As I listened to the Gospel of John this week and thought of its words, I for the first time noticed the depth of grief Jesus endured. Here in this gospel Jesus so clearly presented as God Incarnate. And yet, the perfect righteous Son of God endured such tremendous grief and joy intertwined throughout. That is the life we too are asked to walk here in this broken world. Our grief at moments so great we can hardly bare it. Yet, undergirded by an abiding, steadfast joy built upon His gift of salvation. The gospel of John best presents all these factors intertwined with the clearest picture of Christ as God—the purchaser of salvation-the true Messiah.
John McArthur wrote of the Gospel of John
In accordance with John’s evangelistic and apologetic purposes, the overall message of the Gospel is found in 20:31: “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.” The book, therefore, centers on the person and work of Christ. Three predominant words (“signs,” “believe,” and “life”) in 20:30, 31 receive constant reemphasis throughout the gospel to enforce the theme of salvation in Him, which is first set forth in the prologue (1:1–18; cf. 1 John 1:1–4) and re-expressed throughout the gospel in varying ways (e.g., 6:35, 48; 8:12; 10:7, 9; 10:11–14; 11:25; 14:6; 17:3). In addition, John provides the record of how men responded to Jesus Christ and the salvation that He offered. Summing up, the gospel focuses on: 1) Jesus as the Word, the Messiah, and Son of God; 2) who brings the gift of salvation to mankind; 3) who either accept or reject the offer.
John also presents certain contrastive subthemes that reinforce his main theme. He uses dualism (life and death, light and darkness, love and hate, from above and from below) to convey vital information about the person and work of Christ and the need to believe in Him (e.g., 1:4, 5, 12, 13; 3:16–21; 12:44–46; 15:17–20).
There are also 7 emphatic “I AM” statements which identify Jesus as God and Messiah (6:35; 8:12; 10:7, 9; 10:11, 14; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1, 5).
1 McArthur, John; The John McArthur Study Bible; Thomas Nelson, Inc.: copyright 2006; page 2155
Tremendous Grief and Joy Combined—in the Beginning
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it….
The true Light who gives light to every man was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through Him, the world did not recognize Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God— children born not of blood, nor of the desire or will of man, but born of God. The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1-5,9-14 (BSB)
Have you ever arrived at a great party or visited someone carrying a wonderful gift. You arrived with great anticipation and joy, only to be immediately rejected or criticized. I remember when I first lived in Mexico with my husband. At that time, I was young and attractive. We went to a party and custom was the women and men separated to socialize. I wanted to just be accepted; but all the women saw me as a threat. They assumed my being American meant I was like all the soap operas of immorality. In His humanity, Jesus did face the sorrow of rejection much worse than mine. He carried the gift of life.
Portraits of Grief and Joy in the first Miracle of Christ
there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus *said to Him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus *said to her, “What business do you have with Me, woman? My hour has not yet come.” John 2:1-4 (NASB)
This is marked as the first miracle. One would wonder why at this point Jesus referenced His mother as woman? Perhaps because as He begins His ministry with this miracle symbolic of His death for the propitiation of sin, He recognized that His mother too was one who would require the gift of salvation He came to purchase.
Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” They filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom.
And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!” This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him. John 2:6-11 (NKJV)
How did this Manifest His Glory and His purpose
The water “pitchers” were not water pitchers. They were large stone water vessels that held between 20 and 30 gallons of water each. These held water used by Jewish ceremony for purifying baths. These were not drinking vessels. These were not pitchers. Christ was presenting the portrait that HE IS THE PURIFYING WATER in which we can be bathed. No longer would there need to be rituals for salvation. He was the lamb who would wash away our sins. The blood and water poured forth from His side.
The wine was symbolic of His blood that was shed for me as Christ would again present at the last supper. The vessels He used symbolized the end of rituals because of grace. The only one who can wash away our sin is God Incarnate—Jesus Christ. Not by works of these guilty hands can I be saved. It is Grace upon Grace revealed. Jesus doesn’t just pour a little cleansing water over me–He baths me in His righteousness; washing away all my sins!!! How amazing is that!!
For Jesus this was a portrait of tremendous grief and joy as He knew all that would still be before Him. His sorrow as He looked at His mother, knowing she would face all this. While at the same moment He knew this was her only hope of eternal joy through the salvation He would purchase on the cross.
To Him the hosts of heaven will sing one day:
You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, (Rev 5:9 NKJV)
Therefore from the first miracle the story of salvation was told. We too can declare.
knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, … but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 1 Peter 1:18-19 NKJV
The Holy Spirit carefully guided John in his writing of the gospel so that most clearly we could see Jesus as the Messiah, God Incarnate, who endured tremendous grief and joy. These emotions were blended throughout. In Chapter 3, we see His frustration at seeing His Father’s house being used as a den of thieves. Also, John recorded the fact that as God, Jesus knew what was in the hearts of each person. He was omniscient.
Chapter 3 Explanation of Salvation
Nicodemus came by night to speak with Jesus. He could not come by day because the Pharisees were against the teachings of Jesus. Yet, this one wanted to know the truth. Jesus explained to him that salvation came when one is reborn by the Spirit as the only way for one to be right with God. And that to that end Jesus had come to bring salvation. This must have been a point that brought tremendous grief and joy as Jesus knew so many would not believe; but joy that those who would receive Him would be saved. Here was a Pharisee seeking to know Him, but they were so many blinded though they had studied the word they failed to see what Isaiah had said
He is despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him…
Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him;
He has put Him to grief.
When You make His soul an offering for sin,
He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days,
And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.
He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied.
By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many,
For He shall bear their iniquities.
Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His,
And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. Isaiah 53: 3,10-11
A Distinction Noted in the Gospel of John
John’s gospel is noticeably distinct from the other three gospels. In attempting to explain the differences, we should note three factors. (1) Often a discourse follows an incident and discusses the implications of that incident. For example, Jesus’s thirst at Jacob’s well was followed by the discourse on living water (ch.4). And the feeding of the five thousand was followed by the discourse on the Bread of Life (ch.6). (2) In the other gospels the miracles are normally used to reveal Jesus’s power. In John the miracles are usually signs and a message follows each one. (3) John’s purpose is unique, and consequently, so is his interpretation of the life of Jesus.
2 Falwell, Jerry, The Liberty Annotated Study Bible, Liberty University, Copyright 1988, page 1602
Throughout we see the tremendous grief and joy of Jesus combined. The rejection He received was more painful because He fully recognized the implication of the eternity of those rejecting Him.
So, I do want to fast forward to when He brought Lazarus back to life and the shortest verse “Jesus wept”.
Tremendous Grief and Joy—where death and life collide emotions
Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” John 11: 1-3 (NKJV)
They sent a message hoping and believing that Jesus would heal him. They did not realize that Jesus wanted to strengthen their faith before His own crucifixion. Although, He told them what would happen. They did not want to believe or accept that as truth.
When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.” John 11:4-7 (NKJV)
Because He loved them, He waited two days. He knew exactly what He was about to do. Carrying the greatest gift of life to increase their faith, He waited a full three days so that there was no explanation apart from His raising Lazarus from the dead.
Why such tremendous grief and joy
He did bring Lazarus back from the dead. Knowing this why did He weep? I believe that was four-fold. 1. The grief of His friends and those at the grave caused Him to grieve with them. 2. Their inability to understand He is Life itself grieved Him. 3. Just as He raised Lazarus from the dead, He knew there were many who would not be raised to newness of life but rather would be lost for an eternity apart from God in utter darkness of spirit. 4. He was going to the cross and would be buried. At that time, He knew all these His disciples would be utterly distraught. No matter how much He tried to prepare them, they would not understand until He rose again.
Joy also was overwhelming as He knew that He was bringing eternal life to all these He so loved. Punishment for their sins would be placed on His shoulders—the mourning would endure for a time, but Joy would come. If only they could see the night is only temporary.
Preparing His Disciples for Tremendous Grief and Joy
The Gospel of John includes the teaching of Jesus after the Lord’s Supper to His disciples. These are some of the most beautiful verses of the scripture. This was the love of Jesus for His Apostles and disciples spoken forth in words to strengthen through the tough days and years ahead for them.
John 15: 1-11 (NKJV)
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.
“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.
Warnings of Tremendous Grief and Joy to Follow
They would face rejection, pain, grief and suffering; but their hope was to hold fast in the joy to come in knowing the truth. Their life was not going to be easy. Joy would be in knowing Jesus as Lord. His words would be their strength. He told them the Holy Spirit would come to be in them and to assist them.
Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.
“And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. John 16
An Intimate Glimpse of Jesus Conversation with His Father—John 17
Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, as You have given Him authority over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him. And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.
“I have manifested Your name to the men whom You have given Me out of the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they have known that all things which You have given Me are from You. For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me.
“I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given Me, for they are Yours. And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them. Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.
“I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.
“Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”
Concluding thoughts
Our journey here is preparing us for an eternity of true joy in His presence, surrendered to and surrounded by His Perfect Love. Beyond that, He bids us to discover that abiding, steadfast joy here and now.
None of us would say as we begin this journey of following Christ that we desire suffering. Yet, we are told of Him, the perfect righteous Son of God who is Truth itself; “that He learned obedience through suffering.” (Hebrews 5:8). He, who is equal to God, joint-creator of the universe, and co-designer of this plan of salvation, humbled Himself in obedience to suffering upon this earth. Not that He had ever been disobedient; rather, He learned of the very nature of submission and obedience through His suffering. He who came to die that mankind might be offered salvation free and full, suffered the mockery and ridicule of the very ones He came to save. Humbly, He submitted Himself to ridicule and the empty words of faith from even His followers. So, often, they, as we were more concerned about His gifts than knowing Him.
Yet, God bids us to come to Him, to abide in Him. There we may find rest for our souls and joy for our heart. However, to truly know Him, we must join in His suffering. Yet it is with such patience and tender mercy that He guides us through the suffering. In suffering, we learn to let go of the selfish desires that bind us to this world and keep us from Him.
THE SUFFERING OF CHRIST AND OBEDIENCE
Perhaps Soren Kierkegaard said it best.
Ah! The one who knew all, whose thoughts comprehend all, who needed not to come to the knowledge of anything, because what He knows not does not even exist, of Him is it said that He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.
Christ learned obedience. Indeed, from eternity His will accorded with the Father’s, and He freely chose the Father’s will. But when, as in the fulness of the time, He came, thereupon he learned obedience by the things which He suffered—which He suffered when He came to His own, and they did not know Him, when He went about here in the humble guise of a servant, and bore the weight of God’s eternal plan, and His words were spoken as if in vain, when He, in whom, in whom alone there is salvation, was in the world as something superfluous…when nobody heeded Him, or, what was harder when He aroused the worthless interest of a vagrant curiosity….Even the vinegar was not a drink more sour for the Holy One, than the vacuous interest taken by the idles, and the revolting tribute curiosity accorded Him who The Truth
3 Kierkegaard, Sufferings,
My Mother and My Husband Pete
Both suffered greatly on this earth, battling bi-polar disordered. Yet Mom knew Jesus was her Lord and Savior throughout the years and Pete found Christ before he died.
Now, standing in the presence of God, do you think that Pete would bemoan the suffering he endured upon this earth? Nor would Mom who has finally find the true joy of being in His presence here. Through prayer and reading His word, she is happy for the first time in her life. It has been through the suffering I endured, that I have come to learn of Him. I, too have learned to trust in Him and to let God be God. For it is in learning, through suffering, that His plan is best for me. “the sufferer painfully learns, first, that in spite of all, it is God who ordains, and then goes on to learn in glad obedience, to leave to God to ordain!”4
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds (Hebrews 12:1-3 KJV). is the Truth!” But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:4-7 NKJV)
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.
Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
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©Effie Darlene Barba, 2024
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
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