12 November

Bible in 365 Days

John 19-21

John 19

Here once more we have the story of the Cross, and once again it is a story to be read almost without note or comment. The picture of our Lord led forth and presented to the crowds by Pilate is one of appalling solemnity. Whatever Pilate's intention, the vision of Jesus failed to arouse in the hearts of the multitude any pity for Him, and they clamored for His death. In spite of all Pilate's protests, the clamor continued, and he yielded to it, and handed Jesus over to the mob.

Referring to the Cross itself, John is careful to say that it was when Jesus knew that all things were accomplished that He cried, "I thirst," and after that declared the fulfilment in the words, "It is finished."

Presently we have the beautiful picture of mo disciples secretly paying the last tender offices of respect to the body of their Lord. Joseph found Him a grave in a garden, and Nicodemus brought great wealth of spices for His entombment.

John 20

This is the story of a dark morning and a lost Master. The strange excitement of it all is evidenced by the fact that the three disciples named are all seen running. Mary ran to tell the disciples, and John and Peter ran to the grave.

Mary tarrying in the neighborhood of an empty tomb after the disciples had returned to their home is symbolical of what the Church would have been had there been no resurrection. Her cry, "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we know not where they have laid Him," tells the whole story. It was when she thus spoke that He made Himself known to her as the living One, and she cried out, "Rabboni."

On that memorable resurrection day John records the morning and evening appearances of our Lord. Between the morning interview with Mary and the evening meeting with His disciples He had seen Peter alone, and journeyed with two men who walked to Emmaus. John tells of Jesus appearing in the midst of the assembled disciples. He greeted them with the words, "Peace unto you," showing them His hands and His side. He then repeated the salutation, and declared what their commission would be, and prophetically indicated the power that would be theirs as He breathed on them and said, "Receive ye the Holy Spirit."

John 21

This chapter undoubtedly added later by the writer is a revelation or manifestation of the risen Christ. Here He is seen interested in His disciples, and caring for their immediate needs, and that in spite of the fact that they had gone back to fishing, although He had charged them to tarry until they were endued with power from on high.

In all the story of our Lord's dealings with His own disciples nothing is more exquisite than this account of the patience and strength of His dealing with Peter. He talked to Peter in that morning hour, and gave him his commission and that of the Church in fellowship with Him. They were to go forth into the world, feeding the lambs, shepherding the sheep, and feeding the sheep. Moreover, there is a touch of human interest in His rebuke of Peter for attempting to discover the divine will concerning another man.

The book ends with the declaration, There are also many other things which Jesus did, the which if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself should not contain the books that should be written." At the beginning of the story we stand in the presence of the bewildering eternities, and at the close we are thus brought in amazement to a recognition of the infinitudes of God which have been condensed in the life and activities of a Person on Whom we may look, to Whom we may listen, and yet Who forever defies any to negate a single word of anything that the Holy Scriptures have to say concerning Him.