Monthly Archives: September 2026

34d BY THE WAY…WHAT DID JESUS ASK THE FATHER?

Bible Study, ,

Jesus’ final request is a lengthy, three-fold prayer for every person who would believe the message of the first disciples…

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

‭‭John‬ ‭17‬:‭20‬-‭26‬ ‭NIV‬‬

A. To be completely one…

The unity in His body, once again…was uppermost in Jesus’ mind…and one of the keys to the church’s powerful witness to the world

B. To see His glory…

Another significant factor in the transformation of His family into His image. 

“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

C. To know the Father’s love…

“…And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬-‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

There is nothing greater than to be secure in the Father’s love that will steady and safely steer God’s people through the dangers of living in a fallen world. 

Unity…Jesus’ glory…God’s love…there is nothing greater that Jesus has made possible…for us, His forever family, to experience and to enjoy now, and to take with us into our eternal home. 

So, Jesus’ heart’s desire reaches a climax in His prayer for His church. He reaches to the end of time, embraces His entire universal family, and places them in the Father’s hands…to bring His eternal plan to its perfect conclusion. 

Will Jesus’ prayer be answered? Its answer is already guaranteed because…

“…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

34c BY THE WAY…WHAT DID JESUS ASK THE FATHER?

Bible Study, ,

Third request…

“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.”

‭‭John‬ ‭17‬:‭17‬-‭19‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Sanctify? What does sanctify mean?

“In the Bible, to sanctify means to “set apart” or “make holy” for God’s special purpose. 

Key Meanings and Hebrew/Greek Roots

  • Hebrew (qadash): To be clean, consecrated, or dedicated to a holy use.
  • Greek (hagiazo / hagiasmos): To render or acknowledge as holy, or to experience holiness.
  • Core Action: It involves a two-part separation: turning away from sin and the world, and turning toward God for His service.” (Google AI)

“The GotQuestions.org Guide to Sanctification outlines three distinct phases of how this works in a believer’s life: 

A. Positional Sanctification (Past):

  • A once-for-all standing.

Believers are instantly made holy and set apart in Christ the moment they believe. 

B, Progressive Sanctification (Present):

  • An ongoing, lifelong process.

The Holy Spirit helps believers grow in moral purity, overcome the power of sin, and become more like Jesus day by day. 

C. Ultimate Sanctification / Glorification (Future):

  • The final state when a believer            is completely freed from the  presence of sin upon Christ’s return.

“And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭30‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus not only asked the Father to set His disciples apart from sin to serve Him but He also revealed the means by which believers are set apart…by His Word. 

Once again, the Word of God plays a pivotal role in the daily lives of God’s people. David explained the process in a simple sentence…

“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭119‬:‭11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Two opposing thoughts cannot occupy the same space in the mind at the same time. Just as the truth of God’s love drives out fear, so also the truth of God’s holy standards and our present state of holiness drives out sin. 

According to the Word of God, God uses three methods by which He sets us apart from sin to Himself…

The Word…the revelation of who He is, who we are, and what He requires of us…

The Word exposes the nature of sin in us, and calls us to repentance and death to self. 

“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”

‭‭John‬ ‭17‬:‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The Spirit…His power at work in us, through the Word, transforming us from within…

“But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.”

‭‭2 Thessalonians‬ ‭2‬:‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The trials and hardships which He uses to discipline us…i.e.,  “suffering in the flesh”.

“Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.”

‭‭I Peter‬ ‭4‬:‭1-2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“In 1 Peter 4:1, “suffering in the flesh” means enduring the inner struggle and external hardship of saying no to your selfish desires so you can obey God, just as Jesus did. 

The Meaning Behind the Phrase

  • Christ’s Example: Jesus lived in a human body and faced every kind of temptation. He fought hard against sin in His mind and chose God’s will over His own comfort and desires.
  • The Inner Battle: When you decide to follow Jesus, your human nature (“the flesh”) still wants to do wrong things. Saying “no” to these selfish cravings causes an inner pain or spiritual friction. This mental fight to deny sin is what it means to suffer in the flesh.
  • Ceasing from Sin: As noted by GotQuestions, the phrase “has ceased from sin” does not mean you become a flawless, sinless person. Instead, it means you make a clean, decisive break with your old, sinful lifestyle. You stop living to please yourself and start living to please God.” (Source: Google AI)

“Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?…Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭7‬, ‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This sanctifying work of God is not step-by-step but rather a slow , ongoing,  integrated process between the Word, the Spirit, and the disciplines we suffer…so that we, with our eyes on what God is doing, cooperate with the Father rather than kick against the circumstances the Master Potter uses as He patiently works on us to restore in us the image of His Son. 

“Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Instead of fighting our circumstances, how much better to submit to the Father with confidence, believing the truth that…

“…In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 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 ‭8‬:‭28‬-‭29‬ ‭NIV‬‬

34b BY THE WAY…WHAT DID JESUS ASK THE FATHER?

Bible Study, ,

We continue our exploration of Jesus’ high priestly prayer in John 17…

“I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours…I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.”

‭‭John‬ ‭17‬:‭9‬, ‭11‬ ‭NIV

Second request…

After acknowledging that the Father has entrusted His disciples to Him…and that He  had faithfully protected them and revealed the Father to them…Jesus gave them back into the Father’s care and protection in His prayer…in preparation for His departure. He took nothing for granted. 

Jesus knew that the twelve men He had given time and attention to during the years He had spent with them, would be alone and vulnerable…. So, He gave them back to the Father with words of confidence and commitment. He didn’t leave them…abandoned… in a hostile world…to find their own way. They belonged to God. He would make sure that they would always be in His Father’s care. 

This tender transfer of responsibility is a window into the heart of Jesus. These men were fragile…vulnerable…and precious. He was not about to walk away without making careful plans for them…not that the Father was unaware of their situation but that Jesus and the Father were in partnership to guard these men because He loved them and because He had chosen them to be the bridge between Himself and the fulfilment of His mission. 

Jesus had done everything to mold them into a unit. This oneness would be the badge of their union with Himself. He entrusted them to the Father to keep them safe from the influences that would disturb their unity. 

“My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.”

‭‭John‬ ‭17‬:‭15‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus was fully aware that the most treacherous enemy of His disciples was not what hostile people could do to them, but what they could do to themselves and to one another if they allowed their sinful “flesh” to control them. So, His prayer for their protection centred, not on how other people could harm them, but on the potential for evil within themselves. 

It’s unfortunate that the translators missed the impact of the Greek word “poneros”, letting it land on “the evil one” rather than on its primary meaning…from its root, “ponos” meaning “anguish”. “Evil” here (and in the Lord’s Prayer) has to do with the effects of evil…rather than the perpetrator…the anguish they could cause if they hurt one another. There is another word for evil, “kakos”, that refers to the person who is evil and can be used for “evil one” or evil person”. 

Let that sink in! Jesus was not concerned about what people in the world could do to them. He was concerned about the damage to His body that evil, and especially disunity,  could do. Disunity was the fruit of words and attitudes that their sinful nature could produce if they were not aware of the danger within. 

Paul, in his interaction with new believers in the churches he founded, dealt thoroughly and continually with the issue of the flesh. He has felt its power in his own life (Romans 7), learned the secret of overcoming (Romans 6, 8), and warned his readers of effects of the flesh if they did not put the old sinful nature to death in their own lives and in their dealings with one another in the body of Christ. 

Paul gave the Galatians a long list of attitudes and behaviour that ruin people and relationships when the flesh is allowed control…

“The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭19‬-‭21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Jesus was also not concerned about Satan and what he could do to His followers. He knew that Satan’s most powerful ally was within their hearts. They were the ones who could cause their own destruction. 

God’s protection is not imposed from without. His power is in…the power of His name. 

What is meant by “the power of God’s name”?

“The power of God’s name represents His divine authority, presence, and essential character made accessible to believers. 

Core Meanings in Scripture

  • Identity and Essence: In biblical times, a name (shem in Hebrew) was not just a label; it represented the actual character, reputation, and presence of a person. 
  • Divine Authority: God defines His own identity (such as “I AM WHO I AM”), meaning His name carries the full weight of His creator power and sovereignty. 
  • The Name of Jesus: In the New Testament, the name of Jesus is described as the name above all names, representing salvation, healing, and the direct presence of God with His people. 

How the Power is Expressed

  • A Strong Tower: Proverbs 18:10 describes God’s name as a fortified tower where the righteous run and find safety. 
  • Answered Prayer and Action: Believers are given the authority to pray, serve, and invoke miracles in Jesus’ name, which brings His active power into a situation. 
  • Reverence: Honoring the name reflects an attitude of awe, holiness, and submission to God’s authority rather than trying to use His name as a magic formula.” (Google AI)

How important, then, that the unity between the disciples first, and then between every other person in the body of Christ throughout time, be guarded and protected. This unity is a powerful and effective witness to the world that it is Jesus, sent by the Father, and living in His people, who alone can reconcile and bring people together in true unity. 

So, Jesus included every believer throughout all time in His prayer for protection and unity. 

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

‭‭John‬ ‭17‬:‭20‬-‭23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Unity would be the target and the victory when the sinful is either in control or overcome through God’s nature being formed in them. 

34a BY THE WAY…WHAT DID JESUS ASK THE FATHER?

Bible Study, ,

Let’s put ourselves into the actual scene in the upper room just hours before Jesus was arrested. He is talking to His disciples about the Holy Spirit…His coming and  His ministry in them after Jesus’ departure. Then Jesus begins to talk to the Father…right there…in their presence…while they listened! He’s pouring out His heart…to the Father…about the most pressing things on His mind before He left His beloved friends… before He went to the cross. So, what did He say?

When we unpack this long prayer, Jesus said much but asked the Father for little. His requests were interspersed with many words, confirming His obedience to the Father, and expressing His loving relationship with the Father and His utmost confidence in the Father’s love and commitment to Hi, His Son. 

“After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you.”

‭‭John‬ ‭17‬:‭1‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.”

‭‭John‬ ‭17‬:‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

First request…”Glorify me…”

“Restore to me the same glory I shared with you in our divine nature before I set it aside to become a man.”

Jesus didn’t shed His divine glory. He veiled it in human flesh, choosing not to act as God but to act as a human under the Father’s authority and power through the Holy Spirit. 

“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭6‬-‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Now, after the cross, He was ready to resume His glorified position with the Father…but first, one more test!

Since Jesus was the mirror image of His Father, the time had come for this truth to be tested. Would He remain true to His divine nature in His humanity, under the severest trial a human could ever undergo? How would He navigate the suffering for which He had come to earth without sin?

What would that test be? What was the suffering He was to endure that would try, to the limit, His commitment to free His people from the guilt and penalty of sin?

Hebrews tells us that His suffering was specifically concentrated in His temptation. What He was reported to do during His physical and mental suffering through the cross, encapsulated His entire life on earth as a human. This was what He overcome through His death on the cross. 

“But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭2‬:‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Death, for Jesus, was the culmination of what He suffered. The temptation that He endured and overcame by the process by which he died, qualified Him to be our Saviour from sin and our eternal high priest…

“During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him…”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭5‬:‭7‬-‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

His greatest suffering, therefore, according to Hebrews, lay in overcoming what He was tempted to do…

“Because he himself suffered when he was tempted (scrutinised, enticed, examined, proved), he is able to help those who are being tempted.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭2‬:‭18‬ ‭NIV‬‬

It seems, then, that we share the same temptation as Jesus in our humanity and…this specific  suffering carries the weight of everything we suffer as humans. 

What was the suffering?

Peter answers that question for us…

“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” 

The sin that would have disqualified Him would have come from His mouth…what He said…not what He did. 

“…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. “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭22‬-‭24‬ ‭NIV‬‬

He said nothing!

Now , let’s examine the implications of Peter’s statement. 

Jesus’ entire life was marked by antagonism, opposition, misrepresentation, false accusations, ridicule, insults and abuse, all of which were designed to cancel Him as a person. These expressions of contempt culminated in a trial, conducted by the highest religious court of the land, that reached the zenith of injustice. 

Jesus was the God-man. He was the Word of God. He could have opened His mouth and spoken words that would have obliterated His judges forever…and vindicated who He was but…He said nothing. 

“He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.”

‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭53‬:‭7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Why did Jesus not defend Himself in the face of such terrible injustice? Of course, we know that He had to die but…didn’t He have the right to defend Himself? Instead, He absorbed every word spoken against Him without retaliating.  

There is something deeply embedded in Jesus’ silence that has meaning for us as well. 

Writing to slaves, Peter said this…

“For God is pleased when, conscious of his will, you patiently endure unjust treatment. Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you. For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2‬:‭19‬-‭21‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I think this is what Paul meant when he said…

“And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Suffering in silence in the face of injustice without retaliating is the most powerful way of showing our submission to and trust in the Father and our allegiance to Jesus… just as Jesus did under severe pressure. 

“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

Consider these words…

“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭18‬:‭21‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Is His humanity, in the most extreme suffering, Jesus refused to push back against His accusers. He left His case in God’s hands…and was thoroughly vindicated. 

…and, if we are to share His glory, so must we!

33 BY THE WAY…WHAT DOES “UNDER GOD’S WINGS” MEAN?

Bible Study, ,

Without an understanding of the Hebrew language…and it is possible to glean some knowledge from reading and research…we would develop a mental picture of God that is unreal and even grotesque. 

However, to enhance God’s covenant relationship with Israel, He gave them instructions that would help them to understand, from the symbolism, how He and they would relate to each other…remembering that God always desired closeness and trust. 

So, God instructed His people to attach tassels to the corners of their outer garment.  This was, in ancient times, a poncho-like cloak which served as a covering by day and a blanket at night. 

“In biblical times, a tallit was not a separate prayer shawl like it is today, but rather an everyday four-cornered outer garment or cloak worn by Israelites…” (Google AI)

In modern times, the cloak has morphed into a “prayer shawl” with tassels on the corners that have the same meaning as the  tassels on the ancient cloaks. Since the Israelites understood their world and its conceptual realities mainly through their senses…and expressed in their language… God used pictures and symbols to form their understanding of who He was in His relationship to the world and to them. 

For example…He commanded them to tie His laws to their thoughts and actions, to teach them to their children, and to practice them in their homes. 

“And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”

‭‭Deuteronomy‬ ‭6‬:‭6‬-‭9‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Israelites took this command literally by tying phylacteries (small, black, leather boxes containing specific laws written on strips of parchment) on their foreheads and wrists, and nailed to the doorposts of their houses. 

Since the Jews wore their cloaks (called a “tallit”) as a daily covering, the tassels on the corners were to be a constant reminder of the specifics of their faith. 

Let’s examine the meaning of the tassels…(tzitzit) which they were to fasten to the corners of their cloaks. 

Tassels were to be woven of white threads interwoven with blue threads…

“Tzitzit traditionally consist of white and specific blue-dyed threads, symbolizing purity, remembrance of God’s commandments, and the heavenly throne…” 

“Meaning of Tzitzit Colors

  • White: Represents purity, sincerity, peace, and Divine benevolence (chesed). Most tzitzit strings are white to match the main prayer garment (tallit).
  • Blue (Tekhelet): The Torah commands including a specific blue/violet thread in each tassel. This shade—traditionally linked to an ancient sea snail dye called the chilazon—resembles the sea, the clear sky, and God’s holy throne.
  • Symbolic Purpose: Looking up at the blue thread is meant to draw the mind upward to spiritual duties, reminding the wearer of the commandments and helping to resist temptation.”

(Source: Google AI)

Each tzitzit had five knots, representing the five books of the  Torah…and four spaces between the knots, representing the four letters…YHJH…in God’s name. This pattern was to remind the wearers that they lived under the authority of God’s name and His Word. 

The corners of the tallit were called the “kanaph” which derived its meaning, in each case, from the context. The kanaph on the tallit, was translated as “corners” or, alternatively, ”wings”, for example…

“He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings…(“kanaph”…meaning “the extremity”of a wing or an army); His faithful promises are your armor and protection.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭91‬:‭4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings (again…, “kanaph”). And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture.”

‭‭Malachi‬ ‭4‬:‭2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Was this the promise the woman with the issue of blood believed when she touched the “hem” of Jesus’ garment? Luke used the Greek word translated “fringe” or “hem” which can also mean “tassell”, a more likely translation given the instruction from God. 

Now let’s examine the implication of the symbolism. 

Three words…tallit…kanaph…tzitzit  would have deep symbolic meaning for each wearer. The tassels (tzitzit) on the corners (kanaph) of the cloak (tallit) were a constant reminder that they were covered by the God of heaven whose name and word were the promise of His covenant. 

Now let’s look at some of the most beautiful words written in Scripture. 

Ruth was a non-Israelite, a Moabite who was the widow of an Israelite man. She chose to remain with Naomi, her mother-in-law…

“But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!”

Ruth chose Yahweh, the God of Israel as her God in place of her Moabite pagan idols. She was commended by Boaz, Naomi’s relative, for her faithfulness to Naomi and to Naomi’s God. 

“May the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge, reward you fully for what you have done.”

‭‭Ruth‬ ‭2‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

By her choice, Ruth had come under the same covenant protection as every Israelite who wore the tallit with its tassels. 

Let us never again read “wings” as literal but rather as the deep meaning of the covering and protection of God’s name and Word the Israelites attached to their outer garment when they wrapped it around themselves each day. 

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