The Gospel of John: John 8:12-59

John 8:12-59

Title: The Great I Am.

Analysis:

                Jesus has continued to speak with the religious leaders and the people, proving that He is from God and does the works of God above. In this second “I am” declaration the mounting hatred of the people becomes extremely evident as they attempt to murder the Messiah.

                The Pharisees, ignorant of the previous claims of Christ in 7:16-18, when He proved His authority from the Father, accuse Christ again of testifying of Himself (8:13). Jesus counters and gives proof of His authority by declaring His beginning, “…I know where I came from and where I am going…” His partnership with the Father, “…I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent me…” and finally His intimacy with His Father, “…if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.”

                Jesus in verses 21-30 reveals the consequence of the Pharisees unbelief in Him. The Pharisees were self-righteous, thought of earthly things, were unbelieving, and ignorant of Jesus. They would not listen to His words nor believe in His name. Only the ones who would believe and know the truth would truly be free. For all men are enslaved to sinfulness but if men believe in the Son of God, they will be freed from this bond (vs. 35-36). Jesus, spoke these things because they were the words from His Father who was in heaven. Once again though, the Jews did not understand Him or His Father.

                In verse 39 they respond to Jesus saying, “Abraham is our Father.” But little did they really know who Abraham was. If they were the children of Abraham they would have believed in Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus knew their hearts, and their hatred towards Him and exposed them for who they really were in verse 44 saying, “You are of your Father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning…” Just as the devil was a murderer, the people and Pharisees for that matter wanted to murder Jesus.

                Jesus continues to call to the people saying, “Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death.” The Jews were even more angered by this and responded in verses 52-53, “Now we know you have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets also…Surely you are not greater than our father Abraham who died…whom do you make yourself out to be?” Jesus answered them by saying, “If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is my Father who glorifies me…and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word. Your Father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and He saw it and was glad. (Vs. 54-56) Tragically, the Jews mock the Lord again saying in verse 57, “So the Jews said to Him, You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”

                Because of their continual unbelief in Him as God the Lord Jesus now says to them in verse 58, “Truly, Truly I say to you, before Abraham was born, I Am.” In this statement Jesus declares Himself to be the eternal pre-existent Yahweh God of the O.T. This statement is the culmination of the continual discussion Jesus has been having with the Jews. They continually rejected Him as the rightful Messiah, and when He finally declares that He is the great I Am, they are filled with hatred. Immediately they pick up stones to throw at Christ but He hid himself, and eluded their grasp.

Response:

                This was by far the most difficult passage for me to write an analysis on. It contains so much discussion and rich truth it is hard to just slightly skim over it and give the main thrust. But what it comes down to is this; Jesus is the light of the world, the God-man, the Saviour of the world, and the Great ‘I Am’!

For personal application, verse 36 sticks out the most to me. It says, “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” I know as a believer that it is the truth of the gospel and the belief in Jesus Christ as Lord that brings us freedom. This freedom is a privilege that God gave us when we were saved. It is a freedom to obey Christ and be submissive to His will and His Word. As Christians we live in this freedom from sin for our entire lives until we go to be with the Lord or He comes to take us home.

 

Blessings,

        Lucas C.

The Gospel of John: John 7:37-53

John 7:37-53

Title: Jesus is the Living Water.

Analysis:

                Now it was the last day of the feast and Christ makes one final call to the people proclaiming once again that salvation is through Him alone. This declaration in verses 37-38 says, “If anyone is thirsty, let Him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” The Lord called to the people using the same illustration as when He spoke to the woman at the well (4:10). Offering to them that as the Christ, He will bring quench their spiritual thirst.

                The people once again became divided over Christ and argue amongst themselves whether or not Jesus is the Christ. The unbelieving crowd says in verse 42, “Has not the scripture said that the Christ comes from the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” In a tragic proclamation, the crowds do not even realize that Jesus was from the line of David and was indeed born in Bethlehem. Instead they believed Him to be from Galilee. These unbelieving people had taken the time to know the prophecies of Christ, but had never looked into His very lineage and birthplace. They lacked interest in the Messianic proof of Christ and rather speculated in their own minds whether or not to believe in Him. Because of this there was another division in the crowd towards Jesus. Some wanted to seize Him, but because His time had not yet come, no one laid hands on Him.

                Not only were the crowds ignorant of Christ, but the real ignorance lay within the religious leaders. Even the officers who were told to arrest Jesus did not bring Him back to the religious leaders saying in verse 46, “Never has a man spoken the way this man speaks.” The religious are furious with their soldiers mockingly asking them if they had been led astray and telling them that the crowd is accursed for listening to Christ.

                John, in a remarkable way, inserts the words of Nicodemus, one of the major religious leaders of the day. He was the man, who had come to Jesus by night earlier, and John shows us that unlike the other religious elite, he had not closed his mind to Christ. Instead quite the opposite is true and he speaks in the Lords favour in verse 51 saying, “Our Law does not judge a man unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing does it?” Angered by the report of the officers and the claims of Christ, the other religious men mockingly question him wondering whether he ‘is from Galilee as well’.

                Utterly blinded were both the people and the religious leaders to Christ that they rejected Him without even looking to see whether or not he was actually born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the line of David the King. Instead they rejected Him as Lord, because their hearts were hardened to a Messiah who could save them from their sins.          

Response:

                As John has been writing His gospel about Jesus he has continued to give proofs that Jesus truly was from God and was the long awaited Messiah King of Israel. As I studied this passage I realized that there are so many people who are still divided over Christ today. These people must be instructed to know who Jesus really is. They should be showed that their unbelief is wrong and that Jesus Christ is truly the Saviour of the World. As we know it is our responsibility to go and make disciples for Christ. Teaching them what He taught and explaining to them that He is the Saviour of their souls, if they repent and put their trust fully in Him. 

The Gospel of John: John 7:1-36

John 7:1-36

Title: The Messiah Teaches in the Midst of the Feast.

Analysis:

                Jesus, now approximately six months later is walking in Galilee. He had left the crowds and had only been teaching those who were truly committed to Him. The crowds had wanted to make Him king and the religious leaders wanted to kill Him. At this time it is the feast of Booths, and Jesus brothers who were not believing in Him suggest to Him that He go to the feast and display His miracles before the people (vs. 3-4). Jesus was unwilling though and replies in verse 8, “Go up to the feast yourselves; I do not go up to this feast because My time has not yet fully come.”

                After hearing His response, His brothers and family leave and go to the feast while Jesus stayed in Galilee. In verse 10 though we seem to come to a contradiction for after His brother’s leave, Jesus Himself departs and goes to the feast but in secret. Perhaps while the Lord was alone, the Father had directed Him to go. Regardless, Christ did leave for the feast but avoided the religious leaders who sought to kill Him (vs.11).

                The crowds, who attended the feast were divided as to whether to believe that Jesus was a good man or be convinced that He led others astray (vs.13). But they too only spoke of Him in secret for fear of the authority that the Jews held. Although the crowds were hostile, this did not prevent the Saviour from continuing His ministry. In the midst of the feast Jesus reveals Himself at the temple and begins a three part declaration of His relationship with His Heavenly Father. First Christ declares that His authority is from the Father, second, that He came from the Father, and third, that He will depart to the Father.

                The first of these declarations come in verses 14-24. Amazed by His wisdom, the Jews were questioning between themselves as to how Jesus could have such wisdom while having never been educated. Jesus, knowing their thoughts and words replied to them saying that His teaching is not from Himself but rather, “…His who sent me.” Jesus was not like the other self-proclaimed Messiahs that had come before Him. They speak for themselves (vs. 18) but Christ spoke for the Father. Therefore, “…He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.” This declaration was another proof that Jesus was Messiah, for He spoke for the Father. He sums up His declaration of authority by saying in verse 24, “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgement.” Jesus’ wisdom, teaching, actions, impact, and deeds all testified to the fact that He was God and His authority came from God.

                Secondly, Christ proclaims that He came from the Father (vs. 25-31). And at this time, some of the crowd recognized Him as Jesus, the man whom the religious leaders were trying to kill. They question the ruler’s thoughts of Christ and decide in their own minds that He can’t be the Christ. Both the rulers and the people could not firmly decide who Jesus was. Jesus cries out to the people once again telling them in verse 28, “You both know Me and know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know.” Jesus confronts their unbelief in Him by saying once again that He came from the Father. While some of the crowd believed in His name the Pharisees were still indignant.

                We see this hatred develop in verses 32-36 where Jesus completes His third declaration saying He will depart to the Father whom He came. Verse 32 says, “The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about Him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees made plans to seize Him.” Jesus, knowing these plans boldly tells them that He would only be with them a little while, and then He would leave to the Father. Where He was going they could not follow, because they did not believe in His name. They Jews, not understanding tragically mock Jesus’ words not realising that they speak to their own condemnation to judgement. The Lord was soon to go to His eternal home, and only those who believed in Him, would follow Him there.

Response:

                How am I to respond to this Jesus? As John has been outlining throughout His gospel we see the continuing animosity towards the Saviour. He is rejected by the people (6:60-66), the religious leaders (7:32), and even His own family (7:3-5). Isaiah rightly did prophecy about Christ when he said in Isaiah 53:3, “He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.” This Jesus lived a life of rejection but He was not to be rejected for all time. Many believed in His name and many more have come to salvation by His work of death on the cross. His rejection by sinners like me has now turned into a life of worship and praises to this most High King. And as I live the rest of my days here on earth, I will never cease to bring ultimate glory to His name.

The Gospel of John: John 6:22-71

John 6:22-71

Title: “I am the Bread of Life”

Analysis:

                John continues to bring us through the ministry of Jesus and we now come to the first of Jesus’ “I Am” statements. These statements convey to the people that Jesus is the Messiah, Son of God, and only way to the Father. Jesus was not just a prophet nor just a miracle-worker but rather the Son of God who came to this earth to save people from their sins.

                In verses 22-25, we see the people’s urgent desire to get to the Lord, so urgent that they travel across the Sea of Galilee to be in His presence. They find Him and question Him saying, “Rabbi, when did you get here?” The people did not seek Jesus Himself and the Lord immediately exposes their hearts to them. He knew full well that they sought Him only for the food and rebukes them saying, “Do not work for the food which perishes but for the food which endures to eternal life.” The crowds are displeased and ask Jesus for a sign, once again showing their hearts, for they really wanted food again.

                Jesus now states plainly to the crowd in verse 35, “I am the bread of life.” This is the pinnacle of our Lords entire discourse with the people. Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ will never perish and will never be cast away. And even in the last day Jesus Himself will raise up those who put their trust in His name.               

                John now interjects the thoughts and words of the crowds both here in vs. 41-42 and also in vs. 52. As the passage continues the Jews grow continually hostile and begin to reject the words of the Messiah. In vs. 42-43 they mock the Lord saying, “Is not this Jesus…son of Joseph…How does he now say, ‘I have come down out of Heaven’?”

                The Lord, ever mindful of the grumbling and hateful thoughts of the unbelievers directly addresses them and confronts their unbelief. He continues to explain that no one can come unless the Father draws him. Also, He confronts their desire for physical food saying in verse 48-50, “I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate manna in the wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from Heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.”

                Still, the unbelieving Jews argue with themselves (vs. 52) because they did not understand His words. Jesus explains once again that they must, “…eat my flesh and drink my blood…” (Vs. 54) and also, “…so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me.” (Vs. 57).

                Because of this call to commitment that the Lord Jesus Christ made of His disciples was hard to understand and believe, many who had only followed Him for the food and wonder of the miracles were rooted out and left (vs. 66). Jesus now focuses on His own 12 disciples and questions them saying, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” Peter, as a spokesman of the disciples gives a very profound and amazing response in verses 68-69 saying, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that you are the Holy one of God.” What an amazing confession he makes. Unlike the people who followed Jesus for the superficial gain, Peter begins by calling Christ ‘Lord”. He declares their submission to Him as master and proclaims that He alone has the words of eternal life.

                But even Jesus Himself knew that one of them would betray Him. John, is this section of scripture shows us that although it seemed that many truly followed Christ, the reality was it was only very few. And even among the Messiah’s closest disciples, one of them hated him with an utmost hatred.             

Response:

What is an appropriate response to reading this passage? In a word, ‘belief’; complete belief that Jesus Christ the Holy Son of God is the King of the universe and the only one who can save my soul from eternal punishment in hell. Jesus truly is the ‘Bread of Life’ and only those who partake in His body can be called Children of God. I must confess with Peter that Jesus is in fact, ‘Lord’ and not just say it but rather believe it and live it out. Those who were truly Disciples of Christ did not leave Him in this situation; instead they saw their ultimate need for them, realizing that without Him they could do absolutely nothing.  

 

Blessings,

          Lucas C. 

The Gospel of John: John 6:1-21

John 6:1-21

Title: Miraculous displays of Christ’s Deity.

Analysis:

                Jesus has now left the Religious leaders in Jerusalem letting them stew over the declarations He had made. The Lord was interested in serving those who would believe in His name. It is quite possible that these next events that John describes in his gospel take place 6 months or even 1 year after our Lord’s confrontation with the Pharisees. Jesus has now travelled from the southern area of Jerusalem, into the northern regions of Galilee.

                As he travelled we see that a large crowd begins to follow Him and the disciples (vs. 2). No doubt the massage of Jesus and the miracles he performed had been widespread throughout the many surrounding districts. The people “…saw the signs which He was performing…” and this was the real motivation for their following.

                Regardless, the Lord is very compassionate and performs an astounding miracle to put His disciples to the test and once again show His deity. Our Lord questions Phillip as a test in verse 5 saying, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?” The Lord was testing Phillip, who responded by reasoning that even 8 months of wages would not be enough to buy food for all the people. Andrew came to Jesus with a child who had five loaves and two fish, offering it to the Lord while realizing that it was far too little to feed the multitude.

                Jesus was unfazed by the minimal amount of food and tells His disciples to command the people to sit down. In total, about 20,000 people were present. Our Lord then took both the loaves and the fish and blessing them, distributed food to all who were seated. In an astounding display of His glory the Lord creates both bread and fish from nothing. The people were filled and satisfied with their food. Jesus then commands the disciples to gather the leftovers. In total they collect twelve small basketfuls, each of which would have been sufficient to feed themselves. Once again the Lord shows His provision not only by feeding the thousands but also feeding His disciples. 

                Unfortunately the crowd’s response was one of unbelief. Verse 15 says, “So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.” The people were satisfied and filled but not with what would give them eternal life. They rejected Christ’s ability to give them spiritual food, but demanded that he give them physical sustenance. They did not believe in Him as Lord and Messiah; rather they wanted a man of power who could give them the earthly pleasure that they eagerly sought after. Our Lord understood this and immediately removed Himself from their selfish grasp.

                      The disciples, having been left by Jesus decide to travel across the sea to the city of Capernaum. While they travel it has become dark and the sea is disturbed by a storm. They began rowing for shore, when suddenly Jesus appears before then walking on the water. The disciples were terrified by His appearance and even thought He may be a ghost (Matt. 14:26). It was not, but rather it was the Lord displaying his deity. He comforts them by saying, “It is I, do not be afraid.” The disciples receive Him into the boat and are miraculously transported immediately to land.

Response:

                These miracles have once again affirmed the complete deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. As part of personal application I need to guard my heart and sinful desires so that I am not like the crowd. The crowd wanted to Jesus because He could meet their immediate physical need; but this is not the reason why He came. Christ came to save people from their sins not from their poverty. I am reminded that Jesus as my Saviour wants me to be filled with spiritual food so that I may serve Him and spread His gospel to all people.   

The Gospel of John: John 4:43-54

John 4:43-54

Title: The Miraculous Healing of the Officials Son

Analysis:

                Jesus, after spending two days in Samaria continues on his journey and arrives in Galilee. Unlike in Samaria, Jesus is not believed in by the people of His home town as exhibited in vs. 44 and vs. 48. At this time John records for us the second major sign that our Lord performed during His earthly ministry (vs. 54). Jesus is now in Cana of Galilee, the same place where he performed his first miracle of turning the water into wine.

                As he has arrived, news of his arrival and miracles had obviously spread throughout the area. A Royal officer hears that Jesus is in Cana and comes to the Lord asking Him to heal his son (vs. 47). He literally begs Jesus repeatedly in desperation for the condition of His son. Jesus knew that he believed that He could perform the miracle but did not completely believe in Him as Messiah. This is the reason for the Saviours response in vs. 48 which says, “Unless you people see signs and wonders you simply will not believe.” Jesus is referring to the Galileans as a whole group of people but also specifically to this man. The Samaritans believed Jesus not because of what the women said (vs. 42), but rather because they heard for themselves. The Galileans searched instead for signs from Christ and not His preached word. They saw Him as a great miracle worker but did not believe in Him as the chosen Messiah.

                After Jesus responds to the official we once again see Him beg the Saviour to heal his child. And without further need of prompting, our Lord is His infinite mercy says, “Go, your son lives.” (vs. 50) In spite of the lack of faith Jesus still meets the man’s needs. What mercy our Saviour shows!

                As the man continues back home, some servants meet with him and tell him that his sons fever left him at the seventh hour. The Officer remembers that this was the same time he spoke with Jesus. Upon realizing this, his partial unfaithfulness turned to complete faith in the Lord and not only he but also his entire household believed in Jesus Christ.

                In the end, the Lord was sovereignly testing the officer’s faith to see whether he would truly believe in Him as Messiah and not just a man who could work miracles. Amazingly the man and his entire household put their trust in the Saviour, as not only a God who heals but a God who saves resulting in belief.      

Response:

                Do you put your belief in the Son of God at all times? Was the question that came to my mind after reading this passage of scripture from John. For myself I know it is easy to trust in Jesus when times are free from trial or temptation. But it is ever so hard to trust when my heart is pulled by the sinful calls of this world. In this text, the Officer runs to Jesus but with the wrong motives. He wants Jesus to be a temporary solvent to his problems rather than a life-long Saviour who is always there. As a Christian it is imperative to realize that Christ is there for us and we must run to Him in trials and in joys. I know He will strengthen us and refresh us in trial, and he will be our guide and friend in joys. The Christian life is about commitment to Christ, full-time commitment as a slave serves his master so we serve our Lord. May God grant me the faith to be completely trusting that Jesus is the promised Messiah and can wash me new from all my filthy stains.   

Blessings,
           Lucas C.

The Gospel of John: John 3:22-36

John 3:22-36

Title: John bears witness of Jesus Christ.

Analysis:

                As we conclude chapter three of the Gospel of John we come to the beginning of the end of John the Baptists ministry. As John himself knew, the time had come for the ministry of Jesus Christ to take center stage in the world. John himself was the herald, and now that the King had made Himself known, John stepped aside.
                In the text we see that John is still, “…baptizing in Aenon near Salim…” John’s ministry was still active at this time, but as the verse 24 states, “…for John had not yet been thrown into prison.” It would not be too much longer until John is imprisoned and eventually killed by Herod.
                While John was baptizing, we see that there was a discussion between some men as they wondered why people were going to Jesus instead of John for baptism. It seems as though these men are concerned that Jesus was baptizing more men than John and are asking John if Jesus was in competition with him.
                John the Baptist understands this, and wastes no time in getting to the heart of their questions. In the subsequent verses (vs. 28 – 36) John explains to them saying, “…I am not the Christ….” (vs. 28), “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (vs. 30), and “He who comes from above is above all…” (vs. 31)John clearly explains to these men that there is no competition between himself and Christ, rather John points to Christ and rejoices when men choose to follow after Him.

                After explaining that the Lord must increase, John now commits the rest of his dialogue to explain that Jesus is from God, He is first in this world, and that all who believe in Him will have eternal life. John says that Jesus is from above, but man would not receive His testimony. God gave the Son a seal so that man would know he is true, while also giving Him the, “Spirit without measure.” The Father loves his Son and sent Him into this world for a very specific purpose. This purpose is clearly explained in verse 36. It says, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

                Jesus has come so that He may increase and be glorified before His Father who is in heaven. One way that Christ can increase is through the salvation of lost sinners, who will enter heaven and forever worship Him. John the Baptist testifies strongly that Jesus is the Christ and that all who believe in Him will have eternal life, while all those who do not believe will be under God’s wrath forever.       

Response:

                As I studied this passage, it is very evident that John the Baptist was a man of great humility. He points even His own disciples to the Lord and acknowledges that only Jesus is worthy of praise and glory. Verse 30 sums up the entire passage as it reads, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” John understood who Jesus was, and that he had a purpose to come into this world. All who believed in Him would have eternal life, so it was natural for John to show people the man who could save their souls. I realise also that I need to be a man of humility. I must point my life towards Christ in the way I live, speak, and act so that His name will be glorified and others will come to believe in Him. 

Blessings,
           Lucas C.

The Gospel of John: John 3:1-21

John 3:1-21

Title: Jesus Witnesses to Nicodemus.

Analysis:

                This passage of God’s Word contains some of the most amazing truths about salvation, Jesus, and the reason that Christ came into the word. John begins our passage by setting our scene for the dialogue that follows. Nicodemus was a Pharisees, and a prominent ruler in this party. He came to Christ by night most likely because he was worried of the implications of associating with Jesus. When they begin their conversation Nicodemus says that they (the Pharisees) know that Jesus is from God (vs. 2) because the signs that Christ performed were proof. This shows that although they desired to kill Jesus, the Pharisees knew without a doubt that He was indeed the Son of God.
                Jesus replies by saying, “unless one is born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God.” The conversation continues as both Jesus and Nicodemus talk of salvation. Jesus explains that one must be cleansed on the inside and pure from sin to be born again. Only those who are born of the spirit can be saved because they will have the Spirit of God living inside them. Just as the wind blows and cannot be controlled, the Spirit of God saves whomever He chooses.
                Nicodemus, amazed at this teaching responds to Jesus saying, “How can these things be?” Our Lord replies to Nicodemus now explaining that the reason man does not believe is because they are ignorant of the Scriptures. We know that the Scripture spoke extensively of Christ in the Old Testament, and yet the religious leaders were blind to who Jesus was. Jesus even refers to how Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, just as Christ will be lifted up on the cross. This healing will not be temporal, like Moses’ but rather spiritual and eternal.
                John now gives us the most common of our Lord’s words in verse 16 which say, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” These words and the words in verse 17 summarise the reason that Christ came into this World, and in effect summarise the bottom line of John’s Gospel. Jesus then continues by explaining that He is the light and that men hated the light because their deeds were evil. Only those who practice truth will be able to come to God and will be shown as a child of God.       

 

Response:

                It says in verse 16 that God the Father sent His Son Jesus Christ to this earth so that we may be saved through Him. This act of the Father that was pre-determined before the beginning of time which is an amazing thought! I think of how hard it would have been for the Father to eventually turn His back on His Son for the sake of us. It then makes me think of the amazing love that God must have for me, even while I was still His enemy. These verses remind me that I should think often of the marvelous work of God in my life so I can be continually praising Him. The Gospel truly is:

Holy God in love became

Perfect Man to Bear my Blame

On the Cross He took my sin

By His death I live again

Blessings,

           Lucas C.

The Gospel of John: John 2:12-25

John 2:12-25

Title: Christ Cleanses the Temple.

 

Analysis:

                In this passage of God’s Word, we read about one of the most amazing miracles of Jesus’s ministry here on earth. As he and his disciples continue on from the wedding; they stay in Capernaum for a few days and then travel to Jerusalem for Passover. We are quickly introduced by John as to what Jesus sees. There were many men, using this time of celebration to gather in the temple to sell various animals that were used for sacrifices. Also, the money changers were seated at their tables (vs.15).

                Immediately John transitions to the Lords response, making it very clear to us what His attitude towards these men was. Our Lord’s reaction is astonishing and amazing at the same time. Without delay Jesus makes a scourge of cords and in a miraculous way, drives out all these wicked men from the temple. To comprehend the scope of this miracle we must realise that the Temple area was a very large area, and the Lord drove out hundreds of people and all their animals from His holy place.

               In verses 16-17 John brings to our attention the reason why Jesus drove these men out. He said, “Stop making my Father’s house a place of business.” And His disciples remembered what was prophesied about Him saying, “Zeal for your house will consume Me.” The reason that the Lord drove these men out is that they were using the house of God to make money and profit by cheating and stealing from the people. They had not come to worship God but rather to worship themselves, seeking only their own good. Their religion was dead and self-serving and Jesus would have none of it!
           Although they had been driven out, the Jews still had the audacity to demand of Jesus to perform a sign showing that He had authority to do this. Christ immediately tells them that if they would destroy this temple, in three days he would rise again. The Jews eyes were blinded to this statement and believed he spoke of the temple so they mock His words by saying it had taken 46 years already to build the temple. They did not understand that He was speaking of His body.

                Even though the Jews did not believe, Christ’s disciples remembered His words after He rose again from the dead. Contrary to their belief the people at the Passover still chose not to worship Him as God. John continues to explain that Jesus performed many other signs during the feast (vs.23) but he would not entrust Himself to them. Jesus knew that although the people said they believed in Him, they did not worship Him as King or Lord in their lives. Rather their outward belief was an inward selfishness.

                Jesus knew this and would not entrust Himself to them for, “He knew all men…He Himself knew what was in man.” (Verse 24-25). It seems as though John adds this statement on to show us once again that Jesus must be God, for only God knows our hearts, just as Jesus did here.       

Response:

                What kind of religion am I offering to the Lord? Was a question that popped into my mind as I studied this section of scripture. Just as the men of Israel mocked God by committing sin while being in the house of God, I believe we are all capable of doing this. Jesus, as we see here, hates pretenders. He does not want us to look like were worshiping Him while at the same time living in sin. Not only does he not want us to do that, but for the Christian it is impossible to do this. You cannot half-heartedly entrust yourself to the Lord for He knows our hearts and will not accept that form of worship. Complete surrender to His will for your life is the only way that you can have pure religion and worship before Him.    

Blessings,
           Lucas C.

The Gospel of John: John 2:1-11

John 2:1-11

Title: Jesus performs His first miracle.

Analysis:

                In our text of scripture that we look at today, we see that Jesus has begun His public ministry.  Flowing right out of Christ words to Nathaniel at the end of chapter one (vs 50), Jesus performs His very first miracle. The setting is in Cana of Galilee, and the event is a wedding feast that Jesus, His mother, and also His disciples were invited too. At this particular time of the feast, the wine has run out Jesus’ mother makes Him aware stating in verse 3, “They have no wine.”
                 It is debated among scholars what this dialogue means. Was Mary expecting a miracle from Jesus, hence she tells Him they have no wine? Probably not, but she knew that He may have a solution to the problem that was presented. He had only ever had perfect solutions before, so perhaps she thought it would be wise to seek His counsel.

                As for the Lords response, he replies in a seemingly abrupt way that is somewhat perplexing saying, “Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come.” Our Lord here seems to evade the miracle, but we know this is not true for he performs it a few moments later. What we can conclude is that Jesus is saying that he had come to this earth for a purpose, laying aside all earthy commitments and only doing things that would give glory to Him and His Father.

                Mary must have recognized in some way that he would provide more wine, although she knew not how. We know this because she tells the servants to listen to whatever Jesus says. And now we come to the performance of this miracle.

                Jesus commands the servants to fill six stone water jugs to the brim with water. They do and in an instant, the water becomes wine, a miracle showing the supreme deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. The headwaiter observes that the wine tastes excellent (Vs. 9-10) as do all the people. Finally verse 11 concludes this section by stating that this is the beginning of the signs that Jesus would perform. Not only was it a sign but it also manifested His glory, so that His disciples believed Him. They knew that Jesus had power and by His signs, the power must be from God.  

Response:

                As a response, I must admit that it was a bit challenged to solve the dialogue between our Lord and His mother. But what I do know is that in His sovereign knowledge of all things, Christ worked out a fascinating miracle putting His full glory on display. It is very important to realize that as sovereign king of the universe I can go to the Lord whenever I need Him. Perhaps this is how even His mother felt when she knew there was no more wine. Not only can our Saviour help us in a time like show in the scriptures here, but He is also there for us when we need to call upon His name.

                At any time, our Lord is willing to listen to our struggles as we lift up our voices in praise and prayer to Him.   

Blessings,
           Lucas C.

The Gospel of John: John 1:35-51

John 1:35-51

Title: Christ calls His Disciples

Analysis:

                As John progresses in the writing of his Gospel, he comes to the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry which is marked by the calling of His disciples. Those whom Jesus called did not have any hesitation in following Him and did not doubt His authority. John and Andrew are first pointed to Christ by John the Baptist who calls Christ the, “Lamb of God!” The disciples immediately followed Jesus after hearing this statement and stayed with Him.

                Not only were Andrew and John immediately fixed to the Saviour, they also were ready to spread the news about Him. In vs. 40 we see Andrew who runs to find Simon his brother, and proclaim to him, “We have found the Messiah!” This statement is astounding that Andrew would so readily acknowledge Jesus as Messiah. Simon comes to Jesus, and his name is changed from Cephas (which meant reed) to Peter (meaning rock). This is foreshadowing what Jesus is preparing to change in Peter’s character so he will one day be a stalwart leader in the church.

                A John continues he says that Jesus and his few disciples came to Galilee and seeing Philip, Jesus said, “Follow me.” Of all the phrases that our Lord spoke, perhaps the words, ‘Follow Me’ are the most compelling. With these simple words the Lord commanded that these men leave all they had, and commit their lives to following Him. It is even more astounding that their obedience was immediate and not prolonged. As Philip states in vs. 45, “We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote – Jesus of Nazareth…” This statement is a partial summary of what John in this gospel is trying to convey; that Jesus is the Son of God and has now come into the world to save that which was lost.   

                Although the statement was wholly true, Nathaniel doubts Philip’s words thinking that nothing good can come from Nazareth. Regardless he follows Philip to Jesus. Christ then reveals that he knew Nathaniel’s thoughts about Him and also reveals his supernatural knowledge by speaking of things only Nathaniel knew. Because of this he responds humbly by saying, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel.” His doubts were removed and he came to realize that Jesus was in fact the Messiah.

                Jesus says to his disciples that they would see greater things in His ministry than His knowledge of ones thoughts or activities. Just as Jacob experienced revelation from Heaven, (Gen 28:12) the disciples would experience miracles from Heaven. The greatest miracle being Jesus replacing the ‘ladder’ so to speak in Jacob’s dream and being the only way to the Father in Heaven (John 14:6).

Response:

For me, this passage was very impactful. One way that I can apply this to my own life is to realize the powerfulness of Christ’s call in a man’s life. Jesus simply said to his disciples, “Follow Me” and they left all they had and followed after Him. When Christ was on earth, there must have been something so compelling in his voice, or the way he looked at them, or perhaps the fact that he can make a sinful heart regenerate that only the words, ‘Follow Me’ would change a man’s entire life. Although Christ is not physically present with me, He is here with me in Spirit and He still wants me to follow Him. This call is just as radical today as it was 2,000 years ago. The call to follow Christ means I must deny everything, even my own self so that I can be His disciple. I pray that God would grant me a humble heart that is so dependent on Him; I need nothing else but to trust and obey.    

Blessings,
           Lucas C.

The Gospel of John: John 1:19-34

John 1:19-34

Title: The testimony of John and baptism of Jesus.

Analysis:

                After speaking of Jesus as the light, John now delves into his documentation of the life of Jesus. In these verses John begins to provide proof that Jesus is the Messiah and Son of God.  John the apostle starts by revealing who John the Baptist is to us in verses 19-28. At this time John was living in the wilderness baptizing those who would believe in the name of Christ. His primary ministry was to point those to the soon coming King of Kings.
                At this time the Pharisees, perhaps some of the Sanhedrin came to question John asking him if he was the Christ. John is very bold and denies this saying, “I am not the Christ.” These men then ask if he is Elijah, probably thinking of the prophecy from Malachi 5:4 which says Elijah will come before Messiah. John was not Elijah but rather a type of Elijah who did indeed herald the Messiah. John the Baptist doe answer their questions by quoting Isaiah 40:3 and applying it to himself, saying that he is a voice proclaiming that the Lord is on His way.
                The Pharisees then question John as to why he baptizes and how he received authority to baptize. The reason John baptized was because when Messiah would come there would be a time of physical and spiritual cleansing. The Jews as well as the Gentiles who were not saved needed cleansing and preparation for the arrival of Messiah.
                Although he baptized Christ, John did not regard himself as worthy for this position. He speaks of Christ being so glorious that he could not even untie the thong of His sandal. John constantly shifted the emphasis from himself to Christ, exemplifying extreme humility and acknowledgement of the complete Lordship Jesus possessed.
                John the apostle, now takes a shift in his focus between John and the Pharisees and turns to recall the events of the baptism of the Saviour. John gives a profound testimony when he sees Jesus, stating in vs. 29, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” This statement speaks of Jesus as a sacrificial lamb, who came in human form while still being fully God to take away the sins of mankind. John continues to explain that Jesus is higher than himself once again affirming His deity by saying in vs. 30, “…He existed before me…”
                Also seen in this passage is one of the greatest proofs of the Trinity, showing both the Spirit and the Son, at the baptism of Jesus. We also know the Father spoke from heaven affirming his Good pleasure (Luke 3:22). John the Baptist affirms this testimony by directly stating in verse 34, “I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.

Response:

As I read through this passage I was particularly struck by Verse 29b which states, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” I found it to be such a profoundly true statement that John made about Christ so near to the beginning of His ministry. It reminded me that Christ truly is our ‘sacrificial lamb’ who came and bore my own sin on the cross! As personal application I can’t think but how on earth could I not give everything I have to serve this Christ who would snatch a sinner like myself from the punishment I justly deserve in hell.

                This verse brought my thoughts to my salvation, and how it was so unmerited and so mercifully granted to me by God. Now, I have the privilege to be His slave and serve Him daily; no less have the freedom to study the very Words of God. What greater reason can compel one to serve the Lord, than to fully realize that God died so that you could live and bring glory to His name? But also, so that you could forever worship Him in Heaven, because he knows that that is the only thing that will bring us eternal joy.     

Blessings,
           Lucas C.

The Gospel of John

For the Next Semester in School, now that I have started College, I will be doing a verse by verse analysis of the Gospel of John and Book of Acts. I have decided to share these here on the blog. Hope you enjoy reading them and learning more about the life and works of our great and Glorious Saviour!

 

John 1:1-18

 

Title: The Manifestation of Jesus Christ

 

                This is the passage that introduces the book of John and the main character of this book to us. This character is Jesus Christ; the Word became flesh, the Son of God. Verses 1-3 show us how both God and the Word work in harmony as the Word was, “…in the beginning with God, and was God.” There is a closeness that speaks to the Word and God being the same, and having the same nature.

Just as we know God created all things, “In the beginning…” (Gen 1:1) The Word was also a worker in the event of creation. The Word, and God himself have not only created all things but are the source of everything including life, and light. This life speaks both to a physical sense of life but also the spiritual and eternal life that is granted through Jesus Christ. The light that has come into the world is definitely the gospel, and all Biblical truth. This truth has not been understood by the darkness and the spiritually dark world we live in. Although it is not understood the light will continue to shine and will not be put out by the power darkness holds in this earth.

                John now takes a dramatic shift in his flow of thought and begins to speak of John the Baptist. John was a herald of Jesus Christ who came to proclaim that the light was coming into the world. John was sent by God to be this witness. He testified about this light not being the light himself but rather proclaiming that the light was going to come soon.

                Jesus, who is the true light, came physically into the world. Even while being the creator of this world, the world did not acknowledge Him as such. Even the Jewish nation, who were his chosen people did not believe in him or recognize him as the Messiah. Because of their unbelief they rejected Him. But even amongst the unbelievers, some came to receive Him and He granted them the right to be the children of God. These people were born again by God.

                We now come to one of the most bold and direct statements concerning the incarnation of Jesus Christ in vs. 14. It says, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us…” The supernatural second person of the God-head condescended to earth to take on mortal flesh. In this flesh we were given a glimpse of the greatness of the glory of God. While on earth, Christ’s glory was shown majestically in the transfiguration, resurrection, and ascension.     

                John spoke of Christ by literally calling out and proclaiming that Christ was higher than himself because He existed before him. This statement is astounding as John would have been born 6 months prior to Christ, so John confirms that Christ must be from God. This would explain how he could have existed before John.

                Because of the incarnation of Jesus, we have received abundant grace that was unmerited by our own efforts. For even if the Law of Moses convicts us of sin, Jesus Christ has made peace for us through God the Father. God the Father has been seen by no one but Jesus Christ the mediator between God and man; the one begotten by the Father, who has come to earth to explain who He is to us.

 

Personal Response:

                This entire passage speaks of Jesus Christ, the Son of God coming into this world. Verse 14 specifically says, “The world became flesh and dwelt among us…” John is saying that God himself, the creator of the universe came to this earth. As I think about what I know about God and why he came to this earth, I cannot help but realize that I must completely submit to his will in my life. Especially as a Christian, I must realize that Christ is not only my Saviour but also my Lord. He has supreme Lordship, and rule over me and I must obey what His word commands. I need to be submissive to all that Jesus teaches in his word allowing myself to be molded and shaped into His image. Even in areas that may not seem important, I must make Christ Lord over in my life. I have a responsibility to honour Him and also a desire. May I be completely submitted to His Lordship so that I will bring Him honour all the days of my life.     

 

Blessings,

Lucas C.