John
Jesus’ Betrayal by Judas
After Jesus had finished His prayer, He took His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane (v. 1). This is located on the western slope of the Mount of Olives and across the Kidron Valley from Jerusalem. In a garden, the first Adam brought sin and death to mankind; but Jesus, the last Adam …
The Pharisees Blindless
Physical healing and spiritual healing are intertwined. The one leads to the other as the blind man moves from darkness to light, first physically and then spiritually. At the physical level his sight was restored. On the spiritual level he came to faith in Christ. The narrative in this chapter is …
Blindness to the Truth of the Scriptures
Jesus knew that they would not accept His testimony alone. The Old Testament law required two or three witnesses for a man to be found guilty (Deut. 17:6). Therefore, Jesus supplied actional witnesses. His witness were (1) Himself (vv.30-31), (2) John the Baptist (vv. 33-35), (3) His works …
What Does it Mean to be Born Again?
Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish ruling council (v. 1). When he came to Jesus, he said that no one could help but be impressed by the signs and wonders that Jesus did (v 2). As a Pharisee, Nicodemus lived by the strictest possible religious rules. In his response, Jesus …
The Incarnation of Christ
Christ who is God, came to earth as man. Yet in doing so, He did not merely “appear†like a man; He became one (v. 14). When it says “we have seen†it implies that the author was an eyewitness. John the Baptist gave a continuing testimony concerning Jesus (v. …
Jesus Meets the Samaritan Women
To avoid conflict with the Pharisees, who were alarmed at His increasing popularity, Jesus left Judea and started north for Galilee (vv. 1-3) It states that “He must needs go through Samaria” (v. 4). An Orthodox Jew would have crossed the Jordan River near Jericho, made his way through …
Rejected by the Religious Leaders
Bible scholars say that approximately two months had passed between the previous account and these events. The “feast of the dedication†(Hanukkah) (v. 22) takes place in December, which is near the time when we celebrate our Christmas. This feast celebrates the reded …
Thomas Sees Jesus and Believes
Thomas had not been with the other disciples when Jesus appeared unto them in His resurrected body (v. 24). When they tried to tell him the news of the resurrection, Thomas refused to believe it until he had actually touched the hands, feet, and side of the Savior (v. 25). One week later, Jesus …
The Transformation of Pain to Joy
Jesus explained how the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. The Spirit’s great work is that of illumination, bringing God’s truth to all men (vv. 12-15). All truth is God’s truth. Man does not discover it; God reveals it as a gift. As we witness in this hostile world, the Holy Spirit takes the …
Jesus’ Triumphal Entry Into Jerusalem
The scene now shifts from a quiet dinner in Bethany to a noisy parade in Jerusalem (v. 12). Thousands of Galilean pilgrims had come to the Passover, and they had seen many of Jesus’ mighty works. These people were expec¬ting Christ to establish David’s kingdom. Waving palm branches …