"'They hated me without reason.'" (John 15:25)

"But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: 'They hated me without reason.'" (John 15:25)

What is 'their Law'?

Jesus' discussion with his close disciples after the last supper reviews the rejection of God's representative by those who did not see Jesus' authority.

The Greek word νόμος (nomos) has been translated to "law," yet this is not precisely its meaning in this context, and thus the translation confuses the meaning of Jesus' statement.

This Greek word can be translated to "law" in some contexts. But it can also be translated to "something that is established or commonly accepted." This can apply to a widely accepted custom, a command, an instruction, or even a written statement.

In this context, the word is being applied to an accepted Scripture, in particular, David's Psalms. Jesus is discussing a part of those accepted Psalms as he quotes an element within them. Below is an excerpt of the two Psalms containing the reference Jesus used (see bold):

O Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my life from their ravages, my precious life from these lions. I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise You. Let not those gloat over me who are my enemies without cause; let not those who hate me without reason maliciously wink the eye. They do not speak peaceably, but devise false accusations against those who live quietly in the land. They gape at me and say, "Aha! Aha! With our own eyes we have seen it." O LORD, you have seen this; be not silent. Do not be far from me, O Lord. (Psalms 36:17-22)

Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me. I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God. Those who hate me without reason outnumber the hairs of my head; many are my enemies without cause, those who seek to destroy me. I am forced to restore what I did not steal. You know my folly, O God; my guilt is not hidden from You. May those who hope in You not be disgraced because of me, O Lord, the LORD Almighty; may those who seek You not be put to shame because of me, O God of Israel. For I endure scorn for your sake, and shame covers my face. (Psalms 69:1-7)

We can see from both of these Psalms that David is praying for and relying upon the Supreme Being to provide protection as he faces those who hate him without reason: Those who sought to destroy him and thus lodged false complaints against him. This is documented elsewhere, as David was faced with many challenges during his lifetime, especially from those who did not subscribe to faith and reliance on God.

Jesus was confirming that this tendency of those who are faithless, including those who claim membership in or leadership over religious institutions, to have contempt and hatred towards God's true representative. 

This occurred with David as well as Jesus. They were both representing the Supreme Being in their teachings and their service towards Him. And both of them contended with offensive unbelievers.

Was David devoted to God?

We can see David's devotion to God throughout the Psalms. He wasn't simply a king and fearless leader.

With regard to his Psalms, they claim that David was merely predicting the coming of Jesus.

This interpretation of the life and purpose of David is unfortunate. Jesus utilizes the word πληρόω (plēroō), translated here into the word "fulfill." While certainly this word can mean "fulfill," it is disingenuous to contend that Jesus was meaning that David was not talking about his own life within these and other Psalms.

David was certainly discussing his own life as he said, "My eyes fail, looking for my God. Those who hate me without reason outnumber the hairs of my head; many are my enemies without cause, those who seek to destroy me." Why would David utilize the word "me" if he was talking about Jesus? Were Jesus' eyes failing him?

Those who twist David's words here and elsewhere are simply trying to create false authority in Jesus. They do not realize that Jesus does not require such false authority. Jesus is God's representative and God's perfect loving servant. No other false authority is necessary. No twisting of scripture is necessary.

The meaning of the word πληρόω (plēroō) in this context applies to something being carried into effect or being brought to realization. Or consummating something. But this is not an exclusive consummation, as even the lexicon admits that it can be applied as "to cause to abound, to furnish or supply liberally." "Liberally" is the opposite of exclusion. To have something supplied liberally means that more than one person can carry out that application.

This means that what occurred in David's life - of the faithless condemning him and hating him - also occurred in Jesus' life on the planet, as well as John the Baptist's, some of Jesus' students and others.

There are many who try to create mysteries out of scripture. They do this because they seek to provide speculative theories about some of the content of scripture. For this reason, there are so many imaginative theories about how the Biblical scriptures discuss aliens and the like. As a result, there have been so many different sects that have sprung up, each sect being borne from a particular speculative interpretation of the scriptures.

'Inheriting the earth'?

For example, one modern sect goes door to door proclaiming that the scriptures are teaching that if a person joins their sect, they will inherit the earth after Jesus' second coming.

This sect depicts this "inheritance" as people living on earth as though it is a vacation. They depict people relaxing on their lawn chairs sipping lemonade, with lions sitting next to them - yet the Supreme Being is nowhere to be found. They state that all the evil of the world will be wiped out by the second coming, and all those who joined their sect will rise out of their graves to inherit this earth.

The puzzling thing about this sect's speculative philosophy is that they claim that after death there is nothing. They claim that the bodies rise up after the second coming, but who is rising up? Is it the decomposed body that is by that time eaten by bacteria and worms? Is it fragments of bone? Is it the dirt that those bodies become after decomposition? And if there is nothing after death, how do the sect members rise up again?

What is sad about their philosophy is that throughout their marketing pamphlets they will put scriptural verse numbers in parentheses, as if that speculative position is somehow confirmed by a scriptural passage. But when you look up the passage, the verse is not proving their speculative point at all, and any reference to the statement is out of context with the text around the verse.

What we are seeing is misguidance. Some person has thought they had some sort of special ability to understand scripture and created a new speculative philosophy, and others began following that person. As soon as a few began to follow, others followed just because they saw others following. This is called herd mentality.

This can be compared to how animals will often arbitrarily chose one of their flock to follow around. Once a few people follow, the rest of the flock thinks there must be a good reason those others are following the leader. As others follow, more follow because of the same reason. They think that because so many are following, there must be a good reason. In reality, there is no good reason they are following that leader. And the leader is often surprised by the big following.

In fact, sometimes in these herds, the leader will start acting erratically as a result. The famous example is the lemmings, who will sometimes follow its crazed leader over a cliff (often exaggerated, but it does occur).

Why do some abuse authority?

When a person finds they have arrived at a position of authority for some reason, attracting the attention of others, they may take advantage of that temporary authority with the desire to become a spiritual leader. 

This desire to be a spiritual leader is no different than similar materialistic desires for authority and fame - including becoming a political leader, becoming a famous actor, becoming a sports star, or becoming a rock star. It is the same desire. 

These desires are common amongst those who come to this planet because this world is where those who want to be king go to be trained.

Our disease is that we want to be like God. This was clarified by the serpent to Eve with regard to the forbidden fruit:

"For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God..." (Genesis 3:5)

This desire to "be like God" is the basis for our seeking fame and fortune in the physical world. It is the fundamental reason we are here in this physical world in the first place. The Supreme Being created this physical world as a virtual rehabilitation center, allowing us to exercise our desires to "be like God" by pretending to have authority while pretending God does not exist or seeing God as our servant - expecting Him to give us whatever we want as if He was our genie or super-waiter.

So the Supreme Being gave us temporary physical bodies (The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. (Gen. 3:21)) and this temporary physical universe to exercise our desires for false lordship.

And the epitome of this is the desire to be a spiritual leader.

How does this contrast with Jesus?

This is position is precisely contrasted by the real representative of God, Jesus, who was sent specifically by the Supreme Being to the physical world to bring those who wish to return to God back to the spiritual realm. Their desires are focused on serving the Supreme Being.

History has confirmed that those who are sent by God on this mission have been largely rejected by the masses and by some ecclesiastical institutions of their times. This took place over and over with many of the Saints of the Old Testament including David, Job, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Noah and others. This also took place for Jesus (as he states here), as well as Jesus' teacher John the Baptist, and for many of Jesus' disciples, including Peter and James.

This consistent rejection of God's representatives by some who claim membership in ecclesiastical institutions occurs repeatedly because God's representatives reject the misinterpretation of scripture and herd mentality of those institutions. They reject the teachings of those who have misused and speculated upon the scriptures.

Speculative interpretation of the scriptures can be faulty because the mind is limited. The mind is like a recording device that records what comes in from the senses and becomes mixed with the desires and concoctions of the individual operating the mind. Spiritual knowledge does not come from the mind.

Spiritual knowledge comes from God. God is the Source of all spiritual knowledge. And God passes on this knowledge through His representatives. Those who have committed their lives to Him become His instruments.

Those who have represented the Supreme Being did not make anything up. They each accepted a spiritual teacher then passed down knowledge consistent with the teachings of their teacher. This is why Jesus accepted John the Baptist as his teacher (the meaning of baptism) and Jesus' teachings were linked to John's. This is also why Jesus often quoted the writings of those representatives of God before him, as he does in the statement above.

We can see how Jesus' teachings reflected John's, and how he passed these same teachings on to his students:

In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." (Matt. 3:1-2)

From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." (Matt. 4:17)

[Jesus speaking to his disciples] "As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.'" (Matt. 10:7)

We can thus see how they passed down the same teachings. They were consistent in their message because none of them were making things up. They were teaching what their teacher taught. They had heard from their teacher, understood those teachings to be from God, and then passed on those teachings.

Spiritual advancement is not about joining a group or institution. It is about having a humble relationship with God. When a person follows the teachings of Jesus sincerely they can also achieve a relationship with the Supreme Being. It is this relationship that re-establishes our eternal relationship with the Supreme Being as one of His humble loving caregivers.

This focus on relationship in the spiritual realm is why Jesus' and Moses' teachings focused on loving God. Loving the Supreme Being requires a relationship of humility and dedication. We cannot love someone we do not know, and we cannot know someone without sincerely and humbly reaching out to them. This is why Jesus' and Moses' most important instruction was:

"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'" (Luke 10:27 and Deuteronomy 6:5)

*Here is the translation of Jesus' statement from the Lost Gospels of Jesus:

"But their actions confirm the Teachings written in the Scripture – ‘they hated me without a cause.” (John 15:25)

“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me ..." (John 17:24)

“Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world." (John 17:24)

What does Jesus mean by 'be with me where I am'?

The Greek phrase ἵνα ὅπου εἰμὶword is being translated to "be with me where I am." Yet the key part of this phrase, the word ὅπου (hopou), actually means "whereas" or "where ever" or "whatsoever" according to the lexicon. It is a word indicating commitment, regardless of what happens.

Jesus is saying that those who God has given him - Jesus' followers - will steadfastly follow him. He is saying that these followers will remain followers regardless of the challenges this world presents.

Thus the better translation would be that his followers will "stay with me." They will remain with Jesus, not necessarily in a physical sense, but in the sense of following his teachings.

This is because Jesus is God's representative, and his followers have understood this.

Because the Supreme Being loves us, He sent Jesus to teach us about Him. Those who receive His representative Jesus and learn about God from Jesus become connected to Jesus and God.

We might compare this to how a tour group will become connected to their tour guide when they are touring a foreign country. They don't know where to go or how to speak the language. They cannot navigate the roads, nor can they figure out where to go sightseeing. But the tour guide knows all of this, and he can communicate to all the right people in his language in an effort to giving people access to the sights.

So when the tour guide comes upon a new landmark, the guide will need to negotiate on behalf of the tour group to allow their entrance. The manager of the landmark might even say to the tour guide something to the effect of "OK, but they are your responsibility." In this way, because the tour guide is organizing the tour, the tour guide becomes responsible for the tour group. If they act badly, the tour guide is responsible for their activities.

In the same way, Jesus' disciples are connected to Jesus as he is their guide back to their loving relationship with the Supreme Being. They are connected to Jesus in that Jesus is giving them access to God. And Jesus is connected to them in that he is carrying a responsibility to teach them well - as guided by the Supreme Being.

Therefore, Jesus cannot make up his own teachings. He taught what had been handed down through the lineage of teachers coming from Abraham, Moses, David, John the Baptist, and so on. And he has to be led by the Supreme Being. This is why Jesus said:

“My teaching is not my own. It comes from the One who sent me." (John 7:16)

and

"I am not here on my own authority, but He who sent me is true. You do not know Him, but I know him because I am from Him and He sent me.” (John 7:28-29)

So we see that Jesus is not making things up as he goes along. He sees himself as a messenger.

As such, Jesus is also a guide - as he is guiding those who heard him - with those teachings from the Supreme Being.

How can they see Jesus' 'glory'?

This text translates* the Greek word δόξαν to "glory" rather than its alternate meaning, "splendor."

"Splendor" is a more appropriate translation in this context because Jesus is not talking about fame here - the common meaning of "glory." When a person is "glorified" they are given respect. This is not what Jesus is talking about.

Bottom line, the word δόξαν can have two basic meanings: "opinion, judgment, estimate, view" etc., or "splendor, brightness, magnificence, majesty" according to the lexicon. In the first case, it is what others think of us. In the second, it is something related to what the Supreme Being gives us - our relationship with Him.

This is what Jesus is referring to. The "splendor" he is discussing is related to His loving relationship with the Supreme Being. This is "splendorous" and "magnificent" because a loving relationship with the Supreme Being is fulfilling. It is the completion of our being.

And Jesus wants to share this relationship with his students and disciples. It is not as if he is in that position and they are not - so tough. It is not as if he is feeling proud of his relationship with God.

Jesus wants to share it with them. He wants to give it away.

What does Jesus mean by 'before the creation of the world'?

Jesus prays: "for loving me before the creation of the world." What does this mean?

Some try to infer something about Jesus' "firstborn" role here, but this is not what he is saying. The emphasis of this phrase relates to the fact that the Supreme Being loved Jesus before - but before what? Before God created the physical world.

The point here is not the creation of the physical world.

Sometimes when a person wants to state that something has been around forever, they might say "that X is older than dirt." They are not talking about the dirt literally. They are using it as a reference to state that the thing (X) has been around for a long time.

The point is that Jesus is stating that God's love is eternal. It is everlasting. And unconditional.

The Supreme Being created the physical world with the element of time. Therefore there is a beginning and an end, and for this, we can know that the physical world is a temporary manifestation produced by the Supreme Being.

And the element of time is specific to the physical world. This element of time does not exist within the spiritual realm.

In other words, there is no beginning to the existence of the Supreme Being. He is eternal, and His love is also eternal. This is the meaning of the last part of Jesus' statement: God's love for him and his disciples is eternal.


*Here is the translation of this verse of Jesus' prayer from the Lost Gospels of Jesus:

"LORD, I would be pleased if those You have entrusted to me will stay with me, so they may perceive the splendor You have given me. For You loved me before the creation of the material world.” (John 17:24)

"If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? ..." (John 21:22)

Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?” (John 21:20-23)

What does Jesus mean by 'until I return'?

The Greek word being translated to "return" here is ἔρχομαι (erchomai). According to Thayer's lexicon, this word means "to appear, make one's appearance, come before the public." When used metaphorically, the word means: "to come into being, arise, come forth, show itself, find place or influence" and "be established, become known, to come (fall) into or unto."

The concept of "return" is being inferred here by institutional translators* who have failed to understand the spiritual nature of Jesus' statements regarding his relationship with his followers.

Jesus is not speaking of returning to the physical world. If this were true he would be missing them, because he has yet to return and they have long passed away - nearly two thousand years ago.

Rather, Jesus is speaking of reuniting with them in the spiritual realm after they leave the physical world.

The metaphorical use of the word ἔρχομαι (erchomai) is also used by Jesus within the Lord's prayer - and also mistranslated to "come:"

"... Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven..." (Matt. 6:10)

In this reference, Jesus is not speaking of God's kingdom literally "coming" - or even "returning." The statement speaks of the kingdom of God becoming present in our life: Allowing us to live within a particular consciousness - of being one of God's loving servants.

Furthermore, as stated in the lexicon, when the word is used metaphorically - as it is applied to the spiritual context Jesus utilizes in his teachings, the word can mean:

"to come into being, arise, come forth, show itself, find place or influence."

We can also see this mistranslation with this statement:

“And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14:62)

Here we can see clearly that if Jesus is "sitting" he cannot also be "coming" as would be applied to travel. Again, the word ἔρχομαι (erchomai) is referring to becoming present somewhere - "to appear."

We can see this mistranslation (and misinterpretation) even more clearly in another statement made by Jesus regarding his coming appearance:

"Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory." (Matt. 24:30)

Again it is obvious that "when they see" relates to Jesus' presence - rather than "coming" on the "clouds of heaven."

Is this about presence or appearance?

Jesus' statements go to the very root of the misinterpretation of Jesus' presence in heaven - or in this case as he speaks of his beloved disciple to Peter - "to arise" - we find a clearer understanding of how the spirit-person of one who dedicates himself to God will "arise" and return to the spiritual realm at the time of death.

The verses above (Mark 14:62 and Matt. 24:30) - usually quoted out of context - have been used by some to teach that Jesus will be seen riding through the sky on horseback or on clouds as the world is coming to an end. This teaching typically comes alongside threats of eternal damnation if we don't join their institution.

The reality is that Jesus is speaking metaphorically of his followers reuniting with him at the time of death. The words "heaven" and in "clouds of heaven" are being taken from οὐρανός (ouranos), which means, according to the lexicon, "the region above the sidereal heavens, the seat of order of things eternal and consummately perfect where God dwells and other heavenly beings."

This is quite obviously not the same sky we see above us in the physical world. This is the metaphysical "heaven" - the spiritual realm.

And "the peoples of the earth" in Matt. 24:30 are not people living on the earth. The term comes from φυλαὶ τῆς γῆς - meaning "tribes of the earth" - better defined as "people of materialism."

Jesus is functionally speaking of his becoming present to his followers at the time of death - after they leave their physical bodies and return to the spiritual realm. And those who choose not to follow him will "mourn" when they realize - after the death of their physical body - that Jesus truly is God's representative.

Jesus also expressed this when he said:

"And this is the will of Him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those He has given me, but raise them up at the last day." (John 6:39)

The "last day" is the time of death of the physical body. As is repeatedly taught in the scriptures - at this point our lives will be judged - and we will go to our next destination according to our life's activities and consciousness.

This is called "judgment day." The day - or moment - that each of us is judged for our life's activities and consciousness.

What is Judgment Day?

Judgment day takes place at the time of death when our physical lives are assessed. This assessment is not a cruel and mean assessment. It is a fair and loving assessment that we take part in. After our time of death, each of us will appear before God's council and address the shortcomings and achievements of our lifetime. These relate not to material achievements, but to spiritual gains. How we have progressed in our love for God and others, and how we have treated others during our physical lifetime.

We take part in this assessment. It is not like we are arrested and brought before a judge. After the death of our physical body, we are met with love and compassion. Then we are escorted to appear before God's council. Here we are asked questions about our life and discuss what we achieved during this lifetime. It is an individual process that honors our spiritual identity and our need to progress spiritually.

What happens if someone dies before this supposed "judgment day"?  According to their philosophy, if we happen to die before "judgment day" we will have to wait in a limbo state until that "day."

Yes, they are imagining a single day in all of time where every single person who has ever lived will be judged - all at once. This is a ridiculous assumption.

Some institutions have created a speculative explanation called purgatory - as though these billions of people are all floating around in limbo for thousands of years - all awaiting that single day when Jesus will ride across the sky on horseback over the clouds.

This would mean that every single person - billions upon billions of people - who has ever lived on the planet - will have to wait around somewhere for this single day to come. Where are all these people been waiting - some for thousands of years? 

Why couldn't God judge them earlier? Are they saying that God is limited in His ability to judge people? That He can only judge once in all of time?

This confounding assumption has a very large problem. If all those billions of people who have already died are in purgatory - someplace we can obviously not see around us and doesn't exist physically on the planet - then how will they be able to see Jesus riding across the sky on horseback? Their bodies are dead and decomposed - along with their eyes. So how can they see Jesus in the sky if their eyes have decomposed?

The reality is that this entire assumption of Jesus' physical "second coming" has been speculatively invented by those who misidentify themselves with the physical body, and simply want to create fear in people in order to boost their followings.

The goal and result has been to increase their number of followers.

Is there a second coming?

Not in the form imagined by some sectarian teachers over the centuries. Just consider the list of just some of the priests, preachers, and other officials - and even founders of the various sects - who have predicted the "end of the world" and Jesus' "second coming" with the particular date:

Hilary of Poitiers: 365 AD (predicted doomsday date)
Martin of Tours: 375 to 400 AD (predicted doomsday date)
Hydatius (Bishop of Aquae) 482 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Sextus Julius Africanus: 500 AD (predicted doomsday date)
Hippolytus of Rome: 500 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Beatus of Leibana: 793 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Gregory of Tours: 799 to 800 AD (predicted doomsday dates)

Thiota: 847 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Pope Sylvester II: 1000 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Gerard of Poehlde: 1147 AD (predicted doomsday date)
John of Toledo: 1179 AD (predicted doomsday date)
Joachim of Fiore: 1205 AD (predicted doomsday date)
Pope Innocent III: 1284 AD (predicted doomsday date)
Joachimites: 1290 and 1335 AD (predicted doomsday dates)

Jean de Roquetaillade: 1368 and 1370 AD (predicted doomsday dates)

Amaldus de Villa Nova: 1378 (predicted doomsday date)

Thomas Muntzer: 1525 AD  (predicted doomsday date)

Johannes Stoffler: 1524 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Hans Hut (Anabaptist): 1528 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Melchior Hoffman (Anabaptist): 1533 AD (predicted doomsday date)
Jan Matthys (Anabaptist): 1534 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Martin Luther (Augustinian monk): 1600 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Christopher Columbus: 1658 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Joseph Mede: 1660 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Sabbatai Zevi: 1648 and 1666 AD (predicted doomsday dates)

Fifth Monarchists: 1666 and 1673 AD (predicted doomsday dates)

Benjamin Keach (Baptist): 1689 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Pierre Jurieu: 1689 AD (predicted doomsday date)

John Mason (Anglican): 1694 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Johan Heinrich Alsted (Calvinist): 1694 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Cotton Mather (Puritan): 1697, 1716 and 1736 AD (predicted doomsday dates)

Henry Archer (Fifth Monarchist): 1700 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Cardinal Nicholas of Cusa: 1700 to 1734 AD (predicted doomsday dates)

Camisards: 1705 and 1708 AD (predicted doomsday dates)

William Whitson: 1736 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Emanuel Swedenborg (Lutheran): 1757 AD (predicted doomsday date)

The Shakers (Ann Lee): 1792 and 1794 AD (predicted doomsday dates)

Cardinal Pierre d'Ailly: 1789 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Charles Wesley (Methodist): 1794 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Christopher Love (Presbyterian): 1805 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Margaret McDonald: 1830 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Joseph Smith (Mormon): 1832 and 1891 AD (predicted doomsday date)
Johann Albrecht Bengel (Lutheran): 1846 AD (predicted doomsday date)

John Wesley (Methodist founder): 1836 AD (predicted doomsday date)

William Miller (Millerites founder): 1843 and 1844 AD (predicted doomsday dates)
George Rapp (Harmony Society founder): 1847 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Harriet Livermore: 1847 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Ellen White (Seven Day Adventists): 1850, 1856 and "early 1900s" AD (predicted doomsday dates)

John Cumming: 1862 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Joseph Morris (Mormon): 1862 AD (predicted doomsday date)

John Wroe (Christian Israelite Church): 1863 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Jonas Wendell and other Adventist preachers: 1863, 1874, 1870 AD (predicted doomsday dates)

Mother Shipton: 1881 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Wovoka (Ghost Dance): 1890 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Catholic Apostolic Church: 1901 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Watchtower Bible and Tract Society (Jehovah's Witnesses): 1914, 1915, 1918, 1920, 1925, 1941, 1975, 1994 and others more recent. (predicted doomsday dates)

Margaret Rowen (Seventh-Day Adventist): 1920 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Spencer Perceval (Catholic Apostolic Church): 1926 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Wilbur Glenn Voliva: 1935 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Herbert Armstrong (Worldwide Church of God founder): 1936 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Florence Houteff (Branch Davidians): 1959 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Johann Bischoff (New Apostolic Church): 1951 and 1960 AD (predicted doomsday dates)

Jim Jones (People's Temple cult): 1967 AD (predicted doomsday date)

George Williams (Church of the Firstborn): 1969 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Herbert Armstrong (Worldwide Church of God): 1972 AD (predicted doomsday date)

John Wroe (Christian Israelite Church): 1977 AD (predicted doomsday date)

William Branham (evangelist): 1977 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Chuck Smith (Calvary Chapel): 1981 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Pat Robertson (evangelist): 1982 and 2007 AD (predicted doomsday dates)

Lester Sumrall (Pentecostal): 1985 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Edgar Whisenant: 1988 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Elizabeth Clare (Summit Lighthouse): 1990 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Rollen Stewart: 1992 AD (predicted doomsday date)

David Berg (The Family): 1993 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Harold Camping: 1994, 1995, 2011 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Ronald Weinland (Church of God): 2011 and 2012 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Aggai: 1997 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Marshall Applewhite (Heavens Gate cult): 1997 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Archbishop James Ussher: 1997 AD (predicted doomsday date)

James Gordon Lindsay (Christ for the Nations): 1999 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Jerry Falwell (evangelist): 2000 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Ed Dobson: 2000 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Lester Sumrall: 2000 AD (predicted doomsday date)

Jonathan Edwards (Congr. Protestant): 2000 AD (predicted doomsday date)

David Meade: 2017 and 2018 AD (predicted doomsday dates)

All of these "prophesies" were wrong. Yes, these teachers and institutions threatened and scared their followers. They did this by telling them the end of the world was coming on a particular date. And they were wrong. 

This means they misled their followers. They lied to them. They said they knew something but they didn't.

How can a sane person believe these teachers after they have misled so many on this topic? Are we supposed to trust them on how they represent Jesus' teachings?

Time has revealed that these sectarian teachers were deceiving people. Once the predicted date passed, their deception was revealed. Time proved them to be wolves in sheep's clothing. Jesus spoke of these:

"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!' (Matt. 7:21-23)

Note the "'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name..." This is precisely what they are doing in Jesus' name: "Prophesy" means to predict the future. Predicting the end of the world or Jesus' "second coming" is a prophecy.

What does Jesus mean by 'alive'?

Consider again the meaning of ἔρχομαι (erchomai) - "to appear" or "to arise" - and the word οὐρανός (ouranos) meaning the spiritual realm -"heaven." Jesus is speaking of being present for his followers at their time of death. At their time of death, they will arise to be escorted back to the spiritual realm, where they will be present with Jesus in the company of the Supreme Being.

Given the real meaning of ἔρχομαι (erchomai) and οὐρανός (ouranos) we find a more appropriate translation in the Lost Gospels of Jesus:

"If it is willed that he remains here before arising, what is that to you? You must follow me."

The Greek text does not describe being "alive" in the early texts of John 21:22. This has been injected into the translation. The word θέλω (thelō) - being translated to "I want" - actually means "to will, have in mind, intend."

Is Jesus saying it is his will? Not necessarily. We might infer it. But it would be more appropriately understood - given the context - as being God's will, confirmed by Jesus praying to the Supreme Being:

"Yet not as I will, but as You will.” (Matt. 26:39)

Remember that Jesus is responding to Peter's question about this disciple:

Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, "Lord, who is going to betray you?") When Peter saw him, he asked, "Lord, what about him?"

Jesus' reply admonishes Peter:

"... what is that to you?"

The next part of Jesus' statement relates to each of them having their own personal spiritual journey. He is admonishing him that the other disciple's journey with Jesus was not his concern.

What does 'arising' mean?

The word ἔρχομαι (erchomai) - "to arise" - is being used in conjunction with his disciple's death - following Jesus' discussion of Peter's death in the previous verse.  Jesus is discussing the disciple's spirit-person arising and returning to the spiritual realm. This is stated as one might refer to a person leaving one place and traveling to another.

This is also confirmed by the lexicon, which includes in the standard definition of the word ἔρχομαι (erchomai) - "to come from one place to another, and used both of persons arriving and of those returning."

This is in fact what Jesus is speaking of - departing from the material world and arriving in the spiritual realm - arising.

Each of us will rise from the physical body at the time of death - confirmed by hundreds of thousands of cases of clinical death, where a person whose body is revived recalls floating up over their dead body after it clinically died. They accurately describe the events taking place around their body even though the body's eyes were closed and their brain was legally dead. So who was looking down upon the body? The spirit-person who dwelled within the physical body. We cannot see this spirit-person with our physical eyes because it lies on another plane of existence.

We might refer to another verse that discusses this same element, yet slightly differently:

"Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom." (Matt. 16:28)

Just like John 21:22, Jesus is speaking of being present rather than "coming" "in his kingdom" in Matt. 16:28. How could a person "come" "in his kingdom" anyway?

This verse uses the phrase γεύσωνται θανάτου - translated here to "taste death." But the word θανάτου - translated to "death" here means, according to the lexicon, "the death of the body - that separation (whether natural or violent) of the soul and the body by which the life on earth is ended" but also "with the implied idea of future misery in hell." and "the power of death - since the nether world, the abode of the dead, was conceived as being very dark, it is equivalent to the region of thickest darkness i.e. figuratively, a region enveloped in the darkness of ignorance and sin."

Those who are able to return to the spiritual realm and see Jesus' presence there, are escorted back to the spiritual realm without "tasting [spiritual] death."

So we can see here that Jesus is discussing death from a metaphorical - and spiritual - aspect. We can compare this with another statement of his:

“Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:60)

Here we find that Jesus is speaking of physical death and metaphorical death at the same time - metaphorical in the sense that those who are mourning over the physical body's death are "dead" spiritually.

What kind of relationship is Jesus discussing?

A loving relationship. When someone sees Jesus as he is, they are seeing his loving relationship with the Supreme Being. This is the secret of Jesus' teachings. He is teaching love of God and he is God's perfect lover. Thus to see Jesus "in His kingdom" is to see Jesus' intimate loving relationship with the Supreme Being.

But in John 21:23, Jesus is also speaking of practicalities. While Peter will be reunited with Jesus at the time of death of Peter's body - when Peter's spirit-person rises from the body (resurrection) - the other disciple will "remain." This means that the other disciple will not be returning to the spiritual realm as quickly as Peter will. He will be remaining within the physical world.

But Jesus also clarifies that this is not Peter's concern: "what is that to you?"

Jesus is chastising Peter for not focusing on his own personal relationship with Jesus and God:, as he states: "You must follow me."

In fact, the writer of the Book of John then indicates that he was that disciple:

This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. (John 21:24)

It also states about this disciple: ...the disciple whom Jesus loved... (John 21:20) - again revealing Jesus' loving relationships with his dedicated students.

In his love for Peter, Jesus instructed Peter: "You must follow me."

And what does following Jesus mean? It means to follow his teachings. And what was Jesus' most important teaching?

“‘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)