Thoughts on John – Part 1
JN 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The Word is another name for Jesus (Verse 14 & John 3:16)
JN 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
This is a clear statement that Jesus is eternal. Jesus already existed and was with God the Father and God the Spirit from the beginning. Mary had nothing to do with bringing Jesus into existence. He pre-existed all things.
JN 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Not only is Jesus eternal but He is all powerful. Jesus was active in the creation week. Jesus created the stars and the planets and the animals and everything else that was made. All things were made by Jesus. He spoke all things into existence.
JN 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
Jesus came to the world that He created. Over and over in this chapter it is declared that Jesus is God manifested in the flesh.
JN 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
JN 1:15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
JN 1:30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.
Once in verse 15 and in verse 30 John says that Jesus existed before him. But John was born 6 months before Jesus. John was the older cousin. What John is declaring is that Jesus existed before him because Jesus is God and always existed.
JN 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
If you have a list of favorite verses in the Bible, this one is a great candidate. This one verse clearly declares how to be saved. You must receive Christ to be saved. It is more than a head knowledge. It is more than knowing that Jesus lived, died, and rose again. You can know all that and still be lost. After hearing the gospel, then you must act upon it. You have to ask Him to save you. You have to receive Him. Ye must be born again. The verse makes it very clear that salvation is based on belief and not on works.
This verse also tells us that when you get saved you become a son of God. You get adopted into His family. You are now His child. When you get saved you switch families. You go from having the wicked one as your father to having the Holy one as your father. You used to have a hard taskmaster and now you have a loving heavenly Father. You go from having a master who has nothing good for you at all, to the one who has everything. You go from one who wants to hurt you to the one who wants to bless you. You go from spending an eternity in hell with the devil to an eternity with Almighty God. What a complete change and all from simply believing and receiving Jesus Christ as Saviour.
This is a wonderful work, and it is the work of God.
JN 1:13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
JN 2:3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.
JN 2:4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.
Jesus loved His mother and was in subjection to her as far as His humanity was concerned. But in these verses we see Mary trying to have authority over His deity.
And look again at how strongly Jesus rebuked her for it. “Woman, what have I to do with thee?”
The Catholic teaching that Mary can tell Jesus what to do in spiritual matters is clearly against what the Bible teaches.
JN 2:18 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?
This is early on in Jesus’ ministry and the Jews ask Jesus for a sign. Jesus had just drove men out of the temple with a scourge of small cords. They wanted a sign to show by what authority He did these things. Jesus answers and tells them what the sign will be.
JN 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
JN 2:20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
JN 2:21 But he spake of the temple of his body.
The sign was to be that after they crucify Him that He will raise from the dead in 3 days. Jesus said the same thing again near the end of His public ministry. The cross was ever before Him. It was not an afterthought. Jesus was predicting the crucifixion from the beginning of His ministry. Long before any of His enemies thought of it. In fact the crucifixion was planned before the foundation of the earth was laid.
Jesus knew what was going to happen to Him and yet He came and took upon Him the form of man anyway. He knew that the only way that sinful man could be saved is if the perfect Lamb of God would die as a substitute for sinners. He knew how horrible the death would be. He also knew that He would have to be made sin for us. And yet He came anyway.
Never doubt the love of God.
JN 2:13 And the Jews’ passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
JN 2:14 And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting:
JN 2:15 And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables;
JN 2:16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.
JN 2:17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.
The Israelites had departed far from the system that God had given them. God told them to have only one high priest. They were only to have one, because it was a picture of there being only one mediator between God and man. It was to be a picture of Jesus who is the only way to the Father. They had departed from that and had more than one high priest. They added many man made traditions to what God gave them. And they had turned the Sabbath, which was to be for man, to being against man. They turned it into a hard burden. At this time their hearts were far from God. And even with all they had wrong and with all the twisting they had done to what God gave them, Jesus was still zealous for God’s house. He still went to the temple during the feasts. He still called it His Father’s house. He still cared about how things were done there.
In these verses we see Jesus chasing wicked men out of the temple. They were perverting God’s house. They were not there for the right reason. They were not there for the spiritual. Far from it. They were only there to make money and to rip people off. And Jesus shows His great displeasure with it. Even though the house was deep in apostasy, He still was very displeased. They were far from God but they were doing this wickedness in God’s name.
How about today? How much goes on in churches today that Jesus is very displeased with? How many people are there for the wrong reason? Some are there only to make business contacts. To some it is a job and they are in it for the money. Some are only there for entertainment. If Jesus walked into some churches today, would He make a scourge and drive some out?
We cannot do much about others, but what about ourselves. We can ask ourselves, am I there for the right reason. Would Jesus be pleased with how I behave in God’s house? Would my heart be acceptable to Him? Am I there to hear the word of God and to let Him do a work in my life? Am I using the house of God in a manner that would please the Lord?
John Chapter 3 contains what some call the golden text of the Bible.
JN 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
This verse clearly shows men how to be saved. We are saved by believing and not by works.
This verse clearly shows that you cannot lose your salvation. It says that you will have everlasting life. If you could lose your salvation, then it would not be everlasting life.
In this verse we also see that Biblical Love is a Love that acts. It says For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son. God loved so He did something about it. His great Love required action.
In this verse we see that Love also sacrifices. God loved so He sent His Son to the cross to die for our sins. Biblical Love puts the needs of others above yourself.
This is the kind of Love that we are to have. A love that acts, a love that sacrifices, a love that puts others first.
We need to show forth the love of Christ.
JN 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Sometimes the question comes up, what do I have to do to go to hell? The answer is nothing. He that believeth not is condemned already. Everyone is born without belief. Everyone then is born condemned. Everyone is born with a sin nature and because sin separates from a Holy God we are all born separated from God.
Some might argue that it is not fair. They say I did not ask to be born or it is not my fault that I was born a sinner. Well it is not the Polar bears fault that he is a polar bear. It is not the cats fault that he is a cat. All cats are born cats. They can’t change that fact. And men are all born sinners, and that can’t be changed. That is just the way it is. It does not matter if you like the facts or not. Facts are facts. They are dependent upon truth and not feelings. And the truth is that he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
But praise God for the beginning of the verse. He that believeth on him is not condemned:
Do you want to not be condemned? The solution is simple. Believe on Jesus and be saved.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
It is true that you had nothing to do with being born a sinner. But it is also true that you had nothing to do with providing the solution. You don’t have to work for it. Salvation is a free gift.
You had no choice in being born a sinner and thus condemned. But you do have a choice in believing in Jesus and thus being NOT condemned.
The fact is that if you stay condemned that is on you.
JN 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
JN 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
Nicodemus was a teacher of the Jews and he came to Jesus under the cover of night to learn from Jesus. Jesus of course knew what the man needed most and so Jesus gets right to the heart of the matter. Jesus tells him that he must be born again. He must have a spiritual birth. Without that you cannot even see the kingdom of God.
Works is not going to do it. Giving more is not going to do it. Committing to reform is not going to get you anywhere with God. Ye must be born again. It is not a suggestion. It is not just a good idea. It is not something that will help along the way. To get to heaven it is a must; a requirement. Being born again is not a way to heaven; it is THE ONLY WAY!
After declaring the necessity of being born again, Jesus does not leave Nicodemus to doubt as to how to get born again.
JN 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
JN 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
JN 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
JN 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Believe in Jesus and be born again.
JN 4:1 When therefore the LORD knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John,
JN 4:2 (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)
The Bible says that Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
Here then is a question to those who believe that baptism saves.
If Jesus came to save the lost, then why did He not baptize?
John 4:2 tells us that Jesus did not baptize anyone. This is just one place where the Bible teaches that baptism does not save.
JN 4:4 And he must needs go through Samaria.
JN 4:5 Then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph.
JN 4:6 Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.
JN 4:7 There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith unto her, Give me to drink.
The Bible says that Jesus must needs go through Samaria. Jews would travel long distances to avoid going thru Samaria. It was not a desirable location for them. Many people would not understand why Jesus would go there. But He must go. He needed to go. It was not a pleasure trip. It was not to sightsee. Everything that Jesus did had a specific purpose. So why must he go there? What need was there?
He had to go to meet with the woman at the well and lead her to a saving knowledge of Himself. He went to save her.
In the Bible you find over and over again how Jesus went for the one. He went out of His way for the one. He preached to the individual. He took time for the individual. He dealt with people one on one. Jesus is very concerned for the individual.
Jesus is very concerned and interested in you as an individual. He does not see you as just a member of the masses. He is interested in you as an individual. He wants to have a personal relationship with you one on one.
Man is too interested in the numbers. God is interested in the individual. God is interested in you.
JN 4:6 Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour.
Jesus was all man. He got weary from travel, and when He tired He sat down. However, Jesus was much more than just a man. Jesus was also God. Jesus existed from eternity past, and He left the glories of Heaven and became a man. But He never lost His deity. He was both man and God at the same time. We see both in this same account. He traveled and wearied – His humanity. He promised to give the woman eternal life. Only God can do this. He also showed that He is all-knowing. He told her all that she ever did. His power to give eternal life and knowing all things show His deity. Both are displayed before us here. And then so there is no doubt in the woman’s mind Jesus plainly tells her who He is.
JN 4:25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
JN 4:26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.
He told the woman that He is the promised Messiah. He is the Christ. The Saviour of the world.
Mat 1:23 Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.
Jesus was man and God at the same time. And He came to do what you see Him doing at the well with the woman. He came to seek and to save that which was lost. He came to save sinners.
Sinner – He came for you. He went to the cross for you. He died for your sins. He paid your penalty, and then He rose again showing that the payment was sufficient. Will you not accept Him now? Believe with a repentant heart and call upon Him to save you. It really is that simple. He has done all the work. He paid the price in full. There is nothing for you to do except believe and ask Him for salvation.
JN 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
It should be obvious that Jesus is talking about the Old Testament here. The New Testament had not been written yet so the only scriptures that they had was the Old Testament. And Jesus says that the O.T. testified of Him.
JN 5:46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me.
JN 5:47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?
Moses wrote the first 5 books of the Bible (Gen, Ex, Lev, Num, Deu). And Jesus says that Moses wrote about Him. All of the ceremonies, sacrifices, and feasts were pictures of Jesus. The serpent on the pole that they had to look to and live, was all about Jesus. The law that Moses wrote was showing man that he is a sinner and needs a Saviour. The theme of the entire Bible is Jesus.
JN 5:18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
This verse defines what is meant by calling Jesus the Son of God. When Jesus claimed that God was His Father it was a claim that He was equal with God. You cannot be equal with God unless you are God. Jesus claimed to be God. That is why they wanted to kill Him.
In Jesus’ answer to those that wanted to kill Him is verse 23.
JN 5:23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.
Jesus told them that all men should honor Him the same way that they honor the Father. The only way that you should receive the same honor as God is if you are God. He also told them that if they do not honor Him, then they are not honoring the Father. You cannot honor God the Father if you don’t honor God the Son. The Son and the Father are one. Jesus clearly declared it.
JN 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
This one of the many verses in scripture that teaches that you cannot lose your salvation. If you come to Him for salvation, you have His promise that He will in no wise cast you out.
And notice that there are no conditions to it. There is no if. If you are good enough is not there. It is simply come and have everlasting life.
Come and you will never get kicked out ever. Why? Because it is His will. It is His promise and He must keep His promise. His honor is on the line. If He broke this promise and kicked you out, then He would lose His honor. He would have lied. But praise God He cannot lie and you can count on His wonderful promise that if you come to Him He will never cast you out.
JN 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
JN 6:64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
JN 6:70 Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?
JN 6:71 He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.
Jesus was God manifested in the flesh. Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not. Jesus knew from the beginning who would betray Him. Jesus not only knew from the beginning of His public ministry, but Jesus knew from the very beginning. Before the foundations of the earth were laid Jesus knew who would betray Him. He is all knowing. He knows the beginning from the end. This is an attribute that belongs only to God.
Jesus knew how it would all happen. He knew that Judas Iscariot would be the one who would betray Him. Jesus chose him on purpose. Not only is Jesus all knowing, but He has a plan and a purpose. Each one of the 12 was chosen with a purpose. They each had a place in God’s great plan. And yet each man still had a free will. The Bible teaches both the free will of man and the sovereignty of God. Both are true. God has a plan and complete foreknowledge but man does not.
Man is responsible for his choices and God knew from the beginning what man would choose.
The truth that God is sovereign and man has a free will is a truth that is above our ability to completely comprehend. But our inability to understand does not in any way negate the truth.
JN 6:23 (Howbeit there came other boats from Tiberias nigh unto the place where they did eat bread, after that the Lord had given thanks:)
Jesus set a good example for us. Before they ate He paused and gave thanks. Never take for granted anything, even your food. God created the wheat plant as well as everything else that we eat. It tastes good because God created it that way. Peaches taste great only because God intended them to. The way a peach tastes is not an accident. The money that we use to buy the peach is from the job that God gave us. The ability that we have to work is only because of God. We are warm enough to work because of His sunshine, and while we are working we are breathing His air. Are you not thankful enough for your food to pray and give God thanks before you eat it? We should be. Christians should be a thankful people, and not just at home. If we are thankful enough to say grace at home, we should be thankful enough to give thanks in prayer at the restaurant.
JN 7:40 Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.
JN 7:41 Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?
JN 7:42 Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?
JN 7:43 So there was a division among the people because of him.
Jesus claimed to be the Christ and the Old Testament said that Christ would come out of the town of Bethlehem.
These people rejected Jesus as the Christ because they thought that He came out of Galilee. When in fact Jesus did come out of Bethlehem.
They rejected the Savior because they did not make the effort to check into it. With very little effort they could have found out the truth. They could have seen that Jesus was indeed who He claimed to be. They chose to believe an error rather than check out the truth.
Their kind is still around today. In fact in great numbers. Many people will reject Jesus simply because they will not check out His claims. They would rather believe an error than check out the truth. They do not even want to consider that Jesus may be what He said He was; the only way to heaven.
But that does not make sense you say. Would not people want to know the truth? No in fact most people do not want to know. Why you ask. The answer is simple.
Men love their sin. Most people would rather believe a lie than to turn from their sin and accept Jesus as their savior.
What about you?
JN 7:7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.
The world hates Jesus. When verses like this or John 3:16 speaks of the world it is not speaking of this planet. For God so loved the world is speaking about the world of men. God became man and went to the cross because He loves all men (the world). This love is often met with hatred. All over the world people are whipped, put in prison or even killed for repeating the words of Jesus.
Why? Verse 7 gives us one of the reasons. “because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.” Jesus tells people that they are sinners. That the works they do are evil. Jesus tells men that they are going to hell; that they need a Saviour. Jesus says that I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Man likes to think highly of himself. Man’s pride likes to think that he can work his way to heaven. Man likes to indulge in sin. Man’s sinful nature hates the light and loves the darkness. The result of man’s sin is an eternity in hell. Man loves his sin and does not want to hear the truth.
Out of love Jesus left the glories of heaven and came to earth to pay for our sin. Jesus testifies of our evil ways out of love so that we might turn from our sin. Jesus testifies so that we will realize that we are sinners and call upon Him to save us. Out of love Jesus tells man the truth so that he might repent and be saved.
Most people respond to His love with hatred. What about you?
JN 7:23 If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day?
JN 7:24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
The religious leaders were angry with Jesus for healing on the Sabbath day. Jesus reminds them that they go thru the work of circumcising a child on the Sabbath so that the Law of Moses is not broken. The law required that a male child be circumcised on the 8th day. Not on the 7th and not on the 9th. Only on the 8th day after birth. So if that fell on the Sabbath, then they would do good according to God’s word and circumcise It was alright to do good on the Sabbath, even if it was work. The priests worked hard on the Sabbath for example. Sacrifices were done on the Sabbath and if you study out everything they had to do to the animal, then you would agree that it was a lot of work.
Jesus is pointing out that they always have done good works on the Sabbath. Therefore it was very hypocritical for them to be angry with Jesus for doing the Father’s work on the Sabbath. Then Jesus tells them, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”
He did not tell them to not judge at all. In fact He tells them to judge, but they are to use the correct kind of judgment. We are to use spiritual discernment. If you don’t judge what someone is teaching, then you can be led into all kinds of heresy. And the main point here is to use the same judgment upon yourself that you extend to others. These religious teachers were judging Jesus and were angry at Him for doing the same kind of thing that they did. Their judgment was flawed and hypocritical.
We need to apply this same principal to ourselves. We do need to judge, but it has to be righteous judgment. We need to apply the same standard to ourselves first.
If you preach against sin today, many will say that you are preaching legalism.
They say that without even knowing what legalism is. Legalism is when you are teaching that you have to stop sinning to get saved.
That is not what Jesus taught. Jesus told the woman who was caught in adultery to go and sin no more. But notice he told her that after He said, “Neither do I condemn thee” She had already been forgiven. She by faith is already saved.
After you are saved, then there is to be a changed life.
In the next verse Jesus says, “he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
Jesus is not teaching sin no more to get saved. Jesus is teaching once you are saved then quit walking in darkness and walk in the light.
Preaching against sin is not preaching legalism. Preaching against sin is preaching what Jesus taught. Preaching against sin is preaching that which is good, right, just, and holy.
How can preaching against that which is wrong and evil be considered bad?
Preaching against sin is only considered bad by those who love sin.
JN 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
Jesus is the only one that ever was or ever will be that could say “I do always those things that please him.” Face it, we all do things that do not please the Father. Most likely you have done something in the last week that did not please Him. It could have been a little lie you told, or an impure thought, or you did not love your neighbor the way you should or a thousand other things. We are all sinners with a sin nature. We are not sinners because we sin; we sin because we are sinners. It is our nature.
However, Jesus was not a sinner. He did not have a sin nature. He proved it by being able to always please God. Not once did Jesus ever let God the Father down. Not once. Not one slip up in His entire life. Jesus had no sin and proved it with His life. And because He was without sin, He could go to the cross and pay for our sin. He was the just dying for the unjust.
2Co 5:21 For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
JN 8:47 He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.
Jesus was telling these very religious people that He was not of this world and that He was come from God. He told them that belief in Him would set them free. He offered them eternal life. The words of Jesus to them were very plain. And yet they did not get it. They would not receive Jesus. Verse 47 teaches that they could not hear because they were not of God. That is hear as in really listen. That is hear as in understand. They could hear Jesus’ words but they would not hear them as in heed them.
Because these religious leaders were not of God they could not accept the truth of Jesus. They were lost and therefore could not understand God’s Word. They could not hear as verse 47 tells us. Illumination and understanding of God’s Word comes from God. That is why the lost cannot understand the Bible. It is a closed book to them. Oh many of them want to be religious. Many are considered spiritual leaders. Some have huge flocks of followers. But they don’t even understand the simplicity of the gospel and how to get saved. And without that their teaching will be full of errors. It does not matter how much they study or how much they run to the Greek, they just can’t hear the truth. This principal is clearly stated in 1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned.
A lost man cannot know the things of the Spirit of God. They are spiritually discerned.
To really hear and understand God’s Word you need to be saved and after you are saved you can learn more about the Bible on your knees than you can from any other method.
JN 9:2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?
JN 9:3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
The disciples had the attitude that suffering is punishment for sin. So they asked is this man blind because of his sin or his parents. Jesus then corrects them and tells them that the man is not blind because of his sin or his parent’s sin.
The disciple’s belief that suffering must be a punishment for sin is wrong.
I have seen people have this same attitude. They look at someone who is having a hard time and I have heard them say, “I wonder what sin they are being punished for.”
Trouble comes for many different reasons and only God knows for sure why. Thinking and judging that all trouble is punishment for sin is wrong!
If you ever think like that, then you need to fall on your knees and ask God for forgiveness. Always remember that trouble can come into someone’s life for many different reasons.
The reason that this man was blind was, “that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” Sometimes trouble comes just so the works of God can be made manifest.
JN 9:18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight.
JN 9:19 And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?
JN 9:20 His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:
JN 9:21 But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.
JN 9:22 These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.
JN 9:23 Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.
Jesus had healed a man who was born blind. The Pharisees question the former blind man on how he was healed. They did not like the answer. So trying to disprove the healing, the Pharisees bring in the former blind man’s parents. His parents testified that it was their son that was healed and that he was born blind. But they would not testify that Jesus did it. The son they loved and raised was now healed. Their son who had to beg for money, and had to bear the reproach of people who thought he was blind because he was a sinner. The son they loved is now healed by Jesus and will no longer have to suffer being blind. This was a big deal for this family. You would think that these parents would be spreading the news about this great healing. You would think that they would be telling others about the healing power of Jesus. But they did not. Why? The answer is found in verse 22.
JN 9:22 These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.
The parents did not tell others about Jesus because of what others might do to them. They knew that if they witnessed for Christ that they were going to be put out of the synagogue. They would lose their social status and their business contacts and many of their friends. They could not go to the synagogue anymore, which was a center of their society. They felt that the cost of witnessing for Jesus was too high. Now before you are too hard on these parents, realize that many of us today do the same thing. We will not speak out and witness for Jesus because we are afraid of the consequences. We are afraid of losing friends or social status. Many are worried what others might think. None of these are valid reasons for not witnessing for Jesus.
JN 9:30 The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.
JN 9:31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.
JN 9:32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.
JN 9:33 If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.
JN 9:34 They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.
The blind man that was healed did not know a whole lot of theology. He was not a Rabbi. He did not have huge amounts of scripture memorized. He did not know everything. But what he knew, he knew. He was a man who had been touched by God. His life had been transformed. He did not get into things that he did not know of, he simply witnessed of what he knew. And what he knew, he would not back down on. Truth is truth and it is worth holding to and defending. He was not intimidated into compromise by these religious leaders.
The truth that the former blind man laid out to these religious leaders was undeniable. His case was very clear and the religious leaders could not refute it. They had studied their whole lives and this man who could not even see before a few hours ago was making them look bad. They should have seen the truth in the man’s argument, but their pride would not allow it. Instead of getting right, they just got mad, said something unscriptural and then thru the man out. The man who was healed might have been physically blind a short time before, but these religious leaders are spiritually blind. The blind man gladly accepted having his blindness taken away and given sight. The religious leaders were a different story. They were mad that someone was trying to take their spiritual blindness away.
When you get right down to the bottom of the matter, it did not matter how good of a case the former blind man made. The facts were not going to matter. Truth was going to be twisted or ignored. What you have here is not a logic matter. It is not building a good enough case. It is not a lack of evidence. None of that is the problem. The problem is with the heart. The religious leaders had a heart problem. They simply were not going to listen. No matter what.
Their kind are still around today. I have dealt with enough of them. It does not matter how good a case you make. The truth does not matter to them. They will not listen. They will not even consider your evidence. What the scriptures says will not matter. When you run into their kind. Do the best you can. Hold to your witness and testify for Jesus. And after it is over, don’t put yourself thru the, but what if I would have said this, or what if I would have remembered that verse. Unless God brings conviction to their dark, blind hearts, it will not matter. So just make the best case you can, witness for the truth, do not be intimidated, and then pray. Pray that God will work on their closed heart.
JN 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
JN 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
Many people will not come to Christ because they think that accepting Jesus will ruin their life. They think that accepting Jesus will ruin their “fun”. When they believe that they are just accepting a deception of Satan.
The fact is that Jesus came that we might have life, and that we might have it more abundantly.
I did not know what living really was until I got saved.
In fact I enjoy life more now. And the enjoyment that I have after I got saved is without the “worms” that Satan’s fun has. It has been well said that all of Satan’s apples have worms. There is pleasure in sin for a season but there is always a high price to pay in the end.
It is much better to live for Jesus who is the good shepherd than to live for the Devil.
JN 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
The Messiah was predicted under the image of a shepherd in Eze. 34:23, Eze 37:24, and Zec 13:7. When Jesus is saying that He is the good shepherd, it is a declaration that He is the Messiah that was promised.
JN 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
JN 10:18 No man taketh 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 commandment have I received of my Father.
In verses 17 and 18 Jesus says that He has the power to lay down His life and take it up again. No human has this power. This is another claim of deity.
JN 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
JN 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Jesus then says that He gives His sheep eternal life. And that He has the power to keep those that He gives eternal life to. This again is a power that only belongs to God.
JN 10:30 I and my Father are one.
You cannot be one with God the Father unless you are also God.
JN 10:31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
JN 10:32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
JN 10:33 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.
Over and over in this chapter Jesus is declaring His deity. Jesus is clearly God manifested in the flesh. The reaction of the Jews shows that they understood what Jesus was declaring. They tried to stone Him and gave the reason in verse 33. “thou, being a man, makest thyself God.” They understood what Jesus was declaring, but they refused to believe it.
Praise God that not everyone refuses to believe. Jesus then leaves and goes beyond Jordan and many believed on him there (vs. 42).
JN 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
JN 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
You see the deity of Jesus in all the Gospels, but you see it more in the book of John. Jesus claimed to give eternal life; only God can do that. Jesus claimed that all who come to Him shall never perish. NEVER. Jesus said that He holds you and that you cannot be plucked out of His hand.
JN 10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.
He then says that those who come to Him are also held by the Father’s hand. The Father is greater than all. No one is powerful enough to take your salvation from Him. Jesus is holding you, the Father is holding you, and no devil, no man; nothing is greater than the Father. Some will falsely claim that this means that the Father is greater than Jesus. To make sure we don’t miss understand Jesus then said this:
JN 10:30 I and my Father are one.
Jesus is one with the Father. Jesus is equal with the Father. Jesus is God. There is only one God, but He is manifested to us in three personalities. Each co-eternal, co-all knowing, co-all powerful.
The Jews knew exactly what Jesus was claiming here. Look at their reaction.
JN 10:31 Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
JN 10:32 Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?
JN 10:33 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.
Jesus could declare Himself to be God because He is God.
JN 11:35 Jesus wept.
Jesus had great compassion and love for people and we see that here for Jesus wept. The question then becomes why did Jesus weep?
Some will say that Jesus was weeping for Lazarus. But that cannot be the reason.
JN 11:4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.
Jesus knew that the reason Lazarus was sick was so that He could raise him from the dead. Jesus knew full well what He was going to do. He was going to get to talk to Lazarus in a few minutes.
The reason that Jesus wept is because of the unbelief and lack of trust all around Him.
Thomas said in verse 16: Let us also go, that we may die with him. Thomas showed a lack of trust in Jesus’ decision to go. Thomas thought that it would get him killed.
When Jesus told Martha that He was going to raise her brother she answered, “I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Martha did not believe that Jesus was going to raise her brother now.
JN 11:32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
Mary told Jesus that He was too late. She did not believe that Jesus could do anything about it now.
JN 11:33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.
At a time when they should have been excited about what Jesus said that He was going to do, they were all showing their unbelief by weeping.
And when Jesus saw them weeping he groaned in the spirit and was troubled. And then Jesus wept. Jesus wept because of their lack of belief and lack of trust in Him.
It is the same for us today. When we don’t believe the promises of God and when we do not trust Him, it hurts the heart of Jesus. Lord give us the grace to trust you more.
JN 11:14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.
JN 11:15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.
Jesus delayed to go see Lazarus so He could raise him from the dead. This is another example of Jesus’ deity. The book of John brings this out more than any other book. And verse 15 tells us the reason why Jesus was going to do this miracle, “to the intent ye may believe.” That is the main purpose behind all the miracles. The miracles were not done for show. However, many people followed Jesus around just hopping to see a miracle. Herod is an example of a man who only wanted to see a show. That was not the intent of the miracles. The purpose is so that people would believe who Jesus was. They gave validation to who Jesus was so that people would put their trust in Him. We do not need to see new miracles today because the miracles that Jesus did are faithfully recorded for us in the Holy Bible.
JN 11:48 If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation.
You will not find a plainer statement on why these religious leaders were after Jesus. And it comes from their own mouths. They saw the power of Jesus. They were watching more and more people believe in Him. That means that less and less people were buying what they were selling. They felt that if nothing was done that a vast majority of the people would believe in Jesus. Their power base would be gone. Their power over the people would be gone. The money would stop coming in. They wanted none of that.
Then they say that something needs to be done because Rome will come in. And this was a real possibility. If too many believed it could cause social unrest, mostly caused by the religious leaders. Just read about the events leading up to the cross. If things got too far out of hand Rome would indeed come in and take away their positions.
JN 11:49 And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, Ye know nothing at all,
JN 11:50 Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.
Caialphas says basically that it would be expedient for them if Jesus died instead of the whole nation. He did not realize the true meaning of his words.
JN 11:51 And this spake he not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation;
JN 11:52 And not for that nation only, but that also he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad.
JN 11:53 Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.
It was expedient that Jesus would die for others, but not in the way that Caialphas and those with him thought. Jesus did not die to keep Rome from cracking down on Israel. No, Jesus died so that others would not perish in hell. He did not die only for the Jews; He died for all men everywhere. That they might be reconciled to God thru simple faith in Jesus and His atoning work on the cross.
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