Bible Study series: John 10:40-42. He went to the region beyond the Jordan River (eastward). And many people believed in him because of the signs.

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John 10

At that link, I provide a lot more commentary.

In this post, links are provided for further study.

Let’s begin.

Scripture: John 10:40-42

⁴⁰ Then he departed again beyond the Jordan River to the place where John was baptizing the first time and stayed there. ⁴¹ And many people came to him and were saying, “John did not do one sign, yet everything John said about this man was true.” ⁴² So many believed in him there. (John 10:40-42)

Comments:

Carson calls this three-verse pericope: “Strategic retreat, continued advance.” Excellent.

40:

Jesus stood toe to toe with the religious establishment in the previous pericope, but evidently he heard from his Father that it was now best to retreat. It is okay to flee persecution. His retreat was very symbolic. He went where John was baptizing the first time.

Should Christians Fight or Flee Persecution?

Recall these verses:

²⁹ The next day, he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Look! The lamb of God who takes away the sin of the whole world! ³⁰ He is the one about whom I said, ‘A man is coming after me who outranks me because he is ahead of me!’ ³¹ I myself did not know him, but in order that he may be manifest to Israel, for this reason I came baptizing in water.” ³² Further, John testified, saying: “I saw the Spirit like a dove coming down from heaven and remained on him. ³³ I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize in water—he told me, ‘On whomever you see the Spirit coming down and remaining upon him—this is the one who baptizes in the Holy Spirit!’ ³⁴ And I saw and testify that this one is the Son of God.” (John 1:29-34)

And these verses are even more relevant in this context:

³¹ “The one coming from above is over all. The one who is from the earth is of the earth and speaks from the earth; the one coming from heaven is over all. ³² What he sees and hears—he testifies to this, and no one accepts his testimony. ³³ The one who accepted his testimony has certified that God is true. ³⁴ God has sent the one who speaks the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without limit. ³⁵ The Father loves the Son and has given everything in his hands. ³⁶ The one believing in the Son has eternal life, but the one disobeying the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” (John 3:31-38)

John is speaking in both those long passages. He is emphatic. One must believe in the Son; when one does believe, he will have eternal life. But if he does not believe, the wrath-judgment of God remains on him.

So it is no wonder that many who went eastward to the Jordan River believed in him.

41:

Faith or believing is more than just intellectual assent. It has to be directed towards someone, in this case, Jesus. It encompasses your entire being and devotion.

Word Study on Faith and Faithfulness

Apparently, many Judeans expressed true faith in him. Recall that many Jerusalemites converted to the Messiah after Pentecost (Acts 2:41; 4:4; 6:7 [large number of priests]; 20:21). This statement ends this long section in Jerusalem on a triumphal note—a crescendo. Jesus was not defeated in going back to where his ministry began at his baptismal launch.

Jesus is now ready to go up the road from the Jordan River to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, about three or four months later (12:12-19), though he goes up to nearby Bethany to raise his friend Lazarus from the dead (11:11-44). Then he will depart again and then enjoy his triumphal entry.

GrowApp for John 10:40-42

1. Who first testified to you that Jesus was the Son of God and you should believe in him? What convinced you? Tell your story.

RELATED

14. Similarities among John’s Gospel and the Synoptic Gospels

12. Eyewitness Testimony in John’s Gospel

4. Church Fathers and John’s Gospel

3. Archaeology and John’s Gospel

SOURCES

For the bibliography, click on this link and scroll down to the very bottom:

John 10