OPENING PRAYER
"Man Shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God"- Matthew 4:4- "My mother and brothers are those who hear the Word of God and do it" - Mark 8:21
Having received this day as a gift, I (We) thank You Holy Trinity, for through Your goodness and patience You were not wrathful with me (Us), and idler (s) and sinner (s), neither have You cast me (Us) down in my (Our)sins...But You have shown Your love towards me (us) and have guided me (us) to keep my (our) daily watch to glorify Your power...Enlighten my (our) mind (minds) to study Your teachings in Scripture...Help me (us) to apply what I (we) learn and to praise You with all my (our) heart and glorify Your Holy Name, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and forever...Amen!!!
Shine within my (our) hearts, loving Master, the pure Light of Your Divine Knowledge, and open the eyes of my mind that I may understand Your teachings...Instill in me (us) also reverence for Your Blessed commandments, so having conquered sinful desires I (we) may pursue a spiritual way of life, thinking and doing all those things that are pleasing to You...For You, Christ my God, are my light, and to You I (we) give, glory, together with Your Father and Your Holy Spirit, now and forever...Amen!!!
CHANT PSALM 23
INTO YOUR HANDS LORD YESHUA (JESUS CHRIST) WE COMMIT OUR SOULS AND BODIES, BLESS US AND HAVE MERCY ON US AND GRANT US ETERNAL LIFE!!!
AMEN!!!
JOHN 13 & 14/ STUDY & BREAKDOWN
YESHUA (JESUS) WASHES THE DISCIPLES' FEET & THE BETRAYER IN THEIR MIDST- See also (Matthew 26:21-25; Mark 14:8-21; Luke 22:21-23)
JOHN 13:1-30
13:1: JOHN'S ACCOUNT: of our Lord's discourses during the Last Supper is set up nicely for us in the Chapters of John 13-17: THE FEAST OF PASSOVER: commemorated God's passing over the Israelites when He killed the firstborn of the Egyptians- (Exodus 12): It is also linked with Israel's crossing over the Red Sea- (Exodus 14)- from slavery to freedom: In Christ, we are longer held down by death and pass over from this world, which is enslaved to sin, and into the Kingdom of God: When Yeshua (Jesus) had eaten the Passover Supper with His disciples- (v. 2), He made a new covenant in which eternal life is granted: HIS HOUR: The time of Christ's death, Resurrection, and Ascension into heaven:
13:2: SUPPER: This account does not directly mention Eucharist (which is clearly told to us in John 6:51-59): John omits the specifics of both the Eucharist and our Lord's Baptism (see John 1:19-36; and John 3:1-36): accounts with which his hearers would have been familiar by the time John wrote his Gospel (About AD 90): He instead focuses on the significance of these events: Our Lord's discourses and actions at the Last Supper reveal the mystery of His Incarnation, service, and mission to and in the world: he emphasizes in turn the disciples' own mission to the world: There are two main ways THE DEVIL can influence the human HEART: (1): Through ideas or thoughts; and (2): Through conceptual images, as taught in (2 Corinthians 10:5): Satan influenced JUDAS in both areas: As Christians we are called to reject the thoughts and images suggested by the devil the moment they occur: Judas cooperated with the devil's will, not only by entertaining these thoughts, but then by carrying them out: Far from being helpless victim, Judas was the devil's willing co-conspirator!!!
13:5: THE FOOT-WASHING: is an act of love and humility: and it was a common expression of hospitality in the ancient Middle East, but normally was done by slaves or house servants: Peter's response- (vv. 6, and 8) his shock at seeing the Master performing the duties of a slave!!!
13:6-10: IF I DO NOT WASH YOU, YOU HAVE NO PART WITH ME- (v. 8): shows the cleansing power of Christ's death and Resurrection, for only by participating in Christ's death can we be raised with Him- (Romans 6:3-11): HE WHO IS BATHED NEEDS ONLY TO WASH HIS FEET- (v. 10): This foot-washing also serves as an image of the sacrament of confession: Those who have completely bathed, that is, have been baptized, have no need to ever be baptized again, for baptism is indelible: The sins we as believers assume during our life must still be washed through ongoing repentance, just as the feet of a person returning from the public bath must be washed before entering the house: As Christians, we are bathed by Christ in baptism and have periodic washings in the sacrament of confession:
13:12-20: THE COMMAND TO WASH ONE ANOTHER'S FEET- (v. 14): symbolizes that humble services is to be to be shown to all who we encounter: If Christ, who is our Lord of all, humbly served not only His servants but even the traitor among them (Judas) then we must do the same without excuses and sill y justifications, so do the same to our fellow servants, but also to our enemies and all those who hate us and persecute us!!!
13:23: See and Read John 18:15: And Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another[a] disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest.
13:26-30: IN THE UPPER ROOM: all was light, because Christ was present- (John 12:46): JUDAS' exit from the Last Supper at NIGHT (v. 30)- Symbolizes his entrance into all-encompassing spiritual darkness- (John 3:19):
THE NEW COMMANDMENT
JOHN 13:31-35
13:31: AFTER JUDAS HAD GONE OUT: our Lord presents His final teachings of His earthly ministry (often called the Farewell Discourse) and offers His Priestly Prayer- (John 17): Calling His death glorification (vv. 31-33), Christ shows that He does not fear death and that He accepts it willingly: The Father and the Son are GLORIFIED through the death of Christ because His death destroys all powers of darkness:
13:34: MANY RELIGIONS AND PHILOSOPHIES: Teach people to LOVE ONE ANOTHER: what makes this COMMANDMENT NEW is the measure required of our love: we must love as Christ has loved us, laying down His life not only for His friends, but even for His enemies!!!
PETER'S DENIALS FORETOLD- See also (Matthew 26:31-35; Mark 14:27-31; Luke 22:31-38)
JOHN 13:36-38
13:36: THIS IS A PROPHECY: of the martyrdom of SIMON PETER, which he would suffer for the sake of Christ by being crucified upside down in Rome in about AD 67- (See- also- John 21:18-19):
JOHN 14-STUDY & BREAKDOWN
THE WAY TO THE FATHER
JOHN 14:1-14
14:2: MANY MANSIONS: Is a word-picture of an abundance of living accommodations around a central courtyard: Mansions also speaks of the multitude of blessings that await those who enter the Kingdom of God:
14:6: THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE: The way we reach the Father is forever established in the Person and work of the Son: The Son is the truth because He is the unique revelation of the Father: Christ is the life who became Man so we might have life, and as He is our life, not even death can hinder us from coming to Him: Only in Christ can one come to know the Father, for only in Christ is the way of all truth and all life found:
14:9: HE WHO HAS SEEN ME HAS SEEN THE FATHER: Our response to Christ determines our relationship with the Father: if we reject Christ then we will never find the Father, if we believe in Christ and follow Him, we become children of God, living eternally in love of the Father- (John 1:12):
14:10: WHILE HUMAN BEINGS ARE MADE IN GOD'S IMAGE: (Genesis 1:26), The Incarnate Son is Himself the exact image of THE FATHER (Colossians 1:15): Christ did not say, "I AM THE FATHER" for He is not: He declares that He and the Father are one in essence and undivided in nature while being distinct Persons in the Godhead:
14:12: THE GREATER WORKS: indicate that Christ's working through humans after Pentecost is greater than His performing signs and wonders directly: These works, attested to in the Book of Acts, which includes the spreading of the Gospel throughout the entire world, miraculous healings, and raising the dead:
14:13-14: TO PRAY IN CHRIST'S NAME: does not simply mean to attach the phrase- "in Yeshua (Jesus)" name we pray to the end of prayers: To pray in His name means to pray according to His will: Just as an emissary of a king can only be said to be speaking in the king's name if he says what the king would want him to say, so also we can only be said to be praying in the name of Christ when we pray according to what He wants: The purpose here is not to get God to do our will, but for us to learn to pray properly, according to God's will- (Matthew 6:10):
THE COMING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
JOHN 14:15-17
14:16: HELPER: (Greek- parakletos): refers to the Holy Spirit: This title also means "Comforter"- "Counselor" and also "Advocate"
14:17: THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH: is in each believer: and we are called to KNOW HIM...The Holy Spirit prays in us and for us when we do not know how to pray, enabling us to pray in Christ's name- (John 14:13-14; and Romans 8:26): and giving us words of witness when we speak the gospel (Mark 13:11):
THE SON'S PRESENCE
JOHN 14:18-24
14:19: THE BRIEF SEPARATION OF YESHUA (JESUS): from the disciples at His death will lead to a much deeper mystical union after the Resurrection and the gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost:
14:20: THAT DAY: Refers to Pentecost, for as St. John Chrysostom-notes "The power of the Holy Spirit that taught them all things..."
THE SON'S DEPARTURE
JOHN 14:25-31
14:26: HELPER: See my John 14:16-Notes as well: We have confidence in the apostles doctrine (Acts 2:42): BECAUSE THE HOLY SPIRIT: is their Teacher, He brings to REMEMBRANCE not only Christ's words, but also their meaning: We have confidence in the Church because the Holy Spirit is our instructor as well from Pentecost until today, leading us into the truth- (John 16:13): "Where the Church is, there is the Holy Spirit and the fullness of grace" (Iren):
14:27: PEACE: was customary Jewish word of both greeting and farewell: Perfect peace is only brought by Christ, who reconciles humanity to God- (Ephesians 2:14): Peace is part of the traditional greeting of Christians to each other- (Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:3), and the greeting, "Peace be to all"- is offered many times during the liturgical services of the Orthodox Church!!!
14:28: MY FATHER IS GREATER THAN I: does not mean greater in nature or essence, for the Father and the Son share one divine nature: Nor does it mean the Son is created, for the Son is begotten from all eternity, it means instead that the Father, as the Fountainhead of the Trinity, is eternal cause of the Son:
14:29: BEFORE IT COMES: refers to our Lord's Passion: Telling these events beforehand strengthened the disciple's faith:
14:30: THE RULER OF THIS WORLD: is the devil, who dominates the realm of those who do not love Christ or keep His commandments: Yeshua (Jesus) said the devil HAS NOTHING IN ME because there can be no compromise between Christ or His followers and the devil: Yeshua (Jesus) became Man, but was never stained with sin:
14:31: ARISE, LET US GO FROM HERE: Christ takes His disciples to another room or location to complete His discourse in order to gain their undivided attention: According to St. John Chrysostom, their current location was susceptible to intrusions, and the disciples were likely to be distracted from fear:
"Yeshua is the only way to the Father!!! We don't get to the Father by our own works in ourselves rather we are to love the Lord our God with all of our hearts and minds!!! Worshipping in truth in the spirit, it's our hearts that truly matter!!! Love everyone including your enemies and those who persecute you for any reason!!! Imitate Christ and do not complicate your salvation for complicating this process only leads to failure!!! Instead take up your CROSS today say bye to self-will and live for Christ and help all in need!!!
-Fasting: Is one area where certain Christian factions have complicated things, and even some Christian factions complicate things with other dietary restrictions: The Orthodox Church fasts for 40 days to honor Yeshua and His 40 days in the wilderness and facing temptations from Satan: So fasting from the Church view is a traditional practice and not a requirement: Fasting is a good practice and work if you are looking to get ahold of temptations in our daily lives!!! Fasting is meant to be personal and something that should between that person and the Lord our God!!! Yeshua (Jesus) said is not what goes into a person that defiles them, but what comes out of them is what defiles them: (IT'S OUR HEARTS THAT TRULY MATTERS- WE ARE EITHER GOOD OR EVIL) This means everything including food it's not difficult to understand this teaching!!! Our Lord would never force us to starve ourselves or even to deprive ourselves for His name sake, no need for that extremism, but I understand certain dietary restrictions is a personal matter, great keep it that way!!! The only thing that can save us is Yeshua (Jesus) Himself and no one can get to the Father except through Yeshua-Scripture says so!!! Fasting is a from of deification that can help bring us closer to God and to help us in our manifestation of our spirits, so fasting should mean more to us than the traditional practice of it, so we should actually being doing it for God, if not what's the point!!!
"WE DEPART IN PEACE IN THE NAME OF THE LORD- MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST!!!
END WITH THE LORD'S PRAYER!!!
JPCE SPIRITUAL TALK
NEVER HOLD BACK
THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD
JEHOVAH SHALOM!!!