The Nugget:
John 2:22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
My Comment:
The Scriptures should be believed. There is every reason to believe the Bible. I have noticed repeated postings by self-identified atheists and agnostics on secular news sites in the comment section below the news article making utterly uninformed judgments against the Bible. It shows they know nothing about the Bible. I have posted articles on this website under two special categories visible on the right hand side of this page inviting agnostics and atheists to engage in discussion. Few have responded. Instead, atheist groups like the Freedom from Religion Foundation continue their senseless attacks upon any visible sign of our Christian heritage. They need to become Bible-believing Christians themselves, then such things as crosses in veteran cemeteries won’t offend them.
They do not believe in reciprocity. Their support of atheism and the religion of evolution in public schools and colleges in this country offends me. Evolution is not science. Evolution is philosophy. It is the religion of philosophical naturalism. It is the religion of humanism. Most evolutionists don’t know the difference. The atheist attack upon Evangelical Christianity in the military services offends me. Their support of Sodomy offends me. But that does not mean I will disrespect them, or insist that they are not allowed to express their views. My view is better because it is true. My view is based upon my firm and informed belief in and of the Bible.
The Bible has a lot going for it when it comes to the evidence that demonstrates its truthfulness. And just where did modern science originate? A study of the history of science will demonstrate that it was the Christian worldview, specifically the Biblical worldview, that made it possible to have science. Science did not originate historically under the worldviews represented by Greece, Rome, or Islamic countries. Each country and culture certainly made valuable contributions, but did not come up with science in the modern sense.
Why should you believe the Bible? Only the Bible contains predictions that have been documented to have been written sometimes hundreds of years before they were fulfilled. But they were fulfilled to the letter. Only the Bible presents a person, the Lord Jesus Christ, who arose from the dead–bodily came back from the dead–and stayed around long enough to be seen by over 500 people, besides his eleven disciples, for forty days while He taught them in person in detail things concerning the Kingdom of God. No other Book presents a character who displays and teaches a system of morality that has never been surpassed, never been improved upon. The character of Christ all by itself is enough to prove the divinity of our Savior, and enough to warrant belief in the One Book that contains the primary source materials that bear witness to Him.
But most important of all, only the Bible reveals the grace of God and the gift of eternal life that has been provided for all people. Only the Bible tells us about the God Who gave His only son, about the God who loved the world. There are some who command respect in Christian circles who blatantly deny John 3:16. NO “five point” Calvinist believes John 3:16 as it is written. No such Calvinist has EVER exegeted (explained step by step directly from the text, from that text as it stands written in its original language, Greek) John 3:16 from the Greek text and proven their doctrine of Limited Atonement.
The doctrine of Limited Atonement is rank heresy. It is a demeaning of the love of God and His gift of His Son who died on behalf of all mankind. Those who hold these mistaken views may not realize that they are involved in stark unbelief with the respect to New Testament teaching regarding the Atonement of Christ, but they are. The provision of God for our salvation is unlimited in its extent–it is for all (1 John 2:1, 2), the whole world (John 1:29) and everyone in it (2 Corinthians 5:14, 15; 1 Timothy 2:4; Titus 2:11; 2 Peter 3:9). Salvation through belief in Christ is the benefit of the Atonement, and this benefit, though available for all, is received on the condition of belief.
In context, John 2:22 concludes the testimony and story of Christ’s prediction that he would die and then after three days rise again from the dead. His disciples did not understand His words at the time they were given. His words were misrepresented at His trial by false witnesses who twisted them to mean He said He would destroy the Jerusalem Temple and rebuild it in three days (Matthew 26:60, 61; 27:40. Mark 14:58; 15:29). Today, the Jehovah’s Witnesses make nonsense of this verse when they interpret “this Temple” to mean “the Church.” When did the Church die, then three days later raise itself up? Clearly, the Jehovah Witnesses are in unbelief regarding the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead on the third day. That is fatal unbelief. No one can be saved or have right standing with God or Jehovah who denies the bodily resurrection of Christ. Paul’s statement in Romans 10:9, 10 makes belief in the bodily resurrection of Christ an absolute requirement for salvation.
To impact the culture for God, we must believe the Bible. We must get serious about knowing the Bible. We must let God use us to reach others for Christ when He opens the door of opportunity within our circle of influence. We have lost the Christian underpinning within the culture because we know not the Scriptures and because we are not obeying the Scriptures and the command of Christ in the Great Commission of Matthew 28:19, 20 and Mark 16:15. See also Romans 1:16.
For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:
(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 1165 for John 2:22.
(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 1186 or in Logos 5 Bible software for John 2:22.
(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them as given below:
John 2:22. risen from. or, out from. Jn 20:27. +*Mt 27:52, 53. 28:6. *Lk 24:39. Ac 13:29, 30, 34. *Ro 8:11. **Ro 10:9, 10. *Phil 3:21. the dead. Mt 17:9n. +Phil 3:11n. his disciples. ver. +Jn 2:2, *Jn 2:17. *Jn 12:16. *Jn 14:26. *Jn 16:4. *Lk 24:7, 8, 44. Ac 11:16. remembered. ver. Jn 2:17. *Jn 12:16. Lk 24:8. had said. =Ge 41:54. and they believed. T#1061. ver. Jn 2:11. +Jn 5:47. *Jn 20:8, 9. the scripture. +*Jn 5:39, 46, 47. 7:38, 42. 10:35. 13:18. 17:12. 19:24, 28, 36, 37. 20:9. Ps 16:10. +Mt 21:42. +Lk 4:21. +*Lk 24:27, 44, 45. +*Ac 17:11. +Ro 9:17. and the word. Gr. logos. Mk 9:32n.
jn 2.22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that
he had said this unto them; and they believed the Scripture, and the word which Jesus
had said.
encouraging cross refs(the best commentary on the bible is the bible.)
1. 2.17 And his disciples remembered that it was writte, The zeal of thine house
hath eaten me up.
2. 12.16 These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was
glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that
they had done these things unto him.
3. 14.26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my
name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, what-
soever i have said unto you.
4. 16.4 But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may
remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the
beginning, because I was with you.
5. lk 24.7 Saying, The Son of man must be delievered into the hands of sinful men,
and be crucified, and the third day rise again.
6. lk 24.8 And they remembered his words.
7. lk 24.44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you,
while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the
law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
8. acts 11. 16 Then remembered I the world of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with Holy Spirit.
9. jn 20.27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands;
and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side; and be not faithless, but believ
ing.
10. jn 20.28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
11. mt 27.52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which
slept arose,
12. mt 27.53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the
holy city, and appeared unto many.
13. mt 28.6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said, Come, see the place where the
Lord lay.
14. acts 13.29 And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him
down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.
15. acts 13.30 But God raised him from the dead:
16. acts 13.34 And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to
return to corruption, he said on this wise, i will give you the sure mercies of David.
17. rom 8.11
14. Lk 24.39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is myself: handle me, and see; for
a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
15. rom 8.11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up jesus from the dead dwell in you,
he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his
Spirit that dwelleth in you.
16. jn 5.39 Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life; and they
are they which testify of me.
17. jn 5.46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.
18. jn 5.47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?