The Regular Guys Bible Study
John 12
Have you ever bellowed a hymn so off-key you felt a kinship with Peter's sinking faith on the waves? That's where Ken and I begin our latest podcast foray, drawing parallels between our own spiritual stumbles and the biblical tales that resonate with our journey. We saunter through John 12, where Mary's perfume-laden tribute to Jesus stirs more than just the air—it ignites a discourse on devotion and betrayal that weaves through the laughter and lessons in our discussion. And don't miss out on the high school memory that Ken shares, lightening the mood as we tackle the heavier themes within the scriptures.
Ken and I know the unexpected can bring both confusion and clarity—like the time I spotted a donkey at church, a moment as peculiar as it was profound. We recount personal tales of misinterpretation and the eventual understanding of God's intricate plans. As we reminisce, we weave in the biblical narrative of expectation versus reality, and how hindsight often illuminates what once was murky.
Wrapping up, we're candid about our challenges, from technical slip-ups to the inner conflict of seeking human praise versus divine approval. We examine Jesus' foreboding words about his destiny, linking them to our own pursuit of purpose and the struggle to shine our light amidst the shadows. Before you depart, we encourage you to engage with John 13, setting the stage for our next spiritual rendezvous. It's been a ride of enriching dialogue and hearty chuckles, so join us again as we continue to translate age-old wisdom into our daily lives. Goodnight, fellow travelers.
Have you ever bellowed a hymn so off-key you felt a kinship with Peter's sinking faith on the waves? That's where Ken and I begin our latest podcast foray, drawing parallels between our own spiritual stumbles and the biblical tales that resonate with our journey. We saunter through John 12, where Mary's perfume-laden tribute to Jesus stirs more than just the air—it ignites a discourse on devotion and betrayal that weaves through the laughter and lessons in our discussion. And don't miss out on the high school memory that Ken shares, lightening the mood as we tackle the heavier themes within the scriptures.
Ken and I know the unexpected can bring both confusion and clarity—like the time I spotted a donkey at church, a moment as peculiar as it was profound. We recount personal tales of misinterpretation and the eventual understanding of God's intricate plans. As we reminisce, we weave in the biblical narrative of expectation versus reality, and how hindsight often illuminates what once was murky.
Wrapping up, we're candid about our challenges, from technical slip-ups to the inner conflict of seeking human praise versus divine approval. We examine Jesus' foreboding words about his destiny, linking them to our own pursuit of purpose and the struggle to shine our light amidst the shadows. Before you depart, we encourage you to engage with John 13, setting the stage for our next spiritual rendezvous. It's been a ride of enriching dialogue and hearty chuckles, so join us again as we continue to translate age-old wisdom into our daily lives. Goodnight, fellow travelers.
Hi, you are listening to the Regular Guys Bible Study Podcast we are your host Ken and Steve, and we are just Regular Guys studying the Bible. We are going to talk about theologians, that's right. Alright, steve, it was you know. You really started off almost directly on key.
Steve:Almost, and then I kind of lost the tune.
Ken:Yeah, you kind of became yourself. You started out with a miracle. It's you know what. You are very similar to Peter. When he sees Jesus walking on the water, he jumps out there and he's like walking on water, had confidence, and then he lost. And then it's like, ah, I can't do this.
Steve:Yeah, it was pretty similar to that yeah.
Ken:You know that's a really big compliment actually to say you're like Peter, so I take it back.
Steve:Excellent, Alrighty, how are you doing Ken?
Ken:I am good you know. I thought have you listened to John 11 podcast? Do you ever listen to the podcast, steve, as a matter of fact, I don't. Yeah, I don't. I don't listen to it in its entirety. Sometimes, I have thought about doing it though but I will say this I like to hear myself Well no one does. That's the number one comment we get is I don't like hearing Steve.
Steve:I can believe that.
Ken:No, you know what? I don't know if we have any comments. I don't even.
Steve:There's no one listening.
Ken:No, that is not true.
Steve:I've gotten messages from people. Is there anybody out?
Ken:there. But I'll say I did listen to a lot of last weeks to John 11. By the way, it got published today, the day that, because we record on the same day that I published the previous weeks, so I need to let people know. Yeah, we need to post that, but I thought John 11 was one of our best ever.
Steve:It felt pretty good when we did it. Yeah, we're, I'm pretty sure we can disappoint tonight.
Ken:You know what I'm going to give myself a pat on the back. I feel really good about myself now. That's good. Why don't you pat yourself on the back, Steve?
Steve:That. I'm too humble for that.
Ken:Can. Is it too? Can I take it back? I don't know how to take back a pat on the back, a punch in the gut, little lower and a lot harder. Okay, thanks, steve, all right. Well, today we're on John, chapter 12.
Steve:Yes, I almost forgot to mention something totally off topic.
Ken:Oh, really I'm glad you thought of it. What so?
Steve:I think it's tomorrow. Oh, it might have been this morning. The star beetle juice was going to disappear for like 12 seconds.
Ken:Yes, because an asteroid's going in front of it.
Steve:Yeah, the one that's going to destroy the planet.
Ken:By the way, you said crud, okay. So when I was in high school, I was a senior in high school and this girl that was a good friend of mine was sitting next to me and she was like extremely smart, like straight A's did not get valedictorian. I think she was like number two or number three in the class.
Steve:Not how many.
Ken:Five hundred and thirty something. That's pretty smart. She is brilliant and we, this is calculus. And she she said, oh crud, I forgot something. And I was kind of a class clown a little bit and I raised my hand I said Miss Dang it, what was her name?
Ken:Not having any way, miss, whatever Carolyn said crud and she, she got in trouble for that. She sent her to the principal's office. It was later, much, much later, that I realized she was really punishing me Because I, carolyn, didn't get in trouble, she, she went outside and the teacher just told her stand there for a little bit and said she was going to the principal's office. But she didn't actually go to the principal's office. It was just to make me feel like dirt, and it worked. Oh my gosh.
Ken:Apparently you still remember, I do and I feel, I remember thinking oh, I cannot believe I just sent her.
Steve:Everyone. This is important. I have a new trigger word for.
Ken:Steve, you just said crud.
Steve:Let me tell you the story. Let's get going. All right, let's get going. It's a long chapter. It is a long chapter. I'm not sure we'll make it.
Ken:Yeah, we're going to make it, you crazy. All right, steve, why don't you read the first section? Six days.
Steve:Oh, this is John 12, by the way. Oh yeah, and what just?
Ken:happened in John 11? Lazarus was raised.
Steve:Lazarus was raised from the dead. Yeah, and the Pharisees had given orders that people let them know where Jesus is, that's right, so they can arrest him. Yeah, that's it. Six days before the Passover, jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus has raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at the table. Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of perfume.
Steve:I can't speak tonight, but Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, he who was about to be raised, who was about to betray him, said why was this ointment not sold for 300 denarii and given to the poor? He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief and having charge of the money bag he used to help himself to what was put into it. Jesus said leave her alone so that she may keep it for the day of my burial for the poor. You will always have with you, but you do not always have me.
Ken:All right, thank you, Steve. So the first thing is, you know, what's really weird about the Bible is that I have read the entire Bible and I have read the book of John several times in my life.
Steve:I've read it at least I bet I'm pushing a dozen, but I never noticed that Lazarus was reclined at the table with Jesus Lazarus.
Ken:I only think of the story of him raising Lazarus. Yeah, and now here he is there.
Steve:He's like he doesn't really. He never says anything. Who.
Ken:Lazarus yeah, that's true.
Steve:He's kind of boring really, except for being raised from the dead.
Ken:OK, Anyway. So I see Lazarus is there and they're having a little festival, I think, or a little dinner. It's a dinner in honor of Jesus, and so what is Nard Steve?
Steve:It sounds like something California skateboarders would be like totally cool, nard dude.
Ken:I think that would be gnarly, but let's see.
Steve:Let me.
Ken:I'm going to look up that because I meant to look that up before. What is Nard? Nard is a precious ointment, perfume or medicine. Yeah, we kind of picked that up.
Steve:Hmm, that was pretty obvious from the.
Ken:Yeah, yeah, OK. Spike Nard, which is also known as Nard, musk root or Nardin, is a woody spicy, herbaceous, splendidly aromac, warm and earthy perfume. Facet or fa-see. Ok, that's fast Something. So it sounds like it comes from because it says musk root. It sounds like it comes from a plant.
Steve:Sure, it's not musk rat.
Ken:I'm not sure of anything, steve. I'm saying stuff All right, all right.
Steve:So this is it's expensive. That's what we can gather from the paragraph.
Ken:It is expensive, and Mary does this while Martha's doing what?
Steve:Working. Yeah, but it's not in this, I know it.
Ken:It's not, not in this book, how she complains about Mary not doing anything.
Steve:That's right.
Ken:In a different, in a different Gospel, martha complains to Jesus. She's not doing anything. All right, so is this? Is there anywhere else that it talks about Judas being a thief and taking stuff from the coffers? I don't know, because I can't think of another place.
Steve:So as I read this I was like a lot of times I feel like Judas gets a bad rap for selling out Jesus because you know it was part of the plan and yeah. He had to do his part, but this makes me feel not so bad for him, because he really was kind of a jerk and a thief.
Ken:Yeah, yeah, you kind of if you, if you think of him as as not really selling out Jesus, but you know doing what's necessary to take over the kingdom or whatever.
Steve:Then you can try to Courage it along yeah.
Ken:Then you can kind of feel bad for him. But with this statement it's kind of hard to feel bad for him. He's just a bad dude.
Steve:And he clearly has a thing for money, so the 30 pieces of silver probably looked pretty good to him, that's true.
Ken:That is true. So one thing I don't understand here is she's using this Nard. How much was it? A pound, a pound of?
Steve:perfume. So I'm thinking what a pound of butter looks like. That's like a it's a rectangular box. It's a pretty big block.
Ken:Yeah, and she's putting all this all over. I don't know how strong the perfumes were back then. I know they're extremely potent today. A pound of a pound of perfume today would be. I'd have a sinus headache.
Steve:Yeah, it would hurt.
Ken:But it sounds like it. I mean it was filling up the whole room. But what I don't understand is Jesus says leave her alone so that she may keep it for the day of my burial.
Steve:Yeah, cause it seems like she's using it right now in his burial day as another. What six days away?
Ken:So I started to think about that. Is this something that she's like putting on his feet and then you know dripping, you know taking the let's left, like comes off his feet and putting that back to get her? I don't know.
Steve:And why use her hair to wipe it off? That's just weird.
Ken:I can't answer that question. Huh, is that a sign of servitude or I don't know. That is a good question. Why would she use her hair and not a cloth, not a?
Steve:Yeah, I don't know. Yeah, it doesn't make sense to me. There's probably something there, though.
Ken:Okay, well, I wish, I wish we had our little phone thing set up. I would call somebody right now and we'd ask.
Steve:You only get one of those per episode, though.
Ken:I know. So, all right, we should look that up. I'm going to look that up. Say something, steve so for the poor.
Steve:you always have with you, but you do not always have me, so does this mean we can never cure homelessness?
Ken:Yes.
Steve:Did you find your answer, yet I said something.
Ken:Let's talk about what you were saying though.
Steve:Yes.
Ken:You answered it. Okay, I think you know. I saw a public official in the city in which we live and she said that within the net, her goal is, within the next year, to cure poverty and homelessness in the city. In a year, yeah.
Steve:So, first of all, it's not a get everyone off the street and it's suddenly fixed, because people go in and out of homelessness as they experience poverty. So it it's. It just doesn't make sense.
Ken:But it was. It was obviously just something that sounds good.
Steve:It's like the, the beauty queens, that I want world peace.
Ken:All right, I did find it.
Steve:It was considered a fence to beauty queens, by the way.
Ken:Yeah, huh, it was improper. It was considered improper for a woman to let her hair down in public. Mary laid her woman's honor at the feet of Jesus. She used her hair as a towel to white Jesus feet. These were the same feet that carry Jesus to the okay, to her brother. Okay, yeah Well, blah, blah, blah. So it was basically. I'm basically losing her honor for him.
Steve:A sign of total servitude.
Ken:Yeah, so it sounds like all right. Are you ready to move on? Yes, are you? Of course I'm ready. I've been ready since first call, except for a little technical difficulty there.
Steve:We had no technical difficulty.
Ken:I don't know what you're talking about, all right. So I'm going to read the next two sections because the next section so small and Steve would like wine and cry like a little baby. No, I wouldn't, all right.
Ken:So, let's see. When the large crowd of Jews learned that Jesus was there, they came not only on account of him, but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. So the chief priest made plans to put Lazarus to death as well, because on account of him, many of the Jews were going away and believing in Jesus. The next day, the crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. They took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the king of Israel. And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written Fear not, daughter of Zion, behold your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt.
Ken:His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. So the Pharisees said to one another you see, you are not going to see Lazarus Another. You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him, all right.
Steve:So if he was raised from the dead and now they want to kill them, what's to stop Jesus from raising him from the?
Ken:dead again. That's a good point, Steve, Is it? I don't know. You know, maybe they are going to cut off his head thinking All right, what was he going to do this time?
Steve:It happened to John the Baptist, so it could happen, yep, and that's how.
Ken:I don't know if you ever saw the movie Highlander.
Steve:There can be only one there can be only one.
Ken:And the way they would kill them they had to cut off their head with one of their magic swords.
Steve:I'm not sure we can use Highlander as canon.
Ken:That's true. That came much later. It was like it started like 700 AD. I don't remember the whole thing came into present day Okay it got pretty bad towards the end. I thought the original movie had a decent. Better to burn out than to fade away All right.
Ken:Anyway. So what's interesting here to me is this the crowd here that they're talking about. When the crowd of Jews learned that Jesus was there. This is the crowd that was around when Lazarus was raised, right. So when it's talking about the crowd of Jews, they're talking about those people, and this is another thing. I did not remember, but that the Jews had planned to kill Lazarus as well.
Steve:Well, the chief priest.
Ken:Did I mean yes, okay, the chief priest, I don't want to confuse people between the crowd.
Steve:That's true. The crowd was screamed Hosanna.
Ken:Yeah.
Steve:The ones that said let's kill everybody.
Ken:That's a good point. Thank you for that correction. But the Pharisees, let's say, or the chief priests, wanted to put Lazarus to death also, not just Jesus, but Lazarus, so that this stuff would go away. Did you remember that happening also? I mean, because I did not remember that. No, not actually. Yeah that's it's weird, the things that you forget.
Steve:Yeah, but yeah, I don't know why.
Ken:But anyway, many, because of Lazarus, many were starting to believe in Jesus, so that's why they wanted to kill him. It's like, okay, if we kill him for good, then what are you going to do?
Steve:But all the signs and they still don't see that it's him. I just I can't crazy.
Ken:I don't get it. Okay. So you know. You said something there a little bit ago about Judas, saying that you know what it had to be that way, though, because God wanted it that way. It's the same with the priests. The same with the priests. In fact, last week, one of the things we read about was that God had given a vision to Caiaphas. Is that the name Caiaphas Something?
Steve:like that. I think so.
Ken:Who was the chief priest that year? That or that year, or I don't know how it?
Steve:It's sort of term, yeah.
Ken:That they were going to have to kill Jesus. So it's not.
Steve:this is a plan, this is God's plan, but hold that thought until we get to the end of 12.
Ken:Okay, I'll hold it Okay.
Steve:But I know we go to the same church but different locations.
Ken:Yes.
Steve:We have the cutest little donkeys outside of church for the kids to get pictures with. This last Sunday that's a good story Jesus rode on a donkey's coat.
Ken:Yeah, yeah, all right, yeah, all right, all right.
Steve:I'm glad I could share that.
Ken:We were driving to Fredericksburg yesterday. Why Yesterday? Yeah, that was Sunday, yeah.
Steve:You skipped church.
Ken:No, it was after church and even after Costco. It's like we had a full day yesterday and I saw some sheep in the field. I was, we were driving and my wife says no, those are small horses there. That's as good of a story as you just told, that's what were they?
Steve:sheep, or were they small horses?
Ken:I don't know, I was driving, so I believe my wife. She said they were extra fluffy because they had their winter coat.
Steve:Did you have a sore throat yesterday? What she might have been saying you sound a little horse.
Ken:Okay, put it on All right. Okay, your story was stupid, is what I'm saying, hey, at least it had something to do with the chapter.
Steve:All right, your king is coming sitting on a donkey's cold All right.
Ken:Anyway, the next day they do this thing where they go. This is after, after the dinner, I guess. So Jesus comes riding in on a car on a cold, and they put branches down in front of it. And then they and it says in Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it. Just, it is written in this, this quote fear not, daughter of Zion, behold your king is coming sitting on a donkey's cult. This is from Zachariah 999, zachariah 999. Yes, it's. Is it a direct quote or is it close?
Steve:Rejoice greatly, a daughter of Zion, shout aloud. A daughter of Jerusalem, behold, your king is coming to you, righteous and having salvation, is he humble and mounted on a donkey, on a cult, the full of a donkey.
Ken:Okay, so it's not a. They do that a lot. I've noticed they. They like shortened the things to the important parts that they're trying to show.
Steve:I don't know. I think the the humble is important, because you might think, oh, they have some special relationship with donkeys and writing them or something. But no, it's. It's like you would think, it's about as low as you can go, as far as a prestigious steed.
Ken:Yeah, that's true. I you know what I'll bet when they say when he writes, just it is written. He writes enough for people to know what he's talking about. Right, and it's not really about the important parts of the content, it's just about the important parts. To lead you to Zechariah 999. I didn't what it says. His disciples didn't understand the stuff at first.
Steve:But when he was glorified, they remembered right.
Ken:Have you ever had a situation, steve, that you didn't understand what God was doing and then, later, you could understand it?
Steve:I know that I have, but I can't think of an example.
Ken:Yes, okay, that's, I know I have. I've had several. One is just the struggle we had with having kids.
Steve:And you continue to have that struggle to this day because we have too many.
Ken:You have too many kids. That's not true. I love all my kids. Oh, they listen to the podcast.
Steve:Just in case, yeah.
Ken:I know, I know my oldest daughter does sometimes. That's right. Even though she's not a regular guy, she's a very abnormal guy.
Steve:We are open to everyone listening. That's right, we're the regular guys. We are actually we might be irregular. Well, depends on how much fiber I eat.
Ken:I have not been regular lately ever since Thanksgiving.
Steve:I don't think anyone wants to hear.
Ken:I can't get regular. Anyway, I think that's very common. Where it's really hard, when you're in the midst of a struggle or of something going on, it's hard to see with the eyes of the bigger picture of the bigger picture of what God is doing, and we need to remember that. I mean when, even when we're in good times, when we're in bad times, we don't see the big picture.
Steve:But there's no guarantee we will see the big picture while we're here.
Ken:I believe that is true. We won't always see the big picture while we're here. I think we can get glimpses of a lot of those things though, yeah, in the bigger picture.
Steve:I think that's why they encourage people to write in their journal or whatever, which I don't do.
Ken:I don't write in a journal.
Steve:I've tried it. I'm just not very good at it.
Ken:In college every day I wrote a journal to prayer to God Help me pass this test Some of it probably was like that Pass this test every day.
Steve:That's Thursday. Help me pass this test.
Ken:Did not do that. It's about my relationship with Christ.
Steve:Anyway, help me ask Paige out on a date. Make her say yes, god.
Ken:Wow, it's like you were there. I've been reading your journal. Well, all I can say is score it worked, all right. Why don't you go ahead and read that next section, all right?
Steve:Now, among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So these came to Philip, who was from Bethesda in Galilee, and asked him sir, we wish to see Jesus. Philip went and told Andrew. Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus and Jesus answered them. The hour has come for the Son of man to be glorified truly, truly. I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be. Also, if anyone serves me, the father will honor him.
Ken:Can you read that next section? To just keep going, all right.
Steve:Now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say, father? Father, save me from this hour, but for this person purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name. Then a voice came from heaven. I have glorified it and I will glorify it again.
Steve:The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said an angel has spoken to him. Jesus answered this voice has come for your sake, not mine. Now is the judgment of this world. Now will the ruler of this world be cast out and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself. He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. So the crowd answered him. We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of man must be lifted up? Who is the Son of man? So Jesus said to them the light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, less darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he's going. While you have the light, believe in the light that you may become sons of light.
Steve:All right, thanks, steve. Okay, so I probably should point out to people that sometimes I do like different voices for characters, in case they thought that you know we had more people here than just me.
Ken:Yeah, that was. That was such a good voice, you didn't even think it was me, I thought some way I was like where is that coming from? All right, so the first thing I noticed is this weird. Is this like some kind of chain of command?
Steve:I don't know. Philip went and told Andrew, andrew, and Philip went and told Jesus, okay, and then let me ask this question.
Ken:The whole thing started here when some Greeks came and said sir, we wish to see Jesus, so Jesus is not here in front of the Greeks. Does Jesus ever go talk to the Greeks? They could have been following along with them that whole time, Maybe but then that kind of breaks down the whole chain of command thing there, philip went and told Andrew. Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus and Jesus answered them. Okay, maybe Jesus went to them. No, he answered. It's like he's answering. Will you come talk to these Greeks?
Steve:Well, I mean, I think they're probably within hearing range, and later he says he will draw all people to himself, which includes the Greeks right. But yeah, I don't know.
Ken:It just seems a little weird. It's not clear that he ever addresses the Greeks. He doesn't say ah sure, send them in, let's chat.
Steve:Well, I don't. I think he does kind of the opposite of that. He says basically he doesn't have time for him right now. He has to go die first so that he can, like a thing of wheat, have a bunch of grains after he's buried.
Ken:Oh, hold on, I think you might be right. I don't have time for that. Ain't nobody got time for that? He says. And then he says that thing about bronchitis, what you don't know. That video.
Steve:I don't know what you're talking about. Oh, are we going back to the sheep and the little horses?
Ken:Okay, no, After this, Steve go look up. Ain't nobody got time for that?
Steve:Are you talking about the old commercial?
Ken:Oh, it's just an old video that went viral. All right, okay, she doesn't have time for it because she has bronchitis. Okay, all right, you're. You're looking at me like I'm an idiot. Yeah, and I might be, but this I cannot believe you don't know this.
Steve:Well, I'm trying to get back on track about how the grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies so that it bears much fruit. You keep talking about some lady with bronchitis.
Ken:Okay, well, I apologize, I got a little sidetracked, okay, but I think you're right. I think he's saying I don't think he does go back and talk to them. He's saying, look, the hour has come for me to be glorified. It's not. I'm not like something that to be put on display right now.
Steve:But I do think he comes back around to the all people, to myself.
Ken:Yeah, but I don't think he actually talks to the Greeks, I don't think he does direct. Even if they can hear him. It's not really directed towards him, towards them, maybe not Truly. Truly, I say to you okay, unless okay. So he's saying he's got to die so that much fruit can be born from it. And then he talks about us. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. What does that mean? Do you hate your life in this world, steve?
Steve:I could. I could interpret this two different ways. Okay, so the one way I assume that we're supposed to hate this life so that we get internal life. That's the one way I view it. The other is well, maybe if you hate life, you'll spend eternity in hell, and you'll hate life there too, because you'll have it for eternal.
Ken:Whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.
Steve:That doesn't sound so good. Because if you hate your life, you're going to keep that life, but if you use that same logic on the first half whoever loves his life loses it, and that doesn't really work.
Ken:Yeah, I think it's like, for eternal life is in a good thing If anyone serves me, he must follow me. Where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the father will honor him. So let me ask you again, steve. So it says it kind of indicates to me that we should hate this life on this world.
Steve:There's other verses that say hate your own family or whatever Right, and that's not what it wants you to do. It just wants you to put God first.
Ken:I believe that's true. I don't think, you know, there is no. Jesus did not live his life like he hated this life, His life on this earth.
Steve:But what I think, what he means is don't cherish that, don't get encumbered by the things in this life, because eternal life is more important Right.
Ken:But I will say this it is tough, steve. We have people we love on this earth, we have things we love on this earth, and it's really easy for me to get distracted by the pleasures of this life.
Steve:And not just the pleasures, even the pain. It's easy to get distracted, Probably easier.
Ken:That's true, but the pain is easier for me to say I'm ready. God, I see what you mean and I remember, as a young believer, thinking I prayed to God, I said but God, because I was, you know, I don't know if you can believe this, but I was a real nerd and she said crud, no Computers when I was in high school. We're just starting to become a big deal and actually it's really before they were a big deal, but I could tell they were becoming a big deal and technology was so cool and I was like you know, I can't wait to see all that's going to happen in my lifetime, and that's how much of a nerd I was.
Steve:I don't think that's healthy excitement.
Ken:I don't know, because I remember praying about that, thinking but God, I don't want to die early because I want to see all these things.
Steve:Would it help you, if I'm pretty sure I had similar thoughts?
Ken:No, no, me being no better than you is not. It's not helping me, Steve. Thanks anyway.
Steve:Well, my grandmother lived to be 105. No, 101 and a half, what was it? I don't remember. She's over 100. And I think about all the change that she saw in technology and society and you know, World War II, vietnam, korea, all that stuff yeah computers.
Ken:That's craziness. She saw so much. Yeah, she saw a lot of things change.
Steve:Yeah. And it's so yeah, and it's changing even faster now I know.
Ken:And AI is going to change things. It's going to be an exponential change in my belief.
Steve:The Terminator is going to come, take us all out.
Ken:Didn't say that, steve, but I think there will be exponential change All right, we need to keep moving.
Steve:We're going along here. I know this is crazy. Maybe we should stop. We are not going to stop.
Ken:Oh gosh, Should we stop? No, we've already read this part.
Steve:No, we've only got a little bit to go. All right, yeah, we don't have that much.
Ken:All right. So anyway, then he said his heart was troubled, or soul was troubled, and, like you know, should I say father, saved me from this hour. And then this voice came from heaven and it said I have glorified it and and I will. I have glorified it, meaning, let's see, glorify your name. Okay, I have glorified it and I will glorify it again. But he said it, and it said it in that deeper voice.
Steve:That was, that was me.
Ken:Oh, okay, but interestingly, it said, the crowd around it thought it was thunder. Some others said an angel had spoken to him, and then Jesus says the voice has come for your sake, not mine. Now, apparently John wrote down here what the voice said, so some apparently did not hear it as a voice. Some people just heard a booming thunder.
Steve:Or it was so loud it was like thunder.
Ken:Said well, he said it had thundered. Some said it had thundered, Other said an angel has spoken to him what have said that it had thunder.
Steve:What if the it was the voice and the voice thundered I?
Ken:don't think that's what it's saying. It's a thing. It's saying it. So it was so loud that some people thought it had thundered and others said that an angel had spoken to him, and so I think some people heard the voice. I don't think everybody heard the voice.
Steve:Maybe, maybe it's the he who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Ken:Yeah, maybe. So All right, so let's see. So another thing he says is lifted up from the earth. Not. Where's that?
Steve:32?.
Ken:No, I'm on 31. He says now will the ruler of this world be cast out. Oh yeah, what does that mean?
Steve:I was going to ask you that question now, but you didn't. Yeah, it's because I didn't write down my notes.
Ken:Yeah, I win. So what does it mean, Steve?
Steve:I think it must be referring to Satan, but he's not gone yet I think the the term now is a really long now.
Ken:Yeah, I think it's. It doesn't say now he is cast out. It says now will the ruler of this world be cast out. So it's like because of this sacrifice that you know, this is just part of the plan, but because of this, of Jesus is coming and what soon to be, his death and resurrection and our forgiveness of sin and eventual his second return, it's all just setting up the plan for him to be cast out. That's how I'm reading it.
Steve:All right, I'll buy that.
Ken:All right, all right. What else do you want to mention about this? You were saying 32.
Steve:When I am lifted up from the earth. And then they said go on to say he said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. Was crucifixion so common that that statement of when I'm lifted up from the earth would make you think instantly of crucifixion?
Ken:I have no idea, but I would not think so. I could be wrong.
Steve:But they go on to say how can you say that the son of man must be lifted up? I know that's so it's like they understand he's talking about being put to death.
Ken:Yeah, when I first read it and they said he said this because of the kind of death he was going to have. I thought that was like a phrase in retrospect, right. So, oh, he said this because he was crucified. That's why he made that statement. But you're right, before that happens, before the retrospect, here he is, or the Jews are saying acting like it means he's gonna die. So and they're saying you know how can you die? You're supposed to be here forever. Yeah, and what does he say to that?
Steve:The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk in the light lest you stumble in the dark.
Ken:Yeah, he doesn't try to explain really the prophecies and how he must go away and then come back later. Right, Don't make fun of me, God. It's rude and easy, that's true. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light that you may become sons of light. What does that mean? To become a son of light Means?
Steve:to become a son of God and get the joy of eternal life in heaven.
Ken:I'm thinking it might mean a little more. I'm thinking because he's talking about the darkness, walking in the darkness. I think that it means that you can help provide light. If you are a son of the light, you help provide light to the darkened world.
Steve:This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine this little light of mine.
Ken:I'm gonna let it shine. Oh Lordy, okay, what was that? Sometimes it seems like we have this scripted, steve, we don't, all right. Well, let's move on to the next section, unless you have something else you wanna say there. No, no, all right though he had done this is starting in John 37, john 12, 37, though he had done so many signs before then, you skipped the second half of 36, when Jesus said he departed and hid himself from them.
Steve:What Mine has a little break there and 36 continues. You started at 37. Mine does not do that, oh well, the end of 36 is when Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them.
Ken:Wow, that's weird. Why does mine not say that?
Steve:I don't know?
Ken:Oh, I'm using a different Bible app than I have been.
Steve:It's like it's missing. It doesn't even have that part of the verse no.
Ken:Not at all. And that's ESV, right? Yeah, All right. I downloaded this Bible app that lets me take notes on it with my Sounds like it's removed a few Jots and Tiddles.
Ken:I think so. Oh, I'll have to check what's wrong there All right now. In verse 37. Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled. Lord, who has believed what he heard from us and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore, they could not believe. For again, isaiah said he has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they see with their eyes and understand with their heart. In turn, and I would heal them. Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him. Nevertheless, many, even of the authorities, believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees, they did not confess it so that they would not be put out of the synagogue, for they love the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.
Steve:That was the part I told you to hold till the end. Oh, because we were gonna come back to. I don't even remember what we were talking about. It's been so long. This is a long chapter. It is a long chapter, but you were talking about the crowd believing and how the chief priests were actually following the script that God put in place.
Ken:Yes, I think it's interesting here how you know. First of all, he goes through what Isaiah says about. They're not gonna see basically saying the Pharisees are gonna be blinded.
Steve:I don't think it's just the Pharisees. I think a lot of those people that were screaming Hosanna in the highest, I think when they heard that he's about to die, they're like well, this isn't the guy we're waiting for.
Ken:We wanted him to be king. We saw already where that happened, where he was doing a bunch of things and then he talked about who he is and, yeah, this is hard to swallow. I'm a bunch of people walked away at that point, but it says here nevertheless, many, even of the authorities, believed in him, but the kicker was fear of the Pharisees Fear for they love the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.
Steve:Are you ever guilty of that, Ken? Oh, you know it, I have to be right, I mean yeah.
Ken:I wish it weren't true, but I would be a fool to say that, like I'm above that.
Steve:No, it doesn't make me feel better that I'm the same way, because I feel like we should have better faith than that.
Ken:Yeah, but I will say that it is a human struggle and the fact that we admit it and we want to change, we want to change. That's the important part. It's a important part, Okay, and the change part. There you go.
Steve:Wanting to change is one thing, actually trying to change is another.
Ken:Yeah, and, by the way, that was my note. It's like you read my note in the Bible app that takes verses out. Yep. All right, let's read this last section.
Steve:All right. When Jesus cried out and said whoever believes in me believes not in me, but in him who sent me, and whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have come into the world as light so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him, for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge. The word that I've spoken will judge him on the last day, For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment what to say and what to speak, and I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.
Ken:All right. So Jesus is saying that he's just saying what the Father has told him to say, but he also says whoever believes in me, he believes not in me, but in him who sent me. What does that mean?
Steve:That he is God's representative and he's doing exactly what God told him to do, and if you believe everything he said, you're basically believing God. It's like he's a conduit.
Ken:Yeah, and which so does this? Do you see claiming here equivalence with God?
Steve:It doesn't sound like it Not quite. Not quite, not like some of the previous verses, but I'm pretty sure this would still be taken as blasphemy by the oh yes, pharisees, I agree, I agree, Um, but he also says and whoever sees me sees him.
Ken:who sent me?
Steve:So even sounds more like that Equivalent.
Ken:Yeah, if you see me, you see God. Um, that's a big deal, yep, um. And if anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge them, for he didn't come to judge the world, he came to save the world. So the purpose of Jesus is not condemnation. What does, uh, what do other books tell us is condemnation? The law the law, because the law teaches what is wrong, right. So if you break the law, you are condemned. What does Jesus bring?
Steve:Salvation Right. He brings but he also says the one that does not receive my words will be judged by the words I've spoken.
Ken:Exactly.
Steve:Yes, which is the law?
Ken:Sort of no, not quite he's. He hasn't been speaking the law.
Steve:He extended it a bit. What do you mean?
Ken:by that.
Steve:Thou shall not murder. Yet he who hates in his own heart has already committed murder or something like that. I'm totally slaughtering that verse.
Ken:Yeah, that's pretty bad.
Steve:Uh-oh, I slaughtered a verse. Does that mean I'm a murderer? I think we've been doing this too long, yeah.
Ken:Okay, so the one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge. The word that I've spoken will judge him on that last, on the last day. So, yes, jesus's words will be the judge of that person. So what are we to do, steve?
Steve:Follow Jesus. Oh wait, is this one of those Sunday school answers where I'm just supposed to say Jesus?
Ken:We don't have Sunday school in our church, Steve.
Steve:No.
Ken:I did at the Baptist church I grew up in, though.
Steve:But the kids have.
Ken:Sunday school they have. I don't think they call it Sunday school, do they?
Steve:I don't know what they call it. They call it something.
Ken:Anyway, it's the same thing, though I don't know what was I saying.
Steve:You said what are we to do? Yeah?
Ken:what are we to do? And I know that his commandment is eternal life.
Steve:We're supposed to hear his words and keep them.
Ken:Okay, and what does that mean? Hear his words and keep them.
Steve:Follow Jesus, and what would Jesus?
Ken:do we're supposed to wear a bracelet that says what would Jesus do?
Steve:Exactly WWJD.
Ken:By the way, if you're too young, that was a sad. That was a sad. It was at 80s or 90s, I think it was late 80s. Late 80s.
Steve:Into the 90s.
Ken:Okay, people wear those little rubber bracelets that would say WWJD. What would Jesus do? Yeah, it's really funny. I mean cool.
Steve:You had a point there. Are you going to follow up the point?
Ken:is that Jesus is saying follow him, and that he's saying he says he is the Christ, which he is, so believe that he is the Christ, and we'll know more later about what that really means.
Steve:Is this one of those cliffhangers where same bat time no, you know what?
Ken:There was a lot. There was a lot revealed later on. Our church right now is going through a study on acts. We've taken a pause for the Christmas Advent season, but when the helper comes really, peter understands more about what's going on.
Steve:So yeah, he puts a lot of dots together.
Ken:And what did Jesus say? Were the two? What summed up the commandments?
Steve:Love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself.
Ken:So I think there's two things that we can take, that we should do.
Steve:Do you want to hug, ken?
Ken:No, that's not loving me, Steve. In fact, that's the opposite. I would punch you, and that's not loving me. No, I know there are times when I would love a hug for you, steve. Not right now because we're clothed.
Steve:Okay, can we edit that part out? I feel uncomfortable yeah yeah, that was not.
Ken:That wasn't even funny. I feel bad about that one.
Steve:It was just yeah, all right.
Ken:Well anyway, steve, the point is, we should love others, love God and love others. Yep, that's, if there's a commandment, that's what we should do.
Steve:Yep and spread the word.
Ken:Yep, All right. What else is there that you would like to say, Steve? Good night.
Steve:Yeah, this is a really long one.
Ken:You know how long? This was An hour. It was a full hour.
Steve:Plus technical difficulties Plus technical difficulties.
Ken:This was a rough one, Guys. I'm glad you stayed with us through this.
Steve:I apologize, we might be speaking into the ether right now.
Ken:Yeah, by this time you might have all given up, but anyway, I'm glad you stuck around, and next time we'll be doing John 13. Read it ahead of time so that you'll be shorter, it's a hope so. So read it ahead of time so you'll know what's going on. You won't be lost. Sometimes it's hard to keep track with just audio, so if you know what to expect, you'll be prepared More prepared, that's true, be a good voice actor, all right. So long, guys, thanks, bye, bye people.