Tag: Jesus

He Has Overcome

~ iolaHC ~ Leave a comment

John 16:25-33 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall show you plainly of the Father. At that day you shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you: For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God. I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father. His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speak thou plainly, and speak no proverb. Now are we sure that thou know all things, and need not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou came forth from God. Jesus answered them, Do you now believe? Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that you shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. 

Jesus spoke in proverbs to the disciples; He gave them instruction by numerous examples and divine rules to govern all of their conduct – civil, religious, and business life. Afterwards, He spoke to them plainly of the Father.

‘That I will pray the Father for you’ – we pray and Jesus will make intercession for us (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25; 1Jn. 2:1-2). If we will pray and have faith, the Father will never deny us what we want. He always hears His Son and if He did not spare Him in sufferings and death He will not refuse to give us what Christ died for to give to us (Rom. 8:32). When we pray in Jesus name or by His authority the Father will always hear and answer, because this is what He sent Jesus to tell the disciples [and us], so let this be a settled fact in our lives.

Jesus told the disciples that He came from the Father into the world; and will leave the world and go back to the Father. They understood Him clearly and declared that He knows all things and that He was sent from the Father to teach them [and us].

The 40th New Testament prophecy fulfilled in John: Jesus warned the disciples that a time shall come when they will be scattered, every man to his own, and they shall leave Him alone: this was fulfilled the night of His arrest (Matt. 26:56; Zech. 13:7). Jesus comforted them so that they might have peace when the arrest took place, by saying that He will not be alone because the Father will be with Him. He furthermore warned them that they will have tribulation in the world, but they must be of good cheer; for He has overcome the world.  ‘Overcome’ the Greek word nikao which means conquered.

Abide in Me

~ iolaHC ~ Leave a comment

John 15:7-10 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; so shall you be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue you in my love. If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. 

‘If you abide in me, and my words abide in you’ Note the conditions of this chapter (John 15:6, 10, 18-20, 22, 24).

‘Ask what you will’ the promise is “ask what you will,” plainly teaching that answered prayer is up to the child of God as to what he wants. This is in perfect harmony with the promises of both testaments. A true Christian can get what he wants as well as what he needs (Psa. 23:1; 34:9-10; 84:11; Matt. 7:7-11; 17:20; 18:18-20; 21:22; Mark 9:23; 11:22-24; John 14:12-15; 16:23-26; Eph. 3:20; Heb. 11:6; Jas. 1:5-8; 1Jn. 3:21-22; 5:14-15). A prayer saying, “If it be Thy will” concerning anything God has already promised, and therefore has already made it clear that it is His will (providing we ask in faith, nothing wavering), is really a prayer of unbelief. It is like saying, “I know You have already promised and You have made it very clear by Your Word that it is Your will, but do You really mean what You say? We insult God by constantly questioning His will that is already revealed by His word. It is no less insulting to Him than it would be to a human friend who had promised something and we continued to question him about his will in the matter.

Branches must not only remain in Christ but must have His words abiding in them or prayers will not be answered. God can only be glorified by the branches when they remain in Christ and produce much fruit.

‘So have I loved you’ The Father heard Him always, so Christ promised to answer all prayers prayed in His name (John 14:12-15; 16:23-26).

‘Keep my commandments’ is found 359 times in Scriptures and over half of these most certainly command men to keep the commandments of God. This is not only true of the Old Testament, but of the New Testament. Therefore, Christians are under obligation to obey the gospel throughout life, not only during one brief act of faith.

‘Even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love’ Emphasizing to what extent one must render obedience to God by keeping His commandments. If we are to be as righteous as He was in the world (John 17:14-16; 1Jn. 2:29; 3:7-10; 4:17; 5:1-5, 18), then nothing short of complete obedience must be rendered. It is impossible to retain a sense of pardoning grace without continuing in obedient grace.

The Plot to Kill Jesus

~ iolaHC ~ Leave a comment

John 11:45-53 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done. Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man does many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation. And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, You know nothing at all, Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. And this spoke he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation; And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death. 

 ‘Some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.’ Many believed, but some, perhaps the temple spies, went to report to the rulers. They admitted the miracles, but their hearts were hardened to resist all claims of Jesus on their lives.

They thought that if they did not get rid of Jesus, all men will believe in Him and make Him king. They feared that the Romans will come against the Jews to destroy the nation and take the temple from them. [Which came to past – Job 3:25] In the law the priests were in office for life, but here it was an annual term; the Romans and Herod chose whom they pleased for this office. According to Josephus (Antiquities 18:4:3), Joseph was his name and Caiaphas his surname.

‘Expedient for us, that one man should die for the people’ Caiaphas prophesied that it was in their interest that Jesus should die in the place of the whole nation. God seemingly used the ungodly high priest as He used Balaam in Num. 22:38.

‘One’ referring to the Jews of the dispersion, this will be fulfilled at the second coming (Matt. 24:31; Isa. 11:11-12; Eze. 37:1-28). ‘Together for to put him to death’ At other times they had plotted His death, but the council had been divided. God used the divisions to give time for the teaching, example, and miracles of Jesus to do their work.

Lazarus Raised

~ iolaHC ~ Leave a comment

John 11:38-44 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, said unto him, Lord, by this time he stink: for he hath been dead four days. Jesus said unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou would believe, thou should see the glory of God? Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. And I knew that thou hear me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus said unto them, Loose him, and let him go. 

Jews generally cut their graves out of the faces of cliffs. The stone here did not lie upon the grave-opening but leaned against it. Lazarus has putrefactive odour by now for he has been dead four days.

‘Said I not unto thee, that, if thou would believe, thou should see the glory of God?’ This is nowhere stated before this, proving that the record is not complete of everything said on this occasion (John 21:25).

‘Lifted up his eyes’ Jesus looked up to heaven, having eyes open (Mat. 17:8; Luke 6:20; 16:23; John 4:35; 6:5; 17:1). ‘Father’ Fifteen times Christ used this name in prayer when He prayed unto the Father who was in Heaven (Mat. 11:25-26; 26:39, 42; Luke 23:34, 46; John 11:41; 12:27-28; 17:1, 5, 11, 21, 24-25). ‘Thou hast heard me’ this suggests that Christ had already prayed and was heard, receiving the will of God in this case before He started on His trip to Bethany (John 11:3-6). He was no doubt led by God to delay this trip as recorded here.

‘That they may believe that thou hast sent me’ There are 14 purposes of Christ’s miracles: To make believers (John 2:23; 4:48; 11:42; 12:37; 14:11); to fulfill prophecy (Isa. 11:2; 61:1-2; Mat.8:17; Luke 4:18) to demonstrate God’s will (John 5:30; 6:38; 10:10; Heb. 10:7); to destroy works of satan (Luke 13:16; Acts 10:38; 1Jn. 3:8); to give abundant life (John 10:10); to confirm His Sonship and Messianic claims (John 5:17-19, 30-36; 10:25, 36-38; 14:10-11; 15:24; 20:30-31; Acts 2:32); to confirm God’s Word and love (John 5:20; Heb. 2:3-4); to prove that God was with Him (John 3:2; Acts 10:38); to demonstrate God’s power over satan (Luke 10:19; 13:16; Mat. 12:28; Acts 10:38); to prove the kingdom of God present (Mat. 12:28); to glorify God (John 2:11; 11:4; Mat. 9:8; 15:31; Mark 2:12; Luke 4:15; 5:26; 7:16; 13:13); to set an example for all believers (Mat. 10:1-8; 28:20; Mark 6:7-13; Luke 9:6; 10:9; John17:18); to demonstrate the power of the Spirit baptism (Mat. 20:22-23; Luke 4:18; John 3:34); to demonstrate full salvation for body, soul, and spirit (Mat. 4:23-24; 8:17; 9:35; 13:15; John 10:10; 1Pet. 2:24; Isa. 53:4-5).

‘Cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth’ He spoke loud enough that all standing could hear the command and see that even the dead were subject to Him. Lazarus that had been dead came forth. ‘bound hand and foot with graveclothes’ This does not necessarily mean that his legs were bound together like a mummy, but bound separately, so he could not walk freely until loosed from the grave clothes or strips of linen.

Jesus Wept

~ iolaHC ~ Leave a comment

John 11:28-37 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and call for thee. As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him. Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him. The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goes unto the grave to weep there. Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou had been here, my brother had not died. When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled, And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him! And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died? 

‘The Master is come, and call for thee.’ Jesus had evidently requested Mary to be present so she could witness the resurrection of her brother. Jesus waited for her to come before proceeding to the grave.

Jewish burying places were outside the towns and villages. It was the custom of relatives and friends to go often to the grave to weep during the three days of mourning and four days of lamentation. It was about time for the spirit to leave the grave, as the rabbis taught.

‘If thou had been here, my brother had not died’ She also expressed faith in what would have happened if Jesus had arrived before her brother died. She made no request concerning the resurrection.

‘He groaned’ Greek word embrimaomai, be very angry, moved with indignation (John 11:33, 38; Mat. 9:30; Mark 1:43; 14:5). What He was moved against here was no doubt the satanic powers that had Lazarus in their grip (Heb. 2:14-15). He became troubled, Greek word tarasso meaning to stir or agitate) in mind. He faced a conflict with satan, the power of death.

‘Jesus wept.’ The shortest verse in the Bible but very expressive of the humanity of Jesus is generous and sympathetic feelings for His friends. He wept with those who wept and caused even His enemies to acknowledge His love and compassion (John 11:33, 36; Isa. 53:3; Heb. 2:16-18; 4:15; Rom.12:15). Another cause of His weeping might have been the fearful and universal ravages of sin and death, and the ever-darkening shadows of unbelief of His race that would lead them to the final rejection of Him and total destruction of the nation (John 11:46-54; Luke 13:34-35; 19:41; Mat. 23:37-39).

‘Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?’ Certainly He could! They had no idea that a greater miracle was about to be performed than healing the blind.

Jesus Made Clay

~ iolaHC ~ Leave a comment

John 9:6-16 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing. The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged? Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he. Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened? He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight. Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not. They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind. And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see. Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them. 

‘He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay’ Jesus illustrates that sin causes blindness (2 Pet. 1:9; 2:22).

‘Pool of Siloam’ this pool was made by Hezekiah (2Ki. 20:20); the Greek word for pool is kolumbethra which means a swimming pool or a place for diving (John 5:2, 4, 7; 9:7).

The blind man’s neighbours and others which had seen him that he was blind before, asked: ‘Is not this he that sat and begged?’ and ‘How were thine eyes opened?’

He answered and said that Jesus made clay, anointed his eyes, and told him to go to the pool of Siloam. He went and washed and received his sight.

‘And it was the sabbath day’ this made it the unpardonable sin as far as the hypocrites were concerned. Nothing good was to be done on this day except for material gain. One could take a beast out of the ditch, but not save a man from death, hell and the grave. Such utter senselessness exists even to this day in religion in many respects! Is it any wonder that sensible men reject outward forms, rituals, and teachings that have no practical and beneficial value at all!

Did keeping the sabbath help the Pharisees or prove they were of God? No more than in many cases today where men maintain some mere outward show of religion before others. Would they perform consistently the same things in private if no one was in the grandstand?

Some of the Pharisees accused Jesus of not being of God because He didn’t keep the sabbath day. Others didn’t agree and asked how can a sinner do such miracles?  The question that should have been asked was why could the Pharisees not heal the blind if they were of God more than Jesus was?

The Deeds of Your Father

~ iolaHC ~ Leave a comment

John 8:41-47 You do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, you would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. Why do you not understand my speech? even because you cannot hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father you will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, you believe me not. Which of you convince me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do you not believe me? He that is of God hears God’s words: you therefore hear them not, because you are not of God. 

‘You do the deeds of your father’ the fact that one does the deeds of the devil proves that one is of the devil (1Jn. 3:8). Since they had sought to kill Jesus, He accused them of being the offspring of satan who was a murderer from the beginning (John 8:41-44).

The Jews answered Him that they were not born of fornication. They said that they were not idolaters, but that God was their Father. Idolatry refers to spiritual fornication or a violation of the spiritual and covenant marriage between God and Israel (Jdg. 2:17; Isa. 1:21; Hos. 1:2; 4:12; 2Ch. 21:11; Eze. 16:1-63).

Jesus told them that if God were their Father they would have loved Him. They would not persecute Him if they were of the same Father that He was.

They couldn’t understand Jesus because they cannot hear His Word; it exposed their hypocrisy and condemned their sins, so they were determined not to hear just as others today who refuse to change from a sinful life.

Jesus explained that they were of their father the devil whose lusts they will do (Greek word for lust is epithumia) which means desires, craves and longing for. Satanic lusts are like those of men but much stronger because of being agitated by spirit forces. Fallen angels and men are capable of misusing their creative faculties in deeper and deeper degrees of sin and rebellion as time goes by.

‘He was a murderer from the beginning’ this refers to the death of the whole human race by sin (Gen. 2:17; Rom. 5:12-21; Heb.2:14). Death comes through satan and he kills those who fell away from God’s protection because of their sin.

Satan walked in truth for a time until he decided to rebel against God and this was before he ‘abode not’ or rebelled against truth (Eze. 28:11-17; Isa. 14:12-14). This was before Adam’s day for he was already a fallen creature when he came into Adam’s Eden (Gen. 3:1-24). The rebellion caused the flood of Lucifer (Gen. 1:2; Jer. 4:23-26; 2Pet. 3:5-8). He chose to reject all truth in his period of probation as the Jews were doing here (vv. 39-47). When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own falsehood, for he is a liar and the father of lies and liars. When we believe lies, we reject the Truth (Word = Jesus) and make satan our father.

Jesus asked the Jews that if they couldn’t convict Him of sin, error, or falsehood, why did they not believed what He said? The fact that they didn’t hear God’s Word proved they were not of God.

No Place In You

~ iolaHC ~ Leave a comment

John 8:37-40 I know that you are Abraham’s seed; but you seek to kill me, because my word has no place in you. I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and you do that which you have seen with your father.  They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus said unto them, If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham. 

‘Abraham is our father’ True, according to the flesh, but this does not make true children of Abraham or true Israelites. One must not only be a descendant in the flesh but must also be saved and a child of the promise to be a true Jew and an Israelite (Rom. 2:28-29; 9:4-11). If they (the Jews) were really the spiritual seed of Abraham they would imitate him in faith, obedience, and righteousness; but they seek to kill Jesus merely because He told them the truth; Abraham never did anything like this.

The only place Jesus calls Himself a “man” (v 40) He generally refers to Himself as the ‘Son of God’ and ‘Son of Man’ (John 1:49, 51). He was truly man and truly God in nature, being born of God and a virgin (Matt. 1:18).

There were ten reasons why the Jews killed Jesus: His Kingship (Matt. 2:2-3, 16; John 18:33-40; 19:12-22); for telling the truth (Luke 4:21-29; John 8:40); for healing on the sabbath (Matt. 12:9-14; Mark 3:1-6; John 5:16; 9:16); for claiming Sonship (John 5:18; 10:24-39; 19:7); and for claiming to be God (John 8:53-59; 10:33); they were jealous of Him (Matt. 26:3-4; 27:18; Mark 14:1; 15:10; Luke 22:2; John 11:48); they were ignorant (Matt. 26:64-66; Mark 14:62-64; John 12:40; Acts 3:17); for fear of losing their authority (John 11:46-53; 12:10-11, 19); for their unbelief (John 5:38-47; 6:36; 9:40-41; 12:36-38); they killed Him to fulfill prophecy (Luke 13:33-35; John 12:38-40; 18:31-32; 19:11, 28, 36-37; Acts 2:22-36; 3:18).

From the Beginning

~ iolaHC ~ Leave a comment

John 8:21-25 Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and you shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: where I go, you cannot come. Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he said, Whither I go, you cannot come. And he said unto them, You are from beneath; I am from above: you are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that you shall die in your sins: for if you believe not that I am he, you shall die in your sins. Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus said unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning. 

‘I go my way, and you shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: where I go, you cannot come.’ This is the twenty-first New Testament fulfilled prophecy in John. They died in their sin of unbelief.

‘Will he kill himself?’ Note the contrast between this question and the one in John 7:35, both asked in connection with similar statements. They finally realized He was speaking of death, not of going to preach elsewhere, but now they raised the question as to who would kill Him.

‘You are of this world; I am not of this world’ they were capable of murder and suicide because they were of this world, earthly, sensual, and devilish; but He was of another world – from heaven – and was incapable of such. They confirmed His word by murdering Him and by many of them committing suicide to escape famine in 70 A.D.

‘I am He’ there is no “he” in the Greek in John 8:24, 28, reminding us of the name of God in Exo. 3:14-15. It means the Eternal, the ever-present One.

In verse 25 they ask Jesus: “Who art thou?” Where to Jesus answered them: “Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning” which was that He was the light of the world, as He said to them at the beginning of this discourse (John 8:12). Since there is no ‘from’ in the Greek, it could be literally translated, “that which I also say to you (now), the beginning,” that is, the beginning of all things, the head of all principality and power (Eph. 1:20-23; 4:15; 5:23; Col. 1:18; 2:10, 19; Heb.1:2-3).

I am the Light of the World

~ iolaHC ~ Leave a comment

John 8:12-20 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that follow me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bear record of thyself; thy record is not true. Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but you cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go. You judge after the flesh; I judge no man. And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me. It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me bear witness of me. Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, You neither know me, nor my Father: if you had known me, you should have known my Father also. These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come. 

‘Then spake Jesus again unto them’ this statement proves that Jesus had been speaking to the Jews but was interrupted by the scribes and Pharisees who brought the woman to Him. ‘I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life’ The Jews added a ninth day to the feast on which they lit a lamp, putting it in the chest instead of the sacred books to illustrate Proverbs 6:23 and Psalm 119:105. Christ could have alluded to this, as well as to scriptures referring to the Messiah as a light from Isaiah 9:2; 49:6 and 60:1.

The Pharisees accused Jesus of testifying of Himself and made Him off as a liar. Jesus answered them by saying that He did bear record of Himself and that it was the truth because He knew where He came from and where He was going. He accused them of judging after the flesh; but that He didn’t and when He did judge, His judgement was true because He was not the only judge, but also the Father who has sent Him (Acts 17:32; Rom. 2:16).

It is also written in the Law (also called the Pentateuch or five books of Moses) that the testimony of two men is true. See Deuteronomy 17:6; 19:15 and 2 Corinthians 13:1. Jesus counted Himself as one witness and His Father as another.

‘Where is thy Father?’ If they truly knew Jesus, they would have known His Father. They really did not know Him as they claimed. A person cannot know one or the other without knowing both, for no man can come to Christ unless he is drawn by the Father (John 6:37, 39, 44). Eternal life is to know both (John 17:2-3; 1Jn. 5:20).

Jesus taught in the treasury many times (Mark 12:41; Luke 21:1; John 8:20). It was in the court of women. It had 13 chests, the 13th one for the women to put their offerings in. The other 12, which had the names of the 12 sons of Jacob on them, were for the men’s offerings.

‘For his hour was not yet come’ – they laid no hands on Him because they were powerless to arrest Him, not being permitted by God.