Category Archives: Bible Study

JOHN’S GOSPEL…IN THE BEGINNING -1

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John 1:1-2 NIV

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.”

John’s gospel, often called “the spiritual gospel”, is one of the richest sources on earth of both information and insight into the person of Jesus, the God-man. It is understood that John wrote his story years after the other three “synoptic” gospels which focus primarily on who He was and what He did on earth as a man. To Matthew…He was the king of the Jews, to Mark…the Servant of Yahweh, and to Luke…the Son of Man, but to John…Jesus is the Son of God. 

Even a superficial reading of John’s writing will show us that his record of Jesus’ life is different from the others. John must have taken time to ponder, and had experience of Jesus through the Holy Spirit that gave him much clearer insight than the earlier writers.

Jesus had promised…

“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.”

‭‭John‬ ‭16‬:‭12‬-‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

John’s theme was Jesus, the Son of God. Perhaps, during his exile on Patmos, he had gained the deeper insights of Jesus’ words and works through meditation, revelation, and prayer, which he used in his gospel to give us greater understanding of the divine nature of Jesus than we gain from the other gospels. 

So, John reaches back into the book of Genesis to explain the deity of the human Jesus. Jesus was much more than an unusual man who said and did amazing things. He was God! He was there with God before and when creation happened. Much more than that…He was the Father’s agent to make creation happen. 

“Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”

‭‭John‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

How did John know this? How could he have written these words  as fact with such confidence? Revelation! 

The book of Genesis tells us that the Holy Spirit was at work, brooding, like a hen incubating eggs, over the planet earth, bringing order out of chaos as God spoke. John adds that Jesus, the divine Son, was part of that creation event. He was and is the very Word in person that God uttered to bring the universe into being. 

All of this is a mystery to our finite minds. Since God’s Word is truth, we must receive this revelation by faith as the authoritative explanation of the holy Trinity’s combined involvement in creation.  

“By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

To the unbeliever, none of this makes sense so, he chooses to believe a theory more nonsensical than the Biblical record, that the entire universe, with all its beauty, intricacy, and complexity, came into being by chance!

The rest of John’s story can only make sense to us if it rests firmly on the foundation that Jesus’ interlude on earth was just that… It was a period in time in which Jesus set aside the privileges of His divine nature, was veiled and clothed in a human body, and lived among His people on earth to reveal the true nature of Father. 

Jesus was the bridge between heaven and earth. He said to Nicodemus…

“Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.”

‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭11‬-‭13‬ ‭NIV‬

As John’s story unfolds, his aim becomes clear. This man, Jesus, who had no beginning in time, no birth record, came into the earthly scene for one purpose. He came to redeem a broken humanity and to restore the Father’s alienated children to fellowship Him and to His predetermined purpose to be His forever family. 

“We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

John’s gospel was aimed at presenting all the evidence humans need to put our trust in Jesus and to live under His authority. Why? …Because He is who He said He is, He did what He came to do, and He rescues all who trust in Him, forgives their sin and allows them to enter the realm of His kingdom. 

John admitted that his record was incomplete but what he had written was sufficient to convince his readers that Jesus is God’s Son and that faith in Him gives them eternal life. 

“Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

‭‭John‬ ‭20‬:‭30‬-‭31‬ ‭NIV‬‬

So, God momentarily left heaven, came to earth as one of us, and revealed the majesty of the Father    and the power of the Spirit in His coming. 

To be continued…

SOME RAMDOM THOUGHTS…PRAISE – 11

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One last thought in this series is to understand the significance of praise. As the pinnacle of God’s creation, the greatest thing we can do on earth is to praise God perpetually and continually. 

From an ancient Hebrew perspective, praise is far more than mouthing our appreciation of God’s greatness and worth. Praise is the compass by which we set the direction of our lives. Let me explain. 

The Hebrew word “halal”, from which we get the word “hallelujah”, has an interesting meaning. 

“In Hebrew, halal (הָלַל) means to praise, boast, or shine brightly. It conveys a sense of exuberant or even “foolish” celebration and is a root word for “Hallelujah”. The meaning can also extend to shining or flashing forth light, which is seen in its use for heavenly bodies.” (Source – Google, article “meaning of halal in Hebrew”)

According to Jeff Benner, expert on paleo Hebrew…(source Google),

“The verb הלל (halal) means to “shine”as seen in Isaiah 13:10 – “and the moon shall not cause its light to shine”.

In ancient times, before the invention of navigation instruments, sailors would navigate by the light of the stars. They would follow the light which guided them to their destination. 

So, “halal” often refers to the “shining of a star”.

How did this come to be translated as “praise”? By association… Just as starlight guided the sailors, so the light of God’s glory which we contemplate and verbalise in our praise, guides His people towards their destiny. 

What is our destiny?

Our destiny, according to Paul, is to be transformed into the image of Jesus so that He and all who follow Him are alike in nature and character, and are members of His family. 

“For those God foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭29‬ ‭NIV‬‬

How does this happen? Again, according to Scripture, we become like what we love. Israel loved idols. As early in their history as their journey to the Promised Land, they were already in love with the idols of the nations they were to exterminate. 

“When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert; when I saw your ancestors, it was like seeing the early fruit on the fig tree. But when they came to Baal Peor, they consecrated themselves to that shameful idol and became as vile as the thing they loved.”

‭‭Hosea‬ ‭9‬:‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

(Baal Peor was the place where the Israelites worshiped the Midianite god, influenced by the prophet Balaam, in defiance of God’s commandment to have no other gods before Him). 

We become like whatever we give our attention to, be it good or bad. So, Paul shows us how we can become “like Him”. 

“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭3‬:‭18‬ ‭NIV‬‬

How do we contemplate His glory? By gazing at the “Morning Star”, the last bright star to be seen in the east before dawn. 

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭22‬:‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Jesus is called the “bright morning star” in Revelation 22:16 to signify his role as the light that ushers in a new day of salvation and eternal life.” (Source: Google). 

“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

So, to praise, “halal”, Yah, as in “hallelujah”, is a call to focus our attention, to gaze on or contemplate His glory, (everything that constitutes Jesus’ shining), through our contemplation and our words of adoration and worship. In this way, we set the course of our lives towards our destiny of becoming like Him. 

…and John assures us…

“Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭3‬:‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS…GOD’S GLORY – 10

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Before we move away from these random thoughts, the instruction of Scripture to seek God’s glory fascinates me. What is God’s glory and why is seeking His glory so important to us?

First, what is God’s glory? The Bible, from cover to cover, is full of this expression. 

“The biblical definition of the glory of God is the manifestation of His magnificent and weighty nature, including His splendor, majesty, and divine perfections. It is the visible expression of His power, holiness, and goodness, both in His divine presence and in His creation. Glorifying God means acknowledging His greatness and honoring Him through our actions and lives.” (source: Google…article “What does the glory of God mean in the Bible?”). 

God’s glory has significant implications for His children. Paul’s outburst of praise in Ephesians 1 and Romans 11 direct us to the first important considerations…

In Ephesians 1, Paul reveals the purpose of God’s mercy and grace through Jesus…

“Chosen” and “predestined to adoption as sons”…”to the praise of His glorious grace”. 

“Redemption through his blood”, “chosen to fulfil His plans”…”to the praise of His glory”. 

“Marked with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit”…”to the praise of His glory”. 

Everything God has done for humanity through Jesus is to reveal His glory beyond what we can see in nature, culminating in the glory of His redemptive plan and work through Jesus. We can only know the marvel of His grace through what Jesus did for us on the cross because of our sin. 

In Romans 9-11, Paul explains God’s purpose for His own people,  Israel, their falling away, to open the door of salvation for the Gentiles. He reveals, through His dealings with Israel, His mercy for Jew and Gentile alike through Jesus. 

“For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭11‬:‭32‬ ‭NIV‬‬

God’s glory is also revealed in His plan to save and unite Jew and Gentile into one family through the cross. 

“For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

With this amazing marvel of God’s grace, Paul concludes with an outburst of praise…

“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭11‬:‭33‬-‭36‬ ‭NIV‬‬

In heaven, there is a perpetual scene of worship, revealed to Isaiah in the Old Covenant… 

“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.””

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭6‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

…and to John on the Island of Patmos, the Holy Spirit revealed…

“Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!””

‭‭Revelation‬ ‭5‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Scripture tells us that everything God says and does in creation

is to reveal His glory through His creation. 

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭19‬:‭1‬-‭4‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Even if sinful humans refuse to acknowledge God, creation’s voice is never silent…

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭1‬:‭20‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This truth has implications for us… 

Since, according to the Westminster Shorter Catechism… ”Man’s chief end is to glorify God…”, how important it is to understand what “the glory of God” means so that we can adjust our lives to fulfil His purpose. 

All of natural creation glorifies God by doing what He made it to do. So, too, humans glory God when we do what He made us to do…

“…everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.””

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭43‬:‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

…with one important difference. He has given humans the freedom to choose. Nature glorifies God by design. Humans can choose to glorify God or not to glorify God by the way we live.  

One of the most important ways in which we glorify God is through worship. Is there a connection between worship and the glory of God? 

Google’s answer:

“Yes, worship and the glory of God are intrinsically connected; worship is the response to God’s glory, and the purpose of worship is to give God glory. Worship is seen as the exaltation of God’s majesty, power, and holiness, and it is considered a response of reverence and adoration that acknowledges God’s worth.”

Worship is not only the purposeful act of giving God glory in verbal expression. Worship is also the way we conduct our lives that reflects His glory in what we say and do. The most basic of words and behaviour must intentionally reflect Him. 

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭31‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Second, why is God’s glory so important to us?

Again, says Google, in answer to the question …”Why is God’s glory important to humans?”

“God’s glory is important to humans because it provides the ultimate source of truth, joy, and purpose, while revealing his wonder and goodness. By experiencing and reflecting God’s glory, humans can find contentment and security, as it fulfills the inherent desire for something greater than themselves and aligns them with God’s ultimate goal.”

I believe that God’s glory is even more important to us than finding “contentment and security” or “fulfilling the inherent desire for something greater than themselves”. 

People are only “fully human” when we fulfil the purpose for which God created us.  “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. “(Westminster Shorter Catechism). Anything less than that reveals that people are less than human. 

“Fully human” means man as he was created to be before he disobeyed God. He was made in God’s image to be like God, to have fellowship with God, and to live in harmony with God’s will. Only in this state can man enjoy God forever. 

Therefore, the more we align our lives with the nature of God and do the will of God, the more we will glorify God. The more we glorify God, the more we will experience the environment of heaven…the love, joy, and peace that produce the wellbeing of being “fully alive”, as Irenaeus stated…”The glory of God is man fully alive “

“St. Irenaeus famously said, “The glory of God is man fully alive.” To be fully alive is not merely to exist but to thrive in the freedom Christ purchased for us through His sacrifice. It means stepping out of the shadows of sin, fear, and inadequacy into a life marked by joy, purpose, and communion with God.” (source: Google)

So, God’s glory is the reason for creation and the purpose of all creation. Only when we choose to live in harmony with God’s purpose will we, by glorifying God, experience the fullness of being human.

Perhaps, Habakkuk’s declaration should be the zenith of all our thoughts and prayers and our passion…

“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”

‭‭Habakkuk‬ ‭2‬:‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS…RETALIATION -9

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In an earlier study, we explored the meaning of Jesus’ suffering. Let me recap.

Jesus was made like us. 

He was born with the nature of the first Adam, before he fell, that is, able to sin and able not to sin. Jesus is called “the last Adam”. 

“For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way…

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭2‬:‭16‬-‭17‬a NIV‬‬

Jesus suffered being tempted. 

To give in to temptation, that is, to act on His own instead of out of obedience to the Father, would have meant death…for Him and the human race. 

“Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭2‬:‭18‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus was tempted “in the flesh”, that is in His human nature. He was tempted to react to the way others treated Him by retaliating in some way, out of His emotions, out of insecurity, or in defence. However, Jesus never reacted to persecution by reflecting the words or actions back on those who insulted or abused Him. 

“Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body (His “flesh”, that is, in His human nature), arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭4‬:‭1‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus always chose to absorb the mistreatment by entrusting Himself to the Father’s justice. His defence was truth, not emotion. He used the Word of God to silence His accusers. 

Jesus taught His disciples how to deal with persecution. 

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5‬:‭11‬-‭12‬ NIV

His strategy to handle persecution was twofold. 

“When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

  1. He refrained from reacting. 
  2. He trusted the Father to vindicate Him. 

The Apostle Paul learned this lesson through hardship and persecution…he prayed for deliverance but God  said, “No!” 

“…Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me (the temptation to retaliate). Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭7‬-‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Paul turned hardship and persecution into celebration because thanksgiving in his suffering submitted ti the discipline, killed the desire to retaliate, and gave him power over his weakness. 

Now let’s apply these principles to our lives when we are tempted to react out if our fleshly nature to any kind of suffering, hardship, or persecution. . 

Since our sinful human nature always wants to reacts to any kind of suffering especially criticism or abuse, we will interpret such behaviour as rejection.  Our first natural reaction to rejection will be some form of retaliation. We will resort to self-defence or counter accusation to deflect the offence away from our injured “ego”. 

We can either compound the sin of our accuser by our own sinful counter-reactions or we can choose not to retaliate by absorbing the insults, accusations, criticism, without reaction. 

This way of non-retaliation depends on the way we view ourselves in the light of what God says about us. If we are secure in the love of God, we will not be moved by the opinions of others. If we depend on ourselves for self- preservation, we will be quick to retaliate, believing and absorbing the “poison” from others into ourselves and allowing it to damage our confidence in God. 

Once again, Jesus has given us the solution. Turn opposition into opportunity! Rejoice and be glad! The weapon of thanksgiving will immediately neutralise any temptation to retaliate. 

Thanksgiving is the language of faith. It turns our attention away from self to the Lord and defuses anger and resentment. God’s Word renews our minds with truth. Whatever God says about me is more real and powerful than any abusive language or behaviour thrown at me which is a lie and does not exist. 

This is “spiritual warfare” in essence, nullifying lies with truth, and taking the heat out of conflict by dousing the flames of emotion with the cool head of reality. What God has said carries far more weight than anything any person says and, best of all, God’s peace continues to reign in the heart. 

SOME RANDOM THOUGHTS…IN JESUS’ NAME – 8

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As part of their witness to Him, Jesus authorised His disciples  to pray in His name. 

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”

‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭12‬-‭14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This is huge! In a sense, Jesus gave His disciples a “blank cheque”, which He signed, with only one condition…in His name! If this was not an opportunity to satisfy any desire of their hearts regardless of whether it was good or bad simply by attaching the name of Jesus to the end of the prayer, what did He mean?

We can make any fragment of Scripture mean anything we like if we take it out of context, especially a promise like this one because it is so open-ended. 

We can use “in Jesus’ name” like a mantra…we think it will happen if we repeat it enough times. We can use “in Jesus’ name” like a radio call…”over and out”, or like a full stop at the end of a sentence, adding “amen” to complete the call. 

What did Jesus mean  when He authorised His disciples to pray “in His name”? The context of this promise will put it into its correct perspective. 

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”

Jesus’ mandate to His disciples was…”You will be my witnesses.” We have already discovered that being Jesus’ witnesses meant preaching the message, living the life, doing the works, and praying the prayers that would usher in God’s kingdom. 

This promise of Jesus, then, relates specifically to His works that were signs that God’s kingdom had come to the whole earth, not just to the Jews. 

Jesus assured His opponents who accused Him of casting out demons in the name of Beelzebub, the prince of demons…

“But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭12‬:‭28‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“In my name” was Jesus’ authorisation that His disciples were to do the miracles He did and more as signs that God’s kingdom had come, was among them, and in them…This power to do miracles was not a badge of office, a sign of privilege or special anointing, or even a way to intervene in people’s lives to fix what was wrong. 

This promise was also not for a special or favoured few. It was a mandate for all His disciples to go “in His name”. They were to preach “in His name”, to forgive sin “in His name”, to heal the sick and drive out demons “in His name”…all as a witness that Jesus is Lord and that His kingdom, His reign of justice, righteousness, and peace, had come to earth.  

“And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands;  and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

‭‭Mark‬ 16‬:‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus does not authorise healing campaigns for the sake of healing…”Come and get your miracle!” He authorises healing to authenticate the presence of God’s kingdom on earth.  

Any other use of “in Jesus’ name” is illegitimate. Jesus has no obligation to honour this promise outside of His mandate to be His witnesses. Conversely, He will always confirm His promise by acting on behalf of those who acknowledge His authority, believe His Word, submit to His authority, and speak and do the works that reveal the presence of God’s kingdom on earth. 

To pray “in Jesus’ name” is a solemn commitment to represent and be representatives of Jesus on earth by what we say, what we do, and how we behave. We are citizens of God’s kingdom on assignment as His ambassadors, to bring heaven to earth because we carry heaven’s presence in us wherever we go.