Day 72: John 18-21 - The Bible Dept.

Summary

The Bible Dept. Podcast
Episode Summary: Day 72 – John 18-21
Release Date: March 13, 2025

Introduction

In Day 72 of The Bible Dept., Dr. Manny Arango delves into the concluding chapters of the Gospel of John (John 18-21). This episode offers a rich exploration of the narrative's depth, uncovering the intricate connections between Genesis and John, and emphasizing the transformative power of Jesus' resurrection. Dr. Arango guides listeners through context clues, "nerdy nuggets," and timeless truths, providing both scholarly insights and practical applications for daily life.

Context Clues

Dr. Arango begins by situating the Gospel of John within the broader biblical narrative, highlighting how John interprets Jesus' life and mission through the lens of Genesis. He states:

"Jesus is bringing, ushering the power of new creation. And John is writing from a Genesis perspective... there's this ecosystem between Genesis and Jesus and John that's happening." (04:30)

This perspective frames Jesus not merely as a historical figure but as the fulfillment of the creation narrative, establishing a new creation parallel to the original Genesis account.

Nerdy Nuggets

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to uncovering detailed parallels and symbolic elements within John 18-21. Highlights include:

"Behold the Man" Parallel:
- John 19:5: "Jesus came out of the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, 'Behold the man.'"
- Genesis 1:26-27: "Behold, man has been created in my image."
Dr. Arango points out the deliberate echo of "Behold the man" from Genesis to John, emphasizing Jesus' role in the new creation (06:15).
"It Is Finished" and Completion of Creation:
- John 19:30: "It is finished."
- Genesis 2:1: "God finished the work of creation."
This parallel underscores the completion of Jesus' redemptive work, mirroring the completion of creation and introducing Sabbath rest in the new creation (07:45).
Mary as the Gardener:
- John 20:15: "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" (Mary Mistakes Jesus for the Gardener)
Dr. Arango explores Mary Magdalene's misconception, drawing a parallel between Adam tending the Garden of Eden and Jesus as the gardener of the new creation (10:20).
Holy Spirit as Divine Breath:
- John 20:22: "Receive the Holy Spirit."
Highlighting the Greek term "pneuma" (breath, wind, spirit), Dr. Arango connects the Holy Spirit's life-giving power to the breath of God that animated Adam, emphasizing the Spirit's vital role in the believer's life (12:10).
Resurrection and Sunday Worship:
- The resurrection occurring on the first day of the week establishes Sunday as the primary day of worship for Christians, symbolizing the ongoing celebration of resurrection and new life (12:45).

Timeless Truths

The episode culminates in a profound reflection on redemption and commissioning:

"God redeems memories. He gives you new memories, and he always commissions." (20:30)

Dr. Arango emphasizes that despite Peter's denial, Jesus not only forgives but also commissions him to "feed my sheep." This act exemplifies how God transforms moments of failure into opportunities for purpose and leadership. The recurring imagery of the charcoal fire serves as a symbol of both Peter's guilt and his subsequent redemption, highlighting God's unwavering commitment to restoring and empowering His followers.

Key Takeaways:

Redemption Over Remembrance: Instead of dwelling on past failures, God creates new memories centered on forgiveness and purpose.
Immediate Commissioning: Unlike institutional practices of discipline, Jesus promptly commissions Peter, demonstrating a dynamic and purposeful approach to restoration.
Active Grace: Grace is not passive but a lived experience that propels believers into active service and leadership.

Conclusion

Dr. Manny Arango wraps up Day 72 by reinforcing the central theme of redemption and commissioning in the life of believers. He encourages listeners to embrace their callings despite past mistakes, trusting in God's grace to empower and guide them. The episode closes with a preview of the next day's study on First John, inviting listeners to continue their transformative journey through Scripture.

"Grace is not a concept or an idea. It's a lived experience." (20:50)

Additional Resources

Listeners are invited to download the Bible reading plan and explore more resources at thebibledept.com. Follow The Bible Dept. on Instagram @hebible_department for updates and community engagement.

Notable Quotes

Dr. Manny Arango on New Creation:
"John is writing from a Genesis perspective... he's looking at Jesus through the Lens of Genesis and looking at Genesis through the person of Jesus." (04:30)
On the Resurrection's Impact on Worship:
"The resurrection is why Christians worship on Sunday instead of Sabbathing on Saturday." (12:30)
On Grace and Commissioning:
"Grace is not a concept or an idea. It's a lived experience." (20:50)

This episode of The Bible Dept. offers a deep and engaging exploration of the final chapters of John, inviting listeners to discover the profound connections between creation, redemption, and their personal walk with Christ.

Transcript

A (0:00)

Hey, Bible nerds.

B (0:01)

This is Dr. Manny Arango and I'm your host for the Bible department podcast powered by Arma. This podcast follows a Bible reading plan.

A (0:08)

We created to help you read the.

B (0:10)

Entire Bible in a year. You can head to the show notes or thebibledepartment.com to download our reading plan and join the journey.

A (0:25)

To all my fellow pastors, I've got a question for you. Does your city know that your church exists? Listen, I get it. You're preaching, you're leading, you're discipling, you're doing ministry. We are in the same boat. And let's be honest, social media and marketing, not your strong suit. Not mine either. And that's probably the last thing on your mind. And that's why we chose to partner with Church Candy Marketing for our church Plant the garden. We out here, y'all. They help churches get more actual guests walking through the doors on Sunday without.

B (0:59)

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B (1:43)

The glory of Jesus. Let's go, family. Welcome to day 72. We are at the end of the book of John. And man, the images and the symbols, the intentionality on John's part is just masterful. We're going to have a fun time in the, you know, 15, 20 minutes that we got to walk through these last couple of chapters of the Book of John. Hey, if you haven't done the reading for today, do not miss out John, chapter 18, 19, 20, and 21. We got four chapters to read today. Day 72, if you're on a streak, I'm proud of you. All right, if you've done the reading, let's dive in. First thing we're gonna do is context clues. Just gonna remind you that Jesus is bringing, ushering the power of new creation. And John is writing from a Genesis perspective. He's looking at Jesus through the Lens of Genesis and looking at Genesis through the person of Jesus. Okay. There's this ecosystem between Genesis and Jesus and John that's happening. It's freaking awesome. And you're gonna see a lot of that stuff kind of come to life today. That's our. That's our context. Next, I'm just gonna. I mean, I'm gonna give you a barrage of just kind of nerdy nuggets probably for the next, like 15 minutes. Just show you parallels like from Gen in John, John and Genesis. Genesis and John. Back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. Okay, so let's actually go ahead. Actually, the first thing that I was thinking of, we'll actually leave it for the very, very last thing that we talk about. It'll be our timeless truth. So let's go to John, chapter 19. Okay, John, chapter 19. We're gonna get day six. Okay, day six of new creation, day six of original creation. John, chapter 19, verse five says, so Jesus came out the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, behold the man. Okay, behold the man. There we go. That's going to frame this. Behold the man. And what happens on day six of the original creation? In Genesis chapter one, verse 26 and 27, we get, behold Adam. Okay, so we get, behold the man on the day six of new creation, parallel to the creation of Adam in day six of the original creation. What else do we have? Okay, John, chapter 19, verse 30. We get these words. When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, it is finished. And he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. Okay. Very anti Gnostic, by the way, if you're tracking. Okay, there's a lot Gnostic ideas believe that there's no way for the spirit of the living God to have endured the crucifixion. So John makes a point to say that he gives up his spirit at the end of the crucifixion. Okay, so that the crucifixion included, not just Gnostics also believed that it was kind of like a hologram of Jesus's body upon the cross. They also believed that it was just the body of Jesus on the cross, but not that God was not involved, that there's no way that God could be involved in suffering. Really, the root of Gnosticism is escapism. And anyone who is bound by escapism does not rock with the idea of human suffering. Okay, so we have In John, chapter 19, verse 30, these words. It is finished. It is finished. Where have we seen those words before? Well, Genesis, chapter two, verse one. God finished the work of creation. So we're going to get what comes when something is finished. We're gonna get Sabbath. And so Jesus is going to spend the seventh day, the day that is holy, for Sabbath Saturday. He's going to spend Sabbath where? In the ground. There's this huge kind of tension between Jesus and the religious leaders all throughout the Gospels. But really you can feel it when you're in John's gospel of why don't you worship the sa. Why don't you honor the Sabbath? Now a Jesus did honor the Sabbath according to Torah. He did not honor the Sabbath according to the traditions of religious leaders. So he did not break Sabbath. He broke the religious leaders interpretations of the fence that was around the Torah, but not the Torah itself. But Jesus is saying, well, the reason I'm not resting, okay, right now, the way that you would like me to do that is because the reason I'm doing miracles on the Sabbath is because I'm bringing about new creation and I will rest. And when does he rest? That's right. He rests on day seven, same day that his father rested in the original creation. He's going to rest in the new creation. And then John chapter 20 opens up and John chapter 20 opens. And what does it say now? On the first day of the week. On the first day of the week. This is the first day of new creation. It's not just of the week. Talk about an understatement of the century. Okay, the first day of the week, it is not just the first day of the week. It is the first day of the new creation. It's the first day of hinge of history. All right, and John 2015. Remember there's this parallel between John and Genesis. Mary, what does she say? John 20:15, he says these words. Jesus said to her, woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking? Supposing him to be the gardener? She said to him, sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him. I will take him away. Jesus said to her, mary, she turned and said to him in Aramaic, rabboni. Okay, so Rabbi, what does Mary think Jesus is the gardener, which is. Oh, talk about so wrong, but so right. She's wrong because it's Jesus. And she didn't recognize Jesus. But she's right in that this man is in a garden and he is the new gardener, the gardener of the new creation. Because what was Adam put in the Garden of Eden to do, to tend it and to keep it. Which means Adam was a gardener and Here we have the second Adam, who is also a gardener. He's a gardener not of the original creation. He's the gardener of the new creation. Next we're gonna have Jesus really ushering in the power of the Holy Spirit. For the disciples, we're gonna go to John, chapter 20, verse 22. John, chapter 20, verse 22. It says this starting in verse 20. When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord Jesus said to them again, peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, receive the Holy Spirit. So in John's tradition, they get the Holy Spirit in the book, okay? Whereas Matthew, Mark, and Luke, they don't get the Holy Spirit into the Book of Acts. But for John, Jesus directly gives them the Holy Spirit. And how does he do it? By breathing on them. Come on, what is that supposed to make us think of? That Yahweh breathes into Adam's nostrils and he receives the breath of life and becomes a living soul, a nephesh, a living being. Okay? So Adam goes from dirt to life because of the animating power of the breath of God. And John wants us to see that the same God that breathed life into Adam is here in the flesh. His name is Jesus. And he's breathing on the disciples so they can receive the Holy Spirit also. The other thing that you need to know here is that the word for breath, wind, and spirit are exactly the same. Okay? In Hebrew, it's. And in Greek, actually, these ideas are all interconnected, so they all have the same word. And so in Greek, that word is pneuma. Pneuma, Breath, wind, spirit. So the breath that Jesus, that Yahweh breathes on Adam, animates him, turns him into a living being, but then Jesus breathes on them, and what do they get? The Holy Spirit, okay? Which means that for the believer, for the New Testament believer, for the Christian, that living with the power of the Holy Spirit is just as vital to our life as breath. Okay? In the same way that it is impossible to be a living person without breath in your lungs, it is impossible to live as a Christian without the Holy Spirit of God animating us, energizing us, empowering us, invigorating us, so that we can obey the word of the Lord. Okay? So we're gonna get. We get all these links, okay? So I probably gave you five, six nerdy nuggets in a row. I mean, we got context, we got nerdy nuggets, we got links everywhere. Okay? John is telling us about a new Genesis, and he's saying that this new creation is here. It's broken into the world, that Jesus has been planted like a seed in the earth and that he's come out of the grave. Here's another dirty nugget, okay? The resurrection is why Christians worship on Sunday instead of Sabbathing on Saturday. If any Seventh Day Adventists try to, like, convince you that Saturday is the day that we should worship, blah, blah, blah, just let them know. No. Jesus rose on the. Jesus rose from the grave on Sunday. And Christians since Jesus's resurrection have been worshiping on Sunday because Jesus rose from the grave. And we believe that every week is Easter. We're celebrating resurrection every Sunday. We want people to come to life in Christ every single Sunday. We want Lazarus to come out of the grave every single Sunday. We want people that are in dead religion, in dead marriages, in dead relationships, and in dead debt to death to come out of their graves every single week. We want people to make decisions for Christ. We want resurrection power in our churches every single week. So early Christians definitely made a cognizant effort or intentional decision to switch their day of worship from Saturday to Sunday because of what happened on that Sunday where Mary goes to the grave thinking that she's going to anoint the body of Jesus, but finds a mysterious figure who she rightly and wrongly thinks is the gardener.