The John Project

As we open the eighth chapter of John together, let me acknowledge that the first 11 verses along with the last one of the previous chapter is among the passages most argued about by New Testament textual scholars. Very simply, their contention has to do with whether this section is inspired, and if so, where it belongs in the Gospels. Now, I don’t consider myself qualified to comment on this deba...

Sometimes people are so desperate to be right about something that even in the face of undeniable data they will distort the facts in order to create an alternate reality that supports their viewpoint and then adopt that distortion as truth. One extreme example of this is the hundreds and perhaps thousands of people who persist in claiming the earth is a flat disk not a sphere despite the overwhel...

John 7:45 returns to the unfinished thread dangling from verse 32 when the Jewish religious leaders sent their police force to apprehend Jesus for the purpose of executing him. Those officers had returned to the chief priests and Pharisees empty-handed, and a reason for their dereliction of duty was demanded of them. Their one-sentence reply in verse 46 is so profound it stops me in my tracks ever...

In John 7:40-44, after Jesus had concluded his breathtaking invitation and teaching regarding the ministry of the Holy Spirit, many of those who heard him were moved to belief. But a segment of the crowd was still unconvinced. And the reason they gave for their unbelief was that Jesus had come from Galilee and Scripture had prophesied that the Messiah would come from Bethlehem. But they were compl...

On the eighth and final day of the Feast of Tabernacles, at the apex of the celebration, Jesus spoke some of the most beautiful and moving words of his ministry. They’re found in John 7:37 and 38. He captured the attention of the crowd and then issued a thrilling invitation. He offered to quench the heart-thirst of anyone who would place their faith in him. Then he went on to say that after reliev...

In John 7:32-36 we’re told that having heard the expressions of faith in Jesus that were beginning to bubble up from among many who were in the crowd hearing him speak, the religious leaders decided it was time to act on their determination to kill him. So, they sent subordinates to make the arrest. And we’ll find out how this turned out when we get to the final section of the chapter. But meanwhi...

Have you ever raised your voice during a conversation in order to make a point? Jesus did. Not often. But when we encounter one of those occasions in the Gospels, I think it’s wise to pay close attention to what he said. Don’t you? And one of those times is found in the two verses at the heart of John 7:25-31. This section of the chapter captures the response of three different groups of people to...

In John 7:19-24, Jesus continued teaching in the Temple during the Feast of Tabernacles. He purposefully picked at an old scab when he asked the crowd why they wanted to kill him. And although they responded by expressing confusion, the question was really addressed to the religious leaders in their midst who knew exactly what he meant. It had been a year and a half since the healing of the lame m...

John chapter 7 verse 10 informs us Jesus made a low-profile journey to Jerusalem during the Feast of Tabernacles. And the preceding verses clarify his strategy. He didn’t want to prematurely attract the attention of the religious leaders who wanted to kill him. But then, verse 14 states that at a time near the midpoint of the eight-day celebration, he went to the Temple – the epicenter of the week...

In John 6 verses 60-66, we encounter a sad fact and a breathtaking reality. First, the sad fact is that some people will make the choice to turn away from following Jesus. The passage opens by disclosing that many of those who’d been following Him since the loaves and fishes miracle and heard Him describe Himself as the Bread from Heaven that provides eternal life, complained that they just couldn...

In John 6:52-59, we have the conclusion of the conversation Jesus had with the Jews about Him being the true “Bread from Heaven” and the “Bread of Life.” This final section of the passage begins by describing the struggle they had comprehending the concept of eating His flesh, or in other words, spiritually feasting on Jesus in order to gain eternal life. But, without even a hint of frustration, t...

I’m a bottom-line kind of guy. As an internal processor, I respond best to conversations where I know what we’re talking about upfront rather than having to wade through a lengthy preamble or setup before arriving at the heart of the matter. God bless my dear wife. She’s the exact opposite. She’s a verbal processor. Her most natural way to communicate is to begin with a detailed description of the...

I love it when Jesus quotes Scripture! And that’s what happened in John 6:45. So, we have the Word of God quoting the word of God. It’s just so cool! And He uses an interesting communication technique here – one He employs in other places in the Gospels as well. He quotes just the first part of Isaiah 54:13 confident that it’s so familiar His hearers will automatically recall the rest of the conte...

In John 6:43-44, Jesus responded to the faithless murmurings of the Jewish religious elite regarding His claim of divinity. He said that embracing this truth is a response to something God initiates. It starts with Him not us. The process that results in placing faith in Christ begins with God drawing us toward belief. There’s something wonderful about that don’t you think? To realize that my fait...

Earlier in John chapter 6, Jesus had announced to the crowd that He was the bread of life sent from God, His Father, to satisfy their spiritual hunger. But now, in verses 41-42, we’re told that they – especially the religious elite who are described as “the Jews” – we’re choking on this truth and unable to receive it because of what they thought they knew about Jesus. They thought they knew where...

John 6:37-40 sits at one of the hotspots of the predestination / free will discussion that people much wiser and devoted than me have gone back and forth about for centuries. And, although I have a deeply held opinion about this issue, I’m certain that nothing I have to say will change anyone’s mind. So, I want to be upfront with the fact that I’m just not going address that aspect of this passage...

John 6:30-36 records an example of how spiritually blind we can be when we become fixated on something we want. Jesus had just told the people that believing in Him as Messiah is the one thing God is asking us to do. And to paraphrase, they responded by saying, “If You really want us to believe that You’re the Son of God, what miracle will You perform to convince us? Yes, we enjoyed the free meal...

In John 6:27, Jesus told the crowds to spend their labor on that which is eternal not temporary. And in verse 28, they responded by asking Him to explain. They wanted to know – as most people do – what kind of WORKS please God. And in verse 29, Jesus answered them in a completely unexpected way. Instead of telling them to pray, read the Bible, attend church, evangelize, tithe, love enemies, and fe...

John 6:22-27 quietly cuts like a knife to the heart of an issue I regularly need to re-consider. It challenges me to honestly evaluate why I follow Jesus. After their hunger had been satisfied by the miracle of the loaves and fish, the crowds saw the Disciples get into their only boat and depart. But they also noted that Jesus didn’t go with them, and that He had headed off alone to a secluded are...

John 6:16-21 describes an event that took place after Jesus fed the multitudes when He withdrew from the crowds to be alone in prayer. And when you include the additional information supplied in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, it illustrates some very important principles for anyone desiring divine guidance. It says that around sunset, Jesus told the Disciples to get into a boat and sail in the d...

John 6:15 describes Jesus doing something so contrary to my experience, I simply stand in awe. When the crowds were determined to make Him their king, He literally walked away. He went the opposite direction – toward solitude and away from the cheers and adoration. In our current season of human history which is so obsessed with celebrity – with the quest for attention, acclaim, and fame at a feve...