Conservative Friends Bible Study of The Gospel of John #22

We trace John 12:27–50 and into 13, where the crowd wrestles with the voice from heaven, Jesus names the judgment of the world, and the meaning of “light” moves from metaphor to a way of life. The basin and towel in John 13 reset leadership around humility, not status.

• The voice from heaven and the meaning of “lifted up”
• Crowd confusion about the Son of Man
• Walking in the light as conduct and trust
• Greek terms for light, darkness, and walk
• Day of visitation and the danger of hardened hearts
• Isaiah’s prophecy and free will
• Glory as approval versus God’s honor
• Salvation as healing and being made whole
• Prophetic speech as listening and obedience
• Foot-washing as the pattern of humble leadership
• Inward communion over outward ritual

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Transcript

Opening Advice And Study Setup

Host 0:00

Advice number ten. Carefully maintain truthfulness and sincerity in your conduct and encourage the same in your families, in your style of living, in your dress, and in the furniture of your houses. Choose what is simple, useful, and good. From Ohio Yearly Meetings Book of Discipline.

Henry Jason 0:24

This is session number 22

John 12:27–36 Read And Framed

Henry Jason 0:27

of the Ohio Yearly Meeting Bible Study Group, and we are reading the Gospel according to John. We left off at chapter 12, verse 30. I'm going to go back to 27 because that sort of begins the section that we are currently in. So I will reread 27 through 36. Now my soul is troubled, and what should I say? Father, save me from this hour. No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name. Then a voice came from heaven. I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again. The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, An angel has spoken to him. Jesus answered, This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgment of this world. Now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself. He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. The crowd answered him, We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man? Jesus said to them, The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light. Okay, we left off at verse 30. And then in 31 it says here, now is the judgment of this world. The Greek word is Croesus, which means judgment, sort of uh how you consider things, good or bad, an assessment, an essay. If you want to essay a metal to see if it's really what it should be, gold or silver or whatever. And the rule of the world, if you recall who rules the world, who is the prince of the world? Satan. Satan. Yes, will be driven out. In verse 32, where it says, When I am lifted up from the earth, what that refers to, of course, is the crucifixion that Jesus is put on the cross or on a tree. The Romans did both,

“Lifted Up” And Crucifixion Details

Henry Jason 3:05

either or. And there are other comments that sort of indicate that Jesus was put on a tree. Other times it's just uh what is the more regular form we see of the cross. Actually, there were three different forms of that cross. But as I probably mentioned when we were reading Mark, when the criminal was led to be executed, he would only be carrying the top horizontal piece, dragging that along, not the whole cross as you see today. But in reality, that was what they were ordinarily supposed to do. But uh Jesus was in such a weakened state from the flogging and other abuse that he just couldn't do it by himself. And I think I've mentioned also when we're talking about crucifixion, you oftentimes see these depictions of these criminals being crucified and they're fairly high above the ground. They were much closer to the ground, just above it, but again, lifted up onto that cross or into that tree. Of course, when the Romans were crucifying several hundred people at the same time, there probably weren't enough crosses around, so they would use trees. And they used either nails or they would use ropes, whatever they had. And they would reuse the nails also, they would take them out and use them again because they were fairly valuable, they weren't like what we think of today, something that can just be thrown out. In verse 34, the crowd is asking, How can you say that the son of man must be lifted up? You're not understanding what he's referring to. And son of man, and I've mentioned what man means, it's the translation of the word Adam in Hebrew, Aramaic, meaning Adam. So the son of Adam or the Son of mankind, and that gets translated differently in different languages. But they're questioning, they're asking, Who is this son of Adam, the son of mankind, the son of man? And then Jesus doesn't quite answer that question, but here you have this little disjuncture here. Jesus said to them, The light is with you for

Son Of Man And The Light Metaphor

Henry Jason 5:15

a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light. I think this is one of the references that early friends, although I don't recall it being used specifically or mentioned specifically, to refer to the day of visitation, that period of time in which we make our choice as to which way we go. Again, no specific amount of time, it might be the rest of our lives. There's an understanding here that God's grace is always available to us. His light, his illumination, his light is available to us. But if we consistently reject it, then that's it. Basically, we have hardened our hearts, and God will allow that to happen. You get these kinds of interesting statements, you know, uh, the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart or hardened such and such's heart. But it's not that God forces that person to do that, it's their choices that are being allowed by God so that their hearts are hardened, or God hardens their hearts. Yes, David.

SPEAKER_01 6:32

Would you remind us, please, Henry, in uh verse 34, when it's the son of man, um anthropos. Is that gender inclusive?

Henry Jason 6:43

Always it that word always, that word always is uh both genders. Never man and is as a masculine meaning. Anthropos basically means a human being, a human, a man in its generic sense. The word anair, plural is andres, means a man in the sense of male, also means husband. So this word anair, andres, uh, that's always a male and only a male. Uh it may be translated as man in English, just like anthropos is, but anthropos is the word that has that generic meaning: a human being, a man, a person. Any other questions? Okay. The light is with you a little longer. Walk while you have the light so that the darkness may not overtake you. This word darkness in Greek, skotia, can also refer to just ignorance. Your ignorance is what's causing you not to do what you should do. But I also want to make a reference here to the word light, phos. And in a Quaker context, it means illumination, and it also means illuminator. And that's what you're seeing, I think, in this specific verse here. Both senses. Jesus is the illuminator, and he is also the illumination. He's the illuminator that illuminates, and the illumination is that light. So you need to walk in that illumination, otherwise, darkness will overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. Does anyone perhaps recall this word walk and what it means in the Greek, as well as walking physically? It means how to conduct oneself, how to behave. How to act. So you often find this word walk with this meaning in Quaker writings, which is the biblical meaning. Physical meaning is just to walk, walk around. You know, yeah, walk around. The prefix there, the peri means to go around, like uh perimeter, that sort of thing. Perimeter, peri battel.

SPEAKER_01 9:09

I have a quizzical observation from the world of liberal Quakerism. I remember being astounded in my first years among friends, which happened to be in that branch, that there were very few people who really knew the scriptures, and almost no one who did not know the George Fox song, of which the chorus is walk in the light, wherever you may be. At

Greek Terms: Light, Darkness, And Walk

SPEAKER_01 9:35

least that bit of theology has infiltrated into that branch.

Henry Jason 9:39

At least that. Okay. While you have the light, here is specifically while you have Jesus living, but of course, there's much greater extended meaning as we've just been talking about. While you are open to it, believe in the light. Again, believers put your trust in that light, put your confidence in that divine illumination, so that you may become children of light. And the Greek there is uh it's not the word children, actually, it's this other word, huyoi, which is the plural of huios, which means sun. Sun is again in a patriarchal society, something greater than just saying child. But this phrase here, children of light, is what friends first called themselves, children of light or children of the light. It was the first name that they themselves gave to themselves in the earliest years. They then switched to the more common thing that we have today: friends, friends of Christ, or friends of the truth, also. I don't know if there are any other common ones, but those are the three that I just wanted to mention. But again, here it may be that they're trying to be inclusive in terms of saying child here, but uh again, I just want to point out that's different than the word technon, which is the more common word for child. There is another word, pies, and Jesus is often called pice. Jesus is the child of God. That word can also mean slave. Anyway, in this case, it's kind of it's kind of important or it is more illuminating to understand these different words here as to how they're used and how they might be mistranslated or not completely accurately translated. So I'm bringing this up again. Children of the light. I'm just thinking of something that came up this weekend, and that is obeying the light is so important. Yesterday at a Bible study, this question about obedience came up, and it's a very important concept here in terms of obeying the light within or obeying God the Father. Perhaps if people don't like that word obedience or obeying, think of it as being in alignment with God's will. That's what we're talking about. I think the word obey and obedience may sound kind of harsh for some Americans who are very much influenced by our individualism in this country. And uh this is an unkind difficult word to use or to hear. I've heard this from liberal friends actually, that was a while ago, a few years ago, but they did not like that word obey. Well, it it runs throughout the Bible, New Testament, obeying the word of God, listening, hearing and listening, and listening in the sense of obeying. The other word that's similar is following, following Jesus, following the commands. Those are all very important words. Maybe in American society it might be for some people hard to swallow, but it's so important in terms of looking at the correct relationship between ourselves and God as creator. We have no say as to when we were born, and we'll have no say as to what happens when we die or what happens afterwards. Walk in the light.

SPEAKER_05 13:17

Okay, Henry. Yeah um this reminds me of that um a passage in Hebrews that I really like, but I think it's from the Old Testament, really. But today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. So I see it seems to be a uh the same message again.

Henry Jason 13:38

I think that's coming up somewhere, isn't it? Or maybe again, I know it's in Hebrews in a couple of places, but uh I'm just looking ahead. Yes, in verse 40. We're gonna read that right now. So okay. Oh, fun. Okay. Let's do that. Is that Isaiah? Yeah, that's Isaiah. Okay. Okay, verse 36. After Jesus had said this, he departed and hid from them. Although he had performed so many signs in their presence, they did not believe in him. This was to fulfill

Day Of Visitation And Obedience

Henry Jason 14:10

the words spoken by the prophet Isaiah. Lord, who has believed our message, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? And so they could not believe, because Isaiah also said, He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, so that they might not look with their eyes and understand with their heart in turn, and I would heal them. Isaiah said this because he saw his glory and spoke about him. Nevertheless, many, even of the authorities, believed in him, but because of the Pharisees, they did not confess it, or fear that they would be put out of the synagogue, for they loved human glory more than the glory that comes from God. All these miracles were not enough to get people to really look at Jesus and see something clearly divine there. In verse 40, actually, I was just talking about this issue just a couple of minutes ago. He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart. Again, God isn't blinding them, God isn't hardening them, God is allowing them that free will, that freedom to say no to his grace, to his light illumination. We are really made in the image of God in that sense of having free will, of having freedom to say yes or no. We are something greater than other animals in the animal kingdom that basically just follow instinct all the time. We do have these choices, more so than any other creature on our planet. In verse 41, it says, Isaiah saw this because he saw his glory and spoke about him. The glory is the Shekina, the manifested presence of God. Isaiah had experienced God in some evidential way. That is something we too as Quakers hope to achieve, to have that experience of God. Nevertheless, many, even of the authorities, believed in him, put their trust in Jesus, had confidence, had faith in him. But because of the Pharisees, they did not confess it, they did not acknowledge it for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue. You've heard this expression back in chapter 9, when the man born blind was brought before the Sanhedrin, before the council, and his parents were, and they were afraid, and they just kind of sorry, I just lost the verse here. I know it's in chapter 9, 22. His parents said this because he is of age, he will speak for himself. His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, you know, the anti-Christ Jesus Jews. For those Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus, who acknowledged Jesus to be the Messiah, to be the Christ, would be put out of the synagogue. This is what probably was already happening when the final version of this gospel came to fruition in the 90s. So this is probably the same thing we're hearing here, that kind of situation that they were experiencing when this gospel got its final form is brought back sort of anachronistically to an earlier time, because it's unlikely they would have been kicked out of the synagogue at that earlier time. But it says here in the reason for they loved human glory more than the glory that comes from God. Glory has that meaning of brilliance, of glory, of splendor for physical, material splendor more.

SPEAKER_01 17:53

In uh verse 42, about uh many, including members of the council, came to believe in him. Do we have any evidence or conjecture or uh tradition that there were

Isaiah’s Prophecy And Hardened Hearts

SPEAKER_01 18:06

more than Nicodemus and uh Joseph of Arimasia?

Henry Jason 18:11

I'm not aware of any, but I think after the resurrection of Jesus and his appearances to so many that we know of from what Paul says in his epistles about that, that uh a very large percentage of the Jews of Jerusalem did become Christians. I'm trying to remember this from a lecture I heard. I'm just vague on the numbers now. Like, was the population of Jerusalem something like 60,000 at that time, and maybe 20% became Christians, something? I'm not sure of these numbers. I know we call it the moment, but that's a pretty large percentage. And I would think a percentage of them would have come from the authorities, the Sanhedrin, the council, that may not have been thinking that way before.

SPEAKER_04 18:59

Henry, I think that that 43, where they love the praise of men more than the praise of God. I think you said glory there.

SPEAKER_03 19:10

Yes, let me look at the Greek. 43?

SPEAKER_04 19:13

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 19:14

Yeah, it is the word glory.

SPEAKER_04 19:17

Well, the King James has praise instead of glory. And I think that that really points out a problem that's very common is that the the acceptance or praise or approval of others figures very highly. I think it becomes one of the major forms of idolatry. Yes, I that supplants the uh concern for being accepted by God.

Henry Jason 19:45

Right. I'm trying to remember. I think you're reminding me that is one of the meanings of this word. I I don't see it very often, but this word glory doxa does have that meaning. Let me look here. Uh, brightness, splendor, radiance, greatness. Ah, okay. Honor as enhancement or recognition of status or performance, meaning fame, recognition, renown, honor, prestige. That's that's that's the meaning. That's the meaning here. Uh let me just see if it makes mention of this particular verse. Was it 1243? Yes, yes, yes, it mentioned it. That they give that meaning here. I don't often think of this word meaning that, but it it is one of the meanings. So, yeah, that makes good sense.

SPEAKER_01 20:32

Henry, as as I look at various English translations, I have two of them that say honor and one says approval.

Henry Jason 20:40

Yeah, yeah. I think we all want to be liked by others. Those are around us, especially if they're in authority. Uh, and even if we are in authority, we want those others too like us. Oh, I'm just seeing another meaning here. I never even think of this meaning. It occurs in Jude 8, um, 2 Peter 2 10, meaning a majestic being. Well, anyway, yeah, so that is one of the meanings of that word, much less common, but sure enough, it does occur. Thanks for that pointing that out, Pat. Okay, let's see. We okay, verse 44 to the end of the chapter. Then Jesus cried aloud, Whoever believes in me believes not in me, but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness. I do not judge anyone who hears my words and does not keep them. For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not receive my word has a judge. On the last day the word that I have spoken will serve as judge. For I have not spoken on my own, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment about what to say and what to speak, and I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I speak, therefore, I speak just as the Father has told me. In verse 44, the word believe means to have confidence in, to put one's trust in. Whoever puts their trust in me puts their trust not in me, but in him who sent me, God the Father. And whoever sees me, sees him who sent me. This word is not the usual word for

Praise Of People Versus Glory Of God

Henry Jason 22:40

see, but this is the word that means notice or perceive. If you recall, we've read this earlier in this gospel. He, the one who perceives me, the one who perceives me, perceives more than that perception is sort of like an internal perception. I'm sorry, I just can't, I wish I can recall the verse. It'd be a little bit easier to explain this. Whoever notices, whoever perceives the sun within them, basically, that will lead to a greater reality. Whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I've come as light, as illuminators or illumination into the world, so that everyone who puts their trust in me, who has faith in me, who has confidence in me, should not remain in darkness. In, as I was saying, skotia means darkness, but often ignorance. I do not judge anyone who hears my words and does not keep them. Again, I'm not assessing, but it can also mean judge or in the sense of condemn anyone who hears my words and does not keep them. For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. Also has the meaning of heal. And the related word we know is so tear, which is the word that gets translated as savior, but it also has a sense of healer. And so Ria is the word that means salvation or healing. And if you read the writings of early friends, sometimes you'll see the expression healing salvation. They had a clear understanding of what salvation is. It's healing that rift, that split between God and man, between us and the Lord. So all these words are related. Recall the woman who Jesus healed of a vaginal bleeding that she had for some 18 years, and at the very end, Jesus says, Your faith has saved you. Or your faith, your trust, your confidence in me has healed you. Both a physical sense and an inward spiritual sense. So those three words are all related. Sozo, so teria. Any comments so far?

SPEAKER_04 25:29

I believe the way that the King James has that is that thy faith hath made thee whole.

SPEAKER_03 25:36

Whole is related.

SPEAKER_04 25:37

Is whole a form of the word soteria?

Henry Jason 25:42

No, that English word whole, W-H-O-L, that first letter should not be there. It was never there in earlier English. Whole is related to the English word heal and health. They're all the same root. The W that we have is never been pronounced, and it's just a silent letter, and it's there by error and more modern English spelling of the last three centuries. So these all are related, and they whole is the right translation. Made you whole, made you healthy again. Whole heal, health, healthy, hail, another one. They're all the same root in English. So that is a correct translation, whole, as it meant what it meant, and still does mean in terms of holistic is the same root from a Greek word, holistic. Henry? Yeah. I believe hail is spelled H-A-L-E

Jesus’ Mission: Save, Not Judge

Henry Jason 26:40

in that meaning. H-A-L-E. Oh, yes, that's what I meant. I'm doing hail, I'm thinking of hail Mary, which is true too. Yes, thanks, Jack. Hail is you know, a greeting, like be healthy. Uh in Russian, you say zrust, zrust, we get, which means be healthy. It means hello. Even the English word hello is the same same root. We we they're all related. Hello is really be healthy. I'm sure there are a few more that can go into this whole etymological bag we have here. Heal, healthy, hail, whole.

SPEAKER_01 27:20

We have the phrase hail and hardy.

Henry Jason 27:24

Yeah, yeah. Hail, hardy, hello. Anyway, you can see the relationship. Like I said, it's unfortunate that that W is there in the word whole because it shouldn't be there. It wasn't in earlier English, but it's related to all these words. Okay, linguistic aside, there. Okay, let me see. Yes, verse 49. Jesus Jesus says, For I have not spoken on my own, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment about what to say and what to speak. This is a very clear indication of something, a prophetic word. Jesus is being a prophet here. He's a spokesperson, a prophet for God. He's been given words and he's to minister them to others. And this is true prophetic ministry, which we should be doing if ever we minister. We should be not using our own words, our own thoughts, but that God is giving us something to speak to other people, and we are only being used as a tube, a pipe, uh some kind of an organ, a mouthpiece, or whatever. And here Jesus is being very clear that what he is has to say here is coming from God the Father. In verse 50, and I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I speak, therefore I speak just as the Father has told me. He's not going beyond it, uh, but saying exactly what has come from God the Father. And that is true prophetic ministry. And Jesus is being very clear about it here. His commandment. Let me just look check what that what that word is here.

SPEAKER_01 29:12

Entola.

Henry Jason 29:14

Entolay. Yeah, I just want to see if it has any other meaning besides order, command. It's a very common word. It usually gets translated as commandment, but it's better to translate it as a command or an order. Here we go. A command, a mandate, a warrant. Oh, an order authorizing a specific action. So it's almost like a legal thing. Commands by a person in high position. So that again, God the Father is giving him this command.

SPEAKER_04 29:49

Would you um tell us what the Greek is for the last part of 48, which is the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day?

Henry Jason 30:02

48. Let me just translate this whole thing. See the one who puts me aside, puts me on the side, and does not accept, not accepting my words, has him judging the word which I have spoken, which I spoke, that will judge him on the last day. It's the word logos, the second one. Uh that's the singular. And then logos, we've talked about this often, is word, but it doesn't usually mean word. It can mean anything spoken, any utterance, and also mean the power of reasoning, rational thinking. So you've given both those words. But the second part there is logos, the word which I have spoken. Or again, the what I have said, the everything I've uttered, that will judge him on the last day. That will assess him, that will you know, judge. Okay. Um maybe just let's just begin a little bit of the

Salvation As Healing And Being Made Whole

Henry Jason 31:20

next section here, chapter 13. Now, before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray him. And during supper, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, Lord, are you going to wash my feet? Jesus answered, You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand. Peter said to him, You will never wash my feet. Jesus answered, Unless I wash you, you have no share with me. Simon Peter said to him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus said to him, One who is bathed does not need to wash except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you, for he knew who was to betray him. For this reason he said, Not all of you are clean. This act of washing one's feet after coming into a home or whatever was something that in a wealthy home a slave would do, a servant. It was not someone that you would call Lord, master, as Jesus is. And this would be a very shocking kind of thing. I mean, very shocking to have their teacher, their master, do some action like this. It's interesting that Quakers pointed out here that there are all these various sacraments in, you know, the Orthodox, Catholic, and uh Anglican churches, various sacraments, many of which are not, most of which are not given as commands to do in the New Testament. And here is one that Jesus says, do. But it's the understanding, the true understanding of this is the need to be humble, humility. That's what the real thought is here. That Jesus is saying, if you're an authority, you just cannot see yourselves as being an authority because of something you did or who you think you are in a Christian society. This is a very important action, I think, that Jesus took here. Unfortunately, it just becomes symbolic. I know you'll see it done just before Easter and Holy Week in various kinds of churches. They'll have a symbolic washing of the feet or whatever. But more important is that sense of spiritual egalitarianism in a truly spiritual group. We don't have any comments also in this gospel to a Last Supper, other than what we have here. In the other three Gospels, you are told about the preparations and who is there. This just sort of comes in here at this point, now before the festival of the Passover. And there's no mention of the other very important sacraments in other Christian denominations, that of the Lord's Supper, the eating of the bread and drinking of the wine. What will be getting in the next few chapters is the true spiritual understanding that really is what matters. And you can follow those rites and rituals, but it's clear

Prophetic Ministry And Divine Command

Henry Jason 35:05

here in this specific gospel that it's an understanding of that true joining with God that is required. And that we must eat of that bread and wine, the word of God that comes down from heaven every day in order to sustain our spiritual lives. I think we can stop there. Anything else? I think we're about finished here. I'm going to stop the recording before I forget.

Host 35:32

This podcast has been a production of Ohio Yearly Meeting. It was hosted by Henry Jason and edited by Kim Palmer. The introduction and credits were read by Chip Thomas. The quote in our introduction is from the Queries and Advices section of Ohio Yearly Meetings Book of Discipline. A link to that book can be found in the show notes to this episode. We welcome feedback on this or any of our podcast episodes. We can be contacted through our website, Ohio Yearly Meeting.org.