John 16:33 … To conquer the World (03/14/17)
“In the world you face persecution. But take courage;
for I have conquered the world.” ~ Jesus (John 16:33)
First of all, please note that Jesus is not claiming that he has conquered the world itself, otherwise he would have accepted the kingship offered him by Satan (which he rejected in Matthew 4:8-10), the kingship offered him by his followers (which he rejected in John 6:15), and the kingship indirectly claimed for him by Pontius Pilate (which he rejected in Mark 15:2) …
In addition, if Jesus had been claiming here to have conquered our material world he would not have quite clearly exclaimed that his kingdom was “not of this world” (see John 18:36), and he certainly would not have organized his own crucifixion (Mark 10:32-34, Mark 14:3-8 et al), much less tell everyone over & over & over again that he was not the violent, Rome-overthrowing, Earth-ruling Davidian Messiah for whom they had so long hoped & prayed (see Matthew 16:20, Matthew 22:41-45, Matthew 24:1-2, Matthew 24:23-27, Matthew 26:63-64 + Matthew 16:28, Mark 1:24-25, Mark 3:12, Mark 8:27-30, Mark 10:17-18, Mark 12:14-17, Mark 12:35-37, Luke 4:5-8, Luke 4:41, Luke 9:18-21, Luke 18:18-19, Luke 22:70, John 7:18 + John 14:20, John 8:50-54, John 12:44-45, John 12:49 & John 13:13).
No indeed, if Jesus had “conquered the world” in any traditional sense of the phrase, he would not have spent his entire ministry preaching the Truth that selfless service for others is The Way to Salvation (see Mark 1:38, Matthew 24:12-14, Matthew 25:35-40, John 13:15-17 et al) …
In truth then, the reason Jesus said he had “conquered the world” is because “the world” to him was a reference to everything material – including the fear-based suffering that came from our attaching thereto. In Truth, this is why he advocated giving up material needs (see Matthew 19:2), this is why he told us that those who persevered through persecution in Love would be saved (see Matthew 24:13), and this is why he noted “Peace I leave with you, and my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives.”(John 14:27)
Amen … Let it be so.
;