The Lost Meaning(s) of the Seventh Day A-level amphitheater February 11, 2012 sktonstad@llu.edu

11. Sabbath and the Revealer – 6

The End at the Beginning John 2:4 And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.”

Setting the Tone: Helping Human Joy “Not grief, but men’s joy Christ visited when he worked his first miracle, he helped men’s joy… ‘He who loves men, loves their joy…’ The dead man used to repeat it all the time, it was one of his main thoughts…” – Dostoevsky, The Brothers Karamazov, 361 (Pevear and Volokhonsky translation)

‘My Hour’ There is a point that is designated ‘my hour.’ Other points in the story must not be taken to be the decisive ‘hour.’ Jesus knows not only that his ‘hour’ will come but also what is and what is not that ‘hour.’ Jesus will proceed toward his ‘hour’ according to a script that is of his own making. The ‘hour’ refers to the purpose of Jesus’ life and ministry. The ‘hour’ will be fraught with terror (12:27), but it is actually a time when he will come forth the winner (12:31).

Not Yet “Then they tried to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him, because his hour had not yet come” (7:30). “He spoke these words while he was teaching in the treasury of the temple, but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come” 8:20).

‘The Hour Has Come’ Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; then Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified” (12:20-23).

His Hour Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father (13:1). After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you” (17:1).

The Critical ‘Now’ Now [nûn] my soul is troubled. And what should I say—‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour (12:27).   Now [nûn] is the judgment of this world; now [nûn] the ruler of this world will be driven out (12:31).

Cosmic Conflict We are at “the critical moment of this world.” Jesus’ death will happen in the context of battle between two warring parties, one of which is called ‘the ruler of this world.’ Jesus speaks as though he has a battle plan. ‘The ruler of this world’ will be defeated.

In Command of the Script So Judas brought a detachment of soldiers together with police from the chief priests and the Pharisees, and they came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. Then Jesus, knowing all that was to happen to him, came forward and asked them, "Whom are you looking for?“ They answered, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus replied, "I am he." Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When Jesus said to them, "I am he," they stepped back and fell to the ground. (John 18:3-6)

The Cup and the Father John 18:7-11 Again he asked them, "Whom are you looking for?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth.“ Jesus answered, "I told you that I am he. So if you are looking for me, let these men go.“ This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken, "I did not lose a single one of those whom you gave me.“ Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest's slave, and cut off his right ear. The slave's name was Malchus. 11 Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword back into its sheath. Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?”

Recalling the Lie You are of your father the devil and want to do the wishes of your father. That one was a manslayer [anthrōpoktonos] from the beginning and has not stood in the truth, because there isn’t truth in him. Whenever he speaks as he is wont, he speaks the lie, for he is a liar and the father of the lie (John 8.44).

Defeating the Lie “Now is the critical moment of this world, now the ruler of this world will be expelled [ekblēthēsetai] (12:31). Brant, John, 193 “Now is the critical moment of this world, now the ruler of this world will be exposed [ekblēthēsetai] (12:31). Brant, John, 194

‘Fall’ from Influence “Now is the critical moment of this world, now the ruler of this world will be expelled/exposed [ekblēthēsetai] (12:31). Brant, John, 193 Revelation 12:9 The great dragon was thrown [eblēthē] down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world-- he was thrown down [eblēthē] to the earth, and his angels were thrown down [eblēthēsan] with him.

Ambiguity of Glory “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified” (John 12:23) “Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” (John 12:28) When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once.” (John 13:31-32)

Glory Motif in Isaiah Isaiah 42:8 I am the LORD, that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to idols. Isaiah 49:3 And he said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” Compare: Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him. (John 2:11)

Lawsuit Motif in Isaiah Isaiah 50:7-9 The Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame; he who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up [in court] together. Who are my adversaries? Let them confront me. It is the Lord GOD who helps me; who will declare me guilty? All of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.

To Be Lifted Up “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself." (John 12:32) And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up (John 3:14) So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as the Father instructed me.” (John 8:28)

Ambiguity of Being ‘Lifted Up’ Isaiah 52:13-15 See, my servant shall prosper; he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high. Just as there were many who were astonished at him-- so marred was his appearance, beyond human semblance, and his form beyond that of mortals-- so he shall startle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths because of him; for that which had not been told them they shall see, and that which they had not heard they shall contemplate.

It’s Friday But… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcbKWT10z34

Wedding and Cross: God the Provider John 2:4 And Jesus said to her, "Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come." John 19:26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, "Woman, here is your son.”

“It Is Finished” And on the seventh day God finished [sunetelesen] the work that he had done (Gen 2:2) καὶ συνετέλεσεν ὁ θεὸς ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἕκτῃ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ ἃ ἐποίησεν "It is finished [tetelestai]." Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (19:30) ὅτε οὖν ἔλαβεν τὸ ὄξος [ὁ] Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν, Τετέλεσται,

No Need to Look Away “The punishment of crucifixion was not just the pain itself, but the infliction of pain upon a body rendered completely helpless. John makes it possible to gaze upon Jesus’s body upon the cross without feeling his humiliation or needing to look away.” - Brant, John, 257

Calculus of Abundance Nicodemus, who had at first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. Now there was a garden in the place where he was crucified, and in the garden there was a new tomb in which no one had ever been laid. And so, because it was the Jewish day of Preparation, and the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there. (John 19:39-42)

A War Fought and Won “Christ did not yield up His life until He had accomplished the work which He came to do, and with his parting breath He proclaimed, ‘It is finished.’ (John 19:30) The battle had been won. His right hand and His holy arm had gotten Him the victory. Was there not joy among the angels? All heaven triumphed in the Savior’s victory. Satan was defeated, and knew that his kingdom was lost.” - Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, 758.

It is Friday – No ‘But’ “To the angels and the unfallen worlds the cry, ‘It is finished,’ had a deep significance. It was for them as well as for us that the great work of redemption had been accomplished. They with us share the fruits of Christ’s victory.” - Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, 758.

Ministering to Joy John 15:11 “I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.” John 17:13 “But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves.” “Not grief, but men’s joy Christ visited when he worked his first miracle, he helped men’s joy…” (The Brothers Karamazov, above).

Sabbath and the Revealer In the Gospel of John, the cross is not a melody played in minor key and the resurrection in major. The theology of the Sabbath is a theology of the cross; ‘it is Friday, with no ‘but.’ In the Gospel of John, the Sabbath is a signifier of joy and abundance; only at the cross has this meaning come home to itself.

Creation and Cross: “It Is Finished” And on the seventh day God finished [sunetelesen] the work that he had done (Gen 2:2) "It is finished [tetelestai].“ (John 19:30)