Whose Authority

Lesson #125

We continue the previous lesson by picking up at verse 18: “The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood” (John 7:18 ESV). Jesus was not speaking on his own authority, but on that of his Father. What Jesus taught was given to him from his Father. When we teach do we teach on our own authority or on the authority of the Word of God and our position in Christ?

When we listen to someone speak or teach we need to evaluate what the speaker does with the glory that is generated. Does the person seek it for themselves or for God? He who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory, but if the message is obtained from God as the source and the speaker seeks glory for Him then there is much less chance of falsehood in the message because the speaker is not seeking his own gain.

“Has not Moses given you the law? Yet none of you keeps the law. Why do you seek to kill me?” (John 7:19 ESV). Back in chapter 5, Jesus healed a paralytic on the Sabbath at the pool called Bethesda. This angered the Jewish leaders because by healing on the Sabbath they claimed Jesus was breaking the law. They claimed they were upset because of their zeal for the Law. Jesus claimed it was not their zeal for the law, but their evil hearts from which their hate for him came. They who claimed to be so righteous and a defender of the Law, Jesus claims they violate the Law as often as they please and therefore they care nothing about the Law but instead are trying to protect their own piety by pointing out the sins of others.

The crowd joins in, in defense of their leaders, saying, “You have a demon! Who is seeking to kill you?” (John 7:20 ESV). It seems that the crowd was not fully aware of the intentions or accusations of their leaders and felt a demon was misleading Jesus. They didn’t realize the intensity of hatred toward Jesus and by saying he had a demon and thus were ascribing to him a form of madness for his feeling. Jesus response to this is too long to this lesson and will be covered in the next.

Prayer

Father, I wonder how often the evil in my own heart has caused me to take a stand in defense of the Scriptures only to be defending my own position. This lesson points out to me how important heart attitude is when approaching the Word of God. Forgive me for my past times of abuse and guide me into a proper understanding of my heart. 

The Teaching of Jesus

Lesson #124

With this lesson we will begin the next section of chapter 7 defined by John 7:14 – 24. In the last lesson we left the Jewish leaders wondering where Jesus was, the people muttering among themselves over who they thought Jesus was, and Jesus located someplace at the feast. “About the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching” (John 7:14 ESV). Jesus held back until just the right time and then he entered the temple and as the great High Priest he was he began teaching those assembled there.

As Jesus taught those present, “The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How is it that this man has learning, when he has never studied?”” (John 7:15 ESV). As Jesus spoke with such learning the Jews were held in wonder and astonishment because he had not studied as they had. Speaking with such authority and understanding Jesus distinguished himself by his knowledge of the Scriptures and how he applied them. This great knowledge and understanding exceeded that of the Jews resulting in them despising, hating, and rejecting Jesus and as a result they were despising the grace of God.

 “So Jesus answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me.”” (John 7:16 ESV). The very fact that Jesus taught with such authority as an untrained teacher made it very clear that his source of understanding was not from the school of men but from a much different source. His teaching was from a much higher level, higher than what the Jews were teaching. In fact, Jesus claimed that what he taught was not his but was from his Father who sent him. Jesus made it very clear that his teaching was not from men but was from God. By referring to God as the author he is impressing on those listening that they should understand what he is saying and obey it.

“If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority” (John 7:17 ESV). If a person has determined to do God’s will and submit to him in reverence, Jesus is saying that person will know whether the teaching is from God or from men. Obedience to God provides us with understanding and thus protection against the teachings of men. The Jews could not accept who Jesus claimed to be. They could not get beyond Jesus being Mary’s illegitimate child so they could not possibly accept his claim that his teaching was from his Father in heaven. They believed his teaching was on his own authority and his claim blasphemous and so their hate for him grew.

We will continue this discussion with verse 18 in our next lesson.

Prayer

Father, how important it is to live in obedience to your will. This was made so clear to the nation of Israel for if they obeyed they were promised protection and prosperity, but if they disobeyed they would be destroyed. Father, I see this happening to the US. As we disobey you we turn and listen to the instruction of men and fall deeper and deeper into sin and its wages of death. I fear we have lost our discernment and thus your protection. 

Expectation and Tension

Lesson #123

With this lesson we will cover the next section defined by John 7:10 – 13. “But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private” (John 7:10 ESV). We commented in the last lesson that it wasn’t the intent of Jesus to not go up to the feast at all. It appears that he wanted to wait a little while and then go up quietly. He had his own plans and schedule. Those plans were to go unnoticed by others if possible. He “went up, not publicly but in private.”

“The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, “Where is he?” And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No, he is leading the people astray.” Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him” (John 7:11 – 13 ESV). There appears to be an interesting dynamic developing. The Jewish leaders were expecting Jesus to come to the feast and maybe do something big, but by waiting and coming privately, Jesus kept them in suspense. The people acted differently than the Jewish leaders. They seemed to fear them because they were not speaking out, but were instead muttering amongst themselves, not quite sure who Jesus really was. Some saw him as a good man while others felt he was leading them astray.

This muttering or murmuring; this diversity of opinion over Jesus is no different today. Since the historical appearance of Jesus people have discussed and debated over who Jesus really is. One thing is certain, no matter how large or small the crowd, God will always have some present who will think right. The Father has chosen and the Spirit has worked in the hearts of those who will believe. These will understand while others will eventually walk away unconvinced over who Jesus really is. Who do you think Jesus really is and how does that belief make you different, radically different, than the world?

The Jews burned with such hatred toward Jesus that they did not permit the people to openly discuss who they felt Jesus was. This hatred toward Jesus exists today and expresses itself through persecution of those who identify through faith with Jesus. Today in many places in the world people are dying because of their conversion to Christianity. Later, in John 15, Jesus makes it very clear that the world will hate us because it first hated him. This hate is clear in central Asia, but here in the West we as believers have become so much like the world that we have been pretty much left alone. I think that might change for an emerging group of believers who are willing to walk with Jesus as we should.

Prayer

Father, forgive me for being so much like the brothers of Jesus and living in the ways of the world and not according to your will. It is so natural to try to do things in my own strength and in my own way. The process of dying to self and living for Jesus has been a slow, hard, painful process, but one of great reward. Thank you for your patience and loving discipline and work in my life.

Not Yet Time

Lesson #122

We continue in the section defined by John 7:1 – 9 at verse 6: “Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here.”” (ESV). His brothers believed if Jesus was the Messiah now would be the time to go to Jerusalem and go public. With it being festival time in Jerusalem there would be large crowds and in the minds of his brothers the time to rally the people around him, but this is worldly thinking. Jesus came, not as a worldly Messiah to deliver the Jews from bondage under Rome, but to die on the cross as their perfect sacrifice and redeemer to deliver them from the bondage of sin. This is the work of the true Messiah and his time was not now but later.

“The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil” (John 7:7 ESV). Jesus seems to change the topic from what is the correct time to the issue of hate. His brothers are thinking about the popularity of Jesus, but Jesus is thinking about additional time for teaching and for the people’s hate to build against him. There will be coming events with Jesus that will cause the Jews to hate him to the point of hanging him on the cross. Because of sin the world is evil and Jesus stands against evil, but for those who believe he will die in their place for their sin. Anyone who lives a righteous life will be persecuted, but if you walk with the world you will not be hated.

Jesus continues by saying, “”You go up to the feast. I am not going up to this feast, for my time has not yet fully come.” After saying this, he remained in Galilee” (John 7:8 – 9 ESV). When we look ahead to verse 10 we find that he did go, but not publicly. I do not see a mistake here by Jesus saying that he was not going up and then goes. The Greek presence tense in verse 8 can have the sense, “I am not now going” up in the way the brothers expected.

For the purpose of this lesson Jesus did stay in Galilee and his brothers went on ahead. In a much future lesson Jesus learned that his friend Lazarus was very sick. He was asked to come right away, but he waited and Lazarus died. Jesus waited so he could raise Lazarus from the dead and teach about the resurrection. Here in our lesson Jesus waits and arrives during the middle of the feast and goes to the temple and teaches and says things that cause the Jews to hate him even more. This is according to plan.

Prayer

Father, it appears to me that western Christians are so much like the world that we are not hated and thus not persecuted. It also appears to me that the world is beginning to apply pressure to remove what remains of our faith. I believe we will soon come to the place where we will be asked to deny the Lord in order to receive certain benefits and services from the world. Father, prepare me for that time of persecution when I will be forced to take a stand with the Lord. 

Who Do You Believe Jesus Is?

Lesson #121

We continue in the section defined by John 7:1 – 9 with a piece of information about the Feast of Booths mentioned in verse 2, but will make no comment about it other that it simply describes an event taking place. A link to its definition is included. We will continue on at verse 3.

“So his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.”” (John 7:3 – 4 ESV). There is a sense of ridicule here for staying in Galilee when Jesus could follow the crowds to Jerusalem for celebration and increase his popularity through, maybe, more miracles. His brothers wanted him to further prove himself and become a celebrity before the people. If Jesus was who he claimed to be his brothers could not understand why he wanted to conceal himself there in Galilee.

Rome was oppressing the Jews making life difficult and Jesus was spending time with relatively few people. If he could perform miracles before larger crowds in Jerusalem then his brothers believed he could accomplish more for people. Jesus knew what the people needed and that was to be accomplished by the works of God not the works of man. It is not what man can accomplish that is important, but what God can accomplish in the spiritual realm for eternity. His brothers see Jesus as simply a gifted man and they want him to leverage that gift for their benefit. They don’t yet really believe and don’t understand that he is really the Son of God who was sent to free them, not from the bondage of Rome, but from the bondage of sin.

“For not even his brothers believed in him” (John 7:5 ESV). The humanity of Jesus was so real and his deity so hidden that people who lived with him for nearly 30 years did not know who he really was. Think about it; these brothers lived and ate and slept with him all those years and they didn’t know they were living with the Son of God. It was out of this unbelief that they wanted him to get out and prove himself by becoming the Messiah he claimed to be; a Messiah they did not really understand.

Prayer

Father, continue to clarify my focus on spiritual things and protect me from being drawn off course by the powers of darkness. I pray that my life would more clearly reflect my heavenly citizenship and not that of the world. Help me seek glory for the Lord and not for me by how I live out each day.

Where Are You Walking?

Lesson #120

With this lesson we will begin the first section of chapter 7 defined by John 7:1 – 9. Before we begin this chapter we need to go back to chapter 6 and pick up some info that will help in our understanding here. In John 6:41 the Jews grumbled about him because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” Their perspective of him was physical as the son of Joseph not the Son of God. Some translations replace the word “grumbled” with “who were hostile to Jesus began complaining.” Thus we can say that the crowds were becoming less friendly toward Jesus. When Jesus talks about eating the bread that came down from heaven, which he equates with his flesh, the hostility grew and the grumbling or complaining was replaced with arguing (John 6:52). Jesus continues with more difficult statements by connecting eternal life with eating this bread from haven and when he does the Jews said, “This is a hard saying: who can listen to it?” (John 6:60) and as a result “many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.” (John 6:66). Because of this growing tension and hostility it was becoming less safe to be in Judea and so, “After these things Jesus was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him” (John 7:1 NASB).

If Jesus has the power to turn water into wine (John 2:1 – 11), heal the sick (John 4:46 – 54; 5:2 – 4), feed the five thousand (John 6:1 – 14), and has the ability to walk on water (John 6:16 – 21) then why would he be afraid to walk among those who were seeking to kill him? There is no question that Jesus could protect himself, but we must remember the commission Jesus had received from the Father and confine himself within the limits which belong to him as a man. Paul brings this into focus in Philippians 2:6 – 8. Jesus, “who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (NASB). Jesus, the Son of God, took upon himself the form of a servant by humbling himself in obedience until his work was done and his Father exalted him. As Jesus lived as a man he was liable to danger and therefore walked with care and as he did he did he stayed focused on the commission his Father sent him on. As with Jesus that commission for us may also, at the proper time, require our life to be given. Think about our brothers and sisters in central Asia who are giving their lives as a witness by simply being a Christian or having a Bible. As with Jesus we may have things the Father has assigned to us to do. We must therefore live an intentional life of obedience until our time of departure, whether it be a natural death or one at the hands of a persecutor. At this time in the life of Jesus, Galilee was the place where he was to be.

Prayer

Father, I think of all the places you directed me to go in different parts of the world to complete assignments you gave to me. On these assignments I learned more about you, became more like Jesus, and hopefully was used to impact lives with the Gospel. As the world continues to draw me into compromise I pray for the power and guidance of the Spirit to keep me on course. 

A Personal Note

Lesson #119

Before we begin John chapter 7, I would like to enter a personal note of two things that have stood out as I worked on writing these Bible studies. First, after finishing each entry I feel like I have just gotten up from a special meal. I feel nourished spiritually and I have noticed that these lessons are changing my life. If no one ever reads what I write I would not stop writing because of the benefit to my life. This benefit is causing me to evaluate how I use my time and determine if what I am doing is of benefit to my life. If it is not then should I be doing it? Second, a vision has formed in my mind of the earth being a great orphanage filled with children of the devil, condemned to an eternity of suffering under the wrath of God, but the Father had plans from the beginning to select a group of these lost souls. Like those of us who go to an orphanage to select a child, the Father selects and adopts them as children into his family. These children make up the bride for Jesus Christ. Knowing that the Father chose me fills my heart with such great love for him and a desire to be obedient to his will. It was not a choice I made, but was his draw on my life that brought me to salvation in Jesus Christ. It was the Father that caused me to be born again.

As a reader I pray that these lessons have been a benefit to you.

Prayer

Father, I pray that these lessons are a benefit, not only to me, but to those are drawn to read them. I pray that in some small way lives are being changed for an eternity through them.

Who Is Your Lord?

Lesson #118

With this lesson we will cover the last section of chapter 6 defined by John 6:66 – 71. Jesus has been saying some very difficult things that pertain to eternal life; things like I am the living bread from heaven and you must eat my flesh and drink my blood if you are to have eternal life. He then follows that by saying “no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father” (John 6:65 ESV). After saying these things “many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him” (John 6:66 ESV). When the truth is clearly spoken it divides people. Those who are drawn by the Father will seek to understand and will benefit from what they hear, but those not drawn and thus not granted authority to come to Jesus will grumble and speak against the speaker and what is said and walk away. Unfortunately when people walk away from the spoken truth the speaker is tempted to water down the truth to make it less painful to hear in order to maintain or to grow congregation size. This I believe, is one of the reasons why the western church is so much like the world; it is not willing to teach and practice the whole truth.

Jesus then said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” (John 6:67 ESV). Seeing so many turning away from following Jesus might have greatly shaken the faith of the twelve disciples and so Jesus asked them if they wanted to go away as well. Jesus wants to encourage them to stay with him and not be influenced by what others are doing. Even if it comes to where we are left standing alone with Jesus, we are to stand because there is no one else who can meet our needs like he can. Peter answers, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God” (John 6:68 – 69 ESV). Peter given two reasons for staying: first, Jesus has the words of eternal life, and second, they believe he is the Holy One of God. With Jesus there is life, but apart from him there is only death.

“Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the Twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the Twelve, was going to betray him” (John 6:70 – 71 ESV). Jesus knew the eleven the Father was drawing to give to him and so he chose them. Jesus also knew that Judas would not believe and so he was selected knowing that in the end he would betray him. Jesus wanted the twelve to know that even one of them would eventually leave as many others already had left walking with him. Imagine having walked with Jesus for three years and experienced the very presence of God and his benefits and then in the end betray him into the hands of those who will kill him. Truly this one is to be identified as a devil. Those not drawn by the Father and left in their sin will in some degree turn against and show their hate and anger toward God.

Prayer

Father, I am overwhelmed by your love for me that would choose a sinful person like me from the orphanage of the world and adopt me as your child and give me as a gift to Jesus Christ. All the benefits I have been given convict me of how little in proportion I give back in my love and service to you. Forgive me and encourage me to be more pleasing to you.

The Flesh Is No Help

Lesson #117

The disciples have been listening to some very difficult spiritual truths without the benefit of the Holy Spirit who was given at Pentecost. Jesus says, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63 ESV). Every person is born spiritually dead and when it comes to obtaining spiritual life “the flesh is no help at all.” “It is the Spirit who gives life” and it is he who gives understanding. The words that Jesus speaks are spirit and life in that they work in the unseen spiritual realm and awaken spiritual life within us. It is this spiritual life that is needed for our understanding of spiritual things.

From divine omniscience, Jesus demonstrates that he knows who believes and who doesn’t by saying, ““There are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.)” (John 6:64 ESV). I am intrigued by the statement “Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe.” Just as God had an intelligent design for the universe I believe Scripture supports that God has an intelligent design for the body of Christ. The Father has chosen every member that will make up the body (Ephesians 1:4) and has an exact design for each member that will be a part of the body. Each one the father draws to himself and gives as a gift to Jesus who then gives eternal life and raises him or her from the dead. As God, Jesus knows who these believers are and those who stand before him here in chapter 6 he knows this about them. He knew when he chose Judas that he would betray him. Judas was part of the divine plan. Jesus knew Judas was not on the list of people (the Lamb’s Book of Life) the Father would draw and thus would not believe so he was chosen. It was not granted by the Father that Judas would be able to come to Jesus in belief. Jesus points this out by saying, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father” (John 6:65 ESV). “For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matthew 7:13 – 14 ESV). The few that find the way are the ones the Father draws and grants authority to. This is the Fathers sovereign choice. He is free to show mercy on those he so chooses and those chosen he gives to Jesus, who gives as an act of grace eternal life.

Prayer

Father, as I finish this section I simply want to say thank you for the truth you have revealed to me over the years; for the life you have given to me through Jesus Christ; for the Spirit that lives within me that gives me understanding; for the living hope I have for the future. Thank you.

Do You Take Offense At This?

Lesson #116

With this lesson we will begin the next section defined by John 6:59 – 65, but first let us go back to the beginning of this chapter where Jesus fed the five thousand. During the night he crosses the sea to Capernaum with the crowd following the next day. When they arrived they asked him how he got there, but Jesus did not answer and instead he says to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst” (John 6:35 ESV). Jesus continues to challenge them by saying, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh” (John 6:51 ESV). Jesus presses on and says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you” (John 6:53 ESV). “Jesus said these things while he was teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum” (John 6:59 NET). I found this to be a very interesting and meaningful adventure working through this material. I pray that you did also.

The statements Jesus was making about himself being the true living bread that came down from heaven and whoever feeds on this bread will live forever caused his disciples to say, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” (John 6:60 ESV). It was hard saying because they were trying to interpret was Jesus was saying literally, which was impossible. It literally could not be done, was not done and has not ever been done. Jesus often used the physical as a way to teach spiritual truths. To eat the flesh of Jesus is done by trusting or believing in him, especially in his death for our sins. This connection is made in John 6:35 when Jesus said, “I am the bread of life. The one who comes to me will never go hungry, and the one who believes in me will never be thirsty” (NET). “To drink his blood” means to trust in his atoning death. “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” (Hebrews 9:22 ESV).

Throughout the Bible we encounter many “hard statements” we might grumble about or take offense at, but instead we should stop and seek to understand the best we can what they mean. Jesus knew his disciples were grumbling over what he was saying and he said to them, “Do you take offense at this?” (John 6:61 ESV). Part of the problem is that Jesus stood before his disciples as a man not so different than other men, which prevented them from submitting to his Divine power. Jesus says, “Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before?” (John 6:62 ESV). What if Jesus were to pull back the veil of flesh and reveal his heavenly glory. Jesus “who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 1:3 – 4 ESV). Seeing Jesus as he really is, fully man and fully God, allows one to think differently about what Jesus has been saying.

Prayer

Father, as I prayerfully work my way through this material I often think of how different the western church would be today and as a result how different our country would be if we truly believed the Scriptures and took time to learn them and apply what we learn to our lives. If we did we would reflect our heavenly citizenship and live lives quite different from the way we currently live. Father, forgive us for going astray and as a wayward child encourage us back to you.

The Flow of Life

Lesson #115

With this lesson we will finish the section defined by John 6:52 – 58. We will pick up where Jesus is saying, “As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me” (John 6:57 ESV). Jesus has been explaining to us the way we must become partakers of life. The focus has been on him as the source of life; the bread that came down from heaven. We need to expand this focus by going back to the Father. The living Father sent his only Son who took on flesh through the virgin birth. As his only Son, Jesus lives in the flesh of man because of the Father. In his flesh, Jesus speaks of his Father as the source of life, but as the eternal Word Jesus is himself life. The focus here is not the divine nature of Jesus, but in his manifestation to the world, clothed with our flesh.

When Jesus says, “I live because of the Father” he is speaking from his human nature. In the flesh Jesus continues to look back to the Father when he points out divine characteristics within himself. As Jesus looks back to his Father he says that he lives because of him, we must look back to Jesus and say that we live because of him. As Calvin says in his commentary on John, “In the first rank is the living Father, who is the source, but remote and hidden. Next follows the Son, who is exhibited to us as an open fountain, and by whom life flows to us. The third is, the life which we draw from him. We now perceive what is stated to amount to this, that God the Father, in whom life dwells, is at a great distance from us, and that Christ, placed between us, is the second cause of life, in order that what would otherwise be concealed in God may proceed from him to us.” (Christian Classics Ethereal Library, Commentary on John – Volume 1).

Jesus continues by drawing attention the value of this living bread that came down from heaven: “This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever” (John 6:58 ESV). To summarize this section Jesus again drawn a comparison between the manna the fathers ate and died and the living bread from heaven, which is his flesh, which if eaten would provide eternal life. Jesus plainly states that he is providing a more excellent food than manna because his food, his flesh, comes with life from heaven. This food from heaven is from God and is pure without any earthly corruption. The manna that Moses provided met the physical need of satisfying physical hunger, but left the soul without nourishment. The bread that Jesus is providing satisfies the hunger of the soul. It nourishes us in this life spiritually as we work out our salvation, waiting for our resurrection.

Prayer

Father, just as I must be intentional about proper diet and eating habits, I must also be intentional about my spiritual diet and eating habits. Thank you for your guidance and encouragement over the past 65 years to keep me focused on the Word of God. Thank you for the spiritual health this nourishment from the living bread that came down from heaven has provided. Thank you for the wisdom and understanding this has provided me with over the years. 

True Food and True Drink

Lesson #114

Who could possibly understand what Jesus was saying about eating his flesh and drinking his blood in order to have eternal life? It was only natural for the Jews to think about his physical flesh and blood, but Jesus presses on saying, “For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him” (John 6:55 – 56 ESV). This is an even greater mystery because if we eat his flesh and drink his blood he abides in us and us in him. What is being said is really difficult but important so it needs to be understood.

Without food the body will waist away and without heavenly bread the soul will be famished and will perish with hunger. Jesus Christ is saying that he is the source of life and this nourishment our soul needs is found in his flesh. The life in his flesh he gave through his death and resurrection. That life given on the cross becomes our life through faith. We must embrace his death on the cross and die to self with him and then in Christ his life becomes ours. This is eating his flesh.

Jesus continues by saying that his blood is true drink. Since blood is part of his flesh why might he mention it? Since food and drink are necessary for life I believe Jesus is being complete here by mentioning both flesh and blood. Both are mentioned in the Lord’s Supper: “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26 ESV). This verse supports the connection of eating his flesh and drinking his blood with his death on the cross and our belief in how he shares his life with us. This eating we are asked to do, in a way, as Calvin says, implies that “faith alone is the mouth and the stomach of the soul” and as we come to Jesus Christ by faith he then abides is us and we in him.

Prayer

Father, as I study my way through John I realize how little we know about the Jesus of the Bible and his provision for present and eternal needs. I believe this deficiency is reflected in a Barna survey which indicates that 40% of born-again Christians said they believe Christians and Muslims worship the same God. Father, my heart aches over how lukewarm the western church is becoming in their desire to learn and apply the word to their lives and in their love for the Lord.

His Flesh and Blood

Lesson #113

With this lesson we will begin the next section defined by John 6:52 – 58. Jesus said he was the living bread that came down from heaven and if anyone eats this bread, he will live forever. He then relates the bread with his flesh. This causes the Jews to dispute among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” (John 6:52 ESV). This disputing is a sign of disbelief and contempt and as a result it prevents them from honestly inquiring about how they are to eat as Jesus commands. Our sinful natures find it easier to try to discredit what we don’t understand than to seek to understand the possible truth of what is being presented. When Jesus says something it is a word from God and we need to accept it as true and then determine to understand it.

Their rejection causes Jesus to issue a rather harsh statement. He says to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you” (John 6:53 ESV). Consider the emotion that must be building up in these Jews as Jesus condemns them to the eternal wrath of God for refusing to seek life from his flesh. Without understanding what Jesus is saying and responding by faith there is no hope of salvation. I can feel the resentment building and their rejection of what Jesus was presenting as truth. In some way the flesh of Jesus contained life that they needed; a life that was to be found no place else.

Jesus continues by saying, “Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:54 ESV). This statement sure doesn’t add any clarity for those thinking about it in terms of a natural response. It is not possible to eat his flesh or drink his blood they think. It makes no sense to them; in the same way it made no sense to Nicodemus to be born again or to the woman at the well that Jesus was the living water that she needed. These concepts are indeed difficult to understand or believe. Just as the body is sustained by eating and drinking, the soul is sustained by feeding on his flesh and blood. We begin to see that our understanding will be found in the spiritual realm and that we will need more information from Jesus on this. There are many things concerning our salvation that are hidden until after our resurrection. Even with more information from Jesus, we still will not have a full understanding of this until we stand before him.

We will seek to add to our understanding in out next lesson.

Prayer

Father, this lesson presents a difficult concept. How easy it is for teachers and pastors to skip over some of the concepts of this chapter, but in so doing we are not stretched spiritually and we miss a vital piece of information about our Lord and savior. When our Bible studies and sermons are topical and not verse by verse the tendency is to focus on the easy and as a result we have become a people short of understanding, lacking in faith and of little influence in our culture. Father, forgive us and encourage us to be more intentional to the need of spiritual growth.