Most Important Notes from NBST 797 {4,363 words}
IX. Lesson 9 - The Gospel of John (Chapter 7:1-53)
A. The Jews were still upset that Jesus had healed a man on the Sabbath. There are six months between John 6 and John 7. There had been one year between John 5 and John 6. Matthew, Mark, and Luke focused on the Galilean ministry, and John focused on the Judean and Jerusalem ministries. In Leviticus 23:1-44, there were three main feasts, and all Jews were required to attend in Jerusalem. The Feast of Passover (Firstfruits), Pentecost, and First Tabernacles. The Feast of the Firstfruits on the day after Passover was seven days plus one (Leviticus 23:4-14). All of Passover (April) lasted for eight days. Pentecost (June) was fifty days later, or seven times seven plus one (Leviticus 23:15-22). The Feast of Tabernacles (October) was on the fifteenth day of the seventh month (Leviticus 23:33-44). All three of the major Jewish feasts were on Sunday, not on the Sabbath. Jesus was slain for the Passover, and He arose on the day of the Feast of Firstfruits. Most Jews went to Passover (the cloth ministry of subsitutionary death), fewer went to Pentecost (the coming of the Holy Spirit), and even fewer went to Tabernacles (the coming Kingdom).
B. In John 7:5, the brothers were probably children of Mary and Joseph after Jesus was born (James, Joseph, Simon, Jude, and at least two sisters). Mary was not always a virgin like the Catholics believed. They were also not children of Joseph from a previous marriage. Satan may have been trying once again to prematurely kill Jesus, but Jesus did not fall for it. His time had not yet come because Jesus maybe knew that the Tabernacle work of the Kingdom was not for Him yet. He would have to go to the cross first. In John 7:12, John 7:40-41, and John 7:43, Jesus divides people. When the church fits into the community and everyone loves it, then there is probably something wrong with the church's stand. Doctrine is the product, and teaching is the process. Both come from the same route Greek word (didache). Knowing or not knowing the Bible is a matter of the will.
C. In John 7:21, Jesus was referring to the man healed at the Pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath. At that point, He had done many miracles. In John 7:32 and John 7:45, the officers were Temple officers, probably Levites. John 7:37 was a Sunday, the greatest day of the feast. John 7:39 is the first biblical reference to the indwelling Holy Spirit. In John 7:38, who is the "within him." Some people think that the "him" is the Holy Spirit, the sender, not the receiver. Another interpretation says that it is the receiver. Dr. Towns thinks that it is the believer, not the Holy Spirit. John 7:39 is a footnote.
C. Jesus message is from heaven, His mission is from heaven, and His gift of the Holy Spirit is from heaven.
D. The Pharisees were wrong in John 7:52. Jonah, Hosea, Amos, Elijah, and Elisha came from Galilee. In John 7:53, they just went home.
X. Lesson 10 - The Gospel of John (Chapter 8:1-59)
A. Jesus was the Light of the world in moral darkness. The setting is Monday morning on the day after the Feast of Tabernacles. The people had been in tents for the last eight days, and they had gone home. But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.
B. Some people say that these verses about the woman taken in the very act of adultery were not part of Scriptures, but Dr. Towns thinks that the historical record supports it being there. Augustine thought that men did not want it there because they were afraid that it supported adultery. The woman was married. This woman had been in the tents with the others. It was a relaxed atmosphere, and the adultery could have actually happened. The man was not brought to Jesus, but the woman was. They took her to Jesus, but they should have taken her to her husband or to the courts. They were intentionally trying to snare Jesus. She was guilty to herself, her God, and her community. Deuteronomy 22:22 says that both man and woman should be stoned. The stones were more on the order of the size of one's head. It would have been very, very heavy, so the first stone would have been the accuser and the executor. After the first stone, the rest would have buried them with more stones.
C. If Jesus had said to release her, then He would have broken Deuteronomy 22:22. If He had said to stone her, then they would have said that He was not a God of forgiveness. He was in a no-win situation. He wrote on the ground to give them time to think, not to give Himself time to think. What He was saying was that he who is without "this" same sin, the sin of adultery, should cast the first stone. He could have also been referring to the specific plot (which would have been "this" same sin) against Jesus.
D. When He released the woman, He told her to not sin anymore. He condemned the sin but not the person.
E. In John 8:12, Jesus said that His followers would "have" light, not just see light. There is probably a break between John 8:19 and John 8:20. But in John 8:20, no one could touch Him. In John 8:24, "sins" is implied doctrine, the sin of Adam and the sins of every person. In John 8:28, Son of man is a reference to the cross. In John 8:30, many people believed into ("eis") Him and were saved. In John 8:31, "if" assumed that the condition was true. John was the only gospel writer to write about being a disciple. In John 8:41, they accused Jesus of being illegitimate. In John 8:44, Satan was a murderer (man-slauhterer). In John 8:51, Jesus' statement was incredible if He was not really the Son of God.
F. When did Abraham see Jesus (John 8:56)? (1) Abraham saw Jesus by faith, (2) in Genesis 15:8-21, (3) when he laughed at the idea of his promised son, (4) he had a prophetic odyssey, or (5) a theophany (in Genesis 17:1 and Genesis 18:1-8). The theophany is probably the best answer. In John 8:57, the reference to fifty years old could have been that He was not even the age when priests retired. How could He have been seen by Abraham?
G. The Pharisees started the day by trying to stone a guilty woman, and they ended by trying to stone Jesus.
XI. Lesson 11 - The Gospel of John (Chapter 9:1-41)
A. This chapter describes Jesus as Light in physical darkness.
B. John had a home in Bethsaida, then in Capernaum, and then in Jerusalem (based on John 19:26-27 -> he had to have a home to take her to). His father carried fish to Jerusalem overnight to catch them.
C. In John 9:1, Jesus was probably walking north out of the gate of the Temple. He was not in a hurry or worried about being stoned, even though in John 8:59, they wanted to stone Him. In John 9:2, the disciples that for every cause there is an effect. In John 9:5, He said that He was the Light of the world. In John 9:6, why did Jesus use mud to heal this blind man? One reason might have been to be making clay on the Sabbath because that would have provoked the Pharisees. It could have been symbolic of man coming from dust. In John 9:7, He told the blind man to go to the pool of Siloam. The pool of Bethesda was about one block away, but the pool of Siloam was probably about a half mile away. This was probably the first Sabbath (John 9:14) after the Feast of Tabernacles, and the pool of Siloam was associated with Tabernacle. The further pool may have just been a test of the man's faith.
D. When the man was confronted by the Pharisees, he testified or witnessed of what had been done to him (John 9:9), he presented the facts (John 9:11), he told the truth (John 9:12), and he became a follower of Christ (John 9:15). He grew his faith. In John 9:16, Jesus again brought division. In John 9:17, the previously blind man called Jesus a prophet. In John 9:22, his parents were afraid to stand up for their own son. Excommunication by the synagogue could be (1) rebuke (7-30 days), (2) casting out (30-60 days), and (3) cutting off (indefinite). In John 9:34, the blind man may have been excommunicated. It only took ten Pharisees to vote him out.
E. Light causes understanding (John 9:39). The Pharisees attacked those words in John 9:40-41, and Jesus essentially told them that they were blind and guilty in their sins.
XII. Lesson 12 - The Gospel of John (Chapter 10:1-42)
A. Jesus told a wayside proverb or parable about Jesus being the good Shepherd. Jesus healed people because He had compassion on people. In John 10:1-42, there are no goats, whereas the Gospel of Matthew made a distinction between goats and sheep. Shepherds were important to the Lord. He is our Shepherd, He announced His incarnation to shepherds, and David started out as a shepherd. He was a good, shepherd king.
B. Luke was the giver of parables because He was showing Christ as the man (Son of man was the key phrase). Mark talked about the miracles to show Christ as the Servant of God doing things for His master. Twenty-seven of the thirty-seven recorded miracles are in Mark (immediately was the key word). Matthew gave His major sermons to show Christ as the King (Kingdom of heaven was a key phrase). John showed Christ as God (believe is the key word). The early church understood these distinctions in the gospels in the first one hundred and fifty years of the church.
C. In John 10:1, sheep pen was a reference to Israel in the Old Testament (in John 10:16, the other sheep are those of the church). In John 10:3, the porter is probably John the Baptist. This proverb is very dispensational. In John 10:4, know (the Greek word "oida") means to know innately (to perceive by any of the senses). Christians do not need proof of their salvation. They know innately that they are saved. His sheep know Him by His voice. In John 10:7, Jesus calls Himself the Door. In John 10:8, the thieves and robbers were the false prophets, and the sheep did not listen to them. God's indwelling Spirit will guide His people. In John 10:10, the thieves were the Jews that had tried to kill Him, and they did not hear His voice. To be saved is to be in Christ (union), and communion is to have Him in you. Four times, Jesus spoke about laying down His life. He was the good Shepherd (John 10:11), the great Shepherd (Hebrews 13:20), and the chief Shepherd (I Peter 5:4). In John 10:12, the wolf is a reference to Satan, and the hireling (the priests and Levites) is only in it for the money.
D. The Shepherd leads, feeds, and protects His sheep. The shepherd would sleep in the opening so that nothing could get to the sheep . The thief and the robbers were the Pharisees and Jews.
E. Every time Jesus preached, He caused division (John 10:19).
F. John 10:28 says, "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." This is a good eternal security verse. Christians will never perish.
XIII. Lesson 13 - The Gospel of John (Chapter 11:1-57)
A. The attitude of the disciples. In John 11:1-16, the disciples expressed doubt in the chance that Lazarus could live again. The Greek word for "sick" was "astheneo," which meant "to be without strength." In John 11:3, "phileo" was used for love, and that meant friendly love. Bethany was twenty-five miles away. Jesus delayed to build their faith (see John 11:15), He delayed because Lazarus was already dead, or He delayed because of Jewish customs for mourning. The first three days were probably consumed with professional mourners. In John 11:9-10, Jesus could have been talking about walking in either physical or spiritual darkness. The Apostle John wrote about walking in spiritual darkness in I John 1:5-6. In John 11:13-16, Jesus spoke of Lazarus being dead. In John 11:14, "Lazarus is dead" actually should be translated "Lazarus died." In John 11:16, when Thomas spoke, who was "him." He said, "Let us die for him." Thomas was willing to go to Bethany to a friend even it meant death.
B. The attitude of Martha. John 11:19 might have been paid mourners. Martha said three things that were wrong, theologically. In John 11:21, Martha believed that Jesus could heal, but she did not believe that He could raise her brother. In John 11:23, the word "ask" showed that she saw Jesus as inferior to God. The Greek word for "ask," which was "aiteo," also meant to beg. In John 11:24, she was wrong about her understanding of the resurrection. In John 11:25, Jesus said that He is the resurrection and the life. In John 11:27, she did not believe that He could raise Lazarus. The word "believe" is better translated as "used to believe." Martha was a pragmatist who always looked after the details.
C. There are six kinds of faith - saving faith, doctrinal faith, justifying faith, indewelling faith, living faith, and spiritual gift of faith.
D. The attitude of Mary. In John 11:28, Jesus had stayed outside. It could have been because He was a private man, because He wanted to raise Lazarus privately, or because the Jews wanted to stone Him. In John 11:32, Mary said the same thing as Martha about Lazarus being healed if Jesus had been there. In Jesus 11:35, Jesus wept. Maybe, He wept because of Mary's sorrow, because of the Jew's unbelief, the ignorance of the disciples, the unbelief of those present, or the indecision of those that would not believe. Lazarus' tomb was for a poor man.
E. In John 11:39-40, Martha warned Jesus that her brother's body probably had the odor of death, but Jesus was not deterred. The world says that seeing is believing. Jesus was saying that believing is seeing. In John 11:43, the Greek word "deuro", translated "come out," meant "out here" like a parent might say "in the kitchen!" It was more of a command than a casual statement. Lazarus was not resurrected because that would have meant that he had been raised to his new life and been without a sin nature. Instead, he came back to his old life, and he would die again.
F. In John 11:46, some of the Jews had been there to spy on Jesus. In John 11:47, the Sanhedrin was made up of seventy-one men after the tradition of Moses when he had set up seventy judges under him. In John 11:48, "place" could have meant the Temple. In John 11:51, Caiaphas was speaking of a political death for the people, not a substitutionary death.
G. In John 11:55, Jesus was about to go to His fourth and final Passover.
XIV. Lesson 14 - The Gospel of John (Chapter 12:1-50)
A. The time between John 11 and John 12 is not clear. He had left Bethany in John 11:54 and had come back in John 12:1. At the supper, Martha served, Lazarus sat with Him, and Mary was at His feet. The feast was six days before the Passover, which would have been on the Sabbath night. The Jews count time from 6:00pm until 6:00pm. Midnight was not the start of their new day.
B. In John 12:12, Jesus made His triumphant entrance into Jerusalem on Sunday (Palm Sunday). On Monday, He cursed the fig tree (Mark 11:12). On Tuesday, they saw the fig tree, and it had dried up (Mark 11:20). Thursday was Mark 14:1, and Friday was Mark 15:1. Jesus was probably crucified on Friday, and that is believed for the following reasons.
1. The chronology of Mark.
2. The Jews count part of a day as the whole.
3. The argument of the third day. Seventeen times, Jesus always talked about being risen on the third day, not the third night (not three whole days).
4. The Feast of Firstfruits - That would have been on Sunday, and it always followed Passover. The Passover sacrifice was always killed the day before Passover (for Passover - the Feast of Unleavened Bread), and the Feast of Firstfruits was always held on the day after. The whole Passover was from Sunday through the following Sunday (eight days).
5. The tradition of the early church believed that it was on Friday, and they were the closest to the event.
C. The Reconstructive View - Matthew 12:40 makes some people think that He was crucified on Wednesday (three days and three nights in the heart of the earth). That is the only verse in the Bible that seems to support that view, and the view has problems with the actual Jewish custom of killing the Passover lamb on the day before Passover. The actual day that He was crucified is not critical to our faith.
D. Mary probably knew more about Jesus' death than anyone else, and she may have saved up the expensive perfume for His anointing. According to John 12:16, the disciples did not understand until after Jesus was glorified.
E. The Pharisees wanted to legally kill Jesus and illegally kill Lazarus (John 12:9-11).
F. In John 12:13, Hosannah meant "save us now." Donkeys are normally very rebellious, but not with Jesus.
G. In John 12:20, some perhaps saved Greeks (Gentiles) wanted to see Jesus. They may have been outside Jews from Galilee that did not speak the language of the Jews, so they went to Philip because he was also from Galilee. They may have been philosophic Greeks. The disciples were divided into groups of four, and Philip was the leader of the second group. That may have been why they went to him. Andrew always brought people to Jesus, and Philip and he did that in this instance, too. He knew where Jesus was and how to get to Him.
H. In John 12:23, Jesus' hour of Messianic expectation had come. In John 12:28-30, a voice came from heaven, but in the Greek, the people only heard a noise. Three times a voice came to Jesus from heaven (Baptism, Transfiguration, and this Passover).
I. Satan was judged at Calvary, but his sentence has not yet been carried out. Therefore, he still has some power and influence in this present world. In John 12:32-33, He said that the cross judgment would bring all men to Him. John 12:33 is one of John's footnotes in his gospel. In John 12:38-43, the people did not believe into Jesus. They preferred the praise of men.
J. Three types of blindness - Physical blindness, spiritual blindness (II Corinthians 4:4), and judicial blindness (to the Jews (II Corinthians 3:12-14)). Jesus did not believe that a person can be an invisible believer.
XV. Lesson 15 - The Gospel of John (Chapter 13:1-38)
A. Jesus is nearing the last part of the last week of His life. This chapter is the Upper Room Discourse on a Thursday evening. It definitely was not Friday evening because that would have been the Sabbath. The festival lasted for seven plus one days and ended with the Feast of Firstfruits on Sunday. The Pastoral feast was always on Friday, so this supper was not that. In John 13:1, Jesus knew some things. Jesus knew that His hour (messianic expectation) had come. He knew that He was going to be glorified. He knew that He had all things in His hand. He knew that He sas from God, and He knew time to go back to God. He knew that He was Master and Lord. He knew that it was time for Him to be betrayed by Judas and denied by Peter.
B. Dr. Towns thinks that Jesus washed Judas' feet first and that Judas had had a seat of honor at the table (on the left of Jesus). In John 13:6, Peter was very transparent, but he will still be the rock. Washing of the feet was not regeneration. It was a follow-on action. Should churches still wash feet? Feet should not be washed in the church because (1) there is no repeat of the command in any of the early churches, (2) there was not any church illustration in the Scriptures, (3) it was only a social custom in those days, not a church ordinance, (4) it did not have any real spiritual symbolism, and (5) footwashing was an example, not a command.
C. Jesus let the disciples know five times about his betrayal (to warn Judas) - John 13:18, John 13:19, John 13:21 (Matthew 26:22-25 => everyone said Lord except Judas who said Rabbi or Master), John 13:26, and John 13:27. One view says that Judas was an all-American boy because he was the elected Treasurer and because no one even suspected him as a traitor. Some see him as the devil and super evil, but the Bible does not seem to support that view. In Matthew 27:3-10, a potter's field or cemetery, called a Field of Blood, was bought with Judas' money. In Acts 1:18, a space, parcel of ground, or ranchette had been bought, and that shows that Judas had been stealing from the Lord and buying himself a nice home. These two purchases were not the same. Judas was probably an all-American kid that did not repent. In John 13:26, if Judas had been sitting on Jesus' left, then Jesus would have naturally handed the bread to him. For that reason, the disciples missed what He was doing.
D. In John 13:33, little children came from the Greek word "teknion." It was a term of endearment and only used here by John.
E. In John 13:36, Peter asked the first of four questions to Jesus. He asked where Jesus was going? Peter was the one with the sword that was used in the garden. The word "deny" used by Jesus meant to utterly deny Him.
XVI. Lesson 16 - The Gospel of John (Chapter 14:1-31)
A. Another "I AM" chapter. He said that He is the Truth, the Way, and the Life. He is coming again. This chapter began in John 13:36, and there are four questions that are asked and answered. This was the Socratic method of teaching, which is question and answer. The pupil quizzes the teacher, not the other way around.
1. John 13:36 - Where are you going? The answer is in John 14:1-6. The immaterial heart is emotion and will, and Jesus said to not let your immaterial heart be troubled. There will be many, many dwelling places in heaven. There are four types of coming again for Jesus. In John 14:3, His coming is the rapture. In John 14:8, He will be present with His church. In John 14:23, He will indwell believers. In John 14:28, He will return for a brief earthly ministry following His resurrection. Based on John 14:6, Christians were also known as the people of the Way.
2. In John 14:5, how can we know the Father? Thomas showed his lack of faith. In John 11:16, he had been willing to die with Jesus, but his faith was weak.
3. In John 14:8, will you show us the Father? Philip was the analytical one, but he did not know Jesus by his experiences. Jesus and the Father were equal in nature, separate in Persons, and subserviant in duties. The Father can be seen through Christians (John 14:12) and through the works of Jesus (John 14:11). The greater works pertain to greater quantity, not greater quality. When praying, as in John 14:14, ask intentionally, ask specifically, ask in faith (James 1:6), ask sincerely (Hebrews 11:6), ask persistently or intermittently, not continuously (I Thessalonians 5:17), ask abidingly (John 15:6), and ask in Jesus' name, in His provision. In John 14:16-21 answers the third question. He can be seen through Jesus' works, believers, and the Holy Spirit. In John 14:16, "another" Comforter means another One just like Jesus, not another One different from Him. In John 14:17, the Holy Spirit will be with people and in people. In the Old Testament, He was only with people. In John 14:20, Christians are in Christ (union), and He is in them (communion).
4. In John 14:22, Judas, not Iscariot, asked why Jesus would show Himself to them and not to the world. This Judas, came from Judah, was a very popular name until Judas Iscariot brought reproach upon it. The name became a barrier to him, so he used his other name, which was Thaddaeus. Once everyone got to know him, he went back to his old name and wrote a book of the Bible. He wrote about how to deal with apostasy in the church. The answer is (1) by fellowship (John 14:23), (2) by the indwelling spirit (John 14:24-26), and (3) by inner peace (John 14:27-31).
B. In John 14:29, Jesus foretold so that they would know that He was and is God. The next two chapters seem to continue the Upper Room discourse. In John 14:31, they could have been walking from the room but still talking in the next two chapters. They could have also lingered in the upper room and continued talking.
Tom of Bethany "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (I John 5:12)
Index to Selected Essays And Book Reviews
NBST 797 - The Gospel of John (Lessons 17-24)
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