John 10, Our Shepherd loves and cares for us greatly. We owe him so much, why can't we give him our time?

• Quick discussion of news of the week Jesus' wife
• Parchment is a 4th century document
• It is very poorly preserved and is missing over half of the words so that there is no idea about the topic, just words like Jesus and wife
• Discussion ignores Gnostics, lack of copying, and actual supporting information
• Discussion also ignores the fact that the NT calls the church the bride of Christ and that Jesus talked about a marriage supper of the lamb


John 10:1-18 (NIV) "I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. 2 The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. 3 The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger's voice."  6 Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them.


7 Therefore Jesus said again, "I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.


11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.


14 "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father — and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. 17 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life — only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."


• This passage is different from others. It is not a parable. Jesus calls it a figure of speech
• (Constable, 2012) John called this teaching a figure of speech (Gr. paroimian) rather than a parable (Gr. parabole). Parables generally stress only one or a few points of comparison, but the sustained metaphors that follow develop many similarities. John did not include any Synoptic-style parables in his narrative.
• So, since the "sustained metaphor" contains many more similarities and contrasts. Let's list some of them and what they mean
• Shepherd -- he truly was ruler over the flock. They were under his authority and sovereignty
• Israel's teachers are called Shepherds in the OT. Jesus here suggests that they are thieves and robbers
• They were taking from the people and not giving
• They did not really offer true life (just because someone has a title, "reverend," or religious does not mean that he knows God and understands how one receives eternal life
• Jesus can protect his sheep completely
• Jesus offers full life to those who enter his fold
• A believer has a particular ability to recognize the voice of Jesus, probably through the Holy Spirit
• While normally a Shepherd would call his sheep with a distinctive sound or whistle, Jesus calls his by name, indicating a personal relationship
• Jesus leads his sheep. He goes with them. He does not send them out without his presence, and he goes first
• Jesus cares for his sheep
• Jesus will lay down his life for the sheep
• APPLICATION: We all have trust issues. Some are the result of our own poor choices. For those we need to repent. But in any case, we also need to trust our good Shepherd. He will not desert us. He will never leave us alone. Not only will he go with us, he will actually lead us
• Mormons like to use verse 16, but the meaning is much clearer, what is he referring to?
• Jesus is speaking to the Jews, the reference is to Gentiles
• Jesus is speaking about the church, Jew and Gentile, one flock and one shepherd


John 10:19-33 (NIV) At these words the Jews were again divided. 20 Many of them said, "He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?"


21 But others said, "These are not the sayings of a man possessed by a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?"


22 Then came the Feast of Dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon's Colonnade. 24 The Jews gathered around him, saying, "How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly."


25 Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one."


31 Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, "I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?"


33 "We are not stoning you for any of these," replied the Jews, "but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God."


• Josh McDowell popularized this very argument that we see here, what is it?
• Jesus is either Lord, liar, or lunatic
• Demon-possessed would fit with liar, for who could make such statements to people and be lying if they were not evil?
• Raving mad is the lunatic
• The are two arguments against liar and lunatic
• These are not the words of a liar or lunatic
• The miracles are not the result of demonic power
• Josh McDowell added some other arguments that John might have used (given he wrote this about 90 AD), although not in a historical documentary of Jesus life
• We are not win the winter
• One commentator thought the setting was comparative to the frigid spiritual climate
• The area of Solomon's Colonnade would have protected hears from the weather
• In answer to the request to "tell us plainly," how does Jesus respond?
• He had repeatedly made the claim already
• He repeats the claim here (they pick up stones to stone him)
• Nor does he correct them when they repeat back the implication -- "you, a mere man, claim to be God"
• What does Jesus mean by verses 28 and 29?
• Eternal life comes through Jesus
• Eternal security is promised by the Father
• APPLICATION: You cannot lose your salvation. If you could, it would be earned because that would mean you lived good enough in life to keep it


John 10:34-39 (NIV) Jesus answered them, "Is it not written in your Law, 'I have said you are gods'?  35 If he called them 'gods,' to whom the word of God came — and the Scripture cannot be broken— 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, 'I am God's Son'? 37 Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does. 38 But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father."  39 Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.


• First of all we need to understand the term here and the context
• The term that is quoted can be used for "gods" and also for "judges"
• In fact, the word of God is given to the judges of Israel because they represent God in handing out sentences
• So, in one sense, even men take on the role of "gods" when they are judges
• Jesus' argument is that if the scripture talks about men as "gods" and the "sons of God," why are they stoning Jesus for claiming to be God and the Son of God
• On one sense, this seems to be a stalling tactic. The other sense is that what Jesus is claiming is completely different than being a mere Judge who represents God
• To make that matter even more clear, Jesus says to look at the miracles (judges did not have the power to make the blind see)
• Jesus also finishes the argument by saying that the Father is in him and he is in the Father. This somewhat invalidates the previous statement, because now he is clearly using the capital "G"
• And this is immediately recognized by the crowed as they try to sieze him
• APPLICATION: What does this mean for us today? Our shepherd is also our God. We are protected by him. He cares for us. How should we respond to such a shepherd? Out of love and thankfulness -- the opposite of neglect and disrespect. God is worth our time. If you don't think that then you don't understand all that he had done for you

John 9, Sharing your story

• Background:
• Timeframe: Constable suggests between feast of Tabernacles (mid-Sept) and Feast of Dedication (mid-Dec)
• This is the six of John's seven selected signs. Constable argues that this shows Jesus' power of misfortune

John 9:1-12 (NIV) As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"

3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

6 Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. 7 "Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, "Isn't this the same man who used to sit and beg?" 9 Some claimed that he was.

Others said, "No, he only looks like him."

But he himself insisted, "I am the man."

10 "How then were your eyes opened?" they demanded.

11 He replied, "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see."

12 "Where is this man?" they asked him.

"I don't know," he said.

• There are other cases in the gospels of blind receiving their sight, why is this case so important?
• This is the first case of a man born blind receiving their sight

• Messianic Miracles (An official understanding -- also agrees with Fruchtenbaum)
1. The first Messianic miracle was the healing of a leper. . . . Mk.1:40-45 records Jesus’ first description of a healing miracle. Leprosy affected everything they were considered unclean and it was associated with sin. One could not come in contact with people who were afflicted they needed to stand down wind and if a leper were coming near they needed to cry out unclean. When Jesus came, he knelt and asked if he is willing, which of course he was… there was no healing of a Jewish leper- from the time of Moses and the completing of the Mosaic law no leper had been healed in Israel. This would include Mariam who was healed of leprosy  (Num 12:10-) before the the Mosaic Law was completed and Naaman who was not a Jew (2 Kings 5:1-; Mt.8:2-4; Lk.5:12-16; Mk.1:40-45).  The Scripture makes it clear that only God can heal a leper. Jesus healed the lepers.
2. Healing and casting out a dumb demon- This miracle only the messiah could perform. The Pharisees recognized this as a messianic miracle, this is why they asked could this be the son of David. At the time their were exorcisms performed within Judaism. For this to be accomplished the exorcist needed to communicate with the demon and then force him to tell them his name (as Jesus did with the demoniac). However in this case where someone was affected by the demon to become dumb this exorcism could not take place because there could be no communication made. According to the Rabbis only the messiah could cast out a demon like this.
3. The healing of a blind man Jn.9:1-32 Jesus broke the tradition of the elders (Mishnaic law) which prohibited the healing of the blind by his putting mud and water in the blind mans eyes which was to the Pharisee's unclean. Only the messiah could heal someone that was blind from birth.
• The first messianic miracle the Pharisees investigate Jesus. The 2nd they end up rejecting His claims of Messiahship. The 3rd they reject the individuals who affirm He is the Messiah. (Pasted from <http://www.letusreason.org/Juda5.htm> )

• The disciple's question reflects a very common understanding of the opinion of that day, and of today. We tend to view bad things in a cause and effect relationship. If something bad happens to you then the reason is because you sinned. In this case, the sinner would be the parents, since the child could not have sinned.
• It is not clear why the disciples thought the man had sinned. R.A. Knox relates that the Greek could be understood as "Did this man sin? or did his parents commit some sin with the result that he was born blind?"
• It is possible, based on Knox's rendering of the Greek that they did not know he was born blind. But if his parents had sinned then he was probably born blind, would be the reason
• Of course, sin is the reason for suffering and evil in the world, but it does not always have a cause and effect relationship. That is essentially the argument of Job

• Also, how do the disciples view the person's blindness, what is their attitude?
• They see it as an opportunity for a theological discussion
• They want to put a "reason" down for the man's problem (everything has to have a reason)

• How does Jesus view the man's blindness?
• He takes a positive view
• He sees it as an opportunity to display God's grace

• How do you view Jesus' discussion of day and night?
• Day refers to Jesus' time on earth and the opportunity to do the work of God
• Night is coming and no one will be able to work (interesting because the verse would seem to suggest that Jesus' miracles will soon end)
• The apostles actually do very few miracles
• The miracles decrease as we move farther along in Acts

• Why does Jesus spit on the ground and put mud on the blind man's eyes?
• The mud was unclean in Jewish eyes, but Jesus uses it to clean the eyes
• We are created out of the dust of the earth
• Both the process of spitting and the application of mud would have involved senses for which the blind man was acutely able to experience

• There is some significance to Siloam
• The name means "sent" and Jesus sends him to there. In obedience he receives his sight
• Edersheim references those waters with the Feast of Tabernacles and believes it symbolizes new life by the Spirit

• The man does not know a whole lot but he does seem to know some facts, what are they?
• The person was called Jesus
• He made some mud and put it on my eyes
• He told me to go to Siloam and wash my eyes

• The "where is the man" could because of the healing on the Sabbath, and a desire to report him to the Sanhedrin

John 9:13-23 (NIV) They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man's eyes was a Sabbath. 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. "He put mud on my eyes," the man replied, "and I washed, and now I see."

16 Some of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath."

But others asked, "How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?" So they were divided.

17 Finally they turned again to the blind man, "What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened."

The man replied, "He is a prophet."

18 The Jews still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man's parents. 19 "Is this your son?" they asked. "Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?"

20 "We know he is our son," the parents answered, "and we know he was born blind. 21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don't know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself." 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for already the Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. 23 That was why his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."

• The Pharisees actually are required to investigate this miracle, why? Because it is a Messianic miracle
• They have an immediate answer because they have already investigate Jesus. So their primary reason for rejecting Christ is based on what?
• An interpretation of the Sabbath rules

• Actually, two arguments are going on
• One argues a priori, beginning with the law and working forward to Jesus' action
• Second is a posteriori, beginning with the facts and working backwards to Jesus' action
• The Pharisees actually do have the better argument, since miracles do not prove the miracle-worker was from God. But the Pharisees argument is based on a false presumption or false basis, that is, that healing on the Sabbath was breaking the law

• Why are the parents brought in?
• The Pharisees are not convinced that he was actually born blind. At this point, they only have hearsay on his condition. Technically, even a person born blind would not know that fact since it could have happened when he was very young
• We don't know the age of the man, but apparently he is past 13 based on his parent's testimony

• Apparently, some synagogues were persecuting individuals who believed Jesus was the Messiah

John 9:24-41 (NIV) A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. "Give glory to God," they said. "We know this man is a sinner."

25 He replied, "Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!"

26 Then they asked him, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?"

27 He answered, "I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?"

28 Then they hurled insults at him and said, "You are this fellow's disciple! We are disciples of Moses! 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don't even know where he comes from."

30 The man answered, "Now that is remarkable! You don't know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. 32 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."

34 To this they replied, "You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!" And they threw him out.

35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?"

36 "Who is he, sir?" the man asked. "Tell me so that I may believe in him."

37 Jesus said, "You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you."

38 Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him.

39 Jesus said, "For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind."

40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, "What? Are we blind too?"

41 Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.

• What is interesting about this second court hearing starts?
• The judges immediately taint everything with their view that Jesus is a sinner

• What do we see in the man's response?
• He is not afraid of the religious leaders
• He does not back down from his previous statements
• He replies sarcastically showing his lack of fear

• Previously, they knew where Jesus had come from and has chastised Nicodemus on that very point. Now they are not sure, why?
• Maybe they heard that Jesus was born in Bethlehem

• Technically, the formerly blind man's argument is insufficient to make the point, but it can't be ignored. On the other hand (Sanhedrin point of view), the only evidence of Jesus sin is with respect to their interpretation of the Sabbath, which Jesus has already answered. What was Jesus' argument?
• You circumcise a child on the Sabbath because the law requires it
• Why can't you do good on the Sabbath, doesn't the law actually require it??

• In this last rejection of the third Messianic miracle, the religious leaders reject the persons who affirm Christ's Messiah-ship
• From Jesus point of view, there is imagery in the story that is missed, what is his point?
• Those born blind (in sin) are now seeing
• Those who think they can see (the religious) are blind

• APPLICATION: We can learn a lot about the man born blind in his response and witness. He did not know a lot of theology. But he got under the skin of the intellectuals because he shared what he had seen and heard. We don't need to know all the answers, we just need to share what we have seen God do in our lives