Observations from John 5
(Part 3)
By Jonathan Mitchell
30. "I, Myself, am continually unable (or: As for Me, I habitually have no power or ability) to be doing anything from Myself: correspondingly as I am continuously hearing, I am habitually sifting, separating, evaluating and deciding (or: judging), and My deciding (separating and evaluating; judging) is right and just (continues being in accord with the Way pointed out and is turned in the right direction of fairness, equity, justice and right relationship), because I am not seeking My own will (intent; purpose), but rather the purpose (intent; will) of the One sending Me.
Paul addressed the topic of Christ "judging" people, in 2 Cor. 5:10,
"for it continues (or: is repeatedly) necessary for us - the all-people (the whole of humanity) - to be manifested in front of Christ's elevated place (a step, platform, stage, or place ascended by steps to speak in public assembly in the center of a city; or: = an official bench of a judge or public official), to the end that each one may himself take into kindly keeping, for care and provision (= be responsible for), the things [done] through (or: by means of; or: [during our passing] through the midst of) the Body - [oriented] toward, and facing, what things he practices (or: she accomplishes), whether good or bad, whether serviceable or inefficient, whether fair or foul, whether capable or careless.
(or: for you see that it continues binding for us all to be set in light so as to be clearly seen in the presence of the judgment seat which is Christ, so that each should keep and provide for the things performed throughout [His] body, with a view to, and face to face with, what things [were practiced], whether virtuous or vile)."
This verse is a continuation of 2 Cor. 5:9, and however we read that verse, in vs. 10, above, there is a continued, or repeated, necessity (the present tense of the verb) "for us." Now Paul qualifies this accusative plural pronoun by the accusative plural adjective, tous pantas: the all-people. Another way to say this, since the term is masculine (referring to people) is: "the whole of humanity." And just what is this continued necessity? "To be manifested in front of Christ's elevated place." The parenthetical expansion shows that this could be "a step, a platform, a stage, or a place ascended by steps to speak in public assembly in the center of a city." It can also refer to the official bench of a judge or a public official. Since Christ is also the King, this might be an allusion to Mat. 25:31-32ff. It might also be an allusion to Rev. 7:9.
Before we continue, we should take note that Paul uses the same word "manifested" about himself and his companions in 2 Cor. 5:11, "So we HAVE BEEN, and thus remain, manifested (set in the light so as to be clearly seen) in God (by God; for God; to God; with God)," so this is not speaking about some so-called end of time judgment, or even a judgment after this life. It is speaking about a repeated necessity - in this life. God does not wait until our life is over to make corrective decisions about people, or, to give them awards. Read the OT to observe this, and read Jesus' teachings and parables, as well. We have seen that Jesus' predictions of judgment upon Jerusalem and Second Temple Judaism happened in AD 70 - as set forth in Mat. 24 and Lu. 21.
Now the reason for this manifestation is "to the end that each one may himself take into kindly keeping, for care and provision (= be responsible for), the things [done] through (or: by means of; or: [during our passing] through the midst of) the Body." In keeping with our corporate reading of this text, I capitalized the term "Body," to suggest that Paul is speaking of the Body of Christ, the called-out communities. A larger reading might be to see this as referring to the Body of Adam - humanity at large, but most likely he has the covenant communities in mind with the term the Body, as we saw in 1 Cor. 3:9-17. But what does he mean by "take into kindly keeping for care and provision"? My suggested paraphrase for this is "be responsible for," but these results seem to place a personal effect upon the person, or the group. They must now care for something, or someone. They must now maintain provision for something or someone. This judgment sounds like now having to do something they had failed to do - perhaps such as "care for the sick" or "visit the imprisoned" of "provide clothing for the naked" or "feed the hungry." Yes, this rather reminds us of the kids (immature goats) of Mat. 25:41-46a.
The basis for Christ's decision is: "[oriented] toward, and facing, what things he practices (or: she accomplishes), whether good or bad, whether serviceable or inefficient, whether fair or foul, whether capable or careless." This sounds very much like reaping what one has sown. Yes, harvests happen throughout the year, and throughout our lives. This is like Gal. 6:7b-8,
"'whatever a person is in the habit of sowing, this also he will reap,' because the person continually sowing into the flesh of himself (= his estranged inner being), will progressively reap corruption (spoil; ruin; decay) forth from out of the flesh (= the estranged inner being);
(or: the one habitually sowing into the flesh [system], of himself will continue to reap decay from out of the flesh [system];)
yet the one constantly sowing into the spirit (or: the Breath) will be progressively reaping eonian life (life having the characteristics of the Age [of Messiah]; or: life from the Age that lasts on through the ages) forth from out of the spirit (or: the Spirit; the Breath; that attitude)."
Paul made a similar statement in Rom. 14:10, "For you see, we will all continue [take note of the durative aspect of the future tense: we stand before Him now: the OT is full of example of people living their lives before God, and of His making decisions regarding them] standing in attendance alongside on God's elevated place." Saul "stood" before Jesus on the road to Damascus and was judged (a decision was made by Christ that changed his life). Jesus was watching what Saul had been doing. We find a promise of Him making decisions about people, in Rev. 22:12,
Rev. 20:11-15 does not necessarily speak of some "end of time" or "end of life" situation. This was simply a vision that John saw: it is a picture of God judging folks based upon "their works." He appeared "in His glory" to John in Rev. 1:12-16 - when John was "within spirit (or: in union with [the] Spirit; in the midst of a Breath-effect)" (vs. 10). In Rev. 1:8 it was proclaimed to John,
"I am continuously the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, 'the One continuously being, even the One Who was and continued being, and the One presently and continuously (or: progressively) coming and going, the Almighty.'"
He is constantly active, among us,
"habitually sifting, separating, evaluating and deciding (or: judging)."
He is doing this,
"correspondingly as I am continuously hearing." And this is the Pattern for us. We, too, are "continually unable to be doing anything from [ourselves]." Our purpose and implanted goal is, "not seeking [our] own will (intent; purpose), but rather the purpose (intent; will) of the One sending [us]."
31. "If I, Myself, should be giving testimony (can by habit witness or make claims) about Myself, is My claim (or: evidence and testimony) not valid and true? (or: My claim is not true or valid [by your standards]).
32. "There is Another, of the same kind. He is presently (or: constantly) bearing witness (testifying; giving evidence) about Me, and I have seen, and thus know, that the claim which He is bearing witness about Me is valid and true (or: credible).
Under the Law of Moses, for something to be accepted as true there was a requirement of two or three witnesses to the fact(s) of the matter. Verse 31 can be read either as a rhetorical question, or as a statement that validates the standards of the Judeans. Jesus goes on to explain to them that He is not a single witness, as set forth in vs. 33 (John, the immerser) and again in vs. 36 (the works that He was doing), and even further, in vs. 37: the Father.
Verse 32 is ambiguous in regard to whom Jesus is referring. My reading of this is that He is referring to the Father, of Whom Jesus says,
"I have seen, and thus know, that the claim which He is bearing witness about Me is valid and true (or: credible)."
Although in vs. 33 He mentions John, in vs. 34 He instructs us that He is "not by habit taking the witness (or: receiving testimony or claim) from a person (from [the] side of a human)," and for this reason we read Him as referring to the Father (vs. 37) when He speaks of "Another, of the same kind," here in vs. 32.
33. "You folks have dispatched [men] to John, and he has borne witness to the Truth (or: testified by the Truth; made confirmation in the Truth; attested with reality),
34. "yet, for Myself, I am not by habit taking the witness (or: receiving testimony or claim) from a person (from [the] side of a human), but rather, I presently say these things to the end that you folks yourselves may be delivered (or: could and would be rescued, saved, made healthy and whole, and restored to your original condition).
35. "That person was continuing being the continuously burning (ignited; lighted) and constantly shining lamp, and you folks yourselves, for a short time (for an hour), want (or: purposed) to exult and rejoice in its light (or: centered within his light).
Verse 33 refers to Jn. 1:19-27. Jesus affirms his witness as being "the Truth (or: Reality)." We should not miss the optional readings of the dative case, "by the Truth; in the Truth; with reality." All of these readings, taken together, color-in the situation.
Observe the Jesus was saying these things (and thus: projecting the Logos to them)
"to the end that you folks yourselves may be delivered (etc.)."
He then affirms that John
"was continuing being the continuously burning (ignited; lighted) and constantly shining lamp," but that he would shine only "for a short time (for an hour),"
and yet He recognized that they had rejoiced in John's ministry, and in what he had said would follow after him (Jn. 1:28-34).
So although John was "a burning and shining lamp," the greater witness was "the works (or: actions; deeds) which the Father has given in Me (to Me; for Me; by Me)." The "goal (finished, mature, perfect and destined purpose)" we know to be the cross, along with the resurrection Life that He would bring to humanity. All of His life, on through to His ascension, was to "continuously bear witness (testify; make claim; give evidence) about Me, that the Father has sent Me forth with a commission." As a Representative, He brought to us the message of Goodness, Ease and Well-being from the Father, which in turn has revealed the Father (and what kind of God He is) to us.
37. "Also, the One sending Me, that Father, has borne witness (has testified) about Me. You folks have neither heard His voice at any time, nor have you seen (or: perceived) His external appearance (shape; figure of what is seen; = what He looks like),
38. "and further, you people are not holding or possessing His Logos (His Message; His Blueprint; His Thought and Idea; What has been Laid Out from Him; the Word which is Him) remaining (or: dwelling) continuously within you (or: and you are not having His Word or Information abiding continually among you folks), because Whom That One sent forth with a commission (or: as a Representative) in (to) This One you people are not presently trusting, believing or being loyal.
Verse 37 gives the ultimate witness that a person could have: the Father. In all of their searching of their Scriptures (vs. 39), and in all of the temple cultus of their religion, the religious authorities of the Judeans (vss. 16 and 18,
above)"[had] neither heard His voice at any time, nor [had] seen (or: perceived) His external appearance." That final phrase can also be rendered: shape; figure of what is seen; or = what He looks like."
This might seem a strange thing to say to them, if taken on the level of the literal - and on that level, all of this was true, of course. But by the Spirit, they should have been able to hear His voice through what Moses and the Prophets reported of what He had said. The witness of creation and the formation of Israel as His people was "a figure of what could be seen" of Him. The symbols of the Tabernacle (which was to be made according to the pattern shown to Moses on Sinai) would have given a perception of His shape, among them. And the human, itself, should have been seen by them as the image of God. But they were blind, and deaf. They had not seen God, in Jesus (cf Jn. 14:6-9).
Verse 38 is a telling assessment that Jesus made about them. If we read the second half of the verse first, we will see the reason, and condition, for what is said in the first half:
"because Whom That One [the Father] sent forth [i.e., the Son] with a commission (or: as a Representative) in (to) This One [i.e., the Son] you people are not presently trusting, believing or being loyal."
Therefore, it was expected of the leaders of the Jews (who had the Scriptures) to trust, believe and be loyal to the Messiah. Because of this, even though they would "continuously search the Scriptures" (vs. 39), they were,
"not holding or possessing His Logos."
They had the Scriptures, but not "the Word." They were not holding God's
"Message, Blueprint, Thought and Idea, what had been Laid Out from Him, or, the Word which is Him."
All they had was "the Letter." Paul instructs us that:
"the effect of letter habitually kills (or: Scripture, the result of writing something into a text, repeatedly puts away in death), yet the Spirit (or: the spirit; the Breath-effect; the Attitude) continuously produces Life (or: repeatedly makes alive; progressively forms life; habitually creates Life)" (2 Cor. 3:6b).
And thus...
39. "You folks continuously search (or, as an imperative: Be constantly searching) the Scriptures, because within them you yourselves are habitually presuming to be presently and continuously holding eonian life (or: because you folks are normally supposing for yourselves to be habitually having - in union with them - life pertaining to, and having the qualities and characteristics of, the Age [perhaps: = the life of the coming age]), and those [Scriptures] are (exist being) the ones continuously testifying about Me (constantly giving evidence concerning and bearing witness around Me).
The form of the verb in the first clause is either the indicative (a statement) or an imperative (a directive, or a command). The first rendering seems to reflect what the scribes, Pharisees and rabbis actually did. But Jesus may also be instructing them to search more carefully!
Now the second clause is revealing, concerning Second Temple Judaism: they were "presuming to be presently and continuously holding eonian life." What came through Jesus was what they presumed to have already had through Moses and the Prophets. We recall Lu. 18:18,
"Then a certain ruler (or: chief; or: leading person of the ruling class) put a question to Him, saying, 'Good teacher, by doing what can I be an heir of, and shall I proceed receiving an allotment in, eonian life (= life in the coming Age when the Messiah reigns; or: life which has the character and qualities of the Age; or: life in the ages and for an indefinite period of time)?'"
So, eonian life (etc.) was apparently a life-goal, at least for some, in Second Temple Judaism. Mat. 19:16 is similar. Scholars tell us that during this period of Israel's history, their worldview had two ages: the present one, and the one to come - this latter being the Age of the Messiah. So Judaism of Jesus' time, and Christianity ever since, have viewed the OT as holding prophecies that pointed to the coming Messiah. We could give examples, but the statement by Jesus is ample witness that the OT pointed to Christ, and through this statement He was thus also identifying Himself as the Messiah.
Now as to the final clause, Cf Lu. 24: 27, where Jesus opens the OT to the two, on the road to Emmaus, the things found there that applied to Him. And thus do we find Paul identifying the water-giving rock, in the wilderness, as being Christ (1 Cor. 10:4), in reference to the Israelites drinking a "spiritual drink."
40. "And yet you people continue not willing (or: presently refuse and habitually do not intend) to come toward (or: to; face to face with) Me, so that you may presently be having Life (or: would continuously take hold of and possess [this] life).
Here, Jesus implies that they do not have Life, and thus they are dead. If they would come to Him, and be face-to-face (i.e., in relationship with) Him, they could at that very moment "be having Life." The same is true today.
41. "I have no habit of receiving glory from humans (or: I am not continuing to take a reputation at the side of people, nor do I normally get opinions from [them]),
Jesus seems to be saying that He did not
"take a reputation,"
or an opinion about Himself, from people. He is not dependent upon us
"giving Him glory."
The Father does that for Him. Then He, in turn gives this glory to us (Jn. 17:22). The best that we can do is:
"we all, ourselves - having a face that has been uncovered and remains unveiled [note: as with Moses, before the Lord, Ex. 34:34] - being folks who by a mirror are continuously observing, as ourselves, the Lord's glory (or: being those who progressively reflect - from ourselves as by a mirror - the assumed appearance and repute of, and from, [our] Owner)..." (2 Cor. 3:18).
Our job is simply to continuously observe Him... and then do what we see Him doing. The Glory takes care of itself.
Not having, or holding (within themselves), God's love equates to "not having Life" (vs. 40b, above), which they could have had if they would have come to Him. Paul put it this way:
"And you folks [who were] continuously existing being dead ones in (or: to; with; or: by) the results and effects of your stumblings aside (offenses; wrong steps) and failures to hit the mark (or: mistakes; errors; times of falling short; sins; deviations)" (Eph. 2:1).
This is all very simply put, and requires no philosophy or theological formula to explain it. With even a little discernment, we can by personal experience come to know if people are not presently having
"the urge toward reunion from, and which is, God," or, "love and acceptance from, and pertaining to, God."
We see this by how they live and how they think of, and treat, other people. Eonian Life is very simply "God's love." His Love includes "acceptance of others." To have His love is to give (from within ourselves) His son to others (Jn. 3:16), by our words, actions and mental projections.
43. "Now I, Myself, have come within my Father's Name, and you folks are not proceeding to receive Me; if another one may come within his own name, you will proceed to receive that one.
By coming within His Father's Name, He was coming in His Father's authority, as His Father's Representative. He was the King's Son; He was the Son of the Owner of the vineyard (Israel) - Mat. 21:33-39. They could not accept that He WAS the Son of God, that He had been sent by God. They could only accept a person who claimed only to be himself, another human just like they were. They objected to recognizing that He was their Messiah. They may not have liked the message of John the immerser (who had caustic words for them - Mat. 3:7-10), but they did not reject him as a prophet or try to kill him off. What they rejected was that Jesus represented God's reign on earth, which was supplanting their assumed position over the people.
44. "How are you folks, yourselves, able to trust or believe, when habitually getting a reputation and receiving fame (or: repeatedly taking opinions and glory) from one another, and yet you folks are not constantly seeking the glory (or: the reputation, opinion or manifestation which calls forth praise; or: the assumed appearance) which comes from the only God (or: from God alone)?
Jesus is saying that if folks are
"habitually getting a reputation and receiving fame (or: repeatedly taking opinions and glory) from one another," and yet are "not constantly seeking the glory (or: the reputation, opinion or manifestation which calls forth praise; or: the assumed appearance) which comes from the only God (or: from God alone),"
then they will not be able "to trust or believe." This should be a sobering revelation to all of us, who can so often put all of our focus on what others think of us. Being content with having only God's opinion of us, or only radiating His glory, is difficult for anyone who is seeking fame from the domination System (the competitive world of culture, religion, politics, etc.).
Another side of the first clause is given by Paul, in 2 Cor. 10:
11. Let such a person take this into account, that the kind of person we are in Logos (word, etc.) through letters, being absent, such also [are we], being present, in action.
12. Of course we are not daring to classify ourselves among, nor compare or explain ourselves with, some of those setting themselves together for commendation. But in fact they, themselves, are constantly measuring themselves among (or: within) themselves, and are repeatedly comparing themselves with themselves - they continue not comprehending or understanding!
Their "comparing themselves" was a form of seeking glory and getting fame from other people.
45. "Stop thinking (supposing; presuming; having opinions) that I, Myself, will publicly speak down against (or: accuse) you folks to the Father; the one constantly accusing (publicly speaking down against) you people is (or: exists being) Moses, into whom you folks have put your expectation, and on whom you now rely.
Jesus did not come to be "the accuser of the brothers," but rather He came to cast the "accuser" out of us (Rev. 12:10). They constantly lived with the accuser: Moses. Their expectation, and that upon which they were relying, was that which was "constantly accusing (publicly speaking down against)" them!
But now,
"Nothing, consequently, [is] now a result of condemnation in (or: a commensurate effect of a decision for; a corresponding result of a negative evaluation which falls in line with a decision or follows the pattern which divides [folks] down, with) those within Christ Jesus (or: In that case, therefore, [there is] now not one thing [that is] really an effect of a downward-judging to, in or with the folks in union with or centered in [the] Anointing of Jesus)!" (Rom. 8:1)
46. "For if you folks had been trusting by, adhering to, having loyalty for and believing in Moses, you would have been trusting by, adhering to and believing in Me: for that one wrote about Me!
So the accusation, from their Law (Moses) was that they had NOT
"been trusting by, adhering to, having loyalty for and believing in Moses."Then He recaps what He has said in vs. 39, above:
"that one [i.e., Moses] wrote about Me!"
What a broad, inclusive statement about the Torah. The very foundation of their culture, religion and existence as a nation were writings that pointed to Jesus, as the Messiah, and as the Savior of the world. No wonder John the immerser described Him as:
"God's Lamb (or: the Lamb from God; the Lamb having the character and qualities of God; or, in apposition: the Lamb which is God), the One continuously lifting up and progressively carrying away the Sin of the world, and removing the sin which belongs to and is a part of the System.... the One progressively (or: habitually) immersing (or: baptizing) within a set-apart spirit (or: in the midst of [the] Holy Spirit; in union with the Sacred Breath-effect)" (Jn. 1:29, 33b).
John had been trusting, believing and being loyal to Moses, so his eyes were able to recognize who Jesus was.
47. "Yet if you are not habitually trusting by, adhering to, having loyalty for and believing in that one's writings, how will [other MSS: do] you folks continue to trust by, have loyalty for, adhere to and believe in My sayings (or: My declarations; My gush-effects; the results from flows in Me)?"
This is a foundational statement for all who claim to be a follower, or a believer, in Christ. Now the Pharisees were adhering to, and being loyal to, the literal aspects of Moses (the Law) - they went beyond the Law of Moses, adding many interpretive laws to what was written in the Torah. So obviously Jesus was not speaking about literally adhering to the Law in any religious or cultural way. This was about trusting by and believing in the Spirit of the Logos that was housed in Moses' writings.
Dan Kaplan pointed us to Jer. 11:1-8, and then to Ps. 81:13 (and its context): "O, if my People were hearkening unto Me; [if] Israel would walk in My ways." Cf Jer. 7:22
But without a living, spiritual relationship with God in the old covenant (where they were, at that time), how could they possibly trust or be loyal to His "gush-effects, or the results from the flows in Him" (a literal rendering of rhema - ordinarily only rendered as "sayings" or "declarations")? In the next chapter of John, we will read:
"The declarations (gush-effects; spoken words; sayings; results of the Flow) which I, Myself, have spoken to you folks are (or: continue to be) Spirit (or: spirit; Breath-effect; attitude) and they are (or: continue being) Life" (Jn. 6:63).
Jonathan
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