|  | the apostles exhort the faithful to the unflinching practice of Christianity. Recall that persecution is a reward of discipleship. |
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| | It is significant to note that the elders are not elected by the congregation, but appointed by the traveling apostles (the bishops). |
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| | journey, which began around the year 45, lasted for four years. |
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| | figure of speech, “door of faith,” is also used by Saint Paul in 1 Corinthians 16:9 and 2 Corinthians 2:12. Here it signifies the access to salvation that God had given the Gentiles through the missionaries. |
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| | John’s privileged vision of the heavenly liturgy where he has seen the eternal sacrifice being offered to God the Father by His Son, the New and Eternal High Priest and Sacrifice. |
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| | Hebrew males were circumcised on the eighth day, Jesus was resurrected on the eighth day |
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| | “new,” kainos, means newness in kind – of superior quality. |
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| | (see Isaiah 65:17-25). |
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| | Adam’s work of heavenizing the earth has been completed by Jesus. |
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| | “sea” is the laver outside the Holy Place in the Temple, where the Levitical priests performed ritual ablutions prior to offering sacrifice. |
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| | “end of the world” terminology used in this passage, many have mistakenly assumed that Saint John is speaking of the final end of the |
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| | physical heavens and earth, rather than the dissolution of the Old Covenant world order |
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| | Temple of the New Covenant, over which Jesus presides as High Priest, is infinitely superior to the Temple of the Old Covenant, presided over by Moses |
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| | a new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God |
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| | It comes down from heaven therefore it is of divine origin |
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| | Saint John’s clear identification of the City as the Bride of Christ serves as another demonstration that the City of God, the Heavenly Jerusalem, is a present as well as future reality. |
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| | We are in the New Jerusalem now, as the Bible categorically tells us; “... you have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem |
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| | The theme we see echoed throughout the Old and New Testaments is “I will be their God and they will be my people.” |
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| | the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah 43:18-21. So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come (2 Corinthians 5:17). The messianic times, the end times, have begun. |
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| | All of Jesus’ instruction was based on the Hebrew scripture; with one notable exception – He gave us one new commandment. |
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| | The glorification of the Son is that of the Father; the one is effected in the other. This glorification will happen immediately. Judas’ departure has started the event. |
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| | The glorification of the Son is contingent on the fact that the Son has already glorified God by fulfilling His mission |
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| | This commandment is new because it is grounded not so much in the love commands of the Jewish tradition (Leviticus 19:18), but in the self-offering love (agape) of Jesus. |
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