John’s Gospel Easy Notes

June 26, 2020June 28, 2020

Lesson 6: Nicodemus–The Man Who Wondered How a Man Can Be Born a Second Time

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series.

John 3:1—15
Nicodemus came at night to see Jesus. He was a member of the Sanhedrin—the supreme Jewish religious court—and probably did not want to become unpopular with them by being seen during the day with Jesus.

Nicodemus Is Shocked
Nicodemus is respectful to Jesus addressing him as “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God (v. 2).” But Jesus is not concerned about his greeting. Instead Jesus gets straight to the point: “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again (v. 3).”

This is an abrupt statement. How can one say a statement like that in reply to a compliment said by Nicodemus? We have to look at John 2:23—25 to know the reason. Mention is made about people believing in Jesus because of the miraculous signs he was doing. But Jesus knew the hearts of men. He knew much of the faith expressed was superficial. Jesus could see into people and therefore Jesus went right into the heart of the matter with Nicodemus.

Nicodemus was told bluntly that it was impossible for him to enter the kingdom of God. Nicodemus is stunned. What Jesus said was, there should be a complete change in him. The response was a memorable statement: “How can a man be born when he is old? Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!”

Do you think that a man like Nicodemus thought that Jesus was asking him to have a natural birth once again? No. Nicodemus’ reply makes it clear that he understood exactly what Jesus meant. But what Nicodemus simply could not accept was the fact that no human help was needed for this new birth; it was entirely the act of God.

The Spirit of God Represented by the Wind Brings Change
But the question of Nicodemus refers to a problem many people have—the difficulty of leaving old habits and lifestyles behind and accepting the change God wants them to have.

Nicodemus was facing the same problem. He thought that being born again spiritually was impossible in the same way it is impossible to be born of one’s mother’s womb once again.

Jesus then talks about being born of water and of the Spirit. Being born of water can refer to the Baptism of John or of repentance. It can simply mean natural birth which is accompanied by water. In the first case, Nicodemus a teacher of the Law couldn’t imagine that he needed a change. He was righteous according to the Law; or at least he thought so!

Again being born of water can refer to cleansing; it can refer to the cleansing of the sins of the past when Jesus takes control of our lives. Then when the Spirit of God invades the life of a believer and takes control in his life; the power of Christ which strengthens us to live a godly life is given to us (Read Romans 8:9—17).

What Jesus was trying to do was he was trying to lead Nicodemus from thinking about natural birth to spiritual birth. Jesus was emphasizing the fact that without a spiritual birth it is impossible to enter the kingdom of God.

Just like a child is born to be part of human relationships and belong to a family; so one has to be born again to be part of a spiritual family and belong to God’s family as a child of God. At that time of the night possibly a gentle wind might have blown. Jesus used that to good effect. The Greek word for both Spirit and wind is the same—pneuma.

Jesus said: “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” The wind is real. But there is a mystery in it too. No one knows its origin; from where it is coming from. The work of the Spirit in one’s life is like that too. The Spirit of God works in the hearts of men and women. But no one can see it. But the effects are seen and felt.

For example, in the first century, it is said that many slave owners came to a saving faith in Jesus seeing the change that happened—the positive difference Jesus made— in the lives of many slaves they had. The effect of the new birth in the lives of these people were seen and felt by others. But how it happened is a mystery like the wind which blows. The work of the Spirit, unseen by others, was done in the hearts of these slaves. But the effect of that—like the sound of the wind and the movement of it in the leaves—the change from bad and evil behaviour to good and honest living was seen by all.

Nicodemus Is Unable to Understand Earthly Things
We find Nicodemus expressing surprise: “How can this be?” He is totally at loss to understand the new birth. To him, a righteous Pharisee, following the Law meant everything. In our modern terms; it meant a sure ticket to heaven. But Jesus is making him understand that it is not enough. He has to be born again.

His question, “How can this be?” is not a genuine inquiry. Instead it is the question of one who deliberately shut his mind to the truth he just heard. Being a teacher of the Law, Nicodemus need not have been surprised at Jesus telling him about the new birth. It was already foretold in Scripture (see Ezekiel 18:31; 36:26).

Jesus now knew for certain that Nicodemus was unable to understand earthly things. Jesus told him that he had spoken to him about familiar and natural things—like wind, water, and birth. Yet he is unable to understand what Jesus was trying to tell him. Therefore it was impossible for him to understand heavenly things.

Jesus also tells him that there is a huge separation between the earthly and the heavenly. Only he, Jesus, alone has bridged that gap by coming down from heaven to earth (v. 13).

Look and Live
Therefore now Jesus turned his attention to something he was very familiar with—the Scriptures. Jesus talked about the incident in Numbers 21:4—9.

“The Israelites had been bitten by serpents so that many died. God told Moses to make a brass serpent and hold it aloft on a pole. All who looked upon it would live. They did not live by analysing the material out of which it was made, the quality of workmanship, or the manner in which it was held. They were saved by believing God’s promise.

In like manner the Son of Man must be lifted up. And all who believe in Him will have eternal life. In John ‘lifted up’ always refer to the crucifixion. And all who believe in the crucified Christ will receive eternal life. ‘Eternal life’ is one of the key phrases in John’s Gospel. It refers not to the length of life which begins at death. It is the quality of life one receives the moment one believes in Jesus and which extends into eternity.

Again, the point is not an understanding of all that is involved, but faith in God’s word. As previously noted this was the heart of Nicodemus’ problem. He must simply believe without understanding all that is involved. And every person must do likewise.” – from The Gospel of John: Invitation to Life by Herschel H. Hobbs.

What Does Born Again Mean to Us?
In the long conversation Jesus had with Nicodemus we find the discussion about being born again. This is a clear indication that we cannot enter God’s kingdom by our goodness. Instead the role of the Holy Spirit in this new birth is emphasized. It is the Holy Spirit who convicts us of sin (John 16:8) and brings people to salvation. Our role is to point to the Saviour and pray that the Spirit of God would do the work in the listener’s heart.

Jesus talked about the way he was going to die (v 14) and talked about God’s love that sent him into this world that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life (v. 14, 15). One thing that is overlooked is that Jesus is not asking anyone to believe in a set of rules or have a church membership. But the condition is that those who believe in him—in Jesus—will have eternal life. “In him was life, and that life was the light of men (John 1:4).”

The point is that Nicodemus was a Pharisee. They were very religious people keeping the Law perfectly. Yet Jesus shocked him by saying that all his religious observances even when perfectly done will not help him to gain salvation or an entry into the kingdom of God.

Where is your trust? Is it in the fact that your parents trust in Jesus? That is not enough. Is it in your church membership? That is not enough. Is it in your giving money to missions? That is not enough.

“Like the Jewish people of his day, Nicodemus knew God’s law, but nothing of God’s love. He was a moral man. He recognized Jesus as a Teacher, but he did not know Him as a Saviour. This is just what the world does today. It puts Jesus at the head of the list of the teachers of the world, but does not worship Him as very God.” – from What the Bible Is All About by Dr. Henrietta C. Mears.

—
More on Nicodemus
Nicodemus
A Greek name which means “Victory of the People.” He must have been wealthy. Only a wealthy man could have brought around 34 kilograms of mixture of aloes and myrrh to bury Jesus (John 19:39).

In between his first visit to Jesus at night and his coming forward to bury Jesus, we find Nicodemus make an attempt to speak a good word on behalf of Jesus to the Pharisees (John 7:50—52); but without success.

Nicodemus was a Pharisee. The name Pharisee means the Separated One; and the Pharisees were those who had separated themselves from all ordinary life in order to keep every detail of the law of the scribes which contained thousands of rules. Only a very earnest man can even attempt to be a Pharisee and to obey all the thousands of rules prescribed.

“Nicodemus, no doubt, shared the common notion that the Messiah’s kingdom was to be a political kingdom in which his nation would be freed from Roman domination. Jesus tries to tell him of its personal spiritual nature so different from what was in Nicodemus’ mind, that Nicodemus did not know what Jesus was talking about. He just could not see how he a good man, a genuine Pharisee, one of the rulers of the Messianic nation, would not be welcomed into the Messianic Kingdom with open arms, just as he was. He just could not take it in that, instead, he would have to entirely re-construct his ideas and himself. “ – Halley’s Bible Handbook.

June 26, 2020June 28, 2020

Lesson 5: Nathaniel–The Man Who Sat Under the Fig Tree

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series.

John 1:43—51
When Philip told Nathaniel they had found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote Nathaniel reacted in an unexpected way. He couldn’t believe that the Messiah would come from Nazareth. The reason was Nazareth was an obscure place even though it was near some of the famous trade routes of those times. Nazareth was so unimportant that we do not find any reference to Nazareth in the Old Testament.

Nathaniel asked: “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Philip simply says, “Come and see.” Let us learn a lesson here. Instead of arguing with people about who Jesus is, let us invite them to come to Jesus and see for themselves who he is.

When Nathaniel approaches, Jesus points out that he is a man in whom there is nothing false. Nathaniel is surprised. He asks, “How do you know me?” Jesus said in reply, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” See, the knowledge Jesus has of you is intimate. He knew you before you were formed in your mother’s womb (see Isaiah 49:1, 2; Jeremiah 1:5, Psalm 139:13—16). He knows when you sit and when you rise and before a word is on your tongue he knows what you are thinking (Psalm 139:2, 3). He sees through you (“his eyes were like blazing fire”—Rev. 2:14). He knows the number of hairs on your head too (Luke 12:7).

Jesus’ mention of the fig tree is interesting. In those days it was common to plant a fig tree at the front of one’s home. It spread its leaves so that when you sat underneath it served as a kind of sit out of one’s home. Nathaniel was using that space to meditate on God and his Word. From what Jesus spoke to him in verses 50 and 51 we can safely conclude that Nathaniel that day was thinking about the dream of Jacob at Bethel (Genesis 28:10—22) where he sees a ladder resting on earth and its top touching heaven and the LORD standing at the top with angels ascending and descending on it.

The point is that when you take time to think about God, he takes note of it. Further Jesus is revealing here that he is that ladder—the bridge between heaven and earth—the only mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5).

The intimate knowledge that Jesus had about Nathanael made him respond: “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; the King of Israel.” Clearly Nathanael understood Jesus as the expected Messiah.

“No doubt as he sat under the fig tree he had prayed for the day God’s chosen one should come. No doubt he had been meditating on the promises of God. And now he felt that Jesus had seen into the very depths of his heart. It was not so much that Jesus had seen him under the fig tree that surprised Nathanael; it was the fact that Jesus had read the thoughts of his inmost heart.” — William Barclay

What Is Your Response?
What is your response to God’s intimate knowledge of you? He knows all your thoughts. He knows your fears. He knows the temptations you face. He knows your failures too.

Jesus promised Nathanael, “You shall see greater things than that.” Anyone who comes to Jesus and fails to see the adventure God is calling him to is short-sighted. When you meet Jesus, life takes a dramatic change. God is always calling you to bigger possibilities in life. The basis of that is knowing Jesus.

In spite of this promise to Nathanael, the great beginning he had with Jesus, we find him among the disciples who went out to fish (John 21:2) having lost the purpose for which Jesus had called them to. Where are you today as you read this? Fishing somewhere? Are you discouraged? The Risen Lord is waiting for you (John 21:4)!

June 26, 2020June 28, 2020

Lesson 4: Philip–The Man Jesus Found

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series.

Jesus took time to talk with individuals during his ministry. In John’s gospel we have a record of many conversations that Jesus had. Each one of them impacted the people to whom he talked with. Here let us look at Jesus’ Conversation with Philip.

“Follow Me.”
John 1:43
It was Jesus who found Philip. The command to him was: “Follow me.” If we take care to follow those two simple words what a difference it will make in our lives.

We try to follow ideas and philosophies; but they do not meet our deepest needs. We try to follow great men and women of God; but Jesus did not ask us to. But what he said is “Follow me!” It calls for us to say NO to all distractions that shout aloud to seek our attention. And “fix our eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2).”

Philip Tested
John 6:5—7
Has Jesus ever asked you a question? Even if yes or no; the point is that his questions can reveal who we really are. When Jesus saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” That looks like a straightforward question. But John adds, “He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.”

How many times do we jump in with suggestions to God in prayer! Remember he does not need our wisdom and guidance. What we need to realize is who we have with us. Philip seems to have forgotten that Jesus is able to meet any situation in his own way.

Philip based his calculation on the Roman Denarius. It was a coin which had the purchasing power of a labouring man’s daily wage. Philip replied that eight months’ wages (two-thirds of a man’s yearly earnings) would not buy enough bread for “each one to have a bite!”

Philip thought only about cash and impossibility. Have you ever told Jesus that it could not be done? On what did you base your findings? Look and see who is with you. Ask what his plans are. He already knows what he wants to do with your situation in life.
Let Nothing Be Wasted

Jesus Found Philip; but Did Philip Really Find Jesus?
John 14:8

Philip’s response to one of Jesus’ greatest proclamation about himself—“I am the way and the truth and the life”–was a great disappointment to Jesus. Philip simply did not understand even after Jesus said: “No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

Here was Jesus speaking about his relationship to the Father. Here was Jesus telling that he and his Father are one. Yet Philip’s response was: “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

What does Philip’s statement mean? Do we often tell this to Jesus as well? Philip was an earnest seeker. But he represents people who want God to be made in the likeness and image they want God to look like. Man had always wanted to see God. God, in turn, met that demand in Jesus. Therefore Jesus said: “Anyone has seen me has seen the Father.”

Jesus did not hide his disappointment with Philip’s response either. He said to Philip: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time?” Let us face this question honestly and bluntly. Is Jesus asking this question to you and me today? Do we really know Jesus?

Is he God to you and me? If he is God, does he have the worship and adoration and praise from us that he alone deserves? Or is he just a Santa Claus who is there to meet our needs; someone to whom we can instantly dial in case of emergency?

What was Jesus trying to tell Philip?
In the same way Philip could see and understand Jesus through his physical senses, in the same way we can be certain that God the Father is real. Jesus presents three things as evidence to support what he said:

One, Jesus is asking Philip to recall the evidence of the intimate relationship that he had with his Father (14: 10a). Jesus always was conscious of his Father’s presence with him (for example see John 11:42, 43).

Two, the evidence of the words that Jesus spoke. Jesus said that the words that he spoke were not just his own. He said it belonged to the Father living in him. John had earlier commented that “For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God (3:34),” for God has given the Spirit to him without limit. Even the temple guards who tried to seize Jesus said, “No one ever spoke the way this man does (7:34).” Isn’t there the authority of God in Jesus’ words? Do you know anyone else who spoke with this kind of authority in human history ever?

Three, Jesus added the evidence of the miracles he did (14: 11). Sadly, the next three verses have been wrongly used to claim that the disciples of Jesus will be doing greater miracles in terms of healing and so on. What Jesus was referring to was that his followers who believe in his name would so pray for the glory of God to be revealed (“I will do whatever you ask in my name”) through the good works they will be enabled to do throughout the world. That includes healing—miraculous as well as healing enabled through hospitals. What has changed is the fact that Jesus was limited to Palestine in his earthly days. Today, he, through the indwelling Spirit of God in the life of believers, reaches out to every nook and corner of the earth.

What Does Philip Remind You and Me?

We are to follow Jesus, and not any great man or woman of God.

We need not calculate our resources to base our trust in them. Instead let us simply recognize who is with us.

We need to see Jesus for who he really is. He is God who came in human flesh to help us see who God the Father is.

June 26, 2020June 28, 2020

Lesson 3: The Gospel of Belief

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series.

Jesus—Waiting for Your Verdict
The key word in John’s gospel is believe. It is used 98 times.

We find John constantly giving the response of people to what Jesus said and did. Some believed in him. Some hated him. Some rejected him. Others tried to kill him. And some of his disciples walked away from him. A few stood near his cross till the very end (John 19:25).

The fact is that Jesus stands before you not only as a historical person but also as a Living Person demanding a verdict. He is like a fork in the road. You have to choose. There is no going back as your life is moving forward. Your decision affects where you are going to spend eternity.

John, at the very beginning of his gospel, points to the tragedy of God’s own people rejecting Jesus (John 1:11). But he also shows us the result of receiving Jesus—when you believe in his name, you are given the right to become children of God (John 1:12).

Do you believe in Jesus as your personal Saviour and Lord? Do you have the Spirit of God speaking that word of assurance in your heart that you are God’s child (Romans 8:16)?

The Purpose of the Gospel
“But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name (John 20:31).”

The Cross as the Glory of Jesus
John describes just about twenty days in the earthly life of Jesus. Chapters 13 to 20 deals with the last 24 hours in his life. The emphasis is clear. It is the cross.

Let us look at some statements Jesus made emphasizing his cross:
Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life” – John 3:14, 15.

“I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” – John 12:24.

“But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself”. He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die – John 12:32, 33.

“Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you”—John 17:1b. See also John 12:23, 27—30, 13:31, 32.

The Cross brought glory to God because all that needed to be done for man’s salvation was completed through the shed blood of Jesus. John’s gospel alone records the cry of triumph from the cross: “It is finished (John 19:30).”

“Our religion is one of four letters instead of two. Other religions say, “Do.” Our religion says, “Done.” Our Saviour has done all on the cross. He bore our sins and when He gave up His life He said, “It is finished!” This was the shout of a conqueror. He had finished human’s redemption. Nothing was left for people to do. Has the work been done in your heart?”
– from What the Bible Is All About by Dr. Henrietta C. Mears.

Jesus and His Conversation with Individuals
Come and see is his invitation (John 1:39)
Follow me (John 1:43) is his command. Those are also the last words spoken by Jesus in this gospel (see John 21:22).

When people met Jesus, they naturally invited others to come and experience him. We find Andrew finding his brother Simon and bringing him to Jesus (1:41, 42). We find Philip finding Nathanael and bringing him to Jesus (1:45). We find the Samaritan woman brining the whole town to Jesus.

One of the features of John’s gospel is the conversations Jesus had with individuals. Some of them are long. It is encouraging to note that even when Jesus was hard-pressed by crowds with all their needs he found time for individuals.

John’s gospel records the conversations Jesus had with Nathanael, Nicodemus, the Samaritan Woman, the Man born blind, Martha and Mary, with the disciples (his farewell address), with Pilate, with Mary Magdalene, with Thomas, and finally with Peter.

“Jesus wept.” John 11:35 is the shortest verse in the entire Bible. But it tells a lot about Jesus; doesn’t it?

Jesus’s prayer recorded in Chapter 17 is also a very special feature of this gospel. It is the longest prayer of Jesus of which we have a record.

Did you know that in this prayer, Jesus prayed for you too: “My prayer is not for them [disciples] alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message (John 17:20).”

Isn’t that awesome? He knows you. He loves you. He cares for you. He remembers you. And he prays for you!

All that he asks of you in response: “Come, Follow Me!” Will you?

Look Out for this Pattern in the Conversations
Dialogues that Jesus had with people seeking him in John’s Gospel follow a pattern. If you can keep that in mind it will help you understand the gospel better.

Someone asks Jesus a question.
He answers briefly in a way that is difficult to understand.
The listener misunderstands what Jesus said.
Then Jesus explains in ways more difficult to understand.
Jesus follows it up speaking authoritatively and by giving a long explanation.

John Uses Key Words and Concepts Again and Again
Great music often sets the theme early and uses repetition and contrasts later. John employs repetition of key themes time and again. One way to study the gospel is to look out for the repetition of key words. John also brings together opposing concepts so that we get a powerful realization of the truth because of the contrast.

Believe is the key word used ninety-eight times.
Jesus speaks of himself as the One sent by God. The word sent is used forty-four times.
He speaks of God as “my Father” thirty-five times.
Jesus speaks with authority. He uses “Verily, verily” (KJV) (Truly, truly) twenty-five times.
The word “Life” occurs 36 times. In many instances it is used in combination as “eternal life.”

John wants to help us understand the meaning of Christ’s coming. Therefore John pairs key terms. Look out for these contrasts.

Life/Death
Light/Darkness
Belief/Unbelief
Truth/Lie
Love/Hate
Earthly/Heavenly
Some other key words are Word, World, Know, Witness, Glory.

Value of John’s Gospel

“John focuses our attention on the need for a personal response to Jesus. The other Gospels invite us to watch as observers while Jesus performs his miracles or teaches the crowds and his disciples. We are moved to awe, to wonder, and then to worship at their portrayal of the Son of God. But in John each of us is directly confronted with the claims of Jesus: claims which demand a personal decision on our part. The issue of personal response is clearly drawn, and each one of us is invited to Believe!” —from Illustrated Bible Handbook by Lawrence O. Richards

June 26, 2020June 28, 2020

Lesson 2: The 7 Signs John Chose to Present Who Jesus Is

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series.

A Gospel Which Is Selective

John’s gospel was written after A.D. 70 when Jerusalem city and the temple were destroyed by the Romans. All other gospels were written before that date.

This gospel is like the highlights of a world cup final. The key moments are shown. It is selected material. And at different points John as a narrator comes to explain the meaning to us.

That is why John selects 7 signs (there are many more Jesus did—John 20:30). He prefers to use the word signs than miracles. Each sign highlights in a different way who Jesus is. “Sign” is said to be a wonder with a meaning in it. And John is trying to tell us what the meaning is.

The 7 Signs John Selected

Sign #1. Jesus Changes Water to Wine 2:1—11
In the first sign, Jesus reveals himself as master over quality. Wine which takes many weeks to age properly is made instantly. We often forget that Jesus did this miracle to save a family from shame—the shortage of customary food at a wedding banquet. The presence of Jesus makes a qualitative difference in our lives; doesn’t he?

Response: His disciples put their faith in Jesus (2:11).

Sign #2. Jesus Heals the Royal Official’s Son 4:46—54
Jesus can heal from anywhere. Capernaum was nearly 17 miles or 25 kilometres away from where Jesus was. By healing a boy at that distance Jesus was showing that he was the master of distance or space. The Royal Official showed remarkable faith in leaving his sick son at home and coming to Jesus.

Response: The Royal Official and all his household believed in Jesus (5:53).

Sign #3. Jesus Heals an Invalid Man 5:1—9
When diseases are there for a long time it is difficult to heal. By healing a man who was invalid for 38 years in an instant Jesus was showing himself master of time. Here Jesus is seen as the restorer of lost powers.

Response: The Jews persecuted Jesus because the healing took place on a Sabbath. They try all the harder to kill Jesus because he was making himself equal with God (5:18)

Sign #4. Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand 6:1—14
This is a miracle recorded in all the gospels. It is such a huge miracle that not one of us can ignore it. A boy was willing to share his lunch. Just five loaves (barley was the food of the poor) and two fish (probably pickled fish) was enough to feed five thousand men, women and children. Jesus showed himself through this miracle as the master of quantity. The above sign is an acted parable on the claim that Jesus is the bread of life (John 6:35).

Response: People spoke about Jesus as the Prophet who is to come into the world. They intended to make him king by force (6:15).

“The people wanted to make Christ their King because He could feed them. How like people today! They long for someone who can give them food and clothing. But Christ would not be King on their grounds. He dismissed the excited multitude and departed to a mountain. The people were disappointed that He would not be a political leader, and so they ‘turned back and no longer followed him (John 6:66).’ ”
– from What the Bible Is All About by Dr. Henrietta C. Mears.

Sign #5. Jesus Walks on the Water 6:16—21
Even when you are alone Jesus is watching over you. That is the beauty of this miracle. He showed the mastery of Jesus over natural law.

John’s emphasis is not on the miracle of Jesus walking on the water. His emphasis is on the ever-present Saviour. When they needed him he was there. He assures us: “It is I; don’t be afraid.” Simple isn’t it? Are you trying to row your boat all alone? Jesus is our guide. See also Psalm 48:14.

Mark adds a few more details which helps us understand this incident better (see Mark 6:45—52). It was Jesus who sent them ahead. He went up a mountain to pray. He saw the disciples straining at the oars. The wind was against them.

John adds: “By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them.” The absence of Jesus was now keenly felt by the disciples. They longed for his presence. But Jesus was trying to teach them to walk by faith and not by sight. The circumstances became tough: A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. But those are conditions when Jesus comes to you.

“He wants us to learn to walk by faith and not by sight; to endure when things are hard and there is no sign of success; to believe and go forward when there is no apparent way open before us; to obey simply because we hear his voice, even when we do not understand.”¹

“Even if nothing else in our circumstances seems to change, what a difference it immediately makes when we are assured that he is present in our midst as companion on the difficult journey.”²

“He will come. We will hear his voice. Nothing around us will prevent his taking us to the very destination we have sought and he has planned.” ³

Response: The disciples were willing to take Jesus into the boat.

Sign #6. Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind.
This miracle shows a progressive understanding of the man about Jesus. The miracle also tells us that not all diseases are because of someone’s sin. If you are in some difficulty don’t let anyone lead you to believe that it is because of your lack of faith or some sin in your life. The reason can be totally different—to reveal the glory of God. This sign is a demonstration that Jesus is our light and also that he was the master of misfortune.

Response: Pharisees react against the man born blind. Jesus calls the Pharisees as “blind.”

Sign #7. Jesus Raises Lazarus from the Dead 11:1—46
Jesus shows himself as the master of death.

Response: The raising of Lazarus from the dead was however the last nail in the coffin as far as hatred against Jesus was concerned. Throughout the gospel John was showing us how people responded to Jesus. Many Jews had put their faith in him when they saw how Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. This was a real threat to the religious system of the day. They feared that the crowds would go after Jesus and the Romans will come against the Jews (v. 48). This is one example of how religious and political concerns can join hands together.

In summary, limitations of quality, space, time, quantity, natural law, misfortune, and death⁴ faced by man in his daily existence are taken care of by Jesus. These signs point to that fact.
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^{1, 2, 3}The quotes in have been taken from the Pastoral and Theological Studies on John’s Gospel by Ronald S Wallace.
⁴ Master of quality, space, time, quantity, natural law, misfortune, and death; idea taken from Merrill C. Tenney from his Analytic Study of the Text of John: The Gospel of Belief.

June 26, 2020June 28, 2020

Lesson 1: Introduction to The Gospel of John

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series.

Come and See!

Two disciples: “Rabbi, where are you staying?”

Jesus: “Come, and you will see.” – John 1:38, 39.

Jesus is inviting you to have a personal relationship with him. The gospel of John will help you to do so. Can you imagine: It is the Son of God inviting you to shake hands with him!

John’s gospel is so deep in thought that scholars still keep writing books on it. But it is simple enough for a child to understand. You can read this gospel in one week if you finish 3 chapters a day. It will be a blessed experience.

In the Beginning Was the Word

John looks directly at the Son of God just like an eagle looks at the sun without blinking its eye. Therefore he begins at the beginning. His opening statement reminds us of Genesis 1:1.

He says Jesus was Logos (the Word). Just like we need words to communicate our thoughts, The Word became flesh to tell us who God really is.

God in Jesus became someone who could be seen and touched (so lovingly expressed in 1 John 1:1). The cry of John to all is to believe in Jesus. He had both Jews and Greeks and all other people in mind when he wrote the gospel. Therefore “whoever” believes in Jesus will have eternal life (John 3:16, the most widely translated and well-known verse in the Bible)!

Logos—the Word

Logos was a term that was known to both Jewish and Greek audiences.

To the Jews, Logos or the Word of God first of all meant the creative power of God in action as in Genesis 1:3—“And God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light.” Thus Logos represented God’s power.

In another sense Logos was the Word of the Lord that came to the prophets—to Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos and so on. “The Word of the LORD came to me” (see for example Jeremiah 1:11). Thus Logos represented God’s wisdom.

To the Greeks, however Logos was the controlling Reason of the universe or the Mind behind everything in the universe. But when John used the term Logos he was not referring to an idea of intelligence commonly understood at that time but to the person of Jesus Christ. He is the ultimate Fact and Truth of the universe!

Jesus Explains the Father

Jesus is the greatest revelation of God. Read Romans 1:1—3, Colossians 1:15—20 and Hebrews 1:1—3.

In Jesus we find the wisdom and power of God (1 Cor. 1:24) made flesh (John 1:14) who made his dwelling among us. In simple terms that verse says the glory of God which the Israelites had seen fill the Tabernacle (Exodus 40:34) “pitched his tent” or “tabernacled” among us. It suggests a temporary dwelling.

We can understand this by saying that Christ dwelling in flesh was God’s Presence among men. Jesus, by becoming man, has “explained” God the Father to us (John 1:18).

Therefore to Philip who asks Jesus to show us the Father, Jesus replied: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time?” Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’ (John 14:9).”

June 26, 2020June 28, 2020