HIS TESTIMONY (Part V)
The Messiah and His followers.
(Continued from part four) “If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it”. Why would He deem Himself qualified to enunciate those words of John 14:14? The answer is in John 1:1-4. The preposition ‘in’ is en (en): ‘a (fixed) position (in place, time or state), and (by implication) instrumentality (medially or constructively), i.e. a relation of rest’. ‘Name’ is the Greek onoma (on’-om-ah): ‘a “name” (literally or figuratively), (authority, character)’. The acceptance of any prayer sent heavenwards must be channelled through the instrumentality of the name, which has its sphere of location only in Jesus. The assertive proclamation is backed by the promise, “I will do it”. He says this to bring His divine nature into a relationship with us.
Jesus said, in John 6:63, “…the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.” The word ‘spirit,’ pneuma (pnyoo`-mah) means: ‘1. a current of air, i.e. breath (blast) or a breeze 2. (by analogy or figuratively) a spirit 3. (humanly) the rational soul 4. (by implication) vital principle, mental disposition, etc. 5. (superhumanly) an angel, demon 6. (divinely) God, Christ’s spirit, the Holy Spirit.’ The 5th definition does not fit in this case. Jesus is saying here that the words of His mouth is divine and the vital principle of life. This testimony reminds one of Luke 16:17 “And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.” Jesus’ word has the same strength as God’s law; which takes us to Psalm 12:6 “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.”
The word ‘pure’ is tahowr (taw-hore’) (or tahor {taw-hore’}) ‘pure (in a physical, chemical, ceremonial or moral sense).’ ‘Purified’ is zaqaq (zaw-kak’) ‘to strain, (figuratively) extract, clarify.’ What is the psalmist saying here? Before God utters any word He looks into the eternity past, present occurrences and the eternity to come, making sure that absolutely nothing, be it fashion, modernity, philosophy, religion, kingdom or culture will ever make His word obsolete. Seven is God’s number and it is of perfection. God’s utterances are eternally perfect. So, when Jesus says that His words are spirit that have life, it expresses eternal divinity. The word ‘life,’ zoe, is God’s kind of life.
John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me”. ‘Way’, hodos, means: ‘road, path or destiny’. If Jesus is my destiny then nothing, absolutely nothing can obviate my route to heaven. Alētheia (al-ay’-thi-a), the word for ‘truth’, is my favourite of the three (way, truth & life), and by extension, means ‘reality’. Jesus declares His Divinity! “I am the real One. The only genuine incarnation of God”. Amen. ‘Life’ is the Greek interpretation of zōē. If One Man is the way, truth and life that leads ultimately to paradise assemblage of the saints of the Most High, it then follows that Jesus is the most enigmatic Personage to ever trod the surface of terra firma!
Johannine account of: “All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them”, [John 10:8] does include religious leaders like Confucius, Krishna, Buddha and Baal as religious rascals. Most definitely, those who reared their religious heads after His ascension in the persons of Prophet Mohammad, Roman Catholic Popery, not forgetting, Theudas and Judas of Galilee (Acts 5:36-37). Theudas (thyoo-das’) means “God-given”. We know that God did not give Theudas his leadership role -he stole it. Judas means praise. Galilee means: ‘a native of Galilaia (gal-il-ah’-yah) which is: Galilaea (that is, the heathen circle)’. The activities of these people did not give any praise to Jehovah. They formed a vicious circle of religion. While some stole without the knowledge of their victims, the others were vicious in their religious armed robberies.
“If ye love me”, Jesus voices, “keep my commandments”; is the conclusion He makes in John 14:15. ‘Keep’, tēreō (tay-reh’-o): From teros (a watch); means: ‘to guard (from loss or injury, properly by keeping the eye upon’. Jesus told them to guard with all their hearts something emanating from His very Person: commandments, which in the Greek is entolē (en-tol-ay’): ‘injunction, that is, an authoritative prescription’. We know that every commandment of Jesus points to heaven. Why He would personalize commandments that take one to heaven is something to ponder on, no doubt. One of the commandments is found in John 3:3, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” His testimonies pervade eternity.
Get born of God, from above. Say this prayer, (meaning it unfeignedly): “Dear heavenly Father, I come to You now in the name of Jesus Christ. I believe in my heart that Jesus is the Son of God. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sin. I believe that You raised Him from the dead. I confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord and I receive Him now as my Lord and my Saviour. I give God all the glory. Amen!” (Concluded)
Read the 4th part here.
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