Upwards Church

FOLLOW THE LIGHT

Even a small light can guide a person down a dark path or through a darkened room. There only needs to be enough light to see the way. Although we may not see everything clearly in life, we must act on the light we have. We can’t wait until everything is clear.

Hear the urgency in Jesus’ words, “Walk while you have the light, before the darkness overtakes you.” Conditions may not be perfect, problems may be unsolved, and questions may be unanswered, but if Christ calls you, follow his light.

Read on for more *Life Applications like this one from John Chapter 12.

 A Woman Anoints Jesus with Perfume / 12:1-11

The chapter opens with a portrayal of Mary anointing Jesus, accompanied by a wide range of reactions. This anointing concurs with the one described in Matthew 26:6-13 and Mark 14:3-9; but it is different from the one depicted in Luke 7:36-50, which occurred much earlier in Jesus’ ministry. The tender attention given to Jesus by his three friends in Bethany contrasts with the treachery Judas planned to commit by the week’s end.

12:1-2 Another Passover was coming, and Jesus arrived in Bethany six days beforehand. John last placed him in Ephraim, where he had gone to be alone with his disciples (11:54). From there, they returned to Galilee for a while. This was Jesus’ final visit with his friends at Bethany because he was on his way to Jerusalem where, as he had already told his disciples he would die. Only a few weeks had gone by since Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead. He was back in the home of Lazarus. According to parallel accounts of this story (see Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9), this meal was held at the home of Simon the leper, who also lived in Bethany and was very likely healed of his leprosy by Jesus. A dinner had been prepared in Jesus’ honor.

12:3 This perfume was made from an aromatic herb (nard) from the mountains of India, and it was imported in alabaster bottles. This expensive imported item carried such value that people used it for investment purposes, as gold is often used today. When supper was finished, Mary took this pure, expensive perfume and anointed Jesus’ feet. Nard was used to anoint kings; Mary may have been anointing Jesus as her kingly Messiah. Many centuries later we are still humbled by the extravagance and the appropriateness of Mary’s gift. She poured out the very best she could find. Price is not the central issue, but the sincere expression of faith and love.

*LIFE APPLICATION: THE GREAT GIFT

Many centuries later we are still humbled by the extravagance and the appropriateness of Mary’s gift. She poured out the very best she could find. The price is important, but so is the sincere expression of faith and love. What we give to the Lord can be costly. Often others might think the effort or money is wasted, for it seems to make no large or permanent change in the world. But what others may call insignificant or wasteful, God deems to be like the fragrant aroma that filled the house when Mary poured the nard on Jesus’ feet.

12:4-6 According to Matthew and Mark, all the disciples were offended that Mary had “wasted” this expensive ointment (Matthew 26:8; Mark 14:4). But in John’s Gospel, Judas Iscariot verbalized the offense. “The perfume was worth a small fortune. It should have been sold and the money given to the poor.” Judas’s motive was not to care for the poor. Judas was a thief who had been entrusted with the disciples’ funds (see 13:29). Judas often dipped into the money for his own use. Undoubtedly, Jesus knew what Judas was doing (2:24-25; 6:64), but he never did or said anything about it.

*LIFE APPLICATION: SMOKE SCREEN

In spite of his sharp rebuke, there is no evidence that Judas ever gave to the poor. His objection was actually a smoke screen to cover his own selfishness and greed.

It is common in church life to discover that those most apt to criticize are those who are doing nothing themselves. Those who never go to church criticize the church; those who don’t read the Bible are ready to criticize what they have heard are inconsistencies and difficulties; those unwilling to help are ready to criticize when plans fail. Beware of finding fault with others in areas where you are deficient.

*LIFE APPLICATION: ON GUARD

Judas was given the position of trustee of the money bag most likely because he had some capability or expressed some interest in doing so. Sometimes the abilities we have enable us to function so effortlessly that we let down our moral or spiritual guard as we carry out those duties. Has God allowed you to assume responsibilities that match your strengths? Whether we are preaching, teaching, or managing money, remember that strengths can become weaknesses if we settle for poor preparation, shortcuts, and acting as if we “own” what truly belongs to another. If Christ is truly Lord of all you do, you will be on guard against greed, self-service, and taking moral shortcuts.

12:7-8 Jesus pointed out that Mary was not wasting this perfume on him. Certainly, the money could have been given to the poor; there would always be opportunities to care for the poor. But they would not always have Jesus. Mary understood how special Jesus was. Her anointing was like an ointment put on his body in preparation for burial (Matthew 26:12; Mark 14:8). (Later Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea would actually wrap Jesus’ body with linen and spices, 19:39.)

This act and Jesus’ response to it do not give us permission to ignore the poor. Rather, Jesus explained that his followers would have many opportunities to help the poor, but only a short time to love and honor the Messiah. Mary’s loving act was for a specific occasion—an anointing that anticipated Jesus’ burial and a public declaration of her faith in him as the Messiah. Jesus’ words should have taught Judas a valuable lesson about the worth of money. Unfortunately, Judas did not learn it. In contrast to Mary’s sacrificial gift to Jesus, Judas sold his master’s life for thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14-16), the price one paid a slave owner if one’s ox killed one of his slaves (see Exodus 21:32).

*LIFE APPLICATION: UNDETERRED

Mary’s gift was criticized by others, but appreciated by the Lord. When you give your best to God, you can be sure he appreciates your gift. Do not allow misunderstanding or criticism to deter you. Mary did not bring the gift because she thought she would receive praise from the others; she brought it because she loved Jesus and wanted to show him.

12:9-11 Jews were arriving from all over the world for the Passover celebration. Many had heard of the miracle of Lazarus’s resurrection. When they discovered that Jesus had returned to Bethany to be with Lazarus, they came to see both of them.

However, the leading priests decided to kill Lazarus too, for it was because of him that many of the people had deserted them and believed in Jesus. The chief priests’ blindness and hardness of heart caused them to sink ever deeper into sin. One sin led them to another. From the Jewish leaders’ point of view, they could accuse Jesus of blasphemy because he claimed equality with God. But Lazarus had done nothing of the kind. They wanted Lazarus dead simply because he was a living witness to Jesus’ power.

*LIFE APPLICATION: SECRET DESIRE

We all like to believe we are above petty jealousy and small retaliations. Unfortunately our behavior often proves the opposite. The chief priests, the guardians of God’s royal law, were so driven by jealousy, paranoia, and hate that they enlarged their plan to kill Jesus to include Lazarus.

Most likely you have never been involved in planning someone else’s murder; but, have you ever wished someone would disappear, or found yourself hoping they would make some kind of humiliating mistake that would ruin their career or reputation? Have you secretly desired to have their power or position and justified the wish by claiming “I could do a better job”? If our motivation is to do our best at serving God wherever we are, we won’t need to compare ourselves to others.

Jesus Rides into Jerusalem on a Young Donkey / 12:12-19

John’s description of the Triumphal Entry, mentioned in all four Gospels, is the most brief of the accounts. John’s objective seemed to be to sketch the events, relating them to Old Testament prophecies and explaining that those present did not fully understand all that was going on. He pointed out that these events intensified the animosity of the leaders toward Jesus. In the other Gospels, we are left with the impression that the crowd’s reaction to Jesus was largely spontaneous. John, however, helpfully explained that those who had witnessed the raising of Lazarus had been busily telling others. The news created great anticipation in Jerusalem of Jesus’ arrival.

12:12-13 The day after the feast in Bethany, Jesus made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Given the importance of the approaching Passover, the road into the holy city would have been clogged with pilgrims. Among them would have been many people from Galilee, familiar with Jesus from his years of ministry there.

Not only was Jesus part of the large crowd moving toward Jerusalem, others came out to meet him from the city itself. Expectations that something marvelous was soon to happen must have been at fever pitch! The crowd began to shout. As they shouted “Praise God,” they thought that their conquering King had finally come to liberate them from Roman rule. They believed that the one who comes in the name of the Lord was the King of Israel (see Psalm 118:25-26; Zephaniah 3:15; John 1:49). Therefore, the Jews thought they were hailing the arrival of their King! But these people who were praising God for giving them a king had the wrong idea about Jesus. They were sure he would be a national leader who would restore their nation to its former glory; thus they were deaf to the words of their prophets and blind to Jesus’ real mission. When it became apparent that Jesus was not going to fulfill their hopes, many people turned against him.

12:14-15 Indeed, their King came to them—but not the kind of king they had expected. He did not arrive as a political ruler might, on a mighty horse or in a chariot. Rather, Jesus came to them in the way prophesied by Zechariah: “Don’t be afraid, people of Israel. Look, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt.” The Old Testament prophet Zechariah had prophesied the arrival of a great king, possibly Alexander the Great, in Zechariah 9:1-8. Then contrasting that, he had prophesied the arrival to Jerusalem’s people of their King (see Zechariah 9:9). In this coming, Israel’s King would be a humble servant, not a conqueror. He would not be exalted to a throne, but lifted up on a cross.

12:16 The same kind of statement was made in 2:22. After Christ’s resurrection and subsequent glorification, the disciples remembered these events and understood what they signified. Prior to Jesus’ resurrection, his followers did not understand the significance of his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The Holy Spirit would open their eyes to the meaning of the Old Testament Scriptures, Jesus’ fulfillment of prophecy, and remind them of this and other messianic predictions (14:26; see also Luke 24:25-35, 44-48).

*LIFE APPLICATION: RETROSPECTION

After Jesus’ resurrection, the disciples understood for the first time many of the prophecies that they had missed along the way. Jesus’ words and actions took on new meaning and made more sense. In retrospect, the disciples saw how Jesus had led them into a deeper and better understanding of his truth. Stop and think about the events in your life that God has used to lead you to this point. As you grow older, you will look back and see God’s involvement more clearly than you do now.

12:17-19 The crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus back to life continued to spread the word. That was the main reason so many went out to meet him. This statement emphasizes the superficial enthusiasm that possessed most of the cheering throng. They flocked to Jesus because they had heard about his great miracle in raising Lazarus from the dead. Their adoration was short-lived and their commitment shallow, for in a few days they would do nothing to stop his crucifixion.

The Pharisees were exasperated by such exultation. They were hoping to find some sly way to get hold of Jesus and get rid of him while they knew his whereabouts, but it was impossible with the huge adoring crowds surrounding him. Their statement, “the whole world has gone after him!” is ironic—for most of those people did not really believe in Jesus.

*LIFE APPLICATION: DESPERATION

The religious leaders were becoming desperate men. Desperation leads to exaggeration. Jesus’ popularity seemed to be growing to insurmountable heights. The more they tried to stop Jesus, the more his influence increased.

Those who oppose Christ make a hopeless effort. People who have set out to discredit him have ended up bowing before him in worship. The Pharisees were right when they said “This is getting us nowhere.” They were only succeeding as far as their plan coincided with God’s plan. People can spend a lifetime resisting and rejecting Christ, only to discover that they have accomplished nothing but their own destruction.

Jesus Explains Why He Must Die / 12:20-36

As if to confirm the fears expressed in verse 19, this section begins with a group of Gentiles trying to approach Jesus. We are not told if their request for an audience with Christ was ever granted, but Jesus replied to their interest with some instruction on the necessity of his own death.

This passage also includes the third instance of God speaking audibly during the ministry of Jesus. The first was at the baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22); the second at the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-13; Mark 9:2-13; Luke 9:28-36). God the Father broke the silence of heaven to encourage his Son in the final days of his mission on earth. Jesus himself emphasized again the brief time that remained during which the light would still be present.

12:20-22 Indeed, it seemed as if the “whole world” had gone after Jesus, as illustrated by these Greeks who came to the Passover and sought a meeting with him. These people were either visitors from Greece or Greek-speaking Jews. They may have been Jewish proselytes or simply God-fearing Gentiles. These Greeks probably selected Philip as their emissary to Jesus because, though Philip was a Jew, he had a Greek name. And Philip was from Bethsaida, a town in Galilee near the Greek territory on the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee called Decapolis. The city of Bethsaida itself had a large Greek population, and Philip may have been able to speak Greek.

For a moment, Philip hesitated to approach Jesus with the Greeks’ request. So first, Philip told Andrew (with whom Philip is often associated—1:40-44; 6:7-8; Mark 3:18). Then, they went together to ask Jesus. The very inclusion of Greeks in the events of the final week has great significance. John continued his pattern of including Gentiles (the world) all along the way (1:12; 3:16). His readers, who may have been Gentiles struggling with their acceptability to God, would have gained encouragement from this incident and Jesus’ response. We Gentiles also ought to be grateful that Christ includes us in his offer of salvation.

12:23-24 Jesus’ words to Philip and Andrew and perhaps to the other disciples as well were not addressed to the crowd. The crowd (probably including the Greeks) is not mentioned again until verse 29. Jesus explained, “The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory” through death and resurrection. The “whole world” had gone after Jesus (12:19); even the Greeks wanted to see him (12:20ff). Yet it is exactly at this point, when by human standards Jesus was in a perfect position to consolidate his forces and overwhelm the opposition, that he faced the heart-troubling time that was upon him. Until this moment, the “time” had always been a future event. But here Jesus declared that it had arrived.

The picture of a kernel of wheat reveals the necessary sacrifice of Jesus. When a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, it actually dies before becoming a mature blade producing many new kernels. In the same way, Jesus, by his death, produced more fruit than could have been gained had he become the king of Israel on an earthly throne. Indeed, by being lifted up on the cross, Jesus would draw all people to himself. In his picture of the dying grain, Jesus spoke directly about his own life. He does not necessarily require us to literally give up our lives in sacrificial death as the only way to be fruitful. God does call some believers to die for him. But he calls many more to stay alive for fruitful service (see Romans 12:1-2).

*LIFE APPLICATION: COMPLETE COMMITMENT

What does Jesus mean when he tells us to “hate” our life in this world? Jesus wants us to be so committed to living for Christ that we “hate” our life by comparison. Loving our life means that we guard our life so jealously that we squander it on our own pleasures and purposes. In contrast, hating our life means consistently using our resources to follow Christ. It does not mean that we long to die or that we are careless or destructive with the life God has given, but that we are free from self-centeredness and are willing to die if doing so will glorify Christ. We must disown the tyrannical rule of our own self-centeredness. By laying aside our striving for advantage, security, and pleasure, we can serve God lovingly and freely. Releasing control of our life and transferring control to Christ brings eternal life and genuine joy.

12:25-27 True followers of Jesus must have their priorities in order; if they choose to love their life more than their Master, they will lose the very life they seek to maintain. True disciples must be willing to suffer and experience rejection, even unto death if need be. To serve and follow Jesus means making radical lifestyle changes. To follow Jesus means going the way he went—not the way of earthly power and honor—but the way of humility and death. Everything Jesus did was for God’s glory. When we choose to follow him, we must live for God’s glory alone. This does not mean we have no fun, no joy, no security. Rather, it simply means we live to honor God and then the Father will honor us.

The honor from God that Jesus promises may, in fact, be partly experienced in this life, but never entirely. And for many believers, what God has planned by way of honor we can only guess. Meanwhile we can derive real comfort and security from knowing that God observes and remembers each and every act of service we do in his name. None will be forgotten.

Unlike the synoptic Gospels, John does not record Jesus’ agony in the Garden of Gethsemane prior to his crucifixion (Matthew 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:39-46). The record of Jesus being deeply troubled is the only indication in John that Jesus was troubled by that approaching hour. His agony proves the genuineness of his humanity. Jesus refused to ask the Father to save him from the cross (see Romans 8:32) because he knew he had been sent for the very purpose of dying on the cross. Jesus knew his crucifixion lay ahead, and because he was human, he dreaded it.

*LIFE APPLICATION: FOR THIS VERY HOUR

Jesus expressed his desire to be delivered from a horrible death, but he knew that God had sent him into the world to die for our sins in our place. In this Gospel, Jesus speaks of “this very hour” with reference to his crucifixion. This is equivalent to what Jesus said in the other Gospels: “not my will, but yours.” Jesus said no to his human desires in order to obey his Father and glorify him. Although we will never have to face such a difficult and awesome task, we are still called to obedience. Whatever the Father asks, we should do his will and bring glory to his name. Let us not fail to say, “your will be done” or “for this very purpose I have come to this hour.”

Are you ready for when God may call you “for this very hour” in the lives of others? Are you aware of a friend in trouble, tensions between yourself and other believers requiring resolution, or the daily challenges of a difficult job and fellow workers? Are you avoiding some specific problems that won’t go away? Remember it is human to avoid difficulty and pain, but it is Christlike to obey the Father and endure even those tasks which otherwise we would just as soon decline.

12:28-30 Jesus now turns his thoughts back to the Father and back to the purpose for which he had come to earth: to bring glory to him. Thus, the Father responded in a voice from heaven, “I have already brought it glory, and I will do it again.” God would glorify his name through the obedience of his Son (13:31-32) and then would glorify his name again when he would be reunited (17:5) with his Son after his resurrection.

The Father’s voice was audible but not correctly perceived by the multitude standing around. Some in the crowd said that it was thunder. Others thought it was an angel. Whatever their interpretation of the sound, it could not be denied that the phenomenon was supernatural. Jesus made it clear that he did not need this “voice” (he knew that the Father would glorify him); the voice had come for the benefit of the people. However, only a few (such as John who recorded this event) understood what was said and who said it. To the others it was merely thunderous noise.

*LIFE APPLICATION: IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Glorify is one of those biblical terms we often use without understanding its true meaning. The Greek root word is doxa, which refers to brightness, beauty, and even fame. One helpful way to think of the word is to substitute the word spotlight. Jesus was consciously giving God, the Father, permission to spotlight himself through what would happen to Christ, God’s Son. The Father responded by affirming that he had already spotlighted his name in Jesus and would continue to do so.

When faced with a difficult task or decision, we can turn our thoughts back to why we are on this earth—to glorify God. Our life can spotlight God’s beauty and spread his fame. We can pray that God will guide us and work through us to glorify his name.

12:31-33 Anticipating his glorification through death and resurrection, Jesus proclaimed: “The time of judgment for the world has come, when the prince of this world will be cast out.” From our perspective we see how Christ’s death brought judgment on those who had the upper hand in the world’s system: Judas, Caiaphas, Pilate, and the Jewish religious leaders. But the Son had ultimately come to destroy the works of Satan, who controlled the minds of people, producing unbelief. Therefore, the world would be judged in the sense that Satan, the ruler of the world (see 14:30; 16:11; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:2; 6:12; Revelation 12:9), would be cast out—his final and ultimate weapon, death, was about to be overcome (see 1 Corinthians 15:26; Hebrews 2:14).

As he did earlier, Jesus spoke about his death in terms of being lifted up (see 3:14; 8:28). John’s explanation makes it clear that this expression signified how he was going to die—the cross onto which Jesus would be nailed. Jesus knew that he would not die by stoning, something the Jews had already tried to do (8:59), but by crucifixion.

That Jesus will draw everyone to himself does not mean that everyone will ultimately be saved. Jesus has already made it clear that some will not be saved (5:28-29). Rather Jesus was saying that his offer of salvation extends to all people, not just to the Jews. Jesus’ incredible love, expressed in his death for all people, will draw and unify those who believe, so that sin, evil, and death (the weapons of the prince of this world) will be powerless.

12:34 The people had understood from Scripture that the Messiah would live forever (see Psalm 72:17; Isaiah 9:6-7; Ezekiel 37:26-28). They had believed that Jesus had been making a claim to be the Messiah, and here they were waving palm branches for a victorious Messiah who they thought would set up a political, earthly kingdom that would never end. So it was difficult for them to believe that Jesus was the Messiah when he spoke of his imminent death—and that on a cross. Therefore, they wanted clarification about what Jesus meant when he used the term  Son of Man. Was this Son of Man someone different than the Messiah?

*LIFE APPLICATION: LIGHTEN UP

Jesus said he would be with them in person for only a short time, and they should take advantage of his presence while they had it. Like a light shining in a dark place, he would point out the way they should walk. If they walked in his light, they would become “children of light,” revealing the truth and pointing people to God. As believers, we are to be Christ’s light bearers, letting his light shine through us. How brightly is your light shining? Can others see Christ in your actions?

12:35-36 Jesus did not attempt to clear up the people’s confusion about the Messiah. Rather, he admonished them to walk in the light while he was still with them (see also 1:5-9; 3:18-21; 8:12; 9:4-5). The ones enlightened by God would recognize their Messiah. The light of Jesus’ physical presence on earth was about to be extinguished, and the darkness of Satan’s evil influence and sin would overtake those who would refuse to accept Jesus’ light. To walk in Satan’s darkness is to stumble through life with no guidance, no help, no protection, no understanding, no ultimate goal or meaning. So Jesus urged the people to believe in him, who is the light, and become his children. The opportunity was available to all, but Jesus was about to depart this world.

*LIFE APPLICATION: WHERE ARE YOU GOING?

Do we really believe that people we see every day are walking in darkness? We know people who have no purpose, plan, or personal meaning in their lives. They sense no mission in their career, their family lacks unity, and their personal lives are uneasy and empty. They may not accept the directions we offer them in Christ. But what does it say about us if we know they are lost but never offer to help?

 *LIFE APPLICATION: FOLLOW THE LIGHT

Even a small light can guide a person down a dark path or through a darkened room. There only needs to be enough light to see the way. Although we may not see everything clearly in life, we must act on the light we have. We can’t wait until everything is clear.

Hear the urgency in Jesus’ words, “Walk while you have the light, before the darkness overtakes you.” Conditions may not be perfect, problems may be unsolved, and questions may be unanswered, but if Christ calls you, follow his light.

*LIFE APPLICATION: THE TRUE WAY OF ENLIGHTENMENT

In this section, Jesus mentioned three ways that we can use the light:

• Walk in the light—put into action those lessons and commands that God allows you to see.
• Put your trust in the light—confidently depend on Christ for your present and future.
• Become children of light—allow Christ to shine his light through you so that others might see the light.

Most of the People Do Not Believe in Jesus / 12:37-43

As he does persistently, John never allows his readers to avoid the decision about what to do with Jesus Christ. For those ready to respond, no obstacle will keep them from belief. For those whose hearts are hardened, even the most compelling reasons for faith become obstacles. John soberly reminds us that many of those who believe in Jesus still allow the pressures and fears of people to hinder their faith. Hidden faith may avoid a confrontation with others, but it seldom pleases God.

12:37-41 Jesus had performed enough miraculous signs to cause people to believe in him. The greatest of all signs—raising Lazarus from the dead—should have been enough to elicit faith from all those who saw it and even heard about it. Yet most of the people still did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah.

This unbelief had been predicted by Isaiah. In the opening of his chapter on the suffering Savior, Isaiah asked, “Who has believed our message? To whom will the Lord reveal his saving power?” (Isaiah 53:1). It took revelation from God to know that Jesus was the one through whom God demonstrated his saving power. Isaiah was referring to Jesus when he made this prediction, because he was given a vision of the Messiah’s glory. But the Jews lacked this understanding. Why? Because it was prophesied. Isaiah wrote: “The Lord has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts.” The entire quotation (taken from Isaiah 6:9-10) appears quite often in the New Testament because it provides a prophetic explanation for why the Jews did not perceive Jesus’ message nor receive him as their Messiah (see also Matthew 13:14; Mark 4:12; Luke 8:10; Acts 28:26). And because they would not believe, they eventually could not believe. As a result, the Jews remained unenlightened and hardened.

*LIFE APPLICATION: HARDENED

People in Jesus’ time, like those in the time of Isaiah, would not believe despite the evidence (12:37). As a result, God hardened their hearts. Does that mean God intentionally prevented these people from believing in him? No, he simply confirmed their own choices. After a lifetime of resisting God, they had become so set in their ways that they wouldn’t even try to understand Jesus’ message. Other instances of hardened hearts because of constant stubbornness are recorded in Exodus 9:12; Romans 1:24-28; and 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12.

*LIFE APPLICATION: DESPITE THE EVIDENCE

Jesus had performed many miracles, but most people still didn’t believe in him. Likewise, many today won’t believe despite all God does. Don’t be discouraged if your witness for Christ doesn’t turn as many to him as you’d like. Your job is to continue as a faithful witness. You are responsible to reach out to others, but they are responsible for their own decisions.

*LIFE APPLICATION:  PEER FEAR

Along with those who refused to believe, many believed but refused to admit it. This is just as bad, and Jesus had strong words for such people (see Matthew 10:32-33). Many people will not take a stand for Jesus because they fear rejection or ridicule. Many Jewish leaders wouldn’t admit to faith in Jesus because they feared excommunication from the synagogue (which was their livelihood) and loss of their prestigious place in the community. But the praise of people is fickle and short-lived. We should be much more concerned about God’s eternal acceptance than about the temporary approval of other people.

12:42-43 At these words, some of the Jewish leaders believed in Jesus, but they wouldn’t admit it, afraid the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. John made the point that their faith was weak, and he described the reason: They were still subject to the lure of human praise (see 5:44). But John primarily warned his readers that secret faith does not ultimately please God. Secrecy may be prudent at times (witness the presence of secret believers and churches in repressive societies like China and the former Romanian state), but that usually comes from a courageous strategy. All too often we remain silent at the very times we ought to be confessing our faith in Christ.

 Jesus Summarizes His Message / 12:44-50

–John closes this section in his Gospel about Jesus’ public ministry with a summary of Jesus’ entire testimony. The shared Passover meal will take up the next several chapters. But John leaves his readers with the cry of Jesus’ final public speech ringing in their ears. It is an ultimatum set before the crowds: Believe in Jesus, the Light of the World, or live in darkness under God’s judgment.

12:44-45 Jesus left the crowds temporarily (12:36-37), but in one final public appearance he appealed to his hearers to believe in him (see also 5:17-44; 6:27-65; 7:16-18; 8:14-58; 10:14-18) and thereby walk in his light. In this appeal, he affirmed his union with the Father: “If you trust me, you are really trusting God who sent me. For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me.” Because the Son sent by the Father is the visible expression of the Father to all people (see 14:9-11), those who believe in the Son also believe in the Father. Jesus is God. If you want to know what God is like, study the person and words of Jesus Christ.

12:46 Those who believe in Jesus have left Satan’s dark kingdom and influence in the world, and they have entered the light of God’s Kingdom. Some people in the church act as though they still remain in the darkness. Jesus died so that we might be transformed. If our life is not changing, we may not have begun to really follow the light.

12:47-48 Jesus repeated the important truth that he came not to judge the world but to save it (see also 3:17; 8:15-16); but his rejected words would condemn all unbelievers in the judgment at the last day (see 3:31-36; 5:22-23, 26-30; 9:39).

The purpose of Jesus’ first mission on earth was not to judge people, but to show them the way to find salvation and eternal life. On the day of judgment, those who have accepted Jesus and lived his way will be raised to eternal life (1 Corinthians 15:51-57; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18; Revelation 21:1-8), but all who reject Jesus and his message will be judged at the day of judgment by the truth Jesus had spoken (Revelation 20:11-15). Decide now your future fate, for the consequences of your decision will last forever.

12:49 Jesus’ mission was to faithfully convey the words of God to all who would truly listen. He knew that those who rejected those words would be rejecting life. God himself gave Jesus instructions as to what he should say. Jesus did not change that message. Some, like the Jehovah’s Witnesses, have used verses like this to say that Jesus was not God because he was subordinate to the Father. But Jesus’ essential, divine being was not subordinate to the Father—in all things he was equal with God (Philippians 2:5-6); rather, Jesus coordinated his will to fully comply with the Father’s will. Thus, to respond to Jesus is to respond to God. To believe in Jesus is to believe in God. To reject Jesus is to reject God. To hear Jesus’ words makes each person responsible before God for what he or she does with them.

12:50 Jesus closed his message with one final appeal to accept the words he had spoken as having come from the Father. To accept those words is to receive eternal life (3:16-17, 35-36; 5:24-29, 39-40).

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Sources:

— Life Application Bible Commentary

— Life Application Concise New Testament Commentary

 

Jesus raises the dead!  In today’s reading it’s Lazarus, if you have faith in Him, one day it will be you.

NOT ISOLATED FROM DIFFICULTY:  Lazarus had been close to Jesus, yet he became deathly ill. The disciples may have thought, “What did Lazarus do wrong?” But the Bible helps us see that sickness and death do not indicate that God has rejected someone or that they have done something wrong.

We must remind ourselves that neither we nor our loved ones are exempt. These were close friends of Jesus. Jesus loved them. Yet he did not rush to spare them grief. The presence of pain and suffering in the lives of faithful disciples of Jesus can teach us that Christians do not have different experiences in life, rather, they experience life differently. Our hope in Jesus does not insulate us from life’s difficulties, but it does provide a way through and beyond them. God can use difficult experiences to make us more compassionate servants for him as we console others.  

There are more great *Life Applications like this in today’s reading.

Lazarus Becomes Sick and Dies / 11:1-16

The Gospels tell us that Jesus raised others from the dead, including Jairus’s daughter (Matthew 9:18-26; Mark 5:41-42; Luke 8:40-56) and a widow’s son (Luke 7:11-17). These people represent a cross section of ages and social backgrounds to whom Jesus gave back human life. All of them, including Lazarus, were raised but eventually died again. Lazarus’s story stands out because John used it as a sign of Jesus’ ultimate life-giving power and a picture of his own coming resurrection. And, as with all the miracles recorded in this gospel, it glorifies God. From John’s perspective, this miracle was the turning point; it caused the Jewish leaders to take decisive action against Jesus.

11:1-3 Though John only introduces us to the family of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus at the end of Jesus’ ministry, Jesus and the disciples often visited their home. Jesus enjoyed their close friendship and hospitality on his visits to Jerusalem, for Bethany was a village just outside of the city. At this time, Jesus was on the other side of the Jordan River, also in a town called Bethany. The events described in Luke 13:22–17:10 occurred between chapters 10 and 11 of John.

John identified Mary with an event described in the next chapter (12:1-7) because Mary’s display of love for Christ was well known to the first-century Christians (Matthew 26:6-13; Mark 14:3-9). Lazarus was sick, so the sisters contacted Jesus, their friend who had healed so many.

11:4 When Jesus heard of Lazarus’s sickness, he said it will not end in death. He knew Lazarus would die, but the end of the story would not be death. His disciples understood him to mean that the illness was not serious. Again, we see the parallel between Jesus’ response here and in 9:3. In the former passage, Jesus spoke of the man’s blindness as an opportunity for God’s works to be seen. Lazarus’s death was an opportunity for the Son of God to receive glory. God strategically placed some miracles in human history to demonstrate his wise providence and his sovereignty.

*LIFE APPLICATION: TRIALS OF OPPORTUNITY

Any trial a believer faces can ultimately bring glory to God because God can bring good out of any bad situation (Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28). When trouble comes, do you grumble, complain, and blame God? Or do you see your problems as opportunities to honor him? Read the following verses and reflect on their significance for your life:

•  Romans 5:3-5 : For early Christians, trials and suffering were the rule rather than the exception. We rejoice in suffering, not because we like pain, but because we know God is using life’s difficulties to develop our perseverance. Ask God for strength to deal with every difficulty.
•  Hebrews 12:4-11: It is never pleasant to be corrected by hardships, but God uses them to discipline us. Trials of this kind are a sign of God’s love. When hardships redirect our path, we must see them as proof of God’s fathering care and discover what he wants to teach us.
•  1 Peter 1:6-7: All believers face trials. We must regard them as part of the refining process that burns away impurities and thereby prepares us to meet Christ.
•  James 1:2-4 : Trials develop strength of character in true disciples. Facing trials can help us grow to be mature and complete in our faith.

11:5-7 This statement of Jesus’ love for the family explains that it was not lack of love that kept Jesus from going to them. Humanly speaking, Jesus would have wanted to go to them immediately. But he was constrained by the Father’s timing. When God’s time came, Jesus headed back into Judea to be with his dear friends in their sorrow. God’s timing is always perfect, whether in guiding his Son through his ministry on earth, or in guiding us today and answering our prayers.

*LIFE APPLICATION:  WAIT CONTROL

Jesus loved this family and often stayed with them. He knew their pain but did not respond immediately. His delay had a specific purpose. God’s timing, especially his delays, may make us think he is not answering or is not answering the way we want. But he will meet all our needs (Philippians 4:19) according to his perfect schedule and purpose. Often when we pray, circumstances seem to actually worsen. We are tempted to doubt and despair. But delay itself builds patience. Our patience improves as we trust in his timing.

11:8-10 The disciples couldn’t understand why Jesus would want to go into Judea, when the Jewish leaders there just recently had been seeking to kill him (see 10:31ff.). Why leave a place where people believe in you and welcome you (10:42) to go back to certain death? But Jesus was not afraid, for he knew that he had to die and that his death would only occur in the Father’s timing.

*LIFE APPLICATION: TIMING IS EVERYTHING

Sometimes we offer a passionate prayer of need, and God answers quickly. We are thankful and excited, and our faith is often strengthened. At other times it seems that God will never answer our prayers. We can’t understand, because we know that we prayed for God’s will. What should we do? We should wait in faith, knowing that God has our best interests in mind. We may never see our prayer answered in our lifetime; we may wait many years only to see God answer the prayer in another way altogether; we may find that God’s final answer is no. Whatever the case, God’s decision is best and his timing is right.

The disciples worried about what the Jewish leaders might do. Jesus pointed to an unlimited sphere—the sovereignty of God, who transcends the limits of time and over whom people have no control. As Jesus obeyed his Father, he was as confident about the victorious outcome as he was that every day contained twelve hours of daylight. We should remember that God’s sovereignty extends to each moment of our life; otherwise, our trust in him will be limited to only those times when he meets our expectations. We will repeat the disciples’ mistake—attempting to limit God to the sphere of human effort.

Jesus’ answer mentioned an expected number of “hours” during which people can walk safely. It also clearly implied that time would run out. After twelve hours of daylight the night comes. Our Lord’s “day” (his time on earth) was approaching its final hour. But Jesus still had tasks to accomplish, and he would not be sidetracked from his mission. The simple lesson of using daylight to walk safely illustrates our deeper need to trust in the “light” of Jesus’ presence and God’s guidance. Jesus had already used the phrase “the light of the world” to refer to his own presence among people. While he was among them, he was their light (see 1:4; 8:12; 9:5). As long as they did their work in the light of Christ’s presence they would not stumble. Sadly, those who live in the dark, without the presence of Jesus’ light in them, will stumble.

*LIFE APPLICATION: HOW DO TRIALS GLORIFY GOD?

• They develop our Christian character as we exercise patience (Romans 5:1-5), and they provide an example of strength, courage, and dependence on God to unbelievers.
• They wean us from life’s attractions, diversions, and illusions as we focus on God for help.
• They reveal the flimsy grip we have on health and prosperity in this life, as we realize that we must trust in God for our security.
• They intensify our desire to be with God in eternity, where we will receive new bodies and be reunited with loved ones who have gone before us.
• They provide opportunities to portray how God’s timing expresses his love to us. Many Christians who have faced calamity testified later how God’s timing showed them a new side to his love.

*LIFE APPLICATION: THE BRIGHTER LIGHT

Jesus received his guidance from the highest source—the Father. The disciples were tempted to receive their guidance from the most immediate source—their circumstances. They worried about what they could “see” nearby; Jesus reminded them to walk by a brighter light.

When making decisions, we should analyze our circumstances but not regard them as infallible guides. If we rely on our circumstances for guidance too much, we will walk in circles. Just as Jesus took charge of his day, we should take charge of our days. We need not rush around, frantically or fearfully trying to stay ahead of uncontrollable circumstances. Rather, we can ask for his help in making wise use of our available time and opportunities. Our first question should be: What would Jesus have me do?

11:11-15 The disciples missed Jesus’ meaning when he said, “Lazarus has fallen asleep.” They assumed he was getting better. Jesus explained: “Lazarus is dead.” Lazarus died so that Jesus could show his power over death to his disciples and others. He would go and wake him up, thus giving the disciples another opportunity to believe. The raising of Lazarus displayed Christ’s power—the resurrection from the dead is a crucial belief of Christian faith. Jesus not only raised himself from the dead (10:18), but he also has the power to raise others.

*LIFE APPLICATION: WAKE UP!

The disciples heard the word sleep and misunderstood Jesus’ intention to go there personally to awaken Lazarus from death. Only Jesus can refer to death as sleep because only he has power over death. From a human perspective, death is very real and final. People who call death “sleep” are trying to soften the reality of death and keep the living from taking the issues of death and sin seriously.

For those who believe in the resurrection, death is merely sleep in comparison to eternal life. Those who do not believe need to wake up to Christ’s power while they still have the opportunity.

11:16 We often remember Thomas as “the doubter” because he doubted Jesus’ resurrection (20:24-25). But he also loved the Lord and was a man of great courage. The disciples knew the dangers of going with Jesus to Jerusalem, so they tried to talk him out of it. Thomas merely expressed what all of them were feeling. When their objections failed, they were willing to go and even die with Jesus. They may not have understood why Jesus would be killed, but they were loyal. We may face unknown dangers in doing God’s work. It is wise to consider the high cost of being Jesus’ disciple.

*LIFE APPLICATION: STEP OUT!

Thomas was ready to move out. Courage often boils down to trusting Jesus and moving out. Emotionally, the experience is much like the first time off a high dive or the first public speech. The stakes may be higher, but so are the benefits. We don’t realize God’s power until we take the first step. Thomas was the first to step out in faith. Sooner or later you too will have the opportunity to take a step of courage. And your step may motivate others to take action too. Ask God for the courage you need.

Jesus Comforts Mary and Martha / 11:17-37

Although we get many glimpses of Jesus’ compassion throughout the Gospels, his tender conversations with Mary and Martha are the most moving. His words reveal patient pastoral concerns. Elsewhere we see him confront people with the truth; here we see him console as the gentle Master. Jesus did not ridicule or belittle grief. He affirmed our need for comfort by providing it to the sisters without hesitation. It is a tribute to the family that many from Jerusalem came to Bethany to pay their respects and offer their support to the sisters.

11:17-19 Lazarus had already been in his grave for four days by the time Jesus arrived. In the warm climate of Palestine, a dead body would decompose quickly, so a person’s body was often buried the same day of death. When Jesus and the disciples arrived in Bethany, many Jews from Jerusalem had gathered to console Lazarus’s family, and some of those who had arrived were religious leaders. In Jewish society, prolonged mourning for the dead was considered an essential part of every funeral.

*LIFE APPLICATION: DELAYS

Measured by our timetable, many of our prayers’ answers may seem delayed. But knowing that we deal with a wise and loving God, we must consider that the problem may be with our timetable rather than God’s.

Though we experience delays, we can be sure that Jesus does initiate help for us. He will come to our aid. His help may well come in different ways and forms than we expect, but we can depend on his dependability! God will come to you in your time of need.

11:20-24 Upon seeing Jesus, Martha said to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Martha probably realized that Jesus could not have arrived much earlier, but she was confident that Jesus’ presence would have prevented Lazarus’s death. Mary makes the same comment later (11:32). Despite their pain and sorrow, their faith in Jesus did not waver. The implication for us is that we should not quickly assume that God has let us down when we are in the midst of difficulties. Then she added, “But even now I know that God will give you whatever you ask.” Perhaps Martha thought Jesus would bring her brother back to life. But her reply in verse 24 and subsequent protests at the tomb (11:39) suggest otherwise. She did not realize, understand, or dare to hope that Jesus would ask God to give Lazarus back his physical life and be returned to his family. Instead, she reaffirmed her trust in his power even though she thought Jesus had missed an opportunity to display it by healing her brother.

When Jesus said, “Your brother will rise again,” she attributed it to the future resurrection—“When everyone else rises, on resurrection day.” But Jesus did not mean an eventual, distant resurrection, he meant that Lazarus would rise again that very day!

*LIFE APPLICATION: NEVER TOO LATE

Lazarus had been dead four days. How could Mary and Martha have imagined that they would soon be feasting with him and with Jesus (12:1-2)? But when Martha said “Even now” she was opening a door of faith wider than she could have anticipated. From the depth of her loss and sorrow she clung in faith to Jesus. The eventual results were astonishing! There is always enough time for Christ to act. We must continue to trust in him.

11:25-26 To the woman at the well (4:25-26), Jesus identified himself as the Messiah; to the blind man (9:35-37), he disclosed himself as the Son of Man; but here he enlarged the picture by revealing himself as the source of resurrection life.

To understand Jesus’ statement, we need to see it in two parts. First, Jesus explained the resurrection: “I am the resurrection . . . Those who believe in me, even though they die . . . will live again.” Then he explained the life: “I am . . . the life . . . They are given eternal life for believing in me and will never perish.”

The believer will not experience eternal death. Lazarus had been a believer in Jesus; therefore, even though he died, he would live. Every believer who has died will yet live, and everyone who is still living and believing will die, but not eternally. Christ did not promise the prevention of physical death; he guaranteed in himself to give abundant life, including resurrection and eternity with him. Christ did not prevent Lazarus’s physical death (after being raised, Lazarus would eventually die again), but Lazarus had the guarantee of eternal life.

LIFE APPLICATION: YOU WILL LIVE!

Jesus has power over life and death as well as power to forgive sins. This is because he is the Creator of life (see 14:6). He who is life can surely restore life. Whoever believes in Christ has a spiritual life that death cannot conquer or diminish in any way. When we realize Christ’s power and how wonderful his offer to us really is, how can we help but commit our lives to him! Those who believe have wonderful assurance and certainty: “Because I live, you also will live” (14:19 niv). Is Jesus the Lord of your life?

11:27 Martha is best known for being too busy to sit down and talk with Jesus (Luke 10:38-42), but here we see her as a woman of deep faith. When asked if she believed his words about resurrection, she replied, “I have always believed you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one who has come into the world from God.” Her statement of faith is exactly the response that Jesus wants from us. This confession presents a high point in John’s Gospel, for here we see a believer acknowledging that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God. In recognizing Jesus as the Messiah, she saw him to be God’s envoy appointed to deliver God’s people; in recognizing Jesus as the Son of God, she saw his divinity.

11:28-32 Martha spoke to Mary secretly so that the visiting Jews would not follow her to where Jesus was—somewhere outside the village. However, when Mary arose quickly to go to Jesus, she was followed by the mourners. Mary met Jesus and repeated Martha’s statement (11:21). They were both convinced that Jesus would have been able to do something had Lazarus still been living. But they had no idea that death might be reversible.

11:33-37 The Greek word for deeply troubled can mean “intensely agitated.” Jesus may have been troubled by the excessive sorrow of the mourners, by Martha and Mary’s limited faith, or by the general unbelief. Even more so, Jesus was angry at the power of death, man’s ultimate enemy (1 Corinthians 15:26). Among the commotion and the loud wailing of the mourners, Jesus wept. What made Jesus cry? Was it his love for Lazarus? Was it the presence of sadness and death? Or was it the faithless grief that surrounded him? For whatever the reason, the situation caused Jesus to shed some tears. The Jews’ interpreted Jesus’ tears as a sign of Jesus’ great love for Lazarus. They assumed that Jesus wept in frustration and sorrow that he had not arrived earlier in order to heal Lazarus. Following Martha and Mary, others also asked, “This man healed a blind man. Why couldn’t he keep Lazarus from dying?” (referring to Jesus’ previous miracle—see 9:1-7).

Jesus Raises Lazarus from the Dead / 11:38-44

As this chapter opens, we see Mary, Martha, and the crowd expressing conditional belief in the power of Jesus. They believed that Jesus could have worked a miracle if Lazarus had still been alive. But death intervened, and they thought it was irreversible. Little did they know that what they considered impossible would soon be overcome by God’s power.

11:38-39 John once again tells us that Jesus was deeply troubled (see 11:33). Lazarus was buried in a cave with a stone rolled across its entrance. Tombs at this time were usually caves carved in the limestone rock of a hillside. A tomb was often large enough for people to walk inside. Several bodies would be placed in one tomb. After burial, a large stone would be rolled across the entrance to the tomb. This burial spot was much like the one in which Jesus would be buried. Jesus said to the crowd, “Roll the stone aside.” When Jesus asked that the stone be removed, Martha protested.

*LIFE APPLICATION: WITH FEELING

John stresses that we have a God who cares. This portrait contrasts with a Greek concept of God that was popular in John’s day—a God with no emotions and no empathy for humans. Here we see many of Jesus’ emotions—compassion, indignation, sorrow, even frustration. He often expressed deep emotion, and we must never be afraid to reveal our true feelings to him. He understands them, because he experienced them. Be honest, and don’t try to hide anything from your Savior. He cares.

11:40 The purpose of the whole event was for Jesus to exhibit God’s glory. Jesus had proclaimed this from the moment he heard about Lazarus’s sickness (11:4). In order for the miracle to occur and for God to be glorified through it, the sisters would have to believe enough to order the stone to be removed from the tomb’s entrance.

*LIFE APPLICATION: GOD LISTENS

Because of Jesus’ constant interaction with his Father, we can surmise that he had been praying about Lazarus for some time. Jesus was confident that his Father listened to him. His confidence, “I knew that you always hear me,” was expressed for our benefit. He wants us to believe, and he said so (11:42).

Our prayers are arrogant if we assume how God will answer. Our prayers are confident if we affirm that God listens. Our confidence comes not from what we pray or how we pray but to whom we pray. God does not require volume or repetition. The whispered simple prayer echoes in the halls of heaven as loudly as the lofty composition voiced in unison by thousands. God listens when you pray!

11:41-44 While the crowd waited beside the tomb—with the stone now rolled aside from its entrance—Jesus praised his Father aloud, publicly, so that, upon witnessing the miracle of resurrection, the people might believe in Jesus. His prayer was not a petition, but a prayer of thanks to the Father. Jesus knew that his request would be answered.

Then Jesus shouted, “Lazarus, come out!” The voice of Jesus is potent and life-giving. Lazarus provided proof of Jesus’ earlier words: “The dead will hear my voice . . . and those who listen will live” (5:25). At Jesus’ words, Lazarus came out. He was completely bound in graveclothes. There was no question that a dead man had come back to life. The miracle was not only Lazarus’ resuscitation. After four days, the body would have seriously decayed. Lazarus’ body was raised and restored. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”

*LIFE APPLICATION: UNWRAP SESSION

Jesus was and is the giver of life. He brings a second birth to those who are dead in sin. But his gift of forgiveness and the indwelling Spirit do not create instant, perfect Christians. We enter Christ’s kingdom with many of the old wraps still around us. Old habits and sinful behaviors, painful memories—all these require gentle, loving removal. Like graveclothes, we no longer need them. We need fellow Christians and Christ’s power to unwrap us. It is Jesus’ command that our healing be complete. Who can you help “unwrap”?

Religious Leaders Plot to Kill Jesus / 11:45-57

Some eyewitnesses to the raising of Lazarus reported to the Pharisees in Jerusalem, only a couple of miles away. This fresh evidence of Jesus’ power threw the Pharisees into a panic. What followed is a priceless opportunity for us who know the full story to see how badly mistaken people can be in their assessment of events.

11:45-46 Jesus’ words and works, even today, divide people into two camps—believers and unbelievers. Many people can see the same miraculous event, yet walk away being affected differently. The raising of Lazarus was stunning to many, so that many of the witnesses believed in Jesus as the Messiah. Yet other Jewish onlookers did not believe; they brought word of what had happened to the Pharisees, who were looking for a reason to kill Jesus (7:1, 19, 25; 8:37, 40).

*LIFE APPLICATION: TRUTH OVERLOOKED

In their eagerness to eliminate Jesus, Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin demonstrated their willingness to deliberately misuse truth to serve their own needs.

• They began with the right question (“What are we accomplishing?”) but were not open to its most obvious answer (“We are rejecting the Messiah”).
• They admitted in private that Jesus did miracles, but they publicly rejected the truth of those miracles.
• They realized that people were actually believing in Jesus, but they regarded their belief as a threat.
• Caiaphas affirmed their ignorance of the real issues.
• Caiaphas proposed the exchange of one person’s life to maintain their power. He missed the actual plan of God—exchanging Jesus’ life for the salvation of anyone who believes.

11:47 The high council was the highest ruling authority among the Jews in Judea. It was composed of seventy-one members: The high priest presiding over seventy religious leaders, the majority of whom were Sadducees and the minority, Pharisees. “What are we going to do?” they asked. The dialogue that follows points clearly to the Jewish leaders’ single-minded opposition to Jesus. John captured the irony of their conversation as they used every true statement to lead to wrong conclusions.

11:48 It was Rome’s custom to allow conquered people to carry on their religious practices as long as they did not lead to rebellion against Rome. Jesus’ miracles, however, often would cause a disturbance. If all the Jewish populace would follow Jesus as their Messiah-King, the leaders feared that the Roman army would take away their limited privileges of self-rule, as well as destroy the Temple and the nation (see Acts 6:13; 21:28).

*LIFE APPLICATION: THE THREAT OF CHANGE

The opposition to Jesus was not so much personal as it was that he threatened the status quo and the positions of some of the leaders. Churches, social groups, and other organizations tend to respond to change in the same ways. It is the person doing things differently, making changes, and promoting progress, who is considered dangerous. Some leaders want to keep on doing as they have always done. Jesus’ experience with the Jewish religious leaders shows what we can expect if we push for change and what we should watch out for in ourselves.

11:49-52 Caiaphas led the Sadducees, the elite, educated, and wealthy Jews, who stood on fairly good terms with Rome. Jesus was a special threat to their quiet and secure positions in leadership over Judea’s religious life. Caiaphas was proud and ruthless. His usual policy was to remove any threats to his power by whatever means necessary. For him, Jesus’ death was not an “if” but a “when, where, and how.”

Since Caiaphas served as a high priest for eighteen years (a.d. 18 to 36), the expression that year refers to that one year in which Jesus was crucified. The office of high priest was originally instituted by God to be a lifetime position (Numbers 35:25); but the Romans did not want any one person to become too powerful, so they appointed high priests and placed a new one in position whenever they wanted. Caiaphas was convinced that nothing short of destroying Jesus would save Israel from being destroyed by Rome. The life of one person was considered cheap and expendable as an alternative to endangering the nation. God used his words to express an unwitting prophecy of universal proportions: “Let this one man die for the people.” One man did have to die in order that the world might be saved.

The words of Caiaphas were really a prophecy. Though his intent was sinful, God used him to indicate that Jesus should die for the entire nation. In addition, Caiaphas didn’t think of it himself; he was inspired to say it. The irony of Caiaphas’s statement that John didn’t want his readers to miss was that Jesus’ death, intended to spare the nation of Israel from physical destruction, was actually to spare Israel from spiritual destruction. In the end, Jesus’ death was for the gathering together of all the children of God scattered around the world.

*LIFE APPLICATION: TOGETHER AS ONE

John’s reference to the scattered children of God included not only the Jews spread throughout the world but also all those who would believe. We too are among the scattered for whom Jesus died. This theme is expanded in 2 Corinthians 5:11-21 and Ephesians 2:14-22 and referred to as the doctrine of reconciliation.

Through his death Jesus provides the way all people can be reconciled to God and then to each other. Unity in Christ is not a sentimental feeling but a reality that we can experience even within the limitations of a sinful world. When our sins are pardoned we have the freedom to truly relate to each other in love.

11:53 The Jewish leaders missed the prophetic implications of Caiaphas’s statement, and began to plot Jesus’ death. But evil leaders, no matter how long they have power or how evil their actions, are always under God’s control.

11:54 Aware of the plot against his life, Jesus went to a place near the wilderness. Ephraim may have been the same place as Ophrah, near Bethel (see 2 Chronicles 13:19). Jesus and his disciples stayed there until the time of the Passover.

11:55-57 This Passover probably occurred in a.d. 30, the year of Jesus’ death. Everyone in Jerusalem during the Passover celebration knew that the chief priests and Pharisees wanted to arrest Jesus. Furthermore, they were under strict orders to report Jesus’ whereabouts. Into this tense scene Jesus would make his triumphal entry (12:12ff.).

*LIFE APPLICATION: PRIDE PROBLEMS

Even when confronted point-blank with the power of Jesus’ deity, some refused to believe. These eyewitnesses not only rejected Jesus, they plotted his murder. They were so hardened that they preferred to reject God’s Son rather than admit they were wrong. Beware of pride. If we allow it to grow, it can lead us into enormous sin.

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Sources:

— Life Application Bible Commentary

— Life Application Concise New Testament Commentary

Jesus gives life. The life he gives right now is abundantly richer and fuller. It lasts forever, yet it begins today. Life in Christ is on a higher plane because of his forgiveness, love, and guidance. Which would you rather live with—the evil thief or the loving Shepherd?

Read on for this and other great *Life Applications about Jesus

 Jesus Is the Good Shepherd / 10:1-21

The true Shepherd (Jesus) would come and provide God’s people (the sheep) with genuine care and leadership. In comparison to the Pharisees, who were bad leaders of God’s people, Jesus was the true Shepherd of all God’s people. The healed man who believed in Jesus (in the previous chapter) represented all believers who would come out of Judaism to follow Jesus, as sheep follow their shepherd.

10:1-2 At night, the shepherd often would gather the sheep into a fold to protect them from thieves, bad weather, or wild animals. A sheepfold could be a cave, shed, or open area surrounded by walls made of stones or branches, eight to ten feet high. Sometimes the top of the wall was lined with thorns to further discourage predators and thieves. The fold’s single entrance made it easier for a shepherd to guard his flock. Often several shepherds used a single fold and took turns guarding the entrance. In towns where many people each owned a few sheep, the combined herd was watched over by a shepherd. Mingling the animals was no problem since each flock responded readily to its own shepherd’s voice.

The gate is the main entrance. Jesus explained that anyone who tried to get in any other way besides going through the gate would be a thief—that person would be up to no good. Most likely this “gate” represents the position of Messiah because Jesus went on to say, “A shepherd enters through the gate.” Only the shepherd has the right to enter the sheepfold and call his own sheep out to follow him.

Jesus rebuked those who would claim to lead God’s people without regarding the Messiah (who is in their midst, but unrecognized by them). Such leaders have false ambitions, selfish desires, and evil intentions.

*LIFE APPLICATION: IN REVERSE

From the vantage point of the Resurrection and two thousand years of church history, our position is almost exactly the reverse of what Jesus’ listeners experienced. We understand better what Jesus meant, but are largely unfamiliar with the shepherding scene he described.

The challenge for us is to take Jesus’ self-description seriously. He called himself the gate and the Good Shepherd. He is the entry point and the caring master. Have you responded to his voice and followed him?

10:3-5 When the shepherd arrived, he would call his own sheep by name. Because sheep recognize the voice of their shepherd, they come and follow him out to pasture.

The “sheepfold” of Judaism held some of God’s people who had awaited the coming of their Shepherd-Messiah (see Isaiah 40:1-11). When the Shepherd came, believing Jews recognized his voice and followed him. It is said that shepherds in the East could name each sheep and that each sheep would respond to the shepherd calling its name. True believers, as sheep belonging to the true Shepherd, would never follow a stranger pretending to be their shepherd (5:43).

*LIFE APPLICATION: JESUS THE PROVIDER

In this illustration Jesus used two powerful “I am” statements to show his full provision for us: “I am the gate” and “I am the good shepherd.” In ancient days, the shepherd often slept before the gate so as to provide protection for the sheep. Jesus provides us with the greatest protection against eternal destruction. And it was the shepherd’s responsibility to make sure his sheep were led to a plentiful pasture. Jesus, as the Good Shepherd, has provided us with abundant life

10:6-7 This illustration was meant to communicate spiritual truths, but many didn’t understand. So Jesus explained the symbolic meaning of “the gate” (10:7-10) before identifying the “shepherd” (10:11-18). The shepherd has called together his flock and taken them to the pasture. Near the pasture is another enclosed place for the sheep. Here the shepherd sits in the doorway, acting as the “gate.” The sheep can go out to the pasture or stay inside the walls of the enclosure. To go out or in is to pass by the shepherd’s watchful eye.

Having realized they had not grasped what he is teaching them, Jesus said to his listeners, “I am the gate for the sheep.” As the gate, Jesus is the only way to salvation and eternal life (10:9; 14:6), and his sheep are under his watchful care.

*LIFE APPLICATION: REAL CONTENTMENT

Jesus described a scene of sheep safely grazing in lush pastures. The great Shepherd clearly conveyed the idea of real contentment. When we place ourselves under Jesus’ care, we discover true freedom in and through him. On our own we frantically seek security, even though the threat of death overshadows us; in Christ we find the eternal life that he freely gives to us. Freedom in Christ does not mean being left to our own devices, but instead means living within the boundaries of his plans and directions.

10:8-9 The reference to all others who came before was not directed at Old Testament saints and prophets, but at those who had come on the scene pretending to be the Christ (see 5:43), or who had led the people away from God. By immediate context, we see that Jesus was also referring to those evil Jewish religious leaders who cared nothing about the spiritual welfare of the people, but only about their petty rules and their reputation (see Matthew 23:13; 24:5). Their treatment of Jesus had made it clear that they were far more committed to their system than to God’s word. They had invented their own gateway and had appointed themselves gatekeepers. Jesus reminded them that any other supposed “gate” to salvation is false.

Though false teachers, leaders, and messiahs do have their followings, the true sheep of God do not listen to any of them because none of them possess the authentic voice of the Shepherd. Because Jesus was the genuine Messiah, the sheep could enter through him to be saved, pointing to spiritual salvation and spiritual security. The sheep find green pastures not as a result of their diligent searching, but through the gracious provision of the Shepherd.

*LIFE APPLICATION: LIFE-GIVER

In contrast to the thief who takes life, Jesus gives life. The life he gives right now is abundantly richer and fuller. It lasts forever, yet it begins today. Life in Christ is on a higher plane because of his forgiveness, love, and guidance. Which would you rather face—the evil thief or the loving Shepherd?

10:10 The thief (like false messiahs) has evil intentions. Jesus pictured a heartless individual who began by taking all he could and then killing what he couldn’t have. Anything else he destroyed. God’s people, Israel, had suffered through more than their share of evil leaders, false prophets, and false messiahs (see, for example, Jeremiah 10:21-22; 12:10; Zechariah 11:4-17). By contrast, Jesus gives life in all its fullness to his sheep. This speaks of the gift of divine, eternal life, a life which becomes the possession of every believer for now and for eternity. Jesus would provide his sheep with this eternal life, and it would cost him his own life.

*LIFE APPLICATION: ABUNDANT LIFE

Jesus promised to provide abundant, or full life to the sheep. One of the first images that comes to mind is the cup described in Psalm 23:5, which is described as filled to overflowing by the shepherd who is the Lord. Abundance of life points to depth of living now and length of living in eternity. It is not only life as good as it can be, but also life beyond what we can imagine!

Jesus gave this full life to the blind man who had been abandoned by his parents and rejected by the religious system (see chapter 9). It is clearly not, however, a life that denies problems and pain. Rather, it is a life that faces them and makes use of them. Instead of letting us focus on the ups and downs of life, Jesus takes us deep into life itself, where there is a calm center even in the storm.

Later Jesus told his disciples, “In this world you will have trouble” (16:33 niv), thereby removing any last hopes that he was leading his followers into a life of guaranteed earthly happiness and prosperity. Even the beautiful pastoral scene Jesus described in this chapter does not allow us to forget the danger of thieves, the presence of death, and the daily hardships of coming in and going out.

10:11 Jesus is the devoted and dedicated Shepherd—the good shepherd. As described in the verses that follow, there are four characteristics that set this Good Shepherd apart from the false or evil shepherds:

1. He approaches directly—he enters at the gate.

2. He has God’s authority—the gatekeeper allows him to enter.

3. He meets real needs—the sheep recognize his voice and follow him.

4. He has sacrificial love—he is willing to lay down his life for the sheep.

By repeating it four times, Jesus pointed out that the most important trait of the good shepherd is that he lays down his life for the sheep (10:11; see also 15, 17, 18). According to the imagery in this chapter, a shepherd’s life could at times be dangerous. Wild animals were common in the countryside of Judea. A good shepherd may indeed risk his life to save his sheep.

10:12-13 The hired hand does not have a particular parallel, but is in the story as a contrast with the good shepherd. Because he is doing the job only to be paid, he does not have an investment in the sheep. When the wolf attacks, he’s not about to risk his life—he runs away! Very likely, “the wolf” refers to false prophets or others who take advantage of God’s people, the sheep (see Acts 20:29).

What a difference between the good shepherd and the thief and the hired hand! The thief steals, kills, and destroys; the hired hand does the job only for money, but readily flees when danger comes. The good shepherd is committed to the sheep. Jesus is not merely doing a job; he is committed to loving us and even laying down his life for us.

10:14-15 Just as the shepherd calls his sheep and they follow only him, so Jesus knows his people. And his followers, in return, know him to be their Messiah, and they love and trust him. Such knowing and trusting between Jesus and his followers is compared to the relationship between Jesus and the Father: “just as my Father knows me and I know the Father.” And Jesus repeated his point—that he is the Good Shepherd and that he will lay down his life for the sheep.

10:16 Jesus had already spoken of leading out his sheep from the fold of Judaism. All of his disciples came out of this fold, as did all those Jews who came to believe in him as their Messiah. Jesus knew, however, that he had other sheep that were not from Judaism. These are Gentile believers. Jesus came to save Gentiles as well as Jews. This is an insight into his worldwide mission—to die for sinful people all over the world. The Good Shepherd came to gather together God’s people into one flock (Ezekiel 34:11-14, 23). The new Gentile believers and the Jewish believers who left Judaism would form one flock that would be altogether outside of Judaism. The flock would have one shepherd. Furthermore, Jesus’ words here foreshadow those he uttered in his prayer for the oneness of all those who would believe in him through the disciples’ message (17:20ff.)

*LIFE APPLICATION: UNITY

Jesus definitely taught unity: “There shall be one flock . . .” (10:16). The idea of a single flock helps determine our relationship with other Christians. We certainly desire a structural unity among Christians to display our oneness to the world. Many Christians work hard to accomplish that very objective. However, did Jesus have something greater in mind than organizational unity when he spoke of “one flock”?

A flock derives its unity partly by being a group of animals in one place; but Jesus desires more than that. Each of the sheep remains in the flock, not by being physically present, but because the shepherd owns and cares for it. The basis for the unity of the flock is that they all have one shepherd.

Too many efforts in structural unity among Christians focus on building bigger, more inclusive fences rather than clarifying to which shepherd the sheep belong. True followers of Jesus have always managed to find and fellowship with each other even though they live out their faith in different church structures. Genuine oneness in Jesus Christ allows for wonderful fellowship among sheep from very diverse backgrounds.

10:17-18 The Father loved the Son for his willingness to die in order to secure the salvation of the believers. Jesus laid down his life of his own accord; and yet of his own accord he would also take up his life again in resurrection. When Jesus said, “I lay down my life voluntarily” and that he had “the power to take it again,” he was claiming authority to control his death and beyond. John’s original readers needed to remember that Jesus specifically foretold his death and resurrection. We need the same reminder. Jesus gave up his life; it was not taken from him. The Son’s authority to lay down his life and take it up again did not originate with himself; it came from the Father.

*LIFE APPLICATION: THE RING OF TRUTH

One of the arguments for the credibility of the Gospels is that they show little defensiveness in handling contradictory reports about Jesus. John included the reactions and reasons of those who disbelieved in Christ. Other explanations for Jesus’ power are faithfully recorded. The Gospels are not propaganda; they present the facts in such a way that the reader is still forced to make his or her own decision about Jesus.

The questions of doubt and unbelief are useful for clarifying our own faith. Is the Christ we trust more like someone raving mad or like the Lord of the universe? Each time we reaffirm our faith in Jesus, we become stronger and better prepared for new challenges and opposition.

10:19-21 Some of the unbelieving Jews who heard Jesus pronounced a twofold judgment against him: “He has a demon, or he’s crazy.” Jesus had already been accused of being demon-possessed (7:20; 8:48), but this is the first and only time in John’s Gospel that Jesus is accused of being crazy. It was commonly believed that insanity went hand-in-hand with demon-possession.

Some other Jews in Jesus’ audience were impressed with both Jesus’ words and miraculous deeds. They had not yet forgotten the healing of the blind man (chapter 9). So, they disagreed with those who charged him with demon-possession.

 Religious Leaders Surround Jesus at the Temple / 10:22-42

As this section begins, there has been a temporary stalemate between Jesus and his opponents. They have become divided, so they are unable for a time to mount an effective attack against him. It must have been a period of intense frustration for the Jewish religious leaders. Finally, an opportunity for confrontation developed one day while Jesus was visiting the Temple.

10:22-23 A couple of months had passed since Jesus’ last teaching to the people in 7:1–10:21. That teaching had occurred during the Festival of Shelters in September/October; the coming words occurred at the celebration of Hanukkah in December, in winter. This celebration was not one of the official festivals in the Old Testament. It was instituted by Judas Maccabeus in 165 b.c. to commemorate the cleansing of the Temple after Antiochus Epiphanes had defiled it by sacrificing a pig on the altar of burnt offering (see 1 Maccabees 4:36-59; 2 Maccabees 1:9; 10:1-8). This is also the present-day Feast of Lights called Hanukkah.

Jesus was in Jerusalem walking through Solomon’s Colonnade, a roofed porch with tall stone columns located on the east side of the Temple. It was named for Solomon because it was believed to rest on portions of the original Temple built by Solomon. These were common places for teaching, so it would have been an appropriate place for Jesus to be walking and probably teaching as he walked.

10:24 Many people who ask for proof do so for wrong reasons. Jesus had never plainly told the Jews in Jerusalem that he was the Messiah because it connoted a military leader or political liberator for them. Therefore, Jesus wisely avoided using that term. Most of these questioners didn’t want to follow Jesus in the way that he wanted to lead them. They hoped that Jesus would declare himself the Messiah, but only if he intended to get on with their political agenda and drive out the Romans. So they wanted to hear an open declaration from Jesus’ lips: “If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

It is doubtful, however, that a plain declaration would have convinced them, for they had already made up their minds on the issue. Some of them hoped he would identify himself so they could accuse him of telling lies or catch him in the act of blasphemy (see 10:31, 33, 39).

10:25-26 Although Jesus had never told them “I am the Messiah,” he had clearly indicated his unity with God the Father (5:17ff) and his heavenly origin (6:32ff). Besides, the proof was in what he was doing in the name of his Father. Jesus’ miracles should have convinced them he was the Messiah (see Isaiah 35:3-6).

John refers to the illustration Jesus used months earlier regarding Jesus as the “good shepherd” (10:3-9, 16). Here, Jesus told the Jewish leaders surrounding him, “You don’t believe me because you are not part of my flock.” Only those who were given to Jesus by the Father (10:29) were his sheep.

10:27-29 Of those who do believe Jesus and do belong to his sheep, Jesus says, “My sheep recognize my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them away from me.” In this grand statement, Jesus summarized the blessings of those who truly listen to and believe the gospel. The believer in Jesus knows him personally, has eternal life, will not perish, and is secure in his care. But many of those who heard had no intention of truly listening. It is also true that those refusing to listen to Jesus’ voice are not his sheep. We recognize Christ’s voice when he speaks to us through the Bible. Are we truly listening for it? They cannot be snatched away because the Father has given them to Jesus, and the Father is more powerful than anyone else. God’s power guards and preserves the flock for salvation.

*LIFE APPLICATION: THE RING OF TRUTH

One of the arguments for the credibility of the Gospels is that they show little defensiveness in handling contradictory reports about Jesus. John included the reactions and reasons of those who disbelieved in Christ. Other explanations for Jesus’ power are faithfully recorded. The Gospels are not propaganda; they present the facts in such a way that the reader is still forced to make his or her own decision about Jesus.

The questions of doubt and unbelief are useful for clarifying our own faith. Is the Christ we trust more like someone raving mad or like the Lord of the universe? Each time we reaffirm our faith in Jesus, we become stronger and better prepared for new challenges and opposition.

10:30 There is no mistaking Jesus’ meaning: “The Father and I are one.” Jesus did not mean that he and the Father are the same person, because the word for “one” in Greek is neuter. The Father and the Son are two persons in the Trinity, but they are one in essence. Given this essential oneness, the Father and Son act as one—what the Father does, the Son does, and vice versa. This is one of the clearest affirmations of Jesus’ divinity in the whole Bible. Jesus is not merely a good teacher—he is God. His claim to be God was unmistakable. The religious leaders wanted to kill him because their laws said that anyone claiming to be God should die for blasphemy. Nothing could persuade them that Jesus’ claim was true.

10:31-33 For the third time (see 5:17-18; 8:58-59), these Jews wanted to kill this “blasphemer” (Leviticus 24:11-16). But Jesus withheld their violent act by asking them, “For which one of these good deeds are you killing me?” The Jews answered that they were not stoning him for any good work, but because he, a mere man, had made himself God. Though they didn’t believe him, they understood that he was claiming equality with God.

10:34-36 The term “law” is often used in the New Testament to encompass the entire Old Testament. By saying “your own law,” Jesus was claiming common ground with his accusers, for they all agreed that the Scriptures cannot be altered. Jesus used Psalm 82:6, where the Israelite judges are called gods (see also Exodus 4:16; 7:1) to counter the Jews’ charge of blasphemy. In Psalm 82, the supreme God is said to rise in judgment against those whom he calls “gods,” because they had failed to be just to the helpless and oppressed. These “gods” were those who were the official representatives and commissioned agents of God; they were the judges executing judgment for God. If they were called “gods,” how was it blasphemous when the Holy One who was sent into the world by the Father calls himself the Son of God. This is especially important when, in fact, he was the one the Father sanctified and sent into the world.

*LIFE APPLICATION: OLD BUT NEW

How often do you find yourself skipping over the Old Testament because it seems too hard to understand or too outdated? Jesus’ words, “scripture cannot be altered” illustrate his high regard for the Old Testament. John records several incidents when Jesus cited the Old Testament. John also wrote in other places of the influence of the Old Testament on Jesus’ listeners. For example (all verses are quoted from nrsv):

•  Philip said to Nathanael, “We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote . . .” (1:45).
•  Jesus told the Jews he would raise the temple in three days, and after Jesus’ resurrection, the “disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken” (2:22).
•  To explain to Nicodemus the power of faith for salvation, Jesus illustrated from the Pentateuch, “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life” (3:14-15).
•  Jesus told the Jewish religious leaders: “You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf. . . . If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me” (5:39, 46).
•  Similarly, after Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the disciples, “did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written of him . . .” (12:16).
•  To explain the hardness of people’s hearts, John recalled one of Isaiah’s prophecies, then explained: “Isaiah said this because he saw [Jesus’] glory and spoke about him” (12:41).
•  The incidents of Jesus’ final week followed the prophecies in Scripture (see 12:14-15, 12:38-40; 13:18; 19:24; 19:28ff).

The Old Testament is filled with prophecies concerning Jesus, incredible stories of the victories and failures of people of faith, and songs and sayings—all are important helps to us today. Don’t neglect the Old Testament. Jesus held it in the highest regard—so should we.

10:37-39 This statement underscores Jesus’ claim to oneness with the Father: “The Father is in me, and I am in the Father” (see 14:10-11; 17:21). Jesus told them to not believe unless he was doing the Father’s work. But if they saw him doing his work, then they should believe in what he was doing, even if they didn’t believe his words. Jesus’ explanations did not change the Jews’ minds; they had been intent on stoning him for blasphemy (10:31). But when they attempted to arrest him, he got away. Once again Jesus demonstrated that his fate would not be determined by the will of crowds or human priorities. Even when “his time” would come, God would still be ultimately in control. John’s readers, who may have faced persecution, would have been encouraged by this report. And we need the same encouragement to know that God cares for us.

10:40-42 Jesus went to the east side of the Jordan (see 1:28). It was his final preaching mission out in the countryside and the final opportunity for many people to respond. Jesus did not return to Jerusalem again until the day he made his Triumphal Entry.

The ministry of John the Baptist had left a permanent impression on those who had heard him speak of the coming Messiah. What they heard here and saw in Jesus confirmed in their minds the genuineness of his forerunner’s proclamations. As a result of hearing John’s prophetic ministry and then seeing the Messiah himself, many believed in him.

*LIFE APPLICATION:  BELIEVE

Some people are naturally hesitant about the decision to accept Christ. They hold back because they don’t want to be impulsive, they wonder if they have thought it through well enough, or they are concerned about what friends and relatives might say. We must realize that indecision is rejection. Perhaps a clarifying question we can ask ourselves is: Am I looking for a clear reason to believe in Jesus or am I really looking for a clear reason not to believe in him? Our honest answer has eternal consequences.

Jesus gave us many reasons to believe in him. The decision process does not have to be difficult. We can read about Jesus, think about him, listen to his words. We can reflect on what others have discovered in trusting him. We do not have to remain tentative or suspicious. We can respond to Jesus, believe in him, and love him. Many are still coming to Christ.

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Sources:

— Life Application Bible Commentary

— Life Application Concise New Testament Commentary