In Chapter 5 we found that there was much “back and forth” between Jesus and the Pharisees. The debate got so heated that they took up stones to stone Jesus.
Jesus used His divine power to escape from them because it was not yet His time to be taken by them.
(John 9:1-10:21)
John 9:1-10:21 1And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. 2And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? 3Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. 4I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. 5As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
6When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, 7And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing. 8The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged? 9Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he.
10Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened? 11He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight. 12Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not.
13They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind. 14And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes. 15Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see. 16Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day.
Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them. 17They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet. 18But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight. 19And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see? 20His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and
that he was born blind: 21But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself. 22These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. 23Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.
24Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner. 25He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see. 26Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes? 27He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?28Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples. 29We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is. 30The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. 31Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. 32Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. 33If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. 34They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out. 35Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? 36He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? 37And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. 38And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.
39And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. 40And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also? 41Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.
1Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. 4And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice. 5And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers. 6This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which he spake unto them. 7Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers:
but the sheep did not hear them. 9I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 10The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. 11I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. 12But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. 14I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
17Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. 18No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. 19There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings. 20And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him? 21Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?
It appears that soon after Jesus escaped from the crowd, He sees a man who had been blind from his birth. The disciples ask Jesus who had sinned the blind man or his parents, resulting in him being born blind. They fall back on the old adage that had been around at least since the times of Job: a person’s sins always result in bad things happening to the individual. We know this is not always true. There are other reasons why bad things happen to a person. Jesus’ reply is that neither the blind man nor his parents sinned a sin that caused the man to be born blind.
The reason is so that the works of God could be manifested in him. Jesus spits on the ground and then puts the clay on the man’s eyes. He tells him to go wash in the pool of Siloam. When he does this, he finds that he can see clearly. The wild card in all of this is that the day this happens is on a sabbath day.
What follows is an exchange between the former blind man and the Jews. The Jews cannot believe that Jesus did this and the former blind man says that He did.
The man’s parents are called in question and they verify that he is indeed their son and that he was born blind. But since he is of legal age, the Jews should question him. They were afraid of the Jews and what they could do to them.
The Jews recall the man and question him again. Again, the same results but the consequence is that they throw him out of the synagogue. When Jesus hears of
this action, He goes to the man and the visit results in the man believing in Jesus as his Savior.
Some of the Pharisees witness the conversation between the man and Jesus. They challenge Him and Jesus responds with the parable of the sheep cote. They do not understand what His teaching is. It does cause a division between the Jews.
Some say that Jesus is possessed and is mad, or insane, while others reply that someone possessed could not do the miracles that He did.
An Anomaly:
At the end of John 10:21, we come across an anomaly. There is a period of time between when we still find Jesus in the Jerusalem area, where He healed the blind man, and when He appears again in the region of Galilee. We have no idea of how much time has elapsed between John 10:21 and Luke 9:51. Regardless, we find Him back in Galilee just before the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah). The Feast of Tabernacles is in September/October and the Feast of Dedication is in November/December. There is over a month of time that is unaccounted for.
Could this be where the events John writes about in John 21:25? And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.
Somewhere in Galilee
(Matthew 19:1; Mark 10:1; Luke 9:51)
Matthew 19:1 And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judaea beyond Jordan; Mark 10:1 And he arose from thence, and cometh into the coasts of Judaea by the farther side of Jordan: and the people resort unto him again; and, as he was wont, he taught them again.
Luke 9:51 And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, Each of these cited passages, we find Jesus is setting out, once again, to go to Jerusalem. After these passages we again find another anomaly. We have an instance where most scholars place in this sequence of events where ten lepers are
healed somewhere on the border between Galilee and Samaria. Only Luke writes about it in Luke 17:11-19. It appears out of sequence but Luke names the location as being on the border between Galilee and Samaria. These passages relate to us that Jesus has again departed Galilee. This will be His last journey from Galilee.
The time is rapidly approaching when He will be offered up.
(Luke 9:52-56)
Luke 9:52-56 52And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him. 53And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. 54And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? 55But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.
56For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.
When Jesus sets out to Jerusalem, He sends out messengers before Him into Samaria. Jesus planned to enter a village in Samaria, but they refuse Him entry.
James and John want to call fire down from heaven and destroy them, but Jesus tells them no, because He has not come to take lives but to save them. Luke is the only writer to record this incident.
The Sending of the Seventy
(Luke 10:1-16)
Luke 10:1-16 1After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. 2Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. 3Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves. 4Carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes: and salute no man by the way. 5And into whatsoever house ye enter, first say, Peace be to this house.
6And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it: if not, it shall turn to you again. 7And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give: for the labourer is worthy of his hire. Go not from house to house. 8And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: 9And heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. 10But into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you not, go your ways out into the streets of the same, and say, 11Even the very dust of your city, which cleaveth on us, we do wipe off against you: notwithstanding be
ye sure of this, that the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you. 12But I say unto you, that it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. 13Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon, which have been done in you, they had a great while ago repented, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14But it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment, than for you. 15And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell. 16He that heareth you heareth me; and he that despiseth you despiseth me; and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me.
Probably while Jesus and the disciples are in the region of Samaria, Jesus sends out seventy of them to go along the way that He would travel to Jerusalem. Jesus tells them that not all of the cities and villages will receive them. They are to shake the dust off their feet and depart. Those that do accept, they are to enter. After exhorting them, they depart.
Matthew records the sending out but places it much earlier in his account, Matthew 11:20-24. It does not seem that Matthew is concerned about the sequence of events, nor do the other writers on occasion either, but what is important is that the account is recorded.
The Return of the Seventy
(Luke 10:17-20)
Luke 10:17-20 17And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. 18And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. 19Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. 20Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
Luke is the only writer that records the return of the seventy. They are all joyous because of the results they had seen. They especially rejoice because they were able to cast out demons and do other things. Jesus tells them to be joyous not because the demons were subject to them but rather because their names were written down in heaven.
In verse 18, Jesus makes a statement that is used by those who teach the “Gap Theory.” Jesus makes the statement that He saw Satan fall from heaven like as lightening. This statement is used as proof text between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2.
Revelation
(Luke 10:21-24)
Luke 10:21-24 21In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O
Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. 22All things are delivered to me of my Father: and no man knoweth who the Son is, but the Father; and who the Father is, but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him. 23And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see: 24For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
In these verses Jesus reveals that only the disciples have seen things that prophets and kings have desired to see. Matthew records something similar in Matthew 11:25-27, but it is out of the sequence of our timeline. Matthew is also the only one that continues with verses 28-30 concerning the statement Jesus makes,
“Come unto me and I will give you rest.”
Somewhere on the road to Jerusalem (either still in Samaria or in Judea) (Luke 10:25-37)
Luke 10:25-37 25And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? 26He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? 27And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.28And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. 29But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? 30And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
31And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. 32And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. 33But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, 34And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. 35And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever
thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. 36Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? 37And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.
Luke is the only writer that records the event of the lawyer approaching Jesus and asking Him what he could do to inherit eternal life. Jesus’ response to him is to relate the parable of the Good Samaritan.
Bethany
(Luke 10:38-42)
Luke 10:38-42 38Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. 39And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.
40But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. 41And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: 42But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
We find that Jesus and the disciples have arrived at Bethany. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus have a house in Bethany. Jesus and the disciples have apparently stopped at a mealtime. Martha is bustling about with the many chores related to serving a meal. Mary, in the meantime, has been sitting at the feet of Jesus and listening to Him. Martha, quite disturbed that Mary is not helping, asking Jesus if He does not care that Mary is not helping her. Jesus replied that Mary has chosen the good part which would not be taken away.
“A Certain Place”
(Luke 11:1-4)
Luke 11:1-4 1And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. 2And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. 3Give us day by day our daily bread. 4And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
Jesus has again retreated to “a certain place” to pray. We noted earlier that He had two favorite places to retreat when He was in the Jerusalem area. One was the Mount of Olives and the other was the Garden of Gethsemane. We cannot know for a certainty, but He was probably at one of the two. The disciples, after observing Him in prayer, ask Him to teach them to prayer. What follows is commonly known as “The Lord’s Prayer,” but we know it to be “The Model Prayer.”
(Luke 11:5-13)
Luke 11:5-13 5And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; 6For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?
7And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. 8I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth. 9And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 11If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? 12Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Jesus continues on with an explanation of how prayers could be answered. This is the place where He states, “Ask and it will be given thee.”
Jerusalem
(John 10:22-39)
John 10:22-39 22But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. 23He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. 24When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. 25And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished.
26Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. 27And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare
thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. 28But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it. 29And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. 30For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation. 31The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. 32The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. 33No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.34The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. 35Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. 36If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light. 37And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat. 38And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner. 39And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.
John writes that it is the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah). John also adds this tidbit: it was winter. This is correct because this feast takes place in November/December. Jesus was walking in the temple, specifically Solomon’s Porch. This was the only place that the Gentiles were able to enter into the temple.
It was here that the Jews once again came to Him challenging Him to prove that He was the Christ. It is in this discourse that Jesus declares that He and the Father are One. Once again the Jews took up stones to stone Him. They accused Him of blasphemy because of that statement. Again, Jesus had to use His divine power to escape them.
https://hoshanarabbah.org/blog/2018/03/29/solomons-porch/
Conclusion to Chapter 6
It is apparent that after Jesus escaped from the clutches of the Jews, He went to Perea. In Chapter 7, we will look at His ministry in Perea.
