SEPTEMBER 1
" These words spoke Jesus, and He lifted up His eyes to heaven." John 17:1.
This prayer shows us what is important, that we may pray for it also : the glory of God and the gathering and preservation of His church ( and not ours). Christ makes His last will and testament, leaving His legacies to His followers. He leaves us a pattern of His eternal intercession in heaven as our great High Priest - to uphold the ministry and the church, showing us what His heart will be in His absence, and shows what He lives for ever to accomplish for us and in us. By lifting up His eyes to heaven He testifies that all their confidence and expectation depends on God, on His help and consolations sent from heaven. By this posture in prayer He shows the heavenly and dependent frame of His spirit. ( G.Hutcheson )
SEPTEMBER 2
" Father, the hour is come." John 17:1.
What a privilege to hear Christ in prayer, and to realize that such prayer continues in heaven. This prayer shows that there is a timetable for God's purpose to be carried out ( Ps.40:6-9). There will be a collision at the cross between the two opposing powers in the world. He sees the hour of battle in advance and He knows He will overcome, but not without suffering first. The work of atonement then be finished for ever ; this prayer indicates how the work will be applied and maintained. The church needs to be prayed for, as poor Peter would soon find out ! All things were now in motion. He had just preached the great sermon, it was followed by the great prayer. This is our example - sermons ought to be followed by prayer, that the Word of God ( and not the words of the man ) may be applied by the Spirit. It is the seed of the Word that takes root in the heart and grows, not the speeches of men. " Doctrine has no power unless efficacy is imparted to it from above. " ( J.Calvin)
SEPTEMBER 3
" This is life eternal, that they might know Thee, the only true God and Jesus Christ." John 17:3.
Christ joins eternal life to a saving knowledge of God, a knowledge taught by the Father from the Word ( John 6:45). Salvation is life in Christ, a life to be lived and not just studied. Jesus Christ mediates this saving knowledge, it comes through knowing Him alone. The believer seeks more of this knowledge ( Philipp.3:10), and more of the ' obedience of faith ' ( Rom.1:5). The Holy Spirit will keep that knowledge in the heart, especially in prospect of death ( when often a verse comes with power to comfort us)." Let us learn that knowledge is the chief thing in religion, though we must not make it an idol. Most of the wicked are what they are because of ( wilful) ignorance. Godly people are often described in Scripture by a single phrase, ' They know God.' " ( J.C. Ryle). There is a great need to take heed to the teaching of the ' true God ' if we are going to have a true knowledge of Himself. We cannot afford to make a mistake about this - our ' life ' depends upon it . Is our knowledge 'according to the Scriptures ? ' ( 1 Corinth.15:2).
SEPTEMBER 4
" I have glorified Thee on the earth." John 17:4.
God's glory ( honour) is declared by men's works and acts, and not by mere professions. God imposes the tasks whereby he is glorified and not by self-chosen works ; only by what tasks He assigns to them. Christ glorified the Father in the work the Father gave Him to do. He finished that work, and so we must also complete what we have begun to do. ; this is the example He has left us. Christ did nothing on earth in working out our redemption except what was the Will of the Father ( John 6:39). Thus His work was acceptable to Him, because it was appointed and approved. What was given by the Father for Christ to do was finished, there was nothing lacking in His work of redemption for others. Nor would Christ be lacking in the application of it to sinners, it would be finished also. The work for and the work in His people He would carry out perfectly, none of those for whom He died would perish. His glory in this matter would not be precarious or imperfect. The covenant of grace would give grace and glory. ( G.Hutcheson)
SEPTEMBER 5
" I have manifested Thy Name to the men Thou gave Me out of the world." John 17:6.
They were the Son's by foreordination and donation. Those whom the Father chooses the Son redeems, and the Spirit quickens [ gives life to them ]. The Father loves none but those who are given to Christ, and Christ takes charge of none but those that are loved by the Father. Your election will be known by your interest in Christ, and your interest in Christ by the regeneration of the Spirit. All God's flock are put into Christ's hands, and He leaves them in the care of the Spirit. In 1 Peter chapter 1 verse 2 there is a chain of salvation ; all comes to us from the Father and is conveyed to us through Christ by the Spirit. ( T.Manton) The elect were entrusted to Christ to take care of. Thus the faithfulness of Christ to the Father is engaged on our behalf. If a single one of God's elect were to perish, the glory of the perfect Servant would be tarnished for all eternity. How absolute then is our security ! ( A.W.Pink )
SEPTEMBER 6
" And they have kept Thy Word." John 17:7.
This devotion of the true disciple is based on the right knowledge of the Father ( vs.6), the great truth which Christ came into the world to reveal. This is the first visible evidence of election, ' and they have kept Thy Word.' True and effectual conversion is wrought by the Word of God as the instrument. There is no hope of salvation for those who neglect or oppose the Word ( cf. 1 Peter 1:23. Luke 16:31). For this new obedience the heart must be opened, as Lydia's was. Only Christ can open the heart ; no man can, nor can we do it ourselves. For conversion, Christ must reveal the Father in and by the Word. However, reprobates always live disobedient to the Word, to their own perdition ( 1 Peter 2:8). The elect will lay up the Word in their heart as their daily food ; they are nourished by the same means by which they were begotten, the Word. Their knowledge will grow by degrees. God shall teach them ; this is their evidence and their comfort. ( G. Hutcheson)
SEPTEMBER 7
" I pray for them, I pray not for the world." John 17:9.
This shows that the world, distinct from ' them ', is simply shut out from the grace of God, and that to pray for it would not be according to the Will of God. The disciples, then and now, are those taken out of the world, a world full of ungodly principles ( ch.14:17). To pray for the world, thus viewed, would be as vain as to pray for ' the prince of this world.' The world is not to be prayed for but to be prayed against, cf. Shorter Catechism on " thy Kingdom come." Luther comments, " As the world now stands,it rages against the Gospel. we must therefore pray against it, that God would hinder its projects, and bring them to nothing." The world remains under the curse, and excluded from Christ's Intercession. What an idea this gives us of the state of the world ! ( E.W.Hengstenberg )" For whom He is the Propitiation, He is the Advocate. For whom He died He makes Intercession, and for no others." ( John Gill )
SEPTEMBER 8
" I pray for them, I pray not for the world. " John 17:9.
God has no communion with the world, ' but Me it hates.' The world has no time for God, they organise themselves against Him ( Psalm 2). It is no small privilege to be in Christ's intercession. He has perfect knowledge of all the needs of His people, and is faithful and tender towards those for whom He prays. He knew distinctly for whom He prayed, and for whom not ; He was not in ignorance of anyone. The elect were committed by the Father to Christ before they were converted, and He was engaged to intercede for them, and act for them in due time. They are still the Father's in respect of His election and good will towards them, ' All Mine are Thine.' There is a communion and reciprocal interest in all things between the Father and His Son. Despite Christ's people being unworthy, He Himself is glorified in their salvation ( Ps.21:5). Because of His loving intercession we have encouragement to pray and because our aim is to glorify God and Christ (vs.10), we have the clearer ground to expect the acceptance of our prayers. ( G. Hutcheson )
SEPTEMBER 9
" All Mine are Thine, and Thine are Mine, and I am glorified in them." John 17:10.
Before a redeemed soul could be lost, five things would have to happen. (1) He must be plucked out of Christ's hand, John 10:29. (2) The seal of ownership which made us God's purchased possession must be broken, Ephesians 1:13,14. (3) The indwelling Holy Spirit must be cast out, John 14:16. (4) We must be separated from the love of God, Romans 8:38,39. ( 5) Our names must be erased from the Lamb's Book of Life, Luke 10:20. To be sure, it will not be possible for any of these to be done, for ' as many as are led by the spirit of God are the sons of God ' ( Rom.8:14) and they shall never be anything other than the sons of God ! This is true for the simple reason that salvation does not depend on us but upon Jesus Christ, His death, burial and resurrection. The Christ who saved us will keep us saved, for He will glorify Himself in us. ( J.A.Blair)
SEPTEMBER 10
" Keep...those that Thou hast given Me,that they may be one. " John 17:11.
" He asks that they may be kept from evil, from being overcome by temptation, from being crushed by persecution, from every strategy and assault by the devil.It is the old nature, still in the Christian, which makes needful the intercession of Christ ! " ( J.C.Ryle) That they may be one - this refers not to a manifestation of ecclesiastical oneness, but a oneness of personal knowledge of and fellowship with the Father and Son ; it is oneness in Spirit, love and aim. It is a oneness which is the outcome, not of human agreement or effort, but of Divine power, by making each ' partakers of the Divine nature.' cf Acts 4:42. All of God's genuine people believe God's word is infallible and the final authority. They all believe in the glorious Divine Person of Christ, rest upon His all-sufficient sacrifice, and all aim at the same glory in their lives. This union to Christ, and therefore to one another, is unbreakable. ( A.W.Pink)
SEPTEMBER 11
" None of them is lost but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture might be fulfilled." John 17:12.
It was predicted, foreordained, that Judas would not be kept as the other disciples were, but would be lost ( Ps.109:8. Acts 1:20). Only the given to Christ by the father would be kept safe. It is clear from John 6:37,39,40 that none of those whom the Father had given Him would perish, but Judas was never given to Christ to be redeemed ; he was only appointed to the office of apostleship. His case is set in opposition to the genuine disciples. The ' sons of perdition ' may be not only in the world but in the visible church, and even very high in Christ's court as to external employment. Such shall not be the better of any means or care, although they were in Christ's company. This does not diminish Christ's faithfulness - they were never given to Him to save them. The Scriptures are infallible and Christ is not deceived. ( G.Hutcheson ).
SEPTEMBER 12
" I have given them Thy Word, and the world has hated them." John 17:14.
The world hated them ever since they became Christ's disciples, because, like Him, they are not of the world. They do not hold the world's principles and do not walk in its ways. True believers must expect the hatred and enmity of the wicked in every age.Christ and His disciples had to endure it and so must we.One reason for this enmity is the continual testimony which believers bear against the world's opinions and practices. The world feels itself condemned and hates those whose faith and lives condemn it. The good opinion of the world is the last thing a true Christian should desire ! The more holy we are, the more we shall meet with this enmity ; this is why they hated Christ most of all. Christ was perfect in holiness and the world hated Him. ( J.C.Ryle )
SEPTEMBER 13
" Sanctify them through Thy truth, Thy word is truth." John 17:17.
This is the effective method of being kept from evil in the world, set apart in consecration to God ( 1 Peter 1:2). The indwelling of God's Spirit in the heart will enlighten and purify ( 1 John 5:20) . Consecration is, strictly speaking, the result of sanctification begun, and the proof of it. This work is God's , working through a man's Will ( Ps.116:16. Philipp.2:12,13). The truth is the instrument of sanctification, the truth is God's word. This following of the truth differentiates the children of God from the children of the devil, who ' do not abide in the truth ' ( John 8:44 & 47). The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, in contrast to the world's lie and error ; we see the difference in the mirror of the Word of God ( 1 John 2:20,27 and 4:6). The absolute finality and reliability of this Word is also implied ; of no word of man could this be affirmed. Error enters into all human thought. The Spirit confirms the veracity of the Word in our hearts ; it is the truth and makes us true if we use it. And the Spirit uses the Word to produce faith in Christ, with holy consequences. ( G.Reith )
SEPTEMBER 14
" And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth." John 17:19.
To save His people from their lost condition, our Lord had to go to the cross and lay down His life. He was 'sanctified ', meaning ' set apart ' for this purpose ; no-one else could do it. Because of His self-sacrifice, sanctification begins in His people when they are justified by faith in Him. Christ gave Himself for us, to redeem and to purify a people for Himself ( Titus 2 :14 ), zealous for good works. The believer's sanctification is based upon Christ's sanctification. His, of course, never refers to Him becoming more holy, for He is perfectly holy, unchangeably so. His sanctification always means set apart for the work of redemption. By His sanctification the Holy spirit comes to us to set us apart to live to Him ; this is holiness of life. Here we need to search our hearts before Him, to target the seeds of disobedience before they disturb that life ( Ps.139:23,24). ( J.A.Blair )
SEPTEMBER 15
" Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe in Me." John 17:20.
His prayer produces their believing ; this is the mark of all those for whom He prays. The Word shall be brought to them by His disciples when He has ascended, but it remains His Word and His power shall make it effective in those who read or hear it in the future. As in verse 9 the Lord makes it known that believers, and only believers, have an interest in His mediatorial intercession. Christ still confines Himself to the elect. None of Christ's prayers fall to the ground, ' the Father hears Him always ' ( John 11:42). Shall the Son of God's love plead in vain, urge His merit and not succeed ? If so, the sureness and firmness of our comfort would depart ! ( Thomas Manton ) He had regard to us even before we were born, and each born again soul can say in that day, " He prayed for me ! " ( C.E.Stuart)
SEPTEMBER 16
" Father, I will that they also whom Thou hast given Me be with Me where I am. " John 17:24.
Christ wills as an equal with His Father, agreeing with His Father's promise and purpose, as He did before audibly ( Matt.11:25-27 ). It is a great wonder, and of infinite condescension,that Christ desired sinners to be with Him forever in heaven ; and Christ's desires are all fulfilled. His desires are according to His purpose. In heaven they shall not live for themselves but shall behold His glory, something they are not yet fully fit to do. Their hearts are not yet perfectly bound in love to Him, but after death they shall love, glorify and enjoy Him perfectly. Until then they must be prayed for, they are still in the land of sin and danger. Atheists say, I am waiting to die, but the Christian says, I am waiting to live ! We are still in the land of the dying, but soon to be in ' the land of the living ' ( Ps.116:9). We contemplate this destiny of believers, but our thoughts struggle - such an existence is so unearthly, so new. The descriptions of heaven emphasize what is not there ( Rev.21 & 22). We have foretastes here, ' grace is young glory ' said Peden, but we are still as the Queen of Sheba,' the half has not been told ' !
SEPTEMBER 17
" O righteous Father, the world has not known Thee John 17:25
Christ says here that He comes to The Father from a world which 'knows Thee not ', and has refused to know the Father through His ministry.But in the midst of this world the Son has known Him and adhered to Him steadily. And these His disciples have acknowledged and confessed that the father did send the Son to be the Messiah, the Lord's Anointed. This phrase Righteous Father stands alone, and may have been intended to bring out in strong contrast the wickedness of a world which knew not the Word when the ' Word made flesh ' was in it ( John 1:10). This title of the Father may also denote the justice of God in punishing this world which refused to know Christ while the disciples received Him gladly. This high testimony borne to the disciples deserves notice. With all their infirmity, they have KNOWN His Divine mission.
( J.C.Ryle )
SEPTEMBER 18
" He said, I am He - they went backward and fell to the ground." John 18:6.
They fell back in terror, as Christ repeated the title He used with Moses at the burning bush, " I am ". There was a fear in their conscience, a sense of guilt in His presence. This is always the result of approaching God without faith. They felt the holiness of His Person and that they were arrested by His holy presence - this was their Judge. There was always in His Person, words and appearance a majesty which could belong to no other. Sin blinds the multitudes to this, but they were given a glimpse of it. Alas, it did not last. They soon moved from a posture of worship to that of violence. At His second coming they will again be afraid ( Rev.6), but they will still be on the wrong side then, and forever ! Judas was among them, a man who knew so much, but did nothing good with it ! This incident in Gethsemane is a foretaste of what shall happen on the Day of Judgement ; the unbelievers are driven back, but the disciples hide behind Christ, their Judge and also their Advocate.
SEPTEMBER 19
" If therefore you seek Me, let these go their way." John 18:8.
Christ stands between His disciples and the demands of the Law. The Law would arrest us and punish us if it could, but Christ volunteered to take the penalty upon Himself. In this incident we see the great exchange. " In my place condemned He stood, sealed my pardon with His blood." The consciousness of sin threatens us, we know we have not kept the Law. But Christ stands forth in our place, He has kept the Law for us. He has fulfilled it for us ( Matt.5:19. Rom.8:3,4). Therefore He says, " Let these go their way,". The law has no claim on them to pay its penalty. Christ has done it, and the Law does not demand payment twice. The believers are safe, although somewhat afraid. However, the just shall live by faith, and continue to live. God the Judge justifies them, Christ has died for them, and lives for them, prays for them ; thus they shall live also ( ( Rom.8:33,34). The disciples may not have felt safe, like ourselves, but they were - Christ with His finished work was accepted for them.
SEPTEMBER 20
" The cup which My Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it ? " John 18:11.
This cup is the cup of affliction, tribulation and suffering ( Ps.11:6. Ps.75:8. Jerem.25:15.). Chrsit emphasizes that the cup comes primarily from His Father and not His enemies. It is the Will of God and His hand in Christ's sufferings is often asserted in Scripture ( Isaiah 53:10. acts 2:23 & 4:28).It was predetermined by God for the purpose of salvation. Christ demonstrates submission to us, ' Shall I not drink it? ' If God puts a bitter cup into our hand we also must not refuse it, for we have Christ's Example. we must suffer it patiently. In all calamities we must look to God, nothing falls out without God's particular Providence, He is a gracious Father. ( Thomas Manton ) It is a cup, it shall pass, sufferings are gifts ( Philipp.1:29). It shall do us no wrong, it comes from the Father, it can do us no hurt. ( M.Henry )
SEPTEMBER 21
" And Somon Peter followed Jesus...into the palace of the high priest." John 18:15.
It was not doubting, desponding Thomas who fell in the hour of trial but the man known for his loyalty and courage. A person often falls down in the area where he was strong before ; was he trusting in past experience of strength, like Samson ?We must be careful about confidence, where is it placed ? ( 1 Corinth.10:12). John, the other disciple here, could go into this palace without falling, but it was a dangerous place for Peter to go into. This is still true today regarding one Christian and another ; Paul could go out on mission, but not Mark - not yet, at any rate. No man knows himself, until the trial comes. Christ knew Peter when Peter didn't know himself. It is possible for the strongest in the church to fall. " Hold up my goings," cried David - this is a prayer for every day, not just for days of weakness but in days of sensible strength. " When I am weak, then am I strong," says Paul. The weak sheep stays close to the Shepherd. We pray in proportion as we feel our weakness ; the strong are always deficient in prayer. We were neither created nor redeemed for independence. It is foolish to say ( as many young converts do ),' I would never have done that.' Adam was sinless, but still fell - there is a lesson there !
SEPTEMBER 22
" Did I not see thee in the garden with Him ? " John 18:26.
Peter was privileged to hear Christ pray in the garden of Gethsemane, he was in His company. Now he was in the company of those who opposed Christ, and he denied his past experience. He had protested his attachment to Christ, but now in his fear he distanced himself. Judas betrayed Him with a kiss, and now Peter does so with a lie. Jesus was upstairs suffering for Peter, being slapped and cursed, but Peter would not suffer for being in Christ's company. Alas, how often a lie is used in order to get out of a stressful situation. We do not read that Peter prayed here, only that he refused to confess his relationship to Christ. " When a man professes to be a Christian, the world looks to see the proof of it in his character and conduct.
The very charge of inconsistency, which they so often complain of in those who call themselves by the name of Christ, shows that they at least know what acHristian should be like." ( W.M.Taylor ). The world watches us, as does the devil, waiting to take advantage of the situation. But Peter did again look to Christ in repentance, Judas did not.
SEPTEMBER 23
" Straightaway the cock crew." John 18:27.
Peter's descent into defeat took place after the mountaintop experience of partaking of the Lord's Supper. This is frequently the case. Following some spiritual peak in our Christian experience, we often become careless. Satan strikes with all his diabolical fervour, and down the believer goes. There is never a time when we can remove our eyes from the Lord. If for a time we do not depend upon Him, defeat is certain. ( J.A.Blair) The cock was a witness for God, Providence made it so. It was time to awaken Peter's sleeping conscience. Christ had foretold his fall and, happily, his restoration ; and this was the trigger. It was not noticed by others but the Word of God was associated with this moment, and Peter awoke, bitterly shocked at what he had done. How could he have done this ? - Because it was still in his nature. The perfect are in heaven, not on earth. It is Christ's intercession which preserves His people from apostasy ; without this they would go back to where they came from. He upholds the ' new creation ' in being as well as the old creation ( Heb.1:3). There is a danger not only in spiritual slumber, in being off guard, but it is also foolish to walk into a place of temptation, which Peter did. Christ does not usually use the spectacular, but can use little ordinary things to teach His people lessons ; " the cock crew."
SEPTEMBER 24
" What hast Thou done ? " John 18:35.
Pilate's question was either out of pity or contempt. Had he asked the question of some who lived in Jerusalem, they would have replied," He has done all things well." He had healed the leper, restored sight to the blind, raised the dead, set free the harlot, comforted the bereaved, received the prodigal etc. But the main reason why He was before Pilate was that He claimed to be the Son of God, and still did. This was His crime in the eyes of the Sanhedrin, this would be the accusation written on the cross. This question is still asked 2000 years later, What has Christ done ? Some say He was ' lunatic or liar ', or say He is the Lord ( C.S.Lewis ). Some say He has done nothing special, just another teacher of religion. But the believer knows otherwise. Christ came to do a work which none other could do, He came to save sinners by His
' obedience unto death.' He died to save others. The question is, ' What has Jesus done for you ? ' Believers say, " The Lord has done great things for us, things which make us glad." ( Psalm 126) He is still interceding for us, ruling for us, teaching us and preserving us. But what have you done in serving Him, your professed King ? it is significant that Rembrandt painted his own portrait among the faces of those who were taking the Saviour down from the cross. ( H.Buxton )
SEPTEMBER 25
" My kingdom is not of this world." John 18:36.
Christ has a Kingdom, He rules in Providence over all, He rules as Mediator, not only over but in His people. It differs from other kingdoms which have outward pomp and splendour. The Kingdom of Christ is ' glorious within His people ' ( Ps.45:11,13). The treasure is in ' earthen vessels ' ; the believer has a dignity hidden from the world ( Coloss.3:1-3). Believers have the privilege of living and serving in the King's court. They are under His protection and shall be victorious because of Him. His Kingdom. His Kingdom is not of this world, it confounds the world's wisdom. It is a kingdom of grace and not based on worldly pedigree or achievements. His power is not displayed in a worldly manner, it is often incomprehensible to the natural mind, not what they expected. But it is real and overrules all other kingdoms. This shall finally be seen by all. ( Jeremiah Burroughs )
SEPTEMBER 26
" My Kingdom is not of this world." John 18:36.
Christ's kingdom was different from that of the Romans or every other nation. It had its origin in heaven and not on earth. It was not protected by armed might but by Divine power. It was not supported by taxes but by the unsearchable riches of Christ. What our Lord said must have sounded confusing to such a proud man as Pilate, who boasted of the fact that he was a ruler in the great empire of Rome. But the Roman empire has long since disappeared, while the kingdom of God continues with Chirst still reigning as King of kings and Lord of lords. Pilate asked if He was a king. The Lord affirmed it, but it was a Spiritual kingdom. His subjects were gathered by the Spirit, and He rules over their hearts and minds. Death would not end His kingdom, nor His faithful subjects. ( J.A.Blair )
SEPTEMBER 27
" Every one that is of the truth hears My Voice." John 18:37.
Christ speaks with authority,' Verily, verily..' A man eager for divine knowledge will find satisfaction here, because this is the word of One who can say, " This is true." Only He can quench the thirst for knowledge, the One who says, " I am the Truth." ( John 14:6). All the truth centres on Him, from Whom it radiates with light and warmth. Some hear the truth and delay to implement it in their lives, but God's people hear effectively. Chrit says He is the way, and they follow Him in the truth ; they cannot follow anyone who does not have the truth. ( D. Vaughan )
Christ's disciples are characterised by integrity, they are of the truth. The truth sanctifies them, no other words will do that ( John 17:17). To disobey the Truth, the revelation of God in Scripture, nullifies any attempts at piety ; it is mere " piosity." The sheep hear the true Shepherd's voice ; they are His sheep, and this obedience is the proof of it. They would not be loyal members of His Kingdom if they disobeyed His Word. They show their faithfulness by their obedience to His commands. " It is the Voice of my Beloved." ( B.Beddome )
SEPTEMBER 28
" Pilate says to Him, What is truth ? " John 18:38.
Many still have this question, but ignore Christ's answers, as Pilate did. ( Did he even wait for an answer ? ) Doubtless Pilete had read many of the Roman and Greek philosophers, but the more he read the more confused he became. Now he had become cynical when he heard answers to this question. ( J.A. Blair )Many die never having seen Christ as the One who, as God, has all the answers, and die knowing the Bible, but not believing it.The believer dies saying with Paul, " I know whom I have believed." ( 2 Tim.1:12) The Lord who is the teacher of the humble, blinds the proud and thus inflicts on them the punishment they deserve. Proud Pilate would not submit to learn. Truth is thought to be a common thing, but God declares, on the contrary, that it is far higher than the grasp of the human mind. But although Pilate did not get so far as to become teachable, yet he is forced to feel some inward pricking in his thoughts. ( J.Calvin)
SEPTEMBER 29
" Not this man, but Barabbas." John 18:37.
John tells us that Barabbas was a robber, Luke tells us that he was a murderer too. The substitution was meaningful. Barabbas was guilty and worthy of death. Christ was the perfect Son of God, rejected and hated of men. Barabbas was released while Christ bore the penalty. He fulfilled the prophecies of His substitutionary death. Like Barabbas, you and I deserved to die. We were the guilty ones, but Christ the eternal Son of God came into this world to save sinners.( J.A.Blair) Every believer runs to Him in faith as his Substitute, both for the keeping and for the penalty of the Law ( 1 Corinth.1:30,31). He paid the price, the ransom, to set us free, free to follow Him. " In my place condemned He stood, sealed my pardon with His blood." Did Barabbas see anything spiritual in this ? We doubt it, but he is not alone in simply seeing an unfortunate death. He went away after seeing this, but not to follow Christ. Few see the value of Christ's death, and die without anyone to pay the penalty for their own sins, except themselves !
SEPTEMBER 30
" Not this man, but Barabbas." John 18:37.
That the Jews preferred him to Christ happened only by a singular providence of God. In consequence of the release of Barabbas He was crucified between two thieves, as if He were the worst. He had taken upon Himself the crimes of all His people, crimes whose penalty could not be taken away in any other way. The glory of His resurrection, which quickly followed, caused His death itself to precede a magnificent triumph. This did not however diminish the wickedness of the act of those who crucified Him ; it was an unjust act and contrary to their own law ( Prov.17:15. Acts 2:23). ( J. Calvin)
Pilate tried to take a middle path but failed to clear his conscience. We show what is in us when the trial comes. Barabbas was a son of Adam, Christ the son of God. Pilate tried to show that he was not against Christ but failed ; his attempt at neutrality became enmity because he failed to support Christ and His cause. How many Pilates are there today ?