Authority to forgive or not to forgive

John 20:19 – 23

After Jesus was raised back to life after crucifixion, He met His disciples and they were overjoyed.

Jesus gave his disciples the authority to forgive or not to forgive.

See John 20:23.

²³ If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.’

Jesus gave his disciples the authority that is considered only God has – the authority to forgive or not to forgive.

Jesus demonstrated the authority to forgive through miraculous healing in Mark 2.

As written in Mark 2, Jesus said to a paralyzed man “Son, your sins are forgiven.” (Mark 2:5), and some of teachers of the Law thought, ‘Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ (Mark 2:7). To demonstrate this authority, Jesus said to the man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.’ (Mark 2:10-11) and he got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all (Mark 2:12).

Jesus gave his disciple the keys of the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus gave his disciple the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 16:19) after his confession of faith (Matthew 16:16) given to him not by flesh and blood, but by God, the Father (Matthew 16:17).

See Matthew 16:19.

¹⁹ I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’

Similar promise is written in Matthew 18:18 – 20.

Jesus taught how to deal with if brother or sister sins in Matthew 18:15 – 17, to determine whether he or she should be treated as a believer or an unbeliever. And this determination on the earth will take effect in heavenly realm as written in Matthew 18:18.

¹⁸ ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

See Matthew 18:19.

¹⁹ ‘Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. ²⁰ For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.’

This verse is referred to define ‘what is church’ – two or three gathered in His name, and Jesus with them as promised.

References

The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition, 2011). (2011). (Revised and updated edition., Jn 20:19–23). London: Hodder & Stoughton.

Everyone on the side of truth listens to Jesus

John 18:28 – 40

(Message)

The Jewish leaders told Pilate that Jesus was a criminal (30). Based on Pilate’s question “Are you the king of the Jews?” (33), we can know they accused Jesus being a king (Luke 23:2) who would be against Roman emperor (Caesar) that colonized them. To Pilate’s question (“Are you the king of the Jews?”), Jesus didn’t answer yes or no because Pilate was deluded by their accusation and mistakenly thinking Jesus as political king. So, Jesus answered to Pilate wisely as below in verse 34.

³⁴ ‘Is that your own idea,’ Jesus asked, ‘or did others talk to you about me?’

His answer (‘Is that your own idea or did others talk to you about me?’) helped Pilate realize his thought (political king) was superficially based on what others said (king or Messiah).

Now Pilate was ready to listen to Jesus directly. See v35.

³⁵ ‘Am I a Jew?’ Pilate replied. ‘Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?’

Now Jesus gave him His answer to his initial inquiry about ‘king’ in v36.

³⁶ Jesus said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.’

Jesus indirectly told him He was the king but He made it clear that He was not a political king, because His kingdom was not of this world. His kingdom is one from another place, that is, the kingdom of heaven or the kingdom of God.

What is response of Pilate? See v37a.

‘You are a king, then!’ said Pilate.

What is answer of Jesus? See v37b.

Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king.

Again, Jesus didn’t say yes or no. Pilate might still misunderstand His kingship. Differently to the worldly kings, Jesus is the king who is humble and gentle. People surrender to Him from the bottom of their heart because of His irresistible love of God. He is Servant King. He is Friend King. He is Shepherd King.

“You say that I am a king,” which Dodd reshaped and interpreted as “king is your word, not mine.” [1]

See v37c.

‘In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth.

Jesus helped Pilate know more about His kingship. At the same time, Jesus answered his 2^nd question (‘What is it you have done?’ (35)). The mission of Jesus was to testify to the truth. That’s what Jesus had been doing.

See v37d.

‘Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.’

Jesus used expression for Pilate easy to understand. Jesus made it clear that He was not a political king. People in His kingdom are people on the side of truth. Pilate could stand and live on the side of truth without leaving Roman Empire.

See v38a.

‘What is truth?’ retorted Pilate.

For Pilate, that question was an attempt to resist taking Jesus’ statement seriously in his own life, but it did make an initial impact on his view of Jesus during this first interrogation session [1].

Finally, let’s read v37d together.

“Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

Amen.

References

[1] Borchert, G. L. (2002). John 12–21 (Vol. 25B, p. 242 – 243). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition, 2011). (2011). (Revised and updated edition., Jn 18:28–40). London: Hodder & Stoughton.

God, the Creator, who served and gave His life

John 18:1 – 14

Let us study mainly on John 18:6.

⁶ When Jesus said, ‘I am he,’ they drew back and fell to the ground.

The above was what happened just before the arrest of Jesus. Those who came to arrest Jesus drew back and fell to the ground when Jesus said, ‘I am he’.

This demonstrated that Jesus did have power to protect Himself against the arrest.

As written in Matthew 26:53 – 54, Jesus said,

⁵³ Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? ⁵⁴ But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?’

At five to six thousand soldiers per legion, twelve legions could literally amount to seventy-two thousand angels [1].

As mentioned in John 10:17-18, it was not that someone took His life from Him but He laid down His life for us on His own accord:

¹⁷ The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.’

In conclusion, Jesus was NOT a passive victim of superior force. Jesus is strongest and almighty. He was in control. He had authority over His own death (John 10:18)

He submitted to the Father’s will and voluntarily sacrificed His life by His own choice.

After authorizing His own death, He had authority to take His life up again (John 10:18).

He appeared to be victimized but actually He was taking the prerequisite of the victory. Jesus appeared to be losing but He is the winner at all time. Jesus appeared to be most miserable but he was loving, comforting, and healing all humanity of every misery.

In Mark 10:45, Jesus said,

⁴⁵ For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’

What can we say if we combine this verse with what we studied today?

Jesus had power and authority to make everyone serve and give Him. But He chose to serve and give us.

Therefore, we would follow Him by serving and giving the weaker. We can confirm that this is His will based on Matthew 25:45.

⁴⁵ ‘He will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.”

References

[1] Blomberg, C. (1992). Matthew (Vol. 22, p. 399). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition, 2011). (2011). (Revised and updated edition., Mt 25:45). London: Hodder & Stoughton.

His prayer for all believers

John 17:20 – 26

In chapter 17, Jesus prays for believers.

In John 17:20, Jesus prays for future believers who will believe in Him through believers’ message.

Regarding to ‘message’, Romans 10:17 says

Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

Paul argued in Romans 10:14 that

¹⁴ How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?

Therefore, someone has to preach the message to them.  There should be a messenger.

Baptist John was a messenger. Quoting from Malachi 3:1 and Isaiah 40:3, Mark 1:2 – 3 says about Baptist John:

² as it is written in Isaiah the prophet:

‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,

who will prepare your way’—

³ ‘a voice of one calling in the wilderness,

“Prepare the way for the Lord,

make straight paths for him.” ’

In Isaiah 49:2, the mouth of the messenger was compared to sharpened sword.

² He made my mouth like a sharpened sword,

in the shadow of his hand he hid me;

he made me into a polished arrow

and concealed me in his quiver.

How would be the message from the mouth of sharpened sword?

Let’s read Hebrew 4:12 – 13.

¹² For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. ¹³ Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Such message would be based on the Word of God, and reveal what are hidden in their heart for them to repent their sins, be inspired and aspired to follow the son of God, Jesus.

In John 17:24, Jesus prays for believers to be where He is.

Father I want those you have given me to be with me where I am

John 17:24 agrees with the fact that God wants all people to be saved, as shown in 1 Timothy 2:3 – 4:

³ This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, ⁴ who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

See John 17:25 – 26.

The world does not know God (25a). As a result, people in the world are lack of God and His attributes. They are cruel, evil and without love (2 Timothy 3:2 – 4, Romans 1:29 – 32). Jesus, who knows God (25b), came to the world and made God known to them (25c), so that the love God has for Jesus may be in them (25d).

Jesus washes His disciples’ feet

John 13:1 – 17 

13 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

² The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. ³ Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; ⁴ so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel round his waist. ⁵ After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped round him.

⁶ He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’

⁷ Jesus replied, ‘You do not realise now what I am doing, but later you will understand.’

⁸ ‘No,’ said Peter, ‘you shall never wash my feet.’

Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.’

⁹ ‘Then, Lord,’ Simon Peter replied, ‘not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!’

¹⁰ Jesus answered, ‘Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.’ ¹¹ For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

¹² When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. ‘Do you understand what I have done for you?’ he asked them. ¹³ ‘You call me “Teacher” and “Lord”, and rightly so, for that is what I am. ¹⁴ Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵ I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. ¹⁶ Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

(Message)

We know feet are the most dirty and smelly part of our body. Washing others’ feet is the job of servants. Jesus is our Lord and teacher (13). But Jesus washes His disciples’ feet (4, 5).

Borchert knows of no other example in the literature of the ancient world before the coming of Jesus where such a foot washing by a leader occurs [1].

This “feet washing” is applicable for those who already bathed the whole body (10), which means they believed Jesus and were forgiven.

This teaches us how we should handle their mistakes due to the weaknesses and immaturity in the sinful world.

Washing is sanctification by love and care. Humility shown by Jesus makes a leader a servant who cares extensively as above.

Reference

[1] Borchert, G. L. (2002). John 12–21 (Vol. 25B, pp. 79–80). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

The Holy Bible: New International Version (Anglicised Edition, 2011). (2011). (Revised and updated edition., Jn 13:1–17). London: Hodder & Stoughton.

The Gate of Salvation and Life in its Fullness

In the first part,

Jesus declares that He is the Gate for the sheep (7b) and the shepherd (2), and the Gate of Salvation (9) and Life (10b).

He shows what qualifies to be “the shepherd,“ and compares with a robber and a thief.

In the 2^nd part,

Jesus declares that He is the Good Shepherd, and compares with the hired hand.

I. The Gate, Jesus (John 10:1 – 10)

First, Jesus explains the difference between shepherd and thief/robber. The shepherd enters by the gate (John 10:2) but a thief and a robber climbs in by some other way (John 10:1).

Then, Jesus declares “I am the gate for the sheep” (7b, 9a)

Jesus is the Gate to the sheepfold, and it is important to enter through this Gate.

The man who enters by the Gate is one who recognizes and believes Jesus and he is the shepherd of His sheep.

Jesus entrusted His sheep to His servants like us. Entering through the sheep gate Jesus, we are able to be a shepherd to His sheep (2). Shepherd should understand their character & ability by calling them by their names and lead them by being an example (3).

If a man does not recognize Jesus, he is not qualified as the shepherd but considered as a thief and a robber (1-2). They have two different purposes: See verse 10.

¹⁰ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

“Entering through Jesus” is the condition of salvation both for shepherd & sheep (9).

Jesus is the Gate of Salvation (9) and Life in its fullness (10).

II. The Good Shepherd, Jesus (John 10:11 – 18)

Jesus declared in John 10:11a.

^11aI am the good shepherd (11a, 14a)

Now, Jesus explains about the Good Shepherd. See v11b.

^11bThe good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

Jesus says this with “the good shepherd” replaced with “I” in v15b.

¹⁴ ‘I am the good shepherd; …… ¹⁵ …… and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Jesus compares the Good Shepherd with the hired hand in v12 and v13.

¹² The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own 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. ¹³ The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

Differently to the hired hand, Jesus owns the sheep. This implies how much greater His care and love toward His sheep (us) are than all others (hired hands)’s.

As we know, we usually do not commit if the cost is too high. But we may sacrifice even our lives for someone only if we truly love & care about that person. The Good Shepherd Jesus committed to save us even though it cost His life. This shows how much Jesus loves and cares for us. As a disciple & a shepherd entrusted His sheep, we learn from Jesus to be a good shepherd like Him (11-18).

See v14 and v15.

¹⁴ ‘I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.

In these verses, Jesus says “I know my sheep and my sheep know me”.  What does this mean? Let’s think more about this Word.

• Jesus knows me: Jesus knows my character, habits, weaknesses and strengths, needs, feelings, hurts, intensions/motivations, sins, miserable fate if without Him, ……
• I know my Shepherd: His sheep knows “His sacrifice was out of His love toward me and how great His love is, He knew me even when I didn’t recognize Him, He knows me all along, He makes my life meaningful, He is trustworthy, He is faithful, He is good, ……”

See v16.

¹⁶ I have other sheep that are not of this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

Jesus talks on “other sheep that are not of this sheepfold”. Jesus owns them at present, too, as shown in the expression of “I have” (not “I will have”). Jesus declares, “there shall be one flock and one shepherd.”