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Text
John 10
Jesus the True Shepherd
1 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.
Jesus the Good Shepherd
7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
17 “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”
19 Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings. 20 And many of them said, “He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?”
21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
The Shepherd Knows His Sheep
22 Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. 23 And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. 24 Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. 26 But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one.”
Renewed Efforts to Stone Jesus
31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. 32 Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?”
33 The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”
34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods”’? 35 If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), 36 do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.” 39 Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.
The Believers Beyond Jordan
40 And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed. 41 Then many came to Him and said, “John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true.” 42 And many believed in Him there.
Study Notes
10:1–39 Jesus’ discourse on Himself as the “Good Shepherd” flowed directly from chap. 9, as Jesus continued to talk to the very same people. The problem of chap. 9 was that Israel was led by false shepherds who drew them astray from the true knowledge and kingdom of Messiah (9:39–41). In chap. 10, Jesus declared Himself to be the “Good Shepherd” who was appointed by His Father as Savior and King, in contrast to the false shepherds of Israel who were self-appointed and self-righteous (Ps. 23:1; Is. 40:11; Jer. 3:15; cf. Is. 56:9–12; Jer. 23:1–4; 25:32–38; Ezek. 34:1–31; Zech. 11:16).
10:40 He went away again beyond the Jordan. Because of the increasing hostility (see v. 39), Jesus went from the region of Judea into the unpopulated area across the Jordan. to the place where John was baptizing at first. Cf. Matt. 3:1–6; Mark 1:2–6; Luke 3:3–6. This is probably a reference to either Perea or Batanea, the general area in the tetrarchy of Philip in the E and NE of the Sea of Galilee. The statement is ironic, since the area where John first began became the last area in which Jesus stayed before He left for Jerusalem and crucifixion. The people remembered John’s testimony to Christ and affirmed their faith in Him (vv. 41, 42).
The scripture text was taken from Biblegateway.com
The translation of the text is from The New King James Version.
Unless otherwise noted, scripture notes were taken from The MacArthur Study Bible notes that are contained in Biblegateway.com
14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.
Matthew 1:22-25 New King James Version (NKJV)
22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
24 Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, 25 and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.
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Key Verse: John 8:30 New King James Version (NKJV)
30 As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.
From Biblehub.com, we see the Greek:
came to believe ἐπίστευσαν episteusan 4100 to believe, entrust from pistis
Strong’s Concordance: 4100. pisteuó
pisteuó: to believe, entrust
Original Word: πιστεύω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: pisteuó
Phonetic Spelling: (pist-yoo’-o)
Short Definition: I believe, have faith in
Definition: I believe, have faith in, trust in; pass: I am entrusted with.
HELPS Word-studies: 4102. pistis
4100 pisteúō (from 4102 /pístis, “faith,” derived from 3982 /peíthō, “persuade, be persuaded”) – believe (affirm, have confidence); used of persuading oneself (= human believing) and with the sacred significance of being persuaded by the Lord (= faith-believing). Only the context indicates whether 4100 /pisteúō (“believe”) is self-serving (without sacred meaning), or the believing that leads to/proceeds from God’s inbirthing of faith.
Strong’s Concordance
pistis: faith, faithfulness
Original Word: πίστις, εως, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: pistis
Phonetic Spelling: (pis’-tis)
Short Definition: faith, belief, trust
Definition: faith, belief, trust, confidence; fidelity, faithfulness.
Parallel Verses – John 8:30
As you read the verse from the different translations, can you see any attack on the King James Version? The key to the verse is clearly stated in each translation verse, which is that “many Jews believed in Jesus for salvation,” as opposed to just an acknowledgment that Jesus was speaking truth.
New International Version
Even as he spoke, many believed in him.
New Living Translation
Then many who heard him say these things believed in him.
English Standard Version
As he was saying these things, many believed in him.
Berean Study Bible
As Jesus spoke these things, many believed in Him.
Berean Literal Bible
Of His speaking these things, many believed in Him.
New American Standard Bible
As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him.
King James Bible
As he spake these words, many believed on him.
Holman Christian Standard Bible
As He was saying these things, many believed in Him.
The following verses of scripture are taken from BibleGateway.com
John 8 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
The Adulterous Woman
1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him; and He sat down and began to teach them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees *brought a woman caught in adultery, and having set her in the center of the court, 4 they *said to Him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women; what then do You say?” 6 They were saying this, testing Him, so that they might have grounds for accusing Him. But Jesus stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground. 7 But when they persisted in asking Him, He straightened up, and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 When they heard it, they began to go out one by one, beginning with the older ones, and He was left alone, and the woman, where she was, in the center of the court.10 Straightening up, Jesus said to her, “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” 11 She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.”
Jesus Is the Light of the World
12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”13 So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not true.” 14 Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone. 16 But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me. 17 Even in your law it has been written that the testimony of two men is true. 18 I am He who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me.” 19 So they were saying to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.” 20 These words He spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come.
21 Then He said again to them, “I go away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come.” 22 So the Jews were saying, “Surely He will not kill Himself, will He, since He says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” 23 And He was saying to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. 24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” 25 So they were saying to Him, “Who are You?” Jesus said to them, “What have I been saying to you from the beginning? 26 I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I speak to the world.” 27 They did not realize that He had been speaking to them about the Father. 28 So Jesus said,“When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.29 And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” 30 As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him.
The Truth Will Make You Free
31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” 33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. 36 So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.37 I know that you are Abraham’s descendants; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 38 I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father.”
39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus *said to them, “If you are Abraham’s children, do the deeds of Abraham. 40 But as it is,you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do. 41 You are doing the deeds of your father.”They said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father: God.”42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me.46 Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”
48 The Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?” 49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. 50 But I do not seek My glory; there is One who seeks and judges. 51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death.” 52 The Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets also; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word, he will never taste of death.’ 53 Surely You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too; whom do You make Yourself out to be?” 54 Jesus answered, “If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing;it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God’; 55 and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” 57 So the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” 59 Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.
Commentary on key verses is provided by Dr. R.C. Sproul, and is taken from the Reformation Study Bible which he edited, and contains the English Standard Version (ESV).
8:5 the Law. The punishment prescribed by law for adultery was death (Lev. 20:10; Deut. 22:22). Stoning was not specified, except in one case (Deut. 22:24).
8:6 to test him. If Jesus told them to carry out the stoning, He would violate the Roman law by which the Romans reserved to themselves the execution of the death penalty in occupied lands (18:31). If Jesus told them to release the woman, He would appear to condone adultery and violate the law of Moses.
wrote. This is the only passage where Jesus is said to write. Nothing is said about what He wrote.
8:7 Jesus’ challenge showed the accusers to be disqualified as judges. Their purpose was not to enforce Moses’ law but to entrap Jesus, and they were using this woman as a pawn to achieve their wicked design.
8:11 condemn. This is a legal term referring to the sentence of a court. Jesus indicates that no such lawful procedures have been followed and therefore there is no basis for the capital punishment proposed. Jesus admonished the woman not to go on sinning.
8:12 I am the light of the world. In Jesus’ time, candles were used as part of the celebration of the Feast of Booths. During this feast, the rock that provided water in the wilderness and the pillar of fire that provided light and guidance were remembered (Ex. 13:21). The rock pointed to Jesus (1 Cor. 10:4), and He also is the light to which the pillar of fire as a type pointed. Since God is light (1 John 1:5), Jesus’ words amount to a claim of deity. Again, “I am” points back to Ex. 3:14 (6:35 note)
8:13 your testimony is not true. This discussion, which runs through v. 19, pivots on the question of valid testimony. The Pharisees say that Jesus’ testimony is not legally acceptable because it lacks corroboration (Deut. 17:6; 19:15).
8:14 I know where I came from. Since Jesus knows where He “came from” (heaven), He knows that His testimony is valid and true. Jesus’ origin is again the point of conflict (7:41–43, 52 and notes).
8:16 not I alone. Since the Father is His witness, Christ’s testimony is legally acceptable. In any case, one who has the witness of God needs nothing more.
8:19 The Pharisees misunderstood Jesus’ claim as a reference to His physical father, and they may have been eager to challenge Him as a child allegedly born out-of-wedlock. In speaking of His Father, however, Jesus was not talking about Joseph but about God. Knowledge of the Father comes through the Son (1:18; 14:9; 1 John 5:20). The Pharisees’ blindness to Jesus shows that their technical knowledge of the law did not give them the knowledge of God.
8:21 I am going away. Jesus speaks of His death, resurrection, and ascension.
die in your sin. Jesus clearly states the two destinies of humanity. Not all will be saved; some cannot go where Jesus is going. The only way of salvation is to believe (v. 24; 3:16, 18).
8:24, 28 I am he. Here Jesus applies Old Testament language for Yahweh to Himself (Ex. 3:14; Is. 43:10), an identification that becomes unambiguous in v. 58.
8:28 lifted up. See note at 3:14.
8:30 believed in him. From what is said later (vv. 33, 37, 39), it is apparent that their profession was superficial. True believers are those who abide in His word (v. 31). Perseverance distinguishes those who are truly born of God (15:2, 6; 1 John 2:19).
8:32 you will know the truth. Holding to the teaching of Christ who is the truth (14:6) leads one to the truth that sets a person free from slavery to sin. Salvation is not obtained by intellectual knowledge as the Gnostics imagined, but by a vital relationship with Jesus Christ and a commitment to the truth He revealed (18:37).
8:33 We . . . have never been enslaved. The Jews had been enslaved in Egypt and later were ruled by the Philistines, the Assyrians, and others. Since they could hardly deny this, they were probably saying that they had been a nation under God since the Exodus, no matter what else had happened to them. It is also possible that they were speaking about the time of the Romans, when they had certain liberties, including official recognition as a religion.
8:34 everyone who commits sin is a slave. Jesus describes the gravity of sin and the predicament of humanity under sin. His hearers did not understand the freedom He offered them as they did not understand the bondage they were in. See “The Freedom and Bondage of the Will” at Jer. 17:9.
8:36 if the Son sets you free. Regeneration (the new birth) is the work of the Holy Spirit (3:3–8), accomplished on the basis of Christ’s death and resurrection on our behalf (3:14–16).
free indeed. Jesus was not speaking of political freedom, nor merely a freedom by which we are relieved from physical bondage. True freedom is to serve God, to fulfill the purposes of those specially created in God’s image. Sin deprives us of this fulfillment because sin clouds our minds, degrades our feelings, and enslaves our wills. This is what the Reformers called “total depravity”; its only remedy is the grace of God in spiritual rebirth (3:3). See “Christian Liberty” at Gal. 5:1.
8:37 offspring of Abraham. God is interested in spiritual descent rather than physical ancestry. It does not matter how good a person’s ancestors have been if he or she is walking in the path of disobedience (Ezek. 18). Likewise it does not matter how bad a person’s ancestors have been if that person is renewed by God’s Spirit and walks in the way of faith.
8:40 This is not what Abraham did. Abraham was obedient to God’s direction even when it was painful for him. Jesus’ audience claimed to be Abraham’s descendants, but Jesus shows they are not like their ancestor in the essential matter of obedience. True sonship is not defined by biology but by obedience.
8:41 born of sexual immorality. This may well have been a sarcastic suggestion that Jesus was illegitimate
8:42 you would love me. The unity between Father and Son is so profound that no one can belong to the Father and reject the Son. Again Jesus’ origin is a point of contention (7:41–43 note).
8:44 You are of your father the devil. The relation of truth and righteousness has been prominent in this Gospel. People love darkness (error) rather than light (truth), because their deeds are evil (3:10). A frightful contrast is apparent here; there are just two options: God or Satan. By God’s grace, Abraham (vv. 39–41) had walked in the way of faith and obedience. Those who rejected Jesus were doing the opposite.
your will. Sinners desire to do what is evil. Only a supernatural act of grace can redirect a person’s will to desire the good.
He was a murderer . . . a liar. Among all the sins that could be mentioned as characteristic of Satan, murder and lying are singled out: lying because it is the direct opposite of “truth,” the central emphasis of this section (vv. 32–47); and murder because they desired to kill Jesus (v. 40). Satan contrasts sharply with Jesus who is “the truth, and the life” (14:6) and the giver of life (10:10, 28).
8:46 Which one of you convicts me of sin. No one can convict Jesus of sin, or prove any charge against Him. Jesus is free of all sin (2 Cor. 5:21), “holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners” (Heb. 7:26), doing always what pleases the Father (v. 29).
8:47 you do not hear. Sin paralyzes our spiritual senses. Only an act of God’s grace enables a sinner to hear His voice (cf. v. 43; 10:3, 4, 16, 27).
8:48 a Samaritan. A term of insult, possibly implying that Jesus was born out-of-wedlock (v. 41 note).
have a demon. When cornered by the truth, Jesus’ enemies turn to blasphemy (Matt. 12:24, 31).
8:49 I do not have a demon. Jesus’ conduct, in honoring the Father and not seeking self-glory, is the opposite of what a demon-possessed person would do. Jesus is not afraid to refer the matter to God’s judgment (cf. 17:4).
8:51 if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.Death, as eternal separation from fellowship with God, is the judicial punishment for sin (Rom. 6:23). Since Jesus died as the substitute for His people, those who belong to Him are freed from the penalty of sin because Christ endured it for them.
never. In extending the promise beyond this life, Jesus lays claim to a divine prerogative. The Jews understood the statement as promising avoidance of physical death (v. 52). Earlier statements made clear what Jesus meant (5:24–29).
8:53 Are you greater than our father Abraham. Abraham and the prophets, great as they were in the history of redemption, could not take away death. Only Christ has triumphed over the grave.
8:54 my glory. In the days of His earthly ministry, Jesus did not seek honor even though it belonged to Him as the Son of God. Christ’s glory was visible to those who had eyes to see it (1:14). It was apparent in His resurrection and ascension (1 Tim. 3:16), and will be seen fully at His Second Coming.
8:56 Abraham . . . saw it and was glad. Abraham saw Christ’s day as he embraced in faith many promises given to him by God, promises that demanded the coming of Christ to be fulfilled. Since the context of the discussion has been Satan as a murderer and Jesus as one whose death delivers from death, it may have special reference to God’s providing the ram as a substitute when Abraham was prepared to sacrifice Isaac. This statement shows clearly that even in Old Testament times, believers were saved through faith in Christ presented to them in the foreshadowing given by God to reveal His redemptive plan (cf. Acts 4:12).
8:57 fifty years old. Jesus was closer to thirty (Luke 3:23)
8:58 before Abraham was, I am. This is a clear reference to Jesus’ eternal pre-existence. Since this is an attribute of God alone, this text is a forceful statement of Jesus’ deity. The present tense of the verb suggests the eternal present of God’s eternity. “I am” is also reminiscent of God’s name in Ex. 3:14 (vv. 24, 28 note). See “Jesus Christ, God and Man” at 1:14.
8:59 they picked up stones. The Jews would not accept Christ’s claim to be God, but treated it as blasphemy, for which stoning was required in the law (Lev. 24:16; cf. John 10:31; Matt. 26:65).
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Key Associated Verses (All dates are from Scofield Study Bible)
Matthew 1:23-25 New American Standard Bible (NASB) (4 B.C.)
23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.”
24 And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, 25 but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.
Note: 1:23 virgin. Scholars sometimes dispute whether the Hebrew term in Is. 7:14 means “virgin” or “maiden.” Matthew is quoting here from the LXX which uses the unambiguous Gr. term for “virgin” (see note on Is. 7:14). Thus Matthew, writing under the Spirit’s inspiration, ends all doubt about the meaning of the word in Is. 7:14. Immanuel. Cf. Is. 8:8, 10. (Mac Arthur Study Bible note)
Isaiah 7:14 New American Standard Bible (NASB) 742 B.C.
14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.
Isaiah 8:8 New American Standard Bible (NASB) (742 B.C.)
8 “Then it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass through, It will reach even to the neck; And the spread of its wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel.
Isaiah 8:10 New American Standard Bible (NASB) (742 B.C.)
10 “Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted; State a proposal, but it will not stand, For God is with us.”
John 14:9 New American Standard Bible (NASB) (33 A.D.)
9 Jesus *said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
The following verses of scripture are taken from BibleGateway.com
John Chapter 7 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Jesus Teaches at the Feast
1 After these things Jesus was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him. 2 Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was near. 3 Therefore His brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. 4 For no one does anything in secret when he himself seeks to be known publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.”5 For not even His brothers were believing in Him. 6 So Jesus *said to them, “My time is not yet here, but your time is always opportune. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil. 8 Go up to the feast yourselves; I do not go up to this feast because My time has not yet fully come.” 9 Having said these things to them, He stayed in Galilee.
10 But when His brothers had gone up to the feast, then He Himself also went up, not publicly, but as if, in secret. 11 So the Jews were seeking Him at the feast and were saying, “Where is He?” 12 There was much grumbling among the crowds concerning Him; some were saying, “He is a good man”; others were saying, “No, on the contrary, He leads the people astray.” 13 Yet no one was speaking openly of Him for fear of the Jews.
14 But when it was now the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and began to teach. 15 The Jews then were astonished, saying, “How has this man become learned, having never been educated?” 16 So Jesus answered them and said, “My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17 If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself. 18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
19 “Did not Moses give you the Law, and yet none of you carries out the Law? Why do you seek to kill Me?” 20 The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who seeks to kill You?” 21 Jesus answered them, “I did one deed, and you all marvel.22 For this reason Moses has given you circumcision (not because it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a man. 23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath so that the Law of Moses will not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made an entire man well on the Sabbath? 24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”
25 So some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, “Is this not the man whom they are seeking to kill? 26 Look, He is speaking publicly, and they are saying nothing to Him. The rulers do not really know that this is the Christ, do they?27 However, we know where this man is from; but whenever the Christ may come, no one knows where He is from.” 28 Then Jesus cried out in the temple,teaching and saying, “You both know Me and know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know.29 I know Him, because I am from Him, and He sent Me.” 30 So they were seeking to seize Him; and no man laid his hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. 31 But many of the crowd believed in Him; and they were saying, “When the Christ comes, He will not perform more signs than those which this man has, will He?”
32 The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about Him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to seize Him. 33 Therefore Jesus said, “For a little while longer I am with you, then I go to Him who sent Me.34 You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.”35 The Jews then said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not find Him? He is not intending to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks, is He? 36 What is this statement that He said,‘You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come’?”
37 Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Division of People over Jesus
40 Some of the people therefore, when they heard these words, were saying, “This certainly is the Prophet.” 41 Others were saying, “This is the Christ.” Still others were saying, “Surely the Christ is not going to come from Galilee, is He?42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” 43 So a division occurred in the crowd because of Him. 44 Some of them wanted to seize Him, but no one laid hands on Him.
45 The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, “Why did you not bring Him?” 46 The officers answered, “Never has a man spoken the way this man speaks.” 47 The Pharisees then answered them, “You have not also been led astray, have you? 48 No one of the rulers or Pharisees has believed in Him, has he? 49 But this crowd which does not know the Law is accursed.” 50 Nicodemus (he who came to Him before, being one of them) *said to them, 51 “Our Law does not judge a man unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing, does it?” 52 They answered him, “You are not also from Galilee, are you? Search, and see that no prophet arises out of Galilee.” 53 [Everyone went to his home.
Commentary on key verses is provided by Dr. R.C. Sproul, and is taken from the Reformation Study Bible which he edited, and contains the English Standard Version (ESV). (Everyone should own a Reformation Study Bible).
7:2 Feast of Booths. The longest festival of the Jewish year (lasting seven days), this feast followed the Jewish New Year and the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur, Lev. 23; Deut. 16). It was a celebration of God’s gracious provision for the Israelites in the wilderness and the completion of the year’s harvest. There was a ceremonial water-drawing (commemorating the provision of water in the wilderness, Num. 20:2–13) and a lamp-lighting ritual. The first of these ceremonies provides the setting for Jesus’ proclamation in vv. 37, 38, the second for His statement in 8:12.
7:3, 5, 10 his brothers. Cf. 2:12; Matt. 12:46. Some of the brothers later believed in Jesus (Acts 1:14).
7:6 My time. See vv. 8, 30; 2:4; 8:20; 12:23; 13:1; 17:1; Matt. 26:18; Mark 14:41. Such passages show the concern of Jesus to conform to God’s schedule.
7:7 The world. Humanity in its opposition to God and His purpose….evil. Evildoers resent being unmasked by the good (3:19, 20).
7:8 I am not going up to this feast. Jesus does indeed later go to the Feast. His brothers have asked Him to present Himself openly to the crowds. But Jesus asserts that He is “not” yet ready to appear in such a public way.
7:13 for fear of the Jews. This is not a reference to all those who were natural descendants of Abraham. Rather, the term refers to Jewish leaders and officials who were hostile toward Jesus.
7:15 has never studied. Jesus was not known to have been taught by any rabbi, yet His knowledge and wisdom astounded those who heard Him (cf. 3:2; Matt. 7:28; Luke 2:47).
7:16 his who sent me. Jesus indicates the source of His teaching. His message is not original with Himself but comes from His Father.
7:17 will know. A true perception of the divine nature of Christ’s teaching is granted to those who earnestly desire to do God’s will (Ps. 25:14).
7:18 on his own authority. A contrast is established between self-seeking messengers and Jesus, whose guiding principle is to be true to His mission (12:49). See 1:14, 17; 14:6; 18:37; 2 Cor. 11:10; Rev. 3:7, 14; 19:11—passages where Christ and His message are identified with truth. This is also said of God the Father (7:28; 8:26; 17:3; Ps. 31:5; Is. 65:16; Rom. 3:4; 1 Thess. 1:9; 1 John 5:20; Rev. 6:10; 15:3; 16:7) and of the Holy Spirit (14:17; 15:26; 16:13; 1 John 4:6; 5:6). The same applies to the Scripture and apostolic preaching (17:17; Ps. 119:30, 43, 138,142, 151, 160; Eph. 1:13; Col. 1:5; 2 Tim. 2:15; James 1:18). This is in sharp contrast with Satan who is “a liar” (8:44).
7:19 Moses . . . the law. The blessing of having received the law as the revelation of God’s will (cf. Ps. 103:7; Rom. 3:2; 9:4) becomes a bane through disobedience (Rom. 7:7–12).
7:20 have a demon. Compare 8:48–52; 10:19–20; Matt. 12:24.
7:21 I did one deed. Jesus refers to the one deed He had done in their region, the healing of the lame man (5:1–15).
7:22 circumcision. Circumcision was prescribed in the law of Moses (Lev. 12:3), but it was previously instituted by God in the days of Abraham (Gen. 17:10–14). The regulation that it had to be performed on the eighth day was commonly regarded as taking precedence over the law of rest on the Sabbath.
7:23 whole body well. Jesus calls attention to the inconsistency of His accusers. There were a number of activities permitted on the Sabbath, including circumcision. He compares these activities with the work of healing.
7:27 we know where this man comes from. The people knew that Jesus was from Galilee (vv. 41, 52), and this seemed to conflict with the prevailing view that the Messiah would come from Bethlehem (v. 42; Matt. 2:5, 6) or that His origin would be unknown. Jesus in response points to His divine origin rather than an earthly location. In failing to acknowledge His divine mission they showed their ignorance of God’s plan, in spite of the miracles, which were proof of God’s endorsement (v. 31).
7:30 they were seeking to arrest him. The plots against Christ’s life could not succeed until God’s own time had come.
7:34 You will seek me and you will not find me. This is not in contradiction with Matt. 7:7. There Jesus is speaking about a thirst for God (cf. v. 37) that only the Holy Spirit creates in someone; but here He is referring to an effort to find Him geographically, which would be futile since He would be in heaven. Note the contrast between unbelievers (v. 34) and believers (14:3).
7:35 Where does this man intend to go. The Jews were puzzled as to Christ’s origin and so could not understand His destination, which was heaven. They understood it merely in geographical terms and were not pleased at the thought that He would exercise His ministry among the Greeks, heathens that they despised.
7:37, 38 At the climax of the feast, Jesus repeated dramatically the message He had given to the Samaritan woman (4:10–14) making clear that coming to Him meant believing in Him.
7:38 as the Scripture has said. What follows is not an exact quotation from the Old Testament, but there are several Old Testament passages that connect water with the end-time gift of the Spirit (e.g., Is. 44:3; Ezek. 36:25–27) and the blessings of the present (messianic) age (e.g., Is. 12:3; 58:11). Jesus fulfills the meaning of the Feast of Booths (v. 2 note)….rivers. This implies great abundance, benefiting not only believers, but also those around them.
7:39 the Spirit had not been given. Jesus is referring to the blessing of Pentecost. Of course, the Holy Spirit was present in the Old Testament period, but at Pentecost He entered into a more intimate relationship with believers (14:17; 1 Cor. 6:19). This is the Messiah’s gift to His people: He baptizes with the Spirit (Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16), but this blessing in its full measure and glory must await the ascension of Christ who will pour out the Spirit from heaven upon His people (16:7; cf. Eph. 4:8).
7:40 the Prophet. A reference to Deut. 18:15. It is interesting to observe the testimony of those outside the group of disciples who were not blinded by prejudice. They understood that Jesus could be “the Prophet” promised by Moses. They knew that His miracles were worthy of the Messiah they expected (v. 31). Some called him “the Christ” (v. 41), and they testified that no one ever spoke like Him (v. 46).
7:41–43 Dispute over the identity of Jesus continues to focus on His origin (cf. vv. 25–36 and notes). The people’s questioning remains trapped within the limits of this world (3:1–15; 4:1–26).
7:45–52 The strong prejudice of the chief priests and Pharisees is apparent in their condemnation of the temple guards (vv. 47,48), of the crowd (v. 49), and even of Nicodemus, one of their number (v. 52).
7:52 Galilee was held in contempt by the Sanhedrin as a mixed-race region where the law was not zealously observed.
My Note: When Adam and Eve fell, the effect was that Adam and Eve would die. The body, soul, and spirit of Adam and Eve, and everybody who would follow them through birth, would also die (Genesis 2:15-17). The flawed sperm and egg of Adam and Eve created children who also had a flawed sperm and egg, and so on and so forth. Immediately upon conception, resulting in an embryo, which has life, the newly conceived life begins to die (body, soul, spirit, 1 Thessalonians 5:23). The fall and death of Adam and Eve resulted in the death of every other conceived being (Romans 5:12). It is important to know that death, of any kind, did not occur until Adam and Eve sinned. The reason for the New Birth, or the birth from above, is to provide a spirit for mankind that is free of the flaw from the fall of Adam and Eve. Notice in verse 3 that Jesus tells Nicodemus that he must be born again if he wants to spend eternity with God. Nicodemus approached Jesus, “in all of his Jewishness.” Jesus, in essence, told Nicodemus that his keeping of the Ten Commandments, or his keeping of the feasts, would provide him with no entry into heaven. Jesus was talking to Jews, just as the apostles spoke to Jews and Gentiles, saying that we would need a spirit that is as pure as His Spirit, in order for us to enter into Heaven. Just as the Spirit of God will indwell those of us who have been born again, our spirit will also indwell the Spirit of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (See John 14:1-21 for that indwelling). 1 John 1:5 states that there is no darkness in God. So, in order for us to indwell God, our spirits must be cleansed of all darkness, which is a result of the New Birth.
1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews;
Reformation Study Bible
3:1–21 This is the first of many teaching discourses recorded by John. Typically on being asked a question, Jesus answers in a way that steers the discussion into a deeper realm, often through misunderstandings that are corrected for those becoming true disciples. The new understanding reveals Jesus more fully.
2 this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these [a]signs that You do unless God is with him.”
Reformation Study Bible
3:2 by night. This might betray a fear of being seen, or it might be a sign of deference to Jesus, a rabbi who should not be distracted during the day. Understood symbolically, Nicodemus is a person living in the darkness of this world, who now encounters the light (8:12; cf. 9:4; 11:10; 13:30).
a teacher . . . from God. Nicodemus understands that God attests His messengers through giving them power to perform miracles, but this understanding falls far short of Jesus’ true identity.
3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born [b]again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
Reformation Study Bible
3:3 born again. See text note. The translation “born from above” accords well with the discussion of “earthly” and “heavenly” things in v. 12, and the discussion of ascending and descending in v. 13. This is the meaning of the Greek adverb in other places in this Gospel (19:11, 23). Nicodemus apparently understood it to mean “a second time.” It is possible that both meanings are intended—a new birth that is a birth from above. See theological note “Regeneration: The New Birth” on the next page.
4 Nicodemus *said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?”
5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Reformation Study Bible
3:5 born of water and the Spirit. Some suggest that the “water” is the release of fluid that accompanies physical birth, but linguistic considerations point to understanding “water” and “Spirit” as referring to a single spiritual birth. Many interpreters understand “water” here as the water of baptism, but such a reference, before Christian baptism was instituted, would have been meaningless to Nicodemus. Others find a reference to John’s baptism, but Jesus nowhere makes John’s baptism a requirement for salvation. Probably the statement refers to Old Testament passages in which the terms “water” and “Spirit” are linked to express the pouring out of God’s Spirit in the end times (Is. 32:15; 44:3; Ezek. 36:25–27). The presence of such rich Old Testament imagery accounts for Jesus’ reproof of Nicodemus (v. 10): as a “teacher of Israel,” he should have understood.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born [c]again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Reformation Study Bible
3:6–8 This passage emphasizes the priority and sovereignty of God in the work of salvation. It does not exclude the reality of human response in repentance and faith.
My Note: Jesus relates the Holy Spirit to the wind. Consider the wind. It can not be seen, proof of its presence can easily be seen (trees blowing and knocked down, etc.) The wind can go left, right, forward, and backward. The wind can go fast, slow, turn in circles, and can stand still. The same is with the Holy Spirit, which can not be seen, but proof its presence can easily be seen, such as changed lives. 2 Corinthians 5:17 states, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” The old and the new relate to the Spirit of mankind. The Holy Spirit can move to the left, to the right, forward, and backward, and can go fast, slow, turn in circles, and can stand still. The important thing to remember is that God controls the wind and The Holy Spirit. We have no control over either. We can’t go down to the local “Born Again Store” and buy a gallon of it. Please know that the soul and body are not the subject of this topic of discussion. At the embryo stage, a spirit has been conceived and is in need of a Savior. Consider “grace;” Ephesians 2:8, for questions that relate to the deaths of pre born children.
9 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can these things be?”
10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things?
My Note: Nicodemus should have known the truth of the new birth, as is taught in Ezekiel 36:25-26, and shows a spiritual regeneration of the spirits of Jews.
Footnotes:
John 3:2 Or attesting miracles
John 3:3 Or from above
John 3:7 Or from above
Scofield’s Reference Notes
John 3, Born Again
Regeneration:
(1) The necessity of the new birth grows out of the incapacity of the natural man to “see” or “enter into” the kingdom of God. However gifted, moral, or refined, the natural man is absolutely blind to spiritual truth, and impotent to enter the kingdom; for he can neither obey, understand, nor please God John 3:3; John 3:5; John 3:6; Psalms 51:5; Jeremiah 17:9; Mark 7:21-23; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Romans 8:7; Romans 8:8;Ephesians 2:3 (See Scofield “Matthew 6:33”).
(2) The new birth is not a reformation of the old nature (See Scofield “Romans 6:6”) but a creative act of the holy Spirit John 3:5; John 1:12;John 1:13; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 2:10; Ephesians 4:24.
(3) The condition of the new birth is faith in Christ crucified John 3:14;John 3:15; John 1:12; John 1:13; Galatians 3:24
(4) Through the new birth the believer becomes a partaker of the divine nature and of the life of Christ Himself Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 2:10;Ephesians 4:24; Colossians 1:27; 1 Peter 1:23-25; 2 Peter 1:4; 1 John 5:10-12
Verse 10
A Master
Lit. Art thou the teacher of Israel, etc.
Consider the proactive nature of God, as it relates to our salvation. Consider this question. Who is the seeker, and who is lost?
Luke 19:10, New American Standard Bible (NASB)
10 For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”
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As you watch the opening video, let the worship of our Lord Jesus “wash over you.”
In this chapter there is the discussion of the first of two temple cleansings by Jesus.
Key Verse: John 2:24 (G. Campbell Morgan, 1863-1945)
John 2:24 New International Version (NIV)
24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people.
John 2 New American Standard Bible (NASB) (Scriptures taken from BibleGateway.com)
Miracle at Cana
1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; 2 and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus *said to Him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus *said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother *said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” 6 Now there were six stone water pots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each. 7 Jesus *said to them, “Fill the water pots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim. 8 And He *said to them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it to him. 9 When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter *called the bridegroom, 10 and *said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.
12 After this He went down to Capernaum, He and His mother and His brothers and His disciples; and they stayed there a few days.
First Passover—Cleansing the Temple
13 The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. 15 And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables; 16 and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a place of business.” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house will consume me.” 18 The Jews then said to Him, “What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?”19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” 21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body. 22 So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.
23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. 24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.
(Chapter 2 notes follow, and are taken from the Reformation Study Bible. Everyone should own a Reformation Study Bible.)
2:1–11 Jesus’ first sign: turning water into wine at Cana. This miracle signifies the transformation of the old order (symbolized by the stone water jars used for ceremonial washing, v. 6) into the new (the wine standing for eternal life in God’s kingdom) through Jesus Christ (cf. 2 Cor. 5:17). See Is. 25:6–9 for the background image of salvation as a banquet.
2:3 wine. This is the normal term employed in the New Testament for the fermented drink. Paul uses it when he says, “do not get drunk with wine” (Eph. 5:18).
2:4 Woman. This is a respectful way of addressing a woman within that culture and is the way Jesus normally addresses women (4:21; 8:10).
what does this have to do with me. Jesus answers Mary’s request, not because she is His mother, but as part of His work as the Messiah. This indicates that Mary’s special role as Jesus’ mother gives her no authority to intervene in Christ’s messianic career—a strong argument against offering prayer to Mary.
My hour. Usually Jesus’ “hour” refers to the time of His suffering and death (12:27). Here Jesus is asserting that He and not Mary must determine the timetable of His earthly ministry.
2:11 manifested his glory. The theme of Christ’s glory had already been introduced (1:14 note). In the Old Testament, God manifested His glory in a variety of miraculous events, and John’s comment indicates that he wants his readers to recognize Jesus’ deity.
And his disciples believed in him. See also v. 23 and 20:31, where John’s purpose for writing the book is disclosed.
2:12–23 Jesus is the final and full expression of what was only a shadow in the Old Testament (Heb. 10:1). Here He indicates that God is present in Him. The temple in Jerusalem could be destroyed, but not the temple that Jesus would rebuild in three days, His own body that was to be raised from the dead. John’s record of the temple cleansing immediately after the miracle at Cana (vv. 1–11 note) offers an important key to the whole of Jesus’ ministry. In these events are signaled replacement of the old order (water of ceremonial cleansing, Herod’s temple) with the new (the wine of salvation, Is. 25:6–9; the risen Lamb as the new temple, Rev. 21:22).
Matthew, Mark, and Luke report a cleansing of the temple in the week of Jesus’ crucifixion. In spite of some similarities, these are best viewed as different incidents (Mark 11:15 note). It is noteworthy that Jesus’ statement about destroying the temple, which John alone records (v. 19), probably was the basis for the accusation by the false witnesses (Matt. 26:61; Mark 14:58), and again for the taunting comment of some spectators at the crucifixion (Matt. 27:40; Mark 15:29). The first three Gospels confirm the historical character of John’s narrative. An echo of the same thought is found in the accusation against Stephen (Acts 6:14).
2:12 his brothers. See Matt. 12:46.
2:15 a whip of cords. Jesus fulfills the prophecy of Mal. 3:1–4. He comes suddenly to the temple and purifies the sons of Levi, as a demonstration of His zeal for God and for keeping God’s ordinances holy.
2:20 forty-six years. The sentence itself does not indicate whether the temple was finished or was still under construction after these years of building. The first century Jewish historian Josephus (Antiquities, 15.380) says that the temple was begun in the eighteenth year of Herod the Great (around 19 b.c.) and was not completed until the reign of Herod Agrippa (a.d. 63), indicating that construction was still continuing in Jesus’ time.
will you raise it up in three days. The Jews (and the disciples,v. 22) misunderstand Jesus’ ambiguous statement. Such initial misunderstanding is common in John’s Gospel (e.g., 3:4; 6:52). Those who “receive” Jesus (1:12) are led on to full understanding, but those who reject Him remain at the level of complete misunderstanding (1:5).
2:22 his disciples remembered. During His final instruction of the disciples before His arrest, Jesus promised that what He had taught them would be brought to their remembrance by the Holy Spirit (14:25, 26). The ability to predict events otherwise unknowable is evidence of divine authority. This applies to the prophecies of the Old Testament and to the predictions made by Jesus, especially about His resurrection.
2:23 believed in his name. In biblical times the “name” summed up a person’s character, activity, and place in God’s purpose. The faith of those mentioned here remained superficial, however, because they came to it only because “they saw the signs” (see Introduction: Interpretive Difficulties). For that reason, Jesus “did not entrust himself to them” (v. 24).
2:24, 25 Although Jesus did not exercise divine omniscience in the days of His flesh (11:34; Mark 13:32), He often displayed supernatural knowledge, important for His redemptive work, that indicated the divine endorsement of His claims and mission (1:48; Matt. 9:4; 17:27; Mark 11:2–4; 14:13–16).
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Verne Phifer sings “Love’s great mercy”
I Bowed on My Knees and Cried Holy
John Chapter 12 – The Deity Of Christ – The Anointing By Mary Of Bethany
Lesson Video
John Chapter 12
Lesson: John Chapter 12 – The Deity Of Christ – The Anointing By Mary Of Bethany
Key Verse: John 12:3, “Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.”
Key Thought: Consider the trust and humility of Mary, as she anointed the feet of “her” Lord, “our” Lord.
Lesson Text
John 12
The Anointing at Bethany
1 Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. 2 There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. 3 Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.
4 But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, 5 “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” 6 This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it.
7 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. 8 For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”
The Plot to Kill Lazarus
9 Now a great many of the Jews knew that He was there; and they came, not for Jesus’ sake only, but that they might also see Lazarus, whom He had raised from the dead. 10 But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, 11 because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus.
The Triumphal Entry
12 The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: “Hosanna!
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ The King of Israel!”
14 Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written:
15 “Fear not, daughter of Zion; Behold, your King is coming, Sitting on a donkey’s colt.”
16 His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him.
17 Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness. 18 For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign. 19 The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!”
The Fruitful Grain of Wheat
20 Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. 21 Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
22 Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus.
23 But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. 24 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. 25 He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.
Jesus Predicts His Death on the Cross
27 “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”
29 Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him.”
30 Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake. 31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.” 33 This He said, signifying by what death He would die.
34 The people answered Him, “We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”
35 Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.
Who Has Believed Our Report?
37 But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, 38 that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: “Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
39 Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again: 40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, Lest they should see with their eyes, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.” 41 These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.
Walk in the Light
42 Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
44 Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. 45 And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me. 46 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. 47 And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. 49 For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. 50 And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”
Study Notes – John
The following study notes come from the MacArthur Study Bible, and are provided by Biblgateway.com
Summary Notes
John 11:1—12:50 The previous passage (10:40–42) marked the end of John’s treatment of Jesus’ public ministry. At that point, He began to move into seclusion and minister to His own disciples and those who loved Him as He prepared to face death. Israel had her day of opportunity; the sun was setting and the night was coming. These two chapters form the transition to chaps. 13–21 which record the passion of Christ, i.e., the events surrounding the cross.
John 12:3 a pound of very costly oil of spikenard. The term used for “pound” actually indicates a weight around three-fourths of a pound (approximately 12 ounces). “Spikenard” was an oil extracted from the root of a plant grown in India. anointed the feet of Jesus. Since those who were eating reclined at the table, their feet extended away from it making it possible for Mary to anoint the feet of Jesus. The act symbolized Mary’s humble devotion and love for Him.
John 12:1–11 All four Gospels have an account of a woman anointing Jesus. John’s account seems to tell of the same incident recorded in Mt 26:6–13 and Mk 14:3–9, while that in Lk 7:36–50 is probably a different event (see notes on Mk 14:3–9).
Mark 14:3–9 The incident recorded here had occurred the previous Saturday (cf. John 12:1). It is Mark’s account of the anointing of Jesus by Mary in preparation for His crucifixion (cf. Matt. 26:6–13; John 12:2–8)..
NIV Study Bible Note: John 12:1–11 All four Gospels have an account of a woman anointing Jesus. John’s account seems to tell of the same incident recorded in Mt 26:6–13 and Mk 14:3–9, while that in Lk 7:36–50 is probably a different event (see notes on all these passages).
NIV Quest Study Bible Note: John 12:1-11 All four Gospels have an account of a woman anointing Jesus. John’s account seems to tell of the same incident recorded in Matthew 26:6–13 and Mark 14:3–9, while the account in Luke 7:37–39 is different
Reformation Study Bible Note: John 12:1–11 The anointing of Jesus recounted in Luke 7:36–50 is a different incident from this anointing by Mary, which is related also in Matt. 26:6–12 and Mark 14:3–9.
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Lesson Video
John Chapter 11
Lesson: John Chapter 11 – The Deity Of Christ – The Miraculous Sign
Key Verses : John 11:38-44
Key Thought: The key verses prove that Lazarus was “really dead,” and that Christ “really raised” Lazarus from death.
Lesson Text
John 11 – The Deity Of Christ – The Miraculous Sign
The Death of Lazarus
1 Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was that Mary who anointed the Lord with fragrant oil and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. 3 Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”
4 When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.”
5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was. 7 Then after this He said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”
8 The disciples said to Him, “Rabbi, lately the Jews sought to stone You, and are You going there again?”
9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But if one walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not in him.” 11 These things He said, and after that He said to them, “Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.”
12 Then His disciples said, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.” 13 However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep.
14 Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead. 15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, that you may believe. Nevertheless let us go to him.”
16 Then Thomas, who is called the Twin, said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him.”
I Am the Resurrection and the Life
17 So when Jesus came, He found that he had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Now Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles away. 19 And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.
20 Now Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met Him, but Mary was sitting in the house. 21 Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 Martha said to Him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
27 She said to Him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
Jesus and Death, the Last Enemy
28 And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, “The Teacher has come and is calling for you.” 29 As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him. 31 Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, “She is going to the tomb to weep there.”
32 Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”
33 Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. 34 And He said, “Where have you laid him?”
They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.”
35 Jesus wept. 36 Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!”
37 And some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?”
Lazarus Raised from the Dead
38 Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”
Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.”
40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.” 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”
The Plot to Kill Jesus
45 Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him. 46 But some of them went away to the Pharisees and told them the things Jesus did. 47 Then the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered a council and said, “What shall we do? For this Man works many signs. 48 If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and nation.”
49 And one of them, Caiaphas, being high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, 50 nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and not that the whole nation should perish.” 51 Now this he did not say on his own authority; but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, 52 and not for that nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.
53 Then, from that day on, they plotted to put Him to death. 54 Therefore Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there into the country near the wilderness, to a city called Ephraim, and there remained with His disciples.
55 And the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went from the country up to Jerusalem before the Passover, to purify themselves. 56 Then they sought Jesus, and spoke among themselves as they stood in the temple, “What do you think—that He will not come to the feast?” 57 Now both the chief priests and the Pharisees had given a command, that if anyone knew where He was, he should report it, that they might seize Him.
Study Notes – John
The following study notes come from the MacArthur Study Bible, and are provided by Biblgateway.com
Summary Notes
John 11:1—12:50 The previous passage (10:40–42) marked the end of John’s treatment of Jesus’ public ministry. At that point, He began to move into seclusion and minister to His own disciples and those who loved Him as He prepared to face death. Israel had her day of opportunity; the sun was setting and the night was coming. These two chapters form the transition to chaps. 13–21 which record the passion of Christ, i.e., the events surrounding the cross.
John 11:1–57 As chap. 11 begins, Jesus stands in the shadow of facing the cross. The little time that He had in the area beyond the Jordan came to an end. John picked up the story after He moved back into the area of Jerusalem and His death on the cross was only a few days away. In those last few days before His death, the scene in John’s gospel changes from hatred and rejection (10:39) to an unmistakable and blessed witness of the glory of Christ. All the rejection and hatred could not dim His glory as displayed through the resurrection of Lazarus. That miracle evidences His glory in 3 ways: 1) it pointed to His deity; 2) it strengthened the faith of the disciples; and 3) it led directly to the cross (12:23). The chapter can be divided as follows: 1) the preparation for the miracle (vv. 1–16); 2) the arrival of Jesus (vv. 17–37); 3) the miracle itself (vv. 38–44); and 4) the results of the miracle (vv. 45–57).
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Lesson: John Chapter 10 – The Deity Of Christ – Christ As The Ideal Shepherd
Verses Of Note:
John 3:17-18
17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
John 10:27-28
27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.
John 10:29-30
29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one.”
John 10:37-38
37 If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.”
John 10 Lesson Text – The Deity Of Christ
Christ the True Shepherd
1 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them.
Christ the Good Shepherd
7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. 15 As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.
17 “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.”
19 Therefore there was a division again among the Jews because of these sayings. 20 And many of them said, “He has a demon and is mad. Why do you listen to Him?”
21 Others said, “These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
The Shepherd Knows His Sheep
22 Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter. 23 And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. 24 Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.”
25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. 26 But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one.”
Renewed Efforts to Stone Christ
31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him. 32 Jesus answered them, “Many good works I have shown you from My Father. For which of those works do you stone Me?”
33 The Jews answered Him, saying, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God.”
34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, “You are gods”’? 35 If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), 36 do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? 37 If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; 38 but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.” 39 Therefore they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.
The Believers Beyond Jordan
40 And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at first, and there He stayed. 41 Then many came to Him and said, “John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about this Man were true.” 42 And many believed in Him there.
Study Notes – John
The following study notes come from the MacArthur Study Bible, and are provided by Biblgateway.com
An additional study note comes form the King James Study Bible.
Summary Notes
10:1–39 Jesus’ discourse on Himself as the “Good Shepherd” flowed directly from chap. 9, as Jesus continued to talk to the very same people. The problem of chap. 9 was that Israel was led by false shepherds who drew them astray from the true knowledge and kingdom of Messiah (9:39–41). In chap. 10, Jesus declared Himself to be the “Good Shepherd” who was appointed by His Father as Savior and King, in contrast to the false shepherds of Israel who were self-appointed and self-righteous (Ps. 23:1; Is. 40:11; Jer. 3:15; cf. Is. 56:9–12; Jer. 23:1–4; 25:32–38; Ezek. 34:1–31; Zech. 11:16).
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Lesson: John Chapter 9 – The Deity Of Christ
Verse Of Note:
John 9:5 New King James Version (NKJV)
“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
Lesson Text – The Deity Of Christ
John 9 New King James Version (NKJV)
A Man Born Blind Receives Sight
1 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. 4 I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
6 When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. 7 And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.
8 Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?”
9 Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He is like him.”
He said, “I am he.”
10 Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?”
11 He answered and said, “A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.”
12 Then they said to him, “Where is He?”
He said, “I do not know.”
The Pharisees Excommunicate the Healed Man
13 They brought him who formerly was blind to the Pharisees. 14 Now it was a Sabbath when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 15 Then the Pharisees also asked him again how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put clay on my eyes, and I washed, and I see.”
16 Therefore some of the Pharisees said, “This Man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.”
Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them.
17 They said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him because He opened your eyes?”
He said, “He is a prophet.”
18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight. 19 And they asked them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”
20 His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. 23 Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
24 So they again called the man who was blind, and said to him, “Give God the glory! We know that this Man is a sinner.”
25 He answered and said, “Whether He is a sinner or not I do not know. One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.”
26 Then they said to him again, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?”
27 He answered them, “I told you already, and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become His disciples?”
28 Then they reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are Moses’ disciples. 29 We know that God spoke to Moses; as for this fellow, we do not know where He is from.”
30 The man answered and said to them, “Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! 31 Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. 32 Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. 33 If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.”
34 They answered and said to him, “You were completely born in sins, and are you teaching us?” And they cast him out.
True Vision and True Blindness
35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?”
36 He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”
37 And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.”
38 Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him.
39 And Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may be made blind.”
40 Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, “Are we blind also?”
41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.
Study Notes
The following Verse Of Note study notes come from the MacArthur Study Bible and the King James Study Bible, and are provided by Biblgateway.com
Verse Of Note
9:5 I am the light of the world. See note on 8:12; cf. 1:5, 9; 3:19; 12:35, 46. Not only was Jesus spiritually the light of the world, but He would also provide the means of physical light for this blind man. (MacArthur Study Bible)
9:5. Light of world (cf. 1:4, 9; 8:12) means “as long as I am in the world.” When He is no longer in the world, then believers become the light of the world (Matt. 5:14). (King James Study Bible)
Summary Notes
The following Summary Notes are provided by the MacArthur Study Bible, and are provided by Biblegateway.com
9:1–13 Jesus performed a miracle by recreating the eyes of a man who was born with congenital blindness (v. 1). Four features highlight this healing: 1) the problem that precipitated the healing (v. 1); 2) the purpose for the man’s being born blind (vv. 2–5); 3) the power that healed him (vv. 6, 7); and 4) the perplexity of the people who saw the healing (vv. 8–13).
9:13–34 This section in the story of the healing of the blind man reveals some key characteristics of willful unbelief: 1) unbelief sets false standards; 2) unbelief always wants more evidence but never has enough; 3) unbelief does biased research on a purely subjective basis; 4) unbelief rejects the facts; and 5) unbelief is self-centered. John included this section on the dialogue of the Pharisees with the blind man most likely for two reasons: 1) the dialogue carefully demonstrates the character of willful and fixed unbelief, and 2) the story confirms the first great schism between the synagogue and Christ’s new followers. The blind man was the first known person thrown out of the synagogue because he chose to follow Christ (see 16:1–3).
9:35–41 While vv. 1–34 dealt with Jesus’ restoration of physical sight in the blind man, vv. 35–41 featured Jesus bringing spiritual “sight” to him.
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The scripture text was taken from Biblegateway.com
The translation of the text is from The New King James Version.
Unless otherwise noted, scripture notes were taken from The MacArthur Study Bible notes that are contained in Biblegateway.com
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Total Praise – Prestonwood Choir And Orchestra
Lesson Video
John Chapter 8
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Lesson: John Chapter 8 – The Deity Of Christ
Verses Of Note:
Revelation 4:1-3 New King James Version (NKJV)
The Throne Room of Heaven
1 After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.”
2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne. 3 And He who sat there was like a jasper and a sardius stone in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, in appearance like an emerald.
Lesson Text – The Deity Of Christ
John 8 New King James Version (NKJV)
An Adulteress Faces the Light of the World
1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
2 Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. 3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” 6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.
7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” 8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”
11 She said, “No one, Lord.”
And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
Jesus Defends His Self-Witness
13 The Pharisees therefore said to Him, “You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true.”
14 Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going. 15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. 16 And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. 17 It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. 18 I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.”
19 Then they said to Him, “Where is Your Father?”
Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.”
20 These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one laid hands on Him, for His hour had not yet come.
Jesus Predicts His Departure
21 Then Jesus said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.”
22 So the Jews said, “Will He kill Himself, because He says, ‘Where I go you cannot come’?”
23 And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.”
25 Then they said to Him, “Who are You?”
And Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning. 26 I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.”
27 They did not understand that He spoke to them of the Father.
28 Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. 29 And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” 30 As He spoke these words, many believed in Him.
The Truth Shall Make You Free
31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
Abraham’s Seed and Satan’s
37 “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 38 I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.”
39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.”
Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.40 But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 41 You do the deeds of your father.”
Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God.”
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. 43 Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46 Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? 47 He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.”
Before Abraham Was, I AM
48 Then the Jews answered and said to Him, “Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?”
49 Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.50 And I do not seek My own glory; there is One who seeks and judges. 51 Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.”
52 Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.’ 53 Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?”
54 Jesus answered, “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. 55 Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word.56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”
57 Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”
58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”
59 Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
Study Notes
The following study notes come from the MacArthur Study Bible, and are provided by Biblgateway.com
Revelation 4
4:1 Come up here. This is not a veiled reference to the rapture of the church, but a command for John to be temporarily transported to heaven “in the Spirit” (see note on 1:10) to receive revelation about future events. things which must take place after this. According to the outline given in 1:19, this begins the third and final section of the book, describing the events that will follow the church age.
(My note. The last sentence in the 4:1 note is key, and shows that the church age has ended at this point in scripture. Notice the following note from Dr. John F. Walvoord, deceased: “It seems that the church, as the Body of Christ, is out of the picture, and saints who come to know the Lord in this period are described as saved Israelites or saved Gentiles, never by terms which are characteristic of the church, the Body of Christ. Saints mentioned from this point on do not lose their racial background as is commonly done in referring to the church where Jew and Gentile are one in Christ. At the beginning of chapter 4, then, the church may be considered as in heaven and not related to events which will take place on the earth in preparation for Christ’s return in power and glory.”)
4:2 I was in the Spirit. See note on 1:10. throne. Not so much a piece of furniture, but a symbol of sovereign rule and authority (7:15; 11:19; 16:17, 18; cf. Is. 6:1). It is the focus of chap. 4, occurring 13 times, 11 times referring to God’s throne.
4:3 jasper. John later describes this stone as “crystal clear” (21:11), probably referring to a diamond, which refracts all the colors of the spectrum in wondrous brilliance. sardius. A fiery bright ruby stone named for the city near which it was found. emerald. A cool, emerald-green hue dominates the multi-colored rainbow surrounding God’s throne (cf. Ezek. 1:28). From the time of Noah, the rainbow became a sign of God’s faithfulness to His Word, His promises, and His Noahic covenant (Gen. 9:12–17).
John 8
7:53—8:11 This section dealing with the adulteress most likely was not a part of the original contents of John. It has been incorporated into various manuscripts at different places in the gospel (e.g., after vv. 36, 44, 52, or 21:25), while one manuscript places it after Luke 21:38. External manuscript evidence representing a great variety of textual traditions is decidedly against its inclusion, for the earliest and best manuscripts exclude it. Many manuscripts mark the passage to indicate doubt as to its inclusion. Significant early versions exclude it. No Gr. church father comments on the passage until the twelfth century. The vocabulary and style of the section also are different from the rest of the gospel, and the section interrupts the sequence of v. 52 with 8:12ff. Many, however, do think that it has all the earmarks of historical veracity, perhaps being a piece of oral tradition that circulated in parts of the western church, so that a few comments are in order. In spite of all these considerations of the likely unreliability of this section, it is possible to be wrong on the issue, and thus it is good to consider the meaning of this passage and leave it in the text, just as with Mark 16:9–20.
8:12–21 Excluding the story of the adulterous woman in 7:53—8:11, this verse attaches itself well to 7:52. The word “again” indicates that Jesus spoke once more to the people at this same Feast of Tabernacles (see 7:2, 10). While Jesus first used the water-drawing rite (7:37–39) as a metaphor to portray the ultimate spiritual truth of Himself as Messiah who fulfills all that the feast anticipated, He then turned to another rite that traditionally occurred at the feast: the lighting ceremony. During Tabernacles, 4 large lamps in the temple’s court of women were lit and an exuberant nightly celebration took place under their light with people dancing through the night and holding burning torches in their hands while singing songs and praises. The levitical orchestras also played. Jesus took this opportunity of the lighting celebration to portray another spiritual analogy for the people: “I am the light of the world.”
8:14–18 These verses give 3 reasons why Jesus’ witness was true: 1) Jesus knew His origin and destiny while the Jews were ignorant even of basic spiritual truths, making their judgment limited and superficial (vv. 14, 15); 2) the intimate union of the Son with the Father guaranteed the truth of the Son’s witness (v. 16); and 3) the Father and Son witnessed harmoniously together regarding the identity of the Son (vv. 17, 18).
8:21–30 Jesus revealed the consequence of the rejection of Him as Messiah and Son of God, i.e., spiritual death (v. 24; cf. Heb. 10:26–31). These verses reveal 4 ways that ensure someone will die in their sins and, as a result, experience spiritual death: 1) being self-righteous (vv. 20–22); 2) being earthbound (vv. 23, 24); 3) being unbelieving (v. 24); and 4) being willfully ignorant (vv. 25–29). The Jews who rejected Jesus displayed all 4 of these characteristics.
8:31–36 These verses are a pivotal passage in understanding genuine salvation and true discipleship. John emphasized these realities by stressing truth and freedom. The focus in the passage is upon those who were exercising the beginnings of faith in Jesus as Messiah and Son of God. Jesus desired them to move on in their faith. Saving faith is not fickle but firm and settled. Such maturity expresses itself in full commitment to the truth in Jesus Christ resulting in genuine freedom. The passage has 3 features: 1) the progress of freedom (vv. 31, 32); 2) the pretense of freedom (vv. 33, 34); and 3) the promise of freedom (vv. 35, 36).
The following notes come from the King James Study Bible, and are provided by Biblegateway.com
8:37–59. Jesus shows that discipleship depends on having the right Father. They had the wrong father. He refers to your father (vv. 38, 41, 44). They claimed to be sons of Abraham (v. 39), but Jesus shows this to be false in verses 39 and 40. They are Abraham’s physical seed (v. 37), but he is not their spiritual father. They also claim to be sons of God (v. 41), which Jesus shows to be false (v. 42). When you love the Parent, you will not hate the Son. Finally, Jesus says they are sons of the devil (v. 44), the father of lies, for they were knowingly doing his works (vv. 38, 41, 44).
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Unless otherwise noted, scripture notes were taken from The MacArthur Study Bible notes that are contained in Biblegateway.com
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Lesson: John Chapter 7 – The Deity Of Christ – Unto The Lamb – No More Night
Verses Of Worship
Revelation 22:1-5 New King James Version (NKJV)
The River of Life
1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. 4 They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. 5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.
Lesson Text – The Deity Of Christ
John 7 New King James Version (NKJV)
Jesus’ Brothers Disbelieve
1 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him. 2 Now the Jews’ Feast of Tabernacles was at hand. 3 His brothers therefore said to Him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. 4 For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” 5 For even His brothers did not believe in Him.
6 Then Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it that its works are evil. 8 You go up to this feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, for My time has not yet fully come.”9 When He had said these things to them, He remained in Galilee.
The Heavenly Scholar
10 But when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret. 11 Then the Jews sought Him at the feast, and said, “Where is He?” 12 And there was much complaining among the people concerning Him. Some said, “He is good”; others said, “No, on the contrary, He deceives the people.” 13 However, no one spoke openly of Him for fear of the Jews.
14 Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught. 15 And the Jews marveled, saying, “How does this Man know letters, having never studied?”
16 Jesus answered them and said, “My doctrine is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17 If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority. 18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him. 19 Did not Moses give you the law, yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill Me?”
20 The people answered and said, “You have a demon. Who is seeking to kill You?”
21 Jesus answered and said to them, “I did one work, and you all marvel. 22 Moses therefore gave you circumcision (not that it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and you circumcise a man on the Sabbath. 23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath, so that the law of Moses should not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made a man completely well on the Sabbath? 24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”
Could This Be the Christ?
25 Now some of them from Jerusalem said, “Is this not He whom they seek to kill? 26 But look! He speaks boldly, and they say nothing to Him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is truly the Christ? 27 However, we know where this Man is from; but when the Christ comes, no one knows where He is from.”
28 Then Jesus cried out, as He taught in the temple, saying, “You both know Me, and you know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know. 29 But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me.”
30 Therefore they sought to take Him; but no one laid a hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. 31 And many of the people believed in Him, and said, “When the Christ comes, will He do more signs than these which this Man has done?”
Jesus and the Religious Leaders
32 The Pharisees heard the crowd murmuring these things concerning Him, and the Pharisees and the chief priests sent officers to take Him. 33 Then Jesus said to them, “I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I go to Him who sent Me. 34 You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come.”
35 Then the Jews said among themselves, “Where does He intend to go that we shall not find Him? Does He intend to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks and teach the Greeks? 36 What is this thing that He said, ‘You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come’?”
The Promise of the Holy Spirit
37 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” 39 But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Who Is He?
40 Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, “Truly this is the Prophet.” 41 Others said, “This is the Christ.”
But some said, “Will the Christ come out of Galilee? 42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?” 43 So there was a division among the people because of Him. 44 Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him.
Rejected by the Authorities
45 Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why have you not brought Him?”
46 The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this Man!”
47 Then the Pharisees answered them, “Are you also deceived? 48 Have any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed in Him? 49 But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed.”
50 Nicodemus (he who came to Jesus by night, being one of them) said to them, 51 “Does our law judge a man before it hears him and knows what he is doing?”
52 They answered and said to him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search and look, for no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.”
An Adulteress Faces the Light of the World
53 And everyone went to his own house.
Study Notes
Revelation 22:1–5. Provided by Reformation Study Bible.
The final description of paradise contains elements alluding to the Garden of Eden. The intimacy of God with His people (vv. 3, 4) and the abundance of His blessing (vv. 1, 2, 5) are stressed even more than in the preceding verses. The final state restores the unbroken, idyllic communion between God and human beings. But the apex of history is more magnificent than the beginning. The garden is now also a city, and the light has driven out all night.
Revelation is designed not only to inform and assure Christians about God’s final purposes, but to increase their longing for God and the realization of His purpose. The certainty of that consummation comforts saints during times of temptation and persecution.
John Chapter 7 notes come from the MacArthur Study Bible, and are provided by Biblgateway.com
7:1–13 This section has two parts: 1) Jesus’ avoidance of the wrong time in God’s sovereign plan (vv. 1–9), and 2) Jesus’ perfect obedience to the right time in God’s sovereign plan (vv. 10–13).
7:14–24 The increasing hostility to Jesus did not prevent His teaching ministry. Instead, Jesus relentlessly set forth His claims regarding His identity and mission. In the midst of the Feast of Tabernacles, when Jews from all over Israel had migrated into Jerusalem, Jesus once again began to teach. In this section, Jesus set forth the justification of His ministry and taught with authority as God’s Son. In this passage, 5 reasons are set forth as to why Jesus’ claims regarding Himself are true: 1) His supernatural knowledge originated from the Father Himself (vv. 15, 16); 2) His teaching and knowledge could be confirmed by testing (v. 17); 3) His actions demonstrated His selflessness (v. 18); 4) His impact on the world was startling (vv. 19, 20); and 5) His deeds demonstrated His identity as the Son of God (vv. 21–24).
7:25–36 In this section, John once again reiterated the claims of Jesus to His identity as the Messiah and Son of God. He focused on His divine origin and citizenship. While some believed in Him at this time (v. 31), the religious leaders became even more angry at Him and nefariously planned to seize Him (v. 32). Jesus confronted the people with 3 dilemmas recorded in these verses: 1) the problem of dense confusion (vv. 25–29); 2) the problem of divided conviction (vv. 30–32); and 3) the problem of delayed conversion (vv. 33–36). These 3 problems left Jerusalem in a state of utter despair.
7:37–52 This section catalogues the different reactions of people to Jesus’ claims. These reactions have become universal patterns for reactions to Him through the ages. This section may be divided into the claim of Christ (vv. 37–39) and the reactions to Christ (vv. 40–52). The reactions may be subdivided into 5 sections: 1) the reaction of the convinced (vv. 40–41a); 2) the reaction of the contrary (vv. 41b–42); 3) the reaction of the hostile (vv. 43, 44); 4) the reaction of the confused (vv. 45, 46); and 5) the reaction of the religious authorities (vv. 47–52).
7:53—8:11 This section dealing with the adulteress most likely was not a part of the original contents of John. It has been incorporated into various manuscripts at different places in the gospel (e.g., after vv. 36, 44, 52, or 21:25), while one manuscript places it after Luke 21:38. External manuscript evidence representing a great variety of textual traditions is decidedly against its inclusion, for the earliest and best manuscripts exclude it. Many manuscripts mark the passage to indicate doubt as to its inclusion. Significant early versions exclude it. No Gr. church father comments on the passage until the twelfth century. The vocabulary and style of the section also are different from the rest of the gospel, and the section interrupts the sequence of v. 52 with 8:12ff. Many, however, do think that it has all the earmarks of historical veracity, perhaps being a piece of oral tradition that circulated in parts of the western church, so that a few comments are in order. In spite of all these considerations of the likely unreliability of this section, it is possible to be wrong on the issue, and thus it is good to consider the meaning of this passage and leave it in the text, just as with Mark 16:9–20.
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The scripture text was taken from Biblegateway.com
The translation of the text is from The New King James Version.
Scripture notes were taken from The MacArthur Study Bible notes that are contained in Biblegateway.com
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Lesson: John Chapter 6 – The Deity Of Christ
Key Passage: John 6:43-44 (See study note below)
John 6:43-44 Names of God Bible (NOG)
43 Yeshua responded, “Stop criticizing me! 44 People cannot come to me unless the Father who sent me brings them to me. I will bring these people back to life on the last day.
Study Text
John 6 New King James Version (NKJV)
Feeding the Five Thousand
1 After these things Jesus went over the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 Then a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His signs which He performed on those who were diseased. 3 And Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat with His disciples.
4 Now the Passover, a feast of the Jews, was near. 5 Then Jesus lifted up His eyes, and seeing a great multitude coming toward Him, He said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” 6 But this He said to test him, for He Himself knew what He would do.
7 Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may have a little.”
8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to Him, 9 “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish, but what are they among so many?”
10 Then Jesus said, “Make the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 So when they were filled, He said to His disciples, “Gather up the fragments that remain, so that nothing is lost.” 13 Therefore they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. 14 Then those men, when they had seen the sign that Jesus did, said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
Jesus Walks on the Sea
15 Therefore when Jesus perceived that they were about to come and take Him by force to make Him king, He departed again to the mountain by Himself alone.
16 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17 got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them. 18 Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing. 19 So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid. 20 But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.
The Bread from Heaven
22 On the following day, when the people who were standing on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other boat there, except that one which His disciples had entered, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with His disciples, but His disciples had gone away alone— 23 however, other boats came from Tiberias, near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had given thanks— 24 when the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they also got into boats and came to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. 25 And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You come here?”
26 Jesus answered them and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”
28 Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”
29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.”
30 Therefore they said to Him, “What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”
32 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
34 Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread always.”
35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen Me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. 40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”
Rejected by His Own
41 The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven.” 42 And they said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, ‘I have come down from heaven’?”
43 Jesus therefore answered and said to them, “Do not murmur among yourselves. 44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to Me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father. 47 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”
52 The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?”
53 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”
59 These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.
Many Disciples Turn Away
60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?”
61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 What then if you should see the Son of Man ascend where He was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. 65 And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.”
66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. 67 Then Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you also want to go away?”
68 But Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 Also we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve, and one of you is a devil?” 71 He spoke of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, for it was he who would betray Him, being one of the twelve.
Study Notes
6:1–14 The story of the feeding of the 5,000 is the fourth sign John employed to demonstrate that Jesus is the Messiah and Son of God. It is the only miracle recorded in all 4 gospels (Matt. 14:13–23; Mark 6:30–46; Luke 9:10–17). Since John most likely wrote to supplement and provide additional information not recorded in the synoptics (see Introduction: Background and Setting), his recording of this miracle emphasized its strategic importance in two ways: 1) it demonstrated the creative power of Christ more clearly than any other miracle, and 2) it decisively supported John’s purposes of demonstrating the deity of Jesus Christ while also serving to set the stage for Jesus’ discourse on the “bread of life” (vv. 22–40). Interestingly, both creative miracles of Jesus, the water into wine (2:1–10) and the multiplying of bread (vv. 1–14) speak of the main elements in the Lord’s supper or communion (v. 53).
6:1 After these things. A large gap of time may exist between chaps. 5 and 6. If the feast in 5:1 is Tabernacles, then at least 6 months passed (Oct. to Apr.). If the feast of 5:1 is Passover, then a year passed between these chapters. the Sea of Galilee.Chapter 6 is very close to the same structure as chap. 5 since both occur around a Jewish feast and both lead to a discourse of Jesus’ deity. While chap. 5 takes place in the S around Judea and Jerusalem, chap. 6 takes place in the N around Galilee. The result of both chapters is the same: He is rejected not only in the southern but also in the northern regions. See note on 21:1.
6:2 they saw His signs. The crowds followed not out of belief but out of curiosity concerning the miracles that He performed (v. 26). However, in spite of the crowd’s crass motivations, Jesus, having compassion on them, healed their sick and fed them (cf. Matt. 13:14; Mark 6:34).
6:7 Two hundred denarii. Since one denarius was a day’s pay for a common laborer, 200 denarii would be approximately 8 months’ wages. The crowd, however, was so large that such a significant amount was still inadequate to feed them.
6:10 five thousand. The number of men was 5,000, not including women and children, who probably brought the total up to 20,000.
6:14 the Prophet. The crowd referred to “the Prophet” of Deut. 18:15. Sadly, these comments, coming right after Jesus healed and fed them, indicate that the people desired a Messiah who met their physical, rather than spiritual, needs. Apparently, no recognition existed for the need of spiritual repentance and preparation for the kingdom (Matt. 4:17). They wanted an earthly, political Messiah to meet all their needs and to deliver them from Roman oppression. Their reaction typifies many who want a “Christ” that makes no demands of them (cf. Matt. 10:34–39; 16:24–26), but of whom they can make their selfish personal requests.
6:15 take Him by force to make Him king. John supplemented the information in Matthew and Mark by indicating that the reason Jesus dismissed the disciples and withdrew from the crowd into a mountain alone was because of His supernatural knowledge of their intention to make Him king in light of His healing and feeding of them. The crowd, incited by mob enthusiasm, was ready to proceed with crassly political intentions that would have jeopardized God’s will.
6:16–21 The story of Jesus’ walking on the water constituted the fifth sign in John’s gospel designed to demonstrate the writer’s purpose that Jesus is the Messiah and Son of God (20:30, 31). The miracle demonstrates Jesus’ deity by His sovereignty over the laws of nature.
6:17 toward Capernaum. Matthew 14:22 and Mark 6:45 indicate that as soon as Jesus had fed the multitudes, He immediately dismissed His disciples to travel W toward Capernaum (vv. 16, 17).
6:18 a great wind was blowing. The Sea of Galilee is almost 700 ft. below sea level. Cooler air from the northern mountains and southeastern tablelands rushes down into the lake and displaces the warm moist air, causing violent churning of the water.
6:19, 20 Jesus walking on the sea. The synoptics reveal that in fear and the darkness, they thought He was a ghost (Matt. 14:26; Mark 6:49). The Son of God, who made the world, was in control of its forces and, in this case, He suspended the law of gravity. The act was not frivolous on Jesus’ part, for it constituted a dramatic object lesson to the disciples of Jesus’ true identity as the sovereign Lord of all creation (cf. 1:3).
6:21 immediately the boat was at the land. This wording indicates that another miracle occurred besides walking on the water, i.e., the boat miraculously and instantly arrived at its precise destination as soon as Jesus stepped into the boat.
6:22–58 Jesus’ famous discourse on the bread of life. The key theme is v. 35, i.e., “I am the bread of Life,” which is the first of 7 emphatic “I AM” statements of Jesus in this gospel (8:12; 10:7, 9; 10:11, 14; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1, 5). This analogy of Jesus as “the bread” of life reinforces John’s theme of Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God (20:30, 31). Although John records Jesus’ miracles to establish His deity, he moves quickly to Jesus’ discourse on the spiritual realities of His person in order to define correctly who Jesus Christ was, i.e., not merely a wonder-worker but the Son of God who came to save mankind from sin (3:16). This discourse took place in the synagogue at Capernaum (v. 59).
6:22, 23 These verses indicate that the crowds who witnessed Jesus’ healings and His feeding of the multitudes were still at the original site of these miracles (E of the Lake) and, out of heightened curiosity, desired to find Jesus once again. Other boats loaded with people from Tiberias (on the NW shore of the lake) also heard of the miracles and sought Him out.
6:26 because you ate. This phrase emphasizes Jesus’ point that the crowds which followed Him were motivated by superficial desires of food rather than any understanding of the true spiritual significance of Jesus’ person and mission (8:14–21; Mark 6:52).
6:27 food which perishes. Jesus rebuked the crowd for purely materialistic notions of the messianic kingdom (cf. v. 26; 4:15). Although Messiah’s kingdom would be literal and physical someday, the people failed to see the overriding spiritual character and blessing of “everlasting life” given immediately to those who believe the witness of God to His Son. food which endures to everlasting life. The continuing discourse indicates that this was a reference to Jesus Himself (v. 35).
6:28 works of God. They thought Jesus was saying that God required them to do some works to earn everlasting life, which they thought they would be able to do.
6:29 the work of God, that you believe. The crowd misunderstood Jesus’ prohibition in v. 27 (“Do not labor”) which prompted Jesus to remind them that an exclusive focus on material blessings is wrong. The only work God desired was faith or trust in Jesus as Messiah and Son of God (cf. Mal. 3:1). The “work” that God requires is to believe in His Son (cf. 5:24).
6:30 What sign will You perform. The question demonstrated the obtuseness, the spiritual blindness of the crowd, and their shallow, selfish curiosity. The feeding of 20,000 (v. 10) was a sufficient enough sign to demonstrate Christ’s deity (cf. Luke 16:31).
6:31 Our fathers ate the manna. The crowd’s logic appeared to be that Jesus’ miraculous feeding was a small miracle compared to what Moses did. In order for them to believe in Him, they would need to see Him feed the nation of Israel on the same scale that God did when He sent manna and fed the entire nation of Israel during their wilderness wanderings for 40 years (Ex. 16:11–36). They were demanding that Jesus outdo Moses if they were to believe in Him. They quoted from Ps. 78:24.
6:32 true bread from heaven. The manna God gave was temporary and perished and was only a meager shadow of what God offered them in the true bread, Jesus Christ, who gives spiritual and eternal life to mankind (“world”).
6:33 bread of God. This phrase is synonymous with the phrase “bread from heaven” (v. 32).
6:34 “Lord, give us this bread always.” This statement once again demonstrated the blindness of the crowd, for they were thinking of some physical bread and failed to understand the spiritual implication that Jesus was that “bread” (cf. 4:15).
6:35 I am the bread of life. The obtuseness in v. 34 prompted Jesus to speak very plainly that He was referring to Himself.
6:37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me. This verse emphasizes the sovereign will of God in the selection of those who come to Him for salvation (cf. vv. 44, 65; 17:6, 12, 24). The Father has predestined those who would be saved (see notes on Rom. 8:29, 30; Eph. 1:3–6; 1 Pet. 1:2). The absolute sovereignty of God is the basis of Jesus’ confidence in the success of His mission (see note on v. 40; cf. Phil. 1:6). The security of salvation rests in the sovereignty of God, for God is the guarantee that “all” He has chosen will come to Him for salvation. The idea of “gives Me” is that every person chosen by God and drawn by God (v. 44) must be seen as a gift of the Father’s love to the Son. The Son receives each “love gift” (v. 37), holds on to each (v. 39), and will raise each to eternal glory (vv. 39, 40). No one chosen will be lost (see notes on Rom. 8:31–39). This saving purpose is the Father’s will which the Son will not fail to do perfectly (v. 38; cf. 4:34; 10:28, 29; 17:6, 12, 24).
6:40 everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him. This verse emphasizes human responsibility in salvation. Although God is sovereign, He works through faith, so that a man must believe in Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God who alone offers the only way of salvation (cf. 14:6). However, even faith is a gift of God (Rom. 12:3; Eph. 2:8, 9). Intellectually harmonizing the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man is impossible humanly, but perfectly resolved in the infinite mind of God.
6:41–50 This section constitutes the beginning of the crowd’s reaction to Jesus’ discourse on the bread of life and may be divided into 3 sections: 1) the murmuring reaction of the crowd (vv. 41, 42); 2) Jesus’ rebuke of the crowd for their reaction (vv. 43–46); and 3) Jesus’ reiteration of His message to the crowd (vv. 47–51).
6:41 The Jews. In this gospel, the term “Jews” is often associated with hostility toward Christ. It is used ironically to indicate the incongruity of their rising hostility toward their Messiah. Since they hardened their hearts, God judicially hardened their hearts also (cf. 12:37–40; Is. 6:10; 53:1; Matt. 13:10–15). In the tribulation, Israel will turn to Jesus as their true Messiah and be saved (Rom. 11:25–27; Rev. 1:7; 7:1–8; cf. Zech. 12:10–14). complained. The reaction of the synagogue crowds to Jesus’ statements was the same as the Jews in the wilderness who murmured against God both before and after the manna was given to them (Ex. 16:2, 8, 9; Num. 11:4–6). because He said, “I am the bread…from heaven.” The Jews’ anger centered in two things: 1) that Jesus said He was the bread and 2) that He came down from heaven. Both the Jews in Jerusalem (5:18) and the Galileans reacted negatively when Jesus placed Himself equal with God.
6:42 whose father and mother we know. On the human level, they knew Jesus as a fellow Galilean. These words are reminiscent of Jesus’ words in 4:44, “a prophet has no honor in his own country.” Their hostility sprang from the root of unbelief. Jesus’ death was impending because hostility had resulted everywhere He went.
KEY VERSE NOTE: 6:44
Reformation Study Bible: 6:44 unless the Father who sent me draws him. Jesus teaches that no one can respond positively to His warning and invitation apart from the Father’s work of drawing the individual to Jesus. The heart is naturally hard and will not accept God’s invitation, unless a special work of God’s grace takes place (v. 65). See “Effectual Calling and Conversion” at 2 Thess. 2:14.
6:44 draws him. Cf. v. 65. The combination of v. 37a and v. 44 indicate that the divine drawing activity which Jesus referred to cannot be reduced to what theologians call “prevenient grace,” i.e., that somehow the power to come to Christ is allegedly dispensed to all of mankind, thus enabling everyone to accept or reject the gospel according to their own will alone. Scripture indicates that no “free will” exists in man’s nature, for man is enslaved to sin (total depravity) and unable to believe apart from God’s empowerment (Rom. 3:1–19; Eph. 2:1–3; 2 Cor. 4:4; 2 Tim. 1:9). While “whosoever will” may come to the Father, only those whom the Father gives the ability to will toward Him will actually come to Him. The drawing here is selective and efficacious (producing the desired effect) upon those whom God has sovereignly chosen for salvation, i.e., those whom God has chosen will believe because God has sovereignly determined that result from eternity past (Eph. 1:9–11).
6:45 Jesus paraphrased Is. 54:13 to support the point that if someone comes to faith and repentance to God, it is because they have been “taught,” and hence drawn, by God. The “drawing” and “learning” are just different aspects of God’s sovereign direction in the person’s life. Those taught by God to grasp the truth are also drawn by God the Father to embrace the Son.
6:49, 50 Jesus contrasted the earthly and heavenly bread. The manna that was given in the wilderness, although sent from heaven to help sustain the Israelites for their physical needs, could not impart eternal life nor meet their spiritual needs as could the “bread of life” (v. 48) that came down from heaven in the person of Jesus the Messiah. The proof of this contrast centers in the irrefutable fact that all the fathers died who ate the wilderness manna.
6:51–59 This section may be divided into 3 divisions: 1) Jesus’ pronouncement (v. 51); 2) the crowd’s perplexity (v. 52); and 3) Jesus’ promises (vv. 53–59).
6:51 This pronouncement exactly reiterates vv. 33, 35, 47, 48. My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world. Jesus refers here prophetically to His impending sacrifice upon the cross (cf. 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 2:24). Jesus voluntarily laid down His life for evil, sinful mankind (10:18; 1 John 2:2).
6:52 quarreled. Once again the perplexity of the Jews indicates that they failed to understand the spiritual truth behind Jesus’ illustration. Every time Jesus had given them a veiled saying or physical illustration, the Jews failed to see its spiritual significance (e.g., 3:4; 4:15). The Mosaic law prohibited the drinking of blood or the eating of meat with blood still in it (Lev. 17:10–14; Deut. 12:16; Acts 15:29). The Jews, unable to go beyond the mere physical perspective, were perplexed and angered.
6:53–58 eat…drink. Jesus’ point was an analogy that has spiritual, rather than literal, significance: just as eating and drinking are necessary for physical life, so also is belief in His sacrificial death on the cross necessary for eternal life. The eating of His flesh and drinking of His blood metaphorically symbolize the need for accepting Jesus’ cross work. For the Jews, however, a crucified Messiah was unthinkable (cf. Acts 17:1–3). Once again, the Jews, in their willful and judicial blindness, could not see the real spiritual significance and truth behind Jesus’ statements. Moreover, Jesus’ reference here to eating and drinking was not referring to the ordinance of communion for two significant reasons: 1) communion had not been instituted yet, and 2) if Jesus was referring to communion, then the passage would teach that anyone partaking of communion would receive eternal life.
6:60–71 These verses constitute the reaction of Jesus’ disciples to His sermon on the “bread of life.” As with the crowds’ response in Jerusalem (chap. 5) and in Galilee (chap. 6), the response of many of His disciples was unbelief and rejection of Him. John lists two groups and their reactions: 1) the false disciples’ reaction of unbelief (vv. 60–66), and 2) the true disciples’ reaction of belief (vv. 67–71). After this sermon, only a small nucleus of disciples remained (v. 67).
6:61 His disciples complained. Many of Jesus’ disciples had the same reaction as the Jews in v. 41 and of the first generation of Israelites to manna, i.e., they murmured (Ex. 16:2).
6:64 Jesus knew. Reminiscent of Jesus’ words in 2:23–25, Jesus knew the hearts of men, including those disciples who followed Him. He supernaturally knew that many did not believe in Him as Messiah and Son of God so He did not entrust Himself to them. These false disciples were simply attracted to the physical phenomena (e.g., miracles and food), and failed to understand the true significance of Jesus’ teaching (v. 61).
6:65 I have said. See notes on vv. 37, 44. Although men and women are commanded to believe and will be held accountable for unbelief, genuine faith is never exclusively a matter of human decision. Once again, in the face of unbelief, Jesus reiterated God’s sovereignty involved in selection for salvation.
6:66 disciples…walked with Him no more. The language indicates that the abandonment was decisive and final (cf. 1 Pet. 2:6–8; 1 John 2:19
6:69 we have come to believe. Peter’s words were somewhat pretentious in that he implied that the true disciples somehow had superior insight and, as a result, came to belief through that insight.
6:70 Did I not choose you, the twelve. In response to Peter’s words that the disciples had come to believe in Jesus, He reminds them that He sovereignly chose them (vv. 37, 44, 65). Jesus would not allow even a whisper of human pretension in God’s sovereign selection. a devil. The word “devil” means “slanderer” or “false accuser.” The idea perhaps is better rendered “one of you is the devil.” This meaning is clear from 13:2, 27; Mark 8:33; Luke 22:3. The supreme adversary of God so operates behind failing human beings that his malice becomes theirs (cf. Matt. 16:23). Jesus supernaturally knew the source and identified it precisely. This clearly fixes the character of Judas, not as a well intentioned but misguided man trying to force Jesus to exert His power and set up His kingdom (as some suggest), but as a tool of Satan doing unmitigated wickedness (see notes on 13:21–30).
6:71 Iscariot. The word most likely is from a Heb. word meaning “man of Kerioth,” the name of a village in Judah. As with the other 3 gospels, as soon as he was named, he became identified as the betrayer.
Comments related to this post.
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The scripture text was taken from Biblegateway.com
The translation of the text is from The New King James Version.
Scripture notes were taken from The MacArthur Study Bible notes that are contained in Biblegateway.com
Click onto any blue letter or number to see the video and text on the post.
Key verse of consideration.
1 John 5:20 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
20 And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.
Study Text
John 5:17-20 New King James Version (NKJV)
17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”
18 Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. 19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. 20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel.
Consider the MacArthur Study Bible notes on the above scripture.
5:17 Jesus’ point is that whether He broke the Sabbath or not, God was working continuously and, since Jesus Himself worked continuously, He also must be God. Furthermore, God does not need a day of rest for He never wearies (Is. 40:28). For Jesus’ self-defense to be valid, the same factors that apply to God must also apply to Him. Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath (Matt. 12:8)! Interestingly, even the rabbis admitted that God’s work had not ceased after the Sabbath because He sustains the universe.
5:18 This verse confirms that the Jews instantly grasped the implications of His remarks that He was God (see notes on v. 17).
5:19 Most assuredly. Cf. vv. 24, 25; 1:51. This is an emphatic way of saying “I’m telling you the truth.” In response to Jewish hostility at the implications of His assertions of equality with God, Jesus became even more fearless, forceful, and emphatic. Jesus essentially tied His activities of healing on the Sabbath directly to the Father. The Son never took independent action that set Him against the Father because the Son only did those things that were coincident with and co-extensive with all that the Father does. Jesus thus implied that the only One who could do what the Father does must be as great as the Father.
Consider the following supportive verse of scripture that relates to the Deity Of Christ.
1 John 5:20 New King James Version (NKJV)
20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.
Consider the MacArthur Study Bible note on the above verse.
5:20 true. The word means “genuine” as opposed to what is false (cf. v. 21). God and eternal life. That Jesus Christ is the true God is the fifth Christian certainty. This verse constitutes the summation of John’s whole letter. The greatest certainty of all, the Incarnation, guarantees the certainty of the rest. This is the doctrinal foundation, out of which comes love and obedience.
Consider the following text that relates to 1 John 5:20, that is provided by Dr. W. Hall Harris, III.
W. Hall Harris III is Professor of New Testament Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary and is also the Project Director and Managing Editor for the NET Bible (New English Translation).
For over thirty years Hall has taught courses at Dallas Seminary in intermediate level Greek grammar and syntax, exegetical method, and various courses in the Gospel and Epistles of John. He received a Th.M. from Dallas Seminary and a Ph.D. from the University of Sheffield, England.
The force of the i{na (Jina) in 5:20. The Jina introduces a purpose clause which gives the purpose of the preceding affirmation: “we know that the Son of God has come and has given us insight in order that we might know him who is true….” Because “in order that” here is somewhat awkward and pedantic in terms of contemporary English style, the NET Bible has translated the purpose clause by an English infinitive, “insight to know him who is true.”
The meaning of the preposition ejn (en, “in”) and the referent of toVn ajlhqinovn (ton alhqinon, “him who is true”) in 5:20. This phrase is used as a description of God the Father by Jesus in his prayer in John 17:3 (“the only true God”). The following clause in 1 John 5:20, which mentions “his Son Jesus Christ,” confirms that the same referent is in view here, making it clear that the phrase toVn ajlhqinovn (ton alhqinon, “him who is true”) in 1 John 5:20 refers to God the Father. With the use of the preposition ejn (en, “in”) the author, for the last time in the letter, makes a significant statement of indwelling. As in John 17:3, eternal life is to be found in the knowledge of the one true God, and in Jesus Christ whom he sent. This is life “in” the Son (1 John 5:11). Malatesta suggested that the author used the verb ei\nai (einai, “to be”) rather than mevnein (menein, “to reside, to remain”) here to emphasize that “to be in God and in Jesus is the condition, the way of being, to which the Christian community is called.”743
The referent of ouJtov (Joutos, “this one”) in 5:20. The pronoun is personified (“this one”), but it is far from clear whether it should be understood as a reference to God the Father or Jesus Christ.744 R. Brown comments, “I John, which began with an example of stunning grammatical obscurity in the Prologue, continues to the end to offer us examples of unclear grammar.”745
The immediately preceding words are “Jesus Christ,” so proximity alone would suggest that as the preferred antecedent, but on some occasions when “Jesus Christ” is the closer antecedent, the pronoun still refers to God.746 The first predicate following ouJtov ejstin (Joutos estin, “this one is”) in 5:20, oJ ajlhqinoV qeov (Jo alhqinos qeos, “the true God”), is a description of God the Father used by Jesus in John 17:3, and was used in the preceding clause of the present verse to refer to God the Father.747 Yet the second predicate of ouJtov (Joutos) in 5:20, zwhV aijwvnio (zwh aiwnios, “eternal life”), appears to refer to Jesus, because although the Father possesses “life” (John 5:26, 6:57) just as Jesus does (John 1:4, 6:57; 1 John 5:11), “life” is never predicated of the Father elsewhere in the Johannine writings, while it is predicated of Jesus in John 11:25 and 14:6 (the latter a self-predication by Jesus). Furthermore, the reader was introduced to the expression “the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us in 1 John 1:2, so if we understand ouJtov (Joutos) in 5:20 as referring to Jesus, it forms an inclusion with the prologue.748 Taking all this into consideration, it appears best to understand the pronoun ouJtov (Joutos) in 5:20 as a reference to Jesus Christ. The christological affirmation which results is striking, but certainly not beyond the capabilities of the author (cf. John 1:1 and 20:31): “This one [= Jesus Christ] is the true God and eternal life.”
This post is one of many others that you can find in this blog that deal with The Gospel Of John. All posts in this series can be found under the category of John. Please follow this blog so that you can receive updates automatically.
If you want to make a comment, please place that comment on this blog in the appropriate space at the bottom of this page. If you do not want your comment to be shown, please let me know. I moderate all comments, and will not violate anybody’s trust.
The scripture text was taken from Biblegateway.com
The translation of the text is from The New King James Version.
Scripture notes were taken from The MacArthur Study Bible notes that are contained in Biblegateway.com
Click onto any blue letter or number to see the video and text on the blog.
Verse Of Consideration
Matthew 28:18 New King James Version (NKJV)
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
Study Text
John 5 New King James Version (NKJV)
A Man Healed at the Pool of Bethesda
1 After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. 3 In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. 4 For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had. 5 Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”
7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”
8 Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” 9 And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.
And that day was the Sabbath. 10 The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.”
11 He answered them, “He who made me well said to me, ‘Take up your bed and walk.’”
12 Then they asked him, “Who is the Man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” 13 But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, a multitude being in that place. 14 Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, “See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you.”
15 The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.
Honor the Father and the Son
16 For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath. 17 But Jesus answered them, “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”
18 Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God. 19 Then Jesus answered and said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. 20 For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and He will show Him greater works than these, that you may marvel. 21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. 22 For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, 23 that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.
Life and Judgment Are Through the Son
24 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. 25 Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, 27 and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice 29 and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. 30 I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.
The Fourfold Witness
31 “If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true. 32 There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true. 33 You have sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Yet I do not receive testimony from man, but I say these things that you may be saved. 35 He was the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light. 36 But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me. 37 And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form. 38 But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. 39 You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. 40 But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.
41 “I do not receive honor from men. 42 But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. 43 I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. 44 How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God? 45 Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”
Study Notes
5:1—7:52 This section evidences the shift from reservation and hesitation about Jesus as Messiah (3:26; 4:1–3) to outright rejection (7:52). The opposition started with controversy regarding Jesus’ healing on the Sabbath (vv. 1–18), intensified in chap. 6 with many of His disciples abandoning Him (6:66), and finally hardened in chap. 7 into official opposition against Him with the religious authorities’ unsuccessful attempt to arrest Him (7:20–52). Accordingly, the theme of this section is the rejection of Jesus as Messiah.
5:1–18 Although opposition to Jesus smoldered beneath the surface (e.g., 2:13–20), the story of Jesus’ healing at the Pool of Bethesda highlights the beginning of open hostility toward Him in Jerusalem in the southern parts of Palestine. The passage may be divided into 3 parts: 1) the miracle performed (vv. 1–9); 2) the Master persecuted (vv. 10–16); and 3) the murder planned (vv. 16–18).
5:1 feast of the Jews. John repeatedly tied his narrative to various Jewish feasts, (2:13—Passover; 6:4—Passover; 7:2—Tabernacles; 10:22—Hanukkah or Feast of Dedication; and 11:55—Passover), but this reference is the only instance when he did not identify the particular feast occurring at the time.
5:2 Sheep Gate. Most likely this is a reference to the gate identified in Neh. 3:1, 32; 12:39. It was a small opening in the N wall of the city, just W of the NE corner. there is…a pool. Some have suggested that John wrote his gospel before the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, because his usage of “is” here implies that the pool still existed. However, John frequently used what is known as a “historical present” to refer to past events, so this argument carries little weight. For more on the date of writing, see Introduction: Author and Date. Bethesda. “Bethesda” is the Gr. transliteration of a Heb. (or Aram.) name meaning “house of outpouring.”
5:3a lay. It was a custom at that time for people with infirmities to gather at this pool. Intermittent springs may have fed the pool and caused the disturbance of the water (v. 7). Some ancient witnesses indicate that the waters of the pool were red with minerals, and thus thought to have medicinal value.
5:3b, 4 The statement in the latter half of v. 3, “waiting for the moving of the water,” along with v. 4 are not original to the gospel. The earliest and best Gr. manuscripts, as well as the early versions, exclude the reading. The presence of words or expressions unfamiliar to John’s writings also militate against its inclusion.
5:5 thirty-eight years. John included this figure to emphasize the gravity of the debilitating disease that afflicted the individual. Since his sickness had been witnessed by many people for almost 4 decades, when Jesus cured him everyone knew the genuineness of the healing (cf. v. 9).
5:6 knew. The word implies supernatural knowledge of the man’s situation (1:47, 48; 4:17). Jesus picked the man out from among many sick people. The sovereign initiative was His, and no reason is given as to His choice.
The “I AM” Statements
Twenty-three times in all we find our Lord’s meaningful “I AM” (ego eimi, Gr.) in the Greek text of this gospel (4:26; 6:20, 35, 41, 48, 51; 8:12, 18, 24, 28, 58; 10:7, 9, 11, 14; 11:25; 13:19; 14:6; 15:1, 5; 18:5, 6, 8). In several of these, He joins His “I AM” with seven tremendous metaphors which are expressive of His saving relationship toward the world.
“I AM the Bread of life” (6:35, 41, 48, 51).
“I AM the Light of the world” (8:12).
“I AM the Door of the sheep” (10:7, 9).
“I AM the Good Shepherd” (10:11, 14).
“I AM the Resurrection and the Life” (11:25).
“I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (14:6).
“I AM the true Vine” (15:1, 5).
5:8 Rise, take…walk. In the same way that He spoke the world into being at creation, (Gen. 1:3), Jesus’ spoken words had the power to cure (cf. 1:3; 8:58; Gen. 1:1; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:2). bed. The “bed” or “mat” was normally made of straw and was light enough so that it could be carried on the shoulder of a well person who assisted the infirm (cf. Mark 2:3).
5:9 took up his bed, and walked. This phrase emphasizes the completeness of the cure (cf. v. 5).
5:10, 11 The OT had forbidden work on the Sabbath but did not stipulate what “work” was specifically indicated (Ex. 20:8–11). The assumption in Scripture seems to be that “work” was one’s customary employment, but rabbinical opinion had developed oral tradition beyond the OT which stipulated 39 activities forbidden (Mishnah Shabbath 7:2; 10:5), including carrying anything from one domain to another. Thus, the man had broken oral tradition, not OT law (see notes on v. 16).
5:10 it is not lawful. The phrase reveals that the Judaism during Jesus’ time had degenerated into pious hypocrisy. Such hypocrisy especially enraged the Lord Jesus (cf. Matt. 22, 23), who used this incident to set up a confrontation with Jewish hyper-legalism and identified the need for national repentance.
5:14 Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you. The basic thrust of Jesus’ comments here indicates that sin has its inevitable consequences (cf. Gal 6:7, 8). Although Scripture makes clear that not all disease is a consequence of sin (cf. 9:1–3; Luke 13:1–5), illness at times may be directly tied into one’s moral turpitude (cf. 1 Cor. 11:29, 30; James 5:15). Jesus may specifically have chosen this man in order to highlight this point.
5:16 persecuted. The verb tense means that the Jews repeatedly persecuted Jesus, i.e., continued hostile activity. This was not an isolated incident of their hatred toward Him because of His healings on the Sabbath (cf. Mark 3:1–6). on the Sabbath. Jesus did not break God’s law since in it there was no prohibition of doing good on that day (Mark 2:27). However, Jesus disregarded the oral law of the Jews that had developed, i.e., “the traditions of men” (cf. also Matt. 15:1–9). Most likely, Jesus deliberately practiced such healing on the Sabbath to provoke a confrontation with their religious hypocrisy that blinded them to the true worship of God (see vv. 17–47 for the main reason for Jesus’ confrontation; see notes on vv. 10, 11).
5:17–47 These verses reveal the ultimate reason Jesus confronted the Jews’ religious hypocrisy, i.e., the opportunity to declare who He was. This section is Christ’s own personal statement of His deity. As such, it is one of the greatest Christological discourses in Scripture. Herein Jesus makes 5 claims to equality with God: 1) He is equal with God in His person (vv. 17, 18); 2) He is equal with God in His works (vv. 19, 20); 3) He is equal with God in His power and sovereignty (v. 21); 4) He is equal with God in His judgment (v. 22); and 5) He is equal with God in His honor (v. 23).
5:17 Jesus’ point is that whether He broke the Sabbath or not, God was working continuously and, since Jesus Himself worked continuously, He also must be God. Furthermore, God does not need a day of rest for He never wearies (Is. 40:28). For Jesus’ self-defense to be valid, the same factors that apply to God must also apply to Him. Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath (Matt. 12:8)! Interestingly, even the rabbis admitted that God’s work had not ceased after the Sabbath because He sustains the universe.
5:18 This verse confirms that the Jews instantly grasped the implications of His remarks that He was God (see notes on v. 17)
5:19 Most assuredly. Cf. vv. 24, 25; 1:51. This is an emphatic way of saying “I’m telling you the truth.” In response to Jewish hostility at the implications of His assertions of equality with God, Jesus became even more fearless, forceful, and emphatic. Jesus essentially tied His activities of healing on the Sabbath directly to the Father. The Son never took independent action that set Him against the Father because the Son only did those things that were coincident with and co-extensive with all that the Father does. Jesus thus implied that the only One who could do what the Father does must be as great as the Father.
5:20 greater works. This refers to the powerful work of raising the dead. God has that power (cf. 1 Kin. 17:17–24; 2 Kin. 4:32–37; 5:7) and so does the Lord Jesus (vv. 21–29; 11:25–44; 14:19; 20:1–18).
5:23 honor the Son. This verse gives the reason that God entrusted all judgment to the Son (v. 22), i.e., so that all men should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. This verse goes far beyond making Jesus a mere ambassador who is acting in the name of a monarch, but gives Him full and complete equality with the Father (cf. Phil. 2:9–11). honor the Father. Jesus turned the tables on the Jewish accusation against Him of blasphemy. Instead, Jesus affirmed that the only way anyone can honor the Father is through receiving the Son. Therefore, the Jews were the ones who actually blasphemed the Father by rejection of His Son.
5:24 passed from death into life. This develops the truth of v. 21, that Jesus gives life to whomever He desires. The people who receive that life are here identified as those who hear the Word and believe in the Father and the Son. They are the people who have eternal life and never will be condemned (Rom. 8:1; Col. 1:13).
5:25–29 The theme of these verses is resurrection. Jesus related that all men, saved and unsaved, will be literally and physically resurrected from the dead. However, only the saved experience a spiritual (“born again”), as well as physical, resurrection unto eternal life. The unsaved will be resurrected unto judgment and eternal punishment through separation from God (i.e., the second death; cf. Rev. 20:6, 14; 21:8). These verses also constitute proof of the deity of Jesus Christ since the Son has resurrection power (vv. 25, 26), and the Father has granted Him the status of Judge of all mankind (v. 27). In the light of other Scripture, it is clear that Jesus speaks generally about resurrection, but not about one, general resurrection (see notes on Dan. 12:2; 1 Cor. 15:23; 1 Thess. 4:16).
5:25 hour is coming, and now is. Cf. 4:23. This phrase reveals an already/not yet tension regarding the resurrection. Those who are born again are already “spiritually” resurrected (“now is”; Eph. 2:1; Col. 2:13), and yet a future physical resurrection still awaits them (“hour is coming”; 1 Cor. 15:35–54; Phil. 3:20, 21).
5:26 He has granted the Son. The Son from all eternity had the right to grant life (1:4). The distinction involves Jesus’ deity versus His incarnation. In becoming a man, Jesus voluntarily set aside the independent exercise of His divine attributes and prerogatives (Phil. 2:6–11). Jesus here affirmed that even in His humanity, the Father granted Him “life-giving” power, i.e., the power of resurrection (see note on v. 20).
5:27 authority. Cf. 17:2; see note on Matt. 28:18.
28:18 All authority. See 11:27; John 3:35. Absolute sovereign authority—lordship over all—is handed to Christ, “in heaven and on earth.” This is clear proof of His deity. The time of His humiliation was at an end, and God had exalted Him above all (Phil. 2:9–11).
5:29 those who have done good…evil. Jesus was not teaching justification by works (see 6:29). In the context, the “good” is believing on the Son so as to receive a new nature that produces good works (3:21; James 2:14–20), while the “evil” done is to reject the Son (the unsaved) and hate the light, which has the result of evil deeds (3:18, 19). In essence, works merely evidence one’s nature as saved or unsaved (see notes on Rom. 2:5–10), but human works never determine one’s salvation.
5:30 the will of the Father. In summarizing all He has said from v. 19 on about His equality with God, Jesus claimed that the judgment He exercised was because everything He did was dependent upon the Father’s word and will (cf. vv. 19, 20).
5:32–47 The background of these verses is Deut. 17:6; 19:15 where witnesses were to establish the truthfulness of a matter (see note on 1:7). Jesus Himself emphasized the familiar theme of witnesses who testify to the identity of the Son: 1) John the Baptist (vv. 32–35); 2) Jesus’ works (vv. 35, 36); 3) the Father (vv. 37, 38); and 4) the OT Scriptures (vv. 39–47).
5:36 the very works that I do. Cf. 10:25. The miracles of Jesus were witness to His deity and messiahship. Such miracles are the major signs recorded by John in this gospel, so as to fulfill His purpose in 20:30, 31 (see Introduction: Historical and Theological Themes).
5:37 Father…has testified. Cf. Matt. 3:17; Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22.
5:39 You search. Although the verb “search” could also be understood as a command (i.e., “Search the Scriptures!”), most prefer this translation as an indicative. The verb implies diligent scrutiny in investigating the Scriptures to find “eternal life.” However, Jesus points out that with all their fastidious effort, they miserably failed in their understanding of the true way to eternal life through the Son of God (see notes on Matt. 19:16–25; cf. 14:6; 2 Tim. 3:15). testify of Me. Cf. v. 45. Christ is the main theme of Scripture. See note on 1:45.
5:40 not willing. They searched for eternal life, but were not willing to trust its only source (cf. v. 24; 1:11; 3:19).
5:41 honor from men. If Jesus agreed to be the kind of Messiah the Jews wanted, providing miracles and food along with political and military power, He would receive honor from them. But He sought only to please God (vv. 19ff.).
5:43 him you will receive. The Jewish historian, Josephus, records that a string of messianic pretenders arose in the years before A.D. 70. This verse contrasts the Jewish rejection of their true Messiah because they did not love or know God (v. 42), with their willing acceptance of charlatans.
5:46 Moses…for he wrote about Me. Jesus does not mention any specific passage in the 5 books of Moses although there are many (e.g., Deut. 18:15; cf. 1:21; 4:19; 6:14; 7:40, 52).
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The translation of the text is from The New King James Version.
Scripture notes were taken from The MacArthur Study Bible notes that are contained in Biblegateway.com
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A Samaritan Woman Meets Her Messiah
1 Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John 2 (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples), 3 He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. 4 But He needed to go through Samaria.
5 So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. 6 Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.
7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” 8 For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.
9 Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, “How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.
10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
11 The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? 12 Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?”
13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”
15 The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.”
17 The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.”
Jesus said to her, “You have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ 18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly.”
19 The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.”
21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
25 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.”
26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”
The Whitened Harvest
27 And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why are You talking with her?”
28 The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men,29 “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” 30 Then they went out of the city and came to Him.
31 In the meantime His disciples urged Him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.”
32 But He said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.”
33 Therefore the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought Him anything to eat?”
34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.35 Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! 36 And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. 37 For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’38 I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors.”
The Savior of the World
39 And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of His own word.
42 Then they said to the woman, “Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world.”
Welcome at Galilee
43 Now after the two days He departed from there and went to Galilee. 44 For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. 45 So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they also had gone to the feast.
A Nobleman’s Son Healed
46 So Jesus came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum. 47 When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and implored Him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. 48 Then Jesus said to him, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.”
49 The nobleman said to Him, “Sir, come down before my child dies!”
50 Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your son lives.” So the man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and he went his way. 51 And as he was now going down, his servants met him and told him, saying, “Your son lives!”
52 Then he inquired of them the hour when he got better. And they said to him, “Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.” 53 So the father knew that it was at the same hour in which Jesus said to him, “Your son lives.” And he himself believed, and his whole household.
54 This again is the second sign Jesus did when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.
Study notes.
4:1–26 The story of the Samaritan woman reinforces John’s main theme that Jesus is the Messiah and Son of God. The thrust of these verses is not so much her conversion but that Jesus is Messiah (v. 26). While her conversion is clearly implied, the apostle’s focus centers on Jesus’ declaration foretold in the Scriptures (v. 25). Important also is the fact that this chapter demonstrates Jesus’ love and understanding of people. His love for mankind involved no boundaries, for He lovingly and compassionately reached out to a woman who was a social outcast. In contrast to the limitations of human love, Christ exhibits the character of divine love that is indiscriminate and all-encompassing (3:16).
4:3 He left Judea. John the Baptist and Jesus had official scrutiny focused on them because of their distinctive message regarding repentance and the kingdom. Most likely, Jesus wanted to avoid any possible trouble with John’s disciples who were troubled with His growing popularity and, since the Pharisees were also focusing on His growing influence, Jesus decided to leave Judea and travel N in order to avoid any conflict.
4:4 He needed to go through. Several roads led from Judea to Galilee: one near the seacoast; another through the region of Perea; and one through the heart of Samaria. Even with the strong antipathy between Jews and Samaritans, the Jewish historian Josephus relates that the custom of Judeans at the time of the great festivals was to travel through the country of the Samaritans because it was the shorter route. Although the verb “needed” may possibly refer to the fact that Jesus wanted to save time and needless steps, because of the gospel’s emphasis on the Lord’s consciousness of fulfilling His Father’s plan (2:4; 7:30; 8:20; 12:23; 13:1; 14:31), the apostle may have been highlighting divine, spiritual necessity, i.e., Jesus had an appointment with divine destiny in meeting the Samaritan woman, to whom He would reveal His messiahship. Samaria. When the nation of Israel split politically after Solomon’s rule, King Omri named the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel “Samaria” (1 Kin. 16:24). The name eventually referred to the entire district and sometimes to the entire northern kingdom, which had been taken captive (capital, Samaria) by Assyria in 722 B.C. (2 Kin. 17:1–6). While Assyria led most of the populace of the 10 northern tribes away (into the region which today is northern Iraq), it left a sizable population of Jews in the northern Samaritan region and transported many non-Jews into Samaria. These groups intermingled to form a mixed race through intermarriage. Eventually tension developed between the Jews who returned from captivity and the Samaritans. The Samaritans withdrew from the worship of Yahweh at Jerusalem and established their worship at Mt. Gerizim in Samaria (vv. 20–22). Samaritans regarded only the Pentateuch as authoritative. As a result of this history, Jews repudiated Samaritans and considered them heretical. Intense ethnic and cultural tensions raged historically between the two groups so that both avoided contact as much as possible (v. 9; Ezra 4:1–24; Neh. 4:1–6; Luke 10:25–37). See note on 2 Kin. 17:24.
4:5 Sychar. This town is probably identified with the modern village of Askar on the shoulder of Mt. Ebal, opposite Mt. Gerizim. A continuous line of tradition identifies Jacob’s well as lying about a half mile S of Askar.
4:5, 6 These verses refer back to Gen. 48:22 where Jacob bequeathed a section of land to Joseph which he had purchased from the “children of Hamor” (cf. Gen. 33:19). When the Jews returned from Egypt, they buried Joseph’s bones in that land at Shechem. This area became the inheritance of Joseph’s descendants. The precise location of “Jacob’s well” has been set by a firm tradition among Jews, Samaritans, Muslims, and Christians and lies today in the shadow of the crypt of an unfinished Orthodox church. The term used here for “well” denotes a running spring, while in vv. 11, 12 John used another term for “well” that means “cistern” or “dug-out-well” indicating that the well was both dug out and fed by an underground spring. This spring is still active today.
4:6 wearied from His journey. Since the Word became flesh (1:14), He also suffered from physical limitations in His humanity (Heb. 2:10–14). the sixth hour. John used Roman time, which started reckoning from 12:00 p.m., so the time would be about 6:00 p.m.
4:7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Women generally came in groups to collect water, either earlier or later in the day to avoid the sun’s heat. If the Samaritan woman alone came at 12:00 p.m. (see note on v. 6), this may indicate that her public shame (vv. 16–19) caused her to be isolated from other women. “Give Me a drink.” For a Jewish man to speak to a woman in public, let alone to ask from her, a Samaritan, a drink was a definite breach of rigid social custom as well as a marked departure from the social animosity that existed between the two groups. Further, a “rabbi” and religious leader did not hold conversations with women of ill-repute (v. 18).
4:8 to buy food. This verse indicates that since Jesus and His disciples were willing to purchase food from Samaritans, they did not follow some of the self-imposed regulations of stricter Jews, who would have been unwilling to eat food handled by outcast Samaritans.
4:10 living water. The OT is the background for this term, which has important metaphorical significance. In Jer. 2:13, Yahweh decries the disobedient Jews for rejecting Him, the “fountain of living waters.” The OT prophets looked forward to a time when “living waters shall flow from Jerusalem” (Zech. 14:8; Ezek. 47:9). The OT metaphor spoke of the knowledge of God and His grace which provides cleansing, spiritual life, and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit (cf. Is. 1:16–18; 12:3; 44:3; Ezek. 36:25–27). John applies these themes to Jesus Christ as the living water which is symbolic of eternal life mediated by the Holy Spirit from Him (cf. v. 14; 6:35; 7:37–39). Jesus used the woman’s need for physical water to sustain life in this arid region in order to serve as an object lesson for her need for spiritual transformation.
4:15 The woman, like Nicodemus (3:4), did not realize that Jesus was talking about her spiritual needs. Instead, in her mind, she wanted such water in order to avoid her frequent trips to Jacob’s well.
4:16 call your husband. Since the woman failed to understand the nature of the living water He offered (v. 15), Jesus abruptly turned the dialogue to focus sharply on her real spiritual need for conversion and cleansing from sin. His intimate knowledge of her morally depraved life not only indicated His supernatural ability, but also focused on her spiritual condition.
4:18 not your husband. She was living conjugally with a man who Jesus said was not her husband. By such an explicit statement, our Lord rejected the notion that when two people live together it constitutes marriage. Biblically, marriage is always restricted to a public, formal, official, and recognized covenant.
4:19 You are a prophet. His knowledge of her life indicated He had supernatural inspiration.
4:20 on this mountain. Both Jews and Samaritans recognized that God had commanded their forefathers to identify a special place for worshiping Him (Deut. 12:5). The Jews, recognizing the entire Hebrew canon, chose Jerusalem (2 Sam. 7:5–13; 2 Chr. 6:6). The Samaritans, recognizing only the Pentateuch, noted that the first place Abraham built an altar to God was at Shechem (Gen. 12:6, 7), which was overlooked by Mt. Gerizim, where the Israelites had shouted the blessings promised by God before they entered the Promised Land (Deut. 11:29, 30). As a result, they chose Mt. Gerizim for the place of their temple.
4:21 neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem. There was no reason to debate locations, since both places would be obsolete soon and neither would have any role to play in the lives of those who genuinely worship God. Jerusalem would even be destroyed with its temple (A.D. 70).
4:22 you do not know. The Samaritans did not know God. They did not have the full revelation of Him, and thus could not worship in truth. The Jews did have the full revelation of God in the OT; thus they knew the God they worshiped, because salvation’s truth came first to them (see note on Luke 19:9) and through them to the world (cf. Rom. 3:2; 9:4, 5).
4:23 hour. This refers to Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension to God, having completed redemption. true worshipers. Jesus’ point is that in light of His coming as Messiah and Savior, worshipers will be identified, not by a particular shrine or location, but by their worship of the Father through the Son. With Christ’s coming, previous distinctions between true and false worshipers based on locations disappeared. True worshipers are all those everywhere who worship God through the Son, from the heart (cf. Phil. 3:3).
4:24 God is Spirit. This verse represents the classical statement on the nature of God as Spirit. The phrase means that God is invisible (Col. 1:15; 1 Tim. 1:17; Heb. 11:27) as opposed to the physical or material nature of man (1:18; 3:6). The word order of this phrase puts an emphasis on “Spirit,” and the statement is essentially emphatic. Man could never comprehend the invisible God unless He revealed Himself, as He did in Scripture and the Incarnation. must worship. Jesus is not speaking of a desirable element in worship but that which is absolutely necessary. in spirit and truth. The word “spirit” does not refer to the Holy Spirit but to the human spirit. Jesus’ point here is that a person must worship not simply by external conformity to religious rituals and places (outwardly) but inwardly (“in spirit”) with the proper heart attitude. The reference to “truth” refers to worship of God consistent with the revealed Scripture and centered on the “Word made flesh” who ultimately revealed His Father (14:6).
4:25 Messiah. The Samaritans also anticipated Messiah’s coming.
4:26 I who speak to you am He. Jesus forthrightly declared Himself to be Messiah, though His habit was to avoid such declarations to His own Jewish people who had such crassly political and militaristic views regarding Messiah (cf. 10:24; Mark 9:41). The “He” in this translation is not in the original Gr. for Jesus lit. said “I who speak to you am.” The usage of “I am” is reminiscent of 8:58 (see notes there). This claim constitutes the main point of the story regarding the Samaritan woman.
4:27–42 These verses reinforce Jesus’ acknowledgment that He was Messiah by offering proof for His claim. John gave 5 genuine, but subtle, proofs that Jesus was truly Messiah and Son of God which reinforced his main theme of 20:31: 1) proof from His immediate control of everything (v. 27); 2) proof from His impact on the woman (vv. 28–30); 3) proof from His intimacy with the Father (vv. 31–34); 4) proof from His insight into men’s souls (vv. 35–38); and 5) proof from His impression on the Samaritans (vv. 39–42).
4:27 at this point. Had the disciples arrived earlier, they would have interrupted and destroyed the conversation, and if they had arrived any later, she would have gone and they would not have heard His declaration of messiahship. This feature subtly reveals Jesus’ divine control over the situation that was occurring.
4:28–31 to the men. Jesus had such an impact on the woman that she was eager to share the news among the townspeople whom she had previously avoided because of her reputation. Her witness and candor regarding her own life so impressed them that they came to see Jesus for themselves.
4:32, 33 I have food. Just like the Samaritan woman’s misunderstanding of Jesus words regarding literal water (v. 15), Jesus’ own disciples thought only of literal food. John commonly used such misunderstanding to advance the argument of
his gospel (e.g., 2:20; 3:3).
4:34 My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me. Most likely Jesus echoed Deut. 8:3 where Moses stated, “man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord” (cf. Matt. 4:4; Luke 4:4). When He talked with the Samaritan woman, Jesus was performing the will of the Father and thereby received greater sustenance and satisfaction than any mere physical food could offer Him (5:23, 24; 8:29; 17:4). Obedience to and dependence upon God’s will summed up Jesus’ whole life (Eph. 5:17). God’s will for Him to finish is explained in 6:38–40 (see note on 6:40).
4:35 four months and then comes the harvest. The event probably happened in Dec. or Jan. which was 4 months before the normal spring harvest (mid-Apr.). Crops were planted in Nov., and by Dec. or Jan. the grain would be sprouting up in vibrant green color. Jesus used the fact that they were surrounded by crops growing in the field and waiting to be harvested as an object lesson to illustrate His urgency about reaching the lost which the “harvest” symbolized. Jesus points out the Samaritan woman and people of Sychar (“lift up your eyes”) who were at that moment coming upon the scene (v. 30) looking like a ripened “harvest” that urgently need to be “gathered,” i.e., evangelized. already white for harvest. Their white clothing seen above the growing grain may have looked like white heads on the stalks, an indication of readiness for harvest. Jesus knew the hearts of all (2:24), so was able to state their readiness for salvation (cf. vv. 39–41).
4:36–38 The Lord’s call to His disciples to do the work of evangelism contains promises of reward (“wages”), fruit that brings eternal joy (v. 36), and the mutual partnership of shared privilege (vv. 37, 38).
4:42 Savior of the world. This phrase occurs also in 1 John 4:14. The verse constitutes the climax to the story of the woman of Samaria. The Samaritans themselves became another in a series of witnesses in John’s gospel that demonstrated the identity of Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God. This episode represents the first instance of cross-cultural evangelism (Acts 1:8).
4:43–54 The episode of Jesus’ healing of the official’s son constitutes the second major “sign” of 8 which John used to reinforce Jesus’ true identity for producing belief in his readers (v. 54). In this episode, Jesus chided the official’s unbelief in needing a miraculous sign in order to trust in Christ (v. 48). While some believe that this story is the same as the healing of the centurion’s servant (Matt. 8:5–13; Luke 7:2–10), sufficient differences exist to demonstrate that it is different from the synoptic account; e.g., 1) no evidence exists that the official’s son was a Gentile; 2) the official’s son, not his servant, was healed; and 3) Jesus was far more negative regarding the official’s faith (v. 48) than the centurion’s (Matt. 8:10). One may divide this section into 3 parts: 1) Jesus contemplating unbelief (vv. 43–45); 2) Jesus confronting unbelief (vv. 46–49); and 3) Jesus conquering unbelief (vv. 50–54).
4:43 went to Galilee. After two days in Samaria, Jesus traveled to Galilee resuming the trip that began in v. 3.
4:44 prophet has no honor in his own country. This proverb (also in Matt. 13:57; Mark 6:4) contrasts the believing response of the Samaritans (v. 39) with the characteristic unbelief of Jesus’ own people in Galilee (and Judea) whose reticent faith depended so much on Jesus’ performance of miracles (v. 48). While in Samaria, Jesus had enjoyed His first unqualified and unopposed success. His own people’s hearts were not open to Him, but exhibited reluctance and hardness.
4:45 the Galileans received Him. The apostle may have meant these words as irony especially in light of the surrounding context of vv. 44, 48. The reception was likely that of curiosity seekers whose appetite centered more on seeing miracles than believing in Jesus as Messiah—as it had been at “the feast” (see notes on 2:23–25).
4:46 Cana of Galilee. The deep irony of the statement in v. 45 increases with the fact that Jesus had only recently performed a miracle in Cana at the wedding. Instead of responding in belief, the people wanted more (see note on v. 48). The basis of their welcome was extremely crass. nobleman. The Gr. term means “royal official” and most likely designated someone officially attached to the service of King Herod Antipas, Tetrarch of Galilee from 4 B.C. to A.D. 39. sick at Capernaum. Capernaum was approximately 16 mi. NE of Cana.
4:47 implored Him. The language here indicates that he repeatedly begged Jesus to heal his son. His approach to Jesus was out of desperation, but he had little appreciation of who Jesus was. In light of v. 46, apparently the nobleman’s motivation centered in Jesus’ reputation as a miracle worker rather than as Messiah.
4:48 Unless you people see signs and wonders. The “you” is plural. Jesus addresses these words to the Galileans as a whole and not just to the nobleman (see notes on vv. 45, 46). The response of the Galileans was fundamentally flawed because it disregarded the person of Christ and centered in the need for a constant display of miraculous signs. Such an attitude represents the deepest state of unbelief.
4:50 your son lives. Jesus met the demands of Galilean unbelief by healing the official’s son, revealing not only His sympathy, but His marvelous graciousness in spite of such a faithless demand for miracles.
4:52 the seventh hour. About 7:00 p.m., reckoning from noon using the Roman system. See note on v. 6.
4:53 at the same hour. The time when the official’s son improved corresponded precisely with the time that he had spoken with Jesus. This served to strengthen the nobleman’s faith and, as a result, the “whole household” believed.
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The translation of the text is from The New King James Version.
Scripture notes were taken from The MacArthur Study Bible notes that are contained in Biblegateway.com
1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”
3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”
10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
John the Baptist Exalts Christ
22 After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized. 24 For John had not yet been thrown into prison.
25 Then there arose a dispute between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!”
27 John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’ 29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease. 31 He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. 32 And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. 33 He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true. 34 For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure.35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. 36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”
Scripture Notes.
3:1–21 The story of Jesus and Nicodemus reinforces John’s themes that Jesus is the Messiah and Son of God (apologetic) and that He came to offer salvation to men (evangelistic). John 2:23, 24 actually serves as the introduction to Nicodemus’ story, since chap. 3 constitutes tangible evidence of Jesus’ ability to know men’s hearts and thereby also demonstrates Jesus’ deity. Jesus also presented God’s plan of salvation to Nicodemus, showing that He was God’s messenger, whose redemptive work brings about the promised salvation to His people (v. 14). The chapter may be divided into two sections: 1) Jesus’ dialogue with Nicodemus (vv. 1–10); and 2) Jesus’ discourse on God’s plan of salvation (vv. 11–21).
3:1–10 This section on Jesus’ dialogue with Nicodemus may be divided into 3 sections: 1) Nicodemus’ inquiry of Jesus (vv. 1–3); 2) Jesus’ insight into Nicodemus (vv. 4–8); and 3) Jesus’ indictment of Nicodemus (vv. 9, 10).
3:1 Pharisees. See note on Matt. 3:7. The word “Pharisee” most likely comes from a Heb. word meaning “to separate” and therefore probably means “separated ones.” They were not separatists in the sense of isolationists but in the puritanical sense, i.e., they were highly zealous for ritual and religious purity according to the Mosaic law as well as their own traditions that they added to the OT legislation. Although their origin is unknown, they seem to have arisen as an offshoot from the “Hasidim” or “pious ones” during the Maccabean era. They were generally from the Jewish middle class and mostly consisted of laity (business men) rather than priests or Levites. They represented the orthodox core of Judaism and very strongly influenced the common people of Israel. According to Josephus, 6,000 existed at the time of Herod the Great. Jesus condemned them for their hyper-concentration on externalizing religion (rules and regulations) rather than inward spiritual transformation (vv. 3, 7). Nicodemus. Although Nicodemus was a Pharisee, his name was Gr. in origin and means “victor over the people.” He was a prominent Pharisee and member of the Sanhedrin (“a ruler of the Jews”). Nothing is known about his family background. He eventually came to believe in Jesus (7:50–52), risking his own life and reputation by helping to give Jesus’ body a decent burial (19:38–42). a ruler of the Jews. This is a reference to the Sanhedrin (see note on Matt. 26:59), the main ruling body of the Jews in Palestine. It was the Jewish “supreme court” or ruling council of the time and arose most likely during the Persian period. In NT times, the Sanhedrin was composed of the High-Priest (president), chief priests, elders (family heads), and scribes for a total of 71 people. The method of appointment was both hereditary and political. It executed both civil and criminal jurisdiction according to Jewish law. However, capital punishment cases required the sanction of the Roman procurator (18:30–32). After A.D. 70 and the destruction of Jerusalem, the Sanhedrin was abolished and replaced by the Beth Din (court of Judgment) that was composed of scribes whose decisions had only moral and religious authority.
3:2 came to Jesus by night. While some have thought that Nicodemus’ visit at night was somehow figurative of the spiritual darkness of his heart (cf. 1:5; 9:4; 11:10; 13:30) or that he decided to come at this time because he could take more time with Jesus and be unhurried in conversation, perhaps the most logical explanation lies in the fact that, as a ruler of the Jews, Nicodemus was afraid of the implications of associating openly in conversation with Jesus. He chose night in order to have a clandestine meeting with Jesus rather than risk disfavor with his fellow Pharisees among whom Jesus was generally unpopular.
3:3 born again. The phrase lit. means “born from above.” Jesus answered a question that Nicodemus does not even ask. He read Nicodemus’ heart and came to the very core of his problem, i.e., the need for spiritual transformation or regeneration produced by the Holy Spirit. New birth is an act of God whereby eternal life is imparted to the believer (2 Cor. 5:17; Titus 3:5; 1 Pet. 1:3; 1 John 2:29; 3:9; 4:7; 5:1, 4, 18). Chapter 1:12, 13 indicates that “born again” also carries the idea “to become children of God” through trust in the name of the incarnate Word. cannot see the kingdom of God. In context, this is primarily a reference to participation in the millennial kingdom at the end of the age, fervently anticipated by the Pharisees and other Jews. Since the Pharisees were supernaturalists, they naturally and eagerly expected the coming of the prophesied resurrection of the saints and institution of the messianic kingdom (Is. 11:1–16; Dan. 12:2). Their problem was that they thought that mere physical lineage and keeping of religious externals qualified them for entrance into the kingdom rather than the needed spiritual transformation which Jesus emphasized (cf. 8:33–39; Gal. 6:15). The coming of the kingdom at the end of the age can be described as the “regeneration” of the world (Matt. 19:28) but regeneration of the individual is required before the end of the world in order to enter the kingdom.
3:4 A teacher himself, Nicodemus understood the rabbinical method of using figurative language to teach spiritual truth, and he was merely picking up Jesus’ symbolism.
3:5 born of water and the Spirit. Jesus referred not to literal water here but to the need for “cleansing” (e.g., Ezek. 36:24–27). When water is used figuratively in the OT, it habitually refers to renewal or spiritual cleansing, especially when used in conjunction with “spirit” (Num. 19:17–19; Ps. 51:9, 10; Is. 32:15; 44:3–5; 55:1–3; Jer. 2:13; Joel 2:28, 29). Thus, Jesus made reference to the spiritual washing or purification of the soul, accomplished by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God at the moment of salvation (cf. Eph. 5:26; Titus 3:5), required for belonging to His kingdom.
3:8 The wind blows where it wishes. Jesus’ point was that just as the wind cannot be controlled or understood by human beings but its effects can be witnessed, so also it is with the Holy Spirit. He cannot be controlled or understood, but the proof of His work is apparent. Where the Spirit works, there is undeniable and unmistakable evidence.
3:10 the teacher. The use of the definite article “the” indicates that Nicodemus was a renowned master-teacher in the nation of Israel, an established religious authority par excellence. He enjoyed a high standing among the rabbis or teachers of his day. Jesus’ reply emphasized the spiritual bankruptcy of the nation at that time, since even one of the greatest of Jewish teachers did not recognize this teaching on spiritual cleansing and transformation based clearly in the OT (cf. v. 5). The net effect is to show that externals of religion may have a deadening effect on one’s spiritual perception.
3:11–21 The focus of these verses turns away from Nicodemus and centers on Jesus’ discourse regarding the true meaning of salvation. The key word in these verses is “believe,” used 7 times. The new birth must be appropriated by an act of faith. While vv. 1–10 center on the divine initiative in salvation, vv. 11–21 emphasize the human reaction to the work of God in regeneration. In vv. 11–21, the section may be divided into 3 parts: 1) the problem of unbelief (vv. 11, 12); 2) the answer to unbelief (vv. 13–17); and 3) the results of unbelief (vv. 18–21).
3:11, 12 Jesus focused on the idea that unbelief is the cause of ignorance. At heart, Nicodemus’ failure to understand Jesus’ words centered not so much in his intellect but in his failure to believe Jesus’ witness.
3:11 you do not receive Our witness. The plural “you” here refers back to the “we” of v. 2, where Nicodemus was speaking as a representative of his nation Israel (“we know”). Jesus replied in v. 11 with “you” indicating that Nicodemus’ unbelief was typical of the nation as a collective whole.
3:13 No one has ascended to heaven. This verse contradicts other religious systems’ claims to special revelation from God. Jesus insisted that no one has ascended to heaven in such a way as to return and talk about heavenly things (cf. 2 Cor. 12:1–4). Only He had His permanent abode in heaven prior to His incarnation and, therefore, only He has the true knowledge regarding heavenly wisdom (cf. Prov. 30:4).
3:14 so must the Son of Man be lifted up. Cf. 8:28; 12:32, 34; 18:31, 32. This is a veiled prediction of Jesus’ death on the cross. Jesus referred to the story of Num. 21:5–9 where the Israelite people who looked at the serpent lifted up by Moses were healed. The point of this illustration or analogy is in the “lifted up.” Just as Moses lifted up the snake on the pole so that all who looked upon it might live physically, those who look to Christ, who was “lifted up” on the cross, will live spiritually and eternally.
3:15 eternal life. This is the first of 10 references to “eternal life” in John’s gospel. The same Gr. word is translated 8 times as “everlasting life.” The two expressions appear in the NT nearly 50 times. Eternal life refers not only to eternal quantity but divine quality of life. It means lit. “life of the age to come” and refers therefore to resurrection and heavenly existence in perfect glory and holiness. This life for believers in the Lord Jesus is experienced before heaven is reached. This “eternal life” is in essence nothing less than participation in the eternal life of the Living Word, Jesus Christ. It is the life of God in every believer, yet not fully manifest until the resurrection (Rom. 8:19–23; Phil. 3:20, 21).
3:16 For God so loved the world. The Son’s mission is bound up in the supreme love of God for the evil, sinful “world” of humanity (cf. 6:32, 51; 12:47; see notes on 1:9; Matt. 5:44, 45) that is in rebellion against Him. The word “so” emphasizes the intensity or greatness of His love. The Father gave His unique and beloved Son to die on behalf of sinful men (see note on 2 Cor. 5:21). everlasting life. See note on v. 15; cf. 17:3; 1 John 5:20.
3:18 believed in the name. This phrase (lit. “to believe into the name”) means more than mere intellectual assent to the claims of the gospel. It includes trust and commitment to Christ as Lord and Savior which results in receiving a new nature (v. 7) which produces a change in heart and obedience to the Lord (see note on 2:23, 24).
3:22–36 This section constitutes John the Baptist’s last testimony in this gospel regarding Christ. As his ministry faded away, Jesus’ ministry moved to the forefront. In spite of the fact that John the Baptist received widespread fame in Israel and was generally accepted by the common people of the land as well as those who were social outcasts, his testimony regarding Jesus was rejected, especially by the leaders of Israel (cf. Matt. 3:5–10; Luke 7:29).
3:22 into the land of Judea. While the previous episode with Nicodemus took place in Jerusalem (2:23), which was part of Judea, the phrase here means that Jesus went out into the rural areas of that region. baptized. Chapter 4:2 specifically says that Jesus did not personally baptize but that His disciples carried on this work.
3:23 Aenon near Salim. The exact location of this reference is disputed. The phrase may refer to either Salim near Shechem or Salim that is 6 mi. S of Beth Shean. Both are in the region of Samaria. Aenon is a transliterated Heb. word meaning “springs,” and both of these possible sites have plenty of water (“much water there”).
3:24 John had not yet been thrown into prison. This provides another indication that John supplemented the synoptic gospels by providing additional information that helps further understanding of the movements of John the Baptist and Jesus (see Introduction). In Matthew and Mark, Christ’s temptation is followed by John’s imprisonment. With this phrase, John the apostle fills in the slot between Jesus’ baptism and temptation and the Baptist’s imprisonment.
3:25 there arose a dispute. The dispute probably concerned the relation of the baptismal ministries of John and Jesus to the Jews’ purification practices alluded to in 2:6. The real underlying impetus, however, centered in the concern of John’s disciples that Jesus was in competition with him.
3:25–36 This section may be divided into 3 parts which highlight the significance of what was occurring in relationship to John’s and Jesus’ ministry: 1) John the Baptist constituted the end of the old age (vv. 25–29); 2) the transition to Jesus’ ministry (v. 30); and 3) Jesus’ ministry as constituting the beginning of the new age (vv. 31–36). Instead of jealousy, John exhibited humble faithfulness to the superiority of Jesus’ person and ministry.
3:26 all are coming to Him. The potential conflict between John and Jesus was heightened by the fact that both were engaged in ministry in close proximity to one another. Because baptism is mentioned in v. 22, Jesus may have been close to Jericho near the fords of the Jordan, while John was a short distance N baptizing at Aenon. John’s followers were especially disturbed by the fact that so many were flocking to Jesus whereas formerly they had come to John.
3:27 given to him from heaven. This verse emphasizes God’s sovereign authority in granting ministry opportunity (cf. 1 Cor. 4:7; 15:10).
3:29 bridegroom…friend of the bridegroom. John conveyed his understanding of his own role through the use of a parable. The “friend of the bridegroom” was the ancient equivalent of the best man who organized the details and presided over the Judean wedding (Galilean weddings were somewhat different). This friend found his greatest joy in watching the ceremony proceed without problems. Most likely, John was also alluding to OT passages where faithful Israel is depicted as the bride of the Lord (Is. 62:4, 5; Jer. 2:2; Hos. 2:16–20).
3:31–36 In these verses, John the Baptist gave 5 reasons for Christ’s superiority to him: 1) Christ had a heavenly origin (v. 31); 2) Christ knew what was true by firsthand experience (v. 32); 3) Christ’s testimony always agreed with God (v. 33); 4) Christ experienced the Holy Spirit in an unlimited manner (v. 34); and 5) Christ was supreme because the Father sovereignly had granted that status to Him (v. 35).
3:31, 32 above all. These verses bring together several of the themes from the entire chapter. From the immediate context, John explained why Jesus the incarnate word must become greater, i.e., He alone is “from above” (heavenly origin) and therefore “above all.” The Gr. term “above all” recalls v. 3 where the new birth “from above” can only be experienced by faith in the One who is “from above.” In contrast, all others are “of the earth” signifying finitude and limitation. In the immediate context, John the Baptist had to become less (v. 30) because he was “of the earth” and belonged to the earth. Although he called for repentance and baptism, John could not reveal heaven’s counsel like Jesus, the God-Man.
3:34 the Spirit by measure. God gave the Spirit to the Son without limits (1:32, 33; Is. 11:2; 42:1; 61:1).
3:36 This constitutes a fitting climax to the chapter. John the Baptist laid out two alternatives, genuine faith and defiant disobedience, thereby bringing to the forefront the threat of looming judgment. As John faded from the forefront, he offered an invitation to faith in the Son and clearly expressed the ultimate consequence of failure to believe, i.e., “the wrath of God.”
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The scripture text was taken from Biblegateway.com
The translation of the text is from The New King James Version.
Scripture notes were taken from The MacArthur Study Bible notes that are contained in Biblegateway.com
Click onto any blue letter, number or symbol to view the videos and text on the blog.
As you watch the opening video, let the worship of our Lord Jesus “wash over you.”
In this chapter there is the discussion of the first of two temple cleansings by Jesus.
Key Verse: John 2:24 (G. Campbell Morgan, 1863-1945)
John 2:24 New International Version (NIV)
24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people.
John 2 New American Standard Bible (NASB) (Scriptures taken from BibleGateway.com)
Miracle at Cana
1 On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there; 2 and both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus *said to Him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus *said to her, “Woman, what does that have to do with us? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother *said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” 6 Now there were six stone water pots set there for the Jewish custom of purification, containing twenty or thirty gallons each. 7 Jesus *said to them, “Fill the water pots with water.” So they filled them up to the brim. 8 And He *said to them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So they took it to him. 9 When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter *called the bridegroom, 10 and *said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.” 11 This beginning of His signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory, and His disciples believed in Him.
12 After this He went down to Capernaum, He and His mother and His brothers and His disciples; and they stayed there a few days.
First Passover—Cleansing the Temple
13 The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. 15 And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables; 16 and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a place of business.” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house will consume me.” 18 The Jews then said to Him, “What sign do You show us as your authority for doing these things?”19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 20 The Jews then said, “It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” 21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body. 22 So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had spoken.
23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. 24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man.
(Chapter 2 notes follow, and are taken from the Reformation Study Bible. Everyone should own a Reformation Study Bible.)
2:1–11 Jesus’ first sign: turning water into wine at Cana. This miracle signifies the transformation of the old order (symbolized by the stone water jars used for ceremonial washing, v. 6) into the new (the wine standing for eternal life in God’s kingdom) through Jesus Christ (cf. 2 Cor. 5:17). See Is. 25:6–9 for the background image of salvation as a banquet.
2:3 wine. This is the normal term employed in the New Testament for the fermented drink. Paul uses it when he says, “do not get drunk with wine” (Eph. 5:18).
2:4 Woman. This is a respectful way of addressing a woman within that culture and is the way Jesus normally addresses women (4:21; 8:10).
what does this have to do with me. Jesus answers Mary’s request, not because she is His mother, but as part of His work as the Messiah. This indicates that Mary’s special role as Jesus’ mother gives her no authority to intervene in Christ’s messianic career—a strong argument against offering prayer to Mary.
My hour. Usually Jesus’ “hour” refers to the time of His suffering and death (12:27). Here Jesus is asserting that He and not Mary must determine the timetable of His earthly ministry.
2:11 manifested his glory. The theme of Christ’s glory had already been introduced (1:14 note). In the Old Testament, God manifested His glory in a variety of miraculous events, and John’s comment indicates that he wants his readers to recognize Jesus’ deity.
And his disciples believed in him. See also v. 23 and 20:31, where John’s purpose for writing the book is disclosed.
2:12–23 Jesus is the final and full expression of what was only a shadow in the Old Testament (Heb. 10:1). Here He indicates that God is present in Him. The temple in Jerusalem could be destroyed, but not the temple that Jesus would rebuild in three days, His own body that was to be raised from the dead. John’s record of the temple cleansing immediately after the miracle at Cana (vv. 1–11 note) offers an important key to the whole of Jesus’ ministry. In these events are signaled replacement of the old order (water of ceremonial cleansing, Herod’s temple) with the new (the wine of salvation, Is. 25:6–9; the risen Lamb as the new temple, Rev. 21:22).
Matthew, Mark, and Luke report a cleansing of the temple in the week of Jesus’ crucifixion. In spite of some similarities, these are best viewed as different incidents (Mark 11:15 note). It is noteworthy that Jesus’ statement about destroying the temple, which John alone records (v. 19), probably was the basis for the accusation by the false witnesses (Matt. 26:61; Mark 14:58), and again for the taunting comment of some spectators at the crucifixion (Matt. 27:40; Mark 15:29). The first three Gospels confirm the historical character of John’s narrative. An echo of the same thought is found in the accusation against Stephen (Acts 6:14).
2:12 his brothers. See Matt. 12:46.
2:15 a whip of cords. Jesus fulfills the prophecy of Mal. 3:1–4. He comes suddenly to the temple and purifies the sons of Levi, as a demonstration of His zeal for God and for keeping God’s ordinances holy.
2:20 forty-six years. The sentence itself does not indicate whether the temple was finished or was still under construction after these years of building. The first century Jewish historian Josephus (Antiquities, 15.380) says that the temple was begun in the eighteenth year of Herod the Great (around 19 b.c.) and was not completed until the reign of Herod Agrippa (a.d. 63), indicating that construction was still continuing in Jesus’ time.
will you raise it up in three days. The Jews (and the disciples,v. 22) misunderstand Jesus’ ambiguous statement. Such initial misunderstanding is common in John’s Gospel (e.g., 3:4; 6:52). Those who “receive” Jesus (1:12) are led on to full understanding, but those who reject Him remain at the level of complete misunderstanding (1:5).
2:22 his disciples remembered. During His final instruction of the disciples before His arrest, Jesus promised that what He had taught them would be brought to their remembrance by the Holy Spirit (14:25, 26). The ability to predict events otherwise unknowable is evidence of divine authority. This applies to the prophecies of the Old Testament and to the predictions made by Jesus, especially about His resurrection.
2:23 believed in his name. In biblical times the “name” summed up a person’s character, activity, and place in God’s purpose. The faith of those mentioned here remained superficial, however, because they came to it only because “they saw the signs” (see Introduction: Interpretive Difficulties). For that reason, Jesus “did not entrust himself to them” (v. 24).
2:24, 25 Although Jesus did not exercise divine omniscience in the days of His flesh (11:34; Mark 13:32), He often displayed supernatural knowledge, important for His redemptive work, that indicated the divine endorsement of His claims and mission (1:48; Matt. 9:4; 17:27; Mark 11:2–4; 14:13–16).
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John 1:1
The Eternal Word
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Consider. 1. The birth of Yeshua Jesus was prophesied by Isaiah more than seven hundred years prior to His birth. 2. Yeshua Jesus is shown to be “God with us.” 3. The Kingdom and Throne of Yeshua Jesus, through David, King Of Israel, will never come to an end.
The prophecies of Isaiah about the coming Messiah are dated 742-740 B.C. . The fulfillment took place in 4 B.C. (Dates, Scofield Study Bible). The foundation of this post is based on John 1:1, John 1:11, Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 9:6-7, and Matthew 1:23-25. Other scriptures are provided for cross-reference purposes.
John 1:11
11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.
1:11 His own…His own. The first usage of “His own” most likely refers to the world of mankind in general, while the second refers to the Jewish nation. As Creator, the world belongs to the Word as His property but the world did not even recognize Him due to spiritual blindness (cf. also v. 10). John used the second occurrence of “His own” in a narrower sense to refer to Jesus’ own physical lineage, the Jews. Although they possessed the Scriptures that testified of His person and coming, they still did not accept Him (Is. 65:2, 3; Jer. 7:25). This theme of Jewish rejection of their promised Messiah receives special attention in John’s gospel (12:37–41). (Note: this study note, and all study notes in this post come from BibleGateway.com, MacArthur Study Bible notes. Scriptures come from the New King James Version.)
Isaiah 7:14
14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel
7:14 sign. Since Ahaz refused to choose a sign (vv. 11, 12), the Lord chose His own sign, whose implementation would occur far beyond Ahaz’s lifetime. the virgin. This prophecy reached forward to the virgin birth of the Messiah, as the NT notes (Matt. 1:23). The Heb. word refers to an unmarried woman and means “virgin” (Gen. 24:43; Prov 30:19; Song 1:3; 6:8), so the birth of Isaiah’s own son (8:3) could not have fully satisfied the prophecy. Cf. Gen. 3:15. Immanuel. The title, applied to Jesus in Matt. 1:23, means “God with us.”
Isaiah 9:6-7
6 For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end,
Upon the throne of David and over His kingdom,
To order it and establish it with judgment and justice
From that time forward, even forever.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.
9:7 throne of David. The virgin’s Son will be the rightful heir to David’s throne and will inherit the promises of the Davidic Covenant (2 Sam. 7:12–16; cf. Ps. 89:1–37; Matt. 1:1).
2 Samuel 7:12-16
12 “When your days are fulfilled and you rest with your fathers, I will set up your seed after you, who will come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his Father, and he shall be My son. If he commits iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men and with the blows of the sons of men. 15 But My mercy shall not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.”’”
7:16 your house…your kingdom…Your throne. Luke 1:32b,33 indicates that these 3 terms are fulfilled in Jesus, “…and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” forever. This word conveys the idea of 1) an indeterminately long time or 2) into eternity future. It does not mean that there cannot be interruptions, but rather that the outcome is guaranteed. Christ’s Davidic reign will conclude human history.
Matthew 1:1
The Genealogy of Jesus Christ
1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham:
1:1 book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ. This phrase is viewed by some as Matthew’s title for the entire gospel. The Gr. phrase translated “book of the genealogy” is exactly the same phrase used in Gen. 5:1 in the LXX. Jesus Christ. The Hebrew Jeshua means “the Lord is Salvation.” Christos means “anointed one” and is the exact equivalent of the Heb. word for “Messiah” (Dan. 9:25). Son of David. A messianic title used as such in only the synoptic gospels (see notes on 22:42, 45). Son of Abraham.Takes His royal lineage all the way back to the nation’s inception in the Abrahamic Covenant (Gen. 12:1–3).
Matthew 1:23-25
23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
24 Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, 25 and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.
1:23 virgin. Scholars sometimes dispute whether the Hebrew term in Is. 7:14 means “virgin” or “maiden.” Matthew is quoting here from the LXX which uses the unambiguous Gr. term for “virgin” (see note on Is. 7:14). Thus Matthew, writing under the Spirit’s inspiration, ends all doubt about the meaning of the word in Is. 7:14. Immanuel. Cf. Is. 8:8, 10.
1:24 took to him his wife. See note on Luke 2:5.
1:25 know her. A euphemism for sexual intercourse. See Gen. 4:1, 17, 25; 38:26; Judg. 11:39.
Luke 2:4-5 4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.
Luke 2:5 2:5 betrothed. See note on Matt. 1:18. Matthew 1:24 indicates that when the angel told Joseph about Mary’s pregnancy, he “took to him his wife”—i.e., he took her into his home. But they did not consummate their marriage until after the birth of Jesus (Matt. 1:25). Therefore, technically, they were still betrothed.
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“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)
References:
SRN (Scofield Reference Notes, Dr. C.I. Scofield, Editor)
RSB (Reformation Study Bible, Dr. R.C. Sproul, Editor).
Book Introduction – (SRN) John (Provided by Scofield Reference Notes; Dr. C.I. Scofield, deceased).
WRITER: The fourth Gospel was written by the Apostle John (John 21:24). This has been questioned on critical grounds, but on the same grounds and with equal scholarship, the early date and Johanean authorship have been maintained.
DATE: The date of John’s Gospel falls between A.D. 85 and 90. Probably the latter.
THEME: This is indicated both in the Prologue (John 1:1-14), and in the last verse of the Gospel proper (John 20:31), and is: The incarnation of the eternal Word, and Son of life; (2) that as many as believe on Him as “the Christ, the Son of God” (John 20:31) may have eternal life. The prominent words are, “believed” and “life.”
The book is in seven natural divisions:
1. Prologue: The eternal Word incarnate in Jesus the Christ, John 1:1-14.
2. The witness of John the Baptist, John 1:15-34.
3. The public ministry of Christ, John 1:35 to John 12:50.
4. The private ministry of Christ to His own, John 13:1 to John 17:26.
5. The sacrifice of Christ, John 18:1 to John 19:42.
6. The manifestation of Christ in resurrection, John 20:1-31.
7. Epilogue: Christ the Master of life and service, John 21:1-25.
The events recorded in this book cover a period of 7 years
John 1:1-18 New American Standard Bible (NASB) – Prologue
1:1–18 This “Prologue” to the Gospel is a preface to the narrative beginning at v. 19. (Reformation Study Bible).
The Deity of Jesus Christ
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
The Witness John
6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.
9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
The Word Made Flesh
14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John *testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’” 16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. 17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.
Verse 1 (RSB)
1:1 the Word. The term “Word” (Greek logos) designates God the Son with respect to His deity; “Jesus” and “Christ” refer to His incarnation and saving work. During the first three centuries, doctrines of the Person of Christ focused intensely on His position as the Logos. In Greek philosophy, the Logos was “reason” or “logic” as an abstract force that brought order and harmony to the universe. But in John’s writings such qualities of the Logos are gathered in the Person of Christ. In Neo-Platonic philosophy and the Gnostic heresy (second and third centuriesa.d.), the Logos was seen as one of many intermediate powers between God and the world. Such notions are far removed from the simplicity of John’s Gospel.
In this verse the Word is expressly affirmed to be God. The Word existed already “in the beginning” (a clear reference to the opening words of the Bible), which is a way of denoting the eternity that is unique to God. John states clearly, “the Word was God.” Some have observed that the word translated “God” here has no definite article, and argued on this basis that it means “a god” rather than “God.” This is a misunderstanding; the article is omitted because of the word order in the Greek sentence (the predicate “God” has been placed first for emphasis). The New Testament never endorses the idea of “a god,” an expression that implies polytheism and is in sharp conflict with the consistent monotheism of the Bible. In the New Testament, the Greek word for “God” occurs often without the definite article, depending on the requirements of Greek grammar.
That “the Word was with God,” indicates a distinction of Persons within the unity of the Godhead. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not successive forms of appearance of one Person, but are eternal Persons present from “the beginning” (v. 2). “With” suggests a relationship of close personal intimacy. See “One and Three: The Trinity” at Is. 44:6.
Verse 3 (RSB)
1:3 All things were made through him. This verse also emphasizes the deity of the Word, since creation belongs to God alone. See also v. 10; Col. 1:16–17; “God the Creator” at Ps. 148:5.
Verse 4 (RSB)
1:4 In him was life. Another affirmation of deity: the Son as well as the Father has “life in himself” (5:26).
Verse 5 (RSB)
1:5 has not overcome it. It is characteristic of the style of this Gospel to emphasize contrasting concepts (see Introduction). The plot of this Gospel could be seen in terms of a struggle between the forces of faith and unbelief.
Verses 7, 9, 11 (RSB)
1:7, 9 all . . . everyone. The universal relevance of the gospel is asserted (v. 7) as well as the enlightening activity of God’s common grace (v. 9). God’s saving activity is not restricted to any particular people.
Verse 7 (SRN)).
Verse 17
grace
Grace. Summary:
(1) Grace is “the kindness and love of God our Savior toward man.. . not by works of righteousness which we have done” Titus 3:4; Titus 3:5.
It is, therefore, constantly set in contrast to law, under which God demands righteousness from man, as, under grace, he gives righteousness to man Romans 3:21; Romans 3:22; Romans 8:4; Philippians 3:9. Law is connected with Moses and works; grace with Christ and faith; John 1:17; Romans 10:4-10. Law blesses the good; grace saves the bad; Exodus 19:5; Ephesians 2:1-9. Law demands that blessings be earned; grace is a free gift; Deuteronomy 28:1-6; Ephesians 2:8; Romans 4:4; Romans 4:5.
(2) As a dispensation, grace begins with the death and resurrection of Christ Romans 3:24-26, Romans 4:24; Romans 4:25. The point of testing is no longer legal obedience as the condition of salvation, but acceptance or rejection of Christ, with good works as a fruit of salvation,; John 1:12; John 1:13; John 3:36; Matthew 21:37; Matthew 22:24; John 15:22; John 15:25; Hebrews 1:2; 1 John 5:10-12. The immediate result of this testing was the rejection of Christ by the Jews, and His crucifixion by Jew and Gentile Acts 4:27. The predicted end of the testing of man under grace is the apostasy of the professing church: See “Apostasy” (See Scofield “2 Timothy 3:1”) 2 Timothy 3:1-8 and the resultant apocalyptic judgments.
(3) Grace has a twofold manifestation: in salvation Romans 3:24 and in the walk and service of the saved Romans 6:15.
Verse 9 (RSB)
1:9 The true light. In this Gospel, “truth” and “true” are often employed to signify what is everlasting or heavenly, as opposed to the merely temporal or earthly. See notes 4:24; 6:32; “Mankind’s Guilty Knowledge of God” at Rom. 1:19.
Verse 11 (RSB)
1:11 did not receive him. Jesus’ public ministry was one of rejection by “his own people”
Verse 12 (RSB)
1:12 Fallen human beings are not children of God by nature; this is the privilege only of those who have faith, a faith generated in them by the sovereign action of God (v. 13). See Gal. 4:5 (Adoption).
Verse 13 (RSB)
1:13 who were born. Early Latin versions understood this to describe the virgin birth of Christ. However, the plural verb “were born” shows that this verse is about the new birth of Christian believers (cf. 3:3, 5, 7, 8). This new birth takes place by the action of the Spirit giving life to those who were “dead in . . . trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1). The new birth, often called “regeneration,” is explained more fully in 3:1–21. Paul uses the metaphor of a resurrection from death in sin rather than the image of rebirth (Rom. 6:4–6; Eph. 2:5, 6; Col. 2:13; 3:1; cf. John 5:24). God’s work of salvation is wholly sovereign and gracious, but the reality of the human response in believing and receiving is never cancelled. See Rom. 9:18.(Election and Reprobation)
Verse 14 (RSB)
1:14 the Word became flesh. This is the climactic assertion of the Prologue. To some of John’s contemporaries, spirit and the divine were utterly opposed to matter and flesh. To others, the gods were thought to visit the earth disguised as human beings (Acts 14:11). But here a chasm is bridged: the eternal Word of God did not merely appear to be a human being, but actually became flesh. He took to Himself a full and genuine human nature. See theological note “Jesus Christ, God and Man” on next page.
dwelt among us. “Dwelt” means “pitched His tent.” This not only indicates the temporary nature of Jesus’ earthly existence, but does so in a way that recalls ancient Israel’s tabernacle, where God could be found (Ex. 40:34, 35).
we have seen his glory. His “glory” is beheld, even as God’s was in the wilderness (Ex. 16:1–10; 33:18–23), in the tabernacle (Ex. 40:34–35), and later in the temple (1 Kin. 8:1–11). There may also be a reference to the Transfiguration, since John witnessed it (Matt. 17:1–5). “Glory” applies supremely to God, who is the Creator and Ruler of the universe, and before whom all knees must bow. The Son has the divine glory by right (17:5). The Reformers declared their faith with the motto, Soli Deo Gloria (“To God alone the glory”).
the only Son. This phrase translates a single Greek word and explicitly points to the eternal generation of the Son in the Trinity.
full of grace and truth. These words correspond to Old Testament terms describing God’s covenant mercy that are often translated “steadfast love and faithfulness” (Gen. 24:27; Ps. 25:10; Prov. 16:6; cf. Ex. 34:6; Ps. 26:3). The Word made flesh fully manifests the gracious covenant-making and covenant-keeping character of God.
Verse 15: (RSB)
1:15 John the Baptist’s ministry preceded the public ministry of Jesus (Matt. 3), yet the Word, being eternal, existed before John (cf. 8:58).
Verse 16: (RSB)
1:16 grace. This word, frequent in Paul’s epistles, appears in John’s writings only in this passage and as a customary greeting in Rev. 1:4; 22:21. It emphasizes that salvation is a gift. The Reformation expressed this with the motto Sola Gratia (“by grace alone”).
Verse 17: (RSB)
1:17 Moses . . . Jesus Christ. There is both contrast and comparison. Grace and truth truly existed in Moses’ day, but they were fully revealed in the coming of Christ.
Verse 18: (RSB)
1:18 No one has ever seen God. It is fundamental that God is invisible and without form (1 Tim. 6:16). Yet Christ reveals God. He brings the invisible and the visible together in a way that has no parallel or analogy.
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30 Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name. (John 20:30-31)
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For me, the Gospel of John is the book of the Bible that tells me, “who Jesus is.” The other gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) tell me, “what Jesus did.” Before I begin this “chapter by chapter” study of the Gospel Of John, I would like to share with you some of the significant verses of John’s Gospel. I would also like to let you know that “John,” the inspired author of this gospel, never uses his name in his Gospel. The name of “John the Baptist” is used, but it should not be confused with John, “the author, disciple, apostle and evangelist,” who provided this eye-witness account of the life of Jesus, and who also wrote three epistles (1 John, 2 John, 3 John) toward the end of the New Testament.
John 1:1-3, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.
John 1:9-13: 9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 1:14-15, 14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John *testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’”
John 1:16-17, 16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. 17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.
John 1:29, The next day he *saw Jesus coming to him and *said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
John 3:3, Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
John 3:6-8, ” 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
John 3:14-15, ” 14 As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life.
John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life”
John 3:17, ” For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. ”
John 3:18, “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
John 4:22, “You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews.”
John 4:24, “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
John 5:21, ” For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes.”
John 5:22, For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son,”
John 5:39-40, “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; 40 and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.”
John 5:46-47, “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”
John 5:29, ” Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”
John 5:40, “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”
John 5:44, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”
John 5:65, “And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.”
John 6:37, “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.”
John 6:40, ” For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”
John 6:44, “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”
John 6:47, ” Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life.”
John 6:63, ” It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.”
John 6:65, “…For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.”
John 8:32, “…and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
John 9:35-38, “35 Jesus heard that they had put him out, and finding him, He said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He answered, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him, and He is the one who is talking with you.” 38 And he said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped Him.
John 10:9-10, ” 9 I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”
John 10:27-30, ” 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28 and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
John 10:38, “that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.”
John 11:25-26, ” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:35, Jesus wept.
John 14:6-7, “6 Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. 7 If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”
John 14:8-11, “8 Philip *said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus *said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me;
John 14:16-17, “16 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
John 14:20, ” 20 In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.”
John 15:26, “When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me,
John 16:5-10, “5 “But now I am going to Him who sent Me; and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; 11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.”
John 16:13-15, “13 But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.
The High Priestly Prayer, Chapter 17
John 17:1-2, “1 Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said,“Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You,2 even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life.”
John 17:3, “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”
John 17:4-5, “4 I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do.5 Now, Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was.”
John 17:6, “I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word.”
John 17:7-10, ” 7 Now they have come to know that everything You have given Me is from You; 8 for the words which You gave Me I have given to them; and they received them and truly understood that I came forth from You, and they believed that You sent Me. 9 I ask on their behalf; I do not ask on behalf of the world, but of those whom You have given Me; for they are Yours; 10 and all things that are Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them.”
John 17:20-23, “20 “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; 21 that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; 23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved.”
John 17:24, ” Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.”
John 17:25-26, “25 “O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me; 26 and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them.”
John 19:14, Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. And he *said to the Jews, “Behold, your King!”
John 19:31, Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.
John 20:30-31, “30 Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.
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Key Associated Verses (All dates are from Scofield Study Bible)
Matthew 1:23-25 New American Standard Bible (NASB) (4 B.C.)
23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.”
24 And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, 25 but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.
Note: 1:23 virgin. Scholars sometimes dispute whether the Hebrew term in Is. 7:14 means “virgin” or “maiden.” Matthew is quoting here from the LXX which uses the unambiguous Gr. term for “virgin” (see note on Is. 7:14). Thus Matthew, writing under the Spirit’s inspiration, ends all doubt about the meaning of the word in Is. 7:14. Immanuel. Cf. Is. 8:8, 10. (Mac Arthur Study Bible note)
Isaiah 7:14 New American Standard Bible (NASB) 742 B.C.
14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.
Isaiah 8:8 New American Standard Bible (NASB) (742 B.C.)
8 “Then it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass through, It will reach even to the neck; And the spread of its wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel.
Isaiah 8:10 New American Standard Bible (NASB) (742 B.C.)
10 “Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted; State a proposal, but it will not stand, For God is with us.”
John 14:9 New American Standard Bible (NASB) (33 A.D.)
9 Jesus *said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
The following verses of scripture are taken from BibleGateway.com
John Chapter 7 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Jesus Teaches at the Feast
1 After these things Jesus was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him. 2 Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was near. 3 Therefore His brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. 4 For no one does anything in secret when he himself seeks to be known publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.”5 For not even His brothers were believing in Him. 6 So Jesus *said to them, “My time is not yet here, but your time is always opportune. 7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me because I testify of it, that its deeds are evil. 8 Go up to the feast yourselves; I do not go up to this feast because My time has not yet fully come.” 9 Having said these things to them, He stayed in Galilee.
10 But when His brothers had gone up to the feast, then He Himself also went up, not publicly, but as if, in secret. 11 So the Jews were seeking Him at the feast and were saying, “Where is He?” 12 There was much grumbling among the crowds concerning Him; some were saying, “He is a good man”; others were saying, “No, on the contrary, He leads the people astray.” 13 Yet no one was speaking openly of Him for fear of the Jews.
14 But when it was now the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and began to teach. 15 The Jews then were astonished, saying, “How has this man become learned, having never been educated?” 16 So Jesus answered them and said, “My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. 17 If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself. 18 He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.
19 “Did not Moses give you the Law, and yet none of you carries out the Law? Why do you seek to kill Me?” 20 The crowd answered, “You have a demon! Who seeks to kill You?” 21 Jesus answered them, “I did one deed, and you all marvel.22 For this reason Moses has given you circumcision (not because it is from Moses, but from the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a man. 23 If a man receives circumcision on the Sabbath so that the Law of Moses will not be broken, are you angry with Me because I made an entire man well on the Sabbath? 24 Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”
25 So some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, “Is this not the man whom they are seeking to kill? 26 Look, He is speaking publicly, and they are saying nothing to Him. The rulers do not really know that this is the Christ, do they?27 However, we know where this man is from; but whenever the Christ may come, no one knows where He is from.” 28 Then Jesus cried out in the temple,teaching and saying, “You both know Me and know where I am from; and I have not come of Myself, but He who sent Me is true, whom you do not know.29 I know Him, because I am from Him, and He sent Me.” 30 So they were seeking to seize Him; and no man laid his hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. 31 But many of the crowd believed in Him; and they were saying, “When the Christ comes, He will not perform more signs than those which this man has, will He?”
32 The Pharisees heard the crowd muttering these things about Him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to seize Him. 33 Therefore Jesus said, “For a little while longer I am with you, then I go to Him who sent Me.34 You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.”35 The Jews then said to one another, “Where does this man intend to go that we will not find Him? He is not intending to go to the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks, is He? 36 What is this statement that He said,‘You will seek Me, and will not find Me; and where I am, you cannot come’?”
37 Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” 39 But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Division of People over Jesus
40 Some of the people therefore, when they heard these words, were saying, “This certainly is the Prophet.” 41 Others were saying, “This is the Christ.” Still others were saying, “Surely the Christ is not going to come from Galilee, is He?42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” 43 So a division occurred in the crowd because of Him. 44 Some of them wanted to seize Him, but no one laid hands on Him.
45 The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, “Why did you not bring Him?” 46 The officers answered, “Never has a man spoken the way this man speaks.” 47 The Pharisees then answered them, “You have not also been led astray, have you? 48 No one of the rulers or Pharisees has believed in Him, has he? 49 But this crowd which does not know the Law is accursed.” 50 Nicodemus (he who came to Him before, being one of them) *said to them, 51 “Our Law does not judge a man unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing, does it?” 52 They answered him, “You are not also from Galilee, are you? Search, and see that no prophet arises out of Galilee.” 53 [Everyone went to his home.
Commentary on key verses is provided by Dr. R.C. Sproul, and is taken from the Reformation Study Bible which he edited, and contains the English Standard Version (ESV). (Everyone should own a Reformation Study Bible).
7:2 Feast of Booths. The longest festival of the Jewish year (lasting seven days), this feast followed the Jewish New Year and the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur, Lev. 23; Deut. 16). It was a celebration of God’s gracious provision for the Israelites in the wilderness and the completion of the year’s harvest. There was a ceremonial water-drawing (commemorating the provision of water in the wilderness, Num. 20:2–13) and a lamp-lighting ritual. The first of these ceremonies provides the setting for Jesus’ proclamation in vv. 37, 38, the second for His statement in 8:12.
7:3, 5, 10 his brothers. Cf. 2:12; Matt. 12:46. Some of the brothers later believed in Jesus (Acts 1:14).
7:6 My time. See vv. 8, 30; 2:4; 8:20; 12:23; 13:1; 17:1; Matt. 26:18; Mark 14:41. Such passages show the concern of Jesus to conform to God’s schedule.
7:7 The world. Humanity in its opposition to God and His purpose….evil. Evildoers resent being unmasked by the good (3:19, 20).
7:8 I am not going up to this feast. Jesus does indeed later go to the Feast. His brothers have asked Him to present Himself openly to the crowds. But Jesus asserts that He is “not” yet ready to appear in such a public way.
7:13 for fear of the Jews. This is not a reference to all those who were natural descendants of Abraham. Rather, the term refers to Jewish leaders and officials who were hostile toward Jesus.
7:15 has never studied. Jesus was not known to have been taught by any rabbi, yet His knowledge and wisdom astounded those who heard Him (cf. 3:2; Matt. 7:28; Luke 2:47).
7:16 his who sent me. Jesus indicates the source of His teaching. His message is not original with Himself but comes from His Father.
7:17 will know. A true perception of the divine nature of Christ’s teaching is granted to those who earnestly desire to do God’s will (Ps. 25:14).
7:18 on his own authority. A contrast is established between self-seeking messengers and Jesus, whose guiding principle is to be true to His mission (12:49). See 1:14, 17; 14:6; 18:37; 2 Cor. 11:10; Rev. 3:7, 14; 19:11—passages where Christ and His message are identified with truth. This is also said of God the Father (7:28; 8:26; 17:3; Ps. 31:5; Is. 65:16; Rom. 3:4; 1 Thess. 1:9; 1 John 5:20; Rev. 6:10; 15:3; 16:7) and of the Holy Spirit (14:17; 15:26; 16:13; 1 John 4:6; 5:6). The same applies to the Scripture and apostolic preaching (17:17; Ps. 119:30, 43, 138,142, 151, 160; Eph. 1:13; Col. 1:5; 2 Tim. 2:15; James 1:18). This is in sharp contrast with Satan who is “a liar” (8:44).
7:19 Moses . . . the law. The blessing of having received the law as the revelation of God’s will (cf. Ps. 103:7; Rom. 3:2; 9:4) becomes a bane through disobedience (Rom. 7:7–12).
7:20 have a demon. Compare 8:48–52; 10:19–20; Matt. 12:24.
7:21 I did one deed. Jesus refers to the one deed He had done in their region, the healing of the lame man (5:1–15).
7:22 circumcision. Circumcision was prescribed in the law of Moses (Lev. 12:3), but it was previously instituted by God in the days of Abraham (Gen. 17:10–14). The regulation that it had to be performed on the eighth day was commonly regarded as taking precedence over the law of rest on the Sabbath.
7:23 whole body well. Jesus calls attention to the inconsistency of His accusers. There were a number of activities permitted on the Sabbath, including circumcision. He compares these activities with the work of healing.
7:27 we know where this man comes from. The people knew that Jesus was from Galilee (vv. 41, 52), and this seemed to conflict with the prevailing view that the Messiah would come from Bethlehem (v. 42; Matt. 2:5, 6) or that His origin would be unknown. Jesus in response points to His divine origin rather than an earthly location. In failing to acknowledge His divine mission they showed their ignorance of God’s plan, in spite of the miracles, which were proof of God’s endorsement (v. 31).
7:30 they were seeking to arrest him. The plots against Christ’s life could not succeed until God’s own time had come.
7:34 You will seek me and you will not find me. This is not in contradiction with Matt. 7:7. There Jesus is speaking about a thirst for God (cf. v. 37) that only the Holy Spirit creates in someone; but here He is referring to an effort to find Him geographically, which would be futile since He would be in heaven. Note the contrast between unbelievers (v. 34) and believers (14:3).
7:35 Where does this man intend to go. The Jews were puzzled as to Christ’s origin and so could not understand His destination, which was heaven. They understood it merely in geographical terms and were not pleased at the thought that He would exercise His ministry among the Greeks, heathens that they despised.
7:37, 38 At the climax of the feast, Jesus repeated dramatically the message He had given to the Samaritan woman (4:10–14) making clear that coming to Him meant believing in Him.
7:38 as the Scripture has said. What follows is not an exact quotation from the Old Testament, but there are several Old Testament passages that connect water with the end-time gift of the Spirit (e.g., Is. 44:3; Ezek. 36:25–27) and the blessings of the present (messianic) age (e.g., Is. 12:3; 58:11). Jesus fulfills the meaning of the Feast of Booths (v. 2 note)….rivers. This implies great abundance, benefiting not only believers, but also those around them.
7:39 the Spirit had not been given. Jesus is referring to the blessing of Pentecost. Of course, the Holy Spirit was present in the Old Testament period, but at Pentecost He entered into a more intimate relationship with believers (14:17; 1 Cor. 6:19). This is the Messiah’s gift to His people: He baptizes with the Spirit (Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16), but this blessing in its full measure and glory must await the ascension of Christ who will pour out the Spirit from heaven upon His people (16:7; cf. Eph. 4:8).
7:40 the Prophet. A reference to Deut. 18:15. It is interesting to observe the testimony of those outside the group of disciples who were not blinded by prejudice. They understood that Jesus could be “the Prophet” promised by Moses. They knew that His miracles were worthy of the Messiah they expected (v. 31). Some called him “the Christ” (v. 41), and they testified that no one ever spoke like Him (v. 46).
7:41–43 Dispute over the identity of Jesus continues to focus on His origin (cf. vv. 25–36 and notes). The people’s questioning remains trapped within the limits of this world (3:1–15; 4:1–26).
7:45–52 The strong prejudice of the chief priests and Pharisees is apparent in their condemnation of the temple guards (vv. 47,48), of the crowd (v. 49), and even of Nicodemus, one of their number (v. 52).
7:52 Galilee was held in contempt by the Sanhedrin as a mixed-race region where the law was not zealously observed.
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Key Associated Verses (All dates are from Scofield Study Bible)
Matthew 1:23-25 New American Standard Bible (NASB) (4 B.C.)
23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which translated means, “God with us.”
24 And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him, and took Mary as his wife, 25 but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son; and he called His name Jesus.
Note: 1:23 virgin. Scholars sometimes dispute whether the Hebrew term in Is. 7:14 means “virgin” or “maiden.” Matthew is quoting here from the LXX which uses the unambiguous Gr. term for “virgin” (see note on Is. 7:14). Thus Matthew, writing under the Spirit’s inspiration, ends all doubt about the meaning of the word in Is. 7:14. Immanuel. Cf. Is. 8:8, 10. (Mac Arthur Study Bible note)
Isaiah 7:14 New American Standard Bible (NASB) 742 B.C.
14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.
Isaiah 8:8 New American Standard Bible (NASB) (742 B.C.)
8 “Then it will sweep on into Judah, it will overflow and pass through, It will reach even to the neck; And the spread of its wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel.
Isaiah 8:10 New American Standard Bible (NASB) (742 B.C.)
10 “Devise a plan, but it will be thwarted; State a proposal, but it will not stand, For God is with us.”
John 14:9 New American Standard Bible (NASB) (33 A.D.)
9 Jesus *said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
The following verses of scripture are taken from BibleGateway.com
Gospel Of John, Chapter 6, New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Five Thousand Fed
1 After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias). 2 A large crowd followed Him, because they saw the signs which He was performing on those who were sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat down with His disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near. 5 Therefore Jesus, lifting up His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, *said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?” 6 This He was saying to test him, for He Himself knew what He was intending to do. 7 Philip answered Him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little.” 8 One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, *said to Him, 9 “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted. 12 When they were filled, He *said to His disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments so that nothing will be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. 14 Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”
Jesus Walks on the Water
15 So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.
16 Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, 17 and after getting into a boat, they started to cross the sea to Capernaum. It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. 18 The sea began to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing. 19 Then, when they had rowed about three or four miles, they *saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were frightened. 20 But He *said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.” 21 So they were willing to receive Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.
22 The next day the crowd that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other small boat there, except one, and that Jesus had not entered with His disciples into the boat, but that His disciples had gone away alone. 23 There came other small boats from Tiberias near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks. 24 So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they themselves got into the small boats, and came to Capernaum seeking Jesus. 25 When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?”
Words to the People
26 Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.” 28 Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” 30 So they said to Him, “What then do You do for a sign, so that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform? 31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.’” 32 Jesus then said to them,“Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. 33 For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.” 34 Then they said to Him, “Lord, always give us this bread.”
35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”
Words to the Jews
41 Therefore the Jews were grumbling about Him, because He said, “I am the bread that came down out of heaven.” 42 They were saying, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say,‘I have come down out of heaven’?” 43 Jesus answered and said to them, “Do not grumble among yourselves. 44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. 45 It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught of God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me. 46 Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father. 47 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50 This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.”
52 Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?” 53 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. 54 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55 For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. 56 He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. 57 As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. 58 This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever.”
Words to the Disciples
59 These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.
60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, “This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?” 61 But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble? 62 What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? 63 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. 64 But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. 65 And He was saying, “For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.”
Peter’s Confession of Faith
66 As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” 68 Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. 69 We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” 70 Jesus answered them, “Did I Myself not choose you,the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?” 71 Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him.
Commentary on key verses is provided by Dr. R.C. Sproul, and is taken from the Reformation Study Bible which he edited, and contains the English Standard Version (ESV). (Everyone should own a Reformation Study Bible)
6:1–71 This chapter is a major turning point in chs. 2–12. It reveals the identity of Jesus as One sent from the Father (vv. 38,44, 46, 50, 51, 57); it graphically distinguishes belief and unbelief through the illustration of eating Jesus’ flesh and blood (vv. 53–58); and it chronicles the growing rejection, motivated by unbelief, that confronted Jesus (vv. 41, 42, 60–66). The signs in this chapter call to mind corresponding saving events in the history of Israel. They indicate that Jesus fulfills the typology of the Passover, the Exodus, and the provision of food in the wilderness.
6:1–4 Jesus leaves Jerusalem and travels to the far side of the Sea of Galilee, around the time of the Passover. This feast was established in Ex. 12:43–51 to commemorate how God “passed over” the Israelites and killed the Egyptians. The Old Testament passages read during the Passover in Jesus’ time probably included Gen. 1–8, Ex. 11–16, and Num. 6–14. There are strong similarities between these texts and Jesus’ comments in this discourse.
6:1 Sea of Tiberias. Another name for the Sea of Galilee, in honor of the town of Tiberias, built by Herod between a.d. 20–30.
6:2 signs. John has reported only one healing in Galilee, of the official’s son (4:46–54). Jesus must have done other such miracles as well (cf. 21:25).
6:3 Jesus went up on the mountain. This detail may be intended to suggest a comparison of Jesus and Moses, who went up on Mount Sinai (v. 14 note).
6:5–15 The feeding of the five thousand. Jesus brings food to a multitude, as Moses did in the wilderness (Num. 11).
6:5 that these people may eat. Reminiscent of Num. 11:13, where Moses asks God a similar question.
6:7 Two hundred denarii. A denarius was about one day’s wage (Matt. 20:2).
6:10 five thousand. The figure does not include women and children (Matt. 14:21; cf. 2 Kin. 4:42–44).
6:14 the Prophet. That is, the Prophet like Moses (Deut. 18:15).
6:15 to make him king. The kingship of the Messiah was to be spiritual, not political. While accepting the title “King of Israel” (1:49), Jesus refused the offer of Satan (Matt. 4:8, 9; Luke 4:5,6) and the misguided efforts of the people.
6:16–21 This miracle is recorded in Matt. 14:22–33 and in Mark 6:47–51. It should not be confused with the calming of the storm found in Matt. 8:23–27; Mark 4:36–41; and Luke 8:22–25.
6:21 immediately. Some understand this to be an additional miracle; others take it to mean that after Jesus’ entrance into the boat, no further difficulties were encountered.
6:26 not because you saw signs. Although they saw the miracle of the loaves and fishes, they did not recognize it as a sign identifying Jesus as the Messiah. It was merely as an opportunity for a meal to them.
6:27 Jesus points to the spiritual meaning of the miracle, which is to set God’s seal of approval on His ministry and to identify Him as the Son of Man, the promised Messiah.
6:31 They expected that the coming of the Messiah would be marked by a miracle as great as or greater than the giving of the manna in the desert.
6:32 the true bread from heaven. The word “true” has a special meaning. Jesus refers to what is everlasting, as opposed to something merely representative. The bread God provided through Moses (Ex. 16; Num. 11) was only material and temporary, not spiritual and eternal. See note at 4:24.
6:33 he who comes down from heaven. This is Jesus Christ, whose incarnation is described as “coming down” (vv. 38, 41, 42,50, 51, 58; 3:13, 31; Eph. 4:9–10).
gives life to the world. Christ provides eternal life to those who are dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1). They are chosen not only from the Jews but from the whole world. Jesus does not here teach universal salvation, but the universal relevance and appeal of His saving work (3:16 note).
6:34 give us this bread. They misinterpreted Jesus’ statement by taking it on a purely physical level, as Nicodemus (3:4) and the Samaritan woman (4:15) had done.
6:35 I am the bread of life. This is the first of seven such “I am” sayings in 6:38 not to do my own will. The will of the Son and the will of the Father agree; there is no competition or disagreement. Jesus’ submission to the Father shows this agreement.this Gospel (8:12; 9:5; 10:7, 9, 11, 14; 11:25; 14:6;15:1, 5). The expression looks back to Ex. 3:14 and is an implicit claim to deity (8:58, 59 and notes).
6:37 All that the Father gives me. God leads to faith all whom He plans to redeem. The redemption of the elect is certain. The Son promises acceptance to anyone who truly believes.
6:38 not to do my own will. The will of the Son and the will of the Father agree; there is no competition or disagreement. Jesus’ submission to the Father shows this agreement.
6:39 lose nothing . . . but raise. The Father’s will is more than that Jesus should make an offer to lost sinners. He will at last raise up all who are given Him by the Father and lose not one from that group. God graciously perseveres with true believers, ensuring their final salvation. See “Perseverance of the Saints” at Rom. 8:30.
6:41 the Jews grumbled about him. This response is similar to that of the Israelites in the wilderness, who complained against Moses and Aaron (Ex. 16:7; 17:3; Num. 11:1).
came down from heaven. Jesus’ origin establishes His identity as Messiah and Son of God (vv. 29, 33, 38; 1:1, 2, 14, 18, 45, 46; 3:2, 13, 17, 31; 5:36–38). Those confronted with this revelation must respond either in belief or in rejection. There is no middle ground.
6:44 unless the Father who sent me draws him. Jesus teaches that no one can respond positively to His warning and invitation apart from the Father’s work of drawing the individual to Jesus. The heart is naturally hard and will not accept God’s invitation, unless a special work of God’s grace takes place (v. 65). See “Effectual Calling and Conversion” at 2 Thess. 2:14.
6:45 they will all be taught by God. In its original context Is. 54:13 is a promise of final redemption. Jesus indicates in the next sentence that those who participate in this redemption are those who come to Him, thereby identifying Himself as the One in whom that final redemption comes.
Everyone who has heard . . . comes to me. Whoever wishes may come, and they come because they have “learned from the Father,” who draws them (v. 44)
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6:51–58 Jesus’ hearers continue to misunderstand His statements, taking them on a purely physical level (cf. v. 34). Understood literally, what Jesus said would be highly objectionable since it would involve cannibalism and a use of blood that was strictly forbidden in the Law (Gen. 9:4; Lev. 7:26,27; 17:10–14; Deut. 12:23, 24). Jesus uses the language of eating and drinking to illustrate the intimacy of the union between Christ and the believer. This spiritual union, by which Christ imparts new life to the believer, is portrayed later in the Gospel as the union of a vine and its branches (15:1–8). It is sometimes called the “mystical union,” and is a recurrent topic in Paul’s letters (Gal. 2:20; Eph. 1:3–14).
Though some see here a reference to the Lord’s Supper, a mention of that sacrament at this point would have been incomprehensible to Jesus’ listeners. This passage is best understood as pointing to the spiritual reality the Lord’s Supper also signifies—union with Christ and all the benefits of salvation received through Him.
6:51 the living bread. See note on v. 32.
the world. See note 4:42.
6:53 unless you eat . . . and drink. Apart from personal union with the Savior there is no salvation. See “The Lord’s Supper” at1 Cor. 11:23.
6:60 many of his disciples. These disciples took offense at Jesus’ words, refused to listen to Jesus’ explanation, and were unwilling to accept the message of salvation by grace.
6:61, 64, 70. Three examples of supernatural knowledge (cf.2:24, 25).
6:62 see the Son of Man ascending. Like “lifted up” (3:14 note), “ascend” here probably refers to the events beginning with Christ’s being “lifted up” on the cross and climaxing in His exaltation at the right hand of the Father. If many of His disciples grumbled at the hard sayings of vv. 53–58, what would their response be to the scandal of the crucifixion? See “The Ascension of Jesus” at Luke 24:51.
where he was before. A reference to the eternal pre-existence of the living Word (1:1–3).
6:63 the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no avail. This makes it plain that a merely physical understanding of Jesus’ words was utterly mistaken. Note the close cooperation of the Father (vv. 37–40, 44–46, 57, 65), the Son, and the Holy Spirit (v. 63) shown in this passage.
6:65 no one can come to me unless. It is impossible for anyone to come to Christ without the enabling call of God. The sinner’s moral inability to choose Christ must be overcome by the gracious and sovereign power of the Spirit (3:5–21).
6:66–71 A crucial turning point in this Gospel. Many disciples, together with the crowds, reject Christ in unbelief, while His remaining disciples (as exemplified by Peter’s confession) deepen their faith in Him.
6:67 Do you . . . go away. Jesus’ question elicits the firm confession of Peter as the spokesman for the Twelve. A parallel situation is found in Matt. 16:13–20; Mark 8:27–29; Luke 9:18–20.
Eternity 