Pastor Billington's Blog

John 21

1-14: This event is similar to when Jesus called the disciples to full-time ministry (Luke 5:1-11). We also know from the synoptics that Jesus told the disciples that He would meet them in Galilee (Mark 14:28). I believe that these are examples of John supplementing what we find in the other gospels. This forms a bookend of sorts to Jesus’ ministry.

15-19: Peter denied Jesus three times. Here Jesus gives him the opportunity to experience restoration. Jesus gives Peter the chance to boast that He loves Jesus more than the other disciples, but Peter now knows that he is just as susceptible to failure as they are! Then Jesus asks Him two more times, “Do you love me?” Peter responds that Jesus knows all things, so He knows that Peter loves Him. I also think that something else is going on here, but I am in a minority regarding this understanding. There are different words for love here. Some think that John is just using synonyms for variations sake. I believe that He is actually recording what was said, and I take it a little differently than most. Jesus starts out asking if Peter loves Him, and He uses the word agape. We tend to think of that as a special, self-sacrificing love. But I think Peter takes it differently. This is the love you can have even for your enemies. Peter’s wants to stress that his love is greater than that! Peter says that he loves Jesus like a brother! Jesus changes to that same word the third time He asks Peter, “Do you love me?” I believe that He’s acknowledging Peter’s affection and devotion. Peter is supposed to show his love for Jesus by feeding those who believe in Him. Feeding refers to teaching them the word, both by sharing the gospel and instructing them how to obey once they’ve believed.

20-23: John makes sure that we understand a rumor going around about him isn’t true! Jesus isn’t necessarily going to come back before John dies. These verses remind us that we’re supposed to be concerned about our own walk with God, and not be preoccupied with how He deals with others.

24-24: John concludes his gospel by reminding us that there is so much more that could be written about Jesus. He’s tried to give us more of the story, but there is still more that could be told!

Thought for the day: How do we love God? With sincerity? Without hypocrisy? Without comparing ourselves to others?

Mark 12:30 (WEB) ” ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.”

John 20

John 20:8-9 can seem confusing, but it’s actually fairly straightforward. John saw the evidence at the tomb and believed that Jesus rose from the dead, but neither disciple really understood the Scriptural evidence that pointed to the resurrection:

Psalm 16:10 (WEB) “For you will not leave my soul in Sheol, neither will you allow your holy one to see corruption.”

Isaiah 53:10 (WEB) “When you make his soul an offering for sin, he will see his offspring. He will prolong his days and Yahweh’s pleasure will prosper in his hand.”

Rather than try and find something mystical in 20:16, perhaps Jesus is simply saying: “Stop holding on to me. I haven’t ascended yet. I’m not going to disappear on you!” Isn’t it special that, even though He is not physically here now, He is present with us through His Spirit?!?!

John 14:16-17 (WEB) “I will pray to the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, that he may be with you forever: the Spirit of truth, whom the world can’t receive, for it doesn’t see him and doesn’t know him. You know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”

Jesus repeatedly requests His disciples to be at peace. Life here is hard, but we can take Jesus as His word and trust that He is in us and with us!

Not to get too technical, but Jesus’ words in 20:23 are in the perfect passive tense: “If you forgive anyone’s sins, they have already been forgiven; if you retain anyone’s sins, they have already been retained.” It states what has already happened. When we present the gospel and people accept or reject it, they are completing a transaction that was settled when Jesus died on the cross. If they believe, their sins have already been forgiven; if they reject the gospel then their sins are retained. All we do is present the way, and people respond! All who do believe have a special joy that comes from knowing Jesus (20:29):

1 Peter 1:8 (WEB) “whom, not having known, you love. In him, though now you don’t see him, yet believing, you rejoice greatly with joy that is unspeakable and full of glory”

And that’s the whole purpose of the gospel of John: to bring people to belief (20:31)!

Thought for the day: Jesus’ resurrection body foreshadows our resurrection bodies:

1 Corinthians 15:42-44 (WEB) “So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown perishable; it is raised imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.”

John 19

The rejection and rebellion of the religious leadership is complete: “We have no king but Caesar.”

Pilate has a religious and superstitious reaction to Jesus being called the “Son of God.” He’s searching for any reason at all to let Jesus go. The Jewish leaders manipulate him to get what they want: “If you let this man go, you are not Caesar’s friend!” Pilate doesn’t want any negative reports of him to go higher up the food chain.

Sobering words: “the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.” Judas? Herod?

Pilate seems passive-aggressive with the Jewish leadership (16-22)! Is he just trying to stir them up and get back at them for putting him in an uncomfortable position? Or is there more to it than that?

The soldiers fulfill scripture by throwing dice for Jesus’ garment (23-24). There is a lot of fulfilled Scripture in these verses (Psalm 22:15-8, Psalm 69:21, Psalm 34:20, Zechariah 12:10, Isaiah 53:9, Psalm 22:31).

It sometimes seems that Jesus was somewhat harsh to His mother, but here we see His care (25-27). He was making sure that she was taken care of since He wasn’t going to be around to do it. Jesus’ prior words should be understood from the context of His ongoing honor of her.

Jesus’ mission is finally completed (28-30). It is finished! It is accomplished! He has secured our salvation and can return to glory!

Jesus willingly gave up His spirit (30). He was already dead when the soldiers came around (31-37). The spear thrust into His side was probably included by John to show that He was indeed fully human, as well as fully divine. He deals with this in another writing as well:

2 John 7 “For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who don’t confess that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the Antichrist.”

Thought for the day: Psalm 22 is a marvelous foreshadowing of the cross, and it seems to include the resurrection too!

Psalm 22:21-23 (WEB) “Save me from the lion’s mouth! Yes, you have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen. I will declare your name to my brothers. Among the assembly, I will praise you. You who fear Yahweh, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify him! Stand in awe of him, all you descendants of Israel! For he has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, neither has he hidden his face from him; but when he cried to him, he heard.”

John 18

We have a betrayal (Judas) contrasted with a denial (Peter). Peter, out of fear and perhaps disillusionment, refuses to acknowledge that he is one of Jesus’ disciples. We may have done that ourselves. Judas, for profit, turns Jesus over to those who want to kill him. There is a distinct difference in degree and kind. If we want to understand how this relates to us today, think of it this way: Peter falls away for a time, but he understands what he has done, he continues to follow, and ultimately is completely restored! Judas denies, betrays, and goes to his grave without any suggestion that he is restored. Judas shows that he never really understood and believed. Peter is a disciple, but Judas is a pretender.

The reason I say that Peter may be disillusioned is because he was still looking for a political and military Messiah and was itching for a fight (10)! Jesus stops him and reiterates that this is the way it has to be. Peter is most likely confused, probably disillusioned, and possibly depressed at this point. The same thing happens to us when we think God is going to act in a certain way and He doesn’t. Disciples need to make sure that they manage their expectations. God is God, and we are not!

In the midst of this we also see another indication of deity. It’s true that the Greek in verse 6 can be understood as “I am he.” But Jesus literally says, “I am.” John certainly wants us to connect that with Jesus’ other “I am” sayings, as well as John 8:58 where Jesus said, “Before Abraham came into existence, I am.” John wants us to understand that Jesus is more than a prophet, more than a teacher, and more than a man. It’s why he records the soldier’s response: “they went backward and fell to the ground.” And notice Jesus’ love and care for His disciples: “Of those whom you have given me, I have lost none.”

Consider the following points about Jesus’ trial:

• Annas was the power behind the throne!
• He was high priest from 6-15 A.D.
• He was deposed (by the Romans) and his son-in-law became high priest in 18 A.D.
• But in Jewish custom the high priest was a lifetime position.
• Many may have considered Annas the “real” high priest (Acts 4:6; Luke 3:2).
• 18:28 probably means that they wanted to be able to continue to participate in the ongoing feast, which lasted 7 days, so they wouldn’t go into the governor’s residence.
• The claim that Jesus was the “king of the Jews” was because they needed a political charge so that Rome would be willing to put Jesus to death.
• Jesus admits to being king of a spiritual kingdom. A kingdom that doesn’t fight. A kingdom of truth! That doesn’t concern Pilate at all.
• Pilate wants to let Jesus go, but the leadership shouts out that they want Barabbas (a robber, insurrectionist, and murderer) released instead.
• Peter fulfills Jesus’ prediction concerning his denial, and the call for Jesus’ death is also seen as a fulfillment of Jesus’ words.

Are the words in 18:36 prescriptive or descriptive? Do we ever fight back or take up arms? That may need to be answered personally by each one of us, but I would suggest that it was more descriptive and revolved around Jesus and His fulfillment of prophecy. I think there may be times we have to forcibly defend others now.

Thought for the day: What is truth? The truth is that we need to believe in Jesus (listen to His voice), and serve in His kingdom (which is spiritual).

John 10:27 (WEB) “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”

John 17

1-5: What is your definition of glory? How does it happen? In Jesus’ prayer He shows that it happens through suffering. Jesus will glorify the Father by going to the cross. He is obeying God and completing His mission to give eternal life to everyone the Father has given to Him. The Father will glorify the Son through the resurrection and the ascension, bringing Jesus back home to be with Him.

6-19: Next, Jesus prays for the disciples. He has revealed the Father to them and has given them the Father’s words. He has given Himself for them, He has kept them, and He has sent them out into a world that will hate them. Since He is leaving He prays for their safety, He prays for their joy, He prays for them to be unified, and He prays for them to continue in the truth. They have a special role to play and a mission to complete, and we see them fulfilling that mission in the book of Acts.

20-26: Finally, Jesus prays for us. He wants us to be one, just as He and the Father are one. Unfortunately, that has proven to be rather elusive over the centuries! Our oneness is supposed to let the world know the truth about Jesus, and the reality of God’s love.

Thought for the day: Jesus prayed for multiple things He didn’t receive. Our oneness. Escaping the cross. Faith is about more than getting what you want. It’s about faith in what God wants.

Matthew 26:39 (WEB) “He went forward a little, fell on his face, and prayed, saying, ‘My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me; nevertheless, not what I desire, but what you desire.’ “

John 16

Jesus knows how hard life can be, and the types of persecution believers can face. He warns us that it’s coming so that we’ll be ready and we won’t fall away when it happens (1-4). We especially need to understand what is coming because Jesus won’t be here physically to help us anymore (4-5). Unfortunately, the disciples are more concerned about Jesus being gone than where He is going and what it means (5). Do you get the feeling that He wants them to be happy for Him?

Anyway, it’s to our advantage that He’s going away, because He’s sending the Spirit to help and guide us (7, 13). The Spirit will help us understand God’s truth (12-15), and the Spirit will make the ministry of evangelism possible by convicting the world of sin, righteousness and judgment (8-11). Of sin, because we are all sinners in need of a Savior. Of righteousness, because Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension show that what Jesus said was true and that righteousness can only come through Him. And of judgment, because judgment is assured, on both Satan and those who don’t believe. Evangelism would be impossible if it weren’t for the work of the Holy Spirit in the world!

Jesus continues by reminding the disciples of His upcoming death, burial, and resurrection (16-22). They will experience sorrow, but that sorrow will turn into joy because they will see Him again! Although we haven’t seen Him physically, we experience that same joy:

1 Peter 1:8-9 (WEB) “In him, though now you don’t see him, yet believing, you rejoice greatly with joy that is unspeakable and full of glory, receiving the result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”

We’re again struck with a conundrum: why don’t we get everything we pray for (23-24)? The problem is that asking in Jesus’ name isn’t a magic formula, it’s a way of understanding. When we ask in His name, we’re asking according to His will.

Jesus reminds us that knowing and loving Him means having a relationship with the Father as well (25-33). We need that assurance because Jesus is going away, and because we, like the disciples, are prone to fail. The blessing is that our relationship with the Father, because of Jesus and through the Holy Spirit, will help us to have peace and to overcome the difficulties of the world.

Thought for the day: And how to we access that peace?

Philippians 4:6-7 (WEB) “In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your thoughts in Christ Jesus.”

John 15

1-8 “I am the true vine” is the seventh “I am” saying. It is only through Jesus that we can live and bear fruit. And the hard stuff that happens? That’s God pruning us so that we can bear even more fruit. When we maintain our relationship with Jesus, we can be assured that God hears and answers our prayers, but He won’t answer prayers that are bad for us or bad for His kingdom.

9-17: Jesus is our example. He loves the Father, so He obeys the Father. We show our love for Jesus by obeying His commands. It also ensures a close and intimate relationship with Him, and because of that we experience joy as well! Jesus also shows His love for us by laying down His life. If Jesus loved us that much, how can we not love others? It’s also amazing that Jesus chose us and calls us friends. It’s another testimony to His love. We show that we are His friends if we love and obey, and if we love and obey we’ll be rewarded.

18-27: Jesus experienced hardship and hate – so will we. The hate is because He reveals people’s sin and their need for forgiveness. By proclaiming Jesus as the only way to God we also reveal to people that they need to know Him to be forgiven and have a right relationship with the Father. To reject Jesus is to hate Jesus. To hate Jesus is to hate the Father. And it’s hate without reason, as was foretold in the Psalms (35:19, 69:4). In fact, that refusal to admit wrong, to acknowledge guilt, to seek forgiveness, and to believe is so strong that no-one could believe if it weren’t for the Spirit working in their lives. We join the Spirit in His witness by letting others know their need for Jesus!

Thought for the day: Those who follow Jesus will experience hardship and persecution. It’s not pleasant, but it’s a fact.

Acts 14:21-22 (WEB) “When they had preached the Good News to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that through many afflictions we must enter into God’s Kingdom.”

John 14

This entire passage focuses on love and obedience (many of the following points are expressed multiple times in the passage):

• If we love Jesus, we’ll obey Him and keep His commandments.
• But they’re not just His commandments, because He speaks for the Father.
• In fact, if we’ve seen Jesus, we’ve seen the Father too!
• By loving Jesus we show our love to the Father, and the Father will love us as well.
• Even though Jesus will leave this earth, He’s doing it for a purpose. He is preparing a place for us, both by enabling us to have a community of faith to belong to, and by giving us a place to be for eternity.
• The resurrection will encourage us to believe the truth of what He said and the truth about Him.
• And we’re not going to be alone! He will be with us though the power of the Spirit, who will help us to believe and to obey.
• This knowledge, coupled with our obedience, brings us peace.

Jesus also gives us some additional guidance here:

• He reminds us that He is the only way to have a relationship with the Father with the sixth “I am” statement: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
• He says that those who believe in Him will do “the works that I do, and even greater things” (my translation). We see this happen in the book of Acts. While we don’t see everyone performing miracles today, we can all be merciful, we can all obey, and we can all be a part of the miraculous work of salvation if we’ll share the truth about Jesus.
• If we ask for anything in His name, we’ll receive it. Asking in His name means asking according to His character. We ask for what the Son wants and what glorifies the Father.

Thought for the day: Those prayers are always answered!

1 John 5:14 (WEB) “This is the boldness which we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us.”