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Jesus Reinstates Peter June 3, 2023

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Here are my thoughts on John 21:15-25.

Summary: In this passage, Jesus asks Peter – three times – whether he loves Him more than his fellow believers. After each of His first two queries, Peter responds in the affirmative – and He responds by commanding him to govern His church.

After His third query, though, he complains to Him, assuming that he is being chastised for insincere responses. Jesus responds by again commanding him to govern His church – and warning him that he will die (violently) in that capacity. Indeed, he must follow His example in that regard and focus on his (particular) calling.

John then concludes this book by affirming its authorship – and asserting that it contains a (strict) subset of His deeds.

Thoughts: In verses 15-17, Jesus restores His relationship with Peter after his threefold denial of Him. Calvin offers some thoughts on this point in his commentary on verse 15:

The word “feed” is metaphorically applied by Scripture to any kind of governing; since the subject in hand is the spiritual government of the church, it is important to note in what the office of pastor or shepherd consists…Therefore, these men are seen as pastors in God’s sight as they govern the church through the ministry of the Word, under Christ, who is their head.

Jesus’ warning in verses 18 and 19 imbues Peter’s restoration with solemnity. Jesus did not merely tell him, “I have forgiven you for denying me three times; now you can be my disciple again”. Instead, He clarifies his responsibilities as His disciple and charges him to fulfill them. Perhaps He was driven by the fact that His departure from this world was imminent; thus, He needed to convey his responsibilities to him beforehand. While he may have expected a more gentle restoration to His good graces, he needed to know the truth of his calling. How did he respond to the solemnity of his restoration? Did he wrestle with the notion of future suffering (including a violent death) for His sake?

Now that I have completed my stroll through John, I have a greater appreciation for the salience of unity in this book. Indeed, the following concepts are worth pondering:

  • unity between the Persons of the Trinity – especially the unity between God the Father and God the Son (a point of emphasis in this book)
  • unity between God and His followers – our only source of life
  • unity between His followers.

Indeed, the unity between God the Father and God the Son authenticates Jesus’ ministry as the One who was truly sent to earth by His Father. I also have a greater appreciation for the fact that this “weird Gospel” challenges us to consider our understanding of Him – and our willingness to learn from Him. We should not shun this book because of its “weirdness”; instead, we should consider this question: what truths does He reveal to us in His “weird” (and provocative) assertions (e.g. if we eat His flesh and drink His blood, then we shall never be hungry or thirsty)? By pondering these truths, we can worship Him on a deeper level.

Jesus and the Miraculous Catch of Fish May 29, 2023

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Here are my thoughts on John 21:1-14.

Summary: In this passage, seven of Jesus’ disciples have committed themselves to fishing, as He had not commanded them to begin their public ministry.

After they fail to catch any fish, He appears to them and miraculously grants them a large catch of fish.

They respond to that miracle by recognizing Him.

Jesus then shares a meal of bread and fish with them (while they are chastised by the fact that they initially failed to recognize Him).

Thoughts: In verse 3, Peter declares that he will go fishing. Calvin offers some thoughts on this point:

Peter gave his attention to fishing, and this should not be thought of as being inconsistent with his office…But Peter refrained from exercising the office of apostleship for a short time, until he was clothed with new power. For he had not yet been told to appear in public to carry out his office of teaching, but had only been reminded of his future calling, so that he, and the others, might understand that they had not in vain been chosen from the beginning. Meanwhile, they did what they were used to doing, and what men do in private life.

Calvin has a valid point. I wonder, though, if the events of the subsequent passage could also explain why Peter did not immediately perform his public ministry. How could he begin preaching the Gospel message to others, if Jesus had not (yet) restored him to His good graces? How could He allow someone who had denied Him three times to proclaim His name to others? While He had breathed the Holy Spirit on Peter, perhaps the Holy Spirit actually kept Peter from commencing His apostolic ministry until He had restored him. I hope to probe Peter on this point in the next life; what were his thoughts and feelings during this period before his restoration?

In verses 9-13, Jesus shares a meal with the disciples that includes some fish that they have not caught and some bread. This reminded me of two other miracles. Now I wonder: did these seven disciples recall those miracles when He performed this miracle (i.e. transforming their catch of zero fish into a catch of 153 fish)? If so, did this miracle resonate more deeply with them? Did He create the bread ex nihilo? If not, did He make it from scratch? Did He also create the fish on the fire of burning coals ex nihilo? If not, did He catch those fish? I should note that these are minor details – compared to the fact that He performed a miracle in this case. He demonstrated His sovereignty over nature – and we should worship Him accordingly.

Jesus Appears to Thomas May 28, 2023

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Here are my thoughts on John 20:24-31.

Summary: In this passage, Thomas is informed that Jesus has been resurrected. Yet he refuses to believe what he has heard – as he is guided by his senses.

One week later, He reappears in the midst of His disciples – including Thomas. Jesus then indulges his senses, and he responds by acknowledging His divinity and His position as the head of His church.

Jesus then notes that while Thomas is guided by his senses, He commends those who must be guided by their faith regarding His resurrection.

John concludes by noting that he has only recorded a subset of His miracles; that being said, His recorded miracles enable others to:

  • believe in Him as the Mediator between God and humanity
  • believe in His eternal divinity
  • receive eternal life.

Thoughts: In verses 30 and 31, John asserts that he has only recorded a subset of Jesus’ miracles in his Gospel – yet the recorded miracles are sufficient to produce faith in others. Calvin offers some thoughts on this point in his commentary on verse 31:

This shows more clearly what was said a little while ago, that faith does not restrict its view to miracles but carries us direct to the Word. It is as if John had said that what the prophets had taught in words had been proved in miracles. And, indeed, we see that the evangelists themselves do not stop at describing the miracles but dwell more on the teaching, for miracles by themselves would produce nothing but a confused wonder.

Calvin’s thoughts remind me of a recent small group discussion regarding Paul’s ministry in the Book of Acts. Paul is arguably more well-known for his teaching than for his miracles. Now Paul was evidently capable of performing miracles (e.g. raising Eutychus from the dead), so we should not assume that he lacked that gift. Instead, we should ponder the underlying truths of the miracles in the Bible (and other known miracles). What do these miracles teach us about God? How should we respond to these miracles? Admittedly I respond to accounts of miracles (in our modern context) with skepticism; perhaps some skepticism is warranted, but I must guard against the danger of being ruled by my skepticism…

Jesus Appears to His Disciples May 27, 2023

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Here are my thoughts on John 20:19-23.

Summary: In this passage, Jesus miraculously enters a locked room where His eleven disciples have assembled. He wishes that they would be well – and then confirms His resurrection to them.

He then ordains them as His ambassadors and (visibly) communicates the Holy Spirit to them. He asserts that when they preach the Gospel message:

  • He will forgive some who hear it – and reconcile them to Himself
  • He will cause everyone else to despise it.

Thoughts: In verses 21-23, Jesus commissions His eleven disciples as His apostles. Calvin offers some thoughts on this point in his commentary on verse 21:

Let us therefore be sure that the apostles were now for the first time appointed to be ordinary ministers of the Gospel. His words amount to saying that hitherto he has discharged the office of teacher and that, having finished his course, he commits it to them. He means that the Father appointed him a teacher on condition that he should lead the rest for a while, but afterwards should put them in his place.

This passage is consistent with the previous passage where He spoke with the women; since He would soon ascend to heaven to be with His Father, He needed to focus on the task of preparing His eleven disciples to assume their roles in the New Testament church. Their desire for His bodily presence was understandable – as they had assumed that He would not rise from the dead – yet He needed to convey the urgency of the task at hand. Now I wonder: how much time elapsed between verses 20 and 21? How was He able to calm the eleven disciples and properly commission them as His apostles? I certainly hope to probe them on this point in the next life.

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene May 26, 2023

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Here are my thoughts on John 20:10-18.

Summary: In this passage, the women remain at Jesus’ tomb. While they weep, they see two angels; the angels reprove them for their weeping. Jesus then appears before the women – yet they do not recognize Him.

Jesus then addresses Mary Magdalene by name; at that point, the women recognize Him. They cling to Him – yet He commands them to:

  • stop clinging to Him, as He will shortly ascend to heaven
  • convey His plans to His eleven disciples.

The women obey Him.

Thoughts: In verse 17, Jesus commands the women to stop clinging to Him, as He will shortly ascend to heaven. Calvin offers some thoughts on this point:

In short, he showed the purpose of his resurrection. It was not what they had imagined – that he would return to life and then triumph in the world – but rather, by his ascension to heaven he would take possession of the kingdom which had been promised to him and, seated at the Father’s right hand, would govern the church by the power of his Spirit. The words therefore mean that the state of his resurrection would not be full and complete in every respect until he sat down in heaven at the Father’s right hand…

During a recent small group meeting, one of the other members noted that they wrestle with the fact that Jesus had to ascend to heaven after His resurrection. In some sense, their struggles highlight the inherent challenges of faith. For some reason, He decided that believers must rely on the presence of the Holy Spirit – instead of relying on His bodily presence. One could ask, “why couldn’t He have taken ‘possession of the kingdom which had been promised to him’ while He was in this world? Why did He need to return to His Father to ‘govern the church’?” Perhaps this is a case where we must submit to His sovereign choice. Although we are naturally comforted by tangible blessings (e.g. His bodily presence), we must submit to Him and meditate on His intangible blessings (e.g. the presence of the Holy Spirit).

The Empty Tomb May 21, 2023

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Here are my thoughts on John 20:1-9.

Summary: See my old post on a parallel account of this event.

John also notes that at that time, he and Peter did not believe the Old Testament passages that prophesied the resurrection of the Christ.

Thoughts: In verse 9, John notes that he and Peter did not (at that time) believe that Jesus would be resurrected from the dead. Calvin offers some thoughts on this point:

John, therefore, accuses himself when he acknowledges that the first time he believed was when he saw the proofs of Christ’s resurrection.

Moreover, he amplifies his own and Peter’s guilt by adding that they had not only forgotten Christ’s words, but they did not believe the Scripture; he says this is the reason for their deficient faith. From this, too, we may usefully learn to ascribe it to our laziness when we are ignorant of what we ought to know about Christ, because we have not profited as we ought from the Scripture, which clearly reveals Christ’s power.

I agree with Calvin that John and Peter were guilty of not believing that Jesus had been resurrected – especially as He had predicted that history-altering event. They should have trusted His words – even if they failed to grasp their import – as He was their (beloved) Master and Teacher. That being said, I also empathize with their struggles in this instance. After all, they were confronted by the possibility of the resurrection of someone from the dead – a completely mind-blowing concept. If we, as modern-day believers, were in their position, I doubt that we would have been more prepared to accept that possibility. Humans are inclined to seek empirical evidence of bold claims – instead of simply trusting them. Overall, I think that we can criticize – and empathize with – John and Peter in this case.

The Burial of Jesus May 14, 2023

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Here are my thoughts on John 19:38-42.

Summary: See my old post on a parallel account of this event.

Thoughts: Here, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus take Jesus’ body from His cross and bury Him. Calvin offers some thoughts on this point in his commentary on verse 38:

Moreover, we must learn from their example what duty we owe to Christ. Those two men, as a testimony of their faith, not only took Christ down from the cross in great danger, but boldly carried him to the grave. Our slothfulness will be base and shameful if, now that he reigns in the heavenly glory, we withhold from him the confession of our faith.

Initially, I was confused: why did Joseph and Nicodemus need to muster up any courage to ask Pilate for His body? Since He had died, why did they still need to fear the Jewish religious leaders? Upon further reflection, I now think that the Jewish religious establishment was always mindful of potential threats. Although He had died, one could envision a scenario where Joseph and/or Nicodemus rallied His disciples around themselves. In that case, they would view Joseph and/or Nicodemus as a threat to their authority – i.e. a threat that must be addressed. Indeed, I assume that the Jewish religious establishment did not view Him as the only threat to their authority…

The Death of Jesus May 13, 2023

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Here are my thoughts on John 19:28-37.

Summary: See my old post on a parallel account of this event.

John also notes that the day after Jesus’ crucifixion, i.e. the Sabbath, was especially holy as the Jews were observing the Passover. Thus, the Jews wanted the bodies of those who had been crucified removed from their crosses. When His body was removed from His cross, though, the following prophecies were fulfilled:

Thoughts: In verse 35, John asserts the veracity and the purpose of his testimony. Clearly he had been convicted by the Holy Spirit to convey his testimony to others; the Holy Spirit probably showed him that his testimony would bless those who heard it. As modern-day believers, this passage should spur us to regularly ponder God’s work in our lives and how we can convey His actions to others. We may consider questions such as: how would sharing our testimonies bless those who hear them? How is He glorified by our testimonies? If others reject our testimonies, how can we maintain our confidence that He is still glorified through our sharing?

The Crucifixion May 7, 2023

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Here are my thoughts on John 19:16b-27.

Summary: See my old post on a parallel account of this event.

John also notes that while Jesus was on His cross, He displayed filial obedience – by commanding him to care for His mother as his mother.

Thoughts: In verses 19-22, Pilate has a sign placed over Jesus’ head on His cross; that sign identifies Him as “The King of the Jews”. Calvin offers some thoughts on this point in his commentary on verse 19:

But the providence of God, which guided the pen of Pilate, had a higher objective. It did not, indeed, occur to Pilate to praise Christ as the author of salvation and the King of a chosen people. But God dictated to him this commendation of the Gospel, although he did not know the meaning of what he wrote. It was the same hidden guidance of the Spirit that caused the notice to be written in three languages. Most probably this was not an ordinary practice, but the Lord showed by this careful planning that the time was now ready for the name of his Son to be made known throughout the world.

These verses (and verses 23 and 24, which relate the fulfillment of another prophecy) reinforce a key theme of this part of John’s Gospel – i.e. the sovereignty of God in the Passion of His Son. Perhaps John overlooked the significance of Pilate’s sign at that time, as he may have been filled with grief at the impending death of his Master (moreover, at that time, he did not believe that his Master would rise from the dead). Only in retrospect – after the resurrection of his Master – did the significance of Pilate’s sign dawn on him. As modern-day believers, we also view these details through the lens of His resurrection. Such details would be meaningless if that history-changing event had not occurred.

In verses 25-27, Jesus commits His mother, Mary, into the care of John. Calvin offers some thoughts on this point in his commentary on verse 27:

Hence also it is evident that the apostles had their families, for John could not have exercised hospitality towards the mother of Christ or have taken her into his home if he had not had a house and a regular way of living. Those men, therefore, are fools who think that the apostles relinquished their property and came to Christ naked and empty; they are worse than fools who make perfection to consist in beggary.

If Calvin’s inference is correct, then I am curious: how did Mary live after the resurrection – and ascension – of Jesus? Since the Book of Acts relates the persecution of the apostles by the Jewish religious authorities, should we assume that Mary was also persecuted? Or the Jewish religious authorities refrain from persecuting the families of the apostles? If the former is correct, was Mary able to stay in John’s home – or was she forced to flee? Was Mary able to spread the Gospel message while she stayed with John? Was John separated from Mary while he was being persecuted? If so, did Jesus assure him that he had already fulfilled his responsibilities towards her?

Jesus Sentenced to Be Crucified May 6, 2023

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Here are my thoughts on John 19:1-16a.

Summary: See my old post on a parallel account of this event.

Thoughts: In verse 1, Jesus is flogged on Pilate’s orders. Calvin offers some thoughts on this point:

Pilate sticks to his original purpose, but he adds a second ignominy, hoping that after Christ has been scourged the Jews will be satisfied with this lesser punishment. When he tries so hard and unsuccessfully, we see the decree by which Christ was appointed to die.

Before reading Calvin’s commentary, I had never realized that His flogging was intended to pacify the Jews. Since Jesus was actually innocent of the charges against Him, He should not have been flogged. Instead, Pilate should have released Him immediately. The fact that appeasement led to His flogging is stomach-churning. If Pilate had a modicum of righteousness, then he would not have allowed Him to be flogged; instead, he revealed his true character in this case. On a related note, I recall wincing at the scene in The Passion of the Christ where He is flogged.

In verse 11, Jesus asserts that the Jewish religious leaders have sinned by handing Him over to Pilate. Calvin offers some thoughts on this point:

I think that this makes the Jewish leaders more guilty, and less excusable on any other ground, since they use a divinely appointed government to comply with their lawless desires. It is a dreadful sacrilege to pervert a holy ordinance in order to do evil. The robber who with his own hand cuts the throat of any poor traveler is justly abhorred. But the person who under the guise of a judicial trial puts to death an innocent man is much more wicked.

In that sense, the Jewish religious leaders are guilty of trying to use God’s authority to advance their evil plans. Now I assume that they did not view Pilate as a divinely-appointed governor; instead, they viewed him as a means to an end (i.e. someone who could execute Jesus – thereby absolving them in the eyes of the Jewish people). Now if they had truly been driven by zeal for God, then they would have executed Jesus and trusted that God would vindicate them in the eyes of the Jewish people. Instead, they reveal their true character in this case; they were actually driven by zeal for their authority…