IN THE WORD BIBLE STUDY

Below you will find questions and notes for this week's IN THE WORD BIBLE STUDY.

Students please read pages 60-65, in your study guide; answering questions 6,7,8 and 10. Read TRUTH FOR TODAY on the bottom of page 64.

John 10:1-21....Jesus is the Good Shepherd. While Jesus declares himself the good shepherd, in a sense he is warning us that there are “others” parading as ..good shepherds. He is the good shepherd of humanity, to as many as will receive and accept him as their shepherd. This is one of the most beautiful metaphors cherished by Christians the world over of Jesus' tender, devoted, loving care of his people. It also indirectly supports Jesus's claim to deity because the Old Testament's image of the Shepherd is used of God (Genesis 48:15: 15; 49: 24; Psalms 23;1; 80:1). Jesus said “ I have come that they might have life, and have it to the full”. John 10:10.

This chapter begins with an illustration or figure of speech( 10:6) similar like a parable, about sheep and shepherds. John gives two parts of the illustration, “the gate” (10:1-13 and the s(hepherd”( 10:3-5). The 'gatea' is explained in 10: 1-10, and the “shepherd” is interpreted in 10:11-18.

Comparing leaders and shepherds and their people with sheep was common in the Bible and the Middle East (some examples are 11 Sam. 5:2; 1 Kings 22:17; Zechariah 10:2). Shepherding was a common occupation;, several of the OT leaders were shepherds, most of the entire nation of Israel also (Gen. 46:32; 47:3). God is called a shepherd or his people sheep in many places in the Bible (Gen. 48:15; 49:24; Psalm 1; Ec.12:11; Is. 40:11; 53:6; jer. 31:10; 1 Peter 2:25). Some of the elements in 10: 1-18 can be given a symbolic meaning..as

.The “good Shepherd” is Christ

.The 'sheep” are the Jewish believers

.The “Sheepfold” is Judaism

.The “gate” is Jesus as the only way to life

.The “other sheep” are Gentile believers

.The “gatekeeper” is probably God

Chapter 10 here calls to mind the words God gave Ezekiel the prophet in chapter 34 of the book that bears his name. The prophet castigated the the false shepherds (representing Israel's wicked leaders), and predicted the true shepherd would come and would, love and care and provide for the sheep (God's people).

The healed man in chapter 9 represented all believers who would come out of Judaism and follow Jesus, as sheep follows their shepherd. Oh Hallelujah! (Some insights taken from Life Application Bible Commentary).

Below are questions and study notes for Thursday night.

1. Research the physical sheepfold of that day. How was it constructed?
2. Who is the “the door”?
3. In verse 8, who do you think Jesus was calling in the metaphor, thieves and robbers?
4. Did the sheep become confused when they were called out? Why not?
5. In verse 5 Jesus speaks of “the stranger”, run the reference there and tell where it leads. What group pf people represent “the stranger”?
6. What 2 great things in verse 10 did Jesus come to give his believers? Find the scripture where god says “ I have set before you life and death..choose life.”.(paraphrasing).
7. Do you think the religious leaders had made themselves “gatekeepers”? Explain your answer yes or no.
8. The Shepherd says he gives his life for the sheep..what is Jesus eluding to?
9. Why is the hireling called an hireling? What does hireling mean?
10. Relate some differences between the Good Shepherd, the thief and the hireling?
11. The Good Shepherd came to gather together God's people into one flock. (read Ez. 34: 11-14, 23). Praise God! The new Gentile believers and the Jewish believers who came out of Judaism will form one flock, this flock will have one shepherd! Jesus prays about this in his High Priestly prayer in John 17: 20-21).
12. The Father loved the Son because he laid down his life and took it up again to secure salvation for all the believers. (10:17-18).
13. The Jews (religious leaders) were mad and divided again, in john 7:20; 8:48 they had accused him of being demon possessed. The take another step and say he's raving mad or insane 10:19-20. Who were the “others' in verse 21...and what did they say?

Join in Thursday night 7:30 est, call 518-530-1840, Access code 367405204.

IN THE WORD BIBLE STUDY!

IN THE WORD BIBLE STUDY

Jesus declared “I am the light of the word” (John 9:5), yes the healing of the blind man affirmed Jesus' identity as the Messiah. The Old Testament had predicted that the Messiah would come giving sight to the blind (Is. 29:18,; 35:5;, 42: 7).

Below are questions and assignments for our study John chapter 9 .on Thursday nights 7:30 est.

1. It is a good thing to obey God! In John 9: 7 Jesus commands the blind man to go wash in the pool of siloam, he did, and came back seeing. Do you remember any one else in scripture who was commanded to go wash in water, and came back healed? Who and where is this found in scripture?
2. The pool of Siloam was built by which king of Judea?
3. Why do you think the neighbors of the blind man seemed confused as to who he was?
4. Who did the blind man say had given him the instructions to go to the pool of siloam? How did he know it was Jesus?
5. Why do you think the neighbors brought the healed man to the Pharisees? What do you think were their motives? Explain.
6. After explaining how he had received his sight to the Pharisees, were they happy for him? Did they ever acknowledge that a great miracle had taken place? Why?
7. The Pharisees are again confused by their own confusion, their own unbelief. In verse 16 what caused the division this time..what was their “reasoning” Read James 5:1-8...the man of two minds...
8. What truth is revealed by the fact that the Jews and Pharisees would now believe in Christ even when faced with the man who had been miraculously healed of his blindness by Jesus?
9. The blind man seems to be receiving “insight'. In 9:11 when questioned by religious leaders, he says the healer is just “a man”, but under another questioning he called him “ a prophet' in verse 17.
10. When confronted by the Pharisees, why did the parents of the heal man speak as they did? Explain the “culture” that existed in that day between the religious leaders and the people, and why...
11. Chapter 9, verses 24-25..the phrase “give glory to God” means to tell the truth,(see Joshua 7:19, Jer. 13:16. They tried hard to get the healed man to confess his wrong by claiming Jesus was a prophet..but oh no he held his ground...I like this healed man! Stand up for Jesus! We as Christians don't have to know all the answers before we can witness the truth about Jesus. All we do is tell what Christ did for us. We are our own EXPERT on that subject. We tell our story and pray that our words will draw others to Him! Oh Hallelujah!
12. Nope they could not throttle the healed beggar's willingness to testify for Jesus. It seemed the more they questioned him, the more he received his sight, the clearer he became about Jesus. I will now bring 4 points on this subject.
13. 1.The man recognized his healer as the man called Jesus (9:11)
    2.Then he declared Jesus as a 'prophet' (9:17)
    3 He saw Jesus as one “from God' and had done a miracle never done before (9:32-33)
    4 finally when confronted by Jesus, he 'believed” that Jesus was the son of God (The Messiah), and worshiped Him (9:35-38).
14. As the self-proclaimed “light of the world,” Jesus speaks blunt truth to the darken hearts of sinful people. Will we hear and obey? Or, are we like the Pharisees, will we resist and reject the hard truth of God? Jesus demands a “choice”..he demands a decision be made..What areas of your life do you sense the Lord speaking uncomfortable words to you?.if any..what will you do?