Monday 18 August 2014

Bible Study Series - Gospel According to John Chapter 1 - pt. 2

John Testifies About Jesus


John 1:29 “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”


V.29 – What’s interesting about this verse is when John see’s Jesus and identifies him to the people as “the Lamb of God” and gives the reason for this title; he who takes away the sin of the world!

Let’s take a look at the significance of the Lamb in the Old Testament.
The very first instance we can use as evidence where a lamb was used as an offering to the Lord is with the story of Cain and Abel. We read in Genesis Chapter 4 of this event.

Genesis 4:4 “And Abel; he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering:”

Abel was a keeper of Sheep, and the firstlings of his flock are what? Lambs, this story is symbolic of the Lord Jesus Christ hence why he is referred to as the Lamb of God.

This is not the first instance that we read about an animal being killed for something, we read that in Genesis Chapter 3 when Adam and Eve realised their sin, they take it upon themselves to sew fig leaves to cover their own nakedness from God; does a fig leaf apron cover much of your nakedness?

This is symbolic of how man tries to come to God with his own works or deeds, what we then read is that God covers them with coats of skin he made himself. Where did the coats of skin come from? Obviously an animal or animals were killed for this to happen, this is the very first written evidence of an animal being killed, to have its blood shed to cover the sins of man; Gods way, with blood; whom he ultimately will provide mankind with the ultimate sacrifice, that precious blood.

What other places do we find the lamb being used?

In Exodus Chapter 12, we read about in the days of Moses that the Israelites who were still captive in Egypt had to take the blood of the Lamb and strike it on the sides and upper posts of the door, and the blood of the Lamb will the Lord see as he passed over Egypt inflicting plagues and death on the firstborns in the land without the blood of the Lamb. This is another symbolic representation of what Jesus will come to do, but greater: the lamb whose blood represents a temporary covering for sin, in comparison to Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, the perfect sacrifice; who will take away sin forever.

Hebrews 9:12 “neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.”

Since Christ is the ultimate sacrifice, it is no longer needed to spill the blood of animals to atone for our sins.
Every single word the bible uses is powerful, Jesus having obtained eternal, which means never ending redemption for us.

John 1:30 “This is he of whom I said, after me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.”

V.30 – Once again, after John Identifies the messiah he reiterates the pre-eminence and eternal existence of Jesus.

John 1:31 “And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.”

V.31 – John says he knew him not, even though John and Jesus are cousins and according to this scripture it is apparent that John did not know Jesus in the flesh. In Spirit, John knew who the messiah was. John was to point people to the messiah, manifest means, in this instance, to prove, or render apparent. John’s mission is to make apparent to Israel the messiah.

The word ‘therefore’ means “for that reason” or “consequently”, so john is saying, for that reason of manifesting the messiah to Israel; he comes baptizing with water.

This baptism is not Christian baptism. John’s baptism is of repentance; his ministry was about repentance from unbelief to belief. Paul speaks about this Acts.

ACTS 19:4 “Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.”

People falsely assume or are deceived into thinking that baptism cleanses us of our sins, this is a false teaching. The precious blood of Christ takes away sin, but remission of sin doesn’t occur until one comes to believe on him, Christ Jesus.

I will not go on about baptism in greater detail as the subject is not in scope with this study. But I have given you enough information to realise what the purpose is of John’s ministry and that it was and is, all about the messiah.

John 1:32-33 “And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. 33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.”

V.32 – John testifies that he saw the Holy Spirit descend from Heaven like a dove and stayed upon Jesus. In the other Gospel according to Matthew 3:16-17 we read there, a voice from heaven can be heard saying, “This is my beloved son”.

So what we here is a really significant event with Jesus anointing, we see here that the Holy Trinity is present at the same time!

God the Father Speaks, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit: the godhead, all present together at this one moment in time.

V.33 – John came to baptize with water, but upon whom shall he see the Holy Spirit descending down on, and remaining on him, Jesus is going to baptize with the Holy Spirit. Do you see the pattern? Jesus and his baptism have pre-eminence over John and his baptism. So it is clear by the scriptures that baptism varies and is not the same.

John 1:34 “And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.”

V.34 – Not just because of the Holy Spirit descending upon him or the voice from heaven, but on all knowledge of Jesus and on what God had told him, John the Baptist proclaimed Jesus to be the Son of God.



John’s Disciples Follow Jesus


John 1:35-39 “Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; 36 and looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! 37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. 38 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, what seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou? 39 He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour. 

V.35-37 – The next day, John sees Jesus walking away from him, John is standing there with his two disciples and John speaks and says, look! There is the Lamb of God, so John’s two disciples decide to tail Jesus.

At this point, we start to read how John’s ministry starts to fade away as Jesus begins his ministry and all the focus is put on Jesus.

V.38-39 – Jesus turns around, probably heard their footsteps and asks the two disciples why are they following him, what are they looking for? They say to Jesus, Teacher, master where do you live? Jesus says to them, come and see. They followed Jesus and saw where he stayed; they too stayed with him that day.

One disciple is mentioned by name, who is Andrew, the other disciple must’ve have been John as he records the time of day it is. The tenth hour is 4pm in the afternoon.




V.40-41 Andrew the brother of Simon Peter firstly tells him that they have found the messiah.
Messiah is the transliteration of a Hebrew or Aramaic verbal adjective, where in the Greek is Christós and written in English is Christ. They all mean the “Anointed One”, this is a title, not a name.

John 1:42 “And he brought him to Jesus.  And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona:  thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, a stone.”

V.42 – When Andrew brings Simon Peter to Jesus, Jesus straightway says, you are Simon the son of Jona. In Hebrew, Jona means “Dove”. Jesus then tells Simon that he shall be called Cephas (kEphas), which means a stone. The word used here is the Greek word “Petros” which is the masculine form of Petras, Petros is a small rock (stone), whereas Petras is a huge boulder sized rock. 

This understanding will come in handy and make sense in other scripture where Jesus is speaking of foundations of his church.  – Matthew 16:18-20 (This subject would cover an entire other study!)
In English Petros is interpreted as Peter.

John 1:43 “The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.”

V.43 Jesus is now moving quickly to gather other men to complete membership of his chosen Apostleship. He finds Phillip and simply says, follow me and he does.



John 1:44 "Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter."
These men were most likely, previously friends being from the same town. The name “Bethsaida” means fishing house which would be the reason why the town was full of fishermen! 
James and John had been fishing acquaintances of Peter and Andrew. 
John 1:45 "Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, we have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."
Philip finds Nathanael to tell him that they found him, the Messiah, the Christ. He reminds Nathanael that the Messiah had been promised in the writings by Moses and the prophets.  

According to the writings of John we see that Jesus is the fulfilment of Old Testament Scripture.
Nathanael is mentioned only in John’s gospel, but the following evidence supports his identification with Bartholomew and that they are one in the same man.

Nathanael is mentioned only in John’ Gospel and Bartholomew is mentioned only in the listing of the Twelve in Acts and the synoptic Gospels.

·         Matthew 10:3
·         Mark 3:18
·         Luke 6:14
·         Acts 1:13

Philip brought Nathanael to Jesus, and Bartholomew is listed together with Philip; finally, John associates Nathanael with the Twelve (John 21:2). It seems at least plausible to identify Nathanael and Bartholomew as the same man.

John 1:46 "And Nathanael said unto him, can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?  Philip saith unto him, Come and see."

All of them believed before that no prophet would rise up out of Galilee, and this is probably what he is referring to here when he talks about Nazareth.  

Nathanael was from Cana, another town in Galilee. While Galileans were despised by Judeans, Galileans themselves despised people from Nazareth.

In light of John 7:52, Nathanael’s scorn may have centred in the fact that Nazareth was an insignificant village without seeming prophetic importance.

Later, some would contemptuously refer to Christians as the “sect of the Nazarenes”, Acts 24:5.
The Jews would not call the believers Christians, the people of Christ (Messiah). They used other terms like the sect of the Nazarenes. This nickname was derived from Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth.







John 1:47 "Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!"
Jesus, of course, knows everything about everyone and everything.  Nathanael is no exception, to prove to Nathanael who he is; Jesus greets him in this manner.

Jesus’ point was that Nathanael’s bluntness revealed that he was an Israelite without cunning motives, one who was willing to examine these things for himself, the claims being made about Jesus that is.
The term reveals an honest, seeking heart.

John 1:48 "Nathanael saith unto him, whence knowest thou me?  Jesus answered and said unto him, before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee."

Nathanael is alarmed as to how Jesus knew that he was an Israelite? Nathanael thinks this to be very strange.

Here again, Jesus knows everything all the time, and He knew where Philip found Nathanael.

Nathanael was under the fig tree literally and spiritually. Israel is the fig tree symbolically (the fig tree nation) and that is the teaching Nathanael was under at the time.  Of course, literally Philip had found him sitting under the fig tree, as well!

This was a favourite place used by the Jews for meditation. Jesus evidently meant a specific time which Nathanael understood.

If Nathanael had been praying concerning the promised Messiah, in verse 45, this would explain his remarkable response in verse 49, where he confesses Jesus’ deity and messiah-ship.

John 1:49 "Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel."

Nathanael realizes it is true, this is Messiah!  He calls Him Rabbi (teacher), but quickly adds that Jesus is the Son of God, King of Israel.  

What an awakening, to be beholding with his very own eyes the promised Messiah.  This revelation of Nathanael was similar to the time when Jesus asked the disciples, who He was and Peter said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God".  This is not a son, but THE Son.  He says in essence, it is right for you to rule.

Jesus’ display of supernatural knowledge and Phillip’s witness removed Nathanael’s doubts, so John added the witness of Nathanael to this section. The use of “the” with “Son of God” most likely indicates that the expression is to be understood as bearing its full significance, verse 34 and John 11:27.
For Nathanael, here was ONE who could not be described merely in human terms.

John 1:50 "Jesus answered and said unto him, because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? Thou shalt see greater things than these."

This is probably the biggest understatement of all time! 
He would see Jesus open the eyes of the blind, make the deaf hear, make the lame walk, feed thousands of men with five loaves and two little fishes; speak to the sea, wind and other elements and have it obey him, drive out unclean spirits and even raise the dead.  
This mere statement of Nathanael being under the fig tree is such a small thing in comparison; Jesus is pleased that this made him believe.

John 1:51 "And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man."

Verily, verily means it will happen, that’s saying truly twice!  There is no question or doubts about it. A phrase used frequently for emphasizing the importance and truth of the coming statement.
In light of the context of verse 47, this verse most likely refers to Genesis 28:12 where Jacob dreamed about a ladder from heaven. Jesus’ point to Nathanael was that just like Jacob experienced heavenly sent revelations, Nathanael and the other disciples would experience supernatural communication confirming who Jesus was as well. Moreover the term “Son of Man” replaced the ladder in Jacob’s dream, signifying that Jesus was the means of access between God and man.

“Son of man” is Jesus favourite self-designation, for it was mostly spoken by Jesus who used it over 80 times. In the New Testament, it refers only to Jesus and appears mostly in the gospels. In the fourth (This one we are studying) gospel, the expression occurs 13 times and is most commonly associated with the themes of crucifixion and suffering and revelation (John 6:27, 53) but also with authority.


While the term at times may refer merely to a human being or as a substitute for “I”, it especially takes on significance, when referring to Daniel 7 where the “Son of Man” or Messiah comes in glory to receive the kingdom from the “Ancient of Days”, The Father.

Monday 11 August 2014

Bible Study Series - The Gospel According to John Chapter 1 - Part 1


Introduction

There is something really special about this Gospel; this is my favourite Gospel out of the four. I believe that this Gospel really tells us more about our Lord Jesus Christ and his deity.

This gospel is written by John, the name of John translated is “Jehovah is merciful” or “the grace of Jehovah”.
This John was the brother of James; they were the sons of Zebedee, the sons of thunder. John was one of the first apostles chosen by Jesus.

It is also the only Gospel that contains these very words, “but these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” – John 20:31

Chapter 1 – The Word


John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

V1. The Word, who is the Word? The Lord Jesus Christ is the Word. The phrase in verse 1 is used in the same style as Genesis 1:1, which gives us much more meaning about our Lord.

In the beginning was the Lord Jesus Christ, this is talking about his eternal pre-existence long before the creation event took place.

And the Lord Jesus Christ was with God, meaning he was with the Father.

And the Lord Jesus Christ was God; He is the eternal God, the second person of the Holy Trinity.

Jesus has existed from eternity to eternity; his deity has no genealogy, only in his human manifestation did he have genealogy. This would be part of the reason why John did not include a narrative of the Lords earthly bloodline like Matthew and Luke did, John is focusing more on the deity of Christ.

·         Psalm 33:6 “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.”

·         Psalm 107:20 “He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.”

·         Proverbs 8:27 “When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:”

The translation of the word “Word” in his opening scripture has a very powerful meaning in both the Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic tongue; as these cultures relate this to the creation event (Genesis) where God, by using his words, spoke everything into existence.

 John 1:2 “The same was in the beginning with God.”

V2. The same, Lord Jesus was in the beginning with God. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Word; you should be able to see clearly as to why and how Satan has been trying to corrupt the very Word of God.

The Devil has been perverting the written and spoken Word of God since the beginning; his efforts include fraudulent bibles from corrupt manuscripts, liberal focused translations, and attacking the very Word.

The Churches out there who claim to be the true church is doing very little if at any, to teach from the Word; except they turn to their own manuals and media to teach what they believe will tickle the ears of their members, usually trying to appeal to their member’s carnal nature. 

They are only offering up lip service to the Lord, serving from their own carnal selves; instead of worshiping God in the Spirit. There aren't many bible teaching churches out there anymore as they strive to be politically correct instead of teaching the inspired words of God.

My Brethren, to be honest with you; ANY Church or religious institution that makes claims that they are the ONLY true church on this Earth should immediately raise red flags to you.

The same trick Satan used on Eve in the Garden, making appeals to her natural carnal senses to deceive her from the truth.

My Brethren, we must be on our guard in this day and age, where the market is flooded with perverted bibles, so called “easier to read”, for children, new age where gender has been removed to downright attacking the virgin birth of our messiah and his deity; attacking the Doctrine of Christ.

In English, the best preserved words of God is found in our King James Version Translation, beware of the New KJV, this version is the most deceptive one as it does not use the Textus Receptus, but uses the Codex Sinaiticus, the Codex Vaticanus and leans on the Hort & Westcott manuscripts where these do not even agree with each other in many places of the new testament.

Beware my brethren, Discernment is not distinguishing what is right and wrong, that is easy if you stay true to the Holy Word of God. My Brethren, true discernment; is to know the difference between what is right, and to what is almost right; this is the tactic employed by Satan since the beginning in the Garden of Eden.

John 1:3 “All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.”

V3. ALL THINGS created by him, by whom? The subject is still Jesus, yep that’s right, Jesus created all things; there is nothing that exists that he did not create.

Colossians 1:16 “for by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:”

In the above verse it also states that all things are created by Jesus, everything! Whether it is in Heaven, in Earth, the visible and invisible; so the things we can experience from our 5 senses to the invisible things that we cannot perceive with our own senses. 

Now the invisible things, the things we cannot see with our carnal members from Spirits, sub-atomic particles, radio frequencies, microwaves; you name it, everything.
And it says at the end, all things were created by him, and for him.

Interesting enough, I am asked good questions such as, ‘Why was mankind created, and what are we here for’?

However we could speculate all we want to, I've seen people argue over this question, but I believe myself that it is answered clearly in the final sentence written in Colossians 1:16.

I used to ask the same question until I read what was written and I said to myself, “Who am I to say or explain why we were created”?

My answer to this question is this: All Things were made by Jesus, and all things were made for HIM.
I accept the fact that I was made for him, and so I accept that I belong to the Lord for whatever the reason that he made me for, I do not care; 

I was made for him and now I have found him or rather he has found me and the father knows me now, that my brethren, is all that matters to me.



John 1:4-5 “In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”

V4. In him was life, Jesus is the way, the truth and the light: he is Salvation, everlasting life. In Genesis 2:7 we read how God created man from dust, we were nought but a lifeless doll made of clay. 

Then God breathed his breath of life into his nostrils, and man became a living soul: the breath of life, life meaning to simply exist. The Word made man alive.

The life is the light of men, Jesus is that light those who receive that light have the power to receive everlasting life.

V5. The light shines in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. If we go back to the creation event, we see that the night always precedes the light.

In the daily biblical cycle, a day ends from evening to evening starting with night first. Old testament Prophet Nehemiah writes the following, which you can read in Nehemiah 13:19-22.

In that passage we read that the Sabbath Day is approaching and that the Gates in Jerusalem have to be closed as the night approaches.

In general, darkness is an absence of light. This passage about darkness however refers to the meaning of wickedness, evil, spiritual death and or blinded, in essence; Spiritual wickedness and also symbolically Satan.

The light is Jesus, who is life; he is the candle that lights the room and fills it with life: the light overcoming the darkness of the room. We must receive the light (Jesus) in our hearts to overcome the darkness (Satan) within us: so that we may obtain everlasting life because of this light.

Jesus did all this through his work on the cross.



The Prophet, John the Baptist



John 1:6-7 “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.”


V6 & 7. John the Baptist was sent from God, he is the cousin of Jesus whose parents are Elizabeth, who is the cousin of Jesus’ mother, Mary. Elizabeth is a descendant of Aaron, in which the priesthood is established from the bloodline of Aaron’s great grandfather Levi.

John the Baptist’s father is Zechariah; he too is a Levite priest of the sons of Aaron.

Right from birth, John had a mission, his mission in being to witness the Anointed one, the Messiah to point (meaning to believe on the coming of the Messiah) people to him so they know who the Messiah is.

Jesus himself said that there was no greater a man than John the Baptist in Matthew 11:11.

What else do we know about John the Baptist?

1.       His birth was a miracle also, his parents being well past child bearing age.

2.       The Holy Spirit entered him when he was still inside his mother’s womb. Luke 1:15

3.       John is the forerunner spoken of who is Elijah in spirit and power – Malachi 3:1 (not to be confused with the real Elijah who will return at the Lords 2nd Coming - Malachi 4:5).

4.       To prepare the people to receive the coming of the Messiah. Mark 1:2-3

5.       Preaching Repentance for the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 3:1-3, Luke 3:3-4

6.       Baptism of Water. Luke 3:16, Acts 1:5, Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8

I’m sure there are other things which in no doubt I will update later if necessary, but you get the gist of it, as I could write a whole sermon/study on the topic on the diverse controversies and false teachings surrounding John the Baptist and his ministry.

John came, because he was sent to bear witness, to validate or confirm to the people who the Messiah is; the light of the world that all might believe on him, to kindle their faith on the Messiah.



John 1:8-10 “He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.”

V8-10. John was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light who is Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ is that true light, the light from the very beginning, the very same light that spoke the world into existence. 
If you have the light with you, you have life, if you do not have the light; you are dead without the light. You see, Jesus created everything, he came into the world, the world that he made; but the world had no idea who he was.

John 1:11 “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.”

V11. His own, this would mean the Israelites, they were the chosen people they were given the written law, they were the oracles of God and had the scriptures and yet, they still rejected the Lord Jesus Christ: Through unbelief and spiritual blindness.

John 1:12-13 “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

V12-13. But to the multitudes who received him, believed on him, they who placed their faith in the Messiah, he gave them the power to become the sons of God, even to the people that believed on his name. There is a doctrine going around the religious institutions that teach all mankind are sons or children of God, this is a false teaching as we move further into this Gospel study, we will soon understand.

In a general sense we are children of God, in that he created us, but it is only by faith in him that we inherit the promise given to Abraham: the promise of the inheritance and to be heirs to all who would believe.
Even to those who would believe on his name, Jesus name means ‘God is Salvation’ or ‘Jehovah is Salvation’, those who confess with their mouths the Lord Jesus Christ and shall believe in their hearts that God has raised him from the dead, shall be saved. – Romans 10:9

Those confessing Jesus are born again (John Chapter 3), not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor with the will of man: salvation is not brought on by man, nor by anything that we do; no amount of work or effort we do merits salvation. Salvation is a gift from God, not a prize or reward that we try to earn of ourselves but by his mercy he saved us.

Titus 3:5 “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;”

1 Peter 3:18 “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:”

The new believer is born again, not of the flesh but of the Spirit, the Holy Spirit dwells in us; this is how we are born of God.

John 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

V14. The word was made flesh, Jesus; God our saviour became flesh and lived among us, here on Earth, and we beheld his glory, Jesus the only begotten, being the express image of the father.
- Hebrews 1:3

Full of Grace and Truth, many of the Jews view the messiah as someone who would come with power, a political warrior who would deliver them from their current oppression, to deliver them from their foreign occupiers and restore their nation and kingdom; this is the opposite of the grace and truth, Jesus came to save, his second coming however will be quite different to his first coming.

John 1:15-17 “John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, this was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. 16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”

V.15 – John bearing witness of the Lord Jesus, and is talking about Jesus eternal existence when John says “He that cometh after me…for he was before me”. Jesus is 6 months younger than John the Baptist in the flesh, but John is well aware that Jesus created him.

V.16 – Since the beginning of creation, Jesus has been filling us with his word even during the Old Testament right up to present day, the meaning of Grace for Grace; God has given us his Grace which was the same yesterday, as it is today. Grace is unmerited, undeserving favour upon one thing that we must do, of our own free will. This is what we are going to learn from the fantastic Gospel according to John.

V.17 – The Law was given to Moses by God, but grace and truth came by the Lord Jesus Christ. The law was given to show us that we were in need of a saviour, to prepare us by showing us that we have transgressed God’s Holy Law, his Holy Character. The Law did not reveal the truth entirely, the truth, was revealed entirely when the messiah came.

The Law acted as a preparatory, a school master to prepare and point us, to the messiah. – Galatians 3:24-25
John 1:18 “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”

V.18 – No man has seen God at ANY time, this statement is true. There are false religions out there whose preachers make the very claim that God appeared to them.  My dear friends, these claims are flat-out lies.
The closest anyone got to seeing God was Moses, not through a vision, but whilst he was conscious! In fact Moses was only allowed to see God’s back parts, lest he see God’s face Moses would have died. Now after this event, the Israelites had to cover Moses face with a veil for a few days because his face was glowing!

Anyway, on topic again…The only begotten son, Jesus who was born of a human virgin woman through the Spirit of God who is in the heart of the father, he has declared him. The entire time Jesus was interpreting and teaching the people, he was teaching them about the Father, everything that Jesus did, is the express reflection of who the father is!

Jesus is the only person that has seen the Father, because he came from him! Jesus is the second person of the Godhead!!

1 John 5:7 “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.”

That is the clearest scripture in the bible speaking of the Holy Trinity. Amen!

All of the modern bibles pervert this scripture!

John the Baptist Denies Being the Messiah


John 1:19 “And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, who art thou?”

V.19 – We begin reading about John the Baptist’s record. The Priests and Levites from Jerusalem ask John on who he is.

John 1:20 “And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.”

V.20 – John confesses that he is not the Messiah, he was careful to tell the people that he was not the Christ. He never failed to respond to any of these questions, he made sure that the people were aware that he was not that man.

John 21-22 “And they asked him, what then? Art thou Elias? And he saith; I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. 22 Then said they unto him, who art thou? That we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?”

V.21-22 They question John if he is Elijah, John replies that he is not. John is not Elijah incarnate, but Elijah in power and spirit – Malachi 3:1

After John denies to them that he is not that Prophet, they ask him, who are you? That we may give an answer to them that sent us. The Jewish sects send their followers to John to find out who he is and why he is stirring up such a fuss around the country side.

John 1:23 “He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.”

John answers them with the prophetic writings of Isaiah 40:3, identifying himself as the voice spoken of in the wilderness. John was more than just a messenger; he came to prepare the people, to soften the hearts of the people to receive the Messiah.

John 1:24-25 “And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?”





V24 - The men questioning John were of the Jewish sect known as the Pharisee.
The Pharisees knew the scriptures well, and are ardent followers of the Law of Moses, and the traditions of the elders.

V.25 – They asked John on why he baptized, on what authority he was doing this if he wasn’t the anointed one or Elijah nor that prophet. The Jews have many ritual washings and baptism is one of them. It used to convert (proselyte) Gentiles to Judaism.

John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance, now if we remember what the biblical definition of repentance is; it is a turning “from something” to turning “to something” or a change in mind/heart.

The false assumption of repentance is automagically adding the 3 words, “of your sins”: this is a false teaching as throughout the bible; it teaches that God repents far greater than anyone else, and God is without sins, he is the utmost Holy of all.

So what is this baptism of repentance, it is to show the Jews that they need to turn from the Law to the coming Grace and Faith of Christ!

In the Old Testament only Prophets, Priests had the authority to perform such ordinances.

John 1:26-27 “John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; 27 he it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.”

V.26 – John baptizes with water, he then tells the gathering crowd that there is one among them, whom they have no idea who he is; the Christ is standing among them already.  John does not point him out straightway.

V.27 - But he continues to reverence the Christ above himself even to go on to say that he is unworthy to remove the straps off his master’s shoes.

Never once, do you read that John puts himself above the messiah, John is always giving reverence and glory to the messiah; filled with such great humility.

John 1:28 “These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.”

V.28 – Bethabara means “House of the Desert”, so it is a desert place near Jordan where John was baptizing.

End of Part 1