Category: ReadScripturePlan

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John: Many Believed and Picked Up Stones to Stone Him

Read John 8:21-59

The title I’ve chosen to give this section of the narrative is meant to be provocative. As Jesus continues to explain who He is, many appear to be moved; many believed in him (John 8:30). Jesus seems to turn to these people and dive deep into a completely new theology. His teaching is true, and belief in Him is the only way to escape from the prison of sin. By the end of the chapter, those who believed in Him are so outraged they pick up stones to kill Him.

In previous writing, I’ve focused on smaller sections of scripture to take a detailed look at the words. However, it seems prudent to read the rest of the narrative to appreciate the scene for this chapter. The NIV Study Bible separates the text into three sections:

  1. The dispute over who Jesus is (John 8:21-30),
  2. the dispute over whose children Jesus’ opponents are (John 8:31-47), and
  3. Jesus’ claims about Himself (John 8:48-59).

Dispute Over Who Jesus Is

The verse before this one leaves us with the idea that Jesus had to make a rather hasty exit. He now reappears to continue the discussion for the crowds to hear.

Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.” John 8:21

Once again, Jesus dives deep into a discussion they really can’t get their minds around. I’m not trying to sound too judgmental. I’m pretty sure I would not be able to follow this line of discussion. Looking at the words literally suggests that when He leaves, we won’t find Him and die in our sin. This statement is compounded when Jesus adds the provision that we also need to believe that He is the one:

if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins. John 8:24

While my mind is still trying to get a handle on this idea, Jesus goes on to explain that His authority to say all of this comes from God the Father. It seems His words convict the crowd. John ends this section with an astounding thought:

The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” Even as he spoke, many believed in him. John 8:29-30

“…many believed in Him.” This is beyond incredible! Jesus shifts this discussion to focus on the group that seems to get it, at least at this point.

As we jump into this next section, I hope to learn that there are times when we share our faith with others that we might see a shift from belief to contempt. There are moments when it seems like everyone in the room is on the same page, ready for confession and baptism, then all of a sudden, someone flips a switch, and all the lights are off. The quick change of scene might tempt us to back off of our evangelistic opportunity, but I hope the lesson in this text would lead us to continue to tell the story of the Messiah boldly. Watch how quickly the scene turns in these few verses.

Dispute Over Whose Children Jesus’ Opponents Are

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32

The first phrase doesn’t seem to raise any issues at first, but Jesus continues to elaborate on His teaching, and the conversation quickly goes south.

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. John 8:34

The crowd wants nothing of this “slave” discussion or any discussion about being freed. They have taken great pride in their heritage, not in the good sense of the word pride at all. God chose Israel to be His example to the world, but they turned that privilege into a point of pride and arrogance. Jesus clarifies their misguided hearts.

“Abraham is our father,” they answered. “If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did. John 8:39

In essence, Jesus says they are not Abraham’s true children. Read the chapter and feel the tension rise. Yet Jesus does not back off from this hard lesson:

Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. John 8:43

We are unable to hear because we have closed our minds and hearts.

Jesus’ Claims About Himself

Our response is not unlike that of the Jews that were once believers. We must defend our selfish, silly pride with words that hold no weight. Look at their response:

The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?”
“I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. John 8:48-49

The dividing line between Jesus and the crowd grows wider. Jesus is from the Father, and they are not. Jesus provides the words for life, and they choose death.

Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.” John 8:51

At the risk of cherrypicking words from the narrative, here are the beginning and ending phrases of the following two verses:

At this they exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed!… Who do you think you are?” John 8:52,53

By all means, please read the entire chapter yourself, but pay particular attention to how quickly the scene turns from heads nodding in affirmation and understanding to hands that pick up stones to kill the very Son of God.

John ends the scene abruptly:

“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds. John 8:58-59

Do you see the exclamation point? Jesus is the I am! This is either the ultimate revelation, the great news of the Messiah, or it’s blasphemy, which is punishable by death in their culture. Their hearts are turned toward the latter. My prayer is that our mind, heart, and soul would hear and believe the former.

If you’ve stepped across the line of faith, don’t expect everyone you meet to agree with you suddenly. I hope we don’t have to run from stones being hurled at us for speaking the truth. Or maybe that would be better, something like our brothers and sisters in China have to consider. Maybe then we would not be quite so comfortable in our surroundings.

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John: Jesus Declares, “I Am the Light of the World”

Read John 8:12-20

Back to the Feast of Tabernacles, this passage picks up where John left off in the previous chapter. Lots of people have gathered to listen to Jesus. He draws a crowd with His words. There’s no water to wine or miraculous healing happening here. But His words of life are incredibly affirming. If He is who He claims to be, those who are listening have the opportunity for a life beyond their wildest imagination. Hear the words of Jesus, “I am the light of the world.”

Illumination of the Temple

At first glance, the historical reference to the “light ceremony” slipped by me, but on further reading (and Googling), the event caught my attention and imagination. It takes some effort, but imagine a time when there is very little light after sunset. Perhaps some oil lamps here and there. The concept of darkness to these people is deeper than our understanding. With the flip of a switch, a room is illuminated. For those so inclined, just say, “Alexa, turn the hall light on.” But for those hearing this story for the first time, there is a deep understanding of darkness.

There are several resources that provide details about the illumination of the temple during the Feast of Tabernacles.

Four large stands each held four golden bowls; these were placed in the heavily-used Court of the Women. These sixteen golden bowls (reached by ladders) were filled with oil and used the worn undergarments of the priests for wicks (m. Sukkah 5). When they were lit at night (so the rabbis said), all Jerusalem was illumined.NIVAC

All night long the fires illuminated the city to remind people that one day, the light of the world would come and there would no longer be any darkness. One day there will be no more pain or suffering. One day.

That day is here.

The Light of Life

Can you imagine someone coming to your all-church event, gathering people around, and saying this?

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

The amazing claim here is that by following Jesus anyone can  “have the light of life.” Our Jewish ancestors were a people of hope. They waited and hoped for the Messiah year after year. During this week-long festival, they witness the illumination of the temple and remember the promise that God will send the light of the world. Now they hear Jesus explain that He is here.

It doesn’t surprise me to read the reaction of the Pharisees. Apparently, it did little to surprise Jesus as well. As if they missed the discussion from the previous chapter, the Pharisees search their rulebook and throw down their challenge flag:

The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.” John 8:13

Jesus’ response to the Pharisees is based on the observation that they are far from God, “But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going” (John 8:14). They have no idea.

Jesus reminds them of their own Law, that which they rely on as sacred, a misplaced trust in that which is manmade, rules they created for their own and by which they judged everyone.

In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.” John 8:17-18

He spoke these words to the deaf ears of the Pharisees. They were so lost in their world of rules they were unable to process the evidence before them.

But in my mind, I see others present, and perhaps a rouge Pharisee, who heard the words and sought to draw near to Jesus to learn more. Do you hear that voice calling you?

As missionaries, we are called to proclaim the gospel to the least, the lost, and the lonely. We do so with words and deeds, with hands and feet. Lord, may we have a grain of patience that Jesus did with those that heard His words and saw His amazing deeds. May we point people to the true light of the world and may their eyes be open to that which is right in front of them. In front of all of us.

 

 

1Source: Wilkins, Michael J.; Garland, David E.; Bock, Darrell L.; Burge, Gary M.; Fernando, Ajith. NIVAC Bundle 6: Gospels, Acts (The NIV Application Commentary) (Kindle Locations 64534-64537). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.

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John: Woman Caught Committing Adultery

Read John 7:53-8:11

Here’s a story inserted in the middle of the Tabernacle of Feasts that is controversial for at least two reasons: 1) it’s not found in the earliest authorized transcripts and 2) Jesus forgives the unforgivable. I’m not likely to satisfy the debate in this brief discussion, but I hope you’ll be encouraged to think about the event and draw your own conclusions. The one thing I would encourage you is not to avoid difficulties in Bible translation issues or conversation. With or without this passage, there is no difference in the truth of the gospel message or the theology we hold onto as truth. Let’s dive in!

Not Found in the Original Texts

The first disturbing revelation about the passage today is that the most modern translations of the Bible either skip it altogether or, as in my case, the NIV renders it in italics with significant footnotes.

The earliest manuscripts and many other ancient witnesses do not have John 7:53-8:11. A few manuscripts include these verses, wholly or in part, after John 7:36, John 21:25, Luke 21:38 or Luke 24:53. NIV Study Bible, p. 1781

The NIV Application Commentary covers the issue in detail and it’s quite fascinating to read. Searching online you’ll find many places that discuss why the passage is in question. The writes of https://gotquestions.org provide a good explanation that includes this thought:

church leaders deemed the passage morally dangerous—since Jesus forgives the woman, wives might think they could commit adultery and get away with it. So, the church leaders tampered with the Word of God and removed the passage. To leave the passage in, they reasoned, would be to make Jesus seem “soft” on adultery. Later scribes, following the lead of the Holy Spirit, re-inserted the pericope, which should never have been removed in the first place. Got Questions

It’s a rather complex question that involves a lot of technical explanation. What I take from all the details is simply that God didn’t print the Bible for us. That is, He did not hand it to us on tablets or miraculously through the Gutenberg printing press. He chose to inspire mere mortals to write down words through the Holy Spirit to convey enough knowledge, wisdom, history, and teaching to help us learn to hear the voice of God.

The very fact that we, as Christ followers, are able to admit we have questions, that we would print the text in italics with footnotes, is a strong confession that we don’t know everything.

There is nothing inconsistent about the theme in the text for us to learn from. Let’s take a look at the event and consider the lessons we can draw from the text.

Jesus Forgives the Unforgivable

The text begins by putting a footnote on the previous discussion, “they all went home.” The Pharisees didn’t know what to do with Jesus, though their intentions are becoming clear.

Jesus makes an appearance at dawn and begins to teach again. The religious leaders seize the opportunity to present an open and shut case as a means of trapping Jesus: they caught a woman committing adultery! This should be a big win for them, so the parade the woman in front of everyone:

and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” John 8:4-5

Jesus appears to ignore their questions. For some reason, He is writing something on the ground with His finger.

When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” John 8:7

Jesus knows this is a trap and these not-so-wise scholars are tested by Jesus in return. They have, in fact, misinterpreted the law to their advantage. When we read Deuteronomy 22:23-24 we see that there are specific circumstances surrounding the immediate stoning. Probably the most important part is that both the man and the woman caught in the act are to be taken to the gate and stoned — not just the woman, and certainly not to the temple courts to please their egos.

The NIV Study Bible notes suggest that Jesus might have been writing the sins of those present in the dirt, that His divine knowledge of their hearts was being revealed on the ground for all to see.

At any rate, their argument was disarmed quickly. They had no choice but to leave the scene. Their failed attempt to trap Jesus was noted for all to see.

Jesus turns to the woman:

Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” “No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” John 8:10-11

Jesus knows the heart. He lets her go with a strong warning to leave her life of sin.

If we look at our own lives and insert our story into hers, I think we would all greatly appreciate the verdict and the challenge. Lord, help me to leave my life of sin and go into the world proclaiming Your message.

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John: Unbelief of the Jewish Leaders

John 7:45-52

The closing section of chapter 7 includes no words from Jesus. Instead, it’s a very brief debate between religious leaders as they try to figure out what to do with Jesus.  As if their decision. When we zoom out a bit we see this is a midpoint of the discussion during the Feast of Tabernacles. Chapters 7 and 8 are one story with an aside thrown in the middle that we’ll discuss next time.

The characters in this section are quite interesting. There are three groups to consider: the guards, the people, and the Pharisees, that is, the religious leaders.

Finally the temple guards went back to the chief priests and the Pharisees, who asked them, “Why didn’t you bring him in?” John 7:45

The Guards

Every time I’ve read this story, I’ve always considered the guards as somewhat inferior, not the brightest bulb in the factory. If this scene were ever written as a skit in church, those who would be chosen as guards would not be considered the major characters, to say the least. What I find interesting this time through is the Pharisees are offended at the guards’ inability to carry out their orders, but this offense has no punishment.

The way John puts it, they definitely looked down on the guards, but I’m not so sure that the guards are second class citizens. The bold statement is not one of ignorance, they were able to hear the authority from which Jesus spoke.

“No one ever spoke the way this man does,” the guards replied. John 7:46

The Pharisees response degraded the guards and the people.

“You mean he has deceived you also?” the Pharisees retorted. “Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed in him? No! But this mob that knows nothing of the law—there is a curse on them.” John 7:47-49

The People

John’s portrayal of the Pharisees is less than stellar. In this somewhat childish response, the Pharisees call the pilgrims who have journeyed from near and far a mob. The implication is simple: they’re too ignorant to understand scripture, how could they possibly understand? In some ways, there is truth in their statement. The laws they have contrived is complex. They’ve created a system that few understand, but the people should not be discarded as a meaningless mob. It seems that John writes these words to paint an ugly picture of religious leadership at its worst.

The Pharisees

There is a curse on them! That’s the best the Pharisees can conjure up. Someone has tricked them into believing a lesson they did not provide. Nicodemus has to chime in to try and shock them back to reality by pointing out that their own law requires a hearing. All they’re doing is responding to hearsay. To properly address their concerns, they need to have a conversation with Jesus.

They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet does not come out of Galilee.” John 7:52

Their disdainful response to one of their own only makes matters worse. And by the way, Jonah, the prophet, came from Galilee. It’s likely that others did as well, and certainly, God could call a prophet from anywhere, even Galilee.

Anger is an emotion that leads to irrational behavior. The Pharisees in this scene are angry because they are convinced that this Jesus character is misleading people. Rather than stop and listen, they have drawn their conclusions and withdrawn to their ivory towers to defend their positions.

It’s my desire to remain calm at all times, but I fail too often. This story is a sober reminder that when anger and religious elitism meet, the results are worse than it appears on the surface. God is not honored. People are misled. The lost are not found.

The chaos of the moment led otherwise intelligent people to make poor choices. Lord, help us to remain calm and give us the wisdom to hear your words among the many who would love to distract us.

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John: Division Over Who Jesus Is

John 7:25-44

Who is this man? What is he teaching? There were dozens of questions in the minds of those present at the Feast of Tabernacles, the huge celebration for all Jews: sons and daughters, male and female servants that ran for an entire week. John points out the highlights in his narrative description of key events. In this third section of chapter 7, Jesus somehow hears dissension among the people and has to speak out loudly, cry out, and shout to get their attention. This isn’t the scene of someone hiding or trembling in fear of the authorities. Jesus is right there in front of them. The result: some believe while others firm up their disbelief. It’s interesting to see how people can watch the same event and walk away with completely divergent interpretations. Of course, this would never happen in our modern world, right?

In the last section, Jesus explained the origin of His authority and challenged the religious elite to use common sense with regard to the Sabbath. These were hard topics for this diverse crowd to understand. They couldn’t even agree on something we take for granted:

Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Messiah? But we know where this man is from; when the Messiah comes, no one will know where he is from.” John 7:26-27

Really? No one will know? There is confusion about their interpretation of the prophets versus where Jesus came from, that is, where He was born.

Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, “Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own authority, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him, but I know him because I am from him and he sent me.” John 7:28-29

Jesus doesn’t give them the pleasure of answering their question in human terms. His answer was more profound: He came from heaven. Think about that for a moment.

The problem as Jesus explains it is that they don’t know the Father. This is a serious accusation, but one that makes complete sense from John’s perspective. They know the rules, the laws, the customs. They’re here celebrating the feast as is their custom. They wouldn’t miss an opportunity to check a box.

Jesus constantly points people back to the heart of the matter. He is not concerned with how many psalms we’ve memorized or if we can quote book, chapter, and verse. He was and is still most interested in changing hearts.

As with any large crowd, the people divide themselves into camps: some believed and some did not. Far worse, some tried to seize Jesus, but this was not the time or place for that event. John is keenly aware of how and when Jesus will be turned over to the authorities. His point here is that they intended to capture Jesus but somehow were unable to hold Him. The religious leaders sent in the temple guard, but even that was a futile effort.

Jesus said, “I am with you for only a short time, and then I am going to the one who sent me. You will look for me, but you will not find me; and where I am, you cannot come.” John 7:33-34

These are incredibly hard words: where I am, you cannot come. I can see Jesus looking directly into the eyes of those present and letting those words sink in. You cannot come because you do not know me. I’m confident that Jesus had many more words than the few that John captures here. He made the point perfectly clear to those present; He probably repeated the same statement in several ways to be sure they heard it correctly.

That’s why they had so many questions. Where is he going that we can’t find him? Is he going to hide among the Gentiles? The Greeks? They heard Jesus clearly, but they did not understand.

The crowds had two or three days of wondering about the message they heard. I’m sure there were lots of side discussions as they processed the message. Finally, as the festival draws to a close, Jesus pronounces that great news:

On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” John 7:37-38

Note that Jesus points them back to Scripture that they had available to them. Their lack of understanding was within their ability to fix. They simply were misunderstood because they were being misled. This is critical to appreciate.

John helps us understand the significance of the statement.

By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. John 7:39

As we’ve seen in this section before, some heard the message and believed while others heard the same message and wanted to kill Him. The latter group was likely stuck on Jesus’ birth certificate, His town of origin. They were so lost in their piety that they couldn’t hear the call to receive was from the Living Well.

John is giving us all we need to know to make the right decision. He walked with Jesus for years. He watched Jesus die from torture so brutal that we shudder to dwell on the event. John was just as confused as his brothers in ministry when he watched Jesus take His last breath, but he remembers the following week when they had breakfast on the beach! John saw it all!

Lord may we listen and learn from John’s testimony and reach out to find the living water that is poured out for each of us.

 

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John: Jesus Teaches at the Festival of Tabernacles

Read John 7:14-24

It looks like Jesus couldn’t stay away from the Festival of Tabernacles any longer. Halfway through the week-long celebration, He made an appearance. When He did, He didn’t find some side tent or hidden area, He went straight to the temple courts.

The Jews there were amazed and asked, “How did this man get such learning without having been taught?” John 7:15

Jesus appears to be speaking to several people at the same time. Sure, they want to know where His rabbinic teaching came from, but I really don’t think they’re listening. They seem to be lost in the credentialling world. Until they understand that Rabbi ____ (fill in the blank) approved of Jesus, they are not about to listen to His teaching. Well, not all of them. I have no doubt that some are in fact listening.

Jesus explains that His teaching came from God. He says this in a way to help them understand fully:

Jesus answered, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from the one who sent me. Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own. John 7:16-17

It’s good to remember that John is providing the important points from the discussion. This is not a mere transcript. As we unpack the verses above we hear clearly that Jesus was taught by God, His Father. For many, that statement alone was enough to incite incredible anger. In my imagination, I see the faces of men who are about to lose it.

Jesus picks up on their threatening posture and beats them to the very thought that is in the minds of some who are listening (not all):

Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps the law. Why are you trying to kill me?” “You are demon-possessed,” the crowd answered. “Who is trying to kill you?”John 7:19-20

Those who are vocal conclude that Jesus is crazy, out of His mind. We shouldn’t expect those who are convinced that Jesus should be killed will raise their hands. No way. The plot thickens. In John’s gospel, we’re not that far away from Gethsemane.

I can’t help but get lost in thought about John, the Apostle, the man. He’s getting old as he sits down to write this narrative for the benefit of others who are trying to understand who Jesus is and whether they should join the cause of Christ followers, The Way.  Imagine yourself in his shoes. Your closest friends, the ones you did ministry with when Jesus was walking around in flesh, these faithful few have been martyred for proclaiming the Good News. They’ve either been killed or will be tracked down and executed as they stand up for the cause of Christ.

Crowds like the one Jesus is debating with are too familiar to John, he saw them all the time. Everywhere he went. Probably every day. As he looks back at the time when Jesus was teaching, he takes comfort in knowing that the Master Himself had to deal with vicious attacks.

Read the last section in this passage from that perspective. Jesus refers to an event where He miraculously healed a lame man on the Sabbath. This is why He’s referring to Moses, the one Patriarch upon which they all agree upon.

Now if a boy can be circumcised on the Sabbath so that the law of Moses may not be broken, why are you angry with me for healing a man’s whole body on the Sabbath? Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly.” John 7:23-24

Jewish law required male circumcision on the eighth day after birth. There is a one in seven chance that your baby boy was going to have to be circumcised on the Sabbath. No problem. Since this happens so frequently, we won’t call this breaking the Sabbath. However, if you miraculously heal someone who’s been lame for decades, well, that’s another issue altogether! (I hope the sarcasm sign is flashing in your head.)

Jesus doesn’t tell them to accept everything; He tells them to judge correctly! Stop acting like idiots!

How many times do we get caught checking our rules so carefully that we miss the intent God has for us in the moment. Lord, help us not to judge by mere appearances. Change our hearts to see clearly the direction we should move. And help us to move!

 

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John: Jesus at the Feast of Tabernacles

Read John 7:1-13

If we were Jewish or celebrated with our Jewish brothers, this would be the time of year when the Feast of Tabernacles would kick into high gear. John uses the backdrop of this festival to highlight some significant lessons for us to consider. The first vignette is a look at the interaction between Jesus and His brothers. We read words about the growing separation between those who follow Jesus and those who are convinced He is dangerous. In effect, He certainly is dangerous, but not for the reasons anyone is proposing.

It’s been about six months since the last chapter. John picks up the story by giving us just a little background, things people in the first-century church would have known well.

Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him. But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near… John 7:1-2

John continues to remind us to look for those who are conspiring to kill Jesus throughout his narrative. Think of it this way, imagine you are watching a movie with someone who knows how the mystery is solved. Throughout the show, they keep saying things like, “did you see that person?” or “watch this part carefully.” Beyond just spoiling the movie, they’re trying to help you see how the plot unfolds. This is how John writes.

The setting is during the last festival of the year. The Feast of Tabernacles was designed to be a joyous time of celebration for the whole Jewish community.

Be joyful at your festival—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites, the foreigners, the fatherless and the widows who live in your towns. For seven days celebrate the festival to the Lord your God at the place the Lord will choose. For the Lord your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete. Deuteronomy 16:14-15

Sons and daughters, male and female servants, even foreigners, widows and orphans are welcomed and expected to join in the seven-day festival. Wow! Can we not keep some of these old customs? Can you imagine a celebration that went on for an entire week?

Jesus’ earthly father was Joseph. Though we don’t know how long Joseph was around after His birth, I’m convinced he took Jesus to all the festivals, that he participated with the rest of the village. I like to think that this was something their whole family looked forward to each year, every season. It’s helps me to think this way because it puts me in their sandals for a bit. This was a big deal.

With that context, listen in on the conversation that John records between Jesus and His brothers.

Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” For even his own brothers did not believe in him. John 7:3-5

His own brothers did not believe in Him. It would be a while before James would become a follower of his brother. I’m pretty sure I’d be with His brothers, chiding Him along, suggesting that He do His miracle “show” for all to see (sarcasm sign flashing brightly).

You can’t see the cursor flashing on my screen. I’m sitting here replaying the scene in my imagination. His brothers have no idea what’s going on, they’re too close to the fire, they can’t see the flame. Jesus is patient with them. He doesn’t call down fire on them and vanquish them from the earth. He simply tries to explain that this is not His time.

Therefore Jesus told them, “My time is not yet here; for you any time will do. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil. You go to the festival… John 7:6-8a

He gives them a lesson about the world that they’ll have to think about for a while. In a relatively short time, Jesus will be crucified in front of them. These are some heavy words He wants them to ponder.

Jesus sends them on to the feast without Him. I imagine this was the first time in their life that this happened. I can’t prove that, but it makes sense given their heritage. I also imagine James making a note. At least I hope so.

Secretly, Jesus shows up after the festival gets going. The leaders and the crowds are wondering why He hasn’t shown up. It’s odd. He’s usually around during these events.

Rumors begin to spread: “Where is he?”, “He is a good man”, “No, he deceives people.”

But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the leaders. John 7:13

Lots of gossip, whispers in the crowds are heard, but not loud enough to get the attention of the religious leaders.

This is the tension I feel these days when I’m surrounded by nominal Christians, those checking their boxes, completing their duties, yet lacking the heart of one who truly follows Christ. Not that I have my act together, but I am seeking to follow the prompting of the Holy Spirit, attempting to become an authentic Christ follower. I’m closer today than a year ago, but still have a way to go.

We don’t have to wait too long this time. Jesus makes His appearance in the next section. Until then, think about what it feels like to go to something like this festival without your brother for the first time. Imagine what it’s like to turn and walk away, convinced that he is the one who is lost. Dwell in that place for a short time, but don’t stay there. You know the rest of the story. My prompt is meant to slow you down a bit. Let the dissonance hang.

 

 

Every biblical holiday given to the Jewish people has three aspects. Israel was to observe the holiday in the present in order to remember something God had done in the past while looking forward to some future prophetic purpose hidden within each festival. This is true for their weekly observance of Shabbat, as well as for the annual pilgrimage festivals of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles.

During the Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkot, the Jewish people were to gather together in Jerusalem not only to remember God’s provision in the Wilderness but also to look forward to that promised Messianic age when all nations will flow to this city to worship the Lord.

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John: Who Can Accept This Hard Teaching?

Read John 6:60-71

The last section in this chapter challenges us all to accept that which is hard to understand. Those of us that have worn the Christian badge for many years might have a hard time understanding the challenge here, but I want to strongly encourage you (exhort) to read this chapter from the eyes of one who does not yet believe. If His closest disciples found this concept difficult, we need to check our own hearts as well.

There are two groups of disciples in this narrative: The Twelve and The Many. I’m not exactly sure how this all worked in those days, but the concept of discipleship was common in that culture. Actually, it’s common in our culture, but we don’t use the term outside of church very often. Apprentice might be a more universally accepted title. The structure is the same, however. One learns from someone who is a bit farther down the road in their learning. Nothing new here, just setting the stage for understanding the hierarchy that existed amongst those who are listening to Jesus.

As with the previous post, it’s important to look one verse back to appreciate the current text. In this case, we see that Jesus is teaching in the synagogue. The group that’s gathered there chose to be in the audience; they came to learn. In other words, this is not a random group of people on a street corner, the people in this story are those who were immersed in Jewish culture.

Since this is the last post for chapter six, I also want to zoom out a bit and look at the lesson John is teaching us in this writing. If we examine the chapter as a single lesson with multiple parts, we gain some rich insight into how John is trying to help us understand Jesus’ methods.

Let’s expand the structure with what we’ve learned in each post:

  • John: Feeding Thousands – John 6:1-15.
    • Jesus cares about our physical needs.
    • The crowd wants to control Jesus.
    • They eventually ask for food that does not spoil.
  • John: Jesus Walks on Water – Don’t Be Afraid – John 6:16-24.
    • Jesus cares about His disciples.
    • They are afraid, but Jesus comforts them.
    • Between the two episodes, reverence for Jesus is increased.
  • John: Jesus is the Bread of Life – John 6:25-59.
    • Jesus is the answer to eternal life.
    • He is the Son of God.
    • He must die in order to be raised up.
    • Blood must be shed.
    • Eternal life is ONLY possible through His death and resurrection (this becomes clear as we read more of John’s teaching).
  • Many Disciples Desert Jesus – John 6:60-71.
    • Many, if not most, won’t be able to accept this teaching.
    • The Twelve are confused; this is a new lesson for everyone.
    • Those who were on the fence about Jesus simply can’t accept this teaching.

It’s amazing that the disciples have the guts to say this is hard to understand.

On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?” John 6:60

I don’t know about you, but I find great comfort in the fact that they not only thought this, but they said it out loud. They had to know that Jesus wasn’t going to let this slip by; He was going to confront them. That’s what I love about these guys and that’s the kind of community I hope to be a part of. Don’t just accept the answers, ask more questions. At the same time, don’t be cynical! This is not a prompt to be confrontational! Not at all!

Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! John 6:61-62

Jesus explains that the Spirit gives life, the flesh is meaningless. He knows that not all will believe in these words.

For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.” John 6:64-65

Jesus is not one to hold back, especially with His chosen disciples.

“You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” John 6:67-69

Peter’s answer is the response that we know we should have deep in our hearts. When we reflect on this mortal life, I hope we too would come to the same conclusion: to whom shall we go? It’s a bit sobering to think in terms of eternity when we look at our daily activity.

Was this the event that pushed Judas over the edge?

Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.) John 6:70-71

Perhaps he had too much pride to walk away with those who couldn’t accept this teaching. In his mind, he “had” to stay. John adds the parenthetical note to be sure we don’t miss the point that early on in Jesus’ earthly ministry He is fully aware of Judas’ intentions. I think it’s safe to say that John didn’t get it at the time; his discernment alarm was not that finely tuned at the time.

We’re all pretty good about hiding feelings, even when they betray us. In our culture, admitting we don’t understand something is looked down upon. That’s what I love about one-on-one discipleship. In these personal settings, our discussions have the capacity to ask questions without the facade. At least that’s my prayer!

As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, I hope you’ll read this chapter from the eyes of one who does not yet believe and remember that His closest disciples found this concept difficult. Lord help us to check our own hearts as well. Help us to see the difficulty in accepting that which we have become comfortable in believing so that we can lead others to Christ.

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John: Jesus is the Bread of Life

Read John 6:25-59

John dedicates the third section in chapter six to answer some questions and raise even more. Some of the crowd finally track Jesus down after His water-walking escape. They’re confused. Their motivation is for signs and wonders more than understanding the message. John records the highlights of the conversation which ends with a section that radically alters the view of religion. Take a deep breath. This is a heavy section.

Today’s story picks up in John 6:24 where the crowds realized that Jesus and the disciples somehow slipped away without any fanfare. They ask a logistical question, “when did you get here?”, but Jesus answers the deeper question that is on their hearts.

Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. John 6:27

They pick up on the word “work.” This is a concept they can relate to, i.e., give them something to do and receive the reward. Right? Nope.

Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” John 6:29

We might scoff at their response, but oddly enough, it all sounds incredibly familiar in this day and age: show us a sign, do something special. They recall the story of Moses and manna and try to convince Jesus by using scripture. Jesus knows the story better than they do, so He begins to broaden their minds by providing a lesson that promises life to the world. This is exciting news!

At this point it seems like they are tracking with Jesus: “Sir, always give us this bread” (John 6:34). They want the bread of life until they find out what Jesus is talking about.

Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. John 6:35

Hang on, it gets deeper:

For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. John 6:38

Now they’re totally confused. Isn’t this Joseph’s boy? You know, the carpenter’s son? What is this talk about coming down from heaven? And back up a few verses, what do you mean by “it is my Father?”

Jesus explains to them using a metaphor to build on their understanding of physical events:

I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” John 6:51

Their response reminds me of Nicodemus back in chapter 3,

Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” John 6:52

Seriously? Are they missing the point? Ok, let’s go along with this line of argument and feed you with words to build upon their ignorance:

Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. John 6:56

Like the private conversation with Nicodemus, they know Jesus is not talking about cannibalism. The words here hold deep meaning and require that they completely agree that Jesus is who He says He is. That, my friends, is too much for them to handle.

It turns out, it’s a hard pill for the disciples to swallow, but that’s covered in the next lesson.

The good news is presented here, Jesus is the way. We have the advantage of having the whole story presented to us in the form of the Bible, especially here in John’s gospel. John captures seven incredible truths for us to ponder:

  1. I am the bread of life: John 6:35
  2. I am the light of the world: John 8:12
  3. I am the gate for the sheep: John 10:7,9
  4. I am the good shepherd: John 10:11,14
  5. I am the resurrection and the life: John 11:25
  6. I am the way and the truth and the life: John 14:6
  7. I am the true vine: John 15:1,5

In the next post, I’ll attempt to wrap up chapter six and learn from all the lessons John is trying to teach us here.

Lord, help us to grasp the essence of what is said in this passage and give us the faith to fully believe. Fill the gaps between the large spans between these two extremes.

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John: Jesus Walks on Water — Don’t Be Afraid

Read John 6:16-24

John’s version of Jesus walking on water is concise. We have to look around for some more details, but we shouldn’t miss the point that Jesus is Lord of all and wants us to know that we should not be afraid as we fight the battles in this life.

John sets up the story by emphasizing the disciples were acting as a group separated from Jesus.

When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. John 6:16-17

Looking back at verse 15 we remember that Jesus “withdrew again to a mountain by himself.” This is somewhat remarkable to me, not only did He find time by Himself–He did it again! This isn’t the first or last time that Jesus will separate Himself from others.

Why didn’t they wait for Jesus?

Matthew and Mark add some insight into this story (see: Matthew 14:22-33 and Mark 6:45-51

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. Matthew 14:22
Immediately Jesus made his disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. Mark 6:45

Now it makes sense why they were in the boat without Jesus. Perhaps John leaves this detail out to focus on the miracle itself. In other words, it’s more important to focus on the idea that they were miles out in rough waves when Jesus appeared to them.

But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” John 6:20

Try and imagine the scene. The day began with crowds gathering and Jesus teaching the masses. They witnessed the miracle of feeding thousands with a few loaves and fishes, then Jesus slipped away. He sent these select few away, told them to take a boat and go. They obeyed their Master. Shortly before dawn, in the darkest of times, the disciples are in the middle of the lake, a storm is tossing them about, and they see someone walking toward them. I’m delirious just thinking about the scene.

How is it possible that Jesus is walking on the water towards them?

It is not possible, except for this: Jesus is God incarnate. He is Lord of all. He demonstrated His power by feeding thousands, now He shows His authority over nature. Who saw this? A handful of faithful followers. What was His main message?

Do not be afraid.

All three accounts of the story agree on this point. Jesus is teaching lots of things at one time, but the most important lesson is to not be afraid. To say this in a positive way, be courageous.

We’re going to have to be courageous to follow His command to seek and save the lost, to go and make disciples. We will likely have trouble in earthly terms like wind and waves, but the battle in the spiritual realm is far greater, much riskier, and far more deadly. We rage war against the Prince of Darkness. We need to hear the words: don’t be afraid!

One of the most frightening thoughts I’ve had in the last few days is that of the evil that is present in every city, every town, and shows up relentlessly on a daily basis. I don’t watch the news, but I do look at news sources online. I’m saddened by accidents on highways that claim lives, but I’m moved much deeper by accounts of men and women perpetrating crimes.

The ones we read about are the ones that get caught. Others happen that we know nothing about. What we do know is that they are inspired by a force that we are told to fight against.

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:18-19

Don’t be afraid. There is a lot to be afraid of in this world, but we who are called to be followers of the One who walks on water, who feeds thousands with a word, who heals the infirmed, must not be afraid. The short time we walk on earth is an opportunity to be a people that stand against the gates of hell and we will not lose!

Each of us is called into the battle, into the fight. If you hear nothing else, hear this: Don’t be afraid. Jesus promises to be with us in this battle.

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