John Chapter 8
The chapter begins as though in the middle of a thought...
verse 1...But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives....
To understand this, we need to go back and see where He was and what He was doing at the end of chapter 7. Beginning in John 7:14 and reading to the end of the chapter, answer these questions:
Where was Jesus at?
What annual occasion of the Jews was being celebrated?
What had Jesus been teaching them on the last day of this feast? vs. 37-39
What does the "rivers of living water" refer to?
Who would "receive" them?
When would they "receive" it?
Why could the spirit not yet be given to the believers?
As the crowd heard Jesus speak these words, they were divided in their opinions about Him and His claims. We talked about these in the last study. When the opinions are no longer recorded, the author says...vs.53..."And everyone went to his home...now in
Chap.8:1....the thought continues..............
"But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. And early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people were coming to Him;and He sat down and began to teach them." (vs.1,2)
If she was "caught in the very act", where is the "man" that was with her as well, if they are going to carry out this Old Testament Law of Moses.......? It was not so much their zeal to carry out the "law" correctly, but they were trying to set up a "trap" for Jesus. If they could get Him to BREAK the LAW, then they could accuse Him before the people and have Him killed as they desired! As the trap was laid for Him, what did Jesus DO? He wrote in the sand, and stood back up and said He who is without sin cast the first stone. After saying this he stooped down and wrote again, and when he stood back up, all of the accusers had left, and it was only He and the woman still there. Note: vs. 6 - No one knows for sure, but many believe that He could have very well been writing each of the 10 commandments on the sand, one by one, so that they could see which one they may have broken themselves. Since he did this twice (vs.8 also)....it could resemble how Moses had the law written twice by the Lord because the first tablets were broken! Jesus asked them a very pointed question and one we should remember before being quick to judge others!
Jesus was left alone with the woman. He said "Did no one condemn you?"
Note: We discussed this with John, Chapter 5, when Jesus told the man He healed on the Sabbath Day the same thing....the same questions apply here. Would it be possible for her to never do a single sin again?(Review your notes on Chapter 5 where some Scriptures were given)
Read 1 John, Chapters 1 & 2, which shows with how a Christian handles sin; then answer these basic questions:
You may have many accusers, but God is NOT one of them.
Romans 8:1-5 - "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are IN CHRIST JESUS. For the LAW of the SPIRIT OF LIFE in Christ Jesus has SET YOU FREE from the law of sin and death. For what the Law could NOT do, weak as it was through the flesh, GOD DID; sending HIS OWN SON in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that: THE REQUIREMENT OF THE LAW might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit."
Jesus returns to His Jewish audience in Jerusalem at the temple that day and continues to teach them.
He said in verse 12 "I am the LIGHT OF THE WORLD....
Remember John 1:4 - "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overpower it."
Read Acts 26:18
The Jews claimed that Jesus spoke from Himself and did not have anyone to testify of His claims.
Some believe that Jesus and God are one person and not two different persons. In other words, they discount the doctrine of the Trinity....that God is ONE, but in three persons: The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. They claim that there is only one person...God...
The word "trinity" means "three"....it is not in the Bible as a "word".............It is what the doctrine of believing God to be three persons in One has been labeled. We have seen this truth supported over and over in the Gospel of John. We will see it even stronger in regard to the Holy Spirit as we move through the remaining chapters of John! Of course, they were not understanding what Jesus meant about His Father. They asked Him, "Where is your Father?"
We have seen this phrase over and over.As we have studied, what have you come to believe it means?The time that only the Father knew, and had planned, from the time He sent Him down to this world. In other words, when He would die on Calvary for us. Jesus tells them that they will not be able to find Him where He is going and that they won't be able to come.
The Jews begin to question Him again about 'WHO HE IS'.....
He told them in John 7 that He would have to die, and be glorified before the Holy Spirit could come. The Holy Spirit will be the one to cause them to realize WHO JESUS IS!
When Jesus spoke, WHO was He speaking for? (vs.28 -
What did Jesus ALWAYS do in regard to His Father? (vs.29 -
As He spoke these things, what did many do? (vs.30 -
As they claim to 'believe' in Him, Jesus gave the test of showing what true belief really is.
These were Jewish believers who had believed the writings of Moses, but did not have all the teachings of Jesus yet! He is telling them, as time goes on, and you hear the Gospel (death, burial, and resurrection) of Me, will you abide (remain) in the teachings of who I am? Then, you will truly be my disciple (student, follower)!
When you think on the Law of Moses and the New Covenant of the Holy Spirit indwelling the believer after Jesus would be glorified, what do you see that they would be set free from? free from all the laws of the Old Covenant, and free from the Chains that held them captive too all the old laws and traditions, to know that salavtion is a FREE gift, not based upon keeping laws and traditions. They try to boast of their kinship to Abraham as their father and that they have not been enslaved to anyone...they want to know what He could mean by this.
This is a continuing verb tense in the Greek, which means it is "continuous action"......if they continue to commit the sin of unbelief or any forms of sin stemming from unbelief as a habitual lifestyle......they are ENSLAVED TO THAT SIN. A relationship with JESUS, abiding in HIS WORDS (which are spirit and life) CAN SET THEM FREE FROM THE LAW OF SIN AND DEATH !!!!
Jesus goes on to say that the slave does NOT remain in the house forever; the son DOES remain forever! Blessed assurance of being a child of God!As these Jews continue to speak of Abraham as their father, Jesus goes right to the point, by saying: "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me." (vs.42)He tells them the reason they can't seem to understand this!
(yes, killing Him)..... Jesus goes on to say, "He (the devil) was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him.Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies."
Can they convict Jesus of any sin? (vs.46)
Who does Jesus KNOW will listen to Him? (vs.47)
What two things did they call Jesus? (vs.48 -
Jesus answered them:"I do not have a demon; but I HONOR My Father,and you DISHONOR Me." Jesus did not seek His own glory.
The Jews felt this gave them more reason to believe Jesus had a demon. How could Abraham and the prophets had already died; and yet Jesus was saying one could NEVER TASTE DEATH?........He wasn't saying He was greater than Abraham, was He? And then they ask Him................."WHO DO YOU MAKE YOURSELF OUT TO BE?"
It was when He was willing to sacrifice his only son, the promised one, who the "seed" would continue through to bring the Messiah into the world ..."ISAAC".....and the Lord saw his obedience and held him back from sacrificing him and showed him the LAMB for the sacrifice, and Abraham called the place "JEHOVAH JIREH" - IN THE MOUNT ....THE LORD WILL PROVIDE.......this was in the mountains of Moriah, the same mountain range that Calvary was located in, where THE LAMB OF GOD was slain for the sins of the world - our Jehovah Jireh - Our Provider!The Jews being on that side of the cross really don't understand what He is talking about. They mention to Jesus "You aren't even 50 years old, and have you seen Abraham?"
WOE! That is as clear as it can be. JESUS IS GOD! He existed as God and with God from the beginning as we saw in John 1:1,2.Because they realized (again) that Jesus was making Himself out to be equal with God,
But, Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.......
Your Summary and Prayer:
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