Most Important Notes from NBST 797 {3,982 words}
XVII. Lesson 17 - The Gospel of John (Chapter 15:1-27)
A. Jesus is the true Vine. This chapter is about the relationship between believers and Christ. The chapter talks about fruit (character - what you are), not fruits. Israel was often represented by grapes, figs, and olives. Jesus is the true Vine as opposed to the false vine. The vine is the church, and He is the true Vine of the church.
B. John 15:1-9 is relationship to Christ (union and communion). John 15:10-17 talks about Christians relationships to one another and growth in love and communion. John 15:18-27 talks about Christians being rejected by the world.
C. John 15:2 pertains to believers because He speaks of every branch in Him. When a believer does not bear fruit, Jesus will lift that person up (cut off, resurrect, or encourage) so that he or she will bear fruit. He will prune or purge the branch so that it can produce more fruit. He talks about no fruit, fruit, more fruit, and much fruit. Everything that has life grows, and Christians should grow spiritually.
D. John 15:4 expresses union (our new life in Christ) and communion (Jesus in us). The Christian life is a struggle, and John 15:4 is the key to having the victory.
E. In John 15:6, Jesus is probably talking about premature death, not lost salvation. But in I Corinthians 3:11-15, an unfaithful Christian was discussed, and he will be at the judgment seat of Christ. The "like a branch" might mean no fruit because never a Christian. Ananias and Sapphira died prematurely because of their sin. In I Corinthians 11:30, some had died prematurely for not correctly observing the Lord's Supper. In John 15:7, people that abide in Christ get their prayers answered.
F. John 15:13 means giving. To love is to give. A person can give without loving but not love without giving. Abraham was God's friend, Moses was God's servant, and David was His king.
G. In John 15:18-27, if you are in step with Jesus, you will be out of step with the world, and vice versa. In John 15:26, the Holy Spirit proceeds from (beside) the Father (eternal procession). Jesus is eternal, and He is eternal generation. The three Persons of the Trinity are equal in every way.
XVIII. Lesson 18 - The Gospel of John (Chapter 16:1-40)
A. The Day of Atonement was in early October, and the Feast of Tabernacles was at the end of October.
B. In this chapter, Jesus is the pre-eminent One. John 15:24-27 goes with this chapter. In John 16:5, Jesus is asking why His disciples do not keep on asking Him where He is going. In John 16:8, convict or reprove means to cause to see. He will reprove the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment. Righteousness is not referring to our righteousness. Judgment is not about the end of the world, either.
C. In John 16:9, the sin is the sin of unbelief, which is the greatest of all sins. In John 16:10, Christ is the righteous Standard that convicts the world. Before salvation, the Holy Spirit convicts. After salvation, the Holy Spirit illuminates the Scriptures. Dr. Towns gave an illustration of a time when he was in a very dark cave with a large black snake. When he finally found his light and saw the snake, he had to get out of the dark cave. In the same sense, the Holy Spirit causes a person to see sin as it really is, and the person sees the sin and wants to get away.
D. In John 16:16-22, the disciples were worried because they did not understand what He was talking about concerning His going away. But in John 16:20, He told them that their sorrow would be turned to joy, just like a woman after her child is born.
E. In John 16:24, keep on asking. In John 16:32, they would all be scattered except John. He was the one at the cross with Jesus and Mary.
XIX. Lesson 19 - The Gospel of John (Chapter 17:1-26)
A. This chapter is Christ the Intercessor in His high priestly prayer, but He did not pray this prayer at Gethsemane. According to Matthew 26:36-39, He left eight of His disciples at Gethsemane and went further with John, Peter, and James. In John 18:1-40, access to the Mount of Olives was out of the sheep gate, and the time of year would have been during the Spring rains. The Kidron Valley had water in it. His prayer in John 17:1-26 was after the Last Supper but before He got to Gethsemane. In His high priestly prayer, He showed how to pray. The believer's prayer is what we typically call the Lord's prayer, but John 17:1-26 was actually the Lord's prayer.
B. John 17:1-5 - Jesus prayed for Himself. The key word is glorify. He prayed that He would be restored to His former glory. As human, He gave up His glory. His basis was that He had power or authority over all humans, He had finished His work, and He wanted His former glory. In John 17:1, his time (or hour) had come. In John 2:4, His time had not come. He wanted to be glorified so that He could glorify His father. He was praying for grace to endure the cross, not grace to die. He asked to be glorified in His Father's presence.
C. John 17:6-19 - Jesus prayed for the remaining eleven. They have kept your word, so You keep them. He had given them the spoken Word, and they had received it. Jesus repeatedly identified Himself as the sent One. Within the Trinity, He was equal in nature but separate in Persons. Jesus kept His eleven, and He asked His Father to also keep them. Keep was a key word of this passage. Christians are kept in the world to worship the Lord and to win souls to Christ (build His church). Judas was called the doomed one, and the Greek word was apoleia for perdition, which was also used in Revelation. He was the son of perdition. Jesus sanctified them or set them apart for service, not for character (John 17:18-19).
D. John 17:20-26 - Jesus prayed for unity among souls to come - He prayed for union and unity among believers. The key word here is "one." John used key words throughout his writing. When He prayed these things, He knew that they would soon run away, that Peter would deny Him, and that they would not believe in His resurrection. But He prayed for them anyway, and His central thrust was so that the church would be unified so that the world would believe. His use of the words "complete" and "unity" in John 17:23 is the picture of a broken bone being mended back into one bone.
E. Union and communion - Notice the use of the word "as" in John 17:2 (same life as Christ), John 17:11 (same security as Christ), John 17:14 (same separation as Christ), John 17:18 (same sending into world as Christ), John 17:21 (same union with the Father as Christ), John 17:22 (same glory as Christ), and John 17:23 (same love as Christ). When you face a crisis, PRAY.
XX. Lesson 20 - The Gospel of John (Chapter 18:1-40)
A. Colossians 1:15-22 presents the nature of Christ and shows Him as the Creator. In John 18:1-40, He is the faithful One, and He also endured six trials.
B. The Garden of Gethsemane was an orchid, and many theologians believe that it was owned by a friend of Jesus so that it was often available to Him for prayer. This theory would be consistent with John 18:2. Adam and Eve sinned in a garden. Jesus prayed in a garden and was betrayed in a garden. The Kidron Valley was probably watery during the rainy season and dry otherwise. Judas could have had as many as six hundred men (a detachment) with him. His adversaries carried lanterns, torches, and weapons because they might have been expecting a battle.
C. Judas might have kissed Jesus as a deception. He might have not wanted Jesus to know that he had betrayed Him. He might have expected Jesus to escape, and then, he could join Him later in good standing. He had already made his money, so his job was done.
D. In John 18:6, the soldiers were driven backwards by His glory. He was transfigured just like John had seen on the Isle of Patmos. Most of the disciples ran. Peter went but denied Christ and wept bitterly. John was the one that stayed with Jesus right to the end. In John 18:10, Simon was his old name, and Peter was his new name. John wanted to show that the old man was still in Peter. Peter had about an eighteen inch sword. It was against the Sabbath for all the Jews, including Peter, to have a weapon on that night. John 18:10 is Jesus' thirty-eighth miracle in the New Testament. Many theologians do not count this one, but Jesus restored the ear of the soldier (Malchus) that Peter had cut off.
E. The Six Trials - Annas was the previous High Priest. He had been put out of office by the Romans, but the Jews still recognized his power. In John 18:12-14, this was Jesus' first trial even though it may not have been a legal trial. The second trial was before Caiaphas (John 18:24-28), then the Sanhedrin for blasphemy (Jewish) and treason (Roman). The fourth trial is before Pilate, then Herod, and then back to Pilate. John was able to get into the trial because he was from a wealthy family, and he probably knew someone (John 18:16). Peter was not able to get in at first, so he was left outside where he denied Christ three times.
F. In John 18:29-31, Pilate tried to force Him back on the Jews, but ultimately, he condemned Him to be crucified.
XXI. Lesson 21 - The Gospel of John (Chapter 19:1-42)
A. Jesus was and is the Lamb of God. Barabbas meant son of a father. The people wanted the son of a father, not the Son of the Father. Pilate kept going in and out to talk to the Jews and then to come back in to interrogate Jesus. Pilate was scourged, which was a vicious beating - a cat of nine tails. It was made with leather with rocks or stones or gold balls. The intent was to hurt severely. The Jews would only whip someone thirty-nine times. The Romans were not so meticulous. The beating was so bad that Jesus could not even carry His cross. Jesus was crucified because of treason against Rome and of blasphemy by the Jews.
B. Pilate sensed the religious bickering between the Jews and Jesus, and he wanted to let them settle their own dispute. But everyone was and is responsible for Jesus' death. He died for everyone. In John 19:12, the Jews actually put Pilate on the spot.
C. Pilate said, "Behold the man" in John 19:5, and he said, "Behold your King" in John 19:14. He was being sarcastic both times, but he was right both times, too. In John 19:19-20, "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews" was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. Pilate might have been having his last laugh at the Jews. In John 19:23-24, Jesus was stripped totally nude for His crucifixion. The guards cast lots for His undergarment. In John 19:26-27, He brought John and Mary together as son and mother. John had a house in Jerusalem, so she stayed with him. When he went to pastor at Ephesus, she went with him. Jesus made seven statements from the cross, but John did not record all of them. In John 19:30, He might have bowed His head from the cross for the first time. In John 19:32, the Romans broke the legs with a wooden mallet. They would start at the hip and start splintering the legs all the way down to the toes. Jesus was already dead, so they did not break His legs. He did not fake His death. In John 19:35, John declared that he has an eyewitness.
E. Joseph was called a rich man (Matthew 27:57), a prominent man of the Council (Mark 15:43), a member of the Council, a good and upright man (Luke 23:50-51), and a disciple of Jesus that feared the Jews (John 19:38).
XXII. Lesson 22 - The Gospel of John (Chapter 20:1-31)
A. Jesus' death takes away sin. His resurrection adds life. Mary Magdalene and three other women (Mary, Salome, and Joanna) went to the tomb that resurrection morning (Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:1, Luke 24:10, and John 20:1). Peter carefully examined the inside of the tomb. He saw the linen clothes separate from the other linen (John 20:7). The neatness suggests that his body was not hurriedly stolen. If the swoon theory were true, the eighty pounds of ointments and spices would have probably been too heavy for him to get up. John waited on the outside and then came in. In John 20:8, John saw and believed (understood). He came to New Testament faith in Jesus Christ. In John 20:10, John went back to his own home.
B. In John 20:11, human reputation says that Mary Magdalene was immoral, but there is not any biblical evidence to support that. She saw two angels, and they may have been God's highest angels (Gabriel and Michael) but that is not certain. John 20:13 suggests that Mary had not seen John and Peter coming back from the tomb in John 20:10, or if she had, they did not tell her that He had arisen. She first knew that His body was gone, but she did not realize that He had arisen. She may not have recognized Jesus because she did not yet have spiritual eyes. In John 20:16, when He spoke to her, her eyes were opened.
C. In John 20:17, Jesus told her to not touch Him. Some people see Him as going to cleanse heaven (Hebrews 9:22-23) with His literal blood. Some people say that He went to heaven to be the Firstfruit since the eighth day of the Passover celebration was the Feast of Firstfruits. Dr. Towns does not believe that the literal blood went to heaven. First, the ascension from the Mount of Olive was forty days later, not after talking to Mary. Second, the cross forgave sins, not the resurrection. Jesus probably told her to not touch Him because it was symbolic of their new spiritual, not human relationship.
D. In John 20:19, Jesus appeared to His disciples on Sunday night. Each time Jesus appeared to His disciples, He added and built upon the great Commission. He was a good Teacher. John 20:22 was probably an Old Testament filling of the Holy Spirit, not the indwelling that would occur in Acts 2:1-8.
E. Three people saw Jesus in John 20:1-31 in a unique way and were changed. John saw Him not there and believed. Mary saw Him physically and was made to understand their new spiritual relationship. In John 20:25, Thomas refused to believe, but he later saw Him and believed. In Mark 16:14, Jesus appeared to the eleven while they ate, and He upbraided all of them for their unbelief. That appearance was not on resurrection day because then there would have been only ten. In John 20:27, Jesus told Thomas to not be faithless or neutral. The appex of John is John 20:28 when Thomas said, "My Lord and My God." John has been building up to this point since the first chapter. Jesus is the Word from the beginning. The seven "I AMs" and the signs pointed to His deity, and then, he concluded with the words of Thomas. Dr. Towns' theory is that every post-resurrection appearance of Jesus was on a Sunday.
F. Cleopas and his wife were the two on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:18).
G. Everything in John was written so that the reader can believe that Jesus is the Christ and have life. John, chapter 21 is like a postscript to the book, and it wraps it all up.
XXIII. Lesson 23 - The Gospel of John (Chapter 21:1-14)
A. This chapter makes the application of the whole gospel. Because of John 21:24-25, some people think that someone else wrote this chapter. Those verses say that "we" know that "his" testimony is true and "I suppose." Those words imply that someone might have written parts of this chapter, but that does not impact inspiration. A lot of detail is included, though, and that was John's trademark.
B. In Mark 16:14, Jesus upbraided them because of their hard heart, unbelief, and believing not. In John 21:1-25, they still did not believe. In John 21:1, His appearance on that occasion finally opened their eyes so that they could really see Him (phaneroo => "to make manifest or visible or known what has been hidden or unknown."). Nathanael and Bartholomew are the same person. Andrew, Peter, James, John, Philip, Nathanael, and Thomas were the disciples that went fishing. Peter was backslidden, and the other disciples were with him. He might have been fishing because he still had "I"-sight (strong ego), he was returning to his nets, and he fished all night and did not catch anything (but this does not necessarily mean that he was backslidden).
C. One natural reason for going fishing was that they had to provide their own food now that Jesus was gone. In Matthew 28:10, Peter had been told to go to Galilee, so they had. Once there, they had to do something, and they were naturally fisherman.
D. At first, they were blinded to who He was. The two on the road to Emmaus did not recognize Him, and Mary Magdalene did not either. In this case, they were about three hundred feet away (one hundred yards), and the sun may not have risen enough, plus they had been up all night and were tired.
E. At this point, their fishing could have been natural or spiritually related. Their not catching anything was expressed with a double negative in the Greek for added emphasis. When they obeyed Jesus, they caught one hundred and fifty-three fish. Faith is not a leap into the dark. It is a leap into the Word of God. This miracle was qualitative (BIG fish) and quantitative (large number). John 21:1-10 illustrates the spiritual division of labor.
F. John was the youngest disciple, but he was the first to "SEE" Jesus.
G. When Peter put his coat on and jumped into the water, it was a dumb, stupid thing to do, but that was Peter.
H. Six miracles in this one miracle: (1) number of fish, (2) nets not broken, (3) Peter dragged large net by himself when all seven could not before, (4) Jesus already had fire, (5) fish, and (6) bread. People can try to explain this miracle as natural, and that is why some scholars do not recognize this as a genuine miracle. This day could have been Sunday. The disciples would have fasted on the Sabbath (the day before), and Jesus might have confirmed that in John 21:12 when He told them to break their fast (breakfast). Through this miracle, Jesus showed Peter that he could not even do what he did best without the Lord.
XIV. Lesson 24 - The Gospel of John (Chapter 21:15-25)
A. At this breakfast, Peter was not as talkative as usual because he was probably under conviction. He knew that he had acted in his own self-will and not according to what he knew that he should have done. When the Lord came, He revealed Himself.
B. In John, Chapters One to Four, the discussion is about individuals - John the Baptist, the six disciples, Mary, Nicodemus, and the woman at the well. In John, Chapters Five to Twelve, are the proof chapters that point to His deity. In John, Chapters thirteen to twenty, the focus is on teaching. In John, Chapter Twenty-one, He became intimate. He talks to seven disciples and then focuses on one - Peter.
C. In John 21:15, Jesus called him by his former name, Simon (means hearing), rather than the name of the person that he would become, Peter (means rock). He could have been telling Peter to listen up. It could have been to show him that he was not living up to his name, Peter (rock), and bring about conviction. By going back to his fishing, he was going back to his pre-called days.
D. In John 21:15, the word "these" probably means than the disciples do. It could have meant, (1) Do you love me more than these nets (his profession)? (2) Do you love me more than these fish? (3) Do you love me more than you love these disciples? or (4) Do you love me more than these disciples love me? Jesus used the word "agapeo" for deep love, and Peter answered with "phileo" for brotherly love. Peter recognized that his love for the Lord was shallow, and that was a sign of his spiritual growth. Jesus said to feed (bosko - Peter did this at Pentecost) His lambs. In John 21:16, Jesus again uses "agapao" but He left off these, and Peter again used "phileo." In that instance, Jesus told him to pastor (poimaino - Peter did this when he pastored the church at Jerusalem) His sheep. Before you can deal with others, you must deal with yourself. "If you pay attention to the depth of your ministry, then the Lord will pay attention to the breadth of your ministry." In a few days, Peter would be preaching one of the most powerful sermons ever, and over three thousand people would be saved. On the third occasion, in John 21:17, Jesus came down to the lower term, "phileo," because he knew that Peter's love was superficial. Feed (bosko again - he did this in his epistles) my sheep. These verses show Peter's sincere sorrow and his geniune repentance.
E. Because of John 21:18, many scholars believe that Peter was in his middle thirties. He died in about 65AD or 66AD, and then, John was writing all of his gospel about twenty-five years after Peter had died. John did not elaborate on Peter's type of death because people already knew. Tradition says that Peter was crucified upside down. Jesus told Peter something about his death, and then, Peter went right back down again by worrying about how John would die. That sudden outburst was typical Peter, and Jesus brought him back down. We are to keep our eyes on the Lord. Watch the Lord, not the others. In John 21:22-23, Jesus was not trying to say that John would live until the Lord returned. One of the reasons that John wrote his gospel was so that he could correct the common misunderstanding among others about him not dying.
F. In John 21:24-25, John was an eyewitness to the things that he had written. Some people think that he did not write those two verses, but even if that were true, they still would have been inspired by God. Moses may not have written about his death, either.
G. This whole gospel only looks at twenty days of Jesus' three and a half year ministry.
Tom of Bethany "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (I John 5:12)
Index to Selected Essays And Book Reviews
NBST 797 - The Gospel of John (Lessons 25-27)
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