DISCOVERY OF THE FACTS
1. Our Lord and His Unbelieving Brothers, vv. 1–9
What was the attitude of the leaders of the people in Judea toward our Lord at this time? Why did they wish to kill Him? (5:16–18; Matt. 12:10–14; 21:37, 38.) What did this necessitate on His part? Was there any other time in the life of Christ when He retired from Judea to avoid the peril of arrest and death? (John 11:53, 54.) Was it right for Him to retire because of the peril there? Is it ever right for a follower of Jesus to go from a place of peril to some other place of comparative security? (Matt. 10:23.)
On what occasion did He go up again to Judea (v. 2)? What was the Feast of Tabernacles? (Ex. 23:16, 17; Lev. 23:34–43; Num. 29:12–38; Deut. 16:13–16.) What did our Lord’s brethren suggest that He do? Why? What does this reveal as to the character of His brethren? Was it His spirit to do things in order that men might see what great things He could do? (Matt. 12:18–20; Is. 42:2, 3.) Will it be the spirit of any true follower of Jesus? What reason did these brethren give why He should show His works to His disciples (v. 4)?
Was He seeking to be known openly? What lay at the root of the suggestion made by the brethren of Jesus? (Luke 6:45.) What was the attitude of His own brethren toward Him (v. 5)? What reasons had His brethren for believing in Him? Why then did they not believe (v. 3, 4; compare 5:44)? Did the time ever come when they did believe? (Acts 1:14; 15:13; 1 Cor. 15:7; Gal. 1:19.) Had the brothers of Jesus on any other occasion shown that they did not understand Him and truly believe in Him? (Mark 3:21, 31; John 1:11–13; Micah 7:5, 6.) If we are true to Christ, where very likely will we find those who misunderstand us and oppose us? (Matt. 10:34–36.) Ought opposition in our own homes deter us from loyalty to Christ? (Matt. 10:37–39.) From whom had the suggestion come earlier in His history that He make a public display of His powers? (Matt. 4:6.)
What did He answer His brethren? What did He mean by: “My time is not yet come” (vv. 8, 30; 8:20; 13:1; 17:1)? What connection was there between this answer and the suggestions of His brothers? What did He say was the attitude of the world toward His brothers (v. 7)? Why could not the world hate them? (15:19; James 4:4; 1 John 4:5.) Is it always a good sign when the world agrees with us and applauds us? (Luke 6:26.) What did our Lord say was the attitude of the world toward Himself? Is that the attitude of the world toward Him today? (Ro. 8:7.) Of what prophecy was it a fulfillment? (15:23–25; Ps. 35:19; 69:4; Is. 49:7; 53:3.) Why did the world hate Him (v. 7)? How did He testify of the world that its works were evil by word, or by His life? (3:19–21; Luke 11:39–54.) How does the world usually feel toward one who rebukes its sin? (1 Kings 22:8; Prov. 9:7, 8; Amos 7:7–13; Acts 5:28–33; 7:51–54.) How only can a preacher keep the favor of the world?
2. Our Lord and the Perplexed People, vv. 10–13
Did our Lord go up to the feast at all (v. 10)? Why secretly? (11:54; Is. 42:2, 3; Matt. 10:16.) Who were watching for Him at the feast? (11:56.) What different opinions about Him did the people express? Was either of these opinions the whole truth about Him? Was there a similar diversity of opinion about Him on any other occasion? (vv. 26, 27, 40–43; 9:16; 10:19–21; Matt. 16:13–16; Mark 6:14, 15.) What did this reveal as to the people themselves? (Luke 6:45.) Is what a man thinks of our Lord today any test of what he is in his heart? (John 3:18–21.) By what were those who believed in Him deterred from an open confession of Him? (v. 13; 9:22, 23, 34; 12:42, 43; 19:38; Gal. 2:12, 13; 2 Tim. 2:9–13.) Is it enough to believe in Jesus in secret? (Matt. 10:32, 33; Ro. 10:9, 10.)
3. Our Lord and the Wondering People, vv. 14–24
When did our Lord first appear in public during the feast? What did He then do? Was He accustomed to go to the temple to teach? (8:2; 18:20; Luke 19:47.) Why? What prophecy was thus fulfilled? (Hag. 2:7–9; Mal. 3:1.) What was the effect of His teaching? (vv. 15, 46; Matt. 7:28, 29; 22:22, 33; Luke 2:47.) Does His teaching appear equally remarkable to fair-minded men today? What made it especially difficult for the Jews to understand how He should be such a remarkable teacher of the truth? What did they mean by saying He had “never learned”? Are there any today who think a man can know nothing unless he has been to the rabbinical schools?
What was His own answer to the question: “How knoweth this Man letters” (v. 16, R. V.)? Was this a reasonable answer? Is there any other reasonable way in which to account for the unparalleled wisdom of the teaching of our Lord? To what extent is His teaching the teaching of God? (3:11, 31–34; 8:28; 12:49, 50; 14:10, 24; 17:8, 14.) What must a man do if he is to know for himself to a certainty that the teaching of Jesus is the teaching of God (v. 17)?
Whose glory is that man seeking who speaks for himself? Was our Lord seeking His own glory? (5:41; 8:49, 50.) Whose glory was He seeking? Whose glory should each one of us seek? If one feels hurt when he hears of some one else who has been greatly used in God’s work, what does it prove as to whose glory he is seeking? If one rejoices when he hears that others are being used more than he is, what does it prove as to whose glory he is seeking? (Num. 11:29.) What does our Lord say of the man who seeks not his own glory but the glory of Him that sent him (v. 18)?
Who did Jesus say gave the law? To what law did He refer? Is it the opinion of all scholars today that Moses gave this law? Who is right about this, Jesus or these modern scholars? How many of the Jews kept the law? (v. 19; Matt. 23:2–4; Ro. 2:12, 13, 17–29; 3:10–23; Gal. 6:13.) What startling question did our Lord now put to them? What did the people reply? Was He accused on any other occasion of having a devil or being crazy? (8:48, 52; 10:20; Mark 3:21.) Ought we to grieve if people accuse us of being crazy because of our loyalty to the truth? (Matt. 10:25; Acts 26:24.) Was our Lord right in supposing that they were trying to kill Him? (5:16–18; 10:31, 32, 39; 11:53; Mark 3:4–6.) Did not the people know that they were trying to kill Him? (v. 25.) To what work does He refer in v. 21? (5:9–11.) How does He prove that it was right according to their own law and usage for Him to heal this man on the Sabbath day (22, 23)? How did He tell them to judge? (8:15; Is. 11:3, 4.)
CLASSIFICATION OF TEACHINGS
1. God
Sent our Lord into the world, gave Him the doctrine that He should teach, 16; reveals to any man who wills to do His will that the doctrine of our Lord is His own doctrine, 17; man should seek God’s glory—not his own, should teach God’s doctrine—not his own, should surrender his will absolutely to God, 16–18.
2. Our Lord
(1). What He did:
Retired from Judea where the Jews sought to kill Him, to Galilee where He would be comparatively safe, 1; avoided publicity, 4, 10; patiently awaited His time, 6, 8; testified to the world that its works were evil, 7; obeyed the Mosaic law, 10; went up into the temple and taught, 14; spoke not from Himself but from God, 16; sought not His own glory, sought the glory of Him that sent Him, 18; made an entire man sound on the Sabbath day, 23; judged not according to appearance but judged righteous judgment, 24.
(2). How He was treated:
Misunderstood and disbelieved in by His own brothers, 3–5; hated by the world, 7; called a deceiver by some of the people, considered a good man by some, 12; not confessed by the multitude for fear of man, 13; marvelled at because of His teaching, 15; the Jews sought to kill Him, 19; accused of having a devil by the people, 20.
3. The Brothers of Our Lord
Longed for the praise of men, 3, 4; disbelieved in Jesus, 5; in agreement with the world, 7; observed the outward forms of religion, 10.
4. Unbelief
Its unreasonableness—refuses to be convinced by sufficient evidence, 5; cannot see the beauty in our Lord though it is right before its eyes, 5; ostentatious vanity, 3, 4; agreement with the world, 7; unfairness, misrepresentations, 20; cure, a surrendered will, 17.
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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.