Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing

Transcription

1 Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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3 Table of Contents Chapter 1 In the Beginning Years of Silence Inter-testamental Events The Fullness of Time Lessons for Life Chapter 2 The Savior is Born A Descendent of David Dealing with the Differences Born of a Virgin The Savior is Born Adoration of the King Dedication of the King Worship of the King Flight to Egypt Jesus of Nazareth The Boy Jesus Lessons for Life Chapter 3 The Word Dwelt Among Us John the Baptist The Baptism of Jesus The Temptation of Jesus The Twelve Water and Wine The Prophecy Fulfilled Lessons for Life Chapter 4 The Kingdom of Heaven Why Parables? The Parable of the Weeds The Mustard Seed and the Leaven The Treasure, the Pearl and the Net Who is the greatest?

4 The Unforgiving Servant Laborers in the Vineyard The Ten Virgins Do not be Anxious Lessons for Life Chapter 5 The Blind See and Lame Walk John Questions Jesus Identity Jesus heals a man who was blind from birth Jesus Heals a Paralytic Jesus Lord of the Sabbath Jesus heals a man with a withered hand Jesus heals the demon possessed man Jesus heals a woman & little girl The Death of Lazarus What does Jesus healing of the sick teach us? Lessons for Life Chapter 6 The Gospel of the Messiah Chapter 7 The Religious Establishment is Confronted The Great I AM The Truth Will Set You Free You Are of Your Father the Devil Before Abraham Was, I Am Discussion Questions Lessons for Life Taxes, the Resurrection and Love Paying Taxes to Caesar The Sadducees Question Jesus About the Resurrection The Great Commandment Discussion Questions Lessons for Life The Seven Woes to the Scribes and Pharisees Lament over Jerusalem Discussion Questions

5 Lessons for Life The Plot to Kill Jesus Discussion Questions Lessons for Life Chapter 8 The Road to the Cross Preparing for Passover Mary Anoints Jesus at Bethany The Triumphal Entry Some Greeks Seek Jesus The Son of Man Must Be Lifted Up The Plot to Kill Jesus Discussion Questions Lessons for Life The Passover Dinner Passover in the upper room The Disciples Argue Over Who Is the Greatest Jesus Washes the Disciples Feet This do in remembrance of Me Jesus Predicts His Betrayal Discussion Questions Lessons for Life Final Instructions (In the Upper Room) Jesus Issues a New Commandment I Am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life The Promise of the Holy Spirit Two Swords Discussion Questions Lessons for Life Final Instructions (On the Way to the Garden of Gethsemane) Jesus Predicts Peter s Denial I Am the True Vine Jesus Warns the Disciples that the World will hate them The Ministry of the Holy Spirit

6 Sorrow into Joy Jesus will overcome! Discussion Questions Lessons for Life Arrival at the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus High Priestly Prayer Jesus Prays in the Garden Discussion Questions Lessons for Life Chapter 9 The Passion of the Messiah The Betrayal Jesus before the High Priest Discussion Questions Lessons for Life Peter denies Jesus Discussion Questions Lessons for Life The Death of Judas Discussion Questions Lessons for Life Jesus before Pilate Jesus before Herod Jesus Returns to Pilate Discussion Questions Lessons for Life Jesus or Barabbas? Pilate declares Jesus innocent Pilate has Jesus flogged Pilate condemns Jesus Discussion Questions Lessons for Life Jesus is mocked The Via Delarosa

7 Discussion Questions Lessons for Life The Suffering Servant The Crucifixion Jesus mocked while He was on the cross The two thieves At the foot of the cross Discussion Questions Lessons for Life Why have you forsaken me? The Death of Jesus Discussion Questions Lessons for Life Jesus side pierced The burial of Jesus The guarded tomb Discussion Questions Lessons for Life Chapter 10 The Conquering of Death Was it a morning like this? What happened to the Guards? Jesus Appears to Mary Discussion Questions Lessons for Life The Road to Emmaus Discussion Questions Lessons for Life Jesus Appears to the Disciples Jesus Appears to Thomas Discussion Questions Lessons for Life Jesus Appears to Seven Disciples Discussion Questions

8 Lessons for Life Jesus and Peter Jesus and John Discussion Questions Lessons for Life Jesus Appears to The Great Commission The Ascension Discussion Questions Lessons for Life Chapter 11 The Lion of Judah References

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10 Chapter 1 In the Beginning Eternal God - Creator (Genesis 1:1; John 1:1-5, 14) The Proto-Evangelium (Genesis 3:15) Abraham & Isaac (Genesis 22; John 3:16) The Passover Lamb (Exodus 12; Matthew 26:1-2) The Prophet Like Moses (Deut. 18:15-18; Acts 3:17-26) The Fiery Serpent (Numbers 21:7-9; John 3:14) Wonderful Counselor (Isaiah 9:6-7) The Suffering Servant (Isaiah 52:13-53:12) The Righteous Branch (Jeremiah 23:5-6) The Great Stone (Daniel 2:34-34) The Sign of Jonah (Matthew 12:38-40) The Cleansing Fountain (Zechariah 13:1) Malachi 3:1 Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. 2 But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner s fire and like fullers soap. 3 He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD. 4 Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mal Years of Silence Inter-testamental Events 399 BC: Socrates is executed in Athens on charges of impiety and corrupting Athenian youth. 330 BC: Alexander the Great conquers the Persian Empire 293 BC: first Roman sundial 175 BC: Antiochus IV Epiphanes, took possession of the Syrian throne 164 BC, Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family, restores the Temple in Jerusalem. Events commemorated each year by the festival of Hanukkah. 148 BC: Rome conquers Macedonia The Chinese first produce paper 73 BC: A slave rebellion led by the escaped gladiator Spartacus leads to the Third Servile War. 44 BC: Julius Caesar murdered. 31 BC: Roman Civil War: Battle of Actium off the western coast of Greece, forces of Octavian defeat troops under Mark Antony and Cleopatra. 27 BC: The Roman Senate votes Octavian the title of Augustus. Augustus eventually assumes all authority formerly held by the Roman senate becoming the first emperor. 10

11 The Fullness of Time Galatians 4:4 But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Ga 4:3 5. Koine Greek was the Lingua Franca (Common Language of the entire world) Rome brought roads and the Pax Romana (Peace of Rome) The Jewish people had proclaimed monotheism and a Messianic hope to the world The time had come to be freed from the Law! Lessons for Life We must remember that God s plan is always superior to our plans We must remember that God s time is always the right time We must remember that God is faithful to His promises regardless of how much time has passed 11

12 Chapter 2 The Savior is Born A Descendent of David Jeremiah 23:5 Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: The LORD is our righteousness. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Je 23:5 6. Matthew 1:1-17 Luke 3:23-39 Abraham Isaac Jacob Judah Perez Hezron Ram Amminadab Nahshon Salmon Boaz Obed Jesse David Solomon Rehoboam Abijah Asaph Jehoshaphat Joram Uzziah Jotham Ahaz Hezekiah Manasseh Amos Josiah Jechoniah Shealtiel Zerubbabel Abiud Eliakim Azor Zadok Achim Eliud Eleazar Matthan Jacob Joseph Jesus Adam Seth Enos Cainan Mahalaleel Jared Enoch Methuselah Lamech Noah Shem Arphaxad Cainan Shelah Eber Peleg Reu Serug Nahor Terah Abraham Isaac Jacob Judah Perez Hezron Arni Admin Amminadab Nahshon Sala Boaz Obed Jesse David Nathan Mattatha Menna Melea Eliakim Jonam Joseph Judah Simeon Levi Matthat Jorim Eliezer Joshua Er Elmadam Cosam Addi Melchi Neri Shealtiel Zerubbabel Rhesa Joanan Joda Josech Semein Mattathias Maath Naggai Esli Nahum Amos Mattathias Joseph Jannai Melchi Levi Matthat Heli Joseph Jesus 12

13 Dealing with the Differences Darrell Bock has identified several different possibilities for the differences 1. The point of the genealogies is more historical and literary instead of historical 2. Matthew gives a genealogy through Joseph. Luke gives a genealogy through Mary 3. Matthew provided the natural line and Luke provided the royal line with the differences being caused due to levirate marriage (4 different scenarios) A clear choice is difficult to establish between the various views that see Joseph s line as present in both Gospels. [The levirate views] are all possible, yet each requires a set of conjectures that cannot be proven. What seems most likely, if one is to take the accounts as historical, is that Jacob (Matt. 1:15-16) and Heli (Luke 3:23) had a close relationship, though whether as brothers, half-brothers, through the marriage of Heli s sister to Jacob, levirate marriage, or adoption is less clear. It is also clear that other breaks in the listing occurred. What the options show is that it is premature to insist on error here, even though a definite solution does not emerge. Nevertheless, the genealogy s point is obvious. Jesus has a claim to the throne through David and is related to all of humanity through Adam. Darrell Bock, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, Luke 1:1-9:50 Born of a Virgin The Birth of Jesus Christ Matthew 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel (which means, God with us). The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 1: The fact that Jesus was born of Mary only, as indicated in the genealogical record (v. 16), demanded further explanation. Matthew s explanation can best be understood in the light of Hebrew marriage customs. Marriages were arranged for individuals by parents, and contracts were negotiated. After this was accomplished, the individuals were considered married and were called husband and wife. They did not, however, begin to live together. Instead, the woman continued to live with her parents and the man with his for one year. The waiting period was to demonstrate the faithfulness of the pledge of purity given concerning the bride. If she was found to be with child in this period, she obviously was not pure, but had been involved in an unfaithful sexual relationship. Therefore the marriage could be annulled. If, however, the one-year waiting period demonstrated the purity of the bride, the husband would then go to the house of the bride s parents and in a grand processional march lead his bride back to his home. There they would begin to live together as husband and wife and consummate their marriage physically. 1 - Andrew Barbieri, Bible Knowledge Commentary 13

14 Luke 1:26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin s name was Mary. 28 And he came to her and said, Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you! 29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. 30 And the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. 34 And Mary said to the angel, How will this be, since I am a virgin? 35 And the angel answered her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy the Son of God. 36 And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing will be impossible with God. 38 And Mary said, Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word. And the angel departed from her. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Lk 1: Teacher s Note: The Virgin Birth is not the same thing as the Roman Catholic doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. The Immaculate Conception is the idea that Mary was, from the womb, kept free of Original Sin. This is a doctrine that has no Biblical support. The Church of the Annunciation Nazareth, Israel 14

15 The Savior is Born Luke 2:1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Lk 2:1 7. See Micah 5:2 Teacher s Notes: The mention of Quirinius as governor of Syria poses a problem. He was governor in A.D. 6 7, much too late for Jesus birth. Therefore does the word first (prōtē) refer, as in the NIV, to a first, that is, an earlier, census by Quirinius? If so, one would have to posit a previous governorship for Quirinius at about 4 B.C. Perhaps a better solution is to take first to mean before, as it does, for example, in John 15:18. Luke 2:2 would then read, this was the census that took place before Quirinius was governor of Syria (i.e., before A.D. 6). 2 Bible Knowledge Commentary Certainly there is evidence for Greek inns as early as the 5th century B.C., and they became common in the Hellenized Mediterranean. They were typically uncomfortable and dangerous a common haunt of thieves, prostitutes, and vermin. 3 Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible 15

16 Adoration of the King The Shepherds and the Angels Luke 2:8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased! 15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us. 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Lk 2:8 20. Shepherds were socially looked down upon in Jesus day. Their work made them ceremonially unclean, and they had a reputation for being untrustworthy. Thus God first sent the gospel to the lowly. Luke had a special interest in the lower elements of society... Consequently these shepherds represent all people of lowly origin and reputation who receive the gospel by God s grace and proclaim it joyfully to others. The idea that these shepherds were raising sheep that the people would offer as Passover sacrifices in a few months is possible but not capable of verification. They would have been out in the fields with their sheep at night if the winter weather was mild, as it apparently was. 4 Tom Constable It is interesting to note that the angels did not announce Jesus birth to the kings or religious leaders of the day, but to common working class men. Jesus was a Savior for everyone Dedication of the King Luke 2:21 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. 22 And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord ) 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord s Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, 16

17 29 Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation 31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel. 33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed 35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Lk 2: There was a man by the name of Simeon who by the Holy Spirit was in the temple when the Lord Jesus was brought in to fulfill the Mosaic Law. God had promised Simeon that he would see the salvation of God. What did he see? He saw a little Baby. Salvation is a Person, and not something that you do. Salvation is a Person, and that Person is the Lord Jesus Christ. You either have Him, or you don t have Him. You either trust Him, or you don t trust Him. Do you have Him today? 5 J. Vernon McGee Luke 2:36 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin, 37 and then as a widow until she was eighty-four. She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day. 38 And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Lk 2: Worship of the King Matthew 2:1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him. 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: 6 And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel. 7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him. 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not 17 See Psalm 68:29 See Numbers 24:17

18 to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 2:1 12. Many commentators, ancient and modern, have seen symbolic significance in these three gifts. Some have said gold suggests royalty while others have seen deity. Some say incense represents deity while others believe it better represents perfect humanity. Most expositors view myrrh as prefiguring Jesus death and burial. It is unlikely that the Magi saw this significance, but Matthew may have intended his readers to see it. This act by Gentile leaders also prefigures the wealth that the Old Testament prophets said the Gentiles would one day present to Israel s Messiah (Isa. 60:5, 11; 61:6; 66:20; Zeph. 3:10; Hag. 2:7 8). 6 Tom Constable Flight to Egypt Matthew 2:13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him. 14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, Out of Egypt I called my son. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 2: See Hosea 11:1 Jesus of Nazareth Matthew 2:19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 saying, Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child s life are dead. 21 And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee. 23 And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, so that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled, that he would be called a Nazarene. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 2: Luke 2:39 And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. 40 And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Lk 2: Teacher s Note Nazareth was the town which housed the Roman garrison for the northern regions of Galilee. Therefore most Jews would not have any associations with that city. In fact those who lived in Nazareth were thought of as compromisers who consorted with the enemy, the Romans. Therefore to call one a Nazarene was to use a term of contempt. 7 - Louis A. Barbieri, Jr. 18

19 The Boy Jesus Luke 2:41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. 43 And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, 44 but supposing him to be in the group they went a day s journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, 45 and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress. 49 And he said to them, Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father s house? 50 And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. 51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Lk 2: Normally young people who give God His proper place in their lives develop into normal adults, people whom God and other people approve (cf. Prov. 3:1 12). This was true of Jesus (cf. 1 Sam. 2:26). Jesus mental, social, and spiritual powers developed along with His physical powers. He was fully man as well as fully God who voluntarily set aside some of His divine prerogatives temporarily in the Incarnation (Phil. 2:7). The Greek word translated increased or grew (v. 52, prokopto) literally means to make one s way forward by chopping down obstacles, a vivid description of the maturation process (cf. v. 40). 8 Tom Constable See Psalm 119: Lessons for Life Nothing is impossible for God! Don t let someone s pedigree (or lack thereof) unduly influence your opinion of them Remember, Jesus came for everyone the lowly to the great Wait patiently on the Lord as Anna and Simeon did Faithful service to the Lord can result in great blessings to us (Zechariah & Elizabeth, Simeon and Anna) We are to honor our parents just as Jesus honored His parents 19

20 Chapter 3 The Word Dwelt Among Us 1. Baptism 2. Temptation 3. The First Disciples 4. Wedding Feast at Cana 5. Visit to Capernaum 6. The First Passover John the Baptist Isaiah 40:1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD s hand double for all her sins. 3 A voice cries: In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. 5 And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Is 40:

21 Luke 3:1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, 6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Lk 3:1 6. Luke 3:15 As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, 16 John answered them all, saying, I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. 18 So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Lk 3: Matthew s account of these words stressed the importance of Jesus Jewish hearers repenting personally and nationally. Luke tailored his account to Gentiles and stressed the judgment that Jesus would bring (cf. Isa. 4:4). The presence of only one article before Holy Spirit and fire in the Greek text suggests that John was referring to one baptism. It is probably the baptism that Jesus will initiate when He returns to earth as the messianic King but which He initiated from heaven as a foreview of that event on the day of Pentecost (Acts 1:5; 2:3 4; cf. Isa. 44:3; Joel 2:28 32). John s water baptism prefigured Jesus baptism. John s reference to unquenchable fire implies eternal judgment. Jesus will be the stronger One who judges, not just God. 9 Tom Constable The Baptism of Jesus Matthew 3:13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me? 15 But Jesus answered him, Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 3: John did not recognize Jesus as Messiah until after the baptism (John 1:31-34) Notice the Trinity: Voice from Heaven (Father), Spirit (Dove), Son (Jesus) The Spirit Rested on Jesus See Isaiah 11:2 21

22 The Temptation of Jesus 4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3 And the tempter came and said to him, If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread. 4 But he answered, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 4:1 4. The Temptation is found in Matthew, Luke (4:1-13) and Mark (1:12-13) The temptations reinforce the fact that Jesus was without sin Then number 40 is associated with testing in the Bible o Noah was in the storm 40 days and nights (Genesis 7:17) o Israel wandered in the desert 40 years (Numbers 14:33; 32:13) o Jonah cried out 40 days until judgment comes (Jonah 3:4) The temptation was Independence from the Father The same temptation that Satan used with Eve (Genesis 3:5) Matthew 4:5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple 6 and said to him, If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, He will command his angels concerning you, and On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone. 7 Jesus said to him, Again it is written, You shall not put the Lord your God to the test. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 4:5 7. The temptation here was a challenge to God s faithfulness See Malachi 3:1 It is wrong to demand that God prove Himself faithful to His promises by giving us what He has promised on our terms. The proper procedure is simply to trust and obey God (Deut. 6:16 17). 10 Tom Constable Matthew 4:8 Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to him, All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me. 10 Then Jesus said to him, Be gone, Satan! For it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve. 11 Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 4:7 11. The temptation here was for Jesus to receive all of the rewards without any sacrifice That is a huge temptation for us too! See Deuteronomy 8:3 See Psalm 91:11, 12 See Deuteronomy 6:16 See Deuteronomy 6:13 22

23 When John Milton wrote a sequel to his epic Paradise Lost, he made the Temptation, not the crucifixion, the hinge event in Jesus' effort to regain the world. In a garden, a man and woman had fallen for Satan's promise of a way to rise above their assigned state. Millennia later, another representative the Second Adam, in Paul's phrase faced a similar test, though curiously inverted. Can you be like God? the serpent had asked in Eden; Can you be truly human? asked the tempter in the desert. As I read the Temptation story it occurs to me that, in the absence of eyewitnesses, all details must have come from Jesus himself. For some reason, Jesus felt obliged to disclose to his disciples this moment of struggle and personal weakness. I presume the Temptation was a genuine conflict, not a role Jesus acted out with a prearranged outcome. The same tempter who had found a fatal spot of vulnerability in Adam and Eve aimed his thrust against Jesus with deadly accuracy As I look back on the three temptations, I see that Satan proposed an enticing improvement. He tempted Jesus toward the good parts of being human without the bad: to savor the taste of bread without being subject to the fixed rules of hunger and of agriculture, to confront risk with no real danger, to enjoy fame and power without the prospect of painful rejection in short, to wear a crown but not a cross. (The temptation that Jesus resisted, many of us, his followers, still long for.) 12 Philip Yancey The Jesus I Never Knew Many have observed that Satan followed the same pattern of temptation with Jesus that he had used with Eve (Gen. 3). First, he appealed to the lust of the flesh, the desire to do something apart from God s will. Second, he appealed to the lust of the eyes, the desire to have something apart from God s will. Third, he appealed to the pride of life, the desire to be something apart from God s will (cf. 1 John 2:16). 13 Tom Constable The Twelve John 1:35 The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, 36 and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, Behold, the Lamb of God! 37 The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. 38 Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, What are you seeking? And they said to him, Rabbi (which means Teacher), where are you staying? 39 He said to them, Come and you will see. So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour. 40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter s brother. 41 He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, We have found the Messiah (which means Christ). 42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, You are Simon the son of John. You shall be called Cephas (which means Peter). Jesus words of invitation were, Come and you will see. A person must first come to Him; then he will see. 14 Edwin Blum John s ministry was now complete The calling of the disciples is found in Matthew 4:18-22; Mark 1:16-20; Luke 5:1-11; 6:14a and John 1:

24 Jesus Calls Philip and Nathanael John 1:43 The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, Follow me. 44 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. 45 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. 46 Nathanael said to him, Can anything good come out of Nazareth? Philip said to him, Come and see. 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit! 48 Nathanael said to him, How do you know me? Jesus answered him, Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you. 49 Nathanael answered him, Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel! 50 Jesus answered him, Because I said to you, I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these. 51 And he said to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 1: Philip was wise enough not to argue, he gently invited his friend to meet Jesus: Come and see. He knew that Nathanael s questions would then be resolved. 15 Edwin Blum Matthew 4:18 While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 19 And he said to them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 20 Immediately they left their nets and followed him. 21 And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. 22 Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 4: There is always a cost to true discipleship James & John left their profession and their families Constable points out that what is important is not why, but how these men responded - immediately Mark 2:13 He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. 14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, Follow me. And he rose and followed him. 15 And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners? 17 And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mk 2: Eating a meal together meant something in Jesus world that it does not mean today in the West. Hospitality was a sacred duty in the ancient Near East. When someone invited someone else to eat with him, he was extending a pledge of loyalty and protection to that person. To accept an invitation to dinner implied a willingness to become a close friend of the host. Jesus acceptance of table fellowship with sinners conveyed by action the forgiveness that He gave verbally in 2:5. 16 Tom Constable Levi is Matthew. Matthew means gift of God 24

25 Matthew 10:1 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. 2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 10:1 4. Notice that Peter is mentioned first and Judas last Apostle means sent one Some scholars believe that Bartholomew is Nathanael Matthew 10:2-4 Mark 3:16-19 Luke 6: Simon Peter Simon Peter Simon Peter 2. Andrew James Andrew 3. James John James 4. John Andrew John 5. Philip Philip Philip 6. Bartholomew Bartholomew Bartholomew 7. Thomas Matthew Matthew 8. Matthew Thomas Thomas 9. James (son of Alphaeus) James (son of Alphaeus) James (son of Alphaeus) 10. Thaddaeus Thaddaeus Judas (son/brother of James) 11. Simeon Simeon Simeon 12. Judas Iscariot Judas Iscariot Judas Iscariot Source: Tom Constable Study Notes on The Book of Matthew Water and Wine John 2:1 On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. 2 Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, They have no wine. 4 And Jesus said to her, Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come. 5 His mother said to the servants, Do whatever he tells you. 6 Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, Fill the jars with water. And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he said to them, Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast. So they took it. 9 When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom 10 and said to him, Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk 25

26 freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now. 11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 2:1 11. The significance of the miracle was explained by John as a manifestation of Christ s glory. In contrast with the ministry of Moses who turned water into blood as a sign of God s judgment (Ex. 7:14 24), Jesus brings joy. His first miracle was a gracious indication of the joy which He provides by the Spirit. The sign points to Jesus as the Word in the flesh, who is the mighty Creator. Each year He turns water to wine in the agricultural and fermentation processes. Here He simply did the process immediately. The 120 gallons of fine wine were His gift to the young couple. The first miracle a transformation pointed to the kind of transforming ministry Jesus would have (cf. 2 Cor. 5:17) Edwin Blum The Prophecy Fulfilled Jesus Begins His Ministry Luke 4:14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. 15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. Jesus Rejected at Nazareth 16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord s favor. 20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing. 22 And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph s son? 23 And he said to them, Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, Physician, heal yourself. What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well. 24 And he said, Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. 25 But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, 26 and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. 27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian. 28 When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. 29 And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. 30 But passing through their midst, he went away. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Lk 4:

27 Lessons for Life Be content with the ministry that God has given you To overcome temptation, know the Word Don t take shortcuts in your spiritual journey sometimes there s a cross before there s a crown Bring people to Jesus like Philip did Remember that God wants us to by joyful, but He wants us to find our joy in Him Be Spirit led and Spirit empowered Don t discount how God can use others simply because of your familiarity with them 27

28 Chapter 4 The Kingdom of Heaven The kingdom of God is perhaps the central theme of the New Testament. As heir to all the preceding, the New Testament presents the kingdom as one of three interrelated concepts: a theocracy, an actual political kingdom ruled by God; a spiritual reality, an inner attitude of voluntary acceptance of the rule of God; and, par excellence, the individual who placed himself in total and perfect submission to God namely Jesus Christ himself, who in fact personifies the kingdom The Eerdmans Bible Dictionary Matthew 4:12 Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: 15 The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles 16 the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned. 17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 4: Why leave Nazareth? Remember the reaction to Him there? John s mission was over and Jesus preaching ministry was beginning Notice the similarities between John & Jesus message see Matthew 3:2 See Isaiah 9:1-2 28

29 1. Transfer from Judea to Galilee 2. First rejection at Nazareth 3. Removal to Capernaum 4. The call by the sea; the demoniac in the synagogue; Peter s mother in law; the sick healed in the evening. 5. The first Galilean tour: the first leper 6. A paralytic lowered through the roof; call of Levi Matthew. 7. Plucking grain on the Sabbath; the man with a withered hand. 8. Appointment of the twelve; Sermon on the Mount. Why Parables? Matthew 13:10 Then the disciples came and said to him, Why do you speak to them in parables? 11 And he answered them, To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. 15 For this people s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, 29 See Isaiah 6:9-10

30 lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them. 16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. 17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 13: Significantly Jesus did not speak of any mysteries concerning the kingdom of heaven until the nation had made its decision concerning Him. That decision was made by the leaders when they attributed His divine power to Satan (9:34; 12:22 37). 19 Louis A. Barbieri, Jr. The Parable of the Weeds Matthew 13:24 He put another parable before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds? 28 He said to them, An enemy has done this. So the servants said to him, Then do you want us to go and gather them? 29 But he said, No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 13: Matthew 13:36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field. 37 He answered, The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 13: The parable does not address the church situation at all but explains how the kingdom can be present in the world while not yet wiping out all opposition. That must await the harvest. The parable deals with eschatological expectation, not ecclesiological deterioration. 20 D. A. Carson 30

31 The Mustard Seed and the Leaven Matthew 13:31 He put another parable before them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches. 33 He told them another parable. The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 13: Orchard seeds are smaller than mustard seeds, but they were unknown in that part of the world. The church started very small, but grew very quickly even in the face of persecution. (Persecution is like fertilizer.) Some have suggested that leaven is always associated with evil, but this does not seem to be the case (see Leviticus 7:13; 23:15-18) The Treasure, the Pearl and the Net The Parable of the Hidden Treasure Matthew 13:44 The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. The Parable of the Pearl of Great Value 45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46 who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. The Parable of the Net 47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind. 48 When it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into containers but threw away the bad. 49 So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 13: Derrett (Law, pp. 1 16) has pointed out that under rabbinic law if a workman came on a treasure in a field and lifted it out, it would belong to his master, the field s owner; but here the man is careful not to lift the treasure out till he has bought the field. So the parable deals with neither the legality nor the morality of the situation (as with the parable of the thief in the night) but with the value of the treasure, which is worth every sacrifice. When the man buys the field at such sacrifice, he possesses far more than the price paid (cf. 10:39). The kingdom of heaven is worth infinitely more than the cost of discipleship, and those who know where the treasure lies joyfully abandon everything else to secure it. 21 D.A. Carson Who is the greatest? Matthew 18:1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3 and said, Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 31

32 5 Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, 6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 18:1 6. Why are children great in God s eyes? Because they have childlike faith! A truly humble person does not concern himself with position or power, but is concerned about active service, especially toward those who are most in need. 22 Louis A. Barbieri, Jr. The Unforgiving Servant Matthew 18:21 Then Peter came up and said to him, Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times? 22 Jesus said to him, I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times. 23 Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything. 27 And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, Pay what you owe. 29 So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, Have patience with me, and I will pay you. 30 He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. 31 When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. 32 Then his master summoned him and said to him, You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33 And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you? 34 And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 18: Rabbi s taught to forgive 3 times [F]ailure to forgive excludes one from the kingdom, whose pattern is to forgive. D.A. Carson We should treat others the way God treats us! (Hint: God is loving, gracious and merciful) God cares about the way we treat others and He will hold us accountable for our actions We should never forget how much God has forgiven us! Jesus sees no incongruity in the actions of a heavenly Father who forgives so bountifully and punishes so ruthlessly, and neither should we. Indeed, it is precisely because he is a God of such compassion and mercy that he cannot possibly accept as his those devoid of compassion and mercy. This is not to say that the king s compassion can be earned: far from it, the servant is granted freedom only by virtue of the king s forgiveness. As in 6:12, 14 15, those who are forgiven must forgive, lest they show themselves incapable of receiving forgiveness. 23 D.A. Carson 32

33 Laborers in the Vineyard Matthew 20:1 For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. 2 After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, 4 and to them he said, You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you. 5 So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, Why do you stand here idle all day? 7 They said to him, Because no one has hired us. He said to them, You go into the vineyard too. 8 And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first. 9 And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. 10 Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. 11 And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, 12 saying, These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat. 13 But he replied to one of them, Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? 14 Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. 15 Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity? 16 So the last will be first, and the first last. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 20:1 16. God is not going to reward you for the amount of work you have done. He will reward you according to your faithfulness to the job which He called you to do. My friend, perhaps God has not called you to do something great for Him, but are you faithful in what He has assigned to you? 24 J. Vernon McGee This parable taught him that God would give him a just reward for his sacrificial labor for Jesus. Nonetheless God had the right to give just as great reward to those whose service was not as long. This parable taught the disciples not to think of heavenly rewards in terms of justice, getting in proportion to what they deserved. They should think of them in terms of grace, any reward being an act of God s grace. Even those hired early in the day received a reward, and the landowner had been gracious and generous in hiring them and not others. 25 Tom Constable God is a generous God God is always looking for workers God puts more importance on the work of the Kingdom than the pecking order of the laborers Don t compare yourself to others! It is about the Kingdom and not about our honor Our rewards are eternal not earthly The Ten Virgins Matthew 25:1 Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him. 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish 33

34 said to the wise, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. 9 But the wise answered, saying, Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves. 10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, Lord, lord, open to us. 12 But he answered, Truly, I say to you, I do not know you. 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 25:1 13. We must always be ready! The Kingdom is nearer than we think. We don t know when Jesus will return, but rest assured He is coming! Are you ready? Do not be Anxious Matthew 6:25 Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear? 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 6: God loves us and knows us intimately God does not want us to worry about our needs, because He has promised to give us our needs. However, there is a catch! God wants us to put our faith in Him by not worrying about our needs, but by putting His Kingdom first in our lives! This is a struggle! To have our needs met, we must let go of that concern and focus on God and His Kingdom That is the essence of faith! Lessons for Life God gives the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven to those He chooses God allows the wicked to co-exist with the good, but not forever God s kingdom is growing God s kingdom is a priceless treasure and is worth more than any earthly treasure we might possess The kingdom is given to the humble and to those who possess childlike faith There is great forgiveness in the Kingdom of Heaven, but we are expected to be forgiving even as we have been forgiven We are not to take the kingdom of heaven for granted We are to eagerly expect and watch for the kingdom of heaven to appear We are to seek the kingdom first and trust God to provide for the rest of our needs 34

35 Chapter 5 The Blind See and Lame Walk John Questions Jesus Identity Luke 7:18 The disciples of John reported all these things to him. And John, 19 calling two of his disciples to him, sent them to the Lord, saying, Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another? 20 And when the men had come to him, they said, John the Baptist has sent us to you, saying, Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another? 21 In that hour he healed many people of diseases and plagues and evil spirits, and on many who were blind he bestowed sight. 22 And he answered them, Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. 23 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Lk 7: Jesus realized that He was not moving as fast as John wanted Him to, but in the presence of intellectual difficulties, He is asking John to trust Him. 26 J. Vernon McGee Notice John s confusion of who the Messiah was to be Jesus was not exactly what he expected and John was in jail We can maybe understand John s confusion in light of his understanding of Isaiah 61:1? What are some things that cause us to doubt Jesus as Messiah? (e.g. loss of a job, illness, death of a loved one) Q) How do we know someone is legitimate? A) Verify that their ministry is in line with Scripture Jesus heals a man who was blind from birth John 9:1 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind? 3 Jesus answered, It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. 6 Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man s eyes with the mud 7 and said to him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 9:1 7. Our infirmities can bring Glory to God The location of the healing is just outside of the temple the blind or the maimed were not allowed into the temple Notice that the man was born blind this was not fluke Jesus was not saying that this man or his parents were sinless only that the man s blindness was not caused by his sin or his parent s sin Notice also the rejection of the idea of karma here the man was not blind because he or his parents had done something wrong Day/Night metaphors for Jesus ministry time here on earth Not only did Jesus heal the man on the Sabbath he also worked on the Sabbath by making the mud! Where else have we seen God work with clay? (See Genesis 2:7) Notice the man s obedience how many blessings do we miss out on because we refuse to trust and obey? 35 See Isaiah 29:18; 35:5, 6

36 God has created you and me for His glory. He did not create us that we might try to be a somebody down here. He created us for His glory. If we miss that, we miss the entire purpose of our creation. These trials and sufferings come to us because they bring about the glory of God. This blind man, through the healing of his blindness, will bring about the glory of God. Not only will this blind man see (and think how much he would enjoy seeing all the rest of his life), but also he will see Jesus Christ and come to know Him as his Savior. 27 J. Vernon McGee Jesus Heals a Paralytic Mark 2:1 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, Son, your sins are forgiven. 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone? 8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, Your sins are forgiven, or to say, Rise, take up your bed and walk? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins he said to the paralytic 11 I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home. 12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, We never saw anything like this! The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mk 2:1 12. Blasphemy was a serious crime punished by death (see Leviticus 24:15-16) Healing confirmed His authority to forgive sins Son of Man See Daniel 7:13-14 For anyone but God to claim to forgive sin was blasphemy. Since for the teachers of the law Jesus was not God, therefore he blasphemed. If they were right about who Jesus was, their reasoning was flawless. In Jewish teaching even the Messiah could not forgive sins. That was the prerogative of God alone. Their fatal error was in not recognizing who Jesus really was the Son of God who has authority to forgive sins Frank E. Gaebelein What we need in the church today is stretcher bearers men and women with that kind of faith to go out and bring in the unsaved so they can hear the gospel. There are many people today who are paralyzed with a palsy of sin, a palsy of indifference, or a palsy of prejudice. A great many people are not going to come into church where the gospel is preached unless you take a corner of the stretcher and bring them in. That s what these men did. They had the faith to bring this poor man to hear the Lord Jesus deal with him personally and say, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. 29 J. Vernon McGee 36

37 Jesus Lord of the Sabbath Mark 2:23 One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. 24 And the Pharisees were saying to him, Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath? 25 And he said to them, Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: 26 how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him? 27 And he said to them, The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28 So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mk 2: The pool was probably some distance to walk imagine the attention a blind man with mud on his eyes drew as he tried to find the pool! It was permissible to pick grain from someone else s field (see Deuteronomy 23:25), but not on the Sabbath (see Exodus 24:31) Jesus had authority over the Sabbath because He was God! Jesus point was this. David technically broke the law by eating bread that only the priests were to eat. Nevertheless he could do so because David was the Lord s anointed servant. As such, he could do things other Israelites could not do. Furthermore the offense was a matter of religious ritual, not a moral violation of the law, as the Pharisees were implying Tom Constable Jesus heals a man with a withered hand Mark 3:1 Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. 2 And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 3 And he said to the man with the withered hand, Come here. 4 And he said to them, Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill? But they were silent. 5 And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, Stretch out your hand. He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mk 3:1 6. Healing demonstrated Jesus superiority over the Sabbath J. Vernon McGee suggests that the man with the withered hand may have been a plant This is the only explicit reference to Jesus anger in the NT (Bible Knowledge Commentary) Notice the heart of the religious leaders they wanted to accuse Him, not believe Him Notice the power of the Words of Jesus He did not touch the man Even in the face of a great miracle, the Pharisees rejected Jesus. What have we promised God we would do if He only proved Himself? Was it not work for the Pharisees to plan on the Sabbath how they would kill Jesus? 37

38 The tenses of the verbs are important here. The looking around at them in anger was momentary (aorist tense), but the being deeply distressed was continuous (present tense). Jesus distress was caused by their stubborn hearts, i.e., their consistent failure to recognize who he really was. Their opposition rested on a fundamental misunderstanding an inability, or refusal, to see that Jesus was God s eschatological agent and that his sovereign freedom with regard to law and custom sprang from that fact (Nineham, p. 110) Walter W. Wessel Although it is not clear who the Herodians were, it seems fairly certain that they were neither a religious sect nor a political party. The term probably refers to influential Jews who were friends and backers of the Herodian family. This meant, of course, that they were supporters of Rome, from which the Herods received their authority. They joined the Pharisees in opposition to Jesus because they feared he might be an unsettling political influence in Palestine Walter W. Wessel Hidden within these four pronouncement stories are claims of Jesus about himself which must not be missed. In the story of the paralytic it is his claim to forgive sins which so offended the teachers of the law (2:7). They know that only God could forgive sins. Just so! In 2:17, to explain his presence among the acknowledged sinners of Levi s company, he uses the doctor-patient analogy which shows that he is the soul doctor who comes to heal the sick sinners. In 2:19, 20 he is the bridegroom, an Old Testament picture of God in relation to his people. In 2:25 he is the lord of the Sabbath. Since God gave it, who else could be lord of it? The points are so subtly made by Mark s presentation, though they would be so offensive to the religious leaders of the day, that we might miss them. We mustn t, for Mark s point is that one group after another was missing the real understanding of who it was who stood in their midst. When will they see? (And when will we see?!) 33 - Donald English Jesus heals the demon possessed man Mark 5:1 They came to the other side of the sea, to the country of the Gerasenes. 2 And when Jesus had stepped out of the boat, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit. 3 He lived among the tombs. And no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain, 4 for he had often been bound with shackles and chains, but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. 5 Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. 6 And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. 7 And crying out with a loud voice, he said, What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me. 8 For he was saying to him, Come out of the man, you unclean spirit! 9 And Jesus asked him, What is your name? He replied, My name is Legion, for we are many. 10 And he begged him earnestly not to send them out of the country. 11 Now a great herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside, 12 and they begged him, saying, Send us to the pigs; let us enter them. 13 So he gave them permission. And the unclean spirits came out and entered the pigs; and the herd, numbering about two thousand, rushed down the steep bank into the sea and drowned in the sea. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mk 5:1 13. Healing demonstrated Jesus power over the forces of the Evil one A legion contained about 6,000 soldiers 38

39 Demons are emissaries of Satan, the Destroyer. But why did Jesus, having exorcised the demons, allow them to enter the pigs, an act that ultimately resulted in the destruction of the entire herd? A tentative answer is that Jesus wanted to give tangible evidence to the man and to the people that the demons had actually left him and that their purpose had been to destroy him even as they destroyed the pigs Walter W. Wessel Good spirits never seek to take possession of men. The Holy Spirit is the one exception, and He only indwells believers. But as truly as He indwells believers, so demons can possess the unsaved. Demons cannot possess the saved. We are told that greater is He that in us (the Holy Spirit) than he that is in the world (Satan) (1 John 4:4). Therefore, a child of God cannot be demon possessed. 35 J. Vernon McGee Jesus heals a woman & little girl Luke 8:40 Now when Jesus returned, the crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him. 41 And there came a man named Jairus, who was a ruler of the synagogue. And falling at Jesus feet, he implored him to come to his house, 42 for he had an only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she was dying. As Jesus went, the people pressed around him. 43 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. 44 She came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased. 45 And Jesus said, Who was it that touched me? When all denied it, Peter said, Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you! 46 But Jesus said, Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me. 47 And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. 48 And he said to her, Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace. 49 While he was still speaking, someone from the ruler s house came and said, Your daughter is dead; do not trouble the Teacher any more. 50 But Jesus on hearing this answered him, Do not fear; only believe, and she will be well. 51 And when he came to the house, he allowed no one to enter with him, except Peter and John and James, and the father and mother of the child. 52 And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping. 53 And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54 But taking her by the hand he called, saying, Child, arise. 55 And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat. 56 And her parents were amazed, but he charged them to tell no one what had happened. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Lk 8: I can think of nothing worse in this world than a sick or dying child People who are in desperation often come to Jesus Jarius was a very well-known and powerful man. However, all of his fame and power could not save his only daughter This was Jarius only daughter who was 12 about to become a Jewish woman ready to marry 39

40 The healing of the woman proved Jesus superiority over the human physicians The woman had suffered as long as the girl had been alive for 12 years The woman had great faith The doctors could not help her and she had spent all of her resources trying to find help The hemorrhaging would have made her ceremonially unclean and a social outcast (see Leviticus 15:25-30) Perhaps this is why she acted secretly she may have feared that Jesus would not touch an unclean woman I believe that Jesus knew who had touched him, but He wanted her to come forward on her own Jesus was allowed to enter the house even though He had been touched by a ceremonially unclean woman perhaps an indication of Jarius faith Because her spirit returned we know that she had died ( spirit left ) The healing of Jarius daughter demonstrated Jesus power of death The Death of Lazarus John 11:1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, Lord, he whom you love is ill. 4 But when Jesus heard it he said, This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it. 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. 7 Then after this he said to the disciples, Let us go to Judea again. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 11:1 7. Why did Lazarus become ill and die? For the glory of God! Mary and Martha assumed Jesus would come immediately when they sent word, but Jesus had other plans This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God. Jesus permits this to happen because God will get the glory in it. We need to learn that we are not the center of the universe nor is our home, our church, our town. The headquarters of everything are in heaven, and everything is running for His glory. Nothing will come into our lives without His permission, and if He permits it, it is going to be for His glory. 36 J. Vernon McGee Some people say that a Christian should never be sick. Is sickness in the will of God? I wish Lazarus were here to tell you about that. Sickness is not a sign that God does not love you. For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them (Eccl. 9:1). In other words, you cannot tell by the circumstances of a man whether God loves him or not. You have no right to judge. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts (1 Cor. 4:5). Jesus loved Lazarus when he was sick. Not only that, Jesus will let Lazarus die but He still loves him. 37 J. Vernon McGee 40

41 John 11:8 The disciples said to him, Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again? 9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him. 11 After saying these things, he said to them, Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him. 12 The disciples said to him, Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover. 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him. 16 So Thomas, called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him. I Am the Resurrection and the Life 17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you. 23 Jesus said to her, Your brother will rise again. 24 Martha said to him, I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day. 25 Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? 27 She said to him, Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world. Jesus Weeps 28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, The Teacher is here and is calling for you. 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, Where have you laid him? They said to him, Lord, come and see. 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, See how he loved him! 37 But some of them said, Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying? The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 11:8 37. Notice the faithfulness of Thomas here There was no modern form of embalming used in Palestine during Jesus day the same holds true today Some scholars believe that the Jews held out for hope of resuscitation for three days this was the fourth day Notice the authenticity of Martha Our God is a personal God who cares about our condition I wonder if Jesus was thinking about the Fall of man and the pain, suffering and death that it brought to us when He wept? (see Genesis 3) 41

42 [Jesus] sympathy was for the living. He knew what He was going to do for the dead. Jesus wept. While John s Gospel is written to show us the deity of Christ, here Jesus is shown in all His humanness. He even asked where Lazarus was laid because He was so human. And here we can see the way God feels at a funeral today. He mingles His tears with ours. He groans within Himself. I get a little impatient with Christians who say one must not cry at a funeral, but one must be a brave Christian. Death is not pretty; it is a terrible thing. Jesus wept! 38 - J. Vernon McGee Jesus Raises Lazarus John 11:38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, Take away the stone. Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days. 40 Jesus said to her, Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God? 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me. 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, Lazarus, come out. 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, Unbind him, and let him go. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 11: Healing demonstrated Jesus s power over the grave Notice who prayers are for? Us and not God There is tremendous power in the Word of God! Augustine once remarked that if Jesus had not said Lazarus name all would have come out from the graves Edwin A. Blum What does Jesus healing of the sick teach us? That He was the Messiah promised by the prophets That Jesus has authority to forgive our sins That Jesus has authority over Moses (The Law) That our illness can bring glory to God That Jesus has power over the forces of the evil one That Jesus is superior to the physicians That Jesus has power over death That Jesus has power over the grave That Jesus IS God Lessons for Life Never forget we serve an all-powerful God! Our lives are to bring God glory regardless of our circumstances We must remember that it is God who numbers our days and not our doctors God ALWAYS brings healing just not always on this side of eternity Because of Jesus power over the grave, we have a secure hope for our future 42

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44 Chapter 6 The Gospel of the Messiah Coming Soon! 44

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46 Chapter 7 The Religious Establishment is Confronted The Great I AM Context of John 8 1. Jesus proclaimed He was the Light of the world (v. 12) 2. The Jews said Jesus words could not be trusted because there were no other witnesses (v. 13) 3. Jesus said that the Father was the other witness! (vv ) 4. The Jews said they did not know where Jesus father was and Jesus told them that they did not know His father! (vv. 19) 5. The Jews did not attack/arrest Jesus because His time had not come. (v. 20) 6. Jesus told them He was going away and they would not be able to find him (v. 21) 7. The Jews wondered if He was going to kill himself (v. 22) 8. Jesus told them that He was not of this world and that they would die in their sins unless they believed Him (vv ) 9. Once again they asked Jesus who He was (v. 25) 10. Jesus told them that they should know because He had been telling them from the beginning. He goes on to prophesy that He will be lifted up (on the cross) just like Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness. (vv ) 11. Many of the Jews believed in him (v.30) We noted earlier that Jesus claimed to fulfil [sic] the water element in the feast of tabernacles rituals. The feast had another symbol, light. At the end of the first day in the court of women (which is the probable location of Jesus teaching, indicated at verse 20) four golden lamps were lit amid great rejoicing. Singing and celebration with music and dancing continued through the nights of the feast, with the light in the temple illuminating the entire city. In this setting, Jesus claim in verse 12 stands out boldly: I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but have the light of life. As the feast ends and the lights are extinguished, Jesus proclaims himself as the true light of the people of God, and not only of Israel, but of the whole world! A claim of cosmic significance. 40 Bruce Milne The Truth Will Set You Free John 8:31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. 33 They answered him, We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, You will become free? The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), John 8: True disciples not only believe, but they also abide in God s Word It s not enough to simply hear, we are also to do (see Matthew 7:24-27) How do we know if someone is a true believer? They continue in the faith FEW New Testament passages have such a complete picture of discipleship as this. (1) Discipleship begins with belief. Its beginning is the moment when we accept what Jesus says as true all that he says about the love of God, all that he says about the terror of sin, all that he says about the real meaning of life. (2) Discipleship means constantly remaining in the word of Jesus, and that involves four things. (a) It involves constant listening to the word of Jesus... (b) It involves constant learning from Jesus. The disciple (mathētēs) is literally the learner, for that is what the Greek word means. Throughout their lives, Christians should be learning more and more about Jesus. The shut mind is the end of discipleship. (c) It involves constant penetrating into the truth 46

47 which the words of Jesus bear. None of us can hear or read the words of Jesus once and then say that we understand their full meaning... To remain in the word of Jesus means constantly to study and think about what he said until more and more of its meaning becomes ours. (d) It involves constant obeying of the word of Jesus. We study it not simply for academic satisfaction or for intellectual appreciation, but in order to find out what God wishes us to do... (3) Discipleship issues in knowledge of the truth. To learn from Jesus is to learn the truth... The fundamental question to which everyone has consciously or unconsciously to give an answer is: To what am I to give my life? To a career? To the amassing of material possessions? To pleasure? To the service of God? In the truth of Jesus, we see what things are really important and what are not. (4) Discipleship results in freedom. The truth will make you free. In his service is perfect freedom. Discipleship brings us four freedoms. (a) It brings us freedom from fear. Those who are disciples never again have to walk alone (b) It brings freedom from self (c) It brings freedom from other people Disciples are people who have ceased to care what people say, because they think only of what God says. (d) It brings freedom from sin. Many people have come to the stage when they sin, not because they want to, but because they cannot help it. Their sins have so taken over their lives that, try as they will, they cannot break away from them. Discipleship breaks the chains which bind us to them and enables us to be the persons we know we ought to be. The prayer that the old self may be put aside and that as disciples of Christ we may become new people will indeed be answered. 41 William Barclay The disciples in this context appear to have believed that Jesus was a prophet or the Messiah as the Jews popularly regarded Messiah. They apparently did not believe that He was God (cf. 7:39 41). They appear to have been unsaved in view of what Jesus proceeded to say about them. This then is another of the many passages in the Gospels in which Jesus taught the conditions of discipleship. 42 Tom Constable John 8:34 Jesus answered them, Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. 38 I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), John 8: Jesus was referring to the bondage of sin and not the bondage of the person. The people knew that they had been physical slaves (in Egypt, Babylon, etc.), but they believe that they had never been spiritual slaves Sin breeds sin once you start sinning it becomes easier to sin again and before you know it you are in bondage to it Jesus reply dealt with the spiritual aspect of freedom. Sin enslaves because every act of disobedience to God creates an atmosphere of alienation and a trend to further disobedience that inevitably makes escape impossible. Sin can possibly be overcome, but the attitude and habit of sin are inescapable. The participial construction everyone who sins is in the present tense, which implies a continual habit of sinning rather than an occasional lapse. 43 Merrill C. Tenney 47

48 You Are of Your Father the Devil 39 They answered him, Abraham is our father. Jesus said to them, If you were Abraham s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, 40 but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. 41 You are doing the works your father did. They said to him, We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father even God. 42 Jesus said to them, If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), John 8: What was Abraham s main work? He believed and obeyed God He had faith! (Romans 4:3; Galatians 3:6; Hebrews 11:8, 17) What did Jesus expect from the Jews? That they believe in Him (like Abraham did)! Belonging to God is the basis for hearing Him. To hear God is not a matter of being able to discern audible sounds but of obeying the heavenly commands Edwin Blum You cannot overcome sin without the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit Notice that no one was able to convict Jesus of sin because He was sinless Unless the Spirit enlightens us, the Word of God is meaningless to us (see 2 Corinthians 4:4-6; 1 Corinthians 2:14, 12:3) Before Abraham Was, I Am 48 The Jews answered him, Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon? 49 Jesus answered, I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50 Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. 51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death. 52 The Jews said to him, Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death. 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be? 54 Jesus answered, If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, He is our God. 55 But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad. 57 So the Jews said to him, You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham? 58 Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am. 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), John 8:

49 Jesus did not have to glorify Himself He allowed the Father to glorify Him We should follow Jesus example and not seek glory for ourselves. If God wants to glorify us He will! For those who claim that Jesus never claimed to be God (e.g. Dan Brown author of The Da Vinci Code) they show their ignorance of Scripture because the Jews knew exactly what Jesus was claiming when He said Before Abraham was, I am (cf. Exodus 3:13-15). That s why they picked up rocks to stone Him! The issue is Jesus Christ. He put these [Jewish people] on the spot. They had to make a decision concerning Him. You must make a decision concerning Him. Either He is the Truth or He is a liar. Either He is God and Savior, or He is not. You must decide. Either you accept Him or you reject Him. Remember that your decision does not in any way change who He is. He is the great I AM, Jehovah, the eternal God. Your decision is to accept or deny this. 45 J. Vernon McGee Discussion Questions 1. Why do you think the Jewish people and the religious leaders struggled so much to see Jesus for who He was? 2. Do you think we sometimes struggle to see Jesus for who He is? If so, how? Lessons for Life Be a true disciple by abiding in the Word of God Not only listen to what God has to say do what God tells you to do! Don t glorify yourself let the Father do that for you if He chooses Taxes, the Resurrection and Love Paying Taxes to Caesar Mark 12:13 And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. 14 And they came and said to him, Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone s opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Should we pay them, or should we not? 15 But, knowing their hypocrisy, he said to them, Why put me to the test? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it. 16 And they brought one. And he said to them, Whose likeness and inscription is this? They said to him, Caesar s. 17 Jesus said to them, Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar s, and to God the things that are God s. And they marveled at him. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mk 12: It is interesting to note that the Pharisees ( set apart ones who held to the oral tradition), Sadducees (Jewish aristocrats from the priesthood and upper class who were both educated and wealthy) and Herodians (Jewish upper class who were favorable to the Greek culture and Roman rule) all disliked each other for various reasons, yet they came together here for a common purpose to try and destroy Jesus The Pharisees and Herodians thought they had trapped Jesus with the tax question. If Jesus said it was not lawful, He would be in trouble with Rome. If He said it was lawful, He would be in trouble with His Jewish countrymen Taxes were a constant reminder to every Jewish person that they were under Roman authority and rule a fact they despised The word translated catch (argeusōsin, found only here in the NT) was used to describe catching wild animals with a trap. 46 John Grassmick 49

50 Jesus saw right through their duplicity He sees right through us too! His answer was nothing short of amazing! Don t mix the things of God with the things of man Give to each their due! Remember, Christians are instructed to obey the governmental authorities that God has placed over them (see Romans 3:1-7; 1 Timothy 2:1-6 and 1 Peter 2:13-17). By the way, it was the Emperor Nero who was in power when these verses were written! Christians must be politically concerned and active, but we need to be careful about letting our political activities contaminate our Kingdom activities. There are some political things that affect the Kingdom, but there are a lot that do not Grassmick in the Bible Knowledge Commentary also points out that Jesus response may have been a jab at the emperor s claim to deity The actual taxes imposed were three. (1) A ground tax, which consisted of one-tenth of all the grain and one-fifth of the wine and fruit produced. This was paid partly in kind and partly in money. (2) An income tax which amounted to one per cent of a man s income. (3) A poll tax, which was levied on all men between the ages of fourteen and sixty-five, and on all women from twelve to sixty-five. This poll tax was one denarius, the daily wage of a working man. It was the tax which everyone had to pay simply for the privilege of existing. 47 William Barclay This teaching would have been specially helpful to Mark s original Roman readers. It helped them and all subsequent disciples understand that Christianity does not advocate disloyalty to the state (cf. Rom. 13:1 7; 1 Tim. 2:1 6; 1 Pet. 2:13 17). Duty to God does not eliminate duty to government. Nevertheless duty to government does not eliminate one s higher duty to God either. 48 Tom Constable E. A. Abbott, the New Testament scholar, has a suggestive thought. The coin had Caesar s image upon it, and therefore belonged to Caesar. Human beings have God s image upon them God created them in his own image (Genesis 1:26 7) and therefore belong to God. The inevitable conclusion is that if the state remains within its proper boundaries and makes its proper demands, individuals must give it their loyalty and their service; but in the last analysis both state and human beings belong to God, and, therefore, should their claims conflict, loyalty to God comes first. But it remains true that, in all ordinary circumstances, our Christianity should make us better citizens. 49 William Barclay 50

51 The Sadducees Question Jesus About the Resurrection Mark 12:18 And Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection. And they asked him a question, saying, 19 Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man s brother dies and leaves a wife, but leaves no child, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. 20 There were seven brothers; the first took a wife, and when he died left no offspring. 21 And the second took her, and died, leaving no offspring. And the third likewise. 22 And the seven left no offspring. Last of all the woman also died. 23 In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For the seven had her as wife. 24 Jesus said to them, Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God? 25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 26 And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? 27 He is not God of the dead, but of the living. You are quite wrong. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mk 12: The Sadducees denied the resurrection, the existence of angels (see Acts 23:8), the oral law and tradition (both held by the Pharisees). Furthermore, they only recognized the first five books of the Torah (i.e. The 5 Books of Moses Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy a.k.a. The Pentateuch) as authoritative. Levirate marriage required a brother to marry his deceased brother s wife (if they had not children) in order to bear a child (see Deuteronomy 25:5). The first male child would be considered the child of the deceased brother. This was critical in a society where women had little rights. They could not inherit their deceased husband s property. Only a male descendant could do that. Jesus responded to the Sadducees by pointing out their ignorance of heavenly things. Notice how Jesus uses Scripture again and again to correct people s bad theology. The irony was that the Sadducees knew the content of Scripture, but they failed to understand the true meaning of Scripture Many people struggle with the fact that marriage will be obsolete in Heaven, but we have to believe that our relationships there will be much deeper and special that what we enjoy now. In terms of the resurrection of the dead, Jesus pointed out that God is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob In other words, they still live even though their physical bodies died. Interestingly enough, this doctrine is contained in the Torah (see Exodus 3:6)! Resurrection is also a critical doctrine to the Christian faith (see 1 Corinthians 15:12-19). It is also interesting to note here that Jesus also corrected the Sadducees theology on the existence of angels by confirming their existence. Marriage is necessary and suitable for the present world order, in which death prevails, in order to continue the human race. But angels, whose existence the Sadducees denied (cf. Acts 23:8), are deathless and live in a different order of existence where they have no need for marital relations or reproduction of offspring. Their lives center totally around fellowship with God. So it will be in the afterlife for human beings rightly related to God. 50 John Grassmick 51 The Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection. That is why they are sadyou-see! See Deuteronomy 25:5 See Exodus 3:6

52 The Sadducees made the mistake of creating heaven in the image of earth. That has always been a human failing... There has always been a tendency to create in thought a heaven to suit human desires But we do well to remember that Paul was right (1 Corinthians 2:9) when he took the words of the prophet (Isaiah 64:4) and made them his own, What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him. The life of the heavenly places will be greater than any conception this life can supply. 51 William Barclay The interlocking of [Scripture and the power of God] provides an interesting commentary on our interpretation of Scripture. The two need to be held in proper balance perhaps even tension. A concentration on Scripture alone so easily locks us into discussion of texts and provenances, likelihoods or unlikelihoods, and becomes increasingly academic. It needs consideration of the power of God to save it from lowest common denominator conclusions. On the other hand, a spirituality dominated by the power of God concept soon becomes less and less related to proper guidelines, to sound knowledge and to healthy doctrine. It ends up wild and unrelated to the truth of everyday life. We need both, in healthy interaction. 52 Donald English The Great Commandment Mark 12:28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, Which commandment is the most important of all? 29 Jesus answered, The most important is, Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. 31 The second is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these. 32 And the scribe said to him, You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. 33 And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. 34 And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, You are not far from the kingdom of God. And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mk 12: Amazed at Jesus answers, a scribe (who was probably a Pharisee) asked Him a question that the religious leaders of the day constantly argued about What is the greatest commandment? He came with no apparent hostile or hidden motive to appraise Jesus skill in answering a much-debated subject in scribal circles. Traditionally the scribes spoke of 613 individual commandments of the Mosaic Law 365 negative ones and 248 positive ones. While they believed all were binding, they assumed a distinction between weightier and lighter statutes and often attempted to sum up the whole Law in a single unifying command. 53 John Grassmick In answering the scribe s question, Jesus referred back to The Great Shema (Deuteronomy6:1-9) Shema מ ע) (ש is the Hebrew word for Hear or Listen The Shema was recited twice daily (morning and evening) by devout Jews See Deuteronomy 6:1-9 See Leviticus 19:18 52

53 The Great Shema Deut 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. 5 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Dt 6:4 5. ש מ ע י ש ר א ל י הו ה א לה ינ ו י הו ה א ח ד ו א הב ת א ת י הו ה א לה י ך ב כ ל ל ב ב ך וב כ ל נפ ש ך וב כ ל מ א ד ך Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia: With Werkgroep Informatica, Vrije Universiteit Morphology; Bible. O.T. Hebrew. Werkgroep Informatica, Vrije Universiteit. (Logos Bible Software, 2006), Dt 6:4 5. The command, Love (lit., you shall love ) the Lord your God (Deut. 6:5), calls for a volitional commitment to God that is personal, comprehensive, and wholehearted. This is emphasized by the repeated words with (ex, out of, denoting source), all (holēs, the whole of ), your (sing.), and the various terms relating to the human personality heart (control center; cf. Mark 7:19), soul (self-conscious life; cf. 8:35 36), mind (thought capacity), and strength (bodily powers). The Hebrew text does not mention mind ; the Septuagint omits heart ; but Jesus included both terms, stressing the comprehensive nature of the command (cf. 12:33; Matt. 22:37; Luke 10:27). 54 John Grassmick We are to love all others as we love ourselves. The Law assumed that every person has a fundamental love for himself or herself. We demonstrate this love by caring for ourselves in many different ways. Loving our neighbors as ourselves does not mean spending the same time or money to meet the needs of others that we do to meet our own needs since this would be impossible. It means treating others as we treat ourselves. 55 Tom Constable Jesus said if we love God and love others as much as we love ourselves no other commandments are necessary The scribe recognized the wisdom of Jesus answer For the scribe to state that to love and others was better than sacrifices and burnt offerings showed a revolutionary type of understanding especially for a Pharisee! It is interesting to note that in staying with Jewish tradition the scribe does not use/speak the Holy Name in his reply to Jesus (vv ) Love and obedience are closely linked (see John 14:15, 21, 23-24) and God places obedience higher than sacrifice (see 1 Samuel 15:22) Mark is the only Gospel writer that gives us Jesus answer to the scribe You are not far from the Kingdom of God In the Gospel of Luke, in a similar account with a scribe, the scribe goes on to ask Jesus Who is my neighbor? Jesus responded with the Parable of the Good Samaritan (see Luke 10:25-37). 53

54 Discussion Questions 1. How can we as Christians render to Caesar (i.e. the government) that which belongs to Caesar and to God that which belongs to God? 2. What are some practical ways we can love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and our neighbor as ourselves? Lessons for Life Be politically active, but don t let your political ideas supersede your faith remember not all Christians and non-believers share your same political beliefs. Don t let politics be a stumbling block for people entering the church! Always remember that the foolishness of God is far superior to the highest wisdom of man (1 Corinthians 1:25). Be authentic with God. Remember, you cannot hide your true feelings or thoughts from Him! Seek to understand the true meaning of Scripture not just its contents. Scripture is the only answer to bad theology. Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul, mind and strength! Love others as much as you love yourself! The Seven Woes to the Scribes and Pharisees Matthew 23:1 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses seat, 3 so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. 4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, 6 and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues 7 and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. 8 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 23:1 12. This is a list of what you should not be or do. The Beatitudes is a list of what we should be and do (see Matthew 5:2-11). Six times Jesus will call the Pharisees hypocrites and five times He will call them blind Jesus taught His disciples not to seek the place of honor (see Luke14:8-11) Leadership positions should never be a goal in and of themselves, but should always be viewed as opportunities to serve others. 56 Louis A. Barbieri, Jr. According to Old Testament figurative usage a person who sat on a predecessor s seat was that person s successor (Exod. 11:5; 12:29; 1 Kings 1:35, 46; 2:12; 16:11; 2 Kings 15:12; Ps. 132:12). When Jesus said the scribes and Pharisees had seated themselves on Moses seat He meant they viewed themselves as Moses legal successors, possessing his authority. This is indeed how they viewed themselves. Jewish synagogues typically had a stone seat at the front where the authoritative teacher sat. The NASB translation have seated themselves hints at the irony that follows in the first part of verse 3. They presumed to be Moses successors. 57 Tom Constable 54 See Deuteronomy 6:4-9

55 The intention of the Pharisees was to dress and act in such a way as to draw attention to themselves; the intention of Christians should be to obliterate themselves, so that if others see their good deeds, they may glorify not the Christians but their Father in heaven. Any religion which produces ostentation in action and pride in the heart is a false religion. 58 William Barclay It would be incorrect to conclude from this teaching that Jesus discouraged all recognition of distinctions between leaders and their roles among His servants. The apostles, for example, had authority in the church that surpassed that of ordinary Christians. Elders and deacons continue to exercise divinely recognized authority in the church, and God has commanded us to respect these individuals (1 Cor. 16:15 16; Heb. 13:7, 17). What Jesus was condemning was seeking and giving honor that transcends what is appropriate since believers are all brethren, since God is our true spiritual Father, and since Jesus is our real teacher and leader. As the teachers and leaders of God s people, we must remember that we are always fellow learners with the saints. We are still children of the heavenly Father, and we are ever subject to Jesus Christ. 59 Tom Constable A father is a life giver. To call a man a father in spiritual matters is to put him in the place of God as the one who gives spiritual life. This is blasphemous. Only God the Father gives life. A master is one in a position of authority. Christ is the One in the position of authority as the head of the church today. 60 J. Vernon McGee Matthew 23:13 But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 23:13. The word woe in these verses connotes not only anger, but also sorrow. 1. You shut the door to the Kingdom in people s faces. Since the Pharisees refused to believe in Jesus, they made it difficult for others to believe in Jesus because they would be going against their religious leaders. The last controversy (22:41 46) reveals the real failure the teachers of the law and the Pharisees do not enter the kingdom because they refuse to recognize who Jesus is. When the crowds begin to marvel at Jesus and suggest he may be the Messiah, the authorities do all they can to dissuade them (cf. 9:33 34,11:19; 12:23 24; 21:15). The sheep of Israel are lost (10:6; 15:24) because the shepherds have led them astray D.A. Carson The Pharisees believed that to do God s will was to observe their thousands of petty rules and regulations; and nothing could be further from that kingdom whose basic idea is love. When people tried to find entry into the kingdom, the Pharisees presented them with these rules and regulations, which was as good as shutting the door in their faces. The Pharisees preferred their ideas of religion to God s idea of religion. They had forgotten the basic truth that if they would teach others, they must themselves first listen to God. The gravest danger which teachers or preachers encounter is that they should turn their own prejudices into universal principles and substitute their own ideas for the truth of God. When they do that, they are not guides but barriers to the kingdom for, being misled themselves, they mislead others. 62 William Barclay 55

56 Matthew 23:15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 23: The Pharisees would go out of their way to make a convert and then they taught them to be twice as unrighteous as they were - perhaps in order to make themselves look better This had another effect. The Pharisees taught legalism to their students. The students, wanting to outdo their teachers, became even more legalistic. The converts to Pharisaism became more zealous for the traditions of the fathers than their teachers were. This is often the result of conversion. Students sometimes take the views of their teachers farther than their teachers do. The dynamic nature of the Pharisees view of the authority of the fathers interpretations increased this problem. When a person believes that Scriptural authority extends beyond the statements of Scripture there is no limit to what else may be authoritative. The Pharisees interpretation of Messiah locked Jesus out of this role. 63 Tom Constable Jesus accused these Pharisees of being missionaries of evil. It was true that very few became proselytes, but those who did went the whole way. The sin of the Pharisees was that they were not really seeking to lead others to God, they were seeking to lead them to Pharisaism. One of the gravest dangers which any missionary runs is that of trying to convert people to a sect rather than to a religion, and of being more concerned in bringing people to a church than to Jesus Christ. 64 William Barclay Matthew 23:16 Woe to you, blind guides, who say, If anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath. 17 You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? 18 And you say, If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath. 19 You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it. 22 And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 23: The Pharisees put more weight in earthly things than heavenly things Matthew 23:23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. 24 You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 23: The Pharisees proudly gave their tithes even to the point of tithing on their spices, but they ignored the parts of the law that were more important. See Micah 6:6-8 56

57 Matthew is plagued by a deep fear that the leadership of his own churches could go the way of the Jewish leadership, and succumb to the ever-present danger for religious leaders of a Pharisee spirit. It is all too easy to lapse into blindness, hypocrisy, and fussing about minor ecclesiastical details while allowing the major matters of the faith to go by the board. One of the weaknesses of the modern church is that we major on minor matters and leave pressing issues unaddressed. That is a profound expression of the Pharisee spirit Here are five characteristics for which the Pharisees were rebuked. They are everpresent dangers for Christian leaders. First, they may not practise what they preach (3). Secondly, they may be unwilling to undertake themselves what they prescribe for others (4). Thirdly, they may love to show off (5). Fourthly, they may revel in honorific titles and in being paid respect (6 10) Finally, they may misunderstand ministry (11 12). They may see it less as an opportunity for service than as a sphere of management or a chance to gain recognition. Are these weaknesses confined to Jewish leaders in the first century AD? Are they not always contemporary? If Christian leaders fail in these five ways, their failure is comprehensive indeed. 66 Michael Green Matthew 23:25 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 23: The Pharisees put on a show on the outside, but there was no true internal life change Matthew 23:27 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people s bones and all uncleanness. 28 So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 23: The Pharisees appeared ceremonially clean on the outside, but they were corrupt and unclean on the inside The Jerusalem Jews whitewashed grave markers just before Passover to alert pilgrims to their presence. They did this so these strangers would not unknowingly touch one, become unclean, and therefore be ineligible to participate in the feast. It was not so much the whitewashing that made them attractive as it was the monuments themselves that were attractive. Jesus compared these whitewashed monuments to the Pharisees. Both appeared attractive, but both also contaminated people who contacted them. Pharisaic contamination precluded participation in the blessings that Passover anticipated, namely kingdom blessings. 67 Tom Constable Matthew 23:29 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, 30 saying, If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets. 31 Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. 32 Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers. 33 You serpents, you brood of vipers, how are you to escape being sentenced to hell? 34 Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, 35 so that on you may 57

58 come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar. 36 Truly, I say to you, all these things will come upon this generation. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 23: The Pharisees were hypocrites in that they killed the prophets and then honored them by caring for their graves. Jesus also knew that they would demand His death too. Notice how leadership can impact an entire generation positively or negatively The Jews think in terms of their physical descent. Jesus responds by saying in effect that they are sons all right more than they realize. They show their paternity by resembling their fathers. While piously claiming to be different, they are already plotting ways to put an end to Jesus (21:38 39, 46). 68 D.A. Carson How deep those seven indictments bite, and how dangerously up to date they are! Are we rejecting the kingdom ourselves and obstructing the entrance of others? Do we have a legalistic approach to church growth, interested only in our own neck of the woods? Do we break solemn promises if convenient or if the heat is on? Do we misconstrue God s revelation by neglecting the central and going for the peripheral? Do we go for external things and ceremonial precision, but remain indifferent to the attitude within? Are we walking around as a living lie, a spiritual tomb, highly decorated, maybe, on the outside, but inwardly full of corruption and dead men s bones? And keepers of ancient monuments? What a list! How important for Christian Pharisees to take it to heart, and for us all to note the tendencies to Pharisaism that lie embedded in each one of us! 69 Michael Green Lament over Jerusalem 37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 38 See, your house is left to you desolate. 39 For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mt 23:1 39. Jesus was heartbroken of the fact that the very people that said they loved and served Him were doing more harm than good for the Kingdom. Jesus wanted to bring healing and forgiveness, but the Pharisees were not willing to accept this free gift. The Pharisees house was left desolate when in A.D. 70 the Romans attacked Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple in effect wiping the Nation of Israel off of the map and from existence for almost 2,000 years until the nation was resurrected on May 14 th, 1948 in fulfillment with Biblical prophecy (see Amos 9:14-15). An event that has no precedent in history! Here we see the consistency between the Old and New Testaments. God s threat of judgment always came with an offer to relent if He saw true repentance (see Jeremiah 18:7-8 and Jonah 3:6-10). Jesus is wishing for the same thing here even though He knows it will not happen. See 2 Chronicles 24:20 See Jeremiah 18:7-8 See Psalm 118:26 58

59 This passage shows us four great truths. (1) It shows us the patience of God. Jerusalem had killed the prophets and stoned the messengers of God; yet God did not cast her off; and in the end he sent his Son. There is a limitless patience in the love of God which bears with human sinning and will not cast people off. (2) It shows us the appeal of Jesus. Jesus speaks out of love. He will not force his way in; the only weapon he can use is the appeal of love. He stands with outstretched hands of appeal, an appeal which men and women have the awful responsibility of being able to accept or to refuse. (3) It shows us the deliberate nature of human sin. Men and women looked on Christ in all the splendour of his appeal and refused him. There is no handle on the outside of the door of the human heart; it must be opened from the inside; and sin is the open-eyed deliberate refusal of the appeal of God in Jesus Christ. (4) It shows us the consequences of rejecting Christ. Only forty years were to pass, and in AD 70 Jerusalem would be a heap of ruins. That disaster was the direct consequence of the rejection of Jesus Christ. If only the way of power politics had been abandoned in favour of the Christian way of love, Rome would never have descended on Jerusalem with its avenging might. As history has shown, rejection of God often brings with it disaster. 70 William Barclay This lamentation should help us realize that the judgment Jesus just announced in such strong language was not something that delighted Him. It broke His heart. This is also clear from His personalizing the people in Jerusalem in these verses. Jesus spoke of the city as many people, not as an impersonal thing. He also spoke here as Israel s Savior, not just a prophet but God Himself. These three verses are Jesus last public words to Israel that the evangelists recorded. 71 Tom Constable New Pharisee by Charlie Daniels They go walking into church every Sunday morning They the self-appointed sin patrol Well they whisper and they gossip behind the back Of anybody that they can't control See that girl in the choir she's got evil desires She must be drinking from the devil's well She's a downright disgrace with that paint on her face She looks just like a Jezebel And they're running around putting everybody down What are you trying to do? You need to pick up the Book and take another look Cause brother I've got the news for you You know Jesus was sent with a new covenant And he even died for you New Pharisees like a fatal disease Always flapping your jaws trying to live by the law You see that boy over there with that long shaggy hair Ought to be ashamed of his self He wearing hip-hop clothes got a ring in his nose Don't he know he going straight to hell And then yesterday morning me and sister Johnson Were talkin' on the party line She said that Deacon Brown was having dinner downtown Somebody seen him with a glass of wine And you act so righteous and you look so pious 59

60 You always pay your tithe But there's a rock in your heart and a fire on your tongue And there ain't no love in your eyes Bad news is begotten and the devil is smiling You gossip and you criticize New Pharisees like a fatal disease Always flapping your jaws trying to live by the law Well you can't live by the law so quit flapping your jaws New Pharisees yes, you're a lot like me Discussion Questions 1. What are some Pharisaical types of mistakes Christians/Churches make today? 2. How can we avoid making those same mistakes? Lessons for Life Don t be like the Pharisees practice what you preach! Focus on servant hood and not finding a place of leadership If God wants you to be a leader, He will open those doors for you. Remember it is the Holy Spirit that changes people from the inside-out. It is not our job to try and change them from the outside-in. Be patient especially with new believers - and give the Holy Spirit room to work in their lives to bring about true life change If you are a Christ follower, remember who you represent and do nothing to bring reproach to the name or cause of Christ The Plot to Kill Jesus John 11:45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, 46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation. 49 But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, You know nothing at all. 50 Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish. 51 He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. 53 So from that day on they made plans to put him to death. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 11: This dialog between the chief priests and Pharisees occurred immediately after Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead Notice that the Sanhedrin (composed primarily of Sadducees with a few Pharisees including the high priest) did not deny that Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead or that He had performed many great miracles Some people wonder why the Lazarus narrative is not found in the other Gospels. I believe it is because Lazarus life was in jeopardy (see John 12:9-11) and the other Gospel writers did not want to stir the pot John was the last Gospel written (sometime around A.D. 90). It is likely that by this time Lazarus was either dead or forgotten Notice the reason for the chief priest and Pharisees to want Jesus dead jealousy! The chief priests and Pharisees were afraid that Jesus would take away their 60

61 place and nation Ironically, Rome would take away their power in just a few decades (AD 70) Therefore, the Sanhedrin not only rejected their Messiah, they eventually lost their very country. The Pharisees were more afraid of losing power than spiritual truth Is power more important to us than spiritual truth? The Holy Spirit used the chief priest Caiaphas to prophecy that Jesus would die for the entire nation and for all of the children of God You would think that this crowning miracle would have turned these skeptics to Jesus, but it did not. Our Lord had said previously, you remember, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead (Luke 16:31). That is the reason that God does not rend the heavens and come down in spectacular display. That is the reason God does not go about performing miracles today. After the church leaves the earth, during the Great Tribulation period, and into the Millennium, there will be a period of great miracles, but even that will not convince people. Today we are asked in a quiet way to put our trust in Him even though the mob and the majority turn from Him. People complain that the crowd isn t going after Jesus. Friend, it never did! He died, He was buried, He rose again from the dead, and that is the gospel. We don t need a miracle. The problem is not in the lack of evidence. The problem is the unbelief of man. 72 J. Vernon McGee John by God s Spirit recognized a deep irony in Caiaphas words. As the high priest, Caiaphas pointed to the last sacrificial Lamb in a prophecy he did not even know he made. Caiaphas meant Jesus had to be killed, but God intended the priest s words as a reference to His substitutionary atonement. Jesus death would abolish the old system in God s eyes by fulfilling all its types and shadows. His death was not only for Jews but also for the world, thus making a new body from both (cf. Eph. 2:14 18; 3:6). The Sanhedrin then decided to kill Jesus. 73 Edwin Blum Discussion Questions 1. What are some things that blind us to Scriptural truths? 2. How can we overcome those challenges? Lessons for Life Don t be jealous of other people s ministry Be more concerned about spiritual truth than threats to any perceived power or convenience you may have Don t let vain ambition rob you of spiritual blessings 61

62 Chapter 8 The Road to the Cross Preparing for Passover Mary Anoints Jesus at Bethany John 12:1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. 3 Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 5 Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor? 6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. 7 Jesus said, Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. 8 For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 12:1 8. What a picture we have here! There is Lazarus alive from the dead and in fellowship with Christ. Then we see Mary sitting at Jesus feet, growing in grace and in the knowledge of Christ. Then, thirdly, we see Martha serving, putting on a meal. That is her gift and she is exercising it. These are the three essentials in the church today: new life in Christ, worship and adoration, and service. This home at Bethany should be a picture of your church and mine. 74 J. Vernon McGee 300 denarii was around one year s salary for a working man This was very likely Mary s entire life s savings True love and/or true worship requires true sacrifice Mary unbinding her hair is significant in that it went against societal standards of the day. Women would not be seen in public with their hair unbound. However, Mary was not concerned about what others thought about her. Her focus was on worshiping Jesus. We read about a similar incident in the life of King David where he worshiped God regardless of what others thought (see 2 Samuel 6:12-23) On top of being a thief, Judas main problem was that he could not see Jesus as anything more than a man Worship of God is more important than anything even caring for the poor! However, we can worship God by caring for the poor! The bottom line here is that this was a very special occasion Jesus was here on earth with His disciples and He deserved the act of worship that Mary was performing Jesus reply revealed his appreciation of Mary s act of devotion and the understanding it denoted. His words disclose also the current of his thought, for he was anticipating death. His comment on the poor was not a justification for tolerating unnecessary poverty; but it was a hint to Judas that if he were really concerned about the poor, he would never lack opportunity to aid them. The contrast of the attitude of Mary with that of Judas is unmistakable. Mary offered her best to Jesus in sacrificial love; Judas was coldly utilitarian. Jesus interested him only as a ladder for his ambitions. 75 Merrill Tenney 62

63 John wrote that Mary proceeded to anoint Jesus feet with the ointment. The Synoptic accounts say that she anointed His head (Matt. 26:7; Mark 14:3). Probably she did both. There was enough ointment to anoint not only Jesus head and feet but also other parts of His body as well (cf. Matt. 26:12; Mark 14:8). Perhaps Matthew and Mark mentioned Jesus head to present this act as one that honored Jesus. John could have mentioned Jesus feet to stress Mary s humility in contrast to the Sanhedrin s pride and the disciples pride (cf. 13:1 17) 76 Tom Constable Mark suggests that the other disciples picked up on this and scolded her too (see Mark 14:4-5) Be careful whose lead you follow! It was not rational what Mary did so some of the disciples rationalized that it was a waste! How much of Judas own money do you think he spent helping the poor? Jesus knew that the day of His death was quickly approaching a fact that the disciples were blind to God sees all and we do not. That s why it is important to trust Him! The Triumphal Entry John 12:12 The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel! 14 And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, 15 Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey s colt! 16 His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. 17 The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. 18 The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 12: The entry into Jerusalem was Jesus announcement that his hour had come and that he was ready for action, though not according to the expectation of the people. He did not come as a conqueror but as a messenger of peace. He rode on a donkey, not the steed of royalty, but that of a commoner on a business trip. John couples this entry with the prophecy of Zechariah (Zech 9:9), who announced that the king of Israel would appear in humility without pomp and ceremony. The pilgrims who had come to Jerusalem to attend the feast went out to greet Jesus; the other crowd gathered in his train. Hosanna is a Hebrew expression meaning literally Save now! It may be interpreted as a plea for immediate action on the part of the king. The blessing is the peoples acclamation of him as the ruler of Israel (Jn 12:13). 77 Merrill Tenney Hosanna in Hebrew means Please save or give salvation now Perhaps the crowd thought that Jesus would assume the role of Messianic Leader of the people at this time? See Psalm 118:25-26 See Zachariah 9:9 63

64 Do you wonder if some of the people who were singing praises here were the same people who would be demanding Jesus crucifixion just a week later? (see Matthew 27:15-26) Isn t it interesting how our attitude toward God changes when we don t get our way or He does not respond in the way we think He should? Riding on a donkey was a sign of peace [Riding a donkey] was a claim to be a particular kind of Messiah. We must not misunderstand this picture. With us, the donkey is lowly and despised; but in the middle east it was a noble animal. Jair, the Judge, had thirty sons who rode on donkeys (Judges 10:4). Ahithopel rode upon a donkey (2 Samuel 17:23). Mephibosheth, the royal prince, the son of Saul, came to David riding upon a donkey (2 Samuel 19:26). The point is that a king came riding upon a horse when he was intent on war; he came riding upon a donkey when he was coming in peace. This action of Jesus is a sign that he was not the warrior figure that people dreamed of, but the Prince of Peace. No one saw it that way at that time, not even the disciples, who should have known so much better. The minds of all were filled with a kind of mass hysteria. Here was the one who was to come. But they looked for the Messiah of their own dreams and their own wishful thinking; they did not look for the Messiah whom God had sent. Jesus drew a dramatic picture of what he claimed to be, but none understood the claim. 78 William Barclay Even after spending three years with Jesus, the disciples still did not understand God s plan of the cross Notice why the crowd followed they had heard about him raising Lazarus from the dead. Where they following Jesus for who He was or for what He did? Jesus warned about people who seek signs (see Matthew 12:39) David wrote in Psalm 27 that his desire was to seek God s face Sometimes we are more interested in seeking God s hands (what He can do for us) than we are about God Himself we treat God as a genie in a bottle The Pharisees thought their cause was losing hope. How much can change in only one week s time! We cannot leave this passage without noticing the simplest thing of all. Seldom in the world s history has there been such a display of magnificently deliberate courage as the triumphal entry. We must remember that Jesus was an outlaw and that the authorities were determined to kill him. All prudence would have warned him to turn back and make for Galilee or the desert places. If he was to enter Jerusalem at all, all caution would have demanded that he enter secretly and go into hiding; but he came in such a way as to focus every eye upon himself. It was an act of the most superlative courage, for it was the defiance of all that his enemies could do; and it was an act of the most superlative love, for it was love s last appeal before the end. 79 William Barclay 64

65 Some Greeks Seek Jesus John 12:20 Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21 So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, Sir, we wish to see Jesus. 22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 12: This is a very interesting passage It appears that Jesus fame is starting to spread across the entire civilized world and that the seeds for the Gospel have been planted Jesus hour has now finally come Jesus knows what must now happen To the Jews, the Son of Man stood for the undefeatable world conqueror sent by God. So Jesus says: The hour has come that the Son of Man must be glorified. When he said that, the listeners would catch their breath. They would believe that the trumpet-call of eternity had sounded, that the might of heaven was on the march, and that the campaign of victory was on the move. But Jesus did not mean by glorified what they understood. They meant that the subjected kingdoms of the earth would grovel before the conqueror s feet; by glorified he meant crucified. When the Son of Man was mentioned, they thought of the conquest of the armies of God; he meant the conquest of the cross. 80 William Barclay No clearer indication of the centrality of the cross and resurrection could be given. Christian faith is Easter faith. In this connection it is astonishing to reflect that there have been interpretations of Christianity, claiming genuine validity, which have tried to limit the message and significance of Jesus to his moral teaching, and to reduce his kingdom to the ethical principles within his proclamation. In other words, they attempted to conclude the ministry of Jesus at the beginning of Holy Week, eliminate the resurrection, and permit no significance to the cross beyond its being an outstanding example of self-giving love. What is even more astonishing is that such unbiblical and fallacious versions of Christianity are still embraced at times within the churches. 81 Bruce Milne Jesus taught that our true life should not be tied up in this world, but the next We are called to serve Jesus and the Father To hate his life means to be so committed to Christ that he has no selfcenteredness, no concern for himself. On the other hand the man who loves his life will lose it. Anything in life can become an idol including goals, interests, and loves (cf. Luke 12:16 21; 18:18 30). A believer should undergo a spiritual death to self (Rom. 6:1 14; 2 Cor. 5:14 15; Gal. 6:14). 82 Edwin Blum 65

66 The expression who hates his life need not be understood to mean a contempt for oneself or a suicidal impulse. Rather, it is a hyperbolic expression that means one is to base his priorities on that which is outside of himself. He is to place others or another above himself. In this instance, it is to make Christ the Master of one s life. 83 Merrill Tenney In contrast to Socrates who, faced with death in Athens because of his teaching, spent his last moments before drinking the hemlock in convivial conversation with his friends, Jesus faces death with extreme agitation and revulsion. Why? We can but surmise. Death for Jesus is not a natural event, the simple termination of a purely natural process. For Jesus, living within the biblical world, we are not mere hominids but creatures of God, made in his image, and as the objects of his providential care and redemptive love, we have absolute worth. Our dying therefore has singular significance; it is value-laden. For we were made to live for ever. Death is therefore unnatural, a usurper which has overtaken God s creation and sown its foul seed among the good planting of the Lord. God is not, however, excluded from our dying, for death is the wages of sin, the judgment of God upon our rebellion against him. Death proclaims that there is nothing in our lives which is finally fit to endure to eternity. It is guilt made visible (Rahner), the sacrament of sin (Denney). In death God meets us as Judge, and it is this element which explains Jesus recoiling in horror in the face of it. In his death he must take the place of those to whom he has come to bring life. He must die their death in order to free them from death for ever. 84 Bruce Milne The Son of Man Must Be Lifted Up John 12:27 Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name. Then a voice came from heaven: I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again. 29 The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, An angel has spoken to him. 30 Jesus answered, This voice has come for your sake, not mine. 31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself. 33 He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. 34 So the crowd answered him, We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man? 35 So Jesus said to them, The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 12: There is a suffering that is connected with the Cross of Christ that you and I cannot comprehend. He didn t suffer at the hands of men only. That was bad enough, but He suffered beyond that. Your sin and my sin were put upon Him. He was a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief (Isa. 53:3) there on the Cross. He bore the sin of the world, not His own sin. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows (Isa. 53:4). Our sin was put upon Him. He was made sin for us not in some academic manner He actually was made sin for us. Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief [He made] his soul an offering for sin (Isa. 53:10). Although He was holy and undefiled and separate from sinners, He was made sin for you and for me. This involved a suffering that you and I cannot comprehend. 85 J. Vernon McGee 66

67 Jesus, being fully human, knew the suffering that lay ahead of Him and His soul was troubled However, He also knew that there was something much more important at stake. His few hours of suffering would impact all of eternity for our benefit! We must always remember that our salvation came at a very high price! No one wishes to die at thirty-three; and no one wishes to die upon a cross. There would have been no virtue in Jesus obedience to God, if it had come easily and without cost. Real courage does not mean not being afraid. It means being terribly afraid, and yet doing the thing that ought to be done. That was the courage of Jesus. As the eighteenth-century German theologian Johann Bengel put it: Here there met the horror of death and the ardour of obedience. God s will meant the cross, and Jesus had to nerve himself to accept it. 86 William Barclay Notice the distinction between God the Father and God the Son Jesus was not just simply the Father morphed into a different form (i.e. heresy of modalism) Jesus seems to use strange language for a Man headed for the cross Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out Jesus knew the battle and the total victory over Satan and sin was about to be achieved and Satan could do nothing to stop it! Jesus passion would also result in the casting out of the ruler of this world. This is a title for Satan (14:30; 16:11; cf. Matt. 4:8 9; Luke 4:6 7; 2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:2; 6:12). The death of Jesus might appear to be a victory for Satan, but really it signalled [sic] his doom. The Cross defeated Satan. He only functions as he does now because it is God s will for Him to do so. His eternal destruction is sure even though it is still future (Rev. 20:10). God will cast him out of His presence and out of the earth into the lake of fire forever (cf. Matt. 8:12; 22:13; 25:30). 87 Tom Constable Lifted up was a euphemism for crucifixion (see John 3:14) The people clearly understood this as the meaning; thus, their confusion How could the Messiah die? The people simply could not comprehend the necessity of the cross One of the ways we can walk in the light is to simply put our faith and trust in God What would it have been like to have the light with you as the people of the first century had? There is an urgency in this last appeal of Jesus from which the modern church does well to learn. The days when sermons on hell and its conditions were the staple diet of the evangelical pulpit have long since departed. Their going is not wholly to be regretted. Fear of hell-fire is certainly not the primary motive for seeking Christ s salvation. Besides, such preaching often concentrated on the damnation of the lost in a manner that left the saved smugly secure and unchallenged concerning the profound moral and ethical implications of living a saved life. We would not turn back the clock in this respect even if we could. Yet the warning note which Jesus strikes here is always relevant. The implications of turning away from the light of God are terrible in the extreme, and Jesus is concerned that people be clearly aware of them. We are certainly to draw men and women towards God s salvation by all Godhonouring inducements. We are certainly authorized to bear witness with full hearts to the completeness of the salvation which Christ has won for sinners, and the joys beyond compare which await those who cast themselves upon his mercy. In addition, 67

68 however, we dare not fail to warn them that the redeemer is also a judge, that sin unrepented is sin condemned, and that it is, and will be when the King returns, a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Heb. 10:31). While people have opportunity, we are to speak, and plead, as did our Saviour: You are going to have the light just a little while longer before darkness overtakes you Put your trust in the light while you have it (35 36). 88 Bruce Milne The Plot to Kill Jesus Mark 14:1 It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him, 2 for they said, Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar from the people. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mk 14:1 2. It is no accident that Jesus would be crucified at the time of Passover (see Exodus 12) It is interesting that the chief priests feared an uproar from the people what that because of Jesus popularity or because of disturbing the feast? The Jewish leaders may have planned on arresting Jesus after the Passover, but Judas will make them an offer they could not refuse God can even use our evil intentions for His purpose to be fulfilled THE last crowded act of Jesus life was now about to open. The Feast of the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were really two different things. The Feast of the Passover fell on 14th Nisan, that is, about 14th April. The Feast of Unleavened Bread consisted of the seven days following the Passover. The Passover itself was a major feast and was kept like a Sabbath. The Feast of Unleavened Bread was called a minor festival, and, although no new work could be begun during it, such work as was necessary for public interest or to provide against private loss was allowable. The really great day was Passover Day. 89 William Barclay Discussion Questions 1. Why do you think that the disciples did not understand what Jesus true mission was until after He was resurrected? Could they not think outside of the box? Did God simply not reveal it to them until after the resurrection? Were they so caught up in their own ideas and plans that they did not want to see? 2. Do we ever make similar mistakes for seeing Jesus for who He is? If so, how? Lessons for Life Remember God sees everything and we do not. Trust Him! Don t let earthly issues cloud your worship of God for He alone is worthy! Follow Jesus because of who He is not because of what He does (or does not do) for you! Trust God even when things don t work out the way you think they should. Remember the prayers of Job (see Job 1:20-22; 13:15a as for Job 13:15b see Job s later comments in Job 40:1-5) If you want to find true life, lose yours in Jesus Christ Be a leading servant God s glory is more important than our comfort! God s grace is free, but it came at a very high cost They only way to draw close to God is to kneel at the foot of the cross Remember that Jesus is the only true light of the world! Walk in that light and encourage others to do the same 68

69 The Passover Dinner Passover in the upper room Luke 22:7 Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8 So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it. 9 They said to him, Where will you have us prepare it? 10 He said to them, Behold, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him into the house that he enters 11 and tell the master of the house, The Teacher says to you, Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples? 12 And he will show you a large upper room furnished; prepare it there. 13 And they went and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Lk 22:7 13. The day came when the Lamb had to be sacrificed God in His sovereignty prepared the place for Jesus and His disciples to eat the Passover meal There is some confusion over the timing of the Last Supper and the crucifixion Ἦλθεν δὲ ἡ ἡμέρα τῶν ἀζύμων (ēlthen de hē hēmera tōn azymōn, then came the day of Unleavened Bread ). It is not certain on what day of the week Jesus celebrated the Passover. Few scholars question that Jesus was crucified on a Friday. There is considerable doubt, however, as to the chronological relationship between the Passover, the Last Supper, and the Crucifixion. Some infer from John 13:1; 18:28; 19:14, 31, 42, that the Passover did not occur till after Jesus was crucified. In that case the Paschal lambs would have been killed in preparation for the Passover at the very time Jesus was on the cross, which would have had strong symbolic significance. But if that inference is correct, then, assuming the chronological reliability of all four Gospels on this point, the Synoptics could not be describing a Passover meal as the setting for the Last Supper, in spite of all appearances that it was. Another approach interprets the Johannine texts above as being consistent with a pre-crucifixion Passover. N. Geldenhuys has a clear discussion of this possibility in The Gospel of Luke, NIC (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1951), pp Most scholars now look elsewhere for a solution. A. Jaubert (The Date of the Last Supper [New York: Alba House], 1965) proposed that the Last Supper was held on an earlier evening in the week when sectarians such as those at Qumran (site of the DSS) celebrated the Passover. This would allow more time for the trial of Jesus, as well as solving the Passover chronology. But the theory conflicts with other data. H. Hoehner (Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ [Grand Rapids: Zondervan], 1977, pp ) suggests that the differences between the Synoptics and John arise from differences caused by different methods of reckoning dates by Jewish groups. If some calculated the date from evening to evening and others from dawn to dawn, both groups could celebrate the Passover on the same date but on different days. The Judeans (and John) might have followed one method and the Galileans (and the Synoptics) the other. Whether or not any of the schemes mentioned here is correct, at least we have several plausible solutions to this chronological problem. 90 Walter L. Leifeld 69

70 The Disciples Argue Over Who Is the Greatest Luke 22:24 A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. 25 And he said to them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. 26 But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. 27 For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves. 28 You are those who have stayed with me in my trials, 29 and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom, 30 that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Lk 22: IT is one of the most poignantly tragic things in the gospel story that the disciples could quarrel about precedence in the very shadow of the cross. The seating arrangements at a Jewish feast were very definite. The table was arranged like a square with one side left open. At the top side of the square, in the centre, sat the host. On his right sat the guest of first honour; on his left the second guest; second on his right, the third guest; second on his left the fourth guest; and so on round the table. The disciples had been quarrelling about where they were to sit, for they had not yet rid themselves of the idea of an earthly kingdom. Jesus told them bluntly that the standards of his kingdom were not the standards of this world. A king on earth was evaluated by the power he exercised. One of the commonest titles for a king in the middle east was Euergetes, which is the Greek for Benefactor. Jesus said, It is not the king but the servant who obtains that title in my kingdom. 91 William Barclay Imagine how Jesus must have felt with the weight of the cross bearing down on Him, He had to deal with the petty selfishness of His disciples Christianity is counter cultural. It was in Jesus day and it is today too! Jesus taught that if you truly want to be great, you must first learn how to serve Many Christians call this Servant Leadership I once heard Paul Pettit, who was at the time the Spiritual Formation Director at Dallas Theological Seminary, say that we should flip this term to be leading servants because not all have the spiritual gift of leadership, but every Christian is called to be a servant In the ancient Near East the person waited on at dinner had a higher social position than the waiter who served him or her. The waiter was often a slave. Jesus had behaved as a slave (Gr. diakonon, one who serves in a lowly way) by serving others, even His disciples (cf. John 13:12 17). They should do likewise. If serving was not below their Master, it should not be below His servants. They should seek opportunities for service rather than status, and they should emulate their Lord rather than pagans. This lesson is vital for all disciples. Luke s Gentile readers would have been in need of it since they lived in a culture in which pagan values dominated life, as we do. 92 Tom Constable We are to follow Jesus example and not culture s example The Apostle Peter warned church leaders not to domineer those they led (see 1 Peter 5:3) 70

71 Jesus was always in submission to the will of His Father o The doctrine of the Trinity teaches that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are equal in essence (they are all God), but they are not equal in office. The Son and the Spirit submit to the Father o This is never really an issue. Why? Because of Their perfection The Father, The Son and The Spirit will never have opposing ideas. The reason why godly men and women disagree today is because of our imperfections. We are never totally 100% correct about anything, but God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are always 100% correct about everything! Jesus thanked His disciples for sticking with Him even during hard times. Jesus spoke of twelve disciples even though Judas would disqualify himself. This was gracious of Jesus and implied that there was still time for Judas to repent. Evidently since he did not repent Matthias will take his place in the kingdom (Acts 1:26). It is interesting that the choice of Matthias took place in an upper room, perhaps the same one as this one (Acts 1:13). 93 Tom Constable We should not serve Jesus to get something in return. We should serve Jesus because we love Him Jesus was the ultimate model of being a servant as we ll see next Jesus Washes the Disciples Feet John 13:1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon s son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 13:1 5. This is a beautiful beginning to this passage Jesus loved His disciples right up until the end Do you think Judas was included in this group that Jesus loved? Isn t it interesting the juxtaposition of Jesus washing the disciple s feet with their earlier argument of who s the greatest? Can you even imagine the Creator of the universe, the Eternal God, the Great I Am washing your feet? Jesus washed the disciple s feet fully aware of His authority from the Father, His divine origin, and His divine destiny. John s mention of this awareness stresses Jesus humility and love still further. Washing feet in such a situation was the role of the most menial of servants (cf. 1:27). Here Jesus reversed normal roles and assumed the place of a servant rather than that of a rabbi. His act demonstrated love (v. 1), provided a model of Christian conduct (vv ), and symbolized cleansing (vv. 6 9). Jesus even dressed Himself as a slave (cf. Phil. 2:6 7). His humble service would take Him even to death on the cross (Phil. 2:8). Normally a servant would have been present to perform this task, but there were none present in the upper room since it was a secret meal. The disciples did not want to wash each other s feet since they had just been arguing about which of them was the greatest (Luke 22:24). 94 Tom Constable 71

72 Jesus even washed the feet of His betrayer! He practiced what He preached! (see Matthew 5:43-48) Are we willing to wash the feet of those who want to harm us? Are we willing to wash the feet of those beneath us? Are we willing to wash anyone s feet? This ought to make us think. So often, even in churches, trouble arises because someone does not get his or her place. So often, even religious dignitaries are offended because they did not receive the precedence to which their office entitled them. Here is the lesson that there is only one kind of greatness, the greatness of service. The world is full of people who are standing on their dignity when they ought to be kneeling at the feet of their brothers and sisters. In every sphere of life, desire for prominence and unwillingness to take a subordinate place wreck the scheme of things. A player is one day omitted from the team and refuses to play any more. An aspiring politician who felt entitled to promotion to a particular post is passed over and refuses to accept any subordinate position. A member of a choir is not given a solo and will not sing any more. In any society, it may happen that someone is given a quite unintentional slight and either explodes in anger or broods in sulkiness for days afterwards. When we are tempted to think of our dignity, our prestige or our rights, let us see again the picture of the Son of God, wrapped around with a towel, kneeling at his disciples feet. 95 William Barclay John 13:6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, Lord, do you wash my feet? 7 Jesus answered him, What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand. 8 Peter said to him, You shall never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I do not wash you, you have no share with me. 9 Simon Peter said to him, Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head! 10 Jesus said to him, The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you. 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, Not all of you are clean. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 13:6 11. The washing of someone s feet was a very dirty and smelly job usually assigned to the lowest of servants Peter recognized this fact and at first refused to allow Jesus to wash his feet Notice the importance that Jesus places on this act of service If I do not wash you, you have no share with me. This has a double meaning not only would Jesus wash the feet of the disciples, He would wash away the sins of the world with His precious blood However, we cannot come to Jesus unless we accept His atoning sacrifice on the cross! Jesus distinguished the two types of spiritual cleansing that believers experience, forensic and family forgiveness. When a person believes in Jesus as Savior, God removes all the guilt of that person for sins committed in the past, present, and future (cf. Rom. 5:1; 8:1; et al.). Jesus spoke of this forensic or legal forgiveness as a total bath (Gr. louo). After a person believes in Jesus as Savior, he or she commits sins and those sins hinder the believer s fellowship with God (cf. Matt. 6:12, 14 15; Luke 11:4; et al.). Jesus compared this family forgiveness to washing (Gr. nipto) the feet, which become dirty while walking through life. Therefore Jesus was illustrating the importance of believers obtaining spiritual cleansing from God periodically when He 72

73 washed the disciples feet. We obtain this cleansing by confessing our sins to God (1 John 1:9; cf. 1 John 2:25; 5:13). The basis for both types of forgiveness is Jesus work on the cross. 96 Tom Constable Judas allowed Jesus to wash his feet, but not his heart Without the shed blood of Jesus, Christianity is powerless What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus; What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Refrain: Oh! precious is the flow That makes me white as snow; No other fount I know, Nothing but the blood of Jesus. For my pardon, this I see, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; For my cleansing this my plea, Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Nothing can for sin atone, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; Naught of good that I have done, Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Nothing But The Blood This is all my hope and peace, Nothing but the blood of Jesus; This is all my righteousness, Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Now by this I ll overcome Nothing but the blood of Jesus; Now by this I ll reach my home Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Glory! Glory! This I sing Nothing but the blood of Jesus, All my praise for this I bring Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Robert Lowry John 13:12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me. 19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 13: After He had finished, Jesus again stressed the importance of serving one another By pointing out that the disciples were correct in referring to Him as Teacher and Lord Jesus acknowledged His position of leadership and authority over them; yet, He still washed their feet If Jesus, the God of the Universe, served His disciples why should we not serve one another? Jesus made it clear He was giving His disciples an example to follow Jesus promised blessings to those who followed this example See Philippians 2:

74 If we go in the name of Jesus (by following His teachings and examples) we can point others to Jesus with our lives. Of course if we call ourselves Christians and do not follow Jesus teachings and examples we can have the opposite effect. What do you think was going through Judas mind at this time? Jesus reason for washing the disciples feet was not solely good manners and sanitation. The imminence of the betrayal was pressing in on him, and the resultant anguish was tearing at his heart. He knew that the disciples would fail at the crucial moment, but he despaired of none except Judas. While the lesson applied to all of them, it was particularly an appeal to Judas. The psalm Jesus quoted was attributed to David, who lamented the defection of a trusted confidant (Ps 41:9). A parallel occurs in Psalm 55: Quite probably it referred originally to Ahithophel, who had been David s counselor and diplomatic advisor but deserted him in Absalom s rebellion (2 Sam 15:12; 16:15 23; 17:4, 14, 23). Again this is an example of prophecy by parallelism. 97 Merrill Tenney This passage also stresses the fact that all this tragedy is somehow within the purpose of God, and that it is fully and unquestioningly accepted by Jesus. It was as Scripture said it would be. There was never any doubt that the redeeming of the world would cost the broken heart of God. Jesus knew what was happening. He knew the cost and he was ready to pay it. He did not want the disciples to think that he was caught up in a web of circumstances from which he could not escape. He was not going to be killed; he was choosing to die. At the moment they did not, and could not, see that; but he wanted to be sure that a day would come when they would look back and remember and understand. 98 William Barclay Jesus reference to the sending of the disciples (20) is in terms which anticipate 17:18 and 20:21. This is a key statement for the interpretation of the entire block of teaching which will follow (chapters 13 16). These upper-room discourses have been commonly interpreted in terms of the intimate communion between Jesus and the disciples prior to his departure from them. While there is evident validity in that approach, it has frequently failed to recognize that the real context of these chapters is the impending mission of the disciples to the world. Those addressed are not just disciples but apostles (lit. = sent ones ). The analogy for these chapters is not a final farewell meeting between Jesus and his friends before his being snatched from them by death, a kind of spiritual deathbed scene with all the pathos engendered by such associations. Rather, the analogy is that of a commanding officer giving his troops final instructions and encouragement on the eve of a most dangerous mission in which he will lead them. 99 Bruce Milne This do in remembrance of Me Luke 22:14 And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. 15 And he said to them, I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God. 17 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves. 18 For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes. 19 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. See 1 Corinthians 11:

75 20 And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. 21 But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. 22 For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed! 23 And they began to question one another, which of them it could be who was going to do this. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Lk 22: The Four Cups of the Passover 100 (From Chosen People Ministries: The first cup of wine The seder begins with a blessing recited over the first of four cups of wine: "Blessed art thou, Lord our God, King of the Universe, who hast created the fruit of the vine." Jesus himself blessed the first cup in Luke 22: The second cup of wine The second cup is to remind us of the Ten Plagues and the suffering of the Egyptians when they hardened their heart to the Lord. In order not to rejoice over the suffering of our enemies (Prov. 24:17), we spill a drop of wine (which is a symbol of joy) as we recite each of the Ten Plagues, thus remembering that our joy is diminished at the suffering of others. Third Cup The third cup of wine is taken after the meal. It is the cup of redemption, which reminds us of the shed blood of the innocent Lamb which brought our redemption from Egypt. We see that Jesus took the third cup in Luke 22:20 and 1 Corinthians 11:25, "In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.'" This was not just any cup, it was the cup of redemption from slavery into freedom. This is our communion cup. Fourth Cup The fourth cup is the Cup of Hallel. Hallel in Hebrew means "praise," and we see in the beautiful High Priestly Prayer of John 17, that Jesus took time to praise and thank the Lord at the end of the Passover Seder, his last supper. The spotless Passover Lamb had praise on his lips as he went to his death. Communion is a tangible symbol of Jesus body being broken for our salvation Catholics view the Eucharist (communion) being the literal body and bread of Jesus. (This is called transubstantiation where through the priests blessing the wine becomes the literal blood and the bread the literal body of Jesus.) We do not view communion this way. We view communion as a simple memorial of what Jesus did for us on the cross The phrase do this in remembrance of me strongly implies that Jesus expected believers to simply remember what He was about to do Communion does not save! If it did then we would have a works based salvation which would violate Ephesians 2:8-9. (By the way baptism does not save either for the exact same reason!) Notice that Judas is still at the table... 75

76 Catholic Lutheran Reformed (Calvin) Reformed (Zwingli) Major Views on the Lord s Supper Transubstantiation Consubstantiation or Sacramental Union Spiritual Presence Memorial The bread and the wine become the literal body and blood of Jesus each time the sacrament is given The elements of bread and wine are literally combined with the body and blood of Jesus Jesus is spiritually present in the elements by the power of the Holy Spirit The bread and the wine are a simple memorial of Jesus body that was broken and His blood that was spilled for our sins Much of the New Testament is an exposition of the significance of Jesus sacrificial death to which He referred so cogently here. Luke stressed that Jesus gave His body and poured out His blood for you. However in remembrance of me encouraged the disciples to focus on the person of Jesus Christ and not just the benefits of His death for them. Jesus commanded His disciples to remember Him. This is not optional for us (cf. 1 Cor. 11:24 26). 101 Tom Constable Jesus Predicts His Betrayal John 13:21 After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me. 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. 23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus side, 24 so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 25 So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, Lord, who is it? 26 Jesus answered, It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it. So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, What you are going to do, do quickly. 28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, Buy what we need for the feast, or that he should give something to the poor. 30 So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 13: We can only imagine the pain that Jesus must have experienced knowing that one of His own would betray Him The disciple whom Jesus loved was John (see John 27:7, 20, 24) Jesus indicated to John that His betrayer was Judas by serving him a piece of bread But it is the place of Judas that is of special interest. It is quite clear that Jesus could speak to him privately without the others overhearing. If that is so, there is only one place Judas could have been occupying. He must have been on Jesus left, so that, just as John s head was in Jesus breast, Jesus head was in Judas. The revealing thing is that the place on the left of the host was the place of highest honour, kept for the most intimate friend. When that meal began, Jesus must have said to Judas: Judas, come and sit beside me tonight; I want specially to talk to you. The very inviting of Judas to that seat was an appeal

77 There is tragedy here. Again and again Jesus appealed to that dark heart, and again and again Judas remained unmoved. God save us from being completely impervious to the appeal of love. 103 William Barclay Giving the morsel to Judas was an uncaught sign of recognition to John, but it was also the Lord s final extension of grace to Judas. A host s giving a morsel of bread to a guest was a sign of friendship. How ironic that Jesus act of friendship to Judas signaled Judas betrayal of friendship 104 Since no one grasped the significance of Jesus words, even the beloved disciple must have missed the intent of the sop until later. As Judas went out, no one thought anything but good of him. They assumed that he, as the group s treasurer (cf. 12:6), was going to buy food for the Passover feast or to give something to the poor. He had deceived his peers but not Jesus. And it was night in any other Gospel might simply be a time notice, but in John s Gospel it probably also has symbolic significance. Judas was leaving the Light (8:12; 12:35, 46) and going out into the darkness of sin 105 Edwin Blum Jesus body would be broken for Judas too even if Judas did not accept that gift John tells that after Jesus gave Judas the bread, Satan entered him ; however, Judas fall did not happen instantaneously. It happened gradually over time Satan took over this man Judas gradually. I don t think that Satan ever takes a man suddenly. There are many little falls that permit Satan to move in gradually. Then finally he takes over. The Lord gave Judas an opportunity to accept Him, but Judas turned his back on the Lord. Then Satan moved in and took him over completely. 106 J. Vernon McGee How could Judas move forward with his plan after he had his feet washed and his bread served to him by Jesus? My guess is pride Remember, Satan appealed to Eve s pride in the Garden in essence Don t you want to be like God? (Genesis 3:4-5) [The Great Sin] is Pride or Self-Conceit: and the virtue opposite to it, in Christian morals, is called Humility. You may remember, when I was talking about sexual morality, I warned you that the centre of Christian morals did not lie there. Well, now, we have come to the centre. According to Christian teachers, the essential vice, the utmost evil, is Pride. Unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, and all that, are mere fleabites in comparison: it was through Pride that the devil became the devil: Pride leads to every other vice: it is the complete anti-god state of mind. 107 C.S. Lewis [John 13:21-30] is a powerful and disturbing reminder of the ambiguity of the life of the people of God in every age. Despite all the laudable and entirely appropriate attempts, particularly since the Reformation, to obtain a pure membership for the church, it remains, as Calvin acknowledged in the sixteenth century, a mixed multitude. Only Christ can truly unveil the heart, as he will do at the coming judgment day (cf. Mt. 24:30f.; Jn. 5:22; etc.). Then and only then will the true flock of the Lord be assembled by the good shepherd. Until then the church is an irreducibly ambiguous company, at once both holy and profane, embracing the servants of Christ and the servants of Satan. This must not surprise us, however, or cause us to stumble (20). The presence of Judas among the visible company of the disciples throughout the course of Jesus mission did not prevent the completion of the purpose of the 77

78 Son, nor the coming of the Spirit, nor the witness of the apostles, nor the going of Jesus to the world through them. It need not, it must not, prevent it now. The most disturbing element in this passage, however, is the awesome warning represented in the figure of Judas. There is, tragically, a road to hell at the very gates of heaven in the sense that it is possible to resist even the prolonged, personal appeals of Jesus Christ and turn away at the last into the darkness. There are those whom even Jesus cannot, and will not, save. Not that his grace is insufficient for them. On the contrary, it truly is enough for all, enough for each, enough for evermore, as Charles Wesley eloquently declared. But they will not come to receive it. The corollary to the stress on the crucial importance of faith in this gospel is the seriousness of unbelief, the refusal of faith. Hell is no mere theoretical possibility. It is an awesome and fearful reality. To refuse the light means to choose the darkness where no light will ever shine again. Judas also eliminates the excuse often expressed or implied, that if only I had been there, when Jesus was on earth, seen his miracles, heard his teaching, and experienced his personal invitation, then of course I would have committed my life to him. Judas was there, he saw, he heard, he experienced and went out to hell. Put your trust in the light while you have it (12:36). 108 Bruce Milne Discussion Questions 1. Do you think we have the same servant heart as Jesus? If not, why not? 2. How can we wash other s feet today? 3. Why do you think Judas betrayed Jesus? Lessons for Life Serve Jesus because you love Him not because of what you might get in return Serve one another (see 1 Peter 4:10 and Galatians 5:13) Follow Jesus example by considering others as being more significant than yourself (see Philippians 2:1-11) Don t discount or disregard the importance and the power of the spilled blood of Jesus Don t be ashamed of the spilled blood of Jesus regardless of how you think it may be offensive to our culture. Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins (see Hebrews 9:22) Each time you participate in communion, carefully contemplate what it symbolizes and do not take it lightly! Remember humility comes from Jesus example and pride comes from Satan s example. Follow Jesus example and not Satan s example! Falling into Satan s traps is not usually an instantaneous event it sometimes takes days, weeks and even years. Judas demise did not happen in an instant. It was a slow fade 78

79 Slow Fade By John Mark Hall Be careful little eyes what you see It's the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings Be careful little feet where you go For it's the little feet behind you that are sure to follow Be careful little ears what you hear When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near Be careful little lips what you say For empty words and promises lead broken hearts astray The journey from your mind to your hands Is shorter than you're thinking Be careful if you think you stand You just might be sinking It's a slow fade when you give yourself away It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid When you give yourself away People never crumble in a day Daddies never crumble in a day Families never crumble in a day Oh be careful little eyes what see Oh be careful little eyes what you see For the Father up above is looking down in love Oh be careful little eyes what you see Final Instructions (In the Upper Room) Jesus Issues a New Commandment John 13:31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, Where I am going you cannot come. 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 13: Judas has now left and Jesus begins to try to explain to the others what is about to happen First and foremost God was to be glorified! In these two verses (vv ) the word glorify/glorified is used 5 times and refer to the glory of God both Father and Son God s glory should be our top priority too! 79

80 How did Jesus glorify the Father? He explained how later: by finishing the work the Father gave Him to do (17:4). That is also how we glorify the Father. 109 Tom Constable The Johannine use of glorify (doxazō) is peculiar. The word occurs five times in vv in what seems to be unnecessary repetition. Intrinsically doxazō means exaltation. But as Jesus used it, it relates to his death. He connected it with the accomplishment of his work and the fulfillment of the hour for which he had been destined (12:23). The Cross would become the supreme glory of God because the Son would completely obey the will of the Father Merrill Tenney The Greek word tek-ni-a ( little children ) was a very endearing and tender word Jesus told His disciples that the most important thing that they can do for each other is to simply love one another. What a lesson for us too! We show the world that we are followers of Jesus by our love for each other! (What do you think it demonstrates to the world when we show a lack of love for each other?) What s new about this commandment? Maybe that we are to love not like humans love, but to love like Jesus loved just as I have loved you as opposed to love others like you love yourself! This is a total self-sacrificing kind of love (see 1 Corinthians 13) Now He gives to them a new commandment. Some folk would seem to think that He said, By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if you are fundamental in the faith. Now friend, I believe in being fundamental in the faith, I believe in the inerrancy of the Word of God, in the verbal, plenary inspiration of the Scriptures, in the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe that He died on the Cross for the expiation of sin; that He died a substitutionary, vicarious death for the sins of the world. I believe He was raised bodily and ascended back into heaven and that He is coming personally to take His church out of the world. But I want to say this, and I want to say it very carefully: believing those things does not convince the unsaved world outside. The world is dying for just a little love. Jesus says that His disciples are to be known for their love Tertullian writes that the Roman government was disturbed about the early church. Christians were increasing in number by leaps and bounds. Because they wouldn t take even a pinch of incense and put it before the image of the emperor, the Romans felt they might be disloyal. Spies went into the Christian gathering and came back with a report something like this: These Christians are very strange people. They meet together in an empty room to worship. They do not have an image. They speak of One by the name of Jesus, who is absent, but whom they seem to be expecting at any time. And my, how they love Him and how they love one another. Now if spies came from an atheistic government to see whether Christianity is genuine and they came to your church, what would be the verdict? Would they go back to report how these Christians love each other? 112 J. Vernon McGee 80

81 JESUS was laying down his farewell commandment to his disciples. The time was short; if they were ever to hear his voice, they must hear it now. He was going on a journey on which none might accompany him; he was taking a road that he had to walk alone; and before he went, he gave them the commandment that they must love one another as he had loved them. What does this mean for us, and for our relationships with one another? How did Jesus love his disciples? (1) He loved his disciples selflessly. Even in the noblest human love, there remains some element of self. We so often think maybe unconsciously of what we are to get. We think of the happiness we will receive, or of the loneliness we will suffer if love fails or is denied. So often we are thinking, what will this love do for me? So often at the back of things it is our happiness that we are seeking. But Jesus never thought of himself. His one desire was to give himself and all he had for those he loved. (2) Jesus loved his disciples sacrificially. There was no limit to what his love would give or to where it would go. No demand that could be made upon it was too much. If love meant the cross, Jesus was prepared to go there. Sometimes we make the mistake of thinking that love is meant to give us happiness. So in the end it does, but love may well bring pain and demand a cross. (3) Jesus loved his disciples understandingly. He knew his disciples through and through. We never really know people until we have lived with them. When we are meeting them only occasionally, we see them at their best. It is when we live with them that we find out their moods and their irritabilities and their weaknesses. Jesus had lived with his disciples day in and day out for many months and knew all that was to be known about them and he still loved them. Sometimes we say that love is blind. That is not so, for the love that is blind can end in nothing but bleak and utter disillusionment. Real love is open-eyed. It loves, not what it imagines people to be, but what they are. The heart of Jesus is big enough to love us as we are. (4) Jesus loved his disciples forgivingly. Their leader was to deny him. They were all to forsake him in his hour of need. They never really understood him. They were blind and insensitive, slow to learn, and lacking in understanding. In the end, they were miserable cowards. But Jesus held nothing against them; there was no failure which he could not forgive. The love which has not learned to forgive cannot do anything else but shrivel and die. We are poor creatures, and there is a kind of fate in things which makes us hurt most of all those who love us best. For that very reason, all enduring love must be built on forgiveness, for without forgiveness it is bound to die. 113 William Barclay I Am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life John 14:1 Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going. 5 Thomas said to him, Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way? 6 Jesus said to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 14:

82 With the word believe we find the [Greek] preposition eis which means into. When John talks about saving faith, there is always a preposition with it. The faith is not inactive, not passive; it is to believe into or to believe upon or to believe in. It is an active faith, which is trust. If you believe that your car will take you home, how do you get home? By just believing it? No, you believe in it so much that you commit yourself to the car. You get into it and trust that it will get you home. In just such a way you get saved. You believe in Christ; you trust yourself to Him. 114 J. Vernon McGee The thought of Jesus leaving greatly troubled His disciples Our hearts need not be troubled if we believe in the Jesus of Scripture Jesus promised to prepare a place for us where He was going Jesus also promised to come again to take us to that place This was a totally new concept for a Jewish audience The imagery of a dwelling place ( rooms ) is taken from the oriental house in which the sons and daughters have apartments under the same roof as their parents. The purpose of his departure was to make ready the place where he could welcome them permanently. Certainly he would not go to prepare for friends unless he expected that they would finally arrive. Although he was well aware of their weakness and impending failure, he took the responsibility of bringing them to the Father s house. 115 Merrill Tenney We have to admire the honesty of Thomas he did not understand and he was not afraid to ask This is one of the clearest indications of the exclusivity of Jesus. Jesus Hi identified Himself as the Way, the Truth and the Life: 1. The only way to the Father (i.e. Heaven) and He will take us by the hand and lead us to the Father if we will only allow Him to 2. The only truth that leads to the Father and Jesus entire life modeled that truth 3. The only true source of eternal life and if we want our lives to be meaningful, they must be tied up in His This is crystal clear in the Greek there are no other ways to translate this verse! Jesus is the only way! (see also Acts 4:12 and 1 Timothy 2:5) Jesus was not saying that He was one way to God among many. He was not saying that He pointed the way to God either. He said that no one comes to God the Father but through faith in Himself. This means that religions that assign Jesus a role that is different from the one that the Bible gives Him do not bring people to God or eternal life. This was an exclusive claim to being the only way to heaven (cf. 10:9; Acts 4:12; 1 Tim. 2:5). It is only because of Jesus Christ s work on the cross that anyone can enter heaven. Since He has come it is only through faith in the promise of God that His cross work satisfied the Father that anyone experiences regeneration (1:12; 3:16; 1 John 2:2; et al.). Since He has come, rejection of God s revelation through Him results in eternal damnation (3:36). 116 Tom Constable The Seven Great I Am Statements of Jesus in the Gospel of John 1. I am the Bread of life (John 6:48) 2. I am the Light of the world (John 8:12) 3. I am the Door (of salvation) (John 10:9) 4. I am the Good Shepherd (John 10:11) 5. I am the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25) 82

83 6. I am the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6) 7. I am the True Vine (John 15:1) Notice Jesus claim to deity here If you know Me, then you also know the Father To know what Jesus was like is to know what the Father is like John 14:8 Philip said to him, Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us. 9 Jesus said to him, Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, Show us the Father? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 14:8 11. Philip expressed a universal desire of mankind: to see God (cf. Ex. 33:18). In a perverted form this desire leads to idolatry. Philip was probably longing for a theophany (cf. Ex. 24:9 10; Isa. 6:1) or some visible display of God s glory. Jesus statement, Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father (cf. John 12:45), is one of the most staggering claims He ever made. The Father is in Jesus and Jesus perfectly reveals Him (1:18). Hence no theophany was necessary, for by seeing Jesus they were seeing the Father! 117 Edwin Blum Did Jesus claim to be God YES!!! If you have seen Jesus, you have seen the Father (i.e. God) We can almost sense a bit of frustration Jesus had with His disciples at this point. He had been with them for three years and they still did not really get it. Jesus reminded them of the works that He had performed Remember when we looked at the miracles of Jesus what their main purpose was? To prove that Jesus was the Messiah and that He was truly God. (See The Blind See and the Lame Walk lesson above) John 14:12 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 14: The disciples would do even greater works than Jesus in the sense that their works would have greater effects than His works had. During Jesus earthly ministry relatively few people believed on Him, but after His ascension many more did. The miracle of regeneration multiplied after Jesus ascended to heaven and the Father sent the Holy Spirit. Three thousand people became believers in Jesus on the day of Pentecost alone (Acts 2:41). The church thoroughly permeated the Roman Empire during the apostolic age whereas Jesus personal ministry did not extend beyond Palestine. The whole Book of Acts is proof that what Jesus predicted here happened (cf. Acts 1:1 2, 8). The mighty works of conversion are more in view here than a few miracles of healing. 118 Tom Constable What is a greater miracle: Healing someone of a physical illness or leading them out of spiritual death into spiritual life? The former will have no impact on eternity, but the latter one certainly will 83

84 Jesus told His disciples that they were capable of doing great works even greater works than Jesus Himself demonstrated while He was here on earth However, there was a caveat The phrase in my name is not a magical incantation and it is not a blank check to do or receive anything we ask To do something in the name of a person is to do something on their behalf not your behalf It is similar to the work of an ambassador who speaks on behalf or in the name of the country they represent To ask for something to be done in Jesus name is to ask for something to be done that is in accordance to God s will and not our own Some people think that if we simply utter these words in faith God is somehow obligated to give us what we ask for This is simply not true God is not obligated to do anything for us. God is sovereign. God does not serve us, we serve Him! Remember what Jesus taught in John 13:31-35? His purpose was to bring God glory! The same thing holds true for us too! Our lives are to be about bringing glory to God and not to ourselves Praying in Jesus name means coming to the Father in prayer as Jesus representative. Jesus introduced the idea of representing Him in verse 12. When we pray in Jesus name, we claim to be acting for Him. Someone who prays that way will always ask only what is God s will or what is subject to God s will since that is always how Jesus related to His Father. It is impossible to pray in Jesus name and to ask something contrary to God s will. These two acts are mutually contradictory. The purpose of our praying must always be God s glory (cf. 1 Cor. 10:31) as it always was and always will be the Son s purpose (5:41; 7:18; 8:50, 54; 12:28). Thus Jesus promised here to grant petitions prayed in His name that the Father might receive glory from the Son. 119 Tom Constable The Promise of the Holy Spirit John 14:15 If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him. 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world? 23 Jesus answered him, If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father s who sent me. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 14:

85 How do we demonstrate that we love Jesus by keeping His commandments Even though Jesus was leaving His disciples, He promised to send them a Helper That Helper is the Holy Spirit The Greek word here is pa-ra-klē-tos and has a legal connotation. It has a similar idea to a skilled paralegal that helps an attorney. The Holy Spirit likewise helps us Jesus does not leave us to struggle with the Christian life alone. He would send us another Helper. The Greek word is paraklētos, which is really untranslatable. The Authorized Version renders it Comforter, which, although hallowed by time and usage, is not a good translation. Moffatt translates it as Helper. It is only when we examine this word paraklētos in detail that we catch something of the riches of the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. It really means someone who is called in; but it is the reason why the person is called in which gives the word its distinctive associations. The Greeks used the word in a wide variety of ways. A paraklētos might be a person called in to give witness in a law court in someone s favour, or an advocate called in to plead the cause of someone under a charge which would issue in a serious penalty; an expert called in to give advice in some difficult situation, or a person called in when, for example, a company of soldiers were depressed and dispirited to put new courage into their minds and hearts. Always a paraklētos is someone called in to help in time of trouble or need. Comforter was once a perfectly good translation. It actually goes back to John Wyclif, the first person to use it in his translation made in the fourteenth century. But in his day it meant much more than it means now. The word comes from the Latin fortis, which means brave; and a comforter was someone who enabled some dispirited creature to be brave. Nowadays comfort has to do almost solely with sorrow; and a comforter is someone who sympathizes with us when we are sad. Beyond a doubt the Holy Spirit does that, but to limit his work to that function is sadly to belittle him. We often talk of being able to cope with things. That is precisely the work of the Holy Spirit. He takes away our inadequacies and enables us to cope with life. The Holy Spirit substitutes victorious for defeated living. 120 William Barclay One of the ways the Holy Spirit helps us is when we pray He intercedes on our behalf (see Romans 8:26-27) Notice that the world cannot receive the Spirit because it does not see or know the Spirit. Only the Spirit can reveal Himself to the world! The world cannot believe in the Spirit under its own power. No one comes to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ unless the Spirit enables them to do so Notice the doctrine of the Trinity here: When the Son leaves the Father will send the Holy Spirit we see all Three in this passage. The Holy Spirit was given at Pentecost (see Acts 2) This was in fulfillment to Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Joel 2:28-32 The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is what makes a person a true believer a real Christian Judas (not Iscariot) may be the same person as Thaddaeus (Matthew 10:3; Mark 3:18) 85

86 Ministries of the Holy Spirit He convicts of sin (John 16:5-11) He teaches He is or counselor (John 16:13-15; John 14:26; 1 Corinthians 2:10-16) He intercedes (Romans 8:26-27). He regenerates (John 3:3-6; Titus 3:4-7) He indwells believers (Ezekiel 36:26-27; Jeremiah 31:31-33; Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19-20) He seals our salvation (Ephesians 1:13-14) He baptizes (Acts 2:33; 1 Corinthians 12:13) He fills (controls) (Ephesians 5:15-20) He gives spiritual gifts (Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 11:8-10, 28-30; Ephesians 4:11) If we love Jesus, we will keep His words (i.e. obey Him) The Holy Spirit can help us do this if we allow Him to If we do not love Jesus, we will not keep His words God s love for us never changes, but His blessing in our lives can be limited if we do not obey Him This is no different than when we withhold things from our children or discipline them due to disobedience. However, we do not love them any less The believer s obedience does not make God love him or her more than He would otherwise. God s love for all people is essentially as great as it can be. However in the family relationship that Jesus was describing the believer s obedience allows God to express His love for him or her without restraint. When there is disobedience, God does not express His love as fully because He chooses to discipline the believer (cf. Heb. 12:4 13). 121 Tom Constable John 14:25 These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, I am going away, and I will come to you. If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, 31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 14: The Holy Spirit will teach us what we need to know, but this is not an entirely passive action on our part Believers have to seek out the things of the Spirit and be students of the Word The Holy Spirit will remind us of what Jesus has said. This means two things. (1) In matters of belief, the Holy Spirit is constantly bringing back to us the things Jesus said. We have an obligation to think, but all our conclusions must be tested against the words of Jesus. It is not so much the truth that we have to discover; he told us the truth. What we have to discover is the meaning of that truth. The Holy Spirit saves us 86

87 from arrogance and error of thought. (2) The Holy Spirit will keep us right in matters of conduct. Nearly all of us have this sort of experience in life. We are tempted to do something wrong and are on the very brink of doing it, when back into our mind comes a saying of Jesus, the verse of a psalm, the picture of Jesus, words of someone we love and admire, teaching we received when very young. In the moment of danger, these things flash unbidden into our minds. That is the work of the Holy Spirit. 122 William Barclay The peace Jesus spoke of could not be exemption from conflict and trial. Jesus himself was troubled (12:27) by the impending Crucifixion. The peace he spoke of is the calmness of confidence in God. Jesus had this peace because he was sure of the Father s love and approval. The world can give only false peace, which mostly comes from the ignorance of peril or self-reliance. Jesus, fully aware of the distressing suffering confronting him, had such confidence in the purpose and power of the Father that he moved forward unhesitatingly to meet the crisis without fear. His peace would be the source of courage for the disciples Merrill Tenney Jesus is the only true source of peace The world may offer temporary peace, but only Jesus offers eternal peace Notice the idea of the glory of the Son being less than that of the Father in v. 28 It should be obvious by now that Jesus did not mean that He was less then God or an inferior god when He said that God was greater than He was. Jesus was not speaking ontologically (i.e., dealing with essential being) since He had affirmed repeatedly that He and the Father were one ontologically (1:1 2; 10:30; 14:9; 20:28). Rather He was speaking of the Father s glory. Jesus had laid His heavenly glory aside in the Incarnation, but the Father had not done so and consequently enjoyed greater glory than the Son during Jesus earthly ministry. However now Jesus was about to return to the Father and the greater glory that He would again share with the Father Tom Constable It is truly amazing that the very Son of God would empty Himself of His glory and come to earth to be born in a dark, damp, smelly cave only to be rejected, executed and laid to rest in another dark, damp, smelly cave (see Philippians 2:5-8). How great God s love must be for us! Jesus instructed His disciples to rejoice because He was going to the Father We need to rejoice too when believers graduate into the presence of the Father The hour of darkness was upon them, but this darkness would be short-lived Satan really had no claim on Jesus. Jesus would suffer death, but He would have the ultimate victory The purpose of John s Gospel was that we may believe in Jesus (John 1:50; 3:12, 15; 4:21, 41; 5:24, 44, 46; 6:29, 35, 47, 64; 7:38; 8:24, 45; 9:35; 10:38; 11:25, 41; 12:37, 44; 13:19; 14:1, 11; 16:31; 17:20; 20:27) How did Jesus demonstrate His love for the Father? (see v. 31) How can we demonstrate our love of the Father? 87

88 Two Swords Luke 22:35 And he said to them, When I sent you out with no moneybag or knapsack or sandals, did you lack anything? They said, Nothing. 36 He said to them, But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one. 37 For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: And he was numbered with the transgressors. For what is written about me has its fulfillment. 38 And they said, Look, Lord, here are two swords. And he said to them, It is enough. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Lk 22: Previously Jesus instructed His disciples to take nothing with them when they went out to share the Gospel (see Luke 9:3; 10:4; Matthew 10:9-10; Mark 6:8) Now Jesus instructed His disciples to take these things along because the going was about to get rough Jesus pointed out to His disciples that they had never lacked anything while they were with Him and were sent out to minister for Him (cf. 9:3). However, now that He was to be taken away from them, they would have to make preparations for their ministries including a purse a bag, and a sword for personal protection. 125 John Martin The Prophet Isaiah predicted that Jesus would die like a transgressor (see Isaiah 53:12) Did the disciples take Jesus words too literally? Some interpret It (or That) is enough as meaning two swords would be adequate in view of the coming conflict. This does not seem to be what Jesus meant since He later rebuked Peter for using even one sword to defend Him (vv ; cf. Matt. 26:52). Furthermore two swords would not be enough to defend Jesus against arrest. Others interpret Jesus as having meant that the possession of two swords was enough to identify Jesus and the disciples as criminals and so fulfill Isaiah 53:12. However it was not the possession of swords that identified Jesus as a criminal but the false charges that He had claimed to be a king opposed to Caesar. Probably Jesus meant that He wished to pursue the discussion no further. The disciples had misunderstood Him. They would only learn what He meant later as they would learn the meaning of many other things that He had taught them that they had failed to perceive. The expression occurs often in the Old Testament in this sense (cf. Gen. 45:28; Exod. 9:28; Deut. 3:26; 1 Kings 19:4; 1 Chron. 21:15). 126 Tom Constable Jesus was saying, All the time so far you have had me with you. In a very short time you are going to be cast upon your own resources. What are you going to do about it? The danger in a very short time is not that you will possess nothing; but that you will have to fight for your very existence. This was not an incitement to armed force. It was simply a vivid way of telling the disciples that their very lives were at stake. No one could say that the seriousness and danger of the situation, and his own liability to collapse, were not presented William Barclay 88

89 Discussion Questions 1. What are some things that interfere with us putting God s glory above our own? 2. Why do you think Jesus emphasized our love for one another? Lessons for Life Make you main desire to see God glorified regardless of the cost! Love other believers regardless of who they are (Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, Lutheran, Pentecostal, Charismatic, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, American, European, African, Asian, Hispanic, rich, poor, white collar, blue collar, fat, thin, educated, un-educated whatever!) Love other believers just like Jesus loved His disciples selflessly Seek to do God s will and not your own Ask God to help you do His will Allow the Holy Spirit to lead, guide and direct you Show God that you love Him by obeying Him! Remember that Jesus did not promise us an easy life as believers. In fact, He warned us that just the opposite was true 89

90 Final Instructions (On the Way to the Garden of Gethsemane) Jesus Predicts Peter s Denial Mark 14:26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 27 And Jesus said to them, You will all fall away, for it is written, I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered. 28 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee. 29 Peter said to him, Even though they all fall away, I will not. 30 And Jesus said to him, Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times. 31 But he said emphatically, If I must die with you, I will not deny you. And they all said the same. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mk 14: See Zachariah 13:7 The Passion Week

91 During the Passover, the Hallel (praise) Psalms (Psalm ) were sung The word hallelujah is a transliteration from Hebrew and means Praise you (plural) the LORD The Prophet Zachariah prophesied that the disciples would flee (Zachariah 13:7) Jesus applied Zechariah 13:7 to this situation: I (God the Father) will strike (put to death) the Shepherd (Jesus), and the sheep (the disciples) will be scattered in all directions. The interpretive change from the command Strike (Zech. 13:7) to the assertion I will strike suggests that Jesus viewed Himself as God s suffering Servant (cf. Isa. 53: esp. Isa. 53:4 6). 129 John Grassmick Here Jesus clearly tells His disciples that He will be raised up Fall away obviously does not indicate a permanent condition here, but a temporary one Peter insisted that he would not fall away, but Jesus knew better Jesus uses two very powerful Greek constructs here: Truly and the emphatic this very night Jesus reply should have caused Peter to realize his weakness and seek help. Instead he dug in his heels and virtually told Jesus that he would die to prove Him wrong. He kept affirming excessively (Gr. ekperissos, used only here in the New Testament) that he would definitely not deny Jesus. Peter did not know how weak he was, a problem most disciples of Jesus share with him. He would have to learn the hard way, through failure. Peter led the other disciples in denying that they would deny Jesus. This pericope is a strong warning for all disciples. When facing persecution for one s allegiance to Jesus, one should not trust in the strength of his or her own commitment. He or she should trust in God who can supply the grace needed to remain faithful (cf. 9:14 29). 130 Tom Constable When we think we are strong and can handle things ourselves watch out! A fall is probably somewhere in our near future It was pointless for Peter to argue with God! This was a lesson that the ancient Job learned all too well (see Job 40:1-5) Rooster crow was an expression that simply meant sunrise Peter will go on to deny Jesus, but after the resurrection we see a new Peter who is willing to literally give his life for the Gospel and he does! It is interesting to note that had the Gospels been fabricated by the early church as some liberal scholars and historians argue, Peter s denial certainly would not have been part of such a fabrication! IT is a tremendous thing about Jesus that there was nothing for which he was not prepared. The opposition, the misunderstanding, the enmity of the orthodox religious people, the betrayal by one of his own inner circle, the pain and the agony of the cross he was prepared for them all. But perhaps what hurt him most was the failure of his friends. It is when we are up against it that we need our friends most, and that was exactly when Jesus friends left him all alone and let him down. There was nothing in the whole gamut of physical pain and mental torture that Jesus did not pass through. 131 William Barclay 91

92 I Am the True Vine John 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 15:1 11. There are three types of people that Jesus is referring to here: 1. Believers who are bearing fruit 2. Believers who are not yet bearing fruit 3. Non-believers who are not bearing fruit and cannot because they are spiritually dead What happens to the believer who bears no fruit? The Greek word airo can mean to take away or to lift up. Those who interpret it here as meaning to take away (in judgment) believe that either the believer loses his or her salvation, or the believer loses his or her reward and possibly even his or her life. Those who interpret airo to mean to lift up believe that these branches get special attention from the vinedresser so they will bear fruit in the future. The second alternative seems better since in the spring vinedressers both lifted up unfruitful branches and pruned (Gr. kathairo) fruitful branches of grapevines. Jesus gave this teaching in the spring when farmers did what He described in this verse. Assuming that this is the correct interpretation, Jesus was teaching that the Father gives special support to believers who are not yet bearing fruit. In viticulture this involves lifting the branch off the ground so it will not send secondary roots down into ground that will prove unhealthful. Lifting the branch off the ground onto a pole or trellis also enables air to dry the branch and to prevent it from getting moldy and becoming diseased. 132 Tom Constable God prunes fruit bearing branches so they will bear even more fruit Fruit only come from God Jesus is the source He is the Vine Fruit does not come from our own efforts unless we abide in Jesus we can do nothing! To bear fruit, we must abide in Jesus. How? o We keep His commandments (John 15:10) o We love God and love others (Mark 12:28-31) o We share our faith and make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20) o We focus on God and not on ourselves (1 Corinthians 10:31) o We put God s Kingdom ahead of our own (Matthew 6:33) The result is the fruit of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22) 92

93 In emphasing the missionary perspective of this section, however, we must not overpress this application. Fruit-bearing is primarily here the winning of the lost, but it is not exclusively so. In Isaiah chapter 5 the same imagery is applied to social justice (Is. 5:7). Nor can we forget Paul s employment of it in Galatians 5:22: the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. The fruit-bearing which glorifies the Father, and is the product of pruning and remaining, is finally inclusive of all the works, graces and ministries of the living Lord in his people. Wherever the Son is seen the harvest has ripened and the Father is glorified. 133 Bruce Milne A non-abiding Christian is really not a Christian at all Dead wood must be removed lest the decay and disease spread to the rest of the plant What did Jesus mean by these symbolic words about vine branches being burned? These words have been interpreted in at least three ways: (1) The burned branches are Christians who have lost their salvation. (But this contradicts many passages, e.g., 3:16, 36; 5:24; 10:28 29; Rom. 8:1.) (2) The burned branches represent Christians who will lose rewards but not salvation at the judgment seat of Christ (1 Cor. 3:15). (But Jesus spoke here of dead branches; such a branch is thrown away and withers.) (3) The burned branches refer to professing Christians who, like Judas, are not genuinely saved and therefore are judged. Like a dead branch, a person without Christ is spiritually dead and therefore will be punished in eternal fire (cf. Matt. 25:46). Judas was with Jesus; he seemed like a branch. But he did not have God s life in him; therefore he departed; his destiny was like that of a dead branch. 134 Edwin Blum When we are abiding in Jesus, God changes our want to s If we abide in Jesus we can ask whatever we wish and it will be granted. However, if we are truly abiding in Jesus we will not want or ask anything that is outside of God s will (Matthew 6:10) [Verse 7] has also been a stumbling-block to some sincere Christians. It appears to be a blanket promise to grant any request the disciple may offer. Really it is a blanket promise to grant any request that an abiding disciple may offer. An abiding disciple will ask only those things that are in harmony with or subject to God s will, as Jesus did. The wishes of abiding disciples are the same as Jesus wishes. To ask anything else would make the praying believer a non-abiding disciple. 135 Tom Constable Notice the emphasis Jesus places here again on love John wrote his first epistle so that our joy might be complete (see 1 John 1:4) and one of the main things he stresses in that epistle is the importance of love True, un-circumstantial joy only comes from abiding in Jesus Love is the relationship that unites the disciples to Christ as branches are united to a vine. Two results stem from this relationship: obedience and joy. Obedience marks the cause of their fruitfulness; joy is its result. Jesus intended that the disciples lives should be both spontaneous and happy rather than burdensome and boring. Obedience in carrying out his purpose would be a guarantee of success, for Jesus never planned failure for his disciples. Joy logically follows when the disciples realize that the life of Christ in them is bringing fruit something they could never produce in their own strength. 136 Merrill Tenney 93

94 John 15:12 This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 15: For the second time in the same night (see John 13:34) before His crucifixion Jesus stresses the importance of His disciples loving one another the same way He has loved them. Do you think this is important to Jesus? Do you think it should be important to us? True love requires true sacrifice! Jesus will model this for His disciples very shortly Jesus repeated his command to love each other (cf. 13:34) because he knew that the future of the work among men depended on the disciples attitude toward one another. His stress on love had been underscored earlier in this discourse (14:15, 21, 23, 28). Unity instead of rivalry, trust instead of suspicion, obedience instead of selfassertion must rule the disciples common labors. The measure of their love for one another is that of his love for them (cf. 13:34), which would be further demonstrated by his forthcoming sacrifice. John caught the meaning of the statement and repeated it in his First Epistle: This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers (1 John 3:16). 137 Merrill Tenney A challenging question to ask is could we lay down our lives for others like Jesus? This can be easy to answer in the safety of our present circumstances, but difficult when faced with death as a real possibility We must remember that God gives us the grace for the what is in our lives and not the what ifs He doesn t ask all of us to die for Him. Someone once asked Dwight L. Moody whether he had dying grace. Mr. Moody replied that he didn t have it, but when He needed it, the Lord would give it to him. And He did. 138 J. Vernon McGee To be called a friend of God who created everything is nothing short of incredible! In the ancient world and even today most students chose their teachers. Jesus broke that mold by choosing His disciples Servants do what they are told. It is not up to the Master to explain His rational. Friends, on the other hand, are privy to the Master s reasons A good servant (Gr. doulos, lit. slave) also obeys his master. What then is the difference between a servant of God and an intimate friend of God? Jesus proved to His disciples that they were His friends as well as His servants but pointing out that a master shares his plans with his friends but not with his slaves. He had told them what was coming thereby treating them as His friends. Abraham and Moses, the only Old Testament characters whom God called His friends, also received revelations of God s plans from Him (cf. Gen. 18:17; Exod. 33:11; 2 Chron. 20:7; Isa. 41:8; James 2:23). 139 Tom Constable 94

95 The disciples had the Master with them to do this. We have the Master indwelling us (i.e. Holy Spirit) and the Master s Word to explain to us His reasons or at least the reasons He would have us know. We must never forget that we are called to be people of faith and if we knew everything we would not have to have faith Not only did Jesus chose His disciples, He also appointed them to bear fruit Again Jesus promises to give the disciples whatever they ask in His name (i.e. according to His will) Prayer must be in the name of Christ. We cannot pray for things of which we know that Jesus would disapprove. We cannot pray that we should be given some forbidden person or some forbidden thing; we cannot pray that some personal ambition should be realized, if that ambition means that someone else must be hurt to fulfil [sic] it. We cannot pray in the name of the one who is love for vengeance on our enemies. Whenever we try to turn prayer into something to enable us to realize our own ambitions and to satisfy our own desires, it must be ineffective, for it is not real prayer at all Prayer must say: Your will be done. When we pray, we must first realize that we never know better than God. The essence of prayer is not that we say to God: Your will be changed, but that we say to him: Your will be done. So often, real prayer must be not that God would send us the things we wish, but that he would make us able to accept the things he wills. 140 William Barclay Obedience is essential to abiding in Jesus. Abiding is Jesus is essential to fruitbearing. Fruit-bearing is essential for effective prayer. Therefore, if you want your prayers to be effective you must produce fruit by abiding in Jesus through faithful obedience! Jesus Warns the Disciples that the World will hate them John 15:18 If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: They hated me without a cause. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 15: When we are God s friends we will be hated by the world because the world hates Him! The world demands conformity to itself. The world s love is conditional upon this conformity If we truly have our best life now, then we are probably not walking in the will of God because Jesus told us if we follow Him we can expect trouble Jesus warned His disciples that if He were persecuted they could expect the same We, as followers of Jesus, can expect the same too 95 See Psalm 35:19 and 69:4

96 Friendship with God results in enduring the world s hatred. Conversely, being friends with the world is to be God s enemy (James 4:4). Jesus alerted His disciples to the fact of the world s hatred. The world in John s Gospel is the system of organized society hostile to God, which is under Satan s power (John 14:30). Believers might be surprised by this hostility (1 Peter 4:12 13), but they should remember that Jesus was hated from His birth (when Herod the Great sought to kill Him) to His death on the cross. 141 Edwin Blum [W]e must remember that by [the time John wrote his Gospel] the Church was living under the constant threat of persecution. Christians were indeed persecuted because of the name of Christ. Christianity was illegal. A magistrate needed only to ask whether or not someone was a Christian and to receive an affirmative response and, no matter what the person had done or had not done, the punishment was liable to be death. John was speaking of a situation which existed in the most clearcut and agonizing way The basic demand on Christians is the demand that they should have the courage to be different. To be different will be dangerous, but none of us can be a Christian unless we accept that risk, for there must be a difference between the men and women of the world and the men and women of Christ. 143 William Barclay Why is it that when the Bible speaks of blessings we are quick to place ourselves in a position to receive them and when it speaks of suffering we rationalize that the Bible was only speaking to a select group of people that do not include us? Martyrdom for Christ, however, is not confined to the first century. Indeed, by any estimate the supreme century of the martyrs for Jesus has been our own one. It is estimated that in the twentieth century to date somewhere in the region of 26 million Christians have lost their lives for Christ s sake, in places like China, the Soviet bloc, Cambodia, Mozambique, Angola, Ethiopia and Uganda. Faced with Jesus teaching and these contemporary realities, those who profess Christ s name in the comfortable West need to hear the words of Yugoslavian evangelical leader Peter Kusmic. So much popular Western evangelical religiosity is so shallow and selfish. It promises so much and demands so little. It offers success, personal happiness, peace of mind, material prosperity; but it hardly speaks of repentance, sacrifice, self-denial, holy lifestyle and willingness to die for Christ. Every reader of this commentary, along with its author, needs to face the question soberly am I ready to die for Christ? It is not a theoretical question: Jesus has the clear right to ask it of us, and he gives no guarantee that he will not. Following Jesus is not a game. 144 Bruce Milne Once someone is given the truth, they are responsible for that truth. Jesus told the truth and the people rejected that truth; therefore, they had no excuse for their sin To hate Jesus is to hate God the Father also Works (i.e. miracles) are not enough to convince people who have not been chosen! Think about all of the works that Judas witnessed! On the other hand, those of us who truly believe should not need to seek works for proof of God s existence or love 96

97 John 15:26 But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 15: The Helper is the Holy Spirit Notice the Trinity here: God the Son is teaching that God the Father will send God the Holy Spirit The Spirit who bears witness (i.e. reveals Jesus to mankind) about Jesus and as Spirit filled believers we are to do the same Christian witnesses willingly testify to what they know Christian witness issues in outward testimony. A witness is not only someone who knows that something is true, but someone who is prepared to say so. A Christian witness is someone who not only knows Christ but wants others to know him too. It is our privilege and our task to be witnesses for Christ in the world; and we cannot be witnesses without the personal intimacy, the inner conviction and the outward testimony to our faith. 145 William Barclay John 16:1 I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. 3 And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4 But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 16:1-4a. Jesus knew the hardships His disciples would encounter The greatest danger of so called prosperity theology is that when it proves itself to be untrue to those who have bought into its teaching, there is a danger that they may fall away. We MUST understand that the life of the believer on this side of eternity is not, cannot and will not be perfect! We live in a fallen world that is hostile to our very lives in every way including sickness, troubles, persecution and ultimately death. Our hope is not for now it is in eternity! Jesus foresaw this [persecution] and gave warning beforehand. He did not want anyone to be able to say that he had not known what to expect when he became a Christian. When William Tyndale was persecuted and his enemies were out for his life because he sought to give the Bible to the people in the English language, he said calmly: I never expected anything else. Jesus offered men and women glory, but he offered them a cross as well. 146 William Barclay To be put out of the synagogue in a Jewish context was tantamount to completely ostracized from the community and in that culture it would be devastating Many people think they are doing the work of God when in fact they are doing the work of Satan Jesus is very clear to His disciples that they will experience suffering for His name When their hour comes reflects the time when these bad things that Jesus is referring to begin happening to the disciples Followers of Jesus are NEVER promised a life (prior to eternity) without suffering NO ONE in the Bible was immune from suffering not even Jesus! Why should we expect or demand anything different? 97

98 The Ministry of the Holy Spirit John 16:4b I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, Where are you going? 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 16:4 11. Jesus is pouring out everything to His disciples because He knows that His ministry on earth is about to come to an end Isn t it interesting that the disciples did not question Jesus about where He was going; however, they understood that He was leaving and their hearts were breaking Jesus once again promises to send the Holy Spirit and He describes this as an advantage. In other words, having the Holy Spirit indwelling us is better than having Jesus sitting next to us! In the present ministry of the Holy Spirit in the world, He will convict the world of three things: sin, righteousness, and judgment. Our Lord explains for us what that sin means. Sin, because they believe not on me. What is the greatest sin in all the world? Murder? No. Who are the greatest sinners in this age? We ve had some rascals, haven t we? Every age has had rascals. We might point out Hitler, or Stalin, or Karl Marx, or the Mafia. Well, who is the greatest sinner today? I want to say to you very carefully that you could be the greatest sinner living today. You may say, Now wait a minute, preacher, you can t say that about me! I m no rascal; I m a law abiding citizen. The question is this: Have you accepted Christ? Unbelief is a state and there is no remedy if you refuse to trust Christ. Of sin, because they believe not on me. If you do not trust Him, you are lost. It is just as simple as that. It is just as important as that. This is a decision that every man must make. The man today, whoever he is, if he is rejecting Jesus Christ, is, in the sight of God, the greatest sinner. Remember that Jesus said, If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin (John 15:22). Everyone who has ever heard the gospel is responsible for his decision concerning Jesus Christ. To reject Christ is sin. Secondly, He will convict the world of righteousness. Jesus Christ was delivered for our offenses and was raised again for our justification (see Rom. 4:25). Jesus Christ returned to the Father because He had completed His work here. When He died on the Cross, He died a judgment death. He took my guilt and your guilt and He died in our place. He was delivered for our offenses. But He was raised for our justification. He was raised from the dead that you and I might not only have our sins subtracted, but so that we might have His righteousness added. That is very important because you and I need righteousness. It is not enough to have our sins forgiven. We cannot stand in God s presence if we are nothing more than pardoned criminals. Christ has made over to us His righteousness. That is the righteousness Paul spoke of: that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of 98

99 God by faith (Phil 3:8 9). He not only subtracts our sin, but He adds His righteousness. If we are to have any standing before God, we must be in Christ and He is our righteousness. Either we have as much right in heaven as Christ Himself has, or we have no right there at all. He was delivered for our offenses, and He was raised again for our justification (righteousness). Thirdly, He convicts the world of judgment. Does this mean that judgment is coming some day? No, not in this verse. Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. The prince of this world, Satan, has already been judged. It is difficult for a great many believers to understand that we live in a judged world. One hears people say that they ll take their chances. They act as if they are on trial. My friend, you are not on trial. God has already declared you a lost sinner, and He has already judged you For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom. 6:23). We live in a world that has already been judged and is like the man waiting in death row for his execution. The judgment against all of us is Guilty because all our own righteousnesses are as filthy rags in the sight of God. If we had to stand before God in our own filthy rags, we would not only be ashamed of ourselves, but we would also see how guilty we are. 147 J. Vernon McGee John 16:12 I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 16: It is the Holy Spirit who leads us into truth Notice the subordination of office of the Holy Spirit to the Father The Holy Spirit brings glory to the Son Notice the mystery of the Trinity here we see both subordination (in office) and equality (in essence) in the same passage all that the Father has is mine The Trinity is a mystery that we will never be able to fully comprehend; however, it is clearly taught in Scripture The Spirit, Jesus said, would not teach the disciples on His own (i.e., on His own initiative) but would teach only what He hears from the Father. This points up the interdependence of the Persons in the Trinity. The Father would tell the Spirit what to teach the apostles about the Son. 148 Edwin Blum Sorrow into Joy John 16:16 A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me. 17 So some of his disciples said to one another, What is this that he says to us, A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me ; and, because I am going to the Father? 18 So they were saying, What does he mean by a little while? We do not know what he is talking about. 19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me? 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. 21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being 99

100 has been born into the world. 22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. 23 In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 16: Jesus tried to explain His death and resurrection to His disciples they did not understand what He was saying Anything worthwhile comes with a price a painful delivery comes before the birth of a new life and for Jesus there was a cross that came before the crown However, once the pain has passed, the joy of what it has produced quickly shadows the discomfort that was experienced Once we reach eternity the memory of the discomfort of this life will quickly fade away Jesus knew that once He was resurrected the joy of having Him back would overshadow anything else the disciples might want There may be a time when it looks as if to be a Christian brings nothing but sorrow, and to be of the world brings nothing but joy. But the day will come when the roles are reversed. The world s careless joy will turn to sorrow; and the Christian s apparent sorrow will turn to joy. Christians must always remember, when their faith costs them dear, that this is not the end of things and that sorrow will give way to joy... There will be two precious things about this Christian joy. (a) It will never be taken away. It will be independent of the chances and changes of the world. It is the simple fact that in every generation people who were suffering terribly have spoken of sweet times with Christ. The joy the world gives is at the mercy of the world. The joy which Christ gives is independent of anything the world can do. (b) It will be complete. In life s greatest joy there is always something lacking. It may be that somehow there lingers some regret; that there is a cloud no bigger than a person s hand to mar it; that the memory that it cannot last is always at the back of our minds. In Christian joy, the joy of the presence of Christ, there is no tinge of imperfection. It is perfect and complete. 149 William Barclay Until now you have asked nothing in my name However, the disciples had asked for things not in His name (see Mark 10:35-45) The greatest gift we can ask for is Jesus Himself! It is the only gift that can make our joy be truly full I tell you the truth again introduced an important statement. They would be His ambassadors and therefore had the right to ask the Father for whatever they needed to accomplish His will. The words in My name are not a magical formula which enable the user to get his will done; instead those words tied the requests to the work of the Son in doing the Father s will (cf. in My name in 14:13 14; 15:16; 16:24, 26). Up to this point the disciples had not prayed in the name of Jesus. Now they are to do this since Jesus death and the Spirit s coming would enable them to enter into God s new program of the Church Age. Answered prayer brings complete joy (cf. 15:11; 16:22) because God is at work in them. 150 Edwin Blum 100

101 Jesus will overcome! John 16:25 I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father. 29 His disciples said, Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! 30 Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God. 31 Jesus answered them, Do you now believe? 32 Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. 33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 16: After Jesus sacrifice, we no longer need a human mediator between us an God However, Jesus death on the cross did not enable the Father to love us He always has Jesus says something we must always remember. His disciples can approach God directly, because God loves them; he does not need to take their requests to God; they can take their own. Here is the final proof of something which must never be forgotten. Often we tend to think in terms of an angry God and a gentle Jesus; what Jesus did is presented in a way which seems to mean that he changed the attitude of God to men and women, and made him a God of love instead of a God of judgment. But here Jesus is saying: You can go to God, because he loves you, and he is saying that before the cross. He did not die to change God into love; he died to tell us that God is love. He came, not because God so hated the world, but because he so loved the world. Jesus brought to all people the love of God. 151 William Barclay Jesus indicated that our requests can go directly to the Father The disciples believed that Jesus came from the Father, but their faith was about to be put to the ultimate test Even though the disciples would leave Jesus alone, He know that He was never alone because the Father was with Him Though the disciples were honest and sincere in their affirmations of faith (v. 30), Jesus knew their limitations far better than they did (cf. 2:24 25). The words You believe at last! could also be translated Do you now believe? (NIV marg.) This seems to capture the thought better. They did believe but it was not complete faith or strong faith until after the death and resurrection of Jesus and the advent of the Spirit. You will be scattered is a fulfillment of Zechariah s words which spoke of the Shepherd (the Messiah) smitten by decree of the Lord Almighty, which resulted in the scattering of the sheep (Zech 13:7). In spite of the disciples loyalty, faith, and love, they soon failed Him miserably. His prediction, You will leave Me all alone, was fulfilled by all His disciples deserting Him (Matt. 26:56) when He was arrested and by Peter s denial (John 18:17, 25 26) Edwin Blum The world does and will have tribulations, but we can be encouraged because Jesus has overcome the world As believers, we are promised the peace of God 101 NOTE: The Bible Knowledge Commentary was written as a commentary for the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible. This document uses the ESV.

102 Peace. He closes with peace. The child of God can have peace in this life because peace is found in Christ and in no other place. You won t find peace in the church. You won t find peace in Christian service. Peace is found in the person of Jesus Christ. 153 J. Vernon McGee Discussion Questions 1. What fruit is a Christian to bear? 2. Why do Christians suffer even when they are faithfully following Jesus? Lessons for Life Remember that God can forgive any sin but one (i.e. dying is a state of continual rejection of Jesus). God can even forgive someone who has denied they know Him to save their own skin We must abide in Jesus by loving God, loving others and obeying His commandments We are to bear fruit that comes from the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23) True love requires true sacrifice Be a witness of what Jesus has done for you When suffering comes due to your faith in Jesus, don t be surprised because Jesus warned His disciples that this would happen We will never be able to fully comprehend the mysteries of God, but we can know Him truly! Remember that our true hope lies in eternity. This broken world that can cause us much pain and suffering is not our home! Even when our friends forsake us, we know that the Father never will Satan s victories are short-lived because Jesus has overcome the world We can rest in the peace that only comes from God Arrival at the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus High Priestly Prayer John 17:1 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 17:1 5. What a wonderful gift God gave us by allowing us to eavesdrop on this very personal prayer of Jesus! Jesus began His prayer by acknowledging His submission to the Father s will and His desire that the Father might be mutually glorified Jesus then prayed, Glorify Your Son (cf. 17:5). This request for glorification included sustaining Jesus in suffering, accepting His sacrifice, resurrecting Him, and restoring Him to His pristine glory. The purpose of the request was that the Father would be glorified by the Son, that God s wisdom, power, and love might be known through Jesus. Believers too are to glorify God (v. 10); in fact, this is the chief end of man (Rom. 11:36; 16:27; 1 Cor. 10:31; Eph. 1:6, 12, 14; cf. Westminster Larger Catechism, Question 1). 154 Edwin Blum 102

103 Jesus has authority to give eternal life to all those the Father has given Him Eternal life = knowing the only true God and Jesus They Greek word for know (γινώσκωσιν) here connotes a deep, intimate knowledge, not just a simple intellectual knowledge. That s not to say that intellectual knowledge is not necessary it is. However, to know God truly we need both Jesus goal was to accomplish what the Father gave Him to do. What do you think our goal should be? Even though Jesus had not yet endured the cross, He knew that His work would be fully accomplished because nothing could stop it from happening There is only one true God Notice the eternality and deity of Jesus here both Jesus and the Father shared glory before the world existed In Philippians 2, it speaks of Jesus emptying Himself. Some try to teach that He emptied Himself of His deity. John makes it very clear that the Word became flesh. That little baby in Mary s lap is God, and He could have spoken this universe out of existence. He wasn t just 99.9% God; He was, and is, 100% God. So of what did He empty Himself? He emptied Himself of His prerogatives of deity; He laid aside His glory. 155 J. Vernon McGee John 17:6 I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 17:6 12. By far the largest part of Jesus prayer relates to the disciples. He was much more concerned about them than about himself. He was sure of the suffering that was inevitable and the victory that was certain. The disciples, however, were a variable quantity; in themselves they were likely to fail. He had already predicted that they would desert him (Matt 26:31; John 16:32). Nevertheless, he prayed for them with confidence that they would be kept by the Father s power and presented for a future ministry. 156 Merrill Tenney Jesus did not pray for the world only the ones the Father had given Him Notice again the equality of the Father and Son: All mine are yours, and yours are mine Jesus prayer for His disciples is that they be one (united) even as He is with His Father Unity and love are to be a priority for all who are true believers Only Judas was lost, but it was not because God in His sovereignty allowed it to happen 103

104 The term son of destruction (or son of perdition ) is only used one other time in the NT. It is a reference to the anti-christ (see 1 Thessalonians 2:3)! John 17:13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 17: Isn t it amazing how much Jesus is referring to joy with the shadow of the cross bearing down on Him? Jesus did not ask for His disciples to be spared from suffering, but they be protected from Satan and his deceptions Jesus wanted His disciples to be sanctified in the truth that is God s Word To sanctify (Gr. hagiazo) means to set apart for God s service (cf. Exod. 28:41; Jer. 1:5). Jesus is the perfect example of a sanctified person. He devoted Himself completely and consistently to God s will for Him. Sanctification in John s Gospel is always for a mission. The means of the disciples sanctification was the truth, which Jesus explained was God s Word. Jesus came to reveal God s word to humankind (1:1, 14; 14:6), and the Spirit would help His disciples understand it (15:13). It is both personal and propositional. It comes to us through the living Word of God, Jesus Christ, and the written Word of God, Scripture. 157 Tom Constable Knowing and obeying God s Word is more important than living an easy life! We are to be in the world, but not of the world Although the world is a threatening place for the disciples, Jesus does not want them removed from it (15). A major reason why they are to remain in the world is because he has a purpose for them there (18). They are not to inhabit a ghetto, they are to go forth on a mission. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world (18). The full terms of this commission would await the resurrection and the outbreathing of the Spirit (20:20 22) The importance of the mission of the disciples (and through them of the whole church) cannot be overstated. Jesus is to depart from the world; the disciples are to go into the world. This does not mean, as might appear at a superficial level, that they are to replace Jesus as the light to the nations. The parallel drawn in verse 18 is crucial. The entire mission of Jesus in the world has in reality been the mission of the Father in and through him, the Sender in the Sent. The mission of the disciples, sent into the world by the Son, is likewise not theirs but his through them. The mission of the church is nothing other than the continuation of the mission of its Lord. Equally, however, the demand will be real. Being sent meant for Jesus his utter dedication to the claim and call of the Father. The disciples commission can mean nothing less Bruce Milne 104

105 John 17:20 I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 17: This final section of Jesus prayer is a deeply moving one because it brings Jesus into direct relationship with us. There are hints elsewhere of Jesus recognition that further generations of believers would arise and express allegiance to him. Nowhere in the New Testament, however, is that larger company (including the readers of this exposition!) so clearly in Jesus direct vision as here. Jesus is poised between the conclusion of his earthly task and the glory awaiting him at the Father s side. Like a mountaineer gazing out from an eminence across the expanding vista as range succeeds range into the distant horizon, so Jesus gazes out across the rolling centuries. He beholds and embraces the harvest of the ages, the church of the Redeemer, gathered from every nation, people, language and tribe. He is praying for us. 159 Bruce Milne Jesus is not only asking these things for the remaining 11 disciples He is asking for us too! We, as believers, are here because of the word spread by these eleven men! He not only wanted the 11 to be united, He wants us to be united too! Jesus prayed for the unity of his disciples. Where there are divisions, where there is exclusiveness, where there is competition between the churches, the cause of Christianity is harmed and the prayer of Jesus frustrated. The gospel cannot truly be preached in any congregation which is not one united band of brothers and sisters. The world cannot be evangelized by competing churches. Jesus prayed that his disciples might be as fully one as he and the Father are one; and there is no prayer of his which has been so hindered from being answered by individual Christians and by the churches than this. 160 William Barclay When we are united in love, the world truly sees Jesus This is a supernatural kind of unity However, we are to be united in truth. Any church or group that denies the truth of Scripture are to be avoided Christians will never organize their churches all in the same way. They will never worship God all in the same way. They will never even all believe precisely the same things. But Christian unity transcends all these differences and joins people together in love. The cause of Christian unity at the present time, and indeed all through history, has been injured and hindered, because people loved their own religious organizations, their own creeds, their own ritual, more than they loved each other. If 105

106 we really loved each other and really loved Christ, no church would exclude anyone who was Christ s disciple. Only love implanted in our hearts by God can tear down the barriers which we have erected between one another and between our churches. 161 William Barclay Let s stay dogmatic on the major theologies like the deity of Jesus, His substitutionary sacrifice for our sins, Jesus as the only way to the Father, etc., but let s not let minor doctrinal differences lead to disunity. What s the difference between a major doctrine and a minor doctrine? A good rule of thumb for a true believer is which of these things would you be willing to die for? The biggest barriers to effective evangelism according to the prayer of Jesus are not so much outdated methods, or inadequate presentations of the gospel, as realities like gossip, insensitivity, negative criticism, jealousy, backbiting, an unforgiving spirit, a root of bitterness, failure to appreciate others, self-preoccupation, greed, selfishness and every other form of lovelessness. These are the squalid enemies of effective evangelism which render the gospel fruitless The glorious gospel of the blessed God, which is committed to our trust, is being openly contradicted and veiled by the sinful relationships within the community which is commissioned to communicate it. We need look no further to understand why the church s impact on the community is frequently so minimal in spite of the greatness of our message. We are fighting with only one hand! 162 Bruce Milne Jesus wants us to be where He is so we can see His glory There is nothing greater than God s glory! Jesus Prays in the Garden Mark 14:32 And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, Sit here while I pray. 33 And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. 34 And he said to them, My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch. 35 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will. 37 And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? 38 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. 39 And again he went away and prayed, saying the same words. 40 And again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were very heavy, and they did not know what to answer him. 41 And he came the third time and said to them, Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Mk 14: The words distressed (Gr. ekthambeisthai) and troubled (Gr. ademonein) together describe an extremely acute emotion, a compound of bewilderment, fear, uncertainty and anxiety, nowhere else portrayed in such vivid terms as here. The prospect of bearing God s wrath for the world s sins and experiencing separation from His Father grieved Jesus deeply (Gr. perilypos, cf. 6:26). This was much more than any mere martyr has ever had to endure. 163 Tom Constable 106

107 The weight of the cross was crushing to Jesus Jesus places a high priority on prayer we should too! Notice the language Jesus uses: Abba can be translated as daddy The double title Abba (Aram., My Father ) Father (Gr., patēr) occurs only two other times (Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6). Abba was a common way young Jewish children addressed their fathers. It conveyed a sense of familial intimacy and familiarity. The Jews, however, did not use it as a personal address to God since such a familiar term was considered inappropriate in prayer. Thus Jesus use of Abba in addressing God was new and unique. He probably used it often in His prayers to express His intimate relationship with God as His Father. 164 John Grassmick All things are possible for God as long as they do not violate His character Jesus asked that the cup (the suffering of the cross) be removed However, He also asked for the Father s will to be done Whichever way we interpret the prayer of Jesus in Gethsemane the seriousness of the occasion must be underlined. It is not a drama acted out for the benefit of the faithful. It represents a real struggle by Jesus who alone on earth knew what was involved. Take this cup from me (36) Martin suggests that the cup here may refer to the fierce struggle of temptation to go another way than his Father s way. It is usually, however, understood to represent a request by Jesus that if there is any other way possible for his work to be done than the awful sin-bearing death set out, as we have seen, in relation to the suffering servant of Isaiah 53 and the ransom of Mark 10:45, then that way should be followed. It is not an opposition to his Father s will, but a facing of the horror of the death he faces. Yet even with this horror ahead he reaffirms his Father s will (36). This brief insight into the intimate prayer life of Jesus shines a light not only on the cost of our redemption but also on the nature of Jesus as God and man. The two are seen as one in this crucial moment for the redemption that will be offered to all. 165 Donald English Since the cup was not removed, we can assume that there was no other way If there is another way, then God the Father owes God the Son an apology for the cross! Imagine the disappointment and discouragement that Jesus in His humanity must have experienced when He saw His disciples sleeping during His most desperate hour Peter and the other disciples, who just a few hours earlier said they would never forsake Jesus, now cannot even stay awake Three times Jesus prays and three times He finds His disciples sleeping The Passion of the Messiah has now arrived Discussion Questions 1. How do we know what God has called us to do? 2. What are some crosses that we have to bear as Christians? 107

108 Lessons for Life Do what God has called you to do Make unity among believers a top priority and do whatever it takes to preserve it Be a peacemaker! Know God s Word so you won t be fooled by Satan s deceptions Be united be a peacemaker pour water on fires and not gasoline! Be a man or woman of prayer Know for certain that the cross was necessary and that Jesus is the ONLY WAY to the Father 108

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110 Chapter 9 The Passion of the Messiah Who was ultimately responsible for Jesus going to the cross? Judas? The Jewish leaders? The Jewish people (refusing to intervene)? The Romans? All of humanity (because of our sins)? Someone else? 110

111 The Betrayal Matthew 26:47 While he was still speaking, Judas came, one of the twelve, and with him a great crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, The one I will kiss is the man; seize him. 49 And he came up to Jesus at once and said, Greetings, Rabbi! And he kissed him. 50 Jesus said to him, Friend, do what you came to do. Then they came up and laid hands on Jesus and seized him. 51 And behold, one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand and drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. 53 Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so? 55 At that hour 111 See also Mark 14:43-52 Luke 22:47-53 John 18:2-12

112 Jesus said to the crowds, Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to capture me? Day after day I sat in the temple teaching, and you did not seize me. 56 But all this has taken place that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples left him and fled. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001). Jesus was so common in appearance, so unostentatious, that Judas had to kiss Him in order to identify Him! How does that compare to the super stars of today? Isn t it interesting that Jesus refers to Judas as friend? Perhaps this is sarcasm or perhaps the final opportunity to repent and ask forgiveness? A kiss can either be a sign of acceptance or rejection (see Ps. 2:12). In this instance Judas bestowed a kiss of betrayal upon the Lord Jesus, and it was one of the most despicable acts of man. Some theologians contend that Judas was predestined to betray Jesus and could do nothing else. If this were true, Judas was nothing more than a robot. I believe Judas made up his own mind to betray our Lord and had every opportunity to change his plans. You may say, Yes, but it was prophesied that he would betray Jesus. I have to agree with you. It was prophesied, and our Lord marked him out as the man. However, after Judas had fulfilled the prophecy, after Jesus was betrayed, Judas could have repented. Jesus gave Judas one final opportunity to repent and accept Him. Even after he gave Jesus that hot kiss of betrayal, Jesus called him, Friend. Later, when Judas went to the temple and threw down the silver given to him to betray the Lord, he could have changed his mind. As the priests were taking Jesus to Pilate, Judas could have fallen down before Him and said, Forgive me, Lord, I did not know what I was doing. The Lord would have forgiven him. 166 J. Vernon McGee Peter drew his sword and cut off Malchus ear (see John 18:10) Jesus was not a victim, He was in complete control of the situation and could have put a stop to what was happening at any moment had He so chose o 1 legion = 6,000 soldiers 12 legions = 72,000 o 72,000 was roughly equivalent to the population of Jerusalem at that time However, it was more important that the Scriptures be fulfilled What s more important in your life? Your personal comfort or that God is glorified? The religious leaders obviously did not want to cause a commotion by having Jesus arrested in the temple so they waited until night The disciples vowed to never leave Jesus (see Matthew 26:33, 35) However, Jesus knew that His disciples would flee (see Psalm 88:8 and John 16:32) Jesus is alone. Neglected, misunderstood or betrayed by his friends, and later deserted (56), he faces the cross willingly (but at such cost). The sins of the world, ours included, cut him off like an obscene storm-cloud from the sunshine of his Father s presence. He tasted the hell of separation from God the Father as he hung on that cross. And in the Garden he got the first bitter taste of what our salvation was going to cost. The outcome he must face alone. 167 Michael Green 112

113 Jesus before the High Priest Matthew 26:57 Then those who had seized Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered. 58 And Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with the guards to see the end. 59 Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking false testimony against Jesus that they might put him to death, 60 but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. At last two came forward 61 and said, This man said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to rebuild it in three days. 62 And the high priest stood up and said, Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you? 63 But Jesus remained silent. And the high priest said to him, I adjure you by the living God, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God. 64 Jesus said to him, You have said so. But I tell you, from now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of heaven. 65 Then the high priest tore his robes and said, He has uttered blasphemy. What further witnesses do we need? You have now heard his blasphemy. 66 What is your judgment? They answered, He deserves death. 67 Then they spit in his face and struck him. And some slapped him, 68 saying, Prophesy to us, you Christ! Who is it that struck you? The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001). The Sanhedrin was the supreme court of the Jews. It was composed of scribes, Pharisees, Sadducees and elders of the people; it numbered seventy-one members; and it was presided over by the high priest. For a trial such as this, a quorum was twenty-three. It had certain regulations. All criminal cases must be tried during the daytime and must be completed during the daytime. Criminal cases could not be transacted during the Passover season at all. Only if the verdict was not guilty could a case be finished on the day it was begun; otherwise a night must elapse before the pronouncement of the verdict, so that feelings of mercy might have time to arise. Further, no decision of the Sanhedrin was valid unless it met in its own meeting place, the Hall of Hewn Stone in the Temple precincts. All evidence had to be guaranteed by two witnesses separately examined and having no contact with each other. And false witness was punishable by death. The seriousness of the occasion was impressed upon any witness in a case where life was at stake: Forget not, O witness, that it is one thing to give evidence in a trial for money, and another in a trial for life. In a money suit, if thy witness-bearing shall do wrong, money may repair that wrong; but in this trial for life, if thou sinnest, the blood of the accused and the blood of his seed unto the end of time shall be imputed unto thee. Still further, in any trial the process began by the laying before the court of all the evidence for the innocence of the accused, before the evidence for guilt was adduced. These were the Sanhedrin s own rules, and it is abundantly clear that, in their eagerness to get rid of Jesus, they broke their own rules. Jesus enemies had reached such a peak of hatred that any means were justified to put an end to him. 168 William Barclay There is some confusion over the high priest. Normally, under Jewish law, a person who was named high priest held that office for life. However, the Romans often did not like a person having that much power so they would sometimes force a change. Evidently Annas was the Jewish elected high priest, but his son-inlaw Caiaphas was the official high priest of record with Rome Peter fled, but he trailed behind It s hard to pin something on someone who is sinless! 113 See also Mark 14:53-65 Luke 22:54, John 18:13-14, 19-24)

114 Notice the importance of the temple of course Jesus was referring to His Own Body (see John 2:19) This is ultimate sign Jesus gave for His authority and His deity the resurrection. We need no other signs! Mosaic law required two corroborating witnesses in order to establish an official charge (see Leviticus 19:15) The Mosaic Law required at least two witnesses in cases of capital offense. The lawyers had to interview several people before they finally found two that would agree on a charge against Jesus. This was another way that Matthew stressed Jesus innocence. Interpreting with wooden literalism one might take Jesus words as a threat to desecrate the temple, but Jesus had spoken metaphorically (John 2:19 21). He had meant that He was the true temple, the place where people met God and where God met them. Most ancient Near Eastern people regarded the desecration of a temple as a capital offense, and the Jews shared this viewpoint (cf. Jer. 26:1 19). 169 Tom Constable The high priest asked the ultimate question to the Ultimate High Priest even 2,000 years later we can still feel the tension that was in that room Jesus answered the high priest directly and clearly (see Psalm 110:1 and Daniel 7:13) The outcome is now inevitable. If Jesus refuses to answer, he breaks a legally imposed oath. If he denies he is the Messiah, the crisis is over but so is his influence. If he affirms it, then, given the commitments of the court, Jesus must be false. After all, how could the true Messiah allow himself to be imprisoned and put in jeopardy? The Gospels evidence suggests that the Sanhedrin was prepared to see Jesus unequivocal claim to messiahship as meriting the death penalty and their unbelief precluded them from allowing any other possibility. 170 D.A. Carson Christians would not be able to read and reflect on this passage without being stirred to a deeper recognition of what Jesus had done. The old order of Judaism with its temple and priesthood is fading away. It is being replaced by the new. The judges of Jesus are themselves judged, and they will before long see evidence, in the rise and meteoric growth of the church on the one hand and the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple on the other, which vindicates Jesus claim. The temple of Christ s body, incarnate, crucified and risen, will replace the temple at Jerusalem. Caiaphas the high priest will go into oblivion. He will be replaced by the high priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek. This fascinating figure, combining the roles of king and high priest, who strides on to the scene in Genesis 14, is picked up in the messianic Psalm 110, which Jesus has just quoted, as the type, or foreshadowing, of the Messiah. Jesus, the Messiah, is the eternal high priest who makes all other priesthood irrelevant. He has offered the perfect sacrifice, and he is himself the perfect priest. The Melchizedek allusion is not expanded here as it is in Hebrews, but it is explicit in Psalm 110. Jesus quotes it to explain to the Sanhedrin who he is. 171 Michael Green The best explanation of v. 64 is that Jesus is telling the members of the Sanhedrin ( you is pl.) that from then on they would not see him as he now stands before them but only in his capacity as undisputed King Messiah and sovereign Judge. From now on (i.e., in the future, NIV) that is the way they will see him. Matthew does not include the word only or the like (e.g., From now on you will only see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand. ) because it would imply a possibility they might not 114

115 see him at all, which is not true. The phrase from now on makes this a forceful warning that at least some Sanhedrin members doubtless remembered after the Resurrection. 172 D.A. Carson The religious leaders were not confused over Jesus response. They immediately accused Him of blasphemy and demanded His execution Jesus was blindfolded (see Luke 22:64), spit upon and beaten, yet He opened not His mouth (Isaiah 53:7) Ironically, even though He was blindfolded, Jesus knew every person intimately who struck Him No further evidence was examined at this point. No one defended Jesus or pointed to the works He had performed among them during the past three years. It appeared that the Sanhedrin had Jesus where they wanted Him. He had just spoken words of blasphemy which all heard. Contrary to all Jewish and Roman law, they took it on themselves to begin to punish the accused. They spit in His face struck Him with their fists, and slapped Him. They asked Him to prophesy, telling, if He could, who had just hit Him. These actions they continued doing, seemingly enjoying every moment of it. The Lord remained silent throughout this terrible ordeal, submitting Himself to His Father s will (cf. Isa. 53:7; 1 Peter 2:23). 173 Louis A. Barbieri, Jr. Many Christians over the centuries have used the illegalities of this trial to justify atrocities like the Spanish Inquisition and the Crusades. They were wrong to do so! From the viewpoint of NT theology, Christians must repeatedly remind themselves of two things. First, from a theological perspective every Christian is as guilty of putting Jesus on the cross as Caiaphas. Thoughtful believers will surely admit that their own guilt is the more basic of the two; for if we believe Matthew s witness, and Jesus could have escaped the clutches of Caiaphas (v. 53), then what drove Jesus to the cross was his commitment to the Father s redemptive purposes. While this does not excuse Caiaphas and his peers, it keeps Christians from supercilious judgment of the Jews. Second, even if first-century Christians, whether Jews or Gentiles, rightly saw God s judgment in the destruction of Jerusalem and Judea (A.D ), that could not give them the right to put themselves in God s place and execute his judgment for him. Judgment belongs only to God D.A. Carson Discussion Questions 1. Do you think Judas could have repented right up until the end? 2. What are some ways Christians have betrayed Jesus over the years? Lessons for Life Remember, that until we die it is never too late to repent of our sins Jesus will never leave or forsake us, even when we fail Him God is always in control Whatever we ve experienced, Jesus has experienced much worse Be careful of what the so called experts on the Historical Jesus tell you. Jesus did claim to be God very clearly. He was not crucified for simply being a nice guy! We are called to love others of different faiths not punish them for perceived wrongs that their ancestors have committed. God is the ultimate Judge and one day He will execute judgment 115

116 Peter denies Jesus Luke 22:54 Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest s house, and Peter was following at a distance. 55 And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. 56 Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, This man also was with him. 57 But he denied it, saying, Woman, I do not know him. 58 And a little later someone else saw him and said, You also are one of them. But Peter said, Man, I am not. 59 And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean. 60 But Peter said, Man, I do not know what you are talking about. And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times. 62 And he went out and wept bitterly. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Luke 22: Jesus clearly told Peter that he would deny Him (see v 34) Luke s account of this outstanding disciple s tragic failure stresses the importance of adequate spiritual preparation for times of testing. Like the other evangelists, Luke included this incident because of its timeless importance for all of Jesus followers. 175 Tom Constable Luke records a detail that none of the other Gospel writers include in verse 61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter The word that Luke used to describe Jesus looking usually means to look with interest, love, or concern (Gr. emblepo) Tom Constable Peter s reaction to this look was understandable In telling how the Lord looked at Peter (v. 61), Luke uses the word John used (John 1:42) to describe the way Jesus looked at Peter when they first met emblepō. It usually signifies a look of interest, love or concern (DNTT, 3:519; cf. Mark 10:21). Peter s feelings (v. 62) need no further comment. 177 Walter L. Leifield Simon Peter loved Jesus, and he was sincere when he promised to be loyal to Him, but he did not know his own weakness. He had not yet come to the place where he saw no good in the flesh at all. Peter wept. These were tears of genuine repentance. Any child of God can come back to Him. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Simon Peter was as bad as Judas he did not sell Him, but he denied Him. The difference between Judas and Peter is that Peter repented. Our Lord prayed that Peter s faith would not fail. 178 J. Vernon McGee Peter made the same mistake that many of us make. He tried to stand up for Jesus in his own power and he failed. We can only stand firm when we rely on the power of the Holy Spirit working in our lives. Peter learned this lesson and in Acts 2 and the Church was born Remember, no matter how many mistakes we ve made, God can redeem us and use us for His glory! After the resurrection, Jesus gave Peter three opportunities to affirm his love for Him (see John 21:15-19) See also Matthew 26:69-75 Mark 14:66-72 John 18:15-18,

117 Can t Take the Pain By Third Day No, I didn't see this one coming It suddenly snuck up on me I can't say you didn't tell me so I can't say you didn't warn me I can't take the pain of knowing that I left You I can't bear the shame of knowing I was wrong But I'll take the blame for everything that I've done I can't take the pain of leaving you alone Of leaving you alone I was there when they accused you but I guess I was too afraid Not just once and not just twice But three times I denied your name I never thought I'd get even a second chance But you've given that and so much more And then for every time I ever did deny You ask me if I love you, You know I do, Lord So I'm off to follow in your steps it won't be easy, it's safe to say There are only two roads I can walk on down The road less traveled is the one you paved Lord, You took the pain even though I left You And You took the shame and You made it all Your own Why'd you take the blame for everything that I've done? Lord, You took the pain You and You alone, You and You alone Discussion Questions 1. Why do you think Peter failed so miserably? 2. How can we avoid making the same mistakes that Peter made? Lessons for Life Don t assume that you are strong enough to win the battle on your own. Rely on God and His power to see you through to victory Remember that there is no failure that we as Christian cannot be forgiven of Don t wallow in a failure. Ask for forgiveness and be ready to be used by God If we are teachable, God can grow us through our failures and use us for His glory Be FAT like Peter o Faithful o Available o Teachable 117

118 The Death of Judas Matthew 27:3 Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders, 4 saying, I have sinned by betraying innocent blood. They said, What is that to us? See to it yourself. 5 And throwing down the pieces of silver into the temple, he departed, and he went and hanged himself. 6 But the chief priests, taking the pieces of silver, said, It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since it is blood money. 7 So they took counsel and bought with them the potter s field as a burial place for strangers. 8 Therefore that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. 9 Then was fulfilled what had been spoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by some of the sons of Israel, 10 and they gave them for the potter s field, as the Lord directed me. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001). Judas had a change of heart after he saw that Jesus had been condemned Perhaps Judas expected a different outcome? Perhaps he was trying to force Jesus to take his rightful place as reigning Messiah? Judas tried to give the money back, but it was not accepted Instead the unclean clean money was used to purchase an unclean graveyard Once again, prophecy was fulfilled The significant thing is that Jesus was present when Judas returned with his thirty pieces of silver. In fact, Jesus was on His way to die even for Judas. Our Lord had given him an opportunity to come back to Him there in the Garden of Gethsemane, and He had said, Friend, wherefore art thou come? And even at this eleventh hour, Judas could have turned to the Lord Jesus and would have been forgiven. 179 J. Vernon McGee See Jeremiah 19:1-13 and Zachariah 11:13 As for Judas, what a complex character he was! It may be that the devotion of the follower turned to hate (as happens sometimes among lovers) when, Zealot that he may well have been, he realized that Jesus was not going to fulfil the Zealot hope. It may even be that Judas hoped to force the hand of Jesus by betraying him. This would make him act. This would induce him to bring in the kingdom. Maybe even the kiss in the Garden (and the Greek word indicates an affectionate and repeated kiss) was not just a traitor s hypocrisy, but something real: he hoped that at that moment Jesus would call down the legions of angels to his aid and rout the enemy. Yes, it could just have been meant in good faith. If it was, it shows in the darkest colours the peril of trying to do God s work in our own way. For it came most terribly unstuck. Instead of a shattering denouement, Jesus meekly allowed himself to be led away, and Judas realized with the blinding light of terrifying recognition that he had ruined everything and delivered his closest friend to death. What hell he went through in the hours that followed we cannot know, but he certainly saw the horror of what he had done. He brought the thirty silver coins and tried to give them back to the chief priests. They did not want to know, and callously replied to his agonized admission of having betrayed innocent blood, What is that to us? That s your responsibility (3 4). So he strode through the court of the Gentiles, through the court of the women, through the court of the Israelites, and came to the court of the priests, called the naos, at the far end. In a gesture of blind despair he threw the money at them and their court into which, of course, he was not allowed to go. He went away and hanged himself, so profound were his despair and remorse (5). He saw no other way out. 180 Michael Green 118

119 The suicide of Judas is surely the final indication that his plan had gone wrong. He had meant to make Jesus blaze forth as a conqueror; instead he had driven him to the cross, and life for Judas was shattered. There are two great truths about sin here. (1) The terrible thing about sin is that we cannot put the clock back. We cannot undo what we have done. Once a thing is done, nothing [can] alter it or bring it back (2) The strange thing about sin is that people can come to hate the very thing they gained by it. The very prize that was won by sinning can suddenly become disgusting, revolting and repellent, until the one desire is to fling it away. Most people sin because they think that if they can only possess the forbidden thing it will make them happy. But the thing which sin desired can become the thing that above all they would rid themselves of and so often they cannot It might have been that if Judas had remained true to Jesus, he would have died a martyr s death; but, because he wanted his own way too much, he died by his own hand. He missed the glory of the martyr s crown to find life intolerable because he had sinned. 181 William Barclay Discussion Questions 1. What were some of the mistakes that Judas made? 2. How can we avoid making those same mistakes? Lessons for Life Remember that we can choose our actions, but we cannot choose the consequences of our actions Don t let the allusion of power and money blind you from what God is calling you to do and be Don t try to help God out. That is a recipe for disaster When we mess up, we should humble ourselves and ask God for forgiveness (Be a Peter and not a Judas!) God sometimes honors us not with riches and power, but with the great glory of martyrdom (Remember Jesus words to Peter in John 21:18-19) 119

120 Jesus before Pilate Matthew 27:1 When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. 2 And they bound him and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate the governor. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001). Jesus first Jewish trials occurred under the cover of darkness. Since Jewish law required trials to be conducted during the day, the chief priests and the elders of the people realized an official trial was necessary. The brief trial recorded in Matthew 27:1 was simply for the court to reaffirm what had taken place earlier. The court decided that Jesus must die, but they did not have the power to put that decision into action (John 18:31). To get a death sentence, they needed to take the case to Pilate, the governor, the procurator of Judea and Samaria, a.d (cf. Luke 3:1). Jesus was therefore bound and brought by the Jews to Pilate. Pilate s home was in Caesarea, but at this festival time, he was in his Jerusalem palace. 182 Louis A. Barbieri, Jr. Jesus has now been awake for over 24 hours. He had to be physically exhausted by this point The Jewish leaders did not have the authority to put Jesus to death, so they had to send Him to the Roman prefect Pontius Pilate (John 18:31) Matthew does not tell us what that charge was; but Luke does. In the Sanhedrin, the charge which was levelled against Jesus was a charge of blasphemy (Matthew 26:65 6). But no one knew better than the Jewish authorities that that was a charge to which Pilate would not listen. He would tell them to go away and settle their own religious quarrels. So, as Luke tells us, they appeared before Pilate with a threefold charge, every item in which was a lie, and a deliberate lie. They charged Jesus first with being a revolutionary, second, with inciting the people not to pay their taxes, and third, with claiming to be a king (Luke 23:2). They fabricated three political charges, all of them conscious lies, because they knew that only on such charges would Pilate act. 183 William Barclay Jesus is led to Pontius Pilate, the governor... Governor is here a general title (cf. 10:18; 1 Peter 2:14); Pilate was in fact appointed prefect or procurator by Tiberius Caesar in A.D. 26 Prefects governed small, troubled areas; and in judicial matters they possessed powers like those of the far more powerful proconsuls and imperial legates; in short, they held the power of life and death, apart from appeal to Caesar [I]n A.D. 6, Judea and Samaria were made into one Roman province governed by a prefect or procurator who normally lived at Caesarea but often came to Jerusalem during the feasts to be close to the potential trouble spot. 184 D.A. Carson John 18:28 Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor s headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor s headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate went outside to them and said, What accusation do you bring against this man? 30 They answered him, If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you. 31 Pilate said to them, Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law. The Jews said to him, It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death. 32 This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die. -The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Jn 18: See also Matthew 27:11-14 Mark 15:2-5 Luke 23:2-5, 9-10, 13-14

121 Early morning would probably mean about seven or eight o clock. 185 Merrill Tenney The Jewish leaders would not enter Pilate s headquarters lest they would become unclean There is a profound irony in verse 28, which is certainly not lost on John as he recounts the story. In order to remain ritually clean, the Jewish leaders will not enter Pilate s house to speak with him. Entering a Gentile home would have meant defilement and would have barred them from participation in the Passover celebrations. Thus they seek cleansing before God while plotting and scheming the destruction of God s beloved Son. In their zeal to eat the Passover lamb they unwittingly help to fulfil its significance through demanding the death of the Lamb of God, at the same time shutting themselves out from its saving efficacy. A similar tragedy is re-enacted whenever people depend upon fulfilment of ritual observances to alleviate their consciences before God. That the rituals of non- Christian religions cannot cleanse the heart is already clear to the readers of this gospel; Jesus alone is the way to God. Empty ritual, however, can arise also in the context of the Christian faith. Receiving baptism (by whatever mode), taking communion (in whatever church), attending worship (with whatever regularity), offering prayers (of whatever length), giving money (of whatever amount), in themselves, do not, have not, will not, and cannot save us from our sins and their inevitable judgment. Religion cannot achieve redemption; ceremonies cannot save. Witness these accusers of Jesus. 186 Bruce Milne Crucifixion was the Roman form of execution reserved for the worst criminals and for those Rome wished to make an example of. Roman citizens could not be crucified by law, unless it was ordered by Caesar himself This might help explain why the mass did not revolt when they awoke to discover Jesus was on His way to the cross [T]he authorities were intent not just on Jesus death but on having him formally executed, i.e. crucified. The reason is not hard to find. Sympathy for him and his claims was widespread. They therefore had to move carefully. Indeed, during the whole procedure they give the appearance of men looking over their shoulders much of the time. There would be no surer way to dampen any backlash provoked by his execution than by having him crucified by the Roman overlords. Crucifixion was proscribed in the law as a sign of God s curse (Dt. 21:23), hence a crucified Messiah was about as likely as a square circle. It was a moral and spiritual impossibility, the more so when it expressed submission to the Gentile power. 187 Bruce Milne Jesus had repeatedly predicted that He would be crucified (John 12:32, 33; Matthew 20:19; 26:2; Mark 10:33) Again, God was, is and always will be in complete control of every situation John explained why Jesus was delivered by the Jews to the Romans. Jewish executions were normally by stoning, which broke bones. The Roman method of execution was crucifixion. It was necessary for three reasons for Jesus to be crucified by the Romans at the instigation of the Jews: (a) to fulfill prophecies (e.g., that none of His bones be broken; cf. 19:36 37); (b) to include both Jews and Gentiles in the collective guilt for the deed (cf. Acts 2:23; 4:27); (c) by crucifixion, Jesus was lifted up like the snake in the desert... A person under God s curse was to be displayed (hanged) on a tree as a sign of judged sin (Deut. 21:23; Gal. 3:13). 188 Edwin A. Blum 121

122 There is quite an interesting byplay here that I want you to see. Here we see religion and the person of Jesus Christ side by side. Here is the One who has come to fulfill the Passover. He is going to die on the Cross because they are bringing the death sentence against Him. But, because they want to eat the Passover, these men won t go inside the judgment hall. That would pollute them. They will not do that. Are they meticulously religious! Yet they are plotting the death of the very One who is the fulfillment of the Passover! My friend, how this should cause you to search your heart at this time. Are you merely religious or are you joined to the Lord Jesus Christ? 189 J. Vernon McGee Jesus before Herod Luke 23:1 Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king. 3 And Pilate asked him, Are you the King of the Jews? And he answered him, You have said so. 4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, I find no guilt in this man. 5 But they were urgent, saying, He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place. 6 When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7 And when he learned that he belonged to Herod s jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. 8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him, and he was hoping to see some sign done by him. 9 So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer. 10 The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. 11 And Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then, arraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. 12 And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Lk 23:1-12 Pilate apparently wanted to pass the buck over to Herod this was actually a smart political move by Pilate. He was trying to pass the buck Jesus, however, refused to perform for Herod At an earlier period of his life Herod had shown signs of interest in the message of God (for he had already listened to John the Baptist), but in the course of years he had fallen into utter spiritual and moral degradation (3:20) and had even allowed the innocent John the Baptist to be beheaded. And because he had so completely surrendered himself to spiritual blindness and moral decay, and wanted to make His acquaintance merely out of curiosity, Jesus remained silent in his presence. Herod had made no use of the opportunity given him of repentance when John rebuked him for his sinful life (3:19), and he had by this time sunk so deeply into sin that even the Saviour had no longer a word for him. 190 Norval Geldenhuys There is another possible translation of verse 11. Herod with his soldiers treated Jesus contemptuously. That could be translated, Herod, with his soldiers behind him, thought that Jesus was of no importance. Herod, secure in his position as king, strong with the power of his bodyguard behind him, believed that this Galilaean carpenter did not matter. There are still those who, consciously or unconsciously, have come to the conclusion that Jesus does not matter, that he is a factor which can well be omitted from life. They give him no room in their hearts and no influence in 122

123 their lives and believe they can easily do without him. To the Christian, so far from being of no importance, Jesus is the most important person in all the universe. 191 William Barclay Luke is not clear on why there had been enmity between Pilate and Herod One possibility could be due to the incident mentioned by Luke where Pilate mingled the blood of Galileans with their sacrifices (see Luke 13:1) Jesus Returns to Pilate John 18:33 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, Are you the King of the Jews? 34 Jesus answered, Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me? 35 Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done? 36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world. 37 Then Pilate said to him, So you are a king? Jesus answered, You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice. 38 Pilate said to him, What is truth? After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, I find no guilt in him. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001). By accusing Jesus of claiming to be the King of the Jews, and handing Him over to Pilate, the religious leaders were trying pit Rome against Jesus by making Him out to be a revolutionary Jesus asked Pilate His question to determine how He would answer him. If his question had arisen from his own understanding and curiosity, Jesus presumably would have dealt with Him as a sincere inquirer. If he was merely trying to clarify the essence of the Sanhedrin s charge, Jesus would need to answer differently. If Pilate meant, Are you a political king conspiring against Caesar? the answer would have been, No. If he meant, Are you the messianic king of Israel? the answer would have been, Yes. The object of interrogation, Jesus, became the interrogator temporarily. 192 Tom Constable My kingdom is not of this world That was the main reason the Jewish leaders could not envision Jesus as Messiah It is important for us to remember that we belong to a Kingdom that is not of this world! My kingdom is not of this world. The preposition is the Greek ek, meaning out of. Literally, He said My kingdom is out of this world. He is not saying that His Kingdom is not going to be on this earth someday, as He is going to rule as King of kings and Lord of lords and the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea (Isa. 11:9). But His Kingdom is not going to be of this world system. It will not be a power structure built on politics. It will not come through worldly measures. Jesus will not be elected King by either the Democrats or the Republicans or by the United Nations. It is not going to be built by war and turmoil and hatred and bitterness Jesus will not come to His Kingdom by political maneuvering. Jesus said, If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants 123

124 fight. He was offering no resistance. Peter had tried to defend Him, and Jesus had told him to put his sword in the sheath. He is not building His Kingdom out of the present political system. Friend, the church cannot build His Kingdom either. The Bible teaches us clearly that in this present age Christ is gathering out a people for His name (see Acts 15:14). These are the ekklesia or the called out ones, the church. They are called out of the world to live in the world but not of the world. The time will come when the Lord will completely remove the church from the world. Then, when Christ comes in His Kingdom, He will establish it! 193 J. Vernon McGee Pilate s declaration of Jesus innocence is important. He would die like a Passover lamb, a male in its prime without blemish (Ex. 12:5). 194 Edwin A. Blum What is truth? It is interesting what happens next in John s account. (More on that below ) Without attempting to argue about an abstraction that must have seemed irrational to him, Pilate came back to the central question: So you are a king, then, aren t you? Jesus assented by confirming Pilate s conclusion. Then Jesus declared that his purpose was to bear testimony to truth, and he intimated that anyone who was devoted to truth would listen to him. The obvious inference from his words would be that he came into the world from another realm, that whoever did not listen to him would not be characterized by truth, and that if Pilate really wanted to know what truth was, he would give Jesus his earnest attention. Jesus was more interested in appealing to Pilate than in defending himself. This method appears in all of his other interviews in this Gospel. In each of them Jesus focus was on reaching the heart of the person he addressed, not simply in magnifying himself. He made an appeal to Pilate, not for acquittal or mercy, but for recognition of truth. 195 Merrill C. Tenney Discussion Questions 1. What are some ways we can succumb to religious hypocrisy? 2. Herod wanted to see Jesus perform some great sign. Do you think people today demand the same thing out of Jesus? If so, why is that a problem? 3. What are some problems that can be caused by forgetting that the Kingdom that Jesus spoke of is not of this world? Lessons for Life Do not fall into the trap of religious hypocrisy like the religious leaders of Jesus day Realize that we are just passing through this world to the next and that we are not citizens of this world, but the next Jesus has already performed the only sign we need that is the sign of the resurrection (see Matthew 12:39-40) Jesus is the Truth (see John 14:6) and there is no other truth! 124

125 Jesus or Barabbas? Matthew 27:15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16 And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. 17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ? 18 For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. 19 Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream. 20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor again said to them, Which of the two do you want me to release for you? And they said, Barabbas. 22 Pilate said to them, Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ? They all said, Let him be crucified! 23 And he said, Why, what evil has he done? But they shouted all the more, Let him be crucified! The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001). See also Mark 15:6-14 Luke 23:17-23 John 18:39-40 Who was Barabbas? Barabbas s name ( son of the father ) may have been an indication that he was a rabbi s son, or it may have been a purely conventional proper name Matthew calls him a notorious prisoner (27:16). Mark says that he was among the rebels in prison, who had committed murder in the insurrection (15:7). Luke states that he was cast into prison for an insurrection started in the city, and for murder (23:19 cf. Acts 3:14). John calls him a robber or brigand (18:40). Nothing further is known of him, nor of the insurrection in which he took part. 196 T. Rees Pilate tried another approach to have Jesus released Pilate knew that it was out of envy that the Jewish leaders wanted Jesus destroyed see John 11:45-52 Many of the Jews would have viewed Barabbas as a hero rather than as a villain. He was more of a messianic figure, in the minds of most Jews, than Jesus was. 197 Tom Constable Jesus really took the place of one rebel, Barabbas, because the people preferred one who tried to overthrow Rome s power to the Messiah that God had provided for them. This shows their insistence on having a Messiah of their own design (cf. 1 Sam. 8:5, 19 20). 198 Tom Constable Barabbas was no ordinary villain but a lēstēs (cf. Mark 15:7; Luke 23:19; John 18:40). Although lēstēs can refer to a robber (as perhaps in John 10:1), it more probably refers to insurrectionists (cf. Mt 26:55; John 18:40); and Josephus constantly uses it of the Zealots. Neither theft nor violent robbery was a capital offense, but insurrection was. Revolts and bloodshed fostered by guerrilla action were common (cf. Jos. Antiq. XVIII, 3 10 [i.1], [iii.2]; Luke 13:1), and Barabbas had been caught. In the eyes of many of the people he would not be a notorious villain but a hero. 125

126 It may be that the two who were crucified with Jesus were co-rebels with Barabbas, for Matthew 27:38 calls them lēstai (better rebels, guerrillas, or insurrectionists than NIV s robbers ), and their crucifixion indicates they were judged guilty of more than robbery. The fact that three crosses were prepared strongly suggests that Pilate had already ordered that preparations be made for the execution of the three rebels. If so, Jesus the Messiah actually took the place of the rebel [Jesus] Barabbas because the people preferred the political rebel and nationalist hero to the Son of God. 199 D.A. Carson The incident is full of irony. The one who refused to take arms as a freedom fighter was crucified on the cross of Barabbas, the freedom fighter. Not only that: the name Barabbas means son of the father, so there were two sons of the father in the centre of the stage that day. But nobody would simply be called son of the father : Barabbas must have had his own name, and a number of the ancient manuscripts tell us what it was Jesus! Jesus was a common name in first-century Palestine. It is almost certain that his name was Jesus Barabbas, but that the personal name was dropped from the majority of the manuscripts out of reverence: you couldn t have a criminal with the same name as Jesus! But you could! That is the point of Jesus coming and identifying with sinners. Here stood two sons of the father; two men called Jesus ( God to the rescue ). One pillaged and killed. The other loved and suffered. People were called to choose between those two ideals, and still are. On that Good Friday, the one ended up on the cross intended for the other, and the guilty man walked away free. An amazing picture of what the cross of Christ really means! Jesus took Barabbas place. He took ours, too. 200 Michael Green Pilate saw that the Sanhedrin was trying to get him to eliminate someone they saw as a threat to their own authority, namely Jesus. He knew the Sanhedrin had no special desire to advance the welfare of Rome. Pilate undoubtedly knew that Jesus enjoyed great popularity among the Jewish people (cf. 21:1 16). Therefore he appealed to the people to let him know which prisoner they wanted him to release. He undoubtedly thought the crowd would request Jesus thus giving him a reason to humiliate the Sanhedrin by releasing Jesus. 201 Tom Constable Matthew records here that Pilate s wife suffered much because of a dream she had warning that Pilate was not to lift his hand toward the righteous man Jesus At this point, Pilate is really between a rock and a hard place. On one hand he knew that Jesus was innocent and that his wife was terrified because of her dream. On the other hand the Jewish people were on the verge of a riot and were demanding Jesus crucifixion A riot would have been disastrous to Pilate s career Pilate is too insecure to uphold the principles of Roman law or even to follow his wife s intuition. The Jewish leaders stir up the crowd, perhaps against its natural preference (vv ). It is often asked how these masses could so quickly and dramatically turn against someone they acclaimed as Messiah only five days earlier (21:9 11). But on Palm Sunday primarily Galilean crowds accompanied Jesus. Here native Jerusalemites are more evident. And, to the extent that the crowds did overlap, one must recall their quite different messianic expectations, now almost certainly destroyed by seeing Jesus imprisoned Craig Blomberg 126

127 Pilate declares Jesus innocent Luke 23:13 Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, You brought me this man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. 15 Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. 16 I will therefore punish and release him. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001). At this point both Pilate and Herod could not find Jesus guilty of anything Perhaps wanting to appease the crown, Pilate decided to have Jesus punished However, remember back to John 18:38 when Pilate asked Jesus What is truth? Pilate has Jesus flogged John 19:1 Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. 2 And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. 3 They came up to him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! and struck him with their hands. 4 Pilate went out again and said to them, See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him. 5 So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, Behold the man! 6 When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, Crucify him, crucify him! Pilate said to them, Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him. 7 The Jews answered him, We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God. 8 When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid. 9 He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, Where are you from? But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 So Pilate said to him, You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you? 11 Jesus answered him, You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin. 12 From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, If you release this man, you are not Caesar s friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar. 13 So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic Gabbatha. 14 Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, Behold your King! 15 They cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him! Pilate said to them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001). A king, eh? Then a king he will be! So Jesus is arraigned for his coronation. A king needs a crown; thorns will do nicely. Not the innocuous imitation laurel wreath beloved by pious art, but great jagged spikes from the date palm, up to twelve inches in length, meshed together and then rammed agonizingly on to Jesus head. An old purple sheet is found for a cloak and probably a box or bench for a throne. Matthew and Mark mention a staff pushed into his hands as a sceptre. Let the coronation proceed! Let the sport begin! So they come forward in turn in mocking homage: Hail, O King of the Jews, in deliberate parody of obeisance to the Emperor, Ave, Caesar!, and then the spit, the slap, the punch. Matthew and Mark speak of them taking the staff and striking Jesus on the head with it again and again (Mt. 27:30). 203 Bruce Milne See also Matthew 27:26, Mark 15:17-20 Antonio Ciseri's depiction of Pontius Pilate presenting a scourged Christ to the people Ecce homo! (Behold the man!). 127

128 Romans often extracted the truth from prisoners through torture (Remember John 18:38?) To a modern audience, John 19:1 loses some of its power. To John s original readers, the verse needed no exposition for they fully understood what a Roman flogging entailed There were three forms of flogging that the Romans administered. The lightest of these, the fustigatio, was a light beating that only hooligans experienced. The second, the flagellatio, was a severe beating that criminals who were guilty of more serious crimes received. The third, the verberatio, was the most brutal. The worst criminals including those sentenced to crucifixion underwent it. Evidently Jesus received the first or second of these beatings at this time, namely before His sentencing. He received the third type after His sentencing (v. 16; cf. Matt. 27:26; Mark 15:15). 204 Tom Constable Pilate perhaps hoped that the sever flogging would appease the Jewish leaders, but it did not It is clear from the text that Pilate did not want to sentence Jesus to death Jesus, however, seemed to let Pilate off the hook somewhat by comforting Pilate with the fact that he was not the main cause of situation Who did Jesus have in mind when He spoke of the one who had handed Him over to Pilate? Some interpreters believe that Jesus meant Caiaphas. This seems most probable since it was Caiaphas who had sent Jesus bound to Pilate (18:28). Another possibility is Judas Iscariot (cf. 6:71; 13:21; 18:2). However, Judas did not hand Jesus over directly to Pilate but to the Jewish authorities. Obviously Jesus did not mean that God was responsible since He viewed the act of handing Him over as a culpable sin. Satan might be in view, but Jesus was apparently speaking of another human being. The Jewish rulers do not qualify because Jesus spoke of one other person delivering Him to Pilate. Both Pilate and Caiaphas were guilty because they treated Jesus as they did. However, Caiaphas was guilty of a worse sin since Caiaphas had received greater power from God than Pilate had. God had given Caiaphas the authority to lead God s people as Israel s high priest. Pilate had only received power (Gr. exousia) to govern politically. Specifically Jesus seems to have been referring to Pilate s power to judge Him. Thus the reason for the greater sin of Caiaphas was his abuse of the greater privilege and power that God had given him. 205 Tom Constable Pilate became even more frightened when he heard that Jesus had claimed to be the son of God To the Jews, Jesus claim was the height of sacrilege. For Pilate, however, it had a different meaning. In pagan mythology the Olympian deities frequently consorted with men and women, and their semi-divine offspring, such as Hercules, had appeared on the earth and performed miraculous deeds. Hardened as he was, Pilate feared lest he should offend one of these visitors. His further questioning of Jesus was an attempt to ascertain who Jesus was. If Jesus really was a supernatural being, Pilate did not wish to be responsible for mistreating him. Divine judgment would certainly be the inevitable consequence. The silence of Jesus, like his silence in the presence of Herod 128

129 (Luke 23:6 11), meant that he could accomplish nothing with a trifler. Pilate had already pronounced Jesus innocent; so the case resolved itself to the alternative of release or a gross perversion of justice. 206 Merrill Tenney Ultimately we have to ask the same question as Pilate: Who is Jesus? I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don t accept His claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronising nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to. 207 C.S. Lewis Who do you say Jesus is? Notice where Pilate s true authority came from from above (i.e. God) Where does our authority come from? The Jewish leaders were very savvy they implied that Pilate was no friend of Caesar if he allowed a would be king to live The Jewish leaders said that they have no king but Caesar they sold out to save their place (cf. John 11:48)! Who really committed blasphemy here? What are we willing to give up just so we can get our way? How far are we willing to go? Where will we draw the line? Pilate presented the bleeding, disheveled figure to the crowd with these words: Here is your king. In their bitter irony, these words show Pilate s contempt for the Jews. As the people clamored for Jesus crucifixion, Pilate scornfully asked, Shall I crucify your king? The reply of the chief priests is astonishing: We have no king but Caesar. The official heads of the nation, who would gladly have welcomed independence, put themselves on record as subjects of the pagan emperor. Even allowing for the fact that the Sadducean priesthood was willing to compromise with the Romans for the sake of political advantage, nothing revealed their lack of spiritual principles so vividly as this act of betrayal. It was the final step in the process initially described in the Prologue: He came to that which was his own, but his own [people] did not receive him (John 1:11). 208 Merrill Tenney Pilate felt he had no choice but to cave in to the wishes of the people Riots were something that Rome could not tolerate, so many leaders were removed from their posts if they failed to keep the Roman peace. 209 Gerald L. Borchert 129

130 Roman sources inform us that Pilate had gained Tiberias favour and become a Friend of Caesar through the good graces of one Sejanus, a highly placed imperial official. Some months before the crucifixion, during a palace purge in Rome, Sejanus had been removed and executed, along with many of his supporters. Pilate was therefore conceivably in a highly precarious position at this point due to his known connections to Sejanus. His life may even have been in some danger when Jesus appeared before him. In these circumstances a show of disloyalty, by failing to deal firmly with a revolutionary leader implicitly challenging the rule of Caesar, might be the final nail in Pilate s coffin. A whisper in the right ears in Rome, and Pilate was a dead man. 210 Bruce Milne The Jews had reported to Pilate, and Jesus himself had admitted, that Jesus was a king, albeit a totally different kind of king. Therefore Pilate could not deny this fact (cf. 18:33 37). How then could he explain to his superiors that if Jesus was a king, he did not make himself a king or that he was not a challenger or opponent to Caesar? In any possible subsequent defense the Jews would appear absolutely correct, and Pilate would be judged by his superiors to be incompetent if not stupid. His grounds for dismissing the case against Jesus were gone. Self-preservation demanded that he grant the Jews their desire. 211 Gerald Borchert Pilate condemns Jesus Matthew 27:24 So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, I am innocent of this man s blood; see to it yourselves. 25 And all the people answered, His blood be on us and on our children! 26 Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001). Pilate s worst fear was that of a riot. A riot would indicate to Rome that he was not in control In a feeble attempt to absolve himself of Jesus death, Pilate washed his hands, released Barabbas and ordered Jesus to be crucified Matthew records that the Jewish leaders called for Jesus blood to fall on them and their children Barabbas was the first to benefit from Jesus substitutionary sacrifice Pilate called for a basin of water and washed his hands, declaring that he would have nothing to do with the execution of Jesus. But it was not that easy. He had to make a decision Although Pilate washed his hands, the bitter irony of it is that in the oldest creed of the church stand these words: crucified under Pontius Pilate. The blood of Jesus was on his hands no matter how much he washed them. 212 J. Vernon McGee It seems unlikely that Matthew would have wanted to present Judas, the chief priests, and Pilate as somehow escaping condemnation and having it fall, instead, on the people Jesus supposedly came to save (cf. 1:21). Thus, one prominent interpretation suggests that the attempt to avoid Jesus s blood is ironic: Jesus s blood brings forgiveness of sins (26:20), and Pilate is depicted as foolishly cleansing himself of his only chance for salvation, while the Jewish people in general are depicted as unwittingly praying for forgiveness. 213 The Harper Collins Bible Dictionary 130 See also Mark 15:15 Luke 23:24-25 John 19:16

131 Under Mosaic Law the Jews could not scourge someone with more than 40 lashes (Deut. 25:3; cf. 2 Cor 11:24). However here the Romans, not the Jews, were scourging Jesus. They had no limit on the number of lashes they could impose on a prisoner. They customarily used a leather whip with pieces of bone and or metal embedded in the thongs, a flagellum. Scourging with this whip often turned human flesh into pulp and exposed the bones and internal organs. People frequently died from this type of flogging. The Romans used it to weaken prisoners before crucifixion. After this beating, Pilate sent Jesus to die (cf. Isa. 53:6, 12). This scourging fulfilled Jesus words in 20: Tom Constable In the Roman Empire, flagellation was often used as a prelude to crucifixion, and in this context is sometimes referred to as scourging. Whips with small pieces of metal or bone at the tips were commonly used. Such a device could easily cause disfigurement and serious trauma, such as ripping pieces of flesh from the body or loss of an eye. In addition to causing severe pain, the victim would approach a state of hypovolemic shock due to loss of blood. The Romans reserved this treatment for non-citizens, as stated in the lex Porcia and lex Sempronia, dating from 195 and 123 BCE. The poet Horace refers to the horribile flagellum (horrible whip) in his Satires. Typically, the one to be punished was stripped naked and bound to a low pillar so that he could bend over it, or chained to an upright pillar so as to be stretched out. Two lictors (some reports indicate scourgings with four or six lictors) alternated blows from the bare shoulders down the body to the soles of the feet. There was no limit to the number of blows inflicted - this was left to the lictors to decide, though they were normally not supposed to kill the victim. Nonetheless, Livy, Suetonius and Josephus report cases of flagellation where victims died while still bound to the post. Flagellation was referred to as "half death" by some authors and apparently, many victims died shortly thereafter. Cicero reports in In Verrem, "pro mortuo sublatus brevi postea mortuus" ("taken away for a dead man, shortly thereafter he was dead"). In some cases the victim was turned over to allow flagellation on the chest, though this proceeded with more caution, as the possibility of inflicting a fatal blow was much greater Wikipedia Discussion Questions 1. Constable stated that Barabbas was more of a messianic figure to the Jewish people than Jesus. Do you agree with this statement? In what ways would Barabbas be viewed as more messianic than Jesus to the first century Jewish people? 2. Do you feel at all sorry for Pilate and the position that he was in? Why or why not? Lessons for Life Do not let the fear of personal loss or sacrifice keep you from doing the right thing Do not let people pressure you into doing the wrong thing Do not be fooled by the illusion of earthly power. God is the one who is in control Be sure you count the true costs before you say something to simply get your way Be sure you wrestle with and answer the most important question that any man or woman can be asked: Who is Jesus Christ? Thank Jesus for the beating that He took for you and for me 131

132 Jesus is mocked Matthew 27:27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor s headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. 28 And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! 30 And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001). Imagine the pain of having your garments stripped off of your body after a flogging and the blood starting to coagulate The irony here is incredible. The soldiers were mocking Jesus as the King of the Jews when in fact He was not only the King of the Jews, but the King of Kings There is a fascinating inscription on one of the stones of the courtyard of that barracks, which has been excavated and lies beneath the Sisters of Zion Convent in Jerusalem. There are several graffiti of the soldiers gambling games on the stone paving, and one of them is of the letter B adjacent to what looks like a crown of thorns. Could that stand for basilikon, the king s game? And could those stones have witnessed the howling of the mob and the pathetic manoeuvres of the governor, the cruelty of the soldiers and the silent suffering of the Christ? At all events, Matthew wants us to know that just as the Jews had mocked and abused Jesus, so did the Gentiles, only with greater violence and cruelty. 216 Michael Green The Sanhedrin and or its servants had abused Jesus as a false Messiah (26:67 68). Now Pilate s soldiers abused Him as a false king. Ironically Jesus was all they charged Him with being. The scarlet robe (Gr. chlamys) they put on Jesus (v. 28) was probably the reddish purple cloak that Roman military and civil officials wore. Perhaps the thorny spikes that the soldiers wove into a circle to resemble the one on Tiberius Caesar s head on Roman coins consisted of palm branches. The imperfect tense of the Greek verb translated beat means they beat Jesus on the head repeatedly (cf. Isa. 52:14). Typically four soldiers plus a centurion accompanied a condemned prisoner to his crucifixion. The criminal normally carried the crosspiece to which the soldiers would later nail his hands (cf. John 19:17, 23). 217 Tom Constable The soldiers took this opportunity to have their fun with Him before He was crucified. Since He was going to die anyway, they could mutilate Him and do anything they wished with Him. They played a cruel Roman game known as hot hand with their prisoners. All the soldiers would show the prisoner their fists. Then they would blindfold the prisoner, and all but one would hit him as hard as they could. Then they would remove the blindfold, and if the prisoner was still conscious, he was to guess which soldier did not hit him. Obviously, the prisoner could never guess the right one. They would continue this until they had beaten the prisoner to a pulp. I believe that the Lord Jesus was so mutilated that you would not have recognized Him. 218 J. Vernon McGee Unknown to them, their actions fulfilled Isaiah s prophecy concerning the Savior s marring (Isa. 52:14). Because of the known cruelty of Roman soldiers, Jesus was probably beaten to the point where few would have recognized Him. Yet He silently bore the unjust treatment, submitting to the will of His Father (cf. 1 Peter 2:23) Louis A. Barbieri, Jr. 132 See also Mark 15:16-20 John 19:2-3

133 Early in his first main section, in the stories of Jesus s infancy, [Luke] records the words of the aged Simeon spoken to Jesus s mother concerning her baby boy: he will be a sign that is spoken against, and a sword will pierce through her own soul also (2:34 35). It is thirty years ahead; but there already on the horizon looms the cross. Much later, when his ministry has begun and he has gathered around him a band of disciples whom he is instructing, he tells them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised (9:22): there too is the cross. Transfigured in glory on the hilltop, he talks, in the hearing of his amazed followers, with Moses and Elijah; and their subject is his departure, which he was to accomplish at Jerusalem (9:31): there again is the cross The cross dominates the prospect for Jesus. It is like a landmark on the skyline, on which his eyes are fixed, and towards which, however winding the road, he constantly moves. And in the same way it dominates Luke s scheme of relating the Gospel. He has no need to underline the fact of the crucifixion when he comes to it, no need to focus a blinding spotlight on it; we find simply the quiet statement that when they came to the place which is called The Skull, there they crucified him (23:33). For ever since the childhood episode with Simeon (2:34 35) in the temple, at a distance of thirty years though a mere half-mile away the Jesus whom Luke has been describing has been travelling the road to the cross. 220 Michael Wilcock HARMONY OF EVENTS AT JESUS CRUCIFIXION From The Bible Knowledge Commentary 1. Jesus arrived at Golgotha (Matt. 27:33; Mark 15:22; Luke 23:33; John 19:17). 2. He refused the offer of wine mixed with myrrh (Matt. 27:34; Mark 15:23). 3. He was nailed to the cross between the two thieves (Matt. 27:35 38; Mark 15:24 28; Luke 23:33 38; John 19:18). 4. He gave His first cry from the cross: Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing (Luke 23:34). 5. The soldiers took Jesus garments, leaving Him naked on the cross (Matt. 27:35; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:34; John 19:23). 6. The Jews mocked Jesus (Matt. 27:39 43; Mark 15:29 32; Luke 23:35 37). 7. He conversed with the two thieves (Luke 23:39 43). 8. He gave His second cry from the cross, I tell you the truth; today you will be with Me in paradise (Luke 23:43). 9. He spoke the third time, Woman, here is your son (John 19:26 27). 10. Darkness came from noon to 3 P.M. (Matt. 27:45; Mark 15:33; Luke 23:44). 11. He gave His fourth cry, My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? (Matt. 27:46 47; Mark 15:34 36). 12. His fifth cry was, I am thirsty (John 19:28). 13. He drank wine vinegar (John 19:29). 14. His sixth cry was, It is finished (John 19:30). 15. He drank wine vinegar from a sponge (Matt. 27:48; Mark 15:36). 16. He cried a seventh time, Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit (Luke 23:46). 17. He dismissed His spirit by an act of His own will (Matt. 27:50; Mark 15:37; Luke 23:46; John 19:30). 18. The temple curtain was torn in two (Matt. 27:51; Mark 15:38; Luke 23:45). 19. Roman soldiers admitted, Surely He was the Son of God (Matt. 27:54; Mark 15:39)

134 The Via Delarosa Luke 23:26 And as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. 27 And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were mourning and lamenting for him. 28 But turning to them Jesus said, Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For behold, the days are coming when they will say, Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed! 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us, and to the hills, Cover us. 31 For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry? 32 Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001). Condemned persons were generally weakened but were still required to carry their own crosses on the way to execution. The Roman action referred to in the Synoptics of pressing someone else from a conquered nation to carry the cross of a weakened victim was, however, not out of pity. It was to insure that the victim would not die on the way to the place of execution. That would be intolerably anticlimactic. Roman justice was harsh, and cruel and unusual punishment was hardly frowned upon as it is in the contemporary Western democracies. Beating, mocking, cursing, taunting, and painful suffering were all regarded by the Roman administrators and their lackeys as justifiable parts of deserved punishment for condemned, noncitizen criminals and revolutionaries, especially in the provinces. 222 Gerald L. Borcheret We know very little of Simon of Cyrene It is most certain that he did not want to bear the cross Mark identifies Simon as the father of Alexander and Rufus (see Mark 15:21) Names are very important in Scripture and they are not listed by accident It has been suggested that Rufus and his mother may be mentioned by Paul in Romans 16:13 Did this event lead Simon and his family to faith? Mark describes Simon as the father of Alexander and Rufus (Mark 15:21). Now you do not identify a man by the names of his sons unless these sons are well-known people in the community to which you write. There is general agreement that Mark wrote his gospel to the church at Rome. Turn to Paul s letter to the church at Rome. Among the greetings at the end he writes, Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and greet his mother a mother to me also (Romans 16:13). So in the Roman church there was Rufus, a Christian of such worth that he could be called one of God s chosen ones, with a mother so dear to Paul that he could call her his mother in the faith. It may well be that this was the same Rufus who was the son of Simon of Cyrene, and his mother was Simon s wife. It may well be that as he looked on Jesus Simon s bitterness turned to wondering amazement and finally to faith; that he became a Christian; and that his family became some of the most worthy members of the Roman church. It may well be that Simon from Tripoli thought he was going to realize a life s ambition, to celebrate the Passover in Jerusalem at last; that he found himself sorely against his will carrying a criminal s cross; that, as he looked, his bitterness turned to wonder and to faith; and that in the thing that seemed to be his shame he found a Saviour. 223 William Barclay 134 See also Matthew 27:31-32, 38 Mark 15:20-21, 27 John 19:17-18

135 Jesus lamented the fact that if this is how God incarnate is treated, how much worse things will be when He is gone This is probably a reference to the Great Tribulation 23:29 Jewish women considered barrenness a misfortune and children a blessing. Jesus announced that in the future the opposite would be true. They would see their children suffer and wish they had never been born. The context of Jesus quotation from Hosea 10:8 is a passage describing Israel s idolatry and God s consequent judgment of her for it. Jesus was predicting God s judgment here. 23:30 Probably the people would call on the mountains and hills to hide them from God s wrath (cf. Rev. 6:15 16). The Tribulation is in view in the Hosea passage. Probably the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. and the Tribulation judgments on Jerusalem are in view here. The destruction by the Romans would only be a foretaste of the worse judgment still future. 23:31 This was evidently a proverbial saying in Jesus day. The green tree stands for good conditions resulting from God s blessing and the dry tree for bad conditions resulting from divine judgment. If God allowed innocent Jesus to perish in times of His blessing, what would happen to guilty Jerusalem when God judged her? Jesus words constituted yet another call for repentance. There was still time for individuals and the nation to believe on Him and escape God s wrath, but barring repentance God s severe judgment would certainly fall. Luke evidently recorded these words because of his interest in extending the call to salvation to his readers. 224 Tom Constable The main issue involves to whom the they [v. 31] refers. Is it a circumlocution for God? Does it refer to the Romans? (If the Romans are doing this to me, whom they acknowledge as innocent, what will they do to you in a.d. 70 when you are truly guilty of rebellion?) The Jews? (If the Jews do this to their Anointed One who has come for their salvation, what will God do to them for having killed his Son?) Human beings in general? In light of the use of the third person plural as a circumlocution for God in 6:38; 12:20, 48; 16:9, the most likely interpretation is If God has not spared his innocent Son from such tribulation [by permitting his crucifixion], how much worse will it be for a sinful nation when God unleashes his righteous wrath upon it [by permitting the Romans to destroy Jerusalem]. 225 Robert H. Stein Discussion Questions 1. Put yourself in Simon of Cyrene s shoes. What are you thinking during this ordeal? 2. Why do you think Jesus took time to speak to the women en route to Calvary? Lessons for Life Simon was asked to carry Jesus cross, but that was nothing in comparison to Jesus bearing the full weight of the cross and the crucifixion. Realize that when we are given crosses to carry they most likely will always pale in comparison to the cross that Jesus bore! You can always minister to others even when you are suffering yourself! The Great Tribulation is coming soon! Aggressively pursue the mission that God has called you to do while there are still a few green branches left on the trees! Note: Using a near/far method of interpreting Scripture, Jesus could have been referring to both the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in AD 70 as well as an even greater future Tribulation which the world currently awaits. cir cum lo cu tion \ˌsərk ə m-lō-ˈkyü-shən\ noun the use of an unnecessarily large number of words to express an idea

136 Down the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem that day The soldiers tried to clear the narrow street But the crowd pressed in to see The Man condemned to die on Calvary He was bleeding from a beating, there were stripes upon His back And He wore a crown of thorns upon His head And He bore with every step The scorn of those who cried out for His death Via Delarosa By Miklos Rozsa Down the Via Dolorosa called the way of suffering Like a lamb came the Messiah, Christ the King, But He chose to walk that road out of His love for you and me. Down the Via Dolorosa, all the way to Calvary. 136

137 The Suffering Servant Isaiah 52:13 Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted. 14 As many were astonished at you his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of the children of mankind 15 so shall he sprinkle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of him; for that which has not been told them they see, and that which they have not heard they understand. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Is. 52: Isaiah wrote these words some 600 years before Jesus ministry here on earth This is an Old Testament passage that is often brushed over or even omitted by Jewish teachers today There was a cross that lay between Jesus and His ultimate exaltation Jesus was so badly beaten that He was barely recognizable Did Mel Gibson go far enough in the Passion of the Christ? The Servant would experience the same humiliation and degradation that had marked the Israelites. Rather than appearing to be the strongest and most attractive representative of Yahweh, the Servant would appear extremely weak and unattractive to people. This description probably presents all aspects of His being: physical, mental, social, spiritual, etc. In His trials and crucifixion, Jesus underwent beatings that marred His physical appearance, but far more than that is in view in this description of Him. By saying that His appearance was marred more than any man and His form more than the sons of men, Isaiah was saying in a very strong way that His sufferings would be very great. 227 Tom Constable The Servant will sprinkle people in many nations. Sprinkle is associated with cleansing by the priest under the Mosaic Law (Lev. 4:6; 8:11; 14:7). This Servant, whom many have not considered important at all, will actually provide the most important thing for nations and their kings, namely, cleansing from sin (cf. John 1:29; Heb. 10:14). That is why they will shut their mouths. They will be appalled that they had miscalculated the situation so badly. Realizing their great mistake, they will have nothing to say. Eventually, when they see Him exalted in His Second Advent, they will finally understand and see clearly. 228 John A. Martin Isaiah 53:1 Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? 2 For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001). 137

138 Jesus was an ordinary, common looking man He probably would not have been discovered today by Hollywood executives He would not have been picked to play the lead role in a movie about Himself Instead, Jesus was rejected by His very own people Jesus understands our pain because He has walked in our shoes You will find that these two themes belong together suffering and satisfaction. Suffering always precedes satisfaction. Too many folk are trying to take a shortcut to happiness by attempting to avoid all the trying experiences of life. I want to tell you that there is no short route to satisfaction. This is the reason I condemn short term courses that claim they have the answers to all of life s problems and will equip you with the whole armor of God. Well, that s not the way God does it. There is no short route. Even God did not go the short route. He could have avoided the Cross and accepted the crown. That was Satan s suggestion. But suffering always comes before satisfaction. Phraseology bears various expressions: through trial to triumph; sunshine comes after the clouds; light follows darkness; and flowers come after the rain. That seems to be God s way of doing things. Since it is His method, then it is the very best way. Perhaps you are sitting in the shadows of life today. Trials confront you, and problems overwhelm you, and the fiery furnace is your present lot, and you have tasted the bitter without the sweet. If that is your case right now, then let me encourage your heart and fortify your faith by saying that you are on the same pathway that God followed, and that it leads at last to light if you walk with Him. weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning (Ps. 30:5). 229 J. Vernon McGee Earlier, King Saul s physical stature attracted people to him and caused them to want him to be their king (1 Sam 9:20). David was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features (1 Sam 16:12), but these attractive external signs of a king were not something people could identify in this Servant. These physical features refer to the outward appearance which was not very impressive. In light of modern models of leadership and Christian stardom of some pastors and Christian television personalities one wonders if this Servant would have appeared as someone desirable according to modern leadership criteria. Would people recognize him for who he really was or would they ignore him or reject him? J. Oswalt suggests that Deliverers are dominating, forceful, attractive people, who by their personal magnetism draw people to themselves. People who refuse to follow that leadership frequently find themselves crushed and tossed away. This man does not fit that picture. 230 Gary Smith Isaiah 53:4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Is. 53:

139 Who was Jesus smitten by? Who is ultimately responsible for sending Jesus to the cross? Why? For us! By His wounds we are healed is often taken to refer to physical healing, but the context here seems to refer more to spiritual healing. Jesus died in our place to pay for our sins in order to heal us spiritually so that we can be justified before God Jesus bore ALL the sins of ALL of humanity throughout ALL generations However, this is only beneficial to those who believe (John 1:12-13 and Romans 3:22) The physical suffering He experienced probably paled in comparison to the weight of the sin that was laid on His shoulders To Him that knew no sin, became sin so that we could become the righteousness of God 2 Corinthians 5:21 Theologians interpret His sin-bearing as the doctrine of substitution, meaning that He took our place to bear the judgment of our sin even though He Himself knew no sin The other side of this truth is the reason for our tears of gratitude. All of His pain is for our griefs, our sorrows, our transgressions, and our iniquities. The Servant not only took our sins upon Himself, but He also took our sorrows. Through the ministry of sorrows, we know that He understands every grief we suffer because He too has felt our pain David McKenna and Lloyd J. Ogilvie The phrase with His stripes we are healed may cause questions in your mind. Of what are we healed? Are we healed of physical diseases? Is that the primary meaning of it? I am going to let Simon Peter interpret this by the inspiration of the Spirit of God. First Peter 2:24 says, Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. Healed of what? Peter makes it quite clear that we are healed of our trespasses and sins J. Vernon McGee We have turned every one to his own way. Collectively and individually, the whole world had sinned. There was none that did good absolutely no, not one (Ps. 14:3). All had quitted the way of the Lord (ch. 40:3) to walk in their own ways (ch. 66:3). The Lord hath laid on him; literally, the Lord caused to light upon him. God the Father, as the primary Disposer of all things, lays upon the Son the burden, which the Son voluntarily accepts. He comes into the world to do the Father s will. He prays to the Father, Let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt (Matt. 26:39). So St. John says that the Father sent the Son to be the Propitiation for our sins (1 John 4:10) And St. Paul tells us that God (the Father) made him to be sin for us who knew no sin (2 Cor. 5:21) H.D.M. Spence-Jones Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? 139

140 9 And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001). Jesus remained silent before His accusers (Matthew 26:63; Mark 14:61; John 19:9) Jesus did not resist going to the cross Jesus was stricken for the transgressions of God s people Jews and Gentiles Jesus would be buried in the tomb or Joseph of Arimathea (see Matthew 27:57-61; Mark 15:43-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42) Isaiah clearly prophesies the suffering servant would die even though He was innocent In verse 7 the quiet, gentle nature of sheep is stressed. Seeing many sheep sheared for their wool or killed as sacrifices, Israelites were well aware of the submissive nature of sheep. Jesus, as the Lamb of God (John 1:29), quietly submitted to His death. He did not try to stop those who opposed Him; He remained silent rather than defend Himself (Matt. 26:63a; 27:14; 1 Peter 2:23). He was willingly led to death because He knew it would benefit those who would believe. 234 John A. Martin When the Servant of the Lord took on all of our iniquities, He also took upon Himself the penalty of judgment against our sins. A sacrificial tone has already been set in the previous verse of the Servant Song when we are likened to sheep that have gone astray and He is likened to the scapegoat that was sent into the wilderness bearing our sins. As a progression on that theme, the Servant is now likened to a sacrificial lamb going silently to the slaughter or a sheep lying passively in the hands of its shearers (v. 7). Paralleling this image is the vision of a courtroom in which a mock trial is being held. As the Servant bears His physical beatings in silence and refuses to confess sins that He did not commit, His accusers become more and more aggressive in their accusations until He is falsely condemned to die, executed as a criminal, and buried with the wicked and the rich after His death (v. 9). 235 David McKenna and Lloyd J. Ogilvie Isaiah 53:10 Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001). He was smitten of God, and afflicted. The prophet was so afraid that you and I would miss this that he mentioned it three times: The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him. He hath put him to grief. Consternation fills our souls when we recognize that it was God the Father who treated the perfect Man in such terrible fashion Who was ultimately responsible for sending Jesus to the cross? 140

141 Candidly, we do not understand it, and we are led to inquire why God should treat Him in this manner. What had he done to merit such treatment? Look for a moment at that cross. Christ was on the cross six hours, hanging between heaven and earth from nine o clock in the morning until three o clock in the afternoon. In the first three hours man did his worst. He heaped ridicule and insult upon Him, spit upon Him, nailed Him without mercy to the cruel cross, and then sat down to watch Him die. At twelve o clock noon, after He had hung there for three hours in agony, God drew a veil over the sun, and darkness covered that scene, shutting out from human eye the transaction between the Father and the Son. Christ became the sacrifice for the sin of the world. God made His soul an offering for sin. Christ Jesus was treated as sin, for we are told that He was made sin for us who knew no sin. If you want to know if God hates sin, look at the Cross. If you want to know if God will punish sin, look at the Darling of His heart enduring the tortures of its penalty. By what vain conceit can you and I hope to escape if we neglect so great a salvation? That cross became an altar where we behold the Lamb of God taking away the sin of the world. He was dying for somebody else He was dying for you and me. 236 J. Vernon McGee Whose will was it to put Him to grief? What was the purpose? Who is Jesus offspring? The suffering and death of the Servant was clearly the Lord s will. In that sense He was slain from the Creation of the world (Rev. 13:8). The statement, the Lord made the Servant s life a guilt offering, does not mean that Jesus life satisfied the wrath of God but that His life which culminated in His death was the sacrifice for sins. As indicated in Isaiah 53:7 8 He had to die to satisfy the righteous demands of God. The word for guilt offering is āšām, used in Leviticus 5:15; 6:5; 19:21 and elsewhere of an offering to atone for sin. 237 John A. Martin God was pleased that the Servant s death would pay the price required for reparation so that guilt could be removed and a new relationship restored with sinners. God wants the reader to know that the rather strange things recorded in this tragic message about the Servant did not occur just as a regrettable accident or without some predetermined forethought. In fact, to the surprise of some, God s purposeful desires will be fulfilled through all these events. Thus the earlier hints about God s involvement in individual aspects of the life of the Servant (causing iniquity to fall on him in 53:6) applies also to the crushing (53:5) and the grief, sickness, suffering (53:3) of the Servant. God s punishment of sin, his love for others, and his plans to ultimately establish his worldwide kingdom required the removal of guilt to form a holy people (cf. 4:3 4). 238 Gary Smith Isaiah 53:12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001). 141

142 Who was the prophet Isaiah writing about 2,600 years ago some years before the crucifixion of Jesus? There is often a cross before there is a crown This great passage gives a tremendously complete picture of what the death of Jesus Christ accomplished on behalf of Israel (John 11:49 51) and the whole world (1 John 2:2). His death satisfied God s righteous demands for judgment against sin, thus opening the way for everyone to come to God in faith for salvation from sin. 239 John A. Martin This final promise of exaltation returns to the thought with which this passage began (52:13). The Servant s exaltation is for accomplishing redemption. Suffering in God s service is pleasing to God. 240 Tom Constable The Crucifixion John 19:16b So they took Jesus, 17 and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. 19 Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. 20 Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. 21 So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, Do not write, The King of the Jews, but rather, This man said, I am King of the Jews. 22 Pilate answered, What I have written I have written. 23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, 24 so they said to one another, Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be. This was to fulfill the Scripture which says, They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. So the soldiers did these things, 25 but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, Woman, behold, your son! 27 Then he said to the disciple, Behold, your mother! And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001). Again, John s simple phrase they crucified him loses some impact on contemporary audiences, but John s first and second century audience fully understood the absolute horror of that statement It is very likely that many, if not most, of first century readers of the Gospels living in the provinces had witnessed a crucifixion first hand. The Romans wanted crucifixions to be very public events as a serious deterrent (at least for non- Roman citizens) to civil disobedience The cross is an instrument of torture. Its intention was to kill slowly and painfully. Victims would often die from exhaustion, exposure, starvation and/or suffocation. See also Matthew 27:33-37, 38, Mark 15:22-27, Luke 23:33-34, 38, 49 Ἰησοῦς ὁ Ναζωραῖος ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων IESVS NAZARENVS REX IVDÆORVM י ש וע ה נ צ ר י מ ל ך ה י ה וד ים Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews The Crucifixion (1622) by Simon Vouet 142

143 Then they prepared to lead him away to crucifixion. We are sometimes told that we should not dwell on the physical aspect of the cross; but we cannot possibly have too vivid a picture of what Jesus did and suffered for us. Joseph Klausner, the Jewish writer, says: Crucifixion is the most terrible and cruel death which man has ever devised for taking vengeance on his fellow-men. Cicero, the Roman statesman, called it the most cruel and the most horrible torture. The historian Tacitus called it a torture only fit for slaves. It originated in Persia; and its origin came from the fact that the earth was considered to be sacred to Ormuzd the god, and the criminal was lifted up from it that he might not defile the earth, which was the god s property. From Persia, crucifixion passed to Carthage in North Africa; and it was from Carthage that Rome learned it, although the Romans kept it exclusively for rebels, runaway slaves and the lowest type of criminal. It was indeed a punishment which it was illegal to inflict on a Roman citizen. Klausner goes on to describe crucifixion. The criminal was fastened to his cross, already a bleeding mass from the scourging. There he hung to die of hunger and thirst and exposure, unable even to defend himself from the torture of the gnats and flies which settled on his naked body and on his bleeding wounds. It is not a pretty picture, but that is what Jesus Christ suffered willingly for us. 241 William Barclay The victim was laid out on the crosspiece and fixed to it by iron nails driven through the top of the wrists; the crosspiece was then raised on a ladder or pulley and nailed or bound to the upright, and the feet, placed one over the other, nailed below. The victim was then left to die. It could take days; a long, slow agonizing descent into hell, ended finally by suffocation as the victim, unable any longer to relieve the constriction of the chest, mercifully expired. 242 Bruce Milne An ossuary unearthed near Jerusalem in Giv at ha-mivtar revealed the only known instance of the skeleton of a man who had been crucified. It showed that the feet had been nailed sideways to the cross whereas the body had been facing forward. Such a position would create a twist of about ninety degrees at the waist. The unnatural position, growing thirst, exposure to the weather, some loss of blood, and impaired breathing contributed to bring about a lingering and painful death. The tension on the arms prevented normal breathing, which caused the lungs to slowly fill with moisture. The victim drowned slowly by internal accumulation of fluid. The action of the heart was seriously affected. Frequently a crucified man might live as long as thirty-six hours, or even longer in an increasing agony, unless by exhaustion or dementia he finally lapsed into unconsciousness. Crucifixion was probably the most diabolical form of death ever invented. Paul, in writing of the humiliation of Christ, says, He humbled himself and became obedient to [the point of] death even death on a cross (Philippians 2:8, italics mine). Paul s statement reveals the feeling toward death by this method. Death for Jesus was unbelievable, but crucifixion was unthinkable. 243 Merrill Tenney The way the hands and legs were fastened was normally either by tying the limbs with ropes or by fastening the limbs with nails. None of the crucifixion stories in the Gospels actually indicate how Jesus was attached to the cross, but in the postresurrection appearance stories there is more specificity. In the Thomas pericope there is a clear indication of the presence of nail marks in Jesus hands (John 20:24 27). In the general reference that the disciples should look at Jesus hands and feet in Luke 24:39 it must mean that they were clearly torn. The nail marks in the hands were probably not in the palms but likely in the wrists, which would hold the weight 143

144 of the body more securely. If the feet were nailed, as seems to be suggested by Luke, then they could be nailed on either side of the upright pole and less likely by a single spike penetrating both feet/legs, as indicated in later artistic representations that were enamored with the idea of three nails being used to attach Jesus to the cross. 244 Gerald L. Borchert The gold and diamond studded crosses that we wear around our necks do an unimaginable injustice to the actual, absolute horror of the cross Someone once said that the cross was not used as a symbol for the Christian church until the last person died who ever witnessed an execution carried out by way of a cross The soldier s activity in stripping Jesus and dividing His clothes was part of the customary cruelty of those times. Clothes were handmade and therefore expensive in comparison with clothes today. The executioners received the pieces as their due. The seamless tunic (undergarment) may be significant as the type of garment which the high priest wore, yet John did not expound on this point. John saw the significance in the fulfillment of Psalm 22:18, in which the poetic parallelism in that verse was fulfilled in two separate acts: (a) They divided My garments and (b) they cast lots for My clothing. That Jesus died naked was part of the shame which He bore for our sins. At the same time He is the last Adam who provides clothes of righteousness for sinners. 245 Edwin Blum We speak so often of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that it becomes almost trite for the average believer. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ is one of the most dastardly, infamous points in history. Yet, this is our redemption. We need to pause here and look at it from various points of view. From the standpoint of God, the Cross is a propitiation. It is the mercy seat where God can extend mercy to you and to me. It is the place where full satisfaction was made, so that a holy, righteous God can reach down and save sinners. The very throne of God, the place of judgment, is transformed into the place of mercy where you and I can find mercy instead of the judgment we deserve. Jesus Christ bore our guilt, and God is satisfied. From the standpoint of the Lord Jesus, it is a sacrifice. He is the Savior, and He makes Himself an offering for sin. He is a sweet smelling savor to God. It is also an act of obedience for Him. Paul tells us in Philippians 2:8 that he became obedient to death, even the death of the cross. From the standpoint of you and me, believers in Christ Jesus, it was a substitution. He took my place and He took your place. He was the sinless One suffering for the sinner. He was the just One suffering for the unjust. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed (1 Pet. 2:24). From the standpoint of Satan, it was a triumph and also a defeat. It was a triumph for Satan to bruise the heel of the woman s seed as had been foretold way back in Genesis 3. It was a defeat because the head of Satan is yet to be crushed: that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil (Heb. 2:14). From the standpoint of the world, the Cross is nothing but a brutal murder. They see Jesus of Nazareth. They see the man. They see the injustice. 246 J. Vernon McGee 144

145 Jesus tunic is described as being without seam, woven in one piece from top to bottom. That is the precise description of the linen tunic which the high priest wore. Let us remember that the function of the priest was to be the liaison between God and his people. The Latin for priest is pontifex, which means bridge-builder, and the priest was to build a bridge between God and his people. No one ever did that as Jesus did. He is the perfect high priest through whom men and women come to God. Again and again, we have seen that there are two meanings in so many of John s statements a meaning which lies on the surface, and a deeper inner meaning. When John tells us of the seamless tunic of Jesus, it is not just a description of the kind of clothes that Jesus wore; it is something which tells us that Jesus is the perfect priest, opening the perfect way for all people to the presence of God. 247 William Barclay Jesus mocked while He was on the cross Matthew 27:33 And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull), 34 they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. 35 And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. 36 Then they sat down and kept watch over him there. 37 And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, This is Jesus, the King of the Jews. 38 Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. 39 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross. 41 So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 42 He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, I am the Son of God. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001). It is unclear who offered the wine to Jesus or specifically what its purpose was for. What is clear is that Jesus refused to drink it In fulfillment of prophecy, they cast lots for Jesus garments (see Psalm 22:18) and offered him sour wine to drink (see Psalm 69:21) Among Jews the horror of the cross was greater still because of Deuteronomy 21:23: Anyone who is hanged on a tree is under God s curse. In Israelite law this meant the corpse of a judicially executed criminal was hung up for public exposure that branded him as cursed by God. The words were also applied in Jesus day to anyone crucified; and therefore the Jews demand that Jesus be crucified rather than banished was aimed at arousing maximum public revulsion toward him. But in Christian perspective the curse on Jesus at the cross fulfills all OT sacrifices: it is a curse that removes the curse from believers the fusion of divine, royal prerogative and Suffering Servant, the heart of the gospel, the inauguration of a new humanity, the supreme model for Christian ethics, the ratification of the new covenant, and the power of God (1 Cor 1:23 24; Gal 3:13; Rom 5:12 21; Col 2:14; Hebrews; 1 Peter 2:18 25, cf. Matt 3:17; 8:17; 16:21; 24 25; 20:25 28; 21:38 42; 26:26 29). 248 D.A. Carson Possibly the two men crucified with Jesus were Barabbas partners. Matthew used the same Greek word to describe them as the other evangelists used to describe Barabbas (i.e., lestes, rebels or insurrectionists, v. 38). All three were more than common robbers. 249 Tom Constable 145 See also Mark 15:27-32 Luke 23:25-38 John 19:18 The Crucifixion, seen from the Cross, by James Tissot, 19th century

146 The word Golgotha is a transliteration of the Aramaic gulgolta meaning skull. Calvary comes from the Latin calva, skull. Its exact location is unknown. It was evidently north of the old city wall probably not far from the site of the present Church of the Holy Sepulcher (cf. John 19:20). Gordon s Calvary does not enjoy much support as a site from scholars any more. 250 Tom Constable This passage is ripe with irony o The sign was accurate Jesus is the King of the Jews and the King of Kings o What were James and John now thinking about being on Jesus right and left? o The temple of Jesus body was being destroyed and would be raised in three days o With just a thought, Jesus could have saved himself and destroyed everyone there o However, by dying Jesus provided a way of salvation for the entire world (John 3:16) o Jesus trusted fully in the Father s will that is why He was enduring the pain of the cross. (Isn t it interesting how human logic is very different than God s logic? The religious leaders could not fathom that God would let the true Messiah die on a cross, yet that was exactly what He was doing!) o Jesus is the Son of God! Was it harder for Jesus to come down from the cross or stay on the cross? The words Let him come down from the cross, and we will believe in him have several levels of meaning. They constitute a malicious barb directed at Jesus helplessness, while having the effrontery to suggest that the leaders failure to believe was his fault. The taunt piously promises faith if Jesus will but step down from the cross; but the reader knows that, in the mystery of providence, if Jesus did step down, there would be no blood of the covenant for the forgiveness of sins (26:26 29), no ransom (20:28), no salvation from sin (1:21), no theological basis for healing (8:16 17), no gospel of the kingdom to be proclaimed to nations everywhere (28:19 20), no fulfillment of Scripture. 251 D.A. Carson The final verses describe the taunts flung at Jesus by the passers-by, by the Jewish authorities, and by the brigands who were crucified with him. They all centred round one thing the claims that Jesus had made and his apparent helplessness on the cross. It was precisely there that the Jews were so wrong. They were using the glory of Christ as a means of mocking him. Come down, they said, and we will believe on you. But as General William Booth of the Salvation Army once said, It is precisely because he would not come down that we believe in him. The Jews could see God only in power; but Jesus showed that God is sacrificial love. 252 William Barclay The Romans crucified their victims naked. Whether they permitted a loin cloth to avoid transgressing Jewish stipulations (M Sanhedrin 6:3) is unknown. The victim s clothes customarily became the perquisite of the executioners; here they divided them probably an inner and outer garment, a belt, and a pair of sandals among themselves by casting lots, oblivious to the OT lament in Psalm 22:18 that John 19:23 24 says was now fulfilled D.A. Carson 146

147 Crucifixions were usually held alongside well-traveled roads to remind as many people as possible of the high cost of crime, particularly treason against the empire. The passersby who see Jesus echo the garbled charge against him from the Jewish trial (26:61), perhaps now widely publicized (vv ). They taunt his apparent impotence. Hurled insults is literally blasphemed. Shaking their heads seems to allude to Ps 22:7. Only Matthew adds, If you are the Son of God, an exact reproduction of Satan s catcall in 4:3. In this case, however, the first-class condition is more hypothetical, as in 12:27. Here truly is Jesus last great temptation, to come down off the cross, and he could have chosen to give in to it. But he would thereby have forfeited his divinely ordained role as the innocent sufferer for the sins of all humanity (cf. 2 Cor 5:21; Rom 3:21 26; Heb 9:26 28). For the sake of our eternal salvation, we praise God that he chose to remain faithful despite this unspeakable and excruciating agony. He thus perfectly illustrated the principle of 16:25 ( whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it ), which applies to all people. It is difficult to study the crucifixion sensitively and sympathetically and not break down in tears. It is almost inconceivable that believers who frequently meditate on Jesus suffering on their behalf could exalt themselves or quarrel with each other (hence 1 Cor 1:18 2:5 as Paul s response to the problems of 1 Cor 1:10 17). The ground is indeed level at the foot of the cross. That God should send his Son to die for us was the scandal of the Christian message in the first century (1 Cor 1:23) and remains so for many today. But all attempts to remove the doctrine of Jesus substitutionary atonement from Christianity leave us dead in sin with a religion impotent to save us from eternal damnation. 254 Craig Blomberg The two thieves Luke 23:32 Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33 And when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 And Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Lk 23: The singer/songwriter Carmen commented in one of his songs that Jesus statement, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do is enough to make even the strongest skeptic wince 147

148 Violently they grabbed his arms, As they tightly strapped each wrist, With a hellish look stood a strong armed soldier, Whip clenched in his fist, Laced with chips of bone they beat him hard, From his shoulders to his feet, And it sliced right through his olive skin, Just like razors through a sheet, Countless times the blood splattered, As each in-human lash was given, Several times his knees gave way, As his flesh just hung like ribbons And surprisingly he turned his head, Though the words he used were few, The soldiers face turned pale, When he said "This blood is for you", Uncaringly they tossed a garment, Across his weakened form, And his blood pressure fell deathly low, As the crowds began to swarm, They forced him to carry his cross up-hill, As his face they punched and smacked All the splinters from the crisscrossed beam dug deep into his back Through lack of sleep and dehydration, His tongue began to swell, And weakened by his loss of blood, This prophet-teacher fell, When he did some blood splattered On a man named Simons shoe, As he bent to wipe it off, The prophet looked and said "Simon this blood is for you", This Blood by Carmen This blood can save a soul, Heal the sick, mend a heart, This blood can give you access, To the very throne of God, And it still can go the distance, Through the pain to where you are, This blood is for you, The blood of the lamb, Then they pounded a spike, Through the bones in his wrists, Bursting arteries, and veins And as they dropped the cross in the hole they dug His body convulsed with pain Through an agony and torment That never a soul shall find He tilts his face towards heaven With full control of his mind With more love then any human heard Before that time or since He made a statement that to this day Makes the strongest skeptic wince, He cried "Father, God forgive them for they not what they do." And as he gave his life for those lost in sin He was saying "This blood is for you!" 148

149 In contrast to the hate and rejection expressed in crucifixion, Jesus manifested love and forgiveness for those who crucified Him. He prayed for them basing His petition for mercy on their ignorance even though at the same time they were stealing His garments in fulfillment of prophecy (Ps. 22:18). Luke s inclusion of Jesus prayer for His executioners harmonizes with his emphasis on Jesus offering grace and forgiveness to sinners (cf. 7:40 43; 19:10). If Jesus had had any sins of His own to confess, this would have been the time to do so. He did not, so He prayed for other sinners instead. Stephen followed Jesus good example here when he died at the hands of his persecutors (Acts 7:60). Luke may have wanted his readers to see Jesus act as a good model for disciples. 255 Tom Constable Jesus said many wonderful things, but rarely anything more wonderful than, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Christian forgiveness is an amazing thing. When Stephen was being stoned to death he too prayed, Lord, do not hold this sin against them (Acts 7:60). There is nothing so lovely and nothing so rare as Christian forgiveness. When the unforgiving spirit is threatening to turn our hearts to bitterness, let us hear again our Lord asking forgiveness for those who crucified him and his servant Paul saying to his friends, Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you (Ephesians 4:32). 256 William Barclay Luke 23:39 One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us! 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong. 42 And he said, Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. 43 And he said to him, Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001). Three people have now declared Jesus innocent: Pilate, Herod and the thief Here we see a juxtaposition of unbelief and belief o One man was only concerned with his physical life and the other with his spiritual life o One man did not care that Jesus was innocent and the other man could not get it out of his mind o One man was guilty and unrepentant. The other man was also guilty, but was truly sorry for his sins o One man refused to believe. The other man put his faith in the dying Messiah o One man did not enter paradise. The other man did Which man or woman are you? William Barclay commented on the thief that [i]t is literally true that while there is life there is hope. 257 Note also that Jesus promised the thief that he would go to paradise simply because of his faith in Jesus. This is one of the clearest examples in Scripture that salvation is not a reward for meritorious works but is a gift of God (Eph. 2:8 9). The thief did not have to do anything more to qualify for heaven. Indeed he could have done nothing more. People who believe that some works are necessary for salvation usually explain this instance of salvation as an exception to the rule. However, it is consistent with the teaching of Scripture elsewhere that salvation comes to a person solely in response to believing faith in Jesus Christ. 258 Tom Constable 149 See also Matthew 27:44 Mark 15:32

150 Our Lord made the remarkable statement that this thief would be in paradise with Him that very day. These two thieves had been arrested for the same crime, tried for the same crime, condemned for the same crime, and were dying for the same crime. What was the difference between them? There wasn t any both were thieves. The difference lies in the fact that one thief believed in Jesus Christ and one did not. 259 J. Vernon McGee In those moments, after the crucified robber had in His presence come to such a conviction of guilt and to repentance, he stretched out, still in time, the beseeching hand of faith to the Redeemer. Undoubtedly Jesus prayer that the Father should forgive His enemies had made a tremendous impression on this man, and when he observed by Jesus demeanour and personality that He was no ordinary man, but the Holy One, the faith was born in his heart that He was not only the Messiah but also the One who could in His mercy save him. However defective his faith was still, in all probability, he nevertheless besought Him in sincere trustfulness to take pity on him. Because he still pictured to himself that Jesus was the Messiah who would one day come in Messianic glory, he prayed to the Saviour to remember him when He should come to establish His kingdom. In this primitive form of supplication there was, however, a believing expectation in his attitude towards Jesus, and therefore Jesus assures him that He will not only remember him one day at His second coming, but that he would, on that very day, be with Him in paradise and would partake with Him in the heavenly joy as a redeemed one. 260 Norval Geldenhuys I am a thief, I am a murderer Walking up this lonely hill What have I done? I don't remember No one knows just how I feel and I know that my time is coming soon. It's been so long. Oh, such a long time Since I've lived with peace and rest Now I am here, my destination guess things work for the best and I know that my time is coming soon Who is this man? This man beside me They call the King of the Jews They don't believe that He's the Messiah But, somehow I know it's true. Thief By Third Day And they laugh at Him in mockery, and beat Him till he bleeds They nail Him to the rugged cross, and raise Him, they raise Him up next to me My time has come, I'm slowly fading I deserve what I receive Jesus when You are in Your kingdom Could You please remember me and He looks at me still holding on the tears fall from His eyes He says I tell the truth Today, you will live with Me in paradise and I know that my time is coming soon and I know paradise is coming soon. At the foot of the cross John 19:25 but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, Woman, behold, your son! 27 Then he said to the disciple, Behold, your mother! And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001). See also Matthew 27:55-56 Mark 15:40-41 Luke 23:49 150

151 Notice the courage of these women and John. Where were the other disciples? The Bible tells us that John was the disciple whom Jesus loved and it is clear from this passage that John loved Jesus as well Who were the women? o Mary the mother of Jesus o Mary s sister, Salome (see Mark 15:15 and Matthew 27:56), the mother of the Sons of Zebedee (i.e. James and John) who was the same woman who asked Jesus for a favor in Matthew 20:20 o Mary from Magdala (whom Jesus had cast out seven demons see Mark 16:9 & Luke 8:2) o Mary the wife of Clopas, mother of James the younger and Joses who we really know nothing else about We learn here (and from the other Gospel accounts) that Jesus was the cousin of James and John The term woman in that culture was used as a term of endearment Jesus was instructing John to care for His earthly mother Mary and treat her as if she were his own mother and for Mary to view John as her very own son John honored this request It is interesting to note that Joseph has apparently died by this time since there is no mention of him. Also, it is interesting to note that Mary was probably still a fairly young woman probably less than 50 years of age The great problem with the human saviours who, over the centuries, have dreamed their great dreams and flung their empires around the world, is that in the process they lose sight of the individual. Our little personal universe of hope and pain, struggle and achievement, pales into insignificance beside the great all-inclusive plan; the individual becomes expendable. But this king who reigns from a cross on Golgotha is different. Here is a king whose embrace is as wide as the world, the one to whom all authority in heaven and on earth has been given (Mt. 28:18) and yet who can simultaneously embrace each of us in a personal, loving commitment which is the dance of our hearts. It is perfectly illustrated in this paragraph, for, as Jesus hangs there with the burden of a world s redemption upon his shoulders, he finds time to express his personal loving concern for his mother and one of his special friends. 261 Bruce Milne In the end, Jesus was not absolutely alone. At his cross, there were these four women who loved him. Some commentators explain their presence there by saying that in those days women were so unimportant that no one ever took any notice of women disciples, and that therefore these women were running no risk at all by being near the cross of Jesus. That surely is a poor and unworthy explanation. It was always a dangerous thing to be an associate of a man whom the Roman government believed to be so dangerous that he deserved a cross. It is always a dangerous thing to demonstrate one s love for someone whom the orthodox regard as a heretic. The presence of these women at the cross was not due to the fact that they were so unimportant that no one would notice them; their presence was due to the fact that perfect love casts out fear. 262 William Barclay 151

152 The anguish and terror of Jesus mother at the Crucifixion must have been indescribable. His tender concern for her in the hour of his mortal agony illustrates his true humanity and compassion. On the assumption that John was the disciple whom he loved, it could well be that Jesus consigned his mother to John s care because none of his brothers was present and because John was the nearest available relative. Apparently John removed Mary from the scene at once and took her to his home in Jerusalem. There could not have been time to go to Galilee, for the writer resumes his narrative at the close of the Crucifixion. His temporary absence may account for the omission of some of the details found in the Synoptics, including Jesus dialogue with the criminals who were crucified with him. Mary must have remained in Jerusalem for a time since she was present at the session of prayer that preceded Pentecost. 263 Merrill Tenney There is something infinitely moving in the fact that Jesus in the agony of the cross, when the salvation of the world hung in the balance, thought of the loneliness of his mother in the days ahead. He never forgot the duties that lay to his hand. He was Mary s eldest son, and even in the moment of his cosmic battle he did not forget the simple things that lay near home. To the end of the day, even on the cross, Jesus was thinking more of the sorrows of others than of his own. 264 William Barclay Discussion Questions 1. Why the cross? That is, if Jesus had to die for our sins, why not a more humane way? 2. Do you see any problems or dangers with Christians using the cross as a symbol of their faith? Either way, explain your rationale. 3. Why do you think that God wanted the dialog with the believing thief included in the Gospel account? Lessons for Life As long as you have breath, it is never too late to accept Jesus as your savior If you choose to wear a cross or hang one in your car/home/office, never forget what it truly symbolizes. Children (young and old) should remember that we have an obligation to care for our parents 152

153 Why have you forsaken me? Psalm 22:1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? 2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer, and by night, but I find no rest. 3 Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Ps 22:1 3. David, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, was not only lamenting his suffering, but prophetically speaking of the Messiah s suffering This is an excellent example of a near-far or an already-not yet type of interpretation David was very honest in how his sufferings had affected him emotionally and spiritually, but at the same time he reminded himself that God was holy and in control Jesus expressed this same sentiment while He was hanging on the cross, although there seems to be more at play with Jesus suffering We need to do the same when we suffer No known incident in the life of David fits the details of this psalm. The expressions describe an execution, not an illness; yet that execution is more appropriate to Jesus crucifixion than David s experience. The Gospel writers also saw connections between some of the words in this psalm (vv. 8, 16, 18) and other events in Christ s Passion. Also Hebrews 2:12 quotes Psalm 22:22. Thus the church has understood this psalm to be typological of the death of Jesus Christ. This means that David used many poetic expressions to portray his immense sufferings, but these poetic words became literally true of the suffering of Jesus Christ at His enemies hands. The interesting feature of this psalm is that it does not include one word of confession of sin, and no imprecation against enemies. It is primarily the account of a righteous man who was being put to death by wicked men. 265 Allan P. Ross Verse 2 then elaborates on unanswered prayer in its picture of perpetual praying against the leaden silence of heaven. Likewise, Jesus on the Cross felt the abandonment of the Father. We will never penetrate this mystery. It has often been noted that when God laid our sin upon His Son there was a moral separation in the Godhead. In Helmut Thielicke s phrase, There was a pain in God s heart. Paul puts it that [God] made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Cor. 5:21). 266 Donald Williams & Lloyd Ogilvie Forsaken. My friend, you do not know what that is; and I do not know what it is to be forsaken of God. The vilest man on this earth today is not forsaken of God. Anyone can turn to Him. But when Christ takes my sin upon Himself, He is forsaken of God. 267 J. Vernon McGee In applying the psalm to human suffering, it is most appropriate for the Christian to be moved to tears when reflecting that Jesus the Messiah has so entered the human condition that he suffered in his humanity, being rejected by God and man. Whereas David s suffering was for himself, Jesus suffering was on behalf of sinners. Through Jesus suffering the community of Jews and Gentiles (vv ) may worship the Lord from generation to generation, because the middle wall of partition has been removed (Gal 3:26 29; Eph 2:14). The descendants of Jacob (v. 23) are joined by 153

154 the families of the nations (v. 27) in the worship of God and in submission to his kingdom. The kingdom the psalmist speaks of finds its center in Jesus messianic kingship (cf. Rev 11:15). The prophetic spirit (Acts 2:30 33) moves the reader of this psalm to look beyond David and his experiences to the fullness of God s kingdom in the Messiah, when sorrow and anguish will give way to joy and worship. May that day come soon (Rev 22:1 6)! 268 William VanGemeren Psalm 22:4 In you our fathers trusted; they trusted, and you delivered them. 5 To you they cried and were rescued; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Ps 22:4-5. When we trust, God delivers! However, He does not always deliver in the way we expect Beth Moore, in her study on Daniel, teaches that God delivers in one of three ways: From the fire (i.e. by keeping us from a difficult circumstance) 2. Through the fire (i.e. by going through a difficult circumstance) 3. By the fire (i.e. delivered by our death directly into His glorious presence) The bottom line is that God always delivers those He loves How these thoughts must have been upon Jesus heart as He hung between heaven and earth. It was God s holiness that had put Him on the cross and it was God s deliverance that would bring Him through. Yet, in the pain of divine silence, the temptation was for these thoughts to become accusations, weapons against God haunting, empty memories, promises forsaken. In that Jesus has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted (Heb. 2:18). The darkness of divine withdrawal was also Satan s final opportunity to tempt the Son of God Donald Williams & Lloyd Ogilvie Psalm 22:6 But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people. 7 All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads; 8 He trusts in the LORD; let him deliver him; let him rescue him, for he delights in him! The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Ps. 22:6-8. Jesus was mocked by the religious leaders, the soldiers and even the thieves who hung next to him on the cross It is important to note here that the wisdom of man is often foolishness to God. The religious leaders could not understand that if Jesus was the Messiah that God would allow Him to be crucified; however, that was precisely God s plan for the Messiah! We need to be careful not to try and out think God. Instead, we need to rest in the assurance that God is in complete control and that He does things in His time, by His own ways and for His own glory. God does not answer to us and our intellect. We answer to God! 154

155 Be careful if you ever find yourself saying God would never do that. While it is true that God will never violate His character, God will and does do things for His glory and not ours! Oftentimes when we say God would never do that what we are really saying is God would never do that to me. Our prayer should be that of Jesus not my will, but Your will be done - regardless of the personal cost God did deliver Jesus just not in the way the people thought that He would God usually operates in ways that we do not expect, cannot explain and cannot predict By comparing himself to a worm David was expressing his feelings of worthlessness, vulnerability, and contempt in the eyes of his enemies. These foes were insulting him, despising him, and mocking his faith in God because the Lord was not rescuing him (cf. Matt. 27:39, 44). The Lord Jesus enemies spoke these very words as He hung on the cross (Matt. 27:42 43). 271 Tom Constable Psalm 22:9 Yet you are he who took me from the womb; you made me trust you at my mother s breasts. 10 On you was I cast from my birth, and from my mother s womb you have been my God. 11 Be not far from me, for trouble is near, and there is none to help. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001). We are in God s hands from the moment we are conceived David was raised in the fear and admonition of the LORD How important is it for us to raise our children in the fear and admonition of the LORD! How important is it to teach our children that God is good. That He is loving. That He will deliver us, but that His ways are not our ways! I wonder if Jesus was thinking of His mother Mary as He was reflecting on this Psalm while He was hanging on the cross and how she had raised Him? Jesus was forsaken by His disciples while He was on the cross there were none to help Even when there is on one to help, God is there In reflecting on his own desperate situation, the psalmist moves his eyes from the mockers around him ( but I, v. 6) to God with an emphatic Yet you. The problem of suffering finds some focus in God s sovereignty and love for his own. From birth he has owed his life to God, and from birth the Lord has been his covenant God. The reflection focuses on God s sovereign and providential acts of giving life and sustaining it by the mother s care. God has a purpose for the life of the psalmist, because he has shown him his love from birth. The covenant relationship, too, has been from birth, because God had promised to be the God of Abraham and of his children (Gen 17:7 10). God was his father by covenant and had taken it on himself to be his guardian and protector (v. 10). How can God leave his child alone now that he is in trouble and needs help? The psalmist prays for God not to be far away (v. 11) William VanGemeren 155

156 Over against this deep sorrow, however, stands the continuing reality of God. Even in silence He is still God. Even in pain the memory of His past faithfulness is still a seed of hope. While David may feel abandoned now, he has a long history with God, going back to his birth. It was God who took him out of the womb. It was God who also gave him faith; even before he was weaned, You made Me trust (note the stress on the divine initiative). At birth he was cast from the womb not upon the earth, or his parents, but upon the Lord. From the inception of life, From My mother s womb / You have been My God. Several parallel statements stress God s continual presence and activity for David, starting with birth itself. Similarly, in the birth narratives of both Matthew and Luke there is constant affirmation of the plan, providence, and power of God in Jesus coming into the world. The virgin birth is God s miraculous work. Bethlehem, the angels, the star, and the flight into Egypt are all a part of God s will. In a very special way God took Jesus from Mary s womb and cast Him upon Himself. Like David, Jesus knows the deep security of a life lived before the one true God Donald Williams & Lloyd Ogilvie Psalm 22:12 Many bulls encompass me; strong bulls of Bashan surround me; 13 they open wide their mouths at me, like a ravening and roaring lion. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001). David compared his enemies to cruel and insensitive beasts (bulls and lions) who would destroy him and then described his agony. Bulls of Bashan were well-fed cattle (cf. comments on cows of Bashan in Amos 4:1) east of the Sea of Kinnereth (Galilee). Several other times David spoke of his enemies as lions (cf. Ps. 7:2; 10:9; 17:12; 22:21; 35:17; 57:4; 58:6). 274 Allan P. Ross The strength and ferocity of the enemies compares to that of the bulls of Bashan (v. 12) and to roaring lions (v. 13). The bulls of Bashan were proverbial for their size because they were well fed on the lush vegetation of the Bashan (cf. Amos 4:1; Mic 7:14). Bashan is the region known today as the Golan Heights, located north of the Yarmuk, east of the Sea of Galilee, and to the south of the Hermon Range. Its elevation is about two thousand feet above sea level, and it receives an average rain of over twenty-four inches per year. Its productiveness in meat, wheat, and oaks, largely due to its regular precipitation, led to Bashan s becoming symbolic of human pride (Isa 2:13). The enemies in their self-reliance are compared to the bulls raised on the Bashan plateau. As they encircle, their horns (v. 21) are all too evident and inspire fear in the psalmist. Similarly, the psalmist is unnerved by the enemies who open their mouths wide against [him] (v. 13b). This action describes the activity of lions and not of bulls, as the NIV makes explicit. The strength, pride, and deadly intent of the enemies, likened to that of bulls, is matched by their cruelty, abuse of power, and hatred of godliness, which is likened to that of lions (v. 13; cf. v. 21; 7:2; 10:9; 17:12; cf. Isa 38:13) William VanGemeren 156

157 Psalm 22:14 I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint; my heart is like wax; it is melted within my breast; 15 my strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to my jaws; you lay me in the dust of death. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001). Jesus life was being poured out like a drink offering. It is interesting that the Apostle Paul used similar language in 2 Timothy 4:6 when anticipating his own death was near Jesus is the true source of living water (see John 4:13-14; 7:37) Hanging on the cross could easily dislocate joints in the shoulders Jesus was obviously dehydrated from His ordeal Jesus knew His death was near How literally are we to take this? For David the crisis may be emotional. In light of the Cross, however, here we see Jesus full pain. He is poured out like water and His blood flows. His bones are out of joint as His body hangs from the Cross. His heart has melted with the pain. His strength ebbs away and is dried up. His tongue is bloated and in His thirst He is offered sour wine (John 19:28 29). Death now beckons. Its dust settles upon Him Donald Williams & Lloyd Ogilvie Psalm 22:16 For dogs encompass me; a company of evildoers encircles me; they have pierced my hands and feet 17 I can count all my bones they stare and gloat over me; 18 they divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001). Crucifixion did not exist when David wrote this! None of Jesus bones were broken The soldiers divided Jesus garments The psalmist briefly returns to consider the enemies and to reflect on his sufferings in a heightened anticipation of the prayer to God (v. 19). The enemies ( a band of evil men ) are nothing but dogs. They, too, surround him like the bulls of Bashan (v. 12). They, too, are fierce and powerful (v. 20b). But the difference in imagery lies in where dogs may be found. They came in many kinds and in great numbers to garbage dumps, ate whatever was thrown away, carried diseases, and transmitted them to humans. The dog was not man s best friend in the ancient Near East. They prowled about while snarling and looking for food (59:14 15). They licked the blood of those killed or unable to fend for themselves (68:23; cf. 1 Kings 14:11; 16:4; 21:19, 23 24; 2 Kings 9:10, 36; Luke 16:21) William VanGemeren 157

158 David again (cf. vv ) described his enemies and his agony. His enemies tortured him and watched him insensitively. He compared them to dogs (cf. v. 20), who in the ancient world were scavengers. Like dogs, his foes (evil men) surrounded him, waiting till he was dead so they could tear at his limbs. To compare his enemies to dogs was to say that he was almost dead. The words they have pierced my hands and my feet figuratively describe such a tearing as if by animals. Of course in the New Testament, these words in reference to Jesus Christ have greater significance (cf. Luke 24:39 40). 22: After speaking of his enemies (v. 16) the psalmist again described his agony. He was weak and emaciated. His enemies stared at him, considering him as good as dead, so they divided up his garments, his last possession (cf. Matt. 27:35). 278 Allan P. Ross He was crucified naked. It is difficult for us in this age of nudity and pornography to comprehend the great humiliation He suffered by hanging nude on the cross. They had taken his garments and gambled for ownership. My friend, He went through it all, crucified naked, that you might be clothed with the righteousness of Christ, and so be able to stand before God throughout the endless ages of eternity. 279 J. Vernon McGee The Death of Jesus Matthew 27:45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani? that is, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 47 And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, This man is calling Elijah. 48 And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink. 49 But the others said, Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him. 50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Matt. 27: By this point, Jesus had hung on the cross for approximately 6 hours God cannot look at sin God cannot tolerate sin God cannot allow sin to be manifested in His presence God placed the entirety of humanity s sin upon His very own Son s shoulders For Jesus, the pain of the cross paled in comparison of this Darkness is a sign of judgment in this case judgment of sin Jewish tradition taught that Elijah would come to rescue the righteous when they are in distress However, the Mission is now complete Our Lord was put on the Cross at the third hour, which would be nine o clock in the morning. By twelve noon, man had done all he could to the Son of God. Then at the noon hour, darkness settled down, and that cross became an altar on which the Lamb who taketh away the sin of the world was offered. 280 J. Vernon McGee If we ask in what ontological sense the Father and the Son are here divided, the answer must be that we do not know because we are not told. If we ask for what purpose they are divided, the ultimate answer must be tied in with Gethsemane, the Last Supper, passion passages such as 1:21; 20:28 (see also 26:26 29, 39 44), and the theological interpretation articulated by Paul (e.g., Rom 3:21 26). In this cry of dereliction, the horror of the world s sin and the cost of our salvation are revealed D.A. Carson 158 See also Mark 15:33-39 Luke 23:44-48 John 19:28-30

159 There are things about the Cross and the Crucifixion that are hidden from us. God pulls down a veil on many of the details. Darkness covered the land so the people couldn t see. First of all, God is not going to give us morbid details simply to satisfy our idle curiousity [sic]. Secondly, there was a transaction between the Father and the Son taking place there. It was a transaction for the sins of the world, which is beyond our comprehension. The only thing that we can do is to accept by faith the forgiveness that is made ours through Christ s death on the Cross. That is the only way you and I will ever penetrate that darkness, my friend. 282 J. Vernon McGee Jesus cried out the words of Psalm 22:1 because His Father was abandoning Him. It was out of a similar sense of abandonment that David originally wrote the words of this psalm. This must have been the worst part of the Cross for Jesus who had never before experienced anything but intimate fellowship with His Father. Jesus became the center of God s judgment on mankind s sin (cf. Rom. 3:21 26; 2 Cor. 5:21) 283 Tom Constable It may be that there is something if we may put it so more human here. It seems to me that Jesus would not be Jesus unless he had plumbed the uttermost depths of human experience. In human experience, as life goes on and as bitter tragedy enters into it, there come times when we feel that God has forgotten us; when we are immersed in a situation beyond our understanding and feel bereft even of God. It seems to me that that is what happened to Jesus here. We have seen in the garden that Jesus knew only that he had to go on, because to go on was God s will, and he must accept what even he could not fully understand. Here we see Jesus plumbing the uttermost depths of the human situation, so that there might be no place that we might go where he has not been before. 284 William Barclay It would have been a terrible thing if Jesus had died with a cry like [ My God, my God. Why have you forsaken me? ] upon his lips but he did not. The narrative goes on to tell us that, when he shouted with a great shout, he gave up his spirit. That great shout left its mark upon people s minds. It is in every one of the gospels (Matthew 27:50; Mark 15:37; Luke 23:46). But there is one gospel which goes further. John tells us that Jesus died with a shout: It is finished (John 19:30).It is finished is in English three words; but in Greek it is one Tetelestai as it would also be in Aramaic. And tetelestai is the victor s shout; it is the cry of all those who have completed their task; it is the cry of those who have won through the struggle; it is the cry of those who have come out of the dark into the glory of the light, and who have grasped the crown. So, Jesus died a victor with a shout of triumph on his lips. Here is the precious thing. Jesus passed through the uttermost abyss, and then the light broke. If we too cling to God, even when there seems to be no God, desperately and invincibly clutching the remnants of our faith, quite certainly the dawn will break and we will win through. True victory comes to those who refuse to believe that God has forgotten them, even when every fibre of their being feels that they have been forsaken. Victory comes to those who will never let go of their faith, even when they feel that its last grounds are gone. Victory comes to those who have been beaten to the depths and still hold on to God, for that is what Jesus did. 285 William Barclay 159

160 Matthew 27:51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. 52 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, Truly this was the Son of God! The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001). Behold - Matthew is drawing attention to a very significant event especially for his Jewish audience The curtain was a wall of separation to the Holy of Holies where God dwelt It is significant that the curtain was torn from top to bottom it was God who tore it! Don t underestimate the importance of this fact. This has major theological implications. No longer was man separated from God by a human high priest When I survey the wondrous cross on which the Prince of Glory died; my richest gain I count but loss, and pour contempt on all my pride. Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast, save in the death of Christ, my God; all the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to his blood. The Wondrous Cross By Isaac Watts See, from his head, his hands, his feet, sorrow and love flow mingled down. Did e'er such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown. Were the whole realm of nature mine, that were an offering far too small; love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all. This was a supernatural act that symbolized the opening of access to God and the termination of the Mosaic system of worship. This event marked the end of the old Mosaic Covenant and the beginning to the New Covenant (cf. 26:26 29). Jesus Himself now replaced the temple (cf. 26:61). He also became the great High Priest of His people. The rent veil also prefigured the physical destruction of the temple, a necessary corollary to its spiritual uselessness from then on. 286 Tom Constable Notice that the veil was torn, not from the bottom to the top but from top to bottom. It was rent by God, not by man. The veil symbolizes the body of Jesus. When His body was rent upon the Cross when He had paid the penalty for your sin and my sin in His own body then the way was opened into the presence of God. Therefore, you and I don t have to have a priest or a preacher go into the presence of God for us; we can go directly to the throne of God through Christ. Let s emphasize that the only way to the Father is through His Son. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (1 Tim. 2:5). 287 J. Vernon McGee The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom (51). That curtain separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the Holy Place. It was 18 metres high, and made of thick material. It was an eloquent symbol saying, No access. Access to God was restricted to one man, the high priest; once a year, on the Day of Atonement; and then only when he carried the fresh blood of animals sacrificed for his sins and for those of the rest of the people. This tearing of the temple curtain on 160

161 Good Friday, and from top to bottom at that, suggests that it is God s work: human beings would have torn it from the bottom upwards. The perfect high priest has entered the Holy of Holies in God s presence. He went in, not with the blood of animals but with his own blood which he shed for the sins of the world: he had no need to atone for any sins of his own. He had none. Such is the implication. 288 Michael Green If the death of Jesus opened up a fresh access to God that made the OT sacrificial system and the Levitical high priesthood obsolete, then an entire change in the Mosaic covenant must follow. It is impossible to grapple with Matthew s fulfillment themes (cf. esp. on 5:17 20; 11:11 13) and see how even the law points prophetically to Messiah and hear Jesus promise of a new covenant grounded in his death (26:26 29) without seeing that the tearing of the veil signifies the obsolescence of the temple ritual and the law governing it. Jesus himself is the New Temple, the meeting place of God and man (see on 26:61); the old is obsolete. The rent veil does indeed serve as a sign of the temple s impending destruction a destruction conceived not as a brute fact but as a theological necessity. 289 D.A. Carson Darkness, earthquakes and the dead raised Don t let anyone fool you, there was no doubt that something truly profound had happened! This certainly was not lost on the Roman centurion (officer in charge of 100 men) who finally understood that Jesus was much more than an ordinary man I m sure most of the people there were in fear for their lives at this point Ironically, what had just happened had just provided them with the true Way of Salvation! [The raised saints] returned to Jerusalem, (the Holy City) where they were recognized by friends and family. Like Lazarus (John 11:43 44), Jairus daughter (Luke 8:52 56), and the widow of Nain s son (Luke 7:13 15), they too passed through physical death again. Or some say they may have been raised with glorified bodies like the Lord s. Walvoord suggests this event was a fulfillment of the Feast of the Firstfruits of harvest mentioned in Leviticus 23: On that occasion, as a token of the coming harvest, the people would bring a handful of grain to the priest. The resurrection of these saints, occurring after Jesus Himself was raised, is a token of the coming harvest when all the saints will be raised (Walvoord, Matthew: Thy Kingdom Come, p. 236). 290 Louis A. Barbieri, Jr. The darkness, the earthquake, and the cry of dereliction convinced the soldiers that this was no ordinary execution. The portents terrified them and probably led them to believe that these things testified to heaven s wrath at the perpetration of such a crime, in which the soldiers had participated. But this confession tells us something more: Jesus as the promised Messiah and unique Son of God is seen most clearly in his passion and death; but again the Jewish religious establishment, mistaking the nature of his messiahship, mocked him with the very title (vv ) by which the pagans now confessed him (see also on 8:5 13; 15:21 28). 291 D.A. Carson 161

162 Discussion Questions 1. Why is prophecy so important in the Bible? 2. What do you think it was like for Jesus hanging on the cross? Lessons for Life When Jesus asks you to do something for Him, remember what He has done for you before you begin to make excuses as to why you cannot do what He is asking Never forget that as a believer that is nothing that separates you from the throne room of heaven! The curtain has been torn! When you think of the cross, two things should come to your mind 1. How seriously God takes our sin 2. How much God loves us We should not glory in ourselves, but in the cross of Jesus alone! I boast not of works or tell of good deeds For naught have I done to merit His grace All glory and praise shall rest upon Him So willing to die in my place I will Glory in the Cross by Larnelle Harris Chorus: I will glory in the cross In the cross Lest His suffering all be in vain I will weep no more for the cross that He bore I will glory in the cross My trophies and crowns, my robe stained with sin Twas all that I had to lay at His feet Unworthy to eat from the table of Life Till Love made provision for me 162

163 Jesus side pierced John 19:31 Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water. 35 He who saw it has borne witness his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth that you also may believe. 36 For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: Not one of his bones will be broken. 37 And again another Scripture says, They will look on him whom they have pierced. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001). The day of preparation = Friday (the day before the Jewish Sabbath Saturday) The religious leaders wanted this entire incident put behind them as not to interfere with the Sabbath so they asked Pilate to hasten the deaths This was especially important to the Jewish leaders because of Passover The breaking of the legs made it impossible for the victims of the cross to push themselves up to breath; thus, causing them to suffocate and die quickly It is very significant that they did not break Jesus legs not only because He was already dead, but also so that Scripture might be fulfilled (see Psalm 34:20) The physical effects of crucifixion were appalling. Of all deaths it is the most lingering. The suspension of the whole body on jagged iron nails (one dating from ad 50 has been discovered in Jerusalem), driven through the most sensitive nerve centres of the wrists and ankles, ensured constant torture. When it was deemed to have gone on long enough, the soldiers would perform the crurifragium, or breaking of the legs. This would ensure that the man, if still alive, could no longer hoist himself up to breathe and would soon expire. 292 Michael Green Normally the Romans left victims of crucifixion hanging until they died, which sometimes took several days. Then they would leave their corpses on their crosses until the birds had picked the flesh off them. If they had to hasten their deaths for some reason, they would smash their legs with an iron mallet. This prevented the victims from using their legs to push themselves up to keep their chest cavities open allowing them to breathe. Death by asphyxiation, loss of blood, and shock would follow soon. Archaeologists have found the remains of a victim of crucifixion with his legs smashed in Israel. 293 Tom Constable John makes it clear that he was an eyewitness to these events Why? So that we may believe! (see John 20:31) One day we will all look upon the One who was pierced for our iniquities When the soldiers saw that Jesus was already dead, they did not break his limbs with the mallet; but one of them it must have been to make doubly sure that Jesus was dead thrust a spear into his side. And there flowed out water and blood. John attaches special importance to that. He sees in it a fulfilment of the prophecy in Zechariah 12:10: They look on the one whom they have pierced. And he goes out of his way to say that this is an eyewitness account of what actually happened, and that he personally guarantees that it is true. 294 William Barclay 163 See Deuteronomy 21:23 See Exodus 12:46, Numbers 9:12 and Psalm 34:20 See Zechariah 12:10 and Revelation 1:7

164 [Metherell s explanation] was the clearest explanation I had ever heard of death by crucifixion but Metherell wasn t done. Even before he died and this is important, too the hypovolemic shock would have caused a sustained rapid heart rate that would have contributed to heart failure, resulting in the collection of fluid in the membrane around the heart, called a pericardial effusion, as well as around the lungs, which is called a pleural effusion. Why is that significant? Because of what happened when the Roman soldier came around and, being fairly certain that Jesus was dead, confirmed it by thrusting a spear into his right side. It was probably his right side; that s not certain, but from the description it was probably the right side, between the ribs. The spear apparently went through the right lung and into the heart, so when the spear was pulled out, some fluid the pericardial effusion and the pleural effusion came out. This would have the appearance of a clear fluid, like water, followed by a large volume of blood, as the eyewitness John described in his gospel. John probably had no idea why he saw both blood and a clear fluid come out certainly that s not what an untrained person like him would have anticipated. Yet John s description is consistent with what modern medicine would expect to have happened. 295 Lee Strobel Yupi666 at en.wikipedia 164