IN WHOM THERE IS NO GUILE
Monday – October 8, 2018, Tishrei 29, 5779
Greetings and welcome back to this wonderful faith building (if we so choose) Bible Study from the Book of John. I left off last week with Jesus’ ministry coming into view and the selection of the twelve disciples. As we follow any aspect of the life of Jesus that is our model as well excepting the sacrifice for our sins. God has called no man other than Jesus to lay down their life for the Kingdom of God. Well, let’s continue on watching Jesus select the twelve disciples. A critical part of the model that Jesus provided for us to follow is that He only spoke what the Father spoke, did what He saw the Father doing, and it was always the Father that did the works (John 5:19, 8:28, 38). Now, let’s turn our attention to our primary text for today and dive right into the Truth.
John 1:44-47 (KJV)
44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
As we look at Jesus selecting (at the direction of the Father) the twelve disciples, this Book of John only records five, three others are in other gospels. We can find all twelve listed in Matthew 10:1-4 which is a Scripture to follow. Before we move on to that passage let’s look a little closer at the interaction of Jesus and Nathanael. Philip, a disciple and Apostle, of Jesus throughout the ministry of Jesus brings Nathanael to Jesus. We will see more about Nathanael and the interaction with Jesus tomorrow but for now I will focus on what Jesus said about his character. Jesus referred to Nathanael as a Jew and a man in whom there was no guile. Guile means to bait, to fraud, practice deceit, and to lie. So, to have no guile is a very Godly trait. Let each of us ask ourselves, can Jesus say this about us before our Heavenly Father? It would appear from the general context of Jesus calling various persons into His ministry, to be His disciples, Apostles, that Nathanael is one of the twelve, however he is not.
Matthew 10:1-4 (KJV)
1 And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;
3 Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;
4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
Nathanael apparently hung out with the twelve but was not part of the twelve. We do not see him again until John 21:2 where he is with some of the disciples but as we saw above he is not listed among the twelve. Another interesting fact about the selection of the twelve is that we never actually see the selection of Judas, Bartholomew, Thomas, James (another), Thaddaeus, or the second Simon. It strikes me that Judas Iscariot may be the unnamed disciple seen in John 1:37-40. Judas Iscariot is the one who was prophesied to betray Jesus, let’s listen in to what Jesus said to the Father about him.
John 17:11-12 (KJV)
11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
Judas is the son of perdition or one who was unrepentant and entered into eternal punishment or damnation. A bedrock truth is that with the exception of Jesus, God the Father sends no one to Hell. Therefore, we know that Judas chose to betray Jesus and he also chose not to repent afterward. Repentance was open to Judas but he chose otherwise. Jesus could pray this prayer of John chapter seventeen for the Father through the Holy Spirit had revealed to Him what was in the heart of Judas. Judas at the “Last Supper” chose to allow Satan to enter him (John 13:27). Satan himself nor any devil can enter a person except with that person’s submission. Also, this does not happen overnight, Judas has listened to Jesus for three years yet time and time again choose to believe and follow the lies of Satan.
Until our next publication, as a Bible Teacher and Prophetic Voice I speak this blessing over each and every one of you, receive it by faith in Jesus name!
Numbers 6:24-26 (AMP)
24 The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you;
25 The Lord make His face to shine upon and enlighten you and be gracious (kind, merciful, and giving favor) to you;
26 The Lord lift up His [approving] countenance upon you and give you peace (tranquility of heart and life continually).
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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