“This is the Father’s will which has sent me, that of all which he has given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.” (John 6:39)
Love was the reason for the Father’s will that Jesus raise up the lost again at the last day.
Surprise, world!
Jesus raised him up again, and duty was not his only reason for doing it. Jesus loved him, too.
The devil had put it into the heart of the lost one to kick Jesus, and the lost one was looking for an opportunity to kick him. Already, his heel was lifted up against him.
He was not clean.
He needed, however, only to wash his feet.
In anticipation of the work to be done, Jesus seated the lost one in the place of honor for the last supper.
The last day began with the last supper in progress.
As the sun set, the Son arose from the table, disrobed, and girded himself with a towel.
He began to wash the feet of his disciples.
In the process, unbeknownst to the eleven, he cleansed the one who was not clean.
The prince of this world was cast out.
The lost one was raised up again.
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The evangelist of the Fourth Gospel knew the identity of the disciple whom Jesus loved.
He knew that his testimony was true.
The evangelist did not fail to identify him because of negligence.
The evangelist deliberately concealed the identity of the disciple whom Jesus loved.
Consider this passage of scripture, the first mention of the disciple whom Jesus loved:
“Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.
Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.
He then lying on Jesus’ breast said unto him, ‘Lord, who is it?’
Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it.
And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon."
If the intention of the evangelist had not been to deliberately conceal the identity of the disciple whom Jesus loved, he could have written the passage starting like this, “Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom Judas Iscariot, whom Jesus loved.”
But how then would I reprove the world of judgment?
I say this only in my own name.
The “disciple Jesus loved” is Judas Iscariot.
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