In the previous chapters, we have seen the matter of life in the Old Testament with the tree as the food and the river as the drink. Eventually, we saw that the food and the drink are one. When you are thirsty and come to the waters, you get the food. The matters of eating and drinking span the entire Old Testament. The verses we have covered on eating and drinking start in Genesis 1-2 and end in Zechariah 14. In this chapter we want to turn our attention to the matter of life in the New Testament and see how life is versus knowledge. To see the central matter of life in the Bible, we must get into the concept and the spirit of the Bible.
Genesis tells us that in the beginning God created, and then He presented Himself as life to man. Because man fell, God had to redeem fallen man that life might still be made available to him. Genesis 3:21 tells us that God made coats of skins of the sacrifice for Adam and Eve and clothed them. In order to make coats of the skins of the lambs, God probably killed the lambs in the presence of Adam and Eve. Thus, the blood of the lambs was shed, for without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness (Heb. 9:22). Adam experienced the anticipated redemption of God.
The first chapter of John’s Gospel in the New Testament has the same spiritual points and concept as the first three chapters of Genesis in the Old Testament. John 1 tells us that in the beginning was the Word and the Word was God (v. 1). Creation came into being through God as the Word, and in Him was the life presented to man (vv. 3-4). Because of the problem of the fall of the human race, there is the need of redemption. Thus, John 1:29 says, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” We should not think that the New Testament has a different thought or concept from the Old Testament. The Old and New Testaments are one book. The Old Testament is a book of pictures, while the New Testament gives us the definition of these pictures. The thought, the concept, and the spirit of the Old and New Testaments are exactly the same.
Nearly every chapter of the Gospel of John tells us something about life. In the Scripture reading of this chapter we have selected some important verses concerning life. John 3:36 says, “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who disobeys the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” According to John 1, the Son in whom we believe is the One in the beginning, the Word, God, the Creator, the One with life in Him, and the Lamb that takes away our sin. We have to believe in this One that we may have life. If we do not believe in this One, we cannot have life or see life.
John 5:21 says, “For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom He wills.” The Son’s intention is to give life, and His coming is to give life. We have to remember the phrase “the Son gives life.” Thus, the Lord says in John 10:10b, “I came that they may have life and may have it abundantly.” In John 11:25a the Lord told Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life.” In John 14:6 He declared that He was the life. These verses show that Christ Himself is the tree of life. Following man’s redemption, the tree of life is again presented to man in the New Testament. Colossians 3:4a tells us that Christ is our life.
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