Lesson 02- Signs of Divinity

Read for This Week’s Study
John 6:1-15; Isaiah 53:4-6; 1 Corinthians 5:7; John 6:26-36; John 9:1-41; 1 Corinthians 1:26-29; John 11:1-57.
Memory Text:
“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?’ ” (John 11:25-26).

Sabbath Afternoon: Introduction

Key Points:

1. Jesus' Eternal Nature
   • Jesus is the eternal Son, uncreated and one with the Father. He has always existed and created all things (John 1:1-3). His divinity is central to His identity.
2. Jesus' Miracles Reveal His Divinity
   • Throughout His ministry, Jesus did miracles to reveal His divine nature. These signs were intended to show people that He was the Messiah, the Son of God (John 11:25-26).
3. The Purpose of Jesus' Miracles
   • Jesus’ miracles were not just acts of compassion but pointed to deeper spiritual truths. They demonstrated His power over nature and life, proving He was divine.
4. Reactions to Jesus' Miracles
   • People responded differently to Jesus’ signs. Some believed, while others rejected Him or plotted against Him. His miracles often caused division (John 6, John 9, John 11).
5. Christ's Divinity is Essential to Salvation
   • Jesus' divinity is the foundation of His role as Savior. Only a divine being could bear the sins of humanity and offer eternal life (Isaiah 53:4-6).

Discussion Questions:

1. What do Jesus' miracles reveal about His relationship with the Father?
   Answer: They show that Jesus is one with the Father, acting in harmony with God’s will and demonstrating His divine authority.

2. Why do some people struggle to accept Jesus' divinity despite witnessing His miracles?
   Answer: Some were blinded by their preconceived notions of what the Messiah should be, looking for a political deliverer rather than a spiritual Savior.

3. How do Jesus' miracles affirm the hope of eternal life for believers?
   Answer: His power over life and death, as seen in miracles like raising the dead (John 11), assures us that He has the authority to give eternal life.

Sunday: The Feeding of the Five Thousand

Key Points:

1. Miracle during Passover
   • Jesus fed the 5,000 near Passover, linking this event to Israel’s deliverance from Egypt. It recalled the provision of manna in the wilderness (John 6:4-14).
2. Jesus as the New Moses
   • Parallels between Jesus and Moses show that Jesus is the new leader who delivers His people. Like Moses, Jesus went up on a mountain, provided bread (manna), and gathered the people (John 6:3-13).
3. The Passover Lamb Connection
   • Jesus, our Passover Lamb, was foreshadowed in this miracle. His sacrifice would save humanity, just as the Passover lamb saved Israel from death (1 Corinthians 5:7).
4. Jesus Tests His Disciples
   • Jesus tested Philip’s faith in this miracle, just as God tested Israel in the wilderness. The disciples’ understanding of Jesus' power was growing (John 6:5-6).
5. Abundant Provision
   • Jesus’ miracle of feeding the crowd with 5 loaves and 2 fish, leaving 12 baskets of leftovers, illustrated His abundant provision for His people (John 6:11-13).

Discussion Questions:

1. What does the feeding of the 5,000 tell us about Jesus’ ability to meet our needs?
   Answer: It demonstrates that Jesus is not only concerned with physical needs but provides abundantly for both physical and spiritual hunger.

2. Why is Jesus compared to Moses in this miracle?
   Answer: Like Moses, Jesus led and provided for the people, fulfilling their needs in miraculous ways, showing that He was the promised deliverer.

3. How does this miracle highlight Jesus as the Bread of Life?
   Answer: It points to Jesus’ role as the spiritual sustenance for humanity. Just as He provided physical bread, He offers Himself as spiritual nourishment for eternal life (John 6:35).

Monday: “Surely, He Is the Prophet”

Key Points:

1. The People's Expectation
   • After the miracle of feeding the 5,000, the people wanted to make Jesus king, expecting Him to be the political Messiah to free them from Roman rule (John 6:14-15).
2. Jesus' True Mission
   • Jesus used this miracle to reveal Himself as the Bread of Life, offering spiritual nourishment rather than earthly power or political deliverance (John 6:26-36).
3. The "I Am" Statements
   • Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life," connecting Himself to the divine name "I AM," revealing His divine identity as the source of life (John 6:35, Exodus 3:14).
4. The People's Misunderstanding
   • Many people missed the spiritual significance of Jesus' message. They focused on the material benefits rather than the eternal truth of who Jesus was (John 6:26-27).
5. Spiritual Hunger
   • Jesus called the people to seek food that endures to eternal life, pointing to their deeper need for spiritual transformation through Him (John 6:35).

Discussion Questions:

1. Why did the people want to make Jesus king after the feeding of the 5,000?
   Answer: They saw Him as a potential political leader who could provide for their material needs and deliver them from Roman oppression.

2. What does Jesus mean when He says, “I am the bread of life”?
   Answer: Jesus is offering Himself as the essential spiritual nourishment that leads to eternal life, much more important than temporary, physical food.

3. How can we ensure we focus on the spiritual rather than material things?
   Answer: By continually seeking a deeper relationship with Christ, prioritizing eternal truths over temporary, earthly desires.

Tuesday: The Healing of the Blind Man: Part 1

Key Points:

1. The Disciples' Question
   • The disciples believed that the man's blindness was a result of sin, reflecting a common belief that suffering was a direct consequence of personal or ancestral sin (John 9:1-2).
2. Jesus’ Correction
   • Jesus explained that the man's blindness was not due to sin but to reveal God's works, showing that not all suffering is caused by personal sin (John 9:3).
3. Jesus' Healing Power
   • Jesus healed the man by making clay and anointing his eyes, symbolizing His creative power and restoring the man’s sight (John 9:6-7).
4. Sabbath Controversy
   • Jesus healed on the Sabbath, leading the Pharisees to accuse Him of breaking the law. This highlights the tension between tradition and the true meaning of the Sabbath (John 9:14-16).
5. Spiritual Blindness
   • The Pharisees, blinded by their own traditions and beliefs, failed to see the miracle as evidence of Jesus’ divinity. Their spiritual blindness contrasted with the man's physical healing (John 9:16).

Discussion Questions:

1. Why did the disciples assume that the man's blindness was due to sin?
   Answer: They reflected the common belief that suffering and physical ailments were a direct result of sin, either personal or ancestral.

2. What does Jesus’ healing of the blind man teach us about God’s purpose in suffering?
   Answer: It shows that not all suffering is due to sin; sometimes God allows difficulties to reveal His glory and accomplish His greater purposes.

3. How did the Pharisees' spiritual blindness prevent them from accepting Jesus’ divinity?
   Answer: Their rigid adherence to tradition and misunderstanding of the Sabbath blinded them to the evidence of Jesus’ divine authority.

Wednesday: The Healing of the Blind Man: Part 2

Key Points

1. The Leaders’ Skepticism: The Pharisees questioned whether Jesus was a sinner because He healed on the Sabbath, ignoring the miracle itself.

   • Supporting Text: “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” (John 9:16)

2. The Blind Man’s Growing Faith: The healed man’s faith grows stronger as he recognizes that Jesus is a prophet and defends Him before the Pharisees.

   • Supporting Text: “He is a prophet.” (John 9:17)

3. Spiritual Blindness of the Pharisees: The Pharisees become increasingly spiritually blind despite the evidence in front of them.

   • Supporting Text: “We know that this man is a sinner.” (John 9:24)

4. The Blind Man’s Bold Testimony: The man boldly claims that Jesus must be from God, as no one else could perform such a miracle.

   • Supporting Text: “If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” (John 9:33)

5. The Division Among the Leaders: The story reflects a division between those who accept Jesus and those who reject Him, even in the face of miracles.

   • Supporting Text: “There was a division among them.” (John 9:16)

Discussion Questions

1. Why were the religious leaders unwilling to accept the miracle?

   • They were blinded by their rigid interpretations of the Sabbath and unwilling to see Jesus’ divinity.

2. What does the blind man’s growing faith teach us about spiritual transformation?

   • It shows that spiritual growth often comes through struggle and standing firm in one’s faith, even when facing opposition.

3. How does the healing of the blind man illustrate the contrast between spiritual sight and blindness?

   • The man’s physical sight symbolizes his spiritual enlightenment, while the Pharisees’ refusal to see the truth shows their increasing spiritual blindness.

Thursday: The Resurrection of Lazarus

Key Points

1. Jesus Deliberately Delayed: Jesus waited two days before going to Lazarus, allowing him to die to show God’s glory in raising him.

   • Supporting Text: “So when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer.” (John 11:6)

2. Jesus’ Power Over Death: Jesus declares Himself to be the resurrection and the life, demonstrating His divine power over death.

   • Supporting Text: “I am the resurrection and the life.” (John 11:25)

3. Martha’s Faith: Despite her grief, Martha affirms her faith in Jesus as the Messiah, showing belief in His power over death.

   • Supporting Text: “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Christ.” (John 11:27)

4. Lazarus Raised: Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead after four days, showing His power to give life even to a decayed body.

   • Supporting Text: “The dead man came out.” (John 11:44)

5. Irony of Unbelief: Despite this powerful miracle, some still conspire to kill Jesus, not recognizing the divine power they witnessed.

   • Supporting Text: “So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.” (John 11:53)

Discussion Questions

1. Why did Jesus delay in going to Lazarus?

   • Jesus delayed to allow Lazarus to die so that He could demonstrate His power over death and reveal His divinity.

2. What does Martha’s statement of faith reveal about her understanding of Jesus?

   • Martha acknowledges Jesus as the Messiah and the source of life, showing a deep trust in His divine power.

3. Why did some still refuse to believe after the resurrection of Lazarus?

   • Their hearts were hardened, and they were more concerned about losing their position and authority than recognizing the truth of Jesus' power.

Friday: Further Thought

Read Ellen G. White, “The Crisis in Galilee,” pp. 383–394; “ ‘Lazarus, Come Forth,’ ” pp. 524–536; and “Priestly Plottings,” pp. 537–542, in The Desire of Ages.

“The life of Christ that gives life to the world is in His word. It was by His word that Jesus healed disease and cast out demons; by His word He stilled the sea, and raised the dead; and the people bore witness that His word was with power. He spoke the word of God, as He had spoken through all the prophets and teachers of the Old Testament. The whole Bible is a manifestation of Christ, and the Saviour desired to fix the faith of His followers on the word. When His visible presence should be withdrawn, the word must be their source of power. Like their Master, they were to live ‘by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.’ Matthew 4:4.

“As our physical life is sustained by food, so our spiritual life is sustained by the word of God. And every soul is to receive life from God’s word for himself. As we must eat for ourselves in order to receive nourishment, so we must receive the word for ourselves. We are not to obtain it merely through the medium of another’s mind. We should carefully study the Bible, asking God for the aid of the Holy Spirit, that we may understand His word.”—Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages, p. 390.

Key Points

1. Spiritual Nourishment from God’s Word: Just as physical life is sustained by food, spiritual life is sustained by the word of God.

   • Supporting Text: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)

2. The Bible as a Manifestation of Christ: The entire Bible reveals Christ and His life-giving word, pointing to Him as the source of eternal life.

   • Supporting Text: “The whole Bible is a manifestation of Christ.” (The Desire of Ages, p. 390)

3. Miracles as Evidence of Divinity: The miracles of feeding the 5,000, healing the blind man, and raising Lazarus reveal Jesus as the divine Son of God.

   • Supporting Text: “These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God.” (John 20:31)

4. Rejection Despite Evidence: Even with overwhelming evidence, such as raising the dead, people can still reject Jesus due to pride or spiritual blindness.

   • Supporting Text: “But though He had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in Him.” (John 12:37)

5. The Importance of Christ’s Divinity: Jesus’ divinity is crucial because only God can grant eternal life, as demonstrated in His miracles and teachings.

   • Supporting Text: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6)

Discussion Questions

1. Why do some people reject Jesus despite powerful evidence of His divinity?

   • People may reject Him due to spiritual pride, hardened hearts, or a desire to maintain control over their lives and beliefs.

2. Why is Jesus’ divinity essential for our faith?

   • Believing in Jesus as God is foundational to our faith because only God has the power to forgive sins and grant eternal life.

3. How do the teachings in 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 apply today?

   • The world often mocks the “foolishness” of faith, but God uses what seems weak or foolish to shame the wise and show His power. Many still dismiss core Christian beliefs, such as resurrection and salvation by grace, as irrational, but they are central to God’s wisdom.