Jesus’ Doctrine

 Temple Baptist Church - 9-25-2024

John 18:19-22

Introduction:

 

A. As we continue with the night of our Lord’s betrayal, we find that Annas put Him into the hands of Caiaphas, then Caiaphas sent Him to the Judgment Hall where He was under the authority of Pontius Pilate, the Procurator of Judea and Governor of the East.

B. Procurator means “proxy”: the authority to represent someone else, authorized to act on behalf on their behalf. Rome, the last of the world empires, ruled the entirety of the known world. Pilate had almost complete power in the Nation of Israel.

 

C. In our text, Jesus is still sitting in the palace of the high priest, Caiaphas, who in verse 19, asked two things of Christ:

 

1. Caiaphas asked Christ of His Disciples.

 

a) This was a necessary question to ask as when there was an insurrection of any kind, all that had a part in the insurrection had to be punished along with its leadership.

 

b) Christ did not even address this portion of His questioning as Calvary had nothing to do with Christ’s disciples, but they would suffer a martyr’s death after Christ’s resurrection with the exception of John the Beloved. I could preach Divine Protection of God’s people, but I want to concentrate of the second portion of Pilate’s question tonight.

 

c) In the Lord’s prayer in John, chapter 17, He said that He had kept His disciples and had lost none of them other than Judas Iscariot, the betrayer.

 

John 17:12 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.

 

John 18:7-9 Then asked he them again, Whom seek ye? And they said, Jesus of Nazareth. (8) Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way: (9) That the saying might be fulfilled, which he spake, Of them which thou gavest me have I lost none.

 

2. Caiaphas then asked Christ of His Doctrine. The Lord answered this question. Christ answered in this way:

 

“Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said. (John 18:20-21)

 

Doctrine defined:

 

a) In a general sense, whatever is taught. Hence, a principle or position in any science; whatever is laid down as true by an instructor or master. The doctrines of the gospel are the principles or truths taught by Christ and his apostles. The doctrines of Plato are the principles which he taught. Hence a doctrine may be true or false; it may be a mere tenet or opinion.

 

b) The act of teaching. Mark 4:2 And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,

 

c) Learning; knowledge. Isaiah 28:9-10 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. (10) For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

 

d) Biblically defined: διδαχή didachē did-akh-ay' – instruction, the act or matter of teaching. Doctrine comes from a root word meaning to teach but also to learn. Disciples were learners!

 

e) Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines Doctrine in this manner:

 

1) In a general sense, whatever is taught. Hence, a principle or position in any science; whatever is laid down as true by an instructor or master. The doctrines of the gospel are the principles or truths taught by Christ and his apostles. The doctrines of Plato are the principles which he taught. Hence a doctrine may be true or false; it may be a mere tenet or opinion.

 

2) The act of teaching. Mark 4:2 And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,

 

3) Learning; knowledge. Isaiah 28:9-10 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. (10) For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

 

D. Jesus’ answer to the question of Doctrine:

 

John 18:19-22 The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine. (20) Jesus answered him, (1) I spake openly to the world; (2) I ever taught in the synagogue, (3) and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret have I said nothing. (21) Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto them: behold, they know what I said. (22) And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?

 

E. Jesus’ Doctrine was a thing of general knowledge as He preached it to His disciples, the world, in the synagogues, and the temple.

 

F. What did Jesus preach to them? I will not try to examine everything that Jesus preached to them in 3 ½ years but will look at just a few.

 

1. The Doctrine of Incarnation!

 

a. Jesus’ Past - John 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) The same was in the beginning with God. (3) All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (4) In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (5) And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

 

b. Jesus’ Present - John 1:10-14 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. (11) He came unto his own, and his own received him not. (12) But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (13) Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (14) And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

 

2. Jesus’ Person - John 8:56-58 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. (57) Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? (58) Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.

 

The seven “I Am’s” of Christ.

 

Jesus identified Himself as Jehovah God; the great I AM THAT I AM.

 

Thus, Jesus’s equality with the God the Father which infuriated the Jews.

 

John 10:30-32 I and my Father are one. (31) Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. (32) Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

 

3. Jesus’ Propitiation - John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

 

John 18:12-14 Then the band and the captain and officers of the Jews took Jesus, and bound him, (13) And led him away to Annas first; for he was father in law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year. (14) Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

 

1 John 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

 

4. Jesus’ Purpose - John 12:32-33 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. (33) This he said, signifying what death he should die.

 

Christ Jesus came into this world, not to condemn the lost, but to save sinners. Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

 

1 Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

 

5. Jesus’ People - John 14:19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.

 

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

 

1 John 3:1-2 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. (2) Beloved, now are we the sons of God …

 

Conclusion: All these things were common knowledge by the Jews because Jesus had preached these things to them openly.