Come And See

4. Remember, as we study the gospel of John, we have been assured that there is sufficient evidence for us to believe. (John 20:31-32).

-The Hebrew word “messiah” and the Greek word for “Christ” both come from the meaning “to anoint”, and one wearing the title would be “the anointed one”.

-For example: Of the priest -“the anointed priest” (Leviticus 4:3)

Of the king -“Jehovah’s anointed” (I Samuel 24:6)

Of David -“the Lord’s anointed” (II Samuel 19:21)

-It was said that after David, God would, “establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (II Samuel 7:11-16)

-This “one” to come from the seed of David would rule, “over men righteously, that ruleth in the fear of God.”

-He would be as, “the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, a morning without clouds.”

-At this time He will be armed with, “iron and the staff of a spear.”

-These and other points are made known in II Samuel 23:1-4, 6-7, to show that the Messiah would be tender to all, but also stern in His rule.

-David realized that this would not come to pass in his day, seeing that nobody in his house measured up to this standard. (vs. 5)

-They must look to the future for the one who would rule in this way. (Psalm 45:6; 2:9; 110:2).

- It is not until we go to the book of Isaiah that we find that the “one” to come would be related both to God and man, and that this one would rule on the throne of David. (Isaiah 7:13,14; 9:6-7).

-(Read also Isaiah 11:1-5, 10).

-Micah also prophesied concerning the “one” to come. (Micah 4:6-10; 5:2,4)

-About 100 years later Jeremiah penned, “Behold the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely…”

- In the days of this king Judah and Israel should be saved, and he would be called, “Jehovah our righteousness” (Jeremiah 23:5-6)

-Ezekiel prophesied about a shepherd-prince to come who would rule over a reunited people under an everlasting covenant. (Ezekiel 34:23-24; 37:24-28)

-Another 100 years pass and Zechariah prophesied of “the Branch” (Zechariah 3:8), and later said that this one would, “sit and rule upon His throne; and…be a priest upon His throne.” (6:12, 13)

-This would show the one to come to have two-fold office…priest and king who would be, “bringing salvation” ruling from, “sea to sea, and from the river to the ends of the earth.” (9:9, 10)

-Not only then was he to be priest-king, but Savior-king.

---They expected Him to appear suddenly, for “no one knoweth whence” he would be from. (John 7:27).

---They were also expecting this Messiah to perform wonderful works (John 7:31)

A. Jesus expressed this truth

1. To the women at the well in Samaria (John 4)

-The woman at the well said, “I know that Messiah cometh (he that is called Christ) : when he is come, he will declare unto us all things” (4:25)

-Jesus responded to her in verse 26, “I that speak unto thee am He”

2. At the Feast of dedication He made this claim (John 10)

-Jesus went to Jerusalem, and the Jew gathered round Him and said, “How long wilt thou hold us in suspense? If thou art the Christ, tell us plainly.” (John 10:24)

-Apparently they were not impressed with the healing of the man born blind (John 9)

-Jesus responded, “I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, these bear witness of Me.” (10:25)

B. His works and His teaching were showing who He truly was…but they would not believe.

A. Jesus expressed this truth:

1. To the multitudes (John 6)

-The Jews were correct in noting that the Messiah would be a king, but they misunderstood the nature of His kingdom.

-After feeding the five thousand they tried to give Jesus a political crown…which He denied.

-John records of Jesus thought, “Jesus therefore perceiving that they were about to come and take him by force, to make Him king, withdrew again into the mountain Himself alone.” (6:15).

-Jesus begins a discourse on the bread of life which describes the true nature of His kingdom (spiritual)…but they could not accept this teaching, and they left Him (6:66).

-It has been said that when Jesus rejected their political crown, He bargained for a crown of thorns.

2. To those at Jerusalem at the Passover, He made this claim (John 12)

-The text tells us that the people “took the branches of the palm trees, and went forth to meet, and cried out, Hosanna: Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel” (12:12-13)

-The word “Hosanna” means “Save, I pray” which certainly applies with the expectations of the Messianic hope.

-Jesus accepted their recognition of Him as King by riding to meet them fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9-10.

3. To Pilate Jesus made this claim (John 18).

-Pilate asked Him, “Art thou the king of the Jews?” (18:33)

-Jesus questions Pilate in verse 34, “Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of Me.”

-Pilate then said, “Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: What hast thou done?” (vs. 35)

-Jesus immediately responded, “My kingdom is not of this world: If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.” (vs. 36)

-If Jesus has a kingdom, He must be a king to which Pilate finally says, “Art thou a king then”, and Jesus answered, “Thou sayest (sayest rightly) that I am a king. To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice.” (vs. 37)

B. He came to bear witness to the truth, and His Kingdom is spiritual, full of truth over which He reigns a spiritual King.

---The Jews seemed to be looking for three different individuals to come (John 1:19-25)

---There confusion may be explained by passages like Malachi 4 (return of Elijah), or Deuteronomy 18 (special prophet).

A. Jesus expressed this truth:

1. To the Jews at the feast of tabernacles. (John 7)

-After hearing Jesus discuss that He could give living water unto those present, the people were divided over who He was.

-They said in verse 40, “This is of a truth the prophet. Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, What doth the Christ come out of Galilee?”

-We can see the misunderstanding about the Messiah in their desire to see if He was the prophet OR the Christ.

-But in either case…Jesus never denied it.

2. To the multitudes after feeding 5,000 (John 6)

-Among this group, it seems that the Messiah and the prophet would be the same.

-John 6:14, 15 proclaims that after Jesus performed this sign the people said, “This is of a truth the prophet that cometh into the world. Jesus therefore perceiving that they were about to come and take Him by force, to make Him king, withdrew.”

-He would be a crowned prophet, therefore a prophet and king.

-Again, Jesus accepted these claims but would not rule over a physical, political kingdom.

-In a prophecy concerning the Messiah, it is said, “I will raise up a prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee; and I will put my words in His mouth, and He shall speak unto them all that I shall command Him. And it shall come to pass that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.” (Deuteronomy 18:18, 19).

-God had already revealed that a prophet served as the mouth of God (Exodus 4:16)

-Consider the following passages:

-Of Jesus’ actions (John 5:19; 6:38; 14:31)

-Of Jesus’ words (John 7:16; 8:26, 28; 12:49; 14:10, 24; 15:15)

3. To the woman of Samaria (John 4)

-When Jesus had informed this woman of her intimate life, she responded in verse 19, “Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet”

-Jesus did not deny this claim, but later applied the proverb to Himself, “that a prophet hath no honor in his own country.” (verse 43)

B. Jesus said, “And this is life eternal, that they should know thee the only true God, and Him whom thou didst send, even Jesus Christ” (John 17:3)

---Jesus claimed that to see Him was to see the Father, but most importantly, to hear Him was to hear the Father…Jesus was the prophet! (John 14:9-10).

A. Jesus made this claim:

1. After healing a man born blind (John 9)

-Jesus uses an illustration of the sheep and the Shepherd, which all listening would have understood.

-This was more than an illustration to teach a lesson…this connected Jesus with the Messianic hope.

-Jesus resounded the words, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd layeth down His life for the sheep” (John 10:11)

-Again Jesus said in verses 14 and 16, “I am the good shepherd; and I know mine own, and mine own know Me…And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and they shall become one flock, one shepherd”

2. Consider the following prophecies:

-Isaiah prophesied of the one to come by saying, “He will feed His flock like a shepherd, He will gather the lambs in His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and will gently lead those that have their young” (Isaiah 40:11)

-Let us view the prophecy of Ezekiel 34:11-31. This passage demonstrate God in Christ fulfilling the promise.

- As Jesus laid down His life for the world, He made it possible for all to come and be united in one flock…under one shepherd as they hear and follow Him (Jesus).

-Before Jesus we were in a terrible condition. Zechariah expressed our state by saying, “Therefore they go their way like sheep, they are afflicted, because there is no shepherd…” (Zechariah 10:2)

-Zechariah also prophesied of the Lord’s death, when He proclaimed, “Awake, O sword against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith Jehovah of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered” (Zechariah 13:7)

-Notice that this shepherd is Jehovah’s “fellow”, that is to say one of His nature.

-No wonder why Isaiah wrote Isaiah 53:5,6 (read)

-This then would lead Peter to write concerning Jesus, “Who did no sin neither was guile found in His mouth…Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.” (I Peter 2:22, 24-25)

B. Jesus went the cross so that we might have the more abundant life… eternal life (John 10:10-11, 16-18; Hebrews 5:8-9)

---II Samuel 7:14 states, “I will be His Father, and He shall be my son.”

---Psalm 89:26, 27 points this out by saying, “He shall cry unto Me, Thou art my Father…I also will make Him my first-born, the Highest of the kings of the earth.”

---Finally, Psalm 2 records that the rulers took counsel together, “against Jehovah, and against His anointed (Messiah)”

---Yet, in spite of the efforts of these rulers it is written in verse 6, “Yet I have set my king upon My holy hill of Zion.”

---The anointed one then speaks and says, “I will tell of the decree: Jehovah said unto Me, Thou art My Son; This day have I begotten Thee.” (Psalm 2:7)

A. Jesus made this claim:

1. After His resurrection (John 20:17)

-Jesus made it very clear that He was the Son of God

-Jesus also stated, “My Father and your Father…”

-This shows a distinction between the relationship that man has with God, and the one that Jesus has with God.

-This can also be seen in Jesus’ instructions on prayer. When did Jesus ever say “Our Father” including Himself with man?

2. Healing a lame man (John 5)

-In Jesus’ healing on the Sabbath, the Jews were outraged.

-His response was, “My Father worketh even until now, and I work.” (John 5:17)

-The Jews understood what claim Jesus was making, because they said that He, “also called God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.” (John 5:18)

-Jesus went on to explain that He has authority for His actions on the Sabbath, because He was working the works of God…His Father. (verse 19)

-Jesus then removes all doubt and claims:

*To give life (verse 21)

*To judge (verse 22)

*To receive honor (verse 23)

-Jesus closes with a powerful statement concerning the judgment when He said, “The hour cometh, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live” (verse 25)

3. In prayer to God (John 17)

-This is a profound claim of Jesus…the Son of God

-Read John 17:1-5...Notice the Father /Son relationship

-God the Son =Jesus ; The Father =God the Father

-This is a relationship that goes back as John penned, “before the world was.” (John 17:5)

4. In expressing the Father’s love (John 3)

-Jesus stated the Father’s love for the world, by saying, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

-While we appreciate the love of God, let us not miss the claim that Jesus made of being “the only begotten Son of God”.

5. To a healed man who was born blind (John 9)

-After being healed by Jesus, this man defended Him as a prophet (9:17), and later as one who came from God (9:33).

-Jesus caught up with this man and asked him, “Dost thou believe on the Son of God?” (9:35)

-The man responded (verse 36), “who is He, Lord, that I might believe on Him?”

-Jesus then laid all facts straight in saying, “Thou hast both seen Him, and it is He that talks with thee.” (9:37)

-This man had plenty of evidence…because he said, “Lord, I believe. And he worshipped Him.” (9:38)

-Jesus not only confessed Himself to be the Son of God, but when the man demonstrated his faith by worshipping Him, Jesus accepted it.

6. To His apostles (John 6)

-After many had forsaken Jesus, He asked the apostles, “Will ye also go away?” (John 6:67).

-Peter’s response demonstrated the faith that Jesus had produced in the apostles. Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure (know) that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.” (John 6:68)

-Peter made this same observation in Matthew 16:16, neither of which Jesus ever denied, but rather taught Himself.

7. When Lazarus died. (John 11)

-When Jesus was comforting Martha and her sister over the loss of their brother, He said, “I am the resurrection, and the life…” (John 11:25)

-Martha’s reply was, “Yea, Lord: I have believed that thou art the Christ, the Son of God” (John 11:27).

-Jesus never denied the claim, but went on to prove it by raising Lazarus from the dead.

B. The record speaks for itself…Jesus is the Son of God!

A. Jesus made this claim:

1. When speaking of His death. (John 12)

- Jesus spoke concerning His death and said, “And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto Me.” (John 12:32-33; See also John 8:28)

-He was questioned about His teaching when asked, “We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of man?” (John 12:34)

-Well….Who is this Son of man?

-Whoever He is, after He was lifted up to die, and had ascended to the Father, Stephen saw Him before He died. (Acts 7:56)

-John also mentioned the Son of man in the book of Revelation (Revelation 1:3; 14:14)

-Perhaps John had in mind the prophecy of Daniel 7:13-14, where we read, “I saw in the night visions, and behold, there came with the clouds of heaven one like unto a son of man, and he came even to the ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed”.

-When that hour came Jesus said, “The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified…” (John 12:23; 13:31)

-By His death “all men” would come unto Him (12:32; 3:14)

-Jesus identified Himself with that of the Suffering servant of prophecy. (Isaiah 42:1-4; 52:13; 53:2-12)

2. To Nathaniel (John 1)

-In John 1:51, Jesus informed Nathaniel that he would see, “the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.”

-This point alone signifies that Christ would come in Nathaniel’s lifetime.

-This point also informs us of the fact that the Son of man, is He who came from Heaven (John 3:13)

-Jesus came with the purpose of saving mankind as the Son of man. (John 6:27, 53).

-Jesus also would judge as the Son of man (John 5:27)

-This judgment was what Isaiah said would be a part of the Messianic promise (Isaiah 11:3-4).

B. Jesus was going to go back to where He was before as the Son of man. He said that they, “should behold the Son of man ascending where He was before” (John 6:62)

A. Jesus made this claim:

1. To the disciples (John 10, 14, 15, 16)

-Jesus told His disciples, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, : no one cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)

-In this same passage Jesus spoke of a prepared place that He would return and take the faithful to dwell in.(14:2, 3)

-In John 14:14, Jesus also said concerning prayer, “If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it.”

-See also John 15:16; 16:23-24

2. Again to the disciples

-Jesus also exclaimed, “I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, He shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.” (John 10:9)

B. The door of heaven is now opened and Christ is the way to the Father.

1. What do you think…Is Jesus the Messiah?

4. If you do believe in Jesus as the Messiah, will you allow Him to be your Savior. (Hebrews 5:8-9)

-Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost (Luke 19:10; John 12:47)

-Hear John 12:48; Romans 10:17

-Believe John 3:16; 8:24

-Repent Luke 13:3, 5; Acts 17:30

-Confess Matthew 10:32-33; Romans 10:9, 10; Acts 8:37

-Baptized Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; I Peter 3:21

-Faithful Revelation 2:10; Matthew 24:13

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Last modified: 05/02/08

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