John Chapter 7
7:2. Feast of tabernacles: Jesus' visit to the feast (Feast of Booths, approximately early October) was debated by
His half brothers, about six months prior to the Crucifixion. During this feast, for six consecutive days a procession
of priests carried water in golden vessels into the temple area. This pouring of water was thought to have physical
and spiritual significance. On the seventh day, the "great day" (v. 37), no water was carried. It was then that Jesus
stood and taught of the "rivers of living water" (v. 38),an especially significant reference to the Holy Spirit.
7:3-5. The advice of Jesus' unbelieving half brothers was to go to the feast. Notice that Mary had other children by
Joseph, but they were as yet believers (cf. Acts. 1:14).
7:6-8. My time refers to His death. This moment of His glorification (cf. 17:4, 5) was not.
7:15. How knoweth: Jesus had probably received the normal synagogue training of Jewish boys (cf. Luke 2:47,
when Jesus was 12 years old at the temple). But He had not attended a school for rabbis in Jerusalem,as Paul did
under Gamaliel. Jesus claimed that His ability to teach should prove the divine origin of His message.
7:17. Obedience will help to determine true doctrine. Unfortunately, most people seek to reverse this order. They
want to know more than is necessary before they act.
7:21. One work probably refers to the healing of the infirm man in chapter 5 (cf. 7:23). For the Jews, the conflict
was between the commands to keep the Sabbath and to circumcise on the eighth day.
7:25-52. This passage focuses on Jesus' claim to messiahship. There is no question in the minds of His listeners
about His claim, which He had made clear to them. But their response is confused and divided (v. 43). There were
three very good reasons for accepting His claim: (1) the hesitancy of the rulers to stop Him (vv. 25, 26, 30, 32, 44);
(2) the miracles He did (v. 31); and (3) the excellence of His speaking (vv. 40, 46). However, they found three
reasons for rejecting His claim: (1) It was commonly believed that the Messiah would come in a spectacular fashion
(Mal. 3:1), but Jesus' supposed origin was well known (v. 27). (2) The Messiah was to sit on the throne of David
and therefore must be a Judean from Bethlehem, the city of David (Mic. 5:2), but they thought Jesus was born in
Galilee (vv. 41, 42, 52). (3) The Messiah was to be a defender of the law-yet Jesus seemed indifferent to it (vv.
47-49) by healing on the Sabbath.
7:49. This people: The Pharisees despise the rural people who do not rigidly observe the law.
7:50, 51. It is not know whether Nicodemus was saved at this point. He was probably John's source for this event.
7:52. Out of Galilee ariseth no prophet: Of course they were wrong. Jonah came from Gath-hepher in Galilee (2
Kin. 14:25); Nahum was from El Kosh, which may have been Capernaum (lit., "Village of Nahum"), renamed in
honor of the prophet (cf. Nah. 1:1). Also, Hosea is believed to have been from Galilee.
7:53-8:11. Certain ancient manuscripts do not contain this passage, while others place it later in John's gospel, or
in Luke's. Certainly the passage records a historical event in the life of Jesus, so we need not doubt its authenticity.
John Chapter 8
8:4. This woman: Women caught in adultery were not normally brought to Jesus. The scribes and Pharisees were
seeking to trick Him to see whether He would uphold the law- or defend the sinner.
8:5. Moses. . . commanded: They quoted the Old Testament, accurately, if not completely (Lev. 20:10; Deut.
22:22-24).
8:9. The eldest left first, readily admitting they were sinners.
8:11. Jesus was the only one who could have condemned her- but He did not, partly because such cases
demanded two or more witnesses. Also, He knew (cf. 2:25) she was repentant, which explains why she did not flee
when she accusers left. Jesus did not take her sin lightly; rather He commanded her, Sin no more. Neither do I
condemn: The prerogative to forgive sins is a divine one, so in this instance Jesus demonstrates His deity (cf.
Luke. 5:23, 24).
8:12, 13. Jesus claimed to be the light of the world (cf. 1:4, 5; 9:4, 5; 11:9, 101 John 1:5), but the Pharisees
disputed His authority because he witnessed to Himself.
8:14-18. My record is true: Contrast this with 5:31 where Jesus did not claim Himself as a witness. Jesus said His
own witness agreed with the witness if the Father, satisfying the law's requirement of two witnesses.
8:21-29. The Jew's spiritual preparation is inadequate. They could not become His disciples because (1) they are
of this world (v. 23); (2) they do not believe in Jesus (v. 24); and (3) they do not understand (v. 27).
8:28. Lifted up the Son refers to the Crucifixion (cf. 3:14).
8:30-36. Jesus identifies the true disciples as those who (1) believed in Him (v. 30); (2) continued in His word (v.
31), unlike the Jews in verses 37, 43, 47; (3) will be freed from sin by the truth (vv. 32-36). They will not be sinless,
but blameless-free from the power of sin.
8:37-59. Jesus shows that discipleship depends on having the right Father. They had the wrong father. He refers
to your father (vv. 38, 41, 44). They claimed to be sons of Abraham (v. 39), but Jesus shows this to be false in
verses 39 and 40. They are Abraham's physical seed (v. 37), but he is not their spiritual father. They also claim to
be sons of God (v. 41), which Jesus shows to be false (v. 42). When the love the Parent, you will not hate the Son.
Finally, Jesus says they are sons of the devil (v. 44), the father of lies, for they were knowingly doing his works (vv.
38, 41, 44).
8:46. Whether Jesus was a sinner was often debated by His enemies. See 9:24; 18:38; 19:4, 6.
8:53. The question is: Who is Jesus? (cf. 4:10).
8:56. Abraham saw the promise of Christ from a distance (Heb. 11:13). This probably refers to the universal scope
of the Abrahamic covenant (Gen. 12, 13, 15, 17).
8:58. This clear statement of deity caused the Jews to try to stone Him. Before Abraham was [historical], I am [ego
eimi-eternal]: Abraham had a beginning-Jesus is eternal.
8:59. Going through the midst: While they are preparing to stone Him, Jesus makes Himself inaccessible to them.
John Chapter 9
9:1-10:42. The controversy arose during the Feast of Dedication. See notes on 10:22.
9:2. There was a Jewish belief that all suffering was punishment for sin (cf. v. 34). But how could a person have
sinned before birth? The Jews considered human life to begin at conception (cf. Ps. 51:5; 139:13-16; Jer. 1:5; Gal.
1:15). Thus, they thought one could theoretically sin even before birth.
9:5. Light of world (cf. 1:4; 9; 8:12) means "as long as I am in the world." When He is no longer in the world, then
believers become the light of the world (Matt. 5:14).
9:7. Faith to go and wash in the pool of Siloam is required before the healing.
9:14. Once again the issue of healing on the Sabbath arises. Surely Jesus healed on other days as well-but John
choses to record healings that dramatize the conflicts between Jesus and the Jews.
9:16. A division: The confusion of the Pharisees is shown by their handling this case in a group, and by their
repeated questions; How did He do it? (v. 15), What do you say of Him? (v. 17), How does he now see? (v. 19),
What did He do to you? (v. 26), and "Are we blind also?" (v. 40). See also 10:19, 21.
9:31-33. Jesus could not work miracles if He were a sinner as they said (v. 31, 33). See also verses 16 and 24;
compare 2 Chronicles 16:9a, and Psalm 66:18.
9:35-37. Jesus confirms his deity once again.
John Chapter 10
10:1. Door is the one who stood in the opening of the (stone) fold. The thieves and robbers were the Pharisees.
See also verse 8.
10:3. Sheep know only their own shepherd's voice. In the Near East several flocks belonging to different
shepherds may be in one fold (a fenced-in area). But only a shepherd's own sheep will follow him out of the fold.
Cattle can be driven, but sheep must be led.
10:10-16. Good shepherd: When Jesus used this terminology, thoughtful Jews remember Psalm 23, "The Lord is
my shepherd," and even understand Jesus' claim to be God. In verse 11 Jesus again predicts His crucifixion (cf. v.
15).
10:12. A hireling (a servant for pay) will flee in time of personal danger, because he is working for money, and
neither owns nor loves the sheep.
10:16. The other sheep are Gentiles who will be saved later (cf. John 11:52; Eph. 2:13-22).
10:17, 18. Jesus does more than predict His crucifixion and resurrection. He also shows that He has the power to
lay down His life and take it up again, once more asserting His deity.
10:22. The feast of dedication celebrated the cleansing of the temple by Judas Maccabeus after its desecration by
Antiochus Epiphanes in 165 B.C. It began on the twenty-fifth of Kislev (or Chislev, November-December) and
lasted eight days. It was called Hanukkah (Heb. for "Dedication").
10:27-29. Never perish: These verses declare the assurance that all believers will be utterly safe from any
creature that might wish to destroy them.
10:30. Here is the plainness of speech they desire, a clear indication of His deity (cf. v. 24)
10:33. Blasphemy: They understood that He claimed to be God.
10:34. Ye are gods (cf. Ps. 82:6) refers to Hebrew judges who interpret God's Law and justice His point is not to
deny deity, but to deny that. He had said anything that could necessarily be construed as the crime of blasphemy.
He was also demonstrating His superior knowledge of Scripture.
10:35. Scripture cannot be broken means that the Scriptures are a binding authority. Jesus understood the Old
Testament Scriptures to be inerrant.
10:36-39. Essentially, Jesus' claim to deity is attested not so much by His verbal witness, but by His works-and they
are conclusive (v. 38).
10:40. And went away: Jesus retreated to a ministry in Perea on the east side of the Jordan.