The Gospel of JOHN

THE GOOD NEWS OF JOHN

John 1:1 is actually predates Genesis 1:1! John 1:1 explains who God really is that we read about in Genesis. We learn here that Jesus is the WORD or spokesman of the Godhead (Elohim) and that He and the Father make up the Godhead. We learn many things in the Gospel (Good News) about Jesus from the pen of John. We learn that Jesus was the “I AM” of Exodus who spoke to Moses from the burning bush. We learn that the only God that mankind has ever seen is Jesus, and that nobody but he has ever seen the Father God. Without the knowledge of the Good News of John, we can never fully comprehend the Old Testament scripture.. This is why I suggest that the book of John be read BEFORE reading Genesis for the first time. Jamieson writes that John “was the younger of the two sons of Zebedee, a fisherman on the Sea of Galilee, who resided at Bethsaida, where were born Peter and Andrew his brother, and Philip also. His mother's name was Salome, who, though not without her imperfections ( Matthew 20:20-28 the Lord on one of His preaching circuits through Galilee, ministering to His bodily wants; who followed Him to the cross, and bought sweet spices to anoint Him after His burial, but, on bringing them to the grave, on the morning of the First Day of the week, found their loving services gloriously superseded by His resurrection ere they arrived. His father, Zebedee, appears to have been in good circumstances, owning a vessel of his own and having hired servants ( Mark 1:20 Evangelist, whose occupation was that of a fisherman with his father, was beyond doubt a disciple of the Baptist, and one of the two who had the first interview with Jesus. He was called while engaged at his secular occupation ( Matthew 4:21 Matthew 4:22 ( Luke 5:1-11 ( Matthew 10:2 DA COSTA calls him--and he and James his brother were named in the native tongue by Him who knew the heart, "Boanerges," which the Evangelist Mark ( Mark 3:17 doubt from their natural vehemence of character. They and Peter constituted that select triumvirate of whom But the highest honor bestowed on this disciple was his being admitted to the bosom place with his Lord at the table, as "the disciple whom Jesus loved" ( John 13:23 ; 20:2 ; John 21:7 John 20:24 him by the dying Redeemer the care of His mother ( John 19:26 John 19:27 There can be no reasonable doubt that this distinction was due to a sympathy with His own spirit and mind on the part of John which the all-penetrating Eye of their common Master beheld in none of the rest; and although this was probably never seen either in his life or in his ministry by his fellow apostles, it is brought out wonderfully in his writings, which, in Christ-like spirituality, heavenliness, and love, surpass, we may freely say, all the other inspired writings.”

As to the date of this Gospel, the arguments for its having been composed before the destruction of Jerusalem (though relied on by some superior critics) are of the slenderest nature; such as the expression in John 5:2 &c.; there being no allusion to Peter's martyrdom as having occurred according to the prediction in John 21:18 to require mention. That it was composed long after the destruction of Jerusalem, and after the decease of all the other apostles, is next to certain, though the precise time cannot be determined. Probably it was before his banishment, however; and if we date it between the years 90 and 94, we shall probably be close to the truth.

John is the oldest surviving member of the twelve and his message is about the Divinity of Christ, his preexistence as THE LORD and the message that the LAW can only be understood with its greatest cornerstone--- LOVE. Love covers sins, and the Law of God is LOVE.

John 1

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God (The Father), and the Word was God (Elohim-The God Family).

WORD- from Greek Logos. Jesus or Yahweh, or THE LORD IS GOD, along with the Father! There is not a hint of a trinity here!

2 He was with God (The Father) in the beginning.

3 All things were made by Him, and Nothing exists that He did not make.

4 In Him is life, and the life was the light of mankind.

5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not suppressed it.

6 There was a man sent from God (Elohim-The Family of God) whose name was John.

7 He came to tell everyone about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony.

8 He himself was not that light; no, he came to bear witness concerning the light.

9 This was the true light, which gives light to everyone entering the world

10 He was in the world -- the world came to be by Him -- yet the world did not acknowledge him {as God}.

11 He came to his own homeland, yet His own people did not receive him.

12 But to as many as did receive Him, to those who put their trust in His person and power, He gave the right to become children of God (the Godhead (Theos - or Elohim)),

Theos is the Greek version of Elohim in Hebrew, meaning God or Godhead. Sometimes it pertains in the Gospels to The Father, often it means both Jesus and the Father, as it does here.

13 who were born, not of blood, or by physical means, but because of God (Theos).

14 The Word became a fleshly human being and dwelt (tabernacled or pitched his tent) among us, and we saw his glory, the glory of the Father's only Son, full of grace and truth.

This is why we observe the Feast of Tabernacles!

15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, "This was He of whom I said, 'He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He existed before me.' "

16 We have all received one blessing after another. God's grace is not limited.

17 For the Law (Torah) was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus (Yeshua) the Messiah.

18 No one has ever seen God; but the only and this unique Son, who is identical with God and is at the Father's side -- he has made him known.

Do you see what is being said here by John? This just isn't understand by Christians that not only is Jesus the LORD of the OT, but that he was identical and EQUAL to the Father!

John the Baptist Is Not the Christ

19 So this is John's testimony: when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask John who he was. John gave witness to them.

20 He did not try to hide the truth. He spoke to them openly. He said, "I am not the Christ."

21 "Then who are you?" they asked him. "Are you Elijah?" "No, I am not," he said. "Are you `The Prophet,' the one we're expecting?" "No," he replied.

The Prophet: that prophet--announced in Deuteronomy 18:15 , &c., about whom they seem not to have been agreed whether he were the same with the Messiah or no.

22 So they said to him, "Who are you? -- so that we can give an answer to the people who sent us to ask. What do you have to say about yourself?"

23 He answered using the words of Isaiah the prophet. John said, "I'm the messenger who is calling out in the desert, 'Make the way for the LORD (kyrios-Yahweh) straight.' "(Isaiah 40:3)

kyrios- Greek for Yahweh or LORD or JESUS' Prior self!

24 Some Pharisees who had been sent

25 asked him, "If you are neither the Messiah nor Elijah nor `the prophet,' then why are you immersing people in water?"

26 To them John replied, "I am baptizing people in water, but among you is standing one whom you don't know.

27 He is the one coming after me -- I'm not good enough even to untie his sandal!"

28 This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan River. That was where John was baptizing.

Jesus Is the Lamb of God

29 The next day John saw Jesus (Yeshua-or Joshua) coming toward him. John said, "Look! The Lamb of God! Who takes away the sin of the world!

the Lamb of God--the one God-ordained, God-gifted sacrificial offering.
that taketh away--taketh up and taketh away. The word signifies both, as does the corresponding Hebrew word. Applied to sin, it means to be chargeable with the guilt of it ( Exodus 28:38 , Leviticus 5:1 , Ezekiel 18:20 ), and to bear it away (as often). In the Levitical victims both ideas met, as they do in Christ, the people's guilt being viewed as transferred to them, avenged in their death, and so borne away by them ( Leviticus 4:15 , Leviticus 16:15 Leviticus 16:21 Leviticus 16:22 ; and compare Isaiah 53:6-12 , 2 Corinthians 5:21 ). (Jamieson)

30 This is the One I was talking about. I said, 'A man who comes after me is more important than I am. That's because he existed before I was born.'

31 I myself did not recognize Him. But God wants to make it clear to Israel who this person is. That's the reason I came baptizing with water."

32 Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit (pnuema) coming down from heaven like a dove, and remaining on him.

Spirit: In the Old Testament it is feminine in form, but is an essence of God and not a God. In the NT, the Spirit has a masculine form, but again is an essence-not a person. God (Jesus and the Father) are made up of Spirit, as man is made up of flesh and blood.

33 I would not have known him. But the One who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'You will see the Spirit come down and remain on someone. He is the One who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.'

Spirit is the “flesh and blood of the Divine ones (angels and the Godhead) but HOLY SPIRIT exclusively is the essence that makes up God- not angels.

34 And I have seen and borne witness that this is the Son of God."

Jesus begins choosing HIS disciples:

35 The next day, John was again standing with two of his disciples.

36 On seeing Jesus walking by, he said, "Look! God's lamb!"

37 The two disciples heard him say this. So they followed Jesus.

38 Then Jesus turned around and saw them following. He asked, "What do you want?" They said, "Rabbi, where are you staying?" "Rabbi" means Teacher.

39 He said to them, "Come and see." So they went and saw where he was staying, and remained with him the rest of the day -- it was about four o'clock in the afternoon.

40 One of the two who heard John speak, and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.

41 He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which is translated, the Christ or “one who has been anointed.")

42 And he brought him to Jesus. Now when Jesus looked at him, He said, "You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas" (which is translated, A Stone).

43 The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me."

44 Philip was from the town of Bethsaida. So were Andrew and Peter.

45 Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the One that Moses wrote about in the Law (Torah). The prophets also wrote about him. He is Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

46 "Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?" Nathanael asked. "Come and see," said Philip.

47 Jesus saw Nathanael approaching. Here is what Jesus said about him. "He is a true Israelite. There is nothing false in him."

48 "How do you know me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree. I saw you there before Philip called you."

49 Nathanael said, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!"

50 Jesus answered him, "you believe all this just because I told you I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than that!"

51 Then he said to the disciples, "What I'm about to tell you is true. You will see heaven open. You will see the angels of God going up and coming down on the Son of Man."

The key to this great saying is Jacob's vision ( Genesis 28:12-22 ), to which the allusion plainly is. To show the patriarch that though alone and friendless on earth his interests were busying all heaven, he was made to see "heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon a" mystic "ladder reaching from heaven to earth." "By and by," says Jesus here, "ye shall see this communication between heaven and earth thrown wide open, and the Son of man the real Ladder of this intercourse."

John 2:

Jesus Changes Water Into Wine:

1 On the third day there was a wedding. It took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there.

2 Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.

3 When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."

Obviously, Mary knew Jesus could do something about this! Did he do miracles at home before this “first” miracle? Probably.

4 "Dear woman, why do you bring me into this?" Jesus replied. "My time has not yet come."

5 His mother said to the servants, "Do what he tells you."

6 Six stone water jars stood nearby. The Jews used water from that kind of jar for special washings to make themselves pure. Each jar could hold 20 to 30 gallons.

7 Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water." So they filled them to the top.

8 Then he told them, "Now dip some out. Take it to the person in charge of the dinner." They did what he said.

9 The person in charge tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He didn't realize where it had come from. But the servants who had brought the water knew. Then the person in charge called the groom to one side.

10 He said to him, "Everyone brings out the best wine first. They bring out the cheap wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have saved the best until last."

11 That was the first of Jesus' miraculous signs. He did it at Cana in Galilee. Jesus showed his glory by doing it. And his disciples put their faith in him.

Jesus Clears Out the Temple:
12 After this, Jesus went down to Capernaum. His mother and brothers along with the disciples went with him. They all stayed there for a few days.

CHRIST'S FIRST PASSOVER--FIRST CLEANSING OF THE TEMPLE:

13 It was almost time for the Jews Passover Feast. So Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

We see the term the “Jews Passover” but never the “Jews Sabbath.” Think about that!

14 In the temple courtyard he found people who were selling cattle, sheep and doves. Others were sitting at tables exchanging money.

15 So Jesus made a whip out of ropes. He chased all the sheep and cattle from the temple area. He scattered the coins of the people exchanging money. And he turned over their tables.

16 He told those who were selling doves, "Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market place!"

17 His disciples remembered what had been written. It says, "My great love for your house will destroy me."(Psalm 69:9)

I am translating all OT scripture in RED as by now- it is the WORD of GOD

18 Then the Jews asked him, "What miraculous sign can you show us? How can you prove your authority to us to do all of this?"

19 Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple. I will raise it up again in three days."

20 The Jews then said to him, "It has taken 46 years to build this temple. Are you going to raise it up in three days?"

Forty and six years--From the eighteenth year of Herod till then was just forty-six years [JOSEPHUS, Antiquities, 15.11.1].

21 But the temple Jesus had spoken about was his body.

22 His disciples later remembered what he had said. That was after he had been raised from the dead. Then they believed the Scriptures. They also believed the words that Jesus had spoken.

believed the scripture--on this subject; that is, what was meant, which was hid from them till then. Mark (1) The act by which Christ signalized His first public appearance in the Temple. Taking "His fan in His hand, He purges His floor," not thoroughly indeed, but enough to foreshadow His last act towards that faithless people--to sweep them out of God's house. (2) The sign of His authority to do this is the announcement, at this first outset of His ministry, of that coming death by their hands, and resurrection by His own, which were to pave the way for their judicial ejection.

23 Meanwhile, he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast. Many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing. And they believed in his name {convinced that he was indeed the Messiah}.

24 But Jesus did not fully trust them. He knew what people are like.

25 He didn't need others to tell him what people are like. No one needed to tell him about human nature.

 
 

John 3:

Nicodemus and 'BORN AGAIN':

1 There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus. He was a leader of the Jews.
Nicodemus--In this member of the Sanhedrim sincerity and timidity are seen struggling together.
2 He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. We know that God is with you. If he weren't, you couldn't do the miraculous signs you are doing."
This is a very interesting an eye opening admission here. Nicodemus is admitting that the rulers (all of them) know that Christ is from God! This is very important!
3 Jesus replied, "What I'm about to tell you is true. No one can see God's kingdom without being born again."
4 "How can I be born when I am old?" Nicodemus asked. "I can't go back inside my mother! I can't be born a second time!"
Nicodemus did understand clearly what is meant by being born. He knew it meant being delivered from his mother's womb. It meant being delivered into the WORLD! Today's religious leaders read into it a different meaning! What Nicodemus could not understand was how -- in what manner -- anyone could be born AGAIN! And of course, being carnal-minded, he could only conceive of a second physical birth. But he knew what being born meant!
5 Jesus answered, "What I'm about to tell you is true. No one can enter God's kingdom without being born through water and the Holy Spirit.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 You should not be surprised when I say, 'You must all be born again.'
8 "The wind blows where it wants to. You hear the sound it makes. But you can't tell where it comes from or where it is going. It is the same with everyone who is born through the Spirit."
that the Kingdom of God is not of this present human LIFE in this present WORLD -- it is not of this TIME -- this present life-TIME -- or age -- it is the succeeding age -- and the life to come. Man is now flesh -- human. He is MATERIAL SUBSTANCE. "Dust thou art," said God to Adam, "and unto dust shalt thou return." Again, "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being" (Gen. 3:19 and 2:7). But, said Jesus plainly, when one is born of the Spirit HE WILL BE SPIRIT! Look at it! Read it in your own Bible. The Kingdom of God will be composed of SPIRIT BEINGS -- not of humans! At birth of human flesh, one is delivered from his mother's womb into this world. When born of the Spirit one will be delivered from the CHURCH of God (physical) into the KINGDOM of God (a Kingdom of SPIRIT BEINGS!). Man is now COMPOSED of flesh -- material substance -- matter. When BORN AGAIN he will BE Spirit -- a SPIRIT BEING, no longer human. He will be COMPOSED of spirit -- of spirit composition -- with life inherent -- with self-containing life -- not then existing by the breath of air and the circulation of blood.
9 "How can this be?" Nicodemus asked.
10 "You are a teacher in Israel," said Jesus. "and you don't understand these things?
11 "What I'm about to tell you is true. We speak about what we know. We give witness to what we have seen. But still you people do not accept our witness.
12 I have spoken to you about earthly things, and you do not believe. So how will you believe if I speak about heavenly things?

NO MAN HAS EVER GONE TO HEAVEN!
13 "No one has ever gone into heaven except the One who came from heaven. He is the Son of Man.
No one has gone to heaven! So obviously Enoch and Elijah didn't either!
14 Moses lifted up the snake in the desert. The Son of Man must be lifted up also.
15 Then everyone who believes in him can live with God forever.
16 "God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son. Anyone who believes in him will not die but will instead will have eternal life.
17 "God did not send his Son into the world to judge and condemn the world. He sent his Son to save the world through him.
18 Anyone who believes in him is not judged. But anyone who does not believe is judged already. He has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.
19 "Here is the judgment. Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light. They loved darkness because what they did was evil.
20 "Everyone who does evil things hates the light. They will not come into the light. They are afraid that what they do will be seen.
21 But anyone who lives by the truth comes into the light. He does this so that it will be easy to see that what he has done is with God's help."
The forces of light and dark, day and night, good and bad, Godly and Satanic. This is also a hint of the condemnation of those who were following the “evening” day.

John the Baptist Gives Witness About Jesus

22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the countryside of Judea. There he spent some time with them. And he baptized people there.
23 John was also baptizing. He was at Aenon near Salim, where there was plenty of water. People were coming all the time to be baptized.
24 That was before John was put in prison.
25 Some of John's disciples and a certain Jew began to argue over ceremonial cleansing with water.
26 They came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan River is baptizing people. He is the one you gave witness about. Everyone is going to him."
27 John replied, "A person can receive only what God gives him from heaven.
28 You yourselves are witnesses that I said, 'I am not the Christ. I was sent ahead of him.'
29 The bride belongs to the groom. The friend who helps the groom waits and listens for him. He is full of joy when he hears the groom's voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.
30 He must become more important. I must become less important.
31 "The One who comes from above is above everything. The one who is from the earth belongs to the earth and speaks like someone from the earth. The One who comes from heaven is above everything.
32 He gives witness to what He has seen and heard {in Heaven}. But no one believes in what He teaches.
33 Anyone who has accepted it discovers that God is true.
34 The One whom God has sent speaks God's words. God gives the Holy Spirit without limit.
35 "The Father loves the Son and has put everything into his hands.
36 Anyone who believes in the Son has eternal life. Anyone who says no to the Son will not have life. God's anger remains on him." 

John 4:

Jesus Talks With a Woman From Samaria

1 The Pharisees heard that Jesus was winning and baptizing more disciples than John.

2 (But in fact Jesus was not baptizing. His disciples were.)

Jesus himself did not baptize.

3 He left Judaea, and departed again to Galilee.

4 Jesus had to go through the land Samaria.

Samaria is were the 10 Tribes of Israel lived before they were taken into captivity and removed from the land. They were replaced by Samaritans who claimed to be those lost tribes, but were liars. That's why the Jews would have nothing to do with them.

5 He came to a town in Samaria called Sychar. It was near the piece of land Jacob had given his son Joseph.

6 Jacob's well was there. Jesus was tired from the journey. So he sat down by the well. It was about noon.

7 A woman from Samaria came to get some water. Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?"

8 His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.

9 The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew. I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" She said this because Jews don't have anything to do with Samaritans.

10 Jesus answered her, "You do not know what God's gift is. And you do not know who is asking you for a drink. If you did, you would have asked him. He would have given you living water."

11 "Sir," the woman said, "you don't have anything to get water with. The well is deep. Where can you get this living water?

12 "Our father Jacob gave us the well. He drank from it himself. So did his sons and his flocks and herds. Are you more important than he is?"

“Our father Jacob:” the lie I talked about earlier.

13 Jesus answered, "All who drink this water will thirst again.

14 But anyone who drinks the water I give them will never be thirsty again. In fact, the water I give them will become a spring of water inside of their bodies. It will flow up into eternal life."

15 The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water. Then I will never be thirsty. And I won't have to keep coming here to get water."

16 He told her, "Go. Get your husband and come back."

17 "I have no husband," she replied. Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband.

18 The fact is, you have had five husbands. And the man you have now is not even your husband. So hat you have just told me is indeed very true."

19 "Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet.

20 Our people have worshiped on this mountain for a long time. But you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem."

21 Jesus said, "Believe me, woman. A time is coming when you will not worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem.

22 You Samaritans ignorantly worship what you do not know. We worship what we do know. Salvation comes from the Jews.

23 "But a new time is coming. In fact, it is already here. True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. They are the kind of worshipers the Father is looking for.

24 "God is Spirit. His worshipers must worship him in spirit and in truth."

25 The woman said, "I know that Messiah is coming." (He is called Christ.) "When he comes, he will explain everything to us."

26 Then Jesus said, "I, the one speaking to you, am he."

27 Just then Jesus' disciples returned. They were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, "What do you want from her?" No one asked, "Why are you talking with her?"

28 The woman left her water jar and went back to the town. She said to the people,

29 "Come. See a man who told me everything I've ever done. Could this be the Christ?"

30 The people came out of the town and made their way toward Jesus.

31 His disciples were saying to him, "Teacher, eat something!"

32 But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about."

33 Then his disciples asked each other, "Did someone bring him food?"

34 Jesus said, "My food is to do what my Father sent me to do. My food is to finish his work.

35 "You say, 'Four months more, and then it will be harvest time.' But I tell you, open your eyes! Look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest right now.

36 Those who gather the crop are already getting paid. They are already harvesting the crop for eternal life. So those who plant and those who gather can now be glad together.

37 "Here is a true saying. 'One plants and another gathers.'

38 I sent you to gather what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work. You have gathered the benefits of their work."

39 Many of the Samaritans from the town of Sychar believed in Jesus. They believed because of the woman's witness. She said, "He told me everything I've ever done."

40 Then the Samaritans came to him and tried to get him to stay with them. So he stayed two days.

41 Because of his words, many more people became believers.

42 They said to the woman, "We no longer believe just because of what you said. We have now heard for ourselves. We know that this man really is the Savior of the world."

JESUS HEALS BOY:

43 After the two days, Jesus left for Galilee.

44 He himself had pointed out that a prophet is not believed in his own home town.

45 When he arrived in Galilee, the people living there welcomed him. They had seen everything he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast. That was because they had also been there.

46 Once more, Jesus visited Cana in Galilee. Cana is where he had turned the water into wine. A royal official was there. His son was sick in bed at Capernaum.

47 The official heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea. So he went to Jesus and begged him to come and heal his son. The boy was close to death.

48 Jesus told him, "You people will never believe unless you see miraculous signs and wonders."

49 The royal official said, "Sir, come down before my child dies."

50 Jesus replied, "Go. Your son will live." The man believed what Jesus said, and so he left.

51 While he was on his way home, his servants met him. They informed him that his boy was living.

52 He asked what time his son got better. They said to him, "The fever left him yesterday afternoon at one o'clock."

53 Then the father realized what had happened. That was the exact time Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." So he and all his family became believers.

54 This was the second miraculous sign that Jesus did after coming from Judea to Galilee.

John 5:

Jesus Heals a Disabled Man

1 Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a Jewish feast.

2 In Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate is a pool. In the Aramaic language it is called Bethesda. It is surrounded by five rows of columns with a roof over them.

3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water.

4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.

5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years.

6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, "Do you want to be healed?"

7 The sick man answered Him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me."

8 Jesus said to him, "Rise, take up your mat and walk."

9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath Day.

10 The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, "It is the Sabbath Day; it is not lawful for you to carry your mat."

11 He answered them, "He who made me well said to me, 'Take up your mat and walk.'"

12 Then they asked him, "Who is the Man who said to you, 'Take up your mat and walk'?"

13 But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place.

14 Afterward Jesus found him in the Temple, and said to him, "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, or I fear worse thing come upon you."

15 The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

16 For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath.

17 But Jesus answered them, "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working."

18 Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.

19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, "I assure you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.

20 For the Father loves the Son and tells Him everything He is doing, and the Son will do far greater things than healing this man. You will be astonished at what He does.

21 For the Father will even raise from the dead anyone he wants to, just as the Father does.

22 For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son,

23 so that everyone will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. But if you refuse to honor the Son, then you are certainly not honoring the Father who sent him.

24 "I assure you this day, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me has eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life.

25 "And I assure you that the time is coming, in fact it is here, when the dead will hear my voice -- the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live.

26 For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself,

27 and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. 
 

The Promised Resurrection of the Dead:

28 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice (1 Corth 15)

29 and come forth--those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

The resurrection of condemnation is being burned up! ETERNAL DEATH

30 But I do nothing without consulting the Father. I judge as I am told. And my judgment is absolutely just, because it is according to the will of God who sent me; it is not merely my own.

31 "If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true.

32 But someone else is also testifying about Me, and I can assure you that everything He says about Me is true.

33 You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth.

34 Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved.

35 He shone brightly for a while, and you benefited and rejoiced.

36 But I have a greater witness than John -- My teachings and My miracles. They have been assigned to Me by the Father, and they testify that the Father has sent Me. 
 

NO ONE HAS HEARD THE FATHER'S VOICE OR SEEN HIS FORM:

37 And the Father Himself has also testified about Me. You have never heard His voice or seen Him face to face,

38 But you do not have His message abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe.

39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.

Because the scriptures are about the LORD GOD= Jesus!

40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have eternal life.

41 I do not receive honor from men.

42 But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you.

43 I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive.

44 No wonder you can't believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don't care about the honor that comes from God alone!

45 Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you--Moses, in whom you trust.

46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me.

Moses did certainly write about Jesus, because Jesus is Yahweh! The LORD GOD!

47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?"

John 6:

1 After this, Jesus crossed over the Sea of Galilee, also called as the Sea of Tiberias.

2 Then a great multitude followed Him wherever He went, because they saw His miracles as He healed the sick.

3 Then Jesus went up into the hills and sat down with His disciples around Him.

4 (It was nearly time for the annual Passover celebration.)

5 Jesus soon saw a great crowd of people climbing the hill, looking for Him. Turning to Philip, He asked, "Philip, where can we buy bread to feed all these people?"

6 He was testing Philip, for he already knew what he was going to do.

7 Philip replied, "It would take a small fortune to feed them!"

8 Then Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up.

9 There's a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?"

10 "Tell everyone to sit down," Jesus ordered. So all of them -- the men alone numbered five thousand -- sat down on the grassy slopes.

11 Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and passed them out to the people. Afterward He did the same with the fish. And they all ate until they were full.

12 "Now gather the leftovers," Jesus told his disciples, "so that nothing is wasted."

13 There were only five barley loaves to start with, but twelve baskets were filled with the pieces of bread the people did not eat!

14 When the people saw this miraculous sign, they exclaimed, "Surely, he is the Prophet we have been expecting!"

15 Jesus saw that they were ready to take him by force and make him king, so He went higher into the hills alone.

16 That evening His disciples went down to the shore to wait for Him.

17 But as darkness fell and Jesus still hadn't come back, they got into the boat and headed out across the lake toward Capernaum.

18 Soon a gale arose on the sea, and a great wind began to blow the waves.

19 They were three or four miles out when suddenly they saw Jesus walking on the water toward the boat. They were terrified,

20 but He called out to them, "I am here! Don't be afraid."

21 Then they were eager to let Him in, and immediately the boat arrived at their destination!

22 The next morning, back across the lake, crowds began gathering on the shore, waiting to see Jesus. For they knew that He and His disciples had come over together and that the disciples had gone off in their boat, leaving Him behind.

23 Several boats from Tiberias landed near the place where the LORD had blessed the bread and the people had eaten.

24 When the crowd saw that Jesus wasn't there, nor His disciples, they got into the boats and went across to Capernaum to look for Him.

25 When they arrived and found Him, they asked, "Teacher, how did you get here?"

26 Jesus replied, "The truth is, you want to be withMe because I fed you, not because you saw the miraculous sign.

27 But you shouldn't be so concerned about perishable things like food. Spend your energy seeking the eternal life that I, the Son of Man, can give you. For God the Father has sent Me for that very purpose."

28 They replied, "What does God want us to do?"

29 Jesus told them, "This is what God wants you to do: Believe in the One He has sent."

30 They replied, "You must show us a miraculous sign if you want us to believe in you. What will you do for us?

31 After all, our ancestors ate manna while they journeyed through the wilderness! As the Scriptures say, 'Moses gave them bread from heaven to eat.' "

32 Jesus said, "I assure you, Moses didn't give them bread from heaven. My Father did. And now He offers you the true bread from heaven.

33 The true bread of God is the one who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

34 "Sir," they said, "give us that bread every day of our lives."

35 Jesus replied, "I am the bread of life. No one who comes to Me will ever be hungry again. Those who believe in Me will never thirst.

36 But you haven't believed in Me even though you have seen Me.

37 However, those the Father has given Me will come to Me, and I will never reject them.

38 For I have come down from Heaven to do the will of God who sent Me, not to do what I want.

39 And this is the will of God, that I should not lose even one of all those He has given Me, but that I should raise them to eternal life at the last day.

Dead are raised on the last day (when Christ returns- See 1 Corth 15)

40 For it is My Father's will that all who see His Son and believe in Him should have eternal life -- that I should raise them at the last day."

41 Then the people began to murmur in disagreement because He had said, "I am the bread from heaven."

42 They said, "This is Jesus, the son of Joseph. We know his father and mother. How can he say, 'I came down from heaven'?"

43 But Jesus replied, "Don't complain about what I said.

44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.

45 It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. Is 54:13

46 (Not that anyone has ever seen the Father; only I, who was sent from God, have seen Him.)

47 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life!

48 Yes, I am the bread of life!

49 Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died.

50 However, the bread from heaven gives eternal life to everyone who eats it.

51 I am the living bread that came down out of heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; this bread is My flesh, offered so the world may live."

52 Then the people began arguing with each other about what he meant. "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" they asked.

53 So Jesus said again, "I assure you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you cannot have eternal life within you.

54 But those who eat My flesh and drink My blood have eternal life, and I will raise them at the last day.

55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.

56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.

57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me.

58 I am the true bread from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever and not die as your ancestors did, even though they ate the manna."

59 He said these things while He was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

60 Even His disciples said, "This is very hard to understand. How can anyone accept it?"

61 Jesus knew within Himself that His disciples were complaining, so He said to them, "Does this offend you?

62 Then what will you think if you see Me, the Son of Man, return to Heaven again?

63 It is the Spirit who gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

64 But some of you don't believe me." (For Jesus knew from the beginning who didn't believe, and He knew who would betray Him.)

65 Then He said, "That is what I meant when I said that people can't come to Me unless the Father brings them to Me."

66 At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him.

67 Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, "Are you going to leave, too?"

68 Simon Peter replied, "LORD, to whom would we go? You alone have the words that give eternal life.

69 We believe them, and we know you are the Holy One of God."

70 Then Jesus said, "I chose the twelve of you, but one is a devil."

71 He was speaking of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, one of the Twelve, who would betray Him.

John 7:

CHRIST AT THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES

1 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him.

2 Now the Jews' Feast of Tabernacles was at hand.

feast of tabernacles . . . at hand--This was the last of the three annual festivals, celebrated on the fifteenth of the seventh month (early October). (See Leviticus 23:33 , &c. Deuteronomy 16:13 , &c. Nehemiah 8:14-18 ).

3 His brothers urged Him to go to Judea for the celebration. "Go where your followers can see your miracles!" they scoffed.

4 You can't become a public figure if you hide like this! If you can do such wonderful things, prove it to the world!"

5 For even His brothers did not believe in Him.

6 Then Jesus replied, "My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready.

7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil.

8 You go up to this feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come."

9 When He had said these things to them, He remained home in Galilee.

10 But when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, though secretly, staying out of public view.

11 Then the Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, "Where is He?"

12 And there was much complaining among the people concerning Him. Some said, "He is good"; others said, "No, on the contrary, He deceives the people."

13 However, no one spoke openly of Him for fear of the Jews.

14 Now about midway through the feast Jesus went up into the Temple and taught.

15 And the Jews marveled, saying, "How does this man know letters, having never studied {the Law}?"

having never learned--at any rabbinical school, as Paul under Gamaliel. These rulers knew well enough that He had not studied under any human teacher--an important admission against ancient and modern attempts to trace our Lord's wisdom to human sources [MEYER].

16 Jesus answered them and said, "My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me.

17 If anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether My teaching is from God or is merely My own.

18 Those who present their own ideas are looking for praise for themselves, but those who seek to honor the One who sent them are good and genuine.

The Law and MOSES:

19 Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill Me?"

20 The people answered and said, "You have a demon. Who is trying to kill You?"

21 Jesus answered and said to them, "I did one work, and you all marvel.

22 But you work on the Sabbath, too, when you obey Moses' law of circumcision. (Actually, this tradition of circumcision is older than the law of Moses; it goes back to Abraham.)

23 For if the correct time for circumcising your son falls on the Sabbath, you go ahead and do it, so as not to break the law of Moses. So why should I be condemned for making a man completely well on the Sabbath?

24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment."

25 Now some of them from Jerusalem said, "Is this not He whom they seek to kill?

26 But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ?

27 But how could he be? For we know where this man comes from. When the Messiah comes, he will simply appear; no one will know where he comes from."

28 Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, "You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know.

29 But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me."

30 Therefore they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.

31 And many of the people believed in Him, and said, "When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?"

32 The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him.

33 Then Jesus said to them, "I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I go to Him who sent Me.

34 You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come."

We can not go to heaven – He will return to us!

35 Then the Jews said among themselves, "Where does he intend to go that we shall not find him? Does he intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks?

36 What is this thing that he said, 'You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come'?"

37 On the last day, that great day of the feast {of Tabernacles}, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.

the last day, that great day of the feast--the eighth ( Leviticus 23:39 ). It was a sabbath, the last feast day of the year, and distinguished by very remarkable ceremonies. "The generally joyous character of this feast broke out on this day into loud jubilation, particularly at the solemn moment when the priest, as was done on every day of this festival, brought forth, in golden vessels, water from the stream of Siloah, which flowed under the temple-mountain, and solemnly poured it upon the altar. Then the words of Isaiah 12:3 were sung, With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of Salvation, and thus the symbolical reference of this act, intimated in John 7:39 , was expressed" [OLSHAUSEN]. So ecstatic was the joy with which this ceremony was performed--accompanied with sound of trumpets--that it used to be said, "Whoever had not witnessed it had never seen rejoicing at all" [LIGHTFOOT].

38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."

"Out of his belly, as the scripture hath said, shall flow," &c. referring not to any particular passage, but to such as Isaiah 58:11 , Joel 3:18 , Zechariah 14:8 , Ezekiel 47:1-12 ; in most of which the idea is that of waters issuing from beneath the temple, to which our Lord compares Himself and those who believe in Him. (Jamieson)

39 (When he said "living water," he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in Him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)

40 Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, "Truly this is the Prophet."

41 Others said, "This is the Christ." But some said, "Will the Christ come out of Galilee?

42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?"

43 So there was a division among the people because of Him.

44 Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him.

45 Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why have you not brought Him?"

46 "We have never heard anyone talk like this!" the officers responded.

47 Then the Pharisees answered them, "Are you also deceived?

48 Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him?

49 But this crowd that does not know the Law is accursed."

50 Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them,

51 "Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?"

52 They answered and said to him, "Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee."

53 And everyone went to his own house.

John 8:

THE WOMAN TAKEN IN ADULTERY:

1 Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

2 Early in the morning He came again into the Temple. A crowd soon gathered and came near to Him; and He sat down to teach them.

This should have formed the last verse of the foregoing chapter. "The return of the people to the inert quiet and security of their dwellings ( John 7:53 ), at the close of the feast, is designedly contrasted with our Lord's homeless way, so to speak, of spending the short night, who is early in the morning on the scene again. One cannot well see why what is recorded in Luke 21:37 Luke 21:38 may not even thus early have taken place; it might have been the Lord's ordinary custom from the beginning to leave the brilliant misery of the city every night, that so He might compose His sorrowful and interceding heart, and collect His energies for new labors of love; preferring for His resting-place Bethany, and the Mount of Olives, the scene thus consecrated by many preparatory prayers for His final humiliation and exaltation" [STIER].

3 Then the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees brought in a woman. She was caught in adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.

4 They said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act of having sex with a man who was not her husband.

5 Now Moses, in the Law (Torah), commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?"

6 They were trying to trap Him into saying something they could use against Him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger.

What was he writing? Could he been writing the names of some of those men and what sins they had committed? Whatever he was writing, seemed to cause the men to loose their nerve!

7 They kept asking Him questions. So he stood up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first."

8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.

9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. Soon only Jesus was left. The woman was still standing there.

10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are they? Didn't even one of them condemn you?"

11 She said, "No one, LORD." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."

GO! AND SIN NO MORE! He forgives past sins, but does not do away with the LAW! We must continue to live within the Law SIN FREE!

12 Jesus spoke to the people again. He said, “I am the light of the world. Those who follow Me will never walk in darkness. They will have the light that leads to life.”

13 The Pharisees replied, “You are making false claims about yourself.”

14 Jesus told them, "These claims are valid even though I make them about Myself. For I know where I came from and where I AM going, but you don't know this about me.

15 You judge by human standards. I judge no one.

16 But if I do judge, what I decide is right. This is because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.

17 Your own Law says that the witness of two is what counts.

18 I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me."

19 Then they said to Him, "Where is Your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also."

20 Jesus made these statements while He was teaching in the section of the Temple known as the Treasury, and as He taught in the Temple; and no one arrested him. His time had not yet come.

21 Later Jesus said to them again, "I AM going away. You will search for Me and die in your sin. You cannot go to where I AM going."

22 So the Jews said, "Will He kill Himself, because He says, 'Where I go you cannot go'?"

23 But Jesus said, "You are from below. I AM from heaven. You are from this world. I AM not from this world.

24 That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I AM who I say I AM, you will die in your sins."

25 Then they said to Him, "Who are You?" And Jesus said to them, "Just what I have been saying to you all along from the start.

26 I have much to say about you and much to condemn, but I won't. For I say only what I have heard from the One who sent Me, and He is TRUTH!”

27 They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.

28 Then Jesus said to them, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I AM HE, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things.

29 And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him."

30 As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.

31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you obey My teaching, then you are really my disciples.

32 And you shall know the TRUTH, and the TRUTH shall make you free.”

GOD IS TRUTH!

33 They answered Him, "We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, 'You will be made free'?"

34 Jesus answered them, "Strongly, I say to you... Everyone who sins is a slave of sin.

35 A slave has no lasting place in the family. But a son belongs to the family forever.

36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.

37 "Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. However you want to kill Me, because My word has no place in you.

38 I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. But you are following the advice of your father.

39 They answered and said to Him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham.

40 But now you want to kill Me, a Man who has told you the TRUTH which I heard from God {The Father}. Abraham did not do this.

41 You do the deeds of your father." Then they said to Him, "We were not born out of wedlock in sin; we have one Father—God."

42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I came from God, and now I AM here. I have not come on my own. He sent me.

43 Why aren't my words clear to you? Because you can't really hear what I say.

44 You belong to your father, the Devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning and has always hated the truth. There is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.

45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me.

46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me?

47 Everyone who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you don't hear is that you don't belong to God.”

48 Then the Jews answered and said to Him, "Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?"

49 Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.

50 I am not seeking glory for myself. But there is One who brings glory to me. He is the judge.

JESUS IS YAHWEH, IAM THAT I AM!

51 Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death."

52 Then the Jews said to Him, "Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, 'If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.'

53 Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Whom do You make Yourself out to be?"

54 Jesus answered, "If I bring glory to Myself, My glory means nothing. You claim that My Father is your God. He is the one who brings glory to Me.

55 You do not know Him. But I know Him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you. But I do know Him. And I obey His word.

56 Your father Abraham was filled with joy as he looked forward to my coming. He saw it and was glad."

57 Then the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?"

Fifty years was with the Jews the completion of manhood" [ALFORD].

58 Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM."

The IAM here is bolded in the KJV because even those authors understood who Jesus was claiming to be and why what these words said about himself made them attempt to kill him! Go back to Exodus 3 and see the notes on who the God was who spoke to Moses. Moses wanted to know His name, he was given two distinct names: “I AM THAT I AM” from the Hebrew word YAHWEH, and simply “I AM,” from the Hebrew Hiya! Jesus is claiming to be the LORD YAHWEH!

Jamieson writes: The words rendered "was" and "am" are quite different. The one clause means, "Abraham was brought into being"; the other, "I exist." The statement therefore is not that Christ came into existence before Abraham did (as Arians affirm is the meaning), but that He never came into being at all, but existed before Abraham had a being; in other words, existed before creation, or eternally (as John 1:1 ). In that sense the Jews plainly understood Him, since "then took they up stones to cast at Him," just as they had before done when they saw that He made Himself equal with God ( John 5:18 ).

59 Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the Temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

John 9:

THE BLIND SEE:

1 As Jesus went along, He saw a man who was blind from birth.

2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Teacher, who sinned? Was this man born blind because he sinned? Or did his parents sin?”

3 Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be seen in him.

4 While it is still daylight, I must do the work of the One who sent Me. Nighttime is soon coming. Then no one can work.

5 As long as I AM in the world, I AM the light of the world."

6 When He had said these things, He spit on the ground. He made some mud with the spit. Then He put the mud on the man's eyes.

7 And He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.

8 His neighbors and others who knew him as a blind beggar asked each other, "Is this the same man -- that beggar?”

9 Some claimed that he was. Others said, "No. He only looks like him." But the man who had been blind kept saying, "I am the man."

10 Therefore they said to him, "How can you know see?"

11 He answered and said, "A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, 'Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.' So I went and washed, and I received sight."

12 Then they said to him, "Where is He?" He said, "I don't know."

13 They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees.

14 Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and healed his eyes.

15 Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, "He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see."

16 Therefore some of the Pharisees said, "This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath." Others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" And there was a division among them.

17 Finally they turned again to the blind man. "What do you have to say about him?" they asked. "It was your eyes he opened." The man replied, "He is a prophet."

18 But the Jews still did not believe that the man had been blind and now could see. So they sent for his parents.

19 And they asked them, saying, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?"

20 His parents answered them and said, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind;

21 but we don't know how he can see or who healed him. He is old enough to speak for himself. Ask him."

22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews. The Jews had already decided that anyone who said Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue.

23 Therefore his parents said, "He is old enough to speak for himself; ask him."

Foiled by the testimony of the young man himself, they hope to throw doubt on the fact by close questioning his parents, who, perceiving the snare laid for them, ingeniously escape it by testifying simply to the identity of their son, and his birth-blindness, leaving it to himself, as a competent witness, to speak as to the cure. They prevaricated, however, in saying they "knew not who had opened his eyes," for "they feared the Jews," who had come to an understanding (probably after what is recorded, John 7:50 , &c. but by this time well known), that whoever owned Him as the Christ would be put out of the synagogue--that is, not simply excluded, but excommunicated. (Jamieson)

24 So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, "Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner."

25 He replied, "I don't know if He is a sinner or not. I do know one thing. I was blind, but now I can see!”

26 Then they said to him again, "What did He do to you? How did He heal your eyes?"

27 He answered, "I have already told you. But you didn't listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become His disciples too?"

28 Then they cursed him and said, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.

29 We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from."

30 The man answered and said to them, "Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes!

31 Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him.

32 Never since the world began has anyone been able to open the eyes of someone born blind.

33 If this Man were not from God, He couldn't do anything."

34 "You were born in sin!" they answered. "Are you trying to teach us?" And they threw him out of the synagogue.

35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, "Do you believe in the Son of God?"

36 He answered and said, "Who is He, LORD, that I may believe in Him?"

37 And Jesus said to him, "You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you right now."

the new sense of sight having at that moment its highest exercise, in gazing upon "the Light of the world."

38 Then he said, "LORD, I believe!" And he worshiped Him.

39 And Jesus said, "I have come into this world to judge it. I have come to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.”

40 Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, "Are we blind also?"

41 Jesus said to them, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin. But since you claim you can see, you remain guilty.

 

John 10

The Good Shepard:

1 "I assure you, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber!

2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.

3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

4 When he brings all his sheep out, he goes ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice.

5 But they will never follow a stranger. They will run away from him because they don't know his voice."

6 Jesus told the people this story, but they did not understand what it meant.

7 So Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the door for the sheep.

8 All the people who came before Me were thieves and robbers. The sheep did not listen to them.

9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come to give life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

12 A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will leave the sheep because they aren't his and he isn't their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock.

13 The hired hand flees because he is just a paid worker and does not care about the sheep.

14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and My sheep know Me.

15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for My sheep.

16 I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice; and there will be one flock with one shepherd.

17 Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it up again.

18 No one takes it from Me, I lay down My life voluntarily. For I have the right to lay it down when I want to and also the power to take it again. For My Father has given me this right."

19 Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of His sayings.

20 And many of them said, "He is demon possessed and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?"

21 Others said, "These are not the words of one who is possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?"

22 Now it was time for Hanukkah, also known as the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. (December)

23 And Jesus walked in the Temple, known as Solomon's porch.

24 Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, "How long will you make us wonder about you? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly."

25 Jesus replied, "I told you, and you do not believe my words. The works that I do in My Father's name, they bear witness of Me.

26 But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you.

27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.

28 And I will give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand

29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one will be able to take them away from Me.

30 I and My Father are ONE."

31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him.

32 Jesus responded, "I have done so many good works from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?"

33 The Jews answered Him, saying, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself to be God."

34 Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, 'I said, "You are gods" '? Ps 82:6

35 If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and everyone knows Scripture cannot be changed or altered),

36 so why do you say that I speak against God because I said, 'I am God's Son'? I am the one God chose and sent into the world.

37 If I do not do the works of My Father, then do not believe Me;

38 but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him."

39 Therefore they tried to arrest Him, but He escaped from their midst.

40 And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and stayed there.

41 Then many came to Him and said, "John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true."

42 And many believed in Him there.

John 11:

LAZARUS RAISED FROM THE DEAD:

1 A man named Lazarus from Bethany was sick. This is the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

2 Mary was the woman who later put perfume on the LORD and wiped His feet with her hair. Mary's brother was Lazarus, the man who was now sick.

This, though not recorded by our Evangelist till John 12:3 , was so well known in the teaching of all the churches, according to our Lord's prediction ( Matthew 26:13 ), that it is here alluded to by anticipation, as the most natural way of identifying her; and she is first named, though the younger, as the more distinguished of the two. She "anointed THE LORD," says the Evangelist--led doubtless to the use of this term here, as he was about to exhibit Him illustriously as the Lord of Life.

3 So Mary and Martha sent someone to tell Jesus, "LORD, the one you love is sick."

4 When Jesus heard this, He said, "This sickness will not end in death. It is for the glory of God, to bring glory to Me, the Son of God."

5 Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus.

a most womanly appeal, yet how reverential, to the known affection of her Lord for the patient. (See John 11:5 John 11:11 ). "Those whom Christ loves are no more exempt than others from their share of earthly trouble and anguish: rather are they bound over to it more surely" [TRENCH].

6 But when He heard that Lazarus was sick, He stayed where He was for two more days.

7 Then after this He said to the disciples, "Let us go to Judea again."

8 The disciples said to Him, "Teacher, only a few days ago the Jewish leaders in Judea were trying to kill You. Are You going there again?"

9 Jesus answered, "Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.

More examples that a day was already cut into hours, not to the actual sun.

10 Only at night is there danger of stumbling because there is no light."

11 After Jesus said this, he added, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to wake him."

12 Then His disciples said, "LORD, if he sleeps he will get well."

13 However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep.

14 Then Jesus said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead.

15 And for your sake, I am glad I wasn't there, because this will give you another opportunity to believe in Me. Come, let's go see him.”

16 Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, "Let us also go, that we may die with Him."

17 When Jesus arrived, He learned that Lazarus had already been dead and in the tomb for four days.

18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, only two miles away.

19 And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.

20 Then Martha, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but Mary was sitting in the house.

21 Then Martha said to Jesus, "LORD, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.

22 But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You."

23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."

24 Martha answered, "I know that he will rise and live again in the resurrection on the last day."

Notice she knows when the dead are raised!

25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, will live again.

26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"

27 She said to Him, "Yes, LORD, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, the One coming to the world."

28 After Martha said this, she went back and talked to her sister Mary alone. Martha said, "The Teacher is here and he is asking for you."

29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him.

30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him.

31 Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, "She is going to the tomb to weep there."

32 Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, "LORD, if You had been here, my brother would not have died."

She is angry at him!

33 Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled.

34 And He said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to Him, "LORD, come and see."

35 Jesus wept.

The shortest verse in all the Bible. He wept because of the unbelief, even amongst His dearest and closets friends.

36 Then the Jews said, "See how He loved him!"

37 But some said, "This man healed a blind man. Why couldn't he keep Lazarus from dying?"

38 Again feeling upset, Jesus came to the tomb. It was a cave with a large stone covering the entrance.

39 Jesus said, "Move the stone away." Martha, the sister of the dead man, said, "But, LORD, it has been four days since he died. There will be a bad smell."

40 Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?"

41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.

42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me."

43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!"

44 The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with pieces of cloth, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, "Take the cloth off of him and let him go."

45 Many of the Jews, who had come to visit Mary and saw what Jesus did, believed in Him.

46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.

47 Then the leading priests and Pharisees called a meeting of the Jewish council. They asked, "What should we do? This man is doing many miracles.

48 If we let Him continue doing these things, everyone will believe in Him. Then the Romans will come and take away our Temple and our nation."

49 One of the men there was Caiaphas, the high priest that year. He said, "You people know nothing!

50 You don't realize that it is better for one man to die for the people than for the whole nation to be destroyed."

51 Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation,

Caiaphas . . . prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation--He meant nothing more than that the way to prevent the apprehended ruin of the nation was to make a sacrifice of the Disturber of their peace. But in giving utterance to this suggestion of political expediency, he was so guided as to give forth a divine prediction of deep significance; and God so ordered it that it should come from the lips of the high priest for that memorable year, the recognized head of God's visible people, whose ancient office, symbolized by the Urim and Thummim, was to decide in the last resort, all vital questions as the oracle of the divine will. (Jamieson)

52 and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.

These are the John's words, not Caiaphas'.

53 Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death.

54 So Jesus no longer traveled openly among the Jews. He left there and went to a place near the desert, to a town called Ephraim and stayed there with his followers.

55 It was almost time for the Jewish Passover Feast. Many from the country went up to Jerusalem before the Passover to do the special things to make themselves pure.

56 The people looked for Jesus and stood in the Temple asking each other, "Is he coming to the Feast? What do you think?"

57 But the leading priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where Jesus was, he must tell them. Then they could arrest him.

John 12:

MARY ANNOITS JESUS' FEET:

1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived who died, and whom He had raised from the dead.

Passover fell on a Tuesday, Jesus died on a Wednesday and rose on the Sabbath Day, at evening!

2 There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him.

3 Then Mary took a jar, which contained a pound of expensive perfume made from essence of nard, and she anointed Jesus' feet with it. Then she dried his feet with her hair. The fragrance of the perfume filled the house.

4 Then one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, said,

5 "Why was this fragrant oil not sold for $50.00 and given to the poor?"

6 He said this, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to steal what was put in it.

7 But Jesus said, "Leave her alone! She has done this to prepare Me for the day I will be placed in a tomb.

8 You will always have the poor with you, but you will not always have Me with you.”

referring to Deuteronomy 15:11 .

9 Now a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was in Bethany. So they went there to see Jesus as well as Lazarus, whom Jesus had brought back to life.

Crowds of the Jerusalem Jews hastened to Bethany, not so much to see Jesus, whom they knew to be there, as to see dead Lazarus alive; and this, issuing in their accession to Christ, led to a plot against the life of Lazarus also, as the only means of arresting the triumphs of Jesus (see John 12:19 )--to such a pitch had these chief priests come of diabolical determination to shut out the light from themselves, and quench it from the earth! (Jamieson)

10 But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also,

11 because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.

CHRIST'S TRIUMPHAL ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM OR PALM FRIDAY!

12 The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast (Passover), when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

Passover fell on a Tuesday, Jesus died on a Wednesday and rose on the Sabbath Day, at evening! Six days before passover would have been a Thursday, this next day a Friday!

13 took palm branches and went to meet Him. They were shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the LORD, the king of Israel!"

14 Jesus obtained a donkey and sat on it, as Scripture says: (Zech 9:9)

15 "Don't be afraid, people of God, Look, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt."

16 His disciples didn't realize at the time that this was a fulfillment of prophecy. But after Jesus entered into his glory, they remembered that these Scriptures had come true before their eyes.

The Holy Spirit, descending on them from the glorified Saviour at Pentecost, opened their eyes suddenly to the true sense of the Old Testament, brought vividly to their recollection this and other Messianic predictions, and to their unspeakable astonishment showed them that they, and all the actors in these scenes, had been unconsciously fulfilling those predictions. (Jamieson)

17 Then those in the crowd who had seen Jesus call Lazarus back to life were telling others all about it.

18 That was the main reason so many went out to meet Him -- because they had heard about His mighty miracle.

19 The Pharisees said to each other, "This is getting us nowhere. Look! The whole world is following Him!"

20 Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast {of Passover}.

21 Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus."

22 Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus.

JESUS PREDICTS HIS DEATH:

23 But Jesus answered them, saying, "The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

24 Truly, I guarantee this truth: A single grain of wheat doesn't produce anything unless it is planted in the ground and dies. If it dies, it will produce a lot of grain.

25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

26 Those who serve Me must follow Me. My servants will be with me wherever I will be. If people serve Me, the Father will honor them.

27 Now My soul is deeply troubled. Should I pray, 'Father, save me from what lies ahead'? But that is the very reason why I came!

28 Father, glorify Your name." Then a voice came from heaven, saying, "I have both glorified it and will glorify it again."

29 Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to Him."

30 Jesus answered and said, "This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake.

31 The time of judgment for the world has come, when the prince of this world will be cast out.

32 When I have been lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people toward me."

33 By saying this, he indicated how he was going to die.

34 The crowd responded to him, "We have heard from the Scriptures that the Messiah will remain here forever. So how can you say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up from the earth'? Who is this 'Son of Man'?"

the scriptures of the Old Testament (referring to such places as Psalms 89:28 Psalms 89:29 , 110:4 , Daniel 2:44 , Daniel 7:13 Daniel 7:14 ).

35 Then Jesus said to them, "My light will shine out for you just a little while longer. Walk in it while you can, so you will not stumble when the darkness falls. If you walk in the darkness, you cannot see where you are going.

36 While you have the light, believe in the light so that you will become people whose lives show the light." After Jesus had said this, He was concealed as He left.

37 But although He had done so many miracles before them, they did not believe in Him,

38 that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: "LORD, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?" Is: 53

39 Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:

GOD HAS BLINDED THE PEOPLE:

40 "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, Lest they should see with their eyes, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them." Is: 6:9

41 These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.

He saw the glory of the LORD-JESUS!

42 Many people, including some of the Jewish leaders, believed in Him. But they wouldn't admit it to anyone because of their fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue.

43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

44 Then Jesus cried out and said, "Whoever believes in Me believes not only in Me but also in the One who sent Me.

45 And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.

46 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not live in {spiritual} darkness.

47 And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I am not judging him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.

48 Those who reject Me by not accepting My message, have a judge appointed for them. The words that I have spoken will judge them on the last day.

49 For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, of what I should say and what I should speak.

50 And I know that His command is everlasting life. Whatever I say is what the Father told me to say."

John 13:

THE LAST SUPPER

JESUS WASHES THE DISCIPLES' FEET

1 Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus knew that the time had come for Him to leave this world and go back to the Father. Jesus loved His own who were in the world, and He loved them to the end.

2 It was time for supper, and the Devil had already seduced Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to carry out his plan to betray Jesus.

3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return back to God.

4 So he got up from the supper table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist,

5 then He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and dry them with the towel that He had tied around his waist.

6 Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, "LORD, are You washing my feet?"

7 Jesus answered and said to him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will understand after it all happens."

8 Peter said to Him, "You shall never wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you don't belong to Me."

9 Simon Peter said to Him, "LORD, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!"

10 Jesus said to him, "People who have washed are completely clean. They need to have only their feet washed. All of you, except for one, are clean."

This is proof, by the way, the Jesus and his disciples were not some band of long-haired filthy hippies! They were clean, well groomed and well bathed!

11 For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, "You are not all clean."

12 So after He had washed their feet and put on His outer clothes, He took His place at the table again. Then He asked His disciples, "Do you understand what I've done for you?

13 You call me Teacher and LORD, and you say well, for so I am.

14 If I then, your LORD and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other's feet.

15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.

16 Truly, I can guarantee this: Slaves are not superior to their owners, and messengers are not superior to the people who send them.

17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

THE TRAITOR INDICATED:

18 "I'm not talking about all of you. I know the people I've chosen. However, I've made My choice so that Scripture will come true. It says, 'The one who eats My bread has turned against Me.'

19 Now I'm telling you now before it happens. Then, when it happens, you will believe that I am the One.

20 Truly, anyone who welcomes My messenger is welcoming Me, and anyone who welcomes Me is welcoming the Father who sent Me."

21 After saying this, Jesus was deeply troubled. He declared, "Truly, I say unto you this truth: One of you is going to betray Me!"

22 The disciples began looking at each other and wondering which one of them Jesus meant.

23 One disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, was near him at the table.

Many experts claim that this disciple was non other than the author JOHN himself!

24 Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke.

25 Then, leaning back on Jesus' breast, he said to Him, "LORD, who is it?"

26 Jesus answered, "He's the one to whom I will give this piece of bread after I've dipped it in the sauce." So Jesus dipped the bread and gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot.

SATAN ENTERS JUDAS:

27 Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, "What you do, do quickly."

28 But no one at the table understood why Jesus said this to him.

29 For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, "Buy those things we need for the feast," or that he should give something to the poor.

These are really NOT the words of Jesus, so they are not highlighted in RED. These words are what those there mistakenly thought what Jesus had said.

30 Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was nighttime.

31 So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him.

32 And God will bring Me into My glory immediately.

referring now to the Resurrection and Exaltation of Christ after this service was over, including all the honor and glory then put upon Him, and that will for ever encircle Him as Head of the new creation.

33 Dear children, I will still be with you for a little while. I'm telling you what I told the Jews. You will look for Me, but you can't go where I'm going.

Not even the disciples can go to where Jesus is going--- HEAVEN! They will also, like all of us go to their graves and await the resurrection from the dead. The Bible and Jesus does not promise going to heaven for His saved children! God is coming back here to rule with us HERE on earth.

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.

This was the new feature of it. Christ's love to His people in giving His life a ransom for them was altogether new, and consequently as a Model and Standard for theirs to one another. It is not, however, something transcending the great moral law, which is "the old commandment" ( 1 John 2:7 , it is said to be both new and old ( 1 John 2:7 1 John 2:8 ).

35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

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 shall follow Me afterward."

afterword: After the resurrection

37 Peter said to Him, "LORD, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake."

38 Jesus answered him, "Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.

John 14:

THE LAST SUPPER ENDS:

1 "Don't be troubled. You believe in God, now trust in Me.

2 In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

and so room for all, and a place for each.

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

Where will He be? ON EARTH, when he comes!

4 And where I am going-- you know where, and the way there."

5 Thomas said to Him, "LORD, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way there?"

6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, 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; and from now on you know Him [through Me] and have seen Him [in Me]."

8 Philip said to Him, "LORD, show us the Father, show us the Father and we will be satisfied."

9 Jesus said to him, "I have been with all of you for a long time. Don't you know Me yet, Philip? The person who has seen Me has seen the Father. So how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?

10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does His work through Me.

11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me, or at least believe because of what you have seen me do.

12 "Truly truly, I say to you, those who believe in Me will do the things that I am doing. They will do even greater things because I am going to the Father.

13 And whatever you ask in My name, I will do it, because the work of the Son brings glory to the Father.

14 If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

15 "If you love Me, keep My commandments.

16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Helper), that He may abide with you forever--

another Comforter--a word used only by John; in his Gospel with reference to the Holy Spirit, in his First Epistle ( 1 John 2:1 ), with reference to Christ Himself. Its proper sense is an "advocate," "patron," "helper." In this sense it is plainly meant of Christ ( 1 John 2:1 ), and in this sense it comprehends all the comfort as well as aid of the Spirit's work. The Spirit is here promised as something that would supply Christ's own place in His absence.

17 That helper is the Holy Spirit, that leads to all truth. The world at large cannot receive it, because it isn't looking for it and doesn't recognize it. But you do, because he (God) lives with you now and later will be in you.

18 I will not abandon you as orphans; I will come to you.

19 "A little while longer and the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me. You will live because I live.

20 At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I am in you.

21 Whoever obeys My Commandments is the person who loves Me. Those who love Me will have My Father's love, and I, too, will love them and show Myself to them."

22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, "LORD, what has happened that you are going to reveal yourself to us and not to the world?"

23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word {scriptures}; and My Father will love him, and We will come to them and make Our home within them.

24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words {scriptures}; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me.

25 "These things I have spoken to you while still here with you.

26 However, the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you everything. It will remind you of everything that I have ever told you.

27 Peace--- I am leaving you this gift -- peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid.

28 You heard Me tell you, 'I'm going away, but I'm coming back to you.' If you loved Me, you would be glad that I'm going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I am.

29 And now I have told you before it comes, so that when it does come to pass, you will believe.

30 I don't have much more time to talk to you, because the Prince of this world is coming. He has no power over me,

31 but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let's be going.

 

John 15:

Last Supper (continued):

1 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine-keeper

2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He removes; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

3 You are already clean because of what I have told you.

4 Live in Me, and I will live in you. A branch cannot produce any fruit by itself. It has to stay attached to the vine. In the same way, you cannot produce fruit unless you live in Me.

5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who lives in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

6 Whoever doesn't live in Me is thrown away like a branch and dries up. Branches like this are gathered, thrown into a fire, and burned.

7 If you live in Me and what I say lives in you, then ask for anything you want, and it will be yours.

8 By this My Father is glorified, and you will bear a great deal of fruit; and you will be My disciples.

9 "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; live 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 told you this so that you will be as joyful as I am, and your joy will be complete.

12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

13 Greater love cannot be any greater than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.

I CALL YOU FRIENDS:

14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.

15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.

16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you so that when you go out, to produce fruit that will last, and to ask the Father in my name to give you whatever you ask for.

17 These things I command you, that you love one another.

18 "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.

19 If you had anything in common with the world, the world would love you as one of its own. But you don't have anything in common with the world. I chose you from the world, and that's why 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 keep yours also.

21 But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.

22 If I hadn't come and spoken to them, they wouldn't have any sin. But now they have no excuse for their sin.

23 He who hates Me hates My Father also.

24 If I hadn't done such miraculous signs among them that no one else could do, they would not be counted guilty. But as it is, they saw all that I did and yet hated both of us -- Me and My Father.

Notice that the Holy Spirit IS NOT including here as part of a TRINITY!

25 This has fulfilled what the Scriptures said: 'They hated me without cause.'

26 "But when the Counselor comes that I will send -- the Spirit of truth. It will come to you from the Father and will tell you all about me.

27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

John 16:

Last Supper (continued):

1 {Jesus continued,} "I have said these things to you so that you won't lose your faith.

This is really a part of the last chapters, and these chapters are really out of place! The story of the Last Supper should be only one chapter!

2 They will put you out of the churches; yes, the time is coming that many will kill you thinking that they do it in God's service.

3 And they do these things to you because they have not known the Father nor Me.

4 But I've told you this beforehand, so that when it happens, you'll remember what I've already told you. I didn't tell you this at first, because I was with you.

5 "But now I go away to Him who sent Me, Yet, none of you asks Me where I'm going.

6 But because I've told you this, you're sad.

7 However, I am telling you the truth: It's good for you that I'm going away. If I don't go away, the Helper won't come to you. But if I go, I will send it to you.

8 And when it comes, it will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

9 of sin, because they have not believed in Me;

10 Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see Me no more.

11 Judgment will come because the Prince of this world has already been judged.

12 "Oh, there is so much more I want to tell you, but you can't bear it now.

13 However, when the Spirit of truth comes, it will guide you into all truth; for it will not speak by its own authority, but whatever was said {in Heaven}, it will tell you of things to come.

14 {The Spirit} will glorify Me, because it will reveal to you what I say.

15 All things that the Father has are Mine. That is why I said, 'It will take what I say and tell it to you.'

16 "A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me, because I go to the Father."

17 Then some of the disciples asked each other, "What does he mean when he says, 'You won't see me, and then you will see me'? And what does he mean when he says, 'I am going to the Father'?

18 And what does he mean by 'a little while'? We don't understand."

19 Now Jesus realized they wanted to ask Him, so he said, "Are you asking yourselves what I meant? I said in just a little while I will be gone, and you won't see Me anymore. Then, just a little while after that, you will see Me again.

20 I can guarantee this plain truth: You will cry because you are sad, but the world will be happy. You will feel pain, but your pain will turn to happiness.

21 A woman has pain when her time to give birth comes. But after the child is born, she doesn't remember the pain anymore because she's happy that a child has been brought into the world.

22 Therefore, you have sorrow now, but I will see you again; then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy.

23 When that day comes, you won't ask Me any more questions. I can guarantee this truth: If you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you.

24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, so that you can be completely happy.

25 "I have spoken of these matters in parables, but the time will come when this will not be necessary, and I will tell you plainly all about the Father.

26 When that day comes, you will ask for what you want in My name. I'm telling you that I won't have to ask the Father for you,

27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me, and have believed that I came from God.

28 Yes, I came from the Father into the world, and I will leave the world and return to the Father."

29 His disciples said, "Now you're talking in plain words and not using hard to understand examples.

30 Now we know that You know everything. You don't need to wait for questions to be asked. Because of this, we believe that You have come from God."

31 Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe?

32 Indeed the hour is coming, yes, and now has come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.

33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

John 17:

JESUS' PRAYER- The real LORD'S PRAYER!

1 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You,

2 After all, you've given Him authority over all humanity so that He can give eternal life to all those you gave to him.

3 And this is the way to have eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

4 I have glorified You on the earth by finishing the work that You gave Me to do.

5 And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.

Jesus had this Glory before as LORD with the FATHER!

6 "I made Your name known to the people You gave Me. They are from this world. They belonged to You, and You gave them to Me. They did what You told them.

7 Now they know that everything You gave Me comes from You,

8 because I gave them the message that You gave Me. They have accepted this message, and they know for sure that I came from You. They have believed that You have sent Me.

9 I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours.

10 And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, so they have become My glory!

11 Now I am no longer in the world, but these are left in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.

We can become one with God- as Children!

12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

13 And now I am coming to You. I have told them many things while I was with them so they would be filled with My joy.

14 I have given them Your message. But the world has hated them because they don't belong to the world any more than I belong to the world.

15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.

Jesus did not ask that we go to Heaven, or be “raptured” - No instead He asked that the Father would protect us here from the Devil!

16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

18 As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.

19 And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

20 "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word;

That is people like us! We came from hearing the words of these disciples!

21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.

How plain these words are. God is reproducing THEMSELVES and we are the begotten children of God, that when we are “born again,” or resurrected from the dead, we will be GOD, the Children of God- and Jesus' brethren!

22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:

23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

24 Father, I want those you have given to Me to be with Me, to be where I am. I want them to see My glory, which you gave Me because you loved Me before the world was made.

25 O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me.

26 And I have revealed you to them YOUR NAME and will keep on revealing You. I will do this so that Your love for Me may be in them and I in them."

John18:
BETRAYAL AND ARREST OF JESUS:

1 After Jesus said the words {of his prayer}, He crossed the Kidron Valley with his disciples and entered a grove of olive trees.

2 Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place because Jesus and his disciples often gathered there.

The baseness of this abuse of knowledge in Judas, derived from admission to the closest privacies of his Master, is most touchingly conveyed here, though nothing beyond bare narrative is expressed. Jesus, however, knowing that in this spot Judas would expect to find Him, instead of avoiding it, hies Him thither, as a Lamb to the slaughter. "No man taketh My life from Me, but I lay it down of Myself" ( John 10:18 ). Besides, the scene which was to fill up the little breathing-time, the awful interval, between the Supper and the Apprehension--like the "silence in heaven for about the space of half an hour" between the breaking of the Apocalyptic Seals and the peal of the Trumpets of war ( Revelation 8:1 )--the AGONY--would have been too terrible for the upper room; nor would He cloud the delightful associations of the last Passover and the first Supper by pouring out the anguish of His soul there. The garden, however, with its amplitude, its shady olives, its endeared associations, would be congenial to His heart. Here He had room enough to retire--first, from eight of them, and then from the more favored three; and here, when that mysterious scene was over, the stillness would only be broken by the tread of the traitor. (Jamieson)

3 Then Judas took a troop of soldiers and the guards from the chief priests and Pharisees and went to the garden. They were carrying lanterns, torches, and weapons.

4 Jesus knew everything that was going to happen to Him. So He went to meet them and asked, "Who are you looking for?"

5 They answered Him, "Jesus of Nazareth." And Jesus said to them, "I am He." And Judas, who betrayed him, stood with the crowd.

6 Now when He said to them, "I am He," they all fell backward to the ground!

struck down by a power such as that which smote Saul of Tarsus and his companions to the earth ( Acts 26:14 ). It was the glorious effulgence of the majesty of Christ which overpowered them. "This, occurring before His surrender, would show His power over His enemies, and so the freedom with which He gave Himself up" [MEYER].

7 Again He asked them again, "Whom are you looking for?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth."

8 Jesus answered, "I have told you that I am He. So if you are looking for me, let these other men go."

9 In this way what Jesus had said came true: "I lost none of those you gave Me."

The reference is to such sayings as John 6:39 , 17:12 ; showing how conscious the Evangelist was, that in reporting his Lord's former sayings, he was giving them not in substance merely, but in form also. Observe, also, how the preservation of the disciples on this occasion is viewed as part that deeper preservation undoubtedly intended in the saying quoted.

10 Then Simon Peter drew a sword and slashed off the right ear of Malchus, the high priest's servant.

11 So Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword back into its sheath. Shall I not drink from the cup the Father has given Me?"

None of the other Evangelists mention the name either of the ardent disciple or of his victim. John being "known to the high priest" ( John 18:15 ), the mention of the servant's name by him is quite natural, and an interesting mark of truth in a small matter. As to the right ear, specified both here and in Luke ( Luke 22:50 ), the man was "likely foremost of those who advanced to seize Jesus, and presented himself in the attitude of a combatant; hence his right side would be exposed to attack. The blow of Peter was evidently aimed vertically at his head" [WEBSTER and WILKINSON].

12 So the soldiers, their commanding officer, and the Temple guards arrested Jesus and tied Him up.

JESUS BEFORE ANNAS AND CAIAPHAS--FALL OF PETER:

13 And they led Him away to first to Annas (he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas who was high priest that year.)

14 Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was better to have one man die for the people.

15 Simon Peter followed Jesus, along with another disciple. The other disciple was well-known to the chief priest. So that disciple went with Jesus into the chief priest's courtyard.

another disciple--Rather, "the other disciple"--is John himself, no doubt.

known unto the high

16 Peter, however, was standing outside the gate. The other disciple talked to the woman who was the gatekeeper and brought Peter into the courtyard.

17 Then the servant girl who kept the door to the gate said to Peter, "Aren't you one of this man's disciples too?" Peter answered, "No, I'm not!"

"one of the maids of the high priest," says Mark ( Mark 14:66 ). "When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him and said" ( Mark 14:67 ). Luke is more graphic ( Luke 22:56 )--She "beheld him as he sat by the fire (literally, 'the light'), and earnestly looked on him (fixed her gaze upon him), and said." "His demeanor and timidity, which must have vividly showed themselves, as it so generally happens, leading to the recognition of him" [OLSHAUSEN].

18 Now the servants and the guards were standing around a fire they had built and were warming themselves because it was cold. Peter was standing there, too, and warming himself with the others.

19 The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and His doctrine.

The high priest . . . asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine--probably to entrap Him into some statements which might be used against Him at the trial. From our Lord's answer it would seem that "His disciples" were understood to be some secret party.

20 Jesus answered him, "I have spoken publicly for everyone to hear. I have always taught in synagogues or in the temple courtyard, where all the Jews gather. I haven't said anything in secret.

(Compare Isaiah 45:19 , 48:16 ).

21 So, why do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard Me what I said to them. Indeed they know what I said."

22 And when He had said this, one of the officers who stood by, struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, "Do You answer the high priest like that?"

23 Jesus answered him, "If I've said anything wrong, tell Me what it was. But if I've told the truth, why do you hit Me?"

24 Then Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas--Our translators so render the words, understanding that the foregoing interview took place before Caiaphas; Annas, declining to meddle with the case, having sent Him to Caiaphas at once. But the words here literally are, "Annas sent Him [not 'had sent Him'] to Caiaphas"--and the "now" being of doubtful authority. Thus read, the verse affords no evidence that He was sent to Caiaphas before the interview just recorded, but implies rather the contrary. We take this interview, then, with some of the ablest interpreters, to be a preliminary and non-official one with Annas, at an hour of the night when Caiaphas' Council could not convene; and one that ought not to be confounded with that solemn one recorded by the other Evangelists, when all were assembled and witnesses called. But the building in which both met with Jesus appears to have been the same, the room only being different, and the court, of course, in that case, one. (Jamieson)

25 Meanwhile, as Simon Peter was standing by the fire, they asked him again, "Aren't you one of His disciples?""I am not," he said.

26 One of the chief priest's servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked him, "Didn't I see you with Jesus in the garden?"

27 Peter then denied again; and immediately a rooster crowed.

As Mark is the only Evangelist who tells us that our Lord predicted that the cock should crow twice ( Mark 14:30 ), so he only mentions that it did crow twice ( Mark 14:72 ). The other Evangelists, who tell us merely that our Lord predicted that "before the cock should crow he would deny Him thrice" ( Matthew 26:34 , Luke 22:34 , John 13:38 ), mention only one actual crowing, which was Mark's last. This is something affecting in this Evangelist--who, according to the earliest tradition (confirmed by internal evidence), derived his materials so largely from Peter as to have been styled his "interpreter," being the only one who gives both the sad prediction and its still sadder fulfilment in full. It seems to show that Peter himself not only retained through all his after-life the most vivid recollection of the circumstances of his fall, but that he was willing that others should know them too. The immediately subsequent acts are given in full only in Luke ( Luke 22:61 Luke 22:62 ): "And the Lord turned and looked upon Peter," from the hall of judgment to the court, in the way already explained. But who can tell what lightning flashes of wounded love and piercing reproach shot from that "look" through the eye of Peter into his heart! "And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny Me thrice. And Peter went out and wept bitterly." How different from the sequel of Judas' act! Doubtless the hearts of the two men towards the Saviour were perfectly different from the first; and the treason of Judas was but the consummation of the wretched man's resistance of the blaze of light in the midst of which he had lived for three years, while Peter's denial was but a momentary obscuration of the heavenly light and love to his Master which ruled his life. But the immediate cause of the revulsion, which made Peter "weep bitterly," was, beyond all doubt, this heart- piercing "look" which his Lord gave him. And remembering the Saviour's own words at the table, "Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as wheat, but I have prayed [rather, 'I prayed'] for thee that thy faith fail not" may we not say that this prayer fetched down all that there was in that 'look' to pierce and break the heart of. Peter, to keep it from despair, to work in it "repentance unto salvation not to be repented of," and at length, under other healing touches, to "restore his soul?" (Jamieson)

JESUS BEFORE PILATE:

28 Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium, while it was early morning. But they themselves wouldn't go into the palace. They didn't want to become unclean, since they wanted to eat the Passover.

29 Pilate then went out to them and said, "What charge do you bring against this Man?"

30 They answered and said to him, "If He weren't a criminal, we wouldn't have handed Him over to you."

31 Then Pilate said to them, "Take Him, and try Him by your Law." The Jews answered him, "We're not allowed to execute anyone."

32 This fulfilled Jesus' prediction about the way He would die.

33 Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, called Jesus, and said to Him, "Are You the King of the Jews?"

34 Jesus replied, "Did you think of that yourself, or did others tell you about Me?"

35 Pilate replied, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. So, what have You done?"

36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom belonged to this world, My followers would fight to keep Me from being handed over to the Jews. My kingdom is not of this earth!”

37 Pilate asked Him, "So you are a king?" Jesus replied, "You're correct in saying that I'm a king. I have been born and have come into the world for this reason: to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to Me."

38 Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" After Pilate said this, he went out to the Jews again and told them, "I don't find this man guilty of anything.

GOD IS TRUTH!

39 "But you have a custom that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?"

40 But they shouted back, "No! Not this man, but Barabbas!" (Barabbas was a criminal.)

But ye have a custom that I should release one unto you at the passover, the choice of Christ to suffer, by which Barabbas was set free, see the sixteenth chapter of Leviticus, particularly Leviticus 16:5-10 , where the subject is the sin offering on the great day of atonement" [KRAFFT in LUTHARDT].

John 19:

JESUS BEFORE PILATE--SCOURGED--CRUCIFIED

1 So then Pilate had Jesus taken away and whipped and brutally beaten.

2 The soldiers twisted some thorny branches into a crown, placed it on His head, and put a purple cape on Him.

3 Then they said, "Hail, King of the Jews!" And they struck Him with their hands.

4 Pilate went outside again and told the Jews, "I'm bringing him out to you to let you know that I don't find this man guilty of anything."

5 Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, "Behold the Man!"

There is no reason to think that contempt dictated this speech. There was clearly a struggle in the breast of this wretched man. Not only was he reluctant to surrender to mere clamor an innocent man, but a feeling of anxiety about His mysterious claims, as is plain from what follows, was beginning to rack his breast, and the object of his exclamation seems to have been to move their pity. But, be his meaning what it may, those three words have been eagerly appropriated by all Christendom, and enshrined for ever in its heart as a sublime expression of its calm, rapt admiration of its suffering Lord. (Jamieson)

6 When they saw him, the leading priests and Temple guards began shouting, "Crucify! Crucify!""You crucify Him," Pilate said. "I find Him not guilty."

7 The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and according to our law He must die, because He made Himself the Son of God."

Their criminal charges having come to nothing, they give up that point, and as Pilate was throwing the whole responsibility upon them, they retreat into their own Jewish law, by which, as claiming equality with God (see John 5:18 and John 8:59 ), He ought to die; insinuating that it was Pilate's duty, even as civil governor, to protect their law from such insult.

8 So, when Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid,

When Pilate . . . heard this saying, he was the more afraid--the name "SON OF GOD," the lofty sense evidently attached to it by His Jewish accusers, the dialogue he had already held with Him, and the dream of his wife ( Matthew 27:19 ), all working together in the breast of the wretched man. (Jamieson)

9 and went again into the Praetorium, and said to Jesus, "Where are You from?" But Jesus did not answer him.

10 Then Pilate said to Him, "Are You not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?"

11 Jesus answered Pilate, "You wouldn't have any authority over Me if it hadn't been given to you from above. That's why the one who handed Me over to you is guilty of a greater sin."

I have always felt that this “one” is really God himself! Jesus is bearing even the blame

12 From then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews shouted, "If you free this man, you're not a friend of the emperor. Anyone who claims to be a king is defying the emperor."

13 When Pilate heard what they said, he brought Jesus out and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called The Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha.

14 Now it was the Preparation Day of the Passover, and about noontime (the sixth hour). And he said to the Jews, "Behold your King!"

and about the sixth hour--The true reading here is probably, "the third hour"--or nine A.M.--which agrees best with the whole series of events, as well as with the other Evangelists.

15 But 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 Then he delivered Him to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus and led Him away.

17 And He, carrying His wooden stake, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha,

18 where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center.

they crucified him, and two others with him--"malefactors" ( Luke 23:33 ), "thieves" (rather "robbers," Matthew 27:38 , 15:27 ). on either side one and Jesus in the midst--a hellish expedient, to hold Him up as the worst of the three. But in this, as in many other of their doings, "the scripture was fulfilled, which saith ( Isaiah 53:12 ), And he was numbered with the transgressors"--( Mark 15:28 )--though the prediction reaches deeper. "Then said Jesus"--["probably while being nailed to the CROSS,"] [OLSHAUSEN], "FATHER, FORGIVE THEM, FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO" ( Luke 23:34 )-- and again the Scripture was fulfilled which said, "And He made intercession for the transgressors" ( Isaiah 53:12 ), though this also reaches deeper. (See Acts 3:17 , 13:27 ; and compare 1 Timothy 1:13 ). Often have we occasion to observe how our Lord is the first to fulfil His own precepts--thus furnishing the right interpretation and the perfect Model of them. How quickly was it seen in "His martyr Stephen," that though He had left the earth in Person, His Spirit remained behind, and Himself could, in some of His brightest lineaments, be reproduced in His disciples! ( Acts 7:60 ). And what does the world in every age owe to these few words, spoken where and as they were spoken! (Jamieson)

19 Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the wooden stake. And the writing was: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

20 Then many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.

21 So, the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but, 'He said, "I am the King of the Jews." ' "

22 Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written."

23 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, they took His clothes and divided them four ways so that each soldier could have a share. His robe was left over. It didn't have a seam because it had been woven in one piece from top to bottom.

24 The soldiers said to each other, "Let's not rip it apart. Let's throw dice to see who will get it." In this way the Scripture came true: "They divided My clothes among themselves. They threw dice for my clothing." So that's what the soldiers did. ( Psalms 22:18 )

25 Now standing by the wooden stake was Jesus' 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 by, He said to His mother, "Woman, look! He is now your son!"

27 Then He said to the disciple, "Look she is now your mother!" And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.

28 After this, when Jesus knew that everything had now been finished, he said, "I'm thirsty." He said this so that Scripture could finally be concluded.

29 A jar filled with vinegar was there. So the soldiers put a sponge soaked in the vinegar on a hyssop stick and held it to His mouth.

30 After Jesus had taken the vinegar, He said, "It has been paid {in full}!" Then he bowed His head and died.

31 Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day {the 14^th}, and bodies should not remain on the wooden stake on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day because it was the Eve of Passover), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs be broken. Then their bodies could be taken down.

( Deuteronomy 21:22 Deuteronomy 21:23 ).

32 Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him.

33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, so they did not break His legs.

34 When the soldiers came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they didn't break His legs.

35 The one who saw this is an eyewitness. What he says is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth so that you, too, will believe.

36 This happened so that the Scripture would come true: "None of His bones will be broken."

-The reference is to the paschal lamb, as to which this ordinance was stringent ( Exodus 12:46 , Numbers 9:12 . Compare 1 Corinthians 5:7 ).

37 And again another Scripture says, "They shall look on Him whom they pierced."

The quotation is from Zechariah 12:10

38 Later Joseph from the city of Arimathea asked Pilate to let him remove Jesus' body. (Joseph was a disciple of Jesus but secretly because he was afraid of the Jews). Pilate gave him permission to remove Jesus' body. So Joseph removed it.

39 And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds.

40 Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury.

NOT a SHROUD!

41 The place of crucifixion was near a garden, where there was a new tomb, never used before.

42 Joseph and Nicodemus put Jesus in that tomb, since that day was the Jewish day of preparation and since the tomb was nearby.

From Jamieson: Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new sepulchre--The choice of this tomb was, on their part, dictated by the double circumstance that it was so near at hand, and by its belonging to a friend of the Lord; and as there was need of haste, even they would be struck with the providence which thus supplied it. "There laid they Jesus therefore, because of the Jew's preparation day, for the sepulchre was nigh at hand." But there was one recommendation of it which probably would not strike them; but God had it in view. Not its being "hewn out of a rock" ( Mark 15:46 ), accessible only at the entrance, which doubtless would impress them with its security and suitableness. But it was "a new sepulchre" ( John 19:41 ), "wherein never man before was laid" ( Luke 23:53 ): and Matthew ( Matthew 27:60 ) says that Joseph laid Him "in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock"--doubtless for his own use, though the Lord had higher use for it. Thus as He rode into Jerusalem on an ass "whereon never man before had sat" ( Mark 11:2 ), so now He shall lie in a tomb wherein never man before had lain, that from these specimens it may be seen that in all things He was "SEPARATE FROM SINNERS" ( Hebrews 7:26 ).

 

John 20:

THE LORD IS RISEN!

1 Now on the first day of the week {Sunday} was approaching Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark {hence not yet morning – or the the first day of the week}, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.

There is no clearer proof in the scriptures that the day begins in the morning at the crack of dawn! Look here at verse 19, after dark, when Jews claim the new day begins, John clearly calls the evening part of the same day the first day of the week- or Sunday! There is no way one can read this scripture and Genesis chapter 1 and come to any other conclusion that the day begins, not at sundown, but at DAWN! Also note that Jesus is not in the tomb at the END OF SATURDAY—The SABBATH DAY! Christ was already gone! The day Christ rose from the dead was SATURDAY-THE SABBATH DAY.

2 Then she ran to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken away the LORD out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have put Him."

3 Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see for themselves.

4 So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first.

5 And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in.

6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the strips of linen lying there but didn't go inside.

Strips of linen – not a shroud!

7 He also saw the cloth that had covered Jesus' head. It wasn't lying with the strips of linen but was rolled up separately.

Absolute proof that the Shroud of Turin does not match this description here. The face of Jesus was not in contact with the linen strips and therefore could not leave an impression on a single shroud.

rolled up separately -showing with what grand tranquillity "the Living One" had walked forth from "the dead" ( Luke 24:5 ). "Doubtless the two attendant angels ( John 20:12 ) did this service for the Rising One, the one disposing of the linen clothes, the other of the napkin" [BENGEL].

8 Then the other disciple, who arrived at the tomb first, went inside. He saw and believed.

Probably he means, though he does not say, that he believed in his Lord's resurrection more immediately and certainly than Peter.

9 They didn't know yet what Scripture meant when it said that Jesus had to come back to life.

10 Then the disciples went away to their own homes.

11 But Mary, however, stood there and cried as she looked into the tomb. As she cried, she bent over and looked inside.

12 And she saw two angels in white robes. They were sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying. One angel was where Jesus' head had been, and the other was where His feet had been.

13 Then they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my LORD, and I do not know where they have hid Him."

14 Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not realize that it was Jesus {because he did not look like Him}.

15 Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?" Mary thought it was the gardener speaking to her. So she said to Him, "Sir, if you carried Him away, tell me where you have put Him, and I'll go and remove Him."

16 Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to Him, "Rabboni!" (which is to say, Teacher).

17 Jesus told her, "Don't hold on to Me. I have not yet gone to the Father. But go to My brothers and sisters and tell them, 'I am going to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.'"

An important point should be made here about this statement, and I think I have the answer to this clue. Mary was told that she could not hold him, for He had not ascended back to heaven. Many Jews and Christians think that the day of FIRST-FRUITS is on the 3^rd day od Passover (the day when Christ rose from the dead) however the Law implies that First-fruits is the 8^th day of Passover. The explanation could be sitting right here. And that is that Jesus did not ascend to the Father until First-Fruits (that would not take place until the approaching Wednesday, the 8^th day of Passover. It is then that Jesus becomes fully God in Spirit again. Notice by that following Sunday, everyone could touch Him!

18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples and told them that she had seen the LORD, and that He had spoken these things to her.

JESUS APPEARS TO THE DISCIPLES:

19 Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be with you."

20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the LORD.

He showed them this week, they did not touch Him until the next week!

21 So Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you all! As the Father has sent Me, so I am sending you."

22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.

23 So if you forgive anyone's sins, they are forgiven. If you refuse to forgive them, they are unforgiven."

24 Thomas, one of the twelve apostles, who was called Didymus, wasn't with them when Jesus came.

25 The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the LORD." So he said to them, "I refuse to believe this unless I see the nail marks in his hands, put my fingers into them, and put my hand into his side."

JESUS APPEARS TO THEM AGAIN:

26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came into the room and stood among them and saying, "Peace be with you!"

27 Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believe!"

28 And Thomas cried out and said to Him, "My LORD and my God!"

29 Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen Me and yet still believe."

30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book;

31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life eternal in His name.

 

John 21:

EPILOGUE:

1 Later, by the Sea of Tiberias also called Gaalilee, Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples. This is what happened.

2 Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee's sons, and two other disciples of Jesus were together.

3 Simon Peter said to the others, "I'm going fishing." They told him, "We're going with you." They went out in a boat but didn't catch a thing all night.

4 And in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore; but the disciples did not perceive that it was Jesus.

5 Then Jesus said to them, "Friends, do you have any food?" They answered Him, "No."

6 Then He said, "Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you'll get plenty of fish!" So they did, and they couldn't draw in the net because there were so many fish in it.

7 The disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It's the LORD!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the LORD, he put back on the clothes that he had taken off and jumped into the sea.

8 But the other disciples came with the boat and dragged the net full of fish. They weren't far from the shore, only about 100 yards.

9 Then, as soon as they had come ashore, they saw a fire made of wood, now in coals there, and fish laid on it, as well as bread.

10 Jesus said to them, "Bring some of the fish which you have just caught."

11 Simon Peter got into the boat and pulled the net ashore. Though the net was filled with 153 large fish, it was not torn.

12 Jesus told them, "Come, have breakfast." None of the disciples dared to ask him who he was. For they knew he was the LORD.

13 Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and also the fish.

14 This is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead.

15 After breakfast Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you love Me more than these?" "Yes, LORD," Peter replied, "you know I love You." "Then feed My lambs," Jesus told him.

16 He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, LORD; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My sheep."

17 He said to him a third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "LORD, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep.

Why did Jesus ask him this question 3 times? It has to do with peter's 3 time denial! It's setting everything straight for Peter.

18 I say to you most truly, when you were young, you would get ready to go where you wanted. But when you're old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will get you ready to take you where you don't want to go."

19 He spoke in this way, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me."

very early tradition is that Peter's death was by crucifixion but upside down.

20 Then Peter turned around and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved. That disciple was following them. He was the one who leaned against Jesus' chest at the supper and asked, "LORD, who is going to betray you?"

21 Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, "But LORD, what about this man?"

22 Jesus said to him, "If I want him to live until I come again, how does that concern you? You are to follow me!"

23 So the rumor spread among the community of believers that that disciple wouldn't die. But that isn't what Jesus said at all. He only said, "If I want him to live until I come again, how does that concern you?”

24 I am the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things; and wrote them down. Everyone knows that my testimony is true.

25 And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.