Bible in one year 2/5 /2022 John 8-9 By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

 Bible in one year 2/5 /2022 John 8-9

By Rev.Katherine Liu Bruce

Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical precepts & Gospel music; pastoral ministry & counseling

 

John chapter 8:1-11   Who is without sin?  

 

 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. At his, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
“No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.  (John8:1-11)

           In this Gospel nine causes have been selected to prove that the Lord Jesus is the life and the life supply to people. The first and the life supply to people. The first six cases, in chs.3-7, form a group of signs signifying that, on the positive side, the Lord is the life and the life supply to us for regenerating, satisfying, healing enlivening, feeding, and thirst quenching. The last three cases, in chs8-11, form a group of signs signifying that, on the negative side, the Lord is life to us to deliver us from the three main negative things: sin, blindness, and death.

The case in this chapter reveals all the matters related to the problem of sin:

(1) The sources of sin –the devil;

(2) The three main items of sin-adultery and fornication, murder, and lies (vv.3,41,44);

(3) The bondage, or slavery, of sin;

(4) The issue, or result, of sin-death;

(5) The One who is without sin –the Lord;

(6) The One who is qualified to condemn sin- The Lord.

(7) The One who is qualified to forgive sin-the Lord.

(8) The One who is able to set people free from sin –the Lord. The Lord is the ever existing God, the great I AM, who became the Son of Man and was lifted up on the cross to bear our sins; hence, He is qualified to forgive our sins. Furthermore, the Lord, being the eternal God, can come into us to be life and light to deliver us from the bondage and darkness of sin.

The case in this chapter shows also that the religion (represented by the temple-vv.2,,20) of law (vv.5,17) cannot set people free from sin and death; but the Lord Jesus; the I Am, who became the Son of Man and was lifted up on the cross for the serpent poisoned people, can do what religion and law cannot do. This chapter shows us that Christ, the great I Am, not only is versus sin and death but also is versus religion and law.

In verse 5 their question here, like those in 4:20-25 and 9:2-3, was a matter of yes or no, which belongs to the tree of knowledge, the result of which is death (Gen.2:17). But the Lord’s answer in v.7 pointed them to Himself, the One who is the tree of life, which results in life (Gen.2:9).

Verse 6 The Lord Jesus’ stooping down was a sign done to humble and calm the proud and self-righteous scribes and Pharisees. It might be that He was writing, “Who among you is without sin?” The scribes and Pharisees could not condemn the woman, because they were all sinful. Only the Lord Jesus was without sin, and only He was qualified to condemn the woman; but He would not.

 

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world, whoever

follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (v.12)   The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.” Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.(v.16). In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid. I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.” (vv.14-18)

 

         Verse 16 this proves that when the Son was on the earth, the Father was with Him on the earth. The Father can never be separated from the Son, and the Son can never be separated from the Father. When the Son was on the earth, He was still in heaven with the Father(3:13). This proves that when God became flesh (1:14), it was the Son with the Father, the Father with the Son, in the Sprit (That is, the entire God-the Father, the Son, and the Spirit) who became flesh (1Tim. 3:16).

 

Then they asked him, “Where is your father?” “You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” He spoke these words while teaching in the temple area near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his time had not yet come.  Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.” (vv.19-21)

 

This made the Jews ask, “Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, “ Where I go, you cannot come?” But he continued, “ You are from below, I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins.” (vv.22-24)

            Verse 24 I Am is the meaning of the name Jehovah (Exo.3:14), and Jehovah is the name of God (Gen.2:7), the One who is and who was and who is coming, the self-existing and ever-existing One (Rev.1:4; Exo.3:14-15). This name is used in speaking of God in His relationship with man. Hence, it indicates that the Lord is the ever-existing God who has a relationship with man. Any man who does not believe that the Lord is this very God will die in his sins. 

 

Who are you? They asked. “Just what I have been claiming all along,” Jesus replied. “I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is reliable, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.” They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my won but speak just what the Father has taught me. The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him. (vv.25-30)

Verse 28 the phrase lifts up is used also in 3:14 and 12:31-34, In 3:14 the Lord as the Son of Man was to be lifted up in the form of the serpent to bear the judgment of God for the serpent –poisoned people. In 12:31-34 the Lord as the Son of Man was to be lifted up for the casting out of the old serpent, Satan, the ruler of the world. Hence, in this chapter the Lord, as the Son of Man lifted up, can deliver the serpent –poisoned people from sin, the serpent’s poison.

 

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (vv.31-32) They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free? (vv.33)

 

 Verse 32 In Greek the same as reality in 1:14,17 The truth is not the so-called truth of doctrine but the reality of the divine things, which is the Lord Himself. This verse says that “ the truth shall set you free.” Whereas v.36 says that “the Son sets you free.” This proves that the Son, the Lord Himself, is the truth. Since the Lord is the embodiment of God (Col.2:9), He is the reality of what God is. Hence, reality is the very divine element of God realized by us. When the Lord as the great I Am comes into us as life, He shines within us as light, bringing the divine element as reality into us. This reality, which is the divine element imparted into us and realized by us, set us free from the bondage of sin by the divine life as the light of man. When the Lord as the Word of God became flesh (1:14), He brought God to us as this reality, that God might be the grace for our enjoyment (1:17).

 

 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (v.v.34-36). I know you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word. I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you do what you have heard from your father.” (vv.37-38)

“Abraham is our father,” they answered. “If you were Abraham’s children,” Said Jesus, “Then you would do the things Abraham did. As it is, you are determined to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the things your own father does.” (vv.39-41)

“We are not illegitimate children, they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”(vv.42-47)

Verse 44 because the devil is the father of sinners, sinners are the children of the devil (1John3:10). The devil is the old serpent (Rev.12:9;20:2) and sinners also are serpents, the generation of vipers (Matt.23:33;3:7) Hence, they need the Lord in the form of the serpent to be lifted up for them on the cross (3:14) to save them not only from sin but also from the source of sin. The devil (Heb.2:14). The Lord’s word here revealed that in the devil, the father of lies, there is a particular wicked thing that caused him to become the source of sin. This thing is something of his own, his private possession, and it is something that other creatures do not have. Father of lies. Since the devil is the father of liars, he is the sources of sin. The divine element of God, working as life and light within man, sets man free from the slavery of sin. But the evil element of the devil, working as sin through death, and darkness within man, enslaves man to sin. The devil’s nature is a lie and brings in death and darkness. With darkness is falsehood, the opposite of the truth.

 

The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon possessed?” (v.48) “ I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “ But I honor my Father and you dishonor me. I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” At this the Jews exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that if anyone keeps your word, he will never taste death. Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?” (vv.52-53)

Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.” (vv.54-56) “You are not yet fifty years old,” the Jews said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!” (v.57) “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “Before Abraham was born, I am!”(v.58) At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds. (v.59)

 

           Verse 58 the Lord as the great I AM is the eternal, ever-existing God. Hence, He was before Abraham and is greater than Abraham.(v.53) In verse 55 the Lord Jesus told the Pharisees that they had not known God the Father, even in the outward, objective knowledge, but that He knew the Father in the inward, subjective consciousness.

 

Bibliography,

Lee, Witness. The New Testament (R.V.) Anaheim, CA: Living Stream Ministry, 1985.

Ryrie, Charles C. The Ryrie Study Bible (NIV).Chicago, IL: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986.