IN JESUS’ NAME (JN.
1. The scripture that was read may be called a promise.
2. This promise has caused some people to get pretty excited.
3. Imagine the Son of God saying, “Ask whatever you want and I will do it.”
4. “If ye shall ask anything in my name, that will I do.”
5. If these statements are read without their context the Lord sounds like a genie that grants wishes.
6. What Jesus said is part of a context.
7. Before we view Jesus as a genie who grants wishes, let’s look at the context of Jn. 14:13-14.
8. We will start our study of the context by using Jn. 13:21.
9. Jesus was with a certain group of people.
10. He was with His special friends. The Lord was with the apostles.
11. Thus, there are references to Peter in Jn. 13: 9 as well Judas (verse 26).
12. This same group of people is being addressed in Jn. 14.
13. The promise made in Jn. 14:13-14 was made to the apostles.
14. This is the first thing to understand about this passage.
15. Many read Jn. 14:13-14 and expect Jesus do to their bidding.
16. The Lord is not like a magical lamp we can rub and get what we wish for.
17. Not even the apostles were able to treat the Lord in this manner.
18. Notice
how the end of Jn.
19. Why were the apostles allowed to ask for what they wanted?
20. The Bible says, so the Father would be glorified in the Son.
21. Jn. 14:13-14 has nothing to do with material goods and a pleasant life.
22. Rather, these verses were related to the glorification of God and the spreading the gospel.
23. Anyone who uses these verses to teach God gives us what we want abuses the text.
SINCE WE KNOW WHAT THE PASSAGE MEANS AND WHO IT WAS SPOKEN TO I WANT TO MOVE TO A THOUGHT WHICH IS ESPECIALLY RELEVANT FOR OUR DAY AND TIME.
A. Jesus taught the apostles to ask “in His name.”
B. This expression is frequently used by many people.
C. Denominational groups claim to do things “in Jesus name.”
D. On
the Day of Judgment people will claim to have done miracles in Jesus’ name (Mt.
E. Prayers are started or ended with, “In Jesus’ name.”
F.
G. How do we do things “in the name of the Jesus”?
H. Why say “in the name of Jesus” after a prayer?
i). Let’s start with the basics.
ii). The word “in” is a preposition that is used about 2700 times in the New Testament.
iii). Sometimes this preposition is used to describe or designate a place.
iv). Someone or something is in the house, in the city, in [at] the well, or in heaven.
v). In other cases this word describes things that are inside people.
vi). Sin lives in people Rom. 7:17, 20.
vii). Joy,
God’s word, and life are all in people (Jn.
I. In some places the preposition in is joined with the word name.
J. This construction is unique and worthy of special study.
i). In addition to the passages I have offered Mk 11:9 may also be cited.
ii). Jesus
was preparing to enter the city of
iii). People shouted, “Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.”
iv). What did these people mean by this statement?
v). A
man said to the Lord he saw people casting out demons in Jesus name (Mk.
vi). What did he mean?
vii). A command was given in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thessalonians 3:6).
viii). Paul said, Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly...”.
ix). What did this expression mean to the Thessalonians and Paul?
x). 2 Thess. 3:6 begins to help us understand what “in the name” means.
xi). When Paul gave a command “in the name” he meant “by the Lord’s commission.”
xii). Paul said, “By the authority of Jesus Christ, do what I am telling you.”
xiii). A similar reference comes from James 5:10. James said:
xiv). Take,
brethren, for an example of suffering and of patience, the prophets who spake in
the name of the Lord.
xv). Here “in the name” means these people were authorized to speak for God.
xvi). They had divine permission to speak for God.
xvii). Many of us are familiar with 1 Corinthians 6:9-11.
xviii). Paul spoke of the Corinthian’s former lives. He listed their sins.
xix). He
then said those at
xx). The 11th verse ends with the words, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
xxi). The Corinthians had been washed in the name of Christ.
xxii). They had been sanctified in the name of Christ.
xxiii). They had also been justified in the name of Christ.
xxiv). The expression “in the name” is not a set of magical words.
xxv). It often describes authority and this is the meaning in 1 Cor. 6.
xxvi). By the authority of Jesus sinners had been washed, justified, and sanctified.
xxvii). Another example of this comes from Jn. 1:12 (quote).
xxviii). People believe in the name of Jesus (some versions have “on” instead, ASV/KJV).
xxix). What does it mean to believe in the name of the Lord?
xxx). It means we accept what is said about the Lord and His work.
xxxi). We agree that what the New Testament says about Jesus of Nazareth is right.
xxxii). When we say “in the name” we are implying that we are in fellowship with Jesus.
xxxiii). Think of Mt. 18:20.
xxxiv). Jesus spoke of two or three who come together in His name.
xxxv). Here
this expression affirms a relationship with Jesus and a belief that He will do
what He
said.
xxxvi). Another example may be taken from 1 Cor. 1:13, the KJV.
xxxvii). Paul said, “Were ye baptized in my name”? What did Paul mean?
xxxviii). This expression meant, “Were you baptized to be united to me as your savior”?
xxxix). Were you baptized on my authority?
xl). Were you baptized to please me?
xli). Were you baptized to form a relationship with me?
xlii). This understanding of the expression is also found in the book of Acts.
xliii). The apostles were preaching and this did not make some of the Jewish leaders too happy.
xliv). Acts
K. Some have said that “in the name” means by the authority.
L. This is right, but this definition omits some details.
i). In Bible times a person’s name involved many things.
ii). A person’s name included their rank, authority, interests, pleasures, commands, and deeds.
iii). A person’s name stood for who he was.
iv). This is what Thayer says on p. 447 of his lexicon.
v). Understanding how people in Bible times looked at a person’s name is essential.
vi). When we realize that names stood for the entire person we can appreciate Acts 4:18.
vii). When Jewish leaders said, “Do not speak in the name of Jesus”,
viii). They included everything associated with the Lord.
ix). They didn’t want people to teach about His identity, commands, life, or influence.
x). The expression “in the name” covers a wide range of territory.
xi). Thus, in some of the verses that have been cited this phrase describes Christ’s authority.
xii). In other places it describes commands from the Lord.
xiii). In yet other contexts it is a reason for doing something.
xiv). Jesus
once said, “He that receiveth a prophet in the
name of a prophet…(Mt.
xv). What is the name of a prophet?
xvi). There is no “name” as we typically think of the word.
xvii). In this passage in the name mans “because.”
xviii). He that receives a prophet because he is a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward.
xix). People accepted prophets because they recognized their authority and credentials.
M. Acts
i). A number of people have been puzzled by this statement.
ii). Why baptize “ in the name of Christ” when Jesus said “into the name of the Father, Son, and HS.”
iii). The “in the name” in Acts 8:16 does not tell us what was said at the time of baptism.
iv). This expression describes authority.
v). People were baptized because this is what the Lord commanded.
vi). To be baptized in the name of Christ means to become associated with Christ.
vii). We are fully identifying with the Lord as Paul described in Rom. 6:1-4.
N. If the expression “in the name” has ever puzzled you write down 1 Sam. 25:1-9.
i). By the time described in 1 Sam. 25 the prophet Samuel had died.
ii). The Biblical narrative introduces some new characters—Nabal and Abigail.
iii). This couple was, according to the text, quite wealthy.
iv). David was in need of some food so he sent 10 servants to this husband and wife.
v). Nabal and Abigail knew who David was. David was no stranger to them.
vi). Because David knew these people he sent servants to them to get some assistance.
vii). These servants were to ask for food “in David’s name.”
viii). Read verses 5 and 9 from 1 Sam. 25.
O. What does the expression “in David’s name” mean?
i). As Thayer observed, this expression stands for the entire person.
ii). In 1 Sam. 25 the servants were saying, “We have been commissioned by David.”
iii). “We are here because David sent us.”
iv). “We are associated with David.”
v). “Our authority for asking for food is based upon our master David.”
P. The expression “in the name” was hardly used by non-Biblical writers.
Q. The same is true in our day and time.
i). Aside from “stop in the name of the law” the phrase “in the name” is hardly ever used.
ii). This may explain why so many are puzzled by it.
iii). To understand what this means we can examine the references given in this lesson.
R. These references show us what the expression means when we pray.
i). When someone ends a prayer with “in the name of Jesus,” they are saying several things.
ii). The prayer is being sent to heaven by Christ’s authority.
iii). We have the right to be heard because we have been joined to the Lord.
iv). In the name of Christ means we have divine permission to pray.
v). It means we are in fellowship with the Lord and believe He will help our prayer.
vi). In other places in the name means we are calling on the Lord for assistance.
2. These three words mean that we are associated with the Lord and we reap many benefits because of Him.
3. If we have not become a Christian, or we need to return to the Lord, we extend an invitation to you in the name of Jesus.