Verse

John 1:51

“Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Note

The ‘’you” is plural. Jesus is addressing all of the disciples present.

Our Lord expresses that He is the Way prophesied in Genesis 28:12, the Son of God, and one with the Father. He tells His disciples that they will see many miracles that testify to who He is, namely, the Christ.

Key point: Jesus is the Christ.

Consider how Judaism is contrary to the words of Christ.

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Verse

John 3:3

“Amen, amen, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Note

“Born again” or “born from above” — Both are true. We are dead in our sins and God brings us to life in Christ.

Key point: God alone saves.

Consider how Pelagianism and Synergism is contrary to Christ’s words.

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Verse

John 3:5

“Amen, amen, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”

Note

“Water and the Spirit” means Baptism. The Holy Spirit works through the means of grace: God’s Word and Sacraments.

Key point: The Holy Spirit regenerates us.

Consider how Anti-trinitarianism is contrary to Christ’s words.

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Verse

John 3:11

“Amen, amen, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony.”

Note

“We”, first of all, refers to prophets sent by God, of whom Christ is the head, and then to the Church, that is, all who confess Christ as Lord.

Key point: God has made His grace known through His prophets, and now by His Son.

Cross-references

• Hebrews 1:1-4

Verse

John 5:19

“Amen, amen, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of His own accord, but only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.”

Note

Our Lord is both sinless and perfectly obedient to the Father. He fulfilled the Law in our place as man, while at the same time being God with the Father from eternity. Jesus is God in flesh.

Key point: The Son is one with the Father.

Consider how a denial of Jesus’ humanity, or a denial of His divinity, or a denial of both, are contrary to Christ’s words.

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Verse

John 5:24

“Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life. He does not come into judgement, but has passed from death to life.”

Note

Saving faith comes by hearing the word of Christ.

Key point: However hears and believes God’s Word has eternal life.

Consider how Universalism is contrary to God’s word.

Cross-references

• Romans 10:17

Verse

John 5:25

“Amen, amen, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.”

Note

Though we await the resurrection, eternal life begins when we believe in Jesus.

Key point: Salvation is both now and coming; Christ died for our sins and He is coming to save us.

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Verse

John 6:26

“Amen, amen, I say to you, you are seeking Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves.”

Note

Jesus calls out those who, like unreasoning animals, live to chase after their base needs. They fail to recognise and trust in God who gives and sustains life, even though He is manifest in Christ.

Key point: Christ did not come to end hunger for one people, but to do something far greater: to defeat sin, death, and the devil, and to redeem the world.

While we are called to peace and good works, consider how the Social Gospel is contrary to Christ’s words.

Cross-references

• Matthew 4:4

Verse

John 6:32

“Amen, amen, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven.”

Note

Jesus says that the bread God gave the Israelites in the wilderness found its fulfilment in Christ, whom God continues to give us.

Key point: Jesus is the bread of life that came down from heaven, and He is continually given to us by means of God’s Word and Sacraments.

Consider how we are not to put the Lord our God to the test, as Christ’s opponents did in demanding signs.

Cross-references

• Exodus 16:4,15
• Psalm 78:24-25
• Nehemiah 9:14-15
• John 6:28-33
• Deuteronmy 6:16

Verse

John 6:47

“Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.”

Note

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Key point: Salvation is not merited or given in part, but given in full.

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Verse

John 6:53

“Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.”

Note

Though this is not directly about the Eucharist, it does point to the Sacrament indirectly. Whether by His Word alone or His word in connection to bread and wine, Christ is received as a gift.

Key point: Christ gives Himself to us, that we may have life.

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Verse

John 8:34

“Amen, amen, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.”

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Key point:

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Verse

John 8:51

“Amen, amen, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word, he will never see death.”

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Verse

John 8:58

“Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”

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Verse

John 10:1

“Amen, amen, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.”

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Verse

John 10:7

“Amen, amen, I say to you, I AM the door of the sheep.”

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Verse

John 12:24

“Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”

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Verse

John 13:16

“Amen, amen, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.”

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Verse

John 13:20

“Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives the One who sent Me.”

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Verse

John 13:21

“Amen, amen, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.”

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Verse

John 13:38

“Amen, amen, I say to you, the cock will not crow till you have denied Me three times.”

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Verse

John 14:12

“Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.”

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Verse

John 16:20

“Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.”

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Verse

John 16:23

“Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He will give it to you.”

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Verse

John 21:18

“Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.”

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