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II.
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SCRIPTURAL STUDY.
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A.
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JESUS GIVES A NEW COMMANDMENT. 13:31-38
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1.
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Continuing with the transition from the Old (Passover-Law-Israel) to the New (Lord's Supper-Grace-Church)
of the previous lesson of Ch.13, there exists a similitude with Jewish tradition to these events.
To the Jews, Passover is directly connected to Sinai and the receiving of Torah (or Law). At Passover,
they received their freedom and were set apart (from the Egyptians and the old way). At Sinai, they
received their Law and entered into covenant with God -- a chosen people.
A well known contemporary Jewish writer observes:
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Lev 23:15-16
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Pessah [Passover in Hebrew] is followed after an interval of 7 weeks by Shavuot
[Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost, the receiving of the Law], when the greatest of all
communions took place between God and Israel: the Revelation [of Himself and His Law]
at Sinai. The two events [Pessah & Shavuot] are [inextricably] bound together by the
counting of Omer... By ordinance of Torah, we are to count the days and weeks
from Pessah to Shavuot. We are to link the festival of freedom to the festival of Torah,
as freedom without Torah may turn into license. No society can exist without law.
The Rabbis held that Israel counted the days from the exodus to the moment when liberty
could be crowned by law... Shavuot is nowhere in Torah designated as the Feast of Revelation.
It was purely a festival of nature, However, a little arithmetic, based on Scripture
( Exodus 19) reveals that the 50th day after the exodus was the moment when God
descended to Mt. Sinai. (Trepp, pp.174, 193, 198)
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13:34
Lev.19:18
Acts 2:1
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2.
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Here, connected to this New Meal (Lord's Supper), is a New Commandment (an old fully defined and demonstrated in Christ),
given to an emerging new people, His Church of the future; and in 50 days, unlike at Sinai, His Spirit will descend
into the hearts of His people, no longer a Cloud above them.
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3.
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By His cleansing (set apart and called out into freedom, as those before), we come now to His Table
(our Mount, Calvary) to receive His New Commandment, and in this order (cleansed, set apart, and to His Mount).
(
13:10;
Mk.14:22; I Co.11:23-29;
Jn.13:34)
And so, like the old, who to this day celebrate their Passover, we in turn celebrate our Supper: they -- observing
freedom and the law, we -- freedom and grace. See the comparisons and the differences?
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8:34,32
Heb.8:6;
12:24
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4.
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We have been made free from our sin, not by the law through the blood of bulls, but through grace and
the blood of Christ. We are no longer its slave, but freed to enter into covenant with Christ to be
obedient to His New Commandment and His servants for others (as Israel was to be).
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13:14-15
I Jn.3:16
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5.
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Therefore, to love one another is to serve one another. Our service is not because
the law demands it, but because His love provokes it. What does it mean to love another?
It is to look upon one whom Jesus loves and duplicate His for them (since He is no longer
here to do it Himself). So, simply stated, it is seen as this: As He loved me
(unconditionally to accept me as I am), I am to love another, and another, and another, etc., etc...
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13:35
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6.
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When this commandment is obeyed and discharged per His instructions, His love will be seen clearly by others,
to the end they will be drawn to Him also. Paul puts it in a familiar way: Of Faith, Hope, and Love,
LOVE IS THE GREATEST OF ALL.
(
I Co.13:13)
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7.
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So, when our love for Him is demonstrated toward each other, His grace to us is visible for all to see.
(See: Acts 4:33; 8:1b; 8:1c; 8:4; 11:19-21,23,26b.)
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I Jn.3:14
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8.
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He has now given the new Church the order by which it is to march; not to do so is to be in direct disobedience,
and stands one in jeopardy of God's judgment, as with Israel in the exodus.
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B.
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JESUS GIVES AN ASTONISHING PROMISE. 14:1-11
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13:36
13:37
6:68
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1.
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Jesus' words of
13:33
blinded their reason and provoked their frayed emotions. The news of His departure from the lips of
their closest friend and confidant, their only beloved they were singularly committed to with their
very lives and their hope in the eternal, had pierced their hearts and they were about to explode.
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2.
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Peter's response prompted Jesus to forewarn him with a very personal prediction: he would soon deny Him as well.
As if the first news was not sufficient to rupture one's heart, Peter is now hit with a second barrage of bad news.
Just how much could he be expected to take? (Think on this.) Was our Lord being doubly cruel? Never!
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14:1
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3.
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For after imparting to them information that was essential for their survival (though distressing as it was),
His compassion for them explodes into an Astonishing Promise never before heard by them, or another.
This was news -- Good News! Only our Lord knows just the right words to give us to speak to our
deepest desires and associative pains. Peter had wanted to go away now with Him, for which
he was denied; and though he would soon deny Christ, yet Christ will reconcile him and give him the
desire of his heart in his own time. So, Jesus has said: I've got some bad news and I've got some good news.
He gave them first the bad; now came the good. It was sufficient!
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TRUTH:
OUR GREATEST REWARDS COME ON THE HEELS OF OUR DEEPEST DEJECTIONS, WHEN CHRIST IS MADE CENTRAL IN OUR LIVES.
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TRUTH:
JESUS ALONE KNOWS HOW TO LIFT US FROM OUR DARKEST HOUR TO NEW HEIGHTS OF HOPE.
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14:1
14:8-11
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4.
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Hence His words are poignant: "Let not your heart be troubled,
ye believe in God, believe also in me."
"BELIEVE" = pisteuo,
meaning, "to rely on, trust in, adhere to." Same as in 3:16. Indicative or Imperative? I think the first:
indicative; and the second: imperative. And this is why: He was about to die, so He was exhorting them to keep on believing.
Do not stop believing; as you still believe in God and have not "SEEN HIM,"
when the time comes and you do not see me, so too keep on believing in me as you already believe in Him, He seems to be saying.
In fact, He tells Philip, if they have seen Him, they have seen the Father!
They are inter-dwellers, conjointly abiding, unified as one.
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TRUTH:
SAVING FAITH IS ABIDING FAITH, OR CONTINUING FAITH.
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Ro.7:18-19
I Jn.1:8
Heb.13:8
Heb.13:5
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It may not be visible in practice at times in one's earthly outwardly sinful life, but it is faith nonetheless,
faith that remains rooted, unremovable, deep within one's heart. There is never an intent to recant, or have
serious doubt to His saving grace! He WAS, IS, and ALWAYS WILL BE the ONLY Saviour! Though I fail Him,
He will never fail me. His love for me is not dependent upon my actions, but His nature (as we shall see
in a next lesson, when Peter will deny Him). My hope, therefore, is not in my deeds, or lack thereof,
but in His loving act upon that cursed Tree done personally for me. Know this lesson well for your freedom
in Him. His love, not your deeds, justify (approve) you before Him!
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14:2
Lk.4:5
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5.
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" HOUSE" = oika, meaning, "household, family."
" MANSIONS" = moné,= "abode." Only here in the N.T.
" WORLD" = oikoumené = "habitable earth, or land."
(Found in Mt.24:14; Lk.2:1; 4:5; Acts 11:28; 17:6,31; 19:27; 24:5; Ro.10:18;
Heb.1:6; 2:5; Rev.3:10; 12:9; 16:14.)
Jesus now issues A 2-FOLD PROMISE:
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14:4
14:5
14:6
Mt.26:36
Mk.14:32
1:1
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a.
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First, He tells us that in his Father's Household (family) are many mansions (abodes). He knows this from His
previous existence there, else He would not say so. He is living witness (proof for all the skeptics)
of one who has come from the other side, that everyone might believe in life after death, and the state of it.
(Allow the Spirit to show you personally your promise He makes here.) Why do people look for another in
each succeeding lifetime? His witness is sufficient for the Ages. He is the only one who will ever come.
And now the Astonishing part: He will personally go and prepare a "PLACE"
(topos, not chorion, meaning, "little place" -- like Gethsemane) for each one
who will come after Him. This same Logos who was In The Beginning and who spoke all things into existence, is the Architect
of the New topos (place -- meaning, "not of insignificant size") for you personally. Think on it!
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14:3
I Th.4:16-17
I Th.4:18
14:28
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b.
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Secondly, He will come again for us (so He must go away), personally escorting us into our new home -- a great journey,
a great Guide, and a grand tour by a marvelous Saviour! These are words sufficient to dispel any doubt and
despair here lingering, to lift the soul to soar new heights never before seen! One's heart should now be
lifted to the point of praise, even a song. His words, then and now, were and are of great comfort to the
soul who stands at the brink of their own darkest hour, whether passing through the shadow of another's death,
or faced with one's own death or dilemmas that do come to every life. Hear His words today "Friend" -- Have hope;
a new day is breaking. Hang on "little children" and love another as I have loved you -- His words echoing from
them to us today in comfort.
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14:1
14:28
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6.
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And so, they should be lifted from their troubled hearts to the point of joy at these wonderful words
from their dearest Friend.
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TRUTH:
NO GREATER PEACE CAN PIERCE ONE'S HEART TO DISPEL THE FEAR FROM THE SHADOW OF THEIR OWN WORLD,
THAN THE PEACE JESUS GIVES!
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14:2
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7.
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A side note: Some have taken this text to imply the existence of other "worlds?"
My only comment here would be, if so, of what state of grace? Originally pure or fallen? If fallen as our own, in need of a savior as well?
If so, another substitutionary sacrifice as for us? Somehow I just don't see Jesus planet hopping repeating His death over and over and over...
What is it that Hebrews teaches concerning repetitive sacrifices? I think you get the picture here when these ideas are proposed.
(See also: 10:16.)
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Continued on next page
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