John

Intro Deuteronomy and John The new birth The woman at the well Ch 1 Ch 2 Ch 3 Ch 4 Ch 5 Ch 6 Ch 7 Ch 8 Ch 9 Ch 10 Ch 11 Ch 12 Ch 13 Ch 14 Ch 15 Ch 16 Ch 17 Ch 18 Ch 19 Ch 20 Ch 21

Intro

For two-thousand years, we seem to have struggled with understanding the Gospel According to John. In A History of Christianity, Paul Johnson tells us that this gospel was a candidate to be excluded from the biblical canon were it not for three unobjectionable epistles that were attributed to the same author.

Though an explicit purpose of the gospel is given “… but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that by believing you may have life in His name.” (20:31), we have struggled with figuring out what the underlying theme of John’s gospel is. What is its aim? What drives its narrative?

It is not uncommon, at churches and bible studies, to hear that John’s intent is to present seven miracles, but this is simply a tacit acknowledgement that we have indeed trouble finding a deeper motive. Speaking of seven miracles says little about why John is unique among the gospels in telling us about the names of Jesus (the I am … declarations), or why such a large portion of the gospel is devoted to the night when Jesus was arrested, or why the encounter with the Samaritan woman and the priestly prayer are included.

Popular commentators reflect a lack of consensus. For example, William Barclay says that its aim is to present the gospel to the Greek world and to fight gnostic heresies. Charles Ryrie states its purpose is to tell of seven signs along with themes like the Holy Spirit, the Word, and the new birth. Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown do not attempt to define a theme, at least explicitly. The Zondervan study bible lists ten contributions and themes such as an enriching perspective, the Son of God, and the Cross. These commentators pointing in multiple directions make it evident that after two thousand years a convincing argument for what John’s theme is has not been put forward yet; and, more likely than not, we have been guessing.

K. Lewis had a gem of an insight in her commentary John by identifying abundance as one of the themes that drive the narrative in the Gospel of John. However this commentary does not demonstrate how the theme of abundance relates to the explicit team stated in 20:31; and this omission is common to most other commentaries and the themes they propose.

How is it then that so many people point in different directions? Can they all be right?

The thesis of this commentary is that the underlying purpose of the gospel of John is to present Jesus as the fulfillment of the messianic prophecies in Isaiah 9:1-7. The verses in Isaiah 9:1-7 provide a guide to follow the gospel of John, a framework upon which John builds his narrative. In each verse of this passage, there lies a theme that is expanded inside the accounts that give this gospel its form:

• Isa 9:1. Galilee

• Isa 9:2. Light and darkness

• Isa 9:3. Abundance

• Isa 9:4. Deliverance

• Isa 9:5. Peace

• Isa 9:6. The birth and naming of a royal official

• Isa 9:7. An eternal kingdom

When reading the gospel, it can be seen that every passage fits into one of these Isaiah themes. These themes are threads that weave with each other to make the shapes and patterns that we see on the beautiful fabric that is the gospel of John.

Furthermore, the richness of Isaiah 9:1-7 shows how and why so many commentators seem to be pointing in different directions when in reality they are pointing at different elements of Isaiah 9:1-7.

Isaiah 9:1, Galilee

But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.

The theme of this verse is the northern region of Israel that comprises land from the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali, Galilee. John highlights the miracles that take place there; five of the miracles mentioned with some level of detail in the gospel happen in Galilee. John underscores that the miracle that inaugurated Jesus’ ministry, the turning of water into wine, took place in Galilee (2:1-11). Also, the healing of the official’s son (4:46-54), the feeding of the five thousand (6:1-14), Jesus walking on water (6:16-21), and the bountiful fishing after His resurrection, which is the last miracle we know of before Jesus ascends into heaven (21:1-6), are all in Galilee.

We see a striking fulfillment of Galilee of the Gentiles in Chapter 12. People of Greek origin were in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover and they try to meet with Jesus; and they are able to reach Philip, who is explicitly mentioned to be from Galilee. Thus, Phillip of Galilee becomes a conduit for the gentiles to approach Jesus (12:20-21).

This verse also mentions “on the other side of the Jordan”. In John, we read about a place called Bethany as being on the other side of the Jordan. Bethany beyond the Jordan was the place where John was baptizing (1:28, 3:26). Jesus goes there after one of the occasions when the Jews tried to kill Him (10:40). However, this is not the same Bethany where Lazarus and his sisters lived.

Isaiah 9:2, Light and Darkness

The people who walk in darkness
Will see a great light;
Those who live in a dark land,
The light will shine on them.

The theme of this verse is light and darkness. This theme plays a central role in John. The contrast of light versus darkness is quite evident in the Prologue (1:4-9), the conversation with Nicodemus (3:19-21), the speech during the Feast of Tabernacles (8:12), when healing the blind man (9:5), and in some of the announcements of His passion (12:35-36, 46). John also presents light as an image of life (1:4, 8:12), and the affinity of truth to light (3:21).

There are several passages that speak of nighttime (3:2, 9:4, 11:9-10, 13:30, 20:1,19, 21:3) that may be subtle references to darkness in a spiritual sense or may denote a state of despair.

The contrasting of light and darkness evokes powerfully the creation story (Gen 1:1-3). Allusions to the creation story are sprinkled throughout the gospel. The opening words of “In the beginning …”, immediately point to Genesis 1, along with describing events in a sequence of days (1:29,35,43, 2:1). In the creation story, man is made in the likeness of God (Gen 1:27); in John, The Word becomes flesh, in the likeness of man (1:14). Jesus Himself is portrayed as the creator several times in the gospel, we will discuss this later when we look at the divinity of Jesus in verse 9:6.

Isaiah 9:3, Abundance

You shall multiply the nation,
You shall increase their gladness;
They will be glad in Your presence
As with the gladness of harvest,
As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.#

This verse tells us of multiplying, increasing, gathering the harvest; the theme of this verse is abundance. One of the better-known passages about abundance in this gospel is the Good Shepherd speech and its promise of abundant life (10:10). However, three of the miracles in John, the miracles of turning water into wine, the feeding of the five thousand, and the bountiful fishing after Jesus’ resurrection, are also pictures of the overflowing provision of God.

At the wedding in Cana, John tells us that each of the six jars held from 2 to 3 metretes of water. Each metrete was about 40 modern liters. Let us take a middle point between 2 and 3 and assume that each jar held 2.5 metretes, 100 liters. If we consider modern measurements, with 750 ml per bottle, the amount of wine that Jesus provided for the wedding was about 800 bottles of wine. In boxes, with 12 bottles in each, this would have been almost 70 boxes of wine. We do not know how many people were in attendance and for how many days they continued celebrating but there was plenty of high-quality wine for the hosts not to feel embarrassed.

Under the theme of abundance, John tells us that God gives the Spirit without limit (3:34), and that the bearing of fruit is to be abundant (15:5,8). Note that an abundant divine provision strongly evokes the images of “My cup overflows” in Psalm 23, thus hinting Jesus as the Lord Shepherd. We look further at the divinity of Jesus under verse 9:6.

Isaiah 9:4, Deliverance

For You shall break the yoke of their burden and the staff on their shoulders,
The rod of their oppressor, as at the battle of Midian.

This verse speaks to a liberator, one that will provide freedom from oppression, the theme of this verse is deliverance. In John there are three miracles that happen in or around Jerusalem: the healing of the invalid man (5:2-9), the healing of the blind man (9:6-11), and the raising of Lazarus (11:38-45). Each of these miracles depicts a man in bondage, a man under a burden that he cannot free himself from. In these, John presents Jesus as the deliverer who breaks the yoke placed upon each of these men. Jesus frees each of these men and gives each the beginning of a new life. The role of Jesus as a liberator was understood early on (Act 13:39)

There are multiple characters in the Bible who fulfill the role of deliverers. For example, the judges in the eponymous book, or Cyrus in Isaiah. Nevertheless, Moses is undoubtedly the most important character in the Old Testament presented as a deliverer.

Since John presents Jesus in the role of a deliverer, an important consequence is that Jesus is a second Moses. Or rather, it makes the ministry of Moses a foreshadowing of the ministry of Jesus. Parallels between the ministries of Moses and Jesus are ubiquitous in John. From the very beginning John places their ministries side by side (1:17), and we see that both completed their work (Ex 40:33, Jn 17:4, 19:30).

Some parallels are well-known. The first plague in Egypt (Ex 7:17-21) is converting water into blood, and the first miracle in John is converting water into wine (2:6-9). Moses instructs the people to gather manna that rained from heaven (Ex 16:4-5), Jesus states He is the bread of life that came down from heaven (6:35-38). With Moses, a cloud or a pillar of fire shows the way (Ex 13:21-22, Dt 1:33).), Jesus states He is the way (14:6). Moses strikes the rock so the people have water (17:1-7), Jesus states He gives water to not thirst again (4:14) and that streams of living water will flow from within His followers (7:38).

The encounter with the Samaritan woman (4:3-43) is also a parallel between Moses and Jesus. In The Art of Biblical Narrative (Ch 3), Robert Alter discusses the shared motifs of the three scenes in the Torah that take place in the proximity of a well: Abraham’s servant and Rebekah (Gen 24), Jacob and Rachel (Gen 29:1-20), and Moses and Zipporah (Ex 2:15-22). The encounter of Jesus and the Samaritan woman fits nicely as an additional piece in this composite made by the four scenes in the bible that depict a man and a woman in the immediacy of a well.

Deuteronomy and John 13-17

An important parallel between Moses and Jesus is found in the farewell speeches that they deliver. Moses’ speech is in Deuteronomy and Jesus’ in Chapters 13-17. If the ministry of Moses is a foreshadowing of the ministry of Jesus, one should expect these two farewell speeches to address similar issues, and indeed they do even though the contexts in which Moses and Jesus deliver their speeches are vastly different. In the former case, the people have been wandering in the wilderness for forty years and now are to conquer a land promised to be flowing with milk and honey, Moses announces his death and tells the people that Joshua is their new leader. In the latter case, the disciples have been with Jesus for three years and now are not quite sure what is to follow. Jesus announces His death and tells the disciples that they will be led by the Holy Spirit.

The parallels between Deuteronomy and Ch 13-17 are striking. Both start with a discussion about leadership (Dt 1:9-17; Jn 13:12-16), then continue with a discussion about finding the way to follow (Dt 1:22-24; Jn 14:6). We see commandments given (Dt 5:6-21; Jn 13:34, 15:12,17), and statements about the oneness of God (Dt 6:4; Jn 14:10-11, 17:21), the bearing of fruit (Dt 7:13-14; Jn 15:5-7), holding fast to God and abiding in Jesus (Dt 10:20; Jn 15:4-5). There are calls to not be afraid and be courageous (Dt 31:6-8, Jn 14:25-27).

A summary of the motifs shared by Deuteronomy and John 13-17 is included below. These shared motifs would make it very hard to argue that these two portions of scripture are not connected. This parallel reinforces the portrait of Jesus as a second Moses.

Lastly, under the theme of deliverance, Jesus states that He is the truth (14:6), and He presents truth as an agent of deliverance (8:32). Thus, the role of truth, which in John is extensive (e.g., 1:1,17, 3:21, 4:23) is part of Jesus’ ministry of deliverance.

Isaiah 9:5, Peace

For every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult,
And cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire.

This verse speaks of a time when the gear for waging war will not be needed anymore as warfare has come to an end, the theme of this verse is peace. Jesus explicitly tells His disciples that He gives them a peace that the world does not know (14:27, 16:33). After His resurrection, Jesus addresses His disciples with a “Peace be with you” greeting three times (20:19,21,26). John is unique in mentioning this promise and declaration of peace. Though greeting with a proclamation of peace is common in Jewish culture, John is unique among the gospel to include it explicitly.

Notice that Jesus’ promise of peace is right before His passion, and the actual proclamation (or greeting) of peace is after His resurrection. John tells us that Jesus’ death and resurrection are the means by which we can have peace with the Creator. This has been well understood since that time, Peter explains this to Cornelius (Act 10:36) and Paul explains that the death of Jesus is what makes our reconciliation with God possible so we are no longer counted as His enemies (Rom 5:1,10) and that Jesus is our peace (Eph 2:14).

Peace is needed to end the war between God and man initiated by the Fall. In John we see events that evoke the Fall, especially displaying roles and effects somewhat inverted. We see this in each of the three miracles that occur in or around Jerusalem, the three miracles of the paralytic, blind, and dead men

For example, after Adam and Eve eat from the Tree of Knowledge and Evil, God asks the man, “Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?”. Adam’s answer is to blame Eve; subsequently, she blames the serpent. We see a symmetrical but somewhat opposite event in the story of the paralytic. After he is healed, the Jewish authorities ask the paralytic “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk’?”, the man responds that it was Jesus who told him to carry his pallet. Adam and Eve have their eyes opened as they disobey God. In contrast, the blind man’s eyes open as he obeys Jesus’ instructions to go to the pool of Siloam and wash the dirt off. After the fall, God makes garments to cover Adam and Eve. After Lazarus is risen Jesus orders his dead-man clothing to be removed, an action opposite to what God did in the garden, thus pointing to the undoing of the consequences of the fall.

In the garden, Eve encounters the serpent and eats from the tree, her eyes open and she gives the fruit to Adam. After Jesus’ resurrection, Mary Magdalene encounters Jesus in a garden as well, and after Mary Magdalene hears Jesus calling her name, she is able to recognize Jesus as though her eyes were opened, then she tells the disciples about the resurrected Jesus.

Isaiah 9:6, Birth of a Royal Official

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

This verse speaks of a person who will hold a government office, the theme of this verse is the birth and naming of a royal official. After the birth of this child, he will receive many names; and in his names, we see his character being revealed.

The form of government that the Bible would speak of is a monarchy, thus this verse speaks of the birth of a royal official. John tells us that Jesus was the Word who became flesh and dwelled with the people (1:14). Jesus confirms His royal character to the Jewish authorities (10:24) and to Pilate (18:36-37).

A tradition that plays an important role in the bible is the naming of newborns. We see Eve naming her sons (Gen 4:1-2,25), as well as Leah and Rachel (Gen 29:32-30:24). In the New Testament we see Elizabeth naming her son also (Lk 1:59-60). Isaiah 9:6 tells us the names of the child to be born. John is unique among the gospels in highlighting the names of Jesus. John gives us the seven “I am …” declarations: I am the bread of life (6:35), I am the light of the world (8:12), I am the door (10:7, 9), I am the good shepherd (10:11, 14), I am the resurrection and the life (11:25), I am the way, the truth, and the life (14:6), I am the true vine (15:1, 5). We also see John the Baptist referring to Jesus with the name “Lamb of God” (1:29).

An important function that a name performs is revealing the character of a person (e.g., Gen 32:28, Mt 16:18). One of the names given to the child to be born is Mighty God. These words occur again in Isa 10:21, thus there is no doubt this name refers to the God of Israel. The gospel of John is unique in declaring the divinity of Jesus. There are various instances where the divinity of Jesus is explicitly declared (1:1, 1:14, 8:38, 20:28).

Implicit references to the deity of Jesus in John are copious. In Chapter 10 alone, we see Jesus as the Good Shepherd (10:11, Ps 23:1), going ahead of the people (10:4, Dt 1:30,33), being one with God (10:30), knowing His sheep by name (10:3, Isa 40:26), and not letting one go missing (10:28, Isa 40:26). These all are figures of speech equating Jesus to God.

Since Jesus is the incarnated Deity, Jesus also plays the role of the creator. In the three miracles that take place in or around Jerusalem. Jesus commands the paralytic man to rise (5:8) and Lazarus to come out (11:43) evoking God speaking to the creation and making it so. When Jesus encounters the blind man, He heals the blind man’s eyes by applying mud (9:6), thus evoking the creation of man from dust from the ground (Gen 2:7).

This verse also alludes to Jesus’ passion. Though it was meant mockingly, He was clothed in a purple robe (19:2), purple being the color worn by Roman officials we see a fulfillment of Jesus having the government on His shoulders

Isaiah 9:7, Eternal Kingdom

There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.

This verse tells us about an eternal kingdom. The royal official whose birth we learned about in the previous verse is actually the King of Israel. This verse tells us that this person is to exercise justice and righteousness. We know that the king of Israel, also performed the functions of a judge (e.g., 1Ki 3:27-28, 7:7).

Though the term Kingdom of God appears in John only twice, the kingship of Jesus is evident throughout John, from Nathan’s confession (1:49), the five-thousand-crowd acknowledging Him as king (6:15), the people of Jerusalem receiving Him as king (12:13), to the discussion with Pilate (18:33-39, 19:15) and the sign on the cross (19:19-21).

Eternal life is not explicitly mentioned in Isaiah 9:1-7, but the eternal nature of the kingdom is extended to its citizens, as eternal life is bestowed upon each of them (17:2). Notice that, in the discussion between Jesus and Nicodemus, being born-again is mentioned to be a necessity to see and enter the Kingdom of God (3:3, 5). Entering the kingdom is acknowledging Jesus as King, and this acknowledging bestows the eternal quality of the kingdom upon each of its subjects as eternal life (3:15,16, 5:21, 17:2). It is important to note also how in the three miracles that take place in or around Jerusalem, Jesus enables a man to see, enables a man to walk (so he can enter), and enables a man to live. Thus, these three miracles display how Jesus enables each one of us to see the Kingdom, to enter the Kingdom, and to receive eternal life.

A significant portion of the gospel is devoted to presenting Jesus as a judge (5:27-30, 7:16 - 8:26). Jesus teaches about and He exercises righteous judgements. Jesus brings against the Jewish authorities their inability to judge correctly (7:24). The words that Jesus uses should be very familiar to the Pharisees as this is an element of the Messianic prophecies in Isaiah (Jn 7:24; Isa 9:7, Isa 11:3-4). In the Psalms God is referred to as a righteous judge (Psalm 7:11, 9:4), thus the exercising of justice and righteousness is also related to Jesus’ divinity.

As an additional note, it is not an accident that the passage about the woman caught in adultery was placed right in the middle of the portion of the gospel that presents Jesus as the righteous judge.

As we have seen, the verses in the messianic prophecy we read in Isaiah 9:1-7 provide a type of structure that the gospel of John uses to tell us about Jesus’ birth, the things He said, and the things He did. We can see that each verse in Isaiah 9:1-7 delivers a theme that John expands and elaborates on. When seen as a whole, the Gospel of John is like a fabric rich in patterns, where the themes of Isaiah 9:1-7 are each a thread that weaves with the others to form harmonious, intricate, and beautiful shapes.

Considering all of this, it is possible that presenting Jesus as the fulfillment of Isaiah 9:1-7 is the theme that drives the narrative in the Gospel According to John, the theme that has perplexed us and has proven elusive to get a hold of for two-thousand years.

Themes Addressed by Deuteronomy and John 13-17

Both Moses and Jesus deliver farewell speeches. Moses’ is in the book of Deuteronomy and Jesus’ is in Ch 13-17. As we should expect, both deal with similar subjects. Here is a summary of the topics that Deuteronomy and John Ch 13-17 deal with in an order approximate to how they appear in both.

Theme

Deuteronomy

John

Leadership

Leaders of thousands, hundreds, fifties, tens: Dt 1:9-15

Leaders to be servants: Jn 13:12-16

The Way

The people try to find a route into the land: Dt 1:22-24

Jesus is the Way: Jn 14:6

Rebellion

The people refuse to take over the land: Dt 1:26-40

Judas leaves to betray Jesus: Jn 13:18-30

Going ahead of the people

God goes ahead: Dt 1:30,33, 9:3, 31:3,8

Jesus goes to prepare a place: Jn 14:3

Commandments

The Ten Commandments: Dt 5:6-21

A new commandment: Jn 13:34, 15:12, 17

God speaking face to face

At Mount Sinai from the midst of the fire: Dt 5:4, Moses, Dt 34:10

Jesus speaking to Thomas and Philip: Jn 14:7-10

A successor

Joshua to succeed Moses: Dt 1:38, 3:28, 31:1-8, 34:9

The Holy Spirit to succeed Jesus: Jn 14:16-18

The oneness of God

The Shíma: Dt 6:4

Jesus and the Father are one: Jn 14:10-11

Bearing fruit

Physical fruit (womb, ground, herd, flock): Dt 7:13-14

Spiritual fruit: Jn 15:5-7

Listening to the voice of God

A warning about not listening: Dt 8:20

A warning from Jesus: Jn 14:23-24

Not only with those present

A covenant with those not present: Dt 29:14-15

Jesus prays for those that will come to believe: Jn 17:20

To live is to know God

Destruction for bowing to gods they did not know: Dt 29:26

Eternal life is knowing the Father: Jn 17:3

Loving God is obedience

Dt 30:16

Jn 14:23

Choose life

Dt 30:19

Jn 17:3

Encouragement

Moses encourages the people: Dt 31:6

Jesus encourages the disciples: Jn 14:1

Promise of presence

God will not abandon them: Dt 31:8

Jesus will not leave the disciples as orphans: Jn 14:18, 20

Guidance to follow

Justice: 16:20

The Holy Spirit: 16:13

The Vine

The enemy of Israel: Dt 32:32-33

The Good Vine: Jn 15:1-8

Abide in Jesus

Hold fast to God: Dt 10:20, 11:22, 13:4, 30:20

Abide, remain in Jesus: Jn 15:4-5

Choosing the people

God chose Israel: Dt 7:7-8

Jesus chose the disciples: Jn 15:16

An intercessor

Moses intercedes for the people: Dt 9:16-20

Jesus intercedes for the believers: Jn 17:9

A treasured possession

The people a treasured possession: Dt 7:6, 9:29, 14:2, 26:18

The disciples represent the treasured possession: Jn 17:10

A prayer: First fruits

Presentation of first fruits: Dt 26:2

Jesus presents the disciples: Jn 17:6-8, 26

A prayer: Obedience

A recitation declaring having kept the commandments: Dt 26:13-14

Jesus states that He has completed His work: Jn 17:4

A prayer: Glory

Following the Law brings praise, fame, and honor: Dt 26:18-19

Jesus asks for and declares His glory: Jn 17:1, 5, 24

Up a mountain to die

Dt 32:49-50

After His speech, Jesus is arrested, condemned, and goes to the place called Golgotha to die on the cross. The gospels do not mention that Golgotha was a hill or a mountain but the place that for centuries has been as identified as Golgotha is a hill nearby Jerusalem.

The New Birth

In 3:10, Jesus says to Nicodemus “You are the teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?” Jesus’ stern reproach to Nicodemus usually prompts a hunt for the book, chapter, and verse in the Old Testament that might speak about a second birth. But rather than containing verses describing an explicit new birth, there are a number of notions in the Old Testament that would imply the necessity of a new birth, in particular of a new national birth.

The first notion is that the first birth of the nation of Israel had not yielded a people obedient to God. We know that the gestation of the nation took place in Egypt (Gen 46:3, Dt 26:5), and that Israel came out of Egypt as a nation (Dt 4:20). The verb for go out or depart in Ex 12:31 and 12:41 is the same as the one translated as come from in Ex 1:5. Thus, most commentators would agree that the birth of Israel was somewhere between crossing the Red Sea and the encounter with God at Sinai; some even see the walls made by waters of the Red Sea as a type of birth canal for the nation. When Jesus speaks of being born of water (3:5), He is likely referring to this first birth of Israel. Ezekiel describes God’s care to this infant nation (Ezk 16:4-14).

However, the physical liberation from Egypt was not a spiritual liberation as Israel remained a slave to sin (Ex 32:1-4; Is 48:8; Ezk 20:6-8). As a result, the Sinai covenant would be forgotten (Jer 3:16) and replaced with a new covenant (Jer 31:31-34).

The second notion is that the promise of the giving of the Holy Spirit was still outstanding. The prophets had announced on multiple occasions that the Holy Spirit would be poured upon the people (Is 32:15-18, 44:2-3, 59:20-21; Ezk 36:25-27, 39:29; Joe 2:28-29). The giving of the Holy Spirit is transformative, and yields a new person; we see this when Samuel speaks to Saul (1Sa 10:6). On Pentecost Peter is no longer a timid follower, unable to fulfill his role as in the night when Jesus was arrested, the Holy Spirit has changed him into new man.

The third notion is that Israel was in a state in which God could not take Israel back. The prophet Jeremiah declared this in different forms. God could not take Israel back after having divorced her (Dt 24:1-4; Jer 3:1). Israel was like silver from which the impurities could not be removed (Jer 6:28-30). Israel was like a garment that had been ruined in the mud (Jer 13:6-7). Israel could not do anything about her nature like a leopard could not change its spots (Jer 13:23). However, Jeremiah declared that Israel would be a virgin again (Jer 31:3-4). For God to take Israel back as a bride, a national rebirth would have to take place.

Jesus is telling Nicodemus that, as a teacher of the Law, it should be evident to him that the first birth of the nation and the Sinai covenant did not result in a people obedient to God. Jesus also points to the need of a second national birth as the plural you in 3:7 conveys. Being the passing through the Red Sea a birth of water, the second birth, of Spirit, points to Pentecost in Acts 2. The links between passing through the sea (the first birth) and the giving of the Holy Spirit (the second birth) is in Isa 63:11-12. A nation reborn needs a new name, announced in Isa 62:2, and circumcision, proclaimed in Jer 4:4.

Dt 29:4, Ezk 11:19-20, and Ezk 36:26-27, which speak of the giving of a spiritual heart, eyes, and ears. Jesus implies we need eyes (3:3), ears (5:37) to interact with God (6:46). Each person who is born again is given a spiritual body to enable them to interact with God.

The Woman at the Well

the Samaritan woman as a foreshadow of the bride of Jesus. In Chapter 4 we read about Jesus interacting with the Samaritans, eating with them, and even lodging with them. This is likely the reason why Jesus was called a Samaritan (8:48) and it surely was not meant as a compliment; John is the only gospel that tells us this about Jesus.

The origin of the Samaritans goes back several hundred years. Israel had been a united kingdom under the rule of Saul, David, and Salomon. Rehoboam son of Solomon made unwise decisions and provoked the breaking up of the kingdom into a Northern and a Southern kingdom. Samaria (1Ki 16:24) and Jerusalem were their respective capitals. The Northern kingdom was conquered and sent into exile by the Assyrians (ca. 720 BC). The Southern kingdom was conquered and sent into exile by Babylonians (ca. 585 BC). The Assyrians brought other peoples to settle in the region of the Northern kingdom, and they intermarried with the Jewish groups that had not gone into exile; they were look down by the exiles who later returned from Babylon.

The Samaritan woman as a picture of the church

In The Art of Biblical Narrative, Robert Alter presented what he called the betrothal type-scene. Three instances of the betrothal type-scene occur in the Torah, two in Genesis and one in Exodus: when Abraham’s servant is looking for a bride for Isaac (Gen 24), when Jacob is traveling to his grandfather’s land to find a wife (Gen 29:1-20), and when Moses is fleeing from Egypt (Ex 2:15-22).

The motifs shared by the narratives of the betrothal type-scenes that Alter identifies are

• The emergence of the man (a bridegroom to-be or a surrogate) from the family circle.

• To find a mate, the man journeys to a foreign land.

• A well.

• A woman approaches the well.

• Drawing water from the well establishes a bond – male-female, host-guest, benefactor-benefited – between the stranger and the girl.

• Excited running by the woman to bring the news.

• Display of hospitality towards the man with a meal and lodging.

• A final betrothal takes place between the visitor and the woman

Though Alter’s attention is on the Old Testament, the betrothal type-scene is rather relevant to the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman.

When Jesus learns that the Pharisees know that His following is growing, Jesus decides to go back to Galilee and the scripture tells us that He had to go through Samaria (4:4). Here we have the first two elements of the betrothal type-scene. Jesus a member of the tribe of Juda goes into a foreign land, Samaria. Just as Abraham’s servant following Abraham’s instructions, or as Jacob flees his brother Esau, or Moses as he flees from Pharaoh, they all travel to another land where they are considered foreigners.

Abraham’s servant waits by the well as Rebekah approaches and draws water for the camels. As Rachel approaches, Jacob rolls the stone that covers the well waters the flock. And Moses droves away the shepherds that were harassing the seven daughters of Jethro and helps drawing water for the flocks too. In these three instances, the men are at well before the woman approaches.

In John, we read that Jesus being tired from His journey waits next a well while His disciples had gone to buy food (4:6-7), the woman approaches the well, there is an interaction between them. We see other elements of the betrothal type-scene as the Samaritan leaves the water pot and runs to share the news about Jesus (4:28). It is not hard to imagine that the reason why the woman left her water pot was because was so excited to bring the news. We read the same reaction by Rebekah, and Rachel. There is no mentioning of Zipporah running back excitedly but she does go back and brings to news to her father along with her sisters.

We also read the hospitality is displayed towards Jesus and He stays with them two days (4:40), He stays and eats with them just as Abraham’s servant, Jacob, and Moses did.

There is a glaring crucial difference between the story we read in John and the three stories from the Torah. In the three stories from the Torah, a marriage takes place afterwards. Rebekah goes back with Abraham’s servant and marries Isaac, Jacob stays and marries Rachel (albeit after marrying Leah too), and Moses stays and marries Zipporah. In the story in John, there is no marriage mentioned, but it would not be surprising if earlier audiences hearing this story would expect the story to be continued by a wedding.

Consequently, we can think of the Samaritan woman as a picture of the bride of Jesus. The bride of Jesus, the church, the universal group of believers, is a mix of Jewish and gentiles in an imperfect state for whom Jesus will come back and marry at the end of time.

Chapter 1

The Deity of Jesus Christ

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

In the beginning takes us immediately to the Creation story. On the first day of creation (Gen 1:1-5) we see God, life (the Spirit), the Word (spoken), and light (separated from darkness). V. 1-5 show the fullness of all these in Jesus.

The Word was God, Gen 15:4-5 may be read as an interaction between the Word and Abraham. Jer 1:11-14 presents two instances where the Word and the LORD are presented as equivalent.

The first two words in John, Ἐν ἀρχῇ, are the same first two words of Genesis in the Septuagint, Ἐν ἀρχῇ.

He was in the beginning with God.

The eternal character of the Word.

All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being.

The Word was the agent of creation.

In Him was life, and the life was the Light of mankind.

Jesus’ ministry was a life-giving ministry.

And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not grasp it.

A fulfillment of Is 9:2.

Implicit declaration of the Word’s divinity; see Dt 33:2 and Ps 27:1 where the LORD dawns and shines on the people.

Light and darkness were separated in Gen 1:4, darkness cannot get a hold of light.

See also 2Co 4:6, Eph 5:8-14.

The Witness John the Baptist

A man came, one sent from God, and his name was John.

John was Jesus’ relative (Lk 1:36). John’s father was Zechariah, a priest, a Levite (Lk 1:5)

He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him.

We are all called to be witnesses (Act 1:8).

This verse is the opening bracket in the gospel calling to people to believe. The closing bracket is 20:21.

He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.

This was the true Light that, coming into the world, enlightens every person.

See 2Co 4:6.

He was in the world, and the world came into being through Him, and yet the world did not know Him.

He came to His own, and His own people did not accept Him.

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name,

God’s intent is to form a family/household (Jn 1:12, 14:2; Is 43:5-7); a theme that Matthew also delves into (Mt 5:9, 6:9, 10:25, 12:50, 23:8-9).

who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of a man, but of God.

A pointer to the second birth.

Here man may be understood as both a male and a female.

The Word Made Flesh

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

A reference to Ex 3:8 where God comes down to deliver His people.

In Gen 1:27, man is created in the likeness of God, here God is made into the likeness of man.

Jesus is identified as “the Lamb” (v. 29), the passover lamb was to live with a family before being sacrificed (Ex 12:1-6).

A fulfillment of Lev 26:11-12 and a foreshadow of Rev 21:3.

Ex 25:8 and Ex 29:45-46 bracket the section in Exodus about the Tabernacle and priests, which were needed for God to dwell among His people. Jesus is now the consecrated priest, who is needed so God can dwell among His people.

A restoration of the fellowship in the garden.

Dwelling among us, or pitching His tent is also a reference to the wilderness when God dwelt in the Tabernacle, see Ex 25:8-9, Rev 7:15 (tent over the people) and Num 26:11-12.

We only occurs in 1:14, 1:16 and 21:24.

John testified about Him and called out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who is coming after me has proved to be my superior, because He existed before me.’”

For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.

Grace upon grace is a reference to the abundant life we live in Jesus, an Isaiahn theme (Is 9:3).

“We” only occurs in 1:14,16 and 21:24. This has led some to believe that the prologue (v. 1-18) was a type of hymn or liturgical song.

For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.

The gospel draws numerous parallels between Moses and Jesus, in all instances Jesus offers something superior.

A picture of Jesus as a deliverer, an Isaiahn theme (Is 9:4).

No one has seen God at any time; God the only Son, who is in the arms of the Father, He has explained Him.

The Son is declared superior to Moses, Elijah, and other prophets, as only He has seen God, see 5:37, 6:46, and 1Jn 4:12.

Seeing the kingdom and God is a promise, see 3:3, Rev 22:4.

Other commentators have pointed out how this verse and 13:23 show that the relationship Jesus-disciple is modeled after the relationship Father-Son (Jesus).

The Testimony of John the Baptist

This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites to him from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”

A special envoy from the Jewish temple authorities, likely a Sadducee group.

The Levites were workers at the temple (Dt 10:8).

And he confessed and did not deny; and this is what he confessed: “I am not the Christ.”

Christ means Anointed One (a common term for the King of Israel, e.g. 1 Sam 2:10, 2 Sam 1:14, 16, 2:4, 3:39), the Messiah.

And so they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”

The coming of the Messiah was believed a eschatological event to signal the end of time, and Mal 4:5 indicates Elijah will come before the Messiah.

The Prophet refers to the promise in Dt 18:15. See 6:14, 7:40, Acts 3:21-22. The priests and Levites sent to inquiry John seem to think that the Messiah and the Prophet are two different people. This gospel affirms Jesus is both.

Then they said to him, “Who are you? Tell us, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

He said, “I am THE VOICE OF ONE CALLING OUT IN THE WILDERNESS, ‘MAKE THE WAY OF THE LORD STRAIGHT,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.”

Is 40:3-5 is understood to refer to the return of Israel from their captivity in Babylon. Thus that physical return became a foreshadow of the gathering of the people of God that Jesus’ ministry will make possible.

And the messengers had been sent from the Pharisees.

A second special envoy not directly connected to the temple authorities, see v. 19.

They asked him, and said to him, “Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”

John answered them, saying, “I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know.

It is He who comes after me, of whom I am not worthy even to untie the strap of His sandal.”

These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing people.

Bethany was on the east side of the Jordan river (Is 9:1). Perhaps a reference to the need to re-enter the promised land (a national re-birth). As they entered from the east side of the Jordan after being in the wilderness for forty years.

The next day he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

A sequence of days, like in the creation story (1:29, 35, 43).

A reference to the creation story, God saw that His creation was good; also in v. 32, 33, 36.

Jesus is our Passover Lamb (Ex 12:1-6; 1Co 5:7), a name of the Messiah, an Isaiahn theme (Is 9:6).

Removing the sins of the world makes peace with God possible (e.g. Act 10:36; Rom 5:1,10; Eph 2:14), an Isaiahn theme (Is 9:5).

A fulfillment of Gen 22:8.

This is He in behalf of whom I said, ‘After me is coming a Man who has proved to be my superior, because He existed before me.’

And I did not recognize Him, but so that He would be revealed to Israel, I came baptizing in water.”

And John testified, saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him.

And I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’

Pictures of the Spirit given as water, thus a picture of baptism, are in Is 32:14-20, 44:1-4.

And I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.”

Jesus’ Public Ministry; First Converts

Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples,

Note that some of Jesus’ disciples were John’s before.

A sequence of days, like in the creation story (1:29, 35, 43).

and he looked at Jesus as He walked, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God!”

And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.

And Jesus turned and saw them following, and said to them, “What are you seeking?” They said to Him, “Rabbi (which translated means Teacher), where are You staying?”

He said to them, “Come, and you will see.” So they came and saw where He was staying, and they stayed with Him that day; it was about the tenth hour.

A similar expression in v. 46, 4:29, and 11:34.

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

Andrew was one of the two disciples mentioned in v. 35. The other is an unnamed disciple who appears throughout the gospel and is usually with Peter nearby (1:40, 21:2-3, 13:23-24, 20:2, 21:7, 21:20). This unnamed disciple is believed to be the writer of this gospel and would not be John son of Zebedee as v. 21:2 mentions them as two distinct people.

He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means Christ).

He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).

The next day He decided to go to Galilee, and He found Philip. And Jesus said to him, “Follow Me.”

The first mentioning of Galilee, and Isaiahn theme (Is 9:1).

A sequence of days, like in the creation story (1:29, 35, 43).

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

Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses wrote in the Law, and the prophets also wrote: Jesus the son of Joseph, from Nazareth!”

Philip follows the example of John of pointing to the Messiah. This gospel gives us the name of Jesus’ father but not of His mother, see 2:3.

Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good be from Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”

Nazareth was in Galilee, Nathaniel was from Cana also in Galilee, perhaps this denotes a kind of rivalry between the cities. Philip repeats what Jesus said to him in v. 39.

Jesus saw Nathanael coming to Him, and said of him, “Here is truly an Israelite, in whom there is no deceit!”

Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.”

A reference to times of peace and the kingdom to come (1Ki 4:25; Is 36:16; Mic 4:4; Zch 3:10).

Nathanael answered Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel!”

Notice Nathaniel calls Jesus the King of Israel, who would be a son of David; thus a fulfillment of Is 9:7. The title King of Israel is only used here and in 12:13. Pilate gives Jesus the title King of the Jews.

Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you that I saw you under the fig tree, do you believe? You will see greater things than these.”

And He said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Jesus promises Nathaniel revelations similar to those given to Jacob, see Gen 28:12.

Chapter 2

Miracle at Cana

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there;

Messianic prophecy and imagery includes a banquet prepared by God (Is 25:6).

We are to understand that the son, the groom, is Jesus and the bride is the church (Is 61:10; Mt 9:15; 2Co 11:2; Eph 5:25-27; Rev 19:7, 21:2, 21:9).

The first of the signs takes place in Galilee (2:1, 11), and Isaiahn theme (Is 9:1).

and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding.

When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”

Having no wine evokes the time in the wilderness (Dt 29:6).

And Jesus said to her, “What business do you have with Me, woman? My hour has not yet come.”

Our prayers and petitions can be answered even if they do not align with God’s plan.

The hour is mentioned in 2:4, 12:23, 17:1.

His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He tells you, do it.”

This is a commandment given by Jesus’ mother, Mary. God the Father gives a similar commandment (Mt 17:5, Mk 9:7, Lk 9:35). Everything is submitted to Jesus’ authority (1Co 15:27).

Joseph is perhaps the strongest Messianic figure in Genesis, see Gen 41:55.

Now there were six stone waterpots standing there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing two or three measures each.

Six denotes an incomplete set. Each one of us is the missing waterpot, and we ask Jesus to transform us.

A miracle of abundance in Galilee (Ps 23:5). Each jar was of two or three measures. Each measure was about 40 modern liters. Let us assume that each jar held 2.5 measures, that is 100 liters. If we consider modern measurements, with 750 ml per bottle, the amount of wine that Jesus provided for the wedding was about 800 bottles of wine. In cases, with 12 bottles in each, this would have been almost 70 cases of wine. We do not know how many people were in attendance and for how many days they continued celebrating but there was plenty of high-quality wine for the hosts not to feel embarrassed.

Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim.

And He said to them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” And they took it to him.

Now when the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the groom,

and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when the guests are drunk, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.”

New wine is a symbol of blessings (Gen 27:28; Dt 7:12-13, 11:13-14), of entering into God’s rest (Dt 33:27-28), and of the Messiah’s redemption (Jer 31:11-12; Hos 2:21-23; Zch 9:14-17).

This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and revealed His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.

The first plague, Ex 7:17-21, turned water into blood. Jesus’ first miracle turned water into wine. The former a picture of judgment, the former a picture of grace.

After this He went down to Capernaum, He and His mother, and His brothers and His disciples; and they stayed there a few days.

First Passover—Cleansing the Temple

The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

Three Passovers mentioned (2:13, 6:4, 11:55), thus the belief that Jesus preached for three years. This is the first one.

Instructions for the Passover and the Unleavened Bread holidays are in Ex 12:1-18 and Dt 16:1-8.

Three times a year the people were to go to Jerusalem to celebrate the feasts, Passover, Weeks, and Tabernacles (Ex 23:14-17, 34:23-24; Dt 16:16).

And within the temple grounds He found those who were selling oxen, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables.

The reason for there being sellers and money changers is in Dt 14:22-26. However they had corrupted God’s commandment into an evil practice.

And He made a whip of cords, and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables;

and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away from here; stop making My Father’s house a place of business!”

Jesus uses the term My Father’s house also in Lk 2:49.

However, 14:2 gives a different picture of the Father’s house.

See Is 56:7.

His disciples remembered that it was written: “ZEAL FOR YOUR HOUSE WILL CONSUME ME.”

A quote from Ps 69:9, a psalm about the crucifixion.

How do we show zeal for the house of God today?

The Jews then said to Him, “What sign do You show us as Your authority for doing these things?”

It was common practice to ask for a sign, see Ex 4:7-9, 1 Co 1:22, 2 Co 12:12. Jesus was indeed performing signs, see v. 23.

The authorities did not bring up the instructions given in Dt 14:22-26 to justify their practices. Jesus is demonstrating that the Law, which is supposed to give life, is being used to defile the temple. This prepares the reader for the new national birth needed and discussed with a teacher of the Law in the next chapter.

Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

Destroying the temple would erase the national identity, their monotheistic faith, it was what separated them from other nations. Jesus spoke frequently in terms that were difficult to understand , see 3:3-9, 4:10-14, 6:53-60.

In any case, the authorities asked for a sign but they did not take Him up on it.

The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and yet You will raise it up in three days?”

Other commentators have observed that the Herodian restoration started in 19 BC, 46 years after would make this event happen in 27 AD.

But He was speaking about the temple of His body.

In hindsight, John understands that Jesus was speaking about His body, which actually they did destroy.

Zch 6:12 says that the Branch, the Messiah, will build the temple, which we know is not a physical building.

So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.

The disciples needed the perspective of time to understand, we have that benefit now.

See 20:9.

Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name as they observed His signs which He was doing.

The first of three Passovers in Jesus’ ministry (2:23, 6:20, 11:55).

But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, because He knew all people,

and because He did not need anyone to testify about mankind, for He Himself knew what was in mankind.

Chapter 3

The New Birth

Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews;

We are not certain about the location where this encounter takes place, in the previous chapter, Jesus was in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. And verse 22 tells us they were not in Judea anymore.

Nicodemus appears three times in the gospel, he is a teacher of the Law and he is concerned about following the Law (7:50). He also helps prepare the burial of Jesus (19:39).

this man came to Jesus at night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”

Nicodemus comes to see Jesus at night, Jesus alludes to this fact in verses 20-21, perhaps in reproach.

To acknowledge that Jesus comes from God is a confession of faith that falls short of Nathaniel’s (1:49) or Martha’s (11:27).

Nicodemus paid attention to the signs Jesus had done (2:23) and now addresses Jesus with respect. However, we do not get the impression Nicodemus had placed his faith in Jesus like the people had done (2:23).

There are several passages that speak of nighttime or darkness that may be subtle or explicit references to darkness in a spiritual sense or may denote a state of despair (3:2, 3:19, 6:16-17, 8:12, 9:4, 11:9-10, 12:35, 12:46, 13:30, 18:3, 20:1, 20:19, 21:3). This evidence Jesus as the fulfillment of Is 9:2.

Jesus responded and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

One needs to see and enter (v. 5) the kingdom.

In 9:1-7, Jesus heals a blind man, a picture of Jesus enabling us to see the kingdom. See comment in 3:16.

Jesus might be alluding to Dt 29:4, Ezk 11:19-20, or Ezk 36:26-27, which speak of the giving of spiritual heart, eyes, and ears. Jesus implies we need eyes (3:3), ears (5:37) to interact with God (6:46).

1:18 points out that nobody has seen God, Jesus now explains that a re-birth is needed to see the kingdom and therefore God.

Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a person be born when he is old? He cannot enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born, can he?”

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

This verse complements v. 3. The new birth is necessary to enter the kingdom.

In 5:1-9, Jesus heals a paralytic man, a picture of Jesus enabling us to enter the kingdom. See comment in 3:16.

That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit.

Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

A bit lost in translation is the plural you in this verse; this points to the need for a second national birth. The first national birth occurred as they were leaving Egypt, crossing the sea and arriving in Sinai. The second is to occur on Pentecost, described in Acts 2.

The national rebirth is needed as the Father cannot take Israel back as a spouse after a divorce (Dt 24:1-4; Jer 3:1).

The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it is coming from and where it is going; so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.”

Being born of the spirit yields a new person (1Sa 10:6). For example, on Pentecost Peter is no longer a timid follower, unable to fulfill his role as in the night when Jesus was arrested (Mt 26:69-75; Mk 14:66-72; Lk 22:55-62; Jn 18:16-18, 25-27); the Holy Spirit has changed him into another man. A new person will take unexpected actions.

Jesus spoke frequently in terms that were difficult to understand (2:20, 3:3-9, 4:10-14, 6:53-60), a reflection of the Spirit’s seemingly random character.

Nicodemus responded and said to Him, “How can these things be?”

Perhaps Nicodemus should have considered that the promise of the Holy Spirit announced by the prophets was still to take place (Is 32:14-15, 44:2-3, 59:20-21; Ezk 36:25-27, 39:29; Joe 2:28-29) and should have also considered the transformative power of the Spirit (1Sa 10:6).

Jesus answered and said to him, “You are the teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?

Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you people do not accept our testimony.

The we know here contrasts with the we know of v. 2. Despite Nicodemus’ claiming to know that Jesus came from God in v. 2, Jesus charges that they do not accept Jesus’ testimony.

If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

No one has ascended into heaven, except He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man.

Jesus descended from heaven, next verse speaks of His being lifted up.

And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,

A contrast between Moses and Jesus. The serpent (Num 21:4-8) became a point everyone was to look out for. Jesus lifted up is then the banner (Ex 17:11-15; Is 11:10-12, 62:10-12).

Jesus being lifted up can also be a reference to the crucifixion (1Co 1:22-25), His resurrection, His ascension to heaven (He descended v.13), His place as a King of Israel.

so that everyone who believes will have eternal life in Him.

As Jesus descended from heaven and will be lifted up, everyone who believes in Him will also be lifted up and ascend into heaven.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.

God loves all (Ps 145:9).

As one is born again and is able to see (v.3) and enter (v.5) the kingdom, one is bestowed the eternal character of the kingdom and receives eternal life.

In 11:38-44, Jesus raises Lazarus from death, a picture of Jesus being able to defeat death for us. The miracles of the healings of the blind (9:1-7) and paralytic men (5:1-9) and the resurrection of Lazarus show how Jesus enables us to see and enter the kingdom as well as His power over death to give us eternal life. Each of these three miracles illustrates how a man experiences a re-birth and starts a new life, and combined unfold the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus.

For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him.

See 12:47.

The one who believes in Him is not judged; the one who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

Believing in Jesus is the same as believing in the name of Jesus.

And this is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the Light; for their deeds were evil.

Contrast between light and darkness.

For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light, so that his deeds will not be exposed.

Perhaps a criticism of Nicodemus coming to see Jesus at night (3:2).

But the one who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds will be revealed as having been performed in God.”

Notice the affinity between truth and light; see also 3:33.

John the Baptist’s Last Testimony

After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea; and there He was spending time with them and baptizing.

Now John also was baptizing in Aenon, near Salim, because there was an abundance of water there; and people were coming and being baptized—

for John had not yet been thrown into prison.

Then a matter of dispute developed on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew about purification.

And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing and all the people are coming to Him.”

The other side of the Jordan: perhaps a reference to the need to reenter the promised land (a national re-birth). As they entered from the east side of the Jordan after being in the wilderness for forty years. An Isaiah theme (Is 9:1).

John replied, “A person can receive not even one thing unless it has been given to him from heaven.

You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’

He who has the bride is the groom; but the friend of the groom, who stands and listens to him, rejoices greatly because of the groom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full.

He must increase, but I must decrease.

The re-birth that Jesus spoke to Nicodemus about starts the process of becoming like Him, of conforming to His image and likeness (Rom 8:29; 1Co 15:49; 2Co 3:18; Php 3:21; 1Jn 3:2).

“He who comes from above is above all; the one who is only from the earth is of the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.

In v. 31-36, it is not clear if John the Baptist or John the gospel’s author is speaking.

What He has seen and heard, of this He testifies; and no one accepts His testimony.

The one who has accepted His testimony has certified that God is true.

Notice the affinity between God and truth; see also 3:21.

For He whom God sent speaks the words of God; for He does not give the Spirit sparingly.

A promise of abundance (Is 9:3); the promised Spirit is to be given lavishly. Is 32:14-20, 44:1-4 present a picture of a drenching, soaking of the land that will produce fruit plentifully.

As the promised Prophet (Dt 18:18), Jesus speaks the words God gives Him (3:34, 7:16, 8:26, 8:28, 12:49, 14:10, 14:24, 17:8). This is a parallel between Moses and Jesus as Moses spoke what he heard from God (e.g., Ex 3:15, 6:2, 3:6, 3:9-10, 7:1-2, 7:8, 7:14, 7:19, 8:1, 8:5, 8:16, 8:20, 9:1, 9:13, 19:3, 19:6-7; Lev 1:2, 15:2, 18:2, 23:2, 23:10).

The Father loves the Son and has entrusted all things to His hand.

All authority given to Jesus is a fulfillment of Ps 8:6 and Dan 7:13-14, 27; and a point stressed throughout the NT (Jn 3:35; Rom 14:9; 1Co 15:27; Eph 1:20-22; Phl 2:9-11; Col 2:9-10; Heb 2:8; 1Pe 3:22).

The one who believes in the Son has eternal life; but the one who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”

The curse of the Fall remains on those who do not accept Jesus.

Chapter 4

Jesus Goes to Galilee

So then, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that He was making and baptizing more disciples than John

(although Jesus Himself was not baptizing; rather, His disciples were),

He left Judea and went away again to Galilee.

And He had to pass through Samaria.

It was customary to go around Samaria. We do not know why He had to go through Samaria, but perhaps this is the fulfillment of Ezk 16:53-55.

So He came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of land that Jacob gave to his son Joseph;

and Jacob’s well was there. So Jesus, tired from His journey, was just sitting by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

Jesus was tired.

The sixth hour is about 12 pm, when the heat might be at its highest.

The Woman of Samaria

A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.”

In Chapter 3 we see Jesus interacting with Nicodemus, a teacher and rules of Israel, an elevated member of society. Here Jesus interacts with a Samaritan woman, a rather low member of society.

For His disciples had gone away to the city to buy food.

So the Samaritan woman said to Him, “How is it that You, though You are a Jew, are asking me for a drink, though I am a Samaritan woman?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)

Notice the progression, she refers to Jesus as a Jew, then Sir (v. 11,15), then prophet (v. 19), then Messiah (v.29).

Jesus replied to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who is saying to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”

The spring of living water is a term for God (Jer 2:13, 17:13).

The Spirit is pictured as water in Is 32:14-20, 44:3-4 and Joel 2:28.

The giving of water in the wilderness was a reason for quarrel (Ex 17:6, Num 20:9-11).

She said to Him, “Sir, You have no bucket and the well is deep; where then do You get this living water?

You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well and drank of it himself, and his sons and his cattle?”

Jesus is greater than Jacob. See v. 20-21. See 8:53 where it is established that Jesus is greater than Abraham.

This is a reference to the origin of the people of Israel (and in a way a continuation of the conversation with Nicodemus). Jesus will also provide (living) water to the people after their re-birth.

Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again;

but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never be thirsty; but the water that I will give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up to eternal life.”

The spring of living water is a term for God (Jer 2:13, 17:13).

The promised land was described as plentiful in water from heaven (Dt 11:11-14). Jesus presents Himself as the fulfillment of Dt 11:11-14 and Zch 14:8.

The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water so that I will not be thirsty, nor come all the way here to draw water.”

Was the woman asking with a pleading tone? Or was she being sarcastic about this water and at the same time lamenting she had to come to the well to draw water? Or was she challenging Jesus to produce this living water?

He said to her, “Go, call your husband and come here.”

Since Jesus responds with a challenge Himself, the woman was probably challenging Jesus with her request for the living water in the previous verse.

The woman answered and said to Him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have correctly said, ‘I have no husband’;

Nobody needs to pretend anything in front of Jesus.

for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this which you have said is true.”

Most likely, the woman had not had five weddings; she had cohabitated with five men.

The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.

Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and yet you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one must worship.”

Moses gave instructions to worship at a single chosen place (Dt 12:5,11-14,18).

Jesus said to her, “Believe Me, woman, that a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.

Jesus is greater than Moses as He announces that the time of the temple at Jerusalem will come to an end, thus overriding the commandment in Deuteronomy about the single place of worship.

You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, because salvation is from the Jews.

But a time is coming, and even now has arrived, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.

God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.”

Jesus said to her, “I am He, the One speaking to you.”

Jesus declares “I am”, affirming His deity.

The words for I am, are ἐγώ εἰμι, sometimes they are translated as I am He. These two Greek words appear often in John’s gospel as I am as a self-identification (4:26, 6:20, 8:24, 8:28, 8:58, 13:19, 18:5, 18:6, 18:8); or with a phrase following, I am the … (6:35, 6:41, 6:48, 8:12, 9:5, 10:7, 10:9, 10:11, 10:14, 11:25, 14:6, 15:1), commonly known as the seven I am declarations in John. In the Septuagint, they also appear in Dt 32:39; Is 41:4, 43:10, 46:4; and as double I am, I am in Is 43:25 and 51:12.

And at this point His disciples came, and they were amazed that He had been speaking with a woman, yet no one said, “What are You seeking?” or, “Why are You speaking with her?”

So the woman left her waterpot and went into the city, and said to the people,

After Jesus reveals Himself to the woman (v. 26), she leaves her waterpot behind. This is a picture of renouncing the things of this world. She becomes a missionary.

“Come, see a Man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is He?”

Expressions like “come, see” are common in the gospel (1:39, 1:46, and 11:34)

They left the city and were coming to Him.

Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat something.”

But He said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.”

So the disciples were saying to one another, “No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?”

Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work.

See 6:27.

Do you not say, ‘There are still four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I tell you, raise your eyes and observe the fields, that they are white for harvest.

Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that the one who sows and the one who reaps may rejoice together.

For in this case the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’

I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have come into their labor.”

The Samaritans

Now from that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all the things that I have done.”

So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days.

Many more believed because of His word;

Apart from the prophetic word spoken to the woman, we do not know of any other signs performed by Jesus. Nevertheless, many believed.

and they were saying to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One truly is the Savior of the world.”

And after the two days, He departed from there for Galilee.

For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country.

So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, only because they had seen all the things that He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves also went to the feast.

See 2:23.

Healing an Official’s Son

Therefore He came again to Cana of Galilee, where He had made the water into wine. And there was a royal official whose son was sick at Capernaum.

Another miracle in Galilee. A royal official could have been a Jewish or Roman official.

When he heard that Jesus had come from Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and began asking Him to come down and heal his son; for he was at the point of death.

The official pleads Jesus to come to his house like Mary and Martha when Lazarus became sick (11:3).

Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe.”

From this comment, the royal official was probably Jewish and not Roman.

The royal official said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”

Jesus said to him, “Go; your son is alive.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went home.

The official believes Jesus’ word that it is not necessary for Him to come.

And as he was now going down, his slaves met him, saying that his son was alive.

So he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. Then they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.”

So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son is alive”; and he himself believed, and his entire household.

This is again a second sign that Jesus performed when He had come from Judea into Galilee.

This refers to the miracles in Galilee, we know that Jesus had performed many signs in Jerusalem (2:23).

Chapter 5

The Healing at Bethesda

After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

They were required to go to Jerusalem three times a year (Ex 23:14-17, Ex 34:22-23; Dt 16:16)

Now in Jerusalem, by the Sheep Gate, there is a pool which in Hebrew is called Bethesda, having five porticoes.

The miracles of the paralytic man, the blind man, and the raising of Lazarus form a unit.

All three happened near Jerusalem. The paralytic man is healed by the sheep gate (5:2), the blind man not too far from the temple (8:51, 9:1), and Lazarus in Bethany, about 2.7 Km (2 miles) from Jerusalem (11:18).

In these porticoes lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, limping, or paralyzed.

Now a man was there who had been ill for thirty-eight years.

Thirty-eight years is a long time. The text does not tell us he was sick from birth like in the case of the blind man (9:1) but rather that it was a consequence of sin (5:14).

The miracles of the paralytic man, the blind man, and the raising of Lazarus form a unit.

In all three miracles there is a delayed divine intervention that takes too long. There is a long period of time from the time of the infirmity until the miracle happens. The paralytic man has been ill for thirty-eight years, the blind mind is an adult and has been blind from birth, and Lazarus has been dead for four days. The paralytic man, the blind man, and Martha and Mary are at a stage where asking Jesus seems pointless, as though the circumstances might have depleted them from their strength and hope.

Jesus, upon seeing this man lying there and knowing that he had already been in that condition for a long time, said to him, “Do you want to get well?”

This is the first of three miracles that John tells us about but neither of the synoptic gospels included. These three miracles, the paralytic man, the blind man, and the raising of Lazarus form a unit.

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

He does not answer yes or no. Perhaps he has accepted his condition and has come to learn to live and be comfortable with it. We have no indication if the man’s reply was in resignation, or resentment, or hope that one day someone might help him.

Jesus said to him, “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.”

There is no explicit request from the man for Jesus to heal him.

Like Moses, Jesus is a deliverer; He releases this man from the bondage of this infirmity.

Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk.

Now it was a Sabbath on that day.

This evokes the creation story and portrays Jesus as the creator, who as He speaks, it becomes so.

A new life starts for this man. This is a picture of the spiritual rebirth that enables us to walk so we can enter the kingdom (Jn 3:5).

So the Jews were saying to the man who was cured, “It is a Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet.”

Num 15:32-36 outlines the case of a man carrying a load of wood on the Sabbath. The prophet Jeremiah admonished the people of Jerusalem about carrying loads on the Sabbath (Jer 17:19-27).

Jesus’ words to “pick up your pallet and walk” do not break the Sabbath’s regulations because the Sabbath is a day to celebrate deliverance, liberation (Dt 5:12; Lk 13:15). Jesus released the man from the bondage of infirmity and gave him a new life. Carrying the pallet is a picture of having been liberated, of triumph.

A miracle with a similar lesson to teach is in Lk 13:10-17; the Sabbath is a day to free people from bondage.

But he answered them, “He who made me well was the one who said to me, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk.’”

In the Fall, God asks Adam if he has eaten from the tree, Adam shifts the blame to Eve. Here the Jewish authorities question the man about the Sabbath and he shifts the blame to Jesus.

They asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Pick it up and walk’?”

But the man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away while there was a crowd in that place.

Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you.”

We learned that the condition of the man was the result of sin in his life (Dt 28:20-22). Though we do not see a confession of faith or repentance from the man, Jesus has the authority and the power to reverse the effects of sin .

The miracles of the paralytic man, the blind man, and the raising of Lazarus form a cycle.

The story of the blind man points to the healing of the paralytic as the blindness is suspected to be a consequence of sin (9:2).

The man went away, and informed the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

For this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on a Sabbath.

The paralytic man has been healed and, instead of rejoicing about seeing God’s power in action, the authorities are concerned about their own Sabbath regulations (5:16, 9:14). After the blind man receives his sight, what should have been a joyous moment for his parents becomes an occasion for threats and intimidation from the authorities (9:22). When the authorities hear about Lazarus, their concern is maintaining a political structure rather than a recognition of a mighty prophet in their midst (11:48).

But He answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.”

Jesus is not denying that He did some type of work on the Sabbath. He is saying that the work of creation is ongoing and that the Sabbath is a day to liberate people (Dt 5:15).

Jesus affirms His equality with God in different regards: in Their nature and character, in honor, life-giving, and in judgment.

In regard to nature and character, Jesus calls God His Father (5:17), both are life-giving beings (5:21, 24-26, 28-28), and states Their actions are indistinguishable (5:19).

In regard to honor, both receive honor (5:23).

In regard to judgment, the Father has given the authority to the Son (5:22, 24, 27, 29-30).

Jesus’ Equality with God

For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.

The Jews understand what calling God Father meant (Ps 2:11-12).

Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in the same way.

We are to emulate God in our actions, Imitatio Dei. Our actions, like Jesus’, are to reflect the character of God.

The commandments are not just instructions to execute. The commandments describe what the Father does, so we do likewise. The commandment is to keep the Sabbath because God keeps the Sabbath (Ex 20:11).

For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will be amazed.

For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes.

For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son,

so that all will honor the Son just as they honor the Father. The one who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, the one who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.

Compare the one who hears in this verse with the dead who will hear in the next verse. Both the living and the dead hear Jesus’ words/voice.

Two Resurrections

Truly, truly, I say to you, a time is coming and even now has arrived, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.

The miracles of the paralytic man, the blind man, and the raising of Lazarus form a unit.

The miracle of the paralytic points to the raising of Lazarus (5:25, 28), the raising of Lazarus points to the healing of the blind man (11:37), the healing of the blind man points to the healing of the paralytic (5:14, 9:2).

For just as the Father has life in Himself, so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself;

and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man.

Do not be amazed at this; for a time is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear His voice,

Here the miracle of the paralytic man points to the raising of Lazarus.

and will come out: those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the bad deeds to a resurrection of judgment.

“I can do nothing on My own. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of Him who sent Me.

“If I alone testify about Myself, My testimony is not true.

There is another who testifies about Me, and I know that the testimony which He gives about Me is true.

The following verses show the testimonies of five witnesses that speak about Jesus, John the Baptist, Jesus’ works, the Father, the Scriptures, Moses.

Testimony of John the Baptist

You have sent messengers to John, and he has testified to the truth.

John is the first witness presented.

But the testimony I receive is not from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved.

He was the lamp that was burning and shining, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.

Testimony of Works

But the testimony I have is greater than the testimony of John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish—the very works that I do—testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me.

The works that Jesus performs testify about Him. This is the second witness.

Jesus had a job to complete (19:30).

Testimony of the Father

And the Father who sent Me, He has testified about Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form.

The Father testifies about Jesus. He is the third witness presented.

Jesus points out the need for spiritual ears and eyes.

Also you do not have His word remaining in you, because you do not believe Him whom He sent.

Jesus also points out the need for a new heart to receive His word.

The lack of heart, eyes, and ears is mentioned in Dt 29:3.

Testimony of the Scripture

You examine the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is those very Scriptures that testify about Me;

The Scriptures testify about Jesus, the Scriptures are the fourth witness presented.

Jesus does not deny that the scriptures lead to life (Dt 30:19), His reproach is not to recognize Jesus from the scriptures.

and yet you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.

The scriptures lead to life because they lead to Jesus.

Jesus surpasses the scriptures.

I do not receive glory from people;

but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves.

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

How can you believe, when you accept glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?

Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have put your hope.

We are not to set our hope in men (Is 2:22, Jer 17:5-8).

Moses was the intercessor of Israel (Ps 106:23, Ex 32:7-14, Dt 9:11-20).

But Moses called the heavens and the earth (Dt 30:19), and left a song (Dt 31:19) and the Book of Law as witnesses against Israel (Dt 31:26).

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

Moses is the fifth witness presented.

One of the writings of Moses about Jesus was Dt 18:15. The authorities do not ask Jesus for particular instances.

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

Chapter 6

Five Thousand Men Fed

After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias).

The miracle in Ch 5 took place in Jerusalem (5:1), here we see Jesus back to Galilee.

A large crowd was following Him, because they were watching the signs which He was performing on those who were sick.

But Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.

Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near.

The feeding of the five thousand evokes the feeding of Israel with manna (Ex 16:4-5) and since it happened close to the Passover, it also evokes the liberation from Egypt. The parallels with the Passover continue with discussion about manna (6:30-32) and grumbling from the crowd (6:41).

Three Passovers mentioned (2:13, 6:4, 11:55), thus the belief that Jesus preached for three years. This is the second one.

So Jesus, after raising His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread so that these people may eat?”

But He was saying this only to test him, for He Himself knew what He intended to do.

Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not enough for them, for each to receive just a little!”

It seems that Philip would be content with everyone having something little to eat. Jesus will provide more than enough for everyone (6:11).

One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him,

“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are these for so many people?”

What do each one of us have so seemingly small that can be offered to be multiplied?

Since the barley harvest is in the spring, it is rather possible that the unleavened bread of the Passover is barley and not wheat bread; this verse and 6:4 link these two.

Jesus said, “Have the people recline to eat.” Now there was plenty of grass in the place. So the men reclined, about five thousand in number.

A picture of a shepherd and his flock. A shepherd is responsible for bringing the sheep to grasslands where they can eat.

This text strongly evokes Ps 23:1-2.

Jesus then took the loaves, and after giving thanks He distributed them to those who were reclining; likewise also of the fish, as much as they wanted.

This is the only miracle that is reported in all four gospels (Mt 14:13-18; Mk 6:32-44; Lk 9:10-17; Jn 6:1-13). A miracle of abundance in Galilee (Ps 23:5; Is 9:3). Verses 10-11 evoke the description of the promised land (Dt 11:14-15).

The word for the action of giving thanks is εὐχαριστία, eucharist. The verb is εὐχαριστέω. Giving thanks is an important action here as there is a reference back to this verse mentioned in 6:23. Jesus also gives thanks in 11:41. This miracle is a unit with the Last Supper as there will be a discussion about eating the body and drinking the blood of Jesus (6:35-59).

Messianic prophecy and imagery includes a banquet prepared by God (Is 25:6; Mt 8:11). Other Messianic motives include sitting on grass (Ps 23:2).

And when they had eaten their fill, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the leftover pieces so that nothing will be lost.”

Even in abundance, we are not to be wasteful.

So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with pieces from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten.

The number twelve may be taken as to symbolize the twelve tribes of Israel. The five might represent the five books in the Torah, especially if we take the barley to recall the Passover.

Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”

The Prophet is promised in Dt 18:15. The people understood the promised Prophet would also become king.

Jesus Walks on the Water

So Jesus, aware that they intended to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself, alone.

The people longed for the times when there was a king over Israel.

Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea,

A reference to darkness, a sign of the upcoming storm.

and after getting into a boat, they started to cross the sea to Capernaum. It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them.

In addition, the sea began getting rough, because a strong wind was blowing.

Then, when they had rowed about twenty-five or thirty stadia, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat; and they were frightened.

By walking on the water, Jesus demonstrates His divinity (Job 9:8; Ps 77:19; Is 43:16) and authority over creation .

But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.”

The words for it is I, ἐγώ εἰμι, could also translate as I am; sometimes they are translated as I am He. These two Greek words appear often in John’s gospel as I am as a self-identification (4:26, 6:20, 8:24, 8:28, 8:58, 13:19, 18:5, 18:6, 18:8); or with a phrase following, I am the … (6:35, 6:41, 6:48, 8:12, 9:5, 10:7, 10:9, 10:11, 10:14, 11:25, 14:6, 15:1), commonly known as the seven I am declarations in John. In the Septuagint, they also appear in Dt 32:39; Is 41:4, 43:10, 46:4; and as double I am, I am in Is 43:25 and 51:12.

So they were willing to take Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

The next day the crowd that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other small boat there except one, and that Jesus had not gotten into the boat with His disciples, but that His disciples had departed alone.

Other small boats came from Tiberias near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks.

The word for the action of giving thanks is εὐχαριστία, eucharist; the verb is εὐχαριστέω, this brings to mind the Last Supper. This verse highlights the importance of the action in 6:11 and reminds the reader about that fact because there is an impending discussion about eating the body and drinking the blood of Jesus (6:35-59).

So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they themselves got into the small boats and came to Capernaum, looking for Jesus.

And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?”

Words to the People

Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate some of the loaves and were filled.

Do we seek Jesus only because we get a free lunch?

Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that lasts for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.”

Therefore they said to Him, “What are we to do, so that we may accomplish the works of God?”

Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”

So they said to Him, “What then are You doing as a sign, so that we may see, and believe You? What work are You performing?

Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘HE GAVE THEM BREAD OUT OF HEAVEN TO EAT.’”

Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven.

A contrast between the ministry of Moses and the ministry of Jesus (Ex 16:1-34).

For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven and gives life to the world.”

Then they said to Him, “Lord, always give us this bread.”

A request similar to the Samaritan woman’s (4:15).

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; the one who comes to Me will not be hungry, and the one who believes in Me will never be thirsty.

Jesus makes a reference to the elements provided in the wilderness, water from the rock, and manna from heaven.

The promised land was described as plentiful in water from heaven (Dt 11:11-14). Jesus presents Himself as the fulfillment of Dt 11:11-14 and Zch 14:8.

This is one of the I am … declarations in this gospel with a phrase following (6:35, 6:41, 6:48, 8:12, 9:5, 10:7, 10:9, 10:11, 10:14, 11:25, 14:6, 15:1).

But I said to you that you have indeed seen Me, and yet you do not believe.

Everything that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I certainly will not cast out.

For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of everything that He has given Me I will lose nothing, but will raise it up on the last day.

For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”

Words to the Jews

So then the Jews were complaining about Him because He said, “I am the bread that came down out of heaven.”

The people grumbling about Jesus evokes the grumbling about Moses in the wilderness.

This is one of the I am … declarations in this gospel with a phrase following (6:35, 6:41, 6:48, 8:12, 9:5, 10:7, 10:9, 10:11, 10:14, 11:25, 14:6, 15:1).

And they were saying, “Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say, ‘I have come down out of heaven’?”

The Samaritan woman and the people of her town had a very different reaction to the teachings of Jesus.

Jesus answered and said to them, “Stop complaining among yourselves.

Jesus is not about to plead for their understanding. Rather, He raises the stakes and tells them that the bread from heaven is His flesh.

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

It is written in the Prophets: ‘AND THEY SHALL ALL BE TAUGHT OF GOD.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me.

Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father.

The consequences of seeing God is death (Jdg 13:2-23, and Ex 33:18-23).

Moses spoke to God face to face (Ex 33:11) but Moses did not see God’s face.

Truly, truly, I say to you, the one who believes has eternal life.

I am the bread of life.

This is one of the I am … declarations in this gospel with a phrase following (6:35, 6:41, 6:48, 8:12, 9:5, 10:7, 10:9, 10:11, 10:14, 11:25, 14:6, 15:1).

Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died.

This is the bread that comes down out of heaven, so that anyone may eat from it and not die.

Like Moses, Jesus fed the people with bread that came from heaven (Ex 16:4).

I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats from this bread, he will live forever; and the bread which I will give for the life of the world also is My flesh.”

Eating the body of Jesus represents the process of becoming like Him, of conforming to His image and likeness (Rom 8:29; 1Co 15:49; 2Co 3:18; Php 3:21; 1Jn 3:2). This is in contrast with eating the bread of wickedness and drinking the wine of violence (Prv 4:17).

Jesus illustrates this further when referring to Himself as the vine and to us as the branches, and how the vine provides nurturing for the branches (15:5-6).

Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?”

Jesus is not about to plead for their understanding. Rather, He raises the stakes and tells them they need to drink His blood too.

So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves.

Saying that they need to drink His blood and eat His flesh sounds more outlandish than destroying the temple and raising it again in three days (2:19).

Drinking blood was strictly forbidden in the Torah (Gen 9:4; Lv 7:26-27, 17:10-14, 19:26; Dt 12:16, 12:23-24, 15:23) and recommended against in the letter send from the Council at Jerusalem (Act 15:20, 29). The key is that the blood represents life (Gen 9:4; Lv 17:10-14); thus Jesus is giving us His life through His blood and He is saying that only the life He possesses and gives is true life, eternal life.

The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.

Eating His flesh makes us like Him, drinking His blood gives us His life.

Similar language can be seen in Pr 4:17, these words should not have been as surprising.

For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink.

The one who eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me, and I in him.

This verse is the link to understand this teaching, which is about remaining in Jesus. The Greek word for remain is μενω. A form of this word appears in 15:5-6 also in the context of remaining with Jesus. When the verses about eating the body and drinking the blood of Jesus are pieced together with the picture of remaining in Jesus as that of a vine and the branches in 15:4-10, we have the same teaching using two illustrations.

In the teaching in Ch 15, the picture of the branches depending on the vine to receive the elements needed to live is another illustration of eating the body and drinking the blood of Jesus. The sap that runs along the branches would be the blood Jesus is referring to and that gives life.

Just as the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, the one who eats Me, he also will live because of Me.

This is the bread that came down out of heaven, not as the fathers ate and died; the one who eats this bread will live forever.”

This discussion (6:32-58) forms a unit with the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand (6:1-13). There Jesus gives thanks (6:11). The word for the action of giving thanks is εὐχαριστία, eucharist, which brings to mind the Last Supper. The disciples will hear again this teaching about eating Jesus’ body and drinking His blood during the Last Supper (Mt 26:26-29; Mk 14:22-25; Lk 22:17-20).

Words to the Disciples

These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.

Jesus is at the synagogue (most likely on a Sabbath) speaking about drinking blood.

So then many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This statement is very unpleasant; who can listen to it?”

But Jesus, aware that His disciples were complaining about this, said to them, “Is this offensive to you?

What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before?

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh provides no benefit; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit, and are life.

But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray Him.

And He was saying, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.”

Peter’s Confession of Faith

As a result of this many of His disciples left, and would no longer walk with Him.

In other instances, the disciples approach Jesus in private and ask Him the meaning of parables (Mt 15:15, 13:36, Mk 7:17).

Many disciples no longer follow Jesus as they find His words too difficult to accept. They were perhaps too afraid to ask for an explanation or not interested in understanding. We also need to show patience to understand God.

So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to leave also, do you?”

Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life.

The disciples will hear again the teaching about eating Jesus’ body and drinking His blood during the Last Supper (Mt 26:26-29; Mk 14:22-25; Lk 22:17-20).

And we have already believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.”

Jesus answered them, “Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.”

Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot; for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him.

Chapter 7

Jesus Teaches at the Feast

After these things Jesus was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him.

In Galilee.

Jesus is not afraid; He will give up His life voluntarily when the time comes.

Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was near.

Three times a year people were to travel to Jerusalem (Ex 23:14-17; Ex 34:23-24; Dt 16:16).

The Feast of Tabernacles has a eschatological character and is thus related to the final judgement. Zch 14:1-19 instructs all to celebrate Tabernacles on the Day of the Lord. A picture of the final judgement when all are assembled and the Law is read is in Dt 31:10-13.

So His brothers said to Him, “Move on from here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing.

For Jesus’ brothers, see Mk 6:3.

For no one does anything in secret when he himself is striving to be known publicly. If You are doing these things, show Yourself to the world.”

For not even His brothers believed in Him.

So Jesus said to them, “My time is not yet here, but your time is always ready.

The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify about it, that its deeds are evil.

Go up to the feast yourselves; I am not going up to this feast, because My time has not yet fully arrived.”

Now having said these things to them, He stayed in Galilee.

But when His brothers had gone up to the feast, then He Himself also went up, not publicly, but as though in secret.

So the Jews were looking for Him at the feast and saying, “Where is He?”

And there was a great deal of talk about Him in secret among the crowds: some were saying, “He is a good man”; others were saying, “No, on the contrary, He is misleading the people.”

Deuteronomy gives instructions to discern between false and true prophets. A false prophet leads the people away from God (Dt 13:1-5, 18:14-22), Jesus is accused of this. Thus, the need to exercise the correct judgement in 7:24.

Differences of opinions among the Jews or among the people are mentioned in 7:12, 9:16, 10:19.

However, no one was speaking openly about Him, for fear of the Jews.

The Jews would expel people from the synagogue (9:34-35).

But when it was now the middle of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple area, and began to teach.

The Jews then were astonished, saying, “How has this Man become learned, not having been educated?”

So Jesus answered them and said, “My teaching is not My own, but His who sent Me.

If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know about the teaching, whether it is of God, or I am speaking from Myself.

Jesus is reminding them about Dt 13:1-5, 18:14-22 to test if His words come from God.

The one who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

Truth is righteousness.

“Did Moses not give you the Law, and yet none of you carries out the Law? Why are you seeking to kill Me?”

The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill You?”

Jesus answered them, “I did one deed, and you all are astonished.

For this reason Moses has given you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and even on a Sabbath you circumcise a man.

If a man receives circumcision on a Sabbath so that the Law of Moses will not be broken, are you angry at Me because I made an entire man well on a Sabbath?

Do not judge by the outward appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”

Judges were a branch of the government as instructed. The other two were the priests and the king. The priests and judges were expected to give righteous judgments (Dt 16:18-20) and the people were expected to listen to their verdicts (Dt 17:9-12).

Isaiah prophesied the Messiah would uphold justice and righteousness (Is 9:7).

So some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, “Is this Man not the one whom they are seeking to kill?

And yet look, He is speaking publicly, and they are saying nothing to Him. The rulers do not really know that this is the Christ, do they?

However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.”

They are probably referring to Gen 14:18-20 and Ps 110:1-4 as explained in Heb 7:1-3.

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

In 7:18, Jesus declares He is true, here the Father is true. Another affirmation of His deity.

I do know Him, because I am from Him, and He sent Me.”

So they were seeking to arrest Him; and yet no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come.

But many of the crowd believed in Him; and they were saying, “When the Christ comes, He will not perform more signs than those which this man has done, will He?”

The Pharisees heard the crowd whispering these things about Him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to arrest Him.

Therefore Jesus said, “For a little while longer I am going to be with you, and then I am going to Him who sent Me.

You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.”

The Jews then said to one another, “Where does this Man intend to go that we will not find Him? He does not intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks, does He?

What is this statement that He said, ‘You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come’?”

Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.

The Feast of Tabernacles commemorated the days in the wilderness. Jesus offers water in the midst of the wilderness.

The promised land was described as plentiful in water from heaven (Dt 11:11-14). Jesus presents Himself as the fulfillment of Dt 11:11-14 and Zch 14:8.

The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’”

This would be the fulfillment of Is 58:11.

The spring of living water is a term for God (Jer 2:13, 17:13).

The Spirit is pictured as water in Is 32:14-20, 44:3-4 and Joel 2:28.

But this He said in reference to the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

Here John equates the LORD God, who is the spring of living water (Jer 2:13, 17:13) as the Spirit.

Spirit is pictured as water in Is 32:14-20, 44:3-4 and Joel 2:28.

People’s Division over Jesus

Some of the people therefore, after they heard these words, were saying, “This truly is the Prophet.”

Others were saying, “This is the Christ.” But others were saying, “Surely the Christ is not coming from Galilee, is He?

Has the Scripture not said that the Christ comes from the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”

See Is 11:1-2, Ruth 4:17, Mic 5:2.

So a dissension occurred in the crowd because of Him.

A seeming contradiction in v. 27 and v. 42 in regard to the origin of the Messiah. Since they do not know Jesus was born in Bethlehem, they truly do not know where He is from.

And some of them wanted to arrest Him, but no one laid hands on Him.

The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, “Why did you not bring Him?”

The officers answered, “Never has a man spoken in this way!”

The Pharisees then replied to them, “You have not been led astray too, have you?

The Pharisees are calling Jesus a false prophet, a sorcerer as He performs signs. See note in v 12.

Not one of the rulers or Pharisees has believed in Him, has he?

But this crowd that does not know the Law is accursed!”

Nicodemus (the one who came to Him before, being one of them) said to them,

The second appearance of Nicodemus.

“Our Law does not judge the person unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing, does it?”

Nicodemus is concerned about following the Law (Dt 13:14, 17:6, 19:15 19:18) , which the Pharisees claim to know.

They answered and said to him, “You are not from Galilee as well, are you? Examine the Scriptures, and see that no prophet arises out of Galilee.”

The Pharisees charge Nicodemus to study the scriptures.

The prophet Jonah came from Gath, Hepher, in Zebulun, which later became the region of Galilee (Jos 19:13, 2Ki 14:25).

Is 9:1-2 highlights Galilee when speaking about the Messiah.

[[And everyone went to his home.

Chapter 8

The Adulterous Woman

But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

Jesus standing on the Mount of Olives ties the previous discussion of judgment, living water, and the Feast of Tabernacles with Zch 14, esp. v. 4,8,16,18,19.

And early in the morning He came again into the temple area, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began teaching them.

A reference to the time of the day, a clue that a witness is reporting these events.

Now the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in the act of adultery, and after placing her in the center of the courtyard,

“the scribes and Pharisees” is a phrase that is much more common in Matthew (e.g. Mt 23:2,13, 23, 25, 27, 29). It appears this one single time in John. John much prefers “The Jews” to refer to the temple authorities (e.g. 8:22).

they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the very act of committing adultery.

Notice that there is no mention of the witnesses, at least two are needed (Dt 17:6).

Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?”

See Lev 20:10, Dt 22:22. However they know the Romans had removed the right to execute anyone (18:31). If Jesus says they should stone her, they can accuse Him of rebellion, if He says they should not stone her, they can accuse Him of not following Moses and the Law.

Now they were saying this to test Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground.

Evokes Dt 9:10, the commandments written by the finger of God. With the important difference that what is written on the dirt can be erased, a picture of mercy and grace.

When they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Jesus is referring to Dt 17:7, the hands of the witnesses must be the first to throw the stone.

And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.

Now when they heard this, they began leaving, one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman where she was, in the center of the courtyard.

And straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?”

According to the Law she should have been stoned to death, regardless of the absence of the other party who took part in the act. Note that up to this point, the woman does not speak, does not deny the charges brought against her, does not ask for mercy.

She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on do not sin any longer.”]]

Here the woman speaks for the first time.

Jesus upholds justice and righteousness (Jn 7:14; Is 9:7, 11:3-4).

Jesus is more interested in stopping sinning than in condemning us.

Jesus Is the Light of the World

Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

Being the light of the world must bring to their minds the creation story, God saw that the light was good. And Jesus equates this light with life.

A contrast between light and darkness. Like in the wilderness, Jesus will be the light for those in darkness. Later Jesus declares He is the way (14;6).

In 1:14, John delineates that the Word was God, Life was in the Word, and Life was Light. Thus, Jesus saying “I am the Light” is an indirect reference to His divinity.

This is one of the I am … declarations in this gospel with a phrase following (6:35, 6:41, 6:48, 8:12, 9:5, 10:7, 10:9, 10:11, 10:14, 11:25, 14:6, 15:1).

So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not true.”

The Pharisees are referring to Dt 19:15.

Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I am testifying about Myself, My testimony is true, because I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.

The people claimed in 7:27 that they knew where Jesus came from.

You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone.

The topic of righteous judgement continues.

But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me.

Even in your Law it has been written that the testimony of two people is true.

I am He who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me.”

So they were saying to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.”

Other commentators have observed that the question about Jesus’ father could be a veiled insult calling Jesus an illegitimate child of Mary.

Another statement about the deity of Jesus as knowing Him would be knowing the Father.

These words He spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple area; and no one arrested Him, because His hour had not yet come.

Then He said again to them, “I am going away, and you will look for Me, and will die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come.”

So the Jews were saying, “Surely He will not kill Himself, will He, since He says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?”

And He was saying to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.

This might refer to the second day of creation. On the second day, a separation of the above and below took place, there is no mention of it being good like the other events of creation.

Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins.”

Jesus declares “I am”, affirming His deity.

Then they were saying to Him, “Who are You?” Jesus said to them, “What have I even been saying to you from the beginning?

I have many things to say and to judge regarding you, but He who sent Me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I say to the world.”

Jesus could judge and condemn them right there on the spot, but He knows that is not His mission.

They did not realize that He was speaking to them about the Father.

So Jesus said, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am, and I do nothing on My own, but I say these things as the Father instructed Me.

See 3:14.

Jesus is just following orders (v. 42). As the promised Prophet (Dt 18:18), Jesus speaks the words God gives Him (3:34, 7:16, 8:26, 8:28, 12:49, 14:10, 14:24, 17:8). This is a parallel between Moses and Jesus as Moses spoke what he heard from God (e.g., Ex 3:15, 6:2, 3:6, 3:9-10, 7:1-2, 7:8, 7:14, 7:19, 8:1, 8:5, 8:16, 8:20, 9:1, 9:13, 19:3, 19:6-7; Lev 1:2, 15:2, 18:2, 23:2, 23:10).

Jesus declares “I am”, affirming His deity.

And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.”

As He said these things, many came to believe in Him.

At this point some of the Jews come to believe and Jesus engages them directly, but the exchange that follows is still rather testy.

The Truth Will Set You Free

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly My disciples;

and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Jesus is the truth (14:6), like Moses, Jesus is a deliverer.

They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?”

The Jews feel insulted and reply that they have never been slaved to anyone because they are descendants of Abraham, somehow putting aside that the children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob spent hundreds of years in Egypt as slaves.

Either this crowd that believed switches their opinion about Jesus or, at some point later, a hostile crowd mixes in with them because strong words and insults are exchanged and Jesus proceeds to leave as they try to kill Him.

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.

In a somewhat unusual occurrence, Jesus explains what He means by being slaved and why they need to be set free.

Now the slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever.

So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free.

Jesus is a deliverer who breaks the yoke of sin.

I know that you are Abraham’s descendants; yet you are seeking to kill Me, because My word has no place in you.

I speak of the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father.”

They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you are Abraham’s children, do the deeds of Abraham.

But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do.

You are doing the deeds of your father.” They said to Him, “We were not born as a result of sexual immorality; we have one Father: God.”

Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I came forth from God and am here; for I have not even come on My own, but He sent Me.

Jesus declares He is just following orders (v. 28).

Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot listen to My word.

You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature, because he is a liar and the father of lies.

Jesus describes the devil: murderer, untruthful, father of lies. A contrast with 1:12 and 3:16.

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

Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me?

The one who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”

The Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not rightly say that You are a Samaritan, and You have a demon?”

Samaritan as an insult is only used in this gospel, perhaps it is related to the events of Chapter 4 in Samaria.

Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; on the contrary, I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.

But I am not seeking My glory; there is One who seeks it, and judges.

Truly, truly I say to you, if anyone follows My word, he will never see death.”

The Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets as well; and yet You say, ‘If anyone follows My word, he will never taste of death.’

You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died, are You? The prophets died too. Whom do You make Yourself out to be?”

Jesus is greater than Abraham, see 4:12 where it is established that Jesus is greater than Jacob.

Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God’;

and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him. And if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you; but I do know Him, and I follow His word.

Your father Abraham was overjoyed that he would see My day, and he saw it and rejoiced.”

Gen 15:4-5 may be read as an interaction between the Word and Abraham.

So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and You have seen Abraham?”

Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.”

The divinity of Jesus “I am”, see comment in Ex 3:14.

Jesus declares I am, affirming His deity. Isaiah uses the expression too (Is 41:4, 43:10, 43:25, 44:6, 45:18, 46:4, 51:12, 52:6).

The words for I am, are ἐγώ εἰμι, sometimes they are translated as I am He. These two Greek words appear often in John’s gospel as I am as a self-identification (4:26, 6:20, 8:24, 8:28, 8:58, 13:19, 18:5, 18:6, 18:8); or with a phrase following, I am the … (6:35, 6:41, 6:48, 6:51, 8:12, 9:5, 10:7, 10:9, 10:11, 10:14, 11:25, 14:6, 15:1, 15:5), commonly known as the seven I am declarations in John. In the Septuagint, they also appear in Dt 32:39; Is 41:4, 43:10, 46:4; and as double I am, I am in Is 43:25 and 51:12.

Blaspheming would be a crime with a penalty of death (Lev 24:10-16).

The main point of the Name is to imply its eternal character (Is 41:4, 44:6; Rev 1:8, 17, 22:13).

Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and left the temple grounds.

The chapter started with the crowd intending to stone the woman caught in adultery, and it ends with the crowd intending to stone Jesus. A picture of Jesus taking the penalty of our sins.

Chapter 9

Healing the Man Born Blind

As Jesus passed by, He saw a man who had been blind from birth.

As with the paralytic man, we do not know the name of the man and there is a long period of time from the time of the infirmity until the miracle happens. The blind man is old enough to respond to the authorities (v. 21), he is an adult but still young enough for his parents to be alive (v. 18).

And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?”

It is telling that even though the disciples have seen Jesus perform quite a few miracles by now (this happens between the second and third Passovers mentioned in John), the disciples seem rather eager to point their fingers at someone and ask Jesus the prophet who sinned that the man is blind rather than asking Jesus the miracle worker to help him.

The blind man and his parents have lived in shame as the people think that they suffer as the consequence of a sin committed by one of them.

The miracles of the paralytic man, the blind man, and the raising of Lazarus form a unit.

The miracle of the paralytic points to the raising of Lazarus (5:25), the raising of Lazarus points to the healing of the blind man (11:37), the healing of the blind man points to the healing of the paralytic (5:14, 9:2).

Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.

Sinful since conception (Ps 51:5) rather than having committed a sin from the womb.

Consequences of sin could last to the third and fourth generations (Num 14:18).

Misfortune was considered the result of sin (Job 11:10-20).

Blindness kept one from approaching the altar to bring an offering (Lev 21:16-23).

We must carry out the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.

While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.”

To contrast the darkness of the world and the darkness that this man has been living in since he was in the womb (see note 8:12).

This is one of the I am … declarations in this gospel with a phrase following (6:35, 6:41, 6:48, 8:12, 9:5, 10:7, 10:9, 10:11, 10:14, 11:25, 14:6, 15:1).

When He had said this, He spit on the ground, and made mud from the saliva, and applied the mud to his eyes,

This action echoes God forming Adam from the dirt of the ground, thus pointing again to Jesus’ divinity and portraying Him as the creator.

We may wonder if the very good (Gen 1:31) quality of the creation has been lost or if the creation is sprinkled with these seemingly incomplete details that God left to show His favor towards us.

and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he left and washed, and came back seeing.

The blind man displays his faith by obeying Jesus’ instructions and wash the clay off.

This evokes the Fall, when Adam and Eve’s eyes are opened after eating the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (Gen 3:7)

This is reminiscent of Paul recovering his sight (Act 9:17-19).

So the neighbors, and those who previously saw him as a beggar, were saying, “Is this not the one who used to sit and beg?”

Others were saying, “This is he,” still others were saying, “No, but he is like him.” The man himself kept saying, “I am the one.”

This miracle is a picture of our salvation. When people see our new lives, they wonder if we are the same person as before, like people wondered about the blind man.

So they were saying to him, “How then were your eyes opened?”

He answered, “The Man who is called Jesus made mud, and spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash’; so I went away and washed, and I received sight.”

As with our personal salvation, we are to bear witness like the man blind did in front of others (Act 4:20).

And they said to him, “Where is He?” He said, “I do not know.”

Controversy over the Man

They brought the man who was previously blind to the Pharisees.

At a later time that same day or on a different day, some bring the formerly blind man to the Pharisees, who accuse Jesus of not being from God as He does not keep the Sabbath. This is the first in a series of exchanges between the Pharisees and the formerly blind man.

Now it was a Sabbath on the day that Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes.

The Torah does not mention that it is forbidden to make clay to heal a blind man on the Sabbath. At this time, spitting on dirt on the ground and making a paste was considered work for it was reminiscent of the time when the Jewish people made bricks in Egypt.

Then the Pharisees also were asking him again how he received his sight. And he said to them, “He applied mud to my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”

The man points to Jesus. He implicitly acknowledges that he did nothing to deserve it (like our personal salvation).

Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying, “This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others were saying, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And there was dissension among them.

The Pharisees are well aware that healing blind was a sign that the Messiah would give (Is 42:6-7). But this miracle clashes with their view of the Torah and a rift opens among them. From the beginning of the gospel, Jesus has been showing how they misunderstand the commandments.

Differences of opinions among the Jews or among the people are mentioned in 7:12, 9:16, 10:19.

So they said again to the man who was blind, “What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?” And he said, “He is a prophet.”

The Pharisees bring the man into their disagreement, perhaps as a tie-breaker, perhaps to challenge him and provoke a retraction. For the time being, the Pharisees still seem willing to listen to him. The man rises to the occasion and shows great boldness by disagreeing with the Pharisees and calling Jesus a prophet.

The Jews then did not believe it about him, that he had been blind and had received sight, until they called the parents of the very one who had received his sight,

As the Pharisees cannot wrap their heads around the fact that Jesus could perform such a miracle on the Sabbath, they call the man’s parents to testify. This is in accordance with the Torah, Dt 19:15.

and they questioned them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?”

His parents then answered and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind;

The parents present faithful testimony (Ex 20:16, Dt 5:20).

Most likely while their son was not present, the parents testify in front of the Pharisees that the man indeed is their son, (Jn 9:18-23) and indeed he had been blind from birth. The Jews refuse to accept the evidence.

but how he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself.”

His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already reached the decision that if anyone confessed Him to be Christ, he was to be excommunicated from the synagogue.

It was for this reason that his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

So for a second time they summoned the man who had been blind, and said to him, “Give glory to God; we know that this Man is a sinner.”

They call the blind man again and charge him to give glory to God. Ironically, they refuse to give glory to God for the miracle that has occurred in their midst,

The charge is a strong charge to tell the truth (Jos 7:19-20)

At the same time, the pass judgement on Jesus by declaring that His actions are sinful.

He then answered, “Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”

So they said to him, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?”

Even with the testimony of the parents, they still do not believe him.

He answered them, “I told you already and you did not listen; why do you want to hear it again? You do not want to become His disciples too, do you?”

The formerly blind man repeats what he has said before and seems to start enjoying the brawl inside the Pharisees’ minds as the fact that Jesus healed this man does not fit in their view of how the world is supposed to work. The tone sounds mockingly.

They spoke abusively to him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.

A contrast between Moses and Jesus.

We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this Man, we do not know where He is from.”

They do claim to know that Jesus is from Galilee in 7:52.

A contrast between Jesus and Moses: the Pharisees have confidence in the words of Moses because they know God spoke with him (e.g. Ex 33:11). Jesus already declared in 8:28 (like Moses) that He speaks as instructed by the Father.

The man answered and said to them, “Well, here is the amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes!

We know that God does not listen to sinners; but if someone is God-fearing and does His will, He listens to him.

Ps 34:15.

Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind.

If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.”

The words of the man then sound very similar to the words Nicodemus said in 3:2. At that time Jesus responded (3:3) that it was necessary to be born again to see the kingdom of God. The formerly blind man can physically see, and he can also see the Kingdom of God.

They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and yet you are teaching us?” So they put him out.

The blind man and his parents have lived in shame as the people think that they suffer as the consequence of a sin committed by one of them.

Others commentators have observed that this story might have sound comforting to those early believers (and modern ones too) who are expelled from their families and synagogues for believing in Jesus.

Is 66:5.

Jesus Affirms His Deity

Jesus heard that they had put him out, and upon finding him, He said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

He answered by saying, “And who is He, Sir, that I may believe in Him?”

Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him, and He is the One who is talking with you.”

And he said, “I believe, Lord.” And he worshiped Him.

The man receives the promise in 3:18.

The man acknowledges the deity of Jesus (20:28).

Like with salvation, it is not about what we had, did, or asked. It is about what the Jesus did for us.

Had Jesus being a mere man, He would not have accepted the man’s worshipping.

Paul recovered his sight as he came to believe (Act 9:17-19).

And Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.”

Those who were with Him from the Pharisees heard these things and said to Him, “We are not blind too, are we?”

The Pharisees are too focused on sight, seeing can be a liability (Dt 4:19).

In Deuteronomy sight is important to see God’s judgement (Dt 4:34, 6:22, 11:2-7, 29:2)

Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now that you maintain, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.

The story does not end here with the chapter. It continues to 10:21.

Chapter 10

Parable of the Good Shepherd

“Truly, truly I say to you, the one who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber.

See v.10 for a description of the thief.

Thief is a word to describe Judas (12:6).

But the one who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep.

To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep listen to his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

God knows our names. God said to Abraham his descendants would be like the stars in the sky (Gen 15:5, 22:17, 26:4). In Is 40:26, God declares He knows the name of every star, names given by Him (Ps 147:4). He also named Israel an Olive Tree (Jer 11:16).

This is an answer to Moses’ prayer in Num 27:15-17.

When he puts all his own sheep outside, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.

Going ahead of the people is a role for God (Ex 13:21, 23:20-23, Dt 1:30,33, 9:3, 31:3,8, Is 45:2, 52:12), it is also a post-resurrection promise of Jesus (Mk 14:28, Jn 14:3).

If we follow Jesus, wherever we go, He was there first.

The people tried to replace God with the golden calf to go ahead of them (Ex 32:1,23).

Joseph, a Messianic figure, when ahead of them (Ps 105:16-17).

God’s persistent warning is to listen to His voice (e.g. Ex 15:26; Jer 11:4, 7).

However, a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.”

Jesus states that being able to hear His voice is better than being able to see. Some do not listen to His voice (5:37).

Jesus told them this figure of speech, but they did not understand what the things which He was saying to them meant.

So Jesus said to them again, “Truly, truly I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

“I am the door”, a name for Jesus. He mentions we need to enter by the door (10:1). Notice we need to be reborn to enter the kingdom of God (3:5).

This is one of the I am … declarations in this gospel with a phrase following (6:35, 6:41, 6:48, 8:12, 9:5, 10:7, 10:9, 10:11, 10:14, 11:25, 14:6, 15:1).

All those who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.

I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.

This is one of the I am … declarations in this gospel with a phrase following (6:35, 6:41, 6:48, 8:12, 9:5, 10:7, 10:9, 10:11, 10:14, 11:25, 14:6, 15:1).

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly.

A contrast between the thief and the Shepherd.

Not through the door ~ thief ~ kill ~ destroy.

Through the door ~ Good Shepherd ~ Life ~ Abundantly.

Abundance is one of the Isaiah themes.

“I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

“I am the good shepherd” a name for Jesus.

A picture of God as a shepherd is common (Gen 48:15, Dt 13:4, Ps 23:1).

He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf snatches them and scatters the flock.

He flees because he is a hired hand and does not care about the sheep.

I am the good shepherd, and I know My own, and My own know Me,

This is one of the I am … declarations in this gospel with a phrase following (6:35, 6:41, 6:48, 8:12, 9:5, 10:7, 10:9, 10:11, 10:14, 11:25, 14:6, 15:1).

just as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

Knowing the Jesus and the Father is eternal life (17:3). Mentioned about the prophets (e.g. 1 Sam 3:7, Jer 1:5). Key in the believer’s life (e.g. Ex 5:2, Jer 22:16, 24:7, 31:34, Mt 7:23). In the Torah, described as God being with the individual (e.g. Gen 21:20, 21:22, 26:3, 26:24, 26:28, 28:15, 31:3, 35:3, 39:2-3,21-23, 46:4, 48:21).

And I have other sheep that are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will listen to My voice; and they will become one flock, with one shepherd.

A fulfillment of Is 56:8.

For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it back.

No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it back. This commandment I received from My Father.”

This is a preface to the next chapter where He shows His authority over death by raising Lazarus.

Dissension occurred again among the Jews because of these words.

Difference of opinions among the Jews or among the people are mentioned in 7:12, 9:16, 10:19.

Many of them were saying, “He has a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to Him?”

After the teaching about listening to Jesus, the Jews keep their rebellion.

Others were saying, “These are not the words of one who is demon-possessed. A demon cannot open the eyes of those who are blind, can it?”

This marks the end of the story of the blind man that started in Chapter 9.

Jesus Asserts His Deity

At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place in Jerusalem;

The Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) commemorated the consecration of the temple after a successful revolt against the Syrian-Greek empire in 165 BC. People went to Jerusalem as with the three holidays prescribed in The Torah (Ex 23:14-17, Ex 34:23-24, Dt 16:16).

it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple area, in the portico of Solomon.

Comments about the time of the year are probably also comments about the weather.

The Jews then surrounded Him and began saying to Him, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me.

But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep.

My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;

and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.

God said to Abraham his descendants would be like the stars in the sky (Gen 15:5, 22:17, 26:4). In Is 40:26, God declares not one of them is missing.

My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.

I and the Father are one.”

The Sh’ma states that the LORD is one (Dt 6:4). The divinity of Jesus does not break this oneness.

The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him.

The Jews knew what Jesus meant. The sentence for blasphemy was stoning (Lev 24:10-16).

Jesus replied to them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?”

Even if stoning was the sentence, a trial needed to happened. Jesus is asking for this trial where evidence is to be presented.

The Jews answered Him, “We are not stoning You for a good work, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.”

Jesus answered them, “Has it not been written in your Law: ‘I SAID, YOU ARE GODS’?

Judging and declaring someone guilty and sentenced to death is a role for God (Ps 82).

If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be nullified),

are you saying of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’?

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

but if I do them, even though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.”

Therefore they were seeking again to arrest Him, and He eluded their grasp.

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

The other side of the Jordan: perhaps a reference to the need to reenter the promised land (a national re-birth); as they entered from the east side of the Jordan after being in the wilderness for forty years. An Isaiah theme.

This place was called Bethany (1:28), but it is not where Lazarus and his siters lived (11:1).

Many came to Him and were saying, “While John performed no sign, yet everything John said about this Man was true.”

And many believed in Him there.

Chapter 11

The Death and Resurrection of Lazarus

Now a certain man was sick: Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.

Jesus was in a different area also called Bethany beyond the Jordan (1:28, 10:40).

And it was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.

Episode described in 12:3.

So the sisters sent word to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”

But when Jesus heard this, He said, “This sickness is not meant for death, but is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified by it.”

The illness (and death) of Lazarus has two purposes. The first one is stated here. The second one in v. 15.

(Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister, and Lazarus.)

So when He heard that he was sick, He then stayed two days longer in the place where He was.

Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let’s go to Judea again.”

The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, the Jews were just now seeking to stone You, and yet You are going there again?”

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

Jesus contrasts His works and those of the Jews as a contrast between light and darkness.

But if anyone walks during the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.”

This He said, and after this He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going so that I may awaken him from sleep.”

The disciples then said to Him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will come out of it.”

Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about actual sleep.

So Jesus then said to them plainly, “Lazarus died,

and I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, so that you may believe; but let’s go to him.”

The illness (and death) of Lazarus has two purposes. The first one is stated v. 4. The second is here.

Therefore Thomas, who was called Didymus, said to his fellow disciples, “Let’s also go, so that we may die with Him!”

See v. 8.

So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days.

Four days implied decay. Jesus did not decay (Ps 16:10, Act 2:27-31, 13:34-37).

Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about fifteen stadia away;

and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary, to console them about their brother.

If the Jews came, they must have been an important and wealthy family, the perfume poured on Jesus was expensive (12:3-5).

The Jews are trying to kill Jesus (v. 8).

So then Martha, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but Mary stayed in the house.

Martha then said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.

A statement of faith. Martha believes Jesus could have healed her brother. Martha also blames Jesus for not coming earlier. Jesus does not rebuke her.

Notice the royal official believed Jesus could heal his son without Him coming to his house (4:46-54).

Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”

A statement of faith.

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise from the dead.”

Jesus announces what He is going to do.

Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise in the resurrection on the last day.”

A statement of faith.

See Dan 12:1-3.

The idea of Lazarus coming back to life that afternoon is not in Martha’s imagination.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; the one who believes in Me will live, even if he dies,

This is one of the I am … declarations in this gospel with a phrase following (6:35, 6:41, 6:48, 8:12, 9:5, 10:7, 10:9, 10:11, 10:14, 11:25, 14:6, 15:1).

and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”

She said to Him, “Yes, Lord; I have come to believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, and He who comes into the world.”

A statement of faith.

When she had said this, she left and called Mary her sister, saying secretly, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.”

And when she heard this, she got up quickly and came to Him.

Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still at the place where Martha met Him.

Then the Jews who were with her in the house and were consoling her, when they saw that Mary had gotten up quickly and left, they followed her, thinking that she was going to the tomb to weep there.

So when Mary came to the place where Jesus was, she saw Him and fell at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”

A statement of faith. Like Martha, Mary believes Jesus could have healed her brother. Like Martha, Mary also blames Jesus for not coming earlier.

Notice the royal official believed Jesus could heal his son without Him to his house (4:46-54).

Therefore when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit and was troubled,

and He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.”

Jesus wept.

Jesus weeps because He knows that as His hour is about to come, even though His close friends have enough faith to believe that He could have healed Lazarus, He sees that they do not have the faith for anything greater.

So the Jews were saying, “See how He loved him!”

They cannot imagine why Jesus is weeping. Jesus does not weep because He sees everyone mourning Lazarus, He weeps because He sees them in sorrow as a consequence of their limited faith (Lk 19:41-42). Jesus is troubled because the people that know Him best have difficulty imagining what is possible.

But some of them said, “Could this Man, who opened the eyes of the man who was blind, not have also kept this man from dying?”

Some of the Jews acknowledge Jesus’ signs.

Our faith can be based on what we have seen, rather than on what is unseen.

The miracles of the paralytic man, the blind man, and the raising of Lazarus form a unit.

So Jesus, again being deeply moved within, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it.

Jesus said, “Remove the stone.” Martha, the sister of the deceased, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there will be a stench, for he has been dead four days.”

Jesus could have removed the stoned Himself, but He asked them to move it to show their faith.

The stench will be relevant as it is proof that Lazarus was not simply sleeping.

Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?”

Jesus explains that removing the stone is how they will express their faith.

So they removed the stone. And Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.

Obeying Jesus to remove the stone was a display of belief and faith; similarly to the blind man going to wash off the dirt off his eyes (9:7).

The word for the action of giving thanks is εὐχαριστία, eucharist. The verb is εὐχαριστέω, Jesus also gives thanks in 6:11.

But I knew that You always hear Me; nevertheless, because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.”

A large crowd, Lazarus family and friends, and the Jews.

And when He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”

Jesus is portrayed as the creator, He speaks and His words come to be.

Out came the man who had died, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”

Jesus orders the parts that belong to the tomb to be removed. After the Fall, God gives garments to Adam and Eve (Gen 3:21), here Jesus orders the dead-man garments to be removed.

Change of clothes represents renewal (Gen 35:2), we are to remove the dead-man clothing and receive new garments (Is 61:3,10, 2Co 5:1-4, Gal 3:27, Rev 3:5).

Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw what He had done, believed in Him.

But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them the things which Jesus had done.

Conspiracy to Kill Jesus

Therefore the chief priests and the Pharisees convened a council meeting, and they were saying, “What are we doing in regard to the fact that this Man is performing many signs?

If we let Him go on like this, all the people will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take over both our place and our nation.”

These are similar to the words of a modern politician concerned with maintaining their position and access to power rather than standing for the teachings of the gospel.

But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all,

nor are you taking into account that it is in your best interest that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish instead.”

Now he did not say this on his own, but as he was high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation;

and not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.

So from that day on they planned together to kill Him.

Therefore Jesus no longer continued to walk publicly among the Jews, but went away from there to the region near the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim; and there He stayed with the disciples.

Ephraim was in Samaria.

Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem from the country prior to the Passover, in order to purify themselves.

Three Passovers mentioned (2:13, 6:4, 11:55), thus the belief that Jesus preached for three years. This is the third one.

So they were looking for Jesus, and saying to one another as they stood in the temple area, “What do you think; that He will not come to the feast at all?”

Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he was to report it, so that they might arrest Him.

Chapter 12

Mary Anoints Jesus

Therefore, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead.

Three Passovers are mentioned (2:13, 6:4, 11:55), thus the belief that Jesus preached for three years. This is the third one.

So they made Him a dinner there, and Martha was serving; and Lazarus was one of those reclining at the table with Him.

Like in the episode told in Lk 10:38-42, Martha is busy serving the guests but Mary’s attention is to Jesus.

Matthew and Mark tell us this happened in Simon the Leper’s house (Mt 26:6, Mk 14:3), but Lazarus was there.

Mary then took a pound of very expensive perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

We do not know how Mary came to own this perfume, if she bought it, if she inherited it, or if she received it as a present.

Jesus did not ask Mary for the perfume.

All four gospels tell a similar story (Mt 26:6-13, Mk 14:3-9, Lk 7:37-39), Matthew’s and Mark’s seem to be the same as the one here in John. Only John mentions Mary’s name.

The fragrance of the perfume is in contrast with the stench of Lazarus’ tomb.

Since the next day is considered to be a Sunday (10:12), this event took place on the Sabbath. Thus it may be a picture of heaven, it is on the sabbath, God’s rest, and after being raised from the dead, we share a meal with Jesus, and Jesus receives worship and adoration.

But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, the one who intended to betray Him, said,

“Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the proceeds given to poor people?”

Judas appoints himself as appraiser. A denarius was a one-day wage, three hundred would have been about one-year worth of wages as there is no work on the Sabbath.

Now he said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he kept the money box, he used to steal from what was put into it.

Therefore Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial.

For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.”

There is no record of Mary receiving any reward or blessing after this. From Mathew and Mark we know that Jesus said it had been a beautiful things (Mt 26:10, Mk 14:6) and promised this story would be shared along with the gospel.

God commands to share with the poor (Dt 15:11).

The large crowd of the Jews then learned that He was there; and they came, not on account of Jesus only, but so that they might also see Lazarus, whom He raised from the dead.

But the chief priests planned to put Lazarus to death also,

The priests’ concern for keeping the Sabbath does not extend to the other commandments like ‘Do not murder’.

because on account of him many of the Jews were going away and were believing in Jesus.

The Triumphal Entry

On the next day, when the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

Notice the symmetry with the beginning of the gospel (1:29, 35, 43).

they took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him, and began shouting, “Hosanna! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, indeed, the King of Israel!”

The people welcome their King (1:49, 6:15, Act 1:6). In view of Zch 14:16, 19, 19, they are ready to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. We see a similar response in Jon 4:5 and the transfiguration (Mt 17:4, Mk 9:5, Lk 9:33).

A quote from Ps 118:26.

Jesus, finding a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written:

“DO NOT FEAR, DAUGHTER OF ZION; BEHOLD, YOUR KING IS COMING, SEATED ON A DONKEY’S COLT.”

In the natural world, the approaching of a king could be a cause for concern. Fear and trembling might be an expected reaction. Here, Jesus as king enters Jerusalem in a gentle regal manner. The people are not to fear the King.

A quote from Zech 9:9.

These things His disciples did not understand at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things for Him.

So the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead, continued to testify about Him.

The people’s judgement was that Jesus was the King of Israel.

For this reason also the people went to meet Him, because they heard that He had performed this sign.

So the Pharisees said to one another, “You see that you are not accomplishing anything; look, the world has gone after Him!”

Greeks Seek Jesus

Now there were some Greeks among those who were going up to worship at the feast;

The gentiles await their redemption too.

these people then came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and were making a request of him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”

A fulfillment of Is 9:1, Galilee is called Galilee of the Gentiles.

Philip, from Galilee, becomes a conduit for the gentiles.

Notice that these Greeks wish to see Jesus, this is the announcement that Mary did in 20:18.

Philip came and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip came and told Jesus.

Andrew was the first disciple mentioned by name to follow Jesus (1:40). Philip joined them the next day (1:43).

But Jesus answered them by saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

The gentiles remind Jesus that they also expect their redemption (Is 9:1, 49:6). Jesus knows that His hour has come.

The hour: 2:4, 12:23, 17:1.

Truly, truly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.

The one who loves his life loses it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life.

If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.

A fulfillment of Ex 33:14.

A promised to those that follow Jesus.

Jesus Foretells His Death

“Now My soul has become troubled; and what am I to say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.

Jesus knows what is coming. He knows He is about to suffer.

Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came out of heaven: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.”

In two separate occasions the voice of God is heard during Jesus’ ministry, here and during the transfiguration (Mt 17:5, Mk 9:7, Lk 9:35).

A parallel between Moses and Jesus (Ex 19:9)

See Dt 4:12-14, Dt 5:22-27.

So the crowd who stood by and heard it were saying that it had thundered; others were saying, “An angel has spoken to Him!”

Jesus responded and said, “This voice has not come for My sake, but for yours.

Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.

Other commentators have observed that we see three eschatological elements, judgement, defeat of evil, and gathering of the elect.

And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to Myself.”

See 10:16.

Now He was saying this to indicate what kind of death He was going to die.

The crowd then answered Him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ is to remain forever; and how is it that You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”

Scripture speaks of an eternal priest (Ps 110:4), an eternal prince (Is 9:7, Ezk 37:25), an eternal kingdom (Dan 7:13-14).

The people have reason to believe the Messiah would remain forever, thus the confusion about Jesus leaving.

Jesus does not address this concern right there; He will speak later of not leaving them as orphans (14:18) but sending the Holy Spirit to remain with all the believers.

So Jesus said to them, “For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; also, the one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.

A contrast between darkness and light.

While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light.”

These things Jesus proclaimed, and He went away and hid Himself from them.

But though He had performed so many signs in their sight, they still were not believing in Him.

Other commentators have observed that this is parallel with Moses (Num 14:11).

This happened so that the word of Isaiah the prophet which he spoke would be fulfilled: “LORD, WHO HAS BELIEVED OUR REPORT? AND TO WHOM HAS THE ARM OF THE LORD BEEN REVEALED?”

Is 53:1.

For this reason they could not believe, for Isaiah said again,

“HE HAS BLINDED THEIR EYES AND HE HARDENED THEIR HEART, SO THAT THEY WILL NOT SEE WITH THEIR EYES AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEIR HEART, AND BE CONVERTED, AND SO I WILL NOT HEAL THEM.”

Is 6:10.

These things Isaiah said because he saw His glory, and he spoke about Him.

His glory might refer to the Father’s and or the Son’s. Is 6:1-4.

Nevertheless many, even of the rulers, believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, so that they would not be excommunicated from the synagogue;

for they loved the approval of people rather than the approval of God.

Now Jesus cried out and said, “The one who believes in Me, does not believe only in Me, but also in Him who sent Me.

And the one who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.

At Sinai, the elders saw God (Ex 24:9-11), the people did not see the LORD (Dt 4:15-16). Moses met with the LORD (Dt 34:10).

I have come as Light into the world, so that no one who believes in Me will remain in darkness.

If anyone hears My teachings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.

The one who rejects Me and does not accept My teachings has one who judges him: the word which I spoke. That will judge him on the last day.

Jesus’s words are like the words of the Torah, a witness for judgement (Dt 31:19,26).

For I did not speak on My own, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak.

As the promised Prophet (Dt 18:18), Jesus speaks the words God gives Him (3:34, 7:16, 8:26, 8:28, 12:49, 14:10, 14:24, 17:8). Moses as a foreshadow of Jesus also spoke what he heard from God (e.g., Ex 3:15, 6:2, 3:6, 3:9-10, 7:1-2, 7:8, 7:14, 7:19, 8:1, 8:5, 8:16, 8:20, 9:1, 9:13, 19:3, 19:6-7; Lev 1:2, 15:2, 18:2, 23:2, 23:10).

And I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.”

That the commandment leads to life is spoken in Dt 4:1.

Jesus tells us that commandment is eternal life. In 17:3 we read that eternal life is knowing the Father and the Son. Consequently, the commandment helps us know the Father and the Son, the commandments reveal the character of God.

Chapter 13

The Lord’s Supper

Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that His hour had come that He would depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.

Three Passovers are mentioned (2:13, 6:4, 11:55), thus the belief that Jesus preached for three years. This is the third one.

The events in Chapter 12 occurred in the previous few days (12:1).

According to Ex 12:3-6, the Passover Lamb is to live within each family from the tenth to the fourteenth day of the month.

And during supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him,

A modern Passover Seder has two cups of wine before the meal and two cups after. If these four cups were part of the Passover meal then too, it should be noted that after the meal Jesus called the third cup the Cup of the Covenant. After the third cup, they sang a hymn and left (Mt 26:26-30, Mk 14:22-26, Lk 22:20). Jesus said he would not drink any more wine, most likely they did not drink the fourth cup and the Passover was not finished, thus giving everyone an opportunity to participate.

Jesus, knowing that the Father had handed all things over to Him, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God,

got up from supper and laid His outer garments aside; and He took a towel and tied it around Himself.

Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet

Then He poured water into the basin, and began washing the disciples’ feet and wiping them with the towel which He had tied around Himself.

Jesus washed Judas’ feet.

So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, “Lord, You are washing my feet?”

Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing, you do not realize right now, but you will understand later.”

Peter said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no place with Me.”

Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head!”

Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet; otherwise he is completely clean. And you are clean—but not all of you.”

Perhaps dirty feet are a symbol of our sins after salvation. Our daily walk makes our feet dirty.

For He knew the one who was betraying Him; it was for this reason that He said, “Not all of you are clean.”

Then, when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you?

You call Me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord’; and you are correct, for so I am.

So if I, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.

For I gave you an example, so that you also would do just as I did for you.

Truly, truly I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.

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

I am not speaking about all of you. I know the ones whom I have chosen; but this is happening so that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘HE WHO EATS MY BREAD HAS LIFTED UP HIS HEEL AGAINST ME.’

From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it does happen, you may believe that I am He.

Truly, truly I say to you, the one who receives anyone I send, receives Me; and the one who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”

Jesus Predicts His Betrayal

When Jesus had said these things, He became troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Truly, truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me.”

The disciples began looking at one another, at a loss to know of which one He was speaking.

Lying back on Jesus’ chest was one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.

So Simon Peter nodded to this disciple and said to him, “Tell us who it is of whom He is speaking.”

He then simply leaned back on Jesus’ chest and said to Him, “Lord, who is it?”

Jesus then answered, “That man is the one for whom I shall dip the piece of bread and give it to him.” So when He had dipped the piece of bread, He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.

After this, Satan then entered him. Therefore Jesus said to him, “What you are doing, do it quickly.”

Now none of those reclining at the table knew for what purpose He had said this to him.

For some were assuming, since Judas kept the money box, that Jesus was saying to him, “Buy the things we need for the feast”; or else, that he was to give something to the poor.

So after receiving the piece of bread, he left immediately; and it was night.

A contrast between light and darkness.

Therefore when he had left, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him;

if God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and will glorify Him immediately.

Little children, I am still with you a little longer. You will look for Me; and just as I said to the Jews, now I also say to you: ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’

Regardless of our physical age, we can be like little children in the eyes of God (Mt 23:37; Lk 13:34).

I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

Moses presented the Ten Commandments (Dt 5:6-21), Jesus gives a new commandment.

By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.”

Moses had asked how the world would know who the people of God were in Ex 33:16; Jesus provides the answer.

A fulfillment of Is 61:9.

Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.”

Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You.”

Jesus replied, “Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times.

Chapter 14

Jesus Comforts His Disciples

“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me.

The message and promises that Jesus gives to His disciples are bracketed by encouragement, here an v. 27.

This verse gives us a picture of how the disciples are feeling.

Other commentators have observed that the people put their trust in Moses (Ex 14:31).

In My Father’s house are many rooms; if that were not so, I would have told you, because I am going there to prepare a place for you.

God’s intent is to form a family/household, see 1:12 and Is 43:5-7.

Going ahead of the people is a role for God (Ex 13:21, 23:20-23, Dt 1:30,33, 9:3, 31:3,8, Is 45:2, 52:12).

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will take you to Myself, so that where I am, there you also will be.

A promise for His second coming. Hints of His second coming in the Old Testament are in Is 11:11-12.

And you know the way where I am going.”

Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going; how do we know the way?”

The disciples already feel aimless and do not know what they will do next.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.

A parallel between Moses and Jesus. The people were guided through the wilderness by a cloud and a pillar of fire (Ex 13:21-22, Dt 1:33).

The Way was an early name for the group of those that believed in Jesus (Act 9:2, 19:9,23, 22:4, 24:14,22).

8:32 presents truth as an agent of deliverance, Jesus is a deliverer as He is the truth.

The soleness of a path to salvation is also presented in Act 4:12.

This is one of the I am … declarations in this gospel with a phrase following (6:35, 6:41, 6:48, 8:12, 9:5, 10:7, 10:9, 10:11, 10:14, 11:25, 14:6, 15:1).

Oneness with the Father

If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”

God spoke to the people of Israel face to face (Dt 5:4).

Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”

Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? The one who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own, but the Father, as He remains in Me, does His works.

A parallel with Moses (Num 16:28).

Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.

A parallel with Moses (Ex 4:8).

Truly, truly I say to you, the one who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I am going to the Father.

And whatever you ask in My name, this I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

How to pray.

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

Notice the promise in this and the previous verse that Jesus will act on the request.

“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

Love cannot be seen, we can only see its manifestation. Love for God is displayed in obedience (1Ki 3:3, 1Jn 5:3).

The Holy Spirit

I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, so that He may be with you forever;

Man has always needed a helper. Helper is a term for God (Gen 2:18-22, Ex 18:4, Dt 33:29, Ps 10:14, 27:9, 118:7, Hos 13:9).

the Helper is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him; but you know Him because He remains with you and will be in you.

Jesus is the truth (14:6).

The giving of the Spirit has eschatological connotations (Ezk 11:17-19, 36:24-28, 39:27-29, Joel 2:28-32, Zch 12:8-11)

“I will not leave you as orphans; I am coming to you.

After a little while, the world no longer is going to see Me, but you are going to see Me; because I live, you also will live.

On that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I in you.

The one who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and the one who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will reveal Myself to him.”

Keeping the commandments ~ Loving Jesus

Loving Jesus ~ Loved by the Father

Loved by the Father ~ Loved by Jesus

Loved by Jesus ~ Jesus revealed

Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, what has happened that You are going to reveal Yourself to us and not to the world?”

Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will follow My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him.

Loved by Jesus and the Father ~ They will make their dwelling within.

This is a progression of 1:14.

The one who does not love Me does not follow My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.

“These things I have spoken to you while remaining with you.

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and remind you of all that I said to you.

The title of Teacher belons to the Spirit.

A fulfillment of Is 54:13.

A parallel with Moses (Dt 4:5).

Having a teacher is an answer to a prayer by David (Psa 25:4-5).

Peace I leave you, My peace I give you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled, nor fearful.

A fulfillment of Is 9:7.

The disciples are feeling troubled (14:1). Jesus knows when we need encouraging.

Notice the Aaronic Benediction also speaks of peace (Num 6:24-26). Jesus is giving a benediction to His disciples.

You heard that I said to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.

Loving Jesus ~ Glad He is going to the Father.

And now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe.

A fulfillment of Amos 3:7.

I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in regard to Me,

but so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me. Get up, let’s go from here.

Loving the Father ~ Obeying the Father.

Chapter 15

Jesus Is the Vine—Followers Are Branches

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.

A contrast with a vine of wickedness (Dt 32:32-33).

A gardener is a common picture of God (e.g Ex 15:17; 2Sa 7:10; Is 5:1-7, 60:21, 61:3; Jer 2:21, 11:17, 12:2, 12:10, 24:6; Ezk 19:10-13; Am 9:15; Mt 15:13; Jn 15:1).

This is one of the I am … declarations in this gospel with a phrase following (6:35, 6:41, 6:48, 8:12, 9:5, 10:7, 10:9, 10:11, 10:14, 11:25, 14:6, 15:1).

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

New wine is a symbol of blessings (Dt 7:12-13, 11:13-14, 33:27-28), and of the Messiah (Jer 31:12, Zch 9:14-17)

You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.

The working of the word is cleansing. See 13:10.

Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself but must remain in the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me.

Other commentators have observed that to remain in Jesus, to hold fast to Him is a parallel to Dt 10:20, 11:22, 13:4, 30:20.

In the previous chapter, Jesus announced that He was leaving and going back to the Father to prepare a place. Here Jesus explains that His departure does not mean believers will not be connected to Him.

I am the vine, you are the branches; the one who remains in Me, and I in him bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

Bearing fruit is expected from the believers (e.g. Ps 92:12-15, Gal 5:22-23, Eph 5:9, Phil 1:11, Col 1:6, 1:10).

Much fruit is an expression of abundance, a fulfillment of Is 9:3. Remaining in Jesus enables us to bear much fruit.

The Greek word for remain is μενω. A form of this word appears in 6:56, thus this picture of the branches depending on the vine to receive the sap is another illustration of eating the body and drinking the blood of Jesus.

If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown away like a branch and dries up; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

Not remaining in Jesus ~ Death.

If you remain in Me, and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.

Remaining in Jesus & His Words ~ Prayers attended.

My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.

Bearing much fruit ~ Proof of the Disciple.

Just as the Father has loved Me, I also have loved you; remain in My love.

If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.

Keeping commandments ~ Remaining in His Love.

These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.

Disciples’ Relation to Each Other

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

A parallel, Moses delivered the Ten Commandments and the Law. Jesus gives also commandments.

Greater love has no one than this, that a person will lay down his life for his friends.

Jesus presents Himself as a ransom.

You are My friends if you do what I command you.

Being a friend of God is a special term (Ex 33:11, Job 16:19-21), frequently used for Abraham (Is 41:8, Jam 2:23).

Keeping the commandments ~ Being a friend of Jesus.

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

No longer slaves, see Lev 25:55.

You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.

As God chose Israel (Dt 7:7-8).

This I command you, that you love one another.

A parallel with Moses, who delivered the Ten Commandments and the Torah.

Disciples’ Relation to the World

“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you.

If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.

Chosen by Jesus ~ Hated by the world.

Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they followed My word, they will follow yours also.

But all these things they will do to you on account of My name, because they do not know the One who sent Me.

Not knowing the Father is not eternal life (17:3).

If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin.

The one who hates Me hates My Father also.

Hating Jesus is not keeping His commandments (14:15,21).

If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well.

But this has happened so that the word that is written in their Law will be fulfilled: ‘THEY HATED ME FOR NO REASON.’

Psa 35:19, 69:4, 109:3.

“When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, namely, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, He will testify about Me,

Spirit of truth (14:17, 16:13) will testify as though in a court of law (Ex 20:16, Dt 5:20).

and you are testifying as well, because you have been with Me from the beginning.

Being witnesses, testifying, is the mission (Act 1:8, 2:32, 3:15, 5:32, 10:39,41, 13:31).

Chapter 16

Jesus’ Warning

“These things I have spoken to you so that you will not be led into sin.

A warning.

They will ban you from the synagogue, yet an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering a service to God.

Two warnings to the disciples. Being banned from the synagogue was first mentioned to happen to the man blind from birth (9:35). The first person mentioned killed (after Jesus) was Stephen (Act 7:58)

These things they will do because they have not known the Father nor Me.

But these things I have spoken to you, so that when their hour comes, you may remember that I told you of them. However, I did not say these things to you at the beginning, because I was with you.

The Holy Spirit Promised

“But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’

But because I have said these things to you, grief has filled your heart.

(14:1,27)

But I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I am leaving; for if I do not leave, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.

The Holy Spirit also has work to complete.

And He, when He comes, will convict the world regarding sin, and righteousness, and judgment:

The work of the Holy Spirit is to convict.

Sin and righteousness oppose each other and are of separate natures. Judgement is about being able to discern between sin and righteousness, about being able to tell the difference. The Holy Spirit will convict the world because the world is unable to discern between sin and righteousness. Notice that this discerning ability is similar to the divine quality of separating light from darkness.

regarding sin, because they do not believe in Me;

Regarding sin: what the world considers sin is not the same as what Jesus considers sin.

The world tells us that we are OK without believing in Jesus.

and regarding righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you no longer are going to see Me;

Regarding righteousness: the world believes righteousness can be found in men, that we do not need Jesus to be righteous.

and regarding judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

Regarding judgement: exercising judgement is about separating sin and righteousness, about being able to tell the difference between them. The world is unable to do this.

The world believes that evil deeds will not be punished; however the evil one has already been condemned.

“I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them at the present time.

But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.

Guiding in truth is the answer to a prayer by David (Psa 25:4-5).

Note the harmony between Holy Spirit and Jesus. The Spirit will guide (Jesus is the way) into all truth (Jesus is the truth), He will speak what He hears from the Father (also like Jesus, 3:34, 7:16, 8:28, 14:10,24, 17:8).

He will glorify Me, for He will take from Mine and will disclose it to you.

All things that the Father has are Mine; this is why I said that He takes from Mine and will disclose it to you.

Jesus’ Death and Resurrection Foretold

“A little while, and you no longer are going to see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me.”

So some of His disciples said to one another, “What is this that He is telling us, ‘A little while, and you are not going to see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?”

So they were saying, “What is this that He says, ‘A little while’? We do not know what He is talking about.”

Jesus knew that they wanted to question Him, and He said to them, “Are you deliberating together about this, that I said, ‘A little while, and you are not going to see Me, and again a little while, and you will see Me’?

Truly, truly I say to you that you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will grieve, but your grief will be turned into joy!

Whenever a woman is in labor she has pain, because her hour has come; but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish because of the joy that a child has been born into the world.

There must have been women listening to Jesus at this moment; giving birth would be an unfamiliar concept to the disciples. The pain of giving birth is a curse given by God just before He expelled Adam and Eve from the garden (Gen 3:16). Perhaps Jesus is telling the disciples that what they are about to experience will be like the abandonment that Adam and Eve went through.

Perhaps Jesus is referring to the pain He himself is about to experience, a fulfillment of Is 42:14-17, esp. 42:14.

Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one is going to take your joy away from you.

This guarantee is a terrific promise.

Prayer Promises

And on that day you will not question Me about anything. Truly, truly I say to you, if you ask the Father for anything in My name, He will give it to you.

Instructions about how to pray, ask the Father, in Jesus name. Contrast with 11:22.

Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.

Our joy is seeing Jesus (v.22) and receiving from the Father.

“These things I have spoken to you in figures of speech; an hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech, but will tell you plainly about the Father.

On that day you will ask in My name, and I am not saying to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf;

Instructions about how to pray (v. 23).

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

The love from the Father manifested as answers to prayers comes from believing and loving Jesus (14:15).

I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”

His disciples said, “See, now You are speaking plainly and are not using any figure of speech.

Now we know that You know all things, and that You have no need for anyone to question You; this is why we believe that You came forth from God.”

Jesus replied to them, “Do you now believe?

This seems to imply that (some of) the disciples still harbored doubts about Jesus.

Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave Me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me.

These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

Jesus overcoming the world is the opposite picture of darkness not able to overcome light (1:5, 1Jn 5:4-5).

Chapter 17

The High Priestly Prayer

Jesus spoke these things; and raising His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, so that the Son may glorify You,

Jesus addresses the Father as Father (17:1,5), Holy Father (17:11), Righteous Father (17:25). Comp. Mt 6:9. This is how prayer is to start.

Jesus prays first for Himself (v. 1-5), then for His disciples (v. 6-19), then for all believers (v. 20-21). This in-to-outward progression can also be seen in the Sh’ma, Dt 6:6-9, with the word going from hearts to city gates.

The hour: 2:4, 12:23, 17:1.

just as You gave Him authority over all mankind, so that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life.

Jesus as the king of the eternal kingdom may grant eternal life to its citizens.

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

Eternal life is knowing the Father.

Jesus accused the Jews of not knowing the Father (8:19, 8:55, 16:3). This was also the charge to the foolish virgins (Mt 25:12).

Knowing God is emphasized in the entire bible extensively (e.g. Ex 33:13, Jer 22:16, Dan 11:32, Gal 4:8-9, Phil 3:10, Col 1:10).

Gen 1 tells us about what God is like, He speaks, He sees, He discerns, He gives life, He blesses His creation. When we know God, we recognize His voice and His words, His mighty acts, His mercy. We know what pleases/grieves Him, we know His heart.

Knowing the Father is emphasized in v. 3, 25, 26.

Pharaoh did not know God (Ex 5:2).

I glorified You on the earth by accomplishing the work which You have given Me to do.

Like the Father, and like Moses, Jesus completed His work. (Gen 2:2, Ex 40:33, Jn 19:30).

Completing God’s work brings glory to Him. We are servants with a job to do (Eph 2:10).

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

Other commentators have observed the relation between this verse and 1:1-2.

“I have revealed Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have followed Your word.

Now they have come to know that everything which You have given Me is from You;

for the words which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me.

I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but on the behalf of those whom You have given Me, because they are Yours;

Like Moses, Jesus is an intercessor (Dt 9:16-20).

and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them.

In Dt 9:29, Moses refers to the people as God’s; Jesus shares that ownership with the Father (16:15).

The people are a treasured possession (Ex 6:7,19:5-6, Dt 7:6, 9:29, 14:2, 26:18)

I am no longer going to be in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I am coming to You. Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, so that they may be one just as We are.

Jesus knows our state and how worrisome it is for Him that we are in the world.

Jesus and the Father share The Name (Ex 34:5). Also v. 12.

Jesus prays for unity (v. 11,21-24) (Act 1:14, 2:46, 4:24, 5:12, 15:25).

Jesus and the Father are One (Dt 6:4).

While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name, which You have given Me; and I guarded them, and not one of them perished except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.

The betrayal of Judas was spoken in Ps 109:6-9, Zch 11:12-13.

The Disciples in the World

But now I am coming to You; and these things I speak in the world so that they may have My joy made full in themselves.

Other commentators have observed the connection between this verse and 3:29.

I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

Jesus declares the heavenly citizenship of the believers.

I am not asking You to take them out of the world, but to keep them away from the evil one.

Jesus prays for their safety.

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

Believers share with Jesus not being of the world.

Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.

Just as You sent Me into the world, I also sent them into the world.

Believers reflect the character of Jesus when being sent into the world.

Other commentators have observed the connection between this verse and 20:21.

And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, so that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.

The truth as agent of sanctification.

“I am not asking on behalf of these alone, but also for those who believe in Me through their word,

Jesus prays for all believers throughout time (Dt 29:14-15).

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

Jesus prays for unity (v. 11,21-24) (Act 1:14, 2:46, 4:24, 5:12, 15:25).

Being in Jesus and the Father evokes the teaching in 15:5-10.

Disciples’ Future Glory

The glory which You have given Me I also have given to them, so that they may be one, just as We are one;

Praise and honor follow obedience (Dt 26:19).

Jesus and the Father are One (Dt 6:4).

I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and You loved them, just as You loved Me.

A request of Moses was that the word would know God had sent him (Ex 33:16).

Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.

Seeing the glory was a request by Moses (Ex 33:18).

“Righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me;

and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”

Chapter 18

Judas Betrays Jesus

When Jesus had spoken these words, He went away with His disciples across the ravine of the Kidron, where there was a garden which He entered with His disciples.

A parallel with Moses as their death approaches (Dt 31:1).

Now Judas, who was betraying Him, also knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with His disciples.

So Judas, having obtained the Roman cohort and officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, came there with lanterns, torches, and weapons.

This is the only gospel that mentions Roman soldiers being present.

It was nighttime as they carried lanterns and torches.

Jesus therefore, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, came out into the open and said to them, “Whom are you seeking?”

Jesus goes before them, like a Shepherd. See note in 10:4.

Comp. with 1:38.

They answered Him, “Jesus the Nazarene.” He said to them, “I am He.” And Judas also, who was betraying Him, was standing with them.

Other commentators have observed the “I am” declarations in v. 5, 6, and 8.

Judas mentioned to be standing not with Jesus. A picture of salvation, standing either on one side or the other.

Now then, when He said to them, “I am He,” they drew back and fell to the ground.

Other commentators have observed this is a common reaction to facing God (Ezk 1:28, Dan 10:9, Act 9:3-4, Rev 1:17).

He then asked them again, “Whom are you seeking?” And they said, “Jesus the Nazarene.”

Jesus answered, “I told you that I am He; so if you are seeking Me, let these men go on their way.”

A parallel with Moses (Ex 4:23).

This took place so that the word which He spoke would be fulfilled: “Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one.”

Then Simon Peter, since he had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear; and the slave’s name was Malchus.

Peter and perhaps all the other disciples think that Jesus will lead a rebellion to restore the Kingdom of Israel (Lk 24:21, Act 1:6).

So Jesus said to Peter, “Put the sword into the sheath; the cup which the Father has given Me, am I not to drink it?”

Jesus before the Priests

So the Roman cohort, the commander, and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound Him,

and brought Him to Annas first; for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.

Now Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews that it was in their best interest for one man to die in behalf of the people.

See 11:49-51.

Simon Peter was following Jesus, and so was another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest,

A parallel with Moses, as he is left to drift on the river, Miriam follows at a distance until it reaches Pharaoh’s palace. Here Peter follows at a distance to the court of the high priest.

but Peter was standing at the door outside. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the doorkeeper, and brought Peter in.

John is likely the disciple mentioned here.

If John knew the high priest and had enough influence to have Peter allowed into the court, it is not too difficult to imagine that John was with the group that brought Jesus to Pilate and perhaps was present while Pilate was examining Jesus or that John heard a report directly from someone who was present.

Then the slave woman who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, “You are not also one of this Man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.”

They probably knew John was a disciple and John had had Peter come in. But Peter had just struck somebody who lived in this house with a sword (v. 10). He was probably very afraid to have been recognized, see v.26.

Now the slaves and the officers were standing there, having made a charcoal fire, for it was cold and they were warming themselves; and Peter was also with them, standing and warming himself.

Peter will encounter Jesus in front a fire in 21:9.

The high priest then questioned Jesus about His disciples, and about His teaching.

Here Annas keeps the title of High Priest, perhaps he had been a high priest before or held the title unofficially. Notice Jesus is sent to the high priest in v. 24.

Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world; I always taught in synagogues and in the temple area, where all the Jews congregate; and I said nothing in secret.

Other commentators have observed that Jesus was asked about His disciples and teaching, He only answers about His teaching.

Why are you asking Me? Ask those who have heard what I spoke to them. Look: these people know what I said.”

But when He said this, one of the officers, who was standing nearby, struck Jesus, saying, “Is that the way You answer the high priest?”

Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken wrongly, testify of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me?”

So Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

Peter’s Denial of Jesus

Now Simon Peter was still standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You are not one of His disciples as well, are you?” He denied it, and said, “I am not.”

One of the slaves of the high priest, who was related to the one whose ear Peter cut off, said, “Did I not see you in the garden with Him?”

Peter then denied it again, and immediately a rooster crowed.

Jesus before Pilate

Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas into the Praetorium, and it was early; and they themselves did not enter the Praetorium, so that they would not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.

The Praetorium was the residence of the highest Roman officer.

Therefore Pilate came out to them and said, “What accusation are you bringing against this Man?”

Pilate initiates legal proceedings, he is fact-finding as this could be a legitimate crime, or a trap set up by the Jewish authorities.

They answered and said to him, “If this Man were not a criminal, we would not have handed Him over to you.”

Pilate asked for a charge against Jesus but none was given at this point.

So Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law.” The Jews said to him, “We are not permitted to put anyone to death.”

This confirms that bringing the woman caught in adultery to Jesus was a trap (8:5).

The Jewish authorities have not mentioned what crime Jesus committed but now convey that it is a crime punishable by death.

Other commentators have observed that the Jewish authorities wanted Jesus to die by crucifixion instead of stoning so He would be cursed.

This happened so that the word of Jesus which He said, indicating what kind of death He was going to die, would be fulfilled.

Therefore Pilate entered the Praetorium again, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, “You are the King of the Jews?”

This is the first exchange between Jesus and Pilate.

Somehow Pilate finds out that Jesus has claimed to be the King of the Jews.

We do not know how Pilate and Jesus are communicating. Are they speaking in Latin, the official language of the government? In Greek, a common language of that time? In Aramaic, the local tongue? Is there an interpreter translating the conversation?

Jesus answered, “Are you saying this on your own, or did others tell you about Me?”

Note that after Jesus is arrested and speaks with religious and secular authorities of the land, Jesus is silent when people bring charges against him. But He is willing to respond in this case (with a question nonetheless). Jesus even seems to try to convince him that He is the Messiah (v. 37).

With this answer-question, is Jesus trying to poke Pilate to make him say what he knows?

In Gethsemane, Jesus asked the Father to find an alternative to dying on the cross (Mt 26:39,42, Mk 14:36, Lk 22:42). Is Jesus wondering if the Father already spoke to Pilate and revealed to him the Jesus is the King of the Jews?

Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests handed You over to me; what have You done?”

Pilate seems open to have a dialogue with Jesus. And he wants to hear Jesus’ side of the story.

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.”

Jesus reveals His royal nature, but He also reveals the heavenly character of His kingdom.

Therefore Pilate said to Him, “So You are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this purpose I have been born, and for this I have come into the world: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.”

I am a king, Jesus declares Himself the fulfillment of Is 9:6-7.

Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?”

And after saying this, he came out again to the Jews and said to them, “I find no grounds at all for charges in His case.

Pilate must have expected a prisoner to be afraid and plead for his life. Instead with Jesus he is having philosophical conversations about earthly and heavenly kingdoms and authority and testifying about the truth.

However, you have a custom that I release one prisoner for you at the Passover; therefore do you wish that I release for you the King of the Jews?”

So they shouted again, saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas.” Now Barabbas was a rebel.

Other translations, a robber. Other commentators have observed that robber(s) is only used in 10:1,8, and 18:40; this usage further alienates Judas from the ministry of Jesus.

Barabbas is a picture of the saved, who even though being guilty, walk away from punishment while Jesus takes our place and receives the penalty for our deeds.

Chapter 19

The Crown of Thorns

So Pilate then took Jesus and had Him flogged.

Pilate has Jesus scourged perhaps thinking that this will be enough chastisement in the eyes of Jewish authorities.

And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and placed it on His head, and put a purple cloak on Him;

As the charge of king of the Jews goes around, the soldiers take advantage of an opportunity to mock.

Note that thorns are part of the curses from the Fall (Gen 3:18), thus Jesus bears this curse on Him.

Purple was the color worn by government officials; this is a fulfillment of Is 9:6, of the government being on Jesus’ shoulders.

and they repeatedly came up to Him and said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and slapped Him in the face again and again.

And then Pilate came out again and said to them, “See, I am bringing Him out to you so that you will know that I find no grounds at all for charges in His case.”

After the scourging, Pilate tries again to release Jesus and says again that he finds no guilt in Jesus.

Jesus then came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, “Behold, the Man!”

Pilate asked Jesus if He was a king. After having Jesus scourged, He did looked more like a man rather than a king. There is a similar presentation of Jesus in v. 14.

So when the chief priests and the officers saw Him, they shouted, saying, “Crucify, crucify!” Pilate said to them, “Take Him yourselves and crucify Him; for I find no grounds for charges in His case!”

The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and by that law He ought to die, because He made Himself out to be the Son of God!”

Before and after His arrest, when the Jews directly ask Jesus if He is the Messiah, the Son of God, Jesus answers plainly and without ambiguity. Unable to receive the response, the Jews accuse Him of blasphemy. The Law speaks about this in Leviticus. They now bring this charge to Pilate (Jn 5:18,10:24-38, Mt 26:63-66, Lev 24:16).

Therefore when Pilate heard this statement, he was even more afraid;

Historical documents portray Pilate as a ruthless governor, with no tolerance for social disorder or hesitance to crush dissidence. But Pilate must be thoroughly captivated by Jesus. After Jesus is scourged, mocked, beaten, Jesus must be still carrying a powerful presence. He does not request any sort of comfort or relief; He is not providing any sort of confession that other prisoners might have admitted to in similar circumstances. Then, the Jews tell Pilate that Jesus claims to be the Son of God. Superstition was rather prevalent in the Roman world and Jesus had already displayed conduct that would have been uncommon in ordinary criminals. He just hours before had made people stumble and fall by saying “I am” (18:6). Pilate must have wondered if he was dealing with a divine creature, which he was.

and he entered the Praetorium again and said to Jesus, “Where are You from?” But Jesus gave him no answer.

This is the second exchange between Jesus and Pilate. It is no longer a cross-examination to find out what crime Jesus committed but Pilate is more intrigued as to what is the nature of Jesus. Pilate opens with Where are you from? Jesus had already told Pilate that His Kingdom was not of this realm, not an earthly kingdom.

So Pilate said to Him, “Are you not speaking to me? Do You not know that I have authority to release You, and I have authority to crucify You?”

Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over Me at all, if it had not been given to you from above; for this reason the one who handed Me over to you has the greater sin.”

Jesus raises the stakes to Pilate. Jesus takes away from Pilate the role of authority and the role of judge. Jesus judges Pilate and the people and declares them guilty.

As a result of this, Pilate made efforts to release Him; but the Jews shouted, saying, “If you release this Man, you are not a friend of Caesar; everyone who makes himself out to be a king opposes Caesar!”

In the Exodus story, we see Moses bargaining with Pharaoh for the liberation of the people. God hardens Pharaoh’s heart and Pharaoh refuses to let the people go. In this case, Pilate argues with the people to let Jesus go, though the texts do not mention it, it is as thought God hardens the people’s heart to refuse letting Jesus go.

The Jewish authorities issue a threat, if Pilate releases Jesus, they would file a complaint with Rome stating that Pilate opposes Caesar.

Notice the usage of “this Man”, like in v. 5.

Therefore when Pilate heard these words, he brought Jesus out, and sat down on the judgment seat at a place called The Pavement—but in Hebrew, Gabbatha.

Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, “Look, your King!”

The verdict of the trial conducted by Pilate is that Jesus is the King, and Pilate refers to Jesus as the King going forward.

So they shouted, “Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king except Caesar.”

They continue their demand for crucifying Jesus. Their zeal blinds them and they break the Law of Moses by declaring the Caesar is their king as the king must be an Israelite (Dt 17:14-15, 1 Sam 8:5-7).

The Crucifixion

So he then handed Him over to them to be crucified.

They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, carrying His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which in Hebrew is called, Golgotha.

There they crucified Him, and with Him two other men, one on either side, and Jesus in between.

Now Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It was written: “JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

The acrostic for Jesus the Nazarene, the king of the Jews in Latin is INRI. It is common in artistic renderings of the crucifixion.

Therefore many of the Jews read this inscription, because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and in Greek.

Perhaps al allusion to Babel or to Pentecost where people with different languages would understand the claims of Jesus.

So the chief priests of the Jews were saying to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews’; rather, write that He said, ‘I am King of the Jews.’”

Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

Pilate does not retract on his verdict.

Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His outer garments and made four parts: a part to each soldier, and the tunic also; but the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece.

So they said to one another, “Let’s not tear it, but cast lots for it, to decide whose it shall be.” This happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: “THEY DIVIDED MY GARMENTS AMONG THEMSELVES, AND THEY CAST LOTS FOR MY CLOTHING.” Therefore the soldiers did these things.

Ps 22:18.

Now beside the cross of Jesus stood His mother, His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.

A parallel with Moses. When Moses is thrown into the water, his mother, sister, and Pharaoh’s daughter are witnesses. Moses comes out of the basket like Jesus comes out of the tomb. A woman is the first witness of seeing the risen Lord.

So when Jesus saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”

Then He said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her into his own household.

After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, in order that the Scripture would be fulfilled, said, “I am thirsty.”

Jesus was not referring to physical water in 4:13, 6:35, 7:37.

Jesus also asked the Samaritan woman for water (4:7).

A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a branch of hyssop and brought it up to His mouth.

A fulfillment of Ps 69:21.

Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.

Like the Father, and like Moses, Jesus completed His work (Gen 2:2, Ex 40:33). Jesus had mentioned to have finished His tasks (17:4). We live in an age in which the Holy Spirit is working and one day He will finish his tasks too.

The verb for finish is τελέω. This word means to bring to completion, to make perfect (see Mt 5:48, 19:20), to reach full growth (e.g. 1Co 2:6; Phi 1:6, 3:15). It can also mean to cover a debt, to pay what one owes.

Care of the Body of Jesus

Now then, since it was the day of preparation, to prevent the bodies from remaining on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews requested of Pilate that their legs be broken, and the bodies be taken away.

Throughout the day of preparation, thousands and thousands of people would be entering Jerusalem with a one-year-old, without a blemish, lamb to be slaughtered at the temple, many of them must have seen the cross at a distance.

The gospel of Matthew (Mt 27:62) agrees with the chronology that this was on the day of preparation.

It was forbidden to leave the bodies overnight (Dt 21:23).

So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man, and of the other who was crucified with Him;

but after they came to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.

No bone of the Passover lamb was to be broken (Ex 12:46, Num 9:12).

Yet one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out.

A fulfillment of Zch 12:10-13.

And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is true; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe.

For these things took place so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: “NOT A BONE OF HIM SHALL BE BROKEN.”

Ex 12:46, Num 9:12.

And again another Scripture says, “THEY WILL LOOK AT HIM WHOM THEY PIERCED.”

Zch 12:10.

Now after these things Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one for fear of the Jews, requested of Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate granted permission. So he came and took away His body.

Nicodemus, who had first come to Him by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred litras weight.

Other commentators have observed that this is an exuberant mix, like the perfume in 12:3.

So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen wrappings with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.

Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden was a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.

Therefore because of the Jewish day of preparation, since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.

Chapter 20

The Empty Tomb

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and saw the stone already removed from the tomb.

Darkness denotes a state of hopelessness.

So she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we do not know where they have put Him.”

So Peter and the other disciple left, and they were going to the tomb.

The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead, faster than Peter, and came to the tomb first;

and he stooped to look in, and saw the linen wrappings lying there; however he did not go in.

So Simon Peter also came, following him, and he entered the tomb; and he looked at the linen wrappings lying there,

and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings but folded up in a place by itself.

So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb also entered then, and he saw and believed.

For they did not yet understand the Scripture, that He must rise from the dead.

See 2:22.

Ps 16:9-11 speaks of the body do not allowed to decay.

So the disciples went away again to their own homes.

But Mary was standing outside the tomb, weeping; so as she wept, she stooped to look into the tomb;

and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying.

And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they put Him.”

When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and yet she did not know that it was Jesus.

It is dark (v. 1) and Mary’s eyes are full of tears. This makes it hard for Mary to recognize Jesus.

Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Thinking that He was the gardener, she said to Him, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you put Him, and I will take Him away.”

The tomb is in a garden (19:41).

See 1:38, 18:4, for a similar question.

Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher).

The hearing of her name enables Mary to recognize Jesus, the Good Shepherd (10:3-5,27).

Jesus said to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’”

Jesus commissions Mary to tell others about the resurrection.

These words evoke the exchange between Ruth and Naomi, where Ruth clings to Naomi and declares your God will be my God (Ruth 1:14-16).

Mary Magdalene came and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her.

This episode between Mary and Jesus in the garden strongly evokes the events of Fall (Gen 3:1-7). In the creation story, the woman is the first element that is not made from dirt and the last one created by God. It is the woman who pursues knowledge and speaks with the serpent. After the resurrection it is Mary, a woman, with whom Jesus speaks first. Jesus calling Mary it is as though Mary ate a new type of fruit that opens her eyes. Just as Eve gives Adam fruit from the Tree, Mary Magdalene goes and tells the disciples that she has seen the Lord.

Jesus among His Disciples

Now when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were together due to fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst, and said to them, “Peace be to you.”

The darkness of the evening denotes a state of hopelessness. There are several passages that speak of nighttime or darkness that may be subtle or explicit references to darkness in a spiritual sense or may denote a state of despair (3:2, 3:19, 6:16-17, 8:12, 9:4, 11:9-10, 12:35, 12:46, 13:30, 18:3, 20:1, 20:19, 21:3). This evidence Jesus as the fulfillment of Is 9:2.

The first day of the week is a Sunday.

That the doors are shut may represent a state of gestation, with the disciples waiting to receive the Spirit so they can live.

First instance of this greeting. A fulfillment of Is 9:6-7 and Mic 5:5. Peace with the Father is now possible. Luke records the same greeting (Lk 24:36).

And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

A fulfillment of 16:20.

So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be to you; just as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”

Second instance of this greeting. A fulfillment of Is 9:6-7 and Mic 5:5.

And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

This evokes the giving of the spirit to the man created from the dirt (Gen 2:7).

If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”

See Mt 16:19, Jam 5:16.

But Thomas, one of the twelve, who was called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

Eight days later His disciples were again inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be to you.”

Third instance of this greeting. A fulfillment of Is 9:6-7 and Mic 5:5.

Then He said to Thomas, “Place your finger here, and see My hands; and take your hand and put it into My side; and do not continue in disbelief, but be a believer.”

Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

An acknowledgement of Jesus’ divine nature.

Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you now believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”

A blessing for all future believers.

Why This Gospel Was Written

So then, many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;

but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that by believing you may have life in His name.

The explicit purpose for writing this gospel, that people who listen/read these words may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and may have life in His name.

Chapter 21

Jesus Appears at the Sea of Galilee

After these things Jesus revealed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He revealed Himself in this way:

Simon Peter, Thomas who was called Didymus, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together.

If the author of the gospel is one of the two other disciples, this would show that the author is not John the son of Zebedee.

Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We are also coming with you.” They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing.

These are steps backward for Peter, similar to the people saying “We are going back to Egypt”.

The mentioning of nighttime might also denote hopelessness.

But when the day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

So Jesus said to them, “Children, you do not have any fish to eat, do you?” They answered Him, “No.”

And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you will find the fish.” So they cast it, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great quantity of fish.

Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he was stripped for work), and threw himself into the sea.

But the other disciples came in the little boat, for they were not far from the land, but about two hundred cubits away, dragging the net full of fish.

So when they got out on the land, they saw a charcoal fire already made and fish placed on it, and bread.

Other commentators have observed that the mentioning of charcoal fire might in 18:18 and here is to set the background to reinstate Peter as a disciple.

Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have now caught.”

So Simon Peter went up and hauled the net to land, full of large fish, 153; and although there were so many, the net was not torn.

This is a fulfillment of Ezk 47:9-10.

This is another miracle of abundance in Galilee.

Jesus Provides

Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples ventured to inquire of Him, “Who are You?” knowing that it was the Lord.

Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and the fish likewise.

This was now the third time that Jesus revealed Himself to the disciples, after He was raised from the dead.

The Love Question

Now when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.”

He said to him again, a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.”

Jesus commissions Peter to be a shepherd, just as Jesus is the Good Shepherd.

This is an answer to a prayer by Moses (Num 27:15-16).

A parallel with Moses, he appointed Joshua to lead the people (Num 27:17-20, Dt 3:28), Jesus appoints Peter.

He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was hurt because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.

Our Times Are in His Hand

Truly, truly I tell you, when you were younger, you used to put on your belt and walk wherever you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will put your belt on you, and bring you where you do not want to go.”

A reference to the kind of death Peter would undergo.

Now He said this, indicating by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had said this, He said to him, “Follow Me!”

Peter turned around and saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them—the one who also had leaned back on His chest at the supper and said, “Lord, who is the one who is betraying You?”

So Peter, upon seeing him, said to Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man?”

Jesus said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!”

Therefore this account went out among the brothers, that that disciple would not die; yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but only, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?”

This is the disciple who is testifying about these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true.

“We” only occurs in 1:14,16 and 21:24. Probably John and a group of believers.

But there are also many other things which Jesus did, which, if they were written in detail, I expect that even the world itself would not contain the books that would be written.