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Exodus 18: How to Be the People of God

May 5, 2017 By Peter Krol

Yahweh has tested the people whom he delivered, to see what they’re made of, and the results were pretty ugly. Yet Moses has shown them that persevering allegiance—and not impossibly perfect obedience—is what will carry the day. How will he shepherd these disobedient people toward greater allegiance?

Observation of Exodus 18

Most repeated words: Moses (20 times), people (17x), all (14), father-in-law (13), God (12), Jethro (7), out (7), said (7), Israel (6), Lord (6), delivered (5).

The narrator shows deep concern for Moses and the people. How will this man lead this nation toward the Lord God?
Deliverance is most prominent in the first half of the chapter. All five occurrences of the word sit within Ex 18:4-10.

“Jethro” shows up only in this chapter, and right before (Ex 3:1) and after the burning bush (Ex 4:18)—which makes sense, since both events take place on the mountain of God, near Jethro’s home (Ex 3:1, 18:5).

When Moses flees Egypt (Ex 2:16, 18), and when Moses departs Sinai (Num 10:29), the same man is named Reuel.
When we first hear of him (Ex 2:16), and when he suddenly re-enters the narrative (Ex 18:1), he is labeled “priest of Midian.”
- This character plays a significant role in the narrative’s organization. He shows up; then God calls Moses from Sinai to deliver the people. He shows up again; then God gives Moses the law on Sinai. His final mention comes when Moses departs Mount Sinai for good. This guy is closely associated with this mountain and with God’s glorious revelation that takes place there.

When Moses and Jethro meet up, Jethro takes the lead in the narrative. He is the subject of most of the actions.

Jethro hears, takes, comes, and sends (Ex 18:1-6).
Moses goes out to meet him, bows down, and kisses. They ask each other of their welfare and go into the tent. Moses tells (Ex 18:7-8).
Then Jethro rejoices, speaks, and brings lunch. Aaron and the elders join (Ex 18:9-12).

The rest of the chapter consists mostly of dialogue between Moses and Jethro, with Jethro’s closing speech being the longest by far (Ex 18:17-23).

The resolution: Moses does everything his father-in-law said (Ex 18:24), and his father-in-law goes back home (Ex 18:27).

This chapter has two clear sections:

Jethro reunites with Moses – Ex 18:1-12
Jethro advises Moses – Ex 18:13-27

Interpretation of Exodus 18

Some possible questions:

Why do we get so much detail just to describe the reunion between Moses and his father-in-law?
Why does this chapter focus on Jethro as the chief actor?
What is the point of Jethro’s advice?

My answers (numbers correspond to the questions):

With Jethro’s character, the narrator invites us to pause once more and reflect on what’s taken place so far. This slow-mo montage signals the end of Act II. We reflect on Moses’ life experience through the names of his sons (Ex 18:3-4). As we meet Moses’ wife and sons again (Ex 18:5-6), we’re reminded of Moses’ personal Passover (Ex 4:24-26). As Moses recounts the Lord’s deliverance from the hand of Egypt (Ex 18:8), we relive the amazing stories and rejoice with Jethro (Ex 18:9-10) that Yahweh is greater than all gods (Ex 18:11). We, too, would love to sit together to share a meal before God (Ex 18:12). The details all drive us to remember the Lord’s deliverance and to sing unto him, for he has triumphed gloriously.
Jethro is a priest (Ex 18:1), one who bridges the gap between men and God. He does this by directing their attention to Yahweh, causing them to rejoice in Yahweh, exposing their own insufficiency, and making them hungry for Yahweh’s laws. Perhaps the narrator wishes to move us to action through the figure of Jethro.
If we focus on the need for delegation—an important point—we may actually miss the main point. Moses: “I decide…and I make them know the statutes of God and his laws” (Ex 18:16). Jethro: “You shall warn them about the statutes and the laws…Moreover, look for able men…and let them judge the people at all times” (Ex 18:20-22). In other words: “You, Moses, can teach. But you need others to decide.” (Yes, I understand this is all about delegation. But to what end?) “You are not enough for this people. You need God’s laws to be codified and written down so that others can continue the work you have begun.” The point: These people need able leaders, acquainted with God’s laws and able to apply them to everyday situations. Moses is a great leader. There must also be thousands of able leaders among the people, since they all hop right in place very quickly (Ex 18:25-26). Jethro’s advice exposes what is truly the missing ingredient: a codified body of instruction. The Law.

Train of thought:

Remember where you came from; Yahweh has delivered you.
Realize you are not enough; you need God’s words to direct your people from here.

Main point: Being God’s people means we constantly remember our deliverance and look to his instruction for our new life.

Connection to Christ: Jesus is our exodus, our deliverance (Gal 1:3-5, Luke 9:30-31, “departure”=”exodus”). Jesus is the end of the law for righteousness to all who believe (Rom 10:4). Jesus is our life (Col 3:4).

My Application of Exodus 18

I have been struggling with treating the good news of Christ’s kingdom in a rote way, and this passage refreshes my joy in the Lord. I must not merely recite; I must remember and rejoice in his mighty deliverance.

And as I disciple and train others, I must resist the temptation to be the focus of their hope and trust. I will never be enough. My decisions, counsel, and insight will never be enough. They need Jesus, the Word made flesh, to guide them. They need to understand the Scriptures so they can apply its truths to their own lives and lead others.

One simple way I’d like to grow in this last point: Don’t answer questions for my advice. Instead, ask people what the Scripture says, and what they think the Lord would have them do. Then, if they still need help, I can direct them to some more passages or truths to consider.

Click here to see what I’m doing with this sample Bible study and why I’m doing it.

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How to Teach Any Bible Passage

May 1, 2017 By Ryan Higginbottom

anonymous (2017), public domain

Have you been asked to teach the Bible? Maybe you’d like to prepare something for your Sunday school class, small group, or youth group. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the task, you’ve come to the right place.

Two Elements of Preparation

There are two elements to any good communication of the Bible: getting it right, and getting it across.

First, study the Bible and understand what it says and what that means. Then, determine the best way to help your people understand the passage. All of the advice that follows falls into one of these two categories.

A Preparation Guide

Here are eleven steps toward preparing a lesson on the Bible.

Pray — You can’t do anything apart from God. Pray for your own study and pray for God’s work through you in the class.
Read the Bible passage as many times as you can. Depending on the length, aim for at least ten.
Study the passage. At this blog we teach the Observation, Interpretation, Application (OIA) Bible study method. Your goal should be to find the main point (or sometimes, main points) of the passage. Expect to spend several hours on this part of the process. (You may find these worksheets helpful.)
Try not to use commentaries or notes in your study Bible until after you’ve studied the passage on your own.
Think through this question: how does this passage (and especially its main point) connect to Jesus and the gospel?
Prayerfully apply the passage (especially the main point) to yourself. Application can happen in the realms of head, heart, and hands. The more God works on you personally through this passage, the greater impact your teaching will have.
Produce an outline of the passage. This needn’t be too detailed, but try to describe how the sections of your passage fit together.
Your first goal in teaching is to lead the class to the main point of the passage. Think about how you arrived at the main point. What supporting truths helped you get there?
To help the class grasp these supporting truths, determine what questions (both observation and interpretation) you will ask to lead the discussion. (The size of your group will determine how much interaction you can have, but you should push for as much as possible.) Because it is easy to forget your questions in the moment, write them down ahead of time. This is one of the hardest and most important parts of teaching—asking good questions.
Think about application for the class. What questions will help the class consider personal application? Are there corporate applications the class should consider? What are some barriers to these personal or corporate applications?
Finally, consider how you will begin the class. To get the class primed for the lesson, you might target an application or a theme or even something related to the main point. Will you start the class with a launching question? Will you start the class some other way?

A Worksheet

If you’d like a resource to use when planning to teach the Bible, check out this worksheet. Please use it if you find it helpful.

Helpful Meetings

Here’s one last piece of advice. Talk about your lesson both before and after the class.

I’ve insisted on these conversations as I train adult Sunday school teachers in my local church. These meetings have made a huge difference, both in the quality of the class and the development of the teachers.

Find a friend and chat a few days before the class. Talk about the main point and what questions you plan to ask. Give your friend permission to ask questions and tell you if your setup makes sense.

Ask your friend to sit in on the class and then pass along feedback afterward. Make sure your relationship (and their personality) allows for honesty in this conversation. Helpful feedback will involve both the good and the bad from your lesson.

What An Opportunity!

Teaching the Bible is a serious task and privilege. Don’t try to be fancy. Explain your thinking, ask good questions, and help your people see that studying the Bible is something anyone can do.

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Exodus 17:8-16: Whose Flag Do You Wave?

April 28, 2017 By Peter Krol

Yahweh has tested the people whom he delivered, to see what they’re made of, and the results were pretty ugly. How can they walk with this powerful Lord of glory?

Observation of Exodus 17:8-16

Most repeated words: Amalek (8 times), hand (7x), Moses (7), Joshua (4), Lord (4)

When the word “hand” is used, 6 cases refer specifically to the position of Moses’ hands (Ex 17:9, 11, 12).
The last instance states the rationale for the memorial altar (Ex 17:16). Because hands are so prominent in the episode, this concluding statement must play a significant role to help interpret the passage.

Ex 17:9 is the first mention of Joshua in the Bible. He has no introduction or explanation (as in Num 11:28 or even Ex 24:13), but the text assumes you already know who he is.

Notice the setting. We’re still at Rephidim (Ex 17:8), near the water-ejecting rock of Horeb (Ex 17:1, 6), also known as the mountain of God (Ex 3:1, 18:5). Another name for this mountain is Sinai (Ex 19:1).

Because of how close Rephidim is to Sinai/Horeb, it is likely that, while the battle rages on the plain, Moses, Aaron, and Hur have ascended a low slope of Mount Sinai itself (called simply “the hill” in Ex 17:9, 10).

God took Israel through the Red Sea so they wouldn’t see war (Ex 13:17). Yet war has now come upon them (Ex 17:8).

God could easily plague Amalek, block them with his cloud, or destroy them outright, as he did with Egypt.
Yet he expects Israel to take up arms to fight (Ex 17:9).

Famously, the fight goes well when Moses’ arms are raised. It falters when his hands fall (Ex 17:11-13). This wavering is central to the narrative’s tension and climax.

The structure is not complicated:

The fight comes to Israel – Ex 17:8.
How Israel fights and wins – Ex 17:9-13.
Why Israel must always remember this fight – Ex 17:14-16.

Interpretation of Exodus 17:8-16

Some possible questions:

Why does God require Israel to fight, instead of dealing with Amalek himself?
Why does it matter that this battle is close to Sinai, or that Moses holds his hands up from that mountain?
Why does the narrator not introduce Joshua?
Why does the battle hinge on the position of Moses’ hands? Does he have magic powers?

My answers (numbers correspond to the questions):

Of course, the Lord’s motives in such situations mostly remain mysterious to us. However, we can conclude at least that he wanted them to experience something worth memorializing from generation to generation (Ex 17:14). Perhaps my other questions and answers will help me understand why.
Moses did all his wonders in Egypt with his staff (Ex 4:17), which acquired its connection to the signs while Moses was first on Mount Sinai/Horeb (Ex 4:2-4). Moses now brings that staff back onto the same slopes (Ex 17:9). And this staff of Moses never shows up again. (Later staff-incidents involve a different staff – Num 17:2-3, 20:8-9). In other words, Moses’ hands take the staff back to the mountain, having done the signs and having accomplished the redemption he set out to do. His hands will soon trade the staff for a new tool to carry—tablets of stone written with the finger of God (Ex 31:18). In short, with this battle so close to Sinai, we’re given further foreshadowing of the people’s need for God’s law to prosper them.
The climax clearly states that “Yahweh is my Banner” (Ex 17:15). The narrator wants us to see Moses waving the flag of Yahweh, his only God, king, and commander. While Joshua will become and important figure later, for now, he’s just an extra. He must decrease so Yahweh can increase. The people who are undeserving of a relationship with Yahweh (Ex 15:22-17:7) still have hope if their hope, their boast, their joy, their allegiance, and their banner is none but Yahweh, God of gods.
The raising of Moses’ hands pictures “A hand upon the throne of Yahweh!” (Ex 17:16). On the mountain of God, he grasps the throne of God, signifying the deepest trust and most public proclamation of Yahweh as Israel’s God. Israel does not deserve a relationship with Yahweh, yet by hoping in him and not letting go, marvelous things happen. Note: Moses has his hands raised, on the mountain of God, with the help of two men, “one on one side, and the other on the other side” (Ex 17:12). As long as those hands are raised, grasping Yahweh’s throne and picturing trust in Yahweh, the battle succeeds. I can’t help but wonder whether there is a connection to the cherubim on the mercy seat in Ex 25:19-22, “One cherub on the one end, and one cherub on the other end…The cherubim shall spread out their wings above…There I will meet with you.” The ark of the covenant certainly represents God’s throne (1 Sam 4:4, Ps 99:1, Is 37:16, etc.). Perhaps the cherubim are like Moses, with hands perpetually raised to demonstrate trust and mediate blessing to the people. I wouldn’t give my life for that connection, but the verbal similarities are enough to warrant consideration.

Thompson Rivers University (2011), Creative Commons

Train of thought:

God’s redeemed people can’t avoid hard times.
They will succeed only when they trust Yahweh as the only God.
Remember to wave Yahweh’s flag forever.

Main point: Your highest and most public loyalty must be to Yahweh your God.

Connection to Christ: Jesus proclaimed the Father as his only God when he faced his most severe trials (Matt 26:39, 27:46). Those who proclaim public loyalty to Christ will never regret it (Matt 10:32-33).

My Application of Exodus 17:8-16

Whose flag do I wave? Where do I find my basic identity, and where do I pledge my highest allegiance? My job? My ethnicity? My marital status? My children? My accomplishments? My ministry? My writing?

This is not a one-time decision, but something I must consider many times every day. Am I willing to publicly fly the flag of Jesus Christ, Son of the Father, King of kings and Lord of lords?

Click here to see what I’m doing with this sample Bible study and why I’m doing it.

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We Need More Bible in Youth Ministry

April 26, 2017 By Peter Krol

Seventeen-year-old Katherine Forster has some important words for the youth ministries in our churches: We need more Bible. Teenagers themselves see the need for better grounding, greater challenge, and more biblical instruction. Forster gives 4 reasons, from the teen perspective:

We desperately need the truth.
We need to see these truths for ourselves.
We need to be challenged.
We need the fellowship in God’s word.

Do you believe teenagers can learn to handle God’s word? Is there any other way we can equip them to face life’s challenges?

If you’re not sure how to start teaching your youth group to study the Bible, I’ve heard from many youth pastors who have found my book a helpful place to begin. Please consider Ms. Forster’s gracious appeal.

Check it out!

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Exodus 15:22-17:7: What are You Made Of?

April 21, 2017 By Peter Krol

This week I return to my study of Exodus. Yahweh has demolished the house of slavery by training Moses as a qualified mediator, and by leading his people into a frightful deliverance. We now enter Act II of Exodus, where God prepares to rebuild by first inspecting what he’s got to work with.

Observation of Exodus 15:22-17:7

Most repeated words: Lord (33 times), Moses (25x), people (23), say/said (23), Israel (16), day (14), gather (11), grumble (10), morning (10), out (10), there (10), water (10), when (10).

By far, names make up the most repeated words. This passage gets more personal and intimate as God and Israel work on their new relationship.
The tenfold repetition of “grumble” seems rather ominous.

The length of each episode strikes me:

Bitter water sweetened – 6 verses
Manna and quail – 36 verses
Water from rock – 7 verses

These 3 episodes are all about God’s provision for the people, but the unbalanced length of the central section leads me to think that one warrants more attention.

I see a significant progression through the episodes, marked by contrast:

First, Yahweh tests the people to see if they will listen to him (Ex 15:25-26).
Second, Yahweh tests the people to see if they will obey him (Ex 16:4).
Third, the people test Yahweh to see if he is truly among them or not (Ex 17:2, 7).

Another contrast shows a similar regression:

First, the people grumble, wondering what they can drink (Ex 15:24).
Second, the people grumble about their hunger, wishing they had died in Egypt, and they accuse Moses of trying to kill them (Ex 16:2-3).
Third, the people quarrel, demanding water to drink (Ex 17:2) and accuse Moses of trying to kill them and their children and livestock (Ex 17:3). Then they try to kill Moses (Ex 17:4).

One more thing really strikes me. In Ex 3:15, God told Moses, “I am Yahweh your God.” He promised the same to the Israelites in Ex 6:7. But other than that, we’ve had many repetitions of the shortened phrase “I am Yahweh” (Ex 6:2, 6:6, 6:8, 6:29, 7:5, etc. – 11 times). Now, after their frightening deliverance, he is no long simply “Yahweh” but “Yahweh your God” (Ex 15:26, 16:12), even “Yahweh your healer” (Ex 15:26). The relationship is now in place.

Xander Matthew (2014), Creative Commons

Interpretation of Exodus 15:22-17:7

Some possible questions:

Why does the testing progress in this way?
Why is the second section so much longer than the first and third sections?
Why would these people try to kill Moses? How can they possibly think Moses (or Yahweh) would bring them out here just to kill them in the desert?

My answers (numbers correspond to the questions):

Two things are clear: 1) Yahweh tests his people to see what they are made of, and 2) they don’t do so well on the test. First, Yahweh tests to see if they will trust him; if so, he promises never to treat them the way he treated the Egyptians (Ex 15:25-26). The following two scenes clearly show they don’t trust Yahweh. Second, Yahweh tests them to see if they will obey his law (Ex 16:4). Of course, he hasn’t given his law yet! All he gives them is a basic set of instructions for gathering manna (Ex 16:16). At first, they obey (Ex 16:17-18). But it goes downhill after that (Ex 16:19-20, 23-29). Third, the people take matters in their own hands by turning things around to test Yahweh (Ex 17:7). Why this progression? To paint a picture of a community that fails to trust and obey God. To show the downward spiral and ugly consequences of refusing to trust and obey. To show how life-giving God’s law could be for them.
The second section gets into the details of God’s provision (both bread and quail from heaven). It outlines the downward progression of disobedience (obedience to first instruction—Ex 16:17-18, failure to listen to second—Ex 16:20, flat refusal and God’s displeasure with the third—Ex 16:28-29). In addition, this episode with the manna leads us to anticipate the giving of the law (Ex 16:4) and to see what’s really at stake: the identity and glory of Yahweh their God (Ex 16:6-7, 10).
If they trust Yahweh, he will not treat them like Egyptians (Ex 15:26). But in seeking to murder Moses, they are still acting like Egyptians (Ex 17:4, 2:15). These episodes of lack and provision show us that, while the people have come out of Egypt, Egypt has not yet come out of the people.

Train of thought:

Will they trust Yahweh?
No. Nor will they obey his law.
How can Yahweh be their God when they are still Egyptian (worldly, acting like pagans) through and through?

Main point: Yahweh must give his law to expose how completely distrustful, disobedient—and thereby undeserving—his people are of his fatherly care.

Connection to Christ: In no way did Jesus lower God’s standards (Matt 5;17-20, 48; 6:1, etc.). Grace doesn’t oppose law but elevates it, because only those who have been crushed by a standard of perfection will turn from themselves to trust and obey the savior of the world. And since the law has no power to save (Gal 2:16), Christ broke its curse for our sake (Gal 3:13-14), by being struck with the rod of fury and spewing the water of life for the world (1 Cor 10:4).

My Application of Exodus 15:22-17:7

I love hearing and meditating on God as my provider and healer. But when he fails to heal or provide on my time-table, I must remember his fatherly love and discipline (Prov 3:11-12). He tests us to expose what’s going on in our hearts; his righteous law is the greatest test. I must not resent his good law or his impossible standards. Instead, I can cling more closely to Christ, my righteousness.

As I shepherd others, I need never apologize for God’s law, especially it produces an ugly mess in someone’s life. And though the pain of life provides a good opportunity to empathize and show care, it also provides an opportunity to help people see what’s going on in their hearts. That’s okay, and it makes Christ shine all the more brightly.

Click here to see what I’m doing with this sample Bible study and why I’m doing it.

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Translating God’s Name

April 19, 2017 By Peter Krol

To build your confidence in your English Bibles, we don’t often get into issues of translation from the Hebrew and Greek scriptures. But Jesse Johnson wrote a recent article at the Cripplegate about why English Bibles should translate God’s personal name as Yahweh instead of the typical “the LORD.” Johnson walks through each argument presented in the prefaces to most English translations about why they keep the superstitious Jewish tradition of not using the name God revealed to us. And then he gives his own reasons why the personal name, and not the title, should be used.

My favorite part is when he answers the objection—often considered the trump card—that we don’t actually know how YHWH would have been pronounced, since its vocalization has been long lost.

This misses the point. We don’t know with “certainty” how any of the Hebrew words were pronounced. I’m not even sure Yahweh spoke Hebrew to Adam in the garden anyway. How did Adam pronounce Eve? Is it the same way Americans do it? We can’t even agree on how to pronounce Isaiah, much less Yahweh. But the solution is not to render Isaiah as “ISH,” and it is certainly not to replace Isaiah with “The PROPHET.”

One commenter on the post asks why Johnson is okay with “Jesus” over the original “Yeshua.” Johnson replies:

At least “Jesus” is a name, not a title. Imagine replacing every use of Jesus with “The SAVIOR.” Wouldn’t that undercut his personhood? I think so.
And, btw, your point about Yeshua — Jesus is exactly the argument that should be made for Yahweh. Nobody says Jesus was pronounced that way, yet we don’t blink about using it. But then we change a name that is thousands of years older than that? Ba humbug.

Johnson’s arguments explain why I repeatedly refer to God as Yahweh in my Exodus series, and why I will continue to do so when I read the Old Testament out loud.

Check it out!

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Four Reasons Why Jesus Rose From the Dead

April 17, 2017 By Ryan Higginbottom

anonymous (2015), public domain

There’s hardly a more important question: Why did Jesus rise from the dead?

Over the past six weeks, we’ve studied this question in each of the Gospels. Each writer had an audience and a purpose in mind. In four separate articles, we’ve explored what each writer was trying to communicate.

Key Ingredients

We tried to observe the text carefully. We noticed the titles given to Jesus, the reactions of those who saw the empty tomb, the descriptions of those at the grave site, and even the time of day. All of these details are in the Bible intentionally, and they help direct us to the main point of the passage.

We leaned heavily on the context of each resurrection account. What was said about Jesus and what was done to Jesus in his trial and crucifixion matters when the writer turns to the resurrection. Even more, the writer’s purpose in penning the book drives the entire narrative. A book overview is crucial, even when studying a short passage near the end.

What Does the Resurrection Mean?

Though each gospel is slightly different, in all four passages this much is clear: the resurrection is massively important. It changed the women, it changed the disciples, and it should change us as well.

As we look back over the main point of each account of the resurrection, let’s do the hard work of application. I’ll pose some questions; let’s give ourselves to prayerful consideration, that we might be doers of the word and not merely hearers (James 1:22–25). Let’s pray that God would use the resurrection to change us, our churches, and our communities.

Matthew’s main point: The risen Jesus is the gracious king of the Jews, the Messiah.

Do you worship Jesus as the risen king (as the women did)? Or are you content with religious-looking activities?
How can you bring the message of the risen Jesus to comfort and restore others? How will you use the resurrection to remind yourself and others of the forgiveness God offers?
Do you know the grace of Jesus? Are you becoming a more gracious person as you follow this gracious king?

Mark’s main point: The King has come, but he is not here; so everything must change.

In your personal worship, do you tremble in God’s presence? In what ways have you turned away from a proper sense of awe?
Jesus is the king who rules the world—what are the implications for your work? How will this influence your attempts to get to know your neighbors? How does this affect your views on politics?
In what ways should you be seeking Jesus in his word? How can you help your closest friends trust in Jesus instead of wealth, pleasure, or safety?

Luke’s main point: Jesus is the innocent Son of Man, raised from the dead for the whole world.

How does Jesus’s innocence change the way you think about your sin?
Jesus was raised for the world—how does this affect your giving? How does this influence your church’s budget?
The message of Jesus’s resurrection is for everyone inside and outside of the church. How can you help your Christian friends remember Jesus’s work? How can you introduce your non-Christian friends to Jesus’s work?

John’s main point: Jesus truly is the Son of God, the Messiah who makes all things new, the source and essence of life. You can trust him with your life.

How are you listening to what Jesus says to you? How are you announcing this to those around you?
As Jesus makes all things new, what are the “old ways” that need to be replaced in your life? How is Jesus making your church community new?
What do you look to for life? What excites your church the most—is it the good news of Jesus, or the health of its programs, budget, attendance, building, or reputation?

God’s Rich Word

All four Gospel writers want us to know that Jesus rose from the dead. This is the revolutionary truth that changed the world.

But in the context of each Gospel, the resurrection points to a slightly different face of the diamond. We see Jesus the King, Jesus the innocent, Jesus the Messiah, Jesus the gracious.

God’s word is wonderfully rich. By studying carefully, we can learn what each inspired account has to say.

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The Resurrection of Jesus According to John

April 14, 2017 By Peter Krol

Phong Nguyen (2014), Creative Commons

Why did Jesus rise from the dead? Each Gospel author answers this question differently. In this post, I’ll unpack John’s account. I’ll start wide before zooming in on the passage.

The Book

John leaves no doubt about why he wrote his Gospel:

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30-31)

John’s Gospel records numerous signs and their explanations. Many more signs could have been included, but John chose to report those that best fit his intentions: to show Jesus to be the Messiah (Hebrew for “Christ”), the Son of God, and to help people believe in Jesus and have life.

The Resurrection, Before Chapter 20

John narrates nine signs performed by Jesus that show his identity as the Messiah, the Son of God. He also recounts extended conversations surrounding the nine signs, where people consider whether they can trust what the sign means about Jesus’ identity. For a complete list of the nine signs and verse references to their role as “signs,” see my post on the feeding of the 5,000 according to John.

The point I’d like to make here is that the resurrection of Jesus is one of the most important signs in the book. John telegraphs it early, and he gives it much fanfare. Unfortunately, when commentators discuss the signs in John’s gospel, many don’t think to include his death or resurrection. Many speak only of the “seven” signs in John’s Gospel. For example, see Wikipedia and Bible.org.

But consider the following about the resurrection:

1. One of the first things John tells us about Jesus is that “in him was life” (John 1:4). And a quick look at a concordance shows that Jesus, as portrayed by John, cares deeply about life (John 3:15, 16, 36; 4:14, 36; 5:21, etc.—47 times); he is not a bringer of death (John 3:16-17, 12:47, etc.).

2. Right after performing his first sign, Jesus reboots the temple system. Let’s not separate those two events in chapter 2! His rampage through the temple courts is nothing short of turning ceremonial water into the wine of the kingdom. The sign of John 2:1-12 (changing water to wine) pictures the fundamental truth of John 2:13-25 (the new covenant has come in Christ, replacing the temple system). And the Jews ask Jesus to justify his behavior with a “sign” (John 2:18). What sign does he give?

“Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” …But he was speaking about the temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken. (John 2:19-22)

In other words, Jesus’ resurrection would be the sign, or proof, that he was the one to usher in the new covenant, the best wine, the glory of God.

3. Jesus proclaims the purpose of his resurrection again in chapter 10:

For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father. (John 10:17-18)

According to the logic of verse 17, Jesus’ voluntary death and authoritative resurrection are the reasons why the Father loves him. Take careful note: Jesus was not willing to die and rise because he knew his Father loved him. No, the Father loved him because Jesus was willing to die and rise. This mission was the Father’s charge. Jesus’ willingness to obey that charge secured the Father’s love and his unique place as God’s Son. (Of course, there was a fundamental love between Father and Son from eternity past—see John 17:26. But there is an even fuller love, a completed love, a requited love that takes place when the Son obeys his Father’s will by dying and rising again.)

Putting these three reflections together, we see that Jesus’ resurrection shows Jesus as:

The source of all life.
The Messiah of the new covenant.
The beloved Son of God.

In short, Jesus’ resurrection climactically bundles up everything John wants us to know about Jesus (John 20:31). We see this before we even get to the narrative of the resurrection’s discovery.

The Resurrection, In Chapter 20

The main character in John 20:1-18 is a woman named Mary Magdalene, who shows up in the Gospels only to support Jesus’ ministry (Luke 8:2) and to witness his death and resurrection. She comes to the tomb while it’s still dark (John 20:1), sees that the stone was taken away, and runs to tell Peter and the beloved disciple (John 20:2). Having returned to the tomb with the disciples, she waits there, weeping, after they leave (John 20:11), sees two angels at either side of the sepulchral bench (John 20:12), converses with the angels and with Jesus (John 20:13-17), and returns to the disciples to announce what she saw and what he said (John 20:18).

Mary pictures for us the response of faith John desires for all his readers:

Though she begins in the dark (John 20:1), she eventually sees the light (John 20:18).
She must tell others what she has seen and heard (John 20:2, 18).
She doggedly seeks her Lord (John 20:2, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17).
She finds her Teacher (John 20:16).
In finding the Son of God (“ascending to my Father”), she can proclaim good news to many sons of God (“and your Father”), making Jesus the firstborn among many brethren (“to my God and your God”)—John 20:17.
Like the disciples in the upper room (John 13:36-37, 14:5, 16:17-18), she fears Jesus’ being taken away (John 20:2, 13, 15) but must content herself with his imminent departure (John 20:17).

Mary is neither perfectly cheery nor spiritually sentimental. But she trusts her Lord. She asks, seeks, knocks—and she receives the kingdom. Would that we could all declare with confidence, “I have seen the Lord!” and announce the things he’s said to us.

Time will fail me before I could ever delve the depths of these 18 glorious verses. I could write about Peter’s preeminence in entering the holy place, as a first step to his restoration. I could write about Mary’s entrance into the new Holy of Holies, with mirrored angels overlooking the seat of atonement. I could write about the new man in the new garden, naming his woman and ushering in a new creation.

The Main Point

But I’ll have to settle for the main idea, which is no less wonderful than the colorful easter eggs set throughout this text. Through narrating Jesus’ resurrection, John wants you to know that Jesus truly is the Son of God, the Messiah who makes all things new, the source and essence of life. You can trust him with your life.

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How to Analyze a Psalm

April 12, 2017 By Peter Krol

On the Ligonier blog, W. Robert Godfrey does an outstanding job analyzing Psalm 69. He shows how to break the psalm into sections, outline the structure, follow the train of thought, and draw practical implications. Along the way, he addresses the New Testament’s use of the psalm, Jesus’ experience of the psalm on the cross, and the question of whether Christians should pray down curses on their enemies.

I highly recommend this clear and careful example of how to read a psalm. Check it out!

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