John 12: 41-50

(John 12: 41-50)

These things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him.  Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue: For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.  And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.  I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.  And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.  He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.  For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.  And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.

 

Isaiah 53 cites the appearance of a suffering slave. It portrays the image of Jesus Christ, not as an elegant, majestic, ornate king, but a shabby and inadequate king, but a noble love that has been lowered himself for mankind. The words given through Isaiah were fulfilled in the New Testament. It is John 1:11-13.『He came unto his own, and his own received him not.  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 』 The teachings of Jesus did not appeal to the Jews. This is because God's Word is very different from human expectations and nature. Human nature has no power to obey God's word. The Bible records that there were quite a few people of faith in the Jewish administration. By the way, they feared being kicked out of the community. They valued the glory of man, their values and worldview over the glory of God. In other words, they chose people's traditions and world trends to make their homes strong.

『 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. 』 Jesus did not condemn the faith of the Jewish officials because His purpose is salvation, not judgment. Jesus came to this earth to save sinners. Saul was a mob on the Damascus road with hostility toward Christians. He was far from salvation, but the Lord called him an apostle of the Gentiles. The Gospel is God's special grace to repent of Adam and Eve, who sinned in the Garden of Eden, and to clothe them with leather.

Jesus Christ, who came to the manger and came to save the souls of mankind, said, “For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. The Gospel has never changed from before the creation of the world, from the Garden of Eden through the Old Testament era to the New Testament and the church. It means to repent and return to the kingdom of God. So, believe the words of the one sent by the Father, the Son of God. It means that everyone who drinks the blood of Jesus Christ and eats the flesh will have eternal life. That is, those who are united with Christ who died on the cross will be saved.