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João 13

John MacArthur · Citado em PreceptAustin

João 13

MacArthur has an interesting sermon about the timing the Passover which he says was celebrated at a different time by the Galileans and the Judeans - The Galileans celebrated on Thursday night, the Judeans on Friday, so celebrations began Thursday night. We find ourselves in John 13 on that Thursday night. You can see the way the first verse begins that we are right up against the feast of the Passover. That (FEAST) would be held on that Thursday night (BY GALILEANS). We don’t know the date that Jesus was born. We don’t know the date in which He was baptized. We know the exact date on which He was crucified, 15th of Nisan in the year A.D. 30 at the Passover at the very time when the lambs were being slaughtered to be offered by the people as sacrifices....So when we celebrate Good Friday and Easter Sunday, we are in the zone consistent with the Jewish calendar of the death of our Lord.....In the narrative texts of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, these scenes all move by at a rather consistent pace, but in John, we come to a dead halt at this moment on Thursday night. The next five chapters feature what happens with Jesus and the disciples on that night. Five full chapters.....as we enter John 13, we are going to enter the true holy place; not the temple in Jerusalem because that’s an unholy place, but a genuinely holy place. We’re going to enter the genuine holy place where the true priests commune with the living Lord. Here in this holy place, we have come to the most spiritual, the most personal, the most intimate, the most glorious fellowship between the Lord and His authentic priesthood. Here in this holy place, we literally are given access to the secret place of the most high God, available only to true priests. Available only to those whom Peter calls the royal priesthood, the holy nation, the people of His own possession, those who are called to proclaim the excellencies of the Glorious One who called them out of darkness into His marvelous light. The false and apostate priests of Judaism are completely excluded. They are shut out of this holy place. They are eliminated from all of its astonishing promises, pledges. What our Lord does in this holy place is communicate to His true priests all that He has prepared for them that love Him. Now, the presence of the Holy One makes the holy place holy. By the way, it is mobile. The holy place starts in an upper room where Jesus meets with His disciples and has the Passover, and speaks with them and unfolds promises and pledges and commitments that are beyond comprehension, but it doesn’t stay in the upper room. This holy place moves. At the end of chapter 14 we read this, Jesus says, “Get up, let’s go from here.” (Jn 14:31+) Jesus gets up from the reclining table in the upper room along with the 11 disciples who were still with Him, Judas having been dismissed, and He takes that royal priesthood out the door of that upper room, and they walk through the dark streets of Jerusalem late, late on Thursday night. The holy place then is moving along in the darkness of Jerusalem. Along the way, the holy place stops, and a most amazing event takes place described in chapter 17, and the disciples are a part of that as well. Then finally, the holy place arrives at the Garden of Gethsemane, where our Lord goes to pray. That is the holy place. All along through that moving holy place, from the upper room to the garden, the Lord is speaking and dispensing promises, astonishing promises for His true royal priesthood. As Peter tells us, it’s not just the apostles. Peter writes to the believers and says, “You are a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of His own possession.” John allows us all to be there in that upper room. All of the promises that our holy Lord gives to His royal priests, the apostles, extend to all believers, to every true Christian. In fact, as it all comes to an end in chapter 17 and verse 20, Jesus says, “I do no ask on behalf of these alone,” meaning the 11, “but for those who also believe in Me through their word.” And extends all of these promises to all believers right down to us and to the end of the age. An apparent discrepancy exists at this point between John’s chronology and that of the Synoptic Gospels. John MacArthur in his commentary adds slightly more clarification to the timing of the Passover celebration - An apparent discrepancy exists at this point between John’s chronology and that of the Synoptic Gospels. The latter clearly state that the Last Supper was a Passover meal (Matt. 26:17–19; Mark 14:12–16; Luke 22:7–15). John 18:28, however, records that the Jewish leaders “led Jesus from Caiaphas into the Praetorium, and it was early [Friday morning; the day of the crucifixion]; and they themselves did not enter into the Praetorium so that they would not be defiled, but might eat the Passover.” Further, according to John 19:14 Jesus’ trial and crucifixion took place on “the day of preparation for the Passover,” not the day after the eating of the Passover meal. Thus the Lord was crucified at the same time that the Passover lambs were being killed (cf. 19:36; Ex. 12:46; Num. 9:12). The challenge, then, is to explain how Jesus and the disciples could have eaten the Passover meal on Thursday evening if the Jewish leaders had not yet eaten it on Friday morning. The answer lies in understanding that the Jews had two different methods of reckoning days. Ancient Jewish sources suggest that Jews from the northern part of Israel (including Galilee, where Jesus and most of the Twelve were from) counted days from sunrise to sunrise. Most of the Pharisees apparently also used that method. On the other hand, the Jews in the southern region of Israel counted days from sunset to sunset. That would include the Sadducees (who of necessity lived in the vicinity of Jerusalem because of their connection with the temple). Though no doubt confusing at times, that dual method of reckoning days would have had practical benefits at Passover, allowing the feast to be celebrated on two consecutive days. That would have eased the crowded conditions in Jerusalem, especially in the temple, where all the lambs would not have had to be killed on the same day. Thus, there is no contradiction between John and the Synoptics. Being Galileans, Jesus and the Twelve would have viewed Passover day as running from sunrise on Thursday to sunrise on Friday. They would have eaten their Passover meal on Thursday evening. (See John Commentary - Page 62) (Bolding added) NOTE: Dr MacArthur refers the interested reader 2 two works, and both can be borrowed from archive.org BORROW Chronological Aspects of the Life of Christ by Harold W. Hoehner - PAGE 74 BORROW A Harmony of the Gospels by Robert L. Thomas and Stanley N. Gundry - PAGE 321 NOTE - if these are "unavailable" to check out, I use a "work around" by searching a page number. If the page is not show, try a refresh and page often can be read). Depart (3327)(metabaino from meta = denotes change of place/condition + baino = to go or come) means to pass or go from one place or one state to another. To transfer from one place to another. Metabaino describes Jesus departing or leaving one place to go to another (Mt 11:1, 12:9, 15:29) In Jn 5:24 and 1Jn 3:14 metabaino is used figuratively to describe passage from death to life, a passage that occurs when one is born from above. Most of the NT uses of metabaino mean to leave or depart. Metabaino - 11v - depart(1), departed(1), departing(2), leave(2), left(1), move(2), moving(1), passed(2). Matt. 8:34; Matt. 11:1; Matt. 12:9; Matt. 15:29; Matt. 17:20; Lk. 10:7; Jn. 5:24; Jn. 7:3; Jn. 13:1; Acts 18:7; 1 Jn. 3:14 Loved (25) agapao cf agape) means to love unconditionally and sacrificially as God Himself loves sinful men (John 3:16), the way He loves the Son (John 3:35, 15:9, 17:23, 24). Note that agapao is a verb and by its verbal nature calls for action. This quality of love is not an emotion but is an action initiated by a volitional choice. Agapao speaks of a love which is awakened by a sense of value in an object which causes one to prize it. It springs from an apprehension of the preciousness of an object. It is a love of esteem and approbation. The quality of this love is determined by the character of the one who loves, and that of the object loved. Vine - Love can be known only from the actions it prompts. God’s love is seen in the gift of His Son, 1 John 4:9, 10. But obviously this is not the love of complacency, or affection, that is, it was not drawn out by any excellency in its objects, Ro 5:8 (note). It was an exercise of the divine will in deliberate choice, made without assignable cause save that which lies in the nature of God Himself, cp. Deuteronomy 7:7, 8. Love had its perfect expression among men in the Lord Jesus Christ, 2Co 5:14; Ep 2:4 (note); Ep 3:19 (note); Ep 5:2 (note); Christian love is the fruit of His Spirit in the Christian, Galatians 5:22 (note). Christian love has God for its primary object, and expresses itself first of all in implicit obedience to His commandments, John 14:15, 21, 23; 15:10; 1Jn 2:5; 5:3; 2Jn 6. Self-will, that is, self-pleasing, is the negation of love to God. (Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words) Agapao - in John's Gospel and Epistles - Jn. 3:16; Jn. 3:19; Jn. 3:35; Jn. 8:42; Jn. 10:17; Jn. 11:5; Jn. 12:43; Jn. 13:1; Jn. 13:23; Jn. 13:34; Jn. 14:15; Jn. 14:21; Jn. 14:23; Jn. 14:24; Jn. 14:28; Jn. 14:31; Jn. 15:9; Jn. 15:12; Jn. 15:17; Jn. 17:23; Jn. 17:24; Jn. 17:26; Jn. 19:26; Jn. 21:7; Jn. 21:15; Jn. 21:16; Jn. 21:20; 1 Jn. 2:10; 1 Jn. 2:15; 1 Jn. 3:10; 1 Jn. 3:11; 1 Jn. 3:14; 1 Jn. 3:18; 1 Jn. 3:23; 1 Jn. 4:7; 1 Jn. 4:8; 1 Jn. 4:10; 1 Jn. 4:11; 1 Jn. 4:12; 1 Jn. 4:19; 1 Jn. 4:20; 1 Jn. 4:21; 1 Jn. 5:1; 1 Jn. 5:2; 2 Jn. 1:1; 2 Jn. 1:5; 3 Jn. 1:1 Own (2398) idios means one’s own, private, peculiar to oneself (Mt 25:15; Lk 6:41, 44; Jn 10:3-4; Acts 2:8; 4:32; Ro 10:3; 1Co 3:8; 4:12; Titus 1:3; 2:5, 9; 2Pe 1:20; 2:22) As noun = one's own people, of fellow-Christians (Acts 4:23; Acts 24:23), relatives (Jn 1:11b; 1Ti 5:8); home (Lk 18:28; Jn 1:11a; Jn 16:32; Ac 21:6), but property, supply (Jn 8:44) and one's own affairs 1Th 4:11; the singular (Jn 15:19) by oneself, privately (1Co 12:11) privately, by oneself (Mt 14:13; Mk 9:2, 28; Lk 10:23; Ac 23:19; Gal 2:2). A private person. World (2889) kosmos means essentially something that is well-arranged, that which has order or something arranged harmoniously. Kosmos in many contexts has a negative sense and describes the world not as a neutral influence but as an "evil force", the inveterate, incorrigible, intractable, intransigent, irrevocable enemy of God and of every believer. Kosmos includes the ungodly (unsaved) multitude, the whole mass of men alienated from God and hostile to Him and His Son Jesus Christ (See also Earth Dwellers, the synonymous term used by John in The Revelation of Jesus Christ). This meaning describes the system of values, priorities, and beliefs that unbelievers hold that excludes God. (E.g., Just mention the name "Jesus" in a positive sense in a secular setting! You can "feel" the hackles rising up on the back of their necks!

João 13

MacArthur comments that "long before Judas was born, his duplicity was foreseen and designed into God’s eternal plan (ED: GOD'S SOVEREIGNTY). But Judas’s role in the divine plan was not something apart from his own desire; he was no robot, programmed to betray Jesus against his will. Judas freely chose to do what he did, and was fully accountable for his actions (ED: HUMAN CHOICE/RESPONSIBILITY)....Judas’s betrayal was predetermined, but that in no way contradicts the truth that he acted of his own volition....The sovereign God, “who works all things after the counsel of His will” (Eph. 1:11), used the evil plans of Judas’s wicked heart to bring about the good of redemption (cf. Gen. 50:20; Ps. 76:10). (See John Commentary) Lifted up (epairo) literally means to raise or elevate, but here, linked with the phrase his heel, figuratively describes Judas as turning away from and turning against Jesus as the consummate "turncoat". Spurgeon (and others) see lifted up as a picture of a horse preparing to kick. Raymond Brown (Gospel of John, page 554) notes that “To show the bottom of one’s foot to someone in the Near East is a mark of contempt." Godet says it is a sign of brutal hatred. Schlatter adds that “The kick with the foot symbolizes the entire dissolution of fellowship, just as ‘eating his bread’ portrays its reality and completeness.” NET Note adds on lifted up his heel against me - Or “has become my enemy”; Grk “has lifted up his heel against me.” The phrase “to lift up one’s heel against someone” reads literally in the Hebrew of Ps 41 “has made his heel great against me.” There have been numerous interpretations of this phrase, but most likely it is an idiom meaning “has given me a great fall,” “has taken cruel advantage of me,” or “has walked out on me.” Whatever the exact meaning of the idiom, it clearly speaks of betrayal by a close associate. Leon Morris emphasizes that Jesus was "He was not the deceived and helpless Victim of unsuspected treachery, but One sent by God to effect God’s purpose going forward calmly and unafraid, to do what God had planned for Him to do” (BORROW The Gospel According to John PAGE 622) Rod Mattoon comments on Jesus' quoting of Psalm 41:9 - This is David's reference to Ahithophel who joined Absalom. Ahithophel was Bathsheba's grandpa and he was angry with David for what he had done. He ends up hanging himself. David says that the betrayer will lift his heel against him. The term "lift up" means "to hoist the sails; to rise up in opposition; to act haughty." In the Hebrew language this phrase reads, "will take terrible advantage or be brutally violent." This is the way David was treated by his friend and is also a picture of what happened to the Lord. The custom of that day was if you ate bread with someone, it was a sign of friendship and loyalty. The disloyalty of David's friend was very painful and it was also painful for the Lord too. (see Ps 55:12-14). The familiar friend of Jesus became a familiar fiend. Gilbrant has an interesting comment - Strong social custom forbade betraying one with whom a meal had been eaten. This social prohibition of New Testament times prevailed as far back as the early Old Testament. Because of it Lot offered his daughters for sexual exploitation rather than surrender his two guests to the homosexuals of Sodom (Genesis 19:8). His sole reason for such an act (unthinkable in our modern world) was simply, "For therefore came they under the shadow of my roof." He must protect them even with his life if necessary. Yet Judas broke this obligation to his friend and Lord.( Complete Biblical Library)

João 13

MacArthur - Several things troubled the Lord; His unrequited love for Judas, Judas’s ingratitude for all the kindness He had shown him, the malevolent presence of Satan, who would shortly possess Judas (Jn 13:27), the fearful fate that awaited Judas in hell, and the knowledge that the betrayal would lead Him to the cross, with its sin-bearing (2 Cor. 5:21) and separation from the Father (Matt. 27:46). “In the present passage, Jesus’ emotions are shown to be in a state of turmoil, his whole inner self convulsing at the thought of one of his closest followers betraying him to his enemies” (Andreas J. Köstenberger, John, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament [Grand Rapids: Baker, 2004], 413). Such would be the terrible consequences of the betrayal Jesus now openly declared. (See John Commentary) Troubled (disturbed, stirred up) (5015) tarasso literally means to shake back and forth and therefore to agitate and stir up (like the pool in John 5:4,7, Lxx = Ezek 32:2, 13, Isa 51:15). To shake together, stir up, disturb, unsettle, throw into disorder (Lxx = Ps 46; 2Sa 22:8 = of earth shaking). Most of the NT uses of tarasso are figurative and describe the state of one's mind as stirred up (like water), agitated or experiencing inward commotion. It describes the disciples’ terror at seeing the Lord walking on the water (Matt. 14:26), Zacharias’s fear when the angel Gabriel appeared to him in the temple (Luke 1:12), the disciples’ fear when Jesus appeared to them after the resurrection (Luke 24:38), the deep anguish of Jesus’ soul at Lazarus’s tomb (John 11:33), and His distress at the prospect of facing the cross (John 12:27). The passive voice is always used in the NT with a negative meaning, conveying the sense of emotional disturbance or inner turmoil, so that one is unsettled, thrown into confusion, or disturbed by various emotions, including excitement, perplexity, fear or trepidation. Tarasso conveys the idea of to disturb mentally or to cause a deep emotional disturbance Tarasso - 18v - Matt. 2:3; Matt. 14:26; Mk. 6:50; Lk. 1:12; Lk. 24:38; Jn. 5:4; Jn. 5:7; Jn. 11:33; Jn. 12:27; Jn. 13:21; Jn. 14:1; Jn. 14:27; Acts 15:24; Acts 17:8; Acts 17:13; Gal. 1:7; Gal. 5:10; 1 Pet. 3:14 There is some variation on the order of happenings in the betrayal in the Upper Room Discourse and the table below is an attempt to put the parallel passages together. Luke 22:19-23+ (LUKE RECORDS JUDAS BETRAYAL OF JESUS AFTER THE LORD'S SUPPER) And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 20 And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood. 21 “But behold, the hand of the one betraying Me is with Mine on the table. 22 “For indeed, the Son of Man is going as it has been determined (GOD'S SOVEREIGNTY); but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed (JUDAS' CHOICE/RESPONSIBILITY)!” 23 And they began to discuss among themselves which one of them it might be who was going to do this thing. THE GOSPELS IN PARALLEL Jesus announces that He is to be betrayed Luke 22:20+ And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood. Mk 14:18 As they were reclining at the table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me–one who is eating with Me.” Mt 26:21 As they were eating, He said, “Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me.” Lk 22:21 (#1) “But behold, the hand of the one betraying Me is with Mine on the table. Jn 13:21 When Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, that one of you will betray Me.” Mark 14:19+ They began to be grieved and to say to Him one by one, “Surely not I?” Matthew 26:22+ Being deeply grieved, they each one began to say to Him, “Surely not I, Lord?” Luke 22:23+ And they began to discuss among themselves which one of them it might be who was going to do this thing. Jn 13:22-25 The disciples began looking at one another, at a loss to know of which one He was speaking. 23 There was reclining on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. 24 So Simon Peter *gestured to him, and *said to him, “Tell us who it is of whom He is speaking.” 25 He, leaning back thus on Jesus’ bosom, *said to Him, “Lord, who is it?” Mk 14:20 And He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who dips with Me in the bowl. Mt 26:23 And He answered, “He who dipped his hand with Me in the bowl is the one who will betray Me. Jn 13:26a Jesus then answered, “That is the one for whom I shall dip the morsel and give it to him.” Mk 14:21 “For the Son of Man is to go just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.” Mt 26:24 “The Son of Man is to go, just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born.” Lk 22:22 “For indeed, the Son of Man is going as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!” Mt 26:25 And Judas, who was betraying Him, said, “Surely it is not I, Rabbi?” Jesus said to him, “You have said it yourself.” Jn 13:26b So when He had dipped the morsel, He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. [#2] Jn 13:27b After the morsel, Satan then entered into him. Therefore Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” Jn 13:28-30 Now no one of those reclining at the table knew for what purpose He had said this to him. 29 For some were supposing, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus was saying to him, “Buy the things we have need of for the feast”; or else, that he should give something to the poor. 30So after receiving the morsel he went out immediately; and it was night. [ #1] Luke places the betrayal after the Lord's Supper [#2] Luke has Satan enter into Judas much earlier in Luke 22:3+ = "And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, belonging to the number of the twelve." James Smith - SELF-EXCOMMUNICATED. John 13:21-30 Our Lord had just been washing the feet of His disciples; giving them a final example of His humiliation and self-forgetting service. After this, John tells us that "He was troubled in spirit." I. The Cause of Christ's Trouble. "One of you shall betray Me" (v. 21). The cause of His perturbed spirit was not the fact that within a few hours He would be crucified, but that "one of you," His chosen companions and friends, would betray Him. Well He knew that they were "not all clean" (v. 11). His tender compassionate heart was troubled, not on account of Himself, but because of the fearful ingratitude and guilt of that "one" who had already "lifted up his heel against Him" (v. 18). Think of all that Judas had seen and heard of Jesus, and of the place he occupied, and the confidence that was reposed in him (allowing him to carry the bag), and think also of falling from such an height of privilege into a hopeless perdition. He has no pleasure in the death of the wicked. "He was troubled in spirit." II. The Token of Christ's Love. "When He had dipped the sop, He gave it to Judas" (v. 26). In giving the morsel first to Judas, Christ was not only showing to John who should betray Him, but He was also proving to the traitor that although He knew all that was in his evil heart to do, He loved him to the end. Had He not also washed his feet? washed off the very dust contracted by that secret visit to those murderous priests. If Judas, or any others, will sin their soul to doom, they will never find any occasion in Him, whose love is stronger than death. Did the Lord Jesus hope that this humiliating act of washing the feet of Judas would soften his hard and deceitful heart? If so, how terribly suggestive are the words which follow: "And after the sop, Satan entered into him." The tokens of a Savior's love had no effect in closing the door of his heart against the entrance of the Devil. Satan is always ready to take full advantage of every opportunity. Those who reject the grace of God, in Christ Jesus, become the willing dupes of the Devil. III. The Departure from Christ's Presence. "He then having received the sop, went immediately out, and it was night" (v. 30). He went out. Christ did not cast him out. He preferred to go out into the night, rather than abide in the light. He loved the darkness rather than the light, because his deeds were evil. He went out; his choice was finally made. Think of what he went out from, and what he went out to. 1. He went out from the best company on earth, into the company of God-hating, Christ-rejecting murderers. 2. He went out from the rule and service of the Son of God, into the rule and slavery of Satan. 3. He went out from the place of light and hope, into the night of darkness and despair. 4. He went out from the offer of eternal blessedness, into the place of eternal doom. He apparently did not go out as one in a rage; he went out quite orderly, as one who had something of more importance to do; something of more importance to get. But in turning away from the love of Christ, at this particular moment, he was rejecting his last chance of salvation. Having refused Christ's place, there is nothing for him now but "his own place" (Acts 1:25)—perdition. Judas may have imagined that his betrayal of the Master, for thirty pieces of silver, would not seriously affect Him, as He was well able to save Himself from the hands of His enemies; but every betrayer is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. The blood of every Christ-rejecter will be on his own head. "You will not come to Me that you might have life" (John 5:40). John 13:22 The disciples began looking at one another, at a loss to know of which one He was speaking. John 13:22 CLICK HERE TO READ PASSAGE IN OVER 60 ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS looking: Ge 42:1 Mt 26:22 Mk 14:19 Lu 22:23 Related Passages: Matthew 26:22+ Being deeply grieved, they each one began to say to Him, “Surely not I, Lord?” Mark 14:19+ They began to be grieved and to say to Him one by one, “Surely not I?” Luke 22:23+ And they began to discuss among themselves which one of them it might be who was going to do this thing. THE DISCIPLES ARE "CLUELESS" The disciples (mathetes) began looking (blepo) at one another, at a loss (aporeo) to know of which one He was speaking - Looking (blepo) is in the imperfect tense which gives the vivid picture of the disciples repeatedly looking at one another -- you can envision them looking to men on their right and then the men on their left in utter shock. At a loss (aporeo) is in the present tense depicting the disciples' shocked reaction as continuing (except one who was not shocked!) In short, the response of the disciples was one of perplexity and confusion ("dazed and confused") that there was a betrayer in their midst. Judas the trusted treasurer of the money box (Jn 12:6, 13:29) was clearly a master deceiver and fooled everyone, except the Lord, because he too was looking around like the other eleven! In Matthew's account we read "Being deeply grieved, they each one began to say to Him, “Surely not I, Lord?”" (Mt 26:22+) In other words they began fearful that in some kind of unintended way they might be guilty of betraying Him. THOUGHT - Be careful when you deceive others and think you get away with it because God always knows! If we claim to believe one thing but our actions contradict our lips, we are guilty of hypocrisy. And my guess is that every one of us from time to time has acted the part of a hypocrite! Thank God for His mercy and forgiveness! (cf Lam 3:22-23). J

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MacArthur - How was there glory in the cross? There Jesus performed the greatest work in the history of the universe. In His death He brought to pass the salvation of damned sinners, destroyed sin, and defeated Satan. He paid the price of God's justice and purchased for Himself all the elect of God. In dying for sin, He rendered His life a sweet-smelling savor to God, a sacrifice more pure and blessed than any sacrifice ever offered. And when the offended justice of God and the broken law were fully satisfied, Jesus concluded His work by saying, "It is finished." He had accomplished the redemption of all who believe, satisfied the justice of God, repaired the broken law, and set believers free. In all heaven and earth, no act is so worthy of praise and honor and full glory. (See also John Commentary - Page 87 for Dr MacArthur's discussion of how Jesus was glorified through the cross ) Steven

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MacArthur explains how God was glorified in Him - Through the cross, God’s glorious nature was supremely put on display. First, Christ’s death displayed God’s power...Second, Christ’s death declared God’s justice....Third, Christ’s death revealed God’s holiness...Fourth, Christ’s death expressed God’s faithfulness....(fifth) Christ’s death was the most powerful demonstration of God’s love in all of history. (For exposition of each of these points see sermon The Marks of the Committed Christian) (See also Stedman's interpretation below) Ray Stedman (SEE SOURCE) on 3 aspects of glory in John 13:31-32 - (note 5 uses of the verb glorify in these 2 verses) Notice three manifestations of glory stated in this sentence: (1) First, Jesus is glorified in the cross. The cross is now so certain that in the rest of this passage he speaks of it as though it is already accomplished. (ED: SEE ABOVE proleptic aorist ) And in the cross the inner character of Jesus becomes visible. Remember that in the opening of this Gospel, John says, "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father," (John 1:14 RSV). All that grace and truth becomes visible in the cross. As you look at the cross, and at all the circumstances of the events surrounding it, you see the reality of Jesus' humanity. There is the agony in the Garden of Gethsemane -- that strange, mysterious agony of spirit when Jesus was so troubled, so distressed, so upset and grieved, that he sweat great drops of blood and cried out in terrible, anguished cries to his Father. There you see the humanity of Jesus. And his cries from the cross -- of thirst, of pain, of being forsaken -- all of these tell us that he was one with us. Someone has written these very appropriate words: It is well that we should think, sometimes, of the Upper Room, and of the Last Supper, and of his soul "exceeding sorrowful unto death;" of Gethsemane, the deep shadow of the olive trees, his loneliness, prayers, and disappointment with his disciples, his bloody sweat; the traitor's kiss, the binding, the blow in the face, the spitting, the buffeting, the mocking, the scourging, the crown of thorns, the smiting; the sorrowful way, and the burdensome cross, the exhaustion and collapse; the stripping, the impaling, the jeers of his foes, the flight of his friends; the hours on the cross, the darkness, his being forsaken of God; his thirst, and the end. In that cross you can see how close to us Jesus came, how one with us he was. But also you see the serenity of his faith. How fearless he was before Pilate! He said to him, "You would have no power over me unless it had been given you from above," (John 19:11 RSV). How fearless he was before Herod -- he stood silent, and would not answer him -- and before Caiaphas, the high priest! How he directed these events, as we have seen! He was master of the circumstances. There on the cross you see the compassion of his love. He forgave the revolutionary beside him, and prayed for his enemies. And previously, in Pilate's hall, he had looked at Peter with compassion when Peter had denied him. And you see the love and concern of his heart as he cared for his mother -- the last thing he did before he died -- committing her into the hands of John. And there is that strange, unfathomable mystery of his work -- how he could be at once the sacrifice being offered, and the priest offering the blood before the Father? How he could be both the victim of man's sin, of man's hatred and cruelty and guilt and, at the same time, be the victor over all the forces of darkness and hell and death, over the principalities and powers whom he took and nailed to the cross? We never can fully understand it, but there is the glory of Jesus -- all hidden there in the cross of Christ. (2) And God was glorified in him. That is the second thing, he said. The cross not only reveals Jesus but it reveals the Father -- all the truth about the Father. The strange idea has arisen among Christians, I have found, that Jesus is the innocent sufferer, placating the wrath of a terribly angry God who is ready to smite humanity. But that is not the biblical view. The Bible says, "God was in Christ reconciling the world himself," (2 Corinthians 5:19RSV). You see in the cross the holiness and the justice of God. Isaiah says, "It pleased Jehovah to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. He has made His soul an offering for sin," (Isaiah 53:10). There you see the power and the sovereignty of God. Peter, on the day of Pentecost, could say, "Jesus was delivered up [to be crucified] according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God," (Acts 2:23). He was in charge of the events. There you see the mercy and the love and grace of the Father. As Paul writes to the Romans, "He who spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him freely give us all things?" (Romans 8:32). (3) And so, as Jesus says, he is glorified, the Father is glorified, and God will glorify him again, and will do it immediately. Here he is thinking of his resurrection and exaltation. Resurrection is never far behind death. Our Lord is declaring a great principle here. How do you achieve glory? How do you achieve the fulfillment you are wanting -- and quite properly so: God made us this way; it is not wrong to want to be noticed, to want to attain success, to want to achieve stature and status -- it is not wrong, but how do you go about it? The answer is: By dying. "If you save your life, you will lose it; if you lose your life for my sake," Jesus said, "you will save it," (Matthew 16:25). And very close behind death is resurrection -- the exaltation of God. Peter puts it precisely in one of his epistles: "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that in due time he may exalt you," (1 Peter 5:6). That is difficult for the natural man, isn't it? We struggle with this -- I do, you do. We fight for the top place. We are filled with suspicion and guile toward one another. We could all be involved in a Watergate scandal. We all want to read each other's mail, to find out what is going on in other people's lives -- especially if they are in any sense our rivals. So how can you do this, how can you lose your life? What is the power which can make you be willing to throw it all away, apparently, to give it all up? Well, that is why Jesus adds, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you..." That is the power which makes sacrifice possible. It can't be done on any other terms. It is not ambition -- that's not enough. It is love. The key is in the phrase, "as I have loved you." That is why Paul could write, "The love of Christ constrains us," (2 Corinthians 5:14). That is the secret. That phrase is both the measure and the origin of our love. Our love for one another, Jesus says, is to be like his love for us. That is, we must love as he does, without condition, ready to forgive, honest and candid, open and accepting toward each other. That is the measure of it. Then, it must originate from his love for us. As the Father loved the Son, and as he lived by that love, so we are to live by the love of Jesus available to us. We are to draw upon his loving acceptance of us in order to reach out in loving acceptance to someone else near us, whether they are lovely or not. That is the secret. Jesus himself says that this is the mark of true discipleship. "Do you want people to believe your message? They will when they see the mark. And this is the mark by which the world will know that you really are my disciples -- because you begin to reach out in love like this to each other. If you can't reach out like that in love, if you can't put another's need ahead of your own, and give up your own interests to minister to that need, then you are not my disciples," Jesus says, "you have no part with me." This is the mark. Tom Skinner puts this into very contemporary but beautiful terms. He says, It has always been the will of God to saturate the common clay of a man's humanity, and then to send that man in open display into a hostile world as a living testimony that it is possible for the invisible God to make himself visible in a man. John 13:31-35 Love Your Neighbor Spirit of Unity During World War II, Hitler commanded all religious groups to unite so that he could control them. Among the Brethren assemblies, half complied and half refused. Those who went along with the order had a much easier time. Those who did not, faced harsh persecution. In almost every family of those who resisted, someone died in a concentration camp. When the war was over, feelings of bitterness ran deep between the groups and there was much tension. Finally they decided that the situation had to be healed. Leaders from each group met at a quiet retreat. For several days, each person spent time in prayer, examining his own heart in the light of Christ’s commands. Then they came together. Francis Schaeffer, who told of the incident, asked a friend who was there, “What did you do then?” “We were just one,” he replied. As they confessed their hostility and bitterness to God and yielded to His control, the Holy Spirit created a spirit of unity among them. Love filled their hearts and dissolved their hatred. John 13:32 if God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and will glorify Him immediately. John 13:32 CLICK HERE TO READ PASSAGE IN OVER 60 ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS ICB - If God receives glory through him, then God will give glory to the Son through himself. And God will give him glory quickly." Will also: Jn 17:4-6,21-24 Isa 53:10-12 Heb 1:2,3 1Pe 3:22 Rev 3:21 21:22,23 Rev 22:1,3,13 and will glorify: Jn 12:23 Related Passage: John 12:23+ And Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. (FIRST IN THE CROSS BUT THEN HIS RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION) John 17:5 “Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was. Revelation 3:21 ‘He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. Philippians 2:9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, Hebrews 12:2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross (THE HUMILIATION), despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (THE EXALTATION). GLORIFICATION OF THE SON OF GOD if God (the Father) is glorified (doxazo) in Him (the Son), God (the Father) will also glorify (doxazo) Him (the Son) in Himself, and will glorify (doxazo) Him (the Son) immediately (euthus) - Immediately would speak of the cross, but looks past the cross, to His resurrection and ultimately to His ascension (exaltation) to be seated at the right hand of His Father (Mt. 26:64; Acts 2:33; Acts 5:31; Acts 7:55–56; Ro 8:34; Ep 1:20; Col 3:1; Heb 1:3, 13; Heb 8:1; Heb 10:12; Heb 12:2; 1Pe 3:22) See also Ray Stedman's discussion of glory above. D A Carson - It is almost as if, now that Judas has gone, the last barrier to the onset of the impending ‘hour’ has been removed, and Jesus signals the development: God will glorify the Son … at once. Already in ch. 12 the approach of the Gentiles signalled to Jesus that the period of public ministry and waiting was over, and the ‘hour’ had come (cf. notes on Jn 12:23). Now the departure of Judas puts the actual machinery of arrest, trial and execution into motion. As troubling as that was, this was also the hour for the Son of Man to be glorified, indeed to be glorified in the presence of God with the glory he had with the Father before the world began (Jn 17:5). (SEE The Gospel according to John OR BORROW The Gospel according to John PAGE 482) Merrill Tenney on glorified - The Johannine use of "glorify" (doxazo) is peculiar. The word occurs five times in vv. 31-32 in what seems to be unnecessary repetition. Intrinsically doxazo means "exaltation." But as Jesus used it, it relates to his death. He connected it with the accomplishment of his work and the fulfillment of the hour for which he had been destined (Jn 12:23). The Cross would become the supreme glory of God because the Son would completely obey the will of the Father. The meaning of "exalt" or "magnify" seems to fit better the last two uses in this verse: "God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once." This dual dimension of "glorify" appears also in the prayer of ch. 17, in which Jesus reports that he has glorified the Father by completing the task that had been assigned to him (v. 4) and then asks that he be restored to the glory he enjoyed with the Father in his preincarnate state (v. 5). In this concept the Cross and the Resurrection are united as phases of a single redemptive event by which the purpose of God is completed and his righteousness vindicated. A similar presentation, though in different language, is Paul's description of the humiliation of Christ and his subsequent exaltation given in Philippians 2:4-11. (See The Expositor's Bible Commentary - Abridged Edition OR BORROW Expositor's Bible Commentary PAGE 344) Bob

João 13

MacArthur adds that that "In his book The Mark of the Christian, Francis Schaeffer listed two practical ways Christians can manifest love for each other. They can do so first by being willing to apologize and seek forgiveness from those they have wronged. What causes the sharpest, most bitter disputes in the body of Christ are not doctrinal differences, but the unloving manner in which those differences are handled. Being willing to apologize to those whom we have offended is crucial to preserving the unity of the body of Christ.....A second practical way to demonstrate love is to grant forgiveness. In light of the eternal forgiveness that comes through the cross, Christians should be eager to forgive the temporal offenses committed against them (Matt. 18:21–35; cf. Mt 6:12, 14–15). Because God’s love has transformed believers’ hearts, they are able to extend that love to others in forgiveness." (See John Commentary) QUESTION - What does it mean to have love for one another (John 13:35)? ANSWER - In John 13:35, Jesus establishes mutual love as the distinctive mark of all Christians: “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (ESV). To comprehend the full significance of the command to have love for one another, it is essential to consider the entire context of John 13. Having announced His imminent departure and insisting that His disciples cannot presently accompany Him (John 13:33), Jesus proceeds to outline His expectations for them during His absence. Unfortunately, the disciples continue to struggle with the fact that Jesus’ departure is imminent (verses 36–38). This prompts Jesus to offer an extended explanation about His departure. The hope is that His words would bring comfort to their troubled hearts (see John 14:1). In John 13:34, Jesus issues a new command: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (ESV). This is a simple command, yet we consistently fail to comprehend it and obey it. There are many reasons for this: • We do not recognize the depth of our sin and self-centeredness (Matthew 26:31–35; Mark 9:33–37). • We do not appreciate the love of Jesus (John 1:10–11). • We do not measure ourselves against the standard of Jesus’ love (John 13:1–20). What makes the new command “new” is not that the disciples had never heard it before. In Leviticus 19:18, for instance, Moses writes, “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord” (ESV). And in Deuteronomy 6:5, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (ESV). Jesus also taught His disciples that the entire law and prophets are summed up in the commands to love God and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:28–33). So, why does Jesus say that the command to love one another is new? The newness of the command is to be found in a new standard: “just as I have loved you” (John 13:34ESV). There may also be an allusion to the New Covenant, which promised a radical transformation of heart and mind (cf. Jeremiah 31:29–34; Ezekiel 36:24–26). At any rate, the disciples are expected to reflect the same kind of mutual love and unity that exist between the Father and the Son (John 8:29; 10:18; 12:49–50; 14:31; 15:10). The new command, therefore, is the proper response to God saving us and making us His own (1 John 4:19). And it is by showing love for one another that “all people will know that [we] are [His] disciples, if [we] have love for one another” (John 13:35 ESV; cf. Matthew 5:16; Galatians 6:10). In his Apologeticus, Tertullian reported that the pagan world admired the love that Christians had for one another: “See how they love one another! . . . How they are ready even to die for one another!” (chapter 39). This is precisely what Jesus meant when He said, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13 ESV; cf. 1 John 3:16). Our love for one another ought to reflect the mutual love between the Father and the Son, as well as the love that Jesus has for us, “having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end” (John 13:1). May we imitate this kind of love. GotQuestions.org The Believer’s Badge By Melvin Worthington SCRIPTURE: John 13:35 INTRODUCTION: The most distinctive and effective characteristic of God’s children is love. On the night of His Crucifixion, Jesus stated this idea clearly, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). The Source of Love (1 John 4:16). This divine love comes from God and is imparted by the Holy Spirit. Those who do not love have no true acquaintance with God, for God is love. The Sample of Love (John 13:34). Jesus, in a “new commandment,” instructs the disciples to love one another as He had loved them. His love was unselfish, universal, untiring, undeserved, and unique. The Sign of Love (John 13:35). Believers’ love one for the other is the decisive evidence that they are disciples of Christ. It is that which identifies them as followers of Christ. CONCLUSION: There is nothing that the world understands and values more than true love. John 13:35 Do You Need a "Business" Card? - MANY Christians should carry ID cards saying, "I am a Christian." This is because their manner of living is so much like the world's that without some kind of identification you would never recognize them as being citizens of heaven. C. H. Spurgeon apparently saw this inconsistency in some of the believers in his day, for he wrote, "When I went to school, we drew such things as houses, horses, and trees, and used to write the word house under the picture of the house, and the word horse under the picture of the horse. Otherwise, some persons might have mistaken the house for a horse. So," Spurgeon continued, "there are some people who need to wear a label around their necks to show they are Christians, or else we might mistake them for sinners." Jesus told His followers, "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:35). In Matthew 12:33, He said, "a tree is known by its fruit." According to the apostle Paul, "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control" (Galatians 5:22-23). If we need identification cards to prove we are followers of Christ, maybe we're not. Dangerous Distractions Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples. John 13:35 nlt Today's Scripture & Insight : John 13:31–35 Artist Sigismund Goetze shocked Victorian-era England with a painting entitled “Despised and Rejected of Men.” In it, he portrayed the suffering, condemned Jesus surrounded by people of Goetze’s own generation. They were so consumed by their own interests—business, romance, politics—that they were shockingly oblivious to the Savior’s sacrifice. Indifferent to Christ, the surrounding crowd, like the mob at the foot of Jesus’s cross, had no idea what—or who—they had missed. In our day as well, believers and unbelievers alike can easily become distracted from the eternal. How can followers of Jesus cut through this fog of distraction with the truth of God’s great love? We can begin by loving one another as fellow children of God. Jesus said, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:35 nlt). But real love doesn’t stop there. We extend that love by sharing the gospel in hopes of drawing people to the Savior. As Paul wrote, “We are . . . Christ’s ambassadors” (2 Corinthians 5:20). Pink Sheep By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. — John 13:35 Today's Scripture & Insight : John 10:7-18 While traveling on a road from Glasgow to Edinburgh, Scotland, I was enjoying the beautiful, pastoral countryside when a rather humorous sight captured my attention. There, on a small hilltop, was a rather large flock of pink sheep. I know that sheep owners mark their animals with dots of spray paint to identify them—but these sheep really stood out. The owner had fully covered every animal with pink coloring. Everyone knew who those sheep belonged to. Scripture calls followers of Christ sheep, and they too have a unique identifying mark. What is the “pink coloring” in a Christ-follower’s life? How can someone be identified as Jesus’ own? In the gospel of John, Jesus, the Good Shepherd, told us what that identifier is: love. “Love one another; as I have loved you . . . . By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). Dear Lord, remind me that this life is not about me and my needs, but about others and how Your love can shine through me to them. May Christlike love be my distinguishing characteristic. As followers of Christ, our love should make us stand out in a crowd. Love For One Another By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. — John 13:35 Today's Scripture : John 13:33-35 You have to work hard to offend Christians. By nature, Christians are the most forgiving, understanding, and thoughtful group of people I’ve ever dealt with. They never assume the worst. They appreciate the importance of having different perspectives. They’re slow to anger, quick to forgive, and almost never make rash judgments or act in anything less than a spirit of total love. . . . No, wait—I’m thinking of Labrador retrievers! I laughed when I read this humorous thought by David Learn in an e-mail. But having had experience with retrievers—and fellow Christians—I think it’s true that sometimes believers are just too easily offended! “The choir director always gives her the solos.” “The pastor didn’t even look at me when he shook my hand.” “I do a lot around here—people ought to appreciate me a little more.” Anger. Resentment. Pride. Sure, issues between believers do sometimes need to be addressed. But what if we always tried to treat others the way we want to be treated (Matt. 7:12), weren’t quick to judge others but forgave them (Luke 6:37), and demonstrated a little humility? (Phil. 2:3). Lord, let me be a shining light In all I say and do, That Your great love displayed in me May lead someone to You. —Sper Sometimes the best witness is love. The King’s Colors By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. — John 13:35 Today's Scripture : John 13:31-35 In Thailand, the people greatly love and admire King Bhumibol (Rama IX), who has led them for over 60 years. To display their respect for the king, the Thai people wear bright yellow shirts every Monday, because yellow is the official color of the king. As we seek to live for our King, the Lord Jesus Christ, we should also show our colors of allegiance and appreciation for all He has done for us. But how? What are the “colors” that declare to the world that we serve the King of kings and Lord of lords? The night before His crucifixion, King Jesus told us what our “colors” should be when He said, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). His disciple John echoed this when he wrote, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4:11). When we display Christ’s love for our fellow believers, it is more than just kindness or care. It is one of the most tangible ways we can show our love and devotion for the Savior. Our love for God shows in our love for others. Looking For The Obvious You yourselves are taught by God to love one another. — 1 Thessalonians 4:9 Today's Scripture : 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 A service station should provide what its name implies. Yet gas stations that offer free service seem to be a thing of the past. In an article for the Detroit Free Press, Ellen Warren asked, “Can we get service at a service station?” She wasn’t talking merely about nostalgia but about basic services such as free air, clean and accessible restrooms, and road maps (at least ones to look at). Warren located one station that did live up to its name, however. A sign out in front read: “Last and only gas station that offers FREE air and water, cold drinking water, clean restrooms, towels and hand fresheners, fuel gloves, travel information. Always open.” Expecting love from Christians should be just as reasonable as expecting service from a service station. The Thessalonians had been “taught by God to love one another” (1 Thessalonians 4:9), so Paul said he didn’t need to write them about brotherly love. And Jesus told His disciples that love would identify them as His followers (John 13:35). If I can do some good today, If I can help in what I say, If by my deeds Your love convey, Dear Lord, just show me how. —Brandt They do not truly love who do not show their love. —Shakespeare Showing Real Love By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. — John 13:35 Today's Scripture : John 13:1-5,33-35 Chinese New Year happens to fall on the same day as Valentine’s Day in 2010. While these two festivals have very different origins, there are some similarities in how they are celebrated. In both cases, loved ones give gifts to express love for one another. Whether it is giving roses to your beloved on Valentine’s Day or hong bao (red packets with money) to family and friends on Chinese New Year, they represent tokens of love. Our Lord Jesus Christ commanded His disciples to “love one another,” because “by this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). The love that our Lord wants His disciples to have for one another is different from the romantic kind displayed between loving couples and the brotherly kind shown between friends or family. It’s an unselfish love. The Greek word John used in Jesus’ command is agape—God’s kind of love that expects nothing in return. That was what Jesus showed to His disciples when He “poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet” (v.5). That is the kind of love He displayed when He went to the cross for us. Lord, teach us the secret of loving, The love You are asking today; Then help us to love one another; For this we most earnestly pray. —Anon. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. —Galatians 6:2+ God’s Catalog By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. — John 13:35 Today's Scripture : John 17:20-26 Tis the season to receive catalogs in the mail. Every trip to the mailbox ends with an armload of slick holiday catalogs. Each one claims to offer me something I need—immediately. “Don’t wait!” “Limited offer!” “Order now!” The lure works. I open the pages to discover what I didn’t know I needed. Sure enough, I see things that suddenly seem essential, even though a few minutes earlier I didn’t know they existed. Manufacturers use catalog illustrations to create desire for their products. In a way, Christians are God’s catalogs. We are His illustration to the world of what He has to offer. His work in our lives makes us a picture of qualities that people may not know they need or want until they see them at work in us. Jesus prayed that His followers would be unified so the world would know that God sent Him and loved them as God loved Him (John 17:23). When Christ is alive in us, we become examples of God’s love. We can’t manufacture love. God is the manufacturer, and we are His workmanship. What does the world see in us That they can’t live without? Do they see winsome qualities And love that reaches out? —Sper As a Christian, you are “God’s advertisement.” Do people want what they see in you? Porcupine People This commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also. — 1 John 4:21 Today's Scripture : 1 John 4:16-21 Deep in a Wyoming canyon I came across the biggest porcupine I’ve ever seen. As he lumbered toward me, I watched him closely and gave him plenty of room. I was not about to get near a guy whose quills looked like missiles. No wonder he was alone! But he’s not alone all the time. Every November and December, porcupines get close enough to produce offspring. During that time they choose to relax their quills, then they return to their prickly selves. In nearly every church, there will be a porcupine or two, with sharp quills of criticism or sarcasm or arrogance. We want to avoid them, but God places us in communities of believers for fellowship. He commands us to love one another—including the porcupine types. And in our honest moments, we have to admit that we have quills too. Some people can be difficult to love And so we do not even try to care, But God says, "Love them just as I've loved you— You'll bring Me glory as My love you share." God loves you and me-let's love each other. The World Is Watching He who says he abides in [Jesus] ought himself also to walk just as He walked. — 1 John 2:6 (SEE Walking Like Jesus Walked!) Today's Scripture : 1 John 2:1-11 If the people in your community were asked about the Christians who live there, what do you think they would say? Would they say they recognize Christians by their love, or because of something else? Consider these two true situations: In one small town a restaurant decided to close on Sunday nights because the staff refused to work for the after-evening-church crowd. The people who came from church were rude, messy, and left small tips. In another town, the manager of a store that sold concert tickets reported that some of the rudest people she had ever met were several who had bought tickets to hear a well-known Christian singing group. Sometimes we don’t realize it, but the non-Christian world is watching us. Our neighbors and acquaintances and others we encounter notice our behavior. They know that if we claim to be followers of Christ we are supposed to be kind and compassionate. They know that our lives should reflect love and Christlikeness (John 13:35; 1 John 2:6). They know that we shouldn’t be so busy with our own interests that we don’t love other people. I want my life to shine for Jesus So that everywhere I go The watching world will see He loves them And His saving grace will know. —Hess Nothing is so attractive as being like Christ. How To Amaze People By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another. — John 13:35 Today's Scripture : John 13:31-38 David Doubilet is a photojournalist whose pictures of a silent underwater world can turn even an ugly, bug-eyed sea creature into a lovely, luminescent work of art. Although he has received many honors for his work, he has also been criticized by environmentalists for not doing more “hard-edge” journalism. They want him to take pictures of dead fish, dirty beaches, and polluted oceans. But Doubilet believes there’s a better way to get people to care about the environment. Instead of showing the destruction that humans are causing, he shows the beauty God has created. Some Christians seem to think that the way to improve our spiritual environment is to point out all the evil in the world. But Jesus showed us a better way. Although He never glossed over sin (Matthew 15:18-20), He said to His followers before going to the cross, “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). We are more effective witnesses when we become portraits of the beauty God is creating in us than when we merely paint a bleak picture of human degradation. Oh, what glory in a sunrise— Golden hues from God above! More amazing still the beauty Of a life filled with His love! —D. De Haan Love is a magnet that draws believers together and unbelievers to Christ. John 13:36 Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, where are You going?" Jesus answered, "Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later." John 13:36 CLICK HERE TO READ PASSAGE IN OVER 60 ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS where: Jn 13:33 14:4,5 16:17 John 21:18-21 you: Jn 21:18,19,22 2Pe 1:14 Related Passage: John 21:18-21 “Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.” 19 Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me!” PROPHECY OF PETER'S MARTYRDOM Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord (kurios), where are You going?" - Peter and disciples still do not fully understand that Jesus is going to the Cross within less than 24 hours. Bob Utley "Simon Peter said to Him" This is the first in a series of questions by the disciples about Jesus' statements in John 13:31-35 (cf. John 13:36; John 14:5,8,22; John 16:17-19). I am so glad these disciples asked these questions and that John remembered them and recorded them! Jesus answered, "Where I go, you cannot follow (akoloutheo) Me now; but you will follow (akoloutheo) later - Jesus is in essence giving a prophetic promise of martyrdom for Peter (see John 21:18-21 above). After the Spirit came and opened Peter's eyes to Jesus' words, in his last letter he wrote "knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me." (2Pe 1:14) Peter knew the time for the folding of his tent (so to speak) was drawing nigh, but what is he doing with this understanding? Clearly, he is redeeming the time he had left, even penning his second powerful epistle! THOUGHT - While we may or may not know our time is drawing nigh, in truth, the time of our departure will be soon (in light of eternity - cf Jas 4:14+, Ps 144:4+), so we too must make a conscious, Spirit empowered decision to redeem the precious seconds God has granted us for our eternal good (treasure in heaven) and His great glory! (See article Redeem the Time, see my video Redeem the Time). Let it be so Lord in the life of every saint who reads these words. In Jesus' mighty Name. Amen THE GOSPEL ACCOUNTS IN PARALLEL Jesus predicts that Peter will deny him Lk 22:31-32 (#1) Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; 32 (#2) but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” John 13:36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.” Mark 14:29 But Peter said to Him, “Even though all may fall away, yet I will not.” Mt 26:33 But Peter said to Him, “Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away.” Lk 22:33 But he said to Him, “Lord, with You I am ready to go both to prison and to death!” John 13:37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You right now? I will lay down my life for You.” Mark 14:30 And Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you, that this very night, before a rooster crows twice, you yourself will deny Me three times.” Mt 26:34 Jesus said to him, “Truly I say to you that this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” Lk 22:34 And He said, “I say to you, Peter, the rooster will not crow today until you have denied three times that you know Me.” John 13:38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times. Mark 14:31 But Peter kept saying insistently, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!” And they all were saying the same thing also. Mt 26:35 Peter *said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You.” All the disciples said the same thing too. (#1) Luke and John's transitions to this prophecy of Peter's betrayal cannot be reconciled with Mark and Matthew or with each other. (#2) This is the only place in Luke where Jesus prays for someone else. In John, he mentions praying for others or offers to pray for them in a number of places (Jn 14:16, 16:26, 17:9, 17:15, 17:20). Oswald Chambers - The afterwards of the life of power (Borrow My Utmost for His Highest - page 4) (or here) Whither I go, thou canst not follow Me now; but thou shalt follow Me afterwards. John 13:36. “And when He had spoken this, He saith unto him, Follow Me.” Three years before, Jesus had said—“Follow Me,” and Peter had followed easily, the fascination of Jesus was upon him, he did not need the Holy Spirit to help him to do it. Then he came to the place where he denied Jesus, and his heart broke. Then he received the Holy Spirit, and now Jesus says again—“Follow Me.” There is no figure in front now saving the Lord Jesus Christ. The first “Follow Me” had nothing mystical in it, it was an external following; now it is a following in internal martyrdom (cf. John 21:18). Between these times Peter had denied Jesus with oaths and curses, he had come to the end of himself and all his self-sufficiency; there was not one strand of himself he would ever rely upon again, and in his destitution he was in a fit condition to receive an impartation from the risen Lord. “He breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost.” No matter what changes God has wrought in you, never rely upon them, build only on a Person, the Lord Jesus Christ, and on the Spirit He gives. All our vows and resolutions end in denial because we have no power to carry them out. When we have come to the end of ourselves, not in imagination but really, we are able to receive the Holy Spirit. “Receive ye the Holy Ghost”—the idea is that of invasion. There is only one lodestar in the life now, the Lord Jesus Christ. F B