INTERESTING FACTS : Daniel Webster, born January 18, 1782, Salisbury, New Hampshire, U.S. died October 24, 1852, Marshfield, Massachusetts, American orator and politician who practiced prominently as a lawyer before the U.S. Supreme Court and served as a U.S. congressman (1813-17, 1823-27), a U.S. senator (1827-41, 1845-50), and U.S. secretary of state (1841-43, 1850-52). He is best known as an enthusiastic nationalist and as an advocate of business interests during the period of the Jacksonian agrarianism[1]

 

"Good intentions will always be pleaded for every assumption of authority. It is hardly too strong to say that the Constitution was made to guard the people against the dangers of good intentions."[2]

 

Daily Reading : JOHN 16 - 18; 19 - 21

 

TEXT : John  19:32 Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.  19:33 But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:  19:34 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.  19:35 And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.  19:36 For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.  19:37 And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.  20:8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.  20:9 For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.  21:24 This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.  21:25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

 

THEME : The Holy Scriptures 

 

John 16 

 

Among other glorious things God hath spoken of himself this is one, I wound, and I heal, Deu. 32, 39. Christ's discourse in this chapter, which continues and concludes his farewell sermon to his disciples, does so.  I. Here are wounding words in the notice he gives them of the troubles that were before them (Joh_16:1-6).  II. Here are healing words in the comforts he administers to them for their support under those troubles, which are five: - 1. That he would send them the Comforter (Joh_16:7-15).  2. That he would visit them again at his resurrection (Joh_16:16-22).  3. That he would secure to them an answer of peace to all their prayers (Joh_16:23-27).  4. That he was now but returning to his Father (Joh_16:28-32).  5. That, whatever troubles they might meet with in this world, by virtue of his victory over it they should be sure of peace in him (Joh_16:33).  (Matthew Henry)[3]

 

John 17 

 

This chapter is a prayer, it is the Lord's prayer, the Lord Christ's prayer. There was one Lord's prayer which he taught us to pray, and did not pray himself, for he needed not to pray for the forgiveness of sin; but this was properly and peculiarly his, and suited him only as a Mediator, and is a sample of his intercession, and yet is of use to us both for instruction and encouragement in prayer. Observe,  I. The circumstances of the prayer (Joh_17:1).  II. The prayer itself.  1. He prays for himself (Joh_17:1-5).  2. He prays for those that are his. And in this see,  (1.) The general pleas with which he introduces his petitions for them (Joh_17:6-10).  (2.) The particular petitions he puts up for them  [1.] That they might be kept (Joh_17:11-16).  [2.] That they might be sanctified (Joh_17:17-19).  [3.] That they might be united (Joh_17:11 and Joh_17:20-23).  [4.] That they might be glorified (Joh_17:24-26).  (Matthew Henry) [4]

 

John 18 

 

Hitherto this evangelist has recorded little of the history of Christ, only so far as was requisite to introduce his discourses; but now that the time drew nigh that Jesus must die he is very particular in relating the circumstances of his sufferings, and some which the others had omitted, especially his sayings. So far were his followers from being ashamed of his cross, or endeavouring to conceal it, that this was what, both by word and writing, they were most industrious to proclaim, and gloried in it. This chapter relates,  I. How Christ was arrested in the garden and surrendered himself a prisoner (Joh_18:1-12).  II. How he was abused in the high priest's court, and how Peter, in the meantime, denied him (Joh_18:13-27).  III. How he was prosecuted before Pilate, and examined by him, and put in election with Barabbas for the favour of the people, and lost it (Joh_18:28-40).  (Matthew Henry)[4]

 

John 19 

 

Though in the history hitherto this evangelist seems industriously to have declined the recording of such passages as had been related by the other evangelists, yet, when he comes to the sufferings and death of Christ, instead of passing them over, as one ashamed of his Master's chain and cross, and looking upon them as the blemishes of his story, he repeats what had been before related, with considerable enlargements, as one that desired to know nothing but Christ and him crucified, to glory in nothing save in the cross of Christ. In the story of this chapter we have,  I. he remainder of Christ's trial before Pilate, which was tumultuous and confused (Joh_19:1-15).  II. Sentence given, and execution done upon it (Joh_19:16-18).  III. The title over his head (Joh_19:19-22).  IV. The parting of his garment (Joh_19:23, Joh_19:24).  V. The care he took of his mother (Joh_19:25-27).  VI. The giving him vinegar to drink (Joh_19:28, Joh_19:29).  VII. His dying word (Joh_19:30).  VIII. The piercing of his side (Joh_19:31-37).  IX. The burial of his body (Joh_19:38-42). O that in meditating on these things we may experimentally know the power of Christ's death, and the fellowship of his sufferings!  (Matthew Henry)[4]

 

John 20 

 

This evangelist, though he began not his gospel as the rest did, yet concludes it as they did, with the history of Christ' resurrection; not of the thing itself, for none of them describe how he rose, but of the proofs and evidences of it, which demonstrated that he was risen. The proofs of Christ's resurrection, which we have in this chapter, are  I. Such as occurred immediately at the sepulchre.  1. The sepulchre found empty, and the graveclothes in good order (Joh_20:1-10).  2. Two angels appearing to Mary Magdalene at the sepulchre (Joh_20:11-13).  3. Christ himself appearing to her (Joh_20:14-18).  II. Such as occurred afterwards at the meetings of the apostles.  1. At one, the same day at evening that Christ rose, when Thomas was absent (Joh_20:19-25).  2. At another, that day seven-night, when Thomas was with them (Joh_20:26-31). What is related here is mostly what was omitted by the other evangelists.  (Matthew Henry)[4]

 

John 21 

 

The evangelist seemed to have concluded his history with the foregoing chapter; but (as St. Paul sometimes in his epistles), new matter occurring, he begins again. He had said that there were many other signs which Jesus did for the proof of his resurrection. And in this chapter he mentions one of these many, which was Christ's appearance to some of his disciples at the sea of Tiberias, in which we have an account,  I. How he discovered himself to them as they were fishing, filled their net, and then very familiarly came and dined with them upon what they had caught (Joh_21:1-14).  II. What discourse he had with Peter after dinner,  1. Concerning himself (Joh_21:15-19).  2. Concerning John (Joh_21:20-23).  III. The solemn conclusion of this gospel (Joh_21:24, Joh_21:25). It is strange that any should suppose that this chapter was added by some other hand, when it is expressly said (Joh_21:24) that the disciple whom Jesus loved is he which testifieth of these things.  (Matthew Henry)[4] 

 

TRUTH FOR TODAY : "EVERY PROPHECY OF THE BIBLE SHALL BE FULFILLED."

 

Sometimes the Bible does not alert you that what you are reading is a vital, critical.  That is, the truth of the Bible is often subtle.  For this reason, you need the Holy Spirit to guide you need, and all the faculties of your intellect as well.  Otherwise, prominent and important statements will pass you by.  If you read too quickly and do not meditate on the content and context of Holy Scripture, you will bypass hints and clues - almost like a mystery novel, imbedded within the text.  Thus, we have such a case in the text of John chapter 19.

 

In the Gospel according to John 19:36-37, the Apostle John writing about certain features of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ states "For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.  And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced."  Prior to this, the Apostle John records in John 19:28 - "After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst." All three of these references are Biblical prophecies of the Messiah.  Of course they point to the Messiah's crucifixion that the Old Testament Scriptures foretold in Psalm 22.  Yet, what these three Scriptural references have in common is the word "fulfilled." Jesus of Nazareth is the prophesied Savior of the world.  Therefore, as you read the word fulfilled, you are witnessing the statements of Almighty God who foretold as early as Genesis 3:15 that He would send a Savior into the world. 

 

The prophecies of the Messiah, or of a coming Messiah, cover a period of about 4000 years.  That is, before he was born in Bethlehem.  Here and there, throughout the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit -the third person of the Trinity, "inspires" men to write His will, His words, and ultimately - His plan.  Of course, there are many other statements in the Old Testament that are predictive in nature and are considered prophecy.  (About 1/3 of the Bible is predictive or prophetic in nature.) The prophecies of the Messiah - what he would accomplish, what he would do, how he would "save" the world are all written in the Old and New testaments.  However, just considering the Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah, there are many hundreds.  Not all scholars agree on the exact number of Messianic prophecies contained in the Old Testament, but one prominent Cambridge scholar -a convert from Judaism by the name of Alfred Edersheim, in his book - "The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah," states the number is 456.  He writes -

 

"They [Messianic prophecies] amount in all to 456, thus distributed: 75 from the Pentateuch [The First Five Books of Moses], 243 from the Prophets, and 138 from the Hagiographa [the writings like Psalms, Proverbs], and supported by more than 558 separate quotations from Rabbinic writings"[9]

 

From this you can see the profound implications of God writing about his Messiah or Savior in such a way that no one would mistake who he was when he arrived.  In addition, the fulfillment of the prophecies of the Scriptures is the greatest evidence that the Bible was indeed written by God through men, and not merely by men.  You see the profundity of the word "fulfilled."

 

To demonstrate the possibility of one man fulfilling only eight Old Testament Scriptures by chance, (remember, according to the Edersheim there are 456 prophecies about the Messiah) Dr. Peter Stoner, a mathematician, decided to test the mathematical probability.  A conservative estimate of how many prophecies Jesus fulfilled in his first advent would be around 300.   Therefore, Dr. Peter Stoner in his seminal work - "Science Speaks," begins with the statistical probability of Jesus fulfilling only eight Old Testament Scriptures out of a possible 300 (or if Edersheim is correct - 456).  In any case, his results, verified by other competent and reputable mathematicians, are staggering if only eight Old Testament prophecies are considered.  The mathematical results and statistical probability of Jesus of Nazareth fulfilling just 8 of those 300 prophecies - unplanned and unintended, in other words - by "coincidence," are mind numbing.

 

Using the illustration of silver dollars, and the [conservative] estimate of the probability of Jesus fulfilling 8 prophecies by near chance, he calculated to be one in ten to the 17th power [1 x10,000,000,000,000,000,00].  Using this modest estimate, converting the numbers to silver dollars for the purpose of illustration, Dr. Stoner wrote -

 

"Suppose that we take 10[x] 17th silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas. They will cover all of the state two feet deep. Now mark one of these silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly, all over the state. Blindfold a man and tell him that he can travel as far as he wishes, but he must pick up one silver dollar and say that this is the right one. What chance would he have of getting the right one? Just the same chance that the prophets would have had of writing these eight prophecies and having them all come true in any one man, from their day to the present time, providing they wrote using their own wisdom. Now these prophecies were either given by inspiration of God or the prophets just wrote them as they thought they should be. In such a case the prophets had just one chance in 10[x] 17 of having them come true in any man, but they all came true in Christ. This means that the fulfillment of these eight prophecies alone proves that God inspired the writing of those prophecies to a definiteness which lacks only one change in 10[x] 17 of being absolute."[10]

 

Stoner goes further in his work, adding more prophecies to the equation.  He writes -

 

Suppose we add eight more prophecies to our list, and assume that their chance of fulfillment is the same as the eight just considered. The chance that one man would fulfill all sixteen is 1 x 1028 x 1017 or 1 in 1045.

 

Let us try to visualize this as we did before. Take this number of silver dollars. If you make these into a solid ball, you will have a great sphere with a center at the earth, and extending in all directions more than 30 times as far as from the earth to the sun. (If a train had started from the earth at the time the Declaration of Independence was signed, and had traveled steadily toward the sun at the rate of sixty miles per hour, day and night, it would be about reaching its destination today. But remember that our ball of silver dollars extends thirty times that far in all directions.) If you can imagine the marking of one silver dollar, and then thoroughly stirring it into this great ball, and blindfolding a man and telling him to pick out one dollar, and expect it to be the marked one, you have somewhat of a picture of how absolutely the fulfillment of sixteen prophecies referring to Jesus Christ proves both that He is the Son of God and that our Bible is inspired. Certainly God directed the writing of His Word.

 

In order to extend this consideration beyond all bounds of human comprehension, let us consider forty-eight prophecies, similar in their human chance of fulfillment to the eight which we originally considered, using a much more conservative number, 1 in 1021. Applying the same principle of probability used so far, we find the chance that any one man fulfilled all forty-eight prophecies to be 1 in 10157.

 

This is really a large number and it represents an extremely small chance. Let us try to visualize it. The silver dollar, which we have been using, is entirely too large. We must select a smaller object. The electron is about as small an object as we know of. It is so small that it will take 2.5 x 1015 of them laid side by side to make a line, single file, one inch long. If we were going to count the electrons in this line one inch long, and counted 250 each minute, and if we counted day and night, it would take us 19,000,000 years to count just the one-inch line of electrons. If we had a cubic inch of these electrons and we tried to count them, it would take us 1.2 x 1038 years (2 x 1028 times the 6 billion years back to the creation of the solar system). [4]

 

Thus, the word "fulfilled," has tremendous import and weight for the Christian.  No doubt, it also has stunning implications for the world as well, since the Bible also prophesies of the last days before Jesus' Second Advent (this discipline of theology is known as eschatology).  The Bible also tells of what will transpire after Jesus returns for the second time.  However, for now, consider yourself as you read the Holy Bible.  Read slowly and carefully so you do not rush past important truths of Scripture.  Meditate and memorize so you do not forget key passages of Scripture.  For the truth is -every prophecy of the Bible shall be fulfilled -including those yet to come.