46-John 1 – 18

John 1 – 18

Nov. 7, 2009

We will begin our study this week in the first chapter of the Gospel of John. Last week we completed the Gospel of Luke and his account of the ministry of Jesus on earth. This week we will begin the fourth and final Gospel account by the disciple whom Jesus loved. The Apostle John referred to himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved in his Gospel account. John was the last Gospel record written about 80 – 90AD. John, at this time was an older man who knew of the other three Gospels and felt compelled to write his own “spiritual Gospel” to add information to the existing writings and show Jesus as the God-Man and savior of the world. John began Chapter 1 with theology. He said that he was a witness to the incarnation of the Living Word of God. In verse 14 he reveals “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.” John then wrote on the ministry of John the Baptist and his baptism of Jesus. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit on Jesus at His baptism foreshadowed what was to happen to His church when one believes and becomes born again. Jesus then began His public ministry and called His first disciples. At the end of the chapter Jesus reveals to Nathanael that He is the Ladder Jacob saw in his dream in the Book of Genesis. Jesus said in verse 51 “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” Chapter 2 reveals the first miracle Jesus performed when He turned water into wine at a wedding in the town of Cana. Then at the Passover Jesus went to Jerusalem and cleansed the temple of the thieves and moneychangers that were corrupting His Father’s house. The Jews asked Him by what authority He did these things, and Jesus answered in verse 19 “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews were confused because it had taken forty eight years to build the temple, how could it be rebuilt in three days? They did not realize that Jesus was referring to His own body and the resurrection. In Chapter 3 Jesus explained to a Pharisee named Nicodemus what it means to be born again. Nicodemus knew he could not return to his mother’s womb and Jesus told him in verse 14-17 “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. “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. “For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” John then wrote that John the Baptist ended his own ministry to defer to Jesus. He said in verse 28-30 “You yourselves are my witnesses that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent ahead of Him.’“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. So this joy of mine has been made full. “He must increase, but I must decrease.” Jesus returned to Galilee in Chapter 4. While He passed through Samaria He came upon a Samaritan woman by the city well. Even though the Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans Jesus asked the woman for a drink of water. Jesus then went on and told her of the gift of living water He could provide for her. He told the woman in verse 14 “whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.” The woman asked Jesus for that water and He forgave her of her sin and changed her life. He also revealed to her when she asked that He was the Messiah. Many Samaritans believed because of the woman’s testimony and the words of Jesus when he stayed with them. Before leaving He healed a nobleman’s son in Cana. In Chapter 5 Jesus returned with His disciples to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews. He stopped by the Sheep Gate into the city at the pool of Bethesda and healed a man who had been ill for thirty eight years. It was believed that when the waters of the pool were stirred up anyone placed into the pool would be healed. The man had never found anyone to lower him into the pool. Jesus had compassion and told the man to get up and walk. The Pharisees scolded the man for carrying his pallet on the Sabbath against the law and did not recognize the miracle of his healing. They began to persecute Jesus for healing on the Sabbath and sought to kill him because He said He was God’s Son and therefore equal to God. Jesus then spoke and answered the Pharisees with the purpose of His coming, the resurrection, and the witness to His works and testimony. Jesus told them in verse 39-40 “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.”

    Jesus went across the Sea of Galilee in Chapter 6 before the Passover and taught the crowds from a mountain. The people had not eaten so Jesus asked His disciples to find them some food. Jesus knew what He was going to do but let Phillip tell Him the cost of feeding that many people. Andrew came with a boy with five barley loaves and two small fish. Jesus gave thanks and distributed the food to the people to eat. All ate until they were satisfied and twelve baskets of food remained from the five loaves and two fishes. Jesus performed a miracle and five thousand men were fed. The crowd was amazed and wanted to make Jesus King. This was not the proper time and Jesus escaped to the mountain alone. His disciples took a boat across the sea for their next destination of Capernaum when a storm came up on the sea when they had reached the middle. Jesus walked across the sea and saved His men and immediately had them safe at Capernaum. The people followed them across the sea and were amazed to see Jesus because they knew He had taken no boat. They questioned Him about the bread and He replied in verse 35 “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.” The Jews argued among themselves because of Jesus’ words and did not understand their meanings. Jesus then spoke to His disciples and Peter told Him He was the Holy One of God.

Jesus then went to Jerusalem during the Feast of Booths, in Chapter 7, and taught in the temple. The Jews there were amazed that Jesus spoke as a learned man but had received no formal education. They did not realize that Jesus was the true author of the words He taught and needed no education from them. Jesus’ words and teaching divided the people. Some believed correctly that He was the Christ, and others rejected the truth and wanted Him dead. The next morning, in Chapter 8, Jesus went into the temple while the Pharisees brought in a woman that was caught in the act of adultery. The crowd picked up stones to deliver her punishment as prescribed in the law, but Jesus wrote in the sand on the ground and said in verse 7 “He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” The crowd one by one dropped their stones and left until Jesus was alone with the woman. He then said in verse 10 “Woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?” She replied “No one Lord” and Jesus said in verse 10 “I do not condemn you, either. Go. From now on sin no more.” Jesus then told the Pharisees that He is the Light of the world and anyone who follows Him does not walk in darkness. He said to the Jews that believed Him in verse 31-32 “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine;and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” Jesus then went too far in the eyes of the Pharisees in verse 58 when He said “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” The Jews picked up stones to stone Him but Jesus disappeared from them and hid in the temple. In Chapter 9 Jesus healed a man that had been born blind and answered the Pharisees questions about the healing. By the end of the chapter He again told them that He was indeed God. Then in Chapter 10 Jesus told the parable of the Good Shepherd. The people did not understand the truth of His words. He said in verse 11 the reason He had come to earth. “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” Jesus told the Jews again in verse 30 “I and the Father are one.” The Jews in Jerusalem continued to increase their efforts to have Jesus killed. Jesus received word that Lazarus, the brother of His friends in Bethany, Martha and Mary was sick. Jesus knew Lazarus was going to die and purposely stayed where He was for an additional two days before going to Bethany. Jesus planned to use the death of Lazarus to glorify His Father and to foreshadow His own death and resurrection that was to come soon. When Jesus arrived in Bethany His friends wept over the death of their brother. Jesus told them not to worry that Lazarus would rise again. Martha thought He meant at the resurrection, but Jesus replied in verse 25-26 “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies,and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” Jesus then went to the grave and said in verse 43 “Lazarus, come forth.” The dead man came out of the grave alive still bound in his grave clothes. Many believed in Jesus after being witness to this act, but the Pharisees still did not and conspired to kill Him before the Passover. In Chapter12 Jesus was still in Bethany and at supper with Lazarus six days before the Passover in the home of Martha and Mary. Martha as usual was serving the meal while Mary came to Jesus with a full pound of costly perfume and anointed His feet. Judas Iscariot was upset with the waste of the perfume that could have been sold to help the poor. His real motivation was that he was a thief and the keeper of the disciple’s strongbox of money that he would be able to steal from. Jesus said to him in verse 7-8 “Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial. “For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.” The next day Jesus entered Jerusalem to the shouts of “Hosanna! BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD, even the King of Israel” and the waving of palm fronds. His disciples would remember these events after Jesus was glorified, but did not understand them at that time. Jesus then predicted His death and told His disciples that His Father has hardened the hearts of the Jews to His Son because of their rejection until He comes again. In Chapter 13 before the Feast of Passover Jesus knew His Hour had come. He had supper for the last time with His disciples. During supper Judas, under the control of Satan decided to betray his Lord. Before they ate Jesus took a towel and washed the feet of His men. Peter complained and Jesus told him in verse 8 “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” Peter then wanted Jesus to wash also his hands and head, but Jesus replied in verse 10 “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” Jesus knew who would betray Him. He washed their feet to show the disciples how to act towards one another when He was gone. He told them that He would be betrayed and die. He also said in verse 34-35 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” Jesus then comforted His disciples in Chapter 14 and told them He is going to prepare a place for them in heaven where He is soon to go. He said in verse 6 “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” This was in response to Thomas wanting to know how they could find the place. Jesus also said they would be given the Holy Spirit as a help to them when He was gone. In Chapter 15 Jesus told His disciples that He is the True Vine and that they were the branches. None of them could bear fruit alone without Him. He also said His Father would prune any branch that did not bear fruit. Jesus said that “apart from Him they could do nothing.” Jesus was preparing His men to carry on after He went to His Father. He said to them in verse 11-12 “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.” He knew the time was approaching when they would have to take over His ministry to the world. The disciples were again promised the Holy Spirit to help them in Chapter 16. Jesus then foretold His death and resurrection again to His disciples. They still did not understand what He said to them. He told them plainly that anything they asked for in His name would be given to them. These things had to be in accord with God’s will. He said to them in verse 33 “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” Jesus then, in Chapter 17, lifted His eyes towards heaven and prayed to His Father His High Priestly prayer. In this prayer Jesus told His Father that He had done what was to be done and prayed for His disciples who were to follow Him. He also prayed for His men that were with Him, but also included all of us who believe on the words written by His disciples. At the end of chapter He asked His Father that all who believe in Him would be with Him where He was going. In Chapter 18 Judas betrayed Jesus to a group of Roman soldiers and some representatives of the Jews and Pharisees. He was willing to go peacefully but Peter drew his sword and cut off the right ear of Malchus. Jesus rebuked Peter and was taken away to Annas the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the High Priest. Peter denied his Lord as Jesus was taken to Caiaphas for trial. Jesus was then taken to the Praetorium before Pilate for permission to have Him executed. Pilate questioned Jesus and asked if He was King. Jesus answered him and Pilate said in verse 37 “So You are a king?” Jesus then replied “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” Pilate replied in verse 38 “What is truth?” then went out to the Jews and proclaimed “I find no guilt in Him.” He did not release Jesus, but allowed as a custom of the Jews the release of the criminal Barabbas they wished instead. This ends our study for this week. Next week we will finish the Gospel of John then turn to the Book of Acts.