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The Gospel According To Saint John - 3/28/2008 6:47:31 PM
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HansC
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99.) Murmurs
There now appears to be a change of audience and location. Up until this point, Jesus had been speaking to large crowds out in the open, but now it seems that He is speaking to a leadership element most likely in the synagogue at Capernaum.
6:41
The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.
It is an absolute certainty, that when the full Gospel is preached that there will be murmurings and mumblings of disbelief. Many people can accept that Christ is a great teacher, even one from God, but they murmur and complain when asked if He is the ONLY way.
In the current presidential race Obama says he is a Christian, but then adds that Jesus is not the ONLY way to God. Hillary Clinton, says she believes, but then adds that she is not sure that Jesus is the ONLY way.
6:42
And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?
In essence, they were saying, “Don’t listen to Him, He’s a nobody from Hicksville, listen to us instead.” So many spiritual teachers want people to listen to them rather than listening to Christ.
Their big flaw was that they judged spiritual matters by external human values and external standards. They looked on the surface of things, rather than seeking God for the truth behind the surface. They did not really know Jesus’ father, they only thought they did.
The Jews of Jesus’ day understood exactly what he was saying, most of them simply rejected it. Today, theologians try to be craftier and dispute the interpretation of the obvious with more involved doctrines.
Many preachers even now teach that Jesus is one way, but not the only way to God. A good example of this is the United Church of Christ. I have heard several of its clergy teach that Jesus is just one way among many ways to God.
6:43
Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.
Murmuring is the low rumbling, confused and angry sound that ripples through a group when they are in opposition to something. We have to be careful not to reject a message from God just because it does not come packaged in the way that we want or expect it. We need to keep our focus on God and what is going on behind the surface. They rejected Christ because of a surface evaluation.
6:44
No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
It takes a divine tug to get us to receive Christ. Yet the Holy Spirit is a gentleman and while strongly urging us to receive Christ will not force Himself upon somebody that does not want Him.
I have often thought why is it that to some we can present the Gospel over and over and seem to get nowhere, but to others, they hear a little from the sidelines and totally give themselves to God.
Well, it takes God to draw man unto Himself, but man by his free will and obstinate resistance can thwart God’s purpose for their life, and God knows the heart.
6:45
It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
Jesus does not try to defend Himself on a personal level, but rather continues to stay on His message, that it is God that draws men unto Him through Christ.
Note how Jesus takes them back to the written Word. His detractors seemed so taken up with their own views and own thoughts that they never seemed to really search out God for God’s opinion. They were very eager to share their views on Jesus, but not so eager to search out God. Even today, lots of people are eager to give their views on spiritual matters, but reluctant to search out the Word for God’s opinion.
But in the end, it does not really matter what we think on a subject, but rather, what does God’s Word say, that in the end is all that really matters.
6:46
Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.
Here again we see that Jesus is the ONLY way to God. There is no truth in the assertion of many preachers today that Jesus is just one way among many ways.
6:47
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
To miss who Christ really is, to accept the teaching that He is just one way among many is to miss real LIFE in this world and in the world to come.
Hans
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RE: The Gospel According To Saint John - 4/10/2008 2:37:56 AM
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HansC
Posts: 534
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100.) The Bread of Life, Reemphasized.
This is the second time in this chapter that Christ draws our attention to the first of His seven great “I Am” sayings. God intentionally repeated this assertion of Christ , and it is therefore extremely important for us to grasp the full importance of this revelation.
6:48
I am that bread of life.
This is the third of the great Old Testament shadows that Christ uses to give us a revelation of who He is. In John I, we saw that He was Jacob’s ladder, the only true access to heaven.
In John III, we saw that He was typified by the brazen serpent, and was to be lifted up as the offering for sin.
Now we see Him as the Bread of Life, of which the manna in the wilderness was only a type and shadow.
6:49
Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
Notice here how Christ says, “your fathers” rather than “our father.” This seems to be a clear, yet subtle indication by Christ alluding to His higher origin.
The manna of God in the wilderness, merely sustained the Jews physical life. It was a mere shadow and a type of the real heavenly bread. Jesus’ challengers put their time and energy on that which could not give LIFE, and they are dead.
Even today, those who challenge the claims of Christ, place their hope and confidence in things that can not give LIFE. Some place their confidence in technology, others place their confidence in science, while these things may be good in a measure, they can not secure man eternal LIFE, only Jesus can do that.
6:50
This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
The Bread of God is the only means by which a person may partake of LIFE eternal, and that Bread is Jesus. The requirement however is that a man must actually eat of the Bread.
It is not good enough that he knows about the Bread, or that his family members eat the bread, but each individual must eat for himself.
In the world, there are many claims that promise our satisfaction. If I but this car, or that deodorant, or visit some exotic location, or eat some gourmet food, I will be happy. But the truth is that all the things of the world are only temporary, and the deep down soul hunger returns.
There are many that are chewing on the false breads of the world. Some are chewing on the bread of false religion, some are chewing on the bread of materialism, some are chewing on the bread of “I’m a good person”, some are chewing on the bread of pleasure. However, none of these can provide deep down eternal satisfaction.
Only the Bread of God, only Jesus, the Bread of LIFE can satisfy deep down and forever.
6:51
I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.
Notice that Jesus did not say, “I have come to bring you the bread of eternal LIFE” But rather, “I am the bread of LIFE.”
He makes mention that He will give His flesh. In this Jesus is looking to the Cross. Many people admire Christ and believe that He was a great spiritual teacher, but the life of Christ alone, would not give us LIFE. That is to say, Jesus did not come to just teach us some spiritual truths, that alone would not do it, He came to offer His life on the Cross as an offering for sin.
Christ without the Cross would not have helped humanity in its fallen state. It takes more than just spiritual truths and spiritual knowledge to set men free from their fallen state. It takes the Cross.
This is the great error of Gnosticism. It believes that man can attain to God via an ever increasing amount of spiritual truth and knowledge. Gnosticism is essentially salvation via spiritual knowledge. Yet that will not work.
Salvation comes only through the atoning work of Christ on the Cross. Salvation comes only through partaking of the flesh and blood of Christ.
Hans
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RE: The Gospel According To Saint John - 4/28/2008 3:37:54 AM
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HansC
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101.) Drinking Blood Indeed
6:52
The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
These people seemed to be unable to rise above the natural and carnal way of looking at things. Things have not really changed that much, people still seem to have difficulty in getting away from a carnal way of thinking.
The teaching and preaching of Biblical truths will always generate opposition. The presentation of solid Biblical doctrine and truth will always stir things up, even in the church.
In fact, it is often the theologically trained that lead the charge against the plain simple truth of God’s Word. Some of the world’s best doubters are even seminary trained.
When the Spirit of God moves in a mighty way, you can count on the theologically trained to be in the forefront of seeking to stop God.
6:53
Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no LIFE in you.
Jesus shows Himself to be very deliberate, and now adds the drinking of blood to His doctrine. He essentially tells them that it is absolutely indispensable that they eat His flesh and drink His blood.
Notice that Jesus when He sees the turmoil and disbelief in His doctrine, did not try and tone things down and make it more palatable and easier to understand. He did the opposite, He responded to their disbelief by further complicating the situation and making it even harder to understand.
His language is very intentional, but seems to be designed to deepen, rather than to alleviate, the confusion of the disbelievers .
When people refuse to come to Christ, if they balk at coming to Him, He will often respond by telling them something even more difficult to believe. If people turn from God in disbelief, He has a tendency to give them even harder things to understand.
To the Jews, this must have sounded abhorrent, because in their law, they were forbidden to ever eat any form of blood, much less human blood. Jesus was challenging them, showing them that they were ignorant of what He was truly talking about and that they needed to come to Him for enlightenment.
He is also implying that people must go beyond looking to Him as a mere subject for theological debate and instead receive Him and then they will know the Truth and have real LIFE.
6:54
Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
Jesus is saying in a very graphic way that people need to take Him into their innermost being in order to have eternal Life. This is a hidden allusion to His death on the Cross, because of the reference of the spilling of blood but also a challenge to come into the most intimate relationship with Him possible.
The word used here for “eateth” is different than the normal words for eat. It is a word more commonly used to refer to eating loudly or noisy, similar to our words, such as “munch” or “crunch”. He is being very plain, graphic and even shocking to the crowd in His language.
Some people believe that Jesus is here speaking of the institution of the Lord’s Supper, Holy Communion, but that can not be. The eating and drinking here, according to Jesus is unto salvation, while the Lord’s Supper is only for those who are already saved.
I do not know of anyone that would seriously promote the idea that the one essential for salvation is receiving Holy Communion.
The Lord’s Supper does not of itself produce the salvation that Jesus mentions. A multitude of people partake of the Lord’s Supper on a regular basis and yet they do not posses the gift of eternal LIFE that Jesus says that this feeding will produce.
So, if the Lord’s Supper is not this feeding and drinking that Jesus speaks of here, what is He talking about?
The essentials for salvation are faith and repentance. That is what Jesus is talking about. He is talking about the sinner, repenting and appropriating HIM.
6:55
For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
His opponents had an altogether wrong idea of what constituted real food. They sought their nourishment apart from Christ.
Notice, in this chapter Jesus says that people must, “believe” in Him, “come” to Him, “look” to Him, “listen” to Him and “learn” from Him.
He is talking about being totally committed to Him. That is what He is talking about. To eat Christ’s flesh and drink His blood means to totally commit yourself to Him. Have you done that?
Real spiritual food for our deepest needs are to found in Christ, alone.
6:56
He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
Are you so committed to Jesus that He is as real to you as food? Is He as much a part of your inner constitution as that which you eat and drink. That is what he is talking about.
6:57
As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
When we commit ourselves to Christ, and receive Him via a confession of faith, we receive salvation and the assurance of that salvation. This verse here does not refer just to the life in the world to come, but also pertains to receiving the strength to live for Christ in our day to day walk with Him, here and now.
As we feed daily on the Word, we are partaking of Christ. As we feed on Him, He becomes an integral part of out inner constitution. Taking Jesus within ourselves, making Him a part of our own innermost being constitutes the “eating and drinking” that Jesus is talking about here.
6:58
This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
Jesus reminds them that while the manna was good and from God, it did not give LIFE eternal to the eaters and that they were dead.
6:59
These things said He in the synagogue, as He taught in Capernaum.
Hans
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RE: The Gospel According To Saint John - 5/20/2008 2:39:59 PM
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HansC
Posts: 534
Joined: 4/12/2005
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102.) Who can Hear?
6:60
Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
For a while many people followed after Christ, He had turned water into wine, healed numerous people, feed thousands, but then the real nature of His doctrine slowly became known to the following crowd. When this happened many of His followers dropped out and left Him.
The true believers were sifted out of the mass of the crowd, the real winnowed from the false, the shallow from the depth.
The expression, “who can hear it” more closely carries the meaning of “who can tolerate or accept it”. As long as the crowd did not really understand His teachings, they followed along, but when they finally started to hear what He was saying, many fell away from Him.
It was not so much the parts of His doctrine that they could not understand that troubled them, but rather the part that they could understand.
Mark Twain, said that, “it is not so much the parts of the Bible that I do not understand that trouble me, but rather the parts that I do understand.”
Many were willing to take Jesus as a great moral teacher. Others were even willing to take Him as a prophet. Even today, many are willing to give Him that. But the doctrine that He had to shed His blood and that He is the ONLY way to God, well many balk at that.
In the current presidential election, both Clinton and Obama claim to be Christian, yet when asked both deny that Jesus is the ONLY way to God. Once again, it’s the hard statements of Christ’s doctrine that separates the wheat from the chaff.
The same with Oprah Winfrey, she was raised as a Christian, yet when pressed about the necessity of Christ’s shed blood and Jesus being the ONLY way to God, she also turns her back on Christ’s sacrifice, believing instead that there are also other ways to God.
6:61
When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
Note, that this reaction of disbelief was not a record of what was happening among Jesus’ enemies, but rather among His followers. The earlier grumblers were His enemies, but now the mumblers are His own followers.
What were some of these, “hard to accept teachings” that drove the crowd away? Well for one, there is the doctrine of His preexistence and coming down from heaven.
Then there was the doctrine that He had to give His body and blood as a sacrifice, that man by good deeds or religion could not achieve salvation, but that salvation could only be won and earned by Christ and then people could receive it through Him as a free gift.
Nobody can face eternity without first surrendering to Christ. This bothered many people. Even today, many reject Him, because He challenges their lives and private beliefs, rather than confounds their intellect. Many reject Christ, simply because He clashes with their own view of God.
6:62
What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where He was before?
This is a hard to grasp verse. Is He talking about the ascension? Some seem to think that He is talking about the whole sequence of events that will ultimately lead to His reunion with His Father in Heaven, namely the crucifixion, burial and resurrection. In essence, He is saying, if these sayings offend you, what will your reaction be when you see me on the Cross.
Whatever the full implications of this verse are, it does seem to indicate that a severe test will one day be in store for His disciples.
Jesus when He notices people dig in their heels and balk at His doctrine, responds by making things MORE difficult and harder to understand.
6:63
It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Our own natural human reasoning, which is of the flesh is worthless when it comes to understanding the things of God. Many in the crowd knew Jesus after the flesh and it did them no good, they walked away from Him. His words were foolishness to the natural man, because spiritual things are spiritually discerned.
Jesus was not concerned with the good that a person may produce with their own best natural effort, which is of the flesh, the earthly nature.
People whose lives are taken up by the pursuit of the things of this earth, who value only the here and now, who lust after material baubles, but ignore the Words of Christ, cut themselves off from God and in the end their lives count for nothing.
This is also true of any outward ritual of religion, unless the Spirit is behind it, it is worthless. It is the Spirit that gives LIFE. As Christians, we are to take the Word to people, for it is God’s Word through which He works. To do a spiritual work a person must give themselves first and foremost to the study and ingraining into the heart of the Word.
We are called to feed on His Word, digest His Word, meditate constantly on His Word, live His Word and proclaim His Word.
6:64
But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
This is among His own people. Jesus knew their hearts, not so much by being an astute observer of their lives, but rather by being in tune with His Father. Despite the LIFE giving quality of His Words, some, even those close to Him, will reject Him. The truth that Jesus reveals is known only by faith in the spirit and is forever hidden from the wisdom of man.
6:65
And He said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto Me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
To be honest, it takes a real miracle of God in order for someone to believe in Him, it takes faith and that faith comes as a gift from God.
However, God is willing for all to come to Him, yet most will not, such lost souls are not so much shut out by God, but rather they shut themselves off from God.
Hans
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RE: The Gospel According To Saint John - 6/3/2008 3:20:09 PM
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HansC
Posts: 534
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103.) The Tragedy Begins
6:66
From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
There is a strong sense of finality here, this is the beginning of the end and will climax in the Cross. The chapter opened with the crowd wanting to make Jesus King, and ends with them deserting Him.
While there may have been some that repented of their decision to turn away after the church come into being, the sense here is that those that left, left for good.
It seems that up until this point Jesus experienced large crowds and initial enthusiasm. Unfortunately, once the masses started hearing more of Jesus message, His answers were not what they wanted to hear. Following Him was obviously far different from what they had anticipated. So, they deserted Him. There is also a growing sense of hatred and hostility towards Christ as His message becomes clearer.
There are even those today, who after hearing the Word of God, many even after having professed faith in Christ, turn their backs and walk away from Jesus. Many will even then try to actively undermine the faith of those that remain with Jesus.
There is the element of defection here. Many in the crowd came to Jesus to see what they could get from Him, but when He wanted them to give themselves to God, they abandoned and resented Him.
6:67
Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
This question is presented in the negative manner, and requires the disciples to respond against leaving. This was their first big test. God is constantly winnowing the wheat from the chaff in His church. The wind of God blew hard and the chaff blew away and only a small group was left standing. God prefers to have a small group of solid sold out believers rather than mobs of lukewarm half hearted curiosity seekers in His family.
There comes times in all believers life when things can seem tough, our faith is challenged and decisions have to be made. At those times, let us recall the wondrous things that God has done for us in times past. I think that when the disciples saw so many leave, they probably recalled the wondrous thing that they had experienced in their walk with Christ and wondered what was going on.
It must have also been a staggering blow to the disciples to see so many abandon Christ. It must have raised some questions among the twelve. Maybe, they even thought, “Shall we also leave?” But then Peter comes up with the question that puts it all into focus:
6:68
Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.
Peter shows here that he understood Jesus and that eternal LIFE comes to man through the WORDS of life that are presented in the Gospel.
Are you discouraged by your church? Has your faith been challenged? Maybe you have had a conflict with some of your fellow church members. What are you going to do, drop out, return to the past? Have you been tempted to go back to your former way of life? Some do. Would you go back to your old life of sin if you were “tired“ of your Christian walk ? It can be tempting to return to old friends, parties, and in general fast living. Yet, in the end, it leaves a person empty.
Or perhaps you would consider returning to some of the secular ideologies that flood our media and culture as some have? Many have left the “Jesus is the ONLY way” camp for a more popular, “Jesus is just one way to God” belief. The national secretary of the National Council of Churches advocates exactly that doctrine. The Anglican Church is in a big battle over exactly that right now.
6:69
And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.
Notice, Peter’s words of comfort and sense of determination to stand by Jesus in the face of the mobs defection. Peter’s dedication to Christ was based upon his personal relationship with Him. In its essence, Christianity is not so much a spiritual philosophy, a doctrine, a set of principles or even a religious code that a person adheres to, but rather it is a personal devotion, dedication and relationship to and with the person of Christ.
Peter’s declaration of Jesus as “Son of the living God” sets Jesus apart and with God and rather than from man.
Peter, realizes that apart from Christ, there is absolutely nowhere else to go. Only Jesus can give a person eternal LIFE and knowledge of God. There is no other way, Jesus is the only way, the only hope, and the only eternal LIFE.
Where could you possibly go, even if you did want to return to your old ways. Could you even still have pleasure in them without a nagging feeling in your heart?
Note the sequence of spiritual understanding that Peter presents. It essentially is to “believe” and then to “know”. In spiritual things, it is first to believe and then to know. Jesus told Martha, “Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?” Both of these terms are in the perfect tense and present a solid and active ongoing believing and knowing.
Believing always proceeds seeing and knowing. Yet, today, most people want to know something before they will believe it. But the truth is that you can not know, unless you first believe.
The simple truth is that to arrive at a point of spiritually knowing something, people must first believe what God tells us in His Word. The after we have believed in the Truth as revealed in His Word, then we will know the truth of what we have believed.
Hans
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RE: The Gospel According To Saint John - 6/20/2008 11:34:19 PM
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HansC
Posts: 534
Joined: 4/12/2005
Status: offline
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104.) Traitor in the Midst
There are some today that promote the idea that Judas was in league with Jesus and that it was their personal secret to set up the events surrounding Jesus’ last days on earth. Nothing could be further from the truth, Judas was in league with the devil and not in league with God. Certainly, God made good come out of evil, but evil was not in on a secret deal. Judas was the devil’s henchman, not God’s servant.
6:70
Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?
Note how Peter says, “we” in his declaration of faith. He obviously did not know the heart of all the disciples. This must have been a tremendous challenge for Jesus. He knew what was really in Judas’ heart.
Judas was by His side for three years. When Christ withdrew from public and only had His disciples with Him, Judas was there. When Jesus wanted to get away from the crowds, Judas was there.
Judas and Jesus lived alongside each other in very close proximity for three years. They were together for three years in intimate company, yet because of Judas’ decision they will be separated for all eternity.
Think of all that Judas experienced living with Jesus for three years. He saw it all. Judas saw the blind healed, the lame made to walk, the dead rise. Here, where Jesus first mentions Judas’ true heart, Judas had just seen Jesus walk on water and that after the five thousand were feed with one boy’s lunch.
After all these things, Judas decides to betray Christ.
Think of the tremendous opportunity he had. He was personally tutored by Christ in the flesh for three years and he threw it all away.
Judas might have been a hero, a great saint, a foundation of the church, but rather, he chose to open his heart to evil. We could be celebrating his name, but instead his name is a name of shame, betrayal and infamy.
I just read where there are around 1,000 evangelical Christians who leave the church daily, most it is believed will never return. I have read several accounts of former ministers, who have left the pulpit and now actively work against faith in God.
Billy Graham’s former mentor and preaching partner, ended up rejecting Christ, turned into an atheist and worked against the Gospel. To be honest, such evil, such betrayal, is hard to understand and chief archetype of this is Judas. He is the epitome of the traitor.
6:71
He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.
Note that Judas along with the other disciples, left home, probably gave his job up, took to long hikes, preached in cities along with other disciples, probably baptized along with the others.
Judas did everything so in line with all the others that Peter includes him in his confession of faith when he said, “WE believe and are sure that thou art that Christ”.
But, Jesus knew what Judas was really like. Judas had Peter fooled, but He didn’t fool Jesus. There is also a heightened sense of tragedy and poignancy by the words, “one of the twelve”. There is nothing like being stabbed in the back by one of your closest friends.
To be really brutally honest, there are “Judases” among the true believers and followers of Christ today, there always have been. There has always been tares among the wheat. There have always been people who go to church, seminary, and various religious meetings for purposes other than building up the Kingdom of God.
This chapter ends far different than it starts. It opens with joyous crowds seeking to make Jesus King. It ends with Christ asking the twelve, if they also will abandon Him.
There are those decisions that will stand for eternity.
Hans
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