April 2025: God's Friend or Foe?

Published on 04/01/2025 by Dr-Shirley-Cheng.

There's power in number. So when Jesus was ready to start his ministry after successfully passing all of the devil's temptations, he began electing men to be his disciples who would continue his ministry after he departed from Earth. His and their main focus was preaching about the Kingdom of God, and they performed signs and miracles to validate their ministry as coming from Yahweh.

It can be tricky or even impossible to follow Jesus' life and ministry entirely in the order that events in his life took place, because the Gospel writers often grouped events topically rather than chronologically. Each writer had a different emphasis which they highlighted by presenting teachings or events in a certain arrangement. Matthew focuses more on Jesus' long discourses, while Mark focuses more on his miracles. Luke adds more parables Jesus told that the two other Gospels did not record, whereas John filled in more of the events and speeches that Jesus delivered.

Up to this point, the sequence of major events is as follows:
1) The announcement of John's birth
2) The announcement of Jesus' birth
3) The birth of John
4) The birth of Jesus
5) The baptism of Jesus
6) The wilderness temptation of Jesus
7) John's announcement that Jesus' the Son of God and Lamb of God
8) Jesus' first meeting with his future disciples (John 1:35-51)

At this time, John the Baptizer was still not yet imprisoned by Herod Antipas. In Luke 3:19-20, Luke was simply concluding his narration of John's ministry by mentioning his imprisonment. But from the Gospel of John, we'll see that John wouldn't be imprisoned till some time after Jesus began his ministry.

Let's now continue following our Lord's story, shall we?

The First Meetings with the King

"Again, the next day, John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!'" (John 1:35-36, WEB)

The next day after he announced to the Jews that Jesus is the Lamb of God, John the Baptizer saw him again. Being the faithful forerunner of Jesus that he was, John revealed to his disciples the identity of Jesus: Jesus is the Lamb of God. His aim was to bring people to Jesus, and he achieved his purpose when his disciples left his side to follow after Jesus. However, this was an initial meeting between Jesus and the two men; discipleship wouldn't begin until some time later.

Jesus turned around, and seeing the two men following him, asked them what they were seeking, to which they replied, "Rabbi, where are you staying?" (John 1:38) "Rabbi" is a title of honor given to teachers that means "master." By calling Jesus "Rabbi" and asking where he was staying, the two disciples of John expressed an interest in becoming Jesus' disciples. Jesus showed them where he was staying at that time, and they remained with him that day. It was about the tenth hour, which is 4 PM. The Jews divided the day into two twelve-hour periods, one for the day and the other for the night. So their tenth hour of the day is 4 PM.

One of the two men was Andrew from a Galilean town called Bethsaida. After having stayed with Jesus for a day, he excitedly went to find his brother Simon ("Simeon" in Hebrew). Once he found his brother, Andrew burst out, "We have found the Messiah!" (John 1:41) From what John his former master had revealed to him and from the time he spent with Jesus, Andrew believed that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah whom Daniel prophesied was to come at that time.

What Andrew did in seeking his brother is an example of evangelism. He saw and heard Jesus, and he desired to share what he just learned with others. He didn't keep the knowledge of Jesus all to himself but spread it. His action is what we should follow. When we learn of Jesus Christ and his teachings, we should share it with others--with our friends, family, co-workers, or even strangers--so they can share in our joy and eternal life to come.

Simon and His New Name

Andrew brought Simon to Jesus. When he saw Simon, Jesus said, "You are Simon the son of Jonah. You shall be called Cephas." (John 1:42) In this very first meeting with Jesus, Simon received a new name from the Messiah: Cephas, which means "rock." "Cephas" is Aramaic, and "Peter" is its Greek form. Aramaic was one common language, along with Hebrew, of the Jews who were born in the Promised Land, whereas Koine Greek was the universal language of the Jews who were born elsewhere, though Jews in foreign lands also spoke other languages that were common in their particular birthplaces.

In giving Simon a new name, Jesus was changing the destiny or divine purpose for Peter. Peter was to be a firm rock, and his latter years following Jesus' ascension back to heaven would demonstrate his fulfilled destiny.

The First Disciple of the King

The next day after meeting Simon, Jesus was "determined" to go into Galilee from where he departed to be baptized by john, hence he had remained in Judea until now (John 1:43). His determination to return to Galilee tells us that he was set out to accomplish a God-assigned task. In context, that task was the finding and selection of his first disciple: Philip. At this time, neither Andrew nor Peter was called to be a disciple yet.

Jesus found Philip in Galilee. Philip was also from Bethsaida, but we're not certain if Jesus found him outside or inside that town. Once seeing Philip, Jesus asked him to follow him. This is the first-recorded time where Jesus officially selected his disciples. Philip thus became Jesus' first disciple.

From God's Foe to Friend

Like Andrew, Philip didn't keep Jesus all to himself. He went to find his friend, Nathanael, and said to him, "We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote: Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." (John 1:45) Philip was convinced that Jesus is the Messiah of whom Moses and other prophets prophesied. He was likely another disciple of John, and believed John's proclamation about Jesus being the Son of God. Indeed, John had prepared many hearts to embrace Jesus.

When Nathanael heard that Jesus was from Nazareth, he asked incredulously, "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:46) From his initial response, we see that Nazareth was an unpopular town. People viewed it quite unfavorably. It was perhaps filled with uneducated folks who were scorned by society, even by their fellow Galileans. In other words, Nazareth was viewed as the low of the low.

Philip answered, "Come and see." (John 1:46) The only way Nathanael could get the answer to his question was to investigate it himself. He needed to see for himself that we cannot judge someone by their social background.

As soon as he laid eyes on Nathanael, Jesus declared, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!" (John 1:47) While Nathanael fell into the error of stereotyping people of Nazareth, Jesus knew that he was generally a righteous person who practiced no deceit. He was a true Israelite, what Yahweh desired all Israelites to be: honest.

Nathanael responded with a question, "How do you know me?" (John 1:48) Since they just barely met, how could this fellow possibly know him and correctly judge his character?

Jesus replied, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you," to which Nathanael exclaimed, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are King of Israel!" (John 1:48-49)

Nathanael was absolutely taken aback by Jesus' divine knowledge. Nathanael being under the fig tree was likely something that Jesus wouldn't have possibly known if Jesus were an ordinary person, for the fig tree was apparently too far away to be seen by Jesus. Nathanael immediately believed that Jesus is the Son of God, the King of Israel whom Yahweh appointed to shepherd Israel, the Messiah whom the old prophets prophesied.

Jesus praised Nathanael's belief, and promised him that he would witness greater things than this revelation. Nathanael would "see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man." (John 1:51) The "son of man" speaks of Jesus; it's Jesus' favorite title to use of himself. It emphasizes his humanity.

I believe Jesus' words in John 1:51 should be studied in connection to Jacob's account in Genesis 28.

In Genesis 28, Jacob (Israel) was running away from home after he deceived Isaac his father by pretending to be Esau his twin brother in order to steal Esau's blessings. Esau plotted to murder him, so on the counsel of his mother, he left home to go to his uncle in Syria. On his way, he spent a night in the city of Luz. That night, Jacob had a unique dream. After he woke up, he renamed the city to "Bethel," which means "house of God."

In his dream, Jacob dreamed of a ladder or stairway with angels ascending and descending upon it, and Yahweh stood on the ladder. The meaning of Jacob's dream may be: The ladder or stairway that connects sky and earth symbolized the connection between God and humans. The angels ascending and descending upon it symbolizes messages that go to and fro between God and humans; the messages from God to people, and the messages from people to God. The bottom of the ladder stood on the land of Canaan, perhaps meaning that it was in that chosen land by God where people could connect with God.

However, after Jesus died for all of humanity's sins, he himself became our ladder or connection with God. We no longer need to be at a certain place, like the land of Canaan or at the Jerusalem temple, to be connected to God (John 4:21-24). Instead, we can communicate directly to God through Jesus, who is our mediator, as the Bible says, "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all." (1 Timothy 5:5-6) This may be what Jesus meant when he said, "Most certainly, I tell you, hereafter you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man." (John 1:51)

Before we became Christians, we were alienated from God and were His enemies (Colossians 1:21; Romans 5:10). But once we put faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are reconciled with God and obtain the peace with God, no longer his enemies but His sons and daughters (Colossians 1:20, 22; Romans 8:14). We can even become God's friends as Abraham was!

So before Jesus' sacrifice, the land of Canaan, especially the temple in Jerusalem, was the ladder (connection to God); but after Jesus' sacrifice, Jesus himself became the ladder. It was no longer the place, but the person that matters now. Anyone from anywhere who trusts in Jesus will have direct, unhindered access to God, equally!

Do you trust in Jesus Christ as your own Lord and Savior to enjoy direct access to God? If not, make today the day of your salvation to start your sacred relationship with your Creator! Turn from being God's foe to His friend! But if you're already among the immeasurably blessed ones who belong to Christ, then continually go boldly before your Father to seek His face and His will in sweet eternal fellowship!


~*~ Q&A with Dr. Shirley ~*~

Question: What is the meaning and purpose of the Lord's supper or holy communion that is regularly observed? How should we observe it?

Answer: The apostle Paul explained the meaning and significance of the holy communion, saying, "For I received from the Lord that which also I delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which he was betrayed took bread. When he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, 'Take, eat. This is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in memory of me.' In the same way he also took the cup, after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in memory of me.' For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes." (1 Corinthians 11:23-26, WEB)

We learn here that the Lord personally taught Paul his institution of the holy communion. Jesus revealed to him how he took bread and the cup of wine during his last supper prior to his sacrifice, telling his apostles that the bread represented his body that was to be struck for them and that the wine represented his blood that was to be shed for them. The Lord commanded that they regularly partake of his "body" and "blood" in remembrance of him.

Paul pinpointed the reason for observing the Lord's supper: to proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. Observing the holy communion is about remembering and proclaiming what Jesus went through for us. It is about cherishing his sacrifice. It is about rededicating ourselves to the Lord, for when we eat of the bread and drink of the cup, we are appropriating his sacrifice to us. Hence, the Lord's supper isn't just any ordinary meal.

The Lord's supper is to be observed with reverence and soberness. We are to partake of it with great respect to the Lord, as Paul explained, "Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the Lord’s cup in a way unworthy of the Lord will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy way eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he doesn't discern the Lord’s body. For this cause many among you are weak and sickly, and not a few sleep." (1 Corinthians 11:27-30)

Observing the Lord's supper properly is a must. The proper way to observe it is with self-examination. Before we break bread and take of the cup, we must first examine ourselves. We must get our heart right with the Lord. We must discern his body. This involves knowing what he did for us and appreciating his sacrifice. We must eat his "flesh" and drink his "blood" in a way that's worthy of the Lord. A worthy manner is sober, thankful, and reverend.

Those who observe the Lord's supper carelessly in a manner not worthy of the Lord sin against his body and blood and this brings judgment onto themselves. This is exactly what happened to the Corinthians who got drunk at the Lord's supper. God punished some of them with illnesses and even struck many with pre-mature death, what Paul called "sleep."

Paul counseled the Corinthians, "Therefore, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest your coming together be for judgment. The rest I will set in order whenever I come." (1 Corinthians 11:33-34) The remedy for their sin is simple: that they respectfully wait for one another to be served before eating and observing the Lord's supper. If they were hungry, they should eat at home before gathering together. This way, their gatherings for the Lord's supper wouldn't result in further divine judgment.

Do you have Bible questions and want answers? Contact Dr. Shirley and she'll be happy to answer your questions by the grace of God.

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