Interpretive Study of John's Gospel - Summary

Jesus is the Son of God

Chapter links: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, God.

Chapter 15 Summary:

Last Supper: Jesus Explains Abiding Love.

The theme of this chapter is abiding love. It gives promises to all saved who truly abide in the love of Jesus Christ. Such saved people prove so by letting Him cause them to love the brethren and understand, and react properly, to the persecution from the world. This requires the saved to mature spiritually. Therefore, people who claim to be saved, but do not manifest spiritual maturity, are not abiding in love, as Jesus commands the saved to do in this chapter. Such people can not 'claim' the promises of this chapter.

It is said that hate is love twisted by rejection. The end of our chapter speaks about the judgment of the world because they rejected and hated Jesus Christ and God the Father. People reading the end of this chapter, without considering the context of the rest of the chapter, might miss this truth. So, even though it speaks about persecution, hate and rejection, the end of the chapter is still speaking about abiding love and the reaction to it.

John 15:1-27 tells us that Jesus said: I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman and tells us our responsibilities.

In John 15:3 Jesus promised Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. However, this promise has limits as to whom can claim it. Please see the note for this sentence, within the Book Study on the gospel of John, to find those limits

In John 15:5 Jesus promised that saved people would bringeth forth much fruit if they abideth in me (Jesus).

In John 15:6 Jesus promised that saved people would not bringeth forth much fruit would be cast forth as a branch, and is withered...and they are burned.

In John 15:7-8 Jesus promised that saved people who personally abide in me, and my words abide in you would get their prayers answered because their life caused God the Father to be glorified.

In John 14:13-15; John 15:7 and John 15:16-17 and John 16:23-24 we read promises of answered prayer along with some requirements that must be met in order to receive the answer to prayers. Please see the note for Luke 11:9 to see an overview of the requirements which are associated with these promises. We will not receive the promise if we do not fulfill God's requirements for receiving the promise.

In John 15:10 Jesus promised that saved people who personally keep my commandments shall abide in my love.

In John 15:11 Jesus promised that saved people who personally fulfilled the requirements of that chapter would have full joy.

In John 15:14 Jesus promised that saved people who personally fulfilled the requirements of that chapter would be considered to be the friend of Jesus.

In John 15:15 Jesus promised He would reveal things to His friends.

In John 14:16-18 Jesus promises the Comforter. The same promise is found in John 14:26; John 15:26-27 and John 16:7. Those references also tell us that He is the Spirit of truth.

In John 15:16 Jesus promised that our fruit should remain and that people who produced fruit that remains had the promise that: whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

In John 15:18-19 Jesus promised that the saved people who received the promises of this chapter would be hated by the world.

Matthew 10:17-23 and John 15:20 present the prophecy by Jesus that true preachers of God's word would be persecuted.

In John 15:20 Jesus promised that the saved people who received the promises of this chapter would be persecuted by the world but believed by saved people who truly believed Jesus.

In John 15:25 we are told that Jesus fulfilled a prophesy found in Psalms 7:4; Psalms 35:19; Psalms 69:4 and Psalms 109:3. Those prophesied that judgment would come on They hated me without a cause.

Below is a summary of each sentence within this chapter with a link to the note providing the detailed analysis and contextual requirements of each sentence. These sentence summaries also show the basis for the chapter summary provided above.

C15-S1 : Identify God's role in the symbolic relationship that will be described. Please see the Table of Parables in the New Testament for references to other parables given by Jesus.
1. The phrase I am the true vine means: 'Jesus is using a vine to illustrate that He is the source of spiritual nutrition'. Please see the Table of Parables in the New Testament for links to other parables.
2. The phrase and my Father is the husbandman means: 'The husbandman is the farmer who takes care of the vine and helps it to produce fruit'. This parable teaches how God makes His church spiritually fruitful.
C15-S2 : What God the Father does with the saved.
1. The phrase Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away means: 'The spiritually unfruitful saved people can die an early death'.
2. The phrase and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it means: 'God cuts away the things of this Earth that hinder the fruitful saved person from producing more spiritual fruit'.
3. The phrase that it may bring forth more fruit means: 'God does this so that the fruitful saved person can produce more spiritual fruit'.
C15-S3 : God's word makes us clean.
1. The word Now means: 'After you understand what was said prior'. Jesus Christ spiritually cleanses us in order to make us more fruitful spiritually speaking.
2. The phrase ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you means: 'Jesus uses the word of God, as properly interpreted by God's Holy Spirit, to clean us spiritually'.
C15-S4 : Command to abide. Our sentence says: Abide in me, and I in you the word abide means: 'To continue; to be; to dwell, rest, continue, stand firm, or be stationary for anytime indefinitely'. We are commanded to not be in and out, up and down, but to remain continually in our relationship with Jesus Christ so that He can deal with the problems which come up in our life.
C15-S5 : We must abide in order to produce fruit.
1. The phrase As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself. The word as means: 'in a similar fashion'. Therefore, our phrase means: 'Jesus is giving us a physical illustration of how spiritual nutrition is obtained'.
2. The phrase except it abide in the vine means: 'The only way that a branch receives the nutrition it needs for life is through the vine'.
3. The phrase no more can ye, except ye abide in me means: 'Likewise, the only way that the saved receive the spiritual nutrition, that they need to live spiritually, is through Jesus'.
C15-S6 : Jesus explains the parable and declares the spiritual relationship.
1. The phrase I am the vine means: 'Jesus is the only source of spiritual nutrition'. The word the means: 'there is only one and here it is'.
2. The phrase ye are the branches means: 'Each and every saved person is an extension of Jesus'.
3. The phrase He that abideth in me, and I in him means: 'Each and every one of us personally must abide in Jesus with the definition of the word abide provided above'.
4. The phrase the same bringeth forth much fruit means: 'This is a promise that we will be spiritually fruitful if we truly abide in Jesus'.
5. The phrase for without me ye can do nothing means: 'Here's why'.
C15-S7 : Realize the results of failure.
1. The phrase If a man abide not in me means: 'This is why the saved person is declared to be 'backslidden''.
2. The phrase he is cast forth as a branch means: 'Jesus Christ stops having anything to do with him'. He stops receiving blessings and directions in life from Jesus.
3. The phrase and is withered means: 'He becomes sickly, spiritually speaking'.
4. The phrase and men gather them, and cast them into the fire means: 'Devil motivated men are allowed to destroy them and spiritual men allow it so that they do not lead others into their error'.
5. The phrase and they are burned means: 'God makes sure that they suffer, and possibly are destroyed, in this physical reality'. Remember that this parable is set in the physical reality. This is not talking about spiritual burning such as being put into Hell.
C15-S8 : Realize the results of success.
1. The phrase If ye abide in me means: 'This is the first requirement'.
2. The phrase and my words abide in you means: 'This is the second requirement'. Many people 'claim' that they fulfill the first requirement even while they fail to fulfill the second requirement. Such people are deceived and do not receive the promise found in the remainder of this sentence.
3. The phrase ye shall ask what ye will means: 'Each and every one of you personally will ask God for what you want'. What is not directly stated, but is true if the prior requirements are fulfilled, is that this saved person will be asking for things which will allow him to be more fruitful in the work of God.
4. The phrase and it shall be done unto you means: 'Jesus Christ will fulfill our requests which will make us to be more fruitful in the work of God'.
C15-S9 : What God gets out of the relationship.
1. The phrase Herein is my Father glorified means: 'God the Father is glorified when the rest of this sentence is true in our personal life'.
2. The phrase that ye bear much fruit means: 'God is glorified when each and every one of us personally bear much (spiritual) fruit'.
3. The phrase so shall ye be my disciples means: 'This is how each and every one of us personally become true disciples of Jesus Christ'.
C15-S10 : Love is part of the relationship.
1. The phrase As the Father hath loved me means: 'In the same way as God the Father has shown His love to Jesus'.
2. The phrase so have I loved you means: 'Jesus has also shown His love to us in the same way'.
3. The phrase continue ye in my love means: 'We are commanded to continue to abide in His love'. If this were not optional then He would not command it. Saved people become 'backslidden' because they disobey this command.
C15-S11 : How to have abiding love.
1. The phrase If ye keep my commandments means: 'This is the conditional requirement'.
2. The phrase ye shall abide in my love means: 'Each and every one of you personally absolutely will abide in the love of Jesus Christ'.
3. The phrase even as I have kept my Father's commandments means: 'Our keeping His commandments is as important as it was for Him to keep the commandments of God the Father'. The obedience of Jesus produced our salvation and sanctification. Our obedience is used by God to provide for the salvation and sanctification of other people.
4. The phrase and abide in his love means: 'Jesus did abide in the love of God the Father in spite of God commanding Him to suffer and die for our salvation and sanctification'. Likewise, we are commanded to abide in the love of Jesus Christ in spite of any suffering or death which he commands for us.
C15-S12 : How to have full joy.
1. The phrase These things have I spoken unto you means: 'Jesus gave us the word of God so that we can have the results described in the remainder of this sentence'. Please see the note for C16-S25, below, for links to every place where this phrase is reported.
2. The phrase that my joy might remain in you means: 'This is the desired result. It is not enough that we have joy but that it remain in us'.
3. The phrase and that your joy might be full means: 'It is not enough that we have joy but Jesus wants us to have full joy'.
C15-S13 : Demonstrated love is commanded.
1. The phrase This is my commandment means: 'In context, Jesus is giving this commandment so that we can have full and remaining joy'.
2. The phrase That ye love one another means: 'This is what we are to do so that we can have full and remaining joy'.
3. The phrase as I have loved you means: 'This is the measure which we are to strive to meet if we want to have full and remaining joy'.
C15-S14 : the definition of greatest love.
1. The phrase Greater love hath no man than this means: 'We can not demonstrate a greater love than Jesus demonstrated'. Martyrs demonstrate a similar love but the spiritual results of their sacrifice is less than the spiritual results of Jesus giving His physical life for our salvation and sanctification.
2. The phrase that a man lay down his life for his friends means: 'This is the demonstrated level of love given by Jesus'.
C15-S15 : Requirement to be a friend of Jesus.
1. The phrase Ye are my friends means: 'Each and every one of you personally have this result if you fulfill the next phrase'.
2. The phrase if ye do whatsoever I command you means: 'This is the requirement'.
C15-S16 : the changed relationship between Jesus and the saved.
1. The word Henceforth means: 'from this time forward'.
2. The phrase I call you not servants means: 'Jesus is saying what relationship they do not have'.
3. The phrase for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth means: 'Here's why'.
4. The phrase but I have called you friends means: 'Jesus is saying what relationship they do have'.
5. The phrase for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you means: 'Here's why'.
C15-S17 : the ordination of the saved.
1. The phrase Ye have not chosen me means: 'None of you personally chose Jesus'. This is one of the lies from Satan. He has preachers claiming that someone can choose to be saved at any time, even on their death bed. The truth of the word of God is that everyone is promised one chance to be saved but no one is promised more than one. It is by God's mercy that we get more than one chance and we can not demand mercy. Isaiah 53:1 and 2Corinthians 6:2 say: (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation). People who ignore the warning that behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation, and claim that they will accept another day are not promised another day to be saved.
2. The phrase but I have chosen you means: 'God chooses who to offer salvation and sanctification to. God chooses who receives certain spiritual gifts and, as the rest of our sentence says, whom He will ordain'.
3. The phrase and ordained you. The word ordained means: 'Properly, to set; to establish in a particular office or order; hence, to invest with a ministerial function or sacerdotal power'. God chooses whom receives spiritual power to do His work.
4. The phrase that ye should go and bring forth fruit means: 'This is why God chooses and ordains certain people'.
5. The phrase and that your fruit should remain means: 'Too many people are counting professions when the people who make the profession are never seen again'.
6. The phrase that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name means: 'This is why we should desire fruit which remains'.
7. The phrase he may give it you means: 'God rewards those people who work in His kingdom but does not promise rewards to lazy people'.
C15-S18 : Why Jesus gave these commands.
1. The phrase These things I command you means: 'What has been said by Jesus, in all of the chapters telling us what He said at His 'Last Supper', are commands'.
2. The phrase that ye love one another means: 'This is the desired result'.
C15-S19 : the world does the opposite of love.
1. The phrase If the world hate you means: 'This is the conditional requirement for the next phrase to be applied'.
2. The phrase ye know that it hated me before it hated you means: 'The disciples whom Jesus was talking to had each devoted their life to serve Him. They all were known to be His disciples. This sentence assumes that the world hates a disciple for being like Jesus and not for some other reason. That relationship must be applied for this sentence and for all of the sentences in the rest of this chapter'.
C15-S20 : the reaction of the world.
1. The phrase If ye were of the world, the world would love his own means: 'This is the result of people who are truly of the world, regardless of what they claim'.
2. The phrase but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world means: 'Pay attention to the phrase out of the world. You can not be using the reasoning of the world and be out of the world. Since our phrases identify people whom Jesus has chosen out of the world, they must believe what Jesus says even when it makes no sense according to the reasoning of the world. Acting on that type of belief is called living by faith. Therefore, the true test is if you can show where the word of God is the basis of your belief and action or is it based upon your own reasoning?'.
3. The phrase therefore the world hateth you means: 'The world hates people who say that the word of God is always right even though they can not explain it to the satisfaction of worldly reasoning'.
C15-S21 : Warning to help us in time of persecution.
1. The phrase Remember the word that I said unto you means: 'This is a reference to John 13:16 '.
2. The phrase The servant is not greater than his lord means: 'Jesus said this right after He had washed their feet and taught them to be humble enough that God can demand that they do any service for His people'. Now, in this context, Jesus is telling them, and us, that the world will not treat them any better than the world treated Him. We are to be willing for the world to make us suffer and to even die, if that is what is required in order to remain a true servant to Jesus Christ and to show His character and His doctrine to the world.
C15-S22 : Expect to be treated like Jesus. As written for an earlier sentence in this chapter, the sentences in this part of the chapter only apply to saved people who truly have a relationship with Jesus which causes the lost world to identify them with Jesus.
1. The phrase If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you means: 'This is true for true disciples but will not be true for people who claim to be saved while they live worldly'.
2. The phrase if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also means: 'This is true for true disciples who keep and obey the commandments of Jesus. But, this phrase is contrasted with the first Step of this sentence'.
C15-S23 : Why the world persecutes the true Christians.
1. The phrase But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake means: 'As written previously, this phrase is true only if our life truly displays the character and doctrine of Jesus'.
2. The phrase because they know not him that sent me means: 'Here's why. The religious people claim to know God the Father but our sentence says that they do not. If they truly knew God the Father they would act like Him. However, according to John 8:44, their actions proved that their true spiritual father was the devil'.
C15-S24 : the results of Jesus coming.
1. The phrase If I had not come and spoken unto them means: 'This is the conditional requirement which makes the next phrase impossible. They could have claimed the next phrase if Jesus had not done what He did and that our current phrase says that He did'.
2. The phrase they had not had sin means: 'They would not have been condemned for deliberate sin if Jesus had not done the prior phrase'.
3. The phrase but now they have no cloke for their sin means: 'Now the religious people can not hide their sin. They can not claim ignorance since Jesus came and told them the truth and provided undisputable proof, in the form of miracles, that He spoke for God the Father'.
C15-S25 : the precept that applies here. This is the first application of the precept found in this sentence and it is evidence that God will use when He judges the religious leaders. Our sentence says: He that hateth me hateth my Father also. The precept is: 'God counts how you treat His messenger as how you treat Him. If you honor His messenger, then God counts that as honoring Him. If you mistreat and hate His messenger, then God counts that as mistreating and hating Him'.
C15-S26 : the judgment from evidence. This is a second application of the prior precept and further evidence that God will use when He judges the religious leaders. Please see the Doctrinal Study called Jesus Used the Power of the Holy Ghost related to this sentence.
1. The phrase If I had not done among them the works which none other man did means: 'Jesus did miracles in number and type that no other man ever came close to matching. The precept here is that when someone does things which bring glory to God and which no other man can match and he tells you that it is not him but God working through him, then, if you reject the message and the evidence, God counts that as rejecting Him'.
2. The phrase they had not had sin means: 'They would not have been condemned for deliberate sin if Jesus had not done the prior phrase'.
3. The phrase but now have they both seen and hated both means my Father means: 'The religious leaders saw the evidence that could only come from God's power and they rejected it in favor of the lie which they preached. That is what Jesus calls evidence of hate. And, since their hate was directed at the evidence from God, God counts it as hatred of Him'.
C15-S27 : the condemnation from scripture.
1. The phrase But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law means: 'the religious people who hated Jesus fulfilled a prophesy found in Psalms 7:4; Psalms 35:19; Psalms 69:4 and Psalms 109:3 '.
2. The phrase They hated me without a cause means: 'This is the prophecy which was fulfilled'.
C15-S28 : the enduring testimony left by Jesus. In John 14:16-17; John 14:26; John 15:26-27 and John 16:7, Jesus promises the Comforter. Those references also tell us that He is the Spirit of truth.
1. The word But, which starts this sentence, is continuing the subject of judgment for how we act towards Jesus while changing direction from those religious people who receive punishment to those saved disciples who are blessed.
2. The phrase But when the Comforter is come means: 'This is a prophesied future event which was also a promise to the disciples'.
3. The phrase whom I will send unto you from the Father means: 'Jesus had God the Father send Him after Jesus returned to Heaven'.
4. The phrase even the Spirit of truth is found in John 14:17; John 15:26; John 16:13 and 1John 4:6. Please see the Detailed Notes for each of those references in order to see the doctrine of this phrase.
5. The phrase which proceedeth from the Father means: 'God the Father is the source of all truth'.
6. The phrase he shall testify of me means: 'God's Holy Spirit will testify of Jesus Christ to all truly saved people'.
7. The phrase And ye also shall bear witness means: 'Each and every one of the eleven disciples absolutely positively will bear witness of Jesus'.
8. The phrase because ye have been with me from the beginning means: 'Here's why'.

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Chapter 16 Summary:

Last Supper: Jesus Explains our need for the Holy Spirit.

Please see the Doctrinal Study called Significant Gospel Events for links to prophecies found in the Gospels.

This chapter warns of future persecution but also tells about the work of the Holy Spirit and His help in times of need.

in this chapter we see Jesus prophesy a couple of failures by His disciples. We also see Him say that he is not upset by their failures because He relied upon God the Father. He also promises God's Holy Spirit to indwell believers. Just as he relied upon God the Father, the saved are to rely upon God's Holy Spirit. What is acceptable without the help of God's Holy Spirit is not acceptable after people receive the indwelling.

In addition, to the prophecies, Jesus tells of changes that will come in the 'Church age'. Therefore, a lot of this chapter is telling us about changes that God will bring in as a result of the death and resurrection of Jesus. Please see the Section on Prophecies, found in the Study called Significant Gospel Events for links to prophecies found in the Gospels.

In general, John 16 has prophesies of tribulation and sorrow for all believers during the 'Church Age'. Mixed in with those prophecies are promises of hope for help and comfort. These include:

In John 16:4 He said that they would remember His prophecy.
In John 16:7 He said that he would send the Comforter, which is God's Holy Spirit.
In John 16:7-11 He said that God's Holy Spirit would reprove the world, which means that God's Holy Spirit would fight for them.
In John 16:13 we read that the Spirit of truth...will guide you into all truth. that means that they will have comfort from the assurance of being in God's truth.
In John 16:15 we are told that God's Holy Spirit will show the things of God the Father to people who are serving God in spite of persecution. this means that those people (not all saved) will see the promise of future reward which is given in proportion to the amount of sacrifice made for the service of God while we are in this flesh.
In John 16:20 we read: your sorrow shall be turned into joy and John 16:22 says: your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. While the interpretation of these two promises apply to the disciples who saw the risen savior, we can also expect some application to us because of John 20:29.
In John 16:23-24 we have a promise of answered prayer that your joy may be full.
In John 16:33 we read These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

John 16:1-16 tells us about the Comforter and why the saved need Him.

In John 16:2 Jesus prophesied that the disciples would be rejected and killed by people who thought themselves to be the children of God.

In John 7:33-36; John 8:21-24; John 12:35; John 13:33; John 16:5-7; John 16:16-22; John 17:11-13; Matthew 9:15; Luke 5:35 and Luke 13:35, we have a prophecy which is similar to what we find in Luke 17:22. Please see the Prophecies Section in the Significant Gospel Events Study for references to other Gospel prophecies.

In Joel 2:28-32; we are told that God gave us better promises. In John 16:7; Jesus tells us that this will happen right after he goes away. In Acts 2:14-21; at Pentecost, Peter says that these prophecies were fulfilled with the coming of the Holy Ghost.

In John 16:8-15 Jesus prophesied the ministry of the Holy Ghost.

In John 14:16-18 Jesus promises the Comforter. The same promise is found in John 14:26; John 15:26-27 and John 16:7. Those references also tell us that He is the Spirit of truth.

In John 16:16 Jesus told His disciples A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father. His death fulfilled the first part of this prophecy (A little while, and ye shall not see me). (Please see the section called Harmony for those references.) John 20:19 fulfills the second part of this prophecy (and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father). The Chapter Summary notes for Chapters 20 within the Book Study on the Gospel of John show the sequence of events which proves that Jesus had already gone to the Father.

John 16:17-33 tells us that true witness in this world will have sorrow but also have help.

In John 6:62; John 12:24; John 16:20 and John 16:22-23 and John 16:16, Jesus prophesied the future results of His death, resurrection and ascension.

In John 16:20 Jesus prophesied of future tribulation and the solution to it.

In John 16:23-27 Jesus promises that we can ask God the Father in His name after His ascension. However, many people 'claim' this promise without considering the context. It was given after the disciples had such a spiritually maturing experience that no man taketh from you. (Please see the note in the Book Study on the gospel of John for the true meaning of this phrase.) In addition, this promise is given that your joy may be full. As also explained in the note in the Book Study on the gospel of John, joy is from a spiritual perspective of 'bad' circumstances. This promise can not be used to claim the lusts of the flesh, pride, not any of the many other false applications which many people claim it can be applied to.

In John 16:25 Jesus promised that He would shew you plainly of the Father. This occurs after the promise of the indwelling Holy Spirit and after the promise of ask, and ye shall receive. The requirements to receive the prior promise also hold true for this promise which basically says that God will reveal clearly the things of God to those spiritually mature people who fulfill His requirements.

Matthew 26:33-35; Mark 14:29-31; Luke 22:31-34; John 13:37-38 and John 16:32 present the prophecy by Jesus that Peter, and the rest, would deny knowing Jesus or otherwise be offended and scatter. Matthew 26:56 and Mark 14:50 say Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled. In addition, Peter's denial is in Matthew 26:69-75; Mark 14:66-72; Luke 22:56-62 and John 18:17, 25-27.

C16-S1 : Jesus explains why He told them the things which He said.
1. The phrase These things have I spoken unto you means: 'Jesus is referring to what He has said at the 'Last Supper' and what He said in private to the eleven disciples. These things were said after Judas left to betray Him. This shows that there are some things reserved for the saved and serving only. Jesus excluded the lost and excluded those who believed on Him but were not serving Him'.
2. The phrase that ye should not be offended means: 'His words were given to help us avoid being offended by the things which will happen to us in this world'. When circumstances of life offend us, we are instructed to seek comfort in scripture and the knowledge that God allowed whatever happened so that we will receive good and He will receive glory from our life.
C16-S2 : Jesus explains why they will feel offended.
1. The phrase They shall put you out of the synagogues means: 'This also applies to being excommunicated from a church'.
2. The phrase yea, the time cometh means: 'This is a prophecy'.
3. The phrase that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service means: 'Our next sentence says why they do this'. The books of Christian History tell the fulfillment of this prophecy.
C16-S3 : Jesus explains why people will do this.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. Our sentence adds why people will do what the prior sentence says that they will do.
2. The phrase And these things will they do unto you means: 'He is not speaking about people who claim to serve other gods. Jesus is identifying those people who claim to serve the God of the Bible'.
3. The phrase because they have not known the Father means: 'They have not learned the true character of God the Father. 1John 4: says: He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.. 1John 4:16 says: And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.. The people that Jesus is identifying are not displaying the love of God the Father. We are to study the word of God to learn the character of God. We do not study in order to argue doctrine. That results in people refusing to be rightly dividing the word of truth. If all were doing that then there would by no arguing.'.
4. The phrase nor me means: 'Such religious people are not truly saved'. Matthew 7:23 says: And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.. Luke 13:27 tells us the same thing.
C16-S4 : Jesus reminds them why He explained things. Jesus said these things to proved that He was a prophet and the messenger from God.
1. Our sentence starts with the word But. It is still talking about how people will treat you because of your religious beliefs. However, where the prior sentence spoke of mistreatment, this sentence tells us that Jesus gives the truth.
2. The phrase But these things have I told you means: 'Jesus is identifying the prophecies which he spoke'. Please see the note for C16-S25, below, for links to every place where this phrase is reported.
3. The phrase that when the time shall come means: 'This is identifying when the prophecy is fulfilled'. Please see the section on Prophecies Fulfilled, found in the Study called Significant Gospel Events for links to other prophecies which were fulfilled in Gospel times.
4. The phrase ye may remember that I told you of them means: 'The main purpose of prophecy is to prove that the God of the Bible is the most powerful being that exists. This truth is proven by all of the fulfilled prophecies where God challenged all devils and all men to try and prevent Him from fulfilling His prophecy. He then gives them plenty of time to try and stop Him before He does exactly as prophesied. The world wants to look at unfulfilled prophecy so that they can try to stop God. Our sentence tells us that Jesus said to look at fulfilled prophecy and put our trust in Him and in God the Father because of the fulfilled prophecies'.
C16-S5 : Jesus says why He waited to tell them.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. Jesus is adding why He is changing what He tells His disciples.
2. The phrase And these things I said not unto you at the beginning means: 'The things said at the 'Last Supper' are different from what Jesus told them earlier in His ministry'.
3. The phrase because I was with you means: 'He was teaching them things that could see and understand that way'.
C16-S6 : Jesus says He will return to God the Father.
1. The word But means: 'He is continuing the same subject as the prior sentence while changing directions'. Jesus is still describing the type of things that he tells them but now saying why He switched to prophecy where in His earlier ministry He did not use prophecy as much.
2. The phrase But now I go my way to him that sent me means: 'Jesus is returning to Heaven very soon'.
3. The phrase and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? means: 'They did not ask because they were in denial of the prophecies which He had given them'.
C16-S7 : their reaction to what Jesus said.
1. The word But means: 'He is continuing the same subject as the prior sentence while changing directions'. Jesus is still describing prophecy but now is describing their reaction to prophecy just given.
2. The phrase But because I have said these things unto you means: 'Jesus gave prophecy'.
3. The phrase sorrow hath filled your heart means: 'This is their reaction to the specific prophecy given'.
C16-S8 : Why it is better for them if He leaves.
1. The Nevertheless means: 'Not the less; notwithstanding; that is, in opposition to anything, or without regarding it'. It does not matter how they react to His prophecy, He is giving it for their good.
2. The phrase I tell you the truth means: 'What follows is truth even if you don't believe it'.
3. The phrase It is expedient for you that I go away means: 'This is the best thing for you'. I've heard preachers deny the truth of this sentence and claim that they wished they liked during the ministry of Jesus. First of all, they were not Jews and would have been rejected by the Jews and not accepted by Jesus. Next, they would not have had the indwelling Holy Spirit to help them to understand spiritual things. I could go on but those two reasons alone should be sufficient for any Gentile to not wish such a thing.
4. The phrase for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you means: 'This is very clear on the surface and our current relationship with God is dependent upon God's indwelling Holy Spirit'.
5. The phrase but if I depart, I will send him unto you means: 'Jesus is Who had God the Father send God's indwelling Holy Spirit'.
C16-S9 : What God's Holy Spirit will do.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. Here, Jesus is adding the ministry of God's Holy Spirit.
2. The phrase And when he is come means: 'This is when this prophecy will be fulfilled'. Please see the Prophecies Section in the Significant Gospel Events Study for references to other prophecies in this chapter and in all chapters of the Gospel accounts.
3. The phrase he will reprove the world. The word reprove means: 'To blame; to censure; to prove again that deeds are wrong'. Our sentence tells us that he will tell the world that their doctrines, in these three areas, are wrong. And, if we accept the doctrine of the world in these three areas, we not only are wrong but we are sinning because Jesus told us this. (See the notes for C9-S50 and C15-S24.
4. The phrase of sin means: 'He will tell them they tell lies about what true sin is'. 1John 3:4 says: Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. Many people, including many so-called Christians, define this word the wrong way.
5. The phrase and of righteousness. The word righteousness is defined as: 'doing the right thing, the right way, at the right time and for the right reason'. If any of those are wrong then the person is not righteous. Most people use a wrong definition for this word also.
6. The phrase and of judgment means: 'The word of God tells us to judge righteous judgment, which is God's way of judgment (John 7:24; Romans 2:5; 2Thessalonians 1:5)'. . . .
7. The phrase Of sin, because they believe not on me means: 'Here's why God's Holy Spirit will reprove the world, and us, of sin'.
8. The phrase Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more means: 'Here's why God's Holy Spirit will reprove the world, and us, of righteousness'. Jesus fulfilled prophecy and proved what righteousness really is.
9. The phrase Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged means: 'Here's why God's Holy Spirit will reprove the world, and us, of judgment'. Since the prince of this world (Satan) is judged, all who follow him will share in his judgment.
C16-S10 : Why some things can not be revealed until later.
1. The phrase I have yet manythings to say unto you means: 'God only reveals truth to us when we are spiritually mature enough to handle it'.
2. The phrase but ye cannot bear them now means: 'These things wee revealed later and we have some of them in the Epistles.
C16-S11 : the job of What God's Holy Spirit.
1. The word Howbeit is defined as: 'adv. how, be, and it. Be it as it may; nevertheless; notwithstanding; yet; but; however'.
2. The phrase Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come means: 'It does not matter what he does with the world, this is what He will do with you'.
3. The phrase he will guide you into all truth means: 'Truth only comes from the word of God as interpreted by God's Holy Spirit'. Please see the Word Study on Truth for a note on ever place where the word of God uses this word and for the true Biblical definition which is not written in any man written dictionary.
4. The phrase for he shall not speak of himself means: 'Just like Jesus was the messenger of God the Father, so is God's Holy Spirit the messenger of our Lord Jesus Christ'.
5. The phrase but whatsoever he shall hear means: 'He only gives messages from our Lord Jesus Christ'.
6. The phrase that shall he speak means: 'He delivers every message that He is given to deliver'.
7. The phrase and he will shew you things to come means: 'He will show the saved everything that our Lord Jesus Christ tells Him to show us. This includes any prophecy that our Lord Jesus Christ wants us to understand'.
C16-S12 : the purpose that God's Holy Spirit has.
1. The phrase He shall glorify me means: 'God's Holy Spirit will not glorify Himself in spite of what some religions say'.
2. The phrase for he shall receive of mine means: 'His job is to be the messenger of our Lord Jesus Christ.'
3. The phrase and shall shew it unto you means: 'He shall receive what our Lord Jesus Christ gives to Him and He will deliver those things to us'.
C16-S13 : the source of spiritual gifts.
1. The phrase All things that the Father hath are mine means: 'These religions which claim to be based on the Bible and also claim to bypass Jesus are lying'.
2. The phrase therefore said I means: 'This is why Jesus said what He did in the prior sentence'.
3. The phrase that he shall take of mine means: 'God's Holy Spirit will take what our Lord Jesus Christ gives to Him'.
4. The phrase and shall shew it unto you means: 'He will deliver it to the correct person'. Our sentence uses the word shew because the main thing that he gives to us in knowledge and understanding found in the word of God.
C16-S14 : What will happen in the near future.
1. The phrase A little while means: 'Jesus will be crucified and buried within less than 24 hours'.
2. The phrase and ye shall not see me means: 'He will be buried'.
3. The phrase and again, a little while means: 'After three days He will rise'.
4. The phrase and ye shall see me means: 'Each and every one of the eleven personally will see the resurrected Jesus'.
5. The phrase because I go to the Father means: 'He will return to Heaven after finishing His spiritual work'.
C16-S15 : Our sentence tells us that the disciples were confused because they tried to understand prophecy by discussing it among themselves using their own natural reasoning. They could not understand the prophecy that way. The same is true for people today.
1. The phrase Then said some of his disciples among themselves means: ''. . . .
2. The phrase What is this that he saith unto us means: 'They tried to use their own natural reasoning to understand the prophecy that Jesus told them'.
3. The phrase A little while means: 'This means that they were trying to understand unfulfilled prophecy'.
4. The phrase and ye shall not see me means: 'This prophecy was about His burial, which followed His death. They had trouble understanding the truth because they were rejecting the truth'. Many people of today have wrong interpretations of different doctrines because they refuse to accept the truth. Then, when what they want to believe is in conflict with what the word of God literally says, they call it a 'Problem Verse' and blame God's perfect word for the problem while denying that it is their own rejection of truth which causes the problem.
5. The phrase and again, a little while means: 'This was a second unfulfilled prophecy. This second prophecy was about His resurrection. Again, they had trouble with this prophecy because they rejected the prophecy of His suffering and death'.
6. The phrase and ye shall see me means: 'Each and every one of the eleven disciples would personally see the resurrected Jesus'.
7. The phrase and, Because I go to the Father? means: 'This is why Jesus gave these prophecies. However, like the prophecies of His suffering and death, they rejected the prophecies of His leaving them to return to Heaven'.
C16-S16 : Some are confused about the time factor. Our sentence says: They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? means: 'Jesus was giving a future prophecy and they could not understand with their own natural reasoning'.
C16-S17 : Our sentence says: we cannot tell what he saith. This was because they were trying to understand unfulfilled prophecy using their own natural reasoning while also denying the truth.
C16-S18 : Jesus called them on asking each other.
1. The phrase Now Jesus knew that they were desirous to ask him means: 'He understood that they wanted to understand the prophecy while also holding unto their denial of truth'.
2. The phrase and said unto them means: 'Jesus said this as a question so that they would think about what they did. They talked among themselves rather than asking Him, even though they knew that he knew the truth. They went to the wrong source for answers because they refused to accept all of the truth'.
3. The phrase Do ye inquire among yourselves of that I said means: 'Jesus identified their seeking answers from the wrong source'.
4. The phrase A little while, and ye shall not see me means: 'This was the prophecy of His suffering and death which they rejected'. Please see the Prophecies Section in the Significant Gospel Events Study for other prophecies of His suffering and death.
5. The phrase and again, a little while, and ye shall see me? means: 'This was a prophecy of His resurrection which they also rejected because they refused to believe that He would suffer and die for our sins'. Again, there are many references to the 'Resurrection from the Dead' in the reference work just identified for the prior phrase.
C16-S19 : Jesus predicts the reaction to His death.
1. The phrase Verily, verily, I say unto you means: 'This has been verified twice and will be used when God judges these people and others who act like them'.
2. The phrase That ye shall weep and lament means: 'Each and every one of you personally absolutely, positively will weep and lament'. I've had several preachers deny this phrase because they claim that there are 'no tears in heaven' and that all weeping and lamenting only happens in Hell. This will happen when Jesus suffers and dies.
3. The phrase but the world shall rejoice means: 'The world will believe the lie of Satan that they have won the spiritual war with God and forced God to accept that things have to go their way'. This will happen when Jesus suffers and dies.
4. The phrase and ye shall be sorrowful means: 'This will be their emotional reaction to the suffering and death of Jesus'.
5. The phrase but your sorrow shall be turned into joy means: 'This will happen with His resurrection'.
C16-S20 : Jesus provides an analogy.
1. The phrase A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow means: 'This is speaking about the experience of Labour in birth'.
2. The phrase because her hour is come means: 'This is because of the physical pain and suffering'.
3. The phrase but as soon as she is delivered of the child means: 'As soon as the child is out of the mother'.
4. The phrase she remembereth no more the anguish means: 'She forgets all of the suffering and pain'.
5. The phrase for joy that a man is born into the world means: 'This is why'.
C16-S21 : the application of the analogy.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. In our sentence, Jesus is adding the application of the analogy of the prior sentence.
2. The phrase And ye now therefore have sorrow means: 'This was how they were feelings because of the prophecies which they did not want to accept'.
3. The phrase but I will see you again means: 'This is another prophecy of the resurrection'.
4. The phrase and your heart shall rejoice means: 'This will be their future emotional response to the resurrection'.
5. The phrase and your joy no man taketh from you means: 'This will be their ongoing emotional response to the resurrection'.
C16-S22 : First result of their future sorrow and joy. Our sentence says: And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. 'They will be so full of wonder, joy and fear that they won't be able to say anything'. They would have wonder and joy at His resurrection and with the hope for their own promised resurrection. They would have fear that their own personal rejection of the prophecies from Jesus would cause them to lose their promise. God does not ace that way and, when they realized it, that truth would increase their honor of God for His mercy.
C16-S23 : Second result of their future sorrow and joy.
1. The phrase Verily, verily, I say unto you means: 'This has been verified twice and will be used when God judges these people and others who act like them'.
2. The phrase Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you means: 'This is a promise of answered prayer in the future'. This promise was given to the eleven in a private meeting where most of the followers were excluded. This promise was given because they devoted their life to His service.
C16-S24 : Ask in the name of Jesus.
1. The phrase Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name means: 'In the past and up until that time, none of them had personally prayed to God the Father in the power and authority of Jesus'.
2. The phrase ask, and ye shall receive means: 'Start doing it and believe that God will answer'.
3. The phrase that your joy may be full means: 'This is the expected result'.
C16-S25 : Teaching by Jesus.
1. The phrase These things have I spoken unto you means: 'Jesus is referring to what He has said at the 'Last Supper' and what He said in private to the eleven disciples'. These things were said after Judas left to betray Him. This shows that there are some things reserved for the saved and serving only. Jesus excluded the lost and excluded those who believed on Him but were not serving Him. We find this exact phrase in:
  - John 14:25 where Jesus said that He was telling them these things before His return to Heaven. He was saying these things while He spoke as a literal physical man and not as Lord Jesus, after He took back His own power and authority as God.
  - John 15:11 where Jesus said that His words were to give us joy which was full and which remained.
  - John 16:1 where Jesus said that His words were given to help us avoid being offended by the things which will happen to us in this world.
  - Our current sentence where Jesus said that His words were in proverbs before but in the future He will speak more plainly. That is, what he said to us through His ministers and in the epistles will be plainer and easier to understand
2. The phrase have I spoken unto you in proverbs means: 'This is how Jesus taught when there were many people around and some of them were carnal and some were lost and some were religious leaders who were actively looking to dispute with Jesus'. People believe, and quote, that a proverb is 'a physical story which is used to teach a spiritual truth'. And it is. But that description leaves out part of the true description and lets people believe doctrinal error. The missing part of the description is: 'Jesus taught in parables so that only the spiritually mature would receive the truth and the carnal and lost would be led into doctrinal error'. The spiritually mature would receive the truth because they received it spiritually from God. The carnal and lost would be led into doctrinal error because they used natural reasoning to try to figure out what the proverb meant. Thus, we need to be careful what we believe that a proverb says because there are wrong interpretations of each proverb that are published by the carnal and lost.
3. The phrase but the time cometh means: 'This is a prophecy of the future'.
4. The phrase when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs means: 'Jesus speaks to the spiritually mature in private through God's Holy Spirit as they pray and truly seek the truth found in the word of God'.
5. The phrase but I shall shew you plainly of the Father means: 'The main thing that the word of God teaches is the character of God'. The word of God warns us that people will preach another god and another Jesus and another Christ and another Lord. The only way to separate truth from error is to know the true character of our God.
C16-S26 : A new way to pray.
1. The phrase At that day ye shall ask in my name means: 'This is a prophecy and promise of what true disciples will do in the future'.
2. The phrase and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you means: 'We will not need Mary, saints, priests not even Jesus to pray for us because of the rest of this sentence'.
3. The phrase For the Father himself loveth you means: 'This is why we do not need someone else to pray for us'.
4. The phrase because ye have loved me means: 'Here's why'.
5. The phrase and have believed that I came out from God means: 'Here's the second reason why'.
C16-S27 : the summary of the physical life of Jesus.
1. The phrase I came forth from the Father means: 'God the Father sent the Son of God from himself to deliver the message of salvation from God the Father and to pay the price for our true salvation'.
2. The phrase and am come into the world means: 'The Son of God came here to do the work that God the Father gave Him to do'.
3. The phrase again means: 'Jesus has given this prophecy before several times'.
4. The phrase I leave the world means: 'Jesus will return to Heaven'.
5. The phrase and go to the Father means: 'That is where God the Father is at'.
C16-S28 : the reaction by the disciples.
1. The phrase His disciples said unto him means: 'This is who spoke and whom they spoke to'.
2. The word Lo means: 'exclaim. Look; see; behold; observe. this word is used to excite particular attention in a hearer to some object of sight, or subject of discourse'.
3. The phrase now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb means: 'They claimed to understand the prior several sentences but were still in denial of the truth'. We can deny even the most clearly stated truth if we wish to. However, our denial does not change the truth and it only proves that we are insisting on acting as a fool.
C16-S29 : the results from faith.
1. The phrase Now are we sure that thou knowest all things means: 'Only God knows all things. Men can reveal spiritual mysteries only if God first reveals the mysteries to the man'.
2. The phrase and needest not that any man should ask thee means: 'Asking was, and is, a way of teaching. in this phrase, they were saying that no man needed to teach Jesus anything'. (Yes, there are people who will disagree with what I just wrote but they do not have a better explanation. They just want to tear down the authority of someone else without providing a better answer.)
3. The phrase By this we believe that thou camest forth from God means: 'They said that they believe that thou camest forth from God because Jesus gave answers which could only have come from God'.
C16-S30 : Question based upon prior profession. Our sentence says: Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe?. It means: 'Do you really?. Jesus truly doubted their claim and we see this by His giving them another prophecy, in the next sentence, which they each rejected'.
C16-S31 : Jesus prophesies the scattering of the disciples.
1. The word Behold means: 'Pay close attention'.
2. The phrase the hour cometh means: 'This future time continues to get closer'.
3. The phrase yea means: 'A stronger form of the word yes'. This word is notOld English' as perverts of the true word of God claim.
4. The phrase is now come means: 'The time is so close that Jesus can say now. And, the fact is that they had already done this in their minds because they denied prophecy, which they did not want to believe. And, they replaced truth with their own thoughts in their minds'.
5. The phrase that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own means: 'People preach about Peter but he was not the only disciple who abandoned, and denied, Jesus'.
6. The phrase and shall leave me alone means: 'This is what He prophesied that they would do'.
7. The phrase and yet I am not alone means: 'Here is the exception to what people thought was the result'.
8. The phrase because the Father is with me means: 'People discount the presence of God the Father because they can not see Him'.
C16-S32 : Where we are to put our trust.
1. The phrase These things I have spoken unto you means: 'Jesus prophesied unpleasant truth because the time will come when they can no longer deny it'.
2. The phrase that in me ye might have peace means: 'He did this so that they will turn to Him, and their personal relationship with Him, in order to receive the true peace of God'.
C16-S33 : Prophecy of future tribulation and the solution to it.
1. The phrase In the world ye shall have tribulation means: 'This absolutely, positively will happen to true believers in this world which rejects God and the truth'.
2. The phrase but be of good cheer means: 'Here is how we are commanded to react'.
3. The phrase I have overcome the world means: 'Jesus will help us to react this way if we turn to Him in the time of trouble'.

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Chapter 17 Summary:

Last Supper: the Lord's prayer for His disciples.

This chapter has the true 'Lord's prayer for His disciples'. Probably the most important part of this prayer, for the saved of today, is 17:20-21 which tells us Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us. Not only does this sentence include the saved of today in this prayer, but it makes it clear that the saved of today are included That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us. If the saved of today are not one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, and have the same doctrine and practices as the early church (that they also may be one in us), then the saved of today are not fulfilling the purpose that Jesus Christ had in saving them.

If the reader looks at the sentence summaries they should see a pattern in this prayer. First, Jesus prays for His disciples who will become His Apostles. Second He limits His prayers to the saved and deliberately excludes the lost from this prayer. Next He prays that the ministry be turned over to these disciples. Next He recognizes the steps following His handing over the ministry. Then Jesus prays for their future needs in order to do the ministry. After these items have been prayed for Jesus prays for future believers who will take over the ministry.

Please notice that this entire prayer is centered on the ministry and the spiritual needs to advance the ministry. Even though Jesus is going to the cross, He does not pray about that in public but waits until He is praying in private. The example is that public prayer should be for spiritual needs and should be centered on the ministry while personal needs are dealt with in private prayer. We not only see this truth in this chapter but an examination of Paul's recorded prayers will reveal the same pattern.

John 17:1-26 is the true Lord's prayer.

In John 17:12 and John 18:8-9 we are told that Jesus fulfilled a prophesy that those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition. No commentator, that I found, could say exactly which scripture this fulfilled. The best that I could find was Deuteronomy 33:3 or Ezekiel 34. However, in addition to those verses, there are 25 places in the Old Testament which use the words Lord and preserve and promises that the Lord will preserve those people who dedicate their life to His service. Please see the note for John 17:12 for those references.

John 17:12 gives a prophecy from Jesus that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition. it is fulfilled in the third Equivalent Section of John 18 8-9:.

C17-S1 : Prayer for future glory based upon prior power.
1. The phrase These words spake Jesus means: 'This is the start of the prayer which fills this chapter. This is the true 'Lord's Prayer'. It is what He prayed for His disciples, including us'.
2. The phrase and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said means: 'Jesus did this action as a visual sign, to His disciples, of Whom He was praying to'.
3. The phrase Father means: 'Here He verbally addressed Whom He was praying to'. The Jews had fits because He called God the Father His Father.
4. The phrase the hour is come means: 'Jesus recognizes that it is time for His sacrifice'.
5. The phrase glorify thy Son means: 'God the Father will do this with His resurrection but He must first suffer and die to prove that the worst which devils and men do can not match His proven power'.
6. The phrase that thy Son also may glorify thee means: 'Jesus does this by causing the truly saved to change their character to be more like God the Father. Since God the Father provides the power, He gets the glory'.
7. The phrase As thou hast given him power over all flesh means: 'God the Father gave Jesus power over all flesh. He uses that power to help His followers to overcome the temptations of the flesh'.
8. The phrase that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him means: 'Here is the desired end result. It is not enough for us to go to Heaven because we will be miserable if our personal character is not changed to enjoy the things of Heaven and to not miss the sinful things of the flesh'. God gives us an ongoing personal relationship with Him, as explained for the next sentence.
C17-S2 : Add the true reason for giving life eternal.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. Our sentence adds an explanation to the prior phrase.
2. The phrase And this is life eternal means: 'As a man is given to his wife for an ongoing personal relationship, and as the wife is given to her husband, so is God given to the truly saved for an ongoing personal relationship'. (Please see the note for Ephesians 5:32.) What we are given for ourselves is everlasting life because our spiritual life has a starting point. Only God has eternal life because eternal has no start. Thus, we are given eternal life in that we are given the relationship which has just been explained.
3. The phrase that they might know thee the only true God means: 'We are given this relationship for the reason stated in this phrase'.
4. The phrase and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent means: 'This is the second reason'.
C17-S3 : the work that Jesus did.
1. The phrase I have glorified thee on the earth means: 'Jesus taught people what God the Father was truly like. This is opposed to the teaching of religion'.
2. The phrase I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do means: 'at this point He had not yet died for our sins but He had taught His disciples and would work through them to teach the church'.
C17-S4 : the reward that Jesus expects.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. Jesus adds what God the Father will do.
2. The phrase And now, O Father means: 'He is praying to God the Father after acknowledging that He did His part'. . . .
3. The phrase glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was means: 'Jesus is praying, for the benefit on the listening disciples, what God will do as a reward to Him'.
C17-S5 : What Jesus did with the people that God the Father gave to Him.
1. The phrase I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world means: 'Jesus revealed God's power and authority in every possible way to His disciples'.
2. The phrase thine they were, and thou gavest them me means: 'God the Father chose them and old Jesus who to pick as disciples'.
3. The phrase and they have kept thy word means: 'The eleven did what God the Father commanded'.
C17-S6 : the results in the lives of the disciples. Our sentence says: Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee means: 'The disciples knew that everything which Jesus gave to them had originated with God the Father'.
C17-S7 : Why the disciples had changed lives.
1. The phrase For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me means: 'Jesus preached and taught what God the Father told Him to do. He did not preach His own opinion nor His own message'.
2. The phrase and they have received them means: 'The eleven disciples accepted, believed and acted on the message from God the Father'.
3. The phrase and have known surely that I came out from thee means: 'They had no doubt that Jesus came from God the Father'.
4. The phrase and they have believed that thou didst send me means: 'They had no doubt that the message which Jesus delivered came from God the Father'.
C17-S8 : Jesus only prays for the saved.
1. The phrase I pray for them means: 'Jesus prated for the eleven disciples'.
2. The phrase I pray not for the world means: 'Jesus made a point that He did not pray for everyone in general and deliberately refused to pray for those who rejected the message from God the Father'.
3. The phrase but for them which thou hast given me means: 'Jesus is still naming people in His prayer but making the distinction between whom He prayed for and whom He deliberately excluded from His prayer'
4. The phrase for they are thine means: 'Here's why'.
C17-S9 : Joint ownership of the saved.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. Here, Jesus is adding the spiritual relationship between God and the people who He prayed for.
2. The phrase And all mine are thine means: 'Anyone who truly belongs to Jesus also belongs to God the Father'.
3. The phrase and thine are mine means: 'Anyone who truly belongs to God the Father also belongs to Jesus'.
4. The phrase and I am glorified in them means: 'Anyone who is truly saved will glorify Jesus with their life'.
C17-S10 : Turnover of who is the tool of God
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. .
2. The phrase And now I am no more in the world means: 'God does not count time like we count time. This will not happen for several days. However, since there is no stopping what will happen, Jesus, and God the Father, count the events as done'.
3. The phrase but these are in the world means: 'While Jesus is returning to Heaven, He is leaving the eleven in the world'.
4. The phrase and I come to thee means: 'Jesus is returning to God the Father'.
C17-S11 : Prayer for protection by God the Father.
1. The phrase Holy Father means: 'This is Whom Jesus is directing His prayer to and a major character trail of God the Father. The eleven, and all true Christians, will also need to be holy in order to be one with God the Father and with Jesus'.
2. The phrase keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me means: 'This is what Jesus prays for the saved people who remain holy. He does not pray for protection of people who claim to be saved but refuse to remain holy'.
3. The phrase that they may be one, as we are means: 'Jesus prays for the people of this sentence to be completely united with God the Father in character, purpose and other things'.
C17-S12 : Protection of saved. by Jesus.
1. The phrase While I was with them in the world means: 'Jesus is still there, at the moment, but He will soon be arrested and no longer be staying with the disciples and protecting them. As already mentioned in this chapter, God's measurement of time is different than ours. Therefore, Jesus prays this phrase because he counts all that can not be stopped as already done'.
2. The phrase I kept them in thy name means: 'Jesus kept the eleven by the power and authority of God the Father'.
3. The phrase those that thou gavest me I have kept means: 'God the Father personally gave the eleven to Jesus and He kept them'.
4. The phrase and none of them is lost means: 'None of the eleven left and none went to Hell'.
5. The phrase but the son of perdition means: 'Judas Iscariot was the only exception'. This identifier is also found in 2Thessalonians 2:3.
6. The phrase that the scripture might be fulfilled means: 'Please see the Detailed Note about this phrase'.
C17-S13 : Immediate pl and by Jesus.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. Jesus is adding what He will do to what He has done.
2. The phrase And now come I to thee means: 'Again, Jesus uses God's sense of time and states what He will do while ignoring any time interval because what He says can not be stopped'.
3. The phrase and these things I speak in the world means: 'Jesus said these things while He was here and acting as a literal physical man'.
4. The phrase that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves means: 'Here's the desired result which the eleven will have in the future'.
C17-S14 : A changed life due to the word of God.
1. The phrase I have given them thy word means: 'Jesus gave the eleven the word which came from God the Father personally'.
2. The phrase and the world hath hated them means: 'The world reacted this way to their changed life'.
3. The phrase because they are not of the world means: 'Here's why'.
4. The phrase even as I am not of the world means: 'Here is the example that they personally followed'.
C17-S15 : Prayer for future protection.
1. The phrase I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world means: 'Jesus did not pray for this because His followers have a job in this world'.
2. The phrase but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil means: 'He prayed that God the Father would keep their character like God's character and not let them turn to be like Satan'.
C17-S16 : Recognition of saved having the character of Jesus. Our sentence says: They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world means: 'The truly saved do not belong to this world just like Jesus did not belong to this world'.
C17-S17 : Prayer for future sanctification. Our sentence says: Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth means: 'Jesus prayed that God would use the word of God to set the truly saved aside from this world and set to be used in His work'.
C17-S18 : Passing on the job.
1. The phrase As thou hast sent me into the world means: 'In the exact same way as God the Father sent Jesus into the world in order to save and sanctify people'.
2. The phrase even so have I also sent them into the world means: 'with equal importance Jesus has sent His true disciples into the world so that He can use them to save and sanctify people'. The word even means: 'having equal weight. when the two sides of a balancing scale are even, the two sides have equal weight'.
C17-S19 : Jesus is the example of sanctification.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. Our sentence adds how Jesus made Himself our example.
2. The phrase And for their sakes I sanctify myself means: 'Jesus did this for the sake of all true disciples'.
3. The phrase that they also might be sanctified through the truth means: 'We are to follow His example in order to achieve this result'.
C17-S20 : Prayer for future believers.
1. The phrase Neither pray I for these alone means: 'Now Jesus includes future believers in His prayer'.
2. The phrase but for them also which shall believe on me through their word means: 'We are included when we believe on the person of Jesus through the word of God which was passed to us from these eleven or those that they taught or Paul, who was personally taught by Jesus'.
3. The phrase That they all may be one means: 'We are to all be singular in our doctrine and our character and our ministry which are to all be centered on doing and being what God desires'.
4. The phrase as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee means: 'Our unity is to be the same as the unity of Jesus and God the Father'.
5. The phrase that they also may be one in us means: 'Our unity with God's church affects our unity with God'.
6. The phrase that the world may believe that thou hast sent me means: 'Our unity is required for us to do the work of God'.
C17-S21 : Jesus prays for ongoing unity.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. Our sentence adds what God gives the saved who devote their life to service like the eleven did.
2. The phrase And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them means: 'The eleven received glory because of their devotion'.
3. The phrase that they may be one, even as we are one means: 'This is the desired result'.
4. The phrase I in them, and thou in me means: 'This is the ongoing personal relationship which produces the results in the rest of the sentence'.
5. The phrase that they may be made perfect in one means: 'This speaks of spiritual maturity'.
6. The phrase and that the world may know that thou hast sent me means: 'We are to be witnesses for Jesus and for the fact that He represents God the Father'.
7. The phrase and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me means: 'We are to be witnesses of God's love'.
C17-S22 : the eternal future of future believers.
1. The phrase Father means: 'This is Whom this prayer request is directed to'.
2. The phrase I will that they also, whom thou hast given me means: 'This is whom Jesus is praying for'.
3. The phrase be with me where I am means: 'This is a prayer that the saved go to Heaven'.
4. The phrase that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me means: 'This is a prayer for what the saved will see in Heaven'.
5. The phrase for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world means: 'This is why'.
C17-S23 : Righteousness shows knowledge of God.
1. The phrase O righteous Father means: 'Jesus is recognizing the results of spiritual relationship. This is part of His prayer and should be part of our prayers'.
2. The phrase the world hath not known thee means: 'This is truth and the reason why the world rejects the truth about God'.
3. The phrase but I have known thee means: 'This is why God the Father worked through Jesus'.
4. The phrase and these have known that thou hast sent me means: 'This is the result of God the Father working through Jesus'.
C17-S24 : the results of the righteousness of God.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. Our sentence adds the results of the relationship described in the prior sentence.
2. The phrase And I have declared unto them thy name means: 'Jesus told His disciples the power and authority that God the Father has'.
3. The phrase and will declare it means: 'Jesus does the same today for true saved disciples'.
4. The phrase that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them means: 'He does this so that we can receive the love of God the Father'.
5. The phrase and I in them means: 'He also does this so that we can have a proper relationship with Him'.

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Chapter 18 Summary:

The Betrayal of Jesus.

This chapter has the betrayal of Jesus by Judas Iscariot, the denial by Peter and the rejection by the Jewish people.

Please see the Table of Miracles in the Gospels and several Sections within the Significant Gospel Events for links to similar Bible references. In addition, please see the Sequence of the Betrayal of Jesus and the Sequence of the Crucifixion of Jesus Sections within the Gospel Time Sequence Study for references to this chapter and for links to related reports within the Bible. Please also see the note for the Sequence of the Betrayal of Jesus found in the Study called Significant Gospel Events to find links to where the other Gospels report parallel accounts of this chapter.

Our chapter quickly moves from Jesus dealing with His disciples to His betrayal without going into the details of what happens in between like the other Gospels report. However, our chapter does report some aspects of His betrayal which the other Gospels also report while also reporting some aspects of His betrayal which the other Gospels do not report. Therefore, the details of this chapter are important to the Bible student who wishes to know the details.

The significant message of this chapter is that Jesus was betrayed by the son of perdition, the Jewish Rulers, the servants of the Jewish Rulers, and the Jewish people in general. In addition, He was denied by Peter, abandoned by the other disciples and the Roman government went along with a 'murder by abuse of the law'. Thus, all people of the world are represented and no group can honestly point their finger at another group while declaring their own group innocent.

The events of this chapter have parallel accounts in the other Gospels but the details vary between the various Gospels because the different authors present different points of view. There are no conflicts between the Gospels on these events. Please see the section called the Sequence of the Betrayal of Jesus, found in the Study called Significant Gospel Events to find links to these events within the Gospels.

Matthew 26:47; Mark 14:43 ; Luke 22:47 and John 18:3 report the fulfillment of the prophecy found in Matthew 26:46 and Mark 14:42 about the arrival of Judas Iscariot and the mob to arrest Jesus.

The phrase I am he, meaning that Jesus was the promised Messiahs or Christ is found in John 8:24, John 8:28; John 13:19; John 18:5, John 18:6, John 18:8.

In John 18:8-9 we are told that Jesus commands His arrestors (Jesus answered...let these go their way) in order to fulfill prophecy.

In John 18:10-11; Matthew 26:51-54; Mark 14:47-49 and Luke 22:50-51, Jesus Heals the ear of Malchus.

John 18:10 tells us that the servant, whose ear was cut off, was named Malchus. Please see the note in the Book Study on the Gospel of John for comments from commentators about this event.

John 18:12-24 tells us that Jesus is taken before Annas the high priest.

John 18:15 tells us that John followed Jesus just like Peter did.

John 18:15-18 and John 18:25-27 give us details about the stumbling of Peter which are not in the other Gospels. In addition, John 18:15-18 also tells us that John followed with Peter and that John was the person who got Peter into the high priest's house.

John 18:19-23 has questioning of Jesus which was done by the high priest and which is only recorded in John. This questioning was done either was before or after the seeking of false witnesses recorded in Matthew 26:59-61 and in Mark 14:55-59.

Only John 18:22 reports that: one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so? this action by the guard is in response to the question of John 18:19 and the answer of John 18:20-21. We see a similar action by others in Matthew 26:67-68; Mark 14:65 and Luke 22:63-64; however that was different men and at a different time. Please see the Detailed Chapter note about the prophecies that this fulfills.

John 18:25-26 tells us about Peter's third denial. What is unique to John's Gospel is the identification of the person who asked the third time.

We find the fulfillment of Jesus prophesying that Peter would deny knowing Jesus in Matthew 26:74-75 and Mark 14:68-72 and Luke 22:60-61 and John 18:27.

John 18:29-39 Jesus was sent to Pilate for a judgment of death since it was not lawful for the Jews to give a death sentence. Pilate asks for a specific charge against Jesus. We also have the discussion between Pilate and the Jewish religious leaders which is not reported elsewhere.

In John 18:31-32 we are told that the Jews demanded death by crucifixion to fulfill the prophecy by Jesus that he would die this way.

John 2:19; John 2:22; John 3:14; John 8:28; John 10:11-19 John 12:32-33 and John 18:32 all tell us about the betrayal, persecution, death and resurrection of Jesus. Please see the Detailed Chapter Note for more Bible references to this doctrine.

The trial of Jesus by Pilate and Herod found in Matthew 27:1-34; Mark 15:1-20; Luke 23:1-26 and John 18:28-19:16. This trial fulfills Psalms 2, especially Psalms 2:2.

Only in John 18:34 do we read that Pilate asked Jesus if He was a (lower-case) king, which meant 'a human king on this Earth'.

Only in John 18:34 do we read that Jesus asked Pilate if he believed that Jesus was the King of the Jews. In the other Gospels we only read that Jesus repeated his answer back to him.

C18-S1 : Jesus is done with the private ministry to the disciples.
1. The phrase When Jesus had spoken these words means: 'Jesus finished His sayings which were for serving disciples only and now went to be betrayed'.
2. The phrase he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron means: 'This is where He went and who went with Him'.
3. The phrase where was a garden, into the which he entered means: 'This is the exact place where He prayed while waiting for Judas and the mob'.
4. The phrase and his disciples means: 'They were with Him but did not know what would soon happen because they were in denial of the prophecies'.
C18-S2 : Judas knew where to find Jesus.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. Our sentence adds why Judas knew where to find Jesus.
2. The phrase And Judas also means: 'Judas was included in the people who knew where to find Jesus'.
3. The phrase which betrayed him, knew the place means: 'Judas used his knowledge to betray Jesus'.
4. The phrase for Jesus ofttimes resorted thither with his disciples means: 'Here's why'.
C18-S3 : Judas came with a band to arrest Jesus.
1. The phrase Judas then means: 'After Judas assured the religious leaders that he knew where to find Jesus'.
2. The phrase having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees means: 'Judas had a mob with him who supported the devil motivated religious leaders'.
3. The phrase cometh thither with lanterns and orches and weapons means: 'This is how they came. They were prepared for a fight'.
C18-S4 : Jesus bold went to meet His arrestors.
1. The phrase Jesus therefore means: 'As a direct result of how they came, Jesus acted as described in this sentence'.
2. The phrase knowing all things that should come upon him means: 'This is why He acted like He did'.
3. The phrase went forth, and said unto them means: 'Jesus met them and said the following question'.
4. The phrase Whom seek ye? means: 'He knew the answer but they had to say it themselves to be guilty when judged by God'.
C18-S5 : the arrestors answered Jesus. Our sentence says: They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth means: 'They were looking for a literal physical man who came from the region regarded by the Jews as being low class'.
C18-S6 : Jesus identified Himself. Our sentence says: Jesus saith unto them, I am he means: 'Jesus made it very clear that He was Whom they were looking for'.
C18-S7 : Judas identified himself with the arrestors.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. Our sentence adds that Judas was with the mob.
2. The phrase And Judas also, which betrayed him means: 'This identifies Judas and what he did'.
3. The phrase stood with them means: 'This tells us that he identified himself with the servants of Satan'.
C18-S8 : the miraculous power of Jesus.
1. The phrase As soon then as he had said unto them means: 'As a direct result of what Jesus said'.
2. The phrase I am he means: 'Jesus identified Himself as Whom they were looking for but He also caused this result as a warning that they would face the judgment from God for their actions'.
3. The phrase they went backward, and fell to the ground means: 'This was the miraculous display of His power. He chose to accept God's will for Him. They did not force Him and He displayed the proof that it was His choice' Please see the Table Of Miracles in the Gospels for references to other miracles done by Jesus..
C18-S9 : Jesus repeats His question after displaying Godly power. Therefore, they could not deny that they were warned when they each faced judgment by God. Our sentence says: Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? means: 'This is their second chance to leave and not be involved in the work of Satan'.
C18-S10 : the foolish people repeat their answer. Our sentence says: And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. It means: 'For the second time they identify that they were seeking a literal physical man who came from the region regarded by the Jews as being low class, in spite of the display of Godly power'.
C18-S11 : Jesus commands His arrestors in order to fulfill prophecy.
1. The phrase Jesus answered means: 'He told them a second time only added to His answer in this sentence'. He is no longer giving a warning but is looking out for the welfare of His disciples.
2. The phrase I have told you that I am he means: 'Here Jesus tells them that He is repeating His answer'.
3. The phrase if therefore ye seek me means: 'This is the conditional basis for the rest of this sentence'.
4. The phrase let these go their way means: 'They had no reason to arrest the disciples'.
5. The phrase That the saying might be fulfilled means: 'Here's why Jesus said that'.
6. The phrase which he spake means: 'This is a reference to John 17:12 '.
7. The phrase Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none means: 'This is the prophecy which He was fulfilling'.
C18-S12 : Peter tries to prevent the arrest.
1. The phrase Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it means: 'Peter acted in the flesh the exact way that the mob expected and were prepared for. If Jesus had not acted like is reported, the disciples would have been hurt and possibly killed'. There are times when we think we are serving God and are actually serve the purpose of Satan. We need to be very careful about what we say and do while we are emotionally upset.
2. The phrase and smote the high priest's servant means: 'Peter tried to cut off his head but the servant ducked'.
3. The phrase and cut off his right ear means: 'That is all that Peter cut'.
C18-S13 : Identity of the one hurt. Our sentence says: The servant's name was Malchus.
C18-S14 : Jesus commands Peter to cease his efforts.
1. The phrase Then said Jesus unto Peter means: 'Jesus first stopped Peter from any more foolish acts'.
2. The phrase Put up thy sword into the sheath means: 'This is a command to stand down and not fight what is happening'.
3. The phrase the cup which my Father hath given me means: 'Here's why. God the Father was causing what was happening'.
4. The phrase shall I not drink it? means: 'Jesus accepted the plan of God no matter what it cost Him in the flesh'. He is our example for how to act in the flesh and God wants us to follow His example with the faith that God will reward us in Heaven with everlasting rewards.
C18-S15 : Jesus was arrested and taken to Annas.
1. The phrase Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus means: 'These phrases identify the different types of people in the mob that arrested Jesus'.
2. The phrase and bound him means: 'Even though He went willingly, they acted like he would try to escape'.
3. The phrase And led him away to Annas first means: 'Even though Annas was not supposed to be the highest authority, the religious Jews gave him that position because of politics'.
4. The phrase for he was father in law to Caiaphas means: 'This was his relationship to the man who was supposed to be the true highest authority among Jews'.
5. The phrase which was the high priest that same year means: 'This was the position of Caiaphas'.
C18-S16 : Who Caiaphas was.
1. The phrase Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews means: 'The prior sentence told us his position and this sentence tells us what he did with that position'.
2. The phrase that it was expedient that one man should die for the people means: 'Notice that, like many religious people, he encouraged the death of another even while he personally was not willing to die. Such is not the character of God since God is love. Such is the character of Satan. His advice, and the willingness of the Jewish religious leaders to follow it, is evidence that Jesus spoke true when He said Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it (John 8:44)'.
C18-S17 : Peter and John were where Jesus was tried.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. Our sentence adds that two of the disciples followed a far off. Please see the Sequence of Gospel Events for links to the different Gospel reports about events from this time forward. Those links are in a time sequence.
2. The phrase And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple means: 'The phrase used here is how John identifies himself in his writings.'.
3. The phrase that disciple was known unto the high priest means: 'Where Peter and Andrew were common fishermen, John's parents were rich and owned several fishing boats. As such, they were considered higher society among Jews and the household of the high priest knew John from his family visits to the family of the high priest'.
4. The phrase and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest means: 'John was let in while Peter was kept out due to the difference in their social standings'.
C18-S18 : Peter couldn't get into the palace. Our sentence says: But Peter stood at the door without. This was explained in the note for the prior sentence. Our sentence starts with the word but, which means it is continuing the subject, from the prior sentence, of who was received while showing a contrast of the treatment of the two disciples.
C18-S19 : John had Peter brought into the palace.
1. The phrase Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest means: 'This identifies John'.
2. The phrase and spake unto her that kept the door means: 'The servant could get into trouble, and possibly beat, if she upset common guests of her employer's household'.
3. The phrase and brought in Peter means: 'John convinced the maid to let peter into the outer courtyard'.
C18-S20 : Peter was recognized the first time.
1. The phrase Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter means: 'She asked Peter because he was not a known visitor to the household. She did not ask John because she would be aware of each disciple's relative social standing'.
2. The phrase Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? means: 'This is the question which led to peter's first denial'. Since it took John to get him through the door, he was probably worried about being thrown back out and figured a little lie could not hurt. That is how Satan gets us to sin. He makes us imagine that the consequences are far smaller than they actually are.
C18-S21 : Peter's first denial. Our sentence says: He saith, I am not.
C18-S22 : Peter warmed himself by the world's fire.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. This sentence adds the circumstances of the second denial. Please see the Book titled SbS-Preacher Missionaries for an explanation of Peter's denials and the consequences of them.
2. The phrase And the servants and officers stood there means: 'This was the next group who had the same social standing as Peter'.
3. The phrase who had made a fire of coals means: 'This is what they had done'.
4. The phrase for it was cold: and they warmed themselves means: 'Here's why'.
5. The phrase and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself means: 'Peter was also cold and would have felt accepted in that social group'.
C18-S23 : Meanwhile, the trial of Jesus started.
1. The phrase The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples means: 'He asked about the disciples hoping that he could use something about them to condemn Jesus'.
2. The phrase and of his doctrine means: 'This is what the religious leaders really objected to'.
C18-S24 : Jesus answers their challenge.
1. The phrase Jesus answered him means: 'Notice that this answer is about the doctrine but nothing about His disciples. Tothe very end, Jesus protected His disciples'.
2. The phrase I spake openly to the world means: 'This is how Jesus spake'.
3. The phrase I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort means: 'This is where He taught the Jews. These were places where it was expected for Him to teach doctrine. These were also places controlled by the religious leaders. Therefore, they could get reports from their own people who supported their religious doctrine'.
4. The phrase and in secret have I said nothing means: 'Jesus did not hide any of His doctrine'. Yes, He spoke in parables, which led the lost and carnal into doctrinal error. However, He did not hide His doctrine.
C18-S25 : Jesus gives His own challenge. Our sentence says: Why askest thou me? Here, Jesus [points out that they have their own preferred sources. Therefore, they did not need to hear Him say what His doctrine was. However, as Jesus knew, they were hoping to trip Him up and get Him to say something that they could use as an excuse to legally murder Him.
C18-S26 : Jesus challenges them to use legal methods to verify truth.
1. The phrase ask them which heard me means: 'The testimony of two or more witnesses was to be determined to be true. However, they did not want truth and did not want to know what Jesus taught. They wanted Him to say something that they could use'. And, most people have a hard time not defending themselves. Here, Jesus shows us how to rightly deal with these types of people.
2. The phrase what I have said unto them means: 'The others could say what Jesus had really said'.
3. The phrase behold, they know what I said means: 'Pay close attention. Jesus was letting them know that they were wasting their time by trying to trip Him up'.
C18-S27 : Illegal emotional response to a legal challenge.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. This sentence adds the wrong reaction of a officer.
2. The phrase And when he had thus spoken means: 'Our sentence is telling us the reaction to what Jesus just said'.
3. The phrase one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand means: 'The officer, who should have known the law, assaulted Jesus'. The Jewish people, and all of God's people, were to be respectful of God's priests and of all others whom God put into a position of authority. However, Jesus was not being disrespectful. Yes, He was calling them on their attempt to trap Him in an error. But, it was the high priest who was doing wrong. And, we are not disrespectful simply because we object to an authority abusing their position and power. Yes, we can be disrespectful when we call them on such action. However, that depends on how we challenge their abuse. The challenge alone is not disrespectful and Jesus was not being disrespectful. He did not do wrong.
4. The phrase saying, Answerest thou the high priest so? means: 'This is what the officer said. He should have known the difference between disrespect and a challenge to abuse of office'.
C18-S28 : Jesus demands justification for illegal action.
1. The phrase Jesus answered him means: 'This is what Jesus said to the man who hit him. Some people abuse their position and such people tend to attract others who will support them in their abuse. That is what this man did and he was just as wrong as the high priest who abused his position'.
2. The phrase If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil means: 'Give a testimony that will be accepted in court that what He (Jesus) said was evil'.
3. The phrase but if well, why smitest thou me? means: 'If you can't prove that his words were evil, then why did you do wrong and smite Him?'.
C18-S29 : Annas passes off Jesus.
1. The phrase Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest means: 'This was where most of the reported action happened'. Jesus was first taken to the house of Annas, but we are not told what happened there.
C18-S30 : Meanwhile, Peter was still at the world's fire. Our sentence says: And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. Our account switched to telling us what happened to Jesus, while Peter was at the file, but now it returns to the account of Peter.
C18-S31 : Peter questioned a second time.
1. The phrase They said therefore unto him means: 'Peter was trying to hide but did something to make the others around him realize that he was not from their area. Matthew 26:73 says: And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. So, all it took was for Peter to open his mouth and say only something little'.
2. The phrase Art not thou also one of his disciples? means: 'This is a very simple and clear question'. Now, lots want to get on Peter's case. But, how many of us failed to be the witness that God wanted when we were in frightening circumstances.
C18-S32 : Peter's second denial. Our sentence says: He denied it, and said, I am not.
C18-S33 : Peter is questioned the third time.
1. The phrase One of the servants of the high priest means: 'This person was in the mob that arrested Jesus'.
2. The phrase being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith means: 'He had a reason to remember Peter'.
3. The phrase Did not I see thee in the garden with him? means: 'He, effectively, called Peter a liar'.
C18-S34 : Peter's third denial. Our sentence says: means: 'Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew'. Another Gospel reports that this was the second time that a cock crew. Liars use that difference to try and claim that there are errors in the word of God. And, yes, this says immediately the cock crew, but nowhere does it say that 'the cock crew for the first time that night'.
C18-S35 : Who went into Rome's judgment hall.
1. The phrase Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment means: 'This was where Jesus was taken next'. Other Gospel accounts report other things happening at the house of the high priest. John's failure to report those events is not an error. We each have reported less than every little detail when we gave a report, at some time, and we were not lying.
2. The phrase and it was early means: 'This was possibly before dawn'. Remember that the Jews counted the hours of the day, and the days of the year, differently than we do today.
3. The phrase and they themselves went not into the judgment hall means: 'The Jewish religion put a big emphasis on physical things controlling spiritual things. This is applies in our next phrase'.
4. The phrase lest they should be defiled means: 'They believed that going into a physical place owned by a Gentile (the Roman Government) would make them spiritually defiled'.
5. The phrase but that they might eat the passover means: 'They believed that God would curse them, and refuse to forgive their sins, if they broke a religious rule'.
C18-S36 : Rome's governor asked about their presence.
1. The phrase Pilate then went out unto them, and said means: 'Pilate knew the beliefs of the Jews, even if he did not share them. Therefore, Pilate then went out unto them'.
2. The phrase What accusation bring ye against this man? means: 'Pilate understood that the Jewish leaders would only come with a prisoner if they had a serious accusation, especially when they believer that they could not enter the judgment hall at that time'.
C18-S37 : the non-answer from the Jews.
1. The phrase They answered and said unto him means: 'The Jewish religious leaders gave this answer to Pilate'.
2. The phrase If he were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered him up unto thee means: 'Notice that they did not answer the question asked'. They were hoping that Pilate would just accept that He was a major criminal needing crucifixion (a malefactor) without asking for details. They brought Jesus to Pilate because they were not allowed to put someone to Death. And, God made sure that judgment was set up this way so that no group of people could claim that all of the blame fell on another group of people. God made sure that all groups of people were represented in the crucifixion.
C18-S38 : Pilate tries to avoid entanglement.
1. The phrase Then said Pilate unto them means: 'This was his answer'. . . .
2. The phrase Take ye him, and judge him according to your law means: 'Pilate wanted nothing to do with the crucifixion, yet he could not avoid it'.
C18-S39 : the death demand which fulfills prophecy.
1. The phrase The Jews therefore said unto him means: 'The Jewish religious leaders, and the others with them, answered Pilate'.
2. The phrase It is not lawful for us to put any man to death means: 'This was Roman law and the Roman Government was very strict on it'.
3. The phrase That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake means: 'Jesus prophesied this'.
4. The phrase signifying what death he should die means: 'Not only did Jesus prophesy this but other prophets did also'. Please see the section on Prophecies, found in the Study called Significant Gospel Events for links to other prophecies about the 'Suffering and Death of Jesus'.
C18-S40 : Pilate questioned Jesus about rumors which he had heard.
1. The phrase Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again means: 'Pilate returned to the place where he was acting in his official capacity'.
2. The phrase and called Jesus, and said unto him means: 'Pilate questioned the accusations brought against Jesus'.
3. The phrase Art thou the King of the Jews? means: 'Obviously, the Jews accused Jesus of claiming this in order to justify crucifying Him under Roman law. They claimed that Jesus was leading a rebellion against Rome. This is the way that Satan has men pervert the truth'.
C18-S41 : Jesus questions Pilate about the basis of his question.
1. The phrase Jesus answered him means: 'Jesus answered his question with a question. He was asking Pilate, for the official Heavenly record, if Pilate was personally making the accusation or if he was merely reporting the accusation from the Jews'.
2. The phrase Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me? means: 'Who truly made the accusation?'.
C18-S42 : Pilate answers with a retort. Our sentence says: Pilate answered, Am I a Jew?. This means that it should have been obvious that it was a Jewish accusation.
C18-S43 : Pilate asks his next question.
1. The phrase Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me means: 'This is who accused Jesus and demanded His death'.
2. The phrase what hast thou done? means: 'In more than one place, even in this Gospel at the 'Last Supper', Jesus made it clear that the world and the ministers of Satan would hate the true people of God'.
C18-S44 : Jesus answers an honest question.
1. The phrase Jesus answered means: 'Jesus gave Pilate the truth'.
2. The phrase My kingdom is not of this world means: 'His kingdom was, and is, spiritual'.
3. The phrase if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight means: 'This would be the result if the condition were fulfilled. And, when Jesus Christ returns to rule and reign this world, that will be true. However, it was not that time then but was the time for Jesus to sacrifice himself to pay for our sins'.
4. The phrase that I should not be delivered to the Jews means: 'The Jews were sinning but they were also accomplishing the purpose of God the Father. Therefore, God allowed them to do their sinful desire'. And, this is a warning to us. Just because God allows us to do something, that does not mean that we will not be punished for doing it if it is truly a sin. God allows men to sin because He gave them a free will and will not take the free will away. However, God also warns us of the punishment that He will bring if we willfully sin.
5. The phrase but now is my kingdom not from hence means: 'The kingdom of Jesus Christ was / is not from this corrupt world but is from Heaven'.
C18-S45 : Pilate asks a question to better understand the answer from Jesus. Our sentence says: Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then?. This means that Pilate really wanted to know the truth.
C18-S46 : Jesus points out that Pilate knows the truth. Our sentence says: Jesus answered, thou sayest that I am a king. Ministers of Satan pervert the meaning of this answer and claim that Jesus really did not know the truth. However, many places in the Gospel accounts make it clear that He was not confused and actually understood much more that other men because He understood what was happening spiritually. No, this is a figure of speech that means: 'This truth is so well known that even you personally, a foreign representative of a foreign government knows it'.
C18-S47 : Jesus explains His purpose.
1. The phrase to this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world means: 'The truth is not what this world gives to us. Neither does the reasoning method of this world help us find the truth. They, along with the doctrines of devils, lead us to lies. Everyone knows that the world is full of liars. Therefore, God had to send His only begotten Son to act differently and tell us differently from the lies of this world'.
2. The phrase that I should bear witness unto the truth means: 'This is why God had to send His only begotten Son into this world'.
C18-S48 : Jesus adds the test of true salvation. Our sentence says: Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice means: 'Since Jesus is The Truth, very one that is of the truth is saved and that is why they hear his voice'.
C18-S49 : Pilate confesses his own ignorance. Our sentence says: Pilate saith unto him, What is truth?. If Pilate had truly asked Jesus, with a desire to know the truth, then Jesus would have told him. But Pilate did not really want his question answered.
C18-S50 : Pilate declares Jesus not guilty.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. Our sentence adds what Pilate said to the Jews after he spoke to Jesus.
2. The phrase And when he had said this means: 'This is when Pilate addressed the Jews'.
3. The phrase he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them means: 'Pilate tried to bypass the religious leaders and address the common Jews'.
4. The phrase I find in him no fault at all means: 'This is what Pilate told them'.
C18-S51 : Pilate offers the people a way to avoid the decision of their leaders.
1. The phrase But ye have a custom means: 'Pilate is still talking to the Jews and offering the common Jews a way to release Jesus without their actually rejecting the authority of the religious leaders'.
2. The phrase that I should release unto you one at the passover means: 'This was their custom'.
3. The phrase will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews? means: 'Pilate asks them to choose Jesus'.
C18-S52 : the people reject Jesus. Our sentence says: Then cried they all again, saying, Not this man, but Barabbas. They chose to follow their religious leaders into an error which brought a curse on their entire nation.
C18-S53 : the people prefer a robber. Our sentence says: means: 'Now Barabbas was a robber'.

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Chapter 19 Summary:

The Crucifixion.

This chapter tells us about the trial, by Pilate, and the crucifixion of Jesus.

Please see the section on the Sequence of the Crucifixion of Jesus, found in the Study called Significant Gospel Events to find links to where the other Gospels report parallel accounts of this chapter.

in this chapter we have many details, some of which are also in other Gospels and some of which are not in the other Gospels. In addition, the other Gospels have some details which are not here. This is not a conflict. Each Gospel writer had a reason for writing his Gospel and an intended audience. Each author choose details which would support his message and left out details which could interfere with a clear presentation of the basic message. Please see the section on the Sequence of the Crucifixion of Jesus, found in the Study called Significant Gospel Events to find links to where the other Gospels report parallel accounts of this chapter.

This Gospel was written to Gentiles with the purpose of: that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. Therefore, the details included within this Gospel all support that purpose.

John 19:1-5 tells us about the Roman soldiers mocking and scourging Jesus between times when Pilate tried to release Him. This is different from what happens after Pilate condemns Jesus to be crucified.

In Matthew 20:19, Jesus prophesized that He would be scourged.. Matthew 27:26; Mark 15:15 and John 19:1 report that this prophecy was fulfilled.

John 19:7 tells us that, after Pilate told the crowd Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him they replied with: We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God John 19:8-9 then tells us that When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid; And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? this led to a discussion between Pilate and Jesus that is only recorded in John's Gospel.

In John 19:8-12 Pilate finally realized that Jesus was more than 'just a human man' but it was too late for his personal salvation.

In John 19:15 the chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar. They deliberately used a lower-case king in response to the question from Pilate of Shall I crucify your King? Pilate used an upper-case King, which was a difference which the religious rulers understood but deliberately perverted their answer.

Luke 23:34; Mark 15:24 and John 19:23 tell us that the soldiers parted the clothes of Jesus among themselves as prophesied in Psalms 22:18.

We are told that Jesus chose when to die - (see those notes for more references) in: John 19:30; Mark 15:37, Mark 15:39 and Luke 23:46. He prophesied that He would do this in: John 10:15 and John 10:17-18.

In John 19:31-37 we are told about the Jewish religious leaders requesting that Pilate have the legs of the crucified broken so that they would die quicker and be taken off the crosses before the sabbath. This reference in John tells us that the legs of Jesus were not broken but that His side was pierced, in order to fulfill scripture. These sentences fulfill the prophecies of Exodus 12:46; Numbers 9:12; Psalms 22:14; Psalms 22:16-17; Psalms 34:20 and Zechariah 12:10.

Matthew 26:54; Matthew 26:56; Mark 15:28; Luke 21:22; Luke 24:27; Luke 24:32; Luke 24:45-47; John 2:22; John 19:29; John 19:24; John 19:28; John 19:36; John 19:37; Acts 3:18; Acts 8:38; Acts 13:27-33; Acts 17:2-3; Acts 18:27-28; 1Corinthians 15:3-4 and 1Peter 1:11 all tell us about the fulfillment of the prophecy that Jesus Christ. would die.

The 'Eight Sayings from the Cross' are in the note for John 19:26.

C19-S1 : Pilate tried to satisfy the Jews with a lesser punishment. This sentence and the next three sentences tell us how Pilate provided a lesser punishment but the religious leaders refused the lesser punishment and cried Crucify him, crucify him. Our sentence says: Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.
C19-S2 : the soldiers expressed their contempt for the religion of the Jews.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. It adds what the soldiers did on their own.
2. The phrase And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head means: 'They made a mockery crown which was designed to torture'.
3. The phrase and they put on him a purple robe, And said, Hail, King of the Jews! means: 'The put a robe with the color of royalty on Jesus and then mocked His true spiritual position'. They did not realize the difference between the spiritual and the physical.
C19-S3 : the soldiers expressed their hatred for all Jews. Our sentence says: and they smote him with their hands. Remember that these are professional soldiers who are paid to fight and hurt others and to kill. In addition, Judaea was considered to be a bad posting because of the attitudes of the Jews. Mainly the most vicious and trouble makers were sent there and they were now allowed to physically vent on someone who was considered to be a leader among the Jews.
C19-S4 : Pilate tries to get the Jews to accept the lesser punishment.
1. The phrase Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them means: 'Pilate then addressed the mob again'.
2. The phrase Behold, I bring him forth to you means: 'He displayed what they had done to Jesus and hoped that the people would agree that He had been punished enough'.
3. The phrase that ye may know that I find no fault in him means: 'Pilate tells them, again, that Jesus was not guilty of any crime'.
C19-S5 : Pilate demonstrates the punishment already given.
1. The phrase Then came Jesus forth means: 'Pilate displayed Jesus'.
2. The phrase wearing the crown of thorns means: 'He displayed the physical punishment'.
3. The phrase and the purple robe means: 'He displayed the insult'.
C19-S6 : Pilate tells them to take a good look. Our sentence says: And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!. It means: 'Take a close look at how we already punished Him and agree that He has been punished enough'. Matthew 27:18 and Mark 15:10 say: For he (Pilate) knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy. Pilate was trying to get the people to do right in spite of their leaders leading the entire nation into sin.
C19-S7 : the chief priests get the people to reject the lesser punishment.
1. The phrase When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him means: 'This is what the workers for the religious leaders did'.
2. The phrase they cried out, saying means: 'They drowned out any other voice'.
3. The phrase Crucify him, crucify him means: 'This is what devils had them demand'.
C19-S8 : Pilate tries to avoid responsibility.
1. The phrase Pilate saith unto them means: 'Pilate tried to avoid personal responsibility'. Like Pilate, many people try to avoid responsibility for their decisions. But, God does accept such lies.
2. The phrase Take ye him, and crucify him means: 'Pilate told them to do what was not lawful for them to do under Roman law'.
3. The phrase for I find no fault in him means: 'Here's why'. Pilate should have freed Jesus, but he was concerned about losing his position in this world.
C19-S9 : the Jews give their religious reason for their demand.
1. The phrase The Jews answered him means: 'This is the answer from the religious leaders, even if others spoke for them'.
2. The phrase We have a law means: 'This is where Pilate should have told them that he was not there to enforce their law but was there to enforceRoman law'. And, theRoman Government even allowed them to have their own laws and to enforce them short of death.
3. The phrase and by our law he ought to die means: 'They should have petitioned the Roman Gevernment to allow that punishment, but they did not. Therefore, they made a law which they had no right to make. And, their law was an addition to God's law. '.
4. The phrase because he made himself the Son of God means: ''. . . .
C19-S10 : Pilate reacts to their claim.
1. The phrase When Pilate therefore heard that saying means: 'The saying made him forget all of the points of law and become concerned about himself'.
2. The phrase he was the more afraid means: 'This was his emotional reaction'.
3. The phrase And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus means: 'He returned to where they were holding Jesus'.
4. The phrase Whence art thou? means: 'Where are you personally from?'.
C19-S11 : Pilate had already passed-up his chance for salvation. Our sentence says: But Jesus gave him no answer. means: ''. . . .
C19-S12 : Pilate found it incredible that Jesus refused to answer his prior question.
1. The phrase Then saith Pilate unto him means: 'Pilate reacted to Jesus refusing to answer his question'. Pilate had enough power among men that others did not refuse to answer him.
2. The phrase Speakest thou not unto me? means: 'Pilate finds the refusal to answer incredible. And, he adds the next sentence so that Jesus knows why he finds it incredible'.
C19-S13 : Pilate gave the reason why Jesus should answer. Our sentence says: knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? this was his power in the physical world. Matthew 10:28 says: And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. With what he had been told, Pilate should have thought about this truth. However, he was so used to people thinking that his power was ultimate power. Therefore, he really did not consider this type of power.
C19-S14 : there are degrees of power and of sin.
1. The phrase Jesus answered means: 'Jesus now told him the truth'.
2. The phrase Thou couldest have no power at all against me means: 'Pilate personally could do nothing unless God allowed it. However, God allowing it did not mean that he was free from a judgment of sin'.
3. The phrase except it were given thee from above means: ''. . . .
4. The phrase therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin means: 'The Jewish religious leaders would have greater pain in the lake of fire'.
C19-S15 : Why Pilate could not release Jesus.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. It adds what Pilate tried to convince the Jews to do but they refused.
2. The phrase And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him means: 'This is what Pilate tried to do'.
3. The phrase but the Jews cried out, saying means: 'This was the source of his opposition'.
4. The phrase If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend means: 'They threatened his position in this life'. Like all people who die lost, he was more concerned about the things of this physical life than he was of eternity.
5. The phrase whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar means: 'This is the message that they threatened to send to Rome'.
C19-S16 : Pilate submitted to save his position.
1. The phrase When Pilate therefore heard that saying means: 'The saying, which threatened his place in this physical world, motivated Pilate to act in his official capacity'. Unfortunately, most people end up in Hell because they are not willing to lose something in this physical world in order to gain a greater placer in eternity.
2. The phrase he brought Jesus forth means: 'Pilate had Jesus brought out to hear His official sentence'.
3. The phrase and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha means: 'Pilate sat in the official place to render official judgment. God made sure that no one could claim that the judgment of Jesus was illegal or improper'. Too many people blame the Jews for the death of Jesus. And, yes, they were guilty but so were the Gentiles.
C19-S17 : the importance of the decision.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. Our sentence adds the importance of the time of year when this happened. Jesus is our Passover Lamb and He had to be offered on passover.
2. The phrase And it was the preparation of the passover means: 'This was the time of year'.
3. The phrase and about the sixth hour means: 'This was the time of day. Their time to properly prepare was limited'.
4. The phrase and he saith unto the Jews means: 'Pilate made sure that the Jews knew the consequence of their demands'.
5. The phrase Behold your King! means: 'By demanded that their God given King be crucified, they rejected the kingdom that God had promised. They rejected the possibility of participating in the 1,000 years reign of Christ'.
C19-S18 : the fanatical decision. Our sentence says: But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. There was no question of the sentence which they demanded.
C19-S19 : Pilate reminds them of the spiritual significance. Our sentence says: Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King?. This means: 'Do you testify before God that you reject your God given King, and the possibility of His kingdom?'.
C19-S20 : The chief priests give an answer based upon the physical. Our sentence says: The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar this answer means: 'They chose the physical over the spiritual and all of the people, who were there, supported their claim'.
C19-S21 : Pilate accepts their decision and officially renders the condemnation which they demanded. our sentence says: Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified.
C19-S22 : the Jews and the Romans acted on the decision. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. Our sentence adds the action which fulfilled the official judgment. Our sentence says: And they took Jesus, and led him away.
C19-S23 : Jesus was crucified.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. Our sentence is adding details about His crucifixion.
2. The phrase And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha means: 'This is where He was crucified and how He arrived there'.
3. The phrase Where they crucified him means: 'This was the type of death demanded. It is reported as the most painful way of dying ever imagined by men'.
4. The phrase and two others with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst means: 'This fulfilled prophecy'. Please see the detailed Note for the references to prophecy.
C19-S24 : Pilate posted His crime on the cross. Our sentence says: And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross means: 'Pilate wanted everyone to know what the Jews demanded'. Our second next sentence tells us how he did this.
C19-S25 : What was posted. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. Our sentence adds the details of the sign. Our sentence says: And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH thE KING OF thE JEWS.
C19-S26 : Pilate made sure that everyone understood what he posted.
1. The phrase This title then read many of the Jews means: 'Many Jews could not miss reading it'.
2. The phrase for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city means: 'They passed that way entering or leaving the city and natural curiosity made them go see who was crucified and why'.
3. The phrase and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin means: 'These were the three main languages of that day which were used in that area'.
C19-S27 : The chief priests demanded a lie.
1. The phrase Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate means: 'This is who demanded the lie and who they demanded support their lie'.
2. The phrase Write not, the King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews means: 'This was the lie that they demanded'.
C19-S28 : Pilate refused. Our sentence says: Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.
C19-S29 : the soldiers divided the spoils.
1. The phrase Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus means: 'This is who acted and when'.
2. The phrase took his garments, and made four parts means: 'This was considered part of the pay for soldiers'.
3. The phrase to every soldier a part means: 'Each soldier receive part of the garments of Jesus'. Cloth was hand woven, at that time, and had far more relative value at that time.
4. The phrase and also his coat means: 'The coat is mentioned separately because it was treated differently'.
5. The phrase now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout means: 'This is why it was treated differently'.
C19-S30 : How and why the spoils were divided.
1. The phrase They said therefore among themselves means: 'This was the agreement that the soldiers arrived at about His coat'.
2. The phrase Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be means: 'This was their reasoning'.
3. The phrase that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith means: 'This is the result which God made sure happened'.
4. The phrase They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots means: 'This verse was prophesized in Psalms 22:18 '.
C19-S31 : Who did the dividing. Our sentence says: These things therefore the soldiers did. God used them to fulfill prophecy.
C19-S32 : Who stayed to support Jesus.
1. The phrase Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother means: 'No matter what a child may or may not have done, and no matter how old they are, they remain a child of the mother'.
2. The phrase and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas means: 'This was her relationship and position in life'.
3. The phrase and Mary Magdalene means: 'She was the only person who believed the prophecies from Jesus about His suffering and death'.
C19-S33 : Jesus tells Mary to stay with John. There is a famous preaching called: 'Seven Sayings From the Cross'. The problem is that there are actually eight. That preacher combined what Jesus said to hos mother, and what Jesus said to John and claimed that they were one saying. He did this because Jesus said: It is finished (John 19:30) and he claimed that the symbolic number of completion is seven. Therefore, he perverted what the word of God actually says and tried to force it to fulfilled his belief. And, his error was in believing that symbolic meaning are the same all across the word of God. However, symbolic meanings differ in different context and the context is what truly determines what the symbolic meaning is. That written, be careful of what you accept as a true Biblical meaning and verify everything which you are told before you accept it as true.
1. The phrase When Jesus therefore saw his mother means: 'This is a result of His being crucified and lifted up'.
2. The phrase and the disciple standing by, whom he loved means: 'Jesus also saw John there'.
3. The phrase he saith unto his mother means: 'This is the first person that Jesus said something to, from the cross, as far as the reports provide'.
4. The phrase Woman, behold thy son! means: 'This is what Jesus said'.
C19-S34 : Jesus tells John to care for His mother.
1. The phrase Then saith he to the disciple means: 'This is the second person that Jesus said something to, from the cross, as far as the reports provide'.
2. The phrase Behold thy mother! means: 'This is what Jesus said'.
C19-S35 : they obey. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. Our sentence adds the results of the commandments from Jesus while He was on the cross. Our sentence says: And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.
C19-S36 : Jesus expresses physical pains from loss of blood.
1. The phrase After this means: 'After dealing with his mother and John'.
2. The phrase Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled means: 'Jesus made sure that He fulfilled all prophecy about Him'.
3. The phrase saith, I thirst means: 'This was the next thing that He said'.
C19-S37 : the reaction to what Jesus said.
1. The phrase Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar means: 'The only thing in the vessel was vinegar'.
2. The phrase and they filled a spunge with vinegar means: 'This was how they got the drink to the mouth of Jesus while He was on the cross and, supposedly, above the reach of their arms'.
3. The phrase and put it upon hyssop means: 'This is what they used to reach the spunge to His mouth '.
4. The phrase and put it to his mouth means: 'They gave the vinegar to Him to drink'.
5. Matthew 27:34 says: They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink that was a different time while Jesus was on the cross. Notice that Matthew reports that they offered vinegar to drink mingled with gall. The gall, reportedly, lessened the physical pain. Jesus refused that but accepted the drink that was only vinegar.
C19-S38 : the last living action on the cross. Please see the Table Of Miracles in the Gospels for references to other miracles done by Jesus.
1. The phrase When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar means: ''. . . .
2. The phrase he said, It is finished means: 'This truth is denied by Mormons. They claim that Jesus failed to finish the job of providing our salvation and had to return to South America and create a physical family to finish the job of saving our soul and spirit. A few years ago they excommunicated two of the top scientific experts in the world because they devoted their professional life to use DNA to prove the Mormon doctrine. However, the undisputable scientific evidence was that the Mormon doctrine is a lie'.
3. The phrase and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost means: 'Jesus died physically'.
C19-S39 : the religious concerns of the Jews.
1. The phrase The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation means: 'They had to finish their preparation for the holy day of passover'.
2. The phrase that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day means: 'That would bring a curse upon the entire land'. Deuteronomy 21:23 says: His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance.
3. The phrase for that sabbath day was an high day means: 'Pay attention to this phrase'. A high day was a 'non-Saturday sabbath'. Please see the note of Mark 2:28-LJC, about 'Good Friday'.
4. The phrase besought Pilate that their legs might be broken means: 'They had to ask Pilate since the crucifixion was w punishment of the Roman Government'.
5. The phrase and that they might be taken away means: 'The Jews wanted the bodies removed from the crosses so that God would not curse the entire land'.
C19-S40 : the soldiers did as requested.
1. The phrase Then came the soldiers means: 'After Pilate approver the request from the Jewish religious leaders'.
2. The phrase and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him means: 'They broke the legs of the two who were crucified with Jesus so that they would die quicker and, as a result, could be removed from their crosses before the end of the day as Jews figured the day at that time'.
C19-S41 : they treated Jesus differently.
1. The phrase But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already means: 'They saw that their ordered result was already achieved'.
2. The phrase they brake not his legs means: 'They did not have to do what would hurry death'.
3. The phrase But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side means: 'They verified that appearances were in deed fact'.
4. The phrase and forthwith came there out blood and water means: 'I am not a medical professional but have heard that this result only comes from a literal physical broken heart. Regardless if that claim is true or not, this was sufficient evidence to professional killers that Jesus was literally physically dead'.
C19-S42 : the basis of this Gospel.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. .
2. The phrase And he that saw it bare record means: 'John was there to the end and was personally a witness to these events'.
3. The phrase and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true means: 'John knew that the wrote the truth and that he would answer to God personally if any part of his Gospel account was not true. The fact that God has preserved this account, while causing others to be lost, is evidence that God verifies the truth of this account'.
4. The phrase that ye might believe means: 'This is why John wrote this sentence and the prior sentences. They eliminate any claim that Jesus never really died and He had to die before He could rise from the dead'. In addition, this sentence could be applied to this Gospel account.
C19-S43 : Why things were done as reported in this chapter.
1. The phrase For these things were done means: 'Here's why things were done as reported in this account'.
2. The phrase that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken means: 'These sentences fulfill the prophecies of Exodus 12:46; Numbers 9:12; Psalms 22:14; Psalms 22:16-17; Psalms 34:20 and Zechariah 12:10.'. Please see the Prophecies Section in the Significant Gospel Events Study for other prophecies of His suffering and death.
C19-S44 : Further fulfilled scripture. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another scriptural reference to the references given in the prior sentence. our sentence says: And again another scripture saith, they shall look on him whom they pierced. means: 'This particular sentence fulfill the prophecies of Psalms 22:16-17 and Zechariah 12:10 '.
C19-S45 : the permission to remove the body of Jesus from the cross.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. It adds how the body of Jesus was cared for after His physical death. There were other things which happened between the prior sentence and this sentence, but John does not report them because he dies not want a distraction from what he is reporting. Please see the Sequence of Gospel Events for links to the different Gospel reports about events which happened treated to the crucifixion and death of Jesus.
2. The phrase And after this Joseph of Arimathaea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews means: 'We see here that he overcame his fear and it was probably shame'.
3. The phrase besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus means: 'There was no reason for Pilate to hold the body and the Jewish religious leaders threatened a riot if he left the bodies on the crosses'.
4. The phrase and Pilate gave him leave means: 'Pilate just wanted to be done with the entire thing'. Unfortunately for him and every other person alive then and born since, the death and resurrection of Jesus, and how we deal with that truth, are the most important events of all life.
C19-S46 : the action to remove the body of Jesus from the cross. Our sentence says: He came therefore, and took the body of Jesus.
C19-S47 : Nicodemus also helped.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence.
2. The phrase And there came also Nicodemus means: 'Nicodemus was a Pharisee whom, I believe, tried to work within the Jewish religious leaders to keep them from excesses such as crucifying Jesus. With this action, Nicodemus clearly broke from the rest of the Jewish religious leaders'.
3. The phrase which at the first came to Jesus by night means: 'This is a reference to John 3 '. . . .
4. The phrase and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight means: 'These spices were wrapped around a dead body to delay decay'.
C19-S48 : the preparation for burial. Our sentence says: Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.
C19-S49 : Where Jesus was buried.
1. The word Now means: 'After you understand what was just said. Our chapter explained that, because of religious reasons, they had very little time to deal with His dead body'.
2. The phrase Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre means: 'God made sure that this sepulchre was available'.
3. The phrase wherein was never man yet laid means: 'God made sure that this sepulchre was in this condition so that there was no source of corruption to attack the body of Jesus while He was dead for three days and three nights'.
C19-S50 : the grave was chosen for convenience. This sentence tells us the human reasons why men chose what God had prepared. Our sentence says: There laid they Jesus therefore because of the Jews' preparation day; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand.

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Chapter 20 Summary:

The Resurrection and Meeting Disciples.

This chapter tells us about the resurrection and the events immediately following it when the resurrected Lord Jesus presented himself to His disciples. The Bible does not call Him Lord Jesus before the resurrection, even though different people called Him Lord. He also did not act in that office, before the resurrection, other than to make promises about future judgment. in this chapter we see Him presenting Himself as Lord, which He did not do before the resurrection.

To the best that I can find, the resurrected Lord Jesus only revealed himself to the saved after the resurrection. Before His death and resurrection, He put up with insults and more from lost people because He was acting as the messenger for God the Father, After His resurrection, He was no longer in that role. in this chapter, He sends the saved to fulfill that role.

in this chapter, we see that He has returned to His role as Lord and is making a clear difference between the saved and the lost. After His resurrection, He only deals with the saved. He will judge the saved at the judgment seat of Christ. The lost will face God the Father at the great white throne judgment and, there, they can expect no mercy from God the Father because they rejected His salvation.

This chapter deals with how the Lord Jesus dealt with the church when they were assembled together in the upper room. It shows how He deals with the church as a whole. The last chapter deals with Peter and others back-sliding. It shows how the Lord Jesus deals with us individually, especially when the saved mess up and try to stop serving Him.

The events of the Resurrection of Jesus have parallel accounts in all of the Gospels but the details vary between the various Gospels because the different authors present different points of view. There are no conflicts between the Gospels on these events. Please see the note for the Sequence of the Resurrection of Jesus, found in the Study called Significant Gospel Events to find links to where the other Gospels report parallel accounts of this chapter.

Lazarus was in the grave four (4) days and he stinketh. (John 11:39). He saw corruption but Jesus did not because Jesus was in the grave only three days and three nights (Matthew 12:40; Matthew 26:61; Matthew 27:40; Matthew 27:63; Mark 14:58; Mark 15:29; John 2:19; John 2:20 all tell us that Jesus would be in the grave three days and three nights. We are told about this prophecy being fulfilled in Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24 and John 20.

In John 20:1-18; Matthew 28:6; Mark 16:6 and Luke 24:6, Jesus rose from the dead.

Matthew 28:9-10 tells us that Jesus met the other women and gave them a similar message as the angel gave to them at the sepulchre. This appearance was after He dealt with Mary Magdalene. Please see the note for John 20:17 for the explanation of this truth.

How Jesus dealt with Mary Magdalene in a personal way, as recorded in John 20:10-18 are only found in that Gospel.

John 20:24-25 tells us that thomas refused to believe. Then John 20:26 tells us Jesus returned after eight days and dealt with thomas.

In John 20:19; John 20:26; Mark 16:14 and Luke 24:36, Jesus appears in closed room twice.

In John 16:20 we read: your sorrow shall be turned into joy and John 16:22 says: your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. While the interpretation of these two promises apply to the disciples who saw the risen savior, we can also expect some application to us because of John 20:29.

Please see the Detail Note for John 20:31 to see links where we are told that the Son of God is Christ.

We see the exact phrase of: the Christ in Matthew 16:16; Matthew 16:20; Matthew 26:63; Mark 8:29; Mark 14:61; Luke 3:15; Luke 9:20; Luke 22:67; John 1:20; John 1:41; John 3:28; John 4:29; John 4:42; John 7:41; John 10:24; John 10:27; John 20:31; 1John 2:22; 1John 5:1. One of the most common usages of this phrase is to associate the Christ with the Son of God. Thus we see that a major part of the argument here was over the Deity of Jesus. The main reason for that argument was that the rulers of the Jews were denying this truth because it threatened their personal power and position. Please see the section on Prophecies Fulfilled, found in the Study called Significant Gospel Events for links to this truth including links to the Old Testament.

C20-S1 : the women return to finish the preparations for burial.
1. The phrase The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early means: 'The movement of Mary Magdalene, and of the other women, and of Peter and of John; can be confusing'. Please see the section called the Sequence of the Resurrection of Jesus, found in the Study called Significant Gospel Events to understand the time sequence of these events within the Gospels.
2. The phrase when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre means: 'This was the time of day when she first went'.
3. The phrase and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre means: 'Jesus had already risen from the dead'.
C20-S2 : Mary Magdalene runs to tell others about a problem.
1. The phrase Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved means: 'Mary Magdalene ran to Peter and John'.
2. The phrase and saith unto them means: 'She told them what she believed, which was more than she saw'.
3. The phrase They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre means: 'The body of Jesus was gone and she did not believe that He rose. Therefore, she believed that someone stole His body'.
4. The phrase and we know not where they have laid him means: 'She did not know where He was'.
C20-S3 : Peter and John ran to verify the report. Our sentence says: Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.
C20-S4 : Peter and John ran.
1. The phrase So they ran both together means: 'They ran, not walked because of their emotional response'.
2. The phrase and the other disciple did outrun Peter means: 'John ran faster'.
3. The phrase and came first to the sepulchre means: 'John looked first'.
C20-S5 : John arrived.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. Our sentence adds what John saw.
2. The phrase And he stooping down, and looking in means: 'This is how John looked'.
3. The phrase saw the linen clothes lying means: 'This is what John saw'.
4. The phrase yet went he not in means: 'This is what John did not do'.
C20-S6 : Peter arrived.
1. The phrase Then cometh Simon Peter following him means: 'What happened next'.
2. The phrase and went into the sepulchre means: 'What Peter did to verify what he actually saw'.
3. The phrase and seeth the linen clothes lie, And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself means: 'What Peter actually saw'. The fact that the napkin, that was about his head, (was) not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself, is important. People stealing a body would not take the time to do that. They would not take the time to unwrap the body. But even more so, they would not take the time to wrap together the head cloth and put it in a place by itself .
C20-S7 : John entered and believed.
1. The phrase Then went in also that other disciple means: 'John overcame his fear and followed Peter into the sepulchre'.
2. The phrase which came first to the sepulchre means: 'This phrase identifies John'.
3. The phrase and he saw, and believed means: 'John understood the meaning of what he saw even though Peter and others did not understand. John believed the prophecies of resurrection because only a resurrected Jesus would leave the clothes like they found them. And, the evidence matched His character. The evidence was enough for those who believed while still allowing non-believers to conclude error'.
C20-S8 : John believed before knowing scripture.
1. The phrase For as yet they knew not the scripture means: 'John believed the prophecies that Jesus gave to them, even though he did not, at that time, know the matching prophecies in the Old Testament'. Please see the Prophecies Section in the Significant Gospel Events Study for prophecies of His Resurrection from the Dead including Old Testament references.
2. The phrase that he must rise again from the dead means: 'This is the specific subject of prophecies which our sentence is speaking about'.
C20-S9 : the disciples left. Our sentence says: Then the disciples went away again unto their own home means: 'This indicates that they did not return to the upper room until later in the day'.
C20-S10 : Mary Magdalene received a blessing for staying and weeping. Please see the Table Of Miracles in the Gospels for references to other miracles done in the Gospel accounts.
1. The phrase But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping means: 'While Peter and John left, Mary stayed'. Apparently, they felt that they couldn't do anything. Mary also did not know what to do but she stayed and tried to figure out what to do.
2. The phrase and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre means: 'This is what she did to try and figure things out'.
3. The phrase And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet means: 'This is what she saw as a result of being diligent in trying to understand'. God rewards people who are diligent in seeking God (Hebrews 11:6) in ways that God does not reward the less diligent. Mary received a message of truth while Peter and John did not.
4. The phrase where the body of Jesus had lain means: 'This was where they sat'. Religious men often claim some special spiritual reward associated with the physical place where something spiritual happened. That type of thinking is worldly and wrong. If it were true, then the angels would not have sat where they sat.
C20-S11 : the angels asked Mary a question after she sees them. Our sentence says: And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? means: 'Their question is designed to make her think about the source of her emotions. Those emotions were due to a wrong assumption about what happened to Jesus'.
C20-S12 : Mary answers the question.
1. The phrase She saith unto them means: 'Mary was so upset that she didn't even consider that she was talking to angels'.
2. The phrase Because they have taken away my Lord means: 'This is what she believed'.
3. The phrase and I know not where they have laid him means: 'She did not know what to do to correct what she believed was a wrong'.
C20-S13 : Mary saw Jesus but did not realize Who she saw.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. Our sentence adds what she did next. This shows that she did not consider whom she talked to or she would have asked them what really happened. As angels, they would know things which she did not know.
2. The phrase And when she had thus said, she turned herself back means: 'She stopped considering them as a source of information and started to go elsewhere for answers'.
3. The phrase and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus means: 'She only realized that a man was standing there but did not realize who the man was'. She was too upset to really pay attention to what was around her.
C20-S14 : Jesus asks the same question as the angels. Our sentence says: Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? means: 'Jesus repeated the question to get her beyond an emotional response and to start thinking'.
C20-S15 : Jesus asks Mary another question. Our sentence says: whom seekest thou?. This question required her to get past responding and actually think.
C20-S16 : Mary asks to receive the body of Jesus.
1. The phrase She means: 'This is the response from Mary'.
2. The phrase supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him means: 'This was her answer based upon a wrong assumption'. Many times people suffer needlessly because of a similar wrong assumption. We need to truly verify what we believe to be true.
3. The phrase Sir, if thou have borne him hence means: 'Mary is still seeking the dead body of Jesus'.
4. The phrase tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away means: 'As people often do when reacting emotionally, she did not think how impossible her claim was. Very few women can carry a well built man and Jesus would have been well built, physically, after years of carpenter work'.
C20-S17 : Jesus lets Mary know Whom she is talking to. Our sentence says: Jesus saith unto her, Mary means: 'His saying the name alone would not cause the reaction reported in the next sentence. The way that He said her name let her know whom she spoke to'.
C20-S18 : Mary recognizes Jesus. Our sentence says: She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
C20-S19 : Jesus uses Mary as His messenger.
1. The phrase Jesus saith unto her means: 'Jesus gave her a message and a command which shows His love for all of His followers'.
2. The phrase Touch me not means: 'This shows us the corruption that is in all of this world due to sin. Jesus rose from the grave uncorrupted, but even a touch would have corrupted Him. Even so, He risked it to show His love'.
3. The phrase for I am not yet ascended to my Father means: 'Here's why Jesus commanded no touch. We are not told why the possibility of a touch corrupting Him existed at this time, but not after He went to heaven and returned to visit the disciples. However, instead of arguing about what can not be answered, we need to accept truth by faith and move on'.
4. The phrase but go to my brethren, and say unto them means: 'Jesus sent a message to His disciples and to His lost physical family'.
5. The phrase I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God means: 'This is where Jesus was going to. Our phrases also tell us that we have the same type of relationship with God the Father as Jesus had. We are not as close as He was, but we have the same relationship because of Him'.
C20-S20 : Mary delivers the message along with the other women. Please see the Table Of Miracles in the Gospels for references to other miracles done by Jesus.
1. The phrase Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord means: 'Mary testified of the resurrection of Jesus'.
2. The phrase and that he had spoken these things unto her means: 'Mary delivered the message as she was commanded to do'.
C20-S21 : Jesus appears in the upper room for the first time.
1. The phrase Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week means: 'This was Sunday evening'.
2. The phrase when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews means: 'This was the circumstances which the disciples were in'. We see Jesus do this again in C20-S29.
3. The phrase came Jesus and stood in the midst means: 'Jesus suddenly appeared in the middle of a locked room'. This is a different type of miracle that He did before His crucifixion. As mentioned for other miracles, a miracle is a physical demonstration of the doctrine which it is in context of. This miracle proves the doctrine of resurrection. It also proves that resurrected people will have powers which they did not have before their resurrection. Please see the Table Of Miracles in the Gospels for links to all miracles found in the Gospels.
4. The phrase and saith unto them, Peace be unto you means: 'Jesus usually (always?) offers peace as the first thing offered when he appears in an upsetting situation'. This is why we need to turn to Jesus any time that circumstances make us upset.
C20-S22 : Jesus proved that He was real and that He was really physically risen.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. Our sentence adds that Jesus gave them physical evidence that He was really risen from the dead and with them and not some fake.
2. The phrase And when he had so said means: 'After Jesus told them to have peace'.
3. The phrase he shewed unto them his hands and his side means: 'Jesus proved that He was whom had been crucified'.
C20-S23 : the disciples were glad. Our sentence says: Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Before His death, He was just Jesus, 'a literal human man'. After His resurrection, He was Lord Jesus, 'God in human flesh' because He took back His power and authority while in Hell so that He could bind and rob Satan and all devils. He rose as Lord Jesus, (Luke 24:3), and will never give up His power and authority as God again. This sentence used the title of Lord in recognition of His power and authority as God and that power was demonstrated by His miracle of suddenly appearing in a closed and locked room.
C20-S24 : Jesus greets the people assembled.
1. The phrase Then said Jesus to them again means: 'After they had calmed down realized that they were seeing the resurrected Jesus and not a ghost'.
2. The phrase Peace be unto you means: 'Now they were calm enough to think about what He said and truly understand what the message actually entailed'.
3. The phrase as my Father hath sent me means: 'In just the same way and importance as God the Father had in sending Jesus for our own salvation and sanctification'.
4. The phrase even so send I you means: 'Our being sent out to give the Gospel is just as important as it was for God to send Jesus for our own salvation and sanctification'. The word even means: 'Having the same weight. When the sides of a balancing scale are even, the two sides have the same weight in them'.
C20-S25 : Jesus enabled them to do the job.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. Jesus adds their new position as apostles. Apostles are given the authority to be ambassadors for Heaven. The liars who are alive today and claim to be apostles today truly represent the kingdom of Satan.
2. The phrase And when he had said this means: 'After Jesus calmed them down again'.
3. The phrase he breathed on them means: 'This is what He did'.
4. The phrase and saith unto them means: 'This is what He said was the meaning of His action'.
5. The phrase Receive ye the Holy Ghost means: 'This is the source of spiritual power that works in the physical reality'.
6. The phrase Whose soever sins ye remit means: 'Whose soever sins any of you personally declare to be forgiven'.
7. The phrase they are remitted unto them means: 'God will wipe out the record of their sins in Heaven'.
8. The phrase and whose soever sins ye retain means: 'Whose soever sins any of you personally declare to be not forgiven'.
9. The phrase they are retained means: 'God assures that they remain on the criminal law books of Heaven'.
C20-S26 : Identify a problem that needs correcting.
1. The phrase But thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus means: 'This identifies one of the eleven disciples who were made apostles'.
2. The phrase was not with them when Jesus came means: 'He did not get his position as apostle until later because he was not with them when Jesus came'.
C20-S27 : the call to believe.
1. The phrase The other disciples therefore said unto him means: 'This is what the other ten reported when they saw him'.
2. The phrase We have seen the Lord means: 'Just as in C20-S23, the use the title of Lord for God in human flesh'.
C20-S28 : the failure to believe.
1. The phrase But he said unto them means: 'He specified the evidence which he required before he believed'. It is right and good to verify but we need to accept valid evidence even if it is not the exact evidence that we want.
2. The phrase Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side means: 'This is the exact evidence that he demanded'.
3. The phrase I will not believe means: 'This was his stand until he received the evidence which he demanded'.
C20-S29 : Correction must be done correctly.
1. The phrase And after eight days again his disciples were within means: 'It was at least Tuesday of the next week but could have been later'.
2. The phrase and thomas with them means: 'This time, Jesus made sure that Thomas (was) with them'.
3. The phrase then came Jesus, the doors being shut means: 'He, again, appeared in a shut and locked room'. We saw Jesus do this first in C20-S20. Please see the Table Of Miracles in the Gospels for links to all miracles found in the Gospels.
4. The phrase and stood in the midst, and said means: 'Jesus addressed all of them because He stood in the midst'.
5. The phrase Peace be unto you means: 'Again, be calm'.
C20-S30 : Correct the problem. This is one of many places in the Bible where we see that God believes in: 'Put Up Or Shut UP'.
1. The phrase Then saith he to thomas means: 'Thomas, here is your demanded proof'.
2. The phrase reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side means: 'Go ahead and verify the evidence that you demanded'.
3. The phrase and be not faithless means: 'Do not refuse to believe what you can not understand with natural reasoning, if Godly men give you a message from God'.
4. The phrase but believing means: 'Accept as truth spiritual messages sent from God'.
C20-S31 : Receive acknowledgement of correction.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. Our sentence adds the response from thomas.
2. The phrase And thomas answered and said unto him means: 'He responded to the provided proof'.
3. The phrase My Lord and my God means: 'He would obey and believe anything demanded by Jesus'.
C20-S32 : Instruct in how to avoid the problem in the future.
1. The phrase Jesus saith unto him means: 'Jesus said this to thomas but meant it to all believers'.
2. The phrase Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed means: 'You personally only believed because you personally saw evidence in the physical reality'.
3. The phrase blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed means: 'God blesses saved people more when they believe spiritual messages from God which have not been proven by our physical senses'.
C20-S33 : Provide future application of lesson in belief. Please see the Table Of Miracles in the Gospels for references to other miracles done by Jesus.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. John is adding to the evidence of the resurrection why he wrote this Gospel account.
2. The phrase And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples means: 'There were eye witnesses who testified of far more than John wrote in this Gospel account'. John did not try to provide an all-inclusive account.
3. The phrase which are not written in this book means: 'There was far more evidence that what John presented here'. Forhim to try and present more would take a lot more space. And, anyone who refuses to believe, in spite of the evidence presented, would be like the Pharisees and refuse to believe no matter what type of evidence was presented and no matter how much was presented.
4. The phrase But these are written means: 'Like God did with the word of God, John put his Gospel account into writing so that his Gospel account could be preserved as he wrote it and so that we could verify what people claim that he wrote'.
5. The phrase that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ means: 'This is the main purpose of John's Gospel account'.
6. The phrase the Son of God means: 'This is the main identifier of God's Christ'.
7. The phrase and that believing ye might have life through his name means: 'This is the main thing that God's Christ provides for men'.

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Chapter 21 Summary:

The Restoration of Backslidden.

This chapter has the restoration of Peter and the other disciples who felt that they had failed Jesus so much that they returned to their prior profession. When they went fishing, they caught nothing. Then Jesus proved that He could provide for them and commanded them to follow me regardless of circumstances. Jesus also dealt with Peter's failure which was motivating him to feel inadequate and want to quit. When Peter tried to turn the conversation to others, Jesus refused to allow the change. He stayed with Pete until everything was dealt with.

In the almost last thing dealt with in this chapter, John corrects an error believed by many saved people.

The last thing which John deals with is the fact that God will use this Gospel to judge people because it is truth.

The events of this chapter have no parallel accounts in the other Gospels. This account is unique to this Gospels.

John 21 is a fulfillment of the prophecy found in Matthew 26:32 and Mark 14:28.

John 21:18 : Jesus prophesied the type of death that Peter would experience. This was fulfilled before John wrote his Gospel because John gives us the true interpretation of the prophecy.

John ends his Gospel with And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen. (John 21:25). Therefore, even the record, found in all of the Gospel accounts, is incomplete as there are miracles, done by Jesus which were not put into a written record.

C21-S1 : where this account took place.
1. The phrase After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias means: 'What Jesus did and when and where'.
2. The phrase and on this wise shewed he himself means: 'Following are the details of what He did'.
C21-S2 : the disciples who were there.
1. The phrase There were together Simon Peter, and thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples means: 'This identifies seven of the eleven disciples. That is over half. We do not live to ourselves nor do we die to ourselves. What we do, especially when we backslide, we affect others'.
C21-S3 : Peter made his announcement.
1. The phrase Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing means: 'Peter announced his intention to return to his profession which he had before he was called to be a disciple'.
C21-S4 : the other disciples said that they would join him. Our sentence says: They say unto him, We also go with thee means: 'They were following Peter personally'. Sometimes people will follow us because of a personal relationship when they would not follow otherwise.
C21-S5 : the results of their decision.
1. The phrase They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately means: 'They acted without hesitation'.
2. The phrase and that night they caught nothing means: 'As we see in the rest of this chapter, this was God controlling things in order to teach them a lesson'.
C21-S6 : Jesus came to restore them.
1. The phrase But when the morning was now come means: 'The word but continues the subject of activity, from the prior sentence, wile changing who is acting and when'.
2. The phrase Jesus stood on the shore means: 'This is the Who of this sentence'.
3. The phrase but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus means: 'This is describing their lack of understanding'.
C21-S7 : Jesus got their attention.
1. The phrase Then Jesus saith unto them means: 'Jesus spoke to get their attention'.
2. The phrase Children, have ye any meat? means: 'This was what they had tried to do all night and had no success'.
C21-S8 : they bluntly answered His question. Our sentence says: They answered him, No means: 'No professional wants to admit failure in his profession after much effort'. Without a doubt, Peter ad the others felt that they were professional fishermen, yet they failed at fishing.
C21-S9 : Jesus gave them instructions. Please see the Table Of Miracles in the Gospels for references to other miracles done by Jesus.
1. The phrase And he said unto them means: 'Jesus said this to the disappointed and embarrassed men'.
2. The phrase Cast the net on the right side of the ship means: 'He told them which physical side to cast it on but He was also telling them to look in the correct place'. The saved can not do things right while they try to act without the guidance from Jesus.
3. The phrase and ye shall find means: 'Here is the promise for obeying Jesus, even when it makes no sense to our flesh'.
4. Jesus also set up this situation, as God, and said what he said in this sentence, to remind them of their call to discipleship. They had made a lifetime commitment and now, with their current actions, they had left that commitment. Our second sentence uses the word therefore to let us know that John realized why Jesus said what He did in this sentence. John realized what they had done wrong.
C21-S10 : they did as instructed and received unexpected results.
1. The phrase They cast therefore means: 'They did as instructed'. . . .
2. The phrase and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes means: 'This was the result'. God delights in doing the unexpected when His children obey, especially when the results bring then closer to God.
C21-S11 : John realized who spoke to them.
1. The phrase Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter means: 'John said this to Peter'.
2. The phrase It is the Lord means: 'This title is recognition that He has taken back His power and authority as God'.
C21-S12 : Peter reacted to the announcement.
1. The phrase Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord means: ''. . . .
2. The phrase he girt his fisher's coat unto him means: 'This is a separate garment from what was around his privates'. Religious people take what God told His priests to do and tell women to fulfill that requirement while they refuse to obey even while they claim to be the representatives of God. God told His priests to be covered from neck to knees and old His preachers to be an example. (1Timothy 4:12). Religious hypocrites lay rules on their followers which they personally are not willing to follow.
3. The phrase (for he was naked) means: 'God says that he was naked even though his privates were covered. Our sentence literally says that he was not wearing his coat, his chest was not covered, and that is what made him naked'.
4. The phrase and did cast himself into the sea means: 'Peter went to Jesus without waiting for the others'.
C21-S13 : the others also came to the shore.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. Our sentence adds what the other disciples did at the same time.
2. The phrase And the other disciples came in a little ship means: 'They left the larger fishing ship in deeper water'. They would have dropped an anchor to keep it in place.
3. The phrase (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits) means: 'This is why they came like they did in the little ship'.
4. The phrase dragging the net with fishes means: 'They brought the provision with them'. When we report to God, we are to bring the record of what God provided for us and through us.
C21-S14 : they saw what Jesus had prepared for them.
1. The phrase As soon then as they were come to land means: 'This is when they saw the provision'. We usually do not see God's provision until after we obey God.
2. The phrase they saw a fire of coals there means: 'This is how Jesus provided'. Again, we usually do not understand how God can keep His promise and provide for our needs until after we submit and obey, by faith, the commands which we can not understand in our natural reasoning. They were to wait, but did not wait. They, and we, must learn that God can provide even while we are just waiting.
3. The phrase and fish laid thereon, and bread means: 'This was their basic needs being met'. No, it was not fancy but it fulfilled the promise of God.
C21-S15 : Jesus gave them further instructions.
1. The phrase Jesus saith unto them means: 'He was speaking as a literal physical man but was also letting them know that God recognized their efforts'.
2. The phrase Bring of the fish which ye have now caught means: 'We are not told if those fish were cooked up then or not. However, we do see that God recognizes our efforts whether those efforts are required of not for the final result'.
C21-S16 : the reaction to a further command from Jesus.
1. The phrase Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes means: 'He had swam to shore to verify the proclamation by John but did not approach Jesus because of his shame at how he and denied Jesus and how he had led others away from waiting like they were supposed to do'.
2. The phrase and hundred and fifty and three means: 'This is how many fish were in the net'.
3. The phrase and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken means: 'If the net was threatened to be broken, then we can believe that all of the fish were large'.
4. Please note that someone counted the number of fish even though John does not report it being done. There is a foolish attitude taken by Bible deniers who claim that if some action was not reported then it could not have been done. Then when they read a subsequent action, they claim that the word of God has errors because the subsequent action could not have been done without the first action. Instead of admitting that their first claim was in error, they claim that their opinion is more correct than the written word of God.
C21-S17 : Jesus invites them to partake of His provision. Our sentence says: Jesus saith unto them, come and dine. There are messages and at least one song which provide applications of this simple sentence.
C21-S18 : the disciples were afraid to ask any questions. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. Our sentence adds the reaction of the disciples because they recognized the resurrected Lord Jesus. Our sentence says: And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou?.
C21-S19 : Why they were careful. Our sentence says: knowing that it was the Lord means: 'They knew that He was now acting as God in human flesh and that nothing that He said or did could be challenger or questioned'.
C21-S20 : Jesus reminded them of His feeding the multitudes, twice, and of the 'Last Supper'.
1. The phrase Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise means: 'This is to remind them of His promise to provide for them. They did not need to go fishing. In addition, He is reminding them of the prophecies which He made, at the 'Last Supper', and which they did not believe'. Those prophecies were of His suffering and death to pay for our sins. As Paul wrote, For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's (1Corinthians 6:20). and again, Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. (1Corinthians 7:23). Therefore, with this meal, Jesus is reminding them that they belong to Him and they are to not return to the world but are to serve Him, including waiting when He says to wait.
C21-S21 : the place in the sequences of the appearances of the resurrected Lord Jesus.
1. The phrase This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples Please see the Appearances of Jesus Christ After the Resurrection for links to where the various Gospel accounts deal with this subject.
2. The phrase after that he was risen from the dead means: 'This limits the time being written about and also lets us know that it is after He took back His own power and authority as God. Before His death, Jesus only did and said what God the Father commanded. Now, He is dealing with the disciples using His own power and authority. in this chapter, Jesus reveals His own character and His own love for the saved and what He commands His disciples to do'.
C21-S22 : Jesus questions Peter for the first time.
1. The phrase So when they had dined means: 'This is after they had taken His provision'.
2. The phrase Jesus saith to Simon Peter means: 'Jesus talked to Simon Peter but made sure that the others were listening and understood that they were included in what He said'.
3. The phrase Simon, son of Jonas means: 'This is the name used when he was acting in the flesh. His physical father was named Jona (different name). Jesus was making the point that Simon Peter, and the other disciples, were acting in the character of the prophet who ran away from the ministry that God gave him. God blessed final obedience. However, the last that we read, he was pouting under a gourd plant'.
4. The phrase lovest thou me more than these? means: 'Our sentence is still speaking about the provision by Jesus, which was the meal'. Lots of people want to argue that the word these refers to lots of different things. But, any application which is not the provision by Jesus is taking the word out of context and using the method of Satan to pervert the word of God. That written, when Jesus asks a very similar question two more times, He left out the phrase more than these. Therefore, there is a valid argument that Jesus was no longer referring to His provision.
C21-S23 : Peter answers Jesus. Our sentence says: He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. Later we are told that Peter was grieved. However, while Peter claimed to love Jesus, his actions did not back his mouth. And, yes, we can talk about the three times of denial, but this time is directly following Peter leading over half of the disciples back into the world. Therefore, this was not just about the three times of denial but also dealt with a deeper problem. Peter felt inadequate to serve. And, while that was true, his feelings did not determine if God commanded him to serve or not. Nor did his failure end his service. And, the same is true for all of us. In addition, none of us lives nor dies alone. We influence others, just like this chapter told us that Peter did. In addition, all of the others also ran and also felt inadequate. Therefore, this chapter is not just about peter but is about the restoration to service of all of the disciples. And, God will do the same for us when we mess up, no matter how bad we mess up. Yes, there are certain sins which come with permanent consequences. And, while God may not be able to restore us to the same position and job as before, He can still restore us to His service.
C21-S24 : Jesus instructs Peter. Our sentence says: He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. means: 'Provide spiritual food to the spiritual babies'. The next two times Jesus says: Feed my sheep. A pastor should spend twice as much time giving spiritual nutrition to spiritual adults as he does feeding spiritual babies. Unfortunately, most churches appear to be spiritual nurseries. And, it appears as if the pastors keep God's people that way rather than having to answer questions from spiritual teens or spiritual adults.
C21-S25 : Jesus questions Peter for the second time. Our sentence says: He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? the notes for sentences before and after this sentence give the relevant doctrine. One of the most important things to do, when reading or studying the word of God, is to pay attention to context.
C21-S26 : Peter answers Jesus. Our sentence says: He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.
C21-S27 : Jesus instructs Peter. Our sentence says: He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. means: ''. . . .
C21-S28 : Jesus questions Peter for the third time.
1. The phrase He saith unto him the third time means: 'Jesus said this same thing three times. Most people who accept what the Bible truly says accept that this number is directly related to the number of times that Peter denied Jesus'.
  1. In John 18:17, we read: Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man's disciples? He saith, I am not. thus he denied being a disciple and many others have done the same.
  2. In John 18:25, we read: And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. they said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not . .
  3. In John 18:26-27, we read: One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him? Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew.
2. The phrase Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? means: 'The doctrine of this question was explained above'. We should expect similar treatment at the judgment seat of Christ if we refuse to serve no matter what the circumstances are. in this chapter, we see the character of our Lord Jesus Christ. There are a lot of liars who claim that he will act with a different character, at that judgment, than He displays in this chapter and throughout the word of God.
C21-S29 : Peter gets upset with the repeated question. Our sentence says: Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? As explained in the prior note, a lot of saved people will be shocked to receive the same type of treatment at the judgment seat of Christ.
C21-S30 : Peter answers Jesus.
1. The phrase And he said unto him means: 'This was Peter's answer in spite of being grieved'.
2. The phrase Lord, thou knowest all things means: 'He recognized that he was speaking to God in human flesh and that he could not lie nor even give a partially true answer'.
3. The phrase thou knowest that I love thee means: 'I believe that part of this was to get rid of how Peter's guilt was interfering with his service and part of it was to help Peter to always remember, especially when he was tempted to sin, again, in a similar manner'.
C21-S31 : Jesus instructs Peter. Our sentence says: Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. The doctrine of this sentence was dealt with in prior notes for this chapter.
C21-S32 : Jesus prophesies Peter's future.
1. The phrase Verily, verily, I say unto you means: 'This has been verified twice and will be used when God judges these people and others who act like them'.
2. The phrase When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest means: 'This was your past'.
3. The phrase but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not means: 'This is your future. Regardless of this truth, do not fail again'.
C21-S33 : the interpretation of the prophecy. Our sentence says: This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God means: 'The proper death of a saint of God, especially a martyr death, brings glory to God because it proves that God has changed them enough to stay true no matter what circumstances they experience'.
C21-S34 : Command to follow regardless of circumstances.
1. Our sentence starts with the word And, which means it is adding another thought to what was said in the prior sentence. Our sentence adds a commandment to the prophecy of the second prior sentence.
2. The phrase And when he had spoken this means: 'Jesus had just told Peter that he would die a martyr death. Jesus follows that revelation with a command to follow no matter where it leads'. Yes, Peter would have a martyr death, but it would not be as painful as the death which Jesus accepted for our salvation. So, yes, following Jesus might require as much from us.
3. The phrase he saith unto him, Follow me means: 'This command is a reminder of the commitment that Peter, and the others made when they became disciples'. They made a life-time commitment and their life is not over. Regardless of how we feel, God is not allowing the truly saved to quit short of death.
C21-S35 : Peter tried to change the conversation away from himself and owards another. Please see the Detailed Note for links to many Bible references, including in the Old Testament, which deal with the betrayal of Jesus.
1. The phrase Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following means: 'Peter is desperate to change the subject of the conversation. Seeing John gives Peter inspiration for a change of subject'.
2. The phrase which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? means: 'Peter had signed John, at the 'Last Supper', to ask about the prophecy of the betrayal of Jesus'. In our next sentence, Peter asks for a prophecy about someone else besides himself. This was to distract from the unpleasant prophecy which Jesus had just given about Peter.
C21-S36 : Peter tried to change the conversation to another disciple. Our sentence says: Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? the answer, in the next two sentences, makes it clear that Peter had no right to ask what he did. What God chooses to do with someone else has nothing to do with our personal command to follow Jesus. Therefore, we should not worry about such things and, instead, concentrate on our own life of obedience.
C21-S37 : Jesus refused to change away from Peter. Our sentence says: Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? means: 'Basically, no matter what Jesus decides to do with another of His disciples, it is not our business'. We need to mind our own business and let God deal with others unless God makes us responsible for the other like a parent is responsible for the behavior of their child.
C21-S38 : Jesus repeats His command. Our sentence says: follow thou me means: 'This is a clear, simple and plain command with nothing added for us to use as an excuse for disobedience'.
C21-S39 : Misunderstanding of doctrine based upon carelessness.
1. The phrase Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die means: 'Saved people perverted what was actually said'. That is why we need to be careful about history and other sources of information which are maintained by men. Many people claim that John never experienced a martyr death even though history tells us that he was boiled alive in oil and Revelation 1:9 says that John was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. People were sent there to be literally worked and starved to death. Su, we can't say that John never experienced a martyr death, and was resurrected.
2. The phrase yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die means: 'All of these things are due to people accepting as fact things which they did not, or could not, verify'.
3. The phrase but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? means: 'This is the true message from Jesus and it really was:' 'Don't stick your nose in business that belongs only to God'.
C21-S40 : John's Gospel can be used by God to judge people. Our sentence says: This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true means: 'John wrote this Gospel account and others testified that his account was true'.
C21-S41 : John did not write everything that Jesus did.
1. The phrase And there are also many other things which Jesus did means: 'John did not write every little thing'.
2. The phrase the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written means: 'It would be impossible to write every little thing'.
C21-S42 : Our sentence says: Amen. This means: 'It is doubling the last sentence for legal purposes'. The Amen is always used to double what was written prior to it and to provide the legal requirement of two or three witnesses (John 8:17; 2Corinthians 13:1; Colossians C3S13) for any doctrine which all believers are to accept.

Home

Jesus is the Son of God

Last Supper: Jesus Explains Abiding Love.

Last Supper: Jesus Explains our need for the Holy Spirit.

Last Supper: the Lord's prayer for His disciples.

The Betrayal of Jesus.

The Crucifixion.

The Resurrection and Meeting Disciples.

The Restoration of Backslidden.

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