SDG

SOLI DEO GLORIA

“Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1Corinthians 10:31

John Chapter 1:1-18

Compare the first three words of verse 1 with those of Genesis 1:1. Why did John begin his Gospel in this way?

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John begins his Gospel speaking about, “The Word.” What do we know about the Word from the first 14 verses of John 1?

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Perhaps you have heard the phrase, “What’s the word?” This phrase actually has its roots in Greek philosophy. When a new philosopher went to the Areopagus to share his thoughts or ideas concerning the meaning of life, the other philosophers would ask, “What’s the word?” In the Greek language, this word is called, “the logos.” To the Greek philosophers, the logos was the principle of the universe. It was the truth that explained everything and gave meaning to everything, including life. It was the source of the beginning of the universe and what kept the universe in order. Who does John identify as “the Logos?” Why is this an appropriate title?

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“In Him was life.” What does John mean by that?

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How can the life be the light of men?

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What is meant by darkness?

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What does John mean when he says, “The darkness did not comprehend it?”

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“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.” What two points does John make with this statement? What is the purpose of making these points?

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How does John describe the ministry of John the Baptist in verses 7 and 8?

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In verse 9, John adds one simple adjective to, “the Light.” What is this word and why did he add it?

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Verse 10 serves as a summary and an introduction to a new piece of information. What are the three summary points that he makes? What new information, found in verse 11, does he introduce?

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Verses 5 and 11 both deal with rejection. Darkness/ the sinful world rejected the light. His own (that is His people/ the Jewish people of the time) rejected the true Light. This is a common theme throughout this Gospel. Verse 12 introduces us to the counterpoint of rejection-that is reception. What does John say about the reception of the true Light?

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What is the difference between a right and a privilege?

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What does John stress about the, “right to become children of God?”

It comes through belief, not through:

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Read John 4:10 – 14. How does Jesus define or describe this right? Does this agree with john description of 1:13? Why or why not?

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Verse 14 is the final step in John’s opening description of, “The Word,” The Life,” and “The True Light.” What final information does John give us concerning this entity?

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“Full of grace and truth” is a loaded phrase. What is the message that this phrase drives home?

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Grace for grace (vs. 16) means grace piled upon grace. Yet, there is more to this than meets the eye. Verse 17 brings Moses into the discussion. In Exodus 32 – 34, Moses and the Israelites had received God’s grace or undeserved love. Read Exodus 33:13. What grace had Moses and the people received? What additional grace did Moses seek? How does this relate to John 1:12, 14 & 16?

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Moses was considered to be, “The Great Prophet.” What had Moses, nor any other human ever done? Why? (see Exodus 33:20)

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What point does John make in verse 18?

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John Chapter 1:19 - 51

In last week’s lesson, John the Baptist was introduced as, “a man who was sent by God.” We were told that he came as a witness. In today’s lesson, we will listen to his testimony and see the impact that this witness had on those who had heard it.

Who were the, “Jews of Jerusalem?

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Who did this group send to meet with John the Baptist? Why were these individuals sent? Look at verse 24, who else was sent? What was their main concern?

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Read Mark 1:5. What was another possible reason for their interest in John?

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What was the Baptist’s first confession? What does this term mean?

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Read Malachi 4:5. How does this verse tie into the question of the Jews in verse 21?

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How did John answer this question? Is this in conflict with the words of Jesus in Matthew 17:10-13 and Mathew 11:14? How does Luke 1:17 figure into this discussion?

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Who was the prophet the Jews questioned John the Baptist about? (Read Deuteronomy 18:15 -22)

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What error had the Jews made in their interpretation of this passage (Dt. 18:22)?

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Read Acts 3:22. What does Peter tell us about the prophets?

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John said that he was not Christ, Elijah or the prophet. What did he say was? What does this mean?

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What did the Pharisees ask John the Baptist? Why did they ask this question?

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How did John answer their question? Did he really answer their question?

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So often, in today’s day and age, people casually refer to Jesus as their best friend, the dude upstairs or the big guy. How does John describe his relationship to Jesus?

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How did John the Baptist identify Jesus? What does this mean? How did John know this?

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John’s testimony shifted from who he was not (vs. 20) to who Jesus was (vs. 34). Who did he say Jesus was?

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Since John identified Jesus in this way and said that he saw the Spirit descend on Him, what events in Christ’s life had already happened?

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“The next day,” John again identified Jesus as, “the Lamb of God.” Two of John’s disciples were with him and heard him say this. What was their response?

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Who were these disciples?

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When did this take place? How long were these disciples with Jesus? What effect did this have on them?

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Andrew appears three times in the Gospel of John, here in chapter one and again in 6:4-9 and 12:20-22. What does Andrew do in each of these accounts?

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What was Peter’s real name? If Jesus called him Cephas, where did we get the name Peter from?

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How did Jesus get Philip to become a disciple?

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How did Philip respond to Christ’s call?

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How did Philip identify Jesus when speaking to Nathanael?

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How did Nathanael respond to Philip? Why?

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Jesus complimented Nathanael for being an Israelite in whom there is nothing false or in whom there is no deceit (NKJV, ESV & NASB). To what was Jesus referring when He said this?

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What shocking news did Jesus have for Nathanael? What does this information tell us about Jesus?

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Nathanael became an instant believer, calling Jesus, “Rabbi; Son of God and King of Israel.” What more, according to Jesus, did Nathanael have to look forward to? What does this mean?

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How did Jesus identify Himself? Why?

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John Chapter 2

Chapter 2 begins, “On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee.” This phrase is linked to 1:43. In three days, Jesus and His disciples had traveled from where John was baptizing and arrived in Cana. The distance from what has traditionally been thought to be the area of Bethany at the north end of the Dead Sea to Cana is 70 miles. This makes that location for Bethany improbable. The area of John’s baptizing was more likely east of Ephraim or Alexandrium. From there Jesus traveled to Cana which is thought to be northeast of Nazareth. The location noted as Cana on the map that accompanies this lesson is the site of an archeological dig that has located a first century town that appears to have had a synagogue. It is quite possibly the Cana that Jesus went to.

Why were Jesus and His disciples at the wedding? Mary?

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Why did Mary come to Jesus with the news, “They have no wine?”

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How did Jesus address his mother?

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Jesus told Mary, “My time has not yet come.” Read the following passages from John: 7:7, 8, 30; 8:20; 12:23; 13:1; 16:32 and 17:1 what do the verses tell us about Jesus’ ministry?

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Jesus also asked, “What does this have to do with me?” What can we learn from His total response to Mary?

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What was Mary’s response to Jesus’ words? Why?

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What was the purpose or role of the six stone water jars?

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It is said that Jesus only did miracles in the presence of faith. Where is faith present in this account?

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What did the master of the feast say about the wine? Why?

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John says that, “This the first of His signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee.” What is the purpose of calling the miracle a sign?

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John also says that Jesus “manifested His glory.” What does this mean?

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What was the response of the disciples to this “sign?”

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Jesus went up to Jerusalem because the Passover was at hand. What festivals were every male Jew required to go to Jerusalem for? What did each represent? (See Exodus 23:14-19 and Leviticus 23.

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What two businesses had set up shop in the temple?

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What need did these businesses meet?

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What was wrong with these businesses?

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Read Malachi 3:1-3. Why did Jesus make a whip, turn over the merchant’s tables and drive the merchants out of the temple?

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What Old Testament verse did the disciples remember?

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What question did the Jews ask Jesus? Why?

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What was wrong with the question of the Jews?

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What sign did Jesus give to the people?

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How did the Jews respond to the Christ’s promised sign?

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What did Jesus say that should have made it clear that He was not talking about the temple building but about His body?

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This chapter closes with many people believing the signs that Jesus gave them. Yet, Jesus did not “entrust” or “commit” Himself to any of the people. The same Greek word is used for both believe and commit. Why did people believe/commit to Jesus but He did not believe/commit to them?

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SDG – lesson #3 – John 2

John Chapter 3

Nicodemus was a “Pharisee” and a “ruler of the Jews.” What was a Pharisee? What does it mean to be a ruler of the Jews?

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John gives us a little insight into Nicodemus’ beliefs when he includes the fact that Nicodemus came to Jesus at night. Why would he go at night?

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How did Nicodemus address Jesus? Why?

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Nicodemus mentioned the “signs” that Jesus had done. Why is this important coming from a Pharisee?

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What are the three statements that Jesus introduces with the phrase, “Truly, Truly” (ESV), “Most assuredly” (NKJV), “I tell you the truth?” (NIV)

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What is meant by, “born again?” (See Titus 3:5)

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How did Nicodemus interpret Christ’s words, “born again?”

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In response to Nicodemus’ misunderstanding, Jesus defined our birth(s) as, “born of water and the Spirit.” What does this mean?

(Read Isaiah 32:15; 44:3 & Ezekiel 36:25-27)

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What is the message of verse 6?

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How are the wind and the Spirit alike?

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According to verses 9 & 10, what did Jesus expect Nicodemus to know? Why?

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In verse 11, Jesus said, “I say to you” and “you do not receive.” The first you is singular and the second you is plural. How does this help in the understanding of what Jesus said?

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What earthly things did the Pharisees not believe?

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What are the heavenly things that Jesus was referring to?

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Why did Moses lift up the serpent in the wilderness?

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How was the Son of Man like the serpent lifted up in the wilderness?

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Consider verses 15 & 16. For whom did Jesus come?

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Consider verses 15 & 16. What is required for salvation?

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What did God not send His Son to do?

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What did God send His Son to do?

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What is the ultimate criteria for salvation or condemnation?

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Read Matthew 12:31-32 and Luke 12:10. How do these verses relate to what Jesus says about condemnation in John 3:18?

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Read Hebrews 9:27. When do people face the judgment of God?

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Verses 19 and 20 offer a sad commentary on mankind; why is it that some people will not believe in Christ?

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What doChrist’s words in verse 21 tell us about our belief in Christ?

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In closing out chapter 3, John returns to the account of John the Baptist which he began in Chapter 1. Jesus and his disciples were baptizing people and the crowds were going to Him. This led to a discussion about baptism, also referred to as “purification” or “ceremonial washing.” Instead of being jealous or threatened by Jesus, how does John react to the news of the crowds going to Christ to be baptized?

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The friend of the bridegroom is another term for the best man. Why does the best man rejoice greatly?

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How did John the Baptist express his belief about the future of his own ministry in verse 30?

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How does John describe Jesus in verse 31?

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How did John describe the message of Jesus?

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John the Baptist words of verse 32 echo those of Jesus in verse 11 and the Gospel writer in 1:10. What sad truth do they all reveal?

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What does John say about those who do believe? How can they know or do this?

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What is meant by the phrase, “For He gives the Spirit without measure?”

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“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life.” When does eternal life begin?

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Group Study: Sanhedrin

The term Sanhedrin is from a Greek word that means “assembly” or “council” and dates back to the time of Moses in the Bible. In the Torah, God commands Moses to “Gather for me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you." (Numbers 11:16). Also, in the sixteenth chapter of Deuteronomy we read in verse 18, "You shall appoint judges and officers in all your towns that the LORD your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.” The land was divided up among the tribes and in those areas where tribes had their presence, there were towns and villages and in every town and every village there was to be a court. If there were 120 men as heads of families, they had a local court there called a Sanhedrin. In smaller towns where there were not 120 men as heads of families, there were either three if the town was very small, or seven judges who sat as a court, both judge and jury, in all legal matters.

The Great Sanhedrin was the supreme court of ancient Israel, made up of 70 men, primarily Sadducees and Pharisees, and the high priest. In the Second Temple period, the Great Sanhedrin met in the Temple in Jerusalem. The court convened every day except festivals and on the Sabbath. The Sanhedrin as a body claimed powers that lesser Jewish courts did not have. As such, they were the only ones who could try the king, extend the boundaries of the Temple and Jerusalem, and were the ones to who all questions of law were finally put. The last binding decision of the Sanhedrin was in 358, when the Hebrew Calendar was adopted. The Sanhedrin was dissolved after continued persecution by the Roman Empire.

When dealing with an individual accused of wrongdoing, the Sanhedrin met in a semi-circle with the accused in front of them. Witnesses, there had to be a least two, would speak or bring the charges against the individual and the accused would be given an opportunity to challenge or cross-examine each witness. At the time of Jesus, the Sanhedrin had primarily become a court for discussing interpretation of the Law. Their ability to pronounce a sentence on an individual was greatly limited.

SDG – Lesson #4 / John 3

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Social Study: Pharisees and Sadducees

The Pharisees were a religious and political party that had its origin in the second century before Christ. During a time when it seemed as if the whole world was embracing Greek culture, the Jewish group known as the Hasidim arose to combat this influence and to preserve Jewish ways. Eventually, one branch of the Hasidim broke off and formed their own community. Others however, who remained a part of regular Jewish life, formed the group that later became known as the Pharisees ("separate ones"). They so esteemed the "letter" of the Law of Moses (more so than the "spirit" of the law), and so esteemed the oral traditions that were said to have sprung from the law, that they developed strict applications of the law for everyday life. A Pharisee was an esteemed and respected student and defender of the law; and was considered to be a careful seeker of righteousness through the law. As a result, they were considered to be the ones who would be able to identify the Messiah.

The Sadducees were, like the Pharisees, a political and religious party in Jewish culture. Some scholars believe that they had their roots in a high priest named Zadok who lived in the days of David and Solomon (2 Sam. 15:24; 1 Kings 1:34-35); although this isn't certain. By Jesus' day, they were the ruling party in Jewish cultural life. They were generally wealthy men; and they generally tried to get along with the Roman government.