JOHN LESSON 30


     We will begin this lesson in John 10:22.

     V-22, "And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and
it was winter."

     V-23, "And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch."

     This Feast of Dedication is the same as the Feast of Lights,
which began on the 25th day of Chisleu (December) and continued for
eight days.  This Feast did not require attendance at Jerusalem.  The
Jews illuminated their houses for eight days to commemorate the
miracle of the oil in the temple which multiplied and lasted eight
days when there was only one day's supply.  I personally believe that
Jesus was born on December 25th.  Because He is the Light.  We see
from the verse 22 above, that t his Feast, indeed, did occur in
winter.  This location where Jesus came was a popular place to speak
to the people.

     V-24, "Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How
long dost thou make us to doubt?  If thou be the Christ, tell us
plainly."

     Really, the reason they were doubting was because they did not
know the Scriptures very well.  He had already told them, and they did
not believe Him.  They were trying to say that their lack of faith was
His fault.  The only reason they really want Him to come right out and
say that He is, is so they will have something to accuse Him of.

     V-25, "Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not:  the
works that I do in my Father's name, they bear witness of me."

     There should be no question at all of Who He Is.  Not only has
Jesus told them over and over, but the miracles that they saw Him do
should have left absolutely no doubt.  No mere man can do these
miracles.  He had to be Christ (their Messiah).

     V-26, "But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I
said unto you."

     The only ones who are His sheep are those who believe.  Jesus
(the great Shepherd) leads those who believe in Him (His sheep).  You
see, the key word is believe.  If we believe in Jesus, He is our
Shepherd; and we are His sheep.

     V-27, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow
me:"

     A shepherd knows his sheep.  It is strange, but you can have two
men's sheep in one pen, but the only ones that follow their master's
voice are his own sheep.

     V-28, "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never
perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand."

     V-29, "My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no
man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand."

     We see here, again, that the will of the Father and Jesus' will
are the same.  No mere man can take Jesus' sheep away.  Those who
decide to follow Jesus shall have eternal life.  The reward of
following Jesus is eternal life.

     V-30, "I and my Father are one."

     This is really speaking of the Spirit.  They are one Spirit; two
personalities, but one Spirit.

     V-31, "Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him."

     They were about to stone Jesus, because they felt it blasphemy
for Him to say that He and the Father were one.

     V-32, "Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you
from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?"

     Jesus nearly always answers with a question.  Jesus points to the
miracles that He had done and says that they were actually from the
Father.  The works they could not deny, because many of them had been
done in their presence.  When He asks for which miracle they stone Him
for, He shifts their thoughts from His claim of being equal with the
Father to the miracles which they cannot deny.

     V-33, "The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone
thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man,
makest thyself God."

     This has been the struggle ever since Jesus (the Word) came to
earth and was housed in the body of a man.  These Jews did not realize
that Jesus was not a man, but was Emmanuel, God with us.  Today this
same argument still rages.  Men cannot believe that Jesus was God the
Word who took on the form of flesh and dwelt among us.

     V-34, "Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said
Ye are gods?"

     This statement Jesus makes here is a quotation from Psalms 82:6,
"I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most
High." You see, Jesus knows just exactly what to say to stump these
Jews.  They must renounce the Scripture or gracefully get out of the
accusation.

     V-35, "If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came,
and the scripture cannot be broken;"

     V-36, "Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent
into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of
God?"

     Jesus has trapped them again.  He says here, the Scripture does
not change.  Then He tells them that He is the Son of God, and that
the Father, Himself, sanctified Him and sent Him into the world.

     V-37, "If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not."

     This is almost saying, show me anyone besides myself who has done
these fantastic works.  They know they cannot answer this, because
Jesus did miracles that no leader of the church had ever done before.
Many times it was said, only God could do this .

     V-38, "But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works:
that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in
him."

     Jesus is really saying, you know that no one but God can do these
miracles.  He also says, if you don't believe me, you cannot deny the
miracles I have done.  Then He says, don't you understand that I am in
the Father and the Father in me?  These works are truly divine in
nature and there is no way they can deny that.  Perhaps, if they
recognize that part, then maybe the realization of who Jesus is will
dawn on them, as well.

     V-39, "Therefore they sought again to take him:  but he escaped
out of their hand,"

     Jesus had such great power that He could have temporarily blinded
them, or else He could have made Himself where they could not see Him.
At any rate, Jesus walked right by them without them apprehending
them.  It was not time for them to capture Him yet.  It must be done
at Passover.

     V-40, "And went away again beyond Jordan into the place where
John at first baptized; and there he abode."

     Jesus left Jerusalem and went to the Jordan river area where He
had been baptized of John.  This was a friendly area where a great
deal of His ministry had taken place.  John the Baptist had been a
messenger from God, preparing the way for Jesus.  Many had believed
him and received Jesus freely.  John was not a healer, he was a
baptizer.  Jesus was the healer.  This was friendly territory for
Jesus.  John the Baptist had been popular here, and they believed his
message about the coming Messiah.

     V-41, "And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle:
but all things that John spake of this man were true."

     V-42, "And many believed on him there."

     John had spoken of Jesus, as he had baptized here at the Jordan,
and people were prepared and ready to receive their Messiah.  John the
Baptist was a voice crying in the wilderness.  People believed him,
and repented, and were baptized.  John's message was of Jesus, and
here Jesus found many eager to believe on Him and receive eternal
life.

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                           John 30 Questions


1.  When was the Feast of Dedication?
2.  What other name was this Feast called by?
3.  What day and month did the Feast begin?
4.  How many days did it last?
5.  How did the Jews go about celebrating?
6.  What did it commemorate?
7.  Why does the author believe Jesus was born on December 25th?
8.  What did these Jews ask Jesus to tell them outright?
9.  Who were they trying to blame with their lack of faith?
10. In verse 25, Jesus said what bore witness of Him?
11. In verse 26, why did Jesus say they didn't believe?
12. Who are His sheep?
13. What does Jesus say He gives His sheep in verse 28?
14. Whose hand can no man pluck them out of?
15. Quote verse 30.
16. When Jesus said this, what did the Jews do?
17. "...for which of those ________________________________ do ye
    stone me?"
18. Why did they say they were stoning Him?
19. From what Book in the Old Testament, did Jesus quote to them?
20. They said He blaphemest, because He said He was whom?
21. Jesus said it was okay not to believe Him, if what?
22. Jesus says, if you don't believe me, believe what?
23. When they tried to take Him, what did He do?
24. Where did Jesus go when He left Jerusalem?
25. The people said John the Baptist did no ________________________.
26. Was His ministry successful here?

                                 Notes