Learning Jesus | Week 8
Learning Jesus Week 8
Sinners in the Hands of Author-ity
Key Word – Authority >> Central Passages: John 5:19-47 (Please also read John 5:1-18)
When I taught American Literature, we read an excerpt from Jonathan Edwards’ sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” The title is daunting, but I made the process less so by having my students draw the imagery. The passage is replete with imagery of God’s just wrath. Here’s one example: “There is the dreadful pit of the glowing flames of the wrath of God; there is hell’s gaping mouth open; and you have nothing to stand upon....” Edwards extends the imagery excruciatingly, and my students caught it all including our sinful stickman suspended over the flames. Following this, however, Edwards describes how our sinful stickman is kept from the flames because God holds him in His own hand, but he warns that should our sinner die before yielding to the Savior, then God’s hand will be withdrawn. As Jesus interacts with the Pharisees in these lessons, look for His justice and for His grace as He, their Creator, calls them to repentance.
Day 1 Mark 2:18-22; Matthew 9:14-17; Luke 5:33-39
Background Information – The Pharisees fasted on Mondays & Thursdays; however, God’s Law did not declare these fast days. In His analogy of the wedding feast, Jesus is the bridegroom. We will return to this metaphor later in the gospels. As you read Jesus’ support for why His disciples do not fast, keep in mind that the Pharisaic Law represents the old garment and the old wineskin.
1. In classic teacher style, Jesus answers their question with a question of His own. Why does Jesus compare Himself a bridegroom? Consider all you know about bridegrooms and weddings that might apply to Jesus and His first coming.
Background Information – Here is the physics behind Jesus’ illustrations: An old garment has shrunk as much as it is going to. A new patch has not shrunk at all. When you wash an old garment with a new patch, the new patch will shrink and thereby cause a tear. Likewise, an old wineskin has shrunk as much as it is going to. When the new wine in an old wineskin begins to ferment, the wineskin will expand. Since the cloth is old, it will rip. The Pharisaic Law represents the old garment and the old wineskin.
2. Last week we read that Jesus ate and drank with sinners. How is Jesus distancing His teaching and purposes from Pharisaic teaching and purposes with these comparisons?
3. What is the warning for those who oppose Jesus that is inherent in His comparisons?
In Luke’s account, he includes the offering of prayers with fasting. This is in keeping with the purpose of fasting. We fast and pray while hungry to acknowledge our total dependency upon God. Since Jesus is WITH the disciples, He is providing all they need for kingdom work, and they are in conversation, “in prayer,” with Him in real time life.
Day 2 John 5:1-18
Background Information – The Pharisaic Law, the Mishna, added 1,500 regulations to the commandment “Keep the Sabbath Holy….” We see two violations of these man-made laws in this passage: The first forbade healing on the Sabbath unless life is in danger. The second forbade carrying a burden from a public place to a private place. Note that the lame man did not ask to be healed nor did Jesus require the lame man to demonstrate faith before He healed him.
1. Consider all the different choices Jesus makes using the information above. Why do you think Jesus makes the choices He does?
Background Information – When Jesus healed the man, He did not reveal that He was the Messiah. Later Jesus initiates finding the man in the Temple and reveals His identity. The man is in the Temple likely participating in the feast referenced in verse one. Jesus also gives the man a warning.
2. Consider all the different choices Jesus makes using the information above. Why do you think Jesus makes the choices He does?
Some see the healed man as acting in collusion with authorities since he reports to them that Jesus healed him. Others state that most likely he is simply giving the authorities of his day the information they asked, which was simply “Who healed you?”
3. Review how Jesus responds to the criticism about His working on the Sabbath in verse 17. How do the Jews interpret Jesus’ response in verse 18?
Jesus healed the paralytic purposefully made the choices He did so that He could teach about how His works make Him both equal with the Father and in unity with the Father. In tomorrow’s lesson we shall continue in John 5 where Jesus defends this healing of the paralytic by expounding on other works He does as One with the Father.
Optional Memory Verse Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment but has passed from death to life. John 5:24
Day 3 John 5:19-47 Central Passage of the Week
Background Information – After Jesus heals a paralytic, the Jews accuse Him of claiming equality with the Father. Jesus does not correct their conclusions. Jesus interacted with the paralytic first by healing his body and second by discussing with this healed man his spiritual condition. He states that the healed man should sin no more so that “nothing worse” happens to him. So here we see Jesus defending His authority over body and soul as authority that is both equal and in unity with the Father. In this first section, look for how Jesus asserts three authorities: He does the works of the Father and judges as the Father and provides eternal life as the Father does. Consider how Jesus is connecting His authority in these areas to His addressing the body and soul needs of the paralytic.
1. How is Jesus here claiming equality & unity with the Father in each section below?
o The Son does the works of the Father (v.19-21).
o The Son judges as the Father (v.22-23).
o The Son has the power to give eternal life (v.24).
Background Information – In this next section, look for how Jesus asserts His equality and unity with the Father because He will bring about the resurrection of the dead. This takes more extensive background explanation of end time events. Here is a short summary to aid your understanding of the passage:
1) When a believer dies, her soul is immediately with the Lord, but she has not received her glorified body yet. In contrast, when an unbeliever dies, his soul is taken to hell and is utterly separated from God. Until the final judgment only his soul is in torment.
2) The term “resurrection” refers only to bodies and never to souls. The First Resurrection is the Believers’ Resurrection, which will take place in two stages: the Rapture and Jesus’ Second Coming. The Second Resurrection is the Unbelievers’ Resurrection and will take place after the Messianic Kingdom.
Jesus refers to the First Resurrection as the Resurrection of Life because here the believer is fully redeemed: body & soul. He refers to the Second Resurrection as the Resurrection of Judgment because here the unbeliever is fully judged: body & soul.
o The Son has the power to raise the dead (v.25-29).
Background Information – Throughout Mosaic Law, two witnesses are required when accusing a Jew. In this final section of His discourse, Jesus asserts that if Jewish authorities reject Him, then they are also rejecting these witnesses of Jesus: 1) John the Baptist 2) Jesus‘ Works 3) the Father 4) the Scriptures. While Jewish authorities may be content with rejecting the first two witnesses – John the Baptist and Jesus’ works – Jesus is provoking them to consider that they are also rejecting the Father and the Scriptures, which foretold His coming.
2. The Witnesses of His Authority. Write the unique points Jesus states about each witness --
John the Baptizer (v.33-35) List notes and insights --
Jesus’ Works (v. 36) List notes and insights --
Father (v.37-38) List notes and insights --
Scriptures (v.39-40) List notes and insights –
Background Information – Rejecting the Scriptures would include rejecting Moses, who authored the Torah. This is bringing their accusation of healing on the Sabbath full circle because when the Pharisees reinterpreted the Law in the Mishna, they wrote out the LOVE for God and man. The stories we shall read over our next two days highlight how far the Pharisees have departed from God’s greatest commands to love.
3. How has Jesus shown in His defense that His motivations are to love God and man?
Just as Jesus sought the Father’s glory in love and will be Himself glorified, so shall the believer who seeks the Father’s glory in love be glorified. In fact, just as the Son for this reason is entrusted to judge, so shall believers one day be entrusted to judge the world and angels. (1 Corinthians 6:1-6).
Day 4 Matthew 12:1-8; Mark 2:23-28
Background Information – According to the Mishna, by plucking the heads of grain (wheat) and eating it, the disciples were guilty of reaping, threshing, winnowing, and storing grain on the Sabbath. One could not even walk on the grass on the Sabbath because inadvertently one might reap, thresh, winnow, and store while doing so. According to the Pharisees, God made Israel to honor the Sabbath, so Israel was made for the Sabbath. As you read, see how Jesus counters that teaching.
The point of King David’s story in 1 Samuel 21 is that in the course of fleeing evil, David and his men were hungry and stopped to get food from a place of mercy: the house of God. In doing so, King David would have violated Pharisaic Law, If King David could break the Pharisaic Law, then King Jesus could certainly do so. But the Pharisees had never condemned David, so now why are they accusing Jesus?
The point about the priests supposedly profaning the temple is that on the Sabbath, the priests actually work harder since sacrifices are doubled and other rituals are also performed.
1. Compare Jesus’ words on the left and the third commandment on the right.
2. How do we see here that the heart and mind of Jesus and the Father are one?
3. People who have been hurt by legalists often consider the Bible simply a list of do’s and don’ts and the Lord as only a God of judgment. How would you gently defend God and His Word to someone with that thinking?
The Jewish Sabbath was from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. It was not a day of corporate worship, but according to Mosaic Law a day of corporate rest. For the Jews, worship took place first in their history at the Tabernacle and later at the Temple. This could not happen on the Sabbath because as a day of rest, one could not walk to the Temple. Christians chose to worship on a Sunday because Jesus rose on a Sunday, but our celebration on Sunday is not equivalent in any way to the Sabbath because we are not under the Law. Because Christ fulfilled the Law and because the Holy Spirit dwells in us, we can worship God any day anywhere.
Day 5 Matthew 12:9-14; Mark 3:1-6; Luke 6:6-11
Background Information – Again Pharisaic Law forbade healing on the Sabbath. It is best to understand that the man with the withered had is a plant to entrap Jesus. Will He again heal on the Sabbath, even in the synagogue? Note how again Jesus argues using the rabbinic logic of moving from lesser to greater (kal v’chomer), from the needy animal to the needy man created in the image of God.
1. Why do you think the Pharisees not respond to Jesus’ questions in Mark 3:4?
2. Why is Jesus both angered and grieved in Mark 3:5?
Background Information – At the end of Mark’s account here, the Pharisees are colluding with the Herodians, who were part Jewish, but not religious. Their interests lay in worldly power and acquisitions. The Pharisees opposed Roman rule, but the Herodians cooperated when it served their political interests.
3. Why do you think these enemies joined forces against Jesus?
REFLECTION Questions
These questions along with the Central Passage will usually be the focus of your group’s discussion each week.
1. Review from Day 3 Question #1, the various authorities or powers the Father entrusts to the Son. How was Jesus trying to convict the Pharisees’ attitude toward God with this list?
The Pharisees were guilty of legalism, typically defined as demanding others to conform to your added rules. Their followers were guilty of legalism as well for they embraced these added rules. These Pharisees, in theory, found Jesus “guilty” of grace. They found His followers “guilty” of embracing grace.
2. Legalism and grace cannot exist together. Let’s explore why.
o Share a time you have imposed legalism on others or others imposed legalism upon you.
o How does imposing legalism affect us? Consider how it affects our relationship to God and one another.
3. Given what you have learned this week and how God is moving in your life right now, what is a prayer request you can share with your group? Use this space to also record others’ prayer requests when you meet.
• My prayer –
• Group Prayer Requests –
COMMUNITY GROUP TIME
• Discuss the Central Passages questions. (This week that is Day 3 — John 5:18-47)
• Open Share Time -- Allow time for each to share “starred” insights or questions from Days 1-5. Allow others to respond to the shared insight.
• Discuss Reflection Questions.
• Did anyone memorize John 5:24 this week?
• Close in prayer.
God’s joy & strength to you,