John 13

1Now 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.

Jesus knew that his tenure on earth was close to ending, but he loved his followers (‘his own’) unto the end.

2And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;

It was the devil who incited Judas to betray Jesus. The devil was not conscious of God’s plan of Jesus dying for the sins of others. As far as the devil was concerned, the death of Jesus would imply that people will not flock to Jesus, and will persist sinning. Moreover, the devil would have thought that it would be much easier to kill a mortal Jesus (when he is most vulnerable) than the Son of God.

3Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;

Jesus had been given all authority by the Father. He came from God, and was going back to God.

4He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

5After 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.

Before any feast, it is customary for Jewish householders to wash the feet of their guests, to kiss it, and to wipe it. This duty is generally performed by the house owner or by the youngest of the family. However, as read elsewhere, since none of the disciples were keen to do the task, Jesus humbled himself and performed the tradition.

6Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?

7Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.

8Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

When Peter protested, Jesus sternly insists otherwise.

9Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.

10Jesus 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.

11For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.

Jesus says to Peter that those who are already clean (‘washed’) need only to wash their feet. But there were people in the room who were not clean at all (implying Judas).

12So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?

13Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

14If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.

15For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

Jesus asks them whether they understood what he did. The disciples hailed Jesus as their Master and Lord (which he is). But if he, being the Lord and Master, humbled himself and washed their feet, then his disciples should do the same to each other in humility, love, and seeing each other as equals. Jesus has given them an example so that they will do as he has done to them.

16Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

The servant can never be greater than his master. Similarly, Jesus (he that is sent), although his miracles demonstrate his power, is not greater than God (he that sent him)- the person who performs the miracles through him.

17If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

One is happy if one knows all the wise words and instructions of Jesus, and practices it. Jesus does not intend people to be unhappy whilst following his teachings, but the teaching are meant to make one happy.

18I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.

Jesus is not referring to all of his disciples, re: betrayal, for he knows those whom he has chosen. But in order to fulfill the scripture (Psalm 41:9¹), he chose Judas who will partake with him in the feast and still betray him.

19Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.

Jesus is telling the disciples before the betrayal happens, so that they will believe that the scriptures were referring to Jesus when it happens.

20Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

Whoever welcomes (receives and accepts the teachings) those whom Jesus sends, receives Jesus himself. And by receiving Jesus, the person is receiving God (him that sent me). This also implies that by receiving Jesus into our life, we are receiving God himself.

21When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

Quite often, we notice how Jesus, being the Son of Man, shares human emotions. The impending treachery and crucifixion troubles him, and he mentions again that it is one of his disciples who will be betraying him.

22Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.

23Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.

24Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.

25He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?

The disciples were now suspicious of each other. John (whom Jesus loved), upon being requested by Peter, asks Jesus about the identity of the betrayer.

26Jesus 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.

Jesus answered that it is the person to whom he gives the sop, after dipping it into the fruit sauce. This dipped sop was given to Judas.

The Jewish Passover comprised of lamb, bread (of affliction to symbolise Israel’s ordeal in Egypt), fruit sauce, and bitter herbs. Jesus replaced the lamb.

27And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.

28Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him.

29For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.

30He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.

Upon receiving the sop, Satan entered into the weak link amongst the disciples (the one who was known to dip into the money bag). Jesus then told him, ‘Do quickly whatever it is that you are doing’. The disciples didn’t understand, and some thought that Jesus might be asking him to buy things required for the feast, or to distribute something to the poor. Judas went out immediately.

The question is whether Judas ate the sop or not, i.e., whether he participated in the communion. The next striking comment is in verse 30 ‘: and it was night’. The significance of night as a time for evil seems to be stressed. It is also worth noting that Jesus presence did not prevent Satan from entering into Judas at the table. Therefore, was Satan always close by like a cunning hyaena, waiting for a weak place in the armour? More striking is that the disciples failed to comprehend the identity of the betrayer although Jesus gave them a blatant clue. Were their eyes closed?

31Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.

The exit of Judas (and Satan) permits Jesus to advise the disciples. The crucifixion (in which Jesus dies for the sins of the entire world- past, present, and future) and resurrection (in which Jesus triumphs over death) will result in the glorifying of Jesus, and thus, the glorifying of God.

32If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.

When the Father glorifies Jesus, it is not only Jesus who is glorified, but the Father is glorified through the glorification of Jesus.

33Little 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.

Jesus refers to his disciples as ‘little children’ (cf. Matthew 18²). Jesus is with them for a few more hours. After that although they will seek him, they cannot go to the same place where Jesus is going (does this mean that the disciples are not taken up to heaven after their death, but has to ‘sleep’ until the second coming?).

34A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

35By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Jesus gives them a new commandment: That they should love each other just as he loved them. By this, everyone will understand that they are the disciples of Jesus. This commandment also incorporates all the 10 commandments (Exodus 20³). If one loves another just like Jesus did, love will enable following of the commandments.

36Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.

Peter is curious about the destination of Jesus. He asks ‘Quo vadis’? And Jesus answers: ‘You cannot follow me to the place where I am going to; but you will follow me later’.

37Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.

38Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.

Peter is quick to emphasise that he will lay down his life for Jesus. Upon which Jesus, knowing the future, asks him, ‘Will you lay down your life for me? The cock will not crow, until you have denied me three times’. Although Jesus knows about Peter’s impending denunciation, he is not angered… something which Christians should learn.

¹ Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.

²And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

4Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

6But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

³

3Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

4Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

5Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

6And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

7Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

8Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

9Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

10But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

11For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

12Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

13Thou shalt not kill.

14Thou shalt not commit adultery.

15Thou shalt not steal.

16Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

17Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Psalm 91 & John 11

The selected verses are from John 11 and Psalm 91. I have chosen this so that we could help my mother with her Bible quiz preparations, as well as continue our Bible study! Thus, I shall be updating the same blog post daily.

Psalm 91:1

1He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

The person who dwells or resides in God’s secret place (the place shielded from all harm- the place/situation in which the individual is as close to God as possible), shall be in the shadow of the Almighty (shadow again denotes the proximity between himself and God; God is right next to his children keeping them under His protection)

2I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

The Lord is my refuge (from troubles/storms) and my fortress (a stronghold where no evil can enter- a place where one is safe). He is my God. And in Him alone (not in humans or horses) will I trust.

3Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.

The Lord will deliver you (a bird) from the snares left by the fowler (who traps birds with hidden nets- devil or evil humans), and from destruction.

4He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

The bird analogy continues with the God being compared to a bird. God could be visualised as a mother hen protecting the chicks by covering them with its feathers (for those who haven’t observed hen behaviour: the presence of a predator will incite the mother hen to spread its wings and gather the chicks under it). The chicks will trust the safety of the wings (protection). God’s truth/word (‘I am the way, the truth, and the life’- Jesus) will protect you like a shield and armour.

In Matthew 23:37 and Luke 13:34, Jesus uses the mother hen analogy: ‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!’; ‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!’.

5Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;

Danger lurks and is not exposed in the darkness of the night. But you will not be afraid of such dangers. Nor, will you be afraid of the enemy’s arrows in broad daylight.

6Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

Nor for the diseases that abound in darkness; nor for the destruction at noonday.

7A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.

Even if thousands of people die all around you, no destruction/harm/disease will come near you.

8Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.

9Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

All this is because you have made the Lord your habitation (‘the secret place of the most High’)

10There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.

Thus, no evil will happen to you, neither shall any plague (pestilence) come near your house.

11For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

12They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.

The Lord will entrust you into the diligent care of his angels. They will take you up in their hands, to even prevent you from dashing your foot against a stone.

13Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.

You will walk over the lion and the adder: the young lion and the big serpent (according to the original version) will you trample under your feet.

14Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.

15He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.

16With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.

These words are uttered by the Lord: ‘He (you) loves me, therefore I will deliver him: I will exalt him, because he has known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in times of trouble (although the Lord himself with answer and be with you in times of trouble, it doesn’t mean that there won’t be any troubles!); I will deliver him, and honour him. I will give him long life (perhaps, eternal life too?), and will show him my salvation.

John 11

1Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha.

2(It was that Mary which anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick.)

5Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.

18Now Bethany was nigh unto Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off:

Lazarus, and his sisters Mary and Martha, were close to Jesus. Residents of Bethany (near Jerusalem) in Judea, John states that it was this Mary who anointed the Lord’s feet with the ointment, wiping it off with her hair. Mary’s previous actions demonstrates her gratitude as well as her humility, and reminds us of the woman who humbled herself so much as to compare her children to dogs eating the crumbs falling off from a dinner table.

3Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.

4When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.

6When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.

The sisters sent a message to Jesus when Lazarus fell sick. Obviously, they expected him to heal him. However, Jesus didn’t go to Bethany immediately, stating that the sickness will not result in death, but is for the glorifying of God.

7Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.

8His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?

Two days later, he told his disciples that they will go to Judaea. The disciples, realistic like most of us, pointed out that Judea was a dangerous place since Jews were plotting to kill him.

9Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

10But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

Jesus is the guiding light/lantern who will guide us so that we won’t stumble akin to a man walking during daytime. But if he isn’t our guiding light, it is similar to a man walking in the night without a lantern.

11These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.

12Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.

13Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.

14Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

15And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.

Jesus said that Lazarus is sleeping (in death) and that he needs to wake him up. Interpreting this literally, the disciples said that the sleep will do him good. Jesus, however, specifies what he meant and adds that he is glad that he was not in Bethany during Lazarus’ death, so that the disciples will witness his power as the son of God.

16Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

I am not certain as to whether Thomas was sarcastic given the threats against Jesus or whether he fervently meant this.

17Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.

19And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.

When Jesus reached Bethany (from Galilee), Lazarus had been dead for 4 days.

20Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.

Martha, the one who previously used to work in the kitchen whilst Mary listened to Jesus’ teachings, went to meet Jesus while Mary was in the house, probably grieving.

21Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

22But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.

Martha complains that Lazarus would not have died had Jesus been there. Yet, she seems to have faith in him since she knows that God will give Jesus whatever he asks for.

23Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.

24Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

When Jesus says that Lazarus will rise again, Martha (after her profession of faith) displays her skepticism by saying that Lazarus will rise on the last day.

25Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:

26And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

Jesus utters the famous words- He is the resurrection, and the life. Those who believe in him will live eternally although their physical selves will decompose.

27She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.
Martha believes Jesus and adds that he is the Christ, the Son of God, the long awaited Messiah.

28And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee.

29As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly, and came unto him.

And she called Mary telling her that Jesus is here. Does it demonstrate her faith in Jesus being able to raise Lazarus from the dead?

30Now Jesus was not yet come into the town, but was in that place where Martha met him.

Jesus had met Martha outside Bethany.

31The Jews then which were with her in the house, and comforted her, when they saw Mary, that she rose up hastily and went out, followed her, saying, She goeth unto the grave to weep there.

The Jews who were at the house to comfort the sisters, followed Mary when she rose up and left. They thought that she was going to the grave.

32Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.

Mary, however, went to Jesus and fell down at his feet in humility, and said- ‘Lord, my brother would not have died had you been here’.

33When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.

Jesus was troubled when he saw everyone weeping. I found his reaction interesting since he was troubled, and not jubilant, despite knowing the outcome. Was it because their crying moved him, just like he was moved often by the afflictions of others? Though God, he is able to empathise with the sisters and their sorrow

34And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.

35Jesus wept.

36Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!

There are, I believe, only two occasions when Jesus wept… and he cries despite the obvious outcome. Was it because he was moved with compassion? Was it because, as a human, he was experiencing the death of a close friend?

37And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?

38Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.

39Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.

40Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

When Jesus commands the stone to be moved away, Martha protests that Lazarus would be stinking since he has been dead for four days. Jesus reminds her of what he asked before about belief.

41Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

42And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.

Jesus prays to the Father, beginning with thanks for the wonderful miracle about to be witnessed, and for hearing his request. God hears Jesus all the time, but Jesus wants to show the people around who exactly has sent him.

43And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

44And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

Jesus commands Lazarus to come forward. And despite being shrouded and bound, an alive Lazarus came forwards.

45Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.

46But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done.

47Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.

48If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.

The chief priests and Pharisees met up to discuss about Jesus. If they do not address this threat, everyone will believe Jesus’ claims, and the Romans, feeling threatened, would get rid of the Jewish clerical system, and would probably obliterate them.

49And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,

50Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

The high priest decides that it is best for Jesus to die for everyone, instead of the whole nation perishing.

51And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;

52And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.

The high priest had already prophesied (John clarifies that it wasn’t Caiaphas who prophesied but God through him) that Jesus should die not only for the Jews, but will gather together all the children of God who were scattered outside Israel.

53Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.

54Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence unto a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.

Knowing that the Jews wanted to kill him, Jesus went to Ephraim- he wasn’t fleeing from the Jews, but was spending time there so that the prophesy will be fulfilled regarding his death on the day after Passover.

55And the Jews' passover was nigh at hand: and many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the passover, to purify themselves.

56Then sought they for Jesus, and spake among themselves, as they stood in the temple, What think ye, that he will not come to the feast?

57Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a commandment, that, if any man knew where he were, he should shew it, that they might take him.