Jesus the King John 19:19–22 Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. John 19:19 What does it mean for Jesus to be Lord? I think there is an answer to that question in the significance of the languages in which the caption of the cross was written (see v. 20 KJV). The first language…

What Is Truth? John 18:36–38 I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. John 18:37 The statement of Christ is preeminently a word to our own disillusioned culture. First, it says that there is such a thing as truth and that truth is an entity. That is, truth is singular. It is…

Jesus’s Claims John 18:19–24 The high priest then questioned Jesus. John 18:19 The Jewish trial exposes the true nature of the hearts of men and women. Jesus was not condemned under a primitive, barbaric, or even inadequate judicial system, but under the best. He, the righteous One—the One who on one occasion demanded which of…

Understanding Jesus’s Death John 18:1–11 Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place. John 18:2 Jesus was in control of the events leading to his death. They did not come upon him by accident, but rather he willed them in conformity to his knowledge of the will of his Father. On the final night,…

The Preeminence of Love John 17:1–26 That the love with which you have loved me may be in them. John 17:26 We see the preeminence of love readily if we look at it in reference to the other marks of the church. What happens when you take love away from them? Suppose you take joy…

The Christian’s Peace John 16:17–33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. John 16:33 The Christian’s peace is not an absence of conflict or any other kind of trial. Rather it is contentment and trust in God in spite of such circumstances. But it is not automatic. The…

The Work of the Holy Spirit John 15:26–16:16 The Spirit of truth . . . will bear witness about me. John 15:26 When we say that the Holy Spirit speaks through the Bible to the individual heart, precisely what does the Holy Spirit do? First, the Holy Spirit gives comprehension. Apart from the ministry of…

No Greater Love John 15:9–17 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13 It may not happen often, but sometimes one human being will voluntarily die for another; still, this gift never equals or even parallels Jesus’s sacrifice. We see this when we reflect on…

The Holy Spirit as Teacher John 14:15–27 The Holy Spirit . . . will teach . . . and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. John 14:26 The Lord’s emphasis on remembering teaches us two separate truths. First, it teaches us that the wisdom of God is not a new thing. It is that…

I Am the Life John 14:1–14 I am the way, and the truth, and the life.  John 14:6 The third part of Christ’s claim in this verse is to be “the life”—for all who believe on him, the emancipator from death. According to Scripture, the natural man is spiritually dead. But Christ can make such…