Sunday School Lesson
September 19 Lesson 3 (KJV)
PRAISE BY EXPECTING
AND FOLLOWING
DEVOTIONAL READING: Mark 10:46–52
BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE: Mark 10:46–52; Luke 18:35–43
MARK 10:46–52
46 And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.
47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
48 And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
49 And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.
50 And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.
51 And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.
52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.
KEY TEXT
Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.—Mark 10:51
CELEBRATING GOD Unit 1: God’s People
Offer Praise
LESSONS 1–4
LESSON AIMS
After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:
1. Describe the life situation of a blind person in the time of Jesus.
2. Explain the biblical connection between physical blindness and spiritual blindness.
3. Acknowledge the dangers of spiritual blindness.
HOW TO SAY IT
Aramaic Air-uh-may-ik.
Balaam Bay-lum.
Balak Bay-lack.
Bartimaeus Bar-tih-me-us.
Bethlehem Beth-lih-hem.
Galilee Gal-uh-lee.
Hiel High-el.
Jericho Jair-ih-co.
Moab Mo-ab.
Nazareth Naz-uh-reth.
Rabboni Rab-o-nye.
Introduction
A. Mercy
We define mercy as “an act of compassion toward someone who is in need.” Mercy by definition is not earned; it is freely given, without compulsion. We may ask for mercy in a stressful situation, but true mercy is not compelled. It is granted.
My city has a Mercy Hospital and a Mercy High School, both the work of a religious order known as the Sisters of Mercy. This group began in nineteenth-century Ireland to provide relief to poverty-stricken girls and women. Since its beginning, the Sisters of Mercy have founded schools, universities, and hospitals all over the world. Most of these feature the word Mercy prominently, not allowing this foundational Christian purpose to become neglected.
Today’s lesson features a man whose life was wretched. But when he knew the Son of God was nearby, he immediately asked for mercy. He understood his need, his helplessness, and his possible healing through Jesus.
B. Lesson Context
Blindness was a familiar condition in the ancient world, with the Bible itself using some form of the word blind dozens of times. The Papyrus Ebers, an Egyptian medical text of about 1500 BC, identifies various diseases of the eyes and suggests numerous remedies. These take the form of potions—ingredients of which are decidedly not prescribed today! In some cases, Egyptian physicians were advised to paint the mixture on the eyes of the patient, using a bird’s feather.
As with many supposed remedies, healing may have occurred in spite of the treatment and therefore given the impression of effectiveness. But from our current vantage point, there was no reliable cure for blindness in Jesus’ day and little understanding of its causes.
Many believed that blindness was a curse from God for some type of sinful behavior. The sins of the parents were thought to affect their children, causing them to be born blind (see John 9:1–2). The ancients knew that some diseases could leave a sufferer with damaged vision or blindness (see Leviticus 26:16). Such outcomes we now know may result from diseases like malaria or measles. In other cases, blindness might be the result of injury or could be progressive with age (such as cataracts or macular degeneration; the last line of Ecclesiastes 12:3 uses figurative language to describe failing eyesight).
In all cases, blindness was economically and socially debilitating. For example, blind men could not serve as priests (Leviticus 21:16–18). Those afflicted with blindness had little opportunity for employment and were reduced to begging or depending on family support to survive. The Jewish law forbade taking advantage of the blind (Leviticus 19:14; see Deuteronomy 27:18), but no amount of legal protection could restore sight. The parable of the great supper includes blind people as among the most unfortunate (Luke 14:21; see also 14:13).
Blindness and sight in a spiritual sense are important themes in the book of Mark. When questioned on the meaning of the sower parable (Mark 4:1–20), Jesus revealed that there would be people who saw what Jesus did but would not understand the good news He brought (4:12). Later, when Jesus was in a boat with the Twelve, He chastised them for their failure to understand His person and mission, saying, “Having eyes, see ye not?” (8:18, 21). Mark, the author, left the question open-ended so that his readers might answer it too. In essence Mark asks: “Have you read about Jesus this far and still don’t see who He is or understand the spiritual lessons He is teaching?”
I. The Blind Beggar
(MARK 10:46–48) A. Daily Pleading (v. 46)
46a. And they came to Jericho.
Jesus’ encounter with the blind Bartimaeus took place during Jesus’ final journey to Jerusalem for Passover. He left Galilee (Mark 9:30) and crossed the Jordan River to the east side (10:1), a region now referred to as Transjordan.
Moving south, down the valley, Jesus and His disciples re-crossed the river near Jericho. From there they were poised to begin the uphill trek to Jerusalem (Mark 10:32), a trip of about 15 miles with a rise in elevation exceeding 3,300 feet.
Jericho shows up a few times in the New Testament, primarily in the parallel Gospel accounts of Matthew 20:29–34 and Luke 18:35–43. The city is mentioned much more frequently in the Old Testament (examples: Deuteronomy 34:1; 2 Kings 2:4; Jeremiah 39:5). This is especially true of the days when Israel’s wanderings in the desert were ending. While the Israelites were camped across from Jericho, King Balak of Moab called Balaam to curse the people. This backfired spectacularly (Numbers 22–24). The walls of Jericho fell gloriously because of God’s help (Joshua 6:2–25).
The city wasn’t rebuilt until the time of Ahab’s reign (874–853 BC). And in fulfillment of the curse that Joshua pronounced (Joshua 6:26), King Hiel’s firstborn and youngest sons died when the king rebuilt the city (1 Kings 16:34).
46b. And as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. As usual, Jesus was accompanied by his disciples. The great number of people were Jewish residents of Galilee making the annual pilgrimage to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover (Mark 10:32). Perhaps some intentionally accompanied Jesus while others were just making their trip as usual.
All would leave Jericho via the western road. This made for a high-traffic area that was an ideal site for someone begging for money. Matthew’s telling of this encounter features two unnamed blind men sitting by the highway (Matthew 20:30). Mark focuses on the one whose identity is known, Bartimaeus. Bar is Aramaic for son of (example: Barnabas means “son of consolation”; Acts 4:36).
At least one Bible concordance translates the word Bartimaeus as “Son of the Unclean,” but the verse before us simply clarifies that his father’s name was in fact Timaeus. It would make some sense to translate that name in terms of uncleanness, given the restrictions on blind men in Israel (see Lesson Context). Even so, the word is closely related to the concept of “honour” (Mark 7:10).
What Do You Think?
When seeing someone in need, what are some ways to ensure that your actions don’t do more harm than good?
Digging Deeper
Which Bible passages are most informative to you in this regard? Why?
B. Disturbing the Peace
(vv. 47–48)
47a. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth.
Jesus’ reputation clearly had preceded Him; Bartimaeus was aware of Jesus’ reputation as a miracle worker and healer (examples: Mark 6:54–56; 7:36–37). Hearing that this was Jesus of Nazareth made a difference, since the name Jesus (Hebrew: Joshua) was not uncommon. Though Jesus had been born in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:1; Luke 2:4–7), His parents lived in Nazareth and had returned to that town when Jesus was very young (Matthew 2:22–23; Luke 2:39). Throughout His life, therefore, Jesus was known as “Jesus of Nazareth” (Mark 1:24; 10:47; etc.).
47b. He began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. Bartimaeus was not concerned with social decorum, for he knew this opportunity may never come again. Rather than be quietly content with the city’s enjoyment of a celebrity rabbi passing through, Bartimaeus began to cry out. As he did, he focused on a very different aspect of Jesus’ heritage by using the phrase thou Son of David.
At its most generic, this address acknowledged Jesus to be a descendant of the greatest king in Israel’s history (Matthew 1:1, 6). More importantly, this is a messianic title (example: Mark 12:35). The same acclamation was repeated few days later when Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem to the excitement of a great crowd (Matthew 21:9).
The words of Bartimaeus reveal a heart that entertained a glimmer of hope that the one who had mercy on other blind people, expressed in their healing, might choose to heal him also (example: Mark 8:22–25). Jesus’ healing ministry had caused a sensation in Galilee (Matthew 11:1–5; etc.). It marked Him as much more than a teacher.
Luke teaches that the capacity for restoring sight was a fulfillment of prophecy concerning the Messiah, marking Jesus as that person (see Luke 4:18–21). Furthermore, Luke singles out curing blindness specifically in his listing of the mighty works of Jesus, showing how impressive such a cure was considered to be (7:21).
What Do You Think?
Under what circumstances are you more likely to call on Jesus audibly rather than silently (example: Matthew 9:20–21)?
Digging Deeper
When is one choice just as good as the other?
BLINDED BY CULTURE
Our family served as missionaries in an African nation years ago. One day a 10-year-old child came by. His name was Aaron, and he asked for some food. Not only was he poor; he also was crippled by a congenital deformity, requiring that he walk with a homemade cane. As he ate, he listened to my children doing their lessons.
Aaron began coming daily for lunch. At some point, he wistfully expressed his desire to go to school. “My family is too poor, and I’m crippled, so they don’t think I can learn.” My son, Mark, asked Aaron if he knew how to read. He did not, and so began 13-year-old Mark’s “career” as a reading teacher!
Although Aaron’s culture was blind to the potential of a child with a disability, Aaron himself was not. Similarly, Bartimaeus was physically blind, but spiritually his vision was 20/20. He could “see” that the Son of David could meet his needs even though his culture ultimately rejected their Messiah. What cultural blindness do you need to overcome for the sake of the Aarons and Bartimaeuses of your community? —C. R. B.
48. And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
Not a few in the crowd thought Bartimaeus was rude, too aggressive, or otherwise socially inept. Perhaps they were embarrassed for him because of his bellowing.
But before we judge the crowd and put ourselves in a position of superiority, let us think about what we feel when an otherwise peaceful walk around the block is interrupted by a loud homeless person requesting help. The Passover pilgrims were on a spiritual high, perhaps ready to sing some of the joyous “psalms of ascent”—ancient songs that celebrated the long climb to the temple (example: Psalm 122).
But Bartimaeus would not hold his peace as many thought he should. Rather than accommodate his scolders, he yelled even louder, shouting directly at Jesus. He didn’t change his plea, but repeated exactly what he’d already been shouting, as though he was never interrupted: Son of David, have mercy on me. The scolding of the crowd resulted in the opposite of its intended effect!
What Do You Think?
In what circumstances are you most likely to raise your voice when the majority desires otherwise?
Digging Deeper
When might it be wise to heed that desire? Why?
II. The Merciful Master
(MARK 10:49–52)
- Jesus Calls (vv. 49–50)
49a. And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort.
Jesus’ actions and words quickly changed the tone of the crowd (see Mark 10:48, above). Rather than view the blind man as a nuisance to be silenced, they changed their reaction to him to one of kindness. They apparently realized that by the man’s securing Jesus’ attention, a potential blessing awaited him.
The Greek imperative translated be of good comfort occurs seven times in the New Testament, here and in Matthew 9:2, 22; 14:27; Mark 6:50; John 16:33; and Acts 23:11. A near synonym occurs an additional six times, in 2 Corinthians 5:6, 8; 7:16; 10:1–2; and Hebrews 13:6. The contexts are always those of boldness in terms of doing something.
49b. Rise.
The first imperative is immediately followed by a second. Telling Bartimaeus to rise reveals his seated or prone position as a beggar (compare Matthew 9:5–7; Mark 2:9–12; Acts 3:6–7). This detail adds drama to the incident. The man had not been standing and amplifying his voice. Rather, he had been sitting or lying on the ground, forcing his voice to cut upward through the noise of the crowd walking past. His cry to Jesus must have been loud indeed!
49c. He calleth thee.
This phrase wraps up a four-fold echo. First, Bartimaeus had called out to Jesus; then the crowd had called to Bartimaeus for silence; then Jesus called for a personal audience with Bartimaeus; and finally the crowd communicated Jesus’ calling to Bartimaeus. Though at this point members of the crowd could have tried to impede not only the blind man but also Jesus, they chose instead to announce Jesus’ calling as He commanded it (contrast Luke 18:15–17).
Similarly, we today are called to call others to Jesus (Matthew 28:18–20). Though we hope not to stand in the way of those who seek Jesus, sometimes we can be going along our contented way and lose sight of the lost around us. At those times, we must hear Jesus’ command to issue the invitation to approach Him.
50. And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.
The man’s garment was his outer cloak, perhaps what he was sitting on. It would be his most valuable possession. For him to toss it aside showed his eagerness, every action in this verse indicated faith. Bartimaeus expected Jesus to grant him mercy and remove his blindness.
- Jesus Makes Whole
(vv. 51–52)
51a. And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?
Jesus’ question was not posed from lack of knowledge. Most likely, it would have been evident to everyone in the crowd that Bartimaeus, by appearance, was blind. Even if the crowd was unaware, it’s impossible for Jesus not to have known since He had divine insight (compare Matthew 9:4; 12:25; Luke 6:8; 9:47). Jesus’ question was intended to prompt Bartimaeus to verbalize his need and his faith.
51b. The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.
Bartimaeus’s answer was straightforward. In receiving his sight he would no longer be an object of pity, a blind man begging for small change, dependent on others to lead him.
Bartimaeus lacked physical sight but had spiritual eyes that saw clearly who Jesus was. For Bartimaeus, Jesus was the prophesied “Son of David” (Mark 10:47–48, above), the Messiah promised by God. Bartimaeus’s spiritual insight led him to believe that Jesus could heal him from his physical blindness. Others with perfect physical eyesight were spiritually blind to the true identity of Jesus (see Matthew 23:13–26).
We may note in passing that Jesus was addressed by various designations of respect in the pages of the New Testament. The most common of those was “Master” (example: John 11:28). Another common address of respect was Lord, sometimes meaning no more than “sir” (example: John 5:7). But the translation “Lord” in the verse before us is not in the category of “sir”; rather, the underlying Greek is the word Rabboni, from the Aramaic language. As related to the word Rabbi, John 1:38 and 20:16 help us in saying that both mean “Master”.
52a. And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole.
To become whole may have more than physical implications, though that is often the primary sense of the word (examples: Mark 5:28, 34; 6:56). The underlying word in the original language can also be translated “saved” (example: 13:13). This saving can be from death (example: 15:30) to be given new life (example: Luke 9:24).
Jesus was more than a healer; He came as the Savior. He can save people from physical maladies, but more importantly He also saves souls from sin (Mark 8:35; etc.). In the Gospel of Mark, the mocking crowd at the crucifixion challenged Jesus to come down from the cross. When He remained nailed to the wood, they scornfully shouted, “He saved others; himself he cannot save” (15:31), thereby revealing a complete misunderstanding of what was happening.
The pattern for Jesus’ healing miracles in Mark includes the requirement for a display of faith. Some men believed in Jesus so strongly that they dug a hole in a roof to bring their paralyzed friend to Him (Mark 2:1–5). A desperate mother approached Jesus to heal her daughter (7:24–30). The father of the demon-possessed boy, confessing his faith as well as his doubts, brought his son to Jesus for healing (9:23–24). Faith was essential in all these accounts.
52b. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way. Although Jesus had just said “Go thy way” (previous half verse), Mark ends the story of Bartimaeus by having him join Jesus in the way. An interesting contrast is Mark 5:18–20. There a man healed from demonization desired to accompany Jesus, but Jesus forbade him.
What Do You Think?
Which of the following “thy faith hath” passages speaks comfort to you most powerfully and personally: Matthew 9:22; Mark 5:34; 10:52; Luke 7:50; 8:48; 17:19?
Digging Deeper
Which one most leads you to encourage others?
FAITHFUL IN DEATH
I worked for several years as a hospice chaplain. During that time, I enjoyed some of the most rewarding experiences in my 60-plus years of ministry. Many of my patients were devout followers of Jesus.
What intrigued me was how those faithful patients dealt with the process of dying. I think of one Christian patient who was typical of many to whom I ministered. He was dying of kidney failure, but he exhibited a sense of peacefulness from the first day I visited him.
As his kidneys continued to fail and his death inexorably drew closer, his conversations with me proved that, while his body could not be healed, his spirit was being made whole (compare 2 Corinthians 4:16). He faced death with acceptance, but more than that, with hope and even joy!
Eventually each of us will reach the point where there is no healing for our current bodies. But are we moving daily toward the wholeness that Jesus offers us? —C. R. B.
Conclusion
A. Lord, Have Mercy
The restoration of a blind man’s sight was a great and merciful miracle. But in the larger context of the Gospels, Jesus encountered many who were spiritually blind, having unresponsive hearts that refused to recognize or honor Him. Our journey with Jesus begins when we realize we are blind and on the side of the road, sidelined and desperate. It’s at that point when we allow Jesus to make us whole. Then we join Him, joyfully walking and learning as we go. This is a timeless picture of discipleship (Matthew 16:24; John 14:6).
When we consider the necessity of faith, we learn some things about Jesus—and about ourselves. In the instance of today’s text, as in those that came before, Jesus honored faith. The faith of Bartimaeus was very simple: he believed that Jesus was willing and able to help. The man was not questioned about what he knew or believed about the coming Messiah. Neither was he queried regarding exactly what he meant when he called Jesus “Son of David” (Mark 10:47–48) or “Lord” (10:51). Neither his doctrines nor motives were called into account (contrast Mark 10:17–18; John 6:25–26; James 4:3).
When we are in crisis and see no relief, we may say “Lord, have mercy” without thinking about the import of these words. Yet this is a prayer, imploring God to notice our pitiful situation and provide relief. In that regard may we take a lesson from Bartimaeus, being willing to call on the Lord when the crowd has a different agenda. May the eyes of our hearts be opened to see Jesus clearly and obey Him fully (see Ephesians 1:18).
What Do You Think?
Which concept or imperative in today’s lesson do you have the most trouble coming to grips with? Why?
Digging Deeper
How will you resolve this problem?
- Prayer
Father, reveal to us our own blindnesses so that we might be spiritually whole. As You extend that mercy to us, may we do likewise to others. Open our eyes, Lord, and let us see You clearly so that we may follow Your Son as He would have us to. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
- Thought to Remember
Physical blindness is temporary; spiritual blindness is eternal.
KIDS CORNER
Those Who Know God Love
Sunday, September 19, 2021
1 John 4:7-12
1 John 4:7-12
(1 John 4:7) Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
Thus far in 1 John 4, John has given two tests for Christians to use to discern a false teacher or false prophet from a true Christian teacher or true Christian prophet, and to distinguish true Christian teaching from false teachings.
First, to test teachers and prophets, people must know that a teacher or prophet is influenced by or indwelt by a spirit. A true Christian teacher or prophet is influenced by and indwelt by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of God (see John 14:26, John 15:26, John 16:13, 1 John 4:2,6). False teachers or false prophets are influenced and indwelt by evil spirits that John called “spirits of error” (see 1 John 4:6). In Colossians 2:8, the Apostle Paul called these spirits “elemental spirits” and warned about deceptions from false teachers and false prophets with the words: “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ.” Jesus called these spirits “unclean,” (Matthew 12:43; Mark 5:8, Luke 11:24). Evil spirits are unclean morally and spiritually, and they will try to influence people to do what is unclean. The entertainment industry (which is often influenced by unclean spirits) seems to specialize in showing what is unclean, and what they show can influence people to do what is unclean or think uncleanness is okay to practice. The unclean spirit, the spirit of error, the devil, the father of lies, influenced and directed the actions and teachings of the religious leaders who plotted to crucify Jesus, and Jesus said of them in John 8:44, “You are from your father the devil, and you choose to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” False leaders, false teachers, and false prophets worked in the days of Jesus, John, and Paul, and they still work in our days when unclean spirits of error influence and indwell them and lead them to teach and try to mislead God’s people. Many have gone out into the world that John called “antichrists;” they were once in the church, but they have left the church mentally and spiritually, if not physically. They try to mislead the true followers of Jesus Christ in the church and those who want to believe the truth about Jesus Christ according to the Bible, come to faith in Jesus Christ, and enter the fellowship of believers.
Second, to test teachers and prophets, John wrote that Jesus Christ and His Apostles were “from God,” and false teachers and false prophets were not from God. John grouped himself with the Apostles when he wrote in 1 John 4:6, “We are from God.” John wrote that true Christians, Christian teachers, and Christian prophets “listen to” (hear, learn from, study, and obey) those who are from God. The Apostles and the other Christians who eventually wrote the Bible with the help of the Holy Spirit, were from God (see 2 Timothy 3:16-17). From reading John’s Gospel and Letters, we know that it would not be too strong to say that today, true Christians, Christian teachers, and Christian prophets will “listen to” (believe and obey) the Bible, and the Holy Spirit within them will help them understand and teach the truth of the Bible. Therefore, the Bible must be the ultimate and final authority for true Christian belief and practice. A false teacher or false prophet will deny the fact that the Bible is true in all it affirms. They will reject some of the Bible’s teachings about Christian ethics, Christian morality, and how Christians should live (see Romans, chapter 1). They will promote uncleanness in ways evil unclean spirits influence them. They will denounce whatever in the Bible condemns the immoral and unbiblical ways they want to live. They will work inside and outside the church to take “captive through philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits” those inside and outside the church who will listen to them and believe the falsehoods they teach. The Bible must be our only and ultimate guide and standard of truth, and false prophets and false teachers will always deny some portions of the Bible and ultimately deny Jesus Christ as revealed in the Bible.
Third, to test teachers and prophets, in 1 John 4:7, John wrote, “Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.” A false prophet or false teacher will not abide in love and practice love as Jesus and the Apostles loved God and others as described and recorded in the Bible. John warns Christians and others that they may think and say they believe the truth and all the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles, but the next test is “do they love one another”? Do they love their brothers and sisters who believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior? A false teacher or false prophet will not love others (or God) as God commanded because they are not born of God—they do not know God. They may know much about God, but they do not know God because they do not love—love is from God. If someone does not love, we know they are not from God. As we read the Bible, we learn more about true love, especially as shown by Jesus—the perfect expression of the love of God in the world. False prophets and teachers will not listen to the message of the Apostles, the message of the Bible. Christians know and love God and they love to listen to the Bible’s teachings “because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.” God’s people are born of God, and they know God; therefore, they love God, and they love Jesus, and they love to listen to God’s prophets and teachers in the Bible. As Jesus said in John 10:27, “My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.” They will refuse to listen to, believe, or follow someone who teaches what the Bible does not affirm. God’s people listen to the Bible’s teachings, and they love one another. These are some of the measures John gives us so we can discern false teachers from teachers who know and love God.
John heard Jesus teach on love, and especially on love for one another, even our enemies. God is love and all love comes from God. Without God, there would be no love anywhere in our world. Even as God created all things and makes life possible, with every living thing depending on God at each moment for existence, so we depend on God for all the love we give and receive. Those not born of God are by their moral and spiritual nature self-centered and selfish—they love themselves supremely. However, they cannot truly love even themselves, because if they truly loved themselves, they would live and do what is truly best for themselves; that is, love God more than themselves and love others as they love themselves. At the foundation of their lives, any “love” we see them express flows from their personal self-interest, from what they want from God or someone else. Those born of God love God supremely, because God in Jesus Christ first loved them and saved them from sin by His sacrificial death and gave them the gift of eternal life. Jesus Christ has so changed true Christians by a new birth that their moral and spiritual nature is now God-centered and filled with love for God, love for others, and a right love for themselves—love that God has given them because God is love and God indwells them.
The first two tests John gives are intellectual and spiritual tests. Do we (and the teachers and prophets we hear) believe the truth about Jesus Christ, and do we (they) teach the truth about Jesus according to the Bible? Does the Holy Spirit (Who is the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of God) help us (and those we hear teaching and preaching) understand, believe, and practice the teachings of the Bible as we are learning them? The last test is ethical or moral and applies to the right application of Jesus’ teachings and the Bible—most notably regarding true love. Do we (and the teachers and prophets we hear) practice love for one another? Do we practice true love, a sacrificial love that seeks to obey all the commands of Jesus and the Bible’s teachings? Jesus taught, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.” (John 14:15; 14:21; 15:10). Remember what John wrote in 1 John 2:9-10, “Whoever says, ‘I am in the light,’ while hating a brother or sister, is still in the darkness. Whoever loves a brother or sister lives in the light, and in such a person there is no cause for stumbling.” Christians do not love in order to be saved; rather, they love because Jesus Christ loved them, died and rose again for them, and has saved them from sin and death that they might live and truly love as God loves. There can be no cause for stumbling in those who truly love as God loves, because God lives in them.
(1 John 4:8) The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
Whenever we meet a person who is obviously always self-absorbed or self-centered, we know they do not know God as God wants them to know Him. They may know a great deal “about” God and “about” the Bible’s teachings and “say” they believe in God. But only through trusting in Jesus Christ with sincere faith will they be transformed, born again, and come to know God personally through the Scriptures, prayer, praise, singing, and worship. Only through Jesus Christ and the indwelling Holy Spirit will they turn from selfishness to devoted, loving, God-directed living, to praying for others, and to serving God and others without concern for selfish advantages over others. They will not try to use God or others for their selfish personal benefit. True love flows supernaturally from knowing God.
(1 John 4:9) By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.
From creation and the Scriptures, we know something of the love of God, but God made His love real to us and personal to us by revealing His love supremely through Jesus Christ—God’s one and only begotten Son, fully God and fully man. God is not self-centered, and He proved His love for us by giving Jesus Christ to us to be crucified by us and die for us to save us from sin and eternal death. Yes. Our sins led to the crucifixion of Jesus just as though we had nailed Him to the cross with our own hands. To save us from the punishment we justly deserved, Jesus died as a sacrificial substitute for us and then rose again to live and love within us, within all who would trust Him as their Lord and Savior. In Romans 5:8, Paul wrote, “But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.” In self-giving love, God focused on us and our needs despite our sins and rebellion against God and His Kingdom. In self-giving love, the Father sent us His Son as a gift that we might be born again and love as God intended. We can truly live our lives now and forever to the fullest within the circle of God’s love—both God the Father and God the Son deserve our love and undivided loyalty.
(1 John 4:10) In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
God did not send Jesus Christ into the world because we loved God and sought God. Before Jesus came into the world, we did not know God and we did not love God, but God knew us, and God loved us. God knew us through and through, but God still loved us. God did not love our sin or our sinful ways or our morally degrading habits, but God loved us. Another good word to describe the love that God the Father has for others and us is “charity.” A truly needy person needs “charity,” because they cannot help themselves. Before Jesus Christ came into the world we were so morally, spiritually, and intellectually bankrupt and needy that we needed “charity” from God. In charity, God gave us what we needed when He sent Jesus Christ to die in our place as a sacrifice for our sins; thereby, Jesus’ sacrifice enabled God the King and Judge of the universe to uphold His law and justice when graciously, lovingly, and mercifully forgiving us for our sins and rebellion against Him. Because Jesus Christ died in our place as a sacrifice, God did not need to punish us in order to uphold His law and kingdom. In charity, God gave Jesus to us to meet our needs and now Jesus lives within us to meet our needs and the needs of others through us. In charity, we give to others what we wisely can to meet their honest needs. To give, we deny ourselves some time and treasure, even if we would not consider our giving to be sacrificial or costly. We came to understand true love or true charity when God extended His love toward us and sacrificed His Son for us to free us from slavery to sin and satan, so we could turn from our sin and selfishness to love God and others. We love after first receiving God’s love through Jesus Christ. And now, we love as God the Father and Jesus love, but in a much smaller way, when we share the gospel to save and bless others, even sacrificing our time, treasure, and talents. Perhaps a better definition of the word “love” than “charity” would be “benevolence.” To live with a spirit of benevolence means to live with a “disposition to do good,” to live “looking for ways to do good.” When Jesus walked and talked in our world, Jesus demonstrated benevolence. Jesus always showed His “disposition to do good” to others; for this reason, He always healed the sick. When Jesus lives within His followers, they show forth their “disposition to do good” to others. The Holy Spirit will empower and guide the followers of Jesus to love in ways that show forth their “disposition to do good,” which will draw others to them and to Jesus who loves and lives within them.
(1 John 4:11) Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
Notice how John expressed his love for all who would read his letters. To love others, especially those in the family of God, we need both the loving and indwelling Holy Spirit and sound instruction (telling us what we ought to do as Christians). We need to be told to love one another sometimes and to fulfill our moral obligation to love others, because we can easily forget to do so in tense situations, especially when fellow believers (and those of the world) forget to show love for us and instead express their dislike or even hatred for us in ungodly ways.
(1 John 4:12) No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us.
We cannot see God with our physical eyes: they are not equipped to do so. The finite physical cannot see the infinite spiritual. We could never see or understand God in His fullness with our limited intellectual capacity. I doubt we know any created thing (not even ourselves) completely. But we can assuredly see and know some truths about God; the truths God revealed in the Bible, and we continue to expand our knowledge of God as we study the Bible. We can also see and know whether we are acting in loving ways toward others. If we are expressing love as the fruit of the Holy Spirit, we know we are God-centered and not living like those of this world (see 1 Corinthians 13 and Galatians 5:22-23). We can know that God is living in us and helping us love God and others. We can know if we have a disposition to bless and help others, if we look for opportunities to do good to others, and if we do some things that meet the needs of others. As we grow in knowledge of God and the truth (Jesus said, He is the way, the truth, and the life: John 14:6), and as we follow the leading of the Holy Spirit more and more, God’s love is made complete in us; God’s love is perfected in us—God loves in and through us as He loved in and through Jesus, and some will be drawn to Jesus as He loves them through us.
Sunday, September 19, 2021
1 John 4:7-12
Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God (1 John 4:7—KJV).
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God (1 John 4:7—NASB).
Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God (1 John 4:7—NRSV).
In John’s Gospel and Letters, John emphasized two crucial characteristics of a follower of Jesus. First, a follower of Jesus knows God. Notice: John did not say they know about God, or they know the theology of some famous person, or they know some characteristics of God. He did not say that those who know about God should use their knowledge of God to denigrate or try to ruin someone else who has a different understanding of God or the Bible. Second, those who know God love others. John clearly stated that if someone knows God it is because they are born of God, so they love like God. Because God is love, no matter how much someone may say they know theology, if they do not love others, they do not know God. The followers of Jesus love one another because God lives in them, and because God lives in them, they seek to express the love of God perfectly in all their relationships with others. The followers of Jesus do not love God and others perfectly, but they try to follow the example of Jesus as the Holy Spirit leads them and they will love one another unselfishly as they know Jesus loves them. They will want to do what is best for everyone in all of their relationships, even if that requires self-sacrifice, whether in business, in the church, or in their home. As one example, Jesus had no selfish or selfcentered motive when He loved, came, and sacrificed His life to make eternal life possible for all who would accept His freely given gift.
Thinking Further
Those Who Know God Love
Sunday, September 19, 2021
1 John 4:7-12
Name ______________________________________________
1. What reasons did John give for the followers of Jesus to love one another?
2. What two truths did John say about a person who is born of God?
3. What did John say about a person who does not love?
4. How did God reveal His love to us and why did God do so?
5. How did John describe God’s love compared to our love?
Discussion and Thinking Further
1. What reasons did John give for the followers of Jesus to love one another?
God is love and love is from God.
2. What two truths did John say about a person who is born of God?
A person who is born of God loves and knows God.
3. What did John say about a person who does not love?
A person who does not love does not know God.
4. How did God reveal His love to us and why did God do so?
God revealed His love to us by sending His only Son into the world. God did so that we might live through Jesus.
5. How did John describe God’s love compared to our love?
God did not send His Son because we loved God or His Son. God sent His Son because God loves us.