Who was sick? Where was he from?
Who were his sisters? What did Mary do?
Who sent a message to Jesus? What was the message?
What was Jesus’ response?
How long did Jesus stay where He was?
After that time, where did Jesus announce that He wanted to go?
What was the problem, according to the disciples?
Why don’t people stumble in the day? What happens in the night? Why?
What did Jesus say the situation with Lazarus was? What was He planning to do?
What was the confusion with the term “sleep?”
What did Jesus tell the disciples plainly?
Why was Jesus glad He was not there?
Who said he was willing to go along and die with Jesus?
When they arrived, how long had Lazarus been in the grave?
How far was Bethany from Jerusalem?
Who joined Mary and Martha to comfort them?
Who rushed out to meet Jesus first? Who stayed in the house?
What did Martha say to Jesus?
What did Jesus tell her?
When did Martha think Lazarus would rise?
How did Jesus then describe Himself? What would happen to those who believe in Him?
What did Martha proclaim that she believed?
What did Martha do after this?
Where was Jesus?
Who followed Mary?
What did Mary say to Jesus? What did she do as she was saying this?
How did Jesus react when He saw Mary and the others weeping?
What did Jesus do when they brought Him to the grave?
What skeptical comment did the Jews make?
What kind of grave was Lazarus in?
What command did Jesus give?
What objection did Martha raise?
What did Jesus remind her that she would see if she believed?
What was Jesus’ prayer as they opened the tomb?
What was the reason He gave for saying this prayer aloud?
What did Jesus say to Lazarus? How did He say it?
What happened?
What was the result among many of the Jews?
What did a few others go to do, though?

Thought Questions

Compare John 11:4 with John 9:3. Is Jesus saying the same thing? Does God cause suffering or allow it? Why? How can you compare the temporary suffering of pain on earth, or even death, with the glory of Christ’s healing and resurrection that He offers?
Jesus said He loved Mary, Martha, and Lazarus. More than other people? Even though “God so loved the world,” what do you think His relationship with specific people on earth was like? Why?
Compare John 11: 9, 10 with John 9:4, 5. Is Jesus saying the same thing here? What does He mean and why does He give that answer when people are asking how things will turn out in suffering? Can we apply that answer when people ask us the same type of questions?
In verse 11, how did Jesus refer to death? Why does he use that comparison? How does death compare to sleep? What does a person do when they are sleeping? What does a person do when they are dead?
What does verse 16 tell you about “Doubting Thomas?”
What does verse 20 tell you about Martha the homemaker and Mary who at another time had rushed to Jesus?
Did Martha have faith? What did she say she believed in verse 27? What about verse 39?
What did Mary and Martha mean in verses 21 and 32? Did the Jews mean the same thing in verse 37? What’s the subtle difference?
Why did Jesus wait four days after Lazarus died to raise him, instead of coming right away to prevent his death? What does that tell you when, at times, He does not answer our prayer for someone’s healing? Is there still hope? Are there times when God can be glorified more by not answering our prayer immediately than if He did? Is it worth it?
Why did Jesus choose to raise Lazarus from the dead? Why did He do miracles at all?
Does God operate differently now than when Jesus was on earth?

My prayer is:
to be comforted with the thought that death is no more than a sleep, and that Christ can wake us up at His word;
and to understand that at times the delay in God’s healing is to prove something even bigger in demonstrating the glory of God.

What kind of person enters the sheepfold in a way other than through the door?
Who enters through the door?
Who opens the door?
What happens when the doorkeeper (porter) opens the door and the shepherd calls the sheep?
What will the sheep do with strangers? Why?
What are the two things Jesus calls himself in this illustration? (look through verses 7-11)
Who are all the other people who have come for the sheep? (vs. 8)
What three things will happen with everyone who comes through the door of Jesus?
What does the good Shepherd do?
What does the hireling do? Why?
What will Jesus do with the other sheep, not of this fold?
Why does Jesus’ Father love Him?
Who has the power to lay down and take up His life?
How did the Jews respond to this illustration?
What had Jesus done that caused some of them not to believe He had a demon?
What time of year was this? Where was Jesus?
What question did the Jews have for Jesus?
What was His answer? What was supposed to tell them the answer?
Why don’t they believe?
Who gave the sheep to Jesus?
Who is Jesus one with?
How did the Jews respond to this?
What question did Jesus ask the Jews?
What reason did they give for trying to stone Jesus?
What is blasphemy?
What was Jesus’ reasoning for this?
What did Jesus say about His works?
What is supposed to be the result of believing His works?
Where did Jesus go? What had happened there?
What did the people say about Jesus there?
Thought Questions

What other “robbers” are lurking in the world, trying to steal the sheep? How can we recognize Jesus’ voice and follow Him, while avoiding following the robbers?
Many people believe there are many ways to be saved, not just through Jesus. What can you show those people through this chapter about why Jesus is the only way we can be saved? What are the alternatives, according to this illustration?
However, consider verse 16. Who do you think the sheep of the other folds represent? What do you think God’s relationship is with people who do not know of Him? Verse 16 says “they will hear My voice.” How do you think those who don’t know of Him can hear His voice?
What are some ways the thief (Satan) tries to steal people?
Can Satan mimic Jesus’ voice? Can you recognize Jesus’ voice? How can you be sure?
Who might the hireling represent? What might the wolves represent?
Why did the Jews still not understand who Jesus was? Would you have understood if you were there? What is our understanding determined by?
How did Jesus show Himself to be the Christ of God? Did He do it through words, or through actions? Why, then, were the Jews complaining about blasphemy (vs. 33)?
Can your works show God’s power, too? Are works important in revealing God to others?
What is blasphemy? What are some examples of humans “making themselves God” that you can think of? Does Jesus’ explanation apply there? How can we test if Christ is God, or if other humans are God?
What is the difference in attitude between the Jews in verses 20 & 33 and verses 41-42? How can you apply this to your attitude toward God?

My prayer is:
that I would listen, recognize, and hear Christ’s voice when He calls;
that I would recognize and avoid robbers trying to steal the sheep;
and that I would recognize the difference between human blasphemy and Christ’s true divinity through both their words (according to the Scripture) and works.

How long had the man been blind?
Who asked Jesus the question about who had sinned in the blind man’s life?
What was Jesus’ answer?
When must Jesus work the works of Him who sent Him? What happens at night?
As long as Jesus is in the world, what is the result?
What steps did Jesus take to heal the man?
Where was the man sent to wash? What happened?
What did the neighbors ask? What was the disagreement? How was this solved?
What question did they ask him? What was the answer?
Who did they bring the formerly blind man to?
What day was the man healed on?
What did the Pharisees ask him?
What argument did the Pharisees have for thinking that the healer was not from God?
What was the other side of the argument?
What did the Pharisees ask the man then? What was his answer?
What else did the Pharisees do to try to prove that the man had actually been healed?
What question did they ask his parents? What was their response?
Why did the man’s parents respond this way?
What did the Pharisees say when they called the formerly blind man in again?
What was his response?
How many times so far have people asked the man how he was healed?
What was the man’s response to their repeated question this time?
Whose disciples did the Pharisees say they were?
Who did they say spoke to Moses?
What was the problem they had with Jesus?
What was the formerly blind man’s reasoning about Jesus?
What was the Pharisees’ response?
Who found the man?
What question did He ask him?
What question did the man have for Jesus?
What was Jesus’ response?
Did the man believe Jesus?
Why did Jesus say He came into the world?
What did the Pharisees say to Jesus?
What was His answer?

Thought Questions

Why do you think people suffer: because of their sin, their parents’ or ancestors’ sins, none of the above, or a mixture of the above?
Was Jesus really answering the disciples’ question in verse 3? (In the Greek, the conjunction translated “that” often expresses a result, not only a cause, so it could be read either way.) See also John 11:4.
Do you believe God causes evil in order to reveal His goodness? What are some other options?
How can you put this principle to work in your life when you experience suffering?
Look at verse 4. What did Jesus mean by “day?” How about “night?” How should we feel this type of urgency when thinking about the work we should be doing for God in our lives?
Why do you think Jesus made mud for the man’s eyes and sent him to wash them, when at other times He healed people simply with His word? Read also 2 Kings 5:1-14.
What is the significance of the Sabbath in this particular story?
There are several instances in Jesus’ ministry where He healed and did good on the Sabbath, but the Jews thought that it was not legal. What is your concept of the Sabbath? How do you keep the Sabbath? How do you think God wants us to keep the Sabbath? Did Jesus ever give any indication that the Sabbath was no longer binding at all? (Read also the discussion in Matt. 12:1-14)
What would you say about Jesus if you were questioned by important leaders who were against Him?
What do you think of the formerly blind man’s words to the Pharisees? Would you have that much courage?
Why did the man ask who the Son of God was in verse 35? Had he ever seen Jesus’ face before that? What made him believe Jesus?
How do you explain verse 39 in the context of the previous discussion of John 5:22 and 8:15? Does the second half of the verse help you understand it? Are there different types of judgment? Is our personal choice involved–that is, can we judge ourselves on this earth in the light of Jesus? Read verses 40 and 41.

My prayer is:
that I would understand more of the character of God through an understanding of the suffering in this world;
that I would work while it is still day;
that Christ would purify me from sin, so my spiritual “eyes” might be opened to seeing Him more clearly.