Gospel Light Christian Church Thru-The-Bible Series (3.3)

The Gospel Of John
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John 7:40-53, 8:1-32 - Read this Bible passage once through before referring to the notes below.

Division of the People over Jesus

v.40 Many of the people believed that Jesus was the Prophet prophesied in DEU 18:15-18. However, they probably did not know that the Prophet mentioned in that passage was the Messiah.

v.41 This group was more knowledgeable of the Scriptures than those in v.27. The Messiah was prophesied to be born in Bethlehem (v.42, MIC 5:2). Since Jesus' life and miracles were so remarkable, they should have carefully investigated His origins before assuming that He came out of Galilee.

v.42 Even the ordinary people knew that Christ was to come from the family of David, and was to be born in Bethlehem.

v.45 The following verses (vs.45-52) describe an official meeting of the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin members were surprised that the officers had come back empty-handed.

v.46 The officers were deeply impressed by Jesus' speech, otherwise it would have been wiser for them to give an excuse for their failure than to commend Jesus before the Sanhedrin. They were probably impressed by His authority, wisdom, love, and boldness.

v.47 When the officers said "Never man spake like this" they meant that he spake "divinely," but the leaders pervert this to mean that Jesus spake deceitfully.

v.48 "How can you believe on Him, if none of the rulers have?" This type of answer is commonly used by wicked religious leaders to stop men from seeking the truth. In reality the opposite is the truth because "not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called"(ICO 1:26).

v.49 The Pharisees mistakenly believed that the knowledge of the Law saved them, not performing the Law (ROM 2:13). Therefore, to them the masses who did not know as much as they did were cursed.

v.50 Nicodemus (JOH 3) took a long time to be saved, but he became a bold believer. He was one of the rulers of the Jews who sat in the Sanhedrin council.

v.51 The leaders asserted that none of them believed in Jesus, but Nicodemus, who was a leader, spoke favourably of Jesus. The rulers cursed the people that did not know the Law, but they were worse because they deliberately broke the Law (EX0 23:1, DEU 1:16,17). Even the heathen believe in giving a man a fair hearing.

v.52 Instead of admitting their sin, they side-track the accusation by ridiculing Nicodemus [1].

v.53 [2] The Sanhedrin council concluded without any decision being taken.


John 8:1-32 - Read this Bible passage once through before referring to the notes below.

The Adulterous Woman

v.1 This contrasts with the previous verse where the Jewish leaders went to their own houses. The Lord often went to the mount of Olives (LUK 21:37).

v.2 Jesus wastes no time by starting work early in the morning. After all that had happened in the last three or four days, naturally all the people came unto him.

v.3 The religious leaders caught a woman in the act of adultery [3]. Having failed to defeat Jesus in argument, and having failed to arrest Him, they use this case hoping to trap Him into saying something that would get Him into trouble (v.6).

v.5 Adulterers were to be sentenced to death (LEV 20:10, DEU 22:22). If Jesus said "Yes, stone her" then He would be guilty of breaking the Roman Law that forbade the Jews from imposing the death penalty (JOH 18:31); but if He said "No, don't stone her" then He would be guilty of breaking the Mosaic Law.

v.6 Jesus was silent because He was disgusted both with their wickedness in using this woman as a bait, and their hardness in refusing to see their own sin of trying to kill Him (MAT 5:21,22). His silence poured contempt on them as people who were unworthy to be answered. Furthermore, His silence also gave them time to turn from their wickedness. He probably used his finger to write or draw something on the sand.

v.7 Jesus is not against the teaching of the Mosaic Law which condemns adultery, but He wanted them to realise that, first of all, they were guilty of the sin of attempting to murder Him by this act of theirs (MAT 7:1-5). According to the Mosaic Law the witnesses against the accused should cast the first stone (DEU 17:7).

v.8 Again Jesus gives them the chance to repent.

v.9 In this silence the voice of their conscience was deafening! The eldest may have been the leader of the group. All the accusers left and the woman was left standing in the midst of the rest of the crowd.

v.10 During the period of silence, Jesus did not even look at the accusers preferring to allow their consciences to speak to them.

v.11 She acknowledged Jesus as Lord. Jesus who saw her heart, saw her repentance and forgave her. True repentance leads to reformation. Therefore, she was to sin no more.

Jesus is the Light of the World

v.12 After the accusers left, Jesus continues with His sermon which was interrupted at verse 2. There are seven "I ams" in John's Gospel. The other six "I ams" are found in JOH 6:35, 10:9,11, 11:25, 14:6, 15:5.

Jesus is "the light of the world" directly through His life, and indirectly through His Holy Spirit. By His life we are given the light to see what the real purposeful, useful and joyful life should be like. Through His death and resurrection we have the light that shows us the way to eternal life. Most importantly, without knowing Jesus, no one can really know God. The Holy Spirit gives us understanding of God's Word and God's creation, so that we can see the truth of things rather than superficially knowing them. Without Christ we are like men walking in darkness because we will not understand many things (eg. the purpose of life, the reality of heaven, the way to eternal life). No prophet ever claimed to be the light of the world, or the light of life [4].

v.13 The Pharisees reject Jesus' claim as untrue, because it is generally accepted fact that a man's testimony of his own character is worthless.

v.14 Jesus tells them that they are unfit to reject His claim because they were so ignorant that they did not even know where He was from, neither where He would go to. As for Himself, He had the right to make a claim because He knew that He was sent from God, and would return to God. The Jews were really puzzled about Jesus' origins. He was a simple carpenter's son from Galilee, yet He spoke so wisely and performed incredible miracles.

v.15 "Though you are incapable of making a good judgement, you continually judge me, and this you do using mere outward (fleshly) appearance as your yardstick. On the other hand, I did not come to judge" (JOH 3:17).

v.16 Yet when the occasion came for judgement, Jesus’ judgement will be perfect because it is in perfect harmony with God's. Jesus said this because His previous statement in verse 15 may have given the wrong idea that He was incapable of judging.

v.l7 DEU 17:6 teaches that the testimony of two credible witnesses is true.

v.18 If the Law accepted the evidence of two credible witnesses, surely the witness of Jesus and of God must be acceptable.  Jesus had already claimed to the Son of God, and God had witnessed that His claim was true through the miracles that He did through Jesus. Jews acknowledged that only God could do such miracles (JOH 3:2).

v. 19 They would not believe that Jesus was God's Son. Jesus tells them that it is obvious that they do not know God because they do not know Him (who was God in the flesh). No man can really know God without first knowing Jesus (JOH 14:8,9) because without first knowing Christ as our Saviour and Mediator, we would fear to approach God. Therefore, it is foolish to say "I must first know more about God before I become a Christian."

v.20 The treasury was next to the hall where the Sanhedrin met, and yet they could not arrest Him because his hour was not yet come.

v.21 Many were puzzled about Jesus' origins, therefore, He says "I have claimed to be the Messiah, and I am soon going back to heaven. Therefore, shouldn't you desire to seriously inquire who I really am?" [5] If they delayed there would come a time when it would be too late to find Him, and they would end up in hell (ie, whither I go, ye cannot come).

v.22 The Jews speculate that Jesus had discovered their plan to kill Him [6], therefore, to pre-empt that He decided to kill himself first. In a sense they were right because Jesus would kill Himself on Calvary!

v.25 Jesus had claimed to be the Messiah from the beginning of His teachings at Jerusalem. However, when a man is determined not to hear, he will indeed be deaf (also v.27).

v.26 "You are so wicked. Though there is so much more for me to say regarding you, but for the time being I forbear from doing so. Be assured that what I say is absolutely true for I am sent from God, who is the God of truth, and everything that I have spoken is in perfect harmony with Him." [7]

v.27 Unsaved people are so blind that they cannot really understand even the simplest spiritual truths that are taught in the clearest way. Unless we realise this, we will be very frustrated evangelists.

v.28 The act that will most clearly reveal that Jesus is God's Son is the crucifixion (ie, lifted up the Son of man, JOH 3:14, 12:32). This statement was prophetic because after His resurrection many Jews realised that Jesus was indeed the Son of God, who had spoken God's words (ie, as my Father hath taught me, I speak). Though many were convinced intellectually by His resurrection, not many were converted.

v.29 Jesus re-emphasises the perfect unity between Him and God the Father.

v.30 "These words" refers to Jesus' whole teaching at Jerusalem. Many believed on him intellectually and not in their hearts, as can be seen in the events that follow (eg. JOH 8:44).

v.31 Since many Jews were convinced that they believed on him as their Messiah, Jesus now differentiates intellectual faith from true saving faith. The “test of time” is the most reliable method to see whether one is truly saved. One continues in God's word, ie, continues believing that one is a sinner, that the only way of salvation is Jesus, that sin is abhorrent and must be punished.

v.32 Those who are truly saved would continue in the Word, and shall know the truth more and more. Having received the truth of the Gospel, we are free from the penalty of sin. Further, living out God's truth as shown in His Word, will set us free from the bondage of sin. For example, humility sets us free from the need to impress everyone, telling the truth frees us from the bondage of covering up one lie with another, staying away from alcohol, gambling and drugs keeps us free from their bondage.


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Footnotes

[1] They were wrong to say that out of Galilee ariseth no prophet because Jonah came from Galilee (2KI 14:25).

[2] This statement contrast with the next verse which tells us that Jesus had no house to go to (MAT 8:20).

[3] v.4 During the Feast of Tabernacles many Jews lived to close proximity in booths and it was possible that she was caught in one of the booths.  If they really wanted justice to be done, then they should have also brought the man together with this woman to the relevant authorities.

[4] Jesus may have referred to the sun as He spoke this.

[5] From this verse we learn that it is possible for one to "seek" Jesus and yet die in one's sins. Sickness and the fear of death can draw out much religious feelings from one, enough to make one serious about seeking religious matters. However, unlike true faith these feelings die out when the threat of sickness or death is removed.

[6] v.23 Their thoughts were not only earthly, they were hell-inspired!

[7] Again, remember that when Jesus says that He speaks those things which He has heard of God, He uses earthly language to describe that what He spoke is exactly what God would have spoken because He spoke as if He heard God's mind and repeated it.