Sermon Tone Analysis

*JOHN 13:18-30 *

 

#.

*THE PURPOSE OF GOD *

Jesus breaks the solemnity and the …. of the occasion by introducing a surprise element

*1.        **Divine Election *

*a.        **An Exception *

Jesus wants to highlight that there is an exception within the group: “/I speak not of you all/…” [13:18].

§         λέγω - “/speak/” [13:18], ‘to say, speak, discourse’;

§         πάντων - “/all/” [13:18], ‘each individual in a class’;

*                                                                                                         i.

**Introduction *

Jesus has already hinted at this: “/you are clean, but not all/” [13:10].

§         ὑμεῖς – “/you/” [13:10], second person plural pronoun,

§         καθαροί - “/clean/” [13:10], ‘free from dirt’; ‘free from wrong’; ‘free from defilement’; 

§         Acceptance before God: “/so shall Aaron and his sons wash their hands and feet when they go into the tabernacle of the congregations that they die not/…” [Exo.30:19-21].

*b.        **Eternal Election *

The concept of eternal election: “/I know whom I have chosen/…” [13:18].

§         ἐξελεξάμην - “/chosen/” [13:18], aorist middle, ‘to select’; ‘to prefer over another’; ‘to makes one’s choice’.

§         The priority of Jesus’ election: “/Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you/…” [15:16].

§         It is election with the concept of ‘out of’ a place or group: “/I have chosen you out of the world/…” [15:19];

*                                                                                                         i.

**(Fore) Knowledge *

Election is based on foreknowledge: “/I know whom I have chosen/…” [13:18].

§         οἶδα - “/know/” [13:18], perfect active, ‘to have seen and hence know’;

§         ᾔδει - “/knew/” [13:11], pluperfect active, ‘to have seen and hence know’;

§         παραδιδόντα - “/betray/” [13:11], present active participle, ‘to hand over’; ‘to give or deliver up’; “/he that spared not his Son but delivered him up for us all/…” [Rom.8:32].

*                                                                                                       ii.

**Eternal Salvation*

The election by which we become the children of God: “/thine they were, and you gave them to me.../” [17:6].

§         The Servant works for them only: “/For their sakes I sanctify myself/…” [17:19].

§         The order of salvation: “/for whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate/…” [Rom.8:29-30].

*c.        **Temporal Election *

The concept of temporal election; not all election is salvation: “/Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil/…” [6:70].

§         ἐξελεξάμην - “/chosen/” [6:70], aorist middle, ‘to select’; ‘to prefer over another’; ‘to makes one’s choice’.

§         δώδεκα - “/twelve/” [6:7], an obvious reference to the group of disciples: “/Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away/?” [6:67].

§         διάβολός - “/devil/” [6:70], ‘slanderer, false accuser’; ‘Devil or Satan’.

*Application*.

God may, for a time, set individuals apart for particular tasks in his kingdom.

*2.

**The Church & God’s Building *

*a.        **The Corinthian Model *

Paul and the Corinthians: “/you are God’s husbandry, you are God’s building/” [1Cor.3:9].

§         οἰκοδομή - “/building/” [3:9], oikoj plus demw, ‘to build’; ‘a building’; ‘the act of building’;

*                                                                                                         i.

**Foundation *

Christ the foundation: “/For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Christ/” [1Cor.3:11].

§         θεμέλιον - “/foundation/” [3:11], ‘the basic stone’; ‘the foundation stone’;

§         Jesus to Peter: “/on this rock I will build my church/…” [Mat.16:18].

*b.        **The Timothy Model *

Paul and Timothy: “/behave yourself in the house of God/…” [1Tim.3:15].

§         οἴκῳ - “/house/” [3:15], ‘dwelling place’;

*                                                                                                         i.

**The Foundation Seal *

Paul and Timothy: “/Nevertheless, the foundation of God stands sure, having this seal, The Lord knows them that are his/” [2Tim.2:19].

§         θεμέλιος - “/foundation/” [2:19], ‘the basic stone’; ‘the foundation stone’;

§         ἕστηκεν - “/stands/” [2:19], perfect active, ‘cause to be in a place’; ‘continue to hold a place’;

§         σφραγῖδα - “/seal/” [2:19], ‘wax impressed by signet’; ‘mark or impression made by a seal or stamp’; indicates ‘ownership, protection, and authentication’.

§         The metaphor is based on the practice of inscribing a seal on the foundation of a building in order to indicate ownership and sometimes the function of the building.

§         ἔγνω - “/knows/” [2:19], aorist active, ‘learn to know’; ‘to learn through personal experience’;

§         Paul is confident that God’s ‘prior knowledge’ of his elect people will ensure their safety no matter the success of the opposition.

*                                                                                                       ii.

**The Vessels *

The vessels in the house: “/But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver…some to honour, and some to dishonour/” [2Tim.2:20].

§         δὲ - “/but/” [2:20], particle ‘giving continuation or development of thought’;

§         σκεύη - “/vessel/” [2:20], ‘object, instrument, equipment’;

§         τιμὴν - “/honour/” [2:20], ‘valuable’; ‘worth, honour, or price’;

§         ἀτιμίαν - “/dishonour/” [2:20], ‘disgrace’; ‘common use or unclean use’;

*Application*.

*3.

**The Divine Purpose *

The different /forms/ of election are in order to enable the divine purpose.

*a.        **The Prophetic Word *

The plan and purpose of God: “/but that the scripture may be fulfilled/…” [13:18].

§         ἡ γραφὴ - “/scripture/” [13:18], literally ‘the writing’; ‘the inscription’; ‘the passage’;

§         The scriptures are the revelation of God concerning his plan for salvation: “/Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me/” [5:39].

§         πληρωθῇ - “/fulfilled/” [13:18], ‘to make complete’; ‘to fill up’;

*b.        **The Particular Passage *

*                                                                                                         i.

**Eating Bread *

The particular scripture: “/He that eats bread with me/…” [13:18].

§         A quotation from Psalm 41: “/yea, my own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat bread with me, has lifted up his heel against me/” [Psa.41:9].

§         The “/Familiar friend/” [Psa.41:9]

means literally ‘man of peace’; ‘one with whom I lived on terms of intimate and endearing discourse’.

§         The sharing of bread was one of the most intimate moments in Israelite life, and meals were a time in which participants set aside all enmity and hostility.

§         In Eastern culture, where sharing bread and salt bound people together in covenant support, such betrayal signified the depth of depravity.

*                                                                                                       ii.

**Lifting the Heel *

He “/Lifted up his heel/” [13:18] means literally ‘has made his heel great against me’.

§         Culturally, ‘to show the bottom of one’s foot to someone in the Near East is a mark of contempt’.

§         The precise point is that the betrayal was done by an intimate friend.

*                                                                                                     iii.

**Original Context *

The original context was probably referring to his counselor Ahithophel, who turned traitor and joined Absalom’s rebellion [2 Sam.

15–17].

§         David flees from Absalom: “/Arise, let us flee, for else we shall not else escape from Absalom/…” [2Sam.15:13ff].

§         Ahithophel was “/David’s counsellor/” [2Sam.15:12]

and Absalom “/sent for him/” [15:12] and “/the conspiracy was strong for the people increased continually with Absalom/” [15:12].

§         Ahithophel, as the royal counsellor, was considered to be God’s spokesman: “/the counsel of Ahithophel was as if a man had inquired at the oracle of God: so was the counsel of Ahithophel both with David and with Absalom/” [2Sam.16:23].

*c.        **Kingdom Tasks *

In [6:70], the word “/chosen/”, ἐξελεξάμην, denotes a temporal /election/, by which God appoints us to any particular work:

*                                                                                                         i.

**Judas Iscariot *

Judas Iscariot was clearly chosen: “/I have chosen you twelve/…” [6:70].

§         Judas had the gift of God: “/he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils and to cure diseases/” [Luk.9:1].