These small group studies of John contain outlines, cross-references, Bible study discussion questions, and applications. Visit our library of inductive Bible studies for more in depth inductive studies on this and other books of the Bible you can use in your small group.
John 8:21-30 Inductive Bible Study
Outline:
21 – Jesus tells them they cannot go where he is going.
22-24 – He tells them the differences in where he is from and going and where they are from and going.
25-27 – He was sent by and speaks for the Father.
28-29 – He prophecies about the crucifixion. The Father is with Him.
30 – Some believed in Him.
Questions:
Where was Jesus going?
What does it mean that they would seek Him? Did they really seek Him?
Why couldn’t they go where He was coming?
What are “below and above” symbols for?
Wouldn’t they believe/know that Jesus was Him when they lifted Him up? (28)
What was Jesus speaking to the world?
What does it mean to “lift up” the Son of Man?
How will they know then that Jesus is “He”? What is Jesus referring to?
Do you always do the things that are pleasing to Him? Often? Sometimes? Never? How about think the things that are pleasing to Him?
Cross-references –
John 7:33-34 (21-24) – They will seek Him and can’t find Him. Where He is they cannot come.
John 8:38,44 (23) – Jesus is from His Father in heaven. They are from their father, Satan.
Acts 1:9 (21) – Jesus ascended to heaven.
1 Peter 2:24 (24) – He died for our sins so that we might die to our sins.
Matthew 23:29 (21) – They wouldn’t see Jesus again until they said “blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord”.
John 12:35 (21) – Walk in the Light while the Light is there for the darkness won’t know where the Light is.
Ephesians 2:1 (24) – We were all dead in our sins before we were made alive in Christ.
John 14:19 (21) – They won’t see Him after a little longer.
Philippians 3:19-21 (23) – Their god is their appetitite. They set their mind on earthly things.
Colossians 3:2 (23) – Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
1 Corinthians 15:47-48 (23) – If we are heavenly we will act like. If we are earthly we will act like it.
John 10:24 (25) – He told them plainly before and they didn’t believe.
Luke 22:67 (25) – If He tells them they won’t believe.
John 15:15 (25) – The things He heard from the Father He made known to them.
John 8:47 (27) – They weren’t from God so they didn’t understand what He was saying.
John 3:14 (28) – The Son of Man must be lifted up as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness.
Matthew 27:50-54, Luke 23-44 (28) – Some of the amazing events when Jesus was hanging on the cross that showed the crowds who He was.
Verse by Verse Commentary –
21-24
This is very similar to John 7:33-34.
I go away -His going away seems to refer to His ascension. Soon He will leave earth, which He was only visiting, and go back to heaven, His home. He warned them about this repeatedly before they left encouraging them to accept, believe, and seek after Him while He was near. It was an honor to have the Light of the World there with them in person.
You will seek me – In regards to seeking Barnes says, “There will be a time when sinners will seek for a Savior but will find none. Often this is done too late, in a dying moment, and in the future world they may seek a deliverer, but not be able to find one.” Clark says, “When your calamities come upon you, ye shall in vain seek for the help of the Messiah, whom ye now reject, and whom ye shall shortly crucify.” Perhaps some will come to a point in time where they will seek for Jesus, but for them it will be too late. Perhaps some will seek for the “idea of Christ”, that is they will seek for a Messiah to save them, but Jesus will be gone. At some point many would realize their mistake. But it may be too late.
You will die in your sin – See verse 24.
Where I am going, you cannot come – He was going to heaven. We know from verse 24 why they couldn’t go there. They couldn’t go there because of their sins. Heaven is a holy place with a holy God. He doesn’t allow sin to remain there. That is why the only way to go there is through the redemption that Christ offers. It is the only way to have our sin removed.
22 – The Jews didn’t understand and thought maybe Jesus would kill Himself.
23 – What are “below and above” symbols for?
In the most literal sense Jesus is from heaven and they are from the earth. However, Jesus is also talking about their ability to understand and follow Him, the differences between Him and them. It was a difference of nature, but also a difference of focus, understand, and action. They were from their father, the devil. He is from His Father, God. Their god is their appetite. His mission involves spiritual food. They are earthly. He is heavenly. They are sinners. He is righteous. While we cannot be God or literally from heaven, if we follow Him we can be ambassadors of heaven, our citizenship can be their, we can part of His kingdom and like Him. Discuss the below verses.
Colossians 3:2 (23) – Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
1 Corinthians 15:47-48 (23) – If we are heavenly we will act like. If we are earthly we will act like it.
John 8:38,44 (23) – Jesus is from His Father in heaven. They are from their father, Satan.
Philippians 3:19-20 (23) – Their god is their appetite. They set their mind on earthly things.
Thinking about and longing for the kingdom of God will help our life on earth to be more God-focused instead of earth-focused. While we are people and in that sense of the world we should be not be “of the world” in our thinking or in the way we live. We have to be set apart and different. Remember, we are citizens of heaven. This earth is not our home. Do not get too attached to it. Do not love it. Set our minds on things above. Build up treasures in our eternal home. Imagine you have two houses. The first is a shack in the middle of a wasted desert. It has been falling apart and it will not last more than a short time. The other is your dream home in Hawaii. It is a mansion on the beach. Which one will you think about and long for? Which one will you spend money on to refurnish? Which one will you move your belongings too? All of us will focus on the mansion in Hawaii. Only dumb people would renovate and waste money on a shack in the wilderness that will be destroyed anyway. Well, that is what many people, including Christians are doing in the world today. We are investing in that worthless shack, spending our time increasing our quality of life here on earth for a temporary amount of time instead of investing in our eternal home. A wise investor looks to the future. Do not get too attached to this earth. Think of ways you can build up treasures in heaven. Think of Christ’s return. Let this motivate you to serve Him now and to not be of this world or you will suffer the same fate as the world
24 –
Ephesians 2:1 (24) – We were all dead in our sins before we were made alive in Christ.
1 Peter 2:24 (24) – He died for our sins so that we might die to our sins.
Read and discuss these verses. There is only way to God, that is Jesus. The only way is to believe and accept Him as Lord. In this way our sins can be forgiven and we can enter heaven. If we don’t believe Him and accept His forgiveness we will die in our sins. Jesus died for our sins so that we can through His strength die to our sins. Either you kill them through His strength or they will kill you.
25 –
John 10:24 (25) – He told them plainly before and they didn’t believe.
Luke 22:67 (25) – If He tells them they won’t believe.
John 15:15 (25) – The things He heard from the Father He made known to them.
They asked this again and again, but never accepted Jesus’ answer or paid much attention to Him
John 8:47 (27) – They weren’t from God so they didn’t understand what He was saying.
26 – 27
Jesus could have responded to them and accused them of many things. He could have stood their and judged them for all of their evil, but He didn’t He had said enough and said what He wanted to say. His goal wasn’t to accuse them. Instead He again told them that the Father sent Him and He spoke the things from the Father. John 15:15.
It is a great blessing that though Jesus has the right and power to accuse us and judge us, He doesn’t. Instead He is patient and merciful. Just because you can accuse somebody doesn’t mean you should. Think what is best for God’s kingdom.
28-29 –
Wouldn’t they believe/know that Jesus was Him when they lifted Him up? (28)
What was Jesus speaking to the world?
What does it mean to “lift up” the Son of Man?
How will they know then that Jesus is “He”? What is Jesus referring to?
Do you always do the things that are pleasing to Him? Often? Sometimes? Never? How about think the things that are pleasing to Him?
John 3:14 (28) – The Son of Man must be lifted up as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness.
Matthew 27:50-54, Luke 23:44 (28) – Some of the amazing events when Jesus was hanging on the cross that showed the crowds who He was.
“Lift up” refers to the Crucifixion. John 3:14.
Main Points
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Although we are of this world, we should be heavenly minded, ambassadors of heaven. We should set our mind on things above not on things on the earth.
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Let us die to sins, not die in our sins. 1 Peter 2:24.
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Let us strive to “always” do and think the things that are pleasing to Him.
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