"Master, Where Dwellest Thou?"

From: The Christian Shepherd: 2002 By: Daniel R. Macy

• 5 min. read • grade level: 8

“Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest Thou? He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where He dwelt, and abode with Him” (John 1:38-39³⁸Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou? ³⁹He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour. (John 1:38‑39)).

Eternal Security

Now we move on to another scene where the Lord Jesus is the center of a discussion with some Jews at Jerusalem. Perhaps these are not the same people who find fault with Him for having anything to do with a sinner like Zaccheus, but the spirit is the same nonetheless. “It was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter” (John 10:22²²And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. (John 10:22)). Their cold, harsh spirit of criticism and opposition is unrelenting.

In the middle of their discussion, we hear Jesus utter those words that have given the absolute assurance of the eternal security of salvation to you and me and many others besides. “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one” (vss. 27-30).

But to “an evil heart of unbelief” (Heb. 3:12¹²Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. (Hebrews 3:12)), those words only suggest blasphemy. Not only does their heart think it; their lips express such a wicked charge. The Lord Jesus patiently, humbly answers their foolish reasoning, ever maintaining the dignity of His Person as God and His relationship with the Father. “Say ye of Him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? If I do not the works of My Father, believe Me not. But if I do, though ye believe not Me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in Me, and I in Him” (John 10:36-38³⁶Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? ³⁷If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. ³⁸But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him. (John 10:36‑38)).

Do His words produce any change in their hearts? No, their minds are determined, and they will not alter their course. As the Lord Jesus said on another occasion, “Ye will not come to Me, that ye might have life” (John 5:40⁴⁰And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. (John 5:40)).

John the Baptist’s Ministry

“Therefore they sought again to take Him: but He escaped out of their hand, and went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there He abode” (John 10:39-40³⁹Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped out of their hand, ⁴⁰And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where John at first baptized; and there he abode. (John 10:39‑40)). Here the dwelling-place of our Lord connects us with John the Baptist’s ministry. What is that? John is a voice “crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight” (Mark 1:3 JnD). John baptizes in the Jordan those who come to him “confessing their sins” (Matt. 3:6⁶And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. (Matthew 3:6)). These repentant souls separate from the unbelieving Jewish nation. In this same spirit Peter later preaches on the day of Pentecost: “Save yourselves from this untoward generation” (Acts 2:40⁴⁰And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. (Acts 2:40)).

The nation’s leaders attempt to join this group that John is preparing for the advent of Christ. Pharisees and Sadducees go to John’s baptism, but he at once detects their hypocrisy. “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: and think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham” (Matt. 3:7-9⁷But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: ⁹And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. (Matthew 3:7‑9)). True repentance is marked by fruit—the humble spirit of contrition before God and the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Haven’t we met one example of this fruit already in Zaccheus—“a son of Abraham” (Luke 19:9⁹And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. (Luke 19:9))? Hasn’t God also raised up from the stones—Gentiles, “dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1¹And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; (Ephesians 2:1))—fruit for His praise and glory?

The Meek, Humble Man

The Lord Jesus, the meek and lowly Man, takes His place alongside this repentant remnant. These are the ones whom He delights to encourage with His presence—those separated from the systems and pride of man, with a true heart for God. “Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him” (Matt. 3:13¹³Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. (Matthew 3:13)). John forbids Him. He knows the glory of this Person—one “mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear” (vs. 11)—and he suggests that their roles should be reversed; Jesus ought to be baptizing John. But Jesus gently explains the need “to fulfill all righteousness” (vs. 15)—to demonstrate the true position of separation that He was taking away from the organization of the Jewish nation.

The Father’s Delight

After John baptizes Jesus, the heavens open for God to declare His thoughts concerning His beloved Son. If, as a Man, He takes a lowly place before the great of this world, He who is the Highest tells to all that this is the Man—the only man—who delights His soul. “Jesus, having been baptized, went up straightway from the water, and lo, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon Him: and behold, a voice out of the heavens saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I have found My delight” (vss. 16-17 JND).

Now, in John 10, the Lord Jesus goes back to this place—the place of separation from man’s system of religion, the place of association with a humble remnant whose hearts have responded to the call for repentance, and the place of the Father’s expressed delight in His Son. Is this the place for me? Is this the place for you? Are we willing to abide with Him there?