For those of us who aren’t convinced that we need the Nature-changer to transform us…from John’s first sign in Chapter 2 to the second sign in Chapter 4 we are told a lot about the fallen nature of sinful men and women. Specifically, we are taught six things about human nature: we are selfish, untrustworthy, unsaved, condemned, unfulfilled, and yet we still have a hunger for spiritual things. These truths are to drive home the need we all have for Jesus, the Nature Changer! These truths are wrapped in interesting narratives that Jesus has with many different types of people.
1. We're extremely selfish. Because of our fallen nature, when left to ourselves, we tend to corrupt even the holy things of God and use them for our own selfish benefit. (For example, the money changers and the priests.) 2:13-22
2. We are untrustworthy. The fickleness of human nature causes even those who appear to be committed to be seen as untrustworthy in the all-seeing eyes of God. (The people in Jerusalem who witnessed Jesus miraculous, healing ministry.) 2:23-25 NLT. 23 Because of the miraculous signs Jesus did in Jerusalem at the Passover celebration, many began to trust in him. 24 But Jesus didn’t trust them, because he knew human nature. 25 No one needed to tell him what mankind is really like.
3. We are all unsaved. We are all, regardless of how religious we are, in need of salvation. (No greater example can be given than that of Nicodemus the Pharisee, the Teacher of Israel.) 3:1-21
4. We stand already condemned. Since the Light has come into our world, to not believe in the Light is to stand condemned in our embraced darkness. The Light did not come to condemn, but rather, to save us. And yet, since He has come, we must choose to come to Him, or to remain in our own self-condemning darkness. (Those who rejected, and still reject Christ.) 3:22-36
5. We are unfulfilled. The Samaritan woman was blindly looking for fulfillment in the wrong places, going from relationship to relationship. (A woman of five husbands and counting!) 4:1-18
6. Yet, we are hungry for spiritual things. When the lost Samaritan woman becomes aware she’s in the presence of a prophet, instead of running away, she brings to the surface questions about spiritual things, revealing a deep hunger for God and truth. (The Samaritan woman and the Samaritans.) 4:19-42
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Has Jesus Turning Your Water into Wine?
On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 2 When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine." "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." (3:1-2)
The signs begin at a wedding feast in Cana in which Jesus and His disciples had been invited to. How exactly His mother was involved besides her attendance is unclear, but this dialogue between Jesus and her is quite interesting. The wine running out in the middle of a wedding celebration back in those days was a very serious matter, even more than just a huge embarrassment to the bride and groom.
They have no more wine...Mary is here informing, but not demanding. Jesus doesn’t calls Mary, Mother, but dear woman instead. She let Him know of the crisis and He replied that His time had not yet come. Later He told his brothers essentially the same thing in Chapter 7, verse 8 when they prodded Him to go up to the feast to perform signs so that He would become even more famous. Jesus would not be led by His mother’s requests, but only by the Father. Only Father God will determine when his hour is to come and what he is to do and say until then.
Jesus was telling Mary, “It’s not time for Me to do open, spectacular miracles.” Okay. She neither insists that He do something, nor does she shut the door on the possibility that He will intervene. She turns to the waiters and probably whispers to them, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”
Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."
If Mary was in charge, or helping those in charge, and she told the servants to do what he says, if the outcome is embarrassment or failure, they could say, “Hey we’re just doing what we’re told to do.”
Jesus, as led by the Father, does meet the desperate need for more wine to become available at this celebration. He doesn’t proclaim what he’s about to do, and it appears that the servants, the disciples, His mother and Himself were the only ones who even knew of this great miracle. At least it was that way initially. The text doesn’t tell us whether the servants kept to themselves what they had just witnessed. It may have been only a matter of minutes or hours until the who town heard about what Jesus had just done. Or it could have remained a hidden miracle. We don’t know. We could speculate over quite a few things regarding this first of seven miracles, such as:
Did they run out of wine because Jesus and his disciples had been invited at the last minute?
If so, would that somehow have obligated Jesus to fix a problem He had partly caused?
Was Mary’s concern about wine being gone because she was somehow in charge and, or helping out?
Was she one of the few people there who even knew of the problem?
Did she expect Jesus to supernaturally intervene, or was she asking Him to dig deep into His pockets and quickly go to a nearby market and buy some wine?
These questions seem to have no answer. We could speculate all day and not come up with concrete answers. But there is one last question which needs to be asked which can be answered satisfactorily:
What does the sign of turning water into wine signify?
The best wine saved for last! It’s a famous saying used over and over in our society (along with many other Bible verses). But do we know what it means? In this first of his miraculous signs, Jesus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him. The Greek word for miraculous sign here refers to a miracle that points to something much greater than the actual occurrence. Through it, Jesus revealed His glory, His nature, His person.
Jesus did his first messianic sign at a wedding festival. Weddings were the biggest and most important celebrations among the Jewish people, lasting for days. They were such joyous occasions that the blessings of the coming messianic age were often described in the metaphor of a wedding banquet, such as in Jesus parables describing the kingdom of God.
The main significance of this sign is hinted at in the statement that the water had been placed in stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing. “The water jars, used for Jewish purification rites, are a sign that God is doing a new thing from within the old Jewish system, bringing purification to Israel and the world in a whole new way.” (Wright, p. 22) Jesus brings a transformation to Judaism as He becomes the fulfillment of all the scriptural ceremonies we read about under the Old Covenant, including ceremonial washings. The Old Testament ritual washings were shadows of things to come. Jesus fulfilled and replaced them with something much better, Himself. Turning water to wine symbolizes the replacement of Judaism and the Law with the Gospel in which grace and truth are communicated to us. But it is not just a matter of replacing one covenant with another, but the giving of a new nature to the recipients of the new covenant. “It is part of the evangelist’s agenda to present the faith that is centered on Jesus as a more powerful, life-giving, and universally accessible faith than Judaism. “ (Witherington)
The main reason why John chose to begin describing Jesus’ sign-miracles with this one was to simply tell us this: Jesus turned water into wine to show us that He can turn water...into wine. He can change the very nature of something. He can take H2O and make it into something altogether different and new. He can change the nature of both things and people. As believers, we are now miraculously partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust (2 Peter 1:4 NKJV). The Old Covenant, with its ceremonial washings, is replaced by the New, with better and greater promises such as those written in the book of Hebrews:
This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. (Hebrews 8:10)
The transition from old to the new covenant brings a radical change of heart, a change of our very nature. Keith Green’s song “hit the nail on the head” when he sang,
You...
turning the water to wine,
gave Your greatest sign
by changing lives like mine.
This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.
The signs begin at a wedding feast in Cana in which Jesus and His disciples had been invited to. How exactly His mother was involved besides her attendance is unclear, but this dialogue between Jesus and her is quite interesting. The wine running out in the middle of a wedding celebration back in those days was a very serious matter, even more than just a huge embarrassment to the bride and groom.
They have no more wine...Mary is here informing, but not demanding. Jesus doesn’t calls Mary, Mother, but dear woman instead. She let Him know of the crisis and He replied that His time had not yet come. Later He told his brothers essentially the same thing in Chapter 7, verse 8 when they prodded Him to go up to the feast to perform signs so that He would become even more famous. Jesus would not be led by His mother’s requests, but only by the Father. Only Father God will determine when his hour is to come and what he is to do and say until then.
Jesus was telling Mary, “It’s not time for Me to do open, spectacular miracles.” Okay. She neither insists that He do something, nor does she shut the door on the possibility that He will intervene. She turns to the waiters and probably whispers to them, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”
Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."
If Mary was in charge, or helping those in charge, and she told the servants to do what he says, if the outcome is embarrassment or failure, they could say, “Hey we’re just doing what we’re told to do.”
Jesus, as led by the Father, does meet the desperate need for more wine to become available at this celebration. He doesn’t proclaim what he’s about to do, and it appears that the servants, the disciples, His mother and Himself were the only ones who even knew of this great miracle. At least it was that way initially. The text doesn’t tell us whether the servants kept to themselves what they had just witnessed. It may have been only a matter of minutes or hours until the who town heard about what Jesus had just done. Or it could have remained a hidden miracle. We don’t know. We could speculate over quite a few things regarding this first of seven miracles, such as:
Did they run out of wine because Jesus and his disciples had been invited at the last minute?
If so, would that somehow have obligated Jesus to fix a problem He had partly caused?
Was Mary’s concern about wine being gone because she was somehow in charge and, or helping out?
Was she one of the few people there who even knew of the problem?
Did she expect Jesus to supernaturally intervene, or was she asking Him to dig deep into His pockets and quickly go to a nearby market and buy some wine?
These questions seem to have no answer. We could speculate all day and not come up with concrete answers. But there is one last question which needs to be asked which can be answered satisfactorily:
What does the sign of turning water into wine signify?
The best wine saved for last! It’s a famous saying used over and over in our society (along with many other Bible verses). But do we know what it means? In this first of his miraculous signs, Jesus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him. The Greek word for miraculous sign here refers to a miracle that points to something much greater than the actual occurrence. Through it, Jesus revealed His glory, His nature, His person.
Jesus did his first messianic sign at a wedding festival. Weddings were the biggest and most important celebrations among the Jewish people, lasting for days. They were such joyous occasions that the blessings of the coming messianic age were often described in the metaphor of a wedding banquet, such as in Jesus parables describing the kingdom of God.
The main significance of this sign is hinted at in the statement that the water had been placed in stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing. “The water jars, used for Jewish purification rites, are a sign that God is doing a new thing from within the old Jewish system, bringing purification to Israel and the world in a whole new way.” (Wright, p. 22) Jesus brings a transformation to Judaism as He becomes the fulfillment of all the scriptural ceremonies we read about under the Old Covenant, including ceremonial washings. The Old Testament ritual washings were shadows of things to come. Jesus fulfilled and replaced them with something much better, Himself. Turning water to wine symbolizes the replacement of Judaism and the Law with the Gospel in which grace and truth are communicated to us. But it is not just a matter of replacing one covenant with another, but the giving of a new nature to the recipients of the new covenant. “It is part of the evangelist’s agenda to present the faith that is centered on Jesus as a more powerful, life-giving, and universally accessible faith than Judaism. “ (Witherington)
The main reason why John chose to begin describing Jesus’ sign-miracles with this one was to simply tell us this: Jesus turned water into wine to show us that He can turn water...into wine. He can change the very nature of something. He can take H2O and make it into something altogether different and new. He can change the nature of both things and people. As believers, we are now miraculously partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust (2 Peter 1:4 NKJV). The Old Covenant, with its ceremonial washings, is replaced by the New, with better and greater promises such as those written in the book of Hebrews:
This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. (Hebrews 8:10)
The transition from old to the new covenant brings a radical change of heart, a change of our very nature. Keith Green’s song “hit the nail on the head” when he sang,
You...
turning the water to wine,
gave Your greatest sign
by changing lives like mine.
This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Do You Have an Operation Andrew List?
When I worked on the Billy Graham Crusade Staff in 2005, I learned that Operation Andrew was the heart and soul of their Crusades, and the secret of its success in winning so many people to Christ throughout the years. By the time Dr. Graham had his last major crusade in Queens, he had conducted crusades all over the world for over 50 years where more than 2.5 million people stepped forward to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. The veteran staff members said the reason why the crusade meetings were so successful was because they learned from all their past mistakes! Through trial and error, Operation Andrew emerged as the best way to assure having a productive crusade. It entailed believers, months before the Crusade, listing on cards the friends and relatives they would pray for and eventually ask to come with them to the upcoming crusade services. Over 85% of those who came forward for the first time to accept Christ not only were on someone’s Operation Andrew list, but were brought to the Crusade by them.
It is not known how long Andrew was John the Baptist’s disciple, but the good and godly influence on him was unmistakable. When John pointed Jesus out as the Lamb of God, that was enough for Andrew (and another disciple, probably John, the Beloved).
The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!" When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.
Andrew followed Jesus, went to where he was staying and after spending the day with him, was ready to go witness to his brother, Peter. What an adamant, faith-filled statement he said as he stood before his brother and declared, “We have found the Messiah.” Andrew then brought Peter to Jesus. We see Andrew’s faith in leading him, and Peter’s faith in being willing to be led to a person he had never met before.
Though there is no mention here of Peter’s faith, afterwards in Chapter 6 we see Peter declaring, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (68-69)
It is not known how long Andrew was John the Baptist’s disciple, but the good and godly influence on him was unmistakable. When John pointed Jesus out as the Lamb of God, that was enough for Andrew (and another disciple, probably John, the Beloved).
The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!" When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.
Andrew followed Jesus, went to where he was staying and after spending the day with him, was ready to go witness to his brother, Peter. What an adamant, faith-filled statement he said as he stood before his brother and declared, “We have found the Messiah.” Andrew then brought Peter to Jesus. We see Andrew’s faith in leading him, and Peter’s faith in being willing to be led to a person he had never met before.
Though there is no mention here of Peter’s faith, afterwards in Chapter 6 we see Peter declaring, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (68-69)
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
The Witness Who Saw The Holy Spirit, and Heard the Father's Voice
1:6 There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John.
7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
15 John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”
What an example of unselfishness we have in John the Baptist. He came to be a witness for Christ so people would put their faith in Jesus. Period. The Attorney deliberately chose to omit much of what is known about John the Baptist and his forerunner ministry as depicted in Matthew, Mark and Luke. John’s fiery preaching, as recorded in Matthew and Luke is omitted. John’s advice to the soldiers, the people and the tax collectors is all passed over in this account. The writer is not even interested in rehashing the miraculous events behind John’s birth as it is described in detail in Luke, nor his ministry of baptizing people. He is not even called John the Baptist in this Gospel, but simply John. (John, the author and apostle who functions as the attorney is never named in this book, other than being called the disciple whom Jesus loved.) This gospel writer is only interested in one thing regarding John the Baptizer: his testimony regarding Jesus:
19 Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Christ.” 21 They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” 22 Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’” 24 Now some Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” 28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
John declared that he was neither the Christ (the Messiah), Elijah, or the Prophet. The coming of the Prophet was predicted by Moses in Deuteronomy, and was expected in Jesus' day. John denied being that particular Prophet (though he was a prophet). They asked John if he was the prophet Elijah, perhaps because not only did they have the same repentance message, but also the same type of clothing, and Malachi had prophesied 400 years earlier, “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes.” So why did John deny what Jesus conclude about him? I find Carson’s explanation to be the best one offered:
Though John denied that he himself was Elijah, Jesus understood more about this and saw John as fulfilling the prophecy about Elijah, the forerunner to the Messiah.
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”
John the Baptist has tremendous insight into the mission Christ was on, for surely Jesus came into our world to become the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. How did he get such insight? For one, he was a prophet. Also, he was very in tune with the voice of the Father, as the next verse indicates.
I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel." Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God." (32-34)
The main testimony that is given is the fact that even John the Baptist did not “comprehend the light” and would not have except for the fact that God the Father spoke to him beforehand about the Messiah. Father God, who sent the Baptist to prepare the way for the Christ, told John, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.” John saw this happen at Jesus’ baptism, and therefore he could adamantly declare, “I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."
Isn’t it interesting that John’s Gospel omits Jesus water baptism, and yet it doesn’t. Jesus’ baptism is described, not by the author however, but as part of John’s testimony. John saw that the Spirit did not merely descend upon Jesus, (as He had with many of the Old Testament prophets) but He also remained on him; a sign of Jesus' divine anointing. In spite of the countless paintings to the contrary, I don’t believe the Holy Spirit came down in the form of a dove upon the Messiah. He came “in bodily shape” that is, in the shape of a human body, but descended down with the graceful movements reminiscent of how doves gently fly.
7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
15 John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”
What an example of unselfishness we have in John the Baptist. He came to be a witness for Christ so people would put their faith in Jesus. Period. The Attorney deliberately chose to omit much of what is known about John the Baptist and his forerunner ministry as depicted in Matthew, Mark and Luke. John’s fiery preaching, as recorded in Matthew and Luke is omitted. John’s advice to the soldiers, the people and the tax collectors is all passed over in this account. The writer is not even interested in rehashing the miraculous events behind John’s birth as it is described in detail in Luke, nor his ministry of baptizing people. He is not even called John the Baptist in this Gospel, but simply John. (John, the author and apostle who functions as the attorney is never named in this book, other than being called the disciple whom Jesus loved.) This gospel writer is only interested in one thing regarding John the Baptizer: his testimony regarding Jesus:
19 Now this was John's testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was. 20 He did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Christ.” 21 They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” 22 Finally they said, “Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”
23 John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Make straight the way for the Lord.’” 24 Now some Pharisees who had been sent 25 questioned him, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 “I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.” 28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
John declared that he was neither the Christ (the Messiah), Elijah, or the Prophet. The coming of the Prophet was predicted by Moses in Deuteronomy, and was expected in Jesus' day. John denied being that particular Prophet (though he was a prophet). They asked John if he was the prophet Elijah, perhaps because not only did they have the same repentance message, but also the same type of clothing, and Malachi had prophesied 400 years earlier, “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes.” So why did John deny what Jesus conclude about him? I find Carson’s explanation to be the best one offered:
Though John denied that he himself was Elijah, Jesus understood more about this and saw John as fulfilling the prophecy about Elijah, the forerunner to the Messiah.
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”
John the Baptist has tremendous insight into the mission Christ was on, for surely Jesus came into our world to become the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. How did he get such insight? For one, he was a prophet. Also, he was very in tune with the voice of the Father, as the next verse indicates.
I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel." Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God." (32-34)
The main testimony that is given is the fact that even John the Baptist did not “comprehend the light” and would not have except for the fact that God the Father spoke to him beforehand about the Messiah. Father God, who sent the Baptist to prepare the way for the Christ, told John, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.” John saw this happen at Jesus’ baptism, and therefore he could adamantly declare, “I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."
Isn’t it interesting that John’s Gospel omits Jesus water baptism, and yet it doesn’t. Jesus’ baptism is described, not by the author however, but as part of John’s testimony. John saw that the Spirit did not merely descend upon Jesus, (as He had with many of the Old Testament prophets) but He also remained on him; a sign of Jesus' divine anointing. In spite of the countless paintings to the contrary, I don’t believe the Holy Spirit came down in the form of a dove upon the Messiah. He came “in bodily shape” that is, in the shape of a human body, but descended down with the graceful movements reminiscent of how doves gently fly.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
A Closer Look: The Trial Motif
In his scholarly work entitled, Truth on Trial: the Lawsuit Motif in the Fourth Gospel, Andrew Lincoln thoroughly explores the courtroom trial motif found in John. Here are a few quotes from his book:
“On reading the Fourth Gospel, one encounters again and again the two notions of testimony (or witness) and judgment. Their dominance and the distinctiveness they contribute to John's narrative can be highlighted by a statistical observation. The noun witness or testimony occurs fourteen times in this Gospel in comparison with four times in the three Synoptics together, and the verb to witness or to testify thirty three times in comparison with the Synoptics. Again in connection with judgment, the verb to judge is employed nineteen times in the Fourth Gospel as compared with six times in Matthew and six times in Luke. It is not, however, just a matter of vocabulary. Both these concepts, which have, of course, strong juridical or legal connotations, form part of a larger motif, that of the lawsuit or trial, which shapes much of the narrative of the Fourth Gospel...Both the pervasiveness and the positioning of the motif encourages readers to view the narrative, as a whole, from the perspective of a trial.” p. 2, 22
“It has long been recognized that the themes of witness, judgment and trial play a significant role in the Fourth Gospel.” p. 4.
“Perhaps second only to the narrative’s unique Christology, this metaphor of a lawsuit on a cosmic scale is the most distinctive characteristic holding many of the elements of its plot and discourse together.” p. 13.
“Not only does the motif occur in each of the five main sections of the narrative…it does so in highly significant ways.” p. 21.
“On reading the Fourth Gospel, one encounters again and again the two notions of testimony (or witness) and judgment. Their dominance and the distinctiveness they contribute to John's narrative can be highlighted by a statistical observation. The noun witness or testimony occurs fourteen times in this Gospel in comparison with four times in the three Synoptics together, and the verb to witness or to testify thirty three times in comparison with the Synoptics. Again in connection with judgment, the verb to judge is employed nineteen times in the Fourth Gospel as compared with six times in Matthew and six times in Luke. It is not, however, just a matter of vocabulary. Both these concepts, which have, of course, strong juridical or legal connotations, form part of a larger motif, that of the lawsuit or trial, which shapes much of the narrative of the Fourth Gospel...Both the pervasiveness and the positioning of the motif encourages readers to view the narrative, as a whole, from the perspective of a trial.” p. 2, 22
“It has long been recognized that the themes of witness, judgment and trial play a significant role in the Fourth Gospel.” p. 4.
“Perhaps second only to the narrative’s unique Christology, this metaphor of a lawsuit on a cosmic scale is the most distinctive characteristic holding many of the elements of its plot and discourse together.” p. 13.
“Not only does the motif occur in each of the five main sections of the narrative…it does so in highly significant ways.” p. 21.
John 1:1-18, The Prologue
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.
I can picture a white-bearded John the Elder (as he so labeled himself in one of his epistles) standing on a high precipice overlooking the many regions of the Middle East; at the same time scanning in his mind the literary landscape regarding what had, thus far, been written about Jesus, the Risen Messiah. It’s probably somewhere around 90 A.D. and Mark’s Gospel has been steadily circulating the Greek-speaking world for many decades. Matthew’s account, written primarily for a Jewish audience, connected the dots of the Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled in and through Christ. Luke, the beloved and meticulous physician, wrote a very detailed account of all that Jesus did and said. Perhaps to some people, this three-fold witness conveniently reflected the Trinity, and seemed to be complete.
But not to John. He didn’t want to just add to what was already written, to merely recall what He remembered Jesus doing; but rather, He wanted to convincingly communicate who...Jesus...is. Who someone is can and often goes much deeper that their list of accomplishments. Although the Children of Israel saw the acts of God, they didn’t know Him like Moses did. “He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.” (Psalm 103:7)
Think of it: John writes as one who has spent a lifetime contemplating his Lord’s words and deeds, the joy and treasure of his heart and memory, for sure. John’s lofty introduction, which some say was first written as (or later made into) an early Christian hymn leaves no doubt as to where the author of this book stood in regards to Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus is the Word, the Logos, the living expression of Father God’s mind and Heart, the Creator, the Light, with God and truly God. He is the Son of God and God, the Eternal Son!
Just in the first chapter alone we find twenty-one of John’s descriptive titles of Jesus: The author writes that He is...the Word (v. 1) the Maker of all things (v. 2), the embodiment of life and light (v. 3), the Giver of grace and truth (v. 15), Jesus (the) Christ (v. 17), the One and Only Son (v. 18), etc.
John testifies so that we will believe...believe that Jesus is the Christ, the One sent from the Father to rescue us from sin and death. John, the Beloved functions more than just as a witness, but also as the lawyer in this trial of eternal consequences. Not only does he bear witness to what he has seen, but he’s the one who decides who takes the witness stand, in what order, and for how long. Also, just as lawyers do, he carefully chooses what not to present, as well as what evidence to submit.
There were many other important things that Jesus said and did that John did not touch upon at all. John’s purpose, as mentioned earlier, was not to write an orderly account of all that Jesus did and said (like Doctor Luke), or to primarily connect the Messiah with the Old Testament prophecies (like Matthew). It’s absolutely amazing to consider the things that John fails to mention, such as Jesus’ genealogy and His birth. Jesus performed no exorcisms in the Gospel of John although it embodied a large part of His ministry. Neither can you find the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord’s Prayer or even a list of the twelve apostles. The transfiguration, the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the agony of Gethsemane and even the ascension are all omitted. Even the last supper is absent! John, the lawyer, is on a mission: to present evidence that will convince you and I of who Jesus is. Period.
John omits...
The birth of Jesus,
His baptism,
The temptation in the wilderness,
The Sermon on the Mount,
Naming the twelve disciples,
The Lord's Prayer
Parables, (except the parable of the Good Shepherd)
Exorcisms,
The transfiguration,
The Ascension and any details of the second coming.
John also left out...
Jesus weeping over Jerusalem,
His triumphal entry,
The last supper and communion,
His agony in Gethsemane,
The cry of Jesus on the cross, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”
Jesus' promise to the repentant thief: “Today you'll be with me in paradise,” and
Jesus prayer from the cross, “Forgive them, Father, for they do not know what they are doing.”
Unlike the Synoptic writers (Matthew, Mark and Luke) John didn’t begin at the Baptist’s forerunner ministry. John begins in eternity! Under divine unction, one day John took up a writing instrument in his hand, and wrote...
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. (1:1-2)
Moffatt’s version reads, “Originally was the Word.” Those words echo the opening scene in Genesis, the first book of the Old Testament:
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
In the Genesis account of creation we see the Earth without form and void, with darkness covering the face of the deep. Then God speaks and light shines. Stars and suns and planets burst forth from nothing! Soon the earth, the skies, the seas, plants, animals, and humans are given the gift of existence.
John is expressing in the beginning of this Gospel the re-creation of fallen mankind. Within the darkness of a fallen, sin-filled world God has spoken again. But instead of saying, “Let there be Light,” or more precisely in the Hebrew, “Light be!” Father now says, “Light...become...a man,” and God’s Word, God’s Light, God’s Life, God’s Eternal Son comes into our darkened world. Paul later compared Genesis 1:3 with Jesus’ entry into our hearts:
For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
“The Word,” a translation of the Greek word “Logos,” is a title only used in John’s Gospel and nowhere else in the New Testament. To summarize its definition, for the Greeks, Logos is the rational principle behind the universe that makes it an orderly place. For the Jews, God created the world through His Logos, His Word. (“And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light”; “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.” Genesis 1:3; Psalm 33:6).
D. A. Carson writes, “The wealth of possible backgrounds to the term logos in John’s prologue suggests that the determining factor is not this or that background but the church’s experience of Jesus Christ... This is not to say the background is irrelevant…[but] it cannot by itself determine exactly what John means by logos. For that information, while thinking through the background uses, we must above all listen to the Evangelist himself.”
John makes it clear Who this Logos is, God and with God. But how can this Being called “The Word” be both with God and God at the same time? It’s because there is a oneness between the Word and God, and yet there also is a distinctness. Huh? John will further explain this intimate relationship as being between the heavenly Father and His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus is the eternal Son of God who is also God, the Son. God has revealed Himself to us through this and other scriptures in the three distinct Persons of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Regarding Logos Huntzinger writes, “John also uses this term throughout his gospel. In fact, he uses it thirty-five times outside of chapter one, most often in reference to Jesus’ teaching...John intends to connect ‘the Word in the beginning with God’ with the word spoken by Jesus throughout His ministry...the Word present at creation continues to perform the creative will of God throughout Jesus’ own teaching.” Huntzinger then lists a selection of passages that link logos with Jesus.
All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. (1:3)
This verse points to the original creation of the heavens and the Earth, and the Logos being God’s agent in creation. The following verse speaks of the recreation of fallen, darkened mankind by the very same Word of God.
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. (1:4-5)
The meaning of “the light” goes beyond reason or insight. In John, light is a synonym for revelation and salvation, and darkness refer to that which is evil or false. The light continues to shine through Jesus as He recreates and restores our relationship with God. Some versions translate the Greek word used here “comprehend” as extinguish or overpower. The Amplified Bible states all the various ways this Greek word could be translated:
And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it [put it out or absorbed it or appropriated it, and is unreceptive to it].
Instead of John trying to express numerous thoughts here, I feel the New International Version translators (and the New King James, KJV and NASB) correctly translate it as, “the darkness has not understood or comprehended the light.” John sees a world darkened by spiritual ignorance, filled with people whose lives need the re-creative touch of God. So, God once again speaks and the Word enters into our world. During Creation God spoke through His Son, and during the process of re-creation God is said to have spoken by (or in) His Son.
God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. (Hebrews 1:1-2, NASB)
The Light of Eternal Life, the Eternal Son, the Word of God has come into our fallen, spiritually darkened world and, yet, many people will not comprehend who He is unless there arises enlightened witnesses who will stand up and boldly testify of Him through words and deeds. God needs for His sons and daughters on this Earth to mature and accept the calling of being sent as witnesses to our darkened world.
Not long after the attorney begins his opening statements (briefly but clearly outlining his clear-cut position) he’s ready to call his first witness, John the Baptist.
6There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John.
7He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
John announces this first witness, giving the reason for John the Baptist’s testimony: so that all might believe in Jesus.
I believe there’s a big THEREFORE between verses five and six. It might read, “And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. Therefore there came a man who was sent from God; his name was John.” Perhaps as John the Baptist is walking to the witness stand the author/attorney concludes his opening statements regarding who this Jesus really is...the true Light, the Giver of new life, grace, and truth and the Revealer of the heart of the Father.
9The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
10He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his 1name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
Jesus comes home to His own creation and His own Jewish people and they do not receive Him. But for those who do receive Him, wonderful things happen. To receive Him is to believe in His name or His deity, in other words, believing who He says He is. You can believe Jesus was a historical figure and it will do you no good. You can even believe He lived and died and was a great moral teacher and religious leader, and still die without Him.
If you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins. (8:34) Positively, Jesus said, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.’(6:47)
So the world (as a whole) and His own people (as a whole) have not yet received Him. Why is it so important to receive Jesus through believing in His Name? That is the only way we can become born of God (which is elaborated on in the first of the seven signs). For those who receive Him and believe in Him, the Gospel of John describes at least twenty-five blessings freely given to us. When Christ is believed in (for who He says He is) and received into our hearts by faith...
1. we become children of God. – 1:12
2. we are born of God. – 1:13
3. our sins are taken away. – 1:29
4. we are born again. – 3:3
5. we are born of the spirit. – 3:5
6. we have eternal life. – 3:15
7. we have everlasting life. – 3:16
8. we are saved. – 3:17
9. we are not condemned. – 3:18
10. we have living water springing up into everlasting life. - 4:14
11. we have salvation. – 4:22
12. we have a worshipping relationship with the Father. – 4:23
13. we shall not come into judgment. – 5:24
14. we have passed from death into life. – 5:24
15. we live forever. – 6:58
16. we have rivers of living water flowing from our hearts. - 7:38
17. we have the light of life. - 8:12
18. we know the truth, and are free indeed. - 8:32
19. we, as sons, shall abide in God’s household forever.
20. we shall never see or taste death. – 8:52
21. we have life, and have it more abundantly. -10:10
22. we shall never perish. – 10:28
23. we shall never die. – 11:26
24. we become sons of light. – 12:36
25. we have a place prepared for us in Father’s house. – 14:2
Of all these tremendous blessings, is it any wonder the first one mentioned (the law of first instances) is the greatest of all: we become children of God.
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.
What does it mean to become a child of God? John writes about two kinds of life: One is from above and one is from below. One is in the flesh and the other is in the spirit. One is earthly sonship and the other is heavenly sonship. Natural birth does not enable a person to become a child of God, not even if one can trace his lineage back to father Abraham. There is only one way to the Heavenly Father, and it requires a spiritual rebirth that comes from receiving Jesus Christ, the Lord.
14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Becoming flesh does not mean the Word ceased to be God; rather, the Word, who is God, also took on humanity; the most incredible event ever. “The eternal, omnipotent, omnipresent, infinitely holy Son of God took on a human nature and lived among humanity as one who was both God and man at the same time, in one person.”
The Greek verb for “made his dwelling among us” means to live in a tabernacle or a tent. As God’s glory rested on the Old Testament tabernacle which Moses built according to the pattern shown him on Mt. Sinai, so now the glory of God rests upon the Messiah. The Eternal Son becomes a human being to communicate to the world God’s glory, not in a show of lightning and thunder like on Mount Sinai with Moses, but in a revelation of God's grace and truth. When John declares that we have seen His glory, it seems at first that he was referring to the Transfiguration, and yet John omitted this mountain-top experience in his Gospel. What manifestation of glory was he therefore referring to? Morris writes, “The glory that had been manifested in one way or another in the wilderness wanderings and later, as at the dedication of Solomon’s temple, was manifested in its fullness in the life of Jesus of Nazareth.” This glory was not seen in flashes of thunder, but in a life of humble service and unfathomable sacrifice.
15John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’” 16From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (1:17)
Moses did not take God’s people into the Promised Land. That was Joshua’s task. And in the same way, although the law was good, it takes the grace and truth that Jesus brings to complete the plans of God. The point is that the law isn’t bad and Jesus is good, but that both the giving of the law and the coming of Jesus to Earth mark decisive events in the history of salvation. NT Wright states,
The law was and is a good thing (we mustn't make the mistake that some early Christians made, of supposing that Jesus and Paul were dismissing the law as a bad thing), but it's whole point was not to enable you to look good in your own estimation, or to show off to those around, but to bring you to the Messiah. p. 69
Moses is another theme that flows through this amazing Gospel, found in nine other verses, including:
“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,” (3:14)
“But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.” (5:45, 46)
“I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.” (John 6:32)
Moses was the savior in the Old Testament, the deliverer sent from God to bring the Children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage. Moses declared that one day God would raise up another prophet like him, who according to Luke’s record of Steven’s sermon in the Book of Acts, is Jesus the Messiah.
“Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’” (Acts 3:22-23)
Jesus has come to free us from slavery to sin and to bring us into the promised land of sonship with and all of its milk-and-honey blessings. (John is putting before us early in his Gospel the possibility of living in the fullness of all that is involved in being able to call God “our Father.”)
God gave mankind the law through Moses, but one even greater than Moses has now come. Jesus now brings grace and truth: the unmerited love and mercy of God and the truth about ourselves, this fallen world, and most importantly about a Prodigal Father who’s ready to restore, forgive, heal, hug and love us! The new Moses brings with Him a new Exodus, a new temple, a new birth, new grace and new truth! Truth in John’s Gospel refers to saving truth, and not just accurate information. “Knowing the truth refers to knowing the mysteries of the way God has chosen to deal with humankind and offer salvation.” And the word “true” (such as true bread, true light, true vine) refers to that which is the fulfillment of a shadow.
No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known. (1:18)
“No one has ever seen God, that is, in a full and complete way, but some people did see partial revelations of God in the Old Testament.” But while these partial revelations were at “different times, and in different ways,” Jesus himself said, “He who has seen me has seen the Father” (14:9).
Other versions of this last portion of the prologue say:
No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. (NKJV)
No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him. (NASB)
No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known. (ESV)
Why do some translators describe Jesus as being in the bosom of the father, while others say He is at the Father’s side? The Greek word here is kólpos:
Kólpos has the senses “bosom,” “fold” (of a garment), and “arch” or “hollow.” In the New Testament the beloved disciple takes the place of honor by reclining on Jesus’ “breast” (John 13:25). In Luke 16:22-23 the point may be that Lazarus has the place of honor on Abraham’s “bosom,” but it is also possible that what is expressed is loving fellowship. Both ideas are present in rabbinic Judaism.
In summary, we can say being in the bosom of the Father is to be at His side in a place of honor, blessing and intimacy.
As Lazarus was in Abraham’s bosom, at his side in a place of honor, blessing and intimacy, so is Jesus with the Father. And this is the place prepared for us…a place of honor, blessing and intimacy with God the Father, through Jesus Christ. That is where Jesus is, and that is where He was referring to in John 12, 14, and 17:
Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. (12:26)
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (14:3)
Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. (17:24)
As Lazarus enjoyed Abraham’s bosom, and Jesus’ the Father’s, so we are to follow the steps of the Disciple whom Jesus loved as he leaned upon the Lord’s bosom at the Last Supper. We have been given this place of honor, right next to Jesus as He sits upon His throne. What does it mean that it is also a place of blessing? In Christ, we are blessed beyond measure; so much so that we need divine revelation in order to grasp how rich we now are.
Paul prayed along these lines in Ephesians, Chapter one:
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. (18-19)
Some of these riches are listed earlier in this same chapter:
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins...
In Christ we have been blessed with...
Every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms,
Holiness and blamelessness,
Adoption into the family of God,
Glorious grace,
Redemption through His blood and
the forgiveness of our sins.
John’s Gospel is so rich, born out of the heart of a man who had a deep relationship with Jesus Christ for a very long time. John is summing up his prologue (his opening courtroom statements) by essentially saying, “No wonder Jesus can fully and accurately make the Heavenly Father’s heart known to mankind, for He abides yesterday, today, and forever in His bosom.” (More about this in Chapter 20.)
Summarizing the Prologue
Just look at a list of the many themes in this prologue that we have briefly examined:
1. Logos: One who is fully divine and yet becomes fully human.
2. Creator: The Maker of all, with no exceptions!
3. Light: and...
4. Life: Jesus is the source and embodiment of both.
5. Witnesses: testify of Him, beginning with John.
6. Born of God: The blessing given to all who, by faith, receive Christ.
7. Incarnation: The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
8. Glory: We have seen His Glory.
9. Son: The glory of the One and Only Son of the Father.
10. Moses: the prophetic giver of the law and leader of the first Exodus is now superseded by another Prophet.
11. Grace: and
12. Truth: He’s the source & embodiment of both.
13. Bosom: Jesus is in the bosom of the Father.
14. Revealer: He’s the revealer of the heart of Father God.
D. A. Carson wrote, “This prologue is a foyer to the rest of the Fourth Gospel, simultaneously drawing the reader in and introducing the major themes. [It] summarizes how the Son of God was sent into the world to become the Jesus of history, so that the glory and grace of God might be uniquely and perfectly disclosed. The rest of the book is nothing other than an expansion of this theme.”
I wholeheartedly agree with J. F. Foster’s comments, “Anyone hoping to write an exhaustive commentary on the Fourth Gospel will die long before they finish. The FG is widely recognized as being the kind of work in which the interpretational possibilities are almost endless. One can focus on Christology, election, sacramentalism, atonement and resurrection, the church, or none of the above.”
Lest I die before I finish this study, I will deliberately narrow my focus upon two of the above fourteen themes: witness and bosom (expounded upon previously in the introduction). Why these two? The Father is in need of mature son and daughters who will boldly stand up and be effective witnesses for Christ to the precious lost souls in our darkened world. Lest I inadvertently heap condemnation upon you for not being that type of witness yet, let me say that Father God first wants us to learn to abide in His bosom (the place where Jesus is), and then He will send us out as His conquering sons and daughters who can effectively make His love and truth known to others.
When I became a Christian in high school, I soon memorized John’s prologue. I remember walking down the long hallway, quoting these verses to myself, and I’ve been pondering them ever since; over thirty years now. One of its most striking characteristics is the verses regarding John the Baptist, namely 6, 7, and 8:
There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
It reminds me of a song from the TV show, Sesame Street: One Of These Things Just Doesn’t Belong Here. You’d see a puzzle that teaches kids how to distinguish between things that are similar and things that are different. It’s usually easy to figure out; there would be three pictures of animals and one picture of a football, for instance. These statements of (and about) John the Baptist seem to interrupt the unity of meaning and the rhythm of the whole passage. Not only does the prologue introduce him as a man sent from God on the specific mission to be a witness, but it even allow him to speak in verse 15:
John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”
With the Apostle declaring the most exalted, most awesome description ever written of Jesus the Lord, the Word, the Light, the Life, the One and Only Son, throwing in these verses about the Baptist surely feels like they doesn’t belong on such hallowed ground. Because it seems to be sooo out of place, Raymond Brown (one of the foremost Johannane scholar in the world) concluded that these verses were not part of the original prologue, but were inserted later, perhaps to refute the beliefs of a Baptist sect that alleged that John the Baptist was actually the Messiah! We do read about diehard followers of John the Baptist living in Ephesus in the Book of Acts.
There is another possibility to consider, which I adhere to, and which I have already touched upon: the trial motif and the crucial and ongoing need for effective witnesses is so vital that theses truths belong right in the middle of this lofty, introductory prologue. Yes, Jesus the Light has come, but we are so blinded by the darkness of sin that many of us will not comprehend until and unless there arises bold witnesses to that Light, such as John the Baptist, the foremost example of an effective witness for Christ in all the Gospels. He is one of the most important persons in the New Testament and is mentioned at least eighty-nine times within the four Gospels.
The Baptist’s testimony that Jesus “...has surpassed me because he was before me,” is a statement declaring Christ’s divinity and refers to our Lord’s preexistence, not to His birth date. How do we know this? John the Baptist was clearly born six months before Jesus was, so Jesus existing before John the Baptist was conceived means that Jesus existed before Jesus was conceived in Mary’s womb! He’s the eternal Son of God, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting!
I can picture a white-bearded John the Elder (as he so labeled himself in one of his epistles) standing on a high precipice overlooking the many regions of the Middle East; at the same time scanning in his mind the literary landscape regarding what had, thus far, been written about Jesus, the Risen Messiah. It’s probably somewhere around 90 A.D. and Mark’s Gospel has been steadily circulating the Greek-speaking world for many decades. Matthew’s account, written primarily for a Jewish audience, connected the dots of the Old Testament prophecies that were fulfilled in and through Christ. Luke, the beloved and meticulous physician, wrote a very detailed account of all that Jesus did and said. Perhaps to some people, this three-fold witness conveniently reflected the Trinity, and seemed to be complete.
But not to John. He didn’t want to just add to what was already written, to merely recall what He remembered Jesus doing; but rather, He wanted to convincingly communicate who...Jesus...is. Who someone is can and often goes much deeper that their list of accomplishments. Although the Children of Israel saw the acts of God, they didn’t know Him like Moses did. “He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.” (Psalm 103:7)
Think of it: John writes as one who has spent a lifetime contemplating his Lord’s words and deeds, the joy and treasure of his heart and memory, for sure. John’s lofty introduction, which some say was first written as (or later made into) an early Christian hymn leaves no doubt as to where the author of this book stood in regards to Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus is the Word, the Logos, the living expression of Father God’s mind and Heart, the Creator, the Light, with God and truly God. He is the Son of God and God, the Eternal Son!
Just in the first chapter alone we find twenty-one of John’s descriptive titles of Jesus: The author writes that He is...the Word (v. 1) the Maker of all things (v. 2), the embodiment of life and light (v. 3), the Giver of grace and truth (v. 15), Jesus (the) Christ (v. 17), the One and Only Son (v. 18), etc.
John testifies so that we will believe...believe that Jesus is the Christ, the One sent from the Father to rescue us from sin and death. John, the Beloved functions more than just as a witness, but also as the lawyer in this trial of eternal consequences. Not only does he bear witness to what he has seen, but he’s the one who decides who takes the witness stand, in what order, and for how long. Also, just as lawyers do, he carefully chooses what not to present, as well as what evidence to submit.
There were many other important things that Jesus said and did that John did not touch upon at all. John’s purpose, as mentioned earlier, was not to write an orderly account of all that Jesus did and said (like Doctor Luke), or to primarily connect the Messiah with the Old Testament prophecies (like Matthew). It’s absolutely amazing to consider the things that John fails to mention, such as Jesus’ genealogy and His birth. Jesus performed no exorcisms in the Gospel of John although it embodied a large part of His ministry. Neither can you find the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord’s Prayer or even a list of the twelve apostles. The transfiguration, the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the agony of Gethsemane and even the ascension are all omitted. Even the last supper is absent! John, the lawyer, is on a mission: to present evidence that will convince you and I of who Jesus is. Period.
John omits...
The birth of Jesus,
His baptism,
The temptation in the wilderness,
The Sermon on the Mount,
Naming the twelve disciples,
The Lord's Prayer
Parables, (except the parable of the Good Shepherd)
Exorcisms,
The transfiguration,
The Ascension and any details of the second coming.
John also left out...
Jesus weeping over Jerusalem,
His triumphal entry,
The last supper and communion,
His agony in Gethsemane,
The cry of Jesus on the cross, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”
Jesus' promise to the repentant thief: “Today you'll be with me in paradise,” and
Jesus prayer from the cross, “Forgive them, Father, for they do not know what they are doing.”
Unlike the Synoptic writers (Matthew, Mark and Luke) John didn’t begin at the Baptist’s forerunner ministry. John begins in eternity! Under divine unction, one day John took up a writing instrument in his hand, and wrote...
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. (1:1-2)
Moffatt’s version reads, “Originally was the Word.” Those words echo the opening scene in Genesis, the first book of the Old Testament:
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
In the Genesis account of creation we see the Earth without form and void, with darkness covering the face of the deep. Then God speaks and light shines. Stars and suns and planets burst forth from nothing! Soon the earth, the skies, the seas, plants, animals, and humans are given the gift of existence.
John is expressing in the beginning of this Gospel the re-creation of fallen mankind. Within the darkness of a fallen, sin-filled world God has spoken again. But instead of saying, “Let there be Light,” or more precisely in the Hebrew, “Light be!” Father now says, “Light...become...a man,” and God’s Word, God’s Light, God’s Life, God’s Eternal Son comes into our darkened world. Paul later compared Genesis 1:3 with Jesus’ entry into our hearts:
For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
“The Word,” a translation of the Greek word “Logos,” is a title only used in John’s Gospel and nowhere else in the New Testament. To summarize its definition, for the Greeks, Logos is the rational principle behind the universe that makes it an orderly place. For the Jews, God created the world through His Logos, His Word. (“And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light”; “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.” Genesis 1:3; Psalm 33:6).
D. A. Carson writes, “The wealth of possible backgrounds to the term logos in John’s prologue suggests that the determining factor is not this or that background but the church’s experience of Jesus Christ... This is not to say the background is irrelevant…[but] it cannot by itself determine exactly what John means by logos. For that information, while thinking through the background uses, we must above all listen to the Evangelist himself.”
John makes it clear Who this Logos is, God and with God. But how can this Being called “The Word” be both with God and God at the same time? It’s because there is a oneness between the Word and God, and yet there also is a distinctness. Huh? John will further explain this intimate relationship as being between the heavenly Father and His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus is the eternal Son of God who is also God, the Son. God has revealed Himself to us through this and other scriptures in the three distinct Persons of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Regarding Logos Huntzinger writes, “John also uses this term throughout his gospel. In fact, he uses it thirty-five times outside of chapter one, most often in reference to Jesus’ teaching...John intends to connect ‘the Word in the beginning with God’ with the word spoken by Jesus throughout His ministry...the Word present at creation continues to perform the creative will of God throughout Jesus’ own teaching.” Huntzinger then lists a selection of passages that link logos with Jesus.
All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. (1:3)
This verse points to the original creation of the heavens and the Earth, and the Logos being God’s agent in creation. The following verse speaks of the recreation of fallen, darkened mankind by the very same Word of God.
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. (1:4-5)
The meaning of “the light” goes beyond reason or insight. In John, light is a synonym for revelation and salvation, and darkness refer to that which is evil or false. The light continues to shine through Jesus as He recreates and restores our relationship with God. Some versions translate the Greek word used here “comprehend” as extinguish or overpower. The Amplified Bible states all the various ways this Greek word could be translated:
And the Light shines on in the darkness, for the darkness has never overpowered it [put it out or absorbed it or appropriated it, and is unreceptive to it].
Instead of John trying to express numerous thoughts here, I feel the New International Version translators (and the New King James, KJV and NASB) correctly translate it as, “the darkness has not understood or comprehended the light.” John sees a world darkened by spiritual ignorance, filled with people whose lives need the re-creative touch of God. So, God once again speaks and the Word enters into our world. During Creation God spoke through His Son, and during the process of re-creation God is said to have spoken by (or in) His Son.
God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. (Hebrews 1:1-2, NASB)
The Light of Eternal Life, the Eternal Son, the Word of God has come into our fallen, spiritually darkened world and, yet, many people will not comprehend who He is unless there arises enlightened witnesses who will stand up and boldly testify of Him through words and deeds. God needs for His sons and daughters on this Earth to mature and accept the calling of being sent as witnesses to our darkened world.
Not long after the attorney begins his opening statements (briefly but clearly outlining his clear-cut position) he’s ready to call his first witness, John the Baptist.
6There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John.
7He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
John announces this first witness, giving the reason for John the Baptist’s testimony: so that all might believe in Jesus.
I believe there’s a big THEREFORE between verses five and six. It might read, “And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. Therefore there came a man who was sent from God; his name was John.” Perhaps as John the Baptist is walking to the witness stand the author/attorney concludes his opening statements regarding who this Jesus really is...the true Light, the Giver of new life, grace, and truth and the Revealer of the heart of the Father.
9The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.
10He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his 1name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
Jesus comes home to His own creation and His own Jewish people and they do not receive Him. But for those who do receive Him, wonderful things happen. To receive Him is to believe in His name or His deity, in other words, believing who He says He is. You can believe Jesus was a historical figure and it will do you no good. You can even believe He lived and died and was a great moral teacher and religious leader, and still die without Him.
If you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins. (8:34) Positively, Jesus said, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life.’(6:47)
So the world (as a whole) and His own people (as a whole) have not yet received Him. Why is it so important to receive Jesus through believing in His Name? That is the only way we can become born of God (which is elaborated on in the first of the seven signs). For those who receive Him and believe in Him, the Gospel of John describes at least twenty-five blessings freely given to us. When Christ is believed in (for who He says He is) and received into our hearts by faith...
1. we become children of God. – 1:12
2. we are born of God. – 1:13
3. our sins are taken away. – 1:29
4. we are born again. – 3:3
5. we are born of the spirit. – 3:5
6. we have eternal life. – 3:15
7. we have everlasting life. – 3:16
8. we are saved. – 3:17
9. we are not condemned. – 3:18
10. we have living water springing up into everlasting life. - 4:14
11. we have salvation. – 4:22
12. we have a worshipping relationship with the Father. – 4:23
13. we shall not come into judgment. – 5:24
14. we have passed from death into life. – 5:24
15. we live forever. – 6:58
16. we have rivers of living water flowing from our hearts. - 7:38
17. we have the light of life. - 8:12
18. we know the truth, and are free indeed. - 8:32
19. we, as sons, shall abide in God’s household forever.
20. we shall never see or taste death. – 8:52
21. we have life, and have it more abundantly. -10:10
22. we shall never perish. – 10:28
23. we shall never die. – 11:26
24. we become sons of light. – 12:36
25. we have a place prepared for us in Father’s house. – 14:2
Of all these tremendous blessings, is it any wonder the first one mentioned (the law of first instances) is the greatest of all: we become children of God.
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.
What does it mean to become a child of God? John writes about two kinds of life: One is from above and one is from below. One is in the flesh and the other is in the spirit. One is earthly sonship and the other is heavenly sonship. Natural birth does not enable a person to become a child of God, not even if one can trace his lineage back to father Abraham. There is only one way to the Heavenly Father, and it requires a spiritual rebirth that comes from receiving Jesus Christ, the Lord.
14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Becoming flesh does not mean the Word ceased to be God; rather, the Word, who is God, also took on humanity; the most incredible event ever. “The eternal, omnipotent, omnipresent, infinitely holy Son of God took on a human nature and lived among humanity as one who was both God and man at the same time, in one person.”
The Greek verb for “made his dwelling among us” means to live in a tabernacle or a tent. As God’s glory rested on the Old Testament tabernacle which Moses built according to the pattern shown him on Mt. Sinai, so now the glory of God rests upon the Messiah. The Eternal Son becomes a human being to communicate to the world God’s glory, not in a show of lightning and thunder like on Mount Sinai with Moses, but in a revelation of God's grace and truth. When John declares that we have seen His glory, it seems at first that he was referring to the Transfiguration, and yet John omitted this mountain-top experience in his Gospel. What manifestation of glory was he therefore referring to? Morris writes, “The glory that had been manifested in one way or another in the wilderness wanderings and later, as at the dedication of Solomon’s temple, was manifested in its fullness in the life of Jesus of Nazareth.” This glory was not seen in flashes of thunder, but in a life of humble service and unfathomable sacrifice.
15John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’” 16From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.
For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (1:17)
Moses did not take God’s people into the Promised Land. That was Joshua’s task. And in the same way, although the law was good, it takes the grace and truth that Jesus brings to complete the plans of God. The point is that the law isn’t bad and Jesus is good, but that both the giving of the law and the coming of Jesus to Earth mark decisive events in the history of salvation. NT Wright states,
The law was and is a good thing (we mustn't make the mistake that some early Christians made, of supposing that Jesus and Paul were dismissing the law as a bad thing), but it's whole point was not to enable you to look good in your own estimation, or to show off to those around, but to bring you to the Messiah. p. 69
Moses is another theme that flows through this amazing Gospel, found in nine other verses, including:
“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up,” (3:14)
“But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.” (5:45, 46)
“I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.” (John 6:32)
Moses was the savior in the Old Testament, the deliverer sent from God to bring the Children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage. Moses declared that one day God would raise up another prophet like him, who according to Luke’s record of Steven’s sermon in the Book of Acts, is Jesus the Messiah.
“Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’” (Acts 3:22-23)
Jesus has come to free us from slavery to sin and to bring us into the promised land of sonship with and all of its milk-and-honey blessings. (John is putting before us early in his Gospel the possibility of living in the fullness of all that is involved in being able to call God “our Father.”)
God gave mankind the law through Moses, but one even greater than Moses has now come. Jesus now brings grace and truth: the unmerited love and mercy of God and the truth about ourselves, this fallen world, and most importantly about a Prodigal Father who’s ready to restore, forgive, heal, hug and love us! The new Moses brings with Him a new Exodus, a new temple, a new birth, new grace and new truth! Truth in John’s Gospel refers to saving truth, and not just accurate information. “Knowing the truth refers to knowing the mysteries of the way God has chosen to deal with humankind and offer salvation.” And the word “true” (such as true bread, true light, true vine) refers to that which is the fulfillment of a shadow.
No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father's side, has made him known. (1:18)
“No one has ever seen God, that is, in a full and complete way, but some people did see partial revelations of God in the Old Testament.” But while these partial revelations were at “different times, and in different ways,” Jesus himself said, “He who has seen me has seen the Father” (14:9).
Other versions of this last portion of the prologue say:
No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. (NKJV)
No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him. (NASB)
No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known. (ESV)
Why do some translators describe Jesus as being in the bosom of the father, while others say He is at the Father’s side? The Greek word here is kólpos:
Kólpos has the senses “bosom,” “fold” (of a garment), and “arch” or “hollow.” In the New Testament the beloved disciple takes the place of honor by reclining on Jesus’ “breast” (John 13:25). In Luke 16:22-23 the point may be that Lazarus has the place of honor on Abraham’s “bosom,” but it is also possible that what is expressed is loving fellowship. Both ideas are present in rabbinic Judaism.
In summary, we can say being in the bosom of the Father is to be at His side in a place of honor, blessing and intimacy.
As Lazarus was in Abraham’s bosom, at his side in a place of honor, blessing and intimacy, so is Jesus with the Father. And this is the place prepared for us…a place of honor, blessing and intimacy with God the Father, through Jesus Christ. That is where Jesus is, and that is where He was referring to in John 12, 14, and 17:
Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. (12:26)
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (14:3)
Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. (17:24)
As Lazarus enjoyed Abraham’s bosom, and Jesus’ the Father’s, so we are to follow the steps of the Disciple whom Jesus loved as he leaned upon the Lord’s bosom at the Last Supper. We have been given this place of honor, right next to Jesus as He sits upon His throne. What does it mean that it is also a place of blessing? In Christ, we are blessed beyond measure; so much so that we need divine revelation in order to grasp how rich we now are.
Paul prayed along these lines in Ephesians, Chapter one:
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. (18-19)
Some of these riches are listed earlier in this same chapter:
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins...
In Christ we have been blessed with...
Every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms,
Holiness and blamelessness,
Adoption into the family of God,
Glorious grace,
Redemption through His blood and
the forgiveness of our sins.
John’s Gospel is so rich, born out of the heart of a man who had a deep relationship with Jesus Christ for a very long time. John is summing up his prologue (his opening courtroom statements) by essentially saying, “No wonder Jesus can fully and accurately make the Heavenly Father’s heart known to mankind, for He abides yesterday, today, and forever in His bosom.” (More about this in Chapter 20.)
Summarizing the Prologue
Just look at a list of the many themes in this prologue that we have briefly examined:
1. Logos: One who is fully divine and yet becomes fully human.
2. Creator: The Maker of all, with no exceptions!
3. Light: and...
4. Life: Jesus is the source and embodiment of both.
5. Witnesses: testify of Him, beginning with John.
6. Born of God: The blessing given to all who, by faith, receive Christ.
7. Incarnation: The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
8. Glory: We have seen His Glory.
9. Son: The glory of the One and Only Son of the Father.
10. Moses: the prophetic giver of the law and leader of the first Exodus is now superseded by another Prophet.
11. Grace: and
12. Truth: He’s the source & embodiment of both.
13. Bosom: Jesus is in the bosom of the Father.
14. Revealer: He’s the revealer of the heart of Father God.
D. A. Carson wrote, “This prologue is a foyer to the rest of the Fourth Gospel, simultaneously drawing the reader in and introducing the major themes. [It] summarizes how the Son of God was sent into the world to become the Jesus of history, so that the glory and grace of God might be uniquely and perfectly disclosed. The rest of the book is nothing other than an expansion of this theme.”
I wholeheartedly agree with J. F. Foster’s comments, “Anyone hoping to write an exhaustive commentary on the Fourth Gospel will die long before they finish. The FG is widely recognized as being the kind of work in which the interpretational possibilities are almost endless. One can focus on Christology, election, sacramentalism, atonement and resurrection, the church, or none of the above.”
Lest I die before I finish this study, I will deliberately narrow my focus upon two of the above fourteen themes: witness and bosom (expounded upon previously in the introduction). Why these two? The Father is in need of mature son and daughters who will boldly stand up and be effective witnesses for Christ to the precious lost souls in our darkened world. Lest I inadvertently heap condemnation upon you for not being that type of witness yet, let me say that Father God first wants us to learn to abide in His bosom (the place where Jesus is), and then He will send us out as His conquering sons and daughters who can effectively make His love and truth known to others.
When I became a Christian in high school, I soon memorized John’s prologue. I remember walking down the long hallway, quoting these verses to myself, and I’ve been pondering them ever since; over thirty years now. One of its most striking characteristics is the verses regarding John the Baptist, namely 6, 7, and 8:
There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
It reminds me of a song from the TV show, Sesame Street: One Of These Things Just Doesn’t Belong Here. You’d see a puzzle that teaches kids how to distinguish between things that are similar and things that are different. It’s usually easy to figure out; there would be three pictures of animals and one picture of a football, for instance. These statements of (and about) John the Baptist seem to interrupt the unity of meaning and the rhythm of the whole passage. Not only does the prologue introduce him as a man sent from God on the specific mission to be a witness, but it even allow him to speak in verse 15:
John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”
With the Apostle declaring the most exalted, most awesome description ever written of Jesus the Lord, the Word, the Light, the Life, the One and Only Son, throwing in these verses about the Baptist surely feels like they doesn’t belong on such hallowed ground. Because it seems to be sooo out of place, Raymond Brown (one of the foremost Johannane scholar in the world) concluded that these verses were not part of the original prologue, but were inserted later, perhaps to refute the beliefs of a Baptist sect that alleged that John the Baptist was actually the Messiah! We do read about diehard followers of John the Baptist living in Ephesus in the Book of Acts.
There is another possibility to consider, which I adhere to, and which I have already touched upon: the trial motif and the crucial and ongoing need for effective witnesses is so vital that theses truths belong right in the middle of this lofty, introductory prologue. Yes, Jesus the Light has come, but we are so blinded by the darkness of sin that many of us will not comprehend until and unless there arises bold witnesses to that Light, such as John the Baptist, the foremost example of an effective witness for Christ in all the Gospels. He is one of the most important persons in the New Testament and is mentioned at least eighty-nine times within the four Gospels.
The Baptist’s testimony that Jesus “...has surpassed me because he was before me,” is a statement declaring Christ’s divinity and refers to our Lord’s preexistence, not to His birth date. How do we know this? John the Baptist was clearly born six months before Jesus was, so Jesus existing before John the Baptist was conceived means that Jesus existed before Jesus was conceived in Mary’s womb! He’s the eternal Son of God, whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting!
Saturday, July 10, 2010
INTRODUCTION
One of my dear, older brothers pushed me into the deep end of the public swimming pool on my first visit, when I was only five years old! I couldn’t touch the bottom no matter how hard I tried, so I had to learn how to swim, real fast. Likewise, we could never touch the bottom or plumb all the depths of this Gospel! A famous saying, attributed to the early church father, Augustine, goes like this: "Just as there are shallows where a lamb may wade, so there are depths in the Scripture where an elephant may swim." This quote, or a variation of it, is often used in regards to the book of John, such as, “It has been said that John’s Gospel is like a river in which a lamb may bathe and an elephant swim – it’s both shallow and deep at the same time.”
One of the greatest books of all time, if not the greatest ever, is The Gospel According to John, penned over nineteen hundred years ago by “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” (John 13:23, 19:26, 21:7) the one who knew the Lord perhaps better than any other human being ever has. John the Beloved, who leaned upon Jesus at the Last Supper, is the only Gospel writer who recorded many of our Lord's most important and famous sayings, such as...
God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life, (3:16) He who is without sin, let him cast the first stone, (8:7) and, In My Father’s house are many mansions. (14:2, NKJV)
In this last of the four canonized Gospel accounts to be written, John stated his very specific purpose: to produce faith in those who hear; to convince us that Jesus Christ is the Eternal Son of God so that through believing He is the One He claims to be, we will experience eternal life in heaven one day and an abundant life here on Earth, today.
These are written, so that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you might have life through his name. (20:30-31)
I (Jesus) am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (10:10)
I’ve enjoyed handing out hundreds, perhaps thousands of printed Gospels of John in all shapes and sizes in outreaches in the New York City region for nearly thirty years now. Could there be anything better to put into the hands of our dear unsaved friends, co-workers and fellow citizens? Then the Lord impressed these thoughts upon my heart:
John’s Gospel is not just written for the unsaved,
so that they will become believers. But it’s also for the saved,
so that they will become believing believers who enjoy an abundant life!
I must acknowledge that in my own personal journey this abundant life we Christians are called to experience has been fleeting and inconsistent. Eventually, and with extreme excitement, I have become fully convinced that the Fourth Gospel is much more than a great resource to distribute at evangelistic outreaches; more even than merely faith-building snapshots of Jesus’ miraculous ministry and a supplement to the other three (synoptic) Gospels. It outlines the way (the truth and the life) into deeper faith and mature sonship through an intimate relationship with Father God, clearly written to teach both unbelievers and followers of Christ.
Look with me at one of John’s key passages:
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (8:31-32)
The truth has the power to set us free, and God’s Word is truth! (John 17:17) I’m glad that those who originally heard these words objected to Jesus’ statement about needing to be made free. This caused the Lord to explain even further:
They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?” Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (33-36)
When the Son makes us free, we’re not only freed from slavery to sin (which is totally awesome), but we’re also freed from slavery itself. If we sin, we’re slaves to that sin. And if we’re slaves, we do not remain in the family (the house) forever, any more than a household maid would feel entitled to the same lifelong treatment the children in the family receive. Jesus makes us free by making us sons. We’re not only delivered from slavery to sin, but we also need to be freed from the bondage of a slavery mentality. To become free indeed we first become born-again children of God who are delivered from sin’s power and enslavement, and then we walk out that salvation as we mature in our relationship with Father God as His beloved sons and daughters. Just as the Lord brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt and into the Promised Land, He now desires to bring us both out of slavery and into mature sonship. It’s worth repeating: Jesus makes us free by making us sons! Paul wrote,
When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, Abba, Father! Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ...Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. (Galatians 4:4-7, 5:1)
So how do we relate to Father God the way Jesus did, as a devoted son and not just as a servant of the Lord? By faith! By faith we are saved, and it’s by faith we grow in Christ.
This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?—Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? (Galatians 3:2-3, NKJV)
And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises... (Hebrews 11:32-33, NKJV)
The Gospel of John was written to produce kingdom-subduing, righteousness-working, promise-obtaining faith. As we grow in our faith in both who He is, and who we now are in Him, we see the maturing process take place in our lives as we go from spiritual babes to men, and from slaves to sons (and daughters). This process can be summarizes in three words: beholding, believing, and becoming:
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 1:12, NKJV) While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” (John 12:36, NKJV)
Beholding Jesus, the majestic Son of God transforms us into mature sons and daughters of the Most High, causing us to reflect Christ's image and likeness to our darkened world; an amazing re-creation of mankind, one heart and one step at a time. John stated in his first epistle:
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.(1 John 3:1-3)
As I’ve pastored newborn believers here in the Big Apple, it’s been refreshing to hear some of their blunt, non-religious questions, such as: “How in the world do we behold a God who is invisible to us?” Great question. We could try picturing Him as we would imagine God to be (not a good idea!), or we can study the Scriptures. Beholding the portraits of Jesus that John drew with his inspired pen is one of the surest and best ways of beholding this invisible God, especially when the Holy Spirit breathes upon the Word. When we both examine Scriptures and allow them to examine us, that's when real and lasting transformation takes place.
Whenever we approach the Word of God, our motives are of utmost importance. Do we want to merely learn more, or do we want to change and become more Christlike? Why do we want to study God’s word? For merely obtaining more Biblical information, or for real transformation? Paul wrote to the Corinthians:
Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him. (1 Corinthians 8:1b)
He also wrote (to these same Corinthian believers) about the heart-transforming power of our spiritual vision:
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 3:8)
This process of beholding an image and being transformed into the very thing we are looking at is remarkably similar to the way a camera works; at least the old-fashioned kind. The camera is pointed toward an object, the shutter opens up and light comes in and hits the sensitive camera film. The film has chemicals that respond to various degrees of color, and a picture is therefore imprinted into the film; an image of what the camera is beholding.
To grasp this panoramic book with eternal depths to it, I’d like to elaborate on its three main themes of beholding, believing and becoming in even more concrete terms:
(1) the courtroom,
(2) the stairway, and
(3) the place of mature sonship.
The Courtroom
As noted in the preface, the way Christ frees us from a slavery mentality can be summed up in three words: beholding, believing and becoming. In the courtroom we behold the Eternal Son through a multitude of witnesses. As our faith grows, we climb the stairway of believing and come into a realm where we are truly becoming mature sons (and daughters) of God.
I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. (2 Corinthians 6:18)
John wrote from beginning to end as though he were in a courtroom where a parade of witnesses share their testimonies with the goal of convincing a jury of the validity of what they saw and knew to be true. A partial list of the thirty witnesses who are presented here include John the Beloved, John the Baptist, Jesus’ disciples, Jesus Himself and most importantly, Father God. The Father’s testimony takes up the bulk of the book as He, in cooperation with and through His Son Jesus, performs seven signs outlined from chapter two to eleven. These events aren’t just works of power to wonder at, but they are distinctly called signs, which point to something beyond themselves and in this case, something even greater than the actual occurrences. They point to who Jesus is, revealing the heart and character of the One sent by the Father to be the Savior of the world. They also point to who we now are in Him.
Of eternal significance is the fact that you and I, dear reader, are the jury in this courtroom, a jury upon whom our individual judgments fall upon our own heads! When verdicts of faith are made in our hearts regarding who this Jesus really is, we find ourselves proportionately climbing a stairway of faith into the opened heavens where our Prodigal Father God is waiting to greet us with a big hug, a signet ring, a robe of righteousness, a fatted calf and countless other blessings and surprises!
The courtroom theme flows from the opening prologue to the last chapter. For instance, John the Baptist’s primary task, as stated in the opening verses, is to be a witness of who Christ is so that others will believe in Him.
There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. (John 1:6-8)
As an eyewitness who stood beneath the cross, John later wrote,
The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. (19:35)
Writing about the validity of his courtroom testimony towards the end of his Gospel, John stated,
This is the disciple which testifies of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true. (21:24)
Primarily it is the Father who testifies about His Son, speaking to those who have ears to hear through Jesus’ seven, miraculous signs.
The works which the Father has given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father has sent me. (5:36)
John’s continual use of words such as testimony, witnesses, and bearing witness is unmistakable. All of these words were and are courtroom terms. In Biblical times, courtroom identification was done through the testimony of witnesses. A good example of this is the man born blind that Jesus healed in John, Chapter 9:
But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. And they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? (9:19)
There’s a lot of progression in this amazing courtroom drama. As the trial continues, the witnesses and testimonies become more convincing and the prosecutors and their rejection become more hostile. Jesus then dies and rises again, proving once again that His testimony is true and reliable. He does what He says He will do, and He is who He says he is.
Jesus Christ our Lord, was...declared to be the Son of God with power...by the resurrection from the dead. (Romans 1:3-4)
Jesus is still on trial within the hearts of every individual who walks the face of Planet Earth, and if we do not believe that He is who He says He is, we will tragically and unnecessarily die in our sins:
If you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins. (John 8:34)
Also, if we as believers desire to live in the Lord’s abundance, joy and steadfast love and genuinely accomplish the works of God through our lives, we must continue to grow in our belief in both who this Jesus Christ really is, and who we now are in Him: highly favored sons and daughters of the Most High God!
Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” (6:28-29)
The Stairway
As John the Baptist bore witness of Christ, he convinced some of his disciples that they needed to leave him and follow Jesus. What a great man he was! One of his disciples named Andrew went and got his brother, Simon. Soon afterwards, Philip did the same thing, bringing his brother Nathaniel who, apparently had been praying under a fig tree. His encounter with Christ is a crucial and pivotal part of John’s Gospel. Jesus saw him and declared, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false.” When Nathaniel ask how Jesus knew him, the Lord replied,
I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you. Then Nathaniel declared, Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel. Jesus said, You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that. He then added, I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man. (1:49-51)
It didn’t take much for guileless Nathaniel to believe. He knew that Jesus was the Son of God and the King of Israel just through Jesus saying he saw him under the fig tree. Jesus then assured him that he would see the fulfillment of Jacob’s ladder. Only this time the ladder is Christ, and through Him we too can ascend into heavenly places! This promise is not only for Nathaniel, but for all who have no guile, no falsehood or deceit, through being washed in the blood of the Lamb and walking in faith and fellowship with Christ. Nathaniel would see miracle after miracle, all pointing to who Christ is; all building his faith so he could walk up the stairway of faith into heavenly places in Christ and into maturity as an beloved son of God.
This episode with Nathaniel is the continuation of the theme throughout John that Jesus is now the tabernacle, the temple, and the place to worship the Father. Jacob called the place of divine encounter, “Bethel” the House of God, the very gateway to heaven, which was a shadow of better things to come in Christ.The very next passage is the miracle at the wedding feast where Jesus performs the first of the seven signs.
This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him. (2:11)
After performing this miraculous sign of turning water into the best wine, John wrote that the disciples believed in Him. Didn’t they believe in Him earlier? Yes, but after watching Him turn plain water into extraordinary wine, they believed to a greater degree. Wouldn't you? The progression of the levels of faith in the various characters in this gospel is unmistakable. After recording the healing of the Nobleman’s son, John stayed focused on his mission and wrote, “This again is the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.” Then through chapter eleven we find five other distinct signs.
These seven signs, the bulk of John’s Gospel are:
1. Turning water into wine (2:1-11)
2. Healing the nobleman’s dying son (4:46-54)
3. Healing the lame man (5:1-15)
4. Feeding the multitude (6:1-14)
5. Walking on the water (6:15-21)
6. Healing a man who was born blind (9:1-41) and
7. Raising Lazarus from death (11:1-54)
Notice the action verbs listed: turning, healing, feeding, walking, raising. These signs show us who Jesus was, who He still is, and thus, who He is within our hearts and lives, today. Jesus is (1) the Nature Changer, (2) the Healer, (3) the merciful Restorer, (4) the Bread of Life, (5) the Sovereign Lord, (6) the Light of the World, and (7) the Resurrection and the Life.
It’s important to point out again that these seven miraculous signs also describe who we now are in Christ. In John’s Gospel, as Jesus periodically takes the witness stand on His own behalf, we find His seven “I Am” statements:
I am the Bread of life. x4 (6:35, 41, 48, 51)
I am the Light of the world. (8:12)
Before Abraham was, I am. (8:58)
I am the Door of the sheep. (10:7, 9)
I am the Good Shepherd. x 2 (10:11, 14)
I am the Resurrection and the Life. (11:25)
I am the Way, the Truth, the Life. (14:6)
I am the true Vine. x 2 (15:1, 5)
Just as Jesus made a seven-fold declaration of who He is through these “I am” statements, my hope is that by the time you are finished studying John with me that you too can make a seven-fold declaration of who you now are in Christ.
In Christ, I am...
a beloved and highly favored child of God,
an energized son,
an enabled son,
a well-cared-for son,
a dependent and focused son,
an enlightened son,
and an anointed son.
This seven-fold declaration corresponds with the seven signs that reveal Christ’s glory:
The Sign-Miracle.....Showing that Jesus is.....In Him, I now am:
1. Turning Water.....the Nature Changer........a beloved child of God,
into Wine
2. Healing the.......the Healing Word..........an energized son,
Nobleman’s Dying Son
3. Healing the.......the Merciful Restorer.....an enabled son,
lame man
4. Feeding the.......the Bread of Life we......a dependent,focused son,
multitude live by and for
5. Walking on........the Lord of all...........a well-cared-for son,
the water
6. Healing a man.....the Light of the World....an enlightened son,
who was born blind
7. Raising Lazarus...the Resurrection..........and an anointed son.
from death
The Place of Mature Sonship
In John, Chapter fourteen, verse two, the King James Version translators wrote down these now famous words of Christ,
In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.
It seemed strange to me when I first read this passage as a teenager that Jesus, the Carpenter would build mansions within His Father’s house. You don’t usually build houses within houses, unless (like with Manhattan’s lack of space) you build houses on top of other houses! I’d be happy to live on the streets of gold in heaven, but hey, if Jesus wants to build me a mansion, I can’t wait to see it. I hope it has a swimming pool in the backyard and a second floor balcony!
As I began regularly attending church as a teenager, I noticed that many of the songs emphasized the fact that I’ve now got a mansion in glory awaiting my arrival! Halleluiah! If you were taught that the King James translators were infallible, it might be hard to accept that there’s not a single updated translation that uses the word mansion to translate this passage from the Greek. The NIV says, “In my Father's house are many rooms.” The NASB states, “In My Father's house are many dwelling places.”
Not only is Jesus not speaking about mansions in John, Chapter 14, neither is He only referring to heaven. He’s speaking about a glorious place of intimacy He has prepared for us with the Father that we are to receive, experience and enjoy now as His beloved sons and daughters; and for all eternity, as well.
These dwelling places of glory that have been given to Jesus' followers is the major theme of the book of John from the end of the signs to its conclusion. They can be likened to twelve different rooms in our Father’s house (household, family or heart) that we can now enter in and dwell therein! Found in what is commonly called the Olivet Discourse (chapters fourteen through seventeen), they are (listed in the order that John mentions them) the places of....
1. Answered prayer,
2. Intimate communion with the Holy Spirit,
3. Divine revelations of Christ,
4. Experiencing continually the peace of God,
5. Glorifying God through a fruitful life,
6. Abiding in God’s love,
7. Complete joy,
8. Intimate friendship with Jesus,
9. Protection and victory in the midst of persecution,
10. Being a witness for Christ,
11. Intimate interaction with the Father, and
12. Glory!
It’s in these rooms with Jesus that our declarations of who we are in Him become a living reality as we learn to abide in Christ, in His love, His Word, His promises, His provision, His standing with the Father, His peace and His joy. In this study I have listed these dwelling places in three groupings instead of in the chronological order in which they are mentioned in the text.
This study concludes with comments regarding the contents of Chapters 18-21: Jesus’ arrest and trial with Pontus Pilate, His death, burial and resurrection, and the restoration of Peter. Peter’s restoration and recommissioning was so important that the entire last chapter of John’s Gospel is devoted primarily to it. God is still just as interested and involved in the lives of individuals, such as myself and you, dear reader.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so I would like to end this introduction with a pictorial overview of John’s COURTROOM, STAIRWAY and PLACE OF SONSHIP. Picture this scene with me as you read.
* * * * * * * * * *
Sitting in a comfortable, leather chair in a large, airy courtroom as one of the members of the jury, my attentive eyes focused on the witness on the stand as he fervently and forcefully gave testimony to what he had heard with his ears and seen with his very own eyes. The sunlight beaming down from tall windows across the courtroom seemed to illuminate his face. I said to myself, “I believe him. I know in my heart he’s telling the truth.” Right at that moment a six-foot-long, one-foot tall step appeared out of no where into the middle of this room. Everyone else seemed to be oblivious to it, but it fascinated me.
Before I could wonder too long about what that step was all about and how it got there, the next witness was on the stand, also passionately testifying. As soon as I made up my mind that his testimony was also true, a second step appeared next to and slightly above the first one. Where did those steps come from and how are they staying up like that, just hanging in the air...and where do they go? During the testimony of the next few witnesses, more steps appeared.
The loud sound of a gavel tapping a wooden desk marked the conclusion of the session as the Judge announced, “We will now recess for thirty minutes.” Everyone around me stood up and most of them quickly made their way out the room, perhaps to find a water fountain or a restroom. I gingerly walked over to the amazing stairs that seemed to go no where. But when I looked up towards the ceiling, I discovered a previously overlooked door, which was open! A mysterious light was shining down from the entrance, beckoning me to come. I just knew that as I would begin walking up, the rest of the stairs would appear as I needed them; which they did.
I crossed the threshold and entered a huge auditorium where countless people were in the middle of a lively worship service. Men and women, boys and girls from all nationalities and walks of life were singing and clapping their hands and having a wonderful time. It was glorious to behold! I looked towards the front to see who was leading the awesome singing and instead, I saw the unmistakable object of their worship. God the Father was seated upon His awesome throne and Jesus Christ was sitting right next to Him! There was a visible, tangible glow of sparkling light that swirled around and through and between the Father and Son, unlike anything I had ever seen before.
I moved a little closer, hoping to fully participate in this heavenly meeting I was so privileged to step into. Suddenly, the music and singing and laughing lowered to a quiet, gentle hum. I then heard the majestic, powerful, loving voice of Father saying, “My son!” I looked up to watch this dialogue of love between the Father and Jesus, and...to my amazement, the Father was looking right at me! “My son!” He proudly and energetically said again. I looked all around, wondering if Jesus had stepped down and snuck up behind me. No, He was still sitting next to the Father, who was still staring right at me! I sheepishly pointed up to my chest, and asked, “Me?”
“Yes!” the Father replied. “My son...come and sit up here with Us.” I obeyed, although I felt unworthy and out of place. As I got closer, Jesus made room for me at His right hand while He remained at His Father’s right side. As I sat down and looked up into Jesus' and Father’s waiting, joyful eyes, the swirling glory light of the Holy Spirit that was enveloping the Father and Son wrapped around me, as well. I felt completely accepted, totally loved, totally at home and blessed.
Jesus exclaimed to me with indescribable joy, “The glory and love and unity and relationship and standing and everything I have with the Father...I freely give to you!” His words were with power and full of life and I believed them. I felt them. I received them.
I leaned over and, closing my eyes, I rested my head on the Lord’s shoulder. I could hear and feel His beating heart. I could feel the love in His heart for me, for His beloved church, and for lost humanity. As I sat in that comfortable, Throne Room chair, I wished I could always stay in that place of blessedness. Resting in the deep grace and love of God, I lost track of time until I heard the distinct sound of the gavel tapping on the desk, far below. I instinctively knew I needed to return. I quietly got up, walked across the auditorium, and closed the door behind me on the way down so the worship service wouldn’t disrupt the court proceedings below. I noticed there was a sign on the door as I gently closed it. It didn’t say, as I thought it would, “You are now entering heaven,” but simply, “In Christ.”
As I tiptoed my way to my assigned seat I noticed the Lord Jesus must have come down with me because He was on the witness stand, seriously addressing the men and women, boys and girls of the jury. He said, “The verdicts that you decide upon regarding the statements made in this courtroom by those who bear witness of who I am will determine two things: your eternal destiny and the depth of your relationship with Me. If you do not believe that I am Whom I claim to be, you will tragically and unnecessarily die in your sins.” I saw tears flowing down his face as he spoke those words.
“And for those of you who are already believers,” addressing the section of the jury pool I was sitting in, “if you do not believe who you now are in Me, although you will go to heaven, on your way there you will tragically and unnecessarily live like slaves instead of the sons and daughters whom I have made you to be.”
This is John’s Gospel message in a nutshell.
One of the greatest books of all time, if not the greatest ever, is The Gospel According to John, penned over nineteen hundred years ago by “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” (John 13:23, 19:26, 21:7) the one who knew the Lord perhaps better than any other human being ever has. John the Beloved, who leaned upon Jesus at the Last Supper, is the only Gospel writer who recorded many of our Lord's most important and famous sayings, such as...
God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life, (3:16) He who is without sin, let him cast the first stone, (8:7) and, In My Father’s house are many mansions. (14:2, NKJV)
In this last of the four canonized Gospel accounts to be written, John stated his very specific purpose: to produce faith in those who hear; to convince us that Jesus Christ is the Eternal Son of God so that through believing He is the One He claims to be, we will experience eternal life in heaven one day and an abundant life here on Earth, today.
These are written, so that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you might have life through his name. (20:30-31)
I (Jesus) am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (10:10)
I’ve enjoyed handing out hundreds, perhaps thousands of printed Gospels of John in all shapes and sizes in outreaches in the New York City region for nearly thirty years now. Could there be anything better to put into the hands of our dear unsaved friends, co-workers and fellow citizens? Then the Lord impressed these thoughts upon my heart:
John’s Gospel is not just written for the unsaved,
so that they will become believers. But it’s also for the saved,
so that they will become believing believers who enjoy an abundant life!
I must acknowledge that in my own personal journey this abundant life we Christians are called to experience has been fleeting and inconsistent. Eventually, and with extreme excitement, I have become fully convinced that the Fourth Gospel is much more than a great resource to distribute at evangelistic outreaches; more even than merely faith-building snapshots of Jesus’ miraculous ministry and a supplement to the other three (synoptic) Gospels. It outlines the way (the truth and the life) into deeper faith and mature sonship through an intimate relationship with Father God, clearly written to teach both unbelievers and followers of Christ.
Look with me at one of John’s key passages:
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (8:31-32)
The truth has the power to set us free, and God’s Word is truth! (John 17:17) I’m glad that those who originally heard these words objected to Jesus’ statement about needing to be made free. This caused the Lord to explain even further:
They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?” Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (33-36)
When the Son makes us free, we’re not only freed from slavery to sin (which is totally awesome), but we’re also freed from slavery itself. If we sin, we’re slaves to that sin. And if we’re slaves, we do not remain in the family (the house) forever, any more than a household maid would feel entitled to the same lifelong treatment the children in the family receive. Jesus makes us free by making us sons. We’re not only delivered from slavery to sin, but we also need to be freed from the bondage of a slavery mentality. To become free indeed we first become born-again children of God who are delivered from sin’s power and enslavement, and then we walk out that salvation as we mature in our relationship with Father God as His beloved sons and daughters. Just as the Lord brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt and into the Promised Land, He now desires to bring us both out of slavery and into mature sonship. It’s worth repeating: Jesus makes us free by making us sons! Paul wrote,
When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, Abba, Father! Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ...Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. (Galatians 4:4-7, 5:1)
So how do we relate to Father God the way Jesus did, as a devoted son and not just as a servant of the Lord? By faith! By faith we are saved, and it’s by faith we grow in Christ.
This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?—Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? (Galatians 3:2-3, NKJV)
And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises... (Hebrews 11:32-33, NKJV)
The Gospel of John was written to produce kingdom-subduing, righteousness-working, promise-obtaining faith. As we grow in our faith in both who He is, and who we now are in Him, we see the maturing process take place in our lives as we go from spiritual babes to men, and from slaves to sons (and daughters). This process can be summarizes in three words: beholding, believing, and becoming:
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 1:12, NKJV) While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” (John 12:36, NKJV)
Beholding Jesus, the majestic Son of God transforms us into mature sons and daughters of the Most High, causing us to reflect Christ's image and likeness to our darkened world; an amazing re-creation of mankind, one heart and one step at a time. John stated in his first epistle:
Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.(1 John 3:1-3)
As I’ve pastored newborn believers here in the Big Apple, it’s been refreshing to hear some of their blunt, non-religious questions, such as: “How in the world do we behold a God who is invisible to us?” Great question. We could try picturing Him as we would imagine God to be (not a good idea!), or we can study the Scriptures. Beholding the portraits of Jesus that John drew with his inspired pen is one of the surest and best ways of beholding this invisible God, especially when the Holy Spirit breathes upon the Word. When we both examine Scriptures and allow them to examine us, that's when real and lasting transformation takes place.
Whenever we approach the Word of God, our motives are of utmost importance. Do we want to merely learn more, or do we want to change and become more Christlike? Why do we want to study God’s word? For merely obtaining more Biblical information, or for real transformation? Paul wrote to the Corinthians:
Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him. (1 Corinthians 8:1b)
He also wrote (to these same Corinthian believers) about the heart-transforming power of our spiritual vision:
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 3:8)
This process of beholding an image and being transformed into the very thing we are looking at is remarkably similar to the way a camera works; at least the old-fashioned kind. The camera is pointed toward an object, the shutter opens up and light comes in and hits the sensitive camera film. The film has chemicals that respond to various degrees of color, and a picture is therefore imprinted into the film; an image of what the camera is beholding.
To grasp this panoramic book with eternal depths to it, I’d like to elaborate on its three main themes of beholding, believing and becoming in even more concrete terms:
(1) the courtroom,
(2) the stairway, and
(3) the place of mature sonship.
The Courtroom
As noted in the preface, the way Christ frees us from a slavery mentality can be summed up in three words: beholding, believing and becoming. In the courtroom we behold the Eternal Son through a multitude of witnesses. As our faith grows, we climb the stairway of believing and come into a realm where we are truly becoming mature sons (and daughters) of God.
I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty. (2 Corinthians 6:18)
John wrote from beginning to end as though he were in a courtroom where a parade of witnesses share their testimonies with the goal of convincing a jury of the validity of what they saw and knew to be true. A partial list of the thirty witnesses who are presented here include John the Beloved, John the Baptist, Jesus’ disciples, Jesus Himself and most importantly, Father God. The Father’s testimony takes up the bulk of the book as He, in cooperation with and through His Son Jesus, performs seven signs outlined from chapter two to eleven. These events aren’t just works of power to wonder at, but they are distinctly called signs, which point to something beyond themselves and in this case, something even greater than the actual occurrences. They point to who Jesus is, revealing the heart and character of the One sent by the Father to be the Savior of the world. They also point to who we now are in Him.
Of eternal significance is the fact that you and I, dear reader, are the jury in this courtroom, a jury upon whom our individual judgments fall upon our own heads! When verdicts of faith are made in our hearts regarding who this Jesus really is, we find ourselves proportionately climbing a stairway of faith into the opened heavens where our Prodigal Father God is waiting to greet us with a big hug, a signet ring, a robe of righteousness, a fatted calf and countless other blessings and surprises!
The courtroom theme flows from the opening prologue to the last chapter. For instance, John the Baptist’s primary task, as stated in the opening verses, is to be a witness of who Christ is so that others will believe in Him.
There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. (John 1:6-8)
As an eyewitness who stood beneath the cross, John later wrote,
The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. (19:35)
Writing about the validity of his courtroom testimony towards the end of his Gospel, John stated,
This is the disciple which testifies of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true. (21:24)
Primarily it is the Father who testifies about His Son, speaking to those who have ears to hear through Jesus’ seven, miraculous signs.
The works which the Father has given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father has sent me. (5:36)
John’s continual use of words such as testimony, witnesses, and bearing witness is unmistakable. All of these words were and are courtroom terms. In Biblical times, courtroom identification was done through the testimony of witnesses. A good example of this is the man born blind that Jesus healed in John, Chapter 9:
But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. And they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? (9:19)
There’s a lot of progression in this amazing courtroom drama. As the trial continues, the witnesses and testimonies become more convincing and the prosecutors and their rejection become more hostile. Jesus then dies and rises again, proving once again that His testimony is true and reliable. He does what He says He will do, and He is who He says he is.
Jesus Christ our Lord, was...declared to be the Son of God with power...by the resurrection from the dead. (Romans 1:3-4)
Jesus is still on trial within the hearts of every individual who walks the face of Planet Earth, and if we do not believe that He is who He says He is, we will tragically and unnecessarily die in our sins:
If you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins. (John 8:34)
Also, if we as believers desire to live in the Lord’s abundance, joy and steadfast love and genuinely accomplish the works of God through our lives, we must continue to grow in our belief in both who this Jesus Christ really is, and who we now are in Him: highly favored sons and daughters of the Most High God!
Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.” (6:28-29)
The Stairway
As John the Baptist bore witness of Christ, he convinced some of his disciples that they needed to leave him and follow Jesus. What a great man he was! One of his disciples named Andrew went and got his brother, Simon. Soon afterwards, Philip did the same thing, bringing his brother Nathaniel who, apparently had been praying under a fig tree. His encounter with Christ is a crucial and pivotal part of John’s Gospel. Jesus saw him and declared, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false.” When Nathaniel ask how Jesus knew him, the Lord replied,
I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you. Then Nathaniel declared, Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel. Jesus said, You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that. He then added, I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man. (1:49-51)
It didn’t take much for guileless Nathaniel to believe. He knew that Jesus was the Son of God and the King of Israel just through Jesus saying he saw him under the fig tree. Jesus then assured him that he would see the fulfillment of Jacob’s ladder. Only this time the ladder is Christ, and through Him we too can ascend into heavenly places! This promise is not only for Nathaniel, but for all who have no guile, no falsehood or deceit, through being washed in the blood of the Lamb and walking in faith and fellowship with Christ. Nathaniel would see miracle after miracle, all pointing to who Christ is; all building his faith so he could walk up the stairway of faith into heavenly places in Christ and into maturity as an beloved son of God.
This episode with Nathaniel is the continuation of the theme throughout John that Jesus is now the tabernacle, the temple, and the place to worship the Father. Jacob called the place of divine encounter, “Bethel” the House of God, the very gateway to heaven, which was a shadow of better things to come in Christ.The very next passage is the miracle at the wedding feast where Jesus performs the first of the seven signs.
This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him. (2:11)
After performing this miraculous sign of turning water into the best wine, John wrote that the disciples believed in Him. Didn’t they believe in Him earlier? Yes, but after watching Him turn plain water into extraordinary wine, they believed to a greater degree. Wouldn't you? The progression of the levels of faith in the various characters in this gospel is unmistakable. After recording the healing of the Nobleman’s son, John stayed focused on his mission and wrote, “This again is the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.” Then through chapter eleven we find five other distinct signs.
These seven signs, the bulk of John’s Gospel are:
1. Turning water into wine (2:1-11)
2. Healing the nobleman’s dying son (4:46-54)
3. Healing the lame man (5:1-15)
4. Feeding the multitude (6:1-14)
5. Walking on the water (6:15-21)
6. Healing a man who was born blind (9:1-41) and
7. Raising Lazarus from death (11:1-54)
Notice the action verbs listed: turning, healing, feeding, walking, raising. These signs show us who Jesus was, who He still is, and thus, who He is within our hearts and lives, today. Jesus is (1) the Nature Changer, (2) the Healer, (3) the merciful Restorer, (4) the Bread of Life, (5) the Sovereign Lord, (6) the Light of the World, and (7) the Resurrection and the Life.
It’s important to point out again that these seven miraculous signs also describe who we now are in Christ. In John’s Gospel, as Jesus periodically takes the witness stand on His own behalf, we find His seven “I Am” statements:
I am the Bread of life. x4 (6:35, 41, 48, 51)
I am the Light of the world. (8:12)
Before Abraham was, I am. (8:58)
I am the Door of the sheep. (10:7, 9)
I am the Good Shepherd. x 2 (10:11, 14)
I am the Resurrection and the Life. (11:25)
I am the Way, the Truth, the Life. (14:6)
I am the true Vine. x 2 (15:1, 5)
Just as Jesus made a seven-fold declaration of who He is through these “I am” statements, my hope is that by the time you are finished studying John with me that you too can make a seven-fold declaration of who you now are in Christ.
In Christ, I am...
a beloved and highly favored child of God,
an energized son,
an enabled son,
a well-cared-for son,
a dependent and focused son,
an enlightened son,
and an anointed son.
This seven-fold declaration corresponds with the seven signs that reveal Christ’s glory:
The Sign-Miracle.....Showing that Jesus is.....In Him, I now am:
1. Turning Water.....the Nature Changer........a beloved child of God,
into Wine
2. Healing the.......the Healing Word..........an energized son,
Nobleman’s Dying Son
3. Healing the.......the Merciful Restorer.....an enabled son,
lame man
4. Feeding the.......the Bread of Life we......a dependent,focused son,
multitude live by and for
5. Walking on........the Lord of all...........a well-cared-for son,
the water
6. Healing a man.....the Light of the World....an enlightened son,
who was born blind
7. Raising Lazarus...the Resurrection..........and an anointed son.
from death
The Place of Mature Sonship
In John, Chapter fourteen, verse two, the King James Version translators wrote down these now famous words of Christ,
In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.
It seemed strange to me when I first read this passage as a teenager that Jesus, the Carpenter would build mansions within His Father’s house. You don’t usually build houses within houses, unless (like with Manhattan’s lack of space) you build houses on top of other houses! I’d be happy to live on the streets of gold in heaven, but hey, if Jesus wants to build me a mansion, I can’t wait to see it. I hope it has a swimming pool in the backyard and a second floor balcony!
As I began regularly attending church as a teenager, I noticed that many of the songs emphasized the fact that I’ve now got a mansion in glory awaiting my arrival! Halleluiah! If you were taught that the King James translators were infallible, it might be hard to accept that there’s not a single updated translation that uses the word mansion to translate this passage from the Greek. The NIV says, “In my Father's house are many rooms.” The NASB states, “In My Father's house are many dwelling places.”
Not only is Jesus not speaking about mansions in John, Chapter 14, neither is He only referring to heaven. He’s speaking about a glorious place of intimacy He has prepared for us with the Father that we are to receive, experience and enjoy now as His beloved sons and daughters; and for all eternity, as well.
These dwelling places of glory that have been given to Jesus' followers is the major theme of the book of John from the end of the signs to its conclusion. They can be likened to twelve different rooms in our Father’s house (household, family or heart) that we can now enter in and dwell therein! Found in what is commonly called the Olivet Discourse (chapters fourteen through seventeen), they are (listed in the order that John mentions them) the places of....
1. Answered prayer,
2. Intimate communion with the Holy Spirit,
3. Divine revelations of Christ,
4. Experiencing continually the peace of God,
5. Glorifying God through a fruitful life,
6. Abiding in God’s love,
7. Complete joy,
8. Intimate friendship with Jesus,
9. Protection and victory in the midst of persecution,
10. Being a witness for Christ,
11. Intimate interaction with the Father, and
12. Glory!
It’s in these rooms with Jesus that our declarations of who we are in Him become a living reality as we learn to abide in Christ, in His love, His Word, His promises, His provision, His standing with the Father, His peace and His joy. In this study I have listed these dwelling places in three groupings instead of in the chronological order in which they are mentioned in the text.
This study concludes with comments regarding the contents of Chapters 18-21: Jesus’ arrest and trial with Pontus Pilate, His death, burial and resurrection, and the restoration of Peter. Peter’s restoration and recommissioning was so important that the entire last chapter of John’s Gospel is devoted primarily to it. God is still just as interested and involved in the lives of individuals, such as myself and you, dear reader.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so I would like to end this introduction with a pictorial overview of John’s COURTROOM, STAIRWAY and PLACE OF SONSHIP. Picture this scene with me as you read.
* * * * * * * * * *
Sitting in a comfortable, leather chair in a large, airy courtroom as one of the members of the jury, my attentive eyes focused on the witness on the stand as he fervently and forcefully gave testimony to what he had heard with his ears and seen with his very own eyes. The sunlight beaming down from tall windows across the courtroom seemed to illuminate his face. I said to myself, “I believe him. I know in my heart he’s telling the truth.” Right at that moment a six-foot-long, one-foot tall step appeared out of no where into the middle of this room. Everyone else seemed to be oblivious to it, but it fascinated me.
Before I could wonder too long about what that step was all about and how it got there, the next witness was on the stand, also passionately testifying. As soon as I made up my mind that his testimony was also true, a second step appeared next to and slightly above the first one. Where did those steps come from and how are they staying up like that, just hanging in the air...and where do they go? During the testimony of the next few witnesses, more steps appeared.
The loud sound of a gavel tapping a wooden desk marked the conclusion of the session as the Judge announced, “We will now recess for thirty minutes.” Everyone around me stood up and most of them quickly made their way out the room, perhaps to find a water fountain or a restroom. I gingerly walked over to the amazing stairs that seemed to go no where. But when I looked up towards the ceiling, I discovered a previously overlooked door, which was open! A mysterious light was shining down from the entrance, beckoning me to come. I just knew that as I would begin walking up, the rest of the stairs would appear as I needed them; which they did.
I crossed the threshold and entered a huge auditorium where countless people were in the middle of a lively worship service. Men and women, boys and girls from all nationalities and walks of life were singing and clapping their hands and having a wonderful time. It was glorious to behold! I looked towards the front to see who was leading the awesome singing and instead, I saw the unmistakable object of their worship. God the Father was seated upon His awesome throne and Jesus Christ was sitting right next to Him! There was a visible, tangible glow of sparkling light that swirled around and through and between the Father and Son, unlike anything I had ever seen before.
I moved a little closer, hoping to fully participate in this heavenly meeting I was so privileged to step into. Suddenly, the music and singing and laughing lowered to a quiet, gentle hum. I then heard the majestic, powerful, loving voice of Father saying, “My son!” I looked up to watch this dialogue of love between the Father and Jesus, and...to my amazement, the Father was looking right at me! “My son!” He proudly and energetically said again. I looked all around, wondering if Jesus had stepped down and snuck up behind me. No, He was still sitting next to the Father, who was still staring right at me! I sheepishly pointed up to my chest, and asked, “Me?”
“Yes!” the Father replied. “My son...come and sit up here with Us.” I obeyed, although I felt unworthy and out of place. As I got closer, Jesus made room for me at His right hand while He remained at His Father’s right side. As I sat down and looked up into Jesus' and Father’s waiting, joyful eyes, the swirling glory light of the Holy Spirit that was enveloping the Father and Son wrapped around me, as well. I felt completely accepted, totally loved, totally at home and blessed.
Jesus exclaimed to me with indescribable joy, “The glory and love and unity and relationship and standing and everything I have with the Father...I freely give to you!” His words were with power and full of life and I believed them. I felt them. I received them.
I leaned over and, closing my eyes, I rested my head on the Lord’s shoulder. I could hear and feel His beating heart. I could feel the love in His heart for me, for His beloved church, and for lost humanity. As I sat in that comfortable, Throne Room chair, I wished I could always stay in that place of blessedness. Resting in the deep grace and love of God, I lost track of time until I heard the distinct sound of the gavel tapping on the desk, far below. I instinctively knew I needed to return. I quietly got up, walked across the auditorium, and closed the door behind me on the way down so the worship service wouldn’t disrupt the court proceedings below. I noticed there was a sign on the door as I gently closed it. It didn’t say, as I thought it would, “You are now entering heaven,” but simply, “In Christ.”
As I tiptoed my way to my assigned seat I noticed the Lord Jesus must have come down with me because He was on the witness stand, seriously addressing the men and women, boys and girls of the jury. He said, “The verdicts that you decide upon regarding the statements made in this courtroom by those who bear witness of who I am will determine two things: your eternal destiny and the depth of your relationship with Me. If you do not believe that I am Whom I claim to be, you will tragically and unnecessarily die in your sins.” I saw tears flowing down his face as he spoke those words.
“And for those of you who are already believers,” addressing the section of the jury pool I was sitting in, “if you do not believe who you now are in Me, although you will go to heaven, on your way there you will tragically and unnecessarily live like slaves instead of the sons and daughters whom I have made you to be.”
This is John’s Gospel message in a nutshell.
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