Jesus’ Acceptance in Galilee
John 4: 43-45

After the two days [in Samaria] He left for Galilee. This was Christ’s first major preaching tour. (Now Yeshua Himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country). When He arrived in Galilee, the Galileans also welcomed Him.

The Samaritans believed in Jesus, not because of someone else’s story, but because they themselves had heard Him speak in a way that they had never heard before and because of His words many more became believers (4:41). The Galileans believed in Him, not because someone had told them about Him, but because they had seen all that He had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, for they also had been there. Neither the Samaritans, nor the Galileans could refute the words or the deeds of the Messiah.³⁷²

The ministry of Jesus in Judea followed the Passover Festival in April of 26 AD and lasted probably until about the following December. This would be consistent with the expression Yeshua used when speaking to His talmidim at Jacob’s well: Don’t you have a saying, “It’s still four months until harvest?” I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest (John 4:35). Since the harvest in those regions was from April to May. It seems that the apostles returned to their old occupations for about four months, and the great Galilean ministry, beginning sometime in the autumn of 27 AD, lasted about a year and a half or until the spring of 29 AD.

Prophecy pointed to Galilee as the place of dawn for a new era of hope. The people living in darkness would see a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light would dawn(see my commentary on Isaiah, to see link click Cj – He Will Honor Galilee of the Gentiles). Isaiah spoke of that prophecy eight centuries before the coming of Christ, while the Israelites were still encumbered by the yoke of Assyria.

It was fitting that the focus of Jesus’ ministry should find its greatest expression in Galilee. It was the most beautiful, productive and most populated area of Palestine. The bright sunny Sea of Galilee with its sturdy fishermen, surrounded by a beautiful country, was a fitting place (if there could be any) to serve as a setting for His Good News. Galilee of the Gentiles was cradle of the universal gospel. The miracle-working Rabbi liked to mingle in the crowd. He loved mankind and here He found a dense population made up of heterogeneous elements of all types. The Messiah came on the horizon of His chosen people (First Peter 2:9), as a brilliant sun of yearning love. As the master Teacher, His great wisdom illuminated Galilee as a great light in the midst of their darkness.³⁷³

Many Samaritans Believe
John 4: 39-42

Many Samaritans believe DIG: Given the social barriers between Jews and Samaritans, what do these verses teach you about Jesus? 

REFLECT: What was significant about the Lord choosing a Samaritan woman as the first person to whom He revealed Himself? What do you learn about being a witness from the woman?

As the residents of Sychar came out of the town they made their way toward Him, Jesus was deeply moved (John 4:30). It was a foreshadowing of how the people outside Isra’el would later come to Him. Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Jesus because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did” (John 4:39). What a contrast between her and the reception Yeshua got from the religious leaders in Jerusalem. Luke wrote: But the Pharisees and the Torah-teachers muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them: (Luke 15:2). They were outraged because He was willing to talk with prostitutes and sinners such as this woman. They mocked Him openly, saying: Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners (Matthew 11:19). They were offended, for example, when Jesus went to the house of Zacchaeus. All the people began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner” (Luke 19:7).

The Pharisees, Sadducees and Torah-teachers were arrogant, believing when the Messiah came, He would vindicate them. The Samaritans, however, had the opposite view. They knew what the Messiah had promised. Although the Torah was the only part of the TaNaKh they believed, the messianic promises were still there. As our Savior had declared to the Pharisees: If you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me (John 5:46). In Deuteronomy 18:18a, for example, ADONAI promised a great Prophet – a national spokesman like Moshe, saying: I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put My words in His mouth. The Torah also included familiar promises about the Seed of the Woman who would crush the Serpent’s head (Gen 3:15); and the Seed of Abraham, in whom all nations would be blessed (Gen 12:1-3). That’s how the Samaritan woman knew the Messiah would be coming.³⁷¹

The rabbis taught that all Isra’el will have a share in the world to come (Masekhet Avot 1:1). But, the Samaritans were not so sure of themselves. They had a definite sense that they were sinners. When they thought about the coming Messiah, they probably anticipated it with a degree of fear. But, when one of their own announced that He had come and accepted her despite of her life of sin, the people came-a-running.

So when the Samaritans came to Him, they urged Him to stay with them, and He stayed two days. And because of His words many more became believers. The woman did the sowing and Jesus did the reaping. They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world” (John 4:40-42). This was a remarkable revival and it must have completely changed the entire town.

Within three years of Christ’s encounter with the Samaritan woman, the messianic community was born. It grew very quickly and branched out from Jerusalem into all Judea and Samaria, and from there to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). That meant the Samaritan woman and the people of Sychar would soon be able to find fellowship and teaching were there was neither Hebrew nor Samaritan, Jew nor Gentile, slave nor free, male nor female, but were all one in Yeshua Ha’Meshiach (Galatians 3:28).

The Apostles Rejoin Jesus
John 4: 27-38

The apostles rejoin Jesus DIG: Why were the twelve surprised to find Jesus talking with a Samaritan woman? Why did she leave her water jar? How is Messiah’s figure of speech once again misunderstood (Jn 2:19, 3:3 and 4:10)? Why does He continue to speak like this? In what way is God’s will like food to Him?

REFLECT: Considering your interest in spiritual things this week, have you been more like the talmidim or the woman? Why? What distracts you from your walk with the Lord? How does doing the will of God supply the same essentials in your life that food does? What do you learn about being a witness from the parable?

The apostles had gone into town to get some food for themselves and their Rabbi. The Lord desired to have some time alone with this Samaritan woman for the purpose of evangelism. If they had stayed they would have merely been in the way. But, now the purpose of this had been accomplished.

Grace had achieved a glorious victory.

Just then His talmidim returned and were clearly surprised to find Jesus talking with a woman. The Jewish impression of women was very demeaning. The rabbis taught that no man should talk with a woman in the street, not even with his own wife, and especially not with another woman. But, even more, the rabbis said that each man who talks with a woman causes evil to himself, puts an end to the Torah, and, in the final analysis, inherits Gehinnom. This obvious breach of Jewish social norms could have been extremely awkward for the apostles, let alone the Samaritan woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her” (John 4:27)? It was bad enough talking to a Samaritan man, let alone a Samaritan woman!

Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town (Yochanan 4:28a). She had come to the well for literal water to satisfy a physical need. But, when she found the living water of eternal life (John 4:14b NCB), she had no more need of it. It is the same today. Once we perceive Yeshua clearly; once there is a moment of spiritual clarity of the soul; once He is known and received as our Lord and Savior there will be a turning away from that which our carnal mind was centered on beforehand. Her mind was on Christ and she had no thought of the well, water, or her water jar. The Messiah’s glory was then her only goal. She had a single purpose because she knew Him, not from a second-hand source, but from personal experience. Immediately, she began to tell others.³⁶⁴

Her response was typical of new believers, one of the evidences of authentic faith. The person who has just had the burden of sin and guilt removed always wants to share the Good News with others. The woman’s excitement would have been palpable. No longer was she avoiding the facts of her sin. She was basking in the glow of forgiveness with no shame.³⁶⁵  And she said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did.” It was like He could read her mind. “Could this be the Messiah,” she asked (John 4:28b-29)?” The Greek construction of this sentence anticipates a negative answer. It was as if she were saying, “He couldn’t possibly be the Messiah, could He?” Then, however, the Samaritan woman presented evidence to suggest that she, in fact, did believe Yeshua to be the Meshiach.

The interlude between Jesus’ discussion with the woman and His ministering to the rest of the town allows us to see why John includes this incident in his gospel. Yeshua had to pass through Samaria (Yochanan 4:4) to redeem that woman, who brought her entire town to Christ with her testimony. But, just as important, He had to pass through Samaria in order to give His talmidim critical training in evangelism. This was the Lord’s purpose in coming to the earth and the calling of His apostles. Furthermore, it was a tangible lesson on the first rule of the new Kingdom: Obedience to the Word of God is more important and more satisfying than fulfilling any mere physical need (Deuteronomy 8:3; Matthew 4:4; Lk 4:4).³⁶⁶

Verses 31-38 form a parenthesis and tell us something of what happened during the interval that followed the woman leaving the well and the Samaritans coming to Christ (to see link click Cc – Many Samaritans Believe) because of her testimony about Him. They record a first hand account that took place between the Lord and His talmidim. They had returned to hear His closing remarks to the woman, a notorious sinner, about her five husbands and the effect it had on her as she ran off to evangelize the town of Sychar.

A little earlier in the day the apostles had left the Rabbi from Galilee sitting on the well, tired from the long journey. Meanwhile, they left, bought some food and returned with it. But, He showed no desire for it. Instead of finding the Meshiach weary and faint, the twelve discovered Him to be full of renewed energy. He had received sustenance that they could not understand. Nevertheless, they persisted and urged Him, saying: Rabbi, eat something (John 4:31). His words puzzled them. Why wasn’t He hungry?

Jesus once again moved from the physical to the spiritual. He already had His spiritual food. But He said to them: I have food to eat that you know nothing about (Yochanan 4:32). Christ’s heart had been fed. His spirit had been invigorated. The great Giver of gifts had received one Himself. Peace and joy are a part of the blessing that comes from doing the will of ADONAI. And the obedient believer receives that which the world cannot understand. This was a teachable moment for His talmidim.

Therefore, the Twelve said to each other, “Could someone have brought Him food?” They were thinking in terms of the physical, not the spiritual. Yeshua said: My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work (John 4:33-34). The word My is in the emphatic position in the sentence. The work that Jesus did was no mere human work. It was that of One sent by God. Quite often in John’s gospel, The KING of kings declares that the work He does is that which the Father has for Him to do (Yochanan 5:30, 6:38, 7:18, 8:50, 9:4, 10:37, 12:49-50, 14:31, 15:10, 17:4). The heart of God hungers to reach out to those who do not know Him. That’s what drove the Suffering Servant. In fact, the verb to finish (Greek: teleioso), is similar with that used on the cross in John 19:30 when Jesus cried out: It is finished (Greek: tetelestai).³⁶⁷

He was God-sent. Again and again John speaks of Yeshua’s being sent by Ha’Shem. There are two Greek words the inspired author uses for sending. There is apostellein, which is used seventeen times, and pempein, which is used twenty-seven times. So, there are forty-four times in Yochanan where the Lord speaks about being sent. The Galilean Rabbi was One who was under orders. He was God’s man.

Don’t you quote the proverb, “There are four more months and then comes the harvest?” The Jewish agricultural year was divided into six, two month, periods: (Oct-Nov) seedtime, (Dec-Jan) winter, (Feb-Mar) spring, (Apr-May) harvest, (Jun-Jul) summer, and (Aug-Sep) the time of extreme heat. In other words, He was saying, “You have a proverb; if you sow the seed,  you must wait for at least four months before you can hope to begin and reap the harvest.” Sychar is in a region famous for its corn. Agricultural land was very limited in stony, rocky Palestine; practically nowhere else in the country could someone look up and see waving fields of golden corn. As Jesus looked up, He saw the Samaritans come out of the town and make their way up the hill toward Him. Few crops are white at harvest time, certainly not corn. So it seems that the Samaritans were wearing white garments, which stood out against the golden corn and the blue sky. As the Lord swept His gaze and His hand around, He said: I tell you, look up and see that the fields are already white (Greek: leukos) for harvest (John 4:35 NET)! The Master was telling His talmudim that the time for waiting was past; that the fields were “white already,” meaning that the grain stalks were already mature with heads ripe for the harvesting. It had taken four months to grow; but in Samaria it was time for harvest! And this was the harvest that He wanted His talmidim to see.³⁶⁸ The long-awaited Messiah had come. God’s time was now. The Word must be sown, and the spiritual harvest was waiting for them, as they saw before their very eyes.

This was Evangelism 101 taught by Jesus in His apostolic college. He said: Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together (Jn 4:36). To the Israelite sowing was a sad and backbreaking time; it was the harvest that was the time of joyfulness. Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them (Ps 126:5-6). An incredible thing had happened because of this new spiritual food. The sower and the harvester could rejoice at the same time.

Thus there is another proverb, and it is just as true, “One sows and another reaps” (John 4:37). Then our Savior went on to make two applications. First, He said: I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. The Lord told His talmidim that they would reap a crop that was not produced by their labor. By this Messiah meant that He was sowing the seed. There would come a day when the apostles would go out into the world and reap a harvest that Yeshua’s life and death had sown.

And secondly, others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor (Yochanan 4:38). The Nazarene told the twelve that there would come a day when they would sow and others would reap after them. There would be a time when the believing remnant would send out workers into the field but they would never see the harvest. Some of them would die as martyrs, but as the second century Church Father Tertullian once said, “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.” It is as if Christ said, “There will be a time when you will labor and see nothing come of it. Some day you will sow and you will pass away before the harvest is reaped. But don’t let your hearts be troubled (John 14:1). The sowing is not in vain; the seed will not be wasted. Others will witness the harvest that was not given for you to see.”³⁶⁹

The Samaritan woman’s testimony had an undeniably positive effect. The people of Sychar came out of the town and made their way up the hill toward Jesus. They were irresistibly drawn to the Man who was possibly their Savior (Yochanan 4:30).

The apostles revealed several attitudes that frequently keep us from entering the harvest fields. First, we are put off by prejudice or bigotry. When the apostles saw the Master talking to a Samaritan woman, they couldn’t accept it. To them, she was at the bottom, the very bottom, of the social ladder. When we are truthful with ourselves, we must face the fact that we care about the salvation of some people more than others. And although its hard to admit, we hope some contemptible, vile souls never escape the darkness of hell. Thankfully, our Creator doesn’t rank us on the scale of worthiness. We are all unworthy of salvation (Romans 3:23), yet equally loved by Him.

Second, we are consumed with the everyday details of life. The talmidim couldn’t stop thinking about food long enough to notice their Rabbi’s excitement. They left Him weary, hungry, and thirsty from travel. But, when they returned, they found Him bursting with energy. Anyone the least bit perceptive should have set aside the food and asked the Lord what made Him so energetic, but not those shortsighted apostles. We spend most of our day dealing with so-called necessities of life: taking care of our children, keeping schedules, making a living. Jesus had a strategic plan for His evangelism. Do you? Make a “Ten Most Wanted” list of people to pray for and watch the Holy Spirit go to work.

Third, we are lulled into inaction by the promise of tomorrow. The twelve didn’t appreciate the urgency of their calling. Yeshua used a popular proverb among farmers of His day: There are four more months and then comes the harvest, to stir them into action. He said, in effect, the time is now! No more waiting. But, we procrastinate. We presume upon tomorrow. Meanwhile, death continues to reap. Furthermore, the time before the Lord returns draws shorter and shorter.³⁷⁰

Jesus Talks With a Samaritan Woman
John 4: 1-26

Jesus talks with a Samaritan woman DIG: Why did the Jews and the Samaritans hate each other so much? Why was it so shocking that Yeshua would be talking to her? How would you describe the woman’s response? How did Jesus turn the tables on her in verse 10? In the woman’s reply, what was she really saying? How was she just like Nicodemus? Why does Messiah change the topic of conversation so abruptly to her personal life in verse 16? What strikes you about the way Christ responds to her claim of not having a husband? Why did she want to argue theology? In the context of this scene, what does Jesus mean by telling her that God desires those who worship Him in Spirit and in truth?

REFLECT: In what ways can you identify with the woman in this story? What does this story reveal about ADONAI’s attitude toward sinful people? When have you felt God’s concern and love for you? What keeps you from showing His love to others? How does the woman’s response to the Savior of sinners inspire you? How do the Good Shepherd’s actions in this story encourage you to treat others?

This chapter contains one of the most familiar and beautiful conversations in the Bible. The Samaritan woman is a timeless figure – not only a typical Samaritan, but also a typical human being. Here Yeshua offers salvation to an outcast woman as if He were handing her a drink of water. But, don’t mistake His straightforward offer for a shallow message.

Unlike Nicodemus, she was no theologian, but, her heart was ready to acknowledge her sin and believe in the Messiah. All we know about the woman’s background is that her life was a tangle of adultery and broken marriages. In her culture, that would have made her a spurned outcast, with no more social status than a common prostitute. She seemed anything but a prime target for conversation. To call her to Himself, Yeshua had to force her to face her indifference, lust, self-centeredness, immorality and religious prejudice.

The Samaritan woman makes a vivid contrast to Nicodemus. They were virtual opposites. He was a Jew; she was a Samaritan. He was a man; she was a woman. He was a religious leader; she was an adulteress. He was learned; she was ignorant. He was a member of the highest class; she of the lowest – lower even than an outcast of Isra’el, for she was a Samaritan outcast. He was wealthy; she was poor. He recognized Jesus as a teacher from God; she didn’t have any idea who He was. Nicodemus sought out the Messiah; but here the Savior sought her out. He came to Yeshua by night; however Christ spoke to her about noon. The two of them could hardly have been more different. But, it was the same Son of Man who revealed Himself to her. So, this is not primarily the tale of a Samaritan woman. Rather, this is the account of Jesus revealing Himself as the Messiah. Of all occasions for the Savior to disclose who He was, He first chose to tell this unknown woman of Samaria.

Samaria was the northern kingdom of Isra’el. In 556 BC God allowed the Assyrians to capture it because of Samaria’s great sin. Of the nineteen kings of Samaria, there was never one righteous king that sat upon the throne of the northern Kingdom. But, the Assyrians treated conquered territories differently than, say, the Babylonians. Where the Babylonians would take the best and the brightest back to Babylon, Dani’el and Ezeki’el for example, the Assyrians would move into the captured area and intermarry with the conquered people and assimilate them into the Assyrian culture (Second Kings 17:24). To resist was futile. So after the fall of the northern Kingdom, the Assyrians moved in and intermarried with them. This diluted their Jewishness, and the southern Kingdom looked on them with disdain. They viewed them as half-breeds and not their equal in any way.

As a result, the Jews did not regard Samaria as belonging to the Holy Land, but as a strip of foreign country – as the Talmud designates it (Chag. 25a), a “tongue” intervening between Galilee and Judea. From the Gospels we know that the Samaritans were not only ranked with Gentiles and strangers (Matthew 10:5; John 8:48), but that the very term Samaritan was one of reproach. “There be two manner of nations,” says son of Sirach (Ecclesiasticus 1.25-26), “which my heart abhors, and the third is no nation at all; they that sit upon the mountain of Samaria, and they that dwell in Shechem.³⁵³

When the Jews returned from the Babylonian captivity and began rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem, the Samaritans wanted to help them. But, the Jews would not accept their help because they were a mixed race ethnically and had brought idolatry into their worship. After the death of Solomon, the Kingdom split in two. King Jeroboam founded the northern kingdom of Isra’el on idolatry. He changed the object of worship from God to golden calves; he changed the priests of worship from Levites to all sorts of people; he changed the date of the Feast of Tabernacles from the seventh month to the eighth month; and he changed the place of worship from Jerusalem to Bethel and Dan (First Kings 12:25-33). In fact, they only recognized the Pentateuch, and they removed all references to Yerushalayim from their bible. Smarting under this repulse, they turned bitterly against the Jews of Jerusalem. It was about 450 BC when that quarrel took place, and it was as bitter as ever when Yeshua came on the scene.

It had become further embittered when the renegade Jew, Manasseh, married a daughter of the Samaritan Sanballat (Nehemiah 13:28) and proceeded to found a rival temple on Mount Gerizim that was in the center of the Samaritan territory. Still later, in the Maccabean days, in 129 BC, John Hyrcanus, the Jewish general and leader, led an attack against Samaria and sacked and destroyed the temple on Mount Gerizim. Therefore, the Jews and the Samaritans hated each other.³⁵⁴

Because of the corruption of their faith the rabbis demanded limited contact with the Samaritans. One popular saying was, “May I never set my eyes on a Samaritan.” The rabbis taught, “Let no Israelite eat one mouthful of anything that is Samaritan, for one who eats a little mouthful is as if one had eaten swine.”

Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that He was gaining popularity and baptizing more disciples than John – although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but His talmidim (John 4:1-2). Jesus, however, prevented a confrontation until the right time. He was in control of every situation, even the time and the place of His own death.

There are four general principles that stand out as critical truths to be emphasized in presenting the way of salvation. First, there is the lesson of the well: For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost (Lk 19:10).

So Jesus left Judea and went back once more to Galilee (John 4:3). John’s word for left is a somewhat unusual when used in the sense of leaving a place. It’s often translated abandoned, and there may be something of this meaning here. Between Judea to the south and Galilee to the north, a lost and forsaken people lived in a spiritual no-man’s-land called Samaria; yet they also needed to hear the Good News.³⁵⁵

Now He needed to go through Samaria (Yochanan 4:4 NKJV).  A look at any map reveals that the most direct route went straight through Samaria. But, in Yeshua’s day, any self-respecting Jew would always travel a different way. The preferred route went east of the Jordan River, then north through Decapolis before crossing the Jordan again into Galilee. That alternate route was out of the way, but, it bypassed Samaria, and that was the whole point. But, He needed to go because He had a purpose to fulfill, and it required Him to stop at this historic well, talk to a troubled woman, and make an unprecedented disclosure.³⁵⁶ So He came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph (John 4:5). The road to Samaria forks just short of Sychar. One branch goes northeast to Scythopolis; the other goes west to Nablus and then north to Engannim. At the fork in the road there sits to this day the famous Jacob’s well.

This was an area which had many Jewish memories attached to it. There was a piece of land there that had been bought by Jacob (see my commentary on Genesis, to see link click Hz –  Jacob’s Disobedience at Shechem). Jacob, on his deathbed, had given it to Joseph (see my commentary on Genesis Kz – Then Isra’el said to Joseph: I am About to Die, but God Will Be With You). And, on Joseph’s death in Egypt, his body had been taken back to Palestine and buried there (Joshua 24:32). So, around that plot of ground there gathered many Jewish memories.

The well is very deep (John 4:11), accessible only by a very long rope through a hole dug through a slab of soft limestone. Clearly, no one could get water from it unless they had something with which to draw the water. The reservoir below is spring-fed so its water is always fresh, pure and cold. It is the only well, and the finest water, in a vicinity where salty springs are common. And the existence of such a well on Jacob’s property was viewed by the Israelites as a sign of the LORD’s  grace and goodness to their patriarch.³⁵⁷

Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired as He was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about noon, or the hottest part of the day (Yochanan 4:6).

Second, there is the lesson of the woman: There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Then, as now, the women draw out the water from wells. Jesus said to her: Will you give me a drink (John 4:7 NASB)?

Not coincidentally, His apostles had gone into the town to buy food (John 4:8). Messiah desired to be alone with that poor soul. John’s Gospel presents Christ as God revealed in the flesh, and yet there is no other gospel in which we so frequently see Him alone with sinners. We see Him alone with Nicodemus; alone with this Samaritan woman; alone with the woman caught in the act of adultery; and alone with the man whose eyes He had opened, and who afterwards had been put out of the synagogue. Alone with the Lord is where the sinner needs to be – with nothing between or none around. No priest, no intermediary is necessary. Let the sinner get alone with God and His Word.³⁵⁸

The Samaritan woman said to Him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” For Jews did not generally associate with Samaritans (Yochanan 4:9). The confrontation itself is startling, since a Jewish man, particularly a respected rabbi, would never speak with an unknown woman, especially a Samaritan woman. Later on we will see that it was equally shocking for the apostles to find Yeshua speaking to her. And it would have been considered unthinkable for Him to drink from an unclean cup that belonged to an unclean woman. Her faith grew as their discussion progressed. But, at the beginning of their conversation, Jesus was merely a Jew to her.

This did not mean they couldn’t associate, or have any contact with Samaritans. The rabbis taught that Samaritans should not be placed in a position where Jews owed them anything. Under rabbinic law a Jew was not to accept anything from a Samaritan that would obligate the Jew to them in any way. It was permissible to buy food from them as the talmidim were doing. The problem here was that Jesus was asking this Samaritan woman for water without paying for it, so in their way of thinking He became obligated to her in some way.

The Samaritans hated the Jews and would frequently stop (or sometimes kill) Jews traveling through Samaria to go to Zion. However, they never stopped any Jew going from the City to Galilee, as Jesus was doing, because they liked to see Jews leaving Jerusalem.

Third, there is the lesson of the water: Let anyone who is thirsty come to Me and drink (John 7:37). First He creates in her the need for eternal life. Bypassing her actual question Jesus answered her saying: If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you living water (Yochanan 4:10). In Hebrew, mayim chayyim, literally, living water, means running water from a stream or spring, in contrast with water stored in a cistern. Figuratively, with Yeshua, it means spiritual life.³⁵⁹ To her living water meant running water, in other words, an underground well or fresh water. But, Jesus is talking about spiritual living water. The woman does not yet understand this, but, she will as the conversation progresses.

She questioned Yeshua, but in doing so, she revealed something about Samaritan theology. Sir, the woman said: you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Now she is addressing the Lord with the more respectful “Sir.” She probed further: Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his livestock (John 4:11-12)? In their thinking, no one was greater than Jacob and he had been responsible for digging that particular well. She believed that Jacob himself had actually drank from the well at some time in the past. So, the question she was really posing was this, “Was this Galilean Rabbi claiming to be greater than Jacob?”

Jesus made the transition to spiritual water, by answering: Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst (Jn 4:13-14a). Deprive your body of the necessary fluid, and your body will tell you. Deprive your soul of spiritual water, and your soul will tell you. Dehydrated hearts send desperate messages. Snarling tempers. Waves of worry. Growling mastodons of guilt and fear. You think God wants you to live like that? Hopelessness. Sleeplessness. Loneliness. Resentment. Irritability. Insecurity. These are the warnings. Symptoms of a dryness deep within. Treat your soul like you treat your thirst. Take a gulp. Drink the moisture. Flood your heart with a good swallow of spiritual water. Where do you find spiritual water for the soul? Let anyone who is thirsty come to Me and drink (Jn 7:37).³⁶⁰

Continuing to talk to the Samaritan woman, He said to her: Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water gushing up inside that person, giving eternal life (Jn 4:14b NCB). Water, in this verse, is a picture of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh working within us. Later, on the last and greatest day of the feast of Tabernacles, Jesus would say: If anyone believes in Me, rivers of living water will flow out of that persons heart, as the Scripture says. By [that] He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive (Jn 7:38-39 NCB). The Spirit had not yet been given, because Yeshua had not yet been resurrected.

Now she was really curious. Then the woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” She still didn’t get it. Jesus’ next words unexpectedly stopped her in her tracks. He told her: Go, call your husband and come back. Now what should she say? She felt trapped. The truth about her life was so horrible that she didn’t want to admit it to Him. He seemed to be assuming that she was a typical woman with a respectable home and an honorable husband. But, that was far from the truth. So instead of exposing the ugly underbelly of her life she told him only a fraction of the truth. “I have no husband,” she replied (John 4:15-17a).

To her utter chagrin, He already knew the brutal reality. Jesus said to her: You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. Notice He didn’t call her a liar. On the contrary, He commended her for telling the truth. What you have just said is quite true (Yochanan 4:17b-18). She wasn’t denying her sin . . . but, she wasn’t particularly proud of it, either. So, in order to preserve what shred of dignity she had left, she simply sidestepped the implications of His question without overtly lying. No matter. He knew the sordid details anyway. Moments before, she had questioned whether He was greater than Jacob. Now she knew. Her faith continued to grow as they talked.

Then, she said: Sir, I can see that you are a prophet (John 4:19). He had completely unmasked her. Whoever He was, He obviously knew everything about her. And yet, instead of criticizing her, He had offered her the living water of life! The Samaritans believed the next prophet after Moshe would be the Messiah. That is why they only recognized the five books of Moshe as their Scriptures. She suspected Jesus might be the Messiah, but still embarrassed, she tried to avoid the scrutiny of her sin by debating theology.

Fourth, there is the lesson of true worship: Look, now is the acceptable time; look, now is the day of salvation (Second Corinthians 6:2 NET).

Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem (John 4:20). In witnessing, as soon as you get to the sin issue, the first thing people want to do is argue theology. Like, “Oh yeah, where did Cain get his wife?” As if that has anything to do with their sin or salvation. So, they try to argue theology to avoid the sin question in their lives.

But, He refused to be drawn into the debate.

Jesus didn’t brush her question aside even though He knew what she was trying to do. He gave her a brief, but very compelling answer, saying: Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship (Greek: proskuneo, meaning to kiss the face) the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. A time is coming when there will be no central place of worship, neither in Jerusalem or Mount Gerizim, the proper place of worship will be in the Spirit and in truth (this was not true during the Dispensation of the Torah, but, during the Dispensation of the messianic Kingdom Yeshua will be personally ruling and reigning from the Temple in Jerusalem). You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. After answering her theological question, the Lord returned to the real issue: Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks (John 4:21-23).

God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth (John 4:24). This verse is sometimes misused to support the mistaken idea that the Torah is inferior or is no longer in force, having been replaced by worship in the Spirit and in truth (the literal rendering of spiritually and truly). But, spiritual and true worship is not to be compared with the Torah. Rather, true, spiritual worship is the universal standard of ADONAI, which He also commands in the Torah itself. The Torah opposes legalism and the mere performance of acts and routines without a true, spiritual connection with God.³⁶¹

Jesus finally deals with her faith; whom did she really need to believe in. The woman said: I know that Meshiach (called Christ) is coming. When He comes, He will explain everything to us (Yochanan 4:25). She was strongly hinting that she suspected Yeshua Himself might be the Messiah. When Simon Peter later confessed his faith that the Lord was the Messiah, the Son of the living God, Yeshua told him: Blessed are you Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by My Father in heaven (Matthew 16:17). The same thing was true of that Samaritan woman. The Holy Spirit was working in her heart. God the Father was drawing her irresistibly to Christ, revealing truth what no eye has seen, what no ear has heard (First Corinthians 2:9a).

Then the Galilean Rabbi was ready to pull back the curtain and reveal His true identity in an unprecedented way. The moment she expressed her desire for Christ, He answered: I, the One speaking to you – I AM He (John 4:26). Nothing more was needed. The Savior of sinners was revealed. That was enough. It is staggering to realize that Jesus chose that time and that place and that woman to be part of the setting where He would (for the first time ever) unveil Himself as the Meshiach. Never again would He declare who He was so plainly, until the night of His betrayal.³⁶²

The first step had been taken and the door was flung wide open for the gospel to enter the Samaritan town of Sychar. Finally, she recognized Him as the Messiah and the apostles returned.

Father, Your Word assures us that no one is beyond hope. You accept and love each one of us, in spite of our failures. You offer us salvation. You offer us mercy. You offer us love. Thank You for intervening in our lives and rescuing us from the bondage of sin. We praise You for Your mercy, forgiveness, and love.³⁶³

Herod Locked John Up In Prison
Matthew 4:12; Mark 1:14; Luke 3:19-20, 4:14

Herod locked John up in prison DIG: Why did John rebuke Herod Antipas? What does this illustrate about Yochanan? What did the Baptizer’s imprisonment foreshadow for Yeshua? Why did Jesus withdraw to Galilee? What exactly is the Gospel? What was the reaction of the people of Galilee? Why did the Lord go through Samaria to get to Galilee?

REFLECT: When have you confronted evil in your life? Did it cost you anything? If you were arrested for being a believer, would there be enough evidence to convict? What cause would you go to prison for? What cause would you die for?

It is always dangerous to confront evil, and John’s fearless condemnation of moral wickedness in high places led to his being beheaded. Likewise, German pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer made one of the most courageous decisions in the history of Christianity when he decided in 1939 to leave the safety of New York City and return to Germany where he confronted Adolph Hitler and the Nazis. His reward for this incredible act of selflessness was to be hanged in a concentration camp in 1945.

Bonhoeffer, one of the towering figures of the 20th century, may not be a familiar name to the majority of Americans more than sixty years after the end of World War II. But, Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a man, much like John the Baptist, determined to do the will of God, no matter what the personal cost.

Bonhoeffer once said, “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”

As Hitler and the Nazis seized control of Germany and attempted to exterminate the Jews of Europe, a small band of dissidents including Bonhoeffer, worked to bring down the Third Reich. Bonhoeffer, a pastor and author, was famous for his classic books on his faith.

Bonhoeffer’s life was changed during his time at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem before he returned to his native Germany to oppose Hitler. He took the position that Christians are obligated to stand up for the Jews.

Upon his return to Germany he became involved in the effort to smuggle Jews into the safety of neutral Switzerland. But, he also put his beliefs into action by being involved in the well-known Valkyrie plot against Hitler.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s call to action against Hitler included the following famous quote, “If I see a madman driving a car into a group of innocent bystanders, then I can’t as a believer, simply wait for the catastrophe and then comfort the wounded and bury the dead. I must try to wrestle the steering wheel out of the hands of the driver.”

Disappointed with the complacency of the German Evangelical Church in the face of Hitler’s rise to power, Bonhoeffer became a founder of the Confessing Church, which opposed the country’s growing hostility toward Jews. Inspired by Gandhi’s advocacy of non-violence, the pacifist Bonhoeffer struggled for the right response to Hitler. Nazi opposition to his Confessing Church increased until the pastor was forbidden to speak publicly or to publish his writing.

The attempted assassination of Hitler on July 20, 1944 was connected to Bonhoeffer and others. He was arrested by the Nazis and hanged on April 9, 1945 at the Flossenburg concentration camp only days before the Allies liberated Germany.³⁴⁸

But when John rebuked Herod Antipas, the tetrarch, because of his marriage to Herodias, his brother’s wife, and all the other evil things he had done (Luke 3:19). Herod Antipas was the son of Herod the Great, and he had married his brother’s wife while his brother was still alive. The Torah regarded his marriage as an incestuous relationship. Herodias had been furious over this and demanded that John be put in prison. Herod fulfilled her desire.

Herod Antipas added this to all his other sins: He locked Yochanan up in prison (Luke 3:20). Josephus (Antiquities 18.5.2 [18.119]) states that John was imprisoned in the fortress of Machaerus on the eastern side of the Dead Sea. Luke could think of no greater evil than to reject and persecute God’s messenger. According to John 3:22-23 and 4:1-2, the ministries of Jesus and the Baptist overlapped for a time. Luke, however, in presenting his orderly account, told of John’s imprisonment at this point in order to complete the herald’s story, so that he now could concentrate on the Lord’s story.³⁴⁹

Jesus heard that John had been put in prison (Matthew 4:12a; Mark 1:14a). Herod had evidently become tired of the Baptizer’s prophetic denunciations of his family and administration, so he had John imprisoned in hopes of stopping his light from shining (Matthew 14:1-11). The forerunner’s imprisonment foreshadowed Yeshua’s own suffering because what happens to the herald will happen to the King.

After that Jesus withdrew to Galilee, proclaiming the Good News of God (Matthew 4:12b; Mark 1:14b). The Master was no more afraid of the Pharisees than was Yochanan, but, He wanted to avoid a premature confrontation. When the time came, the Suffering Servant would not flinch as He faced the Great Sanhedrin (to see link click Lg – The Great Sanhedrin). Messiah also had no fear of Herod. If He wanted to escape possible trouble from Herod, He wouldn’t have gone to Galilee because that too was under Herod’s control. The Son of God always works on His Father’s divine timetable. He had, as it were, a divine clock ticking in His mind and heart that regulated everything He said and did. Rabbi Sha’ul confirms that when the set time had fully come, God sent His Son (Galatians 4:4a). Messiah spoke of His hour not having yet come (John 7:30 and 8:20), and then of its having arrived (Mattityahu 26:45; John 12:23, 17:1).³⁵⁰

The gospel or the Good News is the best news ever to come to mankind, because it contains the message of forgiveness, restoration, and new life in Jesus Christ. The word gospel comes from the Saxon word gode-spell, the word gode meaning good, and spell meaning a story or a tale. In every case the word gospel is a translation of the Greek word euaggelion. The verb is euaggelizomai. The word euaggelion was just as commonly used in the first century as our words Good News. “Have you any Good News (euaggelion) for me today?” must have been a common question. Our word gospel today has a definite religious inference. In the ordinary conversation of the first century, it did not have such a meaning. However, it was taken over into the cult of Caesar where it acquired a religious significance. The cult of Caesar was the state religion of the Roman Empire, in which the emperor was worshiped as a god. When the announcement of the emperor’s birthday was made, or the accession of a new Caesar proclaimed, the account of either event was designated by the word euaggelion.

Consequently, when the Bible writers were announcing the Good News of salvation, they used the word euaggelion, which meant to the first century readers Good News. There is the Good News of the Kingdom (Matthew 4:23) announced at His First Coming and rejected by Isra’el, to be announced at His Second Coming and accepted by Isra’el (see my commentary on Revelation Ev – The Basis for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ). There is the Good News of Jesus Christ (Romans 5: 1-8), that He died on the Cross and thus becomes the Savior of sinners who put their faith/trust/belief in Him. There is also the Good News of the grace of God (Acts 20:24), which is from Yeshua Messiah.

The verb euaggelizomai is uniformly translated to preach the Gospel, except where it may be rendered bring or has declared. Many times it is translated by the word preach, but, since there is a Greek word kerusso that means to preach in the sense of to announce, the translation should be expanded to include the idea of Good News (Luke 3:18; Acts 5:42; 1 Corinthians 15:1-2; Galatians 1: 15-16; Ephesians 2:17; Hebrews 2:17 and Rev 14:6). The word evangelist comes from the Greek word euaggelistes, a bringer of Good News.³⁵¹

Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through the whole countryside (Luke 4:14). Galilee would be the primary focus of the Lord’s public ministry. This is a summary statement of Christ’s actions. His reputation spread through the whole countryside because His ministry had not been done in a corner (Acts 26:26) (i.e. in secret). It is truly remarkable how the proud and arrogant think they have free rein to accomplish their wicked ends, when the truth of the matter is that ADONAI knew what was going to happen before the foundation of the world.

But, Jesus left for Galilee, passing through Samaria, because He had a divine appointment . . .
with a woman at a well.

Jesus’ Acceptance in Samaria
John 4: 1-42

The brief ministry of Yeshua in Samaria, where He stopped just two days on His way to Galilee, is especially significant, in that He defined His attitude toward that despised people. This is the first of four separate occasions we see Jesus ministering to Gentiles in the gospels. The Jews hated the Samaritans, but, Messiah saw them in a different light. His work there is also a fine example of missionary method and policy. He won an individual first, a Samaritan woman by Jacob’s well, thus gaining a hearing in the city of Sychar.³⁵²

John Testifies Again About Jesus
John 3: 22-36

John testifies again about Jesus DIG: Given the different ideas about baptisms, what do you think happened at that river? What do you think you would have said if you were one of John’s disciples at that point? How did the Baptist respond? What is the point of the allegory or story about the bride and the groom? What does John’s response tell us about him? What facts about Jesus does John bring out in verses 31-36? When Yochanan says for God’s wrath remains on them, whom is he talking about?

REFLECT: When you use your spiritual gift(s) to minister to others, who’s in the spotlight? The Lord or you? Would you risk being perceived as odd? Like John, is there an area of your ministry that you need to get out of the way and let God do His work? If the Holy Spirit didn’t really mean “eternal” could He have inspired Yochanan to use another word? Does eternal mean eternal?

John didn’t have the qualities of greatness we value most in people we have a high regard for. He didn’t move among the rich and famous or the proud and powerful; he chose the solitude of the wilderness. He wasn’t sophisticated; he wore camel’s hair and ate locusts and wild honey. He didn’t climb the ladder of political success; he confronted and offended people as he spoke the truth without compromise. In the most extreme and most admirable sense of the word, he was . . . odd. Christ, who measures greatness on a different scale, called John the greatest man who ever lived (Matthew 11:11 paraphrased).

Yochanan was born to be the herald to the King – and he fulfilled his role flawlessly. As such, he had three main responsibilities. First, the herald was to clear the way, and remove obstacles from the minds of the people regarding the Messiah. Second, the herald was to prepare the way, and call Isra’el to a baptism of repentance. Third, the herald was to get out of the way . . . and that’s what made John great.³⁴¹

After this, Jesus and His apostles went out into the Judean countryside, where He spent some time with them, and baptized. Now Yochanan was also baptizing at Aenon (meaning place of refreshment) near Salim (which means peace), because there was plenty of water, and people were coming to be baptized (John 3:22-23). This was before the Baptizer was put in prison (to see link click Fl – John the Baptist Beheaded). Generally, John’s ministry of about a year had been in the wilderness of Judea and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan (which speak of drought and death). But, as he was faithful to his calling, it became to him a place of refreshment and peace. Such is the experience of the obedient servant of God (Mt 3:1 and 5).³⁴²

It is clear that people were leaving the forerunner for Jesus. John’s disciples were worried. They did not like their master taking a back seat to anyone. They did not like to see him abandoned while the crowds were flocking out to hear and see a new Teacher. An argument developed between some of Yochanan’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. They came to the Baptizer and said to him, “Rabbi, that Man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan – the One you testified about – look, His talmidim are baptizing, and everyone is going to Him” (John 3:24-26).

It would have been very easy for Yochanan to feel injured, neglected and unjustifiably forgotten. Sometimes a friend’s sympathy can be the worst possible thing for us. It can make us feel sorry for ourselves and encourage us to believe that we’ve been treated unfairly. However, the Baptist was above that pettiness.

John told his disciples three things:

He told them that no one could receive more than what God gave them. To this John replied: A person can receive only what is given them from heaven (Yochanan 3:27). If the new Teacher was attracting more disciples it was not because He was stealing them from the herald, but because ADONAI was giving them to Him. What did the Baptizer do? Did he decide that Ha’Shem was done with him? Did he become discouraged because his disciples dwindled away? Did he fold his tent and go home? No. He faithfully persevered: John was also baptizing (John 3:23a)! His crowd was thin; his season of prosperity was over; a brighter One had eclipsed his light; nevertheless, John was also baptizing! Therefore, let us not become weary of doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9).

He told them that they were friends of the groom. The bride (Isra’el) belongs to the groom (the Messiah). The friend, who attends the groom (John and the righteous of the TaNaKh), waits and listens for Him, and is full of joy when he hears the groom’s voice (John 3:29). One of the greatest pictures of the TaNaKh is that of Isra’el as the bride and ADONAI as the groom. Their relationship was likened to a wedding. When Isra’el went after strange gods it was as if she were committing spiritual adultery (Exodus 34:15; Deuteronomy 31:16; Isaiah 54:5; Jeremiah 3:6-9; Hosea 3:1-5). The New Covenant continued this motif and speaks of the Church as the bride of Christ (Second Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:22-32). In the herald’s mind, Yeshua had come from God and was the Son of Ha’Shem. Isra’el was His rightful bride and He was Isra’el’s groom. Yochanan did say, however, that he was the friend of the groom.

The friend of the groom, the shoshben, had a unique place at a Jewish wedding. He acted as the liaison between the bride and the groom; he arranged the wedding; he took out invitations; he presided at the wedding feast. But, he had one special duty. He guarded the bridal chamber to let no false lover in. He would open the door and let him in only when he heard the groom’s voice and recognized it. Then he went away rejoicing for his task was completed and the lovers were together. He did not resent the bride or the groom, but gladly faded out of the picture.

He told them that he was merely the herald to the King. You yourselves can testify that I said: I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of Him. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater and I must become less (John 3:28 and 30). John’s task had been to bring Isra’el and Jesus together; to arrange the marriage between Christ the groom and Isra’el the bride. That mission had been completed and he was only too happy to step out of the limelight once his work was done. Yochanan’s humility was no less genuine than that of Moses, who, though raised to prominence by God, proclaimed himself more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth (Numbers 12:3). We need to remember that any task done for God is a great task.

One of the difficulties in interpreting the gospel of John is to know when the different characters are speaking and when John is adding his own commentary. These next verses may well be the words of John the Baptist; but, more than likely they are the witness and comments of John the evangelist.³⁴³

John begins by emphasizing the supremacy of Yeshua. If we want information, we have to go to the person who possesses that information. If we want information about God, we will only get it from the Son of God; and if we want information about heaven, we can only get if from Him who comes from heaven. The One who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The One who comes from heaven is above all (Yochanan 3:31).

The idea that a virgin would be selected by God to bear Himself; the idea that God would don a scalp and toes and two eyes; the thought that the King of the universe would sneeze and burp and get bit by mosquitoes. It’s too incredible. Too revolutionary. We would never create such a Savior. We aren’t that daring.

When we create a redeemer, we keep him safely distant in his faraway castle. We allow him only the briefest of encounters with us. We permit him to swoop in and out with his sleigh before can draw too near. We wouldn’t ask him to take up residence in the midst of a contaminated people. In our wildest imaginings we wouldn’t conjure up a king who becomes one of us . . . But, God did.³⁴⁴

When Jesus speaks about God and about heavenly things it is no fairy tale because He has been there. Because the Son alone knows the Father, He alone can give us the truth about God, and these facts are the gospel. He testifies to what He has seen and heard, but no one accepts His testimony (John 3:32). In the ancient world, if a man wanted to give his full approval to a document, such as a will, an agreement, or a constitution, he attached his seal to it. The seal was the sign that he agreed with it and regarded it as binding and true. So today, when people accept Messiah, they testify that they believe that what God says is true. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession (Ephesians 1:13b-14a).

We can believe what Jesus says, because on Him the LORD poured out the Spirit without limit. Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. For the One whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for He gives the Spirit without limit. To hear Jesus is to hear the very words of ADONAI. Though the Rabbi from Galilee’s words were profound, they are plain. His words were weighty, yet they shone with a luster and simplicity of a statement that staggered His enemies.³⁴⁵ The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in His hands (John 3:33-35).

Finally, Yochanan the Immerser sets before us the eternal choice – life or death. Down through the centuries the choice had been set before Isra’el. Moses said: See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction . . . I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live (Deuteronomy 30:15-20). Joshua restated the challenge: Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve (Joshua 24:15). John then returns to his favorite subject. What matters most is our reaction to Messiah. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life (see Ms – The Eternal Security of the Believer), but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them (Yochanan 3:36). If that reaction is love and longing, then that person will know life. But, if the reaction is indifference or hostility, then that person will know death. Jesus Christ doesn’t send anyone to hell – they choose it.³⁴⁶

A football (soccer) player scores the winning goal and is embraced by his joyful teammates. An executive completes an important business deal and sees the look of appreciation in the eyes of her coworkers. A teenager graduates from high school and is photographed by the proud parents. In our society, admiration generally comes only as a reward for accomplishing some legitimate achievement.

Yet, the forerunner revealed that Christ looks at us differently. He simply rejoices in us for who we are, not for what we have accomplished or earned. Because we are now in the Dispensation of Grace (see my commentary on Hebrews Bp – The Dispensation of Grace), we are the bride and Yeshua is the groom (Revelation 21:1-2). He views us with such joy that He sings and rejoices over us (Zephaniah 3:17). We are the object of His love and He rejoices in blessing us simply because He loves us (Jeremiah 32:40-41). Our “achievement” lies in accepting His love and striving to live as His faithful bride.

As John observed our Savior beginning His ministry, he was happy to direct his disciples to the groom. His motto became He must become greater and I must become less. The delight that the herald took in having a part in the Master’s ministry was far greater than any temporary accolades he might have received. He was overjoyed at the mere sound of the groom’s voice (John 3:29-30).

Like Yochanan, we too can rejoice in our groom as we await the final wedding feast (see my commentary on Revelation Fg – Blessed Are Those Invited to the Wedding Feast of the Lamb). It will be a time of rejoicing and celebration as all pain, death, and mourning are done away with as God wipes every tear from our eyes (Revelation 21:4).  ADONAI pulls back the curtain and allows us to see our homeland. Just try to imagine the angels singing His praises as they see Jesus’ generous love for His bride. Think about all the redeemed from every nation, tribe, people and language finally united with the Lord and one another in an unbreakable bond of love. What a time that will be!

Therefore, as we go about our day, let us be assured that God rejoices and sings over us. Yeshua ha-Meshiach is the groom and longs to spend eternity with us!

Jesus, thank You for loving me so much that You actually delight in me, even in my weaknesses. Lord, I want to be a part of your pleasing bride. Let Your ways increase in me and my ways decrease. I thank you for making my joy full as I draw close to You. Amen.³⁴⁷

Jesus Teaches Nicodemus
John 3: 1-21

Jesus teaches Nicodemus DIG: What is significant about Nicodemus’ name? What else do we know about him? Why did he come to Jesus? Why at night? Why were the ideas about birth different between them? How many times had Nicodemus been born again in his own thinking? What two basic steps did Yeshua teach for a rebirth and entrance into the Kingdom? From verses 16-18, what stands out to you about God? About what He wants to do? About how a person is condemned? According to verse 21 how will true belief show itself? How would you define being born again to one who had never heard the term?

REFLECT: What first aroused you about Jesus? Why? How old were you? Where are you right now in the birthing process of spiritual life: Not yet conceived? Developing, but not “showing” yet? Very pregnant and waiting for your “water” to break? Kicking and screaming like an infant? Growing daily? Can you explain your spiritual birthing process (when you were born again) in a few minutes?

Shortly after His baptism, the Lord began His ministry of proclaiming Himself to be the Messiah of Isra’el. He performed many signs and miracles to authenticate His claim (see my commentary on Isaiah, to see link click Gl – The Three Messianic Miracles). Now while He was in Yerushalayim at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs He was performing and believed in His name (John 2:23). As a result of His miracles, many had faith and believed His claim that He was indeed the Jewish Meshiach. Standing in the crowd and observing many of these miracles was a man by the name of Nicodemus. We can discover much about this man from his name.

It was a custom at that time, amongst the Jews, for the parents to give their boys two names, a Jewish name and a Gentile name. It was so in the case of the great Apostle, his Jewish name being Sha’ul, and his Gentile name, Paul. The name Nicodemus (Hebrew: Nakdimon) is made up of two words, a word that means to conquer, and another that means the common people. Together his name meant One who conquers the people. This name was given to him at birth. The pharisaic tradition at that time included this idea, namely, that of a subjection of the common people. Our Savior spoke of the burdens that the Pharisees put upon the backs of the common people with the Oral Law (see Ei – The Oral Law).

The fact that Nicodemus preferred to be known in Jerusalem by his Greek rather than his Hebrew name indicates that he had a definite leaning towards Greek culture. It might even indicate that he was a Hellenist, namely, a Jew who read the TaNaKh in the Greek translation called the Septuagint. He was certainly learned in Greek and there was a sentiment in Isra’el against Hellenism. This can be seen in the initial messianic movement after Shavu’ot. In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food (Acts 6:1). This feeling certainly must have been most intense in Yerushalayim, the center of Jewish culture. This would indicate that Nakdimon was a prominent man in Jerusalem, and powerful enough to be able to maintain his position in spite of the antagonism that his Hellenism aroused.³³¹

Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council (Yochanan 3:1). First, we know that he was a Pharisee, which means he was a rabbi. It is important to know what Nakdimon believed when he came to secretly talk to Jesus. The rabbis taught that, “All Isra’el had a share in the Age to come” (Sanhedrin 11:1). In other words, anyone who was born a Jew would automatically enter the kingdom of God by birthright. Any Gentile had to convert to enter the kingdom of God. However, the Jews would say, “We are children of Abraham.”

Another teaching of the rabbis was that anyone who was circumcised would not end up in Gehenna, or hell, but would end up in the kingdom of God. This was all well and good in the first century. By the second century, however, the rabbis were confronted with Jewish believers in Yeshua. Now the rabbis wanted them to go to hell. So on the one hand, they decreed that when a circumcised Jewish believer died, an angel from heaven came down and sewed his foreskin back on so he would end up in hell after all. But on the other hand, if by some heavenly bureaucratic mistake a Jew was assigned to hell, no problem. The rabbis taught that if you were born a Jew, you didn’t have to worry because Abraham sat at the gates of Gehenna and would snatch any Israelite away from the flames.

The second thing we learn about Nicodemus was that he was a member of the Great Sanhedrin (see Lg – The Great Sanhedrin), or the ruling council. He was the teacher of a rabbinic academy and about 50 years old.

Nicodemus came to Jesus at night because he didn’t want anyone to know he was there. At this point, if he were even seen talking to the trouble-making Nazarene it could cost him both socially and financially. The Pharisees were known to put people out of the synagogue for believing in the Lord (John 9:22). He also knew that the darkness would afford him an uninterrupted time to talk to Yeshua. Rabbi, Nakdimon began courteously, stepping into the light coming from the flames: We know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him (Yochanan 3:2). Nicodemus might have been apprehensive about the possible reaction of his fellow Sanhedrin members, or even intimidated by the Galilean Rabbi Himself, but nevertheless, he came – unlike his colleagues – with a sincere desire to learn.

Jesus, who knew what was in each person (John 2:24b), understood what was really going on in Nakdimon’s heart. The Lord ignored his initial flattery and, instead, answered a question he didn’t even ask. Without confirming, denying, refuting or even acknowledging Nicodemus’ statement that He was from God, Jesus gave an answer that demonstrated His omniscience. Messiah confronted Nicodemus with the fact that he had fallen short of reaching the Kingdom.³³² Immediately getting to the heart of the matter, He replied: Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again (John 3:3). Our Savior called for nothing less than complete regeneration. Without such a spiritual rebirth, He told His nighttime visitor, no one has any hope of attaining eternal life. There was no middle ground. No compromise.

It is important to understand Nicodemus’ frame of reference. As Arnold Fruchtenbaum discusses at length, the term born again was common in pharisaic writings. The rabbis taught that there were six ways of being born again, and all six were physical. First, when Gentiles were converted to Judaism they were considered to be born again. Nicodemus did not qualify because he was Jewish. Secondly, a man was considered born again if he were crowned king. Once again, Nakdimon did not qualify because nothing is said about him being from the house of David, or royal lineage.

But, there were four other ways to be born again, and Nicodemus qualified for all four. First, a 13-year-old boy was considered born again at his bar mitzvah (a form of Jewish confirmation). At that time he subjects himself to all the commandments of the Torah, is responsible for his own sin, is viewed as an adult by the Jewish community and is legally able to participate in the synagogue. Nakdimon qualified. He was beyond the age of thirteen and he had already experienced his bar mitzvah. Second, when a Jew was married, he was said to be born again. To be a member of the Jewish ruling council one had to be married between the ages of 16 and 20. Since he was a member of the Great Sanhedrin he had to be married. Thus, we must assume that Nicodemus was married and that he qualified. Third, an ordained rabbi was considered born again at the age of 30. Nakdimon qualified, he was a rabbi. The final way to be born again in Judaism was to become the head of a rabbinic academy. In verse 10, Jesus said to Nicodemus that he was the teacher of Isra’el, and the one who was about 50 and the head of a rabbinic academy was always referred to as the teacher of Isra’el. Once again, Nicodemus qualified. He had undergone every process available in Judaism to be born again. There was no other way except to enter his mother’s womb and start the whole process over again.

That’s why Nicodemus asked: How can someone be born again when they are old? Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born” (John 3:4)! He was saying, “Hey, I’ve used up all my options. Shall I become a fetus again? Do I start the process all over again and become born again at 13, 20, 30 and 50? I don’t get it!”

It was to this problem of pharisaic Judaism that Yeshua addressed Himself. Then the Lord uses a common way of Jewish teaching. He went from the known, being born again, to the unknown, its spiritual ramifications. In pharisaic Judaism it was given a strictly physical connotation. So He moved from the physical realm to the spiritual realm: Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit (Yochanan 3:5). The Jewish phrase “to be born of water,” meant to be born physically a Jew. And, as far as the Pharisees were concerned, being born a Jew was enough to enter the kingdom of God. But, Jesus told Nakdimon that being born of water, or physically being a Jew, was not enough. He said: You must be born of both water and the Spirit. In other words, there are two kinds of births, one physical and the other spiritual, to qualify for the kingdom of God.

Then Christ defined the difference: Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit (John 3:6). Here again, Jesus clearly explained the two kinds of births. To be born of water is to be born of the flesh, and that which is born of flesh is flesh. This birth is not enough to enter the Kingdom. You should not be surprised at my saying, “You (plural in the Greek) must be born again” (Yochanan 3:7). There must be a spiritual birth subsequent to the physical birth. Therefore, Nicodemus’ being born a Jew was insufficient; he needed a spiritual rebirth to really be born again in the way that God required.

The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit (John 3:8). You may not understand how or why the wind blows; but you can see what it does. You may not understand where a gale came from or where it is going to, but you can see the trail of flattened fields and uprooted trees that it leaves behind. There are many things about the wind you may not understand; but, its effects are plainly seen. Jesus said that the Spirit is exactly the same. You may not know how the Spirit works; but, you can see the Spirit’s effect in the lives of believers.³³³ It’s called spiritual fruit. Rabbi Sha’ul tells us that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23a).

Nicodemus’ next question revealed the turmoil in his heart: How can this be (Yochanan 3:9)? He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? Thus, he was looked upon as an outstanding teacher of Isra’el. Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony (Yochanan 3:10-11). Yeshua answers the: we know, of Nicodemus in verse 2, with the: we know, here. When Nakdimon used the expression, he was speaking for a specific group of people, the Great Sanhedrin. When the Lord used the expression, He was also speaking for a specific group of people, namely, those who had been born again. Continuing to press the point, the Meshiach said: I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things (John 3:12)? Nicodemus said he didn’t understand. Jesus wanted him to know that faith comes before full understanding (First Corinthians 2:14). Spiritual truth doesn’t register in the mind of someone who doesn’t believe. Unbelief understands nothing. That rebuke from the Lord silenced Nicodemus completely. We have no record of any more responses from him that night; he probably just stood there in stunned silence.

So Nicodemus being born a Jew was not sufficient. He needed a spiritual rebirth to really be born again in the way that is required. And what way is that? Jesus taught two basic steps for a rebirth and entrance into the Kingdom. No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven – the Son of Man (John 3:13). In this context, Jesus is referring to His authority to bring a message from heaven. The point here is that no one has ascended to heaven to bring an authoritative message back from ADONAI. So, we are totally dependent upon Yeshua. He has the authority to speak concerning heavenly things since He came from heaven.³³⁴ The Lord reminded Nakdimon of the wilderness experience of the Jews who were on the way to the Promised Land. Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness (Numbers 21:4-9), so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in Him (Yochanan 3:14-15).

The issue was sin. Jesus challenged that great teacher of the Torah to acknowledge that the snake, the Adversary, had bitten him and he needed to come to the Lord for salvation. Normally, a Pharisee would have despised the very idea because it would cut to the core of his self-righteousness. Christ exposed the painful reality that he needed to admit his sin and repent. He needed to include himself among the sinful, snake-bitten, repentant Israelites.

First, ADONAI took one step toward us, and second, we must take the other step toward Him. The step by God is the death of the God-Man, Yeshua the Messiah. He was lifted up onto the cross to die for the sins of the world. But, now mankind has the obligation of believing in Christ and what He did on the cross in order to have eternal life. The rabbis taught that everything depended upon the intent of the heart, not on the mere outward deed, just as it was not Moses lifting up his hands that gave Isra’el the victory (see my commentary on Exodus Cv – The Amalekites Came and Attacked the Israelites at Rephidim) nor yet the lifting up of the bronze snake that healed, but the upturning of the heart of Isra’el to ADONAI.³³⁵

These same two steps are repeated in John 3:16-18. For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish in hell, but have eternal life (John 3:16 also see Titus 2:11).There are two parts. God did His part by sending His one and only Son (this does not save), and we do our part by believing/trusting/having faith that Jesus is who He said He is (this part saves): That Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures (First Corinthians 15:3b-4).

There are four words in the Greek language that mean love. One is erao, which refers to a passionate love, either good or bad, according to the context. This would not do here. Another is stergo, which speaks of a natural love, such as of parents for their children. But, the unsaved are not children of God, and therefore this would be inappropriate here. The third word is phileo, which refers to a love called out of one’s heart by the pleasure one takes in the object loved. But, God takes no pleasure in the wicked, and therefore, this was not a fitting word. The fourth word is agapao. This is a love called out of one’s heart by the preciousness of the object loved. This is the kind of love that John wished to teach here. The love of YHVH for the lost was called out of His heart by the preciousness of each lost soul, precious because He sees in that lost soul His own image, though marred by sin.³³⁶

Jesus told Nicodemus how God loved the world and gave His only Son to die for their sins, but He also explained that Nakdimon, a man, must respond in faith to that message. If he would believe, he would be born again; have eternal life, and would qualify for entrance into the kingdom of God. At that point in the rabbi’s life, he had only been born of water. He still needed to be born of the Spirit.³³⁷ This is one of the many verses in the Gospels that point to the security of the believer (see Ms – The Eternal Security of the Believer). What does eternal mean? Could the Holy Spirit have used the word temporal here? If you are born again, can you be un–born? Can we undo what God has already done (see Bw – What God Does For Us at the Moment of Faith/Trust/Belief)? These are questions that every believer needs to be able to answer.

Then the Lord made this wonderful promise to sinners. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. Then He balanced it with a chilling warning to the Pharisees and all others who reject Christ. Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son (John 3:17-18).

Condemnation for unbelief is not merely relegated to the future. What will be carried out in the final judgment (see my commentary on Revelation Fo – The Great White Throne Judgment), has already begun. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God (Yochanan 3:19-21). Having hated and rejected the light, those whose deeds are evil condemn themselves to an eternity in darkness and apart from God’s love.

This is the first real confrontation between Jesus and a Pharisee. He will challenge and deny their fundamental belief in the Oral Law. It will cost the Lord His life.

This mental struggle for Nakdimon will begin here and continue for three-and-a-half-years. In John 7:50-51 he is still not a believer. But, years later, after Christ’s crucifixion, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus took the body of Jesus away. They wrapped it with seventy-five pounds of spices in accordance with Jewish customs and laid Him in a borrowed tomb (John 19:38-42). Yochanan identified Nicodemus as a believer; however, it would cost him both socially and financially.

In the first century every rabbi had to have a trade to earn a living. That’s why Rabbi Sha’ul was a tent-maker. Nicodemus was a well digger. He became very successful and wealthy. According to rabbinic writings he became among the wealthiest men in all of Jerusalem. However, when he came to place his faith in Jesus Christ, Nicodemus was ostracized, reduced to poverty and died a pauper. The rabbis recorded this true story to show what would happen to anyone accepting Yeshua as the Messiah. Rest assured, Nicodemus died physically poor, but spiritually rich.³³⁸

As boldly as the center beam of the cross proclaims God’s holiness, the cross beam declares His love. And, oh, how wide His love reaches.
Aren’t you glad John 3:16 does not read:
For God so loved the rich . . . ?
Or, For God so loved the famous . . . ?
Or, For God so loved the thin . . . ?
It doesn’t. Nor does it state: For God so loved the Europeans or the Africans . . .
the sober or the successful . . . the young or the brilliant . . .
No, when we examine it, we simply (and gratefully) read: For God so loved the world.
How wide is the love of God? Wide enough for the whole world . . . and you.³³⁹

These same two basic steps hold true today. ADONAI has done His part. He sent His one and only Son to die on the cross as payment for our sins. Have you done your part? Have you accepted the sacrifice of Jesus the Messiah and made Him Lord of your life? Salvation requires a second birth from above, because we are powerless to save ourselves. Moral perfection is the standard and we have all fallen short (Romans 3:23); therefore, we cannot become “good enough” to earn our place in heaven. Fortunately, Yeshua ha-Meshiach has paid in full the penalty for our sin. Rather than try to overcome evil on our own, we must respond to His free gift of eternal life with complete trust that He can save us (Ephesians 2:8-9). If you would like to enter into a relationship with God by believing in Christ as your Lord and Savior, here is a simple prayer you can use to express your faith. But, before you do, I want you to remember that saying a prayer does not save you, trusting in Messiah does.

Dear Lord,

I know that my sin has put a barrier between You and me. Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus, to suffer the penalty for my sin by dying in my place so that the barrier would be removed. I trust in Yeshua alone for the forgiveness of my sins. In doing that, I also accept His free gift of eternal life, which is mine for eternity by Your grace.³⁴⁰

In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

If you were to die right now, where would you go? That’s right, heaven. Why should God let you into heaven? Because Jesus Christ died to pay for your sins.

What God Does For Us at the Moment of Faith/Trust/Belief

1. God rescues us from the kingdom of darkness and makes us alive in Christ (Colossians 1:13; Ephesians 2:5; Romans 6:10; John 3:3-16; Second Corinthians 5:17).

2. God raises us up and seats us in Christ, at the right hand of the Father (Psalms 110:1; Matthew 22:44; Acts 2:34, 7:55; Ephesians 1:1, 3-4, 6, 9, 11-13, 20), where as our High Priest, He continually intercedes for us (Job 16:19-21; Romans 8:26-27, 34; Hebrews 7:25; First John 2:1).

3. God unites us with Himself in Christ (John 6:56, 17:20-23; Romans 7:4, 12:5; Ephesians 4:25, 5:30).

4. God seals us with His Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13-14; Second Corinthians 1:21-22), and baptizes us in, by, and with the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; Acts 1:5, 11:16; First Corinthians 12:13), into the Body of Christ (Galatians 3:27; First Corinthians 12:13).

5. God has peace with us through Christ (Romans 5:1).

6. God transfers the righteousness of Christ to us by faith, which is apart from works (Second Corinthians 5:19 and 21; Galatians 2:16, 3:6-9, 24; Romans 3:21-24, 5:9, 10:14).

7. God, as Judge, declares that the guilt and penalty for our sin has been paid for once and for all. He forgives us our sins and we have a right standing before Him. Therefore, we are justified (Romans 3:21-26; Titus 3:7; First Corinthians 6:11; Hebrews 10:10).

8. God adopts us into His family (Ephesians 1:4-5; John 1:12; Galatians 3:26-29).

9. Messiah gives us a spiritual gift through the power of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh (Ephesians 4:7-11).

10. God writes our name in the Lambs Book of Life (Dani’el 12:1; Luke 10:20; Philippians 4:3; Hebrews 12:23; Revelation 3:5, 20:12 and 15, 21:27).

Paul wrote: For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, not any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation (that includes us), will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 8:38-39). Once God does all of the above, we cannot possibly undo it. We are one with Him and there are no abortions in heaven (to see link click Ms – The Eternal Security of the Believer).

The Early Response to Jesus’ Miracles
John 2: 23-25

The early response to Jesus’ miracles DIG: Why does Jesus not entrust Himself to the crowds? Did everyone believe in His name? None? What were they responding to? His message or His miracles? What did faith have to do with any of this?

REFLECT: When have you trusted someone only to be let down? How did that experience affect you later on? How can you protect yourself without withdrawing from society? How much do you need the approval of others? If so, why? Do you seek to please an audience of One?

Now while He was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival (Yochanan 2:23a). This is the first of four Passovers mentioned in the ministry of Jesus. The first is mentioned here and in John 2:13a. The second is in John 5:1, the third is in John 6:4, while the fourth is referred to in John 11:55, 12:1, 13:1, 18:28 and 39, and 19:14. By dating these, we are able to conclude that His public ministry lasted three-and-a-half years. The gospel tradition suggests that Yeshua’s ministry began shortly after the Baptist’s. Luke says that our Lord was about thirty years of age when His ministry began (Luke 3:23). If Jesus was born in the winter of 7 or 6 BC, He would have been 33 or 34 in 29 AD (to see link click Aq – The Birth of Jesus). He performed miraculous signs, not to convince skeptics or sway dissenters, but to signal Messiah’s arrival. He offered signs to prompt willing, prepared hearts to respond to the Good News.

Many people saw the signs He was performing and believed in His name (John 2:23b). They walked by sight and not by faith; they believed in the signs, but not in the Lord. They didn’t believe in Him, just in His name. The miracles Yeshua performed excited them, but they were not ready to acknowledge their sin and repent. The verb believed is in the aorist tense. In other words, many people came to a point of decision, but did not cross over the line from intellectual knowledge about Yeshua to faith. The writer of Hebrews spoke of this (see the commentary on Hebrews As – Today, If You Hear His Voice, Do Not Harden Your Hearts). The Holy Spirit here says to the Hebrews who were on the edge of decision – but had never made a commitment, “Do not harden your hearts, hear today and do today what God wants you to do. Don’t do what the children of Isra’el did even after they had seen proof of God’s power and care for forty years. They continued to disbelieve in Him. Don’t do that.”

But, Jesus wasn’t depending on a favorable response from anyone, from the religious leaders to the masses. He would not entrust Himself to them, for He knew all people (John 2:24). What an indictment of the total depravity of mankind. This does not mean that the lost are totally insensitive in matters of the conscience, or that mankind is as sinful as they can possibly be. Nor does it mean that the sinner engages in every possible form of sin. But it does mean, and is evidenced by what God saw, that the lost are truly slaves to sin (Rom 6:1-23), and completely unable to free themselves from their sinful condition. In the garden of Eden, Adam showed that man after the flesh is not to be trusted. As another has said, “Man’s affections may be stirred, man’s intelligence informed, man’s conscience convicted; but still God cannot trust him.” Mankind in the flesh is condemned and must be born again. That is why the Master would not entrust Himself to them.³²⁸

The Lord’s example here should be a warning to us all. We would do well to remember that all that glitters is not gold. It is not wise to trust in someone you’ve known for only a short time. We should be kind to all, but confidential with only a few. In other words, do you put yourself too quickly in the power of others? When the Galilean Rabbi sent out the twelve apostles He warned them not to be naive, saying: I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore, be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves (Matthew 10:16). In Egyptian hieroglyphics, as well as in much ancient lore, snakes symbolized wisdom. They were considered to be shrewd, smart, cunning and cautious. In that characteristic, at least, believers are to emulate snakes. We are to be shrewd and cunning in dealing with the unbelieving world around us.³²⁹

He did not need any testimony about mankind, for He knew what was in the heart of each person (Yochanan 2:25). Messiah knew human nature. He knew the fickleness and instability of the human heart. He wasn’t running for election, and He didn’t entrust His mission or His future to humanity. He trusted His Father, and then He invited humanity to trust Him.³³⁰ And the Nazarene will know the heart of such a man next in Nicodemus.

Jesus’ Acceptance in Judea

Jesus gained wide acceptance in Judea because of His miracles. The purpose of His miracles was to serve as a sign to Isra’el, to prompt her to make a decision concerning His messianic claims. Was He the Messiah or not? He would not let the nation of Isra’el in general, and the Jewish religious leaders in particular, avoid that question. The miracles Yeshua performed would authenticate both His person and His message. First, it would validate that He was indeed the Jewish Meshiach (His person), and that He was offering the Messianic Kingdom (Isaiah 11:1-16; Revelation 20:1-6), or the Kingdom spoken of the Jewish prophets (His message). So, that if they were willing to first accept Him as the messianic King, they would see the Messianic Kingdom established in their day.

Jesus’ First Cleansing of the Temple at the Passover
John 2: 13-22

Jesus’ first cleansing of the Temple at the Passover DIG: Who were the Sadducees and what did they believe in? Why would they be particularly angry at what Jesus was doing at the Temple at that time? If you were one of the Sadducees, how would you feel about Yeshua’s cleaning house? How do you think you would feel if you were one of the talmidim? What affect did His actions have on the apostles? In what way was Jesus zealous for His Father’s house?

REFLECT: If you compare your spiritual life to the rooms of a house, which room do you think Jesus might want to clean up: (a) Library – the reading room? (b) Dining room – appetites and desires? (c) Worship – where you keep you gifts, skills and talents? (d) Recreation room – where you hang out after work? (e) Family room – where most of your relationships are lived out? Or (f) the Closet – where your hang-ups are? Do you resist or welcome Christ’s “clean up” operation in your life? Why?

Before the official beginning of His public ministry, Jesus had visited the Temple many times as a worshiper in His Father’s house to celebrate feasts, observe sacrifices, and glorify ADONAI. That year, like all the others, the Galilean Rabbi didn’t find a place of worship, but a shameless fraud, a shrine to greediness, and a sanctuary for thieves. Only that year  something was very different.

Messiah drove out the moneychangers twice. The first time was here at the beginning of His public ministry, and the second time was at the end of His public ministry, shortly before His execution (to see link click Iv – Jesus Entered the Temple Area and Drove Out All Who Were Buying and Selling). These cleansings were like bookends to His First Coming. Within the Temple Mount, the Royal Stoa, among other uses, functioned as a market place. With this knowledge it is easy to locate exactly where the cleansing of the Temple Mount took place. It was at the southern end, and in the most magnificent of all porticoes.

The direct way for the Lord to enter the Royal Stoa ran via the majestic stairway on the southwest corner of the Temple. Today it is known as Robinson’s Arch, named after the biblical scholar Edward Robinson who identified its remnants in 1938.  It carried traffic up from ancient Jerusalem’s Lower Market area and over the Tyropoeon Street into the Royal Stoa. It was among the most massive stone arches in antiquity.³²⁰

From other later Jewish sources we know what was happening there, and the Pharisees didn’t like it any more than Jesus did. The Temple Mount was under the control of the Sadducees in those days and the main Sadducee was the high priest Annas. The rabbis called this “the bazaar of the sons of Annas.” This was a family business venture. Annas was the high priest, while the sons of Annas were assistant priests, and assistant treasurers, his sons-in-law were their assistant treasurers. What a deal.

The Sadducees focused on political power. They were the religious liberals and aristocrats of Isra’el. The Pharisees and the Sadducees were continually at odds with each other. The Sadducees had more interest in the ceremonies of the Temple than in some hairsplitting interpretations of the Torah like the Pharisees where famous for. They believed in a literal interpretation of only the first five books of the Torah, not the Oral Law (see Ei – Oral Law). Their interests were in the political and secular realm in order to continue their lucrative control of the Temple and the priesthood. Their influence was among the wealthy of the nation. They believed that fate was in their own hands and denied both the resurrection of the dead and the existence of angels (Mt 22:23; Mk 12:18; Lk 20:27; Acts 23:8). They did not look forward to any messianic deliverance.

Despite their great power and influence (and partly because of it), most Jews, especially the Pharisees, did not respect the Sadducees, who were aloof from the common people and acted superior to them. But, they were also disliked for their theology, especially their most distinct belief that there was no resurrection.

Politically, the Sadducees were pro-Roman because it was only by Roman permission that they exercised not only their religious, but also their considerable political control over the people. Because they were valuable to the Romans in helping keep the people under control, the Romans delegated limited authority to them, even to the extent of having their own police force in the form of the Temple guard. Because of their complete dependence on Rome for their power, they were understandably extremely supportive of their pagan rulers. And for that they were also hated by the people.³²¹

There were two important financial aspects to the bazaar of the sons of Annas: the selling of lambs and the exchanging of money. The Torah said you had every right to bring your own sacrifice, but it had to be without spot or blemish (Exodus 12:1-5). But, the ones in charge of inspecting the lambs brought for sacrifice were the sons of Annas. They charged an inspection fee that always went to Annas. So, if you brought your own sacrifice, surprise, surprise, they always found something wrong with it. If your sacrifice was disqualified you would have one of two options. You could go home to get another one (if you lived outside the City by the time you got back you would have missed the Passover altogether), or you could just buy one of the Temple lambs (that were always perfect) at highly inflated prices that also went to Annas. During that sacred festival, the population of Yerushalayim would swell to more than 250,000 men. Josephus, the famous Jewish historian, estimated that the total number of people was close to three million people. Clearly, the profit margin for the inspection and selling of lambs was astounding.

In addition, the Jews had to pay an annual Temple tax of half-a-shekel. They could not use Roman money because it had a picture (or an idol) of Caesar on it. Therefore, special coins had to be made. So the Jews brought their Roman money to the moneychangers, or the sons of Annas, who would change it into approved Temple currency. They always charged a service fee for the transaction that not surprisingly, went to Annas. This was the spectacle that Jesus found when He entered the Temple courts.

It was almost time for the Jewish Passover (John 2:13a). This is the first of four Passovers mentioned in the ministry of Christ. The first is mentioned here and in John 2:23. The second is in John 5:1, while the third is referred to in John 6:4, and the fourth in John 11:55, 12:1, 13:1, 18:28 and 39, and 19:14. By dating these, we are able to conclude that His public ministry lasted three-and-a-half years.³²² The Gospel tradition suggests that Jesus’ ministry began shortly after the John the Baptist’s. Luke says that Messiah was about thirty years of age when His ministry began (Luke 3:23). So if our Savior were born in the winter of 5 or 4 BC, He would have been 33 or 34 in 29 AD (see Aq – The Birth of Jesus).

Jesus went up to Jerusalem (Yochanan 2:13b). The City of David stands near the highest point of the backbone of Judea, namely, the line of hills running north and south between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. Pitched on a height of about 2,610 feet above sea level, Tziyon must be approached by going up.

In the Temple [Mount] He found the sons of Annas selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money (John 2:14). The word here translated Temple is hieron, which is used for the whole Temple Mount, and is distinct from the word naos used in verses 19 and 21, which refer to the Temple [Sanctuary] itself.³²³ The Sadducees controlled the high priesthood and the Temple Mount. They had developed a sense of entitlement about their prophets. They had convinced themselves that Ha’Shem was blessing them because they were so spiritual.

No wonder Jesus was zealous; His reaction was entirely justified. God deserved better and so did the people. He must of thought to Himself, “How dare these religious leaders violate the sacred place where people ought to come in praise and worship of ADONAI!” Christ’s actions in the Temple were not due to a loss of control. He did not lose His temper, or “blow up.” His zealousness moved Him to exercise God’s righteous judgment against unbelieving Jews who were defiling His Temple (see my commentary on Jeremiah Eu – Idolatry in the Temple).

Such abuses required action. Simple words would not be enough. To pronounce divine judgment would require messianic force. What He did was an entirely appropriate response. And this gives us hope, for the Holy Spirit within us can also help us channel our anger in appropriate ways. As we turn to the Lord, we can be angry but not sin (Ephesians 4:26).

Before the official beginning of His public ministry, Jesus had visited the Temple as a worshiper in His Father’s house. But, now the time had come for Him to enter as the Meshiach, the Temple’s rightful the owner and ruler. In fulfillment of prophecy (Malachi 3:1-4), His first official act was to purge His Temple of the false system of worship within. Filled with zealous righteousness, Yeshua made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the Temple courts, both sheep and cattle; He scattered the coins of the moneychangers and overturned their tables (Yochanan 2:15). The apostles probably stood by in stunned silence as the Master tossed tables and coins all over the place.

The lash of Messiah’s whip sent livestock scurrying as His voice echoed throughout the enormous columns in the Royal Stoa. To those Sadducees who also sold doves to the very poor He said: Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market! Then suddenly, His talmidim remembered that it is written in Psalm 69:9, “Zeal for Your house will consume Me,” meaning cause My destruction (John 2:16-17). This would literally be fulfilled because the Sadducees would later seek His death for what He did at that day at  the Temple Mount (see Ib – The Plot to Kill Jesus: The Rejection of the First Sign of Jonah). After the Sanhedrin had Him arrested, Annas would question Jesus first before sending Him to his son-in-law, the acting high priest, Joseph Caiaphas who would arrange for His execution by the Romans.

Once the pandemonium died down, the inevitable confrontation came. Yeshua knew it would happen . . . and what it would lead to. At that point, the Sadducees came to Him demanding a sign, saying: What sign can You show us to prove your authority to do all this (Jn 2:18)? The word You is emphatic in the Greek. Though they asked the Lord for a sign they mocked the suggestion that He (of all people) could do such a thing!

Like Nehemiah (Neh 2:19-20, 6:2-3), Yeshua didn’t waste His time with closed-minded people, In fact, He didn’t speak in order to convince anyone. His words were actually intended to divide His audience into two groups: receptive hearts or hard hearts. He understood that hearing Him is not an intellectual process, but a crisis of the will. Thus, Christ answered them saying: Destroy this naos, or Temple [Sanctuary], and I will raise it again in three days (Jn 2:19). First, to destroy the Temple would be impossible for one person. But, the idea of rebuilding it had messianic connotations. The rabbis taught that the Messiah would rebuild the Temple. This idea appears in the Dead Sea Scrolls. We also get some indication of this from Zechariah 6:12-13.

Just as Yeshua expected, the pompous Sadducees took His words literally: It has taken forty-six years to build this Temple (John 2:20a). King Herod the Great (see Av – The Visit of the Magi) began the remodeling of the Second Temple complex around 19-20 BC. About two years were spent in preparation, which are not included in the forty-six years, so that this incident could have taken place any time between 26 and 30 AD. Herod’s Temple may not have been entirely finished when the Romans destroyed it in 70 AD.³²⁴ They asked incredulously: And You (emphasis mine) are going to raise it in three days (John 2:20b)?

They would never forget the Lord’s claim that day. In fact, it would be one of their main charges against Him at His trial (see Lj – Jesus Before the Sanhedrin), and they flung the same accusation at Him while He was dying on the cross (see Lu – Jesus’ First Three Hours on the Cross: Stage 11: The Fifth Mockery). In addition, Stephen’s murderers said: We have heard [Stephen] say that this Jesus of Nazareth (they always had to get Nazareth dig in there somehow), will destroy this place and change the customs Moses handed down to us (Acts 6:14, and implied in 7:48 and 17:24). It is clear that the charge was persistent and repeated.

The inspired author himself then commented: But the Temple He had spoken of was His body (Yochanan 2:21). The Sh’khinah glory had departed in the days of Jeremiah (Ezeki’el 10:18). Therefore, the Temple had not been the dwelling place of ADONAI for centuries. When Jesus issued His challenge to the religious leaders, it’s as if He pointed to Himself and said, “This is where God dwells!”³²⁵

After He was raised from the dead, His talmidim recalled what He had said. Then they trusted in the Scripture (John 2:22a CJB). As an expression, the Scripture, nearly always refers to a particular passage of Scripture. But, it is not easy to identify the passage in mind. It may be Psalm 16:10, which is interpreted as pointing to the resurrection in Acts 2:31 and 13:35. Or it may be Isaiah 53:12, which foreshadows the activity of the Suffering Servant after His death.

The apostles not only believed the Scripture, but also the words that Yeshua had spoken (John 2:22b CJB). Notice that they didn’t believe the Scripture until they saw it fulfilled. Yeshua often spoke in parables and they must have thought that this was another example of it. They probably thought, “Obviously He cannot mean rising from the dead in a literal sense. What, then, does He mean?” When the resurrection took place, however, they saw the meaning of the words, and as a result, they trusted in them. Jesus would later say: But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you (John 14:26).³²⁶

When we read the account of Jesus cleansing the Temple, we can be distracted by what seems to be fiery anger released against those who were using His Father’s house for their own purposes. In fact, Messiah was performing a prophetic gesture in which He demonstrated His power and authority over the effects of spiritual darkness in our lives. The Bible reminds us that we are a temple for the Ruach Ha’Kodesh (First Corinthians 6:19a CJB), and that we should purify ourselves from everything that can defile either body or spirit (Second Corinthians 7:1a CJB). In His death and resurrection, the Lord opened the way for our cleansing and it is the Spirit Himself who personally accomplishes this – moment by moment – as we allow Him to take the steering wheel of our lives.

ADONAI says: I AM a zealous God (Exodus 20:4-6). The reason that idols are not to be worshiped is that the LORD is a jealous or zealous God, and their idolatry is looked upon as spiritual adultery. The Hebrew term qanna’ combines the two concepts of jealousy and zeal (not envy or suspicion). So zeal, or zealousness, meaning a passionate devotion to, would be a better term to use than jealous, which has negative, even petty connotations. So idolatry would cause God’s zeal to burn like a husband’s zealousness would burn against an unfaithful wife (Hosea 2:2-5). Because we are the body of Christ (First Corinthians 12:27), God has a right to be zealous over what is rightfully His. Consequently, Jesus’ actions that day in the Temple, and the Holy Spirit’s actions now are not to be understood as petty jealousy, but righteous zealousness.

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your presence in my life. Forgive me for the times I have lied as though that isn’t a reality. I submit myself to Your building process in my life. I desire to be a temple that glorifies God in my body. I renounce the lie of Satan that You do not live in me. I accept by faith that I am Your temple, and I believe that there is nothing more significant than to reveal Your presence in my life. Teach me to take care of my temple properly and honor it as Your dwelling place. In Yeshua’s precious name I pray. Amen.³²⁷

Jesus’ First Stay in Capernaum
John 2: 12

After the wedding in Cana (to see link click Bq – Jesus Changes Water into Wine), Jesus went down roughly eighteen miles to Capernaum. The verb down, is appropriate because Cana was on the uplands whereas Capernaum was on the northwest coast of the Sea of Galilee, on the edge of the plain of Gennesaret.

Judging by the Gospel accounts, Capernaum was a city of considerable importance. From the Synoptics we know that it was Jesus’ ministry headquarters in Galilee after leaving Nazareth. Capernaum might even be called His own town (Matthew 9:1). It was probably a large population center, not to mention several of His apostles made their homes there.

It was near this place that Christ called the fishermen (Mattityahu 4:18; Mark 1:16; Luke 5:1). Matthew sat at the tax collector’s booth, when the Lord called him into His service, see Cp – The Calling of Matthew (Levi). Many miracles were done in Capernaum, including the healing of the centurion’s servant (Matthew 8:8-13; Luke 7:1-10). A detachment of Roman soldiers lived there, and their residence was long and significant enough for the centurion to have provided a synagogue for the local Jewish congregation. Other miracles include the healing of an official’s son (John 4:46-54), Peter’s mother-in-law (Matthew 8:14-16; Mark 1:29-31; Luke 4:38-39), and a paralyzed man (Matthew 9:2-8; Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:17-26). It was also probably in Capernaum that the miracle-working Rabbi raised the daughter of the synagogue leader Jairus (Mattityahu 9:18-26; Mark 5:21-43; Luke 8:40-56). Here, He also drove out an unclean spirit (Mark 1:21-28; Luke 4:31-36);, and used a little child to teach humility (Matthew 18:1-5; Mark 9:33-37; Luke 9:46-50).

But, no matter how many miracles were performed before their eyes, the people of Capernaum ultimately rejected Messiah and His message. Jesus answered His own question when He said: And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you (Mattityahu 11:23-24). While all unbelievers will end up in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:7-10), there will be degrees of punishment. Those who lived in Capernaum and actually witnessed His miracles, but rejected Him anyway, will have a punishment even worse than the wicked of Sodom. This prophecy seems to have been fulfilled in the most literal sense as evidenced by the fact that neither Sodom nor Capernaum can be found today.³¹⁹

Nevertheless, He went down to Capernaum with His mother, brothers (see Ey – Jesus’ Mother and Brothers) and talmidim, and enjoyed a time of family reunion there. Once again, this would be a natural place for Joseph to be mentioned, but, the biblical record is silent, presumably because he had passed away by that time. His mother is mentioned here for the last time until we see her at the foot of the cross as her Son is crucified (John 19:25-27). No specific reason is given for going to the city at that time. There they stayed for a few days. It seems to have been a period in which Yeshua spent time with His new apostles before leaving for Jerusalem and the start of His public ministry (see Bs – Jesus’ First Cleansing of the Temple), as we see next.

Jesus Changes Water Into Wine
John 2: 1-11

Jesus changes water into wine DIG: If Yeshua had not performed any miracles yet, why might Mary have approached Him? What do you learn about Jesusand His mother from verses 3-5? Given the importance of social customs, how would you feel as the host (verse 3)? As a servant (verses 6-8)? As the master in verses 9-10? As the groom? What part does the function and size of the jars play in this story? How does the quantity and quality of the wine demonstrate Yeshua’s glory?

REFLECT: Have you ever seen God provide in a miraculous way? How? What prevents us from acknowledging God’s provisions? If it’s not a miracle, does it still come from God? List some ways God has met your needs. How does remembering God’s provision in the past encourage you to trust Him with your present needs? What simple pleasures bring you a sense of joy or fulfillment? What sometimes holds you back from enjoying life? How do you think your witness is affected when you don’t take time to enjoy life?

No one is more careful about the details of time than Yochanan. Starting from these verses and going to Yochanan 2:11 he tells us, step by step, the story of the first momentous week in the public life of Jesus. The events of the first day are in John 1:19-28; the story of the second day is John 1:29-34; the third day is unfolded in Yochanan 1:35-39. The three verses Yochanan 1:40-42 tell the story of the fourth day; the events of the fifth day are told in John 1:43-51. The sixth day is not recorded for some reason. And the events of the seventh day of the week are told in John 2:1-11.³⁰⁹

Jesus was not at the wedding to perform miracles or to draw attention to Himself. His public ministry would begin in Jerusalem with the first cleansing of the Temple (Yochanan 2:13-22), where no miracle would be seen. But here, on the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. The wedding took place on the third day because it was a three-day journey from Judah up to Galilee where the town of Cana was located. What is the third day on the Hebrew calendar? It is a Tuesday. The Hebrew calendar does not have names for days. The English calendar has Sunday, Monday . . . these names are the names of pagan gods. On the day of the sun, they worshiped the sun. On the day of the moon, they worshiped the moon. In Hebrew, it is the first day, the second day, the third day of the week, and so on. So, why are the Jewish weddings always held on Tuesday? Because the weddings need a double blessing. Tuesday is the only day in the story of creation where it says twice: And God saw that is was good (1:10b, 1:12b).  God had returned to the region of His upbringing. Cana was about four miles from Nazareth, and this was likely the wedding of a close family member. This would explain Mary’s proactive role at the feast (John 2:1). There is no mention of Joseph because he had probably passed away by that time. More than likely Mary lived with one of Yeshua’s half-brothers.

The seventh day of Yeshua’s first week of ministry: The scene is a village wedding feast (for details of the Jewish wedding feast click link Al – The Birth of Jesus Foretold to Mary). Jesus and His five apostles had also been invited to the wedding (John 2:2). In the Jewish system of wedding of that day, there was a wedding feast (with a large group of people) after the wedding (with a small number of people), which would last seven days. For a Jewish feast, wine was essential. The rabbis said that without wine there is no joy. They would normally serve the best wine first and when people got drunk and couldn’t tell the difference, they would bring out the cheap stuff. But the very worst thing that could happen at a Jewish wedding was to run out of wine – a social calamity at such an important event. But, the feast lasted seven days and sometimes that would happen.

Throughout Christ’s earthly ministry, Miryam appeared in only three scenes. On two of those occasions, Jesus Himself explicitly repudiated the notion that her earthly authority over Him as His mother entitled her to manage any aspect of His ministry. He did this without showing her any disrespect, of course, but He nonetheless clearly and completely disclaimed the idea that Mary was in any sense a mediator of His grace.

The early Church knew nothing about the cult of Mary as it is practiced today. The first mention of Mary of the legend about her is found in the so-called Proto-Evangelium of James, near the end of the second century, and presents a fantastic story about her birth. It also states that she remained a virgin throughout her entire life. But Tertullian, who was one of the greatest authorities in the ancient Church, and who died in 222 AD, raised his voice against the legend concerning Mary’s supposed miraculous birth. He also held that after the birth of Yeshua, Miryam and Yosef lived in a normal marriage relationship. Thus, the Church functioned for at least 150 years without idolizing the name of Miryam. Prayers directed to Mary, dead saints and angels surfaced about 600 AD. The Ave Maria started in 1508, and there is no record in Scripture of anyone ever calling on Mary for salvation.³¹⁰

The groom’s family was expected to provide enough food and drink for everyone. Unfortunately, they hadn’t planned very well. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to Him, “They have no more wine” (John 2:3). To this day in the East, hospitality is considered a sacred duty and, in some rare cases, a cause for legal action if withheld.³¹¹ The host of the wedding was undoubtedly a family member whom Mary cared a great deal for. It was like she was saying, “Do something about it.” Without saying it directly, she was probably asking for a miracle even though Jesus had not performed any yet.

The issue of drinking for believers is an important one for us today. The Bible quite clearly condemns drunkenness: Do not get drunk with wine, which leads to debauchery (or leading others down the wrong path sexually). Instead, be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). God’s judgment of improper use of wine appears to be reflected in His judgment on Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:1-7). This incident is followed by ADONAI’s instruction to Aaron: You and your sons are not to drink wine or other fermented drink whenever you go into the tent of meeting, or you will die. This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come, so that you can distinguish between the holy and the common, between the unclean and the clean (Leviticus 10:9-10). The Scriptures also provide cautions against the misuse of alcoholic beverages (Proverbs 23:29-35). Proverbs 20:1 declares: Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise. In keeping with such warnings Rabbi Sha’ul says that elders or deacons are not to be addicted to wine (First Timothy 3:3 and 8).

In spite of these warnings, the Bible recognizes that wine is one of the gifts of Ha’Shem to His people (Deut 7:13; Ecc 9:7-10; Amos 9:13-14; Joel 3:18). The LORD makes the grass grow for the cattle, and plants for people to cultivate – bringing forth food from the earth: wine that gladdens human hearts, oil to make their faces shine, and bread that sustains their hearts (Psalm 104:14-15). This perspective is reflected by Rabbi Sha’ul’s words in Colossians 2:20-23 and 1 Timothy 4:1-5 where he condemns asceticism.

It is quite clear the wine in the days of Messiah was diluted with water. The ratio would vary from place to place, but generally it was one part wine to three parts water. Only barbarians would drink unmixed wine. It was not grape juice. It was still wine, but, it was diluted. Quite obviously, the wine purchased in stores today is unmixed. Its alcoholic content is considerably greater than that of wine in the first century. And the cost is incalculable with addiction and alcohol related deaths, let alone the damage to families and marriages. Teenage drinking has become rampant.

Every believer must make a decision whether to use or avoid the use of alcoholic beverages. There is no proof text for total abstinence, nor is there any text advocating social drinking. One must be guided by one’s conscience and by the principles of the Word. This is an issue where consciences may differ (Romans 14:1-5) and the application of the scriptural principles may vary, depending upon the situation at hand. Having a glass of wine at home is quite different than going out and having a beer with someone you know is an alcoholic.

The principle of love-limiting liberty must be kept in view when making a decision on this matter. The use of wine is an area of liberty – yet Rabbi Sha’ul suggests that this liberty always be exercised with love and self-restraint (First Corinthians 8:9-13). He specifically declares to us even today: It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall (Romans 14:21).³¹²

But, back to the wedding feast at Cana . . . some of the most significant exchanges between the Lord and His mother go almost undetected. But a mother, whose antennae are acutely attuned to her child, picks up signals that go unnoticed by others. Jesus had a way of saying things that stuck with Mary. He was never flippant, careless or rude. To the contrary, in every conversation, Yeshua was always thoughtful and intentional with His remarks. Words spoken to His mother served as a holy agenda for her. The road she traveled was rocky and steep. His destination – the cross – threatened to completely devastate the woman who was the blessed mother. Messiah’s statements about His mother were designed to deliver her from inevitable shame and loss, and to give her an identity that was unshakable. And so He said the unexpected, shocked and caught off her guard. Miryam heard, and pondered on what He said.

Woman, why should that concern Me? Or you? Jesus replied (John 2:4a CJB). In Yeshua’s day, to address His mother as woman was neither rude nor inappropriate as it is today. Later, He tenderly addressed Mary in a similar way from the cross (Yochanan 19:26). In the culture of first-century Galilee, it was much like addressing a woman as “Madam” or “Ma’am.” It was a term of respect or affection. Yet, we must bear in mind that is was most unusual when a son addressed his mother in such a manner.³¹³

However, the simple fact that He did not address her as “mother” – which any mom would notice – sent a strong signal to Miryam that her relationship to Jesus as His mother was changing. That doesn’t mean that His words didn’t pierce Mary’s heart. To declare, in essence, “What do I have to do with you,” or “What do you and I have in common,” must have hurt her deeply. After all, she had given birth to Him. Yeshua might speak that way to others, but how could He say such a thing to His own mother? Even more than when He was twelve years old and started His separation at the Temple in Jerusalem (Luke 2:41-50), here He was signaling a further separation from her. He was defining boundaries in His relationship with Mary as He was preparing to start His public ministry. He was no longer following His mother’s directives, but doing the work of His Father.³¹⁴ More teaching would be necessary (see Ey – Jesus’ Mother and Brothers), but, the last time we see Miryam in the Bible, we see her right where she belongs – with John, the other talmidim and disciples of the resurrected Messiah, waiting for the coming Ruach Ha’Kadosh (Acts 1:14).

Had Jesus submitted to His mother’s suggestion and leading, there might have been some grounds for “Mary worship,” and for the claim by the Roman Catholic Church that “Mary is the hope of all.” But here, at the very beginning of His ministry, the ground is cut from under any such claim.³¹⁵

My time has not yet come. Because His public ministry had not yet begun, He told Mary that His time of being revealed as the Messiah had not yet come (Yochanan 2:4b, 7:30, 8:20, 12:23, 12:27, 16:32, 17:1). His public ministry could not begin in Galilee. It needed to begin in the City of David. The miracles that would authenticate His claim of being the Meshiach needed to begin there. He was on God’s timetable, not hers. As a man, He was her son. But, as God, He was her Lord. It was not her business to command Him in spiritual matters. The way He spoke to her simply reminded her of that fact without showing her any real disrespect. Then He turned the water into wine.

After that, Miryam always remained in the background. In fact, the last mention of her in the Bible is in Acts 1:14. She never sought out or accepted the kind of superiority so many seem determined to try to force on her today. She never again attempted to intercede with Jesus for miracles, special favors, or other blessings on behalf of her friends, relatives or anyone else. It is only sure foolishness that causes anyone to imagine that she should now be prayed to and venerated.³¹⁶

From Miryam’s response, it is evident that however surprised or confused she was with His response, she nevertheless was not overly offended. His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you” (John 2:5). As Mary was trying to sort out her relationship with Jesus she was constantly thrown off balance by things He said and did. She struggled to come to terms with her identity as the mother of Yeshua, and as a follower of the Messiah. Her Son turned out to be more of a challenge than she ever expected.

Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons or from 75 to 115 liters of water (John 2:6). Water was required for two purposes. First, it was required for cleansing the feet on entry to the house. The roads were not surfaced. Sandals were merely a sole attached to the foot by straps. On a dry day the feet were covered with dust and on a wet day they were soiled with mud. The water was used for cleansing them.

Second, it was required for hand washing. The Oral Law (see Ei – The Oral Law) demanded this be done not only at the beginning of a meal, but also between courses. If it were not done the hands were technically unclean. First the hand was held upright and the water poured over it in such a way that it ran down to the elbow (the hand was considered to run from the fingertips to the elbow); then the hand was held pointing down and the water was poured in such a way that it ran to the fingertips. Everyone eating did this with each hand, and then each palm was cleansed by rubbing it with the fist of the other hand. It was for these reasons that these great stone jars of water stood there.³¹⁷

Jesus said to the servants: Fill the jars with water; so they filled them to the brim. Nothing could be added to them; at the time of the miracle the jars contained nothing but water. Then He told them: Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet (John 2:7-8a). By this time in history, turning water into wine had become like a sleight-of-hand parlor trick. Today, we would say it would be like pulling a rabbit out of a hat. Illusionists in pagan temples used special pitchers with hidden chambers to create the impression that they were pouring either water or wine at will. It seems that Yeshua revealed His sense of humor in choosing to solve the family’s problem by actually doing what others could only simulate. Only He left no room for trickery or doubt. While He stood back – perhaps even reclining at a table in another room – the servants handled the jars, fetched the water, and drew the sample. Then, somewhere between the jars and the master of the banquet, the miracle took place.³¹⁸

So it was at a village girl’s wedding in Cana that Yeshua first showed His glory; and it was there that the talmidim caught a dazzling glimpse of who He really was. The servants did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. This is the first of Jesus’ seven miracles in John’s book (Yochanan 2:1-11, 4:43-54; 5:1-15; 6:1-15; 6:16-24; 9:1-34; 11:1-44). He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew (John 2:8a-9a). Thus, this miracle was not a public one being witnessed by everyone at the wedding. On the contrary, only Mary, His apostles and some servants, witnessed it. The purpose of the first miracle here, and His last miracle when He raised Lazarus from the dead, was that His apostles would believe in Him.

Then, in John 2:9b-10, the master of the banquet called the groom (whose parents were responsible for the feast) aside and commented on his departure from the common custom: Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now (see Kk – The Third Cup of Redemption, to see what kind of wine it was).

John ends the narrative with a reminder of the nature of what happened and of its effect on the talmidim. What Yeshua did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which He revealed His glory (Yochanan 2:11). There were two results from this miracle. First, Jesus manifested His power to create. Secondly, this first miracle was so that His talmidim – five of them at that point – would believe in Him. Christ’s last miracle would be somewhat the same. In the raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-44), only a few would witness it, and it was also so that His apostle’s faith in Him would be confirmed.

John’s Disciples Follow Jesus
John 1: 35-51

John’s disciples follow Jesus DIG: In light of John 1:30-31, how do you think John felt when his disciples left him to follow Jesus? What does that say about Yochanan? What motivated the disciples of John to follow Yeshua? What are the titles used in this file to describe Jesus? What do they mean? What did Philip have in common with Andrew? What type of person is Nathanael? Why might he find it hard to believe Philip’s statement? What formula did Messiah use when calling the five talmidim who initially followed Him?

REFLECT: What are you looking for? What’s your goal in life? What are you really trying to get out of life? What was your motive in following Jesus? How did you come to trust in the Savior? What were the circumstances? How much did you know about Him? Who was the Andrew in your life?

No one is more careful about the details of time than John. Starting from these verses and going to 2:11 he tells us, step by step, the story of the first momentous week in the public life of Jesus. The events of the first day are in Yochanan 1:19-28; the story of the second day is 1:29-34; the third day is unfolded in 1:35-39. The three verses 1:40-42 tell the story of the fourth day; the events of the fifth day are told in 1:43-51. The sixth day is not recorded for some reason. And the events of the seventh day of the week are told in 2:1-11.³⁰⁰

Once again we see John the Baptist pointing beyond himself. He must have already spoken to his disciples about leaving him and transferring their loyalty to this new and greater Rabbi once He appeared. The Baptizer didn’t have a jealous bone in his body. It’s extremely difficult to be the warm-up band once you’ve been the main attraction; however, John was determined to fulfill his God-given mission. So, as soon as Yeshua emerged, John didn’t hesitate to release his disciples to Him. They left with his blessing.

In conjunction with the declaration that the Kingdom was near, Jesus continued to call His apostles. In this commentary on the Life of Christ, I make a distinction between apostles and disciples. The Twelve will be called apostles, or talmidim (Hebrew), and the others would come to believe in Him would be called disciples. While it is true that the apostles were also disciples, it is not true that all disciples were apostles.

The white space between Bible verses is fertile soil for questions, and there is much written between the lines here. Our Lord called His first six apostles: John son of Zebedee, Andrew, Peter, Philip, and Nathanael. James son of Zebedee was not specifically mentioned in this account, but he was obviously there. We can see this written between the lines because Jesus developed a close relationship with his brother John, and James and John, sons of thunder (Mark 3:17), were inseparable. The concept of discipleship was not new. Any significant rabbi would have faithful followers who would be called to a commitment of both following and learning (thus the word talmid – singular – which means learner). This involved more than merely passing information, as it also implied a close personal relationship with one’s rabbi.

This is beautifully stated in the Talmud, commentary on the Torah, where a disciple is called to: Let your house be a meeting place for the rabbis, and cover yourself in the dust of their feet, and drink in their words thirstily (Pirke Avot 1:4). The best talmidim (plural) were the ones who stayed so close to their rabbi that they could take in every detail of their mentorship. That should be a fresh challenge today as we consider the call of Yeshua upon our lives.³⁰¹

The third day: The next day John the Baptist was there again with two of his disciples, Andrew and John, son of Zebedee (Mt 4:21a; Mk 1:19a), who would end up being the human author of the book of John. It was a common literary device in those days for the author to include himself in the scene without mentioning his name. For example, Mark would refer to himself fleeing from the garden of Gethsemane when he wrote: a young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Yeshua. When they seized Him, he fled naked, leaving his garment behind (Mk 14:51-52). And without naming himself, John, son of Zebedee, would refer to himself as the [apostle] whom Jesus loved (Jn 13:23). John quickly identified Andrew (Jn 1:40) as one of his two disciples, but did not mention himself, as was the custom for authors at that time.

When the John the baptist saw Jesus passing by, he said to both of them: Look, the Lamb of God. When the two (soon to be) apostles heard him say this, they followed Jesus (Yochanan 1:36-37). It may be they were too shy to approach Him directly and followed respectfully some distance behind. Then Yeshua did something entirely typical. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and spoke to them (John 1:38a). That is to say, He met them half way. He made things easier for them. He opened the door that they might come in. Here we have the symbol of the divine initiative.

ADONAI always takes the first step. When the human mind begins to seek, and the human heart begins to long, the LORD comes to meet us more than half way. YHVH does not leave us to search and search until He comes; He goes out to meet us. As Augustine said, “We could not even have begun to seek for God unless He had already found us.” When we go to Elohim we do not go to One who hides Himself and keeps us at a distance; we go to One who stands waiting for us, and who even takes the initiative.³⁰² As Yochanan 3:16-17 says: For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life (to see link click Ms – The Eternal Security of the Believer). For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

Then Jesus began by asking them the most fundamental question in life: What are you looking for (John 1:38b GWT)? It was a very relevant question for Palestine in their day. Were they legalists, looking only for subtle and difficult to understand details in the Torah, like the Pharisees and the Torah-teachers? Where they materialistic, living only for today because there is nothing left after we die, Sadducees? Were they nationalists looking for a military commander to throw off the Roman yoke like the Zealots? Or were they humble men of prayer looking for ADONAI and His will? Or were they merely puzzled, confused sinful men looking for forgiveness from God? We might well ask ourselves the same question today!

They said: Rabbi (which means “Teacher”), where are you staying (John 1:38c)? In the Jewish world, this question was the means by which a talmid would submit himself to the teaching of a rabbi. If the rabbi essentially said it was none of his concern, then that person would be rejected as a talmid. But the opposite was also true. If the rabbi said, “Come and see,” that person would be accepted as his talmid. Come, Jesus replied, and see.

So they went and saw where He was staying, and they spent that day with Him. It was about four in the afternoon (Yochanan 1:39). This was very important to John and he wrote down the exact time. One can only imagine the conversation that took place that afternoon and evening as Andrew and John listened to the Rabbi from Galilee expound on the Scriptures. Like the two on the road to Emmaus after His resurrection (Luke 24:13-32), they were captivated by what they heard. O to spend the day talking with Jesus!

It is important to be aware that the Lord did not start calling the rabbis from the many seminaries in Jerusalem. Instead, Yeshua called simple fishermen toiling around the Sea of Galilee. They were not, however, ignorant because they undoubtedly received the mandatory training of any growing up at that time. Yet, many are surprised that some of the apostles were common people.

The fourth day: Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John the Baptist had said and who had followed Jesus (John 1:40). Andrew was so taken by what our Savior had said to him the previous day, the first thing he did the next morning was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah, that is, the Christ” (Yochanan 1:41). It was clear that Andrew lived under the shadow of his charismatic brother Peter. People might not know who Andrew was, but everyone knew Peter, and when they spoke of Andrew they described him as Peter’s brother. Andrew wasn’t one of the inner circle of talmidim. When Yeshua healed Jairus’ daughter, when He was transfigured on Mount Hermon, when He underwent the agony of Gethsemane, it was Peter, James and John, whom the Son of God took with Him.

It would have been so easy for Andrew to resent Peter. Was he not one of the first two apostles who ever followed Jesus? Didn’t Peter owe his meeting with Jesus to him? Might he not reasonably have expected a leading place within the twelve? But, all that never even occurred to Andrew. He was quite content to stand back and let his brother have the limelight. Matters of precedence, place and honor didn’t mean anything to Andrew. All that mattered was to be with Yeshua and to serve Him as well as possible.

So Andrew brought Simon to Jesus (Yochanan 1:42a). This will become a common theme, because every time we see Andrew, he is bringing someone to the Savior. There are only three times in the Gospels when Andrew is brought onto the center stage. First, there is the incident here, where he brought Simon to Yeshua. Second, there is the feeding of the 5,000 when he brought a boy to the Lord with five barley loaves and two small fish (John 6:8-9). And third, he brought inquiring Greeks into the presence of Jesus (John 12:22). It was Andrew’s greatest joy to bring others to the Meshiach.³⁰³

Jesus looked at Peter. The Greek word for looked is emblepein. It describes a concentrated, intent gaze that does not only see the superficial things, but that which reads a person’s heart. And the Lord said: You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas, which, when translated from the Aramaic, is Peter (John 1:42b). Shim’on was the Hebrew name for the one also known in Greek as petros. Peter or petros is a masculine noun and means a small stone or pebble.

The fifth day (Yochanan 1:43-51): The next day, after saying goodbye to His house guests, Jesus decided to leave for a teaching expedition in the north through Galilee. Another potential disciple named Philip lived in Judea, perhaps with extended family in the little town of Emmaus, seven miles from Yerushalayim. Jesus knew him to be from Bethsaida, a fishing village on the northern banks of the Sea of Galilee that had recently been built into a city to honor the daughter of Caesar Augustus. Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida, which was close to Capernaum (John 1:44).

Upon finding Philip, Yeshua extended a rabbi’s invitation to him, saying: Follow me (Yochanan 1:43). The present tense verb has continuous force, keep on following. So the expression would be understood the call to be a permanent apostle. It was not only the practice of the rabbis, but regarded as one of the most sacred duties, for a master to gather around him a circle of talmidim. Philip was undaunted and immediately followed. The ease with which he believed is remarkable. In human terms, no one had brought Philip to Yeshua. He was like Simeon, a righteous and devout man who waited for the LORD to comfort Isra’el (Luke 2:25a). He was ready. He was expectant. His heart was prepared. And he gladly received Jesus, unhesitatingly, as the long-promised Meshiach. No reluctance. No disbelief. It didn’t matter to him what town Yeshua had grown up in. He knew instantly that he had come to the end of his search.

That was frankly out of character for Philip, and it reveals to what great degree the Holy Spirit had prepared his heart. His natural tendency might have been to hold back, doubt, ask questions, and wait for a while (see Fn – Jesus Feeds the 5,000).³⁰⁴

We are not given any explanation of how Jesus knew Philip. It is not even said where He found him or if Philip was a disciple of the Baptist, though it seems likely. So, the Lord went out of His way to find this perfectly ordinary man and enlist him in the rapidly growing talmidim. Some of the apostles were undoubtedly men of great ability, but, Philip compels us to reflect on the fact that others were very ordinary people. Messiah had use for such followers. It is also noteworthy that like His healings, there was no formula in the manner in which the Lord performed His miracles or called His talmidim.³⁰⁵

Philip, like Andrew, could not keep the Good News to himself. So Phillip found Nathaniel and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Torah, and about whom the prophets also wrote – Jesus of Nazareth, a member of the Joseph household” (John 1:45). The plural we shows that Philip had already identified himself with the talmidim.

“Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked (John 1:46). Notice the disparaging view of the Nazarenes by the Galileans. Nazareth was considered a backward hick town, not far from Sepphoris, which housed a garrison of Roman soldiers. It was situated in a slight depression in the mountains overlooking the vast Jezreel Valley. This made it a perfect place for the soldiers to keep watch over the region. But, when you find a town full of bored soldiers, you will find fertile ground for corruption and immorality. As a result, the Jews of Natzaret gained a reputation for decadence that became legendary, perhaps because of their regular contact with those gentiles, and the depraved habits of military men of that day. Today, it would be like saying, “The Son of God comes from Sin City.” It was a reputation the Nazarenes didn’t deserve, but to the religious mind of Isra’el, it didn’t matter. Appearances meant everything.³⁰⁶

Philip didn’t attempt to argue with Nathanael. People aren’t argued into the kingdom of Heaven. In fact, arguments usually do more harm than good. The only way to convince someone of the reality of Christ is to confront him or her with Christ. On the whole it is true to say that it is not argumentative or philosophical preaching and teaching that have won the lost to the Messiah. It is the presentation of the story of the Cross. Philip was wise. He didn’t argue. He simply said: Come and see.³⁰⁷

Nathanael’s question still lingers, even two thousand years later . . . Can anything good come from Nazareth? And Philip’s answer is just as relevant today: Come and see.

Come and see the changed lives . . .
the alcoholic now sober,
the embittered now joyful,
the shamed now forgiven,
marriages rebuilt, the orphans embraced,
the imprisoned inspired . . .

Come and see the pierced hand of God touch the most common heart, wipe the tear from the wrinkled face, and forgive the ugliest sin.

Come and see. He avoids no seeker. He ignores no probe. He fears no search.³⁰⁸

When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, He said of him: Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit (John 1:47). Jesus knew that Nathanael was meditating on Genesis 28 where Jacob stopped at Beersheba on his way to stay with his uncle Laban. Now if there ever was an Israelite in whom there was much deceit, it was Laban.

“How do you know me?” Nathanael asked (Yochanan 1:48). In those days, it was impossible for everyone to have a copy of the Scriptures. So they spend a lot of time memorizing it, and then meditating on it. The rabbis taught that if you wanted to meditate on the Scriptures and receive a blessing from God, the best place to do it was under a fig tree. It held a special status, and as a result, some rabbis would even teach under a fig tree. Jewish commentaries on the TaNaKh even said a person would understand the Scriptures better if they meditated under a fig tree.

Jesus answered: I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you. But, this time in His life (opposed to when He was born), Jesus was omniscient and knew everything. But Nathanael could have just as easily been meditating at the Temple or doing anything else. What was Natanael’s response?

Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Isra’el” (John 1:49). This is a very strange response. If someone said, “I saw a vision of you at temple last Shabbat, or at church last Sunday,” the normal response would not be: You are the Son of God. There would be nothing unusual about being in temple or church to warrant that response. It would be expected. But Yeshua not only knew that Nathanael was meditating under a fig tree, He knew the exact chapter he was meditating on!

Jesus said: You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that. He then added: Very truly I tell you, you (the Greek is plural in both instances of you) will see “heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man” (John 1:50-51). It was at Bethel that Jacob stopped to spend the night and had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God ascending and descending on it (Genesis 28:12). And not only did Yeshua know the exact chapter Nathanael was meditating on, Jesus claimed to be the stairway, the only means to get from earth to heaven. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Yeshua the Messiah (First Timothy 2:5).

The Spirit of God was working in the hearts of the first five talmidim. There would be more. But next, Jesus would privately perform His first miracle so that His apostles would believe in Him.

John Identifies Jesus as the Lamb of God
John 1: 29-34

John identifies Jesus as the Lamb of God DIG: How does John finally answer their question about baptism (John 1:30-31)? What does he mean by calling Jesus the Lamb of God and the Son of God? What proof does he have for these claims? Why did the Holy Spirit descend on Christ like a dove (Yochanan 1:32)?

REFLECT: Yochanan was effective, but remained humble. Humility does not lead to feelings of inferiority or worthlessness. Rather, it seeks to see one’s place in God’s plan and give preference to the welfare of others over self. Is pride, or has pride, ever been a problem in your life? What area(s) of your life could you show more humility?²⁹² Of the titles for Jesus given so far (the Word, the Light, the Messiah, the Lamb of God, the Son of God), which means the most to you? What is one “evidence” that has led you to faith in Yeshua?

No one is more careful about the details of time than the apostle John is. Starting from these verses and going to 2:11 he tells us, step by step, the story of the first momentous week in the public life of Jesus. The events of the first day are in Yochanan 1:19-28; the story of the second day is told here in 1:29-34; the third day is unfolded in 1:35-39. The three verses 1:40-42 tell the story of the fourth day; the events of the fifth day are told in 1:43-51. The sixth day is not recorded for some reason. And the events of the seventh day of the week are told in 2:1-11.²⁹³

On the second day of this momentous week in the Life of Christ, Yochanan publicly pointed out Yeshua as the Meshiach to whom he had given his witness. The Baptizer went on to tell how he had come to know that Jesus was the Anointed One. Every detail of his life pointed toward that grand moment when he would pick a figure out of the crowd and say look: That’s Him! The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him (John 1:29a). It was the day following being questioned by the members of the Great Sanhedrin who were involved in the second stage of interrogation (to see link click Lg – The Great Sanhedrin) to see if Yochanan was, perhaps, the Messiah.

And John said: Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29b)! This was no accident. There, before the Immerser, stood the Chosen One whom all the prophecies in the TaNaKh had foreshadowed. Yochanan identified Yeshua with the dominant sacrificial animal used in connection with Temple ritual, and particularly with the sin offerings (see my commentary on Exodus Fc – The Sin Offering), since He is the one who takes away the sin of the world. On God’s requiring a human sacrifice for sins see First Corinthians 15:3; Hebrews 7:26-28, and indeed the entire book of Hebrews.

Jesus planned His own sacrifice.
It means He intentionally planted the tree from which His cross would be carved.
It means Yeshua willingly placed the iron in the heart of the earth from which the nails would be cast.
It means He voluntarily placed His Judas in the womb of a woman.
It means Messiah was the one who set in motion the political machinery that would send Pontius Pilate to Jerusalem.
And it also means He didn’t have to do it – but He did.²⁹⁴

It is useful to see the progressive nature of the Spirit’s teaching concerning the Lamb. First, in Genesis 4:4 we have the Lamb typified in the first fruits of the flock slain by Abel in sacrifice. Second, we have the Lamb prophesied in Genesis 22:8, where Abraham said to Isaac: God will provide Himself a lamb. Third, in Exodus 12:7, we have the lamb slain and the blood applied to the doorframes of their houses. Fourth, in Isaiah 53:7, we have the Lamb personified, learning for the first time that the Lamb will be a Man. Fifth, in John 1:29 we have the Lamb identified, learning exactly who He is. Sixth, in Revelation 5:6-14, we have the Lamb magnified by every creature in heaven and under the earth and on the sea. Seventh, in the last chapter of the Bible, we have the Lamb glorified, seated upon the eternal throne of God in Revelation 22:1.²⁹⁵

Everywhere in the B’rit Chadashah Yeshua Messiah is equated with the Passover lamb (First Corinthians 5:7). The figure of the lamb connects Jesus with the passage identifying Christ as the Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53 (also see Acts 8:32); and His sacrificial death by execution on a stake is compared with that of a lamb without a defect or spot (First Peter 1:19 CJB), as required by the Torah (Exodus 12:5, 29:1; Leviticus 1:3 and 10, 9:3, 23:12). In the book of Revelation, John referred to Yeshua as the Lamb nearly thirty times.

There are two concepts of the Lamb of God from the TaNaKh. The first is the Passover lamb of Exodus (see my commentary on Exodus Bw – Christ and the Passover), and the other is the suffering lamb of Isaiah (see my commentary on Isaiah Jc – He  Was Oppressed and Afflicted, Yet He Did Not Open His Mouth). When John called Jesus the Lamb of God, he identified Yeshua with both of these as the Passover Lamb. Both Peter (First Peter 1:18-19) and Yochanan (see my commentary on Revelation Cf – You Are Worthy To Take the Scroll) did the same.

Evidently, this confrontation took place in front of others also, for Yochanan continued, saying: This is the one I meant when I said: A man who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me (John 1:30). Jesus came after John in that John was six months older than Jesus in His humanity; however, Jesus is before John in His deity. For the third time (John 1:15, 27) John declares that Christ is preferred before him.

I myself did not know Him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that He might be revealed to Isra’el (Yochanan 1:31). John said he did not know Jesus. Which seems strange to us because we know he and Yeshua were relatives (Luke 1:36). John must have at least been acquainted with Him. Certainly, their families had mingled. No doubt, Elizabeth had told her son the story of Mary’s visit many times. But, what John was saying is not that he didn’t know who Jesus was, but what he didn’t know what Jesus was. It had suddenly been revealed to him that Jesus, his own cousin, was none other than God’s chosen One.

Then John tells of the purpose of Messiah’s baptism. It was to make Him known to Isra’el. It was to prepare a “people” for Him. This “people” was prepared by them standing as sinners before God (Mark 1:5), and that is why John baptized in the Jordan, which for them was the river of death; for, being baptized in the Jordan, they acknowledged that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Today, however, believers baptism demonstrates the baptized one has already died – died to sin, died with Christ. Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in that order, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life (Romans 6:3-4).²⁹⁶

Then Yochanan gave this testimony, saying: I saw the Spirit come down from heaven like a dove and remain on Him (John 1:32). Prior to the baptism of Jesus, the Baptizer had evidently received a revelation from God that when the Holy Spirit fell on the Chosen One, and remained, that would identify the Messiah. When the Ruach Ha’Kodesh came upon the disciples on the Feast of Weeks, we read they saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them (Acts 2:3). Fire points to divine judgment and because of their sin nature, they needed the purging fire of judgment. They were judged guilty of their sins. Yeshua, however, came to pay that horrible price. So, because they would believe that Jesus was the son of God, they would be saved. But, there was nothing in the Chosen One of God that needed judging, so the Holy Spirit came down on Him like a dove.²⁹⁷

And I myself did not know Him, but the One who sent me to baptize with water told me, “The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the One who will baptize with the Holy Spirit” (John 1:33). The Ruach Ha’Kodesh did not come down upon Him and then leave again, which we see commonly in the TaNaKh. For example, David would say: Do not reject me! Do not take your Holy Spirit from me (Psalm 51:11). The Ruach remained, or took up residence in Him. This term has to do with the divine side of things and speaks of fellowship. We see the same word in John 14:10, where the inspired apostle recorded Yeshua’s message: The words I say to you I do not speak on My own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in Me (residing in Me), who is doing His work. So, in John 15, where the Lord Jesus speaks of the fundamental requirement in bearing spiritual fruit – fellowship with Him – He says: They remain in Me, and I in them, the same bear much fruit (Yochanan 15:5a).

The phrase with the Holy Spirit is en pneumati in the Greek. Some make a big deal out of the change in adjectives. They say, “Well, you were baptized in the Holy Spirit, but have you been baptized with the Holy Spirit?” Or, “You were baptized with the Holy Spirit, but have you been baptized by the Holy Spirit.” All this is a smoke screen because the Greek adjective en can be translated either in, or by, or with (Mark 1:8; Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16; Acts 1:5, 11:16; 1 Corinthians 12:13). Being baptized in-by-with the Holy Spirit is a hallmark of salvation (see Bw – What God Does For Us at the Moment of Faith).

When the Ruach Ha’Kodesh in the form of a dove, descended upon Jesus that authenticated the previous revelation given to John. So, Yochanan knew, and could point to Jesus and say: Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. In Genesis 4 the sacrifice was offered for the individual; in Exodus 12 the sacrifice was offered for the household; in Leviticus 16 on the annual Day of Atonement the sacrifice was offered for the nation; but, here in John 1:34, Gentiles are embraced as well as Jews because the Lamb of God takes away the sin of the world.²⁹⁸

I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One (John 1:34). Once again Yochanan makes it perfectly clear that he had only one purpose. It was to point sinners to the Messiah. He was nothing and Christ was everything. He claimed no greatness and no place for himself; he was only a man who, as it were, drew back the curtain and left Yeshua as the only One standing in the spotlight on center stage. Call it what you wish: An act of grace. A plan of redemption. A martyr’s sacrifice. But, whatever you call it . . . don’t call it an accident. It was anything but that.²⁹⁹

John the Baptist Denies Being the Messiah
John 1: 19-28

John the Baptist denies being the Messiah DIG: Why did the Jews ask John if he were Elijah? What prophet did they refer to? What do these questions reveal about why they were sent? Why did John cry out in the wilderness rather than in the Temple? Why do you think He responds so abruptly? What was His goal?

REFLECT: What is your goal in life? Have you ever felt ostracized because of your faith? Yochanan spoke the truth and boldly stood apart from his world in order to reach it more effectively (John 17:15-18). What opportunities do you have to do the same? Have you been baptized? Why or why not?

With these verses the inspired apostle John begins the account of his gospel. He has already shown us what he intends to do (to see link click Af – The Memra of God); he is writing to demonstrate that the Memra (the Word) has come into this world. Having set down his central thought, he now begins the story of the life of Christ. No one is more careful about the details of time as Yochanan is. Starting from these verses and going to 2:11 he tells us, step by step, the story of the first momentous week in the public life of Jesus. The events of the first day are here in John 1:19-28; the story of the second day is 1:29-34; the third day is unfolded in 1:35-39. The three verses 1:40-42 tell the story of the fourth day; the events of the fifth day are told in 1:43-51. The sixth day is not recorded for some reason. And the events of the seventh day of the week are told in 2:1-11.²⁸⁸

The first stage of observation was over (see Bf – You Brood of Vipers, Who Warned You to Flee the Coming Wrath). The Pharisees and Sadducees had reported back to the Sanhedrin (see Lg – The Great Sanhedrin) and all agreed that John’s movement was significant. But, was he the Meshiach? That was the question that needed to be answered. However, that would be determined in the second stage of interrogation. Therefore, an official delegation was sent out so they could ask him questions.

The first day: Now this was John’s testimony when the unbelieving Jews (Greek: Ioudaioi), or Jewish leaders (NIV), in Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him who he was (Yochanan 1:19). He was outside the pharisaic Judaism of his day. He had not been trained in the schools of the rabbis, he had held no position of honor in the Temple, and he was not identified with either the Pharisees, Sadducees or Herodians. He was a strange looking enigma to the religious elite. Although the Baptist came from a priestly family (Luke 1:5), he did not conform to pharisaic dogma. John was a puzzle to them.

So, they had many questions. From whom did he receive his authority? Who had commissioned him to tell anyone to repent? By what right did he baptize? The word Jews (Ioudaioi) appears in the gospel of Yochanan seventy times, and those Jews are always in opposition to Jesus. Flattery always follows success, and when John’s fame peaked the rumor spread that he was the Messiah. The Jews were waiting, and are waiting to this day, for the Messiah. The Baptist, however,repeatedly denied any messianic claims.

Frequently, messianic pretenders arose and caused rebellions. Yeshua’s day was an exciting time. So it was quite natural to ask John if he claimed to be the Meshiach. But, he completely rejected the claim. Yochanan could have simply written, “And he said.” Instead, the inspired author records, that he did not fail to confess, but confessed freely, “I am not the Messiah” (John 1:20). His reply was strengthened by the use of the emphatic pronoun I. It is as if Yochanan was saying, “I,  I am not the Messiah, but, if you only knew, the Messiah is here.”²⁸⁹ There was a Christ, but it certainly wasn’t Yochanan.

They asked him, “Then who are you? Are you Elijah?” Why would they have asked him that? The rabbis taught that before the Messiah came, Elijah would return to herald His coming and to prepare Isra’el for the messianic Kingdom. The last verses of Malachi read: Look, I will send to you Eliyahu the prophet before the coming great and terrible Day of ADONAI. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers; otherwise I will come and strike the land with complete destruction (Mal’akhi 4:4-6 CJB).

The rabbis also taught that Elijah would resolve all disputes. He would settle what things and what people were clean and unclean; he would clear up who were Jews and who were not Jews; he would bring together again families that were estranged. So much did the Israelites believe this that the traditional law said the money and property whose owners were disputed, or anything found whose owner was unknown, must wait “until Elijah comes.” It was also believed that Eliyahu would anoint Messiah to His kingly office, as all kings were anointed, and that he would raise the dead to share in the messianic Kingdom. However, Yochanan clearly denied being Elijah himself. At first he confessed, “I am not the Messiah.” Now he was down to only three words, saying: I am not (John 1:21a). As the Baptizer grew more and more impatient with their questioning, his responses shortened.

Yochanan’s denial provoked a third question: Are you the expected and promised Prophet? The Israelites seem to have expected all sorts of prophets to appear before the coming of the Meshiach (Matthew 16:14; Mark 6:15; Luke 9:19). But, this was particularly a reference to the assurance that Moshe gave to the Israelites at the foot of Mount Sinai, when he said: ADONAI will raise up for you a prophet like me from among yourselves, from your own kinsmen. You are to pay attention to Him (Deut 18:15 CJB). That was a promise that no Jew ever forgot. They waited and longed for the appearance of the prophet who would be the greatest prophet of all. Impatient with the questions of his interrogators, his terse answer was: No (John 1:21b). His patience was gone and his responses went from five words, to three words, and now to one word.

This put John’s inquisitors in a tough spot. All they had gotten from the Immerser was a string of denials. Yochanan was preaching, drawing large crowds in the wilderness, and baptizing. They needed something more definitive that they could take back with them. Finally exasperated, instead of making another futile suggestion, they asked him what he thought about himself. We can only imagine the tone in which they said to him, “Who are you?” Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself (John 1:22)?

The Baptizer replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, “I am a voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of ADONAI’ (Yochanan1:23).” When John referred to himself as a voice, he used the exact term that the Ruach HaKodesh had used of Him seven hundred years earlier when speaking through Isaiah (Isaiah 40:3). The point of the quotation is that it gives no prominence to the preacher whatsoever. He was not an important person, like Elijah, the prophet or the Messiah. He was no more than a voice. Not only that, he was a voice with only one thing to say – his was a one-point sermon. Look for the Meshiach.

It is interesting that the Qumran community interpreted the same passage from Isaiah in a different way. They withdrew and separated themselves, quietly reading the Scriptures in the desert to prepare the way of the LORD. Whatever happened to the people outside of their sect, they would be ready when the Messiah came. Yochanan, on the other hand, understood the words of Isaiah as a wake-up call to the nation. John was not concerned with himself or his own safety at all. He was trying to prepare the way of ADONAI with his back to God movement.

I am a voice crying out in the wilderness (Yochanan 1:23a). Why then did John the Baptizer not cry out in the Temple? Because Judaism was a hollow shell. It had outward pretense, but there was no life within. It had become a nation of legalists (see Ei – The Oral Law). John came to a Pharisee ridden nation that neither demonstrated the faith of Abraham, nor produced his works. Therefore, God’s herald appeared outside the religious circles of that day, and the wilderness symbolized the barrenness of the Jewish nation.²⁹⁰

Make straight the way of the Lord (John 1:23b). An ancient monarch (just like a national leader today) rarely traveled to any region without some planning. The city would be prepared and the route cleared of anything that might slow his chariot or make the journey unpleasant. The Immerser called himself a herald, a person announcing the imminent arrival of the king, a voice having no authority of its own. If the people chose to heed his message, it would be because they revered the coming king.

But the Pharisees who had been sent, were puzzled about one thing – what right had John to baptize? If he had been the Messiah, or even Elijah, or the prophet, he might have had that authority. Isaiah had written: So He will sprinkle many nations (Isaiah 52:15a). Ezeki’el had said: I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean (Ezeki’el 36:25). Zechariah wrote: When that day comes, a spring will be opened up for the house of David and the people living in Yerushalayim to cleanse them from sin and impurity (Zechariah 13:1 CJB). But, why should Yochanan baptize? Consequently, they questioned him asking: Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet (John 1:24-25)?

What made the matter more confusing to them was the fact that baptism was not for Israelites at all. It was proselytes, the Gentiles, who were baptized. Was he suggesting that God’s chosen people had to be cleansed? But, that was exactly what the Baptist believed. He was calling Jews to a baptism of repentance, saying, in effect, “Because of your sin, your are outside of Abraham’s covenant with ADONAI. You must repent like a Gentile and come to YHVH like it was the first time.”²⁹¹

By this time Jesus had returned from the forty days of fasting and temptation, and was standing in the midst of the crowd. John recognized Him, and then dropped the subject of baptism to focus on the greatness of Yeshua. Baptism was important, but, it was only a means to an end. Its purpose was to point people to the Lord. John’s interest was in the Messiah and in nothing else. I baptize with water, John replied: but among you stands One you do not know (John 1:26). John admitted that his baptism was merely symbolic and quickly turned the discussion away from water baptism – which pointed to the Meshiach – to the One he had come to herald. He was only the shadow, the Substance had arrived.

He is the One who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie (John 1:27). Here John describes the chalitzah ceremony in Deuteronomy 25:5-6. The Torah dictates that if a married man dies childless, the widow is to marry her dead husband’s brother, preferably the eldest. The firstborn son they produce is considered a continuation of the dead husband’s line. The practice is known as Yibum, or levirate marriage. The brother-in-law is called the Yavam; and the widow is called the Yevamah.

However, if the dead man’s brother does not wish to marry the widow, or if she does not want to marry him, a standard divorce is insufficient to sever their bond. Instead, they perform a procedure known as chalitzah, which means removal; in this case, the removal of the brother-in-law’s shoe. Only after the chalitzah ceremony has been completed is the widow free to marry someone else.

The widow must wait ninety-two days after the death of her husband before proceeding with the chalitzah ceremony. This is in line with the commandment that a widow or divorcee must wait three months before remarrying, enough time for it to become obvious whether or not she is pregnant from her first husband, thus avoiding the possible confusion over the identity of the baby’s father. In the case of chalitzah, the three-month waiting period is in order to ascertain whether the chalitzah ceremony is even necessary at all, for if the woman is pregnant, then her deceased husband is not childless.

The widow and the deceased brother both appear in front of the local elders of the city usually consisting of three judges, two witnesses (as typically required during rabbinical proceedings), and the widow and the brother of the deceased.

If he persists in saying, “I do not want to marry her,” his brother’s widow shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, take off one of his sandals by untying the leather straps. The sandal was, and continues to be, a sign of authority or ownership. And then she spits in his presence and says, “This is what is done to the man who will not build up his brother’s family line.” That man’s line shall be known in Isra’el as “the household of the one whose sandal has been removed” (Deuteronomy 25:7-10).

So when the Baptizer said, “The One who comes after me (the Messiah), is the One whose straps on his sandals I am not worthy to untie,” he was referring to the authority of the Messiah compared to his lowly position. In this way he denied being the Meshiach.

This all happened at Bethany, which is identical to Beth Barah (the house of passage) mentioned in Judges 7:24, on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing (John 1:28). It memorialized the crossing of the Jordan by Joshua. Therefore, separated as the Baptizer was from the corrupted sham in Jerusalem, it was a house of passage for those he immersed. They joined the little remnant who were prepared for the Lord (Luke 1:17). Remember . . . what happens to the herald will happen to the King.

The Acceptance of King Messiah

Messiah’s first miracle was not for public view. The purpose for His turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana was so that His apostles would have faith in Him. Christ’s public ministry would begin and end in Jerusalem. But, once Yeshua cleared the Temple, beginning His public ministry, His popularity and acceptance would continue to grow in Judea, Samaria and Galilee. Jesus then became the Kosher King of many Israelites.

The Authentication of King Messiah

Miracles have been seen throughout biblical history, but their greatest display appeared during the ministry of Yeshua Messiah, the King. Those miracles served six strategic purposes:

1. To introduce a new era. The first purpose was to introduce the prophesied Messiah, who in turn announced the Kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the Good News (Mark 1:15). The miracles accompanied the Kingdom offer and substantiated that offer (Matthew 12:28).

2. To authenticate His messiahship. The second major purpose was to authenticate the messiahship of Christ. His works are a witness to His person as Messiah and Son of God (Yochanan 20:20-31). They are the insignia of His deity and messiahship.

3. To authenticate His message. As miracles were used to authenticate Messiah’s person, they also served to authenticate His message. Christ appealed to His miracles in John 10:38 to substantiate His message concerning His oneness with the Father. His message was certified authentic by the miracles He performed.

4. To instruct His talmidim. After the rejection of the Meshiach by the Great Sanhedrin (Mattityahu 12:24; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15-16; John 7:20), His miracles were no longer public and became agents of instruction for the benefit of His apostles (to see link click En – Four Drastic Changes in Christ’s Ministry). The miracles instructed them concerning Messiah’s power (Mark 4:39-41, 5:1-20), trust in Jesus’ provision (John 6:3-6), prayer (Mark 6:46, Luke 5:16), and outreach to Gentiles (Matthew 15:21-38).

5. To reveal conditions in the future Kingdom. A special purpose for which Christ used His miracles was to reveal the conditions of the future messianic Kingdom. The miracles foreshadow in a brief display the removal of sickness (John 5:1-8), death (John 11:17-44), disease (Luke 14:1-6), and hunger (Mattityahu 15:32-38) in the Kingdom. The miracles also point to the joy and prosperity that will characterize the Kingdom (John 2:11) and that in the millennial Age, Satan will be restricted (Matthew 8:28-34).

6. To display mercy. One final purpose of Messiah’s miracles was to display mercy on suffering humanity. His mercy and compassion often moved Him to act (Mattityahu 14:14, 15:32; Mark 1:41; Luke 7:3). He often healed in response to pleas for mercy (Matthew 15:25, 17:15; Mark 10:47-48; Luke 17:13). Christ’s healing miracles outnumber all of His other miracles.

The miracles of Messiah had varying results: belief (John 2:11, 4:50), conviction (Luke 5:8), discipleship (Mark 10:52), emotion (Mattityahu 8:27, 12:23; Mark 7:37), worship (Mark 2:12; Yochanan 9:38), recognition of Christ’s uniqueness (Luke 7:16; John 6:14), and rejection (Matthew 12:24; John 5:16, 11:53).

John the Baptist’s Testimony about Jesus

Many believers see John the Baptist as a shadowy figure. Certainly he baptized people. Some know he lived in the desert and ate locusts and honey. Those who study the Scriptures may even know he was the forerunner of the Meshiach. But, that’s about it. Yet, Yeshua said of him: Yes! I tell you that among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than Yochanan the Immerser (Mattityahu 11:11 CJB)! From Doctor Luke, a physician by training, we learn that John was born an only child to an aging priest, Zechariah, and his barren wife, Elizabeth (to see link click Ao – The Birth of John the Baptist). His birth caused quite a stir to everyone in the Judean hill country, not only because of his astonishing birth, but also because of the way he lived. A Nazirite from birth, he did not cut his hair, touch anything dead, nor partake of anything of the vine – no wine, no grapes or no raisins (Numbers 6:2-6). ADONAI had chosen him, even before his birth, to be the forerunner of the Messiah (see Ak – The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold).

When John came out of the wilderness to confront and convict the nation of Isra’el of her sin, he looked and sounded and acted very differently from the religious elite of Jerusalem that the people were used to hearing. John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey (Mark 1:6). Whereas the Sadducees, Pharisees, chief priests, Torah-teachers and Herodians robed themselves in the finest clothes and treated themselves to meat and wine, Yochanan stood gaunt from a life set apart for ADONAI and leathery from the sun.

His message was just as basic as his appearance: Repent, for the kingdom of God has come near (Mt 3:2)! So, when the Pharisees and Sadducees came from Jerusalem to see what he and his movement was all about – he told them in no uncertain terms: You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our father.” I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham (Mt 3:7-9).

Wow, did they ever hate him! They would have killed him right there on the spot if he were not surrounded by growing multitudes of people who genuinely repented of their sin. But, while John the Immerser was as extraordinary as any mere human could be, he was nonetheless, a man. Just a man. Therefore, John, the inspired author of his gospel, introduces him simply as a man sent from God whose name was Yochanan (John 1:6). In the next two files, we will see what made this mere man so special.²⁸⁷