Bully's Blog

or Gentiles Trouble Me

In our weekly Bible study, we’re working our way through John, with the help of the Gospel of John DVD. It’s really very good. Watching the presention, one realises the impact of many of Jesus’ words upon His hearers moreso than when we read them and their familiarity washes over us.

One thing that jumped out in John 12 was the fact that it was the appearance of Gentile seekers that led to Jesus’ talking about His approaching death. Israel’s ministry was to be a living sacrifice for the life of the world. And Israel’s sacrifice was imminent.

The structure of this passage is amazing. It is like a flower blooming, a red flower. As it progresses, lines get expanded into their own stanzas, and lines of those stanzas get expanded into their own stanzas. This is all to make a point, and I hope that laying it out as I have below will hammer home the beauty and the significance of the structure of the Word of God.

Sabbath – Initiation
Now there were certain Greeks (Initiation)
…..among those (Delegation)
……….who came up to worship (Ascension – Altar)
……….at the feast. (Presentation – Firstfruits)

It’s interesting that this stanza is incomplete. The structure appears to put the sacrifice on the Altar awaiting the holy fire, which, if you are familiar with the matrix, you will see the Gentiles seeking in the next stanza. Perhaps it supports the idea that the four-cornered “Land-Altar” was larger than the borders of Israel. Since the captivity, the territory under God’s eyes was the oikoumene.

Passover – Delegation
…..Then they came to Philip,
……….who was from Bethsaida of Galilee,
……………and [kept asking] him, saying,
………………..“Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
……………Philip came and told Andrew,
……….and in turn Andrew and Philip
…..told Jesus.

Here we see the disciples doing exactly what Jews were supposed to do: lead Gentiles to God as faithful priests. The mention of Philip’s town of origin allows water at step 2, and also a possible reason why they approached Philip. Notice their persistent “prayer” at Ascension.

Firstfruits – Presentation
But Jesus
…..answered them,
……….saying,
……………“The hour has come
……….that should be glorified
…..the Son of Man.

Following the Greek word order, there seems to be no final line (Glorification). There is certainly glory at step 5, but it is the glory of the sacrificial smoke. At step 6, the Son of Adam stands in the open Veil, veiled in a screen of fragrant smoke, again, awaiting fire. This time it is not the fire of the Law, but the “Bridal fire,” the Shekinah. The ascended Jesus sent the Spirit to gather His bride at Pentecost.

Pentecost – Purification
“Most assuredly, (Day 1 – Light)
…..I say to you, (Day 2 – Firmament)
……….unless a grain of wheat (Day 3 – Land/Firstfruits)
……………falls into the ground and dies, (Day 4 – Rulers)
……….it remains alone; (Day 5 – Swarms)
…..but if it dies, (Day 6 – Mediators)
it produces much grain. (Day 7 – Rest/Offspring)

We see that Jesus’ word choices were not arbitrary. Not one of them is idle. His reference to grain here concerns Pentecost. His personal holiness would result in a corporate holiness, a harvest of righteousness. The slain Covenant head would be raised with a Covenant body. The singular Mediator would be multiplied into a corporate Mediator.

Trumpets – Transformation
“He who loves his life will lose it, (Ark)
…..and he who hates his life in this world (Veil)
……….will keep it for eternal life. (Altar)
……….“If anyone serves Me, (Table)
……………let him follow Me; (Lampstand)
……….and where I am,
……….there My servant will be also. (Incense)
…..If anyone serves Me, (Mediators)
him [My] Father will honor. (Shekinah)

Trumpets concerns the mustering of a new army, and resurrection. Notice that Jesus is the Light of the Law, and we follow that Light. Also notice the bread and wine on the Altar/Table is a promise of a greater Table at Glorification (a common feature of the matrix). Finally, notice that there are TWO WITNESSES at Maturity. The stanza takes us from the proto-light of Day 1, through the greater light of the Law on Day 4, to the perfect light of Day 7. How brilliant is that?

The next feast is Coverings, or Atonement. It began with a day of mourning. So does this stanza.

Atonement – Vindication
“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? (Genesis)
…..‘Father, save Me from this hour’? (Exodus)
……….But for this purpose I came to this hour. (Leviticus)
……….“Father, glorify Your name.” (Table)

This stanza takes us to the same point as stanza 1. But this time there is an answer, and it is five-fold and fiery–a Covenant Word from the Father sets the sacrifice alight.

……………(Lampstand)
……………Then a voice
………………..came
…………………….from heaven, [saying,]
………………..“I have both glorified [it]
……………and will glorify [it] again.”

……….(Incense – Trumpets)
……….Therefore the people
……………who stood by and heard [it]
………………..said that it had thundered.
……………Others said,
……….“An angel has spoken to Him.”

The next stanza does a similar thing. The first three steps have a line each, then Jesus speaks as the Lampstand at the centre.

…..(Mediator)
…..Jesus answered and said, (Ark)
…..“Not because of me came this voice, (Veil)
……….but for your sake. (Altar/Table)

……………(Lampstand)
……………“Now is the judgment of this world;
……………(Creation)
………………..now the prince of this world will be cast out.
………………..(Division)
…………………….And I, if I am lifted up from the [Land],
…………………….(Ascension)
…………………………will draw all to Myself.”
…………………………(Firstfruits – Nearbringing)
…………………………….This He said, signifying
……………………………..by what death He would die.
…………………………….(Pentecost – death under the Law)

Notice the (possible) allusion to “dying, you shall die.” Also, the Nearbringing allusion confirms His deity. The nearbringing allows Adam to have access to God. But here, we are being brought near to the Son, that we might be brought near to the Father in the Son.

…………………………(Trumpets – Swarms – Deuteronomy)
…………………………The people answered Him,
……………………………..“We have heard from the law
………………………………….that the Christ remains forever;
………………………………………and how [can] You say,  (Testing)
………………………………….‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’?
………………………………Who is this Son of Man?”

This one is interesting. It seems to be running backwards, which I have seen in a few places at Trumpets. The message seems to be that resurrection turns time backwards [1]. But it is also a perversion of the order of authority, so the structure enforces their questioning of His authority! If this is the case, it is the Ark that is missing at the bottom, the Transcendent authority of God. But, and here’s the killer, John puts it in for them!

………………………….Then Jesus said to them,

……………………..(Atonement)
……………………..“A little while longer the light is with you.
………………………….Walk while you have the light,
………………………………lest darkness overtake you;

…………………………………..he
……………………………………….who walks
……………………………………………IN DARKNESS
……………………………………….does not know
…………………………………..where he is going.

………………………………“While you have the light, (Plunder)
………………………….believe in the light, (Mediator)
……………………..that you may become sons of light.” (Succession)

…………………(Un-Booths – No Shekinah)
…………………These things Jesus spoke,
……………………..and departed,
………………………….and was hidden from them.

Wow. That is some Lampstand. It’s like the one in Zechariah 4, 7 lights x 7 lights. Even though Jesus’ witness was multiplied Light, the rest of this passage is related in the darkness of unknowing. The text in red above is when the blood is sprinkled in the dark on the Day of Coverings.

The way to prevent the Ascension and Rule of darkness is to become light. This ties in with the prediction of the apostles as stars in Daniel 12.

The Trumpets section contains two legal witnesses, that of Jesus (as a new Moses – the Law) and that of Isaiah (the Prophets)…

……………(Incense – Prophetic Witness)
……………But although He had done (Transcendence)
………………..so many signs before them, (Hierarchy)
…………………….they did not believe in Him,
…………………………that the word
…………………….of Isaiah the prophet
………………..might be fulfilled,
……………which he spoke:

……………“Lord, (T)
………………..who (H)
…………………….has believed (E1)
…………………………our report? (E2)
……………….. And the arm of the LORD (E3)
………………..To whom (O – Oath)
……………was it revealed?” (S) [2]

Notice the military allusion at step 5. Who and whom are at Delegation and Vindication.

……….(Mediators – Day of Israel’s Covering)
……….Therefore they could not believe, (T)
……………because Isaiah said again: (H)

………………..(Ethics 1 – Flesh)
………………..“He has blinded their eyes (No Light)
…………………….and hardened their hearts, (Pharaoh)
……………………. Lest they should see with [their] eyes,
…………………….Lest they should understand with [their] hearts
…………………….and turn,
………………..So that I should heal them.”

…………………….(Ethics 2 – Eyes)
…………………….These things
…………………………Isaiah said
……………………………..when he saw
…………………………His glory
…………………….and spoke of Him.

………………..(Ethics 3 – Life)
………………..Nevertheless
…………………….even among
…………………………the rulers
…………………….many believed
………………..in Him,

……………(Oath – Sanctions)
……………but because of the Pharisees (T)
………………..they did not CONFESS [Him,] (H)
…………………….lest they should be put out
…………………….of the synagogue; (E)
………………..for they loved the praise of men (O)
……………more than the praise of God. (S)

This stanza puts the Pharisees at the beginning as Transcendent authority.

……….(Succession)
……….Then Jesus cried out and said,
……………“He who believes in Me,
………………..believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me.
…………………….And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.
………………..“I have come [as] a light into the world,
……………that whoever believes in Me (Mediator)
……….should not abide in darkness. (Booths of Light)

Notice the authority of the Father bestowed upon the Son at Ascension, just as when Jesus rose up out of the water. He is worthy to open the scroll.

Well, that brings to an end John’s incredible expansion of Atonement, but with the theme of sight. We are, after all, right in the middle of the Gospel of John.

Booths – Restoration
(Transcendence)
“And if anyone hears My words and does not believe,
…..I do not judge him; (Passover)
……….for I did not come to judge the world (E1 – Law given)
……….but to save the world. (Table)
……………“He who rejects Me, (E2 – Law opened)
……….and does not receive My words, (E3 -Law received)
…..has that which judges him –

the word
…..that I
……….have spoken
…..will judge him
in the last day.

(Hierarchy)
“For I have not spoken
…..on My own [authority;]
……….but the Father who sent Me
……………gave Me a command,
……….what I should say and what I should speak.
…..And I know that His command
is everlasting life.

(Ethics)
Therefore, what
…..I speak,
……….just as the Father has told Me,
……………so I speak.”

____________________________
[1] See If I Could Turn Back Time.
[2] Abbreviation of five-fold Covenant pattern: T. H. E. O. S.