John 13:1-31
Sep 25th, 2020 | By Dr. Jim EckmanIn washing His disciples’ feet, Jesus exhibited limitless love, servanthood and, symbolically, the washing away of sin.
In washing His disciples’ feet, Jesus exhibited limitless love, servanthood and, symbolically, the washing away of sin.
As the Father speaks for the third time to His Son, Jesus then interprets His Father’s words for the people and offers a theology of unbelief to explain why so many are rejecting Him as the Messiah.
In the context of Mary anointing Jesus’ head and feet and the Pharisees seeking to kill both Jesus and Lazarus, Jesus enters Jerusalem on a young donkey in a triumphal manner with the crowds waving palm branches and exclaiming Psalm 118, thereby fulfilling Zechariah 9:9.
Jesus explains that “I and the Father are one,” and to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life.”
Jesus declares Himself to be the Door of the sheepfold and the Good Shepherd, providing salvation for His sheep and giving them eternal life.
Jesus’ giving sight on the Sabbath to a man blind from birth raises questions among His disciples, cause division among the Pharisees, and leads to the former blind man confessing Him as the Son of Man.
As Jesus teaches in the Temple, using figures of speech to move people from the temporal and physical to the eternal and spiritual, some believe, some reject Him and some wait to see what happens.
Jesus’ teaching divides the people of Galilee—some believe, some reject Him, while others seek more evidence; so, He goes to Jerusalem in obedience to His Father’s “time.”
Jesus’ strategy is to move people from dwelling on the physical and temporal to understanding their spiritual and eternal need; therefore, He is the” bread of life”.
As Jesus offers six proofs of His deity, He also feeds the 5,000 and walks on water–further proofs of His deity.