DISCOVERY OF THE FACTS
1. Jesus the Light of the World, vv. 12–20
What is the first word of the 12th verse in the R. V.? What lesson is there in that word? Who is the speaker? What is His position in the society of the day? What did He say? That utterance shows Him to be one of three things: what are they? Was our Lord a lunatic? Was He an impostor? What then was He?
Did He say: “I am a light of the world”? From whom then does the world get all its light? (1:4, 5, 7–9.) Who does John tell us in his epistle is light? (1 John 1:5.) If then our Lord is the Light of the world, who is He?
What does light do? What does our Lord do? Of what is He the light? How can we prove that we believe that He really is the Light of the world, and not merely of our race? Does the average Christian believe that He is the Light of the world? Is this truth found anywhere else in the Bible? (Luke 1:78, 79; Is. 42:6, 7; 49:6; 60:1, 2.) What has demonstrated that He has a right to say it? If we would see what absolute truth and goodness is, where must we look? Did our Lord merely bring light?
If He is the light, what must we do? What does it cost to follow Him? (Matt. 16:24.) What reward does it bring? How does the reward compare with the cost? From what kinds of darkness will following Him save us? If one is walking in darkness, of what may he then be sure? (John 12:46; Is. 50:10.) If then we find ourselves in darkness, what should we seek to find out? What kind of light should we have if we follow our Lord?
Did the Pharisees let His statement that He was the light of the world produce its right impression on their hearts? How did they seek to escape the force of His words (v. 13)? Did it necessarily prove that His testimony was not true because He bore testimony of Himself? Is it true as a rule? (5:31–47.) Why was our Lord’s testimony true though He bore testimony regarding Himself (v. 14)? What did He know about Himself? From whence did He come (v. 42)? (7:29; 10:36; 13:3; 16:28; 17:8.) Whither did He go? (13:3.) What did the Pharisees not know (v. 14)? (7:27, 28; 9:29, 30.) How did the Pharisees judge? Is that the right way? (7:24; 1 Sam. 16:7.) Who judges in this way? What did our Lord mean by saying: “I judge no man” (v. 11)? (3:17; 12:47, 48.) Will He ever judge any man? (5:22, 23; Acts 17:31.) What kind of judgment (v. 16)? (5:22–30; Ps. 45:6, 7; 72:1, 2; 98:9; Is. 9:7; 11:2–5; 32:1, 2; Jer. 23:5, 6; Acts 17:31; Rev. 19:11.) Why would His judgment be true (v. 29)? (16:32.) What principle of their own law would compel them to accept His testimony (v. 17)? (Deut. 19:15.) Who were the two witnesses to our Lord (v. 18)? (1 John 5:9.) Where do we find His witness to Himself? Where did the Father bear witness to Jesus?
By what question did the Pharisees reveal the depths of their own ignorance (v. 19)? Is the question in itself an important one? What was our Lord’s answer (vv. 54, 55)? (1:10, 11; 15:21; 16:3.) Is it important that men know the Father and know Jesus? (John 17:3; 2 Thess. 1:7–9.) How alone can we know the Father? (1 John 5:20; Matt. 11:27; John 17:7; 1:18.) If any one does not know Jesus, of what may we be sure? What did they wish to do with Jesus (v. 20)? Why did they not arrest Him?
2. “If Ye Believe Not that I Am He, Ye Shall Die in Your Sins,” vv. 21–24
Were the words recorded in vv. 21–24 spoken on the same occasion as the immediately preceding words? What two solemn statements does our Lord make on this occasion? How alone can a person escape dying in his sins (v. 24)? (3:18, 36; Mark 16:16; Acts 4:12; Heb. 2:3; 10:26–29; 12:25.) Which is more solemn, to live in sin or to die in sin? If one dies in his sin what will be the result (v. 21)? How does this bear upon the doctrine that there is another probation after death? (Luke 16:22–26.) For what deeds are we judged at the judgment seat of Christ? (2 Cor. 5:10; Heb. 9:27.) Who alone is happy in his death? (Prov. 14:32.) How did the Jews interpret our Lord’s words: “Whither I go ye cannot come” (v. 22)? What suggested this interpretation to them? Would the time ever come when the Jews would seek our Lord (v. 21)? When? When must we seek Him in order to find Him? (Is. 55:6; Luke 13:24, 25.) When can He be found by those that seek Him? (2 Cor. 6:2; Heb. 3:7; Prov. 27:1.)
CLASSIFICATION OF TEACHINGS
1. The Father
Sent our Lord back into the world, bore witness regarding His Son, guided His Son in judgment, was always with the Son, 16, 18; can only be known through the Son, 19; would not allow any man to lay hands on Him until His hour had come, 20.
2. Jesus Christ
Divine, 12, 16, 18, 19, 23; subordinate to the Father, 16, 18; the Light of the world, 12; witnessed to by the Father, 18; came from God the Father, 14; sent by God the Father, 14, 21; came not to judge but to save, 15; a true judge, 16; in constant fellowship with the Father during His earthly life, 16; knowledge of the Father depended upon knowledge of Him, 19; is from above, not of this world, 23.
3. The Jews
Their enmity against our Lord, 13; they misunderstood Him, 13, 19, 22; knew not whence he came, nor whither He went, 14; judged after the flesh, 15; condemned by their own Scriptures, 17, 18; knew not the Father, knew not the Son, 19; restrained by God in their desire to arrest our Lord, 20; died in their sins, could not go to the Father whither our Lord went, 21; were from beneath, were of this world, 23.
4. The Way of Blessedness
Following our Lord, 12; seeking Him while He can be found, 21; believing on Him, 24.
5. The Way of Darkness and Ruin
Refusing to follow our Lord, 12; refusing to believe in Him, 24, 22.
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R.A. Torrey (1856 - 1928)
An American evangelist, pastor, educator, and writer. Called by D. L. Moody to head Bible institute in Chicago (now Moody Bible Institute). Dean of Bible Institute of Los Angeles. Pastorates included Chicago Avenue Church (now Moody Memorial) and Church of the Open Door, Los Angeles. Worldwide evangelistic meetings with Charlie Alexander. Founded Montrose Bible Conference, PA. Wrote more than forty books.Torrey held his last evangelistic meeting in Florida in 1927, additional meetings being canceled because of his failing health. He died at home in Asheville, North Carolina, on October 26, 1928, having preached throughout the world and written more than 40 books. Torrey-Gray Auditorium, the main auditorium at Moody, was named for Torrey and his successor, James M. Gray. At Biola, the Torrey Honors Institute honors him, as does the university's annual Bible conference.
Reuben Archer Torrey was an American evangelist, pastor, educator, and writer. Held evangelistic meetings around the world with song leader Charlie Alexander. Called by D.L. Moody to head the Bible Institute of the Chicago Evangelization Society (now Moody Bible Institute); Dean of Bible Institute of Los Angeles; pastorates included Chicago Avenue Church (now Moody Memorial Church) and Church of the Open Door, Los Angeles.
Besides his obvious gifts in all these areas, he was also a man of prayer, a student of the Bible, and an outstanding personal soul-winner. It is said that he daily read the Bible in four languages, having a good working knowledge of Greek and Hebrew. Some students of church history feel he did more to promote personal evangelism than any other one man since the days of the apostles. His prayer life has seldom been equaled in the annals of Christendom.
Reuben A. Torrey wrote some forty books and his practical writings on the Holy Spirit, prayer, salvation, soul-winning, and evangelism are still favorites of many Christians.