PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

UBS4	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
Jesus and the Woman of Samaria	A Samaritan Woman Meets Her Messiah	Jesus and the Samaritans	Jesus and the Samaritans	Jesus Among the Samaritans
4:1-6	4:1-26	4:1-6	4:1-4	4:1-10
			4:5-6
4:7-15		4:7-15	4:7-8
			4:9
			4:10
			4:11-12	4:11-14
			4:13-14
			4:15	4:15-24
4:16-26		4:16-26	4:16
			4:17a
			4:17b-18
			4:19-20
			4:21-24
			4:25	4:25-26
	The Whitened Harvest		4:26
4:27-30	4:27-38	4:27-30	4:27	4:27-30
			4:28-30
4:31-38		4:31-38	4:31	4:31-38
			4:32
			4:33
	The Savior of the World		4:34-38
4:39-42	4:39-42	4:39-42	4:39-40	4:39-42
			4:41-42
The Healing of the Officer's Son	Welcome at Galilee	Jesus and the Gentiles	Jesus Heals an Official's Son	Jesus in Galilee
4:43-45	4:43-45	4:43-45	4:43-45	4:43-45
	A Nobleman's Son Healed			The Cure of a Royal Official's Son
4:46-54	4:46-54	4:46-54	4:46-48	4:46-53
			4:49
			4:50-51
			4:52-53
			4:54	4:54

READING CYCLE THREE

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects. Compare your subject divisions with the five modern translations. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

 

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS TO VERSES 1-54

A. There is a purposeful structure in chapters 3 and 4

1. Mister Religious (Nicodemus) vs. Miss Outcast (woman at the well)

2. Jerusalem-based Judaism (Orthodox) vs. Samaritan Judaism (heretical)

 

B. The truths about the person and work of Jesus are further developed by

1. dialogue with the woman at the well (John 4:1-26);

2. dialogue with His disciples (John 4:27-38);

3. testimony of the villagers (John 4:39-42);

4. reception by the Galileans (John 4:43-45);

5. sign/miracle of Jesus' power over sickness, John 4:46-54.

 

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JOHN 4:1-6
 ¹Therefore when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John ²(although Jesus Himself was not baptizing, but His disciples were), ³He left Judea and went away again into Galilee. ⁴And He had to pass through Samaria. ⁵So He came to a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph; ⁶and Jacob's well was there. So Jesus, being wearied from His journey, was sitting thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

4:1 "the Lord" John, recalling the incident in his mind (by means of the Spirit) years later, uses "Lord" and "Jesus" in the same sentence as referring to one person.

Several Greek manuscripts have "Jesus" twice in John 4:1 (i.e., א, D, NRSV, NJB, REB), but "Lord" is in MSS P^66,75, A, B, C, L (NASB, NKJV). However, even with the far better manuscript attestation for "Lord" UBS⁴ put "Jesus" in the text and gives it a "C" rating (difficulty in deciding).

▣ "the Pharisees" See Special Topic at John 1:24.

▣ "heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John" Jesus left this area because of possible tensions between His followers and John the Baptist's followers stirred up by the Pharisees. The Synoptics say that He left because Herod Antipas had arrested John the Baptist (cf. Matt. 4:12; Mark 1:14; Luke 3:20).

4:2 "Jesus Himself was not baptizing" This is not a disparaging comment on baptism (cf. Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:38; 8:12; 16:33; 22:16), but a recognition of the egocentric nature of humanity (i.e., "I was baptized by Jesus" or Paul, cf. 1 Cor. 1:17). Apparently Jesus did baptize at the beginning of His ministry (cf. John 3:22), but later stopped. John is correcting the false statement of the Pharisees.

4:3 "He left Judea and went away again into Galilee" These are two Aorist active indicatives used to emphasize Jesus' geographical movements.

4:4 "He had to pass through Samaria" "Had" is the Greek verb dei, which is used several times in this context (cf. John 3:7,14,30). It is usually translated "must" or "necessary." There is a divine purpose in this route for Jesus. It is the shortest route; Josephus tells us that Jews from Galilee usually used this route. However, the Jews of Judea hated the Samaritans and would not walk through their land because they considered them religious half-breeds.

SPECIAL TOPIC: RACISM

▣ "through Samaria" There was a great hatred between the Samaritans and the Judeans going back to the Eighth Century b.c. In 722 b.c. the Northern Ten Tribes, with their capital in Samaria, were taken captive by Assyria and were deported to Media (cf. 2 Kgs. 17:6). Other captured people were resettled in northern Palestine (cf. 2 Kgs. 17:24). Through the years these pagans intermarried with what was left of the Israelite population. The Jews considered the Samaritans religious half-breeds and heretics (cf. Ezra 4:1-4). This gives a context for John 4:9.

4:5 "a city of Samaria called Sychar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph" (cf. Gen. 33:18, 19; Jos. 24:32). Many assume Sychar is Shechem, though this is not stated in the NT.

4:6 "Jacob's well was there" This was really a dug-out cistern about 100' deep. It was not running water (a spring), but collected rainwater. It is never mentioned in the OT but the name does link the area to a Patriarchal tradition.

▣ "Jesus, being wearied from His journey" We see clearly the human nature of Jesus here (cf. Luke 2:52), but He was never too tired to love people!

NASB, NKJV,
JB"It was about the sixth hour"
NRSV, TEV"It was about noon"

There is much discussion about which method of reckoning time John used in his Gospel. Some references seem to be Jewish time and some Roman time. Jews begin the day at 6 a.m.; Roman time begins at midnight. Therefore, Jesus arrived at the well very early (i.e. 6 a.m.).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JOHN 4:7-14
 ⁷There came a woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give Me a drink." ⁸For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. ⁹Therefore the Samaritan woman said to Him, "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman?" (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) ¹⁰Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink,' you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." ¹¹She said to Him, "Sir, You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep; where then do You get that living water? ¹²You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself and his sons and his cattle?" ¹³Jesus answered and said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again; ¹⁴but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life."

4:7 "There came s woman of Samaria" This woman had come alone to a distant well at an unusual time of day because of her social position in the village.

▣ "'Give Me a drink'" This is an aorist active imperative which carried a sense of some urgency.

4:8 This verse sets the stage for Jesus' private conversation with this outcast woman of a heretical sect of Judaism. This is another parenthetical note by John.

4:9 "'How is it that You, being a Jew, ask me for a drink since I am a Samaritan woman'" Jews were not even allowed to drink from the same bucket as a Samaritan (cf. Jewish traditions based on Leviticus 15). Jesus was ignoring two cultural barriers: (1) speaking to a Samaritan and (2) speaking to a woman in public.

▣ "(for Jews have no dealings with Samaritans)"The parenthesis (NASB, NRSV), which is another explanatory addition from John, is missing in MSS א^* and D, but is present in P^63,66,75,76, אi¹, A, B, C, L. The UBS⁴ gives its inclusion an "A" rating (certain).

4:10 "If" This is a second class conditional sentence which is called "contrary to fact." A statement is made that is false to highlight a conclusion that is also false.

This is the only use of the word "gift" in John's Gospel. Here it refers to Jesus as the gift of God (cf. John 3:16) who gives eternal life. In John 7:38-39 and Acts it is used of the giving of the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 2:38; 8:20; 10:45; 11:17). The focus is on the undeserved, unmerited grace of God which is revealed in Christ and the Spirit.

▣ "living water" This term has an OT metaphorical background (cf. Ps. 36:9; Isa. 12:3; 44:3; Jer. 2:13; 17:13; Zech. 14:8). Jesus uses the term "living water" as synonymous to "spiritual life." However, the Samaritan woman thought he was referring to running water, as opposed to rain water of the cistern. It is characteristic of John's Gospel that Jesus (the light of the world) is regularly misunderstood (i.e., Nicodemus). The earthly, fallen realm does not comprehend the heavenly realm (i.e., Jesus' message).

4:11 "Sir" This is the Greek term kurious in its vocative form kurie. It can be used as a polite address (sir) or as a theological statement (Lord) referring to Jesus as full Deity as in John 4:1 and Rom. 10:13. Here it is a polite address.

4:12 "You are not greater than our father Jacob, are You" The grammar expects a "no" answer. This is an obviously ironic statement. The Samaritan woman was claiming the greatness of her own descent which the Samaritans traced through Ephraim and Manasseh back to Jacob. The amazing thing is that Jesus' superiority was exactly what He was claiming!

This conversation addresses two theological issues.

1. God/Jesus' love for outcasts (i.e., Samaritans, women)

2. Jesus' superiority over Judaism and racial pride

 

4:13-14 "but whoever drinks the water I will give him shall never thirst" This probably had Messianic implications (cf. Isa. 12:3; 48:21; 49:10). This phrase is a strong double negative. There is a play on the verb tenses. The Present active participle of John 4:13 implies drinking again and again, while the aorist active subjunctive of John 4:14 implies a one-time drinking.

4:14 "a well of water springing up to eternal life" This is a present participle which means "continuously leaping" (cf. Isa. 58:11 and John 7:38). For desert people, water was a symbol of life and divine provision.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JOHN 4:15-26
  ¹⁵The woman said to Him, "Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw." ¹⁶He said to her, "Go, call your husband and come here." ¹⁷The woman answered and said, "I have no husband." ¹⁸Jesus said to her, "You have correctly said, 'I have no husband'; you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly." ¹⁹The woman said to Him, "Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. ²⁰Our fathers worshiped in this mountain, and you people say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." ²¹Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. ²²You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. ²³But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. ²⁴God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." ²⁵The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us." ²⁶Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He."

4:15 The woman, like Nicodemus, is still understanding Jesus on a very physical (literal) level. This was not unusual even for the disciples. They often misinterpreted Jesus by missing His metaphorical language (cf. John 4:31-33; 11:11-13).

4:16 The UBS⁴ does not even mention the possibility that the name "Jesus" was added (cf. NKJV, NRSV, NJB, REB). The NET Bible gives the manuscript evidence for its inclusion (p. 1903, i.e., MSS א^*,c, A, C², D, L, and W, but it is missing from MSS P^66,75, B, C). Scribes tended to make the text clearer and easier to follow.

▣ "Go, call" This is a present active imperative followed by an aorist active imperative.

4:17 "I have no husband" Sin must be faced. Jesus does not condone but neither does He condemn.

4:18 "you have had five husbands" Jesus employs supernatural knowledge to shake the woman from the physical sphere to the spiritual sphere (cf. John 1:48).

4:19 "I perceive that You are a prophet" The woman had not yet come to a Messianic understanding. She was trying to skirt the major issue of her relationship with God by the use of a compliment (just like Nicodemus in John 3:2).

Other commentators see this as a Messianic reference from Deut. 18:15-22.

SPECIAL TOPIC: OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECY

SPECIAL TOPIC: NEW TESTAMENT PROPHECY

4:20 "Our fathers" This refers to Abraham and Jacob (cf. Gen. 12:7; 33:20). She is asserting her sense of covenantal inclusion (cf. John 8:31-59).

▣ "worshiped in this mountain" This refers to the theological argument as to where God (YHWH) should be worshiped. The Jews emphasized Mt. Moriah (site of Jewish Temple), while the Samaritans emphasized Mt. Gerizim (Samaritan temple destroyed in 129 b.c. by John Hyrcanus).

In our day this would be the attempt by people to whom we are witnessing to get away from the issue of their relationship with Christ by bringing up a theological red herring. Humans enjoy studying religion and philosophy as long as it does not affect them personally (cf. John 3:19-21).

4:21 "'an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father'" This must have been a shocking statement to her and also to His disciples. Where is not the issue, but who!

4:22 "for salvation is from the Jews" This is an affirmation of the origin of the Messiah (cf. Gen. 12:2-3; 49:8-12; Isa. 2:3; Rom. 9:4-5).

4:23 "But an hour is coming, and now is" This may be an allusion to Mal. 1:11 about universal worship. It is obvious that Jesus brought the gift of eternal life during His lifetime as well as after His death. This statement reflects the tension which exists between the two comings of the Messiah. The two Jewish ages (see Special Topic at 1 John 2:17) have now been overlapped. The New Age of the Spirit is present, yet we still live in the old age of evil and sin.

Jesus is surely claiming that the new age had begun in Him. The age of the Spirit, the Messianic age, had been inaugurated!

▣ "in spirit and truth" The term "spirit" (see Special Topic at John 3:8) speaks of a worship that is not locally or physically based. The term "truth" was used in the Greek world to speak of a mental concept, while the Hebrew background was that of faithfulness or trustworthiness. See Special Topics on Truth at John 6:55 and 17:3.

▣ "the Father" It was very unusual to call God "Father" in the New Testament without adding a reference to Jesus as His unique Son.

SPECIAL TOPIC: FATHER

▣ "for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers" God is actively seeking lost humanity (cf. Isa. 55; Ezek. 18:23,32; Luke 19:10; John 1:12; 3:16).

4:24 "God is spirit" There are several short clauses in John's writings which describe the character of God: (1) God is love; (2) God is light; (3) God is spirit. This can mean (1) not physical; (2) not limited to one locality; (3) not related to time sequence or (4) heavenly vs. earthly.

4:25 "Messiah is coming" The term Messiah occurs only twice in the NT, both in John's Gospel (cf. John 1:41; 4:25).

SPECIAL TOPIC: MESSIAH

▣ "when that One comes, He will declare all things to us" This shows that the Samaritans were expecting a Messiah. It also shows they saw the Messiah as coming to reveal the fullness of God.

4:26 "I who speak to you am He" This may be an allusion to Isa. 52:6. It is a plain, open affirmation of His Deity (so different from the Synoptic Gospels)! It is a play on "I Am," which reflected the OT Covenant name for God, YHWH (cf. Exod.3:12, 14). Jesus used this OT name for God as a way of referring to YHWH's self-revelation visibly and clearly in Jesus (cf. John 8:24, 28, 58; 13:19; 18:5 compare Isa. 41:4; 43:10; 46:4). This specialized use of "I Am" must be differentiated from the well known "I Am" statements of John, 6:35, 51; 8:12; 10:7, 9, 11, 14; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1, 5, which are followed by qualifying nouns.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JOHN 4:27-30
  ²⁷At this point His disciples came, and they were amazed that He had been speaking with a woman, yet no one said, "What do You seek?" or, "Why do You speak with her?" ²⁸So the woman left her waterpot, and went into the city and said to the men, ²⁹"Come, see a man who told me all the things that I have done; this is not the Christ, is it?" ³⁰They went out of the city, and were coming to Him.

4:27 "they were amazed that He had been speaking with a woman" Culturally this was just not done by orthodox Jews.

▣ "yet no one said, 'What do You seek' or, 'Why do You speak with her'" This is an eyewitness comment from John. He must have remembered this shocking event well!

4:28 "the woman left her waterpot" This is such a beautiful eyewitness, historical note that showed the excitement of this woman as she rushed back to the village to testify (cf. John 4:29-30).

4:29 "this is not the Christ, is it" The grammatical form expects a "no" answer, but the context shows that she really did believe He was! Context trumps grammar!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JOHN 4:31-38
  ³¹Meanwhile the disciples were urging Him, saying, "Rabbi, eat." ³²But He said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." ³³So the disciples were saying to one another, "No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?" ³⁴Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work. ³⁵Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. ³⁶Already he who reaps is receiving wages and is gathering fruit for life eternal; so that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. ³⁷For in this case the saying is true, 'One sows and another reaps.' ³⁸I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored and you have entered into their labor."

4:32 This is another allusion to the dualism of heaven vs. earth, the spiritual vs. the physical. Jesus was on an evangelistic, revelatory mission. People were/are priority!

4:34 "My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to accomplish His work" John 17 is a clear expression of Jesus' understanding of what the Father wanted him to do (cf. Mark 10:45; Luke 19:10; John 6:29).

The contrast between Jesus sent from above, from the very presence of God, the Father, as His mission to reveal the Father and do the work of the Father. This is the vertical dualism so characteristic of John (above versus below, spirit versus flesh).

There are two different terms used of Jesus being sent.

1. pempō (John 4:34; 5:23,24,30,37; 6:38,39,40,44; 7:16,18,28,33; 8:16,18,26,29; 9:4; 12:44,45,49; 14:24; 15:21; 16:5)

2. apostellō (John 3:17,24; 5:36,38; 6:29,57; 7:29; 8:42; 10:36; 11:42; 17:3,18,21,23,25; 20:21)

These are synonymous as 20:21 shows. It also shows that believers are also sent into a lost world as representatives of the Father for the purpose of redemption (cf. 2 Cor. 5:13-21).

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE WILL (THELĒMA) OF GOD

4:35 "'There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest'" This is a metaphorical phrase showing that the opportunity for spiritual response was now! People were saved by faith in Him during Jesus' life, not only after the resurrection.

4:36-38 "One sows, another reaps" These verses are referring to the ministry of the prophets or possibly John the Baptist. This is used in 1 Cor. 3:6-8 for the relationship between Paul's ministry and Apollos' ministry.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JOHN 4:39-42
 ³⁹From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, "He told me all the things that I have done." ⁴⁰So when the Samaritans came to Jesus, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. ⁴¹Many more believed because of His word; ⁴²and they were saying to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world."

4:39 "many of the Samaritans believed in Him" John uses the verb "believe" in combination with several other terms: "believe in" (en), "believe that" (hoti), and, most often, "believe into" (eis) or put trust in (cf. John 2:11,23; 3:16,18,36; 6:29,35,40; 7:5,31,38, 48; 8:30; 9:35,36; 10:42; 11:25,26,45,48; 12:11,37,42,44,46; 14:1,12; 16:9; 17:20). Originally the Samaritans believed because of the woman's testimony (John 4:39), but after they heard Jesus they personally received His testimony (John 4:41-42). Jesus came to the lost sheep of Israel, but His gospel was for all mankind: Samaritans, Syro-Phoenician women, and Roman soldiers (cf. Rom. 10:12; 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:28-29; Col. 3:11). See Special Topic at John 2:23.

▣ "because of the word of the woman who testified" If God used the witness of this heretical and immoral woman, He can also use mine and yours! This verse shows the significance of a personal testimony. See SPECIAL TOPIC: WITNESSES TO JESUS at John 1:8.

4:40

NASB, NRSV"asking"
NKJV"urged"
TEV, NJB"begged"

This is a strong Greek term and should be translated "urged" or "begged." The intensity of this term can be seen in its use in John 4:47 (cf. Luke 4:38).

4:42 "the Savior of the world" This same universal title is used in 1 John 4:14. It is also used in the universal sense of God's love for all mankind (cf. 1 Tim. 2:6; Heb. 2:9; 1 John 2:2). The promise of Gen. 3:15 has been fulfilled! In the first century this phrase was often used of Caesar. Roman persecution occurred because Christians used this title exclusively for Jesus. This title also shows how the NT authors attributed God the Father's titles to the Son: Titus 1:3 - Titus 1:4; Titus 2:10 - Titus 2:13; Titus 3:4 - Titus 3:6.

The Jews had rejected Jesus (cf. John 1:11), but the Samaritans quickly and easily received Him (cf. John 1:12)!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JOHN 4:43-45
 ⁴³After the two days He went forth from there into Galilee. ⁴⁴For Jesus Himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. ⁴⁵So when He came to Galilee, the Galileans received Him, having seen all the things that He did in Jerusalem at the feast; for they themselves also went to the feast.

4:43 This verse shows that Jesus moved more freely and more often between Judea and Galilee than one might assume from the Synoptic Gospels.

4:44 This is a very unusual verse because it does not fit the preceding context. It may refer to the Galilean ministry that was about to begin (cf. John 4:3). This proverb is also found in Matt. 13:57; Mark 6:4; Luke 4:24. In the Synoptics it refers to Galilee, but here it refers to Judea.

 

4:45 "the Galileans received Him" They had already experienced Jesus' teachings and miracles during an earlier Passover visit to Jerusalem.

The Galileans are also said to have "received" Jesus, but many of them did not follow through on that reception and later abandoned Him. "Believe" (cf. John 3:16) and "receive" (cf. John 1:17) involve more than an initial reception (cf. the Parable of the Soils in Matt. 13:18-23; Mark 4:12-20; Luke 8:11-15). See Special Topic: The Need to Persevere at John 8:31.

▣ "for they themselves also went to the feast" The NET Bible marks this as another parenthetical comment of the author, as they do all of John 4:44 (cf. NRSV, NIV).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JOHN 4:46-54
  ⁴⁶Therefore He came again to Cana of Galilee where He had made the water wine. And there was a royal official whose son was sick at Capernaum. ⁴⁷When he heard that Jesus had come out of Judea into Galilee, he went to Him and was imploring Him to come down and heal his son; for he was at the point of death. ⁴⁸So Jesus said to him, "Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe." ⁴⁹The royal official said to Him, "Sir, come down before my child dies." ⁵⁰Jesus said to him, "Go; your son lives." The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and started off. ⁵¹As he was now going down, his slaves met him, saying that his son was living. ⁵²So he inquired of them the hour when he began to get better. Then they said to him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him." ⁵³So the father knew that it was at that hour in which Jesus said to him, "Your son lives"; and he himself believed and his whole household. ⁵⁴This is again a second sign that Jesus performed when He had come out of Judea into Galilee.

4:46

NASB, NRSV,
NJB"a royal official"
NKJV"a certain noblemen"
TEV"a government official"

This was a governmental official in the service of the Herod family.

4:48 "'Unless you people see signs and wonders, you simply will not believe'" This is a third class conditional sentence with a strong double negative. Jesus addresses this man in the plural. The Jews were seeking signs (cf. John 2:18; 6:2, 30; Matt. 12:38; 16:1). But this servant of Herod believed before the sign was given.

4:49 "child" In three verses John uses three different terms.

1. John 4:49 - paidion (NASB, "child")

2.John 4:50 - hyiōs (NASB, "son")

3. John 4:51 - pais (NASB, "son")

Obviously these terms were used synonymously.

4:50 This verse catches the essence of John's Gospel-believe in Jesus, believe His words, believe His acts, believe in His Person! This man's faith is affirmed in His belief without sight of Jesus' promises.

4:53 "he himself believed and his whole household" This is the first of many accounts where one person's belief affected the whole family.

1. Cornelius (Acts 10:44-48)

2. Lydia (Acts 16:15)

3. the Philippian jailer (Acts 16:31-34)

4. Crispus (Acts 18:8)

5. Stephanus (1 Cor. 1:16)

There has been much discussion about these household conversions, but it must be asserted that all members needed to personally receive Jesus for themselves. The Middle East is much more tribal and family-oriented than modern cultures. It is also true that the significant others in our lives affect our choices.

4:54 The first public sign was the wedding feast at Cana (cf. John 2:1-11).

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. Why did Jesus leave the area of Judah?

2. Does John use Roman time or Jewish time?

3. Why is Jesus' talking to a Samaritan woman so important?

4. How does verse 20 affect the relationship between denominations today?

5. Explain the startling statement that Jesus makes in verse 26.

6. Did the Galileans exercise true faith?

 

Copyright © 2013 Bible Lessons International

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

UBS4	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
The Feeding of the Five Thousand	Feeding the Five Thousand	Feeding the Five Thousand	Jesus Feeds Five Thousand	Miracle of the Loaves
6:1-15	6:1-14	6:1-15	6:1-6	6:1-4
				6:5-15
			6:7
			6:8-9
			6:10-13
			6:14-15
Walking on the Water	Jesus Walks on the Sea	Jesus Walks on the Sea	Jesus Walks on the Water	Jesus Comes to His Disciples Walking on the Waters
6:16-21	6:15-21	6:16-21	6:16-21	6:16-21
Jesus the Bread of Life	The Bread from Heaven	Jesus, the Bread of Life	The People Seek Jesus	The Discourse in the Synagogue at Capernaum
6:22-33	6:22-40	6:22-24	6:22-24	6:22-27
		6:25-40	Jesus the Bread of Life
			6:25
			6:26-27
			6:28	6:28-40
			6:29
			6:30-31
			6:32-33
6:34-40			6:34
	Rejected by His Own		6:35-40
6:41-51	6:41-59	6:41-51	6:41-42	6:41-51
			6:43-51
6:52-59		6:52-59	6:52	6:52-58
			6:53-58
			6:59	6:59-62
The Words of Eternal Life	Many Disciples Turn Away		The Words of Eternal Life
6:60-65	6:60-71	6:60-65	6:60	6:63
			6:61-65
				6:64-66
				Peter's Profession of Faith
6:66-71		6:66-71	6:66-67
				6:67-71
			6:68-69
			6:70-71

READING CYCLE THREE

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects. Compare your subject divisions with the five modern translations. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

 
CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS TO JOHN 6:1-71

A. The Gospel of John does not record the Lord's Supper itself, although chapters 13-17 record the dialogue and prayer in the Upper Room. This omission may be intentional. The church of the second century began to view the ordinances in a sacramental sense. They saw them as channels of grace. John may have been reacting to the sacramental view by not recording Jesus' baptism or the Lord's Supper.

 

B. John 6 is in the context of the feeding of the five thousand. However, many use it to teach a sacramental view of the Eucharist. This is the source of the Roman Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation (John 6:53-56).

The question over how chapter 6 relates to the Eucharist shows the dual nature of the Gospels. Obviously, the Gospels relate to Jesus' words and life, yet they were written decades later and expressed the individual authors' community of faith. So there are three levels of authorial intent.

1. the Spirit

2. Jesus and the original hearers

3. the Gospel writers and their readers

How is one to interpret? The only verifiable method must be a contextual, grammatical, lexical approach, informed by a historical setting and not vice versa.

C. We must remember that the audience was Jewish and the cultural background was the rabbinical expectation of the Messiah being a super-Moses (cf. John 6:30-31), especially in regard to the Exodus experiences like "manna." The rabbis would use Ps. 72:16 as a proof text. Jesus' unusual statements (cf. John 6:60-62, 66) were meant to counteract the crowd's false Messianic expectations (cf. John 6:14-15).

 

D. The early church fathers did not all agree that this passage refers to the Lord's Supper. Clement of Alexandria, Origen, and Eusebius never mention the Lord's Supper in their discussions on this passage.

 

E. The metaphors of this passage are very similar to Jesus' words used with the "woman at the well" in John 4. Earthly water and bread are used as metaphors of eternal life and spiritual realities.

 

F. This multiplying of bread is the only miracle recorded in all four Gospels (Matt. 14:13-21; Mark 6:32-44; Luke 9:10-17)!

 

G. Michael Magill, New Testament TransLine (p. 325) makes an interesting observation related to the different groups in Capernaum and their relation to Jesus' shocking words.

1. the crowd, John 6:24

2. the Jews, John 6:41,52

3. the disciples, John 6:60,66

4. the Twelve, John 6:67

Jesus had effectively

1. stopped the crowd from trying to make Him king because He fed them (John 6:15)

2. challenged the Jewish leadership by His radical personal claims

3. caused many peripheral followers to leave

4. elicited a statement of continuing and deepening faith on the part of the Twelve (John 6:68-69)

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JOHN 6:1-14
 ¹After these things Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias). ²A large crowd followed Him, because they saw the signs which He was performing on those who were sick. ³Then Jesus went up on the mountain, and there He sat down with His disciples. ⁴Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was near. ⁵Therefore Jesus, lifting up His eyes and seeing that a large crowd was coming to Him, said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, so that these may eat?" ⁶This He was saying to test him, for He Himself knew what He was intending to do. ⁷Philip answered Him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little." ⁸One of His disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to Him, ⁹"There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are these for so many people?" ¹⁰Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. ¹¹Jesus then took the loaves, and having given thanks, He distributed to those who were seated; likewise also of the fish as much as they wanted. ¹²When they were filled, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the leftover fragments so that nothing will be lost." ¹³So they gathered them up, and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves which were left over by those who had eaten. ¹⁴Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, "This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world."

6:1 "the Sea of Galilee (or Tiberias)" This body of water was known by several other names. In the OT it was called Chinnereth, (cf. Num. 34:11). It was also known as Lake Gennessaret in Luke 5:1 and by the Roman name, the Sea of Tiberias in John 21:1. The parenthesis is another editorial comment by the author. It does show that John's Gospel was for people outside Palestine (cf. John 6:4,6,64,71).

6:2 Notice the reason why the crowd followed Him.

6:3 Jesus used the natural amplification of the water and hill side to project His voice. The fact that He "sat down" shows that this was an official teaching session with His disciples. One wonders if the mountain was meant to remind one of a Mosaic setting like Matthew 5-7.

In these large teaching sessions, Jesus often addressed different groups in the crowd. Encircling Him at His feet would have been His close disciples; beyond them, the curious, the rich and the common "people of the land"; and, in small groups, the religious leaders (Pharisees, Scribes, Sadducees, possibly even Essenes).

6:4 "the Passover, the feast of the Jews" The only way of determining the length of the public ministry of Jesus is the Passovers mentioned in the Gospel of John (first, 2:13; second, 6:4; and third, 11:55 & 13:1). If John 5:1 is also speaking of a Passover then we have at least three and one-half or four years public ministry. There is so much we do not know about the life of Jesus (cf. John 20:30; 21:25).

6:6 "This he was saying to test him" This Greek term here for "test" (peirazō) usually carries an evil connotation (see Special Topic at 1 John 4:1, cf. Matt. 4:1). This is a good example showing that modern interpreters try to force NT words to fit into one definition. Koine Greek was losing many of the grammatical and linguistic distinctions of Classical Greek (cf. note at John 5:20).

Jesus was testing Philip, but how?

1. on his faith in Jesus as provider?

2. on his knowledge of the OT (cf. Num. 11:13, on Moses' question to God about providing food)?

3. on his care and concern for the crowd?

 

6:7

NASB, NKJV, JB"Two hundred denarii worth"
NRSV"six months' wages"
TEV"two hundred silver coins"

A denarii was a day's wage for a laborer (cf. Matt. 20:2) and a soldier. This would have been almost two-thirds of a year's wage.

SPECIAL TOPIC: COINS IN USE IN PALESTINE IN JESUS' DAY

6:8-9 "Andrew, Simon Peter's brother" This context is such a beautiful picture of Andrew's simple faith and trust in the ability and person of Jesus.

6:9 "barley loaves" This was considered the most inexpensive and least desirable bread. It was the food of the poor. Jesus did not use His powers to provide expensive food!

6:10 "Have the people sit down" People of this culture normally ate while either sitting on the floor or reclining at a low "U" shaped table.

▣ "there was much grass in the place" This is an eyewitness apostolic (editorial) comment.

▣ "So the men sat down, about five thousand" It is really a misnomer to call this "the feeding of the five thousand" because apparently there were more people there that day. The five thousand is a round number and refers to adult men (i.e., 13 and above) and does not include women and children (cf. Matt. 14:21). However, it is uncertain how many women and children would or could have attended (cf. Matt. 14:21).

6:11 "and having given thanks, He distributed" The miracle of multiplication must have occurred in Jesus' hands. In context of the Jews' Messianic hope this event would be the expected sign that Jesus was providing food as Moses provided manna.

The Greek term for "giving thanks" (eucharisteō) later became the name for the Last Supper (cf. 1 Cor. 11:23-24). Did John use it here with this future, technical definition in mind? The other Gospels which do not have the allusions to the Eucharist use a different term (eulogeō, cf. Matt. 14:19; Mark 6:41). They do use the term eucharisteō (cf. Matt. 15:36; Mark 8:6; Luke 17:16; 18:11) but not consistently in a Last Supper setting. They do use the same term to describe Jesus' thanksgiving prayer in the upper room (cf. Matt. 26:27; Mark 14:23; and Luke 22:17-19). Therefore, since the usage is not uniform, John would have needed to make his allusion more specific if later readers were meant to interpret this in an Eucharistic setting!

6:12 "lost" See Special Topic: Apollumi at10:10.

6:13 "So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets" The term "basket" here refers to a large hamper-type basket. It is significant that Jesus did not waste any of the multiplied food. Nor did He change the nature (or type) of the bread.

Does the term "twelve" have symbolic significance? It is difficult to be certain. It has been interpreted as a reference to the tribes of Israel (Jesus satisfies the OT) or one basket for each disciple (Jesus satisfies and provides for His disciples), but it may just have been an eyewitness detail (like John 6:19).

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE NUMBER TWELVE

6:14 "the Prophet" This is an allusion to the Messianic reference of Deut. 18:15-22 (cf. Acts 3:22; 7:37). The crowd recognized the power of Jesus but misunderstood the nature of His mission and signs.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JOHN 6:15
  ¹⁵So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.

6:15 The crowd was excited by Jesus' Messianic miracle of providing food. This verse may relate to the evil one's temptation of Matt. 4:3.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JOHN 6:16-21
  ¹⁶Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea, ¹⁷and after getting into a boat, they started to cross the sea to Capernaum. It had already become dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. ¹⁸The sea began to be stirred up because a strong wind was blowing. ¹⁹Then, when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were frightened. ²⁰But He said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid." ²¹So they were willing to receive Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going.

6:17 "Capernaum" This was Jesus' headquarters during His Galilean ministry because of the unbelief in His hometown of Nazareth (cf. Luke 4:28-29).

6:19 "they had rowed about three or four miles" They were approximately halfway across the lake when Jesus came walking to them on the water. Matthew expands this narrative to include Peter walking to Him on the water.

▣ "they were frightened" These disciples were still estimating Jesus by earthly standards. The disciples' fear is expressed in Mark 6:49. The collective weight of these "signs" forced them to reassess who He was.

6:20 "It is I" This is literally (egō eimi) "I Am" (cf. John 4:26; 8:24,28,54-59; 13:19; 18:5-6) which reflects the covenant name of God in the OT, YHWH of Exod. 3:12-15. Jesus is the visible "I Am," the full self-revelation of God, the incarnate Logos (word) of God, the true and only Son. See D in the Special Topic following.

SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY

6:21 "and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going" This apparently was another miraculous occurrence (cf. John 22-25) since Mark's Gospel indicates that they had rowed about half way across the lake (cf. Mark 6:47). However, it is not mentioned in the other Gospels (i.e., Matt. 14:32 or Mark 6:51).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JOHN 6:22-25
  ²²The next day the crowd that stood on the other side of the sea saw that there was no other small boat there, except one, and that Jesus had not entered with His disciples into the boat, but that His disciples had gone away alone. ²³There came other small boats from Tiberias near to the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks. ²⁴So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they themselves got into the small boats, and came to Capernaum seeking Jesus. ²⁵When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, "Rabbi, when did You get here?"

6:23 "Tiberias" This city was built by Herod Antipas in a.d. 22 and became his capital.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JOHN 6:26-34
  ²⁶Jesus answered them and said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. ²⁷Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, even God, has set His seal. ²⁸Therefore they said to Him, "What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?" ²⁹Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent." ³⁰So they said to Him, "What then do You do for a sign, so that we may see, and believe You? What work do You perform? ³¹Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.'" ³²Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. ³³For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world." ³⁴Then they said to Him, "Lord, always give us this bread."

6:26,32,53 "Truly, truly, I say to you" "Amen," "Amen." This is a Hebrew phrase that has three distinct usages.

1. In the OT the word was used for "trust." Its figurative sense meant "to be firm" and was used to describe one's faith in YHWH.

2. Jesus' usage reflects the introduction of important and significant statements. We have no other contemporary usage of "amen" in this way.

3. In the early church, like the OT, it came to be a term of affirmation or concurrence.

 

See SPECIAL TOPIC: AMEN at John 1:51.

▣ "but because you ate of the loaves" Their motives were physical and immediate, not spiritual and eternal.

▣ "and were filled" This term meant "to gorge," it was often used of animals (especially cows).

6:27 "Do not work" This is a present middle imperative with the negative particle which usually means to stop an act already in progress. The OT background to this passage is Isaiah 5. This conversation has many similarities to the one with the woman at the well in John 4.

▣ "perishes" See Special Topic: Apollumi at10:10.

▣ "has set His seal" This is literally "sealed." This was a sign of authenticity, ownership, authority, and security (cf. NEB and Matt. 28:18; John 17:2). TEV and NIV translate it as "approval" since it is used to assert God the Father's approval of Jesus' ministry. See SPECIAL TOPIC: SEAL at John 3:33, where it may refer to the Holy Spirit.

6:28 "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God" This was the central religious question of first century Judaism (cf. Luke 18:18). The religious Jew was assumed to be right with God based on (1) his lineage and (2) his performance of the Mosaic Law as it was interpreted by the Oral Tradition (Talmud).

6:29 "that you believe in Him whom He has sent" This is a present active subjunctive followed by an aorist active indicative. The word "believe" is crucial in understanding the NT teachings about salvation. See Special Topic at John 2:23. The word's primary orientation was volitional trust. The Greek word group pistis can be translated as "believe," "trust" or "faith." The focus of human belief must be "in Him" (cf. John 1:12; 3:16), not in human sincerity, commitment, nor enthusiasm. The immediate orientation of this passage is to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, not orthodox theology about Him, expected religious ritual, nor even ethical living. All of these things are helpful but not primary. Notice that Jesus changes the plural "works" of their question to the singular "work."

For "sent" see Special Topic: Send (Apostellō) at John 5:24.

6:30-33 It must be remembered that this group had just participated in a miraculous feeding of the five thousand. They had already had their sign! Rabbinical Judaism thought the Messiah would repeat certain OT acts, such as sending of the manna (cf. II Baruch 29:8). The rabbis used Ps. 72:16 as a proof text for this view of a "super-Moses" type of Messiah (cf. 1 Cor. 1:22).

There is an important grammatical feature between the "believe in Him" of John 6:29 and "believe You" of John 6:30. The first focuses on John's usual construction of believing in/into Jesus. It is a personal focus. The second focuses on believing Jesus' words or claims which is a content focus. Remember, the Gospel is both a person and a message. See Special Topic at John 2:23.

6:31 "as it is written" This is a periphrastic perfect passive participle. It was the standard grammatical form to introduce Scripture quotes from the OT. It was an idiom affirming the inspiration and authority of the OT. This quote could refer to one of several OT texts or a combination: Ps. 78:24; 105:40; Exod. 16:4,15, or Neh. 9:15.

6:32 Jesus addresses the Jews' traditional theology. They asserted that the Messiah must perform wonder-works like Moses because of Deut. 18:15,18. Jesus corrects their assumption at several points.

1. God, not Moses, gave the manna

2. manna was not of heavenly origin although the people thought it was (cf. Ps. 78:23-25)

3. the true bread of heaven was Jesus, who was not a past act, but a present reality

 

6:33 "is that which comes down out of heaven" This is a recurrent theme in John (cf. John 3:13). It is John's vertical dualism. In this context Jesus' descent is stated seven times (cf. John 6:33,38,41,42,50,51,58). It shows Jesus' pre-existent, divine origin (cf. John 6:33,38,41,42,50,51,58, and 62). It is also a play on "manna" which came from heaven as did Jesus the true Bread, the Bread of life.

This is literally "the bread of God is the one coming down out of heaven." Here the masculine present active participle refers to (1) "bread" or (2) a man, Jesus. Often in John these ambiguities are purposeful (double entendres).

▣ "gives life to the world" This is the purpose for which Jesus came (cf. John 3:16; Mark 10:45; 2 Cor. 5:21). The goal is "new life," "eternal life," "new age life," "God's kind of life" to a lost and rebellious world, not to some special group (Jew/Gentile, elect/non-elect, conservative/liberal), but to all!

6:34

NASB, NKJV"Lord"
NRSV, TEV,
NJB, NET,
NIV, REB"Sir"

These two terms both reflect different semantic usages of kurios. In this context the second option seems best. The crowd did not understand Jesus or His words. They did not perceive Him as the Messiah (also note 4:11; 5:7).

▣ "always give us this bread" This is similar to the statement of the woman at the well in John 4:15. These Jews did not understand Jesus' spiritual metaphors either. This is a recurrent theme in John.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JOHN 6:35-40
  ³⁵Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. ³⁶But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. ³⁷All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. ³⁸For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. ³⁹This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. ⁴⁰For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day."

6:35 "I am the bread of life" This is one of the "I Am" statements which is so characteristic of John (cf. John 6:35,41,48,51; 8:12; 10:7,9,11,14; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1,5). John's Gospel focuses on the person of Christ. This is related to the Jews' Messianic expectations about manna and the new Law giver Who would bring a new exodus (from sin). See note at John 8:12.

▣ "He who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst" These are two strong Double negatives in Greek, "will never no never" (cf. John 6:37).

There is a parallel relationship between "comes" and "believes" (cf. John 7:37-38, similar to "sees" and "hears"). They are both present participles. Believers' coming and believing are not one-time decisions, but the beginning of a lifestyle of fellowship, friendship and followship.

▣ "hunger. . .thirst" Hunger and thirst were often used to describe spiritual reality (cf. Ps. 42:1; Isa. 55:1; Amos 8:11-12; Matt. 5:6).

6:36 "that you have seen Me" Some ancient witnesses (MSS א, A, and many Old Latin, Vulgate, and Syriac versions) omit "Me," making Jesus' statement refer to His sign (i.e., feeding the crowd). The pronoun is included in so many Greek manuscripts and versions that the UBS⁴ could not decide which was original.

6:37 "All that My Father gives Me will come to Me" The primary emphasis of this passage is on the sovereignty of God. The two definitive passages on this theological truth are Romans 9 and Eph. 1:3-14. It is interesting that in both contexts mankind's response is required. Romans 10 has seven all inclusive phrases. This is also the case in Ephesians 2, where the discussions of God' grace in John 6:1-7 issue in a call to faith in John 6:8,9. Predestination is a doctrine for the redeemed, not a barrier to the unsaved. The key to unlock the doctrine is the love and grace of God, not eternal decrees. Notice that all who God gives to Jesus also "come" to Him. God always takes the initiative (cf. John 6:44,65), but humans must respond (cf. John 1:12; 3:16). See Special Topic at John 3:16.

▣ "the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out" This is another strong double negative. This emphasizes the truth that God calls and welcomes everyone to Himself through Christ (cf. Ezek. 18:21-23; 30-32; 1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9). God always takes the initiative (cf. John 6:44,65), but humans must respond (cf. Mark 1:15; Acts 3:16, 19; 20:21). What a wonderful passage on security (cf. Rom. 8:31-39)!

SPECIAL TOPIC: CHRISTIAN ASSURANCE

6:38 "I have come down from heaven" This is perfect tense which refers to the Incarnation (cf. John 1:1ff; Eph. 4:8-10), and its results remain. It also shows the heavenly origin of Jesus (cf .vv. 41,62).

▣ "not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me" The NT asserts both the unity of the Trinity (see Special Topic at John 14:26), example 14:8-9 and the personality of the three persons. This verse is part of John's ongoing emphasis on Jesus' submissiveness to the Father. See full note at John 5:19. See Special Topic: Send (Apostellō) at John 5:24.

6:39 "that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing" There is an obvious relationship between the neuter singular "all that" of John 6:37 and the neuter singular of John 6:39. John uses this unusual form several times (cf. John 17:2,24). It apparently emphasizes the corporate whole (cf. John 6:40,45).

This is a great promise of God's keeping power, a source of Christian assurance (cf. John 10:28-29; 17:2,24, see Special Topic at 1 John 5:13). Notice that the verb tense of John 6:37 is Present tense, while in John 6:39 it is perfect tense. God's gift abides! Also the last two affirmations of John 6:39 are both aorist active; Jesus does not lose any of that which the Father has given to Him (John 6:37 and 39) and He raises all those who are given to Him on the last day (cf. John 6:44). Here are the divine promises of (1) election and (2) perseverance!

This concept of a day of consummation (both positive and negative) is called by several titles.

1. the last days, John 6:39,40,44,54; 11:24; 12:48; 2 Tim. 3:1; 1 Pet. 1:5; 2 Pet. 3:3

2. the last time, 1 John 2:18; Jude 1:18

3. that day, Matt. 7:22; 2 Tim. 1:12,18; 4:8

4. a day, Acts 17:31

5. the great day, Jude 1:6

6. the day, Luke 17:30; 1 Cor. 3:13; 1 Thess. 5:4; Heb. 10:25

7. His day, Luke 17:24

8. the day of the Lord, 1 Thess. 5:2; 2 Thess. 2:2

9. the day of Christ, Phil. 1:10; 2:16

10. the day of the Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. 1:8; 5:5

11. the day of the Lord Jesus, 2 Cor. 1:14

12. the day of Christ Jesus, Phil. 1:6

13. the day of the Son of man, Luke 17:24 (see also #7)

14. day of judgment, Matt. 10:15; 11:22,24; 12:36; 2 Pet. 2:9; 3:7; 1 John 4:17

15. day of wrath, Rev. 6:17

16. The great day of God - Rev. 16:14

 

▣ "but raise it up in the last day" This refers to resurrection day for believers but judgment day for unbelievers (cf. John 6:40,44,54; 5:25,28; 11:24 and 1 Cor. 15). Frank Stagg has a helpful statement at this point in his A New Testament Theology:

"The Gospel of John is emphatic about a future coming (14:3,18 f.,28; 16:16,22) and it speaks clearly of the resurrection and final judgment 'in the last day' (5:28 f., 6:39 f., 44,54; 11:24; 12:48); yet throughout this Fourth Gospel, eternal life, judgment, and resurrection are present realities (3:18 f.; 4:23; 5:25; 6:54; 11:23 ff.; 12:28,31; 13:31 f.; 14:17; 17:26)" (p. 311).

6:40 "this is the will of My Father" This is Jesus' answer to the question of John 6:28, "what shall we do that we may work the words of God?" See Special Topic: The Will of God at John 4:34.

▣ "that everyone who beholds the Son" The present active participles of "beholding" and "believing" are parallel (like "comes" and "believes" in John 6:35, like "sees" and "hears"). These are ongoing actions, not one-time events. The term "beholding" meant "to gaze intently" at something so as to understand or know it.

I surely like the term "everyone" (pas), notice

1. that all might believe through him, John 1:7

2. enlightens every man, John 1:9

3. whoever believes may in Him have eternal life, John 3:15

4. that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life, John 3:16

5. that all may honor the Son, John 5:23

6.-9. John 6:37,39,40,45

10. everyone who loves and believes in Me shall never die, John 11:26

11. I, if I, be lifted up from the earth will draw all men to Myself, John 12:32

12. everyone who believes in Me may not remain in darkness, John 12:46

This is the mystery of sovereignty (cf. John 6:38-39; 17:2,24 vs. freewill). Both are somehow true. For me the theological concept of "covenant" unites them best!

▣ "believes in Him" Remember that salvation is primarily a personal relationship, not a creed, correct theology, or a moral lifestyle (cf. John 3:16; 11:25-26). The stress is on the object of one's faith, not the intensity. See Special Topic at John 2:23.

Notice the balance of the emphasis on God's sovereign choice in John 6:37a,39,44,65 and mankind's faith response in John 6:37b,40. These biblical tensions must be maintained. God's sovereignty and mankind's free will form the twin aspects of biblical covenant.

▣ "may have eternal life" This is a present active subjunctive; a response is required (cf. 1 John 5:11). Also note that John 6:39 is corporate, while John 6:40 is individual. This is the paradox of salvation.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JOHN 6:41-51
  ⁴¹Therefore the Jews were grumbling about Him, because He said, "I am the bread that came down out of heaven." ⁴²They were saying, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say, 'I have come down out of heaven'?" ⁴³Jesus answered and said to them, "Do not grumble among yourselves. ⁴⁴No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. ⁴⁵It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught of God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me. ⁴⁶Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father. ⁴⁷Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life. ⁴⁸I am the bread of life. ⁴⁹Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. ⁵⁰This is the bread which comes down out of heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. ⁵¹I am the living bread that came down out of heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh."

6:41 "Therefore the Jews were grumbling" This is an imperfect tense, which implies they started to grumble or grumbled again and again. The parallel with the wilderness wandering period (cf. Exod. and Num.) is striking. The Israelites of that day also rejected Moses, God's representative, who also provided them food.

6:42 This shows that the Jews understood Jesus' words about Himself. He was clearly using Jewish idioms to claim to be pre-existent and divine! Jesus' words are still shocking coming from a Galilean carpenter! Jesus made such strong statements about Himself. He is then

1. the incarnate Son of God who brings eternal life by His words and deeds or

2. a premeditative liar or

3. a lunatic (taken from Josh McDowell, Evidence That Demands a Verdict)

The truthfulness of Jesus' claims is the issue of Christianity.

6:43 "Do not grumble among yourselves" This is a present imperative with Negative particle which usually means to stop an act already in progress.

6:44 "No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him" God always takes the initiative (cf. John 6:65 and 15:16). All spiritual decisions are the result of the wooing of the Spirit, not mankind's religiosity (cf. Isa. 53:6). God's sovereignty and a mandated human response are inseparably linked together by the will and mercy of God. This is the OT concept of covenant.

 The balance to this "drawing of God" is found in John 12:32 where Jesus "draws all men to Himself." This drawing reverses the OT pattern of God's people not responding to His prophetic word (examples: Isa. 6:9-13; 29:13; Jeremiah). God now speaks, not through prophets to Israel, but through His Son to all mankind (cf. Heb. 1:1-3). See Special Topic: Send (Apostellō) at John 5:24.

6:45 "It is written in the prophets" This is a quote from Isa. 54:13 or Jer. 31:34 which describes the internal (new heart, new mind) aspect of the "New Covenant."

▣ "Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me" It is impossible to claim to know God and reject Jesus (cf. 1 John 5:1-12).

6:46 "Not that any man has seen the Father" Jesus' affirmation is that only through Him can one really understand and know God (cf. John 1:18; 14:6,9). Even Moses never truly saw YHWH (cf. note at John 5:32).

6:47 This verse summarizes Jesus' offer of a free salvation to all humans ("the one believing," present active participle; "eternal life" cf. John 6:51,58; 3:15,16,36; 5:24; 11:26; 20:31). Jesus is the only true revelation of God, the only true door to God (the exclusivism of the gospel, cf. John 10:1-6,7-9; 14:6), but this is available to all sons and daughters of Adam (the inclusivism of the gospel fulfills 1:4,7,12; 3:16; Gen. 3:15; 12:3).

6:50 This verse, like 31-35, is a play on the meaning of bread, physical bread (manna) and heavenly bread (Jesus). One gives and sustains physical life, but must be repeated and eventually cannot stop death. The other gives and sustains eternal life, but must be accepted and nurtured and puts an immediate end to spiritual death (broken fellowship with God; intimate fellowship with sin and self).

6:51 "I am the living bread" This is one of the famous "I am" statements of John's Gospel (cf. John 6:35,48,51). It was a literary technique of Jesus to focus attention on His person. Salvation, like revelation, is ultimately a person.

▣ "for the life of the world is My flesh" This is a metaphor emphasizing that Jesus Himself, not some food supply, is our central need. This phrase obviously links back to 1:14.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JOHN 6:52-59
 ⁵²Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, "How can this man give us His flesh to eat?" ⁵³So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. ⁵⁴He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. ⁵⁵For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. ⁵⁶He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. ⁵⁷As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. ⁵⁸This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever." ⁵⁹These things He said in the synagogue as He taught in Capernaum.

6:52

NASB"argue"
NKJV"quarreled"
NRSV"disputed"
TEV"an angry argument"
NJB"arguing"

The imperfect tense meant the beginning of something or the continuing of something in past time. This is a strong Greek term for fighting (cf. Acts 7:26; 2 Tim. 2:23-24; Titus 3:9) and used metaphorically in 2 Cor. 7:5 and James 4:1-2.

▣ "How can this man give us His flesh to eat" In John Jesus speaks in metaphoric language that is regularly misunderstood in a literal sense: (1) Nicodemus, John 3:4; (2) Samaritan woman, John 4:11; (3) Jewish crowd, John 6:52; and (4) disciples, John 11:11.

6:53-57 The verbals in John 6:53 and 54 are very interesting. In John 6:53, "eat" and "drink" are aorist active subjunctives which speak of a volitionally potential initiating act. The verbals in John 6:54, "eats" and "drinks," are Present active participles which emphasize continuing action (cf. John 6:56,57,58). It seems that this confirms the fact that one must initially respond to Jesus and continue to respond (cf. John 6:44).

It must be remembered that to take this passage literally is to misunderstand the Jewish horror at drinking blood (cf. Lev. 17:10-14). To take Jesus' obvious allusions to the manna in the wilderness (cf. John 6:58), and use them as literal phrases connected with the Eucharist is a manipulation of the historical setting and literary context for liturgical purposes.

6:54 "flesh. . .blood" This is a Jewish metaphorical way of referring to the whole person, like "heart."

6:55 "true food. . .true drink" This is John's characteristic use of the term true/truth (see special topic below). John, writing later than the other NT writers, had seen the development of several heresies (overemphasis on John the Baptist, overemphasis on sacramentalism, overemphasis on human knowledge-Gnosticism).

SPECIAL TOPIC: "TRUTH" (THE CONCEPT) IN JOHN'S WRITINGS

6:56 "abides in Me and I in him" This same truth is stated in John 15:4-7; 1 John 2:6,27,28; 3:6,24, see Special Topic: Abiding at 1 John 2:10. This is the ongoing NT emphasis on the perseverance of saints (cf. Gal 6:9; Rev 2:7,11,17,26; 3:5,12,21, see Special Topic at John 8:31). True response is validated by a continuing response. This emphasis on perseverance is the missing element in American evangelicalism. One must not only start in faith, but finish in faith (Hebrews 11). Jonathan Edwards said, "Sure proof of election is that one hold out to the end." W. T. Conner said, "The salvation of a man elected to salvation is from eternity to eternity certain in the mind and purpose of God, yet it is conditioned upon faith, and a faith that perseveres and conquers."

6:57 "the living Father" This phrase is unique, but the concept is used often in the Bible. There are several different ways to interpret the origin of this title for God.

1. the basic name of the Covenant God (cf. Exod. 3:12,14-16; 6:2-3, see Special Topic at John 6:20)

2. oaths by God, "as I live" or in God's name, "as the Lord lives" (cf. Num. 14:21,28; Isa. 49:18; Jer. 4:2)

3. as a description of God (cf. Ps. 42:2; 84:2; Jos. 3:10; Jer. 10:10; Dan. 6:20,26; Hos. 1:10; Matt. 16:16; 26:63; Acts 14:15; Rom. 9:26; 2 Cor. 3:3; 6:16; 1 Thess. 1:9; 1 Tim. 3:15; 4:10; Heb. 3:12; 9:14; 10:31; 12:22; Rev. 7:2)

4. the statements in John 5:26 that the Father has life in Himself and has given it to the Son and 5:21 where the Father raises the dead as does the Son.

6:58 This is a comparison of the Old Testament and the New, Moses and Jesus. (See the book of Hebrews, esp. chapters 3, 4).

▣ "the fathers ate and died" This may also have served the theological function of denying salvation through lineage (cf. John 8:33-39) or through the Mosaic Law (Torah).

▣ "forever" See Special Topic below.

SPECIAL TOPIC: FOREVER ('OLAM)

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JOHN 6:60-65
  ⁶⁰Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, "This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?" ⁶¹But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, "Does this cause you to stumble? ⁶²What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? ⁶³It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. ⁶⁴But there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was that would betray Him. ⁶⁵And He was saying, "For this reason I have said to you, that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father."

6:60 "Therefore many of His disciples" This use of the term "disciple" has a wide connotation. In John this term and "believe" are used of both (1) true followers (John 6:68) and (2) temporary followers (John 6:64, cf. John 8:31-47).

▣ "heard. . .listen" There is a play on the word "hear" (akouō). They heard Jesus' words, but they did not understand them and act on them. In this sense this Greek term functions like the Hebrew shema (cf. Deut. 4:1; 5:1; 6:3,4; 27:9-10).

6:62 This is an incomplete first class conditional sentence with no conclusion. The implication is they would see it (cf. Acts 1). After Jesus' death/resurrection/ascension and the coming of the Spirit, much of Jesus' teachings and acts would make sense to them.

▣ "ascending to where He was before" This is the continuing emphasis on Jesus as "coming down out of heaven." It speaks of His pre-existence with the Father in heaven and His intimate fellowship with the Father in heaven (cf. John 17:5,24).

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE ASCENSION

6:63 This verse, because of the larger context of chapter 6, may relate to a contrast between old covenant versus new covenant, Moses versus Jesus (cf. John 6:58; 2 Cor. 3:6, see the comparisons of the two covenants in the book of Hebrews).

▣ "the Spirit who gives life" This is one of many phrases that are used for both Jesus and the Spirit.

1. the Spirit is life-giving water (7:38-39)

2. Jesus is the living water (4:10-14)

3. the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth (14:17; 15:26; 16:13)

4. Jesus is the truth (14:6)

5. the Spirit is paraclete (14:16,26; 15:26; 16:7)

6. and Jesus is paraclete (1 John 2:1)

See Special Topic at the 14:16.

Notice in this verse that "spirit" (pneuma) is used in two specialized senses.

1. the Holy Spirit (cf. John 1:32,33; 3:34; 7:39; 14:17; 15:26; 16:13)

2. spiritual (cf. John 4:24; 11:33; 13:21)

In John 3:5,6,8 it is hard to know which is meant. Being John, possibly both.

SPECIAL TOPIC: SPIRIT (PNEUMA) IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

6:64 This group of apparent but false followers is reduced to the false follower- Judas (cf. John 6:70-71; 13:11. There is surely mystery involved in levels of belief.

SPECIAL TOPIC: APOSTASY (APHISTĒMI)

6:65 This expresses the same truth as John 6:44. Fallen mankind does not seek God on its own initiative (cf. Rom. 3:9-18 for a series of OT quotes which emphasize mankind's sinfulness and rebellion).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JOHN 6:66-71
  ⁶⁶As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. ⁶⁷So Jesus said to the twelve, "You do not want to go away also, do you?" ⁶⁸Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. ⁶⁹We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God." ⁷⁰Jesus answered them, "Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?" ⁷¹Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him.

6:67 "the twelve" This is the first use in John of this collective term for the Apostles (cf. John 6:70,71; 20:24). See Special Topic at John 6:13.

6:68 "Simon Peter answered" Peter is the spokesman for the Twelve (cf. Matt. 16:16). This is not to imply they saw him as their leader (cf. Mark 9:34; Luke 9:46; 22:24).

▣ "You have the words of eternal life" Christianity is both (1) truth contained in a message, "words of eternal life," and (2) truth expressed in a person, Jesus. The Gospel, then, is both a message and a person. The term pistis can relate to both (1) a message (cf. Jude 3,20) and (2) a person (cf. John 1:12; 3:15-16). See special Topic at John 2:23.

6:69 "We have believed and have come to know" These are both perfect active indicatives. Salvation here is in perfect tense which means a past, culminated act has become a settled state of being. True salvation involves all the Greek verb tenses. See Special Topic: Greek Verb Tenses Used for Salvation at John 9:7.

NASB, NRSV,
NJB"You are the Holy One of God"
NKJV"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God"
TEV"You are the Holy One who has come from God"

There is a manuscript problem at this point. The shorter text (NASB, NRSV, NJB) is supported by the ancient Greek manuscripts P⁷⁵, א, B, C^*, D, L, and W. Later scribes obviously inserted the additional words from Martha's confession of John 11:27 or Peter's of Matt. 16:16. The UBS⁴ gives the shorter text an "A" rating (certain).

The phrase of "Holy One of God" is an OT Messianic title. It is alluded to in Luke 1:35 and Acts 3:14. It is the title by which the demonic addressed Jesus in Mark 1:24; Luke 4:34. See Special Topic: at 1 John 2:20. This is another confession of faith by the Twelve, similar to Matthew 16.

6:70 "Did I Myself not choose you" This is another emphasis on the divine election of the disciples (cf. John 6:44 and 65). Notice Jesus' question of John 6:67. Divine election and human volition must remain in a biblical tension. They are two sides of a covenant relationship.

▣ "and yet one of you is a devil" What a startling statement! It does not refer to one of the fringe disciples who turned back (cf. John 6:66), but to one of the twelve chosen apostles who claimed faith in Him. Many have linked this to 13:2 or 27. There are several questions related to our understanding of this verse: (1) why did Jesus choose a devil? and (2) what does the term mean in this context?

The first question has to do with predictive prophecy (cf. John 17:12; Ps. 41:9). Jesus knew what Judas would do. Judas is the ultimate example of the unpardonable sin. He rejected Jesus after hearing, seeing, and being with Him for several years.

The second question has two possible meanings.

1. some relate this to the devil (used with no article for Satan in Acts 13:10 and Rev. 20:2) entering Judas (cf. John 13:2,27)

2. possibly the term is being used generically (no article as in 1 Tim. 3:11; 2 Tim. 3:3; and Titus 2:3)

Judas was an accuser in the OT sense, as was Satan (see Special Topic at John 12:31). The Greek term implies a slanderer or tale-bearer. The Greek term is a compound, "to throw across."

6:71 "Simon Iscariot" There are several theories concerning this word (the word is spelled differently in various Greek manuscripts). It could refer to

1. a man of Kerioth, a city of Judah

2. man of Kartan, a city of Galilee

3. the leather bag used to carry money

4. the Hebrew word for "strangling"

5. the Greek word for assassin's knife

 If #1 is true he was the only Judean in the Twelve. If #5 is true he was a zealot like Simon.

There has recently been written a book that interprets Judas in a positive light. The book is entitled Judas, Betrayer or Friend of Jesus? by William Klassen, Fortress Press, 1996. My problem with it is that it does not take the comments in John's Gospel seriously.

▣ "betray" This Greek term is widely translated and in most contexts is neutral. However, in connection with Judas handing Jesus over to the authorities, it takes on sinister connotations. See note at John 18:2.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. Is John 6 a discussion of the Lord's Supper? Why or why not?

2. What was Jesus' claim when He said, "I am the bread of life"?

3. Why did Jesus make such startling statements to this crowd?

 

Copyright © 2013 Bible Lessons International

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

UBS4	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
The Woman Caught in Adultery	An Adulteress Faces the Light of the World	The Woman Caught in Adultery	The Woman Caught in Adultery	The Adulterous Woman
7:53-8:11	7:53-8:12	7:53-8:11	7:53-8:11	7:53-8:11
Jesus, the Light of the World	Jesus Defends His Self-Witness	Jesus, the Light of the World	Jesus, the Light of the World	Jesus, the Light of the World
8:12-20		8:12-20	8:12	8:12
				A Discussion on the Testimony of Jesus to Himself
	8:13-20		8:13	8:13-18
			8:14-18
			8:19a	8:19a
			8:19b	8:19b
			8:20	8:20
Where I Am Going You Cannot Come	Jesus Predicts His Departure		You Cannot Go Where I Am Going
8:21-30	8:21-29	8:21-30	8:21	8:21
			8:22	8:22-24
			8:23-24
			8:25a	8:25a
			8:25b-26	8:25b-26
	The Truth Shall Make You Free		8:27-29	8:27-29
	8:30-36		8:30	8:30
The Truth Will Make You Free			The Truth Will Set You Free	Jesus and Abraham
8:31-38		8:31-33	8:31-32	8:31-32
			8:33	8:33-38
	Abraham's Seed and Satan	8:34-38	8:34-38
Your Father the Devil	8:37-47
8:39-47		8:39-47	8:39a	8:39-41a
			8:39b-41a
			8:41b	8:41b-47
			8:42-47
Before Abraham Was, I Am	Before Abraham Was, I Am		Jesus and Abraham
8:48-59	8:48-59	8:48-59	8:48	8:48-51
			8:49-51
			8:52-53	8:52-56
			8:54-56
			8:57	8:57-58
			8:58
			8:59	8:59

READING CYCLE THREE

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects. Compare your subject divisions with the five modern translations. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

TEXTUAL BACKGROUND TO 7:53-8:11

A. John 7:53-8:11 was not part of the original Gospel of John.

 

B. Evidence for this passage (one sentence in Greek) being omitted from the Gospel are

1. External evidence

a. absent from the oldest Greek manuscripts

1) papyrus - P⁶⁵ (early third century), P⁷⁵ (third century)

2) uncials - א (fourth century), B (fourth century), probably absent from A and C. These are damaged at this point in John, but when the surviving leaves of the manuscript are measured there is no room for this passage.

b. many of the later Greek manuscripts that include it mark it with a special sign or symbol, like an asterisk, to show it was not original

c. it is found in several different locations in different later manuscripts

1) after John 7:36

2) after John 7:44 

3) after John 7:25

4) in Luke after 21:38

5) in Luke after 24:53

d. absent from the ancient translations

1) the old Latin

2) the old Syriac

3) the early copies of the Peshitta (later Syriac)

e. there is no comment on this text by any of the Greek fathers (until the twelfth century)

f. it is present in codex D (Bezae), a western manuscript of the sixth century, the Latin Vulgate, and the later editions of the Peshitta.

2. Internal evidence

a. the vocabulary and style are more like Luke than John. It was placed in some Greek manuscripts after Luke 21:38 and in others after 24:53.

b. it totally breaks the context of Jesus' discussion with the Jewish leaders after the feast of Tabernacles, 7:1-52; 8:12- 59.

c. there are no parallels in the Synoptic Gospels

3. For a complete technical discussion see Bruce M Metzger's A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament, pp. 219-221.

 

C. This account may be genuine oral tradition from Jesus' life. However, there are many accounts of Jesus' life that Gospel writers chose to not record (John 20:30-31). It is the Gospel writers themselves who were inspired. Later scribes had no right to include an account of Jesus' life, even if authentic, that was not included by the inspired original author. The original authors alone had the insight under the guidance of the Holy Spirit to select, arrange, and adapt the works and words of Jesus. This passage is not original and, therefore, not inspired and should not be included in our Bibles!

 

D. I have chosen not to comment on this passage because I do not believe it is from the pen of John and, therefore, not part of an inspired text (even if historical).

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JOHN 8:12-20
 ¹²Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life." ¹³So the Pharisees said to Him, "You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not true." ¹⁴Jesus answered and said to them, "Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. ¹⁵You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone. ¹⁶But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me. ¹⁷Even in your law it has been written that the testimony of two men is true. ¹⁸I am He who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me." ¹⁹So they were saying to Him, "Where is Your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also." ²⁰These words He spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come.

8:12 "Then Jesus again spoke to them" "The multitude" is not mentioned in this chapter. It may be that the Feast of the Tabernacles is over and Jesus remained in the Temple area trying to reason and witness to the Jewish leaders.

However, as Jesus used the water ceremony of the feast to reveal Himself, in this section He uses the lighting ceremony of the feast to reveal Himself. It is surely possible that 8:12-10:21 is still set on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles (Booths).

▣ "I am the Light" Chapters 6, 7, and 8 seem to be related to the "wilderness wanderings" period of Israel's history, the source of the metaphors that Jesus uses of Himself.

1. chapter 6 uses "manna" and "the bread of life"

2. chapter 7 uses "water" and "living water"

3. chapter 8 uses "light" and "Shekinah glory."

This metaphor of light is repeated throughout John (cf. John 1:4-5, 8-9; 3:19-21; 9:5; 12:46).

There has been some debate as to exactly what this refers.

1. the ancient fear of darkness

2. a title for God in the OT (cf. Ps. 27:1; Isa. 60:20; 1 John 1:5)

3. the background of the Feast of the Tabernacles, lighting of the candelabra in the Court of the Women

4. an allusion to the Shekinah cloud of glory in the wilderness wandering period that symbolized the presence of God

5. the Messianic titles in the OT (cf. Isa. 42:6, 49:6; Luke 2:32).

The rabbis also used "light" as a title for the Messiah. The lighting of the huge lamps in the Court of the Women during the Feast of Tabernacle is the obvious setting for Jesus' statement. The Messianic implications of light and the special references in John 1:4,8 coincide with the ceremony in the Temple for Jesus to continue to reveal His true origin.

This is one of the seven "I am" statements in John (followed by a predicate)

1. I am the Bread of life (John 6:35,41,48,51)

2. I am the Light of the world (John 8:12; 9: 5; cf. John 1:4,9; 12:46)

3. I am the door of the sheepfold (John 10:7,9)

4. I am the good shepherd (John 10:11,14)

5. I am the resurrection, and the life (John 11:25) 

6. I am the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6)

7. I am the true vine (John 15:1,5)

These unique statements, found only in John, point toward the person of Jesus. John focuses on these personal aspects of salvation. We must trust Him!

▣ "of the world" This term (kosmos, see Special Topic at John 14:17) shows the universal scope of the gospel of Jesus Christ (cf. John 3:16).

▣ "he who follows me" This is a present active participle. It must be remembered that Christianity is not primarily a creed or a theology, rather, it is a personal relationship followed by a lifestyle of discipleship (cf. Matt. 28:18-20; 1 John 1:7).

▣ "will not walk in the darkness" This is an allusion to the theological concept of Satan "blinding the eyes of the unredeemed" (cf. 2 Cor. 4:4). There is a further allusion to the OT passages that speak of God's word such as a "lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path" (cf. Ps. 119:105).

Those who accept "the Light" should live different lives (cf. I Jn. 1:7)!

▣ "the Light of life" Jesus possesses the life of God and gives it to His followers (cf. Matt. 5:14), to those whom God has given to Him.

8:13 "Pharisees" See Special Topic at John 1:24.

▣ "Your testimony is not true" The Jews were claiming a legal technicality of evidence (i.e., a requirement of two witnesses, cf. Num. 35:30; Deut. 17:6; 19:15-21). Jesus had spoken earlier to this very objection (cf. John 5:31ff) and had given several witnesses. In this context His witness is the Father!

8:14,16 "if. . .if" These are both third class conditional sentences which mean potential action. Most of the conditions through chapter 8 are of this type.

▣ "I know where I came from and where I am going" This again is the "above and below" dualism. Jesus had a conscious memory of His pre-existence with the Father, an understanding of His mission, and a sense of the prophetic timetable (cf. John 1:1-4, 14-18; 7:28-29; 13:1; 17:5).

▣ "but you do not know where I come from or where I am going" This must relate to chapter 7. They did not know Jesus' place of birth (cf. John 8:41-42) nor did they know where He was going (cf. John 7:34-36; 8:21). See SPECIAL TOPIC: WITNESSES TO JESUS at John 1:8.

8:15 "You judge according to the flesh" This also is an allusion to chapter 7 (cf. John 8:24). See Special Topic: Flesh (sarx) at John 1:14.

▣ " I am not judging anyone" Some see a contradiction here between John 3:17 and 9:39. Jesus came not to judge, but to give life. By the very fact of His coming, those who reject Him are judged (cf. John 3:18-21).

8:16-18 Again this was the issue of two witnesses needed in a court case (cf. Num. 35:30; Deut 17:6; 19:15). Jesus, in no uncertain terms, affirms His oneness with the Father (cf. John 7:29; 14:9). See SPECIAL TOPIC: WITNESSES TO JESUS at John 1:8.

8:16

NASB (1970),
NJB, REB"He who sent Me"
NASB (1995),
NKJV, NRSV,
NIV"the Father who sent Me"

Just as there is disagreement between two editions of the NASB, there is disagreement between the UBS^3,4

1. UBS³ gives "Father" a "C" rating (MS P^39,66,75, אi², B, L, T, W,

2. UBS⁴ gives "Father" an "A" rating (MSS א^*, D, and some Old Later and Syriac versions omit it)

Jesus is never alone! The Father is always with Him (cf. John 8:16,29; 16:32), except possibly on the cross (cf. Mark 15:34).

The joy and completion of fellowship is the essence of salvation. The purpose of creation was for God to have someone to fellowship with, so He (i.e., Christ, cf. Jn. 1:3; 1 Cor. 8:6; Col. 1:16; Heb. 1:2) created them in YHWH's image and likeness (cf. Gen. 1:26,27). This loss of fellowship is the penalty of sin. Its restoration is the goal of Jesus' mission!

8:19 "Where is Your Father" They were still understanding Jesus on a physical, literal level. Their preconceived and prideful minds were closed to the truth (cf. John 8:27). This misunderstanding is a literary characteristic of John's Gospel.

▣ "if you knew Me, you would know My Father also" This is a second class conditional sentence. It is often called "contrary to fact." "If you knew Me, which you do not, then you would know My Father, which you do not." This theme is repeated from John 5:37, see full note at John 7:28. It is difficult to outline John's Gospel because it is like a tapestry of recurring patterns or a symphony of repeated melodies.

8:20 "He spoke in the treasury" This verse is apparently another editorial comment from an eyewitness. The treasury was not a separate building. Rabbinical tradition (Shekalim 6) says there were thirteen trumpet-shaped containers, each marked for a specific purpose, located in the Court of the Women (cf. Mark 12:41), where the huge lamps were lighted during the Feast of Tabernacles.

▣ "His hour had not yet come" See note at John 2:4.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JOHN 8:21-30
 ²¹Then He said again to them, "I go away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come." ²²So the Jews were saying, "Surely He will not kill Himself, will He, since He says, 'Where I am going, you cannot come'?" ²³And He was saying to them, "You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. ²⁴Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." ²⁵So they were saying to Him, "Who are You?" Jesus said to them, "What have I been saying to you from the beginning? ²⁶I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I speak to the world." ²⁷They did not realize that He had been speaking to them about the Father. ²⁸So Jesus said, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me. ²⁹And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him." ³⁰As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him.

8:21-22 "where I am going, you can not come. . .Surely He will not kill Himself, will He" The question of John 8:22 expects a "no" answer. It is obvious from the context that although they misunderstood His statement (cf. John 7:34-36), they related it to His death. From Josephus we learn that suicide condemned one to the lowest parts of Hades. Their question apparently indicates that this is where they thought Jesus should be.

8:21 "and will die in your sin" This is literally "In the sin of you, you will die." The term "sin" is singular in John 8:21 and plural in John 8:24. This refers primarily to their rejection of Jesus as the Christ (cf. John 8:24). This is really the unpardonable sin of the Synoptic Gospels. Their leaders are rejecting Jesus in the presence of the great light from His words and signs.

See the following notes from my commentary on Mark.

Mark 3:29 "whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit" This must be understood in its pre-Pentecostal historical setting. It was used in the sense of God's truth being rejected. The teaching of this verse has commonly been called "the unpardonable sin." It must be interpreted in light of the following criteria:

1.the distinction in the OT between "intentional" and "unintentional sins," (cf. Num. 15:27-31)

2.the unbelief of Jesus' own family contrasted with the unbelief of the Pharisees in this context

3.the statements of forgiveness in Mark 3:28

4.the differences between the Gospel parallels, particularly the change of "son of man," (cf. Matt. 12:32; Luke 12:10) to "sons of men," (cf. Matt. 12:31; Mark 3:28).

In light of the above, this sin is committed by those who, in the presence of great light and understanding, still reject Jesus as God's means of revelation and salvation. They turn the light of the gospel into the darkness of Satan (cf. Mark 3:30). They reject the Spirit's drawing and conviction (cf. John 6:44,65). The unpardonable sin is not a rejection by God because of some single act or word, but the continual, ongoing rejection of God in Christ by willful unbelief (i.e., the scribes and Pharisees).

This sin can only be committed by those who have been exposed to the gospel. Those who have heard the message about Jesus clearly are the most responsible for its rejection. This is especially true of modern cultures that have continual access to the gospel, but reject Jesus (i.e., America, western culture).

 

8:23 "You are from below, I am from above" This is another example of John's vertical dualism (i.e., below vs. above, cf. John 7:35-36; 18:36).

John's contrast between Jesus who is from above and the Jews who are from below, forms a dualism that is unique among the Gospels. The Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) contrast the two Jewish ages, the evil present age and the future age of righteousness. This difference is described by the terms horizontal dualism vs. vertical dualism. Did Jesus teach both in different settings? Possibly the Synoptics recorded Jesus' public teachings while John recorded Jesus' private teachings to the disciples.

▣ "you are of this world" The world lies in the power of the Evil One (cf. 2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:2; and 1 John 5:19). For world (kosmos) see Special Topic at John 14:17.

8:24 "unless" This is a third class conditional sentence which means potential action.

NASB, NKJV"you believe that I am He"
NRSV, JB"believe that I am he"
TEV"believe that 'I Am Who I Am'"
NJB"believe that I am He"

This is one of the strongest statements of Jesus' self-understanding of His own divine nature (or it is possible that in this context "the Messiah" is the referent). He uses the OT title for YHWH (cf. "I am" of Exod. 3:14). This is distinct from the famous "I am" statements in John. This has no predicate (cf. John 4:26; 6:20; 8:24,25,58; 13:19; 18:5,6,8). See Special Topic: John's Use of "Believe" at John 2:23.

8:25 "Who are You" The Jewish authorities are looking for legal grounds for a charge of blasphemy (cf. Matt. 26:57-68; Mark 14:53-65)! They want Him killed. They are not looking for information but for condemnation.

Jesus clearly reveals Himself in John (unlike the Synoptics)! His words (i.e., John 8:24) and His acts (i.e., healing on the Sabbath) clearly show His authority.

NASB"What have I been saying to you from the beginning"
NKJV"Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning"
NRSV"Why do I speak to you at all"
TEV"What I have told you from the very beginning"
NJB"What I have told you from the outset"

Originally the Greek manuscript had no spaces between the words. Therefore, the Greek letters can be divided in different places to make words that fit the context. The divergence of translations is not related to a manuscript variation, but word division. Here are the options.

1. hote - I have said to you from the beginning (NASB, NKJV, TEV, NJB, NIV)

2. ho ti as a Semitic idiom of exclamation - that I talk to you at all (NRSV, TEV footnote)

 It is probably one of John's word plays that the term "beginning" is used in the Septuagint's translation of Gen. 1:1 (creation) and in John. 1:1 (His ministry). Jesus is from the "beginning" and has been telling them this all along by words and deeds!

8:26-27 These themes are repeated in John for emphasis.

1. the Father sent Me (cf. John 3:17,34; 4:34; 5:36,38; 6:29,44,57; 7:28-29; 8:16,26,42; 10:36; 11:42; 12:49; 14:24; 15:21; 17:3,18,21,23,25; 20:21)

2. the Father is true (cf. John 3:33; 7:28)

3. Jesus' teachings are from the Father (cf. John 3:11; 7:16-17; 8:26,28,40; 12:49; 14:24; 15:15)

4. Jesus reveals the Father (cf. John 1:18; 8:26-29; 12:49-50; 14:7,9)

 

▣ "the world" See note at John 1:10.

8:27 Another editorial comment by the author. If they had understood His clear metaphorical and symbolic language, they, like other Jews, would have tried to kill Him (cf. John 5:18; 8:59; 10:33). His claims were not that hidden!

8:28 "When you lift up the Son of Man" This is an OT allusion to Num. 21:4-9, which is discussed in John 3:14. This term, as so many terms in John, had a double meaning. It can mean "lifted up" as on the cross (cf. John 3:14; 12:32,34), but it is often used in a sense of "exalted," as in Acts 2:33, 5:31; Phil. 2:9. Jesus knew He came to die (cf. Mark 10:45).

▣ "the Son of Man" This is Jesus' self-chosen title because it had no militaristic or nationalistic implications within rabbinical

Judaism. Jesus chose this title because it connects both the concepts of humanity (cf. Ezek. 2:1; Ps. 8:4) and deity (cf. Dan. 7:13).

▣ "then you will know that I am He" Even the disciples (and His family) did not fully understand until (cf. John 7:39) after Pentecost! The Spirit came with eye-opening power to all who had spiritual eyes and ears!

For the unique grammatical affirmation "I am He" see the note at John 8:24. They will know

1. who He is (i.e., Messiah)

2. that He reveals the Father (cf. John 5:19-20)

3. that He and the Father are one (John 8:29)

 

8:29 "He has not left Me alone" Jesus' fellowship with the Father sustained Him (cf. John 8:16; 16:32). This is why the broken fellowship on the cross was so difficult for Him (cf. Mark 15:34).

8:30 "many came to believe in Him" There is great latitude in the use of the term "believe" in this passage. It seems to refer to shallow faith on the part of some hearers (cf. Matt 13; Mark 4). They were willing to concede that He was the Messiah based on their understanding of what that meant. The context of John 8:30-58 clearly shows that they were not true believers (cf. John 2:23-25). In John there are several levels to belief, not all lead to salvation. See Special Topic at John 2:23.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JOHN 8:31-33
 ³¹So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; ³²and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." ³³They answered Him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, 'You will become free'?"

8:31 "If you abide" This is a third class conditional sentence which means potential action. This emphasis on continuing faith is also expressed clearly in John 15. This is the missing element in evangelical gospel proclamation. The word is to be believed (cf. John 5:24), obeyed, and abided in. See Special Topic: Abiding at 1 John 2:10.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE NEED TO PERSEVERE

▣ "in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine" Jesus emphasized lifestyle obedience (to His commands, cf. John 8:51,52,55; 14:15,21,23,24; 15:10,20; 17:6; Luke 6:46; 2 John 9). In a sense this verse reflects the shema, a Hebrew word that means "to hear so as to do" (i.e., Deut. 6:4-6).

8:32 "you will know" This is used in the OT sense of "know," which meant "personal relationship," not in the sense of "cognitive truth" (cf. Gen. 4:1; Jer. 1:5). Truth is a person! This verse, which is so often found on institutions of learning, does not refer to accumulated human knowledge. That has proved to divide and bind, not free, humans. The "truth" spoken of here is the gospel and person of Jesus Christ. There is no truth, peace, or hope apart from Him!

8:32,40,44,45,46 "the truth" This is the key concept of the context. This term has two connotations.

1. trustworthiness

2. truth versus falsehood

Both connotations are true of the life and ministry of Jesus. He is both the content and goal of the gospel. Truth is primarily a person! Jesus reveals the personal Father. This verse is often taken out of context and used in educational settings. Facts, even true facts, even lots of true facts, do not set one free (cf. Eccl. 1:18). See Special Topic on Truth at John 6:55 and 17:3.

8:32 "make you free" Believers are free from legalism, ritualism, and performance oriented, human religiosity. Yet free believers bind themselves for the sake of the gospel (cf. Rom. 14:1-15:6; 1 Cor. 8-10).

8:33 "We are Abraham's descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone" It is amazing how blind racial pride can be. What about Egypt, Syria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Syria, and Rome?

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JOHN 8:34-38
 ³⁴Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. ³⁵The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. ³⁶So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. ³⁷I know that you are Abraham's descendants; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. ³⁸I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father."

8:34 "everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin" Jesus was trying to lead them to the spiritual reality behind His previous phrase "make you free" in John 8:32, which the statement in John 8:33 shows they misunderstood. This statement is related to Jesus' strong accusations in John 8:21 and 24. His condemnations of these peripheral followers is consummated in John 8:44-47.

As Frank Stagg states in New Testament Theology, "the irony of man's plight is that bondage is the result of his attempt to be free" (p. 32).

The verb here is a present active participle, "doing," which denotes ongoing sin. Continuing sin is an evidence that one does not "know" the truth (Jesus). This same truth is expressed using the PRESENT TENSE verbs "sinning" in 1 John 3:6,9!

The question is, "Do believers still sin?" The answer must be "yes" (cf. Romans 7; 1 John). Christians struggle with sin, but the lost revel in it and do not recognize it!

The NET Bible (p. 1921 #21) adds a good comment that the contextual sin in John is "unbelief" (the unpardonable sin). This is not an ethical context but a "believe unto salvation context." The "sin" in 1 John is also unbelief (sin unto death)!

8:35 This verse does not directly relate to John 8:34, but to John 8:36. Jesus, not the Moses of rabbinical Judaism, is the true son (cf. Heb. 1:2; 3:6; 5:8; 7:28). Only faith in Him, not the performance of endless rules and rituals, can set one free (cf. John 8:32).

▣ "forever" See Special Topic at John 6:58.

8:36 "if" This is a third class conditional sentence which speaks of potential action.

8:37 "yet you seek to kill Me" (cf. John 5:18; 7:1,19; 8:37,40; 11:53).

▣ "because My word has no place in you" This phrase can be understood in several senses. A helpful study aid is The Bible in Twenty Six Translations.

1. "because my word hath not free course in you" - American Standard Version

2. "gaineth no ground in you" - The New Testament by Henry Alford

3. "makes no headway among you" - The New Testament: A New Translation by James Moffatt

4. "findeth no place in you" - The Emphasized New Testament: A New Translation by J. B. Rotherham

5. "because my words find no room in your hearts" - The Four Gospels by E. John 8:Rieu

Again, the problem is receiving or not receiving the gospel. It is an issue of salvation, not moral progress.

8:38 "which I have seen" This is a perfect active indicative which relates to Jesus' pre-existence and current fellowship with the Father (cf. John 8:40,42).

▣ "you also do the things which you heard from your father" The first mention of "father" could be a reference to Jewish tradition (cf. Isa. 29:13). However, in John 8:41-44 the subject is qualified to Satan/Devil. Their actions, motives, and words, supposedly supporting "Moses," clearly show their spiritual orientation. Humans do not/cannot initiate in the spiritual realm. There are two sources of influence (not a dualism) - God/Christ/Spirit or Satan/and His! How one responds to the gospel (cf. John 1:12; 3:16; 10:1-18; 14:6) reveals the spiritual orientation!

There is some textual option related to this phrase.

1. both references to "father" could refer to YHWH (no pronoun "your")

2. the verb is an imperative, not an indicative

(see Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament, p.225).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JOHN 8:39-47
 ³⁹They answered and said to Him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you are Abraham's children, do the deeds of Abraham. ⁴⁰But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do. ⁴¹You are doing the deeds of your father." They said to Him, "We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God." ⁴²Jesus said to them, "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. ⁴³Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. ⁴⁴You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He 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. ⁴⁵But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me. ⁴⁶Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? ⁴⁷He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God."

8:39 "Abraham is our father" Jesus affirmed their physical descent from Abraham, but pointed out that they had family characteristics of Satan (cf. John 8:38,44). A personal faith relationship, not racial identity, made the Jews right with God (cf. Deut. 6:5,13; Rom. 2:28-29; 9:6).

▣ "If" This is a first class conditional sentence in form (in the protasis - PRESENT ACTIVE INDICATIVE with ei), but it could be functioning as a second class conditional (cf. John 8:19 and 42). The Greek manuscript variants attempted to remove this mixed conditional form by changing the first verb to an imperfect. If so it would read, "If you were Abraham's children, which you are not, then you would be doing what Abraham did, but you are not." UBS⁴ gives the mixed conditional form a "B" rating (almost certain).

8:40 "a man" Jesus not only understood Himself as a representative of YHWH, equal in divine essence with YHWH, but also as a true human being. This assertion refuted the Gnostic false teachers' assertion of the eternal dualism between spirit and physical things (cf. 1 John 1:1-4; 4:1-4).

SPECIAL TOPIC: GNOSTICISM

8:41

NASB, NKJV"'We were not born of fornication'"
NRSV"'We are not illegitimate children'"
TEV"'We are true children'"
NJB"'We were not born illegitimate'"

This may be connected with the accusation of John 8:48 ("you are a Samaritan"). It seems that the Jews were asserting that Jesus was an illegitimate son, not a full blooded Jew. Later rabbinical sources would say Jesus was fathered by a Roman soldier.

▣ "we have one Father, even God" This statement reflects the strict monotheism of the OT (cf. Deut. 4:35,39; 6:4-5) expressed in paternal terms (cf. Deut. 32:6; Isa. 1:2; 63:16; 64:8). Here was the dilemma: these Jewish leaders affirmed the oneness of God (cf. Deut. 6:4-5) and that obedience to the Mosaic Law brought a right relationship with God (cf. Deut. 6:1-3,17,24-25). Jesus came claiming to be one with God! Jesus claimed that right standing with God was based not on performance of law, but on personal faith in Him. Their confusion and reluctance is understandable, but here is where the insight of the Spirit and the mighty works of Jesus bring faith!

8:42 "If" This is a second class conditional sentence called "contrary to fact." "If God were your Father which He is not, you would love me, which you do not" (cf. John 8:47).

8:43 "because you cannot hear My word" This refers to spiritual receptivity and understanding. They had no spiritual ears (cf. Isa. 6:9-10; Matt. 11:15; 13:9,15-16,43; Mark 4:9,23; 7:16; 8:18; Luke 8:8; 14:35; Acts 7:51; 28:26-27).

8:44 "You are of your father, the devil" What a startling statement to the religious leaders of His day (cf. John 8:47). This concept of shared family characteristics is expressed in a Hebrew idiom, "sons of. . ." (cf. Matt. 13:38; Acts 13:10; 1 John 3:8,10).

For "devil" see Special Topic at John 12:31.

▣ a "murderer from the beginning" This is not meant to imply the eternality of evil (i.e., dualism as in Zoroastrianism), but it reflects the concept of the spiritual temptation of Adam and Eve by the agency of a lying spirit indwelling a serpent (cf. Genesis 3). Notice the purposeful contrast between God who is True, Truth and the devil!

8:46 "Which of you convicts Me of sin" In context this refers to false testimony. Satan lies, but Jesus speaks the truth. Jesus invites these Jewish leaders to refute His statements or teachings, prove Him to be false! In this context this statement does not seem to relate to Jesus' sinlessness as a theological doctrine.

In John "sin" is more a principle of evil in a fallen world in rebellion against God than a specific act of sin. Sin is everything Jesus is not! The ultimate "sin" is unbelief (cf. John 16:9).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JOHN 8:48-59
 ⁴⁸The Jews answered and said to Him, "Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?" ⁴⁹Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. ⁵⁰But I do not seek My glory; there is One who seeks and judges. ⁵¹Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he will never see death. ⁵²The Jews said to Him, "Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets also; and You say, 'If anyone keeps My word, he will never taste of death.' ⁵³Surely You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too; whom do You make Yourself out to be?" ⁵⁴Jesus answered, "If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, 'He is our God'; ⁵⁵and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I will be a liar like you, but I do know Him and keep His word. ⁵⁶Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad." ⁵⁷So the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?" ⁵⁸Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am. ⁵⁹Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.

8:48 "You are a Samaritan and have a demon" There is a possibility that the true contextual meaning is reflected in the Aramaic word translated by the Greek term "Samaritan," which meant "the chief of demons." Jesus spoke Aramaic. If this is true it fits in with the constant charge by the religious leaders that Jesus' power came from an evil supernatural source. It is also possible that to say someone had a demon meant they were lying (cf. John 8:52). To say Jesus was a Samaritan (cf. John 4:9) or had a demon (cf. John 7:20; 8:48,49,52; 10:20,21, see Special Topic at John 12:31) was a way of saying that one should not listen to Him or respond to His message. This then, like "Abraham is our father," was another excuse for not responding to Jesus or His message.

8:49 One cannot believe in the Father and not the Son (cf. 1 John 5:9-12); one cannot know the Father and not honor the Son (cf. John 5:23). Although two separate external persons, they are one (cf. John 10:30; 17:21-23).

8:50 "My glory" See note at John 1:14.

8:51,52 "if. . .If" These are both third class conditional sentences which mean potential action. Notice obedience is linked to faith (see list of texts in John 8:48).

▣ "he will never see death" This is a strong double negative. This obviously refers to spiritual death (cf. John 8:21,24), not physical death (cf. John 5:24; 6:40, 47; 11:25-26). It could refer to the fear of death (cf. 1 Cor. 15:54-57).

The concept of "death" (thanatos) is expressed in the Bible in three stages.

1. spiritual death, Gen. 2:17; 3:1-24; Isa. 59:2; Rom. 7:10-11; James 1:15 (the relationship with God is broken)

2. physical death, Gen. 3:4-5; 5 (the relationship with the planet is broken)

3. eternal death, "the second death," Rev. 2:11; 20:6,14; 21:8 (the broken relationship with God is made permanent)

Death is the opposite of the will of God for His highest creation (cf. Gen. 1:26-27).

8:52 This shows that they misunderstood Jesus' statement (cf. John 8:51). They took it to relate to the physical life of Abraham and the prophets.

8:53 This question expects a "no" answer. What a startling statement! But this was exactly what Jesus was claiming.

1. He was greater than Abraham, John 8:53

2. He was greater than Jacob, 4:12

3. He was greater than Jonah, Matt. 12:41; Luke 11:32

4. He was greater than John the Baptist, 5:36; Luke 7:28

5. He was greater than Solomon, Matt. 12:42; Luke 11:31

The whole book of Hebrews shows the superiority of Jesus over Moses, new covenant over old covenant (see my commentary on Hebrews free online at www.freebiblecommentary.mobi ).

▣ "whom do You make Yourself out to be" This was exactly the point! Jesus states the conclusion clearly in John 8:54 and 58 and they try to stone Him for blasphemy (cf. John 8:59).

8:54 "If" Another third class conditional sentence which meant potential action.

▣ "glorify" It is used here in the sense of honor (cf. Rom. 1:21; 1 Cor. 12:26).

8:55 "know. . .know" The English term translates two Greek terms in this verse, ginōskō and oida, which seem in this context to be synonyms (cf. John 7:28-29). Jesus knows the Father and reveals Him to His followers. The world (even the Jews) does not know the Father (cf. John 1:10; 8:19,55; 15:21;16:3; 17:25).

8:56 "Your father Abraham" This is a startling statement. Jesus distances Himself from "the Jews," "the Law" (cf. John 8:17), "the Temple," and even the patriarch Abraham. There is a clear break from the Old Covenant!

▣ "rejoiced to see My day" This is an aorist middle indicative. How much did Abraham understand about the Messiah? Several translations translate this in a future sense. These options are taken from The Bible in Twenty-Six Translations.

1. "exulted that he should see" - The Emphasized New Testament: A New Translation by J. B. Rotherham

2. "rejoice that he was to see my day" - Revised Standard Version

3. "was extremely happy in the prospect of seeing - The Berkeley Version of the New Testament by Gerrit Verkuyl

4. "of seeing my coming" - The New Testament: An American Translation by Edgar J. Goodspeed

5. "was delighted to know of My day" - The New Testament in the Language of Today by William F. Beck

Also, The Analytical Greek Lexicon Revised edited by Harold K. Moulton lists the verb as meaning "to desire ardently" from the Septuagint's usage (p. 2).

▣ "he saw it and was glad" This refers to one of two things.

1. that Abraham, in his lifetime, had a vision of the Messiah (cf. II Esdras 3:14)

2. that Abraham was alive (in heaven) and conscious of the Messiah's work on earth (cf. Heb 11:13)

The whole point of Jesus' statement is that the Father of the Jewish nation looked forward to the Messianic age with great joy, but the current "seed" (generation) refused to believe and rejoice! Abraham is the father of believers (cf. Rom. 2:28-29), not unbelievers!

8:57 Again Jesus' hearers misunderstood His words because of their literalism! This confusion may have been purposeful! They did not see because they did not want to see or possibly could not see!

8:58 "before Abraham was born, I am" This was blasphemy to the Jews and they tried to stone Jesus (cf. Exod. 3:12, 14). They understood completely what He was saying, which was that He was pre-existent Deity (cf. John 4:26; 6:20; 8:24,28,54-59; 13:19; 18:5,6,8).

8:59 "they picked up stones to throw at Him" Jesus' words were very plain. He was the Messiah and He was one with the Father. These Jews, who in John 8:31 are said to have "believed Him," are now ready to stone Him for blasphemy (cf. Lev. 24:16). It was so hard for these Jews to accept Jesus' radical new message.

1. He did not act the way they expected the Messiah to act

2. He challenged their sacred oral traditions

3. He confused their strict monotheism

4. He asserted that Satan, not YHWH, was their "father"

One must "stone" Him or "receive" Him! There is no middle ground!

▣ "Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple" This is one of those verses that have caused interpreters to speculate (and add phrases to the Greek text) on whether

1. this was a miracle (cf. Luke 4:30 and textual additions here)

2. Jesus melted into the crowd because He looked like all the other Jews in attendance

There was a divine timetable. Jesus knew that He came to die and He know how, when, and where. His "hour had not yet come"!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. Is John 7:53-8:11 an original part of the Gospel of John?

Why or why not?

2. What is the background to Jesus' statement "I am the light of the world"?

3. Why were the Pharisees so antagonistic to Jesus?

4. Explain the use of the term "believe" in John 8:30 in light of the context that follows.

 

Copyright © 2013 Bible Lessons International

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

UBS4	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	JB
The Parable of the Sheep Fold	Jesus the True Shepherd	Jesus, the Shepherd Who Gives His Life	The Parable of the Shepherd	The Good Shepherd
10:1-6	10:1-6	10:1-6	10:1-5	10:1-5
			10:6	10:6
Jesus the Good Shepherd	Jesus the Good Shepherd		Jesus the Good Shepherd
10:7-18	10:7-21	10:7-10	10:7-10	10:7-18
		10:11-18	10:11-16
			10:17-18
10:19-21		10:19-21	10:19-20	10:19-21
			10:21
Jesus Rejected by the Jews	The Shepherd Knows His Sheep		Jesus Is Rejected	Jesus Claims to Be the Son of God
10:22-30	10:22-30	10:22-30	10:22-24	10:22-30
	Renewed Efforts to Stone Jesus		10:25-30
10:31-39	10:31-39	10:31-39	10:31-32	10:31-38
			10:33
			10:34-38
			10:39	10:39
	The Believers Beyond Jordan			Jesus Withdraws to the Other Side of the Jordan
10:40-42	10:40-42	10:40-42	10:40-42	10:40-42

READING CYCLE THREE

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects. Compare your subject divisions with the five modern translations. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JOHN 10:1-6
 ¹"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. ²But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep. ³To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers." ⁶This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them, but they did not understand what those things were which He had been saying to them.

10:1 "Truly, truly" See note at John 1:51.

▣ "but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber" Notice there are some in the sheepfold who do not belong to the good shepherd (cf. Matt. 7:21-23 and "the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares," Matt. 13:24-30). The problem here is that some are trying to attain through personal effort what God freely offers through Christ (cf. Rom. 3:19-31; 9:30-33; 10:2-4; Gal. 2:16; 5:4). The Pharisees of chapter 9 are a good example.

10:2 "But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep" There is a very obvious mixing of metaphors in this chapter. Jesus as the door of the sheepfold, John 10:7, and also the shepherd of the sheep (John 10:11 and 14). However, this mixing of metaphors is not uncommon in John and the NT.

1. Jesus is the bread and the giver of the bread (cf.John 6:35,51)

2. Jesus is the truth and the speaker of truth (cf. John 10:8:45-46 and 14:6)

3. Jesus is the way and He shows the way (cf. John 14:6)

4. Jesus is the sacrifice and the one who offers the sacrifice (cf. the Book of Hebrews)

The title "shepherd" was a common OT title both for God and the Messiah (cf. Ps. 23; Ps. 80:1; Isa. 40:10-11; 1 Pet. 5:1-4). The Jewish leaders are called the "false shepherds" in Jeremiah 23; Ezekiel 34 and Isa. 56:9-12. The term "shepherd" is related to the term "pastor" (cf. Eph. 4:11; Titus 1:5,7).

10:3 "the sheep hear his voice" Recognition and obedience are based on relationship. In John both "hear" (cf. John 4:42; 5:24,25,28-29; 8:47; 10:16,27; 18:37) and "see" (cf. John 3:3; 12:40; 20:8) are used of believing/trusting in Jesus as the Christ.

▣ "he calls his own sheep by name" Jesus knows His own personally and individually (as YHWH does, cf. John 10:29-31). Shepherds often had nick names for their animals, even in large herds.

It is theologically shocking that Jesus calls His true sheep out from among the false sheep of the nation of Judah. The covenant people were not the true people of God. This is the radical scandal of the New Covenant. One's faith, not lineage, determines one's future! Faith is personal, not national.

The Jewish leaders who opposed Jesus were not part of God's people (cf. John 10:26)!

▣ "and leads them out" This refers not only to salvation, but also to daily guidance (cf. John 10:4, 9).

10:4 This may be a reference to the custom of keeping several different flocks in one enclosure at night. In the morning the shepherd would call and his sheep would come to him.

10:5 The church has always had to deal with false shepherds (cf. 1 Tim. 4:1-3; 2 Tim. 4:3-4; 1 John 4:5-6; 2 Peter 2).

10:6 "This figure of speech Jesus spoke to them" This is not the normal term translated "parable" (parabolē), but it comes from the same root (paroimian). This form is found only here and in John 16:25,29 and 2 Pet. 2:22. Although it is a different form, it seems to be synonymous with the more common term "parable" (used in the Synoptic Gospels). The term "parable" usually means to place a common cultural occurrence beside a spiritual truth so as to help in understanding. It can, however, refer to the hiding of truth from spiritually blind eyes (cf. John 16:29; Mark 4:11-12).

▣ "but they did not understand" If chapter 10 is related in time to chapter 9, the "they" would refer to the Pharisees. They claimed to see (cf. John 9:41), but they did not see (cf. John 10:20). Religion can be a barrier, not a bridge.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JOHN 10:7-10
  ⁷So Jesus said to them again, "Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. ⁸All who came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. ⁹I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. ¹⁰The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."

10:7 "I am the door of the sheep" This is one of John's seven famous "I am" statements. This metaphor highlights the truth that Jesus is the only true way (cf. John 8, 10; 14:6). This is often called the scandal of the exclusivism of the gospel. If the Bible is the self-revelation of God, then there is only one way to be right with God-faith in Christ (cf. Acts 4:12; 1 Tim. 2:5). See note at John 8:12.

10:8 "All who came before Me are thieves and robbers" Because of the context of chapters 9 and 10, the Feast of Dedication, Hanukkah (cf. John 10:22), it is possible that this refers to the messianic pretensions of the Macabees and their descendants during the inter-testamental period. However, it probably relates to the OT passages about false shepherds (cf. Isa. 56:9-12; Jeremiah 23; Ezekiel 34; and Zechariah 11).

This highly figurative language and ambiguous antecedents caused early scribes to modify or expand the text in an attempt to explain the meaning. One manuscript (MS D) simply omitted the inclusive term "all" and several early manuscripts (P⁴⁵, P⁷⁵, א^*) omitted the phrase "before me."

10:9 "if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved" This is a third class conditional sentence with a future passive verb. Jesus is the only way to God (cf. John 14:6). The verb "saved" in this context probably relates to the OT connotation of physical deliverance (i.e., the sheep are safe). However John often chooses terms that have two overlapping meanings. The concept of spiritual salvation is not lacking from this context also (cf. John 10:42).

10:10 "The thief" This shows the ulterior motives of false shepherds. It also reflects the purpose of the evil one! This attitude of the carelessness of hired workers can be seen in John 10:12-13.

▣ "destroy" See Special Topic following.

SPECIAL TOPIC: DESTRUCTION (APOLLUMI)

▣ "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly" This phrase is quoted so often as a promise of material things, but in context it relates to knowing Jesus personally and the spiritual blessings, not material prosperity, that He brings (it is parallel to 4:14 and 7:38). It is not having so much more in this life, but knowing and possessing true life!

As the Synoptics record Jesus' emphasis on the Kingdom of God, John records Jesus' emphasis on eternal life. One can have it now! The Kingdom has been inaugurated!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JOHN 10:11-18
  ¹¹"I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. ¹²He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. ¹³He flees because he is a hired hand and is not concerned about the sheep. ¹⁴I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, ¹⁵even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. ¹⁶I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd. ¹⁷For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. ¹⁸No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father."

10:11,14 "I am the good shepherd" This was an OT title for the Messiah (cf. Ezek. 34:23; Zech. 11; 1 Pet. 5:4) and for YHWH (cf. Ps. 23:1; 28:9; 77:20; 78:52; 80:1; 95:7; 100:3; Isa. 40:11; Jer. 23:1; 31:10; Ezek. 34:11-16).

There are two Greek terms which can be translated "good": (1) agathos, which is usually used in John for things, and (2) kalos, which was used in the Septuagint to refer to good as opposed to evil. In the NT it has the meanings of "beautiful," "noble," "moral," and "worthy." These two terms are used together in Luke 8:15. See note at John 8:12.

10:11 "the good shepherd lays down His own life for the sheep" This refers to the vicarious substitutionary atonement of Christ (cf. John 10:11,15,17,18). He voluntarily laid down his life for sinful mankind (cf. Isa. 52:13-53:12; Mark 10:45; 2 Cor. 5:21). True life, abundant life only comes through His death.

Bruce M. Metzger's A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament has an interesting point on this verse:

"Instead of the expression 'to lay down one's life,' which is characteristically Johannine (10:15,17; 13:37,38; 15:13; 1 John 3:16), several witnesses (P⁴⁵, א*, D) substitute the expression 'to give one's life,' which occurs in the Synoptic Gospels (Mt. 20:28; Mark 10:45)" (p. 230).

10:14 "I know my own and My own know Me" This is the Hebrew sense of the word "know" (see Special Topic at John 1:10). As the Son knows the Father and the Father the Son, so too, Jesus knows those who trust Him and they know Him. They have "seen" and "heard" (cf. John 10:4) and responded (cf. John 1:12; 3:16). Christianity is a personal relationship (cf. John 17:20-26).

10:15 "even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father" This is a recurrent theme in John. Jesus acts and speaks out of His intimate relationship with the Father.

The surprising analogy in John 10:14-15 is that the intimacy between Father and Son is compared to the intimacy between Son and followers (cf. John 14:23). John focuses on the Hebrew connotation of "know" as intimate fellowship, not cognitive facts. Jesus knows the Father; those who know Jesus, know God!

10:16 "I have other sheep, which are not of this fold" This is an allusion to Isa. 56:6-8. The context seems to demand that this refers to (1) the Samaritans (cf. John 4:1-42) or (2) the Gentile Church (cf. John 4:43-54). This speaks of the unity of all who exercise faith in Christ. The new covenant unites Jews and Gentiles (cf. Eph. 2:11-3:13; also note 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:11)! Genesis 3:15 and John 3:16 merge!

▣ "and they will become one flock with one Shepherd" This has always been the goal of God (cf. Gen. 3:15; 12:3; Exod. 19:5-6). The theological aspects of this unity are discussed in Eph. 2:11-3:13 and 4:1-6.

10:17 "For this reason the Father loves Me" As the Son was not forced to lay down his life, the Father was not forced to give His Son. This should not be interpreted that God rewarded the man Jesus for his obedience (this heresy is often called adoptionism, see Glossary).

▣ "I lay down My life so that I may take it again" This implies the resurrection. Usually in the NT it is the Father who raises the Son (cf. John 18b) to show His acceptance of His sacrifice. But here the power of Jesus Himself in the resurrection is asserted.

This phrase is an excellent opportunity to show that the NT often attributes the works of redemption to all three persons of the Godhead.

1. God the Father raised Jesus (cf. Acts 2:24; 3:15; 4:10; 5:30; 10:40; 13:30,33,34,37; 17:31; Rom. 6:4,9; 10:9; 1 Cor. 6:14; 2 Cor. 4:14; Gal. 1:1;Eph. 1:20; Col. 2:12; 1 Thess. 1:10)

2. God the Son raised Himself (cf. John 2:19-22; 10:17-18)

3. God the Spirit raised Jesus (cf. Rom. 8:11)

 

10:18 "I have authority" This is the same term used in John 1:12. It can be translated "authority," "legal right," or "power." This verse shows the power and authority of Jesus.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JOHN 10:19-21
 ¹⁹A division occurred again among the Jews because of these words. ²⁰Many of them were saying, "He has a demon and is insane. Why do you listen to Him?" ²¹Others were saying, "These are not the sayings of one demon-possessed. A demon cannot open the eyes of the blind, can he?"

10:19 As there were divided opinions about Jesus in John 6:52; 7:12,25,43; 9:16; 10:19-21; 11:36-37, this theme continues through John. The mystery of some receiving the gospel and others rejecting it is the tension between predestination and human free will!

10:20 "He has a demon and is insane" This was a common charge made against Jesus from two different perspectives.

1. in this verse, as in John 7:20, it was used to say that Jesus had a mental illness

2. this same charge is used by the Pharisees to try to explain the source of Jesus' power (cf. John 8:48,52)

 

10:21 There are two questions in John 10:21.

1. v. 21a has ouk, which expects a "yes" answer

2. v. 21b has mē, which expects a "no" answer

See James Hewett, New Testament Greek, p. 171. This verse shows, however, how difficult hard and fast rules are in Koine Greek. Context, not grammatical form, is the final determiner.

The healing of the blind was a Messianic sign (cf. Exod. 4:11; Ps. 146:8; Isa. 29:18; 35:5; 42:7). There is a sense in which the blindness of Israel (cf. Isa. 42:19) is being shown here as it was in chapter 9.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JOHN 10:22-30
   ²²At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place at Jerusalem; ²³it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon. ²⁴The Jews then gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, "How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly." ²⁵Jesus answered them, "I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father's name, these testify of Me. ²⁶But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. ²⁷My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; ²⁸and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. ²⁹My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. ³⁰I and the Father are one."

10:22 "the feast of the Dedication" Josephus calls this the "Festival of Lights." It is known in our day as Hanukkah. It was an eight-day feast that occurred around the middle of December. It celebrates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after the military victory of Judas Maccabeus in 164 b.c. In 168 b.c., Antiochus IV Epiphanes, who was a Seleucid leader, tried to force the Jews into Hellenistic practices (cf. Dan. 8:9-14). He turned the Temple in Jerusalem into a pagan shrine with even an altar to Zeus in the Holy Place. Judas Maccabeus, one of several sons of the priest of Modin, defeated this Syrian overlord and cleansed and rededicated the Temple (cf. I Macc. 4:36-59; II Macc. 1:18).

John uses the feasts of Judaism as occasion for Jesus to use their symbolism to reveal Himself to the Jewish leadership, the citizens of Jerusalem, and the crowds of pilgrims (cf. chapters 7-11).

▣ "the portico of Solomon" This was a covered area along the eastern side of the Court of the Women where Jesus taught. Josephus said it had survived the Babylonian destruction of 586 b.c.

10:23 "it was winter" This is an eyewitness detail.

10:24 "If" This is a first class conditional sentence which is assumed to be true from the author's perspective or for his literary purposes. There are several first class conditional sentences in this context (cf. John 10:24, 35, 37, and 38). This usage in John 10:24 shows how this construction can be used in a literary sense. These Pharisees did not really believe Jesus was the Messiah; they were baiting him.

▣ "tell us plainly" There are several things to discuss in this verse. First, Jesus taught in parables, figurative language, and ambiguous dualistic statements. This crowd in the Temple wanted Him to express Himself clearly. See Special Topic: Parrhēsia at John 7:4.

Second, the Jews of Jesus' day did not expect the Messiah to be Deity incarnate. Jesus had seemingly alluded to His oneness with God on several occasions (cf. John 8:56-59), but in this context they are asking specifically about the Messiah. The Jews expected this Anointed One to act like Moses (cf. Deut. 18:15,19). Jesus had done exactly that in chapter six. His works fulfilled OT prophecies, especially the healing of the blind (chapter 9). They had all the evidence needed. The problem was that Jesus did not fit their traditional military, nationalistic expectations of the Messiah.

10:25 "the works that I do in My Father's Name, these testify of Me" Jesus asserted that His actions verified His claims (cf. John 2:23; 5:36; 10:25,38; 14:11; 15:24).

10:26 What a shocking statement!

10:28 "I give eternal life to them" Eternal life is both characterized by quantity and quality. It is the life of the new age. It is available now by faith in Christ (cf. John 3:36; 11:24-26).

▣ "they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand" This is a double negative with an Aorist middle subjunctive. This is one of the strongest passages on the security of the believer anywhere in the NT (cf. John 6:39). It is obvious that the only one who can separate us from God's love is ourselves (cf. Rom. 8:38-39; Gal. 5:2-4). Assurance (see Special Topic at 1 John 5:13) must be balanced with perseverance (see Special Topic at John 8:31). Assurance must be based on the character and actions of the Triune God.

The Gospel of John asserts the assurance of those who continue to put their faith in Christ. It starts with an initial decision of repentance and faith and issues in lifestyle faith. The theological problem is when this personal relationship is perverted into a product that we possess ("once saved, always saved"). Continuing faith is the evidence of a true salvation (cf. Hebrews, James, and 1 John).

10:29

NASB, NKJV"My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all"
NRSV"What my Father has given me is greater than all else"
TEV"What my Father has given me is greater than everything"
NJB"The Father, for what he has given me, is greater than anyone"

The question is what is the object of the phrase, "greater than": (1) the people God has given Jesus (NRSV, TEV) or (2) God Himself (NASB, NKJV, NJB). The second part of this verse implies someone may try to snatch Jesus' followers. Theologically the second option seems best. See Special Topic on Assurance at John 6:37.

This is a wonderful passage on the assurance of the believer based on the power of the Father! The security of the believer, like all biblical truths, is presented in a tension-filled, covenantal pattern. Believers' hope and assurance of salvation is in the character of the Triune God, His mercy and grace. However, the believer must continue in faith. Salvation begins with an initial Spirit-led decision of repentance and faith. It must also issue in continuing repentance, faith, obedience, and perseverance! Salvation is not a product (life insurance, ticket to heaven), but a growing personal relationship with God through Christ.

The conclusive evidence of a right relationship with God is a changed and changing life of faith and service (cf. Matthew 7). There is such little biblical evidence for carnal Christians (cf. 1 Corinthians 2-3). The norm is Christlikeness now, not just heaven when we die. There is no lack of biblical security and assurance to those who are growing, serving, even struggling with sin. But, no fruit, no root! Salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, but true salvation will issue in "good works" (cf. Eph. 2:10; James 2:14-26).

10:30-33 "I and the Father are one. . .the Jews picked up stones again to stone Him" This is just one of the strong statements of Jesus' Messiahship and Deity (cf. John 1:1-14; 8:58; 14:8-10, esp. 17:21-26, which also uses the word "one"). The Jews understood completely what He was saying and counted it as blasphemy (cf. John 10:33; 8:59). They were going to stone Him based on Lev. 24:16.

In the early controversy over the person of Christ (i.e., Arius - the first born; Athanasius - fully God) John 10:30 and 14:9 were used often by Athanasius (see The Cambridge History of the Bible, vol. 1, p. 444). For "Arianism" see the Glossary.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JOHN 10:31-39
 ³¹The Jews picked up stones again to stone Him. ³²Jesus answered them, "I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?" ³³The Jews answered Him, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God." ³⁴Jesus answered them, "Has it not been written in your Law, 'I said, you are gods'? ³⁵If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken), ³⁶do you say of Him, whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'? ³⁷If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; ³⁸but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father." ³⁹Therefore they were seeking again to seize Him, and He eluded their grasp.

10:31 This verse relates to Jesus' statement in John 10:30. Jesus answers their charges in a very unusual rabbinical argument. It basically is a word play on Elohim, which is the OT term for God (cf. Gen. 1), but in form is plural and often was used of both angels and human leaders (judges). See SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY at John 6:20.

10:32 The good (kalos) shepherd does good (kalos) works from the Father.

10:33 "for blasphemy" Jesus knew that they correctly understood His claim of oneness with the Father.

10:34 "in your Law" Jesus quotes from the Psalms but calls it "the Law" (i.e., Torah means "teachings," cf. John 12:34; 15:25; Rom. 3:9-19). The term Law usually referred to the writings of Moses (Torah), Genesis-Deuteronomy. This shows the wider use of the term to cover the whole OT.

▣ "you are gods" Jesus used a quote from Ps. 82:6. It used elohim to refer to human judges (see Elohim in Special Topic at John 6:20). These judges (though wicked) are called "sons of the Most High." These Jews were attacking Jesus because although He was a man He claimed to be: (1) the Son of God and (2) one with God. Yet other men (cf. Exod. 4:16; 7:1; 22:8,9; Ps. 82:6; 138:1) were called "gods."

Jesus' rabbinical argument seems to follow this line: the Scriptures are true, men are called elohim, therefore, why do you call Me a blasphemer for asserting that I am the Son of God? The term Elohim is plural in Hebrew but translated singular and used a singular verb when referring to the OT Deity. See SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY at John 6:20. This may be a typical Johannine word play: (1) a term that has two connotations and (2) a Greek question that expects a "yes" answer.

10:35 "(and the Scripture cannot be broken)" John often comments on Jesus' dialogues. It is uncertain whether this is a statement of Jesus or John. However, since both are equally inspired, it does not matter. The thrust of the quote is the trustworthiness of Scripture. Jesus and the Apostles viewed the OT and their interpretations of it as the very words of God (cf. Matt. 5:17-19; 1 Cor. 2:9-13; 1 Thess. 2:13; 2 Tim. 3:16; 1 Pet. 1:23-25; 2 Pet. 1:20-21; 3:15-16).

Bishop H. C. G. Moule in The Life of Bishop Moule says,

"He [Christ] absolutely trusted the Bible, and, though there are in it things inexplicable and intricate that have puzzled me so much, I am going, not in a blind sense, but reverently to trust the Book because of Him" (p. 138).

10:36 In this verse Jesus claims that the Father chose (or "consecrated" or "sanctified") Him and sent Him (as Messiah). He surely then has the right to be called "son of God." As the judges of Israel represented God (cf. Ps. 82:6), He represents the Father in word and deed. See Special Topic: Send (Apostellō) at John 5:24.

10:37 This is exactly what John 10:19-21 are saying. Jesus' miracles reflected the activity of God.

10:37,38 "If. . .if" These are first class conditional sentences. Jesus did the works of the Father. If so, then they should believe in Him, being confident that He and the Father are one (cf. John 10:30,38). See Special Topic: Abiding in 1 John 2:10.

10:39 This is one of several times that Jesus eluded those who tried to hurt Him (cf. Luke 4:29-30; John 8:59). It is uncertain whether these escapes were due to (1) a miraculous event or (2) Jesus' physical likeness to everyone else, which allowed Him to melt into the crowd.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: JOHN 10:40-42
 ⁴⁰And He went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was first baptizing, and He was staying there. ⁴¹Many came to Him and were saying, "While John performed no sign, yet everything John said about this man was true." ⁴²Many believed in Him there.

10:40 This refers to the trans-Jordan area across from Jericho, close to a city called Bethany.

10:41 Again John states John the Baptist's affirmation of Jesus (cf. John 1:6-8,19-42; 3:22-30; 5:33)! This may have been to counteract some heresies that had developed around John the Baptist.

10:42 As the Jewish leaders rejected Jesus, so many of the common people (people of the land) responded in faith to Him (cf. John 2:23; 7:31; 8:30). See Special Topic at John 2:23.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. Why does John mix his metaphors so often (Example: "Jesus is both the door of the sheepfold and the good shepherd")?

2. What is the OT background to John 10?

3. What is the significance of Jesus "laying down His life?"

4. Why did the Jews continue to accuse Jesus of being demon-possessed?

5. Why are Jesus' works so important?

6. How do we relate the "security of the believer" to the "perseverance of the saints?"

 

Copyright © 2013 Bible Lessons International