The Gospel of John: John 11.49-57

Read and meditate on John 11.55.
The Passover was at hand. It would be Jesus’ last Passover, and the staging-ground for His glory.

⁵⁵At length, the Passover of the Jews was near,
and many from the country traveled here,
unto Jerusalem, to purify
themselves before the feast.

- John 11.55

Reflect
1.  Let’s review the Passover. Read Exodus 12.1-28. We note that Passover was intended to mark a new beginning (Ex. 12.2). How is this significance for what Jesus was going to do? Complete this prayer: Lord, every day with You is a new beginning! Thank You so much that…

2.  Central to the Passover was the lamb. What kind of lamb? Why? What was done with the lamb (vv. 6, 8)? Recall John 1.29. To what did the Passover lamb point forward? How did Jesus fulfill the purpose of the Passover lamb (cf. Heb. 9.27, 28)? Thank You, Lord, that You have born my judgment, and that my sins…

3.  What was done with the lamb’s blood (Ex. 12.7, 12, 13)? What did this accomplish? What does this tell us about the Lamb of God? How does God “see” His blood on us? Nothing but Your blood, Lord Jesus, can take my sins away, and make me want to…

4.  Connected to the Passover was the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Ex. 12.14ff.). Blood protected them from wrath, while bread sanctified them unto the Lord (note vv. 18-20) and nourished them for the journey. Why unleavened bread? What did that bread symbolize for the people of Israel (Ex. 12.17)? Review John 6.35-40. While this refers primarily to the manna provided in the Wilderness, that manna recalled, and in a sense renewed, the unleavened bread of the Feast. What does it mean to say that Jesus is the Bread of life (v. 35)? Nourish me, Lord Jesus, for today’s work, so that I…

5.  Jesus has been managing His time on earth toward this week, this Passover. This is when His greatest glory would come to light, and God would be most glorified in Him (cf. Jn. 17.1-5). Explain. Bring together into one your prayers from questions 1-4.

Summary
“‘And the Jews’ Passover was near at hand.’ They had resolved to celebrate that Passover by shedding our Lord’s blood, the blood that consecrated the Passover, the blood of the Lamb. There was a plot among the Jews to slay Jesus, and he who came from heaven to suffer wanted to draw near the place of his suffering because the hour of his passion was now at hand. Therefore ‘many went out of the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover to sanctify themselves.’ The Jews did so, following the command of the Lord delivered by holy Moses in the Law, which commanded that on the feast day of the Passover everyone should come together from every part of the land and be sanctified in celebrating the services of the day. But that celebration was a shadow of the future. It was a prophetic intimation of the Christ to come, a prophecy of him who on that day was to suffer for us. The shadow would vanish, and the light would come. The sign would pass away, and the truth would remain. The Jews held their Passover in the shadows, we in the light. Otherwise, why was it necessary for the Lord to command them to slay a sheep on the very day of the feast unless it was only because of him that it was prophesied, ‘He is led as a sheep to the slaughter’? Their posts were stained with the blood of a slain animal; our foreheads are signed with the blood of Christ.” Augustine (354-430 AD)

Behold, the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world. Give thanks to God for supplying this spotless Lamb, that you might be saved.

Closing Prayer
I will declare Your name to My brethren;
In the midst of the assembly I will praise You.
You who fear the LORD, praise Him!
All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him,
And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel!
For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted;
Nor has He hidden His face from Him;
But when He cried to Him, He heard.
My praise shall be of You in the great assembly;
I will pay My vows before those who fear Him.
The poor shall eat and be satisfied;
Those who seek Him will praise the LORD.
Let your heart live forever!
All the ends of the world
Shall remember and turn to the LORD,
And all the families of the nations
Shall worship before You.
For the kingdom is the LORD’s,
And He rules over the nations.

Psalm 22.22-28

Psalm 22.23-28 (Darwall: Rejoice, the Lord is King!)
All you who fear the Lord, now praise His holy Name!
You children of His glorious Word, declare His fame!
We stand in awe of our eternal God, and on His mercy call.

For He has not despised the anguish of our King,
Nor from Him hid His eyes, Who knew such suffering.
Let praise arise from all who love and serve the Ruler of the skies!

The suff’ring King shall eat and praise with us the Lord.
Forever we His praise repeat and trust His Word.
Praise God above, all you who keep His vows and who His mercies love!

All nations shall repent and hasten to the Lord;
All those to whom His truth is sent shall praise His Word.
The Lord is King!  His sovereign rule on high now we His people sing! 
T. M. Moore

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series IV a and b: John, edited by Joel C. Elowsky, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006. Verse translation of John by T. M. Moore.