Passion Week ~ Yeshua’s Final Discourse ~ Part 5
In our last post, we continued to examine the final days of Yeshua’s life and ministry. This post continues to explore the events that occurred on Thursday Evening (now early on Friday in the Jewish culture).
“I Have Overcome the World”
25 “I have said these things to you with the help of illustrations; however, a time is coming when I will no longer speak indirectly but will talk about the Father in plain language. 26 When that day comes, you will ask in My name. I am not (emphasis added) telling you that I will pray to the Father on your behalf, 27 for the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from God. 28 “I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and returning to the Father.”
The depiction of Yeshua as having come from the Father … into the world and as leaving the world and returning to the Father is patterned after the portrayal of the Word of God, which is sent, accomplishes its purpose, and returns to the One who sent it (see Isaiah 55:11–12).
The Talmidim Respond
29 The talmidim said to Him, “Look, you’re talking plainly right now; you’re not speaking indirectly at all. 30 Now we know that you know everything and that you don’t need to have people put their questions into words. This makes us believe that you came from God.” 31 Yeshua answered, “Now you do believe. 32 But a time is coming—indeed it has come already—when you will be scattered, each one looking out for himself; and you will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone; because the Father is with me. 33 “I have said these things to you so that, united with me, you may have shalom. In the world, you have tsuris. But be brave! I have conquered the world!” [1]
The talmidim have at last come to the point of simple, childlike faith (compare Mattityahu 18:3). Nevertheless, Yeshua does not permit them to bask in it but at once calls their attention to its fickleness. The moment you feel secure, certain your faith is strong, may well be the very instant when you are scattered, each one looking out for himself, and you will leave me (Yeshua) all alone.
In the world, you have tsuris. The life of a believer in the Messiah is not the proverbial rose garden, except, perhaps, for the thorns. Nevertheless, Yeshua encourages us: Be brave! I have conquered the world! Tsuris, Yiddish adaptation of Hebrew tzarot, “troubles.” This could be an instance in the Brit Hadashah that Yeshua may, in this verse, be quoting a proverb already current in the Jewish culture of His own time.
I left this post deliberately short so we can explore the actual Lord’s Prayer in Yochanan 17:6-26.
Next, we continue to follow Yeshua into Yerushalayim for His Crucifixion by the week’s end and continue to explore Yeshua’s Final Discourse.
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[1] Yochanan 16:25-33
My Heart is for Israel 