Friday, November 11, 2011

Jesus is the Way.[Exposition on John 14a]

John 13:31-14:21
Key Verse 14:66 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Introduction
Before we get in to the today’s passage, it is good to know what happened up to this time: a. it was recognized as a particular time: Just before the Passover, the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father.[13:1]  b. Jesus showed them full extent of the love: Jesus washed feet of the disciples, ‘unless I wash you, you have no part with me.’[13:8]  You also should wash one another’s feet; you will be bless if you do them. In this way, Jesus indicated that what Jesus was about to do is washing away their sins.  C. Jesus exposed Judas betrayal : Judas had no chance but to go out in the dark to put into his place—betrayal of Jesus; clearly delineating what it means to betray and who is and who is not!
1.       You are clean but not everyone of you[10]
2.       You will be blessed if you do them but I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen; But this is to fulfill the scripture: 'He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me.'[18]
3.       20 I tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me."—what it means to accept Jesus; what it means not to accept Jesus as the Son of God. It is not just a rejection of the person, a man Jesus but it is a rejection of God
4.       21 After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, "I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me."-- 26 Jesus answered, "It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish." Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. 27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. "What you are about to do, do quickly," Jesus told him,
As a whole, Jesus showed full extent of his love to his disciples and at the same time, exposed Judas scheme and pushed him to do what he planned to do—betrayal ; Jesus was in control of this ; let him do what he had in his mind; but not by Judas control but by Jesus control. [Rom 1: God gave them over]
End result: The disciples knew that Jesus will be betrayed and the betrayer is among them.
Though Jesus assured them of Jesus love by washing their feet, their life is shaken from its foundation!  So far from the beginning of Jesus’ ministry until now, they put everything on Jesus. Jesus is the security, Jesus is the hope. For they believed that  Jesus is the Lord who has everything—power over heaven and earth, life, over all sickness. So as long as Jesus is with them, there won’t be any problem. But now Jesus is leaving; all that security is going out of the door in a matter of days or in hours! Jesus departure, Jesus death means death of everything of their being, hope, and life itself. Now Judas left them. The rest of his disciples were with Jesus. This is the most intimate time between Jesus and his disciples; sharing the things of the heart; heart to heart.  It deals with Jesus departure [his death.] 

1.       Now is the time for the Son of man to be glorified and God is glorified in him [13:31-38]
Read  vv31-32. 31 When he was gone, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.
 The disciples mind was filled with fear and uncertainty of the future because Jesus is leaving and it is through his arrest and possible death!  In terms of ‘death’ anyone can hardly think of glory. But the essence of Jesus suffering and death is seen as giving glory to God the Father. Also Jesus himself is being glorified by this.
How do we view death? Death is a tragedy, unfortunate, judgment of God, punishment for sin. This is true to all human being. So it is quite natural for them to see Jesus’ death in such perspective. We know that the death has been mandated by God Himself soon after men sinned against God. Under that mandate, the whole human race has been subjected to death; so it is true ; death is a judgment, punishment of God, it is a tragedy and sad thing.
But here Jesus sees the death of himself in totally different perspective. Is his death different from the death of one of us? Yes! His death is totally different from the death of an ordinary sinner.
1)      He was innocent and he is giving his life voluntarily as a ransom for many. 2) He subjected himself to death by the hands of sinful men in obedience to the Father. This is total obedience to God the Father. 3) His death leads to life with God through resurrection.  His ‘manly’ nature will resume his ‘godly’ nature.  Yet these things are not disclosed and not taught.
After all, through this death, the Son of man becomes the Son of God!  Jesus was in flesh like one of us in mortal body. But through this death in perfect obedience, Jesus is becoming or being proven to be genuinely the Son of God, who utterly obey the Father. The heart of this event is Jesus submission to God the father fully and perfectly. By doing so he is proved to be genuinely the Son of God. The Son of man has no glory at all. He is like one of us; getting tired easily, getting hungry, and subject to all hardship of life; cannot see God in this imperfect body fetched so much in sin. This is the Son of man. But when he rises from the dead, he will be having heavenly body.
At the same time God is honored as God, who is good and righteous judge. God is the righteous judge because God judges sin to death; So Jesus the Son of man will be put to death to pay for sins of men. God is proven to be good because God gives new life to the one who obeyed fully to honor God.
So Jesus’ death is not tragedy but it is where God is to be glorified and his son Jesus will be glorified by resurrection.  Jesus wanted to change their outlook on death ; from tragedy, and loss, to a particular event where one is to be glorified and one is to glorify God.
No one has offered such perspective about death. Not Moses, not Mohamed, Not Buddha, no one in the world.
But to know and to accept and to believe this is not easy for any men. All men have been well framed their mind by sin and punishment. Death is the outcome of this judgment.  Actually we, men experience power of death every day. 
Here is one example :
36 Simon Peter asked him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus replied, "Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later." 37 Peter asked, "Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you."

 Peter is the best man that one can be because Peter firmly believed that Jesus is the Savior and Son of God.  Out of this conviction and will come the word; 37 Peter asked, "Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you." Yet human will and passion for Jesus is not good enough to go through the power of death—it is judgment of sin and that judgment can never be overcome by sinful men.
What did Jesus predict about Peter? 38 Then Jesus answered, "Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times! [38] It is shocking to every single one of them because if Peter in his courage and conviction, and his will cannot stand the coming threat, who can!  Can I? John may ask to himself the same question, Can I! 
Because of this, we can fully sympathize with Jesus’ disciples. But it is not tragedy but the time to be glorified and to glorify God.  How can one do that?  Here Jesus showed how his disciple can see this. Jesus taught in words and Jesus taught them by walking the way to be glorified and to glorify God.
2.       Trust in God Trust in me also [14:1-4]
Facing death, how one handle this time of crisis? The time of separation, the time of death of their master, Lord, it will be one of the most horrific deaths. How to get through this time of crisis of life? Jesus taught them three things in order to get through this time of crisis:
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. V1
Trust God; what does he mean when he said ‘trust God’ —the creator and the Lord that led Israel out of Egypt and gave the Lord and has been with Israel throughout her history. Utmost, knowledge, power and authority of the Father along with his love in truth must be trusted in this time of crisis.  
Also they must trust Jesus as well; Jesus had been with them; the miracles, the love Jesus showed to them, the truth Jesus taught them. ; it is one thing they think about deeply, who is Jesus  to me! Jesus, the Savior must be trusted in his love, in his power, and in his truth.

2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. Vv2-3
Jesus is going there to prepare a place for them in father’s house. He will be back to take them there.  The cross and death is the essential process to prepare a place for them in the kingdom of God. Death does not end itself. It is a process to prepare a place for us.
·         The purpose of this statement is not to reveal what kind of house or room he would prepare.
·         The purpose of going is for the disciples and their place with God. So the primary purpose of this saying is for them to know the certainty of coming back because Jesus has to take them back to the father’s house.
Jesus will be back to take them back to the Father—this is the ultimate goal of Jesus’ going. They must take Jesus word—He will come back to take us there to Father’s house!
4 You know the way to the place where I am going." V4
Here Jesus is saying that his disciples know already the way: Did Jesus tell them the way? Yes when Jesus said about betrayal, suffering under religious leaders and death. This is the way Jesus is taking. Did they know the place where Jesus is going? Yes, it is to the father, God. So if they are willing to take these, they know already the way and they know the place. The problem is the fact that they were not willing to accept what Jesus was about to do! Jesus is out of his mind, out of normal tract, odd, strange in the minds of his disciples; the reason! Unbelief! 
Out of this unbelief they raised three questions; very serious ones! 
Three series of response and questions from his disciples;

a.       Thomas 5-7  b. Philip v8  c. Judas  v22
Thomas [14:5-7] "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?":
they believed that Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior without doubt. So whatever Jesus did and is doing was right and accepted in faith and obedience. But one thing that Jesus is about to do—leaving and suffering and death cannot be accepted as the part of saving work. They thought that Jesus is leaving them without finishing the work; saving the nation, establishing a kingdom of God. Simply as far as Jesus departure is concern, they would not accept the truthfulness of this event . This is not a part of God’s plan. This is not truthful way of life. How can death be a part of life!  There must be an another way, Jesus is keeping them in darkness! He wanted to know exactly where Jesus is going and how Jesus going to the Father.  Thomas’ way of thinking is right and usual in human eyes. Such understanding is framed by the power of death. Under the power of death, death is the end of everything and he cannot see anything beyond death. This is the exact reason why Jesus must die so that people like Thomas may know that there is life beyond death!  It is an eye opener.
To such understanding, Jesus said "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
First, Jesus could have just said ‘I am the way’. But he added very emphatically two more; Jesus is the truth and Jesus is the life.
Here we can think about latter first.  Jesus is the truth, the life in addition to the way. The truth is only of God the creator. He is the only truth and what he revealed is the truth that there is. We cannot think of truth apart from him for he is the creator. One of the most solemn truths is the fact that since God judged man of his rebellion, man suffers death and no one is exempt from this. In this regard, it is very important that Jesus embodies that truth. The suffering and death cannot be truth or of God at all, they thought. But this is from God and is the part of the truth that God is revealing.
Jesus is life. Life is also from God. God created life and apart from God, life cannot exist or be thought of.  Likewise, life belongs only to God. He is the creator of life. From him all life comes. The death that Jesus was about to undergo is the only process to life. No one in sin lived to life. But Jesus through death in obedience opened a way to life. So what Jesus was about to go is the life.
These two are essential and unique characters of God. Apart from God, there is no truth and no life. What Jesus was about to do, i.e. suffering and death are part of God’s inherent character and plan. In other word, what Jesus is about to do is what God wants to do and planned to do.
Finally Jesus is the way. We know that what the disciples wanted is the kingdom of God. In the kingdom of God, they want to enjoy peace and prosperity. Simply they want a secure kingdom that is set up by God and under God, they wanted to enjoy life forever! This desire is not just for them only. It is the desire for all human being. I want a life protected and preserved by God in peace and joy forever through his authority, power and goodness love.  They believed that Jesus is the Messiah that God sent so as to provide this for them. This is the reason why they sought after Jesus.  But the moment that Jesus announced his death, they rejected Jesus’ way as the only way to God. They doubted if the way that Jesus was about to go leads to eternal peace and joy in God.
But here Jesus says; he is the way. His life embodies the way. What he was about to go is part of that way to God. This is the only way to God. No one has it. Not Moses, not prophets, not anyone else in the world!  As they have seen through his teachings, through the miracles, and through genuine care and love for sinner, Jesus embodies the truth and love of God. So is true even what Jesus is about to do! The death and suffering is also a part of godly truth and godly love, the only way to God the Father, the kingdom of God.
Suffering and death is least desired and most hated and most fearful thing for any men. So, like these disciples we also would not accept Jesus’ suffering and death as the way of life. So Jesus said, if anyone would save his life, he will lose it. But he loses his life for me, he will gain it eternally. As long as we make all of our effort to save our lives from death, then we never get over with the power of death. But the moment we relinquish our control over our lives and accept Jesus’ death as my own, we will come to taste the power of life in Christ’s resurrection.
7 If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
This is the conclusion of what Jesus said—How one can know God in and through Jesus; as we look at this verse in detail I like to find out what Jesus meant  when he said ‘you have seen him’.
When Jesus said, ‘if you really knew me’, it is pointing to the fact that what Jesus did through the last three years, they should know that Jesus is truly the Son of God and all that he did was from and of God. It was in his teachings, it was in his miracles, and it was in healings and in cares for men. If they knew the true substance of his being, the embodiment of God’s truth and love and power, there shouldn’t be any question if Jesus is the true son of the Father God. God is Jesus true Father. If you firmly believed this then even if Jesus is about to go through the death, that must not deter them to relinquish that belief. 
At the end of this claim that Jesus is the embodiment of God himself, he said ‘From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
In the previous sentence Jesus use the word, ‘knew’ past, and ‘would know ’ is presumptive mood. But in this sentence, Jesus changed a little more. You do know him. He made strong emphasis on the present truth; knowing God. In addition he added one more—you have seen him:  Since when? It says ‘from now on’. When we heard of someone we may come to know the person very well. But there is one side that is lacking; how he looks we do not know. By saying that they have seen God, Jesus is emphasizing that whatever they are to know, they have known all. In other word, all about God that they were to know, they have known.  What is in between these two: the first sentence and the next sentence? First sentence is what they learned before Jesus announced his suffering and death: What they learned from the beginning of Jesus ministry until now. The next sentence is all these knowledge plus, the knowledge of Jesus suffering and death!  So he says, ‘from now on’
So Jesus’ suffering and death makes their knowledge about God complete.  Without knowing his death, our knowledge is incomplete and it is like heard many time but have never seen face to face!
Then, why is knowing Jesus’ suffering and death like seeing God the Father face to face?  Until know they saw many miracles and heard the truth. Their experience is through the third party. What I mean is that those who were involved these healings and miracles, judgments and blessing were among those whom the disciples had little concern. But Jesus death put their lives on the line. Further Jesus suffering and death is the revelation of full extent of God’s judgment in his justice and God’s love in redemption. His justice, his holiness and his unending love are all revealed fully. In this way they came to know all that they were to know about God.
Here also, some implication that they would have intimate relationship with God the Father. There is one occasion in the whole scripture that people saw God and God did not struck down but had fellowship with them; It was when Moses and selected leaders of Israel sealed the covenant. 
Philip [8-21] , "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."
As we know Thomas did not see Jesus in transfiguration. Only Peter, John and James saw Jesus in glory. In the mind of him death can hardly be part of God’s plan. If what Jesus is about to do is in line with God, then God appears through Jesus, then it is obvious that God is in this matter! Also contrary to what Jesus said, Thomas did not see God! Here again, one issue is paramount importance; Is God with this? More precisely is Jesus’ suffering and death the plan of God? If so, then Jesus can lead us to see God!
As Jesus showed his transfiguration along with Moses and Elijah, if Thomas can see God along with Jesus then, there is no question that what Jesus is about to do is of God and from God.  
This is common demands of many skeptics. If God shows himself in power and glory then I would believe!
What did Jesus answer? 9 Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.[9-11]
9 Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?  
Whatever Jesus did; his work, his healing, his teachings, his miracles are from God and his power.  Philip has seen all of them. It was not just Jesus all independently.  All were done in obedience to the will of God in his directions and guidance. So in all the works of Jesus is foot prints of God’s power, God’s truth, and God’ will. Simply Jesus  is the embodiment of God on the earth. Whatever he did is of God and from God.  Furthermore whatever he is about to do is also from God, not of his own making.  When God himself comes down, God the father would do the exactly same thing as Jesus did. Also God would do the same thing what Jesus is about to do.  So in one word, seeing God through Jesus is essence of leaning who Jesus is.
10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.
There was an occasion where Jesus came to a tomb of a young man Lazarus. He has been dead for three days and was buried in this tomb. When the stone was removed from the tomb, Jesus prayed this.  

John 11:41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. John 11:42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."
Immediately after this, Jesus shouted toward the tomb, Lazarus come out! He came out in burial clothes. In this event Jesus showed clearly that it is not just Jesus working by his own accord but he is working with God the Father in raising the dead man Lazarus.
So what this miracle testify about Jesus?
11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves [11]

[[John 12:27 "Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!" Then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and will glorify it again."]]
This miracle testifies about Jesus; Jesus is in God the Father and Father is in Jesus. If anyone knows and sees  one, it is as good as knowing and seeing the other!  If we translate this into something else, it will be like this.  If one believes Jesus, then he believes God the father as well. The trust in Jesus cannot be separated from the trust in God Almighty!
Then what is the implication?

12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it
Here faith in me is translated in to faith in God. The implication is that since Jesus did so much miracles , teaching and good things in serving people, so can we when we have faith in Jesus. Here the key is the word ‘ in me’  it is repeated three times; in me v 12, in my name v 13, in my name v 14.
Jesus was one with God. We will become one with Jesus by faith. As a result we will be one with God the father in Jesus name. We can ask anything in Jesus name, then God will do his miracles through our prayer! 
But now how can they go through this most tenuous time of life? In the beginning we discussed what to focus on. Here Jesus teaches his disciples to do one thing:
15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command.
Here one thing I like to highlight. This obedience never comes by obligation or from duty driven will. This is particularly true when one’s life is in danger!  But love is the source of strength and power to obey and to give and to serve! No matter how much we give lip service, if we do not have love, we cannot make decision to follow and to give.
Jesus commanded them to love one another. Jesus showed this by washing his disciples feet. His disciples are to love other s with the same kind of love—washing others feet! It has to do with others weakness and sins. It has to do with my giving and serving and sacrificing!  During the time of Jesus absence, if we love as Jesus showed his love to us, what does it reveal about our selves?
35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." 13:35
 In this way we clearly identifying ourselves with Jesus.  The world is mocking and ridiculing Jesus. Jesus is on the cross as criminals. Jesus is dead in a tomb. But we are committed to this Jesus because we still believe Jesus to be the Son of God. We believe that Jesus would rise from the dead and we believe that he will come back in his glory. 
When like this we clearly identify ourselves with Jesus during his absence, what Jesus would do?
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. [16]
Another counselor is the Holy Spirit. Jesus will send his HS to be with his disciples.
Here since HS is introduced for the first time, I like to discuss about HS more detail with the following questions: a. when does the HS comes to his disciples and to us?  b. what is he and what does he do?  C. How long will he with us and what is his purpose of being with us?
a.       When does the Holy Spirit come to his disciples and to us? 
As we read v 15 and 16, it is connected by conjunction ‘and’. We can say that when the disciples obey what Jesus commanded, and then Jesus will ask the Father and father will send the HS. This means that obedience to Jesus’ command must come first. When we obey what Jesus commanded, Jesus will surely ask HS on behalf of us!
As we look at the history recorded in Acts 1,2, we know that after Jesus ascension, they all got together in prayer, the Holy Spirit came upon them.
b.      What is he and what does he do? 
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-- 17 the Spirit of truth.
The HS is the spirit of truth. What does it mean that HS is the spirit of truth? Jesus said he is the truth. Certainly God the father is the truth as well.
John 16:13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.
Through this we can understand that HS will unveil all the truth that is hidden from the eyes of his disciples. The truth that the disciples could not accept ; Jesus suffering and death on the cross; will be fully understood through the HS. Also the will and mind of the Father will be understood fully through the HS. So whatever we learned in the OT and whatever Jesus did and taught in NT will be fully understood through the guidance of the HS! So he is the Spirit of truth!
He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.16:13b
The HS does not create a new message. The work of HS totally depends on the work of God and the work of Christ. If one does not know the work of Christ, HS cannot do anything for the person! If one does not know or accept the God of OT then, HS cannot help on that person at all.  So the world has no understanding who HS is!  But we know God of OT and we know Jesus, the Son of God. So the HS is helping us in every steps!
One thing HS never generate a new message apart from the scripture! If a spirit tell you something out of blue, it is not the HS.
c.       How long will he be with us and what is his purpose of being with us?
16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-- 17 the Spirit of truth.
The HS will be with his disciples forever!  Once we become to be in Christ, the HS is with us forever. He does not come and go according to the conditions we are in. His presence with us does not depend on what we do or what we do not do! Even when we are down in our weakness and sins, he is with us revealing all the truth and enlightening to all the hopes and compelling us to the truth and love of God. So every hour and every situation we must acknowledge his presence in our lives and honor his guidance and his revelations in our inner being.
17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
HS is with his disciples so that while Jesus is away from them, they may be aided by the truth, love of Jesus and God the Father. Since HS is with them, they are not alone. Full power and love of Jesus and of God is still with them while they are still on the world. So through the HS his disciples are still one with Jesus and with God, though Jesus was not with them physically as he was during his ministry in Galilee.
What is the ultimate goal?
 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.
Here that day is the day when HS comes! That means the time after they experienced or have gone through Jesus suffering, death and resurrection. That day is projected as the day of hope in comparison to the current grim looking reality of impending Jesus arrest. In view of such full consummation of the truth in that day, which will come as realization of oneness among the three the Father, his son Jesus and his chosen his disciples in the way of abiding presence, they are demanded to take the present ‘fearful or worrisome’ proposition of Jesus by faith.
The Holy Spirit is the agent through whom we come to know well that we are in Christ and Christ is in God. So God is with us as well.  His disciples Jesus and God are one! His disciples were far apart from Jesus and from God. But the HS make them one with Jesus and with God.
Throughout this discourse, Jesus made great emphasis on the fact that Jesus is one with God and they are one with Jesus and Jesus is with them even in this period of uncertainty. This is the most powerful argument against the separation anxiety of the disciple. This is sealed with the final word said next. 
I will not leave you as orphans—I will come to you; you will see me[vs. stay or live with you]  ‘see’ the world cannot, but you can—not through the physical eyes=the same as the HS: the world cannot accept him and cannot see him but you can! Because you KNOW him 

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