Insights into John 3-6 We learned from the introduction to John that this book is markedly different than the prior three Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke and starts at the very beginning before even time begins.

 

Insights into John 3-6 We learned from the introduction to John that this book is markedly different than the prior three Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke and starts at the very beginning before even time begins. There are seven miracles recorded in the Book of John (five of which were not recorded in the other gospels). In Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus teaches about the Kingdom of God (or how to get into the kingdom of God) and in John, Jesus teaches about himself (or now that you’ve gotten into the kingdom of God, how to live your life).  John documents 25 different interactions with individuals instead of groups which encourages us that God is interested in “us” individually. John tells us the seven “I AM’s” that Jesus says, showing that He is everything to us and all we need. John clearly shows us that Jesus is a personal savior. As we continue through the book of John, please reference those Chapters in your Bible as this email will not repeat the text but add the context and historical setting and other significant meanings of the passages. It is highly recommended that you follow along with the most accurate Greek to English extraction today, The Pure Word, but please feel free to use your preferred version of the Scriptures as well. John Chapter 3 There were about 6,000 Pharisees of who had dedicated their entire life to keeping the ‘codified’ law.   The ‘codified’ law (first five books of Moses) were the writings the scribes made to interpret the law called the Mishna. For example, the commandment to remember the sabbath day to keep it holy was written up in the Mishna into 24 chapters.  The Pharisees sought to keep the entire Mishna. In addition to the Mishna, they wrote the Talmud, which was a commentary on the Mishna, so the rules to follow continued to expand and expand.  v. 1-21:  We know that Nicodemus was a very wealthy person because he came with Joseph of Arimathea to embalm the body of Jesus after the crucifixion and brought about a hundred pounds of costly spices which only a very rich person could afford.   He was also a member of the 70 Sanhedrin since Jesus referred to him as a ruler.  He was also a Pharisee who tried to keep the Mishna.  If anyone had it made by works or by the law, it would have been Nicodemus (a Pharisee). Nicodemus recognized that Jesus had divine authority from God because of the miracles.  Jesus knew the reason why Nicodemus came to Jesus and before he could even ask, he told Nicodemus that he MUST be born of water and of the spirit to enter the kingdom of God.  (later Jesus tells the disciples at the Sermon on the Mount that ‘unless your righteousness exceeds the scribes and Pharisees they wouldn’t enter into the kingdom of heaven’)   It’s only by new birth do you become a child of God. Your spirit comes alive (is born) when you accept Christ and now your mind is occupied to how you can please God.  Nicodemus sincerely wanted to understand what Jesus meant by ‘born again’.  Jesus explains that everyone who is born of the spirit is led by the spirit. You don’t know where the spirit came from nor where it will go. You can see the results of the spirit, but you can’t see him.  Nicodemus asks pointy (I’m paraphrasing ) “How can anyone be born again?”  Jesus answered specifically giving him the example of Moses lifting the brass serpent (metal of judgment) up in the wilderness (Numbers 21), which symbolically would be the Son of Man being lifted up (crucified) and says, “that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”.  There is no condemnation to those that believe in Christ Jesus.  Everyone that practices evil hates the light but he who follows and obeys the truth comes to the light and his deeds may be clearly seen that they have been done through God. v. 22-30:  Some of John the Baptist’s disciples asked about Jesus whom John the Baptist previously testified about and told everyone that Jesus was greater than himself so everyone then starting following Jesus.  John the Baptist, in humility, reminded them that he was not the messiah and that he rejoices that the Bridegroom takes the Bride and relates himself as being the best man.  v. 31-36:  John continues to tell them that Jesus is from heaven and John is only from the earth. John tells them that Jesus speaks the words of God.   He tells them that those that believeth on the Son has everlasting life; and those that don’t believe shall not see life and God’s wrath will abide on them. John Chapter 4 v. 1-45:  When Jesus heard that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was baptizing more than John the Baptist He went to Galilee by way of Samaria.  While resting at Jacob’s well in Sychar (near when Jacob gave a plot of land to Joseph) around noon, he asked a Samaritan woman to give him a drink of water.  Jesus told her that he could provide her with spiritual water where she would never thirst again. Jesus shows her that he knows her and that makes her open herself up to Him and ask her what is truly burning in her heart and that is “where do I find God”. [The Samaritans worship on Mt. Gerizim where the tribes of Israel stood and pronounced God’s blessings when they entered the land, which is opposite to Mt. Ebal where the curses were pronounced. Jews worship in Jerusalem.] The Samaritans inhabited the northern province after the Assyrian captivity were not accepted by the Jews when they returned from the Babylonian captivity since they interbreed with the Assyrians.  Because they were not allowed into Jerusalem they worshiped on Mt. Gerizim.  Jesus explains that God is a spirit, and that God is to be worshiped in spirit and in truth and the location is ultimately not important. The woman then tells Jesus that she knows that the Messiah will come and tell them all things and Jesus informs her that He is indeed the Messiah.   The disciples returned and the woman went to town to bring the town’s men to see Christ.   Jesus tells his disciples that “his meat is to do the will of Him that sent him, and to finish the Father’s work”.   As the men of the city were coming (they wore white turbans) Jesus points them out to his disciples and tells them to look at the fields for they are already white for the harvest!  And added that “he who reaps receives wages, and gather fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together.”  Jesus stayed with them two days and went to Cana of Galilee (the same town where he changed the water to wine). v. 46-54:  A nobleman begged Jesus to heal his sick son who was in Capernaum (20 miles from Cana).  Jesus heals the son by merely speaking the word and the nobleman believed.  Because it was about 1pm when Jesus said this, the nobleman could have made it the 20 miles the same day but because he believed, he didn’t rush home because the next day he met his servants coming to him (from Capernaum) and told the nobleman that the day before at 1pm (the 7th hour) the nobleman’s’ son became well.  The nobleman and his entire household believed.  This was the second miracle Jesus did when he came out of Judea into Galilee. John Chapter 5 v. 1-15:  Jesus went to Jerusalem and while at the pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath he saw a man that had an infirmity 38 years laying there because he could not make it to the waters when the angel stirred them before someone else stepped in first.  [Faith is a tremendous power, and they had faith that they would be healed. At times it is necessary to “activate” someone’s faith to provide the person with a point of contact.]  Faith without works is dead. Jesus asked the man if he wanted to be made well and Jesus healed him and told him to rise and take up his bed and walk.  Jesus asked him to do something impossible (rise and walk) and the man simply obeyed and he was healed.  Even though Jesus seems to give us an impossible command; if we only but do it, we will immediately receive everything necessary to do that command.  The Jewish rulers were upset because Jesus was not only healed this man on the Sabbath but told the healed man to take up his bed and walk (to do work on the Sabbath).  Jesus meets this man later in the temple that this man needs to take care to not sin again least something worse comes upon him.  His condition must have had a relationship to some prior sin in his life.   v. 16-23:  After this, the Jews then desired to persecute Jesus and sought to kill Him.  Jesus clearly tells them that his Father (God) works on the Sabbath, therefore He works on the Sabbath.   For this also, the Jews also sought to kill Him because he was making himself equal to God.   Jesus declares that he will do greater works so that they will marvel.    Jesus tells them that the Father gave Him all judgment that all should honor Him just as they honor the Father.   Satan always attacks: (1) the word of God; (2) the divinity of Christ; (3) the work of the Holy Spirit v. 24-30:  Those that believe on Jesus and the Father that sent Him and also keeps his words will be given eternal life.  Jesus declares that He is doing the works of the Father and that he has the authority to execute judgment from the Father and that his judgment is righteous because he does the will of the Father who sent Him. There will come a day where even the dead will rise, and He will judge all mankind. v. 31-47:  The law states that there must be two witnesses that must testify (or bear witnesses) in order for the truth to be established.  (1) Jesus tells them that John the Baptist is one of those witnesses who declared Him, (2) and Jesus’ own works bear witnesses of Him. (3) The Father himself (God) also bore witness of Jesus (in the Old Testament) where Moses, the prophets, and Psalms wrote about Jesus whom the Father send into the world.  Since they believe in Moses then Moses (and the law) is the one who will condemn them.  Moses is declaring Jesus’ words. (Jesus claims authorship of the Old Testament.) Jesus tells them that they are rejecting Jesus, but they are accepting the anti-christ [A curious side note: Today, most Jews in Israel who believe in God (but not Jesus), say that they will receive anyone who allows them to build their temple, and they will declare that person as the long-awaited Messiah. I wonder who that person (the anti-christ) will be?]  John Chapter 6 v. 1-15:  We are now back by the Sea of Galilee and a great multitude followed him because he healed many.   Jesus went into a mountain and the multitudes followed and he asked Philip “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?”  Jesus already knew what He was going to do.  They might have had 200 pennies (a penny is a day’s wage) with them and Philip said that it wasn’t sufficient to buy the amount needed to feed them.  Andrew was the disciple who pointed out a child that had five barley loaves (number 5 represents “grace”) and two small fishes (number 2 represents “division”).  Jesus feeds the multitudes to being stuffed and they gather up 12 baskets of the fragments of the five barley loaves.   The multitude then declared, “this is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.” (The prophet that Moses talked about).   The multitude wanted to declare Jesus as the Messiah and force him to be king which of course was not going to happen as Christ did not come this first time for that purpose.   Jesus left and departed into a mountain to be alone. v. 16-21:  While Jesus was in the mountain, the disciples went into the ship and went over to the other side.  They were rowing against the wind and waves all night and were about halfway across when they saw Jesus walking on the water. Jesus told them not to be afraid and entered into the ship and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.  Literally, the ship and they were instantly moved across the rest of the sea to the dock on the other side where they intended to go. v. 22-40:  The next day when the multitude discovered that Jesus was no longer at the mountain they got in their ships and sailed back to Capernaum and found Jesus.  Jesus tells them that they are seeking him for the wrong reasons. They were only following him because of the food. Jesus tells them “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life.”  They told Jesus that Moses gave their forefathers manna to eat (bread from heaven to eat).  Jesus corrects them and tells them that Moses did not give the manna but the Father in heaven and the He is also giving them the true bread from heaven “For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”   They don’t understand but ask for the bread Jesus mentions.  Jesus then tells them plainly “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst”.   He tells them that “those that believe in Him may have everlasting life; and will be raised up in the last day.” v. 41-59:  Jesus explains that He is the Messiah and God sent him.  “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him.”  Anyone who comes can receive eternal life. He goes on to tell them that His flesh is given for the life of the world and that “unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you”.  (Remember, that in their culture that if you share a meal with someone then what you eat is inside both of you and you become connected to each other through the food.)   Jesus taught them these things in the synagogue in Capernaum. v. 60-71:  The disciples didn’t understand and complained about what was being taught.  Jesus asked them about what would they think if they saw him ascend into heaven?  He tells them that his message is spiritual, and they are life but there are some that won’t believe and “No one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by my Father.”  Because of this message many of his disciples (multitude of followers) turned away from following Jesus and Jesus asked His 12 disciples if they also want to turn away.  Simon Peter declares, “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life, and we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God” (John 6:68-69).