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The Plan

Jesus' commitment to accomplish His Father's assignment to take away the sin of the world was a job description big enough to befit the Son of God (John 1:29, 34; Genesis 22:8). But predictably, it also stirred up resistance.

The Apostle John shows the religious system in Israel rejected Jesus before the strong arm of Rome did. Anger in the priestly system began to raise its ugly head in Jesus' first visit to the temple in Jerusalem after His baptism. It only intensified as His ministry progressed. By the time Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, the fury had become a murderous hatred that despised Jesus (John 11). It must not be missed that "religion" became the first enemy of the Messiah sent from God, and then religion allied with the state to kill Him. [This same alliance of religion and the state will ultimately usher in the reign of Antichrist.]

The Sanhedrin's Strategy; the Savior's Blueprint

The Sanhedrin met almost immediately after Jesus' stunning miracle in which Lazarus walked out of the tomb that held him for four days. Led by Caiaphas the high priest, the Sanhedrin formulated a brutal plan to kill Jesus. Caiaphas then issued an all-points bulletin for the Lord's arrest.

Jesus' sovereign blueprint called for Him to become the perfect sacrifice as "the Lamb of God," the "Passover lamb," who would "take away the sin of the world" (John 1:29; 1 Corinthians 5:7; Genesis 22:8).

Amazingly, the two plans of action were complimentary. The strategy of the Sanhedrin to kill Jesus actually meant Jesus' blueprint would be successful (Luke 23:34; Acts 3:17).

The struggle was colossal; it was an all-out war for the eternal destiny of the souls of men. For their part, these religious leaders did not voluntarily give up an inch of territory. Jesus had to "take it" every step of the way. As the struggle went forward, Jesus did not one time use their methods. For example, in His sovereignty Jesus did not coerce a single participant in the drama of Calvary. This meant these leaders and their followers acted in their own free will to arrest and crucify Jesus.

Amid all of the intrigue and drama to eliminate Jesus, the Lord retained control of the timing. Jesus was determined His crucifixion would occur on the very morning of the Passover celebration and at the same time the Passover lamb was slain in the temple.

Jesus needed no sword or spear to achieve His goal; His only instrument for the struggle was the love of God. Young David a millennium earlier could not wear Saul's armor; he needed only his sling and one of his five smooth stones to end Goliath's boastings permanently (I Samuel 17:50). Time would prove the love of God, and not the sword, was the one force King David's messianic Son needed to compel Rome to bow at Jesus' Cross.

THINK ABOUT IT: The love of God does indeed "take away the sin of the world" (John 1:29, 36; Genesis 22:8).

Death itself was the ultimate instrument of control in the hands of these religious rulers; it was their fearsome willingness to kill that so effectively silenced the Jewish population. The dead always lose their voices; the solemn quietness in any cemetery is deafening.

Propelled by the love of God, Jesus had a surprise weapon His enemies did not see coming – the power of resurrection. As Jesus watched their anger turn into hatred, and then into a plot to murder Him, He continued to witness how well His Father's plan was working. Jesus actually taught His disciples: "Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul; but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" (Matthew 10:28 KJV).

The Sanhedrin leaders thought the cross would silence Jesus forever; He would permanently be out of their hair. In their fondest imagination they did not foresee Jesus would walk out of His tomb!

Jesus, on the other hand, understood fully what His resurrection would achieve. His triumph would mortally humiliate death itself, wipe out its sting forever, and give eternal life to untold millions worldwide who repent and believe the gospel.

In the Battle for Japan in World War II, the atomic bomb was the Allies' top secret weapon, and it forced the Japanese warlords to surrender. With Jesus Christ, the surprise was His power of resurrection, accomplished and demonstrated in the love of the triune Godhead.

The plan Jesus came to fulfill worked perfectly!

When the Apostle John laid down His ancient stylus, he had recorded the ageless story that has convinced readers in every generation, among all ethnicities everywhere that Jesus is God's Son. He is the Redeemer of all who repent and believe the gospel.

John's book makes the same powerful case in the 21st century. It remains God's answer to establish the modern gods of this age are but idols of the mind. John does so by proving Jesus alone holds the status, the Son of God.

THINK ABOUT IT: Son of God indeed! Moses was right when he prophesied 3,500 years ago – we "must listen to him" (Deuteronomy 18:15; Matthew 17:5).

This volume is written in a commentary style with applicational inserts added throughout. The book fits into the theological discipline of apologetics: the effort to defend Christian faith by showing not only what we believe, but also defending why we should believe it.

Book one covers John 1:1 – 5:47. Book Two begins at John 6:1 and continues through John 12:11, and concludes John's account of Jesus' ministry leading up to Passion Week. Book Two is planned for release early in 2014.

The story of the last week of the Lord's earthly ministry (chapters 12-22) climaxes with Jesus' horrible crucifixion and triumphant resurrection and is yet to be written.