to Judge - what's more God has entrusted this duty with Jesus, His Son.

'the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgement to the Son'

Jesus goes on to qualify this, that just as the Father has / is life, Jesus also has life in Himself 'And [God] has given Him authority to judge because He is the Son of Man' (:26-27).

Jesus, as the Author and Sustainer of Life, has full authority to offer judgement on those who seeking eternal life (:28-29).

'I judge only as I hear, and my judgement is just, for I seek not to please myself but Him Who sent Me' (:30).

Because Jesus judges based on the Truth of Truth Himself, on the very character of the Father, on the host and source of creation, on the very law and fabric of Life - His judgement is Just. Jesus is not a good man with limited culturally relevant justifications. He is Eternal God who sees the moral end as the clearly as the beginning and holds creation to that standard.


Equal in Honor  :23
Is it possible to glorify God and ignore Jesus? To be a worshipper and not worship Jesus and yet know God the Father? Is it possible to call God by any other name, to call Jesus a mere prophet or wise man etc. and honor the Creator?

'that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent Him.'

Praising God and bypassing Jesus doesn't honor the very one you might be intending to worship. If you were to mock my own son I would take personal offense. On the same line, if you were to honor my son I would take great pleasure, I would be honored both in the gift itself, but also in my relationship with honorable son who I love dearly.

There are branches of the Body of Christ who focus more deeply on knowing 'God' - there are others who focus on Jesus to the detriment of the Father and the Spirit - and there are those so engaged in being filled by the Spirit that Jesus and the Father are merely foundational realities - some branches even focus on the Church or the Patriarchs or post-NT church fathers and leaders.

To know Jesus is the know the Father. To know the Father truly is to engage Jesus. To engage the Father and the Son is to be filled with the Spirit to their glory.


Personalize /
'I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life...the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.'

Belief.

1. How are you engaging John's Story of Jesus up to this point? Are you continuing to filter the Gospel through your worldview OR are you engaging the Word as a Divine Text on His terms?

2. What about the equality of Jesus with the Father intrigues you? surprises you? confuses you? frustrates you? Why?

3. What is God teaching you anew in this passage? What are you going to do about it?

4. Pray. Talk with God the Father through Jesus the mediator and ask Him to continue to bring divine clarity in truth. To put your doubts and questions in proper place on your journey in Him.

Read MacArthur Study Bible #1587 regarding Equality. 

John's Story: 5:1-15

Do you want to get well?

Text / 

5:7 The Mans Response

Ever been asked an incredibly simple but overtly personal question? That's how I see the question above. Jesus asks this ill man if he would like to be healthy, whole. How would you respond?

'No one helps me into the pool and others cut in front of me when I do try to get in and that angel from heaven doesn't show up very often...'

I'm not even sure these are excuses. There's no reason to give an excuse here. Maybe if Jesus asked, 'Why aren't you well yet?' then maybe these would be worthwhile but not here. Yes or No? After 38 years of being ill do you want to be well?

Possible Explanations for the Mans Response:

1. R.C. Sproul sees Jesus question as a possible warning to the man, "Jesus' question likely was intended to warn him that being healed would bring radical life changes. There would be no more handouts, no more assistance. Instead, he would have to be productive. He would have to function in a society."
2. Towns notes, "When one waits a long time for a miracle or answer to prayer, discouragement grows, and with it unblief begins to develop." Maybe he was simply beginning to doubt that healing was even an option.
3. I wonder if the man simply wasn't prepared for an actual opportunity to be healed. His condition was very real, his desire to be healed abounding, but his lack of awareness of Rabbi Jesus and quite possibly never having truly witnessed a miracle may have left him with his guard down.
4. What if he was still engaged in whatever sin put him in that position? If this is the case then there's no way to give Jesus a straight answer. His heart and mind were not free of guilt.

Excuses Image taken from Towns pg#49

5:8-9 'Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.'

Whatever the case, Jesus knew of the mans condition and had sovereignly planned a healing. Some translations say Jesus 'learned' of the mans condition. Others stress more directly that Jesus 'knew'. John often demonstrates Jesus' ability to divinely know information (1:47-49).

Jesus knew the condition.

Jesus knew the man.

Jesus knew his heart.

Jesus knew his reaction to healing.

Jesus knew the Jewish leaders response.

Jesus knew the intended purpose of not only this healing, but his coming offer of eternal healing for all.

In Genesis 1 we see God speaking creation into existence. The same power and production Christ used in creation (Colossians 1) He uses here. The Words of God are full of power, they're living and active (Heb. 4)

After the healing Jesus disappears. The man can't or doesn't find Him and so he has no idea who it was that healed him. I wonder if he cares? He seems to just go on about his day. Maybe he's overwhelmed. Maybe Jesus simply left too quickly. Maybe he's excited to run off and hug his family and friends.

Regardless, Jesus finds him later on and leaves him with a serious warning, "See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you."

Again, the mans response is strange. He knows the Jews are upset with him about breaking their law (not The Law, as they have attached way too much to the original Text in Exodus 20:8-11) but he goes to them and makes sure they know who actually commanded him to walk (break the law). Why? He was just healed, not only do the Jewish leaders miss the miracle, but the man himself is yet shifting the focus and 'blame' away from himself and onto this Rabbi.

Also, did you notice the 'again' (:14)? So prior to the 38 years of infirmity this man was healthy and active and productive. Something about his choices, his co-mission of a particular sin or lifestyle of sinning set him on his back for 38 years.

Which leads me to a pretty important question.

Is suffering a response to sin? That is, is a believers suffering always directly related to sin, either conscious committal of a sin or the omission of a precept? Or worse a sin one isn't even aware of in their life? Is suffering always the result of sin?

I was in a service one Sunday visiting a local church when this concept repeatedly came up. The speaker hammered the notion that God only blesses, he does not cause suffering. If anyone in the audience were experiencing suffering then sin is at the root and they are distant from the Lord.

Terrifyingly unbiblical. Imagine how many people churchgoers live under the invisible hammer of God without experience the Truth about suffering.

Scripture teaches that suffering is a part of the human condition. Yes it exists because of sin but in Gods economy it is:

• the consequence of sin (natural and intentional) (John 5:1-15)
• The consequences of a broken world (Luke 13:1-9)
• the means to challenge and grow the believer (Heb. 12:6)
• the response of the world towards believers, persecution (John 15:20)
• the byproduct of the divine meeting the flesh, sanctification occurring in imperfect bodies

Paul said that "it has been granted to you (Philippians, and you and I) on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him," (Phil 1:29-30). The original audience were experiencing many of the same struggles Paul had and he was encouraging them to carry on well, that God the Father knew and intended belief and suffering to go hand in hand for our benefit and His Glory.

Many, many, many believers today are experiencing the very same struggles Paul had. Many others are experiencing different forms of pain, struggle, suffering, conflict, persecution etc.

Side Notes /

Feast of the Jews: Which one? John doesn't say but Passover, The Feast of Tabernacles and The Feast of Dedication are options. Most leave out the Passover as John tends to specify this feast as it plays an important role in Jesus' interaction with the Jews and His temple.

Pool of Bethesda 'house of mercy': near the Sheep Gate on the North side of Jerusalem. Thoughts on this pool:

• animals were cleansed here prior to being sacrificed at the temple
• healing waters: minerals giving the pool a reddish hue and believed to have healing attributes
• healing waters: angel stirs the water providing divine healing to few (not in the earliest manuscripts)
• natural spring within that would turn the waters and gave the impression of angelic healing
• archaeologists have noted later Roman attachments to this pool regarding health and healing as well

Personalize /

How do you respond to suffering? Do you hold unbiblical concepts of suffering?

In your suffering do you discern what is the result of your sin, persecution, others sin, challenge, natural brokenness in the body, character discipline, faith stretching, etc?

How do you respond to answered prayer or miracle in your life? Do you respond with gratefullness and joy? Do these cause you to worship and glorify God, boasting in Him all the more? OR do you wonder why God didn't respond differently? Do you lack contentment in His work and response no matter how great? Is God's work in you ever good enough for you honor Him?

The sick man experienced physical healing and yet seemed to miss out on the spiritual healing Jesus was truly offering. How many Christ followers are missing out on true healing of the heart and mind and focusing too much on the physical healing of the body and surroundings?

I challenge you to point out 3 things today that you are thankful for. 3 things that God has worked in and about you that you must simply and humbly honor Him in response.

John, Elmer Towns #48-49.

MacArthur Study Bible #1586-1587.

John, RC Sproul ebook, #1085.

John's Story 4

Places of worship and water are wildly important aspects of faith. In fact, nearly every system of faith puts emphasis on the location of a god, its residence or place of worship and interaction in the tangible world such as temples, altars, universities, labs, volcanoes and mountains.

As well water is a symbol of either life or death - running water such as rivers or natural springs signify health, purity, spiritual interaction with man (libations, baptism etc.), while stagnant pools of water are both physically dangerous and spiritually symbolic of death.

Text / John 4:1-30 Living Water

At the end of her conversation with Jesus the Samaritan woman left her water jar behind as she went to share the Living Water with her community. This is a great ending to a strange interaction. I wonder how man of us leave behind our old buckets after meeting the Creator.

So what do we take away from this idea of Living Water? Teacher Gary DeLashmutt notes 4 points:

1. Living Water is Essential for spiritual life: this Living Water is symbolic of Gods Holy Spirit indwelling our own bodies to know Him.
2. Living Water is Available in Abundance:
• phrear :11 - physical, man-made well or shaft
• pege :14 - fountain or well, associated with spiritual depths
3. Jesus is the Source of Living Water: He alone has authority to dispense the Holy Spirit.
4. Living Water is a Gift: whoever asks receives, not earned but given.

Later on in chapter 7 we see Jesus calling out to the masses at the closing of the Feast of Tabernacles, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink."

So thousands of people are crowded around the ritualistic procession of the Priests carrying a pitcher of water from the Pool of Siloam back to the altar as an offering to the Lord. Tradition. Physical symbolism. Familiarity. Holy Ritualism. And Jesus calling it an absolute waste of time. Jesus claiming that only HE can offer such forgiving and living water.

Jesus, a Jewish Rabbi, alone, speaking with a woman, a Samaritan woman, a woman living a lifestyle against Gods design - this is an interaction between God and man that now, through Christ, happens to each one of us. God directly and graciously personally connecting with us in our sin with a desire to pull our hearts and minds back to Him and away from our relationships with people and things that will never bring Living Water.

Text / John 4:19-26 Place of Worship

Location, location, location! It's just as important in the Spiritual world as it is in the physical. However, Jesus blows our understanding of this out of the water.

Historical Background on Mt. Gerazim: After the Assyrians took over the Northern Kingdom of Israel in 722bce they brought in various cultures and religions to populate the area. In the 4th century bce, Manasseh, the high priest in Jerusalem, was challenged to divorce his foreign wife or be expelled. Sanballat the Samaritan leader and father of Nikaso, Manasseh's wife, promised the high priest his own temple of the lord, land and power if he would only remain with Nikaso. Manasseh agreed.

Side Note: Both Manasseh and the Samaritan woman Jesus interacted with were placing higher regard on physical fulfillment in their intimate relationships than on their Lord and Creators desire, design and Glory. Somethings in the human condition don't change right? How often do you put sex, money, longings, desires, personal fulfillment and self-esteem before the call of Jesus?

By the time Jesus arrived to meet the woman at the well the temple on Mt. Gerazim had been destroyed by the Jews over 100 years before. The rift between the Jews and Samaritans went pretty deep I would say.

Jesus wasn't worried about rifts. Jesus wasn't interested in temples.

"A time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth...God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and truth." 4:23-24

spirit - pneuma: principle life-giving source, contrasted with the body, symbolic of the heart: the seat of emotion and affection, more than physical action or rite.

truth - aletheia: reality, fact, actual state of affairs - symbolic of the opposite of darkness, evil, partial knowledge in the shadows.

Jesus is beginning to proclaim the drastic change in mans understanding of worship. We naturally desire an object, a location, a ritual, a rite of passage or worthy activity...And here Jesus is proclaiming that the only worthy act of worship is to believe with our hearts, in the depth of a renewed spirit by The Spirit and in actual, knowable truth, specifically Truth about this Living Water in Himself, the Savior and Reconcillor to God the Father!

What does this mean?

You and I no longer have to wait to worship God on a mountain or in a temple or around the mouth of a volcano tossing cows and wild boars into in order to appease his anger.

Nope. We worship God through worshipping Christ and just where you are in spirit and in truth. In genuine heart adoration and knowledge of the truth in our minds.

Challenge /

Have you taken a sip of this Living Water? Have your, like Nicodemus in chapter 3, been born again? This isn't a catch phrase form hippy Jesus movements. This isn't cultish ritualism. This is actual and honest engagement with the God of the Universe on His terms and for your sake.

What personal, traditional, religious, mental, physical, emotional, spiritual temples do you need to tear down in order to actually, intimately, spiritually connect with God? What Truths in Scripture do you need to unpack and build life upon in order to worship Jesus as He has designed?

Come to Him with a pleading heart in the manner of the Official who sought Jesus' presence for his sons healing (4:43-54) but come with the knowledge that Jesus can heal even apart from His physical presence. He is active here and now in ways we cannot yet see.

Gary DeLashmutt 2012 John Series @ Xenos.org

Mt Gerazim notes from Archaeological Study Bible

Comments on the role of water from The Oxford Dictionary of the Jewish Religion

John's Story Light & Belief

My kids and I were grilling the other night as the sun was dropping and the moon was on the rise. We watched the sun descend in what looked like an awesome fiery mess on the horizon and then almost immediately the moon appeared to help us finish grilling dinner.

"It's so cool that even when it's dark all around us we can still see what we're supposed to be doing," Elias observed (Captain Obvious maybe, but he's six so on the age scale I'd say pretty astute).

To which my daughter so relevantly replied, "I can twirl and touch my nose." Clearly gifted in her own right.

My son noted the physical analogy of a brilliant spiritual Truth repeated in John by John the Baptist, John the Author, and Jesus himself. Light shines in the world, in all of the world all the time, it's simply a matter of realizing it.

Text / John 3:16-21
This is the verdict; Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their actions were evil. Through this Light, Who is the Word and was and is with God and known to us as Jesus, In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. This Light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood It and cannot overcome It. John 1:1-5, 3:19

God didn't send this Light into the world to condemn it, it (we) was already condemned, no God sent this Light to save the world and those who do understand this Truth and Believe will experience from here onward eternal life. Those that ignore the Light, that run from it or never dare peer at the light remain under the wrath of God set in place by mans original rejection of Him. John 1:1-5, 10-13, 3:14-18

Verdict =

• So the Light of Christ and the Belief of man in Christ unite in the disciple to eternally experience Life.
• And the Darkness of the evil one and the unbelief of man rejecting Christ unite in the student of the world to eternally experience destruction.

These are such vivid pictures of salvation and separation and Jesus is so forthright in discussing and explaining them they are worth investigating as tangibly and spiritually as possible. We created an axis with these 4 concepts as the key points attempting to see with more distinction the nature of light / dark, belief / unbelief.

Unpack /
Light / Belief Quad: The Disciple of Christ, heart and mind transformation. This person not only believes that Jesus is Lord but has also submitted him/herself to His Divine Light in in true repentance and genuine salvation from sin and death. They are walking in the Light as imperfect students being renewed, looking to the cross, modelling Christlikeness. (3:19-21 / 1:4-5)

Darkness / Belief Quad: The Seeker, Unbeliever, a spiritually muddy area at times. James 2 tells us that even demons believe Jesus is Lord...yet they clearly run from His Light. This person might believe that Jesus was a great Rabbi, a wise teacher, a prophet even, they might even believe Jesus is Truth and Life - but this person hasn't submitted to His Lordship, His Way of salvation. This person seeks after their own desires first and foremost and so remains in darkness...aware of the Light. (3:15-18, 36a / 1:12 / 6:29)

Darkness / Unbelief Quad: This is the Disciple of the World, no belief and intentional darkness. Sins of co-mission and omission take shape. This person is aware of Christ, they have heard the Gospel and they have denied it. In response they remain in the dark, both their own sin and the general brokenness of the world. Jesus isn't condemning them for their unbelief, original sin has done that, but He does let them remain in the dark if they don't want His Light. (3:14-15, 20 / 1:5)

Light / Unbelief Quad: Everyone starts here and many finish here. To the Romans (chapter 1) Paul makes note that Truth is apparent in nature, that all creation proclaims Him and His Light reveals Truth in it's raw divine form...but men and women reject it as The Truth. Here natural sin develops and blinds us in unbelief. We see the Light but can't put a name to this Light unless the Spirit moves first. This person also remains under the wrath of God which is the effect of mans rejection of Truth and Love and the consequences of separation from Him. (3:36b / 3:18 / 1:10-11)

John's Story 3

In John 3 Jesus very briefly compares His coming crucifixion and the salvation He brings with a weird little story from the Book of Numbers in the Torah.

A familiar story to His audience. A story that I think both demonstrates the Prophetic nature of Scripture as it relates to Jesus, but also the Historical / Cultural ways God connected early on with His people.

Text / John 3:1-21

The 4 R's

Read Numbers 21:4-9

1. The people Reject the Lord and Moses
2. God's WRathful response
3. Peoples Repentance
4. God's Reconciliation & salvation

If you've read Jesus' interaction with Nicodemus the Pharisee, and even more so the first few chapters of John, then you'll note the analogy here:

1. The world has Rejected God (Genesis 3) and doesn't recognize Jesus as His Son and Savior (John 1:10-14)
2. The original sin of Adam and Eve has heaped condemnation (WRath) on all men everywhere in all generations (John 3:36)
3. Through Repentence of our sinful nature against the Lord (John 3:14-17)
4. Jesus offers salvation (through looking to the cross)  and thus Reconciliation with God the Father

The Bronze Snake is a symbol of Salvation, a Type of Christ (strange, I know, snakes tend hold such anti-Christ symbology in the Word so be careful not to read into an analogy more than is intended). Jesus is saying to Nico that He (Jesus) is like the snake and anyone who looks to Him as the Savior will be rescued in the same way the Hebrews were from their clear and present demise (venomous snakes)!

Think about how tangible of an analogy this really is. Jesus is saying that just as the snakes were a very real, tangible and immediately deadly threat...and just as the Bronze Snake was a very real, tangible and immediately salvific cure...so our state of condemnation is very true and real and immediate and so Jesus' Messianic cure, salvation, is real, tangible, immediate and eternal.

Incredible.

Key Points /

Nicodemus: Pharisee, wealthy, good standing among his peers, known in the community and obviously well-educated in the Scriptures and thus the Law.

Nico is fishing here. In His opening statement he's seeking clarification from Jesus about His status, His role, His intention - and so begins a three tiered conversation:

Q1 "We know God is with you Teacher" / "Nico, you'd have to be 'born again' to know who I really am.

Q2 "How can I be born twice? My mom wouldn't like that..." / "Nico, you know that God's kingdom is Spirit first and foremost, it's like the wind going where it pleases. You know that a man must be cleansed with water in renewal and purity, just as his fleshly birth was an innocent introduction to the fleshly world. (Read R.C. Sproul, John, Chapter 6 'Rebirth' - great discussion on the various meanings)

Q3 "How?" / "Seriously? You got nothing here? Alright, let's get to the point: God deeply loves His creation (all people) and has sent ME, the Christ, to be like the Bronze Snake...you're a teacher of Israel, you get it now right? I didn't come to condemn anyone, everyone is already separated from God and that is your real issue, sickness, eternal position. I did, however, come to save and whoever comes into my Light and believes the Truth will see plainly the salvation before them and through Me."

So Hozier, I'm sorry man but your song 'Take me to church' just doesn't cut it - Jesus didn't bring poison to be spouted each week but instead the only possible cure. Really catchy tune though! (not sure the lyrics make sense, one too many contradictions to be a sound argument for a life's philosophy...)

Read 3:31-36  John the Baptist continues His Testimony of Jesus

Two quick notes on this chunk:

• "He must become greater; I must become less." Is there really any other model statement that could define a healthy mindset when it comes to knowing and loving Jesus?
• :36 Here John totally qualifies Jesus' earlier statements about belief, salvation, eternal life, rejection, Son/Father equality, sin/wrath. Not that Jesus needs man's testimony - but if any man did qualify Jesus' nature...this is worth taking note of!

Questions /

1. What are you fishing for when you engage the Bible? Or when you engage Jesus? Like Nicodemus, what truths do you see and where do they point? Better yet, Whom do these truths point to?
2. Are you born again? This isn't some outdated religious question. This is the basic question of Jesus for anyone truly and deeply questioning reality: Spiritual reality / Physical Reality in Truth. Have you engaged Jesus directly on His terms?
3. What do you think about your natural state of condemnation? Not very politically correct is it. Not socially or culturally flattering or acceptable right? Even the most conservative, level headed, play it safe, good neighbor, employee, student, parent, homeowner, ticket-less driver person in the world is condemned outside of Jesus' Reconciliation as defined by Him.
4. How might you respond to the teaching in this chapter?

John's Story 2:12-25

Jesus arrives at the Temple Mount, standing in the outer court, and for the first time He acts on the unacceptable use of space in His Fathers house. Now, I assume as a child, even the previous year for that matter, Jesus witnessed the sale of sacrificial animals and the many business opportunities and happenings surrounding the festival. Maybe His parents even partook in this convenient trade.

But we know this year was different.

Jesus was publicly teaching, acting on the miraculous, gathering crowds, calling disciples, being commissioned via baptism and the Spirit and preempted by one like Elijah. Jesus' hour for the cross had not yet come, but here at this first Passover in public ministry His time had come to begin reconciling His people to His Father.


Text / 2:12-25

Let's focus on one particular concept, that is, the redefining of the Temple. Check this out:

'In the temple (heiron) courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip and drove all from the temple (heiron) area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a house of merchandise!"

'Then the Jews demanded a sign to prove His authority...

'Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple (naos) and I will raise it again in three days."

'The Jews replied, "It has taken 46 years to build this temple (naos)...

'But the temple (naos) Jesus had spoken of was his body.'


Jesus was not referring to the temple complex. If His use of the word 'naos' was not clear enough to the original audience the author tells us that after Jesus' death and resurrection they recalled this event and realized fully His intended meaning in this mysterious response to the Jewish leaders.

Define: The two words for temple were somewhat interchangeable but still held particular meaning and it's within this meaning that we understanding Jesus' distinct and prophetic use of 'temple'.

• heiron (Greek) - temple proper, holy place
• naos (Greek) - inner sanctuary, Most Holy Place (later on used by Paul in 1 Corinthians 3:16 to describe the Body of Believers)

This is a small interaction with huge implications for Judaism, for the ancient Church and for all Christians everywhere today.

There is a tendency to think that ministry takes shape in the churches buildings. That we 'go' to church. That God meets us most distinctly in our gathering complexes. And yet Jesus is demonstrating the movement away from the building (Temple, the footrest of God on earth) and noting that this Most Holy Place is within Himself!

He is the fulfillment of any and everything the Temple ever meant to the Kingdom of God on earth.

• John 1:14  Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us
• John 4:21-24  worship neither here nor there but in spirit and truth
• John 17:20-23  Jesus said, 'I have given them the glory that you gave me...I in them and you in Me...'
• 1 Corinthians 3:16-17  you yourselves are God's temple...
• 1 Cor 12:27 you are the body of Christ
• 1 Peter 2:4-10  you are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood...

The destruction of the Naos (Jesus' body) was the ultimate rejection of the very cornerstone of the temple of God. That cornerstone, however, was the building block of the spiritual Naos Jesus was building for His disciples, and their disciples, and all believers in the Christ in all time and space. He is the ultimate High Priest (4:12-5:10, Hebrews 10:19-27) and thus as His disciples / workers / partners - we are all priests in His temple.

Yes, gathering together is important and commanded. Yes, buildings are a blessing and even necessary at times. But no, these material complexes do NOT constitute the Church - they only house us as necessary.

Only Jesus was fully aware of the magnitude of this simple reply to the Jews. Where they assumed a literal destruction of their building - He spoke of a literal destruction of the body of their Creator.

Key Points /

• As with His reference in :4, Jesus' prophetic discussion on his death and resurrection demonstrates the reality that He was fully aware of His divinity and was not surprised to find out His role in Gods plan of salvation as some say.
• Demand of a sign: The Jewish leaders demand of a sign (:18) instead of an immediate arrest leads us to believe they had already heard about Jesus and His powerful teaching and miraculous gifts.
• The synoptic versions of this story:

1. Read: Matthew 21:12-13 / Mark 11:12-19 / Luke 19:45-48
2. These three take place near the end of Jesus' ministry following His Triumphal Entry into the city, leading some theologians to believe this to be a catalyst for His coming arrest.
3. Johns version takes place at the launch of Jesus' ministry and so leads many to believe this happened more than once.

• Key Differences:
• John notes a whip - others do not
• John did not drive out the people (except the dove handlers) - other authors note He scattered all people and animals
• John notes only a turning of the money tables - others note a turning of the dove tables as well
• Jesus' proclamation in John is distinct from the others who recall Him quoting from the Scriptures in the process: 'House of prayer' Isaiah 56:7 & 'Den of thieves' Jeremiah 7:11

In the previous section of the chapter we see Jesus demonstrate the miraculous and reveal His glory and so develop faith in His disciples. In this section we find Jesus passionate about His Fathers Holiness, demonstrating His role as the ultimate Prophet, hinting at his role of ultimate Priest and demonstrating His authority over His people in His temple.


Question /

1. What do you think of your body as the temple of God? Both your individual body AND the body of believers in all places in all time?
1. How might your self-image change as a result of this realization?
2. How might your view of other believers change (those you both like and dislike)?
3. How might your role as a disciple change as a result of housing the Holy One?
2. What about your understanding of the Church? If the Church is more than a building how might this impact how you live as the Church?
3. What implications might the role as the 'priesthood' have as a disciple of Christ? Any? To all believers or only some and why?

What is God teaching you through the Spirit in this Text?

What are you going to do about it?

Read: Key Word Study Bible NIV, John Commentary by Towns, MacArthur on John, John by R.C. Sproul

John's Story 2:1-11

What if Jesus had offered no signs of His divinity and intent? That is, what if all the way up to the cross and resurrection (the greatest sign) Christ had taught, gathered disciples and crowds, travelled about and spent time explaining the Scriptures but offered no miraculous sign?

If there were no signs would Jesus' world have responded to Him the way it (they) did?

I like the hypothetical question because it causes us to all the more dig into the miracles Jesus performs, the very signs John preserves in his narrative, and attempt to understand them in their original context. Many skeptically dismiss these signs as later fabrications of the authors and future copyists.

But if we're founding our understanding of Christ on the very letters of the Apostles and closest disciples...skepticism is born out of our own understanding of the authors intent and not the content itself..

Text / John 2:1-11

'When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."'

'"Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come."...Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.'

Let's dissect this mysterious little interaction a bit. Let's start with Mary's comment:

1. Is this a question or statement? Is she in turn asking Jesus to act on this embarrassing social mishap or simply pointing out it's occurrence?
2. Does Mary desire Jesus to simply make a spiritually charged speech and smooth over the situation?
3. Is she upset that He brought so many of His own guests to the wedding (disciples) who in turn drank more wine than was anticipated?
4. Is she fully aware of His ability to perform miraculous feats through experience and eyewitness? Or simply due to the divine promises she is fully aware are bestowed on His life.

Some thoughts on the above:

1. Comment or Question: It's obvious by Jesus' response that He believed Mary was asking Him to act in some fashion, which He does.
2. Speech: Seeing how Jesus had been teaching publicly up to this point it wouldn't make sense for Him to proclaim that His "time had not yet come."
3. Disciples: Nope. It would not have been odd to have the number of guests fluctuate throughout the week long celebration.
4. Yes, Mary was fully aware of Jesus' divine nature as it would be hard to forget the miraculous virgin birth, the angelic visits and the like. However, did she experience these miracles during His childhood?
• In :11 John notes that this was Jesus' first miraculous sign. Is this the first miracle period or His first public sign of His glory?
• If Jesus had been performing miracles up to this point John had no reason to note this 'first' sign - especially such a backwoods and private one such as this.
• Personally I wonder what happened to Joseph, Mary's husband. Most theologians assume his death in Jesus' childhood (after his half bro's and sisters were born) which leads to me to question why Jesus wouldn't have miraculously spared him at that point - this is total conjecture, we simply know very little about Jesus' childhood and Joseph.
• "Do whatever he tells you" as an imperative statement by Mary leads us to believe she knew and expected Jesus to physically produce a response to her comment.

What about Jesus' response:
Part One "Dear woman, why do you involve me?"

Rewritten: "Woman, what is to you to me"

• "woman' was a term of endearment or respect (do not think our Western sense)
• "what is to you to me" - some teachers and commentators note the odd form of this statement as it's recorded in the Greek. there is general agreement that it's a strange way to invoke to idea of: "dear mother, what matters to you also matters to me..."

What I appreciate about this latter translation is the compassion and respect apparent in the text as opposed to the NIV translation above which tends to make Jesus sound bothered by His mothers request, annoyed even.

When this compassionate translation is coupled with His next statement we are opened up to a pretty cool tension in the life of Christ.

Part Two "My hour has not yet come" - stated again in: 7:30, 8:20, 12:23, 27, 13:1, 17:1

This statement clues us into the reality that Jesus knew His plan and purpose all along and wasn't left to the whims of culture or a distant God - instead He was living on purpose to the cross.

Put together these two statements present the tension between Jesus' physical nature and His divine nature - this hypostatic union 100% man / 100% God. What's more they demonstrate for us the honor and unity involved in interaction with men and with God the Father.

1. Jesus, knowing His purpose and the time table involved sought to honor God by quietly glorifying Him through this simply miracle in the kitchen of a wedding.
2. Jesus, showing love for His mother honored her request, that which was important to her, by fulfilling the tasked sought after and doing so without major publication regarding His "hour."

Key Points:

This first miracle: (:11)

• revealed His glory to the disciples, Mary once again, servants taking part
• fostered formative seeds of faith for His disciples

Johns use of Jesus' miracles as signs had the effect of:

1. glorifying God
2. developing faith in His disciples
3. demonstrating fulfilled prophecy
4. expressing Jesus divine nature as the Son of God, the Messiah

As I was reading this chapter a subsequent thought came to light. Think about the host of the wedding, the parents, the other guests and the married couple. Out of nowhere this incredible wine appears near the end of the bash surprising them all. Each one of them partakes in this mysterious gift and goes on enjoying one another.

Meanwhile, in the backroom, Jesus and the servants are uniting to complete this miracle. The servants do what they can (bring the water), and Jesus does what only He can (change the water into wine). They unite to do the work of the Father. A fitting analogy to our current role as disciples. We do what we gifted and able to and the Spirit on behalf of the Lord completes our work (His work) through us.

Back to the guests. Like most of the world, the guests are experiencing the fruit of Jesus' work without knowing Him nor giving Him due credit. We live and breath because He holds all together (Colossians 1) just as the party continued on because Jesus honorably and divinely acted.


Question

• How does this story of the first miracle impact your own faith in Christ?
• How might your investigation into Christ's claims of divinity be furthered because of this passage?
• As a result of seeing Christ work such a seemingly small miracle how might you view your own role in His Kingdom? Is there any act of service too small to be worthwhile?
• How might you respond and act here and now?

Later this week we'll discuss the next part of Chapter 2 - the first public display of Jesus' Divine Authority.

Comments and textual ideas taken from: John by E. Towns, Jewish New Testament Commentary, John MacArthur Study on John, Dennis McCallum sermon on John 2