DECEMBER 10, 2017
THE SHEPHERD AND HIS SHEEP (PART III)
INTRODUCTION:
1. Perhaps for the true believer, there is no place in all of Scripture that he finds more delightful than John Chapter 10. Those who are so blessed to be of Christ’s sheep may rejoice with joy unspeakable over what is here revealed about The Shepherd and His Sheep.
a) That Christ is the True Shepherd, Who entered by the door, and not some false Messiah who entered the sheep fold illegitimately (Verses 1-6);
b) That the sheep have by Him gained entrance into the sheep fold, i.e. the Church (Verses 7-9);
c) That the Good Shepherd purchased His sheep by laying down His own life in their stead (Verses 10-18); and
d) That the Good Shepherd calls his sheep, and they are given a heart to follow Him, and that He gives them eternal life, and that He keeps them safe and secure forever and ever (Verses 27-30).
2. But those to whom Jesus was speaking as He declared these delightful truths were not believers, because they were not of His sheep. (Verses 19-26)
a) These wonderful truths which so delight the souls of Christ’s sheep, were to them blasphemous claims deserving of death.
b) Jesus had before said to them, that they could not hear Him because they had no understanding; that they were of their father, the devil, and him they would hear. (See Ch. 8:43-45)
c) Here He attributes their inability to believe to the fact that they were not of His sheep. (Verse 26)
3. Their inability is manifested in the same way as before. “Then the Jews took up stones AGAIN to stone him.” (Vs. 31 with Ch. 8:59)
I. NOTICE THE OUTRAGE OF THE JEWS, AND JESUS’ TENDER RESPONSE. (VERSES 31, 32)
A. THE JEWS WERE READY AND PREPARED TO STONE JESUS. (VERSE 31)
1. Prior to this, the Jews “took up stones to cast at Him.” (Ch. 8:59) Here it is a different Greek word which means lit. “they carried stones.”
a) These were great stones, such as were used to stone malefactors to death.
b) They carried them for a distance. Apparently they did not merely take up whatever stones or pebbles were handy, but carried these stones for the purpose of execution.
2. They had challenged Him to tell them plainly whether He was the Christ or no. Yet, now that He did so, and not only did He say so, but proved Himself to be the Christ, they condemn Him as a malefactor.
3. Although their former similar attempt was baffled when Jesus escaped through the midst of them (Ch. 8:59), they attempt the same again.
a) How vainly will sinners strengthen themselves against God.
b) Like these Jews, they must learn the hard way that none ever harden themselves against Him and prosper.
B. CHRIST ANSWERS THEIR OUTRAGE WITH TENDER AND KIND EXPOSTULATION. (VERSE 32)
1. “Jesus answered.” Either was answered their actions, or perhaps they had whipped up the crowd to cry “stone him, stone him.” (See Mark 15:13, 140
2. He could have answered with fire from heaven, yet He mildly replied, “…for which of those good works do you stone me?”
3. With total disregard for the divine nature and power of His words, they condemned Jesus. “Many good works have I showed you FROM MY FATHER.”
a) To any unprejudiced mind the source of His power was unquestionably from heaven. (Ch. 3:1, 2)
b) His works were done openly as an incontestable demonstration of the validity of His commission. (See Psa. 111:6)
c) Yet to all of this these enemies, who claimed to be “seers” (Ch. 9:41), were willingly blind.
4. The Divine grace of Jesus’ works convicted these Jews of base ingratitude.
a) His works among them were not only miracles, wondrous, and amazing, but works of love, and kindness, and mercy.
b) Jesus asks, “for which of my works (healing of the diseased, causing blinded eyes to see, delivering the tormented from devils) do you stone me?” (See Jer. 2:5; Mic. 6:3)
5. It might be asked still, “For which of the many good things wrought by Christians and the Christian religion throughout the world is Christ and Christianity so despised and hated?”
II. NOTICE NEXT THEIR VINDICATION FOR THEIR ATTEMPT TO STONE CHRIST, AND HOW THEY JUSTIFIED THEIR ACTIONS. (VERSE 33)
A. THEY REFUSED TO ACCEPT CHRIST’S ASSERTION THAT THEY PERSECUTED HIM FOR A GOOD WORK. “For a good work we stone thee not.”
1. They wickedly denied that His works were good, even making many of them to be crimes because done on the Sabbath day.
2. But if He had done any good works, they would never own up to taking up stones against Him for them, even though these were the main reason for their exasperation. (See Ch. 11:47)
B. THEY CLAIMED THAT IT WAS FOR SAKE OF GOD’S GLORY THAT THEY WOULD PROSECUTE HIM FOR BLASPHEMY. “…because that thou, being a man makest thyself God.”
1. Out of a pretended zeal for the Divine Law. (Lev. 24:16)
2. Out of a real enmity toward the Gospel, they represented Christ as a blasphemer. Their proof: “Thou…makest thyself God.”
3. They were right in this, that what Christ said of Himself amounted to claiming to be Divine. Note the immediate context alone:
a) He said that He was one with the Father, and
b) He said that He would give eternal life.
4. They were very wrong, however, in their assertion that Jesus was a mere man.
a) In this, they were the blasphemers. So also are all false religionists who deny Christ’s Deity, or make the Son to be a created being.
b) That said, he who being a man, a sinful man, such as the Pope, makes himself as a god, claiming Divine powers and prerogatives, is unquestionably a blasphemer.
III. NOTICE NEXT CHRIST’S REPLY TO THEIR ACCUSATION IN WHICH HE PROVES HIMSELF TO BE NO BLASPHEMER BY TWO ARGUMENTS. (VERSES 34-38)
A. HIS FIRST ARGUMENT IS TAKEN FROM THE WORD OF GOD. (VERSES 34-36; PSA. 82:6)
1. This is an argument which is from the lesser to the greater. “If they were gods, much more am I.”
2. Note how He explains the text. (Verse 35) The word of God’s commission came upon them appointing these magistrates to their office. So God, Himself, put His Name on them minding them of this duty to judge and rule as God does. Therefore they are called gods. (See Exod. 22:28)
3. See how He applies the text. (Verse 36) It is easy to see for this how unreasonable it was for them to condemn Christ for calling Himself the Son of God, when they themselves called their rulers so, and that with Scripture to warrant it. Which of their rulers had God the Father so sanctified as He has His Son? Which was so clearly commissioned and confirmed by Him as Jesus Christ?
4. We see here, once again, the high regard that Jesus had for the Word of God. We have here another example of how our Lord sees a most singular and obscure verse of Scripture as absolutely authoritative to make His case. (See Matt. 22:31, 32)
B. HIS SECOND ARGUMENT IS TAKEN FROM HIS OWN WORKS. (VERSES 37, 38)
1. In this Jesus will prove that He and the Father are one. His first was an ad hominem argument; i.e. turning a man’s own argument against himself, but here in His second argument; He simply declares and proves His own claim that He and His Father are one.
2. He argues from His works, which He had often declared as the Father’s seal, and the unassailable credentials of Himself and His mission. “If I do not the works of my Father believe me not.” (Verse 37)
a) This is a most fair proposal. The works speak for themselves.
b) He did not demand a blind faith nor an assent to His mission further that He had given proof of it.
3. “But” He continues, “if I do, though ye believe not me, BELIEVE THE WORKS.” (Verse 38a) The miracles are undeniable proofs that His claim is true, BELIEVE THE WORKS.
4. Notice His stated reason for making this argument. “…that ye may know and believe…” (Verse 38b)
a) Though He might justly have abandoned such blasphemous wretches as incurable, yet He vouchsafes to reason with them.
b) If they should intelligently, and with full satisfaction see the Father in Him, and He in the Father, they would believe and be saved.
c) How amazing is His love for and kindness toward sinners, even such as not only wished Him dead, but were carrying in their hands stones for His execution.
5. Notice also that which is essential in true believing. “That the Father is in me and I in Him.” (Verse 38c) None are true believers who do not confess the Divinity of Jesus Christ.
IV. JOHN GIVES THE FINAL OUTCOME OF THIS ENCOUNTER. (VERSES 39-42)
A. THE HEARTS OF THE JEWISH LEADERS REMAINED UNCHANGED. (VERSE 39)
1. They had taken up stones to stone Him, but again it was a failed attempt. (Verse 31) Having been held in check while Jesus reasoned with them, now “they sought again to take him.” (Verse 39a)
2. He once again escaped unharmed somehow slipping right through their hands. (Verse 39b)
3. He escaped not out of fear, but because His hour was not yet come.
B. JESUS REMOVED HIMSELF AND RETIRED TO A FAMILIAR PLACE BEYOND JORDAN WHERE HE FOUND QUIETNESS AND REST. (VERSES 40, 41)
1. Just as His meat was His Gospel work, so was His rest. “and many resorted to Him.” (Verse 41a) “and many believed on Him there.” (Verse 42)
2. Those who resorted to our Lord recognized that John had spoken of Him in truth.
a) John was the forerunner. He did no miracles, for he was not the Messiah, nor did he claim to be. (Ch. 1:20; 3:30)
b) To these who had heard John, when they saw Christ, it was confirmed that John’s message was true.
c) So John being dead was yet speaking, point men to Christ, just as he did when he was alive. (John 1:8, 29, 35)
C. JESUS ABODE BEYOND JORDAN AND WAS MUCH MORE REFRESHING TO HIS SPIRIT THAN HIS TIME IN JERUSALEM. (VERSE 42)
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