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…since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there. 

The darkness of yesterday should not be easily emptied of its power.  John is sure that Jesus’ death is no ruse.  He saw with his own eyes that: “One of the soldiers pierced His side, and at once there came out blood and water.  He who saw it has borne witness – his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth – that you also may believe.”   

Place yourself in the disciples’ world for this moment.  Jesus – the one who they believed to be the way, the truth, and the life – was dead.  He had prepared them for this, they now could see, and they had perhaps spent the past few days parsing through his final words.  They were undoubtedly exhausted, after their unrelenting week.  Were they also confused?  Steadfastly hopeful?  Anxious?  Fearful?

This silent interregnum hides in the background as the Gospel turns to its final act – On the first day of the week…  It’s interesting that this phrase is repeated later in this chapter, inserted unnecessarily (or so it seems) in verse 19.  And it’s not the only time John keeps a precise calendar in this chapter, as though he’s affirming a truth or refuting an error.

The Gospel feels like it ends with the conclusion of chapter 20, where John explains his reason for writing this book: “that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.”  The revelations of chapter 21 seem to focus more on Peter than on Jesus.  Pay attention to this spotlight, remember where we left Peter at Jesus’ trial, and consider what John’s intentions are in highlighting this, and in Jesus’ repeated emphasis to “Follow Me.”  

Our verse for this week is John 3:19: “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.”

John chapters 20 and 21.  Now let’s read it!

The action moves quickly in these chapters.  Jesus and the disciples head to a garden just outside Jerusalem, where a band of soldiers, led by Judas, intercepts them.  Jesus is then led before the High Priests and Pharisees, then to Pilate, then to the Place of the Skull. 

I’ve noted before how John lets his emotions show when he speaks of Judas, and he takes one more shot in chapter 18.  He also enters a jab at the Jewish leadership by calling Caiaphas “High Priest That Year.” 

A little background is fitting: You know from the law that the high priesthood was a lifetime appointment, passing down from Aaron to Eleazar and so forth.  Annas had served as High Priest and had been deposed by the Roman government.  However, it was an open secret that he maintained power as his sons, and son-in-law Caiaphas, rotated through the high priesthood.  John uses the “High Priest That Year” title to call attention to the corrupt power structure in Jerusalem and to the priest’s own violations of Moses’ law. 

The story seems to pivot around a private conversation between Jesus and Pilate.  As He has so many times with the Jewish leaders, Jesus allows obvious facts to witness on his behalf: “If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews.” 

Whether impressed, or fearful, or both, Pilate tries twice to release Him, but the Jews would have none of it.  John allows the weight of evidence to fall against the Jewish leadership, for their failure to accept what the Samaritan woman, the blind man, and this Roman governor could see. 

So they took Jesus, and He went out, bearing His own cross. 

Listen as the Scriptures are remembered foretelling the events of this day… Notice the sparsity of dialogue in a Gospel that has been nothing but… Find Jesus’ mother, whose name escapes this Gospel, last seen at Cana, here at the last.  And listen finally for the name of one who once was thought to be lost, but who might now be found. 

Our verse for this week is John 3:19: “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil."

John chapters 18 and 19.  Now let’s read it!

The first two of these chapters are almost entirely monologue: Jesus’ final lesson.  It was already dark.  There wasn’t much time. 

The first verses present Jesus’ thesis statement for this final sermon: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser… As the vine cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me...” 

With this in the background, Jesus revisits the command that the disciples “love one another,” reminds them that “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you,” assures them that “It is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you,” and promises that “whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He will give it to you.”  There is a grand climax at the end of chapter 16, a profession of belief from the disciples, a warning, and a promise.

The chapter changes but the scene does not, as Jesus “lifted up his eyes to heaven” and prayed.  This prayer breaks into three sections, as glory is petitioned down from God through Jesus, to the disciples, and finally to the world.  

The opening is an appeal on Jesus’ own behalf, that the Father would glorify Him “with the glory that I had with You before the world existed.”  The middle and longest section of this prayer is on behalf of His disciples, through whom Jesus will now be glorified, just as God is being glorified through Jesus.  Finally, He prays for all “those who will believe” in Him through the witness of His disciples, “that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in Me, and I in you…”

Our verse for this week is John 3:19: “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.” 

John chapters 15 through 17.  Now let’s read it!