A Monthly Comment on the Sayings of Jesus Christ

Matthew 5:3 'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.'

This is the first of what are commonly known as the beatitudes, a list of blessings spoken by Jesus at the beginning of his 'sermon on the mount'. The beatitudes are probably one of the most misunderstood passages in the New Testament. This arises because the occasion and the context of the sermon on the mount is not understood. 

The occasion is Jesus's appearance as the second Moses! The first Moses went up the mountain called Sinai and descended with the Law (the Ten Commandments) that God had given him. Here is Jesus in his role as the new law-giver. His listeners would not have missed the parallel. Jesus himself declared that he had not come to destroy the old law but to fulfil it. He did this in two ways (1) by obeying it completely [on our behalf] and (2) by being the person to whom the law pointed. He is this person because the old law shows us that we cannot meet God's requirement for righteousness. Only Christ can provide the righteousness we need for heaven. For more on this issue, see 'Confidence in the Gospel - the gift of Righteousness' page.

But here Jesus is not giving a prescriptive list. He is describing the characteristics of the kingdom of God that he has come to open to us. Mark records (1:14,15) that Jesus proclaimed 'The time has come, the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news.' The characteristics of God's kingdom are going to turn upside down the characteristics of this world.

Many people seem to think the verse we are looking at means that it is the poor in an earthly sense who will enter God's kingdom. But that is not what is meant here. Jesus is not speaking about the poor of the world. Note it is the 'the poor in spirit' - meaning those who recognise themselves to be spirit-ually  poverty-stricken.  These are the people who turn to Christ because they know they need him to give them forgiveness. These people will enter the kingdom of heaven. They may be the worldly poor - like the Dalits of India, who being caste as the lowest of the low - eagerly grasp the promise of acceptance and welcome into the kingdom of God. But they may also include the worldly affluent who still recognise their spiritual need. This is God's Grace reaching down to those who know their need, no matter who they are.

John 8:32 'Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.'

In the passage where this statement occurs Jesus is beginning to talk to a group of Jews who are described as 'who had believed in him'. But by the end of the passage they reject him - v.59 'they picked up stones to stone him.' So what happened?

In effect, in this passage we see a group of men arguing with God!  The central issue at first is that Jesus says they will not listen to his 'word'. In V.31 he emphasises 'If you hold to my teaching...'.  v.37b 'Yet you are ready to kill me because you have no room for my word.' v.43 'Why is my language not clear to you.' Then v.51 'if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.'

Jesus' listeners will not admit they are not 'free'. They do not see their own need. We will never take Jesus and his Word seriously until we realise our own need.  He says only his word can set them free, but they think they are free because they are Abraham's children v.39. 

The second problem they have is that they do not realise who he really is. Jesus tells them that he existed before Abraham - stressing his superiority. They cant take that! We will never take Jesus and his Word seriously until we realise who He is. 

Because of who he is and because his 'word' is the the word of eternal life, only Jesus can set us free from the penalty for our sin. We must listen to him!

Matthew 25:13 'Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.'

These words of Jesus occur at the end of him telling the parable of the ten wedding maidens who were awaiting the bridegroom. Five of them, he said were 'wise' and the other five 'foolish'. In what sense were they wise or foolish? Well, the wise were wise because they took enough oil for their lamps in case the bridegroom was delayed. In the event he was indeed a long time in coming and the foolish maidens ran out of oil and were not ready when he arrived. Now as always with interpreting Jesus' parables, we need to look for one major point and not seek to find parallels for every detail of the story.

First of all, it would be valid to interpret the 'bridegroom' as Christ himself. He has done this before in Mark 2:20 where He is portraying himself as the Messiah promised in the Old Testament.  Second, the context in Matthew 25 is Christ's Return - usually referred to as his 'Second Coming'. 

There can be no doubt or confusion whatever about this. Jesus Christ frequently taught that he was going to return and his Coming would be seen be all and bring human history to a close. Those of a cynical turn of mind might want to pour scorn on this idea. Or to interpret Christ's resurrection as his Second Coming. But this latter view can only be from a very poor examination of the the text of the Gospels. Against all that cynical humankind might suppose, Christ came the first time in a way that surprised us, despite the hints about it in the Old Testament. Why should he not come again just as assuredly as he came the first time? In any case are we going to suppose that Christ was a deceiver? Surely not!

So the BIG point of the parable is to be ready for His return. But how can we be ready? We can only be ready by placing our faith and trust in Jesus Christ - in his death and resurrection for us - by which he won for us forgiveness for our rebellion against the rule of God over our lives. We have always and continue to deny the right of our Creator to be King and Ruler over us and God will hold us accountable for this on Judgement Day. Only by fleeing to Christ by faith can be find forgiveness. That is how we can be ready. Are you ready? If you want to do know more, turn the article on this website called 'What is the Christian Gospel?'. Click here to go directly to it.

John 17:11 and 17 ' Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name - so that they may be one as we are one. ... Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.'

These words are taken from what is often called Christ's 'high priestly prayer' - spoken just before he was arrested in the Garden and taken off for his trial - which was both illegal and unjust. Christ's prayer for the unity of his disciples is commonly cited in an appeal to modern-day Christians to forget their differences and come together in a more obvious unity than is apparent at the moment. Many an ecumenical conference has quoted John 17:11 to urge unity at both the local and national levels. 

That such a unity might be seen among Christians is obviously a very desirable thing. But such appeals often do not achieve a great deal because the second verse (v.11) quoted here is forgotten.  Christ asks his Father to sanctify his followers by 'the truth'. What truth? The truth that is 'your word' (v.11). But what 'word' is that? Surely God's word (or message) of salvation which Christ came to make possible through his life, death and resurrection. There is no greater 'word' than this! For unity to occur amongst Christians then, there must be a common agreed belief on that word of salvation. But sadly, there is not agreement between the different Christian churches (and denominations) as to what God's word of salvation actually is. It is not that God has not made it clear what his message of salvation is, because it is to be found clearly taught throughout Scripture, especially in the New Testament. 

The problem is that not all churches - either across denominations or within them - accept the message of salvation to be found in Scripture. The various views include (a) that because of Christ's sacrifice everyone goes to heaven - this is 'universalism'  [ - the very words of Christ himself do not support this!]; (b) that the Christian faith is about being good and kind to one another [ - we should of course, but this is not uniquely Christian. Faith in Christ is required];  (c) that we are saved by believing in Christ's death for us plus the good deeds we do - including religious devotion and observances [the apostle Paul argues very strongly against this interpretation]; (d) that the Bible is not the inspired word of God, so we have to add our own reason to what it says about salvation - resulting in a mish-mash of ideas; (e)  that we are accepted by God if the number of good deeds we do outweigh the bad things we do [this is a general popular view that bears no relation to actual Christian belief].

God's true word of salvation as taught in the Bible is clearly proclaimed in this website. We are saved  by God's Grace solely through the life, death and resurrection of Christ on our behalf, through faith alone. 

There are various articles on this website which explain this in greater detail.  eg Articles Nos. 1,3,4,5,and 10 on the Doctrine for Everyone Page and the Special page For Catholic and Orthodox Believers.  Belief in this biblical gospel unites all and every Christian no matter their church, denomination, race, gender or age. This is the 'one-ness' Christ was talking about.

September 2007: Matthew 11:27 'All things have been committed to me by my Father.'

This is one of the sayings of Jesus Christ in which he claims his authority. This is a very important issue because unless Jesus has authority to say the things he says, then there is no reason for us to obey it or follow it, except just as advice. But it isn't like that at all. After this verse Jesus goes on to strengthen his claim even  more. He says 'No-one knows the Son except the Father, and no-one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.' That is an astonishing thing to say! It is in the same vein as John 10:30 'I and the Father are one.' Again John 6:44 'No-one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.' 

You sometimes hear people say that Jesus never claimed to be divine but clearly this is nonsense; they just haven't read the gospels. In fact Mark organises his gospel so that the first seven chapters are mainly about Jesus's authority - manifested through his power over disease, spirits, nature and in his teaching - before recording Jesus asking the question 'Who do people say I am?' ..... 'Who do you say I am?' 

As people consider the claims of Christ and think about what is means to submit to him as Lord and Saviour, clearly they do need to face this question - 'Who was (is) Jesus Christ?' They may have all sorts of genuine questions about life and death, the world, other religions even. But the central issue they must face is who Jesus Christ is. If he is who he says he is, then we need to listen hard, heed his warnings about judgement, about entering the Kingdom of heaven, and most of all - how to believe in his death and resurrection for us so that we can be reconciled to God.

Interestingly, the words in Matthew 11 with which we began are followed by 'Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest ...'.  Only the One who has authority over 'all things' can give the sort of rest he is talking about; rest for our souls in the sight of the morally perfect God. 

July/August 2007: Luke 13:24 'Make every effort to enter by the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.'

This declaration by Christ is part of the answer he gives to the question 'Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?' (v.23) What he goes on to say indicates that this 'door' - whatever it is - will one day be closed. Clearly the 'door' is the way of salvation, to eternal life, or into the Kingdom of God. Its narrowness demonstrates that it is not a wide door that accepts any way man may want to choose. It is narrow because Jesus is the only way.  He is warning his hearers of the urgency of their seeking - not to put it off, because one day it will be too late (v.27). And, it will be awful to be left out (vs.30). People from all over the world will come and be admitted but, he says, unless you recognise that I 'Jesus' am the only way you will be left out.  The accepted ones - even Gentiles - will recognise me. This is what he is warning them about.

However, earlier in Luke 11 Jesus assures those who do seek that they will find (Luke 11:9,10). And when they find the door (to the Kingdom) it will be opened to them. The big question, then, is whether we are seeking for the way in to the Kingdom through Jesus alone, or through something else, or through Jesus plus something else? Neither of the second two will find it. That's why Jesus is warning his hearers in Luke 13.

June 2007: John 5:22: ' Moreover, the Father judges no-one, but has entrusted all judgement to the Son, that all may honour the Son just as they honour the Father. '

This declaration by Jesus in John 5:22 is one of a cascade of key statements by Jesus of who he was and what he came to achieve which continues on into the next chapter, where they become an avalanche! Note that this verse comes in the middle of a section (from v.19) in which Jesus is spelling out the unity of the Father and himself - who he calls 'the Son'. Jesus says he can only do what the Father does; the Father raises the dead and so does the Son; the Father wants the Son to be honoured as He is.  And, remarkably, has given the role of judgement to the Son so that this honour will be forthcoming. Furthermore (v.24) he who believes in the Son has eternal life, and v.26 - this is because the Son has the same life as the Father.  Finally, in v,27 Jesus declares that 'the Father has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man'. Note the subtle shift here.  The identity of Jesus has moved from 'Son' in the absolute sense to 'Son of Man' which relates to his incarnation as man. He is not just (!) the Son in heaven. He is the Son who came to earth to be one of us, so that he could be a representative on the Cross. 

We all face the judgement seat of Christ (2 Cor.5:10) but for the believer the verdict is already known - 'not guilty'. This is our justification through faith - Christ's verdict on that Day known now. If you are not clear about justification by faith then do visit the Doctrine for Everyone page, particularly Articles 3, 4 and 5. Or go to the special page for Catholic and Orthodox Believers where the doctrine is very carefully worked through.

One final thought. Isn't it absolutely magnificent that the One who will judge us is 'one of us'. Not some remote heavenly being who knows nothing of human experience - of what it is like to be us? The judge will be the One who was the perfect example of what we should have been. And the One who came to deliver us from the consequences of that failure. That is Grace.

May 2007: Matthew 13:23: 'But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.'

These words of Jesus appear towards the end of His explanation of the 'Parable of the Sower' - or as some prefer the 'Parable of the Soils'. In this parable Jesus describes the ways in which His Word or Message is variously received. He imagines a farmer sowing seed by the common method of his day - namely by scattering the seed by hand over the surface of the soil. Some of it falls on the path and doesn't take root at all. Some falls on stony ground so the roots are shallow and weak. Other seed falls among weeds that choke it before it can begin to grow much. And some falls on good soil where it takes deep roots and flourishes, bearing a plentiful crop of more seed. 

It is actually quite amazing that Jesus tells this story because it portrays that even when HE, Son of God,  sows the seed it does not always successfully take root and thrive. Of course he is describing mankind's response to the Gospel for all time. It is happening today, as then. But there is a very interesting feature of Jesus' explanation that we would do well to give attention to. Notice he says that the one who receives the word fruitfully is the one who 'understands it'. This assertion is underlined when in an earlier verse (19) He explains that the example of the seed falling on the path where it was snatched away (by the 'evil one'), refers to the hearer who hears the word but does not understand it ! So it would appear that understanding the word of  Christ is of pivotal importance. Receiving it and being a fruitful believer depends on understanding that word. The difference between losing our faith or having a fruitful and satisfying faith seems to rest on our understanding of it.

February 2007: Mark 10:45 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Three times in Mark's gospel, it is recorded that Jesus told his disciples that he was going to suffer rejection, condemnation and death, and to rise again three days later. They are found in 8:31, 9:31 and 10:33,34. Each time this occurs Mark tells us that the disciples did not understand and he describes how that happened. On the first occasion (8:31), Peter rebukes Jesus about it and, in turn Jesus rebukes Peter for getting entirely the wrong idea.  Peter clearly thinks such a fate is not fitting for the Messiah! Jesus then goes on to the important teaching that his followers must be prepared to carry their cross daily. 

The second time Jesus speaks about his suffering and death (9:31), again the disciples do not understand (9:32). But it soon emerges 33,34, that on the road the disciples had been discussing who of them was the greatest! The Messiah had just confirmed his coming suffering and death and they were arguing about who was greatest! Jesus then goes on to teach them an important lesson about humility, saying 'If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all'. Taking a little child in his arms, Jesus said 'Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me'. 

The disciples (and we) need to learn what the Kingdom of God is all about! Servant-hood! What was good enough for the Messiah is good enough for us.

So the pattern continues on the third time Jesus speaks of his sufferings (10:33,34). After he has spoken James and John (yes! James and John - who still haven't got the message), ask Jesus if he could reserve the places at his side when he comes in glory! He challenges them - 'Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptised with the baptism I am baptised with?' And with not the slightest idea what they were saying, James and John assert that they can. Jesus calls his disciples together and says ' ... whoever wants to become great among you, must be your servant.' 

The lesson could not be clearer, belonging to the Kingdom of God is matter of servant-hood, not privilege or glory! It is at this point that Jesus makes one of his most notable statements - 'For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.' 

We only have salvation; we only have eternal life, because the Son of God was prepared to be our servant!

And to crown it all, Mark records just before the first occasion (in 8:31) and just after the third occasion (in 10:33,34) that Jesus enabled a blind man to see! Since 'seeing' is a picture of  'understanding' in the NT, it is clear that Mark wants us to see (understand) what Jesus is teaching. And that with our willingness, Jesus will help us to see. Perhaps not all at once - like the healing of the blind man in Mark 8:22-25, but we will understand.

January 2007:  John 8:12 "When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'"

In the New Testament, light and darkness are very powerful images. Apart from what Jesus Christ Himself says (as here), John and Paul specifically use this contrast to great effect. In these images, 'darkness' represents evil, ignorance of God, lack of understanding, and death. Conversely 'light' represents goodness, the knowledge of God, understanding of spiritual things, and life. 

In the beginning of his gospel, John says of Christ (the 'Word') ' In him was life, and that life was the light of men' (1:4).  Later in 3:19 John writes 'This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. '

Paul in Eph.4: 17-17 speaks of those who will not believe in Christ ' So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the heathen do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.'

So in the statement by Christ which is the focus of this brief study, we find Christ asserting that He is the source of what we do not have by nature, namely the knowledge of God, understanding of spiritual issues and therefore of true life. Only through Him can we know how to relate to God; how to discern what is godly and what is not; how to understand what God requires of us; and how to find true life that elsewhere he calls 'eternal life' (John 6:40). This is life is of a spiritual nature which re-orientates our human life (which otherwise is always turned-in on ourselves) so that we are orientated towards God. This life is also the life of heaven (eternity) and endues us with everlasting life after death. 

The reason why Christ is this 'light' with all that it conveys, is because (a) He is from heaven [John 1:1-5] (b) He is the Son of God [Matt:16:16] (c) He came to die as a ransom for the souls of all who will believe in Him [Mark 10:45]. 

{Further explanation of what Christ has done through His sacrificial death on the Cross will be found throughout this web site, but particularly on the page ' What is the Christian Gospel?' which can be accessed from the Home page.}

December 2006: MATT.13:31-33 'The Kingdom of heaven in like a mustard seed which a farmer took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.......The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a women took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.'

It is very easy to become depressed about the progress of the Gospel in the times in which we live. In the West, few seem interested - materialism is rife, while the organised church is largely compromised and in decline. In much of the rest of the world, Christians are being persecuted and even killed. What hope is there that the message of Christ will survive and even be triumphant in the end? 

In Matt.13:31-33, we find two of Jesus’ parables which will help to return our confidence that the Kingdom of Heaven is at work even in our day. Let’s read the first parable in vs.31,32. What is this mustard seed?

THE MESSAGE OF THE KINGDOM SEEMS SO WEAK ... The Christian message was born in weakness. Its author, Jesus Christ, was ‘despised and rejected by men’ (Isaiah 53): crucified. All this was yet to happen (these vs. are prophetic); but Jesus left behind only a small band of believers, his ‘little flock’. Paul refers to the message of a crucified saviour as ‘a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to [everyone else]’. So this is the mustard seed in our parable: the gospel of the Kingdom - seemingly so small and weak. But Jesus tells us that this seed will grow into a tree: that’s what mustard seeds in Palestine do, even today. A ‘tree’ in the Old Testament is often an image of a power of world significance. So what began with an unjust death and a small band of fearful men in Jerusalem, is going to end with the gathered multitude from all the nations. Look at Rev.7:9,10. Note too how the birds nest among the branches of this tree. This is OT imagery too, speaking of safety for those who recognise their need of God. Read Ps.104:10-13. The Kingdom of heaven is not an abstract idea: to belong to it, is to have the path to paradise at your feet. So despite appearances…

THE KINGDOM IS GROWING AND WILL GO ON GROWING…because it is God’s work. In countries where Christians are persecuted, the Kingdom is still growing. So as well as praying for these tormented Christians, we can gain encouragement from their faithfulness and fortitude. In the West, still, wherever the message of the crucified Christ is faithfully declared and explained, people are turning to him; one by one, two by two. Its not spectacular; but all over the place the tree is growing. It is as if Christ is telling us ‘don’t despair, have patience, keep praying, keep exercising faith, keep working, the Kingdom will grow and not fail.’ And what is more ….

THE KINGDOM WILL GO ON DOING ITS HIDDEN WORK ...That’s the meaning of the second parable - of the yeast. Read v.33. Three measures is a huge amount of flour. But the point is, the yeast works secretly and transforms the whole batch! Like the yeast in the flour, the work of the Kingdom is most often not dramatic or paraded in public, but hidden. This pictures people coming to Christ in a quiet and fuss-less way. Also it portrays Christ’s followers taking the characteristics of the Kingdom with them into every human experience and circumstance; where it will gradually but surely bring light into darkness; healing for the deepest of hurts; reconciliation in the face of breakdown, love instead of bitterness; honesty instead of deceit; truth instead of falsehood; kindness in place of envy. 

The Kingdom of heaven is growing in the hearts of men and women and children: sometimes unseen, but bringing assurance of salvation from God and changed lives lived for Christ.

November 2006: Matthew 12:50 'For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.' 

Jesus has been teaching in a house that is so full of people wanting to hear Him, that when His mother and brothers turn up at the door they cannot get anywhere near Him. So the man at the door sends a message in to Jesus 'Your mother and brothers are outside wanting to speak to you.' (v.47) To which Jesus surprisingly replies 'Who is my mother, and who are my disciples?'  We are not to take this as any form of rejection of His human family, but Jesus is taking the opportunity to teach something important. He goes on to say ..' For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.'

Jesus is evidently saying that apart for His human family, He has a spiritual family consisting of those who do the will of His Father in heaven. First, we might comment that there appears to be emerging here some very good news for the many people today whose family is so fractured or disfunctional that they feel alone and cast adrift, with no loving group to belong to. Perhaps they could belong to Jesus' family?

But, second, we must note that there is a condition to being Jesus' brother or sister or mother' - doing the will of His Father in heaven. What does that mean? Fortunately we do not have to conjecture what that might be because we have the answer in Jesus' own words.  They are found in John 6:28 and 29. Here some men asked Jesus the question ..

'What must we do to do the works God requires?'

Now this is obviously a very key question: a great deal hangs on Jesus' answer. Is He going to say 'give all you have to the poor' for example? Well, His actual answer is very instructive. He answers ..

'The work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent.'

This 'one He has sent' must surely be Jesus Himself! So we learn that doing God's Will means first and foremost believing in Jesus Christ. Doing good things will follow believing, of course. But the believing must not be left out. Doing good things alone is not the way to a family relationship with Jesus Christ. We must first believe. Many people, sadly, don't seem to know this. They seem to think that God will weigh their good and bad deeds in scales and if the good deeds out-weight their bad ones, they will be all right before God. 'Not so' says Jesus. 'You must believe in me' which means trusting in Him for our forgiveness through His Cross and submitting to Him as the Lord of our lives.

But those who do this are His brothers and sisters - members of His spiritual family. What a wonderful relationship to have!

October 2006: 'So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed' John 8:36

At this point Jesus Christ is talking to a group of Jews in the Temple during the Feast of Tabernacles (8:2). This section of the narrative begins at v.31. His listeners already believe in Him, but it soon transpires that they have understood very little of who He is and what His message really is.

Jesus begins this particular conversation by saying (31b,32) 'If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.' His hearers, being keen temple-attending Jews, somewhat object to that comment because they pride themselves on their religious heritage. They believe themselves to be free already. So they object indignantly 'We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves to anyone. '(They repeat this assertion in v.39 as if it is a trump card) 'How can you say that we shall be set free?'

They surely have not forgotten the slavery of their ancestors in Egypt with the ensuing Exodus that they remember every year at Passover? No, they are referring to their freedom from the idolatry of the heathen nations that have always surrounded them. But their reference to their religious heritage alerts Jesus to the fact that they have not understood what their real problem is. They are blind to the truth about themselves - as we all are until we listen to Jesus. He goes straight on to say 'I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.'

By this, Jesus does not mean that everyone who commits 'a' sin is a slave - although that is a symptom of what he is really getting at. He is thinking at a much deeper level. He means that our fundamental human nature ensures that we are all subject to the power, rule and penalty of sin - of our rebellion against the rule of God. His hearers, despite being Jews with a great spiritual inheritance, are just as captured by sin as everyone else. Their heritage cannot deal with this problem of sin. Only He can deal with their sin, and ours. The souls of men and women are fettered in a way which no amount of nominal belief or external religion could remove. Only complete submission to him could achieve that.

Jesus then proceeds to say something rather puzzling 'Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it for ever.' What does He mean by this? Well, first, slaves cannot emancipate themselves. And, second, their position is only temporary. They have no permanent place in the family: but a son does. This saying may be doubly clever on Jesus' part. He may be referring to the fact that the dispensation of the Old Testament covenant is only temporary - as it was - but that a new covenant is coming; one installed by the son. But the overwhelming thought here is that the slave cannot save himself. None of us can save ourselves. Hence to the statement we are focussing on - 'So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed'.  John the writer understands precisely what Jesus is getting at and elevates the word 'son' to 'Son'.

Only the Son of God, the man sent from heaven, can release us from our slavery to sin. And He is going to die a sacrificial death to make that possible. His death on the Cross was in our place. He took the punishment for our sin so that we do not have to answer for it before Almighty God. We receive this benefit by believing in Christ and submitting to him as the Lord of our life.

Watch for next month's comment.