Unlearning Tradition, Relearning Scripture

Author: Eric

  • “Regarding Wilmer”

    This blogpost was taken mostly from an article written by Stanley Tiu, who interviewed me about my conversion to Christianity. He narrated the interview for publication at Grace Monthly, a monthly journal for Grace Gospel Church, dated January 2001. I have made a few changes mostly to conceal personal information or names of other people.

    Eric was silently going through his son’s things. The whole thing was a mechanical exercise; after all, aching grief has long dulled his sense. Only his hands were actually conscious of what they were doing as they slowly but methodically segregated Wilmer’s possessions into two piles. Into one pile went his toys and some of his clothes while the other received what Eric thought were his son’s more personal belongings.

    It had only been a few hours since his one and only son passed away. He had just come home from the funeral parlor where his son’s body lay in state.

    The harsh reality of it all momentarily roused his mind from its numbness, while consolingly reminding him in two words of his purpose: Chinese tradition. Custom dictates that the personal effects of the deceased are to be burned during the burial so that these can be taken with him to the next life. That was what the first pile was for.

    The other pile was to serve as cherished keepsakes of fond memories with his one and only son … all eight years and eleven months of them.

    Nevertheless, regardless of what stuff went to which pile, every single memento of Wilmer he grasped in his hand was a heart-rendering reminder of the fact that his son was no more, and that he might be partly to blame for it.

    Falling Star

    Wilmer was not born a healthy baby boy. Six months after his birth, it was discovered that he was unable to defecate normally and had to take suppositories for proper bowel movement to take place.

    When he was around a year old, Wilmer caught a cold and was taken to a physician. It was during that visit when the doctor observed he had an unusually large belly. She immediately suspected that the child had a rare clinical condition termed megacolon, wherein the patient’s intestines are longer than normal. The doctor then advised Wilmer’s parents to have him see a pediatric surgeon who could correct the abnormality through an operation. Eric, however, refused to have his fragile son undergo a delicate surgical procedure.

    At that time, Eric’s faith lay deeply rooted in his Buddhist/Taoist belief. Since he also had a solid background in Chinese traditions and practices, he decided to turn to oriental medicine.

    It later turned out that eastern medicine proved effective in Wilmer’s case as he soon experienced normal bowel movement. With the success of this alternative, Wilmer resumed his medication and was taken to the eastern practitioner every week thereafter.

    From then on, his life began to change. Aside from a weak constitution due to his illness, Wilmer started leading a nearly normal life. Eric proudly noted that his son was an intelligent and obedient child. In school, Wilmer was always considered the “best boy” among his classmates.

    His health was also improving. Some even noticed that Wilmer was starting to put on a few pounds. Adding to the good news was the eastern doctor’s pronouncement that his condition would “normalize” as soon as he reached his teenage years. By then he could fully stop his oriental medication.

    Things seemed to be looking up for Wilmer.

    It is no wonder then that his sudden death came as a big shock to both his family and friends alike.

    A Question of Faith

    “We were so surprised since we didn’t expect it (Wilmer’s death),” remarked Eric. He remembered during his son’s wake, he kept blaming himself as a father for his loss since he didn’t revert to western medicine.

    “A lot of people blamed me for that,” he sadly recalls. “You are already in grief and people still throw these accusations at you.” Despite these callous comments, Eric passively took in the low blows thinking that they have every right to say such things.

    Besides that, he had other things to ponder on.

    Wilmer’s death opened a floodgate which sent torrents of questions bursting through Eric’s mind. “It is then I started to ask questions like: Where is my son now, or when can I see him again?” he contemplated.

    Such reflections were then nothing new to Eric. When he was still practicing Buddhism/Taoism, Eric already had many questions about his life. He began to notice that there was something wrong with the way they worship their god/s in his religion. This prompted him to go further into Feng-shui, astrology, tarot cards and incense reading, New Age ideas and many others, yet all his questions about life remained unanswered. His soul-searching, however, had to come to an abrupt postponement when life’s worries eventually came knocking at the door.

    But his search for the truth was far from over. During the wake, Eric felt that he should still keep his religion. Nonetheless, this decision was half-hearted one for deep inside he knew that he just wanted to maintain an empty, mechanical ritual. Doubt had already begun to eat away his hollow faith.

    The Gift

    Eric was still listlessly separating his son’s things when he came across a penholder.

    It was an ordinary penholder – a little something his son had given him months before he passed away. He hadn’t really given his son’s token much thought since it was, after all … just an ordinary penholder.

    But now as he held it carefully in his hands, Eric suddenly saw the printed words on it which he hadn’t noticed before. It was a short message, a Bible verse to be exact. The verse was Psalm 37:5 (“Give yourself to the Lord; trust in Him and He will help you.”), from the Good News Translation.

    For Eric, these few simple words drove straight to his heart.

    “It was my son’s penholder that set off a trigger within me!” he exclaimed. “That short verse really touched me!”

    At that moment, he realized that God was subtly giving him a message through Wilmer.

    For the first time in his life, Eric felt a real and caring God directly intervening in his life. When he was a child, the only time he ever heard about God was through his household help who didn’t give anything clear or specific about Him. Likewise, he never had the opportunity to study in a Christian school. What he believed was that all people worshipped one and the same god but that each culture had its own religion.

    Making a complete turn around, Eric was determined to give up his Buddhist/Taoist practice and later told his wife about it.

    She took the news very well. A Christian who has lost track of her faith during her marriage, she decided to restore her faith the very day Wilmer passed away. Hearing Eric make such an announcement made things a lot easier for both of them.

    Absolution

    But God had more surprises in store for Eric. There was still the unresolved issue regarding Eric’s enormous personal guilt over his son’s death. God soon took care of that in His usual mysterious manner.

    The day after “re-discovering” the penholder, Eric had a little chat with a visitor to his son’s wake. The conversation eventually shifted to Wilmer and his illness where Eric casually mentioned that his son had a bloated belly. To this, the visitor assumed that a problem with the pancreas may have caused the swelling of his abdomen.

    Once again, another silent trigger set off in Eric’s mind. This time he recalled having heard his son’s oriental doctor mentioned that Wilmer may have a problem with his pancreas. Somehow, something behind the back of his mind told Eric that this was important and that he had to find out everything he could about this little detail.

    The moment he got home, Eric furiously started thumbing through every single medical book he had in his possession regarding pancreas and its related diseases. It was when he came across cystic fibrosis, an incurable congenital disease, that he hit pay dirt. He discovered that all the symptoms manifested by his son were consistent with those of the disease.

    If this was the case, then Eric would finally be released from the emotional baggage he had been carrying all this time.

    Not satisfied with just these facts, Eric went to bookstores and researched on the latest books for updated information regarding the disease. Later, he discovered that his recent findings further confirmed his suspicions that his son did have cystic fibrosis instead of the initial megacolon diagnosis made years back.

    With this, the only missing piece of the puzzle left was an expert opinion. Eric immediately consulted with a western doctor to whom he shared all the information that he had gathered. In reply, the doctor first said that though cystic fibrosis is rare among Asians, she concurred with Eric’s conclusion saying that the possibility that Wilmer had cystic fibrosis, which was roughly 95% confirmed given that he had manifested all the symptoms. The only thing lacking was an actual sweat test which would fully affirm the validity of Eric’s claim.

    It was through these things that Eric personally witnessed the grace of the Lord. He later reflected, “I was very confused at the time and He led me to the answer through the visitor who mentioned the pancreas. Thanks to the Lord, He gave me the wisdom to discover the truth, that I wasn’t truly accountable for my son’s death, since he was born with a disease that couldn’t be cured, so that I can finally have my peace of mind and stop blaming myself.”

    Though Eric hasn’t fully accepted Christ yet, the seeds of faith have already sprung within him.

    Light from Shade

    As expected, everything was going smoothly. God’s orchestrating of the peculiar events in Eric’s life during his son’s wake started moving towards the climax of the whole story. At this point, it seemed like the timing was right and everything started falling into place.

    With this, the Master Conductor started to set things into motion.

    Eric soon received another visit, this time from one of his brothers. “I didn’t know then that my brother was already a Christian,” said Eric. (Prior to the wake, a gap had already existed between the two brothers for months. It was during that sorrowful occasion that they were reconciled.) He approached me and asked if my son should receive a Buddhist/Taoist, Catholic or Christian interment service.”

    In truth, Eric was unable to confirm his son’s acceptance of Jesus Christ. His son never really talked much about his personal faith in his brief existence since it was understood then that Buddhism/Taoism was the official religion of their household.

    Thoughts of the penholder however sparked an insightful notion in him that perhaps the seemingly innocent gift could have borne mute testimony of his son’s faith.

    Without hesitation, Eric requested for a Christian service.

    “Going back to the penholder, I realized that he may have already accepted Christ without telling us,” he assured. “It is for this reason we chose that (Christian) service, thinking that that’s the last thing I could do to make my son happy.”

    Arrangement for the service soon went underway. Eric was soon receiving visitors from the Grace Christian High School faculty – former teachers of Wilmer. One of them was none other than the school principal. Upon meeting Eric, he wasted no time in giving him a crash course on eternal life and about accepting Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour.

    It turned out that the crash course was Eric’s first Christian education. “Imagine, all this time the only thing I knew about God were stories told to me by house-helpers when I was little!” he enthused.

    It was also an eye-opener for him. “I was immediately attracted to the concept of eternal life,” he added. “I saw the chance of seeing my son again!”

    The Christian service took place a few days later. The pastor, in his sermon, touched on Eternal Life through Jesus Christ and the personal repentance of sins, accepting and believing in Him. (John 3:16)

    Then came the climax, the turning point in Eric’s life.

    “At that moment, I immediately asked the Lord Jesus Christ to be my Saviour!” said Eric with much conviction.

    The man who had lost something big in his life suddenly gained everything back.

    In no time at all, Eric’s once Buddhist/Taoist household was bustling with newborn Christians. “Now that we have become Christians, we don’t practice Chinese/Buddhist/Taoist rituals or traditions anymore,” he noted with unmistakable pride, “It is because we now believe that because of Jesus Christ, we are freed from all worldly traditions.”

    So zealous was he with pursuing his newfound faith that he was motivated to buy his own Bible and was able to read from cover to cover (both the Old and New Testament) in 100 days! “People like my brother and daughter started calling me ‘pastor’ since I was able to accomplish that feat,” he noted humorously.

    The ‘Pastor’ claimed, however, that he wasn’t able to finish it in one sitting.

    He said that the trick to it is to carry the Bible with you at all times while finding time to relish its contents. “I always carry the Bible wherever I go, like when I accompany my wife to the market, or when I go fetch my children in school,” he shares. “I sometimes read a paragraph, stop then carry on where I last left off. It’s like reading a novel!”

    But to Eric, the Bible was more than just fun reading. Through it, he was able to unlock the answers to all of life’s questions. He considered that this old belief, which was a mixture of Buddhism and Taoism, lacking, since it did not clearly explain many of his queries of life’s mysteries.

    Eric noted, “It is then (when I finish reading the Bible) that I began to fully understand who God really is, His desires for us, and the true meaning of His salvation for us.” He further adds, “Also amazingly, all the questions I had about life were answered as well.”

    This, he says, is how he finally and truly committed himself to the Lord.

    Since Wilmer’s passing, Eric and his family’s Christian faith have already come a long way. Eric and his wife have opened a small Bible study in their home every Monday evening. At times, Eric would be invited by others to share their personal testimony while sharing God’s Word to both believers and non-believers alike.

    “If I can be of any use for the glory of God, then I am willing to serve or share God’s Good News to anybody who is willing to listen,” offered Eric thoughtfully.

    Nevertheless, one question continued to haunt Eric incessantly.

    Regarding Wilmer

    “Is my son saved?”

    Eric had asked this question of a pastor since it bothered him to think that his son had never openly mentioned anything about accepting Jesus Christ when he was still alive.

    To this, the pastor replied that the age of accountability (regarding faith) varied so “only God truly knows.” The pastor believes however, Wilmer is safely tucked in our Heavenly Father’s arms.

    Nevertheless, God was faithful to Eric and it was through that question that He imparted many recollections to him which eventually set his mind at ease. Somehow, he felt that God was telling him not to worry about his son.

    It was then that he suddenly recalled a small incident that occurred a week before his son passed away.

    He remembered being in the room with his son one evening. “I always spend some time with him in his room every night since I’m close to my children,” he tearfully recounted. “Never did he want me to leave the room. He is very affectionate. He always wants me to sit beside him.”

    But not that night.

    That evening, Wilmer didn’t want dad to stay long in his room. “I remembered him saying, ‘Dad, please go to your room.’ On my part, I was puzzled why he wanted me to leave,” narrated Eric. “Nevertheless, I followed his wishes because I respect him.”

    Eric recollected leaving the room and closing the door. But before heading for bed, Eric decided to listen at the door out of curiosity.

    “I listened intently and I heard him whispering.” Eric soon realized that his son’s quiet whispers was actually a prayer.

    At that time he didn’t have a clue as to who Wilmer was praying to or for what reason. But now, in retrospect, Eric believes that his son was saying a prayer to the Lord.

    “Come to think of it, he (Wilmer) wouldn’t ask me to go out of the room if he were praying to the idols in the house,” Eric reasoned out in his reflection. “I think he didn’t feel comfortable with me hanging around his room while he prayed since our family didn’t believe in Jesus Christ at that time.” Perhaps this could explain why Wilmer was so secretive about his Christian faith. If one was to believe this assumption.

    Eric also remembered times when Wilmer would sometimes ask him if he could go to the Sunday school at Grace Christian Church. “I remember discouraging him back then since I reasoned out that his body was weak so he should rest during the weekend,” he said. “I told him that he could always go to the chapel on weekdays.”

    All these bit and pieces of his memories with Wilmer, Eric believes, are unspoken reassurances of his son’s salvation.

    “How I recalled all these tiny instances was through the Lord,” he concluded.

    Once, while with his family, Eric spoke about his concern for Wilmer’s salvation. It was then that the elder sister of Wilmer, only twelve years old then, confessed that both she and her brother (Wilmer) had decided to trust in Jesus earlier before the passing of her brother.

    Strangely, it seemed that life only truly began for Eric and his family after the painful experience. So much has happened in their lives that it can now clearly be seen that Wilmer’s early passing was not in vain after all.

    With this, Eric shares with us the verse, John 12:24, which he thinks best describes God’s purpose behind his son’s fleeting existence in this world. “Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”

    “I know this verse refers to Christ Jesus as the single seed,” he says, “yet I also think that this verse is applicable to us, telling us how the Lord posthumously used my son for us to believe in Jesus Christ, and what we should be doing with our lives as Christians.”

    “If my one and only son didn’t die, not that we are now glad he did, but he and his sister would have remained as the only ones in the family who believed in our Lord Jesus Christ. His death has restored my wife’s faith, and led me to know our Lord Jesus Christ because of our great love for our son and our desire to be with him again. So in the end, his short life did bear many seeds.”

    “Before, it was only my desire to see my son again that I came to accept Jesus Christ. But now, having fully understood His Good News and knowing He is the one and only God, I have come to realize that we ought to worship Him and not just believe in Him.”

    Human lives are curious collections of both happiness and sorrow. Sadly, life’s tragedies, both big and small, stand out more than the happy moments interspersed between them. Yet, it was during these troubles moments that God chooses to unveil His mysterious, yet glorious plan!

    Wilmer’s seemingly untimely passing was a great tragedy to the family. Eric’s personal testimony, however, shows us that even the most heartbreaking sorrow can yield blessings to many.

    A Postface From Me

    Time really flies so fast. It has been a couple of decades since my one and only son went to be with the Lord. I decided to publish this personal testimony of mine in relation to my last blog posting. God truly is amazing. In the last twenty years, there are many stories to tell on how the Lord Jesus Christ has guided us in our journey of faith to where and how we are now. But in summary, I was only able to do everything and continue our journey of faith through Christ Jesus who strengthens us. All glory belongs to Him!

    If you want to follow our journey of unlearning tradition and relearning Scripture, you can stay updated by heading to our about page and subscribe directly to receive notifications in your inbox.

  • Small Details May Say A Lot (the True Sabbath Rest)

    Like I said in my previous blog post, the theme of the Sabbath is the centerpiece of John 5. Ten times Sabbath was mentioned in John’s Gospel, four times in John 5. It should not be a surprise now that we know that the story of John 5 occurred during the Jewish Fall Harvest Festival – the Feast of Booths – ’cause the essence of the said feast is the Sabbath Rest.

    The prophet Daniel was led into exile as a youth (Daniel 1:3-6). The said exile was the fulfillment of God’s pronounced judgment against the Judah, the Southern Kingdom, the last remaining territory of the former monarchy of David and Solomon. See Jeremiah 25:3-14

    For twenty-three years, from the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, to this day, the word of the LORD has come to me, and I have spoken persistently to you, but you have not listened. You have neither listened nor inclined your ears to hear, although the LORD persistently sent to you all His servants the prophets, saying, “Turn now, every one of you, from his evil ways and evil deeds, and dwell upon the land that the LORD has given to you and your fathers from of old and forever. Do not go after other gods to serve and worship them, or provoke Me to anger with the work of your hands. Then I will do you no harm.” Yet you have not listened to Me, declares the LORD, that you might provoke Me to anger with the work of your hands to your own harm.

    Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: Because you have not obeyed My words, behold, I will send for all the tribes of the north, declares the LORD, and for Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants, and against all these surrounding nations, I will devote them to destruction, and make them a horror, a hissing, and an everlasting desolation. Moreover, I will banish from them the voice of the mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the grinding of the milestones and the light of the lamp. The whole land shall become a ruin and a waste, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. Then after the seventy years are completed, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity, declares the LORD, making the land an everlasting waste. I will bring upon the land all the words that I have uttered against it, everything written in this book, which Jeremiah prophesied against all the nations. For many nations and great kings shall make slaves even of them, and I will recompense them according to their deeds and the work of their hands.

    Fast forward to Daniel’s time, he was now perhaps in his eighties, for it had been seventy years since he was exiled to Babylon. See Daniel 9:1-2:

    In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, by descent a Mede, who was made king over the realm of Chaldeans – in the first year of his reign, I Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the LORD to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.

    Daniel, now that the Seventy Years Babylonian Captivity had come to passed – the judgment pronounced by God against Judah through his prophet Jeremiah – so he pleaded the LORD for mercy and restoration. The LORD’s answer to Daniel’s prayer and petition may be seen in Daniel 9:24-27. We will only focus on the summary of God’s answer in Daniel 9:24:

    Seventy weeks are decreed about your people and your holy city, to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place.

    Daniel clearly was told of the final judgment “to finish transgression, to put an end to sin”; the atonement “to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness; and finally, the dwelling presence of God, the tabernacle (booths) “to anoint a most holy place”. Incidentally, the theme of Daniel 9:24 were all elements of John 5.

    John 5:30, spoke of Judgment – Feast of Trumpet.

    I can do nothing of My own. As I hear, I judge, and My judgment is just, because I seek not My own will but the will of Him [God the Father] who sent Me.

    Next, John 5:21, spoke of Resurrection – Feast of Atonement.

    For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom He will.

    Finally, John 5:24, spoke of Eternal Life – Feast of Booths.

    Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

    Now back to Daniel. He lived during the occupation of the first Gentile kingdom (Babylon) until the second, Mede and Persia, which he understood was to happen when he was asked to tell and interpret the dream of Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 2). The confirmation of God’s pronouncement that four Gentile kingdoms would rule over Israel before the appearance of the Son of Man, the Anointed One of God, the deliverer of Israel may be seen in Daniel 7. Be assured also that the fulfillment of God’s Messianic Kingdom would occur within the reign of the fourth Gentile kingdom (Daniel 2:40-45). The identity of the three Gentile kingdoms were all named – the first, Babylon (Daniel 2:37-38); the second, Mede and Persia and third, Greece (Daniel 8:20-21); only the four kingdom was left unnamed, but a clue was given. See Daniel 7:7

    a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke into pieces and stamped what was left with its feat. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns.

    About 600 years later, the identity of the fourth kingdom was finally revealed by the apostle John. See Revelation 13:1 and 17:7-11.

    And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. (Revelation 13:1)

    But the angel said to me [John], “Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her. The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the books of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and it to come. This calls for a mind of wisdom: the seven heads are the seven mountains on which the woman is seated; they are also the seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while. As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eight but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction.” (Revelation 17:7-11)

    It should be noted that in the Greek, the seven mountains could also be translated as “seven hills,” and there is only one city at the time of the apostle, perhaps even now, that was known to sit on seven hills – that is, Rome. The seven kings, five of whom have fallen refers to the Roman emperors, beginning with (1) Julius Caesar, (2) Augustus Caesar, (3) Tiberius Caesar, (4) Caligula Caesar, (5) Claudius Caesar; “one is,” refers to Nero Caesar – the emperor reigning at the time of Peter, John and Paul.

    Now, let us see Revelation 1:9-10.

    I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus. I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.”

    According to the King James Concordance, eleven times “trumpet” was mentioned in the entire New Testament Bible. Six of them in the Book of Revelation; including Revelation 1:10. The Fall Harvest Festival of Leviticus 23, begins with the Feast of Trumpet, then Feast of Atonement and finally, Feast of Booths.

    Incidentally, the “Lord’s Day,” of Revelation 1:10, which the Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries said was “from, G2962; belonging to the Lord”, could not be referring to a Sunday, as traditionally suggested, but the Sabbath. See Genesis 2:2-3.

    And on the seventh day God finished His work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work that He had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all His work that He had done in creation.

    Brown-Driver-Briggs’ Hebrews Definition defined “holy” as to consecrate, sanctify, prepare, dedicate, be hallowed, be holy, be sanctified, be separate. Therefore, the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, was sanctified, consecrated and set part for the LORD God; hence, the Lord’s Day or a “day belonging to the Lord”.

    See also Exodus 20:8-10, of the Ten Commandments:

    Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath of the LORD your God … For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and made it holy.

    The Lord’s Day cannot be a Sunday, which traditionally was concocted from the phrase “first day of the week” found in every gospel narrative concerning the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

    See first, John 19:42 to 20:1.

    So because of the Jewish Day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there. Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.

    What is the Day of Preparation? See John 19:31.

    Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jew asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away.

    Every Passover and Unleavened Bread Festival, there would be two Sabbaths in the week; a regular Sabbath [the seventh day of the week; Saturday to us] and the High or Special Sabbath, which could be any day of the week as long as it is the fifteenth of Nisan. Leviticus 23:7 said “On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall not do any ordinary work [Sabbath rest].” The first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread was the beginning of the Passover-week-festival, the fifteenth of Nisan.

    The Passover event in Exodus occurred “between the two evenings” (Exodus 12:6-8, translated “twilight”), beginning on the fourteenth of Nisan, which was the Preparation for the Passover. The Jewish day begins at sunset, and ends before sunset (6pm to before 6pm); unlike ours which is 12 midnight to before 12 midnight. Hence, Exodus 12:39 said,

    At midnight [Hebrew “middle of two night” H2677 & H3915] the LORD struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt …

    Jesus, then, was crucified on the day of Preparation (John 19:14). He was buried before sundown, the beginning of the High Sabbath, 15th of Nisan (John 19:30,42). Now, in John 20:1, “first day of the week” in the Greek actually means on “one Sabbath or first Sabbath” – meaning, first Sabbath after the High Sabbath. Yes, “Sabbath (G4521, from Hebrew H7676) but was somehow translated “week” by the English translation of the Bible.

    See again John 19:42 to 20:1

    So because the Jewish Day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there. Now on the [One] first [Sabbath] day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.

    Interlinear Bible for John 20:1,

    <1161> The first <3391> day of the week <4521> cometh <2064> (5736) Mary <3137> Magdalene <3094> early <4404>, when it was <5607> (5752) yet <2089> dark <4653>, unto <1519> the sepulchre <3419>, and <2532> seeth <991> (5719) the stone <3037> taken away <142> (5772) from <1537> the sepulchre <3419>.

    A check on an interlinear Bible said “The first” G3391, irregular feminine of G1520, which Thayer’s Greek Definition defined to mean “one”. Next, “day of the week” G4521, defined by Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries as “Of Hebrew origin” [H7676] – the Sabbath.

    Now, see also Mark 15:42,47 to 16:1-2.

    And when evening had come, since it was the day of Preparation [14th of Nisan], that is, the day before the Sabbath [15th of Nisan] … Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Jesus saw where He was laid. When the Sabbath [High] was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome brought spices, so that they might go and anoint Him. And very early on the first [One, G1520] day of the week [Sabbath, G4521], when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb.

    See also Luke 23:56 to 24:1.

    Then they returned and prepared the spices and perfumes. And on the Sabbath [High] they rested according to the commandment. But on the first [One, G1520] day of the week [Sabbath, G4521], at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.”

    Lastly, Matthew 28:1

    Now after the Sabbath [High], toward the dawn of the first [One, G1520] day of the week [Sabbath, G4521], Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.

    Now Paul, in 1 Corinthians 5:7 declared Jesus Christ as the Passover Lamb that has been sacrificed. Then, in 1 Corinthians 15:23, Christ was the firstfruits, speaking of His resurrection. Therefore, another proof that Jesus could not have resurrected on a Sunday, as traditional taught and believed, rather on a Sabbath, fulfilling the Feast of Firstfruits of Leviticus 23, which occurred on a Sabbath, following the High Sabbath.

    See Leviticus 23:10-11,15-16 from the NASB translation, a literal word-for-word translation.

    “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you enter the land which I am going to give to you and reap its harvest, then you shall bring in the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest. He shall wave the sheaf before the LORD for you to be accepted; on the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it.”

    “You shall also count for yourselves from the day after the Sabbath, from the day when you brought in the sheaf of the wave offering; there shall be seven complete Sabbaths. You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath …“

    To count seven complete sabbaths, then the beginning of the count must also be on a Sabbath; thereby, the day after the High Sabbath refers to the regular weekly Sabbath. Clearly then, Jesus resurrected back to life on a Sabbath, not Sunday; let me say it again, fulfilling therefore the Feast of Firstfruits.

    Let me repeat it again, Paul, in 1 Corinthians 5:7 declared Jesus Christ, as the Passover Lamb, that has been sacrificed. Then, in 1 Corinthians 15:23, Christ was the firstfruits, speaking of His resurrection. Therefore, once more, another proof that Jesus could not have resurrected on a Sunday, as traditional taught and believed, rather on a Sabbath, fulfilling the Feast of Firstfruits of Leviticus 23:10-11, which occur always on a Sabbath following the High Sabbath.

    It all make sense then that it was on a Sabbath, the Lord’s Day, that John heard a loud voice like a trumpet, for the events narrated throughout the Book of Revelation spoke of the Last Day, the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of the Fall Harvest Festivals of Leviticus 23.

    Revelation 14:6-7,13

    Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come, and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water … And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. ‘Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!’”

    By the way, “a loud voice” in Revelation 1:10 was said to be “like a trumpet,” so similarly “a loud voice” in Revelation 14:7 must also be “like a trumpet,” which declared the arrival of the time of God’s judgment. Following the sound of the trumpet, a voice from heaven then declared “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Blessed indeed, that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

    The significance of Revelation 14:13 may be seen through the words of Hebrews 4:9-10.

    So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His.

    Perhaps that was why Jesus would heal even on a Sabbath, indicating therefore, that He was working – first to make Himself known and believe by people (John 6:29) and second, to fulfill the true Sabbath Rest (Revelation 14:13; Hebrews 4:9-10), which would be a reality only after God rested on His work (Hebrews 4:9-10). So the apostle’s narrative on John 5:16-17 makes real sense now.

    And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”

    It should be worth mentioning then, that on top of the Seven Jewish Feasts of Leviticus 23 was the command to observed the Sabbath (Leviticus 23:3), since that was the essence of all the festivities of Israel, the fulfillment or the renewal of Genesis 2:2-3.

    See Leviticus 23:3.

    Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work. It is a Sabbath to the LORD in all your dwelling places.

    Next, Genesis 2:2-3.

    And on the seventh day God finished His work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work that He had done. God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all His work that He had done in creation.

    A small detail indeed reveals a lot. We must seek to know the true teachings of the Scripture. Traditions have blinded us from understanding the true essence of the Sabbath, which speaks of the salvation plan of God. Not until God have rested from His work, His creation would never experience and understand the true Sabbath Rest of God. See Revelation 21:3-4.

    And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the dwelling place [tabernacle] of God is with man, and He will dwell with them, and they will be His people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

    The doctrine of the Second Coming of Jesus and His fulfillment of the Final Harvest Feast, the Fall Festivals, need not be slice into actual detailed events ’cause Paul said

    Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raise imperishable, and we will be changed … But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory.” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52,56)

    Truly, a little deflection from the truth can indeed lead to a devastating false assumption. The Roman Empire, the fourth Gentile kingdom reigning over Israel, ceased to exist for more than a millennia now. So what does that tell us? Be reminded that God showed Daniel that the Messianic reign of Jesus Christ would occur within the time of the fourth Gentile kingdom, Rome. The Bible never spoke of a revived Roman Empire. Don’t you think we ought to take seriously our study of the Bible?

    P.S. I have always wanted to understand the doctrine of the last things, eschatology. It was quite important and personal to me, for I wanted to be assured of what happened after death. That was the question that bothered me while I was at the wake of my only son. It’s been twenty years now. Glory be to God that finally I now comprehend Scripture, and the Lord Jesus Christ has graciously provided me understanding concerning the said doctrine.

    The Lord graciously guided me and my family to know Jesus Christ, and it all began at the wake of my son, who, by the way, posthumously witnessed about God’s goodness through a penholder he had given me months before he went to be with the Lord. Perhaps that would be told at another blog posting.

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  • Small Details May Say A Lot (Signs, and the Sabbath)

    Introduction to John 5 (Continuation of “Small Details May Say A Lot)

    A quick reading of John 5 might mislead many into thinking, “Oh well, it’s another miracle story of Jesus Christ, this time about a man invalid for 38 years.” I recall many years ago, each time I studied the Scripture in preparation for my upcoming Bible study, coming to the stories of the Gospels, I often asked myself, “What particular difference does this miracle story tell from that of the previous ones narrated by the gospel writers?” ‘Cause sometimes we seem to just be reading stories of miracles upon miracles, perhaps thinking that all these stories simply prove Jesus’ divinity. Jesus is God; that is true and should never be doubted. Yet, it’s not that simple. We have to remember that before us, the Gospels were written to a particular audience – the Jews, with a particular circumstance. They were awaiting the appearance of the Christ, the Anointed One of God, as promised by God for their deliverance.

    The Jews, through God’s call and promise to Abraham, became the children of God. Genesis tells us the story of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – until Jacob was named Israel. Everything that unfolded in the history of Israel was first spoken to Abraham, specifically that Israel would fall into slavery in a foreign nation, but God would lead them out in Exodus (Genesis 15:13-14). True enough, in Exodus, the LORD God made a bilateral covenant with Israel after He had fulfilled His promise of deliverance, leading the Jews out of Egypt. The Torah, first five books of the Old Testament Scripture – Genesis to Deuteronomy – all written by Moses, was significant in the life and dealing of God with Israel, and vice-versa.

    And God said “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years. (Genesis 1:14)

    And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth. (Genesis 9:12-13)

    You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you [Abraham]. (Genesis 17:11)

    He [God] said, “But I will be with you [Moses], and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you; when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.” (Exodus 3:12)

    All these curses shall come upon you and pursue you and overtake you till you are destroyed, because you did not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to keep His commandments and His statutes that He commanded you. They shall be a sign and wonder against you and your offspring forever. (Deuteronomy 31:45-46)

    The Torah spoke about signs, which were an integral part of God’s dealing with Israel. No wonder, the apostle Paul, himself a Jew, said, “For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom” (1 Corinthians 1:22). Signs was really a big thing among the Jews, same with recognizing the promised Messiah. The LORD God speaking through Isaiah about the coming Christ said,

    Behold My Servant, whom I uphold, My chosen, in whom My soul delights; I put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations … I am the LORD; I have called You in righteousness; I will take You by the hand and keep You; I will give You as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. (Isaiah 42:1,6-7)

    No wonder, along with the ministry of Jesus, He was healing and doing the signs. Throughout the Gospels, here also in John, it’s not merely about the miracles but “signs”. Seventeen times, the Greek word “sign” was used throughout the Gospel of John. Below are examples of the passages with the mention of “sign”:

    “Now when He [Jesus] was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs that He was doing” (John 2:23)

    “This man [Nicodemus] came to Jesus by night and said to Him [Jesus], “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with Him.” (John 3:2)

    And a large crowd was following Him [Jesus], because they saw the signs that He was doing on the sick … When the people saw the sign that He had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!” (John 6:2,14)

    Yet many of the people believed in Him [Jesus]. They said, “When the Christ appears, will He do more signs than this man has done?” (John 7:31)

    And many came to Him [Jesus]. And they said, “John [the baptist] did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true. (John 10:41)

    The reason why the crowd went to meet Him [Jesus] was that they heard He had done this sign … Though He [Jesus] had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in Him. (John 12:18,37)

    Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name. (John 20:30-31)

    The Gospel of John narrated so many incidences, proofs, and signs pointing to Jesus as the Christ; yet, John 12:37 said, “though Jesus had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in Him.” Was it simply due to the stubbornness of the Jews?

    Let us take a step back and look at John 9:13-17. Scripture said,

    They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a Sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He [Jesus] put mud on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about Him, since He has opened your eyes?” He said “He is a prophet.” (John 9:13-17)

    Now in John 5:8-9, 16, it said,

    Jesus said to him [the invalid man], “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath … And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath.

    Despite the overwhelming signs of Jesus, His healing on a Sabbath became a hindrance to the Pharisees from believing in Him. Several times in the Gospels, that was the issue raised against Jesus – He performed miracles on a Sabbath. What was the Sabbath to a Jew? See Exodus 20:8-11.

    Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

    The Sabbath prohibition from work was from the Ten Commandments of God, given by God through Moses at Mount Sinai in the wilderness after the Exodus event. The Sabbath prohibition was once again reiterated with the Covenant Renewal, after Israel had committed the sin of the Golden Calf (Exodus 32). Hence, Sabbath is of great significance to the Jews, for it was again reiterated by God’s bilateral covenant renewal with Israel (Exodus 34:10-28).

    And He [LORD] said, “Behold, I am making a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels, such as have not been created in all the earth or in any nation. And all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the LORD, for it’s an awesome thing that I will do with you. Observe what I command you this day … Take care, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land to which you go, lest it becomes a snare in your midst … You shall keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread [Passover]. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month of Abib, for in the month Abib you came out of Egypt … Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest [Sabbath Rest]. You shall observe the Feast of Weeks, the firstfruits of wheat harvest [Pentecost], and the Feast of Ingathering [Booths] at the year’s end. Three times in the year shall all your males appear before the LORD God, the God of Israel. For I will cast out nations before you and enlarge your borders; no one shall covet your land, when you go up to appear before the LORD your God three times in the year” … And the LORD said to Moses, ” Write these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.” So he [Moses] was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights. He neither ate bread nor drink water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments. (Exodus 34:10-11a,12,18,21-24,27-28)

    The circumstance of Israel at the time of Jesus, they were under the control of a foreign nation, Rome. Three times in a year, all Israel appeared before the LORD celebrating the Spring harvest festivals – (1) The Feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread, and the Feast of Firstfruits; then, (2) the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost; and finally (3) the Fall harvest Festivals – The Feast of Trumpets, Feast of Atonement and the Feast of Booths. Altogether, again, the seven annual Jewish Feasts of Leviticus 23. Hence, each time they observed a Jewish Feast, perhaps they were on the watch for the appearance or signs of the Christ.

    On the other hand, the great significance of the Sabbath Rest was a command from the LORD God to Israel. It was among the covenant binding conditions of God’s bilateral covenant made with Israel; thereby, the objection of the Jews and the Pharisees, that Jesus was violating the Sabbath, was not without basis. Yet, it seems that Jesus had always chosen the Sabbath to perform His sign (Mark 3:2-5; Mark 6:2; Luke 6:6-10; Luke 13:10-14; John 5:9-16; John 9:14). Yes, in John 5, Jesus healed a man also on a Sabbath. In fact, ten times the word “Sabbath” was used in John’s Gospel; four of them appeared here in John 5. Sabbath therefore is an important theme here in John 5. indeed, small details does say a lot.

    To be continued …

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  • Small Details May Say A Lot

    Even after posting three blogs on John 9, there is still room for a few insights, particularly on the two interesting remarks of Jesus Christ. First, in John 9:4, “We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work.” What does Jesus mean by saying “as long as it is day, night is coming”? And the second, John 9:39, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.” Lord willing, both will be explained as we go along our study of the Gospel of John.

    Continuing on my study of the Gospel of John, I came across John 5:1. “After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.” The Bible did not mention which particular Jewish Feast John was referring to, so this will be my focus on this blog and following blog postings.

    As I had said in my previous blogpost, the introduction to my blog on Spiritual Blindness, there were Seven Jewish Annual Feasts commanded by the LORD God in Leviticus 23. The Seven Jewish Feasts of Leviticus 23 may also be divided into Three Harvest Festivals. Three times in a year, the Jews from everywhere would come to Jerusalem for the three Harvest Feasts – the Passover Feast, the Feast of Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacle. Amazingly, the Three Harvest Feasts were occasioned according to the harvest seasons in Palestine – the harvest of barley, next wheat, and lastly fruits or grapes. God’s sovereignty is clearly in display here, don’t you think?

    The first harvest festival begins with the Feast of Passover, culminating with the thanksgiving harvest of barley – the Feast of Firstfruits (Leviticus 23:9-11). The second harvest festival was the Feast of Wheat or Pentecost, celebrating the thanksgiving harvest of wheat (Leviticus 23:15-16). Lastly, the third harvest festival begins with the Feast of Trumpets, then Feast of Atonement, and finally the Feast of Tabernacle or Booths or Ingathering – it’s the harvest of fruits or grapes (Leviticus 23:33-36).

    Here then is the summary of the Jewish Annual Festivals or Feasts. The first four Annual Jewish Feasts or Spring Festivals – from Passover to Pentecost – would occupy the first three months of the Jewish calendar year. Following the Spring Festivals would be a gap of four summer months then comes the final three Jewish Annual Feasts or Fall Festivals – the Feast of Trumpets, the Feast of Atonement, and the festivals finally culminate with the Feast of Ingathering (Tabernacle or Booths).

    Now, on our study of John 5:1, specifically John’s mention of the “feast of the Jews,” Albert Barnes said:

    Probably, the Passover, though it is not certain. There were two other feasts – the Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles.

    On the other hand, Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary said:

    The feast of the Jews is probably not the Passover, which John usually refers to by name (John 2:13; John 6:4; John 11:55). It may have been Purim, which is not a divine institution but a Jewish-instigated feast to celebrate the deliverance of the Jews and Queen Esther. It is literally a feast of the Jews.

    Lastly, Robertson’s Word Pictures said:

    As a matter of fact there is no way of telling what feast it was which Jesus here attended. Even if it was not the passover, there may well be another passover not mentioned besides the three named by John. (John 2:13, John 2:23; John 6:4; John 12:1)

    I only checked on three Bible commentaries, but nobody seems to agree on their opinion regarding John 5:1. This simply tells us Bible commentaries are not 100% foolproof. Understanding the Leviticus 23 Jewish Feasts would greatly help us in determining facts from fiction. Like for example, proving that Jesus Christ indeed spent three years or three and a half years of earthly ministry with His disciples.

    The NNIBC (Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary) rightly pointed out three verses from the Gospel – John 2:13; John 6:4 and John 11:55 – thereby showing us three annual Jewish Festivals, “the Passover,” involving Jesus Christ.

    Let us do a survey of all verses of Scripture mentioning the “Passover” in John’s Gospel. John 2:13 and John 2:23 refers to the first Jewish annual festival involving Jesus Christ. Obviously, John 11:55; 12:1; 13:1; 18:28: 18:39 and 19:14 covers the third and last Jewish festival ’cause the flow of narrative spoke of Jesus’ last week with His disciples proceeding to His crucifixion. Therefore, John 6:4 pertains to second Jewish Festival involving Jesus’ earthly ministry. Here we have the internal evidence of the Scripture that Jesus’ ministry covers three successive years of the annual Passover festival.

    Looking at all four Gospels, Jesus’ earthly ministry started after His baptism by John the Baptist (John 1:29-39; Matthew 3:13-17, 4:12-18; Mark 1:9-15; Luke 3:21-23), with John 2:13 mentioning the first Passover festival involving Jesus. However, prior to His ministry beginning in John 2:13 (Jesus first involvement with the Passover Feast), which was after His baptism by John the Baptist (John 1:29-33), the apostle John narrated a ministry of Jesus at a wedding in Cana. It is evident then that Jesus spent, at the very least, three years or three and a half years of earthly ministry, beginning at the age of 30, according to Luke 3:23.

    Now, going back to the “feast of the Jews” narrated by the apostle in John 5:1. We already knew that John spoke of three Passover Festivals involving Jesus. Also, we should now understand that a full cycle of the annual Jewish feasts begins with the Feast of Passover and ends with the Feast of Booths (Tabernacle or Ingathering). Interestingly, John only mentioned clearly one Feast of Booths in the entirety of his Gospel in John 7:2. However, following the flow of John’s narrative, we can outright see John 6:4, “Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews was at hand,” naturally connecting to John 7:2, “Now the Jews’ Feast of Booths was at hand,” thereby giving us a narrative of the full cycle of the second Jewish annual festival involving Jesus.

    Now, as I mentioned earlier, John 11:55, “Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand …” covers the third and last Passover festival involving Jesus. Since the succeeding narrative tells us the story of Jesus’ arrest, crucifixion, and resurrection, we are now left with one option. No, I don’t agree with Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary that the apostle John may be referring to the “Purim,” a non-divinely instituted feast at the time of Esther (Esther 9:26-32), simply because the events within John 5, specifically the teaching of Jesus Christ within the chapter clearly correlate with the essence of the Feast of Booths. I will discuss that in my next blog posting. For now, let us examine first the essence of the Passover Feast vis-vis the ministry of Jesus Christ.

    John ended his Gospel with his narrative of the Feast of Passover involving Jesus Christ. From a human perspective, that was the time Jesus Christ was crucified. But from God’s perspective, He became the true offering acceptable to God – He was the fulfillment of the Leviticus 23 “Passover Feast”. It should be noted that Jesus Christ came to fulfill all the requirements of the first or Old Covenant. See Matthew 5:17-18; Jesus declared:

    Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, nor a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

    For in doing so, He would be qualified to inaugurate the second or New Covenant of God. See Hebrews 10:5-10:

    Consequently, when Christ came into the world, He said, “Sacrifices and offerings You have not desired, but a body have You prepared for Me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings You have taken no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God. as it is written of Me in the scroll of the book.’” When He said above, “You have neither desired not taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the Law), then He added, “Behold I have come to do Your will.” He does away with the first in order to established the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

    Next, see 1 Corinthians 5:7, the apostle Paul wrote,

    Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really were unleavened. For Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed.

    Looking then at both Hebrews 10:5-10 and 1 Corinthians 5:7, without a doubt, Jesus Christ indeed fulfilled both the Feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread at the Cross.

    The apostle Paul clearly spoke of the believers to have been “unleavened,” not because of their own deeds but by the redemptive work of Jesus Christ at the Cross. In Colossians 2:13-14, the apostle Paul also wrote:

    And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the Cross.

    The Feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread having been fulfilled, the cancelling of the record of debt that stood against the believers was then consummated at the cross. So Jesus uttered, “It is finished” (John 19:30), then gave up His spirit.

    A side note: Many have always believed that since Christ Jesus had died at the cross and He resurrected, then all is finished, and salvation is available once and for eternity. We often hear the claim “Once saved, always saved,” which sadly, has often led believers to think that no matter how they have lived their lives, since they have claimed faith in Christ, surely they are now saved and will be saved until the end. Here is one subtle yet implied traditional idea often offered.

    Let us again look at 1 Corinthians 5:7, but this time we will include the context:

    Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people – not at all meaning the sexually immoral of the world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler – not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.” (1 Corinthians 5:7-13)

    “Purge the evil person from among you” is an Old Testament quotation found several times in the Law of Moses, Deuteronomy; see 13:5; 17:7; 17:12; 21:21; 22:21 & 22:24. It was also quoted against Israel, specifically the Tribe of Benjamin, in Judges 20:13. It was a call for the believers to set themselves apart or be sanctified. ‘Cause, again Hebrews 10:10 said, “And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

    The Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary defined “sanctification” as

    the process of God’s grace by which the believer is separated from sin and becomes dedicated to God’s righteousness. Accomplished by the Word of God (John 17:7) and the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:3-4), sanctification results in holiness, or purification from guilt and the power of sin.

    I actually see two errors in the explanation of the NNIBD. The first one might be a simple typographical error. Reference for “accomplished by the Word” of John’s Gospel should be from John 17:17, not John 17:7. The second one is a common traditional misunderstanding on Paul’s usage of the “Spirit” (Romans 8:4). In the Bible dictionary, it was explained “as the Holy Spirit,” so a quick reading of Romans 8:3-4 then would lead us to understand that Paul was contrasting the “flesh” from the “Holy Spirit”. But a careful study of the whole discourse of Paul from within the Book of Romans, perhaps Romans 7:4-6, should enlighten us to see what truly Paul was saying.

    Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the Law through the Body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to Him who has been raised from the dead. In order that we may bear fruit for God. For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the Law, were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. But now we are released from the Law, having died to which held us captive, so that we serve in the NEW WAY OF THE SPIRIT and not in the old way of the written code.

    In other words, Paul’s usage of “flesh” was actually a reference to the “Law,” contrasting it from the Gospel of Christ. The Gospel is the new way of the Spirit, which is not in the old way of written code – the Law of Moses.

    Another passage to look at such be in 2 Corinthians 3:4-8, Paul wrote:

    Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to ministers of the NEW COVENANT, not of letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory?

    By “letter,” as against the “Spirit,” Paul was contrasting the Old Covenant from the New Covenant. Therefore, the “letter” refers to the “written code” mentioned also by Paul in Romans, while the “Spirit” refers to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the New Covenant of God.

    Sanctification then, is the process of God’s grace displayed on the cross, setting apart believers for God, declaring them therefore “righteous, holy and pure” from guilt and the power of sin. However, sanctification also is a process by which every believer, now having been declared righteous, free from guilt and the power of sin, should live by. In other works, Christians should walk the talk.

    See Romans 6:17-18:

    But thanks be to God that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching [the Gospel] to which you were committed, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking on human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, SO NOW PRESENT YOUR MEMBERS AS SLAVES TO RIGHTEOUSNESS LEADING TO SANCTIFICATION.

    Oh well, let me repeat the passage above, but this time using a paraphrase – easier to understand – English translation. The New Living Translation on Romans 6:17-19 said,

    Thank God! Once you were slaved to sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching [the Gospel] we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living. Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper to sin. NOW YOU MUST GIVE YOURSELVES SLAVES TO RIGHTEOUS LIVING SO THAT YOU WILL BECOME HOLY.

    Note: “Holy” and “sanctification” are the same word in Greek. Also, at this point, perhaps we see that the Bible dictionaries as well are not 100% foolproof, just like the Bible commentaries I mentioned earlier. We need to learn to carefully study the Bible, doing the proper exegesis of the Scripture and not allowing traditions to dictate our understanding of the Word of God. For only then may we be sure that indeed what we believe is the truthful revelation of Scripture.

    Now, going back to 1 Corinthians 5:7-13, to celebrate the festival – that is, the Passover and Unleavened Bread – therefore means believers should keep themselves true to their festival celebration or confession of faith with unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Again, that’s walking the talk. If we claim to have been sanctified by Christ, then indeed we ought to live a sanctified life. Also Jesus, with His utterance of “It is finished” (John 19:30), actually was declaring His fulfillment of the the first two Jewish Feasts of Leviticus 23 (Passover and Unleavened Bread).

    It is therefore false or wrong to see Jesus’ utterance in John 19:30 and say salvation is a done work at the cross. Rather, it was the initial, yet certainly important, feature of God’s salvation plan. Also, it is illogical and unbiblical to claim “Once saved, always saved” basing on John 19:30, especially since Paul also spoke of a coming judgment on his letter to the same audience, the believers of Corinth. See 2 Corinthians 5:10-11.

    For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience.

    It is also important to understand that Paul’s declaration of judgment in 2 Corinthians 5:10 refers to the Second Coming Judgment of Jesus Christ. See Revelation 20:11-15.

    Then I saw a great white throne and Him who seated on it. From His presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the Lake of Fire. This is the Second Death, the Lake of Fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the Lake of Fire.

    In conclusion, it cannot be that believers would claim “once saved, always saved” based on the once and forever sacrifice and death of Jesus at the cross. Then, at the time of God’s judgment, salvation would be revoked for they have fallen short. That would make Christ’s redemptive work inept or lacking. Instead, we have to understand that the salvation plan of God demands that Jesus Christ MUST have fulfilled all the Seven Jewish Feasts, not just celebrated. Then salvation becomes a reality. Again, that was why Jesus Christ said in Matthew 5:17-18:

    Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

    I know, this blog would raise a lot of questions in your mind. It also happened to me before I came to understand the Scripture better. The more traditions we have learned or held on, the more difficult it would be for us to comprehend the true teachings of the Bible. As the saying goes, “Patience is a virtue.” Take it one step at a time. I personally have to double my effort allowing the Word of God to speak, rather than making my traditional ideas dictate my understanding of the Scripture.

    In closing, going back to John 9:39, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” By judgment, Jesus Christ was also referring to the same judgment spoken by the apostle Paul both in 2 Corinthians 5:10 and Revelation 20:11-15, which I had explained earlier. On the other hand, with John 9:4-5, it should be clear now that by “day,” Jesus was referring to, but is not limiting to, the time He was in the world (John 9:5). It also extends to the short time after His ascension, when His immediate disciples were also sent, this time by Jesus Christ, to do the work of God the Father (John 20:21) – that is, believing in Jesus Christ, whom the Father has Sent (John 6:29). Meanwhile, “night” pertains to the judgment uttered by Jesus Christ in John 9:39.

    Now, going back to our discussion on John 5:1. So biblically speaking, what was expected to occur with the fulfillment of the Feast of Booths by Jesus Christ? We shall next explore John 5.

    To be continued …

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  • Spiritual Blindness: Conclusion

    A study on John 9

    In my last blog posting, I said, “The healed blind man did not only experience restored eyesight, but more importantly recovery from spiritual blindness.” Interestingly, John 1 also hinted on the idea of spiritual blindness. See John 1:10-11:

    He [Jesus] was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own people did not receive him.

    We will explore further the first chapter of John’s Gospel and see how the apostle had practically laid out the summary of his Gospel right there, right in the opening verses of chapter one, then compare it to John 9. But before we do, let us refresh our understanding of the ongoing context of John 9.

    Jesus had a long discourse against the Pharisees and scribes in John 8. Actually the tension between Jesus Christ and the Sanhedrin was already mentioned as early as John 7:32. The Sanhedrin was the highest ruling religious body and court of justice among the Jewish people at the time of Jesus. The Sanhedrin comprised both the Sadducees and Pharisees, with the High Priest as its head – 71 members altogether. The Sanhedrin was abolished after the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70.

    Pharisees and scribes should be the best of the best when it comes to understanding the Scripture. The exchange of words between Jesus and the Pharisees and scribes may have started somewhere near the temple (John 8:2), but perhaps it ended inside the temple area, ’cause John 8:59 said, “So they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.” The discussion definitely turned ugly, for Jesus actually claimed divinity by saying, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58). Was Jesus wrong to have claimed He was the Great “I am” of Exodus 3:14? The LORD God spoke first to Moses in Exodus 3 asking him to lead Israel in Exodus out of Egypt. Let us now turn to consider John 1:1-5:

    In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

    Then, in John 1:14,16-18, the apostle wrote:

    “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth … For from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has even seen God; the only God who is at the Father’s side, He had made Him known.”

    Psalm 33:6,9 said, “By the Word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host … For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, it stood firm.”

    Both John and the Psalmist spoke of the Word; that is, Christ Jesus, the only Son of the Father. He spoke, then everything came to exist. Therefore, Jesus Christ, indeed is the Great “I am’” the Second Person of the Holy Trinity God.

    Now see John 9:30-33:

    The man answered, “Why, this is an amazing thing! You do not know where He comes from, and yet He opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshipper of God and does His will, God listens to Him. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.”

    Amazing, isn’t it? The blind man practically reiterated what John had declared in John 1:1-5; Jesus Christ is of divine origin. Exactly what Jesus told the Pharisees and scribes causing them wanting to stone him (8:58-59). It’s ironic that, though the Pharisees should know Scripture better, the former blind man appeared to be more discerning than them. Clearly a case of spiritual blindness, don’t you think?

    Spiritual blindness, therefore, does not mean ignorance of the Scripture, rather having false beliefs.

    Again in John 1:9-13:

    The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him. But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

    [The former blind man answered the inquiry from his fellow Jew], “The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash,’ So I went and washed and received my sight.” (John 9:11)

    The man born blind met Jesus, the True light, which gives light to everyone; that’s the reason why he was able to discern better than the Pharisees concerning the origin of Jesus. Oh yes, he also received his sight. A bonus, I should say.

    So the Pharisees again asked him how he had received his sight. And he said to them, “He put mud on my eyes and I washed, and I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them. So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?” He said, “He is a Prophet.” (John 9:15-17)

    The blind man recognized the signs, so he said, “Jesus is the Prophet of God.” He believed Jesus, hence Christ gave him the right to become a child of God. Coincidence? Of course not! Everything comes by God’s divine providence. Scripture said,

    But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13)

    The former blind man did not will to know Christ Jesus; rather it was Jesus who declared, “But that the works of God might be displayed in him” (John 9:3b). Again, the “work of God is for people to believe in Jesus Christ, whom the Father has sent” (John 6:29). Mission accomplished!

    The blind man rightly declared Jesus to be the Prophet of God, ’cause the “Son of Man,” the Messianic title of Christ, would mean He is the Anointed One of God the Father; therefore, Jesus should fulfill all three: Prophet (Deuteronomy. 18:15), Priest (Psalm 110:4) and King (Psalm 2:6-9).

    But wait, the Pharisees also had encountered Jesus Christ. Yet, they debated him in the temple area. In fact, the parents of the man born blind refused to say a word about Jesus Christ, especially to confess that Jesus is the Christ, ’cause the religious leaders – Pharisees included – had already agreed to cast out anyone confessing faith in the Son of Man (see John 9:22).

    True enough, the former blind man was only able to confess faith in Jesus, for in the fulness of Christ he have received, grace upon grace (John 1:16). Indeed, such an amazing grace was displayed by Christ Jesus in John 9:35-38:

    Jesus heard that they had cast him [the former blind man] out, and having found him He said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “And who is He, Sir, that I may believe in Him?” Jesus said to him, “You have seen Him, and it is He who is speaking to you.” He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped Him.’“

    The blind man was literally in darkness, and we may say he actually personified the whole nation of Israel in the story – blind spiritually. The healing of the man born blind indeed was an impossible task humanly speaking – exactly what the healed blind man said to the Pharisees: “Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind” (John 9:32). See Isaiah’s prophecy concerning Jesus Christ, the Anointed One of God the Father:

    Behold My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen, in whom My soul delights; I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations. (Isaiah 42:1)

    Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: “I am the LORD; I have called You in righteousness; I will take You by the hand and keep You; I will give You as a Covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. I am the LORD; that is My name; My glory I give to no other, nor My praise to carved idols. Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.” (Isaiah 42:5-9)

    The Pharisees, knowing the prophecies in Scripture concerning the Christ, certainly recognized the signs, yet many others refused to acknowledge Christ and called Him a sinner ’cause He healed on a Sabbath. See John 9:16:

    Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them.

    Pharisees upheld the Law of Moses. Jesus said to them,

    For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words? (John 5:46-47)

    The Pharisees failed to see Christ in Scripture due to their self-centeredness, believing that no matter what they do – they would always be God’s children. A false assumption. In Matthew 3, John the Baptist was baptizing in the Jordan River, and the Pharisees came to him. John said to them,

    And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. (Matthew 3:9)

    So again John 1:12-13:

    But to all who did receive Him [Jesus Christ], who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

    Spiritual blindness can be deadly. The Pharisees comprehend all prophecies in Scripture. It was not that they can’t see the signs; they did. They were not a victim of unbelief; rather, they were enslaved by their false beliefs. See Mark 7:8-9, 13:

    You leave the commandment of God and hold to tradition of men. You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! Thus making void the Word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.

    The Pharisees claimed to hold on to the teachings of Moses (John 5:46-47). They may have done partially, but in truth, they made their own traditions or teachings. Traditions, established by men, hindered them from seeing that Jesus Christ, “the Son of Man – is the Lord of Sabbath” (Matthew 12:8).

    Similarly, the only way for anyone seeking or studying Scripture to find the True Christ of the Bible is to allow the Word of God to speak to us. Do not allow traditions or creeds of men to be our guide, rather Scripture alone!

    The story of John 9 should inspire us to see it’s all by God’s grace that anyone can come to know Jesus Christ, the Son of Man. The former blind man, humanly speaking, lost a lot when he received his sight. He may have lost or was severed from his parents and the community, since he had been cast out of the synagogue. Yet, it is amazing how people who seemed to have lost a lot found it easier to find Christ.

    P.S. Though there remain a lot to share within John 9, I decided to conclude my blogpost on “Spiritual Blindness,” a study of John 9, here. Lord willing, if ever, I will just write a supplementary blogpost if needed.

    Blessings!

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  • Spiritual Blindness: Continuation

    A study on John 9

    The central characters within John 9 involve Jesus Christ, the man born blind and the Pharisees or the Jewish Religious Leaders. The story began with Jesus and His disciples leaving the Temple area (8:59). He then passed by the man born blind (9:1). The disciples, seeing the blind man, then asked Jesus, “Rabbi, who sinned, the man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 

    From the flow of events, this question appeared to have been prompted by a common belief connecting inborn disability with sin. Albert Barnes, on his commentary on John 9:2 said: “It was a universal opinion among the Jews that calamities of all kinds were the effects of sin.” Perhaps he was right; at the time of Jesus Jews do believe there is a correlation between inborn ailments and sin. ‘Cause in John 9:34, the Pharisees did expressed that exact idea against the man born blind, saying: “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?”

    Here is a clear example of a tradition (Jewish) that may not necessary be supported by Scripture. Or if the Bible did have some quotes seemingly expressing such an idea, it could have been misunderstood (Examples like: Psalm 51:5; Job 15:14-16; Job 25:4). Verses of Scripture have its context, flow of narrative or utterance, that must first be considered to rightly interpret the meaning of the verse within the Scripture.

    At the time of Antiochus Epiphanies (145 B.C.), the Seleucid king of the Third Gentile kingdom of the Book of Daniel, three Jewish religious sect came to exist – the Pharisees, the Sadducees and the Essenes. Only the first two were clearly mentioned in the Bible. It was suggested that the Essenes, a secluded Jewish sect, might be regarded as the authors of the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Sadducees, another Jewish sect known for their denial of the doctrine of resurrection, perhaps only on face value, claimed belief only in the Torah, the First Five Books of Moses (Genesis to Deuteronomy). Sadducees mostly came from the prominent Jewish families – the priests, merchants, and aristocrats. The high priests and the most powerful members of the priesthood were mainly Sadducees (Acts 5:17).

    Unlike the Sadducees, the Pharisees do believe in the resurrection. They also embraced all the books of the Old Testament Scripture. Yet, they have creeds or traditions that were not founded in the Scripture. See Matthew 15:1-3; the Bible said,

    Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do Your disciples break the traditions of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” [The Pharisees were referring to ceremonial washing of hands.] He [Jesus] answered them, ‘And why do you break the commandments of God for the sake of your traditions?

    Adam Clarke, on his commentary for John 9:2 said, “The doctrine of the transmigration of souls appears to have been an article in the creed of the Pharisees.” The influence of the Pharisees on the masses cannot be denied. It was not surprising then that even the disciples of Jesus, Jew as they are, also had a notion that inborn physical defects are consequence of sin.

    Now back to verse 3 of John 9, Jesus corrected the common Jewish notion that sin was connected vis-a-vis with inborn disability, saying: “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him.” 

    I don’t believe Christ was suggesting the idea that disability was by divine design. Rather, he was pointing out it was not due to anyone’s sin that the man was born blind; also, despite his misfortune, God had meant to display His works through him. To prove His point, in verse 6, Jesus spat on the ground and made mud with saliva, anointed or applied (NASB) the mud to the blind man’s eyes.

    We should not see this as a formula or recipe for the miraculous healing, since Jesus did heal many other blind people without doing the same ritual. In Matthew 9:27-29, Jesus simply touched the eyes of two blind men, then pronounced, “It shall be done to you according to your faith.” While in Mark 8:22-25, Jesus did both, spitting on the two blind men’s eyes, not on the ground to make mud, and later He touched their eyes. Rather, the reason for making mud and applying it on the eyes of the man born blind was to create a scenario for Jesus to tell him, “’Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ which means Sent.”

    Again, Albert Barnes suggested two reasons: First, the instruction appeared to be similar to that of 2 Kings 5:10, Elisha instructed Naaman, the Syrian, saying: “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.”

    The story in 2 Kings later revealed that the healing was occasioned for the Syrian to recognize and believe in the LORD God of Israel, whom Elisha served.

    Second, it was also suggested that the word “Siloam” is from the same verb as Shiloh in Genesis 49:10 (“The scepter shall not depart from Judah until Shiloh – that is, the Sent of God: the Messiah – come.”). 

    The second idea should excite us to see the connection between “Shiloh” and “Siloam,” but I have no way to prove the connection. The Strong’s Definition for Hebrew Words has Strong # H7886 for “Shiloh,” while “Siloam” clearly was from the same Hebrew word found in Isaiah 8:6 – “Shiloah” which has Strong # H7975. That was translated by John in his gospel as “Sent”. 

    It should be noted that throughout the Gospel of John, the Greek word “Sent” was used several times in reference to Jesus Christ – the One Sent by God the Father. Therefore, if we apply the idea that “Siloam or Shiloah” refers to Jesus Christ, Sent by the Father, we can then translate Isaiah 8:6 as actually saying, “Because this people has refused the waters of ‘Sent’” – that is Jesus Christ. He in turn had now appeared in Israel, asking the blind man, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam or Sent; again, that is, Jesus Christ, the Messiah,” therefore, advertently announcing the arrival of the Messiah, as prophesied in Genesis 49:10. 

    “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a Lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come. And the obedience of the peoples to him”  (Gen 49:10 MKJV).

    In Isaiah 7-8, with the imminent invasion of the combined forces of (Northern) Israel and Syria against Judah or Jerusalem, the LORD God asked Ahaz, king of Judah to trust Him. Assuring Ahaz of His divine providence, the LORD God provided him a sign, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” That Old Testament promise came to be fulfilled with the announcement of the birth of Jesus Christ; see Matthew 1:23-25. Incidentally, Isaiah 8:6 was uttered against Judah, ‘cause instead of trusting the LORD’s deliverance, King Ahaz turned to Assyria for alliance and protection. 

    Therefore, we have to understand that verse 7 was one of the highlights of John 9. Then connecting it to the introductory rhetorical question of Jesus Christ to present Himself before the man born blind, whom He had healed, He asked: “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” Indeed, it was clear that Jesus, in John 9, meant it for the blind man to experience the works of God. Just as Jesus had told His disciples in John 9:3, “That the works of God might be displayed in him.”

    But what is the “work of God”? Was it about the miraculous healing of the blind man? That question was answered by Christ in John 6:29. The Bible said: “This is the work of God, that you may believe in Him [Jesus] whom He [God the Father] has Sent [Christ].”

    The man who was born blind did not only experience restoration from physical blindness, but more importantly – spiritual blindness.

    To be continued … 

    P.S You may want to read the first posting on this topic for context.

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  • Spiritual Blindness: Introduction

    A study on John 9

    This Sunday, for our house gathering, we did a study on the Gospel of John, a disciple of Jesus Christ, specifically chapter 9 of the said gospel. 

    The story of the man born blind appeared only in the Gospel of John. Following the flow of narrative presented by John, Jesus came to Jerusalem about middle of the Jewish Feast (John 7:14) – the Feast of Booths or Tabernacle (John 7:2). The following Spring Feast of the next Jewish year Jesus Christ was crucified. 

    The Jews had Seven Annual Jewish Feasts. Feast of the Passover and Unleavened Bread, Feast of Firstfruits and Feast of Weeks or Pentecost – these first four Jewish Feasts were Spring Feast. Spring in Palestine also was the beginning of the Jewish year. Then after a spread of four months (summer months), it will be followed by the last three Fall Feast: Feast of Trumpets, Feast of Atonement and Feast of Booths. The seven annual Jewish feasts was regulated by God in Leviticus 23. 

    It should be noted that all Seven Jewish Feasts would have its completion through Christ Jesus, the Son of Man. Scripture spoke of Christ’s fulfillment of the Feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread (1Co. 5:7). He then fulfiiled the Feast of Firstfruits by His Resurrection (1Co. 15:23). Next, by His ascension so the coming of Holy Spirit was fulfilled at the Pentecost, Acts 2. 

    The last half of the Seven Jewish Feasts would be the motive of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ: Judgement (Trumpets), Redemption (Atonement), and lastly Eden Restored (Tabernacle). 

    The central theme of John 9, Jesus’ healing of the blind man, was to demonstrate His offer of salvation through faith in the Son of Man, so we have John 9:39. “Jesus said, ‘For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.’”

    To be continued …

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