LESSON 16
GOSPEL 7
JOHN’S ACCOUNT – PART 2
By Rev. G. E. Newmyer
Now is My soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour (12:27).
The early church was faced with a heresy proclaiming Jesus came to save the Jews, but had to change plans when they rejected Him, which produced the Cross; however, John says the Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world, here Jesus says the Purpose of the Son of man is to die on the Cross for man, yet the purpose of the Son of God is to be Resurrected, so man can have Life. This wasn’t a change of plans, it was the plan. Without the Resurrection, the Cross is death without life.
Calvin looked at the Cross as a partial atonement, but he also added how the Holy Ghost would complete the work. Sin was taken care of by the Cross, but the sin nature is the goal of God’s Justification, which is done by the Spirit in us. We are being washed by the Water by the Word; the Blood is cleaning us from all unrighteousness, as we grow in the Lord our souls become more Spiritual each passing day.
The Soul of Jesus is troubled, since Salvation also brought Judgment. The Sword has two edges, but the Word in us is sharper than any two-edged sword. The Word (Logos) in us is not a Sword, it’s sharper, but the Word we speak is the Rhema, it’s a single edged sword bringing Grace to the hearer. The Living Water is Mercy empowered by Grace to bring Truth and Freedom to the hearer.
Father glorify Your name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again (12:28).
In all this we must remember the Name refers to the Authority, the Father’s Authority is Mercy, the Son’s (Word) is Grace, the Holy Ghost is Power from on High. Here the Name of the Father will be Glorified when Jesus says, “Father forgive them”.
The people therefore that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spoke to Him. Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of Me, but for your sakes (12:29-30).
The Voice was a sign, not for Jesus, but for the people. The Name was glorified, it would be again, it’s not over.
Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out (12:31).
Who is this “prince of the world”? It’s not the “prince of the power of the air”, rather this prince is worldly in nature. What other connection do we have to show him? Later Jesus will say “the prince of this world comes, he has nothing in Me”, referring to Judas (Jn 14:30). Then in John 16:7-11 we find the Comforter who is the Holy Ghost (Jn 14:26) reproves the world,….. ” of Judgment, because the prince of this world is judged”. Paul made a separation between the “wisdom of this world”, and the “princes of this world”, then showed the princes of this world crucified the Lord of Glory (I Cor 2:6 & 2:8). Could it be, Judas is a type of the “prince of this world”, who uses the spirit of the world? Yes, a “prince” is known by the territory they represent, if it’s the “world”, then they are run by the “spirit of the world”. Yet, Jesus said the prince, “has nothing in Me”, meaning Judas with the other princes of the world lost what little they did have.
And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me (12:32).
This is a division from those who follow the “prince of the world”, pointing directly to the Cross. This area shows by Jesus being Lifted on the Cross the opening to “all men”, Jew and Gentile would soon be in hand. The double use of “I” shows Jesus is doing the lifting, it will be the hands of the Romans, but the permission is still based in Jesus, thus He has the power to give it, or not. He is submitting to the Cross, not being overtaken by it.
The phrase “all men” doesn’t mean every individual in the world will be saved, or drawn to the Cross, that would negate “many are called, but few are chosen”, rather it answers the question by the Greeks, showing “all men” referring to Jew and Gentile having the same opportunity.
This He said signifying what death He should die (12:33).
Here it’s clear, it’s the death; the Cross will open the way for the Gentile. Yet, the Cross without the Resurrection is a vain act, just as the Resurrection without the Ascension is a vain act. Paul asked if the dead raise not, why are we baptized? What good does it do to identify with the death, if there is no life?
The people answered Him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abides forever: and how say You, the Son of man must be lifted up? Who is the Son of man? (12:34).
Didn’t Jesus do many wonderful works? Didn’t He preach with an authority far greater than the scribes? Where were these people? Out to lunch? It would appear so, but eyes refusing to see, can’t see, just as ears refusing to hear, can’t hear.
They confused positions, the Son of man had to be lifted and the Son of God had to be raised, in order for us to be raised by the same Spirit. They failed to understand the positions of Christ, they assumed once Christ came, there would be Peace and Safety. They missed, or simply ignored the many Scriptures pointing to the suffering Christ. The prophets, with the Psalms, pointed to the suffering Christ, yet they all pointed to the Victorious Christ as well. The people missed the position of the Son of man, they assumed Christ would stand for God against the evils of the world as they could join in without a change in their natures. They assumed sacrifices were enough, but God desires Mercy more than sacrifices. Before they, or anyone could enter in there had to be a Kingdom established, the Cross and Resurrection perfected the kingdom of heaven, as well as establish the Kingdom of God. The kingdom of heaven separated us from the world, the Kingdom of God is saving our souls on a daily basis.
Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walks in darkness knows not where he goes. While you have light, believe in the light, that you may be the children of light. These things spoke Jesus, and departed, and did hide Himself from them (12:35-36).
There is no half-light, or half-darkness, one is either in the Light, or in the darkness. Prior Jesus said we have to keep our Light burning in the open, but here they are being told the Light was yet to come (a little while). This is the Greater Light yet to come, the ability to have the Spirit of Christ in them, confirming how the kingdom of heaven was being established, but the Kingdom of God was yet.
Prior Jesus told these people, “I Am the light of the world” (Jn 8:12). This explains what it means, “The Christ Abides (Lives) forever”; Christ is not the last name of Jesus, it’s His position, yet He passed the Position to those in His Body who continue to believe. As a Believer we must have the Spirit, but we must also be sons of men flowing in Mercy.
John would later tell us, “God is light, and in Him is no darkness” (I Jn 1:5); therefore, the saving of the soul will drive out darkness, as the power of darkness is the power of the world, the authority of darkness is the authority of the world. The prince of the world uses the deeds of darkness. The Process is establishing the Witness in us, we were flesh, our souls were flesh minded, now the Process is making our souls Spiritual in nature.
But though He had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on Him (12:37).
For some reason Pharisees always come out of the woodwork when miracles happen, but not to see the miracles, rather it’s to attack, question, or test the miracle to their personal theology.
That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke, Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore they could not believe because that Esaias said again, He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them. These things said Esaias when he saw His glory, and spoke of Him. Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue (12:38-42).
The first quote is from Isaiah 53:1, the second is from Isaiah 6:10, both show God does have a purpose; within the purpose He has allowed the eyes of the people to be blinded. Mark showed even though the Pharisees were doing the lusts of their father the devil, although they had hard hearts, their actions would nonetheless be Marvelous in our eyes (Mark 12:11). How? God sees the Precious, then worked all this into the Plan for our benefit. God didn’t have to make these people hard, He merely worked their hardness into the plan.
The Sign for the Pharisees will be the Resurrection, not the miracles. Did Jesus manipulate these Pharisees? Not at all, the plan saw the Pharisees doing all this before the foundation of the world, thus it was worked into the plan, without having to force change, or manipulate the people or events.
For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God (12:43).
This is the old nature, what God “allowed” was mankind to be mankind. There are various degrees of the old nature, but it’s still the spirit lusting to envy. The Cross makes the darkness, as well as the things of darkness ineffective, the New Man makes them history.
Jesus cried and said, He that believes on Me, believes not on Me, but on Him that sent Me (12:44).
We can’t believe on Jesus without believing on the Father as well, we can’t hold our belief in either without the Spirit. He who denies both the Son and Father is of the spirit of antichrist. The Father is the center of Mercy, the Son the center of Grace; therefore, we come boldly to the Throne of Grace by the Spirit to obtain Mercy then Find Grace. This brings a question; “How does one deny the Father and Son?”. We deny the Father by not walking in Mercy, we deny the Son by not receiving Grace. Does it mean we will never fail? No, it means our desire must be to walk in Mercy and Grace by the Spirit. It’s our desire telling the tale, the same premise dividing Peter from Judas.
And he that sees Me sees Him that sent Me. I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believes on Me should not abide in darkness. And if any man hear My words, and believe not, I judge him not; for I come not to judge the world, but to save the world (12:45-47).
This is a promise for us, he who sees Jesus in us, sees Jesus. Jesus came to Save us not to judge us, man causes his own judgment by refusing to believe in Jesus. Later we will see the Judgment is on the world. In our season we find wars, rumors of wars, pestilence and famine are all world based as forms of judgment. However, Jesus has overcome the world, therein is our hope.
He that rejects Me, and receives not My words, has one that judges him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day (12:48).
This is different from the prior message given the Pharisees, then the judging would be through the Law of Moses, so did Jesus change His mind? No, He is speaking to those of the Day, showing those of the Day will not be compared to the “Books” (Law of Moses), rather this warning is pointed directly to the sons of perdition, since this goes to the “last day”.
The Proceeding Word is the Rhema, here Jesus is talking about the Rhema, the Proceeding Word points to the New Covenant, thus faith comes by hearing, but the hearing by the Rhema. It all begins by receiving the Word (Logos) as the Seed of God on good ground. Then allowing it to grow until we speak the words of Rhema to the hearer.
For I have not spoken of Myself, but the Father which sent Me, He gave Me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that His commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto Me, so I speak (12:49-50).
The Words of the Son are the Words of the Father, all this is still related to Mercy as Jesus is operating as the Son of man. The Cross is so near, yet here Jesus is faced with all this unbelief. Who can endure such contradictions of man?
Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour was come that He should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end (13:1).
The Jewish day runs from sunset to sunset, not midnight to midnight (Lev 23:32). John doesn’t talk about the Bread or the Cup but centers on the Commandment given to us by Jesus regarding the New Covenant. Here the Proceeding Word is beginning to unfold, yet the disciples still haven’t a clue to what is going on.
The word End at the closing of this verse, is the Greek Telos meaning The Levy is paid, Jesus continued to pay the price right through the beatings, the cross, the grave, and the Resurrection, every second of pain, or torment His heart was filled with love, and mercy for each of us.
And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son to betray Him (13:2).
Every man is drawn away by his own lust, the lust in Judas grew, it was easy for the devil to plant the idea. For his deed Judas was paid thirty pieces of silver, which fulfilled two prophecies regarding redemption, but not his. Matthew told us the thirty pieces of silver was spoken of by Jeremiah (Matt 27:9), but Jeremiah never notes the exact amount, rather he gives us the purpose. Zechariah 11:12 says, “And I said unto them, If you think good, give Me My price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for My price thirty pieces of silver”. Zechariah gives us the amount, but Jeremiah gives us the reason, as he says, “Israel committed adultery I had put her away, by giving her a bill of divorce” (Jere 3:8). From the divorce the Way was open for the Body of Christ: the people are told, “And I will give you pastors according to Mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding” (Jere 3:15). The thirty pieces of silver was paid to a disciple of Jesus, thus the price was paid for the redemption for the appointed Bride of Christ as well (Lev 27:4).
The devil put into the heart of Judas? Put what? Wasn’t Judas already “a devil”? What gives here? A mystery? Could be. In just a few verses we will get an eye opener, as we find out what the devil put in the heart of Judas. Judas heard Jesus say, “you must deny yourself”, yet he excused it away, he felt since he was among the boys, he was holy, he didn’t need to receive any of those sayings. Judas opened the door, the devil jumped in, yet Jesus knew what was going on, He allowed it based on the ways of Judas. Why didn’t Jesus cast the devil out of Judas? Because the devil didn’t enter Judas, rather the devil put something in Judas, but Judas received it since it fit his agenda.
Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things unto His hands, and that He was come from God, and went to God (13:3).
There are two positions given here, first is the Son of man, Jesus came from the Father with the Mercy of God, then the Son of God when He went to the Father offered the Sacrifice to opened Grace. The Father has given All Things to Jesus, thus in order to enter the Covenant we must seek the Kingdom of God and His Righteousness. The Body is not the New Covenant, the Blood is, thus the Body is the mid-way point, the place between the world and the Covenant, the joining and testing area, or as we know it, “the kingdom of heaven”, thus the Kingdom of God is within, but we are in the kingdom of heaven.
He raised from supper, and laid aside His garments: and took a towel, and girded Himself (13:4).
The washing of the feet is not some tradition, rather the washing is merely the method used to show the purpose. We can wash feet all over the world, yet be prideful in the act, or we can wash someone’s feet thinking we’re so much better than they since we are more humble, but it’s still pride centered. The lesson here is humbleness, as one makes their self a servant, but it’s washing the feet of them who are about to preach the Gospel, the “beautiful feet”. However, this act was not commonly used, in fact we never see it in the Book of Acts, Paul used it one time in regard to the Widow indeed, if she have “washed the feet of the saints” (I Tim 5:10). What say thee? It means to welcome them into the house, rather than reject them. If we want to have foot washing ceremonies, fine, it neither makes us holy, or less holy, it is not a commandment, but it is a commandment to welcome people into the Body. The procedure was the least of common greetings when someone entered a house, thus it’s a symbol of how we greet people.
After that He poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with a towel wherewith He was girded. Then comes He to Simon Peter: and Peter said unto Him, Lord, do You wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do you know not now; but you shall know hereafter. Peter said unto Him, You shall never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash you not, you have no part of Me. Simon Peter said unto Him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands, and my head. Jesus said to him, He that is washed need not save to wash his feet, but is clean every bit: and you are clean, but not all. For He knew who should betray Him; therefore said He, You are not all clean (13:5-11).
Was cleaning the feet the same as forgiving their sins? No. It’s the symbol proving the point; He was welcoming them into the House, they would be protected from what was about come. This should have been a sign to Peter, especially after he said, “also my hands and head”. When the time of pressure came for Peter, he could have thought back on this, knowing he was welcomed and protected. But he didn’t, as we know. .
So after He had washed their feet, and had taken His garments, and was set down again, He said unto them, Know you what I have done to you? You call Me Master and Lord: and you say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you (13:12-15).
Not to be redundant, but the act of washing feet was done by the servant of the house, as a sign of welcoming one into the household, this act of the Master of the house was welcoming the disciples into the House, but at the same time He is telling them to welcome each other. This lesson was well received, they would later know to “submit one to the other”.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than He that sent him (13:16).
What does this have to do with Judas? Much, Judas was attempting to move above his Master by moving outside of his office and calling, he was attempting to make something come to pass to please him, regardless of what pain it caused the Lord.
We are not greater than Jesus, thus the greater works are not ours, but the works of the Spirit through us. What greater work could we possibly do? How about submitting to the Spirit?
If you know these things, happy are you if you do them. I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, He that eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me (13:17-18).
Knowing and doing are different, one can know these things, yet rebel against doing them. This also points right to Judas, but by this time Judas was becoming so self-deceived he assumed he was doing a great work for Jesus. This washing was a sign to Judas to serve, and stop attempting to be the master. Judas wanted to control events, he wanted people to do as he willed, to make the result pleasing to him, the evidence was just a few days prior over the oil used to anoint Jesus.
Although the washing is taking place, the mind of Judas was still thinking “how can I make Him do what I want?”.
Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, you may believe that I am He. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receives whosoever I send receives Me; and he that receives Me, receives Him that sent Me (13:19-20).
This is still talking about the Cross and Resurrection, in a few days they will be upbraided for their unbelief, here is the warning. It also points to acceptance into the House, if Jesus sends us, then those who receive us, will receive Jesus. This includes the Father, those who receiver those sent in Mercy, not only receive Jesus, but the Father who sent Jesus.
When Jesus had thus said, He was troubled in Spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray Me. Then the disciples looked one on another doubting of whom He spoke (13:21-22).
This verse above all others shows they didn’t have a clue about Judas, neither did they understand the Cross and Resurrection at this time. They looked at one another wondering who it could be. Judas seemed to be among the group, but if it were possible they could fool the elect. Of course the disciples at this point in time lacked Spiritual discernment, but Jesus wasn’t fooled for one second.
Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, who Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom He spoke (13:23-24).
In the last chapter of John’s account this same description will be used to show us this disciple is John. Peter knew there was a special bond between John and Jesus, thus Peter wanted John to use his position to find out who the traitor was, but they would find out soon enough.
He then lying on Jesus’ breast said unto Him, Lord, who is it? Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when He had dipped the sop, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon (13:25-26).
Prior we saw the meal itself had ended (Jn 13:2), here it would appear this incident was at the meal; however, the cups and bread were yet to be taken, this area we find small bowls about the table with herbs and olive oil mixed. The practice was to take a piece of bread, then dip it into the bowl of bitter herbs. The Bread is a symbol of the Body of Christ, yet this practice of dipping was never a part of the Communion service. Why? It represented the bitterness of falling from Grace by the induction of the bitter herbs. We are the Bread of life, not the “bread of betrayal”.
Not only did Jesus say who it was, He pointed him out by handing him the dipped bread. Yet, none of these men thought it was Judas, not one jumped up and said, “Judas, is it you?”. No where do we find Judas being rebuked, or among the inner circle, but he was always there. The evidence showing none of them considered Judas the traitor shows he had them fooled, thus if it were possible they would fool even the elect. It seems if someone had the dipped bread, then all would know who this traitor was, so why didn’t they? They were moved by personality, when Judas received the dipped bread, they still looked about, “it can’t be Judas, he’s so nice”. Personality is the outward sign, it can be a mask to hide the inward man. Jesus says, “he whom I shall give a sop”, then handed Judas the dipped bread, but the others sat wondering “who is it?”, who is it? Moved by the “nice guy” syndrome, but Jesus knew Judas was a devil from the beginning. Why didn’t Jesus just fire Judas? Why not expose Judas as a thief? Why not have a little trial? Surely there was enough evidence to convict Judas. Ahh, the Plan, it called for choice, thus we find Jesus knew, but Jesus submitted by allowing Judas to make his own decision.
Why didn’t Jesus pray for Judas? After all, God is no Respecter of persons. Peter’s heart was to do something for Jesus, the heart of Judas was to use Jesus to get what Judas wanted, two completely different intents.
And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, What you do, do quickly (13:27).
Here it is, the thing the devil put into Judas, giving us the devil as the entity, but Satan as his character, to the Jew Satan is opposed to mankind, the same context as the spirit of the world being opposed to the Spirit which is of God. Judas gave the devil opportunity, yet Judas is still not devil possessed, he is self possessed. The Satan nature in this case is the he of the world, thus Judas is becoming antichrist. Judas still had a choice, he could repent as Quickly as he acted against Jesus. However, Judas with his twisted thinking assumed Jesus just approved his act. His deception caused him to fail to look at what he was doing, or compare his actions to the teachings of Jesus. Was he merciful? No. Was he thinking of the Master? No. Was he thinking of himself? Yes.
Now no man at the table knew for what intent He spoke this unto him. For some of them thought because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor (13:28-29).
John clears up an issue, showing Judas was not at the table when Jesus took the Bread and Cup, rather the meal was first, next the sup, then Judas left to do his deed, while he was gone the others had the Cup of Separation, the Bread, then the Cup of the New Covenant. Judas never took of the elements, he was of them, but not part of them (I Jn 2:19).
These verses also show the minds of the disciples, when Judas got up they assumed Judas was going out to buy something, or feed the poor, they never considered Judas as the traitor.
He then, having received the sop, went immediately out; and it was night (13:30).
Judas walked from the Light into darkness of the Night, an indication of the how the position of the son of perdition will be revealed in the Night as the Beast of the Earth.
Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in Him. If God be glorified in Him, God shall also glorify Him in Himself, and shall straightaway glorify Him (13:31-32).
This goes right back to the prior verses, showing the Father was Glorified in Jesus, as Jesus will be Glorified, so we can be Glorified. This “predestination” shows how God knows, it’s man who doesn’t know. If we are called, we are called, pure and simple. How do we know we’re called? We have an interest in Jesus, thus anyone who has an interest is called. If called, the purpose is for them to be justified, then glorified, according to the Witness of the Water, Blood and Sprit. It’s we who make the decision to fail, not God, the only failure in the Kingdom is self-induced. All we need to do is allow the Witness to manifest joining us to the Report.
Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You shall seek Me; and as I said unto the Jews, Where I go, you cannot come; so now I say to you (13:33).
Jesus is calling things a not, as a were, the Glory will bring these disciples into the position of little children. This teaching is for the Blades, to get them to the Full Corn In The Ear. Giving us the ability to Follow Jesus, yet the Jews (religious rulers) could not follow, since they came against Jesus. Judas at this time was selling out Jesus, thus Judas being the prince of the world as the son of perdition begins the position of the enemies of Jesus.
There are wildernesses for anyone who takes salvation seriously. Jesus was taken into the wilderness by the Spirit, so are we; Jesus defeated the devil in the wilderness and we will defeat the works of the devil by the Spirit. These disciples were loved of the Lord, but they lacked the ability to follow Jesus. In order to find the Door, one needs the Spirit, in order to get through it, their souls need to be Spiritual. When we become little children the work isn’t finished, it’s beginning.
A New Commandment I give unto you, That you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have love one to another (13:34-35).
This connects to the prior verse, showing why the Jews could not follow Jesus, they lacked Love for one another. This is different from Love your neighbor as yourself, rather this is love the children of God as Jesus loves them. We are not known by miracles, speaking in tongues, moving mountains, or deeds, we are known by our Agape Love one for the other. This shows anyone can use their faith to move mountains, but without Love it profits nothing. We must believe the Love is in us by the Spirit, as we allow it to guide and flow through us. First John tells us if we want fellowship with the Father, we must treat the children of God, as God does.
This answers the question, How does one deny the Lord? By refusing to love one another as He gave Commandment.
Simon Peter said unto Him, Lord, where do You go? Jesus answered him, Where I go, you can not follow Me now; but you shall follow Me afterward. Peter said unto Him, Lord, why cannot I follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake. Jesus answered him, Will you lay down your life for My sake? Verily, verily I say unto you, The cock shall not crow till you have denied Me three times (13:36-38).
The key to this verse is the word “Now”, thus the time would shortly come when they would be able to follow Jesus, as for Peter it will be confirmed when he hears Jesus say, “Follow Me” (Jn 21:22). The Ability is at question, how can we follow Jesus? He just said, “deny yourself, pick up your cross and Follow Me”. We are not going to Follow Jesus if we fail to deny the self, or attempt to jump over our cross, rather than pick it up. All this goes right back to “ye must be Born Again”, it’s the only ability to accomplish the tasks of denying the self and picking up our cross.
The term Cockcrows pointed to a specific time as we found (Mark 13:35), not only did Jesus tell Peter about the denials, but He also pointed out exactly when they would occur. It would seem if Peter knew this, then after the first, he would repent, but we find Jesus is telling Peter what will be, there is no way Peter is going to change it. Therefore, Peter will find a lesson, we don’t change events, we change our position in the event through repentance.
Peter walked with Jesus for several months, he saw many things, yet he still failed to see there is a vast difference between using our ability, and depending on the ability of Jesus. By using all four accounts, we find Peter was told three times how he would deny the Lord three times.
Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in Me (14:1).
This verse could read, “If you believe in God, you will also believe in Me”. Belief in Jesus removes trouble, thus trouble is the mother of fear, as fear is the element causing us to enter our self-ability to change events, or deny our position. Most of our problems center on a lack of belief, not a lack of faith. Since Belief is foundational, it stands the enemy attacks our belief, more than he does our faith. This is preparation for the time to come, Jesus is telling them to Believe, to hold tight to the words He is saying, Believe God is able.
Chapter fourteen is a continuation of the same teaching which started at John 13:38. When we add this verse to the prior ones, we find Peter is given hope; perhaps it would be these very words Peter would hold to in his time of trouble. Judas was not given any edification, rather he was told, “what you do, do quickly”. Jesus told Peter about the three denials to warn him, not to condemn him, Judas had his mind set to do his own will. God always warns us by His prophets, but each of us must have ears to hear the warnings.
In My Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you (14:2).
Who’s house? The Father’s, the place of Mercy, the key to the kingdom. If it wasn’t so, if there was no room for us, Jesus would have told us, but as long as it’s the Day, we know there is still room in the Father’s House. This is for our belief, a reason to endure, a reason to hold to the Faith when there seems no reason.
The issue in this account is Belief; Paul wrote 100 chapters, with 2,329 verses, including the Book of Hebrews; John’s Gospel account contains 21 chapters with 929 verses. The Greek word Pistuo, translated as Believe, is found more times in John than all the writings of Paul put together. The Greek word Pistuo appears 244 times in 21 of the New Testament books, or better, in the entire New Testament we find Pistuo used in 21 of the 27 New Testament books, yet in John’s account we find this word used approximately 100 times. The Greek word translated as Faith is Pistis, this word never appears in John’s account, but he does use this word in First John where we find, “For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith” (I Jn 5:4).
And If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there you may be also (14:3).
This connects to Paul’s teaching on the Rapture, showing Jesus coming to the Clouds to Meet us, then taking us to the Throne where we will be with Him forever.
Jesus said He came to give us Life, so we Might have it more abundantly, here He says, we May be with Him, thus Life is based in Mercy, Life More Abundantly in Grace, we’re not going to be partakers in the Rapture if we lack either. The New Man is Grace, but the key to the Father’s House is Mercy.
And where I go you know, and the way you know (14:4).
There is a Way, the disciples know the Way, in fact the Way is talking to them. The Church has been known by many names over the years, some we gave it, some the world gave it, but Jesus also called it “The Way”. The Church is the result of the Way of life, the Body by the Cross is the door to get there. There are “churches” in the Body, but there is only One Church, soon to become the Bride in heaven. The confusion of man is attempting to make one of the churches, the Church, leading to “we are the only church”. We are members of the Body, but we are growing into the Church. We build the Body as we cast the net, but Jesus builds the Church, thus no one order in the Body is the “only Church”.
Thomas said unto Him, Lord, we know not where You go; and how can we know the way? Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father but by Me (14:5-6).
Thomas wanted to See something, but Jesus points to the Way, the Truth and the Life which are substances one can’t see. When we asked for Jesus, did we see Him? Did some angel give us a membership card? We believed we received by faith causing the process to begin. Natural minded man wants to see, then believe, some of us have added seeing to believe to our concept of “faith”, if so, we error.
If you had known Me, you should have known My Father also: and from henceforth you know Him, and have seen Him (14:7).
Going back to the beginning of John we read, “no man has seen God at anytime” (Jn 1:18). The Greek word for Seen is Horao meaning to see Clearly or Perceive; here Jesus used the Greek Ginosko meaning To Understand Intuitively or By Experience; it was accepted by the Greeks to mean Knowledge beyond one’s ability.
Philip said unto Him, Lord, show us the Father, and it suffices us. Jesus said unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet have you not known Me Philip? He that has seen Me has seen the Father; and how say you then, show us the Father? (14:8-9).
Philip reversed the order, Jesus said “If you Have known Me” thus this is past tense, not future tense, If we Have known Jesus we will Know the Father; Philip tells Jesus to Show him the Father, then he will be happy. Philip heard the same words as the others, he knew Jesus said, The works He did were not of Him, but of the Father, the words He spoke were not from Him, but from the Father. After the Resurrection and Accession Jesus will give Commandments to the disciples through the Holy Ghost, but for now, before the Cross these men saw the Mercy of the Father in Jesus. We hear Jesus through the Spirit of Truth in us, thus Faith still comes by hearing. This shows the Father is connected to Mercy, thus Jesus as the Son of man walked in Mercy displaying the character of the Father; however, as the Son of God He opened up Grace for us by the Resurrection.
Believe you not that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of Myself: but the Father that dwells in Me, He does the works (14:10).
Right back to Belief, here Jesus said “in the Father”, yet we know the Father was in Him, but at the same time came the Voice from heaven. Wow, God is everywhere. This issue of Mercy is overlooked by far too many of us, Mercy is the power to forgive, as we are forgiven. Fellowship with Jesus is found in Grace, Fellowship with the Father is found in Mercy, thus fellowship begins by treating the people of God, as God treats them.
Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the very works’ sake (14:11).
If we can’t believe Jesus is in the Father, or the Father is in Jesus, at least believe the Works are of God. This latter aspect points to giving God the credit and glory, regardless of what the event appears to be.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believes on Me, the works I do, shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father (14:12).
We can either believe on Jesus or believe on the works, but if we only believe on the works we won’t do them. If we believe on Jesus, we will believe on His Name, then Greater works of Grace we will do. The reason Jesus went to the Father was to release the Holy Ghost to bring the Spirit, giving us the ability to do Greater Works.
And whatsoever you shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you shall ask any thing in My name, I will do it (14:13-14).
This is predicated on the prior verses. If we have Jesus in us, we have a servant’s heart; we won’t ask attempting to fill some soulish lust. Our intent must be to have our souls become Spiritual b the Spirit in us. James told us to ask, but ask in faith, as faith desires to please God.
If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of Truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it sees Him not, neither knows Him: but you know Him; for He dwells with you, and shall be in you (14:15-17).
Here is the center of the prayer, the Spirit of Truth, Another Comforter, one like the Comforter. John will tell us the Spirit of Truth is the Greater He in us (I Jn 4:1-4); the Greater He is fully able to defeat the he of the world. The key is “dwells with you, and shall be in you”, showing none of them were Born Again at this time.
The Comforter came on Pentecost, then planted Another Comforter in the disciples. Jesus said, “But you shall receive Power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you” (Acts 1:8). At this time, the Comforter Dwelled With them, not in them, but He shall Be in them, there is a difference. The New Man, or Spirit in us is defined as “another Comforter”, the purpose is for our souls to be changed from flesh to Spirit, thus the Spirit of Truth is the New Man in us. Jesus is talking about the New Birth, at this point in time it was future tense for these disciples.
Verses 16 and 17 are one sentence, containing a continued thought. The word “Abide” is the present subjunctive active tense meaning a continuous action beginning prior, yet continues on; therefore, it doesn’t Pass Away, rather we can move from it, or move with it.
This complexity shows Jesus in us by the Spirit, but He is also on the right hand of Majesty on high while we are here on earth, but we are also sitting with Jesus in high places? How can it be? The Tree of Life, it too is seen in two places. The Tree of Life is connected by the Street of the River of Life, as the River of Life has Living Waters, but the Tree is on either side, one tree either side, how can this be? The TR shows it as “here and there”, meaning it’s connecting two elements; here on earth it’s the Witness, in heaven it’s the Report. The Street is repaired, we can trust in the Word of the Lord.
I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you (14:18).
Here Jesus says He will come to us, but how can this be? Ahh gee this is before the Cross, it must hold several meanings, Jesus will not remain in the grave, but it still doesn’t answer ”come to you”, unless we add, “leave you comfortless”, then it adds the Comforter as the Holy Ghost, bringing Another Comforter as the Spirit of Truth, or Holy Spirit, since the Holy Spirit is the Promise (Eph 1:13). Jesus will not leave us without Comfort, Another Comforter will dwell in us, the Comforter will dwell with us. The Holy Ghost is part of the Report in Heaven, yet He fills us here on earth to deal with the masses, He also appoints to the Offices for Jesus (Acts 13:1-3), but He is the Planter of the Seed of God in us.
Yet a little while, and the world sees Me no more; but you see Me, because I live, you shall live also (14:19).
The word Sees means to perceive, or Look upon, so how do we see? The New Man, because Jesus lives, so shall we, it’s the heart of Galatians 2:20.
At that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you (14:20).
The Day would be Pentecost, the same day they received the Seed of God to be Born Again, we in Him means we in the Body, He in us means we are Born Again. The induction of the Father into this shows the Body is based on Mercy; He in us based on Grace by the Spirit.
He that has My commandments and keeps them, he it is that loves Me: and he that loves Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him (14:21).
The word Manifest here is different From the word Manifestation used in First Corinthians 12:7. In First Corinthians the word Manifestation means the manner in which the Spirit will display Himself through the Believer. Here the word means To declare plainly, or To declare in person. The Least Commandments of Mercy were given to us by Jesus on the Mount of Olives, if we keep the least of the Commandments the Father will love us.
Judas said unto Him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself unto us, and not unto the world? Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him (14:22-23).
If we Love Him we will keep His Words; from the Logos comes the Rhema, as His sheep hear His sayings. If we Hear, then the Father will come unto Us in the Form of the Spirit, then the Father, Son and Holy Ghost will dwell in us by the Name of Jesus, which is the Witness of the Water, Blood and Spirit.
He that loves Me not keeps not My sayings: and the word which you hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent Me (14:24).
This verse has “love”, “sayings”, “hear” and “word”, all connecting to “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word (Rhema)”, thus the Rhema is the place of belief, leading to faith. If we have a ready mind willing to receive Truth, we have Rhema ears.
There are some who love pleasure More than they love God, but if we Love Jesus we can’t help but seek to please Him. True Love is not based on what others can do for us, it’s based on what we can do for others. Self-based love seeks to gain from the other party in the relationship, rather than seeking to benefit the relationship.
These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you (14:25-26).
This divides the aspects of the Holy Ghost, from the Spirit in us. Here it’s still “the Comforter” defined as the Holy Ghost, as the Holy Ghost teaches us by comparing spiritual to spiritual, the first spiritual is heaven, the second is in us. The New Man also teaches us, but here Jesus is talking to the entire group.
First John is a teaching letter, yet he says we have no need of a teacher. If that’s the case why did he write a teaching letter? No one, not even an anointed teacher can teach us “how to love”, they can teach us about love. John’s point is not telling us to avoid teachers, rather no one can teach us to walk in Grace and Love, only the Holy Ghost can teach us by the Spirit in us, thus defining spiritual to spiritual, but we still need Teachers to explain the process.
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid (14:27).
Here Jesus says He leaves us Peace, yet after the Resurrection He tells the disciples “Peace unto you”, so do they relate? Yes, the world in no way can have Peace with God, but through the Power of the Resurrection we can. The Peace Jesus gives us, is Peace with God, this in no way means we will have peace with the world. In fact, it shows if one has Peace with God, they can’t have peace with the world.
You have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If you loved Me, you would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for My Father is greater than I (14:28).
This can’t refer to the Second Coming (Advent) of Jesus, since it’s a day of darkness, adding Woe to him who longs for the day (Amos 5:18). Wait now, are we not to take Joy in the Day of the Lord, what gives? The Day of the Lord is like unto a 1,000 years, ahh, the mystery, the Day of the Lord ends the Day, as it begins the Night, thus, we do take Joy, since the beginning is the time we will be with Jesus, then comes the time for the Father to make the enemies of Jesus His Footstool, then the end of the Day of the Lord which is the darkness Amos referred to. This has nothing to do with sitting in heaven pointing to the earth saying, “see, I told you so, ha, ha, now you’re going to die, burn forever”, no, it has to do with the end, the time to bring a finish to all this, as God brings His children home.
This is also a very interesting statement regarding the Father and Son, here Jesus says the Mercy of the Father is greater than the Grace of the Son, how can it be? Mercy endures forever, Grace is but for a Season. Mercy will be the judging element at the Judgment, not Grace. Those who walk in the Spirit are free of the second death, but in order to walk in the Spirit, one must also walk in Mercy. This also shows how much Greater it is for us when Jesus goes to the Father. Unless Jesus goes, there will be no Power from on High, no New Birth, no Greater He in us; however, it still doesn’t take away from the Mercy of the Father, we seem to focus on the Acts, but Mercy is the beginning of the Ways.
And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, you might believe (14:29).
One purpose of prophecy is to look at what God said, when it comes to pass, we know God knew; therefore, our confidence and belief in God grows. The very purpose of Prophecy is to help us believe. Prophecy is not for us to go around, determining what God must do in order to make the prophecy come to pass, neither are we to attempt to bring the prophecy to pass. The Pharisees brought many prophecies to pass, yet they never knew it. The true test of prophecy is seeing it has come to pass, those involved didn’t know it until after the fact, proving it was prophetic.
Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world comes, and has nothing in Me (14:30).
Jesus wasn’t afraid of the prince of the world, but He knew the time had come, the Hour was now. Luke tells us after the Resurrection Jesus taught the disciples many things about the Kingdom of God (Acts 1:3). This is a promise of the Resurrection, yet the disciples will fail to believe, ending being upbraided with their own unbelief (Mark 16:14). Of course they were natural, still depending on natural elements, yet belief is a decision.
When Judas showed up, why didn’t Jesus say, “I come against you in the Name of Jehovah”? Or, “you are tempting the Anointed of God”? Jesus had this confidence, nothing, not one little thing could happen, unless it was granted from on high.
But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, even so I do. Arise let us go hence (14:31).
When Jesus said “Arise”, the Victory in the Cross and Resurrection was as good as done. The Commandment was to bring Grace unto Salvation by faith for all those who will believe, but it also included the Gethsemane Cup, not saying we will take it, rather the Cup of the Covenant will spare us from the fourth Cup of Gethsemane.
I am the true Vine, and My Father is the Husbandman. Every branch in Me that bears no fruit He takes away: and every branch that bears fruit, He purges it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now you are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can you, except you abide in Me. I am the Vine and you are the branches. He that abides in Me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing (15:1-5).
This is not a warning, but a promise. These verses are probably the most dynamic for us, they display a descriptive explanation of our walk, and why we go through events seemingly anything but good to us, but in truth they are Precious. If we are a Branch, we will produce Good Fruit, but even if we produce Good Fruit we will be trimmed to bring forth more Fruit. The Trimming process is called Justification, at times the Father will cut us close, but nonetheless the purpose is to bring forth More Fruit. The more the fruit the more innocent we become, this is seen in Vineyard, they cut the vines back to bring forth fruit.
The Fig Tree is not the issue here, neither is the Olive tree, this is the Vine, the place where the Wine is gathered. Before Jesus spoke of the Body and the Mercy of the Father, here He is speaking of the result of Him going to the Father as the “greater works”. There are two branches, those who refuse to produce, and those who do produce. Those who fail to produce will be cut off, those who do produce will be trimmed. A cut off branch sits on the ground dying, but if it’s self-deceived, it will presume it’s still on the vine. What will be the difference? The fruit, rather than a non-fruit, thus we judge the ways of a person.
If a man abide not in Me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered, and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned (15:6).
A cut off branch becomes an Abominable Branch, instead of being attached to the Vine they lay on the ground full of death, yet on the outside they appear as branches. This shows the Abiding in Jesus, as Jesus Abides in us, the life of the branch is not in the fruit, rather the fruit shows the life of the Vine. The word Abide is the Greek Meno meaning to Continue, or Endure, it fits with Mark 16:16, if we are in the Body, we continue to Believe for the phrase shall be saved to fit. It’s far different than continuing to believe in our personal theological agenda, or dogma, or fables, rather it’s to believe in Jesus, while holding our faith in God.
If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you (15:7).
The English word “words” is the Greek Rhema, yet Jesus is the Logos, thus we have the Spirit of Truth as the Logos in us, as we are to Abide in Jesus (Logos), then the Words (Rhema) Abide in us. The word “If” denotes a choice, there is a Warfare to remain spiritual in nature. We have to see the phrase, “ask what you will” is predicated by “Abide in Me”; if we Abide in Jesus we will ask in the same manner as Jesus, if not, we will use this to pray from some lust, as we cause a War against God.
Jesus uses the word Abide eight times in this teaching, it’s a type of Reciprocity, if we Abide in Jesus, HisRhema will Abide in us, then we will be in a position to ask what we will and it shall be done, but we have to see the premise is the Rhema in us showing we will ask from the position of the Rhema, not the self.
Herein is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; so shall you be My disciples (15:8).
Right back to the Vine, showing the purpose of asking is to produce more Fruit. The pruning will take place, but the purpose is bring forth more fruit. This is still speaking of the Father as Mercy prunes the Branch to bring forth more Mercy and words of Grace to the hearer.
As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you: continue you in My love (15:9).
This is again a type of Reciprocity, the Father Loves Jesus, Jesus loves us, thus we can Continue, or Abide in Love, as we walk in Love, thus the basis of love is Mercy.
If you keep My commandments, you shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love (15:10).
These Commandments are not the Ten Commandments, these are the Mercy Commandments from the Beatitudes. Mercy and Love run hand in hand, show Mercy, and man will grant us Mercy, causing your love to grow.
These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, that your joy might be full (15:11).
If we love Jesus, we will be eager to enter His Commandments of Mercy and Grace by the Spirit. The children entered the wilderness to have their love for God tested, our wilderness experience is no different, our Love for God will overcome our love for the self.
Jesus doesn’t want us with a little Joy, but be Full of Joy. The word Full comes from the Greek Pleroowhich means Perfect or Complete, thus the Comforter brought Another Comforter so we might be able to do the things of Mercy by Grace. From the Faith of Jesus we can come boldly to the throne of Grace to obtain Mercy and find Grace.
This is My commandment, That you love one another, as I have loved you (15:12).
Prior it was Commandments (plural), here it’s Commandment, there is one Grace Commandment centered in Love one another, it’s the difference between those with the Spirit of Truth, and those with the spirit of error. John is the only writer who uses the title, “antichrist”, yet the context is one brother who hates another (I Jn 2:3-6 & 2:10-11). Here we find the Fruit of the Spirit is Love, never imputing sin on the brethren, but seeking restoration, edification, and growth for the Vine in total.
Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends (15:13).
Jesus laid down His life for us, we lay down ours for Him. He died so we might live, we die to the self so He might live through us. Greater love has no man than to deny the self, then allow Jesus to live through them: invoking His Commandments, “deny the self, pick up your cross and Follow Me”. If we want to be a Friend of Jesus, rather than servant, we walk in both Mercy and Grace.
You are My friends, if you do whatsoever I command you (15:14).
The all encompassing word “IF” is clear, If we do what He tells us, we will be His friends, thus Faith still comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word.
Henceforth I call you not servants, for the servant knows not what his Lord does: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of My Father I have made known unto you. You have not chosen Me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in My name, He may give it you (15:15-16).
No one calls Jesus Lord but by the Holy Ghost, yet no one calls Him Friend unless they are Born Again, thus operating in the same Spirit of Holiness.
The word used for Friends here is different from the one Jesus used in reference to Judas. This word means a Friend based on a mutual love, the one used in reference to Judas means a friend by association, without any consideration for love.
These things I command you, that you love one another. If the world hate you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you (15:17-18).
Jesus calls Love a Thing, thus the ability to express Agape Love is one of the Things added when we seek the Kingdom and His Righteousness. We begin by loving others through our Phileo love, then Agape grows by the Spirit, but if we don’t begin by Phileo we never reach Agape. Therefore, Phileo is our starting place, not the finish of the race, we all have the Agapao love in our measure of faith, but Phileo is a matter of decision. This lesson will come to Peter in the last chapter of John’s account.
If you were of the world, the world would love his own; but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you (15:19).
The Division is between the darkness of the world, and the Light of God. The world is the place we cast the net, it is not the place where we abide. If the world tolerates us, we’re in trouble, if they love us we’re in the wrong camp. On the same note there are those who exist in heresy, when rebuked by a saint they assume the rebuke is some sort of “persecution”, then they twist the rebuke into something it wasn’t in order to justify themselves. It’s not the context here, this is the world, Paul tells us the spirit of man is ignorant of the things of the Spirit of God, yet the spirit of the world is opposed to the Spirit which is of God (I Cor 2:11-12). This is the preview of being Called, most of us think we made a wise decision coming to Jesus, it was, but before a decision can be made, there must be the Call. We will find Jesus didn’t pray for the world, but He prayed for us while we were in the world. His prayers centered on our purposed citizenship, not our worldly behavior. As soon as we left the world, we became the enemy of the prince of the power of the air, the same spirit working in the children of disobedience. The world is run by the passions of the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, or the pride of life; when we came to Jesus we denounced the passions of the world.
Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept My saying, they will keep yours also (15:20).
Two sides of the same coin, if they persecuted Jesus, they will persecute those with Jesus in them; however, if they “Kept” the saying, they will keep ours, what saying? The Greek word for Saying is Logos, in this case it means the Doctrine of Christ, if they receive the Doctrine of Christ, they are called.
But all these things will they do unto you for My name’s sake, because they know not Him that sent Me (15:21).
The context is His Name’s sake, not the sake of opinion, or our personal pleasures, but for the sake of the Authority. We seek Power, as we should, but we can’t forget the Authority is the basis behind the Power. Great Faith is determined by our knowledge of Authority, we are a people of Authority, but we are also under Authority. The Authority granted us is specific in nature, it has tasks assigned to it, but it does not allow us to hate the brethren, attack people, use deception, produce strife, or division, it does however tell us to teach, baptize, teach, lay hands on the sick, walk in love, submit to one another, as we do the works of the ministry.
When someone dares to believe in the Name of Jesus, or prays for the sick, the world gets mad. They don’t care if anyone is healed, it’s the use of the Name of Jesus, the Word of Faith, or our Trust we have in God offending them. Pharisees are worldly, they are run by the spirit of man, thus they send devourers after those who Stand in the Name of Jesus. It’s to be expected, but nonetheless, Greater is He in us, than he in the world.
If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin; but now they have no cloak for their sin (15:22).
This is interesting, didn’t the Law of Moses define sin? Yes, what then is Jesus talking about? Mercy, when Jesus came the ability to do Mercy also came, as did the ability to walk in Faith, from faith to Faith, from Mercy to Grace. Grace without Mercy is unlawful, it’s like authority and power, power used without authority is rebellion, or witchcraft. If we use our power outside of the confines of the authority granted we have engaged in witchcraft. However, Grace with Mercy is an action, is power and authority.
The Law of Moses didn’t do away with sin, it was a covering, just as Adam used fig leaves to cover himself. The sin was there, only with a cloak over it, but when Jesus came the times and seasons changed, there was no need to run to the “cloak”, rather it was time to have the Word in us. The Word will divide and separate, it’s able to save our souls, something the Law of Moses was not designed to do (James 1:21 & Heb 4:12-13).
He that hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no other man did, they had not had sin; but now have they both seen and hated both Me and My Father (15:23-24).
The word Hate here doesn’t mean the type of hate where one goes about talking nasty, it means to Love Less, or to place in a lower position, or fail to place in a proper priority. James says the devils believe in one God, here is the evidence, if someone says they believe in One God, yet they hate the Son, they are a devil. You can’t hate the Son, yet not hate the Father, regardless of what one says. The context of First John is based on these verses, “whosoever denies the Son, the same has not the Father” (I Jn 2:23): “he that hates his brother is in darkness, and walks in darkness, and knows not where he goes, because the darkness has blinded him” (I Jn 2:11): “who is a liar, but he who denies Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, who denies the Father and the Son” (I Jn 2:22). We deny the Father by refusing to walk in Mercy, we deny the Son by refusing to walk in the Spirit.
But this comes to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their Law, They hated Me without cause (15:25).
It is written in their Law? Why not the “law of God”? Why not “My Law”? This verse shows Jesus was not subject to the Law of Moses, He indicates the truth of how the Law was given to Moses, then Moses gave it to the people, thus He refers to it as “their Law”.
The Scriptures are coming to pass, it would seem the event was not so good, yet it’s good, in essence it’s the best thing to happen for mankind.
Jesus uses one phrase to quote two scriptures, the first is from Psalm 35:19, which reads, “Let not them who are my enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; neither let them wink with the eye who hate me without cause”; then Psalm 69:4, which reads, “They who hate me without cause are more than the hairs of my head: they who would destroy me, being my enemies wrongfully, are mighty: then I restored what I took not away”. The people noted here are within, not without, a man’s enemies are of his own house; however, Jesus never caused anyone to return to Perdition, they do it on their own.
But when the Comforter is come, Whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth which proceeds from the Father, He shall testify of Me (15:26).
Now Jesus begins to speak of the Ability, the first to come will be the Comforter who Jesus will send from the Father, then the Comforter will bring the Spirit of Truth. This is made clear by John when he shows the Greater He in us is the Spirit of Truth (I Jn 4:1-4).
Here we find the mystery, the Comforter was sent by Jesus through the Father, thus God is Spirit, then the Comforter brought us Another Comforter, as the Spirit of Truth, or Holy Spirit in us. Why go through all the other things after telling us about the Comforter prior? The separated efforts of the Holy Ghost; in the world He reproves, in the Body He teaches, He also fills us to deal with the masses as He appoints to the five-fold offices.
Jesus placed the Spirit in the hands of the Father by saying, “In Your hands I commend My Spirit”; therefore, the Spirit pertains to Life, not death. The Spirit in us proceeds from the Father and Son by the Holy Ghost to Witness Jesus, and to save our souls. The Law and Prophets testified of Jesus before Pentecost, but the testimony was limited to the nation of Israel. Now the Witness of the Water, Blood and Spirit will go out into the entire world to gather in the called from every nation, tongue and kindred.
And you also shall bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning (15:27).
The fathers know Him who was from the Beginning, yet at this point in time these disciples are not fathers, neither are they Babes, since they are not yet Born Again. What Beginning is He talking about? The Beginning of the ministry? Couldn’t be, since many of them joined after the ministry started. The Beginning of the Church? Couldn’t be, since at this point in time the Church had yet to be built. Could it be they were “spirits” in jars in heaven? Not hardly, rather this shows predestination, as the plan has all things accounted for from the foundation of the world. Jesus is teaching them what is to come, He is not granting them the Spirit. This is so they can believe to reach beyond what they see, to remember what Jesus told them. This will connect to John 20:21-23, as the prelude teaching to gain permission to receive the Spirit.
In context with the concept of the fathers knowing Him who was from the Beginning, we find it means they Know, Perceive, Understand, as they walk in the Spirit. The young men Have overcome the wicked one, the little children know beyond any doubt, their sins are forgiven (I Jn 2:12-14). Jesus had these men in His heart from the Beginning of Time, in the Beginning the Word was with God, as God saw each of us from the foundation of the world. God Pre Destined a Way for us, then asked us to join in by accepting the Witness to carry out the Record, yet the decision is ours.
These things have I spoken unto you, that you should not be offended (16:1).
Offense comes when our position is not right with God, but Offense will get us off the fence. Likewise those who receive the Seed with gladness, endure, but for a time, then when persecution and affliction comes, they are offended. We are told these things so we endure the Growth unto the Blade to produce Fruit (Mark 4:14-28).
Chapter sixteen follows with the same teaching from chapter fifteen. Here we find the difference between offense from the world, and being offended by the Truth. Persecution comes from the outside, it’s a fire behind us, but Affliction comes from within, it can be the Fire of God burning in us, like Job who suffered affliction, but the premise was removal of the fear, to establish faith. We shouldn’t be offended if we know with Whom we stand, it’s God, not the devil, it’s Grace not demonic attacks. We war against the Wiles of the devil, the word Wiles means the methods, or methodology; one can hate the devil, yet use the devils ways.
They shall put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time comes that whosoever kills you will think that he does God service (16:2).
This is “telling you things to come”, thus Jesus is teaching them on what will be. Why would He? Belief. Knowledge is the foundation for belief, these are events about to happen to Jesus. If they do it to Him, they will do it to us. They will think they are doing God a service? There are some who murder in the name of God today, yet we know this is the Day, the time of life, thus those who murder in the name of God, slander His Name.
And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor Me. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you (16:3-4).
This is pure prophecy, or a warning, it will happen, don’t be surprised, don’t hold bitterness, don’t attempt to get even, just believe God is. It’s simple, when these things come, it’s because Jesus told us they will, why then fall to sadness? The Beginning of our walk will have many valleys, the Spirit will take us into the wilderness, but if we endure we win in the end. These verses should be our foundation for spiritual warfare; attacks will come, how we deal with them tells the tale.
But now I go My way to Him that sent Me; and none of you ask Me, Where do You go? Because I have said these things unto you, sorrow has filled your heart (16:5-6).
They just didn’t get it, but it’s more evidence showing they were not Born Again. If the Spirit guides and instructs, surely He would have instructed these disciples. This whole area shows Jesus is preparing them for the time to come. However, they are natural, the event will be the overpowering concern, so much so they will hide.
We also see the connection again between the Father’s Mercy with the Son’s Grace in the Spirit.
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you (16:7).
This defines, “My Father is greater than I”: it’s Greater and Expedient for the disciples and us if Jesus goes to the Father. If He goes, we can receive Him as our hearts are circumcised by the Holy Ghost. There is no way anyone is going to be Born Again unless Jesus has paved the way, which includes the Cross, Resurrection and Sacrifice in heaven. The best evidence we have to prove the Resurrection is true, is having the New Man. The Holy Ghost is the Comforter, Hs is not Another Comforter, the Holy Spirit is defined as the Spirit of Truth or Another Comforter.
The word Expedient means Free from impediment, Unhampered, Quick, and Prompt. The word Greater means Marvelous, higher in Rank and Position, Accomplished, Magnanimous, denoting a Step of Ascending, the Whole, the Completeness, or Ability to be Sealed by Authority. If Jesus doesn’t go, the Holy Ghost will not come, if He doesn’t then the Seed could not be planted, and if no Seed, no Spirit, no Spirit no chance of being spared the wrath of God. The Seed is the Gift of the Holy Ghost, but the position is clear, there was a change in Season involving the Comforter with Another Comforter.
And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment (16:8).
Now wait, we can see the sin part, all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. We can even see the Judgment part, since the world is judged, but Righteousness? What is that about? The Reproving goes right back to the sin being exposed because Jesus spoke. When God gave the Ten Commandments sin was defined, when Jesus spoke, the sins against the Mercy of the Father, and the Grace of the Son were defined. Once Jesus displayed His Righteousness, all other forms of righteousness became sin.
This shows the dual role of the Holy Ghost, in reference to us it’s planting the Seed, appointing to the Offices, filling us for dealing with the masses, but here it’s what He does in reference to the world. The Words of Jesus have been spoken, the Cross has happened, the escape from sin is granted. Most of us were reproved of sin, that’s why we came to the Cross. The Righteousness is based on the Righteousness of God, making man’s self-righteousness, unrighteousness. Judgment is on the world because of the Salvation by Grace presented to mankind. The Righteousness of God is the exposure of the failure of self-righteousness. The world has it’s own form of “self-righteousness”, the people who do so much for society, are delighting in their efforts, making them self-righteous; man gives man honors and glory for the efforts of man, but it’s still based on the spirit of man. The word Reprove means to Rebuke, or Reprimand, it’s done by projecting the Gospel by the Authenticity of the Holy Ghost (I Thess 1:5-6).
Of sin, because they believe not on Me (16:9).
Is this sin in general, or the sin nature? Really doesn’t matter, since this sin is defined as unbelief. Those who do not believe in Jesus, yet believe there is One God are devils according to James, they are in sin according to Jesus.
Of righteousness because I go to My Father, and you see Me no more; (16:10).
This shows the Righteousness of God would become available when Jesus goes to the Father, not before. The confidence in this statement is not arrogance, it’s based on knowledge; Jesus knows the Purpose of the Cross and Resurrection, thus He is promising the Righteousness of God by the New Birth (Eph 4:24). All this has to be the Faith of Jesus in action, He is speaking of things which will be, not things that are.
Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged (16:11).
This shows the Judgment is not on all mankind, rather the “princes of this world” are the cause of Judgment, yet what Judas will do will lead to the Cross! Does it mean we thank Judas? Not hardly, it means we never become like him. In the end they are the ones who cause it all to fall apart, they are the goats, the workers of iniquity, the Eighth from perdition, the ones who cause the abomination to be set up where it should not be; thus all those who join to the prince of this world are princes, or the he in the world. The Judgment is not on the world, but the prince of the world, God so loved the world, but the prince was saved from the world, but went back to it. This shows we don’t judge the world, because the prince of this world is already judged.
I have yet many things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now. However when He, the Spirit of Truth, is come He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will show you things to come (16:12-13).
Now it changes back to the New Birth, which John defined as the Greater He in us (I Jn 4:1-4). Why couldn’t they bear the things? They didn’t have the New Man, we can see “tilt” all over them. Like Nicodemus they are bewildered, what is this saying? What does He mean? Were they confused? Yes, but confusion is not of God, what gives? Confusion is in the mind of the holder, thus confusion comes when Truth is introduced to us, while we hold natural thinking, strongholds, or fables. The Truth didn’t bring the confusion, the natural thinking, strongholds, or fables did. Here we find the disciples loved the Lord, but they don’t understand. Of course they will say they do, but we know by their actions they didn’t. Jesus isn’t speaking of Spiritual matters, but He is speaking of Spirit matters, yet they are still foolishness to the natural mind.
He shall glorify Me: for He shall receive of Mine, and shall show it unto you (16:14).
The Glory connects to the words of the Father, “I have Glorified You, and will Glorify You”, the Spirit is not going to brag on us, He is not going to have people brag on us, He is not going to promote the spirit of man, He is going to speak of Jesus. This also defines how in this last days the Son speaks to us.
All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore said I, that He shall take of Mine, and show it unto you (16:15).
All things belong to Jesus; therefore, the Spirit will take of Jesus, then show us. However, what does “Show” mean? Does it mean we get a video tape from heaven? Do we have to join the “Holy Spirit Video Club”? Does it mean some revelation? The word Show is the Greek Anaggello meaning To beget. What? Right, revelation is birthed in us by the Spirit, any knowledge we gain about God is based on God giving it. The Good News is getting better and better.
A little while, and you shall not see Me; and again, a little while, and you shall see Me, because I go to the Father (16:16).
Why would He tell them they would see Him no more? Surely He knows about the Resurrection, also He will be with them forty days. Could it be He is telling them, as the Son of man in human form, they will not see Him? Exactly, the next time they see Jesus, He will be Glorified as the Son of God (Rom 1:4). For this reason no one can Crucify the Son of God, since it was the Son of man who went to the Cross.
Then said some of His disciples among themselves, What is this that He says unto us, A little while, and you shall not see Me: and again, a little while, and you shall see Me: and, Because I go to the Father? They said therefore, What is this that He says, A little while? We cannot tell what He says. Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask Him, and said unto them, Do you inquire among yourselves of that I said, “A little while, and you shall not see Me: and again, a little while, and you shall see Me? Verily, verily, I say unto you, That you shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and you shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned to joy (16:17-20).
All these “Little While’s” brought questions, but they didn’t want to ask, thus Jesus will answer their questions without them having to ask. He knows what we have need of before we ask, thus at times God will answer our questions before we ask. Those times in the fire when we wonder Is this of God? He is giving us the answer if we have ears to hear.
When the world rejoices over the Cross, it’s for the wrong reasons. The world will rejoice over the fall of a saint, yet we mourn; they will mourn, but we will end with the Joy.
A woman when she is in travail has sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembers no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world (16:21).
The Hour was at hand but Sorrow will change to Joy at the New Birth. The Woman in the Book of Revelation gave birth to the Man Child (Jesus), then she entered the wilderness during our Season, she is found in the wilderness during the Night. However, the Remnant will find Joy in the latter days, our time of Joy is found in the Resurrection of Jesus.
And you now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man takes from you (16:22).
Okay hold it, here He says He will see them again. What is this? Hope, Yes He will see them before the Accession as the Son of God, but the blessing is not seeing Him again as the Son of man. Why? When Jesus returns as the Son of man, it’s for the Judgment, thus this promise goes back to “not see death”, or better, not be subject to the second death.
And in that day you shall ask Me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you (16:23).
They didn’t ask the question, yet Jesus answered it. We ask the Father for Wisdom, He gives, yet upbraids not, this is still pertaining to Mercy. Jesus will baptize us with the Holy Ghost and Fire, as the Holy Ghost brings the Seed of God, but the Father is still the source of Mercy.
Here prior, have you asked nothing in My name: ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full (16:24).
Why not? They were told to “go” in His Name, but they were also given a prayer relating to the kingdom coming, not the kingdom in hand. When Jesus said, “Go in My Name” all things changed, the Authority was heaven loosed for the Body of Christ alone, but they had to wait for the Power from on High to complete the ability. This goes back to Luke 11:13, the first place in the New Testament where we find the title “Holy Spirit”. Luke 11:13 says, “how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them who ask”. Jesus is encouraging them to seek one thing, the Kingdom of God, to become Born Again, but the prerequisite is to forgive by remitting the sins done unto them by others.
These things have I spoken upon you in proverbs: but the time comes, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall show you plainly of the Father. At that day you shall ask in My name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you (16:25-26).
The phrase “In that Day” points to the Day of Pentecost; each of us will face our personal Day of Pentecost with the same confidence. If we ask the Father for the Holy Spirit, will the devil be able to bring a devil? Not at all, we have a promise, the Father will not allow the devil to bring a serpent or a stone, the devil is never greater than God. When we ask for the Holy Spirit, we receive the Holy Spirit not some trick from the devil. The Holy Ghost will plant the Seed, the Seed will grow in the good ground, as we move from natural to spiritual, from a soul that is flesh minded, to a Spiritual soul by the Spirit.
For the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came out from God. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father (16:27-28).
The phrase “Come out from”, explains Jesus as the Word coming from the Father’s Bosom. Here Jesus didn’t say, “I am the Father”, rather it was I came forth From the Father; indicating He is the Word sent to heal us.
His disciples said unto Him, Lo, now You speak plainly, and speak no proverb. Now are we sure that You know all things, and need not that any man should ask You: by this we believe that You come forth from God. Jesus answered them, Do you now believe? (16:29-31).
Jesus isn’t questioning the disciples words, He is asking them if they really believe, if so, their actions will prove it. Each time we make a Confession or a Decision, it will be tested to determine if we really believe. The test brings the Joy, know this, the trying of our faith works patience, thus we ask God without wavering to bring the manifestation of the request (James 1:3-6). We also keep in mind Jesus taught and promised the Spirit, He didn’t give it, thus they are still natural, meaning they are moved by natural feelings.
Behold, the hour comes, yes, is now come, that you shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave Me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me (16:32).
When these disciples run for cover, Jesus will not be alone, thus He is forgiving them before the fact. Mercy at work is ready to forgive, before there is a cause. Faith is ready to act based on the information of belief. Belief is based on the past experiences, but faith is future tense, thus one can believe there was a Jesus, but it doesn’t mean they have Faith in Jesus. The devils believe there is one God, but it doesn’t mean they have faith in the One God.
These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world (16:33).
The Hour of Tribulation is on the world, the Hour of the Lord is in the Kingdom, if we venture into the world we will have Tribulation absent peace, if we remain in the Kingdom we are free of the tribulation while holding the Peace which passes understanding.
Chapter seventeen contains the prayer affirming the prior teachings. The prayer is divided into three parts, the first part gives God the glory for what is about to occur, then a prayer for the disciples, lastly a prayer for all those who would come to know the Lord through one or more of the disciples. This prayer is not to be confused with the prayer in the Garden, rather the prayer in the Garden relates to the Cup of God’s Wrath, this relates to avoiding the cup.
These words spoke Jesus, and lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come: glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You (17:1).
The Disciples’ Prayer began with “Our Father Who art in heaven, Holy is Your Name”, as a request to be established in God’s Mercy as preparation for the Kingdom. Here Jesus is seeking the Glorified Resurrection so the New Birth can be a fact to those who Glorify the Father through Jesus.
As You have given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is life eternal that they might know You the only true God, and Jesus Christ, Whom You have sent (17:2-3).
Hold it, what happened? This went from First Person to Third, who is praying now, and who is the “Him”? What is this strange happening? This is the preview of the New Man speaking “ABBA Father”, the Spirit of God is now praying on behalf of Jesus, just as the New Man intercedes for us, showing the Glorified Jesus in us prays on our behalf.
I have glorified You on the earth: I have finished the work which You gave Me to do (17:4).
Now it’s back to the First Person, is the complete work finished? Not hardly, what work is He talking about? The foundation of Mercy, the preparation for the Sacrifice for the Son of man.
And now, O Father, glorify You Me with Your own self with the glory which I had with You before the world was (17:5)
The Resurrection of Jesus is the manifestation of the Glory, thus Jesus being Glorified is the Resurrection. Jesus as the Word came from God, He took on flesh to become the Son of man, here He is speaking of the Son of God position, it will be declared by the Spirit of Holiness based on the Resurrection (Rom 1:4). The Holy Spirit is the Spirit which is of God, the seal of the Holy Spirit is our proof of the Resurrection of Jesus.
I have manifested Your name unto the men which You gave Me out of the world: Yours they were and You gave them Me; and they kept Your word (17:6).
The Logos moved among the Jews pulling those who were called, Jesus Manifested the Name (Authority of Mercy) of the Father, the Spirit through us will Manifest the Name (Authority of Grace) of Jesus, bringing our Confession into the Power of His Christ. Does this only mean these men? No, anyone the Father has called by the Holy Ghost who has received Jesus is included.
Now they have known that all things whatsoever You have given Me are of You. For I have given unto them the words which You gave Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from You, and they have believed that You did send Me (17:7-8).
All the Things of Mercy are presented to anyone who accepts the Gospel; the Hidden Mystery of Grace comes by the Spirit, the Covenant is in the Blood; our side of the Covenant is the Body. Here Jesus says “they have known”, but did they? Yes, they knew the things of Mercy, it was Grace they didn’t understand. The Cross is still within hours, or just ahead of them, thus they knew the Beginning of the Gospel was Mercy based, explaining why Jesus is making reference to the Father.
I pray for them. I pray not for the world, but for them which You have given Me; for they are Yours (17:9).
The “he in the world” is the prince of the world, yet they are among us, thus Judgment begins in the House of God. Prior Jesus said He called the disciples from the world, now He shows the truth, neither they or us were really of the world, we were called from the foundation of the world. On the other hand the Wicked came from the world, but kept the authority of the world (he in the world), thus they draw back to perdition.
The world is not part of this prayer, yet God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son, but we must add, “That whosoever believes in Him..” (Jn 3:16). The Father gave the Son for the Whosoever who stands in belief. The Cross provided the means to enter the premise, thus the work of the Son of man is Finished, the Judgment will complete the process to bring “It is Done”.
And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your own name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one, as We are (17:10-11).
The mystery, God so loved the world, He sent Jesus, then Jesus as the Son of man came among the world to display the Father’s Mercy, but the Cross is the place where it all changes. Jesus is “no more in the world”, don’t look for Him there, He’s not there, but there is tribulation in the world. Here is the premise, Called, Justified, Glorified; Jesus was Glorified, so He could be Glorified in us who are the Called, so we could enter the Justification Process so we too could be Glorified in the First Resurrection. No one is going to be Resurrection until a death takes place, for us the death is by the Cross of Jesus, thus we complete the Law of Moses, meaning it is nailed to the Cross. From there we can lawfully obtain the Spirit, the seal of the Spirit is our assurance of the Resurrection.
While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name: those that You gave Me I have kept, and none is lost, but the son of perdition; that the Scripture might be fulfilled (17:12).
Again this refers to the Father’s Name (Authority of Mercy), the disciples were kept in the Authority by the Covering of Jesus, thus showing they operated under Mercy, not Grace. Judas began with the ministry, but opened the position of the son of perdition by operating outside of his granted authority. Judas had to use the authority of the world in order to bring about his agenda, thus he went back to becoming a “he in the world”. Jesus lost none, except those who fall into the class of the son of perdition, but they fall based on their own decisions and actions.
Jesus didn’t have to change plans based on the rejection of the Jews, rather He knew they would reject Him, He also knew the Cross was at hand, but it didn’t stop Him from presenting the Promise. Simply because someone rejects Grace doesn’t mean it wasn’t presented. God sent Prophet after Prophet to His people, He then told the Prophets, “they won’t believe you”, showing how God will warn, even if, the people refuse to hear. God will not leave us out in the cold, there is always a way of escape for those who have ears to hear.
Jesus moves from the world to those called, to those lost, thus linking the son of perdition with the world, yet they are among us. John will say they were among us, but not of us, if they were of us, they would remain to find the Spirit, but they fell to carnal reasoning, or natural endeavors in an attempt to appear morally superior. Jude says they twist the purpose of the Grace of our God into lasciviousness, (I Jn 2:18-23 & Jude 4). However, we are not of them who draw back to perdition, but of them who believe unto the saving of the soul (Heb 10:38-39).
And now come I to You; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have My joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world (17:13-14).
Wait now, didn’t He just say He didn’t pray for the world? Here He tells us these things He said to the world, what gives? Ahh, praying and saying, the things were said to the world, what did the world consist of? Everyone but Jesus, thus the Cross will be the border, or Door to the Promised Land of the Kingdom, the place of separation and division. When Jesus prays “for” those who will receive Him, it’s predicated on the Cross and Resurrection, but at this point in time even the disciples were in the world. God so loved the world He sent His Son to bring a division between the world and those who seek Salvation by Grace through faith. The premise is of course Abraham, when he was Abram he was still a gentile, but when God made Covenant with the man all things changed, even to the point of obtaining a new name (authority) in the name of Abraham; we gain a new authority as well, the Name of Jesus.
I pray not that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil (17:15).
Great, Jesus didn’t pray for the world, now He wants us to stay there. Wait, could this have to do with taking us the second we receive Jesus? Yes, this verse dictates our purpose after we come to Jesus. Jesus prays for us to remain, rather than go directly home after coming to the Lord. The Holy Ghost formed a barrier of Strength between the world, and the Spirit filled child of God. John points to this by telling us the famine and pestilence cannot hurt those with the Oil (Spirit) and Wine (Blood) (Rev 6:6).
They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world (17:16).
Here is the division, we are left from among those in the world, but we are not of the world, we have a barrier, an Armor keeping us free of the world, yet we are able to move among those in the world without being polluted by the world.
Sanctify them through Your truth: Your Word is truth (17:17).
The word Sanctify means to Separate unto something, thus Justification is a process, as we add the same principle of calling things which appear Not to us, as a Were to the Spirit so we can reach the result. This entire prayer for us is found in “lead us not into Temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matt 6:13). The Word is Truth, thus the Spirit of Truth in us has Sanctified us so we can be Justified.
As You have sent Me into the world, even so have I sent them into the world (17:18).
This would seem strange, since the Jews were separated from the world, and Jesus was sent to the Jews. Wait, were not the Pharisees still run by the spirit of man? Yes, God separated the nation, but only the Power of the New Man can separate the person from the spirit of man in the world.
We are sent into the world, but we are separated from it, they will hate us, but not all those in the world are of the world, some are seeking the Lord, it’s to them we are sent, it’s for them we must remain Christ Like. All of us were in the world, but we Heard the call of the Cross: as long as we remain here someone will hear of the Lord, the Holy Ghost will pull them to the Cross based on the words of the preacher, but how can they hear if no one preaches? How can a preacher go, unless they are sent? (Rom 10:14).
And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth (17:19).
Jesus didn’t Sanctify Himself for Himself, He did it for us, so we might be sanctified “through the truth”, which points directly to the Spirit of Truth.
Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word; that they all may be one; as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that You have sent Me (17:20-21).
Each one of us are included in this prayer, the only condition is Believe in the Word (Jesus). Our Belief will lead us into the Spirit, then the Spirit brings the justification unto Perfection, where we will be One with God by the Spirit.
And the glory which You gave Me, I have given them: that they may be one, even as We are One (17:22).
Jesus was Glorified by the Resurrection, thus the Glory is within us by the New Man (Rom 8:18 & Eph 4:24). This is a past tense promise based on a future tense action; therefore, Christ is our covering, the Spirit of Truth our ability. From the Spirit of Truth comes the Power of His Christ; it’s the Power of His Christ making us One with God, not theology, nor naturally reasoning, nor deeds of the flesh through the Law of Moses.
I in them, and You in Me, that they may be made perfect in One; and that the world may know that You have loved Me. Father, I will that they also who You have given Me be with Me where I am; that they may behold My glory, which You have given Me: for You loved Me before the foundation of the world (17:23-24).
This is a promise of the New Birth, the Seed of God planted by the Holy Ghost is the Holy Spirit, meaning Jesus in us, also indicating the Father in us, granting us the Holiness of the Father, with the Righteousness of Jesus. The Report is the Father, Word and Holy Ghost, the Witness in us is the Water, relating to the Mercy of the Father, the Blood relating to Grace by the Word, the Spirit relating to the Holy Ghost. Prior Jesus said that born of the flesh is flesh, without the Witness in us we are never going to be Spiritual in nature. The Promise is the Holy Spirit in us (Eph 1:13), here is the Promise of the Baptism with the Holy Ghost. Our water baptism was an act by humans, it did not grant us the Holy Spirit, only the baptism with the Holy Ghost grants us the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:45-46 with Acts 11:15-16). Here is the importance of the Faith of Jesus, we have access because Jesus has proved His faith is more than able, our measure of faith was never enough to gain the Promise (Heb 11:39). How can we be holy as the Father without the Holiness of the Father? How can we be as Righteous as Jesus without His Righteousness? The purpose of the Resurrection is to allow us to impute the flesh dead on the Cross of Jesus, in order to gain the Holy Spirit of promise, thus the Holy Spirit is our proof of the Resurrection of Jesus; no wonder He said Ye must be Born Again.
O righteous Father, the world has not known You: but I have known You, and these have known that You have sent Me. And I have declared unto them Your name, and will declare it; that the love where with You have loved Me may be in them, and I in them (17:25-26).
This clearly shows the purpose of the earthly ministry was to declare the Father’s Name (authority) which is Mercy. The foundation of Mercy was laid before Grace could be presented, thus the process is to obtain Mercy to find Grace.
When Jesus had spoken these words, He went forth with His disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which He entered and His disciples (18:1).
After Jesus sets these words into time, He enters the Garden to face the Cup of Gethsemane. Our Salvation comes before Gethsemane, not after, we have The Gift of Grace by the Holy Spirit in hand to avoid the judgment. This shows us how Salvation was first, then comes the Judgment.
John doesn’t go into the Garden experience, but shows it came after this prayer to bring our hope to the Cross.
And Judas also, which betrayed Him, knew the place: for Jesus often resorted there with His disciples (18:2).
Right after Gethsemane comes Judas as the “prince of this world”, one who says he will join to Jesus, but who retains the authority and methods of the world. Judas knew where Jesus would be, but he didn’t know Jesus knew what he was doing. Self-deception is a nasty thing, it lies, cheats, then destroys based on envy or greed.
Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, come there with lanterns and torches and weapons (18:3).
These men are not the Roman bands, but the temple guards (Jn 7:32). The Pharisees use manipulation, displaying force to bring fear, thus they thought they could intimidate, or control Jesus. In the world we know this form of manipulation as strength in numbers; however, one anointed child of God can put a thousand to flight. Could Jesus stop it? Yes, all things are possible through God, so why did He allow it? For you and I, all things are possible, but not all things are profitable.
It’s interesting how many different religions, sects and orders around the world there are, yet we can’t find anyone named “Judas”. Could it be, just perhaps even though there are religions many, the measure of faith still looks to Jesus? One trick the old man uses is to misdirect the measure of faith into a religion claiming God, yet lacking the ability to get to God. Truth is a hammer to the stronghold, the Power of His Christ is an A-bomb to the stronghold.
Jesus therefore, knowing all things that should come upon Him, went forth, and said unto them Whom seek you? (18:4).
This wasn’t some change in plans, this was an effort known of God from the foundation of the world. Neither did God manipulate the events, rather He took advantage of the events. God can either deliver us out of the event, or use it; regardless, if we are seeking God we gain the advantage of the event.
Jesus foretold these events before they came to pass, this was not a surprise, rather the word Submission is seen here, it means not to interfere with the events based on our personal wants or agenda.
They answered Him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus said unto them, I am He. And Judas also, which betrayed Him, stood with them. As soon then as He had said unto them, I am He, they went backward, and fell to the ground (18:5-6).
Judas didn’t stand with Jesus, rather he drew back to the world, he sided with the he of the world, thus he gave up his king position to be a prince of the world. A prince is known by the realm they represent, as they associate to their principality, which is a location within a sovereign area. Judas drew back to perdition, a term used when a person re-enters the darkness after tasting of the Light. There could be no spirit of the world until Judas made the decision to draw back to the world, becoming a he of the world. Paul tells us the spirit of man knows the things of man, but is completely ignorant of the things of the Spirit of God, but the spirit of the world is opposed to the Spirit which is of God; the latter is the Holy Spirit in us, making the spirit of the world the he in the world (I Cor 2:11-12 & I Jn 4:1-4).
On the other hand, Peter did stand with Jesus, but failed in his endeavor. The places where Judas and Peter stood determined the result, Judas found a piece of rope just long enough, Peter found his place on Pentecost. Peter was weak, but didn’t know it, Judas set out to use Jesus to get what he wanted, two completely different intents.
When Jesus said, “I AM” they fell backward to the ground, thus the Word caused them to fall, at times the Word spoken in authority will cause a person to fall.
Then asked He them again, Whom seek you? and they said, Jesus of Nazareth (18:7).
When the guards got back up, they wondered why they were there, thus Jesus makes them ask a second time whom they seek. They had a chance to repent and say, “We seek You O Lord, for You are the Glory”. Instead they ignored the Glory for their self-interests; it’s one thing to have the Glory move you, another to ignore it when it does.
Jesus answered, I have told you that I am He: if therefore you seek Me, let these go their way (18:8).
Jesus protects His own, He loves His own, but by this time Judas was no longer among those who could claim the Love of God. Why would Jesus have to say this twice? Could it be Judas was given another chance? Yes, Judas came and kissed Jesus, then saw the Power come from the words of Jesus, now it’s the third time, yet Judas continued with his folly, as he was weaving his robe. On the other hand when Peter sees his weakness he wept almost into convulsions, Peter felt he was one way, found out he was another.
That the saying might be fulfilled, which He spoke, of Them which You gave Me have I lost none (18:9).
This refers back to the prayer, “You gave Me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition, so the Scripture might be fulfilled” (Jn 17:12). Paul wrote, “let no man deceive you by any means: for the day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition” (II Thess 2:3). Paul saw the son of perdition as a position or group, not the one man named Judas. This position didn’t stop with Judas, it continues as the synagogue of Satan into the Night. They are the enemies of Jesus, but Judas set the course, they begin in iniquity, but lead to sin. However, it is obvious, Jesus lost none except for the son of perdition, meaning they are lost.
Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus (18:10).
John is the only one who tells us the servants name is Malchus, in the Hebrew the name means king. One king was cut off in the Garden, as the true King was established. The Law of Moses tells us, the blood of the ram was placed on the right ear of Aaron, and on his sons for the consecrating of the priests (Ex 29:19-20). The high priest was also cut off in the Garden, as our great High Priest of Grace was being ordained by the Father. The fall was the result of actions in the Garden of Eden, now the restoration for man is being conducted in another Garden.
Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up your sword into the sheath: the cup which My Father has given Me, shall I not drink it? (18:11).
In First Chronicles the Lord sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it, as the angel was destroying it, the Lord beheld, as it repented Him of the evil, then He said to the angel, “It is enough, stay now your hand” (I Chron 21:15). David built an alter unto the Lord and offered sacrifices as the Lord commanded the angel, then the angel put up his sword again in the sheath thereof. David knew the House of God meant more than wood, stone and metal. Jesus came to bring Life, not death, Peter wanted to protect the Lord by using death and destruction, in the process he was being motivated by the wrong intent. Jesus stopped him, rebuked him, then healed the victim of Peter’s anger.
Then the band and the captain and the officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound Him (18:12).
History tells us the procedure of arrest for the Roman’s, as well as the temple guards was to Bind the accused, then a guard would stomp the shin, or instep of the prisoner to stop any attempt to escape. How beautiful are the Feet of Him? Don’t stomp on them, or you could end as His footstool.
And led Him away to Annas first; for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year (18:13).
Jesus would face five trials, first before Annas, then Caiaphas, then Pilate, then Herod, then back to Pilate, each giving us a point of Grace, as each provides Christ to the First Five churches.
John shows us there was more than one trial, there was a specific process of events taking place. The Law of Moses made any trial at night illegal, thus darkness was using darkness as a veil to cover their actions. Prior Nicodemus asked, “does our Law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he has done?” (Jn 7:51). The religious rulers felt they had the evidence, until they attempted to find two witnesses against Jesus. No one can find two against Jesus, there is only one witness against Jesus, the he in the world, thus all the sons of perdition have one voice, the voice of unbelief and darkness. The Saints have a Voice as well, it’s the Sword or the Spirit (Rhema), backed by the Witness of the Water, Blood and Spirit.
Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people (18:14).
This is a reference back to John 11:49-51; Caiaphas was the high priest, yet Jesus said, “you are of your father the devil”. This high priest still gave a prophecy, but God used Balaam after the fact as well. Caiaphas was used because of his position, Balaam was used because of his position, yet both men are examples of the rebellious self-motivated people who have no idea what true Godly service is. The office makes the person, if they submit to the anointing of the office, it’s never the person who makes the office.
And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the place of the high priest (18:15).
The only “another” disciple who had favor with the high priest at this time was Judas, the one who made his deal with them the day prior. Peter didn’t have any idea what was going on, he saw Jesus in front of the Pharisees before, he also saw their ineffectiveness. Could Judas and Jesus have a secret plan? Could this be some great miracle where Jesus is going to call fire down from heaven? When Peter saw Jesus struck, he knew something was very wrong, this event didn’t appear good, something has wrong with the presupposed plan, but in truth the plan of God was being perfected to the letter.
Man always assumes he can twist events to please himself, yet the twisted event was seen by God before the foundation of the world, thus God’s plan was already at work before man had the thought. Twisted events remain twisted for man, but God turns the twisted event into Good for those called according to His purpose, and to those who love Him (Rom 8:28); perhaps not immediately, but nonetheless we can gain.
But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spoke unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter (18:16).
This shows the other disciple had enough internal influence to get past the keeper of the door, thus, the other disciple is Judas, but it was the wrong “Door”. The conclusion isn’t really difficult, we know Judas made his plans with the priests the day prior, also when the two disciples left John’s ministry to join Jesus we are told the name of one, but not the “other”. Later in Acts Peter helps us by showing one of the determining factors for the replacement of Judas was for the candidate to begin with John’s ministry. Here we find two men, Peter who denied Him, and Judas who betrayed Him, both were looking at the same event, but they reacted differently. Both will have remorse, but only one will truly repent.
Peter was ready to see a miracle, he was ready to jump up and shout, “This is my Lord”, to prove he was willing to stand for Jesus. Each time Jesus told Peter, “You will deny Me”, Peter said, “Not so Lord”. In essence Peter was telling the Lord, “You don’t know me Lord, I’ll fight to the death for You”. Most of us think we know ourselves, but only the Lord knows us. Peter made his confession, it was being tested, yet Satan is punching a hole in him. The hole is the place where pride will leave Peter, as humbleness will find a home. Jesus told Peter it would happen, but He also told Peter “when you are converted”, the word Converted means To turn, thus Peter is turning away from Jesus, but he is not selling Jesus to the religious rulers as did Judas, rather this rejection is based in fear, later when Peter turns (converted) again to the Lord, he will be restored. This shows how any of us can fall in the face of adversity, but it’s not some great surprise to Jesus, it may be to us, but not to Jesus. When our hearts are centered on pleasing the Lord, yet we miss it, take the lesson, learn by the mistake, then move on with Jesus.
Then said the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Are not you also one of this man’s disciples? He said, I am not (18:17).
The first challenge is being among the disciples, the test will prove the confession. The other accounts show this first denial came when Peter saw Jesus struck: for the first time Peter saw what appeared to be defeat. Peter was still among the carnal minded at this time, determining the events by the event, rather than the words spoken by Jesus. Jesus told him it would happen, yet Peter’s mind was centered on what he saw, not what he heard, causing his belief to slip away quickly. Without his belief in “God Is”, he voided himself of a platform for faith, allowing fear to enter, wherein he would justify himself.
And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals, for it was cold; and they warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself (18:18).
This is Passover which was held in our April, thus it was cold at night, but the coldness is a result of Peter’s first denial. Peter moved to the fire of man, at the same time he was moving away from the fire of God.
The high priest then asked Jesus of His disciples, and of His doctrine. Jesus answered him, I spoke openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, where the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. Why ask you Me? Ask them which heard Me, what I have said unto them: Behold, they know what I said (18:19-21).
Jesus refuses to justify Himself, if anyone wants to know about Jesus, talk to those who Heard Him. Here is Warfare, if we have a premise, find the example. Warfare is not competitive, it’s combative, we never use the same weapons as the enemy.
This is a John 7 meeting turned into a trial, how did Jesus handle it? Did He tell them, “You are coming against the anointed of God”? Did He say, “I come against you in the Name of Jehovah”? No, He refused to justify Himself, which is a battle, especially when the Wicked take our mercy as a sign we are being defeated. What? Oh yes, they twist everything, presuming since you refuse to stand up and fight like a wounded dog, you are under their control, but the truth of the battle shows Mercy is the victor, manipulation the loser.
And when He had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answer You the high priest so (18:22).
This is yet another violation of the Law, Jesus was not showing any disrespect toward the high priest, rather He reminded the high priest about the Law. In essence the hand of judgment turned back to the high priest. The trial at this point is not before the seat of the high priest, but the questions are coming from the “house” of the high priest.
Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why do you smite Me? (18:23).
Quoting the Law to bring condemnation was the means the Pharisees were using, the same old spirit of fear, but it will have no effect on Jesus. These Pharisees felt they were the Law, thus not subject to it, yet they were misusing the Law for their own self-centered envy, yet it was turning on them. Using the Scriptures to bring condemnation on others always places the condemnation on us. If Jesus said something wrong, where is the proof?
Now Annas had sent Him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest (18:24).
We studied the relationship between Annas and Caiaphas, here the aged one Annas failed in his attempt; Jesus is now being sent directly into the seat of the high priest. When they fail, it doesn’t mean they run, rather they will come again, only they will fail again.
And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Are not you also one of His disciples? He denied it, and said I am not (18:25).
This would be when Jesus was being taken from Annas to the seat of the high priest Caiaphas. A transfer of authority was taking place, Peter would again find himself not able to die for Jesus, as the words, “Greater love has no man than this, for a man to lay down his life for his friends”, must have rung in the mind of Peter (Jn 15:13).
One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, said, Did not I see you in the Garden with Him? (18:26).
Here Peter is confronted by an eye witness to the Garden events; this time the accusation points to the relationship between Peter and Jesus, rather than Peter and the disciples.
Peter then denied again, and immediately the cock crew (18:27).
We know this refers to the Watch, not some chicken chasing behind Peter. The exact time was foretold, but not to condemn Peter, but to give him something to remember. When the guard called out, Peter remembered, he also found for the first time in his life who he was, more important who he wasn’t, the flesh is weak. The symbol showing the time was set to the Roman watch was defined for us by Jesus in Mark 13:35.
Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early and they themselves, went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the Passover (18:28).
This would be the first trial before the Roman civil authorities; John skips Herod’s trial, making verse 33 the third trial. This is still the Passover, the Jews were involved in an unlawful trial, yet they still didn’t want to be defiled for their Passover meal. They would use the authority of the civil government, but still hold to their self-righteous envy filled attitudes.
Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring you against this Man? (18:29).
This would be in the morning as Matthew points out (Matt 27:1-2). Pilate came to the civil judgment hall, today we often find the Pharisees taking their false case to the civil government behind the back of the accused. Using the Beast to support our thoughts is not the same as having God approve our actions. The Pharisees still think they are doing God a service, just because one thinks they are doing God a service, doesn’t mean they’re in the will of God. Pilate wanted to know a specific civil charge, but the Pharisees had none.
They answered and said unto him, If He were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered Him up unto you (18:30).
There were no charges against Jesus, the religious leaders are using manipulation to force Pilate to act. They produce the thought of Jesus being guilty before they present their case, thus swaying Pilate to their views. Jesus didn’t justify Himself at any point in time, as He remained firm in the faith, in James we find the Faith of Jesus had attributes of the Wisdom of God (James 2:1-2 with 3:17).
Pilate could care less about any religious problem, the religious leaders are still attempting to be rid of Jesus, yet remain clean for their Passover. The religious rulers are trying so hard to protect their religious rites, yet in the process they are violating the Commandments of God. They are working harder at their iniquity, then it would take for them to believe.
These religious leaders give us an example of hypocrisy, they are using the Law to condemn, but refuse to follow the heart of the Law. Someone might say, “how did Jesus win if He was nailed to the Cross?”, easy, wait three days and see.
Then said Pilate unto them, take you Him, and judge Him according to your law. The Jews therefore said unto him, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death: that the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which He spoke, signifying what death He should die (18:31-32).
The Jews would stone him as they did Stephen, but Rome used crosses. Pilate saw this as a religious problem, if the Pharisees were honest they would tell Pilate, “You can find Him guilty without evidence, but we have no evidence to find Him guilty, and our Law says we must have evidence”. Although it sounds stupid, it’s what was going on. They had no evidence, yet they acted like they did, which is a lie. They are proving how they were doing the lusts of their father the devil, who was a liar from the beginning. Their envy was driving them like a man drives a horse, it was ruling them, making their decisions for them, motivating them, yet they didn’t see it as envy.
The other accounts show us Jesus was first taken to Pilate; from Pilate to Herod, since Herod was the ruler over Galilee. Herod just so happened to be in Jerusalem at the time, as it turns out Herod wanted to see Jesus, but instead of looking for a Savior, he was looking for a performer. Jesus never answered Herod requests or questions, thus Herod’s men placed a gorgeous robe or better, a robe without seam on Jesus (Luke 23:6-12). John picks up with the third civil trial, which would be the fifth trial.
Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again and called Jesus, and said unto Him, Are You the King of the Jews? (18:33).
This verse shows Pilate coming back to the judgment hall Again, thus when Jesus was before Herod the Jewish leaders were talking with Pilate, now Pilate has more information obtained secretly; however, nothing said in secret is hidden from God.
Jesus answered him, Say you this thing of yourself, or did others tell it you of Me? (18:34).
Pilate begins to wonder how this Jesus was able to know what goes on in secret. Both Matthew and Mark tell us Pilate knew the religious leaders were seeking to kill Jesus based on their envy (Matt 27:18 & Mark 15:10). They never charged Jesus openly, rather they would yell Crucify Him, without one piece of evidence against Him, truly Jesus is the most innocent of all innocents.
Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Your own nation and chief priests have delivered You unto me: what have You done? (18:35).
Good question, Pilate doesn’t want a thing to do with this, but he knows Jesus did something to really enrage the religious leaders. Here we find Jesus talked to Pilate, but Jesus never answered the false accusations of the religious leaders, just as the other Gospel accounts state. Jesus tells Pilate not to confuse the nations of the world, with the nation of heaven. Jesus also shows His kingdom is not of this world; therefore, why would one look here or there or wait for a Kingdom to physically appear? If God’s people are a spiritual people, surely His Kingdom is Spiritual as well.
Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if My kingdom were of this world, then would My servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is My kingdom not from here (18:36).
The result of the Sanctifying process, the Kingdom is not of the world, thus one can’t hold to the “he in the world”, yet be a part of the Kingdom.
In all this, where is Judas? Why didn’t he testify? Judas gave Jesus to the religious leaders, then the religious leaders wanted Pilate to act. Like all the Judas natures, Judas ran to the religious rulers to gain entry into their grouping. Judas knew his plan went awry, but instead of running to Jesus, he ran to the darkness in any attempt to buy his way out of his sin. His mind was still centered on money, he figured if they took the money back, all would be well, yet it wasn’t the money, it was the man.
Pilate therefore said unto Him, Are You a king then? Jesus answered, You say that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth hears My voice (18:37).
This was an important question, only Rome could make kings, if Jesus is the king, then He is either out to overthrow Rome or Herod. Many days prior the people attempted to make Jesus a King, yet He refused, where is the evidence? Surely it would show His innocence.
Jesus testifies the reason He took on flesh was to die for us. He is the only one at the time who knew prophecy was being fulfilled. Not one of the religious leaders said, “Hey, wait a minute didn’t the prophets say something about this?”. Nor did the disciples, the prophecy is proving itself, it doesn’t need our help to make it come to pass.
Pilate said unto Him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and said unto them, I find in Him no fault at all. But you have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the Passover: will you therefore that I release unto you the king of the Jews? Then cried they all again, saying, Not this Man, but Barabbas. Now Barabbas was a robber (18:38-40).
Pilate could find no fault, either civil or religious. No matter who the person is, if they take the time to find fault in Jesus, they will find none, they will have to make up some lie in order to proclaim fault. The same is true with the Bible, one must start with fault in their heart to find fault in the Bible, thus the fault isn’t in the Bible, but in the mind of the one looking for fault, notwithstanding there are those who change the Bible to fit their theology, it’s not seeking fault, it’s producing it.
Chapter nineteen continues with Pilate attempting to appease the Jews, yet be rid of this situation.
Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged Him (19:1).
This would not be the first beating Jesus suffered during this Passover, but it was by far the most severe. Herod’s men also beat Jesus, but not with the force and means used by Pilate’s men. The Romans were masters at gaining confessions, even if the person did nothing. The Cat Of Nine Tails used against Jesus will open the truth of By His stripes you Were healed. Especially since there were nine in number, it also opened the Door for the nine areas of the manifestation of the Spirit, or the nine areas to the Fruit of the Spirit to heal us by His stripes. The multiple of beatings were done for us, each freed us of something, but they also opened something Good for us. As the flesh opened, the Blood of Jesus would flow, the stripes contain the Blood of the Lamb of God, therein we find the healing.
And the soldiers plaited a crown of thorns, and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe (19:2).
The Crown of Thorns removed the cares of this world from our minds, opening the Crown of Life for us, bringing us clarity. The Robe was covered in the prior lessons, but John shows us the Royalty of Jesus, yet this King took on the punishment for His servants, rather than punish His servants.
And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote Him with their hands (19:3).
Pilate will attempt three times to release Jesus, each time he will bow to the wishes of the people, he will end giving Jesus over to be crucified. Peter would deny the Lord three times, here Pilate would attempt to release Jesus three times, but both men failed, but they had different intents. God knew before the foundation of the world what each person would do, say, and how they would react. The disciples had no idea how much the Father had this in hand, the devil felt he thwarted the prophecy of God, the demons were preparing a party, but they found one uninvited guest would destroy their plans.
Pilate therefore went forth again, and said unto them, Behold, I bring Him forth to you, that you may know that I find no fault in Him (19:4).
Jesus was able to stand after being beaten, yet He was beaten to the point “His visage was so marred”, He didn’t even look human (Isa 52:14-15). After the punishment Pilate could find no fault, after we come to the Cross, the Father can find no fault with us by looking through Jesus on the Cross, after we’re Born Again we being justified as our souls are being made innocent. The Father calls us Justified based on what Jesus did, the Witness is bringing it to pass.
Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe, and Pilate said unto them, Behold the man! When the chief priests therefore and officers saw Him, they cried out, saying, Crucify Him, crucify Him. Pilate said unto them, Take you Him, and crucify Him: for I find no fault in Him (19:5-6).
The Jews were faced with the High Sabbath coming shortly, they knew it would be a violation for them to take the life of anyone, much less do some act of labor on the High Sabbath, so they put the deed in Pilate’s hand, but Pilate removed himself, and the Roman Government from the act, yet demanded the method be Roman, so he could still maintain some control over the Jews. The irony in all this is seeing these Jewish religious leaders wanting to kill Jesus, so they could eat their Passover meal, yet He is their Passover! This was so complex only God could put it together, no man could have made this up, no fisherman had the intellect to put all these prophecies together. In order to discount the Gospel, it takes someone so bent on unbelief they wouldn’t believe if Jesus appeared to call these events “so”.
Pilate couldn’t kill the Passover, he couldn’t reject it, or accept it, thus he washed his hands, but in order to bring the Gentile into the event the method had to be Roman, yet in order to rid us of the curse it had to be on a tree, but the Jews didn’t hang anyone, they stoned them to death, yet the Law said cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree. The Law told them how Jesus defeated all curses by the Cross, meaning the Law and the Ten Commandments are nailed to the Cross. The Law also gave the manner in which one was to die, thus the mystery was before them, but they refused to see it. The only method to bring this about would be at the hands of the Jews, with the method of the Romans, without the Romans taking the responsibility. Complex? Yes, assuring us God saw it all, showing the Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world.
Paul used this situation to show how Jesus gave a good confession before Pontius Pilate (I Tim 6:13). Jesus didn’t curse the darkness, curse the Romans, or force the Romans to adhere to His beliefs, He knew no man, regardless of who they were could do a thing to Him, unless it was granted from on High.
The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God (19:7).
By their Law, He ought to go free, they still failed to gain two witnesses, even this so-called confession by Jesus wasn’t enough. Today this is also true, one can confess to a crime, but there must be evidence outside of the confession in order to even think about charging the person. The Jews missed the entire thing, Jesus didn’t make Himself the Son of God, He was made the Son of man, the Resurrection proved Him to be the Son of God.
These Pharisees were called gods by God, yet they were making themselves the gods over God, if there was a violation unto death it was on the heads of the religious rulers. What envy caused all this? Jesus refused to be a part of their group, He came so they could be a part of Him. Their weapons were manipulation, fear, intimidation, slander; Jesus used Love, Belief, Mercy, Faith and Submission, guess who won.
When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid, and went again into the judgment hall, and said to Jesus, Who are You? But Jesus gave no answer (19:8-9).
All Pilate wanted to hear was one word from Jesus, then he would release Him, yet the purpose of God went much further than the desires of Pilate. Now the Jews are using manipulation, as they force Pilate to join with them, or they will “run and tell on him”. Fear of losing our position in the world, causes us to ignore what we are doing at times.
Then said Pilate unto Him, Speak You not unto me? Know You not that I have power to crucify You, and have power to release You (19:10).
Civil authorities assume they have power, they assume they can make laws or dissolve laws, but they do nothing unless it’s granted from on High, the confidence of Jesus proves this, prior no one could touch Him, now they are about to crucify Him.
Jesus answered, You could have no power at all against Me, except it were given you from above: therefore he that delivered Me unto you has the greater sin (19:11).
Warfare? Faith? Belief? Yes, how many of us would have said, “I come against you in the Name of Jesus”, or “I am anointed, watch it”? Not even Pilate knew the Power behind these events, or what they would lead to. One could say this was a blessing to Pilate, at least Jesus is telling him, he can’t stop it, no one man is involved, but all mankind can benefit.
And from thereon Pilate sought to release Him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar’s friend. Whosoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar (19:12).
Now they are using the civil government to their advantage, as they still attempt to force Pilate to crucify Jesus, or they will accuse Pilate of being against Caesar, while they are violating their own Law. They gave a factual statement, but did Jesus make Himself king? Hardly, thus we find the giving of a factual statement has nothing to do with the situation, it’s still a trick of the enemy. Watch out for “facts” which have nothing to do with the event, they are voices out of darkness.
When Pilate therefore heard that saying, be brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha (19:13).
The word Pavement means Bed of stones; Jesus as the Chief Corner Stone is standing on the bed of stones (Eph 2:20). Some of us have been bruised by the stones of theological abuse tossed at us by those who refuse to believe, Jesus is standing for us, as He is taking the blows. Pilate feared the possibility of Jesus being the Son of man, but he feared the people more. He is still going to refuse the responsibility of the Cross; however, it doesn’t absolve him from it. Allowing others to commit murder doesn’t free us from the responsibility. Using the words of other unbelievers doesn’t absolve us from our unbelief.
Jesus will tell Pilate another has more sin, but He doesn’t tell Pilate, he is free of sin, but isn’t one sin like another? Yes, the source is the same, but there are variables, this verse proves it.
And it was the preparation of the Passover, and about the sixth hour: and he said unto the Jews, Behold your King! (19:14).
Here it’s clear, Jesus didn’t make Himself King, it was declared by Pilate, one who represented Rome. However, by Pilate’s admission, the Jews were in a fix, if they accept the saying, they killed their own king. The only way they could get out of it, was to tell Pilate to remove the sign, if he refused they would have to call it off. From our past studies we can see the dilemma Pilate placed.
The phrase “preparation of the Passover”, tells us this was not the Friday preparation day, but the preparation day for the High Sabbath of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is the Passover, with the Feast day being Thursday. Some make the mistake of attempting to place Mark 15:33 into this area, but Mark shows the darkness came at the sixth hour; however, the death on the Cross came at the ninth hour. Mark also shows the decision to crucify Jesus came at 9:00 AM, thus showing when they moved to the civil authorities to conduct their evil plans, their doom was sealed. The ninth hour would be 3:00 PM, the last denial of Peter took place at the third watch, therefore, these illegal trials have in process well over twelve hours.
John tells us it was about the sixth hour, both Mark and John show Jesus standing before Pilate on the bed of stones around the noon hour, thus Jesus was delivered to Pilate as Mark says, but the deliverance didn’t finish the event.
But they cried out, Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him. Pilate said unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, we have no king but Caesar (19:15).
Wait, what about David? Wasn’t David a king? Yes, now they are even rejecting their own position, envy is so deceiving, it will deny the obvious to pronounce guilt on the innocent. All three of the temptations of the devil are seen in the words and actions of the chief priests, they stand accusing Jesus with their hearts full of envy.
Then delivered he Him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led Him away (19:16).
Pilate now gives in, as he submits to the religious leaders, yet he still mandates the religious leaders must oversee, or be responsible for the crucifixion, as he leaves the sign on the Cross.
And he bearing His Cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha (19:17).
Jesus would be on the place of the Skull, as the Head of the Church, and Victor over death. Our prior lessons explained the method of the Cross, as Psalm 22 was being fulfilled; there is no need to cover the ground again, but here we can see how Jesus is fighting the battle through submission, belief and faith.
Where they crucified Him, and two other with Him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst (19:18).
Luke went into more detail here, showing while Jesus was on the Cross He was still granting forgiveness.
And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the Cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS (19:19).
Paul told Timothy, “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever Amen” (I Tim 1:17). John would also proclaim Jesus as the King of kings, and Lord of lords (Rev 19:16). Pilate makes the statement showing a fact; in Rome’s own words Jesus is proclaimed the King of the Jews, but He returns as the King of all kings, whether Jew or Gentile. We of course gain Eternal Life, and Immortality through the Born Again procedure.
This title then read many of the Jews; for the place where Jesus was crucified was near to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that He said, I am the King of the Jews. Pilate answered, What I have written, I have written (19:20-22).
The sign being written in three languages, rather than simply Hebrew or Greek gives us the authority to seek the Latin Translations as well as the other two basic languages, thus this opened the use of the Latin in reference to the Gospel. Without knowing it Pilate gave permission for the early church to move from the Greek to the Latin. The Jews were still subject to Roman authority, thus Pilate had the authority to keep the sign on the Cross. We can see he did it to show his power and authority, but a greater show of power would have been to release Jesus.
Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also His coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which says, They parted My raiment among them, and for My vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did (19:23-24).
John makes a point of telling us these were soldiers, not disciples, or religious leaders; therefore, they would not have known they were in the act of fulfilling prophecy. We also find Jesus had other garments, now it becomes clear He hung in front of the people naked and exposed. The Scriptures tell us all things were created for Jesus, without Him nothing was created (Jn 1:3). This would include the Cross He hung on, the whip they beat Him with, the nails they drove into Him, even the men who put Him on the Cross. All these had a purpose, as it was just for us.
We found the robe was a symbol of the veil hanging between the holy of holies and the court, Jesus becomes our Holy of Holies, by His Faith we have boldness and access.
Now there stood by the Cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas and Mary Magdalene (19:25).
Here we find the three Mary’s, the name Mary means Bitterness, thus Jesus took all bitterness from the heart of any woman who receives Him; through childbirth (New Birth) they are Saved.
When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple standing by, whom He loved, He said unto His mother, Woman, behold your son! Then said He to the disciple, Behold your mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home (19:26-27).
Jesus told John, “behold your mother”, as He told Mary, “woman, behold your son”; didn’t Jesus trust any of the family to care for His mother? It’s not the reason, history tells us out of all the disciples, John was the only one to out live Mary. Jesus made sure Mary would have someone with her until the time for her physical death. According to church history the graves of Mary and John are known to be in the area of the church of Ephesus.
After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, says, I thirst (19:28).
The Scripture noted is Psalm 69:21 which reads, “They gave Me also gall for My meat; and in My thirst they gave Me vinegar to drink”. This is just another Psalm talking about the Cross, as the Suffering Messiah. Today some seem to think the suffering Messiah is a vague thought taken from a few scriptures in Isaiah, but we find many references to the Cross, as well as the Suffering Messiah. There isn’t one Scripture saying Jesus laughed on the Cross, or did a tap dance, He suffered great pain and anguish for us.
Psalm 69 begins with, “Save Me, O God, for the waters are come into My soul. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow Me. I am weary of My crying: My throat is dried: My eyes fail while I wait for My God” (Ps 69:1-3). The ability to produce Living Water was given on Pentecost, all things being accomplished when we gained the Spirit to complete the “image of God”. The Law of Moses is still for those subject to it, but the Demise of the Law of Moses is still for those who enter the Law of the Spirit. Toward the end of Psalm 69 we read, “Add iniquity unto their iniquity: and let them not come into Your righteousness. Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous” (Ps 69:27-28). This is a plural usage, thus the son of perdition is a position with members, not merely one man named Judas.
Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a sponge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to His mouth (19:29).
The Pharisees, with the religious leaders were standing there watching and hearing all these things. Even with all their knowledge and intellect, they still couldn’t see Jesus as the Christ, nor could they see the fulfillment of prophecy before their eyes.
On the very first Passover Moses placed the blood in three positions around the door, a sign of the Cross: if the blood of a lamb on the first Passover separated and protected the children of God from death, surely the Blood of Jesus has separated us from the second death as it protects us now.
The hyssop played an important role, in the European culture hyssop was used as a remedy for bruises, thus Jesus took our pain and torment in His bruises, without any sedative, rather He took the full force of our sufferings for us.
When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said, It is finished: and He bowed His head and gave up the ghost (19:30).
Vinegar is an acid, it’s a derivative from wine, known as Sour Wine. The Bible printed in 1717 referred to the Vineyard Parable in Luke 22 as the Parable Of The Vinegar. Jesus received the sourness of the Vineyard for us, we don’t have to concern ourselves about becoming a sour grape if we continue to believe by walking in the Spirit.
The phrase Gave up the ghost used here is different from the phrase in Acts 5:5. John uses the Greek Pneumaconfirming Luke 23:46. In Acts 5:5 the phrase “Give up the ghost” comes from the Greek Ekpsucho which means to separate the soul from the body, it has nothing to do with the Spirit, rather it means Exit the Soul; however here we find Pneuma meaning Spirit, thus Jesus gave the Sprit to the Father as security.
The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the Cross on the Sabbath day, (For the Sabbath day was a High day) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him, but when they came to Jesus, and saw that He was dead already, they brake not His legs (19:31-33).
In this verse, we find the Sabbath was not the Saturday sabbath, but the High Sabbath for the day of the Feast Of Unleavened Bread, thus this Passover was not on a Friday, it was on a Wednesday, with the High Sabbath on a Thursday, then the weekly preparation day of Friday, the sabbath according to the Commandment on Saturday, then Sunday as the day of discovery.
The Law of Moses said nobody can hang on a tree all night, the Jews never knew why God put this in the Law, since they never hanged anyone, they stoned them.
Luke tells us the women prepared spices on the preparation day, then rested on the sabbath according to the commandment, which would be a Saturday. All the days are accounted for, even the 50 days from Passover to Pentecost are all accounted for.
But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced His side, and forthwith came there out Blood and water (19:34).
The Blood and Water are symbols of the two elements proving the Sacrifice, based on Mercy and Grace. John also tells us Jesus came by Both Water and Blood, thus Jesus was not a mere man who became Christ at the Baptism, rather He came by the Mercy of the Father to produce the Blood of Grace. It takes all three, Water, Blood and Spirit to bring the Witness on earth (I Jn 5:8).
We know Jesus gave His Sacrifice before the Father, but Deuteronomy 12:16 tells us the blood of the sacrifice had to be poured out on the ground as well. The Blood from the Cross provides the holy ground upon which we walk day by day.
John’s observations are confirmed by our modern day medical science: science is to confirm the Bible, whether they know it or not. The spear hit the heart of Jesus, from His heart came forth the products of our Mercy and Grace. The sack about the heart is called the pericardium, when death to the flesh happens this sack fills with a substance looking like water, but it’s really blood and water. When the sack around the heart is punctured, both water and blood flow out of the wound. Today our medical profession would see this verse as the evidence they needed to show death of the flesh of Jesus had taken place. They would know this fisherman named John saw the physical death of Jesus, yet this same John said he saw the Resurrected Jesus, one fact proves the other.
And he that saw it bear record, and his record is true; and he knows that he says true, that you might believe (19:35).
The Record is a product showing something is done, whereas a Witness reflects to what is being done. John isn’t telling us something someone told him, rather he stood at the Cross and saw it.
For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, a bone of Him shall not be broken (19:36).
Jesus is our Passover Lamb, Exodus 12:46 tells us not one bone of the Lamb will be broken. Paul said Jesus is our Passover (I Cor 5:7); however Paul also said the Body of Jesus will be Broken (I Cor 11:24). Maybe Paul is making comment about the stripes, no the word Paul uses for “Broken” in reference to the Broken Body of Jesus means a complete removal of a body part, or a breaking to include breaking bones and joints. Clearly the Body of Jesus must remain intact until the Rapture, then it will be Broken, but Woe unto him who causes the breaking.
And again another scripture says, They shall look on Him Whom they pierced (19:37).
John confirms the time this will take place as the time when Jesus returns for the Judgment, as they shall look upon Him they have pierced. Zechariah says, “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourns for His only Son, and shall be in bitterness for Him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn” (Zech 12:10); the beginning is the Day, the latter is the Night. Adding., “one shall say unto Him, What are those wounds in Your hands?, Then He shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of My friends” (Zech 13:6). If this Scripture was complete at the Cross, then Jesus forgot to tell them “Those with which I was wounded in the house of My friends”; He also forgot to pass them through the Fire; therefore, the Scripture is prophecy confirming now is the Day, with the Night following, meaning there is a Rapture wherein we shall be lifted to meet the Lord in the Air, to be spared from the wrath of God.
And after this Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus: and Pilate gave him leave. He came therefore, and took the Body of Jesus. And there came also Nicodemus, which at first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pound weight (19:38-39).
We find a paradox, those who hid from Jesus during the early days of the ministry are in the open caring for Him, but those who cared for Him in those early days have all run for cover.
In the Song of Love, also known as Psalm 45 we read, “You loved righteousness, and hated wickedness: therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your fellows. All your garments smell of myrrh and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made you glad” (Ps 45:7-8). This is the Day the Lord has made, let us be Glad and Rejoice in it. Crying over the Cross is not the reason for Jesus suffering, He did it so we can have a place of Joy and Gladness, a Place where we Rejoice in the Blood, knowing He truly loves us above all things.
Joseph had the myrrh and aloes, but the women would have to prepare spices, which took mixing and cooking for hours (Luke 23:56). Myrrh and aloes were used as a type of plaster to keep the wrapping clothe firmly around the body, accordingly when the mixture dried the clothe formed a type of cocoon over the body. On the other hand the Spices the women made were for scent during the time when the body was decaying.
Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury (19:40).
The word Spices here refers to the myrrh and aloes, not the spices and ointments to be prepared later. The mixture was one hundred pounds, knowing the mixture will harden is one thing, knowing it had a weight of one hundred pounds adds to this. Even if Jesus was able to fool all these people, perhaps didn’t die, how was He able to break through the hardened clothe? No, it’s real, He is Resurrected.
This also related to the Cocoon, the Seed died, before it could grant Life. The Greek word for Grain is Kokkos we get our English word Cocoon from this same Greek word. In the case of Jesus the other shell (flesh) changed, but in our case we have to put off corruption in order to put on incorruption. There was no corruption (death) found in Jesus, there was no decay, thus we are His Body on earth.
Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulcher, wherein was never a man yet laid (19:41).
God even has this covered; this tomb belonged to a rich man, a tomb never used before (Matt 27:60). Joseph purchased this tomb, even though he thought it was for him, it turned out to hold the Lord of Glory. When the Spirit takes us into the Tomb to prepare us for the Glory of the Resurrection we will find it’s a place where no one has been before, the Lord has prepared it just for us.
The tomb was even in a Garden; not only did Jesus reverse, or restore all Adam lost, but provided us things Adam never dreamed of. Jesus through death destroyed (made ineffective) him who had the power of death, that is the devil (Heb 2:14). When we receive the Cross of Jesus we can be Born Again, then we are given the Tree of Life making the world, the devil, the wiles of the devil all ineffective in our lives.
There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews’ preparation day: for the sepulcher was near at hand (19:42).
This is still Wednesday the preparation day for the High Sabbath, it not only tells us the Sabbath was near, but the time element is correct. The sun was setting, the Passover was nearly over, it would be too late for the women to cook the spices, thus they rested on the High Sabbath, cooked the spices on the weekly preparation day of Friday, then rested on Saturday the sabbath according to the commandment.
The tomb had a door made of a large stone; it was large enough to cause the woman to wonder who was going to roll it away so they could apply the spices and ointments. The door was sealed, with a guard placed before it to keep the disciples from taking the body of Jesus before the first day of the week (Matt 27:62-66). Matthew says at the very moment the physical body of Jesus quit breathing, the eighteen inch thick veil in the temple was torn from the top to the bottom (Matt 27:51). The Father reached down and tore the Veil like a piece of thin paper opening the Holy of Holies for us. The symbol of the Mercy Seat of God was in the Holy of Holies, we obtain direct Mercy from the Father when we forgive, but the Resurrection opened Grace, thus the Faith of Jesus provided us the opportunity to have the Spirit, allowing us to come boldly to the Throne of Grace.
The first day of the week came Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulcher, and saw the stone taken away from the sepulcher (20:1).
The work of the Son of man on the Cross was Finished, but the Work of the Kingdom was just beginning. There is a difference between “It is Finished”, and “It is done”. The phrase It is finished refers to a part of the overall task being complete, but the phrase “It is done” means the entire task is complete. Here on the Cross it’s “It is finished”, but at the Judgment it will be, “It is Done” (Rev 21:6 & Ezek 39:1-8).
Mary came to the tomb while it was yet dark, thus this night would not be after the Lord is raised, meaning He was raised on the third day. Jesus wanted the discovery of the empty tomb to be on the First Day of the week, which also became the Eighth Day of the week prior. The junction of the First Day and Eighth Day completed many things. On the First Day of Creation the Spirit of the Lord moved over the Darkness as God said Let there be Light, and there was Light. Jesus came as the Light of the World, on the First Day of the Week there was Light for anyone who believes. The Eighth Day also invoked a New Beginning, one where we in the flesh, can impute the flesh dead in order to have the Spirit of Truth.
It appears as if Mary Magdalene is the only person at the tomb on this early morning; John is not taking away from the other Gospel accounts, nor is he in conflict with them, he is providing additional information, proving it’s One Gospel with four scribes, not four gospels. Matthew says Mary Magdalene came with the other Mary (Matt 28:1). Mark shows it was Mary Magdalene with Mary the mother of James and Salome, who is also the mother of Jesus (Mark 16:1). Luke simply says, they came very early in the morning (Luke 24:1). Later Luke would show Joanna as one of the women attempting to convince the disciples Jesus had been raised from the dead (Luke 24:10); however, Luke doesn’t say Joanna was at the tomb, only she believed. His reference indicates she believed without seeing, yet Thomas would demand to see before he would consider belief. Peter would have to see, but Thomas went further, he had to touch.
Then she ran, and came to Simon Peter, and to the disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulcher, and we know not where they have laid Him (20:2).
Here John confirms more people than Mary Magdalene went to the grave, but John wants us to know Mary came to John and Peter by herself. Mark shows Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9), but here in John it’s obvious she is yet to see the Lord; therefore, John explains Mary saw the stone rolled away, then ran back to contact John and Peter. In turn Peter and John ran to the tomb, where John becomes an eye witness to the empty tomb. Then John and Peter returned to the house, where the other Gospel accounts pick up the events. Luke shows Peter went to the tomb alone, yet here we find Peter and John going. Luke gives us the second visitation by Peter, adding to the events. This point shows Mary saw the tomb empty then ran to Peter and John, after Peter and John see the empty tomb they return to the house. Mary remains then sees the Lord, she then returns to the house, tells Peter, then Peter returns a second time to the tomb. This second visit is the one Luke talks about (Luke 24:6). Peter would have three separate chances from at least three witnesses to believe the Resurrection, and obey the Lord without having to see Him. The “conversion” was being presented, Peter will later know, but at this point in time he thinks he missed it completely, thus he felt he lost everything including his position, especially when Jesus says, “Tell My disciples and Peter”. However, it was far from over for Peter, the hope for any of us who think we missed it is the same, it’s not over, it’s just beginning, lessons are lessons, disciples learn from lessons.
Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulcher (20:3).
John being the other disciple with Peter is an eye witness explaining the two visits to the tomb by Peter, one with John, the second alone, giving Peter two chances, adding the two men who saw Jesus on the road, making four witnesses, but three events.
So they ran together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulcher. And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying, yet went he not in (20:4-5).
John got there first, but when he saw the clothes he refused to enter the tomb, but it didn’t stop Peter. The opening was not head high; in order to see inside or enter, one had to bend over. Up to this point Mary and the other women saw only the stone rolled away, but now they know the tomb is empty.
Then came Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulcher, and seeing the linen clothes lie (20:6).
This is three days after the hundred pounds of aloes and myrrh were applied to His grave clothes. They saw the dried clothes as a Cocoon (Grain), or wrapped together, yet Jesus was not encased therein. The grain of mustard seed died, then came Forth in the Power of the Resurrection. There was one other piece of clothe used in the burial to soak up the excess aloes. This clothe was placed over and under the body from the toe over the head and back to the toe.
The women came in the morning to finish the rite of burial, but Jesus had already broken the bondage of death: their spices weren’t needed, the Anointing of God brought a sweet smelling fragrance.
And the napkin, that was about the head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself (20:7).
In explaining the Resurrection, this one verse shows us the physical body is different than the Resurrected body. Unlike Lazarus who had to be cut free of the clothes, Jesus simply moved through them, yet He was not a spirit, but He was Resurrected into a spiritual nature with a spiritual body, there is a difference. The physical body is restricted to the barriers of the physical world, Jesus was not an angel, nor was He some mystic spirit, He was the First Resurrected Body, the Firstbegotten from the dead. His Resurrection is our evidence for our belief, our faith reaches to the Rapture, between the two we hope unto the Day when we receive our White Robes.
The Gift of Grace brings us the Born Again experience onto a spiritual nature, although we are not spirits, our souls are being made Spiritual, there is a difference. The hardest thing for us to believe is “that Born of the Spirit is Spirit”, especially when we see the flesh, day after day. What counts is the activity on the inside, the process is to save our souls by our souls becoming Spiritual in nature. The New body waits for our saved souls joined to the Spirit, wherein we will know as Jesus is now, so are we.
The wording Wrapped Together is the Greek Entul meaning Entwined or Twisted together, thus the Life on the inside of the Cocoon broke forth, this is our promise of the Full Corn In the Ear being evidenced in our walk.
Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulcher, and he saw, and believed (20:8).
John didn’t have to return a second time, he saw, he believed, becoming the Disciple Jesus loved. Although John had to see something, he needed only see it once. A view of the Gospel and church history shows John only had to hear once, or see once, he never questioned beyond the premise, whether he understood it or not, he accepted it. On the other hand Peter came back a second time then walked off wondering in himself (Luke 24:12). Two more witnesses from the group would testify of seeing Jesus on a road, yet Peter would still have to see Jesus in order to believe. One would think Peter would be removed from his office, after all belief and faith are requirements. No, Peter is a disciple in training, we even learn from mistakes.
For as yet they knew not the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead (20:9).
Although Jesus told them about the Cross and Resurrection, they understood not the saying (Mark 9:31-32). The conclusion? They really didn’t believe in their hearts, but we also know they were natural in thinking, lacking the new heart in order to believe. The only way any of us can Truly Believe Jesus is raised from the dead is to have the Power of the Resurrection in us by the New Man.
Then the disciples went away again unto their own home (20:10).
John doesn’t venture to the second time Peter came to the tomb, rather this explains why Peter walked away wondering in himself. Jesus told Peter, and the others, You see Me no more; now it would appear Peter would never see the Lord again; had his denials separated him from Jesus forever? No, they would not see Jesus as the Son of man again, they will see Jesus as the Son of God.
But Mary stood without at the sepulcher weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulcher (20:11).
This is after Peter and John left, thus Mary remained behind wondering, Where have they taken the Lord? Mary didn’t jump for joy or proclaim He is Risen at this time, rather she saw the empty tomb assuming someone took the Lord’s Body to some hidden place. The early morning light would just be breaking, the angels would appear as men to the women.
And seeing two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had laid (20:12).
The two angels represent the two cherubims of glory who stand over the mercy seat, one for the Church, one for the Remnant, yet the Mercy Seat is Jesus as the Son of man, thus they were at the grave (Heb 9:5). One was at the place where the Head would be, the other at the feet, thus Jesus is our Mercy Seat.
And they said unto her, Woman, why do you weep? She said unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him (20:13).
Jesus told them the Cross was a joy, the Resurrection is a point of Gladness and Great Joy, not a time for weeping. John shows Mary made two visits in the morning, the last time she Saw the Lord, the first time she saw the stone rolled away. Mary heard she was looking for the living among the dead; some of us have a tendency to look for the Living among the Dead, rather than bring the Life of Christ to the walking dead.
And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus (20:14).
Jesus told them to have Joy, but their grief blinded their Faith. Luke explained how two of the disciples would meet Jesus on the road to Emmaus, yet not recognize Him (Luke 24:13-16). It is still early in the morning, perhaps this made it more difficult to recognize Jesus, but the last time they saw Jesus, He was beaten to pieces, now He still carries the Marks but not the evidence of the beatings. When we come out of our wilderness experience we will carry the marks of our cross, but not the marks of any past beatings we suffered in the world, whether mental or physical.
Jesus said unto her, Woman, why do you weep? Whom do you seek? She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said unto Him, Sir, if You have borne Him from here, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away (20:15).
This is the second time Mary is asked why she is weeping, yet when Adam’s sin blinded him, he was separated from the Lord, thus the Lord said to Adam, “Where are you?” (Gen 3:9) Mary’s grief placed her in a position where she is asking, “Lord, where are You?”; it doesn’t mean either Jesus or Mary were in sin, rather it shows mistaken grief can blind us to the Glory about us.
Jesus said unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and said unto Him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master (20:16).
When the Word (Logos) came personally to Mary, she was healed then filled with joy. The title Rabboni was used in prayer toward God, here it identifies Jesus as the Son of God. Mary hears her name as her grief turns to Joy; from the Joy she was able to see the Lord. Some of us wander around wondering why we can’t hear the Lord, our grief and bitterness have closed our ears, Joy brings clarity and Gladness of heart.
Jesus said unto her, Touch Me not; for I am not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father, and to My God, and your God (20:17).
The wording “Touch Me not”, doesn’t mean to over handle Jesus, the Greek word for Touch is used some 36 times in the New Testament, it never means to over handle in any reference, rather it simply means to touch. Jesus says He is going to ascend unto the Father, but this isn’t in reference to the Ascension, rather it could read, I ascend unto My Father to make Him Your Father, and unto My God, so you can have direct involvement with God by the Spirit. Paul said Jesus ascended up on High leading captivity captive, but He first descended, then ascended up far above all heavens (Eph 4:9-10). Jesus descended, then ascended, then ascended Far above; all these are still within the First Coming. Luke will show Jesus was with the disciples forty days (Acts 1:3), surely the disciples weren’t in the grave with Jesus, neither did they descend or ascend with Him. The three days are added to the forty giving us forty-three days, yet it’s fifty days from Passover to Pentecost, thus there are seven days between the Day of Discovery, and the time Thomas is told to Touch Jesus (Jn 20:26). No one can touch a holy thing and live, no one can touch a sanctified sacrifice, except for the Priest, and live. The Priest had to remain outside the Temple for Seven days, then give the Holy Sacrifice, thus the seven days give us the second seven for our Covenant.
This is one of those areas showing how this account clears up issues, as it fills in gaps. Back in Matthew 28:9 we saw where they “held” Jesus by the feet and worshiped Him. In Matthew the word Held is the GreekKrateo meaning to Master over, or control, or lay hold of as in restraint. Matthew uses the metaphorical content to show although they worshiped Jesus, they were still binding Him with their unbelief. Here the word Touch is the Greek Haptomai it was associated with the Levitical concept of touching either holy things. If John would have used Krateo, we would have a problem, but since the Holy Ghost is the Author we find we can worship Jesus, yet be restraining Him by our unbelief, explaining Mark, where Jesus upbraided them with their own unbelief (Mark 16:16).
Jesus didn’t die for Himself, it was for these people, it was Greater for them if He went to the Father, but it would take their belief to release Him. Placing this with Matthew and Mark we find we can worship Jesus, yet be upbraided by Him for our unbelief. This hasn’t changed, we can worship Jesus, sing praise songs, jump up and down, but if we fail to believe, we nonetheless restrict Him. This also connects to John 4:22-24, at this time the disciples didn’t know how to worship, they lacked the Spirit of Truth, thus they lacked the means, yet they worshiped. Martha found one can praise Jesus, yet use manipulation, causing Jesus to stop in his tracks (Matt 28:9). John’s use of the Greek Haptomai shows this has to do with the Sacrifice, not something to do with Mary being a woman, or anything other than the Sacrifice is Holy and cannot be touched until the presentation. When the Sacrifice is presented, then Jesus as our High Priest made us priests, meaning we can touch the Holy Thing and Live. The Book of Hebrews tells us Jesus entered the Holy of Holies, not made with hands, which is in heaven, then performed the completed sacrifice by the offering His own Blood (Heb 9:11-26). The sprinkling had to be done at the altar of God to finish the offering started when the Father sent the Spirit as a Dove (Heb 9:19).
Mary understood the first command was “Go to Galilee”, thus she was specifically told to inform the disciples (Mark 16:7). The Lord wasn’t finished with Peter either, neither was Peter done serving the Lord. This lesson for Peter would be great, we can, and will make mistakes, some of them will even end in denying Jesus for the moment, but there is a vast difference between selling out Jesus, and failing for the moment based on a weakness we knew nothing about.
The writer of Hebrews also tells us, “How much more shall the Blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb 9:14). For without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin (Heb 9:22). When Jesus gave the Sacrifice it changed Priesthoods, which necessitated a change in Laws (Heb 7:12-15), which necessitated a new priest order for the New Law, making us priests unto God (Rev 1:6).
From the tomb Mary would run to the disciples telling them she has now seen Jesus. Her sorrow turned to Joy, the concept of Mary being rebuked for attempting to touch Jesus is foolishness, Jesus was protecting her, not rebuking her. This misconception becomes a false witness in those times of testing, when we assume we are being punished, when the Witness of Truth says we are being blessed, yet the misconception has us running about cursing the darkness, or binding the feet of Jesus.
Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things unto her (20:18).
The things she reported would include her not being able to touch Jesus, Jesus ascending to the Father, but the disciples were suppose to go to Galilee. At this time Peter would go back to the tomb, as Luke reported (Luke 24:12). Although Peter went back to the tomb, it’s obvious none of them went to Galilee as they were told. Mary presented the Word of the Lord, yet their unbelief also caused them to be bound to one spot, they still failed to believe.
Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst and said unto them, Peace be unto you (20:19).
This is the promise coming to pass, prior Jesus said He would leave Peace, now He grants it; therefore, He imputed Peace, now it’s being imparted. This is still the first day of the week, or Sunday, becoming the reasoning why Christians meet on Sunday.
The first usage of, “Peace Unto You” is the Covenant promise based in Mercy, but the second usage points to Grace, thus Jesus is imparting Mercy while imputing Grace, thus Peace is the power to sow Righteousness. Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God (Matt 5:9). How can we bring Peace, if we don’t have it. When Jesus appeared to these men, they were so frightened they refused to venture to Galilee. Jesus gives them Peace, but they still had to put one foot in front of the other by obedience. Jesus won’t transport them to Galilee, but He did give them Peace in order for them to Fear Not. What then is the problem? Unbelief, they are still wavering.
And when He had said, He showed unto them His hands, and His side. Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord (20:20).
Once they saw the marks, they were Glad, but they had to see the Lord in order to gain Gladness. The Curse came because the people refused to Serve the Lord with joyfulness and gladness of heart, for the Abundance of all things (Deut 28:47). The Cross didn’t appear to these people to be Good at the time, but it was nonetheless a Thing, they should have reached to the words of Jesus to obtain Joy and Gladness.
Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as My Father has sent Me, even so send I you (20:21).
After they saw, then came gladness, then Jesus told them again “Peace unto you”; although Jesus told them prior Peace unto you, we know there are two aspects, one is the impartation of Peace in Mercy, the other is the imputing of Peace in Grace, yet they didn’t receive either until they saw the marks.
This is still the day of the Resurrection, it’s still moving into the Promise of the Covenant. The Greek word for Peace means Rest and Prosperity, it’s part of the Things.
And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said unto them, Receive you the Holy Ghost; Whose soever sins you remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins you retain, they are retained (20:22-23).
This is not to be confused with being baptized with the Holy Ghost yet to come on Pentecost. Not only did Jesus breath on the disciples, but it would be the same day of the week He was discovered raised from the dead, which would be some forty-seven days from Pentecost, yet on Pentecost the Holy Ghost filled them all, as they received Power from on high (Spirit) which is different than breathing On them. The Book of Acts shows two signs associated with the Baptism with the Holy Ghost, unknown tongues and prophecy, neither of those happened here
The Breath of Jesus brings us into the Living Soul condition, it’s based in Forgiveness (Mercy), not in the manner of us forgiving the sins of others in the place of God, but for us to have the power to forgive others for sins done unto us. This couples with, “if you forgive, then your Father will forgive you” (Mark 11:22-28). This is binding and loosing, with the power to Loose, as the preparation to receive the Holy Ghost. In order to gain from the concept of the Ingress Aries we need to understand it’s not remission of our sins in heaven, but the ability granted to us to remit the sins done onto us as a prerequisite to receiving the Gift of Holy Ghost. This area connects to John 7:38-39, where we found the Spirit (Gift or Grace) of the Holy Ghost would not be given until Jesus was Glorified (in the Resurrection). The forgiveness issue was paramount, the enemy will give us all sorts of reasons not to forgive, Jesus gives us one, “receive ye the Holy Ghost”. This is the One Accord the disciples entered to receive the Holy Ghost on Pentecost.
We also need to know where the theological term “Ingress Aries” came from. The actual Latin in the verse is not, Ingressus (ingress), it’s Insuflavit, how then did we come up with the term Ingress Aries? Theological terms at times do carry words readily found in the English language: the Latin Ingressus means Movement or Permission, often from one element to another; we get our English word Ingress from the Latin Ingresus. The English really shades light on the concept, the English Ingress also means permission, or right to enter, couple it with the Latin Aeris which means Air, and we have the meaning of the term “Ingress Aires”, showing it was the granted Permission from Jesus for the disciples to forgive in order to “receive ye the Holy Ghost”, but it was not the imparting of the Holy Ghost, it enabled them to forgive; meaning Mercy was still the prerequisite. Clearly this is not impartation, since they still didn’t do anything, yet on Pentecost Peter preached, as they spoke with other tongues, here we don’t the signs of the Baptism.
The term became known as “The Ingress Aries From Majesty On High” in the English, defining the act as Jesus giving permission to forgive as the prerequisite to receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost, but we also have to add the rest of the statement by Jesus to fine the prerequisite of binding and loosing so one can have the completeness of the baptism with the Holy Ghost. Once we understand how the condition is for us to forgive others for any sins they have done unto us, we can see how all this relates to Belief. They had to believe the Breath of Jesus gave them the ability to forgive, then they had to forgive others in prayer as a faith issue. What were they doing on Pentecost? Praying in one accord, thus they were forgiving, the result was the Power from on High coming as a Rushing Mighty Wind. They didn’t run out to the Romans and say, “My God has commanded me to forgive you”, they didn’t run to the grave of Judas to tell him they had forgiven him. This wasn’t for the Romans, Jews or Judas, it was for the disciples. We can twist forgiveness into validation making sure all know what evils they did unto us, but it links the effort to personal Justice, not Mercy. God’s Justice is equal, not like man’s.
All of us know there are people we just can’t forgive, we may not want to, as the memories flood our minds, as we get angry all over again. When Jesus breaths on us, we are granted the ability to make the decision with a conviction of assurance by faith, then the Father’s Mercy begins to flow, allowing us to forgive. Immediately? At times, but not always, nonetheless we believe we received the ability. This was a very important issue in the early days of the Body, so much so, we find during the baptism ceremony the representative of the Body would breath on the person, invoking these verses in John.
Of course the spirit of man can abuse this entire area, or twist it around to produce self-justification, by having us go about telling everyone how we forgive them. The enemy knows this issue is a Key of Keys, it can make the life of a saint, or keep them in bondage. We can bind every devil, yet fail to bind what we are suppose to. We can loose all the blessings we can think of, yet fail to loose what we are commanded to.
But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came (20:24).
The word Didymus means Double; although some term him a Twin, the reference points to his double-mindedness. In the Greek the phrase Double minded means two souls, or jumping from one soul to the other, or from one thought to another opposite thought. Thomas at this time was termed one of the disciples, he is still holding unto old ideas and thoughts, he has yet to move from the old order to the New. This confirms Mark and Matthew, they may have worshipped Jesus, but they still held their unbelief.
Hold it, wait, if Thomas wasn’t there, then he was left out. Oh my God, he missed the Ingress Aries, what can he do? It’s all over, I just know it. Not so, When Jesus spoke the words they were not confined to the four walls, they were projected to those who would receive Him. Thomas will see, then believe, as he receives Jesus. Whether we know it or not the second we received Jesus, we received the Ingress Aires, it then becomes a matter of application.
The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe (20:25).
Peter didn’t believe when he was told, the majority of the others didn’t believe when they were told, but Thomas takes it one step further, he must examine, or investigate the evidence before he believes; however, he will have his opportunity in one week. This verse confirms the type of Cross as well, Thomas didn’t say the Nail in His hands, or the rope about His arms, rather he knew it was Nails, one for each outstretched Arm.
After eight days again His disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you (20:26).
This is clearly eight days later, the Sacrifice has been given, touching would now be permitted. This is the second time Jesus would appear to the disciples; John shows Jesus again said, “peace be unto you” but this time there was something added. This is the Peace of Grace, added to the Peace of Mercy. This is after the sacrifice in heaven, yet before Pentecost, but Jesus is going to teach them of the Kingdom. This is after the Father told the Son, “Your Throne, O God, is forever and ever: a scepter of Righteousness is the scepter of Your Kingdom” (Heb 1:8). This also shows we can receive the Ingress Aires, but reject the Sacrifice, yet if we receive the Sacrifice, we must also receive the Ingress Aires, it’s progressive.
Then said He to Thomas, Reach here your finger, and behold My hands; and reach here your hand, and thrust it into My side; and be not faithless, but believing (20:27).
The confession of Thomas was being tested, whether our confession was foolish or holy, it’s still going to be tested. The closest John comes to using the word faith is here, but it’s faithless, or Without faith. When we demand to see, or examine the evidence before we will believe we are faithless, yet to those who believe without seeing, they are blessed.
Thomas still had a choice to make, he could either believe without having to touch, which would entail repentance, or he would continue to demand to touch. If he continued in his faithless condition, he would be able to touch the Lord with his hand, but not with his soul. Peter denied the Lord three times, Thomas denied the Lord was raised from the dead, both needed to repent, but we know all would be upbraided with their own unbelief.
And Thomas answered and said unto Him, My Lord, and My God (20:28).
Thomas repented quickly, but only after Jesus appeared. Nonetheless, Thomas gained from his repentance, later he would go into India to be a faithful Witness of the Gospel. Between Peter and Thomas we find the longsuffering of the Lord, all we need do is turn and face Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.
Jesus said unto him, Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed (20:29).
The context is clearly to Believe, but do we need to touch the wounds? Do we need to see Jesus in a vision? We are baptized into the Body because we believe, the saying “shall be saved” is based on our continual belief. If the words of Thomas were out of order, Jesus would have rebuked him, at the very least we would see “get thee behind Me Satan”, but He didn’t, confirming the words Jesus gave Mary, the Sacrifice opened the Street, the Tree of Life is on either end, the third Position of Jesus as God the Son was established, thus we begin as sons of men by Mercy, the Spirit brings us into the position of being a son of God, but we will never be “God the Son”. From these verses we find it’s not only permissible, but acceptable to worship Jesus.
And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that believing you might have life through His name (20:30-31).
This doesn’t end the account, it merely separates these events from the conversion of Peter. The Holy Ghost is giving us another Beginning, one we must encounter before we can “Go ye into the world”. There are times when we think we have missed it so bad, we will never be restored, yet our Season is the time of Restoration. It doesn’t mean we can sin continually, then expect to be restored, it means we learn by our mistakes, so we don’t make them again.
The purpose of John’s account is Belief so we Might have life through the Name (Authority) of Jesus; it’s not a Faith issue, it’s a matter of knowing what happened so we can have a good foundation of belief. John removes many cultist thoughts, destroying concepts of Jesus being a mere man who became great by the baptism. We had more than choice in our water baptism, it was an act on our part, thus if we elevate it higher than God does, we make our water baptism a god, not real wise.
After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias; and on this wise showed He Himself (21:1).
The Third Time Jesus appears is to restore Peter, this proves, “if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous” (I Jn 2:1). It’s also interesting it was the third time, bringing all the threes together.
There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathaniel of Cana of Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of His disciples (21:2).
By counting these men we find there is a total of seven from the eleven, thus giving us another Seven pointing to the time of completeness for our repentance.
Simon Peter said unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with you. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing (21:3).
Peter thought it was over, Jesus didn’t tell Peter, “Son I forgive you”; Jesus didn’t have to, His nature is to forgive. When Peter wept bitterly, his tears washed away the tares producing a path of repentance. Jesus breathed on him, told him whosoever sins are remitted, are remitted, yet Peter simply couldn’t believe Jesus would ever entrust him with a leadership calling. The Apostle was called first, yet when these men were called to be Apostles, they were yet carnal, thus the least shall be the greatest but the greatest is the servant of all. Peter could handle being among the congregation, perhaps not the first row, but still in the pews, it was being a leader, or responsible for the feeding of the flock causing him fear. Surely if he failed once, he would do it again: however, he is not considering the Power from on High.
But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore; but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus (21:4).
Jesus didn’t walk on the water to meet them, He didn’t produce some mystic sign to lift the boat out of the water, He waited on the shore while the disciples were on the sea.
Then Jesus said unto them, Children, have you any meat? They answered Him, No (21:5).
Did Jesus need their fish? Perhaps Jesus lost His power, where is the lad with the fish when you need him? Jesus had the need on fire while Peter and boys were attempting to meet their own need. They reached over into the area of the Covenant appointed to Jesus; their part of the Covenant was to seek the Kingdom and His Righteousness, Jesus would provide the things. If Jesus says, “I want you to get a job” or if He says, “wait, I’ll bring your need” it still takes belief and obedience before we can enter into the blessing.
And He said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and you shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes (21:6).
Peter is taken back to the early days, but Jesus isn’t telling him, he has to start over again, rather this lesson is about the Things, how we obtain them, or how we can enter something not appointed to us, assuming Things are signs of our holiness.
Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked), and did cast himself into the sea (21:7).
John knew who it was, he didn’t have to be told twice. Peter didn’t attempt to walk on the water this time; he did learn, he simply didn’t know it.
And the other disciples came in a little ship, (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with the fishes (21:8).
A cubit is about eighteen inches, making the distance around 100 yards. A little ship, is the small dinghy type of boat used to row to shore from the larger fishing ships.
As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon; and bread (21:9).
They had a net breaking catch, yet Jesus already had fish and bread waiting for them. The number of fish represented the 153 blessings in the Abrahamic Covenant, but Peter must make a choice, the Net, or Jesus? Did Jesus have a million fish on the fire? No, He had enough, often we assume the Need isn’t going to be enough, causing us to run around attempting to meet our own self-imposed greed, ending using methods not afforded us in the Kingdom, but because they work we think we’re holy, wrong; Paul told the Galatians they may find it works, but they will also find they have fallen from Grace.
Jesus said unto them, Bring of the fish which you have now caught. Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, a hundred and fifty and three: and of all there were so many, yet was not the net broken (21:10-11).
Peter obeyed, he didn’t argue this time, he heard, then did as he was told.
Jesus said unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples dare ask Him, Who are You? knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then came and took bread, and gave them, and fish likewise. This is now the third time that Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after that He was risen from the dead (21:12-14).
Bread and Fish are symbols of His provision, it’s not limited to the symbols, rather to the Jew Beard is a sign of life, to the Christian the Fish is a sign of the Spirit.
So when they had dined, Jesus said to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, do you love Me more than these? He said unto Him, Yes, Lord; You know that I love You. He said unto Him, Feed my lambs (21:15).
Was Peter among those Jesus breathed on? Yes, so what is Jesus doing now? Ahh, restoration into an Office, thus Peter was still of the Rock, even in his denials, it was his Office at stake: therefore, the angel didn’t say, “brethren and Peter”, but “the disciples and Peter” (Mark 16:7).
Jesus knows the ability to Agape is yet to be granted, but the lesson is based in honesty, awareness of who we are, and who we are not. Knowing our weaknesses and where our Strength is found is the first lesson to entering any ministry. Peter doesn’t consider the Things, he desires the service, but will he gain it? Jesus tells him, Feed the Lambs, or feed those who are the new sacrifices unto the Lord, but Peter isn’t sure he’s even a lamb, much less feeding them.
We also know Jesus upbraided the disciples with their unbelief, here is an example of how Jesus calls us, thus He calls us as if we are already doing the calling. Jesus doesn’t come to us and say, “think you can do this?”. No, He knows the calling and power are entailed in the office, He will keep on until our belief matches the vision.
He said to him again the second time, Simon son of Jonas, do you love Me? He said unto Him, Yes, Lord; You know that I love You. He said unto him, Feed My sheep (21:16).
Peter was being a Jonah was hiding in the belly of the whale, while at the same time running like a rabbit. Phileo is the beginning point, none of us need the Spirit to Phileo, but we do need the Spirit to Agape. Peter centers his Phileo on the Lord, not on anything else, thus our first step is to place our Phileo and trust in the Lord. Peter did Phileo the Lord, it was enough to leave the 153 fish joining with Jesus at the Fire, but it’s not Peter’s concern, his concern is failing the Lord with the lambs, valid, but unwarranted.
He said unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, do you love Me? Peter was grieved because He said unto him the third time, Do you love Me? And he said unto Him, Lord You know all things: You know that I love You. Jesus said unto him, Feed My sheep (21:17).
This time Jesus uses Phileo instead of Agape; Peter was grieved because Jesus used Phileo this third time, it’s saying Jesus asked him three times. Peter knew Jesus could look into his heart, prior Peter felt no one knew Peter but Peter, but now he understands, don’t question the Lord, obey, don’t tell the Lord what to do, obey, don’t fight Jesus, obey. The title “Simon son of Jonah” should have taken Peter back to “you received this of the Father”, this was a Revelation coming to Peter, he was the “son of a prophet”, not a prophet, but Jesus is restoring him to be a leader.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, When you were young, you girded yourself, and walked where you would: but when you shall be old, you shall stretch forth your hands, and another shall gird you, and carry you where you would not go. This spoke He, signifying by what death, he would glorify God. And when he had spoken this, He said unto him, Follow Me (21:18-19).
The word Young is the Greek Neos, meaning Recently come into existence, but when Peter was born into the world did he gird himself? Not hardly, did he do as he willed? Not hardly again, so what is Jesus referring to? Simon the old man did as he willed, even after he joined the ministry of Jesus, but those days were coming to a rapid end, it was time to grow up to become “Peter” a piece of the Rock, being established into the Church.
This is the time when we were “Babes”, when we entered, we did as we willed, but then came a time when it got real serious, our prayer, “not my will” became effective but we ran off shouting, “I am cursed”, “I don’t know who I am anymore”, “I’ve lost my salvation”. No, Justification came to do it’s work by the Spirit, the field was in a cleaning process, which began with, “signifying by what death, we would glorify God”.
It makes more sense when we look at the word “would” we find it also means “desired”, it’s the Greek wordTheatrizo meaning a Theatrical exercise, or a display of ones self ability. The passage shows when Peter came into the kingdom there was a leeway, or latitude given him, he was still to obey, but he was nonetheless using his own self-ability in many theatrical exercises. It’s clear at the arrest when he took out his sword, earlier when he told Jesus, “Be it far from You, Lord: this shall not be unto You” (Matt 16:23), or walking on the water, all acts of theatrics, attempting to show Jesus how great Peter was. Now Peter is in the Process of becoming “Old” the self-ability will cease, the ability of the New Man will reign. Does it mean he won’t make any more mistakes? No, it means he will be quick to see them when they are brought to his attention (Gal 2:11-21).
The word Old also Senescent, or Mature, or one of Age, which is the same as being an Elder. It began with aPhileo love, but it was enough to begin the process.
Then Peter, turning about, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on His breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrays You? Peter seeing him said to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? (12:20-21).
The first part of this identifies the man who said, “which is he who betrays You” as something asked of John, don’t forget it was Peter who told John to ask. From Peter’s statement we find a couple of things, first it was right back to “self-ability”, but with a twist to it. Rather than saying, “You’re right Lord, I will be great”, he is attempting to find out what Jesus was doing with others. Also we find this conversion for Peter was not something instant, this was a Process, the beginning works will be on Pentecost, causing the greatest change, but it will still be a process.
The prior verse pointed to a one on one endeavor, Peter and the New Man, it didn’t include anyone else. However, like many of us, Peter had a tendency to find out what Jesus is doing with others, so we can feel comfortable with what He is doing with us. It never tells us a thing, Jesus will point it out to Peter.
Jesus said unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me (21:22).
These are the last words spoken by Jesus in John’s account; for us every time we start to wonder what Jesus is doing with others, we hear “Follow Me, saith the Lord”. Even if the person is one whom Jesus loved, what difference does it make, we follow Jesus. If the person is the one who Jesus gave His mother to, what does it matter, we follow Jesus. This points to the one on one relationship Jesus seeks with us. This also refers to leadership duties, thus we as leaders never judge our position by looking at what other leaders are doing, or not doing.
Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that the disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, if I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to you? (21:23).
Like many sayings, some become so twisted they make little spiritual sense. John knew the Lord would tarry, he knew the Time of Comfort would open another Season, but nonetheless he also knew the only thing holding back the Rapture was the desire of Jesus to reach all the called, not merely based on John’s physical existence.
This is the disciple which testifies of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true (21:24).
The Testimony is True, Jesus didn’t come to destroy the Law or the Prophets, He came to fulfill them, thus the words of the Prophets will be done, the Time of Comfort will come, the Rapture will come and the Kingdom is still at hand.
And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written, Amen (21:25).
The purpose is to give us all food for our Belief, the place where “shall be saved” becomes a confidence, not a fear.
This concludes our study of the Gospel Accounts; our next lesson begins The Acts of the Apostles, or the Acts of those who gained the promise of the Spirit, as they continued to Believe.
By Rev. G. E. Newmyer – Les16rev11/ © 2003
