book of john-commentary

8/15/2019 Book of John-Commentary

1/145


2/145

Contents

Editor’s Note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

About the Writers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Introduction to the Gospel of John . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Lesson 1 He Is God in the Flesh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 John 1:1-14

Lesson 2 He Is the Lamb of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

John 1:15-51

Lesson 3 He Is Zealous of His Father’s House . . . . . . . 27

John 2:1-25

Lesson 4 He Is the Son of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

John 3:1-36

Lesson 5 He Is the Messiah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

John 4:1-54

Lesson 6 He Is Equal to the Father . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59

John 5:1-47

Lesson 7 He Is the Bread of Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

John 6:1-71

Lesson 8 He Is the Prophet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

John 7:1-53

Lesson 9 He Is the Light of the World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

John 8:1-59

Lesson 10 He Is of God . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

John 9:1-41

Lesson 11 He Is the Good Shepherd . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

John 10:1-42

Lesson 12 He Is the Resurrection and the Life . . . . . . . . 123 John 11:1-57

Lesson 13 He Is the King of Israel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134

John 12:1-50

Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144

EDITOR IN CHIEF:

Larry E. [email protected]

BUSINESS MANAGER:

Wayne Sewell

[email protected]

PRODUCTION EDITOR:

Sally McInvale

ADULT EDITOR:

Jim Jones

CHILDREN’S EDITOR:

Libby Gill

ILLUSTRATOR:

Connie Spears

GRAPHIC ARTISTS:

Shawn Blase, Jeff Allen,

Greg Hilterbrand, Gerald Martin,Ashley Carozza

LAYOUT DESIGNERS:

Bonita McKnight, Kyle Elkins,

Cindy Butler

CONTENT EDITORS:Terry McKellar, Carolyn Burks,

Deby Turrentine

PRINT PRODUCTION:

Charles Easley

COVER DESIGN:

Jeff Allen

Copyright © 2008

Vol. 9, No. 2

Baptist Sunday School

Committee

4605 N. State Line Ave.

Texarkana, TX 75503-2928

www.abaptist.org

1-800-264-2482

ADULT

Lesson CommentaryFall Quarter, 2008

Written by Charles Law, David Butimore and Terry Parrish


3/145

Editor’s NoteThe writer of the fourth gospel is only identified as, “the disciple whom

Jesus loved” (John 21:20). The penman was obviously a believer, apostle and

eyewitness of the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus. He must also have beenone of the three “inner circle” disciples of Jesus. Since James had probablybeen martyred (Acts 12:1-5) before this book was written and Peter is men-tioned in connection with this unnamed apostle (John 21:20, 24), the logicalconclusion is that John was the writer.

John the apostle was the son of Zebedee and Salome and a brother toJames. He was a Galilean fisherman who, along with his brother, was calledby Jesus, “the sons of thunder” (Mark 3:17). John was the human author of five New Testament books. In addition to the Gospel of John, he wrote threeepistles and the book of Revelation.

The purpose of the book is stated clearly in John 20:31, “But these are writ-ten, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and thatbelieving ye might have life through his name.” John clearly and convincing-ly presents the Lord Jesus Christ as the divine Son of God. According to John’sgospel Jesus is God’s Messiah; He is God incarnate; deity manifest in humanflesh; the only way to Heaven and God, the Father.

Uniquely among the four gospels, John did not record the genealogy of Christ, his birth, baptism or temptation. He recorded great details aboutChrist’s teachings, conversations and ministry with His disciples. John

revealed close-up, Jesus’ interaction with His disciples, followers and foes.We will study the Gospel of John during the Fall and Winter Quarters. The

most natural division of the book is between chapters 12 and 13. The firsttwelve chapters deal with the presentation of Christ to His people while thelast nine chapters deal with the ministry of Christ for His people. This quar-ter focuses on “Who is Jesus? Christ’s Manifestation to His People,” John 1—12. The lessons will focus on the person of Christ: He Is God in the Flesh; theLamb of God; Zealous of His Father’s House; the Son of God; the Messiah;Equal to the Father, the Bread of Life; the Prophet; the Light of the World; of

God; the Good Shepherd; the Resurrection and the Life; and the King of Israel.This Adult Lesson Commentary is an in-depth study of the Scripture pas-

sages in each lesson. Every lesson consists of three elements: the narrative of the Scripture passage; the manna, a discussion of interesting and informativetopics related to the Scripture passage; and the word studies, which are basedon specific words from the original language used in the Scripture text. Thenumber following each word study identifies the word by the numbering sys-tem of Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible and is provided for thebenefit of those who want to examine the Word of God in greater detail.

We appreciate the three contributors to this Adult Lesson Commentary:Charles Law, who wrote the lesson narratives; Terry Parrish, who translatedinteresting Greek vocabulary for the word studies; and David Butimore, whoprepared the mannas.

Larry E. Clements, Editor in Chief of PublicationsBaptist Sunday School Committee


4/145

About the WritersRecognized for their knowledge, wisdom and understanding of the Holy

Scriptures, the writers of the Adult Lesson Commentary are faithful pastors,

teachers and spiritual leaders among the Lord’s churches. Following are a fewbiographical notes about these men.

Charles Law was reared in Fort Smith, Arkansas, where

he attended Central Baptist Church from early childhood. He

was saved and baptized as a teenager and announced his call

to the ministry at age eighteen. A year later he was ordained

by his home church.Brother Law was educated at The College of the Ozarks

in Clarksville, Arkansas, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts

degree. He then earned a Master of Bible Languages degree

and a Doctor in Bible Languages degree from the Missionary

Baptist Seminary in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Brother Law pastored churches in Arkansas for several years, after which

he entered the chaplaincy of the United States Air Force. For twenty years he

represented the churches of the American Baptist Association as an Air Force

chaplain. He has served as a writer of various curricula for many years. Heand his wife, Nancy, have two children, a daughter, Paula, and a son, Chancy,

and two grandchildren. Brother and Mrs. Law reside in Sherwood, Arkansas,

where they faithfully serve the Lord.

Brother Terry Parrish was born and reared in McDougal,

Arkansas. He was saved at the age of eleven and baptized by

the Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Success,

Arkansas. Upon graduation from high school Brother Par-

rish entered the Missionary Baptist Seminary in Little Rock,

Arkansas. He earned a Bachelor of Bible Languages degree,

a Master of Bible Languages degree and a Doctor of Bible

Languages degree from that school.

Brother Parrish served as pastor of several churches in Arkansas and is

now serving as pastor of Springhill Missionary Baptist Church in Alexander, Arkansas. He is dean of students and an instructor at the Missionary Baptist

Seminary in Little Rock. He has served as writer for the Baptist Sunday

School Committee for several years.

Brother Parrish and his wife, Sandra, are parents of two children, Clay and

Shelly.


5/145

Brother David Butimore, Sr. was born in January, 1951,

in Lynwood, California. He graduated from Westminster

High School (Westminster, California) in 1969. He attended

and graduated (AA degree) from Orange Coast College in

1972. He was saved August 20, 1970, at a Missionary Baptist

Encampment in Northern California. He was baptized by the

authority of Community MBC, Orange, California. He en-

rolled at California Missionary Baptist Institute and Semi-

nary (CMBI) and graduated with a Doctor of Theology in

1990. He was ordained by the authority of Olive Hill MBC, Oroville, Califor-

nia (1975), and has held pastorates in California and Washington. He is cur-

rently the pastor of First MBC, Fresno. He served as faculty member and

administrator of CMBI (1987-1993) and is currently President of Fresno Mis-

sionary Baptist Institute and Seminary. In the California Association, he has

served as moderator, music director and parliamentarian. He has served in

the Washington association as moderator. He has served as Music Director,

Assistant Parliamentarian, Parliamentarian, Vice President and President of

the American Baptist Association. He is currently serving on the Baptist Sun-

day School Committee and is Treasurer of the American Baptist Association

of Theological Schools. He is the author of six books. He has been married to

his wife, Debby, since 1977, and has two sons, a daughter and son-in-law, and

one grandson.


6/145

5

The Gospel of JohnIntroduction

Title. Most copies of the King James Version of the Bible have as the title

of the fourth gospel, The Gospel According to St. John. Some Bibles add theterm the Divine to John’s name. Such designations have been provided by

translators or publishers. Like most, if not all, of the books of the Bible, the

Gospel of John was not named in the original text. Many scholars teach that

the early Christians started referring to the four gospels simply as According

to Matthew, According to Mark, According to Luke and According to John.

With the passing of time the phrase the gospel was added, thus giving the des-

ignation, The Gospel According to John, and so forth. The title Saint, or its

abbreviation St., is a reflection of the Roman Catholic influence on the Church

of England scholars who translated the King James Version of the Scriptures.

Most Baptists are probably more comfortable with a designation such as The

Gospel According to John, or simply, The Gospel of John, since this book is an

account of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. The good news about Him—

who He is and what He has done—is the essence of the gospel.

Writer. There is almost universal agreement among Bible scholars that

the human author of the fourth gospel was one of the twelve apostles known

as John, the son of Zebedee and the brother of James (Matt. 4:21). The moth-

er of John and James is generally believed to have been Salome, who was

among the Galilean women who followed Jesus and ministered to Him and

His disciples. (Compare Matthew 27:56 with Mark 15:40, 41.) John evident-

ly was living in or near Capernaum when Jesus called him, along with James

and the brothers Peter and Andrew, to be “fishers of men” (Matt. 4:18-22).

John possibly was one of the youngest of the apostles, and that quite possi-

bly was why Peter, who probably was among the older apostles, seemingly

acted as a mentor for him. (Compare John 20:2-8; Acts 3:1; 4:13, 19; 8:14.)

John appears to have been a man of mixed disposition. On the one hand, heand his brother were known as “the sons of thunder” (Mark 3:17) whose fiery

zeal surfaced on at least a couple of occasions (Luke 9:49-56). However, John

was also known as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23; 19:26, 27;

21:7, 20). In addition to the fourth gospel, John wrote the epistles of 1, 2 and

3 John, along with the book of Revelation. The name John is the Greek form

of the Old Testament Jehohanan, which basically means “Jah (an abbreviat-

ed form of Jehovah) is gracious.” The writer of the Gospel of John should not

be confused with John the Baptist or John Mark, both of whom had impor-

tant roles in the New Testament.

Purpose. The reason why John wrote this gospel is clear: “But these are

written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and

that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:31). John was


7/145

inspired by the Holy Spirit to present Christ as the Son of God. Each of the

gospels emphasizes a different aspect of the person and work of Christ.

Matthew shows Him as a King. Mark presents Him as the faithful Servant of

God. Luke underscores the fact that Christ is the Son of Man. John depicts

Him as the Son of God. More specifically, Matthew’s gospel is particularly for

the Jews, Mark’s is directed more to the Romans, Luke’s gospel is addressedto the Gentiles and John’s gospel is especially for believers in all times and

places—“these are written that ye might believe . . . and that believing ye

might have life” (verse 31).

Date. The Gospel of John is generally believed to have been the last of the

four gospels to be written, with some commentaries giving a date as late as

AD 90. If John indeed were among the youngest of the apostles, such a date

certainly could have been possible. However, there is no reason to set the date

that late, as this gospel could have been written as early as AD 75. It seems

as if John wrote the fourth gospel first, then sometime later the epistles of 1,

2 and 3 John and the book of Revelation last.

Distinctives. Matthew, Mark and Luke are often called the “synoptic

gospels” because they include much of the same material, even if from slight-

ly different perspectives, regarding the life and ministry of Christ. The fourth

gospel follows a somewhat different format, however. There is not as much

emphasis on the Galilean ministry of Christ, and more attention is given to

His activities in and around Jerusalem. The Gospel of John does not include

any narrative parables, nor does it give as much emphasis to the miracles

Christ performed. Some critical miracles are included, however, and there are

several of the “I Am” statements proclaimed by Christ. Life, light and love are

notable themes in the fourth gospel.

Organization. The Gospel of John falls into four broad divisions: (1) a pro-

logue (John 1:1-14), (2) an overview of the public ministry of Christ (John

1:15–12:50), (3) an account of the passion of Christ (John 13:1—20:31) and (4)

an epilogue (John 21:1-25). The lessons included in this study will concentrate

on Christ’s public ministry, which in turn can be divided into two sections: (1)the presentation of the Son of God (John 1:15—4:54) and (2) the opposition to

the Son of God (John 5:1—12:50).

6


8/145

7

Lesson 1 For Sunday, September 7, 2008

He Is God in the Flesh John 1:1-14

These verses serve as an introduction to the Gospel of John. In this passage,

the apostle set to rest any question or controversy regarding the divinity of

Jesus Christ. The eternality of Christ was established, and His creative role

was emphasized. Life and light, two of the more prominent themes in thisgospel, are stressed in this passage. The body of the Gospel of John falls into

two general sections, marked by the phrase his own (John 1:11; 13:1), the first

of which is included in this selection of verses.

THE WORD AND CREATION John 1:1-3

The Bible begins with the account of the creation. The Gospel of John opens

with a reference to the creation. In the opening chapter of Genesis man is

described as having been made in the

image of God. John began his gospel with

the announcement that God came in the

form of man.

The Word and the Beginning (verse

1). The initial phrase in this gospel is, “In

the beginning was the Word.” The word

beginning refers to Genesis 1:1. This term

speaks of the beginning of the universe

and includes the creation of everything inthe universe. Before creation nothing

existed except the Omnipotent, Omni-

scient, eternal God. The Hebrew word for

God in Genesis 1:1 is elohim, which literal-

ly means “the strong ones.” This does not suggest that there is more than one

God. Instead, it speaks of the manifestations of God. Paul referred to the God-

head (Rom. 1:20; Col. 2:9), and Christ Himself referred to the three divine per-

sons who constitute the one God (Matt. 28:19). The Greek term for Word is

logos, which essentially denotes an organized expression of an idea or thought.

Jesus Christ is “the express image of his [God’s] person” (Heb. 1:3). God is not

a vague, amorphous entity. Instead, He is a specific Being, a Person of purpose

with the power to accomplish all His purposes.

The Word: John chose a term to

use so all ethnic groups could

understand. The Greeks saw the

Word as reason and wisdom. The

Hebrews used the term in refer-

ence to Yahweh. God gave this

term Himself in Exodus. The

Romans understood the term to

mean the essence of something.

When John used this, it appealed

to all their minds and desire to

understand. It was a wonderful

lead for an introduction to Jesus.

Word Study #3056.


9/145


10/145

THE WORD AND LIFE John 1:4, 5

Creation consists of two essential components: matter and life. Life is the

animating force that gives meaning and worth to matter. If there were no life

in the universe, there would be nothing of any value or significance in all of creation. Life as well as matter comes from the Word, the Omnipotent, Omni-

scient, eternal expression of God.

The Source and Essence of Life (verse 4). The first part of verse 4 sim-

ply states, “In him was life.” The pronoun him, as in verse 3, refers to the same

in verse 2, which in turn has as its antecedent the Word. (See verse 1.) Life in

every form and expression—whether physical or spiritual, whether plant, ani-

mal or human—is from the Word. He is the source and sustainer of all life, a

reality that is even more meaningful for human beings. The apostle Paul iter-

ated this truth in his sermon on Mars’ Hill, “For in him [the Lord] we live, andmove, and have our being” (Acts 17:28). The audience whom Paul addressed

on that occasion consisted essentially of unsaved people, so his remarks could

not be interpreted to refer only to the spiritual life of believers. The Greek

word John used for life is zoe which denotes the vital force that characterizes

human existence whether in this world or the world to come.

Life and Light (verse 4). The last statement in this verse links life with

light. Not only is God the source and sustainer of life, but He is also the source

of light. When He declared, “Let there be light” in Genesis 1:3, the light

emanated from God Himself. The sun had not been created, so the light that

penetrated the darkness that enshrouded the creation was divine rather than

natural. John’s statement, “the life was the light of men” (John 1:4), suggests

that each individual has an innate awareness of God. With zoe life there is also

an understanding, however limited or primitive it might be, of the existence of

God. In the epistle of Romans, Paul emphasized this reality by referring that

mankind knows God, even if they do not acknowledge Him as such (Rom.

1:21). Atheists are made, not born.

Shining in Darkness (verse 5). The first mention of light in the Scrip-tures is Genesis 1:3. Darkness is the absence of light. To bring order out of the

chaos described in Genesis 1:2, God called for light to shine forth. Similarly,

when God begins dealing with an unsaved person, He shines “the light of the

knowledge of the glory of God” into the unbeliever’s heart (2 Cor. 4:6). Dark-

ness is one of the consequences of sin, and as such, is an apt symbol of sin.

Since light is such a stark contrast to darkness, it vividly depicts all that is

opposite of sin. Christ called Himself the Light of the world who offers the

light of life to all who follow Him (John 8:12). Believers are described as lights

shining in the world (Phil. 2:15). Such lights need to be on a “candlestick” to

be more effective. (Compare Matthew 5:14-16; Revelation 1:20.)

Overcoming the Darkness (verse 5). In the last statement of this verse,

the Greek word for comprehended means “to receive, or grasp, fully.” The idea

presented here is that of a conflict or contest. Darkness cannot overcome light.

This is readily apparent in the natural realm. The more intense the darkness,

He Is God in the Flesh / 9


11/145

the more vivid is the light. This principle is even more pronounced in the spir-

itual realm. Satan and the forces of sin have never been able to overcome the

Light of the world. Instead, Christ has always been—and always shall be—vic-

torious over the devil, and His people and churches will ultimately be victori-ous also. Light cannot be overcome by darkness. Instead, light always pene-

trates darkness. Since the blackest night cannot extinguish the light of even

the smallest candle, Christ will always overcome darkness.

THE WORD AND THE WITNESS John 1:6-8

These verses constitute the second part of the prologue. The subject

changes from the Light, who is also the eternal Word and and the source and

sustainer of life, to one who testified regarding the Light. Discussed in this

passage are the authority, mission and integrity of the witness.The Authority of the Witness (verse 6). Three things are mentioned in

this verse. First, “there was a man.” That the apostle John specifically men-

tioned “a man” clearly distin-

guishes that man from the Word,

who is the Second Person of the

Godhead. Second, the man was

“sent from God.” John did not

assume for himself the awesometask of being the witness for the

Word. Instead, he was specifical-

ly chosen for that responsibility

by God. From this it is unmistak-

ably clear that the witness had

divine authority for his mission.

Third, the man whom God chose

as His witness was named John.

One should not confuse this John

with the human author of the

Gospel of John. This John was

John the Baptist, the forerunner

of the Messiah (Matt. 3:1-3; Isa.

40:3-5). The significance of the

name John was given in the

introductory notes. At least three

men named John played impor-tant roles in the New Testa-

ment—the apostle John, who

wrote one of the four gospels,

three epistles and the book of

Revelation, John the Baptist,

nn

The Man Sent from God (John 1:6): Johnthe Baptist was the son of Zacharias, aTemple priest, and Elizabeth, a distant

cousin of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Hisparents were elderly, far beyond the nor-mal ages for bearing children. But in God’splan, he was born to be the forerunner of the earthly ministry of Christ. His earthlyhabitat was the desert wilderness of Judeaand his modest apparel was clothing madeof camel’s hair, a course outer garment.Such a garment seems to have been charac-teristic of many of the prophets of Israeland Judah. John’s diet consisted of locusts

and wild honey. The poorest of the desertnomads would eat locusts as they werereputed to be an inferior source of food. John lived in an impoverished conditionaway from the rest of society. He wasauthorized to baptize those who hadrepented and believed in the soon comingMessiah. John was sure of his divine role.He stated that he was not the Messiah, butHis forerunner, knowing that, as Christ

began His own ministry, John’s wouldgradually decrease, understanding that hisrole was complete and fulfilled. Eventhough he was the voice crying in thewilderness, he knew that the Lord JesusChrist was the Word of God.

10 / John 1:1-14


12/145


13/145

much the genuine as opposed to the false—which is certainly correct, nonethe-

less—but it denotes instead the substantial, the essential, the original, the

permanent, as opposed to the shadowy, phenomenal, derived or transitory. The

apostle John was given further insight into this when he observed the NewJerusalem, which will have “no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine

in it: for the glory of God did [will] lighten it, and the Lamb is [will be] the light

thereof” (Rev. 21:23). The true Light is the One whose presence penetrated the

chaotic darkness in Genesis 1:2, and whose presence will illuminate the new

Heaven and earth as well throughout eternity.

The Light of Everyone

(verse 9). In the last part of this

verse John reiterated what was

previously implied in verse 4,where the statement, “and the life

was the light of men,” appears.

This was a general declaration to

the effect that everyone has an

inborn knowledge of God, even

though some people act as if such

were not the case. In verse 9, John

made a more emphatic declara-

tion by saying that Christ

“lighteth every man.” There is a

God-consciousness within every

individual. The final phrase in

this verse, “that cometh into the

world,” refers to the Light. John’s

emphasis here on the coming of

the Light is the logical next step

in his discourse. He had told aboutthe eternal nature of the Light

and His role in creation. Then, he

gave a brief account of the fore-

runner of the Light. Now, he

announces that the Light is com-

ing into the world.

The Light Rejected by the

World (verse 10). Verse 9 closes

with the Light about to enter the world. Verse 10 relates that He came intothe world and the response to His coming. The three phrases in verse 10 give

a full account of what was involved. The threefold use of the word world indi-

cates that the world was the focus of the coming of the Light. The Greek term

for world is kosmos, which essentially denotes order. It refers to that which is

well-assembled or adorned. In most instances the scriptural references to the

nnThe Light that Lights Every Man (John1:9): God’s plan for all of humanity isfor everyone to have a faith encounterwith Jesus Christ to be reconciled. Thelight of Jesus Christ is to illuminateevery human being. He is the Light of truth in a world overwhelmed in thedarkness of sin and error. God choseIsrael to be a vessel of His light to thesurrounding nations. Instead, it fell intothe darkness and idolatry of its neigh- bors. Jesus established His church,equipped it with God-called leaders,and commanded His churches to preachthe gospel to every single creature. Thelight of Christ is the only source of truespiritual illumination and the Lordseeks to dispel the darkness of sinthrough the light of Christ’s righteous-ness. When Jesus came into the world,

His light shone on it in a way that hadnever been experienced before. His per-sonal ministry of training His disciples,establishing and equipping His church-es, and finally sending the Holy Spirit toempower it, was to ensure His trueLight would continue to illuminate theentire world from that time forward.

12 / John 1:1-14


14/145

world denote the organized realm of

human existence and activity. Thus, the

Creator of Heaven and earth came in a spe-

cial way to a specific part of the creation,that which was made in His own image, but

the world—that is, the inhabitants of the

earth—“knew him not” (John 1:10). This

ignorance was due to a willful decision by

those who were aware of His coming.

The Light Rejected by His Own

(verse 11). Two statements make up this

verse, and the expression his own appears

in each statement. He came unto his own. Here the Greek term for his own is ta idia, a neuter

plural which basically means “one’s own things.” This designates the world, or

the people of the world in general. Christ came to be the Savior of all people,

of all places, of all races and of all times. No one is excluded from the grace of

God. Everyone is included because the

invitation is extended to “whosoever

will” (Rev. 22:17. Compare Acts 2:21.)

His own received him not. In this

statement the expression his own is from

the masculine plural hoi idioi, which

denotes what belongs to a specific indi-

vidual. Here it indicates those who

belonged to Christ in a special sense. He

came to His own things, that is, to His

own creation or world, but His own peo-

ple, that is, the Jews, refused to receive

Him. (Compare Mark 15:12-14.)

THE WORD AND REGENERATION John 1:12, 13

Even though the Light was rejected by the world as a whole and by the Jew-

ish people in general, there have been many—Jews as well as Gentiles—who

have received Him. Such people experience the wonderful phenomenon of

regeneration, which is one of the many processes involved in salvation.

Receiving the Light (verse 12). To receive Christ is to believe on Him, or

to accept Him. This involves faith. There are two components in faith—that

which is passive and that which is active. The passive element is belief; theactive component is accepting, or acting on, what one believes. To receive

Christ one must believe on Him and accept Him. This is a single process with

two elements. Salvation is, therefore, a gift that has to be received. If one

refuses what is offered, he or she will not receive any of its benefits. Faith is

the open heart into which Christ is allowed to enter. Without faith in Christ,

Came unto His Own and His

Own Received Him Not: the

own of the Word was the people of

Israel. The people of Israel did nottake hold of and embrace the Word.

John, the apostle, desired the reader

to comprehend that the Word was

not received as he was sent in

either person or purpose. The

Word was sent to redeem the chil-

dren of Israel but they rejected

Him. They refused to acknowledge

who He was or why He came.

Word Study #3880.

The World: John told the reader

that the light was God who was

coming into the world, was in the

world, made the world and the

world had not experienced Him.

The world is the cosmic system.

Everything we know and under-

stand the world to be is under

consideration here. The universe

would experience the incarnation

of its Creator for the reason of

redemption. Word Study #2889.



15/145

there is no access to God. One must not assume, however, that there is any

intrinsic value in faith itself. Its power rests because it unites the needy soul

to the Omnipotent, all-sufficient God. A strong faith in the wrong object

accomplishes little of lasting value. A weak faith in the Light of the world canlead to great results, not because of the one who has faith, but because of the

One who is the object of faith.

Becoming Sons of God (verse 12). The last part of this verse gives one of

the blessed consequences of receiving Christ. Each one who does so becomes a

son of God. The pronoun them refers to the expression as many as received

him. Anyone and everyone who accepts Christ becomes a child of God with no

exception whatsoever. The word sons is from teknon, which means “a born

child.” To become a child of

God, one must be born of theSpirit of God. This is the new

birth experience, a matter

addressed further in verse 13.

The Greek word for power in

this instance is not dunamis,

the usual term for strength or

ability. (Compare Romans

1:16.) Instead, it is exousia,

which denotes privilege or

authority. Through faith in

Christ, a believer experiences

the new birth, thereby becom-

ing a child of God. This is not

something that one achieves,

but something he or she

receives. Accepting the true

Light gives one the privilege,right or authority to be a child

of God.

Experiencing the New

Birth (verse 13). In verse 12,

the new birth experience is

implied by the Greek term

teknon. This verse gives an explanation of how the new birth occurs. First,

there are three negative statements, followed by a positive statement.

Not of blood. The new birth is not received through one’s parents. It is notsomething that is inherited, nor is it a right that can be conferred upon one by

virtue of a bloodline from one generation to another.

Not of the will of the flesh. The new birth cannot be obtained or achieved by

sheer determination. No one can will himself or herself into salvation. The

only role for one’s will is simply to accept the free gift which God offers.

nn

Power To Become the Sons of God (John1:12): The Lord Jesus Christ had numerousencounters with the Jewish religious leadersof His time. But with only a few exceptions,they utterly rejected their Messiah and refusedto acknowledge Him as God’s Son. The Phar-isees and Sadducees were sorely mistaken. John wrote that the rejecters had no authority

from Heaven related to admission into king-dom relationship since they were unregenerat-ed in spite of their claims to the contrary.However, anyone who expresses genuinerepentance toward God and receives JesusChrist by faith, whether Jew or Gentile, isgiven the divine right of being an heir of thekingdom. He is considered to be sons of Godwith all the inherent rights which go with thatdesignation. The word translated power means

“authority or privilege.” Those who are born-again children of God have the rights of privi-lege afforded to someone in that divine rela-tionship with God. The word translated sonmeans “child, offspring, descendent or posteri-ty.” It indicates a relationship of the believerwith God as that of a legal child and its parent.

14 / John 1:1-14


16/145

Not of the will of man. The new birth is not something that can be granted

to someone by the choice of another person. No individual or group can decide

whether anyone can be saved. Parents cannot choose this for their children,

children cannot choose it for their parents nor can spouses decide for oneanother. No church or group can vote for anyone to receive the new birth.

Born of God. The only way one can experience the new birth is through God.

By discounting the negative statements in this verse, one is left with the sim-

ple declaration, “Which were born . . . of God.” The new birth is received from

God. (Compare John 3:3-8; 1 Peter 1:23.)

THE WORD AND INCARNATION John 1:14

Anyone who questions the ability of God to make the new birth available

needs only to consider that He Himself experienced a unique birth, the onlyone of its kind. When Christ came to earth, He did so through the phenome-

non of the virgin birth. How

this happened and the results

of it are explained through

the matter of the Incarnation.

The Word and His Incar-

nation. The fact of the Incar-

nation was declared by John

in a simple, straightforward

statement, “And the Word was

made flesh, and dwelt among

us” (John 1:14). According to

Greek scholars, the verb was

made would have been better

rendered as became. The

Word, the Second Person in

the Godhead, became flesh—that is, He came in human

form—when He was born of

the virgin Mary in Bethlehem.

This event was the Incarna-

tion. The term Incarnation is

from the Latin language, and

it literally means “the act or

process of becoming flesh.”

The incarnation of Christ wasthe fulfillment of the promise God gave regarding the Seed of the woman

shortly after sin became a working principle in the human race (Gen. 3:15).

Compare Galatians 4:4.) Having come to earth as a baby, Christ “dwelt among

us” until He was crucified. The Greek word for dwelt is from skenoo, a term

which basically means “to live in a tent.” This is an allusion to the Tabernacle,

nn

The Word Became Flesh (John 1:14): In verse1, John established the fact that the “Wordwas,” signifying that Jesus always existed in acertain divine state in eternity past whileverse 14 denotes that His eternal existenceincluded a change. The change was that theGod of Heaven took upon Himself a humannature in addition to that of His eternal divinenature. The God-Man was born in similar sur-roundings, as any human, but He was bornsinless, seeing that He was uniquely bornwithout a sin nature, since He was conceivedin a human woman named Mary, but with theseed of the Holy Spirit instead of human man.

God becoming man was the most significantevent in human history, up until His death, burial and resurrection. It was the sure indica-tion of God’s eternal plan of redemption andHis commitment to lovingly provide the need-ed sacrifice which could cleanse the sin of anyman. God’s presentation of Himself in theform of human flesh in the person of JesusChrist is unparalleled.



17/145

which typified that God lived among the Jewish people. It also speaks of the

temporary nature of one’s earthly existence. (Compare 2 Corinthians 5:1-4.)

When Christ was resurrected, He still had a fleshly body, but it had become

glorified. (Compare Luke 24:36-43; John 20:20, 27.)The Word and His Glorification. Most of the last part of this verse is

enclosed in parentheses. The glory of the Word is due in that He is “the only

begotten of the Father” (John 1:14). The manner in which Christ manifested

His glory was by demonstrations that He was the God-Man, the Incarnate

One. One kind of such manifestations was the miracles He performed, as can

be seen in John 2:11, “This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee,

and manifested forth his glory.” An even more brilliant demonstration of His

glory was seen on the occasion of His transfiguration (Luke 9:28-32). (Com-

pare 2 Peter 1:17, 18). The last statement in this verse, “full of grace and truth”(John 1:14), describes the manner in which Christ lived among the people dur-

ing His life on earth. This expression reminds one of how God described Him-

self to Moses on Mount Sinai, “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious,

longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth” (Ex. 34:6). With the

Word’s Incarnation, the same fullness shone forth in Him. Grace refers to the

undeserved favor which a loving and merciful God bestows on wicked

mankind. Truth refers to the reality of God’s will, His purpose and plan for our

salvation and every act which is in accord with His divine purpose.

HE IS GOD IN THE FLESH John 1:1-14

In describing the incarnation of Christ, the apostle John went back to the

beginning and even beyond the beginning. Before anything was created, “the

Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). God Himself came to

earth by means of the Incarnation. Prior to the arrival of the only begotten

Son, His coming was heralded by “a man sent from God, whose name was

John” (verse 6). When the fullness of time had arrived, “the Word was made

flesh, and dwelt among us” (verse 14).

16 / John 1:1-14


18/145


He Is the Lamb of God John 1:15-51

In the previous lesson Christ was presented as the eternal Word, the Son of

God who is the visible expression of God. Here He is presented as the Lamb of

God. As the Lamb, He would be a sacrifice; however, He would first be a rabbi

(Teacher) who would eventually have many disciples. Christ called His first

disciples from among those who had been disciples of John the Baptist. Among

those early disciples were men who would be instrumental in continuing the

work which Christ began during His earthly ministry.

SOME TESTIMONIES ABOUT CHRIST John 1:15-18

John the Baptist was first referred to in verses 6-8, where he was present-

ed as one who testified about Christ. Other Scriptures describe his mission as

being a forerunner for Christ, preparing the way for Him and the ministry He

would pursue. Christ was always faithful to the purpose for which He was sentinto the world.

The Priority of Christ (verse 15). After declaring the incarnation of

Christ, John referred again to the testimony of John the Baptist regarding

Christ. In this instance the apostle’s emphasis was on the manner in which

John the Baptist gave priority to Christ. His role as the forerunner for Christ

is seen in the statement, “He that cometh after me” (John 1:15). John the Bap-

tist was specifically chosen by God for a specific purpose. He was a man sent

by God to bear witness of the Light (verses 6, 7). John the Baptist never lost

his focus. He always kept before him the priority of Christ. Although John was

born six months before Christ (Luke 1:36), he readily acknowledged that the

One for whom he witnessed was before him, not only in time but in importance

as well. Chronologically, John the Baptist’s existence began when he was con-

ceived by Elisabeth, his mother. However, Christ was in existence in eternity

past. When He was conceived by Mary, He became a physical entity, but that

was not the beginning of His existence. John the Baptist also recognized his

role as being subordinate to Christ. He was the witness, but Christ was the

object of his testimony.The Fullness of Christ (verses 16, 17). It seems as if the Holy Spirit led

the apostle John to include John 1:15 as a testimony to the incarnation of

Christ. John the Baptist was certainly one who was qualified to declare that

Christ was indeed the Son of God Incarnate. With that having been estab-

17


19/145

lished, the apostle followed with “we

beheld his glory” (verse 14) and the decla-

ration, “of his fulness have all we received”

(verse 16). The fullness to which Johnreferred is an allusion to his statement

that the Word is “full of grace and truth”

(verse 14). John and the other disciples—

and all the followers of Christ, as well—

have received that fullness but not to the

extent to which it resides in Him. The

grace which one experiences in salvation

flows into sustaining grace and sustaining

grace continues into serving grace. John’sreference to the Law in verse 17 is

in contrast with the coming of

Christ into the world. The Mosaic

dispensation was full of types, the

reality of which is Christ Himself.

The Law with its rigid demands

and yet to be fulfilled teachings

came by Moses, but “grace [the

undeserved mercy and compas-

sion of God] and truth [the fulfill-

ment of the Law’s types and shad-

ows] came by Jesus Christ” (verse

17).

The Testimony of Christ

(verse 18). This testimony re-

garding Christ was by the apostle

John. Even though believers havereceived varying measures of the

divine fullness and God provides

grace for grace, no human has

ever seen God in all His glory.

Christ has done so, howev-

er, because He is God, and

He is certainly aware of

His awesome fullness. The

Son declared who andwhat God is at His first

coming. The Son was said

by John to be “in the

bosom of the Father”

(verse 18). This might be

nn

Grace and Truth by Jesus Christ (John1:17): The contrast between the Law of Moses and the grace of God in Christ asmethods of God’s dealing with men isexpressed plainly. The Law of Moses wasthe verbal expression of God’s perfect righ-teous standard and its complementaryaspect of mirroring man’s sin in contrast.The grace of God in Christ was the Incar-nate expression of God’s love toward sin-ners who otherwise could not uphold thestandard. Without the fulfillment of theLaw by Christ, its condemning effectswould remain and mankind would stillface God’s wrath to come. But through Jesus Christ, sinful man had a substitute

who stood guiltless in the presence of theFather and under the scrutiny of the Law.By grace, a guilty sinner can find pardon,relief, deliverance and, finally, justification.

Grace for Grace: from the over-

flowing abundance of the Word in

the flesh, we receive grace perpet-

ually. Grace can never fail. Grace isnever exhausted. The coming of

Christ into this world secured the

assurance of perpetual grace.

Grace can never cease. This comes

because the Word is incarnate and

provides all the child of God will

ever need. This grace saves sinners,

cleanses believers and sustains life.

Word Study #5485.

The Only Begotten Son: Jesus, the Christ, named in

verse 17, is the only begotten of God. Jesus as named

was the unique fulfillment of the Word. Jesus is the

one and only Son and heir of the one and only God. John had built the argument to reveal who Jesus is

and that no other has the qualification He does. Jesus

is the one and only Son of God by character and

nature of His being. No other person can claim this

title. Only Jesus, who is the Word manifest in the flesh,

is eligible. (See Hebrews 1:3; 2:9.) Word Study #3439.

18 / John 1:15-51


20/145

difficult for some students to understand

since the Father and the Son are not two

separate beings but are considered different

manifestations of the one God. To be in one’sbosom is a note of deep affection. The writer

of the fourth gospel referred to himself as

one who leaned on the Master’s bosom at

the last supper (John 13:23). The departed

state of the beggar Lazarus was said to be in

Abraham’s bosom (Luke 16:22). For the Son

to be described as being in the bosom of the

Father is an emphasis on the integrity of the

Godhead. The Father, the First Person in theGodhead, will honor what the Son, the Second Person in the Godhead, does

just as someone who deeply loves another person will respect his or her

actions.

JOHN THE BAPTIST’S TESTIMONY ABOUT HIMSELF John 1:19-28

In this passage the apostle

John returned to John the

Baptist as his subject. Al-

though John the Baptist had

much to say about himself, he

did so in such a way as to give

honor to Christ. He spoke

truthfully about who he was

not, as well as who he was,

and he was careful to explain

why he baptized.

Who He Was Not (verses19-21). When John the Bap-

tist began his ministry of

preaching and baptizing, he

evidently started in the

Judean wilderness, presum-

ably near the Jordan River so

he could baptize those who

responded to his message

(Matt. 3:1; Luke 3:3). Greatmultitudes went to hear him,

among whom were Pharisees,

Sadducees, publicans and sol-

diers (Matt. 3:5-7; Mark 1:5;

Luke 3:7, 12-14). At some

nn

The Prophet: (John 1:21). The expectation of the Hebrew people concerning their Messiahrevolved around the idea that the prophetElijah would precede His coming. The finalprophetic voice of the Old Testament,Malachi, stated that the prophet Elijah wouldreturn before the terrible day of the Lord. John the Baptist stated that he was not actual-ly Elijah the prophet. Upon further inquiry, hewas asked if he were simply, “that Prophet.”This is possibly a reference to Deuteronomy18:15, which states that the coming Prophetwould be like Moses. Since the Prophet spo-ken of refers to Christ, then John was not thatProphet. Even though he was not actually theprophet Elijah, he certainly was easily identi-fied with the prophet who accused KingAhab of Israel. Their backgrounds were simi-lar as were their bold methods of ministryand preaching. The statement in Malachi isreferring to someone who would come in the

spirit of Elijah. Certainly, John the Baptist fitsthat description. Remember, after the comple-tion of Malachi’s ministry, the Spirit of theLord had not revealed Himself to prophetsfor four hundred years, that is until the min-istry of John the Baptist.

Declared Him: the Word

explained and unfolded the per-

son of God in this world. This

term means to find the meaningand release all its parts so peo-

ple could comprehend all there

is to know about something.

This one sent can explain the

plan, purpose and power of

God to those who will listen.

This Word draws out and

teaches the person of God to

His people. Word Study #1834.

He Is the Lamb of God / 19


21/145

point a delegation of priests and

Levites was sent from Jerusalem,

probably dispatched by the Jewish

Sanhedrin, to check on what Johnwas doing (verse 19). When they

asked, “Who art thou?” (verse 19),

they evidently implied that he was

making messianic claims. However,

John the Baptist denied that by

declaring, “I am not the Christ [Mes-

siah]” (verse 20). The Jewish leaders

asked further whether John were

Elijah (Elias) or “that prophet”(verse 21). John responded negative-

ly to both queries. The question

regarding Elijah was a reflection

that many Jews believed an appear-

ance of Elijah would precede the

coming of the Messiah (Mal. 4:5;

Matt. 17:10-12). The reference to

“that prophet” (verse 21) refers to

Deuteronomy 18:15, which is a

prophecy of the Messiah by Moses.

Who He Was (verses 22-24). The delegation of Jewish leaders was not sat-

isfied with John’s denials that he was the Messiah, Elijah or the prophet fore-

told by Moses. They insisted that he give them additional information which

they in turn could pass on to those in Jerusalem who had sent them (John

1:22). John the Baptist responded to their request by claiming to be the ful-

fillment of the prophecy made by Isaiah regarding the forerunner of the Mes-

siah (Isa. 40:3). Note that John the Baptist described himself simply as the“voice of one crying in the wilderness” (John 1:23). The stress of his reply is

entirely on his work and his office, none on his person. He had completely sub-

merged his individuality into his mission. He was merely a voice, but he had

an important message. This was why he could so readily declare, “He [Christ]

must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). The fact that the delegation

who went to John the Baptist were Pharisees (John 1:24) indicates that the

Pharisees felt the most threatened by his message. The Sadducees were skep-

tics for whom religious rituals mattered little. However, John the Baptist’s

message of simple repentance would probably turn people away from thepicayune legalism of the Pharisees.

What He Did (verses 25-28). John the Baptist’s preaching was not unusu-

al. Many prophets had preached as he did, calling on the people to repent and

turn to God. What was different about John’s ministry was that he baptized

those who submitted themselves to him (verse 25). When asked by the Jewish

nn

The Voice of One Crying in the

Wilderness (John 1:23): John the Bap-tist cited Isaiah 40:3, 4, which was theopening segment of the portion of hisprophecy which had to do with long-range prophecies of the future. In theseverses is the example of someonepreparing the road for a king as he wasto travel over open and uneven ruralterritory. The “road builder” wasemployed to ensure that the king’s

travel would be over a smooth high-way. John the Baptist was that road builder. His prophetic message was notthat of a king, but it would instead pre-pare the way for the King and thegreater revelation He would bring tothe people. The glory of the Lordwould be revealed and all mankindwould see it. This will find its ultimaterealization in the Millennium, but Johnthe Baptist prepared the way of theKing.

20 / John 1:15-51


22/145

leaders why he baptized, John responded by acknowledging that he baptized

“with [Greek, en, the English equivalent being, in] water” (verse 26). By refer-

ring to the One whom they did not know, John implied that He would baptize

also. The baptism which Christ would administer was the baptism in the HolySpirit (Mark 1:8), an event that occurred on the day of Pentecost. Once again

the priority of Christ was declared, and the humility of John the Baptist

underscored (John 1:27). The place where the encounter between John and the

delegation from Jerusalem occurred was “in Bethabara beyond Jordan” (verse

28). The expression beyond Jordan indicates the region east of the Jordan

River. Where Bethabara was is not known for certain. It is widely believed

that Bethabara was in the lower part of the Jordan River valley not far north

of the Dead Sea.

THE BAPTISM OF JESUS John 1:29-34

Evidently, the baptism of Jesus had already occurred, and this account of it

by John the Baptist was related afterwards. Also note that Jesus had appar-

ently already experienced the forty days of testing mentioned in the synoptic

gospels (Matt. 4:1-11; Mark 1:12, 13; Luke 4:1-13). Following His period of

temptation, Jesus seemingly returned to the place where He had been bap-

tized, after which the events recorded in John 1:29-42 occurred. This probably

was why John had referred to Christ as the One who stood among the Jewish

leaders, but was not known by them (John 1:26). John the Baptist’s acclama-

tion of Christ as the Lamb of God was made on the day following his encounter

with the delegation from Jerusalem.

The Declaration of John (verses 29-31). The expression the next day

denotes the day following the exchange between John the Baptist and the

group of priests and Levites from Jerusalem. John had seen Jesus prior to his

encounter with the Jewish leaders. On this occasion, when John the Baptist

saw Jesus approaching, he exclaimed, “Behold, the Lamb of God, which taketh

away the sin of the world” (verse 29). This notable incident was among theevents which marked the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry. As the Jewish

people well knew, a lamb denoted a sacrifice. This sacrifice was one which God

Himself provided. The verb taketh away is from airo, which basically means

“to carry off” or “to bear away.” The expression the sin of the world denotes the

guilt of sin borne by all mankind. The sacrifice which Jesus would make

through His death on the cross would be sufficient for all the sins of all peo-

ple of all times. For that sacrifice to be effective for an individual, he or she

needs simply to trust Christ as Savior, or “believe on his name” (verse 12).

Once again the priority of Christ and His eternality were emphasized (verse30). Seemingly, John the Baptist did not know Jesus by sight prior to Jesus’

baptism, even though they were kinsmen in the flesh. (Compare Luke 1:36.)

Somehow, God made John the Baptist aware of who Jesus was. The baptism

which he administered to Jesus was the official manifestation to the Jews that

their Messiah had indeed come (John 1:31).



23/145

The Confirmation of the Spirit (verses 32-34). As John the Baptist con-

tinued relating his account of the baptism of Jesus, he mentioned a remark-

able phenomenon. He saw the Spirit of God in the form of a dove descending

on Jesus as He came up from the water(verse 32; Mark 1:10). Previously, John

had been told by God that such an occur-

rence would be the sign by which he could

know for certain that Jesus was the

promised Messiah (John 1:33). John also

mentioned specifically that Jesus would

baptize people in the Holy Spirit, which

was something he had implied previously

when the Jewish leaders questioned him.(Compare verse 26.) ( Note: Ghost

is from pneuma, the word for

spirit.) In verse 34, John the Bap-

tist reiterated that he had actu-

ally seen for himself what he had

reported, and he also emphasized

that the descent of the Holy Spir-

it upon Jesus confirmed for him

that the One whom he had bap-

tized was indeed the Son of God.

Even though it might seem inci-

dental, or coincidental, an impor-

tant truth was taught by John’s

conclusion regarding Jesus’ bap-

tism and the Holy Spirit’s

descent upon Him. Jesus did not

become the Son of God because of His baptism. He was the Son of

God before He was baptized; His

baptism and the subsequent

descent of the Holy Spirit con-

firmed that He was the Son of

God. Similarly, a believer does

not become a child of God through baptism, but one’s submission to baptism

indicates that he or she is a child of God.

JESUS’ FIRST DISCIPLES John 1:35-39

Jesus’ calling of His first disciples was the third critical matter, after His

baptism and testing, that occurred at the outset of His earthly ministry. The

first of Jesus’ disciples were men who had been disciples of John the Baptist.

Even though this incident occurred in the region east of Judea, those first dis-

nn

Baptism with the Holy Ghost (John 1:33)In addition to John the Baptist’s testifyingconcerning the identity and ministry of Jesus as Israel’s Messiah, he also preparedthe way for the eventual ministry of the

Holy Spirit in the Lord’s churches. At Jesus’ baptism the Holy Spirit authenticat-ed Jesus’ mission and would later becomethe seal of redemption in the heart of the believer and would also come to the churchon the day of Pentecost. John the Baptiststated that his role was one which involvedwater baptism as a means of preparing theway of the Lord. He then stated that it was Jesus who would promise the gift of the

Holy Spirit as the Comforter of the Lord’schurches. The experience of the witness of the Spirit at Jesus’ water baptism not onlyverified Jesus’ divine mission and ministry,it also prompted John to speak of another baptism he was not qualified to impart.This would be reserved for Christ.

Record: John the Baptist reliably told

the story of the immersion of Jesus

and the descent of the Spirit of

God. John recorded without preju-

dice the accuracy of the events.

John told the truth without dilu-

tion. The witness of John remained

unquestioned by the critics of Jesus.

The narrative underscored the

dependability of John the Baptist.

Word Study #3140.

22 / John 1:15-51


24/145

ciples were Galileans. How those men became followers of John and why they

were at Bethabara at that particular time is not clear. However, God made cer-

tain they were where they needed to be at the time when Jesus began calling

His disciples.The Transition from John to Jesus (verses 35-37). The phrase again the

next day after indicates that the events recorded here occurred on the same

day as those mentioned in verses 29-34, which was the day following the

exchange between John the Baptist and the delegation of priests and Levites

from Jerusalem (verses 19-28). After John had acclaimed Jesus as the Lamb

of God and related the confirmation of Jesus by the descent of the Holy Spir-

it on Him, John the Baptist reiterated to two of his disciples that Jesus was

the Lamb of God (verses 35, 36). Though it was not specifically stated, the

implication is that John was telling his disciples they should no longer followhim, but should begin following Jesus instead. It seems logical to assume

those men heard what John had previously declared, but seemingly they need-

ed to be nudged into taking the next step, which was to recognize that now

Jesus was to be their rabbi, or Teacher, instead of John.

The Acknowledgment of the Rabbi (verses 38, 39). In obedience to the

exhortation by John the Baptist, the two disciples began following Jesus.

When asked by Jesus what they wanted (What seek ye?), they responded by

first acknowledging Him as their rabbi (verse 38). The term rabbi was used by

people in the time of Christ as a title of respect and honor. (Compare John 3:2.)

To consider someone a rabbi was to regard him as a teacher or a master. When

Jesus asked the two disciples what they sought, they replied further by ask-

ing Him where He was staying, “Where dwellest thou?” With such a response,

those men indicated that they were ready to regard Jesus as their Master and

were willing to submit to His teaching. Jesus invited the men to the house in

which He was staying at that time (verse 39). They followed their new rabbi

to His house, arriving at the “tenth hour” (verse 39) of the day, which would be

4:00 p.m. The men remained with Him for the rest of the day and possiblyeven spent the night there also, during which time Jesus probably began set-

ting forth the teachings which He would expound to them and other disciples

during the next three to three and a half years.

THE CALLING OF PETER John 1:40-42

Simon Peter probably became the unofficial leader of the disciples because of

his strong, dominating personality and because in each of the lists of the apos-

tles Peter is mentioned first (Matt. 10:2-4; Mark 3:14-19; Luke 6:13-16; Acts

1:13). Like many people, however, Peter had weaknesses as well as strengths. Andrew’s Testimony Regarding Jesus (verses 40, 41). One of the two

disciples whom John the Baptist urged to follow Jesus was “Andrew, Simon

Peter’s brother” (verse 40). Since Andrew was the only one of those two disci-

ples named, the identity of the other man is often questioned. It seems logical,

however, to assume that the unnamed disciple was John, the human author of



25/145

the fourth gospel. John never directly identified himself in his gospel and

referred to himself in the third person only when the context required him to

do so (John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7, 20, 24). If the unnamed disciple were not

John, he surely would have identified him since there seems to be no good rea-son not to do so. As for Andrew, immediately upon leaving Jesus, he went to

Simon Peter and told him “we have found the Messias, which is, being inter-

preted, the Christ” (verse 41). The word Messias, with its better known vari-

ant, Messiah, is of Hebrew origin and means “the anointed one.” Christ is the

Greek equivalent of this term. Andrew’s announcement was indeed signifi-

cant. For centuries the Jewish people had anticipated the Messiah. On many

occasions and in various places self-styled prophets and preachers had tried

to pass themselves off as the Messiah, but, despite the passing of time and the

many disappointments, messianic hopes and expectations remained high

among devout Jews. That was why many people were so ready to regard John

the Baptist as the messiah.

Jesus’ Testimony Regarding Peter (verse 42). When Simon was intro-

duced to Jesus by Andrew, a significant event occurred. Simon received a new

name. A change in name denotes a notable change in one’s relationship or sit-

uation. Even today, in some cultures when someone becomes a Christian, he

or she assumes a new name that reflects the conversion that has been experi-

enced. Four names are associated with Simon Peter in the Scriptures.Simon. This was the name he received when he was born. Among Jewish

people, this was a common name in Bible times. It came from the Old Testa-

ment name Simeon, who was one of the sons of Jacob and the namesake of one

of the tribes of Israel.

Son of Jona. This was not actually a name but an identifying designation.

The Greek Jona, which was a variant of Jonas, was the equivalent of the

Hebrew Jonah, who was the prophet God sent to Nineveh. The Hebrew term

for this name means “dove.”

Cephas. This is an Aramaic term. Aramaic, a form of Hebrew, was used by

many Jews in Palestine in the time of Christ and His apostles. The name

Cephas essentially means “stone” or “rock.”

Peter. This was the name by which this man is most commonly identified in

the New Testament. Peter is the Greek equivalent of the Aramaic Cephas, and

consequently also means “stone” or “rock.” Jesus gave Simon the additional

name of Cephas or Peter because He knew the kind of man he was and what

he would become in the work of the kingdom of God.

THE CALLING OF PHILIP AND NATHANAEL John 1:43-51

Jesus’ encounter with Philip and Nathanael, unlike His meetings with

Andrew, Simon and the unnamed disciple, occurred in Galilee. If the unnamed

disciple were indeed John, and if he did as Andrew did and told his brother,

who would have been James, about having met the Messiah, then the first six

24 / John 1:15-51


26/145

of Jesus’ disciples were Galileans. This certainly seems logical since the

greater part of Jesus’ earthly ministry was spent in Galilee.

The Calling of Philip (verses 43-46). The expression the day following

refers to the day following Jesus’ meeting with Simon Peter. From a superfi-cial reading, it might seem as if Jesus also met Philip on that day. However,

that was not the case. If “Bethabara beyond Jordan” (verse 28) was in the

southern part of the Jordan River valley, and, if Bethsaida was where Jesus

encountered Philip (verse 44), then Jesus would have traveled about seventy-

five miles, a distance that would have taken at least three days to cover. After

Jesus arrived in Galilee, He found Philip and said to him, “Follow me” (verse

43). Philip, along with Andrew and Peter, was from Bethsaida, a fishing village

on the northeast shore of the Sea of Galilee about two and a half to three miles

east of Capernaum. The name Bethsaida basically means “house of nets.” Afterhis encounter with Jesus, Philip went to Nathanael and told him, “We have

found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of

Nazareth, the son of Joseph” (verse 45). The references to Moses and the

prophets indicate the Old Testament Scriptures. Philip referred to Jesus as

being from Nazareth, and also as being the son of Joseph, shows that those

first disciples of Jesus had a good understanding of His background.

Nathanael’s question, “Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?” (verse

46), was probably not as cynical as it might sound. Probably what he actually

asked was something to the effect, “Can any good thing such as the Messiah

come out of such an insignificant, obscure place as Nazareth?”

The Calling of Nathanael (verses 47, 48). Despite Nathanael’s reserva-

tions about the Man from Nazareth, he evidently returned with Philip to meet

Jesus. When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, He exclaimed, “Behold an

Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” (verse 47). This was certainly a remark-

able commendation of Nathanael. The expression an Israelite indeed denotes

that he was not an Israelite by birth only but was worthy of the honored name.

That he had no guile meant that he had no deceit, no fraud and no hypocrisy.When Nathanael expressed surprise that Jesus knew him, Jesus went on to

relate that even before Philip had contacted Nathanel, He had seen him under

the fig tree. In that day people often sought a secluded place for meditation by

getting away from their house. That could well have been what Nathanael was

doing in the shade of the fig tree when Philip discovered him. By mentioning

that, Jesus convinced Nathanael of His Omniscience.

Nathanael’s Testimony Regarding Jesus (verse 49). Nathanael was

immediately persuaded that Jesus was indeed all that Philip had told him. In

his acclamation of Jesus, he used three titles. Rabbi. This was the designation used by the two disciples of John the Bap-

tist who were directed to start following Jesus instead of continuing to follow

him. (See comments on verse 38.)

The Son of God. This title identifies Jesus as the Second Person in the God-

head. This expression does not mean that Jesus is the offspring of God.



27/145

Instead, it indicates the Son’s acknowledgment of the Father’s role in the

divine plans and purposes. The Son has no agenda of His own. His will is to do

the Father’s will (John 6:38).

The King of Israel. This was another way of calling Jesus the Messiah. Along with priests and prophets, kings were anointed when they assumed

their office. The King whom the Jews were expecting will be the greater Son

of David who will reign from the throne of David (Luke 1:32, 33).

Jesus’ Response to Nathanael (verses 50, 51). Jesus’ response to

Nathanael’s threefold acclamation must have awed the disciple even more.

Jesus promised Nathanael that he would see “greater things than these”

(verse 50). The pronoun these referred to the events associated with Jesus’

observation of Nathanael under the fig tree. The expression greater things

spoke of even more wonderful manifestations of the deity of Christ. In verse51 the repeated verily, verily is the first of twenty-five such instances in this

gospel. Verily is from amen, and essentially means “it is true.” The scene

described by Jesus in which Heaven is opened and angels ascend and descend

on the Son of Man, is reminiscent of the vision in which Jacob saw a ladder

reaching from earth to Heaven with angels ascending and descending on the

ladder (Gen. 28:10-12). The basic lesson from both depictions is that Heaven

is directly involved with events on earth. In the closing phrase of verse 51 is

the term Son of Man, which is the first of nine times it appears in the Gospel

of John. This title speaks of the humanity of Jesus. He was not the Son of a

man, but He is the Son of Man in that He came to earth as a Man.

HE IS THE LAMB OF GOD John 1:15-51

Two critical matters regarding the earthly ministry of Jesus are addressed

in these verses. First was the manifestation of Jesus to the Jewish people by

His baptism and the descent of the Holy Spirit. That was how John the Bap-

tist knew for certain that Jesus was the promised One. The second important

issue was Jesus’ calling His first disciples. These men had been followers of John the Baptist, but, with Jesus’ earthly ministry having officially begun, he

directed them to follow Jesus.

26 / John 1:15-51


28/145

27


He Is Zealous ofHis Father’s House John 2:1-25

In this chapter are two remarkable incidents for which Jesus was respon-sible, the changing of water into wine and the cleansing of the Temple. In the

miracle at Cana, He demonstrated His power and His desire to be involved in

the social fabric of mankind. With the expulsion of the merchants and money

changers from the Temple, He exhibited His authority and His determination

to be in control of all religious life and activities. At Cana Jesus manifested

His glory; at the Temple He revealed His judgment.

THE NEED IN CANA John 2:1-5

Cana, like Nazareth, was an obscure village in Galilee. Both of those placeshad a claim to fame because of their association with Jesus. Nazareth was

privileged to be His hometown, while Cana became the site for His first mira-

cle.

The Marriage Setting (verse 1). The phrase the third day most likely is

to be counted from the day Jesus met with Philip and Nathanael, an event

which seemingly occurred in Bethsaida (John 1:43-45). Since Cana was about

twenty miles west-southwest from Bethsaida, the three days probably would

have been spent as follows: the first day was passed dealing with Philip and

Nathanael, after which Jesus and His disciples, of whom at this time there

could have been at least six, would have begun making their way to Cana.

Even though someone accustomed to walking long distances, as was the case

in Jesus’ day, could make a trip of twenty miles in one day, Jesus and His dis-

ciples probably did not travel that rapidly. They probably stopped often, allow-

ing Jesus to meet with people along the way so they could become aware of His

mission and message.

The Presence of Jesus (verses 1, 2). Not only were Jesus and His disci-

ples at the wedding in Cana, but His mother—and possibly His physicalbrothers (verse 12)—was also present, as noted in the last part of verse 1. In

Bible times weddings were gala celebrations, normally lasting a full week.

Days were spent in joyous feasting and other activities that emphasized the

joy of the occasion. Food and wine were in abundance, and no host wanted it


29/145

to appear that he was skimping on either the quantity or quality of the

refreshments served. The Scripture makes it clear that Jesus and His disci-

ples were invited, or “called” (verse 2), to the wedding festivities. Whether they

arrived at the beginning of the celebration or later in the week is not clear.

However, it seems that it might have been toward the end of the festivities, as

suggested by the comments of the ruler of the feast in verse 10. The presence

of Jesus at the wedding in Cana gives a strong symbolic message. The Lord of

Heaven and earth wants to be Lord in every part of one’s life, especially his or

her marriage.

The Need for Wine (verse 3). Mary, the mother of Jesus, must have been

especially close to the family of the groom, either by relationship or friendship.

If she were only an ordinary guest at the wedding celebration, there would

have been no reason for her to know about the problem regarding the wine. Infact, given the cultural circumstances of that time, great pains would have

been taken to keep any of the guests from knowing about any shortages of food

or drink. Upon learning about the matter, Mary said to Jesus, “They have no

wine” (verse 3). The implication of this is that Mary wanted Jesus to do some-

thing to alleviate the situation. Even though Jesus had not yet performed any

miracles, His mother knew He was the Son of God as well as her son. She

knew He was Omnipotent, and while she did not know how He would solve the

problem with the wine, she knew without a doubt He could do so.

The Response of Jesus (verse 4). Jesus’ response to Mary’s commentregarding the shortage of wine might seem uncaring and even harsh to peo-

ple of this day. Greek scholars insist that such was not the case, however.

Jesus’ designation of Mary as “woman” (verse 4) was used also when He

addressed her while He was suspended on the cross (John 19:26). On that

occasion He certainly would not have spoken to His mother in a derogatory

manner. The expression what have I to do with thee is not as brusque as it

seems either. It might seem as if Jesus had said He would not have anything

to do with the matter. Subsequent events prove that was not the case, howev-

er. The last phrase in the response of Jesus also raises questions, at least as itappears in English. The “hour” (John 2:4) to which Jesus referred was the time

of His manifestation by the Father as the Messiah. In view of all this, it seems

as if Jesus told His mother that He was not as concerned as she was about the

shortage of wine, and anything He would do would not be done to demonstrate

His messiahship.

The Exhortation of Mary (verse 5). Despite Jesus’ reluctance to become

involved in the matter regarding the wine, He must have given some indica-

tion that He would do something to alleviate the problem, as can be seen in

Mary’s exhortation to the servants, “Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it”

(verse 5). Since Jesus was a wedding guest, any instructions He might have

given to the servants, especially as strange as what He told them to do, would

probably have been disregarded. After all, as a guest, He had no authority in

directing or conducting the festivities. Mary readily told the servants to do the

bidding of Jesus which indicates she had some standing with the family of the

28 / John 2:1-25


30/145

groom. The problem regarding the wine was possibly known only by a few peo-

ple. The ruler of the feast certainly did not know about it, nor did the groom

or his family.

THE MIRACLE IN CANA John 2:6-8

The changing of the water into wine was the first of Jesus’ miracles. Some

of the so-called lost books of the Bible have instances of miracles supposedly

performed by Jesus when He was a child. That is utter nonsense, of course.

There are not any books missing from the Bible, and the Scripture specifical-

ly declares this miracle to have been the first one by Jesus.

The Water Pots (verse 6). The water pots were a critical matter in the mir-

acle at Cana. They were made “of stone,” which meant that they had been

hewn out of limestone blocks. Such pots were strictly utilitarian. They werelarge and bulky, with no adornment of any kind. They were also heavy, so the

pots were not easily moved. Their purpose was to hold the water which the

Jews used for “purifying” (verse 10) or ceremonial washing. (Compare Mark

7:1-4.) They held “two or three firkins each.” A firkin was roughly equal to ten

gallons, thus giving those pots a capacity of twenty to thirty gallons each. Six

of them would have held one hundred twenty to one hundred eighty gallons.

Since those pots were used only for holding water used in ritual cleansing,

they would never have contained any wine or any other such liquid. Stone-

ware containers were the plainest, most unimpressive vessels of all those used

in the homes of that day.

The Instruction (verse 7). The second critical factor in this miracle was

Jesus’ direction for the servants to fill the pots with water. At this point only

Jesus and the servants involved knew what was happening. Neither the ruler

of the feast, nor the groom or his family knew about Jesus’ intention regard-

ing the water pots, and the servants most certainly did not know what Jesus

was planning to do. They probably assumed that the water they were drawing

would be used for the usual purposes of ceremonial cleansing. If they won-dered why Jesus, a guest at the wedding, was giving them their instruction,

Mary’s exhortation would have settled any questions that might have crossed

their minds. The plain, rough water pots and Jesus’ unmistakably clear

instruction are reminders that God can use the simplest things to make great

accomplishments for His purposes.

The Test (verse 8). After the water pots had been filled to the brim with

water, Jesus directed the servants to draw some of the water out and take it

to the ruler of the feast. When the servants received that instruction, they

could logically conclude that Jesus intended to pass the water off as wine. Onecan imagine how anxious those servants were when the ruler of the feast

drank what he assumed to be wine, but was what they knew—or so they

thought—to be plain water instead. Humanly speaking, the servants would

have been justified in such a conclusion. They knew that those water pots had

always contained water. They knew also that they had filled them with water.

He Is Zealous of His Father’s House / 29


31/145

They knew further that they had filled the pots “up to the brim” (verse 7), thus

making it impossible for even the least quantity of wine to have been added to

the pots. The only way in which the water in those pots could become wine was

by divine intervention.

THE REACTION IN CANA John 2:9-12

The reaction to the miracle of the water that was changed into wine was

dramatic. Those who were unaware of what had happened enjoyed what was

acclaimed as the “good wine” (verse 10). The disciples of Jesus and possibly

also some of the servants who were involved were profoundly impressed with

the deity of Jesus. Although nothing is said about Mary, it is safe to assume

that she was relieved.

The Ruler of the Feast (verses 9, 10). The terms ruler of the feast and gov- ernor of the feast are from the same Greek word. These titles denoted a man

whom the family of the groom asked—or hired—to oversee the wedding fes-

tivities. Probably, his primary responsibility was to make certain there was

plenty of food and drink for the guests. It might not have been necessary for

the ruler of the feast to taste the wine once the feasting had begun, but Jesus

specifically wanted the man in charge to taste the water that had been

changed to wine because He knew for certain it would be the best wine that

had been consumed thus far. Having tasted the wine, the ruler of the feast

commended the groom for bringing out the “good wine” when it would have

been socially acceptable for him to use inferior wine instead (verse 10). Much

speculation has been raised as to when the water became wine. Did Jesus turn

all the water in the water pots into wine all at once, or did the water become

wine only after it had been drawn out of the pots? Probably, no definitive

answer can be ascertained, but this writer believes the water did not become

wine until it was drawn out of the containers.

The Result of the Miracle (verse 11). The changing of the water into wine

had a twofold result according to this verse: Jesus “manifested forth his glory,”and “his disciples believed on him.” The manifestation of Jesus’ glory was real-

ized by only a relatively few people. The servants who were involved in filling

the water pots knew that a remarkable miracle had occurred. Mary possibly

was aware of what had happened, and the disciples knew about the miracle at

some point, if not when it occurred, then immediately after the fact. As for the

disciples, the impact on them was the most pronounced. They had already

believed in Jesus concerning salvation, and they had accepted the fact that He

was the rabbi whom they were to follow. However, the miracle at the wedding

in Cana caused them to believe even more fully by confirming for them what

they had seen and heard regarding the Messiah was indeed true.

The Removal to Capernaum (verse 12). This verse relates an important

move by Jesus. Most of His earthly ministry was in Galilee, and for most of

His Galilean ministry He operated out of Capernaum. Probably, the incident

in His hometown of Nazareth involving the uproar on the Sabbath, recorded

30 / John 2:1-25


32/145

in Luke 4:16-32, precipitated Jesus’ removal to Capernaum. (Compare

Matthew 4:13.) He was accompanied in that move by His mother and broth-

ers—His sisters were already married by this time—as well as His disciples.

Jesus and the others remained at Capernaum for only a brief time (not manydays) on that occasion because they soon left for Jerusalem to observe the

Passover. Situated on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, Caper-

naum was a bustling town in Jesus’ day. It was the home of many fishermen

and a vital crossroads for some important trade routes.

JESUS’ OUTRAGE IN THE TEMPLE John 2:13-17

Cleansing the Temple of the merchants and money changers was one of the

first direct confrontations between Jesus and the Jewish leaders. The miracles

Jesus performed demonstrated His authority in the physical realm. Thecleans

book of john-commentary

Documents