My Favorite Verses - Vol V (Feb 17 to Jun 17)

John 13:36 … To follow Afterward
(04/04/2017)
“Where I am going, you cannot follow me now; but you will follow afterward …
You know the way to the place where I am going.” ~ Jesus (John 13:36 & John 14:4)
In an interesting twist, this particular statement from Jesus was actually meant
to be more literal than figurative … Please consider the following points: First,
realize that Jesus had clearly stated over & over & over again the patent Truth that
everyone can walk The Way in exactly the same manner he walked it (see John
14:12 – along with John 14:20-26, and his repeated admonitions to “follow me” & call
for us all to “take up your cross”) … Second, it is important to remember that Jesus
was speaking here of his own crucifixion – an event that he had pre-planned and
fully organized himself (see my book Exhuming Easter for a thorough biblical proof
thereof). As such, it was a simple statement of fact that the disciples could not join
him on Golgotha on that day, for the simple reason that it was enough of a
logistical nightmare for him to arrange for himself to be crucified, to be drugged
unconscious while on the cross, to be removed after only a few hours, and to be
taken to a nearby tomb that had never been used and that remained unguarded
throughout the night thereafter … Third, the “you will follow afterward” here was
more of a hopeful statement than a prognosis – as evidenced by the fact that A) his
disciples did indeed seemingly self-sacrifice thereafter (even though most did so
errantly; to honor Jesus instead of to embody his selfless Way – see Matthew 22:41-45,
Matthew 16:20, Mark 8:30, Mark 10:18, Luke 9:21, John 5:41, John 7:16, John 8:50-54,
John 12:44 et al) and B) his disciples never ever truly “got it” while he was with
them – as evidenced by their unending desire for reassured post-mortem rewards
before his crucifixion, as well as their incredulity when he reappeared to them
thereafter (see Mark 8:14-21, Matthew 16:12, John 6:32-35, John 6:68, Matthew 15:2-
16, Mark 8:27-33, Mark 9:33-34, Mark 16:13,
John 20:9, Mark 10:24-32 et al) … Fourth,
after living with him for the three years of his
ministry, it is quite true that his disciples
most certainly did know The Way to the
Heaven to which he was going during his
final act of self-sacrificial Love (see Luke
17:20-21 + John 13:15-17 & Matthew 24:12-14
et al) -- even though it also became clear that
most of them never did choose to walk that
same Way.*
*Note that there is some evidence that
Judas, Mary Magdalene, Thomas, &/or James
did eventually enliven The Way of Christ.
60