Category: John - Wittenberg Door Campus Ministry

John 12:20-33 - Lectionary for Holy Cross Day

9/9/2021

9/9/21
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.

The Christian life is full of seeming contradictions. John 12:20-33 draws our attention to this paradoxical kind of life. When the Greeks want to see Jesus, his response suggests that they want to see a mighty and regal figure. Jesus says, in essence, he is going to be glorified, but that his glory won't match their expectations.

He takes up his place of glory through laying down his life. Like a seed being planted, he is cast to the ground and trampled on. But this matches Jesus' view of the victorious Christian life. In verse 25, the one who loves his life will lose it. The one who doesn't love his life gets to keep it forever! Jesus pulls his disciples into a world in which the glorious one is humble, the humble is exalted, and the one who guards his life and possessions might just lose them!

In verse 27, as Jesus approaches his time of glory, he is troubled. Yet he doesn't ask the Father to rescue him from the trouble to come. Instead, he affirms that, for your sake and my sake, he is willing to be laid low.

When Jesus is lifted up (on a cross to be killed), he draws all people to himself. His death intends to exalt all who believe on him. We, then, can lay our lives down and be exalted with him. We give our lives away and receive his matchless gifts.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

John 20:1-2, 10-18 - Lectionary for Mary Magdalene

7/22/2021

7/22/21
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.

There sure are a lot of people named Mary involved in the ministry of Jesus. John's Gospel identifies the Mary known as "Magdalene" as the one who is first to not find Jesus on the first day of the week after the crucifixion.

Her expectation was that Jesus would be lying in the tomb, dead. Yet she went anyway. In her time of grief, she may have just wanted to look upon him one more time, or to make sure nobody had done anything with the body. The Synoptic Gospels suggest that she was not alone and that they were planning to make sure the burial customs with ointments and spices were completed all the way.

However it shook out, John wants to be sure we know she went to the tomb, and she arrived there early, before it was light. When she didn't find Jesus, she brought that news to the other disciples.

After some investigation, they went home, but Mary stayed outside the tomb, weeping. She didn't believe the resurrection. She thought Jesus had not only died and remained dead, but that his body had been stolen. This is troubling news indeed.

I wonder if we can rightly appreciate her joy. When Jesus came to her and made himself known to her she realized that he was not only alive, but right there with her. He let Mary be the first eyewitness of the resurrection, and sent her to tell the others. In this sense she was the first evangelist who spoke as a witness to the resurrection.

Jesus is the resurrection and the life. Mary's message has not changed over the years. She saw the Lord, risen from the dead, perfectly alive. He remains the risen Lord. The message of resurrection is for you and for me, for all people in every generation. It is the message which speaks of the hope all Christians have of rising with their Lord on the last day.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

Didache 9:4 and John 6

7/2/2021

7/2/21
Friday's Focus - Didache Articles

Cerfaux, Lucien. "La Multiplication Des Pains Dans La Liturgie de la Didache (Did., IX, 4)." Biblica 40:3, 1959, 943-958.

Cerfaux finds that study of Didache 9:1-4, where the text speaks of bread scattered through the mountains when grown as grain, has not been discussed adequately (Cerfaux 1959, 943-944). Cerfaux provides the Greek text for the sentence in question. He notes it is interesting that in saying τοῦτο κλάσμα (this fragment) is interesting since "this" is an adjective, while it is a pronoun in Matthew 26:26. In contrast, Apostolic Constitutions removes the word "fragment" (Cerfaux 1959, 944). When the comparison is used in Cyprian Ep. 63:13, it is again slightly different (Cerfaux 1959, 944).

Cerfaux notes that Paul, in 1 Cor. 10:16-17, speaks of the fraction of the bread, but does not use the word for "fragment" (Cerfaux 1959, 945). This strikes Cerfaux as an odd situation if in fact the Eucharist is supposed to serve as a unifying element of Christianity. However, the general idea of the Sacrament seems relatively clear (Cerfaux 1959, 946). Cerfaux suggests that the style used in Didache 9:4 is more similar to John's usage, particularly in John 6:3, 11, and 12 (Cerfaux 1959, 947).

Cerfaux considers the similarity between the Didache's language of gathering and John's language of collecting fragments to be very significant. This makes John 6 fit more clearly into a eucharistic context. It also brings a eucharistic significance to the multiplication of the bread (Cerfaux 1959, 950). This was also the opinion of Clement of Alexandria and of Origen. Both considered the multiplication of bread to serve as a reference to the eucharist, particularly in the writing of John (Cerfaux 1959, 951).

The fact is, though on its surface the concept of one piece of bread made from many grains seems novel and specific to the Didache, it is not present solely there. It fits into a good deal of exegetical narrative as well (Cerfaux 1959, 954). Cerfaux provides numerous references to texts which represent this traditiono f exegesis (Cerfaux 1959, 954).

Cerfaux moves on to provide parallel text samples of the various, small, references to the idea, formatted for easy comparison of the wording (Cerfaux 1959, 955).

John 10:1-10 - Lectionary for Pentecost Tuesday

6/3/2021

6/3/21
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.

There are times when even the best of teachers are misunderstood. This is precisely what happens with Jesus in John chapter ten. He initially sets out to explain that "the thief" and his representatives try to gather sheep away from their rightful shepherd, and that Jesus is the shepherd who cares for his "sheep," the people who hear his voice and respond to him.

Those who believe Jesus' words are his people, who know his voice and follow him. All who speak in opposition to Jesus are "thieves and robbers" (v. 8). Jesus will not have his sheep follow them.

This has been a matter of dissent among Christians for millennia. We always seem ready, on the one hand, to condemn those who would lead Christians astray. True doctrine must be protected. At the same time, there are voices, which some identify as those of thieves and robbers, who say they are right and that those others are the false teachers.

This whole episode in the work of Jesus calls for careful discernment. Christian teachers are required to evaluate Jesus' words carefully and fairly. We must constantly be ready to ask whether we are discerning what God has said rightly. The individual Christian must also be vigilant. It is a challenge to hear and understand Jesus well. But as we are hearing and understanding the words and works of Jesus carefully, we can know he will lead us faithfully as his sheep, caring for us just as we need.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

John 3:16-21 - Lectionary for Pentecost Monday

5/27/2021

5/27/21
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.

What is God's judgment? In John 3:16-21 it is that the light has come and that people preferred the darkness. This may seem an odd statement for those of us who think as 21st century Americans. Judgment is usually stated in negative terms. But here, the first aspect of judgment mentioned is the coming of God's light, Jesus, into the world.

By speaking in this way, Jesus tells Nicodemus that God's judgment is for good. All the work of God is for the good of his world. He's reconciling the world to himself. It's his desire to show loving care for the created order.

When we are confronted by the idea that God is working for good, that He is actually putting things in order to nurture us, to enlighten us, to make us like him, we also come face to face with our own ideals and desires. We are forced to ask whether we actually want God's kingdom to be at work in us. We have to ask if we are willing to be changed into his image.

Sadly, Jesus' reading of the world in this passage says we are not. We love the darkness rather than the light. We don't want to be changed. We want to change ourselves and to glorify our image.

What hope is there? The light is still shining into our world. Jesus, the light of the world, shines in the darkness. All who see their sin in his light and who turn from their sin to his forgiveness are rescued from the darkness of sin and death. This is Jesus' solemn promise.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

John 14:15-21 - Lectionary for Pentecost Eve

5/20/2021

5/20/21
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.

Does your family have patterns it follows? Mine does. I think most do. There's the family that always goes to the park on Friday evenings in the summer. There are the people who eat the same thing together for breakfast, day after day. There are the people who only eat a meal together on very special occasions. There are the barefoot inside families and the shoes inside families. The TV on and the TV off families.

We often think of these patterns as if they are insignificant, and on one level they are. But in John 14:15-21 Jesus describes his family pattern. It has nothing to do with the park, eating, shoes, or entertainment. Those who love Jesus and are cared for by the Father and the Holy Spirit, value Jesus' commandments. Many translations speak of "keeping" or "obeying" the commandments. But the normal way the New Testament speaks of it is by use of a word which also indicates what a guard on duty would do. The security guard at a bank, a store, or a factory, will not normally be engaged in what we would think of as active work. There's watching, moving around to different places, checking some doors and windows, and generally keeping an eye out, but there isn't much banking, manufacturing, or retailing going on in the guard's life. It's more a matter of presence and awareness.

The Christian is present within and aware of what God's priorities as revealed in Christ are. We end up doing the things that Jesus says, but it's because we are living in his word. We don't manage to live in God's word by forcing ourselves to do what he commanded. It's the other way around. We receive God's word and we find ourself following it, because it becomes part of our culture.

What's the family culture? Resting in God's Word. Praying. Nurturing. Caring. Loving and serving your neighbors. Why? Because we value what Christ has told us.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

John 14:1-14 - Lectionary for St. Philip and St. James, Apostles

5/8/2021

5/8/21
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.

I recall making an extraordinarily stupid conclusion in a seminary class discussion once. It exceeded the stupidity level of most of my conclusions in the courses that showed me I am not a systematic theologian. The professor, a wise and gentle man, corrected me in such a way that I could realize myself the heresy I had stated. Yes, I backed off of the conclusion. No, I won't tell you what it was.

In John 14:1-14, Philip makes one of these untenable statements. He makes a distinction between the Father and Jesus, one which could suggest that Jesus is not God or that there are two gods. Jesus' response both corrects Philip and lets him have the space needed to look through faithful eyes. Philip stands corrected, but Jesus doesn't punish him. He simply moves Philip along in the right path.

God has graciously given us his Word to show us what God is like, what we are like, and how the world actually works. When we start down the wrong path, as we reflect on Scripture and receive the wise teaching of others, we see the Father, and realize that the Father is glorified in the Son. He will guide us. He is faithful.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

John 21:1-14 - Lectionary for Easter Wednesday

4/30/2021

4/30/21
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.

"Jesus is my life." It's easy to say that. It's a little harder when we are confused and doubtful that he actually has a plan. What do we finally do? In John 21:3, Simon Peter decided to go back to his business. Try to re-start the career. He could at least put food on his family's table. Except he couldn't.

After an utterly unsuccessful night at work, Jesus showed up on the shore, about a hundred yards away, possibly back lit, and to people who might have needed glasses. I'll never recognize a face at a hundred yards, even with my glasses.

What does Jesus do? Even for those who didn't recognize him, he provided for their needs. They could say Jesus was their life. They caught several days' income. Jesus provided them with life. And he made breakfast.

If Jesus is our life, he may well use us within our careers, or he may redirect us. He cares for his people. The risen Lord is the Lord of life, on this earth and through eternity. He has revealed himself.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

John 20:1-18 - Lectionary for Easter Sunrise

4/18/2021

4/18/21
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.

The day of resurrection had to be the most surreal day ever. The band of apostles and the others with them had suffered a week of expecting immediate Messianic overthrow of tyranny, the arrest of Jesus by a substantial group of soldiers, his condemnation and execution, the death of Judas, and the shattering of their hopes. Now, not remembering or believing Jesus' promises to rise from the dead, they find the tomb empty, some women having apparent hallucinations, and still no overthrow.

What do they make of it? We should be slow to condemn their unbelief. After all, Jesus had done the impossible. They would not expect that.

In the end, though, it took at least until the appearance of Jesus in a room where the apostles had locked themselves in, before they started to believe it was true.

Jesus rose from the dead. He remains the Lord of life.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

John 18:1-19:42 - Lectionary for Good Friday

4/10/2021

4/10/21
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.

The issue of authority is very significant in John's Gospel. John sets out to demonstrate that Jesus is the one who has all authority, as the one who was with God in the beginning and is able to rule over all things.

The authority issue is very prominent in the trial of Jesus, from John 19:7-11. Here, the Jews say Jesus must die because he portrays himself as "the Son of God." This revelation strikes fear into the heart of Pilate.

Within Roman paganism, the gods were thought to involve themselves in the affairs of humans, even fathering offspring with them. To Pilate's reckoning, it was entirely possible that someone could be the child of a god. And this is a frightful idea. What if Pilate were to condemn someone who is part divine to death? This would bring the wrath of the offended god down on Pilate. He would want to avoid any possibility of that.

Pilate, wanting to find the truth, asks Jesus were he is from. This is another chance to discern his identity. But Jesus will not answer Rather, Jesus asserts that Pilate has no authority but what he has received from above. This scares Pilate even more.

In the end, Jesus asserts his authority over sin and death. It is not the kind of victory Pilate would have expected. But it shows that even Pilate's authority is limited.

God in Christ has the authority to forgive his people and rescue them from toil and danger in a sinful world. He has overcome death. What greater authority can we seek?

John 13:1-51, 34-35 - Lectionary for Thursday in Holy Week

4/6/2021

4/6/21
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.

Our Gospel reading from John 13 describes Jesus as the Lord and Savior, which he is, but also as the one who washes his disciples' feet, a job usually reserved for a servant of low status. It is especially telling that, when Simon Peter was approached by Jesus with a basin and a towel, he first refused to be washed. He would rather have dirty feet from walking in the dusty street than to have his Lord wash his feet.

Jesus' response was that if Simon Peter didn't allow it, he would have no part in Jesus. Peter's response swung from one end of the spectrum to the other, in that he suggested that Jesus should wash his hands and head as well.

While Peter's response does indicate a willingness, and even a desire, to be cleansed by Jesus the Lord, he has failed to recognize that Jesus already had cleaned him, through the Word and through his very presence. Jesus responded that Peter didn't need a whole bath. He just needed a little touch-up of his feet.

The Christian, engaged in fellowship with Jesus, hearing his word, basking in his presence, is clean. In some sense, though Christians confess they are sinful by nature, through and through, we can also confess that we have been washed by Jesus. We don't have to bear the filth of our previous associations. We don't have to earn more cleansing. We have been made holy.

Many in our world would like to mock us for such a confession. Christians seem o fall prey to all sorts of selfish and sinful attitudes. We sin against God and others. And sometimes we even seem to take delight in it.

Yes, we do. We need to have our feet washed by our Savior. Otherwise we, who are clean and walk in the holiness of God, will still leave dirty footprints all over the place. We need to have our feet washed.

This is the whole point of receiving God's grace in Word and Sacrament, as often as we can. We don't want to track up the world. After all, we have been washed by God's Word and are ready to be presented before God in his perfect heavenly realm. But as long as we are walking in this world, we need to be washed, at least our feet, by our Savior.

Jesus tells us later that we are to love one another. Let's don't track up their nice clean floors.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

John 12:1-43 - Lectionary for Monday in Holy Week

3/25/2021

3/25/21
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.

Verses 30-36 of our Gospel reading from John 12 are very interesting to me. Here Jesus tells how he is going to die. The people ask him how he can say he will die since the Messiah remains forever. Jesus tells the people to believe on him.

First, it should not have been a mystery or a surprise to anybody when Jesus was executed. He had spoken of it, several times, openly. His disciples had heard, though they didn't remember. Despite not remembering his specific words they should also have been able to understand that Jesus cared about them more than he cared about his own life. He consistently showed himself as the one who humbles himself for the benefit of others. Although Jesus spoke of his coming death on several occasions, though, they didn't remember. It came as a surprise.

Second, the people had been reading the Scriptures. They understsood Jesus to be the Messiah. They also understood that the passages which tell about the Messiah said he would remain forever. These were not biblically illiterate people. Jesus' audience included inquiring people who had searched the Scriptures. They had paid attention in synagogue and the discussions of the elders. They had a very valid question.

The problem of the Messiah remaining forever alongside the Messiah dying is resolved in only one way. He has to be raised from the dead to eternal life, or he is not the Messiah. That's exactly what Jesus was promising to do.

The crowd heard Jesus say that he is the light of the world, and that he will be with them, at least for a while. What did they do about it? They didn't believe, despite Jesus' repeated calls that people should trust him.

The same situation abounds in our world today, though it doesn't seem that people have as good a concept of what biblical theology would say about the Messiah or about Jesus' claims. Jesus is still the Messiah. He is still the one who laid down his life. He is still the one who remains forever, since he was raised from the dead and ascended into heaven. He is still the light of the world, making sense of it for all who will believe. The question we need to ask is whether we will believe him or whether we want to walk in darkness so as to avoid the inconvenient conclusion that he is God and we are not. His claims remain there for us to examine and reach a conclusion.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

John 12:12-19 - Lectionary for Palm Sunday Processional

3/15/2021

3/15/21
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.

We do things for a reason. That shouldn't come as a surprise. It's fun to talk and think of ourselves as being proactive, but when it comes down to it, everything we do is done for a reason, normally based on something we have seen or heard in the past. That, in turn, informs our ideas about future events and motivates our actions.

The people who greeted Jesus upon his entry into Jerusalem had heard about his past action. He had raised Lazarus from the dead. This raised their Messianic hopes. They therefore wanted to understand Jesus as one coming as the Son of David, to restore the kingdom to Israel, and to sit on the throne, having conquered their oppressors.

All in all, this is not a bad interpretation of Jesus' actions to heal, to cast out demons, and even to raise the dead. He seems able to do even the things that David didn't do. And he seems to be a descendant of David, the one who would rightfully sit on the throne.

Had God not spoken in the past? There would be a king to sit on the throne of David and establish an everlasting kingdom. In Jesus, it looked like the restoration of Israel could be on its way.

Jesus' action of riding into Jerusalem on a donkey could speak to this expectation on two levels. First, he enters like a king, heralded by the people. But second, and more important, he enters as someone who comes in peace. Is it a proclamation of peace already accomplished? Perhaps not. It may be a prediction that peace will come about. Maybe he was planning to do something by which he would achieve a peaceful transfer of power from the Romans to himself. That would certainly not be a bad solution, though certainly some of the Jews would prefer the Romans to be slaughtered wholesale.

Jesus is going to exceed the expectations of the people in some ways. He is going to establish his reign of peace. He is going to cast out the evildoers and usher in his kingdom. But he isn't going to do it the way the people anticipate. He is going to take all the sin of the world upon himself. He, in fact, is going to die for the sin of every last person. His kingdom will be inherited by those who believe him as the king. And he is going to show his victory not by conquering the Romans but by conquering death.

The people who saw the resurrection of Lazarus have been furnished with a hint of this. But the reality still escapes them.

Meanwhile, they do what they recognize is at hand. Jesus is coming, as a king, coming in peace, coming for them. We recognize him in the same way, as the one who has come to make peace for us.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

John 21:20–25 - Lectionary for St. John, Apostle and Evangelist

12/29/2020

12/29/20
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.

In liturgical artwork the apostle John is normally pictured as a very young man. There's adequate reason to think this is correct, since we have credible witnesses who speak of his living in Ephesus in the late 90s or even into the early second century. This would mean he lived around seventy years after the resurrection. That's a long time. He would have to be pretty young when walking around with Jesus.

John is also pictured as being quite old when he wrote the Gospel, the Epistles, and the Apocalypse. This has led many to attempt an identification of a different author, a bishop or elder, who is responsible for those writings. I won't try to get into that debate just now. It isn't the point of the post. If anyone wants to study it and reach an informed opinion, have at it.

John 21:22-23 suggests that when he wrote the Gospel, John was older than most people. He recalls that Peter had asked about John's future demise. Jesus said that it didn't matter. If John was to remain until the Lord's coming, it would be fine. Rather, Jesus told Peter to follow him. This led some people to suggest that John would not die.

They really would not have made that suggestion unless John was outliving a lot of people. We get the idea from the passage in John 21 that John is saying he is mortal, just like the other apostles, and that Jesus had simply not called him home yet. This isn't the kind of statement we would expect from an apostle who was 25 when Jesus said this to him and who is now 45 years old writing a Gospel. It sounds more like something that a man in his sixties, seventies, or even eighties would say.

Regardless of the age of John, what do we learn from this passage of the Gospel? Jesus lovingly calls his disciples to follow him. He is able to keep them, to guard them wherever they go, whether they are going to death at a young age due to persecution or whether they are going to die at a very advanced age of natural causes. He can keep his people no matter what. We can trust that the Lord will keep us as well. Jesus can do whatever he sets out to do. This is the great good news of the Gospel. It's the lesson we take with us from John, the apostle and evangelist.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

John 20:24-29 - Lectionary for St. Thomas, Apostle (Dec. 21)

12/3/2020

12/3/20
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.

Our readings are those for the Feast of St. Thomas, celebrated on December 21. Yes, I know we're pretty far ahead of December 21, but there's a big pile of holidays at the end of December and beginning of January, so we'll be behind before you know it.

There comes a time in all our lives when we have to discard our questions. That time came to Thomas eight days after the resurrection of Christ. Our Gospel reading for this week, from John 20:24-29, records the occasion.

Thomas has been unbelieving. That's clear already from the fact that he was missing at the earlier visit of Jesus to his disciples after the resurrection. Thomas didn't believe it was real. His hopes had been shattered by Jesus' death and by the end of Jesus' three days in the tomb, Thomas had decided the message Jesus had been giving him for several years was null and void.

Somehow his fellow disciples managed to reach out to him and gather him together with them again. He still didn't believe, but at least he was there.

Thomas had been saying that he needed not only to see Jesus but to touch his wounds. Then, and only then, would he believe in the resurrection. In short, Thomas was asking for a proof of the resurrection of the very person who was crucified, and was asking for a proof which nobody else had received, which nobody else had demanded.

Most of us, confronted with Thomas, would rather shortly shrug our shoulders and allow him to go his way. Not these other disciples, and not our Lord. They gathered with him. There was no guarantee that anything would happen. Jesus had not, as far as we know, promised the disciples that he would come to them when they could get Thomas into the room.

The other disciples, acting in faith, and Thomas, acting in unbelief, were assembled. Jesus came into the room. He knew what Thomas had been saying, and apparently what he had been thinking.

Did Thomas actually touch the risen Christ, putting his finger to the nail marks and his hand to the side? It's what Jesus offered. This is an argument from silence, but I think it is a valid one. John, who normally gives a good bit of detail, says nothing about Thomas' actions when Jesus tells him to go ahead and touch him. John simply records Thomas' confession that Jesus is indeed his Lord and his God. I don't think Thomas checked. He saw, and that is was enough.

Jesus even asked him if he believed just because he saw him! This also suggests that Thomas never did lay his hands on Jesus.

Jesus then proclaims a blessing on those who have not seen but have believed. With this gentle chastening, Thomas realizes his unbelief. We don't know much about Thomas' later actions. However, early and credible accounts suggest that Thomas brought the Gospel to the people of India and died a martyr's death there.

This passage suggests that it might just be a good idea to gather unbelieving people, including those who seem to have walked way from an earlier Christian faith, to hear the Gospel some more. Who might be the next person who comes, unbelieving, into the gathering of Christians, hears and believes the Gospel, and lays down his arguments? It might just be the person who will carry the Gospel with him to many others who have never heard, but need to believe, even without seeing.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

Polycrates and John

12/2/2020

Wednesdays are for Bits and Pieces
12/2/20

Bauckham, Richard. “Chapter 17, Polycrates and Irenaeus on John." Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony.” Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2006, pp. 438-471.

Bauckham considers Polycrates of Ephesus as the second best source of information we have about the author of John's Gospel (Bauckham 2006, 438). His statement, quoted by Eusebius, to Bishop Victor of Rome, which is the only extant writing of Polycrates, defends the Asian practice of calculating the date of Easter. Polycrates lists a number of people, claiming them as relatives. He includes among them John the apostle, also identifying him as the one "who leaned back on the Lord's breast," thus being the Beloved Discipole from John 21:24 (Bauckham 2006, 442). Bauckham further takes Polycrates' reference to John as martys to indicate that Polycrates considered him to have borne witness as a prisoner at Patmos, thus being the author if Revelation as well (Bauckham 2006, 443). His argument, further, is that the chronology in John's Gospel is superior to that of the Synoptics, which could be taken to represent the death of Jesus as the day before the Passover (Bauckham 2006, 444).

Bauckham considers what Polycrates meant by his reference to John "wearing the high-priestly frontlet" (Bauckham 2006, 445). After a review of the priestly customs, including Josephus' description of the wearing of the high priestly crown, Bauckham concludes this is an unambiguous statement that John served as high priest in the temple at some point. He provides several possible theories, among them that the John from Acts 4:6 is the son of Annas, the Beloved Disciple, and also the one referred to as Theophilus (Bauckham 2006, 449-451). This would, of course, require him not to be the son of Zebedee (Bauckham 2006, 452).

Irenaeus, cited in Eusebius, speaks of John the Evangelist in terms of the Beloved Disciple who leaned back on the breast of Jesus (Bauckham 2006, 454). Bauckham notes that Irenaeus, from Smyrna, was doubtless familiar with the views of the church in Ephesus, and that he had also learned from Polycarp before moving to Lyons, around 177 or 178. Bauckham observes that Irenaeus does tie his knowledge of Jesus to a chain of eyewitnesses - John to Polycarp to himself. The question of whether this John was the Son of Zebedee remains, however. Bauckham sums it up by saying, "What is revealing in itself is how difficult it is to find conclusive evidence one way or the other" (Bauckham 2006, 458).

Irenaeus does specifically refer to John the son of Zebedee five times, tying him "to his role in the Synoptic Gospels and Acts" and relating him closely with Peter and James (Bauckham 2006, 458). Bauckham does not find Irenaeus specifically equating the son of Zebedee with the Beloved Disciple. He further recognizes that early authors, including Irenaeus, will list people other than the Twelve as apostles (Bauckham 2006, 462).

Bauckham does find two apocryphal works which specifically identify the son of Zebedee as the author of the Gospel (Bauckham 2006, 463). The works are normally dated in the mid to late second century. Neither shows great familiarity with the traditions around Ephesus (Bauckham 2006, 464). Bauckham observes that Justin Martyr and Clement of Alexandria would serve as likely witnesses to the topic. However, their comments are not very hlepful (Bauckham 2006, 466-467).

John 1:35-42a - Lectionary for St. Andrew - November 30

11/26/2020

11/26/20
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.

John 1:35-42 introduces us to Andrew, whose day we recognize on November 30. It's a surprisingly understated introduction. Really, John the Baptist is introducing Jesus. Two of John's disciples, given no name at first, start following Jesus. Eventually, in verse 40, we learn that one of the two is Andrew.

Andrew is the brother of Simon Peter, who, of course, is far more prominent in Scripture. Yet we notice that Simon Peter is introduced to Jesus by his very persuasive brother. Andrew tells Peter that they have found the Messiah. He brings his brother to Jesus. It almost seems forcible, though Peter is not generally a person to be forced into anything.

What is this powerful claim that Andrew uses on his brother? It is a claim to have found the Messiah, the one anointed of God, the one who will deliver Israel from bondage.

What troubles do we face? There is a Messiah, Jesus, who has come to rescue his people. What fears do we have? There is no place for fear in Christ. Are we aware of our failings, called "sin" in the Bible, and our need to be reconciled? Jesus is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He serves as the sacrifice, dying in our place.

While we meet Andrew and remember him with joy, we also remember that his work was to direct others to Jesus. He found the Messiah. Our prayer is always that we should continue in the work which he began, as the first of the disciples, by introducing others to Jesus.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

Son of Zebedee or Some Other John?

11/25/2020

Wednesdays are for Bits and Pieces
11/25/20

Bauckham, Richard. “Chapter 16, Papias on John." Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony.” Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2006, pp. 412-437.

Bauckham clarifies what he has suggested in prior chapters, that the "Beloved Discipole" may well be seen as a disciple who is not one of the Twelve, not John the son of Zebedee (Bauckham 2006, 412). Bauckham does not go into great detail of his views. However, he notes that the Synoptic Gospels come from what is an authoritative tradition (Bauckham 2006, 4313). The Gospel of John does not list the Twelve and does not speak of the inner circle of Jesus' disciples, recognized in the Synoptics as Peter, James, and John. The cast of characters is rather different, suggesting a significantly different perspective (Bauckham 2006, 414).

It is important to Bauckham to seek an identity of the author because ot the historical fact that the Fourth Gospel was very early associated with the name of John (Bauckham 2006, 415). Yet the name John was very common in Palestine at the time when the Gospel would have first circulated. It is not immediately clear that John, son of Zebedee, is the person associated with the Gospel. Bauckham contends that the evidence ascribed to Papias, whose actual statements are not preserved, may well point to a different individual, "John the Elder" (Bauckham 2006, 416).

Papias' list of disciples introduces the first six "in the order in which these characters first appear in the Gospel of John" Bauckham 2006, 416).417). He does not identify the anonymous disciple from John 1:35-39 as John. He may, however, be identifying the two anonymous disciples as Aristion and John the Elder Bauckham 2006, 416).419). This suggests that John the Elder is not a son of Zebedee. The question remains whether John the son of Zebedee died at an early time or survived much longer than the other disciples Bauckham 2006, 416).420). Bauckham notes that Irenaeus refers to "elders" as "the generation of Asiatic Christian leaders who had not themselves been disciples of Jesus but had known those who were" Bauckham 2006, 416).421). If this is the case, it is quite possible that Papias would have used "John the Elder" as a means of distinguishing him from "John son of Zebedee."

Bauckham does consider it interesting that Papias created lists of disciples from the narrative in John's Gospel. This indicates a high regard for that particular Gospel account Bauckham 2006, 416).423). We do not have any specific statements about John's Gospel in Papias, but he does seem to make his comments on Matthew and Mark with a presupposition they are compared to something else, presumably John. Bauckham observes that there was an apparent difference of opinion between Papias and Eusebius, who endorsed Papias' idea that Revelation was written by "John the Elder" but did not quote Papias about the Gospel. Bauckham's suggestion is that Eusebius wanted to affirm the Gospel as written by (the reliable) "son of Zebedee" and Revelation by (the unreliable) "John the Elder" Bauckham 2006, 416).425).

The Muratorian Canon preserves some comments on John's Gospel. Bauckham finds it to say, as does Papias, that the order of events is carefully arranged and that it is an eyewitness account Bauckham 2006, 416).427). Bauckham considers this statement of the Muratorian Canon to be dependeont on Papias Bauckham 2006, 416).428). Of note is the statement that John was urged to write by "fellow disciples and bishops" including Andrew, "one of the apostles." Bauckham considers it significant that John is not denoted here as an apostle Bauckham 2006, 416).429). However, Papias rarely uses the word "apostle."

The question remains open. It is entirely possible that the son of Zebedee long outlived other apostles. It is also possible that some other John may have been the Beloved Disciple.

Bauckham adds an appendix to this chapter, discussing the possibility that Papias is Eusebius' source for Hist. Eccl. 3:24.5-13. It is clear here that Eusebius is using some sort of source material, but Eusebius does not identify his source. He also does not make the distinction between source material and his own comments clear Bauckham 2006, 416).433). In any case, the idea of Eusebius' dependence on Papias for this is inconclusive and does not further our understanding of the nature of eyewitness testimony in any concrete manner Bauckham 2006, 416).436-437).

The Elusive Beloved Disciple

11/18/2020

Wednesdays are for Bits and Pieces
11/18/20

Bauckham, Richard. “Chapter 15, The Witness of the Beloved Disciple." Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony.” Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2006, pp. 384-411.

Bauckham recalls for his readers the overall thrust of the book, that in the ancient world the most accepted historical writing was done by people who were personally involved in the events. This would explain the specific claims in the Fourth Gospel of the author as an authoritative eyewitness (Bauckham 2006, 385). Even as he reminds us of this fact, Bauckham is clear that the term "eyewitness" did not evoke the same ideas to a Greek audience as it does in English. The English almost always has legal connotations while the Greek does not (Bauckham 2006, 386). Though Bauckham does admit to a lawsuit metaphor in the Fourth Gospel, the Beloved Disciple is not on trial and is not at all the only one bearing testimony (Bauckham 2006, 387). Bauckham notes that in this respect Luke-Acts has a strong similarity to the Fourth Gospel. It is important that eyewitnesses be identified as a means of rightly preserving knowledge of the historic events (Bauckham 2006, 389).

Bauckham identifies the literary inclusio of the Beloved Disciple in some detail, finding subtle parallels between "the anonymous disciple in 1:35-40 and the Beloved Disciple in chapter 21" (Bauckham 2006, 391). Both passages feature two unnamed disciples and a move to follow Jesus, then one remaining with Jesus.

The Beloved Disciple plays a role in the Fourth Gospel, but appears relatively rarely, and is consistently referred to in the third person (Bauckham 2006, 393). Bauckham considers the third person references, typical in antiquity, as a means not of portraying objectivity but of avoiding distraction. A first person reference may make the reader want to identify with the author rather than with the events (Bauckham 2006, 394). The Beloved Disciple remains a figure clearly interested in the events and narrative. However, he does not appear to Bauckham as an "ideal" disciple (Bauckham 2006, 395). He does have a distinctive role, and, in some ways, is portrayed as superior to Peter. However, the detail that surfaces the most is his intimate knowledge and understanding of Jesus (Bauckham 2006, 397). Bauckham sums the distinction up by describing the difference between Peter and John. "The Beloved Disciple is better qualifeid to be the author of a Gospel, but he is not better qualified to be the chief undershepherd of Jesus' sheep, which is Peter's mode of discipleship" (Bauckham 2006, 400).

Though John's Gospel actually states the presence of the Beloved Disciple relatively few times, Bauckham considers that his presence was very common. It is not uncommon for writers of primarily eyewitness testimony to also describe events at which they were not present but for which they have reliable information (Bauckham 2006, 402). Bauckham notes that the Fourth Gospel does not list the Twelve in the same way as the Synoptics. It also tends to focus on different named characters. This further solidifies the idea that it is the testimony of an eyewitness who is recording some different events than those in the Synoptic accounts (Bauckham 2006, 403). Furthermore, the assertions of seeing God's glory (1:14 etc.) suggest an understanding of who Jesus is and what he is doing (Bauckham 2006, 404).

Bauckham asks why the Fourth Gospel does not identify the Beloved Disciple as witness and author until the end of the Gospel. Bauckham observes that he may ntot have been one of the prominent members of the Twelve as listed in the Synoptics (Bauckham 2006, 407). There is no list of the Twelve in the Fourth Gospel. Bauckham next asks whether we can tell if the Fourth Gospel was actually written by the Beloved Disciple. He considers that the very fact that it claims to be written by someone relatively obscure is a strong argument in favor of authenticity (Bauckham 2006, 409). Further, the fact that the work is a relatively carefully polished work of historiography suggests the author was, in fact, an eyewitness to the events (Bauckham 2006, 410).

John's Gospel - Claims of Eyewitness Testimony

11/11/2020

Wednesdays are for Bits and Pieces
11/11/20

Bauckham, Richard. “Chapter 14, The Gospel of John as Eyewitness Testimony” Jesus and the Eyewitnesses: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony.” Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2006, pp. 358-383.

The Gospel of John claims to be written by an eyewitness. Bauckham observes that most historical scholars understood the claim to say the text was written by “the disciple Jesus loved” (Bauckham 2006, 358). Recent scholarship has questioned this idea, saying it is possible that the word “to write” can also mean “cause to write.” Bauckham grants that the verg graphein can easily include dedication, but that the understanding is that the person who dictates also claims responsibility for the message (Bauckham 2006, 359). However, Bauckham illustrates the view being re-tooled to say that the claim of authorship in John 21:24-25 cannot mean more than that the “beloved disciple” had some spiritual connection with the ideas (Bauckham 2006, 360). He observes that this reinterpretation has no supporting evidence. Graphein is never clearly used for a more distant connection than that of dictating a text to a scribe (Bauckham 2006, 361). Bauckham goes on to say that “John 21:24 means that the Beloved Disciple composed the Gospel, whether or not he wielded the pen” (Bauckham 2006, 362).

The end of John’s Gospel has an interesting structure. Bauckham sees it as a purposeful construction, with 20:30-31 and 21:24-25 bracketing the text indicating it as an epilogue (Bauckham 2006, 364). This balances the prologue of 1:1-18. Bauckham further notes that the prologue contains 496 syllables, while the epilogue contains 496 words. He describes in brief the interest which the number 496 may have borne, then also observes the difference between syllables and words, “because the Prologue is a poetic composition whereas the Epilogue is a narrative” (Bauckham 2006, 365). Furthermore, he observes that 20:30-31 and 21:24-25 each consist of 43 words, which express parallel ideas. The conclusion as a whole also has two stages, which show parallelism in ideas. Bauckham takes this to indicate the difference between the temporal works described and the eschatological events yet to come, while still emphasizing the eyewitness nature of the Beloved Disciple and the ongoing presence of Christ (Bauckham 2006, 368).

Bauckham considers various interpretations of the word “we” where John 21:24 says, “we know” the testimony is true. Of all the possibilities, he considers the most likely to be a reference by the author to himself. The plural usage is explained by Bauckham. “Ancient writers of Greek seem to have slipped easily from first person plural to first person singular or vice versa when speaking of themselves” (Bauckham 2006, 370).

Bauckham goes on to describe the use of the first person plural to indicate authoritative testimony. In 1923 Adolf von Harnack identified the first person plural in John’s writings to be used as a claim to authority (Bauckham 2006, 371). This idea has been expanded by a few authors but has not been developed to a great extent. Bauckham identifies the different ways “we” can be used (other than to identify plurality), then he considers the usage in several Johannine passages. In sum, he finds that the “we” is normally substituted for “I” when the speaker is asserting the authoritative nature of his testimony (Bauckham 2006, 372-381 passim). Bauckham closes the chapter by observing that John’s quote of Isaiah 53:1 (John 12:38) uses the text, containing the first person plural, as a statement of authoritative testimony (Bauckham 2006, 383).

John 4:46-54 - Lectionary for Trinity 21

10/29/2020

10/29/20
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.

Personal presence is very important to us humans. I fear we are forgetting its importance in these days of a virtual presence, text messages, emails, and social media messages. In John 4:46-54, the official from Capernaum does something very human. He goes to Jesus, in person, face to face, to ask him for mercy. The official's son is sick and dying. Will Jesus come and heal him?

Not only is the encounter in person, but he asks Jesus to come in person and bring healing. This kind of face to face encounter is deeply human. It's how we are made to work.

Jesus deviates a little bit from his usual pattern here. Rather than going with the official, he simply tells the official that his son will live. The man takes Jesus at his word and goes home, only to be met on the way by servants who say the son became better at the time Jesus said he would live.

We learn several important things from this encounter. First, as we expected, Jesus is able to heal people without actually being physically present there in the room. Jesus' word is powerful. He created heavens and the earth, and filled the earth with His Word. He can certainly speak to our needs and take care of them. A second thing we learn from this encounter is that Jesus receives people who come to ask him for mercy on behalf of others. We can all approach the throne of grace, trusting that Jesus will show grace and mercy.

This passage also teaches us something about Christian care. When possible, instead of settling for a text, an email, a social media message, or even a phone call, visit with one another in person, face to face. Bring the love of God in Christ to people you can see and hear and who can see and hear you. Love and serve your neighbor in the presene of your neighbor. Especially in a society that has been rocked by illness and isolation, we need to exemplify the God who is near. Thanks be to God for coming to be with us.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

John 3:1-17 - Lectionary for Trinity Sunday

6/4/2020

6/4/20
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.

In the third chapter of John’s Gospel Jesus affirms God’s supernatural character. He gives birth, even to old people like Nicodemus. But, in verse eight, he does it through means that we will not completely understand.

Do we see some irony here, at least a little bit, when Nicodemus affirms that he doesn’t understand? He want to understand. He’s trying to understand. He assumes that he will eventually be able to understand, because he’s a smart guy!

This is exactly the problem, and it’s a problem that most of us have. We want the kingdom of God to be something that we can grasp clearly with our senses, that we can wrap our mind around. We want to be able to describe everything, and not only describe it, but explain it. When we observe that the world is full of complexities which we can’t explain, such as gravity, which we seem only able to describe, our world will tell us that science is complex because it’s real, but religion is something different.

The fact is, the God who created all this complexity is himself able to be just as complex as he wants to. He gives some descriptions of himself in Scripture, and he allows us to make some sense out of his creation, which may help us understand him a little better, but he remains the one who is inexplicable.

This Trinity Sunday, then, when we confess that God is one in being and three in person, that he has one will and one desire but three persons who arevery different in appearance, yet he is really one, all at the same time, all eternal, all unchanging, we are confessing something we cannot possibly explain without lapsing into some sort of heresy. Like Nicodemus, we can’t fully wrap our heads around God. But he remains the one who is working in our world. He is still the one who rescues us from sin, death, and the grave, through means we really don’t think should be able to do that.

Like Nicodemus, then, we are called to believe on the Lord, not to explain the Lord. Believe on him. He is the redeemer of the world.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

John 14:23-31 - Lectionary for Pentecost Sunday

5/28/2020

5/28/20
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.

In John 14:27 we are given a great promise by Jesus, sadly a promise that we ignore. Jesus promises to give his peace to his people, not the kind of peace that the world gives, but a divine peace. They should not let their hearts be troubled. Why? Because they have God’s peace with them.

The increasing secularization of some parts of the West have also been filled with increasing strife and anger. To this bush league analyst, the anger seems to be rooted in an insecurity. “Our world is falling apart, it isn’t working the way we want it to, we want to have love and peace, but it isn’t where we expected to find it. It’s threatened, so we’re going to scream profanities and break things.” It seems to me that the people who would like to be known as being all about tolerance, love, and peace are the exact same people who threaten violence against others who are not like them, especially against Christians.

Some Christians have, at times, responded with anger, or at least frustration. That isn’t the right response. What did Jesus promise? He promised the peace of God. This is a peace which passes all understanding. It is able to guard us from fear. It has proven able to keep the Chrsitian saints and martyrs over the ages. It has enabled many to go fearlessly with the message of the Gospel to warring factions, to tribes of headhunters, to the sickbeds of people suffering from plagues, and to lay down their lives in countless other ways.

Why can we do this? It’s because in God’s peace our hearts are not troubled.

My thoughts may be troubled by the evils all around me. They should be. My actions may be changed because of knowledge of risks and dangers. That’s fine. But my heart cannot be troubled if it is kept in Christ’s peace.

This is perplexing to those who have been taught that Christianity is about power, oppression, bigotry, and hostility. They don’t know what to do when they encounter the love of God. They may be mistrustful. We can understand it. They may be frustrated to find that people they thought were no different are, in fact, different because of the work of the God they were taught was an illusion. They may scream. They may threaten violence. They may break things, including our bodies. But they cannot shake the peace of God, though they try.

How does the Christian respond? Come, you frustrated, anxious, troubled people. The peace of God is there for you as well. Trust that Jesus is the one who sends the Holy Spirit, who works forgiveness, who breaks down the alienation between you and God, and who gives life and immortality. Receive the peace of God which passes all understanding. It is for you as well.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

John 15:26-16:4 - Lectionary for Easter 7

5/21/2020

5/21/20
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.

Jesus promises his followers an abundant life. He promises that he will always be with them. He promises that no harm will come to them. And in this week’s Gospel reading from John 15:26-16:4, He adds some promises. “They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God” (16:1-2, ESV).

These aren’t the daily promises from Jesus that you want to have come up on your phone app that gives you God’s word for the day, in bite size inspirational format. Really, when I say I want some good news, I don’t want an answer such as “it could be worse, much worse.”

There is, however, great hope in this passage. The reason that Christians may end up as outcasts and even targets of terrible, murderous acts, is that those who do these awful acts didn’t know the Father or the Son (16:3). People who are not partakers of God’s promises end up throwing all sorts of anger and hatred toward those who know God’s grace. People who have no hope of eternal life really have a hard time with those whose hope is steadfast.

Christians have a sure and certain hope, and it is a hope in the resurrection. We have an abundant life, a destiny of all we will ever or can ever need, in the future. It matters little what happens to us in the meantime. Our pleasure is found in the heavenly realms, and, sometimes - often - by God’s grace, to some extent, we have great comfort and pleasure in this life as well.

Christians have a promise of the presence of Jesus with them, day by day, through the end of the age. It’s the risen Lord, the one who has even been through death on our behalf. And if he is with us to the end of this age, he’ll be around when our mortal bodies wear out and die. It’s all right. He’s been there before. He defeated that enemy called death and promises us safe passage right on through.

Christians have a promise that no eternal harm will come to them. Will they be cast out of the synagogue? Sure. Will they be threatened? More than likely. Will some of them be killed? That’s without a doubt. But the promise isn’t against pain and suffering. It is that, regardless of what happens in this life, Christians are partakers of the resurrection. We may endure terrible things here and now, but our Lord Jesus is able to protect us and take us to our eternal home.

He didn’t tell the disciples all those things before he was about to leave them. He knew they would forget. In fact, they seem to have forgotten in the hours and days shortly before and after Jesus’ execution. But he showed them, through his resurrection and his appearances, that he is able to be with them.

Whatever the temporal situation, we have a confidence that will not fail.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.

John 16:23-33 - Lectionary for Easter 6

5/14/2020

5/14/20
Many churches throughout the world use a Bible reading schedule called a "lectionary." It's just a fancy word meaning "selected readings." Posts like this reflect on the readings for an upcoming Sunday or other Church holiday, as found in the historic one-year lectionary.

Jesus tells his disciples, in today’s Gospel reading, that there will come a time when they will be asking the Father directly for things, in Jesus name, and that they will receive what they are asking for. The disciples received this news joyfully. In verse 30 they seem to think it’s about time they were recognized as spiritual people who will no longer really need Jesus. They have decided, since he is now finally thinking highly of them, that he must have come from God.

Now that I put it that way, we see how tremendously haughty the disciples were, and how little they regarded Jesus. They don’t seem to care that he is their one and only hope for reconciliation with God. They don’t think it matters that God’s attitude of care for them is based on the fact that they have believed that Jesus came from the Father. They really haven’t latched on to anything Jesus has said about laying his life down for their sakes. Not at all. They are glad that Jesus has finally recognized that they are the kind of people who should be able to speak directly with the Father.

Sadly, I fear that many in my culture and generation have the same attitude toward Jesus. They are possibly glad that he came and did . . . something . . . but they aren’t really sure what it was, why it mattered, or how it applies to them. After all, we’re good people and the Father ought to be really glad that He knows us!

Am I the only one who finds this attitude offensive? And by that I mean, am I the only one who would look at it and honestly say it is offensive to God, who gave his one and only Son to die for the sake of sinners who were at enmity with God? Do we not see that the only way we can stand before the Father is because of the Son?

What happens when the disciples think they are able to stand in their own righteousness? Jesus is executed and the disciples scatter, plunged into hopelessness and despair. May it never be so for us. Rather, may we have the wisdom and grace to look to Jesus, the one and only savior, finding in his righteousness that we can stand before the Father. Jesus, who came from the Father and has exited from this world, now sits at the right hand of the Father making intercession for his people. Therefore, we can stand before God, clothed in the righteousness of the Son. This is our confidence.

If this brief meditation was helpful to you, I hope you will check out the other materials on our website at www.WittenbergCoMo.com and consider supporting us.