Sunday Class Notes: June 3

Humility Exemplified

Today’s Text               John 13:1-17

Introduction

 

This is the beginning of the second section of John’s Gospel; there are no more scenes of Jesus teaching the crowds.  The pattern of chapters 2-12 where there is a miracle or sign followed by Jesus giving an explanation are replaced by Jesus explaining the greatest sign of all, his death, burial and resurrection before it happens.  These are called the “Farewell” or “Upper Room Discourses”. The scene opens just before the Passover meal on the night that Jesus would be betrayed.  Jesus demonstrates an act of humility that would normally be done by a slave; the washing of the feet of the dinner guests.

Points of Interest

 

13:1-3               John uses these verses to set the scene by placing the time at the very beginning of the meal.  They had not yet begun to eat, Judas had already been prompted to go astray, and yet Jesus was confident in his destiny and had received all power from God.  It is particularly pointed that John mentions this fact: Jesus had received all power, had had everything placed in his control and was about to return to God… when all of the sudden what did he do?

13:4-5               Jesus gets up from the table, takes off his clothes, grabs a towel and begins washing the feet of the disciples.  It is important to note that even though the NIV adds the word “outer” to garments, there is no such indication in the Greek, which literally says “set aside his garments”.  Commentators rise to this and many describe Jesus as in his “undergarments”.  Undergarments for men were invented around the time of George Washington and were not widely worn until the late 19^th century; they did not exist in ancient times.  If Jesus had indeed removed an outer garment, then it would have been a cloak, comparable to a modern-day coat, and obviously this is not likely.  I do not join the NIV in protecting modern-day sensibilities here because it is vital that we get an accurate picture of exactly what was going on in order to get the full value of what Jesus is demonstrating in this act of humility, for it is in total and complete contradiction to what was stated in verse 3, and it actually becomes the whole point of this incident.  Jesus was not only washing the feet of men who weren’t qualified to carry his briefcase (so to speak) but he had utterly and totally humbled himself in the process!  (Can you imagine yourself doing this?) The NIV also states that he had a towel wrapped around him, while the KJV says he “girded” himself with the towel.  Was the towel providing a modesty covering, and at the same time being used to dry their feet after washing?  HOMEWORK:  Do an experiment at home.  Wrap a towel around yourself, as to cover up, get down on the floor and try to dry something also on the floor.  You will discover the answer. Once you have the answer, then remember that Jesus also washed the feet of the one whom he knew was about to betray him: Then you will understand what this scene means!

13:6-9               Peter seems to have understood that he was not worthy to be treated in this way by Jesus who was so much greater than he.  Jesus’ reply to him is also understood… sort of.  Well, in that case, how about washing my hands and head too.  Peter believed Jesus when he told him that he must be “cleaned” by him, but he still didn’t quite grasp the metaphor that was playing out in that room.

13:10-11            Jesus’ comments here refer to the fact that a person attending a dinner would bathe before leaving their house, so that when they arrived at the dinner, only their feet would have gotten dirty on the walk to the dinner venue; thus the custom of having your feet washed by a slave prior to reclining at table.  Remember that dinner tables were not like the ones we use today, and the “reclining” was literal.  The comment that not all were clean gives us a hint that Jesus is not really concerned about hygiene, for he knew what was afoot with Judas; his concern was that they be spiritually clean.

13:12-17            Jesus gets dressed and resumes his seat; then he explains what he has done.  He has set for them an example, a twofold example.  First, we as his servants must be willing to humble ourselves in his service.  Do we dare humble ourselves as he has done?  Second, our service must be to clean the filth of sin from one another, to teach them to obey all that he has commanded us, and to be willing to dirty our hands in the process.  We can never do this by glorifying ourselves; we can only accomplish this mission by humbling ourselves.  We are to follow his example!

Sunday Class Notes: May 27

The Hour has Come

 

Today’s Text               John 12:20-35

Introduction

We pick up the story after Jesus has enteredJerusalem; His “Triumphal Entry”.  The news of His having raised Lazarus has spread like wildfire through the region and people are flocking to Jesus like never before, some just to have a look and others in faith.  The reaction of the Pharisees in verse 19 is classic:  “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!” Yes, they must put a stop to this business, pronto!  Our text begins with some Greeks who are present for Passover who approach Phillip asking to meet with Jesus.  It would seem that they were not Greek speaking Jews, but Gentile Greeks.  Notice that they approach Phillip who goes to Andrew.  Phillip and Andrew are not only fromGalileelike these Greeks, but they have Greek names, the only two amongst the disciples.  They are “Hellenized” Jews which is to say that they have adopted Greek culture while remaining Jews.  Thus, it is believed that they took Greek names and most likely are Greek in dress and hair style.

Points of Interest

 

12:23-26            They approach Jesus with the request of a meeting and Jesus answers oddly by going straight to the subject of His impending death.  Using the example of a grain of wheat, Jesus will now teach those around him that life (eternal life) comes from death.  The use of the example of grain is designed to overcome the fact that this concept is entirely counter-intuitive to humans who have not seen the glories of Heaven.  The message is obvious in His case, now that we know the rest of the story, but the implication for us is quite serious:  Any of us who holds on to our lives in this world too selfishly will not inherit eternal life, for we will not follow Jesus at all.  This idea is seen in verse 26 where Jesus equates losing or “hating” this worldly life with serving Him and thus serving God.  Thus, we “lose” our life by serving God rather than serving ourselves.  I cannot over emphasize the importance for this in the Christian life!

12:27-28            These 2 verses reveal that Jesus was troubled by what He was about to face in going to the cross to die a horrible death.  Remember that He is both Divine and human and had the same instincts of survival that we all have.  How would you feel about things if you knew that you were soon going to be taken away for torture and death?  I would be on my way out of town! Jesus has a different response, for this is the very reason He has been brought to this point.  It is interesting that John tells us about this encounter that is begun with the arrival of the Greeks.  Maybe Jesus was tempted to go off with them and take His message to a whole different audience to avoid His date with the cross… In any case, He will not be swayed from His purpose, and God confirms His approval with a rare vocal endorsement.

12:29-33            The people heard the voice and stunned, await some clarification.  Jesus explains that the voice was for their benefit, so they would know that everything is going according to God’s plan.  Then, He demonstrates the point in three amazing ways:

First, the time has come for “judgment on this world”.  Since the Greek word rendered “judgment” is krisis, if we leave it un-translated, the statement would read “Now is the crisis of this world.” A crisis for this world would surely come when Jesus is murdered in front of everyone when all were aware of His total innocence.  This would expose the sin that has the entire world in its grip for all of its stinking rottenness. Second, it is the time when “the prince of this world will be driven out.”  Satan, who has the world in his pocket through their slavery to sin, will lose his grip on those who will follow Jesus, those who will be set free from bondage to sin.  Third, that Jesus will die by being “lifted up” gives His listeners the method by which all of this will be accomplished; He will die on a cross.  The result of this will be that all peoples who look to the cross in faith will see not merely a method of execution, but the means by which they can be saved from sin and death.

12:34-36            We reach a major turning point in Johns’ Gospel at this point.  The crowd has come to discuss national liberation fromRome, and Jesus is talking about death and redemption.  They object and refer to Daniel 7:14 which teaches that the Messiah will be with them forever.  Jesus doesn’t engage.  He does offer one last bit of advice: Darkness is about to descend, their only hope is to believe in Jesus (“trust in the light”) which will enable them to resist the oppressive spiritual darkness, for they will become “sons of light”.  With that, Jesus slips away.  The rest of the Gospel will describe Jesus’ answer to the question they have posed: “Who is this Son of Man?”

Sunday Class Notes

It’s All about Priorities

 

Today’s Text               John 12:1-11

Introduction

 

The scene for this text is set at six days before Passover when Jesus and his group reachBethany.  This is also right after he has raised Lazarus from the tomb and Lazarus, Mary and Martha are in attendance at this dinner, a Sabbath dinner at the home of Simon who is a good mutual friend, as we discover from the Synoptics.  We can infer the close relationship between Simon and Lazarus, Mary and Martha from the fact that Martha is one of those serving the dinner, and it is interesting to note that the word used to describe her service in verse 2 is the word from which we get the English words “deacon” and “minister” meaning “servant” and is also used to describe Martha in Luke 10:40.

Points of Interest

 

12:3                 Mary suddenly begins an unusual foot treatment for Jesus by applying a large amount of nard to his feet. Nard is a highly-prized ointment imported fromIndia that was prized by both men and women in the ancient world.  It had a sweet-woody odor that was very heavy and likely to fill the entire house.  The “pint” that she applied to Jesus’ feet would be worth something in the area of $20,000.00 today.  Mary held nothing back in using so much of the very expensive luxury on Jesus, even mopping up the excess with her hair, a gesture of pure humility in front of mixed company; in short this was a shocking scene, and yet it shows us that Mary was holding nothing back from the service to Jesus.  I daresay that there is a lesson in this for our time, for how many of us would pour $20,000.00 on Jesus’ feet?  It seems likely that Mary understood that Jesus would soon be taken from them, and she was not going to stand by his grave and wish she had told him how much she loved him.

12:4-6              Judas raises what seems to be a logical objection to all of this extravagance pointing out that the money could have been put to a better use; very reasonable indeed.  However John points out in the text that Judas may have had an ulterior motive for his objection as he has been known to embezzle their funds in his keeping.  Notice that John does not reveal how or when they became aware of this, but it does show us a glimpse of the character of the man who would shortly turn traitor.  One thing is clear; it wasn’t the poor that Judas was mourning for.

12:7-8              Jesus will have none of this criticism.  He points out that she had saved it for his funeral, and even though the funeral hadn’t come about, it would within the week, and Mary would prize her act even more on that day.  As for the poor, Jesus commented on that as well, although his comment has been misinterpreted by many since.  He was not giving justification of those who would ignore those in need, but rather that there are times when service to God trumps everything else; even good works.  How many Christians over the centuries have been so concerned with good social works that they have missed out on a closer relationship with the Lord!  He comes first in all things, even doing good deeds.

12:9-11            News of the raising of Lazarus and Jesus’ arrival inBethany reached near-byJerusalem very quickly and many came out to see both Jesus and Lazarus.  Of course amongst the curious were also their leaders who had different things in mind.  Their hatred of Jesus was all the greater for so many more were prepared to follow him and to discontinue following their leaders.  From their point of view, this had to stop for their position was being severely threatened; Lazarus must go as well as Jesus. Thus, the stage is set for the final drama of Jesus’ last week and the most seminal event of all human history.

Sunday Class Notes: May 13

The Resurrection and the Life

 

Today’s Text               John 11:1-44

Introduction

 

This is a famous story about the miracle that Jesus performs in raising Lazarus from the tomb, but it is much more than that.  Jesus will reveal much about His own death and the hope that we will have as a result.  It probably begins in Perea where Jesus went after the last attempt to stone him, and opens with the news that His dear friend Lazarus was near death.  Jesus’ reaction seems surprising, since one might expect Him to rush off to help, but He delays instead…

11:7-16                        Jesus announces to His disciples that it’s time to get on to Judea.  Assuming that He means to return to the temple to resume his teaching, the disciples voice the concern that His safety would be in question.  Jesus uses the metaphor of day and night to tell them that it is still safe for Him to go, but the implication is that the time is short.  Then He tells them that they will be going to see about their friend Lazarus and corrects the misunderstanding about him being “asleep” for Lazarus is dead.  Good old Thomas is optimistic as always…

11:17-22          These verses set the stage for the miracle:  Lazarus has been in the tomb four days, Martha comes out to meet Jesus on His way, and there were many people in town who had come because of the death and funeral who would be witnesses for what would happen.  Martha, upon meeting Jesus both scolds and demonstrates great faith.  Whether or not her faith extended to raising her brother from the grave is a matter of interpretation, but she was certainly disappointed that He hadn’t intervened in his illness, which is a thought many of us have had at one time or another…

11:23-27          Clearly Martha’s understanding of Jesus was along the lines of “funeral words” that are often spoken to give comfort to the grieving, but Jesus was talking about something else.  He delivers a stunner, an “I Am” statement, double-barreled at that!  “I am the resurrection and the life” meaning that Jesus is a living resurrection.  Martha’s reaction is just what Jesus was looking for; she shows that she has believed His promise of eternal life; little does she know that she was about to see it demonstrated with power.

11:28-37          Martha runs back to town to get Mary who leaves so suddenly that the visitors follow to see what’s up.  When she reaches Jesus, her greeting is the same that Martha’s had been.  This time Jesus simply asks her where Lazarus was buried, and then He wept.  The reaction of the onlookers is interesting, with some noting how much He loved Lazarus and others grumbling as usual.

11:38-44          Arriving at the tomb, Jesus orders the stone removed.  There is an objection: Lazarus has been in the tomb four days and will stink! Jesus reminds all of them that he had made promises about eternal life.  The stone is removed and Jesus thanks the Father in a way that demonstrates where the glory for the miracle belongs and also shows why this was all being done: So that they might believe. Lazarus is summoned, comes out and Jesus directs the burial wrappings be removed so the man can go free; free from the grave just as all who believe will be set free from the grave.

The fact that Lazarus had been dead four days is a demonstration of God’s power and a way of authenticating the miracle.  He was not sleeping, nor was he in a coma; he was dead.  There is no earthly way to rejuvenate someone who has been dead four days; not then, not now: Lazarus was a dead man and Jesus called him forth from his grave… and he came forth!

Sunday Class Notes: May 6

He said what…?

 

Today’s Text               John 10:22-42

Introduction

This passage is a continuation of last week’s discussion regarding who the Jews’ father was. In that passage the discussion was about the opponents of Jesus and their “father”, while today’s passage sets out very clearly whose Son Jesus is.  It has often struck me as interesting that over the centuries people who deny the Lordship of Christ will often claim that He neither claimed to be God or the Son of God.  In fact, there are groups who call themselves Christian who are confused on this point today.  Here, Jesus is clear and precise about exactly who He is. Please note that while the discourse of the text follows 10:1-21, the occasion has shifted to the Feast of Dedication which is now known to us as Hanukkah, a celebration of the driving out fromJudeaof the Syrian Greeks.  It celebrates the rededication of theTempleafter it had been refurbished after that occupation, a nationalistic celebration of the (former) glory of the nation…

Points of Interest

 

10:22-26          John sets the scene and then the dialogue begins; are you the Christ?  Jesus responds but indicating that He has identified Himself by His miracles, but they have refused to believe because they are not His sheep, going back to the analogy from last week’s text.  Since they are not His sheep, they do not believe what He says even though He has confirmed His sayings to them.  Those who are His followers (sheep) hear His voice and believe.  While many have taken this to mean all kinds of things doctrinally speaking, what is very clear is that when a person decides to follow Jesus, things and understandings clear up considerably.

10:27-31          Jesus amplifies what He said in verse 10, that His sheep would have “abundant life” to add that they will have “eternal life”.  Eternal life would appear here to have two characteristics:  First that they cannot be destroyed, i.e. that they will live forever.  Second, they cannot be stolen away from the Father’s hand, which is to say that no one, human or otherwise can steal eternal life from you.  In verse 30, Jesus makes a statement that is theologically so significant that it cannot be overstated.  “I and the Father are one.”  This is a type of “I am” statement, only here it is “We are”.  In doing this, Jesus is alluding to the name of God: I AM. By placing Himself into this title, he has added a new dimension to the Shema of Deut.  6:4, “Hear OIsrael: The Lord our God. The Lord is one.”  This is the monotheistic foundation of their faith and Jesus has just included Himself into it monotheistically.  He is not doing this in a mystical way of somehow having achieved divinity, but as a foundational premise reminiscent of John 1:1. While doing this, He continues to maintain a distinction between the two; He did not say “I am the Father”. Quite naturally, they want to kill Him at this point.

 

10:32-33          This time, Jesus doesn’t slip away; He asks them to justify their desire to kill Him.  His opponents tell Him they are not doing it because they deny His miracles, but because He has committed blasphemy in claiming to be God.  Isn’t it odd that so many scholars think He never made that claim?  According to the Law, these opponents had a point (Lev. 24:16) however they overlooked the possibility that He might be telling the truth.

10:34-39          OK, let’s be honest: This is a difficult passage!  Jesus’ quotation of Psalm 82:6, “I have said you are gods” can make you crazy if you aren’t careful, and much has been written and argued about it.  I prefer to take a simpler look at it… Consider the fact that it is parenthetical side comment that is not expounded on because it isn’t the main part of the argument Jesus is making.  The structure of the argument made in vv. 33-38 points to a conclusion that looks like this:

1. In the context of Psalm 82, the term “gods” is not a term denoting divinity, but humans were referred to as “sons of the Most High” (v. 6).

2. These “mere men” received the Word of God, yet they died as mere men.

3. Scripture (the Word of God they received) cannot be broken (thwarted).

4. I have been sent to you as the Living Word by God.

5. I am God’s Son

6. My true identity has been proven by the miracles I have performed

Therefore:

1. You can only deny me by denying the truth of Scripture

2. You should pay me greater honor than anyone in your history before.

3. You must believe the miracles you have seen

4. I am the Son of God (Messiah)

Sunday Class Notes: April 29

The Good Shepherd

Today’s Text: John 10:1-21

Introduction

It is important to keep in mind that the preceding passage (John 9) deals with spiritual blindness, featuring Jesus opening the eyes of a blind man… on the Sabbath and the predictable reaction of the Jewish leaders, issues we have covered previously…

This passage is figurative. (John 10:6) There are 8 components of the extended metaphor in this section: The shepherd is the caretaker and owner of the sheep. The sheep (flock) are the animals that the shepherd loves and cares for.  The thief is the one who tries to steal the sheep away from their rightful owner, the watchman is the one who opens the gate only for the shepherd, the hired hand watches the sheep, but lacks the dedication of the shepherd.  The wolf is a predator that terrorizes kills and scatters the flock, and the sheep pen is the protective enclosure in which the flock is kept for safety during the night.

Points of Interest

 

10:1-5: He begins with the thief; the thief enters the pen by any manner other than through the gate.  He sneaks in by some form of subterfuge for the express purpose of stealing the sheep away from the flock. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd, who is recognized by the watchman as the legitimate shepherd.  In addition, he is also recognized by the sheep who love and trust him.  He calls them by name (has a deep relationship with them) and they will follow him where ever he goes.  They will not follow anyone who is not the shepherd, because they are strangers to the sheep; they only follow the shepherd.

 

10:7-10:           Jesus begins to make His point here.  Jesus Himself is the gate; no one enters the flock except through Him.  If they enter the pen through Jesus, they will be saved and have life to the full.  The thief on the other hand, enters the pen by a means other than Jesus; his motive is to steal, kill and destroy. The sheep do not follow such a person.

 

10:11-13:         Jesus is not only the gate, but He is the Good Shepherd.  He is the “good” shepherd because when all others run away, He will lay down His life for the salvation of the sheep. His caring is so great for His sheep that He will die for them.

 

10:14-18:         In this final section, Jesus sets out the theology of His coming sacrifice on the cross.  He will willingly lay down His life for His flock.  No one will take it from Him, for His act is voluntary.  It is authorized and ordained by His Father in Heaven, for it will result in the redemption of all mankind.  This act will not only seal the salvation of His sheep, but redeem mankind back to fellowship with God, something that has been absent from creation ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden.  This will also highlight the separation of those within the flock, and those without the flock; nothing will ever be the same again.

10:19-21          The reaction of the crowd is typical;  His opponents, unable to refute what He has said seek to marginalize Him with ridicule. Once again they claim He must be demon-possessed and ask  “Why listen to him?”  What else can they do if they insist on opposing Him?  The others (v. 21) say exactly the words that their leaders fear, pointing out that Jesus is not saying things a demon-possessed person would say, and then dropping their trump card: “Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” There is nothing that the opponents of Christ can say to that. These people who believe Jesus have had their eyes opened; now they can really see.

Sunday Class Notes: April 22

Who’s Your Daddy?

 

Today’s Text               John 8:31-59

Introduction

 

This section opens with Jesus turning to address those among the crowd who have believed in Him.  In speaking to them, Jesus issues a new challenge: discipleship.  To become His disciple, they must “hold to my teachings.”  The meaning of the original text is more like the rendering of the NRSV: “continue in my word.”  This is much more than being a good Bible student, for John introduced Jesus as the Living Word (1:14) so that to “continue in my word” would require that they have a relationship with Him. In the following sentence, Jesus goes on to tell these people that they will know the truth (Jesus Himself) and that the truth will set them free.  This is not a freedom from political or worldly oppression, but a freedom from spiritual oppression; freedom from slavery to sin.  This is where His opponents resume their attack…

Points of Interest

 

8:34-38             His opponents ask Jesus a question with a false premise: We have never been slaves.  Jesus in His reply does not take the bait; He is talking about slavery to sin and they are all slaves to sin.  He uses the metaphor of a slave’s position in the family of the master to illustrate the fact that if He, God’s Son sets them free from bondage to sin, He is doing something that is His place to do.  He goes on to mention that they have refused to “have room for my word.”  Notice that this is the complete opposite of the disciple who continues in His word.  He ends this reply with a set-up of His own…

8:39-41             They object to this saying that they are not “illegitimate” being Abraham’s descendants, and Jesus continues by pointing out that they are not acting like Abraham would act, instead they are following not Abraham but their own father. Now they say that their only father is God; they have fallen into His trap.  Jesus tells them that if this were true they would love Him, not be plotting to murder Him.  They are doing the work of their father the devil, who was a murderer and a liar from the beginning.  They hate hearing the truth from Him because they are following the lead of their father “master” because they are slaves to sin (the devil). Jesus finishes this comment by telling them the obvious:  If they belonged to God they would hear and comprehend His Word, but since they belong to the devil they cannot hear or comprehend.

8:48-51             Once again the Jews respond in a way that seeks to marginalize His words, calling Him a Samaritan and demon-possessed. Jesus calmly tells them that He is neither and says that He is honoring God, and that anyone who keeps His word will never see death.

8:52-56             This section begins with the Jews asking Him more or less just exactly who He thinks He is, and Jesus is quick to tell them in vv. 54-55 that He is God’s Son.  In the next verse He tells them that He knows Abraham’s thoughts as well when He says that Abraham looked forward to this day and rejoices in it, It is important to note that Jesus did not say this so as to speculate on what Abraham would have thought, but instead he is stating it as a fact; He is acting as a witness to it.  This completely blows their minds.

8:57-59             Their response in verse 57 is not one of amazement but is instead ridicule; they are marginalizing Him again so as to reduce or eliminate His credibility with the rest of the people.  Verse 58 is the tipping point in the discourse:  Jesus claims to be God.  To make the statement that Jesus made here is one that is direct, to the point and undeniable in its meaning.  “Before Abraham was born, I am!”  Jesus is telling them two things, first that He has been around since before Abraham; He isn’t thirty-something, He’s at least 2,000 years old.  Second, notice that Jesus didn’t say “before Abraham was born, I was alive” no, He said “I am”.  I Am is the name God used to identify Himself to Abraham, thus Jesus is telling them that He is none other than God in the flesh.  They understood this, and since they knew blasphemy when they heard it, they proceeded to grab for stones with which to execute Him.  Jesus slips away for His time had not yet come to die.  It is worth pointing out that for all of the reasons Jesus cited, these people did not stop to consider the possibility that He might be telling the truth.  These great men of God, these teachers, lawyers and scholars were actually following the devil, and their haste to shut Jesus up when He states the greatest truth of all is a poignant reminder to all of us that we must “continue in His word” to ensure that we are recognizing the truth when it is spoken in this difficult and dark age.

Sunday Class Notes: April 15

Valid Testimony

Today’s Text:              John 8:12-30

Introduction

 

If we moved directly from 7:52 to this point, leaving out the story of the adulterous woman, we would have a scene change for sure, but we would still be within the context of Jesus at the Feast of Tabernacles.  In this passage, Jesus states that He is the light of the world, which is a reference to a portion of the Tabernacles festivities in which four great torches are erected in the court of women on the last night of the Feast.  It was said that they could be seen all over the city.  This makes sense when we recall that theTemplewas built on top of a mountain.  By doing this, Jesus had tied His claims to the two great ceremonies of the Feast, the water ceremony (7:37-38) and the light ceremony (8:12).  It would also appear that Jesus was speaking either just before nightfall or after dark on the last day of the Feast.

Points of Interest

 

8:12                  In saying that He is “the light of the world” Jesus was making His second “I Am” statement in John’s Gospel.  Light has already been used by John to signify the Word that is the true and living light in chapter 1, and again in chapter 3 as God’s truth that reveals human sinfulness and evil, things more conveniently done in darkness. Jesus here is telling the people that His followers will be freed from lives of sin with Him as the unquenchable source of God’s truth.

8:13                  The scene change is complete here with the revealing that His public opponents are the Pharisees who have failed in having Him arrested and now move on to a public confrontation in which they attempt to marginalize His message by pointing out that he has no one to verify what He is teaching…

8:14-18             The Pharisees having made their move, now Jesus replies by going to higher, spiritual level.  His testimony is valid because He has come from the Father in Heaven.  His judgments are made without human frailty because He stands with the Father who also testifies for Him. The Law allows truth to be determined by the testimony of two men.  Jesus has His own testimony (1) and God’s also (2).

8:19-20             The exact identity of Jesus’ father will be the central point of the rest of the discussion.  Jesus’ statement that they know neither He nor His Father is an interesting insight for it indicates that to know one of them is to know the other.  Verse 20 is inserted into the dialogue to indicate that they were apparently near theTemple treasury where many guards would be stationed, yet no one moved to grab Him and silence what the Pharisees would consider blasphemy, for the time for His arrest had not yet come.  John’s continual reference to His time coming or not yet having come is a reference to the fact that Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion were an integral part of God’s plan of salvation and no accident.

8:21-24             The discussion resumes with Jesus pointing out the difference between He and His antagonists: Jesus is from above (God/Heaven) and they are from below (world).  They cannot go where He is going because of their sin.  To follow Jesus is to overcome the sin of unbelief and to remain in unbelief is to die in our sins. At the end of the passage, the “I am” focus emerges more clearly.

8:25-30             Jesus’ answer to their question as to His identity is classic; He tells them that He hasn’t been hiding anything.  As we have noted in previous weeks, they had no excuse for not knowing exactly who they were addressing.  His identity would be entirely unavoidable upon His resurrection after they had Him “lifted up” and at that point John informs us that many who heard this exchange came to believe in Him.  Note that the Pharisees had asked John the same question in 1:19 and that John’s answer was “I am not…” in stark contrast to the claim of Jesus in this passage “I am”.

Next week, we will continue this discussion that will further discuss just whose descendants they all were…

Sunday Class Notes: April 1

Caught in the Act!

 

Today’s Text: John 8:1-11

Introduction

 

This section is not included in the earliest and most reliable manuscripts of this Gospel, and thus is often not covered by commentators in their works.  The reasons for this are several, and although we will not take the class time to analyze them, the truth is that this probably doesn’t belong in John.  However, it does appear to be consistent with Jesus’ ministry and has parallels in the Synoptics and thus it would seem to be “authentic Jesus”.  It is certainly instructive for our purposes in wishing to know Him better and to understand His teachings. Certainly is was highly enough regarded to have been preserved by the early church as authentic Jesus.

The scene has changed, Jesus has apparently spent the night near theMount of Olivesand is alone in the morning as the action begins…

8:3-8                The Pharisees and teachers of the Law approach Jesus with a woman they claim has been caught in the act of adultery.  They present this to Jesus (as a judge) and remind Him of the Law which prescribes that both parties to adultery be put to death. (Lev. 20:10)  Based upon their accusation and the insight provided by verse 6, it would appear that someone has staked out the situation hoping to catch her “in the act”.  They apparently apprehended her immediately and dragged her to Jesus.  Who was her husband, who was her co-criminal and who actually saw this are not identified, however the desperation of the authorities to stoop very low to trap Jesus is apparent. These accusers have no interest in a debate concerning the woman’s guilt; it isn’t under discussion here, they want a verdict and a sentence from Jesus.  I can’t help being intrigued by this since Jesus is actually qualified to render a verdict and they are not!  Jesus’ response to their demands was to bend down and write in the ground with His finger.  Finally He gives His reply in verse 7 and continues writing something in the dirt.

8:9-11              After all of the accusers had left because none could deny that they had sinned, Jesus speaks to the woman.  In the end, he sets her free.  Note that by the standard He set, Jesus was the only one qualified to cast a stone, but He lets her go.  He does not send her off to continue her sinful ways, but rather He admonishes her to sin no more.  What we see here is Jesus forgiving the woman for what she had done and calling her to repentance, which is also what He has done for us.

The Lessons for Us

People are frequently quick to condemn others, but who among us is without sin?  Can we look around and condemn our brother when we too are sinners?  Condemnation is God’s job; our job is to forgive and to encourage and correct with patient endurance, not to condemn.  Second, as sinners, we too deserve to die but God has forgiven us through Christ.  You and I are commanded to repent of our old ways and walk in newness of life with Christ… and yet we still stumble and need forgiveness again.  With that being the case, we are hardly qualified to cast stones at others. Forgiveness and repentance are key qualities in Christ’s teaching for our behavior in life.

Sunday Class Notes: March 25

So Who is this Jesus?

 

Today’s Text: John 7:25-52

Introduction

 

This week we pick up John’s narrative of Jesus’ discourse at the Festival of Tabernacles that we began last week.  At verse 25, John shifts the narrative to focus on the “the people ofJerusalem” which are those in attendance who are “hometown” attendees.  It would seem that at least some of them are aware of the plot afoot to kill Jesus.

Points of Interest

 

7:25-32            Where the Messiah would come from is the subject of much discussion and speculation in this passage, and it is a very important question relating to the validation of Jesus in the eyes of many people.  Can a Messiah come fromGalilee?  Would a Messiah come from anywhere in particular?  Or must he come fromBethlehem?  After Jesus’ statement in 28-29, they want to seize Him, but are unable because His time had not yet come to die; the murmuring continues until the Chief Priest orders the temple guards to arrest Him.

7:33-36            The scene closes with Jesus’ remarks about where He will ultimately go; a place they will never be able to follow.  Again the speculation rages among the Jews; again they simply can’t seem to comprehend that He is talking about Heaven which is His ultimate destination.  Again, they are frustrated.

7:37-39            Jesus begins His discourse of the last day by telling the people about “living water” which John points out to us is a reference to the pouring out of the Holy Spirit beginning at Pentecost. This, however, is not the direction that the remaining text will take…

7:40-44            After Jesus spoke of living water, the text returns to the confusion amongst His hearers.  They can’t seem to figure out what He is telling them, rather they are more concerned about ancillary issues.

7:45-52            In this final passage, we come face-to-face with the overwhelming desire on the part of the priests and Pharisees to disbelieve Jesus.  It would appear that their only interest is in silencing Him…

For discussion:

 

1. This passage is all about who Jesus was, and the speculation of the people about the issue.  Can you identify any important piece of information that they have failed to take into account?

2. It would seem that the priests and Pharisees have decided that they won’t believe anything Jesus says.  Have you ever encountered this tendency today?

3. If Jesus was not the Messiah, and if they couldn’t catch Him speaking a falsehood, why do you think it was so important to the leaders to have Him killed?

4. What do you think God is trying to teach us about the Gospel in this passage?

5. What can we learn about Jesus from this passage?

6. What can we learn about our response to the Gospel message from this passage?