Jesus' Teachings from John (Table of Contents)

Jesus' complete statements (NIV) are linked from this list:

John 1:37-39 - "What do you want?" ...
John 1:42 - "You are Simon son of John ..."
John 1:47-50 - "Here truly is an Israelite ..."
John 2:4-8 - "Dear woman, why do you involve me?"
John 2:16 - "How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!"
John 2:19 - "Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days."
John 3:03 - "no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
John 3:05-8 - "Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit ..."
John 3:10-15 - "You are Israel's teacher, and do you not understand these things?"
John 3:16-21 - "For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son ..."
John 4:07-14 - "Will you give me a drink?"
John 4:16 - "Go, call your husband and come back ..."
John 4:17-18 - "You are right when you say you have no husband ..."
John 4:21-24 - "God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth."
John 4:26 - "I who speak to you am he ..."
John 4:32 - "I have food to eat that you know nothing about ..."
John 4:34 - "My food is to do the will of Him who sent me ..."
John 4:35-38 - "Do you not say, 'Four months more and then the harvest'?"
John 4:48-49 - "Unless you people see miraculous signs ... "
John 5:06-14 - "Do you want to get well?"
John 5:17 - "My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I, too, am working ..."
John 5:19 - " ... the Son can do nothing by himself ..."
John 5:20 - "For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does ..."
John 5:21 - "God’s son gives life to whom He is pleased to give it ..."
John 5:22-23 - "Moreover, the Father judges no one ..."
John 5:24 - "Whoever hears and believes in God ..."
John 5:25 - "Those who hear will live ..."
John 5:26 - "For as the Father has life in Himself ..."
John 5:27 - "And He has given him authority to judge ..."
John 5:28-29 - "all will hear His voice"
John 5:30 - "By myself I can do nothing ..."
John 5:31-32 - "If I testify about myself my testimony is not true."
John 5:33-34 - "You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth ...."
John 5:35-36 - "John was a lamp ..."
John 5:37-38 - “And the Father who sent me has Himself testified concerning me."
John 5:39-40 - "You study the scriptures diligently ..."
John 5:41-44 - "I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts."
John 5:45-47 - "Your accuser is Moses ..."
John 6:5-12 - “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat? ..."
John 6:20 - “It is I; Don’t be afraid.”
John 6:26-27 - “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life”
John 6:29 - "The work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent ..."
John 6:32 - God gives bread from heaven ..."
John 6:35-37 - "I am the bread of life ..."
John 6:38-40 - "to do the will of Him who sent me ..."
John 6:43-51 - "No one can come to me unless" ..."
John 6:53-59 - "but he who feeds on this bread will live forever ..."
John 6:61-65 - "the flesh counts for nothing ..."
John 6:67-70 - "You do not want to leave too, do you?"
John 7:6-8 - "My time is not yet here ..."
John 7:16 - "My teaching is not my own ..."
John 7:17-19 - "Anyone who chooses to do the will of God ..."
John 7:21-24 - "I did one miracle and you are all amazed ..."
John 7:28-29 - "I am not here on my own, but He who sent me is true."
John 7:33-34 - "I am with you only for a short time ..."
John 7:37-38 - "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me ..."
John 8:7 - "Let someone without sin throw the first stone ..."
John 8:10-11 - "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
John 8:12 - "I am the light of the world ..."
John 8:14-18 - "I stand with the Father, Who sent me ..."
John 8:19 - "If you knew me, you would know my Father also ..."
John 8:21 - "I am going away. Where I go, you cannot come ..."
John 8:23-24 - "You are from below; I am from above ..."
John 8:25-26 - "But He Who sent me is reliable, and what I have heard from Him ..."
John 8:28-29 - "I do nothing on my own ..."
John 8:31-32 - "If you hold onto my teaching ..."
John 8:34-38 - "I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence ..."
John 8:39-41 - "If you were Abraham's children" ..."
John 8:42-43 - "If God were your Father ..."
John 8:44-47 - "You belong to your father the devil ..."
John 8:49-51 - "but I honor my Father ..."
John 8:54-56 - "If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing ..."
John 8:58 - "Before Abraham was born" ..."
John 9:1-3 - "Neither this man nor his parents sinned ..."
John 9:04 - "we must do the works of Him who sent me ..."
John 9:5 - "I am the light of the world ..."
John 9:35 - "Do you believe in the son of man?"
John 9:37 - "You have now seen him ..."
John 9:39 - "For judgment I have come into this world ..."
John 9:41 - "If you were blind you would not be guilty ..."
John 10:1-5 - "The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep ..."
John 10:7-10 - "I am the gate for the sheep"
John 10:11-13 - "I am the good shepherd ..."
John 10:14-15 - "I know my sheep ..."
John 10:16-18 - "I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen ..."
John 10:25-29 - "The works I do in my Father's name ..."
John 10:30 - "I and the Father are one ..."
John 10:32 - "For which of these do you stone me?"
John 10:34-36 - "Is it not written in your Law ..."
John 10:37-38 - "Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father ..."
John 11:4 - "it is for God's glory ..."
John 11:9-10 - "Anyone who walks in the daytime ..."
John 11:11-15 - "Lazaras has fallen asleep ..."
John 11:23 - "Your brother will rise again ..."
John 11:25-26 - "I am the resurrection and the life ..."
John 11:33-40 - "Where have you laid him?"
John 11:41-43 - "Father, I thank You that You have heard me ..."
John 12:07-8 - "You will always have the poor among you ..."
John 12:23-25 - "The man who loves his life will lose it ..."
John 12:26 - "My Father will honor the one who serves me."
John 12:27-28 - "Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me ..."
John 12:30 - "This voice was for your benefit not mine ..."
John 12:31 - "Now is the time for judgment on this world ..."
John 12:32 - "when I am lifted up from the earth ..."
John 12:35-36 - "Walk while you have the light ..."
John 12:44 - "Whoever believes in me does not believe in me only ..."
John 12:45 -"The one who looks at me is seeing the One who sent me."
John 12:46 - "I have come into the world as a light ..."
John 12:47 - "If anyone hears my words but does not keep them ..."
John 12:48-49 - "There is a judge for the one who rejects me ..."
John 12:50 - "So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say."
John 13:7 - "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later ..."
John 13:8 - "Unless I wash you you have no part with me ..."
John 13:10 - "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet ..."
John 13:12-15 - "Do you understand what I have done for you?"
John 13:16 - "Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master ..."
John 13:17 - "Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."
John 13:18 - "I know those I have chosen"
John 13:19-20 - "" ... whoever accepts me accepts the One who sent me."

John 13:21 - "one of you is going to betray me."
John 13:26 - " ...one of you is going to betray me."
John 13:27 - "What you are about to do, do quickly."
John 13:31-32 - "Now the son of man is glorified and God is glorified in him ...."
John 13:33 - "I will be with you only a little longer ..."
John 13:34-35 - "Love one another. As I have loved you ..."
John 13:36 - "Where I am going, you cannot follow now ..."
John 13:38 - "Will you really lay down your life for me?"
John 14:1 - "Do not let your hearts be troubled ..."
John 14:2-4 - "My Father's house has many rooms ..."
John 14:6 - "I am the way and the truth and the life ..."
John 14:7 - "If you really knew me, you would know my Father ..."
John 14:9-12 - "Don"t you know me, Philip ..."
John 14:13-14 - 'so that the Father may be glorified ..."
John 14:15 - "If you love me, keep my commands ..."
John 14:16-17 - "He will give you another advocate ..."
John 14:18 - "I will not leave you as orphans ..."
John 14:19-21 - "Before long, the world will not see me anymore ..."
John 14:23 - "Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching ..."
John 14:24 - "These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me ..."
John 14:25-26 - "the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you"
John 14:27 - "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you"
John 14:28-29 - "I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me ..."
John 14:30-31 - "the prince of this world is coming"
John 15:1-2 - "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener"
John 15:3 - "You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you ..."
John 15:4-5 - "Remain in me, as I also remain in you ..."
John 15:6-8 - "If you do not remain in me ..."
John 15:9-10 - "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you ..."
John 15:11 - "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you ..."
John 15:12-13 - "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you ..."
John 15:14-15 - "You are my friends if you do what I command ..."
John 15:16 - 'so that you might go and bear fruit ..."
John 15:17 - "This is my command: Love each other ..."
John 15:18-19 - "If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first ..."
John 15:20-21- "A servant is not greater than his master ..."
John 15:22 - "now they have no excuse for their sin ..."
John 15:23-24 - "Whoever hates me hates my Father as well ..."
John 15:25 - "They hated me without reason ..."
John 15:26-27 - "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father ..."
John 16:1 - "All this I have told you, so that you will not fall away ..."
John 16:2-3 - "They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me."
John 16:4-5 - "Now I am going to Him who sent me ..."
John 16:6-7 - "Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you ..."
John 16:8-11 - "he will prove the world to be in the wrong ..."
John 16:12-13 - "when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you ..."
John 16:14 - "it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you ..."
John 16:15 - "All that belongs to the Father is mine ..."
John 16:16 - "In a little while you will see me no more ..."
John 16:19-23 - "you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices ..."
John 16:24 - "Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete ..."
John 16:25 - "Though I have been speaking figuratively, a time is coming ..."
John 16:26-27 - "I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf ..."
John 16:28 - "now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father ..."
John 16:31 - "Do you now believe?"
John 16:32 - "you will be scattered, each to your own home ..."
John 16:33 - "In this world you will have trouble ..."
John 17:1 - "Father, the hour has come ..."
John 17:2 - "that he might give eternal life to all those You have given him ..."
John 17:3 - "Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God ..."
John 17:4 - "I have brought You glory on earth by finishing the work You gave me to do ..."
John 17:5 - "glorify me in Your presence ..."
John 17:6 - "I have revealed You to those whom you gave me out of the world ..."
John 17:7 - "everything You have given me comes from You ..."
John 17:8 - "I gave them the words You gave me ..."
John 17:9 - "I pray for them ..."
John 17:10 - "All I have is Yours ..."
John 17:11 - "I will remain in the world no longer ..."
John 17:12 - "While I was with them, I protected them ..."
John 17:13 - "I am coming to You now ..."
John 17:14 - "I have given them Your word ..."
John 17:15 - "My prayer is not that You take them out of the world but that You protect them ..."
John 17:16 - "They are not of the world, even as I am not of it ..."
John 17:17 - 'sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth ..."
John 17:18 - "As You sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world ..."
John 17:19 - "For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified ..."
John 17:20-21 - "My prayer is not for them alone ..."
John 17:22-23 - "I have given them the glory that you gave me ..."
John 17:24 - "Father, I want those you have given me to be with me ..."
John 17:25 - "Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you ..."
John 17:26 - "I have made You known to them ..."
John 18:4-8 - "I told you that I am he. If you are looking for me, then let these men go."
John 18:11 - "Put your sword away! ..."
John 18:20 - "I have spoken openly to the world ..."
John 18:21 - "Why question me? Ask those who heard me ..."
John 18:23 - "If I said something wrong, testify as to what is wrong ..."
John 18:34 - "Is that your own idea ..."
John 18:36 - "My kingdom is not of this world ..."
John 18:37 - "the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth ..."
John 19:11 - "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above ..."
John 19:26-27 - "Woman, here is your son ..."
John 19:28 - "I am thirsty."
John 19:30 - "It is finished."
John 20:15 - "Woman, why are you crying?"
John 20:17 - "Do not hold on to me ..."
John 20:21 - As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."
John 20:22 - "Receive the Holy Spirit ..."
John 20:23 - "If you forgive anyone's sins ..."
John 20:27 - "Put your finger here ..."
John 20:29 - " ... blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
John 21:05-6 - "Friends, haven"t you any fish?"
John 21:15 - 'Simon son of John, do you love me more ..."
John 21:16-17 - "Do you love me?"
John 21:18-19 - "when you were younger ..."
John 21:22 - "If I want him to remain alive until I return ..."

"What do you want?" "Come, and you will see." (John 1:37-39)

The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!" When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?" They said, "Rabbi" (which means "Teacher"), "where are you staying?" "Come," he replied, "and you will see." So they went and saw where he was staying, and they spent that day with him. It was about four in the afternoon. (John 1:35-39)

Why were they so interested in where Jesus was staying?

Jesus is responding to two of John the Baptist’s disciples, who asked:

"Rabbi, where are you staying?" (John 1:38).

After being asked this, Jesus wants to show these disciples of John where he is staying. He is being completely upfront. He has nothing to hide from them. So he invites them to come with him and see for themselves where he was staying.

But why were these disciples of John so interested in Jesus all of a sudden? It is because John the Baptist - their spiritual teacher - told his two students:

“Look, the Lamb of God!” (John 1:36)

What does 'Lamb of God' mean?

This is a very practical statement. What is a “lamb” of someone else? A lamb is a subservient animal - one who defers to the herder. This is, in other words, an analogy. 'Lamb of God' is describing one who is humbly devoted to the Supreme Being.

This is not how many people like to translate the word lamb. They like to think of lamb as an animal that gets slaughtered because they slaughter lambs and eat them. 

However, we know that John the Baptist did not eat lamb:

His food was locusts and wild honey. (Matt. 3:4)

Was John the Baptist a vegetarian?

"Locusts" - from the Greek word ἀκρίς (akris) - does not refer to the insect, but rather, to the pods of the locust tree - which contain the carob bean. (They were called 'locusts' because the shape of the pods resembled the appearance of the locust insect - giving rise to the term, "locust tree.")

We also know from descriptions of Jesus, that Jesus did not eat red meat. Thus we can understand that when Jesus' teacher, John the Baptist, referred to Jesus as the "lamb of God" he was not referring to Jesus being slaughtered. John was referring to Jesus as being someone who was devoted to the Supreme Being.

Jesus also referred to himself this way later:

"For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of Him who sent me." (John 6:38)

In other words, a lamb of God would be someone who was completely subservient to God, and willing to sacrifice everything on behalf of God. So describing Jesus as the "lamb of God" meant to describe Jesus as the humble, loving servant of God, who had given his life to the Supreme Being.

What does 'taking away the sin of the world' mean?

The day before, John also said:

"Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)

Was this referring to Jesus’ dying on the cross for our sins, as many among professional sectarian teachers have proclaimed?

What is "sin"? According to scripture, sin is acting in a way that goes against the will of the Supreme Being. Consider what God's will is, as taught by Moses and Jesus:

“ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matt. 22:37-40)

Sinning is the opposite consciousness of loving the Supreme Being - sinning requires a self-centered consciousness. Sinning is to harm others, thus acting in a way that is not pleasing to the Supreme Being. Since what is pleasing to God is to love others, sinning is diametrically opposed to this - harming others.

Do we have to love ourselves before we can love others?

Some have twisted Jesus' instruction to "Love your neighbor as yourself." to mean we must love ourselves first before we can love others.

This is preposterous because if we are loving ourselves, we cannot follow the initial instruction, to "‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' " If we are loving God with all our heart, that contradicts loving ourselves first.

The very phrases, "with all your heart" and "with all your soul" and "with all your mind" necessarily negate loving oneself first. They quite certainly mean loving the Supreme Being first.

Did God make Jesus suffer for everyone's sins?

The doctrine that many sectarian institutions embrace says this very thing: That Jesus died for everyone's sins.

If we accept this, we must also accept that Jesus died not only for the sins of billions and billions of people who lived before him. But he was also dying for everyone who would sin after he was crucified. How does that work?

The sins of people today were not even conceived 2,000 years ago. How could Jesus have died for those sins? How would he have paid for the sins of the future when he was murdered 2,000 years ago?

This impractical doctrine also comes with another element, which many sectarian teachers also promulgate: That the Supreme Being sanctioned Jesus dying for everyone's sins.

Such a doctrine comes with two problems:

1) It would mean that God arranged to have Jesus murdered and tortured on the cross.

2) It would mean that no one past or future has any consequences for sins.

The second assumption would mean that we can do anything that we want and Jesus will suffer(ed) for it. It means there is no consequence for harming someone else - we can just do whatever we want because Jesus already suffered the consequences.

The first assumption would mean that the Supreme Being would arrange to have His beloved son tortured. What kind of God is that? Is that the kind of God that we could love as Jesus taught?

Why would God need Jesus to suffer to forgive our sins?

If God was truly all-powerful, why would He need to make His servant suffer on a cross to remove people's sins? Does God need to follow some sort of ritual sacrifice in order to do something?

God can remove someone's sins simply by willing it. This is why Jesus taught his students to ask God for forgiveness for their sins in the Lord's Prayer:

He said to them, "When you pray, say:" 'Father, hallowed be Your Name, Your kingdom come.Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us." (Luke 11:2-4)

Why did Jesus teach his students to ask God (Father) for forgiveness if all they had to do is wait for his crucifixion?

The fact is, this notion of the murder of Jesus' physical body being some sort of sacrifice for our sins so that we can go on sinning and wiping our sins off on Jesus is a hoax. It is a teaching intended to gain followers by making purification cheap and easy. There is no need for a change of heart (repenting). Jesus made a clear statement about such teachings along with those who teach them:

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'" (Luke 7:21-23)

Rather, the manner in which Jesus can take away sins is accomplished by his teachings and his example. By teaching us to love and serve God, and by showing us how to love and serve God ("does the will of my Father") Jesus could effectively remove the sins of those who followed him. How so? By changing their hearts. By convincing them to give their lives to the Supreme Being.

How can our sinful nature be purified?

Sins are not removed by some magic trick. It is not a passive act. The Supreme Being does not remove the consequences of self-centered activity on a whim. The consequences of self-centered activities are part of the Supreme Being's system of learning within the physical world. Without consequences, we would continue our self-centeredness with no hope of having a change of heart.

But should we begin to learn the lessons borne of consequences, and approach the Supreme Being humbly, asking for forgiveness while being prepared to forgive any offenses others make against us, the Supreme Being forgives our past sinful nature. This is Jesus' teaching, as evidenced by Jesus' request to turn to God and pray to Him:

"Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us." (Luke 11:4)

"You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas." (John 1:42)

Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, was one of the two who heard what John had said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, "We have found the Messiah" (that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas" (which, when translated, is Peter). (John 1:40-43)

What is Jesus doing with Peter?

Jesus is taking Peter as his disciple - naming him Cephas. This word means, "like a stone."

Just as John the Baptist took on Jesus as his disciple, Jesus took on Peter as his disciple. And just as John took on other students and disciples, Jesus also followed in his footsteps and took on other followers and disciples. This is a long-honored tradition among saintly teachers, and the basis for passing on the teachings of love for God.

Confirming this, we find practically every saint and prophet became a student under a saintly teacher. In some cases, the teacher was the father of the student. In other cases, a priest anointed the student:

"[God speaking]Anoint them just as you anointed their father, so they may serve Me as priests. Their anointing will be to a priesthood that will continue throughout their generations.” (Exodus 40:15)

This lineage of priests and their students becoming priests has continued through the centuries. In the case of David and Solomon, we also know that David requested the priest Zadok and Nathan the prophet to take Solomon to Gihon. What happened in Gihon? The Old Testament says:

So Zadok the priest, Nathan the prophet, Benaiah son of Jehoiada, the Kerethites and the Pelethites went down and put Solomon on King David's mule and escorted him to Gihon. Zadok the priest took the horn of oil from the sacred tent and anointed Solomon. (1 Kings 38-39)

What is anointing?

The presumption was that the "anointing" was merely the appointment of Solomon as king. Why would a priest have to do this, however? Why couldn't David simply just select Solomon and be done with it?

We also see this same "anointing" is considered in the book of Samuel, as it applies to Samuel and David:

Samuel did what the LORD said. When he arrived at Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled when they met him. They asked, "Do you come in peace?"
Samuel replied, "Yes, in peace; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come to the sacrifice with me." Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.
When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and thought, "Surely the LORD's anointed stands here before the LORD."
But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
Then Jesse called Abinadab and had him pass in front of Samuel. But Samuel said, "The LORD has not chosen this one either." Jesse then had Shammah pass by, but Samuel said, "Nor has the LORD chosen this one." Jesse had seven of his sons pass before Samuel, but Samuel said to him, "The LORD has not chosen these." So he asked Jesse, "Are these all the sons you have?"
"There is still the youngest," Jesse answered, "but he is tending the sheep."
Samuel said, "Send for him; we will not sit down until he arrives."
So he sent and had him brought in. He was ruddy, with a fine appearance and handsome features.
Then the LORD said, "Rise and anoint him; he is the one."
So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the LORD came upon David in power. Samuel then went to Ramah.(1 Samuel 16:1-13)

So we can see from this discussion that "anointing" was not simply the choosing of a king. The anointing process was taking place between one of God's loving servants (in this case, Samuel, who did the will of God) and someone that God has chosen to be anointed. Notice that after the anointing, "the Spirit of the Lord came upon David."

In other words, the "anointing" process was not the choosing of a king, but a ceremony that represented God's selection of one of His representatives. Note also that David was Jesse's son. Who was Samuel? David's spiritual teacher.

We can see the same tradition of teacher to student with respect to Samuel in the Old Testament:

The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions. One night Eli, whose eyes were becoming so weak that he could barely see, was lying down in his usual place. The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was. Then the LORD called Samuel. Samuel answered, "Here I am." And he ran to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me." But Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." So he went and lay down. Again the LORD called, "Samuel!" And Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."
"My son," Eli said, "I did not call; go back and lie down." Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD : The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. The LORD called Samuel a third time, and Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, "Here I am; you called me."
Then Eli realized that the LORD was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, "Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.' " So Samuel went and lay down in his place. The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening."(1 Samuel 3:1-10)

So again we see here that Samuel had a spiritual guide and teacher, Eli, and "he ministered before the LORD under Eli". This illustrates the process of learning under a teacher and servant of God, as the path towards establishing our own relationship with God.

Is this a succession of teachers?

Notice also how Eli called Samuel "son" even though Samuel was not actually his genetic offspring. Samuel was Eli's student.

This tradition continued throughout the Old Testament, even to Jesus' day. When John the Baptist hesitated to baptize ("anoint") Jesus, Jesus said:

“Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” (Matt 3:15)

Remember that Jesus also took on disciples.

This indicates a continuation of the process of handing down God's message from teacher to student. It is the process that God has empowered, because God enables us to come to know Him through His loving servants. This process concludes in the student also following in the footsteps of his teacher, and working to pass on God's message just as his teacher did.

This is the process that is empowered by the Supreme Being. It is a succession or lineage of teachers, passing on the Truth from one generation to the next.

"Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit....." (John 1:47-50)

When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit."
"How do you know me?" Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, "I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you."
Then Nathanael declared, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel."
Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that."(John 1:47-50)

Was Jesus the 'king of Israel'?

the word "king" here is translated from the Greek word βασιλεύς (basileus). According to Strong's lexicon, this word can mean "leader of the people," or "prince," or "commander," or "lord of the land." It can also mean "king."

Obviously, Jesus was not a king in the common sense of the word. Jesus held no legal governmental authority that could have attributed the word "king" to him.

The word “king” here is thus a mistranslation. The better translation is “leader,” as taken from the lexicon. This would fit the circumstances of the situation and the English language.

Interestingly, the word "Israel" here may not mean a region or country as it does today. This Hebrew word means, literally, "he shall be a prince of God." This name was given by God to Jacob, and it is assumed that this is a character identifier rather than a common name.

While "leader of Israel" is an appropriate translation, one could certainly make the case that what Nathaniel was describing Jesus as also representing the lineage of Israel - referring to those who love and serve God.

What does 'Son of God' mean?

Now let's consider Nathanael's statement regarding being the Son of God, and then afterward, Jesus' own use of the word "son" in the context of "Son of Man":

Here the Greek word that has been translated to “son” is υἱός (huios). This may indicate a relationship of offspring in the limited sense of the physical body, but it is more appropriately defined, as taken from the Greek lexicon, to mean "one who depends on another or is his follower."

Furthermore, the Greek word that has been translated to "man" is ἀνθρώπου, which can mean "man" but can also mean "humankind," "people" or "humanity."

Thus, within the context of the self-reference of υἱὸς τοῦ [of] ἀνθρώπου, the more appropriate translation would be something like:

"servant of humanity" or "servant of the people"

We find this alternative use for the word "son" throughout the scriptures For example, we see this use of the word "son" as follower or servant in this text spoken by Eli to his student, Samuel:

“My son,” Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” (1 Samuel 3:6)

"Son" is also the wrong translation used in connection with υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ or "Son of God." Let's consider how the term "Son of God" is used in the larger context:

...the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. (Genesis 6:2)

The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.(Genesis 6:3-5)

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." (Jesus, Matthew 5:8-10)

...because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. (Romans 8:13-15)

The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. (Romans 8:18-20)

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:25-27)

We can see by these statements that the use of the "Son of God" is much broader than simply Jesus being the only Son of God. We are certainly seeing this among Jesus' disciples as well.

Are we saying that God can only have one son? Are we saying that God is now impotent since He had His one son and no one else?

Certainly, this is ridiculous. God has innumerable children. He has directly created each of us. It is not as if, as the politically-driven Synod of Nicea - assembled by emperor Constantine in the fourth century as part of his effort to control Europe and the middle east through the control of the Christian church - Jesus is the only begotten Son of God while we are all indirect sons of God. This is preposterous. We are all children of God.

Rather, as we can see from the use of the phrase "sons of God" in the texts above, the word "son" was used to signify a loving servant of God: Someone who has, out of freedom of choice and love, given their life to God. The "Son of God" is someone who has dedicated their life to God.

While we find many references to "Son of God" in the Bible that many sectarian teachings have singled out Jesus as the only Son of God.

In reality, this reference is describing a particular role or position, not one single person. When the prophets in the Old Testament refer to a coming "Son of God" they are referring to someone who will take on the role of loving servant of God and become God's representative.

This might be compared to the word "ambassador." While we might refer to someone in particular as "ambassador," we will also refer to the duties of a person in that role in general. A person might say, "the ambassador will represent the president of the United States and all of the people of the United States." This would be a correct statement that could be applied to a particular person who is currently holding that office, as well as any other future person who may hold that office in the future.

But if someone says, "there will only be one ambassador," well that is another story altogether. What about those who served as ambassadors of the U.S. before this particular ambassador? How about those who will succeed the ambassador currently holding office?

This is the same misconstruction that has happened within the sectarian world. Because of a combination of two things:

1) The desire of emperors, popes and bishops (and other sect and church leaders) to control the people and thus declare that Jesus was the only Son of God (i.e., if there were others, they would lose their control)

2) Those not becoming servants of God themselves. Because they did not follow Jesus and surrender their lives to God and become the loving servants of God, they instead took on this falsehood of just proclaiming Jesus as the Son of God and then supposedly being saved by Jesus (salvationism - a selfish desire that has nothing to do with serving God).

We can see this also in Acts, where Jesus is described as God's servant, yet it is translated to "Son of God" in the King James version. In the New International Version, it has been translated correctly:

The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus. (Acts 3:13)

Here the Greek παῖς or ‘pais’ better translates to "servant" than "son."

The combination of these two elements has created this misconstruction of the notion of Jesus as the only Son of God. In fact, we are talking about Jesus being the loving servant of God. And as he says above in Matthew 5:8-10, we can all become sons of God simply by following Jesus' instructions, the first and most important being:

" 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment." (Matt. 22:37-38)

What is a better word instead of son then?

When most people hear the word "son" they conjure up a male offspring. Sometimes a supervisor or older person might also greet a younger man as "son." But this is quite rare compared to the typical application of the word "son" in modern English.

From a spiritual context, this creates quite a bit of confusion because a son is typically a physical offspring. When we try to apply this term applied to the physical body to a spiritual context things get confusing.

Now let's consider the true meaning of the words being translated to "son" in 'Son of God' and 'Son of Man.' What the heck is a "Son of Man"? Does this make any sense?

Remember the translation of υἱός (huios) to "follower" or "loving servant." This also applies to the meaning of “Son of Man.” The use of "man" is not a single "man" here. It is not one man, but men in general. In other words, mankind, or humanity.

Here Jesus is describing himself as a “servant of mankind” or a servant of humanity. In other words, he feels that he has come to serve people by bringing them the teachings of God. This is certainly the highest service, as Jesus is practicing the second greatest commandment:

"And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" (Matt. 22:39)

The reason the second command is like the first is that once a person loves God, they will automatically love all of God's children. It is automatic. They will instantly feel saddened by the state of existence that some of God's children are in as they (we) are ignoring God and not loving God. Thus, the loving servant of God will work to deliver the message of love of God to all of God's children.

What is 'heaven and earth opening' mean?

Consider Jesus’ next statement. Jesus predicts that they will see heaven opening, and angels ascending and descending on the servant of humanity. What is Jesus saying here?

Jesus is saying that he will be teaching them about God, and those teachings will open the gates of heaven to those men (the translation from Greek refers to a plural “you”) who accept the guidance of God's representative.

Should they follow the teachings of God's representative(s), they will guide them back home to the kingdom of God. Notice that some of the angels are "descending." Why?

These are God's representatives - angels - who are being sent down to earth to teach us about God. It isn't that God is losing some angels and gaining others. They are coming and going because God is sending them and bringing them back. It is a passageway, that allows God's messengers to descend to the earth, and bring others back home, back to God's kingdom. And why are they on the "backs of the Son of God?"

It is because as these angels descend from God's kingdom to bring us back, they become loving servants of humanity. They bring God's message to us as a gift. And the message: If we also become God's loving servants (sons of God) we will be happy, and will return to our eternal loving relationship with God.


*Here is the translation of these verses from the Lost Gospels of Jesus:

Jesus saw Nathanael coming towards him, and said of him, “Truly, an Israelite in whom there is no deceitfulness.” Nathanael asked him, “How do you know me?” Jesus replied, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered and said to him, “Rabbi, you are the Representative of God; you are the leader of Israel.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I saw you under the fig tree, you are believing? You will see greater things than this.” (John 1:47-50)

"Dear woman, why do you involve me? ..." (John 2:4-8)

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine."
"Woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied. "My hour has not yet come."
His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you."
Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now." (John 2:1-10)

Was Jesus a bartender?

Did Jesus abandon Jewish law and the teachings of the prophets and convert water to wine and get people drunk at a wedding?

This is what is being proposed by sectarian translators of the Biblical texts. As we will see with the original Greek texts, Jesus did not abandon Jewish law and supply fellow guests of the wedding alcohol.

We do see some narrative in the books of the New Testament that Jesus did tolerate and teach to people who drank alcohol. But we also know that Jesus' teacher, John the Baptist, was very strict about maintaining abstinence from alcohol.

The Book of John is describing an event whereby Jesus turned water into a grape beverage at a wedding. The woman that Jesus responded to initially was his mother, who told Jesus they had no more. Jesus was clear to her that his time for preaching and performing miracles had not yet come, yet his mother insisted.

Once the water in the jars was taken out to the banquet, they had been converted. Was this beverage that Jesus converted grape juice and not alcoholic wine?

Consider that the attendees at the wedding were observant Jews. Would Jesus have turned water into an alcoholic beverage and broken Jewish law? Would he have gotten all those people drunk? Was Jesus a bartender or enabler of alcoholism?

Consider that Jesus was a student of John the Baptist. Both were considered Jewish teachers and observers of Jewish law:

"Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'If a man or woman wants to make a special vow, a vow of dedication to the LORD as a Nazirite, they must abstain from wine ... (Numbers 6:2-3)

"Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin till they are drunk...." (Habakkuk 2:15)

"It is not for kings, O Lemuel—not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer, lest they drink and forget what the law decrees, and deprive all the oppressed of their rights." (Proverbs 31:4-5)

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. (Ephesians 5:18)

Rather, wine and beer were to be used strictly for medicinal purposes:

"Give beer to those who are perishing, wine to those who are in anguish..." (Proverbs 31:6)

Current Jewish custom allows for the drinking of a glass of wine on special occasions. But intoxication is still condemned, even today.

Didn't Jesus drink alcohol?

One might argue that Jesus' statement in Matthew (duplicated in Luke) confirms that Jesus drank alcohol. Yet quite the opposite is true when we examine the statement carefully:

"For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.” (Matthew 11:18-19)

When this statement is examined carefully along with the Greek, it becomes obvious that Jesus is saying that he did not drink alcohol. Jesus did sit down at the table of "sinners" - as they accused those who had sumptuous meals together with wine.

Not only does Jesus not state he drank alcohol here - it actually illustrates that Jesus did not drink alcohol ("a drunkard" - from the Greek word, οἰνοπότης (oinopotēs) - meaning "winebibber").

Jesus is comparing the lies they were telling about John (that he "had a demon") with what they were saying about Jesus.

If one were to say that Jesus is confirming that Jesus drank alcohol, that would mean he is also saying that John the Baptist "had a demon."

These are what they were accusing John of - which was obviously untrue. Thus we have to also accept that Jesus did not drink alcohol - because that would be untrue as well. This is what they were accusing - not what Jesus was.

As such, we have to reject the notion that Jesus drank alcohol. If he did drink alcohol, then Jesus would not have said they were falsely accusing him of being a drunkard - drinking alcohol.

Was this a non-alcoholic wine?

The Greek word translated to "wine" here can refer to either an unfermented (non-alcoholic) wine or a fermented wine.

Oinos is a wine that can be fermented or unfermented (used in Matthew 9:17, Ephesians 5:18 and in John 2). Gleukos is a sweet, fresh grape juice (as in Acts 2:13).

This is also reflected in the Hebrew scriptures of the Old Testament. Some verses utilize the Hebrew word תִּירוֹשׁ (tiyrowsh), which indicates a freshly squeezed unfermented "wine" - more of a juice. Then there is יַיִן (yayin), a fermented wine - meaning it could be intoxicating, depending upon how long it is fermented (aged).

Typically, wine-makers utilize yeast to speed up the fermentation process, to convert more sugars to alcohol. When yeast is not used, the sugars convert more slowly, producing a wine that will have very little alcohol content unless it is aged a while.

A 'cheaper' wine?

We should also note that Jesus stated that, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine ..." Here the word "choice" is being translated from the Greek word, καλός (kalos), which can mean "good" or "choice," but also "morally good" and "noble," as well as "genuine" and "approved."

Something that was "noble" or "morally good" would not be alcoholic under Jewish custom. Something that is both "morally good" and "genuine" would also indicate that it was fresh, and thus not alcoholic. It was not fermented, because it was fresh - and "morally good."

John then comments that this miracle was the first of many and that it caused Jesus’ disciples at that time to put their faith in him (John 2:11). Surely, serving intoxicating wine at a wedding would not have impressed any serious followers during those times of strict Jewish custom.

We should note that the Apostle John - as were James, Peter and most others - did strictly observe Jewish or Mosaic principles. It was Paul who, after Jesus left the planet, broke away and insisted that followers of Jesus didn't have to observe Mosaic principles.

Furthermore, the jars that Jesus had turned into the grape juice were stone water jars intended for the use of Jewish ceremonial washing. Would Jesus have turned the contents of what was being used for purification purposes into a source of drunkenness?

What is the context of Jesus' statement?

We can conclude that the circumstances of this event indicate that Jesus did not abandon Jewish law and the teachings of the prophets and get people drunk at a wedding. All indications are that the wine was freshly squeezed and not thoroughly fermented. It was thus not alcoholic.

If by chance he did convert the water to fermented wine, it was for the purpose of being used ceremoniously and medicinally as a single serving, not as a source of intoxication. Noting that this was a wedding - a religious ceremony in Jewish custom - it was more likely grape juice.

While Jesus complied with the request of his mother, we know that Jesus was keenly aware of the time and circumstances for his service to the Supreme Being.

Jesus was representing the Supreme Being. God does not have his representatives cause people to become intoxicated. Jesus' statement, "My time has not come," shows that Jesus was subservient to the Supreme Being's will, and understood that the Supreme Being had a plan for imparting His teachings.

This illustrates Jesus' focus upon pleasing the Supreme Being, as confirmed elsewhere:

"By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but Him who sent me." (John 5:30)

Getting people drunk would not have been pleasing to the Supreme Being.

*Here is the translation of this event according to the Lost Gospels of Jesus:

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there and Jesus and his disciples had been invited to the wedding. When the grape juice was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more grape juice.” “Madam, what does this have to do with me?” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Whatever he tells you to do, do it.” Now there were six stone water jars set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each. Jesus said to them, “Fill the water jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. And he said to them, “Draw some out and take it to the table master.” So they took it to him, and the table master tasted the water that had become grape juice. He did not know from where it had come, but the servants who had drawn the water knew. The table master called the bridegroom aside and said, “Every man serves the choice beverage first and when people have drunk freely, then he serves the cheaper grape juice. But you have kept the good juice until now." (John 2:1-10)

"Get these out of here! How dare you turn my Father's house into a market!" (John 2:16)

Here Jesus is speaking angrily to those who were selling goods within the boundary of the temple. Here is the text leading to his statement:

When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple courts he found men selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. (John 2:13-15)

He overturned tables and drove the animals outs. He was very upset. Why was Jesus so upset?

What did Jesus mean by 'my Father's house'?

This is how Jesus described the temple: "my Father's house". Jesus is personalizing the temple. This was where people worshipped God.

There are three pertinent words here:

1) "my" is possessive. Why would Jesus be possessive concerning God? This is because Jesus enjoys a personal relationship with God. A loving relationship. Consider the use of "my" when someone says "my husband" or "my brother." The word "my" signifies a loving relationship that allows them to say "my." Otherwise, there is no ownership. Jesus does not own God any more than a wife does not own her husband or one brother owns another brother. But the use of "my" signifies a particular relationship: one of love.

2) "Father" signifies that God is an individual, separate from Jesus. "Father" also indicates a familial relationship, where one person (Father) created the other (Jesus). It also indicates dependency: A person looks to their father as a protector and guardian. This is how Jesus felt about God.

3) "House" indicates a dwelling place. A "house" is a place where someone lives. In other words, Jesus saw that God dwells in the temple. This does not mean that God only lives in the temple because we know that Jesus and other prophets have described God as residing in heaven. So we know that God can expand Himself, and dwell within those places where He will accept worship. This does not depend upon a building. It depends upon devotion. God will dwell where ever He is worshipped with love and devotion. Once a loving servant of God asks God to come within a particular location to be worshipped, God will comply. This is because God enjoys exchanging loving relationships.

In other words, Jesus became so upset because they were abusing the house of God - with Whom Jesus had a loving relationship.

So we can see that Jesus was upset with people turning the location of loving worship to God into a market. Is this much different from what takes place at most professional churches and temples around the world? We see so many bazaars and flea markets being hosted at churches. Churches have become the means of funding so many unrelated events today.

Why is money so important to some institutions?

We can see Jesus' disdain for turning the temple grounds into a place where money is king. Those sellers and money changers on the temple were all about money. The temple became a place of business. It became centered around money.

This was opposed by Jesus, because Jesus taught that the temple was a place of worship, not a place to make money.

Ironically, even though Jesus angrily turned over tables and chastized these sellers, today we find many sects that claim to follow Jesus will engage so much effort to raise money.

These efforts include turning churches into bazaars and marketplaces, mirroring the kind of event Jesus condemned here.

Some sects have billions of dollars of funding from so many events. To this we add the so many pleas by sectarian evangelists who ask for money in so many tricky ways, to bring billions into their coffers. Why do they need so much money? Why is money such a central focus among these so-called religious leaders?

The reason is that love of God is not as important. If helping others learn to love God - Jesus' primary teaching - is not the primary mission of the institution, that emptiness creates a hole. Such a hole must be filled, and most will fill that hole with the need to make money. This is the hole of self-centeredness, which pervades this world.

Should preachers earn a salary?

Jesus did not earn a salary from preaching. Neither did John the Baptist. Nor did Jesus' disciples.

Yet we find that most of today's religious leaders are paid salaries to preach. Is this appropriate? To turn preaching into a business in order to earn money and even - for some institutions - become wealthy.

Isn't this offensive to God and Jesus? To turn an activity that should be based upon love into a business?

Jesus' example is clear. Teachers who truly represent Jesus do not accept payment for their services. They do not earn salaries. If someone wants to donate to the teacher, that is their free choice. But there is never a salary set up. This taints the entire process with quid-pro-quo, which leads to greed. It has no part in the teachings of God and God's representative.

This does not mean money is not required for distributing spiritual information. Yes, expenses have to be paid, and sometimes printing costs and building costs and microphone costs have to all be paid for. So donations and payments can be made for these things. This is not the same as profitability, however. Once a person takes a profit from passing down the teachings of Jesus and the prophets, those teachings are tainted and have no value.

So how would a teacher of God be fed and have a roof over his or her head? Yes, donations can pay for this. A fund can be set up to house and feed the teacher, and pay his expenses related to teaching.

Things used for the purposes of disseminating the Truth can certainly be paid for by donations. But earning a lucrative salary from preaching runs contrary to everything that Jesus stood for.

Jesus states this

"Freely you have received; freely give." (Matt. 10:8)

Jesus was not paid to teach. Neither was his teacher John. Neither were his disciples. Why not? Because this is God's will.

Teaching about God is not a paid position. And receiving a salary for teaching about God is offensive to God. Yet so many sectarian teachers today will pay for their seminary education, and then be paid to teach. Contrasting Jesus' principle, theirs is:

"You have paid to receive, now charge to give."

This function - of paying to receive and being paid to give - is rooted in self-centeredness. Service is the opposite of self-centeredness, and thus indenture. If a person is paid to do their service then the service is not voluntary. It is indentured.

The Supreme Being wants us to come to love Him out of our free will. Not in exchange for something else.

"Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days." (John 2:19)

After Jesus drove out the sellers in the temple court (see post below), someone asked Jesus:

"What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?" (John 2:18)

This was his answer. In both Matthew and Mark, it is indicated that Jesus also said this, but he is not quoted saying it. In both Matthew and Mark, someone else is claiming that Jesus said this.

Was Jesus referring to a building?

It is important to note that the people he spoke to thought Jesus was talking about the temple he was standing near. They responded:

"It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?" (John 2:20)

But the Gospel of John follows with:

‘But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said.’ (John 2:21)

This indicates that Jesus was referring to his body as a temple. This concept has been spoken of many times by Jesus, earlier prophets and disciples of Jesus.

What does this mean, however? What does it mean for the body to be compared to a temple?

Isn't the body a temple?

The reason the body is a temple is because it houses the soul or the individual spirit-person. Each of us is a spirit-person temporarily occupying a physical body.

We are not our physical bodies. Our physical bodies are temporary vehicles we utilize to try to enjoy this world (or serve God with if we are inclined) for a few decades. Then we leave the body at death. The manner in which we've used the body is then judged. This has been appropriately described (and woefully misunderstood), in scripture as "judgment day."

The body is also a receptacle for the Holy Spirit of God. This is God’s expansion into each of our bodies. Within each body, next to the living being, God’s expansion is there, making Himself available to turn to Him. 

Some might think this is pretty fantastic. Yet even we can beam radio wave signals into homes and automobiles in the form of television and radio.

For God to have a technology allowing Him to expand into each body may be amazing, but it is nevertheless practical. God's expansion is there to help guide us should we be willing to accept such guidance.

It is for this reason that Jesus clearly indicated that his body was a temple.

What was raised in three days?

The reason three days is significant is that Jesus appeared to his disciples after three days, just before he ascended and returned home to the spiritual world.

But what was raised? Did Jesus' dead body reawake and start walking around again? What about the various holes - in his hands, and feet, and sides? Wouldn't blood be leaking out of these holes if the body became alive again and started walking around?

First, it should be clear that the Greek word translated to "raised" is ἐγείρω (egeirō). I can mean "to arouse," but also, according to the lexicon, "cause to appear" and "to cause to appear, bring before the public."

The Scriptures do not indicate that Jesus appeared in his physical body. Rather, it states clearly that he appeared "in a different form." It also states that his disciples and students did not recognize Jesus when he appeared to them:

Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. (Mark 16:12)

As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him. (Luke 24:15-16)

Later Jesus appeared again to his disciples, and again they did not immediately recognize him. Many doubted (e.g. "doubting Thomas").

Even in his next appearance, they did not necessarily recognize him:

When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. (Matthew 28:17)

The text also states that Jesus' spirit left his body on the cross:

When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19:30)

We know scientifically that the body decomposes after death. The soul - the spirit - leaves the body ("passes"). The Roman guards, and Joseph all confirmed that Jesus' body was dead when they took him down from the cross (or tree) and laid him in Joseph's temporary tomb.

The only mystery here is what happened to Jesus' dead body? Well, the fact that they had laid it in a temporary tomb belonging to Joseph's family might indicate that it was removed to Jesus' family tomb - as was Jewish custom.

Furthermore, the guards that were watching over the tomb were not wanting there to be a scene. So there is also a considerable likelihood that the guards rolled the rock back and removed Jesus' dead body from the tomb.

All this means that Jesus appeared to them in an apparition - similar to what angels can appear with. Such an appearance is different in substance than the physical body. An apparition can appear in one form and actually change appearance as well.

But the fact that Jesus appeared to them after three days - long after his body was murdered and dead - indicates that Jesus illustrated his command over physical nature. His 'temple' could be murdered - yet he would still re-appear to them three days later - within his true temple of the spirit.

Does the spirit leave the body at the time of death?

Consider this exchange between some Sadducees and Jesus regarding our identity after death:

Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. "Teacher," they said, "Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and have children for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. The second and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. Finally, the woman died too. Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?"
Jesus replied, "The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God's children, since they are children of the resurrection. But in the account of the bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to Him all are alive.” (Luke 20:27-38)

Let's consider this statement carefully. This not only clarifies our true identity but the meaning of resurrection. Resurrection obviously means the returning of the spiritual self back to the spiritual world.

This is confirmed by Jesus' statement, "they are like the angels. They are God's children, since they are children of the resurrection." And since he includes that not only do we rise after death, but we continue living after the death of the body: "He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to Him all are alive.”

The only way we can live after the death and decomposition of this body is if we are distinct from our physical bodies. We are spiritual, with angel-like bodies. We are not these temporary physical bodies.

"... no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." (John 3:3)

He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him." Jesus replied, "Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again." (John 3:2-3)

Who is Jesus speaking with?

Here Jesus is sitting with a Pharisee named Nicodemus, who was a member of the institutional temple ruling council. Nicodemus accepted that Jesus was God's messenger.

Nicodemus was a Pharisee and accepted Jesus as God's representative. Jesus did not correct him or deny this. By not denying the Pharisee, it is logical to assume that Jesus indeed saw himself as ‘a teacher coming from God.’

What does 'born again' mean?

Jesus is describing to the Pharisee that in order to see God’s kingdom we must be “born again.” But the primary definition of the Greek word translated to "again" is ἄνωθεν (anōthen). And this also means "from above" according to the lexicon. This means the term can also be translated to “born from above.” This actually provides a deeper meaning to Jesus’ statement.

This is confirmed by his next statement about being born again.

Why? Because Jesus was not talking about the human body being born again. The kind of rebirth Jesus is speaking of is to have a spiritual change of heart.

What is a change of heart?

In Jesus' context, a spiritual change of heart means to begin giving up our self-centeredness in lieu of beginning our path towards loving and serving the Supreme Being. This was Jesus' central message.

While we can make such a decision at any time, this spiritual rebirth does not usually happen instantly. Rather, it starts with a commitment to change. Once we make a commitment to change, we have begun to travel the path towards renewing our loving relationship with God.

Proclaiming to others that we "accept Jesus as our savior" as is the custom in many of today's sectarian institutions, is not the spiritual rebirth Jesus is describing. This "I accept Jesus" or "I'm born again" proclamation only brings attention to ourselves. It is an attempt to gain the acceptance of others.

Did Jesus teach this?

Jesus spoke specifically to this, "I accept Jesus as my savior" doctrine:

“Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father Who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21)

Crying out in front of others, or a crowd of parishioners that we are "born again" and that "Jesus is my savior" should be considered equivalent to the saying of "Lord, Lord" in Jesus' statement in Matt. 7:21.

Jesus' teachings were meant to bring attention to God. He was trying to teach us to love God and love others. He didn't allow himself to be crucified so that we could proudly brag about how religious we are. He didn't go through all that pain in order for us to use him to dust off our sins so we could go back and do some more.

Jesus' life was about encouraging us to give of ourselves. To become servants of God and others. He wanted us to change our hearts from self-serving to God-serving: From loving ourselves to loving others.

We can tell by Jesus' statements is he wants us to serve and please God. "He who does the will of my Father" means acting in a way that is pleasing to God. A person who is focused on serving and pleasing God is not so interested in making proclamations about themselves.

Being saved, in fact, is of little concern to one who loves and works to please God. A loving servant of God has little care about being "saved." Their central desire is to please God now and in the future.

Developing this attitude takes work. It takes commitment and discipline. It also takes putting oneself at the feet of the Supreme Being:

We need God's help in order to change and grow spiritually. We do not have the strength to change alone. We must rely upon God's help. At the point where we lay at God's feet, God will help to change us from within.

"... no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit." (John 3:5)

"How can someone be born when they are old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother's womb to be born!" Jesus answered, "Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit." (John 3:4-5)

What is Jesus describing?

Nicodemus is responding to Jesus' statement that one must be born again. Nicodemus doesn't understand the term. He is wondering if Jesus is describing the physical body being born after it was born as an infant.

This is not an uncommon response to this term. Today, many sectarian teachers teach about the need to be born again. And many parishioners talk about having been born again.

But do we really understand what being born again is? Certainly, it is a little difficult to understand given that we typically only see the human body only being born once as an infant.

Jesus responds by discussing the meaning of spiritual rebirth.

What does 'born of the water and the Spirit' mean?

The 'water and the Spirit' refers specifically to a spiritual rebirth. Jesus and his teacher John the Baptist utilized baptism to symbolize having a chance of heart while being given a blessing from the Supreme Being.

This combination of immersion and blessing from God through His servant was illustrated by the baptism of Jesus by John:

Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. And I myself did not know him, but the One who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the One who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' I have seen and I testify that this is God's Chosen One." (John 1:32-34)

John is humbly describing his own form of baptism. If John was not baptizing with the spirit then why would Jesus undergo baptism with John? Why would Jesus have undertaken baptism with John if John was not baptizing with the spirit?

Certainly, John also baptized with the Holy Spirit. That is why John described how the Spirit came down as a dove. Because John's baptism had power. It had authority.

John also describes, "but the One who sent me to baptize ..." Who is the "One who sent me"?

John is referring to the Supreme Being. God sent John to teach thousands of people and gave many of them baptism in the River Jordan.

To say that his baptism was only water is to take John's statement out of context. He wasn't saying his baptism had no meaning and purpose. Rather, he was humbly describing his own power while promoting Jesus' power and authority.

Certainly, John wanted Jesus to succeed. He also saw Jesus as better than himself. But this is typically what a humble person does. Someone with spiritual humility will downplay their own authority and glorify someone else. This is also what Jesus taught:

"Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant (Matthew 20:26)

"The greatest among you will be your servant." (Matthew 23:11)

John the Baptist was Jesus' teacher. He illustrated personally what being "great among you" meant.

What does 'enter the kingdom of God' mean?

To 'enter the kingdom of God' doesn't have anything to do with going to heaven. This is because everywhere is part of God's kingdom. What is being discussed is returning to our loving relationship with the Supreme Being. This can occur whether or not we are here in this physical world.

The Supreme Being set up a world that helps us learn about ourselves. But this world also gives each of us the freedom to love Him or not.

Ultimately God created us for the purpose of exchanging a relationship with Him. Still, if we aren't interested in exchanging a relationship with Him we don't have to. He will not force His love upon us. We can reject Him at any time. We can avoid Him, and live within this physical world feeling that we are the center of the universe for thousands and thousands of lifetimes.

This is because love requires freedom. God gave us the freedom to love Him or not.

So "being born again" is having a change of heart that says, I choose to return to God. God will not let us come home unless we want to be with Him. We have to want to return to our original relationship of loving service to Him.

If we still want to be God or enjoy like God there is no place for us in the spiritual dimension. This is because the spiritual dimension is a place where everyone loves one another, and everything is focused upon God's enjoyment. Everyone is enjoying God's enjoyment. If we try to enter the spiritual dimension with our self-centered attitude, it simply will not work. We will not be able to function.

The spiritual kingdom is a beautiful place where everyone cares more about their Best Friend the Supreme Being and each other more than they care about themselves. This is what love is.

Imagine a dinner table where the family was all making sure that everyone else had enough to eat. What would happen? Everyone would get enough to eat, right? Now imagine another table where everyone's major concern was whether they would get enough to eat. What would happen here? They would fight over the food, and the strongest people would get the food and the weakest people would starve. Isn’t this what is happening throughout the physical world?