IV. Two Progenitors, Two Births, Two Contrasting Destinies
Two matching lines of thought run through John’s Gospel—(l) The incarnation of Deity (the divine nature) in the person of Jesus Christ of Nazareth that involved the union of the divine and human in Christ, in order that He might redeem man. He was both God and man, yet not two but one, in the unity of one person. And (2) the parallel affirmation, from the first paragraph to the last, that this incarnation of the divine Word had for its supreme object the giving of everlasting life to mankind through redemptive union with Christ, the Light of life. But it was these twin truths that aroused the incredulity and awakened the intense hostility of many of the Jews.CFF1 191.1
At the very outset of the Gospel of John the sublime declaration is made: “In him [Jesus] was life [that is, the fountain of life]; and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4). “Life,” as we have seen, is one of the two characteristic words of John’s Gospel, appearing many times in this short missive. Jesus came not, as did John the Baptist, merely to bear witness of the light of life, but pre-eminently as the actual Life-giver, “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).CFF1 191.2
He is the very source and embodiment, the herald and bestower of eternal life. The “first man Adam was made a living soul [psuchen zosan];” but “the last Adam was made a quickening spirit [pneuma zoopoioun],” or life-giving spirit (1 Corinthians 15:45). And John’s whole Gospel is the unfolding and applying of that glorious truth and provision. But let us pause to define and differentiate that life.CFF1 191.3
1. SIGNIFICANCE AND SCOPE OF THE TERM “LIFE.”
Certain words are characteristic in John’s Gospel. One of the most conspicuous and striking is “life” (zoe), which appears 36 times. The verb “love” (agapao) is used 37 times. And “light” (phos) is found 23 times, and is used especially of Christ and of God (John 1:4, 5; John 8:12; 1 John 1:5). But the zoe-life holds a unique place. It is essential that we grasp John’s use of the term “life.” There are three Greek words rendered by the one word “life.” Note the fundamental distinctions:CFF1 191.4
(1) Zoe (life) is the opposite of death, which is the end of life—the result of the sentence and punishment of God against sin. Zoe is life in all manifestations. It is the principle and essence of life. Its one and only source is God—the Living One, the Fountain of Life. We live only in and by His life. He originates and sustains life by giving it out of Himself. “In him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28). (Connect to Libronix)CFF1 192.1
(2) Psuche (life) is used of the life of man—which can be lost, destroyed, saved, laid down, et cetera—58 times in the New Testament, and is rendered “life” 39 times and “soul” 19 times. It is used of man as an individual 14 times.CFF1 192.2
(3) Bios is manner of life, the period or duration of life, the means of living. 2) See Bullinger, Critical Lexicon, p. 462; The Companion Bible, Appendixes 170 (p. 191) and 110 (p. 153). 2CFF1 192.3
John uses zoe in a theological sense to describe the life that comes to the Christian through Christ. Actually he calls it zoen aionion (eternal life, everlasting life) 16 times in his Gospel. In other cases the context makes it clear that it is eternal life that he is talking about.CFF1 192.4
This life (zoe) belongs to those to whom it is communicated. It is the life the Christian has now in Christ, as the “gift of God” (Romans 6:23), by faith in Christ (John 6:27; John 10:28). “He that hath the Son hath life [zoen]; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1 John 5:12).CFF1 192.5
In general, the other New Testament writers use zoe in this theological sense, even where the word “eternal” is not connected with it. Now let us continue.CFF1 192.6
2. NATURAL DYING LIFE; SUPERNATURAL ENDLESS LIFE
From Adam, our natural progenitor, we obtained only a mortal, transitory life received through natural generation. Nothing else, and nothing higher, could come from or through him. But in our glorious Spiritual Progenitor is vested the life that is spiritual and undying, which He gives through regeneration. This distinction between the natural life and the supernatural is very real, and is everywhere drawn throughout the New Testament, and particularly in the Gospel of John.CFF1 193.1
In general the two words psuche and zoe in the Greek are used to designate and differentiate them. But the translation of these two distinct and often antithetical terms by the single word “life” (as the English does not have the dual equivalents) has obscured this distinction. Nevertheless, there are two separate progenitors, two separate births, and two separate destinies. Christ came that whosoever believeth in Him might be “saved” from death and unto life. He came to confer eternal life upon repentant, believing, mortal men.CFF1 193.2
This was the sublime and revolutionary truth that Christ, at the very outset of His public ministry, enunciated and pressed home to Nicodemus. Note the precise phrasing:CFF1 193.3
“Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”CFF1 193.4
“As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:3, 6, 7, 14-17).CFF1 193.5
3. NICODEMUS THE PHARISEE HELD TO INNATE IMMORTALITY
Nicodemus, the Pharisee and believer in Innate Immortality, had but vague notions of life beyond the present. He obviously held to a prolongation of man’s natural life beyond the present state, not the reception of a new life. It was the same old immortal life of the “soul” of Platonic philosophy, accentuated by Philo, after the soul has escaped from the encumbering body—a kind of ghostly, innate, immortal entity—that he and others had imbibed from the widespread penetrations of Greek philosophy current among the Pharisees. Nicodemus therefore not only had no conception of that new spiritual life, which comes from a new spiritual birth—and which is presented in the New Testament as the sole foundation for man’s hope of immortality—but alas he was destitute of the means of conceiving it, for—“the natural [psuchikos] man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually [pneumatikos] discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14).CFF1 193.6
Picture 2: Jesus in Conversation with Nicodemus:
As Moses Lifted Up the Brazen Serpent of Old That the Dying Israelites Might Have Life, So Must Christ Be Lifted Up on Calvay for Dying Humanity, to Restore Lost Immortality.
Page 194CFF1 195
Picture 3: Jesus with the Woman at Jacob’s Well:
Jesus Tells the Woman of Samaria of the Living Water, the Everlasting Life, That He Came to Give to Her and to Every Other Thirsting Soul Who Would Seek It.
Page 195CFF1 195
4. “LIVING WATER” SPRINGING UP UNTO “EVERLASTING LIFE.”
It was this same essential doctrine that Christ next attempted to teach, from a slightly different approach, in conversing with the woman at the well in Samaria. But neither could her mind, unillumined by the Spirit of God, apprehend such spiritual realities. She understood the impressive figures used by Christ only in their lower material sense. But scriptural figures are employed to represent realities, and not something fanciful. This spiritual life of which Christ spoke was not unreal but actual—even more real and substantial than the natural life of man. Observe Christ’s approach:CFF1 195.1
“If thou knewest the gift of God [eternal life through Christ], and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water [hudor zon] .... Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well [pege, “fountain,” “spring”] of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:10-14).CFF1 196.1
5. CENTRAL DOCTRINE OF JOHN’S GOSPEL
The Gospel of John is pre-eminent in setting forth this great doctrine of life eternal only through Christ. The doctrine of a future life was definitely revealed in the ancient Hebrew Scriptures. And in their earlier centuries—during the time of the living Hebrew prophets—Israel had generally held thereto. But in the later inter-Testamental period, under the impact of Greek philosophy, the Jewish religion had been gravely marred and corrupted.CFF1 196.2
The Pharisees had come to hold the philosophical doctrine of the natural immortality of the natural life of man as the peculiar inheritance of the children of Abraham. This blinded their eyes to the truth that Christ brought to them. Their minds were closed, their understanding darkened, so they could not comprehend.CFF1 196.3
That was the great barrier.CFF1 196.4
Then when Christ showed the fallacy of their hopes in any immortality except through Himself, and that there was nothing in the Old Testament Scriptures—which they meticulously invoked—to justify their philosophical hopes and expectations, they were affronted and angered. If they would but “search the scriptures,” Christ said wistfully, going to the heart of the issue, they would find no doctrine of immortality for man, save through the promised Life-giver. That was the stumbling block.CFF1 196.5
6. CONTROVERSY OVER BREAD FROM HEAVEN AND RESURRECTION
In the sixth chapter of John, Christ’s prolonged discussion with the Jews is recorded, designed to prove that He is indeed the Bread of Life, that while the fathers actually ate manna in the wilderness, nevertheless they died; but that He is the life-giving Bread that came down from Heaven that, should a man eat thereof, he would not die the second, or final, death (John 6:50). This basic declaration He iterated and reiterated to them in various ways.CFF1 197.1
But He was actually pressing upon one point—that His work on earth was to give life, everlasting life, and to prevent men from ultimately dying and perishing in the second death. He declares that whoso eateth His flesh and drinketh His blood, “hath eternal life”; and that He “will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:54).CFF1 197.2
“As the living Father hath sent me,” Christ declared, “and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.” And “he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever” (John 6:57, 58). He insists, “Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you” (John 6:53). This vital discourse, delivered in Capernaum, presents the crux of the conflict with the Jews, and discloses the basic battleground of the entire controversy. What is said beyond this is but a repetition of what is here declared, only with a persistence and fullness that aroused great consternation and marked antagonism on the part of the Jewish leaders. Now let us get the setting.CFF1 197.3
7. JEWISH CHALLENGE OF ADVENT, RESURRECTION, DAMNATION
Christ was at Jerusalem at one of the feasts, and had healed the impotent man at the pool. He declared that the power of raising the dead and giving them life rests with Himself. Heated controversy ensued, ostensibly because it was the Sabbath day, and the Jews challenged Christ’s right and authority to heal on that consecrated day. Observe it in some detail, in the precise words of John, for here is the heart of Christ’s continuing controversy with the Jews. Here He leads on into His second advent, and the “resurrection of life” and the “resurrection of damnation.” Note His bold claims and searching declarations:CFF1 197.4
“For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth [zoopoieo, “make alive,” giveth life to] them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will” (John 5:21).CFF1 198.1
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation [krisin, “judgment”]; but is passed from [out of] death unto life” (John 5:24).CFF1 198.2
“For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself” (John 5:26).CFF1 198.3
But under the impact of Greek philosophy, such life as a special gift from God had been wholly obscured by the pervasive false hope of Innate Immortality. They were therefore offended at Christ’s declaration that there was life only in Himself. But, He said:CFF1 198.4
“Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves [not in Heaven or Hell] shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation (kriseos, “judgment,” condemnation unto death; cf. John 5:24]” (John 5:28, 29).CFF1 198.5
“[Ye] Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they [the Scriptures] are they which testify of me [the Lifegiver]. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life” (John 5:39, 40).CFF1 198.6
8. BLINDED BY PLATONISM, JEWS REJECT LIFE-TRUTH
There was no abatement in Christ’s continuing emphasis. He proclaimed the same truth after the miracle of the loaves and fishes, with its feeding of the five thousand (John 6). Here again Christ presses on His persistent theme of life and death. He declared that man cannot of himself “live for ever.” This emphatic assertion is repeated twenty-eight times in the first six chapters of John.CFF1 198.7
“Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you” (John 6:27).CFF1 198.8
As the life of the body is sustained by material food, so this higher life—this spiritual life which He gives—must likewise have its spiritual life and nourishment, and from the same divine source. This physical life cannot be sustained forever, even if manna were supernaturally given from Heaven, as of old. The Jewish fathers, who ate the manna in the wilderness, were all dead (John 6:49, 50). So Christ’s immediate hearers must die not only a natural death but also the second death if they have no higher, divine principle of life ingenerated into them. And this new life, received from Christ, can be maintained only by the closest union with Him. To such a life there will be no end.CFF1 198.9
9. MANY FOLLOWERS TURN AWAY BECAUSE OF CLAIMS
This entire chapter 6 is remarkable for the constant reiteration of this one basic truth. But the Jews could not, or would not, receive it. Christ’s bold—and to them brazen—claims as to being the Divine Giver of the higher, supernatural life were abhorrent to them. The concept of the Innate Immortality of the soul had so captivated and possessed their minds as to block completely their understanding of the great gospel truth of the life and immortality received solely by a new birth through a Divine Saviour. And not only were the scribes and Pharisees affronted, but many also of Christ’s former followers were offended at His doctrine (John 6:61). Be it particularly observed that it was this emphasis that caused the final break with the Jews and the separation of numerous disciples.CFF1 199.1
“From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life” (John 6:66-68).CFF1 199.2
Here is the Biblical recital. Though it might appear tedious, it is the heart of the testimony of the New Testament gospel witness. Read the inspired words:CFF1 199.3
“And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life [artos tes zoes]: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst” (John 6:35).CFF1 199.4
“And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:40).CFF1 200.1
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die” (John 6:47-50).CFF1 200.2
“I am the living bread [ho artos ho zon, the Living One] which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh [Myself], which I will give for the life of the world” (John 6:51).CFF1 200.3
Bread is figurative of the maintenance of substance. That is what Christ came to supply.CFF1 200.4
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh [Heb. idiom for believing and receiving] of the Son of man, and drink his blood [blood, symbol of life], ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:53, 54).CFF1 200.5
“As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever [opposite of second death]” (John 6:57, 58).CFF1 200.6
“It is the spirit that quickeneth [zoopoieo, “to make alive,” “to give life to,” especially eternal life]; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life” (John 6:63).CFF1 200.7
That was Christ’s unwavering witness to the Jews in His crisis hour.CFF1 200.8
