John 8
October Memory Verse: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5 (NIV)
Read: John 8
As newlyweds, my wife and I moved out of state to go to graduate school. When we would come home people would ask what we were learning. I was in seminary and often found that question very difficult to answer. My response was usually, “Umm, God is good. Sin is bad… ”
While my response was obviously tongue in cheek, it’s also true. When you study the Bible and theology at a high level, you begin to unpack the deepest mysteries of a God’s program and exactly how undeserving we are to receive it. The depth and wickedness of my sin hit me hard—it’s not just about the wrong things I do, it’s that my very nature is corrupted. Even the good things a sinner may do is corrupted by sin such that it is of no redeeming value at all.
John 8 is a great example of the lessons I received in seminary. The thread that runs through this whole chapter goes back to my answer, “God is good. Sin is bad.” In fact, the driving theme throughout the chapter is an utter incomprehension of sin and its consequences.
When the Scribes and Pharisees threw the adulterous woman at the feet of Jesus, they presumed themselves righteous. Only when Jesus asked for the sinless man to cast the first stone, did they understand their own guilt.
Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.” This is one of the famous “I am” statements of Jesus pointing back to Moses and the burning bush when Moses asked God, “Whom shall I say sent me.” Exodus 3:14 records God’s response, “I am who I am.” Not only is this pointing to Jesus’ deity, but also the fact that those who are separated from God walk in darkness. Again, sin is bad. However, God is good. Jesus also said, “I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins” (John 8:24).
Jesus came that we might know and have a relationship with God—that is the good news of the Gospel. He said, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” As good as this news is, it created confusion. People do not know they are enslaved to sin. Knowing God and his goodness is directly related to knowing your own sin and its wickedness.
The Jews to whom Jesus was speaking pointed to Abraham as their father and yet Jesus was trying to point them beyond Abraham to God the Father. Finally, we get down to verse 58 where Jesus makes the inflammable remark, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” It was at this point they picked up stones to kill him.
A good seminarian or Bible student could pick the passage apart for a long time. There is a major textual critical issue, there is interesting Greek word studies a plenty, there are numerous theological points to discuss including the eternal preexistence of Christ and the hypostatic union to God the Father, etc. At the end of the day, all of that good stuff points us to two very simple truths—God is good and sin is bad. Let us not get lost in the exegetical weeds—we are so much worse off than we could have ever imagined, but God’s grace and goodness is so much better than we ever could have hoped.
By: Tyler Short
Read: John 8
As newlyweds, my wife and I moved out of state to go to graduate school. When we would come home people would ask what we were learning. I was in seminary and often found that question very difficult to answer. My response was usually, “Umm, God is good. Sin is bad… ”
While my response was obviously tongue in cheek, it’s also true. When you study the Bible and theology at a high level, you begin to unpack the deepest mysteries of a God’s program and exactly how undeserving we are to receive it. The depth and wickedness of my sin hit me hard—it’s not just about the wrong things I do, it’s that my very nature is corrupted. Even the good things a sinner may do is corrupted by sin such that it is of no redeeming value at all.
John 8 is a great example of the lessons I received in seminary. The thread that runs through this whole chapter goes back to my answer, “God is good. Sin is bad.” In fact, the driving theme throughout the chapter is an utter incomprehension of sin and its consequences.
When the Scribes and Pharisees threw the adulterous woman at the feet of Jesus, they presumed themselves righteous. Only when Jesus asked for the sinless man to cast the first stone, did they understand their own guilt.
Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.” This is one of the famous “I am” statements of Jesus pointing back to Moses and the burning bush when Moses asked God, “Whom shall I say sent me.” Exodus 3:14 records God’s response, “I am who I am.” Not only is this pointing to Jesus’ deity, but also the fact that those who are separated from God walk in darkness. Again, sin is bad. However, God is good. Jesus also said, “I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins” (John 8:24).
Jesus came that we might know and have a relationship with God—that is the good news of the Gospel. He said, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” As good as this news is, it created confusion. People do not know they are enslaved to sin. Knowing God and his goodness is directly related to knowing your own sin and its wickedness.
The Jews to whom Jesus was speaking pointed to Abraham as their father and yet Jesus was trying to point them beyond Abraham to God the Father. Finally, we get down to verse 58 where Jesus makes the inflammable remark, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” It was at this point they picked up stones to kill him.
A good seminarian or Bible student could pick the passage apart for a long time. There is a major textual critical issue, there is interesting Greek word studies a plenty, there are numerous theological points to discuss including the eternal preexistence of Christ and the hypostatic union to God the Father, etc. At the end of the day, all of that good stuff points us to two very simple truths—God is good and sin is bad. Let us not get lost in the exegetical weeds—we are so much worse off than we could have ever imagined, but God’s grace and goodness is so much better than we ever could have hoped.
By: Tyler Short
2 Comments
Love it man. As complex as theology can be, everyone can grow in their understanding of God's goodness and sins badness. We see it both all through the Old and New Testaments as well as in our own lives!
Yes, thanks Tyler. I love how simple it can be. There's definitely beauty in the complexities, but rest in the simplicity.
The story of the adulterous women nearly being stoned is one of my favorite stories. Was she wrong in what she did, yes. But her sin isn't any 'worse' than everyone else's sin. The consequences may be different, but we are all sinners. We all need Jesus. It's not up to us to punish sin, God will take care of that.