Tag Archives: Jesus Christ

Nov 4 2012

Week 43 summary posted

Cenchrea, Greece. Eastern harbor of Corinth

Before continuing to wind up the book of Acts, we continue this week with the Corinthian letters.  We’ll be in 2 Corinthians in the latter part of the week.  Paul’s love for the brethren at all of the churches he spent time with is obvious when we read his inspired letters.  The Corinthian letters are special, though, as that love comes through in his concern for their souls.  The apostle had to address all manner of issues with the brothers and sisters at Corinth – from envy and division to sexual immorality, and much more.  These two letters are without question a large part of the “meat and potatoes” of Christian worship and living.  Among the many subjects he covers in this week’s reading are the Lord’s Supper, and the Resurrection of the dead.

Summing Up

Each weekend, I am now posting a small PDF of one week of chapter summaries (on the website’s “Summaries” page), current to the beginning of the previous week.  I have posted the summary for Week 43 (October Week 4) of the schedule I am following.  This short PDF document contains condensed comments about Acts 17, 18, 1 Thessalonians 1, 1 Thess 4, and 1 Thess 5, with hyperlinks to the ESV version of each chapter for listening or reading, and joins the summaries for other weeks already posted there.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
image © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Oct 10 2012

James 1 – Testing of Your Faith

A house in old Jerusalem today, a reminder of Bible-time houses

We break away for the next two readings from the book of the Acts of the Apostles to the book of James.  The majority of scholars believe that this epistle was written by James, the Lord’s brother – rather than John’s brother, who was the first of the apostles to be martyred (likely beheaded) in Acts 12:1-2 about 14 years after Jesus’ resurrection.  According to the historian Josephus (“Antiquities of the Jews“, Book 20, Chapter 9, 1), James the Lord’s brother was stoned; and the historical accounts surrounding that event allow his death to be reliably dated around 62 A.D.  The book is only 5 chapters long, but its wisdom and encouragement of faith has been written about in many volumes (James is often called the “Proverbs of the New Testament”).

Verses 2-4 are a perfect example of the way that James so beautifully reminds of the teachings of Jesus (Matthew 5:11-12).  The trials to which James refers are both the temptations of sin, and the adversities that one faces in this world due to hardship, persecution, and sometimes even tragedy.  Macarthur noted that it is these trials “which Satan persistently uses to try to make Christians doubt they are indeed God’s children and fellow heirs with Jesus Christ.”  As verses 13-15 remind us, God does not bring misfortune or temptation upon us.

The phrase “let steadfastness have its full effect” recognizes that we have a choice.  We can “throw in the towel,” giving in to temptation or deciding that there is no point – no hope – in our faith.  But if we face even the afflictions that bring pain into our lives with the determination to persevere and remain faithful to the Lord, we gain strength and the patience of courageous endurance that brings us closer to the perfection that Jesus taught us in Matthew 5:48.

The wisdom to bear these burdens and to know how to persevere is available simply for the asking.  But one must have faith, and this means learning to trust in the Lord, and not in the world or in our own capability.  That does not mean that there is no need for action on our part.  Neither does it mean that God will instruct us specifically on every decision we make it life.  It means that He will give us what we need to know in order to bear our burdens, escape from temptation, and learn the divine truth of the way to our salvation.

Covetousness and the rich man, a story Jesus told — Luke 12: 15-21

Satan uses the “double-mindedness” that James refers to in verse 8 in other ways as well.  Verses 9-11 refer to different mind-sets of Christians in regard to wealth or the lack of same.  Those in humble circumstances are not forsaken by God, and the wealthy are not blessed by God.   Barclay noted that “…the great peril of riches is that they tend to bring to a man a false sense of security. He feels that he is safe; he feels that he has the resources to cope with anything; he feels that he can buy anything he wants, and buy himself out of any situation which he may wish to escape or to avoid.”   We are reminded in Luke 12:15-21 of the brevity of life, and the poverty of a different sort that awaits those who value the wrong things in life.  Conversely, verse 17 assures us that “every good gift and every perfect gift is from above.”   So we must never neglect giving thanks to Him for any good thing that comes to us.

The chapter concludes in verses 19-27 with the admonition that hearing (or reading, for that matter) is not enough if one does not do as the word of God says.  One must stay unstained from the world, and a big emphasis is placed on keeping the tongue bridled.  Verses 19-20 (be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger) remind us of  Ecclesiastes 5:2,  Proverbs 10:19 and Proverbs 14:29.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Sep 21 2012

Luke 24 – On the Road to Emmaus

(Note: for a summary of the events of this chapter from the resurrection at dawn to Jesus’ first appearances to Mary Magdalene and the other women, please see post at this link.  After the resurrection, Jesus – as He had told the disciples in Matthew 26:32 that He would meet them there – would be with them at the Sea of Galilee, and at a mountain there that He directs them to.  But several other events occur before and after this, the details of which are interspersed throughout the gospels in Matthew 28 and John 20.  And events in a single chapter are in some cases separated by days, and even weeks, as Jesus remained for forty days before the ascension.)

El Kubeibeh, also spelled el-Qubeibeh, is the most likely, of the four traditional sites, as the site of Bible-time Emmaus, on the road to which Jesus appeared to Cleopas and a friend after his resurrection

It is still Sunday, the day that Jesus rose; and two of His disciples were traveling to the village of Emmaus.  One was named Cleopas, but we do not know the name of the other.  We are told in verse 16 that “their eyes were kept from recognizing him” when Jesus drew near.  When He asks them about the conversation they are having, the two men proceed to tell him about Jesus of Nazareth.  They speak of how great he was, how the chief priests and rulers condemned and crucified him.  And now, they say, some women of their company had been to his tomb and found it empty – a fact which others confirmed!  They are clearly distressed.

Jesus then gave them a mild rebuke for being slow to believe what the prophets had spoken.  He then interpreted Scriptures from Moses and the prophets concerning the Christ.   As they reached the village, they urged him to stay with them, as the evening would be coming soon.  He blessed and broke bread with them, and it was at this point that their eyes were opened and they recognized him.  Jesus then vanished from their sight.

That very hour, they went back to Jerusalem and found the eleven, who confirmed to the two traveler’s that yes, Jesus has risen (verse 34) and has appeared to Simon (Peter).  No details here or in the other three gospels are given of that appearance to Peter (although Paul does speak of it in 1 Corinthians 15:5). But given Peter’s intense grief over his denial of Jesus, it was important to reach him quickly; and it was important to get to the rest of the eleven this day as well.

In the 40 days from His resurrection to his ascension to heaven, Jesus appeared many times to His disciples.

Jesus then entered while the men were talking, and they were frightened, as if He was a spirit.  He had them touch him, and even ate some fish in front of them – spending some time to assure them both that he was a living man, and the same Jesus they had known.  He then opened their minds to the Scriptures concerning Him.  Jesus then tells them a bit about the witness they will bear to the world in the great commission, but he says they must stay in Jerusalem until they are “clothed with power from on high” (the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts).  When He tells them to stay in Jerusalem, he means after he is gone.  They will be with him at the Sea of Galilee (John 21:1), and on a mountain in Galilee that He has directed them to (Matthew 28:16) before his ascension.  Galilee is three days journey from Jerusalem.

Bethany is about two miles east of Jerusalem, on the east slope of the Mount of Olives.

Luke records Jesus’ ascension to heaven (at the end of forty days) in verses 50-53, as he leads them from Jerusalem to Bethany.  We are told in verses 52-53 that they “returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God.”

Side note: Why did Jesus appear to them in Jerusalem, when He knew that they would meet Him in Galilee – and He had told Mary Magdalene and other disciples as well?  Peter and the other apostles, as well as many other disciples (witness the “road to Emmaus account) were grief-stricken, traumatized, and even afraid for their own lives (John 20:19).  Two very well-written articles that deal with this subject can be found here and here.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Sep 20 2012

John 21 – Jesus Appears to the Other Disciples

In this final chapter of John’s gospel, Jesus appears to seven of the disciples that have gone fishing on the Sea of Tiberias (Sea of Galilee).  Appearing to them 100 yards from shore at daybreak, they did not recognize Him until they cast their net out where He told them – and then were unable to haul it in, so great was the catch (verse 6).  John must have at once been reminded of the similar incident in Luke 5:4-6, as he exclaimed to Peter that “It is the Lord!”  Peter, impulsive as usual, jumps in to swim to shore while the others drag the fish with the boat.  Jesus had a fire going, and was cooking them breakfast.  There have been many attempts to make some symbolic interpretation of the number of fish they caught (153) in verse 11, but fishermen naturally counted their fish before taking them to market.  Verse 12 is simply an indication that even though they knew this was Jesus, the disciples were still getting used to the fact that He was alive again.

Verses 15-19 make up the “feed my sheep” conversation between Jesus and Peter.  Much has been written and discussed about the two different Greek words for love (agape and phileo) that are in the text.  But the two words are used interchangeably in the book of John, and even throughout the Septuagint.  It is no more valid to make something different of this than the two different words this very same text uses for “feed” and even “sheep.”  There are only two things of significance.  One is that Peter denied Jesus three times; and though it grieved Peter (verse 17) that Jesus asked him whether He loved Him a third time, Jesus knew that it would also be somewhat of a comfort to Peter later.  The command to him to “feed my sheep” came from “the Good Shepherd” Himself (John 10:11,14) for Peter and the other apostles, and is carried forward to all elders to “shepherd the flock of God that is among you” (1 Peter 5:1-4, Acts 20:28).  With verses 18-19, Jesus foretells Peter’s being bound and led to his own crucifixion.

As this gospel wraps up, “the disciple whom Jesus loved” wants us to know that Jesus did so much more while He was here than was written about.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Sep 19 2012

John 20 – Jesus Appears to Thomas

(Note: for a summary of the events of this chapter from the resurrection at dawn to Jesus’ first appearances to Mary Magdalene and the other women, please see post at this link.  After the resurrection, Jesus – as He had told the disciples in Matthew 26:32 that He would meet them there – would be with them at the Sea of Galilee, and at a mountain there that He directs them to.  But several other events occur before and after this, the details of which are interspersed throughout the gospels in Matthew 28 and John 20.  And events in a single chapter are in some cases separated by days, and even weeks, as Jesus remained for forty days before the ascension.)

In the evening of the day of the resurrection, verse 19 tells us, the disciples had the doors locked where they were “for fear of the Jews.”  But Jesus comes and stands among them.  This is not to imply that the risen Lord was now some disembodied spirit.  But a locked door was certainly no challenge to the Lord, who had raised the dead.  He showed them His hands and His side’ and in verses 21-23, John gives his account of a foretaste of the Holy Spirit to come to them when He leaves.   Verse 23 confirms what He told them in Matthew 18:18.

English: The Incredulity of Saint Thomas by Ca...

English: The Incredulity of Saint Thomas by Caravaggio. Found at http://www.christusrex.org/www2/art/images/carav10.jpg. Category:Artistic portrayals of Jesus Category:Images of paintings (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The “doubting Thomas” verses are next as Thomas was not with the others on the above occasion.  When the others told Thomas they had seen the Lord, he said “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”  Eight days later, Jesus again enters where they are locked in and He has Thomas do exactly those things.  When Thomas acknowledges Him as the Lord, Jesus says “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Though there still remains one chapter in the gospel of John, he ends this chapter by stating that Jesus did many wondrous things that were not written in his gospel.  But he says it was written “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Sep 17 2012

Matthew 27 – The Crucifixion of Jesus

When morning came, the Sanhedrin had Jesus taken to Pilate.  When Judas saw that Jesus was condemned, he had a change of heart, and took the thirty pieces of silver back to them, saying that he had betrayed innocent blood.  But they are unimpressed.  So he threw it down in the temple and went and hanged himself.  Remorse, as we see, does not always include repentance.  The Sanhedrin has no problem with lies and the murder of an innocent man, but they want no part of this blood money, so they use it to buy a potter’s field.  The scripture that this fulfilled, referred to in verses 9-10, is from both Jeremiah 19:1-13 and Zechariah 11:11-13.

Jesus answers Pilate’s question of whether He was a king, but remains silent about the charges against Him.  We find in verse 20 that the chief priests and elders persuaded the people to choose Barabbas when Pilate offered to free one of them.  Fearing a riot, Pilate resigns himself to the will of the crowd, but uses the physical act of washing hands to declare his innocence of “this man’s blood.”  “Having scourged Jesus” is mentioned in passing, but this Roman form of flogging was anything but incidental.  It was a brutally painful beating with a whip weighted with sharp pieces of bone and metal. It was designed to lacerate, often exposing bone and intestines.  Crucifixion was an agonizing and tortuous death, but this beating would be equally painful.  An article about this scourging can be found at this link.

One traditional site of Golgotha is this hill with hollow eye sockets to look like the place of the skull. Another traditional site is in present-day Jerusalem, which in Jesus’ time was just outside the wall. It is called the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

He was mocked and spit upon, stripped and made to wear a crown made of thorns.  Then he was led away to be crucified.  They made a man named Simon of Cyrene to carry His cross, and when they reached Golgatha (which means Place of a Skull), they tried to give him wine mixed with gall (a very bitter herb that could also be poisonous) to drink.  It was intended to dull the sense of pain, but it was God’s will that He should suffer, and He refused.  As they crucified Him, “they divided his garments among them by casting lots” – referring to Psalm 22:18.  Verses 36-44 detail the continued derision, mocking and reviling inflicted on Him as He suffered.

Crucifixion was a slow and excruciatingly painful method of inflicting death, and their are many stories of the cruelty of Roman soldiers experimenting with different poses for crucified victims (Josephus, “Jewish War” 5.449–551).  Hanging by one’s arms caused great difficulty in breathing, only alleviated by the victim pushing up with their feet in order to take the weight off of the arms. But that caused severe pain in the feet, arms, legs, and back, making the exhausted victim slump down again, only to be barely able to breathe again. Finally, he would mercifully die of asphyxiation, if he had not already died as a result of the cumulative effects of the multiple physical traumas inflicted.

In verse 45, there was darkness all over the land from the 6th hour until the ninth hour (about noon to 3:00).  About the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” meaning, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”  This is from Psalm 22:1.  This is one of the most puzzling verses in the Bible.  Jesus knows what is happening, and why He is doing it. One explanation that has been posed is that because Jesus did in fact become sin, at this moment Jesus felt the presence of God turn away from Him as He was dying.  Jesus then gave up the spirit with another cry.

Then in verse 51, the curtain of the Temple was torn from top to bottom.  It was between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place, and was woven from 72 twisted plaits of 24 threads a piece. It was 60 feet high and 30 feet wide. No one was allowed to enter the Most Holy Place behind the curtain except the high priest, and then only on the Day of Atonement.  Being torn in two represents the removal of the separation between God and the people.  A high priest was no longer needed – Jesus is our high priest now.  More elaboration of this event, and what it symbolized, is in Hebrews 9:11–10:22.  Then the earth shook (Palestine sits on a major seismic rift), rocks were split, and tombs were opened.  As Matthew often groups events together topically, he then jumps ahead here in verse 53 to events after the resurrection, as many of the saints were raised and came out of the tombs to appear to many in the city.  We are not told whether they were taken to heaven after these eyewitnesses received these visits.  But clearly, God wanted many witnesses to understand the profoundly momentous significance of what had happened.

In verse 57, a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph came to Pilate that evening to request Jesus’ body.  He took the body and wrapped it in a linen shroud and placed it in his own tomb.  This fulfilled Isaiah 53:9.  Then he rolled a big stone in front of the entrance.  Then the chief priests, remembering how he had said that he would rise after 3 days, went to Pilate voicing their fears that Jesus’ disciples might come and steal the body.  So he gave them a guard of soldiers, and they sealed the tomb and stood guard.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Sep 11 2012

John 16 – Your Sorrow Will Turn into Joy

Jesus continues His farewell discourse in chapter 16, adding to His warning of the persecution they will face noting that they will be put out of the synagogues.  Then the shocking statement that people will kill His disciples in the belief that they serving God by doing so.  Indeed, one who will do that very thing (Saul of Tarsus) will become an apostle.

Jesus giving the Farewell discourse to his ele...

Jesus giving the Farewell discourse to his eleven remaining disciples, from the Maesta by Duccio, 1308-1311. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

He acknowledges their coming sorrow that He is leaving, but says that He must go for the Helper – the Holy Spirit – to come and guide them.  “And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment” – means that many who do not believe will be given hope because of their repentance.  In verse 21, Jesus makes the analogy of a woman giving birth (“she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world”).  The statement that their sorrow will turn into joy means that once Jesus is resurrected and the Holy Spirit comes, their full realization of what has been born will replace their sorrow with joy (compare verses 20-21).

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Sep 10 2012

John 15 – I Am the True Vine

Green fields and vineyards grow in the area near Mamre, near Hebron, where Abraham once pitched his tent.

The vineyard references are deeply embedded in the Old Testament as a symbol for Israel, especially in two vineyard songs in Isaiah (Isaiah 5:1-7 and Isaiah 27:2-6).  But Israel failed in bearing fruit.  God as the vinedresser is taken from the first vineyard song.  In that passage, God is depicted tending His vineyard, but the vineyard produced wild grapes (unrighteousness).  Jesus is the true vine, and His disciples are the branches.   The fruit is the outward signs and effect on the world of the Christian life in those branches.  Those who do not bear fruit are not abiding in Jesus – not being true disciples, perhaps just going through some of the motions.  Verse 7 (“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you”) is another important point to remember about prayer – abiding in Him means that our prayers reflect His will.

As Jesus again commands them to love each other as He has loved them, He tells them they are His friends,not just servants; and because of that He has made known to them the things of the Father, and the Holy Spirit will come to guide them.  He also warns that just as He was persecuted they will also be persecuted.  The “word that is written in their Law” Jesus referred to being fulfilled in verse 25 comes from Psalm 69:4 and Isaiah 35:19.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Sep 9 2012

Jesus Farewell Discourse \ Week 35 summary posted

Jesus giving the Farewell discourse to his ele...

Jesus giving the Farewell discourse to his eleven remaining disciples, from the Maesta by Duccio, 1308-1311. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This week, we will read the last three chapters of John’s account of what is known as the Farewell Discourse (John 13-17) that we began last week.  Then, we will finish the week with the arrest and trial of Jesus.

Summing Up

Each weekend, I am now posting a small PDF of one week of chapter summaries (on the website’s “Summaries” page), current to the beginning of the previous week.  I have posted the summary for Week 35 (August Week 4) of the schedule I am following.  This short PDF document contains condensed comments about John 9, 11, Mark 10, 11, and Luke 20, with hyperlinks to the ESV version of each chapter for listening or reading, and joins the summaries for other weeks already posted there.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
image © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.

Sep 7 2012

John 14 – The Way, and the Truth, and the Life

Jesus continues His farewell discourse in this chapter by softening the blow a bit after having told His chosen ones that He is leaving them.  Verse 2 is translated in ways in some versions that confound the meaning.  The King James says it in such a way as to make people think they will have their own mansion in heaven.  The ESV (and NASB) simply says “In my Father’s house are many rooms (dwelling places),”  not intending to convey that space is small, but to drive home the point that we are going to live with God – not separated from Him.  Jesus is telling them that they will follow Him, and He will prepare a place for them.

Thomas points out that since they do not know where He is going, they do not know the way.  Jesus then said “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  In Acts 9:2, Christians are for the first time described as belonging to “The Way,” a term which is repeated in scripture as well as by secular historians (such as Josephus Flavius).  It is hard to imagine that the term did not come from these words of Jesus.

Six of Jesus’ disciples, later called apostles, or The Twelve

In verses 13-14, Jesus says “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”  We must remember first that other scriptures define prayer properly.  Secondly, in this age, a person’s name represented what that person was as a being – who they were, so to speak.  So praying in Jesus’ name means praying in a way consistent with His will and His character.

Jesus then offers more reassurance to His apostles in verses 15-28, as He confirms that He is one with the Father, and that He is going to Him.  But He will not leave them as “orphans.”  The promise of the Holy Spirit in these verses is for the apostles, not for us.  As those who He is sending, they will need the guidance of the “Helper” to speak His word and make the will of God known.  As His chosen ones, the Holy Spirit also help them remember all that He has told them.  But  Jesus says that He will no longer talk much with them.

The end is very near, but that end will be very much a new beginning.

Read or listen to audio of ESV version of this selection from this link.

/Bob’s boy
___________________
some images © V. Gilbert & Arlisle F. Beers

Please note: I did not design the reading plan that I am following in my blog.  All of my comments in this blog, however, are solely my responsibility.  When reading ANY commentary, you should ALWAYS refer first to the scripture, which is God’s unchanging and unfailing word. Reading schedules, as well as a link to the site where you can get the reading plan that I’m currently following for yourself can be found on the “Bible Reading Schedules” page of my website at http://graceofourlord.com.  For questions and help, please see the “FAQ” and “Summaries” pages there.