APRIL 22 and 29, 2018
JESUS FINAL MESSAGE TO THE UNBELIEVING JEWS
INTRODUCTION:
1. Some believe that these verses are a continuation of the previous discourse which ended at Verse 36, but that is not likely, since that address ended with Jesus departing and hiding Himself from them. (Verse 36b) It is probable that this address was given some time after, perhaps on a following day when Jesus would again make a public appearance.
2. This would be Jesus’ last public discourse, and His last words to the Jews. All that follows will be private with His disciples.
3. In this last public address we see His boldness and earnestness. “Jesus cried and said…” He desired that all might hear and take notice. (Isa. 55:1)
4. Whether or not His words were heard by those present, we do well to take heed, for Hs addressed two matters which are of the utmost importance that we can never understand too well.
a) First is the glorious dignity of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is one with the Father; Who is as the sun risen on this sin-darkened world, the one source of spiritual life, fruitfulness, and comfort.
b) Second, there is a day of reckoning coming for all.
c) May we live in constant awareness of these two realities, which provide us with sufficient reasons for living godly lives, and for openly professing our faith in the world.
I. NOTICE THE PRIVILEGES AND DIGNITIES BELONGING TO THOSE WHO BELIEVE. (VERSES 44-46)
A. BY BELIEVING IN CHRIST WE ARE BORUGHT INTO ACQUAINTANCE WITH GOD. (VSES. 44, 45)
1. Jesus here declares for the last time the great truth He so often declared – the entire unity between Himself and the Father.
2. The believer does not believe in a mere man, as Jesus appeared to be, but in Him Who is the Son of God, equal in power and glory.
3. The believer’s faith does not terminate in Christ, but through Him reaches the Father. Christ is our way to the Father.
4. The rest of the believing soul is in God through Christ the Mediator.
5. The Christian faith is made up of pure Divinity. This is illustrated in Verse 45. (See Ch. 14:9)
a) God makes Himself known in the face of Christ. (II Cor. 4:6; Heb. 1:3)
b) All who believe in Christ are led by Him to the knowledge of God whom Christ has revealed to us by His Word and Spirit.
B. CHRIST IS TO THE BELIEVING SOUL WHAT THE RISING SUN IS TO THE WORLD. (VERSE 46)
1. We are brought into a comfortable enjoyment of ourselves. “…that whosoever believe in me, should not abide in darkness.”
2. The character of Christ: “I am come a light into the world.”
a) This implies that He had a being before coming, a being as light, just as the sun is before it rises.
b) The prophets and apostles were made lights, but only Christ came a light, having already been a glorious light in the upper world.
c) All others who are lights are mere reflections, Christ is eternal Light. He is the original Light. (John 1:4ff; 3:19; I John 1:5)
3. This verse shows that:
a) Christ existed before His incarnation;
b) Christ is the one Savior of the world, even as there is only one sun; and
c) Christ came not for one nation, but for all, as the sun shines for all the world.
II. NOTICE NEXT THE DANGER AND RUIN OF THOSE WHO HEAR HIS TEACHING AND BELIEVE NOT. (VERSES 47, 48)
A. JESUS PREFACES THIS WARNING WITH A DISCLAIMER. (VERSE 47)
1. These words can only mean, “I judge him not now.” To take them in an absolute sense would be to find teaching in other places as contradictory, where Christ is said to be judge of all at the last day.
2. Our Lord’s meaning evidently is to teach that His first Advent was not for judgment, but for salvation; not to punish, but to heal and save. (John 3:17) Christ’s First Advent was to set up a throne of grace; the Second Advent will be to set up a throne of judgment.
B. WE SEE WHO THEY ARE, WHOSE UNBELIEF IS HERE DESCRIBED AND CONDEMEND. (VERSE 48)
1. Those who receive not Christ’s words and reject Him are thus condemned.
a) The word rendered “rejecteth” is only used here in John’s Gospel. It means to despise, scorn, set at naught. (See Luke 10:16)
b) There are those who, like these Jews, hear Christ’s teachings and scoff at them, and even despise His Person, showing contempt for the Son of God, and thus, for God the Father. “He that despiseth me, despiseth Him that sent me.” (Luke 10:16)
2. These shall be judged in the last day, by the words which they refused to hear.
a) It is a serious matter to hear the Gospel. Jesus said, “Be careful how you hear.”
b) There is no doubt that unbelievers will answer for despising the Gospel.
c) In that day, they will not be able to deny that the words they rejected were words of wisdom, true words of grace and mercy.
d) Christ’s words will be unanswerable, and will aggravate their condemnation. It would have been better for them not to have heard at all.
3. See here the longsuffering of the Lord. Though He did not judge immediately, He will most assuredly be sitting upon a throne of judgment in that day.
a) He said, “I judge him not now,” but He will judge him then.
b) He will judge the world in righteousness.
c) This judgment is certain and unavoidable.
d) This judgement is without mercy, for despised mercy will witness against them.
III. NOTICE NEXT THE SOLEMN DECLARATION OF THE AUTHORITY CHRIST RECEIVED OF THE FATHER. (VERSES 49, 50)
A. HE RECEIVED HIS COMMISSION TO DELIVER HIS DOCTRINE TO THE WORLD FROM THE FATHER. (VERSE 49)
1. Notice, “For I have not spoken of myself,” that is, “I have not spoken of my own independent mind, without concert with my Father in heaven.”
2. Here, as in other places in John’s Gospel, the Greek does not mean “I have not spoken concerning myself, but out of myself.”
3. The object of saying that is evident.
a) He would have the Jews know what a serious sin it was to refuse His words, and not believe them.
b) To refuse to hear the words of any of God’s anointed prophets from Moses to John the Baptist was great sin, but to refuse to hear Christ, Who was One with the Father was to refuse to hear the words spoken directly by God Himself.
4. Jesus then reinforces His statement, declaring that, regarding what He should say and speak, He had come to earth under a Divine commandment, or with a Divine commission. What He spoke was ever according to the eternal counsels of the ever-blessed Trinity.
5. Just as He was the Father’s Workman so also He was the Father’s Spokesman. (John 4:34; 5:17; Deut. 18:18; Heb. 1:1, 2)
6. It is uncertain the distinction between “say” and “speak.” It has been suggested that the terms are meant to distinguish between teaching and publishing a thing and to utter a thing familiar. Whether or not that is the case, there certainly seems to be the intention of referring the Jews to the well-known words concerning the “Prophet like unto Moses.” (Deut. 18:18)
B. JESUS HERE DECLARES THE SCOPE AND DESIGN OF THIS COMMISSION. (VERSE 50)
1. Jesus said, “I know that this commandment is life everlasting.”
a) Some believe He is saying, “I know that the way to life everlasting is to keep His commandments.” This was essentially what He said to the rich young ruler. (See Matt. 18:16-19)
b) But the meaning of the sentence seems to be – “I know, whether you like to believe it or not, that this message, commandment, or commission, which I have from My Father is life everlasting to all who receive it and believe.”
c) Thus, Peter said to our Lord, “Thou hast the words of eternal life.” (John 6:68) This was just after Jesus said, “The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life.”
C. JESUS CONCLUDED HIS ADDRESS TO THE JEWS BY DECLARING HIS FAITHFULNESS TO HIS DIVINE COMMISSION. (VERSE 50)
1. Notice “Whatsoever I speak, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.” or, “Whatsoever I speak, it is even as the Father has said unto me.”
2. This sentence seems intended to wind up our Lord’s public discourses to the unbelieving Jews at Jerusalem.
a) “What things I am teaching now, or have spoken to you throughout My ministry, are things which the Father gave Me to speak to you.”
b) “If you, therefore, refuse or reject My message, know once more, for the last time, that you are rejecting the message of God the Father Himself.”
3. May we be so bold and confident, knowing that our message is true, to say, “I know and am persuaded that the message I bring is life everlasting to all who will believe it, and that saying what I do, I am saying nothing but what God has shown me in His Word.”
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