Easter 4 Series C study notes

 

Series C
FOURTH SUNDAY OF EASTER 

Acts 20:17–35
Revelation 7:9–17
John 10:22–30

 Collect for the Fourth Sunday of Easter:

Almighty God, merciful Father, since You have wakened from death the Shepherd of Your sheep, grant us Your Holy Spirit that when we hear the voice of our Shepherd we may know Him who calls us each by name and follow where He leads; through the same Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

 The Good Shepherd Cares for His Sheep

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came from the Father and became flesh among us in order to rescue us, His sheep. He laid down His life for us and took it up again in order to give us eternal life. By the preaching of His Gospel, He calls His sheep to Himself and keeps them with Him forever. As they hear His voice and follow Him, “they will never perish” (John 10:28), for “no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:29). In the same way, faithful pastors (literally, “shepherds”) “care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood” (Acts 20:28), “testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21). Therefore, with all the company of heaven, the Good Shepherd gathers his flock in worship, as they cry: “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7:10).

 

John 10:22-30

I and the Father Are One

John 10:22 –

Ἐγένετο [a]τότε τὰ ἐγκαίνια ἐν τοῖς Ἱεροσολύμοις· [c]χειμὼν ἦν,
At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter,

Hanukah, winter, feast of lights, a reference to the external light! Not a pilgrimages so feast...

 John 10:23 –

καὶ περιεπάτει ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ ἐν τῇ στοᾷ τοῦ Σολομῶνος.
and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon

Jesus was in Solomon's colonnade  it was winter. A place for the rabbis to gather.

John 10:24 –

ἐκύκλωσαν οὖν αὐτὸν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ ἔλεγον αὐτῷ· Ἕως πότε τὴν ψυχὴν ἡμῶν αἴρεις; εἰ σὺ εἶ ὁ χριστός, εἰπὲ ἡμῖν παρρησίᾳ.
So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

The Jews circled him and said, if you are the Christ tell us.  

They are set to arrest Him. Seeing the works they do not believe. Hearing they do not listen.  The words and works are not enough. They are looking for something else.

 John 10:25 -26 –

ἀπεκρίθη αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς· Εἶπον ὑμῖν καὶ οὐ πιστεύετε· τὰ ἔργα ἃ ἐγὼ ποιῶ ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ πατρός μου ταῦτα μαρτυρεῖ περὶ ἐμοῦ· 26 ἀλλὰ ὑμεῖς οὐ πιστεύετε, [e]ὅτι οὐκ ἐστὲ ἐκ τῶν προβάτων τῶν [f]ἐμῶν.

Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father's name bear witness about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. 

You are not believing and continue not to. Because you are not of my flock.

Jesus will refer back to the Father and His name. They are looking for a political leader. They do not accept His word, yet He teaches with authority.  Look at John's context...Jesus gives sight to the blind man resorting him. The Pharisees are blind now they are deaf.

 John10:27 –

τὰ πρόβατα τὰ ἐμὰ τῆς φωνῆς μου [g]ἀκούουσιν, κἀγὼ γινώσκω αὐτά, καὶ ἀκολουθοῦσίν μοι,
My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

My sheep hear my voice and I myself know them...

(Notice - all present verbs) the sheep continue to hear his voice....He knows them as a husband knows his bride. 

John10:28 –

κἀγὼ [h]δίδωμι αὐτοῖς ζωὴν αἰώνιον, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἀπόλωνται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, καὶ οὐχ ἁρπάσει τις αὐτὰ ἐκ τῆς χειρός μου.
I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

I give them life eternal and no one, no, not ever, will ever snatch them up.

Avoid Jesus as being the means to the end rather than the end itself. Avoid being a "daily bread" Christian. Jesus is more then a mere spiritual aspirin tablet.

There are two kai phrases.  Possible sermon outline. Luther predicates eternal life with salvation.

Jesus’ eternal promises…for you

1.  I give eternal life.

2.  They will never perish.

3.  No one will ever snatch them out of My hand.

John 10:29 –

ὁ πατήρ μου [i]ὃ δέδωκέν [j]μοι [k]πάντων μεῖζων ἐστιν, καὶ οὐδεὶς δύναται ἁρπάζειν ἐκ τῆς χειρὸς τοῦ [l]πατρός.
My Father, who has given them to me,[a] is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand.

The Father of me has given to me all greater and no one can snatch them.

a.  Some manuscripts render, “What my Father has given to me”

John 10:30 –

ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ ἕν ἐσμεν.
I and the Father are one.” 

Sources: 

-The Greek New Testament: SBL Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Society of Biblical Literature and Logos Bible Software
-ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
-Schnorr Von Carolsfeld woodcuts, ‘The Resurrection of our Lord’© WELS permission granted for personal and congregational use
-LCMS Lectionary notes © 2018
-Lutheran Service Book © 2006 Concordia Publishing