Open as PDF
DISCOVERY OF THE FACTS
1. Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, the Giver of Eternal Life, vv. 22–29
What exact time of year was it? Where did our Lord speak these words? What other Bible incidents occurred in Solomon’s porch? (Acts 3:11; 5:12.) What question did the Jews put to our Lord (v. 24, R. V.)? Was it His fault that they were in suspense? On what particular point were they in suspense? What did they demand of Him? Had they ever on any other occasion asked Him who He was? (8:25, 53; Luke 22:67–70.) Had He never told them plainly that He was the Christ? (v. 25; 5:17–23; 8:12, 24, 58.) How had they received His statements? Would they have received the statement now any differently?
To what then does He appeal instead of answering their questions in words? What works? Does He in any other place refer to His works as a proof that He was the One sent from God, the Messiah, the Son of God? (v. 38; 5:36; 14:11.) Were the works that He did a proof that He was such? (3:2; 20:31; Acts 2:22; 10:38.) Had any recognized His works as proof that He really was the Messiah? (7:31.) Were there any who refused to recognize this proof? (12:37, 40.) Did the leaders themselves recognize His works as a sign that He was the Messiah? (11:47, R. V.) How did He do His works (v. 25)? What is meant by His doing them “in His Father’s name”? What did our Lord say that His works did? What did they prove regarding Himself? (14:10, 11; 20:31.) Why did not the Jews believe when they saw these works (v. 26)? Why is it that any one today hears the words and sees the works of Jesus and yet does not believe? Whose fault is it if one is not one of Christ’s sheep? What similar reason does our Lord give elsewhere why the Jews did not hear His word? (8:47; 12:37–40; 1 Cor. 4:3, 4.) Is it a privilege to be one of Christ’s sheep? What does He do for His sheep (v. 28)? Who gives eternal life? If our Lord gives eternal life who must He be? Why shall one of Christ’s sheep never perish (vv. 28, 29)? What word does the Revised Version substitute for “pluck” in these two verses? What added thought is there in that word? Is this thought found anywhere else in the Scripture? How do these persons become Christ’s sheep? (v. 29; 6:37.) What is the proof that one has been given by the Father unto the Son? What is absolutely sure about those whom the Father does give unto the Son? (v. 29; 17:2, 6, 9, 11, 12.) Whose hand keeps us beside the hand of the Son? Of what may we be sure if one is in the Father’s hand?
2. “I and the Father are One,” vv. 30–38
What astounding statement does our Lord make about His relation to the Father in v. 30? Is this statement true? Do you really believe it? In what sense were Jesus and the Father one? What was the effect upon the Jews of this utterance? Why did they take up stones to stone Him? If the statement was not true, then what was Jesus? According to the Jewish law what was done with the blasphemer? If Jesus and the Father are not one, would the Jews have been right or wrong in stoning Jesus? If Jesus and the Father are one, who then is the blasphemer? Did the Jews on any other occasion seek to kill Him for a similar reason? (5:18; 8:58, 59.) On what charge did the Jews finally kill Jesus? (Matt. 26:65, 66.) If He was not divine, was His slaying justified by Jewish law? What then does any one who denies the deity of Jesus justify?
Was He frightened at the attempt of the Jews to kill Him? How did He take it all? What answer did He make to the thought of their hearts that lay back of their action (v. 32)? To what did He appeal? Of what were His good works a proof? (v. 25; 5:19, 20, 36; Matt. 11:3–5; Acts 2:22; 10:38.) What was the Jews’ answer to our Lord’s question? What did they say He was? What did they say He made Himself out to be? Did He? (v. 30; 5:18; Ro. 9:5; 14:9; Phil. 2:6, R. V., margin.) What was His answer to the charge (vv. 34, 35)? Whom does he say the Father called gods? (Ps. 82:6.) Is there a sense in which all those who really receive the Word of God are divine? (v. 35; Ex. 7:1; Ps. 82:6, 7; 138:1; 2 Peter 1:4; Ro. 8:29.) What did our Lord say the Father had done with Him that He had not done with others? (v. 36; 3:34; 6:27; Ps. 2:2, 6–12; Is. 11:2–5; 42:1, 3; 61:1–3.) Was He fond of dwelling upon the fact that the Father had sent Him? (3:17; 5:30, 36, 37; 6:38, 57; 8:42; 17:3, 5, 8, 18, 21.) Is it important that we believe that He was sent of the Father? (17:2, 3, 8, 21, 23, 25, 26.) What is the last thing that He says about Himself in v. 36? Does He say that anywhere else, or what substantially amounts to that? Is it important that we believe it? (20:31.) Under what condition did our Lord say they would have the right not to believe on Him (v. 37)? Did that condition actually exist? Had they therefore any excuse not to believe on Him? What takes away all excuse? What did He demand if He did the works of the Father (v. 38)? Is that a reasonable demand? If they believed the works that they actually saw, what must they also believe? Does our Lord do any works today that prove that He is divine?
3. Our Lord Beyond the Jordan, vv. 39–42
What was the effect upon the Jews of our Lord’s claim that He was in the Father and the Father in Him? Did they attempt on any other occasion to arrest or kill Him? (7:30, 44; 8:59; Luke 4:29, 30.) Did they succeed? Why not? Where did He go? Why did He stay there? Was He afraid? What then was He? Was it known whither He had gone? What did many do when they learned the place where He had retired? Did our Lord usually attract multitudes? (Matt. 4:23–25; Mark 1:37; Luke 5:1; 12:1.) What may we be sure will be the result when it is known that He is really in a place? What fact about Him drew the people to Him (v. 41)? What was John’s testimony concerning Him? (1:29, 33, 34; 3:29–36; Matt. 3:11, 12.) What was the result of their seeing and hearing Him again (v. 42)? (2:23; 4:39, 41, 42; 8:30; 11:45; 12:42.)
CLASSIFICATION OF TEACHINGS
1. God the Father
Our Lord did His work in His name, bore witness to our Lord by the works He gave Him to do, 25; greater than all, 29; gave Christ’s sheep to Him, no man able to pluck Christ’s sheep out of His hand, 29; the Father is in the Son, 38; sanctified Jesus and sent Him into the world, 36; called those unto whom the word of God came “gods,” 35.
2. Jesus Christ
(1). His deity:
The Son of God, 25, 29, 30, 32, 36, 37, 38; He and the Father one, 30; the Father is in Him and He in the Father, 38.
(2). His humanity, 31, 39, 40.
(3). His subordination to the Father:
Did His works in His Father’s name, 25; sent by the Father, 36; His sheep given to Him by the Father, 29; the Father greater than He, 29.
(4). The Christ, 24, 25.
(5). His relation to His sheep:
He owns them, is followed by them, 27; gives unto them eternal life, guarantees that none of them shall ever perish, keeps them in His hand so that no man can hurt them, 28.
(6). His characteristics:
Fearlessness, 23; patience, 25; plainness of speech, 26; love, 28; assurance of His relation to His Father, 30; calmness, 31, 32; familiarity with Scripture, 34; prudence, 39, 40.
(7). His works:
Did the works of the Father, 37, 38.
(8). How He was treated:
Honored, witnessed to by the Father, 36, 38; sanctified and sent into the world by Him, 36; protected by Him, 39; witnessed to by John, resorted unto by many, 41; believed on by many, 42; listened to and followed by His sheep, 27; misunderstood by the Jews, 24; the Jews sought to arrest Him, 39; took up stones to kill Him, 31; accused of blasphemy by the Jews, 33.
(9). What our Lord demanded:
Faith in Himself, 25, 37, 38.
3. The Jews
Misunderstood our Lord, asked Him to tell them what He had already told them plainly, 24; did not believe in Him, were not of Christ’s sheep, 26; accused Him of blasphemy, 33; sought to arrest Him, 39; took up stones to stone Him, 32; did not understand their own Scriptures, 35, 36.
4. Christ’s Sheep
Believe on Jesus, 26; hear His voice, follow Him, 27; receive eternal life, eternally secure in the hand of the Son and of the Father, shall never perish, 28, 29.
5. Faith
The mark of Christ’s sheep, 26; founded upon the works that Christ does, 25, 38; founded upon the Word, 35; demanded by reason in view of the works of Christ, 37; exercised by many, 42; not to believe the supreme proof that one is not one of Christ’s sheep, 26.
6. The Scriptures
The Word of God, 35; cannot be broken, 35.
|
|
|
