trying to find His way
“They were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue.” (John 9:22) The parents were afraid of the religious leaders.The religious leaders controlled access to God.They decided who was in, and who was out.Anyone who disagreed with them was…
“Go, wash in the Pool of Siloam.” (John 9:7) The pool of Siloam was a large pool within the old city of Jerusalem.Pilgrims went there for ritual cleansing before going up to the temple.There is something symbolic in this man washing in this pool.It signifies that as far as God is concerned, He sees this man…
“‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.’” (John 9:3) This was the common belief: if something bad happens to you, you deserved it!This was what Job’s friends said to Job too.And it is how many people think today: we get…
“‘Very truly I tell you,’ Jesus answered, ‘before Abraham was born, I AM!’” (John 8:58) In this verse Jesus identifies Himself with the great Name of God: “I AM”.He is claiming to be ‘God with us’, the incarnation of the God of Israel.He is greater than Adam, Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, mere human witnesses.He is the…
“If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God.” (John 8:42) In this section Jesus is challenging the religious leaders for their actions.They are not doing what God wants, nor are they doing what Abraham did.They are doing what Satan would do: looking for a way to kill Jesus.If…
“If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.” (John 8:31) How can we know if a person is a Jesus follower?According to Jesus, they will hold to His teaching.The teaching of Jesus is primarily ethical, a life focused on loving God and people.Those who are committed to doing such ‘works’ belong to Jesus…
“You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.” (John 8:23) There is something very different about Jesus, something ‘otherworldly’.He does not think, speak or act in a normal human way, for any age.He seems driven by a different kind of spirit than we are… the…
“I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.” (John 8:18). The Jews believed that God was their (Israel’s) Father, and they were God’s children.This analogy was meant to help them understand God’s great compassion and love.Yet they failed to see and appreciate the wonder of God’s gracious love.Which…
“‘Neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus declared. ‘Go now and leave your life of sin.’” (John 8:11) Some people stress the first words Jesus says, ‘neither do I condemn you!’Others stress the last words, ‘go now and leave your life of sin!’Both need to be taken together, and in the order Jesus speaks them.In my experience…
“Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8:7) This story is disputed because it is not in the earliest manuscripts.But whether it is original or not, God speaks through it in a powerful way.Like a parable, it’s lesson is in its meaning, not in…