Who was Jesus speaking to then?
What is the condition for being Jesus’ disciples?
What, then, will we know? What will be the result?
Whose descendants did they say they were? Who did they think they had been slaves to?
Who does Jesus say is a slave of sin?
What is the difference between a slave and a son?
Who will make us truly free?
What were the people trying to do? Why?
What does Jesus speak? What do the people do?
If the people were really children of Abraham, what would they do? What were they doing instead?
Now, who do the people claim is their one Father?
What would the people do if God were really their Father? Why?
Why can’t they understand?
Who does Jesus come out and say the people’s father is?
How does Jesus describe the devil? (2 things)
When the devil speaks a lie, where does the lie come from?
Why don’t the people believe Jesus?
Verse 49: What are the two things the Jews accused Jesus of?
What did He deny? How does He describe His work?
What will happen to those who keep His word?
What made these people think Jesus had a demon?
Who honors Jesus?
Who knows God? Why?
What did Abraham see?
Why did this confuse the Jews?
What statement did Jesus make that finally prompted the Jews to try to stone Him?
What happened then?

Thought Questions

Why do you think the Jews said they have never been in bondage to anyone? Obviously the Jewish nation had been in bondage several, if not many, times in their history–Egypt, Babylon, as well as their surrounding nations for briefer periods, and they were currently under the rule of the Romans. Were they also speaking spiritually? What did they have in mind?
Why did the people say they thought Jesus had a demon (vs. 48)? See John 7:20. At that point, was it common knowledge that there were people who were intent on killing Jesus? How did Jesus know this? If there ever comes a point in our experience where there are people who want to kill us for our beliefs, will we know ahead of time? How will we respond?
What does “Jesus’ word” refer to? Only His words that He spoke on earth then, or also the Scriptures which He inspired beforehand, which pointed to Him? How would this make a difference to the Jews? To you?
How can a person study the Scriptures carefully, and be exposed to God’s Word, yet “do the deeds of your father” the devil? What does that make you want to take care of in your life?
Who is your father–God or the devil? Whose works do you do (vs. 41)? Whose desires do you have (vs. 44)?
What did Jesus mean when He said that anyone who keeps His word will not taste death? Are there different kinds of death? (Hint: Rev. 20:6 & 14) What does the Bible say about the first death? (1 Thess. 4:14, 1 Cor. 15:51)

My prayer is:
that Jesus would release me from my slavery to sin;
that God would be my Father, and not the devil, because I would do the works of my Father;
and that I would truly hear God’s words because I am of God.

Who was Jesus speaking to again?
What does Jesus say He is?
What will happen to those who follow Him?
What did the Pharisees have to say about Jesus’ witness?
Why does Jesus say His witness is true? What does He know about Himself that the Pharisees don’t know?
How do the Pharisees judge? Does Jesus judge?
Why would Jesus’ judgement be true?
Who sent Jesus?
According to the law, how many witnesses are required for a testimony to be true?
Who are the two witnesses that Jesus refers to?
What did the Pharisees ask Him? What was His answer?
Where was He speaking? Why didn’t anyone lay hands on Him?
Would the Pharisees be able to go where Jesus was going? What would happen to them?
What did they think He meant that He was going to do?
Where are the Pharisees from? Where is Jesus from?
What was Jesus’ answer to the question, “Who are you?”
Who did Jesus speak for? Did they understand that?
What will happen that will make people understand that Jesus says and does nothing of Himself, just what his Father taught Him?
Is Jesus alone? Why?
What was the result of the words that Jesus had spoken then?

Thought Questions

Do you believe Jesus’ witness is true? Why or why not? Do you believe Him when He said He spoke from the Father, God Himself?
Why didn’t the Pharisees believe? What caused the difference in perspective between the Pharisees and the disciples?
Go back and read John 5:22. How do you understand John 8:15 in light of this? Read the context of both passages. The Pharisees had just “judged” the woman caught in adultery. Are there different types of “judgment?” How does God’s judgment compare to human judgment? Are there any other answers to this question?
When we are tempted to judge another person, what should our thoughts be? Do we truly understand the background situation of the person we are judging? Does God? Is there a difference between being judgmental and helping a person find salvation? How can you do the latter without doing the former? How does the conduct of the Pharisees give us a clue? Were they interested in others’ salvation?
How do we get to know the Father? Why were the Pharisees so in the dark about knowing the Father? Why do they keep asking Jesus the same questions over and over? In verse 27 they still don’t get it.
How would you describe the unity of Jesus and His Father, based on the passages you have read in John? Are their any applications you can make to your life, or to your relationships with others? Your personal relationship with God?
In verse 30, it says many believed on Him because of these words. What did he say that helped them believe Him? What has He said that helped you believe Him?

My prayer is:
that God would help me choose to remove the barriers that keep me from understanding who Christ is and what His relationship to the Father is;
that I would never use human judgment to condemn a fellow human, but allow Christ and His Father to be the judges, while prayerfully guiding others to Him.

Where did Jesus go?
After that, early in the morning, where did He go? What was He doing there?
Who brought the woman in to Him? Where did they set her?
What was their accusation against her?
Where did the law of stoning adulterers originate?
What did they ask Jesus?
Why did they ask that?
What did Jesus do?
What did He say in response?
What did the Pharisees do then?
Who was left?
What did Jesus ask the woman?
How did she respond?
What did Jesus tell her to do?

Thought Questions

Take note of the connection between the end of chapter 7 and the beginning of chapter 8 (7:53-8:2). What time of day was Jesus at the Mount of Olives? What do you think He was doing there? What did He often do at the Mount of Olives? Luke 22:39.
How do you think the Pharisees were able to happen to catch the woman in the act of adultery? Was it likely that she happened to be caught in a public place, or was there planning involved? What does this say about the depths to which the Pharisees would go to try to trap Jesus?
What do you think Jesus was writing on the ground? Some random words, or something connected to the situation and the Pharisees’ own lives? What else has God ever written with His finger?
Was Jesus contradicting the law of Moses with His response?
Do you think this situation should serve as a model for every situation of justice?
After Jesus had finished writing, everyone left. What happened to “all the people” who came to the temple to listen to Jesus teach (verse 2)? If they were not involved in the accusation, why did they leave? Would you have left?
In reality, in the eyes of Christ, who was actually “on trial”–the woman, or the Pharisees?
Did the woman show any type of remorse for her sin, or ask for forgiveness?
Do you think Jesus judged the woman? What did He tell her to do? What does His attitude toward her tell you about how we ought to treat other people? What does it tell you about sin?

My prayer is:
that I would find wisdom for tricky situations from my connection with God through prayer;
that, in order to be like Christ, I should be forgiving and merciful of others’ sins;
and that, although forgiven, Christ tells me to “go and sin no more,” so I need His help in completely overcoming sin and not continuing in it.

After these things, where did Jesus walk (live, work)? Where didn’t He want to walk? Why?
What event was coming up?
Who wanted Jesus to go to Judea? Why?
What was their motive for saying that?
What was Jesus’ reason why He didn’t want to do that?
Why does the world hate Jesus?
Was Jesus going to go to the feast? At all, or at that time?
Where did He remain?
When did He go to the feast? How?
Who was looking for Jesus? What was said about Him?
When Jesus finally came, what did He do there?
Why were the people amazed?
What was Jesus’ response?
How can we know whether Jesus’ doctrine is from himself or from God?
The person who speaks from himself seeks glory from whom? What is the result of seeking the glory of God?
Did the people keep the law?
What was their response to Jesus’ words?
When are people allowed to circumcise? Why?
What was Jesus’ logic behind being able to heal a whole person on Sabbath?
How are we supposed to judge? How are we not supposed to judge?
According to the people, even though they were trying to kill Jesus, how were they responding to Him at that time? What reason did the people give for this?
What reason did the people give for their lack of faith in Jesus being the Christ?
When teaching at the temple, how did Jesus describe the One from whom He came?
Why couldn’t anyone lay a hand on Jesus?
Why did many people believe Him?
Where did Jesus say He would go?
Where did the Jews think that was?
On the last, great day of the Feast, what did Jesus start preaching about?
What will flow out of the heart of the one who believes in Christ?
What was He referring to?
Had the Holy Spirit been given yet? Why?
What did some of the people believe about Jesus? What else were they arguing about?
Who did the Pharisees send to get Jesus?
Did they bring Him to them? What reason did they give?
What was the Pharisees’ response to that?
What did they say the people did not know?
Who came to the Pharisees and suggested that they hear Jesus and find out what He is doing?
What was their argument against Jesus (same as verse 41)
Where did everyone go?

Thought questions

How would you summarize John chapter 7?
Make a list of all of the arguments against Jesus in this chapter. Which, if any, do you find the most compelling? Can you identify with what the Jews were thinking then? Can you think of any applications in our society, or even in your own life? How can we avoid this type of thinking? How did Jesus respond to these accusations?
Look at the words of Jesus (perhaps in red letters) as opposed to the words of the others in this chapter. How would you compare them? What is the basis of what Jesus is trying to say in this chapter?
Why would Jesus say that the world hates Him? Does the Bible say elsewhere that the world hates His followers, too? Why? Does the world hate you?
Think about verse 17. Do you know His doctrine (teachings)? Do you believe they came from God? Are you willing to do His will? Do you have any doubts or questions about the word of God or His commandments that might be cleared up if you let go of your own will?
What are your thoughts on the Sabbath day? Do you believe it is still holy, and there are certain things we should or shouldn’t do on that day? In verses 22-23, do you believe Jesus was pronouncing the Sabbath day no longer holy in its entirety? What day did the Jews worship as the Sabbath? Do you see Jesus questioning that day or its holiness? What reason do you have for worshiping on the day you worship on? What did Jesus think of the Sabbath of the Jews?
Can we know where Jesus came from? Why didn’t the Jews know? Or did they (verse 28)? What, according to Jesus’ words in that verse, did they not know? Do you know the One who Jesus came from?
After the Jews argued about where Jesus came from, they then started arguing about where He was going (verses 33-36). What is the relationship between where Jesus came from and where He is going, and again, how can we know?
Read verses 44-46 again. What kind of hearts do you think these officers had? What was the difference between them and the Jewish leaders who ultimately crucified Jesus?
What was the result of Nicodemus’ previous conversation with Jesus?
How did the rulers respond to Nicodemus? Did they have a good point? Read Isaiah 9:1, 2.

My prayer is:
that I would understand that conflict and criticism will inevitably arise from others, but that I would follow Jesus’ example in patiently pointing people toward God, not to myself;
that the Holy Spirit would help me to let go of my own will and only desire to do God’s will, which will help me to better understand the difference between Christ’s doctrine and the doctrine of others;
and that I would know Who Christ came from, so that I would understand where He came from and where He is going.

Why were the Jews complaining?
How do we come to God?
What will Jesus do for us if we do?
Who are we taught by?
Who has seen the Father?
What is the result of believing in Him?
What is the difference between the manna that the forefathers ate, and the living Bread Jesus offers?
What is the purpose of the Living Bread?
Now, what were the Jews complaining about?
What does Jesus say his flesh and blood are?
What are we supposed to do with His flesh and blood?
What is the result?
Where did Jesus say these things?
What was Jesus’ disciples response?
What was His response?
Who gives life?
What, here, is life-giving Spirit?
Did everyone believe?
Who can come unto Christ?
What happened among His disciples then?
Who did Jesus speak to specifically then? When it said “the disciples” in verses 60-66 was it referring to just the 12?
What did He ask the 12?
What did Peter answer?
What did they come to believe?
Which of them was a devil?

Thought Questions

Look at the verses in this passage where Jesus says that nobody comes to Him unless the Father draws them–37, 44, 65. Compare Matthew 11:28. How do you understand the difference? Does John 6:45 give you any help? What does it really mean to “come to Jesus” (or can there be more than one answer)? If we have not “heard and learned from the Father” (v. 45) can we fully come to Him? (Be sure to use what you have read in these passages as a basis for your answer.)
What happens when we eat food? Where does the food go? How is Jesus using this illustration to help us understand how He permeates our whole lives? Is there any part of our bodies where the food we eat does not ultimately touch? Is there any part of our lives where His teachings do not ultimately touch if we “eat” His words?
In verse 63, Jesus explains that the words He speaks are life. How does this help explain the previous teachings about His flesh and blood? What is the flesh and blood that He speaks of?
Read verses 64-66. From that passage, does it sound like Jesus made the decision of who would follow Him, or did He just know beforehand what the people would choose themselves?
In the beginning of this chapter, how many people followed Jesus around, listening to Him (6:2)? How many were left in the end (6:67)? Why?
What does Peter’s response in verses 68-69 tell you? In your mind, is there a better alternative than following Jesus?

My prayer is:
that I would want to “learn of the Father” so that He would draw me closer to Christ;
to receive the Bread of Life, His Word which gives eternal life;
and that I would say along with Peter, Lord, we have no one else to go to, for You have the words of eternal life.