Swindoll Study Bible - Book of John - Flipbook - Page 34
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34 “You were born a total sinner!” they answered.
“Are you trying to teach us?” And they threw him out
of the synagogue.
Spiritual Blindness
35 When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the
man and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?*”
36 The man answered, “Who is he, sir? I want to
believe in him.”
37 “You have seen him,” Jesus said, “and he is speaking to you!”
38 “Yes, Lord, I believe!” the man said. And he worshiped Jesus.
39 Then Jesus told him,* “I entered this world to
render judgment—to give sight to the blind and to
show those who think they see* that they are blind.”
40 Some Pharisees who were standing nearby
heard him and asked, “Are you saying we’re blind?”
41 “If you were blind, you wouldn’t be guilty,” Jesus
replied. “But you remain guilty because you claim you
can see.
The Good Shepherd and His Sheep
10
“I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over
the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going
through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber!
2 But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for
him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to
him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them
out. 4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks
ahead of them, and they follow him because they
know his voice. 5 They won’t follow a stranger; they
will run from him because they don’t know his voice.”
6 Those who heard Jesus use this illustration
didn’t understand what he meant, 7 so he explained
it to them: “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the
sheep. 8 All who came before me* were thieves and
robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them.
9 Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me
J ohn 1 0 : 2 6
will be saved.* They will come and go freely and will
find good pastures. 10 The thief’s purpose is to steal
and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich
and satisfying life.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd
sacrifices his life for the sheep. 12 A hired hand will
run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon
the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he
isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them
and scatters the flock. 13 The hired hand runs away
because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t
really care about the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep,
and they know me, 15 just as my Father knows me and
I know the Father. So I sacrifice my life for the sheep.
16 I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to my
voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd.
17 “The Father loves me because I sacrifice my life
so I may take it back again. 18 No one can take my life
from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it
up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.”
19 When he said these things, the people* were
again divided in their opinions about him. 20 Some
said, “He’s demon possessed and out of his mind.
Why listen to a man like that?” 21 Others said, “This
doesn’t sound like a man possessed by a demon! Can
a demon open the eyes of the blind?”
Jesus Claims to Be the Son of God
22 It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at the
time of Hanukkah, the Festival of Dedication. 23 He
was in the Temple, walking through the section known
as Solomon’s Colonnade. 24 The people surrounded
him and asked, “How long are you going to keep us
in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”
25 Jesus replied, “I have already told you, and you
don’t believe me. The proof is the work I do in my
Father’s name. 26 But you don’t believe me because
9:35 Some manuscripts read the Son of God? “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself. 9:38-39a Some manuscripts do not include “Yes, Lord, I believe!” the man said.
And he worshiped Jesus. Then Jesus told him. 9:39b Greek those who see. 10:8 Some manuscripts do not include before me. 10:9 Or will find safety. 10:19 Greek Jewish
people; also in 10:24, 31.
A RICH AND SATISFYING LIFE John 10:10 The Good
Pharisees fear most is exposure. They are blind men
bluffing. But the formerly blind man who can now see has
nothing to hide. Jesus comes back at the Pharisees with
a devastating remark: “If you were blind, you wouldn’t be
guilty. . . . But you remain guilty because you claim you can
see” (John 9:41). The man who was once blind now sees.
Those who have never failed to see with their eyes are still
blind. The same is true of some people today.
Shepherd says, “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” Jesus came to give life. He wants you to enjoy
life. He doesn’t manipulate you with guilt. He doesn’t hold
over you some sword of warning or legalism that says you
must always do this, that, or the other. Instead, He opens
the Word, which is the pastureland of God’s flock, and says,
“Feed here. Learn. Grow. Eat. Drink. Enjoy My truth.” Doing
that is the secret to a rich and satisfying life.
CHOOSING YOUR GATE John 10:9 Use discernment
THE GOOD SHEPHERD John 10:11 Jesus says, “I am
when choosing your gate. Do you know why? Because all
other gates will lead you to a wilderness. You won’t be
saved; you’ll be lost. You won’t find pasture; you’ll find barrenness. You’ll be trapped. Only Jesus is the gate to life.
the good shepherd,” as opposed to a faithless one. He is the
Shepherd who comforts, cares for, is in love with, and knows
His sheep. That’s why He is the Good Shepherd. Not only
that, but He also willingly sacrifices His life for the sheep.
LIVING INSIGHTS
SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS John 9:39-41 What the
