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Tag: Gospel of John

The Word was with God

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in John, What’s new?.

What does it mean that the Word was with God (John 1:1)?

The opening verses of John’s gospel are perhaps the most theologically packed writings in all the Bible: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning” (John 1:1–2). These words and the concepts they express form the foundation for John’s entire gospel, which was written to prove that Jesus Christ is God’s incarnate Son.

The term translated “Word” is Logos in the Greek language. John uses it here as an unmistakable reference to Jesus Christ. The Hebrews often referred to God in terms of His powerful word (Psalm 33:6; 107:20). With a few simple statements, John declares that Jesus, like His heavenly Father, has always existed since the beginning of time. Jesus was with God in the beginning because He is God, and He always has been.

Right out of the gate, John presents the doctrine of the deity of Christ and affirms His co-eternal nature with God as Creator of the universe (John 1:3). To his first-century, Greek-speaking audience, John communicates straightforward truths that don’t require explanation. But for current-day Bible readers, the expression the Word was with God hides a vital truth about the relationship between God and Jesus. No single English equivalent exists to better express the full meaning of the word with in the phrase.

In English, we typically understand the preposition with to mean “near” or “beside.” But the original Greek term expresses a living, active union in the closest, most intimate sense. When John said, “The Word was with God,” he meant that the divine Word—Jesus Christ—was not only present alongside God from all eternity but was in a living, dynamic, co-equal relationship of close communion with Him. The Holman New Testament Commentary explains, “The Greek word is pros which literally means ‘toward,’ implying a face-to-face relationship” (Gangel, K., Broadman & Holman, 2000, Vol. 4, p. 9).

The relationship between God and Jesus is eternal and intimately personal. The works of Christ are the works of God. The words of Jesus are the words of His heavenly Father. Because they are one, Jesus reveals the heart and mind of God to us (John 14:9–10). The author of Hebrews explains: “In these last days he [God the Father] has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power” (Hebrews 1:2–3, ESV).

Jesus, who is the Word, was with God in every sense of the word. Not only is Christ the image of the invisible God (2 Corinthians 4:4; Colossians 1:15), but He and the Father are one nature and essence (John 10:30). Jesus prayed for His followers to share in this same inseparable, face-to-face union: “I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one” (John 17:21–22, NLT).

When Jesus said, “Before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:58), He was claiming to be God. There was no doubt among the Jewish people that these words were a declaration of deity, for they reacted by picking up rocks to stone Jesus for blasphemy according to Mosaic Law (Leviticus 24:16).

English readers may have to dig under the surface to understand the apostle’s statement that “the Word was with God” expresses the deity of Jesus Christ and His inseparable oneness with God the Father. But in John’s first epistle, his meaning couldn’t be more evident: “And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life” (1 John 5:20, NLT).

Credits To: Got Questions Ministries

the Word was God

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in What’s new?.

What does it mean that “the Word was God” in John 1:1?

In John 1:1, the apostle John writes, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” In this statement, John reveals three things about the Word (Gk. Logos): that in the beginning, when the world was created, He existed; that He existed with God; and that He was in fact God and therefore made all things. In other words, the Logos existed eternally, distinct from the Father, yet equal to the Father.

In the beginning reminds every reader of Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Both in Genesis 1:1 and John 1:1a, the word beginning refers to the origin of all things, and it is by the Word of God that all things came to be (Genesis 1; John 1:3–4). John uses the word Logos to refer to God’s “divine self-expression” (cf. Hebrews 1:3). If the Word created all things, then it follows that the Word is uncreated. By definition, God is the only uncreated being. Therefore, the Word is God (John 1:1c).

Some have argued that John 1:1c should be translated as “and the Word was a god” because the Greek text lacks a definite article before theos (“God”). They reason, therefore, that the Word was divine but not God. This is unacceptable for the following reasons:

  1. The Greek word for “divine” is theios not theos.
  2. There are many New Testament passages where a definite article does not precede a subject and yet the subject is specific. For example, in John 1:49 (“you are the King of Israel”), there is not a definite article before King in the original text.
  3. In John 1:1b, theos clearly refers to the one true God. Therefore, 1:1c must also refer to the one true God rather than a lesser god.
  4. In John 1:1c, the Word is the subject of the sentence, and God is part of the predicate complementing the subject. The word was is a linking verb, or an equative. Thus, the Word is equal to God.

The question arises that, if the Word is God, how can He be with God? Does this mean that there are two gods? The Greek text gives the answer. In John 1:1b, the preposition for “with” is pros, which means “to” or “towards.” The same preposition is used elsewhere in the New Testament (Mark 6:3; 14:49; 2 Corinthians 5:8; Philemon 1:13; 1 John 1:2). In these passages, pros shows the relation of two persons who are with each other, usually in a close and intimate way. Hence, the Word is inseparable from God yet distinguishable from God (John 17:5). In other words, God the Son has the same essence as God the Father, but they are not the same person. As the Athanasian Creed says, “We worship one God in trinity and the Trinity in unity, neither confusing the persons nor dividing the divine being.”

The Word of John 1:1 is plainly identified as Jesus in John 1:14: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” In this way, God’s ultimate self-expression made His way to the cross to lay down His life for ours (John 10:11, 15).

Credits To: Got Questions Ministries

In the beginning was the Word

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in John, What’s new?.

What does it mean that the Word was in the beginning (John 1:1)?

John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The Gospel of John begins much like Genesis, the “book of beginnings.” The account of creation in Genesis begins with the phrase In the beginning (Genesis 1:1), which is translated from the Hebrew word bereshit. In the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament), which shares the same language as the Gospel of John, the words used in Genesis 1:1a are identical with John 1:1a: en arche, or “in the beginning.”

“In the beginning was the Word” (John 1:1). To the audience receiving the gospel, John’s intentions in this statement would be clear—“the Word” is connected with the God of Israel, the Creator of all things. John further explains this idea two verses later in John 1:3, “All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being” (NASB). “The Word” is the sole means by which reality finds its existence—He is the Creator of all things, and without Him no created thing would exist. Before anything was created, “the Word” existed.

“The Word” is used within the first chapter of John four times. The context for each occurrence is used to

  • describe the eternality of “the Word” (1:1a)
  • describe the distinction of “the Word” from God (1:1b)
  • describe the identity of “the Word” as God (1:1c)
  • identify the person described by the phrase the Word (1:14)

Jesus Christ is “the Word” that was in the beginning (see John 1:14–18). “Word” comes from the Greek term logos. Logos would have been a familiar concept for both the Jews (Psalm 33:6) and the Greeks. The Jew would understand the word of God to point to creative and communicative acts of their personal God. Greek philosophers utilized the concept to identify the reason, thinking, or mind of divine authority as words were utilized to explain the thinking of the one using them. To both potential groups receiving John’s writing, the emphasis on the object behind “the Word” was clear.

Interestingly, John utilizes Logos in the first verse of his prologue (John 1:1–18) while explaining it in the last verse of the prologue. Much like Paul explains Jesus as revelatory (Hebrews 1:1–3; Colossians 1:15–20), John shows that Jesus is the complete revelation of God when he states, “He [Jesus] has explained Him [the Father]” (John 1:18, NASB).

“The Word” also finds connection with the Hebrew word dabar, which means “word, matter, word of God.” This Hebrew word, in connection with God’s name, Yahweh, appears 261 times in the Hebrew Old Testament and is translated most typically as “the word of the Lord.” The repeated usage of the phrase establishes a foundational connection between God and His personal interaction with His creation. Not only was everything created through the use of words (Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26), but God continues to interact with that creation through the use of words (2 Timothy 3:16–17) and the Word (John 14:6).

The statement “In the beginning was the Word” encapsulates the eternality of the Word, the creating power of the Word, and the revelatory nature of the Word. As John later defines the Word as being Jesus (John 1:14–18), the purpose of the Gospel of John becomes clear—“that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:31). Jesus is the revelatory and actual eternal Creator—the object of the Christian’s faith. He is not simply a representation of God, but He is God, and He has always been so: “In the beginning was the Word.” The remaining chapters of the Gospel of John endeavor to show this statement to be true.

Passion Week, Holy Week

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in The Christian and Holidays, What’s new?.

Passion Week (also known as Holy Week) is the time from Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday (Resurrection Sunday). Also included within Passion Week are Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, Spy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. Passion Week is so named because of the passion with which Jesus willingly went to the cross in order to pay for the sins of His people. Passion Week is described in Matthew chapters 21-27; Mark chapters 11-15; Luke chapters 19-23; and John chapters 12-19. Passion Week begins with the triumphal entry on Palm Sunday on the back of a colt as prophesied in Zechariah 9:9.

Passion Week contained several memorable events. Jesus cleansed the Temple for the second time (Luke 19:45-46), then disputed with the Pharisees regarding His authority. Then He gave His Olivet Discourse on the end times and taught many things, including the signs of His second coming. Jesus ate His Last Supper with His disciples in the upper room (Luke 22:7-38), then went to the garden of Gethsemane to pray as He waited for His hour to come. It was here that Jesus, having been betrayed by Judas, was arrested and taken to several sham trials before the chief priests, Pontius Pilate, and Herod (Luke 22:54-23:25).

Following the trials, Jesus was scourged at the hands of the Roman soldiers, then was forced to carry His own instrument of execution (the Cross) through the streets of Jerusalem along what is known as the Via Dolorosa (way of sorrows). Jesus was then crucified at Golgotha on the day before the Sabbath, was buried and remained in the tomb until Sunday, the day after the Sabbath, and then gloriously resurrected.

It is referred to as Passion Week because in that time, Jesus Christ truly revealed His passion for us in the suffering He willingly went through on our behalf. What should our attitude be during Passion Week? We should be passionate in our worship of Jesus and in our proclamation of His Gospel! As He suffered for us, so should we be willing to suffer for the cause of following Him and proclaiming the message of His death and resurrection.

Your faith has made you well

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in John, Luke, Mark, Matthew, What’s new?.

What did Jesus mean when He told people, “Your faith has made you well”?

The first recorded instance of Jesus saying, “Your faith has made you well” is found in Matthew 9:22 (ESV) where Jesus heals the woman with the issue of blood. The KJV translates Jesus’ words as “Thy faith hath made thee whole,” and the NIV says, “Your faith has healed you.” The same incident is also recorded in Mark 5:34, where Jesus says, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease” (ESV).

Jesus also says, “Your faith has made you well,” to a leper He had healed (Luke 17:19) and a blind beggar (Luke 18:42). Other times Jesus links faith and healing without using the exact words, “Your faith has made you well,” such as in Matthew 8:13 and 15:28.

The healing that these people experienced is expressed, in Greek, by a form of the word sozo, which means “to preserve, rescue, save from death, or keep alive.” Sometimes, sozo refers to spiritual salvation, which is also linked to a person’s faith. For example, when the penitent prostitute washed Jesus’ feet with her tears, He told her much the same thing: “Your faith has saved you” (Luke 7:50; for other examples, see Mark 10:52 and Luke 17:19). When Jesus spoke of the faith of the woman with the issue of blood in Matthew 9, His healing was very likely more than physical; it was a spiritual healing as well, as she is told to “go in peace” (Mark 5:34).

When Jesus said to certain people, “Your faith has made you well,” He was saying that their faith (their confidence in Him) had been the means of their restoration. The power of Christ was what effected the cure, but His power was applied in connection with their faith. Just as the faith of some enabled them to receive healing, so healing was sometimes stymied by a lack of faith (see Matthew 13:58). In the same way, salvation comes to a sinner through faith. Everyone who is saved must believe, but it is the power of Christ that saves, not the power of faith. Faith is only the instrument, not the power itself.

In other words, the value of one’s faith does not come from the one who expresses it but from the object in which it rests (Mark 10:52; 11:22). Ultimately, healing is not contingent upon the quality of one’s faith, but upon the Healer. It was through Christ that the woman in Matthew 9 was able to receive a bodily peace as well as a spiritual peace.

We must recognize that Jesus did not indiscriminately heal all the people all of the time. For example, in the scene of the disabled man at the pool of Bethesda where multitudes gathered to be healed, Jesus chose only one man to heal (John 5:1–11), and his is an interesting case. Jesus asked the man if he wanted to be made well. His answer was steeped in superstition: there was no one to carry him to the pool, and he wasn’t fast enough to get into the water at the right time. This confused and needy man was healed by God’s grace. He had no faith in Jesus; he didn’t even know it was Jesus who had healed him until later (John 5:12–13).

Another example of someone who was healed before faith is the man born blind in John 9. He did not ask to be healed, but from many others, he was chosen to be healed—another example of God’s grace. In the case of the man born blind and in the case of the man at the pool, Jesus dealt with their physical problems separately from dealing with their spiritual need—the man in John 9 later comes to a full realization of who Jesus is and exercises faith in Him (verse 38). Jesus’ healing of these men was not about their faith as much as it was about His will.

Everyone whom Jesus willed to be healed was healed. Sometimes He healed those who expressed their faith in Him, and He made a point of emphasizing the condition of their heart: “Your faith has made you well.” Other times, in His great mercy, He healed those who had no faith and later drew them to Himself.

He must increase, but I must decrease

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in John, New Testament Individuals, What’s new?.

Why did John the Baptist say, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30)?

John the Baptist’s statement that “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30, ESV) is simple but remarkable, and it is one of the most imitable statements ever made. In the narrative we find that disciples of John expressed concern to him that many were following Jesus and being baptized by Him (John 3:26). Because John’s ministry was as a forerunner to the Messiah, John’s ministry had begun much earlier, and many were following John. So it was concerning to some that Jesus was preaching the same message and baptizing and that some were bypassing John altogether and going straight to Jesus.

John responded by reminding his followers that one has nothing unless it has been granted from heaven (John 3:27), implying that Jesus had obtained His following rightly and that it was a heavenly blessing. John also was implying that, if his own ministry was granted from heaven, its conclusion could also likewise be determined by God’s plan. In making these statements, John showed tremendous humility and understanding of God’s design. He also reminded his disciples that he had never claimed to be the Christ but that he was simply announcing the arrival of the Christ (John 3:28). John added that his being in such proximity to the Christ gave him great joy (John 3:29), so he was not disturbed in the least by the growth of Jesus’ following. It was by design, and John was rejoicing about that.

In this context, John made his definitive statement that “He [Jesus] must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30, NKJV), or, as the NIV has it, “He must become greater; I must become less.” With this statement John acknowledges that it was by design that Jesus should become more prominent and that John’s own ministry should begin to decrease. Malachi 3:1 had prophesied a forerunner to the Messiah, and John was that forerunner, according to Jesus (Matthew 11:10). It is natural that the forerunner—the one who goes before—or the messenger of the Messiah would step out of the way once Jesus began to fulfill His own ministry. That is exactly what John was doing, and he gently helped his own disciples understand that.

So often, it is easy for us to want to hold onto our own positions or roles. We expend a great deal of effort trying to protect those roles and keep them for ourselves. John shows us by his example that there is a much better way. John shows us how to graciously step aside to allow others to fulfill their roles. Even more importantly, when John says, “He must increase, but I must decrease,” he is modeling for us how to exalt God and humble ourselves before God. This is obviously an important characteristic in God’s sight. God opposes the proud but gives grace to those who are humble (James 4:6). When we get out of the way and let God accomplish what He intends, then much is accomplished. On the other hand, when we step in and try to help God along, we may find ourselves actually working against what God desires to do. Recall how, after Jesus prophesied how He would die (Matthew 16:21), Peter took Jesus aside and rebuked Him, denying that Jesus would die as He prophesied (Matthew 16:22). Peter then heard the dreaded words, “Get behind me, Satan!” (Matthew 16:23), because Peter was pursuing his own interests rather than God’s interests.

Unlike Peter in that situation, John understood that Jesus must increase and that John must decrease. Because John had the proper esteem for Christ, he could humble himself and step out of the way. This is an incredible lesson and example of humility for us.

Joy may be full

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in John, What’s new?.

What does “that your joy may be full” mean (John 15:11)?

To conclude His metaphor of the vine and the branches (John 15:1–10), Jesus says to His disciples, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” (verse 11). To understanding the meaning of “your joy may be full,” we first need to review passages from the Old and New Testament.

In the Old Testament, there is a connection between obedience and joy. The Old Testament prophets foresaw a time when joy would permeate the lives of God’s people in remarkable ways. For instance, the prophet Isaiah spoke of a day when God would wipe away tears and offer a feast of rich blessings to His obedient children (Isaiah 25:6–9). On that day, “everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away” (Isaiah 35:10; see also Isaiah 61:10).

The prophet Zephaniah also prophesied about a restoration of joy to the faithful remnant of Israel (Zephaniah 3:14–17). Even in the face of adversity, Israel will witness the triumphant entry of a joyous king (Zechariah 9:9; cf. John 12:15). These prophecies reveal a divine promise that obedience to God will result in unparalleled joy.

There is a connection between love, obedience, and joy in John 15. Leading up to Jesus’ statement that “your joy may be full” are these words: “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love” (John 15:9–10). Obedience should be a loving, heartfelt response to God’s will—a response that is marked by joy.

To grasp the significance of John 15:11, we must set our eyes on Jesus, who is the embodiment of joyful, loving obedience. In the face of fierce opposition, Jesus found joy in fulfilling the will of His Father: “Jesus said to them, ‘My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work’” (John 4:34). The point is that obedience stems from love and is the source of true joy.

We witness the pinnacle of joyful obedience in the Garden of Gethsemane. Facing the impending agony of the cross, Jesus surrendered His will to the Father: “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done” (Luke 22:42). This act of willful obedience resulted in His triumph—and ours, through faith in Him—over Satan, sin, and death (1 Corinthians 15:54). The joy that followed His resurrection eclipsed the unimaginable pain of the cross (Hebrews 12:2).

Just as Jesus found great joy in obeying the will of His Father, Christians will also have the same joy in obedience: “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11). Obedience is not a joyless duty or mundane task. To the contrary, it is the means through which the joy of the Lord becomes our own joy.

Jesus does not withhold joy from us; rather, He shares His joy in proportion to our participation in His obedience. By surrendering our wills to God’s will, we can know the fulness of joy. We can partake in the same joy that Jesus had when He sacrificed His life for ours. Hence, joy is not a fleeting emotion but an enduring quality that overpowers the clenches of adversity. This is what Jesus meant when He said, “That your joy may be full.”

Love for one another

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in John, What’s new?.

What does it mean to have love for one another (John 13:35)?

In John 13:35, Jesus establishes mutual love as the distinctive mark of all Christians: “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (ESV). To comprehend the full significance of the command to have love for one another, it is essential to consider the entire context of John 13.

Having announced His imminent departure and insisting that His disciples cannot presently accompany Him (John 13:33), Jesus proceeds to outline His expectations for them during His absence. Unfortunately, the disciples continue to struggle with the fact that Jesus’ departure is imminent (verses 36–38). This prompts Jesus to offer an extended explanation about His departure. The hope is that His words would bring comfort to their troubled hearts (see John 14:1).

In John 13:34, Jesus issues a new command: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (ESV). This is a simple command, yet we consistently fail to comprehend it and obey it. There are many reasons for this:

  • We do not recognize the depth of our sin and self-centeredness (Matthew 26:31–35; Mark 9:33–37).
  • We do not appreciate the love of Jesus (John 1:10–11).
  • We do not measure ourselves against the standard of Jesus’ love (John 13:1–20).

What makes the new command “new” is not that the disciples had never heard it before. In Leviticus 19:18, for instance, Moses writes, “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord” (ESV). And in Deuteronomy 6:5, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (ESV).

Jesus also taught His disciples that the entire law and prophets are summed up in the commands to love God and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:28–33). So, why does Jesus say that the command to love one another is new?

The newness of the command is to be found in a new standard: “just as I have loved you” (John 13:34, ESV). There may also be an allusion to the New Covenant, which promised a radical transformation of heart and mind (cf. Jeremiah 31:29–34; Ezekiel 36:24–26). At any rate, the disciples are expected to reflect the same kind of mutual love and unity that exist between the Father and the Son (John 8:29; 10:18; 12:49–50; 14:31; 15:10).

The new command, therefore, is the proper response to God saving us and making us His own (1 John 4:19). And it is by showing love for one another that “all people will know that [we] are [His] disciples, if [we] have love for one another” (John 13:35 ESV; cf. Matthew 5:16; Galatians 6:10).

In his Apologeticus, Tertullian reported that the pagan world admired the love that Christians had for one another: “See how they love one another! . . . How they are ready even to die for one another!” (chapter 39). This is precisely what Jesus meant when He said, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13 ESV; cf. 1 John 3:16).

Our love for one another ought to reflect the mutual love between the Father and the Son, as well as the love that Jesus has for us, “having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end” (John 13:1).

Truth will set you free

Written by LWOM Amsterdam on . Posted in John, What’s new?.

What does it mean that “the truth will set you free” (John 8:32)?

“The truth will set you free” is a common saying in academic circles that want to promote academic freedom and the power of learning. Many universities have this statement emblazoned on a sign near the entrance of a building. But “the truth will set you free” did not originate in academia; Jesus said it in John 8:32. In context, Jesus’ statement has nothing to do with classroom learning. In fact, John 8:32 speaks of a higher form of knowledge than is capable of being learned in a classroom.

Jesus had just finished a speech at the temple where He delineated differences between Himself and His listeners. “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins” (John 8:23–24). The result of Jesus’ message was that “even as he spoke, many believed in him” (verse 30). Then, in verse 31, Jesus begins to speak just to those who had believed.

“Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples’” (John 8:31). True discipleship is more than intellectual assent; those who are “really” followers of Christ will “hold to” His Word. That means they will not only accept His teachings as truth, but they will also obey His teachings. Action is proof of faith (cf. James 2:17).

True disciples of Jesus believe that He speaks the truth about God and the Scriptures. They also know that He is who He claims to be. Back in verse 25, the people asked Jesus who He was, and He responded, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning.” There may be a tinge of exasperation in His response; He had repeatedly made known that He was the Messiah, the one they had anticipated for many years.

Verse 32 begins with, “Then you will know the truth.” “You” refers to those who are true disciples of Jesus. True disciples will know the truth. More than that, their eyes are opened to a greater understanding of the truth (cf. 1 John 5:20).

The truth Jesus’ disciples receive brings with it freedom. Jesus continues, “And the truth will set you free” (verse 32). At that point in history, the Jews were under the rule of the Roman government. Even though Rome gave them an exceptional amount of autonomy, they were keenly aware of the Roman presence around them in the form of soldiers, governors, and empirically appointed kings. When Jesus said the truth would set them free, however, He was not talking about political freedom (though the following verses indicate that’s how the Jews took it). Jesus provides the best commentary for His own statement in verse 34. Jesus explains, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” Being a slave to sin is the ultimate bondage.

The freedom Jesus offers is a spiritual freedom from the bondage of sin—that is, release from the lifestyle of habitual lawlessness. He continues with an analogy: “Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever” (verse 35). The people would have understood Jesus to mean that they were not members of God’s family, despite their biological relationship to Abraham (verse 37), because they were slaves to sin. If they were to become disciples of Jesus, they would know the truth of their condition and the truth about Christ, and Jesus would set them free. Believers would be freed from their bondage and brought into the family of God.

Jesus is the Truth (John 14:6). Knowing the Truth will set one at liberty—free from sin, free from condemnation, and free from death (Romans 6:22; 8:1–2). Jesus came to proclaim liberty to the captives (Luke 4:18). “Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God” (1 Peter 2:16, ESV).