Synoptic Gospels John 13:18-20

That went into. We certainly went through Jesus saying to John chapter 13 Simon Peter said to him Lord then wash not only my feet, but also my hands my head. You said him he was bathed. He's only to wash his feet was completely clean and you're clean without all of you for knew who was betraying him because I mentioned Thinking about talking about Judas and then and then I I think we had gotten into Least 14 15 somewhere around there because we started talking about the applications.

John 13:16-20 and the Betrayal of Judas

That's where I'm going to start and if we get farther on and I Go. Oh, yeah, I'm talking about that then you know, it's got a great 18. Okay, that's what I thought. Ralph is upset that last Sunday morning has not been up.

I'll blame I'll tell her off to blame your employers. Verse 18. I've been working through the snap the Gospels, but We want that pretty much to last till the end of my life. So we Are throwing John in for the fun of it just so we can say we've gone through the entirety of the Gospels, I guess and so we're in John chapter 13 and Working through first by verse or section by section, I guess it all depends on how you look at it and So we're in John 13 beginning at verse.

Well Verse 16, I guess truly truly I say to you a slave is not greater than his master nor is One who has sent greater than the one who sent him if you know these things you are blessed if you do them.

I do not speak of all of you. I know the ones I have chosen. But it is that the scripture may be fulfilled he who eats my bread has lifted up his heel against me. From now on I am telling you before it comes to pass that one does occur.

You may believe that I am he truly truly. I say to you he who receives whomever I send receives me. He receives me receives him who sent me and so You hopefully recall that Jesus has washed the feet of the disciples.

There is a conversation going on here and a couple of times we have reference made to Judas and This Comes out In a number of different ways but When he makes the statement about blessedness if you know these things you are blessed if you do them.

Since I do not speak of all of you I know the ones I have chosen, but it is that the scripture may be fulfilled. He who eats my bread has lifted up his heel against me. That you have an Old Testament citation from Psalm 41 and This of course again has to do with With the betrayer now it is interesting as soon as some of us have this just natural Tendency upon seeing the word chosen to assume certain things.

And then others have the natural tendency to assume the opposite of those things. But I think it's fairly clear in this context that the choosing That Jesus is talking about here is the choosing of the twelve disciples and the fact that Judas's Role is not a random thing it is not That Jesus chose him to be something other than he was There again.

It's it is an interesting to Listen to people as they attempt to fit Judas into whatever paradigm. It is they they bring to the text. In the 17th chapter Jesus is specifically going to in the high priestly prayer Talk about choosing the disciples out of the world this could be a strong distinction between the disciples in the world and then a distinction between Those who will believe on him because of the disciples words and the world and I think very clearly you have in John chapter 17 Just as strong an emphasis on election to salvation as you have in John chapter 6 John chapter 8 and John chapter 10.

But here, I don't think that we need to be thinking so much on the issue of Salvation as it is the role that Judas plays in bringing about the crucifixion, and he does play an important role he betrays Jesus into the hands of the Jewish leaders at night.

He gives them the location where the disciples are retiring to etc. Etc and very clearly this role is Laid out for him and as a part of God's sovereignty. It's not there's nowhere anywhere in all of the text Expression of shock or Amazement or man, I never saw this coming.

It's always fulfillment of Scripture fulfillment of Scripture and You have that right here. But it is that the scripture may be fulfilled he who eats my bread is of the seal against me. I mean I Don't know how much clearer you can make it, and it's not that just John says this this is Matthew Mark and Luke I mean the earliest Understandings of the role of Judas in the New Testament are very plainly focused upon the fact that this man did what he did as A part of the fulfillment of scriptural prophecy and hence under the providence of God yet at the same time there's there's no idea of Excusing him.

Because of that and again this takes us back to that those those texts I suppose we could add this almost as a fourth text. The three texts we very frequently refer to and we deal with this Which what some people call mystery, I don't know that it's a mystery in the proper New Testament sense.

Proper meaning of mystery in the New Testament is something that was hidden from ages past but now has been revealed in the gospel and in the New Covenant, but it seems fairly clear that We we can go to texts like Genesis 50 20.

You have Joseph and his brothers and Joseph understands that what they did was evil. He does not excuse their actions. But he also says that while they their intentions were evil God's intentions in the very same action were pure and holy.

With the result of saving many people alive today, so you have the sovereignty of God it is as we say compatible with the actions of creatures and holding the creatures Accountable for their actions based upon acting upon the desires of their heart.

Men are not judged based upon Knowledge of a decree that they don't know about. They're not judged based upon some Divine decree that is known only to God not known to men they are judged based upon what God has made known of his will his law and acting upon the desires of their hearts and.

And many people don't think that's going far enough. There are many today who absolutely insist upon Man's will has to be autonomous. There cannot be a divine decree. I just don't know how they handle the vast majority of text of scripture the deal with prophecy or that to deal with Genesis 50 20 Isaiah chapter 10 the clear and Again, there's there's nothing in Isaiah 10.

There's nothing it's not in Genesis 50 21. We don't read and everyone was blown away. You know There's just Maybe that's in your translation but it's not in the original language and the same thing in Isaiah 10 when when The prophet talks about bringing a Syria against Israel and punishing Israel needs the rod in my hand all the rest that stuff then he turns around says and then I'm going to punish the the prideful heart of the Assyrians because they You know they do this out of pride and it's not their intention to do what's holy.

It's their intention to do with unholy and so you have God saying I'm bringing the Assyrians against you. This is what they're gonna do. I'm the one doing this and I'm gonna turn around punish them for doing that why.

Because they had the wrong intentions. They had the wrong motivations. They were doing this out of a film of the lust their hearts on and so forth and Again, Isaiah 11 is not a long section about wow we never even thought about this before.

It's just it's it's a given and The same way when the early church Preaches, I'm sorry praise in Acts chapter 4. They've been told to stop praying in the name of Jesus there the beatings have started the persecution has started and and when they pray their prayer Clearly makes it known that you know many people have said prayer really reveals your theology better than your systematic theology does.

You will pray in accordance to what you really believe even if you say things differently when you preach or teach or anything else and so the early church prays and Talks about Herod and Pontius Pilate the Jewish leaders the Romans all gathered together Against your holy servant Jesus to do what your hand and your will it predestined to take lives and I'm talking about the crucifixion and So you have this well what could arguably be stated to be the greatest Evil act in all of history.

The murder of the sinless Son of God there had never been an innocent person killed before this. You ever thought about that? There had never been an innocent person killed before the cross. They else was was fallen.

Everybody else was already under the wrath of God and This was the first time That an innocent person never been killed and it's a great evil and of course I know we use the term innocent a different way but we're talking here about God's standards not just man's standards and Yet the early church again There's no evidence that after this prayer was offered The Armenians in the church said wait a minute you offended us there.

What are you talking about? There's no discussion that there is the clear recognition of this compatibilism between the sovereignty of God and the will of man and the judgment of man and No indication whatsoever of shock and dismay and while we never thought about anything like this before It's just it's just there in the same way this discussion of Judas there's There's no indication on the part of the authors that now listen very carefully I'm about to tell you here because you may have never thought of this before but This Judas guy.

We know he was pilfering from the bag and and we know he betrayed Jesus but Guess what? He there's also scriptural prophecy about what he was going to do and it wasn't just because God was looking down the corridors of times at all, I see what's gonna happen and and So he had to do things the way that he saw they're all gonna fill, you know fill out because well God's is limited by Time which he actually created.

But anyway You know that that's just it's nowhere to be found and so you have these these statements and This this choosing, you know, some would say well the ones I have chosen. That's only the disciples.

But it is that the scripture may be fulfilled but still you still have the issue that the that the choosing either positively includes Judas's role or positively excludes him from being amongst those that Jesus says I will lose none of those.

One way or the other I mean, you know, I know there are people who want to go. Well, I don't believe in double predestination. I only believe in single predestination. Well, you know. That that's like saying I only believe in the single-handed backhand.

I don't believe in the double-handed backhand. It's still a backhand and the ball still going over the net. Okay, you know one way or the other and You can you can try if you if you want to say that in the one positive choice of salvation.

There is merely a passing over of Those that are not chosen but the fact is there's still a purpose in both actions and Unless you're gonna say and he has no purpose over here or unless you're gonna be least be consistent and say the people who are Not chosen for eternal life at least still have the opportunity.

They could and some of you may recall that is the view of some people. That was the view that was expressed by Jerry matic's of a Northwest Community Church back in January no January January of 91. I think it was or was that December of 91 December of 91 December of 90.

That's right December of December of 1990 Northwest Community Church. Remember he was talking about Yes, God positively saves some people but but there are other people who can be saved who aren't elect, but they won't persevere.

So you can be truly saved and truly regenerate, but you won't persevere because you weren't elect and That was that was the position that that he presented in that particular debate and they're only Actually, there there are people sitting here who are too young to have been in existence when that debate took place let alone Remember the specifics of that but I know brick was there huh brick.

Yes. But anyway, so there are those there are those perspectives out there, so It seems very very clear but it is that the scripture may be fulfilled he who eats my bread is lifted up his heel against me and It is in the context of the fulfillment of this scripture that we then have verse 19 now.

John 13:19 and the Meaning of Ego Eimi

Let me tell you about when I first Sort of realized what was going on in in verse 19 of John chapter 13 because I mean when you You've read The gospel of John. I mean, it's it's probably the most single published of all the books in the New Testament of the New Testament John is the one most often published by itself, obviously and probably in the Bible the Psalter may be historically more often than John but you know, there's just lots of gospel of John's floating around out there and You know, I suppose if you want to have something, you know, if you want to have a real Solid tract with you the gospel of John's a good way to do it, I suppose.

Anyway. We used to live over on Pasadena Avenue around 3rd Avenue Pasadena this north of Camelback and we had an apartment over there and I was in I was a Grand Canyon at the time. I think I was I don't know a junior senior somewhere around in there and I was working on a paper.

I was a double major in Bible and biology a minor in Greek and I was working on a Paper that ended up being a small book that end up being sort of incorporated into the Forgotten Trinity over the years, but on the subject of the I am sayings of Jesus and I had The first computer that we owned actually the ministry owned and It was It was a if I recall correctly, you know, we had to take out a loan for it as a $3 ,000 computer pretty expensive.

It was a portable to. Which meant it was the size of the singer sewing machine. It was a compact portable. It literally was the size of a sewing machine you would lay it on its side and then you'd unhook this thing and you'd pull the keyboard down and you could actually move the keyboard around it was on a cable and so you're looking at the bottom of this and it had a about a six inch green screen and Two five and a quarter inch floppy drives two floppy drives.

It did not have a hard drive. Remember this is three thousand bucks. Okay, and no hard drive and if I recall correctly, we had to actually upgrade it to a whopping 640 K of RAM but as Bill Gates himself said who could ever need more than 640 K of RAM anyway.

And some of you are still going. What. Some of you have not been using computers for nearly as long as I have but anyway. And I had this awesome program called word star. I just I love doing that because you can automatically identify the old geeks in the class.

By by saying I had word star and all the old folks go. Oh dot commands. Yes. Okay, and So I'm I'm working on this paper and even you younger folks that have Summers just laughing at me over there that have you know word and all these things that automatically do footnotes for you and Now this is this is an IBM Selectric.

But without the ball going back and forth that that's all it really was. You still had to figure out where you were on the page to put your footnotes and and all the rest of the stuff. It was not Merely automatic yet.

This was early early on you know word star to or something like that I think I eventually I think eventually did see word star 10 or something like that, but Anyhow, so I still think I have some vision problems due to staring at that little green screen for four hours.

At night, and I I had this flickering little Desk lamp, you know they didn't have LEDs yet or things like that it was the old the old bulb that would sort of get loose in there, and it would flicker a little bit and and I Was in the the other the second bedroom, and I think Kelly was already asleep, and I'm you know working on this paper.

That's what it's like when you're in Bible college and seminary is you just you write lots of things and read lots of things and that's just how it works and. And I I don't remember exactly what the order was any longer.

I may have this in a book someplace actually and may have to go back and refresh my own memory from something I've written, but I was looking at either the Greek Septuagint of Exodus 3 or much more likely I was looking at the Greek of John 13 19 and in John 13 19 Jesus says from now on I am telling you before it comes to pass In order that you may believe That that when it does occur you may believe that I am he and In the original language, it says in office.

Do you say to hot on genet? I hot t ego I me Now Ego I me is of course the phrase I am That you encounter in John 8 58 which is one of the primary texts Where the debate on the deity of Christ takes place before Abraham was I am?

And the Jews pick up stones to stone him and then in John 18 5 through 6 when the Soldiers come to arrest Jesus says who are you seeking? We're seeking Jesus of Nazareth and then John belabors the point to say now Judas is standing with him and when Jesus said I am they fell back upon the ground they the Jews fell back the soldiers fell back upon the ground and This again a key text in regards to The rather clear obvious fact that John is Attempting to tell us something in fact It's so clear that one of the arguments that the Muslims have developed recently is that you can't trust John Because the other Gospels don't tell us this.

So in other words, they're not arguing that John is not teaching the deity of Christ. They recognize they they're forced to recognize. Yeah. Yes. But since the other Gospels don't repeat it then clearly he's making it up Which is a you know, there's always a way around it.

You can either say I didn't mean that You know people who don't want to say that will will say that in the garden. The soldiers were just so shocked Jesus is moral purity That they fell back upon the ground which as I said happens every day.

I mean It's one of the things they train for and we send our troops over to Afghanistan is now when you run into a particularly moral morally upright person Be prepared to fall even put special padding in the in the suits.

And so the soldiers fall back upon the ground. They're not so they're not hurt. Anyway a little early in the morning for a couple of year of him writing writing that down. Oh, I didn't know that I need to start you start googling things a little more often.

This is amazing no, it's meant to be somewhat of a joke there, but anyway, I Just I just remember When I read this last phrase You know if you say to hot on get a tie. How do you go? I mean, man. I've seen this someplace before and You know back then you didn't have.

You couldn't pop online and ask some of your friends about it or whip out your smartphone and text somebody or anything like that I mean it was this was Life was rough back then, you know I mean we're talking there were there are dinosaurs going by the window and it was it was rough, but and so I'm like, I've seen this before I've seen this somewhere before and I made the connection that night and I started I said I've Seen this phrase and this is why it might have been now.

I think about I might have actually been looking at At the Greek of the Greek Septuagint of Isaiah 43 10. It's one of the two I was looking at as I looked at John 13 19 and it reminded me of Isaiah 4 3 10.

I was looking at Isaiah 4 3 10. It reminded me of John 13 19. I don't remember after all these years now which direction that went but I Made the connection in my mind that night that You have the very same phraseology being used here.

Now if you look at Isaiah 43 10, don't you turn with me there? Unless you have clear recollection of my having talked about this sometime over the past 20 years Isaiah 43 10. The reason I would be looking at is this is a text that If you ever went out with us to Salt Lake City or Alta Mesa.

To any of the Mormon outreaches. If you've ever looked at the hundred verse memorization system that I have on our website that we've had for ages and ages and ages. You know that this is one of the primary verses that we suggest that you memorize.

For encounters with the Mormon missionaries at your door. Or with the possible future president the United States. Also be a good one. Well, mr. President ever read Isaiah 43 10. Yeah, okay and the primary reason is the last Two phrases because this is poetic.

So it's the last two portions of the poem before me there is no God formed and there will be none after me and pretty much anybody who's gone up to Salt Lake City and Got out to Mesa and talked with the Mormons for almost any amount of time at all is at least got those two lines down.

That's not a long one to memorize. Before me there was no God formed there should be none after me that pretty much messes up both Mormon theology and all of the original Battlestar Galactica in one shot and Some of you are going haven't how many of you have not seen the original Battlestar Galactica.

Oh What? Oh just about The original Battlestar Galactica was What? 1978 78 I think yeah, yeah, I have Star Wars and I Loved I loved watching Battlestar Galactica, but at the time I had no earthly idea that.

And I have them all I actually have Most of the original Battlestar Galactica episodes on my little iPod my old iPod that you know. So it's you know, I've been watching on a screen. It's that big. It's great.

You know, it's also I can't see past the end of my nose anymore and I was I was watching some on the flight. I mean flight from London to Houston is long enough that you can end up watching almost anything and I was again taken aback by just This one episode, you know, they get captured by these glowing beings and these glowing beings say to Apollo and Starbuck as As you are we once were and as we are you may become and and they have the council to 12 and they had a wedding ceremony Apollo's wedding ceremony and they're they're sealed for time and eternity and it's if it is It was no shock to me at all to discover that all the original Screenwriters for the original Battlestar Galactica return Mormon missionaries.

I mean it was it was it's just pure Mormonism. That's why I made that comment and some of you're going really nothing. Yeah, but some of you like like brother red up here going blast for the 14th time I've heard that particular story in this in this class at 14 time in 15th.

I lost track somewhere around there okay, anyway, so You know if you if you ever caught the original Battlestar Galactica you were it was like having two more missionaries in your in your front room and you didn't even Didn't you realize that they were there right there, but The last section of Isaiah 43 times great text for taking that apart.

Because in Mormon theology there was a God before God and there will be a God after God and guys. It's one God amongst many gods and they have to go. Well, it just means for this planet. Yeah. Yeah, right.

That's that's right, but That's only the last two sections that well last two stanzas of the of the verse. The verse says you are my witnesses declares Yahweh now. Off top your head. Why is that significant?

Maybe you know why that's significant that that first phrase I have told this story before as well. So now I'm going to find out if you're really complaining about how often I've told her if you've just forgotten what I said before.

Any guesses yeah that first phrase by the day for you 10 you're my witnesses declares Yahweh. What's significant about that? That's where Jehovah's Witnesses get their name Jehovah's Witnesses Yahweh, they mispronounce it as Jehovah, but you're my witnesses declares Yahweh.

That's where the entire name came from as I is there for you to attend the first verse first stanza of Isaiah 43 10. That's where the name comes from. You're always wondering. But notice it says you're my witnesses declares Yahweh and my servant whom I have chosen chosen.

Hmm isn't there something in John 13 about chosen. Yeah, okay, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he now when you look at the Greek Septuagint there there are some differences between this John 13 19 because of the fact that Jesus is talking to a plural group and This text is talking to the people of Israel.

But you take those slight audience differences out and the language is the same the language is the same in both instances here in the instance of Demonstrating that God is God through fulfilled prophecy that knowledge of future events becomes one of the evidences of the fact that Yahweh alone is God before him.

There was no God form and there will be none after him. I even I am Yahweh and there's no Savior besides me Isaiah 43 11 and. And so then would Jesus have known what Isaiah 43 10 said well, of course he would have.

So how in the world. Could he then take that language and apply it to himself in the same context? He's talking about choosing servants. He's talking about choosing people. He's then it's immediately after a scriptural citation about fulfillment same thing in Isaiah 43 and Then he takes and applies the words of Yahweh to himself saying I'm going to tell you before it happens.

So when it does happen, you may know that Ego, I me I am. It's so purposeful and and so obvious that it's amazing that we normally just go flying right past it. Because we're following it. We're not seeing.

We're probably sort of a different line of thought in essence the betrayal and Judas and stuff like that and we're not catching everything else but John 13 19 is I think one of the clearest uses of ego I mean as evidence to the deity of Christ because of its Old Testament background Isaiah 43 and isn't it I irony in its ultimate extent.

That's the very verse that those Poor well-dressed book bag carrying people who come and wake us up on Saturday mornings. That their very name comes from a verse that actually teaches the deity of Christ, and they don't know it.

I Mean what what is the level of irony? That your religious group known primarily for its denial of Trinity in the deity of Christ it got its name from a verse that when you look at it actually teaches the deity of Christ and Yet the vast majority of those folks Have no idea of it.

I mean you want to get a conversation going at the front door. If you know this verse well enough, and you know it's a film in John 13 19 Talk about getting their attention. I mean they want to talk to you about Armageddon.

You know that's all they ever want to talk about. I mean Do they ever get bored talking about. I would get bored talking about Armageddon every single day, but evidently they don't. And and most of them have come to your door and sadly their view of Christianity and Christians is Of a very ignorant lot.

That only have one or two verses that they quote well Jesus said I and the Father are one and. Then they normally don't even know where to find it or what the context was or you know Etc etc doesn't it say Jesus God and John well, that's pretty much all they think Christians have and.

So what a what a wake-up call. If you can go Jehovah's Witnesses don't you get your name from Isaiah 43 10 you are my witnesses declares, Jehovah. Well, yeah, well could you ask I ask you a question about that verse could we look at that in your New World Translation?

And then you go through it, and you talk about how there's there's no other God point there's only Jehovah's the only God there is and Most of them are actually blown away when you even know the name Jehovah, and if you happen to mention Oh, yeah, we use the name Jehovah in our hymns at church all the time.

They're gonna go. Because they because most of them honestly believe they're the only people who use the name Jehovah and. You know especially you know Brother Callahan go. I've been singing that name since I first remember my mom would to bring us up.

We'd sing at him thing and we'd go before Jehovah's awesome throne or awful throne depending on whether which which of the two versions we were singing and and and that they're like really now you've got their attention now you are speaking their language and.

This encounter has become completely different than what they expected to be when they walked in when they walked up to your door I can assure you of that. But then when you go have you noticed you know in this in the context my servant whom I have chosen.

You may know believe me and understand that I am he have you ever noticed. That's the same language Jesus used of himself in John chapter 13 verse 19 you can turn over to that you can look at look. It's the very same in fact you have your kingdom interlinear translation.

Used to be we just called the purple people eater because it used to be purple now. It's now it's blue so we haven't really come up with anything overly exciting for the blue version. As you do you have your kingdom interlinear could you look at that see it's there's that phrase I am it's that's the same one.

You haven't Johnny 50 and Jesus uses of himself in the context of fulfilled prophecy in the same way that that Yahweh did isn't that? Interesting and then hopefully you're ready to follow up with Hebrews chapter 1 and John chapter 12 and and There is no more effective Means of getting the attention of one of Jehovah's Witnesses Than to demonstrate out of their own scriptures the New Testament identifies Jesus as Jehovah there isn't I?

Mean They that is that is a weapon of mass instruction for For Jehovah's Witnesses really is. In fact you might have to be licensed to use this argumentation At the door so be careful because in California definitely it would be illegal, but This is a very very important text and again most folks just go Flying past it Because they're following you know something something other than the actual context.

What's being said so Jesus says to the disciples from now on I'm telling you before it comes to pass so specifically and Isaiah primarily Cyrus and the fulfillment of the prophecies about the destruction of Jerusalem, and then the Restoration of the people and all the rest of that stuff here.

You just had a scripture quoted he eats my bread is lift up his heel against me and Jesus is talking about not talking about all of you. I know who I have chosen I know who my servant I've chosen, but I know there's this one named Judas and so from now on I'm telling you before it comes to pass that when it does occur.

You may believe that I am. It's right there. Truly truly I say to you he who receives whomever I send receives me and he who receives me I'm sorry, and he who receives me receives him who sent me very interesting text that I think has been Oftentimes misused and abused because those who claim Apostolic authority Will quote this text to say ah if you don't accept what I'm saying.

And I've been sent by someone who has this authority ie the Pope. Then you are rejecting Jesus authority so Jesus authority goes. Someone sends him he sends someone if you receive them, then you're receiving him and That's a true statement, but how do you determine?

Who has been sent by Christ? How do you determine and again The connection that's found here is between the Father and the Son we could expand upon that in regards to what? You know is Jesus merely claiming to be a mere prophet here, or is it something more to that, but the misapplication? of this text by Roman Catholics is that they miss that the means by which you identify The one who has been sent by Christ is that they bear his message.

Not that they can go well. You know you could trace here to here to here and then this guy and then and we sort of skip past the Avenue in Papacy and then we skip over the pornography and and we skip over all these problems in the early church.

But but we we have a line that we can trace back. That's not how you determine who's been sent by Christ you determine who's been sent by Christ by the consistency of the message. That they deliver to that which was God breathed and found in Scripture.

That's how you determine the connection. That's what real apostolic succession is it's an apostolic succession of truth. Not an apostolic succession of wishful thinking in history. Which unfortunately is all that Rome has to offer to us at that particular point in time so Whenever I'm here again brother, which is not next week because I'm in Delaware next week.

But whenever I am here again, we will pick up with John 13 21. And the betrayal the prediction of the betrayal of Jesus all right. Okay, let's close our time with a word of prayer. Father would you thank you for this opportunity to once again look into your word?

And we would ask that we would take what we've learned this morning. And we'd be prepared to share it with those who need to know who Jesus truly is. And that we would be found to be good students of your word that you would cause us to remember these things when we have Opportunity that we might be used as light in the lives of others.