Sun., July 25 Bible Class Notes — John 1:13

Review last weeks lesson.

Joh_1:13

Which were born:

    the last clause of the verse, in Greek

    refers not to natural birth, but to regeneration, to being born again

not of blood(s)

    the word is plural

    the Greeks and the Hebrews both occasionally used a plural where we would     use a singular noun.

        some think it refers to the blood of both the male and the female

        others say it refers to the totality of blood

        perhaps it refers to all the aggregate parts

        to point out the dignity or excellence of a thing (Adam Clarke)

    we are not saved because of our blood line.

    Matthew Henry: Grace does not run in the blood, as corruption does.

nor of the will of the flesh:

    natural generation?

    "free will"

nor of the will of man:

    "free will"  -- an illusion

Man does not have free will, as we commonly understand it.

God does not have free will.

Need to define “free” and “will”

Fourfold State of Man

   Before the Fall:  free to do good or evil

   After the Fall:    free to do evil, only

       can do relative good, but not absolute

       even the sowing of the wicked is sin

   Christian:          free to do good or evil

   Heaven:            free to do good, only

    

but of God (to be covered on 8.1.2010)

Sun., July 11 – Bible Lesson Notes - John 1:9-12

My apologies for not posting this sooner. I did not teach on 7.18 so there are no notes for that week. The notes for July 25 will be posted tomorrow.

John 1:9-12

John 1:8  He [John the Baptist] was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

Joh_1:9  That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

"That" - italicised in KJV, because it is supplied.

NASB = There  (ESV, CEV, HCSB, and NASB) connect the true light with coming into the world.

HCSB  The true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

Barnes:

That cometh into the world - The phrase in the original is ambiguous. The word translated “that cometh” may either refer to the “light,” or to the word “man;” so that it may mean either “this ‘true light that cometh’ into the world enlightens all,” or “it enlightens every ‘man that cometh’ into the world.” Many critics, and, among the fathers, Cyril and Augustine, have preferred the former, and translated it, “The true light was he who, coming into the world, enlightened every man.” The principal reasons for this are:
1.    That the Messiah is often spoken of as he that cometh into the world. See John 6:14; John 18:37.
2.    He is often distinguished as “the light that cometh into the world.” John 3:19; “this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world.” John 12:46; “I am come a light into the world.”

Christ may be said to do what is accomplished by his command or    appointment. This passage means, therefore, that by his own personal ministry, and by his Spirit and apostles, light or teaching is afforded to all. It does not mean that every individual of the human family is enlightened with the knowledge “of the gospel,” for this never yet has been; but it means:
1.    That this light is not confined to the “Jews,” but is extended to all - Jews and Gentiles.
2.    That it is provided for all and offered to all.
3.    It is not affirmed that at the time that John wrote all “were actually enlightened,” but the word “lighteth” has the form of the “future.” “This is that light so long expected and predicted, which as the result of its coming into the world, will ultimately enlighten all nations.”

True does not mean what is not false, in this usage.

Genuine. "What is real, perfect, and substantial, as contrasted with what is fanciful, shadowy, counterfeit, or merely symbolic."

(Artificial light compared with true light; obscured light)

which lighteth every man

The Quakers use this to support their contention that we all have an inner [Divine] light. (Not true)

CW song: "There's a little light in all of us by God's design." (Not true)

John 1:10                                                                                

Ryle: Christ is to the souls of men what the sun is to the world. He is the center and source of all spiritual light, warmth, life, health, growth, beauty, and fertility. Like the sun, He shines for the common benefit of all mankind--for high and for low, for rich and for poor, for Jew and for Greek. Like the sun, He is free to all. All may look at Him, and drink health out of His light. If millions of mankind were mad enough to dwell in caves underground, or to bandage their eyes, their darkness would be their own fault, and not the fault of the sun. So, likewise, if millions of men and women love spiritual "darkness rather than light," the blame must be laid on their blind hearts, and not on Christ. "Their foolish hearts are darkened." (John 3:19; Rom. 1:21.) But whether men will see or not, Christ is the true sun, and the light of the world. There is no light for sinners except in the Lord Jesus.

John 1:11

(Matthew Henry) Ta idia - his own things; not tous idious - his own persons, as true believers are called, John 13:1.

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

But as many as received him
Q.: What does it mean to "receive him"?

"Accepting Jesus" as your Savior and receiving him are not the same thing.

"Accepting Jesus" is not a biblical term

Receiving Jesus is to take him for who and what he is.

to them gave he power to become the sons of God

Power = the right to

even to them that believe on his name:

his name stands for all that he is. Savior, Lord, Redeemer, etc.

Belief has to be substantive.

Genesis 1:1, Pt. 2 — Elohim

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Genesis 1:1

“In the beginning God... .” The word translated as God is Elohim. Elohim is the plural of El. I find it significant that the first reference to the One True God is a plural word. The Hebrew Scriptures insist that God is One, yet here a plural word is used. Elohim, when referring to God, is always singular. It does support the Christian view of the Trinity: One God in three persons. The word denotes majesty and power.

Creation teaches us several things about God and clearly points to him.

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: (Romans 1:20)

What can we know about God from viewing his creation? We know the following:

• God is wise
• God is powerful
• God is a master craftsman, an artist
• God owns us

That God is wise is evident from his created works. Some scientists, or should I say “pseudoscientists,” would have us believe that we are here merely by a fluke, an accident of nature. In our modern age with so much knowledge, why do educated but foolish people still think we descended from monkeys?

How is it that we could have developed over millions of years and eons of time from a single-cell that somehow from somewhere received life from who-knows-what? If Darwin was right then why do we still have handicapped people? Why do some who are ill, lame, mentally deficient, and otherwise not as strong as robust people often outlive those who are superior to them in their intellect and health?

How did it come about that an entity incapable of thought developed thought? How did it develop a reproductive system as intricate as found in humans today? How did it develop an immune system? Wouldn't a more simple life-form, long before it evolved into homo sapiens, have died off from a virus or bacteriological infection?

No, believing in evolution is just plain silly — and stupid — and takes a great more faith than believing that God created man.

But before God made man he had to make a place for us. His wisdom is evident in man's home, the Earth. Tucked safely away in one of the arms of the Milky Way Galaxy, our planet is relatively free from interstellar storms and other dangers of the Universe. We are placed at an optimum distance from the Sun so we neither get too cold nor too hot. And this is just the beginning of the display of God's wisdom evident through creation.

That God is powerful is also evident in creation. If we confine what God did in forming Earth, we see only a minuscule display of God's power. When we compare the feats of mankind against what God has done, our power is dwarfed by his.

Creation displays the craftsmanship and the artistry of God. Again, it is no mere coïncidence that the stars are placed where they are. That the Big Dipper points to Polaris, the North Star, is not an accident. We see his artistry and craftsmanship throughout nature: in flowers and trees, in sects and animals, on land and in the depths of the sea. Everywhere we look, we see the marvelous handiwork of God.

Finally, we understand that because we too are God's creation we are not our own, but belong to God. It then stands to reason that if God created us he can tell us what to do. He can hold us accountable for what we do and he will ultimately reward us according to what we have done. And therein is the heart of the matter when it comes to evolution. Deny creation and its God and then one does not have to consider the possibility of the eternal consequences for his actions. However, such denial only helps one (if the word help can be used at all) in this life: it does not change the outcome. We shall all stand in judgment before God. Those that have honored him will receive eternal life; those that have disobeyed him will receive eternal damnation.

Sun., July 4 Bible Lesson Notes John 1:6-8

John 1:6-13

Review matter covered on 6.20

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John

Contrast with v. 1, where the divinity of Christ is stated. Here the humanity (and non-divinity) of John is stated.

The events surrounding John's nativity are found in Luke 1:5-25, Luke 1:39-45, and Luke 1:57-80

The events of his ministry are summarized in Matt. 3:1-17 and Luke 3:1-22

    His dress and diet in Matt 3:4

      the locusts were of the grasshopper variety

    The greatest of the prophets: Matt. 11:11

His death and the cause of it: Matt. 14:1-12 and Mark 6:14-29

There was a man [and he was] sent from God, whose name was John

    apostello (sent on a mission)

    not self-commissioned

    not a maverick on a mission

    missionary

    had a purpose

    accountable

    his calling was known to others long before it was known to himself.

John 1:7  The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

To testify what he knew and saw.

to bear witness of the person of Jesus Christ

    that all men through him might believe.

John answers his followers:    John 3:26-36

John 1:8  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

    John 5:35