John Bible Study - Lesson 29

John Bible Study - Lesson 29

Read the passage below using the 2 different Bible translations:

John 10:22-42 New International Version (NIV)

Further Conflict Over Jesus’ Claims

²² Then came the Festival of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter,²³ and Jesus was in the temple courts walking in Solomon’s Colonnade.²⁴ The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

²⁵ Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, ²⁶ but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. ²⁷ My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.”

³¹ Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, ³² but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?”

³³ “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”

³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”’? ³⁵ If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— ³⁶ what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? ³⁷ Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father. ³⁸ But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” ³⁹ Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.

⁴⁰ Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, ⁴¹ and many people came to him. They said, “Though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true.” ⁴² And in that place many believed in Jesus.

John 10:22-42 New Living Translation (NLT)

Jesus Claims to Be the Son of God

²² It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of Hanukkah, the Festival of Dedication. ²³ He was in the Temple, walking through the section known as Solomon’s Colonnade. ²⁴ The people surrounded him and asked, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”

²⁵ Jesus replied, “I have already told you, and you don’t believe me. The proof is the work I do in my Father’s name. ²⁶ But you don’t believe me because you are not my sheep. ²⁷ My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, ²⁹ for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. ³⁰ The Father and I are one.”

³¹ Once again the people picked up stones to kill him. ³² Jesus said, “At my Father’s direction I have done many good works. For which one are you going to stone me?”

³³ They replied, “We’re stoning you not for any good work, but for blasphemy! You, a mere man, claim to be God.”

³⁴ Jesus replied, “It is written in your own Scriptures that God said to certain leaders of the people, ‘I say, you are gods!’ ³⁵ And you know that the Scriptures cannot be altered. So if those people who received God’s message were called ‘gods,’ ³⁶ why do you call it blasphemy when I say, ‘I am the Son of God’? After all, the Father set me apart and sent me into the world. ³⁷ Don’t believe me unless I carry out my Father’s work.³⁸ But if I do his work, believe in the evidence of the miraculous works I have done, even if you don’t believe me. Then you will know and understand that the Father is in me, and I am in the Father.”

³⁹ Once again they tried to arrest him, but he got away and left them.⁴⁰ He went beyond the Jordan River near the place where John was first baptizing and stayed there awhile. ⁴¹ And many followed him. “John didn’t perform miraculous signs,” they remarked to one another, “but everything he said about this man has come true.” ⁴² And many who were there believed in Jesus.

Note:

Here are the 3 questions for you to answer. I have given some basic answers below the questions to help you understand the passage. Answer the questions first yourself before you look at my answers. Take a moment before you begin and ask God to help you understand what you are reading.

3 questions to answer:

1.    Content: What is this passage about?

2.    Lesson: What do I learn from this passage?

3.    Application: How can I apply what I have learned to my life?

Answers to the questions above and some background:

Content: What is this passage about?

·       During winter at the time of the Festival of Dedication in Jerusalem, Jesus      was walking in the Temple in a section called Solomon’s Colonnade when    some Jews asked Him if He was really the Messiah.

·     Jesus rebuked those who asked Him because He had already told them He       was.

·   Jesus told them that those who did not believe Him were not His         sheep/followers. Then Jesus went on to explain what it meant to be one of     His sheep/followers.

·        It was at this point that the people tried to stone Jesus for blasphemy because He claimed to be God.

·        Jesus goes on to explain the authority He was given to carry out God’s work.

·        The people try to arrest Jesus but He got away.

·      Jesus leaves and goes to the place near the Jordan River where He was first baptized.

·     Many people follow Jesus and believed because of what He was able to do and what has come true.

Lesson: What do I learn from this passage?

·        Jesus tells the people that He is the Messiah and the proof is the testimony of the works He does in His Father’s name.

·        Jesus said that His people/followers who He referred to as His sheep, know His voice and follow Him. Those who do not believe do not follow Him nor believe that He is the Messiah.

·        Jesus explains that He is the one that offers eternal life and that a believer cannot be snatched away from the Father nor will ever perish.

·        Jesus explains that He is one with His Father.

What it means that Jesus is one with His Father/God:

·        First: Jesus claimed to be one with God in the sense of being equal to Him. Jesus did not claim to be merely a messenger or prophet of God, but of equal power with God.

·        Second: His audience understood that Jesus was claiming equality with God the Father. In verse John 10:31, “The Jews picked up stones again to stone him.” Why? Blasphemy was a crime punishable by death according to the Jewish Law. When Jesus asked why they were planning to kill Him, they answered, “For blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God” (John 10:33). If Jesus had been lying or deceived, His statement would have been blasphemous. In fact, the only way His words were not blasphemy is if Jesus was telling the truth about His equality with God.

·        Third: Jesus referred to Himself as God’s Son and to God as His Father (John 10:36–37). He used Psalm 82:6 to show that the Messiah has the right to claim the title “Son of God.”

·        Fourth: Jesus claimed that that Father sent Him: “the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world” (John 10:36). In this statement, Jesus claimed preexistence in the Father’s presence. No biblical prophet had ever made such a claim before; yet Jesus claimed to exist before Abraham “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” (John 8:58)

·        Fifth: Jesus only stated that the Jews did not believe Him; He never said they misunderstood His claim to be God. John 10:38 notes, “Even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” Jesus was not correcting a misunderstanding. They understood what He said perfectly. He was correcting their willful rejection of Him.

Colossians 1:16–17 affirms Jesus’ same teaching: “In him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” John 1:1 explicitly notes that Jesus was both with God in the beginning and was God.

In summary, Jesus claimed to be one with the Father as part of a larger argument to note that He had existed from eternity past, lived in perfect oneness with the Father, held the same power as God, and was sent by God the Father’s authority. Unfortunately, He was rejected as divine by the Jewish leaders. Jesus’ claim to have equal power as the Father was not blasphemy. It was the plain truth.

(Excerpt from WWW.Gotquestions.org)

·        Jesus was accused of blasphemy, claiming to be God, and that is why the people tried to stone Him. However, God’s plan was for Jesus to die, paying the price on the Cross as a sacrifice for the sins of the people.

·        Jesus claims to be the Son of God, sent into the world by God to carry out God’s work. The very work that would save God’s people. Yet, the irony was they didn’t want to be saved. Many people reject Christ today for the same reason. They think they do not need to be saved. Many don’t see the consequences of sin and certainly don’t believe in the truth of God’s Word.

·        So people are going through life spiritually dead because they do not have the gift of faith. Jesus came into this world bringing good news about how he would save people from their sin and offer eternal life to those who believe in Him.

·        Many are still blind to the truth, yet many believe, because they see the power of Jesus’ work take hold in their own lives, transforming their heart, mind and perspective.

·        Those who are saved receive the Holy Spirit who plays a major role in one’s life transformation. The Holy Spirit not only transforms the mind and the heart, but is also the mark of one who has received eternal life.

Ephesians 1:13 New International Version (NIV)

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit

Application: How can I apply what I have learned to my life?

·        Change behaviors that inhibit your walk with God.

·        Model a life that identifies you as a follower of Jesus.

·        Meditate on God’s Word.

·        Desire to share how Jesus is the truth and the life and the only way to the Father.

Don’t forget:

John’s main purpose in writing this Gospel:

·        To tell the world that Jesus is the Messiah for the Jews and Gentiles

·        The events were recorded so that we might believe and have eternal life

John 20:30-31 New International Version (NIV)

The Purpose of John’s Gospel

³⁰ Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. ³¹ But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Questions to ponder:

·        Do you listen to Jesus?

·        Do Jesus’ words and teaching impact your life?

·        What are the signs in your life that you are truly saved?

·        Do you believe all the claims Jesus made about Himself?

Have a great week…………….Dave