BibleStudiesLocal-4
Campbell River "Know Jesus and His Mission" The Pre-human existence of JesusWho is Jesus and where did He come from? ... continued, Bible Study No. 4, August 8, 2010
(Verses 6 to 9 being about John the Baptist, we will return to cover later.) Verse 10 - ”He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.” Isn’t it something in this verse, “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.” The word used here in the Greek is “gnosko” which means to acknowledge or recognize. Can you imagine how that would feel? There is nothing more hurtful than not being acknowledged or recognized for something that you’ve done for someone or for others, or for some grand achievements you have attained but nobody cares for. Imagine, you being Jesus, and you had made the world, and you came down to it, and nobody knew, recognized or appreciated you for it. Jesus knows how it feels. He experienced this cold, selfish world. Why did they not know Him? Because they were in darkness. In darkness since the Fall in the Garden of Eden, where man did walk with God (Genesis 3:8). Had man not fallen at the beginning of Creation, he would still be walking with God today and would know Him. But, instead, the world knew him not when he came at His particular time in the history of man. Verse 11 - ”He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” Verse 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: “ The word in the Greek for “received” is “lambano” (lam-ban-o) -- to take literally. For “power” it is “exousia” (ex-oo-see-ah) -- in the sense of ability, capacity. And “believe”, is “pisteuo” (pist-yoo-o) -- to have faith, to entrust, to put in trust with. So, it would read: “But as many as took literally him, to them gave he the ability to become the sons of God, that is to them that trusted on his name:” Verse 13 - “Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” I like the way the Liberty Commentary bible puts it: The spiritual birth spoken of here is not of blood. It is not on the basis of lineage or heritage, or genealogy. It is neither of the will of the flesh, nor of a carnal desire. It is not of the human will of man. It is OF GOD -- This birth is SUPERNATURAL. I am concerned about many people who say they are “Christian” who derive this from a will of the flesh rather then of the supernatural will of God, i.e. “born from above” -- John 3:3: “Verily, Verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again (literally born from above), he cannot see the kingdom of God.” This birth is born of taking Him (The Word which was with God, which was God, which created all things and which without Him was not any thing made that was made) literally. This birth is born of the ability given by Him (The Word which was with God, which….). This birth is born of trusting in His name. It is not an intellectual “born again” experience as often we hear about nowadays to do with any time of major change in life’s ideals or phylosophies. It is not a head knowledge, it is a heart change. As a popular Christian tract says, many will miss heaven by 18 inches. There is about 18 inches between the head and the heart. Verse 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.” The word “dwelt” in this verse is the Greek word “skenoo” (skay-no-o) which means to tent or encamp; to reside as God did in the Tabernacle of Old which was a symbol of protection and communion. Here, God dwelt in the human nature of Christ. And as we receive Him, Christ dwells in Spirit in the human nature of man. Other words for “dwelt” used in scripture for man’s dwelling are in the sense of permanent inhabitation, example “meno” to stay in a given place or address; “paroikia” a foreign residence, a sojourning as strangers; “katoikeo” to reside permatently, etc. It is very interesting and noteworthy to pause here upon the last mention of the word “tabernacle” in the book of Revelation which says: “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.” And the word here for dwell is also the same word, “skenoo”, used in John 1, verse 14. Oh, what exciting thing to know that in the end of this life as we know it, there will be a time when God Himself will dwell among us as His people and He as our God ! Those who received Him and became most intimate with him saw the glory of his divinity, while others saw only the veneer of his human nature. What was that glory? Matthew Henry’s Commentary puts it this way:“The glory as of the only begotten of the Father. The glory of the Word made flesh was such a glory as became the only begotten Son of God, and could not be the glory of any other. “Jesus Christ is the only begotten of the Father. Believers are the children of God by the special favour of adoption and the special grace of regeneration. They are in a sense of a like nature, and have the image of his perfections; but Christ is of the same nature. “He was evidently declared to be the only begotten of the Father, by that which was seen of his glory when he dwelt among us. His divine glory appeared in the holiness and heavenliness of his doctrine; in his miracles; it appeared in the purity, goodness, and beneficence, of his whole conversation. “God’s goodness is his glory, and he went about doing good. Perhaps the evangelist had a particular regard to the glory of his transfiguration, of which he was an eyewitness.” And the last words of this verse are “… full of grace and truth”. What advantage was His dwelling among men? In the old tabernacle where God dwelt was the law. In this dwelling of the Word made flesh was grace. In this Word made flesh was truth. He was full of grace and truth. The two things that fallen man was in need of for redemption. He was full of grace and therefore qualified to save us. He was full of truth and therefore qualified to instruct us in divine doctrine. Full of divine grace and truth , therefore full of divine compassion and knowledge. That’s Who Jesus who walked this earth was, and Who Jesus who is now with us (through His Holy Spirit) is.
May the Lord Bless you. Let us pray for each person here today.... Dr. Diane
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