BOOK BY BOOK BIBLE STUDY
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BIBLE STUDY LESSON
For
the week beginning Sunday February 9, 2014
____________________________________________________________
ASKING
QUESTIONS ABOUT JESUS
(Answering
difficult questions about JESUS)
John
7:1-36
After JESUS had taught about
HIMSELF being “the bread of life” in the synagogue at Capernaum where most
of HIS disciples had deserted HIM, HE dwelled for another six months in HIS
homeland of Galilee. HE went from town to town preaching and teaching the Word,
all the while staying away from Judea, where the Jewish leaders were plotting
to kill HIM.
The time for the “Feast of the Tabernacles” had arrived,
and JESUS’ brothers, who didn’t believe that HE was the MESSIAH, scoffed
at HIM about going into Jerusalem and attending the feast, instead of hiding
HIMSELF in Galilee from the Jewish leaders. “YOU can’t become a public
figure if YOU hide like this” they scoffed. If YOU can do such wonderful
things, go to Jerusalem and prove it to the world”.
JESUS’ brothers, James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas
(Jude), (Matthew 13:55) had no spiritual understanding of their HALF-BROTHER’s
mission, or GOD’s plan for the world through HIM. For, they could only see
the human logic of this most divine situation. They thought that JESUS
should display HIMSELF in the most powerful, physical way that HE could,
but GOD’s plan was to show HIM in the humility of the cross.
The, “Feast of the Tabernacles” was called, by the great Jewish
historian, Josephus, the Jews holiest and greatest feast. It was called
the “feast of ingathering”, and was a time of thanksgiving to GOD for
their fall harvest. After JESUS’ brothers left for Jerusalem, HE soon
followed, being careful not to be seen by anyone. The Jews, of Judaism’s
religious hierarchy, were asking everyone at the festival if they had seen
JESUS, and there was a lot of discussion concerning JESUS among the throngs of people
who had gathered there. They had mixed opinions about the ONE WHO claimed to
be the SON of GOD, and the MESSIAH. Some believed HIM, and some thought
that HE was a demon, or a fraud, who, went about deceiving the people. However,
because the Jewish leaders had the power to cut any Jewish person off from
Israel’s religious and social life, no one dared say anything favorably about
JESUS in public (Vs.10-13).
Suddenly, midway through the festival, to everyone’s surprise, JESUS
boldly shows up in the temple, and begins to teach. The Jewish leaders, who had
made themselves responsible for any advanced theological training, were amazed
at JESUS’ deep knowledge of scriptures, and could not even imagine how it was
possible for JESUS to have acquired such knowledge without their help and
training.
JESUS, however, explains to them that HE was not teaching HIS OWN
ideas the way they were, but rather, HE was teaching the ideology of the GOD
WHO sent HIM. JESUS further explains,
that, anyone wanting to do the will of GOD will recognize the truth in HIS
teachings, and that, HIS teachings are truly from GOD. In fact, those who
teach their own ideas are seeking only to win praise for themselves and are not
interested in honoring GOD. JESUS goes on to tell them, in effect that, in
truth, they were not only uninterested in honoring GOD, but they were plotting
to kill HIM, WHOM GOD had sent to save the world (Vs. 14-19).
JESUS then shows them one of the flaws in their own religious
reasoning by using the example of the religious custom of “circumcision”, which
is performed on all Jewish males after they become eight days old. JESUS reminded them of the times when HE came under attack for
working on the Sabbath, whenever HE would heal people on that sacred day.
However, if the eighth day of a boy’s life fell on the Sabbath, they would
indeed, circumcise him anyway, making themselves hypocrites (Vs.20-24).
Many of the people were pretty impressed with JESUS’ bold stand
against the religious leaders, despite the fact that they were trying to kill
HIM. They were beginning to wonder out loud that maybe the Pharisees knew
themselves, that JESUS was indeed the MESSIAH HE claimed to be, and why else,
would HE have the nerve to speak this boldly.
However, they were still confused because they had known JESUS and
HIS whole family virtually all of HIS life, and they reasoned this fact among
themselves (Vs.25-27). JESUS tells them that, even though they have known HIM
all of HIS life in the physical earthly sense, they still didn’t know the ONE
HE came to represent, which is HIS FATHER GOD in Heaven. At that point the
Jewish leaders tried to arrest HIM, but the hand of GOD protected HIM and
wouldn’t allow it, because HIS time of crucifixion had not yet come (Vs.
28-30).
Many began to make favorable comments out loud, about JESUS indeed
being the promised MESSIAH. When the
Pharisees heard these murmurings they again sent temple guards to arrest JESUS,
and JESUS said to them that HE would be there just a little while longer.
In other words, JESUS seemed to be telling them to come back later and I’ll
let you arrest ME as part of MY FATHER’s plan, not the Pharisees plans.
JESUS told them that HE would soon return to HIS FATHER, where they would not
be able to find HIM, nor come to HIM. And the Jewish leaders were greatly
puzzled by HIS saying (Vs. 31-36).
A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander
LARRY D. ALEXANDER-
Official Website
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