Gospel of John –Lesson 15
By Joyce Webb 2025
John Chp. 5 Vs. 17-47
Verse 17 Jesus has healed a man by a pool. He healed him on the Sabbath day. The Jewish church leaders are very angry with Jesus.
They tell him that it is against the Jewish law to “work” on the Sabbath.
They considered “healing” a man to be “work”.
Jesus answered them–My Father has worked and I work.
Vs. 18 So the Jewish leaders tried the more to kill Jesus.
Because—Jesus had “worked” on the Sabbath day and—he said that God was his Father—-making himself equal to God.
(This is the real reason the Jewish leaders were angry with Jesus. They did not believe or accept that Jesus was God.)
Vs. 19 Then Jesus said to them–”Verily, or truly—I say to you—The Son can do nothing of himself—but what he sees the Father do: for what things so ever he does—these things the Son does.”
Vs. 20 For the Father loves the Son, shows him all things that he himself does—-and he will show him greater works than these—that you will marvel (be amazed).
Vs. 21 For as the Father raised up the dead, and quicken them (made them alive)—even so the Son will quicken the dead when he chooses to do it.
Vs. 22 For the Father judges no man, but has committed (given) all judgment to the Son.
Vs. 23 That all men should honor the Son,—even as they honor the Father—He that honors not the Son—does not honor the Father which sent him.
Vs. 24 He that hears my word, and believes on him that sent me, will have everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation (be guilty, be blamed, be dammed,) but is passed from death unto life.
Vs. 25 The hour is coming, and now is here, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.
Vs. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so has the Son life in himself.
(This is an important verse. Later in John 10:18 Jesus said, “No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have the power to take it again.”
Man can not decide to die and just make himself die. He might use something to kill himself, but he can not just decide in his mind he will die and drop over dead. He might hold his breath for a long time—but then his body’s reflexes take over and he breaths again—unless he has done something to block his airways.
But Jesus could give up his spirit—and he did so on the cross.
No man once dead can bring himself back to life. Doctors might work on a person and be able to start their heart again. But the person himself can not bring his body back to life by thinking about it.
Jesus had the power to make himself—his body—alive again.
Because he had life in himself.
Vs. 27 And (the Father) has given him the authority to execute (carry out) judgment also, because he is the Son of God.
Vs. 28 Do not marvel or be amazed at this: for the hour is coming in which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice.
Vs. 29 And (they) shall come forth (from the graves): they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
(Jesus did raise several people from the dead during his ministry while on earth.
And, when Jesus raised from the dead after the cross—a number of people in the town in graves—rose from the dead—and lived again.
Also, the time is coming–when Jesus returns in the clouds—with a trumpet sound to catch up believers into the clouds with him—called “the rapture”—that believers who have died—will come alive and out of the graves— first to go up in the clouds —and then the believers who are still living will be caught up into the clouds with them.
Vs. 30 Jesus said— I can of my own self do nothing:
as I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just (right); because I seek not my own will, but the will of my Father which has sent me.
Vs. 31 If I bear witness of myself, then my witness would not be true.
Vs. 32 There is another that bear witness of me: and I know that witness —and that witness of me is true.
Vs. 33 You sent unto John, and he was a witness unto the truth.
Vs. 34 But I receive not testimony from man:
but these things I say, that you might be saved.
Vs. 35 He (John) was a burning and a shining light:
and you were willing for a season (a time) to rejoice in his light.
(Some of the Jewish leaders would go hear John preach. Later, the Roman king or ruler had John killed.)
Vs. 36 Jesus said—-But I have a greater witness than John—for the works which the Father has given me to finish, the same works that I do, (they) bear witness of me, that the Father has sent me.
Vs. 37 And the Father himself which has sent me, is a witness of me.
You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
John 4:24 says: God is a spirit.
I Timothy 1:17 says: God is invisible —-also Colossians 1:15
In other places, John in Rev. Chp.4 describes God on the throne as an emerald aura of light—-and later in Chp 5 John sees the “right hand” of God holding a scroll.
We know that angels can change shape. They can appear to people as though they were humans—man, woman, child.
They can show themselves as white robed persons—like we see pictures drawn of them.
It could be that God the Father is a spirit—that can not been seen normally,— but that he could show himself as having body parts like a human—such as the angels do.
I guess we will not know for sure—-until we get to heaven and see for ourselves.
Vs. 38 And you have not his word living in you; for whom he has sent, you do not believe him.
Vs. 39 Search the scriptures—for in them you think you have eternal life; and they testify of me.
(The Jewish leaders were very proud of their knowledge of the Old Testament scriptures.
To become a Pharisee, the person had to memorize —the Torah (the first 5 books of the Old Testament.
(Look at the first 5 books in the Bible—-do you think you could memorize all that?
The Prophecy books and Writings— were studied in more advanced schools for promising students.)
And yet, for all their study and memorizing—-they did not see and recognize the verses that spoke about the coming Messiah —that those verses matched Jesus’ life — and what he was doing.
The Jewish church leaders knew all the verses about the coming Messiah—-who was to save them.
They always thought that this Messiah would come as a mighty king or ruler —-and would make Israel a mighty kingdom.
No longer would other countries rule over them.
Jesus the Messiah will rule the whole world one day.
But not yet,—-and there were scripture verses in the Old Testament that told how a Savior would come to Israel who would come as a humble person—-and would suffer.
Old Testament verses told where he would be born.
Yet, the church leaders did not see those verses as matching Jesus’ life.
They were looking for a strong powerful king person—and they did not see Jesus as him.
Vs. 40 Jesus said: —You will not come to me—that you might have life.
Vs. 41 I receive not honor from men.
(This was true—not many people honored Jesus. Of all the people that lived in Israel—only a small number believed that Jesus was the Son of God.)
Vs. 42 Jesus said—But I know you, that you have not the love of God in you.
Jesus is telling the Jewish church leaders—that they do not have the “love of God” in them. Wow! Church leaders !!
(But it was true. Most of them were proud and selfish. They were jealous of Jesus because of the people who followed him and the attention he got.
They thought they were more “holy” than other people because they knew the scriptures so well, and they obeyed all their man-made rules and laws—about what to do and what not to do.
Rules and laws that were never in the scriptures.
They planned to murder Jesus. How is that for a church leader?
Of course, they excused themselves saying they were protecting the people from a “false teacher or prophet”—-
and they tried to make the Roman leaders think that Jesus was
gong to try to be “king“ —–and take over the Roman‘s rule.)
Vs. 43 Jesus said—-I am come in my Father’s name, and you did not receive me,—–if another shall come in his own name—you will receive him.
Vs. 44 How can you believe (in someone) who receives honor from another person, but do not believe or honor someone that comes from God?
Vs. 45 Do not think that I will accuse (blame) you to the Father;
—there is one that accuses you—even Moses—in whom you trust.
Vs. 46 For had you believed Moses, you would have believed me because he wrote of me.
Genesis 3:15
Genesis 12: 3
Genesis 18:18
Genesis 22:18
Genesis 49:10
Deuteronomy 18:15-18
Numbers chp. 21 story of bronze serpent –John 3:14
Exodus Chp. 12 Jesus a Passover Lamb—Jesus called “Lamb of God”
Genesis Chp 22 Isaac—son being sacrificed —Jesus the Son
Vs. 47 But if you believe not his writings, how will you believe my words?
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Questions Gospel of John –Lesson 15
By Joyce Webb 2025
John Chp. 5 Vs. 17-47
1. Why were the Jewish church leaders angry with Jesus for healing the man at the pool? __________________________
_________________________________________________
2. What was the real reason they wanted to kill Jesus?
________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
3. Tell 2 different times and ways—-the “dead” were made alive again—and 1 way they will be made alive again.
a. _________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
b. _________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
c._________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
4. How was it that Jesus could make himself alive again?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
5. How can you describe how God the Father looks?
_____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. To become one of the Pharisees, what did you have to memorize? ________________________________________
__________________________________________________
7. Why did the Jewish church leaders not see Jesus as the Messiah? What were they looking for? ____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________