The Gospel

according

to

John

 

Introduction:

 

This Gospel which is a describing of our Lord's Ministry on Earth was written of the apostle John. He John was the apostle from which we also read in Galatians 2 verse 9: And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the Grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen and they unto the circumcision. This is the definitive agreement Paul made with James, Cephas and John. Cephas is Peter. John describes in this Gospel Jesus Christ as the Son of God. In this light John describes Him!

 

We have the Prologue

Chapter One : Verse 1-18

The Word became flesh

 

I PUBLIC MINISTRY OF JESUS TO THE JEWS

Chapter 1 verse 19 until Chapter 13

First signs witness and contacts Chapter 1 19 till chapter 5 

Further signs witness and conflicts chapter 5 till chapter 11

Final sign witness and cleavage chapter 11 till chapter 13

 

II PRIVATE MINISTRY OF JESUS TO HIS OWN

Chapter 13 until chapter 19

Presage of His own departure Chapter 13 till chapter 14 verse 16

Promise of the coming Spirit Chapter 14 verse 16 till chapter 17

Prayer for them to God the Father Chapter 17

 

III PASCHAL CLIMAX: TRAGEDY AND TRIUMPH

Chapter 18 till end chapter 20

Apprehension and prosecution Chapter 18 till chapter 19 verse 16

Crucifixion and entombment chapter 19 16-42

Resurrection and reappearance chapter 20 1-31

Epilogue chapter 21: Till I come

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The Gospel according to the apostle John

Chapter I verse 1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God

and the Word was God

 

Verse 1: In the beginning was the Word. At the very first time the Word was there. In Genesis 1 verse 1 we read: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth" God, Elohim, Father, Son and Holy Spirit in One God were in the beginning. The Word was with God. This speaks about God the Son and thre est too: The Word was God. In Hebrews 1 verse 8 we read: "But unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, O God is for ever and ever; a sceptre of righteousness is the scheptre of Thy Kingdom" You see here my brothers and sisters: God the Father saith to His Son God. In Ephesians 3 verse 9 we read: And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, Who created all things by Jesus Christ . And in Colossians 1:16 we read: "For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers, all things were created by Him, and for Him" God the Father and His Son are One and also the Holy Spirit. God is a Trinity. The Word was God. Jesus Christ was and is God Himself. He was and is God in the flesh like men without sin and the purpose was to die for sinners and that happened on the cross my dear brothers and sisters. He died for you and me there on Calvary. He Just for us unjust, He without sin for us sinners. He paid the price with His own life for us. Think about this! I Corinthians 15:3-4, Romans 5:6-8. He came into this world to save sinners like you and me I Timothy 1:15

 

Chapter 1 verse 2

The same was in the beginning with God

 

Verse 2: The Word was with God and the Word was God. God was in the beginning. He was before the world. He created everything through our Lord Jesus Christ His Son. God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit/Ghost. God is Trinity. God is eternal! He lives from eternity to eternity. He exists always. He lives forever and ever. Everything He has created. Nothing is invisible for Him. 

Chapter 1 verse 3

All things were made by Him; and without Him was not 

anything made that was made

 

Verse 3: What we have seen in verse 1 already my dear brothers and sisters is this that all thing were made by Him. Not anything was not made by Him. He created everything. He created the heaven and the earth. That was first what God created! He created all things by Jesus Christ! Ephesians 3:9. Without Him, that is Jesus Christ was not anything made that was made. This is very special! The whole Universum, all the planets inclusive the Earth to live on because planet Earth is the lively planet. On the Earth there is life possible. It is the only planet in the whole Universum  where life is possible!!! Think about this!

 

Chapter 1 verse 4

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men

 

 Verse 4: Who is Him in this verse. Well this verse continues where verse 3 ended. Him is our Lord Jesus Christ. In Him was life. “In Him was life” (John 1:4), speaking of Christ after He came to earth, and referring to eternal life. While we too have eternal life in us, we just have it, while the Lord could give it (ICor.15:45) But what does it mean when John says that the life that was in the Lord “was the light of men” (John 1:4)? Well, in John 8:12, the Lord said that “he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” But what kind of light does eternal life give, and what kind of darkness were you in before you got it? Well, in John 12:35 the Lord said, “he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth,” and if you don’t have eternal life, you don’t know where you are going after you die. What’s the solution? In John 12:46, the Lord said, “whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.” 

When our Lord Jesus Christ was on earth He said these words in John 14 verse 16 the following words: Jesus saith unto him Thomas, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" This is eternal life my dear brothers and sisters. What applied to Thomas now also applies to us my dear brothers and sisters. No man cometh unto the Father but by me Jesus Christ. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. No doubt about that. In John 3 verse 16 we read: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" Oh another beautiful verse we can read my dear brothers and sisters in Romans 6 verse 23: For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" In Him was and is life, everlasting life!!! That life was the light of men! Jesus Christ is the Son of man and He is God in the flesh! In I Timothy 6 verse 16 we read about our God the following verse: "Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see, tho whom be honour and power everlasting Amen" “In Him was life” (John 1:4), speaking of Christ after He came to earth, and referring to eternal life. While we too have eternal life in us, we just have it, while the Lord could give it (ICor.15:45) 

      If you are not saved my dear friend you are in darkness, but you don’t have to abide there!  There is Good News: Trust Christ as your Savior right now and thou shall be saved forever and have also eternal life Acts 16:31. 

Chapter 1 verse 5

And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not

Verse 5: My dear brothers and sisters: Light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehended it not” What does that mean? Some of the people in Israel comprehended it but this is referring to the whole nation Israel. Why didn't they comprehend it? Well they were looking to a different Savior because Christ was in their eyes not the Savior they were looking for. They thought that He came to them to save them from their enemies and in the time of Jesus Christ on earth that were the Romans. God saved Israel many times from their enemies like the Egyptians when God parted the Red Sea for them, “He saved them.”  They didn't know that first He came to save them from their sins and after that He would come as King to reign over them 1000 years. That’s why He preached “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mt.4:17), just as John had (3:2). And so all Israel came to John “confessing their sins” (Mt.3:5,6). How would this help? Leviticus 26:38-42 stated that they could be saved from their enemies by confessing their sins and getting forgiveness (I Kings 8:33,34). But whole Israel didn't comprehend it. Litteral it means laid not hold of it. 

Chapter 1 verse 6

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John

 

Verse 6: Now the apostle John is speaking about someone else who was send by God. His name was John or John the Baptist. People began to ask him when he preached in the wilderness and near the river Jordan who he was. They thought he was Elias but he said no and in verse 23 he said to them: "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias. He John bare witness of Him and cried saying. This was He of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for He was before me verse 15. Send by God to make straight the way of the Lord. That was his task or ministry. Malachi also predicted that John would come and “prepare the way” before the Lord (3:1), and calls him “Elijah” (4:5 ,6). Elijah and John were similar. Elijah was hairy and wore a leather girdle (IIKi.1:8), John wore camel’s hair and a leather girdle (Mt.3:4). They both stood for a wicked king. Elijah stood for Ahab and John for king Herod. Elijah called fire down on God’s enemies  We read that in IIKings 1:9-12, and John predicted the Lord would baptize His enem-ies with fire. This we can read in Matthew.3:11. Elijah went before a type of Christ named Elisha, and John went before Christ.

But Israel didn’t receive it what John said to them, so John wasn’t Elijah.

Was Malachi wrong in saying Elijah would come before the Lord (4:5)? No, not at all for John was sent “in the spirit and power of Elijah” (Lu.1:13-17). So Israel has no excuse for rejecting Christ!

Chapter 1 verse 7

The same came from a witness to bear witness of the Light, that

all men through Him might believe

Verse 7 What people need  someone to bear witness of the Light here in this verse? Who does not know what light is? The answer for that is blind people!  Israel was spiritually blind my dear brothers and sisters and John came for a witness to bear witness of the Light. That Light was and is Jesus Christ! So that they might believe. Believe is 100 times mentioned in the Gospel according to John. Believing in Christ we see in the Gospel according to John means believing that He is the Christ. John never spoke to the people that Christ died for our sins, was buried and rose from the grave the third day according the Scriptures I Corinthians 15:3-4. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. No this was not revealed at that time John lived and wrote to the Jews. It was not made known to people. It was at that time hid by God. So they must in that time believe in His Name and that He was the Christ! 

Chapter 1 verse 8

He was not the Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light

Verse 8: The apostle John is talking about John the Baptist my dear brothers and sisters: he, that is John the Baptistwas not the Light. In verse 15 of this same chapter 1 we read: "And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet" Indeed John the Baptist was the one, send by God to bear witness of that Light and the Light is Christ. In Acts 19 verse 4 we read: "Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance saying unto the people, that they should believe on Him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. Just as every groom has a “friend” who is a “witness” at the wedding, so our Lord Jesus Christ on earth had John the Baptist to “bear witness of that Light”

Chapter 1 verse 9

That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into 

the world

Verse 9: The apostle John is speaking here again about Jesus Christ, the Son of God Who was the true Light that came into the world. The world here means kosmos= world of men, humanity. John called our Lord Jesus Christ “the true Light” (1:9)!  John  he was warning the believeing Jews that there  will be in the future with the Tribulation a false light!  That is the Antichrist  and he will claim to be Israel’s true light. But Tribulation saints Jews,  will “know Him Jesus Christ that He is the true LIght” (I John 5:20). We know brothers and sisters that Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners like you and me I Timothy 1:15 tells us: This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation , that Christ Jesus  came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief" Here Christ is the true Light and lighteth every man and He came into this world world of men, humanity. We know and believe now under the Dispensation of Grace my dear brothers and sisters the purpose of His coming to this world: to save us sinners!  

Chapter 1 verse 10

He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, 

and the world knew Him not

 

Verse 10: He, Christ was in the world or kosmos is world of men. He was among them! The four gospels tells us about it. By Him the world was made. Again Colossians 1:16 we read: "For by Him were all things created, taht are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him" For His glory everything was made or created and also the world, the kosmos, the humanity was made by Him. And the world knew Him not. Men knew Him not. They didn't know Him. Now comes the question: Do you know Him, do you know Him as your personal Savior my dear reader? This verse is speaking of the past. We live now and under a different Dispensation namely the Dispensation of Gods Grace Ephesians 3:1-3. Men can know God through His Word Romans 10:17

Chapter 1 verse 11

He came unto His own, and His

own received Him not

Verse 11: Christ came unto His own. Who were His own. Answer: His own people! Who were His own people? The Lord’s “own” (John 1:11) refers to His own people, Israel.  Let us read it in Romans 9: 4 and 5: Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth  the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving ot the law, and the service of God, and the promises; Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, Who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen. They didn't receive Him because they thought that He came in the first place to save them from their enemies. They didn''t know or understand that He had to die first for the people and later would come as King and save them from their enemies. So they didn't believe in Him. While the nation as a whole didn’t receive Him, some individuals did. 

 

Chapter 1 verse 12

But as many as received Him, to them gave He power

to become the sons of God, even to them

that believe on His Name

Verse 12: According to verse 11 the nation as a whole didn't receive Him but many as received Him to them individuals He gave power. Power is authority He give to them that received Him and to become sons of God. And even to them that believe on His Name. Thus men who believed on Him became His children, but were not yet sons. What’s the difference?

Well, a child is like a servant (Gal. 4:1,2), in that both get told what to do.  The children of Israel were driven by the law, but in the kingdom they’ll be led by the Spirit. They only must believe in His Name. Now we are sons and daughters of God and we are led by God's Spirit Romans 8:14. We received God's Spirit when we get saved Ephesians 1:13-14 and we are sealed with that Spirit. Israel has to wait for the future this to become the sons of God. At Pentecost in Acts 2 you have a foretaste of this Kingdom. Those who believed on the Lord “were born” (John 1:13), with other words : born again.

Chapter 1 verse 13

Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh,

nor of the will of man, but of God

 

Verse 13: Born of God and that means here that someone who is born of God cannot sin anymore. He or she is under control by the Holy Spirit so he or she cannot sin like the people at Pentecost did nothing wrong and were born of God. At Pentecost you see a foretaste of this. This will be in the future when the Kingdom will be here on earth and Christ as King a 1000 year.  Under this Dispensation of Grace we as members of the Body of Christ can sin. We have to be filled by God's Spirit everyday and that is complete different. We have to do with our flesh and our own will, the will of man, our own old nature and we can choose my dear brothers and sisters: we can serve the Lord instead to serve our flesh. We can do His will and choose to listen to His Word through His Spirit. Read for yourselves my brothers and sisters Romans 8:13

 

Chapter 1 verse 14

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,

and we beheld His glory, the glory as for the only

begotten  of the Father, full of Grace and Truth

Verse 14: Jesus Christ was made flesh. He dwelt among the people of Israel and they saw His Glory, the glory as for the only begotten Son of the Father, full of Grace and Truth. God in the flesh through Jesus Christ His only begotten Son. How wonderful this was and is. He became Man to save men from all eternity. He paid the price on that cross on Calvary and this was for us my dear brothers and sisters. He came to His own, the people of Israel. He dwelt among them and people in Israel could see His glory and Grace and Truth. In Hebrews 2 verse 9 we read: "But we see Jesus, Who was made a little lower thatn the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the Grace of God should taste death for every man" That was the purpose why He came and we know it now because we have the whole Bible. Israel didn't see it and rejected Him with the Gentiles. They crucified Him with the Romans. He rose from the grave and is alive my dear brothers and sisters and in Him there is eternal life!!! Romans 3:23 and 24

Chapter 1 verse 15

John bare witness of Him, and cried saying

This was He of Whom I spake, He that 

cometh after me is preferred before me:

for He was before me

Verse 15: John the Baptist was sent  to bear witness of that Light and the Light was Christ and Him. He cried to the people and said that the One Who came after him was before John. From all eternityGod has always existed and will always exist. God the Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit is a Trinity. God the Son Jesus Christ existed before John. The purpose of His coming was to save sinners we know now because we can find that in I Timothy 1:15. Sinners like you and me. In the time when our Lord was on earth people didn't know that. God's truth about this was not yet revealed to men in that time. Through the epistles of the apostle Paul we see the truth and purpose of  His first coming to this earth and as believers, members of His Body, the Church we can more appreciate this and be thankful for it!!!

Chapter 1 verse 16

And of His fulness have all we received, and Grace for Grace

 

Verse 16: These are the words of John the apostle and noot of John the Baptist. carrying on his account of Christ, after he had inserted the testimony of the Baptist, in connection with ( John 1:14) where he is said to be full of grace and truth; and which fulness is here intended; for the fulness of the Godhead. Grace for Grace. It means His Glory was full and the people of Israel John is speaking to have all received this fulness of the Godhead trough God's Grace for Grace. 

Chapter 1 verse 17

For the law was given by Moses, but Grace and Truth came

by Jesus Christ

Verse 17: The law was given by Moses. Moses got the whole Law from God. The law was not given at the time of his birth. Nor 40 years later when Moses fled from Pharaoh but much later at Mount Sinai. There he received the Law from God's hands. Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ we know but not at His birth. Even not when He died on the cross and rose again. After his ascension that Jesus Christ committed  this to the apostle Paul to give it out, to dispense. Read Ephesians 3: 1-4. The law was given by Moses and the Gospel of Gods Grace and His Truth was committed by the glorified Lord to Paul .  With Moses strict obedience  was commanded. Read Deuteronomy 4:26: I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed" The folk Israel. was disobedient and so they couldn't enter the land Canaan.  How different is the Gospel of Gods Grace my dear brothers and sisters. Salvation is a free gift Romans 3:25. The Law was the Ministration of death II Corinthians 3:7 and the ministration of condemnation II Corinthians 3:9. My brother and sisters: we live under God's Grace and not under God's Law. Christ hath redeemed us form the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us" Galatians 3:13

Chapter 1 verse 18

No man hath seen God at any time; 

the only begotten Son , Which is in the bosom

of the Father, He hath declared Him

Verse 18: This is a general truth my dear brothers and sisters: no man hath seen God. I Timothy 6 verse 15 and 16 tells us the following: "Which in His times He shall shew, who is the blessed an only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting Amen. Yes we cannot see God how He is. No man hath seen God at any time” (John 1:18) because no man can see Him and live. In Exodus 33 verse 20  we read: And He said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live" We know whom He is and what He has done for us through His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ His only begotten Son Who is in the bosom of the Father Hath declared Him. The bosom was the place of the most intimate relationship imaginable, and that is what John is telling us here in this verse Christ has with the Father.

Christ was and is God in the flesh. So people could recognize that Christ was not such a man like they were as Israel in that time.  He was in the likeness of men: He was 100% Man and 100% God without sin. We cannot imagine what this is without sin and He declared God the Father!

Chapter 1 verse 19

And this is the record of John , when the Jews

sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to 

ask him, Who art thou?

 

Verse 19 This is the record of John: John is using official language because a King is being introduced! Israel will never be able to say they didn’t recognize their King because He wasn’t given a proper introduction. The Jewish authorities  send priests and levites from Jerusalem to ask John the Baptist who he is. They didn't really not know who he was. In Luke 3:15 we read: And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not" It was for them the folk of Israel strange to see such a man near the Jordan river and preaching the baptism of repentace for the remission of sins. In the time John the Baptist came into all the country about Jordan two high priests were in Israel Annas and Caiaphas. Read Luke 3: 2 and 3!

Chapters 1 : 20

And he confessed and denied not but confessed, I am not the Christ

Verse 20: My brothers and sisters in Christ. John the apostle is speaking about John the Baptist. He confessed and didnt lie. That is important what we see here. They the Jews of Jeruzalem the Levites and priests thought that he John was the Christ but he John the Baptist said he was not Christ. No he was send by God as the forerunner of Christ. That he was my brothers and sisters. Read also verse 30 of this first Chapter. 

Chapter 1:21

And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias. And he said

I am not. Art  thou that prophet? An he answered No. 

 

Verse 21:The Levites and priest from Jerusalem kept asking because they wanted to know who John was. They were not satisfied with the answer that he said I am not the Christ. They really wanted to know who he was. Was this to know only because of curiosity or were they really interested in him and what he preached to the people in the wilderness near the river Jordan. No my opinion is that they were not really interested in him because of the fact that they asked him later in verse 25 why he baptized people if he was not the Christ or Elias and neither that prophet was. It was only because of curiosity. Art thou Elias. He said honestly to them that he was not Elias and not that prophet what they thought he was. He say them the truth later in the chapter who he was. That Prophet comes from Deuteronomy 18 verse 15 where we read: The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me: unto Him ye shall hearken" That Prophet with a big P is our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Chapter 1:22

Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give

an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?

 

Verse 22: The levites and priests who were send from Jerusalem asked again John the Baptist: who art thou? Because that was their task to tell the authorities in Jerusalem who he was: that they could give an answer to them that send them. An then in the end what sayest thou of thyself. What you can see here is that more or less they forced him to say who he was. It was important for the authorities to know who he was. The authorities were the Pharisees. A religious group in Israel at the time when Jesus Christ was on earth. The Pharisees believed in resurrection and angels. Read Acts 23:8!

The apostle Paul originally before his conversion was also a Pharisee. Listen to his words: But when Paul received that the one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council. Men and brethren, I am a Pharisee, the son of a Pharisee: of the hope and resurrection of the dead I am called in question Acts 23:6

 

Chapter 1:23

He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness,

Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the 

prophet Esaias

 

Verse 23: This verse let us see the words of Esaias: For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet esaias, saying

The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight  Matthew 3:3 Esaias 40: 1-5. John was the voice of one crying and to prepare the way fo the Lord. Make straight in the desert a highway for our God" The purpose of John the Baptist was to receive the Messiah!  The folk Israel was in need of repentance and cleansing from sin  Read Matthew 3:2; 4:17,23!  John preached “the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins” (Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3). Therefore, came Jerusalem and all Judea to John “and were baptized by him in Jordan, confessing their sins” Matthew 3:5,6). So to prepare Israel for their Messiah and entrance into the promised Kingdom, this purifying and cleansing ceremony of the Mosaic Law became especially important! 

Chapter 1:24

And they which were sent were of the Pharisees

Verse 24: To explain again. The ones who were send from Jerusalem were send by the authorities of the Pharisees propably the High Priest at Jerusalem. They had the assignment to find out whom this man John was and than to turn to Jerusalem to tell the leaders of Jerusalem whom he was. They came not in the first place to be baptized by Him because they didn't believe and had no sorrow about their sins. In Matthew we can see and read what John the Baptist said unto them there: But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come unto his baptism, he said unto them. O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance. And think not say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham" Matthew 3: 7-9

Chapter 1:25

And they asked him, and said unto him,

Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that

Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?

 

Verse 25: From this verse we can conclude that they really didn't know why John was baptizing people with water if he was not Christ or Elias or that prophet after he explained who he was. We know that water baptism was nothing new for the folk Israel  since they did not ask John what he was doing (John 1:25). The many Old Testament ceremonial washings of the Jews were baptisms. And we’ve already seen “why” he baptized: to identify Israel as God’s priests to the world (Ex.19:6; 29:4). That was it but those from the Pharisees didn't understand it. You see the blindness of them, spiritual blindness. They were religious and believed in the Law of Moses and in the works to do. They brought no fruits meet for repentance. It was a generation of vipers. They were hypocrites. That brings religion with him.  

 

Chapter 1:26

John answered them, saying, I baptize

with water: but there standeth One

among you, Whom ye know not

 

Verse 26:John the Baptist answered them , the Jews, again and said unto them: I baptize with water. In Luke 3 verse 16 we read a similar verse: "John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I cometh, the latchet of Whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire" At the time John told them the One and that is Jesus Christ was among them" He was already in the world but the world didn't know who He was and also the Israelites,Jews didn't know Him. They didn't know that He was their Messiah. Today under this Dispensation of Grace under which we live, a lot of people in this world doesn't know who He is. He is the Savior of this world! Now Christ is in heaven on the right Hand of God. He sits there and He is still rejected by this world. He loves you my dear reader and want

to save you if you have not accepted Him as your Savior. He gave His life for you, yes for you and me He gave His life on Calvary. Don't put off until tomorrow because tomorrow can be to late. Recognize that you are a sinner and that the Lord Jesus Christ died for your sins and that He died to save sinners like you and me. Romans 5:12, Romans 5: 6 and 8, I Corinthians 15:3 and 4. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Acts 16: 31

Chapter 1 verse 27
He is it, Who coming after me is preferred before me,

whose shoe's latchet i am not worthy to unloose

 

Verse 27: John the Baptist here in this verse is speaking about our Lord Jesus Christ who will come after him, John. Our Lord Jesus Christ was before John the Baptist. God lives from eternity to eternity. Christ is God in the Flesh. He is the Son of God. He was before the world began. Through Him everything is created by God. John the Baptist was the greatest man ever born (Mt.11:11), and so if he wasn’t fit to untie the Lord’s shoe (John 1:27), neither are we my brothers and sisters. If you are not saved, you need to trust Christ as personal Savior Acts 16:31. He is worthy and we are unworthy. God loved us that's why Christ came to earth to die for sinners like you and me and to give us eternal life my dear brothers and sisters. I Timothy 1:15, I Corinthians 15:3-4. 

Chapter 1 verse 28

These things were done in Bethabara beyond

Jordan where John was baptizing

 

verse 28 : What John said to the Pharisees and what he did: baptizing people  was done in Bethabara beyond the river Jordan. All things happened there what we have seen in the verses before this vers. It was in the wilderness and John baptized the people of Jerusalem and Judea.“Bethabara” means “house of passage,” because Israel had to pass over the river Jordan to enter the Promised Land. Exactly the same place John baptized people there with water.  Passing over the river Jordan symbolized death, passing into the next life. John baptized in Bethabara, for baptism was required for salvation (Mark 1:4; 16:16; Acts 2:38), otherwise people couldn’t pass over into eternal life without waterbaptism! They came to him to be baptized and confessing their sins near the river Jordan. The baptism with water was for the forgiveness of sins.  

 

Chapter 1 verse 29

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him,

and saith Behold the Lamb of God, which

taketh away the sin of the world

 

Verse 29: John the Baptist saw the next day Jesus coming unto him. In Matthew 3 verse 13-17 we read the following verse: Then cometh jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John to be baptized of him. But John forbad Him, sayng I have need to be baptized of thee and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.Then he suffered Him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and , lo , the heavens were opened unto Him, and he saw the Spirit of God, descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him: and lo a voice from heaven saying, this is my beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased. This is what happened when John saw Jesus coming unto him and here in this verse he said Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. On what manner the Lord Jesus taketh away the sin of the world that's not told here. This was not revealed to men. They knew only that He was the One Who taketh away the sin of the world. This was His purpose first to taketh the sin of the world. First He had to die for this world, for the folk Israel and later to come back and begin the Kingdom as King and reign as King 1000 years. That was and is the plan for Israel. The people of Israel didn't understand this. They thought He was coming only to save them from their enemies the Romans. They didn't understand that first He had to die on the cross. That's why they rejected Him together with the Romans and later they crucified Him on the cross on Calvary. This was the most cruel death ever. In the epistles of the apostle Paul we know now why our Lord died on that cross on Calvary. In I Timothy 1:15 we read: "This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners" Yes Jesus Christ is the perfect Lamb of God Who died for you an me. Animals blood couldn't take away sin of men. But Jesus Christ His blood is for the forgiveness of sins. Yes He died for you and me on that cross on Calvary because we are sinners my dear brothers and sisters. He took all our sins in His body on that cross on Calvary and paid the full prize for us there. If you don't believe in Him yet why not to believe in Him? Why not believe that He died for you too on that cruel cross on Calvary? "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved" Acts 16:31 If you do that you are saved for all eternity and you will become a new man in Him and your sins be forgiven forevermore. 

Chapter 1 verse 30

This is He of Whom I said, After me cometh a

Man Which is preferred before me: For He was

before me

 

Verse 30: In this verse 30,31  there is another reason to give us why John baptized people: to make Christ “manifest to Israel.” 31. After Him Christ would come and Christ was before John the Baptist and the Chosen One to do the will of the Father and fulfill all righteousness! 

Chapter 1 verse 31

And I knew Him not: but that He should be made manifest to 
Israel, therefore am I com baptizing with water

 

Verse 31: In all his life John the Baptist didn't know the Lord before the Lord Jesus Christ came to him in the river Jordan. He had never seen the Lord Jesus Christ in his life. He John was send by the Lord that Christ should be made manifest to Israel. He, John baptized the people with water and this was for the forgiveness of sins. 

 

Chapter 1 verse 32

And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit

descending from heaven like a dove, and it 

abode upon Him. 

 

Verse 32: What does it mean when John the Baptist say here in this verse he bare record? It means John the Baptist was witness and said I saw the Spirit. That is the Holy Spirit. That Holy Spirit of God descend from heaven like a dove. It was not a dove but like a dove. A dove represents peace of the deepest kind. That's what the Spirit of God was when John the Baptist saw Him descending for heaven. And this Spirit came stayed upon the Lord Jesus Christ. On the moment John had baptized our Lord Jesus Christ. In Luke 3 verse 22 we read: "And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in Thee I am well pleased"

 

Chapter 1 verse 33

And I knew Him not: but He that sent me to baptize with water,

the Same said unto me, Upon Whom thou shalt see the 

Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, the Same is He 

which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost

 

Verse 33: Again we see the same words: I knew Him not. John had not seen the Lord Jesus Christ to man and family John was 

the cousin of the Lord Jesus Christ. Still he had never seen Him before and knew Him not but God Who send John to baptize with water for the forgiveness of sins that same God said unto him. Let him know: upon Whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on Him, He is the Same Who will baptize with the Holy Ghost. We see here in this verse something which is not said: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire. We read the last verse in Matthew 3 verse 11. Here in this verse 33 it is missing. We know now why the Lord Jesus Christ not yet had baptized with fire. This had to do with the Judgment Day. This has not yet come and God dealings with Israel to whom John the Baptist spoke is stopped because of their unbelief of their fall Romans 11:11, 25. We live now in a another Dispensation: the Dispensation of the Grace of God Ephesians 3;1-3 my dear brothers and sisters. We are members of the Body of Christ, the Church I Corinthians 12:13 and Israel is for a time set aside. God has inserted this oikonomia, this Dispensation of Grace. This Dispensation whereunder we now live takes now nearly 2000 years. 

Chapter 1 verse 34

And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God

 

Verse 34: With the baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ John saw and witness that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He heard also that voice from heaven which said: "Thou art my beloved Son; in Thee I am well pleased". So John saw and hear it after the baptism of water: the voice he heard saying this that our Lord was the beloved Son and that God was well pleased in Him. 

 

Chapter 1 verse 35

Again the next day after John stood, and 

two of his disciples

 

Verse 35: John the Baptist had also disciples. What is a disciple? A disciple is a learner. A scholar, sometimes applied to the followers of John the Baptist (Matthew 9:14). And two of his disciples were the next day after that John had baptized the Lord Jesus Christ and they were looking. What they were looking at we see in the next verse. 

Chapter 1 verse 36

And looking upon Jesus as He walked, he saith. Behold the Lamb of God

 

Verse 36: They looked upon Jesus. It must have been a special sight my dear brothers and sisters. We haven't seen Him. We don't see Him on earth. Our Lord Jesus Christ is in heaven on the Right Hand of the Father. Still He is with us because of His Spirit Which lives in us Ephesians 1:13,14. We are sealed by His Spirit. But those disciples of John saw the Lord Jesus Christ on earth, They saw Him walking and John saith to them: Behold the Lamb of God. Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God, the Perfect Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of this world. 

Chapter 1 verse 37

And the two disciples heard Him speak and they 

followed Jesus

 

Verse 37: My brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ. The two disciples of John the Baptist, two of his scholars who learned a lot of him heard Christ speaking! They left John and followed Jesus Christ on earth. It must have been something special that they saw Him and heard Him speaking!  He spoke sound Words, really sound Words and the Truth He spoke that's why they followed Him. Later in this chapter we read the Names of the disciples

Chapter 1 verse 38 

The Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, 

What seek ye? They said unto Him, Rabbi, (which is to say,

being interpreted, Master) where dwellest thou?

Verse 38: Our Lord turned around because He knew that He has been followed. He knows and knew everything. God knows the hearts of men and what they are doing. Nothing is hidden for Him. He saw them following and asked them where they were looking for. Their answer was unto Him Rabbi. They recognized that He was a Rabbi, a Master and asked Him because they wanted to follow Him and said where dwellest Thou? They wanted not only to know where He lived but also to be with Him. They longed to be with Him that's why they asked Him this. The Words that He spoke were so powerful and mighty and we know Gods Word is. In Hebrews 4 verse 12 we read: "For the Word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the divding asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart"

Chapter 1 verse 39

He saith unto them, Come and see. they came and saw

where He dwelt, and abode with Him that day: for it was

about the tenth hour

 

Verse 39: Our Lord Jesus Christ showed the two disciples of John the Baptist the place where He on that moment dwelt. They asked Him to be with Him that day. Where  are You dwelling may have suggested, if you are to busy now, we can visit later. It was 10 AM. They were so impressed of Jesus Christ. They called Him Rabbi or Master. He told them a lot of Gods Word and this touched their hearts. They wanted to hear more of Him so they asked Him to stay with Him. They were convinced that He was the Messiah, that they found Him!!!

Chapter 1 verse 40
One of the two which heard John speak, and followed Him, was

Andrew, Simon's Peter's brother

 

Verse 40: One of the Disciples of John the Baptist who followed out Lord Jesus Christ on earth was Andrew the brother of Simon Peter. Andrew was with the other disciple so impressed of our Lord Jesus Christ that he found later his brother Simon Peter and brought him to Jesus Christ and the same happened with John who brought his brother James to the Lord. We do not know so much about Andrew but what we see here is very great: To invite his brother Simon Peter to come to the Lord Jesus Christ and be also a disciple of Jesus Christ on earth. Both Andrew and John were their brothers keepers. Not as Cain said to the Lord in Genesis 4:9: And the Lord said unto Cain. Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?  Cain lied to the Lord. He had murdered his brother to death and now he lied too that he didn't know where is brother was and that he have to take care about him. In general my brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ this is the mentallity of the sin nature of men in general: I don't care about anyone else. But here we have these men who followed our Lord on earth much cared about their brothers and brought them to the Lord. It is a real testimony and something to think about it that we as members of the Body of Christ do care about each other and also about unbelievers in this world! Let us not be selfish but let God do the work and love through us to others and share the wonderful Gospel of the Grace of God Acts 20:24, Romans 16: 25-26, I Corinthians 15:3-4, Romans 5:8! 

Chapter 1 verse 41

He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have

found the Messias, which is being interpreted, the Christ

Verse 41: He, that is Andrew, found his brother Simon. Andrew was looking for his brother and found him! And now he surprises his brother very enthousiastic and full sure that he and John had found the Messias. This was really a witness. Messiah is a Hebrew word and means anointed and the Greek word for this is Christ!  Hebrew originally word Mashiach, Messiah. It was really special that Andrew and John former disciples of John the Baptist found the Messiah, Christ and they were convinced of that so they told their brothers too that they have found Him and that they should also follow the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the Word of God which convince us too my brothers and sisters to believe in it! Romans 10:17

Chapter 1 verse 42
And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, He 

said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called

Cephas, which is by interpretation , A stone. 

 

Verse 42: After Andrew had found his brother Simon and told him about the Messiah, Christ which is Anointed One, he brought Simon or Peter to the Lord Jesus Christ and Jesus Christ beheld him, Simon. What does the word beheld mean?  To gaze upon ! So our Lord was gaze upon Simon when Simon was brought by his brother Andrew to the Lord. He, our Lord said something very special to Simon. He knew that Simon was the son of Jona and he told Simon this. Our Lord did know everything because He was God Himself in the flesh. That's why he told Simon: thou art the son of Jona. And now it comes: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation a stone. The Name of Simon was changed into Cephas or Peter. It changed Simon's  life: Peter in Greek language and Cephas in Aramaic. Peter was originally a weak person but through the Lord he became a strong person in Christ and that's why he got a new Name and that is interpreted stone. Later he became the leader of the 12 apostles. The Lord gave him a lot of responsibilities later! 

Chapter 1 verse 43

The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee and

findeth Philip and saith unto him, Follow me

 

Verse 43: Our Lord Jesus Christ went into the land of Galilee. He went there with a purpose: to call men to be His disciples! And He, the Lord Jesus Christ found Philip. And He said to Philip: Follow me. It would have been impressed Philip so much like the other disciples too that he immediately after hearing this call he followed our Lord on earth. Andrew and Peter were fishermen and lived near the Sea of Gallilee, Sea of Tiberias also known. They were also called and we read that in Matthew 4 verse 18-21: "And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. And they straigthway left their nets, and followed Him". It is very remarkable here in this last verse that they immediately left their nets and followed Him. They heard His call and His Word I will make you fishers of men. This was so special that they couldn't refuse and they obeyed Him and followed Him. 

     My wife and me were last year there on this Sea and it is beautiful Sea! It has the form of a harp and special in the morning when you see the Sunrise there it is very beautiful and it is a peaceful and quiet place!  I love that place and it made a big impression on me. When you are there you think back to the Four Gospels and realize that our Lord Jesus Christ walked there and spoke the Word of God there to the people.

    Now Philip we see in the next verse came from Bethsaida near the Sea of Galilee and this we have also seen. This was also a beautiful place. We saw the rests of the Synagogue and the house of Peter's mother in Law. So our Lord called Philip there in the neigbourhood of his home and called him to be a disciple.  The disciples were not learned men. They were simple people. In Acts 4 verse 13 we read: Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus. 

Chapter 1 verse 44

Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter

 

Verse 44: All three men came from Bethsaida: Philip, Andrew and Peter. Was this by chance? No it wasn't. There is no coincidence with God. God knew before He would call this 3 men from the same city. God is omniscient!  He knows everything and knows the heart of men. Jesus Christ called those men: Two of them were fishers, simple men. Not wise in the eyes of men in this world. Let us read I Corinthians 1 verse 26: "For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called" And this is now my brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ: most people in the Body of Christ, the Church are not wise persons, not many are learned people. Why not? The answer is that for learned men, Academici or intellectuals it is very difficult to receive the Word of God and to learn the wisdom of God. It will not say that there are not learned men or women in the Body of Christ. There are but they are in the minority. 

Chapter 1 verse 45

Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him. We have found 

Him, of whom Moses in the Law and the prophets, did write,

Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.

Verse 45:Philip became a follower of Christ, he became a disciple and he was so impressed through our Lord and what He spoke to the people that he find Nathanael. Probably Nathanael was a friend of Philip and Philip told him: we have found Him! What a big joy this must have been!!! For them to find the Lord Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph!!! In Deuteronomy 18 verse 15 we read there: "The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me: unto Him ye shall hearken. In this verse Moses is telling the people of Israel that there will be a Prophet come in the midst of them in the future and like Moses and to Him they shall hearken. In Luke 24 verse 27 the Lord explained to the men going to Emmaus the following words: "And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself"  The Scriptures confirmed that there is written about our Lord Jesus Christ, about His coming to earth: in the Law and under the prophets. He came from Nazareth and the son of Joseph according the human line. 

Chapter 1 verse 46
And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing

come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, 

Come and see

 

Verse 46: See the answer here in this verse of Nathanael to Philip his friend; Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Nathanael was not enthousiastic in the first place. He couldn't believe what Philip told him. Our Lord was born in Bethlehem but grew up in Nazareth and bore that stigma: our Lord was called a Nazarene Matthew 2: 23. A Nazarene meant to be looked down on and rejected. So Nathanael argued here and disappointed but Philip took the words of our Lord and remained enthousiastic and said to Nathanael: Come and see. It is first come with me and see and your judgements will maybe disappear! Come is the great invitation of God's Grace. 

Chapter 1 verse 47

Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him,

and saith of him. Behold an Israelite

indeed, in whom is no guile!

 

 

Verse 47: Philip brought Nathanael to our Lord Jesus and Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him. Nathanael was a Israelite and in him was no guile. Our Lord was referring to Jacob, the ancestor of the Jews. Jacob's Name was later changed in Israel, a prince with God. After his name was changed Jacob now in Israel there was no guile in him. Before his name was changed into Israel he had beguiled people like his father and Laban 

Chapter 1 verse 48

Nathanael saith unto Him, Whence knowest thou me?

Jesus answered and said unto him. Before that Philip

called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. 

 

Verse 48: Nathanael was a little bit surprised by this and asked our Lord how he did know him. The Lord told him

that He saw him already under the fig tree before Philip called him. This let us see that our Lord knowed, knows everything

and He is more on one place. He is everywhere! He is omniscient. This is how He is. That our Lord revealed His knowledge of Nathanael hwre he had been and what he had been doing, the was enough to convince the man that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. And we see in the next verse what Nathanael said to our Lord Jesus Christ. Nathanael became convinced that Jesus was indeed the Son of God

Chapter 1 verse 49

Nathanael answered and saith unto Him, Rabbi, thou art the Son

of God; thou art the King of Israel

 

Verse 49: Nathanael was convinced of our Lord and answered and confirmed that Jesus Christ was and is Rabbi Master! And more he said listen and read carefully: thou art the Son of God! Thou art the King of Israel. King of Israel is the title similar to Messiah, the Anointed One. Kings weer always God's anointed  In Psalm 2 verse 6 and 7 we read: "Yet have I set my King upon my Holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. This Psalm is speaking about our Lord Jesus Christ: He is the Son of God and God tells Him here in this verses that!

Chapter 1 verse 50

Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said

unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou?

Thou shalt see greater things than these

 

Verse 50: Nathanael believed what the Lord told him that He saw him under the fig tree. Above this our Lord Jesus told Nathanael that he should see greater things than these because Nathanael became a disciple of our Lord on earth and in the 3 years of His ministry our Lord showed His disciples a lot of miracles and wonders He did. At the close of this fourth day our Lord Jesus Christ had six believing men who were His disciples. It was the half of His disciples He had already. The days after 6 other persons would be His disciples until 12 disciples. 12 Disciples because of the twelve Tribes of Israel and that they will reign with our Lord Jesus Christ when He will be King of Israel in the 1000 year Reign, the Millenial Kingdom on earth over the twelve Tribes of Israel. In Luke 22 verse 29 30 our Lord told his disciples: And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; That ye may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom, and sist on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel" 

Chapter 1 verse 51

And He saith unto him, Verily verily, I say unto you,

Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the

angels of God ascending and descending

upon the Son of man

 

Verse 51: Here we see Son of man and that is one of our Lord's favorite titles for Himself. This Son of man is 83 times used in the four Gospels and at least 13 times in the Gospel according to John. This title let you see both Deity and humanity of Jesus Christ. In Daniel 7 verse 13 we read the following words: "I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven and came to the Ancient of days and they brought him near before Him. The Son of man is the living link between heaven and earth. This is why our Lord spoke to Nathanael and the other disciples about the Jacob's ladder in Genesis 28. The Ladder is Christ and Christ is God's Ladder and God had send the angels to guard and guide Him. So the conclusion is that God's ladder is Christ between heaven and earth. In John 14 verse 6 we read: No man cometh to the Father, but by Me" The witness of this whole chapter is clear: Jesus of Nazareth is God come in the flesh! 

 

End of Chapter I

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Chapter 2

Introduction:

This chapter 2 is about the first miracle of Our Lord when He began His ministry on

earth and about the confrontation with the Jews at Jerusalem (temple) and about

foreseing His dying, grave and standing up from the death

 

Chapter 2 verse 1 and 2

And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee;

and the mother of Jesus was there. And both Jesus was called

and His disciples, to the marriage

 

Verse 1 and 2:

 Our Lord Jesus Christ was still in Galilee and He and His disciples were invited on a marriage. On this same marriage the mother of Jesus Mary was invited too  Apperently Mary knew the couple which were married and the families and friends too because otherwise she was not invited. Joseph her husband is not mentioned here. Could be that Joseph died already because the Bible does not mentioned him when Jesus Christ began His earthly ministry. Three days here in this verse means three days after the call of Nathanael. So our Lord was invited to come to the marriage in Cana and He accepted this social event. He was accompanied by His mother and His six disciples. Our Lord was not well known by people because He did not miracles in that time. Probably His relationship with Mary brought Him to this place, to this wedding! 

 

Chapter 2 verse 3

And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith

unto Him, They have no wine

Verse 3: A marriage or a wedding day without wine in the time our Lord was on earth was very annoying. People couldn't continue the wedding day without wine because the wine made them happy on such a day. It was for the groom to have adequate provisions. It would be embarrassing to run out of either food or wine. So to run out of wine could be costly both financially and socially. Mary reported this problem to our Lord Jesus Christ. She wanted that He did something to change this that is why she saith to Him They have no wine. Probably she expected that He would do something. The wine was up. This let us see that she didn't trust in our Lord and let us also see that she is a sinner just like you and me. 

 

Chapter 2 verse 4

Jesus saith unto her, Woman what have I 

to do with thee?  Mine hour is not yet come

Verse 4: Woman what our Lord saith to Mary is a polite way to address her. With other words why are you getting Me involved in this matter our Lord told her in fact. From that time on He would be doing what the Father wanted Him to do. He was making her clear with these words taht he no longer was under her supervision. Joseph his father already died. Our Lord lived on a heavenly timetable marked out for Him by the Father that's why He saith to her Mine hour is not yet come. The hour would come but not on that moment was His hour. The hour that that he was captured by corrupt men and they would beat Him and they would crucify Him on the cross on Calvary: that He would die for mankind on that cross and bear the sin of this world from every men. 

Chapter 2 verse 5

His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever He saith unto

you, do it

 

Verse 5: What she told the servants here let us see that Mary was willing to let her Son do whatever He pleased, that she has trusted Him to do what was right. A note here in these verses is that our Lord Jesus Christ solved the problem and not Mary because she couldn't solve the problem what had arisen that there was no wine anymore. He Christ took command and solved the problem and Mary pointed not to herself but to our Lord Jesus Christ. 

 

Chapter 2 verse 6

And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after 

the manner of purifying of the Jews containing

two of three firkins apiece

 

Verse 6: Six waterpots of stone were standing there. Each of the six stone waterpots could contain about twenty gallons each. What is a gallon? A gallon is 3,7 litres so twenty gallons is about 74 a 75 litres. That is a lot my dear brothers and sisters. This water in the waterpots was for the purifying of the Jews. In that time when God handled with Israel water was for purifying. That's why you had a lot of water rituals of purifying. Two of three firkins apiece. About 120 litres. That is much my brother and sisters. In the following verses we see what happened with the water in the pots. 

Chapter 2 verse 7

Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they

filled them up to the brim

 

Verse 7: Our Lord saith to the servants: Fill the waterpots with water. Each waterpot about 75 litres of water. That is in total about 450 litres of water because the filled them up to the brim and that is the top of the waterpot. They all were filled like this. The Bible does not mention here when the miracle happened. Maybe it was after the filling of water or directly when they put the water in it that it was changed into wine. They, the servants anyway obeyed our Lord Jesus Christ and filled them with water up to the brim. They obeyed His authority and did it and later they knew that He changed the water into wine: that the miracle He did had taken place before their eyes. 

Chapter 2 verse 8

And He saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the 

governor of the feast. and they bare it. 

 

Verse 8: After filling the waterpots with water the Lord told the servants of the feast to draw out and bear unto the 

governor of the feast. Still they obeyed Him. They trusted Him and obeyed His voice. They accepted His authority. They had to bear what they draw out and bring it to the governor of the feast. Think the words He saith was with authority and very impressive so the servants obeyed it. The servants drew out  and served was transformed into wine. What a miracle was this: water changed into wine. Our Lord did it! 

Chapter 2 verse 9

When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water

that was made wine, and knew not 

whence it was (but the servants which drew the

water knew the governor of the feast called the

bridegroom

 

Verse 9: The governor or ruler of the feast had tasted the water what they, the servants brought to him and tasted wine but he didn't know where the wine came from because there was no wine before so that was a little bit strange. The servants who brought him the wine to taste knew that the water was made into wine. The governor didn't know who did this and where the wine came from. He called after tasting the bridegroom to let him know that there was still wine at the feast. He didn't know, realize that this was a miracle done by our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Chapter 2 verse 10

And saith unto him. Every man at the beginning

doth set forth good wine; and when men have well

drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept

the good wine until now

Verse 10: The governor saith to the bridegroom something remarkable that every man at the beginning give the good wine and the worst wine, the not so good wine they serve at the end of the feast. But he said to him thou hast kept the good wine for the end, until now. He thought the bridegroom had the good wine in the end but didn't know who had changed water into wine and made it a possible feast till the end. It was our Lord Jesus Christ Who did this miracle changing water into wine and it was very good wine!

Chapter 2 verse 11

This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and 

manifested forth His glory; and His disciples

believed on Him. 

 

Verse 11 In Cana our Lord Jesus Christ began His miracles. Why He started with miracles? First we see here to let the people of Israel to manifest forth His Glory that they could see that He was and is God. Second when God was busy with His folk Israel miracles and wonders happened for their eyes. Why was this? In I Corinthians 1 verse 22 we read: For the Jews reguire a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom" The Jews asked always signs and wonders otherwise they wouldn't believe in God. We are of the Gentiles and the Greeks here in this verse are Gentiles: we seek after wisdom. The wisdom of God is in His Word the Bible now to read and now specially for us as members of the Body of Christ the epistles of the apostle Paul: Romans until the end of Philemon. We see here that His disciples believed on Him. They trusted Him although a lot was not clear for them. Later after Christ's ressurection from the dead they began to understand more. 

 

Chapter 2 verse 12

After this He went down to Capernaum, He, and His mother, and His brethren,

and His disciples: and they continued there not many days

 

Verse 12:  From Cana where our Lord did His first miracle before the Jews He went down to Caparnaum. Capernaum now was on the sea of Galilee while Cana was more inland. How He went down. That means that Cana was a more higher place than Capernaum. In Capernaum was a synagoge of the Jews. Last year in Israel we saw the place Capernaum and also rests of a synagoge! It was very impressive to see this all! He went not by His own, no. His mother and His brethren and His disciples accompanied Him to Capernaum. Capernaum was also in Galilee and our Lord went a lot of times to Galilee. He stayed there in Capernaum with His mother and brethren and disciples not many days. Who were His brethren? I believe they were His brethren according the flesh. Joseph and Mary got more sons according the flesh and they were James, Joseph/Joses, Simon and Judah or Jude and our Lord had also sisters. In Matthew 12 verse 46 until verse 49 we read: "While He yet talked to the people, behold His mother and His brethren stood without, desiring to speak with Him. Then one said unto Him, Behold thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with Thee. But He answered and said unto him that told Him, Who is my mother? And who are my brethren? This is remarkable because in John 7 verse 5 we read later For neither did His brethren believe in Him. They accompanied here our Lord to Capernaum because they were with their mother also on the wedding feast and after the miracle they went with Him to Capernaum because of their mother. Joseph their father was not anymore in the picture. Probably he died already. 

Chapter 2 verse 13

And the Jews passover was at hand 

and Jesus went up to Jerusalem

 

Verse 13: The Jewish Passover was at hand. What was the Passover? First this: Each Jewish man was required to attend three anual feasts at the Holy City Jerusalem. That was the Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles. In Deuteronomy 16 verse 16 we read the following verse: Three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the Lord thy God in the place which he shall choose; in the feast of unleavened bread, and in the feast of weeks, and in the feast of tabernacles: and they shall not appear before the Lord empty"  The Passover was fhe first  and this was the feast of unleavened bread. We read in Deuteronomy 16 verses 1-3 the following: "Observe the month of Abib, and keep the Passover unto the Lord thy God: for in the month of Abib the Lord thy God brought thee forth out of Egypt by night. Thou shalt therefore sacrifice God of the flock and the herd, in the place which the Lord shall choose to place His name there. Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of afflication; for thou camest forst out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life"  This the Lord decided for His folk Israel and they had to keep this law. So this was written to Israel when God was dealing with them. When our Lord was on earth God was dealing with Israel. 

 

Chapter 2 verse 14

And found in the temple those

that sold oxen en sheep and doves,

and the changers of money sitting

Verse 14: Our Lord Jesus Christ went with the Passover to Jerusalem because this was written in the law as male to visit Jerusalem 3 times a year and the first time was the Passover. He went to the temple and found in the temple those who sold oxen, sheep, doves and the changers of money were also sitting there. The temple in Jerusalem was in the time our Lord was on earth the House of His Father. God was in the temple. Our Lord was faithful to the Law. The temple was made into a business instead a religious market as it used to be. People were selling animals and there were changers sitting there for the money because a lot of Jewish people who lived outside Israel came in those days to Jerusalem to worship God in the temple. The temple was not made for selling things like animals and changing money but people made of this a business in the temple because this was the centre of Jerusalem and everyone came here. They had left God who did this and went their own ways. Obeying the law they (Israel) could not hold it. It is the same today. How more laws there are in a country how more violations

 

Chapter 2 verse 15

And when He had made a scourge of small cords, He drove

them all out of the temple, and the sheep and the oxen; 

and poured out the changers money, and overthrew the tables

 

Verse 15: We see here in this verse the Lord Jesus in action because the temple in Jerusalem which was His Fathers house was defiled! He came in action. He made a scourge of small cords and drove them all out of the temple. He was cleansing by this action the temple, His Fathers house. It was not a place of ministry anymore but the people had made it a place of business. That He stopped by this action. He drove all the people out with sheep, oxen and poured out the changers money and overthrew the tables! He couldn't see anymore this kind of business in His Father's temple. It was the house of God! In this our Lord was right and what He did was right, upright! 

Chapter 2 verse 16

And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence;

make not my Fathers house an house of merchandise

 

Verse 16: The Lord is very clear here to the men who sold doves and other things: take the doves with you 

and all the things you have and disappear, go away! So our Lord drove them not only out of the temple but 

told them also to leave the temple and make not the temple which was His Fathers house an house of 

merchandise. The Fathers house, the temple was a place of worship and service for the Lord and not a place

to handle in animals and changing money. This let you see how deep the folk was away from God's standards and

rules under the Law. They didn't remember anymore for what purpose the temple was made for. That's why our Lord

told them not to make His Father's house an house of merchandise. We as members of the Body of Christ now are the

temple of the Holy Ghost. God is now living in us through His Spirit Ephesians 1:13 and 14. I Corinthians 6 verse 19 tells

us the following: What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of 

God, and ye are not your own? So to neglect your body is not good for you and me to do as members of the Body of Christ. 

Chapter 2 verse 17

And His disciples remembered that it was written

The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up

 

Verse 17: From Psalm 69 verse 10 this verse is taken and we read there in this Psalm the following words: For the zeal  of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me" Psalm 69 is definitely a psalm about the Messiah. Our Lord cleansed the temple and He declared war on the hypocritical and religious leaders of Israel and this led to His death. That's why it is written here His zeal for God's house did eat Him up! He also revealed His zeal through giving His life. This brings us to the following verse! 

Chapter 2 verse 18

Then answered the Jews and said unto Him. What

sign shewest thou unto us seeing that thou doest

these things

 

Verse 18: The Jewish religious people and leaders were asking here for a sign from our Lord. They wanted to know by what authority He did this: to make the temple, His Fathers house clean? The Jews asked always signs. Again in I Corinthians 1: 22 we read For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom" As long as God was dealing with Israel they require signs from God otherwise they didn't believe. In John 6 verse 30 we see: "They said therefore unto Him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe Thee? Waht dost thou work? Often during His ministry the Jews and specially the leaders asked our Lord Jesus to give them a sign. He refused to do so except the sign of Jonah in Matthew 12:39. The sign of Jonah is death, burial and resurrection. We from the nations from nature we search for wisdom and not for signs. 

 

Chapter 2 verse 19

Jesus answered and sait unto them

Destroy this temple, and in 

three days I will raise it up

 

Verse 19: Our Lord Jesus Christ used the temple as example to convey the truth: Destroy this temple He said. What He meant here was His body and in three days I will raise it up! The Jews and leaders were spiritually blind so they couldn't understand Him what He was saying to them. There became a misunderstanding about this. Herod's temple was started in 20 B.C. . How could one man say Raise it up in three days? This fact was of course a prediction of His own death and resurrection of the dead after 3 three days. His disciples remembered after His resurrection these words of Him. 

 

Chapter 2 verse 20

Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this

temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in 

three days? 

Verse 20: The Jews didn't understand His Words to them: Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. They were very amazed when He told them this. They couldn't believe that's why they asked Him: thou wilt rear it up in three days? How can this be? But the Jews were spiritually blind. They misunderstood  what He was saying. They thought He was speaking about the temple, His Fathers house. 

 

Chapter 2 verse 21

But He spake of the temple of His body

 

Verse 21: Our Lord spoke about His Own Body when He spoke about this temple to destroy and in three days I will raise it up. They couldn't understand Him because they were spiritually blind. This is said about the Jews, the religious Jews people. John in his Gospel he described the following: first the slaying of the Lamb in John 1:29. The destroying of the temple is the second one John 2:19 and the third picture is of the serpent lifted up John 3:14. We now know that the Saviour would be made sin for us. I Peter 2:24 and for the folk Israel, His death was complete voluntary. The Shepherd would lay down His life for the sheep. But the death couldn't hold Him because He rose from the dead after three days. 

 

Chapter 2 verse 22

When therefore He was risen from the dead, His disciples remembered

that he had said this unto them; and they believed the Scriptures

and the Word which Jesus had said. 

 

Verse 22: After He was risen from the dead His disciple rembembered His Word what He had told them. They 

believed the Scriptures, they believes God's Word. The Jews who asked Him in verse 20 didn't rembember or

wished not to remember His Words. The disciples from our Lord believed the Scriptures. Again we read in Romans

10 verse 17: "So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. So faith or belief, trusting, cometh

always by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Our Lord spoke the Word of God because He was and is God Himself in the flesh. These Words were so impressive that they remembered those Words He spoke later when He was risen from the dead!

The temple His Body is the temple and there was no need for the Jewish temple. These words He spoke let us see the end of the Jewish religious system. The legal system has ended and Grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ and it came my dear brothers and sisters and now we live under Gods Grace and not under the Law anymore. Jesus Christ is the new Sacrifice and the New temple

Chapter 2 verse 23

Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover

in the feast day, many believed in His Name,

when they saw the miracles which He did

 

Verse 23: Our Lord Jesus Christ was in Jerusalem at the Passover and in the feast day and many believed in Him because

of the miracles He did before their eyes. Jews asking always for signs. That's why our Lord did a lot of miracles before their eyes. He healed a lot of people in His earthly ministry,  who were sick. Here in this verse it is not written what He precisely did for miracles. They believed in Him but He didn't believe in them. He knew what was in their hearts, He knew what was in men. 

 

Chapter 2 verse 24

But Jesus did not commit Himself unto them,

because He knew all men

 

Verse 24: What is the meaning of this verse my dear brothers and sister: Jesus did not commit Himself unto them. Why not? The answer is because He knew all men, He knew their hearts.  He knew that in general men of Israel did not have God's love in their hearts and that is the reason He did not commit Himself unto them. He is and was God in the flesh that dwelled here on earth in Israel. God knows everything and knows every heart, still today my dear brothers and sisters. If we read further on in the gospel according to John we see Jesus Christ moving gradually out  of the bright light of popularity into the dark shadows of rejection. In the beginning it was easy for the people to follow the crowd and watch His miracles but then His Words He began to tell them reached their hearts to conviction and following Him to conversion or opposition. People decided and most of the people in Israel decided to be against Him. 

 

Chapter 2 verse 25

And needed not that any should testify of man:

for He knew what was in man

 

Verse 25: Our Lord knew what was in man. This accurate knowledge of the human heart is anotherf evidence of His Deity for only God can see the inner person. Our Lord needed not that any man should testify of man. Because man is a sinner Romans 5:12. and not to trust so the testimony of man isn't perfect. So that's why he needed not that any should testify of man. 

 

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Chapter 3 verse 1

There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a

ruler of the Jews

Verse 1 This chapter starts with a man who's name is Nicodemus. A man of the Pharisees. What was a Pharisee? A Pharisee was a member of a Jewish religious party that flourished in Palestine during the latter part of the Second Temple period (515 BCE–70 CE). The Pharisees believed in the resurrection of the dead and in angels. The Sadducees the other religious party say that there is no ressurection nor angels, nor spirit. Acts 23 verse 8. So Nicodemus was one of the Pharisees and a ruler of the Jews! The Pharisees believed in the Law of Moses and had also their own rules. They tried the people of the folk to impose this. 

Chapter 3 verse 2

The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto Him, Rabbi

we know that Thou art a teacher come from God: for no

man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be

with him

Verse 2: Nicodemus had seen Jesus during the days and heard Him speaking and saw the miracles our Lord did. In this verse we read that Nicodemus had a great respect for our Lord. Nicodemus was a Pharisee we know and lived by the strickest possible religious rules. Nicodemus was not as many Pharisees who were hypocrites. He was deeply sincere searching for the truth. And he came by night, not by day. Why not? Was he afraid  to be seen with our Lord Jesus? No it was probably that during the night he had a more quiet conversation with out Lord. He called our Lord Rabbi and than he said we know. This is plural because Nicodemus represented the Pharisees here with we and later our Lord responded with the plural ye! Now Nicodemus was a man of high moral character, deep religious hunger but spiritual blind. He acknowledged and the pharisees with him that our Lord was a Special Person come from God because no man can do the miracles He did. God must have been with this Rabbi, otherwise all those miracles He did couldn't happen!  In this Nicodemus had a lot of respect for our Lord. Still he was not saved. 

Chapter 3 verse 3

Jesus answered and said unto him, 

Verily, verily, I say unto thee, 

Except a man be born again he cannot

see the kingdom of God

 

Verse 3: Our Lord gives His answer and that is Except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. Man must be born again. Born again here means from above. Our Lord was speaking of a supernatural birth from above. If a man has a supernatural birth from above than he can see the kingdom of God. Our Lord is here speaking about a spiritual birth. Not a physical birth but Nicodemus didn't understand what Jesus Christ was saying here because we read his reaction in the next verse. What does it mean verily verily? It means most assuredly or very truly. It connotes a strong affirmation. Our Lord used this often in the four gospels Only in the Gospel according to John our Lord used this 24 times. 

 

Chapter 3 verse 4

Nicodemus saith unto Him, How can a man be born

when he is old? Can he enter the second time into

his mother's womb, and be born? 

Verse 4: Nicodemus didn't understand the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was a teacher and a pharisee. He thought only of a physical bith. He was not a believer so to understand God's Word you have this to understand through God's Spirit. We see here very clear the blindness of man. The natural man cannot see, he is blind for the things of God and His Word. 

Chapter 3 verse 5

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the

Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God

 

Verse 5: To enter the Kingdom of God a man must be born again. Be born of water and of the Spirit. The “water” here is water baptism, without which you could not be saved under the kingdom program (Mark 1:4; 16:16; Acts 2:38). But it was believing and be baptized otherwise you couldn't enter the Kingdom. Be born again here we see this later also on Pentecost that people were under control of the Holy Spirit and couldn't sin. The working was different than nowadays : as a man or woman accept now  the Lord Jesus Christ as personal Savior he or she is immediately a new man in Christ and God's Spirit is living in that person immediately Ephesians 1;13, 14. Be born again here in this verse you can see this later on Pentecost: people believed and were baptized and after that they were under control of the Holy Spirit and couldn't sin. We as members of the Body of Christ can still sin but we are forgiven by the blood of Christ. We are not under control of the Holy Spirit. We as members of the Body of Christ there are verses about this: For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so tha tye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law  Galatians 5: 17-18.

Chapter 3 verse 6

That wich is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is

born of the Spirit is spirit. 

Verse 6: Being “born of the flesh” (John 3:6) is a reference to your first birth, a birth that brings us into this world spiritually unclean (Job 14:1-4; 25:4) and unrighteous (15:14) and without God!  Be born of the Spirit is spirit. That means that a person who was in that dispensation, under the Kingdom program,  born of the Spirit he couldn't sin. That person was under control of the Holy Spirit. We see this on Pentecost in Acts 2, 3 4!

Chapter 3 verse 7

Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again

Verse 7: Again our Lord told Nicodemus that he must be born again. Nicodemus wasn't born again. And Nicodemus has not to be asthonished about it. 

Chapter 3 verse 8

The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, 

but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is 

every one that is born of the Spirit

 

Verse 8: What did our Lord Jesus Christ mean when He likened those born of the Spirit to the wind (John 3:8)? The answer is that He was speaking about the mechanics of the new birth. He told Nicodemus that he was never to be able to figure out how men are born again. He was saying, “You can’t figure out a thing as simple as where the wind comes from or where it goes, so how can you figure out the new birth?” We read in Ecclesiastes 11:4 and 5 the following verses: " He that observeth the wind shall not sow, and He that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God Who maketh all" With his natural spirit, man cannot understand this and comprehend it. 

 

Chapter 3 verse 9

Nicodemus answered and said unto Him. How can

these things be? 

Verse 9: Nicodemus still couldn’t figure out how a Jew needed to be born again (John 3:9), so the Lord asked him for not knowing this (v.10)? We continue in verse 10 for this. 

 

Chapter 3 verse 10

Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel,

and knowest not these things?

 

Verse 10: Our Lord answered Nicodemus and said unto him. You are a master, you are a teacher, you are one of the leaders of Israel and you don't know these things? What didn't Nicodomus not know? Just before in verse 8: The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit" But if this is the first time the phrase “born again” appears, how could Nicodemus have to know this? Ah, but he was “a master” in Israel (3:10), he was a leader and not just a follower. As a leader, he should have noticed that throughout Israel’s history, God always rejected the firstborn, and accepted the second born, as He did with Ishmael & Isaac, Esau & Jacob, and Manasseh & Ephraim. So that's why the Lord asked him here this. 

Chapter 3 verse 11

Verily, verily , I say unto thee, We

speak that we know, and testify 

that we have seen; and ye receive

not our witness

 

Verse 11: The Lord goes on speaking to Nicodemus. The conclusion of this verse He spoke to Nicodemus was that religious leaders as Nicodemus claimed to believe Moses yet they could not believe in our Lord. They didn't receive the witness and authority of Christ. He and His Father were One. That was the problem our Lord saw in Nicodemus and all the other leaders, Pharisees etc. 

Chapter 3 verse 12

If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not,

how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? 

 

Verse 12: If our Lord told earthtly things to Nicodemus and he believed not, how could our Lord to share the deep spiritual truths? The lasts Nicodemus coudn't understand because he believed them not. In Hebrews 5 verse 12 we read: "For when for the time ye ought one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat" Nicodemus and the other leaders were spiritually blinded and need first the milk to hear. 

 

Chapter 3 verse 13

And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but He that came down from heaven, 

even the Son of man which is in heaven

 

Verse 13: No man had ascended to heaven except the Son The only one qualified to talk about heavenly things is one who had been to heaven —Christ! Christ came down from heaven. The Lord stopped talking in Verse 12 and here in this verse John is speaking, writing years later after the Lord ascended into heaven. Many times in the four Gospels our Lord is named the Son of man. “Son of God” speaks of our Lord’s Deity and the term “Son of David” speaks about His title as King of Israel, so the term “Son of Man” identifies Him as  Representative of mankind in general.

Chapter 3 verse 14

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son

of man be lifted up: 

Verse 14: Lifted up was a reference to Christ's  death on the cross. We read to John 12:32, 33: "And I , if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me. This he said , signifying what death he should die. He died on the cross on Calvary. He died for all mankind, for you and me on that cross on Calvary.  Men could only be saved by looking at the brazen serpent, a type of how men can only be saved from sin through Jesus Christ. He is represented by a serpent here  because He was made sin for us! Let us read II Corinthians 5: 21: "For He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him. 

 

Chapter 3 verse 15

That whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life

 

Verse 15: Everyone who believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. We know and that is because we have the whole Bible and we live under a new Dispensation, the Dispensation of Grace, that the whole world has been bitten by sin Romans 5:12 and that the wages of sin is death Romans 6:23. God send His Son to die, not only for Israel but for the whole world. Here in this verse God was only dealing with Israel. So people under the Kingdom program have to believe on Him by looking to Him in faith and believe in His Name and have eternal life. It was not made known that Jesus Christ died for our sins  here and that He is risen from the dead I Corinthians 15:3-4. Later was this made known and first to the apostle Paul. So we can use this verse in combination with verses from the epistles of the apostle Paul. Only to use this verse for evangelizing is not enough. 

Chapter 3 verse 16

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only

begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him

should not perish, but have everlasting life

 

Verse 16: A very famous verse of the Bible and used by thousand and thousand of men for evangelizing and to confront people with the belief in Jesus Christ! Most organizations and local churches use this verse for telling the Good News to people. John 3:16. But can someone be saved by reading just this one verse? The answer is no, this verse contains not all the information you need to be saved!  And second we read that God “gave” His Son!  A lot of people think it means that He gave Him to die on the cross. But that is not what it says, and that is not what it means. In the Bible, when it talks about sons being given, it is referring to how they are given in birth (Gen. 30:6; 48:9). And that is also what it means when it says God gave His Son. We read in Isaiah 9 verse 6 the following verse: For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.  It is true that John 3 verse 16 speaks of “whosoever believeth on Him,” but  there are a lot of people in this world who believe He was a real person, even “a teacher come from God” (3:2), but this isn’t enough to save you. You must believe He died for your sins and rose again I Corinthians 15:3-4. Read this for yourself! 

 

Chapter 3 verse 17

For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; 

but that that world through Him might be saved

 

Verse 17: No God send not His Son into the world to condemn the world. That was not the purpose. Who would think that Godt His Son to condemn us?  Anyone who had read the Old Testament! After hearing about all the sin and rebellion, you will think God would send His Son to condemn us! And you still think that, after He arrived and lived a sinless life, making us all look bad by comparison, seemingly giving God an excuse to condemn us. No wonder John has to say this is not why He was sent! No He send His Son to the world that the world through Him might be saved. The word “world” is a key word in John’s gospel, being used 80 times, God's plan here is to intent  to reach the world through Israel. Israel was the blessing channel through Christ! 

Chapter 3 verse 18

He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth

not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in

the name of the only begotten Son of God

 

Verse 18: My brothers and sisters this is also a general verse in the Bible, God's Word! He, individual person, that believeth on Him is not condemned. He or she is saved we know now because we have the whole Bible. In the time of John when he wrote this Gospel about the life of our Lord Jesus Christ  on earth they hadn't the Bible complete. The mystery which God revealed to the apostle Paul was not yet known by men so it was in that time of our Lord Jesus Christ on earth to believe on Him and that He was send by His Father in heaven and they had to believe in His Name to not be condemned. So this verse you can use only with more verses from the epistles of the apostle Paul to make it very clear to people. From birth we are in Adam and by this we are by nature condemned and separated from God except we begin to believe and accet our God and Savior Jesus Christ as personal Savior. For sure the person who doesn't believe in Him is already condemned.  Of course, this is not what most people believe in this world because most people  believe that we are all born good and headed for heaven, and have to do something really bad to blow it and go to hell. So this is wat natural man thinks. John speaks of believing “in the name” of the Lord and not In His blood what we can read in Romans 3 verse 25: "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God"

Chapter 3 verse 19

And this is the condemnation, that light is come

into the world, and men loved darkness rather

than light, because their deeds were evil

 

Verse 19: Light and darkness! This is what this verse means. The question is why sinners not come into the light of life? Here in this verse not and now under the Dispensation of Gods Grace in general not much sinners come to the Light. That light is Christ my dear brothers and sisters. The answer is that they hate the light and love the darkness. They love the evil because all their deeds are evil because they are sinners. They want to stay in their evil deeds and this keeps them from coming to the Light and that is Christ! Christ came into to world and first He came for His own what we see here but Israel rejected Him together with the Gentiles and later through the epistles of the apostle Paul who describes Israels fall Romans 11:11, 25, we know now that Christ came to this world to save sinners! Like you and me my dear brothers and sisters! This we know because we have the whole Bible and God's Word is complete my dear brother and sister!  Again in general men love darkness rather than light! You see it around you in this world. 

Chapter 3 verse 20

For every one that doeth evil hateth the light

neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be

reproved

 

Verse 20: Unbelievers hate and in the past hated  the Light, “neither cometh to the light”  Notice it doesn’t say they didn’t come to church or to join a Biblestudy group in general now.   Here in this verse the unsaved religious Jew loved going to temple and synagogue but he wouldn’t come to Christ, “lest his deeds should be reproved. Afraid that God's truth will condemn them and their deeds because their deeds are evil. Salvation and deeds/works went together under the Gospel of the Kingdom.

You hear sometime from unbelievers: I am to bad and what I have done God cannot forgive me.

    We know now brothers and sisters because that we live under Gods Grace and not under the law like people in this verse 20 that every person can be saved and has the posibility to be saved. It is only to come to the Light and that is Christ and accept Him as personal Savior because He died for us all on that cross on Calvary Romans 5:8. I Corinthians 15:3-4. 

 

Chapter 3 verse 21

But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his

deeds may be made manifest, that they are

wrought in God

Verse 21: He that doeth truth cometh to the Light and that is our Lord Jesus Christ. The ones who wanted to believe in Him when He was on earth came to Him and followed Him and the deeds or works he or she did were made known, seen. So believing in Him, in His Name and doing works or deeds were very important for salvation under the Gospel of the Kingdom, under the former Dispensation. Finally Nicodemus did come to the light. He was really confused but he came out of it into the confession  and realized and believed that Jesus Christ was indeed the Son of God.  Read for yourselves John 19: 38-42. 

 

Chapter 3 verse 22

 

After these things came Jesus and His disciples into the land of Judea;

and thre he tarried with them and baptized 

 

Verse 22: Our Lord Jesus Christ came in the land of Judea with all His disciples. What does the word tarried mean? Stay longer than intended. In John 4 verse 2  we read that our Lord Jesus Christ didn't baptize but his disciples baptized people. There was water and my opinion is that it was in the river Jordan. Probably it was near Jericho where the river Jordan was and is. 

 

Chapter 3 verse 23

And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much

water there: and they came, and were baptized

 

Verse 23: John the Baptist his role was not yet over. He baptized people of Israel in Aenon near Salim. It was in the north of Israel near Galilee where John baptized people. Nowadays it is on the Westbank and not far away of Nablus. The Palastines live there nowadays. Christians now baptize people also in the river Jordan and Aenon is the right place for this rituel. Last year my wife and me were in Israel and have seen the river Jordan and people go there to be baptized. The water there is very dirty and after been in water people can take a shower. There are douches and you can change clothes in changing cubicles. Aenon is a very famous place for Christians to be there. But people in the time of John the Baptist came to him confessing their sins Matthew 3:6. They had to do this. It was believe and be baptized for the forgiveness of sins. Now we have forgiveness through His blood! "In Whom (Christ) we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins" Colossians 1:14. We are forgiven my dear brothers and sister through Christ's blood paid for us on the cross on Calvary! He paid us with His own blood! There is no need for us to be baptized with water my dear brothers and sisters. Water cannot save us from our sins. Only the blood from our Lord Jesus Christ is enough and through His blood we have the forgiveness of sins from past, present and future, forever!  So let us rejoice in the Lord Jesus Christ my dear brothers and sisters!

Chapter 3 verse 24

For John was not yet cast into prison. 

 

Verse 24:  John the Baptist was not yet into prison so till his capture he was baptizing people for the remission of sins. He was the forerunner of our Lord Jesus Christ. But soon his role was over as Baptizer and preacher in the desert near the Jordan river. King Herod put him in prison and his ministry overlapped that of the Lord Jesus. John didn't want anyone to follow him because his ministry was to point to Christ, the Lamb of God and told the people to trust Him. 

 

Chapter 3 verse 25

Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples

and the Jews about purifying

Verse 25: John's disciples and the Jews started to ask themselves about the purifying. It was the matter of purifying. The matter of purifying was very important to the Jews. Whole chapter 7 of Mark we can read about purifying, cleaning. It was necessary for the Jews to keep themselves ceremonially clean if they were to serve God and please Him. The Pharisees made so many extra traditions to the Law that to observe the Law for the Jews became a burden. 

 

Chapter 3 verse 26

And they came unto John and said unto him, Rabbi, He that

was with thee beyond Jordan, tho Whom thou barest

witness, behold, the Same baptizeth, and all men come to Him

 

Verse 26: John's disciples came to him and said: the One Who was with you in Jordan when you baptized people and baptized also the One Who was with you the Lord Jesus Christ from Whom John barest witness, He baptize people and all people come to Him. This let you see that when our Lord was on earth He had a enormous appeal! Het didn't baptize but His disciples did and He healed a lot of sick people and preached the Gospel of the Kingdom and did a lot of miracles. Beside this He spoke a lot in parables to make something clear to the people of Israel. It was something special because all men came to Him! Less people came to him, John later told them in verse 30: "He must increase, but I must decrease"  He must increase: this was and is our Lord Jesus Christ! John's role of forerunner was coming to a end and soon King Herod would locked him up in prison. 

 

Chapter 3 verse 27

John answered and said, A man can receive nothing,

except it be given him from heaven. 

Verse 27: John is here speaking about our Lord Jesus Christ. It was given the Lord Jesus Christ from heaven to do all those things. His Father gave Him the power to do healing, miracles, preaching etc. All men came to Him. and He was popular. That's why John the Baptist told them that. 

 

Chapter 3 verse 28

Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, 

I am not the Christ, but that I am

sent before Him

Verse 28: John the Baptist here in this verse tell his disciples that he is not the Christ. This according what they they told him that Christ was baptizing and all men came to Him to see Him and to listen to Him. So now they knew very well that he John was not the Christ but was send before Him to prepare the way to God. In Malachi 3 verse 1: "Behold I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord Whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, even the messenger fo the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts" So our Lord Jesus Christ was and is the Light and John the Baptist was the witness pointing to the Light!  This we have already read and studied in John chapter 1: 6-8. 

 

Chapter 3 verse 29

He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the 

bridegroom, which standeth  and heareth him, rejoiceth

greatly because of the bridegroom's voice:

this is my joy therefore is fulfilled

 

Verse 29: What does this mean my brothers and sisters. What is John the Baptist here speaking of? Well the bridegroom is Christ and John says that he is the friend of the bridegroom, the only best man. Once the bridegroom and bride had been brought together and now the work of the best man (John) was completed. John was very happy and there was lot of joy to hear the voice of the Bridegroom and know that He, Christ had claimed His bride. The joy of John was therefore fulfilled. That's why he said in the next verse: He must increase, but I must decrease. 

 

Chapter 3 verse 30

He must increase, but I must decrease

 

Verse 30: This is what John the Baptist said to his disciples: He must increase: He must became more and I must decrease: becoming less. His role as the friend of the Bridegroom Christ, the messenger of Christ was near to the end. Soon Herod locked him, John the Baptist up in his prison. Later John the Baptist was beheaded.

 

Chapter 3 verse 31
He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth

is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: He that cometh

from heaven is above all 

 

Verse 31: He and in this verse it is Christ Who came from heaven. He was not called from heaven or empowered by heaven, no He came from heaven. It was this what the Jews arqueing because they knew that this was His claim that |he was God . In John 6 verse 38-42: "For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me. And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. And this is the will of Him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on Him may have everlasting life: and i will raise Him up at the last day. The Jews then murmered at Him, because He said, I am the bread which came down from heaven. And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? Hos is it then that He saith, I came down from heaven?  You see my brothers and sisters: our Lord came from heaven to earth. Who is the one here that is of the earth and speaketh of the earth? Answer is that John the Baptist is the one who is “of the earth” . John has been saying, “He’s the Christ, I’m not. He’s the bridegroom, I’m not.” Now he says, “He’s from above, I’m from the earth.”

Chapter 3 verse 32

And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth;

and no man receiveth his testimony

 

Verse 32: The Lord testified what he had “seen and heard” When John says “no man receiveth His testimony” (3:32), we know this is a hyperbole, for John and many disciples had received it. John is responding to the hyperbole of his disciples who complained “all men come to Him” (3:26).

 

Chapter 3 verse 33

He that hath received his testimony hath 

set to his seal that God is true

 

Verse 33: When people received the Lord’s testimony, they set their seal to the fact that “God is true.” This will say that people o accept it.  It does not say they received the Lord’s testimony and agreed that the Lord  was true. It says they received the Lord’s testimony and agreed “God is true,” because “he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God” 

 

Chapter 3 verse 34

For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God:

for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him

 

Verse 34: God didn’t give the Spirit “by measure” unto the Lord Jesus Christ here in this verse.  In the Old Testament, God did give His Spirit to men by measure. Men need the Spirit to help them build the tabernacle! We read in Exodus 31 verse 3 the following : "And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom , and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship" Men have the Spirit to lead Israel into battle!  Men who had the Spirit to lead Israel into battle didn’t have the Spirit to lead them to prophesy. In ISam.10:10 we read: And when they came thither to the bill, behold  a company of prophets met him; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them" They had Him by measure!

Chapter 3 verse 35

The Father loveth the Son, and hath given

all things into His hand

 

Verse 35: With our Lord's baptism in the river Jordan with John the Baptist God's Voice came from heaven and said: "This is my beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased" Matthew 3:17. God the Father gave Him His Son the Word, God gave Him the Spirit and God gave Him all things. In John 13 verse 3 we read: "Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He was come from God, and went to God" Because the Father loves the Son Jesus Christ God gave Him  all things and he shows Him all things. Read John 5 verse 20!

Chapter 3 verse 36

He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life:

and he that believeth not the Son shall not see

life; but the wrath of God abideth on him

Verse 36: God gave “all things” into the hands of Adam the first man on earth but he sinned. God then gave all things into the hand of the last Adam Jesus Christ and thankfully He did not sin, for the most important thing God put into His hands was and is eternal life,which He gives to all who believe on Him. This verse you can choose for evengelizing but this verse is not enough because what must men believe here from this verse? It is good to take some other verses with this verse to show people in this world who are unsaved like I Corinthians 15:3,4, Romans 5:8, Romans 10:9-10. And to make men aware that they are sinners and that Jesus Christ died for sinners and that's why He came to this earth to save you and me. 

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Chapter 4 verse 1

When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that 

Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John 

 

In this chapter our Lord departed from Judea and went to Samaria and dealt there with the Samaritan woman, His own disciples and many Samaritans and also a noble man and his household. 

 

Verse 1: God is omniscient we see here: He knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John. The Pharisees tried to provoke a discussion and a competition between Jesus and John the Baptist. He knew the hearts of these Pharisees and He knows every heart of man! He know also your heart my dear brother and sister and all who does not believe in Him!  He looks at the heart. In I Samuel 16 verse 7 the Lord spoke to Samuel the following words: "But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart" 

 

Chapter 4 verse 2

Though Jesus Himself baptized not, but His disciples

 

Verse 2: Our Lord Jesus Christ baptized not people. This He gave over to His disciples. They baptized people. Why our Lord didn't baptize? The answer to this is that our Lord didn’t personally baptize anyone ,  for He knew that if He baptize people , men would think their baptism by Him was better  than men baptized by the disciples. Baptism was required under the Gospel of the Kingdom. It was believe and work (waterbaptism) for the remission of sins. Mark 1:4 read this for yourselves my brothers and sisters! The thief on the cross was saved when he believed, and the Lord knew he would be baptized if he weren’t nailed to a cross. Believing made men disciples of Him and baptism was still required. Now my brothers and sisters we are saved by Grace alone, by Faith alone and in Christ alone! We have now redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the good pleasure of His will" Ephesians 1:7 Water cannot save us now, it is the shed blood of our Savior on the cross on Calvary that saves us. Now it is believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Acts 16: 31! On g. round of this the apostle Paul said he didn’t baptize because he wasn’tsentto baptize (ICor.1:17). That’s whywe my brothers and sisters don’t need to be baptized, for he Paul is our apostle (Rom. 11:13). And we live now under the Dispensation of the Grace of God Ephesians 3: 1-3 and under the Gospel of the Grace of God Acts 20:24 and not under the Gospel of the Kingdom. 

 

Chapter 4 verse 3

He left Judea, and departed again into Galilee

 

 

Our Lord left Judea. The Pharisees were jealous about the fact that our Lord baptized more people than John and He our Lord became more popular than John the Baptist.  So He left Judea and personally I believe that there were more people there in that area who became to believe in Him. The Pharisees didn't believe in Him and were against Him with the leaders of the folk Israel. He our Lord was not afraid to die at that moment because His hour was not yet come! 

Chapter 4 verse 4

And He must needs go through Samaria

 

Verse 4: He needed to go through Samaria simply because He was in Jerusalem and was headed for Galilee what we have seen in verse 3 , and Samaria lie in between! So he went through Samaria to Galilee and on His way through Samaria He came in the city of Sychar and Jacob's well was there and that Jacob gave ground to his son Joseph there. 

Chapter 4 verse 5

Then cometh He to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar,

near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph

Verse 5: He came in the city Sychar where the Samaritans lived and where Jacob in the neighbourhood gave his son Joseph a parcel of ground. Joseph was buried there and we read this in Joshua 24 verse 32: And the bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel brought up out of Egypt, buried they in Shechem, in a parcel of ground which Jacob bought of the sons of Hamor the father of Shechem for an hundred pieces of silver: and it became the inheritance of the children of Joseph. In 722 B C the Assyrians conquered the Kingdom of Israel.  A part of the inhabitans of Israel were led in captive  and other people took their place. They planted Assyrians in Israel Iwho learned how to be Jews only to be saved from the lions 2 Kings 17: 25-34. So the Jews didn’t like the Samaritans because of their roots, but also because of their in conduct Ezra 4:1-10.

 

Chapter 4 verse 6

Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with

His journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour

 

Verse 6: Jacob's well was there where our Lord came in Samaria. Our Lord was tired from the journey. This was a long journey and probably our Lord was with His disciples on foot. So He sat down near the well and He was thirsty. The Lord just proved He was God by knowing what the Pharisees had heard; now He proves He was a man by being “wearied”.  A water well is an excavation or structure created in the ground by digging, driving, boring, or drilling to access groundwater in underground aquifers. The sixt hour. What time was it?  About 12 O Clock here in Europe.

 

Chapter 4 verse 7

 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: 

Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink

Verse 7:  Brothers and sisters: when our Lord sat down near the well a woman of Samaria came to the well to pull up water from the well. Our Lord asked her to give Him water because our Lord was tired and thirsty from the journey. “Give me” (4:7) sounds impolite, but that was just how they talked.  This is a Samaritan  woman which is about to get saved here at “Jacob’s well” (John 4:6), making her a part of the Bride. See chapter 3:29. This reminds us how Isaac, Jacob and Moses all met their wives in situations involving a well. That our Lord was tired and thirsty let us see that He also was human as we are. Alone He was without sin and we have the sin nature.

Chapter 4 verse 8

For His disciples were gone away unto the city to 

buy meat 

Verse 8: His disciples were not with Him when He was sitting next to the well of Jacob. They were into the city of the Samaritans to buy meat so He couldn’t ask them for giving Him to drink water. We know now that water is the best drink to drink when you are thirsty. Definition of Water is: It is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms. It is vital for all known forms of life, even though it provides no calories or organic nutrients. Its chemical formula is H₂O, meaning that each of its molecules contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms, connected by covalent bonds. Without water or fluids we as human beings cannot live. 

Chapter 4 verse 9

Then saith the woman of Samaria unto Him, How is it that

Thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a 

woman of Samaria? for Jews have no dealings with 

the Samaritans

Verse 9: This was very special our Lord asked water of a Samaritan woman! This amazed her a lot and that's why she asked Him why He asked drink of her because she was a Samaritan woman and Jews had no dealings with Samaritans. A Jews asked nothing of a Samaritan. The Lord’s dress or speech tipped her off that He was a Jew we see here in this verse .  But why did the Jews have no dealings with Samaritans? The answer is that Samaria is the original name of the northern 10 tribes We read in II Kings 17:6: In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes"  After Assyria carried Samaria away captive, they planted Assyrians in Israel. This we can read in the same chapter of II Kings in verse 24: And the King of Assyria brought men from Babylon and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed theim in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof. Later you read that they learned how to be Jews only to be saved from the lions See chapter 17 verses 25-34). So the Jews didn’t like the Samaritans because of their roots, but also because of their in conduct. We can read this in  Ezra 4:1-10.

Chapter 4 verse 10

Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God,

and Who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink;

thou wouldest have asked of Him, and he would have

given thee living water

Verse 10: Our Lord 's request was a way to open the conversation and share with this Samaritan woman the truth  about living water. If thou knewest the gift of God. This is the living water of God. Our Lord  begins to deal with her about her soul (John 4:10).  He says if she knew about this gife she should have asked for it and He have“given” it to her. Living water was a euphemism of salvation, the same salvation Jacob drank. If she drank it, she too would become a bride by a well! The Samarian woman didn't know Who He was. His words were very special to her but she didn't understand it and this we see in the next verses. Later in Chapter 7 verse 37 and 38 we read: "In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink" He that believeth on Me as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water"  He spoke about the Spirit which they should receive but was not yet come because our Lord was not yet glorified. 

Chapter 4 verse 11

The woman saith unto Him, Sir thou

hast nothing to draw with, and the well

is deep: from whence then hast thou that 

living water?

Verse 11: The Samaritan woman didn't understand His Word about living water. She thought that He meant the water from the well but this was not the meaning of His Words. The Living water is the gift here from God through our Lord Jesus Christ and He could give it too to her so that she never was thirsty anymore spiritual. She said to Him Sir. What does that mean Sir? The same as my Lord. She recognized that He was more than her and His Words were special but she couldn't understand Him. She asked Him  where do You get this living water from. There was no other water near the well. Again the lving water was a euphemism of salvation and this is the same salvation Jacob drank of in verse 12 described and if she should drink of it she too would become a bride by a well. 

Chapter 4 verse 12

Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well,

and drank therof himself, and his children, and his cattle? 

 

Verse 17: Her short answer to Him was that she has no husband. She said so because she was now under conviction  and her mouth was now stopped. This was the best for her. She had really no husband because the man she had on that moment was not her husband. 

Chapter 4 verse 18

For thou hast had five husbands, and he whom thou

now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly

Verse 18: Because of sin she hast had five husbands. The man who was now with her was not her husband. The first man was really her husband but she divorced from him and from all the others to have this last man. 

 

Chapter 4 verse 19

The woman saith unto Him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet

 

Verse 19: When she heard this what He was saying to her she recognized that He was a prophet. She said: I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our Lord was more than a prophet where she was talking to. Only she didn't know it. Instead of listening to Him she tried to discuss with Him about differences between the Jewish and the Samaritan religions and that she does in the next verse. 

Chapter 4 verse 20

Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say , that in 

Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship

 

Verse 20: The Samaritan woman discusses here about worshipping. They, the Samaritans worshipped on their mountain and the Jews say we have to worship God in Jerusalem. It was for her more difficult to talk about her sin than to discuss religion. Brothers and sisters this is still easier than to talk about sin which is very serious. We don't like it to talk about this and that is exactly the woman had: to talk about her sin. She was not listening to our Lord to talk about it. Instead of this she avoid it by discussing about religion. 

Chapter 4 verse 21

Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me,

the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this

moutain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father 

 

Verse 21: The hour cometh saith the Lord to the Samaritan woman that you can worship the Father: you can worship God without going to a special place. Later in verse 23 and 24 we see that God is not connected to a place. In Christian religion people are going to a churchbuilding to worship God but we see God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth. On the moment the Lord spoke to her the Spirit of God was not send yet. That came later on the day of Pentecost Acts 2. This is general truth my dear brothers and sisters. God is not connected by a place like a church building. The churchbuilding is not the house of God. God is living in us by His Spirit and we can worship and praying to Him freely in spirit and truth, His Grace. 

Chapter 4 verse 22

Ye worship ye know not what:

we know what we worship: for

salvation is of the Jews

 

Verse 22: Our Lord told this Samaritan woman more here in this verse is that He said that salvation is through Israel. Israel under the Gospel of the Kingdom was the blessing channel. As long God hath His plan with Israel they were the blessing channel for the world. Salvation was not of the Samaritans. Everyone of the Gentiles in that time who wanted to be a child of God it was through Israel. He or she must become a Jew to be accepted by God. So every man must be circumcised, baptized and believe in the Son of God.

      Nowadays through the finished Work of the cross and that we live under the Dispensation of Gods Grace Ephesians 3:1-3  there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles anymore!  Now it is: For through Him, Jesus Christ, we (Jews and Gentiles) both have access by one Spirit unto the Father Ephesians 2:18.  He Christ was the Savior and He was a Jew and through Him people could be saved! 

Chapter 4 verse 23

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true

worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and

in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him

 

Verse 23: The Lord said to the Samaritan woman  that worship was no longer be limited to the Jewish temple. Why? We read in Acts 7 verse 48-50: Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; ans saith the prophet Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: hath not my hand made all these things. It let us see here that there is a new sacrifice: The Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world, a new temple: the temple of His body John 2: 21, a new birth John 3 1-7 and new water John 4:11.  Worship the Father in spirit and truth. The spirit here is the Holy Spirit is meant. Only through God's Spirit and in the truth we still can worship our God. 

Chapter 4 verse 24

God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must

worship Him in spirit and in truth

Verse 24: This is a confirmation of the last word our Lord told the Samaritan woman and this is general truth my brothers and sisters. The Holy Spirit was not poured out. That was on the day of Pentecost and there people were under control of the Holy Spirit so that they couldn't sin and they were born again. That was what our Lord told here in John 3 and 4. With the Holy Spirit they Israel could worship Him in spirit and in truth. We are as members of the Body of Christ the Holy Spirit dwelling in us and we can through His Spirit serve and worship Him and with the Gospel of the Grace of God Acts 20: 24, Colossians 1:5, 6, Romans 16:25-26, Galatians 1: 6 -9 (read those verses) which is the truth! 

Chapter 4 verse 25

The woman saith unto Him, I know that Messias cometh, which is 

called Christ: when He is come, He will tell us all things

 

Verse 25: The Samaritan woman still didn't  know with Whom she has a whole conversation. She recognized that He was like a prophet. Anyway a special person He was. That what she saw and heard of Him. She saith unto Him I know that Messias cometh. Messias means Redeemer, Comes from the Hebrew Name Messhiach which means Anoited. The same Word is Christ which means Anointed. What she knew was this: When He comes and that is the Messiah, He will tell them all things. He would reveal the secrets of hearts. Where did she learn this? The Bible doesn't say it but what we know is that the Word of God Which our Lord told her touched her heart

Chapter 4 verse 26

Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am He

Verse 26: Here in this verse my brothers and sisters we read the Lord's answer to her statement to confirm that the One she speak to is the Messiah, He is Christ. After this the woman left the well and went to the city of the Samaritans  and told this all to the men there. verse 28. This was really special for her to meet the Savior, the Messiah, Christ!

Chapter 4 verse 27

And upon this came His disciples, and marvelled that He

talked with the woman: yet no man said, What 

seekest thou? or , Why talkest thou with her? 

 

Verse 27: When He had said to her I that speak unto thee am He, Christ, His disciples came and they were surprized that he talked to this Samaritan woman but none of them say something about it what do you ask or why do you speak with that woman? Maybe they were afraid of Him? It could be this and another reason is that He as Person had and has a authoritive. Our Lord taught the people as One having authority, and not as the scribes Matthew 7:29. He as Person was special and they saw it and shut their mouths. They couldn't stop Him or forbid Him or ask Him to talk to this Samaritan lady. 

Chapter 4 verse 28

The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into

the city and saith to the men

Verse 28: Immediately the Samaritan woman left her waterpot and the well and went into the city of the Samaritans to tell the men about Jesus Christ and that she met Him near the well! This touched her heart that He had said to her: I that speak unto thee am He! 

Chapter 4 verse 29

Come, see a man which told me all things that ever I did:

is not this the Christ? 

Verse 29: This is really special what this woman did: she went immediately into the city and told the men this: A Man told me all things that ever I did and is this not the Christ? Surely she was right and she invited a lot of men to come with her and see our Lord Jesus Christ. With great enthousiasm she invited people to come and see. God used her simple testimony and many people came out of the city to the well to meet our Lord. Oh were people nowadays so enthousiastic for Gods Word of Grace! Acts 20:32, Romans 16:25-26!!!!

Chapter 4 verse 30

Then they went out of the city, and 

came unto Him.  

Verse 30: They, many of the Samaritans went out of the city (verse 39) and came unto Him because of the testimony of this woman. This is really special because Samaritans were the enemies of the Jews. This let us see that God's Word can touch hearts individually! God used this woman to reach almost this whole city of Samaritans! It must be very special to see the Lord litteraly and to hear Him speak! We live under another Dispensation my brothers and sisters. The Dispensation of the Grace of God. We cannot see Him now here on earth because He is in heaven on the right Hand of God. We are in Him because we are already saved and once brothers and sisters we will meet Him also as members of the Body of Christ with the Rapture. I Corinthians 15: 51-54, I Thessalonians 4:13-18, Philippians 3:20, Titus 2:13. What a glorious day this will be!!!

Chapter 4 verse 31

In the mean while His disciples prayed Him , saying Master eat

Verse 31: His disciples had bought meat in the city of the Samaritans after the long journey. Our Lord had spoken to the Samaritan woman and now His disciples were back and prayed Him or beseeched Him and asked Him earnestly to eat meat because they all were hungry and they thought after this long journey our Lord must be also hungry. 

Chapter 4 verse 32

But He said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of

Verse 32: His answer was not give me meat, no. He said: I have meat to eat that ye know not of. Later He said in verse 34 later the following words to His disciples: My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work. This was to die on the cross for the whole world to save sinners. This is what He has done. On that moment there it was before the cross and that's why He said I have meat to eat that ye know not of. His disciples couldn't understand Him. When He said it is finished, completed it was on the cross on the moment just before He died for you and me my dear brothers and sisters! 

 

Chapter 4 verse 33

Therefore said the disciples one to another

Hath any man brought Him  ought to eat?

Verse 33: His disciples tried again and asked one another if someone hath brought Him something to eat. The disciples were satisfied with meat and bread but He wasn't. He, our Lord, was satisfied with accomplishing the Father's work: to die on the cross for the whole world, for mankind! His disciples didn't understand Him. They thought He was speaking of literal food and they wondered where He got it. 

Chapter 4 verse 34

Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work

Verse 34: Again the Lord told His disciples the same words: His meat is to do the will of Him, His Father Who sent Him and to do His will: to finish His work and that is to die on the cross of all mankind, for all sinners from past, present and future. In Psalm 40 verse 8 we read: "I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea thy law is within my heart"  In John 17 verse 4 we read: I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do. This was just before Gethsemane. 

     And after this words our Lord changed the image of food to the harvest which is the origin of the food. This we see in the next verse!

Chapter 4 verse 35

Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest?

behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; 

for they are white already to harvest

 

Verse 35: The example our Lord took her of the harvest is a familiar one in the Bible and is often applied to evangelizing: winning souls. The parable of the Sower and the parable of the Tares relate to this theme. Read Matthew 13 verse 1-30!  The apostle Paul my dear brothers and sisters used also this example. If we read in Romans 1 verse 13 the following verse: Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, but was let hitherto that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles.  Fruit have to do with people whom's heart is open for Gods Word of Grace here in this verse! Other Scriptures are I Corinthians 3 verse 6-9 and Galatians 6:9. God's Word will be plant in the hearts of people who will hear it. God gives the growth! 

Chapter 4 verse 36

And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal:

that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together

 

Verse 36: The one who reapeth or mow get something for it and that are wages and also he gathereth fruit unto eternal life (worthy). Both the one that soweth and reapeth rejoice together because of the harvest. The harvest was in the place Sychar where our Lord with His disciples were. The disciples must have think there can be no harvest here in this city of the Samaritans but the opposite was true: the harvest was ready and only needed faithful workers to claim it. For evangelizing to reach people for Christ my dear brothers and sisters it always looks that it is the wrong time and the wrong place but it takes faith in the Lord to sow the seed and this we have to do in His power, the power of His resurrection. In I Corinthians 3 verses 6-9 we read : I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour"

 

Chapter 4 verse 37

And herein is that saying true, One soweth

and another reapeth

Verse 37: This is very true and a general verse of the Bible. One person soewth and the other person reapeth. Each worker gets his honest reward for the work he has done. Each of us my dear brothers and sisters has an assigned task and we are all a part of each other's labors what we have seen in I Corinthians 3 verses 6-9. 

Chapter 4 verse 38

I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and

ye are entered into their labours

 

Verse 38: Our Lord was sending His disciples to reap. They never bestowed thereon labor because others had labored and His disciples entered into the labours of other men who labored among these Samaritans. The other people or men had labored . They prepared the way fo this harvest. These men who already labored were faithful workers and God will reward them. Probably John the Baptist when he preached and baptized people it was also near this well of Jacob and near this city so maybe or some of his followers/disciples had labored among them. The disciples of our Lord reaped the harvest and most important the Samaritan woman to whom our Lord spoke planted some of the seed through her witness to the men because we can read that in the next verse. 

Chapter 4 verse 39

And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on Him for

the saying of the woman, which testified, He told me

all that ever I did

 

Verse 39: This was the harvest: Many of the Samaritans of the city came to see Him because this one woman who testified to them that it was the Christ Who spoke to her! She was so excited and enthousiast about this that people there started moving and came to Him and many of them believed on Him! This is very special because Samaritans were enemies of the Jews. 

 

Chapter 4 verse 40

So when the Samaritans were come unto Him, 

they besought Him that he would tarry with

them: and he abode there two days

 

Verse 40: The Samaritans who saw Him and heard Him speaking they asked, begged Him that He should stay with them which He did and he stayed for two days. His words were so impressive because these words were the Words of God. They recognized that He was a special Person and was as Person more than them so they wanted probably to learn and hear more from Him. 

Chapter 4 verse 41

And many more believed because of His own word 

Verse 41: The result of His staying with the Samaritans was that more people came to believe in Him because of His word! They believed the Word my dear brothers and sisters. Because of the Word He told them and they became believers in Him! They trusted Him my brothers and sisters and this is very special because under the Gospel of the Kingdom this you didn't expect it from them that they became believers in Him. 

 

Chapter 4 verse 42

And said to the woman, Now we believe, not because of

thy saying; for we have heard Him ourselves, and know

that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world

 

Verse 42: The men who came to see and hear Him said later to the woman: we believe not according you told us but because we have seen and heard Him. She was a witness of our Lord. She told them to come and see our Lord and men came and heard Him and saw Him and came to believe in Him. The Samaritan woman has no name in the Bible but she bore fruit and that was very important. Through her witness many of the Samaritans came to believe in Christ. 

Chapter 4 verse 43

Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee

 

Verse 43: The purpose of our Lord was to go to Galilee so our Lord continued after 2 days with the Samaritans His journey and came again to Cana. Our Lord was born in Bethlehem but He was known as the Prophet from Galilee. In Matthew 21 verse 11 we read: And the multitude said, This is jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. Why did He return to Galilee. One of the posibilities is that He had planted there the seed on the wedding feast and wanted to cultivate it. 

 

Chapter 4 verse 44

For Jesus Himself testified, that a prophet hath no 

honour in his own country

 

Verse 44: Our Lord was not loved by His countrymen in Galilee. In Nazareth the place where our Lord lived till the age of 30 He was not loved because in Matthew 13 verse 57 we read: "And they were offended in Him. But Jesus sait unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house" This means that he is not accepted. This is still the same now my dear brothers and sisters. When I first told my family about the Gospel of the Grace of God and the truth Acts 20:24, Colossians 1:5-6 they didn't accept it and were not happy with it. Our Lord told in his own country in Galilee people the truth from the Word of God and they wouldn't accept it and were mad about Him and would have stoned Him to death. We read in Matthew 13 verse 58: And He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief" In Luke 4 verse 28-30 we see what happened in Nazareth with our Lord: "And all they in the syanagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, And rose up, and thrust Him out of the city, and led Him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast Him down headlong. But He passing through the midst of them went His way"

 

Chapter 4 verse 45

Then when He was come into Galilee, the Galilaeans received Him,

having seen all the things that he did at Jerusalem at the feast: for 

they also went unto the feast

Verse 45: Our Lord came into Galilee again and the inhabitans of Galilee received Him. They have seen Him also at Jerusalem at the feast. That was the feast of the Passover. They were there and had seen Him drove all the traders and money changers out of the temple because they made the Temple  and house of merchandise and He did later also a lot of miracles there in Jerusalem. And many believed in His Name John 2 verse 23. So these Galilaeans were too there in Jerusalem becauswe of the feast because Jewish people had to go to the feasts in Jerusalem every year!

Chapter 4 verse 46

So Jesus came again into Cana of Galilee,

where He made the water wine. And there

was a certain nobleman, whose son was

sick at Capernaum

 

Verse 46: Our Lord came again in Cana. He was here before on the wedding feast where He changed water into wine see John chapter 2! In Cana there was a certain nobleman. This nobleman came from Capernaum which was 20 miles away from Cana. He had probably a high position and was probably a member of Herod's court. Anyway he was desperately needed for help of our Lord. His son was sick near death and he had heard about our Lord Jesus Christ  and about the miracles He had done and that He could heal the sick. So this man came to our Lord when the Lord came into Cana again. 

 

Chapter 4 verse 47

When he heard that Jesus was come out ot Judea into Galilee,

he went unto Him, and besought Him that He would 

come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death

 

Verse 47: This nobleman heard about our Lord who was again in Galilee and in Cana and immediately 

he went to meet Him and was fully convinced that our Lord would come with him to heal his son who was almost dead. He besought our Lord to come with him. He begged our Lord and this is very serious and this nobleman believed that our Lord could heal his son because he knew Christ had healed sick people and had done already miracles. It was not to late that he asked our Lord to heal his son. 

Chapter 4 verse 48

Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders,

ye will not believe

 

Verse 48: This my dear brothers and sisters was not only said to the nobleman who begged our Lord to heal his son. It was said to all the Jewish people because the Jews require a sign and than believe. They believe in God when they saw the signs and wonders of Him. In I Corinthians 1 verse 22 we read the following verse: For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom" It was not just this nobleman but all of them they wanted to see signs and wonders and believe. 

 

Chapter 4 verse 49

The Nobleman saith unto Him Sir, come down ere my child die

 

Verse 49: The nobleman again asked or begged our Lord to come with him his child before his child should die. He was so afraid his child should die and he knew and believed that our Lord could heal his son. He was convinced about it because of hearing all the miracles and wonders our Lord did.  

 

Chapter 4 verse 50

Jesus saith unto him, go thy way; thy son liveth. 

And the man believed the word that Jesus had

spoken unto him, and he went his way

 

Verse 50: The Lord told the nobleman to go home and saith that his son liveth! This was really something my dear brothers and sisters. From a distance of maybe more than 20 miles the Lord healed this son of the nobleman! In Matthew 8 verse 13 we see something similar than this. We read there: And Jesus  said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it unto thee. And his servant (servant of the Centurion) was healed in the selfsame hour" This shows the Lord's His Divine power! And here the same with the son of the nobleman. The nobleman believed the word of our Lord and went back home! He trusted the word which our Lord spoke to him. In Romans 10 verse 17 we read: So than faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. This is general truth my dear brothers and sisters and it already worked in the time when our Lord was on earth that people trusted His words and believed! 

Chapter 4 verse 51

And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and 

told him, saying, Thy son liveth

 

Verse 51: When the nobleman was nearby his home his servants met him on the way and told him saying: thy son liveth!  This must be said with a lot of joy and enthousiasm! They were so glad that the son was healed that they went to met the nobleman to tell  him this great and good news! 

 

Chapter 4 verse 52

Then enguired he of them the hour when he began to amend.

And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the 

fever left him. 

 

Verse 52: So the nobleman went home and met his servants and asked them when his son became better and they answered him the day before at the seventh hour that the fever left his son. They, the servants confirmed his faith. The nobleman believed the Word of our Lord Jesus Christ and he went home not knowing that his son was out of danger and this he heard from his servants on his way home where he met them. The seventh hour” is either 7am Roman time or 1pm Jewish time. The last time 1 pm that was the hour when the boy was healed from the dead. 

 

Chapter 4 verse 53

So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which

Jesus said unto him, thy son liveth: and himself believed,

and his whole house

 

Verse 53: The nobleman here is the father trusted the Lord Jesus at His Word and knew that his son was healed that same hour. His son liveth. Not only himself believed but his whole house, all his family who was of the household and all his servants believed. Very special to read this my dear brothers and sisters. All of them believed the Word of our Lord Jesus Christ!

 

Chapter 4 verse 54

This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when He was 

come out of Judea into Galilee

Verse 54:  The first miracle our Lord did at Cana was at the wedding and there revealed His power over time. In this second miracle our Lord Jesus showed His power over space. This miracle shows that our Lord Jesus Christ was not litmited because He was in Cana and the boy was sick in Capernaum. The nobleman believed the word of our Lord Jesus Christ and didn't know  the results that his son was healed until the next day is a evidence that he had confident faith. It is for us a very good example to trust also God at His Word like the nobleman did. 

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Chapter 5 verse 1

After this there was a feast of the Jews,

and Jesus went up to Jerusalem

 

Verse 1: After this second miracle: the nobleman's son was healed by Him went our Lord again back to Jerusalem for the feast of the Jews. To which feast He went? The passage here doesn't mention it. The main purpose of going was not to hold on the religious tradition of the Jews. The fact is that He went up to Jerusalem. It could be Pentecost because the first time it was the Passover. 

Chapter 5 verse 2

 Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool,

which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having

five porches. 

 

Verse 2: There was a pool named Bethesda which means house of mercy. Last year my wife and me visit Jerusalem and have been on the place where Bethesda was originally. This was very impressive to see this place. We saw the original steps down to the pool which is not a pool anymore but it is very deep and above this men made buildings like a old church which is a ruin. This pool was original near the sheep market and had five porches. 5 piazza's or 5 rooms. The pool is situated near the northeast corner of the Old City and close to the Sheep Gate. 

 

Chapter 5 verse 3

In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt

whithered, waiting for the moving of the water

 

verse 3: The apostle John here describe the great multitude who was in Bethesda was a impotent, blind, lame, paralyzed people. These folks should have been “waiting” for the Messiah to come and heal them, but instead they were waiting for the angel to stir the water verse 4 They layed down there near the pool and most of them for years to be healed because when the water moves and one person was on that time in the water he was healed. We see and read this  in the next verse how this worked. 

 

Chapter 5 verse 4

For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, 

and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the

troubling of the water stepped in was made whole

of whatsoever disease he had. 

Verse 4: An angel of God at a certain time was in the pool to move the water that it rimpled and the person who stepped after this troubling in the water was made whole of his disease. You can see yourself in a “pool” (John 5:4), so it is a type of the Law (Jas.1:22-25), a law given by angels as we read in Acts 7verse 53. Men getting healed singly by the law was a type of how under the Law men were saved one at a time, but in the kingdom “all Israel” shall be saved all at once. We read Rom.11: 26: And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.

 

Chapter 5 verse 5

And a certain man was there which had an

infirmity thirty and eight years

 

Verse 5: Our Lord was again in Jerusalem and near the place of Bethesda. Probably He went through the Gate of the sheep. He went to the pool of Bethesda and could heal everyone there who were sick. There was one man there who later was healed by our Lord. This man was almost 40 years sick . He had an infirmity. He couldn't walk and was waiting there near the pool in Bethesda. It was Grace that brought our Lord Jesus Christ to the pool of Bethesda. 

Chapter 5 verse 6

When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long

time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

 

Verse 6: Our Lord only went to this man who laid down about 40 years. There is in Dutch a saying that life begins with 40 years. Maybe this comes from this passage of the Bible. For about 40 years this man couldn't walk and was waiting next to the pool. Our Lord knew this man because God knows every heart of men. And He asked the man if he would be healed by Him. You think that the man spontaneous would say yes I want to be healed but in the next verse we read that this man had excuses. 

Chapter 5 verse 7

The impotent man answered Him, Sir,

I have no man, when the water is troubled,

to put me into the pool: but while I am

coming, another steppeth down before me

Verse 7: This man was powerless, he couldn't walk. He couldn't stand on his feet and the Lord asked him to be made whole and his answer is not spontaneous yes but a excuse he has: he said I have not man when the water is troubled, moving, that someone brings me in the pool to be healed. And so was he waiting all those years next to the pool in Bethesda. Always was there someone else who was before him who stepped down into the water and was healed. He, the lame man was always to late. This lame man did illustrate the tragic spritual state of the nation of Israel. It is also a spiritual lesson here: not believing. In verse 38 till 40 from the same chapter we read: And ye have not His word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, Him ye believe not. Search the Scriptures; for in them ye thing ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. 

Chapter 5 verse 8

Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk

 

Verse 8: Wow brothers and sisters! This is really something! Our Lord Jesus Christ could heal this man who was from birth on almost 40 years laying in bed and He healed him. When I read this I must think about my earthly father who was in his bed paralysed the last 7 years of his life. He couldn't move and couldn't talk anymore. This was really a sad situation!  This man here in Bethesda couldn't walk but could talk and our Lord saith unto him: Rise, take up thy bed and walk. Strong words my dear brothers and sisters!  He gave this man this command! In the next verse we see what happened! 

Chapter 5 verse 9

And immediately the man was made whole, and took up 

his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the

Sabbath

 

Verse 9: When our Lord had saith unto the man who couldn't walk: rise, take up thy bed and walk the man immediately was made whole! He could stand on his feet! He took up his bed and walked! What a wonder our Lord did! Our Lord has the power to heal people who were sick or lame from birth on! It was also to demonstrate His power that He was and is God. This miracle would have caused no problem except that this happened on the Sabbath Day. This we can read in the following verses of this chapter. 

Chapter 5 verse 10

The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured,

It is the Sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee 

to carry thy bed. 

Verse 10: The miracle would have caused no problem but this happened on a Sabbath day and the Jews said to the man who was healed: it is ont lawful for thee to carry thy bed on the Sabbath day. In Jeremiah 17 verse 21 we read: Thus saith the Lord; Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, or bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem. So the Jews had their point! 

Chapter 5 verse 11

He answered them, He that made me whole, the Same said unto me, 

Take up thy bed, and walk

 

Verse 11: The man who was healed answered the Jews that the One Who made him whole said to him Take up thy bed and walk. That was the correct answer. The man didn't know that he was healed on the Sabbath day. He hadn't walked for about 40 years. He didn't know Who healed him until he met Jesus Christ in the temple and that we see later in the verses. 

 

Chapter 5 verse 12

Then asked they him, What man is that which said unto thee, 

Take up thy bed, and walk? 

Verse 12: The question from the Jews to this man came immediately who the one was that hath said to him Take up thy bed and walk. They were very irritated because this man was healed by one on the Sabbath day. That's why they wanted to know a Name of the one who healed this man and said to him Take up thy bed and walk.. For them it was forbidden to walk around on the Sabbath Day and carry a bed. 

Chapter 5 verse 13

And he that was healed wist not who it was: for Jesus had 

conveyed Himself away, a multitude being in that place

 

Verse 13: The man who was healed by our Lord Jesus Christ didn't know Who it was who healed him, make him whole! Our Lord disappeared from the place where He healed/ made whole this man who couldn't walk from birth on. There was a lot of people in that place. The man obeyed our Lord and stood up and took his bed and than people, Jews, asked him immediately who had given him the command to stand up his feet and take his bed on the Sabbath day! 

Chapter 5 verse 14

Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, 

Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse

thing come unto thee

Verse 14: Later our Lord saw the man again who He had healed in the temple and said unto him that he was made whole and he had not to sin anymore because otherwise a worse thing should come unto this man. Why should our Lord say to this man sin no more. It would be suggested from this that the man's physical pligth had been the result of sin. Our Lord didn't say that the man his sins were forgiven. The reason here is when the Lord told the man to “sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee” (John 5:14), this was a picture of Israel. If they failed the test of the Lord’s 3 year ministry, a worse thing would come on them.

Chapter 5 verse 15

The man departed, and told the Jews that it was Jesus

Which had made him whole

Verse 15 The man who was made whole by our Lord Jesus Christ met our Lord in the temple and knew from that moment on that this was Jesus Christ Who made him whole/ healed him. So after our Lord say to him sin no more he departed and told the Jews that this was Jesus Who made him whole on the Sabbath Day. Maybe this man stood under pressure of the Jews because they wanted to know exactly who made him whole. We don't know exactly but he told them that this was Jesus. So after that they direct their arrows on our Lord Jesus. They became angry and wanted to kill Him  because He had healed this man on the Sabbath Day and that was work and had said to the lame man take up thy bed and walk which was also forbidden on the Sabbath Day according their rules. They began to prosecute our Lord, not the man who was healed by Him. 

 

Chapter 5 verse 16

And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought

to slay Him, because He had done theses things 

on the Sabbath day

 

Verse 16: The Jews began to persecute our Lord and wanted to kill Him. The religious leaders of Israel became angry about Him. They saw Him as a false prophet who came to lead the people of the folk astray. Our Lord healed more people on the Sabbath's Day. We read in Mattthew 12 verse 9 tilll 14 we read: "And when He was departed thence, He went into their synagogue; And behold there was a man which had his hand whithered. And they asked Him, saying. Is is lawful to heal on the Sabbath days? that they might accuse Him. And He said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the Sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath days. Then saith He to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. and he stretched it forth, and it was restored whole, like as the other. Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against Him, how they might destroy Him. Strong words of our Lord because He didn't something wrong. They, the religious leaders were wrong and full of anger. They were without God! 

 

Chapter 5 verse 17

But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto,

and I work

Verse 17: Our Lord knew them very well and answered them, the Jews that the Father and He are working. He tells them that He is doing only what His Father was doing! Through the fall of man God's Sabbath rest had been broken by man's sin and since the fall of man God has been seeking lost sinners and saving them. He claimed here in this verse to be equal with God. He and the Father are One. In John 10 verse 30 we read: "I and my Father are one

Chapter 5 verse 18

Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill Him,

because He not only had broken the Sabbath, 

but said also that God was His Father,

making Himself equal with God

 

Verse 18: When the Jews heard this they wanted to kill Him because first He had broken the Sabbath and above this He had said to them that God His Father was and they worked together. We have seen in John 10 verse 30 He told them that He and the Father were one! So for them this was blashemy and that He made Himself God. In chapter 10 they took up stones to stone Him. 

Chapter 5 verse 19

Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say

unto you, The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what he seeth

the Father do: for what things soever He doeth, these

also doeth the Son likewise

 

Verse 19: Instead of denying their accusation He confirmed it. Our Lord was and is not a Liar because He was and is God Himself and cannot lie so He claims to be the Son of God the Father and He said I cannot do anything of myself. The Father is working and what He works the Son does likewise. He claimed to be one with His Father in His works. If healing a man on the Sabbath was a sin then the Father was to blame for it. The Father and the Son worked together. When our Lord came to earth He submitted Himself to the Father in everything and this word here let you see this. He came to do the will of the Father and we can read this in Hebrews 10 verse 9: "Then said He, Lo, I come to do the will o God. He taketh away the first, that He may establish the second"

Chapter 5 verse 20

For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth Him

all things that Himself doeth: and He will  shew

Him greater than these, that ye may be marvel

Verse 20: The Father loveth the Son. After our Lord was baptized in the river Jordan by John the Baptist we read in Matthew 3 verse 17: An lo a voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased". Jesus Christ is 100%  the Son of God the Father. He, our Lord didn't things from Himself but He was obedient 100% to His Father and His Father should show Him greater things than the healing of the man in Bethesda so that people would marvel about it. 

 

Chapter 5 verse 21

For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and

quickeneth them; enven so the Son 

quickeneth whom He will

Verse 21: God mentioned in this verse about persons raising from the dead.  In the OT, God healed people through the prophet Elijah and Elisha, and the Son also quickened “whom He will.” Why God not raise anyone from the dead? Well, remember how He chose to heal just one of the multitude at the pool, because his 38 years was symbolic of Israel, and so the miracle had teaching value? Similarly, the ones He raised from the dead had teaching value, so He “quickeneth whom he will.” He has a plan to raise all men! Raising people is good but also the reason is what we can read in the next verse.

Chapter 5 verse 22
For the Father judgeth no man, but hath

committed all judgment unto the Son

 

Verse 22: God will raise up people  and He judge not but hath given all judgment to His Son. Why is this? The answer is lying in the next verse that all men should honour the Son. Jesus Christ is the Son of man. He is the only  One Who can judge because He, the Son, Jesus Christ,  has borne the judgment on the cross. In John 5 it was before the cross so people didn't know at that time. We afterwards and we have the whole Bible my dear brothers and sisters can understand why God the Father gave the judgment in the hands of His Son to judge the world! In Romans 2 verse 16 we read: "In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel"According God's gospel of Grace God will judge through Jesus Christ this world, all men. 

Chapter 5 verse 23

That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father.

He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath

sent HIm. 

Verse 23 The fact is here is that our God appointed His Son Jesus Christ  to judge the world so that people should honor Him. This is a hard word from our Lord: if you not honoring the Son than you honor not the Father Who hath send the Son to this world He said to the Jews. Because Jesus Christ is the Son of man. Apart from Jesus Christ we cannot know the Father and we cannot worship Him. The Jews in general didn't know Him and wished not to know Him. That's why He told them this strong words. 

Chapter 5 verse 24

Verily, verily, I say unot you, he that heareth my Word,

and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting

life, and shll not come into condemnation; but is passed

from death unto life. 

 

Verse 24 The way to honor the Lord before honoring him unwillingly on Judgment Day, is to believe on Him (v.24). The Lord and His Father were “one” (John 10:30) and  people who “heareth My word,” He said, “believeth on Him that sent me.”

He that believeth doesn’t just hope he can get everlasting life someday when he dies, he “hath” it right now (5:24), as a present possession. Also under the Gospel of the Kingdom people can have everlasting life.   And the believer “shall not come into condemnation.”  So it is believing Gods Word and believing that God the Father send His Son to this earth. 

Chapter 5 verse 25

Verily, verily, I say unto you. The hour is coming, and now is,

when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and 

they that hear shall live. 

Verse 25: My dear brothers and sisters which hour the Lord is speaking about which is coming. Verily, verily: What the Lord is saying here is that people has to pay attention to this because what He would say was and is important. He is speaking about the resurrection. He is speaking about dead sinners and how are they raised froom the dead? By hearing Gods Word and believing on Gods Son. “The hour is coming” when the dead will hear the Lord’s voice (John 5:25 cf. 28,29), but the Lord said the hour also “now is”. He was referring to how the spiritually dead  can hear His voice and believe! 

 

Chapter 5 verse 26

For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given

to the Son  to have life in Himself

 

Verse 26: My brothers and sisters this verse let you see that Father and Son are the Same. They are One: God the Father and God the Son. And there is Life in God the Father and hath given life to the Son Jesus Christ. In Him there is life. In no other person there is life! Beside Him there are no gods, there is no life. He only has eternal life. Men are sinners and from nature dead so there is no life in them. The Only One Who can give life, eternal life,  is God Himself to us through His Son Jesus Christ. You are a sinner by birth Romans 5:12!  Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Acts 16:31! Good News! He died on that cruel cross on Calvary and died our death there! He took our sins upon Himself and paid the price for it with His own life. Romans 5:8, I Corinthians 15:3-4. Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. Believe that my dear unsaved friend and thou shalt be saved!  When our Lord was on earth here in John 5 in His earthly ministry this was not yet known because it was before the cross and it was not revealed by God! 

Chapter 5 verse 27

And hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, 

because He is the Son of man. 

Verse 27: God the Father hath given God the Son, Jesus Christ, all authority to perform judgment. Why He did this. Well the Father we have already seen judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment unto the Son because in this verse we see He is the Son of man. He is 100% human and 100% God and He knows and knew what is in man, what lives in man. He is the only One who cand judge man. Son of man is used in John's Gospel 12 times and over eighty times in all the four Gospels. According the judgment: believers will be given resurrection bodies so they will reign with Christ in glory and unbelievers will be given resurrection bodies but not glorified bodies that they may be judged and suffer punishment in these bodies forever. This will be in the day of Judgment when Christ shall judge!  For us as members of the Body of Christ we live under a different dispensation, the dispensation of Grace Ephesians 3:1-3. We are not condemned. We are saved forever and God will not judge us  because Christ paid the price for us. Romans 8:1. This is something to thank everyday the Lord for it! 

 

Chapter 5 verse 28

Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming,

in the which all that are in the graves

shall hear His voice

Verse 28: Our Lord is speaking here to the Jews about the day of Jugdment. And people will be resurrected. The saved , people in Christ and people who didn't believe in Him and are lost. Our Lord is speaking about a future resurrection of people who are in the graves and hear His voice. He, Christ will be the One who will judge over all the people who are resurrected from the death (physical death) In Revelation 20: 12-15 we can also read about this. Read this for yourself my dear reader! 

 

Chapter 5 verse 29

And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection  of life;

and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation

Verse 29: This verse has to say about the Judgment Day of Christ when He comes on earth to Judge. Believers in Him which did good unto the resurrection of life so that they will reign with Him in glory over the earth. The unbelievers, the ones who did evil unto the resurrection of damnation. They will suffer punishment in those bodies. This will be terrible.

Why does the Lord say “they that have done good” will rise in “the resur-rection of life” here?  It is because while we are saved by faith without works Ephesians 2:8-9, The Jews were saved by faith plus works. Under the Law, the members of the Lord’s family are they that “do the will of God” Mark 3 verse 35: "For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother"

Chapter 5 verse 30

I can of mine Own self do nothing: as I hear. I judge, and my

judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but

the will of the Father which hath sent me

Verse 30: In this verse the Lord said, “as I hear, I judge,” He wasn’t talking about hearing what sinners have to say before condemning them on Judgment Day. Isaiah predicted He would not judge after the hearing of the ears. This we can read in Isaiah 11: 1-3: Verse 3:  And shall make Him of quick unterstanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sitht of His eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of His ears" but with righteousness  In Isaiah 11 verse 4, 5 we read more about this judgment of Christ: "But with righteousness shall He judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and He shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips shall He slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle fo His loins, and faithfulness the girdle of His reins" He meant that He will judge according to what He heard His Father say. Jesus Christ is 100% obedient to His Father. This is what this verse let us know. He will  hear the Law, and with the books of their deeds opened, He won’t need to hear the lies or excuses of sinners.

Chapter 5 verse 31

If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true

Verse 31: This verse let us see that our Lord did nothing from Himself but He obeyed His Father 100 procent  Who hath send Him because otherwise His witness was not true. He was defending His Messianic claims before the Jews who denied those claims. He was not witnessing of Himself but of Whom who hath send Him to the earth: God the Father. In verse 37 we read the following: "And the Father Himself, Which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His shape" They, the Jews thought that He bore witness of Himself and they said it. 

Chapter 5 verse 32

There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the

witness which He witnesseth of me is true

Verse 32: The Lord is speaking here about another Person who beareth witness of Him. That is God the Father and our Lord knew that His witness about Him was true 100%. He could trust His Father because God cannot lie. He is not a Liar like man. In Titus 1 verse 2 we read: "In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.  In Numbers 23 verse 19 we read: "God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath He said, and shall He not do it? Or hath he spoken, and shll He not make it good? 

Chapter 5 verse 33

Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth

Verse 33: Dear brothers and sisters: our Lord is speaking about John, John the Baptist. Our Lord pointed the rulers back to the witness of John the Baptist. John the Baptist knew who Jesus Christ was and faithfully he told the people of Israel what he knew. He told the people that Jesus was the Lord. This we can see in John 1 verse 23. He told them that our Lord Jesus Christ was the Lamb. This we read in John 1:29 and verse 36 and he told them that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. This we can read in John 1:34. 

Chapter 5 verse 34

But I receive not testimony from man:

but thse things I say that ye might be saved

Verse 34: Our Lord says here that no man testified of Him and He never receive testimony of man. Why would He not receive testimony from man? The answer is that  “all men are liars” We read that in Psalm 116 verse 11: "I said in my haste, All men are liars" So that's why our Lord said this here in this verse. Our Lord knew the Jews received the testimony of men. So He brought it up, as He told them, “that ye might be saved” . The Lord wanted even these enemies who wanted to kill Him to be saved  see verse 18 of this same chapter. 

Chapter 5 verse 35

He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing

for a season to rejoice in his light

Verse 35: Our Lord is speaking of John the Baptist and He says that John was a burning and shining light. He was  reflecting the light of the Lord. John the Baptist was not that Light but was sent to bear witness of that Light. John 1:8! The Lord’s enemies, the Jews here “were willing for a season to rejoice in his light”. John the Baptist preached repentance,and men know by nature they need to repent. so a lot of the folk of Israel came to him.  The Pharisees didn’t think they had to repent. They thought they were good. But they stopped rejoicing in John because he called them a generation of vipers. 

Chapter 5 verse 36

But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father

hath given me to finish, the same works that I do,

bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me

 

Verse 36: Our Lord here in this verse told the Jews that His works were the works of the Father. The works or miracles He did, especially the kind of miracles He did.  “Peace, be still” He said to the storm .We can read this in Mark 4:35-41

Our  Lord walked on water. We can read this in John 6: 5-21) and a lot more miracles He did. Our Lord Jesus Christ did these things that  men should have known He was the God of the Old Testament! 

Chapter 5 verse 37

And the Father Himself, Which hath sent me,

hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard

his voice at any time, nor seen His shape

 

Verse 37: Our Lord Jesus Christ is talking to the Jews about His Father Who hath sent me. His Father borne witness of Him. His Father had borne witness to Him at His baptism. We have read this in John 5:32. He is referring to the witness the Father bore to Him in Scripture! They could not heard His voice nor seen His shape because we read in the next verse that they had not His word abiding in them that's why our Lord talked to them this. The Jews didn't believe in Him and the One Who sent Him. 

Chapter 5 verse 38

And ye have not His Word abiding in you: for whom He hath

sent, Him ye believe not

Verse 38: The Jews didn't believe in the Whom who sent Jesus Christ to this world. They didn't believe in God the Father. The Word of God they didn't have abiding in them. They were blind my dear brothers and sisters! They didn't permit that Word to generate faith in their hearts. The Jewish scribes thought they knew the Word of God  but they didn't know the Word of God . They were spiritual blind so they missed the spiritual truths which the texts contained. 

Chapter 5 verse 39

Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life:

and they are they which testify of me

 

Verse 39: The Jewish people had the Word of God and specially the Law of Moses. In the time when our Lord was on earth they had the Old Testament Scriptures and those Scriptures testified of our Lord's coming to the earth but the Jewish people again were blind. They only counted the very letters of the text but missed the spiritual truths which the text contained because of their blindness. 

Chapter 5 verse 40

And ye will not come to me, 

that ye might have life

Verse 40: This verse let you see that our Lord knew what was in the heart of men and here the men of Israel, religious leaders of the folk. They believed only the Law of Moses and their own laws than to believe in Him Who was sent by His Father from heaven. They refused to know Him. In John 1 verse 11 we read again: "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not" Instead to come to the Lord Jesus Christ they refused and with this refusing the life, the eternal life!  There was something wrong with the minds of these religious leaders because their will was they would not trust in the Savior. They were religious and selfreligious but were not saved and our Lord knew that and say this to them. 

Chapter 5 verse 41

I receive not honour from men

Verse 41: Our Lord Jesus Christ never receive honour of men because He knew what was in heart of men and men is a sinner because of Adam the first man Romans 5:12. Men cannot honour Him from nature. 

 

Chapter 5 verse 42

But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you

Verse 42: Our Lord Jesus Christ told the Jews, the religion leaders, that they had not the love of God in them. He knew them because our Lord was God Himself and knew what was in man and still He knows what is in man. He looks into the heart. In I Samuel 16 verse 7 we read: "But the Lord said unto Samuel Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord seeketh on the heart". That's is our God my dear brothers and sisters and He knows also our hearts!

Chapter 5 verse 43

I am come in my Father's name, and ye 

receive me not: if another shall come 

in his own name, him ye will receive

Verse 43: Again we go back to John 1 verse 11: He came unto His own (His own people Israel) and His own (Israel) received Him not". They didn't receive Him because they didn't believe in Him. They believed in themselves and in the law with a lot of rules but didn't kept them. They didn't want Him because He told them My Father worketh hitherto and I work verse 17. Because He had said this and He broke the Sabbath that's why they want to kill Him!  If another man shall come in his own name they will receive. This will happen in the future when the Anti-Christ will come than they will accept, receive him. They will believe his lies and everything he will do for them. We read in II Thessalonians 2 verse 8 till verse 11 the following verses: "And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming; Even him, whose coming is after the working of satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved"

Chapter 5 verse 44

How can ye believe, which receive honour one

of another, and seek not the honour that 

cometh from God only? 

Verse 44: This verse let you see brothers and sisters that we as men have no believe. The religious Jews here didn't believe and sought the honour from one another. They didn't received Him, Jesus Christ Who came from God and were not seeking the honour which came from God only. That's why He asked them how can ye believ? They trusted in the Law of Moses and in their own rules but to trust in God they didn't want and because Jesus Christ was and is God He knew their hearts and told them here the truth. 

Chapter 5 verse 45

Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one 

that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust

 

Verse 45: Our Lord told them further not to accuse them, the religious leaders of Israel. What does the word accuse here mean? This is to charge with some offense here in this verse. He was and is not the One who accuseth. No, Moses and specific the Law of Moses in which they believed accused them. Their hope was in the law. Brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ: Israel was a stubborn folk of God. In Romans 10:21: But to Israel He saith: All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people. And in Romans 9 verse 31 and 32 we read: "But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone. The stumblingstone is our Lord Jesus Christ. They didn't want Him nor believe in Him and this is exactly what happened here in this verse. 

Chapter 5 verse 46

For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he

wrote of me. 

Verse 46: Our Lord goes on to say to the Jewish religious leaders: if you believed in the Law of Moses why no to believe in the Son of God, Jesus Christ? In his writings Moses through inspiration of God, he wrote about our Lord Jesus Christ. Typical that they didn't believe in Christ and here we read if ye believed Moses and the Law you would have believed me Christ. They didn't believe the Law and Moses and they didn't believe in Christ. So they believed not in God but in their own righteousness. 

Chapter 5 verse 47

But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

Verse 47: They didn't believe in God and that's the conclusion here because they did not even believe the writings of Moses so how could they believe in the words our Lord spoke to them? They stumbled at that Stumblingstone and that was and is our Lord Jesus Christ. As the rest of the world they didn't believe in God but in themselves and thought that they could make it themselves. This is also how the world without God thinks. They believe there is no God. My unsaved friend do you believe you are a sinner from birth Romans 5:12? Do you believe that God through Jesus Christ paid the prize on the cross for sinners like you and me? He paid once that prize for you and me! Do you believe that and that you cannot pay for your sins? Believe that He died for you and me on that cross. We deserved the cross but because we couldn't He did it for us willingly because of His love for you and me. Romans 5:8 So: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved! Acts 16:31. Do it now before it is to late because tomorrow it can be to late!

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Chapter 6 verse 1

After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, 

which is the sea of Tiberias

Verse 1: After our Lord had spoken to the religious Jews who wanted to kill Him and explained a lot to them  He went back to Galilee and went over the sea of Galilee or the sea of Tiberias. Last year in May 2019 we (my wife and me) were on the sea of Galilee. It is a beautiful sea in the form of a harp like the harp of king David! When you are there and think about it that our Lord was there 2000 years ago that makes us to think and to be still. The surroundings are also nice there. Tiberias is still there and it is a big town now. We saw the sunrise over this sea and that was so beautiful!

And in the next verse we read that a great multitude followed Him. 

Chapter 6 verse 2

And a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His miracles which He did

on them that were diseased

Verse 2:A lot of people followed Him because He healed the sick people and did a lot of miracles before their eyes!  This made a big impression on them so they followed Him litteraly. Suppose we had lived then we too had followed Him. The Jews required signs! In  I Corinthians 1 verse 22 we read  "For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom" The Jews believe only when they had seen a wonder, a miracle that is a sign. Otherwise they won't believe. A lot of people were healed of sickness by Him and by this He showed that He was God and had/have the power to heal people and do miracles. 

Chapter 6 verse 3

And Jesus went up into a mountain, and there he

sat with His disciples

 

Verse 3: Our Lord went up into a mountain. The mountain was probably not far away from the Sea of Galilee or the Sea of Tiberias. Near this sea and specially on the East side we have mountains so one of these mountains our Lord went to and sat there with His disciples. He wanted to get away from the multitude who followed Him because He wanted to rest. It was again  near the feast of the Passover. In John 2 verse 13 we read also about the Passover. In that time our Lord went to Jerusalem. Now He was here in Galilee and was on a mountain with His disciples. Probably was this Passover a year later than the Passover in John 2:13 when He went to Jerusalem. 

 

Chapter 6 verse 4

And the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was nigh

 

Verse 4: The Passover was again there. A year is over in no time! The Passover was a feast of the Jews. The Passover is one of the most important religious feasts in the Jewish calendar.  The Jews celebrate the Feast of the  Passover (Pesach in Hebrew) to commemorate the liberation of the Children of Israel who were led out of Egypt by Moses.

Chapter 6 verse 5

When Jesus then lifted up His eyes, ans saw

a great company come unto Him, He saith unto

Philip, Whence shall we buy bread that these

may eat? 

Verse 5: Our Lord in the first instance sat down with His disciples upon the mountain and when He lifted up His eyes the multitude of people had followed Him and His disciples to the top of the mountain. They came to hear of Him and to see more miracles. There were a lot of people there nearby our Lord and His disciples. He asked Philip what they could do to feed all those people. He asked him can we buy bread for all these people and where? So the problem of course was how to meet the needs of such a multitude of people. Those people who followed Him and stood before Him were hungry. So they must be feed with bread. 

Chapter 6 verse 6

And this he said to prove him: for He Himself

knew what He would do

Verse 6: More humane way it was impossible to feed all those people but the Lord knew what He would do. For Him nothing was and is impossible for He is God. He tested Philip with the question Whence shall we buy bread that these may eat? Philip didn't know what the Lord should do to feed all the people. So Philip answered Him with the next words. 

Chapter 6 verse 7

Philip answered Him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not 

sufficient for the, that every one of them may take a little

Verse 7: Philip answered Him. Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for all those people here. So there was not enough money to buy food for all people there to feed them so that they may have enough. Conclusion all those people to feed was impossible in human ways. 

Chapter 6 verse 8

One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon 

Peter's brother, saith unto Him

 

Verse 8: Another disciple of Him who heard Philip answering the Lord about the money to buy bread for the whole multitude came to Him and saith unto Him. His Name was Andrew the brother of Peter according the flesh, one of the 12 disciples.  

 

Chapter 6 verse 9

There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two

small fishes: but what are they among so many? 

 

Verse 9: To feed the great multitude of people there was a lot of bread needy for them. But Andrew the broher of Simon Peter who was also a desciple said to the Lord the following that there was a young boy who had 5 barley loaves. What are barley loaves? This is a type of bread made from barley flour derived from the grain of the barley plant. And two fishes. But was this enough to feed such a big multitude of men? If you think about it than is no the answer. But we continue this in verse 10.

 

Chapter 6 verse 10

And Jesus  said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much

grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about

five thousand

Verse 10: Our Lord Jesus commanded the disciples that the multitude of men had to sit down. If they sit down it was easier to distribute the food to them than when they stood. So the men obeyed and sat down in they were about 5000 people. There was a luck that in that place was grass to sit down on. 5000 people who wanted to listen to Him and see His miracles. What a big multitude!  Our Lord made a lot of impression upon people in the time He ministered on earth 3 years long. 

Chapter 6 verse 11

And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks, He distributed

to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down;

and likewise of the fishes as much as they would

Verse 11: Our Lord took the loaves. First the bread and He thanked God the Father, His Father for the bread. In I Timothy 4 verse 4 and 5 we read: "For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving; For it is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer. That's why our Lord gave thanks for the food because the food is after that sanctified. Immediately He distributed the bread to the disciples. He gave the pieces of bread to the disciples with the purpose to pass around the whole multitude of men who sat down in the grass upon the mountain. So they did this and this is very beautiful to see. So is it also with the Word of God, our Spiritual food,  if it is given to you and you understand and believe it you can pass around people who wanted to know and believe this too. We have to make it known, to distribute it!  Likewise the fish He did the same in this manner. As much as they would. Wow this was really a miracle because every person in that place became saturated

Chapter 6 verse 12

When they were filled, He said unto His disciples, 

Gather up the fragments that remain, that

nothing be lost. 

Verse 12: Brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ: our Lord did here a miracle because more than 5000 people were filled with food and after that He asked His disciples to gather up the fragments that remain that nothing be lost. This let you see that nothing is impossible for God to do. A miracle took place! Why they had to gather up the fragments that reman that nothing be lost?  First to let us see what abundance this is and and that you don't throw food away. Our Lord was also environmentally conscious!  It let us see that He is God and He cannot sin. We men throw easily food and other waste away. This had to do with our sin nature. 

Chapter 6 verse 13

Therefore they gathered them together, and filled

twelve baskets with the fragments of the five

barley loaves, which remained over and 

above  them that had eaten

 

Verse 13: The disciples gathered together 12 baskets with thet fragments of the five barley loaves. That remained over and 12 stands for the 12 tribes of Israel. Beautiful to see and to see the Lord did a big miracle because everyone was filled with bread and fish. They were not hungry anymore and this let you see what a great God we have. Our Lord is the Bread of Life. In John 6 verse 28-51 we read: I am the bread of Life, Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread  wich cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world" He spoke here already about the dying on the cross for this world: dying for all mankind on that cruel cross on Calvary and everyone who believes in this will be saved for ever and have eternal life. The Jews didn't understand this because they did not believe in Him. So in verse 52 we read: "The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us His flesh to eat? 

Chapter 6 verse 14

Then those men, when they had seen the miracle that Jesus did,

said , This is of a truth that prophet that should come into the world

 

Verse 14: The 5000 men after they saw the miracle which our Lord did said to themselves or among themselves that 

they knew that there would come a prophet from God which do miracles. They knew it from the Scriptures. Deuteronomy 18 verse 15 and 18  tell us the following: "The Lord thy God will reaise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto Him ye shall hearken"  I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, liek unto thee, and will put my words in His mouth; and He shall speak unto them all that I shall command Him" This is what came into their minds, those words from God and God the Father foretold this already here in Deuteronomy 18. 

Chapter 6 verse 15

When Jesus therefore perceived that they would

come and take Him by force, to make Him a

king, He departed again into a mountain Himself alone

Verse 15: Our Lord perceived that the multitude who was fed with the 5 loaves of bread and the 2 fish would make Him King He departed because the plan was not that first He would be King. The plan of God was first to die on the cross, that cruel cross on Calvary for mankind. But people in that time didn't understand this and even His disciples didn't understand this. So He left them and went to another mountain in the neigbourhood of the Sea of Galilee and was there along with His Father. 

Chapter 6 verse 16

And when even was now come, His disciples

went down unto the sea

Verse 16: His disciples went not with Him to the other mountain because our Lord went to another mountain not far away from the sea of Galilee. Last year in 2019 my wife and me were there near this sea and were also on the sea with a boat runned by a Christian owner. This was something special to be on board of this small ship with other believers in Christ and to think about it that our Lord was also more than 2000 years ago there and walked there and be on board of a ship and even walked on this Sea! So His 12 disciples went by night or evening down to the sea of Galilee and went into a ship. Most of them were fishermen. 

Chapter 6 verse 17

And entered into a ship, and went over the sea

toward Capernaum. And it was now dark,

and Jesus was not come to them

 

Verse 17: In the evening almost night the 12 Disciples of Him went into a ship and sailed and rowed over de sea to Capernaum. They were on the other side of the sea. And it became dark. Imagine in that time more than 2000 year ago there were not lights in places like Capernaum or Tiberias on the streets,  so on such a sea it was difficult to go into the good direction. And the Lord was alone on another mountain with His Father. Did the Lord knew that they were in the ship? Yes of course our Lord was and is Almighty and  omniscient. He knows everything

Chapter 6 verse 18

And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew

Verse 18: They were in that ship, His disciples on the way to Capernaum over the sea and than a storm came and the waters of the sea rose. It became difficult to row or sail in such a storm and you have to be very careful not to skip overboard. That is the danger of storms on sea. You can imagine the Disciples were afraid of it

Chapter 6 verse 19

So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs,

they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship;

and they were afraid. 

Verse 19: This verse corresponds with the words in Mark 4 verse 48-49 where we read: "And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them. But when they saw Him walking upon the sea, they supposed it had been a spirit, and cried out  The Disciples were so afraid and they supposed that they see a spirit that they cried out! It must have been a strange thing to see the Lord walking upon the Sea! This verse let you see that we have a Allmighty God! He can do everything except to lie because He is without sin. Nothing is impossible for Him!  It was a miracle to see Him walking on the Sea of Galilee. When I was last year on board a ship on the sea of Galilee I was reminded of this miracle! 

Chapter 6 verse 20

But He saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid

 

Verse 20: He, our Lord spoke this reassuring words that it was Him Who was walking on the Sea and they had not to be afraid. And so my brothers and sisters we live now under a different Dispensation of God Ephesians 3:1-3: the Dispensation of the Grace of God. Under that Dispensation we live. Sometimes we are also afraid just like the Disciples here in this verse. We may know from Gods Word the following word: For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba Father. Romans 8:15. Be not afraid are words of comfort also for us to learn here. The Disciples thought it was a ghost what they saw but it was our Lord Who walked upon the sea. 

Chapter 6 verse 21

Then they willingly received  Him 

into the ship: and immediately 

the ship was at the land whither

they went

 

Verse 21: The Disciples invited Him to come on board of the ship they were on and after that very soon the ship was on the other side of the Sea of Galilee in Capernaum. This was also a miracle what our Lord did. They themselves had not advanced because of the storm on the Sea: they were toiling in rowing because the wind was contrary unto them but with the Lord on board the ship they were immediately in Capernaum! You can call this a wonder of God.

Chapter 6 verse 22

The day following when the people which stood on the other side

of the sea saw that there was noe other boat there, save that 

one whereinto His disciples were entered, and that Jesus went

not with His disciples into the boat, but that His disciples were

gone away along

Verse 22: All the 5000 people stood on the other side of the sea. There was no boat to bring them to Tiberias or Capernaum. So they waited there on the place near the Sea where they eat the bread and the fish and were feeded and had enough. They had seen one boat and saw the Disciples without our Lord into that boat and rowing to the other side of the Sea. The Lord was without them because He was praying on another mountain in the neighbourhood to His Father.

Chapter 6 verse 23

Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto

the place where they did eat bread after that the

Lord had given thanks 

Verse 23: Nevertheless there came other boats from the other side and that was Tiberias and they came not far away from the place where the 5000 people (men) did eat bread after the Lord had given thanks. Was this a coincidence. No I think not because everything will go under God's Sovereignity. God provided the people with this means of transport is my personal  meaning in this verse. 

Chapter 6 verse 24

When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there,

neither His disciples, they also took shipping and

came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus

 

Verse 24: Before they were on board the boats the multitude of men about 5000 peopole were looking to find our Lord and His disciples but saw that they were disappeared they also took shipping and went to Capernaum and in Capernaum they were looking for our Lord Jesus Christ. It was special what they had experienced: the wonder of the 5 bread and 2 fish to feed them all. What a miracle had taken place! They knew our Lord was a special Person, maybe a prophet from God they thought. They all were filled of the loaves what they had eaten. 

Chapter 6 verse 25

And when they had found Him on the other side of the Sea, they

said unto Him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither? 

 

Verse 25: They found Him, our Lord in Capernaum on the other side of the Sea of Galilee was a little village on the Sea of Galilee or Sea of Tiberias. This little village  was inhabited between 150 BC and 700 AD. In such a small village it was easy to find our Lord than in a big city.  They asked Him when He arrived in Capernaum? Why they asked this question to Him? Well they had seen the Disciples going into a boat  rowing to the other side of the Sea and they didn't see our Lord with them so that's why they asked Him this. 

Chapter 6 verse 26

Jesus answered then and said, Verily, verily, I say 

unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles,

but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled 

 

Verse 26: The Lord Jesus Christ knew them all and said : Surely, surely or Amen, Amen.  And He said something remarkable: Ye seek me, not because you saw miracles but becasue ye did eat of the loaves and were filled and how can this be? It was beautiful affair to respond to their words so the Lord did this and in the following words He explained more to them. 

Chapter 6 verse 27

Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which 

endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall

give unto you: For Him hath God the Father sealed

 

Verse 27: He, our Lord taketh the food as a example and told them the following that you have two kinds of food: You have food for the body, which is neccesary because otherwise if you take not food you became hungry and and least you can die. And you have food for the inner man, the spirit of man, hwich is essential. The first food is not the most important. What He would them understand and also us here is that the people needed was not food but life and life is a gift: eternal life which the Son can give them. Food only sustains life but our Lord Jesus gives eternal life. 

Chapter 6 verse 28

Then said they unto Him, What shall we do, that we might work 

the works of God? 

Verse 28: The Jewish men picked up the word labor and misinterpreted it because to work for salvation. They missed the word give or gift. In their religious thinking they thought that they had to do something to reach eternal life. Our Lord made it clear to them that the only work what was necessary is to believe on the Savior. To believe that in Him whom God the Father hath send to this earth. That He answered them in the next verse.

Chapter 6 verse 29

Jesus answered and said unto them. This is the work of God, that ye 

believe on Him whom He hath sent

 

 Verse 29: Very clear here what our Lord said to them: The work of God that ye believe on Him Whom He hath sent. Believe on the Lord Jesus. This was before the dying on the cross through our Lord Jesus Christ. They had only to believe on Him Who was send by God the Father. 

Chapter 6 verse 30

They said therefore unto Him, What sign

shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe 

Thee? What dost thou work? 

Verse 30: This crowd of men first were seeking Him in Capernaum and when they found Him now they asked or seek a sign of Him. In I Corinthians 1 verse 22 we read For the Jews require a sign. They wanted to see and believe. And that is not faith. They asked a work of Him to do and after that they would believe in Him. In the next verse we can read what kind of sign they would that He would gave it to them. 

Chapter 6 verse 31

Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it

is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat

 

Verse 31: Our fathers! These were the fathers of these men who found Him in Capernaum, who were filled with the 5 loaves and the fish on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. They say our father did eat manna in the desert. They thought that our Lord  would do a miracle with the manna again because if He was truly sent by God let Him prove it by causing manna to fall from heaven. It was first see and than believe. For the Jews require a sign!  I Corinthians 1 verse 22

Chapter 6 verse 32

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you,

Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my

Father giveth you the true bread from heaven

Verse 32: It was under the leading of Moses that their fathers get this manna from heaven but Moses didn't gave them this bread because it was His Father from heaven and He giveth them the true bread too. The true Bread. What is it?  This we see in the next verse!

Chapter 6 verse 33

For the Bread of God is He which cometh down from heaven,

and giveth life unto the world 

Verse 33: In His reply our Lord  sought to deepen the people's understanding of the truth. They must not take their eyes on Moses but focus  them on God. God gave the manna in the past but the Father is now giving the true Bread in the person of Jesus Christ. This is the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ Himself: that He would die on the cross for the sins and He after 3 days will be resurrected. The past is finished!  Now is the present and the spiritual experience goes on!  They didn't understand this because they did not believe in Him and so they were blind. 

Chapter 6 verse 34

Then said they unto Him, Lord,

evermore give us this bread

Verse 34: The Jews who found Him in Capernaum wanted to have this bread. They thought that He would give them manna as their fathers received in the past but the past was finished. They didn't understand the Bread of Life that He is the Bread of Life the Lord Himself. Evermore give us this bread! It was pleading request from them to Him what you see here in this verse! What is the meaning of evermore? Give us forever and this is the meaning. So that they never had hunger anymore. 

 

Chapter 6 verse 35

And Jesus said unto them, I am the Bread of Life:

he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he 

that believeth on me shall never thirst

Verse 35: In His reply to them our Lord Jesus Christ told them: I am the Bread of Life! He said I am. Only in the Gospel according to John you find these words I am: In John 8 verse 12, John 10: 7-9, John 11:14, John 11:25-26, John 14: 6, John 15: 1 and 5 you can find I am. God revealed Himself to Moses  by the name of I am Exodus 3 verse 14. God is the Self existent On Who is and wa and is to come! This we can read in Revelation 1 verse 8. Read and study all those verses!  When our Lord used the Name I AM He definitely claimed to be God. So the person who comes to Him shall never hunger and he or she that believes on Him shall never thirst! It means to receive Him within just as you receive food and drink. So the only answer for them was to come to Him and believe, have faith, on Him and they would have eternal life. John 3 verse 16: For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life" This was exactly what they had to believe because it was before the cross and before the preaching of the cross which later was preached by our beloved apostle Paul I Corinthians 1:17-18. 

Chapter 6 verse 36

But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me,

and believe not

Verse 36: Brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ: The Jews saw Him, they saw what He was doing, they heard life His Word and yet they did not believe in Him. He knew it because He is and was God Himself and knows the heart of man. In John 1:10 and 11 we read again: " He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own, and His own received Him not" The Jews didn't believe in Him that they might have eternal life! Why not? The answer we can find in Romans 9 verse 31: But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained ot the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought i t not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that Stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold I lay in Sion a Stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed"

Chapter 6 verse 37

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me;

and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out

 

Verse 37: What doe this mean? All that the Father giveth? The Father gives men and women to the Son. They come to Him and Jesus Christ Himself declares here that nobody who come to Him or came to Him would ever be lost but would be raised at the last day. In verse 45 of the same Chapter 6 here it is written: "It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me. He never will cast out a person who came to Him. This is His promise to the ones who were listening to Him there in Capernaum. But men and women must come to Him and that is to believe in Him

Chapter 6 verse 38

For I came down from heaven not to do mine

own will, but the will of Him that sent me

 

Verse 38: In the garden of Gethsemane just before the dying on the cross for mankind, our Lord spoke again those words to His Father: "And He went a little farther, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying. O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. What was the will of Him Who sent Him to this earth? The will was to die on the cross for the sins of this world. We know now to die for you and me on that cruel cross on Calvary. In Philippians 2 verse 5 till 9 we read the following verses: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon HIm the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death on the cross. Wherefore God also hath hightly exalted Him, and given Him a Name which is above every name"

Chapter 6 verse 39

And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all

which He had given me I should lose nothing, but should

raise it up again at the last day

 

Verse 39: The Father of our Lord Jesus Christ hath sent Him and the Father's will is that the ones (men and women)  He will give the Son the Son shall not lose these persons but will raise them up at the last day. Again these men and women must come to Him and to believe on Him. The ones who are of Him will never be lost  but would be raised at the last day. Our Lord Jesus Christ was referring here to His return to earth: His second coming on earth! 

Chapter 6 verse 40

And this is the will of Him that sent me, that everyone

that seeth the Son, and believeth on Him may have 

everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day

Verse 40: The One Who sent His Son is God the Father Himself.  So the person who seeth the Son and believe in Him have everlasting life.  This according to John 3:16. The person who believes in Him the Son Jesus Christ will raise him (or her) up at the last day. This will be His second coming on earth. The Day of the Lord! These persons, who believeth on Him, will be ressurected on that day! This will be the Work of our Lord! 

Chapter 6 verse 41

The Jews then murmured at Him, because He said ,

I am the Bread which came down from heaven

 

Verse 41: Brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ: The Jews didn't believe in Him. We read again in Romans 9 verse 31: But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained ot the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that Stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold I lay in Sion a Stumblingstone and Rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed" He Jesus Christ came to His own people, the Jews and they didn't believe in Him and were murmuring because He had said that He was the Bread of Life which came down from heaven to earth. This disturbed the religious leaders for they knew it was a claim of deity They were not searching for Him as Savior and they didn't understand because they were unbelievers.  Look and read what they say in the next verse

Chapter 6 verse 42

And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose 

father and mother we know? How is it then that He saith,

I came down from heaven? 

Verse 42: Again brothers and sisters in our Lord: they, the Jews didn't understand His words I cam down from heaven. They thought they knew Jesus Who He was and where He came from. He came from Joseph from Nazareth. He was the legal son of Joseph. What they didn't know was that He was not the natural son for He was born  of a virgin. They identified our Lord with Nazareth in Galilee and not Bethlehem in Judea so they thought that Joseph was His natural father. The main issue here was where did He came from? 5 Times He mentioned it but they wouldn't accept this. In Matthew 13 verse 55 we see the same verse there: "Is not this the capenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren james and Joses and Simon and Judas? 

Chapter 6 verse 43

Jesus therefore answered and said unto them,

Murmur not among yourselves. 

 

Verse 43: The Lord knew everything of men. He knew and knows the heart of men. They murmured among themselves and He asked them not to murmur among themselves. It is not good to murmur because this gives not a good mood. The sphere will become negative instead of positive. Also for us my dear brothers and sisters is it important not to murmur. We have no reason to murmur because we are blessed with all spiritual blessings Ephesians 1:3! We are in Christ and He is living in us Galatians 2:20!  In I Corinthians 10 verse 10 we read: "Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer" In general it shortens your life!  So this is a lesson of us all my dear brothers and sisters. 

Chapter 6 verse 44

No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me

draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day

 

Verse 44: Our Lord Jesus Christ told again the Jews people that everyone who came to Him was driven by the Father in heaven Who send His Son Jesus Christ to the earth. The Son He told the people will raise the person up upon the day of the Lord and that is the last day. Apart from the Father nobody could come to Him! 

Chapter 6 verse 45

It is written in the prophets, And they 

shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore

that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, 

cometh unto me

Verse 45: Our Lord did not speak just like that! He said it is written in the prophets! In Isaiah 54 verse 13 we read: "and all thy children shall be taught of the Lord; and great shall be the peace of thy children.  So every man (and also woman inclusive) which had heard and learned of the Father cometh to the Son Jesus Christ. It is through the teaching of the Word that God the Father draws people to the Savior Jesus Christ His Son.  The sinner hears, learns and comes as the Father draws him. This was a blessed reality when our Lord spoke these words to the people, the Jews! 

Chapter 6 verse 46

Not that any man hath seen the Father, save He

which is of God, He hath seen the Father

 

Verse 46:In John 1 verse 18 we read already the following verse: "No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, Which is in the bossom of the Father, He had declared Him" This verse corresponds with this verse!  In Luke 10 verse 24 we read: All things are delivered to Me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and He to whom the Son will reveal Him. This let you to know that our Lord Jesus Christ and the Father are one! He came from God and was of God and He hath seen the Father. 

Chapter 6 verse 47

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath

everlasting life

 

Verse 47: The message to the Jews of our Lord is very clear: He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life! He is the living Bread and He is the only One that give everlasting life if people will believe on Him. That was the point the Jews didn't believe on Him. So this was a call from our Lord to them. And this was also addressed to the individual man because he or she that believeth on Him hath everlasting life! 

Chapter 6 verse 48

I am that bread of life

Verse 48: Brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ: He, Christ is that bread of life. He said I am that bread of Life. In Him is Life, eternal Life and He will give this to everyone! We know as brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ that our life is hid in Christ!  Colossians 3 verse 3 and 4: For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, Who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory"  The Jews here whereunto our Lord spoke had the oppertunity to know Him and believe on Him so that they had also eternal life! But most of them didn't believe on Him. 

Chapter 6 verse 49

Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead

 

Verse 49: Our Lord goes on to tell them that their fathers did eat indeed manna from heaven given from the Father when they were in the wilderness. They expected that He would give this same manna but He didn't because He told them a better way because He is the Bread of Life and someone who believes in Him shall have Life and is not dead anymore. Their fathers are dead: not only physical dead but also spiritual. 

Chapter 6 verse 50

This is the Bread which cometh down from heaven, 

that a man may eat thereof, and not die

Verse 50: Who came down from heaven? Our Lord Jesus Christ. He had said that He is the Bread of Life. He, our Lord came to this earth when sinners were in moral and spiritual darkness. The second thing here is that anyone who believes in Him will have everlasting life and will not die spiritual. He is here speaking about the fact that He would give His life for mankind on the cruel cross. That was the purpose of His first coming to earth: To die for mankind, for sinners. In I Timothy 1 verse 15 we read this very clear: This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation , that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinner; of whom I am chief.  And in II Corinthians 5 verse 19 we read: To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation  To die on that cruel cross for man's sin  and through this to reconcile mankind to Himself. Making peace with this world through Christ! 

Chapter 6 verse 51

I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any

man eat of this Bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread

that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life 

of the world

Verse 51: Our Lord told here to the Jews that He would give His life for the whole world so that the whole world would have the oppertunity to choose for everlasting life in Him. That is that eating: trusting in the fact that our Lord would die and give His life,His flesh, His body for mankind. In Luke 19 verse 10 we read: "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost" We know everyone, every person in this world by birth is lost and can be saved by Him. How, to believe in Christ as personal Savior. Recognize you are a sinner from birth on, you are in Adam and you are completely lost, spiritual dead. You can be saved, saved forever in Christ Who died for your sins and was raised again for our justification Romans 4:25.  Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved! Saved forever, for all eternity! 

Chapter 6 verse 52

The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How 

can this man give us his flesh to eat? 

Verse 52: The Jews after this began to strive with one another about this. They became irritated and asked themselves the question How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Strive is to fight and quarrel. It was a fact that they didn't understand what He was talking about to them. To eat human flesh or any kind of blood. Genesis 9:3-4, Leviticus 17:10-16, 19:26. This was what a Jew didn't do and it was forbidden to do it. For them who didn't believe it were crazy words and they became irritated about it. 

 

Chapter 6 verse 53
Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say nto you, Except 

ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have 

no life in you

 

Verse 53: Again our Lord Jesus Christ said to them, the Jews Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you. It is clear that our Lord spoke here not in literal terms. He was using a human anlogy to convey a spiritual truth. He made it very clear our Lord that this eating and drinking were absolutely essential for eternal life. The meaning is to believe that He would give His life for mankind: His body which would broken for them and the blood which had to flow which happened on the crosss on Calvary. 

Chapter 6 verse 54

Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh

my blood, hath eternal life, and I will

raise him up at the last day

 

Verse 54: The person who believes in Him: that He would give his Life and that means His body and the blood for sacrifice of this world He told them again that He will raise him up at the last day. At the Day of the Lord the Lord will raise up the ones who believe in Him. The persons who believe in Him shall have eternal life. They will go with Him in the Kingdom that will be on earth.  

Chapter 6 verse 55

For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed

Verse 55: The word “indeed” (v.55) means in reality or in truth. Besides manna, there are many types or symbols of Christ, and of His resurrection. He was speaking about His dying on the cruel cross for mankind. When He said this it was for the cross. 

 

Chapter 6 verse 56

He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood,

dwelleth in me and I in him

Verse 56: Eating the Lord’s flesh and drinking His blood  is symbolic of believing on Him . So Verse 56 is saying that Jews who believed on the Lord dwelt in Christ, but not in the Body of Christ. There was no Body of Christ on the moment our Lord spoke to the Jews. 

Chapter 6 verse 57

As the Living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father:

so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. 

Verse 57: The Living Father hath send His Son Jesus Christ and He Christ live by the Father. The Father and Him are One. So the person who eateth Him, who believes in Him shall live through Him. This will be everlasting life! Forever living in Him! The Son of God was send by God the Father for one purpose: To die and give His life for mankind. We know now that He gave His life for you and me and for everyone in this world. Now under the Grace of God everyone can accept Him as personal Saviour. and have eternal life. I Corinthians 15:3-4. 

Chapter 6 verse 58

This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your 

fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth fo this 

bread shall live for ever

 

Verse 58: The Lord Jesus Christ spoke to the Jews of Himself. He is that living Bread, Which came down from heaven. Their fathers in the desert eat indeed manna but didn't trust God in their lives, didn't believe in Him,  so they are dead both physically and spiritual!  He said again he that eateth of this Bread shall live for ever. He that trusted the Lord should live forever. John 3:16: For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life"

Chapter 6 verse 59

These things said He in the synagogue, as He taught in 

Capernaum

Verse 59: When our Lord told the Jews and give them lessons it was in the synagogue in Capernaum. Last year in Israel we have seen a synagogue of Capernaum. Some of these still stood.  Here in the Netherlands we have a very large synagogue in Enschede. It was in the Second World War used by the Nazi's. Nothing of the building is destroyed. It is one of the most beautiful synagogues I have ever seen. The pulpit is right in the middle. This was easy so that the preacher could address the people around.  

Chapter 6 verse 60

Many therefore of His disciples, when they

had heard this, said. This is an hard saying; 

who can hear it? 

Verse 60: What our Lord told before that He is that bread of Life Which came down from heaven was a hard saying  for His disciples. It was not hard to understand but hard to accept once you understood it. The Jewish religious leaders misunderstood His words and rejected them. They were offended and irritated by what He taugth them in the synagogue. They were very angry about the fact that He had said that He came down from heaven and the idea that He had said to eat His flesh and drink His blood in order to be saved. Who can hear it the disciples asked this themselves. 

Chapter 6 verse 61

When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples murmured at it,

He said unto them. doth this offend you? 

 

Verse 61: The Lord knew everything. This let you see that He is God. He knew the secrets of mankind. He knew that the disciples were murmuring at His words and that it was hard to accept or believe the words of our Lord. He said unto them: doth this offend you.  The meaing is to cause hurt feelings or deep resentment.

Chapter 6 verse 62

What and if ye shall see the Son of man

ascend up where He was before? 

 

Verse 62: He said to them If I tell you that tomorrow I’ll ascend into heaven and the next day the world will end, you wouldn’t be worried. The fact was that some of the disciples didn't believe in Him. 

Chapter 6 verse 63

It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing:

the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit,

and they are life. 

 

Verse 63: He told them that the Spirit quickeneth: makes it alive. The flesh was of no use! The words that He spoke was the Word od God and that is spirit and life. You see God's Word goes together with God's Spirit. In Romans 10 verse 17 we read again the words of God: "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God"  Through God's Spirit we can understand God's Word my dear brothers and sisters. Without God's Spirit you cannot understand God's Word. And in Romans 8 verse 8 we read: "So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God" And in I Corinthians 2 verse 14 we read: "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spirituallly discerned. This is was exact what the Lord spoke here to the Disciples. 

Chapter 6 verse 64

But there are some you that believe not.

For Jesus knew from the beginning

who they were that believed not, and 

who should betray Him. 

 

Verse 64: He said there are some of you that believe not. To His disciples He said this. He knew everything, the heart of men and that is exactly how God is. He knows the heart of men. He sees the heart of men. He knows what is in the heart of men because He is God Himself. So He knew who they were that believed not and who should betray Him. The one who should betray Him was of the devil. We know who this person was who betrayed Him later namely Judas Iscariot. Our God is omniscient. Our Lord is God Himself so He is also omniscient. 

Chapter 6 verse 65

And He said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man

can come unto me, except it were given unto him

of my Father

Verse 65: No man came to our Lord Jesus Christ except that His Father had given the person to our Lord. Again He told them the same words what He already said. He had already said this that he that heareth my Word and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life. 

Chapter 6 verse 66

From that time  many of His disciples went back,

and walked no more with Him. 

 

Verse 66: This is the result of His preaching my dear brothers and sisters! Our Lord Jesus Christ spoke the truth to the people and to His disciples. What is the reaction of His disciples? We want not to hear the truth so they walked no more with Him. The result was the loss of most of His disciples. They went back to their old life, the old religion and the old hopeless situation. He, Jesus Christ is the Way. In John 14 verse 6 we read: "Jesus saith unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" This is true and is true today too my dear brothers and sisters! The unbelieving world doesn't want Him as personal Savior!  They would live their own life, religion, believing in themselves or in something else and this is indeed a hopeless situation! They are at a dead end but don't know because they are not aware about it.  For our Lord this was not a surprise because He knew and knows the hearts of all people. Preaching the Word of God always lead to a sifting of the heart of the listeners. God draws sinners to the Savior throught the power of truth, His Word. Those who reject the Word will reject the Savior. 

Chapter 6 verse 67

Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will

ye also go away? 

 

Verse 67: Our Lord knew the heart of all His disciples and special also the 12 disciples. He asked them if they had also the plan to leave or desert Him? It was very easy for them to leave or desert Him too because the other disciples had left Him because of the words He spoke to them all and that were words of eternal life. The majority of His disciples believed not because it was to difficult to accept that so that went back to their religion. 

Chapter 6 verse 68

Then Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to Whom shall we go?

Thou hast the words of eternal life. 

 

Verse 68: Simon Peter was the one who talked more than the others of the disciples. Later he became the head of the twelve apostles or the chief of the twelve. He Simon Peter didn't know to Whom they should go if they would as 12 disciples the Lord. He confessed that our Lord had the words of eternal life. There was no one in the world on that moment who had these words of eternal life except our Lord. This the disciples recognized very well. So Simon Peter spoke for the twelve. 

Chapter 6 verse 69

And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ

the Son of the living God

Verse 69: Simon Peter goes on here in thisw verse and said to our Lord Jesus Christ that they as 12 were sure that our Lord was the Christ and the Son of the living God. He Simon Peter was convinced and he thought also that all the twelve disciples were convinced about this because he said we believe and not I believe. What he didn't know is that one of the twelve disciples would later betray our Lord and that that disciple was of the devil. 

Chapter 6 verse 70

Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you

twelve, and one of you is a devil? 

Verse 70: This let you see that our Lord knew who would betray Him. He knew everything what would happen. He knew that one of the twelve disciples was the one who would betray Him and that he was of the devil. Christ was and is God in the flesh and He is omniscient. He knew/knows the heart of man. He had chosen them to be His disciples and He knew that one of them would not believe in Him and would later betray Him and that he should be used of the Devil for this purpose. 

Chapter 6 verse 71

He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon, for he

it was that should betray Him, being one

of the twelve

Verse 71: Our Lord spoke to them about Judas Iscariot. He was the son of Simon and he should betray Him. He was also chosen being one of the twelve disciples. Peter didn't know that Judas would betray the Lord later. He was convinced that all of the disciples and later apostles were believers. Judas could disguise it well but he was a unbeliever. A religious person can also disguise it well for the outside but God knows the heart my dear brothers and sisters. We don't know the heart of men but God knows. He is omniscient and sees the heart of man. Someone may impersonate from the outside that he is a believer in God and this Peter couldn't see that Judas Iscariot was a unbeliever. 

 

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Chapter 7 verse 1

After these things Jesus walked in Galilee:

for He would not walk in Jewry, because

the Jews sought to kill Him. 

Verse 1:The reason why our Lord walked in Galilee we can read here. He didn't want to visit or walk in Judea and that is Jewry. The reason was that the Jews hate Him and their plan was to kill Him. And because it was not His time because His time was not yet come: the dying on the cross for mankind, He walked in Galilee where He was brought up. 

Chapter 7 verse 2

Now the Jews feast of tabernacles

was at hand

Verse 2: Another feast was nearby namely the feast of tabernacles! The Three big festivals, or feasts  in Hebrew Shalosh Regalim (שלוש רגלים), are three major festivals in Judaism—Pesach (Passover), Shavuot (Weeks or Pentecost), and Sukkot (Tabernacles, Tents or Booths)—when the ancient Israelites living in the Kingdom of Judah would make a pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem. So our Lord had to go to Jerusalem to celebrate this feast 

Chapter 7 verse 3

His brethren therefore said unto Him, Depart hence, and go into 

Judea, that thy disciples also may see the works that thou doest

 

Verse 3: His brethren in the flesh! The half brothers of our Lord in the flesh didn't believe in Him. They give Him advice to depart from Galilee and go to Judea because also of the feast of tabernacles . The Lord’s half brothers told Him to go show His miracles to Jerusalem disciples, since all His local disciples left Him (7:3 cf. 6:66). 

Chapter 7 verse 4

For there is no man that doeth any thing in secret, and he himself 

seeketh to be known openly. If thou do these things, shew thyself

to the world

 

Verse 4: His half brothers argument was that no man who wants to be famous or “known openly” does miracles in secret in Galilee They thought the Lord wanted to be famous, and showing miracles in the spiritual headquarters of the world would be showing them “to the world”  It was not to help our Lord Jesus Christ in this because we read in the next verse the following words. 

Chapter 7 verse 5

For neither did His brethren believe in Him

Verse 5: His half brothers didn't believe in Him. What their argument meant was that they wanted to see that our Lord would be famous in the world. When you are famous you get all the respect from people. That were their thoughts and that is also how the world thinks.  They, the half brothers of our Lord, didn't understand Him because they did not believe in Him and didn't understand why He was in the world and by whom He was send for what purpose namely to die for all mankind on the cross because of sin. To bear the sin of this world. 

 

Chapter 7 verse 6

Then Jesus said unto them, My time

is not yet come: but your time

is alway ready 

Verse 6 Our Lord's answer to His half-brothers was very clear: His time was not yet come.  When the Lord spoke of His “hour” He meant the cross, but when He said “My time is not yet come” in context He meant the time for Him to be “known openly” in the kingdom. He told His unsaved brothers : your time is always ready” because unbelievers are always ready to be famous. The most of them want to be famous. 

Chapter 7 verse 7

The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because

I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil

 

Verse 7: He told them more things like this the world cannot hate them. For sure the world lies in sin and unbelief so why should they hate another unbeliever because no person points to the other about what is wrong or sin because they are not aware what is wrong or what is sin! Our Lord convicted the people about sin and evil things they committed so the world hated Him because He told them the truth! They didn't want to hear the truth. They believed only the lie that was in the religion intertwined

Chapter 7 verse 8

Go ye up unto this feast: I go not up yet

into this feast; for my time is not yet full come

 

Verse 8:  He said to His half brothers: go ye up unto the feast of tabernacles in Jerusalem Judea. Further He said that he would not go. It was not the right time to go for Him and to show Himself to the world, the time for Him to be “known openly” in the Kingdom.  But how could He not go to the required feast? Maybe one of the reasons was that their plan was to kill Him?  He was exercising caution because He knew that he Jewish leaders wanted to kill Him. They were in the world and part of it and hated Him becasue He let them hear that they committed evil works and told them that there is a better way. That they can have eternal life through Him. By His character and ministry He revealed the shallowness and emptiness of their religion they were in. They were in their religious system and He called the people back to the reality of life in God. 

Chapter 7 verse 9

When He had said these words unto them, He abode still in Galilee

 

Verse 9:  After He said this to His half brothers He stayed in Galilee. He said He wasn’t going “yet,” Maybe His brethren would sell Him out as Joseph’s brethren did. They were in their religion and were hypocrite persons and envy, even His half brothers. So He abode in Galilee. But He had to obey fully His Father? We see in the next verse what happened! 

Chapter 7 verse 10

But when His brethren were gone up,

then went He also up unto the feast, 

not openly, but as it were in secret

Verse 10: When His half brothers were gone He went too to Judea to the feast of Tabernacles. Our Lord was under the Law of Moses and His ministry was also under the Law and He has to obey the Law of Moses and this He could because He was and is without sin. So to obey was to go to Jerusalem to the feast of Tabernacles. But He did it not openly but in secret because He knew the heart of men and they wanted to make Him famous to have not to call all the attention to Himself. The plan was not at that time to be famous but first to die for mankind.

Chapter 7 verse 11

Then the Jews sought Him at the feast and said

Where is He?

Verse 11: The Jews tried to find Him on the feast of Tabernacles. They knew He had to be there on the feast but they couldn't find Him because He was there in secret in Judea in Jerusalem. They asked themselves where is He? They wanted to see Him doing wonders and miracles before their eyes because the Jews require signs. We now as members of the Body of Christ have never seen Him in Whom we believe. He lives now in our hearts my dear brothers and sisters! We are in Him Colossians 3:1-3. 

Chapter 7 verse 12

And there was much murmuring among the people

concerning Him; for some said: He is a good man;

others said; Nay but He deceiveth the people

 

Verse 12: Murmuring among the people, the Jews! Murmuring, what is it? It is a subdued or private expression of discontent or dissatisfaction. Some said that He is a good man. They recognized that He did not wrong things or nothing wrong. We have here in the Netherlands the expression: he didn't hurt a fly!  Other were the meaning and the impression of Him that He deceiveth the people. What is deceiving?  That He gave people a mistaken impression. To let people believe something that is not true, especially for personal gain! That is exactly the nature of men my dear brothers and sisters:to speak ill or evil of another. Well they didn't believe in Him both those who spoke good or bad about Him. 

Chapter 7 verse 13

Howbeit no man spake openly of Him 

for fear of the Jews

 

Verse 13: Nobody of them spoke openly of Him because they were afraid of the Jewish religious leaders. Fear that they would be locked up in prison if they say something about Him. This you see today the same. People has not changed even not after so many ages! Openly to speak is for a lot of people hard to do because of fear! 

 

Chapter 7 verse 14

Now about the midst of the feast Jesus

went up into the temple, and taught

Verse 14: The feast was halfway through and our Lord Jesus Christ went up into the temple. The temple in that time was the house of His Father. Now at this moment we have no temple anymore. What rest is the Western wall of the temple where the Jewish religious people pray tot God and read of the Thora, the Law. You have gates to the old temple line in Jerusalem and they are bricked up. This is what you can see in Jerusalem of it. The temple was destroyed by the Romans 70 years after Christ! Our Lord went into the temple and began to learn the people. It were the words of our God Himself to the people . The wisdom is of God. Not of man! 

Chapter 7 verse 15

And the Jews marvelled, saying How 

knoweth this man letters, having

never learned?

Verse 15: Jewish people began to stop and listened there in the temple to our Lord Jesus Christ and were so amazed because they knew His backround that He came from Nazareth and was brought up with Joseph and Maria. Now Joseph was a carpenter. Not a learned man so where came this wisdom from what our Lord learned the people? He has never learned letters on school of Rabbi's. He did not have any credentials from their approved rabbinical schools. How can He teach us? His enemies were the meaning that He taught nothing but private opinions and not worth much. 

Chapter 7 verse 16

Jesus answered them, and said, 

My doctrine is not Mine, but His 

that sent me

Verse 16: What our Lord taught the people in the temple was not His own doctrine but the doctrine of God the Father Who had sent Him to the earth. He explained them that His doctrine came from the Father. He already had said that the works that He and the Father were one in the works that He performed see John 5 verse 17. And the judgment that He executed in John 5:30 and now that His teachings also came from the Father. He our Lord could claim absolute authority for everything that He taught! 

How do we know that His teachings were true or the truth. Our Lord said in John 7 verse 17 the following words:

Chapter 7 verse 17

If any man will do His will, he shall know

of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or 

whether I speak of myself

Verse 17: With other words to say here: if any man is willing to do His God's will, he shall know! This explains us a lot my dear brothers and sisters that the Jewish leaders didn't understand the Lord's teachings because they had stubborn wills and would not submit to Him!

Chapter 7 verse 18

He that speaketh of himself seeketh

his own glory: but He that seeketh

His glory that sent Him, the same is true,

and no unrighteousness is in Him

Verse 18: With what authority our Lord spoke? He said to them, the Jews, that someone who spoke of himself seeketh his own glory. Now He is telling after this that He is speaking about Himself : He that seeketh His glory that sent Him and that is God the Father than it is true and no unrighteousness is in Him. He said this because the Jews were doubting His words the told them and wanted to kill Him. They thought He was a liar and a deceiver! They didn't know because they didn't believe in Him. 

Chapter 7 verse 19

Did not Moses give you the Law and yet none of you keepeth the Law? 

Why go ye about to kill me? 

 

Verse 19: Brothers and sisters: our Lord asked here in this verse two questions: Moses hath given the law and none of you keepeth the Law? That was true because they couldn't keep the law because they were sinners. The Lord knew that they couldn't keep the law. Second question: why will you kill me? If I tell you the truth! He knew their hearts and their thinkings and they were evil. 

Chapter 7 verse 20

The people answered and said, Thou

hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee?

Verse 20: The people: The Jewish people who listened to Him in the temple in Jerusalem responded on the Lord's question why they wanted to kill Him. They say: thou hast a devil! In John 8 verse 48 we read again: Then answered the Jews, and said unto Him, say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast a devil? Who goeth about to kill thee? With other words who wants to kill You? You must be crazy to think that anybody wants to kill You.! Our Lord JesusChrist had boldly announced that the leaders of Israel would kill Him because He claimed to be God and healed a man on the Sabbath's day and broke with the Sabbath's day. 

Chapter 7 verse 21

Jesus answered and said unto them 

I have done one work, and ye all marvel

 

Verse 21: He knew their hearts and thoughts so He said unto them that He had done one work. Which work He had done? Well the answer is that He healed a man on the Sabbath Day and broke according to their thinkings and thoughts the Sabbath Day. They marvelled He said because of this. They were surprised and amazed about this. They couldn't believe it that it was true and that on a Sabbath Day! 

Chapter 7 verse 22

Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because

it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath

day circumcise a man

 

Verse 22: Moses gave them by the law that Israel had to circumcise every man. Every Isralite person had to obey this. In Genesis 17 verse 10 we read: "This is My covenant, which ye shall keep, between Me and you adn thy seed after thee; Every man chaild among you shall be circumcised" God told Abraham this and in the next verse we read: "And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt Me and you" Genesis 17 verse 11.  No it was not because of Moses they had to do it but of the fathers beginning with Abraham as a token of the covenant which God made with Him and the seed after him which shall live namely Israel. It was also written in the Law and Moses gave them the Law of God. They, the Jews circumcised a man on the Sabbath's Day. This action they did. And He told them this in the temple in Jerusalem. 

Chapter 7 verse 23

If a man on the Sabbath Day receive circumcision, that the Law

of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, 

because I have made a man every whit whole on the Sabbath Day? 

 

Verse 23: The Jews were angry at our Lord Jesus Christ because He healed, made a man on the Sabbath Day whole!  Why they were so angry? They circumcised a man on the Sabbath Day and the Law of Moses was for this reason not broken through what they did. The reason they were angry was this not hypocrite? Reject one and approve the other on the same Sabbath Day? Of course it was. The Jews were religious people and were hypocrites specially the leaders of the folk. It was because our Lord healed a person on the Sabbath Day and specially Him they hated and wanted to kill. 

Chapter 7 verse 24

Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous

judgment. 

Verse 24: Our Lord used the Law of Moses and He knew that the Jews would not accept this because their standard of judgment was not honest. They, the Jews judged on the basis of seems and not is. They, the Jews judged only what they saw and the outside. God sees the heart of men and judge men according to the inward and that is righteous. Men cannot judge because every man is a sinner. 

Chapter 7 verse 25

Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not 

this He, Whom they seek to kill?

 

Verse 25: Men of Jerusalem who said this: is not this He, Whom they seek to kill. They knew that the rulers wanted to kill our Lord Jesus Christ and they were surprized that He was teaching in the temple openly to them and to the folk. This question they asked suggest a negative answer that the rulers do not believe that He is the Christ. 

 

Chapter 7 verse 26

But, lo, He speaketh boldly, and they say

nothing unto Him. Do the rulers know indeed

that this is the very Christ? 

Verse 26: They saw that He spoke boldly in the temple to the folk and they kept their mouths. The words He spoke boldly were very impressive. But they doubted and say to each other if the rulers knew indeed that this is the Christ? No the rulers do not believe that He is the Christ do they? 

Chapter 7 verse 27

Howbeit we know this man whence He is: but when Christ cometh, 

not man knoweth whence He is. 

Verse 27: So the Jews my dear brothers and sisters in our Lord concluded this: First: Nobody knows where the Christ comes from. We know that this Jesus comes from Nazareth and the conclusion is that Jesus cannot be the Messiah/ Christ. Again the people couldn't see the truth because they were blinded by what they thought were dependable facts. In Matthew 13 verse 55 the people say this: "Is not this the carptenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And his brethren James, and Joses, and Simon and Judas? They didn't believe in Him as the Messiah, the Christ! 

Chapter 7 verse 28

Then cried Jesus in the temple as He taught, saying, Ye both know

me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but He

that sent me is true, Whom ye know not. 

Verse 28: After this saying of the Jews people who listened and doubted about Him He cried! Our Lord cried!  Why did He cry? He raised His voice so that anybody could hear Him and He told the people the following: Ye know me and where I come from. He did not come of Himself but He was send by His Father from heaven. God the Father is true He said and justly He said to them that they knew not God the Father Whom had send Him to the earth! They were unbelievers and didn't understand Him and were blind! And so my brothers and sisters it is now just the same with the unbelievers around us. They too don't know God and don't know that He made them because they are spiritually dead and blind. 

Chapter 7 verse 29

But I know Him; for I am from Him, and He hath sent me

 

Verse 29: The Son Jesus Christ knew and knows His Father!  He is from Him Who send Him to the earth, His Only begotten Son in Whom He was well pleased! This let you see that Christ and the Father are One and they are God Himself! Our Lord Jesus Christ confirmed this to the people who were listening in the temple in Jerusalem. This means that our Lord existed before He was sent to the earth by His Father

Chapter 7 verse 30

Then they sought to take Him: but 

not man laid hands on Him, because

His hour was not yet come

 

Verse 30: The Jews wanted to catch Him or to take Him. They wanted to arrest Him but didn't! They wanted to kill Him and get rid of Him but why this didn't happen? Why? Because His hour was not yet come. It was not the right hour that they would take Him! That hour came later after 3 years of ministry here on earth my dear brothers and sisters! They wanted to arrest Him but didn't! 

Chapter 7 verse 31

And many of the people believed on Him, and said, When 

Christ cometh, will He do more miracles thatn these which 

this man hath done? 

 

Verse 31: Many people who listened in the temple believed on Him. Was this really a believe in His Name and that He was sent by His Father. No this was a belief or faith based on miracles They asked themselves this if Christ would come to the earth will He do more miracles than that we have seen by this man Jesus of Nazareth? They were not sure about this. 

Chapter 7 verse 32

The Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things

concerning Him; and the Pharisees and the chief priests

sent officers to take Him

 

Verse 32: The Pharisees and the chief Priests were against Christ. They heard the people murmuring concerning Him that they doubted that He was the Christ and that He couldn't be the Christ because Jesus came from Nazareth and that He healed a man on the Sabbath Day and He had said that He and the Father in heaven were One. The didn't believe in Him as Messiah. They wanted to get rid of Him but first to catch Him so they send officers or soldiers to take Him. The Jewish people who listened to Him in the temple couldn't take Him that's why the leaders of the folk and the high priests gave orders to take Him. 

Chapter 7 verse 33

Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you,

and then I go unto Him that sent me

 

Verse 33: The Pharasees and the chief Priest wantet to arrest our Lord Jesus Christ when He was preaching in the temple and send the guard to arrest Him but it was our Lord Who "arrested them". He warned them because He said that He was a little while with them so they who listened to Him had a little time to believe and be saved. He, our Lord was not in danger but the ones who wanted to arrest Him. The people misunderstood Him what He was saying to them and these unsaved Jews refused and were not able to follow Him. Soon it would be too late for those unbelieving Jews! He told them that it was a short time that they could be saved by believing in Him and God the Father Who sent Him! 

Chapter 7 verse 34

Ye shall seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am,

thither ye cannot come

Verse 34: A little while and our Lord was not anymore with them there on earth. Then they shall seek Him but cannot find Him. Where He goed and that is back to His Father Who send Him to the earth to save mankind from sin they cannot come because that is in heaven. They were unbelievers so it was impossible for them to go to the place where our Lord after His ascension went. To sit on the right Hand of the Father. 

Chapter 7 verse 35

Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will He go,

that we shall not find Him? Will He go unto the 

dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?

 

Verse 35: Brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ: the Jews who listened to Him in the temple heard His voice speaking but didn't understand His Words otherwise they should not asked themselves what those words were. They were blind, spiritual blind. He told them that He should go back to the One, His Father in heaven and that very soon and that they should search for Him but couldn't find Him because where He should be there they cannot come because they were sinners and spiritual dead. They couldn't understand it because they were dead in their sins. So they asked themselves if He would go to the dispersed among the Gentiles. Jews who were living under the Gentiles because of dispersion and teach the Gentiles? Well had they did God's will they would have known the truth. Very soon it would be too late for them. For us also a lesson my dear brothers and sisters and that is written in Romans 8 beginning in verse 5-8: For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit  the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. ..........So then they that are in the flesh  cannot please God! Now under this Dispensation of Grace we as members of the Body of Christ can know the Word of God and the Gospel of the Grace of God Acts 20:24. The ones who are without God do not have the Spirit of God so they cannot please God and cannot understand His Word. 

Chapter 7 verse 36

What manner of saying  is this that he said, Ye shall

seek me, and shall not find me: and where I am

thither ye cannot come? 

 

Verse 36: They, the Jewish people repeated the Lord's words but they couldn't understand Him. They asked themselves what those words meant: Ye shall seek me and shall not find me and where I am thither ye cannot come?  They were unbelievers so they could not understand the Word of God because these are spiritual words. On that moment the Holy Spirit was not yet given because our Lord was not yet glorified!  

       Now my brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ we have God's Spirit. The Holy Spirit is living in us and we are sealed with the Spirit of God. We can understand God's Word!!! A unbeliever has not the Spirit of God and he or she is natural man: But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him (or her): neither can he (she) know them, because they are spiritually discerned I Corinthians 2 verse 14. We have the mind of Christ my dear brothers and sisters. Let us read in verse 16 of the same Chapter I Corinthians 2: "For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ"

Chapter 7 verse 37

In the last day, that great day of the feast,

Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man

thirst, let him come unto me, and drink

 

Verse 37: In the last day of the feast our Lord Jesus Christ stood and cried. He spoke very loud so that everyone could hear Him. Jesus is in Jerusalem during the Feast of Tabernacles. The Lord Jesus words here are connected to His claim of being the ultimate cure for spiritual hunger and spiritual thirst . We read this in John 6:35: And Jesus said unto them, i am the Bread of Life: he that cometh to me shall never hunder; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst  

Chapter 7 verse 38

He that believeth on me , as the Scripture hath said,

out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water

Verse 38: During the Feast of Tabernacles, Israel remembered God's miraculous intervention during their time in the wilderness. As part of the celebration, priests would carry water to the altar in the temple, recalling God's provision of water from the rock Read Exodus 17:1–7! On the last, most important day of the festival, priests would circle the altar seven times with a container of water. This is the moment Jesus makes this claim, which began here in verse 37. The idea of life, or God's truth, being a stream or spring is common in the Bible and our Lord uses this.  The imagery implies something living, pure, and life-giving: flow rivers of living water. In the next verse we see that our Lord spoke here about the Holy Spirit which someone should receive if he believeth on the Lord Jesus Christ.  

Chapter 7 verse 39

But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him

should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given;

because that Jesus was not yet glorified

Verse 39: Our Lord spoke about the Holy Spirit. The person who believed on Him should receive the Holy Spirit what happened on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2. At that moment our Lord spoke about believing on Him and that after that of the person shall flow rivers of living water should come later because the Holy Spirit was not yet given because our Lord was not yet glorified. He was not yet back with His Father in heaven. On the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2 this became reality what our Lord spoke here. 

Chapter 7 verse 40

Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said ,

Of a truth this is the Prophet

Verse 40: A lot of people when they heard the words of the Lord that anyone who believes on Him out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water they recognized the truth and said this is the Prophet. He told them something what would happen in the future when they would believe in Him so they recognized in Him the Prophet. They asked themselves this question is He the Prophet Who speaks here? 

Chapter 7 verse 41

Others said, This is the Christ. But some said

Shall Christ come out of Galilee? 

Verse 41: My dear brothers and sisters there came a discussion among the people who were listening to Him in the temple in Jerusalem on the end of the feast of Tabernacles. Some were very sure that He was the Christ Who spoke to them in the temple because He had said this: If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink  and because He spoke so boldly. That this was not Christ than something was wrong. Other were doubting and spoke openly: can Christ come from Galilee because they knew very well that He was brought up in Nazareth Galilee. Why couldn't He not come from Galilee? For this we go the next verse

 

Chapter 7 verse 42

Hath not the Scripture  said. That Christ 

cometh of the seed of David, and out of the 

town of Bethlehem, where David was? 

Verse 42: They knew very well the Scripture what said that Christ cometh of the seed of David and out of Bethlehem where David was. This was what they knew about Christ and now this Jesus Christ Who spoke to them came from Galilee, from Nazareth. They identified Him with Galilee. In reality He was born in Bethlehem. They didn't know that He was born in Bethlehem so they doubted about Him that He was the Christ as others say. 

Chapter 7 verse 43
So there was a division among the people because of Him

Verse 43: The discussion became a division among the people if He was Christ or not. There came a split among the people. A split can lead to irritation, discusions and even war! 

Chapter 7 verse 44

And some of them would have taken Him;

but no man laid hands on Him

Verse 44: Some of them, the people, would arrest Him and that were the officers of the chief priests and Pharisees but no man laid hands on Him. Why not? Why didn't they arrest Him and brought Him to the chief priests and Pharisees. The only answer is that it was not the hour for our Lord.  His hour had not yet come but soon it came.

Chapter 7 verse 45

Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and 

they said unto them, Why have ye not brought Him?

 

Verse 45: The officers of the chief priests and Pharisees were send to take Him or arrest Him and to bring Him to them. They came back to the chief priest and Pharisees without Him. In fact they were empty handed! So they were asked from the chief priests and Pharisees why they had not brought Him to them? We know now why not because His hour was not yet come and second we can read in the next verse why it didn't happen. 

Chapter 7 verse 46

The officers answered, Never man spake like this man

Verse 46: What was the answer of these officers who were send to our Lord and had the task to arrest Him? Their answer was: never man spake like this man!  They had never heard any man speaking like this Man. They were so impressed by His words that they were not able to arrest Him. This let us see my brothers and sisters that the Word of God is so powerful. Let us read now Hebrews 4 verse 12: For the Word of God is quick, and powerful and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" So powerful is God's Word! So the words that our Lord spoke in the temple were the Words of God because He was God Himself and no man could arrest Him because His hour was not yet come! 

Chapter 7 verse 47

Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? 

Verse 47: Immediately the Pharisees reacted and answered the officers. Now the Pharisees were very fanatic people and they hated Jesus Christ from Nazareth. So their answer was to the officers are ye also deceived? Deceived like the rest of many people in Israel! They saw our Lord as a Deceiver of the people. And in their eyes and thinkings a Deceiver must be killed so that the people could not be deceived anymore. The Law of Moses and their own rules was valid for them, nothing else. They didn't believe on Him! 

Chapter 7 verse 48

Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on Him

 

Verse 48: After this they, the chief priest and Pharisees, say this if any man of them had believed on Jesus of Nazareth?  Their meaning you see here in this verse and that is a no and they didn't want to believe on Him because they considered Him as a great Deceiver who deceived the people. They expected another Deliverer. They thought that when Christ came to the earth He would save the people from all their enemies and on that moment it was the Roman Empire. They didn't know that when He came the first time the purpose was to die for all mankind. 

Chapter 7 verse 49

But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed

 

Verse 49: They say this people who believed on Him know nothing about the Law anyway and are cursed. In the eyes of the chief priests and Pharisees the people who believed on Him, this Jesus of Nazareth were not important people because they didn't know the law . They, the chief priests and Pharisees were important and intelligent and learned men. They refused to trust Jesus Christ

Chapter 7 verse 50

Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that

came to Jesus  by night, being one of them)

Verse 50: Here we have again Nicodemus! He was one of the Pharisees, a teacher and in chapter 3 we have read about him. He came by night to Jesus and he was impressed by. They talked to each other and our Lord said to Nicodemus that he must be born again. Chapter 3 verse 3!

Chapter 7 verse 51

Doth our Law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth? 

Verse 51: Nicodemus is telling them that at first before you condemn and later kill a man you have to know what a  man is saying and what he is doing. Nicodemus was a learned man. He considered our Lord Jesus Christ's words and His works. It was our Lord Jesus Christ who had attracted Nicodemus interest in the first place. He knew and was quite sure that the council should not given our Lord Jesus Christ a honest hearing. In Exodus 23 verse 1 we read: Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hadn with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness"

Chapter 7 verse 52

They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee?

Search , and look : for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet

Verse 52: Immediately they answered him with a lot of sarcasm are you also of Galilee? With other words are you one of the people who believe on Him and a follower of Him? Are you a lowly and despised man like the other people who believe on Him and being deceived and despised by this man Jesus of Nazareth. And then they say to him search and look for out of Galilee can not come a prophet. They refused to listen to Nicodemus, these rulers of Israel and the Pharisees. To listen for a righteous trial. The only way they answered here Nicodemus in this verse was by mean of mock. When you cannot answer the argument you attack the speaker. They thought no prophet came from Galilee but the prophet Jonah came from Galilee and our Lord spoke of Jonah that he was a picture of Himself in death burial and resurrection. We read this in Matthew 9:1-2. 

Chapter 7 verse 53

And every man went unto his own house

Verse 53: After this every one who was discussing of our Lord Jesus Christ went immediately to his own house. This is very typical. They went their own ways so the whole congregation broke up!

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Chapter 8 verse 1

Jesus went unto the mount of Olives

Verse 1: Our Lord went to the mount of Olives outside the old city of Jerusalem and this mountain or hill is now 2000 years later  opposite the temples of the Muslims in Jerusalem. It is a very old place there and last year in 2019 my wife and me were there with a group organized of the Berean Bible Society of Wisconsin. A lot of the group were very impressed what they saw there on the mount of olives: the old Olive trees and it is quiet there. Why our Lord went to the mount of Olives? Well there is no explenation here. Propably He went there to be there to pray to His Father in heaven and to be alone with His Father 

Chapter 8 verse 2

And early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people

came unto Him, and he sat down and taught them.

Verse 2 After being alone on the mount of olives our Lord came again into the temple early in the morning. Maybe it was the day after that He taught the people in the temple just what we read in chapter 7. Which is remarkable that all the people came unto Him inclusive the Scribes and the Pharisees. The last hated Him and wanted to catch Him  and kill Him. Only His hour was not yet come so they came to listen to Him and tried to find something (false) in Him or what He did that they might judge Him in a trial.  He sat down and taught them all. This let you see that He was without sin and was never afraid of people. We as human beings because of the sin nature are sometimes afraid about people. He didn't had this thoughts because He was without sin. So boldly He taught all the people regardless of they  believed in Him of not. 

 

Chapter 8 verse 3

And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto Him a woman

taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst

 

Verse 3: Between all the people the scribes and Pharisees were also there to listen to Him in the temple and they brought a woman accused of adultery because she was a adulteress and they set her in the midst of them so that everyone could see this woman. Imagine my dear brothers and sisters: this woman was in the midst of all the people and a adulteress. What a shame for this woman to stand in the midst of all the people and accused for this! Maybe she was ashamed for what she had done and felt guilty, very guilty. For the scribes and Pharisees it was also to test our Lord how He should react and  would say or answer about it because in verse 4 we read. They were tempting Him with this.

 

Chapter 8 verse 4

They say unto Him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act

 

Verse 4: They say unto Him that this woman which they brought in the midst of the people in the temple was taken when she committed adultery. Adultery was and is sin. According the Law of Moses someone who committed adultery had to be killed by stones. This is also what the scribes and Pharisees told Him in the next verse.

Chapter 8 verse 5

Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? 

Verse 5: According to the Law which Moses had given to the folk Israel such a person had to be stoned if he or she committed adultery. Now they wanted to know what our Lord was saying about it. It was to test Him and with the purpose to accuse Him. 

Chapter 8 verse 6

This they said, tempting Him, that 

they might have to accuse Him. 

But Jesus stooped down, and with His 

finger wrote on the ground as though

He heard them not. 

 

Verse 6: My brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ: this is very special: they, the scribes and the Pharisees said that the one (woman) must be stoned to death according to the Law of Moses and with this that they could tempt and accuse Him, our Lord. And what was the reaction of our Lord? He stooped down and wrote with His finger on the ground, on the ground of the temple square. He pretended not to hear them but He heard them! It looked that they had no contact with Him at that moment because He was sitting on the ground and writing with HIs finger something on the ground of this temple square. If our Lord had said Yes the woman must be stoned what would happen of His reputation as the Friend of publican and sinners? People would abandon Him and would never have accepted His gracious message of forgiveness. If He would answer no then He was opnly breaking the Law and subject to arrest. It looked that the religious leaders had their perfect challenge now. 

Chapter 8 verse 7

So when they continued asking Him, he lifted up Himself,

and said unto them, he that is without sin among you

let him first cast a stone at her

 

Verse 7: They, the religious leaders of Israel, the scribes and the Pharisees, continued asking Him the same question: stoning or not stoning the woman?  Our Lord instead of judging the woman pass that judgment on the judges! No doubt that He knew very well the way they treated the woman. They were hypocrites and for them it was very easy to condemn another person and not judge themselves first. We do not know what He wrote on that dirty temple square. He was God Himself and sinless and He was not asking them sinners to judge the woman according to the Law of Moses. His answer was this: he that is without sin among you let him first cast a stone at her. Very strong words because those words touched their hearts!!! They were not without sin so who were they who could stone that woman? In Matthew 7 verse 1 we read : Judge not, htat ye be not judged and in verse 5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out o thine own eye; and then shalt thou seel clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye". With other words you are not better than this woman who committed adultery. Maybe you are not a adulterer but you are a sinner too and commit also sins which are just as bad. 

Chapter 8 verse 8

And again He stooped down, and wrote on the ground

 

Verse 8: Again He stooped down to continue writing something on the ground of the temple square with His finger. His answer to them was right because He confronted them with their own sins and they recognized that they were not better than this woman who was a adulteress. And what happened? 

 

Chapter 8 verse 9

And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, 

went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last:

and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst

Verse 9: The words of our Lord: he that is without sin among you let him first cast a stone at her, were so strong!!! Gods Word is powerful and mightier than man's words! They were convicted by their own conscience. Their own conscience began to gnaw at them through the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. They were confronted with their own sins. And what happened? They left the temple one by one and beginning with the eldest, the oldest to the youngest and last of the people! This is really special! The truth of God confronted them with their own conscience! They were convicted now and went away: everyone of them!!! So our Lord was left alone with the woman still standing in the midst. Imagine for this woman it were moments of big, very big fear because she knew she should be killed for what she had done. She was standing there maybe with her face staring to the ground. 

Chapter 8 verse 10

When Jesus had lifted up Himself, and saw none but the woman, 

He said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? Hath no

man condemned thee? 

Verse 10: Our Lord again stood on His feet  and saw no other than the woman standing there in the midst of the temple square. Immediately after that He asked her where her accusers were? Hath no man judged you He asked her. Her accusers were away after the words of our Lord to them. No one could condemn her because they were just as her also sinners. Only our Lord was without sin and we come now to the next verse.

Chapter 8 verse 11

She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, 

Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more 

Verse 11: She said no man. No man had condemned me Lord. She recognized that He was the Lord and that He was more than her accusers. What did our Lord after this say to this woman? Neither do I condemn thee! He forgave her! This was gracious forgiveness. On the basis that He had to die also for her on the cross of Calvary.  He forgave her and just as He forgave her He forgave us there on Calvary. He died there in our place for our sin there so that the answer is that we might not serve sin but serve Him, God Himself! Very strong words: go and sin no more. This was our Lord's council and that is for us as members of the body of Christ, saved people the same! In Psalm 130 verse 4 we read: But there is forgiveness with Thee, that thou mayest be feared" Forgiveness of sins because of our Lord died in our place on Calvary and took all our sin upon Himself on the cross there. Ephesians 1;7 and Colossians 1:14

 Chapter 8 verse 12

Than spake Jesus again unto them saying, I am the light of the 

world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, 

but shall have the light of life

Verse 12: Our Lord continued in speaking to the people and said: I am the light of the world. Jesus Christ was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. We learn from I John 1: 5 the following: "This hen is the message which we have hear of Him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all" Again our Lord said here according the Feast of Tabernacles I am the light. During this feast the huge candelabra were lighted in the temple at night to remind the people of the pillar of fire that had guided Israel in the wilderness journey.  You have 3 wilderness images: the manna what we have read in John 6, the water from the rock in John 7 and the pillar of fire in chapter 8.  To follow Him is to trust Him, to believe on Him and the results are life and light for the one who believes! The ones who believes on Him shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life! The unbelievers and this is still so my dear brothers and sisters walk in darkness because they love darkness. Light has to bear witness to itself.

Chapter 8 verse 13

The Pharisees therefore said unto Him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy

record is not true

Verse 13: The Pharisees were again listening to what our Lord was telling them all. They stood there listening and said to Him:Thou bearest record of Thyself, thy record is not true. They accused Him of bearing witness to Himself because He had said to thme I am the light of the world and Jewish courts would not permit a person to bear witness to Himself. That is why they said: thy record is not true.  But light has to bear witness ot itself. The Pharisees were blind people who cannot see the light!  They didn't believe on Him. They hated Him and wanted to get rid of Him and would find things to accuse Him. 

Chapter 8 verse 14

Jesus  answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself,

yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go;

but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go. 

Verse 14: He answered them, the Pharisees who were blind the following: Though I bear record of myself yet my record is true!  Why? Because I knew and know whence He came from  and where He went but the Pharisees couldn't tell Him where He came from and where He would go! No they didn't know because they didn't believe on Him so they were blind and he tells them very clearly that they could not tell whence He came from ad whither He went to. Very strong words from our Lord. He knew how to answer them who were blind. 

Chapter 8 verse 15

Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man

 

Verse 15: He said to them after this Ye judge after the flesh and He judge no man. Judging man after the flesh is false, is not true and is incorrect. Because the way they judged the woman who was taken in adultery proved that they neither understood the Law nor their own sinful hearts. He didn't judge her but say to her: go and sin no more and I will not judge you. 

Chapter 8 verse 16

And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but

I and the Father that sent me

Verse 16: Immediately He said to them, the Pharisees these words that His judgment is true because He was not alone  and He tells them that He and the Father are with each other and the Father sent Him to earth. His Father beared witness of Him. 

Chapter 8 verse 17

It is also written in your law, 

that the testimony of two men is true

Verse 17:Our Lord uses also the law to answer the Pharisees. He tells them the principle that the testimony of two men is true. In Deuteronomy 17 verse 6 we read: At the mouth of two winesses, or three witnesses, shall he tha tis worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shalll not be put to death" And in Deut. 19 verse 15B we read.......At the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established" So our Lord was right and He gave these hypocrite Pharisees who were blind and didn't not very well the law because of their stubbornness. 

 

Chapter 8 verse 18

I am the One that bear witness of myself, and the

Father that sent me beareth witness of me

Verse 18: Our Lord beared witness of Himself and also the Father Who sent Him beareth witness of Him. So our Lord had two witnesses. It was a testimoney. What a pity that those men who were in the Law didn't even know their own Messiah as He stood before them. They said they knew the Law but did not know the God of the Law Who had given the Law through Moses.

Chapter 8 verse 19

Then said they unto Him, Where is thy Father?

Jesus answered , ye neither know me, nor my

Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known

my  Father also 

Verse 19: They, the Pharisees asked Him where is thy Father. This let you see that they were blind because they didn't believe in God the Father and not in Him His Son Jesus Christ Who stood before them and saying the things in Jerusalem. They didn't understand anything about Him and Who had sent Him. That's why our Lord said to them if ye had known me, yet should have known my Father also Who had send me. They were spiritual blind so they reasoned according their flesh. Our Lord knew that their father was not God but the devil. They were religious but children of the devil! 

Chapter 8 verse 20

These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no 

man laid hands on Him, for His hour was not yet come. 

Verse 20: These were the words our Lord spoke in the temple when He taught them. People like the religious leaders of Israel who were there to listen were very angry and wanted to laid hands on Him but our Lords hour was not yet come. It was not the right time yet. It would come but this hour was in the hands of His Father! That our Lord became more and more a Stumblingblock was clear! 

Chapter 8 verse 21

Then said Jesus again unto  them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, 

and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come

Verse 21: Again our Lord spoke to them, the Pharisees and religious leaders of Israel saying: I go my way and ye shall seek me but you shall not find me. You will die in your sins because where I go He said you cannot come. Why they couldn't come to the place where our Lord went to? They didn't believe on Him and were dead in their trespasses and sins. For a while He was with them on earth but a little while and He was gone and they should die in their sins and had no chance anymore. 

Chapter 8 verse 22

Then said the Jews, Will He kill Himself? Because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come

Verse 22: Brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ! The Jews understood nothing from His words.  They thought earthly because they were from beneath but our Lord Jesus Christ was from above. His words were spiritual but they, the Jews,  were in their sins and couldn't comprehend those words so they asked themselves will He kill Himself because we cannot come to the place where He is going to. 

Chapter 8 verse 23

And He said to them, Ye are from beneath: I am from above: ye

are of this world; I am not of this world

Verse 23: Very strong words of our Lord here in this verse my dear brothers and sisters!!! He said to the religious leaders of Israel that they were from beneath, earthly, from this world. They were religious but had no relationship with God and didn't know God. They knew the Law of Moses but did not believe in the One Who gave the Law through Moses to Israel to keep it. They were unbelievers and they were ripe for judgment that would follow very soon according to Prophecy. He said further on that He was from above, from heaven, from His Father Who was and is in heaven and Who had sent Him to earth. He was not from this world He said. In John 18 verse 36 we read what our Lord later said to Pilate: Jesus answered, My Kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence  He was God Himself in the flesh of men and He came from heaven and He was without sin so what He thought and said was all spiritual. They couldn't understand because they were still in Adam, earthly, in their sins. 

Chapter 8 verse 24

I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe 

not that I am He, ye shall die in your sins

Verse 24: Our Lord followed by repeating this saying to the Pharisees and scribes: ye shall die in your sins. What does that mean my dear brothers and sisters? Die in your sins? This means that if they believe not in Him they should forever be lost and eternal die in their sins. In II Thessalonians 1 verse 9 we read what will happen to them who will not believe in Him as Savior: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power" And in Revelation 20 verse 13 and 14 we read: And the sea gave up the deade which were in it: and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell was cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death" This is what our Lord meant when He said this to the religious leaders who tried to accuse Him and hated Him.

Chapter 8 verse 25

Then said they unto Him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them.

Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning

Verse 25: This verse let you know as reader that they the religious leaders of Israel did not know who He was! They didn't understand anything what He was saying. In their eyes He was a Deceiver and must be killed.  Our Lord explained again that He is equal with God the Father and that He was the Christ who was send by His Father to earth to take away the sins of the world. They understood nothing of Him because they were blind and so it is nowadays too with unbelievers in this world. They understand nothing from the Word of God. 

Chapter 8 verse 26

I have many things to say and to judge of you: but He that sent me

is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard 

of Him

Verse 26: Indeed our Lord had many things to say of the religious leaders to whom He spoke and also to judge them. But , now it comes: He and that is God the Father Who sent Him to this earth to die for mankind on the cross is true! It let you see that He depended on God the Father as Son. He did the will of the Father and it was the Father's will and not our Lord's will. He spoke to them according what He had heard from His Father Who was in heaven and told Him what to say.  He said to them that the judgment belonged to God. He claimed to be sent by God and He claimed to have heard from God the things that He taugth. 

Chapter 8 verse 27
They understood not that He spake to them of the Father

Verse 27: Why didn't they not understand it what He was talking about? Answer: they were blind because they didn't believe on Him. They believed not in God the Father neither in the Son Whom God the Father hath sent. For them He, our Lord,  was a Stumblingblock and became more and more a Stumblingblock for them as they heard more of Him. 

Chapter 8 verse 28

Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have

lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that

I am He, and that I do nothing of myself;

but as my Father hath taught me, I speak

these things

 

Verse 28: First  Lord spoke to them, the religious Jews about His own death, when He would be lifted up on the cross. Lifted up has here two meanings. The first meaning is that lifted up in crucifixion and the second meaning is His exaltation and glorification. Our Lord Jesus saw His crucifixion in terms of glory and not just suffering. It was His death, burial, resurrection and ascension and so He would be revealed to the Jewish nation.  Second the Lord was sent by His Father and He did what His Father hath taught Him to speak. He did nothing of Himself. He was faithful to His Father Who hath sent Him. He was obedient to His Father and this we can read also my brothers and sisters in Philippians 2 verse 5-8: "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men|: And being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross  

Chapter 8 verse 29

And he that sent me is with me: the Father

hath not left me alone; for I do always those

things that please Him. 

Verse 29: Our Lord's Father hath sent Him and He is always with Him and never leave Him alone. He and His Father are One. With our human thinking we cannot understand and comprehend it. Through God's Spirit through His Word we can understand that God is Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit! Our Lord did always the things what pleased the Father. He obeyed for 100% His Father. He was without sin. We as humans are sinners and cannot for 100% please God because we still sin. We cannot follow our Lord in His faithfulness to His Father. Again He always pleased His Father in heaven when He was here on earth. 

Chapter 8 verse 30

As He spake these words, many believed on Him

Verse 30: These words were so powerful because it was and is God's Word what was spoken to them and people became really impressed by these words so that many people there came to believe on Him. 

Chapter 8 verse 31

Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him,

If ye continue in My Word then are ye my disciples indeed

Verse 31: To the one's who believed on Him our Lord told them that they had to continue to believe in His Word  and be busy with it and than they were really disciples of Him. This is conditional. Those Jews had to do something: to continue in His Word!  Otherwise they were not disciples of Him. 

Chapter 8 verse 32

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth

shall make you free

Verse 32: He told Him more than this, He told them that they should know the truth. How? Through the power of His Word. And the truth shall make you free. This is really true: the truth shall make you free. Free from the bondage of sin.  Also now my dear brothers and sisters. We live now under Gods Grace and God's Gospel of the Grace of God is God's truth now and if you became to understand it and study more and more about this wonderful Gospel it shall make you free. You know then what our Lord Jesus Christ did for you on the cross and what your position is in Him now and more and more blessings. It will make you free from false doctrines and from the will to sin, it saves you forever from the power of sin. 

Chapter 8 verse 33

They answered Him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in 

bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? 

 

Verse 33: You see my dear brothers and sisters how the people reacted about what He told them that the truth shall make free. They didn't understand these words from our Lord because they were not aware from the fact that they were in bondage of sin. They answered Him we are from Abraham, this is our father and we were never in bondage to any man and how can you say that we shall be made free? Unbelievers react like this and this is a example! What kind of bondage He spoke to them? They were not aware of the fact that they were in bondage! This is exactly what a person thinks when he or she is in his or her unbelieving state. That's why our Lord answered them the following:

Chapter 8 verse 34

Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever

committeth sin is the servant of sin

Verse 34: Our Lord answered right well and told them the truth that they were sinners, all of them. Children of Abraham was not a excuse and to think you are good. They were in bondage of sin. Because they were sinners they committed sin and were servants of sin. Romans 3 verse 23 tell's us:"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" From nature all people and we inclusive my dear brothers and sisters are sinners and in Adam. We were born sinners. You only recognize that if you became a believer in Christ. Before that moment you trust Christ as personal Savior you are not aware of this and don't understand why our Lord Jesus Christ came into this world and must die on the cross for mankind: to save them!  

Chapter 8 verse 35

And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son

abideth ever.

Verse 35: How can slaves of sin be set free? Only by the Son. Servant here means servant of sin cannot live forever but the Son abideth ever. He, the Son have eternal life and He lives forever! Most of the Jews and speciale the religious Jews were servants of sin. 

 

Chapter 8 verse 36

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed

Verse 36: The Lord told this people , the Jewish people that He, the Son can make you free and they would be free indeed. Free from sin! If they believed on Him and continued to believe on Him. Free indeed!!!  The question was did they believe on Him? Earlier they wanted to kill Him because what He taught them. 

Chapter 8 verse 37

I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but ye seek to kill me, because

my Word hath no place in you

Verse 37: This was our Lord's conclusion on them. They were Abraham's seed and for sure they were but Abraham was a sinner just like Adam because he was too a descendant of Abraham. We, brothers and sisters in our Lord are also sinners too like Abraham because we come all from nature of Adam. We were born with this Adamic nature so we are born sinners and through Christ we are now in Him and saved sinners!!!! These Jewish came also from Adam and from Abraham from which the folk Israel came from. They seek to kill our Lord because His Word hath no place in them. They hated Him and what He told them. The wanted their religion and love to serve sin and He said to them you can be free, free from sin. For them He was a Stumblingblock and He became more and more a Stumblingblock. 

Chapter 8 verse 38

I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do

that which ye have seen with your father

Verse 38: I speak,  the Lord said to them what He had heard and seen of His Father in heaven. In John 14 verse 10 we read the following: Believest thou not  that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself; but the Father that dwelleth in me, He doeth the works. He continued to say to them: ye do that which ye have seen with your father. Their father. They depended on Abraham as father. Their earthly father. Abraham was a sinner and the religious Jews to whom our Lord spoke were sinners too and still in their sins. They saw only the example of sinners and copied that! Their real father was and is the devil. 

Chapter 8 verse 39

They answered and said unto Him , Abraham  is our father. Jesus

saith unto them. If ye were Abraham's children , ye would do the 

works of Abraham

Verse 39: The Jewish people answered Him that Abraham was their father but our Lord knew them very well, He knew their hearts and their attitude (works) and say if you are a child of Abraham why do you not do the works which Abraham did? Abraham believed on the Lord and did what the Lord asked him to do. He believed and worked for his salvation. Nowadays my dear brothers and sisters it is through God's Grace without works we are saved. Read Ephesians 2:8-9 for yourselves and in Romans 4 verse 4 and 5 we read: "Now to him that worketh is the rewared not reckoned of Grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness"

Chapter 8 verse 40

But now ye seek to kill me, a man 

that hath told you the truth, which

I have heard of God: this did not 

Abraham

Verse 40:These Jews the Lord spoke to were full of envy, anger and wanted to kill Him. He told them the truth but they didn't want the truth. They were unbelievers and they said to Him that they were children of Abraham but Abraham was in general obedient and had not plans to kill. So our Lord confronted them with Abraham's attitude or behavior. He told them the truth and the truth is sometimes very hard but also clear. 

Chapter 8 verse 41

Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to Him

We be not born of fornication; we have one Father,

even God

Verse 41: When our Lord here said to them you do the deeds of your father He meant that their father is the devil. We see this later on in the conversation the Lord had with them in verse 44. They denied that they were born of fornication. They said to Him that they had one Father even God. That God was their Father. However, they did not show this. Their deeds were not deeds of love but of anger, envy, hate etc. 

Chapter 8 verse 42

Jesus said unto them , If God were your Father, ye would love

me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came

I of myself, but He sent me

Verse 42:They, the Jewish people our Lord spoke with didn't loved Him. They wanted to kill Him. That's why He said to them If God were your Father ye would love me. He continued to say to them that He came from God and that He not came of Himself but of Him, God the Father Who sent Him. In Galatians 4 verse 4 and 5 we read: "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the Law, To redeem them that were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.  That is why our Lord was sent by His Father to earth: to redeem that were under the Law and that were those Jewish people to whom He spoke here. 

Chapter 8 verse 43

Why do ye not understand my speech? Even because ye

cannot hear my word

 

Verse 43: First our Lord asked them, the Jewish people who were listening to Him didn't understand His speech. And directly after his they listenened but could not understand because they were unbelievers. They were natural men. In I Corinthians 2 verse 14 we read: "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he knwo them, because they are spiritually discerned. My dear brothers and sisters in Christ: they, the Jewish people, religious people, to whom our Lord spoke were natural men! They were in their sins because of Adam. They were in Adam. All people who are not believers today are the same in Adam and receive not the things of God because they don't understand it because they don't have the Spirit of God. For them all of God's Word is foolishness. In Psalm 14 verse 1: The fool  hath said  in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominadable works, there is none that doeth good" For the man in Adam, natural man God does not exists. 

Chapter 8 verse 44

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of you father

ye will do, He was a murderer from the beginning, and 

abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. 

when he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own:

for he is liar, and the father of it

 

Verse 44: Very strong words from our Lord my dear brothers and sisters. He told those religious Jews that their father is the devil, not God! They did the lusts of the devil, their father. The Lord knew it because He sees the heart of men! The devil is a murderer from the beginning and a liar. He is a men killer! He tells always lies. There is no truth in him. Nowadays and also in the past he perverted God's Word. It looks that it is the truth but it isn't. With his lies he tries and tried many people to get away from God's Word which is the truth! He is the father of lies and can only lie. In Genesis 3 verse 1-5 we read what the devil said to the woman in the beginning: "Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said  unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes sahll be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil" You see, the devil here is perverting God's Word!!! And the woman listened to him and gave also her husband and he eat of the fruit of the forbidden tree which causeth the sin in he world Romans 5:12.  Because we come all of Adam we are all sinners and have that Adamic nature. We are born with it natural. So the devil is a man killer from the beginning! 

 

Chapter 8 verse 45

And because I tell you the truth , ye believe me not

Verse 45: Our Lord told the Jews the truth. But they didn't believe Him. He said to them ye believe me not. He had told them that if they believed in the Father they should also believe and known Him. Still they were unbelievers and seek to kill Him. They were stuck to their religion! They wouldn't change their lives.and believe Him Who told them the truth. 

Chapter 8 verse 46

Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, 

why do ye not believe me? 

Verse 46: They couldn't blame Him or convince Him that He did sin. And again immediately after this He asked them again why they didn't believe Him because He told them the truth. He was without sin and they were sinners and they didn't believe Him because they were natural men and natural men cannot understand the Word of God!

Chapter 8 verse 47

He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not,

because ye are not of God

 

Verse 47: Again very strong words from our Lord Jesus Christ to the Jews to whom He spoke. He that is from God can understand God's Word or words and they were not from because and therefore they didn't hear the words what He spoke to them because these were the words of God. 

Chapter 8 verse 48

Then answered the Jews, and said unto Him,

Say we not well that thou art a Samaritan, and hast

a devil 

Verse 48: The Jews said bad words to Him in their answer: thou art a Samaritan and hast a devil. Because our Lord lived in Nazareth and was often in Galilee and in Samaria they, because they were angry at Him said thou art a Samaritan and hast a devil. They couldn't stand His words, that's why they answered Him like this. They couldn't understand His words and didn't believe in HIm. 

Chapter 8 verse 49

Jesus answered, I have not a devil; but I honour my Father, 

and ye do dishonour me. 

Verse 49: What the Jews said or answered to our Lord was really offensive, abusive. They spoke not respectful to Him. They had no respect for Him and dishounered Him. With their words they make a shame of it. He said, our Lord to them that He had not a devil but instead of that He honoured His Father. The devil cannot honor God the Father because he is the adversary. How can a adversary honour the Father? 

Chapter 8 verse 50

And I seek not mine own glory: there is one

that seeketh and judgeth

Verse 50: The Lord continued to say to them, the Jews that He seeked not His own glory! The second half there is one that seeketh and judgeth. From whom is the Lord speaking here? They the Jews were seeking their own glory. Read again John 5 verses 41 till 44. He our Lord was seeing the glory  that belongs to God alone and God alone can judge!

Chapter 8 verse 51

Verily, verily, I say unto you, 

If a man keep my saying, he shall

never see death

Verse 51: What our Lord told the Jews here is for sure, for sure if any man believe and hold fast the words which our Lord spoke he shall never see death. This man shall have eternal life and shall live in the 1000 years reign with our Lord on earth at His second coming. The second death he shall never see. 

Chapter 8 verse 52

Then said the Jews unto Him, Now we know that thou hast a 

devil. Abraham is dead and the prophets; and thou sayest,

If a man keep my saying, he shall never taste of death

Verse 52: These Jews didn't understand Him what He was saying and said to Him that He had a devil. They couldn't understand Him because He spoke to them about eternal life and life. If any man believe His words and kept them this man would have eternal life and see not the second death the eternal death!  They came with Abraham which they claimed to be their father and the prophets that they are dead. How can He say that a man who believes on Him and His words and keep them shall never taste death? They were very amazed about this given their response! 

Chapter 8 verse 53
Art thou greater than our father Abraham, which is dead? and the prophets

are dead: whom makest thou thyself? 

Verse 53: Here you see their argument: Abraham is dead and the prophets are dead. Who do you think you are? Are you greater than them? With other words What do you think whom you are?  He had been asked this question too by the Samaritan woman in John 4 verse 12. What makest thou thyself? This was their question.

Chapter 8 verse 54

Jesus answered, If I honour myself, my honour is nothing

it is my Father that honoureth me; of Whom ye say

that He is your God

Verse 54: Our Lord is very clear here. He never honoured Himself and His honour is nothing!!! It is His Father Who honoureth Him. An example of this we see in and that the Father and the Son are One Hebrews 1: 8-9: But unto the Son He saith, Thy throne O God, is for ever and ever, a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore god, even thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows" When our Lord was on earth He did nothing from Himself but what His Father said to Him to do. He was faithful to His Father 100 %  In Hebrews 2 verse 7 we read: Thou madest Him a little lower thatn the angels; thou crownedst Him with glory and honour, and didst set Him over the works of Thy hands" You see my dear brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ: The Father honoureth the Son and the Jews claimed that God the Father was their God but they didn't believe on Him. If He honoureth Himself He was just like men but He was sinless and He could say this to the Jews. 

Chapter 8 verse 55

Yet ye have not known Him; but I know Him; and if I should say 

I know Him not, I shall be a liar like unto you; but I know Him,

and keep His saying. 

Verse 55: Again strong, very strong and powerful words of our Lord which He said to the Jews and indirectly to us too my dear brothers and sisters. They, the Jews didn't know God but our Lord knew and know His Father because they are One. He would be a liar like men if our Lord said that He didn't know His Father!  That's for sure!!! But our Lord is God Himself and He could not be a Liar like men. He is without sin and He is the sinnless Lamb that was slain for sinners like you and me on the cross on Calvary. He said to them I know Him and keep His saying. He did for 100% the will of His Father. Read Philippians 2: 5-9! Later our Lord told to His disciples in John 15:10: "If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in His love" So our Lord was 100% obeying His Father! 

Chapter 8 verse 56

Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day:

and he saw it, and was glad

Verse 56: Our Lord continued to say that Abraham had rejoiced to see the Lord Jesus Christ. He saw this day and was glad. Abraham glorified God when he saw it. 

Chapter 8 verse 57

Then said the Jews unto Hm. Thou art not yet fifty years old, and 

hast thou seen Abraham? 

Verse 57: The Jewish response shows here that they really didn't understand what He was talking about. How have you seen Abraham and you are not yet fifty years old. That's why we have in this world this saying that when a person is fifty years old he has seen Abraham. Thy couldn't understand Him. 

Chapter 8 verse 58

Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, 

Before Abraham was, I am

Verse 58: Immediately our Lord said to them that He was before Abraham. That is that He exists before Abraham lived. He said I am. That are the same words what the Lord told Moses in Exodus 3 verse 14: "And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I am hath sent me unto you. 

Chapter 8 verse 59

Then took they up stones to cast at Him: 

but Jesus hid Himself, and went out 

of the temple, going through the midst

of them, and so passed by

Verse 59: After this saying of the Lord the Jewish became very angry and agressive and took up stones to cast to Him. To kill Him. Our Lord hid Himself immediately after this and went ou ot the temple. He went through the midst of them and dissapeared. How can it be? Well His hour was not yet come. It was not the right moment to be delivered unto their stoning. This was also not the manner upon which our Lord would die for mankind. He would die on a cross later on Calvary for all mankind. So He went through their midst. Amazing! And passed by!!! 

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 Chapter 9 verse 1

And as Jesus passed by, He saw a man

which was blind from his birth

Verse 1: Our Lord passed by. He went through the midst of all the Jews who were in the temple and tried to stone Him because of the words He spoke to them. They didn't believe in Him, neither believed they in God the Father. So when they took up stones to stone Him He went away and after that He saw a man who was born blind. 

Chapter 9 verse 2

And His disciples asked Him, saying, Master, who did sin,

this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? 

Verse 2: The disciples of the Lord were seeking for a cause why this man was born blind. The conclusion of their reasoning was that this man had sinned or his parents. To blame the parents because of the blindness of their son, this man!!! Now a man who was blind in that day was most of the time a beggar. This man and his parents were known in the neighbourhood. See also verse 8 of this chapter. The disciples didn't look at the blind man as a object of mercy. No they saw him rather as a subject for a spiritual discussion. It was better for them to judge like this who did sin He or his parents? They saw not the need of this man in his life: healing from the blindness. This man couldn't see in his life. That is the same for a person who is spiritual blind. He cannot see the Light of God because he do not believe in God. This is earnest, very earnest. 

Chapter 9 verse 3

Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents:

but that the works of God should be made manifest in him

Verse 3: Our Lord gave a very good answer here in verse 3 to the question who had sinned he or his parents because of the blindness of this man. His answer to their qustion was neither hath this man sinned nor his parents so that this may not the cause of his blindness. In Romans 3 verse 23 we read: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God"  We know it is a result of sin that came into this world Romans 5:12. Birth defects and diseases belong to that!  The Lord knew, knows this very well. But that this blind man was a sinner and his parents too . They sinned but that was not the cause of this blindness. Immediately after this our Lord said but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. The Lord would heal this man so that this man would see and would glorify God and became to believe in God. To let see the power of God which is more than the power of man.  

Chapter 9 verse 4

I must work the works of Him that sent me, while it is day: the night

cometh, when no man can work.

Verse 4: Here again we here the words of our Lord! He did the works of Him that sent Him. God the Father was the One Who sent Him and He our Lord did the works of Him 100%. He could do this to let see His Majesty and power to the lost world! When He spoke this it was still day because He was in the world. The night cometh, when no man can work. What does that mean. The answer we can found in the next verse: As long He was in the world there was light. Night stands for darkness and the darkness was to come: the 7 years of darkness after our Lord was ascended to His Father. No man can work in this night because our Lord is absent. You have the 7 years of darkness then. 

Chapter 9 verse 5

As long as I am in the world 

I am the light of the world 

Verse 5: Our Lord continues here in this verse that it was day because as long as He was in the world it was light. He was the light of the world!  After His going to His Father the night would come and then it was very difficult to believe on Him. When He told them this it was the right time for the people to believe on Him and have eternal life. In John 1 verse 4 and 5 we read again the following words of God: In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. So as long He was on earth there was life, etnernal life  read John 3:16! 

Chapter 9 verse 6

When He had thus spoken , He spat on the ground, and made clay

of the spittle and he anointed  the eyes of the blind man with the clay

Verse 6: Our Lord not only spoke. He came also into action and did the works His Father asked Him to do to let see the omnipotence of God and His Majesty. Our Lord healed this blind man. It is so beautiful how He did this. He spat on the ground and made clay from the spittle and spread it like buter on the eyes of the blind man. So the clay was on his eyes and after this immediately the Lord said unto him the following words

 

Chapter 9 verse 7

And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.)

he went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing

Verse 7: Our Lord gave the blind man with the clay on his eyes the assignment to go to the pool of Siloam and wash in the pool  The man did this and went his way to Siloam and washed in the pool of Siloam and came back seeing. Really a miracle our Lord did here! The man was blind but could now see. So is it also with us brothers and sisters. We were blind when we were the enemies of God, unbelievers. We couldn't see spiritual but now we can see because we are of Him, Christ!!!  Read this beautiful song here below: 

Amazing grace
How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost
But now I'm found
Was blind, but now I see

Yes in Christ we can see ! 

Chapter 9 verse 8

The neighbours therefore, and they which before had 

seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that

sat and begged? 

Verse 8: Neighbours and others who knew this blind man were very amazed about the fact that this man could see now and asked themselves the question: was that the person who was blind and sat and begged? They couldn't believe their eyes! How did this happen to him? 

Chapter 9 verse 9

Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said I am he

Verse 9: Some of them couldn't believe it so they doubted if he was the man who was blind but now sees. So they said this is a man like that man.  He gave them the answer it is me that was blind but now I see. 

Chapter 9 verse 10

Therefore said they unto him. How were thine eyes opened? 

Verse 10: For them this was a miracle and a mystery and that's why they asked him how his eyes were opened? 

Chapter 9 verse 11

He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and 

anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, 

and wash: I went and washed , and I received sight

Verse 11: The man who was before blind but had now sight explained to them exactly how did it go. He was very honoust in this. He said that Jesus made clay and anointed his eyes and told him what to do and he followed these instructions and received sight. 

Chapter 9 verse 12

Then said they unto him , Where is he? 

He said, I know not

Verse 12: You see my brothers and sisters these Jewish people from the neighbourhood and others who know this man before he couldn't see were very curious: They asked him where this Jesus was. The man couldn't give a answer on this so he said I know not. 

Chapter 9 verse 13

They brought to the Pharisees him 

that aforetime was blind

Verse 13: The people who did know him and have asked where the Lord was and the blind man who now, he could see now , didn't know where our Lord was and they brought them to the Pharisees, the religious leaders. The wrong persons who didn't believe in our Lord Jesus. They wanted to discuss this and because he was healed on the Sabbath so they had something to talk about. We know the Pharisees were religious, hypocrites and unbelievers. Since the Pharisees were the keepers of the faith it was right that the healde man be brought to them for research. 

Chapter 9 verse 14

And it was the sabbath day when Jesus 

made the clay, and opened his eyes 

Verse 14: The blind man got his eyesight on the Sabbath's day. Our Lord Jesus Christ healed this man on this day. According the Sabbath day the Jews said that it was not lawful  that a person was healed from his handicap or disease. That the man was healed by our Lord Jesus Christ on the Sabbath day caused the Pharisees great concern. It was illegal to work on the Sabbath day by making the clay and applying the clay what our Lord did. 

Chapter 9 verse 15

Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his 

sight. he said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I 

washed, and do see.

Verse 15: The Pharisees asked him , the man who was blind but was healed on the Sabbath day through our Lord Jesus Christ, how he received sight. They wanted to know exactly how the man was healed. They, the Pharisees should have been praising God for this miracle but instead of this they sougth evidence to prosecute our Lord Jesus Christ. The man gave them again a honost answer. This was the second time he gave this same answer because it was gone like it was gone exactly how he described it. 

Chapter 9 verse 16

Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God,

because He keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How

can a man that is a sinner do such miracles?

And  there was a division among them

 

Verse 16: Some of the Pharisees believed and said that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Man of Nazareth was not God. Why not? Because He kept not the sabbath day. That was their main point that they couldn't believe He was God. On the Sabbath day it was forbidden to work and our Lord did a miracle on this day to heal this man who stood before them who was blind but now he saw, he had eyesight. But there were other Pharisees or other Jews religious people in the congregation who said: How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? No sinner could do the miracles like our Lord did on earth. They had never seen such miracles in their lives before. So you had a group of men who couldn't believe in Him as God or Lord and another group of man who doubted and there came division among them. You can imagine a lot of discussion and this can degenerate into quarrels. Here the Bible doesn't mention it but there was division and most divisions end like this. 

Chapter 9 verse 17

They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of Him, 

that He opened thine eyes He said, He is a prophet

 

Verse 17: After this they asked the man who was blind and his eyes were now opened. What is your meaning about the Man who opened thine eyes? The man answered immediately and he said, He is a prophet. He said He is a inspired speaker and the man recognized that our Lord was send by God to do this miracle. Look in the next verse what those religious Jews did

Chapter 9 verse 18

But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind,

and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that 

had received his sight. 

Verse 18: The Jews didn't believe him who was blind but now had sight because our Lord did this miracle. They couldn't believe that this was true. This was not proof enough that this man stood before them and said that Jesus Christ was a prophet. But he stood before them! He was the living proof!  Still they didn't believe him. Instead of believing the blind man who had now eyesight they called his parents and asked them about their son. We see that in the next verse.

Chapter 9 verse 19

And they asked them saying, Is this your son, 

who ye say was born blind? How then doth he now

see?  

Verse 19: The religious Jews, Pharisees didn't believe what the blind man said to them that he was healed by the Lord Jesus Christ and had eyesight and that our Lord was a prophet. So they asked his parents: Is this your son from whom you said that he was born blind? The second question from them was: how can he now see? They had heard the story before and they couldn't believe it because the man was healed on the Sabbath day and that was forbidden and mayby in their eyes it was unbelievable that a person who was whole his life was blind now could see. They couldn't believe the miracle! 

Chapter 9 verse 20

His parents answered them and said. We know that this is our son,

and that he was born blind. 

Verse 20: His parents give first an answer to the first question what was asked them. Honostly they answered that this was their son and they confirmed that he was born blind.  What his parents said was with real belief! 

Chapter 9 verse 21

But by what means he now seeth, we know not;

or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age

ask him: he shall speak for himself     

Verse 21: His parents gave here their second answer and said in short that they didn't know who hath opened they eyes of their son! They said he is of age ask him because he shall speak for himself. With other words why do you ask us who opened his eyes that he now can see. He is a grown up son of us so you can ask himself and he can speak for himself. He is not a child anymore. This is most of the time the case when parents have a handicaped son or daughter who is grown up that the son or daughter is seen as a child but most of the times the son or daughter who is handicapped can speak for him or herself. He can also communicate by himself to others only if he can't talk by himself than it is more difficult to communicate. Nowadays we have so much technics in this world so there are always ways to communicate. In that time when the blind man was healed by our Lord he could speak and had spoken to this religious people who asked him who did healed him. The question is whether his parents knew that their son was healed through our Lord Jesus Christ. He must have told them about it because the whole neighbourhood knew and saw this man who was blind but now had eyesight. 

Chapter 9 verse 22

These words spake his parents, because

they feared the Jews: for the Jews had

agreed already, that if any man did confess

that He was Christ, he should be put out of the 

synagogue 

Verse 22: The parents of the blind man who could now see said that they didn't know and they spoke those words to the religious Jews. They attended the synagogue and feared these religious Jews, Pharisees because the Jews had made this law when someone confessed that Jesus was Christ that person should be put out of the synagogue. His parents were afraid of the Jews because they were the leaders of the synagogues and if they said that Jesus was Christ and confessed this they were cast out the synagogue so to save themselves from this they said we don't know. His parents wanted to keep going to the synagogue. That's why they said we don't know

Chapter 9 verse 23

Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him

 

Verse 23: Because of fear of the Jews, the Pharisees, they said: he is of age, grown up, ask himself about it. We say nothing anymore about it. 

Chapter 9 verse 24

Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto

him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner

Verse 24: They called again the man who was healed from his blindness and said unto him. Give alone God the praise. It was a form of swearing,  because this Man, Jesus of Nazareth is a sinner because He did this miracle on the Sabbath day and that is sin in our eyes because He kept not the Sabbath. They believed not that He was God Himself. They rejected Him because Christ was and is the Light of the world. They accused Him that He was a sinner but they didn't know what they were saying. 

Chapter 9 verse 25

He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not:

one thing I know that, whereas I was blind, now I see

Verse 25: The man who was blind but was healed answered these religious Jews that it was not the question if this Man Jesus of Nazareth was a sinner or not because he didn't know it. What he knows exactly was this fact that he was once blind and now he could see and that was the most important for this man. 

Chapter 9 verse 26

Then said they t him again, What did He to thee? 

How opened He thine eyes? 

Verse 26: Again the religious Jews wanted to know from the blind man hear what the Lord did to him and how He opened his eyes. So for the second time they asked him this because they could not believe it. It let you see that they remained curious. 

For them it was not true what had happened but it was a fact! They couldn't ignore it, that's why they already said to him give praise to God for this. They were very angry about the fact that the man was healed on the Sabbath day by our Lord of Whom they said He is a sinner. 

Chapter 9 verse 27

He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did 

not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again?

Will ye also be His disciples? 

Verse 27: The man who was healed from his blindness answered these religious leaders again: I told you already but you wouldn't listen. Instead of listening to me and believe what I say to you you asked my parents and asked them about it. Why will you hear again the whole story. And then directly after this will ye also be His disciples? This is really a form of boldness! The man,  you can imagine,  became impatient at this point. That's why he asked those irritated religious Jews if they too wanted to follow Jesus of Nazareth. He expected a negative answer but this question was a good form of courage of this man. 

Chapter 9 verse 28

Then they reviled him, and said, thou art His disciple;

but we are Moses disciples. 

Verse 28: Immediately after this they became very angry and reviled him, this healed man. They became rude, abusive! The words what this healed man said to them arrived like a blow in their faces. That's why they became to scorn at him. They said as answer thou art His disciple to the man and we are disciples of Moses. They were sure about Moses. Moses was their leader for all times and they understood the Law of Moses.

Chapter 9 verse 29

We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know

not from whence He is.  

Verse 29: Immediately after this they believed that God spoke unto Moses and through Moses the Law was given and this was for certain. They say after this as far that we know about this fellow. This fellow or guy they were not sure from where He came from.  How they spoke about our Lord Jesus Christ wasn't respectful because they say fellow. Well we know they didn't believe on Him and the Father Who had send Him to earth. You see how the adversary of God the devil took hold of them! 

Chapter 9 verse 30

The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing,

that ye know not from whence He is, and yet He hath opened mine eyes

 

Verse 30: It amazes the man that these religious Jews to whom he spoke didn't know where our Lord Jesus Christ and in that time Jesus of Nazareth came from and He had opened the eyes of the man! Strange and astonishing that they didn't know where He came from. 

Chapter 9 verse 31

Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man

be a worshipper of God and doeth His will, him He heareth

Verse 31: The man with the opened eyes now continued to say this to the religious Jews that God is not listening to sinners but to persons who worship Him and do the will of Him God will listen and hear also the prayer. 

Chapter 9 verse 32

Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened

they eyes of one that was born blind

Verse 32: Such a miracle, healing that someone's eyes, who were born blind, now opened. No man could do this than only Jesus of Nazareth and this happened not before in all those ages before this miracle happened. 

 

Chapter 9 verse 33

If this Man were not of God, He could do nothing. 

Verse 33: If this Jesus of Nazareth the man said to them, were not of God He couldn't heal me and couldn't do nothing. So the healed man believed that He Christ was from God. We know now that Christ was of God and that He was God Himself and could heal and had the power to do miracles to let see that He is God Almighty. 

Chapter 9 verse 34

They answered and said unto him, thou wast altogether born in sins, 

and dost thou teach us?  And they cast him out

Verse 34: Now they became very angry at this man who was blind but now see. They said to him you are born in sins and to you think that you are better than us that you can teach us? You see my brothers and sisters these religious Jews like these Pharisees were very arrogant!!They considered themselves better than than the common people of Israel. They were the leaders and that a man like this, born as sinner, taught them, couldn't at all!!! Who was this man to teach them? Rediculous! And immediately they cast him out. Cast him out from what? From the synagogue. From that moment on the man couldn't enter the synagogue because it was forbidden for him because he believed in the One Who healed him on the Sabbath day. 

 

Chapter 9 verse 35

Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found

him, He said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? 

Verse 35: Our Lord Jesus Christ heard that the Pharisees had turned the door off from the synagogue for the healed man so that he never could enter anymore the synagogue. So our Lord was looking for this man and found him and asked him the most important question which would helped the healed man also to see spiritual. He asked do you believe on the Son of God? What a person had to believe under the Gospel of the Kingdom was this: For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlating life. John 3:16. This verse doesn't say that Christ died for our sins and was resurrected for our righteousness Romans 4:25. Why not? Because on that moment Christ was not crucified for mankind yet. So people had to believe on the Son of God. The question our Lord asked the healed man from his blindness was very clear. 

Chapter 9 verse 36

He answered and said, Who is He Lord, that I might

believe on Him? 

Verse 36: The healed man didn't know Who the Son of God was so it was not wondrous that he gave this answer: Who is He Lord, that I might believe on Him? 

Chapter 9 verse 37

And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen Him, and it is He 

that talketh with thee

Verse 37: Our Lord came very near to this man what we see here. He said you have seen Him and you have heard Him because He talked to you, the Son of God. Very deep words of our Lord and that was also the reason of the healed man start to believe on Him. The man trusted those words of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Chapter 9 verse 38

And he said , Lord, I believe.

And he worshipped Him. 

Verse 38: The man who was healed by our Lord began to believe on Him and worshipped Him. He said openly he believed on Him and he was very glad and thanked Him, our Lord and praised Him! 

Chapter 9 verse 39

And Jesus  said, For judgment I am come into this world,

that they which see not might see; and that they

which see might be made blind

Verse 39: Remarkable words of our Lord Jesus Christ. The reason of His coming we know that our Lord came for salvation but the result of His coming was condemnation of those who were unbelievers. The religious leaders of Israel were blind and refused to believe the truth. The light of truth only made them blinder. The man who received physical and spiritual sight received the light because he believed. The religious leaders thought that they had all truth were spiritual blind. 

Chapter 9 verse 40

And some of the Pharisees which were with Him heard these

words, and said unto Him, Are we blind also? 

Verse 40: The Pharisees who listened to Him and what they heard disturbed them  and that's why they asked: Are we blind also? With this question they were expecting  a negative  answer. Our Lord had already called them blind leaders who lead blind people. We can read this in Matthew 15 verse 14: "Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch"

Chapter 9 verse 41

Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin

but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth

Verse 41: The answer of our Lord Jesus Christ was not a negative answer. His reply was a paradox, a apparent contradiction! He said you claim to see and that's exactly that you are guilty. Blindness is surely not knowing what is going on but those religious leaders of Israel, the Pharisees and scribes knew what was going on. Our Lord had done many miracles and these religious leaders had seen them but ignored to make the right decision to believe on Him. So that's why He said therefore your sin remaineth. They had physical vision but were spiritual blind. Had they listened to the Word and made the decision to believe it,  they could be born again! But they refused it. That was the hardness of their hearts.  

 

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Chapter 10 verse 1

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that

entereth not by the door into the 

sheepfold, but climbeth up some other

way, the same is a thief and a robber

Introduction: In this chapter from verse 1 until verse 10 we read that the Lord said is the Door and that He is the Good Shepherd. In the last chapter our Lord spoke about the light and darkness and now He changed the image to that of the spepherd and the sheep. In the Jewish mind the shepherd was any kind of leader. It could be spiritual or political. 

Here in verse 1 our Lord opened His teaching, His sermon with a familiar ilustration. The shepherd would guard the flock at night by lying across the opening. He took care about the flock. The true shepherd comes in through the door and the porter recognizes him. The thief and the robber never entereth the door but climb over the wall and enter the fold through deception. 

Chapter 10 verse 2

But he hat entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep

 

Verse 2: The true shepherd will enter the door of the sheep and the porter will recognize him. He will not like the thiefs and the robbers climb over the wall and come into the sheepfold but will directly enter the door. 

Chapter 10 verse 3

To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice and 

he calleth his own sheep by name and leadeth them out

Verse 3: For the one who cometh to  the door the porter openeth the door and the sheep will hear the voice of their master or shepherd when he called them by name and he leadeth them out of the sheepfold. They , the sheep, will not listen to a stranger or someone who is a thief and a robber, they followed their own shepherd. The false shephers can never lead the sheep so they must steal them away. 

Chapter 10 verse 4

And when he putteth forth His own sheep, he goeth

before the and the sheep follow him: for they know 

his voice

Verse 4: The shepherd calleth his own sheep and leadeth them out and when he had done this the shepherd precedes the sheep and the sheep followed him because they know his voice and listen only to the voice of their shepherd. The sheep are not afraid to follow him. The true shepherd will love his sheep and will take care about them. He not only brings them out, he brings them also in and they became a part  of the one flock. And after we read in verse 5 

Chapter 10 verse 5

And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him:

for they know not the voice of strangers.

Verse 5: Sheep will not follow a stranger, a thief or a robber. They will not listen to the voice of a stranger, a thief or a robber because they recognize the voice of the stranger, thief or the robber. They will flee from him. So a stranger cannot lead the sheep. This is also real because try to call a sheep , the sheep will not come to you because the sheep don't know your voice so the beast will not come. They only listen to the shepherd and the dogs will help the shepherd the flock to keep together. 

Chapter 10 verse 6

 

This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood

not what things they were which He spake unto them

 

Verse 6: Our Lord spoke often in parable and this was also a parable. What is parable? Answer: a short story that teaches a moral or spiritual lesson especially. Our Lord spoke them often to teach a moral or spiritual lesson! The problem with the Jews was that they didn't understand His short story's. They had no idea of what things He was speaking to them. Why not? Well they were unbelievers and for them to understand the words of our Lord which is God's Word was impossible. They didn't trust/ believe on Him and for them these were strange words.  

Chapter 10 verse 7

Then said Jesus unto them again.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, I 

am the door of the sheep

Verse 7: Jesus Christ is also the door of the sheep. He said it again to the Jews who were listening to Him. The shepherd work of our Lord Jesus Christ has 3 aspects: He is the Good Shepherd, He gives His life for the sheep and He is also the Door of the sheep: if any man enter in he shall be saved. This we read in verse 9 of this same chapter. 

Chapter 10 verse 8

All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers:

but the sheep did not hear them

Verse 8: What does it mean: all that ever came before me are thieves and robbers? Our Lord Jesus Christ was referring in the first place to the religious rulers of Israel at that day. He was not condemning every prophet or servant  of God who ever ministered before He came to earth. The thieves and robbers let you see that our Lord had the religious leaders in mind. They were not true shepherds because they did not believe in God so God was not working in their ministry. They did not love the sheep (Israel) but instead of that they used them and misused them. From the 4 Gospels it is clear that those religious leaders or Pharisees, rulers of Israel were interested only in providing for themselves and protecting themselves. The Pharisees have or show a great desire to possess something belonging to someone else. They took advantage of the poor widows. We read in Mark 12 verse 39 and 40: And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: Which devour widows houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation". What they also did was this that they turned God's temple into a den of thieves. We read this in Matthew 21 verse 13: "And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves" And they had the plan to kill our Lord Jesus Christ so that Rome wouldn't take away their privileges, that they could be stay there in Jerusalem and to be still the leaders of Israel John 11: 49-53. Our Lord said that the sheep dont listen or hear those thieves and robbers. 

Chapter 10 verse 9

I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved

and shall go in and out, and find pasture

 Verse 9: Our Lord said again here I am the door. He is the Door. When someone go through the Door he receives life and is saved. If any man believes on Him he is saved and then following the person shall go in and out and find pasture. He or she will enjoy abundant life in the rich pastures of the Lord. Pastures here is grass. His sheep enjoy fullnes and freedom. These are the ones of Israel who believe in Him, individual persons. He is their Good Shepherd! Here Psalm 23 fits well with this. Let us read this Psalm together: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His Name's sake. Yea, though I walk throught the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me: thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. 

Chapter 10 verse 10

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy;

I am come that they might have life, and that they might have

it more abundantly

Verse 10: The Pharisees and scribes were the ones the Lord was speaking here. They came as thieves to steal and they were murderers and they wanted to destroy everything. They were the leaders of Israel but they didn't give Israel hope, life etc. The Lord Jesus said that He came that the people may have life in Him and that abundantly. What does that mean abundantly? Answer is exceedingly! It is eternal life! In John 11 verse 25 we read: Jesus dais unto her: I am the resurrection and the life: het that believeth in me, thought he wer dead, yet shall he live" This is what people under the Gospel of the Kingdom must believe and works and then they had eternal life! 

Chapter 10 verse 11

I am the Good Shepherd: the good shepherd giveth His life for the sheep

Verse 11: Our Lord told the Jews that He was the Good Shepherd of Israel and that He would give His life for His people. Israel was always to be compaired with sheep. Our Lord was that Good Shepherd and later He would give HIs life on the cross for them on Calvary! He was not afraid to give His life for them! That was the purpose why He came the first time to earth according to Prophecy. We know now because we have the whole Bible that Christ came into this world to save sinners like you and me. In I Timothy 1:15 we read: This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief" Thus the final purpose of our LOrd was that He came into this world to save sinners like you and me! The blood of Jesus Christ shed for the world is sufficient for the salvation of the world and it is efficient only for those who will believe. 

Chapter 10 verse 12

But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the

sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep,

and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and 

scattereth the sheep

Verse 12: The apostle John is here in this verse speaking about te hireling. This is what our Lord told the people.  Who is the hireling here in this verse? Our Lord constrasted Himself to the hireling. The hireling He said is not the shepherd. The hireling watch not over the sheep when danger comes like a wolf. He leaves the sheep and flees. The wolf has free rein to catch the sheep. He kills the sheep and scattereth the sheep. Throughout Israel's history Israel were God's people and compared to sheep!  Sheep are clean animals and sheep cannot defense themselves that's why they need a shepherd to lead them and protect them. Sheep are peaceful animals. In the city where I live we have a herd of sheep and there is a shepherd who lead them and special dogs with him to keep them together. Sheep are useful for the shepherd. This is a picture of the people of Israel who trusted Jesus Christ, who believed on Him and are God's flock. The Pharisees are here the hirelings. They didn't love the people of the folk of Israel. They didn't care about persons like the beggar because they put him out of the synagogue. Our Lord we have seen in chapter 9 of John found the beggar and cared for him. 

Chapter 10 verse 13

The hireling fleeth, because he is a hireling, and careth 

not for the sheep

Verse 13: This is a repeat of our Lord: the hireling is like the Pharisees and Scribes took not care about the sheep. They didn't care about people from Israel. They were self-centered, liars, made extra laws for the people but did not stick to it. They were hypocrites etc. So a hireling cannot care for the sheep. He is not the real shepherd. It is dangerous for sheep when a hireling is with the sheep. When danger comes the hireling flees and abandon the sheep. Under this Dispensation of Grace we have also shepherds or pastors and teachers. Ephesians 4 verse 11. The pastor in the church is also a shepherd who take care about all the people who come to the local church. He loves them and wants the best for all the people in his church, not only spiritual but also physically. In I Timothy 3 verse 1 till verse 8 we read about the reguirements of a bishop or pastor. He has also to take care about the people that when false doctrines come in the local church he has to protect the people from this. So was it also when our Lord was on earth : a good shepherd was someone who took care about the sheep (Israel) so that he could protect them when there came danger. The hireling did not meet the requirements! He was not suited for this. 

Chapter 10 verse 14

I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep,

and am known of mine

Verse 14: Our Lord is speaking here to the Jews that He is the good shepherd. He is not alone the Door but also the Good Shepherd and knows His sheep, the ones who believe really in Him. He goeth before them (the sheep) and the sheep follow Him for they know His voice. He is known by them. As the shepherd cares for the sheep the sheep get to know their shepherd better. Know speaks here of an intimate relationship between God  and His people In John 17 verse 3 we read: "And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, Whom thou hast sent. This is what our Lord Jesus Christ spoke to His Father just before the death on the cross for mankind. He gave Himself for the sheep, Israel in the first place and later it was revealed through the apostle Paul that He gave Himself for the whole world on that cruel cross on Calvary! 

Chapter 10 verse 15

As the Father knoweth me, even so 

know I the Father: and I lay down

my life for the sheep

Verse 15: The Father knows the Son, Jesus Christ  and even the Son knows the Father because they are One. And immediately after this saying He said I lay down my life for the sheep. With other words He would die for the sheep on the cross on Calvary. Gave His life for them. That was and is His purpose of His coming to the eath: to die for mankind! 

Chapter 10 verse 16

And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them

also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and

there shall be one fold, and one shepherd

Verse 16: The Lord speaks of other sheep here what He has and that are sheep not of the sheep of the fold. Who are this sheep and what is the meaning of this? The fold are the Jewish people who believe but there are other sheep who are not of

His folk. That are Gentiles who are outside the covenants of Israel, God's folk. In our Lord's ministry on earth He was come only for the lost sheep of the hous of Israel. We read in Matthew 10 verses 5 and 6: These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not in the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And now He is speaking about other sheep who are not from Israel but from the people outside Gentiles. How can this be? We see later in Acts 2:5 Jews and Jewish proselytes were converted and this what our Lord meant here. One fold will be one flock and one shepherd. Our Lord Himself as the Good Shepherd over them! This was the church which began in Jerusalem, the Messianic church. In John 11 verse 51 and  52 we read a prophesy about our Lord  that He should die for that nation and not for that nation only, but that also He should gather together in one the children of God taht were scattered abroad.  Read also Isaiah 40 verse 11!  

Chapter 10 verse 17
Therefore doth my Father love me, because 

I lay down my lfie, that I might take it again

Verse 17: Our Lord Jesus Christ is here speaking about His voluntary death on the cross for the sin of this world and His victorious resurrection. He was executed by mankind but from the divine view: He laid down His life willingly. On the cross later Jesus Christ said It is finished and gave voluntary up His Spirit to the Father in John 19:30 and 3 days later he stood up from the grave and took up His Life again through His resurrection! His Father gave Him this authority in love. He foretold this to the people what should happen not long after this. 

Chapter 10 verse 18

No man taketh it from me, but

I lay it down of myself. I have

power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. 

This commandment have I received of my Father

Verse 18: In some Scriptures we read that the Father raised up the Son. See Acts 2:32, Romans 6:4, Hebrews 13:20 . Here we read that the Son had the authority to lay down His life and have power to take it again. They are both true because the Father and the Son worked together in perfect harmony. In John 5 verse 26 we read : For as the Father hath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself" The commandment of power to take up the life again the Father gave it His Son because our Lord had this authority given in love from HIs Father. 

Chapter 10 verse 19

There was a division therefore again among 

the jews for these sayings. 

 

Verse 19: You see here how the Jews respond to these words: there was a division among the Jews because what our Lord spoke to them. People don't want to hear and facing the truth, they avoid it. In chapter 9 verse 16 we had the same situation that some said this and others something different. Anyway the words of our Lord caused division among the Jews. 

Chapter 10 verse 20
And many of them said, he hath a devil, and is mad; why 

hear ye Him? 

Verse 20: Many of the Jews who had listened and hear His words said that He was mad and had a devil. Why should you listen to a person like Him? With other words it is a wasting of time to listen to this Jesus of Nazareth. This all that they wouldn't hear and avoid the truth what He was telling them. They were unbelievers and for them the words of Him were very strange and they couldn't understand because they were blind, spiritual blind. Only spiritual people can understand it. 

Chapter 10 verse 21

Others said, These are not the words of Him that hath a devil. 

Can a devil open the eyes of the blind? 

Verse 21: There were also under those Jews who listened to Him and said that it was impossible that He hath a devil or a demon because a devil or demon cannot open the eyes of the blind man!  They recognized that He was very Special and that He couldn't have a demon or a devil. It will not say that they believed on Him. But the Words of our Lord were very powerful and with salt! It were the Words of God Himself. This is what some of these Jews recognized and they couldn't denied these words! 

Chapter 10 verse 22

And it was at Jerusalem the 

feast of the Dedication, and it was winter

Verse 22:Brothers and sisters we read here about the feast of the Dedication. What does that mean? Hanukkah is the feast of the Dedication because it celebrates the Maccabees victory over Greek oppression and the rededication of the temple in Jerusalem. A miraculous event occured during the rededication of the temple when God caused the eternal flame to burn for eight days on one day's worth of oil. The Hanukkah the Jews still nowadays celebrate.  It was winter when they celebrate this feast. 

Chapter 10 verse 23

And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch

Verse 23: Again our Lord Jesus Christ was walking in the temple on this feast of Dedication. He walked in Solomon's porch. It was and is the feast of light and it takes place in December near the time of Christmas. The Jewish leaders were celebrating this feast yet passing by a great opportunity right in their own temple! They surrounded our Lord Jesus Christ when He was walking there and He had to stop and listen to them. 

Chapter 10 verse 24

Then came the Jews round about Him, and said unto Him, How 

long dost thou make us to doubt?

If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. 

Verse 24: When our Lord walked in the temple the religious Jews surrounded Him and said to Him: How long are You going to hold us in doubt? Tell us directly if you are the Christ? They were doubting if He was it because they didn't believe on Him. 

 

Chapter 10 verse 25

Jesus answered them, I told you, and 

ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father's

Name, they bear witness of me

Verse 25: The Lord told them, the Jews, that He was the Christ and He did the works in the Name of His Father in heaven. But they believed not. They wished not to believe in Him because otherwise they should have known who He was. He reminds them here again about it about His words and the works He did before them. And He went on in the next verse.

 

Chapter 10 verse 26

But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep,

as I said unto you. 

Verse 26: He said to them but ye believe not so you cannot understand that I do works in my Father's Name and they beared witness of Him. They trusted not in Him but in their religion and in the Law of Moses. Strange that they even not believed in the One Who gave the Law to Moses for the folk Israel. They were not of his sheep. No they were of their father the devil. They didn't heard what He was telling them because for them it was foolishness!  This is it for the unbeliever and it now the same for a unbeliever to understand God's Word he or she cannot. 

Chapter 10 verse 27

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them,

and they follow me

Verse 27: The ones who believed on Him they followed Him as the Good Shepherd. They heard His voice. He knew them because everyone who is from Him He knew. He knows the hearts of men! He sees the heart and we as human beings see the outward man not the inward. Only God can do that. What a wonderful God we have!!!

Chapter 10 verse 28

And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never

perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand

Verse 28: The Lord said here to the Jews that the ones who believe in Him He will give unto them eternal life. They will never perish: For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish (be lost) but have everlasting life John 3:16  In John 11 verse 15 we read the following: "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.  Eternal life and never perish and nobody shall pluck them out of my hand. What a wonderful God we have. Also here the ones who believe in Him have eternal life and shall not perish. They are safe in Him. They have this safety or certainty. 

Chapter 10 verse 29

My Father, Which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able

to pluck them out of my Father's hand. 

Verse 29: Our Lord gave all the honor to His Father because the ones who believe in Him are given from His Father. They believed first the Father, in God and than after that the Father gave His Son the ones who believe and His Father is greater than He is. This let you see that the Son serves the Father. And here again He said no man is able to pluck them our of my Father's hand. First He told them that nobody could take the ones who believe in Him out of His hand and here we read the Father's hand .  This verse let you see that a saved sinner here is the Father's  love gift to His Son. The sheep, the ones who are in Him, are secure! We have seen 3 things here: the person who believe in Him has eternal life, shall never perish and nobody could pluck them out of the hand of the Son and the Father. This was under the Kingdom gospel. 

Chapter 10 verse 30

I and my Father are one

Verse 30: Our Lord said to the Jews that He and His Father are one. That means that is the Same! They both are God Himself. In John 14 verse 9 we read: Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how syest thou then Shew us the Father? What was the reaction from the Jews about this? Read on in the next verse! They, Father and Son are one in essence. The Father is not the Son  and the Son is not the Father. The Father is God and the Son is God. Jesus Christ is here speaking about unity. not identity

Chapter 10 verse 31

Then the Jews took up stones  again to stone Him

Verse 31: The Jews became again very angry and envious and took up stones again and wanted to stone Him because He said to them I and my Father are one. They saw it as blashemy. We can read that later in verse 33. They took up stones before to stone Him earlier and here again. They were very aggresive. 

Chapter 10 verse 32

Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you

from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? 

 

Verse 32: Our Lord Jesus Christ did a lot of good works and miracles befor the people like healing people, turn water into wine and more. He showed them and this came all from His Father. The question was from Him for which of those works do ye stone me? 

Chapter 10 verse 33

The Jews answered Him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not;

but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God

 

Verse 33: The Jewish leaders understood clearly what He was saying! He was saying that He was God. To speak this way was of course blasphemy  and according to the belief of the Jewish such a perso had to be punished by being put to death. In Leviticus 24 verse 16 we read: And he that blasphemeth the Name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation  shall certainly stone him. And Deuteronomy 21 verse 22 we read: "And if a man have committed a sin  worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree. The Jewish leaders had a second argument because our Lord being a man makest Himself God. 

Chapter 10 verse 34

Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law,

I said, ye are gods?

Verse 34: Our Lord answered them, these religious Jews with a with a counter question. He he quotes their law: Is it not written in your law. He knew they were wicked and said exactly quating Psalm 82 verse 6: ye are gods? This to refute their accusation and halt their actions. They were human judges and called gods. Unrighteous people. 

Chapter 10 verse 35

If He called them gods, unto whom the Word of God came,

and the Scripture  cannot be broken

Verse 35: The Law mentioned or named them gods and the Word of God is to be known unto them by Scripture and the Word of God cannot be broken. This is a fact my brothers and sisters what is written here!!

Chapter 10 verse 36

Say ye of Him, Whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into 

the world. Thou blasphemest; because I said I am the Son of God? 

Verse 36: The religious Jews hath said that He was a blashemer because He only said that He was the Son of God and that God the Father and Him were One. The Father had sent Him to the world and hath sanctified Him. They, those Jews didn't want to believe in Him although they knew that He was the Christ and the Son of God. 

Chapter 10 verse 37

If I do not the works of My Father, believe me not

Verse 37: Very clear words of our Lord. If He did not the works of His Father it was for them a sign not to believe in Him. 

Chapter 10 verse 38

But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works; that ye 

may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in Him

Verse 38: On the other hand if He did the works of His Father and yet they believed not in Him. So he asked them to believe the works so that the could know and believe that the Father was in Him and He in the Father. At least they could believe the works He did so that they could also believe that His Father was in Him and He in His Father. 

Chapter 10 verse 39

Therefore they sought again  to take Him,

but He escaped out of their hand

Verse 39: Those religious leaders/Jews again after He had said it wanted to catch Him so that they could kill Him. His hour was not yet come so he escaped out of their hand. Ths was not yet the time to kill Him. His hour would come that He would die for the sins of this world on that cruel cross on Calvary. Yet was his hour not come. 

Chapter 10 verse 40

And went away again beyond Jordan into the place

where John at first baptized: and there He abode

Verse 40: So our Lord escaped out of their hand and went away, out of Jerusalem and went to the place where John the Baptist first baptized people. This maybe was a more quiet place than the temple in Jerusalem. He stayed there for a time. My wife and me had seen the place where John the Baptist probably baptized people last year. It gives you a good impression. I must say there is a lot changed after John the Baptist baptized people there in the river. The water of the river Jordan was not clear but very muddy. It is far away from Jerusalem. 

Chapter 10 verse 41 and 42

And many resorted unto Him, and said:

John did no miracle; but all things that 

John spoke of this Man were true.

And many believed on Him there. 

Verse 41: Many people came to Him. Remarkable that many people came to Him there. In that time there was no internet, no TV or radio and they came with a lot of people to Him. Word of mouth was the only way to make something clear or known. So people came to Him and said that John the Baptist no miracle did. He, John, spoke alone about the Man Who they now saw and everything what John told them before about our Lord Jesus Christ was true. They saw it and heard Him speaking. The Lord did only those miracles and many became to believe in Him there in the wilderness of Jordan river.  

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Chapter 11 verse 1

Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany,

the town of Mary and her sister Martha. 

Introduction:Here in this chapter we read about the raising of Lazarus from the dead . It was not our Lord's last miracle but it was certainly His greatest and caused the most response both from His friends and His enemies. Our Lord had raised others from the dead but Lazarus was raised after being laid in the grave for four days. It was really a miracle and one that couldn't be denied or avoided by the Jewish leaders. 

Verse 1: A certain man Lazarus named was sick and so sick to death. Mary and her sister Martha were his sisters. Lazarus was also a friend of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Luke 10 verse 38 and 39, we read about those women Mary and Martha: Now it came to pass, as they went that He entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus feet, and heard His word.  So this little village was Bethany

Chapter 11 verse 2

It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment,

and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother

Lazarus was sick

Verse 2: It was the same Mary, the sister of Martha who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped His feet with her hair. We read in John 12 verse 3: Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. Her brother Lazarus was very sick. 

Chapter 11 verse 3

Therefore his sisters sent unto Him saying Lord, 

behold, he whom thou lovest is sick 

Verse 3: Mary and Martha sent a message to our Lord saying behold he whom thou lovest is sick. In that time there were special messengers who travelled to someone else to bring him or her a message. Our Lord was on that moment in Bethabara, bout twenty miles away from  Bethany. The messenger brought sad news to our Lord that Lazarus the brother of Martha and Mary was very sick near death and they knew our Lord lovest him very much. The sisters of Lazarus didn't tell our Lord what to do but simply informed Him that there was a need and reminded Him of His love for Lazarus. 

Chapter 11 verse 4

When Jesus heard that, He said, This sickness

is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that

the Son of God might be glorified thereby

Verse 4: Our Lord send a message back that the sickness of Lazarus was not a sickness unto death.  But for the glory of God because He knew that Lazarus should sleep. They had to believe His word and urged them to do it  so that the Son of God might be glorified. He was able to wake up de dead because He, our Lord Jesus Christ, was and is God Himself. Our Lord's message to the sisters Martha and Mary didn't tell that their brother would not die. It promised that death would not be the ultimate result, for the ultimate result would be the glory of God. 

Chapter 11 verse 5

Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus

 

Verse 5: These people our Lord Jesus Christ loved very much. They were as family for Him and the love of Him for them was much much more than only human love. It was the love of God He had for them because He was God Himself. There was a strong relationship between our Lord and them. It was a perfect love. Not a love of men because this love is imperfect and corrupt because of sin. Our Lord Jesus Christ could have healed Lazarus form where He was but He chose not to. He saw in this sickness an oppertunity to glorify the Father. 

Chapter 11 verse 6

When He had heard therefore that he was sick,

He abode two days still in the same place where He was

Verse 6: Our Lord had heard about Lazarus His friend that he was nearly dead through sickness. Our Lord didn't go to visit His friend Lazarus and to heal him. Instead of this He abode 2 days longer in the same place where He was near river Jordan. Why He didn't go to Bethany to heal Lazarus from his sickness?  Ah, our Lord was waiting  for the Father to tell Him when to go to Bethany and that's He went not and abode 2 days longer there near river Jordan. It let you see that our Lord didn't do anything from Himself but He did everything in obedience of His Father Who told Him to do things. 

Chapter 11 verse 7

Then after that saith he to His disciples, Let us go into Judea again

Verse 7: Here our Lord Jesus Christ said something what is very remarkable! He wanted to go back to Judea to Jerusalem and surrroundings. So He announced this to the disciples. Bethany was 2 miles from Jerusalem away. And hear now in the next verse the reaction of His disciples. 

Chapter 11 verse 8

His disciples  say unto Him, Master, the Jews of late sougth to stone Thee;

and goest thou thither again? 

Verse 8: His disciples were very surprised and say unto Him: the Jews You know want to stone You and why would you go back to Jerusalem? His disciples were alarmed because they knew that this was a great risk for their Master to go back. Very dangerous. But our Lord was willing to lay down His life for His friends  and that we can read in John 15 verse 13: Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" Our Lord knew that returning to Judea would lead to His own arrest and death and before that He would raise up Lazarus from the dead. 

Chapter 11 verse 9

Jesus answered. are there not twelve hours

in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth

not, because he seeth the light of this world

Verse 9: What does this answer of our Lord to His disciples mean? He reminded His disciples that He was on the Father's schedule and nothing could harm them. His hour was not yet come. To walk in the day is that someone believes in God and in His Son Jesus Christ and than is of the day and seeth the Light which is Christ in this world. He will not stumble because he or she is not in darkness. So with other words you as disciples have not worried about it: the Lord is with you! 

Chapter 11 verse 10

But if any man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him

Verse 10: Any man who is walking in the night. Who is walking in the night. The person who does not believe in Him, in God and in His Son Jesus Christ. That person stumbleth because ther is no light in him or her. He or she is under sin. This reminds me of Ephesians 2 verses 2 and 3. Let us read those verses: "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience; Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath even as others. We brothers and sisters are not in darkness, so we stumble not because God's Light, the Spirit of God and of Christ is in us. Our conversation is in heaven now. Philippians 3:20-21. Let us rejoice in all the blessings God gave us freely in Christ! 

Chapter 11 verse 11

These things said He; and after that He saith 

unto them. Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go

that I may awake him out of sleep

Verse 11: We have a wonderful God my dear brothers and sisters. He can do everything except lying! He is trustful! So our Lord announced His plan to go to Bethany to wake up Lazarus from his sleep because he sleepeth. Our Lord had and have  the power over death. 

Chapter 11 verse 12

Then said His disciples, Lord, 

if he sleep, he shall do well

Verse 12: His disciples reacted and said Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. What does this mean my brothers and sisters? They thought if Lazarus sleeps than it was better for his disease and afterwards he shall be healed, better. They didn't understand that Lazarus was already dead bodily! They didn't understand the word of the Lord here about sleep. Let us continue in verse 13

Chapter 11 verse 13

Howbeit Jesus spake of his death; but they thought that He

had spoken of taking of rest in sleep

Verse 13: In this verse we see the answer about sleep. Our Lord spake of Lazarus death. The disciples didn't understand the word sleep. They thought that He spoke of taking a rest of sleep. This is a example that they were unable to grasp spiritual truth! 

Chapter 11 verse 14

Then said Jesus unto them plainly,

Lazarus is dead

Verse 14: Our Lord said to His disciples plainly. What does this word mean plainly? He told them very clear that Lazarus was dead physically! Death physically for the believer is compared to sleep. Let us read Acts 7 verse 60 with the stoning of Stephen: And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep" Another example we will find in I Corinthians 15 verse 51 where we read: Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed" With the Rapture of the Church not all people in Christ are physically dead and are sleeping in Christ. 

Chapter 11 verse 15

And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, 

tot the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us 

go unto him

Verse 15: Our Lord was glad. Why was He glad? For his disciples sake that He was not at the time that Lazarus was dead in Bethany. Why not? It was His friend! Our Lord didn't say  that He was glad that His friend Lazarus died but that He was glad He had not been there because now He could reveal to His disciples en the others who would see it His mighty power. The result was for the glory of God and it was for the strengthening of their faith in Him. However let us go unto him Lazarus. Let us go to Bethany to Lazarus. 

Chapter 11 verse 16

Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus unto his

fellowdisciples, Let us also go, tha twe may die with Him. 

Verse 16: The name Thomas means twin. The Bible does not say to us that Thomas was one of a twin. His Greek name was Didymus. Thomas was a doubting man and we can read and study this later after our Lord's resurrection. He was also a devoted man: he was willing to go with our Lord Jesus back to Judea and into the danger and risk of his own life.  He spoke here with a lot of courage ! His attitude was good here: to be loyal to our Lord Jesus Christ.

Chapter 11 verse 17

Then when Jesus came, He found that he 

had lain in the grave four days already

Verse 17: So our Lord with His disciples went to Bethany and there our Lord came into this village and found that Lazarus had laid down in the grave now for four days. Humanly speaking it was impossible that Lazurus should rise from the grave. 

Chapter 11 verse 18

Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off

Verse 18: Here we read that Bethany where Martha, Mary and their brother lived was not far away from Jerusalem. It was near the olive mountain. How far is fifteen furlongs off? It is about 3 kilometres, 1/8 of a mile. 

Chapter 11 verse 19

And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them

concerning their brother. 

Verse 19: A lot of Jews in the village of Bethany, came to Martha and Mary. Their brother died and now for four days he was lying the grave. It is useful in the Middle East in a country to bury dead persons very quickly because of the climate there. Most of the time of the year it is very hot weather so it is better to bury very quickly the dead person in a grave. So this happened to Lazarus too. The Jewish people came to Martha and Mary to comfort them because of the loss of their brother. They needed a lot of comfort!  It is the same for us as we lose somebody which is us dear we need this too of people. We expect that from people and we have also to comfort people if they lose a dear person.  Their brother was very dear to them. You can imagine that they were very sad, they wept a lot because of this loss. 

Chapter 11 verse 20

Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming,

went and met Him: but Mary sat still in the house

Verse 20: Martha, maybe the oldest of the two sisters heard that our Lord was coming to Bethany to their place went to met Him. She and her sister Mary were total different personalities. Martha was a worker, the active one and Mary was the person who was thinking about things. She was a thoughtful woman. So Martha was rushing out to meet the Lord Jesus and Mary was sitting in the house maybe with the Jewish people who comforted them. 

Chapter 11 verse 21

Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here,

my brother had not died. 

Verse 21: When Martha met the Lord immediately she said this: if thou hadst been here. There was faith in what she was saying and that is in the word if our Lord had been there then their brother had not died. They knew for sure that our Lord had healed their brother Lazarus but now our Lord was to late for them and their brother was dead and laid now for 4 days in the grave. In the next verse after this she said something what gave her hope and strengthen her faith in Him. 

Chapter 11 verse 22

But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou 

wilt ask of God, God will give it thee

Verse 22: But I know. The but here is very important. But changed the words what Martha said before. But I know. This is for sure. She was so sure that our Lord could do more, that He could do a miracle and would ask it from God the Father and He would give it to the Son our Lord. Whatsoever the Son should ask from the Father He would receive it. She knew it and believed it. Her faith in the Lord was great, she trusted Him! 

Chapter 11 verse 23

Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again

Verse 23: Our Lord Jesus Christ gives to Martha the redeeming word here: her brother shall rise again. He meant he shall risen from the dead even after 4 days laid down in the grave now. 

Chapter 11 verse 24

Martha saith unto Him, I know that he shall rise again in the 

resurrection  at the last day

Verse 24: Martha interpreted the words of our Lord Jesus Christ  to mean the future resurrection in the last day. We read about this in Daniel 12: 2-3: And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life , and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever" She didn't understand that the Lord would do a miracle to rise up her brother to life again, that were His words. 

Chapter 11 verse 25

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection,

and the life: he that believeth in me,

though he were dead, yet shall he live

Verse 25: The Lord's answer to Martha is this: I am the resurrection  and the life. He is the resurrection and the life. The person who believes in Him shall live forever, though he were dead.  Our Lord brought the doctrine  of the resurrection out of the shadows and into the light. Under the Old Testament the revelation about death and resurrection was not clear or complete. In our Lord Jesus Christ it is now clear and dear brothers and sisters we have the life in Him because we are in Him. We died with Him, were buried in the grave and are resurrected with Him according Romans 6: 3-5. Read those verses for yourselves! We have now eternal life in Him. Unter the Gospel of the Kingdom somebody who believeth in Him though he were dead was alive in Him too! This was a promise the Lord told Martha and it still works even now! 

Chapter 11 verse 26

And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. 

Believest thou this?

Verse 26: The one who believes in Christ and liveth he or she shall never die said the Lord here to Martha and after that immediately He asked Martha if she believes all what He told her! 

Chapter 11 verse 27

She saith unto Him, Yea Lord; I believe that 

thou art the Christ, the Son of God, Which

should come into the world. 

Verse 27: Martha responded positive to our Lord immediately. She personally believed in Him that He is the Christ and the Son of God Who came into this world. For her she would never die that is what our Lord promised her.  You see here in this verse that Martha used three different titles for our Lord: Lord, Christ and Son of God. Intense she said this and she continues to believe in Him. 

Chapter 11 verse 28

And when she had so said, she went her way, 

and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master

is come, and calleth for thee

Verse 28: After saying this to the Lord she went away from Him and called Mary her sister secretly and saying the Master is coming and is asking for you. Why did Martha called her sister Mary secretly? Maybe it was because the Jewish leaders were out to arrest our Lord. 

Chapter 11 verse 29

As soon as she heard that, she arose

quickly, and came to Him. 

Verse 29: Mary had heard that the Lord was near the place of Bethany to met them. Martha told her about having spoken to the Lord and Mary arose quickly and came to Him. She was hesitating to see Him. 

Chapter 11 verse 30

Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place

where Martha met Him

Verse 30: Our Lord was not in the town of Bethany but in a place probably nearby Bethany to met Martha and Mary. Why didn't our Lord not enter the town of Bethany? There were a lot of Jews there and He knew that they hated Him and would like to arrest Him. 

Chapter 11 verse 31

The Jews then which were with her in the house and comforted her,

when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out,

followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there

 

Verse 31: Mary was overcome with sorrow and wept in the house. When Martha told her about the Lord she met and spoke to Him Mary rose up hastily and went out. The Jews who wept with her, joined her in the weeping, didn't understand that she rose up hastily and went out followed her and thought that she went to the grave of her brother to weep there. At that time death was a enemy and satan used the fear of death as a terrible weapon. Read Hebrews 2:14! Now we know this but in that time Mary met our Lord near Bethany the Lord had not died on the cross for mankind! The finished work on the cross of God was not ready so people like Mary and others were afraid and wept because of her relatives who died. When someone died in the family they hired people to weep with them and this was a loud weeping and lamentation. 

Chapter 11 verse 32

Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw Him,

she feel down at His feet, saying unto Him, Lord, if Thou

hadst been here, my brother had not died

Verse 32: Mary hastily went to our Lord Jesus Christ where He was and when she saw Him she feel down at His feet. Fall for our Lord's feet is showing awe to Him. We can learn a lot of this woman Mary my brothers and sisters. She was a submissive woman. She said to Him the same words that her sister Martha had said to Him: if Thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. With other words You, Lord, could have prevented this to heal Lazarus from his sickness. 

Chapter 11 verse 33

When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also

weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit,

and was troubled

Verse 33: Our Lord saw Mary weeping and all the Jews who were with her. That's what Him did: He groaned. What does it mean to groan. It is a cry and this was in the spirit within Him. He was also troubled. He was upset our Lord. He was 100% Human being too so He understood very well the feelings of men and later we see that He also wept. He was moved with men and now specially with Martha and Mary. They meant a lot for Him. 

Chapter 11 verse 34

And said , Where have ye laid him? They said unto Him, Lord

come and see

Verse 34 He wanted to know where they had laid down Lazarus. Now Lazarus laid probably also is a grave in a rock because later we read in verse 41  that the stone from the place was taken away. Mary and the Jews said to Him that had to come with them and see the place. 

Chapter 11 verse 35

Jesus wept

Verse 35: Our Lord wept! This let you see that He was not only 100% God , He was also 100% Man. He had also feelings and 

was very concerned about people. He was touched like we are a lot. The great difference was that He was without sin! He was and is God so He couldn't sin. In Hebrews 4 verse 15 we read: "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin"This written in connection with Israel. Now under this Dispensation of Grace Ephesians 3: 1-3 my brothers and sisters our Lord is the Head of the Church, the Body of Christ and we are now the members of this Body. He is not our High Priest. That title He will have for the plan God have with Israel. But anyway this verse is also a general verse and we can learn from it.

Chapter 11 verse 36
Then said the Jews, Behold how He loved him 

Verse 36: The Jews were right: our Lord loved very, very much Lazarus the brother of Martha and Mary who was now for four days in the grave after his death. Lazarus was more than a friend of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was like a relative, family and He loved him so much. His weeping was a silent weeping. He knew that He would raise Lazarus from the dead. The weeping  reveals the humanity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

Chapter 11 verse 37

And some of them said, Could not this Man, which opened the

eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man

should not have died. 

Verse 37: Some of them said, some of the Jews who were with Mary and wept or who were with her said could not this man, This Jesus of Nazareth Who opened the eyes of the blind not prevent that even this man Lazarus should not have died. If He can open the eyes of the blind, He can even heal the almost dead person as Lazarus. Why didn't He do that so Lazarus died. 

Chapter 11 verse 38

Jesus therefore again groaning in Himself cometh to the grave.

It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. 

Verse 38: When our Lord came to the grave where they laid down Lazarus He was groaning again in Himself. Groaning is to denote the expression accompanying physical suffering. It was a cave. It was a hiding place where they laid down Lazarus and a stone layed upon it. 

Chapter 11 verse 39

Jesus said , Take ye away the stone. Martha , the sister of him 

that was dead, saith  unto Him, Lord, by this time he stinketh:

for he hath been dead four days. 

Verse 39 Our Lord commanded that they had to take away the stone  who laid upon the cave where Lazarus laid down four days after his death.  Martha said this: Lord my brother is laying down here in the grave for four days and you can smell it because a dead body stinks. This smelling  withholded not the Lord to raise Lazarus from the dead. He was Lord over death. 

Chapter 11 verse 40

Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, 

if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see

the glory of God? 

Verse 40: The Lord told Martha already that if she believes she should see the glory of God. She should see that God is stronger than death and can do more than she ever thinks. God is allmighty and can do everything. The only thing God cannot do is lying.

Chapter 11 verse 41
Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead

was laid. And Jesus lifted up His eyes, and said, Father, 

I thank Thee that Thou hast heard me

Verse 41: Our Lord commanded the people to take away the stone from the place where the dead Lazarus was laid. That certainly would an exciting moment for the people who were there to see this happen: to take away the stone from the grave where Lazarus was laid down.  Our Lord lifted up His eyes!  To what? To Heaven to His Father and thanked His Father that the Father hast heard Him. He and the Father are One. Our Lord did nothing without His Father. 

Chapter 11 verse 42

And I knew that Thou hearest me always: but because of the people

which stand by I said it, that they may believe that Thou hast sent me

Verse 42: Our Lord knew always that His Father in Heaven Who had sent Him to earth heard Him.  He said this because of the people who stood by the grave of Lazarus and that were a lot. With a purpose my dear brothers and sisters our Lord said this that the people may believe that the Father had sent Him to earth. That through the miracle He would do namely to wake up Lazarus from the grave, from the dead that they could see the power of God and that our Lord did this through the will of His Father. 

Chapter 11 verse 43

And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud

voice, Lazarus come forth

Verse 43: Our Lord spoke to His Father and 100% He trusted His Father and after that He cried! He cried with a loud voice!  What does that mean? Crying from the Greek word kraugazo.  It is a outcry. It is a very hard shout. And our Lord shouted Lazarus come forth. It meant come out of the grave! The cry Lazarus come forth was so hard and penetrating that you see in the next verse what happened. It was the power in the cry of our Lord, the power of God that was so loud. Everyone who was there must have heard it and were witnesses. 

Chapter 11 verse 44

And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with 

graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin.

Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go

Verse 44: Lazarus that was dead came forth. He had heard the loud cry and came into life again with the same body and you see that he was bound with hand and foot in graveclothes and his face was bound with a napkin. Rembrandt, our Dutch Master painter had paint a painting of it. This had a impact on the people who stood there at the grave. Our Lord said unto the people: Loose him. With other words take off the graveclothes and the napkin from his face and let him go. When our Lord was resurrected we read in John 20 verse 5 till 8 we read the following: "And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into teh sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, And the napkin, that was about His head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Our Lord was not resurrected like Lazarus with linen clothes and a napkin on His head. He was resurrected with a glorious body, not the same body He was laid down dead in the sepulchre! Lazarus was raised fromt he dead by the power of God. Later he died again bodily. Our Lord on the other hand stood up from the grave with a new body. He is alive and He lives forever!!!Death could not hold Him because He is God and without sin. 

Chapter 11 verse 45

Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the

things which Jesus did, believed on Him

Verse 45: The same Jews who came to Mary's house to weep with her because of the death of her brother Lazarus had seen now that the Lord Jesus Christ raised up Lazarus from the grave. This was such a big miracle that they believed on Him. If the Jews saw something that was beyond their mind than they believed it. In I Corinthians 1 verse 22 we read For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom.  As long as God was only busy with His folk Israel you had miracles and wonders so that the people of Israel could believe it.

Chapter 11 verse 46

But some of them whent their ways to the Pharisees, 

and told them what things Jesus had done

Verse 46: Some of these Jews didn't believe it and went to the leaders of the folk, the Pharisees and told them what our Lord Jesus Christ had done namely that He raised Lazarus from the dead. They saw this miracle and this in a way had shocked them. They had to tell the Pharisees this so that they would be aware about this. 

 

Chapter 11 verse 47

Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council,

and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. 

Verse 47: So the chief priests and Pharisees heard about the miracles our Lord did and they deliberate with each other what they had to do because they had seen and heard from other Jews that our Lord did many miracles. They came together in the Sanhedrin to meet and discuss this. They were not seeking the truth but they were seeking to protect their own selfish interests.

 

Chapter 11 verse 48

If we let Him thus alone, all men will believe on Him: and the

Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation

Verse 48: With other words they say to each other if we let Him to go His own way there will come a lot of people who will follow Him and that is dangerous. He might get the attention of the Roman authorities and that could hurt the whole nation because the Romans could come and take away the whole nation inclusive the place where they were. They were very afraid and concerned  that this would happen. 

Chapter 11 verse 49

And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest

that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all

 

Verse 49: While they were saying this and discussing this problem Caiaphas the high priest that year said unto them: ye know nothing at all. With other words what are you talking about? Ye know nothing at all, you have not the knowledge about it. He had the knowledge about it and that we see in the next verses

Chapter 11 verse 50

Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man

should die for the people, and that the whole nation

perish not

Verse 50: Here the high priest Caiaphas quoted a verse from Isaiah 53 verse 8. We read there: he was tken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare His generation? For He was cut off of the ladn of the living: for the transgression of my people was He stricken" He Caiaphas uttered a divine prophecy: Jesus would die for the nation so that the nation would not perish.

Chapter 11 verse 51

And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year,

he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation 

Verse 51: Caiaphas spoke not of himself but prophesied. He made it clear at the council where everyone of the Pharisees and Saducees were present,  that Jesus should die for the nation. 

Chapter 11 verse 52

And not for that nation only, but that also he should

gather together in one the children of God that 

were scattered abroad

Verse 52: Here we see in this verse that Jesus Christ would not only die for the nation Israel but also for the Jews who were scattered abroad so that He should bring them together as one folk. The Jews who were scattered abroad were in other countries like in Italy or Greece and other places in the Middle East on that moment. It was the apostle John who wrote this last verse according to John 10: 16: And other sheep I have which are not fo this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice, and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd"

Chapter 11 verse 53
Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put Him to death

Verse 53: After Caiaphas had spoken the high priest, the Pharisees and the Saducees together had the plan to put our Lord Jesus Christ to death. This plan stood fast. They would do it when it was the right time and soon after this council. The official decision that day was that Jesus must die. What their plan was that Jesus would die after the Passover but God decreed otherwise which they did not know. 

Chapter 11 verse 54

Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but 

went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city

called Ephraim, and there continued with His disciples. 

 

Verse 54: Our Lord from that moment He had heard that they took counsel together to put Him to death walked no more openly among the Jews went away to another place in the wilderness. It was the city of Ephraim and there He continued with His disciples. So He withdrew Himself and this was fifteen miles north of Jerusalem and remained there with His disciples. Most of the Jews were in Jerusalem because of the coming Passover. 

Chapter 11 verse 55

And the Jews Passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country

up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. 

Verse 55. Most of the Jews from the country  came before the Passover because of purifying themselves. In Numbers 9 verse 10 until 14 we read: Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If any man of you or of your posterity shall be unclean by reason of a dead body, or be in a journey afar off, yet he shall keep the passover unto the Lord. The fourteenth day of the second month at even they shall keep it, and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. They shall leave none of it unto the morning, nor break any bone of it: according to all the ordinances of the Passover they shall keep it. but the mand tha is clean, and is not in a journey, and forbeareth to keep the Passover, even the same soul shall be cut off from among his people: because he brought not the offering of the Lord in his appointed season, that man shall bear his sin. So purifying was a part to do before you took part of the feast. Last year when my wife and me were in Israel we were in Jerusalem and in the city of David. We saw there very old bathes. The Jews had to take a ritual bath before they entered the temple. We were on the side where people could enter the temple in old days. Now the gates are bricked up. We stood there with the group and we stood at the big stone just before the old gate. That made us to think about it! So in the bathes Jewish people had to purify themselves so that they could enter the Temple clean. Washings for purifying was common according to the Law of Moses. And there were more things to do for the Jews and that's why a lot of Jewish people came earlier than the feast because of the purifying of themselves. 

Chapter 11 verse 56

Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves,

as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that He will

not come to the feast?

Verse 56: So the crowd of Jewish people were in Jerusalem and those pilgrims being in the temple spoke to each other were wondering if our Lord would attend the feast even thought He was in danger. The leaders of the folk with the high priest had made known that He was on the wanted list. Every Jew knew about this.  

Chapter 11 verse 57

Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, 

that, if any man knew where He were, he should shew it, that they 

might take Him. 

Verse 57: The High priest, the chief priests and the Pharisees had made known to the people and commanded them if any man knew where our Lord was at that moment. The person had to tell it to these leaders of the folk Israel so that they could arrest Him. So people had the duty to do that. 

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Chapter 12 verse 1

Then Jesus six days before the Passover came to Bethany, 

where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom He 

raised from the dead

Verse 1: Our Lord Jesus Christ was in Ephraim first in the north not far away from Jerusalem. 6 days before the Passover He was again in Bethany where Lazarus was, whom He raised from the dead. Bethany was a small village and the people knew and most of the Jews who lived there and from Jerusalem had seen the raising of Lazarus. This was really a miracle! A wonder of God ! Lazarus was with God's power raised from the physical death. Our Lord was with His disciples in the house of Lazarus and there were also Martha and Mary. 

Chapter 12 verse 2

There  they made Him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them

that sat at the table with Him. 

Verse 2: As always Martha was serving the supper for the Lord and for all of them who were with Him. Lazarus didn't helped his sister but sat down at the table with our Lord. Maybe he was sitting next to our Lord on the table, the Bible does not tell it here. It was in the house of Martha, Mary and Lazarus. Martha was always busy and now also with serving the food for her guests and specially the Lord Jesus Christ

Chapter 12 verse 3

Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly,

and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair:

and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment

Verse 3: What Mary did here we can also read in Matthew 26: 6-12 and in Mark 14:3-9.  Let us read in Mark 14 verses 3-5: " And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on His head. And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made? For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured  against her.  In the verses in Mark we read not that this was Mary. We read in Mark that the woman poured it on His Head. Here we read in verse 3 that Mary had bought the oil for a lot of money and anointed the feet of our Lord Jesus Christ.  In Mark 14 and Matthew 26 it is probably the same Mary. It was an act of pure love from her for she knew the Lord would suffer and die . She sat on His feet and was listening to Him and she knew what He was going to do.  She showed her devotion to our Lord before it was to late. She did this when He was still alive. Her act of love and worship was public, spontaneous, sacrificial and personal and our Lord called it a good work. When Mary came to the feet of our Lord Jesus Christ she took the place of a slave. She humbled herself and laid her glory at His feet. Of course she was misunderstood and criticised and that we can read in the next verse. 

Chapter 12 verse 4

Then saith one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, 

Simon's son, which should betray Him

Verse 4: Judas Iscariot who would betray Him later was the one who had critic on Mary why she did this and criticised her.  Judas was not a believer. Later we can learn and read that he was of the devil. 

Chapter 12 verse 5

Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given 

to the poor? 

Verse 5: Judas asked this question. Why was this oil not sold for thee hundred pence and given to the poor. It was criticism from him. Judas was not a believer but was of the devil and they other disciples didn't know this. Only our Lord knew this very well and he should betray Him later in Gethsemane. He was the treasurer and specially with the Passover season he would share the money with those who were poor. The other disciples thought that he did a good work to think about the poor. They believed that he was a devoted follower of the Lord. 

Chapter 12 verse 6

This he said not that he cared for the poor;

but because he was a thief, and had the bag

and bare what was put therein

Verse 6: Here in this verse we read exactly what Judas Iscariot was for a man: a thief. He didn't care about people so also not for the poor.  He Judas was the treasurer. He was in the habit of stealing money from the money box that he carried. Judas had already decided to abandon our Lord Jesus Christ. Maybe he had hoped that our Lord would defeat Rome and set up the kingdom and in that kingdom he would be the treasurer of the kingdom.  For Judas what Mary did was not a blessing. Judas was of the devil.  It looked that he was a disciple of our Lord but he wasn't. He served the devil and him alone. 

Chapter 12 verse 7

Then said Jesus, Ler her alone: against 

the day of my burying hath she kept this

Verse 7: Immediately our Lord reacted and defended Mary because she had kept this costly oil for Him against the day of His burying and that was very soon. She did this with full commitment. What Mary did was a blessing to our Lord and a blessing to her own life. She was also a blessing to the home of her sister and brother. It was a act of devotion in this little village of Bethany and she humbled herself as a slave in doing this for our Lord. She is a very good example because she knew her place as a woman and for us as brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus Christ we can learn from this.

Chapter 12 verse 8

For the poor always ye have with you; but me ye 

have not always 

Verse 8: And our Lord continued here to Judas that you have the poor always with you. There were a lot of poor people but to have the Lord from heaven soon He was away. In verse 35 of the same Chapter we read : Yet a little while ye have the light. He said this from Himself. A little while and the Lord should not be here on earth anymore. He should return to His Father in Heaven. 

Chapter 12 verse 9

Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there: and 

they came  not for Jesus sake only, but that they might see 

Lazarus also, whom He had raised from the dead

Verse 9: A lot of Jews people knew that our Lord Jesus Christ was in Bethany. How did that go in those days? People had no internet, TV to make something known. It was word of mouth my dear brothers and sisters. A lot of people heard that He was there in Bethany and invited more people to see Him. And they came not only for our Lord Jesus Christ but also for the one who was raised from the dead  namely Lazarus. To see him again life! That was something special!  It was a miracle, a very big miracle what our Lord had done to raise this man Lazarus from the dead. 

Chapter 12 verse 10

But the chief priests consulted that they might

put Lazarus also to death

Verse 10: The chief priests of Israel had the counsel that Lazarus who was raised from the death had to put to death. They, the chief priests became very angry ordered that Lazarus must die so that people would not believe in our Lord because of this miracle He did to raise up Lazarus from the dead and many people of the Jews became to believe in our Lord because of this.  Lazarus was a walking miracle and he was in danger. The Jewish leaders would to kill him because of our Lord. 

Chapter 12 verse 11

Because that by reason of him many of the Jews

went away, and believed on Jesus

Verse 11: Because Lazarus was raised from the dead many Jews believed through this miracle of our Lord Jesus Christ on Him and did not trust the chief priests and leaders of the folk and did not listen to them anymore. They withdrew themselves from the chief priest's party. You can imagine that the chief priests and the Pharisees were very angry and irritated because of this and took counsel not only to kill our Lord Jesus Christ but also to kill Lazarus. 

Chapter 12 verse 12

On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when 

they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem

 

Verse 12: The next day: It was 4 days before the Passover on the 11 th of the month Nisan (Jewish calander). There was a big crowd of Jewish people there at the feast and when they heard that our Lord Jesus Christ was coming to Jerusalem that made them very cheerful! Because we read in the next verse the following: 

Chapter 12 verse 13

Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet Him,

and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel That

cometh in the Name of the Lord

Verse 13: The people made a feast from it. They plucked the branches of the palm trees and waved with the palm branches to met Him and cried Hosanna, Praise Him, halleluja: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the Name of the Lord. They thought really that our Lord came to Jerusalem to deliver the people of the Romans. They knew not that first He had to die for mankind and for the folk as Isaiah had said. They were so glad and shouted Hosanna and waved with the palm branches. 

 

Chapter 12 verse 14 and 15

And Jesus, when He had found a young ass

sat thereon; as it is written, Fear not, 

daughter of Sion: behold , thy King cometh, 

sitting on an ass's colt. 

Verse 14 and 15: This was the last time our Lord went to Jerusalem , His hour was near!  In Matthew 21: 1-6  we read the following verses: And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalam, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples, Saying unto hem, God into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me. and if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, the Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying. Tell the daughter of Sion, Behold thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass" It was foretold that our Lord should enter Jerusalem on a ass.  In Zachariah 9 verse 9 we read exactly the same words: Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout O daughter of Jerusalem: behold thy King cometh unto thee: He is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass . So our Lord came unto Jerusalem sitting on a young ass as was written before in Zachariah!  Daughter of Zion is another name of the city of Jerusalem. The people of Jerusalem were hoping tht our Lord Jesus Christ would bring them the peace they needed. Our Lord wept because He saw what lay ahead of the nation and that was war, suffering, destruction and scattered people. The people of Jerusalem hoped that He would defeat the Romans and set the nation of Israel free from their enemies. 

Chapter 12 verse 16

These things understood not His disciples at the first;

but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they

these things were written of Him, and that they had

done these things unto Him

 

Verse 16 : We see here in this verse that even for our Lord's own disciples it was not clear to what was going on. First the suffering was taken place and our Lord knew that He must die on the cross before He could enter into His glory and would be King for Israel.  The Jewish people didn't know that and thought He entered Jerusalem as King over them and would rescue the Jewish people from their enemies, the Romans.  Later when our Lord was glorified His disciples understood the things were written of Him and why the people came with palm branches and saying Hosanna Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the Name of the Lord. 

Chapter 12 verse 17

The people therefore that was with Him when He called 

Lazarus out of his grave, and raised  him from the dead

bare record. 

Verse 17: There were a lot of people who were at the moment when our Lord called Lazarus out of his grave. They were witnesses of this miracle what He had done! They bare record of it so that more people came to know our Lord and believe on Him.  In that time it was word of mouth!  People had no internet, no TV, no Radio etc. You see the enthousiasm of the people here in this verse. It was a big crowd of people who were there in Jerusalem who were around Him! 

Chapter 12 verse 18

For this cause  the people also met Him, for that they heard

that He had done this miracle 

Verse 18: For this cause! Which cause? Well the fact that He called Lazarus out of is grave. Lazarus was resurrected from the dead through our Lord Jesus Christ in Bethany. This was really a miracle what the Lord did and many people wanted to met Him because of this. It made them inquisitive. They wanted to know who this Jesus of Nazareth was and see Him. It will not say my brothers and sisters that they believed on Him. This was a very big miracle which never happened before in public with a lot of people to witness this. So a lot of people in Jerusalem made this known to others there. 

Chapter 12 verse 19

The Pharisees therefore  said among themselves, Perceive ye how

ye prevail nothing?  Behold the world is gone after Him. 

Verse 19: The Pharisees, the spiritual leaders of the folk saw what happened and said among themselves. See that you does not get any further. Our influence over the people and to hold the people under the rules does not work anymore because the world is gone after Him, that Jesus of Nazareth.  For the people our Lord was more popular thana the Pharisees who were with the chief priests the leaders of Israel.  When our Lord entered Jerusalem on the young ass the whole city of Jerusalem was moved. You see what happened there in Jerusalem. Every person there went after our Lord. The influence of the Pharisees and to have the people in control was on that moment away. 

Chapter 12 verse 20

And there were certain Greeks among them

that came up to worship at the feast

Verse 20: There were certain Greeks. Were these Greeks Gentiles? This is the first question who came into my mind. The answer is no. The Passover in Jerusalem was a Jewish feast. The Gentiles in that time were uncircumcised and without Christ, bein aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world Ephesians 2: 12! So who are those Greeks then?  The Greeks here were Proselytes. What is a proselyte? 

The biblical term "proselyte" is an anglicization of the Koine Greek term προσήλυτος (proselytos), as used in the Septuagint (Greek Old Testament) for "stranger", i.e. a "newcomer to Israel"; a "sojourner in the land", and in the Greek New Testament for a first-century convert to Judaism, generally from Ancient Greek. We have to know as long as God had His plan with Israel Israel was a blessing for the world. She was the canal for Gentiles to come to God. The person who wanted to be a Jew or a Proselyte had to be circumcised, waterbaptized and keep the whole law of God. So this Greeks (Proselytes) were at the feast of Passover because as a Jew or Proselyte at least 3 times in a Jewish year you had to go to Jerusalem to attend the 3 feasts. Every year this was mandatory to do. 

Chapter 12 verse 21

The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee,

and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus

Verse 21: These same Greeks, proselytes had heard about our Lord but hadn't seen Him and would see Him. They desired to see Him and asked and it is more a begging, Philip of Bethaida of Galilee we would see Jesus. They spoke to him, Philip as Sir. They were very polyte to Philip. Who was this Philip? In John 1 verse 43 and 44 we read the following verses: The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip and saith unto him, Follow me. Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. This Philip, one of His 12 disciples (see Luke 6 verse 14). So those Greeks, Proselytes met Philip, one of our Lord's disciple and spoke to him with deep respect Sir that they would see the Lord. 

Chapter 12 verse 22

Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again 

Andrew and Philip tell Jesus

Verse 22: Immediately after this question Philip went to Andrew, the other disciple of our Lord and with him they told our Lord that there were more people like those Greeks who wanted to see Him.  You can imagine that they say it to our Lord with much enthousiasm. No doubt there were many people who wanted private to met our Lord and talk to Him. We don't see later that our Lord spoke to those Greeks in the Scriptures. The message what our Lord gave in response to Andrew and Philip  contains truths that all of us need. That message is the glory of God: the Hour is come that the Son of man should be crucified! 

Chapter 12 verse 23

And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son

of man should be glorified. 

Verse 23: This was the answer of our Lord: His Hour was come. The hour that He should be crucified for this world was near. He the Son of man offered for the sins of men on the cross on Golgotha! Our Lord knew it. This is and was why He came to the world: to die for mankind, for you and me!

Chapter 12 verse 24

Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into 

the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth

forth much fruit

Verse 24:  Surely, surely our Lord said to them, to His disciples the following words: Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. Our Lord used the image of a seed to illustrate the great spiritual truth that there can be no glory without suffering, no fruitful life without death , no victory without surrender. A seed is of itself weak and useless but when it is planted it dies and becomes fruitful

Chapter 12 verse 25

He that loveth his life shall lose it; and 

he that hateth his life in this world

shall keep it unto life eternal 

Verse 25: Our Lord continues here in this verse that corresponds with Luke 9: 24. It boils down to life or death. If a person loves his life here on earth he shall not receive eternal life because this person will not believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. If somebody hate the life in this world, this world system, and want to believe in Jesus Christ our Lord he or she will receive eternal life. This is what our Lord told His disciples. 

Chapter 12 verse 26

If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, 

there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him

will my Father honour

Verse 26: To serve the Lord and follow Him like the disciples did was the best a man could do because the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ would honour the servant. This is a promise what our Lord say to His disciples. 

Chapter 12 verse 27

Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say?

Father, save me from this hour; but for this cause

came I unto this hour

Verse 27: Our Lord Jesus Christ saw the coming dying on the cross approaching. His soul was troubled. It was the most difficult thing to do whatever man couldn't do: to die on the cross for mankind, for the sins of this world, for everyone!!! These were the last days before it. He said save me from this hour!  The most cruel and most painful dying He had to undergo! He would not die His own death because He was and is without sin. He would die in the place of men! He knew that He came for this cause to the earth and would approach this hour. He did it all voluntary and was obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 

Chapter 12 verse 28

Father, glorify thy Name. Then came there 

a voice from heaven, saying, I have both 

glorified it, and will glorify it again

Verse 28:  Our Lord prayed to His Father in heaven: glorify thy Name. The answer from God the Father is that He spoke to His Son  and gave Him a double assurance: the life and ministry of our Lord had glorified the Father and the Son His suffering and death  would glorify the Father. The Father spoke to the Son here like in the beginning of our Lord's ministry. 

Chapter 12 verse 29

The people therefore, that stood by, and 

heard it, said that it thundered: others 

said , An angel spake to Him. 

Verse 29: Some people who were with Him said that it thundered when God the Father spoke to His Son Jesus Christ. Others thought that an angel spoke to Him. For all of them this was very strange to hear. I think the people were also afraid about it just the folk Israel when the Law was given to Moses by God. 

Chapter 12 verse 30

Jesus answered and said, This voice came not 

because of me, but for your sakes

Verse 30: Our Lord answered here the people who stood by Him that the voice what they had heard was not for our L0rd but for their sakes. What does that mean? They heard the voice but couldn't understand. What good was it? The voice told our Lord and assured Him Who was to die for their sakes because the voice was for their good

Chapter 12 verse 31

Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world

be cast out

Verse 31: Now it was the hour of crisis!!! The Greek word is krisis and that means judgment and a hour of oppertunity. It was an hour of jugdment for the world and for satan, the prince of this world. The death of Jesus Christ would seem like a victory for the wicked world, tu it would really be a judgment of the world. On the cross our Lord Jesus Christ would defeat satan and his world system. In Galatians 6 verse 14 we read the truth about the cross: But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by Whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world" On the moment our Lord spoke this this had yet to happen. Now on this moment under this Dispensation of Grace whereunder we live now 2000 years this is a fact: the satan is the defeated enemy and in the future saatan shall be cast out of heaven too. This we can read in Revelation 12 verse 10. 

Chapter 12 verse 32

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will 

draw all men unto me

Verse 32: Our Lord spoke here about His dying on the cross for mankind. The basic here is the crucifixion but it also carries the idea of glorification. His death on the cross in the next verse 33,  was like the lifting up of the serpent in the wilderness. We read John 3:1 this.  People looked to Moses to save them, but he represented the Law and couldn’t.

Chapter 12 verse 33

This He said signifying  what death He should die 

 

Verse 33: He would be lifted up like the serpent in the wilderness. If the people looked to that serpent than they should not die. 

The brass of the serpent represented judgment  We read in Deuteronomy 28:15 and 23 the following verses: But it shalll come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all His commandments and his statutes which I  command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee. And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron. When He was lifted up, men knew He was the Christ (John 8:28) by the prophecies He fulfilled, and that’s what men had to know to be saved at that time.He fulfilled, and that’s what men had to know to be saved at that time. The serpent itself represented how He was “made sin” for us . This we know now because we live after the cross II Corinthians 5 verse 21: For He hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him"

Chapter 12 verse 34

The people answered Him, We have heard

out of the Law that Christ abideth for ever:

and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be 

lifted up? Who is this Son of man? 

Verse 34: The Jewish people who heard Him saying that He would be lifted up from the eart, about His death on the cross He should die.  But they didn't understand this! They thought from the Law that Christ would abide forever. The Law did say Christ would abide forever. We read this here in this verse!  In  IISam.7:4-13 we read that God will establish Christ's Kingdom for ever. In Isa.9:6,7 we read : For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be callled Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it, and the establish it with judgment and with justice  from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this"  In Daniel 7 verse 13 en 14 we read the following verses: I saw in the night visions, and , behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought  Him near before Him , And there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a Kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve Him; His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed" The Jewish people had heard about this and believed that He would begin His Kingdom. They didn't understand that He first would die on the cross for mankind. They asked Him Who is the Son of man. They didn't know it. These verses didn’t say He wouldn’t die first. Verses like Isaiah 53 verse 8: He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare His generation? For He was cut off out ot the land of the living: for the transgression of My people was He stricken" And verse 26 of Daniel 9 (read it for yourselves) we read the same. But those verse the Jews had ignored so that they didn't understand it what He was saying to them. The Jews were stubborn people. They seek for signs!  They didn't  trust in Gods Word and wished  not believe in God.  You read in verse 37 of this chapter 12: But though He had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on Him.  

Chapter 12 verse 35

Then Jesus said unto them , Yet a little while

is the Light with you, Walk while ye have the light, 

lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh

in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. 

Verse 35: This is one of the last calls the Lord said unto them. Soon He would be glorified and in in Heaven on the right Hand of the Father. Now was the Light, He Himself with them and on earth. At that moment the people could believe on Him and have the Light and darkness would not come upon them. It was also a warning for them but their eyes were blinded. Their hearts were not open for Him. He said also to them, the Jewish people that the person who walked in darkness do not know whither he goeth. He just reminded them He was the light of the world but they wouldn't listen to Him. They wanted to stay in darkness instead of being in the Light. It is still the same now in this world. The majority is not believing in God and in Christ and is in darkness. Ephesians 2: 2-3!

Chapter 12 verse 36

While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye 

may be the children of light. These things spake

Jesus  and departed, and did hide Himself from them 

Verse 36:  He had to go away didn’t mean He wouldn’t abide forever. He told them to walk in the light because that was the gospel, that of faith plus the work of following Him. This would make them the lights to the Gentiles that God always wanted them to be. Than they would be the blessing channel of this world. After that immediately He departed. He walked away and hid Himself from them. His hour was not yet come but was near. 

Chapter 12 verse 37

But though He had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on Him

Verse 37: Our Lord did a lot of miracles before their eyes. Yet the Jewish people believe not on Him. They refused to believe on Him despite those miracles and wonders He did. They believed in their selves and in their own laws, religion and the law of Moses. They believed not in God the Father nor in the Son of God Jesus Christ our Lord. The miracles were impressive but was not enought for them to believe in Him. 

 

Chapter 12 verse 38

That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he

spake, Lord. who hath believe our report? And to whom hat the arm

of the Lord been revealed? 

Verse 38: This verse is from Isaiah 53 verse 1 and on the moment this happened this prophesy was fulfilled. In verse 3 of chapter 53 of Isaiah we read: "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainte with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not" Indeed the Jewish people didn't believe on Him despite the miracles what they saw He did before them. 

Chapter 12 verse 39

Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again

Verse 39: The Jewish people couldn't believe. They wished not to believe. He was rejected and despised by men. And the fulfilling of Isaias was a fact and we see it here happen! 

Chapter 12 verse 40

He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that 

they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart,

ad be converted, and I should heal them

 

Verse 40: There is a judicial blindness that God permits to come over the eyes of people who do not take the truth seriously. It has a lot of consequences and the most important is that people who don't believe on Him miss the opportunity to be saved. The unbeliever will face at the judgment every Scripture he or she has ever read or heard. The Word that he or she rejects becomes his or her Judge. 

Chapter 12 verse 41

These things said Esaias, when he saw His glory, 

and spake of Him. 

Verse 41: This verse is taken from Isaiah 6 verse 1 where we read: In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple"  The prophet Isaiah saw the Lord in glory and sure he spoke of Him.  To see the glory of the Lord was very big! 

Chapter 12 verse 42

Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on Him; 

but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they

should be put out of the synagogue

Verse 42: This is really a remarkable verse my dear brother and sister in the Lord Jesus Christ if you read this! Among the chief rulers a lot of them believed on Christ. Most oft them were Pharisees. Anyway these were rulers of the nation of Israel in that time! They believed on Him but because they were afraid of the rest of Pharisees they didn't confess Him. They were afraid to speak up this openly because the consequences were that they should be put out of the synagogue.  You see here the hypocrisy of those people: not to stand for this fact to believe on Him and say it openly. We see in the next verse the reason complete!

Chapter 12 verse 43

For they loved the praise of men

more than the praise of God

Verse 43: This is exactly what these rulers did. They loved and praise men instead of praising God and put Him on the first place in their lives. In Jeremiah 17 verse 5 we read: "Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord" 

Chapter 12 verse 44

Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth

not on me, but on Him that sent me

Verse 44: Here we see the ratio between the Father and the Son. The Son did for 100% the will of the Father and people had to believe the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Who sent Him to earth to die for mankind! This was the last call for the people.  They had their chance! He is the Light of the world. John 5:24! (read this verse) But they rejected Him and finally they nailed Him with the Romans on a cruel tree, a cross on Calvary! 

Chapter 12 verse 45

And he that seeth me seeth Him that sent me

Verse 45: We see a similar verse later in Chapter 14 verse 9 what our Lord told Philip: Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how syest thou then, Shew us the Father?" (verse 8). 

Chapter 12 verse 46

I am come  a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on

me  should not abide in darkness

Verse 46: He came into this world as the Light and a little while was the Light with them, under them. Now was the time for the Jewish people individually to believe on Him  so that they should not abide in darkness but in the Light Which was our Lord Jesus Christ. They had now their chance.  This was the last call from our Lord to them and He cried this. What does that mean that He cried?  It was a hard call of our Lord and very clear.  The sad thing is that they continued to reject Him! 

Chapter 12 verse 47

And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not:

for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world

Verse 47: The person who believed not he or she shall be judged by the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He came into the world to save the world, to save sinners.  The word judge is here in the closing times of our Lord repeated!  Our Lord Jesus Christ did not come to judge; He came to save . But if the sinner (man or woman) will not trust the Savior, the Light, the Savior must become the Judge. The sinner is actually passing judgment upon him or herself and not on the Lord. 

Chapter 12 verse 48

He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: 

the Word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day

Verse 48: This was a real warning to the hearers there in Jerusalem from our Lord. The hearers were Jews and proselytes there in Jerusalem because of the Passover. It was just before His hour that He spoke those words. The person who rejects Him and received not His words he or she should be judged by His Father and the Word of God in the same time on the last day. This is the day of judgment at the great white throne Revelation 20: 11-15.  These were strong words of our Lord but righteous. It was the last call to them to believe on Him and Gods Word! They could be saved  but now afterwards we know what happened: they rejected Him and with the Romans they nailed Him on the cross and so joined the whole world against God and His Annointed Son. Later through the book or Romans we know afterwards in chapter 10 verse 2 and 3 the following words: "For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. for they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God"

Chapter 12 verse 49

For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me,

He gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should

speak

Verse 49: Our Lord spoke not of Himself. It was the One Who hath sent Him and gave Him the commandment which He should say to people. In Hebrews 2 verse 9 we read: "But we see Jesus, Who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that He by the Grace of God should taste death for every man. That was the purpose of His first coming: to die and taste death for every man in this world! He did completely the will of His Father and His Father gave Him the commamdment what He should say to people, to the world of men!  His Father in Heaven had the direction over it! Because we have the complete Bible we know now that He did this Philippians 2 verse 5-11 . Read and study this for yourselves my dear reader! 

Chapter 12 verse 50

And I know that His commandment is life everlasting:

whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said 

unto me, so I speak

Verse 50: The commandment of the Father is life everlasting in His Son Jesus Christ, the Annointed One. What our Lord spoke about it, it was inspired by His Father Who spoke through Him 100%. So the Son did and spoke nothing from Himself but did the will of God the Father 100 procent! 

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Chapter 13 verse 1

Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew

the His hour was come that He should depart out of this

world unto the Father, having loved His own which were

in the world, He loved them  unto the end

Verse 1: It was before the feast of the Passover and our Lord Jesus Christ knew that His hour was come. It was near! It was a matter of some days that He should be betrayed and the people would take Him and crucify Him on the cross on Calvary. He knew it all because He is allknowing, omnicient!  He knew that He should depart out of this world and back to His Father in Heaven and be glorified on the Right Hand of the Father. What does it mean His own who were in the world and that He loved them unto the end? Who were His own. That were His disciples and the ones who believe on Him. He knew He had to left them when He departed from this world. He loved them so much. The hour was near that He would be glorified through His death, resurrection and ascension. From the human side it was suffering but from the Devine point of view it meant glory! 

Chapter 13 vese 2

And the supper being ended, the devil having now put into the

heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him 

Verse 2: So the hour was near and in Luke 22 verse 14 we read: And when the hour was come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him.  Then the devil came in the form of diabolos into the heart of Judas Iscariot. In Luke 22 verses 2,3, 4 and 5 we read: "And the chief priest and scribes sought how they might kill Him; for they feared the people. Then entered satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve. And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them. And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money" So the hour was near and in Luke 22 verse 14 we read: And when the hour was come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with HIm

Chapter 13 verse 3

Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands,

and that He was come from God, and went to God

Verse 3: Our Lord knew that His Father had given all tings into His hands. For this we reade also John 17 verse 2 where our Lord spoke to His Father just before the hour: As thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given Him.  He,  our Lord came from God the Father, from heaven and went to God the Father back on the right hand of the Father. 

Chapter 13 verse 4

He riseth from supper, and laid aside His garments;

and took a towel, and girded Himself. 

Verse 4: The last supper ended. You can imagine that His disciples  have been shocked when they saw their Master rise from supper and lay aside His outer garments, took a towel abround His waist. This was strange in the eyes of the disciples.  

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