September 11, 2023
Genuine Identity In Christ
“Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, ‘Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us and not to the world?’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.’” John 14:22-24 (NASB)
In our church, the staff has meetings on Tuesday mornings each week. As we spend time going through the weekly events, each staff member is asked if they have anything to share. Funny enough, since my arrival on staff, there are now three people named Mark on staff. As our Pastor (Bro. Mark) leads the meeting, he differentiates between each of us. One is spelled “Mark,” while the other is spelled “Marc.” The pastor differentiates by saying Mark, with a “K,” or Marc, with a “C.” This avoids confusion while speaking to each person at the table. John, in this passage, is using the same method, except none of us on staff are traitors to Jesus Christ!
“Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, ‘Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us and not to the world?” John is careful to be clear about the identity of Judas in this passage. This Judas is the son of James (Luke 6:16). In other passages, he is also called Thaddeus. MacArthur adds, “… some manuscripts add a third name, Lebbaeus.”[1] The question Judas’ asked is legitimate, “What then has happened to that You are going to disclose Yourself to us and not to the world?” “After all, Jesus was the Savior of the world (John 4:42); the rightful heir of the earth (Heb. 1:2); the King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Rev. 19:16). The good news of the forgiveness and salvation that He brought was to be proclaimed throughout the whole world (Matt. 28:19). Why then, Judas wondered, was Jesus not going to make Himself known to everyone? … this is the third time in this section (cf. vv. 15, 21) that Christ linked obedience with a genuine love for Him (cf. 1 Peter 1:1-2, the Father.”[2] “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.” Blum simplistically says, “Jesus answered that He and the Father will not manifest themselves to those who are disobedient to His teaching. Obedience grows out of love for Jesus and His Word (cf. vv. 15, 21; 1 John 2:3; 3:22, 24; 5:3). And as a result, the Father and the Son abide (make Our home) with him. “Home” is monēn, the singular of plural monai, translated as “rooms” in John 14:2. This word occurs in the New Testament only in those two verses. To rebel against Jesus’ word is to rebel against God the Father who sent Him. Jesus’ words were not His own, as He had said previously (12:49; 14:10).”[3]Jesus’ promise; all who come to Him will be loved by the Father.
I am so thankful to serve each week with such a dedicated group of men and women in our church. Their uncompromising love for the Lord Jesus Christ, and His body is a rarity today. I have seen other churches that don’t have this spirit of unity. I know this as a fact. Those I serve with each week, love Jesus and the Father, through the abiding Spirit of God each week.
[1] (John MacArthur, 2006), 118.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Blum, E. A. (1985). John. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 324). Victor Books.