Why Was Jesus Thirsty?
John 19:28-30
28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” 29 A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
What is Jesus thirsty for? The anonymous bystanders (“they”— soldiers, the women, onlookers) interpret Jesus to be speaking of His literal thirst.
Perhaps, however, Jesus was desperate for God and, using the language of the psalms, was speaking of that desperation:
42 As a deer pants for flowing streams,
so pants my soul for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God,
for the living God.
When shall I come and appear before God?
3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while they say to me all the day long,
“Where is your God?” [Psalm 42:1–3].
And
63 O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water [Psalm 63:1].
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
In v. 30, the verb translated here “gave up His spirit” literally means “handed over.” So, in one last act of agency, Jesus, whose life was not taken but who lays it down on His own accord (see John 10:18) hands over His spirit to the Father.
Mary Watches Her Son Die
John 19:23-27
23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, 24 so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says,
“They divided my garments among them,
and for my clothing they cast lots.”
So the soldiers did these things, 25 but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
Remember that John the author has slyly written himself into the story at key points as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” to remind his readers that he was an eyewitness to some of the most crucial events he relates. Here, it appears that John is apparently the only male disciple who was an eyewitness of the Crucifixion:
25 but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home [John 19:25–27].
QUESTION OF THE DAY
What must it have been like for Mary to watch the crucifixion of Jesus?
Pontius Pilate, The First Evangelist
John 19:16b-22
16b So they took Jesus, 17 and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. 18 There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. 19 Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” 20 Many of the Jews read this inscription, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and it was written in Aramaic, in Latin, and in Greek. 21 So the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written I have written.”
The Gospels spend an inordinate amount of time recounting events from the last week of Jesus’s life. It’s as if the narratives slow way down and zoom in to make sure we see everything we need to say. That said, however, it is striking how matter of fact they are when it comes to the crucifixion. It’s almost as if it’s too horrible to recount. For example, look at John’s account:
18a There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them [John 19:18a].
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Pontius Pilate is the first evangelist. He is trying to mock and show his disdain both for Jesus and the Jews who wanted to have Him killed, but nevertheless he testifies to the truth:
19 Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, ‘Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews’” [John 19:19].
The Enthronement of Jesus
John 19:1-16a
19 Then Pilate took Jesus and flogged him. 2 And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head and arrayed him in a purple robe. 3 They came up to him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and struck him with their hands. 4 Pilate went out again and said to them, “See, I am bringing him out to you that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” 5 So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Behold the man!” 6 When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him, for I find no guilt in him.” 7 The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he has made himself the Son of God.” 8 When Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid. 9 He entered his headquarters again and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 So Pilate said to him, “You will not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?” 11 Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin.”
12 From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar's friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.” 13 So when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Stone Pavement, and in Aramaic Gabbatha. 14 Now it was the day of Preparation of the Passover. It was about the sixth hour. He said to the Jews, “Behold your King!” 15 They cried out, “Away with him, away with him, crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” 16 So he delivered him over to them to be crucified.
John’s Gospel has been filled with irony from the very beginning, but perhaps the greatest moments of irony take place during the passion of Jesus.
Pilate, a pagan unbeliever, repeatedly and mockingly calls Jesus “King.” We know that Jesus is the King of Israel (see 1:49), but the Jewish leaders resent Pilate calling Jesus that. So, you have the truth ironically being spoken by the very man who refuses to believe in truth.
Then, Jesus is being prepared for His “enthronement” on the cross by the soldiers. They plait a crown of thorns and wrap a purple robe around His shoulders. He is “dressed” as a king. They “worship” Him by striking Him and saying “Hail, King of the Jews!” Then Pilate presents Him to the mob and shouts “Behold the man!” Each action is John’s way of showing us the mystery of the Gospel, in that the one who was truly King gave up His kingship to free people from slavery.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Pontius Pilate willingly crucified an innocent man.
Pilate The Philosopher
John 18:28-40
28 Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor's headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor's headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” 30 They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.” 31 Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.” 32 This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die.
33 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” 35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” 37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”
After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him. 39 But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” 40 They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.
Note the hypocrisy of the Jewish leaders: they refuse to enter a Gentile residence so as not to render themselves ceremonially unclean as they prepare for the Passover, while at the same time they are conspiring to have an innocent man put to death.
Jesus tells Pilate that his kingship is not from this world. (What we the readers know is that it is from heaven.)
Jesus has often spoken about truth.
31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” [John 8:31-32]
47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.” [John 8:47]
26 but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. [John 10:26-27]
When Pilate asks his cynical question “What is truth?” he shows that he is not part of Jesus and therefore does not hear his voice.
Thought for the Day
In John 18:37, Jesus gives one of the clearest statements in all of the Bible as to why he came: “For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth.”
The Charcoal Fire
John 18:12-27
12 So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him. 13 First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14 It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people.
15 Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, 16 but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. 17 The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man's disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” 18 Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself.
19 The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. 20 Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. 21 Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.” 22 When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?” 24 Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.
25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” 26 One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” 27 Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed.
Peter famously denies Jesus three times in total on the night of Jesus’s arrest. It’s a heartbreaking scene, and one that John will return to in chapter 21, when there is another mention of a “charcoal fire.”
Peter denies Jesus three times, and after the Resurrection, Jesus asks Peter three times, “Do you love me?” That threefold question must have brought about a poignant moment when Peter realizes that his denial is both known by Jesus and forgiven by Jesus. And to make sure that we make the connection between the threefold denial and the threefold question, John includes that little detail that would have been easy for him to leave out: “a charcoal fire.”
QUESTION OF THE DAY
Peter was one of the leaders of the early church. Why was it important to the early Christians that their leader’s denial of Jesus was retold? Why not just leave that part out to make Peter look good?
500 Roman Soldiers Knocked Flat!
John 18:1-11
18 When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. 2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4 Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5 They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6 When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” 9 This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.” 10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant's name was Malchus.) 11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”
The reason Judas’s betrayal is so important is because the authorities are not able to grab Jesus in broad daylight, in front of the crowds. Judas has already slipped away from the rest of the disciples, and now he brings the soldiers back to Jesus so they can arrest Him.
The Greek word translated here as “band” of soldiers is literally the word for cohort, a technical term that means one tenth of a legion. A Roman legion was about 5,000 men, so a cohort would number about 500 soldiers. It is a huge number!
The reason the entire group that has come to arrest Jesus falls to the ground is because of how Jesus identifies Himself. When they say they are looking for “Jesus of Nazareth,” Jesus replies, “I am he.” Or, in Greek, He literally says:
“I AM.” (He says something similar in 8:58: “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”)
It’s a divine revelation, and the power of the disclosure knocks flat an ntire Roman cohort!
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Jesus chooses to let Himself be captured rather fight back. The reason He came was to die.
P.S. Look at how Jesus protects the disciples, so that only He gets arrested and not them:
8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” 9This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one” [John 18:8–9].
The Shepherd's Prayer
John 17:1-26
17 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.
20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”
This long prayer is the culminating speech in the entire Gospel of John. It is often called “The High Priestly Prayer” because Jesus is praying for all His people, interceding for them before the Father, just as the high priest would have done in the temple. Alternatively, you might think of it as “the shepherd’s prayer,” as Jesus is here praying for His people like the good shepherd He is.
Some observations:
• Jesus defines eternal life as knowing God (v. 3). This is the only place in the entire Bible where “eternal life” is specifically defined.
• Knowing Jesus is knowing God, and vice versa.
• The church will face trouble, but also the church will be protected from the devil through its faith—the church will be persecuted, but those who abide in Jesus cannot be taken from Him.
• Jesus asks that the church be unified in the same way as the Father and the Son are unified (v. 11). Unity in the church is important.
• Jesus is praying for all future disciples who will come to faith through the work of His church (v.20). (This future “harvest” of new disciples will be described in John 21, the epilogue to the Gospel of John.)
Throughout, Jesus speaks with deep trinitarian language. For example:
22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me [John 17:22–23].
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Salvation is living in the life of God. The Son brings the church into the love He receives from the Father; the Father pours out on the church the love He has for the Son; the Spirit is the love they share.
My Favorite Bible Verse?
John 16:25-33
25 “I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. 26 In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; 27 for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. 28 I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” 29 His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! 30 Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.” 31 Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? 32 Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. 33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 is perhaps my favorite verse in the entire Bible, because it sums up the entire biblical message:
1. Things will be hard.
2. But don’t worry, because Jesus wins.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
The Greek verb translated here in v. 33 as “overcome” is the verb nike, from which the shoe company got its name. Every time you see a pair of Nikes, therefore, you should remember this verse!
Like A Woman In Labor
John 16:16-24
16 “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” 17 So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” 18 So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about.” 19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. 21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. 23 In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. 24 Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
Jesus, as is His way, says something cryptic, meant to get the disciples thinking:
16 “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me” [John 16:16].
The disciples are confused:
17 So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?” 18 So they were saying, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We do not know what he is talking about” [John 16:17–18].
Jesus knows their confusion, and He supplies an explanation:
19 Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy. 21 When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you [John 16:19–22].
He is foretelling the crucifixion and the resurrection: for a time, the disciples will no longer see Jesus and they will grieve, but their pain will be for a purpose. Like a woman in labor who cries in pain during childbirth but who afterwards is overjoyed when she sees the baby, the disciples will know that their grief will be worth it when they see Him again after the resurrection.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
I love how Jesus ends this passage:
22 So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you [John 16:22].
In other words, when the good thing finally arrives, there is no way it will ever be taken away from us.
The Holy Spirit Helps Us See The Truth
John 16:4b-15
4b “I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I am going to him who sent me, and none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.
12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. 14 He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. 15 All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
Forty days after the resurrection, Jesus ascended to be with the Father. This ascension is recounted in the Apostles’ Creed. (I’ve bolded the relevant portion, below.)
I believe in God, the Father Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth;
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord:
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried;
he descended to the dead.
The third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father
Almighty;
from there he shall come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic* church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
*universal, of or belonging to the whole
The ascension is a good thing, because before He ascended, Jesus could be bodily present only in one place at one time, but the Spirit whom He has sent can be with all the church at all times.
One of the things the Spirit now does is show the sinfulness of the world.
8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged [John 16:8–11].
This is one of the ways that the Spirit helps God’s people walk in truth, by showing them the errors of the world.
QUESTION OF THE DAY
Where do you need the Holy Spirit to guide you into truth (v.13) today?
P.S. The Gospel of John is filled with deep trinitarian language. For example: the Spirit glorifies the Son (16:14), who glorifies the Father (17:4), who glorifies the Son (8:54).
You Can't Say That Jesus Didn't Warn Us
John 15:18-16:4a
18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’ 26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.
16 “I have said all these things to you to keep you from falling away. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. 3 And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. 4a But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you.
The world hated Jesus. In fact, the world hated Jesus so much that it crucified Him.
THOUGHT OF THE DAY
Sometimes modern Christians seem to believe that if we were just nice enough, the world would love us and listen to the gospel. What these people forget is that Jesus loved the world and yet was still crucified. Success is not measured by how popular the church is in the world, but by how faithful the church is to Jesus.
Is This True?
John 15:12-17
12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
Jesus has already taught that the good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep (see John 10:11). Here, He expands on that idea and tells the disciples that He is laying down His life for them, and so that they—His friends—ought to be prepared to do the same.
QUESTION OF THE DAY
Do you think what Jesus says is true? Is giving your life for another person the highest form of love?
What Does "Abide" Mean?
John 15:1-11
15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
In 14:20, Jesus has spoken of the “indwelling” presence of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life:
20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you [John 14:20].
Here, with the “I am the vine, you are the branches” metaphor, Jesus explains what that means. What does it mean, practically, to “abide?”
In John 8:31b–32,
31b “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” [John 8:31b–32].
Here, Jesus goes further when He says:
7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you [John 15:7].
Very practically, one of the things it means to abide in Jesus is to continually keep His words in your mind and heart.
QUESTION OF THE DAY
How can you abide in Jesus today?
P.S. One quick note: Jesus is making a play on words in verses 2-3. In Greek, the verb translated here as “prunes” could also be translated “trims clean.” So, Jesus says, “the Father trims clean unfruitful branches, and you folks are clean because of the words I have been speaking to you.”
Stormy Surface But Tranquility In The Depths
John 14:15-31
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.
18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me.
25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. 30 I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, 31 but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here.
The Father has sent the Son, which is why the Father is “greater” than the Son (v.28.) But, when Jesus leaves, the Holy Spirit will be given to them, and He will teach them and help them remember Jesus’s commands. Remembering and doing Jesus’s commands is essential, because:
23 If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him [John 14:23].
In other words, the way to live in the reality of God’s eternal life is to obey Jesus.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Jesus makes the point that the peace He provides is unlike the peace of the world. Why? This is because Jesus has promised that His disciples will have difficulty, but that nevertheless their “heart” will have peace. Jesus’s peace is not an absence of conflict, but a deep assurance of God’s goodness in the midst of conflict. It is the peace of deep water, despite the storms that blow on its surface.
If You've Seen The Son, You've "Seen" The Father
John 14:8-14
8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.
12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
From the prologue of his Gospel, John has been teaching us of the mysterious trinitarian relationship between the Father and the Son.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth….18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known [John 1:14 & 18].
Here, Jesus tells Phillip the same thing:
9b Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10a Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? [John 14:9b–10a].
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Sometimes a son will look unmistakably like his father. That’s what Jesus says here to Phillip: if you know what I look like, then you’ll know what the Father looks like.
P.S. Jesus doesn’t tell them, “Ask for whatever you want and you’ll get it.” Rather, He says, “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do.” The implication is that we are to pray as if we were Jesus—praying in the Jesus way.
P.P.S. The “greater works” the church will do (14:12) refers to what Jesus tells the disciples after the resurrection:
22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld” [John 20:22–23].
What Jesus is talking about here is the incredible responsibility He has given His church to testify to the world of the reality of sin and the opportunity for repentance.
The Way Is A Person
John 14:1-7
14 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Jesus tells the disciples not to be worried at His death and that there is a place for them in heaven. He states:
4 And you know the way to where I am going [John 14:4].
Thomas is confused:
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me [John 14:5–6].
The disciples are looking for a path, but Jesus tells them that the way is a person. Jesus is the way! That is, the way to know the Father and to live eternally with Him in heaven is to know Jesus. If you know Jesus, then you know the way.
QUESTION OF THE DAY
Modern people are often troubled by the exclusivity of Christ—that He is the way. But shouldn’t we instead be grateful that the Father sent the Son to the world so that all who believe in Him could know the way to life?
Jesus Foretells Peter's Denial
John 13:36-38
36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” 37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.
Jesus has said in v. 33:
Where I am going you cannot come.
And so, here, Simon Peter asks a follow-up question:
36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward” [John 13:36].
In the epilogue to John’s Gospel, Jesus will predict that Peter is going to be crucified, as He does here. Peter seems to understand that Jesus is referring to His death and so Peter makes the bold claim that he would die for Jesus.
Jesus gently corrects him and tells him that rather than dying for Him he will end up denying Him, and even that very night.
38b Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times [John 13:38b].
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
As we shall see, before the resurrection, the disciples are fearful, but after they meet the risen Lord, they are fearless, even though following Jesus will cost them their lives. Peter is only able to truly follow Jesus after the resurrection.
Jesus Gives Them Their Mission
John 13:31-35
31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
The Gospel of John is filled with Trinitarian language and theology, of which vv. 31-32 are a good example:
31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once [John 13:31–32].
Jesus will be glorified on the cross, which means that the Father will also be glorified, because the glory of the one is the glory of the other.
Jesus is going away, and so He gives His disciples their mission:
33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” [John 13:33–35].
Having provided the foot washing as an example of humble service, Jesus now tells the disciples that their love for one another will be an important sign to the world of their commitment to Him.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
“To love is to will the good of the other.” That’s my favorite practical definition of love, which comes from the medieval philosopher Thomas Aquinas.
John The Author Writes Himself Into The Gospel
John 13:21-30
21 After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. 23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus' side, 24 so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 25 So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” 28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.
When we started our study of the Gospel of John on January 1(!), we discussed the identity of the author of the Gospel.
Who wrote the Gospel of John?
From the very earliest days, the church has always attributed the Fourth Gospel to “John.” John was a popular Jewish name in the time of Jesus; there are five different Johns that are specifically referenced in the New Testament:
• John the Baptist;
• John, the father of the Apostle Peter;
• John the Apostle, brother of James, son of Zebedee;
• John Mark (often just called Mark);
• John, a member of the high priest’s family.
In addition, the author of the Book of Revelation (Revelation 1:4) identifies himself as “John.” So, which of these Johns—if any—wrote the Gospel of John? Unlike the letters of Paul, e.g., nowhere in the text of the Fourth Gospel does it say, “this book was written by John.”The reason the church has always called the Fourth Gospel “John’s Gospel” is because “The Gospel According to John” was scrawled as a title atop even the most ancient manuscripts, thereby attributing the Gospel to John. (The other three Gospels are attributed the exact same way— “According to Matthew, “According to Mark,” “According to Luke.”) Who wrote the Gospel of John? Opinions differ and complete certainty is impossible—our best way forward, therefore, is to read the text itself and see what we can conclude about the author with the information he has given us in the text itself.
John has written himself into the Gospel at key points.
John never identifies himself by the name “John” in his Gospel—rather, he calls himself “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” Why does he do this? The Gospel of John is a brilliant work of art, and John has slyly written himself into the story at key points to remind his readers that he was an eyewitness to some of the most crucial events he relates, most importantly at the Crucifixion itself.
By calling himself “the disciple whom Jesus loved” John is making it clear he was in the perfect position to tell the story of the Gospel, and by not specifically naming himself, he ensures that the focus of the story is on Jesus, not on the one telling Jesus’s story.
Here, in chapter 13, is the first time that the phrase “the disciple whom Jesus loved” is used. Chapter 13 is when the narrative has permanently moved to take place in Jerusalem. (This detail makes it seem reasonable to conclude that John lived in Jerusalem and not in Galilee.)
The disciples are eating the evening meal, and Jesus is deeply troubled, presumably by the upcoming betrayal and the suffering it will cause.
21 After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me” [John 13:21].
Peter then motions to the disciple whom Jesus loved to inquire about the identity of the betrayer. The disciple whom Jesus loved is in the perfect position to see what happens next.
22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. 23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus' side, 24 so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 25 So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot [John 13:22–26].
Jesus wants Judas to leave so He can speak candidly to the other disciples, so He urges him to get going.
27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” 28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night [John 13:27–30].
The other disciples are clueless about the meaning of Jesus’s words or about the true character of Judas.
Remember, that “night” is an important—and ominous—detail in John’s Gospel. The betrayer has left, and it is now “night.”
Indeed. What follows will be dark.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
I always find it fascinating that the other disciples had no idea that Judas would be the betrayer.