Introduction

In this document, Chris Mack lays out many thrilling parallels in theme and concept between the gospel of John and the book of Daniel. He finds a beautiful fabric in John of echoes of Covenant, sanctuary, judgment-lawsuit, Christ as King, the kingdom of God, and justification / acquittal in judgment. Calvary is the "climax of the Covenant" and the Second Advent will be the "consummation of the Covenant." Here drawn from the fourth gospel, we find spread out a veritable Covenant feast of salvation set before the believer in Jesus.

Overview

The purpose of this paper is to consider the relationship between the Gospel of John and the book of Daniel. The reliance of John’s gospel on Daniel has not been generally recognized. If it can be demonstrated that John’s gospel not only quotes and alludes to Daniel, but that his gospel deals extensively with the same major themes that Daniel dealt with, then the gospel of John must be regarded as an explanation of Daniel’s prophecies. On the basis of a comparison between John’s use of the Old Testament by way of quotation and allusion, it is evident that the apostle John utilized all of the five books of Moses (particularly Genesis); Isaiah, (heavily), Zechariah, the Psalms, and especially Daniel when he wrote his gospel. It is this writer’s contention that the gospel of John shares the same cluster of core themes that are rooted in the book of Daniel. The purpose of this paper is to state these key core themes, to investigate John’s explanation of these themes, and to consider the implications thereof. Therefore, our consideration of this subject will deal with much more than recognizable Danielic quotations and allusions picked up by John. It will involve the consideration of huge thematic links, which like mighty icebergs contain most of their mass beneath the surface. The inter-locking relationship between these themes is of the utmost importance. Working together, these themes and the theological truths that they reveal, present an all encompassing portrait of the purposes and goals of the Godhead in terms of their eschatological fulfillment.

We know that the Olivet Discourse, found in the synoptic gospels, is Christ’s midrash/pesher (inspired commentary) of the book of Daniel. We also know that Paul based his understanding of last things on the words of Jesus on Olivet in 2 Thess. 2. We also know that all the major themes of Revelation are mentioned in the Olivet Discourse. In light of this, Christ’s inspired explanation of Daniel stated in the Olivet Discourse must be regarded as of the utmost importance for our understanding of the "last things". But what about the fourth gospel? The gospel of John contains no Olivet Discourse. Did John restrict his explanation of the book of Daniel and Jesus’ words on Olivet to the Apocalypse? By no means. The gospel of John is saturated with the theology of Daniel.

Bible students have long struggled over the book of Daniel. Certainly, what Daniel said about the ‘last things’ is very important. The exegete of Daniel, however, must first seek to understand its meaning in its own historical context. Nevertheless, Daniel speaks of the time of the end, of last things. Therefore, in the minds of many Bible students, we are still anticipating the Danielic fulfillment of the arrival of the final end, with God’s consequent judgment of evil, the resurrection of the dead, and the arrival of the kingdom of God. The prophetic section of Daniel chapters 7 through 12 has long been used as the basis for a historicist explanation of the events that have occurred and will yet transpire during the post Israel ‘church age’. Is there, however, another way to ‘understand’ the implications of what Daniel said for the ‘church age’ and for the consummation?

This is where the gospel of John comes to the fore. As we consider John in the light of the major themes of the book of Daniel, it becomes readily apparent that John’s ‘Jesus’ was a ‘Living Commentary’ of Daniel’s prophecies. What in a nutshell is the view of Daniel portrayed by John? John’s gospel, with its inaugurated/realized eschatology, has brought together all the major themes of Daniel and has explained them Christologically. The life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Messiah Jesus to the right hand of the Father is John’s definitive primary explanation of Daniel’s prophecy. For John, Daniel’s prophecy had already found its fulfillment in Christ. From John’s perspective, the appointed time of the end had come, the King had come and His dominion had been established, the enemy had been judged, the Sanctuary had been restored to its rightful state, the covenant had been renewed, and even the resurrection from the dead had taken place. If we are to accept the conclusions of John at face value, any subsequent application of Daniel’s prophecy must then be understood only after it has been pushed through the sieve of the Christ Event.

In the synoptic gospels, a major key to understanding the Olivet Discourse is to see that the actions of the Ultimate Prophet (Jesus Christ) which precede and follow the Olivet Discourse are themselves enacted prophecy, and that the prophetic actions of Jesus are in themselves the explanation of the Olivet Discourse. Of special importance are the ‘coming’ of the Son of David in triumphal entry to Jerusalem, the cleansing of the temple, and the withering of the fig tree. The Passover, the passion, the persecution, the trial, the crucifixion, the resurrection, and the ascension of Jesus all are explanation and fulfillment of the Olivet Discourse in miniature. In other words, Jesus became the ‘Living Embodiment’ of the prophecy. This introduces a new paradigm in terms of understanding the future fulfillment of prophecy. What happened to Christ the ‘Head’ in microcosm is the pattern for what will happen to the ‘body’ during the church age. The result of this theology is a Christocentric application of Daniel. Does this mean that Daniel’s prophecy has already found complete fulfillment in the Christ Event of the past? Not entirely. What is does mean is that any application of Daniel’s prophecy subsequent to the Christ Event must be applied utilizing the explanation of Daniel that has been provided by Christ Jesus. Because Jesus did speak of the future, and because He used Daniel’s prophecy as a basis for it, this means that the prophetic principles stated by Daniel will have ongoing validity until the consummation. When the Olivet Discourse is understood in this light, it becomes readily apparent that the gospel of John is not different than the synoptics in its theological explanation of Daniel. John does, however, add additional information and looks at the fulfillment of Daniel from a different vantage point.

Jesus and His mission as the Christ received its legitimacy from Daniel. Conversely, the true explanation of Daniel receives its legitimacy from the Christ. In other words, if Christ Jesus is not only Prophet, Priest, and King, but God incarnate; His words must be the authoritative explanation of the Old Testament and particularly the book of Daniel in regards to ‘last things’. Jesus’ explanation of Daniel must supersede any exegetical interpretation that emerges from Daniel alone. What Daniel said is very important. Nevertheless, what Jesus said about what Daniel said is more important, and even final and decisive for the Christian in regards to the "last things".

The Themes of the Book of Daniel

The Book of Daniel is all about the Kingdom of God and the vindication thereof. It is about warfare, crisis, judgment, and the end. It is about the Sanctuary and the Day of Atonement which is the Day of Judgment. It is about the LORD God who would soverignly act according to His Covenant promise through the Messianic coming King to depose His enemies and bring in His everlasting dominion and kingdom of righteousness. For Daniel, the arrival of the Kingdom will be signaled by the arrival of the ‘Coming One’, that is the King. Daniel looked forward to the time when the evil prince would be vanquished, when the Son of Man would vindicate the righteousness of God, when the Sanctuary would be restored to its rightful state, when the Son of Man would inaugurate His eternal Kingdom, when the saints would receive their King, when the dead would be raised, and when the end would come.

The Themes of the Gospel of John

As previously stated, it is this writer’s position that the Gospel of John deals with the same themes that Daniel dealt with. If it can be demonstrated that the major themes of Daniel are stated in John’s gospel, then the next logical step would be to understand that John’s gospel is an explanation of the Book of Daniel.

For John, Jesus is the Sanctuary. From John’s perspective, God was glorified and the Sanctuary was restored to its rightful state when Jesus went to Calvary’s cross and subsequently rose from the dead. In John’s gospel, the lawsuit motif in which Israel, the world, and especially Satan are judged, is central. A series of what we could call legal arguments cascade through John culminating in the accusations brought against Jesus by Satan’s pawns that precipitated His death on Calvary’s cross. In a counter-suit, God and man’s Representative took our side in the covenant lawsuit, provided witnesses and testimony, and prevailed. For John, Jesus is the Coming One, the Son of God, the Son of Man, the King, and the faithful witness to the Father. The Son is the submissive Covenant Partner of the Father in the covenant made between the Father and the Son before the foundation of the world. For John, in light of Christ’s fidelity and covenant solidarity with the Father and His victory in the warfare against the prince of this world, the Danielic Son of Man has ascended/come to the place of glory and dominion where He now acts as King and as Judge with all the authority of God Almighty. This covenant offers salvation and eternal life to the believing ones and judgment to the prince of this world and all who align themselves with him in unbelief. From John’s perspective, the resurrection of the dead that Daniel spoke of has already occurred in Christ. John, with his realized/inaugurated eschatology, has brought the future, even "the end", into the present.

By way of summation, the major core themes that Daniel and John hold in common are #1: The Sanctuary; #2: Covenant; #3: Lawsuit; #4: Judgment; #5: The Battle against the adversary; #6: Christ the King; #7: The End. These are in no way minor or insignificant themes. They all lie at the very heart of the purpose of God.

Apocalyptic Literature

The Book of Daniel is apocalyptic literature. Apocalyptic literature is a particular type of literature. It communicates through the use of signs and symbols. Apocalyptic literature is always eschatological. It speaks of the end. It deals with the final crisis. It deals with judgment. It also contains the resolution. The resolution in Daniel is the restoration of the Sanctuary, and the climax of the covenant, hence the defeat of Satan, and the restoration of the dominion to God and His Vice-Regent. God’s Vice-Regent is the Son of Man and the saints (believing mankind). Apocalyptic literature is the summation and conclusion of everything that precedes it. A funnel is a cone shaped utensil with a very wide mouth at the top that narrows into a spout at the bottom. Apocalyptic literature acts in much the same way. The prophet Daniel has taken everything from the Law and the Psalms and the Prophets that has preceded him and he has distilled, condensed, and focused it in order to sift out the most salient points that deal with the climax and resolution in terms of God’s overall purpose and goals. Daniel has recognized the purpose and goal to which God has been driving. Having recognized God’s ultimate goal, Daniel has essentially boiled down and consolidated the word of God. Therefore, he has dealt with the most important themes. Daniel was interested in ‘understanding’ the ‘interpretation’ of the visions that he received. (Significantly, the word ‘interpretation’ is used 31 times by Daniel. Daniel used the word ‘understand’ 10 times and the word ‘understanding’ 10 times.) He was interested in understanding the conclusion of the crisis that had come upon the people of God. Daniel came to understand that the central issue transcended the situation that his people found themselves in. The reputation, the glory, the righteousness of God; along with truth and justice were at stake at a cosmic level. God revealed the resolution, the conclusion, and the "end" to Daniel and through him to us.

John’s Role

John’s gospel, written perhaps 60 years after the resurrection and ascension of Christ and perhaps 20 years after the fall of Jerusalem; was the last of the gospels to be written. The rest of the apostles were dead. John was the last living witness of the Christ. His gospel, his epistles, and his Apocalypse are the last documents that form part of the canon of Scripture. It is this writer’s position that John also saw it as his role to offer the church, which was still in the world, a resolution. John also saw it as his role to extract the most important essentials and to condense and shape them into a message that would explain how the purpose and goal of God hadbeen reached and brought to a successful conclusion in the Messiah, the Son of God, the Son of Man. John saw the same essential core issues that Daniel saw.

Interesting it is to note that Daniel, the man who was "greatly beloved/highly esteemed" (Dan.9:23; 10:11,19) was given insight and understanding. So also did John, the "disciple whom Jesus loved", ‘understand’. John 13:23; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7,20. John saw the ‘Light’, understood, that is ‘comprehended’, (katalambano) #2638 and ‘received’ (lambano) #2983 Him. John 1:4,5,12.

Daniel looked forward to the coming King. John recognized Jesus as the One who had come as that King. In Matthew’s gospel, the ‘Kingdom of heaven’ is central. For John, however, the ‘King’ is central. In his first programmatic chapter, John records how Philip and Nathaniel recognized that Jesus was the Son of God, that King of Israel, "of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote". Andrew, the brother of Peter said, "we have found the Messiah, the Christ." "Nathaniel said … You are the King of Israel." John 1:41,45,49. Herein do we see the answer of Daniel’s prayer in regards to the coming of the Messianic King. Dan.9:25,26. In Johnchapters 18 &19, in which John draws his gospel to its climax at the trials and subsequent crucifixion of Jesus, the key assertion by John is that Jesus is indeed the King of the Jews. In John chapters 18 &19, John used the word ‘King’ twelve times. Interesting it is to note that in the NASB, the word ‘Messiah’ is used only twice in the Old Testament, and is used in Dan.9:25,26. ‘Messiah’ (Messias) is used only twice in the New Testament, and is used only in John 1:41 & 4:25. The rest of the time the New Testament uses ‘Christos’, that is ‘anointed’. It is apparent that we are seeing a connection between the gospel of John and the book of Daniel here.

John will ‘remain’ through the witness that he bore, until Jesus who has already taken His seat at the right hand of God, comes again. John 21:20-24. John’s witness is this; "These things have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you might have life in His name." The verb ‘believe’ is a significant word in John’s gospel. He used it 97 times. Are we to ‘believe’ just because John has urged us to do so? In order to ‘believe’ that the Jesus of John’s gospel is the Christ, that is the Messianic King, John has called on the prophecy of Daniel to substantiate his claim. Therefore, ‘belief’ in Jesus as the Messianic King is rooted and grounded in Daniel.

Comparing John’s Gospel with the Synoptics

The gospel of John is significantly different that the three synoptic gospels. The synoptic gospels were all written before 70 A.D. when Jerusalem was laid waste. (It is noteworthy that both Daniel and John looked back to a Jerusalem and a temple that had been laid waste. It gave them cause to reflect on what the resolution of the situation was.) Although some would argue for a later date for Matthew due to Matt.22:7, it is generally agreed that all three synoptics were written before the fall of Jerusalem. Although most scholars argue for the primacy of Mark, who supposedly based his gospel on the eye witness of Peter, I would argue for an early date for Matthew, perhaps even as early as 40 A.D. I would see Mark written in approximately 65 A.D. and Luke written in approximately 60 A.D. The Olivet Discourse, which is linked to the future fall of Jerusalem, argues for a pre 70 A.D. dating for all the synoptics. John, which contains no Olivet Discourse, has generally been recognized to have been written somewhere between 80 and 90 A.D. and in even in the early 90’s by some scholars.

The dating of the time of the writing of the gospels is important in terms of pointing out that all the synoptics were written before the fall of Jerusalem and that John was written after the fall. Matthew, Mark, and Luke linked the return and second coming of Christ and the fulfillment of all things with the destruction of the temple (Matt:24:2,3; Mark:13:1-4; Luke:21:5-7.) and the destruction of Jerusalem. Luke:19:41-44; 21:20-27. In 70 A.D; both the temple and Jerusalem were destroyed and Christ had not returned in glory. All the apostles except John were dead. The first generation of Christian believers were dead. John, therefore, immersed himself in contemplation of what had transpired. He understood the necessity of recasting a vision of the future for the people of God.

From the epilogue of John’s gospel (John chapter 21), John left us with the open ended thought that the believers were to continue to ‘follow’ Jesus until He comes. The words of John would remain until the Lord comes. John 21:22,23. John wrote his gospel to reveal that inspite of the fact that the temple and the city of Jerusalem had both been destroyed and the Lord had not returned; that the prophecy regarding the end written by Daniel had still been fulfilled and that the eschatological promises of God laid out by Daniel had still been brought to fruition in the person of Christ. John revealed to the church that their sure hope was not based on an event still future. It was based on the fact that the prophecies of the Messianic King to come had already found their fulfillment in the past in Jesus. This ‘belief’ was their basis for certainty regarding the future. In the meantime, the church in the world had a mission. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, they were to bear witness to the world for Christ Jesus until He comes again.

John used the term ‘world’ 78 times. John came to ‘understand’ that the gospel must first be preached to the whole world before the King could return. Matt.24:14. (John was present on the Mount of Olives and heard Jesus explain the prophecies of Daniel.) John moved from a Jewish understanding of the Kingdom of God in which the nation of Israel was the centre to a Christian understanding in which Christ was the centre. Acts 1:6. John 1:47,49,51. This is where the ‘New Creation’ with which John begins his gospel begins to give shape to the theology of John. In light of the ‘New Creation’ that God had brought about in Christ, John understood that God needed time to develop this ‘New Creation’ so that the entire world, that is every man, might have opportunity to come into the light and be enlightened. John 1:1-18. "My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working." John 5:17. The gospel of John is significantly different from the synoptics in the way that it states and develops the idea that the church should expect to be in for the long haul. It could be argued that the writers of the synoptic gospels believed that Christ would return in their lifetime. It could be argued that they saw the destruction of Jerusalem and the Sanctuary that Jesus prophesied about as the sign of the coming of Jesus and the eschaton. But John, writing twenty years after the fall of Jerusalem, was forced to re-evaluate what Christ Jesus had said and had done. John received the final information that he would need to fill out the picture about six years later (that is six years after he had written his gospel), when he wrote Revelation on the isle of Patmos.

After studying John’s gospel, it becomes readily apparent that John has not patterned his gospel after the synoptic gospels which had been written earlier. Instead of being a linear consideration of the life of Christ or a strictly historical account, John has utilized his own first hand witness of Christ and even managed the information in such a way as to make his own particular points. The premise again is that John has skillfully revealed that the eschatology of Daniel has found fulfillment in Christ, and that the church has an ongoing viability because the prophecies regarding the King, the Covenant, the Sanctuary, the Judgment, and the Eschaton (the end) have found fulfillment in Christ. Therefore, the purpose of the ongoing viability of church is to bear witness to and testify of the victory of God so that His ultimate purpose of saving the entire world might be brought to final fruition.

In managing the information to make his own special point, John omitted many of the things that the synoptics deal with. There is no genealogy in John’s gospel. John records nothing about the birth of Jesus as Matthew and Luke do. There is no temptation in the wilderness for Jesus in John. In the gospel of John, we do not read the Sermon on the Mount. Where are the parables in John? The healing miracles of Jesus are few in John in comparison with the synoptics. We do not read about the Mount of Transfiguration in John. We see no breaking of the bread and drinking of the cup at the Lord’s Supper in John. We do not read about the suffering of Jesus in Gethsemane in John’s gospel.

In John’s gospel, Jesus spent most of His time in Jerusalem or in the vicinity. John placed Jesus, again and again, at the feasts. In the synoptics however, it is possible to see three distinct segments in the ministry of Jesus. Only Matthew and Luke deal with the birth of Christ. In the synoptics, Jesus initially spent most of His time in Galilee. The synoptics then record the activities of Jesus on the way to Jerusalem. Finally, in the third segment, the synoptics deal with the last events of Jesus’ life in Jerusalem. Again and again, in the synoptics, Jesus told His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, be killed, and be raised on the third day. We don’t hear Jesus specifically warning His disciples about His imminent death in John. Instead, in John, we hear the refrain, that "the Jews were seeking to kill Him" or "why do you seek to kill Me?" As we will see, John dealt with the subject of Jesus’ relationship to the ‘Jews’ in a different way than the writers of the synoptics did. Jesus’ scathing rebukes and powerful warnings to the religious leaders, as recorded in the synoptics, are indicative of the fact that repentance was still a possibility and an option for Israel even after they crucified Him. John, writing twenty years after the judgment by Christ on Jerusalem, presents a much different picture.

In the synoptics, Jesus spent much time teaching and mentoring His disciples. In John’s gospel, most of the time we see Jesus in discussions and arguments with His opponents in Jerusalem. There is, however, a large teaching block in John where Jesus engaged in intensive dialogue with His disciples. It runs from John chapters 13 through 17. The last Passover, in which Jesus would die, begins at chapter 26 in Matthew, in chapter 14 in Mark, and in chapter 22 in Luke. It begins in chapter 13 in John, in a gospel containing 21 chapters. This helps us to understand that John placed the most weight on the last hours, even the last "hour" of the ministry of Jesus. This in itself is very significant.

The three synoptic gospels are more or less a chronological record of the three and a half year ministry of Jesus. We see an orderly progression in the synoptic gospels. The synoptics have been likened to a photograph of the life and death of Jesus. John, on the other hand, has been likened to a portrait. An apt illustration of the way that John managed the information in order to make his own particular point is illustrated in Jesus’ cleansing of the temple. All three synoptic gospels placed the cleansing of the temple by Jesus at the end of His ministry. John on the other hand placed the cleansing at the beginning of Christ’s ministry. Were there two cleansings? Arthur Pink has ably demonstrated in his commentary on the gospel of John that there was only one cleansing. In the synoptic gospels, it was this cleansing that precipitated the Jewish leaders to make the decision to destroy Jesus. Matt. 21:46; Mark 11:18; Luke 19:47. In John’s gospel, however, it was not the cleansing of the temple, but the critical ‘sign’ demonstrated by Jesus’ resurrection of Lazarus, that provoked the Jewish leadership and the High Priest to hold a council and take action against Jesus. "If we let Him go on like this, (performing signs like raising Lazarus from the dead) all men will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our "place" (Temple) and our nation." John 11:48. The basis of their challenge against Jesus was that He was a blasphemer and a false prophet who was leading the people astray and that He deserved to die. John 11:47-53; 7:12; Deut.13:1-11.

John has revealed the ‘inside information’ to his readers. John 15:15; 17:8. The Holy Spirit takes the ‘truth’ spoken by and about Christ and continually discloses "what is to come" to the believers. John 16:13-15. John understood and has let us know that the High Priest and the religious leaders were but pawns of Satan. John 8:44. The raising of Lazarus was not only a signal to the Jews but was also a signal to Satan that decisive immediate action was necessary on his part to ensure that his kingdom was not taken away. These powerful examples of the differences between the gospel of John and the synoptics, linked with the fact that half of the gospel of John deals with the last hours of the life of Christ, in comparison with a much less extensive account of the last hours of Jesus by the writers of the synoptic gospels, reveals that John is significantly different that the synoptics.

A question that might well be asked is whether or not John had access to the writings of Matthew, Mark, and Luke before him when he wrote his gospel. It is my opinion that John had copies of all 3 synoptics and that he was also very familiar with the writings of Paul. Much scholarly conjecture has been spent in this area, but it seems reasonable in every way that John had access to everything that had been previously written. We also need to remember that John, one of the inner three, was present on all the occasions recorded in the synoptics. He was present at the Sermon on the Mount. He was present on the Mount of Transfiguration. He was with Peter, James, and Andrew on the Mount of Olives when they privately questioned Jesus about the destruction of the Temple. He was in the upper room and celebrated the Passover. He entered with Peter into the courtyard of the High Priest and heard the High Priest question, interrogate, accuse, charge, and condemn Jesus. John was in Gethsemane with Jesus. He stood at the foot of the cross and saw Him die. He also saw the empty tomb and witnessed the resurrected Jesus. John saw it all. He was an eye witness of everything. He was also doubtless aware of the oral tradition of the early church. So why is John so different that the 3 synoptics? It is because he had a different emphasis. He understood the purposes of God in a more mature way than the other gospel writers did before 70 A.D. Living twenty years after the decisive event which was the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem in 70 A.D; John incorporated not only the backward look with its fulfillment in Christ as stated by the writers of the synoptics, but also initiated a forward look that recast the vision of the future for the church in a world in which he declared and outlined her mission.

John and Paul

We need to remember that according to tradition, John was the pastor at Ephesus. Paul had earlier founded the church at Ephesus and spent many years there. It was here that John carried on a ministry of preaching, teaching, and writing. Therefore, it is quite likely that John wrote his gospel in Ephesus. From here he was exiled to Patmos in the reign of the emperor Domitian. It was on Patmos that John received his visions and wrote the Apocalypse. The first church that Revelation speaks of is the church of Ephesus which helps to confirm that John was very familiar with Ephesus and the churches of Asia Minor. The church at Ephesus, where Paul had earlier made his headquarters, must have had copies of Paul’s epistles which had been written many years earlier. No doubt the writings of Paul were very influential with John, especially in the area of the law court and the covenant righteousness of God.

The Structure of the Gospel of John

In our comparison of John’s gospel with the synoptics, we have seen that John’s gospel is significantly different from the synoptics. We have recognized a clear geographical and historical structure in the synoptics. But what of the gospel of John? Is there a recognizable structure in John, and if so, what would be the basis of that structure?

The gospel of John begins with the words; "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." The prologue continues until verse 18. It could be argued that everything that follows in John’s gospel is an explanation of verse 1; and of the prologue. In John chapter 1, we are immediately drawn back to the "beginning", the Genesis, when God brought all things into being. We are taken back to when God separated the light from the darkness. In the first chapter of John, we can even see here a resemblance to the days of creation. In John 1:29 we read; "the next day"; that is the second day. In John 1:35; we read, "again the next day"; which is the third day. In verse 39 and verse 43, we again see two more days mentioned; the fourth and fifth days. We see no clear mention of a sixth day. The next thing that we do see is that Jesus is recognized as the Son of God and the Son of Man. We remember that man, that mankind, was brought forth on the sixth day. For John, Jesus is that man. Do we see an anticipated seventh day here? In John 2:1, we read; "And on the third day, there was a wedding in Cana. The "Third Day", as is so clearly established in the synoptic gospels, was the day that Jesus rose from the dead. It was the third day that God reached His goal. Matt.16:21; 17:23; Luke 9:22; 13:32; 24:46; etc. What John wants us to understand is that God has brought about a new beginning and re-created humanity in the person ofJesus Christ on the third day when a New Humanity, a new ‘Adam’, a new Son of Man, rose from the earth.

It has been generally recognized that Matthew wrote his gospel in five sections reminiscent of the Pentateuch, that is the first five books of Moses. John has also incorporated the first five books of Moses into his gospel and has laid them all out in the first chapter of John. As we have already seen, John 1:1-5 is an allusion to the book of Genesis (Beginnings).

In John 1:14 & 17; we see an allusion to the book of Exodus. "The Word became flesh and dwelt/tabernacled among us". In Exodus, "the Law was given through Moses" and placed in the Sanctuary that God had told him to erect. Exodus 25:8 says; "Let them construct a Sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them."

The role of the Levitical priesthood was to administer the cultic rituals of the Sanctuary. Their role was to combat sin by means of purification and sacrifice. In John 1:19, priests and Levites were sent from Jerusalem to question John the Baptist. The next day the prophet saw Jesus coming to him and said; "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." This is reminiscent of Dan.9:24; "to make an end of sin". John wants us to understand that, on the basis of Leviticus, the Jubilee Day of Atonement occurred when the Lamb of God was sacrificed on Calvary’s cross for the sins of the world.

Before entering the promised land, the people of God must first pass through the wilderness. In John 1:23, we hear the message of John the Baptist as he quoted Isaiah chapter 40. The Baptist recognized himself to be the one who was crying out in the wilderness to the people of God to warn them that the LORD was coming and that His glory was about to be revealed. Salvation and rescue were about to take place. The word "wilderness" is linked to the book of Numbers. Numbers 1:1 says; "Then the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness …". John recognized the same theme that is central in Mark’s gospel. It is the theme of the New Exodus which Jesus would accomplish at Jerusalem, through His death, burial, and resurrection.

In John 1:32, John "beheld the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained on Him". John recognized Jesus as the Son of God through the witness of the Holy Spirit. The book of Deuteronomy, is the second giving of the law, and is therefore the second witness to the covenant in the Old Testament. But for John, the witness of the Spirit and the age of the Spirit had broken into this age. More than any other gospel writer, John explained the Person, the role, and the witness of the Holy Spirit.

John began his gospel by alluding to the Pentateuch, (the Torah) which is the first five books of the Bible. The purpose of the Torah was to enable the believing ones to bring about the restoration of the Kingdom of God on earth and to, in some sense, regain access to the garden and to the tree of life. John’s desire was to help us to understand that Jesus was Himself the Bread of life, that Jesus was Himself the Torah in human flesh. John’s gospel began with the Torah and ended with the True Bread of Life making peace, reconciliation, and restoration available for the world. John’s purpose in beginning with the Torah is at least three fold.

First, John wants us to know that a true comprehension, enlightenment, and understanding of the Torah and the rest of the Old Testament can only be arrived at when one sees Jesus as the Messiah who is the True Light of the world. John 1:4,9.

Second, John wants us to understand that the true explanation of the Old Testament is the Christological explanation, as seen in the life of Christ Jesus. John 5:39. Are we surprised that the nation of Israel had a continual misunderstanding of God? What Israel and the world needed to witness was ‘God with us’, God manifested among us in human flesh. "The only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained (that is ‘exegeted’) Him." John 1:18. Christ has manifested, revealed, and communicated the "Truth" about God to us in the clearest possible way. John 1:14. We might conjecture that if Israel had faithfully read the Old Testament, that they could have known the fullness of God’s purposes. Think about the unfallen universe. Even the angels of God, who may have existed for millions of years, did not understand.

Third, John wants us to understand that the cross, that is the death of the crucified God, is the Climax of the Covenant. This is the crisis to which the Pentateuch, the Old Testament, (especially the Book of Daniel) and the gospel of John were driving to. At Calvary, we find the clearest revelation of God that the cosmos has ever seen or will ever see. John 12:32,33. John, the disciple that laid his head on the bosom of Jesus, understood the message of Jesus and he has communicated it to us.

It should also be stated that the first three significant actions of Jesus in the gospel of John are programmatic. They set the stage for everything that follows in John’s gospel. These three actions are; the baptism of Jesus inwhich the Spirit descended and remained on Jesus, the changing of the water into wine at the wedding, and the cleansing of the Temple in Jerusalem. Herein do we also see the use of prolepsis. John was looking ahead and anticipating how the stage that he had set and how the themes that he had laid down would be brought to fruition and conclusion.

The book of John is written in what I would call a series of overlapping circles. John first laid down a circle. He then laid down a second circle which partially overlapped the first circle. Then he laid down a third circle that while moving ahead, also overlapped part of the second circle. The entire book consists of overlapping circles. It might even remind us of the "repeat and enlarge pattern" that is found in the book of Daniel.

John continually used the details of the Christ’s actions and experience to make and repeat the central points which he wished to communicate. The last chapters repeat and bring to fruition the points that he laid out in the first chapters. For example, when the soldiers crucified Jesus, they divided His only earthly possessions, which was His clothing, so that they could crucify Him naked. They took His outer garments and divided them into four parts. The three synoptics record the dividing up of Jesus’ garments, but only John speaks of them being divided into four parts. Only John distinguishes between the outer garment and the undergarment. John 19:23,24. Four is the universal number. Four signifies the ‘world’, the realm to which the True Light came that He might enlighten, dwell among, and even cover every man. John 1:9,14.29. Are we hearing echoes of Eden here? The gospel of Jesus is for the ‘world’. The term ‘world’ is an important word for John. He used it 78 times in his gospel. John’s symbolic use of ‘four’ is also amply demonstrated in the book of Revelation.

The same chapter of John records that "in the Place where they crucified Him, there was a garden." John 19:41. When Mary Magdalene saw the resurrected Jesus, "she supposed Him to be the gardener". John 20:15. Adam was the first gardener. Christ is the second. Clothing is a symbol of ‘righteousness’ in the Bible. The covering clothing, that is the righteousness of Christ, has made a way for humanity to return to the garden, that is Eden. John’s special emphasis of the ‘garden’ is John’s way of stating that the eschatological promises made to man outside of the garden had now found fulfillment in Christ. John has linked the cross with the garden of Eden. Daniel’s prophecy had encapsulated these eschatological promises and John revealed that they indeed had come to fulfillment.

The soldiers did not tear the seamless tunic, the "khiton", the inner garment; that Jesus wore next to His skin. Instead, they cast lots for it. Josephus in ‘Antiquities’ recorded how the High Priest wore a seamless tunic. Are we seeing here an oblique reference to the Sanctuary being made manifest in the Body of Jesus here? When the outer and inner curtains were pulled away when they crucified Him, it was then that we were permitted to have our blind eyes opened so that we might see directly into the Most Holy Place and into the heart of the crucified God. Has John also, in his own allegorical way of communicating, told us that his witness of Christ (the gospel of John) can be likened to a seamless garment? (Some would argue that to use the word ‘allegory’, one is making a wax nose out of the Scriptures which one can twist any way that they choose. I use the word in the same way that Paul did in Gal.4:23,24. John’s gospel is sophisticated. Everything that he wrote was not only purposeful but in keeping with the tapestry which he has woven.)

John’s Literary Style

The gospel of John is truly a profound work of genius. A child can wade in it and an elephant can swim in it. John has seamlessly interwoven the most important things of God together into a mosaic and portrait of Jesus. Let us briefly consider some of the ways in which John has chosen to communicate so that we can catch a glimpse of what John was seeing and saying.

Everything that John said is important. There is no filler or fluff in his gospel. The order in which John presents his material is important. Everything in John is an ever widening expansion and explanation of what precedes. All the while, he is moving to the climax. All the places that John names are important. John utilized the names of places, which were rooted in Israel’s history, for his purpose. This would be a very fruitful area of study in it’s own right. The actors on the stage in John’s gospel are representative of entire groups and kinds of people. John has arranged the vignettes and stories in order to illustrate the particular kinds of people, and the particular mindset of the larger groups that they represent, in contrast with each other. The pattern flows from the prologue, where the comparison and contrast between light and darkness sets the stage for what follows. John’s gospel, with its overlapping circles and its prolepsis, tells the same story over and over again.

John used contrast in order to offer us clarity. His intention was to remove the ambiguity that we of mankind often gravitate towards. The contrast between light and darkness, for example is so pronounced, that we cannot miss it. John 1:4,5,8,9; 3:19,20,21; 8:12; 9:4,5; 11:9,10; 12:35,36,46. It is also of interest to see John’s development of the contrast between light and darkness that he first mentioned in chapter one. Light and darkness clearly had spiritual implications in the mind of John. The light found embodiment in Jesus, the ‘Light of the world". Satanic darkness was revealed in the wicked abominable actions of the religious leaders of the ‘Jews". Their hatred, malice, and persecution resulted in an illegal conspiracy which found its culmination in the Son of God being tortured to death on a cross. John, by way of the sharpest contrast, presented the noble Jesus who wept over His friend Lazarus, who in the hours before His death was preparing His disciples for their mission, and who as He gasped for life on the cross, prepared for His own mother’s welfare. In the darkened heart of the High Priest, it was expedient that Jesus should die so that the Romans wouldn’t come and take away their Temple; which was their bastion of power, influence, and wealth. Jesus on the other hand, was willing to lay down His life for the flock that He might reveal the light and the glory of God. Contrast produces clarity.

As earlier stated, the actors on the stage in John’s gospel are representative of larger groups of people. These players would include the Samaritan woman at the well and Nicodemus who was the teacher of the Jews. We could include Judas, the ‘son of perdition’. We could include the woman caught in the act of adultery as recorded in John chapter 8.

Let us consider the vignette of John chapter 8 in light of what it can reveal to us about the literary genius of John. John 8:1 records Jesus going into the temple. John 8:59 records Jesus leaving the temple after the events of John chapter 8 had transpired. (I mention this for those who question the validity of John 8:1-11.)

In this passage, John revealed the hard-heartedness of the scribes and Pharisees in contrast with the compassion of Jesus. This adulterous woman represented a much larger group. The irony of the situation is that the woman they sought to condemn represented the nation of Israel and especially the religious leadership. They were themselves the woman that had been caught in the very act of spiritual adultery.

Even in the immediate context, John had Jesus returning again to the light and darkness motif that he had laid out in the prologue. The occasion of this confrontation was the Feast of Tabernacles, the Feast of Lights. The Feast of Tabernacles itself stated God’s purpose which was a reiteration of the point of the wedding feast at Cana. God’s desire was to dwell in the midst of his people in intimate fellowship. By declaring Himself ‘the Light of the World’, Jesus was again referring back to the prologue. John would later repeat and elaborate on this facet of Jesus’ person and mission. On the seven days of the Feast, water was drawn from the pool of Siloam (which is translated ‘Sent’) and mixed with wine. It was then poured on the altar at the time of the morning sacrifice. The chapter that precedes and the chapter that follows John chapter 8 is instructive in terms of our understanding of John chapter 8. John chapter 7 deals with the words of Jesus on the last day, the great day of the Feast of Tabernacles. John chapter 9 deals with the miracle of Jesus in terms of restoring the blind man’s sight (the man blind from birth symbolizing not only Israel but the world) by receiving the clay and washing in the pool of Siloam. The water and blood that flowed from the side of Jesus after His death brought these themes that were stated earlier to fruition. Herein we are seeing evidence of the inter-locking structure of John’s gospel.

What followed in John 8 was an interchange between Jesus and the Pharisees that contained a barrage of legal language, thereby drawing the lawsuit motif into the mix. John 8:10-18. The witness of Jesus was true, it was for the world (universal) and it was borne out by the Son’s Covenant Partner, the Father. We need to remember that condemnation (katakrino) or acquittal, in the minds of the religious leaders, was offered at the Sanctuary. In this case, Jesus, the very One who had written God’s Covenant Law with His own finger on two stone tablets, was revealing the mercy that had always been part of the Sanctuary system. The activity that occurred in the Sanctuary was being evidenced in miniature here. Jesus, by pronouncing that He did not condemn the woman, was not only fulfilling the purpose of the Sanctuary but declaring Himself the personification of the Sanctuary. The ones who brought their sins to the Sanctuary were greeted with the holiness of God revealed in His Law. Yet at the same time they were offered a way out, a way of forgiveness. The religious leaders, unknowingly, ironically, had fulfilled God’s purpose by bringing the woman, who they had hoped to condemn, to the very Place where she could find restoration. Jesus’ desire was that not only this woman, but Israel and the world would believe in Him and be acquitted.

In this same passage of John chapter 8; John had Jesus uttering one of His most powerful "I AM" statements. "Unless you believe that I AM, you shall die in your sins." Herein do we have an allusion to the eschaton and the final judgment. The crux of the matter in terms of the final judgment was what one did with Jesus. Interesting it is to see that the woman walked away with the proclamation of acquittal in the judgment ringing in her ears. "Neither do I condemn you." On what basis could Jesus offer her this acquittal? He would go to His death on Calvary’s cross to provide it for her. The accusation by the religious leaders against the woman was a ploy. They were really looking for a ground of accusation against Jesus. Satan, through his pawns, was attacking the character of God here. This was the main issue. Herein we are seeing the climax anticipated. This woman, like the Samaritan, needed a legitimate relationship. She needed a husband. She was in slavery and needed to be set free. Jesus, in this same passage, looked forward to the cross, when He, the Covenant Representative of mankind, the One who always did the things that were pleasing to the Father, would be lifted up on Calvary’s cross. "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I AM …". John 8:28. John has not only anticipated the climax, but the resolution. John skillfully wove together the themes of Sanctuary, Lawsuit, Covenant, Eschaton, and Kingly Judge and Covenant Mediator in this passage which is John chapter 8. Interesting it is to note that these are the core themes of the book of Daniel.

The strength and boldness of the statements of Jesus as recorded by John are striking. Statements like; "Neither do I condemn you"; John 8:11. "My witness is true."; John 8:14. "Unless you believe that I AM, you will die in your sins."; John 8:24. "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father …". John 8:44. Jesus was absolutely decisive. John depicts Jesus as the Divine Son of God who is absolutely in control of everything around Himself at all times.

The questions that John placed on the lips of the actors on his stage are profound. These questions are the right questions. They should be our questions. The questions are the important questions. The answers, for those who believe, for those who have the special inside information, are found in the questions themselves. A couple of examples would be found in John 4:12 & 33, "You are not greater than our father Jacob, are you?" "No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?" Another is found in John 8:53; "Surely You are not greater than our Father Abraham who died?" Some of these questions serve as evidence to condemn the ones asking them. "No one of the rulers or Pharisees has believed in Him, has he?" "You do not want to become His disciples too, do you?’ John 7:48; 8:10. The salvation of the world was wrapped up in some of the questions. "This is not the Christ, is it?" "When the Christ shall come, He will not perform more signs than those which this man has, will He?" "Pilate said to Him, what is truth?" John 4:29; 7:31; 18:38.

The most piercing questions were asked by Jesus Himself. "Why do you seek to kill Me?" "Which one of you convicts Me of sin?" "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" "Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?’ John 7:19; 8:46; 9:35; 11:25,26.

John’s gospel is a literary marvel. The central themes that we will be dealing with in our consideration of John’s gospel are explicit and interrelated. John, in his literary genius, has seamlessly woven them together. And as we have just seen in the vignette of John chapter eight, these are the themes which Daniel spoke of.

Realized Eschatology

The New Testament prophets; the authors of the New Testament, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Peter, James the brother of Jesus, and Jude, were all prophets. They all believed that they were living in the last days, at the end of time. ( See my paper; "The End of the Age".) Of them all, it was only John who wrote after the fall of Jerusalem. Jesus Christ, in fulfillment of His prophetic word, had come in judgment against Jerusalem in 70A.D. ( The ‘coming’ of Christ took place at his ‘coming’ from the dead at His resurrection, at His ‘coming’ when He ascended to the Father, and at His ‘coming’ in judgment against Jerusalem. Nevertheless, we still look forward in hope to His ‘coming again’ at the consummation of this age.) The nation of Israel, even after crucifying their Christ, could have repented and received their King. (See my paper; "How would the disciples have understood the Olivet Discourse of Matthew 24?") Nevertheless, they neglected the time of their visitation, and were met with judgment. Luke 19:44. The writers of the synoptic gospels, writing before the fall of Jerusalem, warned of the wrath to come. Jerusalem would be burnt with fire. Not one stone of the temple would be left upon another. Matt.22:7; 24:2. John, writing after the fall of Jerusalem, saw the necessity of recasting a vision of the future for the people of God. Jerusalem was in ruins. The Sanctuary had been torn down. Over a million Jews has lost their lives. The rest were taken in to slavery. The church, which had acted on the warning of Jesus to flee, had been spared. Nevertheless, the rest of the eye witnesses, that is the apostles, were dead. Jesus had not returned. Had the mission of the LORD’S Christ failed? By no means. It is especially here that the realized eschatology of John comes to the fore. John, after having years to think about it, came to understand that God had achieved His goal and that the prophesies, and especially the book of Daniel, had found their fulfillment in Christ.

Based on the evidence found in the fourth gospel, we know that John understood that the Day of Atonement and Judgment had taken place at Calvary. Witness of the truth has been borne by the King of Israel in the lawsuit. Consequently, the Light was separated from the darkness. God had been glorified and the prince of this world (Satan) had been cast out. The LORD’S Messianic King had come, and the Kingdom of God had broken into this age. He now had authority over all mankind. The dominion of this world had been restored to believing mankind under the rulership of the Son of Man, the Davidic Shepherd King, who had come for a kingdom. The New Creation, the age of the Holy Spirit was manifested in the Person of the Son of God. He came forth from God. For the believer, His Father is our Father. The believer had already become part of that New Creation by being born from above. God through His Spirit now dwelt ‘with’ and even ‘in’ the believers.

God, in times past, and especially as recorded in Daniel chapter 9, had promised to act in accordance with His covenant and deal with sin, make atonement, and bring in everlasting righteousness. John realized that God had fulfilled His covenant promise at Calvary through His Anointed Son, Christ (Messiah) Jesus. He had accomplished the work that the Father had sent Him to do. Knowing that all things has already been accomplished, in His last breath He cried out; "It is finished". Not only the everlasting Kingdom of righteousness, but the resurrection and everlasting life had been apprehended by man’s Representative, the Son of Man. He had removed the shackles of death.

At Calvary’s cross, Jesus went to prepare a Place for us. He came again at his resurrection, having achieved His purpose. In light of His work, the Father and the Son now have made their abode with us. We now abide in the True Vine. The rest of the Millennial Sabbath has broken into this age. Therefore, from John’s perspective, the believers are even now drinking the water of life. In John’s mind, the Most Holy Place of worship had already been restored to it’s rightful state. The character of God had been vindicated. The city was now filled with Light. God’s glory has been manifested and understood. God has not just given Moses, Isaiah, and Daniel a glimpse of His glory. God has manifested His glory to all mankind at Calvary.

John understood that God was now tabernacling among men in human flesh. John understood that Christ (Anointed) Jesus was that Most Holy Place. John realized the implications of the LORD’S victory in the covenant lawsuit. There was now peace between God and mankind. We who believe are already clean. The Spirit of God not only came upon men but dwelt "in" the believers. Fellowship at a level of unexpected and unprecedented intimacy was now available for those who receive, believe in, love, and abide in Christ. For John, the time of the harvest had arrived. The beloved of God, even now, eat the marriage supper of the Lamb. From John’s perspective, all of these benefits were even now (when he wrote about them) a present reality for those who received and believed in Jesus as the Anointed Messianic King.

It is important to recognize that the majority of the above mentioned blessings are stated and concentrated in the book of Daniel. In John’s mind these blessings were ‘even now’ a present reality. The church has possessed and partaken of them for the last 2000 years of the church age. From John’s theological perspective, the book of Daniel had found fulfillment. The following verses confirm the realized eschatology of John, and the statements that you have just read. John 2:8,10,19-21; 3:16,36; 3:18; 4:22,24; 4:25,25; 4:35; 5:24; 6:38,41,51,58; 6:47,54; 9:32,39; 10:28,29; 11:22-26; 11:27; 11:40,44; 12:13,15,16; 12:31-34; 13:19; 13:31,32; 14:2,3; 14:9; 14:17; 15:3; 16:11; 16:24,26; 16:32; 16:33; 17:2; 17:4; 17:22; 18:37; 19:28,30; 19:17; 19:22; 20:21,26.

The Sanctuary System in the Gospel of John

As we have seen, John’s gospel is different that the synoptic gospels. The structure of John is particularly interesting. The synoptic gospels depict Jesus first in Galilee; second, on the way to Jerusalem; and third, at the climax in Jerusalem. In John’s gospel, however, much of the time, Jesus is at the feasts at the Temple in Jerusalem. The Temple, the feasts; that is the Sanctuary system is the key to understanding the structure of John’s gospel. John depicts Jesus, who is the Tabernacle dwelling among us in human flesh; actualizing,experiencing, and living out the Sanctuary in His own Person. John 1:14; 2:19-22. The Courtyard, the Holy Place, and the Most Holy Place of the Sanctuary are presented to us by John in the very life of Jesus. The structure of the gospel of John which is divided into three sections confirms this.

In the first section, Jesus had been testifying about His relationship with the Father to the world and especially to the religious leaders, as recorded in the first 12 chapters of John. It is also significant to take note of the fact that Jesus had continually and powerfully revealed Himself in His own person to be the fulfillment and the embodiment of the Temple, that is the Sanctuary; in the first twelve chapters of John. (See my paper, Jesus is the Sanctuary). It is also important to recognize how Jesus continually presented Himself at the feasts in Jerusalem where He proclaimed that these festivals had found their fulfillment in Himself. In the first twelve chapters of John, we are witnessing the Courtyard ministry of Jesus.

There is a clear transition point in John 13:1. From John 13:1 through to John 17:26 John depicted Jesus in private conversation with His disciples. The occasion is the Passover, yet John has blended the Passover with the Day of Atonement/Judgment in John chapter 12, which set the stage for what was to follow. Significantly, as recorded in John 13, Jesus washed the feet of His disciples before entering into intense dialogue with them. This is reminiscent of Aaron and his sons washing their hands and their feet before they entered the tent of meeting. Exod. 30:18-21. Nevertheless, at the meal, we do not read about the broken body or shed blood here, in terms of an explanation of the Passover or it’s transformation into the Lord’s Supper. These important sacraments have already been hinted at earlier in John’s gospel. (John chapter 6.) Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, did attend the supper (John 13:2); but he was separated from the rest of the twelve. The one who would betray Christ went out, and it was night. John 13:30. In John chapters 13 through 17, we are made privy to Jesus’ intensive and extensive private teaching session for His disciples. This corresponds to the ministry of the Holy Place.

In John 18:1, we find the next transition point. "When Jesus had spoken these words, He went forth with His disciples … where there was a garden, into which He Himself entered, and His disciples". In the garden, (Gethsemane is not mentioned), we read nothing about the intensive inner struggle of Jesus as depicted in the synoptics. John passed over the activity of Jesus in the garden very quickly. The Lord’s suffering in the garden is not John’s point of focus. Jesus, when they came to arrest Him in the garden, said

to His captors; "I told you that I Am (‘He’ -supplied), if therefore you seek Me, let these (the disciples) go their way." John 18:8. Jesus would go to Calvary alone. He would, as the Priest/King, go into the Most Holy Place alone. He would not engage in a physical battle with Satan and his pawns using the sword. The battle that He would engage in with Israel, the world, and Satan would be on a totally different level. It would be on a ‘legal’ level. It would be on the level of the covenant lawsuit.

In the epilogue of John’s gospel, John made mention of how he (‘the disciple whom Jesus loved’) and Peter ran to the tomb after hearing from Mary Magdalene that "they had taken the Lord out of the tomb". John made special mention of the fact that both he and Peter saw the linen wrappings lying there along with the face-cloth. John 20:5,6,7. See also 19:40. These wrappings are reminiscent of the robe of the High Priest. The two disciples returned to their homes, but Mary remained outside the tomb weeping. It was then that the resurrected Jesus appeared to her. As she clung to Him, He said to her; "Stop clinging to Me; for I have not yet ascended to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God." John 20:17. Atonement had been made. It must then be applied. Jesus left her and did ascend, that is, did ‘come’ as ‘the Son of Man to the Ancient of Days’. Dan. 7:13. (John used the Danielic title, ‘the Son of Man’ 13 times). The enmity between God and man had been brought to an end. Atonement and reconciliation had been made. The Representative of mankind had regained the dominion. The work of the High Priest was not only to go into the Most Holy Place but to come out alive revealing that God Himself was satisfied with the atoning sacrifice that had been made. (The explanation of what occurred in heaven upon Jesus’ ascension was revealed to John later in a vision. He recorded it the Apocalypse. (See Rev. 5).

Jesus returned to earth that same day after receiving the approval of the Father. He entered into the room where the disciples were and "stood in their midst". Twice Christ our great High Priest pronounced the blessing on them; "peace be with you". John 20:19,21. "And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, receive the Holy Spirit." John 20:22. John had earlier mentioned in John 7:39 that "the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified." The ‘giving of the Holy spirit’ explicitly stated by John in the epilogue therefore signifies that the Son of Man had been glorified. The dominion spoken of by Daniel has been restored. The saints had in the legal sense already received the Kingdom. They now possessed the Inheritance, which is God Himself in the person of the Spirit. In the Old Testament Sanctuary system, the High Priest, after having gone into the Most Holy Place and making atonement, would come out and pronounce a blessing on the people of God. Jesus did this very thing when He returned from heaven after His coronation. He pronounced the blessing, ‘peace be with you’, on His disciples. Interesting it has been to see how John has not only interwoven the Sanctuary System into his gospel but made it the basis for the structure of his gospel.

The Garden, the Sanctuary, the Most Holy Place, and the Cross

It is also interesting to note that John utilized the ‘garden’ in a much different way that the synoptic writers. See John 18:1,26; 19:41; 20:15. Jesus, the Son of Man has replaced Adam as the ‘Gardener’, symbolizing that the result of Christ’s victorious ‘work’ meant that those who ‘believe’ in Him might be allowed to return to the garden and to regain intimate fellowship with God, and to even have eternal access to the tree of life. John 19:41 says, "Now in the Place where He was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had been laid." Herein we are seeing echoes of Genesis. The cross is the tree of life. It is even the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The cross is the Most Holy Place in the Sanctuary. The Sanctuary is the Garden of Eden.

In Genesis, an angel with a flaming sword barred the way of access to the garden and the tree of life. In the mercy of God, a way of return was opened. The High Priest, representing the totality of the believers who were standing outside, was able to come into the Presence of God once a year on the Day of Atonement. John came to understand that the anti-typical Jubilee Day of Atonement Enthronement had occurred at the death, the resurrection and the ascension of the Son of Man, that is the Son of God. John began his gospel as an explanation of how Jesus has fulfilled God’s original intention as revealed in Genesis. The Garden, from John’s perspective, symbolized a return to Eden, the intimate fellowship once enjoyed there, and the gift of eternal life. ‘Life’ and ‘live’ are important terms for John. He used ‘live’ 8 times and ‘life’ 47 times. Jesus laid down His ‘psuche’ #5590 that we might have eternal ‘zoe’ #2222.

It is of interest to note that the Kingdom that Daniel prophesied about was an eternal/everlasting Kingdom. It will not pass away. It will endure forever. Dan.2:44; 4:3, 34; 6:26; 7:14.18,27; 9:24; 12:2,3. Daniel 12:2 says; "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt." This verse in Daniel is the clearest verse in the Old Testament that combines the ‘resurrection’ with ‘eternal life’. Jesus place the reception of ‘eternal life’ in the present for those who place their faith in Him. John 5:25; 11:23-27. As Daniel spoke of the resurrection of the righteous and the wicked, so also did John’s gospel, showing again the link between John and Daniel. John 5:28,29.

YHWH’s Agent

In John’s gospel, we read nothing about the brutal scourging that would subsequently be applied to Jesus at the hands of Pilate. We read about none of the pathos and suffering of Christ as He hung on Calvary’s cross; as we do in the synoptics. What we do read is that Jesus had come into the world to be King and to bear witness to the truth. John 18:37. Herein we are seeing that God’s coming King came for the purpose of vindicating the glory, the character, and the truth about God. Significantly, John utilized the word ‘King’ 15 times in regards to Jesus. Matthew used the term 10 times, Mark used it 6 times, and Luke used it 5 times in regards to Christ. It is also significant that the majority of John’s use of the term ‘King’ is found in the trial scenes of John chapters 18 and 19; and in the cross scene in John chapter 19. The King of Israel was the covenant mediator, the covenant enforcer, the covenant representative, and the co-regent who was regarded in some sense as even sitting on the throne of the LORD. 1 Chron. 28:5. Therefore the Sanctuary, the throne of the King, and the Kingdom are clearly linked.

In the Old Testament, and especially in the book of Daniel; God’s glory, character, and truth were vindicated in the Sanctuary. They were also to be vindicated in His Christ. (A consideration of Cyrus, the type of Christ, is particularly helpful in articulating this.) King Cyrus was a man of God’s own choice (King) Isa.44:28; 45:1. He was appointed to accomplish God’s redemptive purpose. (Release/Salvation) This would necessitate a manifestation and revelation of the glory of God. Isa.6; 45:11-13. Cyrus was to bring judgment on God’s foes. This implies righteousness and victory. Isa. 45:1,2, 6-8. Cyrus would have dominion over the nations. (Kingship over the world) Isa.45:1-3. Cyrus, in all his activities, was depicted as the agent of YHWH. Isa.44:28; 45:1-7. Significantly, Daniel who was very familiar with the writings of Isaiah; mentioned this same Cyrus three times. Dan. 1:21; 6:28; 10:1.

Vindication

The major thrust of John chapters 18 through 19, is the lawsuit and the lawcourt setting. (We need to keep in mind the centrality of "justification" and the manifestation and vindication of the "righteousness of God" from Paul’s perspective. We also need to keep in mind that John, the pastor of Ephesus was very familiar with Paul’s epistles and with Paul’s emphasis.) The trial of Jesus, before the leadership of the Jews, was to determine the truth and veracity of His teaching, testimony, and therefore His witness. John 18:19. Was He a false prophet or was He the Messianic King of the Jews? This passage is rich with dramatic irony. Every charge and accusation that the Jews brought against Jesus came back against themselves and condemned them. This section of John, chapters 18 and 19, which records the trial, judgment, and crucifixion contains the clearest revelation and manifestation of the character and judgment of God that the world has ever beheld. It is here that the world is invited into the Most Holy Place to behold the glory of God. This action of God in Christ was decisive at many levels. It inaugurated the reign of the King. It unveiled the apostate "prince" of this world. It stated the essence of the demands of God in terms of His judgment on Israel, the world and on Satan. It separated the "truth" from the "lies" and the "light" from the "darkness". It also clearly revealed the "Place" of salvation and worship.

In summation, the first twelve chapters of John reveal the ministry of Jesus in the courtyard, ministering to the world. (The term "world" is a key term in John’s gospel. He used it 78 times.) In John chapters 13 through17, John has revealed Jesus in the Holy Place, the inner sanctum, alone with His disciples teaching them about His ministry and even their ministry, for the world. In John chapters 18 and 19, John has revealed Jesus in the Most Holy Place. He has revealed Him at the Judgment Seat. John 19:13. Once again the key to understanding what was actually transpiring is John’s use of dramatic irony. What follows in John 21 is the epilogue.

Jesus is the Sanctuary

As we have seen, John has structured his gospel after the pattern of the Sanctuary. He ministered in the Courtyard, the Holy Place, and the Most Holy Place. Having ministered, He then brought the peace that He had made with the Father to His followers. Unlike the record of the synoptic gospels, Jesus spent most of His time in Jerusalem at the feasts. The entire book of John is an explanation of the prologue. Beginning in the prologue, and running through the first 12 chapters of John, a recognizable theme emerges. Jesus is the personification and the embodiment of the Sanctuary. In His own person, Christ has brought the purpose and functions of the Sanctuary to fulfillment. I have dealt extensively with this subject in my paper; "Jesus is the Sanctuary".

For our purpose, in terms of demonstrating the connection between the book of Daniel and the gospel of John, some important texts need to be considered. Daniel was in Babylonian captivity in a foreign land when he wrote his prophecy. The ‘Place’ of worship, sacrifice, atonement, and access to God was torn down. The enemies of Israel had prevailed. Daniel prayed, in Daniel chapter 9, that God would sovereignly act for the glory of His name in accordance with His covenant promise to restore the Sanctuary and to send the Messianic Davidic King, thereby vanquishing the enemies of God and restoring the Kingdom of God to His people. Therefore the restoration of the Sanctuary, the fulfillment of the Covenant by God, the Coming of the King, and the Day of Atonement and Judgment are all part of a package! All these actions by God and His Christ would serve the purpose of ushering in the rule of God and Kingdom of righteousness and justice. It would also serve the purpose of judging Satan and all who have linked themselves with him in rebellion and sin. The abomination that desolates and desecrates would be removed. Daniellooked forward to a point in time when God would bring His purpose to bear. John, on the other hand, has seen that Daniel’s prayer has been answered and that God had already accomplished His purpose in Christ.

John 1:14 says; "The Word became flesh and dwelt/tabernacled among us, and we beheld His glory …". Here we have in the prologue a clear statement that the ‘Tabernacle’, that is the ‘Sanctuary’, was revealed in Christ Jesus, God incarnate. Only the High Priest, at great peril, was permitted to go into the Most Holy Place once a year on the Day of Atonement and permitted to see the Shekinah glory of God. But now, Divinity has clothed itself with humanity, and we beheld His glory. As it were, Jesus has taken us all into the Most Holy Place, even on the Day of Atonement, when the wrath and judgment of God fell on Himself so that we might go free. He did this at Calvary.

The Sanctuary was God’s teaching aid, given through Moses, to acquaint us with the things of God. But for John, the clearest manifestation and explanation of the purpose and glory of God has come to us from Christ. "He has explained (exegeted) Him." John 1:18.

In John 2:19 (see v16-22), Jesus said; "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up"; "But He was speaking of the temple of His body". v22. This action of Jesus, which took place when He laid down His own life and took it up on the third day at His resurrection is none other than the fulfillment of Dan.8:14 and is the answer to Daniel’s prayer as recorded in Daniel chapter 9.

There is a close link between the Sanctuary and the Kingdom of God. The restoration of the Sanctuary is the restoration of the Kingdom to God and to the saints. The placing of these two critical statements by John at the beginning of his gospel reveals that this subject is central to his point and that it is one that he will develop and bring to resolution.

In John 4:20-26; the Samaritan woman at the well wanted to know where the correct ‘Place’ of worship was. She understood that "when that One who comes", (The Coming King of Dan.7:13); "He who is called Christ" (the Messiah of Dan.9:25); that He would "declare all things to us". Jesus helped her to understand that that He was that ‘Place’ of worship, that is, the True Sanctuary. In the Old Testament Sanctuary system, forgiveness of sins and a right relationship (righteousness) with God was to be found at the Sanctuary. What the woman at the well came to understand was that salvation was available for all who would drink the living water that was provided by the Savior of the world.

On the Feast of Tabernacles, the city was lit up by huge candelabra that lit up not only the Temple but the whole city of Jerusalem. "Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, if any man is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink". John7:2,10,37. The living water, the life giving water, that flowed from the Sanctuary was depicted by John as now flowing from Jesus. Ezk.47:12. Jesus said to them, if you want that water, as He had earlier said to the woman at the well, ‘come to Me’. In other words, Jesus was saying; I am the Sanctuary, the Place from which the water of life flows. Herein do we see another reminiscence of Eden from which flowed the water which divided into four rivers. This water flowed downhill from the Sanctuary Mountain of Eden for the purpose of bringing life to the whole world. Gen.2:10 A river of fire flowed from the throne of God as recorded in Dan.7:10. That river of fire depicts not only the holiness of God but His righteous judgment against sin. Our only hope, however is the river of the water of life. We are seeing the end time terminology of Daniel, that is the ‘last day’ brought into the present by Jesus here.

We remember how Martha understood that Lazarus would rise on the ‘last day’ and Jesus told her that the last day with the benefits of resurrection and eternal life were ‘even now’ available for those who believed in Him. Martha, like the Samaritan woman, believed that Jesus was the Christ , that is the ‘Messiah’ of Dan.9:25 and the ‘Coming One’ of Dan.7:13. John 11:27.

On the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus came into the temple and said, "I AM the light of the world". Not only the Feast of Tabernacles, but the Sanctuary in which it took place had found fulfillment in Jesus, the Light of the world. John 11:22-27.

In John 10:22 & 23; Jesus was in the Temple again. He was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon. The occasion was the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah). Jesus always arrived at these feasts at prime time to reveal that He was the fulfillment of these feasts. This passage in John chapter 10 has the fingerprints of Daniel all over it. Hanukkah commemorated the cleansing and rededication of the Temple and altar by Judas Maccabaeus in 164 B.C. after their defilement by Antiochus Epiphanes. 1 Macc. 4:41-61. Daniel looked ahead and saw the "abomination", the "desecration", and the "desolation" of the Sanctuary and the holy people. Dan.8:9-27; 9:26,27; 11:30-36. Satan acted through his pawn, the Grecian King Antiochus Epiphanes, to attack the Sanctuary, the covenant, and the people of God. Traitorous Jews apostatized and aligned themselves with Antiochus and with Satan. In the same way as the king of Tyre in Ezekiel 28 and the king of Babylon in Isaiah 14 are representations of Lucifer, so also was Antiochus Epiphanes as recorded in Dan.8:21-26. These evil kings manifested the characteristics of Satan and acted as pawns to carry out his evil purpose.

John has taken things to the next level in his gospel. Daniel revealed that the focus of Satan’s attack was the Sanctuary. The Sanctuary was the ‘place’ where God chose to dwell among His people. It was the ‘place’ where God revealed the ‘truth’ about Himself. God’s covenant law was kept in His Temple. This Temple was the ‘place’ where man in sin had access to the forgiveness of God. It was the ‘place’ from which God’s grace and mercy emanated. The Sanctuary was also the ‘place’ of judgment. All the rebels and enemies of God and of His covenant people were judged at the Sanctuary. It is no wonder that the ‘place’ of Satan’s special concern was the Sanctuary. Satan has continually sought to tear down the Sanctuary or to infiltrate it with idolatrous practices.

The Temple itself had become an idol (made with hands) and an abomination at the time of Christ. Mark 14:58; Acts 7:41-48. The religious leaders were even willing to kill the Messiah, the King of Israel in order to maintain their power, control, and influence. John 11:47-53. John revealed in John chapter 10 that the apostate leaders of Israel were pawns of Satan and that they were themselves a manifestation of the ‘abomination’ that ‘desecrates/desolates’. Their heinous actions would be revealed in their murder of the LORD’s Christ. Jesus was Himself the embodiment of the Sanctuary and everything that it stood for. This passage in John 10 is therefore an explanation of John 2:19,21 when Jesus said to the Jews; (you) "destroy this Temple and in three days I will raise it up." "But He was speaking of the Temple of His body." Apostate Jews again aligned themselves with Satan, and sought to desecrate and desolate the Temple. This time it was the Temple of the body of Christ Jesus. Herein we are catching a glimpse of the meaning of "the abomination of desolation" spoken of by Daniel the prophet. Dan.9:27.

There is a key to recognizing who the ‘abomination of desolation’ is. When we see who God desolates in retributive judgment, we are enabled to identify the desolater. Dan.9:27. When Jesus cursed the leaders of the Jews in Matt.23:38; He said, "Behold, your house is being left to you desolate." When Jesus came on unrepentant Jerusalem in judgment in 70 A.D; He desolated the desolater. This prophecy of Daniel found initial fulfillment in the evil work of Antiochus Epiphanes. It found fulfillment when the Sanctuary of the body of Jesus was desolated at Calvary. It has had ongoing fulfillment during the church age and will have a final fulfillment at the consummation when what Christ experienced in microcosm will be the experience of the church in macrocosm.

John noted in John 10:23 that "it was winter." Both Matthew 24:20 and Mark 13:18 speak of ‘winter’ in the context of the Olivet Discourse which is Jesus’ inspired commentary of Daniel. Jesus had said earlier in John 9:4; "We must work the works of Him who sent Me, as long as it is day; night is coming, when no man can work." Man cannot work at night or in the winter in an agricultural society. There is a time for sowing, watering, fertilizing, and harvesting. What follows the harvest is the winter. The dialogue that Jesus had with the ‘Jews’ in John 10 is His last argument for His Messiah-ship prior to His crucifixion. In John chapter 12, Jesus spoke to the multitude of the common people and even to the Greeks, but the last chance for the leadership of the Jews had come and gone. Now, all of their actions were directed towards killing Jesus. In Israel’s relatively recent past, approximately 200 years prior to the time when Jesus attended this feast of dedication, the defilement and desecration of the Sanctuary by the Greek King Antiochus Epiphanes almost wiped out the religion of the Jews. If he had been successful, there would have been no Israel for the Messiah to have come from or to come to. Antiochus was a manifestation and prototype of the ‘abomination of desolation’. Through the actions of Judas Maccabeeas, who was a type of Christ, the Temple was restored and the evil king was deposed.

Significantly, in this passage of John 10, we see a clear connection with Ezekiel chapters 34 & 37. The wolves, the false shepherds, were none other that the apostate Jews. Unlike the synoptic gospels, where the term ‘Jews’ is used but 5 or 6 times in each, John used the term ‘the Jews’ 65 times, and almost always in a negative light. Apostate Jews had collaborated with Antiochus Epiphanes, who was an agent of Satan, in his evil work of Temple desecration and in his murder of approximately 80,000 faithful sons of Israel. The words of Jesus recorded by John in chapter 8:44, stated that the Jews, and especially their leadership, were of their father, the devil. They, like their father, were liars, enemies of the truth, and murderers. Judas, the son of perdition, had a devil; and the whole world was lying in the power of the evil one. John 8:44; 17:12; 6:70; 1 John 5:19.The truth of these statements of Jesus would be revealed in the utmost clarity at His trials and subsequent crucifixion. The Jews opposed God, and desolated His Christ in order to sustain their abominable Temple made with human hands. They did it for power, influence, and money.

The Jews saw themselves as God’s servant, as God’s son, as God’s anointed, as God’s representative. Their leadership saw themselves as the shepherds of the people. They were willing to give way to a military commander who would free them from Roman bondage and initiate Israel and themselves as the kings over the entire earth, but they were unwilling to relinquish their authority to a cursed suffering Servant King. Like Antiochus, they saw themselves as an ‘epiphany’. The Jewish leaders possessed many of the same evil traits that motivated Antiochus.

In John 10:33; the Jews attempted to stone Jesus for blasphemy. The irony of the situation is that they were themselves blasphemers. The apostate Jews, in their self ‘magnification’ shown in their ‘boastful and blasphemous words’ "cast truth to the ground" and ‘gave over’; that is ‘betrayed’ and ‘delivered up’ the host/Host and the Holy Place. Dan.8:11,12. Judas ‘betrayed’ Jesus to the Jews who delivered Him up to the Romans. Herein we see the explanation of the little horn of Daniel. As Mark 14:58 and Acts 7:41,48 record; Jesus and Stephen understood that the temple in Jerusalem had degenerated into an ‘idol’, a place made by the "works of human hands". It was expedient for the Jews to ‘desecrate’ the Temple of the body of Jesus, by hanging His cursed body naked on a tree outside the gates of the Holy City; and to tear down/desolate the Temple of Jesus’ body by murdering Him, in order to sustain their ‘idol’ and ‘icon’ that the temple had become. John 11:48-51.

Therefore, the Feast of Dedication recorded in John 10, presents a clear connection with the book of Daniel. John recognized that Christ Jesus was the Temple that God Himself had dedicated, that is ‘sanctified’. John 10:22,36. John saw that Daniel’s prayer regarding the restoration of the Sanctuary, the renewal of the covenant, and the coming of the Davidic King had been answered. At His resurrection, the King would cast out the impostors and restore the Sanctuary to its rightful state. Dan.8:14. In John 10:30,36, & 38; Jesus stated His oneness with the Father.

From the context, and in consideration of John’s reliance on Ezekiel chapters 34 & 37, it becomes apparent that Jesus was not only stating that He was the One who would dedicate the New Temple, that is Himself; but that He was the New Solomon, the Davidic Shepherd King, the Messiah. We need to remember that it was Solomon, the son of David, who built and dedicated the Sanctuary. Ezekiel, in Babylonian captivity, looked ahead in hope to the Ultimate son of David who bring about deliverance and restoration of the Sanctuary and the Kingdom of God. "I will make them one nation in the land … and one King will be King for all of them". "They will no longer defile themselves with their idols, or with their detestable things (abominations)". "My servant David will be King over them, and they will have one Shepherd". "I will make a covenant of peace with them, it will be an everlasting covenant". "I will set My Sanctuary in their midst forever." "My dwelling place will be with them". Ezk.37:22,23,24,26,27. Notice also that all of these benefits are part of a package.

To restate it again bluntly, Jesus was saying that He was the Messianic King, the new Solomon, who was going to dedicate a New Temple, that is Himself. Jesus was saying that the Jews had collaborated with the devil and that their authority and their place of idolatry, that is the Temple, was going to be torn down because of it. They understood what Jesus meant and their charge against Him of blasphemy was just a ruse. They knew that they had to kill Him. We know that from the perspective of the writers of the synoptics that it was Jesus’ threats against the Temple that got Him killed.

In John 12:13&15, John recorded the "Coming" of the King of Israel. In John 12:23; Jesus said; "The hour (hora) has come for the Son of Man to be glorified." The "Coming King" is the "Son of Man" who "comes" in Dan.7:13 & 14 to receive ‘glory’ and a ‘kingdom’. John wanted us to see the connection here between the prediction in Daniel chapter 7 & 8 and the fulfillment in Christ. The ‘hour’, even Christ’s ‘time’; that is the ‘appointed time of the end’, had come. (hora kairou, ‘hour of time’ Dan.8:17 & 19 LXX) John 7:8,30. John went on to link and blend the Passover (John 12:1) with the Day of Atonement. John 12v31 states; "Now judgment (the Day of Atonement) is upon this world; now the ruler/prince of this world is cast out." The evil king/prince of Dan.8:23 typified by Antiochus Epiphanies was none other than Satan himself. (See my paper; Covenant Intimacy"). He is the ‘prince’ who was to come of Dan.9:26, who would destroy the City and the Sanctuary.

We must remember that Jesus was not only the embodiment of the Sanctuary but the embodiment of Jerusalem; that is the embodiment of the people of God. Certainly Titus did destroy the city and the Sanctuary, but this explanation does not go to the heart of the matter. We also need to recognize the parody presented in Dan. 9:25-27. The activities presented there depict not only the actions of Christ but the actions of Satan. The ‘Place’, once again, where we are enabled to clearly see this doubled barreled communication is on the Day of Atonement when the High Priest cast lots for and separated two goats that appeared identical. It was on the Day of Atonement that Azazel, the demon goat, was separated from the LORD’s goat. Herein we are seeing John’s explanation of Dan.9:24-27. Just so that we don’t miss it, John went on to explain that this judgment of Satan and this world had taken place when the Danielic ‘Son of Man’ was lifted up on Calvary’s cross. John 12:31-34. Insight into this came to Nicodemus, ruler of the Jews, when he witnessed the Danielic Son of Man lifted up. The term; the ‘Son of Man’; was used 13 times by John, and always at the critical junctures in his narrative.

Therefore, when we make the purpose and the function of the Sanctuary central in terms of our interpretive key, we see that Jesus is indeed the Sanctuary. We see that the Sanctuary was torn down when the Jews conspired with Satan and the Romans and put Christ to death. Nevertheless, Christ "took it up His life again" and restored the Sanctuary to its rightful state at His resurrection. In this action at the Sanctuary (which is Jesus Christ), the prince of this world and his lies against the truth of God were cast out. The One who God had dedicated/sanctified received His Kingdom. John 10:22,36. When did all this take place? It took place at Calvary when the Most Holy Place was made visible to the world. It took place when the Son of God, the Son of Man was separated, judged, crucified, resurrected, and ascended to His Father and our Father.

The truth that Jesus is the Sanctuary, and that He alone vindicated the righteousness, truth, and justice of God’s Kingdom; has revealed another powerful and clear link between the gospel of John and the book of Daniel.

The Lawsuit Motif in the Gospel of John

As we have seen, the gospel of John is significantly different than the synoptic gospels. Jesus and John were especially interested in God’s lawsuit with the world, with the Jews, and with Satan. See: John 9:39; 16:11; 12:31; 14:30; 1 John 5:19. We can know with certainty that John had a particular interest in the lawsuit motif for at least four reasons. First: The lawsuit motif is contained in the prologue of his gospel. Second: The gospel of John is saturated with legal terminology and these terms are used many times. Third: When Jesus went up to attend the feasts in Jerusalem for the purpose of declaring that He was not only the fulfillment to which all of these feasts pointed to, but that He was the Son of the Father and the Christ, disputations between Himself and the leaders of the Jews broke out. In these disputes, we see an abundance of legal language being used. Fourth: John’s emphasis in regards to the climax of Christ’s activities that led Him to Calvary, was on the trials. The Jews were represented in the lawsuit by the Sanhedrin, the High Priests, (who were Sadducees, descendants of the Hasmonaeans) Annas, and Caiaphas his son-in-law; by the chief priests and by the Pharisees. The world was represented by Pilate and the Roman empire. Both groups were, however, pawns and dupes of Satan. The core dispute was with Satan.

An even deeper question loomed below the surface. Was God Himself a God of truth, righteousness, justice, and equity or was God in fact an all powerful capricious dictator driven by self interest? Had Satan located and expressed a fatal flaw in God’s character and reasoning? Did God indeed have a moral and ethical right to rule? As we will see, God came in human flesh to vindicate Himself, to uphold ‘truth’, to save His creation, to expose the lies of Satan, and to bring in a kingdom of everlasting righteousness, justice, and equity. God came after Satan, not with swords, but on a legal basis. John 18:37.

This is where the lawcourt motif comes to the fore. What we need to remember is that there is a clear connection between the lawcourt motif and the Sanctuary. The Sanctuary is essentially the lawcourt of God. God’s throne in the Most Holy Place is the Judgment Bar of God. The ark of the covenant, which was placed in the Most Holy Place, contained the tablets of God’s own testimony. This ‘testimony’ of God forms part of God’s evidence in the lawcourt. This ‘testimony’ was none other than God’s 10 words spoken by His own ‘voice’. These 10 commandments are the core of His covenant. They contain the stipulations of His covenant, and they are God’s own sovereign standard by which He has declared that He would judge the world. This is the ‘Law’. God’s ‘Law’ is non-negotiable. For YHWH to suffer an attack on His Law and lose would be to suffer a critical attack on His own character, and would even challenge not only His right to rule but His right ‘To Be’. Jesus came as Co-Regent of the Father and as the Vassal under the Suzerain. As Co-Regent, His voice declared the Law. As Vassal, He kept the Law. John 5:37; 15:10. Both roles served to uphold the Law.

The lawsuit motif in John’s gospel is rooted in the Book of Daniel. In Daniel 7:9 & 10, we read about the Ancient of Days taking His seat on His throne. ‘Thousands’ attend Him. ‘Myriads’ stand before Him. The ‘court sat’. "The books were opened." This is clearly a judgment scene. Daniel 7:8,11,20,.21. 24,25, & 26 speak of a ‘horn’ who "possessed eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth uttering great boasts". "This horn waged war with the saints and was overpowering them". This horn "will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law". Here we see that Satan’s attack has been focused against God’s ‘law’. "But the court will sit for judgment and his (the horn’s) dominion will be taken away, annihilated and destroyed forever." We may well be asking ourselves the question; when did this judgment take place and when was this enemy of God’s dominion taken away? Daniel 7:13 & 14 records the ‘coming’ of the Son of Man to the Ancient of Days. Satan’s dominion was taken away when the Son of Man was presented with the kingdom, an everlasting dominion. This Son of Man is therefore God’s King, God’s Vice-Regent. Christ Jesus is that Son of Man, the King of Israel. After His victory over Satan, sin, and death, He came to the Father at His resurrection and ascension and received the kingdom at His coronation. See Rev.5.

In Daniel 8:9,10.11,12,13,23,24, & 25, we again read about a ‘horn’ power. This horn "grew up to the host of heaven and caused some of the host and some of the stars to fall to earth, and it trampled them down". See Rev.12:4,9. "It even magnified itself to be equal with the Commander of the host; and it removed the regular sacrifice from Him, and the place of His Sanctuary was thrown down." "On account of ‘transgression’ the host will be given over to the horn along with the regular sacrifice; and it will fling ‘truth’ to the ground". This ‘horn’ is Satan. Certainly Satan has worked through his pawns, but he is the one who has been attacking the saints, the host of heaven, and God Himself.

The special point of Satan’s attack has been against the Sanctuary. The Sanctuary contains God’s law which condemns him as a transgressor. The Sanctuary is also the place where the people of God have been able to go for forgiveness. Therefore, the Sanctuary and all that it stands for is absolutely detrimental to Satan’s cause. Consequently, his attack has been focused against the ‘law’ and the ‘gospel’, which the Sanctuary is a symbol of. To seek in any way to diminish the strength of the law is to undermine the gospel. To seek to undermine the gospel of grace consequently undermines the covenant law of God. Man’s problem is that sin on our part has left us to be claimed as subjects of Satan. Satan would have us minimize our sin, or in pride say that we are without sin and not needing grace. Satan would have us discredit God’s law or minimize its authority over us, so that his principles of sin and death might rule over us. Satan would seek to deceive us as to the necessity of Calvary and the forgiveness of real actual sins that takes place at the foot of the cross.

Daniel chapter 9, puts all of these issues in perspective. To attack the Sanctuary is to attack everything that it stands for. Daniel 9 speaks of God’s covenant, God’s commandments, God’s law, and God’s truth. They are one and the same. Satan’s attack on God’s ‘truth’ in Dan.8:12 and his attack on God’s ‘law’ in Dan.7:25 is therefore an attack against God’s ‘commandments’ and ‘covenant’ of Dan.9:4,5. Daniel prayed a prayer of repentance in Daniel 9. He freely admitted that he and his people had "sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly, and rebelled, even turning aside from Thy commandments", that they had "committed unfaithful deeds against Thee", "nor have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in His laws", "indeed all Israel has transgressed Thy law and turned aside, not obeying Thy voice". The people of God had "not sought the favor of the LORD by turning away from our iniquity and giving attention to Thy ‘truth’. Repentance validates the Law of God. Repentance validates the grace and forgiveness of God.

The solution to the ‘sin problem’ was a manifestation and revelation of the ‘righteousness of God’. See my papers, "Covenant Righteousness" and "Covenant Intimacy". God would ‘vindicate’, ‘justify’, and ‘restore the Sanctuary to its rightful state’ at Calvary, thereby upholding His holy covenant law and His right to be gracious and merciful to the sinner. Dan.8:14. Daniel has clearly articulated the issues that are at stake in terms of the LORD’s lawsuit against Satan.

God therefore, in light of this crisis in regards to His own credibility, sent His Representative, even His own Son, to vindicate the glory of His holy name. The words ‘glory’, ‘glorify’, and ‘glorified’ are used 39 times by John. In the prologue we read; And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." John1:14. To ‘glorify’ God is to ‘vindicate’ Him. In the margin beside Dan.8:14 in the NASB, we read the word ‘vindicate’. The word ‘nitsdaq’ of Dan.8:14, which finds its explanation in the ‘sedeq’ of Daniel chapter 9 (it is used 5 times in Daniel 9) means the same as ‘glorify’. "For 2300 evenings and mornings; then the holy place will be ‘vindicated/glorified". This vindication and glorification of the True Temple was fulfilled when Jesus manifested Himself as the ‘Christ’, the ‘Anointed’ Holy Place at Calvary’s cross. Dan.9:24.

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate not only the connections between the gospel of John and the book of Daniel but to recognize that these two books deal with the most important issues that are related to the Kingdom of God and of God’s worthiness to rule. In terms of ‘glory’, we again see a connection between John’s gospel and Daniel. When the Son of Man ascended to heaven after ‘vindicating’ God’s holy name, He received ‘glory’ from the Father. Dan.7:13,14. When the hour came in which the purpose of God was about to be fulfilled, we read in John 12:28; "Father, glorify Thy name. There came therefore a voice out of heaven: I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again." In the context of John 12:27-34; it is clear that Jesus would ‘glorify’, that is ‘vindicate’ the truth about the Father, with all of its legal implications, at Calvary. John 7:8,30; 17:1-5.

John began his gospel by referring to the ‘beginning’. The book of Genesis simply stated that God has existed from the beginning. God made Himself known by means of His creative action. God has also made Himself know, in the Old Testament by means of the Law. God also made Himself known through the Sanctuary and the Sanctuary service. But in these last days, God has manifested Himself and made Himself known in His Son.

John, in the prologue to his gospel, alluded to Genesis and the creative action of God. He recognized that the God of creation is a God of order. John also alluded to His law which was given through Moses. The act of creation and the principle of law have been the tools in God’s hands to bring order out of chaos. They have been tools in His hands to separate and divide. They have been a principle by which to judge. Nevertheless, enormous creative power, and a clear statement of law do not and did not by themselves engender submission, service, or even a relationship with any level of intimacy with the created ones.

Therefore, a revelation of the ‘truth’ about God was necessary. The Creative and Glorious Word of God would take on flesh in order to explain God so that we might see, perceive, and understand Him. God had already, in type, revealed not only His Law but His glory and His grace in the Sanctuary. In the ultimate act of condescension, God would now take on human flesh and dwell, that is ‘Sanctuary’ in the midst of His creation. He did this so that the ‘world’ that was made by Him might come to ‘know’ Him. The words ‘world’ and ‘know’ are key terms in John’s gospel. He used the term ‘world’ 78 times and the term ‘know’ 94 times. Through the manifestation of Himself in the person of His Son, God expressed His desire that the ‘world’ might come to ‘know’ Him, trust, ‘believe’, and ‘love’ Him. John used the word ‘believe’ 97 times. John used the word ‘love’, ‘loves’ and ‘loved’ 51 times. When we move into the last component which is ‘covenant’, we need to remember that the ‘lovingkindness’ and ‘truth’ of God were revealed to Israel in the Sanctuary. They were revealed by the LORD’s covenant. They were specifically mentioned in Daniel chapter 9. See Dan.9:4.

Let us now consider the legal and judicial language in John. The words ‘witness’ and ‘truth’ are both used in the prologue. John used the word ‘witness’ #3140 ‘martureo’ 39 times in his gospel. This same word is translated ‘testify’ once and ‘testified’ 3 times in John’s gospel. (NASB). The closely associated word ‘testimony’ #3141 ‘marturion’ was used 3 times in John. The words ‘witness’, ‘testify’, and ‘testimony’ are in the legal sphere and refers to a witness giving testimony in a trial. Significantly, the word ‘testimony’ was used 10 times in John’s Apocalypse. Herein do we catch a glimpse of what the ‘testimony’ of Jesus and the ‘testimony’ of the church means in the book of Revelation. John used the word ‘truth’ #225 ‘alethes’ 27 times in his gospel. He used the word ‘true’ #227/228 ‘alethes/alethinos 21 times. John used the word ‘truly’, where it is almost always rendered, ‘truly, truly’ #281 ‘amen’ 51 times. Satan attacked the ‘truth’ of God as revealed in the Sanctuary in God’s holy Covenant Law. Dan.8:12; 9:13; 10:21. Jesus came as the embodiment of ‘truth’ as a ‘witness’ and ‘testimony’ to the veracity of the ‘truth’ about God. Jesus Himself is "the way, the truth, and the life". "You say correctly that I am a King. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice." John 14:6; 18:37. In this gospel of John with its central theme of the Divinity of Jesus Christ, we read an enlightening statement by Jesus in John 5:37. "And the Father who sent Me, He has borne witness of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form." What John and Jesus wanted those present then and us to know is that it was Jesus Himself who uttered God’s 10 words with His own voice on Sinai. It was the form of Jesus that Moses saw pass before him. See Exodus chapters 19,20,34. Heb.12:24-29. Jesus is the 10 commandments, that is the covenant law of God, with flesh on it. Jesus is the true witness, the Word of God, in human flesh.

God called upon witnesses like John the Baptist, like the disciples, like the Law and the Prophets, like the totality of the Old Testament Scriptures, and even the Holy Spirit to testify of His integrity. God then called upon the Ultimate Witness, His Unique Begotten Son, the only begotten God to testify on His behalf in the lawsuit. Christ Jesus personally experienced the accusation, the interrogation, the investigation, the charge, and even the execution that was brought against the Crucified God by His opponents. John, through the literary devices of contrast, parody, and dramatic irony, revealed how Christ used this attack against Himself, the Sanctuary, and the Kingdom of God as a radical way of exposing the lies and false accusations that were being leveled against Him by Satan and his pawns. See John chapters 18 & 19.

The word ‘judge’ #2919 ‘krino’ was used 12 times and ‘judges’ (krino) was used 3 times by John. He used the word ‘judged’ (krino) 3 times, ‘judging’ (krino) once and the word ‘judgment’ #2920 ‘krisis’ 11 times. He used the word ‘judgment’ once from ‘krima’ and ‘judgment seat’ once from #968 "bema’. John used the word ‘condemn’ #2632 ‘katakrino’ twice. The judgment of Satan took place at Calvary. Daniel looked forward to it. John, looking back to the cross, explained its fulfillment in Christ. "Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world shall be cast out." John 12:31. Jesus went on to speak about the ‘lifting up’ of Daniel’s ‘Son of Man’ on Calvary’s cross at His death. John 12:32-34. The ‘good news’ is that our judgment also took place at Calvary. The ones who believe "has eternal life and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life." John 5:24.

An important factor to recognize is that John’s extensive use of the key legal terms is disproportionate when compared to the synoptic gospels. The synoptics use these terms very sparingly. John, through constant repetition, has emphasized that the lawsuit motif was a central theme in his gospel. Time does not permit a consideration of the legal quarrel between Jesus and His accusers and the proliferation of legalese utilized by John to describe what actually transpiring. For further study, see especially John chapters 5,7,8,9,10,12,18 & 19. In the context of these quarrels, the testimony of Jesus continued to cause a division among the Jews. To 'believe in' Jesus was to believe His witness and testimony in the lawsuit. "The one who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already because he has not believed in the name (character) of the only begotten Son of God." John 3:18.

Daniel looked forward to the vindication of God’s character at the judgment . John’s message is that God has already not only been glorified and vindicated in Christ at Calvary, but the judgment at the end has already in some sense found fulfillment in Christ at Calvary. The ‘prince’ of this world was cast out in the hearts and minds of the cosmos as we all were invited into the Most Holy Place which was Calvary, to witness the truth about God.

As we will see, the lawsuit motif, which is linked to the Sanctuary and to the ‘eschaton’ is but a revelation of the eternal covenant made between the Covenant keeping God and His Son before the foundation of the world. All those who believe the truth about God and buy in to the principles of his Kingdom will live forever with Him.

The Sovereign Action of God for the Glory of His Name

It has been generally recognized that John used eight ‘I AM’ statements of Jesus in his gospel. There are also many additional cases of its apparent usage. John is unique among the gospel writers in his use of this term. A standard explanation of John’s use of the words ‘I Am’ is based on what many believe to be the central theme of John, which is the Divinity of Jesus Christ. The words ‘I Am’ on the lips of Jesus are however, more than a statement of Christ’s self described Divinity. They are a statement of His purpose. We might well be asking ourselves where John found his Old Testament basis for his ‘I Am’ statements. Exodus 3:14 has generally been recognized as the thematic root for these statements of Jesus. The context in Exodus is important. The eternally self existent God who made Himself known to Moses as ‘I AM WHO I AM’ revealed that this is His ‘memorial name to all generations’. In Exodus 2:23-25, Moses wrote of how the cry of the sons of Israel in their Egyptian bondage rose up to God. "So God heard their groaning and remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." Exod. 2:24. Essentially, the Name that God revealed to Moses in Exod.3:14 was His ‘Covenant Name’.

We also find an Old Testament basis for the ‘I AM’ statements in Second Isaiah which begins in Isaiah chapter forty. In John 1:23, John quoted Isaiah 40:3. He gave additional weight to this quote by saying, "as Isaiah the prophet said". In his gospel, John quoted the Old Testament sparingly in comparison to the writers of the synoptic gospels. The ‘first things’ mentioned in all the gospels are very important. By way of quotation from the Old Testament, the gospel writers were in essence laying down a foundational plank. They then built on the foundation which they had laid. What follows throughout the rest of the book should be seen as explanation and enhancement of the key thought. Significantly, in His last public discourse, as recorded in John chapter 12, John quoted Isaiah chapters 53 and 6. John linked the revelation of the glory of the LORD with the cross of Calvary. John 12:37-41. "These things Isaiah said because he saw His glory and he spoke of Him (Christ)." v41. Therefore, a study of second Isaiah and its relationship to the gospel of John is warranted.

A major theme that runs through second Isaiah is the ‘Covenant Lawsuit’. The LORD contrasted Himself with and distinguished Himself from the god’s of the nations. The LORD’s lawsuit extended to the god’s that the enemies of Israel relied on. (i.e. Satan) To attack Israel was to attack the God of Israel. The book of Second Isaiah is saturated with statements of the LORD, in which He promised to sovereignly act through His Servant according to His covenant in order to glorify His own holy Name.

As an example, Isa.41:4 says; "I, the LORD, am the first, and with the last. I am He."

Isaiah:43:3,10,13,15, & 25 says:

v3" For I am the LORD you God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior"; (John 4:42.)

v10: "You are My witnesses, declares the LORD, and MY servant/Servant whom I have chosen, in order that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. (John 10:4,5,14,27.)

v13: "Even from eternity I am He, and there is none who can deliver out of My hand; I act and who can reverse it." (See John 10:28,29.)

v15: "I am the LORD your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King." (See John 1:49; 18:37)

v25: I, even I am the One who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake; and I will not remember your sins." (See John 8:24.)

By utilizing the ‘I AM’ language of Isaiah, Jesus was declaring that He had personally come as the Embodiment of the Covenant to fulfill the will of God. As the Holy One of Israel, the LORD the King of Israel would come to redeem His people. He would again make a way of escape through the sea. (reminiscent of the Red Sea) According to His sworn promise, He would offer a way of salvation to the ends of the earth. The One sent by God would bring all the earth under His dominion. He would tread the wine press of God’s wrath alone. He would contend with the enemy of Israel, and deliver the captives from the hand of the tyrant (Satan). Righteousness will be established. The foundation of the Temple will be laid. Jerusalem will be built. The holy people, the redeemed of the LORD, will be sought out by God, a city not forsaken. The certainty of these promises is based on the fact that the One making them is the Creator, the eternal self-existent LORD, the first and the last. There is no God besides Him. "It is I (I AM) who made the earth, and created man upon it. I stretched out the heavens with My hands, and I ordained all their host." Isa.45:12. See also Isa.44:6,24,27,28; 45:5,12,18,21,22; 46:4,9; 47:8,10; 48:12,17; 49:26; 51:12;15; 52:6; 60:16; 63:1; 65:1. John wants us to understand that Jesus is the Christ of God, the Savior King of Israel who came in fulfillment of these covenant promises of God as stated by Isaiah. This Jesus is more than a representative or agent of God; He is the LORD Himself.

We know that Daniel was fully conversant with Isaiah’s prophecy, and that he understood that the LORD was going to act to fulfill His covenant promises in His Messiah. See Daniel chapter 9. Daniel recorded how the LORD distinguished Himself from the gods of the nations. Even when His people were in captivity, the God of Israel manifested His glory. The book of Daniel records the testimony of Nebuchadnezzar and Darius blessing and praising the Most High God of heaven, when they caught sight of by His glory, in contrast to their own so-called gods that they had relied on to maintain their dominion. Dan.4:12-37; 6:20-27. (See also my paper; "Covenant Righteousness, the Relationship between Daniel and the book of Isaiah".)

By using the words ‘I AM’ that relate to the covenant keeping action of the LORD, Jesus was not only exercising the Divine prerogative, but was stating that the fulfillment of these promises was taking place. As the writers of the synoptic gospels blended the prophecies of Isaiah and Daniel, so also has John in his gospel. In the synoptics, Jesus is the suffering Servant of Isaiah and the Son of Man of Daniel. Matt.20:28; Mark 10:45; Luke 9:22. For John, Jesus is the coming King, the Son of Man of Daniel and the covenant keeping LORD Himself of Isaiah.

In John 4:26; Jesus declared Himself to be the "Coming One", the Messiah who is called Christ to the Samaritan woman. "I AM (He supplied) who speak to you". This is a clearly an allusion to Dan.7v25 and Dan.9v25. Significantly, the hour of the Messiah was not only coming, but according to Jesus, "now is". John 4:23. This woman recognized Jesus as the Savior of the world, the Messianic King.

In John 6:35,41&48; Jesus said; "I AM the bread of life." This Bread that comes down from heaven is rooted in the history of Israel and the manna that came down from heaven during the exodus wilderness experience. It is also related to the Bread of the Presence that was in the Holy Place. Through prolepsis, we see that John was speaking of the Lord’s Supper consisting of the bread and wine, that is the body and blood of Christ. Significantly, "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life". Jesus is the ‘Word’. Jesus is the Torah in human flesh. When many of His disciples withdrew; in light of the statements that Jesus had just made about eating His flesh and drinking His blood, Jesus asked the twelve if they wanted to go away also. Peter said, "Lord, to who shall we go? You have ‘words’ of eternal life." John 6:53-56,64,66-68. Jesus and John have brought the future into the present. This passage in turn is an explanation of the wedding at Cana. The Lord’s supper, which is in itself the covenant meal, is eaten now. Th