Bible

Back in the Bible room again today, we continue reading the Gospel of John with Session 3, the summaries of chapters 6 and 7.

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John

Session 3

Chapter 6. Signs

After this, Jesus crosses the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberius:

• There, He attracts a large crowd to see Him perform signs;
• Jesus goes up a mountain and meets with His disciples;
• The time of the Passover Feast is coming closer;
• The great crowd heads up the mountain toward Jesus;
• Testing Philip, Jesus asks him where to buy food for the crowd;
• Philip says two hundred denarii would not buy enough food
• To give just one bite to everyone in a crowd this large;
• Andrew then tells Jesus a lad here has five loaves and two fish;
• But this little food won’t begin to feed this crowd;
• Jesus tells the disciples to have all the people sit down;
• There are about five thousand men in this crowd;
• Jesus gives thanks, then divides the food among the disciples;
• They then distribute it to everyone, all they want to eat;
• Jesus tells them to gather up the fragments of left-overs;
• So, nothing is lost, they fill twelve baskets with left-overs;
• Seeing this sign, the people all say this is the Prophet:
• The One who is to come into the world;
• Thinking the people were going to take Him by force,
• Intending to make Him King, He hurries away by Himself;
• Later, the disciples head back across the sea to Capernaum;
• Jesus has not come down to the boat with them;
• Three or four miles out, the wind is blowing hard;
• Walking on the water, Jesus approaches the boat;
• They are fearful, so Jesus identifies himself;
• He tells them not to be afraid, gets into the boat with them;
• When the people see that Jesus, and His disciples, have left,
• They all get into boats, go over to Capernaum to meet them;
• Jesus says they all came over because He had just fed them;
• He tells them not to labor for food, but seek after eternal life;
• Jesus can give them everlasting life from the Father;
• They ask Him what they must do to find this eternal life;
• He says they must believe in Jesus whom the Father has sent;
• Jesus is the bread of life sent down from the Father above;
• All who come to Him will never hunger and never thirst;
• They still will not believe in Him, though they have seen Him;
• Those who come to Jesus, He will not turn away;
• And they will have everlasting life;
• The Jews murmur among themselves: This is the son of Joseph;
• We all know him; How can He say He is the Son of God?
• He says it is written in the prophets: Jesus has come from God;
• And whoever believes in Him has everlasting life;
• No one has ever seen God, but if you see Jesus, you see God;
• God sent down the manna in the wilderness, but they all died;
• He is the bread of life, the living bread from God;
• All who eat of this bread will never die;
• The Jews question themselves: How can they eat of His flesh;
• He says all who feed on Him will live forever;
• Many of His followers cannot understand what He is saying;
• Jesus asks them if His words have offended them;
• He says His words are of the spirit and this gives life;
• He knows those who do not believe, and they leave Him;
• Jesus asks the twelve disciples if they also plan to leave;
• Simon Peter asks: To whom shall we go? You give eternal life;
• We have come to believe, and we know You are the Christ,
• You are the Son of the living God;
• Jesus says He chose them, knowing that one of them is a devil;
• He is speaking of Judas Iscariot who would betray Him;

Chapter 7. Sent

After this, Jesus keeps His ministry in Galilee, avoiding the Jews in Judea:

• There, He knows their intention is to kill Him;
• The Jew’s Feast of Tabernacles is coming soon;
• Jesus’s brothers urge Him to return to Judea;
• There, His followers will be able to witness His miracles;
• It appears even His brothers do not believe in Him;
• Jesus tells His brothers to go into Judea for the feast;
• The Jews do not hate them so they won’t be in danger;
• Jesus says it is not yet His time, so, He will stay away;
• But later, after His brothers leave, Jesus will go to the feast;
• To avoid the Jews, He keeps his identity a secret;
• At the feast, the Jews inquire about His whereabouts;
• There is some murmuring about Jesus:
• Some people say He is good, some say He is a deceiver;
• Mostly, they don’t want to be identified with Him;
• Halfway through the feast, Jesus goes into the temple;
• There, He begins teaching again, amazing the Jews;
• They question how He could be so knowledgeable;
• Jesus says His doctrine is from the One who has sent Him;
• They all know the law that comes from Moses;
• But they do not keep that law;
• Then He asks them why they intend to kill Him;
• They say He has a demon that will try to kill Him;
• Jesus says they believe strictly in the law of circumcision;
• Yet, they break the law by circumcising on the Sabbath;
• Then, they condemn Jesus for healing a man on the Sabbath;
• Jesus tells them they should judge righteously;
• Some from Jerusalem say this is the man they intend to kill;
• But Jesus is not physically threatened at that time;
• The onlookers say they don’t think this is the Christ;
• When the Christ comes, he will not be from around there;
• The Christ will not be someone they already know;
• Jesus cries out: Yes, you know Me, and where I am from;
• But you do not know the One who has sent Me;
• It was not yet time for Jesus to be taken and killed,
• So, they did not attempt to take Him by force;
• He says soon they will look for Him, but not find Him;
• Because He will be going back to the One who sent Him;
• They are confused, wondering where He was going;
• On the last day of the feast, Jesus invites all to come to Him;
• He tells them to come and drink of the living water;
• In this, Jesus speaks of the Spirit whom those believing in Him
• Would receive after the Holy Spirit comes into the world;
• Many in the crowd say this is truly the Prophet, or the Christ;
• Others ask if the Christ can come from Galilee; They say:
• The scriptures say the Christ will be from the seed of David;
• He will come out of the town of Bethlehem;
• The crowd is divided: But they do not arrest Jesus at this time;
• Chief priests and Pharisees ask why Jesus has not been taken;
• The officers explain: No Man has ever spoken like He does;
• Their response: So, you all have been deceived by this Man?
• Have any rulers or Pharisees believed in this Man?
• They answer that this crowd is accursed, and illiterate;
• Nicodemus, the ruler who had met Jesus by night, speaks up:
• He says they should question this Man, find out who He is;
• They say: No prophet has ever come out of Galilee.

End of Session 3 of the book of John.