Thinking on Scripture with Dr. Steven R. Cook

Jesus knew He was about to be betrayed and face illegal trials, mockings, beatings, crucifixion, and the wrath of God for our sin.  He also knew His disciples would be shaken by these events and would scatter and hide in fear (John 16:32; cf. Matt. 26:56; John 20:19).  Because He loved them, Jesus prepared them for the trials ahead (John 13:1; 16:33).  He instilled knowledge that would result in fruitful lives after His resurrection when their faith was strengthened.  Jesus taught His disciples to model humility and forgiveness (John 13:1-17), to love as He loves (John 13:34; 15:11-17), to know they have a home in heaven prepared for them (John 14:1-6), to pray to the Father in His name (John 14:13-14; 16:23-26), to expect the coming of the Holy Spirit after His departure (John 14:26; 16:7-15), to abide in fellowship with Him that they may bear fruit (John 15:1-10, 16), to expect hatred and persecution from the world (John 15:18-27; 16:1-4), to anticipate grief and joy (John 16:16-22), to accept that Jesus will return to the Father (John 16:5, 10, 28; cf. 13:1-3), to realize they are loved by God the Father (John 16:27), that the disciples would fail Him as He went to the cross (John 16:32), and to know that Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection and ascension will finalize victory over Satan and his world-system (John 16:11, 33).  As a result of these truths, the disciples who lived by faith would have an unshakable peace and courage while living in a hateful and hostile world (John 16:33).

The Central Idea of the Text is that Jesus summarizes His discourse (begun in John chapter 13) by explaining His death, resurrection, ascension, and victory over Satan’s world-system. At first, the disciples were confused about what Jesus was saying (John 16:16-18), and He eased into an answer concerning His death, burial, resurrection and ascension, because He knew it was difficult for them to accept (John 16:19-22, 25). Major life changes can be challenging. He also explained the importance of prayer after His ascension back to heaven, as the disciples would need to look to the Father to accomplish His will (John 16:23-24). The Father loved them and was glad to answer their prayers because they had loved Jesus and believed in Him (John 16:26-27). Jesus finally clarified Himself concerning His leaving them to go back to the Father (John 16:28), and the disciples were confident they understood Him (John 16:29-30). However, Jesus’ answer concerning their abandoning Him (because of persecution) implies they did not fully grasp the magnitude of His words (John 16:31-32). Jesus closed His discourse with the proleptic statement that His disciples would know peace because He has overcome Satan’s world-system (John 16:33).

Jesus warned His disciples of future persecution so they would not stumble and fall away from the faith when it came (John 16:1-4).  Jesus also revealed that He was going to leave them and go back to the Father (John 16:5), and this caused them sorrow (John 16:6).  Jesus explained that it was to their advantage that He leave (John 16:7), for His departure would inaugurate the future ministry of the Holy Spirit, Who will convict the world concerning sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:8-11).  Jesus had other things to reveal to the disciples, but the coming Holy Spirit would be the One to communicate that knowledge (John 16:12-15).

The Central Idea of the Text is that Jesus recognized His hour had come for him to glorify the Father by going to the cross.  Jesus was rejected by the Jewish leadership (John 5:18; 10:33; 19:7), and would soon be rejected by the majority in Israel (John 12:34, 37).  However, there were many Jews who did believe in Jesus (John 12:10-11, 42), and it appears Gentiles were drawn to Him as well (John 12:20).  Philip and Andrew came to Jesus and told Him the Gentiles wished to see Him (John 12:21-22), and this led Jesus to speak about His death which would glorify His Father (John 12:23).  It appears Jesus’ death hinted at the provision of salvation for Gentiles who would form part of the body of Christ, the church (see John 10:16; Eph. 2:11-19).  Jesus spoke paradoxically about dying to live, and sacrificing to benefit (John 12:24-26).  The sacrificial death and humiliation of the cross would result in God’s glory and salvation to others.  People who love God first and value the things He values will, by comparison, hate the values of this world.  Though the cross was difficult to face, Jesus knew He was in God’s will, and sought the Father’s glory (John 12:27; 28a).   The Father publicly affirmed Jesus’ course (John 12:28b), though others did not understand the Father’s revelation (John 12:29; cf. Rom. 1:18-21).  Divine revelation does not always lead to illumination, as God must open the heart to understand it (Luke 24:44-45; Acts 16:14).  God’s revelation was for the benefit of those who heard it, because it affirmed the Father’s will concerning the cross.  Jesus then explained that judgment was upon the world (John 12:31), and this refers to Satan and his world-system which is hostile to God.  Satan defeated himself when he tried to defeat Jesus.  Jesus then explained that He was going to die by crucifixion (John 12:32-33); however, those who heard Him were perplexed, because dying on a cross did not fit their preconceived ideas about the Messiah, whom they believed would live forever (John 12:34).  Jesus then pressed upon His followers to walk in the light of His presence while they had it (John 12:35), explaining that those who believe in Him will become children of light (John 12:36; cf. John 8:12; Eph. 5:8-10).  God’s unseen providential hand was controlling the circumstances in the life of Christ to bring Him to the cross for His glory and the benefit of others.  It was God’s providence that put the Lord Jesus on the cross to be crucified by the hands of godless men (Acts 2:23; 4:27-28).  Jesus died a substitutionary death, even for those who crucified Him (Rom. 3:25; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; 1 John 2:2; 4:10).

The Bible reveals both resuscitation and resurrection.  Resuscitation means a person who has died is brought back to life but will die again (see Matt. 27:50-53; Luke 7:15; 8:53-55; John 11:43-44; 12:9-11).  Resurrection means a person will be brought back to life with a new body and will never again experience death.  Jesus was the first Person to be resurrected (John 20:1-18; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; Rev. 1:5).  In the future, Jesus will resurrect Christians at the time of the Rapture (1 Cor. 15:51-53; 1 Thess. 4:14-17), OT saints (Job 19:25-27; Ezek. 37:21-25; Dan. 12:1-2; Matt. 19:28), saints who were martyred during the Tribulation (Rev. 20:4), and finally all unbelievers at the end of the Millennium (Rev. 20:5). 

What happens between death and resurrection?  Some teach that when a person dies, the soul enters into a state of unconscious sleep, unaware of anything, until the time of future resurrection.  However, the Bible teaches that the soul separates from the body at death (Eccl. 12:7), and continues in a state of consciousness.  Examples include Lazarus and the Rich man (Luke 16:19-31), and Moses and Elijah who appeared alive at Jesus’ transfiguration (Mark 9:1-4).  Further, when talking to the thief on the cross, Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43).  Since the thief was going to die physically, Jesus must have been referring to his soul, which has consciousness after physical death.  This reality is promoted by Paul, who preferred to be absent from his body in order to be present with Christ (2 Cor. 5:8; Phil. 1:23).

The Central Idea of the Text is that Jesus commands His disciples to abide in Him that they might bear fruit (John 15:1-10), and His primary command is that they love one another (John 15:12, 17). Jesus presented Himself metaphorically as the true vine and His Father as the vinedresser (John 15:1). The metaphor originally referred to Israel as a divinely planted vine that should have produced the fruit of obedience, righteousness and justice; but instead, it produced bloodshed and a cry of distress (Isa. 5:1-7). Jesus is the true vine in that He obeyed God and bore the fruit that Israel should have produced. Jesus spoke of no fruit, fruit, and more fruit (John 15:2), which implies stages of productivity in the life of an obedient believer. Jesus also explained that every branch that does not bear fruit is taken away (John 15:2). The Greek verb αἴρω airo—translated takes away—can mean either to take away (John 20:2) or to raise up (John 8:59). The former is a picture of judgment, whereas the latter a picture of encouragement. The former seems consistent with the language of the text (John 15:6). The metaphor of fire is a picture of judgment, which can occur in this life (1 Cor. 11:30; 1 John 5:16), as well as the next (1 Cor. 3:10-15), but it is not a judgment that results in the loss of salvation, which is guaranteed by Christ (John 6:37; 10:27-29). Jesus explained that those who abide in Him will produce fruit. To abide in Christ means the believer stays with Christ and obeys His word (John 15:10). Fruit is the outward evidence of inward spiritual health and is produced for the benefit of others. Fruit comes in the life of the believer who walks with Christ (John 15:4). Good fruit refers to one’s character (Gal. 5:22-23), good works (Col. 1:9-10), good words (Prov. 10:21; 11:30), and praise to God (Heb. 13:15). The fruit of an abiding believer is seen in a transformed life (John 15:2; cf. Gal. 5:22-23), answered prayer (John 15:7), an attitude of joy (John 15:11), and love for others (John 15:9, 12-13, 17). Jesus commands His disciples to love each other (John 15:12), and He identifies self-sacrifice as love’s greatest expression (John 15:13); something Jesus would model for them. Jesus loved His disciples by example (John 13:1-17), by teaching (John 13:18-17:26), by ensuring they were provided for after His departure (John 14:16-17), and by dying as their substitute (John 18-19). Our love for others is modeled on Jesus’ love for us.

God is love (1 John 4:8), and He demonstrated His love for us through His Son, Jesus, who humbled Himself to do the Father’s will (Mark 10:45; Phil. 2:5-8).  God loved us and gave His Son to die for us (John 3:16; Rom. 5:8; 1 John 4:10).  He loved us while we were helpless sinners who were in a state of hostility toward Him (Rom. 5:6-10).  He loved us while we were dead in our sins, under wrath, and living in disobedience (Eph. 2:1-3).  The benefits of God’s love for those who believe include: forgiveness of sins (Eph. 1:7), eternal life (John 10:28), the gift of righteousness (Rom. 5:17; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phil. 3:9), justification before God (Rom. 3:24-28; 8:33-34), peace with God (Rom. 5:1), spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3), union with the body of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18), the indwelling and sealing of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19; Eph. 1:13), deliverance from the domain of darkness (Col. 1:13), citizenship in heaven (Philip. 3:20), a future resurrection body (1 Cor. 15:50-58), and a future home in heaven (John 14:1-3).  The more we understand and accept His love for us, the more our lives will respond in thankful-obedience to Him (John 14:15, 21, 23-24, 31; 1 John 2:3; 5:3), and will manifest love to others (1 John 4:11, 19-21), even our enemies (Matt. 5:44-45; Luke 6:27-28; 35).

Because of persecution, there have been times, and are times, when God’s people hide (κρύπτω krupto – to hide) themselves, or are hidden by others.  There appear to be both just and sinful reasons for hiding.  By faith, Moses’ parents hid him from Pharaoh (Heb. 11:23).  Obadiah hid one hundred prophets of the Lord and provided food and water for them (1 Kings 18:1-4).  These were true prophets, for a false prophet would not have been afraid of the public hostility of Ahab and Jezebel.  It is recorded that Jesus “hid Himself” (κρύπτω krupto) from an attack by the Jewish leadership (John 8:59).  Certainly there was no sin in Jesus’ action.  In contrast, it appears Elijah, in a state of irrational fear, ran for his life and hid in a cave (1 Kings 19:1-10).  He thought he was the last prophet in Israel and was unaware of 7000 faithful Israelites who had not bowed the knee to Baal (1 Kings 19:18).  It would seem these 7000 believers were concealing their faith for fear of persecution; otherwise, Elijah would have known about them and not thought he was the last of God’s prophets (1 Ki. 19:10).  Some of the Jewish leadership in Jesus’ day had “believed in Him” (John 12:42a); however, “because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue” (Joh 12:42b).  These believers chose to hide their faith for sinful reasons, because “they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God” (John 12:42-43).  One could argue that Peter was hiding from persecution when he denied the Lord three times (Matt. 26:33-35, 69-75).  Scripture reveals Joseph of Arimathea was “a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one (κρύπτω krupto) for fear of the Jews” (John 19:38).  However, after the crucifixion, he exposed his faith for all to see, and apparently did not fear oppression.  Spiritual maturity and strong faith leads the believer to overcome fear and to live confidently in God’s will, seeking God’s glory over personal protection.

"Providence is normally defined in Christian theology as the unceasing activity of the Creator whereby, in overflowing bounty and goodwill (Ps. 145:9 cf. Mt. 5:45–48), he upholds his creatures in ordered existence (Acts 17:28; Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3), guides and governs all events, circumstances and free acts of angels and men (cf. Ps. 107; Jb. 1:12; 2:6; Gn. 45:5–8), and directs everything to its appointed goal, for his own glory (cf. Eph. 1:9–12)."[1]

God’s providence refers to His wise and personal acts, whereby He creates and controls circumstances in order to direct history according to His predetermined plan, all for His glory and the benefit of His elect.  People live in the flow of history, and are moved by the circumstances God controls.  The Lord “does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’” (Dan 4:35).  God is good and “works all things after the counsel of His will” (Eph. 1:11; cf. Ps. 103:19; 135:6; Dan. 4:35), and “causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom 8:28).  By His sovereign will God created all things in heaven and earth, and sustains and directs them as He desires.  God “is before all things, and in Him all things hold together” (Col. 1:17).  The Lord knows all things at all times.  He knows when a sparrow falls to the ground (Matt. 10:29), and the ever-changing number of hairs on our head (Matt. 10:30).  He knows our thoughts before we think them (Ps. 139:2), and our words before we speak them (Ps. 139:4).  He knows our wickedness (Jer. 17:9; Mark 7:21-22), and chooses to love us by grace, in spite of our sinfulness (Matt. 5:45; Rom. 5:6-10; Eph. 2:1-9).  Some He elects to purpose, even from the womb (Jer. 1:5; Gal. 1:15).  Because God is righteous, all His actions are just.  Because He is loving and good, He directs all things for the benefit of His elect.  The wicked are also under God’s sovereign control, and He uses them for His own ends (Prov. 16:4).  God’s sovereignty, expressed through His providential control, produces confidence in those who know He is directing all things after the counsel of His will.  The growing believer knows “it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Phil. 2:13).  Where the Bible is silent, the believer seeks to discern God’s will through His providential direction as He guides people circumstantially.  The growing believer takes great delight in knowing God is in control of His creation and is directing all things according to His providential plan.

 

 

[1] J. I. Packer, “Providence” in New Bible Dictionary, ed. D. R. W. Wood, I. H. Marshall, A. R. Millard and D. J. Wiseman, 3rd ed. (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 979.

God is sovereign (Ps. 115:3; 135:6; Isa. 46:9-10; Dan. 4:35), controlling kings and nations to do His will (Prov. 21:1; Dan. 2:21).  Though God never creates evil, He can does control those who do (John 6:70-71; 19:10-11; Acts 2:22-23; 4:27-28).  In sovereignty, the Father has elected some to salvation (John 6: 64-65; Acts 13:48; Eph. 1:4-5), illuminating them to the Gospel (Acts 16:14; cf. Luke 24:45-46), and providing forgiveness of sins (Eph. 1:7), righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21), and eternal life (John 10:28).