Bible Study........................................................................Pages

John 10:30

"I and My Father are one."

In John 10, Jesus was in Jerusalem since His arrival for the Festival of Booth in chapter seven, teaching regularly in the temple. His teaching caused much discussion concerning His identity, origins and authority and resulted in quarrels among the people. Jesus presented Himself as the Good Shepherd, who gives eternal life, and promises that no one will be able to be snatched from His hand. Jesus says in John 10:28: "My sheep hear My voice. I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish."

Some time had passed between that discussion and the discourse that began in John 10:22, which took place at the time of the festival of the Dedication (Hanukkah). Once again, Jesus was at the temple, and some religious critics gathered around Him, cornering Him, daring Him to repeat His former claims about being the Messiah.

Jesus had claimed earlier that He was the only source of salvation and that His salvation was eternal, permanent and irrevocable. Jesus offered eternal life; He first referred to His people as being held in His hand, then referred to the same people as being held in God's hand. This statement suggested that Jesus and God were unified as one, in the sense of Jesus being equal to God. Jesus did not claim was His Father, making Himself equal with God." John 1:1 tells us: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." The unity between Christ and God the Father is again revealed in John 10:30. Further along in the chapter, Jesus claimed preexistence

to be merely a messenger or prophet, but of equal power with God, which enraged His critics. Jesus had healed a man born blind, but the Pharisees saw only that Jesus had healed on a Sabbath. John 5:18 says, "Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God in the Father's presence when He said that the Father sent Him (John 10:36). No biblical prophet had ever made such a claim before, yet Jesus claimed to exist before Abraham. John 8:58 says, "Jesus said to them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.'" Colossians 1:16-17 affirm this teaching: "For by Him all things were created; that are in heaven and are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist." Some believed that Jesus was the Messiah, and others believed that He was a blasphemer. The Jewish leaders rejected Jesus' divinity and they were armed for violence (John 10:31). The critics tried to stone Him, as these claims were blasphemous according to the Jewish Law and it was the legal, Godgiven punishment for such a claim. Jesus then escaped and left the area. He returned to the region where John the Baptist had once preached. Jesus' claim to have equal power as the Father however, was not blasphemy. It was the plain truth. The Son of God, united together with the Father and the Spirit is the undisputed second person of the Holy Trinity - infinite, perfect,

John 10:30

gracious and good. Yet this God-Man humbled Himself and clothed Himself in the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. For thirty-three years, the eternal Son of God lived the life of a man in humble submission and perfect obedience to God, full of wisdom, grace, in perfect union and fellowship with His Father by the power of the indwelling Spirit. Though He was God, Christ lived as man in utter dependence upon the Father. His entire life on earth consisted of doing His Father's will. He said, "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me" (John 6:38). Even while Jesus' flesh cried out on the cross, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?", His spirit still bowed and said, "Not My will, but Yours, be done." So He became obedient, even to death. Philippians 2:8 reads: "And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." In the same way, we are called to live in total dependence upon the Son, in joyful obedience to His will. Not only does He understand our temptations, He also shows us an example of perfect obedience to the Father. 1 Peter 2:21 says, "For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps." When Christ returns to earth at the hour of His Father's choosing, He will receive to Himself all who are in Him, submitted to the Father as He is. All who enjoy eternity with Him in the Father's house will be there by His grace, because of His perfect submission to the Father. Are you ready?