Tag: John Bible study

Today’s passage: John 12:1–36

Focus verse: So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him. (John 12:10–11)

Let’s recap. Lazarus gets sick. Lazarus dies. Jesus raises him from the dead in front of a host of witnesses. As a result, many believe in Jesus. 

This repeats in the book of Acts, where supernatural acts—healings, miracles, exorcisms, and resurrections—open the door for people to hear about and receive Jesus. 

Lazarus is living proof that Jesus has the power to bring people from death back to life. Though Jesus draws some people to him by what he says, even more give him their attention because of what he does. 

To make sure we don’t dismiss this as a mere resuscitation or misunderstanding of what happened, recall that people had preserved Lazarus’s corpse for burial. Once shrouded, they placed his physical shell in a tomb and sealed the entrance. He is four days dead. It’s final.

But when Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead, he becomes the poster boy for Jesus’s healing power.

As for Jesus, he’s again hanging out with Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. Martha’s serving a dinner to honor Jesus. We can assume she does this because he brought her brother back to life. 

For sister Mary, she shows her appreciation to Jesus by pouring a pint of expensive perfume on his feet. This anoints him for his own death and burial, which will soon happen.

When the people hear Jesus is nearby, they flock to see him. They also want to see the once-dead-but-now-alive Lazarus.

The religious leaders are jealous of the attention Jesus receives from the people who used to give them their attention. They also blame Lazarus for rising from the dead and adding to the problem. Their solution? Kill Lazarus too.

They have agreed that Jesus must die—one man for the entire nation. Now they add Lazarus to their hit list. We don’t know if they follow through and end Lazarus’s life, but they do succeed in ending Jesus’s—at least for three days.

This happens with organized religions throughout history. Believers kill other believers in the name of God. Their disagreements over theology and doctrine result in persecution and death. 

But before we point an accusing finger at the religious leaders two millennia ago or in the 2,000 years since, we must remind ourselves that attacking what opposes our religious comforts is a common action.

We must be sure not to repeat this error, this sin. Though we wouldn’t kill in Jesus’s name, we sometimes do wrong in an ill-advised attempt to preserve practices that we think are important. 

The Pharisees conclude they’re not making progress in defending their religious traditions. They’re losing ground. More people flock to Jesus. The Pharisees’ base is slipping away.

They must do something before it’s too late.

Questions:

1. How are people drawn to Jesus by what you say?
2. How are people drawn to Jesus by what you do?
3. What can you do to honor Jesus, like Martha? Like Mary?
4. When something confronts your religious practices, do you oppose it or consider it with an open mind? 
5. When have you hurt, or wanted to hurt, another person because of your religious fervor?

Discover more in a comparable story, albeit with a different outcome, in Acts 5:17–39. What insights can you glean from this passage?

Read the next lesson or start at the beginning of this study.

Tips: Check out our tips to use this online Bible study for your church, small group, Sunday school class, or family discussion. It’s also ideal for personal study. Come back each Monday for a new lesson.

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Read more in Peter’s new book, Living Water: 40 Reflections on Jesus’s Life and Love from the Gospel of John, available everywhere in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Today’s passage: John 11:45–57

Focus verse: “You do not realize that it is better for you that one man die for the people than that the whole nation perish.” (John 11:50)

When Jesus’s friend Lazarus dies, Jesus goes to his grave and, with a dramatic flair, raises him from the dead. When the people witness this miracle of miracles, many believe in Jesus.

To restore a dead man to life is an amazing feat. Everyone should celebrate. But not everyone does. Guess who’s upset. The religious leaders. These are the same people who claim to represent the God who sent Jesus. But they don’t recognize who he is.

They can’t see God’s hand at work. A more worrisome thought is that they’re not willing to. All they think about is themselves. Though under Roman occupation, they’ve carved out a comfortable existence for themselves.

They want to keep it. They enjoy their standing as religious leaders and the admiration of the people. In self-interest, they seek to preserve what they have. They want to keep their religious status quo.

In their self-centered ambition, they lose sight of the God they profess to serve. They don’t realize that God is present, ushering in the new era that the Scriptures predict.

These religious leaders fear losing their position, their power, and their prestige. Their solution? Kill Jesus. That’s right. Their focus on protecting what power they have pushes them to plot against their God.

Caiaphas, the high priest, summarizes their predicament. “It’s better for one man to die for all the people,” he says, “than to lose the entire nation.” In this way, Caiaphas acts as a prophet, predicting Jesus’s sacrificial death to save the nation, along with all of God’s children. 

It’s easy to criticize Caiaphas and his conspiring compatriots. Yet, this same thing still happens. How many religious leaders today have become so focused on preserving their job, receiving their paycheck, and holding on to their followers that they end up opposing the work of God?

In doing so, they resist God’s movements. Instead, they act contrary to their professed faith and what God has called them to do.

This happens too often, and it’s wrong. We must always put God first, even if we might lose what we think is important.

Just like the religious leaders two thousand years ago, we may place our personal needs over what God is doing. When we do, we risk missing out on his best.

Questions:

1. How well do you do at embracing Jesus’s miracles in the Bible?
2. How is God at work in your life? If you don’t know, what must change?
3. In what ways do you strive to maintain your spiritual status quo?
4. How might you put your position, power, or prestige ahead of Jesus?
5. When have you placed personal needs over what God is doing?

Discover more about Jesus in 2 Samuel 7:12 and Philippians 2:5–11. What insights can you glean from these passages?

Read the next lesson or start at the beginning of this study.

Tips: Check out our tips to use this online Bible study for your church, small group, Sunday school class, or family discussion. It’s also ideal for personal study. Come back each Monday for a new lesson.

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Read more in Peter’s new book, Living Water: 40 Reflections on Jesus’s Life and Love from the Gospel of John, available everywhere in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Today’s passage: John 11:1–44

Focus verse: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.” (John 11:25)

Here we have a story of Jesus and three siblings. They are Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. Jesus has great affection for them and sometimes hangs out at their house. Word reaches Jesus that Lazarus is sick, deathly ill.

Yet, Jesus doesn’t head out right away to heal his ailing friend. He waits, saying, “Don’t worry. Lazarus’s sickness won’t lead to death but is to glorify me.”

Jesus delays his departure for two days before he heads out. His disciples are apprehensive, noting that this will take Jesus back to where his Jewish opponents tried to stone him. Jesus insists on returning. He says, “Lazarus is sleeping, and I’m going to wake him.”

This encourages the disciples, who assume that sleep is a sign that Lazarus is getting better.

Jesus clarifies. “Lazarus is dead. Let us go to where he is.” He also makes a vague statement to his disciples that it was good for them he wasn’t present when Lazarus was sick. This will somehow help them believe. How confusing.

As Jesus and his band of followers approach the city where Lazarus once lived, sister Martha hears of his arrival and runs out to meet him. “If you had been here,” Martha says, “he wouldn’t have died. But even now I know God will answer your prayers.”

Jesus promises Martha that Lazarus will rise again. She agrees. But she assumes Jesus means her brother will rise to life on the last day.

Again, Jesus clarifies what he means. “I am the resurrection. I am the life. If you believe in me, you will never die.” Martha confirms she believes and goes to fetch sister Mary.

When Mary reaches Jesus, with the throng of mourners in tow, she falls at his feet. “If you had been here,” Mary says, “he wouldn’t have died.”

Jesus asks, “Where is he buried?”

They take him to Lazarus’s tomb, and Jesus weeps. Then he commands them to roll away the stone that seals the grave’s entrance.

After a debate about how much a four-day-old corpse will stink, Jesus tells them they must believe. Then he thanks Papa for hearing his prayer and the miracle that’s about to happen. 

“Lazarus,” Jesus commands, “come out.”

At that, the once-dead Lazarus staggers out of his tomb, burial linens still wrapped around his body. What a shocking sight to watch the dead man lumbering forward. 

Jesus says the obvious. “Remove his burial clothes, and let him go.”

As we might wake someone from their sleep, Jesus wakes someone from the dead with equal ease.

This isn’t the first time he raises a dead person, and it won’t be the last. The ultimate resurrection comes when Jesus defeats death through his once-and-for-all sacrifice by raising himself from the dead. 

His resurrection gives us life.

Questions:

1. Why do you think Jesus has so much affection for Martha, Mary, and Lazarus?
2. What should your attitude be if Jesus doesn’t respond right away to your requests?
3. What do you think will happen to you when you die?
4. How willing are you to worship Jesus and fall at his feet when you feel he let you down?
5. How does Jesus’s resurrection give you life?

Discover more about the power and promise of Jesus’s resurrection in Acts 2:29–32, Romans 6:5, 1 Corinthians 15:20–22, 1 Corinthians 15:42–44, Philippians 3:10–11, and 1 Peter 1:3–5. What insights can you glean from these passages?

Read the next lesson or start at the beginning of this study.

Tips: Check out our tips to use this online Bible study for your church, small group, Sunday school class, or family discussion. It’s also ideal for personal study. Come back each Monday for a new lesson.

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Read more in Peter’s new book, Living Water: 40 Reflections on Jesus’s Life and Love from the Gospel of John, available everywhere in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Today’s passage: John 10:22–42

Focus verse: “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:28)

Jews, whom I suspect are Pharisees, ask Jesus if he is the expected Messiah, the Christ they’ve been awaiting. They want a direct yes or no answer.

“I already told you,” Jesus responds, “but you didn’t believe me.” He says the works he does—miracles, healings, and exorcisms—give testimony to who he is because he does them in his Father’s name.

“But you don’t believe me because you’re not my sheep.” Note that Jesus doesn’t say they are not sheep, just that they’re not his sheep. 

We are his sheep. Try not to take offense at this because actual sheep aren’t too bright and often need help. Yet don’t lose sight of the truth that we are error prone and need Jesus to guide our daily lives—our very existence. 

Jesus says his sheep listen for the sound of his voice. As good sheep, we obey what Jesus tells us to do. As our Shepherd, he only suggests what’s in our best interest. We should do what he says.

Not only do Jesus’s sheep listen to his voice, but Jesus knows his sheep. He knows each of us by name. We’re not part of any flock, but we are each known as unique individuals by our Savior.

As his sheep, Jesus knows us. We follow him. Where he goes, we’re right behind him. He says, “Come on, little sheep, this path is a better one. It will keep you from danger.” Then we fall into step behind him—or at least we should. 

As Jesus’s sheep, he gives us eternal life. Because of him, we will live forever. Though our physical bodies will one day wind down, our spiritual being will never perish. We’ll live forever with Jesus, our Good Shepherd, in heaven.

Jesus gives us a promise that no one will ever take us—his sheep—away from him. Nobody will snatch us from his safe embrace and protective grasp.

It seems too good to be true: overwhelming and wonderful. Through Jesus we will have life forever, and no one can stop that from happening.

Questions:

1. What might you have in common with the Pharisees?
2. How disappointed do you get when Jesus doesn’t give you a yes or no answer?
3. How can you better listen for Jesus’s voice as your shepherd? 
4. How can knowing that no one can ever take us from Jesus’s protection change your actions and attitudes? 
5. How can his promise that we’ll be with him forever affect what you do today?

Discover more about eternal life in John 3:15–16, John 3:36, John 17:3, Romans 6:23, and 1 John 5:11–13. What insights can you glean from these passages?

Read the next lesson or start at the beginning of this study.

Tips: Check out our tips to use this online Bible study for your church, small group, Sunday school class, or family discussion. It’s also ideal for personal study. Come back each Monday for a new lesson.

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Read more in Peter’s new book, Living Water: 40 Reflections on Jesus’s Life and Love from the Gospel of John, available everywhere in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Today’s passage: John 9:35–10:21

Focus verse: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” (John 10:11)

I suspect you’re familiar with the phrase the Good Shepherd. Yet the term only occurs three times in the Bible, all in today’s passage in the book of John. Jesus, as the Good Shepherd—our Good Shepherd—is caring, protective, patient, brave, wise, and sacrificial.

Even better, he knows us by name.

Sheep aren’t too intelligent. They often get into trouble and need rescue. I asked a farmer with sheep if they’re as stupid as preachers claim.

“No,” he answered, “they’re even worse!” He then shared examples to make his point.

For instance, if a sheep finds a small hole in a fence, he will stick his head into the opening and, not being able to move forward, will think he’s stuck.

He isn’t smart enough to realize he can take a step back to free himself. He will stay put, bleating for help until the farmer rescues him—or he dies.

Jesus says that he is the Good Shepherd. As our shepherd, he will care for us, watch over us, and rescue us when we get into trouble. As our Good Shepherd, Jesus will die for his sheep. In fact, he did just that. He died to make us right with Father God. 

Jesus also cares for us and knows us. When danger comes, the Good Shepherd won’t run away as a hired man would. He’ll stick around and protect his sheep. 

Not only do we have Jesus as our spiritual shepherd to watch out for us, but we have people serving as our shepherds in a physical sense too. Despite their best intentions, however, our ministers—our human shepherds—aren’t like Jesus.

They sometimes disappoint us and let us down. Though most of them try their best, they’re flawed human beings just like the rest of us. They make mistakes and aren’t like Jesus, our Good Shepherd.

God gives us human shepherds to lead, protect, and nurture us spiritually. But we need to be good sheep too. We must speak well of our shepherds, stand up for them, and respect them. If we can’t do this, we’re hurting our shepherd and damaging the flock. 

Thank you, Jesus, for being our Good Shepherd. You know us, you love us, and you died for us.

Questions:

1. What do you think about Jesus as the Good Shepherd?
2. What do you think about being one of his not-so-bright sheep?
3. How can you better trust Jesus as your Shepherd? 
4. Do you need to try to be a good sheep for Jesus? Why?
5. What’s your attitude toward your human shepherds? What needs to change?

Discover more about shepherds in Mark 6:34, Acts 20:28, Hebrews 13:20–21, 1 Peter 5:1–4, and Revelation 7:17. What insights can you glean from these passages?

Read the next lesson or start at the beginning of this study.

Tips: Check out our tips to use this online Bible study for your church, small group, Sunday school class, or family discussion. It’s also ideal for personal study. Come back each Monday for a new lesson.

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Read more in Peter’s new book, Living Water: 40 Reflections on Jesus’s Life and Love from the Gospel of John, available everywhere in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Today’s passage: John 9:13–34

Focus verse: “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” (John 9:16)

The Pharisees come up often in the four biographies of Jesus, over eighty times altogether. From our present day, we look back two millennia, dismayed at the hypocrisy and closed-mindedness of the Pharisees.

While we might claim we’d never act like they did, we can’t point a finger at them without risking pointing at ourselves too.

To their credit, the Pharisees are a most righteous group—more righteous than most any other, then or now. Their behavior is exemplary, and their adherence to the Law of Moses is unshakable. They are rule followers to the extreme.

Not only do they obey the 613 commands of what to do and what not to do as found in the Torah, they also constructed thousands more rules to guide them in the proper application of the original 613. They had a rule for everything. 

They pursue these statutes with legalistic fervor. If nothing else, we can respect them for their painstaking dedication to following the rules of right behavior.

One of their key laws regards the Sabbath, to keep the seventh day holy and not do any work (Exodus 31:14–15 and Exodus 35:2). As you might expect, many of the rules they created guide them in deciding what counts as work and what doesn’t for their Sabbath observances.

Remember the blind man that Jesus gave sight to? He did this on the Sabbath. The Pharisees aren’t pleased because to them, by healing the man, Jesus worked on their holy day. They condemn him for making someone’s life better. 

In doing so, they elevated God’s Old Testament law and their man-made guidelines above God’s ideal of doing good and helping others. Their hypocrisy appalls us.

Yet without a thought to our own duplicity, we also tend to be rule followers with legalistic fervor to live righteous lives.

Because Jesus doesn’t conform to their righteous ideals, they call him a sinner. Imagine that.

They claim the Son of God—who comes to save his people from their sins—is a sinner. They are so steeped in their religious practices that they can’t see God is present and at work in their midst.

These religious leaders also attack the man Jesus healed. They insult him. They accuse him of being a disciple of Jesus. The man, however, gives a most astute testimony, “If Jesus were not from God, he could do nothing.”

After that bold statement, they throw the once blind man out. Though this could mean they eject him from their meeting, the context suggests they expel him from the synagogue and ban him from their religious community.

Before we condemn the Pharisees for their hypocrisy and being rule followers, we should examine ourselves to determine if we do the same in our own lives, albeit with different focuses.

Questions:

1. In what ways might you be closed-minded?
2. What are your Sabbath practices?
3. Are you a rule follower? When is this good? When is it bad?
4. When have you placed man-made rules over helping others?
5. Do your Sabbath practices cause harm or produce good? How?

Discover more about the Sabbath and helping others in Matthew 12:1–14, Mark 2:27, John 7:22–23, and James 2:14–20. What insights can you glean from these passages?

Read the next lesson or start at the beginning of this study.

Tips: Check out our tips to use this online Bible study for your church, small group, Sunday school class, or family discussion. It’s also ideal for personal study. Come back each Monday for a new lesson.

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Read more in Peter’s new book, Living Water: 40 Reflections on Jesus’s Life and Love from the Gospel of John, available everywhere in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Today’s passage: John 9:1–12

Focus verse: “This happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” (John 9:3)

As Jesus and his disciples travel, they meet a blind man. He was blind from birth. The disciples assume sin caused his blindness. That’s their view of God, that he afflicts people who do wrong. He punishes them for their shortcomings.

The disciples seek clarity about who sinned, since he was born blind. “Did his parents’ sin cause this,” the disciples ask, “or the man’s sin?”

Given that the disciples believe the blindness happened because of sin, they ask a reasonable question. If the parents sinned, why is their child carrying the punishment for their mistakes?

Yet, if the man’s sin caused his blindness—which is the disciples’ logical conclusion—then he received punishment before he sinned, since he was born without the ability to see. Neither scenario makes sense to the disciples.

That’s why they ask Jesus for clarification about whose sin caused the blindness.

Jesus surprises them by saying, “Neither one caused it.” The man’s blindness is not the result of punishment for his sin or his parents’.

Instead, the man’s inability gives Jesus an opportunity to prove his healing power to his disciples, to the blind man, and to the religious teachers. 

In one of his stranger methods of healing people, Jesus doesn’t order the blindness to go away or command the man’s sight to return. Instead, Jesus makes a poultice out of dirt and spit, a most unexpected approach. He applies the mud he makes to the man’s eyes. 

Jesus still doesn’t proclaim healing to the man. Instead, he tells him to go to a pool and wash away the mud smeared on his eyes.

The man heads off to clean his face. Imagine the sight. A blind man walking down the road with mud caked over his eyes would get people’s attention.

The man reaches the pool, washes the mud from his face, and sees for the first time in his life. Through Jesus, the man’s life changes in one life-altering moment.

These things happen when we follow Jesus. Our life forever changes in an instant.

Questions:

1. Do you think there are consequences to sin? Why?
2. In what ways can your present hardships bring glory to God?
3. What do you do when God’s instructions don’t make sense or seem strange?
4. This story highlights God’s sovereignty. What’s your reaction to it?
5. How has your life changed from following Jesus?

Discover more about the blind seeing in Isaiah 29:18, Matthew 15:31, and Luke 7:22. What insights can you glean from these passages?

Read the next lesson or start at the beginning of this study.

Tips: Check out our tips to use this online Bible study for your church, small group, Sunday school class, or family discussion. It’s also ideal for personal study. Come back each Monday for a new lesson.

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Read more in Peter’s new book, Living Water: 40 Reflections on Jesus’s Life and Love from the Gospel of John, available everywhere in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Today’s passage: John 8:31–59

Focus verse: “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31–32)

Jesus speaks to the Jews who believe in him. He encourages them to hold fast to his teaching. By doing so, they prove they are his disciples, his loyal followers. As his disciples, they will understand his truth. That knowledge provides them with freedom from their sins.

Wow! There’s a lot packed into these two verses. 

The passage starts with believing in Jesus. We affirm who he is—the Son of God. And we accept what he came to do—to heal us and to save us (Matthew 9:2–7).

Though this is a great start, there’s more. James reminds us that even the demons believe in God and that conviction makes them shudder in fear (James 2:19). Mere belief in Jesus is not enough. Believing in him is just the start.

To those who believe, he urges them to hold on to his teaching. This is more than a mental agreement with what Jesus tells us or a feel-good acknowledgment of his character.

Instead, we move forward to act according to what Jesus says to do. We take his words seriously and put his instructions into practice.

To those who hold on to his teaching in this way, they show they are his loyal disciples. They’re not followers in name only, but followers in living a life consistent with what Jesus invites them to embrace.

They put their faith into action, and, as a result, they impact people for Jesus wherever they go.

As for these disciples, they know the truth that produces salvation as a certainty. This reality gives them freedom from the penalty of their sins.

Their spiritual rescue—and ours—can only come from Jesus and through Jesus by his once-and-forever sacrifice to make good on the things we’ve done wrong. Through Jesus we become right with Father God. This truth sets us free.

I hope you believe in Jesus. And as a believer in him, I yearn to grasp his teaching as detailed in Scripture and revealed by the Holy Spirit. In doing so we will be his disciples and know the truth—salvation truth—that sets us free.

Questions:

1. Do you believe that Jesus came to heal and to save us? Why?
2. How can you hold on to Jesus’s teaching? 
3. How can you take Jesus’s words seriously and put his instructions into practice?
4. What can you do to put your faith into action?
5. What does being set free by Jesus’s truth mean to you?

Discover more about freedom through Jesus in Isaiah 61:1, Luke 4:18, 2 Corinthians 3:17, and Galatians 5:1. What insights can you glean from these passages?

Read the next lesson or start at the beginning of this study.

Tips: Check out our tips to use this online Bible study for your church, small group, Sunday school class, or family discussion. It’s also ideal for personal study. Come back each Monday for a new lesson.

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Read more in Peter’s new book, Living Water: 40 Reflections on Jesus’s Life and Love from the Gospel of John, available everywhere in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Today’s passage: John 8:1–30

Focus verse: “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” (John 8:7)

Jesus’s detractors drag a woman caught in the act of adultery before him. They’re doing this to test him. These religious leaders who present the adulterous woman care nothing of her, what she did, or about justice.

If they have genuine concern for the law they claim to uphold, they should bring her adulterous partner along with her. It takes two to have an affair. But they don’t care about the man’s role in this. 

Instead, they’re exploiting her. They want to trap Jesus into saying something they can use against him. With their vast knowledge of Scripture and their made-up rules about religion, they’re sure they can twist whatever Jesus says to ruin him. 

The woman is their pawn. 

Jesus doesn’t take sides, something her accusers hadn’t considered. Had he upheld the law or offered her mercy, they would have used his words against him.

Instead, he thwarts their scheme. Without pronouncing judgment, he says the person without sin may throw the first rock to kill her. No one qualifies. They slink away.

Once they leave, Jesus offers the woman mercy and lets her go. He encourages her to change her behavior.

Too often, well-meaning religious leaders are quick to condemn others when they should extend love and encouragement.

But what about the guy? We can guess at his identity. It could be he was one of their own and they wanted to protect him.

Another possibility is this was a setup, that he seduced and trapped the woman with the goal of catching her in the act so they could drag her before Jesus. Another thought is that their tryst was mutual and ongoing. 

Regardless, the religious hierarchy has a double standard. They accuse the woman of wrongdoing and let the man go, even though he is just as guilty.

This is the way of corrupt leaders who have an agenda. 

Questions:

1. Is it your nature to judge others, or do you offer love and mercy? Why?
2. In what areas do you need to work at offering mercy instead of judgment?
3. Does judgment have any place in Jesus’s church?
4. How can you encourage people to change their behavior without judging them?
5. When have you applied a double standard to others? What would Jesus do?

Discover more about adultery in Exodus 20:14, Proverbs 6:32, Matthew 5:27–28, Mark 7:21-23, and Romans 2:22. What insights can you glean from these passages?

Read the next lesson or start at the beginning of this study.

Tips: Check out our tips to use this online Bible study for your church, small group, Sunday school class, or family discussion. It’s also ideal for personal study. Come back each Monday for a new lesson.

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Read more in Peter’s new book, Living Water: 40 Reflections on Jesus’s Life and Love from the Gospel of John, available everywhere in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Today’s passage: John 7:25–53

Focus verse: “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.” (John 7:37)

Health professionals and fitness experts teach on the importance of good hydration, of getting enough to drink. In much of the world, access to clean drinking water is a given. People in these regions don’t give water a thought. It’s available to them whenever they want it.

Other areas of our world aren’t so fortunate. Too many people don’t have access to any water, let alone clean water. To them, regular hydration is an ongoing concern that never leaves their day-to-day reality.

For those of us who have water, we should be mindful of those who do not. 

While most of us can’t give parched people a cup of refreshing water in Jesus’s name (Matthew 10:42 and Mark 9:41), we can support organizations that have a mission to supply accessible, safe water to those who lack it.

This could take the form of boring wells or setting up water filtration systems.

Though this verse alludes to physical water, it’s a metaphor for spiritual water. We receive living water through Jesus.

We first covered this in Day 7, “Living Water.” In that passage, Jesus offers living water to the Samaritan woman and those in her town. Now, in this verse, he extends his gift to everyone.

Jesus wants to give supernatural water to all who have a spiritual thirst. To those who receive Jesus’s spiritual water by believing in him, rivers of living water will flow from them (John 7:38).

And to make sure we understand what he means by streams of living water, John confirms that Jesus refers to the Holy Spirit (John 7:39). After Jesus receives glory through his resurrection, everyone who believes in him will receive the Spirit.

Today, we see Jesus as risen and glorified. We have received Holy Spirit power as promised. Everyone who believes and follows Jesus will receive power from the Holy Spirit. God’s Spirit will flow forth from us like streams of living water.

If you accept Jesus to save you, you have his Spirit in you. 

Questions:

1. What are your day-to-day concerns?
2. What practical steps can you take to give thirsty people a cup of water in Jesus’s name? 
3. Aside from clean water, what needs do other people have that you take for granted?
4. What can you do to give spiritually thirsty people Jesus’s living water?
5. Does the Holy Spirit gush from you like water? If not, what must you do?

Discover more about living water and the Holy Spirit in Isaiah 55:1, Ezekiel 47:9, Joel 2:28, John 20:22, and Acts 2:17. What insights can you glean from these passages?

Read the next lesson or start at the beginning of this study.

Tips: Check out our tips to use this online Bible study for your church, small group, Sunday school class, or family discussion. It’s also ideal for personal study. Come back each Monday for a new lesson.

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Read more in Peter’s new book, Living Water: 40 Reflections on Jesus’s Life and Love from the Gospel of John, available everywhere in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.