Another Counselor- the Spirit of truth (John 14: 15-31) By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

 Another Counselor- The Spirit of truth (John 14: 15-31)

 By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce 

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical concepts & Gospel music

 

  Concerning the Holy Spirit, the Son as the Spirit to abide in the believers

 

If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-(vv.15-16). The Spirit of truth, the world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. (v.17). I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you, (v.18). Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. (v.19) on that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. (v.20) whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will beloved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.” (v.21)

 

Concerning peace 14:27-31

 

Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?” Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own, they belong to the Father who sent me. (vv.23-24) All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. (v.25-26)    

   

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.(v.27) You heard me say, “ I am going away and I am coming back to you. If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. (v.28). I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this would is coming. He has no hold one me, but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me. Come now; let us leave. 

 

          

 Verse16 another Counselor- The Holy Spirit is called the Counselor, or helper ( Greek: paraclete, ) in the root of this word are the ideas of advising, exhorting, comforting, strengthening, interceding, and encouraging.  Means advocate, one alongside who takes care of our cause, our affairs. The Greek word for Comforter is the same as that for Advocate in 1 John2:1. applied to Christ and translated “One who speaks to the Father in our defense.” Here and in the other passages in John cited above, Christ teaches that the Holy Spirit (1) will indwell Christians (vv.16-17); (2) will help the disciples recall the events of His life (14:26); (3) will convince the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (16:7-11); (4) will teach believers the truth (15:26;16:13-15). Today we have both the Lord Jesus in the heavens and the Spirit (the Comforter) within us as our Advocate, who takes care of our case.

Verse 17 The Spirit promised here was referred to in 7:39. This Spirit is the Spirit of life (Rom.8:2), and the promise of the Lord’s was fulfilled on the day of the Lord’s resurrection, when the Spirit as the breath of life was breathed into the disciples (20:22). The Lord’s promise here is different from the promise of the Father concerning the Spirit of power in Luke24:49. That promise was fulfilled fifty days after the Lord’s resurrection, on the day of Pentecost, when the Spirit as the mighty wind blew upon the disciples (Acts2:1-4). In this verse the Spirit of life is called “the Spirit of truth”. This Spirit of truth is Christ (v.6); Hence, the Spirit of truth is the Spirit of Christ (Rom.8:9). This Spirit is also the reality of Christ (1John5:6, 20) that Christ may be realized in those who believe into Him, as their life and life supply.  

The very “He” who is the Spirit of truth in this verse becomes the very “ I” who is the Lord Himself in v.18. This means that the Christ who was in the flesh went through death and resurrection to become the life-giving Spirit, the pneuatie Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:45 confirms this. In dealing with the matter of resurrection, that verse says, “The last Adam Christ in the flesh became a life giving Spirit.”

            Verse 18 this coming was fulfilled on the day of His resurrection (20:19-22). After His resurrection the Lord came back to His disciples to be with them forever, thus not leaving them as orphans.

            Verse 26 The Comforter, the Holy Spirit, was to be sent by the Father in the Son’s name. Therefore, the Holy Spirit was sent by the Father and also by the Son. Thus, the Holy Spirit comes not only from the Father but also from the Father but also from the Son, and He is the reality not only of the Father but also of the Son. Hence, when we call on the name of the Son, we get the Spirit. (1Cor.12:3) The Father being in the Son’s name is equivalent to the Father being the Son. Therefore, the Father’s sending of the Holy Spirit in the Son’s name is the Son’s sending of the Holy Spirit from the Father (15:26). The Son and the Father are one (10:30). Hence, the Spirit who is sent comes not only out of the Father but also out of the Son. Moreover, when the Spirit comes, He comes with the Father and the Son. This proves that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are one God, the Triune God, who reaches us and is working, that is, dispensing, Himself into us in His divine trinity to be out life and everything.

        Verse 26 in my name   In 5:43 we are told that the Son came in the Father’s name, and here that the Father sent the Holy Spirit in the Son’s name. This proves not only that the Son and the Father are one (10:30) but also that the Holy Spirit is one with the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit, who is sent by the Father in the Son’s name, is not only the truth (reality) that comes from the Father but also the reality that comes from the Son. This is the Triune God  -the Father, the Son, and the Spirit who reaches man eventually as the Spirit. 

 

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.

 

Jesus’ encouragement before His departure (John 14:1-14) By Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce

 Jesus’ encouragement before His departure (John 14:1-14)

By Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce

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

 

 John chapter 14:1-14 Jesus prepared His departure, unveiled His dead and resurrection – Jesus going through death and Christ coming in resurrection to bring the believers into the Father

 

Do not let your heart be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going. (John14:1-4)

 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” (v.5)  Jesus answered, “I am the way, and the truth and the life.” No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” (John14:6-7) 

                                                                                                    

Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”  (v.8)

 Jesus answered, “Don’t you know me Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father?”(v.9) don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. (v.10). Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. (v.11) I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things then these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. You may ask me for anything in my name and I will do it. (vv.12-14)

  

 The book of John has two main sections. The first section, chs1-13, points out how Christ, as the eternal Word, came through incarnation to bring God into man that He might be the life an life supply to man. The second section, chs14-21, unveils how Christ, as the man Jesus, went through death and resurrection to bring man into God for the building of God’s habitation, which is the building of the church (Matt.16:18) and which is related to the building of the New Jerusalem (Heb.11:10; Rev.21:2). In the entire universe God has only one building, this is, the building of His living habitation with His redeemed people.

 In view of His departure from them, Christ gave the disciples (in this chapter) specific encouragements. These include the provision in the Father’s house (v.2), the promise to return (v.3), the prospect of doing greater works (v.12), the promise of answered prayer (v.14), the coming of the Holy Spirit (v.16), and the legacy of peace (v.27).

           My father’s house refers to the temple, the body of Christ, as God’s dwelling place. First the body of Christ was only His individual body, but through Christ’s death and resurrection, the body of Christ has increased to be His corporate Body, which is the church, including all His believers, who have been regenerated through His resurrection (1Pet.1:3). In Christ’s resurrection the church is the Body of Christ, which is the house of God (1Tim.3:15;1Pet2:5; Heb.3:6), God’s habitation (Eph.2:21-22), God’s temple (Cor.3:16-17).

 Verse 3 If I go…I will come back    proves that the Lord’s going (through His death and resurrection) was His coming (to His disciples –vv.18,28). He came in the flesh (1:14) and was among His disciples, but He could not enter into them while He was in the flesh. He had to take the further step of passing through death and resurrection in order to be transfigured from the flesh into the Spirit that He might come into the disciples and dwell in them, as revealed in vv.17-20. After His resurrection He did come to breathe Himself as the Holy Spirit into the disciples. (20:19-22).

 The Lord’s intention in this chapter was to bring man into God for the building of His dwelling place. But between man and God there were many obstacles, such as sin, sins, death, the world, the flesh, the self, the old man, and Satan. For the Lord to bring man into God, He had to solve all these problems. Therefore, He had to go to the cross to accomplish redemption that He might open the way and make a standing for man, that man might enter into God. This standing in God, being enlarged, becomes the standing in the Body of Christ. Anyone who does not have a standing, a place, in God does not have a place in the Body of Christ, which is God’s dwelling place. Hence, the Lord’s going in order to accomplish redemption was to prepare a place in His body for the disciples.

 The Lord is in the Father (vv.10-11) He wanted His disciples also to be in the Father, as revealed in 17:21. Through His death and resurrection He brought His disciples into Himself. Since He is in the Father, they are in the Father by being in Him. Hence, where He is, the disciples are also.

 

Ø  The Triune God dispensing Himself into the believers- the Father embodied in the Son seen among the believers (John 14:5-14)

           

Verse 6 the way for man to enter into God is the Lord Himself. Since the way is a living person, the place to which the Lord brings man must also be a person, God the Father Himself. The Lord Himself is the living way by which man is brought into God the Father, the living place. The way needs the reality, and the reality needs the life. The Lord Himself is the life to us. This life brings us the reality, and the reality becomes the way by which we enter into the enjoyment of God the Father.

Verse 7 this chapter unveils the way God dispenses Himself into man. In the dispensing of Himself into us, God is triune. He is one, yet He is three, the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. The Son is the embodiment and expression of the Father (vv.7-11), and the Spirit is the reality and realization of the Son (vv.17-20). In the Son (the Son is even called the Father –Isa.9:6) the Father is expressed and seen, and as the Spirit (2Cor.3:17) the Son is revealed and realized. The Father in the Son is expressed among the believers, and the Son as the Spirit is realized in the believers. God the Father is hidden, God the Son is manifested among men, and God the Spirit enters into man to be his life, his life supply, and his everything. Hence, this Triune God –the Father in the Son and the Son as the Spirit-dispenses Himself into us to be our portion that we may enjoy Him as our everything in His divine trinity.

Verse 12 the Lord came from the Father to bring God into man through His incarnation. Here, He is going to the Father to bring man into God through His death and resurrection.

Verse 13 to be in the Lord’s name here and in v.14 means to be one with the Lord, to live by the Lord, and to let the Lord live in us. The Lord came and did things in the Father’s name (5:43; 10:25), meaning that He was one with the Father (10:30), that He lived because of the Father (6:57), and that the Father worked in Him (v.10). In the Gospels the Lord as the expression of the Father did things in the Father’s name. In the Acts the disciples as the expression of the Lord did even greater things (v.12) in the Lord’s name.

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.

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.