Sunday School Lesson
April 19
Lesson 8 (KJV)
An Executed Scoundrel
Devotional Reading: Luke 19:11–26
Background Scripture: Esther 3; 5; 7
Esther 7:1–10
1. So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen.
2. And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom.
3. Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request:
4. For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king’s damage.
5. Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so?
6. And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.
7. And the king arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath went into the palace garden: and Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king.
8. Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen upon the bed whereon Esther was. Then said the king, Will he force the queen also before me in the house? As the word went out of the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.
9. And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman. Then the king said, Hang him thereon.
10. So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified.
Lesson Aims
After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:
1. State how Haman’s plan backfired.
2. Suggest elements of the account that are more likely to be providential than others.
3. Repent of a sin of omission concerning a time when he or she should have opposed injustice but did not do so.
HOW TO SAY IT
| Ahasuerus | Uh-haz-you-ee-rus. |
| eunuch | you-nick. |
| Haman | Hay-mun. |
| Harbonah | Hahr-boh-nuh. |
| Mordecai | Mor-dih-kye. |
| Susa | Soo-suh. |
| Xerxes | Zerk-seez. |
Introduction
A. An Outrageous Injustice
After serving nearly 25 years for the murder of his wife, 57-year-old Michael Morton walked out of a Texas prison on October 4, 2011. He was released and officially exonerated after DNA evidence proved his innocence and pointed to the crime’s true perpetrator.
Investigation into the initial prosecution of the crime also revealed that the district attorney in the case had illegally concealed evidence that pointed to Mr. Morton’s innocence. As a result, the district attorney spent time in jail himself and was stripped of his law license.
Miscarriages of justice and abuses of power stir our outrage all the more when they involve officials who have been entrusted with maintaining a just society. Today’s lesson will identify a corrupt, prejudiced official whose abuse of power could have resulted in the destruction of God’s covenant people. Little did this individual realize that certain Jews were in positions to foil this genocidal intent.
- Lesson Context
The story of Esther is one of several in the Old Testament to portray the success of Israelites living in foreign surroundings. In a few noteworthy cases, these Israelites rose to influential positions (examples: Genesis 41:40–43; Nehemiah 1:11; Daniel 2:48, 49). These accounts illustrate God’s care for His covenant people. They also illustrate His resolve to use them as agents of influence even when (or especially when) they faced opposition, criticism, and ill-treatment.
The events in the book of Esther take place in the Persian citadel of Susa during the reign of Ahasuerus, also known as Xerxes I (485–465 BC; see Esther 1:1, 2). Key figures in the account are the close relatives Mordecai and Esther. They were part of a Jewish community that had remained in the area even after a decree in 538 BC allowed them to return home (Ezra 1:1–4; Esther 2:5–7).
Esther became queen after Vashti, the previous queen, was divorced by Ahasuerus (Esther 1:10–22). Ahasuerus subsequently replaced Vashti by holding a beauty pageant, which Esther won (2:1–18).
Throughout the selection process, Mordecai forbade Esther from revealing her nationality, and she complied (Esther 2:10). There is no indication that the king himself would have held her Jewish identity against her. Perhaps Mordecai was aware of a general prejudice among the members of the royal court in the larger community.
Eventually, a scheme to destroy the Jews materialized. Ahasuerus’s highest official, Haman, had developed a fierce animosity for Mordecai (Esther 3:1–5). This resulted in Haman’s seeking an edict from Ahasuerus for the annihilation of all Jews throughout the Persian Empire (3:6). Haman secured this edict without revealing to Ahasuerus which people he had targeted for destruction. A date for their eradication was set, and the Jews found themselves in grave peril (3:7–15).
Mordecai convinced Esther to act, at the risk of her own life, to save her people (Esther 4). A key part of his appeal was to consider the possibility that divine providence was at work. This possibility can be seen in his question, “Who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (4:14). Esther’s subsequent resolve is seen in her reply, “So will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish” (4:16).
After three days of fasting, Esther went before Ahasuerus and received his mercy (Esther 4:16–5:2). She asked that he and Haman join her in a banquet, where she would answer the king (5:3, 4). When prompted at the meal to offer her petition, she requested only that they come to another feast the next day (5:5–8).I. Scheme Explained
(Esther 7:1–4)A. Second Banquet (vv. 1, 2a)
1. So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen.
Esther’s invitation to the king and Haman results from Mordecai’s telling her about Haman’s plan to slaughter the Jews (see Esther 4:7, 8, 15, 16). The banquet hosted here is the second the two men attend at Esther’s request (see the Lesson Context).
2a. And the king said again unto Esther on the second day at the banquet of wine.
Overindulgence of wine seems to have contributed mightily to Vashti’s dismissal as queen (Esther 1:7–10). At Esther’s banquet, however, the king seems much better behaved.
B. Second Request (v. 2b)
2b. What is thy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? and it shall be performed, even to the half of the kingdom.
Ahasuerus once again expresses his willingness to hear Esther’s petition (see the Lesson Context). Having been asked to wait during the banquet of the night before, he is no doubt intensely curious about what’s on Esther’s mind. Thus his exaggerated offer of up to half of the kingdom (see also Esther 5:3; 9:12; compare Mark 6:23).
C. Second Response (vv. 3, 4)
3. Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request.
In ordinary circumstances, Esther may have drawn out the process over more days with more banquets and wine. Ahasuerus himself may have expected the process to draw out further, given the custom of multi-day banquets (Esther 1:5). But for Esther and her people, time is running out. At least two months have elapsed since the king’s extermination order was issued, leaving less than nine months before it is to be enacted (3:7; 8:9, 12). That may seem like plenty of time in a modern sense. But it’s not, given the vast expanse of the Persian Empire and the limitations of ancient methods of communication.
Therefore Esther does not waste time on any multi-day etiquette of presenting a request, beyond the single-day delay so far. She has a history of modesty in her requests (Esther 2:15), so she probably knows that the king will assume that she won’t ask for anything extravagant now. Esther has been queen for several years at this point (compare 2:16 with 3:7), so it’s quite likely that she has developed a sense of when to push the king and when not to!
| What Do You Think? What does the timing of Esther’s request with regard to the king’s state of mind teach you about how to time your own initiatives? Digging Deeper |
4a. For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish.
Esther begins to expose Haman’s plot to destroy the Jews (Esther 3:9). Haman must be the one to connect the dots first: Esther is a Jew! Her statement we are sold, phrased in the passive voice, avoids implicating the king (see also 4:7). The heaping up of phrases—to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish—emphasizes the dire consequences of her people being sold.
4b. But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I had held my tongue, although the enemy could not countervail the king’s damage.
The second part of Esther’s statement is difficult to interpret. Esther could mean that she would have kept silent if her people were “only” sold into enslavement rather than to death. On the other hand, Esther might mean that she would keep silent if economic loss from their enslavement would not equal the loss from their deaths. Oppression in slavery would still hold out the possibility for God to release His people (compare Psalm 81:10), but death would not. Either way, this is Esther’s diplomatic way of stressing the extreme importance of the issue.
| What Do You Think? Where might God be calling you to speak up for justice on behalf of others? Digging Deeper |
Esther conveys that she has seriously weighed the situation before speaking up. She may not realize that Haman has withheld the identity of the people he has targeted for destruction (Esther 3:8–11). One would think that the king himself would have asked that identity. The fact that he didn’t indicates his absolute trust in Haman. And since the decree has now been sent all over the Persian Empire, one wonders if the king is still unaware of the identity of the group being targeted (compare 3:12–15 with 8:9). Such lack of awareness would indicate the extreme isolation of the king.
II. Culprit Exposed
(Esther 7:5–8)
A. King’s Question (v. 5)
5. Then the king Ahasuerus answered and said unto Esther the queen, Who is he, and where is he, that durst presume in his heart to do so?
Some wonder why the king can apparently be so clueless. But the questions are reasonable given the facts that (1) it’s been several weeks since he was involved in this issue (comparing the time references of Esther 3:7, 12; 8:1, 9); (2) kings are busy people and therefore delegate tasks to subordinates (3:10, 11); and (3) the king is just now being made aware that Esther is part of the target group. In any case, the king is still trying to put together the bigger picture.
B. Queen’s Answer (v. 6)
6a. And Esther said, The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman.
If Esther has been concerned that Ahasuerus would become defensive, here she is probably relieved to be able to point the finger squarely and only at Haman. She does not identify him as her personal enemy but as adversary and enemy. (The definite article the does not appear in the original language but has been added for smooth translation.)
Esther has stated her concern with humility and deference, following the expected protocol of the royal court. Tact is of utmost importance (compare Daniel 2:14), given that Esther is accusing the king’s most trusted adviser of treachery that involves misuse of the king’s own power. She is careful to level this accusation at Haman without implicating Ahasuerus himself.
| What Do You Think? Under what circumstances is it appropriate, if ever, for Christians to describe opponents with negative terms rather than sticking solely with the facts of what they did? Why? Digging Deeper |
6b. Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.
Haman’s reaction is like that of many who are caught in wrongdoing: his once steely exterior becomes a “deer caught in the headlights” look. Interpreters often identify this moment as the climax of the entire story. Haman knows he is exposed; the only question is how the king will react. Esther has completed her speech and speaks no further in this chapter.
C. Culprit’s Arrest (vv. 7, 8)
7a. And the king arising from the banquet of wine in his wrath went into the palace garden.
With his blood boiling (compare Esther 1:12), the king storms out. He need hear no self-defense from Haman. The king has put the pieces together, and Haman’s guilt is obvious. The king’s highest official has abused royal authority, though the king does not know why. Haman has had his own best interests, not the king’s, in mind.
The king’s intentions toward Haman are clear (compare Proverbs 20:2). Haman must do something, but he has no good option. He cannot follow the king outside, nor can he add to his guilt by fleeing. The warning from his wife and friends, thematic of the book as a whole, should have been heeded: “If Mordecai be of the seed of the Jews, before whom thou hast begun to fall, thou shalt not prevail against him, but shalt surely fall before him” (Esther 6:13). Their words are certainly coming true.
8a. Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman was fallen upon the bed whereon Esther was.
Persian royal banquets involved reclining on beds, like couches, instead of sitting at a table (compare Esther 1:6). Desperate for mercy, Haman approaches the queen’s bed to plead for his life. Her silence may have increased his desperation, for he falls onto her couch. Ironically, Haman was enraged earlier when a Jew would not bow down to him (3:5), but now he will find himself at the feet of one of those same Jews.
8b. Then said the king, Will he force the queen also before me in the house? As the word went out of the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face.
How the king might have handled Haman’s treachery before seeing this no longer matters. Ahasuerus indicts Haman for violating harem protocol and, even worse, appearing to force himself on the queen (compare Genesis 34:7; 39:14). In the Persian system, the only men allowed near the queen or the king’s other wives and concubines were eunuchs. (They are referred to in the book of Esther as “chamberlains”; see Esther 2:3, 14; 7:9. The underlying word in the original language is translated “eunuch [s]” in 2 Kings 9:32; Isaiah 56:3; Daniel 1:3; etc.) Otherwise, an advance on any member of the harem was considered an affront to the king himself (example: 2 Samuel 16:21, 22).
The king’s officials thus act on what they recognize as a capital offense. They cover Haman’s face because he is no longer worthy to see the king.
| What Do You Think? Under what circumstances, if any, should you correct a misperception of an enemy’s action? Why? Digging Deeper |
Rules of the Harem
Having multiple wives and concubines was common among the nobility of the ancient world (example: 2 Chronicles 11:21). These women were kept from contact with men other than their master. Centuries later, the Arabic word harem came into use to describe these women and their living spaces.
Harem etiquette was governed by royal edicts. Wives and concubines were not supposed to be seen in public. They were guarded by eunuchs and could only leave the harem when appropriately covered. The women of the harem lived in seclusion.
It is easy to understand the outrage of the king when he thought he saw Haman attempting to assault the queen. If the man’s fate wasn’t sealed before, it was then! And it all traced back to a personal vendetta against an honorable man: Haman’s grudge against Mordecai. How do we stop such a vicious cycle before it starts?
—J. E.
III. Scoundrel Executed
(Esther 7:9, 10)
A. Just Idea (v. 9)
9a. And Harbonah, one of the chamberlains, said before the king, Behold also, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman had made for Mordecai, who had spoken good for the king, standeth in the house of Haman.
Esther has taken some of the king’s chamberlains (see comment on previous verse) into her confidence during the passage of years (see Esther 2:8, 9, 15; 4:4, 5). One of them has knowledge of Esther’s difficulty, probably from joining in her fast (4:16; compare 1:10).
The chamberlain Harbonah speaks up to inform the king that Haman has erected a high structure for a humiliating execution of Mordecai. Haman had left the first meal in high spirits. But after another confrontation with Mordecai on the way out, he once again became enraged. At the suggestion of his wife and friends, he had gallows set up with the intent of having Mordecai hanged on it (Esther 5:9–14). The height of fifty cubits (about 75 feet) reveals Haman’s intent for Mordecai’s demise to be a brazen public display.
9b. Then the king said, Hang him thereon.
If the king had any remaining notions of sparing Haman’s life, those thoughts now leave him permanently. Mordecai had saved the king’s life previously (Esther 2:19–23; 6:1–11); the king now returns the favor.
B. Just Result (v. 10)
10. So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified.
The execution takes place immediately, given the time indicator in Esther 8:1. For Haman to meet his end in the manner he had prepared for Mordecai is the supreme irony of the book (compare Proverbs 11:5, 6; 26:27); it is a prime example of poetic justice. Such an outcome points to God’s work on behalf of His covenant people. God brings Haman’s wickedness down on his own head in the same way the Bible often declares (examples: Psalm 9:16; Matthew 7:1, 2). Before that day’s end, Ahasuerus will give to Mordecai the signet ring that he had entrusted to Haman, along with the position and authority that Haman had held (Esther 8:2; 10:2, 3). The Jews find deliverance by a second decree of the king (8:11, 12). The Feast of Purim (derived from the word pur; see 3:7; 9:24, 26) commemorates this deliverance each year.
| What Do You Think? How will you know when celebrating an enemy’s defeat is appropriate (Esther 8:15–17; 9:16–28) and when it is not (Proverbs 24:17, 18)? Digging Deeper |
Isn’t It Ironic?
Piracy of digital property is an ongoing problem in the age of the internet. Adobe, Apple, and Microsoft were losing profits when businesses illegally copied software. In early 2014, the help of the Business Software Alliance (BSA) was enlisted. The BSA ran online ads offering a reward to employees who informed them that a company was copying software illegally. This effort backfired in an ironic manner.
It was soon revealed that the image on one of these ads—a pot of gold—was published without the group’s having acquired a license to do so. The ad meant to fight digital piracy contained a pirated picture! The very problem that they were trying to solve ended up indicting themselves.
Poetic justice involves ironic twists of fate. Jesus’ warning in that regard still applies: “With what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again” (Matthew 7:2).
—J. E.
Conclusion
A. Behind the Scenes
Like many people, I count the story of Esther among my favorites in the Bible. Though the book famously does not mention God by name anywhere, its many twists and turns strongly hint at God’s providential hand with His covenant people. From Esther’s selection as queen, to Haman’s execution, to the Jews’ deliverance—the eyes of faith clearly see these events as much more than luck or happenstance. Rather, God was at work behind the scenes.
We therefore should see God as the main character in the account. The actions of its human characters are of mixed quality. Ahasuerus consistently acted under the influence of alcohol and with a hot temper. Haman always acted in self-interest and pride. Esther and Mordecai seem not to have resisted Esther’s participation in a contest that resulted in marriage to a pagan king (contrast Ezra 10). But God worked His will through all parties nonetheless.
Like Esther and her relative Mordecai, we are God’s imperfect servants in rectifying the wrongs in the world. But God can and does work through us nonetheless. There are two extremes to avoid: (1) thinking that confronting evil is all up to us and (2) thinking that confronting evil is all up to God. The proper path to take in any given situation will depend on prayer, Bible study, and openness to the leading of the Holy Spirit. We must always consider the possibility that God has placed us in a circumstance “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14).
There is no guarantee that every incident in the lives of God’s people will have a tidy ending, as the book of Esther does. Evil sometimes enjoys temporary victories. The path to triumph over evil is often unclear, recognized only in twenty-twenty hindsight. But with Christ working in us and through us, we can live with the assurance that “all things work together for good to them that love God” (Romans 8:28).
B. Prayer
Father, open our eyes to the opportunities You have for us. Give us courage to act, even when we don’t know Your plans. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
C. Thought to Remember
Act justly in every situation.
KID’S CORNER
The Law and the Will of God
Sunday, April 19, 2020
John 7:14-24
John 7:37-44
(John 7:37) Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.
The “great day” was the last day of the Festival of Booths, usually the eighth day of the Festival on the Sabbath. Rabbis usually taught sitting down, as Jesus taught the Sermon on the Mount to His disciples and the crowd (see Matthew 5-7). In this situation, Jesus stood to teach so the greatest number of people could hear what He said as He taught in the temple. Jesus once again “cried out” as He did in John 7:28, expressing great emotion because what He had to say was of eternal, life-changing, redeeming, importance for everyone. He spoke with a sorrowful cry of compassion for everyone within hearing. The celebration at the temple included the priests bringing water from the Pool of Siloam to the altar. Perhaps during this part of the service, as a substitute for what the priests were doing, Jesus “cried out” about He himself providing living water to believers. Jesus himself offered believers more than any sacrifice, ceremony, or festival at the temple could offer; so, He invited everyone who was spiritually thirsty to come to Him. As the Samaritans recognized, Jesus is “the Savior of the world” (see John 4:42).
(John 7:38) “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’”
Jesus invited everyone, Jews and Gentiles (who worshiped in the Court of the Gentiles), who were spiritually thirsty to come to Him. Temple worship and sacrifices could not quench spiritual thirst (no “religion” can), but Jesus can quench spiritual thirst when believers come to Him. Only the one who believes in Jesus and comes to Jesus can be satisfied spiritually: these conditions must be fulfilled, and those Jesus does not satisfy spiritually have not fulfilled His conditions. In John 6:32-35, in comparison to the manna God provided in the wilderness, Jesus declared that He is the Bread from heaven that gives life to the world. In John 7, unlike the water that God provided along with the bread (manna) God gave the Israelites in the wilderness (which the Festival of Booths commemorated), Jesus said He gives spiritual water whereby the believer will never thirst spiritually again. Jesus also made this promise to the Samaritan woman, which she and the whole town believed (see John 4:13-14). The LORD provided water to the Israelites in the wilderness when He told Moses to strike a rock (see Exodus 17:5-7). With reference to this event, the Apostle Paul referred to Jesus as the spiritual rock that provided spiritual water to the Israelites in the wilderness (see 1 Corinthians 10:1-4). Jesus made His promises of a better future, an eternal future, for all people everywhere as the Jews had their focus on and remembered God’s saving actions in the past.
(John 7:39) But this He spoke of the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
After a thirsty believer comes to Jesus, Jesus will give them satisfying living water that will flow from a believer’s heart and bless many as well as the believer themselves. Living water flows to give life beyond itself (think of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-26, which blesses the believer and those around them). In some sense, at that time Jesus gave all who believed in Him “a taste” of the Holy Spirit that would satisfy them as living water and bless others, but Jesus would not give believers the Holy Spirit as the “Power from on High” until the Day of Pentecost (see Luke 24:49 and Acts 2:1-4). John obviously did not mean that the Holy Spirit did not exist prior to the Day of Pentecost, because in John 1:33, John wrote how John the Baptist said, “I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’” John, the Gospel writer, obviously referred to Pentecost, when Jesus would give the Holy Spirit to believers. In addition, when Jesus taught people the truth and they believed the truths He taught, they learned truths that completely spiritually and mentally satisfied them. For this reason, today, when believers read the Bible and trust in Jesus as they read, the Holy Spirit gives them great spiritual satisfaction and truths they can totally trust and share to bless others. Believers can also pray for the Holy Spirit to give them moral and spiritual attributes, attitudes, and traits (fruits of the Spirit) that will bless others and them, as well as wisdom and power from on high to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others.
(John 7:40) Some of the people therefore, when they heard these words, were saying, “This certainly is the Prophet.”
Jesus’ words led some in the crowd to believe that Jesus was “the prophet” who would precede the coming of the Messiah and prepare His way, but this was the role of John the Baptist. Beginning with John 1:15, we know this was the role of John the Baptist. Because Jesus spoke in ways some in the crowd had never heard before, their enthusiasm for and thoughtfulness regarding the soon coming of God’s promised Messiah increased.
(John 7:41) Others were saying, “This is the Christ.” Still others were saying, “Surely the Christ is not going to come from Galilee, is He?
Others in the crowd came to believe Jesus was the Messiah because of Jesus’ signs (see John 7:31) and the truths He spoke with authority. His signs gave greater authority to the truths He spoke than the teachings of the scribes and Pharisees, who simply quoted and applied the teachings and traditions of the rabbis before them. Some wanted to know if Jesus fulfilled their preconception of the Messiah by saying that they had never heard of the Messiah coming from Galilee. However, the prophets Micah, Elijah, Jonah, Nahum, and Hosea came from the area that in Jesus’ day was called Galilee. In Isaiah 9:1-2, the LORD spoke through the prophet and foretold the Messiah would come from Galilee, “But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them light has shined.” And in Isaiah 9:6, we learn some of the Messiah’s other titles and future work: “For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Therefore, their question was more related to their ignorance of the scriptures and their prejudice against Galileans.
(John 7:42) “Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?”
Jesus did not speak to the crowds about His miraculous birth in Bethlehem, about how His family fled to Egypt, and then how and when they returned to Nazareth in Galilee in fulfillment of prophecy (see Matthew 2). Many in the unbelieving crowd would have scoffed at such a claim, as some still do. At this point in time, not even His brothers believed in Jesus (see John 7:5). For obvious reasons, it is doubtful that Mary would have told Jesus’ younger brothers about Jesus’ miraculous conception and destiny as the Messiah until after His resurrection from the dead. If she had told them before Jesus death and resurrection, during His earthly life Jesus would never have fulfilled their expectations regarding what the Messiah would say and do. They would have been terribly disappointed in Him and they would have been constantly giving Him advice, as they did anyway because they misunderstood Jesus’ intentions (see John 7:3-4). As we have seen, Jesus chose to teach directly and most importantly about having come from His heavenly Father, about having been sent by the Father, and about teaching people the truths that the Father wanted Him to tell them. Some found these claims incredible, so they refused to believe the most important and saving truths that Jesus taught about himself as Son of God and Savior.
(John 7:43) So a division occurred in the crowd because of Him.
Some in the crowd refused to decide whether Jesus was the prophet or the Messiah. For some of them, Jesus became just another interesting person to discuss.
(John 7:44) Some of them wanted to seize Him, but no one laid hands on Him.
One group in the crowd thought Jesus was the prophet; the second group thought Jesus was the Messiah; the third group could not make up their minds about Him; the fourth group sided with the Pharisees and chief priests and wanted Jesus arrested. Having seen and heard the same evidence as those who believed Jesus was the prophet, the Messiah, or just a puzzling person, the unbelievers went a step further and rejected Jesus entirely. He did not fit their expectations, and they preferred to just go along with the authorities—the temple police were there to arrest Jesus. Jesus was not what many people expected or wanted. But Jesus could not be arrested until the time set by His Father who had sent Him. Jesus needed more time to teach His disciples all they needed to know before His crucifixion, and if at that time Jesus had given the crowd irresistible, overwhelming, undisputable, irrefutable, and undeniable proof of who He was, many would have tried to compel Him to be their King in Jerusalem according to their expectations and a devastating war with Rome would have begun. Many in the crowd would have never bothered to listen to His teachings about what God’s Messiah had come into the world to accomplish; they would simply have expected Him to solve all their worldly problems—beginning with Rome and not with themselves.
The Law and the Will of God
Sunday, April 19, 2020
John 7:14-24
If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself (John 7:17—KJV). If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself (John 7:17—NASB). Anyone who resolves to do the will of God will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own (John 7:17—NRSV).
First, consider what Jesus did not say. Jesus did not say, “Anyone who resolves to do the law of God will know,” because this was the standard of judgment used by the scribes and Pharisees. The main occupation of the Pharisees was debating, defining, and defending the law of God as they understood it from previous teachers over hundreds of years. Based on their interpretation of the Law of Moses, they had already decided that Jesus was breaking the law of God. They accused Jesus of breaking the law of the Sabbath when He healed the sick on the Sabbath and of desecrating the name of God when He called God His Father. Now, consider what Jesus truly promised, “Anyone who resolves to do the will of God will know.” But what is “the will of God”? In general, we would say, “Love God and love your neighbor,” but that was the Law of Love the Pharisees also debated, so Jesus told them the Parable of the Good Samaritan to explain it (see Luke 10:25-37). Those Jesus spoke to desperately needed to understand and resolve to do the will of God as declared by the prophet in Micah 6:8, “He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” If people truly resolve to do the will of God, they will understand whether Jesus’ teaching or anyone else’s teaching is from the Father, the Person who sent Jesus, or human philosophers and speculators.
Thinking Further
The Law and the Will of God
Sunday, April 19, 2020
John 7:14-24
Name ____________________________
- What is the Law of God?
- Is there a problem with the Law of God? Explain your answer.
- What is the Will of God?
- Is there a problem with the Will of God? Explain your answer.
- How can someone know if Jesus, or anyone else, was sent from God or not?
Discussion and Thinking Further
- In what way was Jesus’ teaching in the temple similar to what
He taught the Samaritans?
Jesus offered to give living water that would satisfy their spiritual thirst to the Samaritans in the town and to those who listened to Him in the temple.
- What are two conditions that Jesus told people they must fulfill in order to have their spiritual needs met?
They must come to Him (“Ask and it will be given to you”—Matthew 7:7) and they must believe in Him as the Person He revealed himself to be according to the Bible.
- What will happen to the person who fulfills these two conditions?
Jesus will give believers who come to Him the Spirit who will bring forth rivers of living water from their heart.
- Do you think John thought the Spirit existed before Jesus was glorified? Give a reason for your answer.
Yes. John wrote of John the Baptist seeing the Spirit descend on Jesus when he baptized Jesus, which was before Jesus was glorified.
- List four ideas that those in the crowd had about Jesus.
Some thought Jesus was a prophet.
Some thought Jesus was the Messiah.
Some had no idea who Jesus was.
Some wanted Jesus arrested.
Word Search
Name ___________________________
D E I F I R O L G V U B V U V
I J E S U S J C U O N P S W I
Y Z C M E H E L H T E B L H S
Q T W J Q L M A L D I Z F A R
J U S M E E Y I V R E X C B F
B N Q R S S V H O I P I W E V
G W P S I I U P L N W Z P M U
F E I R N H X S A K P R I Y S
M A K G B E T O E N O K A B E
H D E L D T I E D P Y E N T V
R C P J I K L A H X F O L R E
V W F R G I V E M S U A N A I
B S I H L I T Q U Z N Q U E L
J P V A D Q H J F C P J W H E
S I G Y T A X S R E V I R Q B
Jesus
Anyone
Thirsty
Believes
Drink
Heart
Living
Rivers
Spirit
Glorified
Prophet
Messiah
Galilee
Bethlehem
David
True and False Test
Name ___________________________
Circle the True or False answers. Correct the False statements by restating them.
- Jesus would only satisfy the thirst of Samaritans and Jews. True or False
- Jesus always taught sitting down, just like the other rabbis. True or False
- It does not matter what we think about Jesus as long as we believe He was a prophet and a good moral teacher. True or False
- Jesus will give the Holy Spirit to live in the heart of the person who comes to Him and believes in Him. True or False
- The Holy Spirit did not exist before Jesus was glorified. True or False
- Jesus was glorified when He died on the cross for our sins, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven. True or False
- Some in the crowd at the Festival of Booths thought Jesus was the prophet and others thought He was the Messiah. True or False
- No prophets or messiahs came from Galilee. True or False
- The Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem and descended from David. True or False
- No one in the crowd wanted Jesus arrested, so the temple police were afraid to lay a hand on Jesus. True or False
True and False Test Answers
- False
- False
- False
- True
- False
- True
- True
- False
- True
- False
Prayer
Father, open our eyes to the opportunities You have for us. Give us courage to act, even when we don’t know Your plans. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.