Firbush Retreats Firbush retreats are organized and led by Robert T. Walker. Firbush retreats are designed to make the best theology accessible to as many people as possible and especially those not trained in theology and often not familiar with routine technical terms. They combine times of worship and prayer with reflection on a theme related to Torrance theology. For more information see https://tftorrance.org/firbush. ----------- Nov 12, 2015 Firbush Retreat Summer 2015 David W. Torrance, "John 7-9" https://tftorrance.org/firbushF2015 The audio recording for this presentation is available on the Firbush Retreat section of the website for the Thomas F. Torrance Theological Fellowship. The following AI transcript is too rough to rely upon, but perhaps useful for word searches and time-stamps. It is unretouched; if anyone wishes to listen to it and clean it up we will be happy to post an improved version (contact the webmasters). We invite speakers to send us slides for their talks, which we will post alongside the audios and transcripts. If any speaker wishes to have their talk removed from the website, just let us know and we'll take down both the audio and the transcript. ------------ 00:00-00:10 These are marvelous chapters 7, 8 and 9 and I always feel that they really belong together. 00:10-00:20 You probably are very familiar with them but I thought it might be helpful if I read a few excerpts from these three chapters. 00:20-00:22 Chapter 7. 00:22-00:31 "After this Jesus went around in Galilee purposely staying away from Judea because the Jews there were waiting to take his life. 00:31-00:43 But when the Jewish feast of Tabernacles was near Jesus' brother said to him, 'You ought to leave here and go to Judea so that your disciples may see the miracles you do. 00:43-00:47 No one who wants to become a public fixture acts in secret. 00:47-00:55 Since you're doing these things show yourself to the world, for even his own brothers did not believe in him.'" 00:55-00:57 And then 16. 00:57-01:03 "My teaching," where Jesus is talking in Jerusalem with the Jews and the Pharisees, 01:03-01:10 "Jesus answered, 'My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. 01:10-01:20 If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak of my own. 01:20-01:29 He who speaks on his own does soon to gain honor for himself, but he who worked for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth. 01:29-01:37 There's nothing false about him, has not posed as giving you the law, yet none of you keeps the law. 01:37-01:41 Are you trying to kill me?'" 01:41-01:44 And then from verse 37, 01:44-01:49 "On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, 01:49-01:53 'If anyone is thirsty, then come to me and drink. 01:53-02:00 Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.' 02:00-02:07 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. 02:07-02:15 Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified." 02:15-02:21 But hearing this, some of the people said, "Surely this man is a prophet." 02:21-02:24 Others said, "He is a Christ." 02:24-02:28 Still others asked, "How can the Christ come from Galilee? 02:28-02:35 Does not scripture say that the Christ will come from David's family and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?" 02:35-02:39 Thus the people were divided because of Jesus. 02:39-02:44 Some wanted to seize him, but no one made a hand on him. 02:44-02:48 And then over to chapter 8, 12, 02:48-02:55 "When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, 'I am the light of the world. 02:55-03:04 Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'" 03:04-03:12 And 22, Jesus continued, "You are from below. 03:12-03:18 I am from above. You are the world. I am not of the world. 03:18-03:27 I told you that you would die in your sins if you did not believe that I am, the one I claim to be. 03:27-03:30 You will indeed die in your sins. 03:30-03:32 'Who are you?' they asked. 03:32-03:35 'Just what I have been claiming all along,' Jesus replied. 03:35-03:45 'I have much to say in judgment of you, but he who sent me is reliable, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.'" 03:45-03:49 They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. 03:49-03:53 So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, 03:53-03:58 then you will know that I am the one I claim to be, 03:58-04:04 that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. 04:04-04:07 The one who sent me is with me. 04:07-04:12 He has not left me alone, but I always do what pleases him. 04:12-04:17 Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him." 04:17-04:27 And then 43, "Why is my language not clear to you? 04:27-04:31 Because you are unable to hear what I say. 04:31-04:37 You belong to your Father the Devil, and you want to carry out your Father's desires. 04:37-04:41 He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, 04:41-04:43 for there is no truth in him. 04:43-04:46 When he lies, he speaks his native language, 04:46-04:50 for he is a liar, the father of lies, etc." 04:50-04:56 And 58, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth." 04:56-05:01 Jesus answered, "Before Abraham was born, I am." 05:01-05:04 At least they picked up stones to stone him. 05:04-05:09 But Jesus hid himself slipping away from the temple grounds. 05:09-05:13 Then, chapter 9, "When Jesus healed, a man brought blind. 05:13-05:17 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 05:17-05:22 His disciples asked him, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, 05:22-05:24 that he was born blind?' 05:24-05:29 'Neither this man nor his parents sinned,' said Jesus, 05:29-05:34 'but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. 05:34-05:38 As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me, 05:38-05:41 night is coming, but no one can work. 05:41-05:46 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.' 05:46-05:49 Having said this, he spat on the ground, 05:49-05:53 made some mud with saliva, put it on the man's eyes. 05:53-05:57 'Go,' he told him, 'wash in the pool of Siloam.'" 05:57-06:00 This word meant, means sent. 06:00-06:04 "So the man went and washed and came home seeing." 06:04-06:11 Then there follows a long discussion between the man who had received the sight 06:11-06:16 and the Jews and the Pharisees who had thrown Jesus out of the synagogue. 06:16-06:22 And the final upshot is that they throw out the man out of the synagogue 06:22-06:26 who had been born blind or out of the temple. 06:26-06:30 So there we are. 06:30-06:35 What the Apostle John selects from Jesus' ministry 06:35-06:39 to record in his gospels together with the context for Jesus' teaching, 06:39-06:42 miracles and signs, is important. 06:42-06:47 It is helpful and necessary therefore that we consider these three chapters, 06:47-06:52 7, 8 and 9, as really belonging together. 06:52-06:56 In chapters 7 and 8 we have Jesus teaching in Jerusalem 06:56-07:02 during the Feast of Tabernacles with opposition from the Jewish leaders. 07:02-07:06 In chapter 9 we have the healing of the man born blind. 07:06-07:10 For those who have eyes to see, the healing of the man born blind 07:10-07:16 is a dramatic confirmation of what Jesus taught concerning himself 07:16-07:21 during the feast as recorded in chapters 7 and 8. 07:21-07:26 The Feast of Tabernacles is the third and last of the three great annual festivals, 07:26-07:32 namely Passover, Pentecost, Feast of Weeks and Feast of Tabernacles. 07:32-07:36 It falls on the 15th of the seventh month, 07:36-07:39 corresponding to September or October. 07:39-07:44 The feast lasts for seven days from 15th to the 22nd. 07:44-07:47 It's then followed by an eighth day. 07:47-07:51 Although this eighth day was closely connected with the Feast of Tabernacles, 07:51-07:53 it formed no part of the feast. 07:53-07:57 The sacrifices were different, the ritual was different, 07:57-08:01 the people no longer lived in booths or shelters made of benches. 08:01-08:06 The first day and the eighth day were days of holy confiscation. 08:06-08:11 Each was a Sabbath, but not in the sense of the weekly Sabbath. 08:11-08:15 Each was a day of rest and worship. No work was done. 08:15-08:19 The Feast of Tabernacles followed closely on the Day of Atonement, 08:19-08:24 which took place on the tenth day of Tishri, to use the Hebrew word, 08:24-08:27 in which the sin of Israel had been removed 08:27-08:31 and Israel was restored in covenant relationship with God. 08:31-08:37 Of the three annual feasts, the Feast of Tabernacles was the most joyous. 08:37-08:40 The sins of the people had been atoned for 08:40-08:43 and the feast fell at the time of year 08:43-08:47 when all the crops of the fields had been finally harvested. 08:47-08:51 Hence, it is called the Feast of Ingathering. 08:51-08:56 There were three things which especially marked the Feast of Tabernacles. 08:56-09:02 It was a joyous feast, the most joyful of the three annual feasts. 09:02-09:08 Secondly, the people for seven days lived in booths or shelters made from branches of trees, 09:08-09:12 reminding them that they lived in shelters when God brought them out of Egypt. 09:12-09:16 They provided shade, although they admitted little sunshine. 09:16-09:21 These shelters were built in the courtyard, gardens on the roofs of the houses. 09:21-09:25 The people lived in these booths for the seven days of the feast. 09:25-09:31 They were to eat, pray, study and sleep in them except in heavy rain. 09:31-09:35 The third characteristic of the feast was the offerings, 09:35-09:38 which are different from the other two annual feasts. 09:38-09:45 Many more animals were sacrificed. For example, there were 70 bullocks, 14 rams, 98 lambs. 09:45-09:51 There were 182 sacrifices together with a flower offering. 09:51-09:55 The number of bullocks sacrificed decreased by one each day. 09:55-10:04 According to the rabbis, there were 70 bullocks corresponding to the 70 heathen nations of the world. 10:04-10:08 It's often pondered at, but things we don't know. 10:08-10:14 There were two prominent symbols associated with the feast, water and light. 10:14-10:20 One, each day the priest formed a procession and walked around the altar singing, 10:20-10:27 'O then, now work salvation Jehovah, O Jehovah, give prosperity.' 10:27-10:32 On the seventh day, the great day of the feast, they walked seven times round the altar 10:32-10:36 as Joshua walked seven times round the city of Jericho. 10:36-10:41 At the same time, a priest went down to the pool of Siloam 10:41-10:47 when he returned at the point where the priest were ready to walk round the altar. 10:47-10:54 He held up the water and poured it out to run down a channel surrounding the altar 10:54-11:01 and then out from the temple and it was carried out across various symbolism out into the world. 11:01-11:08 And that great symbolism of the water flowing from under the altar out into the barren world 11:08-11:11 and it very linked with this feast. 11:11-11:17 And at that point, the people sang the Hallel, Psalms 113 and 118. 11:17-11:23 This anticipated God's salvation and the pouring out of his Holy Spirit. 11:23-11:27 And the choir sang, 'O give thanks to the Lord.' 11:27-11:31 And the people waved their new laughs at their palm branches. 11:31-11:37 The second important ceremony of the Feast of Tabernacles was the illumination of the temple 11:37-11:39 which all the lamps were lit. 11:39-11:44 According to Jewish tradition, the 'Pilate of Cloud' by day and 'A Fire by Night' 11:44-11:52 had first appeared to Israel on the fifteenth day of Tishri, the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles. 11:52-11:57 Also on that day, according to tradition, Moses was said to come down and about 11:57-12:02 and announce to the people that the Tabernacle of God was to be set up. 12:02-12:10 It was on that day that Solomon's temple was dedicated and the Shekinah, the glory of God, descended. 12:10-12:17 The symbols of light and darkness appeared many times in the writing of the prophets. 12:17-12:24 Light was associated with God. He lives in light, Exodus, 1 Timothy. 12:24-12:30 He is clothed with light, the Psalms. He is light, John's epistle. 12:30-12:36 And when God became incarnate, he is called the light of the world. 12:36-12:38 We have that in John's Gospel. 12:38-12:42 To walk in the light brings salvation. 12:42-12:47 On the other hand, a life lived without God is darkness. 12:47-12:54 In the New Testament of Revelation, chapters 21, verse 23 and 22, 5, 12:54-13:00 the glory of God gives light. God is light. 13:00-13:05 It's said that such was the illumination of the temple during this feast 13:05-13:11 that the light illuminating the darkness could be seen far around. 13:11-13:16 I think of the various passages in the Old Testament, those that sit in darkness have seen a light. 13:16-13:23 I always feel that's very much linked with this feast, because the light, he said, could be seen from miles. 13:23-13:30 The Feast of Passover was fulfilled in the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Christ. 13:30-13:36 Feast of Weeks of Pentecost was fulfilled as a giving of the Holy Spirit. 13:36-13:43 The Feast of Tabernacles referred to in 2nd I and 14, which anticipates Christ, 13:43-13:50 his final coming and the ultimate salvation of creation, has not yet been fulfilled. 13:50-13:57 Apart from the fact that I don't think it's any doubt that Jesus was born, not on our Christmas day, 13:57-14:02 but on the Feast of Tabernacles. I think there's a great evidence for that. 14:02-14:09 It was during the Feast of Tabernacles that the teaching of Jesus, as recorded in John 7 and 8 took place, 14:09-14:15 followed by the healing of the blind man, as recorded in chapter 9. 14:15-14:20 The Jews were familiar with the feast and all the symbolism which went with it. 14:20-14:27 Jesus spoke in a way in which, if they wished, they could clearly understand. 14:27-14:32 They did, though sadly many distorted and rejected what he said. 14:32-14:37 John, throughout his Gospel, stresses that God was in Christ. 14:37-14:40 All that we know of God is through Jesus Christ the Son. 14:40-14:45 Our salvation is the work of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. 14:45-14:51 Paul said all this is from God who reconciled us to himself through Christ. 14:51-14:57 God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ. 14:57-15:04 What the Father does and says, he, the Son, does and says. 15:04-15:11 John 7 and 16, "My teaching is not my own, it comes from him who sent me." 15:11-15:17 John 5 and 17, 19, "My Father is always at work to this very day, 15:17-15:21 and I too am working, the Son can do nothing by himself. 15:21-15:24 Whatever the Father does, the Son also does." 15:24-15:28 John 12, "But I did not speak of my own accord, 15:28-15:32 but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. 15:32-15:35 I know that his command leads to eternal life. 15:35-15:39 So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say." 15:39-15:44 John 8, "Who sent me is reliable, but I have heard from him." 15:44-15:49 I tell the world, John 14, "I am in the Father, and the Father is in me. 15:49-15:54 These words you hear are not my own, they belong to the Father who sent me." 15:54-16:00 Or John 16, "When he, the Spirit of truth, comes, that is God the Spirit, 16:00-16:04 he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own, 16:04-16:09 he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 16:09-16:15 He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you 16:15-16:17 all that belongs to the Father's mind." 16:17-16:25 Jesus in these chapters of John's Gospel says very clearly who he is. 16:25-16:30 He spoke with words which the Jews could clearly understand, 16:30-16:32 but they refused to understand. 16:32-16:36 So Jesus said they did not want to. 16:36-16:42 Hence Jesus said in John 7, 17, "If anyone chooses to do God's will, 16:42-16:47 he will find out whether my teaching comes from God, 16:47-16:49 or whether I speak on my own." 16:49-16:56 Challenging words. Jesus appearing not just to their minds, but to their hearts. 16:56-17:02 God calls us from us a total response of our whole being. 17:02-17:07 It involves our heart, our will, our emotions, our actions. 17:07-17:12 True faith involves a total response to God in Christ. 17:12-17:16 James in his epistle says, "Show me your faith without deeds. 17:16-17:19 I'll show you my faith by what I do. 17:19-17:24 The body without the Spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead." 17:24-17:30 James is quite withering what he says about those who profess faith in God without works. 17:30-17:33 It's often in the church that we forget that. 17:33-17:39 Often we forget that in the way we teach theology in our church colleges. 17:39-17:44 True theology can only rightly be gained as we are actively concerned 17:44-17:47 and involved in world mission, 17:47-17:52 and can also only be required in our deeds and prayer. 17:52-17:56 Why today do so many marriages in our churches? 17:56-18:00 Marriages not simply of members, but of leaders, fall apart 18:00-18:04 because a man or woman finds another partner. 18:04-18:09 Why can an elder or minister commit adultery and continue in leadership and ministry 18:09-18:12 thinking they have done nothing wrong? 18:12-18:16 It is, I believe, that their lives are mentalized. 18:16-18:21 Their work in the church or in ministry belongs to one compartment of their lives. 18:21-18:24 Their marriage and sexual lives belong to another. 18:24-18:30 They're not taking seriously what James said, namely that faith without works is dead. 18:30-18:34 They're not taking seriously what Christ himself has said. 18:34-18:40 If what we do does not harmonize with what we think and understand about God, 18:40-18:43 then our knowledge of God is inadequate and faulty. 18:43-18:49 Jesus said, "If anyone chooses to do God's will, he will find out, 18:49-18:54 and only then will he find out because of my teaching comes from God." 18:54-18:57 None of us have an adequate knowledge of God. 18:57-19:01 We're all sinful. Our knowledge of God is always limited. 19:01-19:06 Jesus saying, "Act according to the light, the knowledge that you have, 19:06-19:09 and you will receive more." 19:09-19:17 But it is essential that you act in accordance with the light and knowledge that you already have. 19:17-19:26 In chapter 8, 43, Jesus says, "Why is my language, my human speech, not clear to you? 19:26-19:33 Because you are unable to hear what I say, my glaucom." 19:33-19:41 Here Jesus is drawing a distinction between our everyday human speech and the word which God speaks. 19:41-19:48 Because they were unable to hear God speaking or did not want to hear what God was saying, 19:48-19:54 they were continually misunderstanding and misinterpreting what he was saying. 19:54-19:58 Jesus spoke of bread. They thought he meant literal bread. 19:58-20:02 He spoke of freedom. They thought he was speaking of political freedom. 20:02-20:07 He spoke of Father. They thought that he meant Abraham, not God. 20:07-20:13 It was all because their hearts were hardened against the truth and the things of God. 20:13-20:18 There was a veil over their hearts and minds. 20:18-20:23 The prophet Isaiah spoke of that veil when he was commissioned to be a prophet. 20:23-20:33 They'd be ever hearing, but never understanding, ever seeing, but never perceiving. 20:33-20:42 I had an incredible example of those words in my, one day in my parish when I was in Aberdeen. 20:42-20:47 We had a service, we had communion, and one of the elders said to me after communion 20:47-20:54 that a lady sitting behind her, when I took the bread and then later the cup, 20:54-20:58 said, "This is my, the covenant of my blood." 20:58-21:02 A lady turned to a neighbor and said, "I'd rather have a cup of tea." 21:02-21:07 About two days later I happened to be visiting a widow in the parish 21:07-21:12 and she told me that, she thanked me for that service, that communion, 21:12-21:16 and said she went home, got on her knees and wept with joy. 21:16-21:20 She'd never had such a sense of the presence of God. 21:20-21:26 Now there was two women who heard exactly the same service, the same words, 21:26-21:30 and the reaction was totally different. 21:30-21:36 To me an illustration of what Jesus said, "Why is my language not clear because you're unable to hear?" 21:36-21:38 You don't hear God speaking. 21:38-21:43 That passage from Isaiah is actually quoted six times in the New Testament 21:43-21:49 when Jesus asked his disciples, "Why do people say, who do people say the Son of Man is?" 21:49-21:54 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." 21:54-22:00 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, 22:00-22:03 but by my Father in heaven. 22:03-22:07 Only God can and does reveal God. 22:07-22:11 All knowledge of God is by revelation through the Holy Spirit." 22:11-22:16 This is something which every minister requires constantly to keep in mind. 22:16-22:20 We can only rightly preach in the context of prayer, 22:20-22:25 praying that God will open the minds and ears of his people 22:25-22:31 so that they may actually hear, not man speaking, but God speaking, 22:31-22:35 and therefore receive in a joy of salvation. 22:35-22:42 Jesus then drew attention to himself with reference to the two great central symbols of the feast, 22:42-22:45 water and light. 22:45-22:51 On the last and greatest day of the feast, that is after the priest had drawn water from the pool of Siloam 22:51-22:56 and poured it out for the last time around the altar, 22:56-23:03 Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone has thirsty, let them come to be and drink. 23:03-23:10 Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." 23:10-23:21 And John adds, "By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive." 23:21-23:25 Jesus saying, "I am the fulfillment of this feast. 23:25-23:29 All the symbolism in it points to me. 23:29-23:33 I am the one anticipated to worship the old covenant. 23:33-23:37 I am the anointed one, the Messiah. 23:37-23:43 And I am coming to give salvation and life to you and the world. 23:43-23:51 Receive me and you will receive the Holy Spirit, who will fill you and flow through you 23:51-23:56 in giving refreshment and life to the words." 23:56-24:00 On hearing his words, some of the people said, "Surely this man is a prophet." 24:00-24:02 Others said, "He is a Christ." 24:02-24:05 Others again refused to believe in him. 24:05-24:09 They raised questions about where he came from, where he was born. 24:09-24:12 John tells us that people were divided. 24:12-24:17 Even temple guards who had been sent by the Pharisees and leaders to arrest him were impressed. 24:17-24:20 They went back without laying hands on him. 24:20-24:29 But, and then chapter 8 opens with an instant not recorded in some of the early manuscripts. 24:29-24:34 However, I don't think that we should hesitate to accept it as part of the word of God. 24:34-24:38 That's the bringing of the woman committed adultery. 24:38-24:43 The teachers of the Lord of Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. 24:43-24:51 Why when the man whom she was with was equally guilty of adultery, did they only bring the woman? 24:51-24:54 It reveals their extreme bias against women. 24:54-25:01 They were wanting to trap Jesus in regard to the law and his willingness to respect and uphold the law. 25:01-25:05 According to the law they were commanded to stone such a person. 25:05-25:11 When Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground, his finger were not told what he wrote. 25:11-25:17 In the Old Testament we read that the Ten Commandments were written on two tablets by the finger of God. 25:17-25:25 But Jesus reminded the Pharisees of that, indicating that his respect for the law which he had come to fulfill, 25:25-25:31 alternatively with Jesus reminding them of what the prophet said in Jeremiah 17, 25:31-25:36 "O Lord, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you will be put to shame. 25:36-25:45 Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust, because they have forsaken the Lord, the spring of living water." 25:45-25:50 I don't know. I've often pondered it and I don't know the answer. 25:50-25:57 What Jesus said to the women's accusers acted powerfully on them and certainly convicted them. 25:57-26:04 "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 26:04-26:09 One by one they all departed so that Jesus was left alone with the woman. 26:09-26:14 His words to the women are a wonderful guide to the church and to all Christians facing a similar situation. 26:14-26:21 "Neither do I condemn you. Go now and leave your life of sin." 26:21-26:28 Then Jesus speaking to the crowd said, "I am the light of the world. 26:28-26:36 Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, will have the light of life." 26:36-26:39 The second great symbolism of that feast. 26:39-26:46 Life, as we said, is associated with God. God is light. 26:46-26:52 The many references to light in scripture that claim that God is light are very frequent. 26:52-26:58 Jesus is boldly claiming to be God, the Son of God. 26:58-27:04 He said, "I'm not alone. I stand with the Father." 27:04-27:11 The Jewish leaders understood what he was saying but dispute his claim. 27:11-27:14 They distort what he says about the Father. 27:14-27:19 Jesus said that they do not know the Father that is the Father in heaven. 27:19-27:26 Throughout this whole confrontation, this whole confrontation between Jesus and his opponents, 27:26-27:31 Jesus has made it abundantly clear who he is. 27:31-27:38 From their reaction, his opponents know what he is saying, yet refuse to believe. 27:38-27:43 Jesus warned them that because of their unbelief, they would die in their sins. 27:43-27:53 Then he said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be, 27:53-28:00 that I do nothing on my own, but speak just what the Father has taught me." 28:00-28:05 Jesus claimed to be the great I Am. 28:05-28:10 And when he was on the cross, he said the veil would be torn aside. 28:10-28:17 They would know that he was and is the Messiah, the Son of God, the Savior of the world. 28:17-28:22 We consider how when he was on the cross, they actually mocked him. 28:22-28:28 And on the day of resurrection, when the soldiers went and told the Pharisees all that had happened, 28:28-28:33 they concocted the story that disciples had told the body while the soldiers slept. 28:33-28:37 We see the incredible power of sin. 28:37-28:45 They knew who Jesus was and they rejected him to their own destruction. 28:45-28:50 We tremble at the sheer power of sin. 28:50-28:56 And a person can know the truth and yet reject the truth. 28:56-29:04 Though the majority reject him, John tells us that many put their faith in him. 29:04-29:11 Such was the opposition of the Pharisees and leaders of the people that Jesus' life is threatened. 29:11-29:16 After further conversation, they picked up stones to stone him, 29:16-29:20 but Jesus hid himself slipping away from the temple grounds. 29:20-29:30 In chapter 9, Jesus wrote Rot Miracle, which was a sign confirming who he was and is 29:30-29:34 and confirming all that he had said. 29:34-29:38 Leaving the temple, he met a man who had been born blind. 29:38-29:45 Jesus set aside the question whether this man or his parents had sinned and that he was born blind. 29:45-29:53 He said it was neither, but rather that the work of God might be displayed in his life. 29:53-29:55 Jesus took some clay. 29:55-29:58 God made us from clay. 29:58-30:04 He spat on the clay, thereby imparting something of himself, 30:04-30:10 and put the clay on the man's eyes and told him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam. 30:10-30:18 The very pool, from which the priest had drawn water to pour out around the altar, the man obeyed. 30:18-30:21 He washed, received the sight. 30:21-30:24 Jesus was unable to go back into the temple. 30:24-30:29 Under the province of God and his direction, this man entered the temple. 30:29-30:33 It was brought before the Pharisees and leaders of the people. 30:33-30:37 At first they refused to believe that he had been born blind. 30:37-30:41 Until they had called and spoken to his parents, 30:41-30:48 twice they asked the man how he had received his sight, what Jesus did to perform this miracle. 30:48-30:53 They seemed to have lacked any sympathy or compassion for the man. 30:53-30:57 They did not share in his joy at being able to see. 30:57-31:02 They said, "Give glory to God. We know that this man, Jesus, is a sinner." 31:02-31:08 The man who doubted us was uneducated, replied whether or not he was a sinner, "I don't know. 31:08-31:12 One thing I do know, I was blind, now I see." 31:12-31:15 That the Pharisees could not deny. 31:15-31:20 And the man quoting what had long been taught in Jewish tradition said, 31:20-31:27 "God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will." 31:27-31:31 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 31:31-31:35 This man were not from God, he could do nothing. 31:35-31:39 In a marvelous way, in the providence of God, this humble man, 31:39-31:42 when Jesus was unable to enter the temple, 31:42-31:51 confronts the Pharisees and leaders of the people with Jesus, with who he is. 31:51-31:57 His own miraculous healing confirmed all that Jesus had said during the feast 31:57-31:59 about his being the light of the world. 31:59-32:03 In that anger, the Pharisees threw the man out of the temple. 32:03-32:08 Hell on Jesus and his love met him, revealed himself to him and the man worshiped him. 32:08-32:12 While the Pharisees increasingly plunged into darkness, 32:12-32:20 this man progressed from interest and gratitude to increasing illumination and adoring worship. 32:20-32:24 It's interesting that Professor Wallace notes, 32:24-32:31 "Many of us today who are baptized in childhood will be able to recognize and 32:31-32:40 "estory elements of our personal pilgrim age from baptism to illumination and rebirth." 32:40-32:44 Rather interesting what he does there. 32:44-32:50 I finished actually by drawing up seven questions, 32:50-32:56 because we have to ask ourselves, this could be good enough, 32:56-32:59 let me carry on. 32:59-33:03 When we read these three chapters, what do we learn? 33:03-33:07 What are the deep things that God is saying to us? 33:07-33:16 So I've drawn up seven questions which, to me, highlight some of the issues that we need to ask. 33:16-33:21 Do you agree that in Jesus' conversations with the Jewish leaders in the temple, 33:21-33:29 the Jews really did understand what Jesus was saying and knew that he was and is the Son of God? 33:29-33:34 What do we learn about sin in these chapters? 33:34-33:38 Well, the significance of Jesus' words in John 8.28, 33:38-33:41 "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, 33:41-33:46 "then you will know that I am the one I claim to be, 33:46-33:51 "that I do nothing of my own but speak just what the Father taught me." 33:51-33:57 Is it true today that a person can know the truth and yet deliberately deny the truth? 33:57-34:02 What does that teach us about sin and how significant is that in our ministry, 34:02-34:05 our witness to Christ today? 34:05-34:11 How do we interpret John 8.43? Why is my language not clear to you? 34:11-34:17 Because you're able to hear what I say, how significant is that, what Jesus says for our ministry. 34:17-34:24 And what do we learn from John 37 about the gift of the Holy Spirit? 34:24-34:26 So much central to this. 34:26-34:33 And what do we learn from John 8, from Jesus' words, that he is the light of the world? 34:33-34:36 What do we learn from these chapters about the Gospel? 34:36-34:39 What is the Gospel? 34:39-34:46 Is the Gospel not just about Christ, but Christ himself, his person, 34:46-34:48 together with what he said and did? 34:48-34:49 Thank you, David. 34:49-34:54 And you'll notice, people, that because the Feast of Tabernacles has not yet been fulfilled, 34:54-34:59 but it's open to the Gentiles, there's a bit of unfinished text right at the bottom.