Offerings of First Fruits and Tithes

Continuing a chronologically ordered Bible study:

(Deuteronomy 26:1) "And it shall be when you come into the land which the Lord your God gives you for an inheritance, and possess it, and dwell in it, (2) That you shall take of the first of all the fruit of the earth which you shall bring of your land that the Lord your God gives you, and shall put it in a basket, and shall go to the place which the Lord your God shall choose to place His name there."

In the last chapter Moses had been telling the Israelites all of God's commandments and statutes as he had been for most of the book of Deuteronomy.  He continued in chapter 26.  He told the people that when they came into the land that God was giving them for their inheritance, and had possessed it and dwelt in it, that they were to make an offering of all of the first of their various produce.  This was a token of gratitude for the gift of the land God had given them.  They were to put their first fruits in a basket and go to the place that the Lord would choose to put His name there.

(3) "And you shall go to the priest who will be in those days, and say to him, 'I profess this day to the Lord my God that I have come to the country which the Lord swore to our fathers to give us.'"

The people were to go to the priest who would be appointed in those days with their basket of first fruits, and profess to him that they acknowledged they had come into the country that had been long promised to their forefathers by their Lord.

(4) "And the priest will take the basket out of your hand and set it down before the altar of the Lord your God."

The priest would then take their basket of first fruits and put it at the altar of the Lord which would be established by that time.  It was an offering of thanksgiving, a spiritual sacrifice which would be accepted and sanctified on the altar of their Lord God.

(5) "And you shall speak and say before the Lord your God, 'A Syrian ready to perish my father, and he went down to Egypt and sojourned there with a few, and became there a nation, great, mighty, and populous.'"

With their gift in hand at the altar, they were to profess and acknowledge that their forefather Jacob was a Syrian, although born in Canaan had Syrian parents, and had been close to perishing, either from poverty or from the threats of his brother Esau.  He went to Egypt with a small number of people, seventy (Genesis 46:27), and they dwelt there.  There they became a great nation of people, mighty and great in number, so much so that Pharoah in Egypt was jealous of them.

(6) "'And the Egyptians mistreated us, and afflicted us, and laid hard bondage on us.'"

Moses continued with what the people were to say before the altar.  They were to acknowledge that the Egyptians had mistreated them and made them slaves in hard bondage.

(7) "'And when we cried to the Lord God of our fathers, the Lord heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, and our labor, and our oppression.'"

They were to acknowledge that when they had cried out to the Lord because of their enslavement, hard labor, and mistreatment, He heard them, observing their situation and what they were having to endure.

(8) "'And the Lord brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders.'"

The people were to profess that it was their Lord God who brought them out of Egypt with many signs, wonders, and miracles, and even terror to the Egyptians with the plagues that were inflicted on them.

(9) "'And He has brought us to this place, and has given us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.'"

They were to continue to acknowledge that God had brought them to the place He had given them, "a land flowing with milk and honey," which was a direct quote from the Lord in Exodus 3:8.

(10) "'And now behold, I have brought the firstfruits of the land, which You, O Lord, have given me.' And you shall set it before the Lord your God and worship before the Lord your God."

They were to finish with their profession that they had brought the first fruits of their land, the land that the Lord had given them.  Then they were to place their basket before the Lord's altar, and they were to worship Him with thanksgiving and mindful of His great provision for them.

(11) "And you shall rejoice in every good which the Lord your God has given to you and to your house, you, and the Levite, and the stranger who is among you."

Moses directed the people to rejoice in all the good things their Lord had provided for them.  The Israelites and also the Levites and strangers among them who received of God's gifts should acknowledge His gifts and provisions for them.  I believe this has a message for how we should treat foreign immigrants.  Yes, we are to love and care for them, but note they are also required to rejoice in and acknowledge where those gifts came from.  That is often not the attitude of people who are allowed to pour over our borders illegally with no check on them.  The strangers who lived among the Israelites lived as they did and according to their laws, and they didn't receive 100% of the Israelites' benefits until they had been circumcised and fully converted to Judaism.  Although our country does not demand adherence to a certain religion, we should demand that immigrants adhere to our laws, and that begins with coming to the country legally.  They should fully embrace our culture and our language should they want to be an American.  If they don't want to be an American first, then they really don't belong in America.

(12) "When you have made an end of tithing all the tithes of your increase the third year, the year of tithing, and have given to the Levite, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, that they may eat within your gates, and be filled,"

When the time for laying aside the tithes of their income or produce for the year came to an end at the Passover feast, in the third year, known as the year of tithing, they were to give their tithes to the Levite who had no inheritance of his own, to the strangers in their land, to the widows and fatherless, generally the poor.  The first and second years the tithes were given to the Levites only and shared with the owners and the Levites.  However in the third year, the year of tithing, they were to share not only with the Levite, but with the strangers, fatherless, and widows, within their gates and they were to share with them in their own dwellings.

(13) "Then you shall say before the Lord your God, 'I have brought away the hallowed things out of my house, and also have given them to the Levite, and to the stranger, to the fatherless, and to the widow, according to all Your commandments which You have commanded me; I have not transgressed Your commandments, neither have I forgotten.'"

After they had shared their third year tithes, they were to declare before the Lord that they had brought their tithes, considered holy unto God, out of their houses and had given them to the Levites, the strangers, the fatherless, and the widows according to God's commandment.  They were to profess that they had not disobeyed God's commandment regarding the third year tithes and they had not forgotten it.

(14) "'I have not eaten of it in my mourning, neither have I taken away of it for unclean use, nor given of it for the dead; I have hearkened to the voice of the Lord my God and have done according to all that you have commanded me.'"

Moses continued telling the people what they were to profess before the Lord.  They were to declare that they had not eaten any of their tithes in their mourning on account of any affliction, but perhaps more to the point was any sorrow in having to give their tithes to the poor.  They were to profess that they had not taken of their tithes for any unclean use, which would frankly be any use other than what it was designed for.  No portion of their tithes was to be consecrated to the dead, but only to the living strangers and poor among them.  In not doing those things, they had listened to God's commandment and had done as He had told them to do.

(15) "'Look down from Your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless Your people Israel, and the land which You have given us, as You swore to our fathers, a land that flows with milk and honey.'"

They were to ask the Lord to look down from heaven upon them, His people, and bless them and the land He had given them that He had promised to their forefathers, a great land flowing with milk and honey.

(16) "This day the Lord your God has commanded you to do these statutes and judgments; you shall therefore keep and do them with all your heart and with all your soul."

Moses told the people that all He had told them here and in past chapters were the statutes and judgments of their Lord God, and that He had commanded they do those things willingly with all their hearts and souls.

(17) "You have avouched the Lord this day to be your God, and to walk in His ways, and to keep His statutes, and His commandments, and His judgments, and to hearken to His voice."

Moses told the people they had confessed and affirmed that day that the Lord was their God, and that they would walk in the ways He had taught and commanded them, and that they would keep and do His statutes, commandments, and judgments, and would listen to and do what He said.

(18) "And the Lord has avouched you this day to be His special people, as He has promised you, and that you should keep all His commandments, (19) And to make you high above all nations which He has made, in praise, and in name, and in honor, and that you may be a holy people to the Lord your God, as He has spoken."

In like manner the Lord had covenanted and affirmed that day that the people of Israel were His special people as He had promised that they were in Exodus 19:5.  However, then and at this time, their part of the covenant was that they should keep all His commandments.  "Now therefore, if you will obey My voice indeed, and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people, for all the earth is Mine."  God affirmed His plan to make Israel high above all the nations He had made.  They would be highly praised, they would be well known and highly thought of by name, they would have high honor above all nations, and they would be a holy people to their Lord.  When Israel kept God's word and commandments, they were the greatest and most respectable of all nations, but when they abandoned God and His law, they became the most despicable.

Law About Levirate Marriage and Other Miscellaneous Laws

I now return to a chronological Bible study after a long break of studying the four Gospels.  My last chronologically ordered post was on October 25, 2020.  Moses had been reviewing God's laws as he had been doing in most all of the book of Deuteronomy. 

(Deuteronomy 25:1) "If there be a controversy between men and they come into judgment that they may be judged, then they shall justify the righteous and condemn the wicked."

Moses continued speaking.  If there was a controversy between men and they came into a court to have their case judged, then judges were required to judge righteously, justifying the righteous, acquitting the one whose cause was good, and condemning to punishment the one who was guilty of a crime.  The Lord required righteous judgment from His judges, as Proverbs 17:15 says, "He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, even they both are abomination to the Lord."

(2) "And it shall be if the wicked man is worthy to be beaten that the judge shall cause him to lie down and to be beaten in his presence, according to his fault by a certain number."

Crimes that were not so severe as to require death were punished with beating or scourging.  If a wicked man was found guilty, then he was to lie down in the presence of the judge and was to be beaten by the number of strikes correlating to the heinousness of his crime.  The judge or judges, as there was usually a panel of at least three, were to be present to ensure that the sentence was properly executed, neither exceeded nor diminished.

(3) "Forty strikes he may give him, and not exceed, lest if he should exceed and beat him above these with many strikes, then your brother would be degraded to you."

Forty strikes were the most a judge could order.  If he exceeded that, the man would seem more like a beast than a man, much less a brother.  Perhaps the meaning of being degraded might be degrading the body to the point of permanent deformity or even death.

(4) "You shall not muzzle an ox when he treads out the grain."

From what I have read, oxen were often muzzled in other types of labor.  However, God's law considered it inhumane to muzzle an ox when treading out the grain, that is, being driven back and forth over the grain in order to separate it from the chaff.  It was to be allowed to eat of the grain if it wanted.

(5) "If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no child, the wife of the dead shall not marry outside to a stranger; her husband's brother shall go in to her and take her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband's brother to her."

If brothers lived together which may mean in the same house, as a younger brother might live with his older brother, especially if their father was dead; but it might also mean that they lived together in the same town, because if they lived far away from each other, this law could not easily be upheld.  If brothers lived together and a married one died but had no child, then the husband's unmarried brother was to take his brother's widow as his wife.  She was not allowed to marry outside the family.  From what I have read, if her husband's brother did not live close by, then she was free to marry the next kinsman who lived nearby, but she was not to marry a stranger.

(6) "And it shall be the firstborn which she bears shall succeed in the name of his dead brother that his name not be blotted out of Israel."

The firstborn child born to the union of the widow and her dead husband's brother was to succeed in the name of the dead husband, given his part of the inheritance that would have gone to the dead man, so that his name and family line wouldn't be lost in Israel.  The rest of the children would be considered the living brother's heirs.

(7) "And if the man does not like to take his brother's wife, then let his brother's wife go up to the gate to the elders, and say, 'My husband's brother refuses to raise up to his brother a name in Isarel; he will not perform the duty of my husband's brother.'"

If the dead man's brother did not want to take his widow for a wife, then the wife was to go to the gate of the city where the judges sat and tell the elders that her dead husband's brother refused to perform the duties of a husband's brother as outlined in the law.

(8) "Then the elders of his city shall call him and speak to him, and if he stands and says, 'I do not like to take her,' (9) Then his brother's wife shall come to him in the presence of the elders and loosen his shoe from off his foot and spit in his face, and shall answer and say, 'So shall it be done to that man who will not build up his brother's house.'"

Then the elders would call her brother-in-law to them and speak to him.  If he stood firm and still said he did not want to take his brother's wife, then the widow was to come to him in the presence of the elders.  She was to loosen his shoe and remove it.  Planting the foot on a thing was a symbol of lordship and taking possession, so by her removing his shoe, she showed that he had given up his right to her.  It was a sign of shame, as well, to signify that he did not belong among free men, but deserved to be counted among servants and slaves who went about barefooted.  The widow also was to spit in her brother-in-law's face, a sign of her contempt and his shame and disgrace.  She then would declare this was done because he refused to carry on his brother's name by building up his brother's house.

(10) "And his name shall be called in Isarel, 'The house of him who had his shoe removed.'"

The brother-in-law's name and his house and his posterity would forever be called in Israel, "the house of him who had his shoe removed," a lasting blot on his name.

(11) "When men strive together one with the other, and the wife of one draws near to deliver her husband out of the hand of him who strikes him, and puts forth her hand and takes him by his secret parts, (12) Then you shall cut off her hand; your eye shall not pity her."

If men are fighting and the wife of one of them sought to help her husband by taking the other man by his testicles, she was guilty of a most indecent act and was to have her hand cut off.  She was not to be pitied just because she had done it because of the love for her husband.  This law seemed severe but was designed to prevent women from doing such immodest and also injurious acts that might permanently scar a man for future generation.

(13) "You shall not have in your bag diverse weights, a great and a small."

As things were often bought and sold by weight, one was not to carry diverse weights, one heavy and one light, so as to benefit him and disadvantage another unjustly.  

(14) "You shall not have in your house diverse measures, a great and a small."

The same thing was required of measurements.  One could not use for a common measurement one slightly larger measure and one slightly smaller measure to benefit him and cheat another.  One couldn't carry diverse weights and measures and they could not use them in their homes.  

(15) "You shall have a perfect and just weight; a perfect and just measure you shall have, that your days may be lengthened in the land which the Lord your God gives you."

The people were to always be righteous in their weights and measures (Leviticus 19:35).  By being just in their dealings, they may be blessed with long life in their fruitful land of Canaan that the Lord was giving them.

(16) "For all who do such things, all who do unrighteously, are an abomination to the Lord your God."

God found those who used such things to cheat others an abomination.  Proverbs 11:1 and Proverbs 20:23 tell us the same thing:  "A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight;" "Diverse weights are an abomination to the Lord, and a false balance is not good."  

(17) "Remember what Amalek did to you on the way when you were coming out of Egypt, (18) How he met you on the way and struck the hindmost of you, all the feeble behind you, when you were faint and weary, and he did not fear God."

Moses reminded the people what the Amalekites had done to them, how they had attacked them unprovoked, when they were coming out of Egypt, where they had been in hard bondage, their spirits and some of their bodies broken.  The Amalekites had taken advantage of them, especially their weakest who brought up their rear and straggled behind the others.  The Israelites had not at all harmed the Amalekites, but they did not fear God and attacked His people unprovoked.

(19) "Therefore it shall be, when the Lord your God has given you rest from all your enemies round about, in the land which the Lord your God gives you for an inheritance to possess it, you shall blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; you shall not forget."

God would judge Amalek and the Amalekites.  Once the Israelites had finally been given rest from all their enemies all around them in Canaan, the land the Lord was giving them, they would then utterly destroy the Amalekites so that there were none left, to blot out even the memory of them.  The Israelites were commanded not to forget what the Amalekites had done to them nor God's order to destroy them.  This did not take place right away.  They had to subdue the Canaanites to get possession of their land and then had to get free and clear from all the surrounding nations, the Moabites, the Midianites, the Edomites, the Ammonites, and the Philistines, but they were never to forget what the Amalekites had done and to destroy them also.  It was about 400 years later before God's judgment against the Amalekites was executed.  It is noteworthy to realize how much time the Amalekites had to repent and come to God, but God had known they would not, and ordered that they be blotted out under heaven when the Israelites were finally given rest from their enemies and enjoyed full possession of the land their Lord had given them.

I marvel at the wisdom of God's laws, many of which are scoffed at by this present generation.  But had they been continually adhered to, I can only imagine the blessings and richness that would abound.  There was an instance in my extended family and in a fairly recent time in the scheme of time and things, when family was immigrating (legally) to America, and had a delay in another foreign country along the way.  There a man died leaving a young widow with two small children alone in a foreign country.  The man's aunt who was already in America sent her eldest son to take care of the young widow and her children as it was the right thing to do.  The son married his cousin's widow and raised up her children as his own, and they have lived a long and happy life together.  A selfish man could have said he did not want to go back to a foreign country and take an unknown unseen woman as his wife, not to mention two children who were not his own, but God richly blessed this family.  If we only realized that all God's laws are made for our benefit and blessing, and that to reject them only brings sorrow and curses to us.

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 Crucifixion, Death, and Burial

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(John 19:1) Then Pilate therefore took Jesus and scourged Him.

At the end of the last chapter, Jesus having been brought before Pilate to receive a sentence of death, Pilate had told the people he had found no fault in Jesus.  However, the people clamored for Jesus's crucifixion, so Pilate took Jesus and had him whipped.  It's difficult to understand Pilate's heart.  At the very least, I find him to be a very weak man.  He found no fault in Jesus, yet he let the people drive him, the Roman governor, to scourge an innocent man and deliver Him to be crucified.  John Gill, in his Exposition of the Bible, suggested that he might have delivered Jesus to be scourged so that they would be satisfied with that punishment and then he could release Jesus.  This might have some basis in truth as Pilate continued to say that he found no fault in Jesus (v. 4).  However, it was the custom to first scourge the criminals they condemned to be crucified.  Whatever his reasoning, he still was morally weak for having an innocent man scourged.

(2) And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe. (3) And said, "Hail, king of the Jews!" And they struck Him with their hands.

In derision, the soldiers braided a crown of thorns and put it on Jesus's head.  They also put a purple robe on Him and mocked Him as a king.  They also struck Him with their hands.

(4) Pilate therefore went forth again and said to them, "Behold, I bring Him forth to you that you may know that I find no fault in Him."

Then Pilate went back out to the Jews to tell them he was bringing forth Jesus to show how He had been scourged and abused and to tell them again that he found no fault in Jesus.  He found no fault, yet he allowed this to be done to Jesus?  Perhaps his purpose was to show that since he had allowed so much to be done to Jesus, if he had found Him to be the least bit guilty, he would have had no problem crucifying Him.  However, he said he still found no fault in Jesus. 

(5) Then Jesus came forth, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, "Behold the Man!"

Then Pilate brought Jesus forth, and He was wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe and was surely in a worse condition due to the scourging.  Pilate told the people to look at Jesus and see what had been done to Him, hoping this would satisfy the Jews.

(6) When the chief priests and officers therefore saw Him, they cried out, saying, "Crucify! Crucify!" Pilate said to them, "You take Him and crucify Him, for I find no fault in Him."

However, not at all satisfied, the chief priests and officers cried out to crucify Jesus.  Pilate told them to take Jesus themselves and crucify Him if they thought they must, because he found no fault in Him.

(7) The Jews answered him, "We have a law, and by our law, He ought to die because He made Himself the Son of God."

The charge of sedition was not working with Pilate, so the Jews told him that according to their Jewish law, Jesus ought to die because He had called Himself the Son of God, which they were calling blasphemy.  Their law called for stoning, but they had wanted the governor to sentence Jesus so that He would be crucified, a more horrible method of killing.

(8) When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid.

When Pilate heard that, he was afraid.  He was convinced that Jesus was innocent as he could see more and more clearly the design of the Jews.  However, they now brought up a charge of which he did not have a full understanding.  He would bring their wrath if he denied them; however, as he saw Jesus as innocent, he probably wondered if He could truly be divine.

(9) And went again into the judgment hall and said to Jesus, "Where are You from?" But Jesus gave him no answer.

Therefore Pilate went back in to try to get an answer from Jesus.  He asked Him where He was from, but Jesus did not answer him.  He was surely trying to determine if Jesus was indeed divine and not of this world.  Jesus had already told Pilate His kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36), and Pilate already had enough information to determine Jesus was innocent, yet he had had Him scourged and ridiculed.  Pilate was a morally weak man refusing to do what his conscience knew to be the right thing, so probably nothing more Jesus could say would change his actions.

(10) Then Pilate said to Him, "You don't speak to me? Do You not know that I have power to crucify You and have power to release You?"

In arrogance, Pilate cautioned Jesus about not speaking to him, as he told Jesus in his puffed-up pride that he had the power to either crucify Jesus or release Him.

(11) Jesus answered, "You could have no power against Me, except it were given you from above; therefore he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin."

Jesus told Pilate that he had no power over Jesus except what had been given to him by God.  Once Jesus had been delivered to be crucified, it was definitely going to be carried out.  And then Jesus went on to answer the question about Pilate's guilt in this matter.  He said that the one who delivered Him to Pilate had the greater sin.  That indicates that Pilate had indeed sinned in scourging an innocent man, but Jesus held the sin of delivering Him in the first place the greater sin.

(12) And from then on Pilate sought to release Him, but the Jews cried out, saying, "If you let this Man go, you are not Caesar's friend. Whoever makes himself a king speaks against Caesar."

After Jesus said that to Pilate, Pilate tried to release Him, being convinced of His innocence and probably desiring not to sin anymore against Him.  However, the Jews cried out against him, telling him he was no friend of Caesar's if he let Jesus go because Jesus had spoken of Himself as being king, so they saw that as against Caesar, returning to their charge of sedition.

(13) When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.

When Pilate realized the Jews might make accusations of his treachery against Caesar, he feared more for his own position than he did of condemning an innocent man, and he brought Jesus before the judgment seat, and he sat down as the judge in the place called Gabbatha in Hebrew, the Pavement.  The Greek word translated as "pavement" was "lithostrotos," meaning stoned or mosaic pavement.  "Gabbatha" meant "elevated" or "platform."  The Pavement was evidently an elevated stone or mosaic platform probably where judgments were pronounced.

(14) And it was the Preparation of the Passover and about the sixth hour, and he said to the Jews, "Behold your King!"

It was the Preparation Day of the Passover at about noon.  The Jews counted their hours beginning at dawn or six in the morning.  The time was getting short before Passover would begin at sundown, so I suppose Pilate decided it was time to get this deed done.  He told the Jews to behold their king.

(15) But they cried out, "Away with Him! Away with Him, crucify Him!" Pilate said to them, "Shall I crucify your king?" The chief priests answered, "We have no king but Caesar."

However, the Jews cried out to crucify Jesus, to which Pilate asked if they wanted him to crucify their king.  The chief priests answered that they had no king but Caesar.  They rejected their King Messiah, but also denied God as their king, calling Caesar their only king.

(16) Then he delivered Him therefore to them to be crucified. And they took and led Jesus away.

So the weak governor Pontius Pilate delivered Jesus to the Jews, knowing what they were about to do.  They took Jesus and led Him away.

(17) And He, bearing His cross, went forth to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha, (18) Where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side and Jesus in the middle.

Jesus bore His own cross and was led to a place called the Place of the Skull, or Golgotha in Hebrew, which means "skull."  It was so called because of the bones of criminals who had been executed that lay there.  That is where Jesus was crucified with two others, one on either side of Him, He being in between them.

(19) And Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Pilate had made an inscription on the cross above Jesus, as the other Gospels put it, saying, "JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS."  The latter part of the inscription was meant to be the accusation against Him according to the account in Matthew, but it was a true assertion of who Jesus really was.

(20) This title then read many of the Jews, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near to the city, and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.

Many Jews had the opportunity to read the inscription because Jesus was crucified close to Jerusalem.  Pilate had written the inscription in three different languages, which probably accounts for the slight varying interpretations of all the Gospels.  Matthew had said it read, THIS IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS.  Mark said simply, THE KING OF THE JEWS, however, he did indicate that was the accusation, so he may have been commenting only on that part of the inscription.  Luke said it read, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

(21) Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, "Do not write, 'The King of the Jews,' but that He said, 'I am King of the Jews.'"

The chief priests of the Jews objected to Pilate writing that Jesus was the King of the Jews.  They told him to write it as Jesus had said that He was King of the Jews, not that it was a fact.

(22) Pilate answered, "What I have written, I have written."

However, Pilate answered that what he had written was to stand.  Neither he nor the chief priests realized that it was undoubtedly the will of God that it be written that way.

(23) Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also His robe. Now His robe was without seam, woven from the top throughout.

The soldiers who had raised Jesus up on the cross, apparently four of them, took Jesus's garments and divided them into four parts among them.  However, Jesus's robe or tunic, His outer garment, was made without seams and not easily divided.

(24) They said therefore among themselves, "Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be," that the scripture might be fulfilled which says, "They parted My garments among them, and for My vesture they cast lots." These things therefore the soldiers did.

The soldiers did not want to tear the robe, but agreed to cast lots for it, not knowing they were fulfilling the scripture in Psalm 22:18, "They part My garments among them, and cast lots upon My vesture," His outer garment.  The soldiers had indeed divided his garments among them and cast lots for His robe.

(25) Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.

Jesus's mother and Mary Magdalene stood by the cross of Jesus.  It's unclear if Mary's sister and Mary the wife of Cleophas were two different women, or one and the same.  It's doubtful that Jesus's mother would have had a sister named the same as her, however, she could be Jesus's mother Mary's sister-in-law, who would have been called her sister.  Matthew and Mark, in their accounts, spoke of a Mary, the mother of James and Joses.  Mark said specifically she was the mother of James the Little and Joses.  James the Little was one of Jesus's twelve apostles, the son of Alphaeus, who is the same as Cleophas (Alphaeus being Greek and Cleophas, Hebrew).  If Cleophas was Joseph's brother (the husband of Jesus's mother), then Mary his wife would be called Jesus's mother Mary's sister; however, we are not told that.  But we are given one more clue when in Mark 6:3, neighbors asked about Jesus's family, specifically His brothers James and Joses.  This would suggest a very close relationship, if not Jesus's brothers from the same immediate family, probably His first cousins, sons of his earthly father Joseph's brother Cleophas, or Alphaeus.  By the way, this Cleophas is probably not the same person Cleopas in Luke 24:18 as Cleopas is a Greek name short for Cleopater, whereas Cleophas in the Greek is Alphaeus.

(26) When Jesus therefore saw His mother and the disciple standing by whom He loved, He said to His mother, "Woman, behold your son."

Jesus looked upon His mother Mary and also saw His beloved disciple John standing by her.  He told His mother to behold her adopted son who would care for her in the absence of her son Jesus.  Adam Clarke in his Commentary on the Bible pointed out that John was the only disciple who did not die a premature unnatural death.  It seems God protected and preserved him for the care of Jesus's earthly mother.

(27) Then He said to the disciple, "Behold your mother." And from that hour that disciple took her into his own.

Jesus also told John to behold his mother, and he did indeed care for her as his mother, taking her into his own home.  Albert Barnes in his Notes on the Bible wrote that tradition said that Mary lived with John until her death about fifteen years later.

(28) After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst."

This is really an amazing verse.  Jesus was thirsty, but He could have certainly borne that without complaint, but so that the scripture would be fulfilled, and that all who witnessed it would have further proof that He was the Messiah fulfilling every last detail that was written about Him by the prophets,  Jesus said He was thirsty.

(29) Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar, and they filled a sponge with vinegar and put it upon hyssop and put it to His mouth.

The Roman soldiers dipped a sponge in vinegar and put it on a hyssop branch and then lifted that up to Jesus's mouth.  That indeed fulfilled the scripture in Psalm 69:21 which read, "...in My thirst they gave Me vinegar to drink."

(30) When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, He said, "It is finished," and He bowed His head and gave up the ghost.

Jesus was in complete control the entire time.  He asked for the drink to fulfill prophesy, and when that was done, He declared that His work culminating in dying on the cross was finished.  He then proactively gave up the ghost.  He chose to die at that point.  Everything that happened to Jesus was all within His will.  He could have stopped it at any point, but because of His love for us sinners, He chose to go through it all for us.

(31) The Jews therefore, because it was the Preparation, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath Day (for that Sabbath Day was a high day), besought Pilate that their legs might be broken and they might be taken away.

It was the Preparation Day for the Sabbath, and it was a special high one in that the Feast of the Passover commenced on the Sabbath in that year.  It was about 3:00 in the afternoon when Jesus died (Matthew 27:46) and that was the time the Jews started making preparation for their Sabbath.  Jewish law ordered that the bodies of criminals should not hang all night (Deuteronomy 21:23), and because they were anxious to start preparing for their high Sabbath, the Jews asked Pilate to break the crucified men's legs so that they would die quickly and could be taken away.  To be able to keep breathing when hanging on a cross, one would lift his body up with his legs, so once his legs were broken, he could no longer lift himself to breathe and would die.

(32) Then came the soldiers and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him.

The soldiers did indeed break the legs of the two criminals who were hanging on either side of Jesus.

(33) But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was dead already, they did not break His legs.  

The chief priests of the Jews would have surely liked to see Jesus's legs broken as an added cruelty, but because Jesus laid down His life of His own accord, He was not to be killed by the breaking of His legs.  

(34) But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced His side and immediately blood and water came out.

One of the soldiers, just to make sure Jesus was indeed dead, pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water spewed forth.  It is a consensus belief among commentators that the soldier had pierced the pericardium that surrounds the heart and that is where the water flowed from.  By piercing the heart, the soldier would guarantee that Jesus was dead or would have been immediately killed by his action.  The blood and the water would have proved that, but additionally may have been symbolic of water baptism and blood atonement.

(35) And he who saw it bore record and his record is true, and he knows that he says truth that you might believe.

This sounds like it was probably John himself who saw the soldier pierce Jesus's side and probably His heart, proving that Jesus was indeed dead so that there could be no claims of His having just fainted when He was later found to not be in His tomb.  John desired to make it a certain truth by an eyewitness that Jesus had indeed died.

(36) For these things were done that the scripture should be fulfilled, "A bone of Him shall not be broken."

Even after Jesus had died, the things that were done to Him fulfilled scripture.  Psalm 34:20 reads, "He keeps all His bones; not one of them is broken."

(37) And again, another scripture says, "They shall look on Him whom they pierced."

Additionally, the scripture in Zechariah 12:10 was fulfilled which reads in part, "...and they shall look upon Me whom they have pierced..."

(38) And after this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave leave. He came therefore and took the body of Jesus.

Afterward, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a secret disciple of Jesus, following Him secretly because he feared the Jews, asked Pilate if he might be permitted to take the body of Jesus.  Pilate indeed gave him permission and he took Jesus's body.

(39) And there came also Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds.

Nicodemus, another secret follower of Christ, who had first come to Jesus in the middle of the night so as not to be seen, brought a large quantity of myrrh and aloes, a hundred pounds, to perfume Jesus's body in honor and respect for Him.  John Wesley, in his Notes on the Bible, pointed out that while Jesus's apostles had apparently all left Him dead hanging on the cross, these two followers who had formerly only followed Jesus in secret, now came out publicly to care for His body.

(40) Then they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

Joseph and Nicodemus took Jesus's body and wrapped it in linen with the spices as was the custom of the Jews to bury someone.

(41) Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new sepulchre in which was never a man yet laid.

Near the place where Jesus had been crucified there was a garden in which was a new sepulchre that had never been used.  Matthew 27:60 told us it was Joseph's own new tomb that he had hewn out of rock.  

(42) There they laid Jesus because of the Jews' Preparation, for the sepulchre was near at hand.

Had they had more time, they may have prepared a different place for Jesus to be buried in His own tomb, but because it was near the end of Preparation Day and the Sabbath was fast approaching, they buried Him in Joseph's tomb as it was nearby.  This fulfilled another prophetic scripture in Isaiah 53:9, "And He made His grave with the wicked and with the rich in His death..."  Jesus had died among wicked criminals and was buried in a rich man's tomb, as Joseph was said to be a rich man.  Matthew told us in chapter 27:57 that Joseph was a rich man and a disciple of Jesus.  Mark 15:43 stated he was also a respected member of the council of the Sanhedrin who was himself looking for the kingdom of God.  Luke 23:50 added that he had not agreed to the council's decision regarding Jesus.  He was a good and just man who cared for Jesus's body and gave Him his own new tomb.  

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's Prayer

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(John 17:1) These words Jesus spoke, and lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son that Your Son also may glorify You."

In the last chapter, Jesus had been preparing His disciples for their future without Him.  He now lifted up His eyes to heaven and began to pray.  He said His hour had come when He would suffer and die, and He asked that the Father glorify Him by supporting Him and carrying Him through the coming greatest of trials so that His actions would in turn glorify and bless the Father.

This has been a difficult chapter for some to understand.  Was Jesus really God?  If so, was He praying to Himself?  And if not, does this prove that Jesus wasn't God?  Jesus is God; that was proven in scripture (John 1:1).  However, Jesus was that part of God's Self that He made man to be born into the world to provide a way for God's creation to be saved.  So He did in effect pray to that part of Himself in heaven that was wholly God and wholly holy wishing His actions on earth to have been according to God's plan and sufficient to save His creation.

(2) "And You have given Him power over all flesh that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him."

Jesus acknowledged that God had given Him power over all mankind that He could give eternal life to as many as God called to Him.  God had prepared that way for people to be saved from eternal damnation, and it was only through Jesus that men could receive eternal life.

(3) "And this is life eternal, that they might know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent."

To have eternal life was to know God intimately, the only true God, and to have an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ which was the only way to know God.

(4) "I have glorified You on the earth; I have finished the work which You gave Me to do."

Jesus had done all He had done on earth to glorify God and to bring people to Him.  He had obediently finished the work God had sent Him to earth to do up to that point, and He was committed to follow through until it was completely finished. 

(5) "And now, O Father, glorify Me with Yourself with the glory which I had with You before the world was."

Jesus asked that the Father return Him to His former glory as One with the Father as He had been since before the world was created.

(6) "I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours, and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word."

Jesus had manifested His Father's name by making His nature, character, and will known to the men He had sent to Him from out of the world and its worldview.  Jesus acknowledged that they were God's creation, but He had given them to Jesus to bring them to eternal life through His plan.  Jesus assured Him they had received His word and had accepted Him and His gift of salvation.

(7) "Now they have known that all things whatever You have given Me are of You."

Jesus, in His prayer to God, said that the men He had sent to Him had been taught and now believed that everything He did and said was of God Himself.

(8) "For I have given to them the words which You gave Me, and they have received and have known surely that I came out from You, and they have believed that You sent Me."

The reason the disciples now knew God was because Jesus had taught them the doctrines of God that He had given them to know.  They had received those doctrines and knew that Jesus had come from God and had been sent for that purpose.

(9) "I pray for them; I pray not for the world, but for them whom You have given Me, for they are Yours."

At this point in Jesus's prayer, He prayed for those whom God had given Him, those disciples who would preach God's plan for salvation throughout the world.  They had been brought through Christ to salvation and union with God; they belonged to God and Jesus prayed for them that they be strengthened and protected and blessed by God in their mission.

(10) "And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them."

As Jesus and His Father were One, all who had come to Jesus were God's, and all God's belonged to Jesus.  Jesus was glorified in them because they had come through Him to be with God, and they would continue to glorify Him as they preached His gospel to the world.

(11) "And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your own name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We."

Jesus acknowledged that He was about to be no more in the world as He was about to go back to the Father in heaven.  However, His disciples would still be in the world, and He prayed that they be preserved in His name, in the knowledge of God.  He prayed that God defend and sustain them in obedience to Himself and His cause.  Jesus prayed that they be unified in love and purpose, as one Christian unit as God and Jesus were one.

(12) "While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name; those whom You gave Me I have kept and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled."

Jesus said that He had kept or preserved all His disciples in God's name, in the knowledge and worship of Him.  He had preserved all His disciples God had sent Him, except Judas Iscariot, which of course, had been God's plan all along to use him to execute His will and fulfill scripture.  That's not to say that Judas never had a choice, but God chose him because He knew the choice he would make.  Jesus had not preserved him as a disciple because he was never meant to be one but had a different purpose.

(13) "And now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they might have My joy fulfilled in themselves."

It was now time for Jesus to return to the Father.  All the things Jesus had spoken while He was in the World, He asked to be for the benefit of His disciples that they might have Jesus's joy fulfilled in themselves.  That joy of a successful mission, that He had overcome the world!  That joy that came from knowing the truth about God's purpose in Jesus and that they possessed eternal life, and that they could pass that exciting good news to others.  

(14) "I have given them Your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."

Jesus had given His disciples God's word and they had received it within their hearts.  For that reason, the world hated them because they were not of the world's sinful lusts.  They were not like the world, just as Jesus was not like it.

(15) "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil. (16) They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world."

Jesus didn't pray that His disciples should be taken out of the evil world, but rather that God protect them from the evil in the world.  Jesus had already told them that they would be persecuted and even killed (Matthew 24:9), so I believe what Jesus means by keeping them from evil is to protect and preserve them from the wiles of the devil who would seek to destroy their souls and their work.  The disciples were at that time not of the world and He prayed that they remain that way.

(17) "Sanctify them through Your truth; Your word is truth."

Jesus prayed that His disciples be made pure from their sins and made holy through God's word which was absolutely true.  All that had been prophesied and said by God and His word, the scriptures, and in His plan for salvation, would sanctify them as promised.

(18) "As You have sent Me into the world, even so have I sent them into the world."

Just as God had sent Jesus into the world to proclaim His good news that the world could be saved, Jesus was sending His disciples into the world to spread the same good news.

(19) "And for their sakes, I sanctify Myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth."

Jesus had no need for sanctification because He had no sin, but by this He meant that He consecrated Himself exclusively for the service of God.  This was His example for His disciples that they might also be sanctified through the truth in God.

(20) "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also who shall believe in Me through their word."

Jesus prayed these things not just for His disciples, but for all followers who would come to believe in Christ through the preaching of His disciples.

(21) "That they all may be one, as You, Father, in Me, and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You have sent Me."

Jesus prayed that all His followers, including those who came through the teaching of His disciples, would be in unity, one unit of brotherhood in Christ.  They should be one in the same love and purpose of God and of Jesus, who was God's plan for the salvation of man, and that the world may come to believe that God had indeed sent Jesus to save the world.

(22) "And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one, even as We are one."

The honor which the Father gave to Jesus on earth Jesus bestowed on His followers.  The glory of Jesus shines in the children of God.  By sending Jesus into the world, God provided a single way for His people to be cleansed of their sins and able to approach Him.  By this, they became one, a unified Christian bride of Christ.  There would be unity of faith and purpose in Jesus's followers as there was unity of purpose in God and Jesus.

(23) "I in them, and You in Me, that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me and have loved them as You have loved Me."

Jesus dwelled within His followers by His spirit and by His Word, and by His Gospel message and His sacrifice, they could be made perfect in the sight of God.  They would act as one Christian unit following Christ so that the world would know Jesus had been sent by God to make disciples of men, and that God loved them.  Jesus provided atonement for people to be able to approach God and be in His presence and be loved by Him in the way that Jesus in His perfection could be in God's presence and loved by Him.  

(24) "Father, I want that they also whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world."

Jesus desired that His followers whom God had sent to Him to be made "perfect" by Jesus's sacrifice, be with Him in heaven, able to see Jesus as He truly is in all His glory.  Jesus, as God, always had that glory before the world was formed but His followers had only seen Jesus the man.  God would return Him to His glory in heaven and He desired that His followers be with Him there.

(25) "O righteous Father, the world has not known You, but I have known You, and these have known that You have sent Me. (26) And I have declared to them Your name and will declare, that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them, and I in them."

Jesus lamented that the world had not known the Father, but of course He knew Him intimately, and He had taught His followers by His words and His actions the nature of God, and He would continue to guide them by the Spirit of truth, that they might be united to God and loved by Him because of an indwelling Savior.

Jesus's beautiful prayer in this chapter is a perfect model for our prayers.  He shows the utmost reverence for God and the tenderest love for man.  I can't help but contrast it to the prayers of the name it and claim it Word of Faith bunch who belligerently declare that they know God's will and demand it.  The only one who ever truly knew God's will was Jesus, and see how humbly He prayed with great respect and reverence.  It's true that Jesus made a way for us to be able to approach God, but we should always remember how holy and almighty and perfect He is, and what an unbelievable and undeserving gift it is that we even be allowed to ask of Him.  But God so loved the world that He gave us Jesus so that we could commune with Him again.