John Ch. 7-8: Jesus & Jewish Leaders

Tensions Rising: Jesus and the Jewish Leaders (John Ch. 7-8)

• Jesus traveled to Jerusalem to observe the Feast of Tabernacles.
• The Feast of Tabernacles is a week-long festival that commemorates God's provision for the Israelites during their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.
• Jesus initially avoided joining the Feast of Tabernacles celebration to avoid attracting attention, despite his brothers urging him to attend for public recognition.
• During the festival, people lived in shelters reminiscent of the tents used in the wilderness.
• Pilgrims performed two daily rituals: drawing and offering water to God at the Temple, symbolizing God's provision of water in the wilderness, and lighting lamps at dusk, representing the pillar of fire that guided the people in the desert.
• Jesus boldly proclaimed, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink," and "I am the light of the world," which offended Jewish leaders because they implied 1) that Jesus was the water that sustained life, and 2) that He surpassed the pillar of fire that guided the people in darkness.
• Jewish leaders accused Jesus of deceiving people, being demon-possessed, and being an illegitimate child.
• Jewish leaders/Pharisees were teachers of the law focused on adhering to the letter of the law rather than its spirit.

Reaching a Breaking Point (Part 1: Jesus healing a man born blind and Raising Lazarus from the dead)

• Jesus healed the man born blind on the Sabbath.
• The Pharisees interrogated the blind man and his parents to investigate the healing.
• Jesus' last public miracle was raising Lazarus from the dead.
• Lazarus, who had two sisters, Martha and Mary, resided in Bethany, a town approximately 3km from Jerusalem, and all were close friends of Jesus.
• Jesus stayed where he was for two additional days after hearing of Lazarus' illness, and by the time Jesus arrived in Bethany, Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days.
• After the resurrection of Lazarus, the Sanhedrin began plotting Jesus' death.

Reaching a Breaking Point (Part 2: The 7 “I AM” Statements)

• The phrase "I am" is significant because when Moses asked God for his name at the burning bush, God responded with, "I am who I am" in Exodus 3:14.
• Jewish leaders accused Jesus of blasphemy and sought to stone him.
• "Blasphemy" means expressing a lack of respect for God or religion through words or actions, or regarding oneself as God.
• "I AM" statements and their meaning:

  • I am the bread of life: Jesus is the bread from God that sustains eternal life.

  • I am the light of the world- He leads people from darkness. He's the ultimate guide and the presence of God

  • I am the gate for the sheep: Jesus is the gate for entering into a righteous relationship with the Lord.

  • I am the good shepherd: Jesus is a perfect shepherd who will protect his people and lay down his life for them.

  • I am the resurrection and the life: Jesus equates himself with God by asserting that he can give life.

  • I am the way and the truth and the life

• I am the true vine: God expects people to bear fruit and, because Jesus is the vine, individuals must connect with him to cultivate spiritual fruit.

Explore rising tensions between Jesus and Jewish leaders during the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem, as recorded in John 7-8. Jesus's provocative statements about being the source of living water and the light of the world challenged the established religious order. The Jewish leaders were offended by his claims.