Resurrected Christ Appears a Third Time to His Disciples

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(John 21:1) After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself.

At the end of the last chapter, Jesus had appeared for the second time to all His disciples in a closed room, and had shown "Doubting" Thomas His wounds so that by seeing, Thomas would believe.  He now appeared to His disciples again, this time at the sea of Tiberias which is the Sea of Galilee.  What follows is how He showed Himself to them.

(2) There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of His disciples.

John named the disciples who were there, Peter, Thomas, James and John (the sons of Zebedee), Nathanael who was probably the disciple Bartholomew, and two other disciples not named.  Bartholomew or Bar-Tolmai means "son of Tolmai," which makes it probably a surname, with Nathanael his given name.

(3) Simon Peter said to them, "I am going fishing." They said to him, "We also are going with you." They went forth and entered into a ship immediately, and that night they caught nothing.

Peter had decided to go fishing and the other disciples went with him.  They boarded a ship or fishing boat and it seems caught no fish all night.

(4) But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.

When morning had come and they were still aboard the ship, they saw Jesus standing on the shore, but they did not know it was Him.  Perhaps they were not close enough to see Him clearly, and it may have still been dim light.

(5) Then Jesus said to them, "Children, have you any meat?" They answered Him, "No."

Jesus called out to them, calling them "Children," a term of endearment that would seem to intimate that it was Jesus speaking to them, but it appears they still didn't know it was Him.  He asked them if they had any meat or fish, meaning had they caught any, and they told Him they had not.

(6) And He said to them, "Cast the net on the right side of the ship and you will find." They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

Jesus told them to cast their net on the right side of the ship and they would find fish.  Although it doesn't appear that they yet knew it was Jesus who spoke to them, they took His advice and cast where He told them, and they were not able to draw their net back in because of the weight of all the fish that were in it.

(7) Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, "It is the Lord." Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat (for he was naked), and cast himself into the sea.

John was the first to recognize that it was their Lord who had told them where to cast their net, and he told Peter it was the Lord.  When Peter heard that, he put on his fishing garments, as he had been shirtless, in his undergarments only, and jumped into the sea, surely eager to get to Jesus.  You would think that he was previously better attired for swimming, but I'm sure out of respect to His Lord, he put his clothes on.

(8) And the other disciples came in the little ship (for they were not far from land but as it was two hundred cubits) dragging the net with fishes.

The other disciples came to shore in their little ship dragging the net with all the fish.  They had been only about a hundred yards from the shore, a cubit being about 18 inches.

(9) As soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread. (10) Jesus said to them, "Bring of the fish which you have now caught."

When the disciples came to land, they saw a fire of coals on the shore with fish laid on it, and also bread.  Jesus told them to also bring some of the fish they had just caught.

(11) Simon Peter went up and drew the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three, and although there were so many, yet the net was not broken.

Peter went back up to the ship and drew the net onto land.  It was full of 153 large fish, but although there were so many, their fishing net was not broken.  Jesus had preserved their net for them.

(12) Jesus said to them, "Come, dine." And none of the disciples dared ask Him, "Who are You?" knowing that it was the Lord.

Jesus called the disciples to come to where He had fish cooking on the coals and told them to eat.  None of the disciples asked who it was who had told them where to cast their net and was now inviting them to eat, as they all knew by that time it was their Lord.

(13) Jesus then came and took bread and gave them, and fish likewise.

Jesus came to them and gave them all bread and fish.

(14) This is now the third time that Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was risen from the dead.

John made a point to tell his readers that this was the third time that Jesus had appeared to His disciples after He had risen from the dead.  Throughout the Bible, we are told that by the mouth of two or three witnesses, a thing is established.  Therefore, by these three appearances, it was firmly established as truth that Jesus had risen from the dead and had shown Himself to His disciples.

(15) So when they had dined, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord, You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My lambs."

After they had dined, Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him more than the rest of the disciples did.  Peter had said in Matthew 26:33 that although all men might be offended by Jesus, he would never be offended.  However, Peter had gone on to deny he knew Jesus three times.  But now his love for Jesus made him jump into the sea to be the first to come to Him.  Peter answered Jesus that he indeed loved Him, and that Jesus knew he did.  Jesus then told him to feed His lambs which meant to care for His flock of new Christians.

(16) He said to him again the second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord, You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My sheep."

Jesus again asked Peter if he loved Him, and Peter answered as before that he did love Him, and that Jesus knew that he loved Him.  Again Jesus told Peter to feed His sheep.  Although it appears that Jesus told Peter pretty much the same thing, the word translated as "feed" is actually two different words in the two different passages.  The first time, Jesus told Peter to "bosko" (feed) His lambs, "lambs" probably denoting new baby Christians.  The second time, Jesus told Peter to "poimaino" (tend, govern) His sheep, indicating a sense of guiding and caring for His sheep, Jesus's flock of Christians.

(17) He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep."

Jesus asked Peter a third time if he loved Him.  Peter was dismayed that Jesus had to keep asking him whether he loved Him or not.  It's possible that Peter thought Jesus saw something in him which he did not see, something that would lead to another denial of Jesus, and Jesus was about to tell him about it, as He had done when He told Peter he would deny Him three times before the rooster crowed.  He said to his Lord that He knew everything, so He knew that he loved Him.  Jesus said to Peter again, "Feed My sheep."  Jesus had returned to "bosko" His sheep, to feed His flock, His Christian followers.  I believe there was significance in having Peter declare three times that he loved the Lord and he would care for His flock.  For one, he had denied his Lord three times, and Jesus was giving him the chance to now confess Him three times, restoring him to his former position as Jesus's trusted apostle.  Also as discussed before, by declaring his love three times, it was established as a truthful fact.

(18) "Verily, verily, I say to you, when you were young, you girded yourself and walked where you wished, but when you are old, you shall stretch forth your hands and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish." (19) This He spoke, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me."

Jesus told Peter that when he was young, not that he was old then, but while he was young, he was able to gird himself, that is clothe himself and bind himself with a belt.  But when he was old, indicating Peter would live to an old age, someone else would gird him and take him where he did not wish to go.  Jesus was telling Peter what sort of death he would suffer.  Because we have the knowledge of history, we can know that Jesus meant that Peter's arms would be outstretched and bound to a cross and he would be carried to his death where he would not naturally desire to go.  It's not that Peter would be unwilling to die for Christ, but it was not what he sought, and it stood in opposition to the freedom he had when he was young.  Note that Jesus said his death would honor God.  After Jesus had told Peter this, he told him to follow Him.

In Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible, he stated that ancient writers stated that Peter lived 34 years after this and then was crucified, "and that he deemed it so glorious a thing to die for Christ that he begged to be crucified with his head downwards, not considering himself worthy to die in the same posture in which his Lord did." 

(20) Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at supper, and said, "Lord, who is he who betrays you?" (21) Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, "Lord, and what about this man?"

Peter then turned around and saw John following.  John wrote that the disciple who followed was the same one who had leaned on Jesus's breast at the Passover supper and had asked Him who it was who would betray Him.  We know this was John, also because he always called himself the disciple whom Jesus loved.  At first glance, it seems egotistical that one should call himself the one Jesus loved, as if Jesus loved him above all others.  John never mentions himself by name, but always as that other disciple or the disciple whom Jesus loved.  Far from being full of himself, I think John felt his self-worth was only in the fact that he was loved by Jesus.  He never says the disciple Jesus loved the most, but only that Jesus loved him, and he knew it and felt it.  

Note that Jesus told Peter to follow Him, and it appears that John did not wait for an invitation, but followed, as well.  When Peter saw John following, he asked Jesus what would happen to John.

(22) Jesus said to him, "If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me."

Jesus asked Peter what concern was it of his if He willed that John should live until He returned.  Jesus pretty much told Peter that it was none of his business what happened to John.  Jesus had told Peter his concern was to follow Him.  

(23) Then went this saying abroad among the brethren that that disciple would not die, yet Jesus did not say to him, "He shall not die," but, "If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to you?"

It appears that because of what Jesus said and the way He said it that the other disciples thought He meant that John would not die.  However, John makes it a point to tell us that Jesus had not said that at all, but only that if Jesus willed he should not die, that was no concern of Peter's.

(24) This is the disciple who testifies of these things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true.

This statement proves that John was the disciple whom Jesus loved.  John wrote that he himself testified of the things he wrote and knew them to be true as he was an eye and ear witness to what he wrote.  The fact that he wrote "we know" might mean that he was well known as a man of truth and what he wrote could be trusted as fact.

(25) And there are also many other things which Jesus did which if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

What a beautiful end to John's Gospel!  He acknowledged that Jesus had done so many other noteworthy things that if every one of them was written down that the world itself could not hold all the books it would take to record them all.  Of course, he used hyperbole, but by this, he told us Jesus Christ did more works and miracles during His short time in ministry on earth than could ever be all recorded.

So ends what I consider to be one of the most beautiful books in the Bible, and also my study of the Gospels.  I took a break from my chronological Bible study to study the four Gospels as I was challenged to read what Jesus said about certain modern cultural things as if to see that because Jesus did not address homosexuality and transgenderism specifically, that meant it was okay.  While Jesus definitely taught us to love all people regardless of their sexual sin (the woman at the well, for example), He made it clear that He was the only way to be saved from our sins and enjoy eternal life in heaven.  We are not to judge people, as we tend to judge by outward appearances, but God judges their hearts.  By showing love and living like Jesus, people will be naturally drawn to Him.  And once they have asked forgiveness and asked to have Jesus within their hearts, His Holy Spirit will meet them where they are and will show them truth as they become new creations in Christ.  Like Peter above, what is it to us what God decides about one we consider to be a sinner?  After all, we are all sinners, but we are to do what Jesus called us to do, follow Him.  And His example is to love them and if we love them and want them to be saved from eternal damnation, we will pray for them to come to Jesus and let Him take it from there.

However, that being said, I do not see that Jesus approved these sexual deviations.  He definitely affirmed God's design for just two sexes, male and female, and His design for marriage that a man and a woman be joined together as one, quoting Old Testament scripture (Matthew 19:4-6).  He also referred to sexual immorality as being something that defiles a person (Matthew 15:19-20) and that nothing unclean may enter into paradise (Revelation 21:27).  Although Jesus didn't speak specifically about all the different laws of God, He made it clear that He did not come to do away with any of them (Matthew 5:17), but He had come to fulfill the law by giving us a way to be saved from our discretions against the law.  And if He didn't do away with the Old Testament laws, then we can refer to the Old Testament to see what God considered sexual immorality, and that included adultery (Exodus 20:14), homosexuality (Leviticus 18:22), bestiality (Leviticus 18:23), sex with mother-in-law, daughter-in-law, or sister (Leviticus 18:11, 12, 17).  Additionally, cross-dressing is forbidden (Deuteronomy 22:5), definitely a sign that transsexual expression is nothing new.  God created male and female only (Genesis 5:2), and science tells us that “Human sexuality is an objective biological binary trait: “XY” and “XX” are genetic markers of male and female, respectively – not genetic markers of a disorder. The norm for human design is to be conceived either male or female. Human sexuality is binary by design with the obvious purpose being the reproduction and flourishing of our species. This principle is self-evident." (The American College of Pediatricians)  The X and Y chromosomes are what determine male and female, not what one feels.

So, in conclusion, I learned much about the love of Jesus toward all people, but His love did not mean that He approved of sexual deviations.  I will return to my chronological study in the next post.

Resurrection of Jesus and His Appearance to Mary and His Disciples

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(John 20:1) Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early, when it was yet dark, to the sepulchre, and saw the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

At the end of the last chapter, Jesus had been buried in the new tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, and Matthew 27:60 had told us Joseph had rolled a large stone against the opening of the tomb.  Mary Magdalene now came to the sepulchre very early in the morning on the day after the Sabbath and saw that the stone had been taken away.

(2) Then she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre and we do not know where they have laid Him."

Mary Magdalene had surely looked inside the tomb after seeing the stone rolled away to know that Jesus was not there.  She assumed the Romans had removed His body or perhaps the men who had laid Jesus there in the first place and she ran to Peter and John to tell them.  Joseph and Nicodemus had laid Jesus in Joseph's tomb because it was nearby, and the Sabbath was soon to commence.  Perhaps she thought they had now moved Him to another location.  The other Gospel accounts speak of other women who were with Mary Magdalene and that they saw angels who told them Jesus had risen.  However, those accounts state the women came at dawn or just after sunrise, and here John said Mary Magdalene came while it was still dark.  It seems she must have come first and then returned a little later with the other women.

(3) Peter therefore went forth, and the other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. (4) So they ran both together and the other disciple outran Peter and came first to the sepulchre.

Peter and John both ran to the sepulchre to see for themselves.  John outran Peter and got there first.

(5) And he, stooping down, saw the linen clothes lying, but he did not go in.

John stooped down to look into the sepulchre and saw the linen wraps that had bound Jesus lying on the ground.  However, he did not go into the sepulchre.

(6) Then came Simon Peter following him and went into the sepulchre and saw the linen clothes, (7) And the napkin that was around His head not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.

Then Peter came and he went straight into the sepulchre and also saw the linen wraps lying on the ground.  He also saw the separate wrap that had been wrapped around Jesus's head.  However, it was not lying with the linen wraps, but was wrapped together in another place by itself.  That would suggest that Jesus had not been taken away in a hurry, but that either Jesus Himself or angels had taken time to orderly remove His wraps.

(8) Then the other disciple went in also, who came first to the sepulchre, and he saw and believed. (9) For as yet they did not know the scripture that He must rise again from the dead.

Then John went into the sepulchre also.  He saw the linen wraps and the napkin and he believed.  What exactly he believed, scripture does not tell us.  It says that they didn't yet know and understand the scriptures that said Jesus must rise again from the dead.  Perhaps he believed that what Mary Magdalene had said was true.  But as "believing" usually takes on a deeper sense as truly believing in the Lord, I can't help but wonder if John was sensing that Jesus had risen of His own accord.  After all, Jesus had told His disciples that He would be risen from the dead, even if they did not fully understand the scriptures at that point.

(10) Then the disciples went away again to their own home.

Peter and John then went home.

(11) But Mary stood outside at the sepulchre weeping and as she wept, she stooped down into the sepulchre, (12) And saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet where the body of Jesus had lain.

Mary Magdalene stayed behind at the sepulchre, weeping outside of it.  She stooped down to look into the tomb.  She saw two angels in white sitting inside the tomb, one at the head of where Jesus's body had lain, and the other at the feet.

(13) And they said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord and I do not know where they have laid Him."

The angels asked Mary Magdalene why she was crying.  She told them what she had assumed, that they (the Romans or Joseph and Nicodemus) had taken away the body of Jesus and she did not know where it was. 

(14) And when she had said this, she turned herself back and saw Jesus standing and did not know that it was Jesus.

Mary then turned away from inside the tomb and saw Jesus standing there, only she did not realize that it was Jesus.  She may have only modestly glanced at whom she thought to be just a man, and also her eyes were full of tears.

(15) Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, "Sir, if you have carried Him from here, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away."

Jesus asked Mary Magdalene why she was crying and who it was she was seeking.  Mary assumed He was the gardener and asked Him if He had carried Jesus's body away and asked Him to tell her where He had taken His body so that she could take it away.

(16) Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned herself and said to Him, "Rabboni," which is to say, "Master."

Jesus then spoke only Mary's name and she turned toward Him and immediately recognized Him as her Lord.

(17) Jesus said to her, "Do not touch Me, for I am not yet ascended to My Father, but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.'"

I don't believe Jesus's meaning was that He couldn't be touched at all because He had not yet ascended to His Father in heaven.  We are told in other scriptures that people touched Jesus before He ascended.  In Matthew 28:9, Mary Magdalene and "the other Mary" held Jesus by His feet and worshipped Him.  Jesus told "Doubting" Thomas to touch His side (later in this chapter).  In Luke 24:39, Jesus told His disciples to touch Him and see His nail-scarred hands and feet to know that it was really Him.  I believe Jesus's point was that Mary needn't cling to Him because He wasn't going to His Father just yet, and He had a mission for her, to go tell His disciples that He would be ascending to His Father God who was their Father and God.  This would assure them that even though Christ had died, they were still united to Him and to the same Father God in heaven.

(18) Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and He had spoken these things to her.

Mary Magdalene went and told the disciples that she had seen Jesus and she told them what He had told her to tell them.

(19) Then the same day at evening, being the first of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst and said to them, "Peace to you."

The evening of that same day the disciples had assembled together behind closed doors for fear of the Jews.  However, Jesus was able to divinely come in there and stood in the midst of them and spoke to them a greeting of peace.

(20) And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

Jesus then showed the disciples His hands and His side partly to prove that it was really Him and not a spirit, and to prove that He had been truly resurrected from the dead with the marks of the nails in His hands and the stabbed place in His side.  He had not yet ascended to heaven in His glorified form.  The disciples were very glad to see their Lord.

(21) Then Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you; as the Father has sent Me, even so I send you."

Jesus again gave them a greeting of peace, and then told them that He was sending them out on a mission as the Father had sent Him on one.  Nothing had changed because of His death.  In fact, it would be enhanced by His resurrection and ascension back to heaven.

(22) And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit."

After Jesus told the disciples He was sending them out, He breathed on them and told them to receive His Holy Spirit.  I believe it was symbolic of when God first breathed life into man at the beginning of creation.  He was now breathing new life into them to be renewed to their mission without Him physically, but with His spirit and everything He had taught and shown them.

(23) "Whosever sins you forgive, they are forgiven them; whosever sins you retain, they are retained."

Only God and Jesus as God can truly forgive sins.  But Jesus was giving them permission as part of their mission to tell one who had repented and professed Jesus as his Savior that his sins were forgiven and God would honor that.  Actually God forgave first; they would have already been forgiven because he had repented and accepted Jesus, but Jesus would have His disciples doing His work as He had done while He was with them.  On the other hand, if they perceived one had not repented and accepted Jesus, then they could declare his sins were still retained by him.

(24) But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

It seems that all of the disciples had assembled together except for Thomas who was not with them when Jesus came to them.  Thomas is the Hebrew name meaning "twin," and Didymus is the Greek name meaning the same thing.  By his name, one would gather that Thomas had a twin, but the Bible never mentioned who that might be.  In an apocryphal book called The Acts of Thomas, it is suggested that Thomas was called Twin because he looked like Jesus, however as that book was rejected as part of the Bible, we can't really know if that was true or not.

(25) The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Except I see in His hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe."

The other disciples told Thomas afterward that they had seen the Lord, but Thomas did not believe that it had really been Jesus they saw.  He told them that unless he could see Him himself and see the wounds of the nails in His hands and even put his fingers into those wounds, as well as put his hand into Jesus's side where He had been stabbed by the Roman soldier, he would not believe that it had been Jesus they saw.

(26) And after eight days, again His disciples were inside and Thomas with them, Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace to you."

Eight days after Jesus had appeared to His disciples, they were again gathered together behind closed doors and Thomas was with them that time.  Jesus came to them again even though the doors were shut, suggesting it was in a supernatural manner that Jesus appeared to them.  He stood in the midst of His disciples and again gave them a greeting of peace.

(27) Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here and behold My hands, and reach your hand here and thrust into My side; and do not be faithless but believing."

Jesus, knowing what Thomas had said to the other disciples, told Thomas to look at His hands and put his finger into the wounds, and put his hand into His side so that he would believe it was really Jesus who appeared before them and not to remain faithless.

(28) And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God."

It seems Thomas did not have to touch Jesus's wounds, but that he acknowledged Jesus as his Lord.  Not only Lord, but he acknowledged that Jesus was God Himself.  I believe that is the first time any disciple had gone as far as to say that besides John writing it in the beginning of his gospel account.

(29) Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed they who have not seen and have believed."

Jesus acknowledged that He knew that Thomas truly believed in Him at that point because he had seen Him.  However, He added that those who believed in Him, having not seen Him physically, were blessed, perhaps the more blessed.  Their faith would seem to be greater because they hadn't seen physical proof but believed God's word.  As 2 Corinthians 5:7 says, "For we walk by faith, not by sight."

(30) And many other signs Jesus truly did in the presence of His disciples which are not written in this book.

John revealed that Jesus had done many other works in the presence of His disciples about which he had not written in his Gospel.

(31) But these are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, you might have life through His name.

John went on to reveal his purpose in writing his gospel account the way he did.  He wrote to prove that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing that of Him and believing in Him, one would have everlasting life.  Truly, John seemed to go above and beyond the mere actions of Jesus, to show his readers the deity of Christ Jesus more than the previous Gospels did.  And writing this right after he wrote that Jesus said those who had not seen but still believed were blessed, he gives his readers assurance and confidence that although we were not there to witness Jesus in the flesh, what he wrote is true and we may be saved and have everlasting life if we believe.

Jesus's Arrest and Peter's Denial of Him

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(John 18:1) When Jesus had spoken these words, He went forth with His disciples over the Brook Kidron where was a garden which He and His disciples entered.

In the last chapter, Jesus had prayed a beautiful and sublime prayer.  After that, He and His disciples crossed over the Brook Kidron which was a small stream that flowed to the east of Jerusalem and divided the city from the Mount of Olives.  They went into a garden which was called Gethsemane according to Matthew 26:36.

(2) And Judas also, who betrayed Him, knew the place, for Jesus often met there with His disciples.

Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus also knew about the garden as Jesus often met with His disciples there.  Jesus was not trying to hide from His fate.  He went straight into the lion's den, so to speak, knowing that Judas would come there.

(3) Judas then, having received a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons.

Indeed, Judas came there with a band of men and officers that had been given to him by the chief priests and Pharisees.  The men came carrying lanterns, torches, and weapons.  The lanterns and torches were probably to search Jesus out as if He would be hiding in the place He knew that Judas knew.  And as if they would need an army and weapons to take Jesus!

(4) Jesus therefore, knowing all things that would come upon Him, went forth and said to them, "Whom are you seeking?"

Jesus, knowing everything that was about to happen to Him, went straight to His captors and asked whom they were seeking.

(5) They answered Him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them, "I AM." And Judas also, who betrayed Him, stood with them. (6) As soon then as He had said to them, "I AM," they went backward and fell to the ground.

They answered that they were looking for Jesus of Nazareth and Judas stood with them.  Practically all of the Bible translations read that Jesus said, "I am He," but they indicate that they added "He" for better understanding.  Jesus did not say, "I am He."  He simply said, "I AM," and that is what made the men fall backward to the ground.  The power of that name and Jesus's very own infinite power knocked His captors down, proving that they could not take Him by their power, but that Jesus willingly let them take Him.  It's amazing that after being knocked down by sheer words, that some of the band didn't retreat.

(7) Then He asked them again, "Whom do you seek?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth." (8) Jesus answered, "I have told you I AM. Therefore if you seek Me, let these go their way."

Jesus asked them again whom they were seeking.  When they said again, "Jesus of Nazareth," Jesus answered that He had told them already that was Him, so if they were seeking Him, He asked that they let His disciples go.  There were probably only Peter, James, and John with Him according to Matthew 26:37.

(9) That the saying might be fulfilled which He spoke, "Of them whom You gave Me, I have lost none."

Jesus asked that His disciples go free which fulfilled what He had said in His prayer in chapter 17, that He had lost none of the ones His Father had given Him.  He protected them to His very end.

(10) Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest's servant and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.

At this point, Peter drew his sword and struck the high priest's servant, Malchus, and cut off his right ear.  

(11) Then Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into the sheath; the cup which My Father has given Me, shall I not drink it?"

Jesus told Peter to put his sword back into its sheath, and He asked him if He shouldn't do what His Father had willed be done.  Luke 22:51 told us that Jesus then healed the man's ear.

(12) Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus and bound Him, (13) And led Him away to Annas first, for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas who was the high priest that same year.

The band of soldiers and their captain and officers then took Jesus and bound Him and led Him away to Annas, who according to Luke 3:2 was himself a high priest, but at this point is mentioned as Caiaphas's father-in-law, Caiaphas being the high priest that year.

(14) Now Caiaphas was he who gave counsel to the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

Caiaphas was the one in John 11:50 who gave counsel to the chief priests and Pharisees that it was expedient that one man should die for the people that the whole nation not perish.  He had spoken more Godly truth than he realized, as it was indeed expedient for Christ alone to die for the salvation of the world.

(15) And Simon Peter followed Jesus and another disciple; that disciple was known to the high priest and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest.

Peter followed Jesus and another disciple who was also following Jesus.  Many commentators have assumed that the other disciple was the gospel author himself, John, as John often spoke of himself in the third person, only he most often referred to himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved.  Nonnus, a 5th century Greek poet who wrote a paraphrase of the Gospel of John, said that John was known to the high priest because he carried fish to his house and sold it to him.  However, others say it is not likely that the seller of fish would have any sort of close relationship with the high priest.  They assume it was another disciple, apart from the twelve, who was better known by the high priest than any of the twelve.  That disciple went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest.  The high priest that year was Caiaphas, so although the soldiers had taken Jesus to Annas first, he had evidently sent Him immediately to Caiaphas.  Both disciples continued to follow Jesus there.

(16) But Peter stood at the door outside. Then that other disciple who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to her who kept the door and brought in Peter.

Peter did not enter the palace when Jesus and the other disciple did; he stood outside the door.  However, the other disciple went and spoke to the doorkeeper who let the disciple bring Peter inside.

(17) Then said the damsel who kept the door to Peter, "Are you not also one of this man's disciples?" He said, "I am not."

The girl who was the doorkeeper asked Peter if he was one of Jesus's disciples.  He denied it.  By this, it seems unlikely that the other disciple was John, as she would have surely also recognized him as one of Jesus's disciples, too.

(18) And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals for it was cold, and they warmed themselves, and Peter stood with them and warmed himself.

The servants and the officers stood in that area of the palace.  They made a fire because it was cold, and they stood by the fire warming themselves.  Peter stood with them, also warming himself.

(19) The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and His doctrine.

The high priest Caiaphas asked Jesus about His disciples and His doctrine.  The council wanted to prove sedition or rebellion against Caesar, so I'm sure they wanted to show that He had many disciples forming a dangerous faction.  He wanted to know about Jesus's teaching, as well.

(20) Jesus answered him, "I spoke openly to the world; I always taught in the synagogue and in the temple where the Jews always meet, and in secret, I have said nothing."

Jesus told Caiaphas that He had always spoken openly to the world.  He was constantly in the synagogues and in the temple at Jerusalem speaking openly to the Jews that always met there.  He had no secret agenda; what Caiaphas and his council had heard of what Jesus said, was all there was.  If He had been guilty of sedition, He would have preferred meeting in secret, planning an overthrow of the government, so as He most often spoke publicly with great crowds, they could see and hear that He was not planning a secret takeover.

(21) "Why do you ask Me? Ask them who heard Me what I have said to them; behold, they know what I said."

Jesus asked Caiaphas why he asked Him.  He would not have believed what Jesus said anyway.  He should ask the people who had heard Him, which were certainly at least some of them who stood there with Him.  Jesus had nothing to hide; He urged Caiaphas to ask them what He had said.

(22) And when He had thus spoken, one of the officers who stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, "Do You answer the high priest so?"

After Jesus had asked why Caiaphas asked Him, one of the officers who stood by them, slapped Jesus with the palm of his hand and rebuked Him for speaking to the high priest in that manner.

(23) Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil, but if well, why do you strike Me?"

Jesus answered that if He had spoken anything evil or falsely, the officer should point that out and let Him receive fair punishment, but if He had said nothing untoward, then he had no reason to strike Him.  

(24) Now Annas had sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

This is where John explains that Annas had sent Jesus on to Caiaphas, and that was why He was now before him.

(25) And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore to him, "Aren't you also one of His disciples?" He denied it, and said, "I am not."

So there in the palace of the high priest Caiaphas, Peter stood and warmed himself by the fire among the servants and the officers.  They suspected that he was one of Jesus's disciples, but Peter denied it a second time.

(26) One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, said, "Did I not see you in the garden with Him?"

However, one of the high priest's servants, who had apparently been with the band of soldiers who came and took Jesus from the garden and had seen him cut the ear off the soldier who was a kinsman of his, asked if it was true that he had seen him in the garden with Jesus.

(27) Peter then denied again, and immediately the cock crowed.

Peter again denied that he had been with Jesus.  The account in Matthew said that he even cursed and swore.  Immediately after he said it, the rooster crowed.  It was just as Jesus had said, that Peter would deny Him three times before the rooster crowed in the morning.  That account in Matthew said that Peter then remembered the words of Jesus and went out and wept bitterly.

(28) Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the hall of judgment, and it was early; and they themselves did not go into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover.

The council of Jews and the soldiers then led Jesus away from Caiaphas to the hall of judgment, or the Praetorium, as it was called, where the Roman governor heard and tried cases.  It was very early in the morning.  The Jews would not enter the house of a Gentile or they would be considered unclean and unable to eat of the Passover, so they did not go in, only the Roman soldiers.

(29) Pilate then went out to them, and said, "What accusation do you bring against this Man?"

Pontius Pilate, who was the Roman governor at that time, therefore went out to talk to the Jews and asked them what it was that they had accused Jesus of doing.

(30) They answered and said to him, "If He were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered Him up to you."

The Jews told Pilate if Jesus had not been a criminal, they would not have brought Him to him.  I believe their point was that they had no need for Pilate to try Jesus as they had already found Him guilty.  They brought Jesus to the Roman governor because he was the only one who could order Jesus executed.

(31) Then Pilate said to them, "Take Him and judge Him according to your law." The Jews therefore said to him, "It is not lawful for us to put any man to death."

If they hadn't brought Jesus to him to be tried, then Pilate told them to take Jesus back and judge Him according to their law as they saw fit.  However, they told him that it was not legal for them to put anyone to death, which was what they desired for Jesus.

(32) That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which He spoke, signifying what death He should die.

They had to have Jesus condemned to death by the Roman governor.  That would fulfill Jesus's prophetic words that He would be crucified (Matthew 20:19), as only the Roman government crucified men.

(33) Then Pilate entered into the judgment hall again and called Jesus, and said to Him, "Are You the king of the Jews?"

So Pilate went back into the judgment hall where Jesus was being held, and he asked Him if He was indeed king of the Jews.  According to the account in Luke, the Jews had accused Jesus to Pilate of being a rebel and forbidding the people to pay tribute to Caesar, which was of course, a lie.  They told him that Jesus had said He was the king of the Jews.

(34) Jesus answered him, "Do you say this thing of yourself or did others tell you this of Me?"

Jesus replied, asking Pilate if that was a question he wanted an answer to himself, or had he asked it only because others had said that about Jesus.  I believe His point was, had Pilate seen anything in Jesus to make him suspicious that the things the Jews had said about Him were true with respect to Him being a seditious rebel trying to overthrow the Roman government.

(35) Pilate asked, "Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered You to me. What have You done?"

Pilate asked Jesus if Pilate himself was a Jew, meaning to ask why he would have cause to suggest that Jesus was king of the Jews.  He told Him that His own Jewish nation and the chief priests had been the ones to deliver Jesus to him, so he wondered what Jesus had done to make them do that.

(36) Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would fight that I should not be delivered to the Jews, but now My kingdom is not from here."

Jesus did not deny that He was the king of the Jews, but told Pilate that His kingdom was not a worldly one.  If His kingdom was of the world, then His servants would have risen up to save Him from being delivered to the Jews.  Actually, Jesus Himself could have prevented His being delivered to them.  However, His kingdom was not of the world.  It was a spiritual one, and He was choosing to be delivered up in order to save His people from the world.

(37) Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king. To this end I was born and for this cause I came into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice."

Since Jesus had said He had a kingdom, Pilate surmised He must be a king then.  Jesus answered that he had said rightly that He was indeed a king.  His purpose for being born into this world was to bear witness to the truth of God.  He added that everyone who was of the truth could hear and receive Him and His words.

(38) Pilate said to Him, "What is truth?" And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, "I find in Him no fault."

Pilate asked Jesus what he must have considered a rhetorical question, as he didn't wait for an answer, "What is truth?"  I believe he must have felt that it was not worth giving His life for, and he went out to the Jews and told them he had found no fault in Him.  He found Jesus to be an innocent man.

(39) "But you have a custom that I should release to you one at the Passover. Do you therefore want me to release to you the king of the Jews?"

Pilate had found no fault in Jesus, and besides, the Jews had a custom that Pilate should release one prisoner at Passover, so he assumed they would want him to release Jesus.

(40) Then they all cried again, saying, "Not this Man, but Barabbas!" Now Barabbas was a robber.

The fact that the people cried out again must mean that this was not the first time he had asked the people what they would have him do with Jesus.  The account in Mark does include more back and forth dialogue between Pilate and the people.  John, as was his custom, greatly abbreviated the events that had already been covered by the other Gospel authors.  The people cried out for Barabbas to be released to them, a robber and also a murderer according to the other Gospel accounts.  This part of the story always gets to me.  How could people who had such a short time ago lauded Jesus with praise and honor as He came into Jerusalem on the donkey, now be so anxious to have Him crucified?  The account in Mark said that the chief priests had incited the people to call for His crucifixion.

Jesus Washes His Disciples' Feet and Commands Them to Likewise Love One Another

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(John 13:1) Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.

At the end of the last chapter, Jesus had had His final discourse with the people.  Now, knowing His time was very short, He would spend the rest of His time with His disciples whom He loved and would demonstrate that love to the very end of His life, and actually beyond.

(2) And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him;

Now had come the time for the Passover Feast, the Lord's Last Supper.  "Being ended" was not the correct translation of the original "ginomai."  It meant more properly "having been made" or "having come into existence."  So the feast had been prepared, and by that time, the devil had put it into Judas Iscariot's heart to betray Jesus.  John keeps going out of his way to tell us Judas was Simon's son.  I'm not sure why, other than the fact Simon Iscariot must have been well known by the readers at the time John wrote his gospel account, as I can find no other information about him.

(3) Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands and that He had come from God and was going to God, (4) He rose from supper and laid aside His garments and took a towel and girded Himself.

Jesus, even knowing that God had given Him all Godly power and that He was sent by God and would return to God, humbled Himself and rose from the table, laid aside His garments, and wrapped a towel around His waist as an apron.

(5) After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.

Jesus then poured water into a basin and began washing His disciples' feet and He then wiped them dry with the towel He had wrapped around His waist.  This was the ultimate act of humility and love He would show to His disciples while He was still living.

(6) Then He came to Simon Peter, and Peter said to Him, "Lord, do You wash My feet?"

When Jesus came to Peter, Peter stopped Him, asking if He intended to wash his feet, apparently feeling unworthy of having His Lord wash his feet.

(7) Jesus answered and said to him, "What I do, you do not know now, but you will know afterward."

Jesus told Peter that He did not understand what Jesus was doing for him at present, but He would later know, as Jesus would explain it to them all when He was finished washing all their feet.

(8) Peter said to Him, "You shall never wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me."

Peter told Jesus he could never allow His Lord to demean Himself to such a lowly task as washing his feet.  However, Jesus told him that if He didn't wash him, Peter could have no part in Him.

(9) Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, not my feet only, but also hands and head!"

At that, Peter then asked the Lord to not only wash his feet, but his hands and head, too.  He wanted to be as much a part of His Lord as possible, and even more so.

(10) Jesus said to him, "He who is washed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean, and you are clean, but not all."

Jesus responded that if one was washed and clean, he only needed his feet washed; there was no need to clean his whole body again.  He told His disciples that they were clean, but then added that not all were clean.  With that, He surely meant Judas Iscariot, who would betray Him.

(11) For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, "You are not all clean."

Indeed, John then told us what Jesus had meant when He said they were not all clean.  He referred to the unclean heart of Judas who would betray Him.

(12) So after He had washed their feet and had taken His garments and had sat down again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you?"

After Jesus had washed all His disciples' feet, He put back on His outer garments and sat down again.  He asked the disciples if they understood the meaning of what He had just done for them.

(13) "You call Me Master and Lord, and you say well, for I am. (14) If I then, Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. (15) For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you."

Jesus acknowledged that His disciples called Him Master and Lord, and He admitted that He was.  If their Lord and Master lowered Himself to serve them by washing their feet, then they should do likewise.  Jesus had given them an example of how they should treat one another, never considering it beneath them to do any such menial task but do as He had done.

(16) "Verily, verily, I say to you, the servant is not greater than his lord, neither he who is sent greater than he who sent him." 

Jesus's point was that if He, Lord and Master, humbled Himself to serve in the most menial way, then they should not think themselves too good to do such tasks, as that would be setting themselves up as greater than their Lord and Master.  Neither is the one sent out, as a disciple or a messenger, to think of himself as greater than the one who sent him.  If the one who sent him, in this case, Jesus sending out His disciples, was so humble as to perform menial service for His disciples, then they should do the same, as they certainly weren't greater than Jesus.  

(17) "If you know these things, happy are you if you do them."

Jesus added that if His disciples knew these things, which now they did, they would be happy and blessed if they did them.  It gives one great joy to do for others, and especially as they are doing it for their Lord.

(18) "I do not speak of all of you. I know whom I have chosen, but that the scripture may be fulfilled, 'He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.'"

Jesus said that He did not speak these things to all of them.  He knew all the disciples He had chosen, and He knew that Judas would betray Him, but it was necessary for him to be chosen to fulfill God's purpose.  It also fulfilled the prophecy in Psalm 41:9, which said, "Yes, My own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, who did eat of My bread, has lifted up his heel against Me."  As an unruly horse might kick up its heels and throw its rider, so Judas would trip up and remove Jesus.

(19) "Now I tell you before it comes that when it has come to pass, you may believe that I AM."

Jesus told His disciples that He was telling them what would happen before it happened, that when it did happen, they would know that He was the Messiah and the Great I AM, Lord God of the universe.

(20) "Verily, verily, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me."

Jesus told them most assuredly that as He sent them out, whoever received them and their word as taught them by Jesus, received Him even though He would no longer be with them.  And whoever thus received Him in that way was also receiving God Himself.  They should be comforted and strengthened by the knowledge that they would be doing the work of Jesus and people would be saved by their preaching and teaching just as if it had been Jesus doing it, because the people who received and believed their word were receiving Jesus and therefore also receiving God.

(21) When Jesus had thus said, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, "Verily, verily, I say to you that one of you will betray Me."

After Jesus had spoken these things, He became troubled in His spirit, knowing that one of His beloved disciples was going to betray Him.  He told His disciples plainly and directly that one of them would betray Him.  Not merely because of what was about to happen to Him, but probably grieved for Judas's soul that he would betray Him, Jesus may have been giving Judas warning that He knew what he was going to do, perhaps so he could repent from it.

(22) Then the disciples looked at one another, in doubt about whom He spoke.

The disciples began looking at each other, wondering which one of them it could be who would betray Jesus.

(23) Now there was leaning on Jesus's bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. (24) Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom He spoke.

Leaning on Jesus's chest was a disciple whom He loved.  We know from all such scripture references that that disciple was John himself, the author of this gospel account.  He confirmed it in John 21:24.  Peter gestured to John to ask Jesus who the disciple was who would betray Him.

(25) He then lying on Jesus's breast, said to Him, "Lord, who is it?" (26) Jesus answered, "He it is to whom I shall give a sop when I have dipped it." And when He had dipped the sop, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, of Simon.

John, still reclining against Jesus, asked Him who it was of whom He spoke.  Because they were so close, it must be that Jesus only quietly told John, as the disciples do not seem to know as the evening progresses.  He told John that it was the one to whom He would give a bite of food to after He dipped it.  Then He dipped a bite and gave it to Judas.

(27) And after the sop, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus said to him, "What you do, do quickly."

Immediately after Jesus passed the bite to Judas, it is written that Satan entered Judas.  From verse 2 we learned that Satan had already put the plan to betray Jesus in Judas's heart, but he now must have possessed him to press onward with his plan.  Jesus told Judas to go ahead and do what he planned quickly.  He once again let Judas know that He knew what he was planning.  

(28) Now no man at the table knew for what intent He spoke this to him. (29) For some thought because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said to him, "Buy what we have need of for the feast," or that he should give something to the poor.

No man at the table knew what Jesus had meant when he spoke to Judas.  Some of them thought that because he held the money bag, Jesus may have told him to go buy things they would need for the feast, as it lasted seven days, or perhaps He had told him to go give something to the poor.  You would think that John knew.  He surely knew that Jesus had meant that it was Judas who would betray Him, but I suppose John didn't know why Jesus was sending him out, and may have decided to just trust Jesus's plan, and keep the secret.

(30) He then having received the sop, went immediately out, and it was night.

After he had received the bite from Jesus and Jesus had directed him to do what he planned to do quickly, he immediately went out.  It was night by this time.

(31) Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in Him."

After Judas had left, Jesus said to His other disciples that the time had come for Him to be glorified.  Things had been put into motion and His death was sure and imminent.  He would be glorified in that horrific death when He fulfilled His purpose to provide salvation for the world.  God was glorified in what Jesus did as it was His plan for salvation that Jesus fulfilled.

(32) "If God is glorified in Him, God shall also glorify Him in Himself, and shall immediately glorify Him."

If God was glorified in Jesus, which He was, then God would also glorify Jesus in Jesus Himself.  Jesus was the Messiah and deserving of all honor and glory.  Jesus was God and deserving of glory, as He would later pray to His Father in John 17:5, "And now, O Father, glorify Me with Your own self with the glory which I had with You before the world was."  Jesus would be glorified as God, the Word of God, as He was in the very beginning before God created the world.  God would immediately glorify Jesus after He finished His work with His death on the cross.

(33) "Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek Me, and as I said to the Jews, 'Where I go, you cannot come,' so now I say to you."

Jesus told His disciples that He would be with them only a short time now, and referenced the time He told the Jews there would be a time when they would seek Jesus and would not find Him, because where He was going, they could not go.  Therefore, He wanted to tell them the following:

(34) "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. (35) By this shall all know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

As Jesus would not be with His disciples, He told them He was leaving them with a new commandment, that they should love one another as Jesus had loved them.  By demonstrating such love for one another, as Jesus had loved them, they would be showing the world how much like their Savior they were.  Albert Barnes wrote in his Notes on the Bible that it was well known and often remarked by the pagans, "See how they love one another! They are ready to lay down their lives for each other!"  Imagine such a powerful demonstration of love that would distinguish Christians from the rest of the people!  Barnes continued, lamenting the fact that the spirit of the Christian world had changed so much since then.  And it was almost 180 years ago that he wrote that!  Imagine what he would think now.  Genuine love for one another, and Jesus meant Christians loving other Christians, means denying ourselves, doing nothing through selfish ambition or conceit, "but in lowliness of mind, let each esteem others better than themselves" (Philippians 2:3).

(36) Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, where are You going?" Jesus answered him, "Where I go, you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterwards."

Peter then asked Jesus where it was that He was going.  Jesus answered only that Peter could not follow Him at that present time, but that he would be able to follow Him later.

(37) Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can't I follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake."

Peter asked Jesus why he couldn't follow Him.  I'm sure it was in all sincerity that he said he would lay down his life for Jesus.

(38) Jesus answered him, "Will you lay down your life for My sake? Verily, verily, I say to you, the cock will not crow till you have denied Me three times."

Although he may have been sincere in what he said, Jesus told him he, in fact, would not lay down his life for Him.  He would actually deny Him three times before the rooster crowed in the morning.  Peter did not know his own strength of will.  He may have thought he was willing to die for Jesus, but when the time came, he could not do it.  Adam Clarke, in his Commentary on the Bible, pointed out something I had not considered before now.  "Christ must first die for Peter, before Peter can die for Him."  Christ had to die first to save Peter from his sins and the just punishment he rightly deserved.  So actually, Peter could not have given his life at that time.  He didn't understand God's plan.  In this is a lesson for all of us, though we may be self-confident, we can do nothing of ourselves!  It is only through God that we are able to accomplish any of the hard things in life.  We must always be dependent on Him to get us through the hard times.

Christ's Resurrection, Appearance to Disciples, and Ascension

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels: 

(Luke 24:1) Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

At the end of the last chapter, Joseph of Arimathea had laid Jesus's body in his own new and unused tomb.  Some of the women who had been following Jesus saw where He was buried, and went home to prepare spices and ointments for Him.  However, as the Sabbath had begun at 6:00 in the evening on the day Jesus had died, they were not able to bring the spices back to Him that night.  A full second day had passed, the Sabbath, and now it was the morning of the third day that they went back to the sepulchre where Jesus had been buried.  It seems some others, probably women, went with them.

(2) And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

The account in Matthew had said that Joseph had rolled a huge stone in the doorway of the sepulchre where he had buried Jesus.  The women now found the stone rolled away from the door.  

(3) And they entered in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

The women entered into the sepulchre and found that Jesus's body was not there.

(4) And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed about this, two men stood by them in shining garments.

As the women stood there perplexed about Jesus's missing body, it seems there appeared two angels in the form of men in shining garments.  In the accounts of Matthew and Mark, they spoke of only one angel.  Luke and John spoke of two angels.  I'm sure the angels must have come and gone at will, as it seems they must have surely just appeared before the women, as they certainly would have seen them as they entered into the sepulchre if they had already been there.  Matthew and Mark may have only mentioned one with whom the women had communication and didn't mention the other.  However, in John Gill's Exposition of the Bible, he pointed out that there were two angels because as they were the first witnesses of Jesus's resurrection, it was therefore established He had risen, as scripture tells us often that out of the mouth of two or three witnesses a thing will be established.

(5) And as they were afraid and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?"

The women were very afraid and while they bowed down their faces to the ground, the angels asked them why they were searching for the living among the dead.

(6) "He is not here but is risen; remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, (7) Saying, 'The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and the third day rise again.'"

The angels told the women that Jesus was not there because He had risen, and then reminded them of Jesus's words telling them how He must suffer and die at the hands of sinful men, but that He would rise again on the third day.  

In studying this, I began to contemplate why it was that Jesus had to be in the tomb for three days before He rose.  Why not right away or why not seven days, the number of perfection?  I am sure He had to be dead in the tomb long enough for people to know that He was really dead.  If he had risen right away, people could have claimed He had only fainted.  If he stayed much longer, His body would have started severely decaying.  And I found this scripture from Psalm 16:10, "For You will not leave My soul in Sheol; neither will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption."  "Sheol" can sometimes mean hell, but it also means "grave" and that definition makes more sense here.  God would not leave Jesus's body in the grave and He would not allow it to become corrupted, or destroyed or decayed.  Although the body begins decaying right away after death, God would not allow Jesus's body to stay long enough to start noticeable decaying.  Of course, God could have prevented it from decaying at all in that span of three partial days.  Although it was counted as the third day that Jesus rose, if you count the hours, it only totaled 36 hours, more like a day and a half.  So as God does all things in perfect timing, He allowed Jesus's body to stay in the tomb long enough that no one could deny that He was really dead, but not so long that it began to decay.  Also Jesus fulfilled a prophecy that He would say of Himself, that just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale for three days, so He would be in the grave three days.

(8) And they remembered His words, (9) And returned from the sepulchre and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.

The women did indeed remember Jesus's words and they left the sepulchre and went back to tell the eleven disciples and the rest of Jesus's followers what they had seen and heard.

(10) It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary mother of James, and other women with them, who told these things to the apostles.

Mary Magdalene, Joanna whom we were told in Luke 8:3 was the wife of Herod's steward Chuza, and Mary the mother of James and also of Joseph and said to be Jesus's mother Mary's sister, as well as other women were the ones who told the apostles what they had seen and heard.

(11) And their words seemed to them as idle tales and they did not believe them.

The eleven disciples, who had heard the words of Jesus just as these women had, did not believe them and thought they were just speaking nonsense.

(12) Then Peter arose and ran to the sepulchre, and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering to himself at that which had come to pass.

At least Peter had enough doubt about what the women had told him to go and check it out for himself.  He ran to the sepulchre and stooped down to observe only the linens that had been used to wrap Jesus's body lying there.  He left the tomb contemplating those things he had seen and had heard from the women.

(13) And behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus which was from Jerusalem sixty furlongs.

That same day two of Jesus's disciples, probably not two of the twelve apostles as they weren't named, were going to a village called Emmaus that was about seven and a half miles from Jerusalem.

(14) And they talked together of all these things which had happened.

As they were walking, they were discussing all the things that had recently happened.  They may have been talking about Jesus's betrayal by Judas and His awful crucifixion and the awesome signs from heaven, and they may have been among the disciples who heard what the women had to say that morning.  Whatever it was exactly, they had a lot to contemplate.

(15) And it came to pass that while they communed and reasoned, Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.

While they walked and talked, Jesus Himself came up on them and walked with them.

(16) But their eyes were restrained that they should not know Him.

Although He walked with them, they did not recognize Him.  The way it is written, it seems that Jesus may have veiled their eyes that they should not recognize Him at first.  However, it may be that they were looking downward at the road ahead, probably melancholy over the events they were discussing, and didn't notice Him.

(17) And He said to them, "What manner of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?"

Jesus then spoke to them asking what they were talking about as they walked along and why they were so sad.

(18) And one of them whose name was Cleopas, answering, said to Him, "Are You only a stranger in Jerusalem and have not known the things which have come to pass there in these days?"

This interaction does seem to suggest that their eyes had been supernaturally veiled so as not to recognize Jesus at first.  One of the disciples or followers of Jesus named Cleopas asked Him if He was a stranger in Jerusalem to not have known what had taken place there in the past few days.

(19) And He said to them, "What things?" And they said to Him, "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people."

Jesus asked them what things had come to pass the past few days.  They answered that it concerned Jesus of Nazareth and they described Him as a prophet mighty in deed as in all His miraculous healings and other miracles He performed and mighty in His preaching and teaching before God indicating He had God's blessing, and to all the people.

(20) "And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death and have crucified Him."

They continued telling Jesus what had happened, that the chief priests and rulers delivered Jesus to be condemned to death, and He was indeed crucified.

(21) "But we trusted that it had been He who should have redeemed Israel, and besides all this, today is the third day since these things were done."

This is probably the reason that Jesus had veiled their eyes so as not to recognize Him.  He wanted them to speak aloud what they were thinking about Him, for it seems they still didn't have a full understanding of what He had come to do.  They said they had trusted that He was going to redeem Israel as they would expect an earthly king to do, but it had now been three days since He had been crucified.

(22) "Yes, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, who were early at the sepulchre, (23) And when they did not find His body, they came saying they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive."

It appears they had indeed been witness to what the women had said that morning and told Jesus about it.  They told Him how the women had gone to His sepulchre and did not find His body there, and then went to Jesus's disciples and followers and told them about it and how they had seen angels who told them Jesus was alive.

(24) "And certain of those who were with us went to the sepulchre and found it even as the women had said, but Him they did not see."

They told Jesus that certain of the group who had heard what the women had to say, we know Peter was one of them, went to the sepulchre and found it just as the women had said; they did not see His body.

(25) Then He said to them, "O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken."

Jesus then rebuked them as foolish and slow to understand all that the prophets had spoken about their Messiah.

(26) "Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?"

As they had been told by the scriptures, if Christ was to redeem them and fulfill the prophecies concerning Him, wasn't He to suffer these things?  Those very things that caused them doubt were the things that proved He was the Messiah.

(27) And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He expounded to them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself.

Jesus then began to explain to them the scriptures from Moses to all the prophets who prophesied about Him just how they spoke of Him.

(28) And they drew near to the village where they went, and He made as though He would have gone further.

The disciples came to their destination at Emmaus, but Jesus appeared to be going on further.

(29) But they constrained Him, saying, "Abide with us for it is toward evening and the day is far spent." And He went in to tarry with them.

The disciples asked Jesus to stay with them, still not realizing who He was.  They said because it was late in the day and evening was coming, He should stay with them, and He did.

(30) And it came to pass, as He sat at the meal with them, He took bread and blessed and broke and gave to them. 

When Jesus sat down with the disciples for a meal, He took the role of the master of the house and took bread, broke it, and gave it to them, just as He had done so many times before when He was with His disciples.

(31) And their eyes were opened and they knew Him, and He vanished out of their sight.

It was at that point that the disciples' eyes were opened and they knew it was Jesus who sat with them, but then He vanished out of sight.

(32) And they said to one another, "Didn't our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the way and while He opened to us the scriptures?"

The two disciples then talked with each other about how their hearts had indeed burned with passion at Jesus's words and His knowledge of the scriptures.  It was as if they were saying, "Of course, it was Jesus!  Who else but Him could stir our hearts so?"

(33) And they rose up the same hour and returned to Jerusalem and found the eleven gathered together and those who were with them, (34) Saying, "The Lord is risen indeed and has appeared to Simon!"

The two disciples rose up immediately and returned to Jerusalem where they found the eleven apostles gathered together with other disciples with them.  The apostles told the returning disciples that the Lord had indeed risen and had appeared to Simon Peter.  It's interesting that none of the Gospels tell of this encounter, not even Mark, who was thought to be Peter's scribe.  However, the fact that it did happen is backed up by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:5.

(35) And they told about the things on the road and how He was known by them in breaking of bread.

The two disciples then told the others about how they had met Jesus on their way to Emmaus, but He wasn't made known to them until His breaking of bread at their meal.

(36) And as they spoke Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them and said to them, "Peace to you."

While the two disciples were telling their story, Jesus Himself appeared in the midst of them all and saluted them with, "Peace to you."

(37) But they were terrified and frightened and supposed that they had seen a spirit.

It's interesting that they were so frightened and thought they were seeing a spirit when they had just then been talking about how Jesus had appeared to some of them.  But the account in John tells us it was night and they had assembled together in a shut and presumably locked house because they were afraid of the Jews.  The fact that Jesus just appeared having not come through a door and not making a sound took them very much by surprise.

(38) And He said to them, "Why are you troubled? And why do thoughts arise in your hearts?"

However, Jesus spoke to them and asked why they were troubled at His appearance.  By "thoughts" I think He meant "doubts".  Why were they having doubts about whether or not they were really seeing Him?

(39) "Behold My hands and feet, that it is I Myself; handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have." (40) And when He had spoken this, He showed them His hands and feet.

Jesus told them to look at Him, specifically at His hands and feet which surely showed the wounds He had received from being nailed to the cross.  He told them to touch Him and see that He was flesh and bones and not a spirit.  Then He showed them His hands and His feet.

(41) And while they still did not believe for joy and wondered, He said to them, "Have you here any meat?"

It's not that the disciples did not believe Jesus at all, it was just so incredible and filled them with such joy that they couldn't believe their own eyes.  Then Jesus asked them if they had any food.  I doubt Jesus really needed to eat at that point, but it was another point of proof that He was indeed flesh and bones.

(42) And they gave Him a piece of broiled fish and of a honeycomb. (43) And He took it and did eat before them.

The disciples gave Jesus a piece of broiled fish and a piece of honeycomb which He did indeed eat.

(44) And He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms concerning Me."

Jesus may have been referring to His words that would follow, or perhaps more likely He was saying that the things they had witnessed were the fulfillment of the words He had previously spoken to them regarding His death and resurrection, prophecies that had been written by Moses, the prophets, and in the psalms.

(45) Then He opened their understanding that they might understand the scriptures.

Jesus opened the disciples' hearts and minds and gave them a full understanding of the scriptures concerning Him.

(46) And said to them, "Thus it is written and thus it behooved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day."

Jesus told His disciples, having given them full understanding, that it had been written in scripture and it was necessary for Christ to suffer and die and then be risen from the dead on the third day.

(47) "And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations beginning at Jerusalem."

Jesus added that repentance of sin and the forgiveness of it should be preached in Christ's name to all nations, but beginning at Jerusalem to God's chosen people.

(48) "And you are witnesses of these things."

Jesus declared to His disciples that as they had been witnesses to His life, His suffering, His death, His resurrection, and His fulfillment of the scriptures, they could therefore witness to all nations.

(49) "And behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you, but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high."

Jesus assured them that He would send the promise of His Father, the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17 and 26).  However, He told them to stay in Jerusalem until they had received that power of the Holy Spirit descending upon them.

(50) And He led them out as far as Bethany and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.

Jesus led the disciples out to the district of Bethany, not the actual town, for later in Acts it will tell us they returned from the Mount of Olives which was in the district of Bethany.  He then lifted up His arms and blessed them.

(51) And it came to pass while He blessed them, He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.

While Jesus was blessing His disciples, He was carried up into heaven.  Jesus's ascension into heaven did not occur the same day as when He appeared to all His apostles and ate fish.  Scripture later states that He spent forty days on earth after His death appearing to many others (Acts 1:3).

(52) And they worshipped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.

The disciples praised and adored Jesus and then with great joy returned to Jerusalem to stay as Jesus had told them to do.

(53) And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

The disciples spent their time in Jerusalem in the temple continually praising and blessing God until that day when they would receive His gift of the Holy Spirit.  Their days of mourning had ended, and they were filled with the assurance of redemption.  They, and every saved Christian after them, should be full of joy that their Savior had descended from heaven, died, risen, and ascended back to heaven to save them from their sin and give them eternal life.  Amen, that is, so be it, verily, firm, it is true and certain.

Jesus is Betrayed by Judas and Denied by Peter

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Luke 22:39) And He came out and went, as He was accustomed, to the Mount of Olives, and His disciples also followed Him.

At the end of the last post, Jesus and His disciples had finished their Passover meal, and He now left the house and went to the Mount of Olives where He was accustomed to going.  His disciples followed Him.

(40) And when He was at the place, He said to them, "Pray that you enter not into temptation."

When they came to the Mount of Olives, Jesus told His disciples to pray that they not give into temptation.  Knowing that they indeed would be tempted to flee and fall away, He told them to pray in order that they have the strength to resist that temptation.

(41) And He was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast and kneeled down and prayed.

Jesus withdrew Himself a short distance away and kneeled down and prayed.

(42) Saying, "Father, if You be willing, remove this cup from Me; nevertheless, not My will, but Yours be done."

Jesus prayed to Father God in heaven that if it was within His will to remove what He was about to have to go through from Him, He asked of His human desire for it.  However, His divine self answered that He would do what the Father had willed must be done.  Jesus, being fully human, was tempted by feelings of self-preservation, but as God, knew what had to be done and willingly accepted it.

(43) And there appeared an angel to Him from heaven, strengthening Him.

In answer to Jesus's prayer, an angel appeared to Him and strengthened His human nature to alleviate His anxiety and to resist temptation. 

(44) And being in agony, He prayed more earnestly and His sweat was like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Then, being in agony, Jesus prayed more earnestly and He began to sweat blood.  This agony was far more terrifying than the agony one might feel about an approaching torture and death.  Jesus had relinquished His human will to accept that, but what caused the most anguish was the pure perfect God in human form was about to take upon Himself the filthy sin of the entire world, and the Holy Father and Jesus's own divine self would be withdrawn from Him at that point.

(45) And when He rose up from prayer and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow.

Jesus rose up from praying and went back to His disciples and found them sleeping.  The verse states that they slept from sorrow.  Their hearts were surely heavy with sorrow at what Jesus had foretold them was soon to happen, and the heaviness induced sleep.

(46) And said to them, "Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation."

Jesus asked His disciples why they were sleeping, that they should be praying to strengthen themselves against the temptation that was surely coming, that temptation to deny Christ and flee in fear.

(47) And while He yet spoke, behold, a multitude, and he who was called Judas, one of the twelve, went before them and drew near to Jesus to kiss Him.

While Jesus was waking His disciples, a multitude of people came toward Him, with Judas Iscariot, one of His own chosen twelve apostles, running ahead to meet Him first and kiss Him.

(48) But Jesus said to him, "Judas, do you betray the Son of man with a kiss?"

Jesus, knowing exactly what Judas was setting Him up for, asked Judas if he was betraying Him with a kiss, letting Judas know that He knew just what he was doing.

(49) When those who were around Him saw what would follow, they said to Him, "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?"

When Jesus's disciples saw what was about to happen, they asked Him if they should strike with the sword, still thinking that was what Jesus had prepared them to be able to do when He had told them to sell whatever they had to get all they needed, including knives.

(50) And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear.

The account in John tells us it was Simon Peter who did not wait for an answer but struck with the sword and cut off the right ear of the servant of the high priest.  One could imagine that Peter was aiming to cut off the servant's head, but God's hand was in this, and the killing of the men who came to seize Jesus was not part of the plan.

(51) And Jesus answered and said, "Suffer this far." And touching his ear, He healed him.

However, Jesus answered and told him to allow this much, let them proceed and do not resist.  Adam Clarke, in his Commentary on the Bible, suggested that Jesus might have been asking that they allow Him physically to go as far as to the servant, as they may have already seized Him at this point, "Allow Me to go as far as the servant."  He then touched the servant's ear and healed it.

(52) Then Jesus said to the chief priests and captains of the temple and the elders who had come to Him, "Have you come out as against a thief with swords and clubs?"

Jesus then asked His captors, the chief priests, captains of the temple, and elders, if they had found the need to come out after Him with swords and clubs as if He were a thief.

(53) "When I was daily with you in the temple, you stretched forth no hands against Me, but this is your hour and the power of darkness."

Jesus went on to tell His captors that He had often been with them in the temple and they never tried to seize Him, nor had they ever found Him to be one who would resist their efforts to seize Him as a thief would.  He admitted and allowed that it was now their time to act by the power of darkness, Satan.  Satan is only allowed to do what God permits him to do, and as part of the Father's will, Jesus allowed him and them to proceed.

(54) Then they took Him and led Him and brought Him into the high priest's house. And Peter followed afar off.

Jesus's captors took Him to the high priest's house where the Sanhedrin had assembled.  The accounts in Matthew and Mark told us the high priest was Caiaphas and that he had assembled with all the chief priests and scribes.  However, this was not their normal place of assembly.  It seems they were acting in secrecy.  Matthew and Mark also told us that all Jesus's disciples fled the scene when He was taken, but Peter followed Him from a distance.  This showed some level of love and concern for his Lord, but he also wanted to stay out of danger for himself.

(55) And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall and were set down together, Peter sat down among them.

The account in John said that it was the servants and the officers of the high priest who made a fire in the hall because it was a cold night.  They then sat and warmed themselves by the fire and Peter sat among them as one of them.

(56) But a certain maid beheld him as he sat by the fire and earnestly looked at him and said, "This man was also with Him."

One of the servant girls saw Peter and studied him intently and declared that he had been with Jesus.

(57) And he denied Him, saying, "Woman, I do not know Him."

However, Peter spoke directly to the servant girl and declared he did not know Jesus, denying Him as Jesus had said he would.

(58) And after a little while another saw him, and said, "You are also of them." And Peter said, "Man, I am not."

A little while later another person, a man, saw Peter and declared that he was one of Jesus's band.  The account in Mark said that it was another maid who saw him, but she spoke to the others around her.  It appears here that one of them she told confronted Peter.  Peter again denied knowing Christ, saying he was not one of them.

(59) And about the space of one hour after, another confidently affirmed, saying, "Truly, he also was with Him, for he is a Galilean."

With all the Gospel accounts taken together, it seems that about an hour later a man whose kin was the one whose ear Peter had cut off, confidently told Peter he had seen him in the garden, and others agreed it must be true for his speech gave him away as a Galilean.

(60) And Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are saying." And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.

Peter told the man he didn't know what he was talking about.  The account in Matthew says Peter even cursed and swore.  As the last words were coming out of his mouth, the rooster crowed.

(61) And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, "Before the cock crows, you will deny Me three times."

Jesus, who was apparently within sight of Peter, turned and looked at him at that moment.  Peter then recalled what Jesus had said to him about him denying Him three times before the rooster crowed.

(62) And Peter went out and wept bitterly.

Peter left and wept bitterly, realizing he who said he would follow Jesus anywhere, even to death, had indeed denied he even knew Him three times just as the Lord had said he would.  

(63) And the men who held Jesus mocked Him and struck Him.

The men who held Jesus in the high priest's house mocked Him and struck, or smote Him, as transcribed in the KJV.  The more complete meaning of the word "dero" that was translated as "smote," meant to strip the skin.  Therefore, this was more than just smacking Jesus; the men were either digging into His skin with their nails or beating Him and ripping His skin.

(64) And when they had blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face and asked Him, saying, "Prophesy, who is it who struck You?"

They then blindfolded Jesus and began to strike Him on the face and then mockingly asked Him to prophesy and tell them who it was who had struck Him.

(65) And many other things they blasphemously spoke against Him.

They spoke many wicked and blasphemous things against Jesus.

(66) And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together and led Him into their council, saying, (67) "Are You the Christ? Tell us." And He said to them, "If I tell you, you will not believe."

All these things had taken place in the middle of the night, and as soon as it was day, the elders, chief priests, and scribes assembled together, bringing Jesus into the council.  They demanded He admit whether or not He was the Christ, the Messiah, whom His followers believed Him to be.  Jesus answered that if He answered them the truth, they would not believe Him.  Of course, Jesus knew the truth about their motives.  They only asked, determined not to believe Him, but to use His answer against Him.

(68) "And if I also ask you, you will not answer Me nor let Me go."

Jesus's point was that even if He began a discourse with them to get to the truth, they wouldn't answer honestly and would never let Him go, so there was no real point in answering them.

(69) "Hereafter the Son of man shall sit on the right hand of the power of God."

However, as they didn't believe and admit the proof of His being the Christ, Jesus did tell them that in the time to follow He would sit at the right hand of God.

(70) Then they all said, "Are You then the Son of God?" And He said to them, "You say that I am."

Jesus's accusers then asked if He was the Son of God.  He answered that they said that He was.  Most all the commentators I study took this to mean, "You rightly say," confirming to them that He was the Son of God.  I don't see it that way at all.  Jesus had said that He would soon sit at the right hand of God.  They were the ones who jumped to the conclusion that He must then be the Son of God.  They condemned themselves showing that they knew the truth.  I believe Jesus was saying just as it is written, "You (yourselves) say that I am."

(71) And they said, "What need do we have for any further witness? For we ourselves have heard from His own mouth."

The men of the council then declared that they had no need for any other witnesses for they had heard straight from Jesus's mouth that He called Himself the Son of God, which they would proclaim as blasphemy and punishable by death.  However, I still believe that Jesus did not precisely say that with His own mouth, but as was His custom, He ensnared His accusers with their own words.  It's not that Jesus was purposely preparing a trap so that He could punish them eternally.  He was providing a way for them to see the folly of their own words.  I know without a doubt, had they fallen down before Him at that point and confessed that they then realized Him to be the Christ, they would have been forgiven and saved, but Jesus knew all along what they would do.

The Lord's Supper

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Luke 22:1) Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread drew near, which is called the Passover.

In the preceding chapters, Jesus had made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and was teaching daily at the temple.  The time of the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Passover was drawing near.  The Passover meal was held first, on the 14th day of the Jewish month Nisan, which corresponds to a date in March or April on our current calendar.  It was a memorial in remembrance of the time that God passed over the homes of the Jews who had put the blood of the Passover lamb on their door frames, when the Lord passed through Egypt killing all of Egypt's firstborn.  Then followed on the 15th day of Nisan a weeklong period called the Feast of Unleavened Bread which commemorated the Jews hurriedly exiting Egypt the day after the original Passover with no time to leaven any loaves.  

(2) And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill Him for they feared the people.

It was at this time that the chief priests and scribes were contemplating how they should kill Jesus.  It took planning on their part because they feared the uprise of the people should they do it.  Isn't it interesting that these men thought it was by their will that Jesus should be taken at the Passover, when it was really the intention of God that Jesus be the ultimate Passover Lamb of which the first lamb in Egypt was only a symbol?

(3) Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.

It was at that same time that Satan entered into the heart of Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve apostles.  It is not that Judas was predestined to be the one who delivered up Jesus to be killed.  Satan tempts us all.  We have scriptural proof that he had tempted Peter in Matthew 16:23 and Mark 8:33, when Jesus rebuked Satan himself for what Peter had said.  It's what we do when we are tempted that counts, and it is here at this point that Judas accepted Satan into his heart.

(4) And he went his way and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them.

Judas went and communicated with the chief priests and captains of the temple about how he might be able to deliver Jesus to them.

(5) And they were glad and covenanted to give him money.

Of course, the chief priests and temple captains were delighted that Judas would help them do what they were afraid to do on their own and they promised to give him money for it.

(6) And he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.

Judas also agreed to do his part in delivering Jesus to them, and he looked for an opportunity when he might do it away from a multitude of people.

(7) Then came the Day of Unleavened Bread when the Passover must be killed.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread did not begin until the day after the Passover, but as the Jews tended to begin eating unleavened bread at the Passover, they often referred to the Passover as also the Day of Unleavened Bread.  So that day had come and they needed to kill their Passover lamb.

(8) And He sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare us the Passover that we may eat."

Jesus sent Peter and John to prepare the Passover meal for Him and all the disciples.  

(9) And they said to Him, "Where do You want us to prepare?"

Peter and John asked Jesus where it was that He wanted them to prepare the Passover.

(10) And He said to them, "Behold, when you enter into the city, there shall a man meet you, bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he enters in."

Jesus told them they were to go into the city where they would meet a man bearing a pitcher of water.  They were to follow him into the house that he went to.

(11) "And you shall say to the master of the house, 'The Master says to you, "Where is the guest chamber where I shall eat the Passover with My disciples?"'"

Jesus instructed Peter and John to tell the master of the house that their Master asked for the guest chamber in order to eat the Passover meal with His disciples.  It sounds as if Jesus may have prearranged this beforehand, but it's certainly not necessarily so, for by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the man could have consented regardless of whether or not he had known Jesus or His plans.

(12) "And he will show you a large upper room furnished; there make ready."

Jesus told them that the man would then show them a furnished upper room that they could use, and He instructed them to prepare the meal there."

(13) And they went and found as He had said to them, and they made ready the Passover.

Peter and John went as Jesus instructed them and they found everything just as He had said they would, and they did indeed prepare the Passover meal.

(14) And when the hour was come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him.

When the hour had come to eat the Passover meal, that is evening, as was the law, He and His twelve apostles sat down to the meal.

(15) And He said to them, "With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer."

Jesus said to His twelve apostles that He had desired with a deep longing to eat that Passover with them before He suffered.  The double use of the word desire indicated a fervent deep longing desire.  There were many reasons why the Lord may have longed for that time with His disciples.  He knew what was to happen after this meal and He fervently sought to do the Father's will.  He knew it would be the last meal He would have with His chosen twelve, and I'm sure He wanted to prepare them for what was about to happen and what would be their future.  In addition, He wanted to institute the Lord's Supper, this expression of His great love and sacrifice for His people, which would be commemorated always.

(16) "For I say to you, I will not any more eat of it until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God."

Indeed, Jesus told them this would be the last Passover supper He would eat until all was fulfilled in the kingdom of God.  Jesus was to be the ultimate Passover sacrificial Lamb, of which the Passover custom was only a symbol.  There would be no more need for the Passover sacrifice and meal, but Jesus would soon be instituting a new commemoration.

(17) And He took the cup and gave thanks, and said, "Take this and divide among yourselves. (18) For I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God shall come."

Jesus took a large cup of wine and gave thanks and told the disciples to divide it among themselves, that He would not be drinking any more from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God came, which would come after He had died and was resurrected.  This cup was not the sacramental cup that was used after the meal, but this was a cup that was drunk before and during the meal.

(19) And He took bread and gave thanks and broke it and gave to them, saying, "This is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me."

Some time after, perhaps at the end of the meal, Jesus took bread and gave thanks and broke it and gave it to His disciples, telling them that that bread was symbolic of His body that was given for them, or soon would be, and He told them to do that in remembrance of Him.  I found it interesting that some of the earlier commentators whom I study found it important to state at this point, that the bread was only symbolic, and was not to be understood as Jesus's actual body, which of course, was a slam against the Catholic belief that it was actually His body.  As John Wesley put it, "...as if this bread was his real body, any more than the paschal lamb was really the passover."  I think that is pretty evident by the way Jesus presented the bread as His body which was given for them, even though He was still there and His body had not yet been given for them.  Then He said to do it in remembrance of Him, and there was no mention that He would actually be there with them each time they performed it.  I guess that is why Catholics call it Holy Communion as they believe they are communing with the Holy Jesus.  However, most call it the Lord's Supper, and it is done in remembrance of Jesus and His sacrifice as He instructed at His last supper.

(20) Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new testament in My blood which is shed for you."

Likewise after supper Jesus took the cup of wine that was reserved for after the meal.  Since He likewise took the cup after dinner, it does imply that He also took the bread in verse 19 at the same time just before the cup.  Jesus said the cup represented a new covenant in His blood that would be shed for them.  Once again the earlier commentators I study showed how this proved that the Catholic notion that at their Holy Communion they literally drank the blood of Jesus was not true.  The cup was the new testament, not His actual blood.  It represented the fact that His ultimate blood sacrifice as the perfect lamb sacrifice for sins was the new covenant fulfilling the old one, where they constantly had to keep sacrificing animals to atone for sin.  In Jesus there was no more need for the old sacrifices, for His perfect blood covered all sin.  Jesus wasn't doing away with blood sacrifice for sin; He fulfilled it perfectly so it was no longer necessary to repeat it.

(21) "But behold, the hand of him who betrays Me is with Me on the table."

Jesus then made a shocking statement that the one who would betray Him was there at that Passover meal.

(22) "And truly the Son of man goes as it was determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!"

Jesus then said that even knowing what was to happen, He willingly went forth to do what had been before determined, but He declared woe to the one who would betray Him, knowing of course, just who it was.

(23) And they began to enquire among themselves which of them it was that should do this thing.

The disciples knew that Jesus spoke with authority and truth, so they accepted the fact that one of them would betray Him, and they discussed among themselves who it could be.

(24) And there was also a strife among them which of them should be counted the greatest.

I suppose in their discussion about who would be the least to do such a horrible thing to betray Jesus, the disciples began discussing who was the greatest and would therefore never betray Jesus.

(25) And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and they who exercise authority on them are called benefactors."

Jesus explained that it was the kings of the Gentile nations who exercised lordship over the people and they were called the people's benefactors, even though many of them were far from it.

(26) "But you not so, but he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who is chief as he who does serve."

However, Jesus told His disciples that they were not to be as the Gentiles.  He who would be considered greatest and chief among them would be the one who was meek and humble like a younger child would be in the presence of men and would be one who served others.  In service to others, they would be benefactors to the people, not by ruling over them.

(27) "For which is greater, He who sits at the meal or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the meal? But I am among you as He who serves."

Jesus then asked the question which man would be considered greater, the one who sat at a meal or the one who served him.  Conventional thought was the one who sat at the meal, of course.  However, Jesus said that He was among those who served.  He did not lord His position over them and demand they serve Him; quite the contrary, they sat as equals with Him, and He surely served them with knowledge and salvation and served countless others by His miracles.

(28) "You are those who have continued with Me in My temptations."

Jesus seemed to commend His disciples for continuing with Him through all His trials, which is more the sense of the word, although Jesus was tempted, as well, but He never gave in to temptation.

(29) "And I appoint to you a kingdom as My Father has appointed to Me, (30) That you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel."

Jesus was telling His disciples that they indeed would have a kingdom, but it was a spiritual one, not an earthly kingdom.  They would spiritually eat and drink with Jesus Christ in His kingdom and they would even sit on spiritual thrones, judging the twelve tribes of the Jews doctrinally and ministerially. 

(31) And the Lord said, "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has desired you that he may sift you as wheat."

Jesus then called out Peter, telling him that Satan had desired to have all of them, as the word translated as "you" was plural as said by the early commentators I study.  They would be sifted as wheat, put through the wringer of trials and temptations, and they would fail miserably the first temptation when they all scattered when Jesus was seized.  Here Jesus called Peter by his former name, perhaps because he would be as his former self.

(32) "But I have prayed for you that your faith not fail, and when you are converted, strengthen your brethren."

As Jesus had called out Simon Peter specifically, He continued with His message to Peter.  He told him He had prayed for him that his faith would not fail, and when he was converted or reverted, he should strengthen his brothers.  When Simon reverted, indicating he would indeed fall away for a while.

(33) And he said to Him, "Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death."

Peter answered the Lord by saying he was ready to go with Him wherever it took him, even to prison and death.

(34) And He said, "I tell you, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day before you will three times deny that you know Me."

However, Jesus told Peter that he would in fact deny that he even knew Jesus three times that night before the rooster crowed.  I see now why commentators saw what Jesus said in verse 26 so differently than I did.  I felt they read too much into it, but I see it now.  Jesus said they were not to act as the Gentile kings did and exercise lordship over the people.  Commentators concluded that Jesus was talking about Peter and John when He spoke of the greatest as being like the younger.  John was the youngest of the disciples and said to be modest and humble.  Jesus may have been telling Peter to be more like John.  He did indeed call out Peter by name.  The fact that Peter told Jesus he would go with Him even to death certainly suggests he was not one of the ones who asked if he was the one to betray Jesus, but rather more likely one of the ones who thought he was greatest among the disciples.  Jesus now told him that he would indeed deny Him and fall away, thus being not so great for a time.

(35) And He said to them, "When I sent you without purse and pouch and shoes, did you lack anything?" And they said, "Nothing."

Jesus then reminded His disciples about when He sent them out on their own without money, shoes, or any bags, and asked if they ever lacked anything during that time, and they answered that they lacked nothing.

(36) Then He said to them, "But now, he who has a purse, let him take it, and likewise his pouch, and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one."

Jesus told them that it would now be different for them.  He told them to take what they needed with them when they preached throughout the world.  He implied great danger for them as He suggested they procure swords any way they could.  This part about swords is rather difficult to understand as Jesus seemed against using them as will soon be confirmed by His actions when He was seized.  However, the disciples were not going to have Jesus physically with them, and I believe He was preparing them for dangerous times ahead and possibly a need to defend themselves.

(37) "For I say to you that this that is written must yet be accomplished in Me, 'And He was reckoned among the transgressors,' for the things concerning Me have an end."

The reason things would from then on be different was because Jesus would no longer be with them as He was about to fulfill prophecy that had been written about Him, and He quoted Isaiah 53:12, "...and He was numbered with the transgressors."  He added that all prophecies about Him would certainly come to pass and have an end.

(38) And they said, "Lord, behold, here two swords." And He said to them, "It is enough."

Once again there is difficulty in understanding the context of the swords.  If Jesus had truly meant that they should sell anything in order to buy a sword, then certainly two swords were not enough for twelve (actually eleven) men.  The order of the words in the original text of verse 36 are odd, more to the order of, "And he who has none, let him sell his garment and buy, a sword."  Jesus was telling them to go out and buy anything they lacked for their travels.  The original word translated as "sword" is "machaira" similar to our word "machete."  The meaning of the original word actually meant any type of blade.  Therefore, Jesus may have been mentioning something else they would need for their journeys, a knife, for certainly there would be plenty need for a knife among their necessities.  However, they, Peter probably being chief among them, pointed out they were already equipped with two swords.  To that Jesus replied, "It is enough."  Two full-sized weapon swords would certainly be enough, and maybe even too much, as Jesus may have been saying, "That's enough said!"  Perhaps what Jesus was actually talking about when he added "sword," was the sword of the Spirit.  They would certainly need to be well furnished with their spiritual weapons in order to fight what would be ahead for them:

"Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Therefore take to you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness, And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, Above all, taking the shield of faith, with which you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Ephesians 6:11-17).

As this chapter is very long, I will stop this post here with the end of the Lord's supper, and will continue chapter 22 in the next post.