Episode 9: Jesus the Promised Son (John 10:22-42)

From Shepherd to Son, Jesus provides increasing clarity on who He is for those around him, and yet the responses are stark. Which begs the question, ‘How are we responding to Jesus today?’ Join us for our next conversation in our Bible study in John’s gospel.

• Questions to Dig into over a Cup of Tea

  What do we see of Jesus' authority at this point in John's gospel?

  How do these verses persuade us to trust his word, and to keep believing in him?

  What encourages your heart from this section?

• Sponsorship Details

  This episode is sponsored by Crossway.

  Crossway is a not-for-profit ministry, publishing gospel-centred, Bible-based content that honours our Saviour and serves his church. For information, click here.

• Episode Transcript

  The following is an uncorrected transcript generated by a transcription service. Before quoting in print, please check the corresponding audio for accuracy.

  Felicity: We're thankful for the sponsorship of Crossway this season. I enjoyed Sam Albury's book, what God has to say about our bodies. This is a biblically grounded, thorough and compassionate book that speaks with wisdom and gentleness into a complex topic. I love the way in which Sam considers the now and not yet aspects of the human body and takes it beyond the physical as he gives a holistic picture of what it is to trust Jesus in these broken but image bearing bodies. It's well worth a read, particularly with the pressures we're facing in our current culture. Head to crossway.org for more information.

  Sarah: Welcome to two sisters and a cup of tea. My name is Sarah. I live in the UK. This is my sister Felicity. She lives in the States. And today we're heading into chapter ten of John's gospel, verses 22 to the end of the chapter, verse 42. Felisty, lovely to see you again. What's in your cup today?

  Felicity: Oh, it's a treat in my cup today. Do you know, a while ago a listener gave me some tea. It's called Hani and sons, Paris. And do you know, to be honest, people do give me tea quite a lot over here. I think they're going around the supermarket and they think, oh yeah, I know Felicity loves tea. I'm going to get her this. And sometimes I think, oh no, this one total gift. I really, really enjoy it. Yeah. So I'm very grateful. You just had a little touch of milk and ideally I feel like you'd have one of those cups where you stick your little pinky out and you feel very kind of parisian in some way.

  Sarah: Have you got a saucer to go with your cup?

  Felicity: No, but maybe that should be my next purchase. It's true. To add to my, I have a little tea, kind of part of my cupboard tea parlor. That'll be something else. How about you? Any biscuit treats?

  Sarah: Well, funny you should mention that. I did just ruffle up some homemade shortbread earlier, so. Been munching one of those rustle up. Well, very rustle up. Only three ingredients. Really quick, actually. Really? Yeah.

  Felicity: Ingredients? What, butter? Sugar?

  Sarah: Yeah.

  Felicity: Flour.

  Sarah: Flour?

  Felicity: Wow. I actually did not know that. Good to know. Good to know. As we're talking about tea and biscuit, let's move into talking about some other things as well. We have been in the Bible for a while together. We've been doing numerous books and some of them and some passages in all of those books we find hard and kind of wonder what's going on. Share with our listeners a little bit of what we do as we find things hard to understand.

  Sarah: Well, I mean, it's a very regular occurrence, isn't it? I think it's just worth saying that.

  Felicity: Let it be known every week. Yeah, it is hard.

  Sarah: Getting into the Bible is hard, but it's worth persevering. But the first thing that you have to do is pray, isn't it? Jesus calls us to pray that our minds would be open to understanding what's here. Pray that he would open our minds, that he would give us the insight and the understanding. And then I seek wisdom. So we often will talk about what we're finding hard in a passage. I talk to my husband about different ideas around different people. My husband is also my pastor, so maybe that's a kind of port of call as well. Yeah. What do you do?

  Felicity: Yeah. Similarly, I think we have numerous conversations, don't we? I feel like we have an ongoing kind of conversation about that kind of thing. I am married to a bookseller, and so therefore, there are numerous books in our house. So if I'm at a bookstore with him or whatever, I'm just kind of, oh, I need to have a quick look at this. Or I do ask other wise people, and I also ask those wise people for book recommendations as well. Like, what commentary would you suggest that I go to? I do always try and really wrestle with it myself first so that I'm really sort of persuaded as to what I think and why I think what I think. And then I read more than one person. I found that's a good rule of thumb. Otherwise, if I only read Carson's commentary on John, basically, how could I ever say anything different to Carson? So I make sure I have a range of different things going on, but it's an ongoing thing and I feel like we never. Well, no one ever does have complete. Perfect. That's just.

  Sarah: And that's okay, though, isn't it? It's still worth digging into it. And so it won't be a surprise to hear that today's passage we have found hard.

  Felicity: Yes.

  Sarah: Hence our preemptive chat. We're now going to read it, though, Felicity, you're going to read it for us, and then we'll chat.

  Felicity: Yes. Okay. John, chapter ten, verse 22. Then came the festival of dedication at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was in the temple courts, walking in Solomon's colonnade. The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, how long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the messiah, tell us plainly. Jesus answered. I did tell you, but you do not believe the works I do in my father's name testify about me. But you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. My father, who has given them to me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of my father's hand. I and the father are one again. His jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him. But Jesus said to them, I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me? We're not stoning you for any good works, they replied, but for blasphemy because you, a mere man, claim to be God. Jesus answered them, is it not written in your law? I have said you are gods. If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came and scripture cannot be set aside, what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then, do you accuse me of blasphemy? Because I said, I am God's son. Do not believe me unless I do the works of my father. But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works that you may know and understand. That the father is in me, and I in the Father again. They tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp. Then Jesus went back across the Jordan. To the place where John had been baptizing in the early days. There he stayed, and many people came to him. They said, though John never performed a sign, all that John said about this man was true. And in that place, many believed in Jesus. Even as I've just read it there, I think, oh, what about? Oh, I don't quite understand. So let's be clear. This is a passage which we come to with great humility. Because we know that we haven't quite got it. But there are lots of good things that we do understand. And can then help us to love Jesus more, I think, as we're in it.

  Sarah: Yeah. And there seems to be a kind of defining question, doesn't it, in verse 24. It's like, how long will you keep us in suspense if you are the messiah? Tell us plainly. That's been the kind of rumbling question that's been going on through these chapters, really, isn't it, since we've kind of started this season. And at each point, the Pharisees have not wanted to hear the answer. They've not wanted to see what's in front of them. And this feels like somewhat of a conclusion to where we've got to, would you say?

  Felicity: Yes, I think that's right. I think it has been the question that. And it's kind of been ramping up, hasn't it? Mainly because the Pharisees, the Jews, that kind of like religious crowd, are not interested in the answer. We've heard that all along. They kind of make decisions before they've really examined the evidence. And then, as we're getting to this point, really within a chapter, that is going to escalate into, we're heading towards Jerusalem and Jesus'death, that's what's around the corner. So with this question, it feels like we have quite an intense, confrontational moment here. It's kind of ironic, isn't it? Like, how long will you keep us in suspense if you are the Messiah? Tell us plainly. Everyone else in the room, as far as I can tell, is thinking. It's fairly plain. He's done miracles, big signs. He's told us numerous times. He hasn't said the words I am the messiah. But he's said so many things that help us see he fulfills all those promises in the Old Testament. So it is the question. It's also kind of surprising. Or maybe it's not surprising because we know where the hearts are at.

  Sarah: Well, that's it, isn't it? Isn't that the nub of the issue, though, here, that they can see all the works that he's done? It's been right there in front of them, staring them in the face. But at the heart of the issue is their hearts, their unwillingness to see what's in front of them. So the amount of evidence isn't the issue, it's their hearts. And that was way back in chapter five. I think Jesus was telling them that in terms of it's not my works. That's the issue here. It's your response and your hard heartedness, and we're just seeing that fleshed out, aren't we?

  Felicity: Yeah, I think that's so true. And this word believe, which I feel like we're hearing repeated more and more, because that is the big heart level thing, isn't it? Are you willing to believe? I did tell you, you do not believe in verse 25, the works I do, they testify about me. And then this, I think, is really interesting. Verse 26, you do not believe because you are not my sheep. And so we're coming back to the sheep that we heard about in the first half of the chapter. And I think we have two kind of threads going on in these next few verses, we have God's sovereignty being drawn out. Not that these people who are rejecting are not culpable. They are absolutely culpable for the rejection of Jesus. But at the same time, God is calling his sheep to him. He is at work in the lives of his sheep. He is opening the eyes. We've seen that again. We saw it back, I think, in chapter six, Jesus spoke of it and we see it, I think, built up as we go through these verses. It's such a beautiful picture of the sheep again, isn't it? My sheep listen to my voice. I know them and they follow me. We were saying last time how much we enjoy the shepherd sheep relationship, and I feel like we have more of it here.

  Sarah: It's just wonderful, isn't it? And it's the assurance I give them eternal life again, it's not being earned. Like a sheep cannot earn any of the care, it can only receive what was given to them and they shall never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand again. Then in the next verse, no one can snatch them out of my father's hand. That is a definitive statement from the Lord Jesus, isn't it? They cannot be snatched. There's absolute assurance that once we are his, we are his forever.

  Felicity: Yes. And that seems to be the way in which we get assurance in these verses, seems to be through this relationship between God the Father and God the son. So when he says, my father I and the Father are one in verse 30, and it feels like, so Jesus is saying, these are my sheep. And then with the additional kind of trinitarian aspect to that, God the Father, the security of the sheep is absolutely guaranteed. This is God the Father who is kind of authorizing this, who is ensuring that there is no threat to the sheep. And I think that gives huge assurance. But I think it also just really highlights who these guys are in opposition to, those who are saying, you're not the Messiah. Well, hang on, do you know this is God the Father you are coming up against?

  Sarah: And it affirms all the more Jesus'identity as the son, doesn't it? Yes. He doesn't say it explicitly. He doesn't need to, because he's just saying God is his father. That's the obvious thing here, isn't it? But actually know, and we've seen all the way through this part of John, we've seen these fulfillments, we've seen the kind of depth of the Old Testament language coming to bear. And that father son thing again, that isn't a kind of foreign concept for jewish believers. This is fulfillment. Again, it's just here.

  Felicity: I feel like when he says in verse 32, I've shown you many good works from the father. For which of these do you stone me? You're like, do you really want to stone me? These works from the father. And it's interesting. They then call out they're looking for blasphemy. And then we get into a slightly kind of tricky part, which we have tried to work out. What's going on here?

  Sarah: Go on, give it a go.

  Felicity: All right. So Jesus says, I've said you are gods. And he's talking that he references psalm 82. We know that from the footnotes in the Bible. Helpful things, footnotes. Very grateful for them. And in that psalm, men, like people in charge, rulers are described as gods. And that's kind of so in the Bible. In the scriptures, men are called gods in that way. And it's not really God like, this kind of sense, Jesus and the father. But that's the term that's given for them. And so Jesus is drawing their attention to that and saying, well, if the scriptures call them gods, look at them, but then look at me. Verse 36, the one whom the father set apart as his very own and sent into the world. Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy? Because I said, I am God's son. So he's kind of like, if scripture calls them gods and they were getting it wrong. Actually, the psalm is not very complementary of how they were doing it. Look at me like I am of God. I am doing his work. I am God's son because of it says that in scripture. Therefore, you can trust that. Really, I'm. It's a kind of see that and know that I'm better kind of argument, I think, oh, I don't know. As I've said it out loud, I.

  Sarah: Think, oh, I think it's a good go, what you said. But we don't know, do we? No, but that's okay, because I think what we're driving at is the fact that he's saying, all through this section, he's been saying, look at the works I'm doing. Listen to the words I'm saying. Put the two together and believe and worship me for who I am. And we get to the end of this passage, and we get, again, two groups, some who try to seize him in verse 39 and others when he goes back to a different place. Others believed. So in verse 42, in that place, many believed. And I just think that's a really hopeful note that we get at the end there, that actually it's not all doom and gloom. Like, yes, there's rejection, and yes, we see the heart is at the issue, but we also see that the Lord Jesus brings life and his words as he speaks them, they bring life to many. And what a comfort and what a spur for us to keep holding out the word of life, to keep holding out Jesus to others. We can't control people's responses to Jesus, but we can extend his compassion and his love and his word to others and pray heartily.

  Felicity: Yes. Amen. Yes. So true and so hopeful. I feel like it gives hope on both sides of it. I think we've sort of talked about this a bit before, but recognizing that as Jesus is held out with the evidence, with the works, with what he says, then that is actually going to cause division. And that doesn't mean that he's not at work in that he is as much at work as we see people reject as when we see people accept that is just the reality of who Jesus is. Because as we were saying, I think in a previous episode, some run for the light and some run for the dark, and that will always be the case. So I think that helps me on a heart level just to not be really discouraged when that happens and not think, well, I don't know. I'm not even sure Jesus is really the main deal if people are going to reject him. Because sometimes that can be the temptation, isn't I? What? How come not everyone is seeing this? But it's never the case that everyone believes, no, and particularly like Jesus is.

  Sarah: Here in the flesh and people aren't know. Yeah, that's a comfort for us, isn't it? That he was up close and personal to these people and still they resolutely would not turn their hearts, incline their hearts towards him. But for those who do, what comfort is seen in those. It's the verses 27 to 30, isn't it, that no one can snatch them out of my father's hand. And however rough the season is, however tough the circumstance, however dark a place people might be in, kind of drawing that kind of I am the good shepherd kind of language through of I am with you in that darkest valley and I will lead you to that dwelling place. I will lead you home. It is that psalm 23 language really coming through again, I think, in the assurance and the comfort that he will not leave us and we will reach our everlasting home with him. And I just love that. And I love that. Then that kind of preempts what we're going to see next time.

  Felicity: But I think that's right. And the kind of absolute security, like a level of security and safety which is impossible to achieve anywhere apart from in the arms of. Yes, please.

  Sarah: Lord Jesus, we just thank you. We thank you that you are our shepherd. We thank you that you give us eternal life. We thank you that with you we will never perish and no one can snatch us out of your hand. We thank you so much for the assurance that these verses give us. And Father, thank you for the comfort that whilst we can hold out your word and we can hold out you to others, ultimately people's response is not in our control and will. Lord, we pray, help us to remember that. Help us to pray in light of that truth, and help us to trust you to be at work. Thank you that you are. Thank you that there is such hope in your words. Thank you that life comes from believing in your name. And so, Lord, would you continue to keep growing our view of Jesus, keep bringing us comfort from your words, and keep stilling our hearts before you, that we would turn towards you in worship as we continually recognize you to be the great. I am the great Lord and our wonderful promised son of God. Amen.

  Felicity: Amen. Thank you, Sarah. Really encouraging. Really encouraging. I wonder how you are enjoying listeners. John, round two. We are obviously enjoying it, but we'd love to hear from you. Please do email us at podcastingsisters@gmail.com or you can connect with us through Instagram and Facebook. We love connecting with our listeners, so please, please do get in touch with us. And next time we'll be into chapter eleven. We'll see you then.

  Sarah: See you then. Bye bye.

  Felicity: This season is sponsored by Fox the world. Close.

We’d love to connect with you!

Find links to our social media below. Or sign up to our mail list to stay in the loop.