Bible Study Notes - John 8:12-8:20

Bible Study Notes - John 8:12 – 8:20

In this brief passage, the evangelist depicts the Lord Jesus Christ as “The Light of the World.”  Jesus teaches in the treasury section of the temple.  He spars verbally with the religious leaders about the validity of His testimony.  Jesus angers some Pharisees, Sadducees and teachers of the Law when He insists that the Heavenly Father testifies on Jesus’ behalf.  Jesus references the Law and the fact that the testimony of two creditable witnesses yields legitimacy.  Thus, the testimony of the Father and the Son validates Jesus’ teachings.  Extending his literary theme of duality in contrasting light and darkness and his prevailing motif of high Christology, the evangelist posits that Jesus’ teachings offer greater illumination than the torches of illumination within the temple area.  More practically, John submits that a relationship with Jesus and a lifelong commitment of studying His teachings imparts greater internal light for disciples than rote religiosity, repetitive rituals and redundant righteousness.  

Establishing a transformative relationship with Jesus is one the main premises of John’s gospel.  The evangelist desires that readers and potential disciples find salvation which existentially means healing, cure and wholeness in Jesus rather than creeds, doctrines and routine practices.  Moreover, Jesus’ teachings illuminate the best in a person’s mind, heart, character and soul.  Morality, ethics and principles emerge more authentically from this relationship than memorization and theoretical study of religious dogma.  Just a study of the Law without any relational or experiential knowledge of God is lifeless, theoretical knowledge of Christianity without a relationship with Jesus is equally unprofitable.  Contemporary Christians in the United States could easily fall prey to the fallacy of equating dramatic, celebratory and largescale worship with a relationship with Christ.  The evangelist means more than attendance at a weekly inspiring worship service.  In any generation, disciples of necessity must learn and internalize Jesus’ teachings as means and methods of daily living.  Most regrettably, weekly Bible study and prayer meeting are the least attended activities in any local church.  Further, biblical illiteracy accounts for most inexplicable and unreasonable congregational conflicts.  Still, individual and collective relationships with Jesus comprise divine light to guide persons towards their better selves. 

In his immortal poem, If, Kipling asks, “Can you keep your head when all about you are losing theirs?”  Pervasive darkness often seems to surround the global village in which the whole world now lives.  A legitimate desire to respect all peoples irrespective of cultural, racial, religious, political, class and other social distinctions possibly contributes to moral, ethical and ideological relativism.  The decline of generally and broadly accepted moral and ethical principles and practices inadvertently creates darkness that permeates human relationships.  Some persons deem being caught to be worse than the offense.  Lying is an acceptable means of evading responsibility.  Celebrity equates with justifiable exemption from accountability.  In utter extremes, there are persons who justify commission of murder, torture and divergent forms of terrorism of any of these activities result “logically” from their relative “values.”  How do Christian disciples maintain moral and ethical integrity as this intractable relativism surrounds them?  The evangelist suggests they appeal to the teachings of Jesus as their light in the darkness.

As you study this passage, consider the following questions and ideas.

·         Translate into your own words what Jesus means when He says, “I am the light of the world.”  Write a statement of personal and practical application as a disciple.  How do Jesus’ teachings illuminate your moral and ethical decisions?

·         Jesus says further, “Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  In addition to the references to “darkness” above, what are other ways in which disciples possibly stumble in darkness?  Depression, anxiety, stress, anger and other negative emotions create considerable bleakness in a person’s life.  Consider ways in which a relationship with Jesus can resolve these dilemmas.  Evaluate the potential benefits of genuine spirituality in supplementing the work of mental health professionals.

·         Contrast personal and societal forms of darkness.  Consider ways in which disciples lapse into collective morally questionable behavior.  What are some pragmatic and practical ways in which Christians effectively combat this tendency?

·         The Pharisees dismiss Jesus’ teachings and testimony because He testifies on his own behalf.  Note the evangelist’s use of legal language in depicting Jesus as the “One and Only Begotten Son” of the Father and establishing Jesus’ authority to act on the Father’s behalf.  For John, Jesus’ words possess the weight of sworn testimony and creditable evidence in a court proceeding.  Still, the Pharisees essentially cross examine Jesus with an objective of discrediting His testimony and claims to be God’s Son.

·         Secure in His heavenly origins and immaculate descent, Jesus perseveres with His testimony as He in turn dismisses the Pharisees accusations. 

·         Jesus then condemn the Pharisees for “judging by appearances.”  What exactly does that phrase means?  Apparently, the Pharisees discard anyone whose pedigree inclusive of genealogy, education, economics, religious practice and other social distinctions do not accord with their preferences.  Most regrettably, many churches administer a common day pedigree test to new believers and disciples whose backgrounds and demographical peculiarities are incongruent with an average congregant.  Have you witnessed this unfortunate occurrence in a church? 

·         Some churchgoers are more conversant with their traditions than they are with the Bible.  These traditions comprise the litmus test that new believers and members undergo to win approval within some churches. 

·         The Bible portrays early Christian churches that welcomed persons from the most diverse backgrounds.  Roman soldiers, government officials, tent makers, fishermen and tax collectors, all, belonged to churches where they shared fellowship in study of the Word, worship, meals and encouragement to persevere.  The Church in the United States needs rejuvenation whereby she returns to her biblically based Christian origins.  A church greets and accepts anyone regardless of his or her preferences, orientation, constitution or identifying characteristics.  Were disciples to return to these primary and fundamental Christian principles and practices, the Church in the United States would experience a desperately needed renaissance.

·         Jesus insists, in further reply to the Pharisees, “I do not judge anyone. And even if I should choose to judge, my judgment is valid because I am not alone, but it is I and the Father who sent me.”  The evangelist reminds us that love is the prism through which the Father and the Son judge.  Earlier in the Gospel, John pens the immortal words of the third chapter and sixteenth verse.  The Father’s love compels the gift of the Son.  The seventeenth verse declaratively states, “God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world might be saved through Him.”  God’s unfailing love always triumphs over condemnation, judgment and punishment.  Jesus’ correctness in judging emerging perfectly from the Father’s unquestionably perfect love.

·         As Jesus does not judge anyone by outward appearances, reminiscent of 1 Samuel 16:7, Jesus looks inwardly and assesses what lies within a person’s mind, heart and character.  The basis of forgiveness, love enables us to look beyond a person’s shortcomings and focus upon his or her potential.

·         The other evangelists concur with John that disciples resist the very human tendency to judge other people’s character defects.  One author sagely exhorts disciples about the ease with which persons forgive within themselves transgressions and offenses that they condemn in other people.

·         Earlier in his Gospel, John records the salacious and salient story of a woman caught in the act of adultery.  The gathering crowd, summoned at the call of the Pharisees, quickly picks up stones to judge and punish this woman.  Their grab stones without any pause as their contempt for her immoral actions compel them.

·         In stark contrast, Jesus challenges the crowd, “Let the person without sin cast the first stone.”  He refuses to judge this woman as she may have been victim of rank hypocrisy by the Pharisees.  Quite possibly, the man with which she indulged in adultery was one of them.  They exploited her by offering her as the scapegoat to cloak their comrade’s sin. 

·         Given this inconsistency of belief and behavior, Jesus warns against the deficient practice of judging people.

·         Jesus further chides the Pharisee as He insists any judgment that He would offer is valid as it receives the Heavenly Father’s endorsement.  As the Father sends the Son to embody and reflect unconditional love, He intends that Jesus teaches His followers to utilize the “New Law of Love” in their assessment of other people’s characters.

·         Not surprisingly, the Pharisees fiercely question Jesus’ claims to be in direct relationship with the Heavenly Father.  Jesus’ attestations strike them as blasphemy.  Who is He, a mere mortal like them, to equate Himself with Almighty God?

·         Jesus insists that the agreement between the Father and Him equates legally with the necessary requirement for valid testimony.  Jesus and the Father are two valid witnesses whose testimony established the legal standard of trustworthiness.

·         Implied within the Pharisees’ condemnation of Jesus’ claims of divinity is the suggestion that He is insane.  What man reasonably and unapologetically says that he is the Son of God?

·         Consider further how incredulous Jesus’ claims sound to these learned men who devote their lives to studying and learning the Law.

·         Jesus dismisses their criticism as they do not know God.  Interestingly and ironically, their theoretical knowledge of the Law does not equate automatically with a relationship with the Heavenly Father.  Jesus means experiential and relational knowledge instead of the retention of concepts from reading and memorizing written manuscripts.

·         This exchange between Jesus and the Pharisees reflects a religious fallacy that seduces many contemporary disciples.  Church attendance and thorough memory of Bible verses does not mean that a person has a relationship with the Lord.

·         As the Pharisees rely upon their academic knowledge of God, they are unable to comprehend Jesus’ relational revelations.

·         The evangelist notes treasury area of the Temple is the location of this teaching.  Discuss the significance of the setting and any correlations it may have with Jesus’ words.

·         John additionally records the fact that no one attempts to seize Jesus as “his hour had not yet come.”  The Pharisees’ furor about Jesus probably compelled them to seek his arrest, imprisonment and crucifixion.  As the crowds began to follow Jesus in greater numbers, quite possibly, these religious leaders feared that a rebellion loomed.  Given Roman’s intolerance of any insurrection, the Pharisees reasoned potential and wholesale harm to the Jewish nation were any act of opposition to occur.    Still, as their vitriol motivated them to eliminate Jesus, they were unable to initiate their plan at this time as it did not accord with the will of God.  This concluding statement reminds of God’s sovereign presence and will in our lives.