This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him. John 2:11 NLT
John uses the noun glory doxa nearly 20 times and uses the verb doxaxo more than 20 times with the general meaning to glorify. Obviously this is a significant idea to Johns gospel.
John 1:14 introduces this to us: So the word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Fathers one and only son. NLT
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. NKJV
The word for made his home among us or dwelt which is in other translations is used in the Greek OT for the tabernacle of God. In other words, Christ is the locus of Gods dwelling with Israel as he had dwelt with them in the tabernalce in the desert (Ex.25:8,9). Hence the glory of God, once restricted to the tabernacle (Ex. 40:34) is now visible in Christ. ... this glory is not merely a display of power. for John the deepest irony is how glory is to be found in suffering and humiliation, for in this gospel, the corss of Chirst is again and again described as jesus glorification. 1
In John 2:11 God affirms through a sign that He is at work in Jesus and is in Him.
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. NKJV
For John, glory is the exalted expression of god's being n Jesus, revealing grace and truth. His meaning may be understood by considering the Hebrew expression "goodness and truth" (hesed we' emet Ex. 33-35) When God shows His glory to Moses He give His words ot Moses and proclaims that He is abounding in goodness and truth (Ex. 34:6,7) 2
God displays the full manifestation of His goodness and truth in time and place that results in the renewal of His covenant with His people. He relates to Moses and His people not in the way that they deserve, but according to His own personal and immediate nature and capacity. Likewise, Jesus manifests God's immediate, personal presence to the people with grace -- understanding thier condition (2:24, 25) Jesus represents God's compassionate response to His peoples fallen and alienated condition. (17:5, 5:17) 3
1 The Bible Knowledge Background Commentary, general editor, author: Craig A. Evans p 42
2 Spirit Filled Life New Testament commentary Series, John: Jonathan D. Huntzinger pp 65,66
3 Spirit Filled Life New Testament commentary Series, John: Jonathan D. Huntzinger p 66
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
We are simply witnesses, we are not the light
God sent a man, John the Baptist, 1:6 NLT
to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. 1:7
John himself was not the light; but he was simply a witness to tell about the light. 1:8
God sent a man - it is a man that God uses to tell about the light. God is sending men today to tell people about the light.
The men are not the light themselves - God uses us to tell others, He uses us sometimes in miraculous ways. Our place is not to glory in this, it is to glory in the light. We are not to be puffed up thinking that their is any life in us or anything that has come from us to make this happen. It is the life that is in Him that we draw on that enables miracles, that enable signs, that enables us to have a testimony.
We are simply a witness - we are light reflectors, we are branches in the vine. We are messengers but not the King himself. It is a simple thing that we are witnesses.
to tell about the light so that everyone might believe because of his testimony. 1:7
John himself was not the light; but he was simply a witness to tell about the light. 1:8
God sent a man - it is a man that God uses to tell about the light. God is sending men today to tell people about the light.
The men are not the light themselves - God uses us to tell others, He uses us sometimes in miraculous ways. Our place is not to glory in this, it is to glory in the light. We are not to be puffed up thinking that their is any life in us or anything that has come from us to make this happen. It is the life that is in Him that we draw on that enables miracles, that enable signs, that enables us to have a testimony.
We are simply a witness - we are light reflectors, we are branches in the vine. We are messengers but not the King himself. It is a simple thing that we are witnesses.
The Life Giver
In Him was life and the life was the light of men John 1:4 NKJV, NASB
In Him was life and that life was the light of men. 1:4 NIV
The word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. 1:4 NLT
Life comes from the word. Jesus was the word come in flesh. John's gospel shows this life being manifested among men.
The signs of Jesus are the visible manifestations and embodiment of the life giving work of God. These miracles are a continuation of the work of God in creation. 1
Source:
1 Gerd Theissen (The Miracle Stories of the Early Christan Tradition, ed John Riches, trans. Francis McDonagh. This is found in The God of the Gospel of John by Merianne Meye Thompson. p 120,121
In Him was life and that life was the light of men. 1:4 NIV
The word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. 1:4 NLT
Life comes from the word. Jesus was the word come in flesh. John's gospel shows this life being manifested among men.
The signs of Jesus are the visible manifestations and embodiment of the life giving work of God. These miracles are a continuation of the work of God in creation. 1
Source:
1 Gerd Theissen (The Miracle Stories of the Early Christan Tradition, ed John Riches, trans. Francis McDonagh. This is found in The God of the Gospel of John by Merianne Meye Thompson. p 120,121
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Giving life
The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. John 1:4 NLT
Life and light were both a part of creation and new creation. The Word was involved in the first creation and continues his work in the new creation.
John uses the word life 36 times. No other NT book uses this term more than 17 times. Rev has 17 mentions, Romans 14 and 1 John 13, so John has more than 1/4 of the mentions of life. It is a key concept in John's gospel. 1
John gives a preview in this verse of a theme seen throughout this gospel, Jesus if the life giver and light imparter.
Sources:
1 The Gospel according to John, Leon Morris p 73
Life and light were both a part of creation and new creation. The Word was involved in the first creation and continues his work in the new creation.
John uses the word life 36 times. No other NT book uses this term more than 17 times. Rev has 17 mentions, Romans 14 and 1 John 13, so John has more than 1/4 of the mentions of life. It is a key concept in John's gospel. 1
John gives a preview in this verse of a theme seen throughout this gospel, Jesus if the life giver and light imparter.
Sources:
1 The Gospel according to John, Leon Morris p 73
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
John 15: fruit
I am the vine, you are the branches . . .
Where does fruit grow? It grows on the branches. The branch though can not produce fruit by itself. The branch produces fruit because of the life (sap) that comes up through the tree and into the branches. We can not produce love or other fruit of the spirit by ourselves. The Holy spirit has deposited these things in our hearts and we must nurture those things so they can mature.
Ideas came from a letter to LHOP from Doug Stone in 2008.
Where does fruit grow? It grows on the branches. The branch though can not produce fruit by itself. The branch produces fruit because of the life (sap) that comes up through the tree and into the branches. We can not produce love or other fruit of the spirit by ourselves. The Holy spirit has deposited these things in our hearts and we must nurture those things so they can mature.
Ideas came from a letter to LHOP from Doug Stone in 2008.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Comparison of the Woman at the Well and Nicodemas
In John 3 we have the story of Jesus interaction with Nicodemas and is John 4 the story of the woman at the well. It is interesting to compare the differences and similarities in these two stories.
Eugene Peterson goes into detail about this in his book Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places.
Their Differences
Nic was a man and the woman at the well a woman, Nic from the city while the WATW was from the country, Nic came at night and the woman at the well was found during the day, Nic was an insider and WATW an outsider, Nic a professional and the WATW a lay person, Nic was a person of respect and the WATW a disreputable woman, Nic was orthodox and the WATW was a heretic, Nic took initiative with Jesus going to Him while the WATW took none , Nic was named and the WATW remains anonymous.
What they had in Common
They both encountered Jesus, they both had "spirit" conversations with Jesus. Jesus is the primary figure in both scenes. Nic and the WATW provide the occasion but Jesus directs the content.
Other interesting portions of this story
Nic risks his reputation to go and see Jesus, Jesus risks his reputation to speak to a Samaritan woman.
So it doesn't matter who starts the conversation, they key is it ends with Jesus.
Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places by Eugene Peterson, p.18,19
Eugene Peterson goes into detail about this in his book Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places.
Their Differences
Nic was a man and the woman at the well a woman, Nic from the city while the WATW was from the country, Nic came at night and the woman at the well was found during the day, Nic was an insider and WATW an outsider, Nic a professional and the WATW a lay person, Nic was a person of respect and the WATW a disreputable woman, Nic was orthodox and the WATW was a heretic, Nic took initiative with Jesus going to Him while the WATW took none , Nic was named and the WATW remains anonymous.
What they had in Common
They both encountered Jesus, they both had "spirit" conversations with Jesus. Jesus is the primary figure in both scenes. Nic and the WATW provide the occasion but Jesus directs the content.
Other interesting portions of this story
Nic risks his reputation to go and see Jesus, Jesus risks his reputation to speak to a Samaritan woman.
So it doesn't matter who starts the conversation, they key is it ends with Jesus.
Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places by Eugene Peterson, p.18,19
Friday, September 26, 2008
3:1
Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him."
Nicodemus, a Jewish Rabbi. Nervous about his reputation, he came to talk with Jesus under cover of darkness. He would have lost credibility with his rabbi colleagues if it became known that he was consulting this disreputable itinerant teacher, this loose prophetic cannon out of nowhere, the no-place Nazareth in Galilee, so he came to Jesus by night. He came, it seems, without an agenda, simply to get acquainted, opening the conversation by complimenting Jesus; "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for not one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God" (3:2) Peterson
Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places by Eugene Peterson, p.14
Nicodemus, a Jewish Rabbi. Nervous about his reputation, he came to talk with Jesus under cover of darkness. He would have lost credibility with his rabbi colleagues if it became known that he was consulting this disreputable itinerant teacher, this loose prophetic cannon out of nowhere, the no-place Nazareth in Galilee, so he came to Jesus by night. He came, it seems, without an agenda, simply to get acquainted, opening the conversation by complimenting Jesus; "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for not one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God" (3:2) Peterson
Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places by Eugene Peterson, p.14
Sunday, July 13, 2008
15:4
"A key word in this verse is the word remain (abide) which appears no fewer than eleven times in the passage. It seems to suggest an effortless resting in the Lord, confident in the promised union between the vine and the true branches. Furthermore John uses the word remain forty times in his Gospel and 27 more times in his epistles. In the context of this passage, it seems to emphasize an ongoing faith and loving obedience to the Father and the Son that results in fruit.
This is a new covenant thinking. The disciples and all believers since them must give up the idea that true Christianity emphasizes memberships and associations rather than life in Christ though the Spirit. "
John by Kenneth O. Gangel p 283
This is a new covenant thinking. The disciples and all believers since them must give up the idea that true Christianity emphasizes memberships and associations rather than life in Christ though the Spirit. "
John by Kenneth O. Gangel p 283
15:2
Boice escapes the difficulty of interpretation by translating cuts off (airo) as "lifts up", certainly one of its meanings. He argues, "This translation makes better sense of the passage in every way, and in addition it is much better theology. First , the emphasis of this opening section of the parable is, quite rightly, upon the care of the vine by the Father. It would be strange, granting this emphasis, if the first thing mentioned is the carrying away of unproductive branches. But it is not at all strange ot emphasize that the vine dresser first lift the branches up so that they may be better exposed to the sin and so the fruit will develop properly"
John by Kenneth O. Gangel quoting Boice: Boice, IV, p.228
John by Kenneth O. Gangel quoting Boice: Boice, IV, p.228
15:2
Jesus noted, "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away"
Elmer Town gives various interpretations and then his own conclusion.
"Theologians debate the identity of the unfruitful branch that is apparently cast away.
First some say it represents the true believer apostatizing. Armenians make reference to this passage to claim that Christians who do not abide in Christ are taken from Him, and their salvation is lost.
Second, those who believer in eternal security interpret the unfruitful branch as one who merely professes Christianity, but who was never truly united to Christ.
Third, others interpret this passage with a primary emphasis on fruit bearing, not salvation.
Fourth, the probable solution in seen in the word airei (takes away). This word is the root for resurrection (to take up). The focus here is fruit bearing; the vinedressser does not cut away a vine because it has no fruit but gently lifts it up to the sun so it has an opportunity to bear fruit. The first step of Christ in not judgment but encouragement."
The Gospel of John,Believe and Live, Elmer Towns p 150-151
Elmer Town gives various interpretations and then his own conclusion.
"Theologians debate the identity of the unfruitful branch that is apparently cast away.
First some say it represents the true believer apostatizing. Armenians make reference to this passage to claim that Christians who do not abide in Christ are taken from Him, and their salvation is lost.
Second, those who believer in eternal security interpret the unfruitful branch as one who merely professes Christianity, but who was never truly united to Christ.
Third, others interpret this passage with a primary emphasis on fruit bearing, not salvation.
Fourth, the probable solution in seen in the word airei (takes away). This word is the root for resurrection (to take up). The focus here is fruit bearing; the vinedressser does not cut away a vine because it has no fruit but gently lifts it up to the sun so it has an opportunity to bear fruit. The first step of Christ in not judgment but encouragement."
The Gospel of John,Believe and Live, Elmer Towns p 150-151
John 15: central idea
Elmer Towns gives his idea on the central idea of John 15: "The foundation of the Christian life is the believer's union and communion with Christ, which is the central truth of the metaphor of the vine and the branches. One cannot read the New Testament without realizing the tremendous importance early Christians placed on the fact that they were in Christ and Christ was in them.... Spiritual life and fruitfulness have their source in Him and are manifestations of the reality of that union."
The Gospel of John,Believe and Live, Elmer Towns p 149-150
The Gospel of John,Believe and Live, Elmer Towns p 149-150
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Gospel of John Timeline
John 1 - Introduction
Day one
. Bethany on the other side of the Jordan (1:28)
. John the Baptist at Jordan River
Day two
. John the Baptist: Jesus is the Lamb of God (1:29-34)
Day three
. the frist disciples: Andrew and Simon Peter (1:35-42)
Day four
. Additional disciples: Phiip, Nathanael (1:43-51)
John 2 - from Nazareth to Galilee
on the third day of the wedding in Cana 2:1)
a few days:
. in Capernaum w mother, brother and disciples (2:12)
then back to Nazareth
. to Jerusalem for the first Passover (2:13)
- at the temple (2:14)
John 3 - - dialogue w Nicodemus (3:1)
to Judean countryside
. Jesus baptizing (3:22)
to Aenon near Salim (3:23)
John 4 - leaves Judea towards Galilee (4:3)
Day one
. Bethany on the other side of the Jordan (1:28)
. John the Baptist at Jordan River
Day two
. John the Baptist: Jesus is the Lamb of God (1:29-34)
Day three
. the frist disciples: Andrew and Simon Peter (1:35-42)
Day four
. Additional disciples: Phiip, Nathanael (1:43-51)
John 2 - from Nazareth to Galilee
on the third day of the wedding in Cana 2:1)
a few days:
. in Capernaum w mother, brother and disciples (2:12)
then back to Nazareth
. to Jerusalem for the first Passover (2:13)
- at the temple (2:14)
John 3 - - dialogue w Nicodemus (3:1)
to Judean countryside
. Jesus baptizing (3:22)
to Aenon near Salim (3:23)
John 4 - leaves Judea towards Galilee (4:3)
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