Problems: Some passages say that Jesus came to bring peace,
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John 14:16 – Does this passage predict the prophet Muhammad as Muslim apologists claim?
Problem: The Quran claims that Muhammad was predicted in the NT (Surah 7:157). Thus Muslim apologists argue that this passage is predicting Muhammad as the future prophet that would come after Jesus. “Ahmad” in Greek is periclytos, and some Muslim interpreters hold that this is the proper translation of the Greek word paraclete here. Is this the case?
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John 14:15 – Why does Jesus use the term “commandments” here?
Problem: Jesus says, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (Jn. 14:15). Jesus refers to his “commands” (Jn. 14:21; 15:10; 15:12, 14, 17) throughout this section of Scripture. Why does Christ speak of his love in such impersonal terms as “keeping commandments”?
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John 14:1-3 – Does this passage support a pre-tribulational rapture?
Problem: Pre-tribulationists argue that Jesus hinted at the doctrine of the rapture in his word to the disciples:
(Jn. 14:1-3) “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.”
Does this passage support a pre-tribulational rapture?
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John 13:38 – Did the cock crow once or twice before Peter’s third denial of Jesus?
Problem: Did the cock crow
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John 13:27 – When Did Satan Enter Judas?
Problem: On the evening before His crucifixion, Jesus met with His disciples in Jerusalem to eat the Passover meal. According to John’s gospel account, “Satan entered” Judas during the meal (13:27). Luke, however, recorded that “Satan entered Judas” prior to the Passover meal (22:1-7). Is this a contradiction?
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John 13:8 – How did Judas fulfill this passage that was originally about David?
Problem: Jesus told the disciples, “I do not speak of all of you. I know the ones I have chosen; but it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats My bread has lifted up his heel against Me’” (Jn. 13:18). Here Jesus quotes Psalm 41:9, which originally refers to David’s betrayal by Ahithophel. How does this passage predict Judas?
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John 13:18 – Doesn’t this passage imply fatalism for Judas?
Problem: Critics of the Bible state that God’s foreknowledge of future events implies fatalism. In this case, God predicted Judas’ betrayal of Christ. Doesn’t this imply that Judas had no choice? If he chose to not betray Jesus, this would make God’s prediction in Psalm 41:9 false. How do we harmonize God’s foreknowledge with human freedom?
Response:
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John 13:8 – Does the washing of the disciples’ feet refer to justification?
Problem: Jesus tells Peter, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me” (Jn. 13:8). Some commentators hold that this refers to Christ washing away our sins in justification. Is this the case?
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John 13:1 – Does the Bible Contradict Itself Regarding the Day of the Crucifixion?
Problem: According to Matthew, Mark, and Luke, before His crucifixion, Jesus sent disciples to prepare the Passover meal, killing the Passover lamb. They note that this task was completed on “the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread,” the 14th of Nisan on the Jewish calendar, the day before Jesus’ crucifixion (cf. Matthew 26:17; Mark 14:12; Luke 22:7)—identifying for us that the meal was prepared on a Thursday. In accordance with the Law of Moses, Jesus then ate the Passover meal that evening—Thursday night to the modern mind, but the beginning of the Jewish Friday to the Israelite (the Jewish day began at sunset). Jesus’ crucifixion then occurred the next day on Friday (the same day as the initial Passover meal to Jews), before the Jewish Sabbath Day began Friday evening (the Jews’ Saturday). [NOTE: While some believe the crucifixion, and hence the Passover meal, was earlier in the week, Mark 15:42, Luke 23:54, and Matthew 27:62 indicate that the crucifixion took place on Friday, “the day before the Sabbath,” with Jesus dying as “the Sabbath drew near.” Backing up through the synoptic narratives reveals Jesus being arrested the night before (Thursday night), while Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane immediately after His last supper with the disciples. The resurrection took place on Sunday, “three days” later, according to the Jewish idiomatic reckoning of the chronology (Mark 16:9; Matthew 28:1; Luke 24:1; cf. Lyons, 2004; Lyons, 2006; Bullinger, 1898, pp. 845-847; Robertson, 1922, pp. 289-291).] John, however, seems to indicate that Jesus’ crucifixion actually took place before the Passover even began (John 13:1; 18:28; 19:14). Thomas Nelson’s The Chronological Study Bible says, “The Synoptics [i.e., Matthew, Mark, and Luke—JM] present the Last Supper as being the Passover meal…. In John’s Gospel, the Last Supper was not the Passover meal” (2008, p. 1217). Jennifer Viegas, writing for Discovery News, said, “The synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) indicate that Jesus died before nightfall on the 15th day of Nisan…. John’s gospel differs from the synoptics; apparently indicating that Jesus died before nightfall on the 14th day of Nisan” (2012). Respected biblical scholar J.W. McGarvey highlights the debate over the matter stating that,
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