John 8 – Three Minute Bible

January 15, 2019January 14, 2019

Stones

In verse 23 of this chapter, the Jews ask Jesus, “Who are you?” Finally, all of these verses later, he gives them a clear and unmistakable answer. “I am,” he says. He does not say, I am … Jesus; or I am … a man, but simply, “I am.”

Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.”
“You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!”
“Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

John 8: 56-59

When Moses first meets God at the burning bush, he asks Him his name:

January 14, 2019January 14, 2019

A Liar Like You

Not so long ago, when someone made a statement of questionable veracity, those listening might let it slide as a possible misstatement or simply a difference of opinion. Today, whenever someone disagrees with someone else it is common to hear (or read) the cry, “Liar!”

Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and obey his word.’

John 8: 54-55

So who gets to decide who is a liar and who isn’t? To accurately tell if a person is lying one has to know two things. First, was the statement made actually false, and second, did the person making a false statement make it knowingly? To my knowledge, only two people can ever know with certitude if a person was making a false statement intentionally. That would be the person who made the statement themselves, and someone who knows their innermost thoughts. This second party to knowing the truth is God. No one else on the planet can truly know what was intended when the statement was made.

January 13, 2019January 12, 2019

Who Does Jesus Think He IS?

Just prior to these two verses, Jesus says, “Whoever obeys my word will never see death.” After resorting to name calling again, the Jews Jesus is talking with finally ask a pertinent question: Who does Jesus think he is?

January 12, 2019January 11, 2019

Seeking Glory

One might say that seeking God’s glory is uplifting!

It is truly interesting how we as people can seek glory for ourselves in the name of serving our God. The allure of being the center of attention can be addictive. The Pharisees that argued with Jesus had fallen into that kind of trap. Being seen as important was more important to them than being seen serving God.

I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.

John 8: 50-51

Even Jesus, the one who deserves glory more than any other human being, does not seek it. There is no room in his heart for the desire of glory because He exists solely to serve his Father in heaven.

January 11, 2019January 10, 2019

Hicks

In my lifetime I have lived an amazing number of places. Some of those places have been exceptionally nice. Others have been… well… Hicksville. In Jesus’ day, people who lived in Samaria were considered hicks by people who lived in Jerusalem.

Technically Jesus was born in Bethlehem just south of Jerusalem, so he was every bit as “pure” as the Pharisees who derided him. Of course, he was raised in Galilee north of Samaria in a town called Nazareth. Not the most prestigious place on the planet, but not in Samaria, either. To suggest that Jesus was a Samaritan was an insult coming from a Jew, and to say that someone was demon-possessed was far worse than just an insult.

The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?”
“I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor my Father and you dishonor me.”

John 8: 48-49

January 10, 2019January 9, 2019

Ears for God

Have you ever noticed how a well-trained dog will come to its master’s call and ignore everyone else? Years ago I had a dog named Adak. He was a beautiful Malamute Husky who was extremely intelligent. I worked with Adak every day and he became attuned to my voice and my instructions to the point where I could give a command and even if Adak was in the middle of chasing a squirrel (something he dearly loved to do!) he would immediately stop and obey.

January 9, 2019January 8, 2019

Guilty of Sin

Jesus is the only person who ever walked the earth and did not sin. Now to be accurate we need to realize that what is meant by “sin” in this context means to sin against God. As far as the Pharisees were concerned Jesus “sinned” all of the time because he did not follow all of their rules. Obviously just because Jesus didn’t sin against God did not mean he did not sin against the Pharisees.

Can any of you prove me guilty of sin?

John 8:46a

January 8, 2019January 7, 2019

Truth

Each one of us has a sense of what “Truth” is or isn’t. Yet how many of us are right? If one hundred people each have a different idea of “Truth” then there are one hundred different definitions of truth. What are the odds that even one of those is right, let alone one? Certainly there can be no more than one true Truth.

Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!

John 8:45

January 7, 2019January 6, 2019

Gutsy

I don’t know if you have ever thought of Jesus as gutsy before, but really, if Jesus had been a cowboy instead of a Jewish carpenter, it is hard to imagine a more tense situation even if he had been surrounded by armed bad guys all holding loaded guns pointed at him. Staring down this crowd of angry Jews was really gutsy. And he didn’t back down from his message one bit:

As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the works of your own father.”
“We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.”
Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

January 6, 2019January 6, 2019

Copy Cat

As Jesus labors to be understood by the Jews he is talking with, the conversation quickly turns to his Father. The question of who Jesus’ father is has become a major point of contention. It is interesting that God would arrange things so that Joseph, Jesus’ adoptive father, would pass on before Jesus starts his ministry. Jesus does not claim to be the son of Joseph, but rather the son of God Himself.

In the heat of the discussion, Jesus says to the Jews, “… you are doing what you have heard from your father.” (v 38) The Jews are incensed:

Abraham is our father,” they answered.
“If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did.”