INTRODUCTION TO THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

Getting Acquainted

Please read the Gospel of John through in one sitting, if

possible. While the impact of that reading is still fresh,
close the book and write out your thoughts on the following:
- What have I learned about Jesus that I didn't know
before?
- What effect did the concentrated reading of the gospel
have on my personal relationship with Jesus?
- What aspects of the book did I notice for the first
time?
Read John 1:1-18 (the Prologue to the Gospel). Mark the
key terms in the passage (hint: life, light, receive,
believe, etc.).
Read the rest of the gospel carefully, marking each
reoccurrence of the key terms you found in the Prologue.

At first glance the Gospel of John seems a model of

simplicity. But first glances can be deceiving. Paul Minear

explains, "This Gospel is of such a character that study usually

leads to progressively greater bewilderment. Each verse,

superficially quite simple, conceals a highly complex thought-

structure that resists efforts to absorb it. As soon as a reader

becomes aware of one riddle, that one riddle leads to a dozen

others, none easily solved." (Minear, 247) The Gospel of John is

more than a simple story. It is a deep, theological masterpiece.

Study of this book can lead to a lifetime love-affair, not only

with the book, but with the Jesus portrayed in it.

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One Out of Four

Most of us operate with a "Hollywood" version of the life of

Jesus, a blend of details from all four gospels with quite a bit

of popular tradition and culture thrown in. There are, however,

not one, but four separate, inspired interpretations of Jesus'

life. The full significance of Jesus' life is greater than any

one person, even an inspired person, could recount. Each of the

gospel writers selected events and teachings that underlined his

unique personal and theological perspective about Jesus.

Although there is only one gospel in principle, the Bible

contains four different expressions of that gospel. To mix the

four accounts together "Hollywood style" is to miss the insights

that can be gained from a careful examination of each of these

unique perspectives.

The presence of four distinct gospels in the Bible encourages

us to reject the idea that there is only one valid way to look at

spiritual issues, or only one right way to think. It warns us

against the shallow either/or dilemmas many people use when they

discuss theology. Human limitations are such that no theological

statement is absolutely perfect by itself, all attempts to

describe Christ need some qualification and balance if they are

to truly represent Him.

When people differ on points of theology in a local church,

therefore, it is not always advisable to determine which side is

"right" and which side is "wrong." Each may be seeing an aspect

of truth from a unique perspective, just as the gospel writers

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did. What we call heresy is not always error, it may just be

truth out of balance. It is pointless to argue, for example,

whether being justified or being sanctified is more important.

The example of the four gospels suggests that we affirm the truth

on both sides and help the combatants find a richer balance

together than either one could have attained alone (see Talbert,

25-26).

John's Unique Picture of Jesus

A careful comparison of the Gospel of John with Matthew,

Mark, and Luke reveals a number of unique elements in John.

(1) The Jesus of the Fourth Gospel is not the "lowly Jesus,

meek and mild" of the Synoptics. He is assertive (3:4;

4:17,18,48; 5:45-47; 7:6-9), combative (3:10-12; 5:39-40,42,44;

8:44), seems to enjoy the rough and tumble of debate (3:1-15;

8:31-47), and may even be sarcastic at times (9:41; 10:32).

This picture of Jesus has been a precious discovery to me.

For years I felt guilty that I didn't have the gentle, phlegmatic

personality that everyone assumes Jesus had. The unique window

on Jesus offered by a "son of thunder" (see Mark 3:17) helped me

to see that Jesus was a complex personality of such depth that

those close to him could portray Him in radically different ways

while still being true to fact. I have learned, as a result, to

stop trying to be someone I'm not and to work instead on

enhancing the strengths and minimizing the weaknesses of my

thunderous, choleric personality.

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2) Most of the stories in John are not found in the other

three gospels. Particularly noteworthy are the extended one on

one encounters between Jesus and various characters in the

gospel; Nicodemus (3:1-21), the Samaritan woman (4:4-42), the

paralytic at Bethesda (5:1-15), the blind man (9:1-41), Pilate

(18:28-19:16), and Peter (21:15-23).

3) In Matthew, Mark, and Luke you will find a number of

"three-party dialogues" where Jesus is involved with two or more

people at once, turning His attention back and forth between them

(for example, Mark 2:1-10 and Luke 7:36-50). In the Fourth

Gospel there are only two-way dialogues, one person leaves the

scene or fades out of view before another becomes involved with

Jesus (1:43-51; 4:28-38; 9:17-38; 11:17-32; 18:28-19:16).

4) Although parables play a major role in Jesus' ministry in

Matthew, Mark and Luke, they are rare and by some definitions

non-existent in the Gospel of John. The closest you come to

parables in the Fourth Gospel are the allegories of the Good

Shepherd (10:1-18) and the True Vine (15:1-8). But these are not

true parables according to the pattern found in the other three

gospels.

5) In Matthew, Mark, and Luke Jesus visits Jerusalem only

once during His ministry, which is focused mainly on Galilee. In

John, however, Jesus repeatedly visits Jerusalem, and His

ministry makes a much bigger impact on Jerusalem and Judea.

Although these visits are not mentioned in the other three

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gospels, they are implied in a couple of Jesus' statements (Matt

23:37; Luke 13:34).

Author and Date

The authorship of the gospel is deliberately left anonymous,

probably because of the implication that the Holy Spirit is the

true author (16:13-- the title "according to John" was added

later). There is, however, repeated mention of a beloved

disciple who authored the gospel (13:23,24; 19:35; 21:24). Early

church tradition identifies this beloved disciple as John the son

of Zebedee. The tradition is supported by the fact that this

unnamed disciple was a frequent companion of Peter in the gospel

(13:23,24; 20:1-9; 21:15-23), while John was Peter's companion in

the early chapters of Acts (Acts 3:1,11; 4:13 cf. Gal. 2:9).

The date of the Gospel is widely recognized to be at the end

of the first century, John may even be the last book of the New

Testament to be written (95-100 AD). The occasion of writing is

the impending death of the beloved disciple (21:20-24).

The Structure of the Gospel

The gospel begins with a Prologue (1:1-18) and ends with an

Epilogue (John 21). John 1:19 through 12:50 focuses on Jesus'

ministry, while John 13:1 through 20:31 focuses on Jesus' death,

burial, resurrection, and the events surrounding them.

Another way to organize the gospel is to notice the various

days on which Jesus' performs ministry. For example, the events

recorded in 1:19-28 apparently took place on the same day. The

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passing to a new day is signaled by phrases such as "the next

day" (1:29,35,43) and "the third day" (2:1) and "after the two

days" (4:43). When you add up these "days" in the Gospel you

discover that out of more than a thousand days of ministry, from

Jesus' baptism to His ascension, only twenty nine contained

events considered worthy of mention in the gospel.

It is, therefore, clear that only a fraction of the story of

Jesus is told in this gospel. There is no attempt to be

exhaustive, as the writer himself admits (21:25). What guides

this narrow selection of material? The author's purpose in

writing. What was that purpose?

The Purpose of the Gospel

The purpose of the Fourth Gospel is openly stated in John

20:30-31. The material in the gospel was selected "that you may

believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that by

believing you may have life in his name." Paul Minear, however,

believes that a deeper agenda lies beneath the surface of this

statement. He believes that the Fourth Gospel was published at

the transition point between the generation that knew Jesus

personally and the second generation, who knew Him only through

the testimony of others (Minear, 251-256).

There is abundant evidence in the Fourth Gospel to support

such a thesis. In John 21:20-23 reference is made to a rumor

that "the disciple whom Jesus loved" would not die but would live

until Jesus returned to earth. John 21:23 quelled the rumor by

clarifying the statement of Jesus upon which the rumor was based.
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The Fourth Gospel, therefore, was written in the context of the

impending death of the beloved disciple, who was the last living

link with those who had known Jesus in the flesh. His death

threatened to plunge the second generation into confusion and

uncertainty. What would become of them without the guidance of

those who had known and talked to Jesus in person? The purpose

of the Gospel was to persuade the second generation that the lack

of a living apostle was no barrier to their Christian experience.

The work of the gospel would continue without John.

Notice that the gospel's statement of purpose (20:30,31)

follows the "doubting Thomas" story of 20:24-29. In verse 29

Jesus says, "because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed

are those who have not seen and yet have believed." Thomas here

represents all of the disciples who have seen and handled Jesus,

while Jesus' statement reaches out to those who have been denied

that privilege. Evidently seeing and personal contact are not

crucial to the development of faith.

Verse 30 states that many signs were performed "in the

presence of his disciples" yet were not written in the gospel.

Verse 31 asserts that the things which were written in the gospel

were selected because they had the capacity to produce the same

faith that had occurred for the disciples. The difference

between the disciples and the original readers of the gospel was

that the disciples' faith was based on seeing, while that of

their readers was not.

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The purpose statement of 30-31, therefore, is to be

understood in the light of the Thomas story. Thomas sees the

resurrected Christ and believes. According to verses 19-25, the

disciples of verse 30 have already come to believe in the

resurrected Christ. In verse 29, however, the blessing is not

pronounced on the disciples, it is pronounced in third person on

those who do not see the resurrected Christ yet come to believe.

For the second generation (20:31) the response of belief comes in

reaction to the written gospel itself. Thus, the readers of the

gospel are contrasted not only with the disciples of verse 30 but

with Thomas in verse 29.

The earlier scenes at the tomb (20:1-18) serve the same

purpose. The beloved disciple is portrayed in chapter twenty as

the ideal representative of the second generation, because unlike

Peter, Mary, and Thomas, he believed without seeing (20:8,9).

The immediate purpose of the Fourth Gospel, therefore, was

to persuade the second generation that they could function quite

effectively as Christians in the absence of a living apostle.

The generation that had only written gospels was not at a

disadvantage compared with those who had had personal contact

with Jesus or one of His disciples.

The purpose of the Gospel surfaces in a number of ways

throughout. In John 17:2 Jesus asserts that He has the authority

to give eternal life to everyone that His Father gives Him.

Later in the chapter it becomes clear that He has two distinct

groups in mind. One group is the disciples whom He has preserved

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faithful with the exception of Judas (verse 12). The other group

is made up of "those who believe through their message," namely

the message of the disciples (verse 20). Again there is the

distinction between those who believe on the basis of physical

contact with Jesus and those who have not seen but believe

because of the disciples' word.

The second generation is alluded to also in the figure of

the vine and the branches (15:1-7). Jesus is the vine, his

disciples are the branches, the fruit they bear is the second

generation, whose connection to Jesus is through the disciples

only.

It seems reasonable also to see the second generation in

the story of the appearance of Jesus to seven of the disciples by

the Sea of Galilee (21:1-14). Without Jesus the disciples are

unsuccessful in their attempt to catch a few fish. But at Jesus'

direction, the harvest is enormous. The story exhibits the same

pattern as the metaphor of the vine and the branches. The

original readers of the Gospel would identify with the fish

caught by the disciples. Minear comments, "They would realize

that Jesus himself intended their conversion and that he would

continue to be present to their community." (Minear, 256)

Further hints of the second generation may include the

"other sheep" of 10:16 and the fact that in the fourth gospel

Jesus' disciples are normally enlisted by go-betweens rather than

by Jesus personally (Minear, 256-258). The Baptist sends two

disciples to Jesus (1:35-37), Andrew finds his brother Peter

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(1:40-42), Philip calls Nathaniel (1:45-47), and the Samaritan

woman hauls out her whole city (4:28-30). By these repeated

means the author sends signals that a personal invitation from

Jesus is not necessary for full discipleship.

The Gospel of John was written to a new generation at a

time of great transition. What message did John intend to

deliver to that new generation? I believe that his intended

message is clearly seen when one compares the miracles of Jesus

in the Fourth Gospel with those in Matthew, Mark and Luke. In

each of the other gospels Jesus repeatedly uses touch in the

performance of His miracles (Matt 8:3-4; 8:14,15; 9:18-25;

9:29,30; 14:29-31; 20:34; Mark 1:29-31; 1:40-42; 5:21-43; 7:31-

35; 8:22-26; 9:25-27; Luke 4:40; 5:12,13; 7:14,15; 8:40-56;

13:13; 22:51). But in the Gospel of John such touching is

remarkably absent.

At the wedding in Cana (2:1-11) the water was turned into

wine without any physical contact on Jesus' part. The royal

official's son in Capernaum is healed by Jesus in Cana, some

sixteen miles away from Capernaum (4:46-54)! Jesus also fails to

touch the paralytic at the pool of Bethesda (5:1-15). In chapter

nine he smears a little clay into the blind man's eyes, but the

miracle does not take place until the man washes his eyes in the

Pool of Siloam, more than a kilometer away (9:6,7). In chapter

eleven Lazarus is called from the tomb, Jesus does not need to

shake him or drag him out first. The common denominator of all

these "signs" is the lack of physical contact in the performance

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of the miracle. Distance is evidently no barrier to the

reception of Jesus' blessings. The second generation's lack of

personal contact with Jesus placed them at no disadvantage.

It is also a fact that each of the above miracles is

accomplished by the words of Jesus. To the servants at the

wedding of Cana he says, "fill and draw" (2:7,8). To the royal

official he says, "go, your son lives" (4:50). To the paralytic

he says, "rise, take your bed and walk" (5:8). To the blind man

he says, "go and wash" (9:7). To Lazarus he says, "come out"

(11:43). In each case it is the words of Jesus that accomplish

his intention, not His physical touch.

For the second generation, the message that comes through

in these scenes is the power of Jesus' words to overcome barriers

of space. His word is as good as His touch! His word is as

powerful at a distance as it is close at hand. Though only

ministered through a printed page, it still retains its power to

save and to heal. It is through that Word that the Holy Spirit

ministers to the needs of the second generation (14:26,27). One

could actually argue from the Holy Spirit passages of John 14-16
that the presence of the Holy Spirit makes it an advantage to be

physically separated from Jesus.

It is no wonder that the Fourth Gospel is the favorite of

so many! It is the only gospel that is specifically addressed to

the second generation, to those who have had no physical contact

with Jesus or with anyone who had such contact with Him. We

today share in the second generation's deficiency. We too would

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love to have the privilege of Thomas, whose faith was fully

confirmed by sight. We too would appreciate a face to face

relationship with Jesus. In a spiritual sense, we are part of

that second generation. This Gospel is written for us as well!

It presents Jesus for a new generation, every generation!

What does this gospel say to our generation? It tells us

that the seeming absence of God in our time is no barrier to the

mighty working of Jesus through the Spirit. His Word is as good

as His touch. All the benefits that were available through the

physical ministry of Jesus are now available through His word!

The Gospel also teaches us how to gain those benefits. In each

of the miracle stories, some human party had to act in order for

the miracle to take place. The servants had to pour water before

they could draw wine, the paralytic had to arise and gather his

bedding, the blind man had to go to the Pool of Siloam and wash.

The implicit message to the reader of the gospel is

twofold. (1) The reader must know the words of Jesus, and

discern their application to his or her particular situation.

The careful study of this Gospel is the great living replacement

for the face to face relationship that the disciples had with

Jesus. (2) The reader must carry out what Jesus commands. The

power of Jesus through the Spirit accompanies actions in

obedience to His words. The Fourth Gospel was written so that

those who had not seen might believe (20:29-31). It is by

reading and applying the Gospel that believers obtain the life

that Jesus shared when He was physically on this earth.

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Major Teachings of the Gospel

(1) Jesus: the Ultimate Revelation of God. This theme is

found everywhere in the Gospel. It is clear from the Prologue

that Jesus is eternal, (1:1,2), the companion of God (1:1,2,18),

qualitatively equal with God (1:1), creator (1:3), and sustainer

(1:4). It is equally clear that this exalted Person came to

earth to reveal the glory of God's character (1:14-17;9-11). His

very person is the Word of God made flesh (1:1,14). He is the

ultimate revelation on earth of life (1:4), truth (1:14,17),

grace (1:14,16,17), and God Himself (1:18).

This theme continues throughout the Gospel. Those who

walk with Jesus will see the heaven open (1:50-51). They see His

glory (2:11), the glory of One who came down from the Father

(1:14; 16:27,28; 17:5). Jesus had the unique ability to share

heavenly things with humanity because He came down from there

(3:11-13; 6:32-35,46-51; 8:23; 13:3) and could testify to what He

had seen and heard (3:31-34; 17:8). He is the only human being

who ever modeled His behavior on direct observation of God's

behavior (5:17-21; 8:38; 1:18).

Jesus repeatedly emphasizes in the Gospel that His

teaching comes directly from God the Father (7:16-18; 8:26,40;

12:49,50). He, therefore, is the Light of the world (8:12; 9:5;

1:4,5,9-11). He also carries out the works that the Father would

do were He on earth in Jesus' place (9:3,4; 10:25,37-38). To see

Jesus is to see the Father in action, but in human form (14:6-11;

17:26). He does whatever the Father commands Him (14:31; 15:10).

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He is Son of God, not in the sense of an inferior, but in the

sense of One who is the very image of His Father (5:19-23;

10:30).

(2) Salvation is Life. G. R. Beasley-Murray points out

that the word "salvation" was rarely found on Jesus' lips (Gospel

of Life, 1). If we wish to know Jesus' teaching on that subject

we need to examine the terms He chose to use. In Matthew, Mark,

and Luke the key term was "Kingdom of God." To be saved is to

accept the rule of God in one's life (Matt 12:28; Mark 10:15;

Luke 11:52; 17:20-21). A thorough study of Jesus' use of the

"kingdom" concept can be found in George Eldon Ladd's massive

Theology of the New Testament (pp. 45-134).

In the Fourth Gospel, however, the concept of the kingdom

is virtually absent (3:3,5; 18:36). The great salvation term in

John is "life." Life was in the Word from the beginning (1:4).

The Word came down to this earth to give that life to humanity

(1:14; 3:11-17). Life, eternal life, is a present reality in

anyone who believes in Jesus (5:24-26). Jesus is the bread of

life (6:35.51), the resurrection and the life (11:25), and the
way, truth, and the life (14:6). The reason He came to this

earth was to bring life, abundant life, through His words (10:10;

6:63,68). The sub-title of this book: Jesus Gives Life to a New

Generation combines the themes of Jesus as the ultimate

revelation of God and Jesus the life-giver with the purpose of

the gospel, to make Jesus real to a new generation. The purpose

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of the gospel is that the reader would find life in relationship

with Jesus (20:30-31).

(3) The Glory and Exaltation of the Cross. The two

previous themes are drawn together in John's portrayal of the

meaning of the cross. The glory of Jesus, the great revelation

of the character of God, takes place in ultimate measure in His

sacrifice on the cross (12:23,24). Nowhere is Jesus more

"uplifted" than on the cross (3:14,15; 8:28; 12:32). It is the

hour of Jesus' "exaltation" on the cross that brings glory to the

Father (12:27,28). The cross of Jesus Christ is, therefore, the

clearest revelation of God.

For John it is the death of Jesus on the cross that also

provides life to the world (3:16). One of the great ironies of

the Gospel of John is that life can only come through death

(12:24,25). The cross of Jesus, therefore, is the central event

of the Gospel's story. It is the place where the major themes

come together.

(4) The End is Here. A rather remarkable theme of the

Fourth Gospel is its eschatology. In Matthew, Mark, and Luke

there is considerable focus on the future hope of the believer, a

hope that builds on the Old Testament hope (see Paulien, pp. ?-

?). But in John things which in the Old Testament are

characteristic of the ultimate End of the world are present

realities in Christ. The dead come to life not only at the

Second Coming (5:28-30), but in the spiritual response to the

preaching of Christ (5:24-26). Judgment is not only an End-time

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reality (as in 12:48), it is meted out on the cross (12:31-32)

and in the preaching of Christ (3:18-21; 5:24). The End-time

Spirit is poured out as soon as Jesus is glorified on the cross

(7:37-39).

The importance of "present eschatology" in the Gospel is

also underlined by its relative lack of emphasis on the future

compared to the rest of the New Testament. Although John is

clearly aware that Jesus taught about the End (5:28,29; 14:1-3),

there is no sermon in his Gospel on future events and the second

coming as one finds in Matthew 24-25, Mark 13, and Luke 21.

There is no outline of future events such as one finds in 2 Thess

2:1-12 or the Book of Revelation. The focus in the Fourth Gospel

is on the End-time significance of the life that Jesus makes

available in the present.

(5) The Ministry of the Holy Spirit. Among the four

gospels, the Fourth is marked by a unique emphasis on the Spirit.

Although in the early chapters of the Gospel, the Spirit is

mentioned almost in passing (1:32-33; 3:5-8,34; 4:23,24; 6:63;

7:39), the fuller understanding of the role of the Spirit comes

in the Farewell Discourse (John 14-16). The Spirit is sent to

take on the role that Jesus played in behalf of His disciples

while He was on earth.

Jesus must go away, but He will not leave his disciples as

orphans, He will come to them through the Spirit (14:16-18). The

disciples lose Jesus, who is the Truth (14:6), but they gain the

Spirit of Truth (14:17; 15:26; 16:13). They lose the words from
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the lips of Jesus, but they "hear" them again through the Spirit

(14:26). Like Jesus, the Spirit comes from the Father (3:34-35;

13:3 cf. 15:26), descends from heaven (3:13 cf. 1:32), and

declares things to come (4:25,26 cf. 16:13). It is, therefore,

clear that the Holy Spirit is the perfect replacement for Jesus

during the time of His absence from the church. It is through

the Holy Spirit that the power of Jesus' words brings life to a

new generation.
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Outline of the Gospel of John

I. PROLOGUE: THE MISSION OF JESUS (1:1-18)

II. THE EARTHLY MINISTRY OF JESUS (1:19 - 12:50)

A. Beginning of Jesus' Ministry (1:19-51)
1) The Testimony of the Baptist (19-34)
2) The Baptist's Disciples Come to Jesus (35-51)
B. From Cana to Cana (2:1 - 4:54)
1) First Miracle at Cana (2:1-11)
2) Events in Jerusalem (2:12-25)
3) Conversation with Nicodemus (3:1-21)
4) The Role of the Baptist (3:22-30)
5) The Role of Jesus (3:31-36)
6) Conversation with the Samaritan Woman (4:1-42)
7) Events at Jerusalem (4:43-45)
8) Second Miracle at Cana (4:46-54)
C. Jesus and the Jewish Feasts (5:1 - 10:42)
1) The Pool of Bethesda (5:1-47)
2) The Passover Bread of Life (6:1-71)
3) Crisis at the Feast of Tabernacles (7:1 - 8:59)
4) The Man Born Blind (9:1-41)
5) The Good Shepherd (10:1-21)
6) The Feast of Dedication (10:22-39)
7) Conclusion to the Public Ministry (10:40-42)
D. Jesus Moves Toward Death (11:1 - 12:50)
1) The Raising of Lazarus (11:1-44)
2) Plot to Kill Jesus (11:45-57)
3) The Anointing at Bethany (12:1-8)
4) The Triumphal Entry (12:9-19)
5) The Coming of Jesus "Hour" (12:20-36)
E. Summation of Jesus' Ministry (12:37-50)

III. THE DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS (13:1 - 20:31)

A. The "Upper Room" (13:1 - 17:26)
1) The Foot Washing (13:1-30)
2) The Departure and Return of Jesus (13:31 - 14:31)
3) Jesus the True Vine (15:1-17)
4) The World's Hatred (15:18 - 16:5)
5) The Work of the Holy Spirit (16:5-16)
6) Grief Turns to Joy (16:17-33)
7) The Prayer of Dedication (17:1-26)
B. The Death and Resurrection (18:1 - 20:31)
1) The Arrest of Jesus (18:1-12)
2) Trial before the High Priest (18:13-27)
3) Trial before Pilate (18:28 - 19:16a)
4) The Death and Burial of Jesus (19:16b-42)
5) The Resurrection of Jesus (20:1-29)
6) The Purpose of the Book (20:30,31)

IV. EPILOGUE: THE MISSION OF THE DISCIPLES (21:1-25)

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For Further Reading

Issues of Authorship, Date and Introduction:

Carson, D. A.; Moo, Douglas J.; and Morris, Leon. An

Introduction to the New Testament, 135-179.

Beasley-Murray, George R. John, xxxii-xcii.

Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, s.v. "The Gospel

According to St. John," 5:891-894.

Theology of the Fourth Gospel:

Beasley-Murray, George R. Gospel of Life: Theology in the

Fourth Gospel, all.

Ladd, George Eldon. A Theology of the New Testament, 213-

308.

Morris, Leon. New Testament Theology, 223-286.

The Purpose of the Gospel:

Minear, Paul S. "The Audience of the Fourth Evangelist."

In Interpreting the Gospels, 247-264.

The Relationship of the Four Gospels:

Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, s.v. "The

Fourfold Gospel Narrative," 5:190-234.
 CHAPTER 1

PROLOGUE: JESUS COMES DOWN TO EARTH

John 1:1-18

I'll never forget the time, fifteen years ago, when I saw

the Matterhorn, a spectacular mountain in Switzerland. It was

eleven o'clock at night, and the full moon was brilliantly

reflected on the mile-high, ice-covered pinnacle more than two

miles above me. Needless to say, whenever I think of Switzerland

today, my thoughts are colored by the impressions of that first

encounter with surpassing beauty and grandeur.

The Prologue to the Gospel of John has had a similar effect

on me. It sets the tone for everything else that happens in the

Gospel. All the major themes of the rest of the Gospel are

introduced and shaped by the way they are encountered in the

Prologue.
Jesus is introduced as the Pre-Existent One (1:1, 2, cf.

8:58; 17:5). He is God's Unique Son (1:14, 18, cf. 3:16, 18).

He is the Light of the World (1:4, 5, 9, cf. 8:12; 9:5). He is

the author of life (1:4, cf. 5:26; 6:35, 63; 10:10; 11:25; 14:6).

He manifests His glory (1:14, 16, cf. 2:11; 12:41; 17:5, 22, 24)

in the face of unbelief (1:10, 11, cf. 12:41-43; 16:8-11). But

in spite of the unbelief of many, others come to believe (1:12,

24
 25

13, cf. 6:67-69; 12:31, 32; 17:6-19).

In the Prologue, therefore, the themes of the Fourth Gospel

are colored in light of the larger perspective of eternity.

Though Jesus walks on earth as a human being with emotions and

frailty, the reader has been trained by the Prologue to see in

the human Jesus the Word who was intimate with God from eternity

(1:1-3, 18). It is, therefore, advisable that modern readers of

the Gospel of John give special attention to the details of the

Prologue.

GETTING INTO THE WORD

John 1:1-18

Read John 1:1-18 through twice, then answer the following

questions.

1. What does the Prologue to the Gospel tell us about Jesus?

List the various qualities and actions of Jesus recounted
there. Of these qualities and actions which, according to
the text, seems to be the central, or most important
characteristic of Jesus?
2. Compare and contrast John 1:1-18 with Gen 1:1-3 and Heb 1:1-
4. List the similarities and differences and write a
paragraph or so detailing what you learn about the Prologue
to the Gospel from the comparative study.
3. Why do you think the Prologue begins in eternity instead of
at the birth of Jesus?
4. List the events in the career of Jesus (as described or
hinted at in the Prologue) that lead Him from the Father's
side (1:1) down to earth and then back to the Father's bosom
(1:18).
5. List those items in the Prologue that refer to the human
side of the plan of salvation. What is the implication of
each? Why do you think the human side of salvation plays a
minor role in this passage? Explain your answer.
6. Describe those who fail to comprehend the light (1:5,10,11).
Describe those who do comprehend it (1:12-14,16).
7. In a paragraph or two analyze the roles that John the
Baptist and Moses play in relation to Jesus in this passage.
8. Compare the message of John 1:1-18 with three other "early
Christian hymns" in the NT; Phil 2:5-11, Col 1:15-20, and 1
Tim 3:16.
 26

EXPLORING THE WORD

Three aspects of the Prologue and its background make it

clear that in the Bible God meets people where they are. He

inspires ordinary human beings to write in the language, culture

and concepts that would be familiar to their original readers.

(1) John made use, for example, of an early Christian hymn to

express his exalted insights into the nature and character of

Jesus Christ. (2) He also structured the Prologue in ways that

would make logical sense to a Jewish reader. (3) And he gave

Jesus a title (the Word) that was far better known in the pagan

Gentile world than such Jewish titles as Messiah or Son of Man.

By these strategies John, under inspiration, created a Prologue

that would speak powerfully to every reader of his day, whether

Christian, Jewish or pagan. We will examine these three

strategies in greater depth.

The Structure of the Prologue

Based on an Early Christian Hymn

First of all, there is considerable evidence that major

parts of the Prologue to the Fourth Gospel were drawn from an

early Christian hymn. John 1:1, 2, for example, although written

in Greek, displays the poetic parallelism so common to Hebrew

poetry and song:

 27

In the beginning was the Word

and was the Word with God
and was the Word God
In the beginning was this One with God

The hymn-like nature of the Prologue is further seen in the

"stairstep parallelism" of verses 4 and 5.

In him was life

and that life was the light of men
and the light shone in the darkness
and the darkness did not . . .

Verses 6 through 8, on the other hand, return to prose

style, contrasting John the Baptist with Jesus. Although it is

impossible to determine the exact boundaries of the hymn

underlying the Prologue, verses 1-5, 9-11, 14, and 16-18 are

clearly in poetic style, while the other verses seem designed to

tie the hymn in with major themes of the Gospel such as the role

of the Baptist (1:6-8, 15, cf. 1:19-36; 3:22-30; 5:33-35) and the

centrality of believing to Christian experience (1:12, 13, cf.

2:11; 3:16; 4:48, 53, for example). This is not the only hymn

reflected in the New Testament. At least three others are

probably the basis for the language in Phil 2:6-11, Col 1:15-20,

and 1 Tim 3:16.

Discovering these NT hymns leads to a very practical

application. Christians often feel isolated from Bible times,

thinking that the people were different from us, and that God,

therefore, worked in much different ways than He does now. The

reality is, however, that early Christians had a lot in common

with us. They too sang hymns and met for worship. They too

struggled to understand God's will for their lives. John knew,

 28

therefore, that it would help them understand his message if he

used the language of a familiar hymn.

A Carefully-Constructed Unity

Regardless of the source from which John may have drawn his

language, however, verses 1-18 as they now stand are a literary

unity. The structure of the finished Prologue provides a second

illustration of how God meets people where they are. The

literary form common to Hebrew logic is called chiasm (from the

Greek letter X [pronounced "key"]). A person produces a chiasm

when they reason full-circle back to the beginning point of an

argument. The first point parallels the last point. The second

point parallels the next to last point, and so on.

The Prologue begins and ends with the Word in intimate

relationship with the Father (God: 1, 18). Next comes a

comparison and contrast between the role of the Word in the

physical creation (3) and His role in the re-creation that comes

by grace and truth (17). The role of the Baptist is twice

mentioned at the appropriate counterpoints (6-8, 15). When the

entire Prologue is carefully analyzed, therefore, a chiastic

structure like the following emerges:

 29

+)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))),
* A. The Word with God (1:1,2) *
* B. His Role in Creation (1:3) *
* C. The Gift of Life and Light (1:4,5) *
* D. The Witness of the Baptist (1:6-8) *
* E. The Word Enters the World (1:9-11) *
* F. BELIEVERS BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD (1:12,13) *
* E. The Word Becomes Flesh (1:14) *
* D. The Witness of the Baptist (1:15) *
* C. The Gift of Grace (1:16) *
* B. His Role in Re-creation (1:17) *
* A. The Word with the Father (1:18) *
.))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))-

The arrow shape of the A-F-A outline above illustrates the "X"-

shaped nature of chiasm. The direction of thought moves out from

the beginning to the climax at the center, then returns in

reverse sequence back to the beginning. The author of the

Gospel, therefore, communicates naturally in the style of Hebrew

logic familiar to him and many of his readers.

Since the key point of a chiasm usually comes at the center,

it appears that the central theme of the Prologue is expressed in

verses 12 and 13; those who receive the Word and believe in His

name become "children of God." Thus the focus of the Word's

coming into the world is a new creation, the creation of children

of God. This theme is expressed in other terms in the Gospel's

statement of purpose; those who read the Gospel and believe in

Jesus have life in His name (20:30, 31).

The Background of "the Word"

The title of Jesus with which the Gospel opens is a third

illustration of how God used John's experience and background to

meet his audience where they are. If John had approached his

Greek readers by saying, "Let me tell you about Jesus the

 30

Messiah," they would have said, "Jesus, the what?" and would have

felt little interest in the information. If he had talked about

Jesus the Son of Man, he would also have interested mainly the

Jews. Instead, John chose a title for Jesus that would

communicate with power to the Greek mind and to those Jews who

were influenced by the ideas of Greek philosophy (and there were

many). John called Jesus "the Word."

In the Greek Old Testament the Word (Greek: logos) of God

creates, but is not a person; "By the word of the Lord were the

heavens made . . . . he spoke and it came to be" (Ps 33:6, 9).

The "word of the Lord" in this passage is to be taken literally

as the powerful and creative expression of God's speech, not as a

person who assisted in creation.

In Prov 8:22-31, on the other hand, there is a person who

stood at God's side from the beginning and was an active agent in

creation, but that person is called Wisdom (Greek: sophia-- a

female expression) not Word. So the Old Testament contains

concepts that seem related to John's use of the Word but are not

identical to it. We must look elsewhere for a more exact

parallel.

It is in the realm of Greek philosophy that John's use of

the Word finds its explanation. The great Greek philosopher

Plato (400 BC) had a very exalted idea of God. But he also had a

very negative view of reality as we know it. If the great God is

pure mind, and matter is basically evil (as Plato taught) how

could the great God "dirty his hands" in the process of creating
 31

and sustaining matter? Plato's solution was a personality he

called the Word. Plato's Word was great enough to commune with

God as an equal, yet humble enough to get involved in the

messiness of material things. He served for Plato as an

intermediate God between the great God and His creation. Later

Greek philosophers like Heraclitus and the Stoics expanded on

Plato's ideas by identifying the Word as eternal, the creator and

sustainer of the universe, and the source of all human reason and

intelligence. If all this sounds a whole lot like the New

Testament concept of Jesus, we should not be surprised when Ellen

White declares that the "spirit of inspiration" was imparted to

some of these great Gentile thinkers (White, Desire of Ages, 33).

Around the time when Jesus walked on this earth, the great

Jewish philosopher Philo sought to make Greek philosophy

palatable to the Jews and the Old Testament palatable to the

Greeks, so he functions as a bridge figure between Judaism and

Greek philosophy. It was Philo who saw a parallel between the

Jewish concept of Wisdom and the Greek concept of Word. The

result was a Jewish Word-personality, which provided the

essential background for John's use of the term Word.

For Philo the Word was a "second God," the High Priest in

the heavenly sanctuary, an intercessor with God, the lawgiver,

the mediator of creation, the mediator of revelation, the

sustainer of the universe, and the God of the Old Testament.

Philo also called Him God's firstborn, His eldest son, the image

of God, and the second Adam. Anyone who knows anything about the
 32

New Testament will immediately recognize that in Philo, God had

prepared the human race for a personality just like Jesus. When

John called Jesus "the Word," therefore, readers of the Gospel

who had been influenced by Greek philosophy would have recognized

the term as expressing everything they knew about Jesus.

I am not suggesting that Philo "influenced" John to rewrite

the story of Jesus in the image of Plato. John, rather, was

using a similar tactic to that of Paul on Mars Hill. In Acts

17:22-31 Paul tried to reach the philosophers of Athens by a

sermon on the "unknown God which you worship" (17:23). John, in

the Prologue to his gospel, is saying something like, "This Word,

whom you worship, is the subject of my book. Reading this book

will help you understand Him and serve Him better." By this

method Greek readers would have been drawn to consider the Jesus

of John's Gospel. God meets people where they are. As a result,

inspired writers have always been willing to adjust their

expressions according to the needs of their audience. It is the

content of the message that is inspired, not the form (White,

Selected Messages, Book One, 21, 22).

What can we learn from John's use of Word as a description

of Jesus? We should not expect people to appreciate the gospel

we preach unless we first make serious attempts to understand

them and the way they think. Secular people have not usually

rejected the gospel. In most cases they have never heard it,

even though they live in the midst of churches, televangelists,

and bumper stickers that say "honk if you love Jesus." Secular
 33

people cannot appreciate the assertion "Jesus is the Answer" when

they have no idea what the question is! John's "Word strategy"

teaches us that we need to go the second mile if we wish to share

the gospel with our secular neighbors and friends in the

nineties. In the words of Paul, it is only when we have "become

all things to all men" that we can expect to "win as many as

possible." (1 Cor 9:19,22-- see Paulien, Present Truth in the

Real World, 17-42)

Exploring the Prologue in Detail

John 1:1-3 opens the Gospel by recalling the creation story

of Gen 1. The phrase "in the beginning" repeats the very first

words of the Greek Old Testament (Gen 1:1). The "was made" of

verse 3 translates the Greek word for creation used repeatedly in

Gen 1. The Word who was made flesh (John 1:14) is the One who

created all things. So no one would miss the totality of his

point, John goes on to assert that not a single created being or

object was made apart from the Word's action (1:3). The Word is

the source of all that is created.

John 1:1 is probably the clearest assertion of the deity of

Jesus Christ in the New Testament. It contains three brief but

profound statements which complement each other by correcting the

misunderstandings which would arise if any one of the three were

examined in isolation from the others (Jameison, Fausset, and

Brown, 1026).

In the beginning, when creation took place (John 1:1; Gen

1), the Word already was in continuous existence. The Word's

 34

eternity was not in the Father, however (in the sense that the

Father was eternal and at some point produced Jesus), the second

phrase ("The Word was with God") indicates that He was distinct

from the Father from eternity. He was God's intimate companion

(John 1:1, 2, 18), but the third statement ("the Word was God")

makes clear that it was the intimacy of equals, not that of a

superior with an inferior. The Word shared fully in God's

nature, "what God was, the Word was" (1:1). We are not,

therefore, dealing here with "Gods;" there is full and complete

unity in the Godhead at the same time that there is intimate

relationship among the personalities of the Godhead.

The same Word that brought life and light to the universe at

creation also sustains it by His life and light, even though the

"darkness" doesn't acknowledge that fact (4, 5). Without Jesus

there would be no rain, no sunshine, no air, no life. The

amazing fact is, however, that this eternal One, this Divine One,

this Creator of all things, this Sustainer of the universe has

come into the world unknown, unrecognized, rejected even by His

"very own," those who thought they were waiting for him (9-11).
Verses 10 and 11 in the Prologue forecast Jesus' rejection by the

Jewish leadership in the body of the Gospel (5:16-18; 7:32,45-52;

8:48-59; 9:13-34; 10:30-39; 11:45-57; 12:10,11; etc.).

But the picture is not entirely dark. At the chiastic

center of the Prologue comes the promise that whoever "received"

(Greek aorist tense-- a point in past time) Him and "believes"

(Greek present) in His name receives the right to become a child

 35

of God (1:12). This verse underlines the fact that there are two

aspects to getting right with God. First, there is an initial

point of reception where one becomes a child of God. Second, as

one continues to believe one remains in Christ, one retains the

continual status as a child of God (cf. 6:35-59; 15:1-7) There

is no sense of "once saved always saved" here. "Justification"

is an ongoing process that continues as long as a Christian lives

in relationship with Christ.

It is, therefore, critical to understand that this "new

birth" is not achieved by human effort of any kind (1:13). The

child of God does not come into existence "by blood," by natural

descent from his or her parents. He or she does not come into

existence by sexual activity in general, the "will of the flesh,"

or by the male initiative in particular, the "will of a man."

Becoming a child of God is as much a miracle as the original act

of creation (cf. 1-3). And just as the original act of creation

must be sustained by the continual miracle of the Word's

watchcare (4, 5), so the relationship of the child of God with

Jesus involves ongoing belief resulting in an ongoing miracle of

spiritual life (12). From beginning to end Christian life is a

gift from God.

The Prologue moves to a stirring conclusion in verses 14-18.

Here the Divine Word (1-5) who came down (9-13) is described in

terms of his earthly status. Though the Word always "was" (1),

in verse 14 he "became," the same term used to describe the

original creation in verse 3 and Gen 1:1. The Word went from
 36

being "with God" (John 1:1,2) to being "with us" (1:14). Though

he "was God" (1) He "became flesh" (14). In this simple language

John articulates the full range of the Word's divine/human

nature, what theologians call "Christology."

THE NATURE OF THE WORD

+))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))),
* John 1:1,2 John 1:14 *
* ETERNAL TEMPORAL *
* * *
* "was" * "became" *
* "with God" * "with us" *
* "was God" * "became flesh" *
.)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))-

John 1:14-18 also contains language which invites the

knowledgeable reader to recall the Old Testament Sanctuary. The

Word became flesh and "made his dwelling" among us and "we (John

and the other disciples who followed Jesus while He was on earth)

have seen his glory" (1:14). "Made his dwelling" translates the

Greek word for "pitch his tent," a reminder of the tabernacle in

the wilderness (Exod 25:8, 9). The glory of Jesus which the

disciples saw recalls the glory of the Shekinah in that

tabernacle (Exod 40:34, 35). Even more remarkable is the fact

that in Hebrew the verb "to dwell" (shachan) comes from the same

root as the word Shekinah, which designates the glorious presence

of the Lord in the Sanctuary. The "glory" and the "tent" are one

in Hebrew thinking!

This allusion to the Old Testament Sanctuary explains the

"grace in place of grace" (charin anti charitos-- "one blessing

after another" in the NIV) of verse 16. The Old Testament

 37

Sanctuary was a marvelous source of grace and blessing. But when

the Word became flesh, the Old Testament Sanctuary was eclipsed

by an even greater source of blessing. Jesus is a better

revelation of God than even the Sanctuary was, because in Jesus

God dwelt directly in human flesh, and "we" could behold what was

hidden behind curtains before.

The message is repeated in another form in verse 17. Jesus

offers a better revelation of God than even Moses, the ultimate

revealer of God in the Old Testament, could offer. The "law" was

given by Moses, but grace and truth came into being ("were

created," cf. 3, 14) through Jesus Christ. Moses could not save

his people, it was Joshua who brought them into the promised

land. So the law could not save Israel, it is the grace and

truth through Jesus that brings salvation (cf. 12, 13).

In verse 18 Jesus is again contrasted with Moses. John

asserts, "No one has ever seen God." In actual fact Moses did

see Him, but only the backside (Exod 33:18-23; 34:4-7). In

contrast to Moses, however, Jesus is "at the Father's side," or

more accurately "face to face." Since His ascension to heaven He

sees the Father face to face. Therefore, he is a greater

revelation of God than even Moses. Jesus has "made him known,"

He has "exegeted" (exêgêsato-- John 1:18) the Father, He has

spelled out in human terms what God is like. The One who was

always "with God" (1:1,2), who is now again at the Father's side

(18), this is the One who was made flesh and dwelt among us (14).

What a revelation!
 38

One final point is worthy of mention. The phrase "at the

side" appears only twice in the Gospel, 1:18 (eis ton kolpon) and

13:23 ("reclining next," en tô kolpô). Just as Jesus is at the

Father's side, so the beloved disciple, the one who wrote the

book (21:20-24) reclined next to Jesus at the last supper. The

connection between the Greek phrases is specific and deliberate.

In this subtle way John not only tells us that Jesus is the

greatest revelation of the Father, but also that he, the beloved

disciple, offers the greatest revelation of Jesus. John was the

disciple who entered most closely into Jesus' affections (see

White, Acts of the Apostles, 539-545). He was the only disciple

who came to Jesus at the cross, and, therefore, took Jesus's

place in care for His mother Mary (19:25-27). His Gospel,

therefore, is of unique and surpassing value as a revelation of

Jesus.

Summary of Major Themes in the Prologue

Who Jesus Is

In the Prologue the earthly life of Jesus, as described in

the main body of the Gospel, is set in relation to eternity. The

same Jesus who was born on this earth, grew up in a typical home,

developed a circle of friends, ministered to the needs of others,

and was eventually executed by an oppressive government, turns

out to be the One who created the universe and everything in it.

More mind-boggling yet, He has been God's equal and companion

throughout eternity past.

 39

The Prologue makes it immediately clear that the primary

purpose of this gospel is to persuade the reader that a seemingly

ordinary human being veiled in His flesh the personality of God

Himself. Without the Prologue many of the statements of Jesus in

the main body of the gospel would seem ridiculous and self-

promoting unless one was already a convinced Christian upon first

encountering the book. Some of Jesus' amazing claims follow: "I

and the Father are one" (10:30), "Anyone who has seen me has seen

the Father" (14:9), and "before Abraham was born, I am!" (8:58).

The Prologue makes it possible for the reader to understand and

appreciate what Jesus says and does in the Gospel. "These are

written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of

God." (20:31)

A Superior Revelation

If Jesus is everything that the Prologue to the Gospel of

John claims then it follows that He must be the greatest

revelation of God's character that earth has ever seen (cf. Heb

1:1,2). Not only does He offer a clearer revelation of God than

you can find in nature or in the great world religions, He is

also a clearer revelation of God than John the Baptist, Moses, or

even the Old Testament sanctuary. While this point may go

without saying where Christians today are concerned, John in his

day was challenging the great alternatives to the message about

Christ. John the Baptist, Moses, and the Old Testament Sanctuary

were all good in their place, but compared to Jesus they are fit

only to "decrease." (John 3:30)

 40

Jesus is God's final Word to the human race. While there

may be issues yet to settle before the universe is cleansed of

sin, there will never on earth be a clearer revelation of God's

character than that which is available in the life and death of

Jesus Christ. God's love, mercy, and justice, and His attitude

toward people and toward sin can be most clearly read in the

doing and dying of Jesus. For the author of the Fourth Gospel

one subject swallows up all others, Christ and Him crucified.

This has great practical meaning. Barclay offers a human

analogy (1:39). If we want to know what someone really thinks

and feels about something, and we can't approach them ourselves,

we go, not to a mere acquaintance of that person, but to someone

who has been an intimate friend of many years. Only such an

intimate friend is fully able to interpret the actions and

feelings of another. What John is saying is that Jesus was so

much like God in mind, heart and being that in Him we can

perfectly see what God is like.

The Importance of Response

If Jesus is truly "the Word made flesh" (1:14) then there

can be no such thing as a casual response to the Gospel of John.

If Jesus is the light of God's character shining brightly before

the human race, then everyone who reads the Gospel is brought

into judgment (3:18-21). Will the reader believe the message

about Christ and receive it into his or her life? Or will the

reader hide from the light and thereby be condemned (18)? The

Gospel makes it clear that how one responds to the Word made
 41

flesh is a life and death decision. To believe is to immediately

pass over from death to life (5:24; 8:51; 11:25,26), abundant

life (10:10), to turn away is to become blind (12:40; 9:39-41),

sick (12:40), and subject to death (6:53).

APPLYING THE WORD

1. Does the Prologue's exalted description of who Jesus is make

you feel more or less willing to entrust your eternal
destiny to Him? Write out a prayer to God that describes
how the Prologue makes you feel about Jesus.
2. Can you think of analogies between natural birth and
spiritual birth (cf. 12, 13)? How is life in a family like
life in the church and vice versa?
3. Law and grace (17) are both aspects of God's nature. How
can a person keep these aspects of God's character in
balance? Can you think of a time when your understanding of
law and grace was out of balance? What were some of the
practical consequences of that imbalance?
4. To what extent have you allowed Jesus to "dwell" (14) in
you? Is He locked outside the front door? Have you given
Him a key so He can enter whenever He wants? Does He need
to "call ahead" first? Would He be most at home in your
kitchen, living room, bedroom, family room, or utility
closet? What parts of your "house" are off-limits to Him?
5. The Prologue to John's Gospel makes it clear that Jesus is
both fully human and fully divine. How is it possible for
Him to be both at the same time? Can you think of some ways
that people tend to emphasize one aspect over the other?
What difference does one's doctrine of Christ make in
everyday life?

RESEARCHING THE WORD

1. Do a survey of as many translations of 1:1c, "and the Word

was God," as you can. What does The SDA Bible Commentary
say about this phrase? With a concordance find all the
verses in the New Testament that use the word "God." How
many of these apply to Jesus in some way? How many apply to
some other "god." Is it appropriate to capitalize "God" in
1:1?

FURTHER STUDY OF THE WORD

1. On John 1:1 and the Deity of Christ see SDA Bible Commentary
5:897-898 and 5:911-919; Jameison, Fausset and Brown, 1026;
 42

Beasley-Murray, John, 10-11; Dana and Mantey, 139-140, 148-

151; Brooks and Winbery, 72-73, 140.
2. On the origins of the Logos concept see Beasley-Murray,
John, 6-10; Schnackenburg, 1:481-493.
3. On the major themes of the Prologue see Beasley-Murray,
John, 16-17.
4. For an excellent discussion of the chiastic structure of the
Prologue see Culpepper, 1-31.
5. For scholarly discussions of the early Christian hymn that
John probably used to create the Prologue see Bultmann, 14-
18; Beasley-Murray, John, 3-4; Schnackenburg, 224-229.
 CHAPTER 2

JESUS CALLS DISCIPLES

John 1:19-51

The author of the Fourth Gospel knows that Jesus' personal

history extends back into eternity (1:1) and that the earth would

not be large enough to contain all the books that could be

written about the career of Jesus (21:25). He, therefore, is

quite willing to be selective about the events in Jesus' history

that he brings to our attention (20:30, 31). Only those

occasions that serve his theological purpose are included. This

leads to some striking omissions. In the Gospel of John as in

the Gospel of Mark, for example, there is no description of

Jesus' infancy or childhood, John 1:19-51 moves directly to the

opening scenes of Jesus' public ministry.

GETTING INTO THE WORD

John 1:19-51

Please read John 1:19-51 twice through and then answer the
following questions:

1.` The passage describes events that occurred over four

different days. List the verses that announce each
transition to another day. Try to outline the passage with
these various days in mind.
2. Compare this passage with the material about the Baptist in
the Prologue (1:6-8,15). Make a list of the parallel
expressions and ideas.

43
 44

3. List the questions asked by the priests, Levites, and

Pharisees in 1:19-28. What do you think these questions
reveal about the reason why these individuals were sent to
the Baptist?
4. Describe the mission of John the Baptist as expressed in
1:19-36; 3:22-30; 5:37. Compare and contrast the Fourth
Gospel's record of that mission with Matt 3:1-17; 11:2-19;
Mark 1:2-11; 6:14-29; Luke 1-3; 7:17-35. Outline the
elements all four gospels have in common, then list the
unique aspects of the Baptist's role in the Fourth Gospel.
5. What did the Baptist mean by the phrase "Lamb of God?"
Collect as many Old Testament references to "lamb" as you
can (using a concordance). Group the references you found
into categories (Passover, Sanctuary, farm life, prophecy,
etc.). Which of the categories comes closest to the
Baptist's usage in John 1:29?
6. Five people begin to follow Jesus in 1:35-51. Describe the
circumstances of each encounter with particular emphasis on
how Jesus reacted to each new disciple. How much about
Jesus did each of the disciples know when they made their
decision to follow Him?

EXPLORING THE WORD

The Structure of the Passage

The material in 1:19-51 is divided by references to the

passage of time (29, 35, 43-- "the next day"). The events

described in the chapter occurred, therefore, on four successive

days. The narrative begins on the day when John the Baptist's

mission is clarified by his responses to the visitors from

Jerusalem (19-28). The focus is less on who the Baptist is than

on who he is not. On the second day John points out Jesus to the

crowd and briefly describes His mission (29-34). On the third

day, John encourages two specific disciples to leave him and

follow Jesus (35-37). After spending the afternoon and evening

with these two disciples, and perhaps with Peter (38-42), Jesus

encounters Philip and Nathanael the following day (43-51).

Another striking structural feature of this passage is its

 45

relationship to the parts of the Prologue that talk about the

role of John the Baptist. The narratives of John 1:19-51

elaborate on the brief comments about the Baptist in the Prologue

as follows:

+))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))),
* 7a = 19-50 The witness of John *
* 8a = 19-28 John is not "the Light" *
* 7b, 8b = 29-34 John witnesses about "the Light" *
* 7c = 35-50 Some believe John's witness *
* 15 = 30 "He who comes after me . . ." *
.)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))-

According to the Prologue, there are two important facts

that the reader needs to know about the Baptist, one, he is not

"the Light," and, two, his mission is to bear witness to the

Light (1:6-8). The Baptist bears witness to Jesus first in his

dialogue with the Jewish leaders (19-28), then before the people

(29-34), and then to his own disciples (35ff.). When the reader

has finished the first chapter of the Gospel, it is clear that

Jesus is "the Light" of the Prologue and that the Baptist is not.

The Background of the Passage

The Role of the Baptist

The most difficult statement any human being could make is,

"He must become greater; I must become less" (3:30). Such a

statement cuts against the grain of human experience. Yet the

Baptist seems to say similar things routinely in the Fourth

Gospel (cf. 1:27, 30). You won't find such statements in

Matthew, Mark, and Luke, where the Baptist is a great and heroic

figure. Why is the Baptist's humility such an emphasis in the

 46

Fourth Gospel? A brief survey of Scripture and history proves

interesting.

In Matthew, Mark, and Luke the Baptist is described as a

"Voice crying in the wilderness" (Isa 40:3, cf. Matt 3:3; Mark

1:3; Luke 3:4), the Elijah of the End time (Mal 4:5, cf. Matt

11:14; 17:12; Mark 9:13; Luke 1:17; 9:19), and the Messenger who

is to go before the Lord (Mal 3:1, cf. Matt 11:10; Mark 1:2; Luke

7:27). In the Fourth Gospel, on the other hand, the Baptist

specifically denies that he is the Elijah and describes himself

only as "the Voice" (1:21-23). The Fourth Gospel, therefore,

minimizes titles for John and multiplies titles for Jesus (1:1,

8, 18, 29, 38, 41, 49, 51, etc.). John describes himself in the

humblest of terms. "I am not worthy to untie the thong of his

sandals" (1:27), "He must become greater; I must become less"

(3:30).

From our perspective, the humility of John in the Fourth

Gospel is a bright and shining example of the ideal Christian

response to the infinite humiliation of Jesus in His incarnation

and on the cross. But the humiliation of the Baptist probably

had a different purpose for the author of the Gospel.

Modern readers of the Gospel could get the impression that

the Baptist appeared out of nowhere, baptized Jesus and then

faded into the woodwork, never to be seen or heard from again.

Historically, however, the Baptist and the movement of those who

followed him seem to have been quite independent of Jesus. Only

a few of the Baptist's disciples actually left him and followed

 47

Jesus, at least initially (1:35-51 cf. Matt 11:2, 3). The

Baptist continued to minister and draw crowds for some time after

the baptism of Jesus (3:22-30). In the book of Acts, the

personal history of Apollos in Alexandria (Acts 18:24-26) and the

story of the twelve men of Ephesus (Acts 19:1-7) both suggest the

continuing independence of the Baptist movement. Even today, the

Mandaeans, located primarily in Southern Iraq, are a small group

of people who trace their religious heritage back to the ministry

of John the Baptist more than to Jesus or Mohammed.

Many of those attracted to the Baptist in the wilderness,

therefore, never gave their allegiance to Jesus but continued to

follow the Baptist (see Brown, 1:lxvii-lxx). At some point,

probably after the writing of Matthew, Mark and Luke, but before

the writing of the Fourth Gospel, the Baptist movement seems to

have become increasingly hostile to Christianity. Since the

Baptist himself was martyred because of political involvement,

the movement may have found common cause with the zealots and

other revolutionaries during the war with Rome (67-70 AD, see

White, Great Controversy, 17-36 for a description of that war).

As was the case with most Jews in Palestine at that time, the

followers of the Baptist would have resented the unwillingness of

the Jewish Christians to make common cause against Rome.

Knowing the gospel story as we do, it seems incredible that

any follower of the Baptist would have failed to grasp the

superiority of Jesus. But there are historical and theological

reasons why many may have done so. First of all, there was the
 48

perception, not uncommon today as well, that when it comes to

theology, earlier is usually better (Jesus appeals to this

principle in Matt 19:3-9, for example). The "old paths" are to

be preferred. Since the Baptist arrived before Jesus did, many

Jews would have assumed that the Baptist was greater than Jesus.

A further reason why many might have regarded the Baptist as

greater than Jesus was that the Jewish tradition of the time

contained the belief that there would be not one, but two

messiahs in the last days, a Messiah from the tribe of Judah, and

a Messiah from the tribe of Levi (Russell, 304-323). The Messiah

from out of Judah was to be a kingly Messiah, while the Messiah

from the tribe of Levi was a priestly Messiah. In the Old

Testament both kings and priests were anointed (Lev 8:1-13; 1 Sam

10:1; 16:1-13; 1 Kings 1:28-40, etc.)! Therefore, the

expectation grew in some circles that the Messiah (Hebrew--

"anointed one") could not be summed up in one person but would

require at least two. When John the Baptist (of the tribe of

Levi) and Jesus (of the tribe of Judah) appeared together, it is

not surprising that people would assume that these traditions had
found fulfillment in the relationship between John and Jesus.

Contrary to the modern ascendancy of politics over religion,

the authors of the Dead Sea Scrolls considered the priest to be

greater than the king. After all the High Priest Aaron took

office hundreds of years before the first king ever ruled over

Israel. Earlier is better! Not only so, but it was priests who

anointed kings, and not the other way around! Ancient Israel was
 49

a theocracy ("ruled by God") and God was to be found in the

temple, not in the king's palace.

What kind of arguments could first-century Christians bring

to bear against the Baptist theology? For one thing, they would

point out that Jesus fulfills the role of both king (Matthew,

Mark and Luke--"the kingdom of God") and priest (Hebrews) in one

person. The Old Testament forerunner of such a king-priest was

Melchizedek (Gen 14:18-20; Psalm 110, cf. Matt 22:41-45 and

parallels in Mark and Luke; Acts 2:29-36; Heb 1:13; 5:6, 10;

6:20; 7:1-28 etc.), and to some extent, perhaps, also Moses, who

exercised both priestly and kingly functions (Exod 24:3-8; 32:1-

14, 31, 32; Deut 1:6-3:29; 1 Cor 10:2; Heb 3:2-5). Christians

would also argue that earlier revelation is not necessarily

better, the present revelation in Christ is actually superior to

the old revelation (John 1:17, cf. Heb 1:1-3).

But author of the Fourth Gospel does not approach the issue

from these perspectives in 1:19-51. In this Gospel, instead, the

concern is to explain why the Baptist came on the scene before

Jesus did. The Baptist arrived before Jesus not because he was
greater than Jesus (6-8!) but because it was his job to introduce

Jesus to the nation (29-34). This could only happen if he came

to prominence first. Earlier is not necessarily better. The

Baptist was the forerunner, not the real thing. In his heavenly

role, Jesus pre-existed the Baptist (1, 15, 30). The message of

John is that those who rank the Baptist greater than Jesus

disbelieve the testimony of the Baptist himself.

 50

The Lamb of God

A further issue related to the background of John 1:19-51 is

the question of exactly what John meant by the "Lamb of God" who

takes away the sin of the world (29). There are a number of

possibilities within the Jewish background of the Gospel (see

Brown, 1:58-63). The Baptist could have been referring to the

idea of an apocalyptic, conquering lamb such as one finds in the

Testament of Joseph (19:8, 9, see Charlesworth, 1:824) and in Rev

5 (cf. Rev 7:17; 17:14). In that case he would be seeing Jesus

as the conquering Messiah who "takes away sin" by destroying sin

and sinners at the end of the age (cf. Matt 3:11, 12; Luke 3:7,

9, 17). Another possibility is a reference to the Passover lamb

of the Exodus (Exod 12:1-11, 21-28). In that case the Baptist

would see in Jesus a new Moses, the redeemer of a new Israel from

a new Egypt.

A third possibility is the submissive lamb of Isa 53,

modeled on the self-sacrifice of Isaac in Gen 22:10-13. If the

Baptist had this in mind, the character and substitutionary death

of Jesus would be particularly in view. A fourth possibility is

the sanctuary lamb of the Mosaic law (Exod 29:38-42; Lev 5:5-7;

Num 28:1-8). In that case the focus would be on Jesus as the one

who carries out all that the OT sanctuary promised the believer.

Each of these possibilities is worked out to some degree in

the Gospel of John. It is quite possible, therefore, that the

term Lamb of God is left deliberately ambiguous so that the

reader will bring these multiple images into play. If one of the
 51

above is to be favored over the others, however, the Passover

lamb would seem to be the most important to the author of the

Gospel. There is the strong sense in the Gospel that Jesus is a

new Moses (1:18; 5:45-47; 2:1-11-- turning water into wine just

as Moses turned water into blood; 6:14, 31-- and providing bread

from heaven as Moses provided manna in the wilderness, cf. Deut

18:15, 18). John 19:31-37 explicitly relates Jesus' death on the

cross to the strictures regarding the death of the Passover Lamb

(Exod 12:46; Num 9:12, see SDA Bible Commentary, 5:908).

The Forty Days in the Desert

In Matthew, Mark, and Luke Jesus goes into the desert for

forty days immediately after his baptism and before calling

disciples in Galilee (Matt 3:13-4:22; Mark 1:9-20; Luke 3:21-

5:11). In John, as we have seen, there is a reference to the

baptism of Jesus followed, within the next week, by the calling

of five disciples and the wedding at Cana (cf. 2:1). What

happened to Jesus' forty days in the desert? Did the author of

the Gospel not know about them? Does he deliberately ignore

them? Were Peter and Andrew called at the Jordan (1:35-42) or in

Galilee (Matt 4:18-22; Mark 1:14-20; Luke 5:1-11)?

The best explanation for the forty days is that John 1:29-34

does not describe Jesus' baptism, but rather the Baptist's

explanation of the significance of that baptism, called forth by

the re-appearance of Jesus after the forty days. Matthew, Mark,

and Luke record the actual baptism of Jesus followed by his stay

and temptation in the desert, none of which is recorded in the

 52

Fourth Gospel. The Fourth Gospel picks up after Jesus' return

from the desert and describes the subsequent encounter between

Jesus and the Baptist, the call of several disciples near the

Jordan, and the wedding at Cana, none of which is recorded in

Matthew, Mark or Luke (see White, Desire of Ages, 136-137).

The double call, at the Jordan and by the Sea of Galilee, is

probably to be explained in terms of part-time ministry for a

year or two with the call in Galilee implying the call to leave

fishing as an occupation and enter into full-time ministry with

Jesus. (Note the comment, "they left their nets and followed

him." Matt 4:20; Mark 1:18.) Peter's exclamation, "Go away from

me, Lord; I am a sinful man," may even imply that some of the

disciples experienced a period of apostasy from their original

calling by the Jordan (Luke 5:8, see also White, Desire of Ages,

246-249).

Exploring the Passage in Detail

In John 1:19-28, the Baptist faces two interrogations, one

from the "priests and Levites" sent by "the Jews" of Jerusalem

(19-23) and the other from the "Pharisees" (24-28), presumably

also sent by "the Jews." In the Fourth Gospel the term "the

Jews" is often used not for the people as a whole (who are

usually referred to as the "crowd"-- 6:22, 24; 7:12, 31, 32, 49;

11:42; 12:29, etc.) but for the leadership class in particular,

the chief priests and the thought leaders of Jerusalem (2:18, 20;

5:16, 18; 7:1, 13; 9:18, 22, etc.). In 1:19-23 these ambassadors

are anxious to find out if John the Baptist is the Messiah.

 53

When the Baptist rejects the term Messiah (20-- "Christ" is

the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew term Messiah) they ask if he

is Elijah (Mal 4:5, 6) or "that prophet" (Deut 18:15-18), two

other terms that the Jews of the times used to describe the

Messiah. While there is a sense in which the Baptist can be

described as Elijah (Matt 11:11-14; Mark 9:11-13; Luke 1:17), the

point of John 1:20-21 is that he is not Messiah in anybody's

terms. There is only One who deserves that title. In this

Gospel the Baptist is content to be a "voice in the desert"

preparing the way for Another (1:23). Just as highways are built

by leveling mountains and raising lowlands, so the way of the

Messiah is to be prepared by leveling pride and raising the

spiritual commitment of the people.

The "Pharisees", then, question the Baptist's right to make

radical religious changes if he is not, indeed, the Messiah

himself (25). You see, while Gentile converts were often

baptized at that time, the baptism of believing Jews was an

unusual thing (there is evidence that the people who left us the

"Dead Sea Scrolls" may have practiced some form of believer's

baptism-- see Anchor Bible Dictionary, 1:583-584). It was a

radical thing for John the Baptist to insist on the necessity of

baptism for Jews, implying some inadequacy in their faith. It

was expected that the Messiah would bring about great changes,

but what right did the Baptist have to change things if he was

not the Messiah? He replied that baptism with water was the act

of a very minor person compared with the One who was to come.
 54

Apparently the baptism of Jesus had not been an

overwhelmingly dramatic event. As the Baptist spoke, forty days

after the baptism of Jesus, Jesus could stand in the midst of the

crowd and yet not be recognized for who He was (26, cf. White,

Desire of Ages, 137). But that was soon to change. The One

coming after John the Baptist would be so great that John did not

feel worthy to untie the thong of his sandals (27).

The times in which the Baptist lived were the "good old

days" for teachers. Top-notch teachers were held in such high

regard that students were expected, so to speak, to wash their

cars, mow their lawns and fix tasty meals upon request. The

student, in other words, was expected to do the tasks of a slave

in behalf of his teacher. But there were limits to this

"slavery." To preserve the student's dignity within that

culture, one task was forbidden, he could not be required to tie

or untie the thongs of the teacher's sandals.

In the statement of 1:27, therefore, we see the incredible

humility of the Baptist. When he compared himself to the

greatness of Jesus, he felt that he was unworthy to perform even

the one task that was forbidden to the disciples of the day.

Jesus was so great that untying the thong of His sandal would be

a greater honor than John felt that he deserved. The reader of

the Prologue, of course, is fully aware of why such humility is

appropriate in the presence of Jesus (1-5).

The greatness of Jesus is seen in the fact that he pre-

existed the Baptist (29, 30). The role of the Baptist is not to
 55

assert any greatness for himself, his role is simply to point out

who Jesus is (31). Even in this there is no glory for the

Baptist. He did not recognize the greatness of Jesus on his own

(31, 33), it was a supernatural act of God that caused him to

know who Jesus was (32-34). Every part of this narrative (19-34)

is designed to highlight the greatness of Jesus in contrast to

the claims that some might make in behalf of the Baptist.

But although the role of the Baptist in John's Gospel is

very humble, it is still crucial. It is the Baptist that begins

turning disciples toward Jesus (35-37, cf. 3:26,30). One of

these two disciples is named Andrew, the brother of Peter (1:40),

the other is unnamed. Since all other disciples of Jesus in the

chapter are named, it is easy to identify this unnamed disciple

with the mysterious "disciple whom Jesus loved" (13:23; 19:26;

20:2; 21:2, 7, 20) who wrote the Gospel (21:24). If the unnamed

disciple of 1:35-42 was truly recognized as the author of the

book by the original readers, it would have given a great deal of

punch to the Gospel's appeal to followers of the Baptist, "The

Baptist would want you to do as I did, follow Jesus!"

In 43-51 the attention turns to two new disciples of Jesus,

Philip and Nathanael. Philip plays a prominent role among the

disciples only in the Fourth Gospel (43-46; 6:5-8; 12:21, 22;

14:8-10). In this passage his role is to bring Nathanael to

Jesus with the simple words, "Come and see" (1:46). This is a

common theme in the Gospel. Nicodemus, the Samaritan woman, the

blind man of chapter 9, and Thomas all must see Jesus in order to
 56

believe. As a result it catches the reader by surprise that the

ultimate blessing is reserved for those who do not see (20:29).

Although he is an honest man (1:47), Nathanael treats

Philip's invitation with a great deal of skepticism, "Can

anything good come out of Nazareth?" (46) There is a background

to that comment. Nathanael is from the town of Cana in Galilee

(21:2). Although Cana's exact location is uncertain (see Anchor

Bible Dictionary, 1:827 for the most likely options), Cana and

Nazareth were probably twin cities, about a kilometer apart from

each other.

There were three types of settlements in Galilee; overtly

Gentile cities like Sepphoris, Jotapata and Tiberias (none of

which Jesus is said to have visited), Jewish towns that were

fairly observant of Jewish laws and customs, and Jewish towns

that were fairly lax about their Jewishness. It is reasonable to

suppose from Nathanael's comment that Cana was one of the

observant towns and Nazareth one of the lax ones.

A characteristic of Jesus that is repeatedly highlighted in

the Gospel is his full knowledge of what is going on inside of

other people. He has already shown insight into the character of

a stranger by nicknaming the impetuous Simon "Rocky" (the meaning

of the Greek nickname "Peter"-- 1:42). Twice in the present

narrative Jesus reveals His intimate knowledge of Nathanael as

well (47-49). He declares him to be a "true Israelite" (47) who

will see the angels of God ascending and descending a heavenly

ladder (51) just as the original Israelite, Jacob, did (Gen

 57

28:12-17, cf. 32:28). He then confirms his insight into

Nathanael's life by telling him what he was doing before Philip

met him (John 1:48). When Nathanael recognizes the character of

the One speaking with him he acknowledges Jesus as both Son of

God and King of Israel (1:49).

There are two significant points of difference, however,

between Nathanael and Jacob. The original Israelite was a man of

deceit (Gen 27:35), Nathanael is devoid of deceit (John 1:47).

The original Israelite caught a vision of Yahweh at the top of

the heavenly ladder (Gen 28:12,13), Nathanael, on the other hand,

was to see a "vision" of Jesus at the bottom of the ladder (John

1:51). In the Gospel of John, therefore, the true Israelite is

not one who can trace physical descent back to Jacob, the true

Israelite is one who knows who Jesus is and believes in Him. The

Yahweh at the top of the heavenly ladder has come down to earth

and is being recognized by those with eyes to see.

The Major Themes of the Passage

Witness
The key theme of 1:19-51 is witness. In the first part of

the passage, the Baptist offers his witness to Jesus. By the end

of the passage, the disciples of Jesus, Andrew, Philip, and

finally Nathanael begin to bear witness to Him as well. In this

passage we see, therefore, the transition from the witness of the

Baptist to the witness of Jesus' disciples. It is on the latter

witness that the power of the gospel continues to change lives

 58

today. In fact, the only witnessing that truly matters is

witnessing about Jesus. To share the Sabbath, the prophecies, or

the state of the dead with others is not witnessing unless that

doctrine brings Jesus into clearer focus.

The theme of witness receives major treatment again in 5:31-

47. There the witness of the Baptist, the Father, the

Scriptures, and Moses all come together with a common voice,

declaring that Jesus is exactly who He claims to be. The

"witness of Jesus" is also a major theme in the Book of

Revelation (Rev 1:2, 9; 12:17; 19:10, etc.), where the churches

are called to witness as well (Rev 2:13; 6:9-11; 12:11).

Throughout the Fourth Gospel Jesus' identity and character are on

trial before the readers of the Gospel. Witness after witness

confirms the testimony of the Prologue while various characters

question and reject that testimony until at length Jesus

undergoes a final trial. How will the characters in the story,

and ultimately the reader of the Gospel respond to this

testimony? Will Jesus be accepted or rejected?

The issue is not to be taken lightly. John 12:47-50 offers

an ironic reversal of the theme of trial and witness. In the

judgment at the last day the same words of witness which call

readers of the Gospel to faith in Jesus will stand in testimony

against those who rejected Him (12:48). Though on the surface

Jesus' identity and character are on trial in the Fourth Gospel,

it is ultimately the reader of the Gospel who is on trial. As

readers pronounce judgment on Jesus, they also pronounce judgment

 59

on themselves.

A Lesson from the Baptist Movement

There may be an important lesson in the continuing existence

of the "Baptist movement" in the first century and beyond. There

is no question that John the Baptist was ordained by God with a

heavenly mission. It was God who raised up the Baptist and his

movement. But even though God is involved in the founding of a

movement, that same movement can later turn against Him and

against His true people. No matter how close our relationship

with God as individuals or as a corporate body, therefore, we

need constant humility and self-awareness. Because of human

frailty and sinfulness, personal and corporate apostasy is an

unending threat. Unless a movement continually advances in the

light of God's revelation, it will tend to fall away from

faithfulness. To live in continual self-criticism and repentance

is the only safe course of action.

The Significance of Baptism

There are many texts in the New Testament that mention or

interpret baptism. John 1:29-34 zeros in on a single aspect of

the significance of baptism. According to this passage, the

purpose of the baptism of Jesus was to reveal His identity to

Israel (1:31, 33). Through baptism the identity of Jesus as the

Messiah was established. So it is with Christians. It is

through baptism that identities are established. In baptism the

Christian identifies with Christ in his death, burial, and

 60

resurrection (Rom 6:3,4). In so doing the Christian takes on a

new identity and a new life in Christ (Rom 6:1-14). Old things

have passed away, all things have become new (2 Cor 5:17).

Baptism rightly understood, therefore, can have great power

to change lives. Old habits, addictions, and family dysfunctions

once made up our identity and may continue to do so. In Christ,

however, we can establish a new identity, a new history. The

cells of one's body, and one's family and friends may fight

against the new identity. The battle is usually quite severe. A

long road of counseling and support may be necessary. But

through Christ there is power in baptism to take hold of a new

identity and to chart a course that will ultimately change

everything.

Jesus Knows

Jesus knows all about Nathanael, even though they have never

met (John 1:47-49). He knows all about Simon Peter as well

(1:40-42). It is characteristic of this Gospel that Jesus is

fully aware of what is inside other human beings and that He

adjusts His reactions to them accordingly (2:23-25). His

knowledge of Nicodemus' inner need causes Him to confront with

holy directness (3:1-12, see also White, Desire of Ages, 168-

173). On the other hand, his knowledge of the woman at the well

(4:10, 17, 18) allows Him to playfully tolerate a conversation

that wanders all over the map while gradually bringing her to

conviction (10-29, see also White, Desire of Ages, 187, 188).

The message of the Gospel is that Jesus knows all about us

 61

and yet comes with loving concern and acceptance. We are often

reluctant to confess our sins to others because we fear how they

will respond. Such fear is unnecessary with Jesus. He already

knows all about us, there is no reason to be hesitant in coming

to Him and telling Him the truth about ourselves. Since intimate

relationships require openness on both sides, it is our

reluctance to be honest with Him that is the primary barrier to

intimate relationship with Him. In the presence of Jesus our

defenses can come down and the true self be safely revealed. Why

wait even a moment longer to enjoy the liberation such openness

with Jesus can bring?

The True Israel

Finally, John 1:19-51 clarifies a point hinted at in the

Prologue and developed in the Gospel; the true Israelite is the

one who believes in Jesus (1:47, 51). Genuine descent is not to

be reckoned in physical terms, but spiritually, through believing

(12,13). It is those who are born of water and of the Spirit who

enter the kingdom that Jesus establishes (3:5-8, cf. 8:31-47).

The one thing that matters above all others is relationship with

Jesus. Without such a relationship good deeds, tithe-paying,

Sabbath-keeping, and even witnessing serve little purpose.

APPLYING THE WORD

1. John the Baptist had a clear and specific sense of the

mission and purpose of his life (1:19-34; 3:30). Do you
have a similar sense of God's will for you? For your
occupation? For your relationships? For your role in your
local church? Did the Baptist have such a clear sense of
purpose because he was a prophet, or can anyone have a
 62

similar sense of certainty if they commit themselves to God?

2. Do you sometimes feel like the Jewish visitors from
Jerusalem who wanted to know about the Baptist, while he
only cared that they know about Jesus (1:19-28)? Do you
care more about local church politics or theological debates
than about knowing Jesus personally? Is it more fun to
debate the merits of various pastors and elders than it is
to worship God and bask in His presence?
3. If John the Baptist felt inadequate even to be Christ's
slave (27), does that have any implications for your
personal relationship with Christ? Do you find it easy to
humbly tune your heart and life to His direction? Or do you
find it easier to tell Him what you want, to treat Him as if
He were your slave?
4. Describe the circumstances in which you first made a full
commitment to follow Jesus. What were your motives for
following Him at that time? How have your motives changed
since then? How has your knowledge of Jesus grown? Which
of the disciples of Jesus was most like you; John, Peter,
Andrew, Philip, or Nathanael? Was there an Andrew or Philip
in your life, someone who helped you come to Jesus? What
significance did baptism play in your commitment to Jesus?
5. If you could visit Jesus in His home (38, 39) what would you
be most interested to find out? The kinds of books He
reads? His favorite TV show? How He treats his friends?
What kinds of food He eats? How He behaves when He is out
of the public eye?
6. How do you feel about the idea that Jesus knows all about
you through and through (47, 48)? Do you feel more
comfortable with others when you can pretend to be something
you're not? Are you truly willing to allow Jesus to know
you intimately and to reveal to you the defects of character
that He wants to cleanse and make whole?

RESEARCHING THE WORD

1. By means of an exhaustive concordance like Strong's or
Young's study every text in the NT that talks about baptism.
Make a list of the full variety of ways in which the
significance of baptism is described in the NT? Is the
Gospel of John the only place in the NT where the meaning of
baptism is described in terms of establishing identities?
What does this study contribute to your understanding of the
role of John the Baptist? What do Matthew, Mark, and Luke
do theologically with the baptism of Jesus?

FURTHER STUDY OF THE WORD

1. For general notes on John 1:19-51 see SDA Bible Commentary,

5:905-911.
 63

2. On the role of the Baptist in the Gospel of John see Brown,

1:lxvii-lxx. See also "Mandaeism" in the Anchor Bible
Dictionary, 4:500-502.
3. On the backgrounds to the "Lamb of God" concept see Brown,
1:58-63.
4. On the titles of Jesus in John 1 see Schnackenburg, 1:507-
514.
5. See also White, Desire of Ages, 132-143.
 CHAPTER 3

THE DISCIPLES BELIEVE

JOHN 2:1-11

The Gospel of John strikes the reader as a model of

simplicity. This chapter is no exception. It reads as a simple

story about a wedding feast where the wine ran out long before

the end. Jesus, reluctantly at first, acts to save the couple

from humiliation. Thus, the story can be read as a simple and

charming affirmation of the institution of marriage.

But as is usually the case with this Gospel, the surface-

level simplicity quickly gives way to a highly complex thought-

structure that challenges every effort to fully absorb it. The

reader becomes aware that little details in the story point to

vast, underlying structures of a deep theological masterpiece.

With careful contemplation, the story reveals depths that

challenge the magnificence of the Prologue.

GETTING INTO THE WORD

John 2:1-11

Please read John 2:1-11 through several times and then

answer the following questions:

1. Jesus was on a mission to save the whole world. If anyone

could legitimately say that they had no time to waste on
small talk it was Jesus. Write out a paragraph or two

64
 65

explaining why you think Jesus went to this wedding. What

role did His attendance play in His overall mission?
2. At what point in the story does it become evident that this
is not simply a charming little story but that there are
deeper theological dynamics involved? The initial comment
of Mary? The reply of Jesus? The mention of the size and
purpose of the water pots? The miracle itself? The comment
in verse 11? Explain your answer.
3. List whatever elements you can find in the story which build
on the themes established in the first chapter of the
Gospel.
4. On the basis of this story alone, try to describe the
relationship between Jesus and His mother. Now read John
19:25-27. Does the later incident change your impression of
the relationship between Jesus and His mother? Read Matt
13:53-58. What is implied in the comments that Jesus'
family and friends were "offended" by him, and that he had
no honor in His own house? See also Mark 3:31-35.
5. Do the size and function of the water pots have anything to
do with the deeper meaning of this story? Explain your
answer.
6. In what way does the quantity and quality of the wine
demonstrate the glory of Jesus (2:11)?

EXPLORING THE WORD

The Structure of the Passage

The reference to the third day (2:1) ties this passage to

the preceding narratives with their series of "next days" (1:29,

35, 43). The "third day" is probably reckoned from the day of

Philip's call in 1:43, 44. The four days of John 1 and the three
days of John 2:1 make up a week of seven days. According to the

Mishnah (a second century compilation of the traditions of the

rabbis), the wedding of a virgin was supposed to take place on a

Wednesday (mKetuboth 1:1, cf. Danby, 245). If tradition was

followed in this particular wedding, Jesus began His journey to

Galilee (1:43) on Monday morning and John's encounter with Jesus

at the Jordan took place on the Sabbath (35-37, see Brown, 1:97,

98). This "week" began at the close of Jesus' forty days in the
 66

desert.

The narrative of the wedding at Cana completes the calling

of the disciples, in that the miracle of turning the water into

wine brought them to full belief (2:11). They were beginning to

see the "greater things" that Jesus had promised Nathanael (1:50,

51). But the narrative of the wedding at Cana also introduces a

new section in the Gospel which runs through chapter four.

+)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))),
* A) First Miracle at Cana (2:1-11) *
* B) Temple in Jerusalem (2:12-25) *
* C) Discourse with Nicodemus (3:1-21) *
* D) The Baptist (3:22-30) *
* D) Jesus (3:31-36) *
* C) Discourse with the Samaritan Woman (4:1-42) *
* B) Events in Jerusalem (4:43-45) *
* A) Second Miracle at Cana (4:46-54) *
.))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))-

The reference to a second "sign" in Cana (4:54) brings the series

of narratives full circle and binds off this section as a

separate unit. Since the narrative of the wedding at Cana

completes the narrative of chapter 1, yet is bound to the

material in chapters 2:12 - 4:54, it functions as a major turning

point in the Gospel.

The theme of chapters 2 to 4 is replacement. Old things

have passed away and the new has come. Jesus replaces the waters

of Judaism (2:6) with the wine of His blood (7-10). He replaces

the temple of Judaism with His body (19-22). In the Nicodemus

story, Jesus replaces the miracle of physical birth with a

spiritual birth from above (3:3-6). And in the story of the

woman at the well, Jesus replaces Jacob with Himself (4:12),

physical water with spiritual (7-10) and worship at Jerusalem

 67

with spiritual worship (21-24). This section of the Gospel of

John argues by implication for the superiority of faith in Jesus

to all other ways of life and forms of religion. Those who met

Jesus came to see the "greater things" that He had promised his

disciples (1:50, 51).

The material in John 2:1-11 can be subdivided as follows:

+)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))),
* 1-3a-- The Basic Situation *
* 3b-5-- Dialogue Between Jesus and His Mother *
* 6-8-- The Miracle Itself *
* 9, 10-- Attestation of the Miracle *
* 11-- The Author's Commentary *
.))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))-

The Background of the Passage

A number of items from the OT and the contemporary

background help to illuminate aspects of John 2:1-11. An

abundance of wine, for example, was a characteristic of OT

passages that describe the future kingdom God would inaugurate in

the last days (Isa 25:6; Jer 31:12; Amos 9:13, 14). Jesus'

provision of exceptional wine at the wedding banquet is,

therefore, an example of how John's Gospel portrays the

understanding that the end-time expectation of the OT was

fulfilled in Jesus (see chapter 6).

The water pots (holding 20-30 gallons) were of unusual size

in the ancient world. John may have remarked on the size of the

pots to chide the Jews for their obsession with ritual

purification. Fresh water was difficult to come by in most parts

of the ancient world, so the details of the story are quite

remarkable.
 68

The story of turning water into wine also reminds readers of

transformation stories in the OT. Moses turned water into blood

as one of the plagues on ancient Egypt (Exod 7:14-24). Elisha

transformed the bitter water of Jericho into water that was sweet

to the taste and useful again (2 Kings 2:19-22). A particularly

interesting parallel to the miracle at Cana may be 2 Kings 3:12-

25, also in the experience of Elisha. A number of kings visit

Elisha looking for a word from the Lord. His response was like

that of Jesus to His mother, "What do we have to do with each

other?" But he agreed to work with them anyway. At his advice

water miraculously appeared and was thought to be blood by the

enemy (2 Kings 3:22, 23). By this means Israel won a great

victory over Moab.

A contemporary issue is also addressed by knowledge of the

background to this wedding story. Many people wonder if Jesus'

turning water into wine has implication for the issue of how

Christians should relate to the use of alcohol. There is nothing

in John 2:1-11 or its background, however, that requires the wine

Jesus made to be fermented. For one thing, the word for wine in
this passage (oinos) is neutral in the Greek. It can refer to

unfermented grape juice, or it can refer to fermented wine. The

terminology of the passage does not in any way help to settle the

issue.

Neither would the presence of grape juice be totally

contrary to expectation. For one thing, if the wedding took

place in the Fall (when the baptism of Jesus took place a month
 69

or so previous) it was the time of grape harvest in Palestine, so

fresh juice might have been available. But even if it were not

available, excellent methods of preservation were known at the

time. For example, grape juice could be boiled down into a

jelly. This would be pressed into a clay pot until all the air

was removed. Then a thin layer of olive oil across the top would

preserve the contents for months or even years. At a later date,

the preserves could be mixed with water for use. The end result

would be unfermented. If reconstituted juice made up the bulk of

what had been served previous to this at the wedding, Jesus

production of fresh juice from the vine would have been worthy of

the kind of notice given in the passage (see White, Desire of

Ages, 149).

The way Christians should relate to the use of alcohol,

therefore, should not be settled one way or the other on the

basis of this passage. There are, however, abundant scientific,

social, and spiritual reasons for refraining entirely from

alcohol. Ellen White outlines some of these reasons in

Testimonies for the Church, 5:354-361.

Exploring the Passage in Detail

The fact that Jesus, His mother, and his disciples were

invited to the wedding suggests that it was the wedding of a

relative of Jesus (cf. White, Desire of Ages, 146). A third-

century tradition held that John, the beloved disciple was the

son of Salome, Mary's sister. This would make John and Jesus

first cousins. This tradition has led some scholars to the

 70

conclusion that this was John's own wedding or at least that of a

relative of his (see Brown, 1:98). Mary's role at the wedding,

in any case, seems to correspond to that of a matron of honor,

who may have helped with the catering of the feast. Thus, she

may have taken the shortage as a matter of personal

responsibility.

If the wine supply was dependant on the generosity of guests

(Brown, 1:102), Mary's remark to Jesus (2:3) may have been by way

of rebuke to Him and his disciples for not bringing their fair

share. Such a situation would have placed both Jesus and His

mother in a delicate predicament from which she evidently sought

to extricate them by encouraging Jesus to use his special powers.

The term "woman" with which Jesus addressed His mother was

not necessarily disrespectful. In the writings of Josephus

(Antiquities 17:74) a much loved wife was called "woman" by her

husband. In the Gospel of John, Jesus encounters His mother only

twice, and both times uses this term (2:4; 19:25-27).

Although the term "woman" may not have been disrespectful,

Jesus clearly differed with His mother in this instance. She

wanted to push Him to do the kinds of things that a popular

Messiah would do. Jesus, on the other hand, was aware that His

agenda was not set by His mother, or anyone else, but by His

Father. To have fulfilled her request in the way she had hoped

might have damaged His cause. There would come a time when such

actions might become appropriate, but Jesus' "hour" had not yet

come (2:4). Instead He fulfilled her request in a way that

 71

glorified his mission and resulted in the appropriate kind of

belief in Him (11). If Jesus handled His mother somewhat roughly

here, it is because He recognized in her words and actions the

tempting work of Satan, seeking to alter the timetable of Jesus'

actions (White, Desire of Ages, 147).

The text notes that the water is turned to wine in the

waterpots of Judaism (6). During the time of the Exodus, Moses

turned the water in the waterpots of Egypt into blood. The

parallels between the actions of Moses and the actions of Jesus

are worked out in considerable detail in John's Gospel (see Major

Themes section).

It is interesting that the caterer had no idea where the

good wine had come from (9). He functions as a representative of

the kind of Judaism that failed to recognize the mighty and

present working of God in Jesus. The idea that the good wine had

been withheld "until now" (10) also corresponds with the message

of John's Gospel. The miracle of Jesus at the wedding of Cana

announced that the great eschatological outpouring of God's

blessings had come in the person of Jesus. Thus, this miracle

was called a "sign" (11).

In the OT "signs" were mighty acts which certified that a

prophet was the genuine bearer of God's word (Exod 3:12; 4:1-9; 1

Sam 10:1-9). The miracles of Jesus also served to authenticate

His mission. But in the Gospel of John they served a further

purpose. They functioned like parables of the kingdom. The wine

that Jesus brought to the wedding feast at Cana symbolized the

 72

great eschatological and spiritual blessings that were available

to humanity in the person of Jesus. Through the miracle of

turning water into wine, Jesus' character and mission shone out

more clearly, His "glory" was seen, and as a result, the

disciples believed in Him (John 2:11). When miracles, therefore,

caused people to see the "glory" of Jesus, they served to produce

faith. When the miracles were seen as ends in themselves (2:3-5,

23-25; 6:26), they could become stumbling blocks to true faith in

Him.

The Major Themes of the Passage

"They Have no Wine"

On the surface this is a charming story about a poor couple

who runs out of wine at their wedding feast, much to their

embarrassment and to the embarrassment of others. The noble

visitor rescues them from their embarrassment with a miraculous

act that astounds even the chief caterer of the feast. But the

story is not told in this Gospel as a pleasant and innocuous

interlude. It has serious implications for the theology of the

Gospel's author.

The main and most obvious theological point in this passage

is the role of wine as a symbolic portrayal of the barrenness of

Judaism without Its Messiah. In the huge purification pots

(2:6), John sees Judaism's obsessive concern for matters of

relative unimportance. The indictment is pointed, "They have no

wine" (3). And when the good wine finally shows up, the head
 73

caterer doesn't even know where the good wine came from (9). He

even complains that they have not operated according to custom in

which the earlier is supposed to be better (10)!

The head caterer, therefore, represents "Jesus' own" (1:11)

to whom He came, but who neither knew Him (10) nor received Him

(11). While Judaism was concerned with water for washing, Jesus

offered them good wine, and even when they sensed that such

spiritual "wine" was present, they did not recognize that it came

from Him (5:11-13; 9:13-17, 24). Likewise, Nicodemus showed his

ignorance of the working of the Holy Spirit that Jesus had set in

motion (3:8, 9).

For John the replacement of water with wine represented that

Jesus offered "something better" than Judaism. He was a

replacement for the washings, the temple, the feasts, and the

regulations of the Jewish system. All that the Jewish worshipper

sought for in washings, temple, and feast could be found in

abundance in Jesus. The wine in particular represented the blood

of Jesus, which offers the only ultimate path to eternal life.

In the wine of Jesus the OT promise of a glorious end-time

kingdom was beginning to be fulfilled in Jesus' day. By

extension today, the Gospel of John calls on everyone to find in

Jesus the ultimate replacement of all substitutes for real life.

The Hour of Jesus

Jesus did not wish to grant Mary's request because His

"hour" had not yet come (2:4). In the Gospel of John the hour of

Jesus is especially associated with the hour of Jesus' arrest,

 74

trial, and death. Until that hour came no was had the ability to

arrest Him (7:30; 8:20; 13:1; 17:1 cf. 18:1ff.). In 12:23, on

the other hand, the hour of Jesus is the hour of His

"glorification." At first glance this might appear to contradict

the other passages, but verse 24 makes it clear that the hour of

Jesus' glorification is also the hour of his suffering and death.

The connection between the hour and the glory of Jesus is first

seen in the narrative of the wedding at Cana (2:4, 11). This

suggests that the first miracle at Cana in some way foreshadowed

the cross in John's thinking.

The Glory of Jesus

In what way did the cross glorify Jesus, according to the

Gospel of John? This is best answered in 12:37-41. In this

passage John asserts that Isaiah saw the glory of Jesus (41). In

the process he offered two quotations from Isaiah, one from the

suffering servant passage of Isa 53 (John 12:38), and the other

from the prophet's commission in Isa 6 (John 12:40). In Isa

6:1ff. the prophet saw Yahweh high and exalted on His throne. In
Isa 53:8-12, he saw the suffering servant who dies in behalf of

"many." If, as John believes, Isaiah saw the glory of Jesus in

Isa 6, then Jesus must be the Yahweh of the OT, bearing in His

person the divine glory and prerogatives. But if Isaiah also saw

the glory of Jesus in Isa 53 that glory is manifest not only in

the divine splendor seen on the throne, but also in the divine

character that was revealed on the cross.

For John the cross is clearly the central matter. The

 75

essence of this Gospel, as we have seen from the Prologue, is

that Jesus is the greatest and the clearest revelation of God

that has ever been brought to earth (1:1, 14). While the

Prologue does not highlight the cross (an outside possibility is

the "did not receive Him" of verse 11), the cross becomes the

ultimate and clearest manifestation of the divine character in

the main body of the Gospel. Although John does not spell out

every detail of this revelation, the cross is certainly the

clearest manifestation of the justice of God in all His hatred

for sin and its consequences in those He loves. At the cross and

in the resurrection there is also an incredible manifestation of

the great mercy of God in Christ toward sinners.

This fuller sense of the glory of Jesus is most clearly

manifested in John's Gospel. The author of the book, the beloved

disciple, was the only disciple to be found at the cross. He

alone had seen the ultimate glory, and therefore his witness to

Jesus had the greatest authority.

Cana and the Cross

There seems, therefore, to be a special connection between

the narrative of the wedding at Cana and the narrative of the

cross. The wedding takes place on the "third day" as does the

resurrection of Jesus. In 2:1-11 the hour and the glory of Jesus

are tied together, something that only happens elsewhere in the

context of the cross itself (12:23, 24; 17:1, 5). Only in 2:4

and 19:26 (part of the narrative of the cross) does the mother of

Jesus appear, and both times Jesus calls her "woman." Wine is
 76

also associated with the blood of Christ in the Lord's Supper.

There are a remarkable number of connections, therefore,

between the wedding at Cana and the cross in the Gospel of John.

The sign Jesus performed at the wedding feast of Cana was a

foretaste of the ultimate sign which He performed in submitting

to suffering and death. In 2:11 the disciples' response to that

sign not only foreshadowed their future response to the cross

(20:8, 24-29) but also the response of all who would come to

believe in Jesus through their word (17:20; 20:30, 31).

Exodus Typology

As mentioned earlier, when Jesus turned water into wine in

the water pots of Cana, it would be difficult not to see a

parallel to the action of Moses in turning water into blood in

the waterpots of Egypt (Exod 7:19). There is no question that

the comparison between Moses and Jesus is a major theme in the

Gospel as a whole (1:17; 3:14; 5:45-47; 6:30-33; 9:28, 29). But

the comparison is far more comprehensive than could be detected

by the mere reading of passages where Moses is named.

There are seven specific miracles mentioned in the main body

of the Gospel (2:1-11; 4:46-54; 5:2-9; 6:1-15; 6:16-21; 9:1-39;

11:38-44, the Epilogue also contains a miracle-- 21:1-11). The

wedding miracle points us to the reality that each of the seven

miracles in the Gospel of John corresponds to one of the plagues

of Egypt. Jesus turned water into wine (John 2:1-11), Moses

turned water into blood (Exod 7:14-24). Jesus gave a child life

(John 4:46-54), Moses afflicted the domestic animals of Egypt

 77

with death (Exod 9:1-7). Jesus brought physical healing to the

paralytic (John 5:2-9), Moses afflicted the Egyptians with sores

(Exod 9:8-12). Jesus calmed a storm (John 6:16-21), Moses

created one (Exod 9:13-35). Jesus produced bread in the

wilderness (John 6:1-15), just as Moses produced the manna from

heaven for the Israelites (John 6:30-33; Exod 16:4, 15; Neh 9:15)

and sent locusts to eat up the bread of the Egyptians (Exod 10:1-

20). Jesus brought light to the blind man (John 9:1-41), Moses

brought darkness to Egypt (Exod 10:21-29). Jesus raised Lazarus

from the dead (John 11:38-44), Moses slew the first-born sons of

Egypt (Exod 11:1 - 12:32). A further explicit parallel is the

reference to Jesus on the cross as the Passover Lamb (John 19:36

cf. Exod 12:1-11, 21-28).

While some of the above parallels are more tenuous than

others, there seems to be a clear intention on the part of John

to see a common pattern between the activities of Jesus and the

actions of Moses. Why are these strong parallels present in the

Gospel of John? The miracles and the death of Jesus combined

tell the story of a New Exodus from a new bondage (cf. the Greek
of Luke 9:31). The story of the Exodus was to become instructive

for the new Israel that God was putting together in Christ.

There are striking reversals in this new experience of the

Exodus, however. The role of Pharaoh is taken over in John's

Gospel by Moses, whose writings and authority are used by those

who reject Jesus. Thus the Jews in the Gospel become the

counterparts of the Egyptians! Like Pharaoh and the Egyptians,

 78

the Jews in the Gospel receive the signs of Jesus' authority, but

reject His claims, and seek to destroy Him as the Egyptians

sought to destroy the Israelites.

When Moses is properly used, on the other hand, he leads

people to Jesus (5:45-47), and those who are led to Jesus become

a New Israel (1:47-51). Thus, the events of Jesus' life in the

Gospel of John are like the events of a New Exodus leading both

to the establishment of a New Israel and the rejection of the old

one. The signs which Jesus does (including the cross) become the

dividing point between those who are gathering to Jesus as the

New Israel, and those who in rejecting His signs cling to the old

ways (12:42, 43).

The parallels between Jesus and Moses are even more

astounding when one takes the full testimony of the four gospels

into account. Like Moses, Jesus is threatened at birth by a

hostile king who ends up killing all the babies but the one he

really wants to destroy (Matt 2:16-18). Like Moses He saw the

glory of God (John 1:17, 18). Like Moses He fasted for forty

days (Matt 4:2; Luke 4:2). He appointed 70 disciples (Luke 10:1)

and 12 apostles (Matt 10:1-4; Mark 3:13-19; Luke 6:12-16). He

gave the new law from a high mountain (Matt 5-7). He fed a

multitude in the desert (Matt 14:13-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-

17; John 6:1-15). He was lifted up on the cross as Moses raised

up the bronze serpent in the wilderness (John 3:14). And He came

out of Egypt (Matt 2:13-15, 19-23) just as Moses and the

Israelites did.
 79

In addition to providing a language with which to tell the

story of Jesus more fully, the parallels between Jesus and Moses

are instructive for a further reason which we have mentioned in

chapter 1. Jesus is the greatest revelation of God this earth

has ever seen. As such the parallels with Moses and other

aspects of OT faith serve to highlight the superiority of Jesus

over against all other paths to God. While Moses turned water

into blood to authenticate his authority with Pharaoh and the

Egyptians, Jesus performed a similar miracle to authenticate a

far greater authority among the Jews. While Moses delivered his

people from a mere earthly bondage, Jesus delivers his from death

to abundant life (John 3:16; 5:24; 10:10).

APPLYING THE WORD

1. If you were allowed to choose one miracle to get you started

in a new ministry for God, what kind of miracle do you think
would make a significant impact on secular people today?
Bringing true peace to the Middle East or the former
Yugoslavia? Paying off the national debt? Raising someone
from the dead? Predicting future events? List as many
modern equivalents to the miracles of Jesus as you can and
select the one that you would choose if you had the
opportunity.
2. Think of the rejoicing that must have accompanied Jesus'
gift of good wine. Are you rejoicing in the "good wine" of
the gospel today? Or has your appreciation for Christ
diminished in recent months and/or years? What things in
your life make it more difficult to keep the sense of
Christ's blessings fresh in your mind?
3. Running out of wine at an ancient wedding feast was
embarrassing and humiliating. It broke a basic law of
hospitality. Jesus reached out, therefore, to meet a
heartfelt need. Make a list of the most heartfelt needs you
can think of among family, neighbors and friends. Which of
these needs could God use you to fill? Which of them is
most urgent? Where would be the best place to begin?
4. Ultimately Mary submitted to let Jesus resolve the problem
in whatever way He might choose (2:5). Are there areas of
your life that need to be submitted to His will and control?
 80

RESEARCHING THE WORD

1. Looking up the word "water" in an exhaustive concordance,

see how many OT stories you can find in which water is
transformed in one way or another. Write out a list of
these stories and note which of them seem most closely
parallel to the story of how Jesus transformed water into
wine.
2. In this chapter we noted that there are strong parallels
between the plagues of the Exodus and the seven miracles of
Jesus in the Gospel of John. With these seven miracles in
mind, read carefully the story of Elisha in 2 Kings 2-9 and
13. Are there similar parallels between the miracles of
Elisha and the miracles of Jesus in the Gospel of John?
What might be the theological implication(s) of such
parallels?

FURTHER STUDY OF THE WORD

1. On the glory of Jesus see Brown 1:503.

2. On the hour of Jesus see Brown 1:517-518.
3. On the implications of Jesus' miracle for the Christian
attitude toward alcohol see Bacchiocchi, 137-144. While
Evans does not deal with the wedding miracle he offers
another Adventist perspective on the larger Biblical
questions.
4. See also White, Desire of Ages, 144-153.
 CHAPTER 4

A QUESTIONING DISCIPLE

JOHN 2:12 - 3:21

After an unspecified period of time in Galilee, probably

about four to six months (2:12), Jesus travels to Jerusalem to

take part in the Passover feast. While He is there He cleanses

the temple (13-22), a sign that draws a great deal of attention

to Him, but not to His delight (23-25). Nicodemus, a Pharisee

and a member of the Jewish ruling council, decides to do some

investigating in the night hours to see what kind of man could do

the kinds of things that Jesus was doing (3:1-21). He was left

speechless by what he heard (10-21).

According to the Gospel's chronology, the interview with

Nicodemus occurred late in the evening of the same day in which

Jesus' cleansed the temple. Thus all the material in this

chapter of the book happened on the same day and is inherently

related, as we will see.

81
 82

THE CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE

GETTING INTO THE WORD

John 2:13-22

Read John 2:13-22 twice and then do the following:

1. Make copies of the four versions of the story of Jesus'

cleansing the temple and compare them (Matt 21:12-17; Mark
11:15-19; Luke 19:45-48; John 2:13-22). What are the major
similarities and differences? Note at what stage of Jesus'
public ministry each account takes place. Do you think that
Jesus actually cleansed the temple more than once, or that
the various writers placed the story according to their
theological purpose? Explain your answer in a paragraph or
two.
2. Compare 2:13-22 with Psalm 69. Make a list of all the items
of similarity you can find. Write out the purpose that you
think Jesus had in quoting from this OT chapter.
3. Compare 2:13-22 with John 6:22-35. Again make a list of all
the items of similarity you can find. Do you think that the
author of the Gospel was drawing a similar lesson from both
passages? Explain your answer.
4. Compare 2:22 with 2:11. Is the faith of the disciples
similar or different in the two passages? Why could certain
things only be understood and believed after the death and
resurrection of Jesus?

EXPLORING THE WORD

The Structure of the Passage

In a remarkable divergence from Matthew, Mark, and Luke,

John places the cleansing of the temple at the beginning of

Jesus' ministry rather than just before the crucifixion (cf. Matt

21:12, 13; Mark 11:15-17; Luke 19:45, 46). This raises the

question of whether there were two cleansings of the temple, one

at the beginning and one at the end of Jesus' public ministry, or

just one. And if there was just one cleansing, did John or did

the other three place it in its actual historical location?

Evidence can be cited in favor of all three positions. The

 83

cleansing of the temple is clearly related to the death and

resurrection of Christ (John 2:19, 21 cf. Matt 26:61; 27:40; Mark

14:58; 15:29). It was an act calculated to inspire the fury of

the ruling classes within Judaism. As such it would most likely

be the event that precipitates His arrest, trial, and execution

of Jesus, and so comes naturally at the end of His career as

Matthew, Mark and Luke have it. But as we will see in the next

section, the date of the cleansing recorded in John 2:13-22 fits

in well with the earlier portion of Jesus' public ministry.

Since both accounts of the cleansing of the temple seem to

fit into the appropriate historical picture, it is quite possible

that Jesus actually cleansed the temple twice. The emphasis of

the earlier act, according to John, is the theme of replacement;

Jesus replaces the temple and its sacrifices with His own body

(2:19-21). The later act, as recorded in Matthew, Mark, and

Luke, precipitates the arrest and death of Jesus.

The structure of 2:13-22 is fairly straightforward, but

there does seem to be a parallel between verses 14-17 and verses

18-22. The first section is concerned with what Jesus did, the
second with the authority behind His actions (Talbert, Reading

John, 96-98). Note the following diagram:

+))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))),
* 14, 15 Action of Jesus 18 Action of Jesus *
* 16 Words of Jesus 19 Words of Jesus *
* 20, 21 Misunderstanding *
* 17 Disciples remember 22 Disciples remember *
.)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))-
 84

The Background of the Passage

In John 2:20 "the Jews" assert that the temple had been

under construction for forty-six years at the time in which they

were speaking. The construction of the temple was an ongoing

project that would not be completed until AD 63, just seven years

before its destruction. The rebuilding of the temple was begun

in the 18th year of the reign of Herod the Great (Herod's 18th

year overlapped with parts of 20 and 19 BC). Adding forty-six

years to Herod's 18th year (Spring of 19 BC) brings one to the

Spring of 28 AD (there was no "zero year") about six months after

the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist (in the 15th year of

Tiberius--Luke 3:1-- the Fall of AD 27). Thus, the incidental

reference in this account ("this temple has been under

construction for forty-six years") confirms the historical

accuracy of placing it at exactly this stage of Jesus' public

ministry.

According to Josephus, the Jewish historian of the late

first century, the selling in the temple began at some point in

the reign of Caiaphas as High Priest (18-36 AD-- see Bruce, 64,
65). The priests profited greatly from the traffic in the

temple, to disrupt it was an act calculated to earn their

animosity.

The Jews expected that when the Messiah would come, he would

restore the temple by replacing the old house with a new one that

would equal the glory of Solomon's temple or even exceed it like

the temple of Ezekiel 40-48 (1 Enoch 89, 90). In the Jewish

 85

apocalyptic books 4 Ezra and 2 Baruch (written some time after

the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70), therefore, the

destruction of the temple in AD 70 was explained as part of the

necessary preparation for the coming of the Messiah. Since the

old temple had been destroyed, it was hoped that the new one

would soon be on the way. In the light of expectations such as

these, the cleansing of the temple by Jesus would be understood

as an act that carried along with it the claim to Messiahship.

Exploring the Passage in Detail

The place in the temple where Jesus found the cattle, sheep,

doves, and money-changers (2:14) was the Court of the Gentiles.

So the trafficking in the temple not only was detrimental to

reverence, it also excluded the Gentiles from appreciating the

one part of the temple where their presence was welcome.

Although John does not record any protest of this exclusion, it

is noted in Mark 11:17 where Jesus says, "My house will be called

a house of prayer for all nations." In John the emphasis is

placed not on the exclusion of the Gentiles, but on Jesus' zeal

for the purity of God's house (2:17). In casting out those who

were defiling the temple (2:15, 16) Jesus was establishing the

eschatological order prophesied in Zech 14:20, 21 when the temple

and all that is in it would be holy. The cleansing of the temple

was an end time act of the Messiah.

In John 2:17 Jesus quotes Psalm 69, "Zeal for your house

consumes me." The reference is a little opaque at first glance,

but a closer look brings greater clarity. The Psalmist is a

 86

stranger to his own brothers (Ps 69:8, cf. John 2:12). He faces

the insults of those who don't share his zeal for the temple (Ps

69:9, 11, 12 cf. John 2:18, 20). Thus Ps 69 and John 2:13-22

contain multiple parallels to each other. But only one phrase is

directly quoted.

The quotation in 2:17 illustrates a general principle of the

way NT writers quote the OT. C. H. Dodd, a noted NT scholar, was

the first to notice that NT writers use brief portions of the OT,

not as proof texts in themselves, but as pointers to the larger

context in which they are found (Dodd, According to the

Scriptures. In other words, when a NT writer quotes the OT, it

is always wise to consider the larger context of the OT quotation

to see if it sheds light on the role the quotation plays in the

NT context in which it is featured.

Jesus' experience, therefore, is parallel to the experience

of the Psalmist, David. They both manifested zeal for the temple

in the face of great opposition, from within their own family as

well as from the general public. Jesus' experience as the "son

of David" is understood in John to fulfill the experience of King

David in his longing to institute the proper worship of God in

ancient Jerusalem. The cause of the death of Jesus would be His

zeal for the proper worship of God.

John 2:18 parallels 6:30. In both cases the people ask for

a sign immediately after He has just performed one! Jesus

replies to the request with the comment, "Destroy this temple,

and I will raise it again in three days" (2:19). Since He was

 87

speaking here about the temple of his body (21), it is clear in

this comment that He was offering them the greatest of all His

signs, His own suffering and death (cf. 8:28). Jesus refuses to

justify His actions on the basis of raw power, as His hearers

expect. He appeals instead to His death and resurrection as the

grounds for His authority on earth (cf. 3:13-16).

In 2:19 Jesus spoke of the destruction of the temple in the

second person, "(You) destroy this temple." Implied in this

comment was that the Jews were the ones who were destroying the

temple, not Jesus (cf. White, Desire of Ages, 165). As in so

many parts of this Gospel, there is a double meaning involved

here. Through their disobedience to God, well illustrated in the

trafficking in the temple, they were responsible for the

destruction of this magnificent building in AD 70 (a past event

from the perspective of the time in which the Gospel was

written). But at an even deeper level, they would also be

responsible for the death of Jesus, the true eschatological

temple of God! In this passage Jesus replaces the temple,

therefore, with His body. When they would destroy His body, He
would raise it up again in three days (2:21-- at the

resurrection).

The concluding verse of this section (22) reminds the reader

of the conclusion of the previous section (11). But there is an

important difference. In verse 11 the belief is immediate. The

disciples see the glory of Jesus manifested when He changed the

water into wine and they believe as a result. But in verse 22,
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the disciples who observe the incident in the temple only come to

believe after Jesus is raised from the dead and they remember His

comment about the temple of His body.

John implies in this verse that there were two levels or

stages in the development of the disciples' faith in Jesus. The

first level was seen during His lifetime, when they believed as a

result of the signs which He did. But the deeper level of belief

would only occur after His death and resurrection, the last and

greatest of His signs, after the Holy Spirit had been poured out

upon them (7:39). Then they would come to believe on the basis

of the words of Jesus and on the basis of the Scriptures which

foretold His ministry. This interplay between a lesser faith

that is based only on signs, and a greater faith that is based on

the word is the explicit subject of the brief section which

follows 2:22 (23-25).

The Major Themes of the Passage

Replacement of the temple

The replacement theme of the wedding narrative is here

continued. Jesus drives the sacrificial animals out of the

temple and replaces them with His own body. He has replaced the

whole system of sanctuary and sacrifice with His own person. All

that the Torah, the feast days, and the sacrifices had promised

to the believer was now available in the person of Christ (cf.

1:17; 1 Cor 1:30). This, of course, is essentially the same

message that was delivered by the author of Hebrews. The old

 89

things were instituted by God and they were very good, but in

Jesus, something even better has come (Heb 1:1-4; 3:1-6; 8:6;

9:11).

Jesus, therefore, is the temple of the New Israel which He

brought into existence through His life, death, and resurrection.

The temple today is not a material presence in its own right, the

temple exists only in the personal presence of Jesus. Because

the temple in the NT era is wherever Jesus is, temple language

can be extended to three further realities.

Since Jesus now resides at the right hand of God in heaven

there is a greater and more perfect tabernacle or temple in

heaven (Heb 8:1, 2, 5-- there appears to be no distinction

between the term tabernacle and temple as applied to heaven, cf.

Rev 15:5-8).

According to the NT, however, Jesus not only resides in

heaven, through the Holy Spirit He also resides in the church on

earth, it is, after all, his body (1 Cor 12:27; Eph 2:14-16;

4:12-16). The believers as a corporate body can, therefore, be

described as living stones who are built up into a spiritual

temple with Christ Himself being the cornerstone (1 Peter 2:4-8;

Eph 2:19-22; 1 Cor 3:17; 2 Cor 6:16).

There is a third extension of the temple motif in the NT.

Christ also resides in the bodies of believers through the Holy

Spirit (Col 1:28). It is, therefore, appropriate to speak of

physical human bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19,

20). Because Jesus is understood as the temple of the New Age

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which He has inaugurated in His life and death, it is also

possible to speak of temples in heaven, in the church, and in the

bodies of believers on account of His ongoing ministry of

intercession for them.

The Lord's Supper

One of the most remarkable features of the Gospel of John is

the total lack of explicit reference to the last supper which

Jesus had with His disciples just before the cross. In the place

where that would have occurred there is a narrative of the

footwashing (13:1-17), an event that goes unmentioned in Matthew,

Mark, and Luke. This absence of the Lord's supper narrative has

caused many scholars to seek more cryptic references to the

supper and/or its theology.

Many scholars, therefore, have suggested that John 2 is just

such a cryptic reference. As we have seen, there are many

connections between the wedding narrative of 2:1-11 and the

cross. In 13-22 Jesus replaces the temple and its sacrificial

animals with His own body, another connection with the cross.
The wine of Cana reminds the reader of the blood of Jesus, which

replaces the washings of Judaism, the temple here reminds of the

body of Jesus which was broken ("destroy this temple"). Early in

this gospel, then, John makes the knowledgeable reader aware that

he knows about the last supper and the theology which motivated

it, but that he will not repeat the narrative that others have so

thoroughly described, his method will be one of allusion and

subtle inference, rewarding the diligent student with rich mines

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of spiritual insight.

JESUS KNOWS EVERYONE

GETTING INTO THE WORD

John 2:23-25

Read John 2:23-25 through twice, and then answer the

following questions:

1. Why do you think that Jesus doesn't entrust Himself to these

believers? What relationship do you think this passage has
with the stories that precede and follow?
2. In a paragraph or two, what do you think Jesus' ability to
read minds and hearts tells us about Him?

EXPLORING THE WORD

The Structure of the Passage

John 2:23-25 is an excellent example of duodirectionality, a

Johannine literary technique in which a passage looks both ways

at once. We have observed this technique already in the wedding

narrative of 2:1-11. The wedding at Cana brings many of the

themes of 1:19-51 to a conclusion at the same time that it

introduces the replacement theme of John, chapters 2-4.

The scene of 2:23-25 clearly builds on the temple cleansing

of 13-22. Jesus is in Jerusalem at the time of the Passover

Feast (23, cf. 13), and is doing things that get the attention of

the people who have come to that feast (cf. 4:43-45). At the

same time the themes of inadequate belief (2:23, 24) and Jesus'

full knowledge of what lies within other people (24, 25) are at

the heart of the Nicodemus narrative that follows (3:1-21).

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The Background of the Passage

The rabbis taught that there were seven things totally

hidden from human knowledge and, therefore, were reserved for God

alone to know; the day of death, the day of consolation, the

depths of judgment, one's reward, the time of the restoration of

the kingdom of David, the time when the guilty kingdom (Rome)

would be destroyed, and what is within another (Mekilta Exodus

15:32 [59b], described in Beasley Murray, John, 47).

With the possible exception of "the depths of judgment" all

but one of the above concern knowledge of the future, which is

clearly hidden from human sight unless God should choose to

reveal it. The one clear mark of divine knowledge in the present

is knowing what is inside another human being. In the comment of

2:24, 25, therefore, John is claiming for Jesus prerogatives that

in Jewish thought belong to God alone. If Jesus could read what

is within other human beings He must truly be the Word who was

from the beginning, created all things, and then became flesh and

dwelt among us (1:1-5, 14)!

The Passage in Detail

At the time of the Passover Feast, when Jesus drove the

money-changers and the sacrificial animals out of the temple,

many people began to believe in him on account of the signs

(plural) which He did. In the popular mind a "sign" was an

astonishing event, a deed of power. But in John's Gospel there

is a much deeper meaning. Signs in the Fourth Gospel reveal

things about the nature and the character of Jesus. They open up
 93

to the reader what Jesus was like and thereby reveal what God is

like (Barclay, 1:119).

But the faith that arose on account of the signs which Jesus

did was only partial faith. Jesus did not "entrust himself to

them," because he could read the motives and intents of their

inner beings. He did not need anyone's help to understand other

people, that knowledge was His by nature. Thus, he could read

the character of the people at the Passover Feast, a feat he also

performed with Peter (1:40-42; 21:15-19), Nathanael (1:47-50),

His mother (2:4), Nicodemus (3:3, 10), the Samaritan woman (4:16-

18), Judas (6:70; 13:18-30), and His opponents (7:19, 25; 8:39-

44).

The Major Themes of the Passage

Superficial Faith

This passage underscores a theme which we noticed in the

previous passage; there are various levels of faith. The

disciples had saving faith in Jesus after He turned the water

into wine at Cana (2:11). But deeper and more lasting faith
awaited the death and resurrection of Jesus, and the outpouring

of the Holy Spirit (2:22; 7:39). There is, in this passage, a

third level of faith that is brought into view. It is inadequate

or superficial faith that is based only on miracles and does not

bring anyone into saving relationship with Jesus.

John 2:23-25 asserts that Jesus knew all about human nature.

He knew that many believers had only superficial faith in Him.

Many of those who "believed" in Him after the cleansing of the

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temple would later cry, "Crucify him! Crucify him!" It is easy

to believe when everyone around you believes the same way, but

such belief is often proved inadequate when it isn't popular to

follow Christ.

People often think that if they could see miracles they

would have more faith. But the reality is that miracles are no

cure-all for superficial faith. They may even get in the way of

true faith. All that the people at the Passover Feast could see

was a wonder-worker, the miracles seemed to hinder their coming

to a true appreciation of the spiritual work that He sought to

accomplish in the world. This may explain the relative lack of

miracles in the world today. In the secular context miracles

might do more spiritual harm than good (Matt 13:58). The answer

to the second generation's needs lies not in the spectacular, but

in careful attention to the words of Scripture.

Jesus Knows

There is a bright side to Jesus' knowledge of human nature.

If Jesus knows all about us, He knows how to build up our faith.
He knows how to enable us to learn about Him. He knows how to

enable us to work effectively for Him within the context of our

daily lives. He can provide all the answers we need (though not

always the answers we want!).

Even more important, although Jesus knows all there is to

know about us, He still accepts us. He loves us with an

everlasting love. One reason we are afraid to confess our sins

to others is that we fear how they will react. We fear that if

 95

they know something bad about us they won't love us anymore. But

there is no reason not to come to Jesus and confess our sins to

Him. He already knows all about us. Confession doesn't inform

him (He needs no testimony from us-- 2:25!) about anything.

Confession is for us. Confession is learning to tell the truth

about ourselves. He knows us intimately, yet loves us just the

same. There is no reason not to come to him.

JESUS AND NICODEMUS

GETTING INTO THE WORD

John 3:1-21

Read John 3:1-21 through at least two times and then answer
the following questions:

1. What can you learn about the character and status of

Nicodemus from this passage? List all that you learn on a
piece of paper. Compare what you find with 7:45-52 and
19:38-42, and add to your list as needed. Was Nicodemus
really a timid man? Would he be a good neighbor today?
2. Is there anything in this passage that supports the idea
that the "water" of 3:5 is a reference to baptism? List the
evidence you find, if any.
3. Does Jesus continue speaking to Nicodemus right up to verse
21 or does the author of the Gospel take over? At what
point would you think Jesus interview with Nicodemus ends
and the commentary on it takes over? At what point in the
passage does Jesus move from the second person ("you") to
third person ("he" "whoever")? Does that knowledge help to
answer the previous question?
4. According to this passage, how does a person become "born
again" (or born from above)? Write out your answer.

EXPLORING THE WORD

The Structure of the Passage

The word in 3:1 translated "now" (de) indicates that the

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Nicodemus story continues the theme of the previous passage

(2:23-25). In using the first person plural when he comes to

Jesus ("We know . . ."-- 3:2), Nicodemus acts as a spokesperson

for those with inadequate faith based on the signs that Jesus

did. He serves as an illustration (acted parable), therefore, of

the kind of partial faith that John warned about in 2:23-25.

Jesus knows what Nicodemus has come for but He doesn't commit

Himself to Nicodemus. Instead He seeks to open to Nicodemus the

real lack in his life and its solution.

The Passage in Detail

The name Nicodemus means "leader of the people" in Greek.

Nicodemus was undoubtedly a pious man, an example of the very

best that Judaism could offer. He was a Pharisee, which means

that he took the Scriptures and his faith very seriously. He was

a member of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish ruling council, and quite

well educated (Jesus calls him "the" teacher of Israel-- 3:10).

He was quite wealthy (19:39) and relatively fearless (7:45-52;

19:38-42) whether or not a certain timidity might have caused him

to choose the night hours for an interview with Jesus (3:2). All

in all he would not have made a bad neighbor.

The fact that he was a Pharisee, and that Jesus immediately

engaged him in regard to the significance of water to spiritual

life (5) makes one wonder if Nicodemus had been part of the

Pharisaic delegation that questioned the Baptist in 1:24-28. If

so, he must have been anticipating the possibility that the

coming of the Messiah was at hand. Having observed Jesus'

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cleansing of the temple (White, Desire of Ages, 168), he had to

find out exactly what Jesus was up to.

That his motives for coming were not exactly pure is clear

from verse 2. Nicodemus came "by night." Now there are three

ways to express time in Greek; one can speak of time as a

specific event, one can speak of it as a period of time, and one

can speak of a qualitative use; time can be used as a pointer to

meaning, a pointer to a higher spiritual or philosophical

reality. The genitive case in which the reference of 3:2 is

found indicates the third type of expression. The author of the

Gospel is not concerned with the time of day when Nicodemus

comes, or how long the interview with Jesus lasts (the first two

types of expression), but with how Nicodemus comes, his spiritual

condition. He comes in darkness of soul because he does not yet

know Jesus and accept Him fully. But although he is in darkness

he does the right thing, in coming to Jesus he moves from

darkness to light (1:4-5, 3:19-21; 8:12; 9:5). This is the

opposite of Judas, who goes from light into darkness (13:30).

A major issue in this passage is the meaning of water in

3:5. Is this the water of baptism as many have taught, or is it

something else? The rabbis taught that babies were made out of

the water in the mother's uterus. The water that pours out at

time of birth is the residue that is left over from the

development process. If Jesus had this kind of water in mind he

would be saying in verse 5, "To get into the kingdom of God you

need to be born twice, once physically by your birth mother, and

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the second time spiritually by the Holy Spirit."

There are further arguments in favor of this interpretation.

Until the time of John the Baptist only Gentile proselytes were

baptized, Jews generally did not feel the need to be baptized, so

one could question whether Nicodemus could possibly have

understood Jesus to be talking about baptism. In 2:6, also,

water represented the literalism and earthliness of the Judaism

that Jesus sought to replace. To understand the water of 3:5 to

be birth water, therefore, would continue the replacement theme

begun in John 2.

A further, and seemingly decisive argument arises from the

consistent contrast between physical and spiritual in 3:3-7.

Jesus speaks of being "born from above" (3, 7). Nicodemus talks

about the womb (4). Jesus contrasts flesh and spirit (6), before

repeating the call to be born from above (7). If the water of

verse 5 has to do with the water of physical birth it corresponds

neatly to the emphasis on "flesh" in verse 6:

+)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))),
* Physical Spiritual *
* v.3 - born from above *
* v.4 womb - *
* v.5 water spirit *
* v.6 flesh spirit *
* v.7 - born from above *
.))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))-

But strong arguments can also be made for a reference to

baptism. Although baptism of Jews was a new thing, if Nicodemus

had been part of the delegation of Pharisees that questioned John

the Baptist (1:24-28) he might easily have grasped that Jesus was

saying, "You need to be baptized (whether by John or one of my

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disciples [3:22, 23; 4:1, 2]) not only in water but also in the

Spirit" (3:5). Water and Spirit are closely related in Jesus'

teaching in 4:10-14, 23-24 and 7:37-39. Cleansing in water and

by the spirit were also live concepts in the background of first-

century Judaism (Ezek 36:25-27; 1 QS 3:6-9). The cleansing of

Israel in water and spirit was to precede the coming of the

Messiah (Ps Sol 18:5, 6). And the concept of being "born from

above" is related to the baptism of John in 3:22-36. So it is

consistent with the context to see in Jesus' statement a

reference to baptism both by water and by Spirit.

Which is to be preferred? Both make sense in the original

context. Without further clarification from the author himself

it may be best to see Jesus' reference to water as a Johannine

double-meaning, left deliberately ambiguous so as to engage the

reader in deeper thought.

In either case the startling concept that Jesus communicates

to Nicodemus is that the kingdom of God is not entered by being

born into a particular race or nation, it is a matter of personal

decision. To enter it one must make a spiritual commitment to a

new birth, a changed life (cf. White, Desire of Ages, 172). The

change is not effected by human effort, however, it comes by the

work of the Spirit which cannot be fully comprehended yet is real

(3:8)

Nicodemus asks how such a transformation can possibly take

place (9). Jesus replies that the answer to Nicodemus' question

will not be obtained by human means, even if a human could ascend

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to heaven (11-13). The answer will only come from One whose

essential nature belongs in heaven and has come down as the Son

of Man to disclose the realities of heaven (13).

In verses 14-15 that One answers Nicodemus' question (cf.

White, Desire of Ages, 174, 175). The key to the new birth is

the lifting up the Son of Man (cf. 7:39). It is the cross that

makes the new birth possible, not human effort (cf. 1:12, 13).

It is interesting that the Pharisees did not believe in a

suffering and dying Messiah. In 3:14, 15, therefore, Jesus tells

Nicodemus the one thing that Pharisees needed to know in order to

enter the Kingdom of God.

Jesus compares the cross to the serpent which Moses lifted

up in the wilderness (14, 15, cf. Num 21:4-9). It is an apt

comparison. In both cases the remedy was provided by God and

looked strikingly like the disease. In both cases the remedy was

conspicuously displayed. In both cases it was by looking to the

remedy that the cure could be wrought. In both cases the remedy

was a stumbling block to human reason. And in both cases the

consequences of disobedience were the same. The cross is a life

and death matter to human beings.

It is difficult to know who is speaking in John 3:16-21,

Jesus or the author of the Gospel. Jesus speaks in the second

person up to 3:12. But beginning with verse 13 there is a shift

to the third person and the topic becomes more and more remote

from the subject of Jesus' dialogue with Nicodemus. Somewhere

between verses 13-17 there seems to be a shift from Jesus

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speaking with Nicodemus to the author of the Gospel addressing

the reader. Since the style of John and the style of Jesus are

the same in this Gospel, it is not possible to detect exactly

where the shift takes place, probably between verses 15 and 16.

In John 3:16, possibly the best-loved verse in all the

Bible, there is a special word translated "one and only" in the

NIV and "only begotten" in the KJV (monogenê). Many have felt

that the word implied that Jesus was "generated," born, or

created at some point in the past. If so, He would not be the

eternal bearer of life, unborrowed and underived (White,

Evangelism, 704).

It is interesting that in the Greek Bible the word monogenês

is applied to only two people, Isaac and Jesus (cf. Gen 22:2, 12;

Heb 11:17-19). Isaac was not Abraham's "one and only son" in a

physical sense, Abraham had seven other sons (Gen 16:15, 16;

25:1, 2). Isaac was distinguished not by physical descent from

Abraham, but because he was Abraham's "unique" son, he was the

son of the promise (Gen 12:18). Through him God intended to

bless all the nations (Gen 12:1-3). So the Greek term monogenês
(literally "one of a kind") points to the unique role of Isaac

and Jesus in God's plan to bless all the nations, it is not

concerned with the issue of physical birth or generation from the

Father.

John 3:16 deserves to be beloved for it contains in a

nutshell many of the major themes of the Gospel of John. It

highlights the love of God, a major theme of the farewell

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discourse after the foot-washing (13:34; 14:21, 23; 16:27). It

portrays that love as universal, God loved the world, not the

planet but the whole world of human beings (see Brown, 1:508-

510). God's love is not earned, it comes as a gift in the person

of His Son. And to everyone who believes (faith is always a verb

in the Gospel of John, never a noun as in Paul's letters) in the

Son comes the gift of eternal life, and the removal of

condemnation (3:17).

But while the gift is free it awaits response. Who would

even think of turning down such a free gift? The reality is,

most people would. Why? Because accepting the gift means coming

clean about all the dirty little realities of one's personal

life. Many people do not want their lives exposed to the Light

because they are afraid of what will be revealed (19, 20).

Sinful human nature causes us to run from reality. And the same

people who avoid the Light usually feel threatened when others

around them come to the Light, because contact with believers

brings further risk of exposure to the Light. That is why the

impulse toward unbelief so readily results in persecution.

How is it that Jesus did not come into the world to condemn

the world (17) and yet his coming brings people into condemnation

(18)? Condemnation is not the purpose of Jesus' mission to the

world, His purpose is to save. But since both salvation and

destruction are possible for human beings, and since faith in

Jesus is the only way to salvation, the call of faith always

brings judgment in its wake. To refuse the gift of life is to

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choose the judgment of death. Judgment is not the purpose of

Jesus' mission but it is one of the results.

The Major Themes of the Passage

The Triune Godhead

There seems to be a subtle Trinitarian emphasis in the

narrative of the questioning disciple, Nicodemus. Jesus speaks

first of the work of the Holy Spirit (3-8). Then he zeros in on

His own part in the plan of salvation, to come down to earth and

be lifted up so that all who believe in Him might have eternal

life (11-15). Then the passage closes with a look at the role of

the Father, who gave His only Son to save the perishing and works

on earth through the works of those who come to the Light (16-

21).

Whosoever Believes

It is a most intriguing point that faith is always a verb in

the Gospel of John (usually translated "believe"), while it is

always a noun in the letters of Paul (usually translated

"faith"). Although the English words differ, there is no

difference in the meaning of the original (the word root pist),

only in the way the words function in the sentence. Verbs,

especially in the present tense in the Greek, tend to emphasize

continuous action. Faith as a verb is not static, it is not a

one-time thing, it is ongoing and continuous, it is action

oriented. As a verb, faith always has an object, you need to

have faith in something or someone. In the Gospel of John,

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believing is directed primarily to Jesus, the one who came down

and was uplifted on the cross (1:12; 3:13-16; 7:39; 9:35-38;

14:1; 20:31). In a secondary sense, believers are called to

believe in the Scriptures and in Jesus' words (2:22; 5:47).

There are a number of related terms in the Gospel, "receive Him,"

"come to Him," follow Him," and "abide in Him." Each of these

captures at least a portion of the nuances implied in the verb

"to believe."

This believing is a universal principle in the Gospel of

John. Whoever believes does not perish but has eternal life.

This universal principle is beautifully illustrated by the

stories of John 3 and 4. In Nicodemus, the wealthy and pious

Jew, In the poor and adulterous Samaritan woman, and in the

Gentile (possibly) nobleman of 4:46-54 we see the full spectrum

of "whosoever." No one is to be excluded from the gift of God in

Christ.

APPLYING THE WORD

1. There is a difference between uncontrolled rage and

righteous indignation. When is it appropriate to be angry
about things that are going on in the church? In the lives
of family, co-workers, and friends? Is there spiritual
danger in exercising righteous indignation?
2. Does Jesus' example permit us to use violence at times
against wrongdoing? How do you think Jesus would respond if
he came upon a bank robbery in progress? A woman being
raped? A racially-motivated riot? A rock concert or a
bingo game in a church?
3. If you compare your spiritual life with the rooms in a
house, which room do you think Jesus would most like to
clean up? Your reading room? Your dining room (what you
eat)? Your recreation room? Your family room (your
intimate relationships)? Your bedroom? Your workshop (your
use of talents, etc.)? Would you welcome or resist such a
clean-up at this time?
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4. Originally the sellers in the temple were placed there as a

service to help Jews from far away. How is it that useful
practices deteriorate into rackets? Are there areas of your
life and/or church that have deteriorated or need re-
thinking? Is your life and/or church cluttered with
activities that have outlived their usefulness or even
become harmful to spiritual life?
5. To what degree is it possible for Christians today to have
the kind of discernment of others' thoughts, motivations,
and feelings that Jesus had? Can you think of any ways to
develop our ability to recognize God's leadings and
impressions in our lives? How can believers gain a clearer
insight into the deceitfulness of their own hearts?
6. Nicodemus' interest in Jesus was aroused by the cleansing of
the temple episode. What was it that first aroused your
interest in Jesus? Why did it arouse your interest? Have
your interests changed? How has that affected your
relationship with Jesus?
7. Why are people so afraid to expose their lives to Jesus when
there is so much to be gained? Are there areas of your life
that you don't want anyone to know about? What are they?
Have you ever tried to hide these defects from God?
8. In what kind of setting are you willing to confess your sins
to others and to God? How can the church help to create
such settings?

RESEARCHING THE WORD

1. Using the tools available in the SDA Bible Commentary and

SDA Bible Dictionary, learn all you can about the temple,
its construction, its history, and its architectural layout.
Using a concordance, find all the Biblical descriptions of
temple, tabernacle, sanctuary, etc. Write out everything
that you learn which affects in some way your understanding
of this passage.
2. With a concordance look up all the words in the NT related
to "faith" or "believing." Notice how these words function
as nouns or as verbs in a sentence. Try to group these
various usages into categories. Write out the further
insights you gain about the importance of believing in the
Gospel of John.

FURTHER STUDY OF THE WORD

1. For a detailed account of the conditions of life in and

around Jerusalem in the time of Jesus, see Jeremias.
2. For a detailed description of the temple in Jerusalem and
its history see the SDA Bible Dictionary, 1069-1080.
3. For more information on the life of Nicodemus see The Anchor
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Bible Dictionary, 5:1104-1106.

4. On the concept of "signs" in the Gospel of John see
Schnackenburg, 1:515-528.
5. See also White, Desire of Ages, 154-177.
 CHAPTER 5

OUTSIDERS BECOME DISCIPLES

JOHN 4:1-54

After His visit to Jerusalem Jesus spends some time by the

Jordan near the place where John the Baptist was continuing his

prophetic work (3:22-24). The author of the Gospel takes

advantage of the situation to once more underline the humility of

the Baptist and the consummate superiority of Jesus (25-30). In

verses 31-36 the author comments that the Father gives a better

testimony to Jesus than the Baptist, implying that the Baptist's

work was no longer needed.

When the Pharisees took too keen an interest in His work,

Jesus decided to head off toward Galilee (4:1-3). At noon He

stopped to rest by a well near the Samaritan town of Sychar (4-

6). The disciples left Him, presumably to find lunch in town

(27, 31). Jesus' encounter with the woman at the well has been

told and retold through the centuries (7-30).

After spending several days in Sychar, Jesus continued His

journey on to Galilee. The superficial faith of the Galileans

(43-45) is illustrated by the story of a father, a royal

official, who has come a considerable way to seek healing for his

son (46-54). Jesus reads his inner life, confronts his unbelief,

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sends him away a believer, and demonstrates that his ability to

do great signs is not in any way limited by distance.

A QUESTIONABLE DISCIPLE

GETTING INTO THE WORD

John 4:1-42

Please read 4:1-42 at least twice and then answer the

following questions:

1. In the story of the woman at the well, she moves from

totally ignoring a stranger to whole-hearted acceptance of
the Messiah. Write out in your own words the substance of
each of her responses to Jesus and try to describe how each
response enlightens your understanding of her attitude
toward Jesus at that stage of the interview.
2. List everything you can find in the passage that helps you
understand the theology, history and attitudes of the
Samaritans, especially in relation to the Jews. What kind
of picture did the woman have of the Messiah? Do you think
Jesus agreed with her view of what the Messiah would be
like? Why? Does 2 Kings 17 help you to understand the
problems between the Jews and the Samaritans? The Samaritan
view of the Messiah was largely based on Deut 18:15-18.
What does that passage suggest the Samaritan Messiah would
be like?
3. Compare this story with the story of Nicodemus. One is
about a man, the other is about a woman. One comes in the
middle of the night, the other at hand noon. How many
points of contrast between the two stories can you list on
paper? What do you think is the author's purpose in
highlighting these contrasts?
4. Given the social barriers between Jews and Samaritans, what
significance do you see in Jesus' treatment of the woman and
in the fact that He was willing to stay in town for two
whole days? Based on their reactions in the story, describe
how you think the disciples felt about Jesus' behavior?

EXPLORING THE WORD

The Structure of the Passage

The narrative describes a woman whose understanding of Jesus

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rapidly increases. At first she see only a thirsty man and she

ignores Him (7). Then she realizes that He is a Jew and she

instantly dislikes Him (8-10). Then she figures out that He must

be a rabbi, so she begins to heckle Him (11, 12). She then comes

to the conviction that He must be a prophet and she develops an

appreciation for Him (19, 20). She finally realizes that He is

the Messiah and she comes to adore Him (25-30, 42). I have often

wondered if the path this woman took to Jesus isn't fairly

typical of the path secular people today take in the process of

finding Jesus.

At what time of year did this event take place? It is not

clear from the statement in 4:35 whether the fields around the

well were ready for harvest or whether it was still four months

from harvest. Harvest time was May/June, four months previous

would be January. If the time was January, it was ten months

after the Passover of John 2, and the unnamed feast of John 5 was

another Passover. More likely it was a couple of months after

the cleansing of the temple, and the feast of John 5 was one of

the Fall feasts (Trumpets, Atonement, Tabernacles).

The Background of the Passage

Samaritan History and Theology

The Samaritans had good arguments for the antiquity of their

religion and its superiority to the Jewish faith. Jacob's well

(4:5, 6) was about 250 feet from ancient Shechem, a town that lay

in the valley between Mount Gerizim and Mount Ebal. The town of

Shechem was the most important center of ancient Israelite

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worship. According to Gen 12:6 Shechem was the first place

Abraham went to when he entered the land that God was leading him

to. Shechem was the place that Jacob went to when he returned

from Mesopotamia to Palestine (Gen 33:18-20). Israel's first

convocation for worship in Canaan after the Exodus took place on

Mounts Gerizim and Ebal, on either side of the valley of Shechem

(Deut 11:29-32; 27:1-13; Josh 8:30-35). Mount Gerizim became the

"Mount of Blessing" (11:29; 27:12). The Samaritans were not

crazy to think that Mount Gerizim was a holy mountain. Shechem

was also the place where the body of Joseph was buried after the

Exodus (Josh 24:32).

It is interesting to note that during the conquest of Canaan

Joshua faced no opposition in the center of the country, the

great battles were fought in the south and in the north (Josh 10-

11; 13:1-7). In fact the convocation mentioned previously (Josh

8:30-35) was held in the center of the country at a time when

Israel had conquered only two towns in the southeast, Jericho and

Ai. Archaeology has discovered in Shechem an altar earlier than

the Exodus inscribed to the "Baal of the Covenant" (Baal is

another way to say "Lord" in Hebrew-- which is related to

Canaanite). It is, therefore, quite possible that Jacob left

many Yahweh worshippers behind him in the central part of Canaan

when he moved with his family to Egypt (cf. Gen 34:24; 46:1-7).

So it is abundantly clear from the sacred Jewish texts that

the Samaritans' claim to the antiquity of their faith was

correct, at least in part. Jerusalem only became the center of

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Israelite worship in the time of David, around 1000 BC. At the

time when Jerusalem was made the location of the temple, Shechem

had been the primary center of worship for the children of

Abraham for nearly 1000 years. If one reads the Samaritan

Pentateuch (the Samaritan version of the five books of Moses),

the case becomes even more impressive. The Samaritan Pentateuch,

for example, adds to Gen 12:6 that Shechem is "the land of

Moriah, where Abraham sacrificed Isaac" (cf. Gen 22:2). For

Samaritans, Abraham did not sacrifice Isaac on the site of the

Jewish temple in Jerusalem, but on Mount Gerizim. The Samaritan

Pentateuch also replaced the name Ebal with Gerizim in Deut 27:4,

heightening the importance of the mountain which would later

contain the Samaritan temple.

The above tradition no doubt helped provide a basis for the

ten northern tribes of Israel to reject worship at Jerusalem

after the time of Solomon (1 Kings 12:25-30). After all the

temple had only been in existence for about thirty years.

Earlier is better. The truly ancient sites for worship were in

the north. Why should they go down to Jerusalem?

The hybrid worship of northern Israel continued to the time

of the Babylonian Exile. Although many other peoples were mixed

in with the remnants of northern Israel, they too were trained in

the ancient Hebrew faith (2 Kings 17:24-28). The mixed faith of

the Samaritans (2 Kings 17:41) was also quite typical of the

apostate worship in Judea before the Exile (2 Kings 21:1-15;

23:26, 27). In fact, confused, idolatrous versions of Yahweh

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worship were already quite common during the time of the Judges

(Jdg 17-19).

Many of the Judeans never went into Babylonian Exile. The

thousands who did go actually functioned as hostages. Under the

ministry of people like Daniel, Ezekiel, and Ezra the exiles in

Babylon reformed their faith and removed the idolatrous elements

that had been so typical before the Exile. When they returned to

Palestine, therefore, they treated the local people as foreigners

because their religion did not reflect the reforms that had been

instituted in Babylon. The Samaritans were no doubt stunned by

this, since they felt that they reflected the true "faith of the

fathers." After more than a hundred years the Samaritans gave up

trying to work with the Jews and built their own temple on Mount

Gerizim (around 330 BC).

The resulting polarization was not helped when a Jewish

leader (John Hyrcanus-- Koester, 248) destroyed the temple at the

top of Mount Gerizim some two hundred years after it was built.

As a result, the two groups of people generally refused to have

anything to do with each other. The hatred had become so great

that by the time of Jesus Jews felt that Samaritans defiled

everything they touched. It was a remarkable thing for a Jew

even to speak to a Samaritan. Jesus entered into this prejudice-

filled atmosphere to make a statement about the universality of

God's love to "whoever" (John 3:16) believes.

The Samaritans were as enamored of Moses as the Jews,

perhaps even more so. But their theology of Moses is especially

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interesting when viewed in the light of the Gospel of John. The

Samaritans called Moses the Great Prophet, the one who was able

to see God (and, therefore, reveal Him). He was God's mediator

to Israel and an intercessor with God in their behalf. He was

the lawgiver, and the "savior of Israel." He was transfigured on

Mount Sinai. The Samaritans had a saying, "Believe in God and in

Moses." They called him the Word and the Light. They even

taught that Moses had somehow participated in the creation of the

world. And they also believed that he would return at the end as

the Messiah (Taheb in their terms). The many parallels between

the faith of the Samaritans in Moses and the Jesus of the Gospel

of John make it clear that the Gospel was carefully designed to

appeal to Samaritans (among others, of course) to forsake their

old ways and turn to Jesus as the true and ultimate revelation of

God (see O'Brien, 89-100, 108-116).

Encounters at Wells

A further background to John 4 lies in the OT encounters at

wells involving such prominent figures as Isaac, Jacob, and

Moses. In each story the leading character meets his future wife

at a well (Isaac in the person of his representative). In each

case it is in a foreign land. In each case the woman leaves

after the encounter to rush home and tell her father. In each

case the family comes out to greet the patriarch. And in each

case the woman comes to receive the man as her lord (Hebrew for

both husband and master). The parallels between these OT stories

and John 4 are, I think, too obvious to detail.

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The Passage in Detail

In John 4:4 it is said that Jesus "had to go" through

Samaria. This was certainly not a geographical necessity.

Although the shortest way to Galilee from Judea lay through

Samaria, other routes were generally chosen by traveling Jews.

In this case the necessity lay in the plan of God (cf. 3:14-- the

Son of Man "must be lifted up"). His meeting with the woman at

the well was God-ordained.

The time was about the sixth hour, noon. This is the same

time of day as His later condemnation to the cross where He also

expressed thirst (19:14, 28). It was not the usual time for

fetching water at wells in Palestine. Women preferred the cooler

hours after sunrise and before sunset. The time may, therefore,

indicate that the woman was an outcast in her own town, because

of her marital status (4:17, 18).

The woman, therefore, had three strikes against her

developing a relationship with Jesus right from the start. She

was a woman in a public place, she was a member of a hated race,

and she was living in sin. No respectable Jewish man would be

caught speaking to her. But Jesus took the risk to reach across

all the barriers in order to provide for her the living water

that He had come to give to whoever would be willing to believe.

Ellen White notes that although the woman was in the

personal presence of the Messiah, she saw no more than a thirsty

traveler, wayworn and dusty (White, Desire of Ages, 184).

Although part of the first generation of Christians, she gained

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nothing special from her relationship with Jesus in the flesh.

Her ignorance along with that of so many others who encounter

Jesus in the Gospel encourages readers who have no such physical

contact, and therefore struggle to believe. Jesus' word is what

convinced the woman that He was the Messiah. His word is as good

as His touch to the second generation as well.

The encounter took place at a well. Water is, of course,

most appreciated where it is most scarce, and it is relatively

scarce in Palestine (4:7). To speak of "living water" at Jacob's

well was most appropriate. Living water is a way of speaking

about water that stays fresh because it is flowing. In two

places in the OT water and the Spirit are clearly associated (Isa

44:3; Ezek 36:25, 26). The rabbis often repeated this

association (Barclay 1:154), so it would be natural for readers

of the Gospel to understand Jesus to be referring to the Spirit

here, even though the word is not used.

The reason people who received Jesus' living water would

never thirst again is because they would carry the source of

supply with them in the person of the Holy Spirit. Through the
indwelling of the Holy Spirit Jesus provides the secret of

enduring energy and satisfaction in this life (Jameison, Fausset,

and Brown, 1033). The one who has the Spirit is not subject to

the spiritual limitations of life as it was lived before. He or

she has partaken of the waters of the age to come.

Jesus uses her expression of interest in the living water

(4:15) to confront her with the realities of her sordid life (16-
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18). This scene is a good illustration of themes we have

explored in the previous chapter of this book. Jesus knows all

about her (2:23-25) and He exposes her evil deeds (3:20). It is

His intimate knowledge of what is inside others that is often the

most convincing witness of who He is (cf. 1:47-49, Talbert,

Reading John, 114).

For her this was the crucial moment of judgment (cf. 3:18-

21). How would she respond? Would she confess her sins and

receive Him, or would she retreat into the obscurity out of which

she came? She tried to buy time to think by changing the subject

(4:19, 20), but soon confessed and accepted Jesus (29, 42).

According to the law, Jews were limited to three legitimate

marriages in one lifetime. She had married five plus! This

story may reflect a subtle Jewish critique of Samaritan history

and religion. According to 2 Kings 17:24ff. the Samaritans

originated in five pagan cities, each with its own god. They

left these cities and their gods to come to Palestine and worship

Yahweh. It could be said, therefore, that the Samaritans had had

five husbands (pagan gods) and the God that they now had (Yahweh)
they were not truly married to!

While John often speaks of "the Jews" in a derogatory sense

in this Gospel, he is clearly not anti-Semitic. His inclusion of

4:22 shows his appreciation of the fact that God had chosen the

Jews to be the ones from whom the Messiah, Jesus, would come.

Although God's plan would transcend the Jews, it was not to

function without them playing a central role. The Samaritans did

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not know what they worshipped, because they had no revealed

authority for their temple on Mount Gerizim, the Jews did have

such authority for Jerusalem.

John 4:23, 24 recalls the cleansing of the temple episode,

Jesus has come to earth to restore the proper worship of God.

The worship Jesus was talking about would not be limited to Jews

and/or Samaritans, it would be universal. A localized temple

favors one people over another. Worship in spirit is universal,

it is not tied to any geographical locality or any particular

people. The location of worship is not nearly as important as

the attitude of the worshipper in Jesus' new order. It is not so

much where we worship that counts, but how we worship. God is

present everywhere and can, therefore, be worshipped anywhere.

The openness with which Jesus confesses his Messiahship to

the woman is breathtakingly unique to all four gospels.

Apparently the Samaritan community is a place where Jesus is

comfortable to reveal Himself openly. The Jews expected a

military and political Messiah. They denied the concept of a

suffering and dying Messiah. For Jesus to assert Himself as

Messiah among the Jews could only result in massive and total

misunderstanding.

The Samaritans, on the other hand, knew something right

about the Messiah. Since the Samaritans acknowledged only the

five books of Moses as Scripture, their main text for the Messiah

was Deut 18:15-18, he would be a prophet like Moses. From this

they drew that the Messiah would be a reformer who would teach
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them a better way of worship. Jesus reinforced the Samaritan's

correct picture of the Messiah by revealing Himself openly to

them in a way that He never did among the Jews (4:23-25).

The lesson for Seventh-day Adventist readers is quite

pointed. A people may have a corner on revelation (Ellen White)

and know exactly what they are about, yet may miss out on God's

next great revelation because the way they adhere to past

revelation makes them less open to the new work that God wants to

do in changing times (cf. 5:39, 40). People who have an

abundance of revelation seem to find it easy to pick and choose

what they want to follow, whether intentionally or not. People

with little revelation may at times be more focused in the

simplicity of their understanding.

The woman goes back to town to share the news about Jesus

while the disciples question His openness to speak with her

(4:27-38). Jesus makes them aware for the first time that the

harvest has come, and that the harvest field is not to be limited

to Jews, but even now a great harvest of Samaritans is on its way

out of town (4:35-39, cf. 10:16; 12:20-22). Jesus graciously

consents to their request that He stay in the town of

"Drunkenness" (the meaning of Sychar) for two days! How Jesus'

critics must have joked about that! But how precious is the

lesson of God's care for the despised and the outcast! These

Samaritans are not like the Jews of Jerusalem. Like Nicodemus,

they come to Jesus to see for themselves, but unlike Nicodemus,

they need no signs, they are happy to believe because of His

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words alone (4:41, 42).

The Major Themes of the Passage

Surface Themes

There are three key themes that lie on the surface of this

charming story. The first is the theme of living water, which is

to be developed further in 7:37-39. The personal infilling of

the Holy Spirit leads to the experience pointed to by the second

theme, the true worship of God. The third theme of the story is

that mission is now being opened to those outside of normative

Judaism. No longer is ethnicity and geography a barrier to

communion with God. By means of the Holy Spirit's universal

presence, the mission of God is now a universal one, as had been

originally promised to Abraham (Gen 12:1-3).

Whosoever Will May Come

This universal theme was first hinted at in the "whosoever

believes" of John 3:16. The striking contrasts between the

Samaritan woman and Nicodemus underline the theme. They are

contrasted, of course, as a man and a woman. Further, he was a

Jew, she was a despised Samaritan. He was rich (19:39), she was

poor (or she wouldn't be fetching her own water). He was highly

educated ("the" teacher of Israel), she was illiterate (a woman

in first-century Palestine!). He was pious, a Pharisee, she was

an adulteress. He was highly respected, she was despised, even

by her own Samaritan neighbors. He had a great name, she was

left anonymous. He lived in the holy city, Jerusalem, she lived

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in the town of "Drunkenness."

Yet in spite of her disadvantages and shortcomings the

Samaritan woman was much quicker to understand and believe.

Nicodemus came to Jesus in the middle of the night, she came to

Jesus at high noon. In Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman we see

the opposite extremes of "whoever," no matter who you are, no

matter what you have done; no matter where you have been or how

you have been treated, Jesus' arms are open to you if you are

willing to come. In the gospel there is no more male or female,

no more slave or free, no more Jew or Gentile, no more black or

white (Gal 3:28, 29; Eph 2:11-22). How can anyone claim to

understand the gospel and fail to grasp its glorious lack of

prejudice toward people of any heritage and background? If Jesus

were physically present today would He be found in our schools

and churches, or would He be found in the bars, the prisons, and

the hospices, among the oppressed and those with AIDS? I'm not

sure I want to know the answer.

Acted Parables
Although the Gospel of John is essentially devoid of

parables, its author uses the stories of the Gospel as acted

parables of deeper truths. The characters, therefore, often

become representatives of larger communities. The Baptist

represents his movement which ought to decline in the face of the

greater mission of Jesus. Nicodemus represents the Pharisees at

their best, very earnest, very learned, yet lacking in what is

most needed. The Samaritan woman, on the other hand, does not so
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much represent her fellow Samaritans as she does all those who

have true belief in Jesus. Like Nathaniel and the blind man of

John 9 she is a true Israelite (1:47).

Cross Connections

This whole section of the Gospel (John 2-4), is filled with

a number of parallels to the experience of Jesus on the cross.

We have noticed a number of connections to the cross in the story

of the wedding at Cana (2:1-11). Then Jesus speaks of destroying

the temple of His body and raising it up in three days (2:19-21).

In the story of Nicodemus, He foretells His own "lifting up"

(3:14, 15). Now in the story of the woman at the well, Jesus

expresses thirst at the sixth hour of the day (4:6, 7, cf. 19:14,

28). After that he stays with the Samaritans until the third

day, the same amount of time He spent in the tomb (19:42; 20:1).

The author of the Gospel has not left the story of the cross for

the end. All along he is making the reader thirsty for the water

that can only be found as one approaches the foot of the cross.

A HALF-HEARTED DISCIPLE

GETTING INTO THE WORD

John 4:43-54

Please read 4:43-54 at least twice and then answer the

following questions:

1. What is it that motivates the people in Galilee to welcome

Jesus back? How does their attitude compare to that of the
Samaritans in this chapter and the Jews of Jerusalem in John
2:23-25?
2. How do you explain the contrast between the way Jesus is
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welcomed by the people and His comments in verses 44 and 48?

3. What does the miraculous sign of 4:46-54 teach us about
Jesus? Write out your answer in a paragraph or two.

EXPLORING THE WORD

The Structure of the Passage

The narrative of the royal official whose son is sick

completes the cycle that began with the wedding at Cana. Once

again Jesus performs a great sign in Cana (4:46, 54). In the

parallels to this story (Matt 8:5-13 and Luke 7:1-10) the man who

comes to Jesus is a Gentile, but the differences between the

accounts in Matthew and Luke and that of John are so great that

there may be two completely different incidents behind these

accounts (cf. White, Desire of Ages, 196-200, 315-320).

The official in this account is probably in the service of

Herod. If he is a Gentile (but see White, Desire of Ages, 196)

the story also completes the "whosoever cycle" that can be seen

so strikingly when you compare and contrast the interviews with

Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman. A Pharisee (3:1-21), a

Samaritan (4:7-42), and a Gentile (4:46-54) all come to Jesus.

But although this story is clearly tied to the wedding of

Cana and the cycle of events that begins there, there is also a

"duodirectional" relationship with the next chapter, which begins

the section I have entitled "Jesus Gives Life to Those Who

Believe" (John 5-12). In this story, as in the story of the

paralytic at the pool (5:1-15), Jesus gives life to one who was

as good as dead.
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The Passage in Detail

John 4:43-45 is a strange passage. Jesus approaches Galilee

mindful of the fact that a prophet has no honor in His own

country (44). Yet the response of the Galileans is to welcome

Him (45). The solution to the dilemma lies in the reference to

what Jesus had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast (45).

Evidently these Galileans were just like the Judeans who had

developed a superficial faith based on signs. The point of

Jesus' comment in verse 44 is that enthusiasm for Him that is

based on miracles only is no honor. The only true worship is

that based on spirit and truth.

A royal official comes from Capernaum to see Jesus in Cana,

a distance of some sixteen miles. He desires that Jesus would

heal his son (in Matthew and Luke, the sick one is a servant to

the centurion rather than a son). Jesus confronts him rather

roughly, "Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders, you

will never believe" (48). This comment confirms the impression

of 4:44, 45. Jesus sees in the Galileans a people who are awed
by miracles and spectacular works, but they are slow to believe

in His words. As with Nicodemus, Jesus knew that to break people

out of patterns of denial sometimes requires straight talk.

The official realizes that his mission is in trouble and

begs Jesus once more to hurry down to Capernaum before his son

dies (49). All the man receives from Jesus is the word, "You may

go. Your son will live." No other assurance or action is given.

Will the man's faith rise up to grasp the naked word, or will he
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demand physical evidence before he will believe?

This interchange offers a foretaste of Jesus' encounter with

Thomas toward the end of the Gospel (20:29). While the intent of

signs is to build faith, a faith that is nourished only by signs

is not the blessed faith that Jesus' has come to encourage. The

very awesomeness of the miraculous act can blind the eye of faith

to the revelation of who Jesus is that is contained in the

miracle. True Christian faith is based primarily on the words of

Jesus.

The man takes Jesus at His word. He has come to truly

believe. His belief is evidenced in the way he went home after

the encounter with Jesus. He met Jesus at the seventh hour-- one

o'clock in the afternoon (4:52, 53). If he had moved in haste he

could have arrived back in Capernaum that night (White, Desire of

Ages, 199). Instead he takes the scenic route. He smells the

flowers and stops to talk. He has become a man of faith in

Jesus. The family sends servants out to look for him (51). It

is on the next day that he finds out that his son was healed at

the exact moment in which Jesus' spoke the word. The miracle of
Jesus blends with the word of Jesus to confirm the faith of that

father, and result in the entire household coming to faith in

Jesus.

The Major Themes of the Passage

This story reinforces the basic purpose of the Gospel of

John, a double message to the second generation of Christians

around the time of the death of the beloved disciple (see

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Introduction). The first message to the second generation pf

Christians is that Jesus is as capable at a distance as He would

be if He were physically present. The second generation is not

at a disadvantage over against those who knew and walked with

Jesus.

The second message to the second generation is that it is

the word of Jesus that is the source of power. It is by studying

the words of the Gospel of John that people gain all the

blessings that Jesus would pour out upon them. The written word

is as powerful as the physcial presence of Jesus. His word is as

good as His touch.

The official's behavior in the story provides an excellent

illustration of how to deal with everyday problems. First,

acknowledge that you have a problem. That can be the most

difficult part for some people. Second, take the problem to

Jesus. Third, receive from Him the word that your need has been

met. How does one do that when Jesus is not physically present?

By study of His word in the Scriptures. His word is as good as

His touch. If you know His word you have the best key to solve
the problems of life. Fourth, speak and act the answer you

receive in the Word. That is the most difficult part for many

people. When you have asked for something that He has clearly

promised to those who believe, it is time to live and act on the

assumption that He will come through as He has promised. It

isn't enough to say that Jesus can take care of the problems of

life, we need to act as if He can.

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APPLYING THE WORD

1. What social, ethnic, sexual, and religious barriers do you

find it difficult to overcome in your relationships with
other people? Based on this story, how do you think Jesus
would relate to each of these types of people?
2. Jesus' encounter with the woman was not an accident, but was
in response to the plan of God for Jesus' life. Do you
think that your first encounter with Jesus was accidental or
was it clearly part of God's plan? Review the evidence that
supports your conviction.
3. Jesus patiently endured the woman's repeated attempts to
change the subject and avoid the confrontation which He had
initiated. How important is it to give people time to
process a challenge to accept Christ or a teaching of the
Bible? Can you think of times when you needed extra time to
think things through before making a decision? How does one
know when to push, as Jesus did with Nicodemus, and when to
back off, as Jesus often did with the woman at the well?
4. When you bring problems to God do you tend to leave them in
His care or do you allow yourself to continue worrying and
complaining about them? Can you think of times when you
trusted God and He did exactly what the Scriptures promised?

RESEARCHING THE WORD

1. Compare John 4:46-54 with the parallels in Matt 8:5-13 and

Luke 7:1-10. List the major differences between the
accounts. Do you think that the three stories contain
different versions of the same event? Or is the story in
John based on an entirely different event? Explain your
answer.

FURTHER STUDY OF THE WORD

1. For more information on the Samaritans see SDA Bible
Dictionary, 948-950; The Anchor Bible Dictionary, 5:940-947.
2. For more background on Jewish and Samaritan concepts of the
Messiah, see O'Brien; The Anchor Bible Dictionary, 4:777-
788.
3. See also White, Desire of Ages, 183-200.
 CHAPTER 6

LIFE TO THE PARALYZED

JOHN 5:1-47

Virtually anyone who has had significant contact with

Christianity has heard of the wedding at Cana, the night visit

with Nicodemus, the woman at the well, and the raising of Lazarus

from the dead. Nearly as well known is the story of the

paralyzed man by the Pool of Bethesda. Jesus heals a man sick

for 38 years on the Sabbath day, incurring the wrath of the

ruling council of the Jews. When called into question, He gives

a lengthy and stirring defense of His right to give life on the

Sabbath day.

GETTING INTO THE WORD

John 5:1-47

Please read 5:1-47 at least twice and then answer the

following questions:

1. What verse in the Bethesda story gives us a picture of how

the man became sick in the first place? Compare this story
with the other "healings" in the Gospel (4:46-54; 9:1-38;
11:1-44). Write out what you learn about the causes of
sickness and death.
2. How did the Jews respond to the healing? What specific
charges to they bring against Him? Why do you think that
Jesus deliberately provoked them by doing this miracle on
the Sabbath day instead of some other day?
3. Describe the various ways that Jesus is equal with His
Father, according to this chapter. List the terms that are

127
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used to describe the kind of relationship He and the Father

have, and the actions that they carry out in common. Which
of these terms are used also in the Prologue to the Gospel
(1:1-18)?
4. If you are studying this book as part of a group have
someone in the group put themselves in Jesus' place and read
5:24-30 pompously as though the words of the passage were
asserting things about him or her personally. How does such
a reading make you feel about that person? Does the reading
help you better understand why the Jews reacted so violently
against Jesus?
5. Make a list of everything and everyone who offers a
testimony in favor of Jesus in this chapter. Which of these
witnesses does Jesus seem to consider the most important?
Why do you think so?

EXPLORING THE WORD

The Structure of the Passage

This narrative comes at the beginning of a new section of

the Gospel of John, which continues through chapter 12. The main

emphasis of the whole section is on the fact that Jesus is the

life-giving Word of God. A secondary emphasis is on the

replacement of Jewish feasts. The Passover is replaced by the

Bread of Life which comes down out of heaven (John 6). Jesus

replaces the water and light of the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7-

9). The feast that celebrates the dedication of the temple is

replaced by His consecration from the Father (10:22-39). In

essence, Jesus, the Life-Giver, replaces all other sources of

life, being the only one that truly meets our need (10:10).

John 5 divides easily into three parts. The first part (1-

18) contains the story of the healing by the Pool of Bethesda (1-

9), the reaction to the healing by the Jews (9-18) and Jesus'

brief response (17). The last two parts of the chapter (19-30;
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31-47) are written up as a monologue of Jesus in response to the

charges of the Jewish authorities. In the second part of the

chapter (19-30) Jesus asserts the prerogatives of the godhead. He

is equal with God (23, cf. 17, 18), He is able to give eternal

life (21, 24), He is the source of life (26), and He is the

Author of judgment (22, 27, 30). The Jews were not satisfied

with Jesus' witness to Himself so in the last part of the chapter

(31-47) Jesus recites a list of other witnesses who support Him

in His assertions, John the Baptist (33-35), His works (36), the

Father (37, 38), the Scriptures (39, 40), and Moses (45-47).

The Background of the Passage

The feast mentioned in 5:1 is not named. If the encounter

with the Samaritans took place at the time of wheat harvest

(May/June), and Jesus then spent some time in Galilee, it is

likely that this feast is one of the fall feasts (Trumpets,

Atonement, and Tabernacles). One of the peculiarities of the

Gospel of John is that whenever a feast is mentioned, the major

characteristics of Jesus described in the narrative tend to

correspond to the major characteristics of the feast. For

example, whenever Passover is mentioned, it is in the context of

the cross and/or the Lord's Supper (implicit in the case of the

latter-- 2:13, 19-21; 6:4, 11, 51-58; 13:1-17; 18:1 - 19:42).

Jesus also applies the major themes of the Feast of Tabernacles,

water and light, to Himself (7:37-39; 8:12; 9:5). It is likely,

therefore, that if we can determine the main characteristics that

Jesus claims for Himself in chapter 5 we can determine which of

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the Jewish feasts fits the mold.

The main themes of chapter 5 seem to be life-giving creation

(17, 21, 24-26, 28-29) and judgment (22, 24, 27, 29-30-- verses

31-47 concern "testimony" which is legal terminology). Creation

and judgment were the main themes of the Feast of Trumpets, on

the first day of the seventh Jewish month, the Jewish New Year's

Day. So it is likely that the feast of John 5 is the Feast of

Trumpets, a time of solemn preparation for the ultimate day of

judgment on the tenth day of the month, the Day of Atonement.

The Pool of Bethesda has recently been unearthed by the

archaeologists of Jerusalem. It lay just north of the temple

complex. It was laid out in an uneven rectangle (trapezoid) 165-

220 feet wide and 315 feet long, hewn entirely out of rock (cf.

Talbert, Reading John, 121). The pool was surrounded by

colonnades on all four sides, and was divided into two parts by a

colonnade in the center, confirming the Biblical record that the

pool had five colonnades (John 5:2). The pool was fed below

ground by an intermittent stream which may explain the troubling

of the waters from time to time. It probably attracted a wide

mixture of people, all hoping to be healed of their ailments.

The Passage in Detail

There is disagreement among the early manuscripts of the

Gospel of John on a couple of major points in story of the Pool

of Bethesda. First of all, the name of the pool is uncertain

(see Brown, 1:206-207; Beasley-Murray, John, 70). The most

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common name among the earliest manuscripts is Bethsaida, but that

probably resulted from confusion with the Galilean city of the

same name (1:44). The other two options are clearly attempts to

render difficult Hebrew or Aramaic names in Greek. Scholars lean

toward Bethesda (House of Mercy) which may be John's choice

because of the symbolic meaning; Jesus shows mercy to the man who

sought for it in the "House of Mercy." The name would then be

supportive of the replacement theme that is so prominent in this

Gospel. Jesus replaces the Jewish House of Mercy with Himself.

Jesus showed mercy where it was supposed to have been. What the

man sought in Judaism he found in Jesus.

The second disagreement in the manuscripts has to do with

verse 4 in the KJV, which is not found at all in the earliest

centuries of the manuscript tradition. The verse is rendered in

the margin of the NIV as "From time to time an angel of the Lord

would come down and stir up the waters. The first one into the

pool after each such disturbance would be cured of whatever

disease he had." While this verse may reflect a popular

tradition about the pool, its theology is most disturbing. It

portrays an arbitrary God who rewards the strong and penalizes

the weak, who heals at random. I find it most interesting,

therefore, that Ellen White expresses doubt about the verse even

though her Bible did not (White, Desire of Ages, 201).

The man had been an invalid for 38 years, nearly a lifetime

in those days (5:5). The great center of healing had been no

help to him. He had been totally abandoned (7). The system had
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nothing more to offer him, yet he clung to it for lack of other

options. In fact, Jesus seems to have specifically selected him

because he was the most pitiful of all the cases available. This

story is an acted parable illustrating the truth of verse 21,

that Jesus can give life to anyone He wishes to, there are no

limits to His life-giving power.

The healing, of course, took place on a Sabbath (10), and

intentionally so on the part of Jesus, which comes as no surprise

to anyone familiar the Matthew, Mark, and Luke. It seems that

whenever Jesus takes the initiative in healing someone, the

healing comes on the Sabbath (cf. 9:1-7, 14; Matt 12:9-14; Mark

1:21-28; 3:1-6; Luke 6:6-11; 13:10-17; 14:1-6). Jesus availed

Himself of every opportunity to do good, particularly on the

Sabbath.

The confrontation with the Jews indicates that the healed

invalid was pretty dense mentally (5:10-15). Although it was

obvious that the Jews had hostile intent toward Jesus, the man

still reported back to them when he found out who it was had

healed him! This kind of denseness, however, is par for the

course in the Gospel of John. The head caterer at the wedding

feast "didn't know" where the good wine had come from. The Jews

at the temple misunderstood the intent of Jesus' statement on

destroying the temple and raising it up in three days. Nicodemus

didn't know how someone could be born again. Now the man "didn't

know" who it was who had healed him. The message that comes

through repeatedly is that human knowledge apart from Christ is

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truly ignorance. By contrast, Jesus once again proves that He

knows what is inside others, He warns the man not to continue in

the sin that caused his affliction in the first place (14).

In response to the complaints of the Jews regarding His

supposed violation of the Sabbath, Jesus argues that He is simply

acting the same way His Father acts (17). Like God Jesus is

working for the benefit of humanity on the Sabbath day.

According to Jewish writers of the time, God's works on the

Sabbath day can be detected in births, deaths, sunshine, rain and

the continued flowing of rivers (Barclay, 1:183). Jesus is

simply claiming the same privileges on the Sabbath that God has.

Both He and His Father are active in doing good on the Sabbath

day (Talbert, Reading John, 123, 124). The Jews understand by

His comments that he is claiming equality with God (18). The

issue of Jesus' relationship with God is dealt with in depth in

19-48. Jesus elaborates on the Sabbath question in 7:19-24. He

further elaborates on His relationship with God in 8:12-30 and

10:25-39.

The incident at the pool provokes the first demonstration of

open and active hostility against Jesus on the part of "the

Jews." Here the hostility is manifested in debate. In John 7

they attempt to arrest Him. In John 11 they begin to plot how

they can kill Him. The two reasons given for their hostility in

verses 16, 18 are the nature of Jesus' activities on the Sabbath

day, and His claims about His relationship with God. And truly

staggering claims they are (19-30)!

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Verses 19 and 30 are very similar and act as an envelope

marking off this section from what precedes and what follows.

Jesus demonstrates that He is doing the same work as His Father,

the work of giving life (20-21, 26, 28-29) and the work of

judging (22, 27, 30). By doing what His Father says on this

earth He not only shows what the Father is like, He demonstrates

the truth of His own claim to divinity (19-23). He does not

leave anyone the option of believing in the Father while ignoring

His claims about Himself (23). The Father Himself will accept no

honor that is not also accorded to His Son. No one comes to the

Father except through Jesus (14:6-9).

There are a number of incredible statements in verse 24. It

asserts that while the final judgment of earth's history may come

"at the last day" (12:47, 48), the verdict of that judgment has

already passed on those who hear Jesus' words and believe in the

One who sent Him. It is now possible for people to pass over

from death to life, to become aware of the verdict of the final

judgment and to enter into the experience of eternal life. Both

eternal life and judgment have entered into the present tense in
the preaching of Jesus! In fact, verse 25 goes so far as to

describe this coming to life as a resurrection of those who are

essentially dead spiritually. People who are sick and depressed,

whose condition of life is poor, who do not have a living

relationship with God are spiritually dead. In His ministry

Jesus raised just such individuals to the experience of a life

more abundant than they could ever have imagined (10:10).

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In verses 28-30 the exercise of Jesus' powers of judgment

and giving life move from the present tense ("has now come") to

the future ("a time is coming"). The day will come when those

who are physically dead in their graves will hear His voice, and

they will come out to the total experience of eternal life,

including the physical. Not only can Jesus resurrect those who

live with a very poor existence, He can resurrect those who have

no existence at all. His powers of life giving and judgment are

now exercised through the preaching of the gospel. But the day

will come when His voice will penetrate the graves of all who

have ever lived, including both the evil and the good (29). The

assurance here is that if the literally and physically dead

answer when Jesus calls, how much more will the spiritually dead

respond in newness of life to the gospel! "He who opens his

heart to the Spirit of Christ becomes a partaker of that mighty

power which shall bring forth his body from the grave" (White,

Desire of Ages, 210).

The notion that there will be a universal resurrection of

the dead, including both good and evil, is a remarkable one.

Jesus in John 5:29 clearly alludes to the apocalyptic prophecy of

Dan 12:2 where such a universal resurrection hope is first

articulated. Paul affirms before the Roman Governor Felix (Acts

24:15) that the concept of universal resurrection is part of

normative Judaism. It is clear that those who believe in Jesus

will one day be raised to experience eternal life. But those who

have rejected Him will also be raised from the dead to face the
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sentence of God and to acknowledge that His sentence is just

(Phil 2:9-11).

There is a serious warning in this statement. Many believe

that they can ignore the claims of God in this life, live well

while on this earth, and eventually retire into the silence of a

final resting place. But Jesus does not permit unbelievers to

think that death is the end of it all. Beyond death lies the

judgment where an account must be given for all the deeds that

have been done in this life, with an appropriate reward to be

meted out (cf. 2 Cor 5:10; Rev 11:18; 20:7-15; 22:12). Sinners

arise "from death to death" (Jameison, Fausset, and Brown, 1037).

The inevitability of judgment is both good news and bad

news. It is bad news for those who wish to trifle with the

claims of Christ, and who wish to behave as they please without

ever having to give account for their actions. But the judgment

is also good news. It indicates that there is meaning in every

action of life. Nothing is overlooked. The little kindnesses,

the forgotten deeds of mercy are all recorded in eternity as

significant, they are not forgotten in the ultimate scheme of

things. Even a cup of cold water given to a child receives a

corresponding sentence of reward in the judgment (cf. Matt

10:42). The message of the judgment is "You matter to God, and

everything you do matters to God, your life is meaningful and

significant." This message is one of the most effective of all

in helping secular people to see that becoming a Christian is

worthwhile.
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But although Jesus' words in 5:19-30 are powerful and

eloquent they would ring false in the mouth of every other human

being who ever lived. So it is not surprising that the Jews

questioned Jesus' testimony about Himself. Jesus acknowledges

that uncorroborated testimony about oneself is inadequate (31).

One of the fundamental principles of Judaism is that truth can

only be established in the mouths of at least two witnesses (Deut

19:15, cf. Rev 11:3-13). So Jesus adds to His own testimony the

testimony of John the Baptist, His works, His Father, and the

Scriptures, doubling the minimum testimony needed to establish

truthfulness within Judaism (John 5:31-40).

In what sense could Jesus legitimately say that the Jews had

the witness of the Father? He probably had in mind the unseen

witness of God in the human heart (cf. 1 John 5:9, 10). When

confronted with Jesus human beings have a strong sense of inner

conviction that the claims of Jesus are true. Unless this

conviction is resisted, because following Jesus would cause loss

of status (John 12:42, 43) or require the surrender of cherished

sins (3:18-21), it leads to confession. Jesus implies here that

the Jewish leaders were resisting what they knew in their hearts

was the witness of the Father (cf. 7:17).

When the Jews resist the testimony of Jesus' witnesses (43,

44, cf. 8:13-14), He calls forth the ultimate witness within

Judaism, Moses. Moses had served as an intercessor with God in

behalf of Israel (Exod 32:7-14). But in the mouth of Jesus,

Moses is transformed into a judge (45-47). The words of Moses

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will condemn those who reject Jesus, because Moses wrote about

Jesus and prepared the way for Him. Jesus closes with the

parting shot, "Since you do not believe what (Moses) wrote, how

are you going to believe what I say?"

With this encounter the battle is joined between Jesus and

"the Jews," a battle which continues in the Gospel until Jesus is

arrested, suffers, and dies on the cross. In the hostility of

these Jews John sees the hostility of all who reject the gospel.

The Major Themes of the Passage

Replacement Theme

We have noticed repeatedly that one of the major themes in

the Gospel of John is the theme of replacement. This chapter has

been no exception. In Jesus, the life-giving judge we have seen

the ultimate replacement for the Feast of Trumpets. All that the

Feast promised those who attended is now available in Christ

through the words which are recorded in the Fourth Gospel.

The healing at the pool also seems to be a part of the

replacement theme. A major institution in Jerusalem fails in its

purpose to provide mercy and healing. But while the waters of

Judaism could not heal, in fact were helpless in the face of a

life-long invalid, Jesus heals. All that the Pool of Bethesda

promised to the man is provided in Christ and only in Christ.

The irony of this situation is heightened even more if we suppose

that the original readers might have seen a connection between

the 38 years that the man was paralyzed and the 38 years that

Israel wandered in the wilderness (Exod 16:35, cf. Num 14:33-35--

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40 years total time in the wilderness minus the time spent at

Sinai at the beginning of the journey and the preparation for the

conquest at the end of the journey from Egypt to Canaan).

The Eschatology of John

The Gospel of John seems to have little interest in the

future end of the world, instead it asserts that what others view

as a future reality has become a present reality in the work of

Christ. This present, or realized eschatology only becomes

evident in the light of the Gospel's background so a brief

discussion of that background is necessary here.

Throughout the OT it was recognized that present existence

was a falling away from an ideal existence back in the Garden of

Eden. The hope that such an ideal existence would one day be

restored is expressed in a number of different ways in the OT,

but it is always seen as future. In that future restoration of

God's kingdom, there would be eternal life (Dan 12:2), final

judgment (Dan 7:9-14), resurrection from the dead (Isa 26:19; Dan

12:2), intimate communion with God (Jer 31:33), the full

knowledge and understanding of God (Jer 31:34), and the

outpouring of the Spirit upon all flesh (Joel 2:28, 29). With

the close of the OT the hope of restoration continued in the

apocalyptic writings of Judaism up to and beyond the first-

century of the Christian era.

But in the NT, there comes a change. The conviction is

expressed that in Christ the future has in some sense become a

present reality. The things which, in OT and later Jewish

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expectation, were confined to the future had become current

realities in the person of Christ. In Christ life, judgment,

resurrection, communion with and knowledge of God, and the

experience of the Holy Spirit had become living realities of

Christian faith. But the present eschatology of the NT never

resulted in a denial of the future, it was like a down payment on

even greater things that were yet to come (cf. Eph 1:14).

In Matthew, Mark, and Luke both the present and the future

kingdom of God are central in the teachings of Jesus. The book

of Revelation, on the other hand, puts its primary emphasis on

the future kingdom to be established at the return of Christ. It

is in the Gospel of John that the present realities of Christian

eschatology find an almost exclusive emphasis. And nowhere is

this present eschatology more thoroughly expressed than in John

5:24, 25. In the Fourth Gospel eternal life is a present reality

for those who believe in Jesus (1:4, 5; 5:24, 25). This is true

also of the final judgment, which becomes real in the person of

Jesus and in the preaching of the gospel (3:18-21; 5:24, 25).

Resurrection also becomes a present reality in the words of Jesus

(5:24, 25), powerfully illustrated in the raising of Lazarus from

the dead (11:1-44). Not only is full communion with God restored

in Christ (14:21-23), but as the Logos come down (1:1-5, 14) He

offers the full knowledge of God that was promised at the end

(1:18; 14:9). And when Jesus would be lifted up, the fullness of

the Holy Spirit would be poured out on those who believe in Jesus

(7:39).
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In the Gospel of John, therefore, the language of end-time

expectation is repeatedly used to describe the realities of God's

kingdom which were brought in through Christ. To quote Raymond

Brown (1:cxvii), "If one points to OT passages that seem to imply

a coming of God in glory, the Prologue answers (1:14), 'We have

seen his glory.' If one asks where is the judgment that marks

God's final intervention, John iii 19 answers, 'Now the judgment

is this: the light has come into the world.'" The future

expectation of Judaism has become a present reality in Christ.

This is not to say, as some scholars have asserted, that

John knows nothing of a future eschatology. In John 5:28, 29 he

speaks directly of future resurrection and judgment. In John

14:1-3 Jesus speaks about his future return to His disciples

after a sojourn in heaven. And in a number of places he uses the

phrase "at the last day" as a clear reference to realities that

are still future from the Christian perspective (John 6:39, 40,

44, 54; 12:48). So while John is quite comfortable with both the

now and the not yet of NT eschatology, he has chosen in the

Gospel to place the primary emphasis on present or realized

eschatology in Christ and the gospel.

The Judgment is Now

Seventh-day Adventists tend to think of the final judgment

as an exclusively end-time event, but in the Gospel of John the

judgment is far broader than that, it comes in three distinct

phases. Judgment takes place at the cross (12:31, 32) and in the

preaching of the gospel (3:18-21; 5:24, 25) as well as at the end

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(5:27-30; 12:48).

"Now is the time for the judgment of this world," Jesus

declares (12:31). He is referring to a judgment related to His

lifting up on the cross (32). That judgment at the cross would

accomplish at least two things, the "driving out" of the "prince

of this world" Satan-- verse 31), and the drawing of "all men" to

Jesus (32).

The teachings of Paul offer further information about this

judgment at the cross. In Rom 8:3 Paul says that at the cross

God condemned sin in sinful man by sending His own Son in the

likeness of sinful man in order for Him to be a sin offering.

And in Acts 13:32, 33, Paul asserts that all the promises that

God made to "our fathers" were fulfilled to the human race when

God raised Jesus from the dead. By combining what we learn from

these texts it is possible to gain a fairly clear picture of what

judgment at the cross was all about.

At the cross God judged the entire human race in the person

of Christ. He came in "the likeness of sinful man" (Rom 8:3).

At the cross all the sins of the world were piled up inside the
body of Jesus (1 Pet 2:24). As Christ hung on the cross judgment

was called into session. As God looked down on Jesus He saw the

entire human race hanging there in the person of its Creator,

full of sin in all its heinous character. At the cross God

poured out His judgment on human sin in the person of His Son.

Every sin that had ever been committed or ever could be committed

was fully and finally condemned in the person of Christ. The

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human race was judged guilty and condemned to death in the death

of Christ (Rom 8:3). At the cross Satan lost his claim to the

human race on account of human sin (John 12:31). God dealt with

that sin in the person of His Son. The judgment then adjourned

for about 36 hours, having finished the first part of its work.

The judgment was reconvened on the morning of the first day

of the week. God looked down on Jesus once more. He saw there

perfect humanity, like a lamb without fault or blemish. The One

who "knew no sin" (2 Cor 5:21), who could not be proven guilty of

sin (John 8:46) again represented the whole human race in His

person. As God looked down on sinless humanity, He judged it

worthy of life and an eternity in His presence. He then acted on

that judgment and raised Jesus from the dead. In so doing He

pronounced blessing on the whole human race (Acts 13:32, 33).

All the promises of God were now activated for every human being

who is in relationship with Jesus (2 Cor 1:20). While sinful

humanity was condemned at the cross in Christ, sinless humanity

was redeemed and given life at the resurrection of Jesus.

The judgment at the cross, therefore, concerns every human

being who ever lived (John 12:32). You and I were judged at the

cross in the person of our representative. Our sin was condemned

in His person. His condemnation was also ours. But His

righteousness was assured to us when God raised Him from the

dead. Jesus was declared righteous in all His works. And His

justification was also ours. In the cross and resurrection of

Christ all humanity was brought into judgment, both positively

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and negatively.

The second phase of judgment, according to John, is judgment

in the preaching of the gospel. This second phase of judgment is

in direct relation to the first. In the preaching of the gospel

people are called to decide how they will respond to the judgment

at the cross. Whenever Christ and His cross are presented to

human beings, they are called into judgment (3:14-21). Light

shines in the darkness, and everyone is obliged to respond,

either positively or negatively (19-21). Life and death issues

are at stake (5:24, 25). This judgment is a present reality

whenever the gospel is preached (3:18).

Judgment "at the pulpit" is a sobering thought. Every week,

as people gather for worship, judgment takes place in the

preaching of the gospel. Every person in the congregation is

either drawn closer to Christ or driven further away. There is

no middle road. What a responsibility for the preacher! It

would be better for that congregation if no sermon were preached

than to listen to a half-hearted or half-baked sermon. No one

can be brought to an awareness of the judgment that took place on

the cross without realizing that they must respond to that

judgment one way or another. They choose to identify either with

the sinful humanity that was destroyed on the cross or the

sinless humanity that was uplifted at the resurrection. And in

pronouncing judgment on Christ, they pronounce judgment on

themselves. They choose either life or death, light or darkness.

It would be better not to preach at all, than to moralize or be

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flippant when souls are hanging in the balance.

But judgment in the preaching of the gospel is not the end

of the matter for John. There is also judgment at the end (5:27-

30; 12:48). That judgment does not, however, deviate from the

two earlier phases of the judgment. It affirms and validates

those judgments. At the end we will not be judged in any other

way than the judgment we have pronounced on ourselves in our

response to the preaching of the gospel (12:48). The words of

life that we have rejected now will come back to haunt us then

(5:45). The words of life that we have embraced now will come

back to raise us up to abundant and eternal life (5:29). The

final judgment is not to be feared by those who are in Christ

now. The cross is sufficient to atone for sin and earn eternal

life. Those who are found in Christ now and who remain in Him

now will be found in Him also at the last day.

APPLYING THE WORD

1. Can you think of ways that people today try to be healed

physically and spiritually apart from Christ? What roles do
psychology and prayer respectively play in the process of
healing from mental illnesses and the wounds of the past?
Why do you think so few people today experience dramatic
healings like the man at the pool did?
2. How would you respond to someone who felt that all sickness
is a result of sin?
3. Jesus violated man-made strictures on Sabbath-keeping to
heal a man. The Pharisees were more concerned with petty
rules than with the health and welfare of a human being. To
what degree are your personal rules for living God-made or
man-made? Do they help you to minister to people or do they
often become stumbling blocks in the way of ministry?
4. How can Christians learn to balance Christian joy and
seriousness? How does John's concept of eschatology affect
this balance? How can people maintain a sense that eternal
life is a present reality in a world that is full of
suffering and decay?
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5. Describe some of the "witnesses" in your life who have

helped you to know Jesus. To what degree is your perception
of Jesus shaped by the attitudes of the believers that you
know and admire? How would your life be different if you
didn't know these people?

RESEARCHING THE WORD

1. With an exhaustive concordance look up all the instances in

the NT where words like judgment, judging, and judge are
used. Which of these refer to the end-time judgment? Which
seem to have present or ongoing significance in every age?
Which are associated with the cross? What do you learn
about the Gospel of John from this process?
2. Using Bible Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, and any books or
journals on archaelogy you can find learn all you can about
recent discoveries related to the Pool of Bethesda.

FURTHER STUDY OF THE WORD

1. For more information on the scholarly discussion regarding

the relationship of the eschatology of the Gospel of John to
the eschatology of the Bible as whole see Brown, 1:cxv-cxxi;
Schnackenburg, 2:426-437.
2. On the eschatology of the OT and how the NT builds on it see
chapters 3-6 of Paulien, What the Bible Says About the End-
Time.
3. See also White, Desire of Ages, 201-213.
 CHAPTER 7

THE BREAD OF LIFE

JOHN 6:1-71

Jesus returns to Galilee and experiences all of John 6 over

a period of two days. First He feeds the 5000, with the result

that the people want to make Him king (1-15). After withdrawing

from the crowd and His disciples, Jesus then comes to the

disciples in their boat that night by walking on the water of the

Sea of Galilee (16-21). The next day in the Synagogue of

Capernaum he engages the crowd in dialogue over the relative

merits of the bread He and Moses had delivered to the people (22-

35). This gave Him the opportunity to deliver his famous "bread

of life" sermon in which He describes His mission in terms of

feeding people spiritually (35-59). The chapter concludes with a

serious attrition among Jesus' disciples until only the twelve

remain with Him (60-71).

THE FEEDING OF THE 5000

GETTING INTO THE WORD

John 6:1-15

Please read 6:1-15 at least twice and then answer the

following questions:

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 148

1. List all the events in the Gospel of John that are described
as taking place in Galilee (there are surprisingly few).
2. Why do you think the average person in the crowd that day
was following Jesus? What kind of person did they think
Jesus was? Describe what you think Jesus felt like as He
became aware of these reactions to Him.
3. Based on what you know of the origins of the Passover Feast
(Exod 12), write out a short paragraph on the effect that
the nearness of the Passover Feast might have had on the
expectations of the people as described in this passage.

EXPLORING THE WORD

The Structure of the Passage

Jesus is back in Galilee, which is relatively uncommon in

the Gospel of John. In fact, only the wedding at Cana (2:1-11),

the healing of the royal official's son (4:46-54), the episodes

in chapter 21, and the events of John 6 take place in Galilee.

Most of the Gospel, unlike Matthew, Mark, and Luke, takes place

in Jerusalem and the surrounding areas.

The Background of the Passage

The events of John 6 happen at a time when the Jewish

Passover Feast is near (6:4), which no doubt explains the size of

the crowd in that deserted place (White, Desire of Ages, 364).

In the Gospel of John, whenever the Passover is mentioned there

are allusions to either the Lord's Supper or the cross (sometimes

both, cf. White, Desire of Ages, 389). There is, naturally, an

abundance of Exodus imagery in the chapter. The story of the

miraculous feeding of the crowd is no exception to the above.

The story reminds the reader of Israel in the wilderness. In Num

11, for example, Moses is faced with a great crowd in the

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wilderness, who are complaining about the lack of food. Just as

Jesus did in John 6:5, Moses questions how it will be possible to

feed all these people (Num 11:13). This is one of many allusions

that tie John 6 strongly to the Exodus accounts of the OT.

The Passage in Detail

The story takes place across the Sea of Galilee from

Tiberias (and Capernaum-- 6:1). A great crowd is following Jesus

because He has been healing the sick (2). So He finds a natural

pulpit up on a hillside and sits down with His disciples (3), the

wording of verse 3 reminds one very strongly of the Sermon on the

Mount in Matthew (Matt 5:1, cf. Matt 5-7).

Philip and Andrew, who speak with Jesus here (John 6:5-9),

are among the most active of the disciples in Gospel of John, all

the more striking since there is no mention of John, who is among

the most active in Matthew, Mark, and Luke (as mentioned earlier,

John is probably to be equated with the beloved disciple in this

Gospel [13:23, 24; 19:35; 21:24]). Philip is the logical one for

Jesus to speak to about the problem, since he was from Bethsaida

(1:44) a town which was not far from the place where they were.

By asking about a human solution to the problem, Jesus highlights

the supernatural aspect of the miracle He is about to do. As far

we know there is no spiritual or symbolic significance in the

numbers found in this story (5000, 200, 5, and 2), these are

merely factual recollections.

There are strong allusions in this story to the institution

of the Lord's Supper, an event that is left out of this Gospel.

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Jesus "took the bread," blessed it (eucharistêsas in Greek from

which the English language drew the word Eucharist), and

distributed it to the congregation (6:11). The specific Greek

language chosen recalls directly the language of the Lord's

Supper in other parts of the NT (especially Luke 22:19 and 1 Cor

11:23, 24).

This is the only Gospel where the story closes with Jesus'

command that the leftover fragments be gathered up, so that

nothing would be wasted (John 6:12, 13). The result of this

event is that the people begin to think that they are seeing the

prophet like Moses that had been predicted in the Book of

Deuteronomy (John 6:14, cf. Deut 18:15-18). The discussion

turned to the idea of forcing Jesus to become their king,

whereupon He withdrew from their presence (John 6:15).

The Major Themes of the Passage

The Eucharistic Bread

The Eucharistic and Exodus language in which the story is

written prepares the reader for what is to follow in John 6,

especially verses 30-59. Since John does not include an account

of the Lord's Supper, he makes up for the deficit with an

exquisite theology of the Lord's Supper here in chapter 6. The

true meaning of the Passover is to be found in Jesus and in the

Supper that only He can provide (Talbert, Reading John, 132).

Chapter 6, therefore, continues the theme that Jesus is replacing

Judaism, a theme that we noticed very strongly in chapters 2

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(replacing the waters of purification and the temple), 4

(replacing Samaritan faith and Jerusalem) and 5 (replacing the

waters of Bethesda).

It is interesting, however, that John's allusions to the

Lord's Supper are found in the context of picnic lunches, this

one on a hillside, the other on a beach (John 21:1-14). In a

sense the communion service, the dinner table and a picnic are

all alike. The presence of Jesus cannot be confined to church

buildings where the "right" style of worship services are

performed. For those who walk with Jesus every meal becomes a

sacrament (White, Desire of Ages, 660, 661; Barclay, 1:225, 226).

The Prophet Like Moses

Jesus' action of feeding the crowd in the wilderness

reminded them of Moses' prophecy that a prophet like him would

arise (6:14; Deut 18:15-18). But Moses instructed them that when

that prophet would come, they were to "listen to him," for God

would put His own words into the mouth of that prophet, and he

would instruct the people as to what God wanted them to do (Deut

18:15, 18). Moses made it clear that the word of that prophet

was the important thing, not his miracles. The irony of the

whole matter is that in the context of the prophecy in

Deuteronomy the people had asked the Lord not to scare them any

more with miraculous actions, or with thunderous words (Deut

18:16). They wanted to hear the Lord's instructions in a more

subdued manner. Now that the promised prophet has come, they are

not interested in his words, they only see the miracles. They
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want to make Him king, no doubt in the hope that He can drive out

the Romans by His miraculous powers and give them easy and

prosperous lives.

WALKING ON THE WATER

GETTING INTO THE WORD

John 6:16-21

Please read 6:16-21 at least twice and then answer the

following questions:

1. Carefully compare the account in John with Matt 14:22-27 and

Mark 6:45-52. On a piece of paper list all the parallels
between John and either of the other two accounts. Then
list all the points in John's account that differ from the
others, including omissions. What unique point do you think
John is making? Why?
2. Read through the entire Gospel and underline every saying of
Jesus that uses the expression, "I am" or "it is I." See if
you can group these sayings into different categories of
use. Do you think some of these statements relate to Exod
3:14, 15?

EXPLORING THE WORD

The Background of the Passage

The Sea of Galilee is 650 feet below sea level, 150 feet
deep and surrounded by hills. This physical setting can cause

sudden windstorms that create enormously high waves in spite of

the relatively small size of the lake.

Ps 77:16-20 describes the Exodus in the language of God's

presence on a stormy sea. So the story of Jesus' walking on the

water (John 6:16-21) contributes to the overall Exodus and

Passover theme of the whole chapter.

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Jesus accomplishes the same kinds of deeds as were done by

the God of the Exodus. The God of the OT is even described in

Job 9:8 as treading "on the waves of the sea" (cf. Prov 30:4).

To people schooled in the OT, therefore, Jesus' ability to walk

on water and to control wind and wave was a powerful affirmation

of His divinity.

The Passage in Detail

The narrative is fairly straightforward and does not call

for much detailed comment. It is interesting that John is the

only one who brings out the detail that as a result of the

feeding of the 5000 there was a movement afoot to make Jesus

their king (6:15). On the other hand, John leaves out the detail

that Jesus forced the disciples to get into the boat and head out

to sea (Matt 14:22; Mark 6:45, cf. John 6:17, 18). The two items

seem to explain each other.

No doubt the disciples participated in the excitement that

surrounded the crowd's consideration of making Jesus' king. To

forestall such an event, Jesus sends the disciples off and

disperses the crowd (also Matt 14:22 and Mark 6:45). Taking the

two accounts together causes both to make sense.

Although the disciples are afraid, they don't look to Jesus

to be of any help, in spite of the mighty works He had done.

When Jesus does appear they are unprepared for His presence and

help. Faith is a mind-set that expects God to be there in every

aspect of life. It is the ultimate antidote to fear. The second

generation of Christians would see in this story encouragement to

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expect the presence and help of Jesus even when they felt all

alone and forsaken by God. His word is as good as His presence.

The specific form of speech that Jesus used to address His

disciples in the boat, however, ("It is I"-- egô eimi in Greek)

is one of the major theological turning points in the Gospel. It

will attract considerable attention in the next section.

The Major Themes of the Passage

An Acted Parable

In ancient mythology, the unruly sea was the domain of chaos

and evil, filled with sea serpents and other fearful creatures.

Jesus proves Himself to be in full control of the unruly elements

of this earth.

The little boat filled with disciples of Jesus on the unruly

sea symbolized the church in the world, tossed about and feeling

deserted, often, in desperation, trying to take things into its

own hands (John 6:19). This story encourages the church to

realize that Jesus is in control of the forces of this earth.

Although not always perceived at the time, He comes when His

people are in distress.

Many times our lives seem totally out of control, like a

boat tossed about on an unruly sea. It is good to know that

Jesus is in control even when things seem out of control. He can

make the best out of every situation, even our mistakes. He can

also make the best out of the mistakes of others that affect our

lives. When we have done all that we can do, it is a healthy

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thing to rest secure in God's control over the things we cannot

control. On the other hand, unhealthy human thinking and feeling

perceives God to be distant when He is near and is fearful when

He has provided reason to rejoice!

The Great "I AM"

One of the peculiarities of the Gospel of John is Jesus'

repeated use of a formula applied to Yahweh in the OT, "I AM"

(Greek: egô eimi). This emphatic Greek formula, always in the

mouth of Jesus, is used in three ways in the Gospel. (1) It is

used for self-identification on the human level (6:20; 4:26).

The disciples are terrified when they see Jesus approaching, He

says, "Don't worry, it's just me" (6:20-- egô eimi). He is

identifying himself in contrast to other human beings. (2) It is

used for self-identification at the divine level. Jesus uses "I

AM" with predicates that describe His divine qualities ("I am the

Bread of Life," "I am the Good Shepherd"). (3) It is used in the

absolute sense. He just says "I AM" in an obvious claim to be

like the Yahweh of the OT. To fully understand this phrase in

the Gospel of John, it is necessary to briefly note the OT

background to Jesus' use of the phrase.

The divine "I AM" statements of the OT also function in

three ways, somewhat different from the above. (1) Some of the I

AM statements in the OT reveal Yahweh's nature (Exod 3:14; 6:2,

3). He is ever present to meet His people's need. (2) I AM

statements are also used to reveal the uniqueness of Yahweh. He

is the only Savior, the only genuine God (Isa 43:10, 11). There
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is no other God like Him, who makes known the end from the

beginning, He is the only One who can truly foretell the future

(Isa 46:9, 10). (3) I AM statements are also used as an

expression of the mighty works of future salvation that Yahweh

will do in the age to come.

In the Gospel of John the predicate use of the I AM

statements (#2) builds on the third use in the OT. In the Gospel

the predicate I AM statements become expressions of what Jesus

has to offer. The future salvation that was promised by Yahweh

is fulfilled in the present in Christ. He is the Bread of Life

(John 6:33-58). He is the Light of the World (8:12; 9:5). He is

the Door of the sheep and the Good Shepherd (10:7-18). He is the

Resurrection and the Life (11:25, 26). He is the Way, the Truth,

and the Life (14:6). He is the True Vine (15:1-8). What was

future in the OT is made present in Christ. In the predicate I

AM statements we see another expression of the Johannine concept

of realized or present eschatology. To be in relationship with

Jesus is to have the abundance of the future kingdom now by

faith.
The absolute I AM statements in the Gospel of John (#3)

build on the OT I AM statements that reveal Yahweh's nature (#1)

and uniqueness (#2). Jesus manifests the nature and all the

qualities of the OT Yahweh. He is truly God made flesh. This is

evident by His knowledge of the future. He tells things before

they happen so that when they happen people will believe that "I

AM" (John 13:19, cf. Isa 46:9, 10). Jesus' divinity is evident
 157

in His knowledge of the future.

Belief in Jesus' divinity is essential for salvation. Those

who do not believe in the I AM (Jesus) will die in their sins

(John 8:24, cf. Isa 43:10, 11). If Jesus' knowledge of the

future is not evidence enough, His divinity will be evident when

they "have lifted up the Son of Man" (John 8:28). The cross and

the resurrection will testify mightily to who Jesus is.

Jesus also used the I AM formula to declare what was already

evident in the Prologue to the Gospel of John, He pre-existed

throughout eternity as a divine being. He is the Great I AM, who

was before Abraham (John 8:58, cf. Exod 3:14).

In the I AM formulas of the Fourth Gospel Jesus is revealed

as the Yahweh of the OT. He is fully and truly God in the

highest sense even as He walks the earth in human flesh. He pre-

existed throughout eternity (John 8:58). He can deliver the

promised glories of the OT future kingdom to those who believe in

Him now (predicate I AM statements). Belief in His divinity is

essential for salvation (8:24). This will become evident in the

fulfillment of His predictions and particularly at the cross and

the resurrection (13:19; 8:28).

As a pastor visiting with Jehovah's Witnesses I had frequent

opportunity to work with people who questioned the divinity of

Jesus. They had pre-planned answers for all the classic texts

that point to the divinity of Jesus, such as John 1:1; 8:58; Rom

9:5; and Titus 2:13. Their special Bible translation also

altered crucial texts like John 1:3 and Col 1:16, 17. But one
 158

evidence that could never be refuted was the fact that throughout

the NT, and particularly in the Gospel of John, the writers of

the NT applied qualities and actions to Jesus that in the OT were

only considered appropriate for Jehovah God in the highest sense.

These kinds of applications flow so naturally and so frequently

from the pens of NT writers that there can be no doubt that they

held Jesus in the highest possible regard. They wanted everyone

to honor Jesus in the same way that they honor the Father (John

5:23).

JESUS THE BREAD OF LIFE

GETTING INTO THE WORD

John 6:22-59

Please read 6:22-59 at least twice and then answer the

following questions:

1. List the reasons in John 6 why the people continued to

follow Jesus. Then list their reactions to Jesus' sayings
and document the change in their attitudes from those
expressed in 14, 15 to those expressed in 54-56.
2. Compare this passage with Exod 16 and Num 21. Compare and
contrast the bread of life that Jesus offers with the manna
given by Moses in the wilderness. Describe in a paragraph
or two the main point that you think Jesus is making in this
section. In what ways is the bread He offers greater than
the manna?
3. What does Jesus mean by eating His flesh and drinking His
blood? Write out how you think Jesus would express the same
idea today?
4. Take a piece of paper and draw a line down the middle. On
one side list all the statements in this passage that imply
that coming to Jesus is God's work. On the other side list
those that imply that coming to Jesus is a personal choice.
Which of the two themes seems more important to you? Why?

EXPLORING THE WORD

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The Structure of the Passage

Since the setting for all of John 6 is the Feast of

Passover, we should continue to expect echoes of the Eucharist

and the cross along with allusions to the Exodus. In fact some

scholars believe that in the sermon recorded here Jesus is

interpreting the Scriptures of the Passover liturgy in the Jewish

Synagogues (see Brown, 1:277-280). In this passage Jesus also

takes up the significance of the feeding miracle in 6:1-15. He

moves from physical bread to spiritual bread, just as he moved

from physical water to spiritual water in John 4.

Jesus joined His disciples in a boat on the Sea of Galilee

and sailed to the other side of the lake (6:16-21). The crowd on

the opposite shore searched for Jesus and, helped by some people

who had sailed over from Tiberias, crossed the lake and found Him

in the synagogue of Capernaum, where all the preaching and the

dialogue of the rest of the chapter takes place (22-25, 59).

The Background of the Passage

A strong background to John 6:22-59 is the Exodus tradition

where God feeds the children of Israel with the manna in the

wilderness (Exod 16; Num 21). The manna first arrived on the

fifteenth day of the second month (Exod 16:1). While Passover

actually occurs on the fifteenth day of the first month, the

second-month date functions as a "backup" Passover. Those who,

for whatever reason, are unable to celebrate the Passover at the

usual time are encouraged to celebrate it on the fifteenth day of

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the second month instead. So the arrival of the manna became

associated with the Passover even though it first came a month

after Israel left Egypt.

The manna ended on a Passover eve just before Israel entered

the promised land (Josh 5:10-12). Therefore, the tradition arose

within Judaism that the Messiah would come on Passover, and that

along with His coming the manna would begin to fall again

(Midrash Qoheleth 1:9). So when Jesus feeds the 5000 just before

Passover it should not surprise anyone that the crowd might begin

to speculate whether He was the Messiah, and whether He was about

to do an even greater miracle; feed everyone all the time by

restoring the manna. Since Passover was near (John 6:4), they

were expecting the manna to fall any day, in fact challenged

Jesus to perform just what they were expecting (6:30-34).

The Passage in Detail

After much searching the crowd which had been miraculously

fed the day before found Jesus in the synagogue at Capernaum

(6:22-25, 59). But their search is not for spiritual food, they
are relating to Jesus at a crass and material level (26). They

weren't interested in the meaning of the miracle, they just

wanted to see more miracles (cf. 2). Jesus tries to direct their

eyes in the direction of spiritual things, the food that endures

to eternal life (27). The crowd seems to catch a glimpse of what

Jesus is talking about, they ask about the proper way to perform

the works that God requires (28). They have moved a bit beyond

the material level, but not to genuine faith in Jesus yet.

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Jesus moves directly to the point. The work that God

approves of, the only work that ultimately matters, is to believe

in Jesus (29, cf. 14:6). Belief in Jesus is the prerequisite to

all acceptable obedience. We don't satisfy God by the work that

we do, we satisfy God by the One in whom we believe. All growth

in pleasing God is based on accepting Jesus's claims about

Himself.

The crowd's response to Jesus' directness is not promising.

They ask for a sign miraculous enough that they can believe in

Him (6:30). Why do they ask for a miraculous sign when He has

already given them a staggering one in the feeding of the 5000

(men plus women and children-- 6:10)? They saw that feeding as

only a taste. They wanted confirmation. They wanted a sign of

verification that would come from heaven, a cosmic sign. They

remembered the Scripture text that said that in the manna Moses

had given Israel "bread from heaven" to eat, the kind of food

eaten by angels (6:31, cf. Ps 78:24, 25). The prophet like

Moses, whenever he would come, would restore the manna to all

Israel on the Passover day (cf. 6:14; Deut 18:15, 18).

Jesus replied that the manna given by Moses was not the true

bread from heaven that they were seeking, rather the true bread

from heaven is a Person who comes down out of heaven and brings

life to the world (John 6:32, 33). They were looking for a

cosmic sign to verify that Jesus was the Messiah. Instead He

answered, "I am the cosmic sign that proves that I am the

Messiah" (cf. Luke 17:20, 21). If they would believe in Him they
 162

would receive all the evidence that they would need.

Verse 34 indicates that the people still didn't understand

what Jesus was saying, but as happened with the Samaritan woman

at the well (4:11, 15), His offer was beginning to sound

worthwhile. They wanted whatever it was He was offering. Jesus

repeatedly made it clear that the true bread from heaven is none

other than Himself. In fact, beginning with verse 35 all of

Jesus' statements are in the first person singular. This

underlines His claim that relationship with Him personally is the

ultimate issue of the discourse. Note the sequence of bread of

life statements:

+))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))),
*V. 33-- The One who comes down T gives life to the world *
*V. 35-- I am the Bread of Life * - *
*V. 41-- I am the Bread of Life * which comes down from heaven*
*V. 48-- I am the Bread of Life * - *
*V. 51-- I am the Bread of Life * which comes down from heaven*
*V. 58-- The Bread that came down R gives life to the world *
.)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))-
The clear implication of the Bread of Life sermon is that

seeing Jesus and believing in Him is what produces real life in

the spiritual sense now and in the fullest sense "at the last

day" (6:40; 5:21). Just as food must be constantly eaten to

sustain physical life, so it is necessary to invite Jesus into

our daily experience if we are to sustain spiritual life.

"Believing" in the Gospel of John (cf. 1:12; 6:47) always has a

continuous sense. We do not believe only once, it must be an

ongoing and daily experience.

John 6:37 is a beloved verse. There is a fascinating

connection between its two parts. Jesus states, "all that the
 163

Father gives me will come to me." Those given by the Father are

seen as a group (expressed in the Greek neuter gender). God

predestines a group to be saved, not individuals. The second

part of the verse is in masculine gender, "Whoever comes to me I

will never drive away." Jesus receives the members of the group

one by one as they are made willing to come to Him. The first

part of the verse expresses the divine side of salvation (cf.

44), the second part expresses the human dimension. We see here

two truths in balanced tension. Salvation comes to no one apart

from the express will of God, yet at the same time, no one is

saved that has not voluntarily chosen to come (cf. 39, 40). The

tension between God's election and human choice will be examined

in more detail in chapter 9 of this book.

The "bread" that Jesus talks about is essentially His

person, yet there is a difference between the first and last

parts of the Bread of Life discourse. In 6:35-50 the special

emphasis in on revelation. It is crucial that people recognize

who Jesus is and that He brings from heaven a revelation from God

and about God that is of life and death concern to the human race
(45-47).

In verses 51-59, however, the emphasis moves in the

direction of allusions to the Lord's Supper and to the cross. It

is by "eating the flesh and drinking the blood" of the Son of Man

that a person gains eternal life (54-56). This "cannibalistic"

language is certainly not intended to express that the physical

eating and drinking of Christ's flesh and blood is necessary in

 164

order to sustain temporal life. Rather, it is a graphic way of

expressing the fact that only through intimate relationship with

Jesus, as close as food that has been eaten is to the body, can

one gain the life that He promises. "As our food becomes

incorporated with ourselves, so Christ and those who eat His

flesh and drink His blood become spiritually one life, though

personally distinct" (Jameison, Fausset, and Brown, 1041). The

Lord's Supper becomes the physical illustration of these

spiritual metaphors (cf. White, Desire of Ages, 389).

Just as happened when Moses fed Israel with manna in the

wilderness (49, 50, 58, cf. Exod 16:2, 7, 8; 1 Cor 10:10), the

primary response of the Jews to the Bread of Life discourse is

grumbling (6:41-43, cf. the response of Jesus' disciples in v.

61, 66) and arguing sharply among themselves (52). Seeing Jesus

and experiencing His miracles is not enough (36). The

responsibility of those who have seen is to believe (47, cf.

20:29).

The Major Themes of the Passage

The True Bread from Heaven

The concept of the true bread that comes down from heaven is

a beautiful symbol of both the greatness and the self-sacrificing

condescension of Jesus. In naming Himself as the source of

eternal life, He describes Himself as One equal with God. At the

same time He offers Himself to be eaten by the believer, He

places Himself at the believer's disposal, available to meet

every legitimate need (Gruenler, 47).

 165

Jesus replaces the manna with the true bread which comes

down from heaven. In the first case, people who ate the bread

nevertheless died. Jesus offers bread that leads to eternal life

(John 6:58). There are a number of symbols in the Gospel of John

that are drawn from everyday experience, such as bread, water and

life. These are all Johannine symbols referring to the reality

of eternal life, which makes natural hunger and thirst seem

insignificant by comparison.

Have you ever been ravenously hungry, or thirsty to the

point of desperation? Do you remember what it was like to knock

down a cool drink at that time, or a slice of French bread with

your favorite spread on it? Jesus wanted memories like that to

trigger spiritual meanings, to offer lessons about the life that

He came to offer. The message of the Bread of Life sermon is

that your need for the spiritual life that Jesus brings is just

as desperate as the pangs of hunger and thirst. As the body

craves food and drink and sunlight, so the soul craves the

presence of Jesus, and if Jesus is not allowed to be present,

human beings will go to all kinds of ridiculous lengths to fill

the gap with something else. Inside every human being is a God-

sized hole that only Jesus can fill.

THE WORDS OF ETERNAL LIFE

GETTING INTO THE WORD

John 6:60-71

Please read 6:60-71 at least twice and then answer the

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following questions:

1. Which teaching in the previous section of the chapter did

the people find so hard to accept? Why do they turn away at
this time? Why do Peter and the Twelve decide to stay?
Write out your thoughts in two or three paragraphs.
2. Why do you think Jesus all but invites the disciples to
leave Him in this passage? Why do you think Judas stayed
around?

EXPLORING THE WORD

The Structure of the Passage

This passage provides the reaction of Jesus' disciples to

the preceding discourse and dialogues. In the process Jesus

faces a new "Exodus," an exodus of followers and disciples. He

appears to lose all but the Twelve. The chapter ends with a

prophecy that one of the Twelve, Judas, would eventually betray

Him.

The Passage in Detail

The passage opens with the complaint of Jesus' disciples,

"This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it (60)?" "Teaching"

translates the Greek "word" (logos-- a summary in one word of

verses 35-59). It dawns on them that the words of Jesus are all

that matter to Him, He has no intention of being primarily a

wonder-worker. They were clearly looking for the Messiah to

come. But they brought with their expectation a whole lot of

political and material baggage which Jesus had no intention of

fulfilling. Jesus refused to conform to their Messianic

expectations. His concerns were clearly spiritual and not

material and political. The people are disappointed. Yet there

 167

is much about Jesus that impresses them. They wonder whether it

would be better to settle for what Jesus offers or look for

someone else.

Verse 63 functions as a summary in different words of the

teaching of Jesus in the entire chapter. It is the Spirit that

gives life, not literal flesh. Human beings cannot gain life by

their own efforts or by any material participation in Jesus (cf.

Matt 16:17). Without the Spirit we wouldn't even see our need

for Jesus. It is quite possible that John included this

statement in the text specifically to counter the idea that

participating in the Lord's Supper or in Christian worship in

themselves accomplish what Jesus' implies by "believing." Only

acceptance of Jesus' words, and a commitment to relationship with

Him brings the Spirit, who brings life.

In saying that some of His disciples do not believe, Jesus

also implies that others do believe (64). Once again Jesus

demonstrates that He knows the inner commitment or lack thereof

of those who claim to follow Him. Whenever people do commit

themselves fully to Jesus, however, it is a clear sign of the

presence and work of the Father in their lives (65).

Although many turn away from Jesus, the Twelve remain with

Him and acknowledge that only He offers the words that lead to

life (66-69). Although virtually every believer has moments when

they wonder if following Jesus truly makes sense, the lack of any

sensible alterative to Jesus is a powerful incentive to remain

with Him through the dark moments, knowing that if we continue

 168

reaching out to Him, our perception of the Light will soon

return.

Even among the Twelve there is one who does not truly

believe, Judas Iscariot. There is a difference of opinion

regarding the title "Iscariot." Most likely it is the Greek form

of "ish Qeryyoth," or "man from Qeryyoth." Qeryyoth is a village

in Judea, and if this identification is correct, Judas would be

the only Judean disciple. For whatever reason, the author of the

Fourth Gospel is harder on him than are Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

And whenever Judas is mentioned it is always in the context of

Jesus' suffering and death (in this case the mention of flesh and

blood (51-59), and betrayal (71).

In response to Jesus' teaching some people left, others

stayed for the right reasons, Judas stayed for the wrong reason.

Today also, many people only pretend to follow Jesus. The real

reason they stay in church is for status, the approval of family

and friends, or a place to make business contacts. Politicians

may even use religion as a way to get votes. But faith is an all

or nothing proposition. We either accept Jesus or we reject Him.

APPLYING THE WORD

1. Can you think of times in your life when God has stretched
your meager resources the way He stretched the boy's lunch
in 6:1-15? In what way do you need a similar miracle to
take place today?
2. Describe experiences in your life where you discovered God's
ability to make a difference in the "storms" of life. How
do you naturally respond to such storms in your life? How
does this story encourage you to respond differently in the
future?
3. Can you think of a category of food that best describes your
spiritual diet right now? Fast food? Junk food? High-
 169

fiber diet? Dessert? Leftovers? What changes do you think

you need to make in your spiritual diet?
4. What was it that first motivated you to become involved in
religious activities? How have your motives changed as you
have drawn closer to Jesus? Are their still motives that
you think Jesus would want to change?
5. Have there been times in your life when following Jesus has
seemed too difficult or disappointing? What kind of
insights helped you decide to hang in there with Jesus
rather than moving on to some other way of life?

RESEARCHING THE WORD

1. Compare John 6:1-15 with 2:1-11. Do you think the

experience at the wedding of Cana had anything to do with
Jesus' question to Philip in 6:5, 6? Read the entire Gospel
through and underline or flag every assertion or narrative
related to Jesus' ability to meet physical and spiritual
needs. Try to write out a short presentation in everyday
language that would make this theme of the Gospel relevant
in the secular setting.

FURTHER STUDY OF THE WORD

1. For a thorough examination of the issues related to the

synagogue liturgy in the first century and how it may have
affected the sermon Jesus gave in John 6 see Brown, 1:277-
280, 303, 304.
2. For an outstanding in-depth study of the I AM statements in
both the OT and the Gospel of John along with the way Jesus
builds on the OT texts involved, see Schnackenburg, 2:79-89.
3. Ellen White comments on John 6:1-21 in passing in Desire of
Ages, 364-382, pages 383-394 are devoted exclusively to John
6:22-71.
 CHAPTER 8

THE WATER AND LIGHT OF LIFE

JOHN 7:1 - 8:59

John 7 and 8 center around Jesus' appearances in the temple

during the Feast of Tabernacles, the most popular and well-

attended of the Jewish Feasts. This is Jesus' third visit to

Jerusalem and Judea in the Gospel. This time He stays in the

area for six whole months, the final months of His ministry.

There are at least six more months between the events of John 6

and the events of John 7, possibly a year and a half. A constant

undertone in this section of the Fourth Gospel is the murderous

plot against Jesus by the Jewish ruling council, announced right

at the beginning (7:1).

The material in John 7 and 8 can be organized as follows:

+))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))),
* THE WATER AND LIGHT OF LIFE (JOHN 7-8) *
* *
* 7:1-9-- The Unbelief of Jesus' Brothers *
* 7:10-24-- Debate Over the Sabbath *
* 7:25-36-- Jesus' Messiahship *
* 7:37-39-- The Water of Life *
* 7:40-52-- Divisions over Jesus' Origin *
* 7:53-8:11-- Woman Caught in Adultery *
* 8:12-20-- The Light of the World *
* 8:21-30-- Jesus' Origin and Destiny *
* 8:31-38-- Truth Sets Free *
* 8:39-47-- Paternity of the Jews *
* 8:48-59-- Jesus Greater Than Abraham *
.)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))-

170
 171

For convenience this chapter in the book will be divided into

three parts, the first debate in the temple (7:1-52), followed by

the scene concerning the woman caught in the act of adultery

(7:53 - 8:11), followed by the second debate in the temple (8:12-

59). The material in John 7 and 8 is somewhat reminiscent of

Jesus' debates with the Pharisees, Sadducees and the teachers of

the law in Mark 2:1 - 3:6 and 11:27 - 12:40.

JESUS AT THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES

GETTING INTO THE WORD

John 7:1-52

Please read 7:1-52 at least twice and then answer the

following questions:

1. List the differences of opinion and action between Jesus and

His brothers. Write out your thoughts on how Jesus'
relationships with members of His family affected His life
and ministry.
2. Read John 8 as well. List and categorize the various
reactions to Jesus in John 7 and 8. How would you account
for the vast range of reactions to Jesus?
3. Read the entire Gospel of John through. Underline every
passage containing the term "the Jews." On a piece of paper
try to group the usages into the following categories: 1)
the religious leaders, 2) Jews in general, and 3) a sub-
group of Jews other than the religious leaders. How do the
usages in John 7 compare to those of the rest of the book?

EXPLORING THE WORD

The Background of the Passage

Palestinian Climate

The weather in Palestine divides into two major seasons, the

dry season that centers on summer and the rainy season that

centers on winter.
 172

+))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))),
* PALESTINIAN CLIMATE *
* *
* T * T ** T *
* / ) ) )))))))))) ) ) ) ) 3 ) ) )))))))))) ) ) ) ) 1 *
* RJan Mar -> Sept DecRJan Mar -> Sept DecR *
* *
* *
* - - - Rainy Season *
* ))))) Summer Drought *
* * Feast of Tabernacles *
* ** Feast of Passover *
.)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))-

The Feast of Tabernacles comes at the time of the year when

the summer drought is usually ending. It is the time of the

early rain, when the grain, which depends on the winter rains for

growth and development, is planted. The "early rain" fills the

empty cisterns enabling life to be freed from the constant

concern over the shortage of water. It is also the time to

harvest the fruits of vine and tree, whose deep roots enabled

them to survive the time of drought.

The time of Passover comes at the close of the rainy season,

the time of the latter rain which ripens and matures the grain.

It is the time to begin harvesting the grain (Feast of Unleavened

Bread and Wave Sheaf Ceremony).

Although the summer drought is severe, dew mitigates the

drought sufficiently so that the fruits trees and the grape vines

can survive. If the fruit were grown on a winter cycle, the

occasional frost in Palestine would hurt the fruit, so the summer

cycle works fairly well in spite of the dryness.

Palestine is not blessed with an overabundance of rain. In

average years, there is barely enough for the needs of farming.

 173

Even during the rainy season, it is sunny 50% of the time. Dryer

years can quickly cause an agricultural crisis.

The Feast of Tabernacles

The Feast of Tabernacles was the last of the three greatest

feasts of the Jewish liturgical year (Lev 23:33-43; Num 29:12-

38). It attracted the largest delegations from outside

Palestine. Jesus' brothers were no doubt anxious for Him to go

because of the great importance of this Feast in the popular

sentiment (John 7:2-5). It was a most joyous time of holiday.

The Day of Atonement was past. Sins had been confessed and

forgiven. The people were clean before God. A major theme of

the Feast, therefore, was joy and thanksgiving.

The Feast commemorated the Exodus and the time of Israel's

wandering in the wilderness (Lev 23:43), when God provided them

with water and light (Exod 13:22, 23; 17:1-7). At night during

the Feast of Tabernacles, therefore, huge bowls of oil were lit

atop the pillars of the temple lighting the temple courts more

brightly than at any other time of the year. Central to the

festivities were torch-light processions, which added to the

brightness and sparkle of the occasion. So light became another

major theme of the Feast in Jesus' day.

A further motif of the Feast was the concept of pilgrimage,

the idea that God's people have no permanent abode, they are

pilgrims and strangers on this earth. The people would create

tents out of palm branches and live in them during the Feast,

even if they owned a house in Jerusalem (in which case they built
 174

the tent on the roof or in the back yard). This reminder of the

Exodus taught them that just as God provided water and food to

Israel in the wilderness, so He can continue to provide the same

for the needs of the present. A good omen for the coming year

would be the occurrence of rain during the Feast.

The high point of the Feast of Tabernacles, therefore, was

the "rain dance." In this ceremony the priest led a great

procession out of the temple, and down the hill to the Gihon

Spring, chanting the words of Isa 12:3, "With joy you will draw

water from the wells of salvation." After obtaining a pitcher of

water, the priests returned to the temple which was entered by a

flight of 15 steps. On each of the steps the priest recited one

of the 15 pilgrimage psalms (Ps 120-134).

There were a pair of sinks in the floor of the temple court.

Below the floor the pipes leading from each joined and led all

the way down to the Kidron Valley. While the water drawn from

the Gihon Spring was poured into one of the sinks, a pitcher of

wine was poured into the other. The water and the wine mixed

together where the pipes joined and flowed down to the Kidron
River. On a rainy day the water and wine would flow all the way

to the Dead Sea. This recalled the OT promises of God's future

kingdom (Ezek 47 and Zech 14:8) in which water from the temple

would restore the fertility of the Judean Desert and make the

waters of the Dead Sea fresh.

In His presence at the Feast, and particularly in His

offering of water (7:37-39) and light (8:12; 9:5), Jesus affirms

 175

that He is replacing the great institutions of Judaism with

Himself. The end-time events associated in the OT with the Feast

of Tabernacles become present realities in the person and

teachings of Jesus. These incidents, therefore, continue the

replacement of Judaism theme that we have encountered so

regularly in the Gospel.

The Passage in Detail

The phrase "the Jews" (7:1) clearly means the ruling

authorities in Jerusalem rather than the people as a whole (7:26,

32, 45). This explains why you have Jews in the Gospel who are

afraid of "the Jews" (7:13). It would also caution modern-day

readers from drawing any anti-Semitic inferences from the

statements that John makes about the Jews in this Gospel. "The

Jews" is used by the author of the Gospel as a compact way to

describe the ruling class made up of Pharisees, Sadducees, and

the doctors of the law.

Things have not been going well in Galilee (6:60-71). The

brothers suggest that if Jesus would do His miracles in Judea he

might accomplish his aims (7:2-4). There is a double irony in

this advice. First of all, His brothers had seen His miracles

and they did not believe in Him (7:5)! Second, Jesus had

performed these miracles for the Galileans and they had left Him

(6:60-66)!

Jesus responds that the timing of their actions doesn't

matter much as very little is at stake in their movements. But

with Him everything hangs on issues of timing that they have no

 176

basis for understanding. No one had a quarrel with the brothers,

for their lives and teachings did not challenge society. But a

single false step might bring a premature close to Jesus'

ministry. So once again he refused to let His family control the

agenda that had been set for Him by God (7:6-9, cf. 2:3-5).

The Feast of Tabernacles was eight days long, so "halfway

through the Feast" (7:14) means the fourth or fifth day of the

festivities. This was, evidently, the first time He sought to

teach openly in the temple. The Jews were amazed that Jesus was

clearly learned in the key issues of life, yet He didn't approach

subjects in the usual way, which was to string together endless

quotations from previous rabbis (15). Instead He asserted that

His Father provided the best kind of "rabbinical school" (16).

He did not need to verify the truth of His teaching by quoting

"the authorities," all who approached His teaching with a sincere

purpose to please God in every aspect of life would quickly

recognize its divine origin (17, 18). Those who were truly

willing to do the will of God, wherever it would lead them, would

know intuitively that Jesus was telling the truth about Himself.
The reason that the Jews were questioning His teachings was

the same as in John 5, His actions at the Pool of Bethesda (7:21-

24), which they interpreted as breaking the Sabbath. Jesus

responded to their objections by arguing that the reason they

misunderstood His actions was because they themselves were law-

breakers (19). They accused Him of breaking the fourth

commandment, but they themselves were breaking the sixth

 177

commandment by trying to kill Him. The Jews were willing to

ignore the fourth commandment in order to circumcise a child,

which act involved only a single body part; what Jesus did was

concerned with the whole human being (22, 23).

In verse 25 the theme shifts from the Sabbath healing to

Jesus' Messiahship, which is the crucial issue in much of the

Fourth Gospel. Jesus' opponents trap themselves in a series of

self-contradictions on this issue. First, they reject him

because they know where He is from (Galilee-- 41, 52) and no one

will know where the Messiah comes from. Then they disqualify

Jesus by arguing that the Messiah comes from Bethlehem (42). But

the Christian reader of the Gospel knows that, in fact, Jesus was

born in Bethlehem, not in Galilee. In the end, however, the

opponents are forced to admit that they really don't know where

Jesus came from (9:29 cf. 8:14, 19).

It appears from the inclusion of these incidents that the

problem of Jesus' origin was a major concern for second

generation of Christians. Matthew argues that the OT shows the

Messiah would come from both Bethlehem and Galilee (Matt 2:6,
23). But John takes a different tack. Rather than refuting the

arguments of Jesus' opponents by reasserting Matthew's stories,

He takes a higher road by maintaining that Jesus' real origin was

in neither place, it was in heaven (John 1:1-11, 14; 7:16, 28,

29, 33; 8:16, 18, 23).

In the midst of this debate, probably at the point in the

procession where the water was being poured into the temple sink,
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Jesus arises and interrupts the whole preceding with a sublime

statement of the replacement theme, the people sought spiritual

water at the Feast, but Jesus replaces the water of the Feast

with Himself. The one who is thirsty enough to come to Jesus

will be able to drink and keep on drinking, and will even become

a source of spiritual refreshment for others (7:37, 38).

The chapter closes with the frustration of the chief priests

and Pharisees with respect to the guards who had repeatedly

failed to lay hands on Jesus (45-52, cf. 26, 30, 44). This brief

passage is filled with irony. No sooner do the leaders assert

that none of the rulers or of the Pharisees believe in Jesus,

then Nicodemus, a ruler and a Pharisee, calls their actions into

question (50, 51). They accuse Jesus of breaking the law, yet a

lawyer in their midst challenges their own fidelity to the law.

They respond with a retort that is obviously false, "A prophet

does not come out of Galilee." The reality is that Jonah clearly

came from Galilee, and probably Nahum and Elijah as well. As the

Gospel progresses, the leading opponents of Jesus sound more and

more confused and progressively close their minds to the self-

evident truths that the Gospel seeks to portray.

A dominant characteristic of this chapter, therefore, is the

distinction between the leaders and the crowd. The leaders seek

to kill Jesus (1, 25, 32) the crowd doesn't know what to think

(12, 13, 20, 25-27, 31, 40-43). None of the leaders believe in

Him (48), the crowd is derided as ignorant (49) on account of

their interest in Jesus.

 179

The Major Themes of the Passage

The Temptations of Jesus

Astute readers of the four gospels quickly notice that John

is the only gospel without a reference to Jesus' temptation by

Satan out in the desert (cf. Matthew 4:1-11; Mark 1:12, 13; Luke

4:1-12). But John often makes theological use of incidents in

Jesus' life without referring to the original settings behind the

theology (cf. the Lord's Supper and Gethsemane). The substance

of the three temptations in the desert are repeated in John 6 and

7. Jesus is tempted to be king (6:15, cf. Matt 4:8-10; Luke 4:5-

8), He is tempted to do a miracle relating to bread (6:31, cf.

Matt 4:3, 4; Luke 4:3, 4), and He is tempted to show off at the

temple (7:2, 3, cf. Matt 4:5-7; Luke 4:9-12). The difference is

that in the Gospel of John, these temptations all come through

human agents (cf. Matt 16:21-23).

The Water of Life

In the temple ceremony the vessels of the priests are only

filled for a short time. Those who come to Jesus have flowing

water available at all times. During the Feast of Tabernacles

the people prayed for rain, because rain at that time was a good

omen for an excellent grain-growing season. Jesus' statement in

7:37-39 indicates that the people's requests for water had been

answered in an unexpected way (Jesus seems to have had a number

of OT passages in mind when He spoke the words recorded in 7:38--

Isa 44:3, 4; 58:11; Joel 3:18; Ezek 47:1-12; Zech 14:8).

 180

In 7:39 the Holy Spirit is the living water that Jesus

offers, and Jesus is the source of the Holy Spirit to those who

come to Him. In this assertion, Jesus is replacing the temple,

because in OT end-time expectation the temple was the source of

living water to refresh the land (Ezek 47:1-12). He has already

declared Himself the source of living water in John 4:10-15. The

fresh direction that Jesus takes in 7:38 is to declare that those

who come to Him will themselves become a source from which others

can draw that living water. The believer is able to pass on the

Spirit to others.

THE WOMAN CAUGHT IN ADULTERY

GETTING INTO THE WORD

John 8:1-11

Please read 8:1-11 at least twice and then answer the

following questions:

1. Write out the words you think the teachers of the law and
the Pharisees would have used to accuse Jesus had He told
them to let the woman go. Write out what they would have
said if He had told them to stone her.
2. Describe in a paragraph or two what you would have written
on the ground if you had been in Jesus' place.

EXPLORING THE WORD

The Structure of the Passage

The relationship of this passage to the rest of the Gospel

of John is somewhat uncertain. In the NIV the comment is made,

"The earliest and most reliable manuscripts do not have John

7:53-8:11." This can be shocking to someone accustomed to the

 181

King James Version, which was based on a handful of fairly recent

copies of the NT (12th to 15th Century). In the last hundred or

so years, however, many more ancient manuscripts have been found,

some as early as the Second Century. The picture is as follows.

The story of the woman caught in adultery is omitted in all

the earliest Greek manuscripts. It is also omitted in most of

the oldest translations into Syriac, Latin, and Coptic. Neither

does any Greek commentator on the Gospel of John mention the

story before the 12th Century (a thousand years after the oldest

Greek manuscripts). None of the earliest Church Fathers mention

it as being a part of the Gospel of John. Many of the early

manuscripts that do have the story contain a notation indicating

uncertainty as to whether it belongs in the Gospel.

Even when the story is found, it is located in a surprising

variety of places. John 7:52 is the most frequent, as is found

in most Bibles today. But manuscripts exist where the story can

be found, respectively, after John 7:36, tacked on at the end of

the Gospel of John (after 21:25), after Luke 21:53, and tacked on

to the end of Luke (after 24:53). This wide variety of locations

would be extremely unlikely if the story had been part of the

original edition of the Gospel of John.

The story of the woman caught in adultery, however, was not

a late invention, it was clearly known in the church as early as

the second century, the problem is that it was not clearly

identified with the Gospel of John. What shall we make of all

this? Evidently the story is based on an actual event in the

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life of Jesus which was remembered by many people in a variety of

places. Although not included in one of the original gospels, it

was recognized as a unique and authentic witness to a special

teaching of Jesus. In the hopes of preserving this witness,

perhaps, various scribes sought to attach it to one of the

canonical gospels. The setting after 7:52 became the most common

because the story fits in well with chapters 7 and 8, a setting

of controversy and debate where Jesus refuses to pass judgment

(cf. 8:15).

The Passage in Detail

The contrast between those who go to their own homes (John

7:53) and Jesus, who appears to be "homeless" (8:1) is not

unusual in the other gospels, where Jesus is portrayed as one who

has no place to lay His head (Matt 8:20; Luke 9:58). The term

"adultery" (John 8:3, 4) implies that the woman was married and

had been caught cheating on her husband. In bringing only the

woman the opponents of Jesus were in violation of the law of

Moses which required that in the case of adultery, both partners

should be stoned (Lev 20:10; Deut 22:22).

Since Jesus was sitting down when the accusers arrived

(8:2), it was easy for Him to bend down and write in the dust

with His finger (6). It may be that He stooped down to write a

second time in order to allow the accusers freedom to leave with

as much dignity as possible (8, 9). Although the Biblical text

doesn't say so, it is quite possible that Jesus was writing the

secret sins of the accusers on the ground (White, Desire of Ages,

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p. 461; Barclay, 2:3). Most people would find such a

circumstance grounds for a hasty exit!

The dilemma with which the religious leaders confronted

Jesus was a difficult one. If He told them to let her go, they

would accuse Him of teaching people to disobey the laws of Moses.

If he told them to stone her, they would report Him to the

Romans, who didn't allow Jews to stage their own executions. In

His response, Jesus managed to uphold the legal penalty for

adultery while highlighting the importance of compassion and

forgiveness. Those who are quick to pass judgment on others act

as if they were guilty of no sin themselves.

Jesus does not judge the woman one way or the other. He

does not pardon her as He did the woman in Luke 7:36-50. He

chooses not to act as judge (John 3:17; 8:15), He will allow the

future acts of the woman to bear witness as to how she has judged

herself in relation to her encounter with Him (12:47, 48).

The Major Themes of the Passage

The theme of this passage fits in well with the Gospel of

John. Jesus knows all about the woman and He knows all about her

accusers. Yet He refuses to pass upon her the sentence that she

so undoubtedly deserved. This story has for millennia provided a

caution to those in the church who are quick to condemn the

actions of others, even when the condemnation is just. Jesus set

an example of mercy and kindness. Those who have tasted His

mercy in relation to their own sins will be merciful, tender, and

longsuffering toward others who struggle with sin, even where the
 184

sins appear willful and perverse (cf. 2 Tim 2:24-26, cf. White,

Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, pp. 120-123).

THE DEBATE CONTINUES

GETTING INTO THE WORD

John 8:12-59

Please read 8:12-59 at least twice and then answer the

following questions:

1. List the many statements Jesus makes in this passage

regarding who He is and His relationship to His Father. Why
do you think everything in this passage seems to hinge on
who Jesus is and who sent Him?
2. List all the issues that divide Jesus and His opponents in
this passage. Is there development in the discussion or do
they keep bringing up the same charges in different words?
3. On a copy of the text mark every appearance of the words
"Father" and "truth." What does the prominence of these
terms indicate about the basic issues in the passage?

EXPLORING THE WORD

The Structure of the Passage

The rest of chapter 8 is part of the Feast of Tabernacles

episode, which began at 7:1. The section begins and ends with "I
AM" statements (8:12, 58). Jesus continues to debate His case

with those who are in the temple courts for the Feast, but now

the leaders come out from the backstage and take Jesus on

directly (13, 22, 48, 52, 57).

The Background of the Passage

The Feast of Tabernacles, as mentioned earlier in this

chapter, was a celebration of the Exodus with a particular

 185

emphasis on the wilderness experience where God provided water

from the rock and the pillar of fire to light and warm the night

(Exod 17:1-7; Num 20:1-14; Exod 13:21, 22; 14:24; Num 14:14; Deut

31:15, cf. Isa 60:1-3; Zech 14:7, 8). Jesus again interrupts the

proceedings, this time to declare that He is the One who lights

up the world, He is the One who provided light in the wilderness

(8:12).

The Passage in Detail

The main theme of 8:12-20, surpassing the theme of light

(12) and the theme of judgment (15, 16) is the theme of witness,

reminiscent from John 5:31-47. The Father adds His witness to

the witness of Jesus, meeting the minimum standard of the law

(8:13-18, cf. Deut 19:15). If His opponents had truly entered

into relationship with Jesus, they would have known who Jesus'

Father was, and would have felt the power of Their combined

testimony (8:19).

In 8:21-30 the debate about Jesus' identity, and His

relationship with His Father continues. Jesus makes a couple of

significant "I AM" statements (24, 28). Verses 33-59 are quite

reminiscent of Jesus' denunciation of the Pharisees in Matt 23.

The entire section is held together by the theme of Abraham

(8:33, 37, 39-41, 52, 53, 56, 58). Both Jesus and His opponents

claim to exemplify the heritage of Abraham.

In verses 32, 33 the Jews and Jesus face a double

misunderstanding. They misunderstand what Jesus means by

freedom, and they misunderstand what it means to be the seed of

 186

Abraham. The only freedom that matters to Jesus is freedom from

sin. Sin has a way of dictating people's actions without them

even being aware of it. Unless the truth of Jesus permeates the

life, the enslavement to sin will prevent people from attaining

the full potential that God intended.

Those enslaved to sin are no better off than the Gentiles,

even if they are the physical descendants of Abraham (34-36).

They need the salvation that Jesus offers as badly as the

Gentiles do. Jesus points out that descent from Abraham is not

truly measured in physical terms but in terms of behavior (37-

40). A Jewish son is supposed to behave like his father (39).

The true children of Abraham behave the way Abraham behaved.

When Jesus' opponents try to deflect the argument by

pointing to God as their true Father (41) Jesus moves in for the

rhetorical kill. If they were children of God, they would

recognize Jesus as their spiritual brother, since He came from

God (42). Instead, since they seek to kill the One who brought

them the truth (40), their behavior marks them as children of the

devil, who like Cain was a murderer and a liar from the beginning
(44). By contrast, Jesus' truthful and sinless behavior

witnesses that He is the true Son of God (45-47).

At this point in the conversation things turn ugly. The

opponents of Jesus react to His accusations by turning the

charges back on Him. "You Yourself are a child of the devil,

possessed by him to do his work" (48). That made Jesus just as

bad as a Samaritan in their thinking. While Jesus doesn't mind

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being called a Samaritan, He doesn't like being called demonic

(49).

They further accuse Jesus of claiming to be greater than

Abraham (52, 53). Rather than denying the charge, He claims to

be the focus of Abraham's prophetic vision (56), thus He is not

only greater than Abraham, He is the I AM (54-58; see chapter 7

for more information about the I AM passages in the Fourth

Gospel). Following this "blasphemy" Jesus slips away as His

opponents dirty their hands with stones (59).

The Major Themes of the Passage

The Cross as Exaltation

The Gospel of John has a peculiar way of referring to the

cross, it is the "lifting up" of Jesus (3:14, 15; 8:28). While

the term is literally accurate as a description of the physical

act of crucifixion, the term has the extended meaning of lifting

up in an emotional sense. To lift someone up is to encourage

them, or to glorify them to a high status. For someone to lift

themselves up is to boast. Thus the "lifting up" of Jesus has

multiple meaning in the Gospel of John. It applies to the

physical act of raising Jesus onto the cross. It applies to the

physical act of His ascension. But more than that it is related

to the "glorification" of Jesus' character that took place on the

cross. The cross does more to validate Jesus' true nature than

all other evidence regarding His divine character (8:28).

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The Truth Will Set You Free

Like "lifting up" the word "truth" has more than one meaning

in the Gospel of John (see Brown, 1:499). Truth is, first of

all, an event that took place in the person of Christ (John 1:17;

14:6). It is the arrival of Jesus and His life and death that

brought truth to the world. But truth is also the revelation of

the will and character of God through the teaching and the life

of Jesus while He was on earth (3:33, 34). There is no other

place to go when one is searching for truth (8:32, 36; 14:6). In

an extended sense, therefore, the written testimonies concerning

Jesus' life and death, inspired by the Holy Spirit, have become

the central source of truth in the world since the time of Jesus

(16:13). For the "second generation" the NT has become the

greatest revelation of God that is available to us. To neglect

its testimony by commission or omission is to be cast adrift in a

world full of lies and half-truths.

In what sense does the truth set people free? Barclay notes

four aspects. 1) The truth brings freedom from fear. The

disciple of Jesus never walks alone, and in the presence of Jesus

fear is gone. 2) The truth brings freedom from self. The

greatest handicap to a fulfilled life for most people is found

within themselves. The greatest frustration is the inability to

change. Jesus has the power to change lives. 3) The truth

brings freedom from other people. Many people are paralyzed by

the fear of what other people may think of them. To know that

you are acceptable to God means it no longer matters what other

 189

people think. 4) The truth brings freedom from sin. Many people

have experienced the addictive power of sin; they sin, not

because they want to but because they have to. Sinners don't do

what they like, they do what sin likes. Discipleship breaks the

chains of sin and empowers people to reach their full potential

(Barclay, 2:21-23).

The Light of the World

In the wilderness, the pillar of fire represented God's

presence, protection, and guidance of the Israelite people (Life

Application Bible, p. 1893). In John 8:12-59 Jesus portrays

Himself as the Light of the world. In so doing He understood

Himself to represent God's presence, protection, and guidance to

the New Israel of those who received Him. As the Light of the

world, He also brings the truth about God that will set people

free from sin (32-36). But wherever the Light of Jesus' nature

and message shines, judgment follows as the inevitable result.

The Light of the World brought judgment on the Jews of His time

because of their persistence in sin that made them unwilling to

accept the salvation from sin that He offered (33-59).

At the end of history, as at the time of Jesus, the issue in

the judgment is always, "What do you think of Jesus Christ."

There is no other issue. To accept Him is to have everything.

To reject Him is to lose everything. But judgment in relation to

Christ always shines light on behavior (32-44). The best

evidence of whether or not a person has accepted Christ is not in

the profession of the mouth, but in the behavior of the life.

 190

How we relate to God and how we treat one another are the

evidence of whether or not we are in Christ. Behavior is never

the basis of salvation, but it is the evidence in the judgment

that a person is saved.

APPLYING THE WORD

1. Do you face opposition to your faith in your own family? If

so, does knowing that Jesus faced the same problem help you
to cope with your own situation? Does one tend to be more
open or more cautious about expressing faith in the family
setting? Why?
2. When others are caught in sin are you quick to pass judgment
on them, or is your primary emotion one of sorrow and
compassion for them and their families? How do you think
the response of Jesus to the woman taken in adultery ought
to affect the church's response to divorce and re-marriage?
3. Does knowing that Jesus accepts you as you are make you more
or less likely to sin in the future? Why?
4. Do you think Christians or secular people are more likely to
misunderstand Jesus today? Explain your answer. Can you
think of times in your experience when you grossly
misunderstood the Bible, or some theological point? What
were the causes of your misunderstanding? To what degree
were you like or unlike the religious leaders of John 7 and
8?
5. What are some things that you are proud of in your religious
heritage? Do you think that your personal religious
heritage is usually a help or a hindrance to relationship
with Christ? Why? Does it help or hinder your relationship
with other Christians? With those outside the Christian
faith?

RESEARCHING THE WORD

1. Using a Bible Atlas, the SDA Bible Dictionary, an

encyclopedia, and any other resources available to you, try
to expand your knowledge of the climate and the flow of the
seasons in Palestine. Examine Lev 23 and Num 28, 29 with an
eye to the comments on those chapters in the SDA Bible
Commentary.
2. Compare Jesus' debates with "the Jews" in John 7 and 8 with
similar debates in Mark 2:1-3:6 and Mark 11:27 through
12:40. Note the comments on these passages in the SDA Bible
Commentary. Note the similarities and the contrasts between
the accounts in John and Mark. Taking Jesus' ministry as a
whole, what can you learn from the way Jesus dealt with
 191

opposition? To what degree is a similar response

appropriate for Christians today?

FURTHER STUDY OF THE WORD

1. For Ellen White's view on the meaning and significance of

the Feast of Tabernacles read Patriarchs and Prophets, 540-
542, and Desire of Ages, 447-449.
2. On the cross as the "exaltation" of Jesus see Schnackenburg,
2:398-410.
3. See also White, Desire of Ages, 447-470.
 CHAPTER 9

THE GOOD SHEPHERD BRINGS THE LIGHT OF LIFE

JOHN 9:1 - 10:21

As Jesus left the temple complex, escaping the murderous

purpose of the religious leaders, He came upon a man who had been

blind from birth (John 9:1). After being healed to the glory of

God (9:2-7), the narrative proceeds in a most humorous fashion

(8-34). With comical boldness the man interacts with neighbors

and with the religious leaders, defending Jesus ably and with

much sarcasm almost as if by accident.

After he is excommunicated from the religious system (34-35)

Jesus seeks him out to confirm his developing faith at the

expense of the Pharisees who were looking on (35-41). Jesus then

uses a series of illustrations to defend His actions in support

of the blind man (10:1-21). He portrays Himself as the Good

Shepherd who cares for the outcasts of Israel.

The passage as a whole (9:1 - 10:21) is a unity in which

Jesus, the Light of the world (8:12; 9:5), brings judgment on the

religious leaders who resist the shining of His light on the

hearts and lives of those who had once served the system.

192
 193

JESUS BRINGS LIGHT TO THE BLIND MAN

GETTING INTO THE WORD

John 9:1-41

Please read 9:1-41 at least twice and then answer the

following questions:

1. List as many points of contact between John 9 and the

previous section (John 7 and 8) as you can find. When does
this scene take place?
2. There are four major reactions to Jesus in John 9, those of
the neighbors, the religious leaders, the man's parents and
the man himself. Take four pieces of paper and put
"neighbors," "religious leaders," "parents," and "healed
blind man" on top of each sheet respectively. Draw a line
down the middle of the sheet and put "certain" at the top of
one side and "uncertain" at the top of the other. Then list
in the appropriate column everything in the chapter that
indicates what each of these groups or individuals is
certain of and what they are not certain of.
3. Write a paragraph on the value this story may have had to
the second generation of Christians for whom John was
writing.
4. Write a paragraph regarding the dilemma that the religious
leaders find themselves in with respect to Jesus' claims
about Himself. In what way do John 5, 7 and 8 help to
clarify the nature of this dilemma?
5. What is the major theological issue in John 9:39-41?
Compare this passage with John 6:36-47 and 12:37-43. Write
out a paragraph describing how the Gospel of John seeks to
balance the concept of God's absolute freedom of action with
the concept of human responsibility.

EXPLORING THE WORD

The Structure of the Passage

In John 9 Jesus acts out in real life what He meant when He

said, "I am the Light of the world" (8:12). In healing the man

born blind, Jesus first of all gave him access to literal light,

the man could now see (9:7, 11, 15). At the end of the chapter

Jesus moves beyond the miracle of physical sight and gives to the
 194

man his spiritual sight (9:35-39). His power to give physical

sight demonstrated His ability and His authority to give

spiritual sight and spiritual life.

The story continues the Feast of Tabernacles' themes of John

8 and 9. The theme of water is continued by the involvement of

the waters of the Pool of Siloam, from which the ceremonial

waters of the Feast were drawn, in the process of healing (9:7,

cf. 7:37-39). The theme of light is illustrated in the healing

and declared explicitly by Jesus (9:5, cf. 8:12). Though the

Jews of the day felt no need for Jesus because they were children

of Abraham (8:33), the story of this man, a Jew, a son of

Abraham, yet afflicted from birth, represented the spiritual need

of his countrymen for Christ. In 9:39-41 the main lesson of the

story of 9:1-38 is drawn out explicitly. Other lessons from the

story are drawn out in the first half of John 10.

The story of John 9 draws a sharp contrast between the

healed blind man and the Pharisees. He repeatedly admits

ignorance of who it was that healed him (12, 25, 36). The

Pharisees, on the other hand, boast with confidence that they

know exactly what is going on (16, 24, 29).

The blind man continually grows in faith, talking about a

"man 'they' call Jesus" (11), then coming to believe that Jesus

must be a prophet (17), then wishing to become His disciple (27--

note the "you too,"-- Talbert, Reading John, 160), then insisting

that He must be from God (33), and finally worshipping Jesus as

the Son of Man (38). The Pharisees, on the other hand,

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continually grow in blindness as the story progresses. At first

they accept the fact that a healing took place (15), then they

seem uncertain (16, 17). As the debate continues they become

less and less objective until they try to entrap the man into

saying the wrong thing (27), express their total rejection of

Jesus (29), and finally end up vilifying the one whose main fault

was that he happened to be in the vicinity when Jesus walked by

(34). At the end of the chapter, their blindness is confirmed by

the Light of the world (39-41).

The Background of the Passage

John's decision to include this story in his Gospel may

indicate that the debate between the healed blind man and the

religious leaders reflects the debates between Jews and

Christians in the world to which John wrote. After the

destruction of Jerusalem, Jews became increasingly interested in

finding ways to identify Christians who were attending the

synagogues so as to exclude them from the services of worship.

This is in contrast to the situation reflected in the book of

Acts where Christians generally worshipped quite freely in the

synagogues and the temple (Acts 13:5; 15:21)

The story of this chapter would, therefore, have been a

comfort to second generation Christians, particularly Jewish

Christians, who had lost their place in the synagogue and were

wondering if they had done the right thing in following Jesus.

Other possible attempts to speak to the difficult situation in

which some Christians at the end of the century found themselves

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are 12:42, 43 and 16:2.

The Jews of the time believed that reward and punishments

would follow actions as far as the third and fourth generation.

When disease struck, there must be a spiritual cause. Thus, if a

child were born blind it meant either that a parent or

grandparent had sinned, or that God was punishing in advance for

sins yet to be committed. For those born of Jewish parents,

however, the "merits of the fathers" might come into play to

mitigate the punishment. It was felt that fathers like Abraham

and Moses had achieved such sterling obedience that they had

piled up a fund of merit that might mitigate the consequences of

sin in later generations of Jews. This explains some of the

pride exuded by the statement, "we are children of Abraham"

(8:33, 39).

The Passage in Detail

In 9:2 the disciples express the theology of the times when

they ask who is to blame for the man's condition, he or his

parents. They seem to have felt that every illness or handicap

was a direct result of specific sin. Jesus moves quickly to deny

this theology (9:3), thereby denying the whole Jewish system of

rewards and punishments. While it is true that many illnesses

are the direct result of sin or poor health practices, there are

other reasons for people to be sick or handicapped. A message of

this passage is that illness or disability sometimes provides a

setting in which the work of God becomes uniquely visible.

After anointing the man's eyes with mud, Jesus sends him to
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the Pool of Siloam, at least 1200 yards from where Jesus was

standing, to wash the mud off. The man's eyes are opened at the

pool, not next to Jesus, another confirmation of the Johannine

theme that Jesus' word is as good as His touch.

After his neighbors engage the man in an amusing interchange

(8-12), they bring him to the Pharisees for questioning (13).

Since the day of the healing was a Sabbath (14), and since the

man was born blind, Jesus' needn't have been in a hurry to heal

him. This fact creates a serious dilemma for the Pharisees (15,

16). On the one hand, the healing pointed to the work of a man

accredited by God. Taking the initiative to heal on the Sabbath,

however, showed Him to be a sinner, for the prophet who does

mighty works yet does or teaches things contrary to the law of

God is a false prophet (cf. Deut 13:1-5). In doing this deed,

Jesus was pressing them to reason beyond their philosophical

capacity! And the stakes were very high. As the healed man was

to point out, if performing a miracle indicated that someone was

a prophet, performing a miracle without precedent in human

history would surely signaled the arrival of the Messiah, would

it not (John 9:32)?

Although the man's parents knew the truth, they refused to

speak because they feared the consequences (9:18-22). But if

they counseled their son to maintain a similar silence, it did no

good, he instead waxes bolder and bolder in sarcastic defiance of

the religious leaders (27, 30-33). The unbelief of the religious

leaders was an amazing thing to the healed man (30). In their

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final statement they even let on that they know that the healing

was valid (34), their opposition is not based on reasoned

argument, it is based on blind hatred. Since Jesus is not in

their possession, they take out their wrath on the man Jesus had

healed. This illustrated to the second generation that those who

opposed them in their Christian walk were persecuting Jesus as

well as them. He shared in their suffering, as they shared in

His.

Verses 35-41 set the stage for the Good Shepherd discourse

of John 10. Jesus is the One who cares for the outcasts. When

the leaders of a religious system cast people out on the basis of

their enmity for Jesus, they demonstrate their own blindness (39-

41) and give Jesus an opportunity to collect the outcasts for

Himself (35-38).

The Major Themes of the Passage

Predestination and Human Responsibility

A major issue in the Gospel of John is clearly signaled in

the closing verses of John 9. In verse 39 Jesus makes it clear

that God is in control of events in this world. He has come in

order that judgment might take place, "so that the blind will see

and those who see will become blind" (39). There is no hint here

of any human choice or responsibility. But then in response to

the Pharisees Jesus asserts that they must take responsibility

for their own blindness (41), no one has done it to them.

We see in John 9:39-41, therefore, a dynamic tension between

 199

the assertion that God is in control of events, on the one hand,

yet human beings are responsible for their own destiny on the

other (for an elaboration of what I mean by "dynamic tension" see

What the Bible Says About the End-Time, 80).

The same dynamic tension is found throughout the Gospel,

12:37-43 for example. This passage seeks to answer the question,

why is it that Jesus did so many miraculous signs and yet many

did not believe in Him (37)? Two answers to the question are

given. First, it is asserted that many "could not believe"

because, to quote Isaiah the prophet, God "has blinded their

eyes, and deadened their hearts" (38, 39). The original is

explicit, "they were not able to believe" (38) because of God's

action. Second, however, even many who believed would not

confess their faith "for they loved praise from men more than

praise from God" (42, 43). Unbelief has a dual cause; divine

action, on the one hand, and human action on the other.

It is clear throughout John that faith is a condition for

receiving the gospel. It is an attitude that human beings must

adopt for themselves (3:18, 36). They are not allowed any excuse
for unbelief (15:22; 12:47), it ultimately results from a lack of

will (5:40; 7:17). Ultimately people do not come to Jesus

because in some way they refuse to come.

Ultimately in the Fourth Gospel, unbelief signals a moral

problem. The reason people don't come to Christ is that they

have something to hide (3:19-21; 5:44; 8:37-47). Sin, you see,

leaves you only two choices if you want to live with yourself.
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First, you can confess your sin to God and whoever else it needs

to be confessed to, and be at peace with yourself and the

universe. Or, second, you can change your theology to fit the

reality of your unredeemed sinfulness.

Behind most heresies, therefore, is a moral problem.

People's theologies change to fit their lifestyles. This is

supported by the findings of psychology. Research indicates that

what you believe has relatively little impact on how you live.

You will find sexual, physical, alcohol and drug abuse among

church members in good and regular standing and in similar

proportions to the secular world. But the reverse is different,

how you live has a massive impact on what you believe. To engage

in known sin will eventually change what you believe, if it is

not confessed and forsaken.

But the above truth must not cause us to overlook its

opposite reality in the Fourth Gospel. In John 6:36-47 Jesus

asserts that no one comes to God unless it was given him or her

by God (37). No one comes to God unless they have been drawn by

God, or "pulled" (44). But while faith is never possible without

God's intervention, even in this passage there is the sense that

in the end people are permitted to make their own decision,

whether they will allow themselves to be drawn or not (37, 40).

"Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from Him comes to

Me" (45).

In the sayings of Jesus recorded in the Fourth Gospel,

therefore, John strikes a powerful dynamic between God's

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"predestination" and human responsibility. No one should ever

say that they came to God. No one comes to God unless God

chooses to draw them. The power and love of God are ultimately

responsible for every person who comes to Jesus. But who does

God draw? "They will all be taught by God" (45, cf. Isa 54:13).

The danger in the doctrine of predestination is not in what

it affirms, but in what it denies. Predestination affirms

rightly that God is the reason anyone comes to faith. No one can

ever boast of what a great Christian they are. None of us would

even begin the walk with Christ, unless God had intervened in our

lives. But predestination oversteps the bounds of Scripture if

it asserts that we have no choice in the matter of whether or not

we will be saved.

The Gospel of John repeatedly asserts that human beings have

a choice in the matter, and that they are held responsible for

that choice. The ultimate and greatest sin in the Fourth Gospel,

therefore, is unbelief (16:9; 9:41). To refuse to believe in the

face of such a great salvation, and in the face of all God's

"pulling" power is sin of unconscionable proportions. Yet even

there, no human being would even become aware of the sin of

unbelief unless the Holy Spirit became the agent of conviction

(16:9). To boast of spiritual prowess is, therefore, the most

feeble of all boasts.

Perhaps this dynamic tension can best be harmonized as

follows: when I look at my own personal past, it is clear that I

owe all spiritual progress to the mighty working of God in my

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life, at the same time, however, when I look to the future, it is

equally clear that there are choices that I must make in order to

continue in that progress.

THE GOOD SHEPHERD FINDS THE OUTCASTS

GETTING INTO THE WORD

John 10:1-21

Please read 10:1-21 at least twice and then answer the

following questions:

1. Using a concordance to the King James Version (such as

Cruden's or Strong's) find all the verses in the Gospel of
John that contain the statement "verily, verily" (look up
the word "verily"). Make a list of all these verses and
write beside each a brief summary of how it fits into the
context. Does it introduce a new thought or emphasize a
previous one? Does it come at the beginning, middle, or end
of a discourse or discussion?
2. Compare John 10:1-21 with Luke 15 and Matt 18. On three
sheets of paper write down the similarities and differences
that you see between these three versions of the lost sheep
motif in their respective contexts.
3. What do the sheep, the shepherd, the stranger, and the
robbers each represent? In what way is this passage related
to John 9?

EXPLORING THE WORD

The Structure of the Passage

The first part of John 10 (1-21) is closely connected with

the events of John 9. This is evident in the original. The

chapter does not begin with some expression of a new beginning,

but with "I tell you the truth" ("verily, verily I say unto you"

in the KJV-- Greek: amên amên). Nowhere else in the Gospel does

Jesus use this expression at the beginning of a discourse, it

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always comes as a point of emphasis in the midst of a discourse

or a discussion (for example, 6:26, 32, 47, 53; 8:34, 51, 58).

Jesus builds on the story of His healing of the blind man and

then rescuing him from the spiritual abuse of the religious

leaders (9:1-41). The response of the healed blind man to Jesus

is reflected in 10:4; he was a sheep that recognized the voice of

the Shepherd and followed Him. In John 10 Jesus is the Good

Shepherd who cares for the sheep, even the sheep that have been

cast out of the sheepfold.

John 9:39-41, therefore, is duodirectional. It functions as

the summary and conclusion of the spiritual lesson of John 9. At

the same time, it provides the take-off point for the discourse

on the Good Shepherd in John 10. The Light of the world reveals

the true condition of those would-be shepherds, the Pharisees.

Instead of genuinely caring for the sheep, they prove themselves

to be hirelings.

John 10:1-21 divides naturally into two parts. Verses 1-6

offer an analogy from real life in the ancient world (1-5)

followed by a concluding statement (6). Then in 10:7ff. Jesus

offers allegorical explanations of the analogy in verses 1-5. He

speaks of Himself as the Gate (7-10) and the Good Shepherd (11-

18) who does not lose track of His sheep (cf. 26-30). Verses 19-

21 offer the mixed reaction of the religious leaders who were

present.

The Background of the Passage

John 10:1-5 is the closest you come in the Gospel of John to

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Jesus telling a parable. In addition to this passage, there are

a number of other statements that sound vaguely like parables.

Analogies is probably a better word to describe them. Jesus

speaks of the wind (3:8), the best man at a wedding (3:29), the

harvest (4:35-38), slave and free (8:34, 35), the traveler by

night (11:9, 10), the grain of wheat (12:24) and the vine (15:1-

7). These are not parables in the truest sense such as one finds

in Matthew, Mark and Luke. The analogy in 10:1-5 actually bears

a lot of similarity to ancient riddles.

Sheepfolds in ancient Palestine were usually natural caves.

The sheep would be led into the cave in the evening and the

shepherd would take up his position at the entrance to the cave

and sleep there. Any robber or wild animal that sought access to

the sheep would have to physically get by the shepherd to do it.

The same was true for any sheep who wished to wander out for a

stroll in the dark. Where caves were not available, a fieldstone

enclosure would be built with an opening at one end just big

enough for the shepherd to block with his body as he slept. So

when Jesus described Himself as the Good Shepherd and as the Gate
for the sheep, listeners would have recognized that these

concepts were two different ways of describing the same activity.

There are several OT parallels to the Good Shepherd

discourse. As Moses neared the end of his life he became

concerned to find a worthy successor for the leadership of Israel

(Num 27:12-23). He prayed that God would appoint a man over the

community who would lead them out and bring them in like a
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shepherd does for sheep (27:16, 17). This role passed on to

Joshua (whose name is the Hebrew equivalent of Jesus). In Mic

2:12, 13 Yahweh Himself takes on the role of the Shepherd of

Israel. And in Ezek 34 it is the kings of Judah who are the

shepherds of Israel. But they have been unfaithful to the

requirements of the task (34:2-6). So Yahweh plans to become

their shepherd Himself (11-16). He will then set right the

things which have been neglected and mishandled (17-22), and will

place over Israel His servant David, who will handle them

according to Yahweh's plan (23, 24). From then on Israelites

will prosper in all that they do (25-31).

In the OT, therefore, the Good Shepherd concept is

associated with Yahweh Himself and with the successors of Moses

and David. All of these concepts clearly apply to Jesus, who is

the true Moses (John 1:17, etc.), a king in the line of David

(1:49; 12:13, 15; 18:33-39, cf. 7:42), and one who is equal with

the Father (1:1; 10:30).

One further detail is most interesting. In the ancient

Jewish synagogue liturgy, Ezek 34 was read on a Sabbath after the

Feast of Tabernacles, when the Feast of Dedication was drawing

near. In the Gospel of John, the Good Shepherd discourse comes

directly after the Feast of Tabernacles (cf. 7:1-11, 14, 37) and

just before the passage describing Jesus' visit to the Feast of

Dedication (10:22). Thus, the Good Shepherd discourse of Jesus

fits into its expected place in the Gospel as determined by the

historical context.
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The Passage in Detail

The riddle of 10:1-5 stresses the relationship between the

shepherd and the sheep. He always comes in by the entrance,

never by another way, as a robber might do (1, 2). The sheep

follow him because they recognize his voice and he calls them by

name (3, 4). They will not follow a stranger because they don't

recognize his voice (5).

Jesus then sought to explain the analogy or riddle He had

just shared (6). He is the Gate for the sheep and all who came

before Him were thieves and robbers (7-10), but the true sheep

did not listen to them (8). The Gate is the Gate of salvation

(9). The "thieves and robbers" who came before Him may be a

reference to the Sadducees and the chief priests who had

dominated the temple system since early in the time of the

Maccabees (152 BC). As a matter of fact, the word for "kill" in

verse 10 is frequently used for sacrificial slaughter in the

temple. Although allowed to dominate the religious system, the

Sadducees and the chief priests never had the confidence of the

common people within early Judaism.

In contrast to the thieves and robbers who steal, and kill,

and destroy, Jesus provided a life that is abundantly richer and

fuller than that provided by the religious systems that opposed

Him (10). It has all the quality of eternal life, but begins

immediately for those who believe in Jesus (5:24, 25).

The Good Shepherd is next placed in contrast to the hired

hand, who doesn't own the sheep (10:11, 12). The hired hand has
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no personal concern for the sheep, he watches them only to make a

living. When a wild animal comes he runs away to protect what

really matters to him, himself (12, 13). The Good Shepherd, on

the other hand, is not only in intimate relationship with the

sheep, he is willing to lay down his life for them, because their

welfare is his primary concern (14, 15).

The "other sheep that are not of this sheep pen" (16) is

probably a reference to the incoming of the Gentiles, of whom the

first fruits are acknowledged in John 12:20-22. In fact, the

arrival of the Gentiles to see Jesus seems to signal to Him that

the time of His death has come (12:23, 24), the time when He is

about to draw, not just the Jews, but everyone to Himself (32).

Jesus closes His discourse with a reference to His voluntary

death and resurrection in obedience to the command of His Father

(10:17-18), a point on which we will elaborate in the chapter on

the crucifixion (John 18, 19). Again the religious leaders seem

uncertain whether Jesus is demon possessed or someone who speaks

and acts for God (10:19-21).

The Major Themes of the Passage

Jesus is the Gate

When Jesus describes Himself as the Gate through which the

sheep must pass in order to be saved, the Gospel is delivering

the same message as Acts 4:12 (cf. John 14:6). Jesus replaces

all other methods of salvation. There is no other way into the

sheep fold except by the Gate. All other paths to salvation are
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excluded now that Jesus has come.

Jesus is the Good Shepherd

As the Gate of salvation Jesus is the One who brings us to

the Father. As the Good Shepherd, Jesus is the One who takes

care of those who have entered the sheepfold of the church. His

two great qualifications for being the Good Shepherd are that He

is willing to die for the sheep ((John 10:11-13, 17-18) and that

He knows the sheep intimately (3, 14-16). In these two

qualities, He is in contrast to the Pharisees, who are

represented by the hired hands. The Pharisees do not care for

the sheep, they neither know them, nor are willing to die for

them. For them religion is primarily a matter of self-interest.

Jesus, on the other hand is the Good Shepherd. None of the

sheep are lost under His care. Not only does He take care of His

own, He is claiming the outcasts of the religious leaders for

Himself (9:34-38). The leaders threw the formerly blind man out

of their religious body, but Jesus reaches out to him and accepts

him.
The "parable of the lost sheep" in John 10 operates at two

levels. In the first place, it functioned at the time of Jesus

as a rebuke to the Jewish religious leaders who so roughly

handled the man born blind. In their treatment of him they

betrayed their true character as hirelings. At the extended

level, the story functions in the Gospel of John as an

encouragement to members of the second generation who are facing

similar treatment to that of the man born blind. In the second

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generation hears the voice of the True Shepherd, they are to

follow that voice no matter how the hired hands of their day

respond.

In Matt 18 the parable of the lost sheep functions

differently. The context is church discipline (Matt 18:15-17,

cf. 18:10-14). The true shepherd of the church will follow the

example of Jesus and do whatever it takes to find a sheep that

has drifted out of the church (12, 13). But although God regards

these lost sheep with tender regard (14), there are bigshots in

the church who don't respond to the little ones the way God does

(5-7). Matt 18 is addressed to the bigshots who love to censure

the little ones in the church who struggle with weakness and

immaturity. Those who sit in judgment within the church should

be concerned about how they handle their position because one day

they will be called into a higher court themselves (7-9). In

that court it will be demonstrated that God was more forgiving

than they were (23-35).

You see, the weak among the sheep are in far greater danger

outside the fold than they are within (unless, of course, the
leaders of the church turn out to be wolves in sheep's

clothing!). Yet in Matt 18 we find the amazing situation where

the shepherds of the sheep are pushing the sheep out of the fold,

giving them occasion to stumble and be lost (6, 29, 30).

Apparently God is far more tolerant toward those who fail than we

are. He is even more tolerant of our failures than we are of

ourselves!
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In Luke 15:3-7 the sheep is not thrown out, it wanders out

all by itself, yet the Good Shepherd goes out to find it anyway.

The message of John 10 is, "I don't let My sheep get lost" (John

10:28, 29). The message of Luke 15 is, "Even if they choose to

get lost, I never give up on them, I persevere until I find them

and bring them back." The blessed assurance of these passages is

that no one who comes to the Father through Jesus is ever cast

out (John 6:37). We may be weak in faith, and stumble from

pillar to post, but if we remain in Jesus, as a branch remains in

the vine (cf. 15:1-7), we will not only be secure, but gradual

growth in grace and character will take place as well. It is our

job to believe and to choose, it is His job to keep us safe in

His hand (10:28, 29).

APPLYING THE WORD

1. What kind of handicaps, financial reverses, relationship

problems, illnesses, or other sorrows have ultimately proven
to be a great blessing to you spiritually and in other ways?
How did you come to recognize the hand of God in some of
these circumstances?
2. Have there been times in your life when you have been
excluded from a group because of your religious convictions?
Did this exclusion eventually prove to be a blessing or does
it continue to hurt today? What steps could you have taken
to prevent that exclusion? Would these steps have pleased
God?
3. Have you learned to distinguish the "voice of God" in your
life as opposed to other "voices?" What strategies have
helped you become more open to God's leading in your life?
What aspects of modern life make it particularly difficult
to sense the voice of the Good Shepherd? Can you recall the
last time you knew that God had been guiding you in a
certain direction?

RESEARCHING THE WORD

1. Read through the entire Gospel of John once more carefully.

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Isolate every statement that you can find which relates to

the issues of God's freedom of action on the one hand
(statements like "I came to this world in order to. . .")
and human responsibility on the other (statements like, "If
you are willing to do His will . . ."). Note how often one
or more of each comes in the same passage. Try to develop
your own approach to the issue.

FURTHER STUDY OF THE WORD

1. For more information on ancient riddles and the Gospel of

John see the dissertation by Doh.
2. For further study of the issue of predestination versus
human responsibility in the Gospel of John see
Schnackenburg, 2:259-274; SDA Bible Dictionary, 873-875.
3. See also White, , 470-484.
 CHAPTER 10

THE MESSIAH BRINGS LIFE FROM THE DEAD

JOHN 10:22 - 11:1-57

The material covered in this chapter divides naturally into

three parts. First comes Jesus' visit to the temple precincts in

Jerusalem during the Feast of Dedication (10:22-42). Jesus uses

the opportunity to speak of his own dedication to be the One sent

by God into the world (36). The next section (11:1-44) contains

the narrative of the death and resurrection of Lazarus, which

serves as a foretaste of Christ's own death and resurrection. By

this astounding miracle Jesus proves that He is truly the

Resurrection and the Life (25, 26). This same miracle, however,

provides the context in which the religious leaders become so

desperate to counter His influence on the people that they lay

specific plans to kill him in order, they feel, to save the

nation from destruction (11:45-57).

JESUS AT THE FEAST OF DEDICATION

GETTING INTO THE WORD

John 10:22-42

Please read 10:22-42 at least twice and then answer the

following questions:

212
 213

1. Compare this passage with the account of Jesus' visit to the

temple in John 7 and 8. Write down every common feature
between the two narratives that you can detect.
2. What are the main issues between Jesus and the Jewish
religious leaders in this passage? Try to summarize Jesus'
responses to each of these issues in a paragraph.
3. List on a sheet of paper all the events recorded in the
Gospel that occur in the region of the Jordan. On the basis
of this survey, how would you explain that Jesus was much
more favorably received across the Jordan than in Jerusalem?

EXPLORING THE WORD

The Structure of the Passage

This passage contains many echoes of Jesus' visit to the

temple during the Feast of Tabernacles. The events all take

place in the precincts of the temple (cf. 7:14, 28). The Jewish

religious leaders are in the forefront of the attempt to debate

with Him (cf. 8:25, 53). A primary issue is the question of

Jesus' Messiahship (cf. 7:26, 31, 41, 42; 9:22). There is once

again an attempt to arrest Him and to stone Him (7:30, 32, 44-46;

8:59). Jesus again claims a unique relationship with His Father

(7:16, 17, 28, 29, 33; 8:16-19, 26-29, 38, 42, 49, 50, 54, 55).

The passage revolves around two basic issues, the question

of whether or not Jesus is the Messiah (10:24), and the

accusation of the Jews that Jesus has committed blasphemy in His

claim to a unique relationship with God (10:33). Jesus' response

to the first issue is found in verses 25-30. The response of the

religious leaders is to pick up stones with which to execute Him

(31). They justify the planned execution on the charge of

blasphemy (33), to which Jesus responds at some length (34-38).

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After a further attempt to seize Him, He slips away and returns

to the other side of the Jordan where the Baptist had done his

preaching, and where He is received more positively (39-42).

This break in the account brings to a close the section of the

Gospel that centered on Jesus' activity in relation to the feasts

of Judaism (chapters 5-10 of the Gospel).

The Background of the Passage

The Feast of Dedication (called Hanukkah today) did not

originate in OT times. It celebrated the re-dedication of the

temple in Jerusalem in 165 BC after Antiochus Epiphanes, King of

Syria, had defiled it a few years before. Among other things,

Antiochus sacrificed a pig on the temple altar, forbade keeping

of the Sabbath, and compelled many Jews to eat pork. After the

Maccabees, a group of Jewish guerilla fighters under the

leadership of Judas Maccabeus, liberated Jerusalem from the

clutches of Antiochus, they saw to the cleansing and rededication

of the temple, the celebration of which became an annual feast

within Judaism. By attending the Feast, Jesus lent it a certain

legitimacy, even though it did not have a Biblical origin.

The concept of the dedication of the temple, however, did

have a Biblical origin. In the wilderness, God Himself appeared

in person at the dedication of the tabernacle under Moses (Exod

40:34, 35; Num 7:1-11). Num 7, therefore, became the chief

reading from the books of Moses for the Feast of Dedication.

When Solomon finished the construction of the temple, there was a

similar ceremony of dedication, and once more the personal

 215

appearance of God took place (1 Kings 8:1-11, 62-65; 2 Chr 7:1-

9).

After the Exile in Babylon, Zerubbabel raised up a more

modest temple (Hag 1:12 - 2:9) to replace Solomon's which had

been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar (2 Chr 36:18, 19). The opening

of this building was also celebrated with a ceremony of

dedication (Ezra 6:13-18). A similar service was held nearly a

hundred years later to celebrate the completion of the walls of

Jerusalem under Nehemiah, (Neh 12:27-47). So the ceremony of

dedication under the Maccabees which eventually developed into

the annual Feast of Dedication was certainly not without

precedent in the sacred Scriptures of the Jewish people.

In the NT the concept and/or language of dedication is used

in relation to the dedication of the infant Jesus in the temple

(Luke 2:23), the baptism of Jesus (Matt 3:13-17; Luke 3:21, 22),

the scene in John 10 that we are discussing, the inauguration of

the heavenly sanctuary at the ascension of Christ (Heb 10:20, cf.

Rev 4, 5), the cessation of the heavenly sanctuary's ministry

before the seven bowls of wrath are poured out in Revelation (Rev
15:5-8; cf. 16:1-21) and the inauguration on earth of the New

Jerusalem (Rev 21:1-8, 22).

The Passage in Detail

The Feast of Dedication normally comes in the month of

December, at the onset of winter (10:22). The weather in

Palestine at that time is quite similar to November in Europe and

the northern half of the continental United States, cold and

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often rainy. Bitter winds strike Jerusalem out of the east much

of the time.

Jesus was walking with His disciples in the part of the

temple area called Solomon's Colonnade (23). This was

appropriate to the season because Solomon's Colonnade was a

roofed walkway supported by columns along the eastern wall of the

temple complex. The colonnade provided shelter from the bitter

east winds and on clear days was warmed in the later part of the

day by the sun.

The religious leaders gather around Jesus and demand a plain

answer to the question, "If you are the Christ (Messiah), tell us

plainly" (24). "How long will you keep us in suspense?" is a

creative but accurate English translation of a Greek idiom that

says, roughly, "How long will you keep our souls raised up?" It

is conceivable that the question was intentionally tricky like

the one in the story of the woman caught in adultery (8:3-11).

The Feast of Dedication celebrated Jewish deliverance from

foreign oppression 200 years earlier, thus it would tend to raise

hopes that deliverance from Rome might again occur during the
Feast. In that kind of atmosphere the Romans would be more

sensitive to Messianic claims than usual. The intent of the

question may have been to stir up the Romans against Jesus.

Jesus responds that He has already answered their question

through his actions, such as healing the man born blind (cf.

10:21), but that they cannot understand because they are not His

sheep, and do not, therefore, recognize His voice (25-27). In

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verses 26 and 27 Jesus refers back to the Good Shepherd

discussion at the beginning of the chapter (3-5, 14-16). Verse

28 reiterates a common theme in the Gospel of John, eternal life

has become a present reality through relationship with Jesus.

This is possible because He and the Father work in total harmony

(28-30).

In verse 32 we find one of Jesus' most humorous comments in

the Gospel of John. The religious leaders stand before Him with

stones in their hands, breathing fire (31). Jesus says, as it

were, "Just one moment, before you stone me please explain, for

which of my good works are you stoning me?" They respond that

they are not objecting to His good works, but that they seek to

stone Him for blasphemy, for claiming to be God (33, cf. 5:18).

Jesus replies first of all that the word "God" is not always

an inappropriate term for human beings to take upon themselves

(10:34, 35). Psalm 82 indicates that earthly judges in ancient

Israel functioned as "gods" because they were carrying out God's

work of judgment according to His appointment. If that

designation was appropriate for ordinary human beings when they

were appointed by God, how much more is the term appropriate when

God's own Son, the one who existed with God from eternity and

bears within his own person the fullness of deity, is appointed

by God to go into the world to reveal what God is like (John

10:35, 36, cf. 1:1)! If the argument goes over our heads a bit

today, the basic point is clear. Jesus' claims do not exceed

what Scripture allows (Talbert, Reading John, 170).

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As the "Dedicated One" Jesus was sent by the Father to do

works that are the counterpart of the works in the temple, saving

human beings from sin (John 10:37, 38). His miracles, such as

the raising of Lazarus which He is about to do, testify to those

who are willing to listen that Jesus is truly the One He claims

to be (cf. 20:30, 31). But the religious leaders again

demonstrate that they are not truly listening (10:39).

Since Jesus' own land has rejected him (cf. 1:11), He leaves

Judea to find faith across the Jordan (40-42). There the

ministry of the Baptist is still respected, and, as a result,

Jesus gets a much more positive hearing than He does in Jerusalem

and Judea. Verse 41 is the last of four mentions of the Baptist

in the Gospel of John, each shorter than the one before (1:19-36;

3:23-30; 5:33-35; 10:41). It is almost as if the author of this

Gospel has programmatically illustrated the increase of Jesus and

the decrease of the Baptist in terms of the respective attention

that they receive from the reader of the Gospel (cf. 3:30).

The Major Themes of the Passage

The Dedication of Jesus

The key theme of this section of the Gospel is that in the

person of Jesus God has once again come to the temple as He did

at its various dedications in days of old (cf. Exod 40 and 1

Kings 8). And He comes at the official time of dedication in the

calendar of the temple (10:36)! Once again Jesus appears as the

substantive replacement of a Jewish feast. He offers to those

 219

who believe in Him the very life that was promised to those who

worshipped at the temple in Jerusalem (cf. 1:14; 2:21). Those

who believe in Jesus have fuller access to God than that

available to those who supported the sacrificial system in

Jerusalem (10:27-29, cf. 1:12-18; Rom 5:1, 2; Heb 9:6-10; 10:19-

22).

The Deity of Christ

It seems that what Jesus meant in 10:30 is best understood

by the reaction of the Jews in verses 31 and 33. They clearly

understood Him to claim equality with God. And instead of

refuting the charge by saying, "Of course I am not equal with

God, where did you come up with such a stupid idea?" Jesus offers

the problematic response of verses 34-36, essentially saying,

"There is nothing Scripturally wrong with what I said or with

what you understood. Furthermore, if you where truly paying

attention to the things I have been doing you would not question

My claims about Myself (37, 38)."

The controversy between Jesus and the Jews began over His
healing on the Sabbath, but intensified over His claim to be

equal with God (cf. 5:16, 18). The religious leaders were not

expecting the Messiah to be a divine figure. Therefore, when

Jesus claimed unity of being with God and apparently defied the

regulations related to the Sabbath, they felt justified in

rejecting Him as the promised Messiah.

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JESUS RAISES LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD

GETTING INTO THE WORD

John 11:1-44

Please read 11:1-44 at least twice and then answer the

following questions:

1. Describe briefly the effect of the previous passage (10:22-

42) on Jesus' actions in this passage.
2. What verse(s) hold(s) the key to understanding the
theological purpose that Jesus had in raising Lazarus from
the dead? Describe that theological purpose in a paragraph
or two.
3. Why do you think Jesus delayed two days before going to
Bethany? Write a brief paragraph about each person, group,
and event that was affected in some way by that delay.
4. Based on the encounters in this chapter, try to write a
brief character sketch of Mary and Martha. What are their
respective personalities like? What is their respective
attitude toward Jesus at the time of His visit in this
chapter? How did they feel about His delay in responding to
their request? What is the respective condition of their
faith before Lazarus is raised? Explain.
5. Since Jesus knows that He has come to raise Lazarus from the
dead (11), why is He troubled and sorrowful in verses 33-38?
Explain your answer.

EXPLORING THE WORD

The Structure of the Passage

The setting of this narrative is the preceding section.

Jesus has earned the undying hostility of the religious leaders

in Jerusalem by claiming to be God (10:33). Jesus has withdrawn

from the area of Jerusalem, thus lowering the tension somewhat

(10:40). But the reader senses that all it will take to provoke

the religious leaders to finish off Jesus is one final

provocative act. The scene is, therefore, set for the last straw

in Jesus' stormy relationship with the Jewish ruling council.

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The key statement of the chapter seems to be found in 11:4;

the purpose of Lazarus' illness and death is that both God and

His Son might be glorified in it. This is a deliberate double

meaning. The characters of Jesus and His Father are glorified in

what the miracle tells of their power to give life and to show

mercy, but Jesus is glorified in the sense that the miracle is

what precipitates His suffering and death (11:53). The purpose

of the glorification is that the disciples and others might

believe (11:15, 40).

The Background of the Passage

A tomb in the Bethany area has been found containing the

names Lazarus, Mary and Martha. Although one cannot be

absolutely certain that this is the actual grave of the three

individuals featured in this passage, it is unlikely that this is

merely a coincidence, since they were probably a wealthy family

(who could afford "many" mourners [11:19], Talbert, Reading John,

173). At the least, this remarkable find is a further piece of

evidence confirming the basic accuracy of the historical setting

in the Gospel of John.

In popular Jewish belief at the time, the soul of an

individual hovered over the body for three days hoping for

resuscitation to take place, after that there was no more hope of

resurrection (Talbert, Reading John, 172). The result of the

fact that Jesus delayed coming for two days (11:6) was that

Lazarus would be dead a full four days when Jesus raised him (17,

39). Had Jesus come earlier, His raising of Lazarus from the
 222

dead might have aroused no more interest than merely another

healing. But the delay resulted in a powerful confirmation of

the fact that Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life (25, 26).

The Passage in Detail

The mention of Mary's anointing of Jesus' feet (11:2) seems

a bit strange when the story is only told in the next chapter of

the Gospel (12:1-8). Evidently the author knew that the story

was widely known among the second generation of Christians who

made up his original audience.

Why does Jesus delay for two days? The primary reason, of

course, is that Jesus does nothing in the Gospel apart from the

direction of God. When it would be time to go, the Father would

in some way signal that to Jesus (cf. 4:4; 7:1-9). An example of

such a signal can be seen in 12:20-24. Somehow Jesus recognized,

in the request of the Greeks to see Him, an indication that the

hour of His suffering and death had come, probably because that

death was to draw all creation to Himself (12:32).

When Jesus indicates that He is ready to go to Lazarus, the

disciples protest, reminding Him of the recent attempt to stone

Him in the environs of Jerusalem (cf. 10:31, 33). The disciples

seem to sense that if Jesus goes back to Jerusalem, it will be

for the last time. Jesus' reply reminds them that He is the

Light of the world (11:9, 10, cf. 9:4-5, 1:4; 3:16-21). Just as

He cannot go wrong when He operates at the direction of His

Father, the disciples cannot go wrong when they are walking in

Jesus' light.
 223

The passage that follows (11:11-16) is a clear illustration

of the Hebrew analogy between death and sleep. The Greek word

for sleep here (hypnou) is the root from which we get the word

"hypnotism," putting people to sleep. (No wonder some people

think a lot of hypnotism is going on in churches these days!)

Thomas hardly seems to be a doubter in this passage. If Jesus is

about to die, Thomas is quite prepared to die with Him! Actually

the real doubter in the Gospel of John is Philip (6:5-9; 14:8-

11).

Verse 17 demonstrates that Jesus did not deliberately delay

his arrival in Bethany so that Lazarus could be dead for four

days. He apparently did not know the exact time of Lazarus'

death, although He did know that it had occurred.

Jesus does not immediately enter into Bethany, but remains

outside of town and sends word that He has come. Martha goes out

to meet Him but Mary stays at home (20). Perhaps Mary was a

fragile personality who felt wounded that Jesus had not come

immediately at her request (3). Perhaps she was uncertain

whether Jesus really cared and feared to go out and see Him.
Martha had no such qualms, and after a gentle expression of

disappointment, she immediately expresses her continuing faith

and trust in Jesus (21-22, 24), drawing from Him one of His most

stirring self-affirmations (25, 26). In response Martha offers

one of the most profound expressions of faith in the whole Gospel

(27), far superior to that of Peter (6:68, 69), it is the very

expression that the Gospel sought to elicit from its readers

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(20:30, 31). Martha, therefore, forever assigned to the kitchen

in Luke 10:38-42, stands out in this Gospel as one of the

brightest examples of mature faith and discipleship.

Not so with Mary. When Mary finally goes out, at the

specific request of Jesus (28), she repeats Martha's complaint,

but without any affirmation of continued faith (32). As a result

she receives no revelation from Jesus (cf. 25, 26), and He draws

no confession of faith from her (cf. 27). Instead He becomes

deeply troubled at her lack of faith and the evident lack of

faith in those with her (33-37). That Mary's statement expresses

a lack of faith is clear from the parallel between Jesus'

reactions in verses 33 and 38 and the statements that caused

those reactions (32, 37). Jesus has come to invite them to

behold the resurrection and the life. Instead of anticipating

what He has to offer, they invite Him to behold death, the tomb

of Lazarus (34).

John 11:26 has troubled many people. What does Jesus mean

when He says that those who believe in Him will never die? We

see believers dying all the time. Does that mean that the body
dies, but the soul continues to live in Christ? Here is where

the dialogue between Jesus and His disciples in verses 11-16

becomes instructive. For Jesus the death that believers die, is

not really death, it is only temporary like sleep (11-14).

Though believers may sleep like Lazarus, they will never die in

the ultimate sense.

God is fully able to give life to anyone He wishes (5:21-

 225

29). The exciting thing is that those who live and believe in

Jesus live in the divine favor (11:26). Death need not be feared

any longer. They may sleep but they will never truly die. Those

who have received spiritual life from Jesus are guaranteed

physical life at the resurrection.

Though Martha's faith shone brightly in verses 21 to 27, she

fails to fully reason to the implications of Jesus' I AM

statement (25, 26) for the situation at hand (39). Jesus gently

rebukes her for not seeing that He had come to do something above

and beyond all that she could ask or think, a miracle that would

foreshadow the fullness of the eschaton (40). Jesus prays with

eyes open and head raised (41, 42; the Bible does not mandate a

particular body position for prayer over against all others). He

does not touch Lazarus or even approach the tomb (43-- "Jesus

called with a loud voice"). His word is as good as His touch.

What results is an indisputable miracle (44). Lazarus had

been dead for four days. The reality of the miracle is not even

questioned by the hostile witnesses (47). In describing this

miracle, John clearly has Jesus acting out the promise of 5:28,
29. The dead man is in a tomb (11:17, cf. 5:28), He hears the

voice of Jesus (11:43, cf. 5:28) and he comes out (11:43, cf.

5:29). This is what happens when the Resurrection and the Life

comes in contact with death (11:25, 26, cf. John 5:21-30).

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The Major Themes of the Passage

Glory

In the chapter on the wedding at Cana we first noted the

theme of glory. It is a major highlight in this chapter as well.

The ultimate moment of glory for Jesus (in this Gospel) is His

exaltation on the cross. It is there that the character of God

is most plainly revealed in human flesh. While the raising of

Lazarus brought praise to God (cf. 12:12-18) and was the means of

encouraging belief (40), the greatest glory arose from the fact

that the miracle resulted in the arrest, suffering and death of

Jesus. That is why the account of raising Lazarus comes at the

transition in the Gospel from stories about the earthly ministry

of Jesus to the narrative of His suffering and death. It is the

turning point in the Gospel to a focus on the final Passover

(12:1; 13:1) and the passion that took place then.

Mary, Martha and the Second Generation

Fortunately, Mary of Bethany's moment of spiritual darkness

is only short-lived. In the resurrection of her brother Mary

receives the ultimate rebuke as well as the ultimate

encouragement. She may appear spiritually hopeless at this stage

of her experience, nevertheless, when her feeble faith receives

its ultimate confirmation, she rises to become the brightest

example of discipleship in the Gospel (12:1-8). What an

encouragement to the second generation to believe even when Jesus

is absent, and His power seems to have failed! What an

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encouragement to us who live in a secular world where God also

seems absent and powerless! Mary is an example of God's

limitless power to redeem those whose faith is weak and whose

hope is gone.

But to the second generation, of which we are a part, the

greater example may be Martha. Mary is like Thomas, who had to

see in order to believe (cf. 20:24-28). But Martha in this case

represents the second generation, who although she had not yet

seen the resurrection nevertheless believed on the grounds of

what she already knew about Jesus. There are two types of saving

faith in the gospel, the faith of those who see and the faith of

those who believe without seeing (29). Only the latter is

relevant for the second generation and for today, at a time when

Jesus is not physically present, yet can be fully appreciated

through the words of His disciples.

The Meaning of "Life"

The word "life" is used in a number of different ways in the

Gospel of John. It is important, whenever possible, to be able

to distinguish the exact nuance intended. In Matthew, Mark, and

Luke, of course, eternal life is limited to the future, when

Jesus returns in power and glory and raises those who believe in

Him to a physical life that will never end (Matt 19:29; 24:30,

31; 25:46; Mark 10:30; 13:26, 27; Luke 18:30). But in the Gospel

of John, life is particularly focused on the present reality of

what Jesus does for those who believe in Him (John 3:15, 16, 36).

It is apparent in the Fourth Gospel that Jesus is the true

 228

Giver of Life (5:21, 26; 6:33; 11:25, 26; 14:6, etc.). That life

is imparted by His words (4:50; 5:8, 24; 6:63; 11:43), so the

second generation is at no disadvantage. They have access to

Jesus' words through the Gospel (17:20). "Life" in the Gospel of

John is not primarily understood as physical existence, but

rather as the answer to humanity's search for meaning and

significance. Jesus makes it possible to attain life at its

fullest potential (8:32, 36; 10:10). Above all else, eternal

life is marked by a present and living relationship with God

through Jesus Christ (17:3). The physical resurrection of

Lazarus was the sign of two things, that Jesus had the power to

give eternal life now (in the sense of meaning and significance

to life) and to raise the dead to eternal physical existence at

the last day (5:28, 29).

There are two keys to attaining life at its best. The first

is to know that the source of that life is found only in Christ

(14:6; 6:33-59, cf. 1 John 5:11, 12). Wherever Jesus is, life is

(John 11:25, 26). The second key to attaining life is believing

(1:4, 12). It is through continual relationship with Jesus that

individuals appropriate the life that is ever present in Jesus

(3:16, 36).
 229

THE PLOT TO KILL JESUS

GETTING INTO THE WORD

John 11:45-57

Please read 11:45-57 at least twice and then answer the

following questions:

1. List all the events in the Gospel that provoked a reaction

from the religious authorities. What reaction did the
raising of Lazarus produce? In what way do you think the
leadership's reaction to the miracle in John 11 was affected
by perceptions of Jesus developed in earlier encounters?
Please elaborate on your answer on the basis of specific
passages in the Gospel itself.
2. Please list on a piece of paper the chief concerns of the
religious leaders that make them willing to eliminate Jesus?
Would these have been legitimate concerns if Jesus had been
a fraud? Explain.

EXPLORING THE WORD

The Structure of the Passage

The occasion for this meeting of the Sanhedrin was the

raising of Lazarus from the dead. We see in this context a

phenomenon that is true throughout the Gospel. Every miracle

which Jesus performed had two equal and opposite results. On the

one hand it built faith on the part of those who saw the true
significance of the sign (2:11 and 11:45, for example). But the

same miracle also increased the opposition and hatred toward

Jesus of the religious authorities that had resisted Him

virtually from the first (5:16-18; 9:14-34; 11:45-53).

This relationship of accelerating provocation can be clearly

seen in the following chart, where the events appear like an

ascending staircase:
 230

+)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))),
* +)Q Cleansing the temple (2:13-22) *
* +)3)Q Healing on the Sabbath (5:1-18) *
* * .)Q Disrupting Worship (7:37-39; 8:12) *
* * +)Q "Blasphemy" (8:58, 59) *
* .)3)Q Healing on Sabbath (9:1-16) *
* .)Q "Blasphemy" (10:30-33) *
.))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))-

The last straw that the religious leaders are waiting for in the

Gospel of John is the raising of Lazarus from the dead (11:1-44--

a total of seven provocative acts in Jerusalem). In the Fourth

Gospel it is the resurrection of Lazarus that precipitates the

final steps that lead to the "hour" of Jesus' ultimate

"glorification" and "lifting up," the cross (11:45-53).

The Passage in Detail

Among the mourners who had come to commiserate with Mary

over the death of her brother there was a division of reaction;

some believed in Jesus, but others felt that it was a provocation

that needed to be reported to the authorities (45, 46). In

virtual desperation, the authorities called a meeting to consider

the implications of Jesus' greatest miracle for their standing

before the people (47). They feared two things. They were first
of all concerned for their political position. They feared that

the people would stop listening to them and go over to Jesus as

their primary spiritual authority. Their second fear was that

the Romans would then do with Jesus and His followers what they

had done with the many Messianic pretenders up until that time

(48).

Apparently the meeting broke down into a babble of fearful

 231

speculation, for Caiaphas had to take forceful steps even to get

their attention (49, 50). To him the matter was of such grave

severity that only the death of Jesus could possibly save the

nation from destruction. So from that moment on the council set

its face to destroy Jesus (53).

Being aware of the council's plans Jesus no longer moved

about publicly in a way that brought Him to the attention of the

religious leadership. He withdrew with His disciples to a remote

area of Judea (54). As Passover drew near, the crowds began to

speculate whether Jesus would dare to make an appearance at the

Feast (55, 56). The ruling council bided its time, awaiting an

opportunity to arrest Jesus (57). These last four verses of John

11 signal the conclusion of Jesus' public ministry and provide

part of the literary bridge to the narrative of His passion.

The Major Themes of the Passage

The Biting Humor of the Gospel of John

We have seen that the Gospel of John has many examples of

deliberate double meanings. It also has many examples of the

biting style of humor called irony, in which one pokes fun at a

victim by saying the opposite of what is truly intended ("Oh,

what a lovely dress! Where can I get one like it?" says the vain

teen-age girl to another whose dress had been handed down for

generations!), or a person's expectations are suddenly and rudely

shattered (the cigar that blows up in your face!). The purpose

of such humor in this Gospel is to show the reader that to oppose

 232

the Gospel's view of Jesus is to ultimately look foolish and to

see one's hopes and dreams destroyed.

John 11:48-52 brings home the subtle and ironic message that

in destroying Jesus the religious authorities were defeating

their own intentions for themselves, both in this life and in the

life to come. The ruling council of the Jews was obviously

panicked by the resurrection of Lazarus (11:45-48). They feared

that if they didn't put a stop to His work "everyone will believe

in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our

place and our nation" (48). Caiaphas, a blustering windbag ("You

know nothing at all"-- 49), came on the scene to argue that the

council had to do away with Jesus if the nation was to survive

(50).

The ironic double meanings of the Fourth Gospel reach their

height in 48-52. Caiaphas, expressing his hostility to Jesus, is

congratulated for successfully prophesying that Jesus' death

would produce the salvation of the nation (though obviously in a

totally different sense than Caiaphas intended)! God evidently

used him to explain the meaning of Jesus' death even though he

didn't realize what he was doing.

The irony of John reaches almost riotous proportions in

verse 49. In desperation the Sanhedrin says that if they allow

Jesus to continue living everyone will believe in Him and the

Romans would come and destroy both city and temple. But what

does the reader at the end of the first century know? That in

crucifying Jesus the ruling council of the Jews brought upon

 233

themselves the very consequences they had feared. The purpose of

the religious leaders in crucifying Jesus was to save the nation

and the temple. The ironic result was that their action

destroyed the nation and the temple. Their purpose was to

prevent the world from believing in Jesus. The ironic result of

the crucifixion was that through the death of Jesus God brought

salvation to the world in a way that the religious authorities

would never have dreamed.

Contemporary Implications

The sinful human heart has an almost infinite capacity to

justify injustice. In this passage we see sincere religious

people developing good, solid reasons to destroy a gentle Teacher

whose primary mistake was to tell the truth about Himself.

During the Jewish Holocaust of World War II, the Nazis prided

themselves in the conviction that the day would come when the

world would thank them for getting rid of the Jews. They were

acting as servants to all nations! Such incredible self-

deception will reach its full and final zenith in the last days
of earth's history (cf. Rev 13:16, 17). Jesus speaks of a time

"when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to

God" (John 16:2). The Jewish religious leaders of Jesus' day

were no more guilty of such self-deception than any other people.

Those who reject Jesus today would act the same as they did, if

given the same opportunity.

 234

APPLYING THE WORD

1. Does it make any real difference if a person believes that

Jesus is fully God or not? In what ways would the ministry
of the Gospel of John be diminished in your life if you
thought Jesus was only a good man? An angel? The highest
created being?
2. Can you think of times in your life when God delayed in
answering your requests? How did you feel at such times?
Did you ever question God's care and concern at such times?
How did you recover your confidence in God? What
experiences confirmed your faith at those times?
3. Who do you relate to in this story? Mary? Martha?
Lazarus? The mourners with Mary? The Jewish leaders? Do
you think Jesus would weep or rejoice over your attitude
toward Him right now? What changes in your attitude do you
think He would like to make?
4. Have you ever opposed something that you knew deep down
inside was right? Why did you do it? How did you come to
acknowledge your self-deception? Can you think of some
strategies for avoiding self-deception on a day-to-day
basis?

RESEARCHING THE WORD

1. Using a Bible Atlas, study a map of the temple precincts in

Jerusalem. Identify the location of Solomon's Colonnade.
Would Jesus and His disciples be within earshot of the inner
courts of the temple? How far were they from the Roman
fortress of Antonia?
2. With the help of a concordance and/or the SDA Bible
Dictionary find and list all the resurrections from the dead
in the Bible. How many eras of Biblical history are
represented? In what way(s) is the resurrection of Lazarus
unique among these? In what ways is it similar?

FURTHER STUDY OF THE WORD

1. For the history surrounding the Dedication of the Temple in

165 BC read the book of 1 Maccabbees in the Apocrypha. See
also the SDA Bible Commentary, 5:28-31 and SDA Bible
Dictionary, 1076.
2. On the issue of self-deception and its cure, see Paulien,
Present Truth in the Real World, 191-200.
3. For more information on the biting humor of the Gospel of
John see Culpepper, Anatomy of the Fourth Gospel, 169-180,
and the book by Duke.
4. See also White, Desire of Ages, 524-542.
 CHAPTER 11

"THE HOUR" OF LIFE-GIVING

JOHN 12:1-50

John 12 contains two main narratives, a discourse of Jesus

and a brief epilogue to His public ministry. The material in

John 12 functions as a transition between the public ministry of

Jesus and the "hour" of His suffering and death. The first

narrative tells of Jesus' "anointing for His burial" by Mary at

the dinner in Bethany (1-8). After a reminder of the plotting of

the chief priests against Jesus (9-11), the second narrative

describes the triumphal entry into Jerusalem with extreme brevity

(12-19), again with reference to His death (16). Somewhere in

the vicinity of Jerusalem, possibly in the temple precincts, a

request by some Greeks to see Jesus causes Him to recognize that

the "hour" of His suffering and death has come, and He meditates
on its significance in dialogue with the crowd (20-36). John

12:1-36 as a whole, therefore, is saturated with the ironic theme

that the life Jesus offers can only come through the death of the

Life-Giver.

The rest of John 12 functions as a summary epilogue of some

of the key movements in the first main part of the Gospel. After

an explanation of the reasons why most of the religious leaders

235
 236

did not believe in Him in spite of the signs which he did (37-

43), the epilogue concludes with a brief summary of Jesus'

message; He has come to reveal the Father (44-46) and all who

hear Him will be judged by the words He says (47-50).

GETTING INTO THE WORD

John 12:1-50

Please read 12:1-50 at least twice and then answer the

following questions:

1. Compare John 1:19 - 2:11 with John 12-19. List the evidence
in these respective sections that each covers roughly a week
of time. Do you see any relation between these "weeks" in
the Gospel and Creation week in Gen 1 and 2? In a paragraph
or two, please outline the theological significance of
perceiving the cross in the light of Creation week.
2. The actions of both Mary and Judas could be evil or
beneficial depending on the context in which they occurred.
On what basis is Mary commended and Judas condemned in this
account? Please explain your answer.
3. Compare John 12:12-16 with Zech 9, the context from which
the quotation in verse 15 is drawn. Does the arrival of the
Greeks in 12:20 relate to anything in the context of Zech
9:9? What point is John making about the nature of Jesus'
kingship and the difference between his view of Jesus'
kingship and that of the crowd in John 12:9-19? Please
explain in a paragraph or two.
4. What do you think Jesus is calling His disciples to do in
verses 25, 26? Where is Jesus to be found in the world of
everyday life? How do you follow Him in practice?
5. On the basis of the context, why does Jesus seem to be
troubled in verse 27? What do the Greeks have to do with
the cross?

EXPLORING THE WORD

The Structure of the Passage

A comparison of 12:1 and 13:1 suggests a "week" of events

that may be intentionally parallel to the "week" at the beginning

of the Gospel (1:29, 35, 43; 2:1). As in the original creation

 237

God labored for six days (Gen 1), declared His work finished (Gen

2:1, 2), and rested on the seventh day (Gen 2:2, 3), so Jesus'

final labors last six days (John 12:1), He declares His work

finished (19:30), and rests in the tomb on the Sabbath day

(19:31, 42; 20:1).

The Passage in Detail

Six days before Passover would be Saturday night of the last

week before the crucifixion (12:1-- according to John Passover

began that year at sundown Friday; 13:1; 19:31, 35-37). Jesus

arrives again in Bethany, the place where Mary, Martha, and

Lazarus live (cf. 11:17, 18), just about two miles from

Jerusalem. A dinner was given in honor of Jesus, with Lazarus,

the man who had been raised from the dead, at His side (12:2).

Martha served, of course, while Mary was busy at the feet of

Jesus, as usual (12:2, 3, cf. Luke 10:38-42). Pure nard was a

fragrant perfume imported from the East and extremely expensive,

so the event could hardly have gone unnoticed by the bystanders

at the dinner (John 12:3).

The narrative of Mary's faith is well-placed to contrast her

faith and love for Jesus with the cold-hearted calculations of

Caiaphas (11:49, 50) and Judas (12:4-6). The brief narrative of

Judas is one of the great pieces of ironic humor in the Gospel.

Judas claims that the expenditure of perfume as an anointing for

burial is a wasteful act (5), yet by betraying Jesus, he was the

one largely responsible for its necessity. Judas expresses

concern for the poor, yet in stealing from the purse he makes it
 238

clear that the only poor person he cared about was himself (12:5,

6)! Later on in the Gospel, the disciples thought that Judas was

leaving the upper room to give something to the poor (13:29),

when in actual fact he was going out to betray Jesus (21, 26, 27,

30). The ultimate irony of the Gospel is, however, that no one

ever gave more to the "poor" than Judas did when he betrayed

Jesus to His death on the cross!

The crucial matter in the comparison between Mary and Judas

is the question of motive. Mary's anointing of Jesus' feet was

motivated by unselfish love and sacrifice. Judas' criticism of

Mary, on the other hand, was motivated by greed and deceit. Once

again Jesus demonstrates that He knows what is in the heart of

another person, but He does not expose Judas' motivations to

public view. Instead, He defends Mary by pointing out that

social action (helping the poor), as important as that may be, is

ultimately meaningless apart from the cross (12:7, 8, cf. 12:23-

26; Matt 25:34-46). Judas, however, instead of learning that

honoring Jesus is far more valuable than money, is soon to

exchange Jesus' life (according to Matt 26:14-16; 27:3) for 30

pieces of silver.

The two transition passages (John 12:9-11 and 12:17-19)

serve to keep the Lazarus motif in the reader's mind. Why kill

Lazarus (10)? Because he was a powerful witness to Jesus (11,

17, 18). The author here makes evident that the religious

leaders were no longer operating rationally. They were so

committed to their theological position that they were willing to

 239

commit murder to prevent the facts they were denying from coming

to light. They were wrong and knew they were wrong, but saving

face had become the only priority (cf. 42, 43).

Lazarus had committed no blasphemy and broken no Jewish law.

He was simply a living witness to the power of Jesus to back up

His divine claims. His experience, therefore, became a foretaste

of John 16:2, where Jesus predicted that the time was coming when

His followers would be put out of the synagogue and when even

murder would be equated with sacrificial service to God. Once

Jesus is rejected there is no limit to lengths people will go to

oppose Him!

The triumphal entry in the Gospel of John (12-16),

therefore, is intimately related to the Lazarus incident, being

surrounded by a double mention. The language of verse 13 ("they

took palm branches and went out to meet him") is technical

language in Greek for the kind of triumphal procession reserved

for a king who has been the victor in a battle or war. The words

of the people, on the other hand, were drawn from an OT model of

triumphal procession moving toward the temple (Ps 118:26, 27).

Jesus chose a time and place in which a great crowd of people

would be gathering and used an acted parable to unmistakably

proclaim that He was the long-looked-for Messiah.

The people got the point, but only partially. They began to

openly hail Jesus as a nationalistic king. The combination of

"king" with "coming one" (John 12:13) has been seen before in the

Gospel (6:14, 15). In John 6, however, Jesus' kingship was

 240

clearly a spiritual one (6:35, 63). In John 12 the author of the

Gospel again modifies the Jewish expectation. Yes, Jesus is a

king, He has been anointed (12:7), He will receive a crown

(19:2). But He is not the king of nationalistic expectation, His

kingship is universal (11:52; 12:19, 20, 32).

The universal nature of Jesus' kingship is evident from the

quotation from Zech 9 (12:15). The Messianic king of Zech 9 not

only has a spiritual mission (Zech 9:9-- "righteous," "having

salvation," "gentle"), but He proclaims peace to the Gentiles

(cf. John 12:20), and His rule extends to the ends of the earth

(Zech 9:10). The basis of His universal spiritual rule is the

"blood of the covenant" (Zech 9:11, cf. Zeph 3:9, 10, 16, 19).

But the fullness of the disciples' understanding of these things

would not come until after Jesus was glorified (John 12:16).

Once again the second generation of Christians is in view here.

The presence of Jesus that is available to Christians through the

Holy Spirit brings greater understanding than that which was

available to the disciples when Jesus was personally present

among them (cf. John 14-16).

With the triumphal entry we have seen three great reactions

to the miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead. The miracle

made the Jewish religious leaders want to kill Jesus for fear of

what would happen to them if they did not (11:45-53). The

miracle filled Mary with gratitude and self-sacrificing love

(12:1-8). At the same time the miracle inspired the crowd to try

to use Jesus to meet their own nationalistic expectations (12:9-

 241

19, cf. 6:2, 14, 15).

The raising of Lazarus, therefore, provoked three varying

reactions to Jesus, two of them negative. Of the three

reactions, Mary's is clearly the one that the author of the

Gospel wishes the reader to see as the great model of response to

the miraculous signs of Jesus. The crowd, by way of contrast, is

fickle. By John 12:34 they begin to have second thoughts about

Jesus. They will soon enough acquiesce to Jesus' crucifixion.

The arrival of the Greeks on the scene (12:20) confirms the

verdict of 19, "The whole world has gone after him!" Here we see

further fruits of the promised "whosoever believes" (3:16, cf.

20:30, 31), the whole Gentile world was opening up to the gospel

(4:42; 7:35; 10:16; 11:52; 12:32, cf. White, Desire of Ages,

622). The raising of Lazarus has even gotten the attention of

the Gentiles!

This golden moment evidently functioned as some sort of

signal to Jesus personally, He recognizes in the arrival of the

Greeks the arrival of His own "hour" (12:23). The hour of Jesus'

glorification in the Fourth Gospel is seen not only in His

resurrection and ascension, but also in His self-sacrificing

suffering and death (24, cf. 13:32; 17:1, 5).

The only valid response to the hour of Jesus is for those

who believe in Him to follow Him in suffering (12:25, 26). The

servant of Jesus will be willing to exchange this present life

for a truly eternal one (25). To follow Jesus is to disown self-

centeredness. When our lives are filled with striving for

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advantage, security and pleasure we do not experience the

fullness of life that Jesus offers. Transferring control of our

lives to Christ is the way to genuine fulfillment. Those who

disown self-centeredness and submit their lives to Jesus' control

will always seek to be wherever Jesus is (26).

Where is Jesus that we might follow Him and be where He is?

The context of the passage makes it clear that Jesus is to be

found in the way of the cross (23-24, 27-33). We are where He is

when we follow Him in the way of the cross. He is to be found

where His people are, particularly the suffering, the

downtrodden, the weak, the sinners, and the outcasts (cf. 4:7-42;

5:1-15; 9:34-38; Matt 25:34-46). Our hour of glory is to give

ourselves to self-sacrifice for the sake of others in some very

down-to-earth places. The Gospel of John illustrates the

believer's way of the cross in 13:1-17. As we serve others by

"washing their feet" we follow Jesus in the way of the cross. We

find Him in the person of others.

Verse 27 brings us to what could be called the "Johannine

Gethsemane." Jesus is troubled and questions whether He should

ask His Father to release Him from His "hour." The matter is

similar to the Fourth Gospel's relationship to the many of the

major events in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. John does not report

the temptations of Jesus in the desert but their substance is

found in surprising places (6:15, 31; 7:3). There is no

eschatological sermon on the Mount of Olives but the substance of

the sermon is found in the Book of Revelation! There is no

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experience of anguish in Gethsemane just before Jesus' betrayal

and trial (cf. 18:1-11). But all the elements of the Gethsemane

experience are contained in John 12:20-36. The hour has come

(12:23, cf. Mark 14:41). Jesus' soul is deeply troubled (12:27,

cf. Mark 14:34). He contemplates finding a way to avoid His hour

of suffering and death (12:27, cf. Mark 14:35, 36).

What causes Jesus' agony here? It is the arrival of the

Greeks (12:20). This passage seems to be a replay of one of

Satan's temptations in the desert, the temptation to achieve His

universal kingship not by suffering and death, but by obeying the

command of Satan (Matt 4:8-10; Luke 4:5-8). Jesus sees in the

Greeks Satan's distraction attempting to turn Him away from the

impending cross. It is as if the arrival of the Greeks suggests,

"You can have all the kingdoms of the world without dying. Just

go to them, heal the sick, raise the dead, preach to them, and

all will be yours." Jesus' response is to say no to the Prince

of this world, his way will be judged at the cross (John 12:31),

the lifting up of Jesus will be the casting down of Satan! And

the cross, not signs and wonders, will ultimately prove to be the
very thing which draws everyone and everything to Jesus (12:32,

33).

The response from heaven to Jesus' prayer of anguish was to

assure Him of double glory (28). The Father had glorified the

whole ministry of Jesus in the past (cf. 17:4). And He was about

to glorify Jesus again on the cross (12:23, 24, 32, 33). This

affirmation was for the benefit of the disciples (30). They

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needed to know that the way to real glory was in the way of

suffering and death, not the way of miracles and human adulation.

They needed to know that the Father approved the way of the

cross. One day they too would face opposition and suffering so

severe that it would often lead to death.

What kind of judgment was to take place on the cross (31,

32)? That this was intended as a decisive and crucial statement

is indicate by the pair of "nows" in verse 31. This judgment was

to be a cosmic and universal judgment. Satan would be dethroned,

and Christ would be enthroned as a result of the cross (cf. Rev

5:5-12). At the cross all the sins of the world were condemned

and punished in the flesh of Christ (Rom 8:3; 1 Pet 2:24). To

those who understood the significance of the cross, the ways of

Satan would be forever stripped of their power to deceive. The

way of God's self-sacrificing love would be forever exalted in

their place.

The crowd was stunned. What sort of Messiah is this (John

12:34)? On the basis of the OT Scriptures it was possible to

believe that the Messiah would never die (Ps 110:4; Isa 9:7).
What good, after all, is a suffering and dying Messiah? But the

doctrine of an everlasting Messiah ignored Scriptures like Isa

53:5-9, which hinted at a very different kind of Messiah than

they had read into other Scriptures. It is dangerous to do a

selective reading of Scripture, no matter how sincere the effort,

and no matter how lofty the doctrine that one is seeking to

protect.
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Jesus' reply to them reaffirms the centrality of "light" in

the message of the Gospel (cf. 1:4, 5, 9-11). All their ideas

needed to be subject to the light that came from heaven in the

person of Jesus. And that light would soon be taken away from

them, and those left in darkness would have no idea where they

were going (12:35, 36). As if acting out that final threat,

Jesus vanished from their midst (36). This moment marked the end

of the narrative of Jesus' public ministry. After a brief

theological summary (12:37-50) of the public ministry He is

described as ministering only to his disciples from henceforth

(John 13-17, 20, 21).

The next section (12:37-43) was discussed in relation to the

theological language of the wedding narrative in Cana (2:1-11)

and in relation to the predestination versus human responsibility

discussion that arose out of 9:39-41. We do not need, therefore,

to discuss it in detail here. Suffice it to say that this

section functions to explain why it is that so many people

refused to believe in Jesus in spite of the incredible signs that

Jesus did in their presence (12:37). On the one hand, their

unbelief fulfilled Scripture (38-41). On the other hand, it was

a failure of the will, they chose to seek praise and adulation

from their fellow human beings rather than from God (42, 43). By

implication, those who seek God's approval more than human

approval will recognize who Jesus is, and be willing to follow

Him, even if following Him should lead them to much suffering and

even death. After all, the praise of others is fickle and short-
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lived, God's acceptance has eternal significance. Barclay notes

(2:133) that secret discipleship is a contradiction in terms.

"Either the secrecy kills the discipleship or the discipleship

kills the secrecy."

John 12:44-50 offers a brief summary of key elements of

Jesus' message. To believe in Jesus is to believe in the Father

who sent Him (44). To see Jesus is to see the Father who sent

Him (45). Jesus then repeats the point of 35 and 36, He has come

into the world of light so that all who believe in Him can escape

the darkness (46).

In 47 and 48 Jesus summarizes His theology of judgment.

Whether the judgment is past, present, or future all judgment in

Christ is interrelated. These two verses seem to strongly

reflect Moses' last sermon recorded in the Book of Deuteronomy

(18:18, 19; 31:19, 26; 32:45-47). Jesus did not come into the

world for judgment (47). Yet there is a judgment in the present

world, that judgment is effected by the words that Jesus speaks

and how people respond to those words (48). The judgment in the

words of Jesus will be consummated in the judgment that occurs at

the last day (48). Present and future judgment are not sharply

distinguished here at the conclusion of Jesus' public ministry.

The Major Themes of the Passage

Representative Characters

Since the Gospel of John does not contain parables in the

usual sense, the author seems to have replaced their impact by

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utilizing the experiences of Jesus and those who responded to Him

as acted parables. As a result many of the characters in the

Gospel function as representatives of groups of people or of

types of response to Jesus.

Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, although they were real people,

are used in the Gospel to symbolize types of Christians. Mary

symbolizes the type of Christian who is naturally fragile and

prone to depression and discouragement, yet in Christ can attain

marvelous heights of love and devotion. Martha, on the other

hand, is a more practical type without the mood swings of Mary,

she features discerning faith and a spirit of service. Lazarus,

whose personality is more of a mystery, nevertheless symbolizes

those Christians whose illness, handicap, or bereavement focuses

their attention more acutely on the hope of the resurrection than

others find necessary.

In general, the women of the Gospel of John are symbols of

true faith in the midst of doubt and uncertainty. The Samaritan

woman, Martha, and Mary are all positive figures in the Gospel,

as is Jesus' mother. All of the women are portrayed as real

people with real flaws, yet none are hostile to Jesus, and all

seek to understand and appreciate Him. If the ancient world had

been populated only by women, Jesus' life would have been in no

danger!

The character of Mary is, of course, the most interesting,

particularly if Mary of Bethany is to be equated with Mary

Magdalene and the woman caught in adultery as some students of

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the Gospel believe. The common denominator of all these accounts

of Mary is that she is found at the feet of Jesus. Mary of

Bethany anoints Jesus' feet in the spirit of sacrifice (John

12:3). She falls at His feet in supplication (11:32). She sits

at His feet in study and contemplation (Luke 10:38-42). Mary

Magdalene stands at the feet of Jesus in sorrow before the cross

(John 19:25-27). She falls in submission at His feet before the

tomb in the garden (20:14-17). And the unnamed woman of John

8:3-11 is dragged to Jesus' feet in humiliation, but receives

release from her accusers there.

For the Christian there is no higher place than at the foot

of the cross, at the feet of Jesus. One finds there a submission

that leads to no regrets. One finds there a purpose that

transcends all others. It is at the foot of the cross that one

begins to understand why it is better to lose one's life for

Christ's sake than to seek to gain it for oneself.

The Legal Structure of the Gospel of John

A simple reading of the Gospel is sufficient to detect a

different tone between the first and second parts of the Gospel

of John. The first part is about Jesus' public ministry (John 1-

12). The second part largely concerns His instruction of His

disciples (13-21). The first part is combative and has an

argumentative ring to it. Jesus spends much time in debate with

His opponents. The second part of the Gospel is more

contemplative and devotional.

The first part of the Gospel (John 1-12) is modeled on a

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trial. Witnesses are called, evidence is presented and the

reader is invited to draw the intended verdict; Jesus is the

Messiah who came down from heaven to show the world what God is

like. Whole sections of the Gospel have a courtroom atmosphere

to them (John 5:16-47; 6:22-71; 7:1 - 10:21-- the closest analogy

elsewhere in Scripture is probably Matt 18). It is Jesus who is

on trial in the Gospel of John, along with the claims He makes

for Himself.

The intention of the Gospel is to lead the reader to the

verdict that Jesus is truly the Messiah, the Son of God, and that

through faith in Him it is possible to obtain life, just as He

promised (20:30, 31). For the reader of the Gospel, the greatest

witness of all is the Holy Spirit (see the chapter on the Holy

Spirit for further observations) who takes the place of Jesus as

a witness on this earth (15:26, 27; 16:7-11). The sobering part

of reading the Gospel of John is that in passing judgment on

Jesus, every reader also passes judgment on themselves, for the

judgment in favor of or against Jesus settles the eternal destiny

of all who read the Fourth Gospel.

APPLYING THE WORD

1. If you had a year's worth of salary or a year of time to use

to honor Jesus how would you use it? How would your friends
be likely to react? What percentage of your current budget
reflects a commitment to honoring Jesus? What percentage
should be devoted directly to honoring Jesus? Would the
percentage be different if you were a millionaire? How does
one balance the needs of others ("the poor") with one's own
needs?
2. Is your present relationship with Jesus like that of the
crowd in John 12-- up and down depending on the latest
events? Can you think of a time when your experience with
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Christ was really powerful and some piece of news just took
all the wind out of your sails in an instant? Can you think
of strategies that can help make one's Christian walk more
consistent?
3. Have you ever found yourself in a situation like that of the
religious leaders who believed in Jesus but refused to
confess Him because they feared the loss of their
colleagues' approval (cf. 42, 43)? Where are such
situations most likely to happen in today's world? At home?
On the job? In school? What is it that makes us the most
hesitant to share our faith?
4. How does your church relate to people like Mary who have
slipped badly, but want to make a fresh start? Does it make
a difference if the offense is the first or if the person is
a repeat offender?

RESEARCHING THE WORD

1. With the help of an exhaustive concordance list every

reference to the "crowd" in the Gospel of John. How does
the attitude of the crowd compare to that of "the Jews." Is
there a change or development in the attitude of the crowd
to Jesus? How does their attitude in John 12 compare to
7:40-43; 10:19-21?

FURTHER STUDY OF THE WORD

1. For more information on John 12 see SDA Bible Commentary,

5:1018-1026.
2. Ellen White mentions John's version of Mary's sacrifice in
passing in Desire of Ages, 557-568. The same is true of the
triumphal entry in 569-579. The material in 621-626 focuses
directly on John 12:20-43.
 CHAPTER 12

THE DISCIPLES REPLACE JESUS

JOHN 13:1 - 17:26

With chapter 13 the entire tone of the Gospel of John is

transformed. Instead of acting, teaching, and debating in public

Jesus retires to an unspecified place (13:1, 2; presumably the

upper room mentioned in the other gospels, cf. Matt 26:17-19;

Mark 14:12-15; Luke 22:7-12) to quietly instruct His disciples at

great length. In John 13-17 the shadow of the cross hangs over

the room as the disciples begin to figure out that Jesus is truly

about to leave them, and He tries to prepare them for that

experience. Jesus repeats Himself continually in this part of

the book, yet the disciples seem incapable of understanding.

Most of the material in this section of the Fourth Gospel is

totally absent from Matthew, Mark and Luke. It is included here

because of John's unique concern for the second generation of

Christians who would have no personal contact with Jesus or His

disciples. In this section Jesus offers His disciples a farewell

discourse in which He teaches them how to live without His

physical presence, just as the second generation would have to

live without the physical presence of the disciples.

The second generation, however, would not be found at a

251
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disadvantage. Because of the Spirit they would have access to

the fullness of the life that Jesus offers as much as any

disciple who actually walked with Jesus on this earth. In fact

the disciples in the upper room were particularly dense and

uncomprehending. Thus John 13-17 underlines the truth that it

was better for the disciples that Jesus would no longer be

physically present because even greater actions and understanding

would be possible once the Spirit had come (John 14:12-17; 16:7).

This portion of the Gospel begins with the account of the

footwashing and the identification of the one who was to betray

Jesus (13:1-30). The departure of Judas enables Jesus to engage

in frank and open dialogue with His disciples concerning His and

their future (13:31 - 14:31). After the supper is over Jesus

lingers in the upper room with His disciples (14:31; 18:1). He

delivers a lengthy discourse over the same themes that He had

raised in the earlier dialogue (15:1 - 16:33), doing so with only

a minimum of interruptions on the part of the disciples (16:17,

29). The section closes with the magnificent prayer of Jesus for

His disciples and for the second generation that would come to
believe in Him through the written words of the disciples (17:1-

26).

The section begins with the footwashing (13:1ff.) and ends

with Jesus and His disciples leaving the room and heading across

the Kidron Valley to an olive grove where Judas would betray

Jesus (18:1-3). An interesting problem is John 14:31, where

Jesus invites the disciples to leave the room. Did the discourse
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of John 15-17 happen as the group was lingering in the room after

rising to their feet (not an unusual occurrence in human

conduct)? Or is this, as some scholars suggest, evidence that

after the death of John someone else inserted material on the

same subject as chapters 13 and 14? Since we have no external

evidence that the latter took place (although the production of

Prophets and Kings by Ellen White provides an example of how such

an insertion might have happened-- cf. Life Sketches, p. 436),

the former is to be preferred (Ellen White offers a further

suggestion, that John 15-17 took place on the way from Jerusalem

to Gethsemane, Desire of Ages, 674).

Since John 13-17 is portrayed as a unified experience I have

chosen not to divide the material into separate chapters but to

treat it as a whole in two different ways. First, this chapter

seeks to unpack the main issues of the section in four parts

(13:1-30; 13:31 - 14:31; 15:1 - 16:33, and 17:1-26). The next

chapter zeroes in on the statements of Jesus about the role of

the Holy Spirit in the time between His first and second advent

(14:16, 17; 14:26, 27; 15:26, 27; 16:7-15). The chapter will not
be limited to John 13-17, but will examine Jesus' statements

about the Holy Spirit in the light of all that the Gospel of John

has to say about the role of the Holy Spirit.

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JESUS WASHES THE DISCIPLES' FEET

GETTING INTO THE WORD

John 13:1-30

Please read 13:1-30 at least twice and then answer the

following questions:

1. On a piece of paper carefully list all the things in this

passage that Jesus knows but the disciples do not.
2. Try to write out in a paragraph or two an explanation of
each of the following "difficult" statements: verses 8, 10,
14, 19, 27a.
3. In a paragraph or two, please explain why you think Peter
was so firmly against the idea of Jesus washing his feet
(verse 8).
4. List in order everything the passage says about Judas. Try
to describe the kind of relationship he might have had with
Jesus.

EXPLORING THE WORD

The Background of the Passage

It was the custom at that time for people to bathe

themselves before attending a feast. Upon arrival they would not

need to bathe again, they only needed to have their feet washed.

The washing of the feet, then, was like a ceremony that preceded

entry into the house where they were to be guests (Barclay,

2:141).

The Passage in Detail

Before the Passover Feast, which was to begin twenty-four

hours later according to John (19:31-37; in Matthew, Mark, and

Luke the supper in the Upper Room was a Passover meal), Jesus'

thoughts turn to His departure from this world and the effect

that His departure would have on His disciples (13:1). This is

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truly a remarkable statement under the circumstances. As Jesus

approaches the cross one would expect Him to be thinking of

Himself and the awful experiences He would undergo the next day.

But He is so absorbed in His love for His disciples that He

thinks, instead, of what life will be like for them after He has

returned to His Father. He looks past His own immediate

suffering to contemplate their future suffering and to prepare

them for it.

John 13:1, therefore, summarizes in a nutshell what chapters

13 through 17 are all about. They comprise a farewell discourse,

in which Jesus prepares His disciples for the realities of a

world which they will have to face without His physical presence.

For the author of this Gospel, the sense of loss and helplessness

that the disciples felt when they realized that they were about

to lose Jesus paralleled the experience of the second generation

of Christians who were about to lose him, their last living link

to the earthly Jesus.

The footwashing was no ordinary act. Jesus knew who He was

(13:3) and He knew the character of those He was ministering to

(2). It was a deliberate act of divinity in service to sinful,

even unregenerate, humanity. Peter, of course, responds with

characteristic abruptness. In the Greek Peter says in the

strongest possible language that he would absolutely not (a

double negative) permit Jesus to wash his feet no matter how long

he had to think about it (8). The Greek of verse 8 could be

translated in modern English, "No way in all eternity!" Peter is

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totally appalled at the possibility of Jesus washing his feet.

Peter no doubt thought that he was protecting Jesus from

humiliation. But Jesus' answer to him (8) makes it clear that

Peter was actually protecting himself from the humiliation of

admitting his need of Jesus' ministry to the lost (cf. Mark

10:45). "It is not humility to refuse what the Lord deigns to do

for us (Jameison, Fausset, and Brown, 1058)." The truest

humility comes when we accept the self-sacrificing grace of

Christ.

In verse 10 Jesus drew an analogy from bathing to

distinguish between two kinds of spiritual cleansing. The first,

associated with the full-body bath, represents initial

justification, that point in a person's life when he or she

accepts Jesus' cleansing for the entire life, setting it off in a

new direction. This one-time cleansing at the beginning of the

Christian life is represented by baptism.

The footwashing, on the other hand, represents the

Christian's need to deal with the soiling that comes from daily

contact with the sinful world and its contamination. The foot is
the part of the body that in ancient times was in regular contact

with the earth, and therefore needed continual cleansing. So

those who have been justified once need continual renewal in that

justification as life goes on. The beautiful encouragement to be

drawn from this analogy is that our daily shortcomings on this

earth do not call our justification into question! The one who

has bathed needs only to wash the feet again! We are not in and
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out of God's grace several times a day! We are secure as long as

we do not choose to turn away (cf. John 10:27-29).

The image of Jesus washing the disciples' feet represents

His forgiveness of sins committed after baptism. If so, then for

the disciples to wash one another's feet signifies the

willingness to forgive those daily irritations and transgressions

that threaten the unity in love which Jesus purposed for His

disciples (13:34, 35-- Talbert, Reading John, 194).

Apparently Judas was never clean in first sense (13:11).

Although he walked with Jesus for a long time he was never right

with God. For him the footwashing was of no avail. The other

disciples, however, feeble and defective as they were, were

counted as right with God through the ministry that Jesus had

performed for them.

Although the bread and wine of the communion service do not

appear explicitly in the Gospel of John, 13:18 contains a strong

hint that the footwashing took place in the context of the

supper. Those whose feet He had just washed were sharing "Jesus'

bread." In Paul's account of the Lord's Supper he talked about

people who would eat and drink unworthily at the communion table

(1 Cor 11:27-30). Perhaps he had the example of Judas in mind.

Those who eat at the Lord's table, yet behave in ways that betray

the Lord become Judases in their own right.

Jesus' quotation of Ps 41:9 (13:18) reminds the reader of

the betrayal of David by Ahithophel, his trusted friend and

counselor (2 Sam 25:12, 31-37-- Ahithophel may have been

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Bathsheba's grandfather, an interesting twist on the situation,

cf. Anchor Bible Dictionary, 1:193). Since dipping bread and

offering it to another was a special gesture of friendship

(Jameison, Fausset, and Brown, 1059; Barclay, 2:146), it seems

clear that Jesus was seeking deep relational fellowship with

Judas and, therefore, found his betrayal particularly painful

(13:20, cf. White, Desire of Ages, 645, 716-722).

It is interesting that the disciples never suspect Judas.

Since they trusted him to keep the money (12:6; 13:29), he is

probably the last disciple that they would have suspected. And

in spite of the actions of Judas, Jesus never exposes him to the

others (13:27-30). He even allowed him to be seated in the place

of highest honor, to the left of the Master (Barclay, 2:145).

Until this point Judas could have turned back, but his mind

becomes settled under the influence of Satan (13:27 cf. 13:2).

Unlike Nicodemus, he moves from the light into darkness (13:30,

cf. 3:2, 19-21).

The Major Themes of the Passage

The primary lesson in the footwashing service is that

Christian belief is not adequate unless it manifests itself also

in practical behavior. The disciples called Jesus "the teacher"

(13:13, Greek), the same title Jesus used to describe Nicodemus

(3:10). They also called Him "Lord" (cf. 20:28), which meant

that He had the right to tell them what to do. Unlike Nicodemus,

who could be content to teach theoretical truths, Jesus was a

teacher who expected His disciples not only to believe what He

 259

believed, but to live as He lived (13:14-16). Those who hear His

teachings are invited to follow Him by serving as He served (cf.

12:26). Jesus recognized, however, that in the Christian life

performance tends to fall far short of knowledge (13:17). We all

know more truth than we practice.

Although not a central theme of the passage, Jesus'

statement in John 13:19 has profound implications. Jesus states

that He describes things (like the betrayal of Judas and the

coming of the Spirit, cf. 14:29) before they happen, so that when

they happen the disciples will believe. This text restates what

we have discovered elsewhere (cf. 7:39; 12:16). The disciples

really didn't believe in the full sense until after Jesus was

gone from them. They never had things figured out ahead of time.

I believe that this verse has implications for the

understanding of Bible prophecy. Although God outlines His plans

for the future in the Bible, these outlines are never so clear as

to limit His future action, nor are they so explicit that His

actions could be described in intricate detail ahead of time.

The purpose of prophecy is two-fold, it should affect the way we

live today, and it should clearly mark the action of God in

history after those actions have taken place. We should never

expect to have everything all figured out ahead of time. Many

"apocalyptic Jews" thought they had things figured out in

advance, yet the very exactness of their calculations caused them

to miss the true fulfillment when it came.

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DIALOGUE AT THE TABLE

GETTING INTO THE WORD

John 13:31 - 14:31

Read 13:31 - 14:31 at least twice and then answer the

following questions:

1. Why did Jesus wait until Judas was gone before He shared the
material in this section?
2. List the evidences that Jesus' offers for claiming to be one
with the Father in 14:9-14. Can you think of further
evidences offered in Jesus' teachings in the first twelve
chapters of the Gospel? (hint: chapters 3, 5, and 8 are
particularly helpful)
3. What do you think Jesus meant when He said that His
followers would do greater works than He did? Greater in
what way? Write out your answer.
4. List everything in this passage associated with the word
"love."

EXPLORING THE WORD

The Structure of the Passage

From 13:31 through the end of chapter 17, Jesus offers a

final address, or farewell discourse, to His disciples. In so

doing, He follows the pattern of many other great figures in His

Jewish heritage (see next section). He sought to prepare His

disciples for earthly life without his physical presence.

The Background of the Passage

A number of major Bible characters offer farewell speeches

just before their death. These include Jacob (Gen 47:29 -

49:33), Moses (the entire book of Deuteronomy!), Joshua (Josh 22-

24), David (1 Chr 28, 29), and Paul (Acts 20:17-38, cf. 2 Tim 3:1

- 4:8). Similar speeches can be found in the intertestamental

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literature, probably influenced by the OT examples (cf. Tobit

14:3-11; 1 Enoch 91ff.; and 2 Esdras 14:28-36, for example).

These speeches seem to conform to fairly consistent patterns,

suggesting that the farewell discourse was an established

literary genre in the ancient world (see Brown, II:597-601;

Talbert, Reading John, 200-202).

The Passage in Detail

The departure of Judas seems to be a turning point in this

section of the Gospel (13:31-- "When he was gone" translates

"therefore" in the Greek). It enables Jesus to speak freely to

His disciples for the first time (Jameison, Fausset, and Brown,

1059). In 13:31-35 five mentions of "glory" (31, 32) and four

mentions of "love" (34, 35) sandwich Jesus' introduction of a

constant theme of the Farewell Discourse, He is going away soon,

and they won't be able to find Him (33, cf. 7:33-36; 8:21, 22).

The glory of Jesus (13:31, 32) is His death, resurrection, and

ascension (12:27-32, 38-40; 17:1-5). The mission of His life

(glory) is His revelation of the loving character of God to His

disciples (1:14-18).

The disciples' mission to the world, on the other hand, is

not described in terms of glory, it is described in terms of love

(13:34, 35). As Jesus had loved them; in the footwashing and now

in His death on the cross, so they were to love one another. The

disciples of the One who laid down His life for the world will be

known when they behave like their Master.

The love Jesus talks about here will clearly transcend

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secular love. People don't normally help when it's not

convenient, give when it hurts, or face ridicule and accusations

without fighting back. Therefore, everyone will know that

something special has taken place.

Jesus talks about a "new" commandment in the sense that it

gains its power from the model of the cross. The cross does not

change the old commandment, it puts it in a clearer form (cf. 1

John 2:7; Mark 12:28-33). As the cross brings God's love home to

the followers of Jesus, so their love for one another will

demonstrate God's love to the world.

In 14:1-4 Jesus unpacks the going away statement (13:33) in

more positive terms. He is going away to His Father's house and

when He returns, He will bring them with Him to His Father's

house. This language of going away and returning seems to have a

deliberate double meaning. It is clear that Jesus returns to His

disciples, in a sense, in the person of His representative, the

Counselor or Holy Spirit (14:16-18). This return is spiritual

rather than physical. But in the fullest sense of the passage,

Jesus here talks about His physical and personal return at the
Second Coming, at which time He will bring all those who follow

Him back to His Father's house, to be with Him forever. In verse

4 Jesus states a riddle designed to draw out questions so that

Jesus can open Himself up further to the disciples'

understanding.

Thomas takes the bait and denies that he knows the way to

the place where Jesus is going (14:5). This enables Jesus to

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make one of the most sublime statements of His earthly ministry

(14:6-- see "Major Themes" below). Philip misses the point, as

usual, and asks for a visible manifestation of the Father (8).

Jesus asserts what the disciples should have known, and what the

reader knows from the Prologue on; to see Jesus is to see what

the Father is like (9). The Son is the express image of the

Father. In both words and works, the Father communicates through

Him (10, 11).

Then comes a most astounding statement (12). Whoever

believes in Jesus will not only do the kinds of things that Jesus

has done, he or she will do even greater things than Jesus has

done! In what sense can the disciples be said to do greater

works than Jesus? The earthly Jesus was subject to human

limitations. When He goes to the Father He leaves those human

limitations behind. When Jesus spoke to the disciples the Father

could be seen only in the person of Jesus. But when He returned

to the Father and sent the Spirit, the disciples became agents by

means of which the character of God would be manifested to the

world.
Because Jesus went to the Father (12) millions of disciples

(11, 12), empowered by the Holy Spirit (16, 17) through prayer

(13, 14), would extend the work of Jesus on a magnitude not

possible before. The essence of that greater work, of course,

was the gathering of the second generation of Christians! Once

again, therefore, Jesus highlights the importance of that second

generation to Him. It was to be and is the focus of His

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attention in the Father's house.

Not only are the disciples to behave as Jesus' behaved (in

love and mighty works), they are to be constantly obedient to His

words (14:15, 21) through the empowerment of the Spirit (16, 17).

In response to the other Judas (22), Jesus underlines the point;

to love Him is to obey His teaching, and such obedience will

result in the very presence of the Father dwelling with the

disciples (23, 24). The Father will show Himself to the

obedient, and thus the disciples extend the presence of the

Father throughout the world. Love is more than nice words, it

involves commitment and conduct (Life Application Bible, 1912).

The concluding words of John 14 are Jesus' only call to get

up and leave the room. It seems that John 15-17 take place as

Jesus and His disciples arise to go. Like many farewells, no one

is in a hurry to leave the hallowed place of last words. Perhaps

the words "Come now, let us leave" imply Jesus' eagerness to get

on with the final battle with Satan (cf. 14:30). From this point

on the disciples have little to say. The discussion becomes a

sermon.

The Major Themes of the Passage

Love as I Have Loved

The central theme of John 13:31 - 14:31 would seem to be the

love that the disciples are to demonstrate during the time when

Jesus is away from them. The disciples' love for one another

will be modeled on the love Jesus demonstrated on the cross

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(13:34). It will be empowered by the Holy Spirit (14:16, 17,

26), who will become real to them as they pray (14:13, 14) and

obey (14:15, 21-24). Through the disciples, then, the love of

the Father will become manifest to the world (13:35; 14:23) just

as it became manifest to the disciples through the life, death,

resurrection and ascension of Jesus.

Being loved is the most powerful motivation in the world

(Life Application Bible, 1909). The ways we use to express love

to other people are the ways that we ourselves have experienced

love. When the "love" we have received is abusive and

controlling, we seek to "love" others in abusive and controlling

ways. We love others as we have been loved. The pure, tender,

uncontrolling, and unconditional love of Jesus for people whose

faults are fully known to Him (cf. 13:1, 18) provides the basis

and the motivation for us to break patterns of abuse. We can

learn to truly love others to the extent that we have allowed

ourselves to experience His love. Those who are much loved can

love much.

The Redeemed in the Millennium

Although John was probably not thinking about the millennium

when he chose to record the words of Jesus found in 14:1-3, the

passage offers the only explicit statement in all of Scripture

with regard to the location of believers during the millennium

which follows the Second Coming. When Jesus comes, He will not

join his followers here on earth, rather He will bring them back

to heaven with him (3). He does not say, "I will come to be with
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you again where you are," rather He says, "I will come back and

take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." Thus,

contrary to most protestant pre-millennial expectation, Jesus

does not reign on earth with the believers during the millennium,

they reign together in heaven (cf. Rev 20:4-6). The earth

becomes desolate, the followers of Jesus are gone and the rest of

humankind is destroyed at the Second Coming (Rev 19:17-21). Rev

20 itself does not make this point explicit.

The Way, the Truth and the Life

John 14:6 offers a beautiful summary of the Gospel's message

in one sentence, "I am the way and the truth and the life." This

message summarizes the main themes also of the Prologue to the

Gospel. Jesus is the way to the Father for all who follow Him

(14:1-10, cf. 1:12, 18). He is the truth in the sense that He is

the One who came down to share with earth the character of God

and the things of heaven (cf. 1:1-5, 9-11, 14-18). And life is

what all who believe in him receive (cf. 17:3; 5:24; 1:4, 5, 12,

13, 16, 17). The exclusiveness of this passage is certainly not

politically correct in our day and age. But the way Jesus

provides is simple enough and broad enough for everyone to take

advantage of, if they are willing to accept it. God is quite

capable of judging the response of those who, because of

circumstance or through the neglect of others, have never heard

of Jesus.
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DISCOURSE AFTER SUPPER

GETTING INTO THE WORD

John 15:1 - 16:33

Please read 15:1 - 16:33 at least twice and then answer the
following questions:

1. In the "parable" of 15:1-10, who are symbolized by the

branches and who are symbolized by the fruit? Do these
terms have more than one application? Explain your answer.
What does Jesus mean by "remaining" in Him?
2. List everything in the passage associated with the words
"love" and "hate." How do you think these concepts are
related in Jesus' mind? What is the relationship between
love and obedience in this section?
3. List all occurrences of the word "world" in this passage.
What does Jesus mean by this term?
4. What event does Jesus have in mind in 16:20-22? Please
explain your answer. How does the world's joy contrast with
the joy of the disciples?

EXPLORING THE WORD

The Structure of the Passage

In chapters 15 and 16 Jesus continues the themes of the

earlier discussion, but now virtually without interruption from

the disciples (only at 16:17 and 16:29). It is as if the

disciples are so dense before the time when the Spirit comes that
even the simplest teachings need to be repeated over and over.

The Passage in Detail

John 15:1-10 contains the well-known figurative lesson of

the vine and the branches. It is based on the frequent OT

comparison of Israel to a vine (Isa 5:1-7; Jer 2:21; Ezek 15:1-

8). Most Christians identify with the branches in the passage

and see this "parable" as a reminder of the importance of

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maintaining a personal relationship with Jesus. Such a reading

has been quite fruitful over the centuries.

In the initial telling of this figure of speech, however,

the vine represented Jesus, the branches the disciples to whom He

was speaking, and the fruit that the branches would bear

portrayed all those who would come to faith, not through the

direct ministry of Jesus, but through the ministry of the

disciples; in other words, the second generation (Ellen White

uses the text both ways in Desire of Ages, 676-677). Everyone

who has come to faith since the time of that first generation are

summed up in the fruit that grows on the branches which are

connected to the vine. It is through the words and actions of

the disciples that the second generation comes to faith. The

vine, therefore, is an analogy for the whole church, including

both first and second generations.

Jesus draws a number of implications from this analogy. A

grapevine has only two possible uses, either it produces food and

drink, or it must be cut down to provide fuel (Ezek 15:1-5, cf.

Isa 5:1-7; Jer 2:21). On the positive side, the Father is the
gardener who tends to all parts of the process (15:1).

Relationship with Jesus is not different from relationship with

the Father. When relationship to the vine and to the gardener

are maintained, fruit will be the inevitable result.

On the negative side, the disciples are warned that those

branches which do not bear fruit will be pruned off (2). Just as

the words of Jesus are the basis for maintaining a relationship

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with the "vine" (7), so they are also the means of pruning (3).

The words of Jesus to the disciples nurtured them but pruned

Judas out of the "vine" (13:18-30). For the second generation

the physical presence of Jesus is replaced by the words of Jesus

ministered through the writings of the disciples. Attention to

the words of Jesus will unify the church at the same time that it

removes those out of harmony with Jesus' instructions (15:3-6).

As the disciples remain in the vine, the church will grow in

response to their prayers (bear fruit-- 7, 8).

In John 15:9-17 Jesus expands the lesson of the vine by

elaborating on what it means to "remain" in the vine.

"Remaining" in the vine means remaining in Jesus by means of two

related principles, love and obedience. As He had brought out

earlier, love will cause the disciples to live and love as Jesus

loved them (15:9, 12, 13, cf. 13:34, 35) and to obey His commands

(15:10, 14, cf. 14:15, 21-24). Jesus had already acted out both

principles in His relationship to His Father (15:10). The

disciple, therefore, is to be characterized as much by doing what

Jesus did as by obeying what Jesus said. Such remaining in Jesus

will be fruitful, because the disciples' prayers will naturally

be in accordance with God's will (15:7, 14-16, cf. 14:12-14).

In John 15:18-21 Jesus elaborates on the consequences of

relationship with Him, based on the footwashing statement "no

servant is greater than his master" (15:20, cf. 13:16). Those

who are in intimate relationship with Jesus should expect the

same opposition from the "world" that Jesus experienced in His

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earthly ministry and on the cross (15:18, 20, cf. Matt 10:34-36;

Luke 12:49-53). By "world" Jesus means human society organized

in opposition to the true God (Barclay, 2:185).

As the relationship of Jesus with the Father is to be the

model for the disciples' association with Jesus (John 15:10), so

Jesus' relationship with the world is paralleled by the

relationship of believers with unbelievers (15:18). The world's

hatred of the disciples is rooted in its hatred for Jesus (cf.

15:22-25). While Jesus was on earth the world's hatred was

directed primarily at Him, after He leaves, it will turn its

attention to those who represent Him on earth. The reason for

the opposition is that Jesus and His disciples do not conform to

the ways of the world (15:19-- although in a sense the opposition

is totally unreasonable, cf. 15:25). The values of the world are

often the opposite of God's values. The world does not lightly

tolerate threats to its control. In such a world, disciples will

often feel out of place.

Jesus continues on this theme in 16:1-4. The brief comment

about the Holy Spirit (15:26, 27) fits into this section through
the double use of the word "testify" (related in Greek to the

word "martyr"). The disciples will not have to face the world's

opposition alone, Jesus will assist them in their testimony by

the Counselor He will send. When the time of opposition comes,

and people think that they are doing God a favor in their

persecution of the disciples (16:2), they will also be fortified

by the words of Jesus which the Holy Spirit will bring to their
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remembrance (16:1, 4, cf. 14:26). Jesus knew that without His

warnings ahead of time the disciples would be overcome by a

"double whammy." Not only would they miss the physical presence

of Jesus, but they would face the opposition of the world to a

degree they had never experienced before.

If the going away of Jesus would cause the disciples so much

pain, why does Jesus do it? Because the benefits of the Spirit's

presence far outweigh the losses resulting from the absence of

Jesus and the hatred of the world (16:7). The Holy Spirit will

not only deal in judgment with the world (8-11), He will share

with the disciples truths that Jesus is unable to share with them

in their Spirit-less condition (12-15). In Jesus' mind the

overall equation works to the disciples' advantage, in spite of

the difficulties.

In John 16:16 Jesus springs another riddle on His disciples.

The riddle raises four different questions in their minds (17-

19). (a) What does Jesus mean when He says that in a little

while they will not see Him anymore, while at the same time He

says that (b) after a little while they will see Him? (c) What
does He mean when He says that He is going to the Father? (d)

And what does He mean by a little while? The riddle of verse 16

clearly has a double meaning; in the immediate sense Jesus is

referring to His death (when they feel they will never see Him

again) and His resurrection, in the ultimate sense He refers to

His absence at the ascension and their joy at His ultimate

return.
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Verse 20 describes a great reversal. While the world

rejoices at Jesus' "departures" the disciples are made sad. Yet

their sadness will be turned into joy, and, by implication, the

world's rejoicing will be short-lived. In verses 21 to 24 it is

clear that the motifs of the world's hatred and the disciples'

benefits in the Spirit are still in view. The sorrow they will

experience in Jesus' absence is mitigated by their joy in a new

kind of relationship with Jesus and the Father. Jesus assures

the disciples that they will find the Father to be just like Him

(25-28)! When they pray to the Father in Jesus' name, the Father

does not have an unwilling ear. He is predisposed already to

answer their requests because of His love for them and because of

their relationship with Jesus.

The discourse after supper closes with a humorous little

interchange in which the disciples finally claim understanding of

Jesus' words (29, 30), but Jesus brings them back to reality with

a bit of irony; "So you believe at last? That must explain why

you are about to abandon me" (31, 32)! The disciples catch just

the barest glimpse of Jesus' meaning and express great

satisfaction in their achievement! It is as if they were

thrilled to make any sense out of His sayings at all! Jesus had

to take comfort in the fact that there was One who would not

forsake Him (32). In His final hours on earth He was forced to

live without human sympathy (cf. Ps 69:20). But because of the

cross, one day the disciples would learn to have peace on the

same basis as He did; relationship with God (33, cf. 14:27).

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The Major Themes of the Passage

The Theme of Love Continued

The theme of love, which was so central to the discussion at

the table (13:31 - 14:31), is further underlined in John 15:12-

17. The disciples' love for each other was to be modeled on the

love that Jesus had for them (15:12). Jesus expands the love

concept in this section by describing it as self-sacrificing

friendship (13). As Jesus would lay down His life for them, so

their love for one another would often call for the ultimate

sacrifice. While Jesus commands His disciples, they are not mere

servants, who just receive and execute orders without knowing

why, they are friends who obey in the context of an intimate

knowledge of Him (15).

Central to the ongoing friendship between Jesus and His

disciples would be prayer. Jesus would be eager to respond to

their requests (14:13, 14) because of the intimacy between Him

and them (15:7) and because of the fruit they would bear (15:16).

A repeated concept in the farewell discourse is that the disciple

can ask for anything and get it (16:23-27), provided that the

request comes out of the intimate understanding that comes from

remaining in Jesus.

The Hatred of the World

A major emphasis of the discourse after supper (15:1 -

16:33) is the two-fold experience of Jesus' followers in the

world. On the one hand, the disciples will experience the same
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hatred and persecution that Jesus experienced because they are

like Jesus and unlike the world (15:18-25; 16:1-4). All this

will be counterbalanced by the benefits that will accrue to them

because Jesus goes to the Father and sends the Spirit (15:26, 27;

16:7-15). The tension between these two aspects of the

disciples' experience is illustrated by such concepts as the

mixed emotions of childbirth (16:21, 22), the mixture of peace

and trouble (33), and seeing while not seeing (16).

JESUS DEDICATES HIS DISCIPLES

GETTING INTO THE WORD

John 17:1-26

Please read 17:1-26 at least twice and then answer the

following questions:

1. With the help of a concordance, list all the passages in the

Gospel of John that use the word "glory." What does it mean
to glorify someone? What is Jesus really asking for here?
2. With the help of a concordance, list all the passages in the
Gospel where the word "truth" is found. How do people get
sanctified by the truth?
3. Think of the prayer as a "report" Jesus is giving to His
"Superior" about His activities on this earth. Write out
your version of the report with particular emphasis on the
things Jesus did to carry out His Superior's orders.

EXPLORING THE WORD

The Structure of the Passage

The farewell get-together of Jesus and His disciples draws

to a close with an intercessory prayer in three parts. In verses

1-5 Jesus prays for Himself. In verses 6-19 His attention turns
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to His disciples and their need to be fortified for the

experience of doing without His physical presence. Then in

verses 20 Jesus explicitly turns His attention to the second

generation, those who would come to faith through the word of the

disciples rather than the direct ministry of Jesus. His desire

for both generations was that they would come to unity in love

and in Jesus (21-26).

The Passage in Detail

Jesus begins His prayer with the request for help to

complete the task of glorifying the Father, first through the

completion of His work on earth, and then by exalting Jesus back

to the heavenly glory that He had had from the beginning (17:1-5,

cf. 1:1-5). Jesus wants to be glorified so that the Father may

also be glorified (17:1). And the glorification of Jesus comes

from the perfect character of the work that He did on earth,

especially His work on the cross (17:4, cf. 12:23, 24). It is on

the cross that the character of God would be most clearly seen.

The result of this glorification is that eternal life has become

available to those in relationship with Jesus (17:2, 3).

Jesus then directs His attention to the disciples who were

the beneficiaries of His revelation of the Father's glory (17:6,

cf. 14:6-11). The disciples now knew that Jesus had come to

earth from the Father, and they, therefore, knew that Jesus was

the revelation of the Father's character (17:7, 8). Jesus does

not pray for the world, the benefits of His prayers are only for

those who have renounced the world (9). The bulk of His prayer
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is for the disciples since they will have to remain in the world

when Jesus returns to the Father (11).

Jesus prays for three things. On the negative side, He

prays that the disciples would be protected from the hatred of

the world and of the evil one (12, 14, 15). On the positive

side, He prays that the disciples will experience the fullness of

His joy in spite of His departure (13), and that they will be

sanctified by the truth of the Father's word (17, 19). This

sanctification will not only set them apart for the task of

representing Him in the world, it will equip them with the

qualities of mind and character needed for the task (Barclay,

2:216).

In verse 20 Jesus turns to the second generation, those who

would come to belief through the testimony of the disciples. In

the fullest sense, this includes all Christians who did not have

a personal encounter with Jesus in the flesh. This section

touches base with both the tragedy and the opportunity of the

church. When the love that Jesus prays for produces unity in the

church the world will come to know that Jesus is truly the One
who represents the character of the Father on earth (21, 23;

13:34, 35, cf. Eph 1:9-10). Jesus' prayer is answered whenever a

church in loving unity draws new believers out from the world.

By contrast, however, the world will never believe in Christ

through the instrumentality of a church that is bitterly divided.

It was through the earthly ministry of Jesus that the

disciples came to know the Father, through the sending of the

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Spirit, Jesus would continue to make the Father know among the

members of the second generation of Christians (26).

CONCLUSION

In the farewell discourse Jesus encourages His disciples

that His going away will not be the end of His ministry. There

would be two substitutes for the ministry of Jesus. Through the

Holy Spirit, Jesus would continue to manifest Himself and His

Father to them. Through the Spirit all the benefits of Jesus'

ministry would continue to be theirs. But that is not all. As

branches connected to the Vine by the Spirit, the disciples

themselves would replace Jesus in a real sense. Through their

word and their writings, they would make Jesus real to a new

generation. As they would be ministered to by the Spirit, they

would also reach out by the Spirit in ministry to the world, and

thereby create a new generation of believers, for whom the word

of Jesus would truly prove to be as good as His touch.

APPLYING THE WORD

1. Can you think of a person in your life who illustrates what
it means to wash feet in relationships? How can you put
Jesus' teaching into practical use in at least one
relationship this week? What would it mean to "wash feet"
in the context of everyday family life?
2. On a scale of one to ten, how does your local church rate in
its carrying out of Jesus command to love as He loved? What
are some major barriers that prevent the practice of His
command? What can you do personally to make a difference in
this area?
3. If someone objected to the exclusiveness of John 14:6, how
would you respond? Do Muslims, Buddhists, etc. fit in here
somehow? Have Christians abused this text in their
relationships with others? In what ways?
4. Jesus says the disciples will do "greater works" than He
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did? Of all the works that Jesus did, which would you most
like to do? If you did such a work would it be a blessing
to the world, or might you cause more harm than good?
5. In what ways have you personally experienced the hatred of
the world for the truth about Jesus? To what degree was
that hatred directed at your own shortcomings in personality
or presentation?
6. How well do you deal with change in your life? Among the
things Jesus says in this passage to prepare His disciples
for major changes, which would be most helpful to you when
you face changes? What kind of advice do you tend to offer
others who are facing similar changes?

RESEARCHING THE WORD

1. Review some of the great farewell speeches in the Bible

outside this Gospel (see above for some examples). Try to
develop a list of common elements in all these discourses.
To what degree did Jesus conform to a common literary
pattern? In what ways did He deviate from earlier examples?
2.

FURTHER STUDY OF THE WORD

1. See White, Desire of Ages, 716-722 for further insights into

the character of Judas.
2. The footwashing and the farewell discourse are treated in
White, Desire of Ages, 642-680.
 CHAPTER 13

THE HOLY SPIRIT REPLACES JESUS

JOHN 14-16 (passim)

The format of this chapter is unique. The role and nature

of the Holy Spirit's work in the Gospel of John cannot

comfortably be handled in a section by section manner. Instead

of concentrating on a section of the Gospel, therefore, this

chapter examines the Holy Spirit theme throughout the Gospel of

John, but with particular emphasis (as is the case in the Gospel

itself) on the "Counselor" passages in John 14-16.

Structure

There are eleven passages in the Fourth Gospel which refer,

either directly or indirectly, to the nature and work of the Holy

Spirit. Five of these are located in the narrative sections of

the first half of the book (1:32, 33; 3:5-8, 34; 4:23, 24; 6:63;
7:37-39). Five can be found in the farewell discourse of Jesus

in the upper room (14:16, 17; 14:26; 15:26; 16:7-11; 16:13-15).

The eleventh is the brief mention in 20:22. There are three

other mentions of the word "spirit" in the Gospel (11:33; 13:21;

19:30), these all seem to refer either to the inner consciousness

of Jesus or to his physical breath.

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The five passages in the first half of the Gospel mention

the Spirit almost parenthetically. They often raise more

questions than they answer. It is as if John used these passages

to plant seeds in the reader's mind that would only sprout in the

fertile soil of the farewell discourse (John 13-17). There Jesus

becomes much more explicit in His teaching about the Spirit. The

references in the early part of the Gospel help prepare the

reader's mind for the deeper teachings to follow. The final

passage (20:22) hints at the fulfillment of all these teachings

that would come at Pentecost.

Background

Transfers of Authority

At least three times elsewhere in the Bible we find a

description of a transfer of authority similar to the one between

Jesus and the Holy Spirit. In each of these a principle figure

dies or moves off the stage leaving another to take his place,

carry on his work, and interpret his message. The second person

plays a very similar role to the first and there is a mention of

the Spirit at the time of the changeover.

When Moses laid his hands on Joshua, for example, Joshua

became filled with the "spirit of wisdom" (Deut 34:9). Because

of this the Israelites accepted him as their leader and teacher,

and he was able to accomplish what Moses was not able to do,

bring the Israelites into the promised land (Deut 32:48-52; 34:4;

Josh 1-12). The idea of Jesus as the successor and teacher of

Moses, the "new Joshua" ("Jesus" is a Greek equivalent of the

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Hebrew name "Joshua"), is very much a part of John's

understanding of the mission of Jesus (1:17; 3:14; 5:45-47; 6:30-

35).

When Elijah ascended to heaven he left a double portion of

the Spirit with his successor Elisha (2 Kings 2:1-15). As in the

previous case, the transfer took place near the Jordan river (in

the Hebrew the names Joshua and Elisha are very closely related).

The transfers of authority from Moses to Joshua and from

Elijah to Elisha seem to have set the pattern for the baptism of

Jesus by John (John 1:17; Luke 1:17). There at the Jordan,

accompanied by the Spirit (John 1:32, 33; Matt 3:16), John hands

over his prophetic mantle to Jesus and then fades from view.

These earlier transfers of authority provide a significant

background to the work of the Spirit in the Gospel of John. It

is necessary for Jesus to depart and ascend before the Spirit can

fully come with power upon the disciples (Jude 9; Matt 17:3; 2

Kings 2:11, cf. John 16:7). If we carry out the analogy in full,

the true successor of Jesus is not so much the Spirit as the

disciples themselves, empowered by the Spirit! Jesus is replaced

on earth by two successors, the Spirit and His disciples. The

Spirit continues Jesus' work for the disciples in particular, the

disciples carry out the Spirit's work in the world (John 14:26;

15:26, 27; 16:8-11).

Foretastes of the Spirit

In the Old Testament and other Jewish writings we sense some

of the richness with which Israel anticipated the future work of

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the Spirit. The Spirit of God often came upon the prophets so

they could speak the words of God to humanity (Isa 48:16; Ezek

2:2; 3:4-15; Dan 4:8, 9, 18; 5:11-14; Mic 3:8). The universal

presence of the Holy Spirit, therefore, was to be a sign of the

last days (Isa 32:14, 15; Joel 2:28-32). The Spirit was often

associated with water (Ezek 36:25, 26; Isa 44:3, cf. John 4:7-26;

7:37-39) as an agent of cleansing (Ezek 36) or nourishment (Isa

44:3, cf. Isa 35).

Isaiah, in particular, associates the expectation of the

Spirit with God's future Messianic agent. The Spirit of wisdom,

understanding and might would be upon Him (Isa 11:2). The Spirit

would enable Him to bring justice on earth (Isa 42:1-4). Through

the anointing of the Spirit He would deliver the people of God,

chastise their enemies, and restore Zion to its favored status

before God (Isa 61:1-9). These things are fulfilled in the

Fourth Gospel through Jesus sending His spirit to His disciples.

The Meaning of "Counselor"

In the Gospel of John Jesus employs an unusual way of naming

the Holy Spirit. He uses a Greek term that can be transliterated

as "Paraclete." This term is usually translated "Comforter" or

"Counselor" (NIV). The root meaning of the Greek word translated

Counselor combines the Greek word for "call" (kaleô) with the

Greek word for "alongside" (para).

A "paraclete," then, is a person who is called alongside to

help someone. Because of this the Holy Spirit as Counselor

concept is often associated by scholars with our modern notion of

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a defense attorney at a trial. In the legal sense a Counselor

intercedes or appeals in behalf of another. As used in the

Gospel of John, then, there is a strong legal connotation to the

word Counselor, which fits well with the Spirit's role as a

witness (John 15:26) who aids the disciples in their witness to

Jesus.

The idea of the Spirit as a Comforter (called alongside to

comfort), however, is not foreign to the farewell discourse

either. The disciples would be bereft like orphans if the Spirit

were not sent after Jesus' departure (14:18). The Spirit would

come to help them cope with their grief at the loss of physical

contact with Jesus (16:6, 7).

The Counselor or Paraclete appears four times in the

farewell discourse (14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7). He dwells within

the disciples (14:16), represents Christ to them (14:26),

instructs (14:26), bears witness to Christ (15:26), and convicts

(16:7, 8). He is Helper, Counselor, Comforter, and Friend.

THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN:

OUTSIDE THE FAREWELL DISCOURSE (1-12, 18-21)

GETTING INTO THE WORD

Please read 1:29-36; 3:1-21, 31-36; 4:7-29; 6:60-71; 7:37-39

and 20:19-23 at least twice and then answer the following
questions:

1. Write out a paragraph for each of the above passages in

which you describe what each passage is saying about the
Holy Spirit. Some of the passages may yield much more
information than others. Is there a common thread that runs
through them all?
2. Write out a paragraph or two for each passage describing the
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setting in which a mention of the Spirit took place and the

character of the audience in each case. In which setting is
the role of the Spirit most clearly outlined? Does Jesus at
times seem to be hiding the truth as much as revealing it?
How did the character of the audience affect the way in
which the Spirit was described?

EXPLORING THE WORD

In John 1 it was the Spirit descending out of heaven and

alighting on Jesus which opened the Baptist's eyes to the reality

that Jesus was the Messiah that he had been looking for (verse

32). God had earlier revealed to the Baptist that just such an

event would signal the identity of the Messiah to him so he could

point Him out to the people (33). In effect the Spirit was a

divine witness to the Baptist of exactly who Jesus was. In John

1 the Spirit began to testify about Jesus (cf. 15:26; 16:13, 14).

Jesus would then be the agent who would multiply the Spirit's

work on earth (1:33; Joel 2:28-32, cf. Acts 2).

In John 3 Jesus uses neither the term "paraclete" nor the

adjective "holy" with reference to the Spirit, yet it is clear to

whom He is referring (5-8). Baptism in the Spirit is an

essential pre-requisite to entrance into the Kingdom of God (5).

Although it is impossible to comprehend just how it is that the

Spirit works, the work of the Spirit is real enough so that its

effects in people's lives can be clearly seen (8).

The Spirit is also alluded to in the story of the woman at

the well. The living water that springs up from within and leads

to eternal life reminds the reader of references to the Spirit in

the Greek OT (John 4:10-15; Isa 44:3; Ezek 36:25, 26). People
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who received Jesus' living water would never thirst again because

they would carry the source of supply with them in the person of

the Holy Spirit.

Although somewhat difficult to understand, the mention of

the Spirit in John 4:23, 24 confirms the earlier reference to the

Spirit in chapter 4. In the age of the Spirit worship will not

be tied to any specific location, or favor any particular

people. Worship in spirit is universal. Worship does not mean

coming to a particular place or doing certain things, it involves

an intimate relationship with God. When the Spirit dwells within

like living water, the relationship with God is energized and

made real. Worship arises spontaneously out of a living

relationship.

In John 6:63 Jesus states that the Spirit is the one who

brings life (cf. 4:10-15!) and that the words that Jesus has

spoken bring both the Spirit and life. Human beings cannot gain

life on their own. Jesus and the Spirit work together to make

life possible.

It is in John 7:37-39 that the narrator of the Gospel

becomes more explicit in unpacking the nature and the work of the

Holy Spirit. Although the Spirit has made a number of

appearances thus far in the Gospel, He would only be truly

revealed in the context of Jesus "glorification" on the cross.

It is in the shadow of the cross, in John 13-17, that Jesus

becomes truly explicit with regard to the Spirit's role in the

Christian life. John 7:37-39, therefore, is a transition

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passage. It sums up much of what has been said before about the

Spirit, at the same time it sets the stage for the clearer, more-

detailed information that comes in the farewell discourse.

Just before the Thomas incident at the conclusion of chapter

20, Jesus is described as breathing on the disciples,

(reminiscent of the creation of Adam in Gen 2) followed by the

comment, "Receive the Holy Spirit" (John 20:22). This incident

would seem to be a foretaste of the outpouring of the Spirit upon

all believers at Pentecost. Now that Jesus had been glorified,

the promise of 7:39 had begun to be fulfilled.

THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE FAREWELL DISCOURSE

GETTING INTO THE WORD

Please read John 13-17 at least twice with particular

attention to 14:16, 17; 14:26, 27; 15:26, 27; 16:7-11 and 16:13-
15. Then answer the following questions:

1. Write out five paragraphs in which you describe what each of

the above passages is saying about the Holy Spirit. List
the ideas that are mentioned in more than one passage. What
are the common threads that run through them all?
2. Make a list of all the titles that are used for the Holy
Spirit in these passages and also in the others studied in
the previous section. In a sentence or two write out the
meaning of each of these titles as far as you can determine
them from the context.
3. In a short paragraph describe how you understand the
Spirit's operation in relation to sin, righteousness, and
judgment (16:7-11). How would you define each term? Why
does Jesus have to go away before these things can move into
operation?
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EXPLORING THE WORD

Structure

Jesus' last discourse to His disciples (John 13-17) contains

five passages regarding the work of the Counselor, the Holy

Spirit (14:16, 17; 14:26; 15:26; 16:7-11; 16:13-15). The

interesting thing is that the farewell discourse generally makes

coherent sense if read without these passages, as we have done in

the previous chapter. Yet the Counselor passages fit in quite

well with the direction of the rest of the discourse. This makes

it interesting to study them together as a unit, as we do here,

at the same time it is important never to treat them in total

isolation from their context. We begin by looking at the five

passages themselves, then we consider their contribution to the

farewell discourse and the Gospel as a whole.

The Five Passages in Detail

The first Counselor passage is John 14:16, 17. According to

this passage in context, the Spirit becomes available to the

believer who is obeying (14:15, 21) and praying (13, 14). The
Spirit is "another Counselor," meaning that the title Counselor

is not unique to the Holy Spirit (16). It is Jesus, the original

Counselor, who is represented to the disciples through "another"

Counselor, the Holy Spirit (18, cf. 1 John 2:1). The Greek has

two words for "another," one representing similarity, and the

other distinction. The word chosen here (allos) represents

similarity. The Holy Spirit is another Counselor, one just like

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Jesus.

The purpose for the sending of the Holy Spirit is two-fold

according to this text. First, the Counselor provides the

disciple with a permanent divine presence. Jesus may have to go

away, but the Counselor will be with them forever (John 14:16).

He will even live inside of them (14:17).

Second, the Counselor plays the specific role of taking the

place of Jesus during the time when He is absent from the

disciples. He is "another" Counselor, like Jesus (16). He is

the Spirit of Truth, a designation just applied by Jesus to

Himself (17, cf. 6). The Counselor is rejected by the world,

just as Jesus was. But He "remains" with the disciples (17,

"lives with them"-- NIV) and dwells in them as they were to

remain in Jesus and He was to live in them (14:20; 15:4-10;

17:23, 26). Jesus comes to the disciples through the Holy Spirit

(14:18). They will see Jesus again when the Spirit comes (19).

So the Counselor replaces the physical presence of Jesus with His

spiritual presence.

The next Counselor passage is 14:26. Here the Counselor is

explicitly called the Holy Spirit. He is sent by the Father in

Jesus' name. His purpose in coming is to teach the disciples

everything that they need to know in Jesus' absence, with

emphasis on reminding them of the words that Jesus said (cf. 25).

This promise was no doubt recorded by John as a special

validation of his Gospel to the new generation. The accuracy of

John's remembrance of Jesus is assured by the ongoing presence of

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the Spirit with Jesus' disciples.

If verse 27 is part of the Counselor passage, a further

purpose for the Spirit's work emerges. He comes to offer them

peace and comfort in the context of their fears of being left

alone (cf. 18).

The next Counselor passage does not appear until 15:26.

Again He is called the Spirit of Truth. Here the Spirit's

teaching about Jesus is expressed in the language of the law

court. The Counselor will testify about Jesus in the context of

the world's hatred for Jesus and the disciples (15:18-25, cf.

16:1-4). Persecuted disciples will feel the need of legal

testimony regarding the validity of their experience. As was the

case with 14:27, it is uncertain whether 15:27 is to be

understood as an extension of the Counselor passage in the

previous verse. The disciples are not said to testify because

they have heard the Spirit, but because they were with Jesus from

the beginning of His ministry. The Spirit's testimony will

encourage and corroborate their own testimony.

The next Counselor passage is John 16:7-11. In verse 7

Jesus makes a clear statement of comfort. In the context of the

world's hatred (1-4), the disciples are better off without Him,

even though His going away is painful (5, 6). They are better

off because His going will enable the Counselor to be with them

(7). The Counselor will deal with the world's hatred and

persecution by bringing it to conviction in relation to sin,

righteousness, and judgment (8-- it has been suggested that these

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three terms deal with the past, present and future of every

sinner who comes to Christ, cf. Froom, p. 70).

The Counselor, first of all, brings a sense of sin to those

who thought they were doing the right thing in persecuting the

followers of Jesus (9, cf. 2, 3). Sin is deeper than just bad

actions, the primary sin is a failure to believe in Jesus. This

sin is so obscure to most people that only the direct presence of

the Holy Spirit could possibly make that conviction real. One of

the clearest signs of the Spirit's presence in a one's life,

therefore, is a strong sense of one's own defects of character.

The good news is that the Counselor is also a Comforter. To

those who are keenly aware of personal sin, the Spirit brings a

sense of relief from sin in the righteousness of Christ (10).

But what does the sense of righteousness have to do with the last

part of verse 10, "Because I am going to the Father, where you

can see me no longer?" When Jesus goes to the Father, He will

intercede for His disciples at the Father's side. His

righteousness is ministered to their account. The Spirit will

bring the righteousness ministered at the right hand of God back

to earth for their sakes. The fact that they see Jesus no more,

will be part of the disciples' assurance.

The Counselor also brings conviction of judgment (11), but

this is a different judgment than those rendered in verses 9 and

10 (convictions of sin and righteousness). This conviction is

the sense of liberation from Satan's control that comes when

people realize that Satan was totally overthrown at the cross

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(cf. 12:31). Those who identify with Jesus' death in their

behalf are freed from Satan's power and control. Those who side

with Satan in his judgment against Jesus and those who follow Him

are judged in his judgment. Believers who are sentenced in

earthly courts can know by the conviction of the Spirit that they

and their persecutors will one day stand in a higher court, where

the convictions of earth will be reversed and God's people will

be vindicated.

The last Counselor passage (16:13-15-- Spirit is used here

rather than Counselor) lists a number of further characteristics

of the Spirit's work for the disciples and all who follow Jesus.

The "Spirit of truth" will guide them into all truth (13, cf.

14:17, 26). Like Jesus he will teach them what they need to

know. But He will not come to teach about Himself, the Spirit's

focus is always on Jesus (16:13-15, cf. 14:26; 15:26; 16:9). The

Spirit will keep the disciples updated on Jesus' work, He not

only reveals what Jesus is doing in the present, He also reveals

what Jesus will do in the future (16:13, cf. Rev 1:1, 10!).

Perhaps this is the best note on which to turn to a

contemplation of the overall picture of the Spirit's work as

outlined in the Gospel of John. There are no revelations to be

found in the Holy Spirit except those that concern Jesus. An

obsession with the Spirit is not healthy if it directs our

attention away from Jesus. Jesus does not need the Spirit to

glorify Him in His person, the Father did that when He exalted

Jesus to His right hand at the ascension; the role of the Spirit
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is to exalt and glorify Jesus in the estimation of humanity here

on earth. The Spirit is Jesus' representative or ambassador here

on earth. When we listen to the Spirit, we are listening to

Jesus Himself.

THE ROLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

Getting Into the Word

Before reading the following material, write a short essay

on the role of the Holy Spirit as described in the Gospel of
John. Try to utilize all the information you have discovered so
far. Wherever possible, list texts which back up the things that
you are saying about the Spirit in your essay.

Exploring the Word

There are two primary aspects to the work of the Holy Spirit

as outlined in the Gospel of John. They function like two sides

of a coin. One side is in relation to those who believe in

Jesus, the other side is in relation to the non-believing world.

For the disciples the Holy Spirit comes to take the place of

Jesus and do for them what Jesus would do if He were personally

present. Thus, the character and activity of the Spirit bears a

close resemblance to the character and activity of Jesus in the

Gospel. The Holy Spirit comes to the disciples as "another

Counselor" (14:16), a Counselor like Jesus. Jesus was the

disciples' helper, comforter, advocate and friend. Jesus was

their first Counselor, the Holy Spirit was the second.

Because of the close relationship between the work of the

Spirit and that of Jesus, there are many parallels between them
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in the Gospel. The Gospel can report that Jesus is not only full

of truth (1:14), He is the truth (14:6), the very source of it

(1:17). Yet at the same time the Counselor is called the "Spirit

of truth" (14:17). The world, therefore, not only rejects the

truth that came through Jesus (1:10; 18:38), it refuses to accept

the Spirit either (14:17). The disciples, on the other hand, are

to know the Spirit (14:17) as well as Jesus (14:7-9; 17:3).

There are many other parallels between the work of Jesus and

the work of the Holy Spirit in the Gospel of John. In 14:26 the

Holy Spirit teaches all things to the disciples and brings Jesus'

words to their remembrance. Thus the Spirit continues the

teaching ministry of Jesus (6:59; 7:14, 17; 8:20, etc.). As the

Holy Spirit is sent from the Father (14:16, 26; 15:26), so Jesus

was sent from the Father (3:17, 34; 5:23, 24, 30, 36-38, etc.).

The Spirit testifies about Jesus (15:26), in John 14-16 Jesus

testifies about the Spirit!

The Spirit speaks only what He hears (16:13), Jesus did the

same throughout His ministry (5:30; 8:28; 14:24). The Spirit

takes from Jesus and makes it known to the disciples (16:15) as

Jesus took from the Father and made it known to the disciples

(8:28). The Spirit "remains" with them (14:17) and dwells in

them as they were to remain in Jesus and He was to live in them

(14:20; 15:4-10; 17:23, 26). Both Jesus and the Spirit are

associated with "the word" in the Gospel (1:14; 6:63).

It is interesting to note that there are a number of

parallels to the narrative sections of the Gospel in the teaching

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about the Counselor in the upper room. In 15:26, 27 the Spirit

bears for the world the same witness He bore to John the Baptist

in 1:32. Jesus' words to Nicodemus are brought to mind by 14:17.

The Spirit which the world could not see (cf. 3:8) will be found

in the disciples, bringing the new birth promised to Nicodemus

(cf. 3:3-8). As the breath of God enters the body in the first

birth so the "breath" (spirit) of God enters the body also at

rebirth. The association of Spirit and truth are found in 4:22-

24 and 14:17, 15:26 and 16:13. The words of 7:39 are echoed in

16:7 where the departure of Jesus is seen as the prerequisite of

the Spirit's coming.

These connections are significant for our main theme in this

book. The second generation is not at a disadvantage, compared

with the first. She has the same Spirit as the original

followers of Jesus, but in even greater measure. The Spirit

which was seen on Jesus by the Baptist, was offered to Nicodemus

and the woman at the well, and was promised to whoever would come

to Him by Jesus in the temple, is available to all who receive

the written words of the Gospel of John. Through the Spirit the
second generation can receive the same Jesus by abiding in His

words (15:7; 16:13). Through the Spirit they can have even

greater blessings than would have been possible if Jesus had

remained on earth in His bodily presence (14:12; 16:7).

From all of the above it seems clear that the primary role

of the Holy Spirit in the Gospel of John is to function as the

Successor and Replacement of Jesus' ministry for His disciples on

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earth. He does for the believer exactly what Jesus would do if

He were physically present at that same time and place. As such

the Spirit expands and enhances the ministry of Jesus to those

who follow Him. The prominence of this theme in this Gospel is

because of John's special concern for the second generation of

believers, those who face life without the presence of anyone who

knew Jesus in the flesh. It was crucial to help them understand

that the physical absence of Jesus in no way hinders their

ability to know Him and to receive everything from His hand that

He would have given if physically present. The Spirit is the

medium through which Jesus brings life to a new generation! So

effective is the Spirit's work that Jesus can even say that His

followers are "better off without Him" (16:7)!

To underline the significance of the Spirit's continuing

ministry to the second generation, the Gospel ends in such a way

that Jesus remains present with His disciples on a beach (21:4,

9, 11, 15-25). There is no ascension scene where Jesus separates

Himself from the disciples (although John is clear that such an

ascension actually took place, cf. 20:17). The Gospel closes

with an affirmation of Jesus' continued presence with His

followers through the Holy Spirit (cf. Matt 28:16-20). This

would be of particular encouragement to the second generation of

Christians.

There is another side to the coin of the Spirit's work as

outlined in the Gospel of John. The Spirit testifies in the

context of a hostile world (15:18 - 16:11). To my knowledge this

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is the only place in all the Bible where the Spirit is described

as performing a work directly in the world. The Spirit is not

confined to believers only, He also has a role to play with

unbelievers.

In the NT the word "convict" (16:8) consistently means to

show someone their sin and call them to repentance (Büchsel, p.

474). It is a legal term that refers to the kind of cross-

examination that forces someone to see and admit their guilt

(Barclay, 2:192). It is a work shared by Jesus (Rev 3:19) with

the Holy Spirit. The Spirit's work in the world is to bring the

world to an awareness of its sin, particularly in its refusal to

believe in Jesus (John 16:9), as well as an awareness of the

provision made to deal with that sin (16:10), and the

consequences of continued rejection (11). The world is guilty in

its rejection of Jesus, but it takes the Spirit to bring this

guilt home to human consciousness (9).

Furthermore, the world needs to know that the only

righteousness that is acceptable to God comes to them through the

provision made by Jesus Christ (10). The world contains many

purported roads to salvation but all are dead ends except the one

that passes through Him who died on the cross (12:31, 32; 14:6).

Because of the world's refusal to follow Jesus, the cross truly

becomes the judgment of the entire world (11, 12:31).

As was the case with the Spirit's work in behalf of the

disciples, so the Spirit's work for the world parallels the work

of Jesus. Jesus is the Light of the world (1:4-5; 8:12; 9:5) who
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brings conviction of sin and assurance of righteousness (1:9-11;

3:18-21; 9:13-35). Although He did not come to pass judgment on

the world (3:17; 8:15), His very presence brings judgment with

it, both positive and negative (3:18-21; 5:22-25; 8:16).

In summary, the work of the Holy Spirit as outlined in the

Gospel of John is as an extension of the work of Jesus Himself.

The Spirit is Christ's Successor and Representative both with the

disciples and to the world. Through the Spirit, therefore, Jesus

is always present in and among those who believe in Him. The

Spirit extends the presence of Jesus to the new generation that

never knew His physical touch. The teaching that Jesus could no

longer do in the flesh, the Spirit would do everywhere in His

behalf. The witness that He would no longer bear, the Spirit

would bear in His behalf. Through the Spirit Jesus would

continue to be glorified.

On the other hand, as Jesus brought judgment and conviction

to all who were exposed to His light, so the Holy Spirit has a

ministry also to the world, to bring conviction of sin, the offer

of righteousness, and a warning of judgment to come. The world

rejected Jesus and still does so today. But in spite of the

world's continued rejection, the Spirit continues to convict and

many in the second generation continue to hear Jesus' voice

through the voice of the Spirit.

APPLYING THE WORD

1. To what degree have you been aware of the Holy Spirit's

active involvement in your life? What difference do you
think the material in John could make in people's lives
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today if it were taken seriously? Do you sometimes feel

like the disciples in the upper room, abandoned by their
strongest link to God?
2. Has a person with major spiritual influence in your life
ever died or moved away? What happened to you spiritually
when that took place? Were you able to replace that source
of spiritual strength with a new relationship or spiritual
growth of your own? How would you suggest people should
prepare for the eventual loss of some of the spiritual
influencers in their lives?
3. What methods has the Spirit used in your life to bring you
to an awareness of your own defects of character? To teach
you lessons about life? To help you understand the
Scriptures?

RESEARCHING THE WORD

1. With a comprehensive concordance find all the references to

"spirit" in the Bible. Quickly eliminate all references to
such things as the human spirit or breath and the winds that
blow. Further eliminate those passages that are ambiguous
(for example, you can't tell if the reference is to wind or
Spirit, or if the reference is to a person's inner nature as
opposed to what God's Spirit does in a person). When you
have collected as many clear references to the third person
of the Godhead as you can, look up key passages in the SDA
Bible Commentary. Look up key terms in the SDA Bible
Dictionary.
2. On the basis of the above study try to answer the following
questions: How would you demonstrate from Scripture that the
Holy Spirit is truly a person and not just an impersonal
force? How would you demonstrate that the Holy Spirit is
fully God? What difference did the cross, the resurrection
and Pentecost make? In what sense is the Spirit's operation
different in the NT era? What is the unique contribution of
the Johannine material to the Biblical evidence? What
themes does John have in common with such Pauline passages
as Rom 12; 1 Cor 12-14 and Eph 4:1-16?

FURTHER STUDY OF THE WORD

1. For in-depth studies of the role of the Holy Spirit in the

Gospel of John see Brown, 2:1135-1144, and Schnackenburg,
3:138-154.
2. For a general Adventist study on the work of the Holy Spirit
see Froom.
3. Ellen White gives special attention to the farewell
discourse of Jesus in Desire of Ages, 662-680. She focuses
directly on the work of the Holy Spirit in Acts of the
Apostles, 47-56.
 CHAPTER 14

THE ARREST, TRIALS, AND DEATH OF JESUS

JOHN 18:1 - 19:42

The material concerning the passion of Jesus in the Gospel

of John begins and ends in a garden (18:1; 19:41-- Talbert,

Reading John, 232) and falls naturally into three parts. First,

there is a section describing the betrayal, arrest, and

indictment of Jesus (18:1-27). The trial before Pilate assumes

the central role in John's account and is covered in 18:28

through the middle of the 16th verse of chapter 19. The

crucifixion itself, followed by the burial of Jesus is described

in 19:16b-42. Our discussion of the cross event in the Gospel of

John will likewise be divided into three parts.

Of all the material in the Gospel of John chapters 18 and 19

have the most in common with the accounts in Matthew, Mark, and
Luke. For this reason, the discussions in this chapter will

focus to a large degree on the differences between John and the

other three gospel accounts, and how these differences help the

reader to highlight the major theological points that John was

trying to make in his narrative of the cross and the events

surrounding it.

The crucifixion account in John offers ironic contrasts

299
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between Peter and Pilate on the one hand, and Jesus on the other.

Although quite different in faith profession, education and

occupation, Peter and Pilate have one thing in common. Both will

do anything to avoid pain and embarrassment over the short-term,

at the expense of long-term consequences. By way of contrast,

Jesus is willing to suffer extreme pain and rejection over the

short-term in order to secure the eternal consequences of His

spiritual kingship.

THE BETRAYAL, ARREST, AND INDICTMENT OF JESUS

GETTING INTO THE WORD

John 18:1-27

Please read 18:1-27 at least twice and then answer the

following questions:

1. Read the parallel accounts in Matthew (26:36 - 27:10), Mark

(14:32-72) and Luke (22:39-71). Make a list of all the
items that are unique to the Gospel of John. Also list
items that are omitted in John. Write a short essay in
which you address the unique approach of John to these
events. Are there any unique theological themes in 18:1-27
that remind you of material covered earlier in this Gospel?
2. On a piece of paper, divide this passage up into paragraphs,
to the best of your ability. What is the central point of
each paragraph? Explain.
3. In a paragraph or two each, try to describe the emotional
state of each of the main characters who appear in this
passage, Jesus, Peter, the other disciple, Annas.

EXPLORING THE WORD

The Structure of the Passage

John 18:1-27 divides naturally into five parts. First,

comes the arrest of Jesus in a garden across the Kidron Valley

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from Jerusalem (18:1-11). This is followed by a legal hearing

before Annas, the father-in-law of the reigning High Priest

Caiaphas (12-14), which account is interrupted by the first

denial of Peter (15-18). Then the center of attention again

moves back and forth between the interrogation room in the High

Priest's palace (19-24) and the courtyard outside where Peter

twice more denies Jesus (25-27).

The Background of the Passage

The interrogation before Annas is a unique feature of the

account in the Gospel of John. Annas is otherwise mentioned only

in the writings of Luke, but even in them Annas in not mentioned

in relation to the events surrounding the crucifixion itself

(Luke 3:2; Acts 4:6). On the other hand, the interrogation

before Caiaphas, which plays a major role in Matthew (26:59-68),

Mark (14:55-65), and Luke (22:63-71), is assumed in John but not

described (John 18:24, 28).

The Passage in Detail

After the farewell discourse, Jesus leads His disciples out

of Jerusalem, across the Kidron Valley to an olive grove

(original just says "a garden"). There they encounter Judas with

a large detachment of armed soldiers and religious officials

(John 18:1-3). Jesus moves forward boldly and identifies

Himself, to the consternation of those who wished to arrest him

(4-6). When they recover their composure He invites them to take

Him, but to let His disciples go (7-9). When Peter seeks to

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defend Jesus, He rebukes him (10, 11).

A comparison of this passage (1-11) with Matthew, Mark, and

Luke yields some fascinating information. Only John mentions

that the spot is a garden (1), Matt (26:36) and Mark (14:32)

speak of "a place called Gethsemane." Luke only says that they

went to the Mount of Olives (22:39). John mentions that they

went there "often" and that Judas knew the place (2). Also

unique to John is the detachment of soldiers going along with the

crowd, and the presence of Pharisees (3). Strikingly absent at

this point is any description of Jesus' agony in Gethsemane (but

note John 12:27).

A number of other elements are unique to John. Jesus moves

forward to meet the mob, rather than awaiting their arrival (4).

He asks, "who is it you want?" and they fall to the ground when

he again uses those mighty words "I am he" (4-6, cf. 8:58).

There is no kiss from Judas, Peter and Malchus are named (10),

and there is a reference to the fulfillment of a prediction made

by Jesus (9). Jesus asks that His disciples be released, and the

account implies that this request was respected since the

disciples are not said to flee as they do in Matthew (26:56) and

Mark (14:50), some even follow Jesus up to the place of His

hearings before the priests (John 18:15, 16).

The key point that John seems to be making in this passage

is that Jesus is in full control of the situation, fulfilling the

statement He made in 10:18, "No one takes it (my life-- cf. 17)

from me, but I lay it down of my own accord." In the Synoptic

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Gospels, Judas is the one who precipitates the death of Jesus by

his kiss of betrayal, Jesus is the victim (Matt 26:45-56; Mark

14:41-52; Luke 22:47-54). But in John it is Jesus who is in

control of the situation.

John points out that Jesus and His disciples went to that

garden often and that Judas "knew the place" (John 18:2). If

Jesus had wanted to avoid arrest, He could simply have headed

somewhere else. Instead He leads His disciples to the garden,

knowing what would be happening there (4). Jesus is not in

anguish in this account, he is fully controlled. He does not

wait for the betrayer, he moves forward and addresses the mob,

showing an ability to fully intimidate them if that would have

served His purpose (4-6). His death is voluntary, they could

never have arrested Him had He not allowed it.

Jesus is equally in control of the fate of His disciples (7-

9). It is, therefore, almost amusing when Peter steps into the

breach to save Jesus. Although Jesus was fully in control of the

situation, Peter saw things as totally out of control, so he

flashed his sword, and became a slasher for Jesus. But Jesus
told him to put away his sword. His good intentions would have

prevented events from unfolding in the way that God had planned

(11). Jesus knew that He must go to the cross or God's plan of

salvation would fail. Peter did not know this, so his actions

designed to get control of the situation would only have moved

things truly out of control. As always in the Gospel of John,

Jesus does exactly what His Father would have wanted Him to do
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(cf. 15:10).

After His arrest, Jesus is taken to Annas for a preliminary,

unofficial interview. As mentioned earlier, Annas plays a role

in Jesus' trial only in the Fourth Gospel (18:12-14, 19-24). He

was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the reigning High Priest

(11:49, 51), and served as the High Priest before him. It is

interesting that Annas is also called the High Priest in the

Gospel of John, even though he is no longer in office (18:19,

22). So you have the fascinating statement that Annas, the High

Priest, sends Jesus to Caiaphas the High Priest (24).

According to the Old Testament, the High Priest was to hold

his office for life. No doubt conservative Jews, at least, still

considered Annas the true High Priest and still called him by

that title as long as he lived (see Brown, 2:820). This would be

a way for people to quietly express their disapproval of the

authority of Rome, which had taken upon itself the right to

enthrone or depose the High Priests of the Jewish faith. But

like it or not, Caiaphas had the authority to make final

decisions, delegated to him by Rome. Annas, for all his

spiritual authority, could only counsel and persuade.

This part of the Gospel takes place on a "double stage."

While Jesus is being interviewed by Annas, Peter is being

interviewed by the High Priest's servants in the courtyard (15-

18, 25-27). Peter and "another disciple," presumably John,

follow Jesus and those who arrested him to the residence of the

High Priest (15). The other disciple was evidently an

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acquaintance of the High Priest, and thereby gained access to at

least the courtyard for Peter and himself (15, 16). Presumably,

the girl at the door knew John to be a disciple of Jesus, but

didn't challenge him because he had privileged access. Peter was

not so lucky (17, 25-27).

Many aspects of the story of Peter in the courtyard are

unique to the Gospel of John. The involvement of the other

disciple who entered with Jesus because he was known to the High

Priest (15, 16), the fact that the maid who first challenges

Peter is the doorkeeper who let him in (17, cf. Matt 26:69; Mark

14:66; Luke 22:56), the reason for the fire (it was needed for

them to keep warm-- John 18:18, 25) are unique details. In John

also, Peter is challenged repeatedly with questions rather than

assertions from those standing by (18:17, 25, 26). From these

details we learn that more than one disciple tried to stay close

to Jesus during his trial. We also learn that the weather at the

time was cold, which may indicate a further element in the

sufferings of Jesus on the next day.

A further interesting aspect of these scenes is the way

Peter is detected in 25-27. In the Synoptic Gospels Peter is

detected by his dialect. "Your [Galilean] accent gives you away"

(Matt 26:73, cf. Mark 14:70; Luke 22:59). But in John Jesus is

detected by a relative of the man whose ear was cut off (18:26).

This also helps to explain why John was not challenged and Peter

was. Peter had come boldly to the front at the time of Jesus'

arrest. Now that boldness would challenge him to further

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boldness, but he would fail the test. Poor, impulsive Peter.

Too bold one minute, too timid the next!

Since Peter does not change location when Jesus is moved

from Annas to Caiaphas (24-27), we can assume that the two high

priests lived in different wings of the same palace, both of

which fronted on the same courtyard. The trial before Caiaphas

is not described in the Fourth Gospel.

The description of Jesus' interview with Annas begins with a

description of the High Priest's questioning. He asks Jesus

"about his disciples and his teaching" (19). While Jesus answers

Annas in words similar to those used in Matthew (26:55), Mark

(14:49), and Luke (22:53), in John's context the intent of His

answer is totally different. In the Synoptics, Jesus challenges

the secretiveness of His arrest. In John Jesus perceives the

questioning of Annas to imply that He has founded a secret

society with secret teachings. He asserts, therefore, that He

has no secret agenda. He has taught nothing different in private

than He has taught publically in synagogue or temple (20, cf.

Jameison, Fausset, and Brown, 1068).

There may be even more below the surface of this brief

dialogue. Barclay points out (2:227) that Annas' attempt to

extort a confession from Jesus (18:19) violated Jewish legal

procedure. Jesus responds by insisting that the trial be

conducted in a proper and legal manner (20, 21), with appropriate

witnesses duly called. Annas and his deputies apparently didn't

take too well to instruction (22, 23)! It is immediately clear

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that the religious leaders were not interested in a fair trial.

As is typical for this Gospel, Jesus is quite assertive (21-

23). He certainly does not follow an extreme understanding of

His own statement in Matthew about turning the other cheek (23,

cf. Matt 5:39). He protests against his opponent's abuse of

authority. Being a Christian is not the same as being a doormat.

It is appropriate and even advisable in most situations for

Christians to set boundaries in their relationships with others

(see Cannon, 179-199). Allowing other people to walk all over

you generally helps neither you nor them. There is sometimes a

fine line between being humble and being abused.

JESUS BEFORE PILATE

GETTING INTO THE WORD

John 18:28 - 19:16a

Please read 18:28 - 19:16a at least twice and then answer

the following questions:

1. Read the parallel accounts in Matthew (27:11-31), Mark

(15:1-20) and Luke (23:1-25). Make a list of all the items
that are unique to the Gospel of John. Also list items that
are omitted in John. Write a short essay in which you
address the unique approach of John to these events. Are
there any unique theological themes in 18:28 - 19:16a that
remind you of material covered earlier in the Gospel?
2. Write a paragraph or two on the motivations and emotions of
Pilate as he works his way through the issues that confront
him. Do the same for the religious leaders. In what ways
are their reactions to Jesus similar? In what ways are they
different?
3. Note the various times that Pilate addresses Jesus in this
passage. Try to write out an explanation of why Jesus
responds on some occasions but remains silent on others.
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EXPLORING THE WORD

The Structure of the Passage

The story of Jesus before Pilate divides somewhat naturally

into two parts. In the first part (John 18:28-40) the issue

hangs somewhat in the balance as Pilate seeks ways to release

Jesus without losing ground politically. In the second part

(19:1-16a) it is increasingly clear that Pilate's attempts to

release Jesus are heading nowhere and that it is only a matter of

time until Jesus is sentenced to death.

The Background of the Passage

The role of Pilate is much more central and detailed in the

Gospel of John than it is in Matthew, Mark, or Luke. For John

Pilate, like Nicodemus, Thomas, and others (12:42, 43), stands in

the Gospel as a representative of those who are attracted by

Jesus and His message but have at best a partial, unsaving faith

in Him. While Nicodemus seems to be coming to the light, Pilate

shies away, and in the end goes along with those who wish to

destroy Jesus.
At the time of the trial Pilate was in a position of

considerable weakness in relation to the religious leaders. A

series of blunders in handling Jewish religious sentiments had

not only repeatedly enraged the religious leaders and the people

but had even raised in the Emperor's mind the question of

Pilate's fitness to govern (Barclay, 2:238-240). One more major

incident and he would be out of office, and might even lose his
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life. In his position of weakness, he was vulnerable to

blackmail, as we will see.

The Passage in Detail

In the morning Jesus was led from the High Priest's house to

the palace of the Roman governor, where the Jewish religious

leaders stayed outside for fear of defilement (18:28). The

material in verses 28b-32 is unique to the Gospel of John.

Pilate asks the basic legal question, "What charges are you

bringing against this man" (29)? Unless it was routine for

Pilate to rubber-stamp the decisions of the Jewish religious

council, and apparently it was not, the statement in verse 30 was

somewhat insolent on the part of the religious leaders. Pilate,

however, insists on correct procedure, "If you want to control

this matter, handle it yourselves" (31). But the Jews had no

right under Roman law to crucify Jesus, so the author of the

Gospel notes how the legal niceties of the situation resulted in

the fulfillment of Jesus' prediction regarding the manner of His

death (31, 32, cf. 12:32, 33).

In John 18:28-32 we note two special interests of the

author. First, John points out that the Passover meal is

approaching (18:28), which means that Jesus died at the time when

the Passover lambs were being slain all over Jerusalem, a

remarkable fulfillment of the type (cf. 19:35, 36). We also note

that John gives much more detail with regard to the legal

niceties that affected the interactions between the Romans and

the Jews. The Jews were allowed to judge people in many areas
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but Rome retained the right to decide in cases where capital

punishment was in view.

In verses 33-38a, Pilate has his first interview with Jesus.

All the material in this passage is unique to John except the

question, "Are you the King of the Jews" (33)? Although the

charges brought by the religious leaders are not mentioned,

Pilate's question makes it clear that the priests have formulated

the charge in terms of a rival kingship with Rome. In Jesus'

reply (34) we see Him seeking to discern if Pilate had a personal

interest in the matter from a political perspective, or if he was

just pursuing something the Jews had put Him up to (see Jameison,

Fausset, and Brown, 1070). Pilate declines to admit any personal

interest, his question is a legal one (35).

Jesus' next answer directly responds to Pilate's legal

question (36). Jesus' kingship is not to be understood in the

earthly political terms that Pilate was concerned about. The

kingdom that Jesus rules is "from another place," in other words,

outside of Pilate's jurisdiction. As evidence for this Jesus

offers the convincing argument of the behavior of His followers

at the time of His arrest. If He were a political revolutionary,

His followers would have fought to the death to prevent His

arrest. Perhaps in this comment we see a further reason for

Jesus' rebuke of Peter in verse 11.

Although convinced by Jesus' argument in verse 36, Pilate

wants to make sure that He has understood what Jesus is saying

(37a). Jesus reiterates that His kingdom is a spiritual one,

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concerned with truth, rather than with political, economic and

military power (37b). Jesus' words have self-authenticating

power for all those who are honestly searching for truth. But

Pilate will have none of this spiritual turn to the discussion.

He again disdains personal interest in Jesus with a flippant,

"What is truth" (38a)?

Pilate was very much a child of his times. The age in which

Jesus was born had so many conflicting claims to truth that the

great thinkers of the time tended to be quite uncertain (see

Lohse; Koester, 141-280; White, Desire of Ages, 32). In many

ways it was a lot like the pluralism of today. Pilate wanted to

do what was legally correct, but he had no time for someone with

strong religious convictions.

Convinced that he had settled the matter, Pilate went out to

render judgment, offering a face-saving way out for the religious

leaders who had sought to condemn Jesus (38, 39). Unlike the

Synoptics, he does not offer Barabbas as an alternative choice,

he urges them to accept the release of Jesus. They could then

say that Pilate agreed that Jesus was no good, but since it was
Passover it was time to be generous and give Jesus another

chance. The religious leaders, however, were not interested in

saving face, whether their face or Pilate's face (40). They

wanted Jesus dead at any cost. This made the matter a lot more

complex than Pilate had expected.

Both the religious leaders and Pilate now face a dilemma.

The religious leaders realize that the civil charges aren't

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working, they need to try some other tack. Pilate realizes that

in order to do the right thing, he either has to persuade the

religious leaders to his side of the case, or release Jesus in

the face of their wrath. Ignoring the latter option, Pilate

decides to try exciting their sympathy for Jesus as a person

(19:1-5). For Pilate, self-interest and justice were in conflict

with each other. Pilate lacked the integrity to do what he knew

was right (18:38; 19:6) because his self-interest got in the way

(Gruenler, 133).

Pilate, therefore, has Jesus flogged (to appease the

religious leaders, according to Mark 15:15) and looks the other

way as his soldiers crown Jesus with thorns, dress Him in royal

robes, mock Him and slap Him around (1-3). Although Pilate

recognizes that Jesus' royal claims are no direct threat to

Caesar, he no doubt shared his soldiers disdain for any other

claim to royalty, however innocuous.

In a sequence that is unique to John (4-7), Pilate then

presents the abused Jesus to the religious leaders, hoping they

will agree that He is an innocent victim. In the process Pilate

utters the unforgettable words, "Behold the man," which probably

had little or no significance to him, but vibrated with

significance to John because of its similarity to the outcry of

the Baptist at the beginning of Jesus' ministry, "Behold the

Lamb!" (5, cf. 1:29, 36).

The religious leaders do not respond as Pilate had hoped, so

he tries to shift the responsibility totally onto them (19:6).

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But while Pilate does not seem able to release Jesus without

their consent, they are unwilling to close the case without

gaining a verdict of conviction from him. Since the civil

charges do not work, the religious leaders move in a different

direction. They insist that Jesus' act of blasphemy in claiming

to be the Son of God (5:16-18; 10:33) requires Pilate to act in

order to protect their religion from sacrilege.

Pilate was vulnerable on this point. As mentioned earlier,

on several occasions in the past Pilate had acted in ways

considered blasphemous by the Jews (see Barclay, 2:238-240). On

at least one of those occasions, the Emperor had been forced to

intervene against Pilate in behalf of the Jews. Pilate could not

afford, politically, to be again seen as performing or allowing

sacrilege to take place against the Jewish religion. So we see

the religious leaders beginning to play dirty in verse 7. They

threaten that Pilate will pay a heavy personal price if he goes

against their wishes in this matter.

In verses 8-16, which are unique to the Fourth Gospel, we

gain further insight into Pilate's dilemma, and the solution he

chooses. He is perplexed because of personal vulnerability to

the political influence of the religious leaders with Rome. But

with considerable skill, Pilate in the end turns the situation to

his political advantage, although to the personal disadvantage of

Jesus.

His appeal to the religious leaders having failed, Pilate

fearfully returns to Jesus hoping to extract something from Him

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that will save Pilate from having to back down to the Jews (8,

9). But Jesus is not interested in repeating Himself (9).

Jesus, however, does seem to be moved with some pity for Pilate's

dilemma. He knows that Pilate is not against Him personally, and

He thoughtfully absolves Pilate of blame to the extent possible

under the circumstances (10, 11). Pilate, perhaps sensing a

certain bond with Jesus developing, redoubles his efforts to

release Him (12). He could, of course, have released Jesus on

his own authority (cf. 10), but he was too vulnerable politically

to do so without the consent of the religious leaders.

In triumph, the religious leaders press home their new-found

political advantage. Caesar will side with them, they assert, if

Pilate releases a man who makes himself a rival king (12). At

this point Pilate realizes that his indecision is weakness, that

he cannot save both himself and Jesus. He determines to save

himself. Having come to firm decision, the governor now takes

control of the situation. He will consent to the request of the

religious leaders, but they will pay dearly for it. Again Pilate

echoes the Baptist, "Behold your King" (14, cf. 19:5; 1:29, 36)!
The religious leaders do not realize that they have already

won. Fearing that Pilate is trying some new tack to circumvent

them, they repeatedly cry, "Take him away, crucify him!" (15)

Pilate moves in for the kill, "Shall I crucify your king?" "We

have no king but Caesar," say the chief priests. Pilate now has

his reward for crucifying Jesus (16). They will owe him dearly

for it. They have placed on public record their obligation to

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serve Caesar.

Earlier (11:48-52) Caiaphas had insisted that one man had to

be sacrificed so that the nation might not be destroyed. Now he

is ready to sacrifice the nation in order to destroy one man

(White, Desire of Ages, 745). The religious leaders rejected

Jesus' kingship with such passion, that they now rejoice in a

king that they had always hated. Pilate intends to hold them to

that pledge in the future. They will have no more power over

him. From this point on in the Gospel story Pilate is unmovable.

THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS

GETTING INTO THE WORD

John 19:16b-42

Please read 19:16b-42 at least twice and then answer the

following questions:

1. Read the parallel accounts in Matthew (27:32-66), Mark

(15:21-47) and Luke (23:26-56). Make a list of all the
items that are unique to the Gospel of John. Also list
items that are omitted in John. Write a short essay in
which you address the unique approach of John to these
events. Are there any unique theological themes in 19:16b-
42 that remind you of material covered earlier in the
Gospel?
2. In light of the entire episode, what do you think was the
"official" reason that Jesus was crucified. Explain.
3. Compare each of the quotations of Scripture in this passage
with the OT context from which the text was quoted. Does
John's use accurately reflect the intention of the original?
Why do you think that John highlights the fulfillment of
Scripture so strongly here? List ways in which this
fulfillment motif might aid Christian witness, whether in
John's time or today.
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EXPLORING THE WORD

The Structure of the Passage

John 19:16b-42 falls into four basic parts, the crucifixion

of Jesus (16b-27), the death of Jesus (28-30), the incident of

piercing Jesus' side (31-37), and the burial of Jesus (38-42).

The Background of the Passage

Much of the crucifixion scene is unique to John. This is

particularly the case with verses 31-42, which have virtually no

parallels of detail with Matthew, Mark, or Luke.

Crucifixion was a peculiarly Roman form of execution. An

individual was required to carry his own cross in public places

as a warning to others. Some people were nailed, others were

tied with ropes. The key element, however, was that in order to

breathe victims had to exert strength to raise their bodies

somewhat. Death came by suffocation when they were no longer

strong enough to raise themselves. Death, therefore, was slow

and painful (Life Application Bible, 1923). Breaking the legs,

of course, would hasten the process when that was for the
executioners' convenience. An additional element of torture was

shame and exposure, being hung naked in front of family and

friends and in all kinds of weather.

The Passage in Detail

In verses 19-22 the "new" Pilate strikes again. All of the

gospels mention the placard placed on the cross of Jesus, but

only John mentions the controversy between Pilate and the Jews
 317

over that inscription. Only John notes that the inscription was

prepared by Pilate himself in the three great languages of the

Empire, Aramaic (the most common language of the East, including

Palestine), Greek (the most common language, particularly in the

West), and Latin (the language of official decree).

The wording chosen by Pilate combined with the shame and

disgrace of the method of execution made the crucifixion of Jesus

symbolic of Rome's dominance over Judaism and Palestine. In his

choice of languages Pilate turns the scene into a public

spectacle designed as a blow against the prestige of the Jews and

their religious leaders. Protest from the chief priests is

summarily dismissed. They have no more power over Pilate. He

has become unmovable.

In verses 23 and 24 the focus turns to the fact that the

cross is a fulfillment of prophecy. With Pilate now acting as if

he were in full control of the situation, the reader is reminded

again that ultimate control remains in the hands of the God of

Scripture. John is not interested in describing details such

as the darkness that came over the scene (Matt 27:45; Mark 15:33;
Luke 23:44-45) or the mockery of Jesus on the cross (Matt 27:39-

44, 47-49; Mark 15:29-32, 35-36; Luke 23:35-37, 39). Perhaps he

does not wish to repeat details that have already been treated by

others. In any case, his interests lie elsewhere. Jesus' death

is voluntary, purposeful, and according to the Scriptures. John

highlights the fact that the actions of the soldiers constituted

an amazing and exact fulfillment of prophecy on the part of

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people who were in no way aware of the fact that they were doing

so (cf. 19:36-37).

Verses 25-27 seem to function in two ways in the Fourth

Gospel. First, they provide opportunity to note the presence of

the author of the Gospel at the cross (26, cf. 21:20-24). John

is the disciple who experienced the most intimate relationship

with Jesus (13:23-- "in the bosom of Jesus," cf. 1:18). He is

the only disciple who sees the glory of Jesus as He hangs on the

cross (cf. 12:23-25). As such he becomes the ultimate witness

about Jesus to the second generation of Christians. He is the

one who knows (cf. 19:35). His Gospel is sufficient to meet

their spiritual needs.

Second, this scene demonstrates the beautiful self-

forgetfulness of Jesus who, in the midst of great suffering,

turns His attention to take care of His mother (twice more in the

original the word "behold" is highlighted, 26, 27, cf. 5, 14).

She appears only twice in the Gospel, here and at the wedding of

Cana (2:1-5, 12). In both situations He calls her "woman." In

both places the cross is in view. In this particular scene Jesus

leaves both His mother and the second generation of Christians in

the care of the beloved disciple, the only one who has seen and

fully understood the glory of Jesus.

Among the unique elements in 19:28-30 are the cry, "It is

finished," the statement that Jesus knew the full significance of

His suffering and death, and His awareness that He was fulfilling

Scripture in all that He did on the cross. Once again we see

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Jesus in full control of the situation.

What was finished (or, more accurately, fulfilled--

completed) on the cross? Certainly the law of God was fulfilled

on the cross. God was never more faithful to His covenant than

when He dealt out the wages of sin to Jesus (cf. Rom 6:23), the

representative of sinful humanity. For John as for Paul Jesus

was obedient to death, even the death of the cross (John 15:10;

18:11, cf. Phil 2:8). If the law of God could have been changed,

humanity could have been saved without a cross. Instead it was

at the cross that God ratified His faithfulness to the covenant

(see Jameison, Fausset, and Brown, 1074).

What was fulfilled at the cross? John is certainly clear

that the prophecies related to the Messiah were fulfilled. This

was true down to the minutest detail of just what type of garment

was divided, what type was wagered for (John 19:23, 24), and just

how the body of Jesus was handled (19:35-37).

In verses 32 and 33 John shows that the reality of Jesus'

death was verified by disinterested people who were expert in

judging such matters. The piercing and its results (34)

underscore the reality of that death. This information, unique

to John, helps to undercut theories that have appeared

occasionally since ancient times to the effect that Jesus did not

truly die, but went into a comatose state from which the

disciples revived him and after which they proclaimed His

resurrection. Explain the empty tomb any way one wishes, but

there is no question that Jesus was truly dead that Friday

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afternoon. And like everything else about this story, these

events were according to the Scriptures (35-37, cf. Exod 12:46;

Num 9:12; Zech 12:10).

Although Joseph of Arimathea asks for the body of Jesus in

each of the gospels, John brings out many unique features to the

story. He highlights the character of Joseph and Nicodemus as

secret disciples of Jesus (John 19:38, 39). In many ways they

were a lot like Pilate. Their jobs, positions, and reputations

were at stake in the decision that they would have to make with

regard to Jesus. Again like Pilate, their actions are emboldened

by the cross. "A seemingly dead Christ has wakened a sympathy

which a living one had failed to evoke. The heroism of faith is

usually kindled by desperate circumstance, and is not seldom

displayed by those who before were the most timid, and scarce

known as disciples at all." (Jameison, Fausset, and Brown, 1075)

This scene, therefore, takes on symbolic overtones within

the Gospel of John. It is the cross that draws people to Jesus

(cf. 12:32). It is the cross that distinguishes the true

followers of Jesus from those who only profess His name, but have
no living relationship with Him. When the light of the cross

appears, Judas and Pilate shy away into the darkness, but Joseph

and Nicodemus come forward into the light (cf. 3:18-21).

The Major Themes of the Passage

Ironically, although both Pilate and the chief priests

thought that the crucifixion had permanently ended Jesus'

kingdom, the Gospel of John brings out that the cross was
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actually the "glory" of Jesus (12:23, 24), and that through death

Jesus would become the author of life to all who believe in Him

(cf. 1:9-13). Through death His kingdom would be established

forever. John agreed with Paul that on the cross Jesus turned

the wisdom of the world into foolishness (cf. 1 Cor 1:18-25).

Talbert (Reading John, 247) points out that the cross in the

Fourth Gospel has a number of meanings. It is the completion of

Jesus' obedience to the Father, the accomplishment of the

Father's work (12:27, 28; 19:28, 34-37, 40). It is the place

where Jesus and the Father are glorified (7:39; 12:16, 23; 17:1,

5). It is part of the carrying out of God's plan (19:24, 28, 36,

37). The cross defeats the ruler of this world (12:31). The

cross draws all things and people to Jesus (12:32, cf. 10:16;

11:52). It is for the supreme benefit of humanity, it is for us

(6:51; 10:11; 11:50; 12:24). The cross is the ultimate irony.

Life comes through death. Victory comes through defeat.

Acceptance comes through rejection. Joy comes through sorrow.

APPLYING THE WORD

1. Can you think of times in your life when you have yielded to
the temptation to take matters into your own hands (cf. John
18:10, 11)? What were the long-term consequences? What
strategies could you apply to help you trust God more
consistently in your life? What kinds of things do you say
to others when life seems totally out of their control?
What kind of reactions do you get? What would have been the
long-term consequences for this world if Peter had succeeded
in preventing Jesus from going to the cross?
2. Describe a time in your life when, like Pilate, you had to
choose between worldly position and reputation, on the one
hand, and what you knew to be right. What decision did you
make? Why? What were the consequences? Would you make the
same decision today? If you had been with Pilate that day,
what advice would you have offered him, if asked?
 322

3. Are there any places or circumstances where you feel

compelled to be a "secret disciple?" Are their any people
with whom you have great difficulty being honest about your
faith in Jesus? What motives drive you to hide your faith
at times? What insights have enabled you, in the past, to
speak out boldly at times? Is there a current situation in
which you need to step out boldly and let others know where
you stand? What would it take to get you to "go public" for
Jesus?
4. Both Jesus and Pilate had to deal with religious leaders
whose minds were made up in advance. Describe a situation
in which you had to deal with a person like that. How did
you respond? Would you respond differently now? How should
a Christian respond when the issue at stake has to do with
his or her faith?

RESEARCHING THE WORD

1. With the help of the SDA Bible Dictionary and the SDA Bible
Commentary find out all you can about First Century legal
procedures in the Roman Empire in general and in Palestine
in particular. What procedures were followed in John 18 and
19? What procedures were ignored or violated? Also learn
all you can about crucifixion as a method of torture and
execution.
2. Using the SDA Bible Dictionary and The SDA Bible Commentary
learn all you can about the composition and procedures of
the Sanhedrin.

FURTHER STUDY OF THE WORD

1. On the meaning of the cross in John's Gospel see

Schnackenburg, 2:398-410; Talbert, Reading John, 246, 247.
2. Ellen White does not focus specifically on John's view of
the cross, but she covers the events of John 18, 19 as part
of her account based on all four gospels. See Desire of
Ages, 685-778.
 CHAPTER 15

THE RESURRECTION AND RE-APPEARANCE OF JESUS

JOHN 20:1-31

GETTING INTO THE WORD

Please read John 20:1-31 through several times and then

answer the following questions:

1. Into how many different units would you divide this chapter?
List the various verbal signals in the text which indicate
that the reader is moving into a different unit?
2. According to the evidence in this chapter, was it necessary
for the stone to be removed in order for Jesus to escape the
tomb? If not, why do you suppose the stone was removed?
Write out your answer.
3. In speaking to Mary, what term does Jesus use to describe
His disciples? Re-read John 13-20. List all the terms
Jesus uses to address His disciples. Do you see any
progression in intimacy? Is there any decisive turning
point that causes Jesus to view His disciples differently?
In a paragraph or two describe the various ways in which the
relationship of Jesus and His disciples will be different
from this point on.
4. What phrase does Jesus repeatedly use to address His
disciples when He returns to the "upper room?" In a
paragraph or two describe why you think Jesus chose this
particular form of greeting.
5. On a piece of paper note all the parallel words and ideas
between the Thomas incident (24-29) and the statement of
purpose (30, 31). How does our understanding of the purpose
of the Gospel differ if we read that concluding statement in
the light of its context in chapter 20?

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EXPLORING THE WORD

The Structure of the Passage

The twentieth chapter of the Gospel of John contains four

incidents related to the resurrection of Jesus, followed by the

kind of statement that would normally bring a gospel to its

conclusion. In the first incident Mary Magdalene's report brings

Peter and "the other disciple" to the now empty tomb (20:1-9).

After they leave the scene, Mary reappears, sees two angels, and

then encounters the risen Jesus Himself (10-18). The third scene

takes place that evening. Jesus appears to them while they are

gathered behind locked doors (19-23), presumably in the same

place where He had delivered his "Farewell Discourse" (John 13-

17). Finally, Jesus appears to Thomas, who missed out on the

earlier encounters, and brings him also to belief in His

resurrection 20:24-29). These scenes offer a combined

affirmation of both the reality of Jesus' resurrection, and the

difficulty many have in believing without seeing.

The Background of the Passage

According to listing in the Life Application Bible (page

1929), the New Testament bears witness to a total of eleven post-

resurrection appearances of Jesus. He appeared to Mary Magdalene

by herself (Mark 16:9-11; John 20:10-18), and, possibly on

another occasion, in the company of other women (Matt 28:8-10).

He appeared to Peter by himself in Jerusalem (Luke 24:34; 1 Cor

15:5). He appeared to two travelers on the road to Emmaus (Luke

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24:13-35, cf. Mark 16:12, 13).

He appeared to ten disciples behind locked doors (Mark

16:14; Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-25), and then to the same group

with the addition of Thomas (John 20:24-29, cf. 1 Cor 15:5). He

appeared to seven disciples while they were fishing in Galilee

(John 21:1-23) and eleven disciples on a mountain (Matt 28:16-

20). Finally, He appeared to those who watched Him ascend into

heaven (Luke 24:44-49; Acts 1:3-11). In addition to these

narrative accounts, Paul asserts that Jesus also appeared

privately to His own brother James (1 Cor 15:7) and to a crowd of

500 (1 Cor 15:6).

The many witnesses to Jesus' resurrection provided a

safeguard against the accusation that the accounts of the

resurrection were the fabrication of a handful of disappointed

disciples trying to save face. As long as these disciples lived

their stories could be compared and checked out (cf. Luke 1:1-4).

The author of the Fourth Gospel was the last living witness to

the resurrection of Jesus.

But perhaps the greatest evidence of the resurrection of

Jesus, especially for the second generation who had no living

witness to the event, is the fact of the empty tomb. Given the

circumstance, this is extremely hard to understand if Jesus were

not indeed raised from the dead. Certainly the enemies of Jesus

had no motive for removing the body of Jesus from the tomb, and

if they had done so, why didn't they just produce the body to

prove that He was not risen?

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It is equally clear from the contemporary accounts that the

disciples had neither the ability, nor the intention of stealing

the body of Jesus (it is the chief priests who raise the

possibility, according to Matthew 27:62-64). While Jesus was

still alive they showed an abysmal lack of courage (Matt 26:56;

Mark 14:50; John 18:17, 25-27), why would their courage increase

after His death? Not only so, the disciples didn't believe that

Jesus would allow Himself to die in spite of His repeated

assertions of what lay ahead (see, for example, Mark 8:31-33;

9:30-32; 10:32-34). They were very slow to believe in His

resurrection, when in fact He proved to be alive again (John

20:1-9, 24-29). In any case, the guard of Roman soldiers

provided formidable evidence that no such act was committed (Matt

27:62-64; 28:11-15).

If the disciples had stolen the body of Jesus, their later

behavior is totally unexplainable. Who would sacrifice fame,

fortune, and family to spread a hoax throughout the world? Who

would suffer ridicule, torture and death on account of an event

that never took place?

If neither the disciples of Jesus nor His enemies stole the

body of Jesus, the empty tomb conclusively demonstrates the

reality of Jesus' resurrection. And if Jesus rose from the dead,

the implications for today are enormous. For one thing, if Jesus

rose from the dead, no other miracle is impossible or incredible.

Anything the second generation could possibly ask of Him can be

done if it is according to His will. Our own resurrection is

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guaranteed by the certainty of His. Not only so, the same divine

power that raised Jesus from the dead can bring life and healing

into even the most hopeless of human situations.

The Passage in Detail

Before dawn on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene

approached the tomb and saw that the great entrance stone had

been removed (John 20:1). Since the risen Jesus was able to pass

through solid objects (19, 26), the entrance stone was not rolled

away in order for Jesus to get out of the tomb, but to let the

disciples get in and verify that He was gone (Life Application

Bible, 1925)! Without checking herself, Mary immediately ran to

Peter and the disciple "whom Jesus loved" (cf. 13:23), presumably

John (20:2). She clearly did not think in terms of a

resurrection, but only in terms of some further indignity being

visited on the body of Jesus by the chief priests.

Peter and the other disciple race for the tomb, with Peter

the decisive loser (3, 4). But the other disciple did not enter

until after Peter arrived and preceded him into the tomb (5-8).
Peter is clearly a doer, bolder in action. But the beloved

disciple proves to be the superior thinker. According to this

account, the beloved disciple was the first to believe in the

resurrection, not because he had expected it, but because he put

two and two together and the evidence added up (Jameison,

Fausset, and Brown, 1076, cf. White, Desire of Ages, 789).

Neither of them at that time felt compelled by the Scriptures to

expect a resurrection (9).

 328

The disciples didn't stay at the tomb long, but Mary

lingered, weeping (10, 11). Leaning into the tomb for a look she

saw two angels seated where the body of Jesus had been (11, 12).

They asked why she was crying and she indicated her belief, not

in a resurrection, but that the body of Jesus had been stolen but

some unknown person or group (13). At that instant she realizes

that someone is standing behind her. She turns and sees Jesus,

but thinks that He is the keeper of the garden around the tomb

(14, 15). In bemused irony, Jesus repeats the exact wording of

the angels' question, "Woman, why are you crying?"

But Jesus cannot restrain Himself any longer, He has to let

her know what has happened. He simply says, "Mary," and she

immediately recognizes that it is Him (16). The behavior of Mary

reminds me of the quotation in Desire of Ages, page 297, "There

are souls perplexed with doubt, burdened with infirmities, weak

in faith, and unable to grasp the Unseen; but a friend whom they

can see, coming to them in Christ's stead, can be a connecting

link to fasten their trembling faith upon Christ."

To the second generation of Christians the message in this

little scene is powerful. Although Mary was in the personal

presence of Jesus, her eyes were so blinded with tears that she

was unable to grasp Who it was that she was speaking to. The

personal presence of Jesus was of no advantage to her until she

gave attention to His word. For the second generation the

connecting link with Jesus came in the words of John's Gospel.

Through the words of the Gospel faith is made real, and tears are
 329

dried up.

Verse 17 underlines the theme, "Do not hold on to me, for I

have not yet returned to the Father." The essence of Christian

life is not to cling to the physical presence of Jesus, but to

look forward to the relationship that would become available in

the Spirit once Jesus had ascended to the right hand of the

Father. Through the Spirit the words of the Gospel would provide

the life that had come through His physical presence. Mary ran

to share the message with the disciples (18).

In verse 17 Jesus uses a most precious title for His

disciples. He says to Mary, "Go to my brothers, and tell them,

'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your

God.'" This is the first and only time in the Fourth Gospel that

Jesus ties Himself to His disciples in such intimate terms.

Earlier He had called them "servants" (13:16), then "disciples"

13:35). Later on He called them "friends" (15:15). But now, in

spite of their incredible faithlessness in forsaking him in His

hour of need (a fact that John downplays in comparison with the

other gospel writers), Jesus progresses into an even more

intimate characterization, He calls them brothers, fellow

children of His Father (Jameison, Fausset, and Brown, 1076)!

That evening the disciples assembled behind locked doors in

case the Jewish leaders wanted to do away with them as well as

Jesus. Is it possible that in spite of the testimony of both the

beloved disciple and Mary Magdalene, they still do not believe

that Jesus is risen? In any case, Jesus appears to them, twice

 330

announcing, "Peace be with you" (20:19, 21). He then breathes on

them, a reminder of the original creation (Gen 2:7) and a

symbolic conveyance of the Holy Spirit, perhaps a foretaste of

the Pentecost experience which was to come fifty days later (John

20:22).

The disciples' fear on this occasion reiterates once more

that the physical presence of Jesus on earth in no way shielded

the disciples from doubt and perplexity. On the other hand, the

presence of the Spirit would raise the disciples up to the place

of Jesus in His ministry of forgiveness to the world (23). The

verse does not imply that the disciples would have the power to

offer or withhold forgiveness at whim, but as was the case with

Jesus, their proclamation of the gospel would bring both light

and darkness, both life and death, both forgiveness and judgment

(cf. 3:16-21, cf. also 2 Cor 2:15, 16).

Thomas was not with the other disciples the evening of the

resurrection (John 20:24). There is no suggestion in the passage

that Thomas absented himself out of willful despondency, he may

just have been otherwise occupied. But he was clearly unwilling

to accept the reality of the resurrection on the basis of the

disciples' testimony alone. In the passage before us the

combination of "Unless I see . . .," with the strong double

negative (in the Greek), "I will absolutely not believe it" (my

translation), indicates extremely firm unbelief (20:25).

A week later circumstances repeated themselves, this time

with Thomas present. Again the doors were locked, again Jesus
 331

appears, again He announces, "Peace be with you" (26). Then He

turns to Thomas and repeats Thomas' wording in verse 25 to a

large extent, challenging him to satisfy his doubts by examining

the physical body of Jesus (27).

It turns out that Thomas' boasting was empty, he doesn't

actually have to put his finger in the nail marks or touch the

scar in Jesus' side, the mere sight of Jesus is enough to call

forth one of the most sublime affirmations of Jesus' deity in all

of the New Testament, "My Lord and my God" (28). This phrase

offers a fitting counterpart to the Prologue of the Gospel, where

the Word exists from all eternity as God and with God, yet

condescends to become flesh (1:1-2, 14).

The statement of Thomas (20:28) brings the christology of

the Gospel to a climax. And Jesus does not suggest that Thomas

has overstated the matter, instead He commends Him for his

affirmation of belief, but reserves His blessing for those (the

second generation) who will come to the same conclusion as Thomas

but without experiencing the physical presence of Jesus (29).

"Doubting Thomas" represents all those in the Gospel whose belief

was dependent on physical signs and wondrous experiences. The

greater experience is reserved for that generation which would

come to belief through the testimony of others, through the

living Word of the Gospel.

This in fact is the reason why the Gospel of John was

written. Verse 30 begins with "therefore" in the original

language. The purpose of the Gospel is to be seen in relation to

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the Thomas incident. Although the physical Jesus did many other

"signs" besides the ones listed in the Gospel, the Gospel

contains "sufficient specimens" (Jameison, Fausset, and Brown,

1077) to create the kind of belief in Jesus that Thomas came to,

and without an inspection of His resurrected body! And best of

all, those of the second generation who come to that belief will

find life, abundant life, in His name (31)!

The purpose of the Gospel of John is that the reader would

acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah (Jewish designation) and the Son

of God (Gentile designation), so a comprehensive mission is in

view (20:31). The second generation is not limited by race, sex,

culture, or geographical location. All who are willing to

receive the words of Jesus as recorded in this Gospel can receive

the life that He offers.

The Major Themes of the Passage

The Slowness of the Disciples to Believe

The primary theme in the chapter seems to be the slowness

with which the followers of Jesus come to belief in the

resurrection, in spite of the abundance of physical evidence.

First Peter and John come to see the evidence, and though John

believes, it doesn't seem to affect Peter (1-9). Then Mary

stumbles her way to recognition (10-18), but only after a

personal and physical encounter with Jesus. In spite of her

testimony and John's the disciples huddle together behind locked

doors like sheep without a shepherd (19-23). Finally Thomas

 333

stumbles his way to belief (24-29).

It is as if the whole chapter is one big commendation to the

second generation, who feels so inferior to the first generation,

yet has done what only the beloved disciple seemed able to do in

the first generation, and that is to come into full belief

without personal contact with Jesus. The first generation, with

the exception of the author of the Gospel is unwilling to accept

the message on the testimony of others. The second generation

has already done more than this. In keeping the faith after the

death of the beloved disciple, they would be exceeding the faith

of the original disciples. No wonder a special blessing was to

be theirs (29)!

It is probably unfair to speak in terms of "doubting

Thomas." On at least one occasion he showed exceptional faith

and courage (11:7-16). The only difference between him and the

other disciples in chapter 20 is that he didn't have the

opportunity to see Jesus as they had. The disciple who expressed

doubts even when Jesus was present was Philip (6:5-7; 14:8-11),

but the Gospel does not make a major issue out of Philip's
doubts. It is clear from the Thomas incident that Jesus does not

reject people who have doubts as long as those doubts are honest

and the person has not rejected all avenues by which Jesus could

reach him or her. Doubt can play an important role in the

process of rethinking difficult issues. It is probably better to

doubt out loud, as Thomas did, than to slide into silent

disbelief (Life Application Bible, 1927). Barclay notes (2:277)

 334

that there is more faith in a person who insists on being sure

than in someone who glibly repeats what he or she has never

thought out.

There may be a lesson in this chapter for those who wish to

reach out to people with a secular mindset. People who hear

about the resurrection of Jesus for the first time today will

probably need much time before they can grasp it, just as Mary,

Peter, and Thomas did (Life Application Bible, 1925). At first

they may try to think of other explanations for the empty tomb,

as Mary did (cf. 20:2, 13-15). Then they may check out the facts

but fail to be convicted, much as was the case with Peter (cf. 6,

7). Only when they personally encounter Jesus and commit

themselves to Him will they fully understand the significance of

this incredible event (cf. 16-18, 26-28).

The Fulfillment of the Farewell Discourse

One of the main purposes of the appearance stories in the

Gospel of John seems to be to demonstrate that many of the things

which Jesus promised in the Farewell Discourse (John 13-17) have

had already been fulfilled within days of His death and

resurrection (Talbert, Reading John, 253-255). Jesus came back

to His disciples as He had promised (20:19, cf. 14:18; 16:22).

He brought them His peace (20:21, cf. 14:27). He brought

rejoicing to their hearts (20:20, cf. 16:23). He brought the

Spirit which He had promised (20:22, cf. 16:7). The time for

mutual forgiveness had come (20:22, 23, cf. 13:14, 15). In

encountering Jesus again, they had entered the time of

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fulfillment.

APPLYING THE WORD

1. Can you think of a time in the past when you had difficulty
believing? How did you come to resolve that difficulty?
What form did your "encounter" with Jesus take? What
implications would you draw from that experience that could
help you and others maintain faith in spite of the doubts of
the present?
2. What does the term "brother" mean to you? What was Jesus
trying to communicate to His disciples by means of that
term? How does your relationship with your own siblings
affect the way you relate to Jesus?
3. Where could you use the peace of Jesus right now? Are there
inner fears that disturb your trust? Are there people who
make life difficult to bear? Are there situations at work,
school or home that create turmoil in your life? How can
the peace of Jesus become yours more effectively in the
midst of obstacles?
4. What strategies do you use to make Jesus real to you in your
present experience? How can we "touch" His hands and side
today?

RESEARCHING THE WORD

1. Carefully compare this chapter with Matthew 28, Mark 16,

Luke 24, John 21, Acts 1, and 1 Cor 15. On a piece of paper
list all the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus that are
mentioned in the New Testament. In what ways do the
accounts of John 20 agree with or differ from the accounts
in other NT books? What information can you add to the
comments made in this chapter and the next?
2.

FURTHER STUDY OF THE WORD

1. For a thorough discussion of the arguments for the

historicity of the resurrection of Jesus, see McDowell, 185-
273.
2. Ellen White comments on John 20 in passing in Desire of
Ages, 788-794, 802-808.
 CHAPTER 16

THE DISCIPLES GIVE THEIR LIVES

JOHN 21:1-25

John 21 is often described as the Epilogue to the Fourth

Gospel, because the material comes after what sounds like the

concluding words of the Gospel in 20:30, 31. Whether the

material was part of the original edition of the Gospel, was

added by the author in a second edition, or was added from the

author's memoirs after his death (among the many theories that

abound!), the story that makes up most of the chapter is a

precious addition to our knowledge of Jesus' ministry and the

effect it had on His disciples.

Because this chapter functions as the conclusion to the

Gospel of John, I have chosen to divide it into two parts. The

first will consider the narratives that make up the bulk of the
chapter (21:1-23). The second part touches briefly on 21:24, 25

with the purpose of drawing the entire book to a conclusion.

336
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JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES ON A BEACH

GETTING INTO THE WORD

John 21:1-23

Please read John 21:1-23 through several times and then

answer the following questions:

1. On a piece of paper list all the post-resurrection

appearances of Jesus mentioned in the Gospel of John. How
many different occasions are mentioned? How many different
people saw Jesus? In a paragraph or two write out what you
think is the main purpose of the post-resurrection
appearances in the Gospel of John.
2. Compare John 21 with Gen 1 and 2. In what ways is Jesus
portrayed like Adam? What implications does this comparison
suggest about the purpose of Jesus' ministry? Does it have
any implications for the debate over the human nature of
Christ?
3. What insights in this chapter would be of particular
interest to the second generation, that didn't know Jesus or
anyone who had known Jesus when He walked on earth in
physical form? Write out your answer, either in list form
or in a paragraph or two.
4. Three times Jesus questions Peter. On a piece of paper make
three columns. In the first write out the exact words of
Jesus' three questions. In the second column write out
Peter's replies, in the third write out Jesus' responses.
Note the similarities and differences between the three sets
of questions and responses. What significance do you draw
from this encounter between Jesus and Peter? Why did Peter
immediately ask about John?
5. John 21:20-23 is a very early reference to an effort on the
part of some Christians to set an approximate time for the
second coming of Jesus. Write out what you think "the
brothers" were trying to accomplish by spreading this rumor.
What do think the consequences would have been if John
hadn't taken the time to squelch the rumor?

EXPLORING THE WORD

The Structure of the Passage

John 21 tells the story of how the disciples encountered

Jesus in Galilee after His resurrection. After a long and

fruitless night of fishing, Jesus directs their efforts from the

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shore, with great success resulting (1-6). When they tow the

catch to shore, they find that Jesus has already prepared

breakfast for them (7-14). After breakfast, Jesus and Peter take

a walk along the beach (20) so Jesus can assure Peter of his

worthiness to continue as a disciple (15-19) and define the

relationship between Peter and the author of the Fourth Gospel

(20-23).

The Background of the Passage

The impression one gets, particularly in the Gospel of John,

is that the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus were

occasional and rather unexpected. Mary, the eleven, Thomas, and

now seven disciples are all startled at the suddenness of Jesus'

appearances to them. In a genuine sense, the ministry of Jesus

to His disciples was completed in the Upper Room (John 13-17), He

says very little to them after His resurrection. The purpose of

the post-resurrection appearances was primarily to validate the

genuineness of the resurrection.

The Passage in Detail

Seven of Jesus' disciples, including Peter and the sons of

Zebedee, decided to go fishing on the Sea of Tiberias, another

name for the Sea of Galilee (21:1-3). One of these disciples is

the "disciple whom Jesus loved," who also authored the Fourth

Gospel (7, 20, 24). But it is not clear from the account that he

is necessarily one of the sons of Zebedee, since two other

unnamed disciples are included in the group (2).

 339

The disciples were out all night (3) but caught nothing.

Why were they fishing at night? There are two main types of

fishing, net fishing and lure fishing. In clear, daylight

waters, the method of preference is lure fishing, where the fish

is attracted to some bright or tasty-looking object, bites and

finds itself hooked onto a line. While net fishing has the

potential of catching a number of fish at one time, it tends not

to work in clear water during daylight, for the fish will see the

net coming and swim out of the way. Net fishing is best done at

night, therefore, when the fish can be surprised.

But all night the disciples toiled, without any success. As

morning arrives, one final opportunity remains. If they could

cast the net in the shadow of the boat they might surprise a few

fish whose eyes had become accustomed to the morning brightness.

Suddenly Jesus appears on the shore, though the disciples did not

recognize Him at this point (4). He suggests that they throw the

net on the other side of the boat, no doubt the sunny side (5,

6)! Whoever this was on the beach, He did not appear to know

much about fishing!

What the disciples were about to discover is that Jesus is

the Second Adam (cf. Rom 5:12-21; 1 Cor 15:45-49). He was Adam

as Adam was meant to be, in perfect relationship to God and in

full dominion over the earth, including dominion over the fish of

the sea (cf. Gen 1:26-28)! The fish in the sea that morning

obeyed Jesus' command and swam right into the disciples' net.

Many people love to debate whether Jesus had the nature of

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Adam before or after the Fall. It is easy to debate the issue

because both assertions are true to Scripture up to a point. In

Rom 8:3, for example, God's Son is portrayed as coming in the

likeness of sinful man, a condition necessitated by the fall of

Adam. John 21, on the other hand, shows Jesus demonstrating the

kinds of powers Adam had available to him before the Fall. As in

so many other areas of theology, the Biblical picture is a bit

more complex than most people would like one to believe.

That was all the evidence the beloved disciple needed to

once again figure things out first (21:7, cf. 20:8). Peter, this

time, didn't hesitate to act on the other disciple's insight.

Impetuous as ever, he immediately jumps into the sea to get to

Jesus more quickly, while the rest of the disciples followed in

the boat, towing the huge catch of fish (21:7, 8).

When they arrived at the shore, they discovered that Jesus

had been doing some fishing of His own and had begun to prepare

breakfast over a fire (9). He added some of the 153 large fish

that the disciples had caught under His direction (10, 11), and

the author of the Gospel notes that in spite of the huge catch,
the net was not broken (11).

There followed a rather silent breakfast, in which the

disciples ate the meal that Jesus offered (12, 13). Why were the

disciples silent? Were they a bit unsure whether this was really

Jesus? Were they bewildered as to how these post-resurrection

appearances related to the farewell discourse Jesus gave before

His crucifixion? In any case, they shared the same uncertainties

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that the second generation would feel on the death of the beloved

disciple. The physical presence of Jesus offered no advantage to

the disciples. Only the departure of Jesus and the coming of the

Spirit would provide solid assurance, and that reality was the

same for both the first and second generations of Christians.

Interestingly, the breakfast is described in the language of

the Lord's supper, the same words being used in verse 13 that are

found in John 6:11, "Jesus took the bread and gave it to them,"

language reminiscent of the accounts of the Lord's supper in

Matthew 26:26, Mark 14:22, and Luke 22:19 (cf. 1 Cor 11:23).

Although the Gospel of John contains no account of the Lord's

Supper, this incident, combined with the narrative in chapter 6

provides a clear flavor of the communion service.

After breakfast, according to verse 15, Jesus questions

Peter three times about the depth and sincerity of his

relationship with Jesus, no doubt in intentional response to

Peter's three denials of Jesus described in chapter 18 (15-18,

25-27). Three times Jesus asks, Peter replies, and Jesus

responds to that reply (21:15, 16, 17). Each time Jesus asks,
"Simon son of John, do you love me?" Each time Peter replies,

"You know that I love you." Each time Jesus responds with

something like "Feed/take care of my lambs/sheep."

The first time, Jesus adds a phrase. "Simon son of John, do

you love me more than these?" Does Peter love Him more than the

other disciples do? No doubt Jesus wanted to draw Peter out on

this point, since he was quick to boast earlier that his loyalty
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to Jesus exceeded that of the others (see Matt 26:33). But when

Peter refuses to respond to this part of the question (John

21:15), Jesus accepts that as a confession and does not press him

on that point again (21:16, 17). It would seem (at least until

verses 20-23) that Peter has learned something of the folly of

spiritual comparison. What counts is the depth of one's

relationship with Jesus, not how that depth compares with others.

Over the centuries scholars and preachers have made much

over the fact that there are two different Greek words for love

found in this passage, and that there are slight variations in

Jesus' responses to Peter. Recent, careful investigation

indicates, however, that John had the habit of using synonyms

without intending the reader to draw any special significance

from the variations in root meaning (see Beasley-Murray, John,

394; Talbert, Reading John, 261). The two Greek words for "love"

(agapê and phileô) are clearly used synonymously in the Fourth

Gospel elsewhere. Either word can be used whether the topic is

God's love for humanity (3:16; 16:27), the Father's love for the

Son (3:35; 5:20), Jesus' love for us (11:5; 11:3), or our love
for Jesus (8:42; 16:27). John does not seem to use words with

the same precision that many of his interpreters do (see also

Brown, 2:1102-1103)!

What we have in 21:15-17, therefore, is essentially a

threefold repetition of question, reply, and response. This is

unexpected and could even seem rude on the part of Jesus. Its

effect is to probe Peter to the depths of his being, at the cost

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of considerable pain (17, see Beasley-Murray, John, 405).

Peter's self-confidence and assertiveness are gradually chipped

away until he is left with nothing but the certainty that Jesus

knows His heart, and will be fair in His judgments.

"No pain, no gain" is a common saying among those who seek

to develop the full potential of the human body. In this life,

at least, "no pain, no gain" seems to be a law of spiritual

growth as well. Those who have advanced far in spiritual life

are usually those who have suffered much. This is, perhaps, a

major reason why there will be few rich people in the kingdom of

God. There is something about pain, loss, poverty, and emotional

anguish that can bring people to the place where major gains in

spiritual development are possible. And sometimes, as happened

in the case of Peter, the author of that pain is Jesus Himself,

who, like a loving surgeon, wounds so that He might heal. Jesus

doesn't settle for quick or superficial answers. He insists on

getting down to the true feelings and motives of those He loves.

The process, however, usually demands a price.

In the text the threefold dialogue seems to take place in

the presence of the other disciples at the breakfast location.

But verse 20 implies that Jesus and Peter were walking along the

beach. Ellen White suggests that Jesus and Peter got up between

verses 17 and 18 and commenced a private conversation as they

walked along (Desire of Ages, 815). The confession needed to be

in front of the other disciples so that he could regain their

confidence after his terrible betrayal in the High Priest's

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courtyard (18:15-18, 25-27, cf. White, Desire of Ages, 811).

After his confession, Jesus assures Peter that He will be an

accepted and faithful follower of Jesus all the way to his death

(18, 19). "Shall we say (with many) that Peter was here

reinstated in office? Not exactly, since he was not actually

excluded from it. But after such conduct as his, the deep wound

which the honor of Christ had received, the stain brought on his

office, the damage done to his high standing among his brethren,

and even his own comfort, in prospect of the great work before

him, required some such renewal of his call and re-establishment

of his position as this." (Jameison, Fausset, and Brown, 1078).

Peter's ultimate task for life was to "follow" Jesus (19).

He was to do the things that Jesus did. He was to take the place

of Jesus in his life on earth. His role, like that of all the

disciples was as a replacement for Jesus in His work for others

on earth (see the Conclusion of Chapter 12 of this book). As

such the work of Peter and the other disciples was parallel to

the work of the Holy Spirit, as outlined in the farewell

discourse. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and through

their word and their writings, Peter and the disciples would make

Jesus real to a new generation.

Peter is not totally cured of the disease of comparison just

yet, however. As he walks with Jesus along the beach he turns

and sees the beloved disciple following them (21:20, wanting to

secure his fair share of Jesus?). Peter wants to know what the

beloved disciple's future will be like (21, in comparison with

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his?). Jesus' response was emphatic in the original, "You must

follow me" (22), the beloved disciple's experience was not to be

Peter's concern.

It may be that Peter took Jesus' command, "Feed my sheep,"

as an indication that he was to be the head of the church, even

over the other disciples, like John. If so, he would be expected

to be as concerned over John's experience as any other member of

the church. Jesus clearly prohibits such exclusivity on Peter's

part. The church is to have many leaders, not just one. The

church would find safety in a multitude of counselors.

There is a spirit of independence and ruling over others

that leads to spiritual ruin whenever it is practiced in the

church. It is a strength of the Bible that there are four

gospels rather than just one. That prevents us from making any

one idea, any one picture of Jesus an absolute that all people,

whatever their race, culture, or personality, must follow. The

same God who made the infinite variety of birds, animals, flowers

and fish, respects the diversity of His human flock as well. The

church, therefore, will only truly reflect His character, through

a diversity of leadership that reflects the character of the body

itself.

As mentioned in the Introduction to this book, the major

purpose of John 21:20-23 was to squelch a rumor that had been

going around the churches that John would live to see Jesus come.

The conclusion from John's old age, no doubt, was that the return

of Jesus was imminent in the 90s of the first century. But like
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all attempts to calculate the generation in which Jesus would

return, this rumor was extremely dangerous (see Paulien, What the

Bible Says About the End-Time, for an extensive examination of

the pitfalls of date-setting). The death of John would be

devastating to a church that believed that Jesus had predicted

His return within the lifetime of the beloved disciple.

The author of the Gospel makes it clear that Jesus' comment

about the beloved disciple had been misunderstood. Jesus was not

saying that John would live to see Him come, but rather that

John's future, even if it were a remarkable one, was not to be

Peter's concern. An implication of this incident is that no

human statement, not even an inspired one, not even one from the

lips of the Lord Himself, will ever be totally immune to

misunderstanding. As long as life shall last, we will have to

continually struggle as we seek to express ourselves and

communicate the good things that God has revealed to us. That

thought humbles me as I think of how often I have presumed things

about people and ideas based only on a misinterpretation of some

off-hand comment. Our understanding of God and of others is

feeble and defective at best (cf. Jer 17:9).

The Major Themes of the Passage

The Catch of Fish and the Church

The story of the great catch of fish seems to carry strong

symbolic overtones for the author of the Gospel. In the light of

chapters 17 and 20 and the miracle stories in the Gospel, we have

seen the evangelist's concern for the second generation of

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Christians, who would soon have to face life without the guidance

of anyone who had been with Jesus in the flesh.

The story of John 21 functions as a parable of the church in

John's day. The disciples represent the first generation of

Christians, those who had walked and talked with Jesus. Through

them and through their writings the second generation of

Christians, represented by the fish, had come to Jesus. The

story makes a number of points that would be appreciated by the

readers of the second generation.

For one thing, it is clear that it was Jesus Himself who

directed the conversion of the second generation. The disciples

on their own could accomplish nothing. It is only as Jesus

directed them that they were able to reap a harvest. Although

Jesus was no longer physically present, His care and concern for

the second generation was as real as if He stood by the shore of

their lives.

The quantity and the size of the fish indicate that the

ministry of the disciples was to be quite successful. The

unbroken net symbolizes the unity of the church, though made up

of two generations, and of people from an enormous variety of

backgrounds; the unity of the church was not to be threatened by

the transition to the second generation.

It is also interesting to note that Jesus caught some fish

on His own, apart from the efforts of His disciples. Does this

symbolize that some members of the second generation received

direct calls from Jesus just as the disciples did? Not every
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true disciple of Jesus is called directly by the church (cf. Mark

9:38-40-- Jameison, Fausset, and Brown, 1078).

One of the most important titles for the church in the

Gospel of John is the phrase "children of God" which comes right

at the centerpoint of the Prologue (John 1:12). It may be

coincidental, but one scholar has pointed out that the Aramaic

(the language of Jesus and His disciples) expression for

"children of God" contains numerical letters that total 153,

exactly the same number as the amount of fish caught in chapter

21 (verse 11-- see Romeo). Whether or not the number would have

been recognized by the original readers as significant, the story

seems to bear large implications for the second generation of the

church.

Following Jesus

Twice Jesus says to Peter, "Follow me" (19, 22). As the

only disciple addressed in this way in John 21, Peter stands as

the representative of all the disciples. Jesus indicates in

verses 18-19 that following Him is a lifelong pursuit that will

lead in many cases to torture and death. It is significant that

Peter's death is described in terms that remind the reader of the

death of Jesus by crucifixion. Peter's death would be like the

death of Jesus. Just as Jesus' death brought glory to God (7:39;

12:23; 17:4, 5), so the death of Peter and the disciples would

bring glory to God (21:19).

A major theme of the Gospel is that Jesus' death is the

means by which He brings life to a new generation. He gave His

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life so that those who follow Him might have life (see especially

10:11-18). Now He calls Peter, and by extension the other

disciples, to give their lives for the sheep, even unto death.

They are to become undershepherds to the Good Shepherd in His

concern for the welfare of the flock (the original of 21:16 says,

"Shepherd my sheep").

The lives, deaths, words, and writings of the disciples of

Jesus became the bridge by which the second generation came into

relationship with Jesus. They are also the bridge by which each

of us has come to Christ. Through the empowerment of the Holy

Spirit the disciples, though feeble and defective witnesses, have

performed far above reasonable expectations. Jesus' word has

gone forth with power through them. Like Jesus, they did not

give their lives in vain.

THE CONCLUSION OF THE GOSPEL

This chapter, and the Gospel as a whole, conclude with a

validation of the testimony of the one who wrote the Gospel, the

beloved disciple (24). Although he has now brought his work to a

conclusion, he nevertheless feels that he has but scratched the

surface of the vast and incomparable riches to be found in the

accounts of what Jesus said and did. Anyone who contemplates the

life and character of Jesus long enough could multiply gospels

without end, a task this book has no doubt contributed to. In

the final analysis, the gospel that matters most to you is the

one that Jesus has written on your heart through the Holy Spirit.
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As a member of Jesus' new generation, have you allowed His

words and His works their full place in your life? Have you come

to believe that His word is as good as His physical presence on

earth? In believing have you experienced abundant life in His

name? Are you ready to write your own gospel, as a testimony to

the Jesus you have come to know? The story of John's Gospel and

the narrative of this book are now coming to an end. The impact

of Jesus on your life is only beginning.

APPLYING THE WORD

1. Have there been times in your life when God seemed absent
and you decided to "go fishing" spiritually for a while?
Describe one of those times and refresh your memory
regarding the means by which God succeeded in getting your
attention again. Is there a way by which you can make
yourself more open to such encounters in the future?
2. If you were asked the same question that Jesus asked Peter,
how would you respond? Based on your own experience with
failure, how do you suppose that Peter felt about his
denials of Jesus in John 18? How do you feel when you fail?
What ways has God used to "reinstate" you?
3. Do you ever compare yourself with others? Have you ever
wondered why other people's lives move along the way they
do? How did that affect your desire to do what God was
indicating that He wanted you to do? Was the result of such
thinking positive or negative? Why? We often compare
ourselves with others either to rationalize our own conduct
or to blame God for being unfair. How has comparison worked
in your experience?
4. Have comments of yours ever been taken out of context or
completely misinterpreted? Describe the last time this
happened to you. In what way do you find it comforting to
know that Jesus, the all-knowing Son of God could be
misinterpreted as well, even by sincere and well-meaning
Christians? What does John 21:20-23 imply about the value
of second- and third-hand information? Why should John's
Gospel be treated differently than other forms of second-
hand information?
5. Have you ever encountered people who tried to calculate the
general timing of the end? How did you respond to their way
of thinking? What were the consequences in your life and
theirs when time continue beyond expectation? How would
John relate to such calculations?
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RESEARCHING THE WORD

1. Make a xerox copy of both Luke 5:1-11 and John 21:1-14.

Carefully compare the two stories noting all words in
common, and noting significant differences. Compare the
contexts of the two stories. With the help of the SDA Bible
Commentary as well as the Bible Amplifier try to develop a
sermon or an essay in which you compare and contrast the two
stories, drawing the appropriate lesson(s) in each case.
What other fishing stories can you find in the gospels?
What light do they shed on Luke 5 and John 21?

FURTHER STUDY OF THE WORD

1. On the meaning of the catch of fish to the second generation

of Christians see Minear and Romeo.
2. For more information on Jesus' dialogue with Peter see
Beasley-Murray, John, 404-409; Brown, 2:1102-1117.
3. See also White, Desire of Ages, 809-817.

Word Count: 88,357