Mark 12

 Jesus then spoke to the chief priests, scribes, and elders in parables to expose their hypocrisy. He said a man planted a vineyard and leased it to vinedressers, while he went far away. At vintage time he sent a servant to receive some of the fruit from his vineyard, but the vinedressers beat the servant and sent him away. The man sent another servant, and him they threw stones at and sent him shamefully away. The man sent more servants, and the vinedressers beat some and killed others. Finally, the man sent his son, but these the vinedressers killed, thinking the inheritance would belong to them. 

Jesus asked the temple rulers what they thought the man should do? He will come and destory the vinedressers and give the vineyard to others. 

The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.

The temple rulers knew Jesus was talking about them, and they sought to lay hands on Him; but they feared the multitude.

Later the Pharisees and Herodians meant to trap Him by asking Him if it was lawful to pay taxes. Jesus, knowing their hypocrisy, asked them to give him a coin. He asked whose image was on the coin. They said Caesar. Therefore, Jesus told them, give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar; but give to God what belongs to God. 

Next the Sadducees asked Him about the resurrection because they did not believe in a resurrection. They gave a lame story about a woman whose husband died w/o children; she married his brother and he died without children; she married the next brother, and he died without...you get the picture. In the resurrection, they wondered, whose wife would she be? Jesus told them they were wrong because they do not know the Scriptures. In the resurrection,  there is no reason to marry. And besides, God is the God of the living, not the dead. 

Then the scribes asked which was the greatest commandment, and Jesus told them:

Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the fist commandment. And the second like it, is this: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these. 

Finally, Jesus asked them how it was that the scribes say that the Messiah is the Son of David? For David himself seid by the Holy Spirit:

The LORD said to my Lord, sit at My right hand, till I make Your enemies Your footstool.

David himself called Him Lord; how is He then his Son?  

Jesus condemned the scribes because they were hypocrites. Later he observed how the wealthy gave much to the treasury of the temple; however, a poor widow gave all she had. Jesus used it as an example to demonstrate true sacrificial giving. 

COMMENTARY

In the parable of the vineyard, the man is God the Father and the vineyard is the nation Israel. The servants God sent were the prophets, and the heir was Jesus Christ. Obviously, the vinedressers were the religious rulers. While Jesus came to the lost sheep of Israel first, He was also for the whole world; however, this was directed at the religious rulers and they knew it. Jesus even foretold what the religious rulers were plotting and would do to Him at the end of that week. Furthermore, He predicted what God the Father will do with the religious rulers by pronouncing judgment on them. By A.D. 70, Rome would destroy the city of Jerusalem. 

In His final week on earth, Jesus had confronted every group that targeted Him: the chief priests, scribes, Pharisees, Herodians, and the Sadducees. He exposed them as hypocrites and ignorant of the Scriptures. Every time their paths crossed, they stepped right into it. 

When He asked them about David, He was pointing to His virgin birth. David spoke about one of his future descendants, calling him Lord, which was the Son of God. Jesus said David wrote the Psalm through the Holy Spirit and that this Psalm is about Him, the Messiah. 

credit: CrossCards

 

Mark 10

 Jesus went to Judea where the Pharisees questioned him about divorce, hoping to trap Him, but He answered them with a question: "What did Moses command you?" They replied that Moses permitted divorce. 

Jesus explained that it was because of the hardness of their hearts that Moses permitted divorce, but truly, from the beginning of creation, 

God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.

Later the disciples asked Him about divorce, and Jesus explained that whoever divorces and marries another commits adultery. 

Next, people brought their children to Jesus to bless them, and His disciples tried to turn them away. However, Jesus taught them that the kingdom of God is like this, and those who are like children receive the kingdom. Therefore, He held the children and blessed them. 

Then a rich young ruler ran to Jesus, calling Him good, and knelt before Him, asking how he may inherit eternal life. Jesus asked why he called Him good when only God is good. He questioned him about the commandments: do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, or lie, honor your parents. The young man said he had kept them from his youth. 

Jesus loved him (with empathy) and told him then to give all he had to the poor and he would have treasure in heaven; take up the cross and follow Him. But the young man became sad and went away because he had "great possessions."

Jesus told His disciples that it is difficult to have wealth and enter the kingdom of God. How difficult it is to trust in wealth. It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven. The disciples pondered: "Who then can be saved?" And Jesus replied: 

With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

Peter, always the spokesmen of the disciples, noted that they had done what He had told the young ruler to do. Jesus responded that there is eternal reward for those who leave their earthly desires, suffer persecution, and follow Him. 

As they were going up to Jerusalem, Jesus told them again of His betrayal, suffering, death and resurrection, and they were afraid. Then James and John asked that Jesus would permit them to sit on either side of Him in glory, but Jesus told them that they did not know what they asked or if they were able to drink the cup that He was about to drink. He told them that where they are in glory is not His to give, but whomever is, he is being prepared now. 

Of course, the other disciples were annoyed with James and John, but Jesus assured them that whoever wants to be first must be a servant or slave of all and give his life a ransom for many. 

Finally, in this chapter, Jesus healed Bartimaeus, and he got up and followed Jesus.  

COMMENTARY

MARRIAGE

When the Pharisees asked Jesus about divorce, Jesus flipped their focus onto marriage. God created marriage. Any violation of marriage is sin, in God's eyes. He never intended for divorce. However, He permits divorce for unfaithfulness or sexual immorality or fornication; yet, He still hates divorce. And furthermore, even if people get divorced, for any reason, they can still be forgiven of that sin.

The problem actually regarding marriage is that people do not take marriage seriously and should not get married in the first place. If couples solemnly understood marriage, they would let God arrange their marriage for them, when and with whom. 

DEITY OF JESUS

When the rich young ruler referred to Jesus as good, Jesus asked him why he called Him good when only God is good. He wanted him to think about what he had said because he was correct. Jesus is God and He is good. 

He also gave him an opportunity to give up what he was trusting in most: his earthly riches. The young man went away sad because he did not want to give his wealth up for Jesus. All of us need to examine ourselves to see what earthly things are we are trusting in more or clinging to more than Jesus. That is what keeps us from following Jesus completely and fully. 

credit: lifeway 

 

John 21

Jesus next appeared to some of His disciples at the Sea of Tiberias (Galilee). Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, James and John, and two others were waiting for Jesus. Peter became impatient and decided to go fishing, and the others went with him out on the boat. They fished all night and caught nothing. 

In the morning, Jesus appeared on the beach, thought they did not recognize Him. He called out to them and asked if they had caught any fish, but they replied no. Therefore, Jesus instructed them to cast the net over the side of the boat and they will find some. They obeyed and caught so many fish that were not able to pull up the net because it was full, though it did not break.

John immediately knew it was Jesus and said so. And once again, impatient Peter jumped into the water to meet Jesus on the beach. The others followed in the boat. On the beach, Jesus had a fire going with fish and bread, though He asked that they bring some of the fish they had just caught. 

After breakfast, Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him more than the disciples loved Him, and Peter said He did. Jesus replied, "Feed My lambs." 

Jesus asked Peter again if he loved Him, and Peter replied, "Lord, You know I love you." And Jesus said, "Tend My sheep." 

Finally, Jesus asked Peter a third time, "Do you love Me?" And Peter said, "Lord, You know all things. You know I love You." Jesus said, "Feed My sheep..."

Here is where Jesus told Peter how his death would glorify God. And He added, "Follow Me."

Peter wanted to know What about John? Jesus assured Peter that John should not be his concern, but that if John lived until Jesus returned, what is that to him? And the rumor went about that John would not die, but this is not true. 

Finally, John ends his gospel saying that he knew these things, wrote them down, and testified to them, as they are true. There were many other works that Jesus did, and if they were all recorded, the world would not be big enough to contain the books. 

COMMENTARY

McGee said that from John Chapter 21, we learn that Jesus is Lord of our wills and directs our service; He is Lord of our hearts and motivates our service for Him; and He is Lord of our minds, as He teaches that lack of knowledge or variation of circumstance is not excuse from service. Also we see that Jesus is still God. 

When the disciples were on the sea fishing, we see how Jesus directs the lives of His followers and gives instruction for how to live. When His followers obeyed the Lord to put the net back into the sea again, they came up with a harvest of fish. And even still, the net did not break. Whatever is in your hand, God can use it, and usually He gives in abundance. When we obey God, He accepts our service and blesses us fully; we will have enriching fellowship with Him.

Next, Jesus questioned Peter three times if he loved Him. But the word love Jesus used was agapaõ, the highest form of love. After all, Peter denied Jesus three times. Jesus is Lord of our hearts, and in order to serve Him, we must love Him with all we have -- mind, body, and soul. 

Finally, Jesus is Lord of our mind.When Jesus told Peter he would die a martyr for the glory of God, Peter was concerned about how John would die. But we must not use our ignorance as an excuse not to serve. Jesus always demonstrates that in order to follow Him, He must be Lord of our will, our heart, and our mind. 

John 20

On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and could see that the stone had been taken away from the entrance to the tomb where Jesus had been buried. She ran and found Peter and John and told them that "they" had taken the body of Jesus, and do not know where they laid Him.

Peter and John ran to the tomb. John peered in and saw the linen cloths lying there, but Peter went into the tomb and he also saw the linen cloths, but the handkerchief was folded in a place by itself. When John went into the tomb, he believed. But neither disciple understood, yet, the Scripture that Jesus would rise from the dead. 

After Peter and John went away to their own homes, Mary stood weeping at the tomb. When she looked inside, she saw two angels, who asked her why she was weeping. She told them because they had taken away her Lord. Then she turned around and there was Jesus, though she did not recognize him. He asked her why she was crying, and she thought he was the gardener who took away Jesus' body. 

Then Jesus said, "Mary." And she knew Him! He told her not to cling to Him because He had to ascend to His Father, her Father, His God, and her God. Mary ran off to tell the disciples that she had seen the Lord.

Later that evening, the disciples were assembled together behind closed (locked) doors, when Jesus appeared to them, saying, "Peace be with you." He showed them His hands and His side. He told them, "As the Father has sent Me, I also send you...Receive the Holy Spirit." 

Unfortunately, Thomas was not present when Jesus came, and he did not believe them when they told him they had seen the Lord. He said, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe."

Eight days later, while the disciples were assembled again, behind locked doors, Jesus stood in their midst and told Thomas to look at and touch the wounds in His hands and side, and believe!

And Thomas answered, "My Lord and my God!"

Jesus said, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

And Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. 

COMMENTARY

This is why Christians worship on Sunday: because Jesus rose from the dead on Sunday, the first day of the week. The Sabbath belonged to the old creation. Jesus was dead over the Sabbath. He rose on Sunday, and from then on, believers gathered on the first day of the week. "Now we have come to the new creation in Christ Jesus. [Even] Pentecost occurred on Sunday." 

When Jesus breathed onto the disciples, they had received the Holy Spirit. This was not like Pentecost. It was an interval between the Lord's Ascension and Pentecost. On Pentecost, they would be baptized by the Spirit into the body of Christ and given power. But for now, they will need His Spirit to tide them over. 

And when Christ instructed the apostles to forgive sins, He was only encouraging them to do so in His name, to proclaim the forgiveness of sins, which He alone has the power to do. They may proclaim the forgiveness of sins in Jesus' name. 

Keep in mind that God does not arbitrarily forgive sins; but rather the blood of Jesus covers sins, and we must individually believe this before we may have our sins forgiven. The only way this happens is when a person hears the gospel and believes. So someone has to share it -- and here Jesus is instructing His disciples to go and preach the gospel -- the good news -- the way to have your sins forgiven.

The Incredulity of Saint Thomas - Caravaggio 

"My Lord and My God." - Thomas

John 18

Jesus went to the garden with His disciples, and Judas came with a detachment of troops and officers. And Jesus, knowing why they came asked whom they sought, and they said, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said, "I am He." 

Twice He told them, and then He told them to let His disciples be, that it may be fulfilled that He lost none of them. (Jesus knows we are weak and without His protection, many of us would flee our faith.)

Here is where Peter struck the high priest's servant with a sword and cut off his ear, but Jesus told him to put it away and, "Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given to Me?"

Thence the troops and officers arrested Jesus and bound Him and took Him to Annas, the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest. Peter and another disciple (John) followed to where they took Jesus, and it was here that someone noticed Peter and confronted him for being a follower of Jesus; but he denied her, this being the first denial. And here it happened a second time, when the other disciple let Peter into the courtyard where Jesus was, but Peter denied knowing Jesus for the second time.

Meanwhile, Annas questioned Jesus about His disciples and His doctrine. Jesus said He spoke openly and in public where the Jews always met; He rebuked Annas and told him to ask the Jews who heard and saw everything. That is why the officer then struck Jesus, knowing He knew the law that required witnesses during an interrogation. (See how they tried to work around the law?)

Jesus answered the officer who stuck Him, "If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why do you strike me?"

Next, Annas sent Jesus to Caiaphas. And this is when Peter denied knowing Jesus a third time after a relative of the servant (whose ear Peter cut off) confronted him. Immediately, a rooster crowed.

Caiaphas brought Jesus to Pilate, who asked what accusation they brought against Jesus. They called Jesus an evildoer. Pilate wanted them to judge Jesus according to their own law, but they reminded him that it was not lawful for them to put anyone to death (since Rome had taken jurisdiction of Judea).

Therefore, Pilate questioned Jesus and asked Him if He was the King of the Jews. Jesus asked Pilate if he asked for himself or the Jews? And Pilate got snarky and asked, "Am I a Jew?" Then Pilate asked Jesus to defend Himself. And Jesus replied,

My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews, but now my Kingdom is not from here.

Pilate asked again, "Are you a king then?" And Jesus replied, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." 

Obviously, Pilate was not of the elect because not only did he not hear the truth, but he did not know truth, and asked, "What is truth?" Obviously, he was a progressive type who understood truth as whatever you want it to be. (There is nothing new under the sun.)

Finally, Pilate told the Jews that he found no fault in Jesus. But the Jews had a custom that Rome release one prisoner at Passover. Sarcastically, would they like him to release their "King of the Jews?" But they cried out again, "Not this Man, but Barabbas (the robber)!"

COMMENTARY

The Gospel of John emphasizes the deity of the Lord Jesus and His glory. John does not include His agony, praying in the garden.

When the officials arrived, Jesus could have made Himself disappear; but He does not resist arrest, "...as a sheep before her shearers is dumb..." (Isa 53:7).

The officials called Him "Jesus of Nazareth" because they refused to acknowledge who He truly was. But Jesus is the name above every name, and one day ALL will will bow the knee to Him. 

There was a part that was a bit confusing. First, Jesus asked whom they were looking for, and they said Jesus of Nazareth. He replied, "I am He." Suddenly, "they went backward, and fell to the ground." The men who asked for Jesus fell backward. Why? According to McGee, he believed Jesus revealed His deity to the men, including Judas who stood with them. By revealing His deity, they fell in fear and for a moment there was confusion. McGee included verses that would support this idea: Ps 27:1-2; Ps 35:4; Ps 40:14.

Another question: why was Peter not arrested for striking the servant with his sword? Because Jesus was in charge, and He asked that His disciples be let alone. 

Keep in mind that Jesus is willingly going to His death. He prepared to drink the cup of God's judgment for us. That means that if you reject Christ, then you are essentially going to have to drink that cup of judgment on your own. 

Now, back to the arrest: it was the religious rulers who plotted this night. Annas was the powerful high priest, but Caiaphas was the high priest that the Roman government acknowledged. While Jesus was before Annas, this was where Peter denied being a follower of Jesus, which Jesus told him he would. What makes Peter's denial different from Judas is that Peter felt grief and shame in his heart; Judas did not. Peter was a genuine believer; Judas was not. 

Finally, Jesus was brought to Pilate. Pilate knew this was a phony trial and that Jesus was an innocent man. He sought to "wash his hands" of the matter; but he lacked courage and did not want to upset the Jews and lose his position within the Roman government. 

Jesus told Pilate that His kingdom is not of this world, and this is true today. The church cannot build the Kingdom on earth either. Christ is calling His people out of the world - "gathering out a people for His name" (Acts 15:14). Christ will establish His kingdom in His time. 

 

John 15

This is a continuation of Jesus speaking to the disciples before His arrest.

He told them that He is the true vine and His Father is the vinedresser. Any branch that does not bear fruit He removes, and those that do bear fruit He prunes that they may produce more fruit. The branch cannot bear fruit unless it abides in Him.

Jesus told His disciples that they are the branches, and without Him they can do nothing. Those who do not abide in Him are cast out, withered, gathered and thrown into the fire and burned. Those who abide in Him and His words abide in them, they will ask what they desire, and it shall be done for them. This is the way God is glorified and his followers bear much fruit. 

If they keep His commandments, they will abide in His love and His joy remain in them fully.

His new commandment He gave to them:

...that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no other than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.

And He continued:

You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.  

Also, if the world hates His disciples, it is because the world hated Jesus first. If His followers were of the world, the world would love them. But Jesus chose them out of the world. If the world persecuted Jesus, the world will persecute His disciples. 

If Jesus did not go to the world and make Himself known, the world would have remained ignorant, but that Jesus showed Himself to the world, now the world has no excuse to know Him. The world has seen and they still hate Him and His Father. Therefore, the world is in sin. 

BUT, this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, They hated Me without a cause.

Then Jesus promised them again that He would send His Helper, the Holy Spirit, to teach them the truth. 

COMMENTARY

Jesus is the TRUE, GENUINE vine, as opposed to the nation Israel -- that is to say, identification with the Jewish nation or Jewish religion is not the Way to God. Jesus is the Way. The same holds true today: it is not through a religion or religious ceremony or organization. We must be identified with Christ. The moment we trust in Jesus as our Savior, we are baptised by the Holy Spirit and born again. The branches must be joined to the Vine for fruit-bearing lives.

In this chapter, Jesus was not talking about salvation or how to be saved when he talked about bearing fruit. He is talking about people who have already been saved. These people are already in Christ. Rather, He is referring to what believers are supposed to do: bear fruit, bear more fruit, and bear abundant fruit. 

Believers in Christ bear fruit as a result of being saved. Fruit refers to the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. "Abiding in Christ will produce effectual prayer, perpetual fruit, and celestial joy." 

Sometimes a believer (branch) does not bear fruit, and Jesus said it will be removed. This does not mean a believer loses his salvation. A person may need to be removed from his place of fruit-bearing, and this could be life changing. Sometimes it could mean death. 

Sometimes branches must be pruned in order to produce fruit or more fruit. God will remove people or circumstances that may hinder us from fruit-bearing. But always, if we remain close to God, the less it will hurt and the more we will grow. "Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth."

HOW TO ABIDE IN CHRIST

We are cleansed through the Word. We must always be in the Word, studying the Scriptures, and be ready to apply it and obey it. We should be in constant communication with the Lord, through prayer. We need to confess our sins to the Lord to abide in Him. And we are to keep His commandments. 

When we abide in Him, we will bear fruit because the Lord will be able to use us for His purpose, which will bring Him glory. In return, we will experience a life full of joy.

He chose us, and we are His responsibility. He will take care of us.

from Knit Pray Share

John 12

Six days before Passover, Jesus was at the house of His friends, Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, the man He raised from the dead. Lazarus was sitting with Him, Martha was serving, and Mary was pouring expensive oil on His feet and wiping them with her hair. She was preparing Him for His burial. 

Judas Iscariot complained that the oil could have been sold for money and the money given to the poor, though he cared not a moment for the poor. Jesus told Judas that Mary had kept the oil to use for this purpose. The poor will always be around, but He they will not always have with them. 

Meanwhile, the chief priests came to the house, too, because they considered killing Lazarus now that many Jews had gone away believing in Jesus on account of His raising Lazarus from the dead. 

The next day a great multitude came to Jerusalem when they heard that Jesus would be there for the Feast, and they used palm branches to welcome Him, crying, "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the lord! The King of Israel!" Jesus rode into the city on a young donkey, fulfilling prophecy: "Behold, your King is coming sitting on a donkey's colt." 

Even the Greeks (Gentiles) inquired of Him and wanted to see Him because they heard about His miracles. Jesus told them, 

...unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in the world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.

Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? Father save Me from this hour? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify You r name.

Then God from heaven said: I have both glorified it and will glorify it again. Those who heard it said it was thunder or an angel. Jesus said the time now was for the judgment of the world and the ruler (Satan) will be cast out.

Though many people saw His works, they could not believe in Him, just as the prophet Isaiah prophesied. Even rulers secretly believed; yet, they cared more about the approval of men and feared being cast out of the synagogue. 

Finally, Jesus cried out:

He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him -- the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. 

COMMENTARY

Jesus' friends planned a dinner party for Him. Mary, who anointed the feet of Jesus, was not the same Mary who was a harlot, though they both wiped Jesus' feet with their hair. 

Judas Iscariot was the treasurer of the disciples, and he did not care about the poor. He was a fraud and a thief, and he only desired to see what money who could take for himself. After Judas expressed that the oil Mary used to wipe Jesus' feet could have been sold and the money given to the poor, Jesus explained that the poor will always be around, and any service that can be done for them should not substitute sitting at His feet because soon He will no longer be with them. Now was the time to know Him. 

Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, fulfilling God's will. The crowds were attracted to Jesus because of the miracles He had performed and the Pharisees were out to kill Him. The very same people who were crying, "Hosanna! Blessed is the King of Israel that comes in the name of the Lord!" could have very well been the same who shouted, "Crucify Him!" the next day. 

The Greeks also heard about Jesus, and they came to see Him. He spoke to them about the cross. He explained the analogy of a grain of wheat and how it must die in the ground before it may produce fruit. His death is like the grain of wheat. He must die first before we may have abundant, eternal life. 

Jesus' hour had come. He would take the sins of the world upon the cross. We cannot comprehend the weight of His suffering. But He came for that purpose and He went willingly. That is why, when we truly understand that His death on the cross was really meant for us, and He did that in our place, it change lives. In His suffering, He glorified God. We can remember this, too, in our own struggles. 

His death is a judgment on the world and Satan. The cross is the victory of Christ! Those who believe will live forever, and those who reject it, will be lost forever. The Jewish rulers rejected Him as Messiah; therefore, He rejected them. Even those who thought they believed in His works, were more concerned with the acceptance of their fellow man. They would not publicly acknowledge Christ as Messiah.

The most dangerous decision you can make is to hear the gospel and still reject Christ as Savior. 

John 11

 JESUS RAISES LAZARUS

Lazarus was sick, and his sisters, Martha and Mary, sent for Jesus. When Jesus received word, He said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it."

Jesus waited two more days before He said to His disciples, "Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up." The disciples thought He meant that Lazarus was just resting and that he would get well again; but Jesus meant that Lazarus had died and that for their sakes, He was not there to make him well, that they (those who will witness what He was about to do) may believe.

When they arrived in town, Lazarus had been dead and in the tomb for four days. Martha had met Jesus on the way and said to Him, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You." 

Jesus replied, "Your brother will rise again."

Martha said, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day."

Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"

She replied, "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God who is to come into the world." 

Then Mary came out to meet Him and fell at His feet and said the same thing Martha had said. When Jesus saw Mary weeping, His spirit was troubled. He asked them where Lazarus had been laid to rest, and they brought Him. Then Jesus wept for them.

Many wondered why Jesus did not keep Lazarus from dying, since He had performed many other miracles. Since He knew what they were thinking, His spirit groaned within Him.

At the grave, there was a tomb before the cave, and Jesus commanded that it be moved. Martha remarked that there would be a terrible stench because Lazarus had been dead four days. Jesus said, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?" 

Then Jesus gave thanks to God and said: "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me." 

Then He called, "Lazarus, come forth!" And Lazarus came out of the cave bound with his grave clothes still wrapped about him. And they unbound him.

Many people believed in Jesus, but some went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus did. Their response was: "What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation."

Caiaphas plotted that Jesus should die rather than the whole nation, but he did not think this of his own accord because it was actually a prophecy that "Jesus would die for the nation and not for that nation only but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad."

After that,  Jesus no longer showed Himself publicly, but remained in hiding with His disciples. 

COMMENTARY

This is the chapter where Jesus retires into a private ministry because His time has almost come. It is also important to note that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, which is different than the resurrection. At the Resurrection, believers will get glorified bodies, like Jesus did after His resurrection. Lazarus was just raised back to life. 

Also, another important issue is sickness. Even as Christians, we often pray and demand for the sick to be made well. However, we must remember that God permits sickness and death for a host of reasons. We would do better to pray for our heart attitudes and our faith. 

Jesus permits sickness and death of loved ones for our goodness and His glory. For Lazarus, it was for Jesus to get the glory and that those who saw and heard might believe in Him. As McGee states: "Nothing will come into our lives without His permission, and if He permits it, it is going to be for His glory."

Jesus' disciples did not understand that when Jesus told them that Lazarus was asleep, He meant Lazarus had died. Death is separation between the body and the soul. The body is asleep. (There is no such thing as soul sleep.) Jesus will awaken the body at the Resurrection when He will call us out by name, as He did Lazarus!

The reason Jesus wept was not because Lazarus had died; He wept for the living. Then Jesus prayed that those around Him would know that He was doing the will of the Father. 

When Jesus called Lazarus out, his life was restored to his old body, which was why he was still wrapped in grave clothes. 

Now, you would think more and more people would believe in Jesus, but this was not so. This was why Jesus said: "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead." (Luke 16:31) The problem is not a lack of evidence, but an abundance of hard heartedness.

The Sadducees and the Pharisees were the two political religious groups of the time who opposed one another outright, but they absolutely rejected Jesus and hated Him the same. They were determined to kill Him. Why? Simply because "they FEARED a massive turning to Jesus which would bring a revolution, which would provide opportunity for Rome to crush them." 

Ironically, Rome is going to do that anyway, after Jesus is long gone. 

John 10

THE GOOD SHEPHERD

Jesus continued speaking to the Pharisees:

...he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is teh shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 

Again, the Pharisees did not understand. He continued,

...I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Jesus explained how the "hireling, who is not the shepherd," and does not own the sheep, will flee when he sees the wolf coming after the sheep because the hireling is a fraud. But Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He will and does lay His own life down for the sheep. And He has other sheep that are not of this fold (Israel), which He will also bring, and "there will be one flock and one shepherd." 

Also Jesus said that He lays down His life willingly and with power, and no one takes it from Him. This caused more divisions among the Jews. Some continued to ask Him the same questions about who He was. Jesus had already told them, but they did not believe, which was because they were not His sheep. 

Then He told them that He and His Father are one, to which they took us stones to stone Him. Jesus asked which of the works (of God) did they want to stone Him for, and they said not for good works but for blasphemy. And He escaped from them. 

COMMENTARY

The sheepfold represents the nation Israel. Jesus told the Pharisees that He came legally (by the door -- fulfilling prophecy that a Savior would come to Israel) and under the Law: God sent His Son, made of a woman, under the law (Gal. 4:4); He came through the line of David (Luke 1:32); He was born in Bethlehem (Mic. 5:2); born of a virgin (Isa. 7:14); and a rod out of the stem of Jesse (Isa. 11:1). Jesus is the Messiah and the Good Shepherd. The religious rulers should have recognized Jesus!

The porter in these verses is the Holy Spirit who opens the ears of His sheep to hear His voice. He calls them by name. Jesus leads His sheep out of the sheepfold, out of Judaism, out of the legal system, and they follow Him because they know His voice.

The door is Jesus. Jesus is the actual door. He is showing that there is no longer a connection with the nation Israel, but through a relationship with HIM, like in the joining of the branches to the Vine. But the people have to come out of Judaism or out of whatever legal system they put themselves and come to Him. That is why He is also called the Way. He is the Way out. 

Note that the hireling does not care about the sheep, but rather he uses them for his own benefit, like for fame or fortune. And of the other sheep, Jesus is talking about Gentiles, rich and poor, bond and free, male and female, of every nation and tongue. 

Jesus is no longer going into the Temple, but He is seeking His very own. He made very clear who He is, and the Jewish rulers and leaders did not hear Him. It is only a short time before He must go to the cross and lay down His life; therefore, from now on, He is taking His ministry to His sheep. 

John 9

CHRIST HEALS THE BLIND MAN

There was a man who had been blind since birth, and as Jesus and His disciples passed by him, they asked Jesus whose sin caused the man's blindness, his parents or himself? Jesus said, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him." In other words, the man was blind that Jesus may perform the works of God that people would believe. 

Then Jesus made clay and rubbed it onto the man's eyes and told him to go wash in the pool of Siloam (or Sent). The man obeyed. When he returned, he could see.

First his neighbors wondered at how his eyes were opened, and the man explained exactly how he had received his sight -- exactly as it happened. But he did not know where Jesus went. The neighbors brought the man to the Pharisees and they were infuriated because a blind man was made well on the Sabbath! And they asked the man what happened, and he told them a Man named Jesus opened his eyes.

The Pharisees could not believe that a Man from God would not keep the Sabbath. But the people questioned how a sinner could do such signs; and divisions were caused among them. 

The Pharisees wanted to know what the man thought of Jesus, and he referred to him as a prophet. Thence the Pharisees doubted the man had even been blind, and they called for his parents. His parents were afraid of being excommunicated from the temple, and while they confirmed that their son had been blind since birth, they would not say how they felt about Jesus, who just gave sight to their adult son who had been blind his whole life and was begging for his bread. They said, Ask our son; he's of age.

Back to the man who could see, they told him to give glory to God instead because this Jesus is a fraud. The man replied:

Whether He is a sinner or not, I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.

In disbelief, they asked again what Jesus did to give the man sight, and the man got snarky because, seriously, how many times did he have to say it?? And he said to them:

Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing. 

(IMO, this little remark was better than some sermons I have ever heard.) Naturally, the Pharisees were dumbfounded that this once blind beggar was now teaching them! They flagged him for misinformation, censored his free speech, and excommunicated him from their religious cult. 

No problem. Here comes Jesus. He asked the man if he believed in the Son of God? The man eagerly wanted to know who the Son of Man was that he may believe in Him. And Jesus said, "You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you."

The grateful man replied, "Lord, I believe! And he worshipped Jesus. 

COMMENTARY

God has His reasons for permitting sickness, disease, suffering, and all kinds of trials. In this case, this man was born blind that God may be glorified in his healing. More specifically, the blind man was able to see Jesus and know Him as his Savior. "Unless the Son of God, by means of the Holy Spirit, opens our eyes so that we can see spiritual things, we will remain blind..."

McGee said that the story of the blind man parallels our condition before we are saved. 

1.) The blind man was outside the temple, shut out from God, as we are shut out, hopeless without God.

2.) The man was unable to see the Savior, physically blind, but also spiritually, as we, too.

3.) The man was born blind, and we also are born in sin.

4.) The blind man was beyond human help, and we are helpless, with no man-made cure to save us.

5.) The man was reduced to begging, which is the only way we come to God for salvation.

6.) The man made no appeal to Jesus, and it even took some time for him to grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus. We, too, in our lowly state are not looking for Jesus, but He is seeking us. 

7.) Finally, no one showed him pity, except Jesus, and that is because, like the blind man, only Jesus alone has genuine compassion for us.

After the blind man was cured, people reacted: The neighbors noticed the change and probed for answers. 

"You would think the Pharisees would have rejoiced that a blind man could now see," but they rather focus on their weak argument that men of God keep the Sabbath, and since Jesus did not, He was not from God. Meanwhile, the (blind) man contradicted their argument, that "only people from God can open the eyes of a man born blind. Jesus opened the eyes of the blind man; therefore, Jesus is from God."

And lastly, the parents were intimidated by the religious rulers -- did not want to admit how the miracle was performed because they knew it would only confirm that they should give credit to Jesus, who was God.

When the Pharisees confronted the man (again), they wanted him to give glory to God the Father, not Jesus who sinned and healed on the Sabbath. And the man said he did not know anything about that other than he once was blind, but now he can see (because of Jesus). This all led to the man being cast out of the temple. 

Then Jesus met up with the man, and the man now knows that Jesus is the Savior of the World, and he believes and worships Him! We are like this man when he was blind. We do not even know how lost we truly are until we come to Jesus and He reveals Himself to us. Then our eyes are open and we see who He is and what He has done. After that we must believe, like the man did, and then we will want to worship Christ forever. 

Don't be like the Pharisees who had eyes to see, but were blind.  Be like the blind man. Go to Jesus and let Him open your spiritual eyes and see the Light. 

John 8

Again, in the temple, Jesus was teaching the people, when the Scribes and Pharisees brought a woman to Him and accused her of being caught in the very act of adultery. (Notice they did not bring the second party, the man!) According to Moses, this woman should be stoned. They wanted to know what Jesus thought, that they may accuse Him of offending the Law. But Jesus ignored them. They pressed Him more. Then He told them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first." 

I guess they all were in sin (probably even adultery) themselves, because they were "convicted by their conscience," and they all left, one by one. Jesus then told the woman that He did not condemn her either (BUT) to "go and sin no more."

Again, Jesus told the people that He was the Light of the World. "He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." The Pharisees sought to argue and contradict Him, but He continued:

Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. And yet if I do judge, My judgement is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. 

They did not know the Father, whom they said they did. But Jesus told them that if they had known Jesus, they would have known the Father. He told them that their father is of this world, the devil. And He warned them that they will die in their sins. 

He also told the Jews who did believe Him that "if they abide in His word, they are His disciples; and they shall know the truth, and the truth shall make them free." But the unbelievers challenged Him, saying, "How can You say You will be made free?" (They believed they were free.) But Jesus assured them that anyone who sins is already a slave of sin. "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed."

The Pharisees were confused and did not understand Jesus' words. They could not understand because they did not want to know Him or the Father because their hearts were for the desires of the devil, to sin  and to do evil. "He who is of God hears God's words..."

Next they tried to accuse Jesus of having a demon. Jesus explained that if anyone kept His word he shall never see death. This opened a new argument because the Jews wanted to know why Abraham and the prophets died if they were of God. Jesus told them that Abraham "rejoiced to see [Jesus] day, and he saw it and was glad." But they did not understand that Abraham and the prophets taught of the coming day of the Savior, and they live because they believed. 

What really boiled the blood of the unbelievers was when Jesus told them:

Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM."

He made Himself EQUAL to God because He is.

COMMENTARY

The Jewish religious rulers were right about the Law of Moses. The woman should have been stoned. Jesus showed them to be hypocrites because for one, they did not bring the man. Also, when Jesus caused them to examine their conscience, that is, to see if there was any sin in them, He gave the requirements for being a judge. We do have the right to judge others, but are we sinless? Probably we should not be so quick to throw stones at others.

OK, the woman is guilty of sin. Now what? Jesus was not "reversing" the Mosaic law, but He put His cross in place of her sin. Jesus will take the place for her adultery. He did not come to condemn the world but to be the Savior. 

And not only did He come to redeem sinful man, but also to reveal God to man. When He said He was the Light of the World, He gave three supporting evidences for His claim:

1. He knows where He came from (the Father).

2. He judges no man after the flesh, but the judgement that comes from God. 

3. God the Father bore witness to Him (His baptism).

"We become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ, but Jesus is God's Son because of His position in the Trinity. He is God the Son, and He addresses God the Father. If you are going to know God the Father, you must come through Jesus Christ."

The religious rulers thought Jesus was going to kill Himself because He said He was going where they could not go; but they did not understand that He was giving Himself as a ransom to be the propitiation for many. People who die in their sins, die the natural consequence for iniquity. 

When Jesus told them that the truth shall make them free, He was talking about their spiritual bondage. When we go to Jesus because we believe in Him, we no longer worry about if our good deeds will save us from our wickedness. We know they cannot. We rest knowing that Jesus paid all our debts instead.

Finally, Jesus committed (in the eyes of the religious rulers) blasphemy because He used the same expression that God did when He said He was I AM. This was another reason they took up stones to kill Him. They did not like being put into the situation where they either had to believe God or believe themselves. All this time they had been doing things their way, and now, Jesus brought the Light to shine on their deeds and make them decide. Whom did they want to serve? 

John 7

Because the religious Jews of Judea wanted to kill Jesus, He stayed in Galilee. Before His death, Jesus' half-brothers (James, Joses, Simon, and Judas) did not believe He was whom He said He was. They coaxed Him to continue performing miracles in Judea (during the Feast of Tabernacles), though we do not know why. It may have been politically motivated because Jesus told them His time had not come. 

He eventually went up to the feast, though not publically. There He taught in the temple, though the Jews were amazed and questioned Him because Jesus had never studied at a rabbinical school. He told them that His doctrine is not His but of the One who sent Him. 

The Pharisees and chief priests sent officers to take Him, but Jesus told them He would only be with them for a short while, and then He will go to Him who sent Him. They will seek Him and not find Him, and where He goes, they cannot go.

On the final day of the feast, Jesus cried out: 

If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.  

COMMENTARY

The events of chapter 7 occur in the last year of Jesus' ministry. 

The world had become hostile to Jesus because He is the Light and the Light reveals sin. Jesus condemns sin; therefore, that is why He is hated, even today. Man's heart is evil, but Jesus went to the cross because He wanted to redeem mankind. 

The Jews, or religious rulers, expected Jesus to come to the Feast of Tabernacle, which is the final feast that will be fulfilled when Jesus returns to the earth. The feast represents the consummation of all things, and when the Lord appears, it shall be suddenly (Mal. 3:11). The Feast celebrated the fact that God (through Moses) gave them water from a rock, but the Rock is Jesus, and He declared to them that He is that Living Water. 

The Jews rejected the message of Jesus, and therefore, they rejected the message of God. They did not want to hear God. They were religious hypocrites because they believed they could live by the Law, but the Law was given as a mirror to reflect that no one can keep the law. Everyone is a lost sinner and needs a Savior. 

When the Pharisees sought to take Him, He told them that once He left them (after His death, resurrection, and ascension), they would never touch Him again. And this was fulfilled. 

John 6

JESUS FEEDS FIVE THOUSAND

The people followed Jesus because they believed in His signs performed on the sick, and they wanted to see more miracles. When He saw the multitude coming, He asked His disciples how they would feed them all.

Andrew said there was a boy with five loaves and two fish. Jesus had the people sit down. There were about five thousand men, not counting the women and children. He distributed the loaves and fish, and by the time everyone had finished eating, the disciples collected the leftovers and filled twelve baskets. Then the people were amazed at the sign.

JESUS WALKS ON WATER

Jesus knew the men wanted to make Him king; therefore, he departed to the mountain by Himself. By evening, His disciples went into a boat on the sea and started toward the otherside. In the night, a great wind came up and there they saw Jesus walking on the water toward them. They were afraid, but He assured them it was Him. He got into the boat and immediately they were on the other side of the sea. 

The people sought Jesus because they ate and were filled. Jesus told them not to labor for the food that perishes, but "for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give [to them], because God the Father has set His seal on Him."

When they asked what shall they do, that they may work the works of God. He answered that "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent." And they asked for a sign that they may believe. Jesus told them (again): 

I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. but I say to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me will by no means cast out. 

The Jews did not understand because He called Himself the bread "which came down from heaven." Jesus replied to them that No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day."

Jesus said, "...I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." The Jews did not understand and even His disciples found this a hard saying to comprehend. 

Jesus knew from the beginning who believed and who did not. He said again, "...I have said...that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father." Afterward, many disciples stopped following Him. 

When Jesus asked of His twelve disciples if they would go away, too, they said they would not because He had the words of eternal life, and they believed that He was the Christ, the Son of the living God." But Jesus also knew that one of them was "a devil," Judas Iscariot, who would betray Him.

COMMENTARY

Jesus' mission is not to restore our physical bodies but to be Lord of our hearts. Unfortunately, the people were only interested in seeing Jesus perform more miracles. That was why they followed Him all over and sought Him out. He wanted them to seek Him for the food that endures forever. Just as He told the woman at the well about the everlasting water, He told these people about the Bread of Life. 

The people asked what "work" they must do for this bread of life. "Man has always felt that if he could just work at it, he could be saved. He feels thoroughly capable of working out his salvation. He feels competent to do it, and he feels that God must accept his works." But the work of God is that you believe on him who God has sent. It is what God has done, not what we can do. 

ELECTION OR FREEWILL

According to McGee, the arguments of election and free will are present in this chapter. 

All that the Father gives to me shall come to me; and him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:36-37)

"All that the Father gives to me shall come to me," represents election. "And him that comes to Me I will in no wise cast out," is free will. The Father gives men to Christ, but men must come. And the ones that come are the ones whom the Father gives to Him. "Whosoever will may come!" And if you come, He will not cast you out. "If you come, you will be the elect." 

When Jesus told the people about eating His flesh and drinking His blood, He was preparing them for the Last Supper, which is symbolic for His sacrifice. This is my body, is just symbolic. Bread is bread and wine is wine, but the sacrament is a spiritual blessing for the heart of all Christians. 

John 5

Jesus went to Jerusalem to a pool called Bethesda where sick people waited to be healed. Jesus saw a man who had an infirmity lying by the pool, waiting. He asked him if he wanted to be made well, and the man said there was no one to put him into the water. Jesus told him to, "Rise, take up your bed and walk." Immediately, the man was made well and took up his bed and walked. 

It was the Sabbath, and the Jews said it was unlawful for the man to carry his bed. The man told them that He who made him well told him to take up his bed and walk. When the Jews asked the man to point him out, Jesus was already gone. 

Later, Jesus found the man in the temple and told him to sin no more lest a worse thing come upon him. Now the man was able to point Jesus out to the Jews, and the Jews, from then on, sought to kill Jesus because He had "done these things" on the Sabbath.

Jesus responded to the Jews that He was working with His Father. Not only had Jesus broken the Sabbath, but now He made Himself equal to God. 

Jesus told them He does His Father's work; He has power as His Father has power; His Father has committed all judgment to Him; that the Jews should honor the Son as they honor the Father; if they hear His word and believe in God who sent Him they would have everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment; the judgment He exercised was dependent upon the Father's word and will; there were witnesses of the identity of Jesus -- the miracles He did were evidence of His deity and messiahship; also the Scriptures bore witness to who Jesus was.

But the Jewish rulers failed to see the truth. They wanted the miracles, food, and political and military power to overthrow the Roman government, but they did not care about a Messiah who only did the will of God the Father -- to save people from their sins. 

Do not think that I ashall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you -- Moses, in whom you trust. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?

COMMENTARY

John 5 is a turning point in Jesus' ministry. The Jewish rulers now turned their sights on Jesus because He made Himself equal with God the Father. Their excuse was that Jesus broke the Sabbath. How ironic that this caused them to have hatred in their hearts, enough to want to kill him. Which is worse: breaking the Sabbath or murder? Obviously, making arguments that you are equal with God is a clear claim of One's deity. 

Now, the sick man at the pool was just waiting to be made well, and he was staring at the waters. Jesus approached him and wanted to get his eyes off the pool waters and onto the Man with Living Water. As McGee explains, so many people have their eyes fixated on the material things or other people, just waiting, waiting for something to happen. They are blinded and have no sight of Jesus. 

McGee also made a point to show that even on the Sabbath, God is working. He cannot rest because there are lost sheep, and even on a rest day a shepherd will save his one lost sheep. 

Therefore, when Jesus told the man to get up and walk, the man was accused of carrying his bed on the Sabbath. Stupid man-made religious rules! Then he put the blame on Jesus, but he could not find him in the crowd. Not until he saw Jesus in the temple again was he able to point him out, and that is when the Jews approached Jesus for breaking the Sabbath. 

Next, Jesus made numerous claims to being equal with God:

• He is God
• He can do what God does
• He does not contradict the Father, nor the Father contradict the Son
• He can forgive sins
• They share a personal, intimate relationship
• He gives life to whom He will
• He can raise the dead
• The Father gave the Son power to judge man

Jesus told them that NOW is the time when He will give spiritual life; but the hour is coming when He will raise the dead out of the grave. Jesus talked about the two resurrections. One is the resurrection of the saved, which we call the Rapture of the church. Rapture comes from the Greek word harpazo, which means "caught up." The Rapture is in the future at an unknown moment. Jesus will call His own out of the world, both living and the dead. 

After the Tribulation, the dead believers that come out of this seven-year period, together with Old Testament saints, will finish up the first resurrection . They will be raised to live on the earth. This first resurrection is the resurrection of life. 

The second resurrection will be of judgment, called the Great White Throne, when all of the unsaved, of all time, will be raised. They wanted to stand on their works, and they will have the opportunity to be judged by them alone. This will take place after the end of the Millennial period. They had been warned that no one can be saved by his works, but they didn't want to believe. 

Finally, Jesus told the Jews about His witnesses. John the Baptist did bare witness to Him, but there are higher witnesses: His miracles and the Scriptures. The miracles were evidence of His works that He had been sent by the Father, and the Old Testament Scriptures spoke of Jesus as the coming Messiah. 

John 3

A Pharisee named Nicodemus (teacher and ruler of the Jews) came to Jesus by cover of darkness and said: We know you are a teacher from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with Him.

Jesus replied: Unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 

Nicodemus asked: How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?

Jesus answered, "Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God." 

Nicodemus still struggled to understand, and Jesus focused on the true meaning of salvation - that new birth comes through faith and that ignorance is caused by unbelief. Jesus clarified that only He has come from God and heaven to legitimately be able to talk about these things.

Jesus told about how Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, and all who looked up and believed were healed; likewise, Jesus must one day be lifted up (on the cross), that whoever looks upon Him and believes in Him shall have eternal life. 

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

 The reason one might not believe is because he loves his sin more. 

...men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 

Then there was a conflict between John the Baptist's disciples and the Jews, and the Jews wanted to know why people were going to Jesus to be baptized. John explained that man cannot have a ministry unless it had been given to him from God. John had admitted that he was not the Christ, but a friend of His. Therefore, "He must increase, but I must decrease."

John testified again that Jesus was from God and was true and spoke God's words. 

The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.

COMMENTARY 

About Nicodemus: he was an important leader and teacher. He was a Pharisee who believed in what the Old Testament taught about the coming Messiah and the Resurrection. The Pharisees had hoped to help throw off the yoke of Rome and establish the promised kingdom on earth. Thus, Nicodemus, was eager to talk to Jesus, and Jesus knew exactly what was on his heart: the kingdom of God!

Immediately, Jesus told him he must be born again -- not the physical act, but a spiritual birth. Nicodemus could not spiritually understand Jesus. When Jesus told him he must be born of water and Spirit, He was speaking of the Word of God. Man must be born by the Holy Spirit through the Scriptures. 

But man's old nature is at war with God "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject ot the law or God...so then they that are in the flesh cannot please God (Rom 8:7-8)." The old nature must be changed with a new nature through a spiritual rebirth. 

Jesus also told Nicodemus that when Moses lifted up the serpent on the pole, when the people looked upon it and believed it for healing, they were healed (even though the serpent, which represented sin, on the pole had no special powers). It was through obedience and faith that they were healed. Likewise, Christ was made sin for us and would be lifted up on the cross. 

To understand John 3:16: we must be born again and Christ must be lifted up (on the cross). Then the Spirit may regenerate us. All this because God so loved the world. He does not save the world by love. Love does not save sinners. It is only by God's GRACE! He loved the world that He gave His Son so that if you believe in Him, you shall not die in your sins, but have eternal life. Trust Him as the One who personally bore the penalty (God's wrath) for your sins. If all He had to do was love you to save you, then He would not need to die on the cross. But because God cannot save you with love, He had to have grace to pardon you through His Son taking your place on the cross. Jesus took your place in receiving the wrath of God reserved for you. 

What about verse 17-18? About Jesus not condemning the world? Because Jesus first came as a Savior to save people from their sins. But when He comes the second time, it will surely be as Judge, and those NOT in Christ are already condemned. Here is how McGee explains it: 

The world is lost. [It] is like a man who is in prison being asked whether or not he will accept a pardon. That is the gospel. [Man] is already condemned. He is already in prison waiting for execution. But the gospel tells him a pardon is offered to him. The point is, will [he] accept the pardon? How wonderfully clear that is. The gospel is to save those who are already lost. 

Finally, the disciples of John the Baptist seem to be jealous of the people who are now going to Jesus. John explained to them that Jesus is the bridegroom who has the church as His bride. John is only a friend to the bridegroom. Christ must increase now, and John is at the end of his ministry. 

John 1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. 

All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 

THE FORERUNNER OF CHRIST

John the Baptist was a man sent from God who was a witness of the Light, Jesus. The world was made through Jesus, but the world did not know Him. Both mankind and the Jews, His own people, did not know Him when He came to earth. 

But those who came to know Him, He gave them the "right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

THE INCARNATION OF CHRIST

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

John the Baptist was a witness of Christ. Moses gave the law, but through Jesus would come grace. No one has seen God except the "only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him."

The Pharisees sent priests and Levites to inquire who John (the Baptist) was. He confessed he was not the Messiah. Then who? Elijah? The Prophet? Neither. John actually fulfilled Isaiah: 

The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord.

The Pharisees asked why John baptized with water, if he was not the Christ. John said he baptized with water, but the One among them, whom they do not know, is coming after him, is preferred, whose sandal John is not worthy to loose. 

When John saw Jesus coming toward him, he said: 

Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

When John baptized Jesus, he witnessed "the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove..." The Father who sent him to baptize with water told him, "Upon whom you see the Spirit descending...this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit." Then John testified that Jesus is the Son of God. 

John told his two disciples who the Lamb of God was. Then they heard Jesus and followed Him. When they asked where He was staying, He told them to come and see. Andrew was one of the disciples and he told his brother Simon Peter: "We have found the Messiah." 

The next day Jesus went to Galilee, and told Philip to follow him. Philip told Nathanael: "We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote - Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Joseph." Nathanael joked, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip replied, "Come and see." 

Jesus confronted Nathanael, and he asked Jesus how he knew him. Jesus said, "Before Philip called you, I saw you. Nathanael said, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" 

Jesus told Nathanael, "You will see greater things than these. Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man." 

COMMENTARY 

This is a lot of commentary, and I will try to make it concise; however, this is important information. 

McGee says that in John 1:1 we are told that Jesus is the Word. The Word is the highest and most profound title of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the One who is pointed to in the Old Testament. He is presented as the One "In the beginning." The Word was with God makes it clear that He is separate and distinct from God the Father. However, verse one also tells us that the Word was God. The Lord Jesus is God. God was the Word. 

McGee jumps down to the three statements in John 1:14:

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

The first statement is better understood: The Word was born flesh. Out of eternity, the Word became flesh. The second statement tells us that the Word dwelt among us. He took up a human body to live with us. And the third statement...full of grace and truth...assures us that He brought all His deity with Him, not limited in human form, such as we are. 

McGee then looks at the three statements in John 1:18:

No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared him.

No one has seen God ever because God is a Spirit. Even in the Old Testament, God never revealed Himself. He was always the angel of the Lord. The second statement tells us that Jesus is the only begotten God..."which is in the bosom of the Father," because He came to reveal the heart of God. The third statement, "He has declared Him," means that Jesus was to "lead God out into the open so that men may know Him."

Next, McGee rearranged the verses into ordered statements. This is number one:

In the beginning was the Word,

And the Word was made flesh,

No man hath seen God at any time.

Number two:

The Word was with God, 

And dwelt among us,

The only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father. 

Number three:

The Word was God,

And we beheld His glory 

(the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth),

He hath declared Him.

The next thing McGee did was explain (through a conversation with a scientist) that the universe is made up of three things, just like the Trinity (Father, Son, Spirit): time, space, and matter. Time is divided into past, present, and future. Space is divided into length, breadth, and height. And finally, matter is made up of energy, motion, and phenomena. 

Using this knowledge, look at the incarnation of Christ, from verse one: 

Time: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God; 

Space: The Word was made (became) flesh, came down into space (to earth and He lived among us. We beheld His glory, full of grace and truth; 

Matter: No man hath seen God...; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him. He became matter (man), took humanity upon Himself, and men could see and know Him. 

Defining time, we get: 

Past: In the beginning was the Word.

Present: The Word was made (became) flesh (in our day).

Future: No man hath seen God...the only begotten Son...hath declared Him. In our future, we will be able to really know Him completely. Today we know so little. 

Defining space:

Length: In the beginning was the Word.

Breadth: He came down to this earth and was made flesh.

Height: No man has seen God...who is in the bosom...He has come from the heights to set Him before us.

Defining matter:

Energy: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God - that's energy! How did the universe come into existence? God spoke. When God speaks, energy is translated into matter. Creation began with energy. 

Motion: The Word was made flesh. He came out of heaven's glory and He came to this earth.

Phenomena: The greatest phenomenon is Jesus Christ. God became man!

John 1:1, 14, 18 are great building blocks of the Christian faith. 

And we learn more from John 1. Jesus is the Creator. He existed before coming to earth, and He created the universe. Everything was made by Him, and nothing came into existence without Him. Jesus is the Light and Life. 

Man does not know God because He is in constant rebellion against Him, and this blinds man to know God. Yet, the life of Jesus is the only thing that can bring light into man's heart because the unregenerate man has no spiritual life within him.

In verse 12, we are told that God delegated power, or authority, to those who believe on His name. One must believe into, in, or upon Jesus. It is not enough to believe, but you must trust in His ability to hold you up, keep you, save you. 

John the Baptist referred to himself as the voice of the Word. Also, John confirmed that Jesus was the Savior and Messiah and the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 

Finally, when Jesus was talking to Nathanael about seeing heaven opening up and angels ascending and descending upon the Son of man (John 1:51), He referred to Himself as the ladder. Jesus is the ladder that by Him we can have access to God. 

John 1 is only the prologue of John's gospel, and it presents Jesus as the incarnate Word of God; He is God, become flesh, and He reveals the Father to us. "John the Baptist testified that Jesus is Messiah, Philip testified that Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament, and Nathanael witnessed that Jesus is the Son of God, the King of Israel."