Swartzentrover.com | Fahling - A Harmony of the Gospels - Chapter 20

A Harmony of the Gospels

By Adam Fahling

Chapter 20

Part XX At the Feast of Tabernacles
Probably middle of October, 728 A.U.C., or 29 A.D. a
Table Of Contents Matthew Mark Luke John Other
130. The Brethren of Jesus Counsel Him to Exhibit Himself in Jerusalem as a Political Messiah
 
 
 
Jn 7:2-9
 
131. Jesus Goes to Jerusalem Secretly
 
 
 
 Jn 7:10
 
132. Intense Excitement Concerning the Messiahship of Jesus
 
 
 
Jn 7:11-53
 
133. An Overnight Visit at Bethany
 
 
 
Jn 8:1
 
134. The Woman Taken in Adultery
 
 
 
Jn 8:2-11
 
135. Jesus the Light of the World
 
 
 
Jn 8:12-20
 
136. The Sinfulness of the Jews Exposed      
Jn 8:21-30
 
137. “If Ye Continue in My Word”      
Jn 8:31-32
 
138. Spiritual Liberty      
Jn 8:33-58
 
139. The Attempt to Stone Jesus      
Jn 8:59
 
140. A Man Blind from His Birth Given Sight      
Jn 9:1-41
 
141. Christ the Good Shepherd      
Jn 10:1-21
 

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130. The Brethren of Jesus Counsel Him to Exhibit Himself in Jerusalem as a Political Messiah
(Jn 7:2-9)
Jn 7:2-9

2Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was at hand. 3His brothers therefore said to him, “Depart from here, and go into Judea, that your disciples also may see your works which you do. 4For no one does anything in secret, and himself seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, reveal yourself to the world.” 5For even his brothers didn’t believe in him.

6Jesus therefore said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready. 7The world can’t hate you, but it hates me, because I testify about it, that its works are evil. 8You go up to the feast. I am not yet going up to this feast, because my time is not yet fulfilled.”

9Having said these things to them, he stayed in Galilee.

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131. Jesus Goes to Jerusalem Secretly
(Jn 7:10)
Jn 7:10

 10But when his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly, but as it were in secret.

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132. Intense Excitement Concerning the Messiahship of Jesus
(Jn 7:11-53)
i. The Appearance of Jesus at the Temple
Jn 7:11-19

11The Jews therefore sought him at the feast, and said, “Where is he?” 12There was much murmuring among the multitudes concerning him. Some said, “He is a good man.” Others said, “Not so, but he leads the multitude astray.” 13Yet no one spoke openly of him for fear of the Jews. 14But when it was now the midst of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple and taught. b 15The Jews therefore marveled, saying, “How does this man know letters, having never been educated?”

16Jesus therefore answered them, “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me. 17If anyone desires to do his will, he will know about the teaching, whether it is from God, or if I am speaking from myself. 18He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory, but he who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. 19Didn’t Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keeps the law? Why do you seek to kill me?”

ii. "Thou Hast a Devil!"
Jn 7:20-24

20The multitude answered, “You have a demon! Who seeks to kill you?”

21Jesus answered them, “I did one work, and you all marvel because of it. 22Moses has given you circumcision (not that it is of Moses, but of the fathers), and on the Sabbath you circumcise a boy. 23If a boy receives circumcision on the Sabbath, that the law of Moses may not be broken, are you angry with me, because I made a man completely healthy on the Sabbath? c 24Don’t judge according to appearance, but judge righteous judgment.”

iii. "They Sought to Take Him"
Jn 7:25-31

25Therefore some of them of Jerusalem said, “Isn’t this he whom they seek to kill? 26Behold, he speaks openly, and they say nothing to him. Can it be that the rulers indeed know that this is truly the Christ? 27However we know where this man comes from, but when the Christ comes, no one will know where he comes from.”

28Jesus therefore cried out in the temple, teaching and saying, “You both know me, and know where I am from. I have not come of myself, but he who sent me is true, whom you don’t know. 29I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me.”

30They sought therefore to take him; but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come. 31But of the multitude, many believed in him. They said, “When the Christ comes, he won’t do more signs than those which this man has done, will he?”

iv. The Sanhedrin Takes Action
Jn 7:32-36

32The Pharisees heard the multitude murmuring these things concerning him, and the chief priests and the Pharisees sent officers to arrest him.

33Then Jesus said, “I will be with you a little while longer, then I go to him who sent me. 34You will seek me, and won’t find me; and where I am, you can’t come.”

35The Jews therefore said among themselves, “Where will this man go that we won’t find him? Will he go to the Dispersion among the Greeks, and teach the Greeks? 36What is this word that he said, ‘You will seek me, and won’t find me; and where I am, you can’t come’?

v. Christ the Water of Life. The Last Day of the Feast d
Jn 7:37-39

37Now on the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink! 38He who believes in me, as the Scripture has said, from within him will flow rivers of living water.” 39But he said this about the Spirit, which those believing in him were to receive. For the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus wasn’t yet glorified.

vi. The Effect of the Sermon
Jn 7:40-44

40Many of the multitude therefore, when they heard these words, said, “This is truly the prophet.” 41Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “What, does the Christ come out of Galilee? 42Hasn’t the Scripture said that the Christ comes of the seed of David,[1] and from Bethlehem,[2] the village where David was?” 43So there arose a division in the multitude because of him. 44Some of them would have arrested him, but no one laid hands on him.


[1]7:42 2 Samuel 7:12

[2]7:42 Micah 5:2

vii. The Report of the Officers
Jn 7:45-49

45The officers therefore came to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, “Why didn’t you bring him?”

46The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this man!”

47The Pharisees therefore answered them, “You aren’t also led astray, are you? 48Have any of the rulers believed in him, or of the Pharisees? 49But this multitude that doesn’t know the law is accursed.”

viii. Nicodemus: "Doth Our Law Judge Any Man Before It Heare Him?"
Jn 7:50-53

50Nicodemus (he who came to him by night, being one of them) said to them, 51“Does our law judge a man, unless it first hears from him personally and knows what he does?”

52They answered him, “Are you also from Galilee? Search, and see that no prophet has arisen out of Galilee.[1]

53Everyone went to his own house,


1]7:52 See Isaiah 9:1 and Matthew 4:13-16.

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133. An Overnight Visit at Bethany
(Jn 8:1)
Jn 8:1

 1but Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.

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134. The Woman Taken in Adultery
(Jn 8:2-11)
In the Temple of Jerusalem
Jn 8:2-11 e

2Now very early in the morning, he came again into the temple, and all the people came to him. He sat down, and taught them. 3The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman taken in adultery. Having set her in the midst, 4they told him, “Teacher, we found this woman in adultery, in the very act. 5Now in our law, Moses commanded us to stone such.[1] What then do you say about her?” 6They said this testing him, that they might have something to accuse him of.

But Jesus stooped down, and wrote on the ground with his finger. 7But when they continued asking him, he looked up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw the first stone at her.” 8Again he stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground.

9They, when they heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning from the oldest, even to the last. Jesus was left alone with the woman where she was, in the middle. 10Jesus, standing up, saw her and said, “Woman, where are your accusers? Did no one condemn you?”

11She said, “No one, Lord.”

Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way. From now on, sin no more.”


[1]8:5 Leviticus 20:10; Deuteronomy 22:22

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135. Jesus the Light of the World
(Jn 8:12-20)
Jn 8:12-20

12Again, therefore, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world.[1] He who follows me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the light of life.”

13The Pharisees therefore said to him, “You testify about yourself. Your testimony is not valid.”

14Jesus answered them, “Even if I testify about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from, and where I am going; but you don’t know where I came from, or where I am going. 15You judge according to the flesh. I judge no one. 16Even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent me. 17It’s also written in your law that the testimony of two people is valid.[2] 18I am one who testifies about myself, and the Father who sent me testifies about me.”

19They said therefore to him, “Where is your Father?”

Jesus answered, “You know neither me, nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” 20Jesus spoke these words in the treasury, as he taught in the temple. Yet no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.


[1]8:12 Isaiah 60:1

[2]8:17 Deuteronomy 17:6; 19:15

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136. The Sinfulness of the Jews Exposed
(Jn 8:21-30)
Jn 8:21-30

21Jesus said therefore again to them, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sins. Where I go, you can’t come.”

22The Jews therefore said, “Will he kill himself, that he says, ‘Where I am going, you can’t come?’

23He said to them, “You are from beneath. I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world. 24I said therefore to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am[1] he, you will die in your sins.”

25They said therefore to him, “Who are you?”

Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning. 26I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you. However he who sent me is true; and the things which I heard from him, these I say to the world.”

27They didn’t understand that he spoke to them about the Father. 28Jesus therefore said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and I do nothing of myself, but as my Father taught me, I say these things. 29He who sent me is with me. The Father hasn’t left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”

30As he spoke these things, many believed in him.


[1]8:24 or, I AM

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137. “If Ye Continue in My Word”
(Jn 8:31-32)
Jn 8:31-32

31Jesus therefore said to those Jews who had believed him, “If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples. 32You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”[1]


[1]8:32 Psalm 119:45

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138. Spiritual Liberty
(Jn 8:33-58)
Abraham's Children
Jn 8:33-58

33They answered him, “We are Abraham’s seed, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How do you say, ‘You will be made free?’

34Jesus answered them, “Most certainly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is the bondservant of sin. 35A bondservant doesn’t live in the house forever. A son remains forever. 36If therefore the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. 37I know that you are Abraham’s seed, yet you seek to kill me, because my word finds no place in you. 38I say the things which I have seen with my Father; and you also do the things which you have seen with your father.”

39They answered him, “Our father is Abraham.”

Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. 40But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham didn’t do this. 41You do the works of your father.”

They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father, God.”

42Therefore Jesus said to them, “If God were your father, you would love me, for I came out and have come from God. For I haven’t come of myself, but he sent me. 43Why don’t you understand my speech? Because you can’t hear my word. 44You are of your father, the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and doesn’t stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks on his own; for he is a liar, and its father. 45But because I tell the truth, you don’t believe me. 46Which of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47He who is of God hears the words of God. For this cause you don’t hear, because you are not of God.”

48Then the Jews answered him, “Don’t we say well that you are a Samaritan, and have a demon?”

49Jesus answered, “I don’t have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. 50But I don’t seek my own glory. There is one who seeks and judges. 51Most certainly, I tell you, if a person keeps my word, he will never see death.”

52Then the Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets; and you say, ‘If a man keeps my word, he will never taste of death.’ 53Are you greater than our father, Abraham, who died? The prophets died. Who do you make yourself out to be?”

54Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say that he is our God. 55You have not known him, but I know him. If I said, ‘I don’t know him,’ I would be like you, a liar. But I know him, and keep his word. 56Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day. He saw it, and was glad.”

57The Jews therefore said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?”

58Jesus said to them, “Most certainly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM.[1]


[1]8:58 or, I am

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139. The Attempt to Stone Jesus
(Jn 8:59)
Jn 8:59

59Therefore they took up stones to throw at him, but Jesus was hidden, and went out of the temple, having gone through the midst of them, and so passed by.

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140. A Man Blind from His Birth Given Sight
(Jn 9:1-41)
On a Sabbath Day.
 
i. Healed by Jesus
Jn 9:1-7

1As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

3Jesus answered, “Neither did this man sin, nor his parents; but, that the works of God might be revealed in him. 4I must work the works of him who sent me, while it is day. The night is coming, when no one can work. 5While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6When he had said this, he spat on the ground, made mud with the saliva, anointed the blind man’s eyes with the mud, 7and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means “Sent”). So he went away, washed, and came back seeing.

ii. Questioned by His Neighbors
Jn 9:8-12

8The neighbors therefore, and those who saw that he was blind before, said, “Isn’t this he who sat and begged?” 9Others were saying, “It is he.” Still others were saying, “He looks like him.”

He said, “I am he.” 10They therefore were asking him, “How were your eyes opened?”

11He answered, “A man called Jesus made mud, anointed my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash.’ So I went away and washed, and I received sight.”

12Then they asked him, “Where is he?”

He said, “I don’t know.”

iii. Examinrd by the Pharisees
Jn 9:13-17

13They brought him who had been blind to the Pharisees. 14It was a Sabbath when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. 15Again therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he received his sight. He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes, I washed, and I see.”

16Some therefore of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, because he doesn’t keep the Sabbath.” f Others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” There was division among them. 17Therefore they asked the blind man again, “What do you say about him, because he opened your eyes?”

He said, “He is a prophet.”

iv. His Parents are Consulted
Jn 9:18-23

18The Jews therefore did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and had received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight, 19and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?”

20His parents answered them, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21but how he now sees, we don’t know; or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. He is of age. Ask him. He will speak for himself.” 22His parents said these things because they feared the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if any man would confess him as Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. 23Therefore his parents said, “He is of age. Ask him.”

v. The man Who was Blind Confesses His Faith in Christ
Jn 9:24-34

24So they called the man who was blind a second time, and said to him, “Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner.”

25He therefore answered, “I don’t know if he is a sinner. One thing I do know: that though I was blind, now I see.”

26They said to him again, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”

27He answered them, “I told you already, and you didn’t listen. Why do you want to hear it again? You don’t also want to become his disciples, do you?”

28They insulted him and said, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. 29We know that God has spoken to Moses. But as for this man, we don’t know where he comes from.”

30The man answered them, “How amazing! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshipper of God, and does his will, he listens to him.[1] 32Since the world began it has never been heard of that anyone opened the eyes of someone born blind. 33If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”

34They answered him, “You were altogether born in sins, and do you teach us?” They threw him out.


[1]9:31 Psalm 66:18, Proverbs 15:29; 28:9

vi. This Faith is Acknowledged by Christ
Jn 9:35-41

35Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and finding him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of God?”

36He answered, “Who is he, Lord, that I may believe in him?”

37Jesus said to him, “You have both seen him, and it is he who speaks with you.”

38He said, “Lord, I believe!” and he worshiped him.

39Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, that those who don’t see may see; and that those who see may become blind.”

40Those of the Pharisees who were with him heard these things, and said to him, “Are we also blind?”

41Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains.

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141. Christ the Good Shepherd
(Jn 10:1-21)
i. "I am the Door of the Sheep"
Jn 10:1-10

1“Most certainly, I tell you, one who doesn’t enter by the door into the sheep fold, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2But one who enters in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. 4Whenever he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5They will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him; for they don’t know the voice of strangers.” 6Jesus spoke this parable to them, but they didn’t understand what he was telling them.

7Jesus therefore said to them again, “Most certainly, I tell you, I am the sheep’s door. 8All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep didn’t listen to them. 9I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out, and will find pasture. 10The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.

ii. "I am the Good Shepherd"
Jn 10:11-18

11I am the good shepherd.[1] The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12He who is a hired hand, and not a shepherd, who doesn’t own the sheep, sees the wolf coming, leaves the sheep, and flees. The wolf snatches the sheep, and scatters them. 13The hired hand flees because he is a hired hand, and doesn’t care for the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and I’m known by my own; 15even as the Father knows me, and I know the Father. I lay down my life for the sheep. 16I have other sheep, which are not of this fold.[2] I must bring them also, and they will hear my voice. They will become one flock with one shepherd. 17Therefore the Father loves me, because I lay down my life,[3] that I may take it again. 18No one takes it away from me, but I lay it down by myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. I received this commandment from my Father.”


[1]10:11 Isaiah 40:11; Ezekiel 34:11-12,15,22

[2]10:16 Isaiah 56:8

[3]10:17 Isaiah 53:7-8

iii. The Effect of the Discourse
Jn 10:19-21

19Therefore a division arose again among the Jews because of these words. 20Many of them said, “He has a demon, and is insane! Why do you listen to him?” 21Others said, “These are not the sayings of one possessed by a demon. It isn’t possible for a demon to open the eyes of the blind, is it?”[1]


[1]10:21 Exodus 4:11

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Footnotes

a) Probably 18th to 19th of October. For connection see No. 142.

b) Probably on Saturday or Saturday evening, if (according to calculations) the festival began on a Wednesday.

c) The impotent man healed during the unnamed feast on a Sabbath day. John 6:6, 16. See Nos. 48, 49.

d) Probably on a Thursday, October 20, if the festival began on a Wednesday. The feast itself lasted seven days, and on the eighth day there was a holy convocation. Num. 29:35.

e) This passage is not contained In some of the best manuscripts. Nor is it commented upon by most of the Fathers. On the other hand, its authenticity was defended already in ancient times. And it is found in some old and important uncials. It has been thought that the rejection of the passage may have been due to a false dogmatic bias. On the whole, there is no reason at all why this beautiful story should not be accepted as genuine.

f) For Sabbath controversies see Nos. 48, 67, 68, 164. 174.

 

 
[ ] Verses marked with brackets indicate that the passage has been taken out of its order.

 

Bible References taken from:
The World English Bible (WEB) is a Public Domain (no copyright) Modern English translation of the Holy Bible, based on the American Standard Version of the Holy Bible first published in 1901, the Biblia Hebraica Stutgartensa Old Testament, and the Greek Majority Text New Testament.