Learning Jesus | Week 18
Learning Jesus Week 18
Judging the Judge...& Deliverer
Key Word – Deliverer >> Central Passage – John 8:1-11
Whether we live in first-century monotheistic Israel or we live in twenty-first century pluralistic United States, we have a problem with judging others and accepting judgment for ourselves because regardless of when or where we live, we are there. And we are fallen. As you engage in the lessons this week, keep our problem with judgment in your mind and look for evidence as to why Jesus is the only One who is unjudged-able and the only One able to judge, and why since He is that One, the fallen feel *compelled to judge Him.
*Our Deep Think this lesson reviews key principles of our fallen nature.
Day 1 John 8:1-11
Background Information -- Since the Pharisees failed to entrap Jesus with the Mishnaic (man-written, non-Scriptural) Law, they here attempt to entrap Him to break Mosaic (God-written, Scriptural) Law. You can see this in verse 5, where the “you” is emphasized: “Moses said to stone such women, but YOU, what do you say?” In Mosaic Law both the man and the woman would be stoned (Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22). Note that the woman was caught “in the act,” so the question is...”Where is her partner?” Mighty suspicious!
1. Some of the purposes of the Law were to show the holiness of God and the sinfulness of fallen humanity, but overall the fulfillment of the Law is love. In Galatians, Paul discusses how this chasm between God and us, should lead us to rely upon the mercy and grace of God as our only way to Him. In this story the very Person who will fulfill the Law and become humanity’s only way to God is being tested to see if He will uphold it. He does.
o What would be the ramifications if after being asked “YOU, what do you say?” Jesus said, “Gather stones”?
o What would be the ramification if after being asked “YOU, what do you say?” Jesus said, “It’s okay. Let her go”?
Background Information -- Interestingly, the emphasis in the Greek syntax (sentence structure) in verse 6 is on the finger: “And with his FINGER Jesus wrote on the ground.” The Law contains 613 commandments. According to Exodus 31:18 and Deuteronomy 9:10, only the Ten Commandments were written with the very finger of God, and the seventh commandment is “You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:7). Nowhere in the Law does it state that the witnesses must be without sin (otherwise, who could be a witness, right?), but it does state that the witnesses must be “faithful and true” (Deut 13:9; 17:2-7). So the rabbis taught that the accusers could not be guilty of the same sin as the one they accused. These accusers would be the witnesses, and if a crime’s judgment was stoning, the witnesses were the first to cast the stone. So if none of the two or three witnesses were willing to cast the first stone, then legally no one else could condemn her.
2. How did Jesus ensure that the Law was perfectly followed? Answer the two scaffolding questions before answering that question.
o Why did all those present walk away?
o Why did Jesus not condemn her?
o How did Jesus ensure that the Law was perfectly followed? Consider that love for God, and by extension, for those He created in His image fulfilled the Old Testament Law.
3. Some use this story to teach that Jesus Himself did not judge the woman; therefore we should not judge others.
o How are both these underlined statements clearly not the teaching of the story? See notes & text.
o Contrast how man chose to point the finger to how Jesus, who is fully God and fully Man, chose to point His finger. How does this contrast reveal the holiness of God and the sinfulness of man?
o Re-read the textbox that opens this week’s lesson. Since Jesus upheld the Law perfectly, the Pharisees could not accuse Him. He is “unjudgeable.” Since Jesus is the only One to uphold the Law, He is the only One who will judge humanity. So now the question is – Why do the fallen feel compelled to judge Him?
Deep Think (Totally Optional)
Review the references for a deeper think to see how they support the statements. Enjoy!
God created us to enjoy a regular visible encounter with Him and to stand before Him unashamed and fearless (Gen 3:7-11), but instead, apart from Christ, we harden our hearts against our Creator and are alienated from Him (Eph 4:18; Rom 5:10). Apart from Christ, we are dead in our sins and children of wrath (Eph 2:3) with no ability to save ourselves or please God (Rom 2:1-3; 8:5-8). By our nature and our own choices, our motivations and actions are corrupt; we are totally depraved (Rom 7:18; Titus 1:15). We are not as bad as we can be, but apart from Christ, we lost our freedom to glorify God (Isa 64:6; Eph 4:17-19). Apart from Christ, we live to glory the created instead of the immortal Creator and remain under His wrath forever (Rom 1:18-22).
How does knowing all this brainy stuff lead you to worship the God of the Word?
You might choose to answer this in the form of a prayer to God.
Day 2
Background Information -- This passage contains the second of Jesus’ “I AM’s” -- I am the light of the world. In each “I AM,” Jesus states emphatically that He is God, the I AM. Remember at the Feast of Tabernacles, a 75-foot-high lampstand is lit in the temple courtyard to symbolize the presence of the Shechinah glory, meaning the glory of God Himself. Just as in yesterday’s passage we see the Jewish context in that the Pharisees reference the requirement for two witnesses. Pay attention to how Jesus provides two witnesses and why these two are the most reliable witnesses a person could have.
John 8:12-20
1. Re-write John 8:12 so that a fifth grader could understand the claim that Jesus is making.
2. The Pharisees object that Jesus can make such a claim. Answer the questions below to see how Jesus counters their objections.
o Why is Jesus qualified to judge? (8:15-16)
We already saw in Day 1’s text that Jesus judges righteously while the scribes and Pharisees judge “according to the flesh,” meaning according to sinful human standards (See question 3).
o Who are Jesus’ witnesses? (8:14, 18). _________________ and _________________
o In contrast to the witnesses in our text in Day 1, why are these witnesses highly qualified?
Check for understanding -- Jesus says His two witnesses are the Father & Himself. The Father gave witness to Jesus at His baptism (Mark 1:11) and at His transfiguration (Luke 9:35). Jesus’ witness has been His proclamation, and His proclamation has been substantiated by His miracles.
3. Why does Jesus state that these scribes and Pharisees do not know the Father?
Day 3
John 8:21-30
1. Jesus says that the Jews will continue to look for Him after He leaves (8:21). He means the nation of Israel will continue to look for the Messiah; He is not referring to individuals, of course, who believe in Him. In yesterday’s text Jesus claims: “I AM the light of the world.” He follows this claim with seven points. See if you can find them by answering these questions:
o Where is Jesus going where His opponents cannot go? (8:21)
o Why will His opponents die in their sins? (8:21)
o Who are His opponents from? Who is Jesus from? (8:23)
o What must His opponents do if they do not want to die in their sins? (8:24)
o Who will judge the world? (8:26)
o Why does Jesus get to judge the world? (8:26)
o When will His opponents finally know Jesus is the Messiah? (8:28-29)
2. Some say that Jesus never claimed to be God. Given today’s text in John 8, how would you answer them?
3. Review your answers and enjoy worshiping Jesus and seeking the Father in prayer. You have space to write your prayer if you wish.
Day 4
Background Information -- This text can be difficult to understand because Jesus is talking to two audiences: Those who placed their faith in Him (believers), and those who opposed Him (unbelievers).
1. Believers
Read John 8:31-33. Jesus has an exchange with those who already believed in Him (justified), but now they must take a steps to show they are truly His disciples.
o What does He want them to do? (8:31)
o Why? (8:32)
o Keep in mind these are baby believers with much to learn. How are they offended by Jesus? (8:33
By their response to Jesus, these new believers reveal they are not “free” of Pharisaic teaching nor are they free of nationalistic pride, for Jews have been enslaved and at this time are under Roman rule.
2. Unbelievers
Read John 8:34-40. Jesus is now talking to the wider audience, and verse 37 affirms that these are unbelieving Jews because He says they seek to kill Him. However, the one they claim to be their father, Abraham, was a believer. Of Abraham, the Bible states, “And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith” (Genesis 15:6).
How is Jesus teaching that only He can deliver them (and us) from sin? Consider the Person Jesus is claiming to be in your answer.
3. Did you notice that both baby believers and unbelievers were offended by Jesus?
Heart Check Questions --Why is that? Has the reality that Jesus is your ONLY deliverer ever offended you? What about now? What does your offense reveal about you?
Day 5
Read John 8:41-50.
Background Information -- As you read this text, note that Jesus is still talking to those who oppose Him. He opens with telling them that it is obvious that Satan is their father because they do the same works that Satan does. In our text, yesterday, for example, He accused them of seeking to murder Him. These unbelievers counter by calling Jesus a “Samaritan” and by stating that He has a demon. The root word of “Samaritan” is Shomroni and the root of Shomroni is Shomron, which in Jewish tradition is a specific demon who is the father of Ashmedai, the prince of demons.
1. Jesus explains both how it is obvious and the reason why unbelievers do not love Him. Try to break that down verse by verse.
2. It is important to notice that Jesus challenges the unbelievers to find sin in Him in verse 46. If they had evidence of sin, then He would be disqualified to be their Messiah. But since He is sinless, He is the only One able to deliver them/us from sin (yesterday’s text). How is Jesus now teaching that only He can deliver them/us from Satan?
Read John 8:51-59.
Background Information – Note the cause-and-effect connection. First Jesus stated, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM” Second, they picked up stones to kill Him. When God spoke to Moses from the burning bush, Moses asked, “Who shall I say sent me?” Moses prefigures Jesus as a sent one and as a deliverer, although he was an imperfect sent one and deliverer. In his first attempt, he murdered a fellow Israelite and had to flee for his life. But after forty years, God calls Moses from a burning bush and tells him to say “I AM THAT I AM” has sent me. Like Jesus, Moses delivered his people from slavery, but Moses’ deliverance was physical and Jesus’ is spiritual. The Jews picked up stones because in their understanding, Jesus committed blasphemy, a stone-able offense, when He called Himself “I AM,” Jesus claimed directly that He is God. You can add this evidence to your answer in Day 3, Question 2.
How is Jesus teaching that only He can deliver them/us from death?
Background Information – This last text concludes Jesus’ discourse and it also concludes His defense that He is the true Deliverer, the true Messiah. First He stated that only He can deliver us from sin, then that only He can deliver us from Satan, and then that only He can deliver us from what Paul called the final enemy – death.
REFLECTION Questions
These questions along with the Central Passage will usually be the focus of your group’s discussion each week.
1. The story of the adulterous woman brought to Jesus for judgment proves Jesus to be the One no one can judge and the only One who judges perfectly. After that event, Jesus defends Himself as that One and also exhorts the people to believe He is their only Defender from sin, Satan, and death.
Read His defense in John 8:12-59 with your group.
2. Post-Modern a.k.a. Sinful Thinking
I am my own authority. To judge me is the ultimate sin, but for me to judge you as that judger is righteous.
o How did the religious leaders in first-century Israel think/act like post-moderns of today as they interacted with others AND with Jesus, their only Defender?
o How in the area of receiving and giving judgment do you think/act like a post-modern with others AND with God, your only Defender?
3. Biblical Thinking
I acknowledge the One who created me as THE authority. I allow God’s standard to judge and train me, and I use His standard to judge and train others who claim to trust Christ for their salvation.
o How does biblical thinking in both receiving and giving judgment impact the family of God?
Optional Memory Verse
Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge. Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death. John 8:50-51
4. Pray that you and that we as a church would seek God’s glory and not our own.
COMMUNITY GROUP TIME
• Discuss the Central Passages questions. (This week that is Day 1— John 8:1-11.)
• 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.
• Is anyone able to recite all or part of John 8:50-51?
• Close in prayer.
God’s joy & strength to you,
kpaulson@gracelaredo.org