notes

Main point summary

The Jews question Jesus' Christhood, only to have Jesus point to their rejection of him — despite his words and works — rooted in them not being among the sheep who are kept by Jesus and the Father, both being one.

Look-up

NT

John 10:22-31

esv

I and the Father Are One 22 At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was walking in the temple, h in the colonnade of Solomon. 24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are i the Christ, j tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. k The works that I do l in my Father’s name bear witness about me, 26 but m you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. 27 n My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 o I give them eternal life, and p they will never perish, and q no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, r who has given them to me, 1 s is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of t the Father’s hand. 30 u I and the Father are one.” 31 v The Jews picked up stones again to stone him.

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Notes**

Context: The Feast of Dedication and Jesus' figure of speech - at every feast of Dedication, Ezekiel 34 was read out. The Feast also remembered a restoration of temple worship - a salvation of sorts from Antiochus Epiphanes. The 'Jews' in the gospel of John refer to the enemies of Jesus - the Pharisees, Saducees, skeptics, and not to the people group of the Jews in general. Fact based Questions: [Fact based questions are black, Interpretative questions are Green] Why was the book of John written? John 20:30-31 Where is Jesus, here? Why do the Jews gather around Jesus, considering the context? What do the Jews ask Jesus? Why do they ask this of Jesus? Plainly, openly - cf. John 7:4,13,26 From what we have seen before, why does Jesus avoid being associated with the term Christ/Messiah, in those times? Cf. John 6:15; 7:12,40-41 The political Messiah, like Judas Maccabaeus, was a very easy route to take among the people of Israel then. Does Jesus ever say that he is the Messiah? When? Does he ever publicly (in a crowd) plainly proclaim his Messiahship? Cf. John 4:25-26; never plainly for the reasons in Q4. So, what does Jesus mean by "I told you..."? John 10:25-26a Though implicit, Jesus has taught and spoken of who he is so much that it is beyond any doubt. This includes, but is not limited to, what he mentioned earlier in John 10. He has done so many deeds in the name of the Father which bear witness to who he is. Note the seven signs in John and the signs done thus far. Both together can have only one conclusion – Jesus is the Christ, the unique Son of God. If Jesus did explicitly tell the Jews that he was the Christ, would they have believed? Why? What reason does Jesus give for their unbelief? Cf. John 20:30-31. They had seen several of these and yet… No. Jesus had already given more than enough evidence as to who he was. The Jews actively rejected Christ because they were never his sheep (John 10:26). What does it look like to be the sheep of Jesus from the portions of John 10 we have seen earlier? Which of those aspects explicitly repeat now? Which aspects are new? John 10:4-5,8-18 The sheep hear the voice of Jesus, the good shepherd (John 10:3,5,8,16,27) The sheep follow their shepherd (John 10:3-4,16,27) The shepherd knows his sheep (John 10:3,14-15,27) The sheep have life – abundant and eternal, given by Jesus (John 10:10,28) Aspects that seem new, but are not – the sheep are safe and secure, i.e. they will never perish, and no one can take them from the shepherd, Jesus (cf. John 10:9-10,15) What does it look like to not be his sheep, according to this passage? What happens if we are not his sheep? John 10:27-29 There is no listening to the voice of Jesus There is no following the shepherd Jesus does not know these non-sheep They will perish, not being in the hand of the shepherd Is it just of Jesus to accuse the Jews of unbelief? Why? They were blamed, not for not being sheep, but for utter unbelief despite all that Jesus said and did. This accusation is just. They were at fault, hence the blame. There is no excuse for blatant rejection of Jesus. They were not sheep in that they did not want to hear or follow Jesus and Jesus never knew them. They hated Jesus and were worthy of blame. Cf. John 3:18-21 Them not being sheep only accuses them and does not excuse them of their guilt. As Jesus' sheep, what idea of life is mentioned here? Who gives eternal life? What is the result of having eternal life from Jesus? In addition to the abundance mentioned in John 10:10, there is life eternal mentioned here, both implying the same thing, adding to one another. It is the shepherd, the door – Jesus Christ, who gives eternal, abundant life. The result is a never perishing and an eternal security, being kept in the hand of Jesus – no one can snatch them out of my hand. What description does Jesus give of the Father? John 10:29 My Father Greater than all Who is responsible for the security of the sheep according to what we have seen so far in John 10? Who is (are) responsible for the security of the sheep in this passage? Jesus and the Father, as one in deed (not in person). What does v29-30 tell us about Jesus? Why does Jesus mention this? Jesus' moves with the Father's beat - totally united, dependent and obedient to him and perfectly one in works: i. It is the Father who gives Jesus the sheep. ii. Both keep the sheep secure. Cf. John 5:19-27,30,36-38; 6:37-40. The Father keeps the sheep and so does the Son. Not only that, Jesus here, is answering far more than the Jews' question - Jesus claims to be God. Both have exactly the same power – no one can snatch them from their hands. This power is grounded in is greater than all , when it comes to the Father. What about the Son’s power? The Jews’ reaction is because of blasphemy – a claiming to be God (John 10:31-33) The Father is My Father to Jesus, who is the only Son from the Father (John 1:14). The job of ensuring eternal security is not of human capability. Jesus is ensuring his flock’s eternal security. When Jesus says I and the Father are one , he is not merely talking about oneness in action and purpose, but deity as well. Is Jesus saying that he and the Father are one in person? Cf. John 1:1-14 Recap the doctrinal statement of the Trinity – three persons, one God. Application Questions: What should our lives look like, if we are the sheep of Jesus with respect to: Us hearing his voice? Us following him? Jesus knowing us? Our life eternal and abundant? What do our lives look like in reality? What does Jesus deity and oneness with the Father have to do with our lives? (Does this matter)? What value do we place in our eternal security in God? How, then, do we live our lives? Do we believe? If so, what do we believe? Who is Jesus to me? Have we relegated him to a convenient corner (like the Jews who wanted a political Messiah)? rejected him? Or have we seen Him as infinite God, Lord and Saviour? Assuming the third option, what does the answer to the previous question look like in our lives today? If the 'Jews' were not sheep, then why does Jesus continue to appeal to their belief? What does this tell you about preaching the gospel, keeping God's elective purpose in mind ? Recap : The Jews question Jesus' Christhood, only to have Jesus point to their rejection of him — despite his words and works. This intentional rejection of Christ is rooted in them not being among the sheep of Christ, who are kept by Jesus and the Father, both being one.

Arc**

editing

John 10:22-31

mine

At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem.

The feast of Dedication was taking place in Jerusalem at that time.

It was winter,

It was winter,

ideaexplanation

and Jesus was walking

and Jesus was walking

in the temple,

within the temple

h in the colonnade of Solomon.

in the colonnade of Solomon.

locative

temporal

So the Jews gathered around him

So the Jews gathered around him

inference

and said to him,

and asked Jesus,

“How long will you keep us in suspense?

"How long will you keep us in suspense?

If you are i the Christ,

If you are Christ, the anointed Messiah,

j tell us plainly.”

then, tell us openly."

conditional

Jesus answered them,

Jesus answered them,

“I told you,

"I did tell you,

and you do not believe.

yet, you do not believe.

concessive

k The works that I do

My works, which are done

l in my Father’s name

in the name of my Father,

actionmanner

bear witness about me,

bear witness about me [and told you],

actionresult

but m you do not believe

yet you do not believe

series

because you are not among my sheep.

because you are not numbered among my sheep.

ground

n My sheep hear my voice,

Unlike you, my sheep hear my voice,

and I know them,

and I know my sheep,

and they follow me.

and my sheep follow me.

progression

o I give them eternal life,

I give my sheep eternal life,

and p they will never perish,

and they will never die,

and q no one will snatch them out of my hand.

and no one will ever take them out of my hand.

My Father,

[It is] my Father

r who has given them to me, 1

who has given them to me,

s is greater than all,

and He is greater than all.

and no one is able to snatch them out of t the Father’s hand.

Therefore, no one can possibly take them out of the Father's hand.

u I and the Father are one.”

In other words, I and the Father are one."

negativepositive

questionanswer

v The Jews picked up stones again

On hearing this, the Jews picked up stones again

to stone him.

to stone Jesus

actionpurpose

situationresponse

discourse