Scripture Study for

The suffering that Paul and Barnabas were forced to endure is referred to as  the “birth pangs” of the Messiah, the inevitable suffering that occurs when one  passes from “this age” to the “age of fulfillment.” These men were not independent missionaries. They were sent forth by the church in Antioch, and it was to that same church that they reported what was accomplished through them. It is important to note that the success of the mission is credited to God. Still, it was through Paul that the door of faith, an opportunity to believe in salvation through Jesus Christ, was opened for the Gentiles. 

The new heaven and new earth do not merely suggest transformation or renewal; they describe something entirely new. The new Jerusalem is a sacred place where God dwells in a very special way. The old order has passed away,  along with death and tears. In fulfillment of the prophetic promise, God will comfort the people who mourn, wiping away their tears. The reading ends in a summary note: All things are made new. While “new” is the eschatological catchword, the present tense of the verb indicates that God’s new creative action is unfolding now. 

The hour of Jesus’ death is the hour of his glorification. He is glorified both in his willingness to obey God even unto death, and in God’s glorification of him by making his sacrifice effective for the salvation of all. Jesus tenderly admonishes his disciples to love one another. Since he will not remain with these loved ones for long, the love that they show one another will be the earthly counterpart of the mutual glorification of God and Jesus himself. They are to love one another with the same self-sacrificing love that Jesus has shown them. Such love will be the universal sign of discipleship of Jesus. The love that the followers of Jesus have for one another shows forth the glory of God.