LESSON 8

CORNERSTONECONNECTIONS
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who is Jesus?
Scripture Story: John 7; 8; 9; 10:1-30.
Commentary: The Desire of Ages, chapters 49, 50, 51, 52.
Key Text: John 8:12.

PREPARING TO TEACH II. TARGET

The students will:
I. SYNOPSIS • Deepen their understanding of how Jesus is the
greatest expression of God’s love and redemp-

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The Jews enjoyed a rich history full of oral tradi-
tion, the Scriptures, their weekly Sabbaths and annual tive plan for the human race. (Know)
feasts, and the Temple with all its ritual and worship to • Gain a greater sense that faith in Jesus is not
prepare them to recognize and receive their Messiah merely about religious belief, but a real relation-
when He should come. So why was there all the whis- ship with God. (Feel)
pering, confusion, and outright anger and rejection of • Choose to put their complete faith in Jesus and
Him, particularly by the religious leaders? It wasn’t as respond to His offer of abundant life and His
though most people weren’t impressed by His mir- promise to meet their deepest needs. (Respond)
acles or His teachings. Jesus was very popular and
well liked by ordinary people. They were convinced for III. EXPLORE
the most part that He was a prophet and healer. The God the Son, Seventh-day Adventist Beliefs,
problem with Jesus was that He went too far. Per- No. 4
forming miracles and showing compassion, sounding God the eternal Son became incarnate in Jesus
authoritative about the Scriptures—that was sort Christ. Through Him all things were created, the char-
of OK. But as we read through these chapters of acter of God is revealed, the salvation of humanity is
John, what is very clear is that Jesus was claiming accomplished, and the world is judged. Forever truly
His deity. In doing so, both in His teaching and in God, He became also truly human, Jesus the Christ.
the way He chose to perform His miracles, He was He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the
challenging the traditional ways in which the Jews virgin Mary. He lived and experienced temptation as a
had come to interpret the Scriptures. Bottom line: He human being, but perfectly exemplified the righteous-
wasn’t the Messiah they were expecting. They were ness and love of God. By His miracles He manifested
expecting a Messiah who would come as a gloried God’s power and was attested as God’s promised
and conquering King to establish the nation of Israel Messiah. He suffered and died voluntarily on the
and to rule all the nations through them in Jerusalem. cross for our sins and in our place, was raised from
They were looking for the Jesus that we Adventists the dead, and ascended to heaven to minister in the
anticipate seeing in His second coming. Jesus missed heavenly sanctuary in our behalf. He will come again
the mark and was disappointing to them because they in glory for the final deliverance of His people and the
didn’t want a spiritual kingdom brought on by the new restoration of all things. (Isa. 53:4-6; Dan. 9:25-27;
birth and the remaking of the human heart. Are we any Luke 1:35; John 1:1-3, 14; 5:22; 10:30; 14:1-3, 9, 13;
different? Rom. 6:23; 1 Cor. 15:3, 4; 2 Cor. 3:18; 5:17-19; Phil.

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 2:5-11; Col.1:15-19; Heb. 2:9-18; 8:1, 2.) His high-priestly role, our understanding of His present
ministry will be deficient. And if we don’t see Jesus
TEACHING as soon-coming King, our lives may be spent in ways
other than those He would desire.
I. GETTING STARTED
II. TEACHING THE STORY
Activity
Refer the students to the What Do You Think? Bridge to the Story
section of their lesson. After they have completed it, One of the most important things a follower of
discuss their responses. Jesus can do is share His love with others. How well
Prepare and distribute scripts from John 8–10 in we know Jesus and what our understanding of Him is
the form of a play. Assign parts: have someone read will determine what we share. Just like the early dis-
the part of Jesus, assign a narrator, some would be ciples, and like His neighbors in Nazareth, we need to
groups of people whispering, others would be the make sure that our picture of Jesus is full, complete,
Pharisees. Choose a passage that wasn’t previously and even compelling. If we lift Jesus up, He will draw
used in Into the Story—perhaps the woman brought in all men unto Him.
sin to Jesus, or the healing of the blind man. Or both.
After the class acts out the scene and the reaction Out of the Story for Teachers
to Jesus, have a discussion with them about what As you read the Into the Story section with your
insights they got from role-playing the Scriptures. students, use the following in your own words to pro-
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Then ask how the reactions to Jesus compare to how cess it with them.
people react to Him today. Use a board or a large pad and be prepared to
have to write down all the lists of responses that flow
Illustration from a question-and-answer session with your class.
In January 2001 three young teens, refugees from Ask:
the Darfur region of Sudan, were transported to Fargo, • What did Jesus’ brothers think about Him? Did
North Dakota, landing in the middle of winter: “This is a they believe He was the Messiah?
stove burner. This is a can opener. This is a brush for • What are some of the things people were saying
your teeth. The new things came in a tumble” (“The Lost as they “gossiped” about Jesus?
Boys of Sudan; The Long, Long, Long Road to Fargo,” • How did Jesus respond to the questions raised
Sara Corbett, the New York Times, April 1, 2001). by the people?
Just as a youngster from the barren desert of • What was the Pharisees’ reaction to Jesus?
the Sudan might not know what to make of a snow- • Why were the religious leaders critical of Jesus’
covered prairie, many denizens of Jerusalem, Naza- healing of the blind man?
reth, and Galilee weren’t quite sure what to make of • What angered them about Jesus’ response to
Jesus. “Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son the woman taken in sin?
and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? • What claims did Jesus make about Himself?
Aren’t his sisters here with us?” (Mark 6:3, NIV). Say:
In this case, familiarity with Jesus would ultimately Jesus was very deliberate and strategic in the way
breed contempt for Him and an inability for the “native He presented Himself, the words He said, and the
son” to perform the miracles He did elsewhere, saying: miracles He performed. For example, it is no coinci-
“ ‘A prophet is not withour honor except in his own dence that it was the time prior to, during, and after the
town, among his relatives and in his own home.’ He Feast of Tabernacles that Jesus made these significant
could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands claims: “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35, NIV); “I am
on a few sick people and heal them. And he was the light of the world” (John 8:12, NIV); “Let anyone
amazed at their lack of faith” (Mark 6:4-6, NIV). who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes
How we see Jesus will determine what we do with in me, as the Scripture has said, rivers of living water
Him. If all we see is an itinerant teacher, we will not will flow from within them” (John 7:37, 38, NIV).
understand His place in the Godhead. If we don’t see Ask the students if they know what the Feast of

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 Tabernacles celebrated. Ask for volunteers to read out
loud Leviticus 23:33-36, 39-43. Facilitate a discussion Tips for Top-notch Teaching
about all the provisions God made for the Israelites
during the time they journeyed from Egypt, through the Make It Personal

RABBI 101
desert, until they came into their Promised Land. Then, As teachers we have a balancing act
using the background and context section, lead the between giving proper historical context to the
students to understand how Jesus was the physical biblical teaching and bringing it down to our own
embodiment of God’s fulfilled promise and provision context so the student will latch on to relevant
for His people. points to ponder and practice. If we take too
much time with the exposition and word studies,
Sharing Context and Background we risk losing the attention of our students. If
Coming Full Circle we move too quickly to modern application, we
Just before coming upon Jesus at the Feast of lose vital information that gives the student time
Tabernacles in John 7, He already had a major conflict to process the spiritual depths there for them.
with the religious leaders (John 6); many of His early One great way to handle that tension is
admirers walked away. Why? After feeding the 5,000 to make the Scriptures come alive for the stu-
Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.” He was comparing dent by engaging them not merely in group
Himself to the manna God sent from heaven—saying reading and lecturing, but as the text lends
He was the true manna. That’s why we see John 7 itself, to role-playing. Type it up ahead of time
c
opening with Jesus brushing off his brother’s chal- like a script; assign students parts, including a

ornerstone onnections
lenge to go to the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem. narrator to fill in background. Have a group of
Already the Pharisees were out for His blood. Even them perform the scripture for the rest of the
before Jesus arrived in Jerusalem, people were talking class. Then facilitate a roundtable discussion to
about Him and looking for Him. unpack the nuances and meanings of the scrip-
It was no coincidence that Jesus stood on the ture. You may very well find yourself amazed at c
steps of the Temple proclaiming: “I am the light of the the depth of insights the students will share!
world” during the Feast of Tabernacles. He placed
Himself in the center of all the imagery God had given,
preparing them to recognize Him when He would walk
among them and usher in His kingdom. Jesus was self and His mission to men—just as God through the
ready to use this feast as a way to reveal more of Him- centuries had used the feasts as a way to reveal His

Teaching From . . .
Refer your students to the other sections of their lesson.

• Further Insight • Punch Lines

Ask them how the quotes in Further Insight Point out to your students the verses listed
convey the point of the story in this lesson. in their lesson that relate to this week’s story.
• Flashlight Have them read the passages and ask each one
Read the Flashlight statement, pointing out to choose the verse that speaks most direct-
that most of the time it is from the commentary ly to them today. Then ask them to explain
on this week’s story found in the book The why they chose the one they did.
Desire of Ages. Ask what relationship they see Or you might assign the passages to pairs
between the statement and what they have of students to read aloud and then discuss, in
just discussed from Out of the Story. order to choose the most relevant one to them.

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 plan of salvation. III. CLOSING
Tabernacles was a time of celebrating all of the
provision and protection God had shown His people Activity
as they journeyed from slavery in Egypt to a land Have the students think back to a new situation
promised to them—where they would be a nation and or a new environment: how they reacted, how they
God would be their King. They celebrated by coming observed the people there, and how the people there
into the city of Jerusalem and setting up tents made received them. Was there a connection? Were they
from tree branches and leaves, bringing their gifts of misunderstood? If the latter, how did they overcome
thanksgiving—grain, grapes, and oil—to present to it? Jesus didn’t need to overcome misunderstanding,
the priests at the Temple as a thank offering for their but He had a way of drawing people to Himself. What
harvest; thanking God for providing rain and sun so can we learn from that?
that their land prospered. Also, they remembered how
God provided food from heaven—manna—when they Summary
had no place to settle or plant in the rough desert as There has never been—and there never shall be
they journeyed in the wilderness. He gave them water again—Someone on this earth like Jesus. He was
from the rocks when the dry desert had nothing to unique. But that uniqueness made for misunderstand-
offer them. He met their every need, sheltering them ings, resentment, and rejection. Yet in the midst of all
from wild animals, snakes, and scorpions, shielding this, Jesus knew who He was, why He had come, and
them from the enemy nations and tribes. Jehovah was what He had to do.
their great Provider. And as Jesus saw the sun lighting His questioning of the disciples—“Who do you say
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up the gold of the Temple walls, He pointed to it and I am?”—wasn’t to clarify any confusion on His part. It
said, “I am the light of the world.” These walls—just was to sharpen the minds of the disciples and help
as the pillar of fire that guided the Israelites by night them understand that this wasn’t another rabble-rous-
in the desert—had always pointed God’s people to ing movement; it was a mission that would change the
the Messiah. There He was, pointing back at the walls world.
and proclaiming that here He was, their long-awaited Having the correct picture of Jesus—Savior,
redemption! Redeemer, High Priest, coming King, and Lord of
lords—is vital to understanding His mission today,
which really is our mission.
Ask: What picture do you have of Jesus? What
picture of Jesus do others get from you?
Close with prayer.

Remind the students about the reading plan that will take them through the
inspired commentary of the Bible, the Conflict of the Ages Series. The reading that
goes with this lesson is The Desire of Ages (or Humble Hero),* chapters 49, 50, 51, 52.
*A special adaptation, Humble Hero, has been created just for you by the Ellen
G. White Estate and the Pacific Press Publishing Association. Get more info about
it at www.cornerstoneconnections.net.

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 real.solid.s t o r i e s LESSON 8

CORNERSTONECONNECTIONS
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STUDENT LESSON
Scripture Story: John 7; 8; 9; 10:1-30.
Commentary: The Desire of Ages (or Humble Hero ), chapters 49,
50, 51, 52.

who is
Jesus?

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Photo by Alden Ho

keytext
“When Jesus spoke again to the

flashlight people, he said, ‘I am the light of

the world. Whoever follows me
“God is light; and in the words, ‘I am the light of the world,’ Christ declared His
will never walk in darkness, but
oneness with God, and His relation to the whole human family. It was He who at
will have the light of life.’ ”
the beginning had caused ‘the light to shine out of darkness.’ 2 Corinthians 4:6. He
is the light of sun and moon and star. He was the spiritual light that in symbol and (John 8:12, NIV)
type and prophecy had shone upon Israel. . . . As the sunbeams penetrate to the
remotest corners of the earth, so does the light of the Sun of Righteousness shine
upon every soul” (The Desire of Ages, p. 464).
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 what
licly about him for fear
of the leaders.

“Not until halfway through the fes-

do you think? tival did Jesus go up to the temple

courts and begin to teach. The Jews
were amazed and asked, ‘How did this
What do you think is the reason Jesus’ contemporaries had
man get such learning without having
such a difficult time believing in Him as the Messiah?
been taught?’ “
lack of evidence
pride
Jesus’ choice of friends
Jesus’ background
INTO “At that point some of the people of
Jerusalem began to ask, ‘Isn’t this the

His incredible claims

It’s easy to be critical of the religious people
THE man they are trying to kill? Here he is,
speaking publicly, and they are not say-
ing a word to him. Have the authorities
who challenged and rejected Jesus. But remember,
today we have the historical reality of Jesus’ life,
sacrificial death, and resurrection, and the wit-
STORY really concluded that he is the Mes-
siah? But we know where this man is
from; when the Messiah comes, no one
ness of the first disciples and the early church.
“When the Jewish Festival of will know where he is from.’
Yet many people can’t seem to believe that
Tabernacles was near, Jesus’
Jesus was/is God in the flesh. As you study
brothers said to him, ‘Leave “Then Jesus, still teaching in the tem-
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the lesson, think about why this may be.

Galiee and go to Judea, so that ple courts, cried out, ‘Yes, you know
What do you think of Jesus?
your disciples there may see the me, and you know where I am from. I
works you do. No one who wants am not here on my own authority, but
to become a public figure acts in he who sent me is true. You do not
secret. Since you are doing these know him, but I know him because I am
things, show yourself to the world.’ from him and he sent me.’ . . .
For even his own brothers did not
believe in him. “Many in the crowd believed in him.

did you “Therefore Jesus told them, ‘My

They said, ‘When the Messiah comes,
will he perform more signs than this

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know? time is not yet here.’. . .

“However, after his brothers had

man?’ ”

“On the last and greatest day of the

uslims, Jews, Hindus,
left for the festval, he went also, festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud
Buddhists, and secu-
not publicly, but in secret. Now voice, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come
lar people all believe in
at the festival the Jewish leaders to me and drink. Whoever believes in
Jesus. Whether it is that
were watching for Jesus and me, as Scripture has said, rivers of liv-
He is a prophet or religious
asking, ‘Where is he?’ Among ing water will flow from within them.’ ”
leader in history among all the other prophets, or
the crowds there was wide-
whether it’s that He was a good man
spread whispering about “On hearing his words, some of the
who set a good example, or even
him. Some said, ‘He is people said, ‘Surely this man is the
that He is one god among a
a good man.’ Oth- Prophet.’
myriad of gods, almost every-
ers replied, ‘No, he
one believes something about
deceives the peo- “Others said, ‘He is the Messiah.’ Still
Jesus. Our global community
ple.’ But no one others asked, ‘How can the Messiah
has absorbed Jesus into its cul-
would say come from Galilee? Does not the
ture. So, as it turns out, all these
anything Scripture say that the Messiah will
centuries after Jesus’ life, things
pub- come from David’s descendants and
haven’t changed so much when
from Bethlehem, the town where David
it comes to all the different opinions
lived?’ Thus the people were divided
people have about Jesus. Who do you say
because of Jesus.”
Jesus is? What you believe about Jesus makes all
the difference in the world! (John 7:2-6, 10-15, 25-31,
37, 38, 40-43, NIV)
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 punch lines
“On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice,
OUT ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as
Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them’ ” (John

OF THE 7:37, 38, NIV).

STORY “Jesus answered, ‘My teaching is not my own. It comes from

him who sent me. Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will
find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I
Read through John 7 through 10 and list some of the things speak on my own’ ” (John 7:16, 17, NIV).
people were saying about Jesus.
“ ‘Very truly I tell you,’ Jesus answered, ‘before
Abraham was born, I am!’ ” (John 8:58, NIV).

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said,

What was the main reason the Jews had for doubting that Jesus was ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me
their Messiah? (John 7:27, 41-43, 52). will never walk in darkness, but will have the
light of life’ ” (John 8:12, NIV).

“Therefore Jesus said again, ‘Very truly

I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep’ ”

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(John 10:7, NIV).
List Jesus’ answers to each of the questions raised about Him.
“I am the good shepherd. The good
shepherd lays down his life for the
sheep” (John 10:11, NIV).

John’s Gospel stands out from the others because in it we can find the most
about what Jesus says about Himself. How many of the “I am”s of Jesus you
can find? List them below. If you make the extra time you can include John 6
and 11 also to see more of the “I am”s!

35
further
Why did the religious leaders become enraged with Jesus and want to kill
Him? (John 8:58; 10:33).
insight
“Under a variety of represen-
tations [Jesus] warned His hear-
ers of the calamity that would
follow all who rejected the bless-
ings He came to bring them. He had
given them every possible proof that
He came forth from God, and made every
possible effort to bring them to repentance.”
—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 453

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 connectingtolife
Sabbath last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, He saw Bible of Jesus’ divinity? How should we
Read Mark 8:29. way beyond earth’s history and knew how fully believe on Jesus—by evidence or by faith
n the What Do You Think? section you had and thoroughly He could meet every need of the or both? What would you say to someone
I the opportunity to consider what people in
Jesus’ day thought about Him and how that
human soul and give us more than we could
ever begin to fathom? Also, while you are in
who is struggling to accept Jesus as God
and Savior?
compares to today’s global culture. Do you Revelation 21, take a look at verse 6!
know anyone who isn’t a Christian? Have you
gotten an idea of what they think about Jesus? Wednesday
Do you have any Jewish friends, or Muslims, Read Luke 7:23. Friday
or Hindus, or Buddhists? Have you found that ead and think about this week’s Punch
they all accept Jesus on some level? What truth
can you share with them about Jesus that is
R Lines.
Read John 7:16, 17.

U nlike the other Gospel narratives, John’s

Gospel gives us a picture of Jesus in the
unfamiliar to them? As you read through all the claims made by context of Jewish tradition and religious ritual.
Jesus in this week’s Punch Lines, what did you In doing so, he gives us the deepest spiritual
notice about Him that separates Him from all insights into how Jesus is the fulfillment of
other religious gurus and prophets? Notice that all the symbolisms God had given to the Jews
Sunday Jesus doesn’t brag about being educated by to teach them of His plan of redemption and
Read John 8:48. human teachers. He has it on direct authority restoration.
cornerstoneconnections

fter reading the Into the Story section and

A
Story
answering the questions in the Out of the
section, ask
from God. What kind of challenges did that
claim cause for Him?
yourself this question: What
Through His Word and in the Sabbath and
annual feasts, even in each item of the Temple,
systems were in place for Jewish people so that God used objects, events, and ritual to teach
how He would save His people. Showing Jesus
they should have been able to recognize Jesus
as the Messiah? Look at His other claims. Jesus didn’t say He in that backdrop of everyday life and religious
would point people to the light; He said, “I am activity, John gave to the Jewish mind the idea
the light!” He wasn’t claiming to give us living that all those symbols are complete in Jesus.
water—He is the living water; He is the way; He He’s the real thing! He’s the long-awaited
is the gate by which we enter God’s kingdom. Messiah who would save not just the Jews but
Monday He is the shepherd who leads us! the Gentiles, too!
Read John 10:7 .
36 hy were there so many differing opinions In making His claims about Himself, Jesus was Which of the sayings and miracles of Jesus in
W about Jesus—in His day and in ours?
What are the barriers to having a clear view
using the name that God had taught Moses.
The Hebrew word is Yahweh—it means I AM.
this lesson stood out most to you? Why? What
insights have you gained?
of Him? When Moses asked God, “What should I tell
Pharaoh if he asks who sent me?" God said,
“Tell Pharaoh, ‘I AM’ [or Yahweh] sent you.”
Texts credited to NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International
Jesus was claiming THE NAME! Imagine if
Version. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.
Tuesday you were in the crowd hearing Jesus say this. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Read Revelation 21:22-24. Can you get a better grasp of why the religious
n this week’s Flashlight Ellen White gives us
I deep insight into how meaningful Christ’s
claim about Himself was. Jesus was calling
leaders wanted to stone Him? How might you
react? How quick are we to defend our tradi-
tions? Don’t you get unnerved when what you
Himself light—the source of all light. Go back believe is challenged?
to chapter 51 of The Desire of Ages, page
464, and read the complete quote and the this week’s reading*
context around it. List all the events this claim The Desire of Ages (or Humble
would have brought to mind to His Jewish Thursday Hero), chapters 49, 50, 51, 52.
listeners. Then read Revelation 21:22-24. Can Read 2 Timothy 3:14, 15.
A special adaptation of The Desire of Ages, entitled Humble Hero,
ead again the quote in Further Insight.
you imagine that when Jesus said these words
as He stood in the court of the Temple on the R What are some of the evidences in the
has been created just for you by the White Estate and the Pacific
Press Publishing Association. Get more info about it at: www.
cornerstoneconnections.net. By following this plan you will read
at least one book of the Conflict of the Ages Series each year.
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