Revelation Bible Study 1:3-8 comments: Alpha and Omega

3 ¶  Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. 4  John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; 5  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6  And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 7  Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. 8  I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

Verse 3 - The reader is blessed. The hearer is blessed. Those who keep this information are blessed. One definition of to keep is defined as to protect or guard as in the keep of a castle, the strong tower which is a defense of last resort.

Genesis 3:24  So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.

Another definition of keep is to maintain or follow something as in keep a rule or keep a covenant.

Genesis 2:15  And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.

Genesis 18:19  For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him.

Still another definition of keep can be to stay as in staying in bed.

Exodus 21:18  And if men strive together, and one smite another with a stone, or with his fist, and he die not, but keepeth his bed:

It can also be for a man to stay at home and not be out partying as the following verse hints at the antichrist, the beast of Revelation to come.

Hab 2:5  Yea also, because he transgresseth by wine, he is a proud man, neither keepeth at home, who enlargeth his desire as hell, and is as death, and cannot be satisfied, but gathereth unto him all nations, and heapeth unto him all people:

Or a wife, who should not be what we called down South a gadabout going around gossiping and visiting others for that purpose, always busy outside of the home.

Titus 2:5  To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.

Contrast the verse in Titus with these verses in 1Timothy.

1Timothy 5:13  And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. 14  I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully.

(Note that those verses do not mean that Paul thought women who have to work outside of the home were wicked. This is about bringing reproach on Christ’s name. See the reference to Lydia, a businesswoman, in Act 16:14, 15 and that there is no condemnation of her.)

The time is at hand – What does it mean when something is at hand? It means soon to arrive as in imminent or pending. It means that the time is near.

Genesis 27:41  And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing wherewith his father blessed him: and Esau said in his heart, The days of mourning for my father are at hand; then will I slay my brother Jacob.

Jeremiah 23:23  Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off?

Verse 4 - John is speaking to seven literal churches in Asia which are types of all churches throughout history. It is difficult to say that each church represents an historic age of the church but they could typify the dominant church forms of each age.

God, is Him which is, and which was, and which is to come. He is the great I AM.

Exodus 3:13  And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? 14  And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

The seven Spirits, uppercase S, which are before God’s throne are the Spirits of the seven churches, the angels of the Seven Churches, as angels are spirits.

Psalm 104:4  Who maketh his angels spirits; his ministers a flaming fire:

Hebrews 1:7  And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire.

They have spread the gospel over the entire earth and for all of the warnings that Christ is about to give them He has used them for His purpose.

Revelation 4:5  And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.

Revelation 5:6  And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.

And Jesus Christ, who was shown to be the visible image of God and the Word by which all things were created is the faithful witness reporting what is about to be told in the form of an angel. He rose from the dead so that we can rise from the dead, showing us by example what would happen to us. Enoch and Elijah did not die when they were translated, but where taken out of the world bodily and alive. He is also God as the first verses of John’s gospel tells us and constant, eternal as Paul said in Hebrews.

John 8:58  Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

John 14:7  If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him…9  Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

Hebrews 13:8  Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

He is the first begotten of the dead as He is the beginning of creation and holds it together.

Colossians 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by

him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

 

He is above the kings of the earth as the prince to whom they have not but will be forced to submit.

 

Psalm 89:27 Also I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.

 

Christ washed us from our sins against God in His own blood.

 

Colossians 1:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

 

As even usually unites two things that are the same, the forgiveness of sins is found through the redemption of Christ’s blood shed for us.

 

Romans 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

 

Romans 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.

 

Ephesians 1:7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

 

Acts 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

 

For verse 6 please note the status of followers of Christ in;

 

1Peter 2:9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

 

2Timothy 2:12  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:

 

Revelation 20:6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

 

“…glory and dominion for ever and ever…”

 

Similar sentiments are expressed by Peter;

 

1Peter 5:10 ¶  But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

11  To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

 

And as part of the prayer given by Jesus to His disciples;

 

Matthew 6:13  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

 

Alluding to;

 

1Chronicles 29:11  Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.

 

God’s authority and power is limitless and unending. There is nothing before Him and nothing after Him. There is also nothing besides Him to compete with Him.

 

Verse 7 refers to verses like;

 

Daniel 7:13  I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

 

Matthew 24:30  And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

 

And;

 

Zechariah 12:10  And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

 

John 19:37  And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.

 

Psalm 22:16  For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.

 

Here is Jesus Christ in verse 8 declaring Himself to be Almighty God.

 

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

This will be expressed several times in Revelation (1:11; 4:8; 11:17; 22:13 as examples). See also in Isaiah;

Isaiah 43:10  Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.

 

Isaiah 44:6  Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

Isaiah 48:12  Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.

 

Isaiah 9:6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

 

Remember, as well, that Jesus told Philip that to have seen Him was to have seen God the Father (John 14:7-9; also see John 8:58).

1Peter 1:1,2 comments: Grace and Peace

Chapter One

   1 ¶  Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2  Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

Peter is talking literally to the strangers, that is the dispersed Jewish believers in Christ. They are foreigners in the lands in which they dwell. The Bible defines stranger.

Genesis 15:13  And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;

Ex 12:19  Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land.

Obadiah 1:11  In the day that thou stoodest on the other side, in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces, and foreigners entered into his gates, and cast lots upon Jerusalem, even thou wast as one of them.

Words in the Bible connected by and define each other as they, typically, are synonyms.

Ephesians 2:19  Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia were all Roman provinces in what is today known as the country of Turkey. Paul was forbidden by the Holy Ghost to go to Asia and Bithynia.

Acts 16:6 ¶  Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, 7  After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. 8  And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. 9  And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.

All Christians are strangers in the lands in which they live, as their home is in heaven and Christ is their king or chief executive. Unfortunately, some Christians in the past, have, in a patriotic fervor, mixed up their true home with their temporary home on earth. For instance, in the latter part of the 1700’s and in the early to middle 1800’s  many American Christians believed that America was the Promised Land of the Bible and that many prophecies that apply to Christ alone applied to America instead.

Congregationalist preacher, David Austin, said in 1794, in reference to Daniel 7:45 and Revelation 12;

…the regnum montis, the kingdom of the mountain, begun on the Fourth of July, 1776, when the birth of the MAN-CHILD – the hero of civil and religious liberty took place in these United States. Let them read the predictions of heaven respecting the increase of his dominion-that he was to rule all nations with a rod of iron; that is, bring them into complete and absolute subjection; and that the young hero might be equal to this mighty conquest, he is supported by an omnipotent arm; he is caught up unto God, and to his throne.(1)

Methodist preacher, Fountain Pitts, preached two sermons before Congress in 1857 declaring that America was the man-child of Revelation 12 and that America is Israel restored, rightfully owning, at least, all of North and South America, if not eventually the world.(2)

(1) David Austin, “The Downfall of Mystical Babylon,” in The Millennium. Elizabeth Town, NJ: Shepard Kollock printers, 1794), 392. https://openlibrary.org/works/OL16763616W/The_Millennium

(2) Fountain E. Pitts, A Defence of Armageddon or Our Great Country Foretold in the Holy Scriptures In two discourses, Delivered in the Capitol of the United States, at the request of several members of Congress, on the anniversary of Washington's birthday, 1857, (Baltimore: J.W. Bull Publishers, 1859) 34, 38, 57.

https://openlibrary.org/works/OL12264015W/A_defence_of_Armageddon

 

This heresy was common before the Civil War and explains a great deal of Lincoln’s unusual, apocalyptic wording in his speeches. Every country that was predominantly Christian and powerful, at some point, viewed itself as God’s unique tool of work on earth. England and Germany are also examples.

But, in reality, Biblically speaking, the believer is a sojourner, a stranger on this earth for a period of time whose kingdom is Heaven and whose king is God and Christ.

These believers are elect according to God’s foreknowledge, not according to an eternal decree deciding that some must endure eternal punishment just by virtue of their creation. We are in Christ  before the foundation of the world by God’s foreknowledge, as per Paul writing in Ephesians compared to Peter here.

Ephesians 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

They are set apart for God, made holy, or sanctified by the Spirit of God that dwells in them. Notice that it is in opposition to defile in the following verse.

Leviticus 11:44  For I am the LORD your God: ye shall therefore sanctify yourselves, and ye shall be holy; for I am holy: neither shall ye defile yourselves with any manner of creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Leviticus 20:7  Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the LORD your God.

Holy is special, a distinct thing or person, set apart for a special purpose by God.

Exodus 31:15  Six days may work be done; but in the seventh is the sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD: whosoever doeth any work in the sabbath day, he shall surely be put to death.

The people that Peter is speaking to are not only elect by God’s foreknowledge through sanctification by the Spirit of God, but the purpose of this is for their obedience under God’s blood. They belong to Christ.

Acts 20:28  Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Revelation 1:5  And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

This phrase has to do with Christ’s shed blood and says absolutely nothing about water baptism so don’t be alarmed about the use of the word sprinkling here as in Hebrews 9:13; 11:28; and 12:24 referring to verses like Exodus 12:7 and Leviticus 16:14.

Peter wishes them to have Grace and Peace multiplied, in abundance.

Grace is mercy magnified to a sinner who believes what God has said, unmerited and unearned and undeserved favor that is dependent upon the giver, not the receiver, except in his or her willingness to receive it only.

Genesis 19:19  Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life…

Peace has nothing to do with your peace of mind or your not having a rough day. It has to do with peace between you and God. As Paul said to a Gentile church;

Ephesians 2:11 ¶  Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; 12  That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: 13  But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

    14 ¶  For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15  Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16  And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 17  And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 18  For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. 19  Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; 20  And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21  In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: 22  In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

Peter wishes these believers unmerited and multiplied mercy from God and peace with Him through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the basis of any favor from God. As Peter himself said;

Acts 4:12  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Revelation, chapter 1:1-2, introductory comments

Why the King James Bible as opposed to more modern versions? God gave the Scriptures by inspiration.

2Timothy 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Inspiration gave the men who wrote the Bible understanding, which is wisdom to write what God wanted written but to include their own style, some of their own opinions, and even things that aren’t God’s specific commands but kept in for us to learn from. This is not always word for word dictation.

Job 32:8  But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.

2Peter 3:15  And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;

Romans 15:4  For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

God’s hand of inspiration extends not just to the original autographs but translations and copies and as Jesus clarifies God’s commands so can a translation make clearer what He wanted.

Jeremiah 36:32  Then took Jeremiah another roll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neriah; who wrote therein from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire: and there were added besides unto them many like words.

From the previous passage you would realize that you do not know nor is it important what the originals said because God wanted us to have the final result.

Two important events in the history of human thought took place around the time of the publication of the King James Bible. One began in the previous century and was called the Roman Catholic Counter-Reformation, an attempt to overthrow the authority of the Bible, which was the foundation of Protestant and other Nonconforming Christian’s worship. The other flowed from it in the next century and was called The Enlightenment, a vain exaltation of man’s reason over God as an ideal. It can be proven, and I have done so to my own satisfaction, that all modern Bible translations flow from these movements. The King James Bible, also known as the Authorized Version, was the last major Bible translation done before these two movements resulted in German theology and rationalism that led to the modern apostasy of the exaltation of reason over revelation and a general Bible illiteracy among Protestant Christians.

God preserved His word through the ages.

Psalm 12:6  The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.7  Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

Psalm 119:89  LAMED. For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.

Most fundamentalists believe that God’s word was found only in the original autographs, inerrant and infallible, something which they have never seen and which we cannot examine.

The King James Bible is the true Bible of God and our final authority in all matters of faith, practice, and doctrine. It is there for us to see, to examine, to question, and to study and like Christ was physically touched by the Apostles we have God’s words to handle and He speaks to us through them.

One other thing to note is that modern, scientific man is so intent on breaking reality down into its component parts that he has a hard time seeing the beauty of the forest for the trees and even the individual twigs. Let us look at the verses in context and understand metaphors for what they are without creating an entire edifice of meaninglessness that the Holy Spirit never intended.

1 ¶  The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: 2  Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

Who was and is Jesus Christ physically? Briefly, I will try to explain.

God is composed of three parts, as man and woman are; a body, a soul, and a spirit.

1Thessalonians 5:23  And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God has a soul, the seat of self-identity and will.

Psalm 11:5  The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.

This is God the Father, sometimes referred to just as God in the New Testament. He is invisible to us. As John says in John 1:18 and in 1John 4:12 no one has seen God, presumably God the Father, at any time. Every act of God’s will originates with Him.

God has a Spirit, how He moves throughout creation and acts on it and in it.

Genesis 1:2  And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

Romans 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.

This Spirit is called the Holy Ghost, the Comforter.

1Corinthians 12:3  Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

John 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you…26  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

God has a body, His person, whom man can see, and has even touched, as God in the flesh, called the Son of God.

Hebrews 1:1 ¶  God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2  Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; 3  Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

Colossians 1: 13  Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:14  In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:15  Who is the image of the invisible God…

Of course, an image is the likeness of someone, what he looks like.

Genesis 1:26  And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Genesis 5:3  And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his image; and called his name Seth:

Exodus 20:4  Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

(Refer back to these verses when someone insists that the image of God is man’s ability to discern between good and evil, which is nonsense, as Adam was made in the image of God but did not taste of the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil until he fell).

Jesus Christ is also the Word by which all things were created. Read the first 18 verses of the Gospel According to John.

One stark difference between man and God is that God’s three parts can act independently of each other and still be one God.

Deuteronomy 6:4  Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

Mark 12:29  And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

Matthew 28:19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

2Corinthians 13:14  The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.

1John 5:7  For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

God reveals Himself to special select people under the Law and to all believers under Grace.

Amos 3:7  Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

John 14:26  But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

(To deny this is to say that the so-called ‘Great Commission’ of the end of Matthew does not apply to every believer but only the Apostles).

What is an angel?

An angel is an appearance of someone or some group of individuals who are somewhere else. It is that person or group’s presence.

Isaiah 63:9  In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.

Matthew 18:10  Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

Acts 12:13  And as Peter knocked at the door of the gate, a damsel came to hearken, named Rhoda. 14  And when she knew Peter’s voice, she opened not the gate for gladness, but ran in, and told how Peter stood before the gate. 15  And they said unto her, Thou art mad. But she constantly affirmed that it was even so. Then said they, It is his angel. 16  But Peter continued knocking: and when they had opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished.

For all intents and purposes it is that individual.

Judges 2:1 ¶  And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.

Judges 13:21  But the angel of the LORD did no more appear to Manoah and to his wife. Then Manoah knew that he was an angel of the LORD. 22  And Manoah said unto his wife, We shall surely die, because we have seen God.

Galatians 4:14  And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

At the end of this chapter angels are the appearance of seven churches.

Verse 2 - John is called to relate all of the things he is about to be told and to see, which he does. You may not understand it all yet and perhaps he didn’t understand everything he saw. But, you are told about it so that when you see it you will know. See Jesus’ talk with his disciples in John 16:25. A prophecy can be given so that when it comes about you will understand it, even if you don’t beforehand.

John 21:15-25 comments: The world could not contain the books

15 ¶  So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. 16  He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 17  He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. 18  Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. 19  This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

One problem that modernists have with this passage is the way it underscores how various Greek words can stand for the same English word.

According to Strong’s dictionary when Jesus asks Simon Peter if Peter loves him more than the others in verse 15, the Greek word is based on agape, the word that modern evangelical Christians like to say is the divine love of God for man found only in the Bible.

However, Peter responds that he does love Jesus using the word phileo, which the modernists insist refers to brotherly love, as in Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love (now, there is a joke.)

In verse 16 Jesus asked Peter again if he agape’d Jesus and Peter again replies that he phileos Jesus.

In verse 17 Jesus asks Peter if he phileos Jesus and Peter replies that he does. So, do the words actually mean different things as modern evangelicals insist?

Agape and Phileo are words for love that are used interchangeably. No extra insight into these verses is gained by playing ping pong with them. In Matthew 6:5 hypocrites phileo to pray standing in the synagogues, in Matthew 19:19 you are told to agape your neighbor as yourself, John 15:19 says the world won't phileo the disciples, 1 Corinthians 16:22 says that if any man phileo not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha, and when we are repeatedly told to love our neighbor as ourselves with agape the Scriptures in no way imply that this is superior to our brotherly love for our brothers and sisters in Christ. I doubt anyone would imply that the kind of love Jesus says we are to have for each other, which distinguishes us as His followers, is inferior to the love we are supposed to have for a stranger who is in need.

Titus 3:4 doesn't have the love of God our Saviour toward man as agape. Paul's admonition in Titus 3:15 isn't agape. 1 Peter 1:22 uses both words for the same thought with phileo first and then agape. Does knowing this change your understanding of the text? Does it help you know what you are to do? Is your lack of access or availability of access to the Greek a determinant of your ability to understand God's words? Finally, in Revelation 3:19 does it matter to you that Jesus phileos here?

You will gain no valuable insights in the Bible by going back to the original languages; no subtle shades of meaning, no nuggets of wisdom, just some seminary educated person trying to show off their presumed superior training and intelligence. It's like telling me you are going to really get to know the Gettysburg Battlefield and then immediately digging the deepest hole in the ground that you can. I would tell you to compare verse with verse in the Bible as I would tell you to tour the entire battlefield. Keep in mind Paul's admonition in 1Corinthians 2:13  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

Dictionaries, encyclopedias, and even Strong's Concordance are not given by inspiration of God and are often corrupt. Lexicons, dictionaries of Hebrew and Greek are notoriously corrupt. Even their own creators and those modern translators who use them and revise them say so. Here are some quotes from the book, Biblical Greek Language and Lexicography.

“The fact is that opinions will very often differ over the precise wording of lexical definitions even - or perhaps, especially - after careful consideration of a proposed definition.”

“…there is the fact that even the latest lexicons derive their material from their predecessors, and a great deal of it has been passed on uncritically over the course of centuries.”

“…we cannot know for certain that what we find in front of us when we look up a word is sound.”

“…all the existing lexical entries in all our dictionaries are now obsolete and await reassessment in the light of the full evidence,or at least checking to see if there is further evidence to be added.”

“Lexicons are regarded by their users as authoritative, and they put their trust in them. Lexicons are reference books presenting a compressed, seemingly final statement of fact, with an almost legal weight. The mere fact that something is printed in a book gives it authority, as far as most people are concerned. And understandably: if one does not know the meaning of a word, one is predisposed to trust the only means of rescue from ignorance. Yet this trust is misplaced.” (41)

(41) Bernard A. Taylor, John A. L. Lee, Peter R. Burton &Richard E. Whitaker, Biblical Greek Language and Lexicography: Essays in Honor of Frederick W. Danker (Kindle Locations 955-956). Kindle Edition.

 So compare scripture with scripture and ignore the scholar who says the original languages give more insight than the English. All they are trying to do is to take the authority of your Bible from you and replace it with their own intellect as your final authority.

Three times Peter denied Christ. Three times Christ asks Peter if he loves Christ.  It seems that Christ is making things right with Peter. He then asks Peter to feed his sheep. Peter is to preach the words of God and to lead the Apostles. Christ then gives Peter a heads up that he will be martyred. Peter later said;

2Peter 1:14  Knowing that shortly I must put off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed me.

 

    20 ¶  Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? 21  Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? 22  Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. 23  Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? 24  This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true. 25  And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.

John explains how the error is made that some might think that John would not die until Jesus returned. Jesus only said, “what is it to you if he doesn’t die until I return?” so this teaching must have been a stumbling block of some sort in the early church. This teaches us a lesson of interpretation of the Bible. We are warned here about taking a comment, a verse, out of context and making it mean something it was never meant to mean. John lets us know that he is the one writing this gospel and confirms his testimony.

For verse 25 see verses 30 and 31 of the last chapter for a connection. John then wraps up his gospel giving us the idea that if he had wanted to and had the time he could have written many volumes of the things Jesus did. This brings to mind a great point. God, who has seen every moment of every life that has ever lived could have written a Bible no one could read but we have had come down to us about 1200 pages. One would assume that we should pay attention to every word, that everything is important in some way. I hope my comments on the Gospel According to John have helped you want to dig deeper into God’s Bible and that my study has been a blessing to you as it was to me. Thank you for reading.

 

John 20:26 - 21:14 comments: filled with meaning

26 ¶  And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27  Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28  And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 29  Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. 30  And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 31  But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

The following week, Thomas was with the group and Jesus came in among them again. He gave Thomas the opportunity to verify for himself what the others had seen in the previous meeting. Thomas acknowledged that this was indeed his Lord and his God, the fundamental statement of the Christian.

John reports that there are many things that Jesus did that he saw as an eyewitness but that he did not include them here. The things he wrote in this gospel are for the purpose of leading you to believe that Jesus Christ was God in the flesh, the Son of God, and by believing that you will live forever with Him as so many other passages maintain. That is the purpose of the Gospel According to John, to get people saved.

There is a blessing here from Jesus for those who believe without seeing the signs these Jewish Apostles required. Unbelieving, faithless people require big shows and displays of supernatural power, which can often be faked by opportunistic people with an agenda to make money and achieve fame. But, true, Christian faith does not require such displays. It is quiet and believing, without demanding such proofs.

Chapter 21

1 ¶  After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself. 2  There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. 3  Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing. 4  But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. 5  Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. 6  And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. 7  Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea. 8  And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes. 9  As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. 10  Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. 11  Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken. 12  Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. 13  Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise. 14  This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.

The third time that Jesus showed Himself to the Apostles was after they had a long night of fishing without catching anything. Jesus appeared on the shore but the disciples did not recognize Him. He directs them to cast their nets on the opposite side of the boat and the nets were filled with fish. Then, John recognized that it was Jesus and told Peter. Peter was not wearing any clothing, which for men working together on a ship at that time, might not have been unusual as the word naked means naked. See Genesis 2:25. Peter then swam to the shore as the other disciples brought their catch to land, a little over a football field’s length from them.

Jesus had prepared a fire over which He was cooking fish and there was bread. He told them to bring the fish they had caught and the net produced 153 fish but the net, though full, did not burst. Jesus told them to share a meal with Him. They all realized it was Jesus at this point.

Why all the detail? What does this passage mean? Why did the Holy Spirit find it necessary to tell us that the load of fish caught after Jesus became involved was a 153 exactly and not 152 or 154? There are a lot of sermons which have seeds in this little section. Some thoughts might be;

The disciples went fishing and caught nothing in the night, the time of spiritual night we’ve already discussed. Men are like fish in the sea and without Christ we cannot draw them to Him and it is morning when Christ calls them, another topic already discussed.

Habakkuk 1:14  And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?

Matthew 4:19  And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.

John 12:32  And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

John 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

They have success when they obey Christ’s direction.

Peter knew enough that swimming to shore naked was not appropriate. God’s standard is that we be clothed when we worship Him. This is probably partly due to the naked rites of pagan idolatry. The priests were not to attend to God’s altar in just their outer garments.

Exodus 20:26  Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar, that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon.

So, underwear was designed for them. Notice that breeches cover the loins to the thighs, from the crotch to the knee. These are not trousers as some commentators have insisted. Trousers didn’t come into play until the Persians invented them for men and women both to ride on horseback long after these Old Testament verses were written.

Exodus 28:42  And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach: 43  And they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they come in unto the tabernacle of the congregation, or when they come near unto the altar to minister in the holy place; that they bear not iniquity, and die: it shall be a statute for ever unto him and his seed after him.

Remember the idolatrous practices of Egypt the Hebrews brought with them.

Exodus 32:1 ¶  And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. 2  And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me. 3  And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. 4  And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 5  And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD. 6  And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play…25  And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:)

1Corinthians 10:7  Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

So, Peter would not have a problem being with his fellow workers in the condition of nakedness but he knew that it would not be appropriate to stand naked before his Lord and Master. In a different sense, figurative, the Christian also does not want to stand naked before God but our righteousness, based solely on Christ’s righteousness, is represented by fine, white linen.

Revelation 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

Think of Christ feeding you with His word in the Bible.

Matthew 4:4  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Revelation 3:20  Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

So, as you can see there are many, many possible sermons out of this one little passage. Just looking at how each verse might apply to your condition is a marvelous thing about the Bible.

John 20:19-25 comments: the unique authority of the Apostles

19 ¶  Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 20  And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. 21  Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 22  And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: 23  Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. 24  But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25  The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

Later, the disciples were hiding behind closed doors for fear of the Jews, and Jesus appeared in their midst. He greeted them with, “Peace be unto you,” and showed his pierced hands and side to them. The disciples were glad to see Him. He repeated His blessing to them and declared His authorizing of them to be sent by giving them life, in a way, as He had given Adam life in Genesis 2:7. Christ gave the eleven remaining Apostles the Holy Ghost.

These Apostles were given the authority to remit sins. It is reported elsewhere that Jesus said;

Matthew 26:28  For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Modern definitions of remission include, “the cancellation of a debt, charge, or penalty,” or, “a temporary recovery from a disease or the pain associated with it,” and, “forgiveness of sins.”

In the era the King James Bible was translated there was a thesaurus called Thesaurus Linguae Romanae et Britannicae. This was compiled by Thomas Cooper in 1584. In it, remit, meant, “to acquit one of his debt; to forgive…”, and, “to pardon and remit the punishment one has deserved.”

In 1587 Thomas Thomas’ Dictionarium Linguae Latinae et Anglicanae had, “to remit, or forgive, to pardon.” Remission in those early dictionaries and thesaurus in Early Modern English is listed as synonymous with forgiveness or pardon. (40)

What does the Bible say? Clearly, in the verse in Matthew we know that Christ’s shed blood is required for the forgiveness of our sins.

Ephesians 1:7  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Colossians 1:14  In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

John the Baptist preached the baptism of repentance to the Jews as a nation for the remission of sins.

Mark 1:4  John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

And when Peter faced the proselyte Jews after the Resurrection he told them that they must receive this baptism of repentance to receive the Holy Ghost.

Acts 2:38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

But, what about the Christian? Does remission mean forgiveness and was this a special authority given to the Apostles only or was it for all Christians?

Romans 3:25  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

The use of the word remission has to do with a debt that is cancelled. Many would say that remission and forgiveness are distinct and that if sins are remitted they not completely removed. But it is clear that remission and forgiveness are synonyms.

The Apostles were given the authority to forgive sins, but clearly, like speaking in tongues or foreign languages without learning them, and healings administered by individuals this was used to spread Christianity in its early days. Here is another authority given to the physical Apostles that we do not have;

Matthew 18:18  Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Jesus Christ gave the Apostles the Holy Ghost and the Holy Ghost came again in a very public way on the Apostles, in Acts, chapter 2;

Acts 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Acts 2:1 ¶  And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3  And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

Clearly, since these are two events and the Holy Ghost is involved in both they have two distinct purposes. One, the first, is in granting authority to the Apostles to forgive sins, and, two, the second one is giving the spiritual power to accomplish the supernatural task Jesus set for them.

Matthew 28:19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Thomas doubts the Apostles’ account; the evidence of Christ’s pierced side and hands. He wants to see what they have seen and if he does not see it he will not believe.

The conclusions drawn here from this passage are that Christ gave the Holy Ghost to the Apostles in two stages; one with authority and power to forgive sins and the other with the ability to carry out their mission. Another conclusion is that the Apostles had power that we do not have in this age of the Church. The third thing is that remission and forgiveness are synonyms.

(40) Lexicons of Early Modern English, http://leme.library.utoronto.ca/search/results.cfm

John 20:11-18 comments: Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb

11 ¶  But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, 12  And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. 13  And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. 14  And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. 15  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. 16  Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. 17  Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. 18  Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.

Peter and John do not understand the Resurrection. Mary thinks someone stole Jesus’ body. It is given to Mary Magdalene to see two angels and then to turn and see Jesus, thinking Him to be the gardener. Jesus says her name and then she sees Him for who He is. Is that not the way salvation is and the way the translation of the church will be? We knew Christ for how He was when He spoke our name. Our coming to Christ had to be a very personal thing, not a group thing. There is no group salvation in Biblical Christianity. You were not saved because you were a Baptist, Catholic, Lutheran, or Pentecostal. You were saved because God spoke your name and you saw Him for who He is.

John 10:3  To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.

Genesis 22:1 ¶  And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am…11 ¶  And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

Exodus 3:4  And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.

1Samuel 3:4  That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I.

Song of Solomon 2:8 ¶  The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills….10  My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away.

Acts 9:4  And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?

1Thessalonians 4:16  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. [you certainly don’t think here, in consideration of other passages that the Lord is just shouting, “HEY!” do you?]

Revelation 2:17  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

Jesus told her not to touch Him as He had not ascended to the Father. We can only guess the reasons for that and the physics of it. But, she ran and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and what He had said to her.