Selah! Harmony Commentary of the Four Gospels {ebook Volume 4}

By Henry R. Pike

Books have been written to prove anything, everything, and nothing. Others have just been written. This endeavor, born out of fourteen years of hard work, surveys the life of Christ as recorded in the four gospels. It contains a defense of the Authorized Version of the Bible, especially the four gospels, but is void of the rancor often employed by some in dealing with this subject. In courteous but straight talk, Dr. Henry R. Pike deals with several of the pseudo beliefs regarding divine inspiration of Scripture, the unsaved “textual critics,” and the sensational date-setting eschatology, which is the handmaid of radical dispensationalism. The apostate ecumenical movement, false cults masquerading as Christians, and the Papal system of religion are defined for what they were and are. His treatment of the church fathers and certain “heroes of the faith,” such as Augustine, Calvin, and Luther, many of the Reformers, the radical wing of the Anabaptists, the impure Puritans, C. S. Lewis, and other “stalwarts of Christianity” will shock some readers! There are several enlightening paragraphs dealing with apostate hymnology that has cunningly infiltrated Christian worship and a look at the Mega Church phenomena. The popular myth that only Christians founded America is exploded. Various early “American heroes” such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, and others are frankly discussed. Unlike most of today’s “best sellers,” the author pointedly deals with sin’s terrible consequences and the curse of unbelieving academic theological heresy. An apologetic stance defends the major doctrines of the Christian faith. Cogent and relevant social, political, religious, and moral issues are considered, whether closely, distantly, or not at all related to the immediate subject under discussion. With candid frankness, the author gives just about everyone their due, including himself and the Baptist community of which he is part. Because this work is built upon the four gospels, all of them written about the same Man, there are many repetitions. To mitigate this repetitive boredom one frequently finds a courteous bluntness that will disturb some readers but comfort others. Numerous extraordinary missionary experiences of the author give this work a spark of genuine gospel excitement. Amid colorful flashes of alternating humor mixed with pungent straight talk, some of these Sections hit like a piece of velvet wrapped around a hammer. There are helpful explanations of odd customs and manners found in ancient Hebrew literature, blended with practical common sense exegesis. The biblical teaching of real salvation through repentance and faith in Christ is preeminent. These pages contain a continual appeal for readers to consider the destiny of their souls and hurry to the Son of God for forgiveness and eternal life. Those who are seriously concerned about why the Lord Jesus came in the world, what this offers them, and how to prepare for eternity may find help in this volume. Though written as a harmony commentary of the four gospels and relative events, this material also may be used for causal reading and devotional exercise.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ambassador International
• Release date: Oct 25, 2013
• ISBN: 9781620201602

Book preview

SELAH!

Harmony Commentary of the Four Gospels

(with connotations on historical and relevant social, moral, religious, and political issues)

The King James or Authorized Version of the Bible, the Fourth Edition of 1769

The above edition of the 1611 Authorized Version was published in 1769 under the supervision of Dr. Benjamin Blayney (1728-1801).

This is the King James Bible that is popularly used today.

By Missionary Henry R. Pike, Ph.D.

Selah!

Harmony Commentary of the Four Gospels

© 2012 by Missionary Henry R. Pike, Ph.D.

All rights reserved

Printed in the United States of America

Selah! ISBN: 978-1-62020-040-7

Selah! (ebook volume 4) ISBN: 978-1-62020-160-2

Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (Authorized Version), fourth edition, 1769.

Part of the material in this volume is due to the appropriation of other works by copying fractional portions from these sources. This has been used to criticize, confirm, teach, buttress, and clarify different statements in the Footnotes-Commentaries. All such quotations help support key points or introduce topics for further discussion. I have sought to keep all citations within the limits of the Copyright Policy for fair use. In some publications cited, the source details were illegible, untraceable, or missing. Upon written notice regarding oversights, omissions, or incorrect citations from copyright material used, these will be corrected in any future printings. This book may not be reproduced in any form beyond the copying permitted by Section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. Permission is granted for quotations of approximately two hundred words in reviews and articles. Persons citing from copyright materials used in this work that go beyond the fair use policy should seek permission from the individual copyright holders. Recognition of the copyright material used is located in the Selected Bibliography.

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Top: Scenes in the land of Israel

Bottom: Sea of Galilee

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Publisher’s Note

Due to the size of Selah! and ebook restrictions, the Selah! ebook has been broken into volumes as noted below:

1. Volume 1 – Chapters 1 – 5

2. Volume 2 – Chapters 6 – 10

3. Volume 3 – Chapters 11 – 15

4. Volume 4 – Chapters 16- 20

Each ebook includes the author’s instructions on how to use the commentary as well as the appendices.

The bibliography for Selah!  can be found in Volume 4.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright

Publisher's Note

How to Use this Harmony Commentary

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Appendix One

Appendix Two

Appendix Three

Appendix Four

Appendix Five

Appendix Six

Appendix Seven

Appendix Eight

Selected Bibliography

HOW TO USE THIS HARMONY COMMENTARY

The miracle of Christ’s coming into the world resulted in a different style of historical religious literature. Though all Scripture was given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the four gospels are the crown of all biblical writings. A reliable harmony of these gospels is the first tool necessary in studying the life of Christ. One cannot properly understand the record of His earthly years without this resource. Nahum Tatian, a heretical Gnostic who lived for a time in Syria, composed the most ancient harmony known. Shortly after A.D. 150, he wrote a Diatessaron, meaning a harmony in four parts. Being a Gnostic, he doctored his work, leaving out references to the deity of Christ. None of it survived the ravages of time, but other ancient writers mentioned it in their writings. Over the centuries, hundreds of harmonies were produced, often taking varying approaches to the Master’s life and work. The Selah! Harmony Commentary of the Four Gospels is another attempt to harmonize (as far as possible) the records of Jesus’ life. This book has two major differences; first, it contains a massive commentary, and second, the author holds to the absolute inspiration of the four gospels as well as the entire canon of Holy Scripture. As explained later, God did not intend that all four gospels be totally harmonized. If so, we could dispense of three and use just one. The following briefly explains the methodology, literary tools, and techniques employed in producing this work.

Text: The Authorized or King James Version, fourth edition of 1769.

Authors’ names attached to the four gospels: It is incorrect to think that the names of the gospels prove that these men wrote them. Several centuries beforenameswere added, the belief existed that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John wrote these documents. Their names were later attached at the heading of each book. Consequently, in time, the Holy Spirit, not men, vindicated their authorship.

The length of His ministry: This has been determined by the number of Passover celebrations the Savior attended. The author understands that the feast of John 5:1 has reference to this great annual event in Hebrew history. I have reckoned the length of His ministry, beginning at His baptism with four successive Passovers following. Writers have used this approach for centuries. This is discussed at the beginning of Section 52, footnotes a, b, and c. The author conjectures that Christ died at approximately thirty-four years old. His early years were in the reign of King Herod the Great. He was reasonably somewhere under two years old when Herod slaughtered the infants and Joseph fled to Egypt with his family. Shortly after Herod’s death in 4B.C., they returned to the land of Israel.

Disclaimer: British spellings remain as they are. For example the word fullness is spelt as fulness, the style used in the Scripture texts. Errors in quotations and some spellings (unless of serious nature) taken from the documentation sources have been retained as originally printed. A few quoted misspellings are tagged by the grammatical tool sic. Having read hundreds of books over the years, the author drew some of this work from a rusty memory and cannot now precisely document them. Quotations from an author are not my endorsement of all his theological beliefs. Citations from John Gill, F. W. Farrar, John Lightfoot, Adam Clarke, A. T. Robertson, Joachim Jeremias, and Alfred Edersheim illustrate this. The Soncino Edition of the Babylonian Talmud, the works of Josephus, Joseph Klausner, George Foot-Moore, Will Durant, and all other pseudo, or non-Christian sources are used for historical purposes, not theological. Doctor C. I. Scofield’s comments in his footnotes at John 5:3; Mk. 11:26; Acts 8:37; Col. 2:2; and 1John 5:7 reflect that he was slightly poisoned by German higher criticism.

Quotation marks, capitalization, and font styles: Quotation marks are inserted throughout the text of the four gospels. They help the reader to determine who is saying, what in the biblical passages. Capitalizations are used in the Footnotes-Commentaries when they speak of the Holy Spirit, and the Word of God, whether it is Christ the Word, or the Scriptures. Pronominal mentions of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are also in the uppercase. No punctuation marks exist in biblical manuscripts, including the Textus Receptus.Translators added these later. All words spoken by Satan and demons are in a heavy Gothic font to reflect their malevolent intentions toward God, man, and creation.

Color system: All of Christ’s Words are in red letters. This idea originated in 1899 with a German immigrant, Dr. Steven Klopsch, and was used in the first edition of the Christian Herald Magazine. Old Testament quotations or allusions in the four gospels and selected mentions of Jesus as the Messiah are set in dove gray backgrounds with a dark letter font. The three times that God spoke audibly to Christ are shaded in gray with red font. The four Passovers Jesus attended during His ministry are set in a gray background. His entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and the major events to His ascension are shaded in gray or typed in heavy red or black font. These two colors are used in some chapter and Section headings. Italics, gray backgrounds, or heavy black and red fonts emphasize certain words and subjects. Peter’s three denials, Pilate’s five innocent verdicts, Jesus’ seven sayings from the cross, and the five different mentions of the Great Commission are all set in a gray background with red letters.

Many repetitions and helps: Four histories, written about the same Man, contain numerous repetitions. This work has hundreds of these. Repetitions are not that painful, unless they become tautological. The gospels reveal that Jesus repeated Himself; even decades after His ascension (compare Matt. 13:9 with Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, and 29). Portions of the Footnotes-Commentary in one Section may be repeated in another Section. I reasoned it best to reiterate many things, instead of continually sending the readers back and forth through this work by using the ibid back-reference tool. The hundreds of cross references, many doublets, triplets, and quadruplicates will make this work difficult for some. Most references are identified by See Section ..., Note ..., or Refer to Section ..., and so forth. Frequent mention is made of the learned academicians, great scholars, and experts. These terms point mostly to the unsaved religious intellectuals who think they are qualified to translate and censure the Bible, a book in which they do not believe in the first place. Nothing rude is intended by these descriptive terms. Across the top of each Section is a long narrow Information Box briefly stating what is in that particular Section. The twenty chapters in this harmony commentary vary in length due to their contents.

Finding paragraphs easily: MostFootnotes-Commentary headings have numerous sub-paragraphs. These are marked by 2p-, 3p-, meaning second and third paragraphs. This literary tool will aid readers to locate quickly the desired sub-paragraphs under any of the Footnotes-Commentary headings. Some of these paragraphs are independent thoughts not connected with previous subjects.

Departures and styles used: Frequently,I have bypassed some of the standard methodology used in literary presentations. The ibid notation, referring to a text or book previously quoted, has been excluded. I chose to repeat the book title and author’s name. This will save the astute much reader time in backtracking through hundreds of pages to locate the original source. Technical theological terms have been avoided as far as possible. The grammatical tools, i.e., cit., e.g., op., cf., ampersand (&) except in book titles and the ellipsis, are used sparingly. The old term passim meaning here and there, is found in a few places. Symbols such as ►, ◙and ●, along with the asterisk identify or connect specific topics. Not every statement is documented. Such acute preciseness would require many extra pages and lay an unnecessary burden upon the readers. Academicians have the tendency to over-document their works, believing this demonstrates their great knowledge and vast research capabilities. Too much of this is a nuisance for the average reader. I have sought to mitigate this boredom. Devotional, exegetical, homiletical, and historical methodologies with literal and allegorical hermeneutics have been used. The Supplements attached to Section 23 and Section 38 are without Footnotes-Commentary.

A one-volume work: Every versein thefour gospels is in the twenty chapters of this work with hundreds of references and comments. Explanatory words are indicated by brackets within the Scripture texts and by inverted commas after the texts. The two longest Sections are The Sermon on the Mount, Sections 44–47, and the Olivet Discourse, in Section 163 with its parallels in Mk. 13 and Lk. 21. Chapters 1 and 8 are divided into four parts for precise explanations. Ancient Hebrew customs and manners are frequently explained. The genealogies of Christ are given from five slightly different angels in Chapter 3. They reveal that He was from the Hebrew nation; their promised Messiah. There are eight Appendices to expand specific topics, a General Subject Index, and a Selected Bibliography.

The world’s most hated Man: Theological liberalism with its cavalier attitude presents Jesus as another nice guy religious figure. He is unsaved mankind’s most despised person because He is the world’s only Savior. Never in the past two thousand years has the Son of God been so publicly ridiculed and blasphemed as He is today. The da Vinci Code and The Lost Gospel According to Judas Iscariot scandalized His perfect character. Islam fiercely hates His death and resurrection. He is maligned by the educational, political, and entertainment systems. Both the History and National Geographic television channels present Him as an ignorant Jew, trying to find His purpose in life. Experts are summoned from America’s hellhole seminaries to decide whether He arose from the dead! To pray publicly in His divine Name may insult the godless and bring litigation. Cultural and spiritual corruption is poisoning America. In this book, sin and Satan are described as they are. I have sought to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15), while at the same time tell the truth without varnishing sin and its disastrous results in the bodies and souls of men. Unsaved theological academicians are slouched into a no-such-thing-as-sin posture. They pander to a Hollywood-style Jesus. The religious best sellers avoid controversial issues and are always positive. Naming sin, its effects, damnation, and hell are taboo. We shun habitual negativity, yet negatives are part of life. God gave Ten Commandments. (They have now become The Ten Suggestions.) Eight of these are negative and two are positive. Jesus was sorely abstract when confronting religious hypocrites. This book has negatives when dealing with apostasy and sin. We hold that all that is truly noble, good, and lofty in civilization is the fruit of Christ’s appearing among men.

If a genuine Christian seeks to live according to Scripture, he is politically incorrect. He is branded as a fundamentalist or the religious right. Dealing biblically with abortion, adultery, fornication, sodomy, same sex marriages, heresy, radical Islam, apostasy, false religions, and corrupt politics is hate crime language. Satanic tolerance is the god that rules American society. The confused masses are conditioned to be nice to sin and the Devil. Hell and damnation preached from the pulpit are insultingly inappropriate. Yet, the habitual use of these two words in the public domain is acceptable. The humanistic tolerance of today is not the highest expression of freedom. The vice of human indecision has turned millions of Christians into cowards. It is the seedbed of anarchy toward God. Men have enthroned themselves in their hearts. Immoral moralists have recast decency into a dirt mold. They connive to silence those who oppose their evil, believe in Christ, and stand for purity and right. Supporting wickedness is an act of individual cowardice. Once Americans believed that every man had the right to his opinion. Today, every man’s opinion is right! Where are the responsibilities and absolutes that are required of every man? Everything is fluid, relevant, and compatible. Men protest, We have our rights! Yes, even the right to go to hell. Sound reasoning is enslaved by passions and the will of the people. Animals do not practice what some do in the name of civil liberties. In public functions, traditional prayer is being replaced by a moment of silence. A man can almost marry his cow with court approval and possibly government tax support. Are America’s freedoms licenses to future doom?

Rejecting ecumenical pluralism. This work contains no ecumenical inter-faith appeal. Apostasy is rejected because Scripture teaches it is wrong. Cults, sects, religions, denominations, philosophies, educators, academicians, theologians, and politicians who oppose foundationalBible teachings are the enemies of God and men. We are not one global family. Sin has divided humanity beyond repair; all need Jesus Christ. Man is not the measure of all things. He is a failure without the Savior. An apologetic stance upholds the major doctrines of Scripture. Calvinism, Arminianism, and academic infidelity are demonic departures from sound biblical doctrine. I have sought to mitigate my judicial opinions with Christian candor and calm. If describing Satan and his imps for what they are is unchristian, then this book is unchristian. Contemplating heaven or hell and the destiny of men, demands brutal honesty. Thus, it has been impossible to write in a total dispassionate style. In spiritual matters, most people prefer a sweet lie to the bitter truth. A Christian who disbelieves the total inspiration of Scripture cannot be trusted very far with spiritual issues. Soon, he will miss the mark, for he has no infallible guide. Education without Christ and God’s Word makes unsaved religious men clever devils.

Personal experiences and other points: Selected events from my Christian life are included to enhance particular subjects. Comments that are relevant in today’s social, economic, political, moral, and spiritual crises will frequently appear. Some of these are repeated later in other Sections. Questions regarding chronology are touched upon several times. A few Hebrew and Greek words are used for clarification not correction. King Herod died in 4B.C. Christ was born shortly before this date. About the first five or six years of our Savior’s life lapsed back into theB.C. era of King Herod. As mentioned, it is assumed that Jesus died at thirty-four years of age in about A.D.30. Thus, His death was approximately forty years before the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D.70. Accuracy, without pretending to know all the answers, let alone the questions, has been the prime goal. No work of man is infallible, but genuine effort should be expended to make it the best that he can produce. In a book this large, so extended, and intricate, the author could not escape all errata. Over time, some will find problems, inadvertent inaccuracies, errors, and questions that need answering. My conjectures are given as possibilities, not facts. Most of these appear in italics. I have prayed for heavenly help from the start to finish. Now, I ask all readers for patience and pardon where necessary. The world crowns success; the Lord of heaven crowns faithfulness. To wear the diadem of His approval is the highest honor for any true Christian.

In the Bible, God established all divine doctrine that He wants us to know. It is found nowhere else. The history of this afterward is the story of divine preservation. Intermittently, this work carries an appeal to prepare for eternity. The gospel brings life and immortality into the darkness of sin for all who receive Christ as personal Lord and Savior. At death, we step through one door and enter another called eternity. This cannot be spent! The prudent person will ponder this inevitable fact and hurry to Jesus, the Son of God, for forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life. Selah! Think of that.

CHAPTER 16

FROM PASSOVER TO THE GARDEN OF PRAYER AND JUDAS.

Time: The night before the Friday morning of the cross.

Jesus’ farewell instructions to the eleven. He answers their questions. They were shaken to hear that He was leaving. He promises to send the Holy Spirit, Who will comfort them. Leaving* the upper room, they walk eastward through the crowded city to the temple, and then to Gethsemane near the foot of Mount Olivet.

*It is important that we note His departure from the upper room at this point as recorded in John 14:31. According to the restrictions of the Sanhedrin, most Jewish businesses were located at the western side of Jerusalem where He used the upper room. From here to the garden located at the foot of Mount Olivet, was a lengthy walk. Because the streets of Jerusalem were packed with pilgrims who had come from over the known world for Passover, it would have taken well over an hour to reach Gethsemane. It was during this time that Judas gathered the armed men from the high priest, and a detachment of soldiers from Pilate. Next, they moved to Gethsemane where Christ was arrested. His Words in John chapters 15 through 17 were spoken as He led His apostles to the temple and then the garden. Their arrival at Gethsemane is recorded in Section 179, John 18:1.

Footnotes-Commentary

(a) Troubled hearts. With Passover finished and the memorial supper of communion now established (which they would only understand later) the Messiah turns full attention to His eleven still reclining on their couches about the table. The words about His death had burdened them unmercifully. The thought of Him dying, or leaving was too much for their already breaking souls. They were in a night of sorrow and not one solitary star was shining to alleviate its awful gloom. To these eleven men, He begins to speak fresh words of hope and good cheer. For more on this, refer to footnote g below.

2p-Believe in Me as you believe in God. They ought to believe equally in Him as they believe in Jehovah God. In so doing, Christ again affirmed that He is equal with God: for to believe in the God of Israel was the same as believing in Him. Earlier, the Savior had declared, "I and my Father are one (John 10:30), and the Father is in me, and I in him" (John 10:38). The Lord Jesus is making the same claim in these words (John 14:10-11).

(b) "My Father’s house. Did the Lord Jesus speak these Words in an effort to draw their hearts away from the rabbinical notion of an earthly, secular kingdom? By using the term, Father’s house, He was addressing something in heaven and not on earth. Christ had employed these exact Words at the beginning of His ministry when He purged the temple and called it my Father’s house (John 2:16). The Jews believed that God dwelt in their temple at Jerusalem, though they held that, His glory had departed with the close of their Old Testament some four hundred years prior. It is erroneous to hold that Christ was going to build mansions in the Jerusalem temple, which was destroyed in A.D. 70. He was clearly transferring the meaning of the Father’s house to a higher hill than earthly Mount Moriah. The teachers of the Torah Law often spoke of mansions or seven mansions," which suggested perfection in heaven. Edersheim explains in his Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, pages 829-830, how the Jews believed that saints in heaven occupied abodes that corresponded with their ranks. The word mansions conjures up palaces of gold and silver, with dozens of bedrooms, beautiful gardens, and lawns. However, God’s heaven cannot be measured by earth’s best yardstick. Mansions meant, Dwelling places. It is found later in verse 23 of this same chapter where it is translated as abode. Whatever heaven is, it will be just what every child of God needs!

2p-"If it were not so." We ask, "If what were not so?’ And what does the word "it mean? Is there intimation here that some of the eleven did not really believe this, or had rumors been spread that Jesus’ doctrine of heaven was false? Regardless, the Lord assures them that if it were not so" He would have told them.

3p-Verse 3. And if I go. Some expositors see in these words the verbal commitment of a young Hebrew man after his formal engagement to a woman. He would affirm that he was going to prepare a place for her and come again to take her into his father’s house on the occasion of their wedding. If the apostles did relate these Words of Jesus to this custom, they were, nevertheless, hard to understand. At this time they did not, indeed could not understand what He was saying. His coming again as mentioned here seemingly had first reference to His coming at death to receive each of the eleven and take them to their mansion or abiding places in His Father’s house. Christ’s use of the pronoun you, must be applied, first to the apostles to whom He was speaking. There is a higher and grander application to these words. They reflect far ahead to that blessed hope of His second advent.

(c) At this time, they did not know where He was going! Why did He make this statement? It was designed to draw out the question from Thomas, who was aghast in shock at His Lord’s Words about leaving them.

(d) Lord, how can we know the way? Thomas asked this question. He becomes a spokesman for the apostles and tells Jesus that none of them knew what He was talking about; that being so, how could they possibly understand what He meant about them knowing the way to the Father’s house? As Jews, they believed and held to the rabbinical teaching about their Messiah, though Christ had shaken them to no end regarding much of this. The rabbis had taught that Messiah would be an earthly King and a mighty warrior. He would appear and disappear many times amid His work, and then reappear for a final time, destroy Gog and Magog, (Gentile opposition) their evil leader Armilius, Jerusalem, and the temple and rebuild all of it in such splendor, and dimensions that staggered the wildest imagination. For a review of these rabbinical teachings and exaggerations, see Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, pages 774-778, by Alfred Edersheim. The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, vol. II, pages 323-329 explains various Jewish ideas about Messiah’s origin, work, kingdom, and accomplishments.

(e) The narrowness of Christ’s teachings. God is the way to Himself! Here, the Lord Jesus was refuting another Hebrew idiom or popular saying. The scribes taught that the Torah Law and tradition of the elders were the way, the truth and the life. This is reflected in the Talmud tractate, Baba Batha 74a, which reads, Moses and his law are truth. It is noted that earlier John had written these pungent words that may reflect this Talmudic error when he stated, "The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ (Section 1, Part 4, John 1:17). The Savior had been instructing them about His departure from their presence, the place He was going to, and what He would do when He arrived there. Here, He responds to the question of Thomas, who had just inquired, How can we know the way?" The answer of Jesus is one of the most momentous declarations recorded in the entire Bible! All men of true faith dearly love and defend this single passage. The world and its thousands of religions fiercely hate it. The Supreme Court and Congress of the United States disdain these Words of the Savior. Secular and much of religious education struggles to reinterpret what they so exclusively and obviously declare; for if they are left to stand as they are, they spell doom for all who do not come to God via His Son. Earlier, Christ called Himself the light of the world (John 8:12), the door into God’s sheepfold (John 10:9), and the resurrection and the [source of eternal] life (John 11:25). A while later He informed these same men that He was the true vine (John 15:1), and not the nation of Israel as they had been taught. Note the following things about John 14:6:

He is the way to God.Sensiblemen know that without the way, there is no going. The word way was a popular Hebrew idiom. It was used in traveling the roads of Israel. See Section 47, Matt. 7:13, footnote f for an explanation. Therefore, any who do not travel this exclusive Jesus way will not arrive to God. Without Christ, there is no home in eternity to come; hell is the only alternative.

He is the truth of God.Without the truth of the gospel, there is no knowing the joy of sins forgiven and eternal life. No apostle could say, I am the truth, though all could say, I speak the truth. All who claim they are the truth are, in reality, false. The gospel of Jesus Christ stands singularly opposed to all other gospels. Herein is the dignity of true education, that to know the truth is to know God. Over the course of Christian history, Satan has raised up countless thousands of false religionists. Rev. Moon, Charles Taze Russell, Brigham Young, Joseph Smith, Ellen G. White, Father Divine, Scientology’s Ron Hubbard, and Buddha, are a few historical examples. The Lordship of Christ is the mainspring of human society; those who know Him, as personal Lord and Savior possess the truth, those who do not are damned. This is viciously hated by unsaved society. As quoted above, "The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ (John 1:17). Secular society and false religions despise this fact. The Bible declares emphatically He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life (1 John 5:12). The Lord Jesus declared, For without me ye can do nothing" (John 15:5).

He is the life of God. Without life, there is no living. Jesus of Nazareth is the promised Messiah of Israel, the Savior of mankind. He alone came down from heaven and giveth life unto the world (John 6:33). In Him, men have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10). In John 5:26, the Father is said to have given life to the Son. This has reference to His physical life only. Jesus’ eternality has always been.

2p-In the above, there is no place for syncretism or the blending of all faiths into one common belief for all mankind. This dark philosophy has captured most of the civilized religious world. Every effort is being made to ban the Name of Jesus from public prayers, schools, the halls of business concourse, and institutions of learning. It has become a crime to display the convicting authority of the Ten Commandments in public halls. Men marry men, and women marry women. We see radical Muslims defy organized social decency and rebellious students burn the American flag, but to call the Name of Jesus Christ at the invocation of a public event is to flirt with lawsuits, fines, or prison. The reason Bible Christianity is so viciously hated is because it is the one and only true faith for Adam’s fallen race. The millions who work tirelessly to blot it out are, in reality, fighting against God Almighty. Moreover, they, in time will learn this terrible lesson, too late. Jesus is not the better way, or the best way, He is the only way.

3p-Churches gone wild. Over the past thirty years or so, America has witnessed a profusion of Christian churches, religious movements, groups, organizations, bodies, sects, and cults suddenly appearing. Much of this phenomena slithered out of the hyper charismatic movements or the smooth talking, liberal ecumenical ministers and pastors. Within this religious circus, one often sees shadows of occult demonism in operation. Dark music, accompanied by high-pitched emotional jargon, dancing wildly, swinging, crawling over the floor, jumping amazing heights into the air, barking like dogs, and growling like animals, frequently accompanies these gymnastics. As with Pavlov’s dogs, certain musical beats induce a state of hypnotic passivity. The victim can then be manipulated into doing whatever the spirit or an open mind dictates. Men honestly seeking God often but unwittingly embrace this appealing darkness. Christless religions continually use His name, sing their songs, and give nice little lessons about life. The innocent newcomers are taught, The Bible does not lay down infallible rules for Christian living. Everyone does what he or she feels is right. In these churches, assemblies, and groups, one rarely hears about sin and its horrible wages, the damnation of hell, or the inscrutable holiness of Jehovah God. The Roman cross with a bloody, dying Savior, nailed there paying our sin debt is taboo. Personal know-so salvation by the shed blood of Christ on the cross is reinterpreted into individual preferences and choices. We hear that every religion is right as long as they are sincere. No bigger lie has ever been believed than this one! For explanation and demonstration of this vicious deception, embraced by millions of well meaning people, see Section 95, sixth paragraph of footnote r. The paragraph below is a classic illustration of this in the American ecumenical church scene. On the other side of this religious circus, we see the hard-bitten, Bible thumping, non compromising fundamentalists. Many of these people have convinced themselves that they have saved God’s work by their firm stance! Without them, there would be no voice for Christ in the world. However, amid their ranks, chaos often reigns and secret sins surface. With a King James Bible in hand, and a thousand killing legal rules to live by, some of these Christians have been caught in adultery, molestation, cheating on the wives and husbands, lying, breaking up homes, stealing money, arrested for child pornography, and a thousand other evils. It is time for judgment to begin at the house of God (1 Peter 4:17). Cheap confessions and false repentance of church people (during the revival meeting) has crippled the church, and angered God. Israel of old went this way. Finally, Jehovah declared, "For though thou wash with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD" (Jer. 2:22). In heaven, some awful marks have been put down against hypocritical, phony Christians, regardless of their church affiliations, playing like angels, while secretly living like the Devil. See also, Section 76, the second paragraph of footnote f, for more on the mess many churches are in and why,

4p-Robert Schuller. Satan is too clever to put all of his eggs into one basket. Miles apart from the wild charismatic groups with their heresies of seed faith, word of knowledge, positive thinking, name it, claim it, and healthy wealthy promises, stands the dignified liberal mega church with thousands in attendance. They are orderly, and calm, well dressed men of wealth, power, and prestige. Nevertheless, they are deceived just as much as the clamoring, noise making, and money grabbing people on the other side of the apostate spectrum. No better example of this is found than in the popular Dr. Robert Schuller, now retired. His church touches millions weekly via a worldwide ministry and mailing list of over one million. He has become the epitome of religious apostasy.

5p-Schuller wrote in, My Journey, page 502, I met once more with the Grand Mufti (Muslim), truly one of the Christ-honoring leaders of faith. . . He continued, That leaders of the major faiths will rise above doctrinal idiosyncrasies, choosing not to focus on disagreements, but rather to transcend divisive dogmas to work together to bring peace and prosperity and hope to the world. . . Earlier, on page 501, this ecumenical fox said, Standing before a crowd of devout Muslims, with the Grand Mufti, I know that we’re all doing God’s work together. Does Schuller know that Islam hates the deity, death, and resurrection of Christ? How ignorant and blind he is.

6p-Which religion is right? Ecumenical pluralism states that all religions finally lead to God. A companion to this lie is Postmortem Evangelism. It teaches that men will have the opportunity to believe in Christ after physical death! The Bible declares in 2 Tim. 1:1 that God’s promise of life is found in Christ. Eternal life and forgiveness are not the property of Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Roman Catholics, Church of Christ, Church of God, Pentecostal, or whatever. The church that Christ died for (Eph. 5:25) consists of every soul genuinely saved by the grace of God, regardless of what they belonged to on earth. Salvation from hell is the sole prerogative of Christ (Rom. 6:23). A man can belong to every religion or church on earth and die damned if he expires without being saved. In eternity, God will gather all His people together as one, forever (Eph. 1:10). The hallmark of every false cult is their claim to be right while declaring all others are wrong. Adam Clarke wrote that the Church of England was purest and nearest to the apostolical model in doctrine . . . See Clarke’s Commentary, vol. 5, page 724. What nonsense from such a great man! He should have written that Jesus Christ alone is right, not his church. All else is deceiving, and leads to hell. Those who present Him as the absolute truth are right; those who do not are wrong. No church, religion, or individual has a patent on the Son of God. His arms are open to all. Faith in His death for our sins and resurrection brings complete forgiveness and acceptance by God. Millions believe in Him as a good man, great teacher, and wise philosopher, but not to know Him as Lord and Savior is eternally fatal.

(f) Christ is not saying that His eleven apostles were not true disciples, rather, that at this point in their lives, they had not yet acquired complete and accurate knowledge about Him and His Father. Later, they knew the whole truth. They understood that when they looked upon Christ, they were looking upon God in human flesh, for He alone revealed the Father. With the coming of the Holy Spirit in fullness on Pentecost, these men were instantly understood the truth about Messiah and the Father. His Words, from henceforth ye know him, have reference to their complete understanding received with the fullness of the Spirit. Refer to footnote j below for more on this.

(g) Hast thou not known me?" This question was not from a sense of frustration but rather of hopeful and helpful interrogation. A measure of false religious darkness had veiled the minds of the apostles, who had been weaned on the oral traditions of the scribes and Pharisees and wrong interpretations of the great Torah Law. They acknowledged Jesus as Messiah, but being brainwashed by the teaching of a literal, physical, material kingdom with Messiah ruling the world, Christ reclining before them did not measure up to rabbinical standards.

2p-Verse 8. Lord, show us the Father. This was Philip’s request. He wanted the Jesus to show them God or suddenly make God appear! In verses 10-11, Christ pled with Philip to believe. After Pentecost, he not only believed but also understood what the Lord had told him in the upper room. Christ’s statement here does not contradict John 1:18 where we read, No man hath seen God at any time. John could only have been speaking of God in His totality apart from being veiled in human flesh, as He was in the Person of Jesus Christ.

3p-To see Christ was to see God. Men saw God manifested through the physical body of Christ, but have never seen Him in the fullness of His Majesty and power. Mortal eyes could not bear such a glorious sight!

(h) "Greater works than these." Christ changes the conversation to the subject of divine works, ascension, and answered prayer. This promise of greater works being done seems to have a peculiar reference to the eleven apostles, the apostle Paul, and others unnamed in sacred history. It cannot be understood as occurring in the life of every believer over the past two thousand years. No one has ever done greater works than Christ has. When we note the countless thousands that those early believers reached for Christ in their missionary efforts, the fantastic things they did, and how their original endeavors have marched over the past two thousand years to this present hour, then our Lord’s Words are better understood. Some think Jesus meant greater in quantity but not in quality. In quality of works it was said of Christ, He hath done all things well (Mk. 7:37). Of no Christian at any time in history can this be said. The book of Acts covers about the first thirty years of church history, but only carries a few of the events that occurred among the early Christians during this time. If it were all recorded, we would have thousands of books to study filled with the most amazing things. The works of the first believers were not confined to healings alone. For more on this refer, to Section 207, second paragraph of footnote i.

2p-Verse 12. He speaks of going to the Father. Because of His place at the right hand of God, ever making intercession, prayer takes on a new dimension and outreach. Now, we may talk to Him in prayer about anything or whatsoever as the verse reads. The One representing the eleven then, and us today, before the Father was tempted in all points as we are, yet emerged victorious over it all! He had stepped (as it were) into our shoes and felt our sorrows and pains. He is now the merciful and faithful high priest; He understands our pain for it had raged in His human frame long before it did in ours. See Section 207, for Christ enthroned as priest-king at the right hand of God.

3p-Verse 13. Get anything we want? Extremists so abundant in the church today, point to these words as proof that God will give us anything we ask for in prayer, as long as we believe. However, verse 13 is qualified by the words, that the Father may be gloried in the Son. In other words, if the answering of our prayers does not glorify Christ in God, they will not be answered! All prayer, for whatever reason, must be first funneled through 1 John 5:14-15. For more on this subject, note Section 149, Matt. 21:22, second paragraph of footnote g.

(i) Our Lord was instructing the apostles to keep what He had just commanded them regarding prayer and God’s will. This statement has nothing to do with keeping the Ten Commandments as the law cults and some Messianic Jews are so quick to point out. A few breaths later, He said a similar thing in verse 21, then in verse 24, summed it all up as my sayings. See number l under footnote m below. Note John 15:10, where the Lord Jesus said something like this about keeping His commandments or His Word. This is not the Ten Commandments.

(j) Another Comforter forever. Among the many names and titles, the ancient Jews gave Messiah was Menahem or Comforter. This is found in the Talmud tractate, Sanhedrin 98b. In using the word another, our Lord is confirming this rabbinical teaching. He had been their sole Comforter. He had just stated that He was equal with God, was going to prepare a place for them, that He was the way, the truth, and life in all things regarding the Father. Therefore, that if they wanted to know what God was like, look at Him. He assured them that answered prayer was guaranteed, if it glorified the Father. He would ask the Father to send someone to take His place among the little flock of eleven apostles. And that would be the Holy Spirit. The priceless gift of the Son was followed up by the gift of the Holy Spirit. We must not think less of the Spirit, as though He came in second place! We cannot honor the Savior by giving to the Holy Spirit a disproportionate place. We grieve Him when we neglect Him. Christ’s prayer for the Spirit does not mean that He had not previously been a part of their lives. Almost two years earlier, when He sent them across Galilee they preached by the power of the Spirit in them (Matt. 10:20). We read, If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his (Rom. 8:9). See Section 10, Lk. 1:41, footnote b, for a survey of the Holy Spirit across Old Testament history. Now, He would come in absolute fullness and power, something obviously unknown to them. The coming fullness of the Spirit depended on the death and resurrection or glorification of Jesus. This is stated in John 7:39, with 12:`16 and 23.

2p-Verse 17. "Even the Spirit of truth." At this time, the whole world lay in the chains of religious falsehood, error, through the dark thralls of paganism. The entire Gentile world was bound by the demons of delusion; the Jews were mostly cheats, imposters, and hypocrites having rejected their Messiah. Amid this horror, the Spirit of truth comes, to enlighten, direct, lead, and show men salvation and genuine hope. As Christ was the truth, so now they will have the bonus of the Spirit of this truth dwelling with and in them (Eph. 3:16). The unsaved world cannot comprehend this fact. Earlier, the Savior said that this world hated Him (John 7:7 with 8:23).

3p-Verse 18. I will not leave you comfortless. Repeatedly, our Lord tries to console the troubled hearts of His eleven apostles over His leaving them. He also came after His resurrection and appeared various times, working to convince them that He had risen from the dead. This is explained beginning with Section 195. He did come to them at Pentecost in the Person of the Holy Spirit. See the first paragraph of this footnote j above.

(k) Yet a little while. That is, for the next few hours of that night and during the morning watch, He would be seen by the unbelievers. After His death, they would see Him no more. But ye [apostles] see me. We note in Acts 1:3, there is an introduction of His several post resurrection appearances during forty days and nights in which the risen Christ revealed Himself to His disciples only (Acts 10:40-43). For details, see Section 207.

2p-Verse 20. During those forty days and nights, they would begin to understand that He was God, as stated in verse 10 of this upper room lesson.

3p-Verse 21. This is simply an addition to what He had just said in verse 15. Here, see footnote i above for explanation of this statement.

(l) "Lord, how is it. . .? Thomas put his question in verse 5 and Philip spoke his request in verse 8. Here, Judas (not the traitor) speaks up with his own inquiry. This question reveals that Judas had listened intently to Christ’s Words in verse 21, that He would manifest himself to them. Judas wants to know how this will be done.

(m) The answer of Christ is unique. He informs Judas and the others how both, He and the Father will make themselves known to them. Note the following:

Verse 23. Those who love Christ will keep His Words or instructions. Honoring Christ by loving obedience to His Word will bring the love of God upon one’s life, and both Christ and God will dwell with this kind of believer. The instructions, commandments, or teachings of Christ are recorded in the New Testament, especially the four gospels. In verse 24 our Lord makes it clear that His Words were not invented or thought up by Himself, rather they are what God told Him to teach those who are in His new kingdom-church. See footnote i above.

Verse 24. It is the exact opposite with the unsaved of this world. They do not, indeed cannot rightly love God until their hearts have been changed by the miracle of the new birth. With this, the Holy Spirit comes and dwells or lives in their inner being or soul (Eph. 3:16) and defuses true love in their hearts (Rom. 5:5). Hence, the reason they cannot hear God’s Word, much less keep it. How pitiful to see unsaved men and women struggling to obey Holy Scripture when they have never been changed inside by genuine conversion to Christ. A worm cannot fly like the bird because it is a worm!

Verse 25. I am here with you, and you have heard Me say these things. However, men are prone to forget divine truth or let it slip. The Spirit would make up what is lacking in their lives when Jesus was gone.

(n) Bring all things to your remembrance. This is often misinterpreted and thus misapplied. The promise of infinite and total divine knowledge was first, foremost, and exclusively for the apostles. It was not intended for Christians in general over-all church history. We hear it abused to justify the most absurd claims. The gift of the Spirit is the earnest of all born again believers, but the supreme knowledge of the things of God and Christ are not. The deranged David Koresh of Waco, Texas, pointed his deceived followers to John 14:26 as his source of special insight and infallible understanding of Scriptures. Hundreds followed this mad man (daring not to question anything) into a burning inferno that slammed them into eternity! We have noted numerous times in this harmony commentary how the apostles were continually baffled and confused at the teachings of Christ. He