No One Can Snatch Them Out of My Father's Hand
Comments for Study 14
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I. They Shall Never Perish (22-30)
>1. What did the Jews want Jesus to say plainly? (22-24)
* "Then came the Feast of Dedication of Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon's Colonnade. The Jews gathered around him, saying, 'How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly." -John 10:22-24
* "Then came" -this passage is not directly linked in time with 10:1-21. But it probably did happen sometime after. Chapters 7-10 seemed to be linked to the same time and that time was the celebration of Tabernacles. The celebration of Tabernacles is during the Jewish seventh month (Tishrei) which is in October.
* "the Feast of Dedication" -It starts on December 25th (The Jewish winter month of Kislev) and lasting for eight days. The Syrians had desecrated the temple. So after the temple was rebuilt and restored the Jews began to celebrates the Feast of Dedication-also called Feast of Lights. (In Hebrew it is still called Rosh-Hashanah.) It was meant for the cleansing of the temple. The Maccabean books calls for it. Josephus talks about it in detail.
* "Solomon's Colonnade" -also called Solomon's Porch. It was not built by Solomon, but to note that Solomon had built one originally their. It was on the east side of the Temple. (See Acts 3:11, 5:12) It was noted for five big columns. The Sanhedrin meet there. Jesus, as God was observing them. (See Psalm 82:1)
* These details are mentioned to impress that they were real events.
* "Jews was walking...Jews gathered" -Jesus was walking and the Jews made an effort to gather around him. They initiated this conversation.
* "Why do you keep us in suspense?" -implying that Jesus was being unfairly secretive and held them in suspense. They were acting as if they were seeking the truth. The were being sarcastic.
* "If you are the Christ tell us plainly" -they had asked him this before in 8:25.
>What was Jesus' answer? (25)
* "Jesus answered, 'I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me." -John 10:25
* "I did tell you" -See John 8:58; 7:29, 37-38; 6:62.
* "But you do not believe" -they pretended that they did not decide (9:22), but they really didn't want to believe. Even now they did not want to believe. Their struggle was in their conscience and they were working hard to reject it-willing hesitation-struggle of conviction. Now they just wanted an excuse not to believe and to kill him or at least denounce him.
* "The miracles...speak for me." -another testimony to Jesus' Messiah-ship, besides his words. The third in John the Baptist (40-42), the fourth is the Scriptures (34-36).
* "I do" -Moses, Elijah, Joshua and others, all performed miracles in the Old Testament. So how was Jesus' different than theirs? They did not say that it was for their own glory. When Moses even hinted that at the rock he was forbidden to enter the promised land. (Exodus. 4:1-5, 7:1-5) Jesus on the other hand did it for his glory to reveal that he was the Messiah. (Mark 2:10-11) Also Jesus did not always pray, but did miracles himself. (John 20:30-31)
* "In my Father's name" -in God's will which was to display the Jesus is the Christ.
>2. What proves that these Jews were not Jesus' sheep? (26)
* "but you do not believe because you are not my sheep." -John 10:26
* "you do not believe" -deliberate.
* "because you are not my sheep" -We are predestined to be in Christ. (29; Eph. 1:4-5, Acts 13:48)
* John is the only gospel writer that seems to write about this. Why? John wrote his gospel account from an eternal perspective. Also he answered the question, Why did God's people reject, very clearly.
* This teaching is basically for believers to help us understand why God chose us.
>What do Jesus' sheep do? (27)
* "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." -John 10:27
* "My sheep" -We are Jesus'.
* "Listen to my voice" -study his words and delight in them. (Psalm. 1:2)
* "follow me" -obey Jesus and follow his example, do what he does, imitate him.
* "I know them" -Jesus knows who he calls personally. (2 Timothy 2:19)
>What does Jesus do for the sheep? (28)
* "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, no one can snatch them out of my hand." -John 10:28
* "I" -Jesus himself gives eternal life. He does not say, "The Father gives through me."
* "give" -Jesus gives freely. It is in the present tense, not the future.
* "eternal life" -spiritual life, never ending.
* "perish" -spiritual death, go to hell.
* "snatch" -someone tried to snatch them.
* "never...no one" -absolute words, irrevocable.
* There is a spiritual battle going on.
* Some sheep will suffer because of this spiritual battle.
* "No one can snatch them out of my hand" -we can not lose eternal life. Once Jesus forgives us we are saved for ever. (Rom 8:38-39)
* This teaching can be a stumbling block to young sheep for they can think one of two things:
1) They will become lazy and will not grow spiritually, and will do nothing for the glory of God. The validity of their salvation should be questioned because they are not based on grace and truth. (1:14)
2) They will wonder why God does not chose to save everyone. This will come from a lack of a close relationship to God which is based on his love and mercy. (Duet. 29:22)
3) What does God do for Jesus' sheep? Answered in the next question.
* John's gospel says eternal life more than the others.
>What can we learn here about the characteristics and privileges of Jesus' sheep?
* "My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand." -John 10:29
* Jesus' sheep understand and listen to Jesus.
* Jesus' sheep believe in Jesus.
* Jesus' sheep are given to him by God.
* Jesus' sheep have Jesus' protection .
* Jesus' sheep have the Father's protection.
* "Is greater than all"
* "I and the Father are one." verse 30 -Jesus claim to be God. This is a testimony of the reality of the trinity. The Jews asked for Jesus to say who his was clearly. They ask for him to say that he was the Messiah. Jesus went beyond their request in defining himself.
II. Unless I do What My Father Does (31-39)
>4. Why did they want to stone Jesus? (31, 33)
* "Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him," -John 10:31
* "'We are not stoning you for any of these,' replied the Jews, 'but for blasphemy, because you a mere man, claim to be God.'" -John 10:33
* They accused Jesus of blasphemy (claiming to be God).
* "'I have shown you many great miracles from the Father." -Jesus is pointing out the miracles which are evidence of his Messiah-ship. He notes that they are "great" one's. They were not anything done before. Only the Messiah would do these. -Isaiah 35:4-6
* "We are not stoning you for any of these" -they did not deny the miracles. They knew that the miracles were pure acts of God that can not be explained and that no one else had done.
* "mere" -only.
* "claim to be God" -the Jews knew that Jesus was saying that he was God. Yet today people say that Jesus never said it.
>What was the answer Jesus gave from scripture? (32; 34-36; Psalm. 82:6; Exodus. 22:28; and 2 Ch. 19:6)
* "but Jesus said to them, 'I have shown you many great miracles from the Father, For which of these do you stone me?'" -John 10:32
* "Jesus answered them, 'Is it not written in you law, I have said you are gods'? If he called them 'gods,' to whom the word of God came-and the Scripture cannot be broken- what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, 'I am God's Son'?" -John 10:34-36
* "I said, 'You are 'gods'; you are all sons of the Most High.'" -Psalm 82:6
* "Do not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people." -Exodus 22:28
* "He told them, 'Consider carefully what you do, because you are not judging for man but for the LORD, who is with you whenever you give a verdict." 2 Chronicles 19:6
* Jesus could have blown them off the map here. This is Jesus' grace.
* Jesus argument- "if they were called god's how much more I the Messiah."
* God called his servants god's because they gave God's words. Not that they are God's for they had to receive God's words to give the word's of God.
* "and the Scripture can not be broken" -it is without flaw. There is no flaw in it.
* Jesus is using Scriptures because they knew no Scripture can be denied.
>5. What evidence did Jesus offer to substantiate his claim? (37, 38)
* "Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does. But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father." -John 10:37-38
III. Many Believed in Jesus (40-42)
>6. Where did Jesus go and what did he do? (40)
* "Then Jesus went back across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing in the early days, Here he stayed." -John 10:40
* This was no coincidence. When they were there they remembered John the Baptist testimony.
* "Here he stayed"-They had tried to kill him. It was not his time to die.
* This is the last confrontation between Jesus and the Jew's in John's account.
>What was the response of ordinary people to his ministry? (41)
* "and many people came to him, They said, 'Though John never performed a miraculous sign, all that John said about this man was true.'" -John 10:41
>Why?
* John's words.
* God moved their hearts.
>7. What did many people do in that place? (42)
* "And in that place many believed in Jesus." -John 10:42
>What does it mean to believe in him? (42)
* To accept his as the Christ.
* To believe his words are true.
* To accept in the heart.
>How might their response be different from that of people in John 2:23-25 and 6:26-29?
* "Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the miraculous signs he was doing and believed in his name. But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all men. He did not need man's testimony about man, for he knew what was in a man." -John 2:23-25
* "Jesus answered, 'I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval." -John 6:26-29
* The people in John 10 believed because of God's word's spoken through John the Baptist. They examined the miracles in light of John's word. The people in John 2 and 6 believed because of a miracle Jesus performed. The first had a deeper foundation. No cost.
* Deep faith.
* Faith has depth.
>8. What can we learn in this chapter about the good shepherd Jesus?
* He lays down his life for the sheep.
* He holds onto us.
>Why do you think Jesus is so confident about his sheep and his mission?
* He loves the Father.
* Confident to teach the truth.
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