I was reading the book of John and...

a few things popped out at me.  They aren't necessarily insightful, just things that popped into my head.  Here they are, friends:


12:19 So the Pharisees said to one another, "You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him."

-- no one could deny "the world" was drawn to Jesus and that made the Pharisees mad.  And what comes out of ignorance and jealousy?  Destruction.  Destruction in the name of God.




2:26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

-- so maybe we have it backwards..  We always say where WE go, God goes; but I think it's where GOD goes, we go


12:42-43 Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.

-- so some may believe but for fear of others or for their own glory do not confess therefore are not saved. Ugh, we're such humans.



13:1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

--"his own" and he "loved them to the end". I love how the disciples are shown to be close to Jesus on earth.  Even though Jesus is God and therefore created us all, when he was on earth for those 33 years, He had family and forged friendships.  That is very cool.


13:27Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, "What you are going to do, do quickly."

-- why quickly?  And crazy how with that bite he allowed Satan in.  Could Judas have stopped it?


15:7-9If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.
 
--now that is just awesome.  "Abide in my love."  The dictionary defies "abide" as : to continue in a particular condition, attitude, relationship,etc.; last.  to remain; continue; stay.  to wait for; await


So, He is saying REMAIN IN MY LOVE; STAY IN MY LOVE; WAIT IN MY LOVE; CONTINUE IN THIS RELATIONSHIP WITH ME IN MY LOVE

15:13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

-- lay down his life. What does this mean?  I've definitely always thought this meant death, but maybe "lay down your life" means something else, too?  



16:7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.

--so why is the Holy Spirit better than having Jesus in the flesh?  And why did Jesus have to leave for The Holy Spirit to come?


16:21When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world.

--I know why this one always sticks out to me, it's because of my love of childbirth/pregnancy education, so I GET IT.  Also, I've given birth so I know what that feeling is like.  I can relate it to how after childbirth, such a rush of oxytocin "the love hormone" just going crazy in my body.  So, that is what he is talking about here.  I totally understand.  And I love it!

17:17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth

--just really cool.  Sanctify means to "purify or free from sin; the make holy; set apart as sacred"  So it means He wants for us to be purified in the truth.  And we'll get that way by reading the word.



Random: Whatever happened to Pilate?




19:38-39 After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight.

--these 2 buried him...why is it two people who followed him in secret or at night?  What is the symbolism here?