Words of Jesus Part 47

Even though Jesus doesn't actually speak verbally until the end of this particular chapter. The preceding verses are too important to skip considering they are all about Jesus. The actual words Jesus speaks is in BOLD lettering.

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

The word actually was Jesus. The word became flesh. According to John's letter in 1 John, we have to believe in Jesus and that He came into the flesh. If we don't teach this, we are false teachers. Jesus was God coming in the flesh or born of woman. He already existed before coming in the flesh and was born into this world to live among us for a short time.

1 John 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

This is kind of hard for the average person to grasp until the Holy Spirit begins to quicken the word preached and it reaches the listener. When one is born again anew by God's Holy Spirit it is the greatest miracle of all for a soul passes from death into life everlasting.

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

Jesus was present at the creation of the original heaven and earth.

John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

Without Christ we dwell in darkness and there is no light.

John 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

Some take this to mean the darkness does not understand the light. Comprehend meaning understanding. While I agree that the darkness does not understand the light, I believe this verse means that the darkness cannot overcome the light. It cannot suppress the light.

John 1:6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

This John is John the Baptist not the John who is the author of this book.

John 1:7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
9 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.

The world did not know Christ when He came. So it is still today. Those in the world do not know Christ.

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

His own chosen people, where the Jewish people in the land of Israel. Many of the religious Jews did not receive Him, only a small number of them believed. Of course that is how it has always been for many nations. Only a remnant receive the gospel compared to the whole world's population.

John 1:12 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:

Believing on the name of Jesus makes us sons of God. We are born of the spirit. By believing we receive Him and believe what He teaches us. This also includes women. We are children of God, sons of God when we come to Him for salvation. Women are never left out and become second class citizens. In fact God used a womb within a woman to bring Jesus into the world.

John 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

What a beautiful thought. We are born of God. This is not the first birth which is natural but a new birth which is spiritual. Words cannot describe the new birth. You have to experience it to know what it is like to be born again by the spirit of God. It is not something we can see with our eyes but it happens when one renounces sin and comes to Christ with all their heart.

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.

God sent His Son, the word into the flesh to live among us.

John 1:15 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.

The law says we have sinned. Jesus brings us the grace of God that will free us from sin if we believe in Him and that He is the Christ sent to save us from sin.

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.

To believe the Son is to believe the Father.

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?
20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
21 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?
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.

Here is that prophecy in Isaiah

Isaiah 40:3 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

In the spirit of Elijah, John the Baptist fulfills the prophecy of preparing the way for the 1st coming of Jesus our Lord.

John 1:24 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?
26 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.
28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
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.

This is why Jesus came, to take away our sins. This is not an automatic thing, we have to believe and receive this to be saved from sin.

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.
31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
32 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.

The baptism in the Holy Ghost is given by Jesus Christ to endue with power for service. It is described in Acts the 2nd chapter. It is for all who believe in the name of Jesus.

John 1:34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
35 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!

A lamb is innocent and was used in the Old Testament as a sacrifice for sins. Jesus was innocent and was a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. Actual animals is not longer needed as they could not permanently save from sin but only pointed to the coming perfect sacrifice of the Son of God.

John 1:37 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.
40 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.
41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.

The Jews were expecting the Messiah to come. They rejoiced at first that He had come. Of course the jealous Pharisees didn't rejoice but most common people did rejoice. The part that caused them to stumble was that they expected the kingdom of God to appear then and there. They were not expecting a message to repent and follow Christ. They didn't expect anyone to die for their sins. They probably didn't realize that they had any sin to repent of. As we study the gospels we see that the actual sinners repented more easily than those who didn't think they had any sin.

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.
43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.
44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
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.
46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
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.
49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
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.
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.

The disciples saw many miracles and heard much teaching to prove that Jesus was indeed the Messiah and that He fulfilled the prophecy given by the prophets. When Jesus was crucified, their faith took a temporary dive but was later restored after His resurrection and after receiving the Holy Spirit that was promised to not only those present but also as many as the Lord calls even to this present time.

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

Here is one verse that foretells of the coming Christ. Words of Moses

Deuteronomy 18:15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;

The suffering of the Messiah is foretold in Isaiah 53. This is just a few prophecies out of many. Jesus is in the Old Testament concealed and in the New Testament revealed.

Words of Jesus Part 48

Words of Jesus Index