Foot washing- Love one another (John 13) By Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce

Foot washing- Love one another (John 13)

By Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce    

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts & Gospel music                                        2/5/2026

Scriptures reading John 13:1-38

Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him; Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel and girded himself. (vv.1-4).

 After that He poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. Them cometh he to Simon Peter and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. (vv.5-8). Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. (vv.5-10)…

Yet call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord; neither, he that is sent greater than he that sent him. (vv.13-16)

…Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me…He then lying on Jesus’ breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it? Jesus answered, “ He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of simon…(vv.21-26)…

Little children, yet a little while I am with you, ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you. A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye also love one another. (vv.33-35)…  

 In this Gospel, the first section, chapter 1-13, describes how the Lord as God Himself, as the Son of God, came through His incarnation to bring God into man that He might be man’s life for the producing of the church. The second section, chapter 14-21, describes how the Lord as the Son of Man went through His death and resurrection to bring man into God that man and God, God and man, might be built together as a mutual abode. This chapter 13 coming at the end of the first section is a dividing line and a turning point.  

Verse 4 the outer garments signify the Lord’ virtues and attributes in His expression. Hence, the laying aside of His outer garments signifies the putting off of what He is in His expression. “A towel” from a Latin word denoting a linen towel. To girded oneself signifies to be bound and restricted with humility (1Pet.5:5)

Verse 5 in Chapter 1-12 life came and brought forth the church, composed of the regenerated ones. In their spirit the regenerated ones are in God and in the heavenlies, but in their body they are still living in the flesh and walking on the earth. Through their contact with earthly things they often become dirty. This frustrates their fellowship with the Lord and with one another. Hence, there is the need for the washing with the Holy Spirit, the word, and life. This is the washing away of their dirtiness that their fellowship with the Lord and with one another may be maintained; it is not the washing away of their sins by the blood (1John1:9). This is why, after chapter 12, there is a need for such a sign in this chapter 13. Since this Gospel is a book of signs, what is recorded in this chapter should be considered a sign, having spiritual significance. Foot-washing should not be taken merely in a physical sense, but rather in a spiritual sense.

In ancient times the Jews wore sandals, and since their roads were dusty, their feet easily became dirty. If, when they came to a fest, they sat at the table and stretched out their feet, the dirt and the smell would certainly frustrate the fellowship. Hence, for the feast to be pleasant they needed foot-washing. The Lord washed His disciples’ feet to show them that He loved them to the uttermost (v.1), and He charged them to do the same to one another in love (vv.14,34). Today the world is dirty, and we, the saints, are easily contaminated. For us to maintain pleasant fellowship with the Lord and with one another, we need spiritual foot-washing-with the washing Holy Spirit, the washing word, and the washing life—carried out both by the Lord in His love and by one another in love. This is absolutely necessary in order for us to live in the fellowship of the divine life, which is revealed in John’s first Epistle, a continuation of the Gospel of John.

Verse 34 Jesus gave a new commandment, that “you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” The Greek word for commandment here is the same word as in Matt.5:19 and Rom.7:8,9,10,11,12,13. However, in Matt.5 and Rom. 7 it refers to the old commandments of the law in the Old Testament; here it refers to the new commandment given to us by the Lord in the New Testament. Also in 14:15,21; 15:10, 12; 1John 2:3,4,7,8;3:22,23,24;4:21;5:2,3;2John 4,5,6, it refers to the new commandment given to us in the New Testament, either by the Lord Jesus or by God. This new commandment is different from the old commandments in the Old Testament.

 

 

Bibliography,

Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie Study Bible (NIV).Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986. 

Roberts, Oral. Holy Bible (KJV) Tulsa, OK: Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association, Inc. 1981.

 

A corn of wheat – Christ released from shell increase many in resurrection (John 12:1-36) By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

A corn of wheat – Christ released from shell increase many in resurrection (John 12:1-36)

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Scriptures reading John Chapter 12 (KJV)  

Then Jesus six days before the Passover came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which had been dead, whom he raised from the dead. There they made him a supper; and Martha served: but Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him. Then Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. Then said one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, which should betray him, why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor? This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein. Then Said, Jesus, let her alone: against the day of my burying hath she kept this. For the poor always ye have w3ith you; but me ye have not always...(John 12:1-8 KJV)...Verily, verily, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone; but it if die, it bringeth forth much fruit. (John 12:24)...Now is the judgment of this world; now shall the price of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. (John 12:31-32)...Then Jesus said unto them, yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. (John 12:35-36KJV) I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. (John 12:46 KJV)

 

 

 In the John Chapter 12 Bethany means house of affliction. In this time, Jesus was outside Judaism. Through His resurrection life He had gained a house in Bethany where He could feast and have rest and satisfaction. This house of feasting was a miniature of the church life and depicted the situation of the church (1) produced by the resurrection life – Lazarus (11:43-44); (2) composed of cleansed sinners –Simon the leper (Mark 14:3); (3) outwardly afflicted ---Bethany; (4) inwardly feasting in and with the presence of the Lord (v.2); (5) having more sisters than brother(vv.2-3); (6) having members with different functions: serving Martha, testifying _Lazarus, and loving _Mary (vv.2-3); (7) spotted by the false one –Judas (v.4); (8) persecuted by religion (v.10); (9) being a test and exposing people (vv.6,10); and (10) bringing in many believers (v.11).

The Lord Jesus was a test to all those around Him. The chief priests and Pharisees conspired to kill Him (11:47, 53, 57), Simon the leper prepared his house for Him (Matt.26:6), Martha served Him, Lazarus testified concerning Him, Mary love Him (vv.2-3), Judas was about to betray Him(v.4), and many believed into Him (v.11). The Lord is the center of God’s economy and is a sign set up by God (Luke2:34). Anyone who contacts Him with inevitably be tested and exposed.

Verse 23 For Jesus as the Son of Man to be glorified was for Him to be resurrected, that is, to have His divine element, His divine life, released from within the shell of His humanity to produce many believers in resurrection (1 Pet.1:3), just as a grain of wheat (v.24) has its life element released when it falls in the ground and grows up out of the ground to bear much fruit, that is, to bring forth many gains.

Verse 24 According to the worldly view, Jesus was in His golden time. A great crowd of the Jews esteemed Him highly and welcomed Him warmly because of the resurrection of Lazarus (vv.12-19), and even the Greeks were seeking after Him (vv.20-22). But He preferred to fall as a grain of wheat into the ground and die that He might produce many grains for the church.

This “much fruit” became Christ’s increase in resurrection. This increase is the glory into which Christ entered through His death and resurrection (Luke 24:26). The portion from v.23 of this chapter to the end of chapter 17 is a discourse on the mystery of this glory. Christ had the glory with God (17:5). His incarnation caused His divine glory to be concealed in His flesh. Through His death and resurrection His glory was released, producing many grains, which become His increase as the expression of His glory. What was spoken in vv.23, 28; 13:31-32; 14:13; 15:8; 16:14; and 17:1, 4, 5, 10, 22, 24 is related to this glory. In the Lord’s last words to the believers in Chapter 14-16, there are three concrete, corporate expressions of this glory: The Father’s house (the church) in 14:2, the branches of the vine (the constituents of the Body of Christ) in 15:1-5, and a newborn corporate man (the new man) in 16:21. All three denote the church, showing that the church is the glorious increase produced by the glorious Christ through His death and resurrection. In this glorious increase, Christ, the Son of God, is glorified, causing God the Father also to be glorified in Christ’s glorification, that is, to be fully expressed through the church (Eph.3:19-21). This expression needs to be maintained in the oneness of the Triune God.

Therefore, the Lord prayed in particular for this matter in His concluding prayer in Chapter 17 (17:20-23). This glorious increase of Christ is the peak of the mystery revealed in the Gospel of John, and its ultimate consummation is the New Jerusalem in Revelation, also written by John. The new holy city will be the aggregate of Christ’s increase throughout the generations, and in it Christ’s divine glory will be expressed to the uttermost. In the glorifying of God the Son, God the Father also will obtain eternal, matchless glory, which will be His full expression in eternity. Thus His eternal economy will be fulfilled for eternity.   

Verse 25 the same Greek word as for life in 10:11, 15, 17. The Lord, as a grain of wheat that fell into the ground, lost His soul-life through death that He might release His eternal life in resurrection to the many grains. As the many grains, we also must lose our soul-life through death that we may enjoy eternal life in resurrection. This is to follow Him that we may serve Him and walk with Him on this way, the way of losing our soul-life and living in His resurrection as mentioned in v.26.

Verse 27 as a man, the Lord was troubled in His soul because of the death He was about to suffer. Hence, He prayed, “Father, save me out of this hour.” However, it must have been that in His spirit He realized that it was for the glorifying of the Father that He had come to that hour. This refers to the glorifying of the Father’s name in the next verse 28; to glorify the name of the Father is to cause the Father’s divine element to be expressed. The Father’s divine element, which is the eternal life, was in the incarnated Son. The shell of the Son’s incarnation had to be broken through death that the Father’s divine element, the eternal life, might be released and expressed in resurrection, just as the life element of a grain of wheat is released by the breaking of its shell and is expressed by its blossom. This is the glorification of God the Father in the Son.  

            Verse 31 On the cross the Lord as the Son of Man (v.23) was lifted up in the form of the serpent (3:14), that is in the likeness of the flesh of sin (Rom.8:3). Satan as the old serpent (Rev.12:9;20:2). The ruler of this world (the prince of this world) had injected himself into man’s flesh. Through His death on the cross in the likeness of the flesh of sin, the Lord destroyed Satan, who is in man’s flesh (Heb.2:14). By judging Satan (16:11) in this way, the Lord also judged the world, which is hanging on Satan. Hence, the Lord’s being lifted up caused the world to be judged and its ruler, Satan, to be cast out. “World” The Greek word here means arrangement (1 John2).

           The World is an evil system arranged systematically by Satan. All the things on the earth, especially those related to mankind, and all the things in the air have been systematized by Satan into his kingdom of darkness to occupy people and frustrate them from accomplishing the purpose of God, and to distract them from the enjoyment of God. This evil system, the kingdom of darkness, was judged when its ruler, Satan, was cast out by the Lord being crucified in the flesh.

Verse 32 in one aspect, the Lord’s death was His falling into the ground, as revealed in v.24; in another aspect, it was His being lifted up on the tree (1Pet.2:24). His falling into the ground was to produce the many grains; His being lifted up on the tree was to draw all men to Himself. The many gains produced by His falling into the ground are the “all men” drawn by His being lifted up on the tree.

In chapter 12 the Lord’s death is revealed not as the redeeming death but as the producing, generating death. By this death His incarnation shell of humanity was broken that He might accomplish His threefold purpose. (1) The producing of many grains, the drawing of all men to Himself (vv.24, 32). (2) The releasing of the divine element, the eternal life (vv.23, 28); and (3) the judging of the world and the casting out its ruler, Satan (v.31). We must experience the Lord’s death that we may participate in the threefold purpose that He accomplished.  

Bibliography,

Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie Study Bible (NIV). Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986. 

Roberts, Oral. Holy Bible (King James Verse) Tulsa, OK: Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association, Inc.   

Miraculous sign at Bethany (John 11) By Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce

Miraculous sign at Bethany (John 11)

By Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce                                                                                      2/2/2026

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts & Gospel music            

Pastoral ministry & counseling

 

Scriptures reading John chapter 11

Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair. So, the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.” When He heard this, Jesus said, “this sickness will not end in death; No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” (John 1-4) …On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem… Lord, Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this? (John 17-26) …

 When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”  When Jesus saw her weeping and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled… Jesus wept…(vv.32-35)

Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. “Take away the stone.” But, Lord, said, Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God? (vv.38-40).

So, they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here. That they may believe that you sent me. (vv.41-42).

When he had said this Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of line, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” (vv.43-44).

 Therefore, many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary, and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in Him…but the chief priests and Pharisees had given orders that if anyone found out where Jesus was, he should report it so that they might arrest him. (vv.45,57).

 

In the verse 4 Jesus said, “this sickness will not end in death; No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” The resurrection of Lazarus would demonstrate the glory of God even more than restoration from a sick bed. 

In the verse 8, the Lord had left Judaism and had come to a place from which He could proceed to Bethany, which was an early miniature of the church. In chapter 5, Jesus healed a man paralyzed 38 years at Bethesda (the house of mercy). At Bethany, Jesus raised a man from dead. Bethany means house of affliction.  In the eight foregoing cases, in chapter 3 to 10, religion was the main frustration to and opponent of life. Here, outside religion and on the new ground, life was going to raise a dead person. Here, life no longer faced religion with its rituals, but it was frustrated by many human opinions. The disciples’ opinions (vv.8-16), Martha’s opinion (vv.21-28), Mary’s opinion (vv.32-33), the Jew’s opinion (vv.36-38), and again, Martha’s opinion (vv.39-40.) opinions, which come from knowledge, belong to the tree of knowledge, but the Lord here was actually the tree of life for people to enjoy.

Verse 14 In the Lord’s salvation He does not merely heal the sick; He also gives life to the dead. Hence, He remained two days until the sick one had died (v.6). The Lord does not reform or regulate people – He regenerates people and raise them out of death. Therefore, the first of the nine cases in chapter 3-11 was a case of regeneration, and the last was a case of resurrection, revealing that all the aspects of Christ as life to us, as unveiled in the other seven cases, are in the principles of regeneration and resurrection. This last case was the actual changing death into life.  

In verse 24 The Lord told Martha, “Your bother will rise again” (v.23). This meant that the Lord would raise him immediately; but Martha expounded the Lord’s word so as to postpone the present resurrection to the last day. What an exposition of the divine word! Some of the knowledge of fundamental teaching is truly destructive and frustrates people from enjoying the Lord’s present resurrection life.  

Verse 25 He who believes in Me, even if he dies physically shall live spiritually and eternally. Whoever lives physically and believes in Me will never die spiritually and eternally.

In verse 27 the Lord said to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life,” and asked her, “Do you believe this?” She answered, “Yes, Lord, I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God.” Her reply did not answer the Lord’s question. Her old, preoccupying knowledge covered her, preventing her from understanding the Lord’s new word. Man’s old knowledge and old opinions are coverings that keep him from knowing clearly the Lord’s new revelation. In verse 28 this might have been Martha’s opinion and not the Lord’s command.

Verse 35 Jesus wept. This word differs from the word translated weep and weeping in vv.31 and 33. Here it means to shed tears to wee silently. This is the only time the word is used in the New Testament.

Verse 41 their taking the stone away and loosing Lazarus were their submitting to and cooperating with the resurrection life.

Verse 52 the phrase gathers into one the children of God mentioned in this chapter implies that not only the Lord’s death but also the Lord’s resurrection life is for the building up God’s children. By His death the Lord released His life so that it could be imparted into those who believe into Him. This life is experienced by us in His resurrection. It is in the Lord’s resurrection that we grow together into one by His life to become His body.  

Bibliography,

Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie Study Bible (NIV).Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986. 

 

Jesus’ healing miraculous sign changing death into life in Bethesda (John 5: 1-30) By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

 Jesus’ healing miraculous sign changing death into life in Bethesda (John 5: 1-30)

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

 Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts & Gospel music

Scriptures reading John 5: 1-30

Sometime later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades (five porticoes). Here a great number of disabled people used to lie---the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty –eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. (John5:1-9a).

The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, and so the Jews said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.” But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, “Pick up your mat and walk.” So they asked him, “Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?” the man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there. Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again, Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” The man went away and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well. (vv.9b-15)

So because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jews persecuted him. Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.” For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. (vv.16-18)

Jesus gave them this answer: “ I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; He can do only what He sees His Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does (v.19)…for just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom He is pleased to give it (v.21)…

I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he had crossed over from death to life. I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. (vv.24-25) For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. And He has given him authority to judge because He is the Son of Man.  Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. By myself I can do nothing, I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.  (vv.26-30).

              

 The Sheep Gate signifies the door to the sheepfold of the religion of law keeping (10:1). Bethesda means house of mercy, signifying that the people who practiced law keeping needed the mercy of God because they were impotent, weak, and wretched, as portrayed in Rom.7:7-24.  Porticoes (colonnades) signify the shelter of the religion of law keeping, a shelter like that provided by a sheepfold. The number five signifies responsibility.

In the verse 3 signifies that under the shelter of law keeping, in the sheepfold of religion there are many who are blind, unable to see; many who are lame, paralyzed, unable to walk; and many who are withered, lacking the life supply.  In the verse 4 the angel here signifies the agent through which the law, which could not give life, was given (Gal.3:19, 21). The stirring up of the water to make people well signifies the attempt to make people perfect by the practice of law keeping. Verse 5 with this sick and impotent man there was no happiness, even on the joyful day of a feast (v.1), and there was no rest, even on the Sabbath day.(v.10)

The verse 6 Jesus saw this one lying there and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, so He said, “Do you want to well?” this sign signifies that when the practice of law keeping in the Jewish religion became an impossibility because of the impotence of man.  “For that which law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of the flesh of sin and concerning sin, condemned sins in the flesh.”(Rom.8:3 ). the Son of God came to enliven the dead (v.25). The law could not give life (Gal.3: 21), but the Son of God gives life to the dead (v.21) while we were yet weak (Rom.5:6), He came to enliven us.  

Verse 7 there was a means for healing in the religion of law keeping, but it did not profit the impotent man because he had no strength to fulfill the law’s requirements. The law keeping in religion depends on man’s effort, man’s doing, and man’s self-cultivation. Since man is impotent, the law keeping in religion becomes ineffective. The holy city, the holy temple, the feast, the Sabbath, the angels, Moses, and the Scriptures are all good things of this religion, but they could no nothing for this impotent man. In the eyes of the Lord he was a dead person (v.25), in need not only of healing but also of enlivening. With the Lord’s enlivening there is no requirement. The impotent man heard His voice and was enlivened (v.25). Formerly, the mat carried the impotent man, but now the enlivened man carried the mat. This is the changing of death into life as the principle set forth in chapter 2.

Verse 10 Life’s enlivening broke religion’s ritual. Religion was offended by life and began its opposition to life from this point (vv.16, 18). The Sabbath is for man (Mark2:27) and should be a rest to man. Religion’s law keeping did not bring rest to this man who had been sick for thirty-eight years, but life’s enlivening did. Yet the religious cared only for their ritual of Sabbath keeping; they had no concern for the sick man’s rest.

             Verse 14 Jesus said to the sick man, sin no more so that nothing worse happens to him. This indicates that the man’s former sickness was due to his sin.

 Verse 17 God’s work in creation was finished (gen.2:1-3), but the Father and the Son were still working for redemption and building.

 Verse 18 On one hand, the Jews religious people kept the Sabbath, but on the other hand, they sought to kill Jesus. How could they have had rest? Because of their religious concept, they thought that to kill those who would not keep their religious ritual was to offer service to God (16:2). This is Satan’s poisoning of people with religion, causing them to murder, just as he poisons people with sin.

 Verse 24 the source of death is the tree of knowledge, and the source of life is the tree of life (Gen.2:9,17). Hence, to pass out of death into life is to change the source of one’s living.

 Verse 25 Not those who are dead physically but those who are dead in spirit. In accordance with Eph.2:1,5 and Col.2:13, hence, in this verse to live means to be alive in spirit.  It does not signify resurrection of the physical body, which is mentioned in vv.28-29.

 Verse 27 The Lord is the Son of God (v.25); hence, He can give life (v.21).He is also the Son of Man; hence, He can execute judgment. Verse 28 referring to those who are dead physically and are buried in a tomb. Hence, their coming forth from the tomb in v.29 is the resurrection of the physical body.

 Verse 29 This is the resurrection of the saved deliverers, which will take place before the millennium (Rev.20:4, 6; 1 Cor.15:23, 52; 1 Thes.4:16). At the Lord Jesus’ coming back, the dead believers will be resurrected to enjoy eternal life; hence, this resurrection is called the resurrection of life.

 Verse 29 This is the resurrection of the unbelievers who have perished; it will take place after the millennium (Rev.20:5,12). All the dead unbelievers will be resurrected after the thousand years to be judged at the great white throne (rev.20:11-15). Hence, this resurrection is called the resurrection of judgment.

In John chapter 5 vv. 24-26 speak concerning the enlivening of the spirit.  vv. 28-29, concerning the resurrection of the whole being, including the body.

 

Bibliography,

Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie Study Bible (NIV).Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986. 

Jesus is the door (gate) for the sheep (John 10:1-30) By Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce

 

Jesus is the door (gate) for the sheep (John 10:1-30)

By Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts & Gospel music; pastoral ministry & counseling

 

Scriptures reading :John 10:1-30

 

“I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”(John10:1-5) Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them. Therefore, Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate (door) for the sheep. All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.(vv.7-8) I am the gate, whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. (v.9). The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full. (v.10) I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (vv.11). 

The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So, when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me (John10:12-14) Just as the Father knows me and I know the Father and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life-only to take it up again. (vv.15-17)….

At that time the Feast of the Dedication occurred in Jerusalem, and it was winter (v.22)….the Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. (vv.24-26) My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; No one can snatch them out of my hand. (v.28). My Father who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one. (v.29-30).

 

 The sheepfold (sheep pen) signifies the law, or Judaism as the religion of the law, in which God’s chosen people were kept and guarded in custody until Christ came. Thieves and robbers (v.8) signify those who came into Judaism, but not through Christ. The blind man who received sight in the chapter 9 was such a sheep. He was led by the Lord out of the Judaism –fold. Chapter 10 is a continuation of ch.9.

        Verse 9 Jesus said, “I am the door (gate). Christ is the door (gate) not only for God’s elect to enter into the custody of the law, as did Moses, David, Isaiah, and Jeremiah in the Old Testament time, before Christ came, but also for God’s chosen people, such as Peter, John, James, and Paul, to come out of the fold of the law now that Christ has come. Thus, the Lord indicated here that He is the door not only through which God’s elect may go in but also through which God’s chosen people may go out. 

       The pasture here signifies Christ as the feeding place for the sheep. When the pasture is not available (in the wintertime or at night), the sheep must be kept in the fold. When the pasture is ready, there is no further need for the sheep to remain in the fold. To be kept in the fold is transitional and temporary. To be in the pasture enjoying its riches is final and permanent. Before Christ came, the law was a ward, and being under the law was transitional. Now that Christ has come, all God’s chosen people must come out of the law and come into Him to enjoy Him as their pasture (Gal.3:23-25;4:3-5). This should be final and permanent. Because they did not have such a revelation, the leaders in Judaism considered the law, on which Judaism was based, as permanent. As a result, they missed Christ and could not participate in Him as their pasture.

 Verse 11 Jesus said, I am the good Shepherd; the good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. Greek. Psuche, soul., soul-life and so in the succeeding verse. As a ma, the Lord has the psuche life, the human life, and as God, He has the zoe life, the divine live. He laid down His soul (His psuche life, His human life), to accomplish redemption for His sheep (vv.15,17-18) that they may share His zoe life, His divine life (v.10b), the eternal life. (v.28), by which they can be formed into one flock under Himself as the one Shepherd. As the good Shepherd, He feeds His sheep with the divine life in this way and for this purpose. 

Verse 16 Jesus mentioned about the other sheep are the Gentile believers (Acts 11:18). The one flock signifies the one church, the one Body of Christ (Eph.2:14-16;3:6) brought forth by the Lord’s eternal, divine life, which He imparted into His members through His death (vv.10-18). The fold is Judaism, which is of letter and regulation, and the flock is the church, which is of life and spirit.

Verse 22 the Feast of the Dedication occurred in Jerusalem, and it was winter. From 170 B.C. to 168 B.C. Antiochus Epiphanes, king of Syria, invaded Jerusalem and looted the temple. Moreover, on December 25, 168 B.C., he sacrificed a sow (pig) on the altar and set up an image in the temple, thus defiling and damaging the temple. Three years later, in 165 B.C., Judas Maccabeus, a strong man of Judah, purified and restored the altar and the temple. He set December 25 the day on which the altar and the temple had been defiled as the beginning of a sacred feast that was to have eight consecutive days of rejoicing to celebrate the great achievement of the purification and restoration of the altar and the temple. This sacred feast is the Feast of the Dedication mentioned here. It called the Feast of Light and Hanukkah. 

 

Bibliography,

Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie Study Bible (NIV).Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986.